Chapter 157

Huo Zongzhuo chuckled under his breath, looking at Jiang Luo.

Jiang Luo was still gripping his tie, putting on a fierce face. “I’ll bite you!”

As he spoke, he opened his mouth, pretending he was about to bite Huo Zongzhuo’s ear.

Huo Zongzhuo dodged slightly, then reached out to wrap an arm around Jiang Luo’s waist. The two of them laughed and tussled together.

That night, Jiang Luo still slept curled up against Huo Zongzhuo, asking him to read poetry and classical prose to him, coaxing him to sleep.

This really was Jiang Luo’s plan—boiling the frog slowly, letting things simmer low and steady. He had plenty of time and patience.

However…

That day, Huo Zongzhuo wasn’t around. Jiang Luo was in his office, looking over several tag designs that the factory making hangtags had just sent over.

He was busy when he heard some movement and voices outside the window.

At first he didn’t pay attention. Then Lao Si ran in, grinning. “President Jiang, come out and take a look.”

Huh?

Thinking something was wrong, Jiang Luo went out—only to see a brand-new silver sedan parked in the open space outside the office.

Wang Chuang, Yu Dong, Mo Wanzhen, and the others were all there, clustered around it.

“Where did this car come from?” Jiang Luo asked, confused, looking it over.

It had already been registered—a local Shenzhen plate, ending in three eights. The logo, though, was unfamiliar to him, with a letter “B” in the center.

Wang Chuang immediately said, “It’s yours. A-Qing said President Huo had it brought back from overseas for you.”

What?

Jiang Luo was stunned.

He walked closer. The door was open, and the interior was clearly brand-new as well.

He circled the car once, puzzled. “What brand is this?”

From the side, Wang Junqing said, “I think it’s called Bentley. British brand.”

“Bentley?”

Jiang Luo looked it over again and asked instinctively, “How much does this cost?”

Wang Junqing didn’t answer. Lao Si, quicker to speak, blurted out, “President Huo paid someone to arrange it before last Spring Festival.”

“It took over half a year to get here.”

“Not counting all the extra fees, the car alone was over a million.”

Everyone: ???

Jiang Luo: ???

Over a million?!

Even Jiang Luo—who liked spending money and never winced at the price—couldn’t help sucking in a breath.

When he went back into the office and called Huo Zongzhuo to ask why he’d bought such an expensive car for him, Huo Zongzhuo replied gently, “You’ve got a factory in Shenzhen now. You should have a car—makes it easier to get around, and it looks more presentable.”

Jiang Luo said, “A Mercedes or BMW would’ve been more than enough.”

Huo Zongzhuo replied, “If I’m giving you a gift, of course I’ll choose the best.”

Jiang Luo didn’t know what to say. He was deeply moved.

He sighed. “So I traded two cheap ties for a Bentley worth over a million?”

Huo Zongzhuo asked instead, “Only two ties?”

Jiang Luo laughed, half amused, half exasperated. “More than two. From now on, I’ll take care of all your ties.”

“I’ll cover your ties for the rest of your life.”

Huo Zongzhuo said softly, “Go take the car out for a drive. See if you like it.”

“If you don’t feel like driving, let Lao Si or the others drive you.”

Jiang Luo sighed again, half joking, half sincere. “You love me way too much.”

And reality soon proved that Huo Zongzhuo’s love went far beyond that.

When Jiang Luo returned to Haicheng, another new car was waiting for him.

This one was a Mercedes—his favorite—already registered with a Shanghai plate. Even the plate number was the same as before: 26988.

Not only that, the B-pillar had been reinforced at a domestic factory, making it highly impact-resistant, and the glass was even bulletproof.

When Jiang Luo received the car, he honestly didn’t know what expression he should wear.

Later, when he flew to Shenzhen again with Huo Zongzhuo, after landing, Huo Zongzhuo personally drove the Bentley and took Jiang Luo to a villa complex by Silver Lake.

As soon as they drove in and Jiang Luo realized it was a residential villa area, he was already full of shock.

When they reached the place and walked into the fully renovated villa, touring upstairs and downstairs, Jiang Luo was so stunned he couldn’t say a single word.

Standing on the large balcony of the second-floor bedroom, looking down at the neatly maintained green lawn, the outdoor table, chairs, and swing below, his heart felt so full it was about to overflow.

How could there be a man like Huo Zongzhuo in this world?

How could anyone love him to this extent?

—

His emotions surged like waves, rolling and churning—impossible to put into words.

Jiang Luo withdrew his gaze from the lawn and turned to look quietly at Huo Zongzhuo.

Huo Zongzhuo looked back at him. Seeing that Jiang Luo had no expression, he was a little confused. “You don’t like it?”

“How could I not like it?” Jiang Luo sighed softly to himself. It was precisely because he liked it too much.

But he truly didn’t know what expression to wear. He stepped forward, looked straight into Huo Zongzhuo’s eyes, and said sincerely, “A factory, cars, and now a house—do you really need to be this good to me?”

“Isn’t it… too much?”

“I feel like you’re not even this good to yourself.”

Huo Zongzhuo thought Jiang Luo was just overwhelmed by the surprise.

He said gently, “You’ve got a factory in Shenzhen now. You’ll be coming often. You can’t always stay in hotels or guesthouses.”

“Silver Lake isn’t that close to your factory, but with a car, it’s not far.”

“Having a place makes things convenient. You’ll be more comfortable.”

“When I come, I’ll stay here with you.”

“I’ve arranged places nearby for A-Qing, Lao Si, and Lao San.”

“If you need anything, it’ll be easy to find them.”

Jiang Luo sighed again. “So basically, whatever’s best, you go with that?”

Then he repeated, “How can you be this good to me?”

Huo Zongzhuo smiled, with an expression that said of course.

Jiang Luo murmured a quiet “thank you,” stepped forward, and hugged him.

Huo Zongzhuo tilted his head slightly to look at him. “But you don’t seem very happy?”

It was the same last time, when he’d given him the factory.

“I’m not unhappy,” Jiang Luo said, resting his chin on the man’s shoulder, his voice muffled. “I’m just too surprised.”

“You’re too good to me.”

“I’m happy. I really am.”

On the drive back from the Silver Lake villa to the factory, Jiang Luo sat in the passenger seat in silence for a long time, turning his head to stare out the window, lost in thought.

Later, after they returned to Shengfei Factory, Huo Zongzhuo stepped away briefly to handle something. Wang Chuang immediately slipped into the factory director’s office to gossip with Jiang Luo again.

But when he pushed the door open, he saw Jiang Luo behind the desk, reclining in the boss’s chair, legs crossed and propped up on the desk. He looked silent, distant, clearly deep in thought.

Hey!

Wang Chuang walked over and waved a hand in front of Jiang Luo’s eyes. “What’re you thinking about?”

Jiang Luo stayed reclined like that.

“Didn’t Lao Si say President Huo took you to see a house?” Wang Chuang said, plopping himself down by the desk. “What did that house do to you? Look at that expression.”

“Was it bad? No way.”

He leaned in, curious. “President Huo prepared it—how could it be bad?”

Jiang Luo still lay there, legs crossed, expression blank.

Wang Chuang kept talking to himself. “Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if President Huo has some feelings for you too.”

“A factory investment is nothing. But he buys you a car worth over a million.”

“That’s terrifying.”

“Lao Si told me the Silver Lake place is huge—and it’s a villa.”

“Not gonna lie, before Lao Si mentioned villas, I’d never even heard that word.”

“A villa is like those Western-style houses on Wukang Road, right…?”

“Forget it,” Jiang Luo suddenly said.

Huh?

Wang Chuang blinked. “Forget what?”

Jiang Luo clearly took a deep breath, turned his head toward Wang Chuang while leaning back in the chair. “I mean… boiling the frog. Forget it.”

“What?”

Wang Chuang was shocked. “Why forget it?”

“Don’t you like President Huo?”

“You’re not going to chase him anymore?”

How would he even chase him?

Jiang Luo wasn’t asking Wang Chuang. He was asking himself.

Huo Zongzhuo was just… far too good to him.

No matter whether Huo Zongzhuo actually liked men or not, at the beginning Jiang Luo had planned—out of pure selfishness—to keep him bound at his side.

But now, just moments ago, Jiang Luo kept asking himself over and over: Do I really want to do this? Do I really want to be this selfish?

He hesitated—deeply.

Maintaining that half-reclined pose with his legs on the desk, Jiang Luo looked at Wang Chuang and sighed. “He’s not like me. So why should I? Why do I have to force him?”

That left Wang Chuang speechless.

Jiang Luo went on, “If he’s not that kind of person, and I force it, will he really be happy in the end?”

“Is what I want necessarily what he wants?”

Wang Chuang blinked. “Why are you thinking like this? You—”

Jiang Luo looked up at the ceiling, his expression empty. “I’ve been thinking… for a normal man, what is it that he truly wants?”

“Old Wang, if it were you, you wouldn’t accept a male friend’s affection, let alone be with him. You’d just marry a suitable woman at the right age, have kids, build a family—right?”

Wang Chuang fell silent.

“And Huo Zongzhuo?” Jiang Luo sighed again. “He’s the same, right?”

“Meeting a girl he likes, pursuing her, dating her, proposing, marrying her, starting a family, having one or two kids, and then…”

Jiang Luo couldn’t quite go on. Wang Chuang still said nothing. The office was dead quiet.

After a long while, Jiang Luo spoke again. “So I’ve been asking myself—do I really want to forcibly take all that away from him, just because of my own selfishness?”