DLRAS Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Whatever Wengang says goes.

“My own life was once far from perfect,” Chen Wengang said, casting a glance toward Huo Niansheng as a gentle curve formed at the corner of his lips. “It was filled with countless blunders, entirely a chaotic mess, and utterly agonizing—as though I had completely lost every single thing. To make matters worse, it was precisely at that juncture that I crossed paths with a person whose intentions were entirely ambiguous, leaving me with no idea whether he would bring fortune or misfortune.” The audience caught his drift, and a fresh wave of laughter rippled through the gathering.

He continued further: “However, I swiftly verified one thing—at the very least, he was someone who didn’t harbor the slightest reservation regarding whether I was perfect or not. Speaking of which, he still has to deliver his vows in a short while, promising to love, comfort, honor, and protect me whether in sickness or in health. In truth, I feel those words are entirely unnecessary, because he has already accomplished all of it. I am capable of understanding him, he is capable of understanding me, and there is no further need to exchange overly ornamental expressions. It took a vast portion of my lifetime to finally comprehend that the regrets of the past hold absolutely no weight. Because he has granted me an abundance of love—so much that no matter what difficulties we encounter, there remains no justification to utter a single complaint. Therefore, Frank, please do not remain that tense down there; it is merely a single microphone, and it won’t result in a salary deduction.”

This time, even the chief planner burst into a smile, and the audience below erupted into a fitting round of applause.

With that, Chen Wengang concluded his speech. Having delivered addresses of varying scales across numerous formal and informal occasions, conveying proper sentiments and maintaining absolute control over the rhythm was an effortless task for him. Yet, harboring a distaste for excessive sentimentality, he kept his points concise and handed the microphone forward.

Huo Niansheng stood in his place, his gaze firmly anchored onto Chen Wengang’s face, appearing almost as though his spirit had drifted to some distant realm.

Accepting the device from Chen Wengang’s hand, he lowered his head to look at it, only to let out a sudden chuckle.

Adapting smoothly to the development, the master of ceremonies turned toward him: “Mr. Huo, is there a delightful thought you might wish to share with us?”

Huo Niansheng laughed, “Not particularly. I have no intention of being argumentative; I simply happen to believe that perfect individuals do indeed exist.”

Chen Wengang looked at him with a smile.

Huo Niansheng remarked, “Of course, given that today is an exceptionally grand occasion, whatever Wengang declares stands as absolute law. He calls the shots, so we shall agree that there are none.”

Amidst the clamorous wave of laughter, he lowered his head and gently pressed his lips against Chen Wengang’s—executing the gesture with the utmost tenderness, as though the slightest application of force might push the other away.

Chen Wengang wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck as white flower petals drifted down around them, while a few distant seagulls rode the wind into the high sky.

The wedding proceedings persisted until noon, and following the conclusion of the luncheon, the guests gradually commenced their departure.

Those inclined to enjoy themselves remained by the shore to wade through the water, such as Lu Chenlong and his brother; Xiaobao became entirely captivated by gathering seashells, resolutely refusing to leave under any circumstances. Certain relatives and close friends, showing no urgency to return, shifted indoors to sip tea and converse. Chen Wengang and Huo Niansheng remained alongside them in companionship until the sky grew thoroughly dark and the sea tide commenced its advance, causing the lively sounds along the beach to gradually dissipate. Soon, only two or three staff members remained, lowering their heads as they packed away the decorations and chairs.

They returned to the presidential suite of the hotel, where Harley lay resting upon the carpet while Chen Wengang sat cross-legged by the window.

Having completed his shower, Huo Niansheng approached while draping a towel over his shoulder. “What is it, feeling exhausted?”

Returning to reality, Chen Wengang patted the floor beside him. “I’m alright.”

Huo Niansheng took a seat right beside him, and Chen Wengang habitually rested his head within the curve of the other man’s arm.

The nocturnal scenery outside was brilliantly radiant, mirroring an open, shimmering jewelry box that dazzled the vision. Chen Wengang’s fingers gradually traced their way onto Huo Niansheng’s lips. Earlier in the day before the gathering, their public displays of affection had been thoroughly restrained, their kisses limited to a fleeting touch. It was only upon securing absolute privacy that they drew together with complete abandon. Chen Wengang scaled his arm up Huo Niansheng’s shoulder, while Huo Niansheng held him in a tight embrace, mirroring two vines completely intertwined with one another.

For an extensive duration, they uttered absolutely nothing, merely keeping their lips pressed together as their breaths mingled in a tender, lingering embrace.

Chen Wengang let out a low laugh, inquiring, “In what aspect exactly am I perfect? Do share.”

Pressing his lips against the other man’s ear, Huo Niansheng responded in a whispered undertone, “In bed?”

As the words left his mouth, he slipped his hand beneath Chen Wengang’s shirt, only to be relentlessly pinned down.

Shooting a laughing glance at Huo Niansheng, Chen Wengang scrambled back onto his feet in a single motion, snatched up the towel, and made his way into the bathroom alone.

Huo Niansheng followed inside with a smile, blocking the doorway. “Is that specific response not acceptable?”

Splashing water onto his face, Chen Wengang remarked, “If you truly deemed it acceptable, why did you refrain from declaring it before the entire audience?”

Utilizing the towel to dry his face, he lifted his gaze to find Huo Niansheng still observing him through the mirror, his expression carrying a profound warmth.

Huo Niansheng smiled, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “You are a perfectionist who requires every single element to be orderly and structured; I am not. In past times, drifting through life on a whim was my personal choice—getting by when things were manageable, and accepting defeat without complaint when they weren’t. There was nothing inherently wrong with that. I never once felt my existence lacked anything, which allowed me to live a thoroughly carefree life. Yet, your presence materialized almost as if its sole purpose was to make me feel uncomfortable, to introduce an irregularity, and to make me recognize that I did indeed lack something. Eventually, I managed to comprehend it—what I lacked were things truly worth treasuring, and despite reaching out for so long, you are the singular prize I managed to secure. Whether something is perfect or not is simply never a consideration that crosses my mind. The only certainty I possess is that with you remaining by my side—sharing a single dining table and sleeping within a single bed—I must absolutely secure you to ensure the missing piece is entirely filled.”

Chen Wengang pulled the vanity mirror closer to his face; his eyelashes were glistening with moisture, and droplets of water still clung to his features.

Huo Niansheng planted a gentle kiss against the back of his neck.

Chen Wengang suddenly laughed, “When the master of ceremonies inquired today about memorable events from the past, I actually happen to possess one. Did you know that after your departure, I actually prepared a traditional seventh-day memorial meal for you? It is an absolute blessing that you never had the opportunity to taste it; in all honesty, it tasted rather awful.”

Huo Niansheng inquired, “Will I ever secure the opportunity to sample another meal?”

Chen Wengang turned around to wrap his arms around him. “I should be capable of executing a much tastier version by now.”

Regarding this specific wedding, Huo Niansheng’s personal public relations department provided various media outlets with a standardized press release, complemented by appropriate, positive photographs.

Chen Wengang’s introduction to the public eye unfolded in a gradual, systematic manner. A few media platforms chose to exercise free expression beyond the provided draft, printing a portion of his professional resume across their layouts, though they fundamentally refrained from publishing any negative remarks. This was predominantly due to the fact that Huo Niansheng had maintained an exceptionally low-profile stance over recent years, leaving an absolute absence of chaotic scandals for anyone to exploit. Furthermore, given that he had issued such an explicit public threat, choosing to deliberately challenge him offered a thoroughly poor return on investment and carried very little practical appeal.

Consequently, the vast majority simply followed the prevailing trend, remarking that the young master of the Huo family had indeed settled down and transformed his character.

As for Chen Wengang himself, there simply existed an absolute absence of negative history to unearth—he was a graduate of a prestigious institution possessing an admirable academic record, maintaining a low-profile, pragmatic demeanor. At most, a few netizens remarked that his origins were humble, or suggested he was utilizing the development for public display to establish an elite persona. After all, the internet harbored an assortment of individuals, making it impossible to control every tongue.

There were even predictions that he intended to leverage this wave of publicity to make a formal debut as an online influencer.

However, such narratives failed to gain any real traction, remaining scattered across the remote corners of the internet with barely any interactions or responses.

In reality, aside from the coverage concerning this specific wedding news, coupled with the minor digital traces that could be unearthed from his university’s official website, Chen Wengang had practically avoided letting any other photographs surface. He remained exceptionally cautious during routine times, never sharing details of his personal life across social media accounts. Becoming a prominent influencer was hardly an easy feat; as long as the individual possessed absolutely no inclination toward it and desisted from drawing attention to themselves, the focus of the media and the general public would swiftly shift elsewhere.

Nevertheless, to circumvent potential harassment, Chen Wengang and his partner temporarily relocated to a villa purchased by Huo Niansheng, residing there for about two weeks.

During this interval, they returned to spend a weekend at the mid-level villa, permitting Harley to run thoroughly wild and unrestricted across the rear mountain slopes.

Chen Wengang discovered that the greenhouse within the villa grounds was entirely filled with cultivated roses. According to the butler, Huo Niansheng had personally planted them during a previous visit. There was no telling what sudden whim had prompted the action, though subsequent maintenance relied predominantly on the gardeners, and the plants had now successfully taken root and flourished.

Awakening early in the morning to find the space beside him vacant, Chen Wengang set out to search for him, discovering Huo Niansheng standing inside the glass structure, holding a pair of shears to trim away stems and thorns.

Framed against the shifting shadows of the floral display, his figure mirrored an ethereal, indescribable dreamscape.

Observing him from a distance, Chen Wengang suddenly called out his name.

Huo Niansheng turned his head, offering a smile just as the other clicked the camera shutter to capture the moment.

The two passed these days in an unhurried, leisurely manner, waiting until the height of the publicity had thoroughly subsided before making a quiet, unannounced return to Jiang潮 Street.

Organizing this complementary wedding signified a formal, public declaration of their relationship, introducing certain shifts into their daily existence—changes that could be viewed as neither entirely massive nor completely trivial.

Among the neighborhood residents, a few were thoroughly shocked to discover that the young master of the Huo family was genuinely living in obscurity right in their midst, rather than it being a mere case of shared nomenclature. Others who had maintained closer ties had naturally possessed a clear understanding of the reality long ago. During routine outings, the attitudes of certain individuals turned visibly sycophantic, while others attempted to forge connections to secure personal benefits. Consequently, the volume of individuals arriving at Chen Wengang’s doorstep seeking financial loans experienced a fresh surge once more.

An assortment of absurd, comical minor incidents materialized every few days, rendering their daily existence substantially more animated.

After some time, Huo Niansheng and Chen Wengang made a joint appearance at the Nian-Gang Foundation to organize and streamline their operations.

Pan Zhengyang’s enterprise had refrained from terminating the original cooperation agreement, proceeding with the financial funding exactly as outlined in the initial blueprint.

However, according to colleagues, upon receiving news of Chen Wengang’s marriage, the other party’s demeanor had appeared somewhat hesitant; his responses grew rather sluggish and indifferent. Yet, through some unknown line of reasoning, he eventually came around, taking the initiative to signal his intent to continue advancing the partnership.

Hearing this, Chen Wengang merely offered a smile, finding the development entirely unsurprising.

The charitable endeavors executed by numerous entrepreneurs did not necessarily stem from genuine benevolence or social responsibility; they were frequently directed toward corporate image enhancement, tax mitigation, and securing policy advantages. Pan Zhengyang was an astute businessman; permitting emotional sentiments to override material interests was simply entirely uncharacteristic of his operational style.

Given that the individual designated to manage the coordination with the Dayang Group was not Chen Wengang, every matter was handled strictly as official business.

Nevertheless, Pan Zhengyang ultimately dispatched a text message to him: “In truth, my choice to sustain this cooperation was not driven by a pursuit of material benefits.”

Chen Wengang offered no reply.

It wasn’t until Chen Wengang attended a formal evening banquet alongside Huo Niansheng that he secured an opportunity to encounter Pan Zhengyang once more—the man remained immaculately groomed, his leather shoes polished to a mirror shine, sporting a fresh timepiece design as he circulated among various corporate partners.

Behaving as though absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had transpired, he approached Chen Wengang while raising his glass.

At that specific moment, Huo Niansheng was encircled by a gathering of individuals; raising his glass from a distance, he offered a casual nod of acknowledgment before swiftly directing his gaze elsewhere.

Maintaining a smile on his face, Pan Zhengyang exerted an effort to integrate into the conversation. However, as the banquet advanced into its latter half, a minor commotion suddenly erupted.

A young man managed to force his way into the venue—none other than Pan Zhengyang’s former boyfriend. Having somehow secured entry into the gathering, he instantly grabbed hold of Pan Zhengyang, tearfully declaring his absolute refusal to accept a breakup. Pan Zhengyang’s expression grew intensely awkward, and he issued hushed, sharp commands for the man to depart.

Yet, the more urgent his demands grew, the more resolutely the other party refused to release him, culminating in a fierce, vocal argument between the two.

The former boyfriend pivoted to accusing Pan Zhengyang of deceiving him into the relationship, only to discard him callously, while simultaneously criticizing him for overestimating his capabilities and consistently harboring delusions of climbing into aristocratic circles.

The surrounding camera flashes commenced firing in rapid succession. Pan Zhengyang’s countenance turned thoroughly mortified, shifting through an assortment of colors before he swept out of the room in a fit of rage.

Standing nearby, Chen Wengang found himself almost accustomed to witnessing such theatrical displays, largely owing to the various experiences he and Huo Niansheng had encountered of late. In all likelihood, existence itself was merely a massive, sweeping theatrical production—everyone heavily made up, taking turns to mount the stage and perform their designated parts, and nothing more.

As the banquet drew to a close, a continuous stream of luxury vehicles commenced driving out of the venue.

The chauffeur brought Huo Niansheng’s Rolls-Royce to a halt by the roadside, and Chen Wengang and Huo Niansheng exited the vehicle one after the other. Old Li immediately drove the car away; the current location offered no convenient parking facilities, requiring him to alter his direction and pilot the vehicle back toward the garage at the villa grounds.

Along the roadside, the seafood barbecue stalls were still enjoying flourishing business, the proprietor thoroughly drenched in sweat from his frantic efforts.

Chen Wengang pulled up a plastic stool to take a seat, and the proprietor’s wife swiftly approached: “The usual selection?”

Huo Niansheng responded, “Let’s stick to the usual, thank you. Kindly make it as quick as possible.”

Resting his chin in his hand as he looked at him, Chen Wengang smiled, “Shall we take a stroll along the riverbank in a short while? We need to clear the scent of smoke once more.”

Huo Niansheng handed him a small plate. “There is certainly no urgency anyway. Tomorrow is Sunday, and you have no designated commitments, correct?”

The air was filled with the rich aroma of cumin and chili flakes, momentarily capturing Chen Wengang’s focus. Drifting out of his thoughts after a brief pause, he turned his head to respond: “None. So, what exactly should we set out to do?”

Huo Niansheng remarked, “Let’s identify an entirely unfamiliar destination, wander about aimlessly, and simply travel wherever the path guides us.”

Chen Wengang smiled, placing his hand into the other man’s palm. Once they completed their meal of barbecue and beef noodles, an assistant stepped over to calculate the bill based on the iron skewers. Chen Wengang settled the amount, and the two stepped out from beneath the canopy one after the other. The iron framing sat rather low, requiring them to lower their heads slightly as they exited.

Behind them, a regular patron was conversing with the proprietor, the latter lowering his voice in a futile attempt at secrecy: “Yes, yes, that is precisely…”

Feigning absolute ignorance of the murmurs, Chen Wengang firmly grasped Huo Niansheng’s hand. Keeping one hand tucked inside his pocket, Huo Niansheng tightened his grip around the other man’s palm. Stepping across the intersecting patterns of lamplight and shadow, they rounded the street corner in a matter of moments, permitting the building walls to completely obstruct the distant gazes trailing behind them.

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