Chapter 33: The temptation to take advantage of the opportunity
Huo Shen's illness had come on swiftly, but it had passed just as quickly. Perhaps due to his long-standing strong constitution, coupled with the intervention of top-tier medical resources, his fever had mostly subsided by the next afternoon. However, his face still bore the paleness of his illness, and his voice was deeper and hoarser than usual.
Instead of going to the company, he moved some urgent matters to his study at home. Assistant Zhou came to report on his work on time. Through the study door, Su Yan could hear his calm voice and could not hear anything unusual.
Su Yan held a cup of freshly brewed ginseng tea at the right temperature and gently knocked on the study door after Assistant Zhou left.
"Come in." Huo Shen's voice was a little tired.
Su Yan pushed the door open and placed the ginseng tea on the corner of the desk with gentle movements. He did not immediately withdraw as usual, but stood aside, his eyes fixed on Huo Shen's slightly pale face, with just the right amount of worry.
"Are you feeling better, sir?" he asked softly.
Huo Shen looked up from his papers, glanced at him, picked up his ginseng tea and took a sip. The weariness between his brows seemed to relax a little. "Hmm," he said as a reply.
Su Yan hesitated for a moment, then, as if mustering up his courage, whispered, "When you were sick... I think you mentioned... Brother Ah Xi."
He deliberately used a familiar name and carefully observed Huo Shen's reaction.
Huo Shen's hand holding the teacup paused imperceptibly, his gaze suddenly sharpening as it fell on Su Yan's face, scrutinizing him and hinting at being interrupted. "What did I say?" His voice cooled.
Su Yan felt uneasy when he looked at her, but he still steeled himself and said in a nostalgic and innocent tone, "You said... he used to come to see you secretly when you were sick, and... he insisted on watching you fall asleep." He paused, lowered his eyelashes, and lowered his voice, "He... was really good to you."
He didn't ask who Ah Xi was, nor did he express any jealousy or resentment. He simply stated a "fact" and expressed his deep emotion for this deep friendship. This unpretentious reaction actually eased Huo Shen's tense expression a little.
He put down his teacup and looked out the window. His eyes were distant, as if they could see through time. "Well, he's very good." Huo Shen's voice was soft, with a rare, almost imperceptible gentleness, but then the gentleness was replaced by a deeper darkness. "It's a pity that good people don't live long."
Su Yan's heart sank slightly. What he heard in Huo Shen's tone wasn't just simple nostalgia, but something... heavy and inextricable, like guilt and deep regret.
This is a breakthrough!
Su Yan's heart was pounding. He took a small step forward as if unintentionally, looking at Huo Shen sincerely: "Sir, although I'm not as good as Brother Axi... but, but when you are sick, I also want to take care of you. I... I don't want to just watch."
This is a carefully crafted line. He acknowledges his differences with Ah Xi ("I'm not like him") and expresses his desire not to be a mere spectator ("I don't want to just watch") but to take concrete action ("I'll take care of you"). He's attempting to shift slightly from a "shadow" position to an independent, caring "person" position.
Huo Shen turned his head and re-examined him. The boy's clear eyes, reflecting the light from the window, held a hint of clumsy sincerity and subtle stubbornness. This look was indeed completely different from the boy he remembered, who always had a sunny smile.
Ah Xi's warmth was pure and unclouded. Meanwhile, Su Yan's concern was tinged with fear, flattery, and a lingering desire to break free, a desire he himself wasn't even aware of. This complexity, in turn, created a unique, vibrant attraction.
Huo Shen didn't respond to his "care" but suddenly asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "Have you finished reading the industry briefings sent yesterday?"
Su Yan was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "I've finished reading it."
"What are your thoughts?" Huo Shen leaned back in his chair, his tone unclear whether he was testing him or asking casually.
Su Yan's mind raced. He knew this wasn't just idle chat. He recalled the briefing, carefully choosing his words in light of the recent turmoil. "I think... Xinke International has been quite active lately. Furthermore, they seem particularly interested in upstream raw material channels for new energy. This overlaps somewhat with our focus... and the Huo family's."
He did not mention the Su family or the leak, but only expressed his views on public information, appearing to be both attentive and sensible.
A hint of surprise flashed across Huo Shen's eyes, but then he calmed down. "Good observation," he commented calmly, then picked up the file again, signaling the end of the conversation.
Su Yan knew when to stop and respectfully left the study.
After closing the door, he leaned against the corridor wall and slowly breathed a sigh of relief. The conversation just now had been like walking a tightrope on the edge of a cliff. He had taken the initiative to bring up Ah Xi, testing Huo Shen's reaction, and successfully conveyed the signal that "I want to do something." He even received a small but genuine compliment: "Good observation skills."
He knew that this progress was minimal. But at this particular juncture when Huo Shen fell ill, he was like a patient hunter, and finally found an almost negligible crack in that indestructible defense.
At that moment, the old phone in his pocket vibrated ever so slightly. He looked around cautiously, quickly hid in the bathroom, and locked the door. On the screen, there was a short message from an unknown number:
[The letter has been received. Be careful, it may be a scam.]
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