Offered as a Stand In

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offered-as-a-stand-in

The Negotiation

[Come to my company tomorrow.]


 When Xie Guan woke up, he was so startled to see this message with no context that he thought he was still dreaming.


 He stared at the unlisted number in a daze for a long while before hesitantly sending a question mark: "?"


 The other party replied quite quickly, concise and to the point: [I'm Huo Mingjun.]


 Xie Guan's hand slipped, and the phone smacked him in the face.


 The phone vibrated again. Huo Mingjun had sent over the company address, telling him to go to the front desk tomorrow and ask directly for Special Assistant Zhong Heguang.


 Xie Guan asked: "May I ask what this is about?"


 Huo Mingjun had originally planned to be direct, but Xie Guan's question piqued a trivial bit of mischief in the stern and unsmiling big boss. He kept him in suspense: [You'll know when you get here.]


 Xie Guan pouted: "Oh."


 Hengrui Group headquarters was located in the core area of the East District CBD, occupying an entire Class A office building, a landmark in the area. Xie Guan had only ever seen it from a distance when passing by; he never imagined that one day he would have any connection to this place.


 The receptionist, after asking his purpose, politely asked him to wait a moment and first made a call to Zhong Heguang. Hearing the other party's request, she looked up at Xie Guan in surprise and quickly said, "Yes, yes, please wait a moment, I'll bring him over right away."


 She put down the phone, gave Xie Guan a well-trained smile, and led him toward the elevators: "This way, please, sir."


 At this time, there were many staff members coming and going in the building. Seeing the receptionist leading an unfamiliar face toward the executive-only elevator, they couldn't help but cast a few curious glances.


 Xie Guan wasn't afraid of being looked at, but he knew that to someone of Huo Mingjun's status, he was hardly a presentable "friend"—more like a speck of dust accidentally stuck to the corner of his clothes.


 Wasn't he afraid that he would get entangled with him, that he had ulterior motives?


 The receptionist smilingly pressed the elevator button for him. Xie Guan nodded in thanks. The elevator doors slowly closed, shutting out all the curious, sizing-up gazes.


 Xie Guan let out a brief sigh of relief, his gaze sweeping over the small, blinking red dot in the top corner, not daring to relax too much.


 The elevator stopped on the 27th floor.


 Someone was already waiting outside the doors. It was a tall and upright man who looked young but had a remarkably steady demeanor, his eyes holding a faintly scrutinizing glint. "Hello, Mr. Xie. I'm Chairman Huo's assistant, Zhong Heguang."


 "Hello." Xie Guan shook his hand. Zhong Heguang led him toward the chairman's office, saying as they walked, "Chairman Huo is meeting with someone right now, so you may have to wait a few more minutes. Please have a seat in the outer room for a moment while I go inform him."


 As they were speaking, the door to the assistant's office suddenly opened from the inside. Fang Hui walked out holding a water cup, and upon seeing the two of them, she let out a surprised "Huh?"


 "Mr. Xie?"


 "Hello, Assistant Fang," Xie Guan said with a smile. "What a coincidence, we meet again."


 Fang Hui had a soft spot for men like this—gentle, tolerant, big-brother types. Other than Huo Mingjun, she had spent the most time with Xie Guan. She hadn't thought much of it when they parted in Hong Kong, but meeting again now, their relationship instantly felt much closer. Fang Hui's gossipy interest was piqued, and she immediately forgot all about Zhong Heguang, familiarly asking Xie Guan, "What brings you here today? Are you here to see the boss?"


 Xie Guan nodded and was about to speak when Zhong Heguang let out a light, warning-like cough from behind him.


 Fang Hui instantly snapped to attention. "Ah, you two are busy, I won't disturb you... I'm leaving now, right now!"


 After saying that, she turned tail and ran. The speed of her disappearance was like she had performed an "Apparition" on the spot.


 Zhong Heguang maintained his impassive expression, his killing intent released and retracted in an instant, and said calmly, "Mr. Xie, please."


 Xie Guan sat on the sofa holding a disposable paper cup. In the interval while Zhong Heguang went to find Huo Mingjun, he briefly surveyed the furnishings of the assistant's office, having no impression other than that they reeked of wealth. Out of basic courtesy, he didn't look around too curiously. When Zhong Heguang returned, what he saw was Xie Guan gazing down at the tea in his cup, his eyes and movements meticulously restrained, his entire person as still as a painting.


 This point alone was enough for Zhong Heguang's assessment of him to rise a level. "Mr. Huo has finished his discussion. Please follow me."


 The chairman's office took up nearly a quarter of the floor space, as large as a hotel suite. The three office buildings in the CBD had all been built by Huo Mingjun's grandfather. Although the interior design style of the Hengrui Group headquarters had changed several times, the layout of the chairman's office still remained as it was when the old man was in charge.


 Having weathered three generations and decades of ups and downs, the office possessed a heavy, imposing aura, the kind that could make one's legs go weak upon entering. The decor was dominated by deep, natural wood tones; even during the day, the lights had to be on, and it still appeared dim. In recent years, along with the popularity of fancy job titles like "Director," "President," and "CEO," a gaudy, new-money style favoring European designs had also become fashionable, with people quick to install a "Baroque sofa" or a "French court coffee table." Although Huo Mingjun's office was fully equipped with Western furniture, it completely eschewed complex and exquisite decorations. The few flourishes it had bore no foreign flavor, instead evoking the style of old Ming and Qing dynasty furniture. Precious raw wood materials were used as if they were free, exuding a stark coldness amidst their simplicity, with every piece silently oppressing the visitor's nerves.


 The thick carpet completely muffled the sound of footsteps. Walking here, Xie Guan didn't even dare to breathe too loudly. Passing through the living area to the office space, an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows was finally a refreshing sight. The decor in this section somewhat reflected Huo Mingjun's personal taste: it was more modern, dominated by black and white, with few furnishings, making it feel exceptionally spacious. The overall style was a continuation of the simplicity from outside, along with an even greater... inhumanity.


 Xie Guan thought to himself that if he were Huo Mingjun's assistant, facing this room and this person every day, he would have probably become too depressed to live long ago.


 The previous visitor was still sitting across from Huo Mingjun's desk, a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes, who stood up to leave upon seeing Xie Guan arrive. Xie Guan walked toward Huo Mingjun while the middle-aged man prepared to depart. The two brushed past each other at the office doorway. This moment was as ordinary and natural as could be, yet something suddenly stirred in the heart of Zhong Heguang, who was standing to the side.


 Huo Mingjun didn't notice the change in his expression. He had Zhong Heguang see the guest out, then pointed to the sofa opposite him and said to Xie Guan, "Sit."


 "Want something to drink?"


 "No need to trouble yourself," Xie Guan waved his hand. "I wouldn't want to take up too much of your time."


 An awkward, unfamiliar atmosphere filled the space between them. The time they spent together in Hong Kong felt like an illusion. The dream had reversed; in reality, their paths were never meant to cross.


 Huo Mingjun was indeed busy. Even though this atmosphere made him feel stifled, he could only set it aside for now. "Alright, let's talk business. You've made a clean break with your original company and the people in Hong Kong, so you should be completely free now. What are your plans for the future? Will you continue acting?"


 "Yes, I'll continue acting," Xie Guan thought for a moment, then said self-deprecatingly, "After all, I don't have a degree. Besides acting, I don't know how to do anything else."


 Huo Mingjun said flatly, "You can learn what you don't know. That's not a reason. If you don't want to leave this industry, there are many other jobs besides being an actor."


 "I don't usually toss around words like 'dream,' as it might sound phony. But you're not just anyone, so I'll be direct," Xie Guan leaned forward slightly, using the small movement to hide his embarrassment. "I... really love acting. Not for fame, and not entirely for money, I just... really love it..."


 Xie Guan was, as he himself said, not good at directly expressing his true feelings. Some things were better left understood in one's own heart; to speak them aloud ran the risk of seeming to be selling sentiment. Besides, he was facing Huo Mingjun, a living embodiment of "letting reality crush your sentiment with strength." No matter how flowery his dreams, they were less persuasive than tangible value.


 Huo Mingjun had seen this sort of thing too many times, yet he showed no contempt for Xie Guan's trivial "love" for it.


 He was noncommittal: "As you wish."


 "Regarding your future, I have two options for you to consider," Huo Mingjun leaned back into his chair in a comfortable position, his elbows resting steadily on the armrests, his ten fingers steepled into a sharp spire. "First, I have a friend in the entertainment industry. His company is quite large, so at the very least, you won't have to worry about offending some President Zhang or President Wang. If you want to go, send me a resume later. Getting signed to their company shouldn't be a big problem.


 "Second, Hengrui Group plans to fully acquire a film and television company this year; it's still in the preparatory stage. Once the acquisition is complete, we'll need experienced industry insiders for management positions. If you're willing to switch to behind-the-scenes work, I can make the final decision on that myself."


 He paused, then said, "I thought you'd need some time to choose, but I'm guessing you've already made a decision."


 Xie Guan was already blown away by the two options he had thrown out.


 His original plan had been to leave B City and start over at the famous film and television base in Z Province. Even if it meant being an extra, as long as he had the opportunity to act, he could struggle his way back up.


 He had stumbled and faltered on this path, even fallen and bled. He thought he would have to cross mountains and rivers, but with just a few words, Huo Mingjun had instantly moved the Taihang and Wangwu mountains from his path.


 The question that had been swirling in his mind back in Hong Kong resurfaced: Why did Huo Mingjun help him again and again?


 He looked up at Huo Mingjun, but the man wasn't looking at him. He was staring out the window into the void, lost in thought.


 Even though he knew this was a deal with no downsides, Xie Guan still intended to refuse. No one in this world owes you kindness for no reason. Pies don't fall from the sky, and even if they did, they wouldn't land in the same mouth several times in a row. Until he knew the reason, he couldn't accept it with a clear conscience.


 "These two opportunities, either of them, are too precious," Xie Guan politely declined. "Honestly, I'm not worth so much of your effort..."


 As if impatient with his fuss, Huo Mingjun cut him off bluntly: "There's no 'worth it' or 'not worth it.' These opportunities are precious to you, but to me, they're a matter of a single sentence. If a child falls down on the road, do you need a reason to help them up?"


 Xie Guan was speechless.


 Something seemed off.


 The person who had once powerfully interrogated him with "Are you a three-year-old child?" was... also Huo Mingjun.


 Huo Mingjun shifted his gaze back from the window, his eyes meeting Xie Guan's indifferently. Although his imposing aura was as strong as ever, Xie Guan could have sworn he saw "don't be unreasonable" written all over his eyes.


 "Then... uh, okay," Xie Guan said dryly. "Um, may I ask, which company was your friend talking about?"


 Huo Mingjun said unhurriedly, "You've probably heard of it before. The boss's surname is Ye. It's Xihua Entertainment."

Offered as a Stand In

Offered as a Stand In

Chapter 10 - The Negotiation

Windwalker