I’m Keeping the Overbearing CEO After He Went Bankrupt [Rebirth] 43

Chapter 43: The Overbearing CEO Sleeps in the Hallway

“…”

Chu Qing’s light words had successfully ignited Huo Liao’s anger. His eyes widened, and he squeezed hard, hissing, “What did you say! You f*cker, say that again if you dare!”

Chu Qing felt his entire hand go numb and could even hear the “crack” of his bones. The pain made him break out in a cold sweat.

“I said… you… will never compare…”

Bang—!

Huo Liao fiercely pushed him away, adjusted his tie, and said with a smile, “Fine, fine. You’ve got guts.”

Pushed like that, Chu Qing fell uncontrollably onto the sofa, his head spinning. Before he could get up, he saw Huo Liao lunging at him.

Bastard…

Chu Qing’s eyes turned cold. He grabbed something from the side of the table, and without even looking at what it was, he threw it directly at Huo Liao.

With a thud, a dull thud was followed by Huo Liao’s howl.

Only then did Chu Qing realize that he was holding a ceramic ashtray.

Yo.

Hit the jackpot.

Huo Liao was kneeling on the side, clutching his head and screaming like a pig being slaughtered. Blood was flowing from between his fingers.

Taking advantage of the fact that he hadn’t reacted yet, Chu Qing quickly got up and ran towards the door.

He remembered what Huo Liao had said, that his bodyguards were outside, so he was still holding the bloody ashtray.

“Chu Qing, you’ve got some nerve now!”
“You’re done for… you’re done for! You son of a bitch, get back here!”

Huo Liao really hadn’t expected that the usually timid and slow Chu Qing would react so quickly and sharply, striking him like this without a moment’s hesitation.

The Chu Qing he knew was not such a decisive person.

What the hell is going on…?!

And when Chu Qing opened the door, he did indeed see a tall figure and immediately threw the thing in his hand at him.

“Qingbao…!”

However, the person grabbed his wrist, easily blocking his attack, and wrapped his other arm around his waist, pulling him into his embrace.

“It’s me, Qingbao. It’s me.”

Huo Li…!

As soon as he opened the door, he had unexpectedly crashed into his arms. He had wanted to struggle, but after hearing his voice, he let out a sigh of relief and even felt his legs go a little weak.

“Ngh…”

Huo Li was gripping his already injured wrist, which made him let out a pained grunt.

He took a look at his hand and saw a purple bruise on his wrist.

Huo Li’s gaze darkened, and he said in a low voice, “Did he do this?”

Before he could answer, he saw Huo Liao rush out, clutching his head.

“Chu Qing, you son of a bitch, get back here!”
“Where are the bodyguards! Are they all dead?!”

Huo Li pulled him behind him and said with a blank expression, “Who did you say was a son of a bitch?”

Huo Liao was about to pounce out the door, but he froze and came to an emergency stop.

“Brother…?”

He held his head with one hand and supported himself on the doorframe with the other, in disbelief.

Why is my brother here? Could it be that he got wind of it? So quickly?

But how could he have gotten the news? After all, this is Huiying’s territory!

Could it be… could it be that he’s been watching over Chu Qing day and night? Impossible, right? How could he be interested in this… this…

Huo Li’s face was expressionless as he stared at him. “Huo Liao, I never bring up mothers, but if you want to bring it up with me here, I don’t mind talking.”

Huo Liao and he were half-brothers, but Huo Liao’s mother had not married his father after his own mother had passed away. She had hooked up with his father long before, a mistress who had intervened in someone else’s marriage. The whole family knew about this, and no one looked up to him or his mother.

Huo Liao’s face turned pale, and he suppressed his anger, the corner of his mouth twitching. “I, I misspoke…”

“Where were you wrong?” Huo Li stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, his voice low. “Tell me properly.”

He was furious. He had only been away from Chu Qing for a moment to have a meeting with Mr. Pan and the others, and Huo Liao had taken the opportunity.

But at this moment, his face was as calm as water, showing nothing.

“I… ah…!!”

Huo Li used the same technique to squeeze his wrist, making him so much in pain that he couldn’t even stand steadily.

“I… I shouldn’t have come to see my sister-in-law without permission…”

“And?” The pressure increased a little.

He was afraid that if he said any more, his hand would be gone, but facing Huo Li’s expression, he didn’t dare not to speak.

“I shouldn’t have… ah!! I shouldn’t have laid a hand on my sister-in-law!”

“And?” Huo Li’s strength was so great that he had already made him bend over and kneel, his whole body trembling.

“Nothing else… n-nothing else! Let go…!”

Huo Li raised an eyebrow. “Will you come again next time?”

“No, no, I won’t!”

Click. With a twist of his hand, Huo Liao’s hand was broken just like that.

He let out a miserable scream and almost fainted.

At this moment, the staff that Huo Li had called also arrived.

“It’s this person,” he said, pointing to him. “I don’t know who he is, and I don’t know how he broke into the break room and harassed Teacher Chu.”

The staff glanced at him. He was indeed an unfamiliar face and had no work pass. They quickly carried him away.

“Qingbao…”

Huo Li turned around and gently hugged him. “I’m sorry.”

“N-It’s okay…” he said, shaking his head. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Huo Li gently took his hand, his voice gentle. “Let me rub it for you.”

The two sat on the sofa. He lowered his head and carefully rubbed medicinal wine on his hand, his eyes full of heartache.

It was said that an artist’s hands were worth a thousand gold, very, very precious. Now that it had been treated like this, he was angry and also blamed himself.

“I’ll definitely be more careful next time,” he said, shaking his head. “Little Qingbao, look at you. What would you do without me?”

“I… I almost knocked Huo Liao out. I can do it on my own,” he said with a frown. “I should be more forceful next time.”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He lowered his head and rubbed it carefully. He couldn’t help but look at the hand, which was covered in wounds, and frowned. “Qingbao, have you been scratching recently?”

He lowered his head, not daring to speak.

In the few days they were apart, he had unconsciously, and unable to hold it in, scratched a little.

“Silly Qingbao, you’re a musician. Don’t torment your hands anymore,” he said. After wiping the medicinal wine, he took his hand and gently brought it to his lips, planting a kiss in his palm.

A tingling, itchy sensation.

“It would break my heart.”

…!

His cheeks flushed red, and he stared at him blankly.

Then, as if he had been electrocuted, he pulled his hand back hard.

“H-Mr. Huo…”

“Qingbao, I will protect you,” he said, reaching out and rubbing the top of his head, making a promise to him and to himself.

He belatedly noticed his emotions, paused, and then clutched the hem of his clothes. “Um, that…”

“Hmm?”

“Mr. Huo doesn’t have to blame himself,” he said, trying to express himself. “This is not Mr. Huo’s fault.”

He was stunned. He hadn’t expected him to comfort him like this, and then he smiled and shook his head.

“Good.”

“Really… it’s really not Mr. Huo’s fault. I should also be more independent. I can’t always have others help me with everything…” he said seriously. “I also have to handle things on my own. Mr. Huo can’t be with me all the time and help me with everything. So it’s not Mr. Huo’s fault.”

Huo Li: “…”

He raised an eyebrow.

Are you really comforting me?

He felt even more blocked up after hearing it.

But he couldn’t explain it to him in a short time. He shook his head. “It’s okay. Let’s go. It should be your turn to shoot.”

On the other end, after Huo Liao was kicked out, he stomped his feet in anger outside the back door of the building.

Damn it.

Those clueless staff members had even wanted to call the police. Fortunately, the manager happened to pass by and recognized him, and quickly stopped them.

He called his bodyguard to bring the car to the back to pick him up, cursing as he spoke.

“Get me a doctor, quick!”

His hand was so painful that he could barely speak properly. He slid down the wall, his whole body soaked in a cold sweat.

“S-Sir…? Are you okay?”

He was stunned and saw a man with a gentle and delicate appearance standing on the side, looking at him with a concerned expression.

He looked… a little similar to Chu Qing.

He raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Sir?”

The man squatted down and took his hand. “My name is Luo Yucheng… I work in this building… are you okay? Do you need me to call an ambulance?”

He sneered.

He had practically lived in nightclubs and shady places. How could he not see what this little star was up to?

…

“Mr. Huo, after Mr. Huo Liao was kicked out, he went to a private hospital, but… he also took a little star with him.”

After the shooting ended, he and Chu Qing went home, and he received a new follow-up from his assistant.

He stood on the balcony, paused, and said, “Who?”

“Luo Yucheng.”

“Got it,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Tsk, this Luo Yucheng really climbs into anyone’s bed.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the balcony railing. “I want you to do something.”

…

“Mr. Huo.”

After he ended the call, he saw that Chu Qing had also finished his shower and was coming out in a bathrobe, drying his hair.

He lowered his head. “Um… Mr. Huo, I have something to tell you…”

“Hmm?”

He also went to the balcony, looked out at the city lights in the distance, and said, propping up his chin, “Huo Liao asked me today if you were really bankrupt or just faking it.”

Huo Li’s heart skipped a beat.

Fck, that damn Huo Liao.*

“What a stupid question is that?” he said with a smile. “Can you fake bankruptcy?”

“Mr. Huo is so amazing… you can do anything.”

His tail was about to wag after hearing this.

“That’s… no, wait,” he sighed. “I’m just an ordinary entrepreneur. What else can I do?”

“He also asked, what is your relationship with Mr. Pan and Mr. Z,” he said curiously. “Is Mr. P Mr. Pan? Then who is Mr. Z?”

Huo Li: “…”

He was a little troubled. He didn’t really want him to know too much about these messy, dark aspects that were outside of social rules, but he also didn’t want to hide it from him.

“If Mr. Huo is unwilling to say… it’s okay,” he said, lowering his head. “I just feel… I seem to have been a burden to you. You don’t need my sponsorship.”

He said with a serious expression, “That’s not it. You’re overthinking things. If you fire me, I won’t have lunch tomorrow.”

“…You’re lying, right?” he said with a frown. “Doesn’t Mr. Huo have any savings?”

“Starting a business costs money like flowing water. It’s all been eaten up by the new company. I’m sorry, Qingbao. I’m a bit of a spendthrift,” he said, lowering his head in shame. “I also spend a lot of money and have caused you trouble, Sponsor Daddy. But I will work harder in my daily life to repay you.”

“…”

Well, it seems to make sense…?

It was just that he felt that he couldn’t seem to intervene in Huo Li’s world, so he always felt a little redundant.

“Um… I was thinking, maybe you can move out,” he finally said, his purpose. “My place is too small. The show won’t start recording for a few more days. I think you can move out.”

“…” the corner of Huo Li’s mouth twitched.

He said seriously, “I just think that maybe it’s more convenient for us to live separately? I… I don’t have to worry about affecting you. I can create on my own, and when I’m unhappy, it won’t affect you… and you, you don’t have to avoid me when you’re handling business or making calls.”

He said helplessly, “…Qingbao, we talked about this two days ago.”

“I know… I know,” he said, his head bowed, cautiously. “I mean, Mr. Huo is still my bodyguard and canary… assistant. You’re still with me, but maybe we don’t have to live together… you can just come and be with me when we’re recording the show.”

He was trying to turn this relationship into a normal employer-employee relationship. If they didn’t live together, their relationship would be greatly distanced.

His little abacus was clattering.

And before Huo Li could say anything, he saw him turn around and go to his room to pull out two suitcases.

“Mr. Huo, um…” he was too embarrassed to say it and just pointed to the suitcases.

Huo Li: “…”

Then, he went back to his room, came out with his blanket and pillow, and looked at him.

Huo Li: “…”

He felt a bit like he was a wife who had been kicked out by her cruel mother-in-law and scumbag husband.

“Alright,” he said, raising an eyebrow. He picked up the blanket and pillow and turned to go out.

“Goodbye, Qingbao.”

Chu Qing: “…”

Something seems wrong?

He sat down on the sofa, stunned, and dried his hair, stunned.

Ten minutes later.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong—

The doorbell suddenly rang violently. He was startled and quickly went to open the door.

At the door stood a middle-aged couple, the neighbors from next door, the Shen family.

As soon as Mrs. Shen saw him, she shouted, “Young man…! You’re going too far!”

Chu Qing: “…?”

Mr. Shen also shouted, “There’s no overnight feud between a husband and wife! A fight is a fight, but how can you be so cruel?? Young people are so impulsive and can’t control their temper!”

Chu Qing: “????”

Then he understood.

Huo Li had spread the blanket on the hallway not far from their door, leaning against the wall, looking pitiful, exactly like a husband who had been kicked out to sleep outside by his tigress of a wife.

Pitiful, and pitiful.

And when Huo Li saw him, he even raised his hand to greet him and smiled kindly.

Chu Qing: “………”

????!!

Mrs. Shen shook her head. “This is not good! Between a husband and wife, it’s natural to fight. You should be more patient and tolerant with each other…!”

He was red from his face to his neck. He rushed to Huo Li, snatched his pillow and blanket, and carried them back into the house, leaving the door open.

Seeing that Huo Li didn’t react, he stood by the door and hissed with a red face, “Hurry, hurry back in!”

Mr. Huo is going too far…!

He was not only embarrassed, but also heartbroken. It must be so cold outside.

“Alright,” he said.

Huo Li had a grin on his face.