Chapter 40: Is the kitten’s chest soft and cozy? Kitty, stop biting that…

Chapter 40: Is the kitten's chest soft and cozy? Kitty, stop biting that...

A knock at the door interrupted Huo Zong's thoughts. He flipped a page of the document, tidied his slightly messy desk, and then responded.

"Huo Zong, the initial game models are ready. When do you have time to provide some revision suggestions?"

"Alright, in ten minutes, meeting room two, all group leaders should attend. Keep an eye out for Huo Qilin."

"Understood, I'll make the arrangements."

Jiang Fengmian listened intently, then sprang up from the sofa and stood beside Huo Zong, gazing at him eagerly.

"Brother, I want to come along and have fun too."

Huo Zong's fingers paused at his cuff, and he squinted, glancing curiously at Jiang Fengmian.

It seemed like he was especially interested in the cultural tourism bureau's project.

Even the initial idea for this game came from Jiang Fengmian's 'ramblings,' and even Dong Li was recommended by Jiang Fengmian.

Or maybe...

"Kitty, we're not going to play; we're attending a meeting."

"Yeah, I want to come with you; I don't like being alone, it's uncomfortable."

Jiang Fengmian bit his lip, grabbed Huo Zong's arm, and swayed it, tilting his head with a pitiful look. "Brother, I have a headache; I need you with me."

"Alright, come on."

Jiang Fengmian followed closely behind Huo Zong, like a schoolkid on a field trip, loaded with snacks and candies. Huo Zong even carried a paintbrush for him, so he could snack, drink, and doodle when bored.

"Huo Zong."

"Young sir, take a seat here."

Jiang Fengmian nodded, counted the people, and handed out the snacks one by one. The already quiet meeting room fell silent; no one dared to move.

One group leader didn't dare to look Jiang Fengmian in the eye. She had been openly shipping them in the group chat, got caught, and even received a red envelope from Huo Zong. Now she had taken Jiang Fengmian's candy, making it even more awkward.

Jiang Fengmian unwrapped a candy, stood up in front of everyone, and with a smile, quickly fed it to Huo Zong.

When he left, Jiang Fengmian subtly pinched Huo Zong's fingertip, his gaze direct, a silent seduction.

"Let's start the meeting."

"Alright, Huo Zong, please take a look at the modeling images. The environment is personified, the cultural relics are personified, and even the plants and trees can be personified. The personification of cultural relics is based on Dong Li's sketches, and the rest are designed by our company's design team following Dong Li's style."

Jiang Fengmian propped his chin and glanced at it. The actions after the personification of cultural relics were similar, the images were beautiful enough, and the restoration was high, but the way they appeared was too formulaic, making it hard to distinguish which cultural relic it was.

"Has the text group and modeling group communicated?"

"Yes, yes, Huo Zong, our two groups basically work together."

Huo Zong hummed, tapping the desk surface casually. With Jiang Fengmian here, he didn't want to make the atmosphere too awkward.

"Brother, the visuals are beautiful, but it seems like, I can't tell the difference."

Huo Zong stopped his hand movements, looked around, and nodded at Jiang Fengmian with satisfaction. Jiang Fengmian had pinpointed the issue directly. Huo Zong's lips curled slightly, and he hummed proudly.

"So, have you identified the issues? What is the script team responsible for? They are supposed to perfect the settings of each artifact. In the game, besides the 3D modeling, how else can they be presented? It's through their lines and actions."

"If every artifact performs the same actions with only different lines, what’s the point of collecting them? Uniqueness is key. We can't be careless with such content."

"The script team and the 3D modeling team need to discuss further. I’m not asking for perfection, but it needs to fit the context."

"Understood, Huo Zong. We’ll get on it right away."

Jiang Fengmian looked up at the screen and raised some issues regarding the game's mechanics. If the design is too complex, it could easily deter players. If they're still stuck in the beginner's village after a few days, their enthusiasm will wane.

"Young man, have you studied painting and design? Could you take a look at these designs and see if there are any issues?"

Jiang Fengmian instinctively glanced at Huo Zong. He popped a candy into his mouth to steady himself, feeling a bit self-conscious about coming off as too clever.

Following the team leader's gaze, Huo Zong's eyes landed on the A4 paper in front of Jiang Fengmian. In just a short while, Jiang Fengmian, while staring at the screen, had unconsciously drawn a chibi character.

With just one glance, Huo Zong knew it was him.

Huo Zong's smile was barely containable. He coughed lightly, his fist pressed against his lips, his magnetic voice seeming to resonate deeply.

"Jiang Fengmian, I’d really appreciate your feedback."

Jiang Fengmian rubbed his earlobe, his neck and ears turning completely red. How could Huo Zong tease him like this in front of so many people, even begging him?

"Uh, bro, I’m not really sure."

"No worries, just point out what works and what doesn’t."

Jiang Fengmian nodded and pointed out a few areas, offering some suggestions along the way.

"Thank you, Young man. We’ll fix it right up."

Huo Zong showed no intention of getting up. He watched Jiang Fengmian with great interest and casually said, "Meeting’s over. Grab some snacks on your way out."

"Alright, thank you, Huo Zong. Thank you, Young man."

The meeting room door clicked shut, and the frosted glass door faintly showed moving shadows. Jiang Fengmian leaned back in his chair, tilting his head away from Huo Zong’s touch.

His heart was pounding, Huo Zong’s fingertips gently pressed against his lips. He slightly opened his mouth, his tongue brushing against Huo Zong's cool fingertips, his eyes growing hazy.

With everyone moving around, Jiang Fengmian was afraid someone might suddenly open the door. Under the intense tension, his nerves were on edge, sending shivers through his body.

"Brother," Jiang Fengmian murmured softly.

In the dead silence of the meeting room, Jiang Fengmian’s swallow was deafening.

"My clever little kitten."

Huo Zong leaned in, toying with Jiang Fengmian’s hair, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Fengmian, blatantly, as if he wanted to devour him.

"It’s, uh, fine."

Jiang Fengmian didn't even dare to acknowledge the word 'clever.' His throat tightened, and he lowered his eyes to avoid Huo Zong's direct gaze, twisting the red string on Huo Zong’s wrist.

"Hmph, Huo Zong, you just like clever ones."

"I like my little cat no matter what, but it's better if he's a bit clever, after all..."

He wasn’t keen on breaking the law, but if it were Jiang Fengmian, he wouldn’t mind even if it meant death.

Huo Zong remained silent, and Jiang Fengmian couldn’t grasp the unspoken meaning. He waited foolishly for Huo Zong to speak, but even after Huo Zong left, there was no answer.

"Brother, tell me, what’s the deal?"

"My kitten is so cute; if he were a bit smarter, it’d be perfect."

Hmph, Jiang Fengmian turned away and tossed the paper to Huo Zong.

"Brother, take it."

"Okay."

A cat paw was added to the A4 paper, claws out, as if ready to leap off the page.

***

The cultural tourism bureau’s project was nearing the bidding deadline, and Huo Zong was swamped, preparing non-stop. In just ten days, Huo Zong had visibly lost weight.

Jiang Fengmian noticed and felt anxious. Aside from keeping him company and offering input on visuals, he couldn’t do much else, which frustrated him.

Jiang Fengmian marked the calendar daily, drawing little expressions—happy, cute, or even scolding Huo Zong for skipping meals.

With only three days left, the tense atmosphere made Jiang Fengmian nervous too.

"Mr. Huo, Huo Qilin visited the Jiang family again yesterday."

Since Jiang Junling resumed control of the Jiang family, two factions emerged—the conservatives and the radicals.

Jiang Junling repeatedly tried to halt the cultural tourism bureau’s project. He signed a deal with Huo Qing to invest in a west city project, aiming to build a commercial empire.

Funding the cultural tourism bureau’s project strained the Jiang family’s finances, lowering Jiang Junling’s standard of living.

He and Jiang Fengqiu argued endlessly, neither able to persuade the other. Jiang Fengqiu even warned he wouldn’t bail him out if he landed in jail again.

Jiang Junling, the rightful chairman, was sidelined, with only a few veterans supporting his new ventures. But the employees were too busy for him to find reliable help.

While flipping through documents, Jiang Junling couldn’t stop thinking of Jiang Fengmian. If Jiang Fengmian were here, the Jiang family would’ve been a top-tier enterprise in the capital.

If only that incident hadn’t happened...

Through the office glass, Jiang Junling saw Huo Qilin enter Jiang Fengqiu’s office. It wasn’t the first time, and each time Huo Qilin left, Jiang Fengqiu would erupt.

The unmistakable kiss marks on his neck—Jiang Junling knew exactly what was going on.

If Huo Qilin could take over the Huo Corporation in the future, being with Jiang Fengqiu would indeed help the Jiang family thrive.

"The tight schedule likely revealed some unfeasible aspects of the project to the Jiang family. Huo Qilin’s a fool; what does he know?"

Those parts were deliberately designed by Huo Zong. There wouldn’t be any issues during the project evaluation phase, but as it progressed, one step would lead to another, and Jiang Fengqiu wouldn’t be able to back out even if he wanted to.

They poured in money with no returns, driving Jiang Fengqiu to the brink.

"Mr. Huo, the project is almost ready for internal testing. There are still some data that haven’t been fed back, but the evaluations are quite positive. Here’s the report."

"I trust your work. The cultural tourism bureau is looking at the overall development prospects. The details can be modified before the release. Even if we don’t win the bid, launching such a game into the market would still yield considerable profits."

"Tell the project team that no matter what happens in three days, their bonuses for the past few months will be tripled, and they’ll get ten days of paid leave. The year-end performance evaluation will focus on this part. Stay focused and complete the final task."

"Okay, Mr. Huo. I’ll inform everyone right away."

Chen Chen stood there, clutching the feedback report, hesitating on how to speak up. When he met Huo Zong's searching look, he became even more conflicted.

"Is there something else?"

Chen Chen clenched his teeth and blurted out, "Huo Zong, will you be attending the Huo family's banquet tomorrow?"

Seeing Huo Zong remain silent, Chen Chen added, "Old Man Huo called my office line, insisting that you return. There are some of the late Madame's belongings that need to be sorted out."

In the Huo family, there was only one Madame—Huo Zong's mother.

With a snap.

The cap of the pen in Huo Zong's hand flew off. Jiang Fengmian bent down to pick it up, only to find that the clip had been forcefully broken by Huo Zong.

"I'll go."

Huo Zong's anger flared up. Huo Qing understood better than anyone else. He held onto her belongings, and no matter what happened, he would have to return.

"Huo Zong, I'll get back to work. Let me know if you need anything."

The office door closed. Jiang Fengmian paused for a moment before stepping closer to Huo Zong, taking his right hand to inspect it.

There was a small cut on his fingertip, bleeding slightly as Huo Zong moved.

"Mmm."

Jiang Fengmian sucked on Huo Zong's finger. He didn't say a word, only releasing it once he was sure the bleeding had stopped. He swallowed the coppery taste in his mouth and quietly stayed by Huo Zong's side.

"Brother, you're too tired."

Jiang Fengmian gently touched the dark circles under Huo Zong's eyes, his heart aching with concern.

"Huo Zong, you can lean on the kitten's chest. No matter what happens, I'll be here with you."

Huo Zong let out a soft chuckle, pulling Jiang Fengmian closer by the waist and letting him rest against his chest.

"Let me see if the kitten's chest is comfortable."

Huo Zong's fingers traced down Jiang Fengmian's neck, measuring inch by inch. His shirt was half undone, and Jiang Fengmian leaned slightly, exposing a bare shoulder.

Cool fingertips pressed against Jiang Fengmian's chest, circling and caressing. Jiang Fengmian relaxed, his breath hitching, his eyes glistening.

"Brother."

"Hmm." Hoarse and entranced, Huo Zong's throat tightened as he resisted the urge to adjust Jiang Fengmian's collar.

"Is the kitten's chest soft and comfortable?"

"Soft, comfortable. Jiang Fengmian, don't move. Let me hold you."

Huo Zong rested his chin on Jiang Fengmian's shoulder, his eyes half-closed, hiding the exhaustion within.

He didn't even have the right to touch her photo, let alone claim her belongings.

"Jiang Fengmian, do you want to return to the Huo family? Wait for me at home tomorrow, okay?"

"No, I'll stay with you."

Huo Qing was a monster. Who knew what he might do? The thought of Huo Zong going back alone was unbearable for Jiang Fengmian.

"Brother, don’t even think about ditching me."

Jiang Fengmian stubbornly stared at Huo Zong. Seeing Huo Zong slightly relenting, he softly bit Huo Zong’s cold earlobe.

"Kitty, stop biting there."

Huo Zong’s eyes were half-closed, his arm tightening around Jiang Fengmian’s waist, his eyes bloodshot, almost letting out a groan.

"Are you gonna let me go?"

Jiang Fengmian seemed determined not to let up, keeping up the biting.

"Alright, behave. You call yourself a kitty, but you’re really biting."

Huo Zong’s neck flushed. He was still holding Jiang Fengmian, and it wasn’t the place for any reaction in the office.

"Brother’s not being good, trying to leave me again."

"Sorry, I’ll take you back tomorrow. I won’t leave you."

The kitty’s gotten too clever—so clever that he can’t even fake naivety anymore. Can’t be coaxed, just has to tag along.

***

In the distance, the sky was dark and heavy, the wind howling, a storm ready to break at any moment.

Huo Zong picked out a light coat for Jiang Fengmian, straightened his tie, and before leaving, carefully pinned the brooch Jiang Fengmian had given him in front of the mirror.

"Brother, why’re you wearing this?"

"You gave it to me. I like it."

Jiang Fengmian covered his mouth and chuckled. He hadn’t given Huo Zong many gifts, always picking and choosing, nothing worth showing off.

"Huo Zong, there’ll be more in the future."

"Okay."

The trees on the street swayed wildly in the wind. Huo Zong glanced out the window, his heart just as unsettled, inexplicably nervous, yet with a hint of anticipation.

The Huo family’s old mansion, under the dark clouds, seemed even more imposing, its heavy tones steeped in a feudal aura. Jiang Fengmian shivered and instinctively leaned closer to Huo Zong.

Living in such a place, arrogance must run in the blood—like Huo Qing, who prides himself as the head of the Huo family, trying to control everything.

The room still carried the scent of sandalwood. Huo Zong sniffed lightly—probably left by Huo Qing when he’d offered incense to that person.

Huo Qing fiddled with his prayer beads, his gaze meeting Huo Zong’s coldly, neither speaking first.

"Old Huo, I’m not late, am I? The wind was too strong—couldn’t drive too fast."

"Mr. Huo, you’re back."

It was Jiang Junling, smiling warmly, as if he’d never once cursed Huo Zong and himself.

"Fengmian, why aren’t you saying anything? It’s your father."

Huo Zong sneered, glancing at Jiang Junling with disgust, "Since when are you invited to the Huo family’s banquet? Are you trying to be Huo Qing’s dog, or whose?"

Jiang Junling, already Huo Qing’s lapdog, didn’t bat an eye. He set down the gift and fussed over Huo Qing again.

The Huo family had once thrived, but Huo Qing’s selfishness drove many apart. Now, only a handful remained at the family banquet.

When taking their seats, Huo Zong still managed to secure the main seat first. He watched indifferently as Huo Cong and Qi Yan performed their usual act of filial piety towards Huo Qing, a scene he had long grown tired of. His eyelids drooped, and he smirked mockingly.

"The purpose of today's family dinner is simple. A Lan passed away suddenly, and she still held shares in the Sheng family at the time. I've been holding onto them all these years, and the dividends at the end of each year have already been distributed to you. Now that I'm old, I want to pass these shares to the younger ones. I asked Jiang Junling to be a witness, and I will give the shares to Huo Qilin."

With a few words, the matter was decided.

Huo Zong lifted his eyes and shot back, "The inheritance laws seem non-existent in your eyes. As the spouse, you've held onto it all these years, which is normal. But when did it become Huo Qilin's turn to inherit?"

With a loud snap, the Buddhist beads in Huo Qing's hand broke, scattering on the floor with a clattering sound.

As thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and rain poured down.

The lightning illuminated Huo Qing's face, flickering between light and shadow. He stood up, grabbed his cane, and swung it at Huo Zong's head.

Jiang Fengmian quickly blocked the blow with a cushion. Huo Zong pulled Jiang Fengmian back by the waist and stepped away, avoiding Huo Qing's cane.

Huo Qing panted heavily, unsteady without his cane. "Huo Zong, are you even human? That was your mother. Her estate is mine to give to whoever I choose. It has nothing to do with you, a murderer."

"My mother, Huo Qing? All these years, have you ever acknowledged me as her son? Have I ever been allowed to offer incense to her? Now you're spouting these righteous words. She's watching from above, seeing how you treat me."

"What kind of Buddhist are you? Do you really think chanting a few words daily can erase your sins? Or are you afraid of going to the eighteenth level of hell, having your tongue cut out and your heart burned? You really belong in hell."

"If you want to give everything to Huo Qilin, I won't stop you. But don't use her name. You're not worthy."

Old things—if we're talking about them, his life in Huo Qing's hands is just another old thing.

"Ungrateful son! You ungrateful son! A Lan is watching from above. She regrets giving birth to you, regrets losing her life because of a cold-blooded murderer like you."

"I never even had the chance to offer incense to her. She probably thought I was long dead. If you regret it, just say you regret it. Don't drag her into this. Huo Qing, you should have strangled me when I was a child, saving me the trouble of opposing you."

Huo Zong's words were like knives, each one piercing Huo Qing's heart.

Seeing the situation escalate, Huo Qilin immediately stepped forward to help Huo Qing to the sofa, pouring him water and patting his back, continuously comforting him.

"Huo Qing, you mentioned that some old things need to be dealt with. Since everyone is here, let's settle it all at once. You must be losing sleep over it, right? Every time you turn a bead, are you cursing me to die a horrible death?"

Jiang Fengmian's fingers tightened suddenly. He pinched Huo Zong's little finger, gently rubbing his palm, silently offering his support.

The things A Lan left behind—even if he took them to the grave, they would have nothing to do with Huo Zong.

"Xiao Cong, go and bring the dark red box from my room."

"Alright."

Locked away were all of A Lan's belongings, placed on the bedside table for him to remember her by.

Huo Qing took out a letter from the bottom of the box. The paper had long turned yellow, and only the words "Little Treasure" on the envelope gave a glimpse into the mood of the person who wrote it.

"Huo Zong, A Lan was blind to think you were a good child."

Huo Zong's pupils contracted slightly, his palm clenching tightly. "Little Treasure"—that was what she used to call him.

"A Lan, he is not worthy to be your son."

With a click, Huo Qing picked up a lighter and set the letter on fire.

The instant Huo Qing picked up the lighter, Huo Zong lunged forward. The flames roared fiercely, and Huo Zong grabbed the flames beneath the letter, snatching it into his hand before it could completely burn.

Blisters formed on Huo Zong's palm, but he ignored the pain, frowning as he tried to read the remaining words.

"To my dear Xiaobao, I’m your mom. It’s a miracle—after being told I’d likely never conceive again, I got pregnant in the seventeenth year.

I still don’t know if you’re a girl or a boy. I hope you’re a girl, so your parents and brother can dote on you. If you don’t want to shoulder the Huo family’s responsibilities, you can pass them to your brother. Boys in the Huo family have it tougher, but being a boy is still good—you can help your brother carry the family’s weight.

Xiaobao, I’m counting the days until you arrive. Your birthday will be in winter, so maybe you'll see snow as soon as you're born."

The rest of the letter was too charred, leaving only a few broken lines. From the smudged words, Huo Zong realized he had been wanted, at least by her.

"Huo Zong, I've disposed of all of A Lan's old belongings. Even if she had expectations before, she regretted it when she gave birth to you."

"You got to see the snow as you wished, but all A Lan saw was blood."

Huo Zong’s heart felt like a stone in his chest. After twenty-eight years, he suddenly realized that his arrival had once filled her with joy.

The thunder grew louder, and a ringing started in Huo Zong's head. Blood—it seemed he saw blood everywhere.

Huo Qing had summoned him back just to shame him, even destroying the one thing that was his.

Along with it, Huo Zong’s already broken heart was incinerated.

"Brother."

Jiang Fengmian spoke close to Huo Zong's ear, grabbing his wrist and leading him away.

The bodyguard automatically held up an umbrella for both of them. Huo Zong stepped into a puddle, the tattered letter clinging to his chest.

The storm intensified, and the car moved very slowly. Jiang Fengmian dared not let go of Huo Zong's fingers. Through the car window, the outside was a blur.

An uneasy feeling crept into Jiang Fengmian's heart. He clicked his tongue impatiently, his heartbeat accelerating rapidly.

Suddenly.

An out-of-control car suddenly swerved in front of theirs. The driver managed to avoid it, though the tires seemed to skid. From the rearview mirror, the car was still chasing them.

In the next moment, Jiang Fengmian was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace by Huo Zong. He buried his face in Huo Zong's chest, his head protected by Huo Zong's hand.

Huo Zong's elbow hit the back of the front seat with a thud.

"Are you okay, brother?"

Jiang Fengmian struggled slightly, but Huo Zong held him tightly. He could only fumble to take off the brooch from Huo Zong's chest.

"Hang on tight, Mr. Huo."

The driver remained calm in the crisis, swerving sharply around a corner.

Jiang Fengmian thought he heard Huo Zong groan softly. The back of Jiang Fengmian's head hurt, and even though he was wearing a seatbelt, he was still thrown by the immense impact.

The sound of the rain drowned out many noises. The driver's hands were trembling as he glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing the fragments of the car scattered.

"Mr. Huo, it's over. The out-of-control car must have hit something."

Huo Zong didn't respond for a long time, and Jiang Fengmian panicked instantly.

Ignoring his dizzy head, he wrapped his arms around Huo Zong's waist, his voice trembling with tears, "Huo Zong, are you okay?"