Chapter 13: Director He — Did He Guan respond today?

Seeing no response from Lou Dongzang, He Guan chose not to continue the conversation. He turned to grab his phone, remarking, "Dry your hair before sleeping. I shouldn’t need to remind you."

Lou Dongzang's muffled voice came from beneath the towel: "Okay."

He Guan: "I'll contact an employee. If you're tired, sleep first."

Lou Dongzang: "Employee?"

He Guan: "I'm planning to hire a driver. We can’t always hail taxis — it’s too inconvenient, waiting forever. That driver who often comes here seems to have it tough. He was too shy to charge more last time. I wonder if he even breaks even."

Lou Dongzang: "You seem more concerned about him than yourself."

He Guan: "What do I have to worry about? Where there’s a will, there’s a way. A good night’s sleep and I'll figure things out. Hold on, let me ask him..."

[Du Junyan requests to add you as a friend.]

He Guan: "Hello, I'm He Guan. Do you live nearby? Do you have a driver's license?"

Du Junyan: "Yes, I live with my dad at No. 207, at the foot of the mountain, not far from here. I've had my license for a year and passed all the tests on the first attempt."

He Guan: "Alright, let's meet tomorrow morning then. I'm looking to hire a driver. I’m offering a monthly salary of 6,500 for now. We'll head to the city center in the morning, return to Hongqiao in the afternoon, and after you drop me home in the evening, you can take the car to your place."

Du Junyan: "Understood."

He Guan: "You're male, right? Dress neatly. If you have a shirt, wear it. Be here before 7 am."

Du Junyan: "Got it."

After finishing his conversation with him, He Guan barely set down his phone when he noticed someone lifting the covers on the other side, settling down next to him.

He Guan glanced at him, "Do you often have nightmares?"

Lou Dongzang leaned against the headboard, eyes closed, "Occasionally."

That much is consistent with what's written in the book.

He Guan handed him a palm-sized collapsible baton that he’d been holding since entering the room, "Here, for self-defense. Might deter intruders. It's better to have it even if it might not always help. Tomorrow, I'll get a locksmith to change the front door lock. Just let me know if you wish to go out."

Clasping the leather handle, Lou Dongzang felt the lock button and started examining the mechanical baton, "...Press here to release? ...It's mechanical."

He Guan leaned in, the warmth from his shower brushing against Lou Dongzang, "Yes, that's the one. Don't aim at the blanket, you might puncture it. Point it upwards and give it a try."

He supported Lou Dongzang's wrist, gently elevating it, signaling him to apply some force.

As Lou Dongzang extended the baton with a flick, He Guan touched its surface, commenting, "Feels good, heavy. I bet it'd hurt quite a bit if used."

Tucking the baton beneath his pillow, Lou Dongzang quipped, "Aren’t you afraid I might use it against you?"

He Guan took a sharp intake of breath, "What grudge do you have against me...Do I owe you money?"

Lou Dongzang confessed, "Sometimes, I can't control my thoughts. I occasionally sleepwalk."

He Guan yawned with fatigue, noticing Lou Dongzang still sitting up. He tugged at his robe, motioning for him to lie down.

Lou Dongzang remained still.

He Guan sighed, "Come on, what harm can you do? Think a skinny guy like you can strangle me, a 23-year-old, in the middle of the night? You need to put on some weight first. You don't scare me. I’ve given you my word that I'm staying."

He paused, then added, "Although, if you stood at the foot of my bed in the middle of the night, hair wild and wearing white, I might toss a pillow at you in fright..."

Lou Dongzang remained silent.

Truthfully, Lou Dongzang wasn't lean. His physique indicated he had maintained regular exercise routines.

His rapid weight loss was due to significant recent life changes and an inability to adjust. Once his mental state stabilized, these concerns would be trivial.

Setting an alarm, He Guan warned, "Remember, you chose to sleep here. I wake up early and won't be responsible if I disturb you. OK?"

Lou Dongzang nodded, "Okay."

He Guan said, "Turning off the lights now. Also, I’ve instructed the driver to come directly here tomorrow. If he’s early, I might ask him to wait downstairs. I don’t let anyone come to the second floor. If you want to go downstairs, just let me know. Anything else? No?..."

He Guan's voice faded, and soon, not even a murmur escaped from his lips.

He slept soundly, lying on his back, his chest rising and falling gently with each breath, radiating warmth.

Once certain of He Guan's deep slumber, Lou Dongzang slid closer, as smoothly as a cold serpent.

He reached out, wrapping his arm around He Guan's waist, pressing his face to He Guan's cheek, feeling his breath.

The subtle ebb and flow of breath created faint vibrations, like a gentle wave of warmth caressing the skin.

At this moment, He Guan seemed to be the window through which Lou Dongzang connected with the world.

A window.

How could he relinquish the sole means to reclaim the light?

Lou Dongzang's hand hovered just below He Guan's neck, as if he could see, lingering possessively for a few seconds before pressing down with intent.

Beneath his touch, the muscles of the neck pulsed ever so gently. Countless veins converged just under the skin, with blood coursing through them, emanating a warmth brimming with vitality.

This area was rich in nerves, and Lou Dongzang assumed that with such pressure, He Guan would wake up quickly.

But He Guan didn't.

He hummed in confusion and reflexively reached up to grasp Lou Dongzang's hand, hoping to warm it with his own body heat.

It's so cold...

Something around his neck...

It feels like a constricting snake... uncomfortable pressure on his throat...

Lou Dongzang increased the pressure slightly.

If a light were switched on at that moment, one would see the intoxicated look in his eyes.

Mine.

How can he be so clueless, not evading it?

Feeling discomfort, He Guan frowned, grabbing that hand and placing it beneath his cheek.

Why does it feel heavier and heavier...

I can't breathe...

The cold hand quickly warmed beneath He Guan's perspiring face. He smacked his lips twice in contentment, settling back into slumber.

The action forced Lou Dongzang to halt momentarily.

It was only after He Guan released his hand and turned his face away that Lou Dongzang came back to his senses. Gently touching He Guan's waist, he started massaging it tenderly.

He meant it as an act of compensation.

He remembered He Guan mentioning a sore back.

He Guan shifted slightly, adeptly batting Lou Dongzang's hand away, mumbling, "Tickles, stop it. You little rascal, don't expect me to make you a midnight snack, I’ll feed you till you're plump like a pig..."

Lou Dongzang remained silent.

It was evident to him that the person He Guan referred to must have been his former roommate.

Lou Dongzang withdrew his hand and lay back down.

As the deep night settled in, bathed in the moonlight that shimmered like liquid silver, the motionless snake slowly raised its body and gently hovered above the young man, massaging him.

He Guan had slept well that night. He had expected to wake up with back pain, but to his surprise, he felt neither ache in his back nor weakness in his legs upon waking.

He had left the door to the guest room next door open, and the chatter from the sparrows inside almost made its way to this room.

It seemed to be just past seven o'clock.

Sitting up, he turned off the alarm that hadn’t gone off, noticed the person beside him still sleeping, nudged his blanket towards him, and then got up to change.

In this house, there were various clothes that belonged to He Guan: casual wear, suits, formal attire. All tailored to fit him perfectly, sorted and stored neatly in the master bedroom.

This had been a requirement of Lou Dongzang's father.

He Guan walked to the wardrobe and selected a charcoal-grey suit, replacing his sleeping robe.

At heart, he was indeed a bit lazy. The floor, carpeted and clean, seemed a fitting place to casually toss his robe, so he did, stepping on it as he dressed.

The metallic clasp of the belt made a soft chime, rousing the one drifting from sleep.

He Guan, having chosen a pin buckle belt and thinking he was quiet, still managed to disturb the other, asking, "Did I wake you?"

Lou Dongzang replied slowly, "…Yes."

Having just woken up, both of their voices sounded a bit nasal.

He Guan rubbed his nose, setting aside the chosen suit, planning to switch to casual wear to cook. His gaze caught his reflection in the passing.

With a puzzled expression, he remarked, "…What’s with my neck? Why is it red?"

Lou Dongzang got out of bed and stood half a step behind him, inquiring, "Where?"

Pointing at the spot, He Guan continued searching for his clothes, "On my neck. It's a bit red, doesn’t look like bug bites… Is it too damp in here? That can't be…"

The man behind him leaned in slightly, gently touching the side of He Guan’s neck, softly asking, "Here?"

Even in the early morning, his hand was cold to the touch, and so was his breath, which sent a chill down He Guan’s ear.

The cold sensation gave He Guan goosebumps. He tried to shake off the hand, but feeling his reaction was a bit excessive, he hesitated, unsure whether to push the hand away or let it be.

The fingers in his grasp moved slightly, the tips sliding across his palm, producing a soft friction.

In the end, He Guan released him, admitting awkwardly, "Yes, that's the spot. There are a few red dots. Maybe it’s due to dampness, or mites. I’ll air out the blankets later."

There was no way Lou Dongzang would admit those marks resulted from his own restlessness the previous night.

Seizing the right moment, he softly explained his earlier actions: "I couldn't see, so I reached out instinctively. I hope you don't hold it against me."

He Guan: "Understood. It's okay."

He Guan moved a little further away, donning his soft loungewear, preparing to cook. Glancing back, he noticed the other man still standing there, undressed, and asked with a hint of confusion, "Why aren't you getting dressed?"

Lou Dongzang: "I can't see."

Sensing that the atmosphere was a tad uncomfortable, He Guan probed further, "How do you usually change clothes then?"

Lou Dongzang: "I had a housemaid to assist me before. I've been wearing the same thing for the past couple of days. The robe I wore yesterday is hanging in the bathroom."

Such a pitiable state.

He Guan: "Alright… Let me pick something out for you. What do you prefer? Something casual or more formal? Since we're not going out... perhaps something more relaxed, a long-sleeved top and pants?"

Answering his own question, he quickly chose a white round-neck long-sleeved shirt and black trousers, saying, "Here you go."

Lou Dongzang took them. Setting the shirt aside, he felt his way into the trousers.

He Guan had no interest in observing the other's physique and went downstairs, bypassing him.

By the time he descended, Uncle Yue was already neatly dressed, simple yet clean. Seeing He Guan, he greeted, "Young master, will you be preparing breakfast? Can I assist?"

He Guan: "Mmm, I'm thinking of steaming some egg custard. I also fancy some potstickers. Do we have any at home? I recall we have some spring roll wrappers. I'll make do and prepare some fillings. Uncle Yue, please get me some pork and shrimp."

Uncle Yue: "Alright, I'll fetch them."

He Guan: "Where's my brother?"

Uncle Yue: "He's still asleep."

As He Guan prepared the steamer for the whisked eggs, he remarked, "He went to his room to sleep at eight o'clock yesterday, didn't he? What is he, a pig?"

Uncle Yue: "When I was tidying things up, he was engrossed in his phone."

He Guan: "Quite diligent, isn't he?"

One could guess he was apprehensive about attracting so much attention.

Even though Ren Ning had given his word to He Guan, he still belonged to the extra-cautious type. These risks were a bit too much for him.

After chopping up the ingredients, He Guan mixed them with the right seasonings in a bowl. Using the spring roll wrappers, he swiftly made potstickers.

He wasn't worried about Ren Ning changing his mind. After heading to the company today, he'd have ways to persuade him.

Counting the potstickers, He Guan inquired, "Uncle Yue, how many would you like?"

Uncle Yue: "Eight."

He Guan looked momentarily lost in thought.

Is it truly possible for two people to be so alike in this world, down to the exact number of dumplings they'd eat?

He proceeded to make fifty potstickers in total. Ren Ning only appeared when it was time to fry them.

With slippers scraping against the floor, Ren Ning stood beside He Guan, yawning, "The air here is so fresh. My rhinitis didn’t act up this morning. What are you cooking?"

As He Guan brushed oil onto the pan, he retorted, "Potstickers. Brother, mind your drool; it almost landed on my hand."

Ren Ning subconsciously reached for his mouth, realizing the tease, he shot back, "Stop messing with me."

He Guan chuckled.

Watching He Guan cook, Ren Ning mused, "I never knew you could cook. Weren’t you a kitchen disaster on that variety show?"

Calmly placing the potstickers in the pan, He Guan played along with the previous persona's inability to cook, "I was pretending. If you'd known I could cook, you would've exploited me."

Previously, the original owner of the body had been living with Ren Ning, avoiding the company's dormitory.

Ren Ning jested, "The man who once craftily evaded chores is now so diligent. What changed?"

He Guan quipped, "Well, I have a wife to provide for now. You’ll get it once you're married."

As he spoke, He Guan felt confident about his decision not to divorce Lou Dongzang.

Many things, once framed within the context of marriage, seemed to make sense, even drastic changes in character.

After simmering most of the potstickers, he fried eight separate ones with added egg mixture, creating a unique dish of potstickers wrapped in egg.

Once the potstickers were done and the egg custard was ready, with two egg-wrapped dumplings for each, He Guan took his share and headed upstairs.

Ren Ning sighed, "Guanzi, when can I finally share a meal with you?"

He Guan paused, feigning confusion, "Why are you always trying to compete with my wife for attention? Haven't we dined together? Remember that breakfast on the ferry? Brother, you can't be this jealous."

Ren Ning choked on his custard.

Uncle Yue, with a sympathetic gesture, reached over to pat his back.

Ren Ning was no match for He Guan's wit.

He Guan pressed on teasingly, "Honestly, brother, I'm not into men. It's just not possible between us."

Ren Ning retorted, "Wait! He Guan, I'm here to declare that no one is straighter than me. Why are you rushing off? Don't avoid the topic! It's a matter of straight-man pride!"

Before Ren Ning finished, He Guan had already vanished at the stair's end.

After Lou Dongzang got dressed, he headed to the guest room to meet his sparrow guests. He Guan called out, "Stop playing with the sparrows, you sluggard. Go and air out your blanket."

Standing by the window, the man's hair was neat, the morning light gilded the sides of his hair with a golden hue. The sunlight streamed over his face, softening the sharp contours resulting from his lean visage and masking his pallid complexion with a touch of green.

From this perspective, he didn't seem different from any ordinary person.

He turned around, a bewildered chubby sparrow perched on his hand, tilting its head towards He Guan.

Tiny grains of millet, picked up inadvertently while handling the sparrow, trickled from Lou Dongzang's palm.

The rotund sparrow, following the trail of the grains, fluttered down, landing on the room's carpet.

Unable to react in time, He Guan snatched a pillow and tossed it at him, exclaiming, "Don't bring the sparrow inside the room!"

An unsuspecting Lou Dongzang was hit square in the face by the soft cushion. Clutching the pillow, he sighed, his voice muffled, "It flew away..."

The chubby sparrow settled atop Lou Dongzang's head, chirping energetically.

He Guan said, "The vacuum cleaner is by your door. Clean up the millet under your feet, then go air out the quilt. The sparrow is perched on your head."

Lou Dongzang replied, "…Alright."

His voice carried a playful lilt, and he let out a light chuckle in the early morning.

He Guan responded, "Laughing doesn't excuse you from cleaning. Get to it."

Lou Dongzang amended, "I promise to get the job done."

He Guan retorted, "That's more like it."

He Guan retrieved the pillow and placed it on the balcony before grabbing a quilt.

The figure in the guest room next door moved about with a vacuum cleaner.

Sparrows continued their chirping.

The muffled hum of the vacuum filled the space.

The friction of fabrics rustled as He Guan adjusted the quilt and clothing.

Setting the pillow on a ground-level rack, he proceeded to slide open the balcony doors, greeted by the gentle cool breeze of early spring.

Leaning against the balcony frame, He Guan squinted amidst the breeze, musing, "…Spring is arriving so soon."

Lou Dongzang, who had come over with another quilt, stood silently beside him, savoring the caress of the wind, and responded in a languid tone, "Mmm."

The spring breeze brought warmth.

A rare sensation he deeply cherished.

*

Having changed into his suit, He Guan descended the stairs, promptly receiving two consecutive phone calls.

The first call was from the driver who had applied for the job the previous day, Du Junyan, informing him he had arrived at the entrance of Dongzang Garden.

The second call was from the newly appointed executive assistant, echoing the previous message and also bringing a company car.

He asked Ren Ning to wait outside and whispered to Uncle Yue in the house, "My spouse is staying upstairs, and he's a man. If you run into him, try not to be too taken aback, alright?"

Uncle Yue raised an eyebrow, "A man? I thought you liked..."

He Guan interrupted, "It's complicated to explain in a few words. Now that I have a family, I need to take responsibility. You're always around, and it's inevitable you'll encounter him. I just hope you don't startle him when you see him. He's easily frightened and tends to overthink things. Please be patient with him. If anything happens, let me know immediately. If he shows any suicidal tendencies, call me right away. I worry about him being alone at home."

He Guan, noting Uncle Yue's nod, added, still uneasy, "Just think of him as our house's protected species, like a bird of prey. They get stressed when approached closely, that kind of thing..."

Holding back a chuckle, Uncle Yue replied, "Understood, young master."

As the garden gate of the winter garden opened, one person stood, arms crossed, leaning against a car, while another squatted on the steps, counting ants.

Hearing the door, both turned their attention to He Guan, who stepped out first.

He Guan greeted, "Hello. I'm He Guan. Which one of you is Yan Xu?"

The slim man in the suit stood up straighter, no longer leaning against the car, and waved, "Hello, Director He."

Yan Xu was tall and lean, scholarly in appearance, wearing glasses.

He Guan nodded and then looked at the tall driver standing on the step, Du Junyan.

He was a towering figure, dressed casually in a black shirt and pants, with color-blocked sneakers. His muscles were pronounced, and his shirt strained against his pectorals, looking like it might burst at any moment.

... No wonder his father said he could do heavy lifting.

He Guan introduced, "Assistant Yan, this is our driver, Du Junyan. Du Junyan, this is my assistant, Mr. Yan. Following us is Ren Ning, my agent."

Yan Xu hesitated for a second, a pause He Guan noticed but didn’t understand. Seeing that Yan Xu didn’t voice his thoughts, He Guan chose not to ask.

After the introductions, He Guan instructed Du Junyan to start the car.

Once settled in, He Guan asked, "Have you all eaten?"

Both Du Junyan and Yan Xu, seated in the driver and passenger seats, replied in unison, "Yes, we have."

Ren Ning, sitting beside He Guan, wisely kept silent.

That morning he had devoured eighteen dumplings on his own.

He Guan instructed, "Alright, let's head to Starry Media in the city center. Assistant Yan, please coordinate with the tech, PR, wardrobe departments, and the head planners of each group for a meeting at 10 a.m. Before that... let's say, at 9. Have the remaining four from nolimit and Chu Li report to my office."

Yan Xu acknowledged, "Understood."

He Guan took out his phone and logged into his social media account, browsing the latest comments.

Those criticizing him.

The day Nolimit was supposed to debut, He Guan interfered, leaving the four other members unable to make their debut. Now, He Guan's social media account is like a battlefield under siege.

Someone even changed their username to "Did He Guan Respond Today?"

Clicking on the profile, He Guan realized it was a dedicated update account.

The most recent post by the account read:

[Day 2, No response. Playing dead.]

He Guan gave it a 'like'.

He lingered on this user's page and, as expected, quickly found a screenshot of his own 'like', accompanied by a new hashtag: #DidHeGuanJustLikeMyPost????.

Four question marks—clearly, the user was taken aback.

Curious, he clicked on the hashtag and discovered active discussions.

[Is there something wrong with He Guan and his agent lately? Just yesterday his agent liked a comment bashing He Guan.]

[Seems like they're fanning the flames...]

[LOL, what's going on? Did the guy go crazy after failing to become a star? He seems kinda off. Never seen this before.]

He Guan's detractors are swarming under this hashtag.

[Dude, did your account get hacked? Blink twice if yes. Who in their right mind likes such comments on their own page? Performing a big teary-eyed show here. Aren’t you just aiming for the trending list?]

[Can the fans please go away? You're everywhere.]

[Sorry, mistook you for an enemy. This is friendly fire. Let's not embarrass him by trending this. Use #DidHeGuanJustLikeMyPost????, retweet this, and one lucky person gets 100 spicy sticks.]

Some are genuinely trying to analyze He Guan's motives.

[Thinking out loud, maybe his agent has been wanting to do this for a long time, seeing He Guan's antics. With the recent scandal, there's no way to save face, so maybe this is a way to vent? If I were Ren Ning and I managed an artist for three years without making money, I'd quit. Wonder how much the breach of contract penalty would be. I’d be furious.]

The account owner responded, surprisingly gentle:

[Guys, this doesn't make sense T_T. Why did He Guan like my post? Is he happy about the disbandment? Where's the logic? What's his motivation?]

The comments section heated up rapidly.

[Didn't he just want to leave the group? Making such a bold move when the group was at its peak to get remembered? Seems like his style, right? Just a bad apple, desperate for attention.]

[Considering he disregarded other members just because he got married, he must have a significant reason for doing so, right? Maybe he married into a rich family and got trapped/restricted? Or had to repay his father's debts and made a shady deal? Even novels wouldn’t dare to plot this way LOL.]

[Liking that post pisses me off so much. Damn it, I genuinely supported him before. To hell with He Guan.]

[The fans must have shed countless tears for the other four members these past days, and He Guan’s just chilling online? Unbelievable!]

Still, some fans held onto hope.

[Wait, isn't anyone thinking that the remaining four could still form a group? Even though the press conference ended abruptly, there hasn't been any mention of Nolimit disbanding. Isn't there a possibility that the four could still...?]

[Still what? The show they signed up for with Director Qu was meant for five members. Now with He Guan gone, the remaining can't film. Wonder how much they'll have to pay for breaching the contract.]

[Damn it, except for Jin Jue who's from a wealthy background, the others are from regular families. They can't afford to breach the contract.]

[He Guan, how will you repay the debt you owe them?]

[Waking up to this has me all emo... What's going to happen to our Nolimit...?]

[Let's take things one step at a time. Right now, all I can think is, "He Guan, please stop causing more chaos." Otherwise, I might just lose it.]

[Same here. Seriously, He Guan, I'm begging you. Stop liking posts. Every time you show up now, it feels like an insult to the four hard-working members. Don't you get basic social cues? They were your former teammates, for heaven's sake! Please, show them some final respect.]

[Sobbing+1. He Guan, I beg you, stop wreaking havoc.]

He Guan followed that update account, turned off his phone, and thought, the number of likes is only going to increase from here.

Nolimit has more individual fans than group fans because each of the five members has their unique charm. Among them, Jin Jue, with his standout looks and charisma, has the most fans, with more than half being female fans.

Since He Guan's departure controversy, he's become public enemy number one.

This led to an unprecedented unanimous backlash against him within the group's dedicated forum, and the proportion of group fans surged.

Fearing Nolimit's potential disbandment, many group fans have increased their promotional videos and content, promoting all four remaining members.

Some even included Chu Li in their promotional content.

#If Chu Li was chosen from the start, none of this would've happened, right?#

Disappointed former fans of He Guan have built towers of resentment in the public forum. Every day, newly informed fans come to vent their frustrations.

In the future, if Nolimit successfully debuts, all this will translate into genuine attention for Nolimit.

In short, only He Guan is hurt, and everyone else receives care and attention. Mission accomplished. jpg

This is exactly the outcome He Guan wanted.

When the black Lincoln stopped at Starry Media, He Guan, gripping the car door handle to get out, thought he heard Yan Xu's stomach growl.

He Guan: "..."

What's going on? Didn't he say he had eaten? Would having a meal now be counted against his impression score?

He acted as if he didn't hear it, got out of the car, and said, "Assistant Yan, you go ahead. Coordinate with the departments and inform me once done. I'll have a smoke here."

Yan Xu nodded, "Understood, Director He. I'll get on it."

Ren Ning: "I'll get going too. Call me if you need anything, Guan."

He Guan: "Alright, take your time."

He Guan waited until the two entered the elevator before gesturing to Du Junyan, who was getting out of the car. Contrary to what he told Yan Xu, he didn't light a cigarette.

He Guan: "Junyan, could you get a sandwich from Subway nearby? And a black coffee for the drink. Bring them to my office."

Du Junyan: "Sure, boss. Where's your office located?"

He Guan: "..."

Oops, he forgot to ask Yan Xu where his office was.

*

At 8:45 in the morning, the four members of Nolimit and Chu Li ran into each other at the elevator, both parties visibly surprised.

Noticing that Chu Li didn't press a button upon entering, the four exchanged glances. Led by Gan Qing, they all gave Chu Li a friendly smile.

They were headed to the same floor.

The group of five, apart from that brief smile, didn't converse during the elevator ride. They stopped in front of the executive office on the 34th floor and knocked.

"Come in."

The voice was muffled by the door, sounding slightly different than usual, but they all felt a familiar resonance.

There was someone in the office.

Just one person.

With his back to them, he had a straight posture, his shoulders broad and waist slim. He was slightly bent over, playing with a clear acrylic nameplate on the desk.

He stood tall, his steel-gray suit impeccably tailored around his waist. His jet-black hair revealed a strong, pale nape.

With a casual, aristocratic air, he rotated the nameplate.

Hearing the door, he gently set the nameplate flat on the desk with a soft thud.

The group could read:

[He Guan - Director]

He Guan turned around, facing the five individuals with varying expressions, and with a hint of amusement, said, "Nolimit, take a seat."

Author's note:

Next update tomorrow.

Writing the V chapter, it's in progress...