Chapter 74 The Echo of Choice
Su Yan's words were like dropping a huge rock into a calm lake, sending ripples across the entire deck. After the dead silence, there were suppressed gasps and whispers. All eyes were focused on the young man standing before Huo Shen, his body thin but his back straight.
He actually dared! He actually dared to contradict Assistant Zhou so directly, even declaring that the brooch that symbolized Huo Shen's possessions "could only belong to him"!
Assistant Zhou's facial muscles twitched imperceptibly, and the look behind his glasses instantly grew colder than a venomous snake, swirling with the humiliation of being publicly slapped in the face and a hint of unbelievable murderous intent. His carefully orchestrated scheme had been shattered by this little thing he had always considered a pawn and a plaything, with such foolish bravery!
The look he gave Su Yan was no longer concealed, only cold, indifferent eyes, as if he was looking at a dead object.
However, what concerned Su Yan more than Assistant Zhou's reaction was the deep and incomprehensible gaze behind him that almost pierced through him.
Huo Shen didn't say anything.
He didn't stop Su Yan, nor did he speak in her defense. He simply stood there quietly, like a silent mountain. But Su Yan could feel the gaze on his back: heavy, sharp, filled with scrutiny and a turbulent surge of emotions he couldn't comprehend.
Huo Shen was judging. Judging whether his sudden "loyalty" was real or fake, judging the motives behind his actions, judging whether he... was worth it.
Time slipped away in a suffocating silence, each second stretching as long as a century. Su Yan could hear his heart pounding in his chest and feel the cold sweat trickling down his spine. It took almost all of his strength to maintain his standing position, not collapsing under Huo Shen's silent pressure and Assistant Zhou's icy gaze.
He knew he was gambling. He was gambling that Huo Shen's tiny, complex "interest" in him, and Huo Shen's long-standing dissatisfaction and suspicion of Assistant Zhou, could outweigh his anger at his unauthorized actions.
Finally, in the dead silence, Huo Shen moved.
He slowly took a step forward, not towards Assistant Zhou, but towards Su Yan. His eyes still didn't look at Su Yan, but fell on the brooch that Su Yan was holding tightly in his hand and had already pinned back on his chest.
Then he raised his hand.
Everyone present held their breath! Assistant Zhou's eyes instantly became as sharp as a knife!
Huo Shen's hand, however, did not punish or reprimand as everyone expected. Instead, he... quite naturally helped Su Yan straighten the brooch that had been slightly tilted by his previous action. His fingertips inadvertently brushed against Su Yan's cold skin, causing a slight shudder.
The movements were gentle, yet carried an unquestionable sense of sovereignty.
After doing this, Huo Shen raised his eyes and looked calmly at Assistant Zhou, whose face was ashen. His tone was indifferent, but it carried an unquestionable pressure:
"He's right." Huo Shen's voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard in every corner. "My things, no one can touch them without my permission."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally returning to Assistant Zhou. The corners of his mouth curled up in an icy arc, "Including... the auction."
This sentence, like a silent slap in the face, slapped Assistant Zhou hard! It completely negated all of Assistant Zhou's previous arrangements and made it clear to everyone that Su Yan was under Huo Shen's protection! At least, at this moment, no one else (including Assistant Zhou) would be allowed to bully or manipulate him!
Assistant Zhou's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. But in the end, he lowered his head, hiding the resentment boiling in his eyes, and replied with a difficult voice, "...Yes, Mr. Huo, I was inconsiderate."
A carefully planned palace coup was completely shattered by Su Yan's sudden resistance and Huo Shen's even more unexpected defense.
Huo Shen ignored Assistant Zhou. He turned around, his gaze truly and seriously resting on Su Yan's pale yet stubborn face for the first time. His eyes were as deep as a whirlpool, churning with so much that Su Yan couldn't understand—scrutiny, inquiry, anger, and perhaps... a faint, strange light that even Huo Shen himself hadn't noticed.
He said nothing, but reached out and held Su Yan's cold and slightly trembling hand.
His palms were dry and warm, carrying a strong and steady power. He didn't look at anyone else, holding Su Yan's hand. Under everyone's gazes, which ranged from shocked to complicated and horrified, he turned calmly and powerfully, like an emperor inspecting his territory, and left the deck, completely leaving the chaos and silence behind.
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