Chapter 123: So Shameless
Shen Xiumo forcefully squeezed between Jiang Su and Huo Qingyan. He used his index finger to pull down the sunglasses on his face, revealing his eyes as he looked at Jiang Su. “What do you think of my look?”
Jiang Su took a small step back and carefully sized up Shen Xiumo.
A floral shirt, big sunglasses, and a bucket hat.
“It’s nice.” It definitely had a vacation vibe.
Huo Qingyan glanced at Shen Xiumo and pulled him aside. “You’re blocking people from getting food.”
“Oh…” Shen Xiumo obediently stepped aside.
After moving, he felt something wasn’t right. Huo Qingyan had pulled him away for blocking people, so why did Huo Qingyan then stand in that same spot? Did he think he wasn’t in anyone’s way?
“Hey, you…”
Shen Xiumo wanted to say something, but Huo Qingyan completely ignored him, having already turned to Jiang Su. “Hurry up and eat.”
Jiang Su paused for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”
Jiang Su quickly found a seat with his breakfast tray. As soon as he sat down, he looked up and saw the director and his group approaching Huo Qingyan.
Shen Xiumo slipped out of the crowd and walked toward Jiang Su with his tray. His plate was piled high, as if he hadn’t eaten in days.
Jiang Su glanced at Shen Xiumo and asked casually, “Why the sudden idea to come to the film set for a vacation?”
“It was Huo Qingyan’s idea. He said it couldn’t be too far from Qingyang City, but not too close either. It had to have mountains and water, but not be too hot, and it needed to be lively…”
After listing a bunch of conditions, Shen Xiumo sighed. “After thinking it over, it seemed like only this film set met all his criteria. Tsk…”
That final “tsk” was full of meaning.
Jiang Su asked calmly, “Didn’t you think Huo Qingyan was out to get you? Why are you on vacation with him?”
“Heh.” Shen Xiumo gave a profound laugh. “I did it on purpose!”
Jiang Su: “???”
To be honest, he was genuinely curious about what Shen Xiumo was thinking.
“Huo Qingyan only knows how to work, right? If I take him out on a trip, he’ll discover how fun the world is. I’m going to make him forget about work, make him lose his ambition in pleasure!”
As he said this, Shen Xiumo couldn’t help but feel proud of his brilliant idea. “And then, while he’s distracted, I’ll seize the opportunity to work like crazy, create glory for my Shen Group, and surpass his Huo Group!”
Jiang Su: “…”
Shen Xiumo was very dissatisfied with Jiang Su’s unimpressed expression. “What? You don’t think I can do it?”
“No.” On the contrary, he thought Shen Xiumo was quite capable.
For someone whose mind was always wandering off to who-knows-where, the fact that Shen Xiumo could still keep Huangsheng Media Group running profitably was quite an accomplishment.
Even though Shen Xiumo seemed unreliable at times, Jiang Su never underestimated him.
If Shen Xiumo didn’t have real skills, Old Master Shen would never have entrusted the massive Huangsheng Media Group to him.
However, with Huo Qingyan around, Shen Xiumo was always overshadowed by the halo of Huo Qingyan’s business genius.
Jiang Su suddenly understood why Shen Xiumo had always treated Huo Qingyan as his imaginary enemy.
Any ambitious person in his shoes would feel frustrated and refuse to admit defeat.
Feeling validated, Shen Xiumo’s spirits lifted again.
“Teacher Jiang, President Shen.”
Jiang Su looked up and saw it was Bai Mu.
Bai Mu looked at the empty seat next to Jiang Su. “May I sit here?”
Jiang Su scooted over, gesturing for Bai Mu to take the seat.
As Bai Mu sat down, Jiang Su saw Huo Qingyan standing behind him.
Bai Mu had been blocking his view before, so Jiang Su hadn’t seen Huo Qingyan.
Shen Xiumo also saw Huo Qingyan. “Hey, there’s no seat for you.”
Jiang Su had chosen a four-person booth by the window. At first, it was just him and Xu Mocun. Then Shen Xiumo and Bai Mu arrived, filling up the seats.
Huo Qingyan’s expression didn’t change. He glanced at Shen Xiumo’s plate. “They have freshly baked cornbread over there.”
His own plate had a small empty space, and he was holding a piece of cornbread. Hearing this, Shen Xiumo’s eyes lit up. “Freshly baked? I’ll go get a couple more!” Freshly baked cornbread was the best!
The moment Shen Xiumo left, Huo Qingyan sat down in his spot.
Jiang Su: “…”
He felt he had wronged Shen Xiumo. It wasn’t a case of being influenced by bad company. Huo Qingyan was just inherently dark himself.
Xu Mocun and Bai Mu were also stunned.
Bai Mu spoke up to remind him, “President Huo, this is… President Shen’s seat.”
Huo Qingyan: “Mm.”
Listen to that tone, completely devoid of guilt, utterly and shamelessly righteous.
Not only was Bai Mu speechless, but Xu Mocun was also dumbfounded.
Jiang Su merely glanced at Huo Qingyan before looking down and continuing to eat. What could he possibly say to someone so shameless?
Shen Xiumo returned, looking displeased. “There’s no cornbread at all.”
Huo Qingyan: “I must have seen it wrong.”
Only then did Shen Xiumo notice Huo Qingyan had taken his seat. “Why are you in my seat! Get up.”
“I’m almost done eating.” Huo Qingyan didn’t budge.
Shen Xiumo: “…”
Wasn’t this a bit too shameless? But he was helpless against Huo Qingyan, so he could only drag an empty chair from the next table and sit at the edge of their booth.
Jiang Su had to rush to the set after breakfast, so he ate quickly. “I’m done.”
Bai Mu also put down his chopsticks. “Teacher Jiang, let’s go together.”
Jiang Su nodded and left with Bai Mu and Xu Mocun.
Shen Xiumo turned and craned his neck, watching them leave. Only after they had disappeared from sight did he turn back. “I think… holy crap!”
The moment he turned back, he was startled by Huo Qingyan’s icy glare.
Following Huo Qingyan’s gaze, he saw he was also looking in the direction where Jiang Su and Bai Mu had left.
“Can you not look at people like that all the time? You’re going to scare someone to death.” Shen Xiumo let out a long breath.
Huo Qingyan withdrew his gaze, his expression softening slightly. “What do you know about Bai Mu?”
Shen Xiumo thought carefully. “No background, decent skills but terrible luck. He’s steady and takes every step carefully. He’s someone with a plan. If he keeps this up, even if he doesn’t become a huge star, he’ll do alright.”
Huo Qingyan murmured, “No background?”
“Yeah…” Shen Xiumo sized up Huo Qingyan. “You must have already looked into him. If he had a background, would he have gone through all that?”
Huo Qingyan wouldn’t ask about Bai Mu for no reason. If he was suspicious, he must have already investigated him.
Huo Qingyan said slowly, “What if he went through all those things… willingly?”
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