The butler and the manager were urgently called to the program’s recording site.
“We tried our best.”
The PR department head, despite being battle-hardened, was at a loss for the first time to this extent: “There’s really no way…”
“How can there be no way?” The butler had planned well with these people. “Didn’t we agree to rely on post-production editing?”
PR department head: “Yes.”
“Cut out all the footage of the two of them being affectionate together.”
Duan Ming suggested: “Intersperse all individual shots with scenery, don’t connect them.”
PR department head: “We did.”
Duan Ming: “Try to guide a bit during post-production, add more hints that the two aren’t in sync.”
PR department head: “We did.”
The butler added: “Find an editor who’s been single for ten years, let them edit with resentment.”
PR department head: “We did.”
The butler was puzzled: “What’s the problem then?”
The PR department head sighed deeply: “Only seven shots remain…”
…
The program team had indeed tried.
An entire crew was telling blatant lies with a straight face. The host didn’t dare to resist and, against his conscience, invited two “unfamiliar” guests out from the same bed.
Since they couldn’t film the wake-up, they could only create the image of diligent early risers.
The filming crew diligently captured the morning scenes of the two. The camera had only looked away for three seconds when Mr. Liang, using the crew’s prepared pot and stove for the first time and nearly getting splashed by oil, was hanging on President Huo’s arm.
With scarce resources and an early start, several groups of guests were suffering through bland breakfasts, while the aroma of toasted bread, fried luncheon meat, and golden runny eggs made them salivate and run around. No one cooperated with the program team anymore, immediately crowding into room number four for another feast.
After eating someone’s food, it was hard to speak against them. The follow-up director, coming down from the mountain, couldn’t bring himself to remind Mr. Liang and President Huo to maintain distance.
“A whole morning’s footage,” the PR department head was filled with sorrow. “Only seven shots remain…”
“…” The butler took a deep breath: “I’ll go talk to Mr. Liang.”
The PR department head clung to a glimmer of hope: “What about President Huo-”
The PR department head met the butler’s gaze, was silent for a moment, and tearfully entrusted: “Please make sure to talk to Mr. Liang.”
The butler had anticipated such a situation but hadn’t expected it to come so quickly. He pressed his forehead, and taking the opportunity when everyone was picking tea in the tea garden, he intercepted Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao hadn’t expected to see the butler, and holding his bamboo basket, he was somewhat delighted: “Why are you here?”
The butler, accustomed to persuading Mr. Liang to be shameless, found it difficult to start now that the tables had turned: “Just came to see you…”
The butler tried to approach the topic indirectly: “Are you and President Huo both doing well?”
Liang Xiao nodded and looked back: “I’m fine.”
The butler was taken aback, carefully examined his expression, and suddenly became nervous: “What’s wrong with President Huo?”
Liang Xiao shook his head and asked him softly: “Do you know if there’s a Perching Stone Temple nearby?”
The butler hadn’t heard of it and shook his head in confusion.
The Huo family master and mistress might not have brought everyone when they went out. Liang Xiao nodded and didn’t ask further: “I’ll go there this afternoon. Please keep him company for me.”
The butler frowned as he listened.
Liang Xiao wasn’t one to make a fuss over nothing. Once he made such a request, it meant President Huo’s condition truly wasn’t good.
They had agreed to maintain distance, yet this morning Liang Xiao had abnormally stayed close to President Huo, which was likely not just because he couldn’t resist.
“Can you elaborate?” the butler asked softly. “We won’t tell President Huo, but if you explain, we can investigate…”
“I don’t know much either,” Liang Xiao said hoarsely. “I only know his parents went there back then, but I’m not clear on anything beyond that.”
The butler had a sudden realization and was surprised: “Was it the year President Huo met you? His parents did go to Jiangnan that year-”
Liang Xiao nodded: “What did they pray for?”
The butler never expected such a coincidence and felt his heart sink: “A shared fate charm… President Huo really dislikes it.”
Although it was likely just a coincidence, the master and mistress dying together in a plane crash eerily fulfilled the prediction of a shared fate in life and death.
“We’ve always been uncomfortable about this.”
The butler still couldn’t help feeling regretful about it, though he would never dare tell President Huo: “At that time, President Huo was already in mortal danger, yet his parents were so close and didn’t check on him at all…”
Liang Xiao shook his head: “That’s probably not what he’s thinking about.”
The butler was taken aback.
“What he’s thinking… is probably very simple,” Liang Xiao tugged at the corner of his mouth. “He just really wants to see his parents one more time.”
There had originally been a chance to see them.
President Huo had always been weighed down by his thoughts, easily getting stuck in mental dead ends, and never willing to express what he was thinking. While Liang Xiao certainly knew that President Huo wasn’t the type to dwell on the past, he couldn’t stop him from taking everything upon himself.
If no one intervened, President Huo wouldn’t be crushed by these burdens; he would just methodically punish himself, methodically reflect and repent, and then methodically move forward.
President Huo wouldn’t even allow himself to feel too sad about these past events.
Allowing himself to feel sad was already a rare leniency President Huo granted himself.
The butler’s chest tightened, and he said softly: “Is this why you-”
“Not exactly,” Liang Xiao guessed what he was about to say and smiled helplessly. “I just can’t bear to.”
The butler was taken aback and looked at him without speaking.
“After all the twists and turns, we’ve finally made it through.”
Liang Xiao: “When he’s in a bad mood, I can’t bear to leave him alone again.”
The butler’s eyes suddenly stung. He wanted to say countless things but swallowed them all back, saying hoarsely: “Thanks to you…”
Liang Xiao shook his head, gathered the tea leaves he had picked, gave the butler a few more instructions, and returned to the gathering point.
–
Tea before the Qingming rain is of the highest quality. With more rain, tea buds grow into tender leaves and lose their flavor. By May or June, there’s almost no good tea left.
Many tea gardens now also collaborate with the tourism industry, allowing tourists to experience tea picking firsthand, adding extra income, and not minding too much if some tea is damaged.
“Everyone has done very well.”
Yin Chi had experienced many shocks these past two days. Looking at the pitiful tea leaves in the baskets, his attitude had improved considerably: “The sun-drying still needs some time. This afternoon, everyone has free time, and in the evening, we’ll gather back at the old house to record…”
Yin Chi walked to the last basket and smiled: “You’ve got the wrong one; we don’t need to include the tea worker’s basket.”
Liang Xiao, who was teasing President Huo with hidden tender leaves, raised his hand: “Director Yin, it’s mine.”
Yin Chi was taken aback, looked carefully, and when he raised his head to look at Liang Xiao again, his gaze was somewhat shocked.
Liang Xiao hadn’t yet explained why he brought an electric baton, and being stared at with such surprise, he coughed and preemptively added: “I also know how to pan-fry and roll tea.”
The program team had originally planned to set many challenges for the guests using tea-making steps but unexpectedly encountered an expert. Yin Chi urgently noted down that he needed to adjust the segments and calmly tried to get more information from Liang Xiao: “What else do you know how to do?”
Liang Xiao thought for a moment: “Spear throat lock, chest stone breaking.”
Yin Chi: “…”
President Huo still had some conscience and, unable to listen further, retrieved Liang Xiao, who was diligently bullying the program team, and led him back to their room early.
“I don’t actually know how to do that.”
Liang Xiao was worried that President Huo might overthink again and imagine some tragic scenario of a destitute young omega performing street arts: “I was just making it up to scare them.”
Liang Xiao spoke while backing away, circling around President Huo to explain: “Enhancing variety show appeal, creating program effects…”
President Huo could at least distinguish this much and gave him a helpless look, reaching out to steady Liang Xiao: “Be careful.”
Liang Xiao steadied his footing and smiled.
The afternoon’s free activities were roughly divided into three groups. He, Meng Feibai, Su Man, and Yu Zhi were going to Perching Stone Temple, and the directing team was also planning to go for an outing. Jiang Pingchao and his manager would stay in the room to watch movies, while President Huo, enjoying a rare moment of quiet, would stay in the room to handle the company’s work from the past few days.
The cameras were all waiting at the foot of the mountain. Liang Xiao tugged at President Huo’s sleeve, swaying as he walked along the edge of the path: “Is there a lot of work?”
President Huo shook his head, applying slight force with his arm to help him stand back on the path.
The most critical transition phase had been mostly handled, and many matters didn’t necessarily require his personal attention. After Liang Xiao fell asleep last night, he had also reviewed and approved some of the more urgent documents. Today was just about handling routine matters.
Liang Xiao had slept deeply last night. When he woke up in the middle of the night, he wasn’t fully awake and, finding that President Huo was still not asleep, insisted on making a computer desk for him.
President Huo couldn’t refuse him and had to cooperate by placing the computer on top of Liang Xiao’s head for a while. Realizing he really couldn’t focus on processing reports anymore, he simply moved the computer away and successfully embraced a soft, warm omega who was still in a sleepy daze.
President Huo particularly liked Liang Xiao when he was in this confused, hazy state, but worried that saying so would embarrass Mr. Liang and make him not walk properly, he temporarily held back and steadied him: “Do you need something?”
“Not really,” Liang Xiao didn’t know what their President Huo was thinking and smiled. “Suddenly I don’t feel like going anymore.”
President Huo was slightly taken aback and looked up at him.
“I don’t want to go anymore; I want to stay home with you,” Liang Xiao, emboldened by the absence of cameras, dared to say anything. “Explore new scenes, the hot spring…”
President Huo’s hand on his arm exerted slight pressure as he pulled Liang Xiao into his embrace and stroked his hair.
Liang Xiao had never quite understood these physically strong alphas. Being held firmly, he instinctively wrapped himself around President Huo and looked up.
“I’m fine,” President Huo said. “No need to worry.”
Liang Xiao opened his mouth, then said sheepishly: “Is it that obvious?”
President Huo shook his head, held Liang Xiao securely in his arms without letting go, and walked through the tea garden with its pristine emerald leaves back to their room.
He wasn’t particularly skilled at noticing these things, which was why back in Jiangnan, he hadn’t even had the chance to truly notice once.
In his youth, his heart was solely focused on gaining his parents’ recognition. Whether it was burying himself in studies to get good grades or wanting to follow the path his mother had once walked… Until last night, when he held Mr. Liang and examined himself, he realized that over all these years, he might never have truly and completely come to terms with this matter.
For anything he couldn’t move past, looking back, there was always Liang Xiao stubbornly standing guard over him, refusing to let go.
President Huo closed the door, tightened his arms, and kissed Liang Xiao.
Liang Xiao hadn’t yet steadied himself when he was suddenly wrapped in the scent of fresh snow, and he instinctively hugged him back: “What’s wrong?”
Liang Xiao moved his arms, quickly drawing circles on President Huo’s back: “Feeling down? It’s okay, I won’t go running around. We can go to Teacher Jiang’s place to watch a movie…”
President Huo: “…No.”
Liang Xiao said with a serious face: “Then let’s watch a little movie at home.”
President Huo: “…”
Liang Xiao couldn’t hold back and laughed first, pulling President Huo close to look at him carefully, kissing the corner of his mouth, and casually messing up President Huo’s neat, cool hairstyle.
With Liang Xiao’s disruption, the emotions pressing on President Huo’s chest suddenly dissipated. He felt somewhat helpless and gently embraced Liang Xiao: “I won’t make you worry again.”
“The more you tell yourself that, the more likely you are to make me worry.”
Liang Xiao knew what President Huo was thinking and patiently held his hand: “Coming to terms with something doesn’t happen by forcing yourself.”
President Huo frowned slightly but didn’t speak.
Liang Xiao knew he was listening seriously and felt that this way of speaking was too harsh. He led President Huo back to the room and helped him take off his coat: “Some things, the more you force yourself not to think about them, the more you can’t help but think about them. At night when you close your eyes, you toss and turn endlessly…”
President Huo was slightly surprised as he listened and looked at Liang Xiao: “Yes.”
“I’m not a mind reader,” Liang Xiao grinned. “I’ve been through it too.”
Even with his relatively broad-minded nature, once past events were stirred up, he also couldn’t avoid several sleepless nights of tossing and turning. With President Huo’s temperament, not tossing and turning for a week would be inappropriate.
And if another matter was brought up, that would be another week.
With all this tossing and turning, it would be against the laws of heaven if their President Huo could sleep well.
The two of them would inevitably become busier in the future. Liang Xiao was concerned and wanted to address President Huo’s habit of being reserved and overthinking: “How about taking a nap this afternoon, rest a bit before working?”
President Huo frowned slightly, didn’t respond verbally, but nodded slightly.
Liang Xiao was thoroughly familiar with this set of behavioral language and knew that President Huo clearly wasn’t confident he could fall asleep. He didn’t say much more, went to wash his hands with warm water: “Alright, go lie down.”
President Huo was slightly taken aback: “What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company while you sleep,” Liang Xiao looked at his watch and boldly took off his coat. “We still have an hour before gathering. I’ll leave after you fall asleep.”
President Huo had barely processed this when he was amused by Liang Xiao’s imposing, bandit-like demeanor, and said softly: “No need-”
Liang Xiao: “No need or don’t want to?”
President Huo paused, his hand hanging at his side moved slightly, but he didn’t speak.
Liang Xiao nodded with satisfaction, pulled him down to lie together without argument, wrapped them tightly in the blanket, and bundled President Huo into his arms.
With the two of them like this, not doing anything, just lying with their heads touching, President Huo was already extremely content.
Liang Xiao had plans for the afternoon, so President Huo didn’t intend to sleep deeply. He gently patted Liang Xiao’s back a few times, wanting to let him rest and make the most of every minute, when his breath suddenly caught.
President Huo held his breath, enduring for a moment, and suddenly opened his eyes amid the fresh, clear, surging rain scent.
“Don’t move,” Liang Xiao’s ears were burning hot as he buried his face in President Huo’s neck and said softly. “Remember what I say…”
President Huo’s shoulders tensed as he raised his hand to cover the gland at the back of Liang Xiao’s neck: “Tell me.”
“This way you’ll remember clearly.”
Liang Xiao moved his hand away and kissed President Huo’s lips: “You need to treat yourself well, rest when you should rest, relax when you should relax, and not always be tense.”
President Huo hadn’t yet figured out when Liang Xiao had brought the inducer. His heart raced, and he instinctively closed his eyes: “I-”
“If you don’t treat yourself well, your body is good now so it doesn’t show,” Liang Xiao pressed his forehead against his and nuzzled slightly. “When you’re old in the future, do you expect me to take care of you?”
President Huo’s chest fluttered slightly as he held Liang Xiao tightly, buried his face in his neck, and shook his head.
Liang Xiao, afraid he might get stuck in a mental loop, tugged at his sleeve: “I’ll definitely take care of you, but I just can’t carry you…”
President Huo, feeling his sleeve being lightly tugged a couple of times, turned his burning hot palm over and firmly held Liang Xiao’s hand, wrapping him in his embrace.
“For things concerning others that you can’t let go of, we’ll carry them together.”
Liang Xiao’s voice became slightly hoarse: “For things concerning me… you don’t need to let go.”
Liang Xiao had heard from the butler about how young Huo Lan, during those years at home, had been mercilessly scolded and harshly criticized by his father due to his mother’s worsening condition.
These scoldings followed him like a shadow, like invisible restraints, still confining President Huo to this day.
The person was gone, and right or wrong could no longer be judged. Liang Xiao just wanted to do as President Huo said and light a few incense sticks for him.
“Don’t force yourself… just to reassure me.”
Liang Xiao tried to scare him: “It’s because I’m not reassured that I keep an eye on you. What if one day I’m truly reassured and run off like an absentee boss?”
President Huo suddenly looked up, staring at him intently.
“…” The effect was a bit too obvious. Liang Xiao opened his mouth, coughed lightly: “I won’t run.”
President Huo tightened his grip on his wrist.
Liang Xiao said gently: “Won’t abandon you.”
President Huo still didn’t let go, his shoulders tensing slightly as he lowered his gaze and pulled him into his arms.
“Next time you’re feeling bad, come report to me.”
Liang Xiao knew how to speak in a way that President Huo would most easily understand, giving him standard quantification: “If you’re feeling one percent bad, you can exchange it for a kiss; ten percent, you can bite once…”
President Huo said softly: “One hundred percent-”
Liang Xiao suddenly became vaguely concerned about whether their President Huo might feel bad every day in the future. The thought flashed by, and without thinking too much, he said generously: “Seven days and seven nights.”
President Huo was also shocked by his boldness and looked up at him with slight surprise.
Liang Xiao felt that with himself around, President Huo shouldn’t reach the point of feeling one hundred percent bad. He nuzzled randomly against his neck: “You can further quantify it yourself, make a table later… I’ll sign it.”
President Huo’s lips tugged slightly as he lowered his gaze, was quiet for a while, then nodded: “Alright.”
“Okay, hurry up and bite,” Liang Xiao was already quite affected by the inducer and closed his eyes, pulling him. “If you don’t bite soon, it’ll be too late.”
President Huo looked at Liang Xiao’s slightly trembling eyelashes, his chest silently surging with emotion as he held him against his shoulder.
Liang Xiao urged him: “Hurry.”
An omega’s gland is particularly delicate and fragile. Without proper adaptation and protection before marking, it can easily cause discomfort.
President Huo never took this lightly. He unbuttoned Liang Xiao’s shirt and quickly performed a simple cleaning and contact adaptation for the gland.
Liang Xiao let out a muffled groan, biting President Huo with an “mm”: “Hurry-”
President Huo tightened his embrace and was about to bite his gland when he suddenly noticed Liang Xiao shudder in his arms, his entire body collapsing softly.
President Huo was slightly taken aback: “What’s wrong?”
“…” Liang Xiao melted: “It’s too late.”
President Huo couldn’t immediately understand. He touched Liang Xiao’s forehead and neck, which had already cooled down, was confused for a moment, and touched the gland at the back of his neck, which had already returned to normal.
Liang Xiao lay limply in his arms, his entire being in a particularly empty sage state, his mind clear and spirit tranquil, completely devoid of any romantic thoughts.
…It turned out that, like suppressants, the body could also automatically develop an antagonistic effect after too much exposure to inducers.
Liang Xiao had been inexplicably baptized by inducers too many times. He lamented with regret, looked at the effective period of less than ten minutes, took out the youth-type inducer that he had deliberately carried and smuggled in to mislead youth, and threw it into the trash without hesitation.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
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