38th Meow

---

When He Yunzhou sent a message to Huo Zheng, Huo Zheng was working overtime in his office as usual.

The reason he was working overtime was that he was seriously discussing with Li Yu about adding an automatic pet feeding function to the CALO system, which was currently in testing.

After reading Huo Zheng’s proposal, Li Yu had a look on his face as if he wanted to open the window and jump out of the office

He stared at his boss with a heart full of despair, his voice trembling.

“According to the program you gave, of course it’s feasible. But do you know how much additional work it will require? And I don’t understand why you can’t wait a bit. Boss, immortal, President Huo… look at reality! The third round of testing is still ongoing. Shouldn’t you be praying to the heavens for better results this time? And now you’re telling me you want to add a new function?”

Huo Zheng raised his eyebrows and looked directly at Li Yu calmly, “I know it’s difficult. That’s why I personally designed this framework. Following my approach, CALO’s stability won’t be significantly compromised.”

Li Yu became even more exasperated, “That’s true, but—please, it’s a special period right now! You should know better than I do how many people are watching this project and waiting for you to make a mistake… Ah, for god’s sake, what’s with this pet care function? Didn’t we discuss this function a few years ago? Back then, you were the first to oppose it, saying that overly complex functions would increase the CALO system’s failure rate. You also said that taking care of pets was positively correlated with the owner’s happiness…That’s a lot of data you mentioned back then, and you were the one who said the pet care system was a complete waste of space. Do you realize you’re punching yourself in the face right now?”

“After some real-life experiences, I believe that taking care of pets is indeed a crucial need.” Huo Zheng blinked and pretended to speak calmly to Li Yu.

If one ignored his somewhat haggard appearance due to overtime, he still looked like the refined young gentleman—as if he hasn’t acknowledged that he’s punching himself in the face at all.

Huo Zheng’s calmness, however, caused the frantic Li Yu to choke up instantly. He stared suspiciously at Huo Zheng, repeating in disbelief, “Real-life experience? Wait, what real-life experience?”

“…”

But he didn’t get a reply from Huo Zheng—

A notification sound came, and Huo Zheng eagerly checked his phone.

Then, his entire demeanor gradually became strange.

How should one describe Huo Zheng at this moment? It was as if some deity had suddenly pulled the soul of the handsome, sharp, and cold-blooded CEO out of his perfect shell and replaced it with the soul of a fool.

Huo Zheng stared intently at his phone, an uncontrollable smile slowly spreading across his face.

His eyes were filled with countless little stars, brimming with the dreamy happiness of a young maiden in love.

“Heh…”

The most terrifying part was, after staring at his phone for so long, Huo Zheng even let out a light laugh right in front of Li Yu.

“H-Huo… President Huo?”

Li Yu looked at Huo Zheng in horror, swallowing dryly.

He had never seen Huo Zheng like this; it was as if the other’s IQ had suddenly dropped by two hundred points.

Just hearing that sweet laugh was enough to give Li Yu goosebumps from head to toe.

“Are you alright?” Li Yu silently pushed his chair back a small distance but, out of the thin friendship between him and Huo Zheng, he nervously asked a question.

Of course, immediately afterward, he regretted it.

Because as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Huo Zheng struggling to hold back a smile, looking at him with a face full of smugness.

“If your lover invites you to their friend’s wedding, do you know what that means?”

Li Yu: “…Sorry, I don’t have a partner.”

Huo Zheng: “Hehe.”

Li Yu: “…”

Huo Zheng: “Then imagine you have a lover who ‘specially’ invites you to their friend’s wedding. What does that signify?”

Huo Zheng emphasized the word “specially.”

Li Yu: “I’ve already said I don’t have a partner—”

But before he could finish, Huo Zheng interrupted:

“It means your partner sees you as family.”

Li Yu took a deep breath and forced out a cold smile.

“Wow, I’m so envious,” He said without any sincerity. “So it seems someone has invited you to their friend’s wedding, treating you like family? What, does our President Huo finally have a proper love interest now?”

Huo Zheng instinctively wanted to giggle, but fortunately, at the last moment, his rationality returned for a second, allowing him to cover his face with his hand and pretend to cough.

“I haven’t made a formal decision yet, well, after all, you know I…” As he spoke, the foolishness in Huo Zheng’s eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a hint of confusion. “…I’m not suited to be serious with anyone.”

While Huo Zheng was distracted, Li Yu pressed his own forehead.

For the most part, he had to admit that Huo Zheng was quite the perfect leader, an arrogant and ill-tempered man without any professional flaws

But in Li Yu’s view, when it came to emotions, Huo Zheng was an absolute idiot.

“Because of your psychotic mom—oh, sorry, I shouldn’t talk about that lady like this in front of you.” Li Yu shrugged, offering a casual apology. “Honestly, I think any normal person can see that whatever she says is meaningless. She’s just a…”

Li Yu swallowed a curse word.

Huo Zheng raised his eyes and stared fixedly at his friend.

Li Yu sighed.

“In any case, I don’t think you need to worry about such meaningless things. However, honestly, I think only a fool would want to get… together with someone like you. It’s good if you want to be serious.”

After all, Li Yu had witnessed the kind of life Huo Zheng had been living these past years.

Honestly, he felt that although Huo Zheng had money and looks, in reality, his life was quite miserable. If he could have someone who truly cared for him by his side, it would be…

“He’s not a fool!”

The next second, Li Yu heard Huo Zheng resolutely say in a low voice.

Li Yu: “…”

He didn’t understand why, as a single dog, he had to discuss such emotional matters with Huo Zheng.

He suddenly felt very tired.

Of course, Li Yu didn’t know that what really prevented Huo Zheng from fully opening up and accepting He Yunzhou wasn’t entirely the crazy things Huo Xiaoyun had been whispering in his ear since childhood, but…

“…So, should I proceed with the previously discussed plan?”

Li Yu’s words brought Huo Zheng out of his trance.

Seeing his friend completely shut down the personal conversation and turn back to work, Huo Zheng could only force himself to focus and finish explaining the work matters.

After completing the recent work handover with Huo Zheng at the fastest speed and highest efficiency, Li Yu left Huo Zheng’s office as if his seat was on fire, clearly afraid that Huo Zheng would once again transform into that suffocatingly teenage CEO in front of him.

And Huo Zheng waited until Li Yu closed his office door before taking out his phone again, savoring the invitation He Yunzhou had sent him.

It was a very polite and restrained message, inviting Huo Zheng to attend the wedding of a woman named Shu Ran with him.

Of course, Huo Zheng could also tell that when sending this invitation, He Yunzhou was actually very nervous—he wrote a lot of explanations as a cover, seemingly wanting Huo Zheng to see this as an ordinary outing between friends.

But…

“What a little fool.”

Huo Zheng stared at He Yunzhou’s profile picture and couldn’t help but murmur softly.

Even though Huo Zheng’s daily life was different from He Yunzhou’s, he knew there was never such a thing as an “ordinary friend” inviting someone to a friend’s wedding.

Just like Huo Zheng had unconsciously bragged a little in front of Li Yu earlier.

That was a privilege only the closest “family members” would have.

He Yunzhou’s invitation, from beginning to end, was an exceptionally subtle and cautious test.

He was testing Huo Zheng’s feelings for him.

And just thinking about this made Huo Zheng’s heart feel both sour and soft, as if it had been inadvertently soaked in freshly made sour plum soup.

Obviously, just a short while ago, Huo Zheng had once coldly rejected him like that.

But that person, He Yunzhou, was so foolish, foolish enough to place Huo Zheng in the “family” position without any promises or commitments.

“Do you realize that I might hurt you ah…”

Huo Zheng propped his face on his hand, staring at his phone, half sour, half sweet, and softly said to the absent He Yunzhou.

At that moment, Huo Zheng knew he had to surrender.

The hug He Yunzhou gave him on the sofa had saved him… but it had also made him selfish.

Huo Zheng finally made his decision.

He decided to accept He Yunzhou’s love.

The moment he made this decision, Huo Zheng’s fingers trembled slightly as he typed this message on his phone.

He Yunzhou’s reply came quickly, and this time, Huo Zheng didn’t receive cold text but He Yunzhou’s voice message.

[“Thank you… I really… I can only say thank you.”]

Because he had finally received an acknowledgment, He Yunzhou’s response was somewhat incoherent, and Huo Zheng could even hear a hint of hoarseness in He Yunzhou’s voice, as if he had just been crying.

At that moment, Huo Zheng’s heart softened completely.

Had he known earlier, he shouldn’t have kept He Yunzhou hanging in such an ambiguous way—that naturally shy and introverted man, how anxious and uneasy must he have been in places Huo Zheng couldn’t see?

“Between you and me, there’s no need to say thank you.”

He immediately replied.

If Li Yu had heard this from beside him, he would have been even more horrified and shocked.

Every word that slipped from Huo Zheng’s lips was so sweet, as if dripping with honey, full of affection and reassurance.

---

The author has something to say:

Previously feeling sad and distressed over Shu Ran, He Yunzhou listened to the message once and suddenly got goosebumps and felt confused:

Huo Zheng… did his phone break?

Mr. He was puzzled for a long time. He didn’t know what had happened and was too embarrassed to ask.

As for Mr. Huo, who was far away on the other side: “Hehehe~”

It’s also a happy day.