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Chapter 53: My person doesn’t need to hide in the shadows.
The two of them didn’t wander around the mall anymore, taking the elevator back to the underground parking lot.
“Have things not been too peaceful lately?” Chen Wengang asked.
“You know how these journalists are; it’s just the same old stuff.” Huo Niansheng shrugged it off.
Even though he didn’t explicitly mention it, Chen Wengang found it hard to pretend he didn’t know what Huo Niansheng meant.
It wasn’t just him; anyone literate in Jincheng could see it. Ever since Huo Niansheng returned, rumors have been spreading. His grandfather, the head of the Huo family, Huo Kaishan, had a relapse of liver cancer, his condition deteriorating day by day.
Back then, the rumors were sporadic, just murmurs. But fate has its way, and as Huo Kaishan’s cancer cells spread, the news became impossible to contain. Keen reporters began camping outside the hospital, and every day, newspapers and magazines recounted the life of the former shipping magnate.
They speculated eagerly about how the vast family fortune would be distributed among his descendants—who would get more and who would get less.
Anyone with the surname “Huo” was now under scrutiny.
Even Huo Meijie, now Mrs. Zheng and expecting a baby, found herself pushed to the sidelines.
Life and death are part of the human condition, but these reporters were like vultures, waiting to snatch a piece of meat to feed their brood.
That’s why Huo Niansheng told Chen Wengang as he dropped him off, “It’s just the current situation. Don’t dwell on it; it’ll pass.”
Chen Wengang asked him, “Is there anything I can help with?”
Huo Niansheng countered, “How could you help me?”
Chen Wengang remained silent, listening to his somewhat whimsical thoughts, “Well, there is a way… We could go to a private island, just you and me, live in seclusion for half a year, and when we return, everything will be calm again. Oh, I forgot; I can’t go out to sea.”
Chen Wengang didn’t acknowledge his remark and just sighed, “I wonder when we won’t have to deal with these journalists anymore.”
Looking out the window, he suddenly remarked, “When I’m close to the end of my days, I’ll quietly find an island… and not let a single journalist in.”
Huo Niansheng chuckled, “Nonsense. You’re going to live a long life.”
It’s ironic that when someone is nearing the end of their life, there are ten thousand thoughts in people’s minds, and few are genuinely sorrowful.
But for Huo Kaishan, Huo Niansheng didn’t have many thoughts either.
When Huo Kaishan acknowledged him as his heir, everyone thought he owed him, making him the illustrious young master of the Huo family. Except for Huo Jingsheng, none of the other illegitimate children had the privilege he did.
But he never saw his birth mother again after that; she only existed in fuzzy memories before the age of four.
For Huo Niansheng, he never chose his own life path, so he never pondered whether it was good or bad.
His grandfather was merely a nominal relative. As Huo Kaishan’s time drew near, all he could think was it’s destiny.
That was all, nothing more.
After a while, Chen Wengang received a call from Ma Wen, the person in charge of the Houren Foundation.
In his usual booming voice, Ma Wen asked, “Can you talk now?”
“Go ahead.”
“Alright, about that charity advertisement shoot, the director asked if you’d participate last week. How’s your consideration going?”
Chen Wengang glanced subtly at Huo Niansheng, hesitated, but declined, “I think I’m still not quite comfortable, sorry.”
Ma Wen was surprised, “Is Mr. Zheng obstructing? That can’t be; I’ve talked to him, and he’s supportive.”
Chen Wengang smiled and said, “I lack experience in front of the camera. I’m sure I’d freeze up. It would just be trouble for everyone.”
It was an obvious excuse.
Ma Wen, puzzled, tried to persuade him a few more times, but they couldn’t reach an agreement, so he hung up somewhat disappointed.
Huo Niansheng, however, gleaned a hint from the conversation, “What kind of advertisement did he want you to shoot, print, or video?”
Chen Wengang replied, “It’s a video advertisement for World Charity Day. It’ll air on local TV stations and be simultaneously promoted online.”
Huo Niansheng thought for a moment, glanced at him, and chuckled, “Isn’t that suitable for you? Why didn’t you agree?”
Chen Wengang smiled back, “We’re not important figures. Volunteers just flash in the background; it wouldn’t matter who’s there.”
Advertisements need exposure to reach the public. Huo Niansheng immediately understood what he was thinking.
Chen Wengang’s thoughts aligned with this sentiment. It’s better for actors in charity advertisements to have a clean background.
In these turbulent times, like today, with the paparazzi buzzing around incessantly, the scrutiny will only intensify as time goes on. It wouldn’t be surprising if they dragged him into their mess at some point. They all know the dubious ethics of journalists.
Considering the savage development of public opinion in the future, he could already envision the kind of narratives that could emerge—
They could say that Chen Wengang is publicly enthusiastic about charity but secretly involved in same-sex relationships. They could dig up some wealthy young man named Chen who had dealings with him, suggesting he accepts bribes, undermining his apparent innocence, and add to that his adopted status by the Zheng family, creating a love triangle…
There were too many angles for sensationalist stories.
Chen Wengang wasn’t concerned about scandals. Like Zheng Dongqing once said, “If you want to eat salty fish, be prepared to quench your thirst.” When he chose to be with Huo Niansheng, he accepted this cost. He agreed with that sentiment; he didn’t care.
But in the current situation, causing trouble for the project alone seemed unnecessary to him.
The car was parked under the shade of trees, still some distance from the Zheng household. Huo Niansheng released the steering wheel.
It was a moment before parting, as he leaned over and kissed Chen Wengang.
The sunlight scattered softly on their faces. Chen Wengang unbuckled his seatbelt, his slender fingers resting against Huo Niansheng’s chest. Huo Niansheng cradled the back of his neck, first seeking, then withdrawing, changing the meaning, gently brushing his lips against Chen Wengang’s.
Their cheeks brushed against each other, and the final kiss landed on Chen Wengang’s forehead.
Chen Wengang smiled, opened the door, and got out of the car, bidding him farewell. However, Huo Niansheng still watched him, lowered the car window, and extended one hand.
Chen Wengang walked around the front of the car, bent down, and reached out, his hand held, their fingers intertwined.
He smiled brightly at Huo Niansheng, his eyes curved, gentle and innocent, so pure.
Huo Niansheng’s lips curled upward, “I won’t come to see you for a while.”
“Is everything alright?” Chen Wengang paused.
“No trouble; I’m going on a business trip.” Huo Niansheng lowered his head and kissed the back of Chen Wengang’s hand, “Of course, you’ll see me when I return. But go ahead and do that advertisement. There’s nothing to worry about. Wengang, my person doesn’t need to hide in the shadows.”
***
Wang Dongqing, the New Week Media journalist who bumped into the fire hydrant, returned to the newspaper with a bruised and swollen face, first filling out forms to report the damage.
The recent secrets of the Huo family were a hot topic, stirring up the whole city. The conference room’s whiteboard was plastered with the Huo family tree. With inheritance and property division at stake, any romantic affairs or marriages among the Huo family members could potentially cause a series of disruptions.
Disruptions, of course, meant there were stories to write.
His stakeout on the young master of the Huo family at the company wasn’t a secret, but coming back in such a sorry state was a rare sight.
Limping his way to the editor-in-chief’s office, he ran into competitive colleagues. One of them, with ill intentions, said, “Failed?”
Wang Dongqing glared at the colleague’s malicious chubby face and cursed, “Mind your own damn business.”
But he could only fume silently. The colleague was the editor-in-chief’s nephew, always taking easy and lucrative assignments.
He cherry-picked assignments, avoided the heavy lifting, and when there was fame and fortune to be had, he was the first to jump at it.
This time, Wang Dongqing gritted his teeth, determined to dig up a major scoop on Huo Niansheng. He knew about some recent developments around Huo Niansheng, and of course, he knew that crossing this second-generation scion wouldn’t be easy; it was a gamble.
Wang Dongqing checked his chipped phone and camera.
Even though Huo Niansheng confiscated his card and deleted his photos, with today’s technological advancements, even a factory reset didn’t guarantee erasure. He spent some money yesterday and had someone extract two photos from his phone overnight.
After staying up all night, meticulously dissecting and writing his article.
And now he was summoned into the editor-in-chief’s office: “Your piece is well-written.”
Wang Dongqing’s face lit up with joy.
The editor continued, “However, this won’t be published. I’ve rejected it in the system.”
Wang Dongqing almost slammed the table, “Why? I can make changes if needed.”
The editor, lounging with crossed legs, looked at his subordinate, who seemed clueless despite years in the field, finally showing a bit of kindness and gave him some advice, “What’s there to change? If you’re trying to provide for your family, you might as well sell the photos directly to him. Do good to others, and good will come to you. It’s the easiest way.”
Feeling sorry for himself as a good person, this wasn’t something a chief editor should say, but alas, his subordinate was so dense.
But Wang Dongqing was convinced he was being suppressed, “What’s the big deal? I distinctly remember Xie Jin writing about it…”
Xie Jin was the editor’s nephew.
The editor couldn’t hold it anymore and banged the table, “Kid, do you think you’re the only one who can dig up dirt? Just because others don’t expose it, doesn’t mean you should. Do you think you’re some kind of special agent? Do you even know that young master Huo runs a media conglomerate? Back when there was no trouble and he had no relationship with him, he let you talk freely. But times change. Do you think he won’t retaliate now that Huo Kaishan is about to die? Do you want a future in this industry?”
“Is that it?”
“That’s it.”
Wang Dongqing couldn’t hide his disappointment, “Hmm, the uncrowned king… Put this back ten or twenty years ago; even the big shots couldn’t escape scrutiny.”
The editor chuckled casually at him, “Oh, you also know, there were still big shots on the streets ten or twenty years ago. I remember those times too, but times have changed. If he wants to ruin you, he has plenty of ways. Do you want to be wise and adapt to the times?”
Wang Dongqing finally had nothing to say, but he wasn’t convinced either, his mouth pursed and his face turning red from his chin to his neck.
The editor suddenly sighed and pulled out a lighter, “Hey, Kev, you’re married, right?”
Wang Dongqing hesitated, “Uh… yes, I am.”
The editor continued, “Is your son in kindergarten?”
Wang Dongqing replied, “Yes, he started last year.”
With a click, the editor lit a cigarette and said, “If you were alone, wanting to take a gamble, I could support you. Honestly, they’ve given us a heads up about what to publish and what not. I won’t let it through. You have the photos, you can’t publish them, but you can post them on your own account.”
Exhaling a smoke ring, the editor continued, “But with a family to take care of, do you have the audacity to gamble? You have a family to worry about, but do they? If you stir things up this time and your house gets vandalized, will your wife live in fear every day? Will your son be able to go to kindergarten? What grounds do you have to be stubborn?”
Wang Dongqing’s neck turned even redder, but in the end, he couldn’t say anything. Upon hearing about his son, his shoulders slumped.
***
Huo Niansheng had been away on business for half a month.
But sometimes he messaged Chen Wengang.
During breaks in filming, Chen Wengang would lean against the wall to reply to him, only to be caught by Director Liu: “Have you got a girlfriend?”
Chen Wengang smiled and said, “Not a girlfriend.”
Director Liu didn’t believe him, “You youngsters, once you started glued to your phones, something was up, but you couldn’t fool me.”
An assistant approached, “Director Liu, isn’t Yao Yao your kid? You might need to check on her.”
Director Liu hurried away, leaving the set buzzing with activity.
Volunteers were easy to capture on camera, smiling for the lens. The director prioritized this footage, completing it early in the day. The theme of the charity advertisement was “Smiling Angels,” aiming to raise awareness for the welfare of disabled children. The children in the shoot came from various welfare homes, suffering from conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, but they received a good intervention.
The scene required a lot of staff to look after, and the noise was reminiscent of a bustling temple fair.
Chen Wengang leaned against the wall for a while, then put away his phone to help other crew members.
His participation in the shoot, besides being due to Huo Niansheng’s promise, also carried a hint from Zheng Bingyi. The Houren Foundation had cooperation projects funded by the Zheng family, and Zheng Bingyi was happy to showcase an image of his own people actively engaged in charity work to enhance the company’s reputation.
So, a week later, Zheng Bingyi remembered to ask again, “Has your advertisement aired?”
The whole family was having dinner.
Chen Wengang replied, “The final cut has been released. World Charity Day was on September 5th, starting from that day.”
Zheng Bingyi nodded, “Remember to show it to me then.”
Zheng Baoqiu smiled, “Isn’t it already available online? Dad, you’re behind the times; it’s already trending.”
Zheng Maoxun was struggling with a piece of fish head with chopped peppers, suddenly looking up in surprise and asking, “What’s trending?”
Saying it’s trending might not be entirely accurate. The official account of the foundation uploaded the advertisement video, but someone captured a frame of Chen Wengang in it and posted it with the caption: “He could easily rely on his looks for a living, yet he chooses to do charity.”
It was this comment that caused the reposts to skyrocket, suddenly increasing the heat around it.
Zheng Maoxun, after listening, was even more puzzled, “Why would such an advertisement trend?”
Zheng Baoqiu got annoyed and gave him a kick under the table.
Mu Qing suddenly gently raised the corner of his mouth, “But is it appropriate? Turning charity advertisements into star-making. It doesn’t seem right.”
Zheng Baoqiu glared at him and said, “Even if it’s star-making, then in your eyes, entering the entertainment industry seems pretty easy. Why don’t you give it a try?”
“Because I don’t see myself as a star,” Mu Qing smiled at her, “I just think that charity should have its own style. Just chasing after individuals, even if you repost a hundred thousand times, that hype doesn’t mean much and isn’t worth showing off.”
Zheng Yucheng was about to speak after setting down his chopsticks, but was given a glance by Zheng Bingyi first.
Zheng Bingyi then glanced at his nephew and asked, “What’s there to show off or not? Acting like you’re still seven or eight years old? Everyone should mind their own business.”
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“Wang Dongqing’s neck turned even redder, but in the end, he couldn’t say anything. Upon hearing about his son, his shoulders slumped.” I’m genuinely torn between hating the paparazzi and supporting the freedom of the press. Also, Mu Qing needs to gtfo. He’s such a whiny loser b***h. Even the dozen lines about him every few chapters are annoying af.