The room fell silent for a few moments.
“…Oh.”
Duan Ming cleared his throat, struggling to swallow his tears. “Oh.”
He had initially made up his mind to encourage Liang Xiao to immediately test the wristband’s functionality by calling the emergency contact. He imagined it would lead to a few heartfelt, warm exchanges and create a romantic little surprise.
But after hearing the butler’s words, the abruptness of it left him at a loss.
…
Three emergency numbers.
None of them were suitable.
None would result in any heartwarming, romantic surprises.
Duan Ming couldn’t bear to dwell on it further, closing his eyes with a heavy heart.
The butler, resigned to his task, finally completed his mission. He closed his notebook and spoke in a weary tone. “Mr. Liang…”
Liang Xiao snapped out of his thoughts and smiled faintly. “Help me—”
He had only spoken two words before pausing. After a moment of silence, he changed his words. “I’ll go thank President Huo myself.”
The butler, surprised and pleased that Liang Xiao still wanted to express his gratitude despite everything, immediately offered to arrange a car. “Right now?”
Liang Xiao nodded.
Initially, since the butler had come in person, Liang Xiao had planned to explain everything on the spot and ask him to relay a message to Huo Lan. Then, he would return to the set to finish filming the remaining scenes, pack up, and quietly leave.
But now, he found himself reluctant.
Liang Xiao lowered his gaze, took the wristband, and tried it on. He gently ran his fingers over it.
Rather than let Huo Lan slowly piece together the truth and discover what kind of person he truly was, Liang Xiao preferred to come clean himself.
To tell Huo Lan directly.
Liang Xiao looked up, just about to speak, when Duan Ming reacted first and grabbed his arm.
“W-wait!” Duan Ming stammered awkwardly. “Now isn’t the right time.”
The butler was taken aback. “Why not?”
Duan Ming couldn’t explain outright, hesitating for a while before subtly trying to dissuade Liang Xiao. “President Huo has been so good to you, preparing all this stuff and sending it over, and you’re just going to turn around and tell him…”
Liang Xiao had been summoned by the deputy producer and returned alone from the radio station. Duan Ming immediately understood what he intended to say.
What Liang Xiao wanted to tell Huo Lan was all the sordid, underhanded dealings that had happened with Long Tao back then.
It was about how Long Tao had set the trap, planned it meticulously, and schemed to take Xingguan, their competitor, down.
How to wash away the filthy water that he has stained himself with.
When discussing the matter, Duan Ming was truly reluctant to let it go and struggled to find a way out. “Can’t you explain it a bit more to President Huo? You didn’t agree back then and even ended up in the hospital because of it…”
“There’s no surveillance, no witnesses—just my word against theirs.”
Liang Xiao replied, “What am I supposed to say? That I defended my purity with my life back then, and now I’m here to ask him for a temporary mark for a hundred thousand?”
At the time, Duan Ming had racked his brains but couldn’t come up with a solution.
Five years ago, Long Tao used Liang Xiao to set up Huo Lan. Regardless of why it failed back then, five years later, the one entering Huo’s residence again was still Liang Xiao.
It was too much of a coincidence.
Given the situation back then, Liang Xiao could claim he had resisted to the death, but outsiders would inevitably suspect the plan fell through, backfiring on him instead.
No matter how it was explained, it all pointed to ulterior motives.
“…Even if you have to say something,” Duan Ming tugged at him, doing his best to persuade him quietly, “at least wait for a better time.”
It wouldn’t look good for President Huo to send over these gifts, only for Liang Xiao to immediately stab him in the heart with the truth.
A bright moon shining over a gutter.
Liang Xiao, resigned, could only ask in return, “Why do you think President Huo suddenly gave me these things?”
Duan Ming was stunned.
Liang Xiao picked up the small, exquisitely designed waterproof travel bag, carefully examined it for a while, unpacked it, and loaded the suppressors and syringes into it.
At the time, Deputy Director Peng had stormed out of the office in an existential crisis and hadn’t returned since.
Liang Xiao wasn’t sure if Peng Lixin had gone to see Huo Lan.
But the items sent over were undeniably obvious in their purpose.
So obvious that he couldn’t help but think… Huo Lan might already know.
Know that the omega Long Tao had schemed to use to frame him, nearly ruining his reputation, was Liang Xiao himself.
Liang Xiao smiled faintly. “Brother Duan.”
Duan Ming looked at him, suddenly understanding. His eyes reddened, and he slowly let go of Liang Xiao’s hand.
Liang Xiao picked up his coat.
Even the butler, unaware of the full story, realized something was amiss. “…Mr. Liang?”
“I still need to ask you a few things.”
Liang Xiao put on his coat and spoke to him amicably, “Before President Huo sent these over, did he meet anyone?”
The butler paused, thought for a moment, and answered, “Deputy Director Peng from Tianxing.”
Duan Ming’s face turned completely pale.
Liang Xiao understood. “Deputy Director Peng told him everything?”
The butler nodded. “He told everything.”
Liang Xiao took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Not surprising.
“At the time, Mr. Huo was in a meeting.”
The butler recalled, “Deputy Director Peng barged in and saw what was written on our board. He seemed very agitated…”
The whole matter was slightly complicated.
When Deputy Director Peng stormed into the Xingguan building, the executives were in a meeting.
The primary agenda of the meeting was how to legally acquire an artist from Long Tao.
The proposal was submitted by the producer of Sui Chu. In the entertainment industry, to remain strong, a company must continuously bring in new, talented individuals and secure promising newcomers.
Given the potential Liang Xiao had demonstrated during filming, it was impossible for Xingguan not to be tempted.
When Su Man had asked Liang Xiao about his intention to switch companies, it had been at the producer’s request.
“Deputy Director Peng seemed very agitated. He stormed in and asked Mr. Huo,” the butler narrated vividly, “‘You want to buy him?!'”
“…”
Liang Xiao suddenly sensed something was off and didn’t even have time to process the implications of his potential contract transfer. “What did President Huo say?”
President Huo said yes.
After receiving the answer, Deputy Director Peng became even more agitated.
“Although we don’t know the exact reasons,” the butler thought for a moment, “Deputy Director Peng pushed past the bodyguards and turned to question Mr. Huo again: ‘You’ve seen it all, and you still want to buy him?!'”
At the time, the screen was playing clips from the interview recording.
Tianxing had always had a good partnership with Xingguan. When they heard a clip of Liang Xiao was needed, they quickly edited and sent it over.
The head of the talent management department had been so excited while watching the footage that they had been enthusiastically slapping the table, demanding funds from the finance department.
With his back to the screen, Deputy Director Peng was filled with baffling questions.
“Mr. Huo said,” the butler recounted truthfully, “‘Because I saw it, I want to buy him.'”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Duan Ming: “…”
Liang Xiao couldn’t bear to hear more. “Is Deputy Director Peng still alive?”
“Yes,” the butler replied. “But before leaving, he insisted on one last chance. He pulled out a stack of documents: hospital records from when Mr. Liang had been admitted for emergency treatment due to an information surge.”
Back then, during Long Tao’s despicable scheme, many people were involved. It was widely known that an omega had attempted to frame someone but ended up hospitalized instead.
With these records in hand, and by matching the symptoms and timeline, Liang Xiao’s identity could be unmistakably confirmed.
Based on the sequence of events, Deputy Director Peng likely first went to the hospital, retrieved the evidence, and then brought it to Huo Lan.
“…” Liang Xiao pressed his forehead. “And then President Huo read it all.”
“Actually, Mr. Huo already knew.” The butler nodded. “When the volunteer information was being compiled, you had filled out your medical history.”
But the history Liang Xiao submitted at the time wasn’t as detailed as what Deputy Director Peng provided.
So Mr. Huo reviewed it again.
Initially, Huo Lan didn’t know much about the incident. He only knew that Liang Xiao had been hospitalized because of it but wasn’t aware of the specifics. Consequently, he merely instructed Feiyang Pharmaceuticals to set up an adverse reaction monitoring team.
At the same time, during every use of suppressants, additional statistics were gathered to compare the pain levels of different models of injectors.
However, the records that Deputy Director Peng provided this time were far more comprehensive and detailed.
Liang Xiao, prepared to face his fate heroically, was completely blindsided. Feeling a bit faint, he fumbled back to the sofa. “And then President Huo thought it was a good idea to give me a wristband and stock up on more suppressants for me…”
The butler enthusiastically smacked his fist into his palm. “Exactly.”
After all, the medical records were truly harrowing.
Standing beside Mr. Huo at the time, the butler caught a glimpse of a few lines. Even just the frequency and number of resuscitations recorded had him feeling utterly shaken.
“Are you fully recovered now?”
The butler, still somewhat on edge, asked with genuine concern. “The records indicated that every surge caused significant harm to your body.”
Liang Xiao replied weakly, “I’m fine now.”
The butler studied him, worried. “Are you still planning to meet Mr. Huo? Mr. Huo actually—”
“What about Mr. Huo?” Liang Xiao asked.
The butler hesitated. “His pheromones are a bit unstable.”
Though Mr. Huo had forbidden him from speaking about it, the butler had no qualms about revealing the secret. “Valu isn’t very effective for him.”
Seated on the sofa, Liang Xiao pieced together the entire situation and nodded slightly.
He had already suspected that Huo Lan was resistant to suppressants.
Valu’s effects weren’t supposed to wear off so quickly. If the suppressants worked properly, Huo Lan wouldn’t have tested so many types of injectors in just a few days.
Now that he was completely relaxed, Liang Xiao noticed he was drenched in cold sweat. His head throbbed dully, and even standing up felt like a struggle.
The butler, still stationed near the half-living-room’s worth of suppressants, watched him nervously.
“I’ll go see President Huo tonight,” Liang Xiao said.
Liang Xiao smiled and finally said the words he had been holding back all day: “Please trouble yourself to come pick me up.”
The butler let out a sigh of relief and immediately agreed, “You want to see Mr. Huo yourself?”
“Yes.” Liang Xiao was remarkably cooperative. “I haven’t been temporarily marked in a long time. I’m not used to it, feeling a bit unwell. I urgently need to be bitten.”
The butler couldn’t hide his delight, gave Liang Xiao a high-five, and with the NPC-like bodyguards in tow, was swiftly sent out the door by the assistant.
—
Duan Ming shut the door firmly.
The manager turned back, sat down on the sofa opposite Liang Xiao, and the two of them sat in silence for quite a while.
Liang Xiao raised his hand to cover his eyes, then chuckled softly.
Duan Ming, who had been holding back, finally couldn’t anymore and joined him in laughter. “What a mess…”
The absurdity of the situation had escalated beyond belief. With Deputy Director Peng’s fate still uncertain, Liang Xiao was at a loss for what to do. He exhaled deeply and said, “Brother Duan, help me up.”
“What’s wrong?” Duan Ming was startled and immediately stopped laughing as he rushed over. “Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital—”
“It’s nothing.” Liang Xiao reassured him, “Just a bit dizzy.”
Duan Ming, knowing his condition, immediately softened his tone. He helped Liang Xiao lie back on the sofa, rolled up a jacket for him to use as a pillow, and grabbed a blanket to cover him.
Listening to his own heartbeat and feeling the light from the ceiling lamp sting his eyes, Liang Xiao tugged at the blanket to block the glare.
“Forget you; even I’m dizzy.” Duan Ming sighed with a wry smile. “Deputy Director Peng, through sheer persistence, managed to swindle enough suppressants for you…”
Liang Xiao chuckled faintly. “Brother Duan.”
“Alright, alright.” Duan Ming waved off his words, knowing exactly what he wanted to say. “I know you still want to talk to President Huo.”
Liang Xiao pressed his lips together but remained silent.
When he had figured out the truth, sitting alone in Deputy Director Peng’s office, he thought that his past disgrace and the scheming incident would be laid bare before Huo Lan in the most brutal and unrelenting way possible.
But Deputy Director Peng, through his sheer determination, played out an entirely different script from everyone else.
And he insisted on delivering it to the very end.
The situation had unexpectedly taken a sharp turn, leaving a sliver of hope for resolution.
“Take it slow. Isn’t President Huo also experiencing pheromone instability?”
Duan Ming added, “He’s probably not calm either. Let him bite you a few times first, then talk it over with him.”
After a few bites, the matter might become easier to discuss.
Comforting himself with this thought, Duan Ming got up and turned off the overhead light, leaving only a dim light strip. “Still too bright?”
“It’s fine now,” Liang Xiao replied with his eyes closed. “Brother Duan, you should rest too. I need to think some things through.”
There was a knock at the door, likely the assistant who had gone downstairs to see the guests off returning.
Duan Ming, worried about disturbing Liang Xiao, quickly got up and opened the door. “You should get some sleep… What else is there to think about?”
Liang Xiao was curled up on the sofa, wrapped under the soft blanket. He touched the bracelet on his wrist and, for once, allowed himself to be a little sentimental. “President Huo.”
Duan Ming: “…”
“I can’t sleep.” Liang Xiao pulled the blanket further over his head, turned over, and sighed in frustration. “I’m not used to it.”
Sometimes, Liang Xiao thought, maybe Huo Lan was just that kind of person.
Admitting mistakes when they were made, clear about rewards and punishments.
Doing what needed to be done and offering help when he could.
As long as it didn’t touch his bottom line, if he thought something was reasonable or necessary, he might even be indulgent.
Rigid yet principled.
Liang Xiao had long prepared himself for the hardships after offending Long Tao. For years, he had stumbled his way forward with difficulty, and he didn’t think much of it.
Now, someone was helping him… He wasn’t sure how to handle it.
“…” Duan Ming struggled to say something. “You—”
Still unable to sleep, Liang Xiao sighed in resignation under the blanket. “I might as well just go find President Huo Huo now.”
Duan Ming sounded drained. “You…”
Hearing something off in Duan Ming’s tone, Liang Xiao paused. He pulled the blanket down slightly and poked his head out.
The door was open, and Duan Ming was standing there, with someone beside him.
The man wasn’t wearing a suit but a dark trench coat. He was tall, imposing, and his presence was as sharp as freshly fallen snow.
Afraid of interrupting the snowstorm, Duan Ming silently moved aside to close the door.
Liang Xiao: “…”
Standing silently in the doorway of Liang Xiao’s home, Huo Lan’s cold, quiet gaze fell on him.
Liang Xiao opened his mouth, quickly replaying in his mind everything he had said after the door was opened.
Thinking about President Huo.
Can’t sleep. Not used to it.
I might as well just go find President Huo now.
…
Liang Xiao internally died on the spot: “…”
Huo Lan stepped inside, taking off his trench coat, which carried the chill of freshly fallen snow. He draped it over the cabinet and walked over.
Liang Xiao felt there was no way to explain himself: “President Huo…”
“Does it have to be this way?” Huo Lan asked.
Liang Xiao stared blankly. “Huh?”
Huo Lan frowned and studied him for a moment, then unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and knelt down on one knee.
Duan Ming, suppressing his astonishment and panic with sheer willpower, held his breath and disappeared into the background.
Liang Xiao was completely lost, staring in a daze as Huo Lan—methodical and composed—lifted his hand to firmly support Liang Xiao’s shoulder and back.
He removed the jacket Liang Xiao had been using as a pillow, then brought his left hand up to gently cradle Liang Xiao’s head.
