ASPWL Ch118: Huo Yan’s Story

To be honest, ever since Huo Yan saw Su Rui’s true colors, he had lost all illusions about love.

It wasn’t that he no longer believed in love altogether; he simply no longer believed that romantic and beautiful love would ever come into his life.

Fortunately, Papa and Mama Huo had always been open-minded and never pressured Huo Yan to find a partner.

But even if they didn’t push him, someone else would.

For example, Ye Leyao, who returned to their side after two years away.
From the very first day they met again, he couldn’t wait to jab at Huo Yan’s heart.

Furious, Huo Yan naturally lashed out.

But Ye Leyao didn’t take Huo Yan’s threats seriously, and Huo Yan wasn’t about to take Ye Leyao’s jokes to heart either.

After all, it was just a joke. Huo Yan simply listened and let it go—after all, he wasn’t the only single person in the family.

However, this internal balance didn’t last long.

Because soon enough, good news came one after another from Huo Jing and Huo Ze.

The day Huo Jing announced a family gathering was an ordinary Saturday.
Huo Yan originally had a photoshoot scheduled that day, but since Huo Jing insisted he must come home, Huo Yan had to postpone the shoot and rushed back.

As soon as he entered the house, he heard Ye Leyao’s voice coming from the living room—

“Ah! I knew something was going on with you two!”

Huo Yan raised an eyebrow.

Who’s “you two”?

He walked in quickly and scanned the room.

Papa Huo, Mama Huo, Ye Leyao, Qin Yao, his eldest brother… and Assistant Feng.

No strangers?

Huo Yan was puzzled and asked, “Who’s ‘you two’?”

Hearing this, Ye Leyao looked over, blinking rapidly at Huo Yan and subtly gesturing toward Feng Jialan, who was practically burying his head in the sofa beside Huo Jing.

Huo Yan: “?”

“Feng… Assistant Feng?” Huo Yan was stunned and turned to look at Huo Jing. “With my big brother?”

Mama Huo cleared her throat lightly. “Don’t be so rude. From now on, you should call him…”

Hmm…
This title stumped Mama Huo. He couldn’t exactly call him “sister-in-law,” right?

Feng Jialan was even more flustered and quickly said, “Second Young Master can just keep calling me Assistant Feng.”

Huo Jing, sitting next to him, suddenly reached out and held his hand, his expression displeased. “What second young master?”

Huo Yan finally snapped out of his shock and immediately said, “Right! Sister-in-law, just call me Huo Yan from now on!”

The word “sister-in-law” made Feng Jialan’s face heat up even more, and even his neck turned red.

Ye Leyao also chimed in cheerfully, calling him sister-in-law, making Feng Jialan even more uncomfortable.

Then both brothers were met with sharp glares from Huo Jing.

Ye Leyao watched in awe, exclaiming repeatedly, but afraid of further unsettling Feng Jialan, he leaned toward Qin Yao and whispered, “Who would’ve thought Big Brother could be so caring toward his partner?”

Qin Yao, with a smile in his eyes, gently squeezed Ye Leyao’s hand and pointed to himself, clearly implying: Don’t I treat my partner well, too?

Before Ye Leyao could answer, Huo Yan rolled his eyes nearby.

These two really couldn’t stop showing off their love for a moment!

But this was only the beginning.

Because soon enough, Huo Yan met the third couple in the family—Huo Ze brought Ning Xu home.

The large living room of the Huo family was unusually quiet.

Ning Xu sat beside Huo Ze, looking nervous.

To ease his tension, Mama Huo and Ye Leyao both stayed by his side, chatting with him.

But as they chatted, Ye Leyao suddenly burst out laughing.

His laughter was so cheerful it immediately drew everyone’s attention.

After ensuring that Huo Yan was also looking over, Ye Leyao spoke leisurely, “Well, isn’t it great? Now, isn’t Second Brother the only one left without a partner?”

As soon as the words fell—

Huo Yan shot up, ready to personally “deal” with his younger brother. But before he could get close, Qin Yao blocked him.

At this moment, Papa and Mama Huo decided to chime in, “Leyao isn’t wrong, you know.”

“Exactly. Why are you getting so flustered?”

Huo Ze: “If you don’t want people to talk, why don’t you find someone to date, Second Brother?”

Huo Jing: “You’re not that young anymore either.”

Ye Leyao added fuel to the fire: “Second Brother, if you still don’t find someone, and later on you bring a child with you, people definitely won’t doubt you anymore.”

Huo Yan: “…”

Sometimes, he seriously pondered over a question: Could it be that there was something inherently wrong with him?

Otherwise, why did his whole family have to gang up on him to “humiliate” him!

That night’s family dinner ended with everyone else feeling perfectly at home and Huo Yan being left in frustration.

After that day, Huo Yan suddenly realized that more and more of his friends around him seemed to have partners.

Half a year after Ye Leyao came back, Qin Yao started preparing a special edition of the variety show Let’s Go Traveling Together.

The show was a one-episode special, inviting previous guests of  Let’s Go Traveling Together who had managed to avoid any mishaps during their appearances.

Huo Yan had originally planned to agree right away. After all, going on a trip with a group of old friends was a very relaxing thing for him.
But then—

Ye Leyao: “Second Brother, this time, everyone going is part of a couple!”

Huo Yan: “???”

Ye Leyao: “You don’t even have a partner. Are you sure you want to come with us?”

Huo Yan immediately blocked Ye Leyao and then called Qin Yao, telling him he was unfit to join their show.

Qin Yao was momentarily stunned, then tried to respond—

Before he could finish his sentence, Huo Yan burst out: “When did I ever say I wanted to be part of your show?! I’m not going!”

With that shout, Huo Yan hung up the phone without hesitation.

Meanwhile, in Qin Yao’s office, Ye Leyao lay on the couch clutching his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.

Qin Yao rubbed his forehead helplessly: “Are you sure he won’t actually get mad?”

Ye Leyao wiped away the tears from laughing too hard: “It’s fine… it’s fine, hahaha. I’ll apologize to him later, hahaha… But he really did block me!”

Seeing Ye Leyao laugh so gleefully, Qin Yao didn’t say anything more.

In the end, Huo Yan didn’t participate in the variety show.

Afterward, some longtime fans of  Let’s Go Traveling Together asked online why Huo Yan wasn’t there.

During the live comment-reading segment, Ye Leyao saw the question.
In front of countless viewers, he still gave his Second Brother some face: “Of course, it’s because our Second Brother is too busy with work!”

As for whether he was genuinely busy or just pretending, only Huo Yan himself could say.

Some fans actually went to Huo Yan’s social media to ask. Huo Yan would block a user every time he saw such a question.

After it happened enough times, the netizens figured it out on their own.

So, he was upset!

On the internet, even the smallest things can snowball.

The hashtag #HuoYanUpset even trended, thanks to mischievous netizens.

Initially, Huo Yan hadn’t been upset, but seeing the trending hashtag really did frustrate him.

Still, no matter how much he was mocked, Huo Yan knew he had long stopped holding out any hope for love.

So no matter how much the netizens teased, he remained unmoved.

Over the years, there had been no shortage of people showing interest in Huo Yan.

But whether their hints were subtle or overt, Huo Yan deflected them all indifferently.

Gradually, as more people faced rejection, others stopped trying altogether.

The online buzz didn’t last long. After the special episode of the show aired, the netizens who had been focused on Huo Yan’s love life gradually lost interest, and his life returned to peace.

Year after year passed like this, and before he knew it, Huo Yan was already 28 years old.

In the past few years, Huo Yan had been constantly filming. This year alone, he had three films waiting for release.

So this year, Huo Yan finally decided to take a proper break.

But taking a break didn’t mean not earning money. So at the beginning of the year, Huo Yan invested in a television drama.

After having dinner with the director, Huo Yan dropped by the filming set.

And that was when he ran into someone he hadn’t seen in a long time—Wen Huai.

Wen Huai looked slightly surprised to see him, then quickly caught on: “You’re the one who invested in this drama?”

Huo Yan nodded. “Why, I didn’t hear that you were acting in it?”

Wen Huai chuckled and pointed at a female artist getting her costume fitted. “I’m here with my girlfriend for her audition.”

Huo Yan understood and smiled. “Well, I can’t pull any strings for you.”

Wen Huai laughed. “No need for that. She’s quite talented.”

Huo Yan became interested and asked a few more questions. He learned that the girl had graduated with a degree in performing arts and had even been the top student in their program.

Huo Yan felt reassured. “Looks like I made a good investment.”

Wen Huai nodded in agreement.

As they chatted, the topic turned to Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue.

Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue had been together for five years. The couple had been as inseparable as ever, and recently there were rumors that they were planning to get married.

Huo Yan casually asked Wen Huai if the rumors were true.

To his surprise, Wen Huai, who had been all smiles moments ago, immediately turned cold. With an icy expression, he replied, “I don’t know.”

Huo Yan was taken aback at first, then couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, it’s been five years. You still don’t approve of them being together?”

Wen Huai shot him a cold glance. “It’s not that I don’t approve of them being together. I just don’t approve of Zhou Zijian becoming my nominal stepfather. Understand?”

Huo Yan immediately laughed even harder.

“Their relationship is so stable; what’s wrong with them getting married?”

“Besides, what’s so bad about having a stepfather? He’s a great cook. Not only can he take care of your mom, but he could also look after you…”

Before Huo Yan could finish his sentence, Wen Huai shot him a cold look.

Clearing his throat, Huo Yan realized he might have gone too far with his laughter. But just as he was about to backtrack, Wen Huai suddenly asked, “Since you’re so interested in my family’s affairs, I assume you’ve found a partner and have good news of your own?”

Huo Yan was instantly speechless.

Sensing his weakness, Wen Huai pressed on, “I heard your brothers all have partners now. Don’t tell me you’re still single?”

Huo Yan: “…”

“Can’t you find someone?” Wen Huai’s question grew more sincere.

Huo Yan turned on his heel and walked away. He couldn’t help but wonder, Are these people too idle? Why am I even bothering to concern myself with other people’s business?

After this incident, Huo Yan became even more cautious in his words and actions. Not only did he avoid commenting on his friends’ lives, but he also stayed out of his family’s relationships, lest he get dragged into yet another storm for no reason.

But sometimes, the things Huo Yan wanted to avoid the most had a way of finding him.

One day, while visiting a film set, Huo Yan ran into another acquaintance he hadn’t seen in a long time—Duan Haoyan.

To be honest, Huo Yan and Duan Haoyan had never been particularly close. Back in the day, their conflicts over Su Rui had led to frequent clashes. Although they later reconciled after Su Rui’s true nature was exposed, their relationship remained lukewarm at best—cordial but not exactly friendly.

This time, Huo Yan had only intended to greet Duan Haoyan briefly. But to his surprise, Duan Haoyan stopped him. “Wait a moment. I want to introduce someone to you.”

Huo Yan: “?”

Before Huo Yan could decline, Duan Haoyan dragged him toward the dressing room. When the door opened, Huo Yan saw a fresh-faced young man getting his makeup done. The man immediately looked up at the sound of their arrival and flashed a bright smile at Duan Haoyan. “Brother Duan!”

Huo Yan felt the man looked unfamiliar. Before he could ask, Duan Haoyan chuckled and said, “This is my boyfriend, Zhang Han.”

Only then did Zhang Han notice Huo Yan standing next to Duan Haoyan. His eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up. “Mr. Huo, hello! I’m a fan of yours! Could we take a photo together?”

Huo Yan: “…Of course.”

After taking a photo and signing an autograph for Zhang Han, Huo Yan turned to Duan Haoyan. “So, you called me over just because your boyfriend wanted an autograph?”

Duan Haoyan nodded at first but quickly shook his head. “Not entirely.”

Huo Yan stared at him for a moment before realizing nothing good could come from this. Without hesitation, he turned to leave.

But Duan Haoyan grinned and said, “I heard you’re still single, Huo Yan. I just wanted to show off my boyfriend.”

Huo Yan: “…”

Damn it. I’m calling the police.

As Huo Yan walked off, Duan Haoyan burst into unrestrained laughter.

After these two incidents, Huo Yan seriously considered whether he should start looking for a partner. But the thought had barely crossed his mind before he dismissed it.

It’s easy to think about, but where would I even find someone I like who also likes me?

Sure, there were plenty of people who liked him, but finding someone he liked in return? That was the tricky part.

Huo Yan smiled to himself and decided not to dwell on it further.

As time passed, the end of the year arrived, and the drama Huo Yan had invested in finished filming. The production crew held a wrap party, and although Huo Yan hadn’t initially planned to attend, he eventually gave in to the director’s persistent invitations.

That day, Jin City experienced its first snowfall of the winter. Everything was blanketed in white. After a few rounds of drinks, Huo Yan felt stifled by the bustling atmosphere of the hall. He grabbed a coat and stepped out onto the hotel’s terrace to watch the snow.

The hotel staff had thoughtfully cleared a path through the thick snow on the terrace. Decorations adorned the snowy scenery, and a cheerful snowman stood beneath a festive tree.

Huo Yan glanced at it briefly before shifting his gaze and settling into a small pavilion that had been swept clean.

Since the production crew had rented out the entire floor of the hotel, Huo Yan wasn’t worried about being disturbed. He sat quietly, enjoying the tranquility of the snowy evening.

He didn’t know how long had passed when the sound of footsteps suddenly reached his ears.

Thinking it was the director coming to drag him back inside for more drinks, Huo Yan spoke with mild exasperation. “Can’t you let me hide for a little while longer?”

He waited for a reply, but none came. Instead, the footsteps stopped.

Puzzled, Huo Yan turned his head, only to meet a pair of innocent eyes staring back at him.

How should one describe these eyes?

The first word that came to Huo Yan’s mind was “clean.”

The boy wore a long white down coat and a creamy white hat. His long, soft hair fell over his forehead, leaving only his eyes visible.
On closer inspection, there was a hint of astonishment in his gaze.

After two seconds of eye contact with Huo Yan, the boy suddenly reacted, a trace of apology flashing through his eyes:
“Sorry, I didn’t realize…”

Huo Yan came to his senses, realizing he had misunderstood. He quickly said, “Apologies, I thought you were looking for me.”

The boy looked at Huo Yan, gave him a slight smile, and shook his head.
“It’s fine. I didn’t disturb you, did I?”

Huo Yan shook his head.

The boy began walking over, moving very slowly. When he was almost at the pavilion, he cautiously asked, “Could I… sit here for a while?”

Huo Yan glanced at the time. It was about time for him to leave anyway, so he stood up.

“Go ahead and sit. I need to head off.”

As he stepped down the stairs, just as they were about to brush past each other, a pale hand suddenly reached out and tugged at Huo Yan’s sleeve.

Huo Yan frowned slightly, his gaze first falling on the hand.

The biting wind howled as snow, long since stopped, began to fall again. Flakes landed on the boy’s slender fingers, melting away almost instantly.

Huo Yan raised his eyes and met the boy’s gaze.

The boy stared at him, his previously clear eyes now covered with a misty layer, his tone carrying a trace of grievance:

“Brother Huo Yan, do you really not recognize me?”

Huo Yan froze. For someone to speak to him with such familiarity and even dare to grab his sleeve to stop him, the boy couldn’t be someone from the entertainment industry.

In that case, he must be someone Huo Yan had known before.

But no matter how hard Huo Yan searched his memory, he couldn’t recall the boy at all.

After waiting for a long time without receiving an answer, the boy finally sighed helplessly.

“I’m Feng Rui! My brother is Feng Sheng.”

At the mention of Feng Sheng, Huo Yan finally remembered.

Feng Sheng was a childhood friend. But back in high school, when the Feng family decided to expand their business overseas, they took Feng Sheng and his younger brother abroad, unwilling to leave the siblings behind in the country.

With the mention of Feng Sheng, Huo Yan naturally dug up a faint memory of Feng Rui from the corners of his mind.

However, when he last saw Feng Rui, the boy had only been eight years old, tagging along behind them like a little shadow. As a result, Huo Yan had no impression of the grown-up Feng Rui.

Upon closer look, though, the boy in front of him did bear some resemblance to Feng Sheng.

Huo Yan chuckled in surprise, “It’s been so many years, and you’ve grown this much?”

Feng Rui replied, “I’m already in college.”

“Studying abroad?” Huo Yan asked.

Feng Rui smiled and nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then why are you back now?” Huo Yan asked. “And your brother? Is your family planning to return to the country?”

Feng Rui nodded, explaining that now that their overseas markets were fairly established, the Feng family planned to refocus domestically over the next few years.
After explaining, he added, “My brother’s here too. He should’ve just landed.”

As he spoke, Feng Rui’s phone began to ring. He smiled at Huo Yan.
“Brother Huo Yan, hold on a moment.”

With that, he walked aside to answer the call.

Whatever was said on the other end caused Feng Rui to hold the phone far from his ear, even covering it with his hand.

Huo Yan, unable to hold back his curiosity, quickly walked over.
“Feng Sheng?”

The furious shouting on the other end paused briefly before escalating.
“Good! So quick to find him already! You little brat, just wait for me!”

Then, with a snap, the call was cut off.

Feng Rui looked embarrassed.

Huo Yan, startled, exchanged a glance with him before asking,
“Did your brother eat explosives?”

Feng Rui put away his phone, nodding repeatedly before adding,
“Well, he’s almost thirty… maybe it’s menopause?”

The mention of age didn’t bother Huo Yan initially, but the phrase “almost thirty” felt like a dagger to the chest.

After a pause, Feng Rui seemed to realize something and quickly clarified,
“Brother Huo Yan, I didn’t mean you…”

Huo Yan said, “I feel like it’d be better if you hadn’t said that last part.”

Feng Rui stared at him, his deer-like eyes wide and innocent.

Huo Yan chuckled, dismissing it.

“You’re staying at this hotel?”

Feng Rui nodded.

“Have you had dinner yet?” Huo Yan asked.

Feng Rui replied, “Are you inviting me to dinner, Brother Huo Yan? But I can’t go right now; my brother…”

He trailed off with a sigh.

Huo Yan smiled.

“Well, since your brother’s back, I haven’t seen him in years either. Let’s have dinner together.”

With Huo Yan’s invitation, Feng Rui had no reason to refuse. He quickly agreed and sent Feng Sheng a message.

Huo Yan had someone book a restaurant and informed the director before heading out with Feng Rui.

The snowy roads were slippery, and the driver drove carefully. During the ride, Huo Yan asked briefly about the Feng family’s recent developments.
When he learned that Feng Sheng was about to get engaged, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.

With the topic naturally leading there, Feng Rui casually asked, “Brother Huo Yan… you… still don’t have a partner, do you?”

Huo Yan felt as though another dagger had been driven into his chest.
He took a deep breath, exhaled after a long pause, and turned to Feng Rui with an expression of utter resignation.

Without needing a verbal answer, his face said it all.

Feng Rui looked at him. He should’ve offered comforting words, but instead, laughter bubbled up uncontrollably.

His lips curled high, his smile bright, and he laughed harder and harder.

Huo Yan rubbed his temples, watching him for a while before asking helplessly, “Not done laughing yet?”

Feng Rui tried to stifle his laughter, forcing his mouth into a straight line, but within moments, he broke into laughter again.

Over the past two years, Huo Yan’s temper had improved significantly. He rarely got riled up anymore.

But being laughed at for so long by someone nearly ten years younger tested even his patience.

Feeling slightly irritated, Huo Yan’s expression darkened. His deep gaze fell on Feng Rui.

Feng Rui’s laughter faltered. He suddenly felt a chill down his neck and looked at Huo Yan with slight alarm.

“Brother Huo Yan… you…”

“Not laughing anymore?” Huo Yan asked, raising an eyebrow.

Feng Rui cautiously scooted a little further away and said earnestly,
“No… not laughing anymore.”

Huo Yan had only intended to scare him, not to genuinely frighten him. Seeing Feng Rui stop laughing, he dropped the stern act. But then, with a faint smirk, he quickly countered, “So, you laughed for so long—do you have a partner?”

Feng Rui blinked, his eyes wide. After a long pause, he lowered his head, looking slightly embarrassed.

“I’m… about to.”

The metaphorical dagger Huo Yan had thrown came back to stab him once more.

Huo Yan: “…”

Maybe this conversation should end for the night.