Chapter 55: Picking Up at the Airport - A Matter of Position.

At 9 a.m., He Guan and Yan Xu promptly drove to the airport.

On the way to the airport, He Guan seemed distracted, occasionally observing the roadside scenes while incessantly fidgeting with his phone.

After briefly checking something on his device, it was time to pick up Ren Ning, and he headed to the airport as scheduled.

Now... he's in a state where he feels like he understands but hasn’t fully grasped the situation...

How did they even get in there?

It's challenging his comprehension.

Moreover, he's not sure if it's just his imagination...

But one of them seemed to be in pain...

Was it the one on the left... or no, perhaps the one on the right?

He Guan was momentarily baffled. It was the first time he came across these terms, especially in the title of a video on such an indescribable website today.

Anyway, the person on the right seemed to be suppressing a pained gasp...

Now, all he can think of are those subdued gasping sounds, and they linger in his mind.

Lost in his thoughts, He Guan suddenly realized that the car had already parked, and Yan Xu beside him was handing him a face mask.

He put it on, and the three of them exited the vehicle, heading to the arrival hall to meet someone.

The flight was delayed by twenty minutes, so He Guan took the opportunity to deal with some matters from Qing Tu Studio while sitting in the waiting area.

After their studio took over the last hit song, the entire process from inception to the final product was a good experience.

He Guan is considering entrusting them with another side track and a featured song.

During their conversation, before He Guan could bring it up, the bassist and head of PR from the studio proactively extended an olive branch to him:

"Mr. He, the last song perfectly fit the current pop market; our studio loved it. We hope to continue collaborating with 'Blind Box Studio' for future songs, if possible."

"However, we couldn't find their contact information online. Sorry for troubling you. Could you, by any chance, provide us with a connection?"

He Guan paused momentarily.

What Qing Tu meant was...

The song by 'Blind Box' is impressive, and they hope to get in touch with the composer and lyricist sooner to facilitate collaborative music creation.

He felt slightly dazed.

In areas where He Guan rarely paid attention, subtle details had been noticed and greatly appreciated by others. He was genuinely pleased, more than he expected.

He realized how much he still loved songwriting.

He enjoyed writing songs and loved music.

He relished carrying his guitar around, playing with piano keys, and staring blankly at sheet music until it was filled with notes.

He managed the company well, but he didn’t particularly enjoy it; mostly, he did it out of necessity.

As He Guan pondered his response, the distinct sound of footsteps accompanied by the rolling of two luggage wheels approached him.

He looked up to see Ren Ning rushing towards him with a big smile.

He Guan greeted, "Brother."

Ren Ning gave him a hug, took a sip from the water bottle Yan Xu handed him, caught his breath, and said, "Shall we go? I just want to head back and sleep now. You have no idea how difficult the negotiations were on the other side..."

He Guan listened with an amused smile as he vented.

Du Junyan picked up Ren Ning's luggage, and the group of four headed for the elevator.

The four men entered the elevator first, followed by two young women who tried to join them.

The women shared a single piece of luggage, each assisting the other.

However, they hesitated for a few seconds, their eyes darting between the four men.

He Guan courteously made space, squeezing next to Yan Xu.

Feeling his back pressed against Yan Xu's briefcase, He Guan inquired, "Is it too tight?"

Yan Xu replied, "No, it's fine."

Only after observing He Guan's gesture did the two girls step inside, nodding in appreciation.

He Guan responded, "You're welcome."

One of the girls, recognizing his voice, asked in surprise, "Guan Guan? We meet again?"

He Guan: "..."

How could life be so coincidental?

It was the girl he met at the 'Hoof and Wing' restaurant last time; she seemed to be here to pick someone up from the airport.

He Guan: "...Indeed, quite the coincidence."

He Guan found the woman getting off the plane somewhat familiar. He eyed her for a moment and asked, "Have we met before?"

The woman, disembarking from the plane, smiled and made an "X" gesture with her fingers.

It was the saleswoman from the mobile phone store where He Guan had taken Lou Dongzan to buy a phone.

Sensing that the girl who had come to pick someone up was about to speak, He Guan preemptively stated, "No autographs, no photos, but thank you for your admiration."

The girl pouted, "So heartless. Is this your standard refusal?"

He Guan spread his hands in a resigned gesture, "I'm not a celebrity anymore, I don't do the whole 'star' thing."

The girl inquired, "How do you know Xiao Yu?"

Turning to the saleswoman who had just disembarked, He Guan began, "Xiao Yu is..."

The saleswoman extended her hand, "My name is Chi Yu."

He Guan shook hands with both and made small talk during the elevator ride.

The girl who had missed out on an autograph last time and was again denied by He Guan was named Cheng Anran.

The saleswoman he had met previously was named Chi Yu.

However, Chi Yu no longer worked as a saleswoman.

She mentioned quitting her job due to too many odd encounters, even though the pay was decent. After resigning, she took a break to travel.

Now, she had reconnected with her old friend Cheng Anran and had returned to her original profession—directing.

He Guan: "Are both of you from the directing field?"

Leaning against Chi Yu, Cheng Anran laughed, "Chi Yu studied directing and is currently job hunting. I majored in broadcast and television directing and work at a TV station. Mr. He, if there's an opening, could you give Chi Yu a chance?"

Accepting a business card handed over by Yan Xu, He Guan replied, "Of course. Here's my card. Would you like to add me on WeChat? You can send your resume."

Chi Yu took the card humbly, "Thank you. I will."

She moved with a calm demeanor, exuding an aura of tranquility and grace, which made a pleasant impression on others.

Cheng Anran, waving her rainbow scarf, added, "Oh, by the way, Guan Guan, I watched your livestream. Keep it up! 'Love is Innocent'!"

He Guan was caught between laughter and tears: "I really... thank you."

A hint of curiosity crept onto Chi Yu's typically composed face: "What do you mean?"

Cheng Anran interjected, "I'll explain to you later..."

She hummed a tune as she pulled Chi Yu towards their car, waving goodbye to He Guan.

Only after the girls left did Ren Ning inquire, "What live broadcast? Guanzi, are you now a broadcaster? What's with 'Love is Innocent'? Are you in a relationship?"

He Guan replied, "We'll discuss it in the car."

Ren Ning, who was still in the dark about He Guan's marital status, might need earplugs once He Guan fills him in during their drive.

Bidding farewell to the duo, He Guan's group headed to their car, stored the luggage, and settled inside.

After He Guan assumed his role, he had dismissed a group of uncooperative veteran executives. Those left either complied fully or did so on the surface.

Even then, he felt understaffed.

Sometimes, feedback wasn't timely, and he might miss out on crucial details.

For instance, the filming of this MV.

He Guan queried, "Yan Xu, how long has the MV been in production?"

Yan Xu immediately understood the context: "The progress has been slower than expected, but the department assures completion within this month."

He Guan acknowledged, "Alright."

Yan Xu had mentioned some issues with the MV director to him earlier, but He Guan had been preoccupied discussing an online variety show with Ning Zhihe.

His unexpected emergence in the Lou family's circle was still something the business community of Huaiyin City was getting acquainted with.

Only with He Guan's recent frequent engagements did his popularity slightly rise, and forging a connection with Ning Zhihe was an unplanned bonus.

He Guan's initial plan was simply to conclude the negotiations smoothly.

Now, having settled matters with Ning Zhihe, he had time to address internal issues in his company, like the current MV director.

He was considering a personnel change and had been recruiting, but none of the candidates seemed right to him.

The MV directors who had applied so far had an overly complex style, with profound undertones. Their desire to constantly express their own narratives, combined with their reclusive nature, didn't suit Nolimit's need for a more mainstream, entertainment-focused direction.

He wondered if Chi Yu might be the breakthrough he was looking for.

As he pondered, Ren Ning, who had finished browsing Weibo, grabbed He Guan by the collar and demanded, "What's going on here? Why is the person you're marrying a man?"

He Guan, who hadn't been treated this way in over a decade, awkwardly grabbed Ren Ning's arm in a desperate plea: "Brother, brother, brother! I'm sorry! Let me explain! I didn't intentionally keep this from you!"

Ren Ning made a throat-slashing gesture at him.

He Guan waved his phone at him, typing away.

Kai: "You're too outspoken. Next time, don't ask in front of the assistant. The Luos introduced her to me. I'm uncertain about where I stand."

Ren Ning: [giggling][giggling][giggling]

Ren Ning: "Is your close bond real or just for show? Did you enter into a sham marriage, and he's going to discard you after using you? Is that why you never introduced me to your wife? Because it's a man? Don't let yourself be mistreated. I just watched a live stream clip. What's going on?"

While Ren Ning can be quite impulsive, his feelings for He Guan are undeniable. Aside from his parents, his cousin is what matters most to him.

Kai: "I was really short on cash back then. Someone approached me, and I signed an agreement with the Luos to marry him... But then I realized he's quite decent, so we've genuinely started dating recently..."

Ren Ning: "..."

Ren Ning: "Is he good to you? Who is he?"

Kai: "He's the son of the chairman of my company. He's been really good to me."

Ren Ning continued to inquire, "Is it a real marriage?"

Kai: "Yes, we have the marriage certificate. Look at my ring."

Ren Ning leaned in, examining the ring, tempted to remove it.

He Guan: "Bro, why are you trying to take off my ring?"

Ren Ning: "I want to check if it's real. Let me bite it..."

He Guan almost doubled over in laughter, "It's real! I told you before that we got married. We've known each other since then. Did you think I was using marriage as an excuse to leave the group?"

As he spoke, there was a palpable sense of time having passed.

In just over a month, he and Lou Dongzang had transitioned from a faux married couple to a genuine romantic relationship.

It was He Guan's first time establishing such an intimate relationship with someone, and he spoke of it with surprising calmness. It felt like Lou Dongzang's presence brought him unparalleled security.

In the past, He Guan couldn't even imagine feeling this way.

But on reflection, he'd gained a lot from Lou Dongzang.

Setting aside material gains like housing and employment, focusing only on the emotional aspect.

Just the emotional aspect.

Lou Dongzang, despite being blind and tormented for over two months because of it, enduring so much malice, even breaking down during their first meeting, was still willing to show He Guan that he could love.

He Guan wasn't ungrateful.

He could feel the earnestness and attention from the other side. Sometimes, merely approaching Lou Dongzang would divert all his attention onto He Guan.

——So that if He Guan showed any reaction, he could promptly follow suit.

He had been constantly pushing himself out of his comfort zone since becoming blind.

Kai: "Do you have any more questions? Why not ask them all at once? Brother, whatever you want to know, I'll tell you everything I can."

Ren Ning hesitated, glancing at him. Contrary to He Guan's expectations, there wasn’t a look of shock, but rather, Ren Ning posed a question He Guan hadn't anticipated...

A deeply personal one.

Ren Ning: "Are you the top or the bottom?"