The Xingguan CEO had rarely appeared in public so frequently recently. Unable to catch him during the variety show recording, many reporters had followed the wind to the press conference.
President Huo stood at the microphone, and a batch of business platform magazine reporters had already surged forward.
The press conference adopted a live broadcast mode, with the recorded content to be directly made public. Xingguan’s screening was strict; apart from publicity related to “Year’s End,” all questions that could be submitted were regular, proper questions about company planning and future development directions, without any deviation.
After the branch family was cut off, the board of directors had completely become a nominal existence and could no longer have any say in development planning. Even without a speech script, President Huo had a clear understanding of these questions in his mind. After answering each one concisely, he returned the microphone to the host.
“Having hosted so many press conferences, this is the first time it’s felt most like an MBA live lecture…”
The person responsible for controlling the scene was a renowned industry host who joked: “Listening to this makes me want to take a leave and buy a batch of stocks in Huo Corporation’s subsidiaries.”
His tone was relaxed, breaking the atmosphere that had been frozen by the overly serious Q&A session, and the audience below also burst into laughter.
“We all know that President Huo is not only the head of Huo Corporation but also the CEO of Xingguan and the investor of ‘Year’s End.'”
The host seamlessly brought the topic back: “Regarding our drama, I believe everyone has accumulated many questions waiting to ask President Huo.”
The host smiled at President Huo: “In these aspects, is President Huo willing to share more with us?”
President Huo took the microphone.
The host discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, signaled to those below, and also opened a path for the entertainment reporters who were poised to strike.
The Xingguan CEO’s unapproachability was well-known, and his cold-toned pheromones were also widely renowned. There had even been a persistent rumor in the industry that other companies’ “shelving” was only a figurative expression, while only Xingguan’s “shelving” was a literal treatment of both snow and storage.
Due to this kind of inexplicably awe-inspiring rumor, even with Xingguan’s guarantee, the host’s heart only slightly settled after personally confirming that President Huo was willing to cooperate with the process.
“Good,” the host turned to the audience below. “Let’s see what questions everyone has…”
He was still selecting from the prepared question cards when, without waiting for him to find the corresponding platform reporter, a voice suddenly rang out from below: “During this period, regarding the relationship between a certain actor from ‘Year’s End’ and you, there have always been some rumors online. Is President Huo comfortable responding to this matter?”
The host looked up in surprise, his expression changing.
Xingguan had indeed spoken to him about this, and even if Xingguan hadn’t mentioned it, holding a press conference at such a critical moment would certainly encounter such questions.
The host had prepared early but still hadn’t expected Xingguan to be so daring as to put such an extremely sensitive question first.
If this situation wasn’t handled well, not only would the entire subsequent press conference process be affected, but “Year’s End” and Xingguan itself would also be implicated. The host could almost imagine the live broadcast ratings soaring in a second. His back vaguely exuded cold sweat as he looked at President Huo beside him.
“In the previous trending topic incident, after comparison, it was Mr. Liang who came out of the Huo residence. At that time, he was still quite far from resources at the level of ‘Year’s End,’ and ‘Year’s End’ happened to be a major production project invested by Xingguan.”
The reporter had clearly come prepared and, in front of countless cameras, spoke almost aggressively: “According to industry insiders, the artist scandal at Long Tao five years ago was also related to Mr. Liang…”
Quite a few of Liang Xiao’s fans had come, and there was already vague unrest and anger among the audience.
The host came back to his senses, gripped the microphone, and smiled: “Isn’t it not good to only ask one party involved?”
Regardless of what preparations had been made, to clarify rumors, having both parties present simultaneously was the best scenario.
“I heard that Mr. Liang is also at the scene today.”
The host knew Liang Xiao was backstage, made a gesture toward the back, and promptly controlled the scene: “Since the rumors are related to both President Huo and Mr. Liang, I believe what everyone most wants to hear is not various unfounded rumors and gossip, but the responses from the two individuals themselves…”
The host’s voice transmitted through the partition to the backstage. The PR department head seized the time to stuff the pre-prepared contract into Liang Xiao’s hand.
Liang Xiao took it, nodded steadily to his manager: “Don’t worry, President Huo is going to clear my name.”
Duan Ming: “…”
Duan Ming had actually been uneasy since seeing the PR department head but didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm, so he patted Liang Xiao’s shoulder.
Liang Xiao solemnly shook hands with him and was about to speak when his gaze fell on someone not far away, and he was taken aback: “Jiang—”
Jiang Pingchao was thoroughly covered with a baseball cap and mask, his brows visibly showing some haggardness. He shook his head and walked over.
The host still had a few transitional remarks. Liang Xiao guessed he had something to say and turned back to wait patiently.
“You said—” Jiang Pingchao was silent for a moment, “the path is chosen by oneself.”
Jiang Pingchao looked at him: “Have you chosen well?”
Liang Xiao smiled freely: “No.”
Jiang Pingchao was slightly surprised, all the words he wanted to say were blocked back, and he stared at him blankly.
“The path being chosen by oneself mainly applies to single or about-to-be-single status.”
Liang Xiao was quite embarrassed, his ears slightly reddening: “I have a family now, so the path has to be chosen by both of us…”
Liang Xiao grinned: “I’ll pre-select first, see President Huo’s state.”
Jiang Pingchao: “…”
Liang Xiao didn’t have time to say more to him, shook his hand, and went on stage with the contract.
Compared to face-to-face communication with President Huo alone, almost everyone would immediately breathe a sigh of relief if they could get Liang Xiao instead.
The host couldn’t be an exception. Meeting Liang Xiao’s gaze, his heart vaguely stabilized by more than half, and he smiled and greeted him: “Mr. Liang.”
Liang Xiao smiled: “You can just call me Liang Xiao.”
“That won’t do,” the host joked. “There are many of your fans present, and being so impolite would result in getting umbrellas sent to me.”
The first round of “Year’s End” broadcasts on various satellite TV channels had already concluded, and Yun Lian’s umbrella-sending professionals had become a famous scene. The host used Liang Xiao’s character reference, noting that the previously angry fans below had somewhat calmed down, and smoothly brought Liang Xiao completely to the forefront of the stage.
The spotlight followed over, joining with President Huo’s.
“Like this, with the spotlight on you, every move is magnified,” the host said. “We’ve seen a lot, and many one-sided impressions connected together might be completely opposite to the truth.”
The host looked at Liang Xiao, deliberately leading the topic: “What is Mr. Liang holding?”
Liang Xiao looked down and smiled: “A contract.”
The host was curious: “Is it a management contract? Fans who are familiar probably know that Mr. Liang’s original management company wasn’t Xingguan, but was recently transferred…”
“No,” Liang Xiao said openly, proactively handing it over. “It’s a contract for providing temporary pheromone marking.”
The host flipped through a couple of pages, and the audience below quieted slightly. The big screen promptly displayed the projection.
The contract had clear writing and distinct items, with the rights and obligations of both parties particularly clearly delineated, clean and neat.
The explanation that the two only had a temporary marking relationship had actually been circulating for some time, but there had never been strong evidence. Fans had been hoping that Liang Xiao would produce a contract as proof, and they held their breath, staring at the host as he turned to the signing date, collectively breathing a sigh of relief.
“No wonder Mr. Liang was entering and leaving the Huo residence.”
The host nodded, pondered for a moment, and then made a gesture above his head: “I know, at this point, the bullet comments here should be ‘How do you know it’s just a temporary marking relationship? Maybe it’s being used as a cover for some unspeakable dealings’…”
Liang Xiao smiled: “The innocent are naturally clear.”
The host also smiled and nodded slightly: “Regardless, contracts don’t lie.”
The host looked at President Huo, proactively guiding: “President Huo?”
Liang Xiao wasn’t very convenient making small movements on stage, so he poked President Huo with the contract, handing it to him.
President Huo took it, his gaze falling on Liang Xiao.
The clamor from below was incessant. The reporters’ microphones had been muted, but on stage, they could still be heard clearly.
Xingguan could use such thunderous methods to control the situation, but ultimately couldn’t silence all platforms. Seeing that Liang Xiao was about to clarify with the contract, the reporters’ questions below became increasingly sharp, with some already pushing their silent microphones to the front of the stage.
“Can it be understood that Mr. Liang actually obtained the role of Yun Lian in ‘Year’s End’ through this special relationship?”
“Regarding the scandal from five years ago, does Mr. Liang have any similar explanations or statements?”
“There was once a report saying that you were involved with a fraud group years ago, and evidence was provided. This matter was left unresolved at the time. Do you have any explanation?”
“There are many alphas and omegas with high pheromone compatibility. We want to know, what method did you use to obtain this contract…”
…
Liang Xiao seemed long accustomed to hearing these things, showing no reaction, turning his head to look at him, his gaze still transparent and concerned.
President Huo lowered his gaze.
Liang Xiao was indeed long accustomed to hearing these things.
Five years ago, when Liang Xiao was lying in the emergency room between life and death, there were also such overwhelming criticisms and accusations around him.
This was the most familiar routine for management companies. Reporters who couldn’t get answers to their questions would immediately write articles upon return, saying that Liang Xiao “avoided discussing” these issues.
These gossip tidbits would be shared as so-called industry secrets, creating a buzz, gradually cooling down, and then, as the heat faded, being ignored and completely forgotten by people.
Just like the final handling of that accident five years ago, if not for this current incident.
The simplest, most feasible, with the least impact on the company.
The most suitable path.
“According to the contract, we can roughly understand that you and Mr. Liang have highly compatible pheromones, it’s a purely transactional relationship, and Mr. Liang is the omega matched to you.”
The host had already coordinated with Xingguan and didn’t give the microphone to those reporters at all, passing the conversation to President Huo: “This contract-”
President Huo took the contract and crumpled it into a ball.
The host was stunned into silence.
The reporters crowding below, setting traps, were silenced by his piercing cold aura. For a moment, it almost became quiet as they stared in shock at the contract thrown on the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Liang Xiao frowned, avoiding the microphone, and turned to hold him lightly: “Don’t be angry, these things are inevitable-”
President Huo forcefully pulled him into his arms.
The entire venue fell completely silent.
Liang Xiao still carried the hopes of an entire PR team and wanted to adapt to the situation. Sensing President Huo’s particularly intense heartbeat, his movements unconsciously paused.
President Huo said softly: “Inevitable?”
Liang Xiao opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
President Huo closed his eyes briefly and released him: “It shouldn’t be inevitable.”
Backstage, the PR department head closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
“I will answer Mr. Liang’s questions.”
President Huo stepped forward: “Turn on their microphones.”
The host hadn’t yet recovered and was still in shock: “President Huo-”
President Huo said in a deep voice: “Turn them on.”
Things had completely deviated from the plan. The host had no choice and made a gesture to the backstage.
Liang Xiao finally barely came to his senses, vaguely guessing what he wanted to say, and reached out to pull him: “No rush-”
President Huo held his hand.
Liang Xiao met his gaze, caught off guard, his heart fluttering.
“I’ve thought about not rushing.”
President Huo: “Last time I told myself not to rush, and then I lost the person I held in my heart.”
President Huo looked up, his gaze falling into Liang Xiao’s eyes: “I searched for him for a long time.”
Liang Xiao’s throat choked slightly, and he ultimately couldn’t speak anymore, closing his eyes.
President Huo held him in his arms, no longer avoiding lowering his head for a kiss, then turned to completely shield Liang Xiao, his gaze falling on the dark audience below.
Open spears and hidden arrows, lips like blades and tongues like knives.
Liang Xiao had shielded him for a full five years.
“Five years ago,” President Huo said in a deep voice, “Long Tao wanted to entertain me.”
“Mr. Liang has aftereffects from a pheromone outbreak. Once he uses an inducer, if not temporarily marked by an alpha, the consequences can be fatal.”
These things were originally supposed to be internal secrets of Long Tao. President Huo’s gaze was cold and deep as it fell on the media reporter who had been shouting the loudest: “At that time, Long Tao forcibly used an inducer on him.”
“He locked himself in a room and almost lost his life.”
President Huo: “After hospitalization, he was resuscitated nine times, lost vital signs four times, suffered severe cardiopulmonary damage, and his gland was once on the verge of collapse.”
“He had no money and no time to recuperate,” President Huo said. “Long Tao never gave him resources again.”
“From then on, he began to risk his life on set, hanging from wires, doing explosion scenes, Long Tao, stunt doubles… He should have had a smooth path, but because of this accident, he was forcibly delayed for five years.”
“Without that five-year delay, what he would have today wouldn’t be just a supporting role in ‘Year’s End.'”
President Huo: “He didn’t need to sign this contract for money at all.”
Liang Xiao gripped his hand in return and said softly: “Huo Lan—”
President Huo closed his eyes briefly and finished speaking: “That day, I was just five minutes away from that room.”
President Huo had countless times recalled that day.
There should have been countless opportunities to save those five minutes. Why was he delayed when leaving? Why was he stopped at the entrance for a few more words of greeting? Why did he leave one step late during the exit?
Why such a twist of fate?
Liang Xiao couldn’t bear to listen anymore, frowning as he called him: “Huo Lan.”
President Huo firmly held onto reality and wasn’t trapped by the past again. He shook his head slightly and squeezed his hand.
“If that accident hadn’t happened that day,” President Huo looked up, “the one being questioned now would be me for forcing an improper relationship with an omega artist.”
These matters were too secretive. Both on and off stage, people were mentally shocked, and for a moment, everyone fell silent in surprise.
“So… Mr. Liang and President Huo had this past connection,” the host came back to his senses. “Was Long Tao’s selection of Mr. Liang at that time also because Mr. Liang’s pheromones happened to match with yours?”
The host tried his best to round it out: “Because of the high pheromone compatibility, you and Mr. Liang naturally attract each other…”
President Huo: “It wasn’t by chance.”
The host was taken aback and looked at Liang Xiao.
“We are attracted to each other,” President Huo said, “and it’s not because of high pheromone compatibility.”
Liang Xiao’s ears heated up, and he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed, tugging at President Huo: “That’s enough…”
“The previous statement wasn’t accurate either. Mr. Liang isn’t the omega matched to me.”
President Huo: “I am Mr. Liang’s alpha.”
His tone was too calm. The audience below was silent for a few seconds, their gazes all turning in surprise toward the stage.
Jiang Pingchao firmly gripped his phone backstage, also somewhat startled, and looked over.
Alphas are superior to ordinary humans in all aspects, occupying the social elite class, while omegas naturally belong to alphas. This social differentiation had almost become a consensus by default.
Even though omegas in modern society had considerable social status, no one had any objection to this consensus.
This reversal was nothing short of a fantasy.
President Huo’s eyes were clear and cold, as if unaware of the surprised gazes cast upon him: “The reason Mr. Liang has aftereffects from a pheromone outbreak is because ten years ago, he once used his pheromones to save an alpha with differentiation obstruction.”
The host was surprised: “So—”
President Huo: “The only person Mr. Liang ever deceived was me.”
“It was I who took him home without permission, forced him to study, wanted to be his friend, and it was I who, without permission, fell in love with Mr. Liang.”
President Huo said word by word: “The only thing he ever deceived me about was that he once exchanged his life for mine.”
“My pheromones are derived from him.”
“We met as youths and should have loved as youths.”
President Huo: “We should have gone home together, studied together, grown up together, done all the things we should have done.”
President Huo: “We should have been together long ago.”
Liang Xiao’s eyes burned hot. He hastily closed them and tightly held President Huo’s hand.
“Such a personal relationship, I cannot ignore.”
President Huo firmly held his hand in return: “To ensure fairness, Mr. Liang’s contract will be separated from Xingguan to establish an independent studio. From today, Mr. Liang will no longer belong to Xingguan.”
President Huo hadn’t consulted anyone about this decision. Liang Xiao was slightly surprised and looked up to meet President Huo’s gaze.
“Professionally, Mr. Liang is no longer my artist. With Xingguan, he will only conduct cooperation according to standard procedures on relevant work, using public contracts, with resources independently maintained.”
President Huo: “Personally, I am Mr. Liang’s manager and assistant, responsible for his daily affairs, food, clothing, housing, and transportation.”
Duan Ming backstage was listening with tears in his eyes: “???”
The PR department head hadn’t yet recovered from the shock of Mr. Liang going independent and hurriedly held back Mr. Liang’s manager. Unable to attend to the other side, he watched helplessly as Jiang Pingchao suddenly stood up, pulled down his cap brim, and quickly left the studio.
The butler, being older, calmly advised Mr. Duan to sit down together, smiling as he peeked through the backstage gap to look at the stage.
The two figures in the spotlight had been too close from the beginning to be separated by anyone.
President Huo hadn’t been able to consider everything more thoroughly yet. He held Liang Xiao and asked softly: “Is that okay?”
Liang Xiao’s vision was blurry. He tried hard to blink and tugged at the corner of his mouth: “Anyway, some people have already announced it without permission…”
Over the years, President Huo’s features had become harder and colder, almost showing no trace of the past. But as he held him and lowered his gaze like this, he suddenly clearly revealed that almost pedantic, rigid youth hidden in his bones.
Stubborn, obstinate, so headstrong that nine oxen couldn’t pull him back.
Not understanding flexibility, not knowing how to yield, determined to do what he had set his mind to.
In the past, Liang Xiao often couldn’t argue with him and would sigh and accompany him. After accompanying him for a long time, he was surprised to find that he was actually quite willing.
Very willing to be forced to study, very willing to be managed everywhere, not allowed to take risks, not allowed to make trouble.
Very willing to run back home covered in sweat, to see the lights on in the house.
…Their ten years.
Liang Xiao looked up and smiled: “I’ve chosen.”
President Huo was slightly taken aback: “What?”
Liang Xiao’s throat was severely choked, and he really couldn’t speak. So he simply and decisively grabbed President Huo’s collar and pulled him down.
Under the spotlight, Liang Xiao closed his eyes and tilted his head up to kiss President Huo.
The sharp, cold, unyielding Xingguan CEO’s shoulders trembled slightly. He tried to turn around to shield him, but Mr. Liang firmly held his arm, openly and honestly displaying them before countless cameras.
“For every ten years to come.”
Liang Xiao interlaced their fingers: “We will be together, not wasting a day, not delaying a day.”
“Please guide me,” Liang Xiao smiled. “My alpha.”
##
T/N: Main story completed!! extras coming soon~
Thank You For Readingggg
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