Chapter 23: Huo Zong’s Wife, Jumping for a Hug

Chapter 23: Huo Zong's Wife, Jumping for a Hug

A gentle breeze swept over the hills, stirring the spring flowers scattered across the ground.

Huo Zong's heart felt as if it had been lightly pricked, not painful, but profoundly deep.

The warmth of Jiang Fengmian's touch still lingered on his neck. Huo Zong's eyes went blank for a moment, then returned to normal as Jiang Fengmian pulled away.

"Jiang Fengmian, I need to get back to work."

"Oh."

The two tacitly moved past the topic, and Jiang Fengmian tactfully retreated to the sofa to scroll through his phone. His fingers slid across the screen, repeatedly staring at the chat page with Huo Zong.

From the day they became friends until now, their conversation had only filled one page. Jiang Fengmian swiped lightly and entered Huo Zong's friend circle, only to find it empty.

His friend circle had a pure black background. Jiang Fengmian zoomed in, as if he could see a faint light in the upper right corner.

Like... a star.

For so long, no one had ever cared about Huo Zong, just like that faint star, hidden in the boundless darkness, swiftly passing by.

Jiang Fengmian turned off his phone, resting his arm on his knee and propping his head up, lost in thought.

Since Huo Qilin was born, everyone's attention had been focused on him. As the eldest grandson in the Huo family, a family steeped in feudal traditions, he was of utmost importance.

Huo Qilin was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, naturally receiving everyone's affection. This uncle, only four years older than him, had to indulge and pamper him.

Jiang Fengmian remembered reading an interesting anecdote in a book: at Huo Qilin's seventh birthday party, all the prominent figures in the capital were invited. Because Huo Qilin loved king crab, every dish at the banquet that day contained crab meat.

A minor character sneered that a child like Huo Qilin couldn't handle such a grand occasion, but the seven-year-old Huo Qilin shut him down with a retort. Huo Qing, delighted, repeatedly praised his grandson as capable and destined to lead Huo Corporation to greater heights.

No one knew that, across the table, Huo Zong had accidentally consumed crab meat and nearly died from an allergic reaction.

At eleven, Huo Zong struggled to breathe, lost his balance, and slid under the table. Amid the bustling crowd, no one noticed.

It was only through Huo Zong's sheer willpower that he managed to crawl out a bit and grab the pants of a passerby, who then called 120, barely saving his life.

For eleven years, no one in the Huo family knew Huo Zong was allergic to seafood.

He seemed to have grown accustomed to such a life—solitary, never giving his heart, so no one could hurt him.

Jiang Fengmian understood Huo Zong's thoughts better than anyone. He was just afraid, afraid that what was before him was nothing but a fleeting illusion, and once it burst, there would be nothing left to hold onto.

Tsk, it seemed he couldn't keep acting so foolish forever.

Huo Zong always thought of him as a silly child, someone who clung to him as a lifeline, all the intimacy built on the premise of his naivety, not understanding boundaries or what was acceptable.

Having Dr. Li come to teach him was like this, the subtle rejections after their interactions were like this, even changing the subject was like this.

In Huo Zong's heart, he was destined to leave one day.

Since he was just a fleeting presence in Huo Zong's life, he couldn't afford to get too attached from the start.

Jiang Fengmian couldn't help but sigh, tugging at his hair, frustrated that he had played the role of a fool so convincingly that even someone as sharp as Huo Zong hadn't noticed.

If only Huo Zong could remember things when he was drunk, then he could have taken the opportunity to tell him that he wasn't really that foolish, just a tiny bit slower than the average person, which would have been better than the current situation.

Huo Zong wasn't entirely unaware of Jiang Fengmian's sighs. He had been staring at the same page of a document for a while now, the words floating, ready to fly away at any moment.

Huo Zong flipped a page, took a piece of draft paper, and casually wrote down the name Jiang Fengmian.

Jiang Fengmian said that he would be there for him in the future, but how long is that future? A few months, a year or two, or some other timeframe.

He had only temporarily injured his head, and there was still a possibility of recovery.

Thinking of this, Huo Zong suddenly remembered the expert who had treated his uncle before, who seemed to be the most renowned neurosurgeon in the country.

He just didn’t know if Jiang Fengmian would be willing to see the doctor.

Knock, knock, knock.

Huo Zong subtly flipped the draft paper with Jiang Fengmian's name on it and sat up straight.

"Mr. Huo."

"Dong Li hasn't responded yet, but while browsing that website, I noticed an artist whose style is somewhat similar to his. Should we try to contact them?"

Jiang Fengmian immediately stood up. He always left right after updating and never took a closer look at that website. Now that Chen Chen mentioned someone similar, he was curious.

Chen Chen was being conservative—it wasn’t just similar; it was almost identical.

Jiang Fengmian's expression turned grim. With just one glance, he realized that the person had used AI to blend his images and deliberately imitated his style, making it look 80% similar.

"No, he’s not suitable."

"Wait for Dong Li’s response. The terms are negotiable. If he can guarantee to complete all characters with quality and quantity, we’ll pay three times the market rate."

Chen Chen: "Understood, Mr. Huo. I had a small meeting with the design team, and we can unify into one style. They have no issues with the scenes outside the characters."

"Mm."

"Notify me when you contact him."

Jiang Fengmian felt somewhat guilty. He quietly retreated to the sofa, belatedly realizing that he had been too eager, pushing for a recommendation. Upon hearing about a similar style, he had been more excited than Huo Zong, the person directly involved.

[Chen: Hello, I’m Chen Chen from Huo Corporation. I’d like to ask if you’re interested in working with us.]

[Chen: If full-time work isn’t convenient, would you be willing to take on some design projects for Huo Corporation? We’ll pay three times the market rate for a buyout.]

[Dong Li: Sorry, just saw your message.]

[Dong Li: I can take on the projects. The buyout price is negotiable, and I might even do it for free, but I have one condition—I want a share of the subsequent profits.]

[Chen: Well, the thing is, profit-sharing might not be the most beneficial. A buyout would be better.]

[Dong Li: I trust Huo Corporation, and I trust Huo Zong even more. Profit-sharing would maximize my benefits.]

[Dong Li: I’m not greedy; just a 0.01% share of the first year’s profits would be enough.]

[Chen: I’ll consult with Mr. Huo.]

"Mr. Huo, I’ve contacted Dong Li. According to public records, he’s a man in his twenties and, it seems, a bit of a fan of yours."

Huo Zong glanced at the chat log. The line about trusting him even more reminded him of Jiang Fengmian. Substituting Jiang Fengmian’s tone, the sentence seemed to carry a different meaning.

He was momentarily lost in thought when he noticed Jiang Fengmian had somehow moved closer to him.

"Huo Zong, I want to be your fan too."

"Jiang Fengmian, do you know what a fanboy means?"

"It means being a younger brother who is infatuated with Huo Zong. I want to be the biggest fanboy. Huo Zong, I believe in you."

Huo Zong felt even more dazed. He forced himself to look away, avoiding Jiang Fengmian's sincere and smiling gaze.

"Mr. Huo, how should we respond to the one ten-thousandth share issue? The cultural and tourism bureau's budget is limited, and the promotion costs after winning the bid are fixed. We still rely on Huo Corporation for marketing and promotion. But one ten-thousandth of the profit—he didn't even ask what he needs to draw. Could there be something fishy?"

"Agree. If he doesn't ask, it means he can meet any requirement. Having such confidence means he has the capability."

[Dong Li: Is it possible for me to get Huo Zong's contact information? We could communicate privately if needed.]

"Mr. Huo, he might really admire you and wants to communicate with you privately."

Huo Zong instinctively glanced at Jiang Fengmian. Their eyes met, and Jiang Fengmian didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, Huo Zong even detected a hint of anticipation in his gaze.

Huo Zong twirled his fingers, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips, as if mocking himself.

Jiang Fengmian looked up and met Chen Chen's gaze. After two seconds, he awkwardly looked away. Jiang Fengmien clenched his fingers behind his back, feeling that Chen Chen's gaze was full of meaning.

Hate!

If only his persona were clever and sharp, he could openly show jealousy. Now he's stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Afraid that Huo Zong might not add him because of his jealousy, and even more afraid that Huo Zong might ignore his jealous feelings and add him directly.

Well, well, well, he's chosen a hellish start for himself.

"Mr. Huo, how about I give him my private number, pretending it's yours?"

Jiang Fengmian: Huh?

Assistant Chen, absolutely not! He wants to use a pseudonym to learn more about Huo Zong's work style, not to actually communicate with the real assistant about work.

"Huo Zong, you sure have a lot of fanboys."

Chen Chen rubbed his nose. Poor Mr. Huo, is he being subtly mocked? Yes, yes, poor thing.

"Hmm, maybe."

Hmph, maybe what? He's Huo Zong's number one fan.

"Chen Chen, send him my work number. Once the text draft and specific character requirements are finalized, send them to me."

"Got it, Mr. Huo."

Jiang Fengmian's account was one he had worked hard to recover, along with his bank card and important documents. Jiang Fengmian had blocked some people, so there's no fear of exposure.

"Brother, you added someone else, what about me?"

Huo Zong recalled their chat history—there was no one else added, and nothing much happened.

"I gave him my work number. You have my private number."

There are very few people on the private account, all long-term business partners or close friends and family.

Ding dong.

[Jiang Fengmian: Jumping hug.jpg]

The kitten cub was flailing around, wanting a hug, and Huo Zong's heart softened. Jiang Fengmian really had a childlike nature.

[Huo Zong: Hugging the cat.jpg]

"Ahem, Huo Zong, I like these stickers, they're cute."

"Hmm."

Indeed, they are cute, and the tsundere Jiang Fengmian is also very cute.

Jiang Fengmian switched accounts and sent a long message to Huo Zong, avoiding him.

[Dong Li: Hello, Mr. Huo, I need to collect a deposit of 9999 yuan. If you are not satisfied with my draft, the deposit will not be refunded. The fee for my private commissions is very high, especially since you need it for commercial use, and there are many drafts, which is very mentally taxing. I am only asking for a one in ten thousand share within a year because of your personal charm.]

[Dong Li: If possible, I hope my name can appear in the list of main creators, as a respect for my labor.]

The 9999 was Jiang Fengmian's little trick, like the kind of transfer in a relationship, giving a sense of secret satisfaction.

Huo Zong glanced at the computer screen, saw such a long message, and only replied with a "Hmm."

Understood, the work Huo Zong and the life Huo Zong are two different people.

[Huo Zong: Transfer 10000 yuan.]

[Huo Zong: Deposit.]

Jiang Fengmian snorted lightly, Huo Zong was more restrained than he thought.

Later, no matter what Jiang Fengmian sent, Huo Zong did not reply again, focusing on his work.

Gurgle, gurgle.

Jiang Fengmian covered his stomach, his cheeks slightly red, pretending to be nonchalant, turning his head, walking back and forth in the office with his hands behind his back.

Gurgle, gurgle.

"Whose pigeon flew into the office, Jiang Fengmian, did you see it?"

"Huo Zong—"

Rarely teased by Huo Zong, Jiang Fengmian rubbed his stomach and ran to Huo Zong's side, muttering, "Shh, brother, don't speak, listen to the pigeon singing."

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle."

"The pigeon says it's so hungry, so hungry, so hungry."

"There's another pigeon in the room, what's it called, let me listen, oh, it's Huo Zong."

Huo Zong capped his pen, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Jiang Fengmian, ask the pigeon what it wants to eat, cafeteria or takeout."

"The pigeon says, cafeteria."

The cafeteria at Huo Corporation is a buffet, usually Chen Chen would bring a portion to the office, but Huo Zong wasn't sure what Jiang Fengmian liked to eat, so he took him downstairs to the cafeteria.

From the glass of the elevator, Huo Zong noticed that Jiang Fengmian looked a bit nervous, as if he was afraid of something.

He glanced suspiciously, but when the elevator door opened, Jiang Fengmian quickly returned to normal, Huo Zong suppressed his thoughts and walked side by side with Jiang Fengmian down.

"Look, who's that handsome guy next to Huo Zong?"

"Wow, he's really beautiful, his features are as delicate as a doll, he's so good-looking."

"Hehe, you guys are behind the times, Manager Chen came here personally to get snacks, mostly puffed food, and he also took two dirty buns, he's in Huo Zong's office."

Sounds of surprise echoed around.

Everyone knows Huo Zong has a cleanliness obsession, he never eats snacks in the office, especially puffed food, afraid of crumbs, not to mention dirty buns, he's even more resistant.

Looking at this, isn't this Huo Zong's boyfriend?

Eh, even Huo Zong, the iceberg, has found a boyfriend, when will they have someone?

"Huo Zong, I want to eat a little shrimp and crab, is that okay?"

"Everything here is free to eat, take whatever you want."

There were so many varieties, Jiang Fengmian's eyes were dazzled, he picked some small sweets that Huo Zong likes, and inadvertently put them on Huo Zong's plate when sitting down.

"Brother, I took a lot, you should try some too."

Huo Zong paused his chopsticks, every time Jiang Fengmian picked something, it was exactly what he liked.

"Mmm, the sweet ones are delicious, brother, try them quickly."

"Hmm."

The onlookers' eyes were about to pop out, wasn't he supposed to be so clean that even a touch on the arm would require disinfection a dozen times? That handsome guy is almost in Huo Zong's arms.

The most shocking thing was that they didn't use serving chopsticks, just naturally shared a plate of food.

No, no, the utensils were still taken from his exclusive cabinet, the table and chairs were clearly wiped seven times, the cleanliness obsession is still there, just selective.

Sigh.

Jiang Fengmian paused in his action of peeling the crab, his fingertip was pricked by the crab's big claw, the pain seemed to shoot up to the top of his head, it was excruciating.

"What's wrong?"

"Huo Zong, it pricked me."

Seeing Jiang Fengmian's eyes filling with tears again, on the verge of falling, Huo Zong frowned and took the crab from Jiang Fengmian's hand, enduring the discomfort to peel it for him.

Jiang Fengmian quietly stared at Huo Zong, even though he was disgusted, he still carefully peeled it for him.

"Brother, don't you like these?"

"Hmm, allergic."

"Will touching it cause an allergy? Is it dangerous? I won't eat it anymore, they're bad, if brother is uncomfortable, I don't like them either."

Huo Zong placed the peeled crab back on Jiang Fengmian's plate, the high wall he had touched, collapsed seventeen years later.

He had always hoped someone would notice his seafood allergy, and seventeen years later, someone was willing to give up their favorite seafood for him.

Even if it was just to make him happy, Huo Zong felt he had finally walked out of that near-death night.

"Touching it is okay, you eat yours."

"Jiang Fengmian, the ones you peeled taste even better."

"Here, wipe your hands."

Jiang Fengmian wiped his hands several times with a tissue, and when he looked up, a pair of gloves appeared before him.

"Thank you, brother."

Jiang Fengmian, with his round belly, full and satisfied, squinted his eyes happily at the crowd on one side.

"If a pigeon eats too much, it can't fly. Huo Zong, do you want to raise a pigeon?"

"Yes, but only one at most, a well-behaved pigeon."

Jiang Fengmian chuckled, pinched his own cheek, and proudly lifted his head, "I am the pigeon that listens to Huo Zong."

"A well-behaved pigeon, after eating, should get up and fly. The cafeteria will close soon."

Jiang Fengmian didn't believe it, as the restaurant was still packed, wave after wave of people, with no empty seats left.

Huo Zong could probably guess why. Seeing the restaurant about to burst, he stood up, pulled Jiang Fengmian up, grabbed his arm, and led him through the crowd.

As night fell, Jiang Fengmian stretched and sighed. Drawing comics under Huo Zong's watchful eye was much more thrilling than doing it at home. He even came up with some new inspirations, perfect for an extra.

He had to admit, he was starting to enjoy this sneaky business, with adrenaline soaring and inspiration bursting, it was too exciting.

"Huo Zong, can I accompany you to the company tomorrow?"

"Whenever you want, but not tomorrow."

Jiang Fengmian let out an "ah," his tail that was sticking up suddenly dropped. Before he could feel disappointed, Huo Zong added two more words.

—Weekend.

Hmph, Huo Zong has become so bad, speaking in such a breathless manner. He was ready to act cute and coquettish, only to be met with a sudden "weekend."

"Then I'll wait until Monday."

***

The sun was shining brightly, and Jiang Fengmian was up early for once.

In the living room, he was engrossed in drawing new settings, with one inspiration after another popping up, it was too joyful.

Huo Zong was still in the study, Jiang Fengmian lay on the table, occasionally glancing upstairs, the soft sunlight casting a gentle glow.

Ding dong.

The doorbell rang.

Jiang Fengmian perked up his ears and listened carefully, his swinging legs stopping.

He ran to the door, peeked through the lock, and saw two unfamiliar people. After waiting for about a minute, the people outside showed no intention of leaving. Jiang Fengmian called out for Huo Zong loudly before opening the door.

"Young... eh, Uncle, it seems my uncle isn't here."

Jiang Fengmian held the doorknob, his heart pounding fiercely.

These two people looked somewhat familiar, have I seen them somewhere before?

About 176 cm tall, a face the size of a palm, round almond eyes, and a small mole on the left earlobe.

It can't be such a coincidence, right...

With a gulp, Jiang Fengmian swallowed his saliva and looked at the person behind him.

Standing at 190 cm tall, with an aggressive appearance, high brow bones, deep eye sockets, thin lips pressed together, and a hint of coldness in his eyes, he didn't speak, but his mere presence kept people at a distance.

Case solved, the person who approached Jiang Fengmian for a couple's illustration was right in front of him. Yesterday, this person had spoken to him and sent some details, hinting that they wanted the illustration to be more intimate.

Uncle, oh heavens, still in the same field, but these two look completely different, not like they are related by blood.

Jiang Fengmian was still in the midst of a mental storm, not even reacting to the person in front of him speaking.

"Ahem, hello."

Sheng Zhiyi waved his fingers to greet Jiang Fengmian. How could someone be as delicate as a porcelain doll? He prided himself on being good-looking, a handsome guy, but compared to this person, he was slightly inferior.

"You are Jiang Fengmian, right?"

The Sheng family only recently learned about the marriage alliance between the Huo family and the Jiang family. Everyone said the Jiang family hit the jackpot, getting connected to a top-tier wealthy family. Who knew this jackpot was his uncle.

The Huo family is truly a bunch of lunatics. Originally, they weren't planning to attend Huo Qing's banquet last time, but his grandfather, out of courtesy—after all, he is the elder brother of his aunt—felt it was inappropriate and sent him and his uncle.

As soon as they arrived, they encountered a farce. Sheng Zhiyi inquired and found out it was a mad dog biting incident, and it seemed his uncle was also injured.

Sheng Zhiyi called to ask, and Huo Zong said the injured person was someone else. It happened to be the weekend, and his grandfather, having heard some rumors from somewhere, worried that Huo Zong was really injured but didn't dare to say, insisted they come to check.

"My uncle, Huo Zong, hasn't been injured recently, has he?"

"No, he's in the study."

Sheng Zhiyi let out an "oh," standing at the villa's entrance, watching Jiang Fengmian skillfully pull out two pairs of new shoes from the shoe cabinet and place them in front of them.

Jiang Fengmian was wearing cute bear slippers, which were completely out of place with the villa's usual heavy atmosphere. Sheng Zhiyi felt a bit dizzy, pinching his palm, feeling as if he were in a dream.

There were two cute pillows on the sofa, and a few yellow ducks of varying sizes were oddly placed on the antique shelf. Even the coffee table was neatly arranged with sketches, seemingly the work of two people.

As they spoke, Huo Zong came downstairs, and Jiang Fengmian immediately bounced over to hook onto his sleeve.

"Brother, they're here for you."

"Uncle."

Sheng Zhiyi's eyes nearly popped out. His uncle, who has a cleanliness obsession and hates intimate contact, how come he seems to be enjoying it when Jiang Fengmian pulls him?

No, no, must be seeing things, definitely seeing things.

"Hmm, why are you here?"

"Uncle, it's about Huo Qing's birthday banquet and the incident where someone was injured by a mad dog. Grandpa was afraid you were lying to him, so he sent us to check. We didn't tell him, but somehow, it reached his ears."

Huo Zong hummed, "I'm fine, tell uncle not to worry, it was Jiang Fengmian who got scratched."

"Jiang Fengmian, this is Sheng Zhiyi, my eldest brother's son. This is Bao Jiu, my second brother."

A glass of thin wine, it matches, blatantly using his name on social media, tsk.

"Hello."

Bao Jiu spoke little, just nodded slightly and stood behind Sheng Zhiyi, somewhat like a bodyguard.

The book didn't describe these two people much. It was only when Jiang Fengmian mentioned the name that he recalled Bao Jiu was adopted by the Sheng family from an orphanage. He was only two years older than Huo Zong and was already ten when he arrived at the Sheng family. His parents had died in a car accident, so the old master Sheng didn't bring up the matter of changing his household registration.

No matter the surname, Bao Jiu was a member of the Sheng family.

"Uncle, your home has changed quite a bit."

"Not really."

Sheng Zhiyi winked at Huo Zong with a meaningful look. Huo Zong's model home suddenly had a sense of life, intertwined with traces of living with another person. It seemed he was really going to have a new aunt.

"Auntie, please sit down."

For a moment, six pairs of eyes were fixed on Sheng Zhiyi.

He awkwardly chuckled twice, racking his brains to think of how to change the subject.

Would his uncle get angry? Knowing Jiang Fengmian's special situation, calling him "auntie" might be seen as an insult. What if his uncle felt humiliated?

As Sheng Zhiyi was brainstorming, Huo Zong suddenly spoke.

"Jiang Fengmian, bring some snacks for Xiao Yi."

"Okay."

Piles of snacks were placed on the coffee table. Jiang Fengmian, afraid Sheng Zhiyi might feel too shy to eat, even opened a few bags.

"This one is sweet and the most delicious. Xiao Yi, try it."

"Thank you, thank you. It's really good."

Sheng Zhiyi chewed on the snacks, chatting with Jiang Fengmian from time to time, getting more and more excited as they talked. What a kindred spirit! Jiang Fengmian really understood him.

Whatever was on his mind, Jiang Fengmian could guess it immediately, hitting the nail on the head. He didn't seem like someone who had suffered a brain injury at all.

In contrast, Bao Jiu, that block of wood, seemed like the one who had something wrong with his brain—just not getting it.

"Auntie, did you draw all these? Can you draw one for me too?"

Sheng Zhiyi coughed awkwardly. He just really liked the chibi characters; they were drawn so well.

"Sure, sure. The little chibi is mine, and the stick figure was drawn by Huo Zong."

Sheng Zhiyi: Thanks, but the stick figure really wasn't necessary.

Jiang Fengmian specifically drew a duo. Sheng Zhiyi sat cross-legged on the floor, munching on snacks, while Bao Jiu stood behind him with his arms crossed, gently shielding Sheng Zhiyi from the glaring sun.

"Xiao Yi, is this okay?"

Sheng Zhiyi's cheeks slightly flushed, and he quickly flipped the paper over before Bao Jiu could lean in to take a look.

"Uncle, you can't see it."

Bao Jiu softly hummed in agreement and really didn't look.

Jiang Fengmian took the opportunity to sneak a laugh while eating snacks. These two were really mutually pining for each other, secretly in love.

"Xiao Yi, the peonies in the garden have bloomed. Don't you like them?"

Sheng Zhiyi caught Huo Zong's gaze and gave an OK sign. It seemed these two had something to talk about.

"Uncle, come with me to take a look, and help me take a photo."

"Mm."

Sheng Zhiyi's drawing was neatly tucked under the small notebook on the coffee table. Bao Jiu glanced at it and only saw a chibi figure that resembled Sheng Zhiyi.

"Uncle, I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay."

After sending Sheng Zhiyi and Bao Jiu away, Huo Zong gently tapped Jiang Fengmian's head with his knuckles.

"Do you even know what 'auntie' means before agreeing?"

"I do," Jiang Fengmian puffed up his cheeks and stuffed a candy into Huo Zong's mouth. "You're silly. It means the wife of Xiao Yi's uncle, the wife of Huo Zong."

Huo Zong paused while chewing the candy. Jiang Fengmian's eyes were as clear as a mirror, and Huo Zong's slightly tangled heartstrings settled back. He had overthought it; Jiang Fengmian didn't understand anything.

This question was probably like the concept of the rocking horse at the supermarket entrance. Father's younger brother is called uncle, and the uncle's wife is called auntie.

There was no hint of any romantic notion.

"Huo Zong, don't you want me to be Xiao Yi's auntie?"