Chapter 47: The Unreachable Cool God (22)
[Oh my!]
[Oh my!]
Huo Xian and Huo Yuan spoke in unison in their minds. Although they didn’t make a sound, Huo Xian’s presence was quite high. Yu Zi’an saw him first, and then He Wenqu, whose face was a mixture of pale and ashen after being rejected, also looked over. Upon seeing Huo Xian, his expression became even more colorful.
For many men and women, their first love, their “white moonlight,” is someone they can remember fondly for a long time. Some people may think of that smile, that figure, from their youthful years until the very end of their lives.
Huo Xian was He Wenqu’s “white moonlight.” Although he hadn’t seen Huo Xian since Huo Xian took the college entrance exam in his second year of high school, the memories Huo Xian left on him were too profound. Even after ten years, he still couldn’t erase that trace of regret from his heart.
After ten years, Huo Xian was both similar and dissimilar to the boy in his memory. The similarity lay in his aloof and noble aura, like a celestial being descended to earth. The difference lay in his mature features and height. The already handsome boy from his youth was even more handsome than any star today, captivating and impossible to look away from.
[Huo Xian, He Wenqu’s gaze towards you is disgusting.] Huo Yuan’s points were itching to be spent.
Huo Xian: [Ignore him.]
He nodded to Yu Zi’an as a greeting and prepared to leave.
“Huo Xian.” Yu Zi’an called out to him.
Huo Xian paused slightly, his eyes questioning.
Yu Zi’an walked towards him, hesitated for a moment, and asked: “Are you guys on break after finishing your assignments?”
“Huh?” Huo Xian didn’t understand why he suddenly cared about this.
Yu Zi’an and Huo Xian were both in the research institute, working on different projects. But because of the storage materials and their research directions, they had even more contact after arriving at the institute. His project was completed, and Yu Zi’an was also on the internal commendation list.
“…Besides you, do the other members of the project team have time off?” They had worked together at the research institute for several years, but Yu Zi’an’s relationship with Huo Xian was relatively ordinary; usually, they only exchanged nods.
Huo Xian was even more baffled: “Of course, but we take turns on duty.”
Hearing this, Yu Zi’an’s expression relaxed slightly. He nodded slightly: “Okay, I understand, thank you.”
Huo Xian became slightly curious and asked: “Why are you asking this?”
[What else? To talk about love, of course.] Huo Yuan said in a tone of knowing everything.
Huo Xian reacted very quickly, immediately asking: [Is Yu Zi’an’s lover one of my subordinates?]
[Yes, Huo Xian, didn’t you know?] Huo Yuan asked.
Huo Xian’s expression was strange: […] My project is so busy, those people are always complaining that they wish they could split themselves into three to get it done, and yet they still find time for dating?
Huo Yuan: […]
He couldn’t help but complain: [Huo Xian, you are happy to be a heartless and emotionless immortal, but others are not.]
Huo Xian: […] I am a heartless and emotionless immortal for whom?
Their exchange was quick. Yu Zi’an also gave his answer: “My lover is a member of your project team.” When he mentioned “lover,” his ears became slightly hot, but he quickly recovered, his eyes and tone melancholy: “It’s been four months since our last date, Professor Huo. No matter how busy your work is, you should take some time to rest.”
Huo Xian: …
He understood that Yu Zi’an’s lover was one of his exploited subordinates. However, there weren’t many people who hadn’t had a single vacation in four months, only… Hua Jin?
Wait, shouldn’t the focus be on how Yu Zi’an and He Wenqu broke up?
He Wenqu, who had been left aside, heard their conversation and saw that they completely ignored him and were about to leave. He couldn’t help but call out: “Xiaoyú (Little Squid)!”
Yu Zi’an paused, looked at He Wenqu, and said calmly: “Wenqu, everyone should look forward. I am, and you should be too. Goodbye.” Without lingering, he left.
He Wenqu wanted to chase after him, but a hidden bodyguard stepped forward to block him. Although he had been exercising and strengthening his body for these years, he was still no match for a professional. Moreover, what was Yu Zi’an’s status now? It was an honor for He Wenqu to have a few words alone with Yu Zi’an.
As for Huo Xian, that was even more impossible. Anyone who dared to get within five meters of him would have their hands chopped off.
For some reason, Yu Zi’an temporarily got into Huo Xian’s car, and Huo Xian didn’t refuse.
“Aren’t you curious?” After a familiar silence, Yu Zi’an couldn’t hold back and asked.
Huo Xian looked at him sideways, seemingly asking, “Curious about what?”
Yu Zi’an looked at his unchanging icy face from the past ten years and suddenly sneered, as if mocking: “How could I forget? In your heart, love only affects the speed at which you do experiments.”
Huo Xian communicated with Huo Yuan: [I think he’s mocking me.]
Huo Yuan calmly: [Be confident, remove the “I think”.]
Huo Xian: […]
Before Huo Xian could speak, Yu Zi’an continued on his own: “Before, I was always very unwilling. Why did Wenqu like you? Although you are very excellent, your appearance and family background are impeccable, but your personality is so cold, and you’re so arrogant. Besides intelligence, appearance, and family background, what else is there to like about you?”
Huo Yuan retorted dissatisfiedly: [Huo Xian, you’re not cold, and you’re not arrogant. It’s just that they don’t understand the real you.] Unfortunately, his rebuttal could only be an exchange with Huo Xian.
Huo Xian comforted him: [Except for the people I care about, I don’t need them to understand the real me.]
“To let Wenqu see me, I’ve been studying hard, desperately studying, and indeed, even if I couldn’t catch up to you, I have transformed into the excellent person I never dared to aspire to be before… Saying this might be a little narcissistic,” Yu Zi’an chuckled self-deprecatingly, looking at his reflection in the car window, “But Wenqu did look at me with new eyes. In his freshman year, we dated for a while. That was something I had long hoped for. Unfortunately, after actually being with him, I discovered that that previous kind of liking had faded, but I was still happy, and I believe that my liking for him will gradually deepen. But,” here his tone sank, turning to Huo Xian, “I found that while he was dating me, he would still secretly stare at your photos in a daze.”
Huo Yuan: [A classic scumbag move, eating from one bowl while eyeing another, tsk!]
Huo Xian almost laughed, but years of self-cultivation had reached its peak, his expression unchanged, calmly meeting Yu Zi’an’s gaze, he said: “Congratulations, you’ve escaped from the sea of suffering.”
Yu Zi’an: …
He was choked speechless, and after a long while, he snorted softly: “Indeed, I should also thank you for helping me see clearly.”
“You’re welcome.” Huo Xian replied indifferently.
Yu Zi’an’s breath hitched. He almost punched him. If he stayed in the same space or chatted with Huo Xian any longer, he would either be choked to death or suffocated by the cold air. He decided to go back to his car.
Before leaving, Yu Zi’an, out of curiosity or revenge, asked him a question: “Huo Xian, I’m quite curious, with your personality, can you find a partner?”
“Wait.” Huo Xian stopped him, operated his phone with his long fingers, and then showed him a photo.
Yu Zi’an’s mouth dropped in surprise upon seeing the person in the photo, and he was about to take a closer look when Huo Xian quickly put his phone away.
Huo Xian said slowly, with a faint smile containing a hint of superiority, a smile he had never seen before: “If He Wenqu were even one-tenth as handsome as my partner, I might take a second look at him.”
Was that… indirectly saying He Wenqu was ugly?
To be fair, although Yu Zi’an’s impression of He Wenqu had plummeted because of his indecisiveness, He Wenqu was undeniably handsome. However, it seemed, perhaps, maybe, possibly, that he was quite lacking compared to the one just seen.
“…Is that your partner?” Yu Zi’an belatedly grasped the key point.
Huo Xian’s only response was a cold curl of his lips, before leaving gracefully.
[Huo Xian, you used my photo to deceive people again.] Huo Yuan muttered.
Huo Xian coaxed him: [Could you bear to see me being laughed at for not being able to find a partner?]
[Absolutely not!] Huo Yuan still had a strong competitive spirit, [You can use my photos as you please. They crush the partners of those who dare to laugh at you!]
Although he had been a true face-blind person when he first came to the human world (and still was, to some extent), after extensive learning and seeing many facial combinations, he gradually realized that his consciousness body was in the high-value category.
After thinking for a while, he still reminded Huo Xian: [Huo Xian, you don’t have a partner right now, feel free to use my photos, but if you have someone you like in the future, you must explain clearly, don’t let them misunderstand.]
Huo Xian said casually: [We’ll talk about it then.]
…
It turned out that more than just Yu Zi’an was worried about Huo Xian’s love life; his parents were too.
After Huo Xian returned home, his parents, who had met him only a handful of times in the past ten years, treated him like a treasure for two days, then began to worry about his lifelong partner.
In the past ten years, the acceptance of homosexuality in China had increased significantly. While same-sex marriage laws hadn’t been passed, they were on the agenda. Huo Xian’s father considered himself quite open-minded after his past “learning,” so even if Huo Xian were to find a boyfriend in the future, he could barely accept it.
… Probably.
Huo Xian, the adult who couldn’t escape being urged to marry: …
It wasn’t just his parents; after a couple of days, his numerous aunts and uncles came to visit, bringing their daughters or their relatives’ daughters. The purpose of the visit was ostensibly to visit, but it was actually for blind dates.
emmmmm…
“Huo Xian, what do you think of Wei Hanyu?” In the evening, Huo Xian’s mother routinely asked about his opinion. “The Wei family has a good family background, and this girl is well-educated and sensible. She’s also your junior at Huada University, talented…”
“Mom…” Huo Xian was helpless.
“Alright, alright, you don’t like her, right?” After several days, Huo Xian’s mother also knew his routine, and she couldn’t help but worry, “Axian, it’s not that Mom wants to rush you. Your father and I aren’t old-fashioned, we’re not thinking about you carrying on the family line, but you’re 27 years old after all, your work at the research institute is busy, you’re alone and lonely, your father and I can’t take care of you, and we worry and feel sorry for you.”
Huo Xian knew his parents’ thoughts. His job was special; even his partner would have to go through numerous checks, and he didn’t have the intention to date anyway, so there was no need to worry too much.
“Whether it’s a man or a woman, having someone to care about you is always better than not having anyone.” Huo Xian’s father couldn’t help but add.
So…
It’s better to use Huo Yuan as a fake boyfriend!
“He is…?” Huo Xian’s mother was stunned when she saw the photo Huo Xian took out, and then, she was suddenly moved.
Huo Xian handed his phone to Huo Xian’s father, who was craning his neck, saying naturally: “His name is Huo Yuan, his identity is special, I can’t reveal it easily.” This was the truth, “We’ve been together for ten years.”
“What?!???” The couple were shocked.
[…] Huo Xian, it’s easy for your words to cause misunderstandings with your parents. Huo Yuan quietly said.
Huo Xian calmly replied: [Let them misunderstand.] Only with this “misunderstanding” could Huo Xian’s parents feel his “love” for Huo Yuan, avoiding future worries.
After the couple had digested the news, Huo Xian said again: “I didn’t tell you before, firstly because I was worried that you wouldn’t accept me having a boyfriend, and secondly, because Huo Yuan’s identity is special, and I may never be able to bring him to see you.”
“Why are you willing to tell us now?” Huo Xian’s father was a little angry.
Huo Xian smiled, looking at the person on his phone with a hint of affection: “Huo Yuan is a little jealous, if he knew I went home for blind dates behind his back, he’d probably make me kneel on the keyboard and sleep on the sofa.”
As soon as he said this, Huo Xian’s parents’ expressions became extremely complex.
On the other side, Huo Yuan was also embarrassed: [Huo Xian, don’t ruin my reputation! I’m not that jealous, and I wouldn’t make you kneel on the keyboard or sleep on the sofa!]
Huo Xian coaxed him: [It’s a temporary measure. I have to let you take the blame. I will work hard to complete tasks and earn points to repay you later, okay?]
[Okay, okay, but don’t slander me anymore.] Huo Yuan said. He didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Huo Xian’s family.
Unbeknownst to him, being a “jealous” person wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in this sense.
After Huo Xian’s little trick, Huo Yuan could only describe the outcome with four words: Complete success.
In short, after that, Huo Xian’s parents, along with the numerous aunts and uncles of the Huo family, never tried to set him up again. This is a story for another time.
Huo Xian originally had a month-long vacation, but he was urgently called back to the research institute on the fourteenth day of his leave.
According to a message from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an asteroid about 2 kilometers in diameter had deviated from its original orbit. The reason for the deviation is currently unknown, but it is heading towards Earth. Space agencies around the world have entered a Level 1 alert status, and the only way to save Earth from disaster is to destroy the asteroid before impact.
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