Chapter 21 Rewards and Shackles

The negotiations ended with Huo Shen having an absolute advantage.

Mr. Zhao from Starlight Technology almost collapsed in his chair, while Su Chen's face was as gloomy as water. He left with his assistant and never looked at Su Yan again from beginning to end.

That last cold look, like an ice-hardened dagger, pierced deeply into Su Yan's heart.

Returning to the top-floor apartment, as soon as the heavy door closed, Su Yan's strength seemed to be drained away in an instant. He leaned against the wall of the entrance, his face pale and his eyes empty.

Huo Shen took off his suit jacket and tossed it casually on the sofa, then turned around and leisurely looked at Su Yan, who was almost sliding to the ground. He didn't immediately give orders or approach as usual, but just quietly examined him with a new, inquiring look in his eyes.

"That was very clever just now." Huo Shen finally spoke. There was not much emotion in his voice, but compared to his usual cold commands, there was a hint of imperceptible relaxation.

Su Yan snapped back to reality, his heart skipping a beat at the sudden "compliment." He raised his head and met Huo's deep eyes. There was no longer just the arrogance of control, but also a hint of...interest? Like a collector discovering a piece with an unexpected function.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Su Yan subconsciously denied it, his voice dry. He was afraid that this was a new round of temptation.

Huo Shen chuckled softly and stepped closer until their noses were almost touching. He raised his hand, but instead of pinching Su Yan's chin forcefully as he usually did, he gently rubbed Su Yan's cold cheek with the back of his finger.

The movement was so gentle that Su Yan's whole body froze and he was completely stunned.

"That briefing," Huo Shen said in a low, bewitching voice, "even Assistant Zhou didn't notice that connection. You just glanced at it while packing up the documents, and you remembered it?"

His gaze was sharp, as if he could penetrate Su Yan's skin and see the trajectory of Su Yan's brain. This was not empathy for the "stand-in", but an awareness and... affirmation of Su Yan's own abilities.

Su Yan's heart began to beat wildly, and a mixture of fear and strange excitement surged in his heart. For the first time, he felt the recognition of his value as an independent individual from Huo Shen, beyond the status of "pet" or "shadow".

"It seems that keeping you at home is a bit of a waste." Huo Shen's fingers slid to his jawline, and his tone was full of a reassessed decision. "Starting tomorrow, you can come to the company with me."

Go to the company? Su Yan's eyes widened in disbelief. Does this mean more freedom? Or tighter surveillance?

"However," Huo Shen changed the subject, his eyes becoming oppressive again, "Remember your position today. You helped me, not your brother. That's good."

This sentence was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the faint flame that had just risen in Su Yan's heart. Yes, he "helped" Huo Shen, but the price was to completely break Su Chen's heart. Huo Shen was not rewarding him, but putting a more sophisticated shackle on him, a shackle made of "recognition" and "value".

"As for your brother..." Huo Shen seemed to see through his thoughts, his tone carrying a hint of cold mockery, "He will figure it out. Or, he will never figure it out. It doesn't matter anymore."

Not important? Su Yan's heart sank. To Huo Shen, it might not be important. But to him, it was his only remaining blood tie in this world.

Huo Shen seemed to have lost interest in continuing to talk about Su Chen. He looked at Su Yan's pale and distraught face, and that familiar feeling of irritation rose again. He didn't like Su Yan showing this kind of expression to others, even if it was hatred.

He suddenly leaned over and placed a light kiss on Su Yan's forehead.

This kiss actually carried a kind of... almost soothing tenderness? Although this tenderness still carried an undertone of control.

Su Yan was completely frozen, his mind going blank.

Huo Shen stood up straight, as if the kiss just now was natural. He patted Su Yan's cheek and returned to his usual commanding tone: "Go take a hot bath and have a good rest. Don't go to the company with such a depressed face tomorrow."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the study, leaving Su Yan standing alone at the entrance. The slightly cool touch on his forehead seemed to still be burning.

Fear, humiliation, a trace of pathetic throbbing, and deep guilt towards his brother...all these emotions intertwined together, almost tearing him apart.

Huo Shen gave him a little bit of "sweetness" but took away something more important from him. He sadly discovered that he would actually be shaken by that little bit of insignificant "recognition" and sudden "tenderness".

At this moment, the phone in his pocket vibrated. It was a text message from an unknown number. The content was only a short line of words:

【Be careful Assistant Zhou.】

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