Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The dishes are all served, and the waiter comes...

The dishes were served and a waiter came up to pour wine for the guests.

The old gentleman smiled and waved away the waiter who was pouring wine for Huo Zhongshan. He stood up and poured wine for him, and then filled his own glass. Seeing this, the young man next to him also stood up with his glass in hand.

Huo Zhongshan sat there calmly, and only when the old man led his son in a toast did he slightly raise his glass and take a symbolic sip.

Under the old gentleman's smiling and obviously inquiring gaze, Huo Zhongshan slowly put down his wine glass and said calmly: "Fang Shimian, my younger brother."

The old man and the young man were both stunned.

"This is Mr. Huo Lin, the president of Mingheng." Huo Zhongshan looked at Fang Shimian and gave a brief introduction.

Before Fang Shi Mian could say anything, Huo Lin immediately smiled at Huo Zhongshan, "It's just a simple family dinner, why bother with all that nonsense, Shi Mian, right? What a good name, we're all family, just call me Uncle Lin."

"...Uncle Lin." Fang Shimian was distracted by the word "family" and called out to him.

The old man who was so submissive in front of Huo Zhongshan turned out to be the president of Ming Heng. And from what he said, this man should be Huo Zhongshan's uncle.

Huo Lin looked at Fang Shimian and generously introduced the taciturn young man next to him, "This is my son, Huo Chongxiao. He graduated from university this year and also works at Mingheng. I sent him to the sales department some time ago. You see, this kid usually doesn't like to talk, but I didn't expect that he has negotiated with several big clients..."

Holling began to talk incessantly.

Fang Shimian didn't know why Huo Lin had to tell him all these details, but he would put down his bowl and chopsticks and listen carefully when someone spoke to him. However, the food was hardly touched, which he felt a little sorry for.

"Let's eat the food first." Huo Zhongshan interrupted Huo Lin's speech in a calm voice, picked up the serving chopsticks and picked up a piece of fish for Fang Shimian.

Fang Shimian's eyes widened slightly. This was what he wanted to eat the most just now, because he was sure that the aroma in the box came from the sauce on the fish. He was not interested in the steamed seafood dishes at all.

Huo Lin smiled apologetically, observing Huo Zhongshan's expression, and before sitting down, he added with a smile, "Shi Mian looks young, he must still be in college, right? This kid of mine should be older than you, you can just call him Brother Chong, you two are about the same age, you can add each other's contact information, and make an appointment to go out and play together in the future."

Fang Shimian was eating fish. When he looked up and was thinking about how to respond politely, Huo Zhongshan said indifferently, "Don't talk while eating fish."

We don't talk when eating fish because there are bones in it. However, the bones of this kind of sea fish have long been processed by the chef, and the skeleton only serves as a decoration on the plate.

Huo Lin's face froze. He knew that he might have used too much force and offended others, so he immediately followed Huo Zhongshan's meaning and said, "Yes, yes, you should not talk when eating fish. Zhongshan is really careful. I, as your uncle, have not thought of this."

Fang Shimian didn't know how to answer, but now he felt relieved.

The lunch box was indeed not filling enough. Fang Shimian finished the fish in the bowl and picked up some more vegetables. However, he suddenly remembered that he had just said he had eaten in the car. If he started eating again now, would it seem that he had eaten a lot and was not honest?

So the hand that was picking up the food paused, and then slowly put it back.

Huo Zhongshan looked up at him, put down his chopsticks, took the wet towel next to him and wiped his hands slowly, and asked casually, "Not to your taste?"

The Huo Lin father and son, who were whispering to each other, looked over and seemed a little nervous when they heard this.

Fang Shimian immediately shook his head and replied in a low voice, "I'm full."

The boy has red lips, white teeth and a pair of bright eyes that can hide nothing.

Huo Zhongshan's gaze lingered on Fang Shimian's slender waist, then he turned around and disposed of the used wet wipes as if nothing had happened. "Eat more when you are growing."

After saying that, he picked up the serving chopsticks and served some food to Fang Shimian.

Looking at the delicious food in the bowl, Fang Shimian swallowed his saliva, thinking that he should not waste food, and started eating again.

Huo Zhongshan put down his chopsticks only after he saw Fang Shimian start to pick up food for himself, and answered some of Huo Lin's business questions intermittently.

Huo Lin had been observing carefully and was amazed. When he said younger brother, at the table, only his son Huo Chongxiao was Huo Zhongshan's real younger brother, a brother with the same blood and surname, but Huo Zhongshan never even glanced at his son from beginning to end.

He actually felt uncomfortable, but he still tried to strike up a conversation with Fang Shimian, recommending him some stocks that would definitely make money in the near future, as well as some investments with high returns...

But Fang Shimian didn't seem to be very interested. Seeing the young man's calm and unperturbed attitude, Huo Lin was a little unsure.

The Huo family has been prosperous for so many years and has a large population. However, no matter how many people there are, there are only so many resources. Only if your ability is recognized by the family will you have the opportunity to succeed.

The Huo Lin lineage had long been in decline. Before him, they had always been marginal figures in the Huo family. In order to compete for the fat piece of real estate, he had suffered so much and put in so much effort to get a chance to show himself. Fortunately, he did not let it down. A little bit of resources could help him make a comeback.

He didn't want his son to follow in his footsteps; the future success or failure of their family depended on a word from the young man in power.

Huo Lin wanted to use Fang Shimian as a breakthrough point, but found that the child was very cautious and did not fall into the trap at all, which made it difficult to deal with him.

Little did he know that Fang Shimian was just indulging in the temptation of delicious food. Moreover, he had no idea about the investment that Huo Lin mentioned, and had no money to participate. So he had been acting indifferent and not very interested, and completely ignored Huo Lin's intentional or unintentional temptations.

He didn't notice the undercurrents at the table, but when he had almost finished eating, Huo Chongxiao suddenly sat in the empty seat next to him.

"Where is your brother studying?" Huo Chongxiao sat upright and asked after seeing Fang Shimian put down his chopsticks.

Fang Shimian took a tissue and wiped his mouth, then said slowly, "I'm not studying anymore. I'm working."

Huo Chongxiao nodded thoughtfully and changed the question, "Want to go out and take a look? The design of this store is quite interesting."

Fang Shimian thought of the scenery he saw when he came in. Although it was exquisite, it was not very creative. However, Huo Chongxiao had said this. Fang Shimian knew that he was the only outsider here and did not want to stay in the box, so he said, "Let's go."

Fang Shimian and Huo Chongxiao greeted the other two people at the table and then left.

The view outside was indeed nice. The waiter brought their coats to them. Huo Chongxiao took Fang Shimian for a walk and stopped at the smoking area outside the box to talk.

However, the two of them actually didn't have much to talk about. Fang Shimian was not a talkative person to begin with, and Huo Chongxiao was also a taciturn person, but they didn't want to make a big deal of not talking, so they could only awkwardly keep trying to find topics to talk about.

Until it comes to future plans.

Fang Shimian thought about it and told the truth, "I just want to be a good monitor and prevent fires from happening in the community. I also don't want to go to jail."

Huo Chongxiao seemed surprised by his honesty. He raised his head and stared at Fang Shimian for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. "I don't really want to go into business, but there are some things I can't decide."

"Do you want to join the army?" Fang Shimian asked.

Huo Chongxiao was stunned, "Why do you say that?"

"I don't know, I feel like your temperament is like the ones in the military channel, like a tree... a very erotic feeling."

It was indeed an inexplicable intuition. From the first moment Fang Shimian saw him, he could see Huo Chongxiao's resistance to flattery and his compromise with his father.

Huo Chongxiao's eyes are very special, with a kind of determination, and traces of training can be seen from the way he walks and sits. Combined with the fact that he said he was unwilling to go into business, the answer is obvious.

Huo Chongxiao was silent for a while this time, then raised his head and stared at Fang Shimian, "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Fang Shimian shook his head and said seriously, "You have your own ideals. Even if you have no choice but to choose this path, you can't say you are stupid... People like me who just muddle through and give up when they can't make it are stupid."

"You're not. You're fine."

Huo Chongxiao took out his phone and said, "Add me your contact information. I'll take you out to play next time."

Fang Shimian didn't know why it was so sudden. He took out his phone and scanned the code for Huo Chongxiao. "I'm very busy at work. You'd better not make an appointment with me."

Huo Chongxiao nodded thoughtfully, "Then can I chat with you occasionally?"

Fang Shimian nodded this time, "But I'm slow in replying to messages."

"It's okay. I don't chat with people often. You don't have to reply."

As he was speaking, Fang Shimian looked up and saw Huo Zhongshan and Huo Lin standing outside the box talking. They were not far away from them and it was unknown when they came out.

When Fang Shimian raised his head, he happened to meet Huo Zhongshan's gaze. In just a moment, the man looked away with an expressionless face.

Huo Chongxiao also noticed it, stood up and walked over there, and Fang Shimian followed him.

After they left the restaurant, Huo Lin no longer looked as complacent as he did at the beginning. After saying goodbye respectfully, he tactfully took his son away.

After getting in the car, no one spoke for a long time.

Fang Shimian slowly realized that Huo Zhongshan didn't seem to be in a good mood. He guessed it might be about business, but he didn't know what to say to ease this weird atmosphere.

After a while.

"I came out today and it seems I didn't ask for leave." Fang Shimian suddenly realized this serious problem.

Huo Zhongshan did not answer. After a while, he looked at Fang Shimian and asked calmly, "Did you have a good chat with Huo Lin's son?"

Fang Shimian's thoughts were interrupted by this inexplicable question. Recalling the half hour he spent racking his brains to find a topic, he frowned slightly, scratched his hair, and gave a universal answer, "Neither good nor bad... Mainly because we don't like to talk."

Huo Zhongshan smiled, his face expressionless, and said, "Oh? Really?"

"I came out and saw you guys adding each other's contact information, and thought you were having a good chat."

Fang Shimian actually had some doubts about this matter. He said sincerely: "Maybe his father asked him to add it."

Huo Zhongshan stared at Fang Shimian with his dark eyes. After a long while, he nodded leisurely and said, "I think so."

The atmosphere in the car gradually relaxed.

Fang Shimian thought about all the things that happened today, and recalled the few contacts they had before. He felt that Huo Zhongshan was actually a very good person, not as unkind as he seemed, and was very considerate.

So Fang Shimian sat closer to Huo Zhongshan and asked in a low voice: "Is this meal today a reward?"

Huo Zhongshan looked at Fang Shimian who was approaching him and asked him gently, "What do you think?"

Fang Shimian felt a little chilly for no reason. He glanced at the air-conditioning vent and answered cautiously, "I don't know either."

"You call me brother, isn't it normal for an elder brother to take his younger brother out to eat?" Huo Zhongshan said calmly.

It was really strange to call him and Huo Zhongshan "brother", but Fang Shimian couldn't figure out why it turned out like this.

Fang Shimian thought of Zhu Ze. Actually, Zhu Ze... was quite good to him. It was just that Zhu Ze's kindness always made Fang Shimian pay a heavy price, whether now or in the past.

What about Huo Zhongshan? What price should he pay to repay all the kindness he had shown him?

"Next time, I'll treat you." Fang Shimian lowered his head again, "It's just that my ability is limited, and I may not be able to afford a very expensive place."

Huo Zhongshan did not comment, his expression was very calm, and he only asked: "How can you contact me?"

Fang Shimian was startled, then he realized that he really didn't have any contact information for Huo Zhongshan, so he handed over his phone, "Phone number or add WeChat, you should be very busy, I will contact you in advance next time I am on vacation."

Huo Zhongshan calmly entered his number into his phone, and picked out some words from Fang Shimian's words to savor them. "You?"