Chapter 59: Illness – I used to be straight.

The position made the kiss feel even more peculiar. Lou Dongcang's tongue gently grazed his, soft and tender.

The sensation was indescribably strange yet intimate.

He Guan shifted uncomfortably, feeling the lick against his upper jaw and wanting to evade, but there was nowhere to go.

After all, the back of his head rested against Lou Dongcang's thigh.

He was kissed to the point of near-suffocation. As his throat involuntarily tightened, the other man seemed to notice and deepened the kiss.

He Guan tried to push him away in discomfort.

Lou Dongcang pulled back, sitting upright, and made no move to continue the kiss.

Seizing the moment, He Guan got up from Lou's lap to grab a glass of water. In his haste, he bumped against the corner of the coffee table.

Lou Dongcang: "Are you okay?"

He Guan: "I'm... I'm fine."

Lou Dongcang: "...He Guan."

He Guan: "Hmm?"

Lou Dongcang: "Until I have your permission, I won't overstep. You can relax a bit. There's no need to be afraid."

He Guan: "Who said I was scared?"

With a smile, Lou Dongcang opened his eyes, "Your voice is trembling."

He Guan looked into his eyes.

He had to admit, Lou Dongcang had a knack for putting him at ease.

Knowing that He Guan adored his eyes, Lou would open them whenever he wanted to comfort him.

In the dim light of the room, the shadows of his lashes were cast downward.

From a few steps away, He Guan observed his eyes - a misty smoky blue set amidst a cerulean shade. They were mesmerizing.

He Guan took a sip of water: "You really know how to coax me. Even if you can't see, you excel in persuasion."

Lou Dongcang didn't continue.

He Guan: "Everything okay?"

Was he upset about the comment regarding his sight?

Previously, Lou Dongcang would brush off such remarks, and He Guan hadn't thought much of it. But now, genuinely wishing Lou could see, he naturally questioned.

Lou Dongcang chuckled, "It's alright. I don't mind anything you ask."

He had wanted to crack a more risqué joke about He Guan inquiring about certain 'dimensions', but considering He Guan was drinking water and might choke, he refrained.

He Guan sighed, "Thank you heavens for making you fond of me; otherwise, I might not have survived past the second episode."

Lou Dongzang questioned, "What do you mean 'not survive past the second episode'? Did someone die by my hands before?"

Caught off guard by his swift and incisive retort, He Guan quickly responded, "No, of course not. It's just a joke."

Lou Dongzang seemed convinced, "Hmm."

He Guan remarked, "I'm heading to the study. There's some work I haven't finished."

Lou Dongzang inquired, "May I come in?"

Without hesitation, He Guan replied, "Of course, anytime. I don't have any meetings today."

Lou Dongzang nodded, "Alright."

However, Lou Dongzang was preoccupied with planting flowers that day and never did visit.

In the study, He Guan made some adjustments to the musical score. By the time he put it down, dusk was approaching.

Picking up his phone, he noticed it was past five o'clock and dialed Ren Ning's number.

Ren Ning answered, "What's the matter, Guan? Need something?"

He Guan asked, "Did you visit their training today? How was it?"

Recognizing this was work-related, Ren Ning replied, "I did, it was good. Still discussing some other matters."

He Guan pressed, "What about the MV?"

Ren Ning responded, "That's what we're still discussing."

He Guan probed further, "What's going on? Tell me."

Ren Ning elaborated, "The MV director, Jing Jiahao, has many modifications in mind. The supervisor hasn't made any decisions; the process has been delayed."

He Guan questioned, "So, no one else had any objections?"

Ren Ning hesitated, "It seems this man has a good relationship with Lou Junduo. Junduo visited the set today, and the crew rushed to greet him. As for the others, well, you've never shown up... so they might..."

He trailed off, not completing his thought.

He Guan continued for him, "...might not take me seriously?"

Ren Ning remained silent.

"Understood, goodbye."

He Guan's voice was steady, betraying no emotion. Even after the call ended, Ren Ning gripped his phone, feeling uneasy for a while.

Ever since that day his cousin woke up on the boat, Ren Ning couldn't decipher his subsequent actions.

First, he ruthlessly removed the young master of the Lou family from the position of general manager, and then announced his marriage to a man in front of everyone.

Yet, he had become significantly more reliable.

After much contemplation, Ren Ning finally felt at ease.

With He Guan now as the general manager, and also a board member, his prospects seem far brighter than that of a former manager.

Not to mention, He Guan was his cousin.

*

The next day at work.

He Guan waited at the entrance for Du Junyan. Seeing him approach, he said, "We'll head in a bit later today. Junyan, come with me first."

Du Junyan was a bit perplexed but didn't inquire. He Guan led him to a supply store, purchasing a snug-fitting camouflage outfit and sturdy military boots.

After changing into them, Du Junyan adjusted his tight black vest, admiring his reflection for a moment.

He Guan looked him over and asked the store owner, "Do you have any spare steel pipes here? Or know of a nearby construction site? We'd like to pick one up."

The shopkeeper lit a cigarette, and after a drag, pointed in a direction, "Over there, by Da Run Fa. They're currently building."

He Guan replied, "Thank you."

The boss wanted him to fetch a steel pipe?

Were they planning to confront someone?

As Du Junyan followed He Guan toward the construction site by the Da Run Fa mall, he quickly dismissed the thought.

He had previously made the mistake of misjudging his boss, and he guessed this situation might be different too.

But if they weren't going to confront anyone, why did he have to change into this outfit?

Were they intending to intimidate someone?

Soon enough, He Guan located the steel pipe, wiped it down, took it, and proceeded with his regular workday. Until nearly two in the afternoon, he hadn't reached out to Du Junyan.

Being He Guan's driver was quite a leisurely job for Du Junyan. He just needed to be available whenever He Guan required.

And He Guan rarely requested his services, apart from the usual commutes and occasional trips.

Thus, for Du Junyan, being a driver felt more like a vacation. His taxi-driving father once enviously remarked how fortunate he was, jesting that he must have accumulated good karma.

Having worked with He Guan for so long, Du Junyan had become adept at reading between the lines. He surmised that there was something on He Guan's agenda today.

He parked the car and wandered around the company premises. He even visited a nearby amusement park, ensuring he was within reach if He Guan needed him.

Out of sheer boredom, he even helped a little child, who had a rabbit balloon tied around his waist, find his mother in the amusement park.

At noon, he finally received a call from Mr. He Guan.

Du Junyan said, "Boss? It's me."

He Guan's voice on the phone was chillingly cold: "Where are you? Can you make it in half an hour? Bring the steel pipe."

Du Junyan responded, "I'll be there."

He Guan added, "Then head to Huaiyang Nursery."

Du Junyan waited for He Guan to hang up before setting down his phone.

Wow, what's going on...

The boss seems more furious than I've ever seen...

*

In the morning, He Guan shared his deputy's contacts with Qing Tu and, after some thought, shared his personal WeChat account as well.

After Qing Tu added him on WeChat, several project proposals came through, inviting him to participate in Qing Tu's original EP's lyric and music creation.

He Guan briefly glanced at them, forwarded them to Lou Dongzang, and sent a voice message: "Here, Mr. Lou, your assignment for today. Go through these and share your thoughts with me tonight."

It took Lou Dongzang quite a while to respond with another voice message: "How many words?"

He Guan replied, "Three hundred. Not too many, right? Can you use voice typing?"

Lou Dongzang said, "That's reasonable, I can."

He Guan added, "Alright, I'm still working. Got to go."

Lou Dongzang inquired, "What time are you coming home tonight?"

He Guan paused, on the verge of ending the call, and then mused, "I'm not sure about today; there's a small matter to resolve. Might be late. If it's not resolved today, it'll be late tomorrow as well, and so on."

Lou Dongzang responded, "Okay, I'll do my homework. Call me when you're back tonight, and I'll pick you up at the entrance."

He Guan said, "Alright."

After hanging up, he felt uplifted. Looking up, he was met by Yan Xu, who was delivering hotel-ordered food, and remarked, "I hope there were no lingering effects from your cold."

Setting down the food container, Yan Xu replied, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. He. I'm fine now."

The container was a hand-carved colored pine cylinder, divided into three layers, each containing three dishes.

None of the dishes were repeated, each distinct in its own right. Yan Xu had chosen this particular restaurant after sampling several, deeming its flavors most suitable for He Guan.

He Guan picked out a few of his favorites and waved his hand at the remaining dishes, saying, "You can take the rest."

He suddenly remembered something: "Wait a moment, Yan Xu, do you often catch colds?"

Reflecting on the frequent low fevers due to injuries he had, Yan Xu replied, "Yes, Mr. He, did my cold affect you? I will get it treated."

He Guan began rummaging through the drawers beside him, clearly intending to hand something to Yan Xu.

He replied with a hint of jest, "You're overthinking. Just wait a moment."

Puzzled, Yan Xu held onto the handle of the top tier of the food container, standing still in anticipation.

He Guan muttered, "Where did I put it? Wait... I can't find it... Oh! Here it is!"

A pure expression of delight brightened his face, his eyes sparkling with joy.

Blinded for a moment by He Guan's radiant smile, Yan Xu tightened his grip and asked, "What is it?"

He Guan tossed a plastic bag to him: "Here, catch."

Yan Xu swiftly caught the bag, opening it to inspect its contents.

Inside were vitamin pills, medicinal-grade, contained in bottles.

Holding one, the rattling pills felt hefty in his hand.

On closer inspection, he noticed vitamins from A to E...

Even the rare vitamin K...

He Guan elaborated, "Vitamin pills. Follow the instructions I wrote on how many to take daily. Noticed you often catch colds; probably have weak immunity. You don’t seem to eat the fruits provided by the company. This doesn’t contain vitamin D. Ask the doctor where you can get an injection during the company's upcoming health check-up. Consider getting a few hundred thousand units at the hospital."

Before Yan Xu could wrap his head around how He Guan knew he didn’t eat the company-provided fruits, he instinctively began, "Thank you, Mr. He, I..."

Pretending to plug his ears, He Guan interrupted, "Stop, no need for long-winded gratitude. I'll still need you to work hard for me in the future. It's too early to thank me. Now go, I need to eat. I have an appointment this afternoon, so please prepare in advance."

Suppressing his emotions, Yan Xu tersely responded, "Understood."

After waving Yan Xu away, He Guan resumed his meal and activated a robot, making it do a somersault in front of Lou Dongzang.

Lou Dongzang queried, "Eating?"

He Guan replied between bites, "Mhm."

Lou Dongzang advised, "Eat slowly, take care of your stomach."

He Guan jestingly responded, "Noted, chew each bite fifteen times..."

Lou Dongzang retorted, "You might remember, but you won't do it."

He Guan, feigning surprise, inquired, "How do you know I don't follow through? Can you hear it?"

Lou Dongzang: "Hmm, I've noticed. You usually chew around seven times, and at most ten."

He Guan exclaimed, "You actually counted? No wonder you always eat slower than me..."

Without waiting for Lou Dongzang to respond, he picked up a shrimp and began eating, conscientiously chewing it fifteen times.

He Guan: "How about now?"

Lou Dongzang: "Sixteen times."

He Guan frowned, "Are you kidding? It was clearly fifteen!"

Lou Dongzang: "Sixteen."

He Guan: "Fifteen!"

They argued for a bit. Lou Dongzang insisted it was sixteen times. Reflecting on it, He Guan began to doubt himself.

He Guan: "Strange... could it really be sixteen?"

"No," whispered Lou Dongzang, "You were right, it was fifteen."

He Guan: "I knew it—!"

Lou Dongzang: "He Guan, don't be like you were today."

He Guan: "?"

Lou Dongzang: "I really like you, and I might... unintentionally... influence you. It might be... instinctual, my condition."

A realization dawned on He Guan, "So that's why you brought it up? You're afraid that like earlier, I might be misled by you? That I might like you because you've manipulated me?"

Lou Dongzang: "You could say that."

His tone was different from usual, and only upon close listening could one detect the caution.

He had never... honestly discussed his condition with anyone before.

But he needed to say it. It was essential.

He had never cared for someone as he did now. But in ordinary conversations, he feared his condition, leading people astray.

He Guan's kindness to people was so thorough and unreserved. Lou Dongzang felt the need to halt the progress of their relationship, to make He Guan more aware.

Because he wasn't seeking prey.

He wanted a lucid lover.

After pondering for a moment, He Guan said, "Lou Dongzang, I'm twenty-three, not thirteen."

He maneuvered a robot to bump against Lou Dongzang's ankle, then directed it back to its original position.

Through the robot, He Guan's voice resonated next to the small dining table on the second floor, near Lou Dongzang's feet.

He was laughing.

"You didn't drug me. Do you really think I can't distinguish genuine affection? It might be my first time liking someone, but I trust my feelings."

"Do you think I could be mistaken about this? Just because of a few words you said?"

"I was straight before, you know. Would I change like that if I didn't like you?"

"Didn't I tell you? Lou Dongzang, do you know Lou Jun snatched my attention away before?"

"That day, I nearly threw up. I felt so disgusted that I came to you to cleanse my eyes."

Lou Dongzang clearly wanted to speak. His voice quickened, seeking clarity. But He Guan, laughing, interjected: "Darling, gotta hang up. Bye~"

Comfortably ending the call, He Guan mused leisurely.

Jealousy isn't his concern.

Ah, it's just fun.

After ending the video call, another call came in immediately.

He Guan assumed it was Lou Dongzang and was ready to hang up, not in the mood to appease a jealous soul. But then he noticed the caller ID: Ren Ning.

Answering, He Guan queried, "Bro, why call me now? What's up?"

Ren Ning: "Jin Jue had a conflict with Jing Jiahao. Jing Jiahao went too far, and several from the team don't want to continue filming. Production has completely halted, and this situation... I..."

Jing Jiahao?

Wasn't he the MV director Ren Ning mentioned over the phone yesterday?

The one who was hard to communicate with.

Confused, He Guan said, "Jin Jue? How could he be bullied? Even if others get pushed around, he wouldn't."

Everyone knew about Jin Jue's family background: affluent ancestors, high-ranking parents. In Huaiyin, people would respectfully address him as a noble.

That's also why the Jin family could quickly align with the local Lou family.

Who would dare to act recklessly towards him now?

A director, what stature could Jing Jiahao possibly hold?

Setting down his nearly-finished meal, He Guan demanded, "Explain in detail. What did Jing Jiahao do?"

Swallowing hard, Ren Ning whispered, "Sexual... harassment. Jin Jue said Jing Jiahao touched his thigh..."

He Guan was so shocked he blurted out, "What?!"

"How dare that bastard lay a hand on my people? And in such a vile way?"

"Has he lost his mind?!"

He quickly composed himself, "I'll call my driver. Wait for me. Where are you? Were there cameras? Did they capture Jin Jue being sexually harassed?"

Ren Ning: "We're in the 16th flower field of Huaiyang Nursery. The main cameras missed it, but there was a drone overhead recording. It belongs to Jing Jiahao though, and he won't let anyone see it."

He Guan took a deep breath, "I'll be right there."

After calling Du Junyan to pick him up, he made another call, "Attorney Rong, no, I don't need my father. Do you have reliable security personnel? Could you lend me a few?"

"I need them urgently, by this afternoon. Ideally by 2 pm at the entrance of Huaiyang Nursery. I have a tricky situation here."

"How many? Six to ten. That's enough! No need for more!"

The person on the other end seemed to chuckle warmly, quickly agreeing and asking for details.

After relaying the information, He Guan exhaled.

*

Surprisingly, Du Junyan guessed correctly this time.

Initially, He Guan intended to bring him to assert his authority and intimidate Jing Jiahao into resigning.

But now, seeing Jing Jiahao's irrational behavior, it seems a more aggressive approach is warranted.

This is clearly a natural advantage.