Since Huo Lan took over, Xingguan has held three emergency meetings.
The first time, Xingguan made a bold decision to cut off redundant departments, streamlining its operations.
The second time, Xingguan bravely forged ahead, with Huo Lan decisively pushing for an IPO against opposition, causing the stock price to soar.
The third time, Xingguan’s management team collectively joined an online emergency video conference, bewildered and nervous, without any substantial content. They adjourned, still confused and tense.
“Is this an assessment?” The Operations Department Director anxiously called the butler in secret. “Did President Huo set up a test to evaluate us?”
Hiding a tree in a forest, concealing water in the sea.
Hiding content within no content.
Anyone who failed to deeply grasp President Huo’s intentions would have to write a 3,000-word work reflection.
The butler glanced at President Huo and said softly, “Let me see…”
The butler had slipped out midway to find Mr. Liang. They had discussed with Liang Xiao, planning for one to wait outside to make contact, while the other came in to scout the situation, still unclear about the specifics of the meeting.
While on the phone, the butler took a moment to check the meeting minutes.
Surprisingly, no one dared to question why their President Huo attended the meeting wearing a simple, unassuming set of pajamas instead of formal attire.
The butler looked up, carefully observing the small snowflakes floating above President Huo’s head.
The butler decided to provide some hints: “Xingguan has a rule that even for video conferences, formal attire is required.”
The Operations Department Director was bewildered: “We’re all working so hard, how can we impose such requirements on President Huo?!”
“…” The butler reminded, “We can.”
“We’re not the ‘Let’s Find Fault’ department.”
The Operations Director was reluctant: “Rules are rigid, people are flexible. Actually, I’m wearing a suit and tie on top, but shorts below.”
The butler: “…”
The butler tried his best: “Take your time writing.”
The Operations Director was stunned: “Write what?”
“3,000 words,” the butler said expertly. “A reflection on ‘Wearing Shorts During Video Conferences’.”
…
The Operations Director hung up the phone in a daze.
Having fulfilled his responsibility, the butler put away his phone and walked to President Huo’s side.
Huo Lan sat at the table, his shoulders silently upright, eyes lowered, showing no particular expression.
The butler called out softly, “President Huo.”
Huo Lan remained seated silently, not responding.
The butler, accustomed to this, continued: “When I just went out, the head of security asked me something at the door.”
“The head of security asked where President Huo’s pajamas were from today.”
The butler cautiously probed: “He also wants to buy—”
Huo Lan interrupted in a deep voice: “Why is he getting involved?”
The butler coughed once, pretending not to notice the small snowflakes spinning above President Huo’s head: “He thought they looked nice.”
Huo Lan fell silent, his tightly knit brows furrowing several times before finally relaxing.
The butler, previously unaware, now realized that Huo Lan had deliberately worn the pajamas Mr. Liang gave him, yet no one had mentioned it. He felt increasingly sympathetic.
The butler steeled himself and vividly described: “Where did you buy them? We’d like to make a group purchase—”
Huo Lan: “No.”
The butler secretly clenched his fist.
“I’m… not sure,” Huo Lan said, lowering his gaze. Feeling it was inappropriate, he couldn’t help but add, “Mr. Liang gave them to me.”
The butler exclaimed in surprise: “Wow!”
Huo Lan tried to suppress it for a while, but his lips finally curled slightly. He stood up and walked to the window.
“Mr. Liang must have given you pajamas because he saw you haven’t been resting well for so many days.”
The butler persisted, analyzing for him: “Mr. Liang cares about you, seeing you’re tired, he’s concerned…”
Huo Lan: “I’m not tired.”
“Mr. Liang is tired.”
The butler reasoned: “Mr. Liang sees himself as tired, and thinks it’s uncomfortable for you to sleep in a shirt every time he hugs you.”
Huo Lan paused, frowning involuntarily: “Really?”
The butler didn’t know for sure, but dared to improvise: “Really, Mr. Liang said that a good pillow…”
Huo Lan’s brows furrowed silently.
Previously, when they shared a bedroom, he felt they weren’t close enough, so he always just leaned against the headboard fully clothed, casually spending the night.
These past few days, he had let Liang Xiao sleep in his arms, thinking the other was sleeping well. Now, reflecting, he realized that in order to take care of Liang Xiao, he hadn’t even bothered to change into pajamas.
Huo Lan almost forgot about the pillow matter and fell silent, lowering his eyes.
The butler turned slightly, observing Huo Lan’s expression. Feeling a bit reluctant to further implicate Mr. Liang, he didn’t continue.
“Omegas have more delicate skin,” the butler thought for a moment, trying to make amends. “Their sense of touch is also more sensitive.”
The butler added: “It’s inevitable.”
Huo Lan naturally understood this: “It was my oversight.”
“In the future–”
Huo Lan carefully adjusted his pajama collar, looked down, and said with a slightly unsteady voice: “I’ll remember… to change into these.”
The butler sighed in relief, nodding in agreement: “Wearing these, you look different from usual.”
Huo Lan: “How different?”
The butler, never having seen their President Huo so talkative, was delighted: “You look much more approachable than usual, and more relaxed.”
The butler seized the opportunity: “Mr. Liang must like you like this–”
Huo Lan reprimanded him: “Don’t speak nonsense.”
The butler: “Yes, sir.”
Huo Lan had been unsettled when he came out, but now that he had calmed down a bit, he also felt his actions were somewhat inappropriate.
He didn’t want to discuss Liang Xiao behind his back, instinctively feeling it wasn’t right to talk about such things with the butler. Yet, he couldn’t help wanting to chat more: “Only Mr. Liang himself can decide what he likes.”
“It’s his own business,” Huo Lan said. “What he likes, what he wants, it’s all his own right.”
Huo Lan: “Others shouldn’t arrange things for him.”
The butler was stunned for a moment, looking at Huo Lan, his heart softening.
The butler felt somewhat relieved that Liang Xiao was outside at this moment.
After all, every time Huo Lan spoke about Liang Xiao behind his back, he could say such things with firm and sincere conviction that touched the heart.
But in front of Mr. Liang, even when rushing out wearing the pajamas, their President Huo hadn’t managed to successfully say a word of thanks for them.
The butler tried to guide him towards the door, going with the flow: “Why don’t you go let Mr. Liang see?”
Huo Lan followed him, instinctively taking a couple of steps towards the door.
Huo Lan had actually wanted to see Liang Xiao for a while. Halfway through the emergency meeting, he had already lost patience and briefly concluded the meeting.
He hadn’t thanked Liang Xiao yet, and after changing into the pajamas, he hadn’t let him see either.
Huo Lan took a few steps, then suddenly came to his senses and stopped.
The butler, disappointed: “What’s wrong?”
Huo Lan stopped in his tracks: “…No.”
The butler knew this would happen and sighed: “Why not?”
“I… before I came out,” Huo Lan fully regained his composure, his thoughts clearing, “I was disrespectful to Mr. Liang.”
Huo Lan lowered his eyes, stood for a moment, then walked back to sit at the table.
The butler, so close to success, wanted to try one last time: “It’s not a big deal.”
The butler advised him softly: “Mr. Liang won’t mind.”
“Mr. Liang not minding,” Huo Lan said, “is not a reason for me to disrespect him.”
The butler was taken aback.
Huo Lan: “Today…”
Huo Lan closed his eyes, not continuing.
The butler felt a bit sorry for him and softly finished his thought: “Today you were too happy, so your behavior was unintentionally a bit impolite, is that right?”
Huo Lan nodded slightly.
“But it’s not entirely your fault,” the butler said.
The butler, wanting to pave the way for Mr. Liang who was waiting outside to tempt their President Huo, continued patiently: “There’s a first time for everything. It’s also your first time receiving a gift from someone…”
“It’s Mr. Liang.”
Huo Lan corrected: “Not just someone.”
The butler: “…”
The butler didn’t feel like paving the way anymore and mechanically corrected himself: “Right, Mr. Liang isn’t just anyone.”
Huo Lan felt there were no more oversights this time, nodded, and didn’t speak further.
“But it’s also Mr. Liang’s first time,” the butler said.
The butler dryly recited his lines: “Mr. Liang thought you didn’t like the pajamas and ran out of the bedroom crying. He’s already reached the staircase now.”
Huo Lan hadn’t considered this, his heart tightening suddenly as he looked up.
The butler: “Mr. Liang’s health isn’t good, and it’s a long way. He’s running, coughing, and crying…”
Huo Lan couldn’t sit still anymore. He stood up and quickly walked to the door, grasping the handle.
The butler held his breath in anticipation.
“…It’s not far,” Huo Lan closed his eyes briefly, trying to stay clear-headed. “The staircase is right outside the bedroom door.”
The butler: “…”
He had made a mistake.
LOLL