Chapter 145

Huo Zongzhu didn’t say anything.

Once they stepped inside, Jiang Luo glanced around and was stunned.

The building they’d entered was a sewing workshop.

The factory was huge, with high ceilings and hanging lights. The space was divided into neat sections, each outfitted with industrial sewing machines—from straight-stitch to overlock machines and more.

This…?

Jiang Luo turned to Huo Zongzhu. So this is a clothing factory?

The place was completely empty. At least in this section of the factory, aside from them, there wasn’t a single person in sight—only the neatly arranged machines, sunlight streaming through the windows, and clean, bright green floors.

Jiang Luo walked further in, inspecting the equipment. All of it was new, imported—German machines, identical to the ones Shengfei and Hongming used.

The deeper he went, the same impression persisted: everything was brand new, no exceptions.

Stopping in the center of the vast, immaculate workshop, Jiang Luo turned to Huo Zongzhu. “This is a new factory… it hasn’t started operations yet, right?”

“Right, it hasn’t,” Huo Zongzhu replied.

Jiang Luo glanced around again, then at Huo Zongzhu. “Why bring me here?”

Huo Zongzhu didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked, “What do you think?”

Jiang Luo looked over the equipment and nodded. “Looks great.”

“The space is large, the machines are imported, and the floors were specially done. Each workstation even has its own light.”

Jiang Luo’s own factories, whether Shengfei or Hongming, had similar scale and setup when refurbished. But clearly, this one was even better—the walls and ceiling gleamed pure white, completely new.

Huo Zongzhu continued, “Do you notice anything wrong? Anything you’d change?”

Jiang Luo countered, “Everything’s already this perfect… what could be wrong?”

Huo Zongzhu asked next, “Do you like it?”

Like it…?

Jiang Luo nodded along. “Of course I like it. Who in clothing wouldn’t?”

Huo Zongzhu’s tone was calm and ordinary. “It’s yours now.”

Huh?

Jiang Luo froze. Yours? Mine?

He pointed at himself. “Don’t tell me… you built a factory in Shenzhen and… you’re giving it to me?”

Huo Zongzhu nodded steadily. “Exactly.”

Jiang Luo: “……”

His eyes widened, disbelief written all over his face.

Huo Zongzhu stayed calm and added, “Since you like it and think it’s well done, accept it and manage it properly.”

Then, remembering that giving a whole factory as a gift was extreme—too extravagant, maybe revealing his personal feelings—he added, “The factory is yours. You manage it. Once it starts making money, give me twenty percent of the profits.”

Jiang Luo heard this but seemed not to process it, staring blankly at Huo Zongzhu. After a moment, he raised an eyebrow. “Huo Zongzhu… are you okay? You’re not messing with me, right?!”

“This is a factory! A whole factory!”

“You’re giving me this?!”

He spun around, gesturing at the pristine machines, the walls, the ceiling, the floors, still in shock. “This is a factory! A clothing factory! Brand new!”

“You’re giving me this?”

“Yes.”

Huo Zongzhu’s voice was firm, clear, and unwavering. He knew giving a factory was unusual—Jiang Luo would naturally be shocked.

And he was.

Jiang Luo took a few steps forward, spread his arm, turned in place, and gave Huo Zongzhu an incredulous smile. “Are you crazy? Or am I dreaming?”

“Huo Zongzhu, this is a factory! A clothing factory!”

“You’re giving me this?!”

“Yes,” Huo Zongzhu confirmed.

Jiang Luo: !

!!

!!!

He stepped closer, scrutinizing Huo Zongzhu. “Did you buy the land for this? When did you start construction? The machines… were they all just delivered? How much did it cost? Are you insane?!”

Huo Zongzhu smiled, calm as ever. “Don’t you like it?”

Jiang Luo’s expression screamed, Are you joking?

“I like it… so what? Does it matter that much? Is it really a big deal? Do you have to go that far just because I like it?”

“You liked it, so you gave me a factory?”

Jiang Luo: “Huo Zongzhu, are you insane?!”

Huo Zongzhu finally placed a hand on Jiang Luo’s shoulder. “I bought the land after New Year. Once it was secured, construction began immediately. The building is brand new, the machines are all new. How much it cost isn’t your concern. To me, money spent is money spent. You just need to know that from now on, this place—this factory, the machines, everything—is yours.”

“You manage it, make it profitable, and give me twenty percent of the profits.”

“Huo Zongzhu!”

Jiang Luo shook his head, astonished. “No one gives someone a factory like this. No one!”

He was gradually processing it, still shocked, thinking it was almost surreal—a story out of a fairy tale.

This… is actually happening?

“Exactly what were you thinking?”

“Are you really crazy?!”

“Even if we’re close, we don’t usually treat money like this, right?!”

Huo Zongzhu wasn’t worried about anything else—just that Jiang Luo might misread his intentions.

He calmly said, “I said twenty percent profit. It’s not a free gift.”

Profit-sharing… Jiang Luo wasn’t an idiot.

If someone goes to this extent for another, without any hint of romantic history, Jiang Luo would naturally question Huo Zongzhu’s feelings for him.

For a moment, Jiang Luo’s mind flickered—did Huo Zongzhu like him? That could explain it.

But the thought was quickly replaced by another feeling—his heart was pounding, unusually fast, with an unfamiliar, unclassifiable sensation swirling inside him.

What is this?

He stared at Huo Zongzhu, controlling his racing heartbeat. His emotions, combining this life and the last, had never been so complex.

What is it? What exactly is it?

Huo Zongzhu met his gaze firmly. “I’m giving this to you. Take care of it. Hire people. Manage it well. I want to see profits. Every year, twenty percent goes to me.”

Jiang Luo stared at the familiar, handsome, deep face before him.

A sudden clarity hit him—something inside shifted. Something was finally revealed, and he noticed it.

What was it?

Later, as Huo Zongzhu showed him other workshops, Jiang Luo felt like his consciousness was split in two—half following Huo Zongzhu through the factory, half locked on the man’s face, features, expressions.

His heart was full, so full it felt like it might overflow.

He couldn’t quite identify the feeling yet.

He watched Huo Zongzhu’s profile, his lips moving, speaking… his perception floated, surreal, sometimes distant, like an out-of-body experience.

Then, suddenly grounded, his body tingled, his heart thumped wildly, and he felt disoriented, as if everything about him had changed.

Changed… how? What’s happening to me?

After leaving the workshops and walking through the factory complex, Jiang Luo heard Huo Zongzhu speak—but he couldn’t focus, couldn’t catch the words.

He kept looking at the man, heart racing, eyes tracing his eyelashes, nose, lips… the world felt off.

Finally, back in the car, sitting in the passenger seat, Huo Zongzhu said, “Not entirely happy, huh? You like it, but getting a factory like this, so different from what you expected… you’re hesitant?”

Jiang Luo turned to look at him.

Huo Zongzhu, calm and steady, continued driving, “It’s okay if you don’t want it. You could rent it out or let the local government manage it, have them attract operators, run the factory.”