Liang Xiao felt a bit guilty and tried to cover it up by poking the thermometer against President Huo.
The mercury column, responding to the call of pheromones, trembled and dropped by half a mark, stopping at 40.2 degrees, and didn’t move further.
President Huo: “…”
President Huo confiscated the thermometer and put it away safely: “Did you burn yourself?”
Liang Xiao didn’t dare speak and made a muffled grunt, sitting perfectly straight with his shoulders upright, hands flat, observing his breath and heart.
President Huo looked at him, waited quietly for a while, and seeing no response from Liang Xiao, raised his hand to unbutton his shirt.
Liang Xiao was startled, clutched his collar, and shook his head quickly: “No.”
Meeting their President Huo’s gaze, Liang Xiao coughed twice and reluctantly admitted: “It’s… red, but not burned.”
After all, to create a convincing fever state, not only did the thermometer need to cooperate, but the person also had to be somewhat hot, at least enough to feel the weight and pressure of illness when held.
Liang Xiao, focusing on one thing and neglecting another, was careless and was discovered by President Huo through other aspects of weight and pressure.
President Huo looked at him and pressed his brow.
In his youth, Liang Xiao’s body had been severely depleted, and the aftereffects of his pheromone outbreak had still not fully recovered. President Huo didn’t dare relax and had been worried about Liang Xiao’s condition for over ten days, having doctors perform several examinations.
Two medical teams had been established to discuss more than ten hypotheses regarding Mr. Liang’s situation of returning to the hotel every day, full of energy yet with a high fever.
…None of the hypotheses had considered hot water bottles.
In the past few days, when holding Liang Xiao, President Huo had felt something pressing against his hand and vaguely detected what was happening. Thinking that Liang Xiao was rarely being willful and making trouble, he had gone along with it without exposing him, accompanying his antics for a few days.
But the number of hot water bottles kept increasing, and if not stopped, the thermometer might explode from the heat.
President Huo stroked his head, suppressing his temper: “Why did you put so many?”
Liang Xiao honestly admitted his mistake: “So the physical cooling would last longer.”
After all, besides humanistic care and synchronized meals and rest, physical cooling was also needed, and the main method of physical cooling was their President Huo holding him and producing mist.
When two people embraced, the longer the time, the more things they could do.
Liang Xiao, considering himself experienced, firmly believed that once the hot water bottles increased to six, he could lure their President Huo to the car and weld the accelerator.
Liang Xiao’s thoughts made him feel a bit hot, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted. He tried hard to press it back seriously.
President Huo: “…”
President Huo pressed his forehead forcefully and took a deep breath.
He suddenly became concerned that if the pheromone type wasn’t so special, Liang Xiao might buy a bottle of the same pheromone perfume and enter heat precisely at eight o’clock every evening.
“…” Liang Xiao’s throat moved, and he couldn’t help but be tempted. He tried to inconspicuously pick up his phone and searched on a shopping app.
President Huo had a headache and confiscated his phone, putting it away with the thermometer: “I’m not-”
Before they had clarified their past, President Huo had always been proper despite his feelings, both out of concern for Liang Xiao’s health and persistent unease, wanting to leave Liang Xiao with a final choice of freedom to come and go.
He was willing to be intimate with Liang Xiao and to personally take care of him, never feeling it was troublesome.
Now that everything had been clarified, he and Liang Xiao were already family, and more intimate matters would naturally happen sooner or later.
…
But it couldn’t be achieved by stuffing hot water bottles against his body and continuously running a fever for half a month.
These past days, President Huo had vaguely heard the butler and others discussing secretly. He crouched down, suppressing his snowy aura, looked up, and said softly: “It’s not that I don’t want to.”
Liang Xiao froze, too hot to move.
“Because I thought you were sick, I didn’t dare act rashly.”
President Huo looked at him: “You must first recover your health. After you’re well, we can discuss other matters.”
Liang Xiao had been forced to recover for half a month and felt he was already extremely healthy. He opened his mouth to speak, but meeting President Huo’s particularly serious gaze, his heart softened.
Liang Xiao drooped and obediently said: “Okay.”
President Huo held his hand and leaned forward to touch his lips: “Once you’re better, we can do anything.”
Liang Xiao swallowed: “Okay.”
President Huo was still concerned. He unbuttoned Liang Xiao’s clothes, carefully examined the reddened areas, confirmed there were indeed no burns, and meticulously helped Liang Xiao change into his pajamas.
Liang Xiao extended his arms, obediently letting him pull the sleeves up, and called softly: “Huo Lan.”
President Huo carefully arranged the collar and looked up at him.
“You’re not angry, are you?” Liang Xiao slid down the edge of the bed and crouched with him, head to head. “You seemed so tired these days… I wanted to play around a bit, to change your mood.”
Liang Xiao’s plan had backfired, and he felt a bit embarrassed, coughing lightly: “I won’t make trouble anymore-”
President Huo said softly: “I know.”
Liang Xiao was slightly startled.
President Huo embraced his shoulders, exerted a slight force, and lifted Liang Xiao entirely into his arms, sitting down on the floor.
Liang Xiao: “…”
He suspected that their President Huo would eventually be able to lift him up and toss him around for fun.
Liang Xiao, having changed positions as if riding clouds and mist, barely stabilized himself and adaptably settled on their President Huo’s lap.
President Huo’s heartbeat was calm and strong. Being close, Liang Xiao could hear the clear, steady beating in his chest, and his voice unconsciously softened as he pressed against his neck: “How… did you know?”
“I’ve always known.”
President Huo closed his eyes and held him: “When you think I’m tired, you always find ways to make me a little happier.”
He spoke so clearly that Liang Xiao felt a bit embarrassed and voluntarily admitted: “This time it was mainly because I wanted to.”
After all, President Huo’s driving speed was controlled too steadily; no matter what step they reached, he could meticulously and strictly apply the brakes.
Just like now.
Liang Xiao tugged at his sleeve, his ears reddening, and with his shirt open, shamelessly asked for a favor: “The buttons aren’t fastened yet.”
President Huo said softly: “Let’s not fasten them.”
Liang Xiao was still caught up in his own thoughts and nodded instinctively: “That works too, then-”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Liang Xiao looked up in surprise and pulled President Huo’s hand to feel his body temperature.
President Huo smiled helplessly, pressed his lips together slightly, and gathered Liang Xiao’s wandering hands into his own: “The doctor said your current physical condition has improved somewhat and can adapt to a certain degree of mild stimulation.”
Liang Xiao swallowed dryly, in a daze: “Not… all the way?”
President Huo stroked the back of his neck and pondered briefly.
Liang Xiao’s physical condition earlier might not have been able to withstand a temporary mark, so he didn’t dare risk it and had to have Liang Xiao return to stabilizing his pheromones with suppressants.
Now Liang Xiao’s body had adjusted fairly well, and President Huo had originally wanted to try with him, to restore the temporary mark and see to what extent they could stabilize his pheromones.
Step by step, not all the way, stopping immediately if Liang Xiao felt he couldn’t handle it.
President Huo nodded: “Not all the way.”
The butler: “!”
Duan Ming: “!!”
Liang Xiao: “!!!”
Liang Xiao tremblingly touched his thigh and pinched it.
President Huo stood up to prepare, rang the bell for the butler to stand guard outside the door, and carried Mr. Liang, who for some reason had suddenly crossed his hands and was lying peacefully flat, gently back to the bed.
…
–
The manager couldn’t hold out until the end and, curious about what had happened, pestered Liang Xiao for three days.
“Then what happened?”
Duan Ming had the assistant watch over people while he pulled Liang Xiao aside and lowered his voice: “After President Huo put you on his lap and embraced you, what did he do next?”
Liang Xiao really couldn’t avoid it anymore, put down his script, and sighed: “It was similar to what was planned.”
Duan Ming had seen the plan he had written and widened his eyes at this: “Really?”
Duan Ming continued: “President Huo first bit the back of your neck, not letting you move, then restrained your hands. He pressed you against the headboard, with thunder and lightning, storm and snow, until you passed out, then after half an hour, carried you into the bathroom…”
Liang Xiao forced himself to continue: “More or less.”
Liang Xiao’s voice lacked confidence: “Skipped… some steps.”
“That’s fine, adding or missing a few items doesn’t matter.”
Duan Ming waved his hand: “Which step did he skip from?”
Liang Xiao: “President Huo bit my neck.”
Duan Ming waited for a long time, seeing that he had no intention of continuing: “…And then?”
Liang Xiao was a bit embarrassed: “I recovered for half an hour, and President Huo carried me into the bathroom.”
Duan Ming: “…”
The feeling of having his gland held between teeth was too intense. Liang Xiao, still shaken, pressed his heart: “It’s been too long since I was bitten, I’m not used to it…”
Unlike a temporary mark that simply extracts pheromone sources to stabilize an alpha’s pheromones, if the focus is on stabilizing an omega’s pheromones, the requirements are much higher, and the necessary procedures and operations are more difficult and complex.
And more… stimulating.
Liang Xiao swallowed dryly and couldn’t help thinking back.
Even though President Huo had tried his best to restrain himself, the overwhelming pressure still enveloped him tightly.
His gland was carefully held and ground between teeth, the cool and snowy scent spreading from that particularly sensitive point at the back of his neck, wrapping his consciousness in a pure white world of ice and snow.
Fire flowed beneath the ice, and in the side bedroom so quiet you could hear a pin drop, you could almost hear the sound of sweat dripping onto skin.
Duan Ming couldn’t help but call him back to reality: “So President Huo just bit you once.”
“Brother Duan, you betas can’t understand.”
Liang Xiao’s face and ears were red: “Physiological structure, even in those stockpiles you confiscated, the compatibility isn’t this high…”
Duan Ming had never thought about it in detail, but now that he mentioned it, he couldn’t help rubbing his forehead: “Right, your compatibility with President Huo must be high.”
“No wonder you’re so sensitive to President Huo.” Duan Ming suddenly understood, “President Huo’s pheromone was induced by you, there might be only one like it in the whole world. If quantified, your matching degree should be even higher than one hundred percent…”
Liang Xiao came back to his senses and frowned slightly: “Brother Duan.”
Duan Ming paused, realizing he had inadvertently said something wrong, and quickly shut up.
Duan Ming hadn’t had time to think about this these days. Looking at Liang Xiao’s expression, he asked softly: “President Huo… still doesn’t know?”
Liang Xiao smiled: “What’s the point of knowing this?”
Duan Ming nodded: “Understood, my lips are sealed.”
This wasn’t simply a matter of one feeling sorry for the other. What Liang Xiao had been most worried about was the wild A from Jiangnan finding out about what happened back then. Now that the wild A had turned out to be President Huo, he needed to be even more careful in handling it.
“It’s not a long-term solution.”
Duan Ming reminded him softly: “You can’t hide it forever; it will be exposed sooner or later.”
“I know,” Liang Xiao said. “At least… let’s delay it for a while.”
These days when Liang Xiao was asleep and occasionally woke up in the middle of the night, he always found President Huo holding his wrist, his fingertips pressed against his pulse.
Even after so many days of desensitization, President Huo was still occasionally haunted by nightmares. Liang Xiao knew what it felt like to fall into dreams and be unable to wake up, and he didn’t want President Huo to be disturbed by the long-sealed past and sink deeper into it.
“I understand. President Huo’s mother was also seriously ill for several years because of his pheromone.”
Duan Ming frowned and nodded: “If he finds out about this too…”
Duan Ming didn’t continue, thought for a while, and then tugged at the corner of his mouth: “You know, when President Huo’s side wanted to gradually let us know, wanting you to discover his relationship with the wild A from Jiangnan, were they also this anxious and worried?”
Duan Ming tried to comfort him and intentionally teased Liang Xiao: “What goes around comes around, you’re even now.”
Liang Xiao smiled along: “We’re not even.”
Duan Ming was taken aback: “How are we not even?”
“I don’t know, President Huo said we’re not even.”
Liang Xiao’s ears heated up: “Originally I said ten kisses, but President Huo said we’re not even and insisted on a high-interest loan.”
Duan Ming: “…”
“Nine out, thirteen back, you probably don’t understand.”
Liang Xiao was quite troubled and, fearing the manager’s knowledge might not be extensive enough, specifically explained: “High-interest loans, borrow ten and return thirteen for nine, with interest compounding periodically. After two or three years, it’s basically a lifetime of kisses that can never be repaid…”
Duan Ming regretted talking to him, took a washed pear, wiped it, and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Besides,” Liang Xiao bit the pear and spoke indistinctly, “it’s fortunate… that I found out first.”
The two were getting closer, and he wanted to tell President Huo everything. Perhaps one day his resolve would waver, and he might impulsively admit what he had done back then.
If he had confessed without even connecting President Huo to the wild A from Jiangnan, directly allowing President Huo to piece together all the details…
Liang Xiao didn’t even dare to think about… how President Huo would react.
Duan Ming thought for a moment and shuddered: “Would we turn into the ‘Frozen’ film crew?”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Duan Ming: “…”
Liang Xiao had no rebuttal, cupped his hands in salute to him, and went to get his makeup done with the pear in his mouth.
–
With the lead actor recovered, the crew resumed its original pace and, in one go, successfully filmed all the scenes of the young marquis in the palace and before the new emperor’s ascension over the past half month.
Liang Xiao sat in the makeup room, looking at the array of various tattered cloths, and began to appreciate the gradually warming weather.
“The upcoming scenes will be tough.”
Director Jin came to discuss the scenes, watching the makeup artist apply makeup to him with his arms crossed: “Your current physical condition is quite suitable, no need to lose more weight.”
The production manager came to watch and was discussing with Liang Xiao how to elegantly twirl a fan in his hand. Hearing this, he was curious: “Isn’t he supposed to be fleeing?”
“Fleeing doesn’t mean he can’t eat,” Jin Zhenbo said. “In the earlier part, the character’s age is set; the young marquis is young, and without enough of that thin, youthful feel, it wouldn’t work, which is why we had him maintain his physique.”
Jin Zhenbo glanced at Liang Xiao and explained to him: “If you go back to being as thin as before, you’d be blown away by a breeze, and it would be hard to explain the thousand-mile rescue at the end.”
“…” Liang Xiao had gradually adapted to the director’s evaluations and coughed once: “Alright.”
Jin Zhenbo looked down at the script: “This part of the script mainly focuses on the group dynamics of the palace’s turbulent situation. Your scenes aren’t difficult… facing extreme adversity without despair, abandoned by heaven but not self-abandoning. Can you handle it?”
Liang Xiao thought carefully: “I can handle it.”
“That’s good then.”
Jin Zhenbo nodded: “You don’t have many scenes in this part, and shooting intermittently wouldn’t maintain a consistent state. We’ve discussed and decided to move all your parts to the early stage for concentrated filming. Can you manage?”
“Xingguan has also contacted us, saying you have a variety show coming up.”
The production manager was startled by the director’s announcement-style negotiation, pulled Jin Zhenbo aside, and quickly added: “We’ll coordinate on our end and try to compress your scenes into May, completing everything before the variety show.”
Director Jin didn’t hear any difference between these two statements, frowned slightly, and still insisted: “For the sake of your good condition-”
The production manager covered Director Jin’s mouth and dragged him behind.
Liang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh and nodded: “I can do it, thank you to the crew.”
The production manager sighed in relief and waved his hand with a smile: “We accommodate each other. We should also thank you for your professionalism.”
In previous years, actors’ schedules were almost entirely arranged by the film crew, and such adjustments didn’t require special communication or discussion.
In recent years, the industry had been impacted by capital and generally showed a trend toward impulsiveness. Artists either refused to endure hardships, complaining about being tired or annoyed, or couldn’t act independently due to company arrangements extracting their value, resulting in numerous problems.
Well-established actors were somewhat better off. Young, emerging talents like Liang Xiao, with excellent skills, good attitudes, and backing companies that didn’t hold them back or engage in problematic operations, who could withstand the pressure of popularity, were rare and precious.
Liang Xiao understood and said hoarsely: “You’re too kind… I just don’t have much else to do.”
“That’s still not easy,” the production manager praised him. “Most young people who reach your level would be somewhat arrogant by now.”
Director Jin, who had been pushed to the back and not allowed to speak, was still angry: “Isn’t it just fear that he’ll be blown away by a breeze? I already said to let him eat more…”
The production manager patted Director Jin and gave him a fan to keep him occupied, then turned back to Liang Xiao: “Being able to have free time isn’t easy either. When you’re truly busy, with schedules you can’t keep up with, you’ll miss this period when you didn’t have much to do.”
Liang Xiao smiled: “Yes.”
The production manager patted his shoulder, letting him focus on the script and find his state, and dragged Director Jin out of the makeup room.
…
The prophecy came true.
By the end of the month, as the crew’s filming progressed, something really did come up.
“It’s not our matter though.”
Duan Ming picked up Liang Xiao after filming and returned to the hotel, giving him a heads-up: “The acquisition has been settled, and President Huo needs to go back to handle it.”
Liang Xiao was startled: “So quickly?”
“Pretty much. Long Tao’s shares have basically been devoured completely. When the wall falls, everyone pushes, and Xingguan didn’t actually exert much effort in the later stages.”
Duan Ming briefly explained to him: “Not many artists are willing to stay with Xingguan; most are changing companies, and quite a few have been poached.”
Liang Xiao nodded: “Not surprising.”
“Right,” Duan Ming nodded. “They’re used to relying on connections at Long Tao and might not adapt to Xingguan’s fair competition atmosphere. It’s better for them to go to smaller companies where they can be the main artists and enjoy exclusive resources.”
Xingguan had always valued quality over quantity when selecting artists, with a development model that prioritized ability over popularity, which, truthfully, wasn’t very friendly to marketing-focused, fast-consumption type artists.
In this exodus of Long Tao’s artists, Xingguan had undoubtedly provided assistance and connections behind the scenes. Long Tao’s general manager, unable to accept this, went to Xingguan to question and argue, only to hit a neither hard nor soft nail at the secretary’s department: “The artists our President Huo wanted to poach were already brought over long ago. There’s no need to compete for more. This one’s potential is far from fully explored, and we’re focusing on cultivating him. We don’t have spare time…”
Long Tao’s general manager was speechless with anger and nearly destroyed his own office after returning.
Duan Ming brought the conversation back: “But this time President Huo really won’t be able to return for a short while… there’s too much to handle.”
Duan Ming continued: “A lean camel is still larger than a horse. Even if Long Tao’s operation is completely finished, the formal acquisition, integration, and reorganization is still a significant project. Unlike before, it can’t be resolved just through video conferences and faxes. It will take at least a month.”
Liang Xiao calculated the time: “About right… even a month seems tight.”
Liang Xiao thought carefully: “It might drag on until I finish filming.”
Duan Ming: “…”
Duan Ming reminded him: “You can’t go to President Huo either. Your scenes are scheduled so tightly that even a fly couldn’t squeeze in.”
Liang Xiao sighed lightly: “Yes.”
Duan Ming looked at him: “…”
Liang Xiao felt puzzled by his stare and looked down at himself: “What’s wrong?”
Duan Ming had secretly peeked through the door crack last night and seen the two of them sleeping curled up together. He couldn’t help but frown: “Have you already started sleeping together but dreaming apart so quickly?”
They had only recently clarified things and could finally be together properly. Duan Ming was a bit worried and waved his hand in front of Liang Xiao’s eyes: “Show some longing at least. I prepared a whole box of tissues for nothing.”
Liang Xiao: “…”
Liang Xiao pressed his forehead and smiled: “I can’t… it’s too wasteful.”
Duan Ming was taken aback: “Huh?”
“It’s too wasteful. There will be plenty of time to miss him after President Huo leaves.”
Liang Xiao was exceptionally calm: “Now we need to think rationally about what can be done in the limited time we have.”
Duan Ming opened his mouth, infected by his calmness, and lowered his voice: “Do what?”
“Something that will make us think of each other as soon as we open our eyes, but not to the extent that we can’t do anything else.”
Liang Xiao pondered: “I’ll order a life-sized wax figure of myself in a hugging pose to put behind President Huo’s office door.”
“…” Duan Ming was relieved: “No, that’s too terrifying.”
Liang Xiao was a bit disappointed: “Is it terrifying?”
“Think about it yourself,” Duan Ming described. “President Huo comes to the office late at night to work overtime. The moon is hazy, the birds are hazy, the night is deep and dark, and behind the door is a figure with open arms.”
Liang Xiao processed this mentally and shuddered: “Never mind.”
Liang Xiao, thinking in detail, added: “And if Long Tao sends people to attack President Huo at night, it would be difficult for the bodyguards to distinguish who to protect.”
Duan Ming looked at him somewhat perplexed and tried to think: “Why don’t you make something for President Huo?”
“Something handmade,” Duan Ming said. “President Huo really likes those two small paper umbrellas you made.”
A few days ago, while cleaning the room, an assistant accidentally damaged one of them, which briefly created a survival crisis for the entire team.
Fortunately, the head of the bodyguards, with the heart of a tiger but the sensitivity to smell roses, found some glue and carefully repaired it. He was promptly promoted and reassigned to the inner circle.
President Huo punished himself for this oversight by forbidding himself from cracking walnuts for two days.
Liang Xiao had noticed that President Huo was indeed acting strangely those days but couldn’t get an answer no matter how he asked. He had been quite worried, and now he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Something that took me less than two minutes to make…”
“Even if you just take a piece of paper and draw a couple of lines on it, President Huo won’t let anyone touch it.”
Duan Ming spoke from experience: “Why not just get a notebook and draw thirty pages of simple sketches for President Huo?”
Liang Xiao was exasperated: “Can’t I just write thirty letters to President Huo, one for each day?”
Duan Ming looked at him.
Liang Xiao: “…I can’t.”
To write thirty letters, he would probably need a year of studying diligently with his head tied to a beam and an awl pricking his thigh.
Liang Xiao came to his senses, made up his mind, pulled the manager close, whispered a few words of conspiracy, and entered the hotel.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Your-paragraph-text-1.png "After losing all his wealth, the ancestor rose from his coffin [BL]")
