DLRAS Chapter 160 [If Never Missed]

Chapter 160: Such a person is very easy to let one’s guard down around.

When Huo Niansheng tracked Chen Wengang down at the port, the younger man was standing by the edge of the shipping docks, braving the biting winter wind while smoking alongside a rough-hewn crowd of laborers.

Countless goods flowed through the port day in and day out, with massive shipping containers continuously loaded and unloaded. Although Chen Wengang was not required to lift and haul the cargo himself, he mingled with the workers at the docks daily. It was far less comfortable than sitting in a cozy corporate office, and it presented a sharper challenge in learning how to deal with these blue-collar laborers—an individual who didn’t know how to smoke could barely manage to interject into their dialogue. This was particularly true for someone as young as Chen Wengang, whose lingering academic demeanor made it easy for the veterans to look down on him. To truly command their respect, he first had to master a look of stern, sharp authority.

Having spent half a month stationed there, the expression in his eyes had hardened noticeably, and the sheer presence he projected when speaking with others had evolved.

The vibrant bouquet of roses cradled in Huo Niansheng’s arms looked utterly incongruous with the gritty surroundings. He strolled over with a gentle smile: “Wengang.”

As the workers’ glances swerved over one after another, Chen Wengang called him away to a distance, locating a patch of vacant ground around a street corner.

Standing face-to-face, Chen Wengang maintained a perfectly courteous distance: “Young Master Huo.”

Huo Niansheng remarked, “There’s no need to treat me like such an outsider. What time do you clock off work?”

Chen Wengang inquired tactfully, “The year is drawing to a close; isn’t your own corporation exceptionally busy?”

Huo Niansheng let out a soft laugh: “This is the absolute first time I’ve witnessed what you look like while holding a cigarette.”

Those flirtatious peach-blossom eyes fixed upon him with deep meaning. Avoiding his direct gaze, Chen Wengang flicked away the ash from his hand. He had walked over gripping the cigarette, but he hadn’t actually smoked it; the body had already burned down to a short stub. Consequently, he simply snuffed out the ember and discarded the butt into a nearby trash bin.

Over these past two or three months, Huo Niansheng had extended relentless invitations only to suffer continuous rejections. Any ordinary person would have fully comprehended the underlying refusal by now, yet he had refrained from throwing in the towel even to this point—one couldn’t help but wonder where he unearthed such an unyielding spirit of perseverance, or to employ an alternative expression, it could simply be labeled as shameless persistence.

Chen Wengang let out a soft sigh. Just as he was contemplating a stratagem to extricate himself from the situation, his mobile phone rang. The incoming call was from his childhood companion, Lu Chenlong.

“Don’t panic… Understood… I shall head over immediately.”

The moment he disconnected the call, his subconscious reflex was to scan the roadside, seemingly attempting to spot a taxi. Catching his intent, Huo Niansheng inquired: “What happened? An urgent matter?”

Chen Wengang shot a glance at him, his expression a mix of helplessness laced with a hint of cold severity.

The corners of Huo Niansheng’s mouth curved upward: “Let’s go. Wherever it is you are heading, why don’t I give you a lift?”

Chen Wengang maintained his refusal, but after managing to send him off with considerable effort, he contacted his departmental supervisor to request a half-day leave before stepping out to hail a vehicle.

The docklands area was inherently isolated, meaning very few taxis cruised the vicinity looking for passengers. The traffic passing through the main thoroughfare consisted almost entirely of massive cargo trucks.

After waiting for a long duration, the digital order placed via his mobile app yielded absolutely zero response. Chen Wengang suddenly lifted his gaze to find a sleek, black Rolls-Royce pulling up smoothly by the curb.

The window glided down to reveal Huo Niansheng’s face, his arm resting casually across the steering wheel: “Care to hop in?”

Chen Wengang pursed his lips briefly before providing the specific address: Jiangchao Street.

A crisis had materialized at Lu Chenlong’s restaurant. A couple of days prior, an apprentice had accidentally knocked over a vat of boiling oil, severely scalding a veteran chef. Lu Chenlong and his staff had rushed the chef to the hospital, covered the medical expenses, and formally agreed to classify it as a workplace injury with a designated amount of financial compensation. However, upon reviewing the figures later, the veteran chef’s adult children concluded the payout was entirely too meager. Consequently, they had descended upon the restaurant to stir up trouble, opening their mouths wide to demand an exponential increase in the sum.

Lu Chenlong had been utterly frazzled over the past few days. To make matters worse, his younger brother suffered from an intellectual disability and could only be left under the temporary supervision of a neighbor.

Yet on this specific day, Grandma Zhou, the neighbor, had also fallen ill, prompting him to summon Chen Wengang to help watch over the boy for a brief interval.

By the time they arrived at the scene, several individuals in their thirties and forties had congregated directly outside the restaurant premises, hoisting large banners in a fiercely aggressive manner.

Just as Chen Wengang prepared to step out of the vehicle, Huo Niansheng lightly caught his arm, inquiring: “Would you like me to coordinate a resolution for this?”

Chen Wengang looked out the window. The agitators were wielding large megaphones set to an automated loop, creating a deafening racket whose central message boiled down to a relentless demand for money. He was fully aware of the restaurant’s predicament; Lu Chenlong had spent two consecutive days pouring his heart out to him. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t contacted the police, but the children of this family had refrained from breaking property or resorting to arson; possessing zero substantive illegal actions, the arriving authorities could only offer mediation and lacked any grounds to arbitrarily arrest them.

Nevertheless, their loud congregation directly before the restaurant doors completely deterred customers from entering, rendering it utterly impossible to conduct business.

Individuals of this nature were fundamentally those with nothing to lose who possessed zero fear of those with reputations to protect. Chen Wengang let out a soft sigh: “There is no need to trouble Young Master Huo.”

Huo Niansheng offered a subtle smile, releasing the door locks to permit Chen Wengang’s exit. Chen Wengang looked back at him, hesitating as though wanting to speak, but ultimately refrained from altering his stance. Stepping across the pedestrian crossing, his figure gradually receded under Huo Niansheng’s watchful gaze.

By the subsequent day, the family suddenly ceased their agitation entirely, indicating their absolute agreement to the original compensation package; they went so far as to route the medical expenses through their personal insurance policies.

With the farce completely drawing to a quiet close, Lu Chenlong placed a phone call to Chen Wengang, insisting on hosting a dinner to express his absolute gratitude to the friend who had stepped forward to deliver assistance.

Lu Chenlong explained that a legal professional by the surname of Zhu had intervened, introducing himself as an envoy dispatched by a Mr. Huo; consequently, he assumed this was one of Chen Wengang’s personal connections. Chen Wengang froze momentarily before fabricating a quick excuse to decline the dinner invitation. Lu Chenlong was understanding, assuming an individual of that caliber simply looked down upon the modest standards of his small dining establishment.

In reality, Chen Wengang possessed absolutely zero leverage of that magnitude, nor did he have any avenue to explain that their connection was hardly a legitimate, conventional relationship.

Yet having incurred this substantial favor, when Huo Niansheng subsequently extended an invitation to head out, Chen Wengang found himself entirely devoid of a logical justification to refuse.

Huo Niansheng secured a reservation at an upscale French restaurant.

The establishment was exceptionally high-end; rumors dictated that every single ingredient was flown in directly from Europe. He had clearly invested a significant degree of thought, executing a complete buyout of the venue for a private, candlelit dinner. A violinist stood poised in a corner of the dining room delivering a soulful performance, while the blonde, blue-eyed executive chef donning a tall toque personally approached their table to inquire after their dining experience.

Sitting face-to-face with Huo Niansheng, Chen Wengang kept his head slightly lowered as he sliced the steak upon his plate, his dining etiquette entirely flawless and beyond reproach.

Huo Niansheng was casually toying with his fork when he suddenly remarked, “Are you truly that resistant to sharing a meal with me?”

Lifting his gaze, Chen Wengang’s immediate reflex mirrored that of someone who had suffered a sudden fright. Setting down his utensils, he murmured, “My apologies.”

Huo Niansheng tilted his head slightly: “What exactly are you apologizing for?”

Chen Wengang let out a helpless smile: “Young Master Huo.”

He realized he had calculated entirely incorrectly. Accepting a ride from Huo Niansheng that day had likely been yet another lapse of judgment. Fully aware that the other party harbored hidden motives, he had voluntarily stepped forward to collide right into the trap. If this didn’t qualify as playing hard to get, what did?

Huo Niansheng inquired patiently, “Was it my unilateral intervention that triggered your aversion once more?”

Chen Wengang responded, “I simply feel it is inappropriate to accept assistance without offering anything in return. If there happens to be an action I can execute for you, you are entirely free to articulate it.”

Setting his fork down completely, Huo Niansheng fixed a quiet gaze upon him: “What exactly do you imagine I could possibly require you to do?”

Keeping his gaze anchored strictly upon his plate, Chen Wengang refrained from responding.

Leaning his upper body forward against the edge of the table, Huo Niansheng extended his hand across the surface to firmly grasp Chen Wengang’s: “You harbor a distaste for receiving favors without a reciprocal exchange? A paid transaction is perfectly acceptable as well—step back into bed with me one more time, and we shall consider the slate entirely wiped clean. Are you capable of accepting that?”

Chen Wengang’s eyes widened in instant shock; at this specific juncture, the expression flashing across his features turned noticeably more vivid.

Huo Niansheng let out a laugh: “I am merely speaking nonsense.”

Releasing his right hand, he continued, “Very well, my sole intention was to treat you to a pleasant meal; why must we introduce such heavy complications? If you harbor zero desire to engage in dialogue, so be it. It appears we genuinely lack common topics of conversation. Nevertheless, the chef invested an immense amount of meticulous preparation; let’s avoid letting their hard work go to waste. At the very least, remain to finish the dessert.”

Throughout the remainder of the course, the two genuinely desisted from exchanging a single word, silently consuming their respective dishes.

Only the violinist’s performance persisted in the background, the musician entirely immersed in his own world.

Following the conclusion of the meal, they vacated the premises together. Huo Niansheng chivalrously pushed open the glass door to permit Chen Wengang’s exit ahead of him. Yet following this gesture, he made no move to retrieve his vehicle, refrained from offering an escort, and uttered absolutely zero words regarding a formal departure. Incapable of discerning his underlying objective, Chen Wengang remained poised, waiting for Huo Niansheng to initiate the conversation.

Huo Niansheng inquired, “Care for a stroll?”

Chen Wengang nodded his head in a somewhat disorganized fashion.

As he strolled forward along the street, Huo Niansheng followed at an unhurried, leisurely pace, mimicking a relaxed post-meal walk until they arrived at a sprawling fountain square.

The square was exceptionally vast, encircled by tiers of stone steps. Yet because the weather had turned bitterly cold, the water fixtures remained entirely motionless, casting a stark, desolate view across the perimeter with barely a soul in sight.

Directly across the street, however, a bustling scene unfolded. With the lunar new year rapidly approaching, an absolute sea of humanity swarmed the entrance of a massive supermarket, clutching large bags and packages filled with holiday provisions.

Chen Wengang rested his upper body against the guardrail just as a young teenage boy and girl, laughing and playful, sprinted past their position.

Huo Niansheng leaned close to his ear: “Have you already condemned me to an absolute death penalty within your heart?”

Chen Wengang shifted slightly to the side to establish a distance: “I have hardly condemned you to a death penalty.”

Huo Niansheng remarked, “Is it truly impossible for us to even initiate a connection as casual companions?”

Chen Wengang felt he was intentionally asking an obvious question: “Young Master Huo, do you truly harbor a genuine desire to be casual companions with me?”

Huo Niansheng merely offered a subtle smile, refraining from speech.

Laying his cards entirely on the table, Chen Wengang articulated, “Your lips utter the words ‘companions,’ yet you are fundamentally incapable of remaining satisfied with a platonic bond. To speak with absolute honesty, to this very hour, I possess zero comprehension as to what your so-called ‘pursuit’ genuinely signifies. Supposing your sole objective was to step into bed together, you have already achieved that end; what further element do you require?”

Fixing a quiet gaze on the bustling thoroughfare across the street, Huo Niansheng murmured, “Then it can only signify a desire to secure even more.”

Chen Wengang suddenly let out a brief laugh, inquiring: “And once you have secured it, what follows next?”

Huo Niansheng remained entirely silent.

Chen Wengang pressed on: “Once you secure it, you will likely turn around to flaunt the development before others like a hard-won trophy, utilizing it to validate precisely how much charisma Young Master Huo possesses—proving that you are entirely invincible when pursuing any target, and that absolutely everyone must ultimately bow before your tailored suit trousers… You likely view this entire affair as a highly entertaining game, coaxing someone until their mind is utterly spinning, purely to serve as a source of amusement for your social circle. Can I simply concede defeat in advance? Go ahead and seek out your next target.”

Chen Wengang had exerted every effort to maintain absolute emotional restraint. Yet to speak with absolute candor, despite his words, he didn’t appear to harbor a genuine hatred toward Huo Niansheng as an individual.

It was an undeniable reality that Huo Niansheng possessed an innate charisma; whether regarding his physical appearance or his prominent lineage, he was entirely beyond reproach. Yet when all was said and done, he remained a notorious playboy who likely never perceived a single flaw within his personal conduct. If there was a specific reality Chen Wengang had grasped at an exceptionally early age, it was to never harbor expectations of altering another individual’s core values, nor to anticipate a shred of genuine sincerity from a wandering playboy.

One must never force an absolute impossibility. He was hardly an appropriate target for Huo Niansheng’s romantic hunting expeditions, nor did he wish to assume the severe peril of being transformed into a cheap source of entertainment.

Certain developments were viewed as a mere laughingstock by these wealthy young masters, yet when weighed upon the shoulders of an ordinary individual, it encompassed the entirety of their human dignity.

Since the dialogue had advanced to this final point, there remained absolutely nothing left for the two to discuss; it was highly probable that Huo Niansheng would refrain from projecting a pleasant countenance any longer.

Just as Chen Wengang shifted his face away, he was suddenly caught firmly by the arm. Huo Niansheng stepped forward to completely block his path of departure. A strike of instinctive fear toward the man surged within Chen Wengang, prompting him to exert force to wrench his hand free. Huo Niansheng uttered a soft “shh,” causing Chen Wengang to gradually quiet down.

Applying a firm pressure against Chen Wengang’s shoulders, he guided him to take a seat upon the stone steps before settling down directly beside him.

Huo Niansheng let out a laugh: “And yet you still claim you haven’t condemned me to a death penalty. In your estimation, what manner of absolute, unforgivable monster do I truly represent?”

Chen Wengang responded, “My apologies. This stems entirely from my personal prejudice; it is not your fault.”

“What about Zheng Yucheng? How exactly did he manage to secure your absolute trust?”

“I was barely ten years of age when I first established an acquaintance with him. We were mere children; who would harbor heavy, calculated thoughts at that stage?”

“Then do you happen to comprehend what was occupying my mind when I was ten years old?” Huo Niansheng flashed a distinct smile toward him.

“What?” Chen Wengang genuinely displayed a look of deep perplexity.

“Throughout my entire childhood, I consistently operated under the assumption that every child’s developmental experience was entirely identical to my own,” Huo Niansheng described. “Encircled by swarms of nannies and domestic staff, chauffeured in vehicles whenever stepping outdoors, clothes provided without lifting a finger, meals served directly to my mouth. Yet I could barely count the number of times I laid eyes upon my father throughout an entire year, my birth mother was an absolute blur in my memory, and among biological siblings, there existed absolutely zero concept of fraternal bond… I harbor no fear of you laughing at me, but it was only around the age of ten that I unearthed the reality that the structural composition of a conventional household in this society looked entirely different. It turned out that an individual like myself was the genuine anomaly. I fully comprehend the underlying sentiment behind every single movement you make to guard yourself against others; my reality is entirely identical—the briefest lapse in concentration inevitably results in being plotted against by someone. Otherwise, how exactly do you imagine I got banished overseas?”

Chen Wengang listened with absolute absorption, his physical posture gradually relaxing.

Suddenly, Huo Niansheng remarked: “Did you happen to record this?”

Chen Wengang froze momentarily, inquiring once more: “What?”

Placing his hand atop the crown of Chen Wengang’s head, Huo Niansheng teased: “I have shared this immense volume of personal history with you, yet your mind remains entirely uninitiated. You could effortlessly utilize this to flaunt before others now, declaring that the individual whose mind has turned completely spinning is none other than myself—that you successfully maneuvered me into pouring out my absolute innermost thoughts. Would you care to recap the narrative one more time?”

Chen Wengang finally let out a spontaneous burst of laughter.

The gaze he directed toward Huo Niansheng softened noticeably.

Huo Niansheng leaned in closer to his position: “Little friend, doesn’t this trajectory indicate that you are actively harboring discrimination against me as well? Can you truly not manage to view me through the lens of an ordinary individual?”

Clasping his arms around his knees, Chen Wengang rested his chin atop them to evaluate him carefully: “I wouldn’t dare.” Yet he refrained from clarifying whether the element he wouldn’t dare execute applied to the former or the latter scenario.

Slowly enveloping Chen Wengang’s hand within his own, Huo Niansheng’s deep, magnetic voice carried an almost enchanting quality: “Supposing I were to declare that I am fundamentally not the classification of man occupying your thoughts—that following that specific night, my desire has consistently been to assume absolute responsibility for you. Would you believe me?”

Chen Wengang continued to scrutinize him with a deeply evaluating gaze.

Huo Niansheng let out a laugh-tinged sigh: “You are truly an exceptionally difficult nut to crack. Let’s go; I shall escort you back.”

Rising to his feet, Chen Wengang brushed away the dust clinging to his trousers: “Young Master Huo, why must you subject yourself to this degree of hardship?”

Looping his arm across Chen Wengang’s back, Huo Niansheng responded, “Very well, consider it a case of myself stepping forward voluntarily, pleading for you to grant me a single opportunity to assume absolute responsibility. Is that acceptable?”

Following this specific evening of open confession, regardless of what thoughts consumed Chen Wengang upon his return, under the continuous, subtle momentum of Huo Niansheng’s steady courtship, he tacitly permitted the man’s presence by his side.

When the florist subsequently delivered a fresh arrangement, a distinct English signature had materialized at the bottom of the card.

Chen Wengang could be considered to have formally witnessed the sheer caliber of the man’s tactics—you were fully aware that a portion of his conduct was an engineered performance, yet buried right behind that carefully executed play, there continuously gleamed a few threads of profound sincerity and intense earnestness. He possessed a masterfully seasoned grasp over every single inch of distance dividing human connections, navigating proximity and weight with absolute, practiced ease.

An individual of this nature possessed a potent capacity to completely disarm a person’s defenses.

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