Chapter 40: The Camera - Truly Legendary.

With a forced chuckle, He Guan replied, "What do you mean? I don't understand."

Lou Dongcang suddenly released his hand.

He Guan watched as the other's smile slowly faded in the night, unconsciously gripping the stem of the rose tighter.

Then He Guan heard him speak,

"Was my gesture of hand-kissing appropriate?"

In the end, Lou Dongcang didn't take the rose, but a lingering scent remained on his fingers.

It was the first time He Guan had heard such a dejected tone from him. But true to Lou Dongcang's reticent nature, he fell silent after speaking.

As the night deepened and the surrounding guests dwindled, he closed his eyes.

It took He Guan a while to find his voice again, "... It was lovely."

Lou Dongcang did not respond.

All the way home, Lou Dongcang remained silent.

The scent of Arabian Nights was intense.

Sitting in the car, He Guan stared intently at the rose he had picked.

When the car stopped in front of Zang Dong Garden, it took Du Junyan calling him three times to snap He Guan out of his reverie. He replied, "Oh, okay."

Previously, when disembarking the car, He Guan, who sat on the side opposite the door, would exit first and walk around to wait for Lou Dongcang, even offering him a hand.

Today, Lou Dongcang held the car door and stepped out on his own.

As He Guan walked around to see him already out, he hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Can you manage on your own?"

Facing the main door, Lou Dongzang uttered, "Hmm."

His response gave He Guan a glimmer of hope, wishing to ask another question. But Lou Dongzang had already walked past him.

Lost in the night's embrace, He Guan intended to follow Lou Dongzang's steps, but his feet wouldn’t budge. He even forgot to greet Du Junyan and bid him farewell.

*

He Guan had a restless night.

It was his first time here.

He closed his eyes and slept for six hours, but it felt as if he hadn't slept at all. When he woke up the next day, He Guan couldn't recall any of his dreams, only the sensation of being constantly pursued.

Even after waking, that uneasy feeling lingered.

He gazed at the floating dust in the air, momentarily lost, before turning to the person beside him.

Whether the person was awake or not made little difference to He Guan. Usually, when Lou Dongzang woke up, he would converse.

He Guan believed he was still sleeping.

Getting out of bed to find his clothes, he massaged his temples for some time to alleviate the pain.

With last night's memories still vivid, He Guan wasn't in the mood for a suit and tie, so he casually put on a hoodie.

Off to work.

Even though it's Sunday.

The recent change of seasons had brought unpredictable weather. Yesterday was hot, today turned chilly.

As He Guan stepped out, the skies weren’t in his favor, a light drizzle began.

He went back to get a leather jacket and happened to see Lou Dongzang awakening.

Lou Dongzang, leaning against the headboard, said nothing upon hearing him return.

After putting on his jacket, just before leaving, He Guan said, "It's raining outside; gather the dishes. They might get wet."

Until his departure, he didn't receive an expected acknowledgment.

Upon reaching the office, a security guard stopped He Guan before the CEO’s elevator, claiming not to recognize him and refusing entry.

The guard remarked that he didn't look like a CEO, or the guard would've known him.

Without arguing, He Guan stood by the revolving door and called Yan Xu to come down.

Fortunately, Yan Xu arrived in less than three minutes.

He Guan, gesturing around with a suppressed temper, said, "Switch to facial recognition, and relocate these guards to the main entrance."

All Yan Xu could do was nod.

As usual, he settled into his chair, addressing the backlog of tasks from a two-day break, reviewing documents until ten o'clock when a separate meeting commenced.

For Starfield, a company that's rapidly risen in the emerging entertainment industry, there are naturally designated personnel in each department during weekends.

The APP's progress looked promising during the meeting.

He Guan proposed both digital and physical album directions and urged a discussion on the approach.

After the final decision, it was clear that physical albums were a must, coming in two formats: vinyl records and CDs.

The contents include lyrics, stickers, regular cards, and special cards. The first batch of albums will randomly feature signed photos of the members at a ratio of 278:1.

Someone interjected, questioning if having both vinyl and CD formats might be problematic, suggesting CDs might sell better. He Guan gave them a brief, dismissive glance.

Noticing many curious gazes, He Guan sighed, tapped the conference table with his pen, and remarked,

"Who among you owns both a DVD and a vinyl player? These are for music enthusiasts. Casual listeners won't bother purchasing."

"Many fans buy albums for the collectible cards. Have we forgotten our survey of 20,000 respondents? If regular and special cards aren't enough, include limited edition cards. Keep signed photos for signings."

"Oh, and we've selected a splash vinyl for today. Once the factory produces the sample, show it to me."

The marketing department was surprised He Guan remembered their PPT content. The person who brought it up had actually forgotten and lowered their head in embarrassment.

He Guan looked as if he was about to reprimand someone. However, he merely lifted his hand, sighed, and said, "Let's adjourn. I've rejected all APP name proposals; none of them were memorable. You have one more week. If I don’t see a good name by then..."

He didn't finish, standing and departing.

As the meeting concluded, the crowd dispersed. An employee from the photography department, familiar with Yan Xu, walked beside him, asking, "Yan, why was Mr. He in such a mood today?"

Yan Xu shook his head: "I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's a family matter. He's been like this since he arrived this morning."

The employee speculated, "Perhaps he argued with his wife? Why else would he come in over the weekend? But even when Mr. He is upset, it’s bearable. He doesn't lose his temper like our manager does."

Intrigued, Yan Xu inquired, "Your manager?"

The employee explained, "The department head. Didn't Mr. He recently authorize new equipment purchases? Who knows what he's done with them. Both the director and cameraman for our MV shoots are his nephews, and the results are... questionable."

Recognizing the implications, Yan Xu simply nodded, "Speak less of this."

He wouldn't be one to tattle.

Going over someone’s head with complaints is frowned upon.

The employee shrugged, "I'm doing graphic designer work in the photography department. Editing, photo manipulation, it's all on me. If I don't speak up, I might just keel over from the stress. It'd be great if he got demoted. Otherwise, I might have to resign."

Yan Xu remained silent.

Seeing Yan Xu's expression, the employee knew he'd taken the words to heart, laughing as he said, "Thanks for the help, Yan. I'm off!"

Yan Xu sighed, feeling the folder he held grow increasingly heavy.

In the meeting, He Guan mentioned that the new song would be ready in a week, which would be immediately followed by practice sessions and MV shootings. He'd inevitably encounter the cinematographer and director...

If an employee escalates a complaint, there's usually a valid reason. Now seems to be the right time to talk to He Guan.

Otherwise, when the MV shooting commences and they can't find the right people, it'll be a case of having to make do. By then, He Guan's frustration would be far greater than today's.

Moreover, after seeing He Guan at yesterday's family feast, Yan Xu had kept his head lowered, not daring to glimpse at He Guan's expression.

Yan Fengqing had tried to coax He Guan's recent schedule from him without success. Currently, Yan Xu bears a fresh knife scar on his abdomen.

Lou Jun Duo would be coming tomorrow for a handover...

Collecting himself, Yan Xu headed to Assistant Dong's office with the folder.

*

Noon.

Lou Mansion.

The man on the bed sat up, the plush velvet blanket slipping away, revealing bruises on his neck and whip marks on his chest.

Servants quickly came to attend to him.

With the assistance of the servants, Yan Fengqing managed to don his shirt, though walking was still a challenge. He lay back down, gazing at the intricate ceiling mural as he rested.

Yan Xu was truly useless. After spending so much time with He Guan, he still couldn't figure out his true character.

Dong Zhu wasn’t a nanny. What a waste.

He had had no choice but to question Lou Jun Duo in bed, which only ignited his anger.

Yan Fengqing had recognized He Guan on the boat that evening. At the time, He Guan seemed fearless. Uncertain about confronting him directly and wary of Lou Jun Duo, Yan Fengqing had hesitated.

If Lou Jun Duo learned that he'd deceived him with the white rose, he'd surely rush back to punish him further.

Yan Fengqing was forbidden to touch anyone in Lou's territory.

Yan Fengqing laughed, a hint of neuroticism in his voice.

He Guan had surprised him, deviating from the story. He was 80% sure this He Guan wasn't the one described in the original book.

Could he be like him...

A transmigrator into this story?

Yan Fengqing squinted, his vision blurring—

Without his glasses, he couldn't see anything.

The question now was whether to extend an olive branch.

If He Guan learned that he was behind the previous media scandal, how would he react?

What if He Guan remained unaware?

He probably knows.

Otherwise, he'd be too naive.

The clues he left were ample.

Would He Guan suspect Lou Jun Duo orchestrated it?

A confrontation would be interesting.

In the heat of conflict, he could find a way to earn He Guan's trust.

He had initially thought placing Yan Xu close to He Guan would be beneficial. Now, it seems more straightforward for him to take the initiative.

The industries of new energy and the combination of traditional and internet businesses in Lou Jun Duo's hands, representing the family enterprise, were undoubtedly significant. And the old Lou patriarch showed no intention of entrusting them to He Guan — he was still under assessment.

But Starfield under He Guan's control...

With Chu Li on He Guan's side, this portion was bound for explosive growth in a short time.

It was a predetermined outcome in the book. Yan Fengqing initially believed that Chu Li would fall under Lou Jun Duo's influence. Instead, He Guan snatched him away. At this rate, this territory would inevitably belong to He Guan.

After He Guan secured his industries... would it be possible for him to pledge allegiance?

Everything here would ultimately belong to him, Yan Fengqing.

The Yan family couldn’t remain as the Lou family’s servants for generations.

He lay there until the sun began to set, finally feeling rejuvenated enough to leave.

On his way, he saw the elder Lou patriarch sitting by the garden's artificial lake, gazing into the distance.

Yan Fengqing adjusted his glasses. Behind the lenses, his eyes were cold, filled with a peculiar disdain.

He had thought this household only consisted of an old madman and a young madman. Now, the elder had produced a more significant lunatic and introduced someone who didn't belong here into his circle...

The waters were becoming muddier.

*

At five in the afternoon, after wrapping up his work, He Guan, still in his morning attire, took the elevator down.

The security guard at the elevator was the same one from earlier, who greeted him with a nod, looking slightly apprehensive.

He Guan wasn't in the mood to reassure him but showed no intention of reprimanding either. He simply advised the guard to work diligently and left.

His mood was off, but ultimately, the employees weren't at fault.

When He Guan settled into the back seat of the Yaying car, he still hadn't fully recovered. After a full day's work, his temples throbbed with pain, yet his mind was completely lucid, continuously analyzing where things might have gone wrong.

He Guan still couldn't figure out what he might have said wrong last night. After some thought, he turned on the camera and slipped on the headphones.

He decided to see what his family was up to.

He made no extra commands, so the robot didn't move from its charging dock, only panning its camera to focus on Lou Dong.

The pet robot automatically followed the only person moving within the house.

Lou Dong locked the door and walked back to his bed.

Isn't it feeding time for the birds at this hour?

He Guan ruffled his hair and leaned back to continue watching.

The Tianfang Yehua that he hadn't given away yesterday was now in his hand.

A smirk crept onto his lips, thinking to himself,

"What's the fuss? In the end, didn't he still accept it?"

Lou Dong peeled back the covers.

Going to bed this early?

He Guan frowned.

He'll have trouble sleeping at night if he sleeps now.

Just as he was about to turn on the microphone to remind Lou Dong, he heard the latter wrap himself in the blanket, giving a low sigh accompanied by the wilted rose.

Words that reached He Guan's throat were forced back down.

"He Guan..."