Chapter 23

The dishes were all served, and a waiter came up to pour wine for the guests. The old gentleman, with a beaming smile, waved off the server who was about to pour wine for Huo Zhongshan, stood up himself to pour wine for him, and then filled his own glass. The young man beside him also stood up with his wine glass in hand.

Huo Zhongshan sat there calmly, only slightly raising his glass for a symbolic sip when the old gentleman led his son in a toast. Under the old gentleman’s smiling and obviously probing gaze, Huo Zhongshan slowly put down his glass and casually said, “Fang Shimian, my younger brother.”

Both the old gentleman and the young man were taken aback.

“This is Mr. Huo Lin, the president of Mingheng,” Huo Zhongshan glanced at Fang Shimian and introduced him simply.

Before Fang Shimian could speak, Huo Lin quickly smiled at Huo Zhongshan, “They said it’s just a simple family dinner, no need for formalities. Shimian, right? Nice name. We’re all family here, just call me Uncle Lin.”

“…Uncle Lin,” Fang Shimian was momentarily dazed by the words “family,” and followed along with the address.

The old gentleman, who was so deferential in front of Huo Zhongshan, turned out to be the president of Mingheng, and from what he said, he seemed to be Huo Zhongshan’s uncle.

Huo Lin looked at Fang Shimian and generously introduced the silent young man beside him, “This is my son, Huo Chongxiao. He graduated from university this year and is also working at Mingheng. I recently put him in the sales department. This kid, you see, usually doesn’t talk much, but he managed to land a few big clients…”

Huo Lin went on and on.

Fang Shimian didn’t know why Huo Lin was telling him all this in such detail, but since someone was talking to him, he put down his chopsticks and listened attentively, though he felt a bit sorry for the untouched dishes.

“Let’s eat first,” Huo Zhongshan interrupted Huo Lin’s speech in a calm voice, picking up the serving chopsticks to give Fang Shimian a piece of fish.

Fang Shimian’s eyes widened slightly. The fish was what he wanted to eat the most just now because he was sure the aroma filling the room came from the sauce drizzled over the fish. He wasn’t interested in the few steamed seafood dishes at all.

Huo Lin smiled apologetically, observed Huo Zhongshan’s expression, and before sitting down, added with a smile, “Shimian looks young, still in college, right? My son should be a bit older than you. You can call him Brother Chong. You’re about the same age, so you can exchange contact information and hang out together.”

Fang Shimian was eating fish and was about to respond politely when Huo Zhongshan spoke in a lukewarm tone, “Don’t talk while eating fish.”

The reason for not talking while eating fish is because of the bones, but the bones of this sea fish had long been removed by the chef, and the skeleton was just for decoration on the plate.

Huo Lin’s face stiffened, realizing he might have overdone it and caused displeasure, so he immediately followed Huo Zhongshan’s lead, “Yes, yes, don’t talk while eating fish. Zhongshan is thoughtful, and I, as an uncle, didn’t think of it.”

Fang Shimian didn’t know how to respond, but he felt relieved at this moment.

The boxed meal really wasn’t filling. After finishing the fish in his bowl, Fang Shimian picked up a few more dishes, but then he suddenly remembered that he had said in the car that he had already eaten. Now that he was eating again, would it seem like he was eating a lot and being dishonest?

So he paused his hand from picking up more food and slowly put it back.

Huo Zhongshan looked up at him, also put down his chopsticks, and leisurely wiped his hands with a wet towel, casually asking, “Not to your taste?”

Huo Lin and his son, who were whispering about something, looked over, appearing a bit nervous.

Fang Shimian immediately shook his head and answered softly, “I’m full.”

The young man’s lips were red, and his teeth were white, with a pair of bright eyes that couldn’t hide anything.

Huo Zhongshan’s gaze lingered briefly on Fang Shimian’s slender waist before nonchalantly turning to dispose of the used wet towel, “When you’re growing, eat more.”

After saying that, he picked up the serving chopsticks again to give Fang Shimian more food.

Looking at the delicious food in his bowl, Fang Shimian swallowed his saliva, thinking he shouldn’t waste food, and buried his head to eat again.

Seeing Fang Shimian start picking up food himself, Huo Zhongshan put down the serving chopsticks and casually answered some business questions from Huo Lin.

Huo Lin had been observing all along, amazed by what he saw. Although he called him a brother, at this dining table, only his son, Huo Chongxiao, was Huo Zhongshan’s legitimate brother, sharing the same bloodline and surname. Yet, from start to finish, Huo Zhongshan didn’t even spare a glance at his son.

He felt a bit uncomfortable inside but still tried to engage Fang Shimian in conversation, recommending a few stocks with guaranteed returns and some high-yield investments…

However, Fang Shimian didn’t seem very interested. Seeing the young man’s calm demeanor, Huo Lin was unsure.

The Huo family had been prosperous for many years, standing strong with a thriving family. But no matter how many people there were, resources were limited. Only those with the ability to be noticed by the family had the chance to rise.

Huo Lin’s branch had long been in decline, always on the fringes of the Huo family. Back then, he had endured countless hardships to fight for a piece of the real estate pie, and it took a lot of effort to get a chance to shine. Fortunately, he didn’t disappoint, and even a little resource allowed him to turn the tables.

He didn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps. The future prosperity or decline of their family depended on the words of the young man in power before them.

Huo Lin wanted to use Fang Shimian as a breakthrough point but found the kid to be very cautious, not falling for any tricks, making it difficult.

Little did he know, Fang Shimian was simply immersed in the temptation of delicious food. Moreover, he had no concept of the investments Huo Lin mentioned and no money to participate, so he always appeared indifferent and uninterested, completely ignoring Huo Lin’s subtle temptations.

He didn’t notice the undercurrents at the dining table, only realizing when he was almost done eating that Huo Chongxiao suddenly sat in the empty seat beside him.

“Where do you study, little brother?” Huo Chongxiao sat upright and asked as soon as Fang Shimian put down his chopsticks.

Fang Shimian took a napkin to wipe his mouth and slowly said, “I’m not studying anymore, I’m working.”

Huo Chongxiao nodded thoughtfully and changed the subject, “Do you want to take a look around? This place has an interesting design.”

Fang Shimian recalled the scenery he saw when he came in. Although exquisite, it wasn’t very creative. But since Huo Chongxiao had already said so, and knowing he was the only outsider here, he didn’t want to stay in the private room all the time, so he said, “Let’s go.”

After greeting the other two at the table, Fang Shimian and Huo Chongxiao went out.

The scenery outside was indeed nice. The waiter brought their coats to them, and Huo Chongxiao led Fang Shimian around, stopping at the smoking area outside the private room to talk.

However, they didn’t have much to talk about. Fang Shimian wasn’t much of a talker, and Huo Chongxiao was also a man of few words. But staying silent didn’t seem right, so they awkwardly kept trying to find topics.

Until they talked about future plans.

Fang Shimian thought for a moment and honestly said, “I just want to be a good surveillance operator, make sure there are no fires in the community, and not end up in jail.”

Huo Chongxiao seemed surprised by his honesty. He looked up and stared at Fang Shimian for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled, “I actually don’t want to go into business, but there are some things I can’t decide.”

“Do you want to be a soldier?” Fang Shimian asked.

Huo Chongxiao was taken aback, “Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know, just a feeling. Your demeanor is very much like what they show on the military channel, like a tree… a very upright feeling.”

It was indeed a strange intuition. From the first moment Fang Shimian saw him, he could see Huo Chongxiao’s resistance to flattery and his compromise with his father.

Huo Chongxiao’s eyes were special, carrying a certain determination. His walking and sitting posture also showed traces of training. Combined with his reluctance to go into business, the answer was obvious.

Huo Chongxiao was silent for a while, then looked up at Fang Shimian again, “Do you think I’m foolish?”

Fang Shimian shook his head, very seriously, “You have your own ideals. Even if you can’t follow that path, it can’t be summed up as foolish… Someone like me, who just goes with the flow and gives up when things don’t work out, is the one who’s foolish.”

“You’re not, you’re great.”

Huo Chongxiao took out his phone, “Let’s exchange contact information. I’ll take you out next time.”

Fang Shimian didn’t know why it was so sudden. He took out his phone to scan Huo Chongxiao’s code, “I’m very busy with work, so maybe don’t ask me out.”

Huo Chongxiao nodded thoughtfully, “Then can I occasionally chat with you?”

This time, Fang Shimian nodded, “But I’m slow at replying.”

“That’s okay, I don’t chat with people often either. You don’t have to reply.”

As they were talking, Fang Shimian looked up and saw Huo Zhongshan and Huo Lin standing outside the private room, talking, not far from them. He didn’t know when they had come out.

When Fang Shimian looked up, he happened to meet Huo Zhongshan’s gaze. In an instant, the man expressionlessly looked away.

Huo Chongxiao also noticed and stood up to walk over there, with Fang Shimian following behind him.

After leaving the restaurant, Huo Lin no longer looked as confident as he did at the beginning. He respectfully said goodbye and tactfully left with his son.

In the car, no one spoke for a long time.

Fang Shimian slowly realized that Huo Zhongshan seemed to be in a bad mood. He guessed it might be business-related, but he didn’t know what to say to ease the strange atmosphere.

After a while.

“I think I didn’t take leave today,” Fang Shimian suddenly realized this serious issue.

Huo Zhongshan didn’t answer, only after a while did he look at Fang Shimian and calmly ask, “Did you have a good chat with Huo Lin’s son?”

Fang Shimian’s thoughts were interrupted by this inexplicable question. Recalling the half-hour of racking his brain for topics, he frowned slightly, scratched his head, and gave a generic answer, “Not good, not bad… mainly because neither of us likes to talk.”

Huo Zhongshan chuckled, his face devoid of warmth, “Oh? Really?”

“I saw you exchanging contact information when I came out, so I thought you had a good chat.”

Fang Shimian actually had some doubts about this matter. He sincerely said, “Maybe his father asked him to.”

Huo Zhongshan’s dark eyes stared at Fang Shimian, and after a while, he leisurely nodded, “Probably.”

The atmosphere in the car gradually relaxed.

Fang Shimian thought through everything that happened today, recalling the few previous interactions, and felt that Huo Zhongshan was actually a good person, not as unapproachable as he seemed, and quite considerate.

So Fang Shimian moved a little closer to Huo Zhongshan and asked in a low voice, “Was today’s meal a thank you?”

Huo Zhongshan looked at the approaching Fang Shimian and asked him gently, “What do you think?”

Fang Shimian inexplicably felt a bit of chill. He glanced at the air conditioning vent and cautiously answered, “I don’t know.”

“You called me brother, isn’t it normal for a brother to take his younger brother out for a meal?” Huo Zhongshan’s expression was calm.

The term “brother” felt strange when used between him and Huo Zhongshan, but Fang Shimian hadn’t figured out why things had progressed this way.

Fang Shimian thought of Zhu Ze. Actually, Zhu Ze… was also quite good to him, but Zhu Ze’s kindness always came at a painful price for Fang Shimian, whether now or in the past.

So what about Huo Zhongshan? What price would he have to pay to repay his kindness?

“Next time, I’ll treat,” Fang Shimian lowered his head again, “but my abilities are limited, so I might not be able to afford a very expensive place.”

Huo Zhongshan didn’t comment, his expression very calm, only asking, “How will you contact me?”

Fang Shimian was taken aback, realizing he didn’t have any contact information for Huo Zhongshan, so he handed over his phone, “Phone number or add me on WeChat. You must be very busy, so I’ll contact you in advance when I have a day off.”

Huo Zhongshan leisurely entered his number into the phone, calmly savoring certain words from Fang Shimian’s speech, “You?”