At the top of the Huo Group, in the CEO's office.
The atmosphere was so oppressive it could freeze a person to death.
Jian Ning knelt on the cold marble floor, clutching the leg of the man in front of him with both hands. His eyes were red, and his voice trembled like a leaf in the wind:
"Mr. Huo... please, don't kick me out! How am I supposed to live without you?"
He tilted his head up. Two trails of tears ran down his delicate face, and his eyes brimmed with despair and devotion, as though the man before him were his entire world.
The man seated on the leather sofa looked down at him.
Huo Si, the notorious living devil of the capital's elite circle, had features as sharp as if carved from a blade. His cold eyes now held a trace of impatience.
His long fingers tapped lightly on the desk as he coldly uttered a single word: "Get out."
Jian Ning shuddered violently and cried even louder. "I won't! In life, I'm a member of the Huo Household; in death, I'll be a ghost of the Huo Household! As long as I can stay by your side, I'd gladly be your stand-in!"
Just as Huo Si frowned and prepared to call security to throw out the shameless little star—
A cheerful, unbearably cheeky electronic voice suddenly exploded in his mind:
[System, quick, tell me how my acting is! Do you think I can win an Oscar? It took me half a minute to squeeze out these tears, you know. This isn't easy!]
[This floor is so damn hard. My knees hurt from kneeling. Why hasn't Huo written me a check yet? Come on, pay up! Better make it fifty million and humiliate me good! Then I can take the money and head to Hawaii to keep eight male models. Hehehe...]
Huo Si's fingers stopped tapping the desk.
The air suddenly fell deathly silent.
His sharp gaze swept around the room. There were only two people in the office: him and Jian Ning.
Who was that voice just now?
And did it just say it wanted to keep eight male models?
Huo Si narrowed his eyes and looked back at Jian Ning, who was clutching his leg and crying as prettily as a pear blossom in the rain.
Jian Ning was still sobbing. "Mr. Huo... my heart hurts so much, it's almost hard to breathe..."
Then the cheerful voice rang out again:
[Oh, I'm starving to death. I should've eaten two more buns before I left. How about hot pot after this scene? I heard the tripe at that new place downstairs is really crisp.]
[What's taking this Huo guy so long? I'm crying myself hungry. Is he going to give me a breakup fee or not? If he doesn't, I'll stay here and wipe my snot all over those custom-made pants of his that cost eighty-eight thousand! I'll gross him out!]
Huo Si: "..."
Huo Si glanced at the suspicious damp spot on his trouser leg. The vein at his temple throbbed twice.
Fine.
Very good.
He must have been so tired lately that he was starting to hallucinate.
Huo Si took a deep breath, suppressed the strange feeling in his chest, and decided to get this over with. He pulled a check from his pocket, swiftly signed it, and held it between two fingers as he tossed it coldly in front of Jian Ning.
"Five million. Take the money and don't show your face again."
Jian Ning stared at the check as it fluttered to the floor, his pupils trembling violently.
With a shaking hand, he picked it up as though he were gathering the pieces of his shattered dignity. His tears streamed even harder. "Mr. Huo... is that all my feelings for you are worth?"
[Holy crap! Five million?! I'm rich, I'm rich!]
[Hahahahahaha! Huo Si, you're such a great guy! It's one zero less than I expected, but five million's enough to buy two houses back home and live off the rent! Goodbye, then! You deadpan jerk! You cold-hearted block of ice!]
The laughter in Huo Si's mind made his head ache.
This time, he heard it clearly.
The voice was definitely coming from Jian Ning's direction, and what's more... it was wildly at odds with Jian Ning's utterly heartbroken expression.
Jian Ning "grieved" as he carefully folded the check and tucked it into his inside pocket, making sure it wouldn't fall out. Then he stood up, staggered back two steps, and bowed deeply to Huo Si.
"Mr. Huo, since you hate me so much, I... won't make this harder for you."
With that, he covered his mouth and turned to rush out, his retreating figure bleak and resolute.
[Charge! Hot pot! Tripe! Duck intestines! Daddy's coming!!]
"Stop."
The man's sinister voice suddenly came from behind him.
Jian Ning halted, his back going rigid.
He turned around stiffly, quickly switching back to a sorrowful expression. "Mr. Huo, is there... anything else you need? Have you changed your mind about kicking me out? If you're willing to let me stay, I..."
[What's this old fart up to? Did he change his mind? Don't! I already stuffed the check in my pocket. No returns!]
[Did he find out I secretly drank his bottle of '82 Lafite? No way. I only took a sip!]
Huo Si leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs as he stared intently at Jian Ning's face, which was covered in "devotion."
Old fart?
Secretly drank the Lafite?
The corner of Huo Si's mouth curled into a chilling smile.
He suddenly felt... things were getting interesting.
It turned out someone in this world could wear two faces in front of him.
And it seemed he could hear this little liar's thoughts?
"I've suddenly decided," Huo Si said slowly, his voice low and magnetic. "Five million really is too little."
Jian Ning's eyes lit up, but he desperately shook his head. "No! Mr. Huo, I don't think it's too little. This isn't about money; it's about my broken heart..."
[If you think it's too little, then give me more! Don't just talk! Add another five million, and I'll get down on the spot and call you Daddy!]
Huo Si rose and walked toward Jian Ning, one step at a time.
An overwhelming pressure descended. Jian Ning instinctively held his breath, like a little rabbit watched by a predator.
Huo Si bent slightly and leaned close to Jian Ning's ear. His warm breath brushed against Jian Ning's neck as he spoke in a tone both suggestive and dangerous:
"Since you're so devoted to me, it would be too cruel to kick you out."
As Jian Ning stared at him in alarm, Huo Si slid his long fingers into Jian Ning's pocket and pulled out the five-million check, still warm from being tucked away.
Right in front of Jian Ning, he tore it slowly in half.
"Riiip—"
That was the sound of money being torn apart.
Jian Ning's eyes widened. He nearly had a heart attack on the spot.
[My money!!! Huo Si, I'm going to kill you!!! Aaaaaah, are you a demon or what?!]
[System! System, get me a knife! I'm going to assassinate the king! I'm starting a rebellion! I'll take this bastard down with me!]
Huo Si heard the voice's heart-rending screams, and a wicked glint of pleasure flashed in his eyes.
He casually tossed away the scraps of paper and patted Jian Ning's stunned cheek.
"Stop crying. I'll let you stay and keep... loving me."
Jian Ning: "..."
[Love my ass! Give me my money back! Aaaah, sob...]
Huo Si looked at Jian Ning's miserable expression, as if he wanted to die but didn't dare, and found his mood inexplicably improving.
"What? So happy you can't speak?"
With tears welling in both eyes, Jian Ning gritted his teeth and forced out a smile.
"Yes... I'm really... so, so, happy."
High-energy preview for the next chapter: the Gossip System officially goes live, and the wicked secretary Lily is about to be sacrificed!
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