Chapter 28 Playing with the Adam’s Apple, Jiang Fengmian is the Cutest

Chapter 28 Playing with the Adam's Apple, Jiang Fengmian is the Cutest

Huo Zong's hand hanging by his side clenched into a fist the moment he saw Jiang Fengmian. Instinctively, Huo Zong wanted to hide.

It was unclear what he was thinking, but he felt an unprecedented sense of panic and helplessness. It was as if he had suddenly become someone Jiang Fengmian didn't recognize, afraid that Jiang Fengmian would be scared, and even more afraid that Jiang Fengmian would no longer be his.

Huo Zong's ears were buzzing, and he almost lost his voice in an instant. He barely managed to squeeze out a sound from his throat, his lips forming what seemed to be Jiang Fengmian's name.

His lips trembled slightly, and in his anxiety, he started calculating the time again. The silence lasted a bit too long, about a minute.

Jiang Fengmian probably thought he was a demon.

The dazzling sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the endless corridor. Huo Zong's face was hidden in the shadows, and Jiang Fengmian couldn't see him clearly.

Ever since Huo Zong left, Jiang Fengmian had been feeling a strong palpitation. He couldn't care less about Huo Zong's instructions and quietly opened the office door, peeking out to look.

Huo Zong exuded an indescribable wildness. The elevator went up and down repeatedly, and he seemed like an evil god controlling everything, even the slight curve of his lips revealing a hint of wickedness.

At that moment, the term "villain" was quite fitting from Huo Qilin's perspective.

It was also at that moment that Jiang Fengmian realized that Huo Zong cared about him more than he had thought.

Jiang Fengmian covered his pounding chest, first walking quickly, then unconsciously breaking into a run, faster and faster.

He suddenly threw himself into Huo Zong's arms, catching the unprepared Huo Zong off guard and causing him to take three steps back before steadying himself. Huo Zong looked at the person in his arms in disbelief, thinking that Jiang Fengmian should have been scared instead.

The warm body temperature transferred over, and Huo Zong's eyes softened. He imitated Jiang Fengmian's actions, slowly tightening his arms.

"Huo Zong."

"Hmm."

Low and magnetic, Jiang Fengmian nuzzled against Huo Zong's chin, saying softly, "Brother, I saw it."

The pause was a bit too long. Huo Zong held his breath, waiting for Jiang Fengmian's judgment, whether it was a swift cut or a slow, painful grind, he could accept it.

Jiang Fengmian coughed lightly and looked up at Huo Zong's tense jawline.

Hmm, it seemed like there were people coming and going in the corridor. Huo Zong might have been embarrassed and nervous.

Feeling somewhat guilty, Jiang Fengmian slipped his fingers into Huo Zong's palm and pulled him toward the office.

Chen Chen stood with his back to them in front of the office door, his movements as if he were about to wear out the soles of his shoes. Jiang Fengmian thought that Chen Chen probably had a dream of building a villa, persistently scratching the ground.

The sound of footsteps grew closer. Chen Chen gritted his teeth and quickly said, "Huo Zong, Huo Qilin ran away. I don't know what's going on. Wang Hu is following him."

"Hmm."

Chen Chen hurriedly ran off, only catching his breath after walking a good distance. It had been a long time since he had seen Huo Zong with such an expression, as if a storm was brewing. He didn't dare to breathe.

With a click, Jiang Fengmian locked the office door.

Jiang Fengmian leaned against the solid wood door of the office, his eyes smiling, a small dimple appearing on his delicate and beautiful cheek. Jiang Fengmian played with his fingers, and though there were no words, it felt as if he had understood all of Huo Zong's emotions.

"Huo Zong, I'm not afraid of you. You're Huo Zong, the best, best, best person in the world to me."

"Brother, don't frown, okay?"

Jiang Fengmian moved closer to Huo Zong, his fingertips tracing Huo Zong's eyebrows and eyes, moving down from Huo Zong's deep eyes, over the bridge of his nose, and finally stopping at his prominent Adam's apple.

A faint itch emerged, and Jiang Fengmian seemed to have found something amusing, kneading the Adam's apple under his fingertips until it turned a deep red before finally stopping.

Huo Zong narrowed his eyes, his fingertips digging into his palm, exercising extreme restraint to keep from bending down to bite Jiang Fengmian's fingers.

The dense itch returned, and Huo Zong even gently pinched his earlobe, the overwhelming anger instantly dissolved by Jiang Fengmian.

"Jiang Fengmian, don't you think I'm a bit... abnormal?"

Huo Zong thought for a long time before choosing a neutral word. Words like "obsessive" or "malicious" were too harsh, and even more extreme terms like "lunatic" or "psychopath" were unbearable.

The humiliating insults still lingered in his ears, and Huo Zong instinctively lowered his gaze, avoiding Jiang Fengmian's eyes.

Jiang Fengmian hummed softly, wrapping his arms around Huo Zong's waist and pressing close, his gaze capturing all of Huo Zong's attention as he spoke in a coquettish tone, "Not at all, Huo Zong, you did well."

"No, when he tried to escape, you should have pushed him back in. He's so bad, he wanted to kill us."

"Brother, don't care about what he said, okay? Care about me, care about what I say."

It would be best if all his attention were focused on him, with his heart and eyes only on him. Jiang Fengmian thought of the lock in the Jiang family, and just a little more extreme, he could lock Huo Zong up, so he could only be with him.

"Huo Zong, you're the best person in the world. They hate you, but I don't. They don't like you, but I do."

The naive and childish words were like a hand gently covering his ears, shielding him from all the rumors and the unbearable attacks.

"Brother, why aren't you saying anything?"

Huo Zong's eyes were unusually sore, and he blinked rapidly, forcing back the welling moisture. After walking alone in the abyss for so many years, there was suddenly light.

"Jiang Fengmian, I thought you were scared."

An inexplicable grievance appeared on Huo Zong's face. After a brief moment of silence, Huo Zong was forcefully pulled out of the icy depths by Jiang Fengmian, resembling a drenched puppy, its fur matted and dripping, even its tail drooping.

"I'm not scared, no matter when, I'm not scared."

Jiang Fengmian's fingertips brushed Huo Zong's cheek, then quickly pressed against his own nose, speaking softly, "This is a touch."

Huo Zong's heart instantly softened. He coughed lightly, leaning in slightly, tilting his head, and rubbing his nose against Jiang Fengmian's.

Jiang Fengmian's round eyes stared at Huo Zong, his soft lips brushing against Huo Zong's, igniting a fire that burned uncontrollably.

His cheeks were burning, his throat tightened, and if not for a shred of reason, he might have grabbed Huo Zong's neck and bitten down.

"Jiang Fengmian, this is a touch."

The thumping heartbeat was caught by Huo Zong, who quickly pulled away, glancing at Jiang Fengmian's dazed eyes, somewhat annoyed at his own overstep.

Suddenly, Su Yanchu's voice occupied his mind, saying that he was on a path of no return, and from the moment he stepped on it, he was doomed.

Doomed, Huo Zong thought, he had been doomed long ago.

Jiang Fengmian patted his burning cheeks, staggering as Huo Zong pushed him onto the sofa, feeling like something was missing, though he couldn't remember what.

"Huo Zong."

"Yes?"

Jiang Fengmian cupped Huo Zong's handsome face and rubbed it fiercely a few times, then, satisfied, placed his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows with a hint of pride.

"Alright, get back to work."

Jiang Fengmian curled up on the sofa, savoring the moment. Huo Zong's eyelashes were long and curled, but he rarely smiled. Even the slightest smile could make Jiang Fengmian utterly captivated.

He wanted to perform the classic three moves from Green River novels on Huo Zong: red eyes, grabbing the waist, and giving his life.

Ah, it was the second day of wanting Huo Zong to kiss him.

Stubborn Huo Zong, couldn't he just kiss him for no reason? He had already called him "puppy" so affectionately, so what's wrong with kissing the puppy? What's wrong!

"Jiang Fengmian, if you're bored, read a book."

Great, the books had evolved. They were no longer just illustrated children's books but simplified versions of classics with pinyin.

Was it possible that his character setting was just a result of a head injury and not a regression to infancy?

"Okay, I'll read now."

Jiang Fengmian changed his position on the sofa, crossing his legs, and used the book as a cover to quickly catch up on the missed updates.

He hadn't dared to look at the comments, all of which were urging him to update. His mind was full of Huo Zong, and he had completely forgotten about the updates.

Jiang Fengmian propped his head up and thought for a long time before remembering that he still hadn't finished the character design draft for Huo Corporation.

[Huo Zong: Finished image.]

The time was exactly 9 AM yesterday morning.

It must have been hard for Huo Zong, comforting him until midnight and then getting up early to push for work, while the person who was supposed to do the work was still asleep and had long forgotten about it.

Drowned in Huo Zong's tenderness, only romantic thoughts remained.

[Dong Li: Sorry, there was a slight issue, I'll be right on it.]

[Huo Zong: Hmm.]

As cold as ever, Jiang Fengmian didn't dare to delay and didn't care if Huo Zong would notice anything unusual. He finished the drawing as quickly as possible and sent the final image to Huo Zong.

[Huo Zong: Good, how much longer for the rest?]

[Dong Li: There's too much content, I'll try to be as fast as possible, but I need to ensure the quality, so it might take a while.]

[Huo Zong: Hmm.]

[Dong Li: Huo Zong, is it possible for me to work in your office? Seeing your face every day might boost my mood and efficiency.]

[Huo Zong: ...]

[Huo Zong: We might need to revise the contract, how much do you want for a buyout?]

Oh, Jiang Fengmian looked up at the serious Huo Zong and finally understood why he had been single for so many years—utterly unyielding.

Worried, what kind of attraction could someone like him have for Huo Zong?

[Dong Li: Just kidding, I'll finish the draft as quickly as possible.]

Huo Zong didn't reply further, and Jiang Fengmian stopped testing the waters, focusing on the drawing.

[Huo Zong: Cat nuzzle.jpg]

[Huo Zong: Jiang Fengmian, do you like this little kitten? Su Yanchu's studio can customize it.]

The proud Ragdoll cat condescended to rub against him, and he was utterly flattered.

[Jiang Fengmian: Brother, can't you speak?]

[Jiang Fengmian: Is there some kind of man-eating monster that will snatch me away as a wife if I speak?]

[Jiang Fengmian: That won't do, I'm Huo Zong's wife.]

While replying, Huo Zong glanced at the book in Jiang Fengmian's arms, "Beauty and the Beast."

It seems the criteria for selecting books need to be changed; this style doesn't suit Jiang Fengmian.

Huo Zong's fingertip tapped on the sentence: "That won't do, I'm Huo Zong's wife," and he inexplicably clicked to save it. His mind told him he should cancel the save, but his body honestly chose to ignore it.

[Huo Zong: You can speak.]

[Huo Zong: The chat content is too little. If you want more, then have more.]

Jiang Fengmian was so happy he felt like fainting. It was just a casual complaint that day, but Huo Zong remembered it clearly.

[Jiang Fengmian: Kitty kiss.jpg]

[Jiang Fengmian: No need to customize, brother, there are already many small plushies at home, I can't even come up with names for them all.]

[Huo Zong: Hmm.]

[Huo Zong: Kitty being cute.jpg]

Grateful for high technology, Huo Zong originally lurked in the company group "stealing" employees' kitty emojis. One day he discovered he could search for them, and thus opened the door to a new world.

Just as he was thinking, Jiang Fengmian suddenly appeared.

"Brother, is the kitty cute, or am I cute?"

Afraid he couldn't show his cuteness, Jiang Fengmian waved his fists in front of his face, an upgraded version of the standard beckoning cat pose, which Huo Zong defined as the Jiang Fengmian-branded kitty fist for coquettish cuteness.

Click.

Huo Zong calmly took several photos with his phone and said nonchalantly, "The cutest is Jiang Fengmian being cute."

Hmph, fine, Huo Zong knows how to talk.

[Jiang Fengmian: Brother, you can only praise me as cute, no other creature is allowed!!!]

[Huo Zong: Okay, Jiang Fengmian is the cutest.]

Jiang Fengmian held his phone, happily pacing by the window, feeling an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

After calming down, Huo Zong's search interface: how to make photos into cute emojis.

***

Knock knock knock.

"Come in."

"Mr. Huo, Wang Hu sent a message that Huo Qilin has gone to Heaven and Earth."

Heaven and Earth, the largest and most luxurious bar in the capital, frequented by the rich and powerful, a place of extravagance and indulgence. A casual drink costs hundreds or thousands, and Huo Qilin is a regular there.

"Hmm."

Huo Zong wasn't surprised by the tactic of drowning sorrows in alcohol, but what was surprising was that Huo Qilin didn't call Huo Qing to complain.

"Huo Zong, also, Jiang Fengqiu is there too. Wang Hu said that Jiang Fengqiu actively approached Huo Qilin. Could they be..."

"I heard Jiang Fengqiu has put in a lot of effort, and Jiang Junling is about to be released. This is a critical period for the project. If they are conspiring something, I'm worried it might be detrimental to the company."

"Jiang Junling's release is inevitable. You put pressure on them and make Jiang Fengqiu pay a hefty price. I'm not worried about Huo Qilin; he doesn't have the brains. Notify the project team that no one is to disclose work details, and Huo Qilin must not get close to the core documents."

After several encounters, Jiang Fengqiu indeed proved to be clever. If he incites Huo Qilin to sabotage the project, that fool might just fall for it.

"Understood. Wang Hu is still monitoring. I'll report any developments immediately."

"Alright."

At Heaven and Earth, Jiang Fengmian felt a pang of anxiety. It seemed like the plot had gone completely awry.

In the storyline, Jiang Fengqiu and Huo Qilin had some disagreements after their work intersected, and after a quarrel, they coincidentally went to Heaven and Earth to drown their sorrows. Both were drugged, leading to an awkward yet subtly affectionate encounter.

Now, apart from their interaction at Huo Qing's birthday banquet, how did they suddenly end up at Heaven and Earth? Or were there some things Jiang Fengmian didn't know about?

"Brother, are those two villains familiar with each other? Why are they getting close?"

"Previously, Huo Qilin was bitten by a dog, and Jiang Fengqiu visited him many times in the hospital. Over time, they might have become familiar."

Got it, it's a chain of traps. Only now did Jiang Fengmian realize.

From the very beginning, Jiang Fengqiu had everything planned. The potent drug was administered the moment Huo Qilin picked up Jiang Fengqiu, all to establish a connection with the Huo family.

Jiang Fengmian boldly speculated that Jiang Fengqiu might have already prepared a plan to train the dog. The dog biting him was unexpected, but at that point, letting the dog bite him to death first, then Jiang Fengqiu stepping in to subdue the vicious dog, would have an even more explosive effect.

With residual drugs still in Huo Qilin's system, the dog would bite him as long as it had a breath left. Jiang Fengqiu's heroic rescue would leave a lasting impression on Huo Qilin.

Who knew Huo Zong would intervene halfway, ruining Jiang Fengqiu's plan? He then switched to Plan B, going to the hospital to get close to Huo Qilin, playing the role of the Jiang family's head in front of the Huo couple, fulfilling his dream of becoming the Huo Corporation's little master's partner.

Jiang Fengmian further speculated that the so-called drugs at Heaven and Earth were also Jiang Fengqiu's doing.

Tsk tsk tsk, he's ruthless enough to come up with such damaging tactics.

At Heaven and Earth.

The bar was bustling with people. Huo Qilin sat at the bar, a pile of drinks in front of him. He didn't even look, just downed one glass after another.

Scared witless by that dog Huo Zong, he still felt a lingering fear even after getting on the elevator. The old man wasn't answering his calls, and his parents were no help, so he could only numb himself with alcohol.

Thud.

Just as Huo Qilin picked up his glass, a hand from nowhere pressed it down. He looked up to see a familiar face.

It was Jiang Fengqiu.

Why was he here? To laugh at him?

His arm still ached. Jiang Fengqiu had taken care of him many times at the hospital. The look in his eyes, Huo Qilin understood better than anyone, was hidden admiration.

Hmph, many in the capital loved him. Jiang Fengqiu, apart from being from the Jiang family, was nothing special.

Huo Qilin instinctively thought of Jiang Fengmian. Compared to him, Jiang Fengqiu fell short—lacking in looks and figure, barely passable.

"Master Huo, why are you drinking alone here?"

"And you, aren't you alone too?"

Jiang Fengqiu's melancholy immediately surged up, he snatched Huo Qilin's glass and downed it in one gulp.

"Master Huo, we two sorrowful souls, today we won't stop until we're drunk."

Jiang Fengqiu hurriedly drank, quickly finishing all the drinks in front of Huo Qilin.

Huo Qilin didn't speak, just calculated the money in his hand, one drink was 3800, Jiang Fengqiu had drunk four of his.

Damn, what a jerk, if he wanted to drink, couldn't he order his own?

After a few drinks, Jiang Fengqiu was probably drunk, lying beside Huo Qilin sobbing, venting his inner distress.

"Master Huo, the Jiang family is all on my shoulders, it's so tiring, really too tiring."

"My brother is like that, he has so much hostility towards me, he even teamed up with Huo Zong to send my father in, all the pressure is on me, it's so bitter."

The most infuriating thing is, the promised hundred million from the Huo family hasn't been seen, Huo Qing said to find Huo Zong, as if it's easy, can Huo Zong be seen just because he wants to? The hundred million is about to go down the drain, how can Jiang Fengqiu not be angry.

"Master Huo, I heard that Huo Corporation is also doing the cultural tourism bureau's project, you're in Huo Corporation, and the future head of Huo Corporation, you must know about it, right?"

Huo Qilin's face darkened, know what? He doesn't even know what project group he's in.

"Huh, you want to know?"

"No no, I still have self-awareness, with Master Huo here, what competitiveness does our company have, it's all up to you, I'm just asking, wanting to learn something."

Huo Qilin seemed to still have some sense, he swayed and tried to stand up, his already bitter mood even more unbearable, he's just a nobody in Huo Corporation, nothing at all.

Huo Zong, why don't you just die, why don't you just die.

"Master Huo, I've always lived in my brother's shadow, as if I'm invisible, the whole world revolves around my brother, it's only in recent years that they've realized, I'm not bad at all, just didn't have the opportunity. If you had a bigger platform, I think climbing higher would be a breeze."

Yes, he just didn't have the opportunity, Huo Corporation is entirely controlled by Huo Zong, there's no room for him to play.

If only, if Huo Zong were dead, like Jiang Fengmian, completely without the possibility of a comeback.

"Master Huo, let's have another drink, I feel like we've hit it off, sympathizing with each other, we're the same kind of people, oppressed and sorrowful."

Jiang Fengqiu had nothing else, he could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, as he picked up the glass, he gently shook it, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"Come on."

After a drink, Huo Qilin suddenly noticed something was off with Jiang Fengqiu beside him, groaning and tearing at his clothes, his face flushed, his breathing unusually heavy.

The surrounding people's gazes shifted over, disdainful and mocking, probably all thinking Huo Qilin had drugged him.

"Master Huo, I feel so uncomfortable, what's going on?"

Hearing Jiang Fengqiu's soft voice, Huo Qilin also realized he wasn't feeling right, his whole body was hot, his blood boiling.

"Master Huo, shall we take you back to your room?"

Many who come to Heaven and Earth are here to hook up, Huo Qilin had a room here, the front desk and bartenders were used to it, even kindly calling someone to take them upstairs.

Heaven and Earth, to put it bluntly, after a few drinks, everyone ends up going upstairs to sleep.

"Master Huo, I feel so uncomfortable, so uncomfortable."

Jiang Fengqiu controlled the dosage, knowing that Huo Qilin wouldn't last long. Besides, Huo Qilin was a lecher; there was no way he wouldn't take the bait.

Damn it, if he couldn't get Jiang Fengmian, tasting his younger brother would be a good alternative.

"Let's go upstairs."

In Huo Qilin's private room, Jiang Fengqiu played hard to get, giving Huo Qilin just enough novelty to keep him hooked.

He had encountered many men and knew how to manipulate them. He understood that everything had its limits, and by hitting that sweet spot, any man could be toyed with in the palm of his hand.

The drug was addictive. Jiang Fengqiu sneered, confident that Huo Qilin wouldn't be able to forget him after this.

***

"Mr. Huo, Wang Hu sent word that Huo Qilin followed Jiang Fengqiu upstairs to his room. It seems they were up to something, and they looked quite happy."

Chen Chen made a complicated expression, then awkwardly changed the subject: "Wang Hu was too far away to hear clearly, but he caught the word 'project.' They were probably still trying to dig into our company's projects."

"Hmm, dig up the previously scrapped projects and make them look as real as possible. If Huo Qilin wants to work on a project, let him. The next step is to lure him into the trap."

"I'll get right on it."

Jiang Fengmian let out a quiet "huh," impressed by Jiang Fengqiu's swift actions. He probably had no idea that Huo Qilin was a nobody in Huo Corporation. If he knew, he might regret it deeply.

"Jiang Fengmian, why are you looking at me like that?"

Huo Zong was puzzled by the curious gaze fixed on him.

Jiang Fengmian clasped his hands behind his back, mimicking Chen Chen's blinking and smirking, and said with an innocent expression, "Brother, what does this mean? I don't understand."

"Is this also flirting?"

"I want to learn too, I want to make you happy."

Huo Zong rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He looked at Jiang Fengmian's innocent face, at a loss for how to explain.

Make him happy? So happy, and like that too...

Chen Chen, you ran off pretty fast. Come back and explain this.