Zhu Ran wrapped a beach towel around himself and returned to his room. On the way, he ran into his cousin Lin Ziqing, who told him that the evening’s buffet dinner had been changed to a welcome banquet. She asked him to arrive at the restaurant by 7 p.m. and to dress as formally as possible.
“A welcome banquet?” An image of the stranger from the second floor flashed through Zhu Ran’s mind. He asked, “Who’s it for?”
“Mr. Huo has arrived on the island,” Lin Ziqing said with a laugh, kindly introducing him to Zhu Ran. “He’s Huo Junlin’s older brother—a really great guy. We owe it to him for arranging this trip.”
Mr. Huo…
This wasn’t the first time Zhu Ran had heard the title. The Huo Family had many children, but the younger generation mostly addressed each other by name to distinguish themselves. The only one who seemed to warrant “Mr. Huo” was a single person—likely older and of higher status than these young folks, with a reputation outside that allowed him to claim the title exclusively.
Zhu Ran didn’t ask for the man’s name. As a guest staying with them, he naturally didn’t want to provoke such a big shot. He just wanted to pass these days peacefully.
Zhu Ran returned to his room, took a shower, and picked out a very ordinary white shirt to wear. He arrived at the restaurant five minutes early.
A long table had been set up in the restaurant. At the head sat a handsome man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He wore a light linen suit and a striking emerald-green watch on his wrist—the very same man who had watched him from the second floor that evening.
A circle of people surrounded him. The rich young masters and ladies, who had each shown their tempers earlier, now all put on obedient expressions as they spoke to him.
“Brother Boyan, didn’t you say you weren’t coming this year? How come you showed up suddenly?”
“Junlin’s birthday is a rare occasion. I didn’t want to miss it.”
So his name was Huo Boyan…
“How long are you staying this time? Are you coming whale-watching with us? I heard you’ve got a three-star free diving certification. I’d love to see it.”
“Sorry, I have work to do. Next time, I’ll join you.”
He even had a three-star free diving certification?
“Hello, Mr. Huo.”
“Mr. Huo, long time no see.”
…
Almost everyone greeted him proactively. It was clear that the Huo Family’s younger generation all admired him greatly—even Lin Zilang and Lin Ziqing looked thrilled.
It wasn’t until it was Zhu Ran’s turn, sitting at the very end of the table and meeting Huo Boyan’s gaze, that Zhu Ran froze for two seconds before following his cousins’ lead and saying, “Hello, Mr. Huo.”
Huo Boyan nodded and said kindly, “Hello.”
Zhu Ran breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he wouldn’t have to deal with more small talk. But the next moment, Huo Boyan stood up with his wine glass in hand. Under everyone’s gazes, he walked toward Zhu Ran, stopped in front of him, and leaned down slightly. “Zhu Ran, I heard it’s your first time here? I hope you have a great time.”
At this moment, Huo Boyan was the complete opposite of the sharp gaze he’d had from the second floor earlier. His tone was gentle and approachable, like a caring elder looking after the young.
He was very tall, with broad shoulders. As he leaned down, he almost enveloped Zhu Ran in the shadow of his body. Zhu Ran saw the man’s deep brown irises and caught a whiff of an unfamiliar woody scent.
The room’s air conditioning was as cold as a freezer. The woody fragrance drilled into Zhu Ran’s nose like cold winter rain, reminding him of the man’s expression as he’d watched him from upstairs that evening.
Zhu Ran’s scalp tingled. He slowly exhaled, picked up his wine glass to clink it against the other’s, and smiled as he said, “Thank you, Mr. Huo. I like it here a lot too.”
The dinner was lavish, featuring air-shipped premium beef, lamb, seafood, and fresh vegetables. Each guest had a server attending them, and across from the restaurant stretched a brilliant sunset sea view.
The food, service, and ambiance were all top-tier, but Zhu Ran felt utterly drained by the end of the meal. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. Ever since Huo Boyan appeared, he’d felt uneasy.
Zhu Ran didn’t think there was anything wrong with himself. After pondering, he chalked it up to Huo Boyan’s two-faced nature. The man seemed gentlemanly and refined on the surface, but underneath, he’d stared at him with that kind of look—and Zhu Ran hated being stared at like that.
The nearly two-hour dinner finally ended. Huo Junlin rallied a group to head to the bar for a concert. He’d hired a professional band, and of course, anyone who wanted could take the stage to sing.
As he spoke, he kept looking at Zhu Ran. Zhu Ran ignored his gaze and buried his head, pretending to be drunk.
The group left in a bustle. Lin Ziqing called for Zhu Ran to join, but he said he felt dizzy and wanted to rest first. She didn’t press and left with the others.
Zhu Ran was actually quite popular. His face was likable, his personality wasn’t off-putting, and he was an excellent photographer—better even than the professional one Huo Junlin had hired. Online, he was a small-time portrait photography blogger with some fame. Over these past few days, he’d shot plenty of videos and photos for the girls, who all took good care of him.
A few more people came by to invite him along. Not wanting to explain one by one, Zhu Ran simply lay his head on the table and pretended to be drunk. He hadn’t meant to actually fall asleep, but he did.
Some time later, Zhu Ran was woken by a vague voice.
He squinted and looked up to see that the speaker was a distant Huo Family relative—a guy who had complained the whole flight about how his father wouldn’t support his game startup dream and just wanted him to inherit the family business. He was miserable about it.
