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Chapter 119: I Want to Tell You Something Romantic.
They set off to attend the school dance.
When they arrived, it was still early, and the sky was bright. Huo Niansheng accompanied Chen Wengang for a stroll around the campus.
Even in winter, the campus was lush with evergreen plants. Chen Wengang had given him a tour in the summer, and this time they visited the art school’s exhibition hall again, where a new batch of student works was displayed.
As if history was repeating itself, they encountered Mu Qing at the same spot as last time when they exited.
Students attending the dance were dressed in formal attire with bow ties, making them easy to identify. Chen Wengang asked, “Are you going to the dance too?”
Mu Qing glanced at him indifferently, “Why, am I not allowed?”
Chen Wengang smiled, “Sure, see you tonight.”
Mu Qing was still accompanied by his eager suitor, a wealthy young man, who looked at Chen Wengang hesitantly.
He then glanced at Huo Niansheng, possibly feeling guilty. Chen Wengang wasn’t sure if he was afraid he(CWG) would report him to Huo Niansheng.
The academic committee’s investigation into Chen Wengang was still ongoing, but his resolute professor, Professor Kong, had been fiercely defending him. With Professor Kong’s support, Chen Wengang wasn’t worried about being falsely accused. If it weren’t for today’s encounter, he would have almost forgotten about it.
After they walked past, Huo Niansheng asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chen Wengang thought for a moment and told him about the report.
Huo Niansheng understood and turned to look back, his eyes cold, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Chen Wengang recalled calmly, “At that time, you were missing, and I almost wanted to follow you. How could I care about anything else?”
He smiled again, “But the professor has already stood up for me, so there’s nothing to worry about. Don’t be too conspicuous; making a big deal out of a small matter won’t help me. Be careful not to overdo it, or it will look like I’m relying on connections. I’m afraid the old gentleman will chase me out and scold me.”
Huo Niansheng kissed him, “Then let’s talk about it later. Just know that I am your support.”
As night fell, the school auditorium was adorned in gold and red. Chen Wengang arrived with Huo Niansheng.
They encountered familiar classmates who greeted them, many curiously eyeing the impeccably dressed Huo Niansheng.
Among the students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, Huo Niansheng stood out with his sophisticated demeanor. He observed that despite the formal attire, some students were still wearing sneakers under their dress pants.
Not all attendees knew how to dance, so some had come two hours early for a crash course organized by the student union.
With his hands in his pockets, Huo Niansheng watched them practice by the dance floor.
At seven o’clock, the soothing strains of music began to play.
Chen Wengang walked over, and Huo Niansheng led him onto the dance floor.
Their steps glided across the floor, moving in sync, as if engaged in a timeless game.
Chen Wengang supported his back, and Huo Niansheng smiled and asked, “I thought you didn’t like public displays of affection at school?”
Chen Wengang smiled back, “I just don’t like being too intimate in a place of learning. But today is an exception; it’s a celebration, and everyone brought their partners. We blend in.”
Huo Niansheng replied, “I’ve heard that when a man doesn’t want to admit he’s taken, he’s either hiding something or has a backup plan.”
Chen Wengang winked, “Do you think I’m like that?”
Huo Niansheng leaned in, “If one day you truly fall for someone else—” Chen Wengang gazed at him, and he paused, “I should graciously let you go, but pretending to be magnanimous isn’t my style. I’d just have to…”
His words were drowned out by the music. They exchanged glances in the crowd, and Chen Wengang smiled, his eyes sparkling like stars.
The dance lasted over two hours.
Towards the end, someone mischievously switched the music to an energetic dance track.
Some students, unable to keep up, started dancing wildly, laughing and cheering, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere, turning the place into a scene of joyful chaos.
Chen Wengang sat down to rest and noticed a message on his phone from Chen Xiangling, saying she planned to return to her tutoring class.
Chen Wengang lowered his head to reply while Huo Niansheng chatted with the students who came over.
The students were curious about him—knowing he was Chen Wengang’s partner and incredibly wealthy. Such a wealthy figure seemed to exist only in the media, and seeing him in real life was a first. Huo Niansheng was happy to talk to anyone who approached him.
Chen Wengang looked back and patted Huo Niansheng. Outside the window, behind the curtain, red and blue lights flashed intensely.
Some people noticed and whispered, “What’s going on?”
A few nearby students gathered to look outside, puzzled. It seemed an ambulance had arrived, and someone speculated about which college’s student had another incident. At this prestigious school, academic pressure is high, and just last semester, a PhD student had suddenly collapsed from overwork.
Most people remained absorbed in the music, unaware of the minor commotion outside.
Huo Niansheng looked up and said he would go check it out. Chen Wengang held him back, “Forget it.”
Since the medical personnel were already there, it meant someone was being helped. Soon, the ambulance left, its lights flashing brightly.
***
The next day, Chen Wengang heard from a classmate that someone from outside the school had broken in and injured someone outside the auditorium during the New Year’s dance.
When Huo Niansheng heard the news, his expression remained unchanged. He simply acknowledged it and went out to tend to his roses.
The following day, Lawyer Zhu came to Jiangchao Street with new information—he reported that the injured person was Mu Qing and that the person who hired the assailant was He Wanxin.
Chen Wengang served him tea and sat on the sofa, “So it was confirmed this quickly?”
Lawyer Zhu, who had already been to the police station, explained, “The assailant was just a petty thug. He tried to flee to another province but underestimated the efficiency of the current police system. He was arrested as soon as he arrived at the train station. According to his confession, Miss He gave him the target’s photo.”
Chen Wengang held his cup, puzzled by any potential grudge between the two, “Could he have mistaken the identity?”
“That seems to be the case. After all, Mr. Mu looks quite similar to you, and it was dark. He wouldn’t have expected there to be another person who looked almost the same.”
“She initially intended to target me.”
“That’s possible. In any case, with the previous evidence, we’re definitely going to prosecute her this time.”
“And Mu Qing,” Chen Wengang frowned, “how is he now?”
“He has a deep cut here,” Lawyer Zhu gestured to his face, “she instructed the assailant to disfigure him.”
The living room fell silent for a moment. Huo Niansheng walked over, sat on the armrest of the sofa beside Chen Wengang, and gently stroked his soft hair:
“Alright, stop worrying. I was with you the whole time yesterday, so even if she had targeted you, she wouldn’t have had a chance.”
“Yes.” Chen Wengang held his hand, “I know.”
Lawyer Zhu seemed to want to say more but noticed Huo Niansheng’s look and stayed quiet. The two went outside to talk.
News of Mu Qing’s injury and hospitalization quickly spread within familiar circles. Zheng Bingyi, Mu Qing’s uncle, visited him in the hospital.
That same day, Uncle Lin and Zheng Baoqiu also visited, bringing supplements and fruit baskets, with Chen Wengang following behind them.
He felt obliged to visit since Mu Qing suffered because of him, but Chen Wengang originally didn’t plan to go inside, thinking Mu Qing wouldn’t want to see him. It wasn’t until the nurse peeked out and said that the patient had seen him and wanted him to come in.
By then, Zheng Bingyi and the others had already left, leaving just the two of them in the ward.
Mu Qing’s face was covered with dressings and tightly wrapped bandages, exposing only his resentful eyes.
He mocked Chen Wengang, “You’re really lucky. You always have such good fortune.”
Chen Wengang poured a glass of water and set it down, unable to respond to that remark. Mu Qing then pointed to his own face, “The muscle tissue was damaged, and it will leave a permanent scar. The doctor said the scar can only be lightened but not completely removed.”
He slapped the bed fiercely, “You must be feeling incredibly pleased! I heard about it! I took the blow meant for you!”
Chen Wengang listened to him vent before leaving the ward, not saying much in return. At that moment, any response would seem like adding insult to injury, and he didn’t want to argue with an injured and depressed person; it wasn’t necessary.
When Chen Wengang left the ward, he saw that wealthy young man walking in with a bouquet of flowers.
According to Zheng Baoqiu, when they helped Mu Qing with the discharge procedures, he hadn’t shown up again, suggesting they had broken up.
In the blink of an eye, two months passed as various cases progressed simultaneously.
The Wang family’s downfall didn’t need much mention. Without the support of his uncles, Wang Qiming, who once reveled in his success, was now in a disgraceful situation.
Meanwhile, the He siblings were facing criminal charges. Such events naturally provided the media with sensational stories, allowing journalists and editors to either criticize the He family’s poor upbringing or marvel at the strength of their genes.
Huo Niansheng rarely discussed these matters at home.
He behaved like an uninvolved outsider, only occasionally commenting on the news with Chen Wengang when something caught his attention. However, sometimes Chen Wengang saw him making phone calls in the study, feet propped up on the desk, leaning back in his chair, before casually slipping back into bed.
Chen Wengang trusted him and didn’t ask much about matters unrelated to those he cared about.
As for Second Uncle Huo, it seemed certain he would serve his sentence. After all the upheavals, the foundation needed a thorough reorganization. All accounts required auditing and verification, and in this process, Huo Zhenfei conveyed his father’s intention to use the opportunity to streamline personnel.
Some staff members came and went, and eventually, Huo Lingchong submitted his resignation.
Chen Wengang, on the other hand, stayed at the foundation and was even promoted, taking over Huo Lingchong’s position as Secretary-General.
The foundation adjusted its strategic direction and, in an effort to restore the company’s image, launched new projects for a charity school for the blind and a guide dog training base.
Initially hesitant, Chen Wengang was drawn to the guide dog project and decided to take it on.
He couldn’t resist his love for dogs, so he agreed.
Huo Niansheng jokingly complained, “What about me? What about the foundation named after me? Are we not doing that?”
Chen Wengang laughed, cupping his face, “I need to focus on my studies for the next few years. There’s plenty of time. We’ll talk about it after graduation.”
He kissed Huo Niansheng on the cheek, and Huo Niansheng let him do as he pleased.
Now, the two of them mostly lived on Jiangchao Street, occasionally staying at their downtown apartment. They commuted to work and school together, cooked meals, and shared extra food with their neighbors, sometimes exchanging dishes with them.
Compared to their past lives, Huo Niansheng’s lifestyle had visibly toned down.
He seemed to have distanced himself from the media and public eye overnight. He rarely spent extravagantly at auctions or frequented nightclubs and bars. Luxurious cars were a rare sight, and every time he went out, he was always with Chen Wengang.
In their free time, they often took long walks. Chen Wengang enjoyed wandering through the streets and alleys without driving, sometimes walking for an entire day.
Huo Niansheng noticed that Chen Wengang had a particular fondness for exploring hidden corners—the kind with overhead wires and water pipes, weathered green bricks, uneven steps, and winding paths. The more complex the terrain, the more he liked it. Once, they even had to pass through someone’s living room.
The family living there, spanning four generations, filled the large house. They agreed to let them through and even gave Chen Wengang a piece of fruit.
Chen Wengang chatted with the elderly and children, taking a family photo and promising to send it to them later.
This had become his new hobby: Chen Wengang had bought a second-hand Leica film camera and carried it everywhere. He bought lots of film and photographed the places he visited, always including people in his shots.
He captured various people with his lens.
There was an old woman with white hair selling fish at the market, children playing and fighting in a muddy pit after school, two burly men arguing over trivial matters on the street, weathered hands peeling oranges, and a range of expressions from laughter to anger.
Recently, there was finally a photo with Huo Niansheng in it, taken by a paparazzo who caught them holding hands in the dock area.
The old dock area was dilapidated and full of abandoned houses. It was raining that day, and Chen Wengang and Huo Niansheng were sheltering under an eave, their hair and clothes half-wet, looking disheveled. The paparazzo posted it on his personal account, teasing if the once-dashing Huo Niansheng was going bankrupt, mocking that poor couples have many sorrows.
Most viewers just laughed it off.
In reality, Chen Wengang had taken Huo Niansheng to find the place he rented in a past life.
They found it, but it was occupied by an elderly scavenger. Chen Wengang took a photo of the wall and window from outside.
As winter passed its midpoint and the Spring Festival approached, the housekeeper came to help clean the old Chen family home inside and out.
Huo Niansheng was in the kitchen preparing New Year’s goods, while Chen Wengang stayed in the study, listening to the sound of water splashing in the courtyard.
After developing the dock area photo, he placed it under the glass on his desk. He spread out a new piece of paper, unscrewed his fountain pen, and paused with the nib on the paper. Huo Niansheng had noticed him writing lately, but Chen Wengang never showed him.
The only thing Huo Niansheng had left from his previous life was a farewell letter. Chen Wengang, holding no grudges, planned to write him a love letter.
But after much scribbling and deliberation, he was never satisfied and ended up crumpling the paper. No matter what, he felt too shy to show it.
Huo Niansheng called from outside, saying he had cooked braised beef and asked Chen Wengang to come out and taste it.
Chen Wengang responded, closing the pen and standing up, accidentally knocking a book off the desk. As he bent to pick it up, the spine hit the floor, and the pages opened: “I hope you know, you have always been the last dream in the depths of my soul.”
Chen Wengang smiled as he went out and hugged Huo Niansheng from behind, “Don’t move, I want to tell you something romantic.”
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