Then you felt right

However, Huo Yuchen had run out of patience and was in no mood to listen to any more nonsense from someone chiming in. He said bluntly to Fang Han:

"Didn't you just demand that ungrateful bastard kneel and kowtow to you ten times?"

He shifted his gaze to Zhuang Luo. "Then have this bastard get on with it. Once he's done, this matter is settled."

His tone was breezy, yet held an authority that allowed no resistance.

Hearing this, Zhuang Luo's pupils instantly contracted. His heart jolted, and a chill ran down his back.

He knew Huo Yuchen treated Xu Su somewhat differently, but he had never expected Huo Yuchen to go this far for him.

If it had been Li Weizhou instead, the latter certainly would not have made an enemy like this for him.

Even Fang Han, who currently cherished him because the novelty had yet to wear off, had only demanded that Xu Su kneel for his own sake, not truly for Zhuang Luo.

Why...

Why had Xu Su so easily obtained the favoritism he could never get, no matter how hard he tried...

It wasn't fair...

Zhuang Luo's tears streamed down uncontrollably. With his hands hanging beside his legs, he dug his thumbnails deep into the flesh of his index fingers.

Fang Han, too, was caught off guard, stunned by Huo Yuchen's demand.

But ultimately, he wasn't the one being made to kowtow to Zhuang Luo, so his scumbag nature soon prompted him to accept the demand.

His eagerness to get past this hurdle even prompted him to shoot Zhuang Luo a look, signaling him to hurry up and kowtow, and that he would compensate him afterward.

Zhuang Luo had already been left cold and alone, ignored by everyone. Seeing even his "comrade" Fang Han pressure him like this sent him further into a breakdown.

And a breakdown was an extraordinarily heavy emotional burden, one an ordinary human body could not fully bear.

At times like these, there were essentially only two solutions:

Either sob your heart out and give it an outlet;

Or shift it elsewhere, transforming it into something that offered self-comfort.

Clearly, under the present circumstances, Zhuang Luo could only choose the second.

Because he still had to make his way in this circle, there was no way he could break down in front of Huo Yuchen or Fang Han, crying and screaming to vent everything.

And the second option was just as clear. Beyond hating the "culprit," Xu Su, even more and holding on to the conviction that "I will trample Xu Su underfoot in this lifetime," there were few other directions in which he could channel it.

And so, filled with curses and resentment toward Xu Su, he slowly knelt on the icy floor and kowtowed to Fang Han ten times, each impact ringing out.

On the way back, Xu Su asked, "How did you know I was there?"

Han Liu turned around from the front passenger seat, volunteering to claim credit. "It was me, hehe. I found out and told Boss."

"...?"

Xu Su wore little expression. "And who might you be?"

"?!"

Han Liu instantly blanched. Boss, you haven't even given me an official status in front of Mr. Xu?

That's outrageous!

Taking a deep breath, Han Liu gave himself an official status. "Hello, Mr. Xu. I'm Boss's assistant, Han Liu. Open parenthesis, the genuine one, close parenthesis."

"...???"

Xu Su spent three seconds processing this information, then raised a hand to point at himself and asked uncertainly, "So... I'm the fake???"

"Mr. Xu, actually..."

Han Liu wanted to explain, but Huo Yuchen worried that whatever he said next would cause even more trouble, so he quickly cut in:

"Actually, here's how it is. He's an assistant who could be fired at any moment, but you're not. So that bit in parentheses was really just him talking himself up. You can ignore him."

Xu Su gave an enlightened "Oh," silently suppressing his desire to buy firecrackers to celebrate his newfound freedom.

Han Liu's mood, on the other hand, changed completely. His entire being radiated "Why is my life so miserable?" as though he, rather than Zhuang Luo, had been the one kneeling and kowtowing earlier.

"Boo-hoo, Boss..."

He tried to awaken his boss's conscience.

"Shut up."

Sadly, his boss was busy showing off like a peacock displaying its tail and had no conscience.

After they returned to the Manor, Xu Su received a call from Cheng Nan, who said that Fang Han had amended the contract in remorse after seeing the light-or rather, fearing the powerful. Xu Su no longer had to shoot those endorsements, but every last cent would still be deposited into his account.

Xu Su calmly and composedly said he understood, then hung up as demurely as a maiden before opening the tour group information as frantically as a crazed rabbit.

"Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!"

Han Liu was getting things out of the trunk. Startled by the sound, he nearly dropped them. "D-d-d-d-did you win the lottery?!"

Xu Su immediately pressed his phone to his chest again, his expression as stern as a proctor overseeing the college entrance exam. "No, I'm having an epileptic fit."

Han Liu: "..."

Nice.

Huo Yuchen had been standing a short distance away on the phone. Turning back and seeing this, he had no idea what had happened, but Han Liu's expression, as though he had swallowed a fly, told him Xu Su was being mischievous again.

He hung up and approached Xu Su. "I clearly saved a life first thing this morning, so why don't I feel like I'm about to receive any thanks?"

Xu Su tipped his chin up at him and arched a brow. "Then you felt right."

"..."

Huo Yuchen raised his hand and pinched the back of his smooth, delicate neck, as though scruffing a kitten.

"I felt right? Hmm?"

Every word ground out between his teeth carried an undisguised threat.

Xu Su's survival instinct, which firmly favored a miserable life over a glorious death, immediately kicked in. He pressed his palms together and gave an ingratiating smile. "Maybe not entirely right. Life is full of surprises, after all. Hehe..."

"Then may I ask..."

Huo Yuchen lowered his head and leaned closer, instantly leaving mere inches between them. Viewed from the side, the tips of their noses were almost touching.

"Where's my thank-you gift?"

Their breaths intertwined intimately in that tiny space. Forced to feel that overpowering heat, Xu Su couldn't help feeling his cheeks grow hot.

"I..."

He began slowly, but nothing followed for a long time, as though he had no idea how to answer. Finally, after a long silence, he actually blushed, at a loss.

It was the first time Huo Yuchen had seen him like this. He was a little surprised, but more than that, a sudden flutter surged through his chest, making his heart race and even his throat tighten.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze shifted a few inches to settle on Xu Su's lips.

Why did they look so soft?

What would it feel like to kiss them?

Surely just a light touch would be all right?

Huo Yuchen's thoughts tossed and turned amid the surging turmoil, and his head tipped another inch forward beyond his control.

Their lips were about to meet...

"Can I make you my specialty as a thank-you gift?"

"..."

That spoiled the mood a little.

But Huo Yuchen still instinctively asked, "What specialty?"

I seem to remember you can't cook.

Xu Su gave two dry chuckles and subtly leaned back a little.

"Boiled water."

Huo Yuchen: "..."

People really could develop the urge to kill at some completely unexpected moment!

Huo Yuchen's jaw tightened, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Seeing this, Xu Su instantly sensed that his life was in danger.

So he stepped forward sheepishly and offered a Plan B:

"If you prefer it medium-well, that's fine too. I just won't bring it to a boil."

Huo Yuchen: "..."

Xu Su was hauled into the Villa by the scruff of his neck.

As for what happened once they were inside, Han Liu said he had no idea.

All he knew was that when Xu Su came out of the Villa again, there was a tooth mark on his chin.

Watching the retreating figures of Huo Yuchen and the fake assistant carrying a pile of sports equipment, he murmured:

"Since when did Lao Hei get so badly behaved, biting a guest..."