PHWM Chapter 68

Huo Lan: “…”

 

The butler: “…”

 

Huo Lan glanced down at his own hand.

 

Instinctively, he felt that this action might have been somewhat improper toward Mr. Liang.

 

Huo Lan, having been out of sync with the situation since the beginning of this “episode,” found himself bewildered and reluctantly pressed into the act of lightly holding Mr. Liang’s butt. Struggling to stay composed, he asked in a low voice: “What—”

 

He stopped mid-sentence, catching sight of the bright anticipation in Liang Xiao’s eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.

 

Huo Lan’s hand hesitated slightly before he fell silent for a moment and eventually said: “…Round.”

 

Liang Xiao, drenched in sweat after a night of intense training, couldn’t help but cheer for himself with a triumphant fist pump upon hearing the affirmation.

 

The butler: “??”

 

Huo Lan looked up and met Liang Xiao’s gaze.

 

Despite all the hardships over the years, Liang Xiao hadn’t changed much from his younger self.

 

The same pure determination, the same clean and proud demeanor.

 

His sense of right and wrong was sharp, and his emotions were written plainly on his face—when he was happy, his eyes lit up as if they could shine.

 

Instinctively wanting to make him happy, Huo Lan’s gaze softened. His free hand reached up to gently pat Liang Xiao’s head as he tentatively praised him: “Very round.”

 

The butler: “!!”

 

The butler could no longer keep up with the situation. Confused, he turned to look at Liang Xiao, hoping for some kind of hint or explanation about the current progress.

 

Having been lightly patted on the head by Huo Lan twice, Liang Xiao’s excitement gradually subsided as he regained clarity.

 

The butler discreetly gestured a question mark toward him.

 

Liang Xiao opened his mouth but faltered, turning his head to meet the butler’s gaze.

 

…He had trained all night and even checked himself while showering, feeling increasingly proud of his progress with every touch.

 

In a moment of excitement, he’d rushed into the room without realizing that the butler was present. In his haste, he had grabbed President Huo without assessing his surroundings.

 

Now that things had escalated to this point, Liang Xiao didn’t know how to explain himself. He coughed lightly, feeling heat spread from where Huo Lan’s hand rested on his head down to the nape of his neck.

 

The butler understood: “President Huo.”

 

Huo Lan turned his head toward him.

 

The butler clenched a fist: “Keep it up.”

 

Liang Xiao: “…”

 

Mission accomplished, the butler gave Liang Xiao an encouraging nod before discreetly exiting the bedroom.

 

He closed the door softly behind him as he left.

 

—

 

Over the next few days, Mr. Liang maintained a high level of enthusiasm and initiative in his training sessions.

 

The results were remarkable. The scene where the young marquis practiced with a spear in the courtyard had been meticulously planned for a week. When it was finally filmed, it was executed with precision and energy—his silver spear with its red tassel moved sharply and powerfully through the air.

 

With three camera groups and over ten cameras capturing every angle, everyone held their breath in anticipation as they watched silently from the sidelines. As soon as Director Jin called “Cut,” an eruption of applause broke out from the crowd.

 

Liang Xiao twirled the spear smoothly before catching it firmly in his hand. He then rested it behind his back and looked up with a light sheen of sweat on his face.

 

Jin Zhenbo reviewed the footage on the monitor several times, admiration evident in his expression: “It’s a pass.”

 

The assistant directors exchanged high-fives while the production manager couldn’t contain their excitement and rushed over: “Beautiful! Teacher Chen just said you moved like a startled swan or a soaring dragon!”

 

Wiping away some sweat, Liang Xiao smiled modestly: “You’re too kind.”

 

The production manager waved their hands enthusiastically: “No exaggeration—it was brilliant! We clapped so hard our hands are red.”

 

 

There were plenty of actors who excelled in martial arts scenes, but most of them were Alphas, with natural physical advantages. An Omega like Liang Xiao, who was both agile and had outstanding physical attributes, was truly a rarity.

 

The young general in a white robe, wielding a silver spear, had delicate and refined features. Yet, his spear movements were sharp and filled with battle intent. The contrast between his appearance and his fierce demeanor made him instantly captivating on camera.

 

“Not bad,” Director Jin Zhenbo said with rare satisfaction, even offering a compliment. “All your hard work these past few days has paid off.”

 

Handing the spear back to the props team, Liang Xiao smiled humbly: “It’s thanks to your guidance and the martial arts instructor’s coaching.”

 

Director Jin ignored his polite response and called over the stage manager: “You’re heading back to the capital the day after tomorrow, right? You don’t need to come tomorrow—take an extra day off.”

 

“That’s not necessary,” Liang Xiao said. “I—”

 

“Of course it’s necessary. Doesn’t packing and preparing take time?”

 

Director Jin glanced around and spotted the production manager: “That thing of yours—what’s it called? Longines? Let him borrow it for a couple of days.”

 

The production manager was stunned: “What for?”

 

“Isn’t that what they use to make an impression these days?”

 

Director Jin wasn’t deeply familiar with the current trends in the industry but vaguely knew that watches were essential accessories: “We don’t want people saying our production is so broke that our actors have to sell pancakes and breakfast on the side.”

 

Liang Xiao: “…”

 

Feeling a twinge in his knees, Liang Xiao silently apologized to Director Song Qi, who was preparing to wrap up filming for Broken Rivers and Mountains.

 

The production manager, more knowledgeable than Director Jin about such matters, couldn’t help but laugh: “It’s not the same… My Longines is old-fashioned. If Liang Xiao wears it out, people might think it belonged to his grandfather.”

 

The production manager added: “These days, they all wear Jaeger-LeCoultre or Patek Philippe—some even have custom diamond-studded designs.”

 

Director Jin hadn’t expected even this to be so complicated. Frowning in frustration, he was about to lose his temper when the production manager quickly pulled him away.

 

Unexpectedly granted a day off, Liang Xiao stepped out of the crowd and took the water bottle handed to him by Duan Ming: “Brother Duan, do we have anything planned for tomorrow?”

 

“Nope. Just go back and rest.”

 

Duan Ming had long felt that Liang Xiao needed a break and subtly encouraged him: “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard these past few days—don’t overdo it and end up injuring yourself.”

 

Although he understood that Liang Xiao had been training intensely for the young marquis’s martial arts scene—focusing on rapidly building strength and explosiveness—now that the scene was done, it was time to adjust.

 

Liang Xiao’s body hadn’t fully recovered yet. Operating at high intensity every day, even with proper stretching and relaxation after training, prolonged strain could still lead to issues.

 

Taking a sip of water, Liang Xiao couldn’t help but emphasize: “There’s also heat compresses and massages…”

 

Duan Ming had grown used to this by now. Nodding knowingly, he responded smoothly: “Even though President Huo helps you with heat compresses and massages, you can’t blindly increase your training just to repay him.”

 

Duan Ming added pointedly: “Some fruits can’t be rushed.”

 

Liang Xiao choked on his water immediately: “…”

 

His manager patted him on the shoulder triumphantly before leading the assistant team to pack up their things and call for a car back to the hotel.

 

—

 

At the hotel, several department heads were reporting recent updates via video conference.

 

“Mr. Liang has been gaining significant momentum recently,” reported the head of the artist management department.

 

After summarizing their department’s overall performance, they brought up a new report with some excitement: “Cloud Banner’s official social media account just released new behind-the-scenes footage—here’s some fresh data.”

 

Xingguan’s various departments managed hundreds of artists under their umbrella. Normally, individual development trends didn’t need to be specifically reported to President Huo.

 

However, Mr. Liang’s situation was special. Just a casual mention of him could significantly improve President Huo’s mood.

 

“The fans are celebrating like it’s New Year’s Day. The reposts, comments, and likes don’t even need our guidance,” the head of Artist Management said as he flipped through a few pages of reports and remarked with a smile: “With these growth metrics… we’re looking at another trending topic without any operation efforts.”

 

“We should take advantage of this momentum and have Mr. Liang post a coordinated Weibo,” the Publicity team suggested with a raised hand. “If all goes well, it could drive another wave of attention.”

 

Such tasks had already been delegated to Liang Xiao and his manager. The head of Operations couldn’t help but frown: “Why are we discussing this now?”

 

The Publicity team looked a bit troubled: “Because—”

 

Because they needed Mr. Liang to perform with a clothes drying rack again in President Huo’s presidential suite living room.

 

The recent image adjustment involved many aspects and couldn’t rely solely on one or two photos. Utilizing this rare opportunity would create both a memorable moment and attract more fans.

 

The only issue was that the clothes rack wasn’t impressive enough, and Mr. Liang himself might be reluctant. They needed President Huo’s help to make it happen.

 

Unable to explain properly, the Publicity team had sent President Huo a separate document titled “Feasibility Study Report on Mr. Liang’s Interaction with a Clothes Drying Rack.”

 

“Public expectations for Mr. Liang’s previous drama are quite high,” the head of Distribution added, opening another report. “Year-End is using a parallel production model of filming and post-production. We’re aiming for the second quarter rankings, with the earliest satellite TV broadcast potentially by late March or early April.”

 

Huo Lan, who was reviewing the Publicity team’s report, spoke up: “Focus on refinement and excellence. There’s no rush.”

 

The head of Distribution assured him: “Director Song is personally overseeing it.”

 

Huo Lan nodded in acknowledgment.

 

Seeing that the core discussion had shifted from work reports to Mr. Liang, the department heads eagerly searched for related information. Even the head of Resources joined in, pulling out a page from their report: “We’ve recently received three variety show invitations, two video game endorsement offers, and a real estate ribbon-cutting ceremony…”

 

Huo Lan frowned slightly and looked up.

 

The head of Resources immediately closed his mouth and hastily crossed out the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

 

“President Huo,” the butler entered and softly reminded him, “the suit has arrived.”

 

Huo Lan nodded: “Meeting adjourned.”

 

The department heads quickly disconnected to return to their work, except for Public Relations, who hesitated before sending a private message: “President Huo.”

 

Huo Lan was about to close his laptop but paused: “Go ahead.”

 

“This isn’t about Mr. Liang… but we’re facing some disturbances on our end recently.”

 

Public Relations explained somewhat reluctantly: “Several branches of the Huo family appear to have settled down, but they continue to make subtle moves behind the scenes, occasionally stirring up news leaks. Long Tao, though ‘dead and unyielding,’ is still causing trouble…”

 

Although these were relatively minor smear campaigns and rumors, even an imposing dam could collapse from ant holes. If these people w ere allowed to keep digging day after day, it would inevitably affect Xingguan’s public image.

 

Huo Lan’s expression remained calm: “Inform the board of directors that the acquisition of Long Tao will be completed before the third quarter.”

 

“Understood,” Public Relations promptly replied. “Regarding the branches of the family—”

 

“I’ll handle it,” Huo Lan said. “Don’t hold back when dealing with them.”

 

Public Relations breathed a sigh of relief: “Alright.”

 

After all, these were branches of the Huo family. Breaking bones still affects tendons—the blood ties were undeniable.

 

Strictly speaking, Xingguan was also a subsidiary of the Huo Group. When dealing with President Huo’s relatives, there were always concerns and constraints.

 

With Huo Lan’s assurance, the head of Public Relations felt more confident. After waiting a few seconds and studying Huo Lan’s expression, they mustered the courage to probe: “President Huo, we have another plan with the Marketing Department.”

 

Huo Lan asked: “What is it?”

 

“It’s about the smears we’ve been dealing with and measures to address the impact and losses we’ve already suffered.”

 

Public Relations asked cautiously: “Would you… be available to participate in a variety show?”

 

Huo Lan raised his gaze.

 

The Public Relations head’s heart skipped a beat, and they trembled into silence.

 

To be fair, Xingguan had stable foundations. The losses from public opinion attacks weren’t significant enough to require the CEO’s personal involvement.

 

But they were planning to acquire Long Tao soon.

 

Besides, this variety show was indeed suitable—a rare opportunity.

 

The head of Public Relations was nervous and stuttered: “The requirements for guest participation are minimal! It’s a vacation-style variety show that often collaborates with our publicity department. They usually invite one production team at a time…”

 

“No need,” Huo Lan said firmly. “Focus on more appropriate matters.”

 

The head of Public Relations’ courage was exhausted: “Understood.”

 

Huo Lan stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly frowned.

 

Just as the head of Public Relations was about to disconnect, Huo Lan suddenly called out: “Inviting a production team?”

 

“Yes,” Public Relations didn’t dare say much and reported concisely. “It’s part of the promotional process for the ‘Year-End’ production. It’s already set. Once Mr. Liang finishes filming his current project, ‘Year-End’ will be entering its broadcast period. The main creative team will all participate…”

 

Huo Lan: “What type of variety show format is it?”

 

Public Relations was stunned for a moment before quickly explaining: “Two people as a team, for four days and three nights.”

 

Huo Lan: “…”

 

Xingguan was an investor in “Year-End.” As the CEO, Huo Lan could technically be considered part of the main creative team as an investing producer.

 

Over the years, Huo Lan had consistently avoided exposing personal information on social media. The company’s impersonal business Weibo account had traffic metrics comparable to some first-tier celebrities.

 

The Operations Department actually wanted their President Huo to seize this opportunity to attract fans again, which would increase traffic for both the company and its signed artists.

 

But since their President Huo was unwilling, they naturally wouldn’t force the issue.

 

The head of Public Relations adjusted their attitude and changed their tune: “We understand you don’t want to go. We won’t mention it again.”

 

Huo Lan: “…”

 

The Public Relations department, considerately intuiting his thoughts, specifically added: “We’ll contact the show’s production team to select a compatible partner for Mr. Liang… if necessary, we can arrange for Director Song to be paired with Mr. Liang.”

 

Huo Lan: “…”

 

“It’s two people sharing one room, spending day and night together, sharing meals and daily activities.”

 

Public Relations firmly assured him: “We will definitely take good care of Mr. Liang.”

 

Huo Lan closed his eyes briefly before opening them again: “I—”

 

Before he could finish, the head of Public Relations upheld Xingguan’s trademark efficiency—decisive, swift, and to the point—by promptly ending the report and closing the video call.

 

 

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