IJLHTW - 54

His first-ever Weibo post was to thank a woman.

New fans who had just jumped on the bandwagon were immediately hit with this revelation. But at least it proved that his account was active. Quickly, people began leaving comments, vying for the top spot.

The spectacle drew even more attention. Marketing accounts, always eager to stir up drama, immediately started digging into the relationship between Yi Zhecheng and Huo Ci.

However, some pointed out that this magazine cover was photographed by Huo Ci. The president was simply expressing gratitude to her as the photographer—nothing more. After all, he explicitly referred to her as “photographer Huo Ci,” not “girlfriend Huo Ci.”

“His very first Weibo post tags Huo Ci, and his first follow is Huo Ci. Do you really think there’s no connection between them?” came the sarcastic retort from others.

As always, opinions varied wildly. Unexpectedly, their names trended on social media once again.

Huo Ci already had a significant following, with fan numbers rivaling those of rising stars in the entertainment industry. Her previous wedding-crashing incident had drawn widespread public attention beyond just the fashion world. Even though she’d been smeared during the T&A ad controversy, the truth eventually surfaced: she had always been T&A’s go-to photographer. Nan Wan, on the other hand, had taken over during Huo Ci’s illness. Just days ago, behind-the-scenes photos confirmed Huo Ci was back shooting for T&A. Meanwhile, T&A China underwent major personnel changes, including the dismissal of their PR director—a shift impossible to ignore.

This was an era where evidence mattered. Even feuding fanbases would present “hammers” (solid proof) to throw at each other.

Huo Ci continued thriving in the industry, relying solely on her exceptional skills rather than networking. After traveling abroad and visiting Africa, her workload had temporarily decreased, leaving her studio staff somewhat idle.

Post-holiday season, advertising campaigns, fashion magazines, and editorial shoots flooded in. The most pressing project, however, was the touring photography exhibition Huo Ci personally oversaw.

Over the past half-month, she’d been so busy her feet barely touched the ground. Finally, the photos were printed.

Africa itself was brimming with stories—an endless expanse of desolate land, its people facing disease without access to medical care, their eyes filled with yearning.

A single photograph could speak volumes.

Such was the power of photography—it froze time and conveyed the deepest desires of the heart.

“Oh!” an assistant exclaimed nearby. “Boss is trending again!”

Bai Yu, who had been speaking with Huo Ci, immediately turned and asked, “What happened? Did something go wrong again?”

Given Huo Ci’s recent string of controversies, Bai Yu dreaded another scandal. In two quick steps, he approached the assistant, who smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Bai. It’s good news. Mr. Yi posted a Weibo thanking Boss.”

“Let me see,” Huo Ci said nonchalantly, leaning against the wall while reviewing raw images on her camera.

Before Bai Yu could check, the assistant dashed over to show Huo Ci the phone without hesitation. Bai Yu muttered under his breath and grabbed his own phone.

When the assistant handed over the phone, Huo Ci glanced at the screen—it was Yi Zhecheng’s tweet.

Just eight words total, including her name. She read it over and over.

Her lips curved upward involuntarily. Beside her, the clueless assistant gushed innocently, “Boss, I’ve heard people say Mr. Yi is cold and rarely smiles, but he seems so nice! And now that he’s trending, his very first Weibo post thanks you.”

When Huo Ci photographed Yi Zhecheng’s cover, she brought along a few members of her team.

They were used to being casual on set, but one cool glance from Yi Zhecheng silenced everyone.

“Mr. Yi’s first follow is also you, Boss! Should we think about how to reply?” the assistant squealed excitedly.

“Boss, Mr. Yi is so handsome—I wish I could marry him.”

Huo Ci had photographed countless celebrities—mature men and fresh-faced idols alike. Overexposure made her staff immune to such excitement. But Yi Zhecheng was different. No matter when or where you saw him, he left an indelible impression.

Bai Yu hurried back, asking, “Did you see Mr. Yi’s Weibo?”

“Yes,” she nodded, having read it dozens of times along with hundreds of comments.

Huo Ci unwrapped a candy, popped it into her mouth, and continued scrolling through the comments with interest. When Bai Yu cautiously asked, “So, how do you plan to respond?” she remained calm.

Bai Yu wasn’t worried about her going public with their relationship—just that this wasn’t the right time.

Huo Ci looked up, her expression indifferent. “Don’t worry. I know the photography exhibition is important. If we announce our relationship now, people will think it’s just炒作 (hype).”

After all, if they announced their romance first and then revealed her upcoming exhibition, attention might spike—but that wasn’t what Huo Ci wanted.

She wanted people to focus on her photography and the emotions behind it.

As they spoke, the assistant listened in confusion. Only after Huo Ci finished did she timidly ask, “What romance?”

Huo Ci smirked, pinching the assistant’s cheek lightly. Her tone remained neutral, but her eyes gleamed with pride. “My romance with Mr. Yi.”

The assistant’s jaw dropped. “…What?”

“So forget about marrying him,” Huo Ci leaned lazily against the wall. “That idea is off the table.”

“I’m just daydreaming, Boss. Pretend you never heard it,” the assistant stammered, biting her lip.

“Mm,” Huo Ci raised an eyebrow, her demeanor icy. But moments later, she leaned closer, whispering mischievously, “Aside from Bai Yu, you’re the only one who knows about me and Mr. Yi. If any rumors leak, I’ll have no choice but to silence you.”

“I won’t breathe a word, I swear!” the assistant whimpered.

Once she left, Bai Yu shot Huo Ci a glare. “Look what you’ve done! If another assistant quits, you’ll be handling calls and errands yourself.”

Huo Ci chuckled, unfazed.

She picked up her phone, sat down, and crossed her long legs leisurely. Opening Weibo, she searched for Yi Zhecheng’s profile. His account was verified, and he already had over two million followers.

Life was unfair. Exceptional people gained followers faster than ordinary ones.

Clicking into his page, his lone tweet was already viral.

She followed him, retweeted the post, and thoughtfully tapped the screen.

Huo Ci: You’re welcome. It’s because Mr. Yi looks good.

Within a minute of posting, over a thousand comments poured in.

“HAHAHAHA, I must admit, Huo Ci is absolutely right.”

“Couldn’t agree more. My god truly is blessed with unmatched beauty.”

Huo Ci’s response came across as playful banter. Doubters who initially suspected something between them now joined the chorus of flirtatious comments.

Meanwhile, Yi Zhecheng received a call from Han Jingyang.

Glancing at his watch as he answered, Yi Zhecheng said tersely, “You have five minutes. I have a meeting soon.”

“Zecheng, when are you bringing your girlfriend out for dinner? You’ve been buried in work since the New Year, and we haven’t seen you once,” Han Jingyang complained.

Yi Zhecheng pinched the bridge of his nose. “Let’s gather when Xinnan returns.”

Han Jingyang hummed in agreement, then teased, “Actually, buddy, I called to mock you. You tagged her on Weibo, and all she replied with was ‘Mr. Yi.’ Not even a title. I feel sorry for you.”

Silence stretched until Yi Zhecheng coolly responded, “Fuck off.”

________________________________________

The buzz was expected to last only a few days until someone suddenly shared a photo on Weibo.

It was a candid shot taken in a library. The subject—a young man sitting quietly at a desk, wearing black earphones. Unlike the piles of books cluttering other tables, only two or three lay before him. His head slightly bowed, the sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his sharply chiseled profile. The image radiated an aura of timeless elegance.

The moment it surfaced, the photo garnered over 50,000 retweets. Everyone marveled at the breathtaking youth captured in the frame. The original poster joked, “I’m finally sharing my years-long private stash so you can understand what it means to have your entire youth stunned.”

The person in the photo? Yi Zhecheng.

He must have still been studying at B University back then. A female student from B University had snapped the picture casually on her old phone. Surprisingly, it had survived all these years.

Even Huo Ci couldn’t resist saving the photo when she saw it.

Though the resolution wasn’t great due to the outdated camera, the boy in the frame exuded an ethereal allure.

She had always believed her connection with Yi Zhecheng began recently. Now, she realized she had missed out on the best years of his youth.

________________________________________

Xu Di wasn’t new to Ming Sheng Group, but she had never been this anxious. Sitting on the couch, tears welled up in her eyes. “Zecheng, what am I supposed to tell your grandfather if Siyang’s in trouble?”

Yi Zhecheng stood up and paced the room. “He hasn’t come home for so long. How could you wait until now to tell me?”

“He used to throw tantrums like this. I thought he’d return after traveling abroad for fun. But for the past half-month, his credit card hasn’t been used. I checked his ID—no flights booked, no hotel reservations, nothing. He hasn’t left the country.”

Xu Di was genuinely panicked.

Yi Zhecheng placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll find him.”

“Zecheng, please bring your uncle back safely,” Xu Di pleaded. He was the sole heir of the Xu family, born to her father in his late forties. If anything happened to him, no one would recover.

Yi Zhecheng nodded silently, anger simmering beneath the surface.

Though Xu Siyang was technically his uncle, he was younger than Yi Zhecheng and had grown up trailing behind him. Whenever he got into trouble, Yi Zhecheng disciplined him without regard for familial hierarchy.

Previously, he’d dismissed Siyang’s antics as mere mischief. This time, he went all out, calling Han Jingyang and leveraging every available resource.

By 6 PM, Siyang’s location was pinpointed.

Yi Zhecheng climbed into a car, flanked by two vehicles filled with bodyguards. The setup resembled a high-profile arrest.

When Huo Ci called him, he was en route to find Xu Siyang. Initially, she wanted to share the library photo, but hearing about Siyang running away shocked her. She asked for the address and drove over. As she parked, a convoy led by a Maybach pulled up.

“Is Siyang okay?” she asked worriedly.

Yi Zhecheng glanced toward the building. “For now, yes. Later? Not guaranteed.”

Seeing his demeanor, she knew he was furious. Smiling faintly, she teased, “Go easy on him. Don’t kill him.”

Yi Zhecheng shot her a look. Leave it to her to joke at a time like this.

Inside the complex, Huo Ci felt a sense of familiarity. After a moment, realization struck. “Oh, right. Mo Xingchen lives here—in Building 10.”

As soon as she said it, Yi Zhecheng gave her a meaningful glance. By the time they reached Building 10, she understood why.

To everyone’s surprise, Xu Siyang was hiding in the same building.

Huo Ci rarely visited Mo Xingchen’s place. Over time, she’d forgotten which floor she lived on. When they arrived at the 16th floor and stopped outside apartment 1601, the guards rang the doorbell.

A voice came from inside: “One moment! Coming!”

When the door opened, several pairs of eyes locked onto each other.

Mo Xingchen stared blankly at Huo Ci. “Huo Ci? Why are you here?”

Huo Ci: “…Yeah, about that…”

Before anyone could react, another voice called out from inside. “Is the food delivery here? I’m starving!”

A man in shorts and a t-shirt rushed into view. His hair was disheveled, but even in plain clothes, his lean yet toned physique was undeniable.

Yi Zhecheng’s gaze darkened, his voice thick with barely contained rage. “Xu Siyang.”

“How did you find me?” Siyang blurted, visibly startled.

“Are you coming out, or should I come in?” Yi Zhecheng glared icily.

Siyang obediently walked to the doorway, lowering his gaze. When he lifted his eyes, they darted pleadingly toward Mo Xingchen.

Yes, those were the same puppy-dog eyes that had softened her resolve.

Mo Xingchen stared questioningly at Huo Ci. “Do you two know each other?”

In that moment, everything clicked. Huo Ci stayed silent, but Yi Zhecheng offered an apologetic glance at Mo Xingchen. “My apologies for the trouble Xu Siyang has caused you these past few days.”

“It’s fine,” Mo Xingchen replied calmly. Then, trembling slightly, she asked, “Mr. Yi, can you tell me… what exactly is your relationship?”

Yi Zhecheng’s cold gaze shifted to Siyang, who looked visibly nervous. Still, Yi Zhecheng answered, “He’s my mother’s younger brother. Her biological brother.”

“Xingchen, listen to me. I…” Before Siyang could finish, Mo Xingchen—who had been standing quietly—shoved him hard. Again and again, she pushed until they were all outside.

She glared at him furiously. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

The door slammed shut with a resounding bang.

Siyang stood in the hallway in his shorts and t-shirt, pounding desperately on the door. “Xingchen, please listen to me! I didn’t mean to deceive you!”

No matter how hard he knocked, there was no response from inside.

Finally, shivering from the cold, he hugged himself and pleaded, “Please help me talk to her. I really didn’t mean it.”

Looking at his handsome yet infuriating face, Yi Zhecheng muttered, “Idiot.”

Huo Ci added dryly, “Deserves it.”