HOYSE CHAPTER 102

Chapter 102 — A Flash of Lightning

As many had predicted, the old patriarch’s passing shook the market and sent Xie Group’s stock sliding.

Old Mr. Xie carried enormous prestige with the public. Even though he had stayed out of company decisions for over a decade, his very presence still steadied the ship.

Xie Ling did not panic. Through the turbulence he moved methodically, rolling out the company’s new strategic plans one by one. He also closed a multibillion project with the Wu conglomerate and pushed the news hard to calm shareholders’ nerves.

After that came a new vote of the board. Xie Zhanhong and Rong Jing volunteered to step back from contention. Xie Ling won a unanimous vote and took the chairmanship, becoming the youngest chair among the global top-100 conglomerates. The finance world rippled with headlines. One magazine even ran “Ascends the Throne” to describe this brilliant, dazzlingly eligible bachelor.

Every business publication wanted an interview. Even back when he was only a vice president, Xie Ling had declined almost all requests. He preferred to stay low-key and get things done.

Thwarted, the magazines did the next best thing and compiled his honors from childhood to now. Putting it all in one place was eye-opening: model student since kindergarten, pretty much no weak spots. People joked he seemed too perfect to exist. Thankfully he was single. Otherwise who on earth could match him?

Someone quipped that every domineering-CEO novel should use this man as the template if they wanted it to feel “real.”

One marketing account claimed this very CEO had attended the premiere of Sovereignty, only no one noticed him because all eyes were on the two leads. Immediately netizens scoffed. A minute of a CEO’s time is worth gold. Who would waste it at the movies? Stop making things up for clicks. Why would a finance titan care about showbiz?

Then Xie employees posted their ticket stubs online. During the film’s early run, the head office had sent over premiere tickets so every employee got one, with extras available for family. Later, when the box office exploded and tickets were hard to find, they were especially grateful for the perk. Whether or not the chairman followed entertainment news, he was definitely supporting Sovereignty.

Within a month the film was raking it in. The two leads shot to the top of the traffic charts. The tiniest move could trigger a pile of stories.

Which is how Rong Jing’s outfit at a fashion gala became news.

Reporters at that kind of event have sharp eyes. A journalist who specialized in Xie the fashion house recognized that Rong Jing was wearing Xie’s next-season look. She dug further and discovered the piece was not even in the loaner circuit yet. With no official campaign and no announcement of a spokesperson, Rong Jing had worn it straight out.

To be fair, the reporter called Xie’s headquarters in France to ask whether a new spokesperson had been signed. The answer was no such notice.

So she published a long piece titled “Where Did His Clothes Come From?” and laid out the argument that Rong Jing’s team had made a serious misstep.

Everyone knew Rong Jing was also an executive at Xietian Entertainment. His cutthroat clarity on the Absolute Idol pilot suggested his position was not low.

Xietian is a Xie Group subsidiary. Perhaps he had used a “special channel” to get the outfit. Anyone in fashion knows unreleased pieces are not loaned out, much less sold.

Even for released collections, loans are only a possibility for top-tier names, and sometimes not even then.

Xie is famously aloof. They rarely do ads at all and have never had a spokesperson. They are obsessed with craftsmanship. On the Xielier site, everything from a dress to a coaster is hand-made and credited to a specific designer. Which brings us back to the question: how did Rong Jing get an unreleased piece from such an aloof, no-ambassador brand?

The article sounded solid. With Rong Jing newly hot off Sovereignty, the post blew up and he landed right in the crosshairs.

Comments poured in:

“He works at Xietian, which belongs to Xie. He could have borrowed through proper channels. Do not smear people without proof.”

“They are just stating facts. The ‘first wear’ of a new piece is a big deal. It sets the fashion bar.”

“Neutral here. I doubt Xie will pick a spokesperson even in decades to come. I am curious though. If he pulled this off, that is skill.”

“So what is the story? Did they use shady means to dress their own artist up with Xie? Do we need this much dirty marketing?”

“They never have any real dirt on him. Now that something looks off they are having a field day.”

“Let us wait for Xie’s official word…”

The hashtag #RongJingFashionGala trended fast. Rong fans noticed at once. They knew he had been getting attention lately, but in reality he had not been cashing in on anything. He had refused all variety shows and only agreed to this gala. Now that was being twisted into “stole the clothes.”

They were furious, but the fan leaders urged everyone to stay polite and rational under official posts. Do not get dragged into shouting matches with antis.

In the thick of the online debate, the first official response didn’t come from the Xie PR team. It came from a verified account labeled “Chairman of Xie Group.” The username was simple: Ling. He posted two photos.

Ling V: Staff error. This suit was designed for him by the master. It is not part of the new collection.

The photos, softly lit in morning light, showed a bearded designer measuring a tall, striking Alpha. Another image revealed a series of original sketches, clearly custom work.

For a moment, the internet held its breath. Then the comment section exploded.

— “That was a lot at once. Someone draw a timeline, please!”

— “What happened?? My village still runs on 2G!”

— “Wait! Is this the legendary chairman? The one no one can ever book for interviews? Only a handful of school photos online?”

— “It’s really him. Officially verified. The man behind Xie Group. And he’s insanely handsome.”

— “Husband! So this is where you’ve been hiding. I’ve been looking forever!”

— “Isn’t Xie literally a Xie family brand? But headquartered overseas? Why would a designer make something custom for RJ?”

— “Look at the designer’s eyes! That’s the look of a man who just found his muse.”

— “He literally just opened Weibo and posted that the moment he saw RJ, inspiration poured in. I mean... RJ is handsome, but I didn’t think he’d inspire Xie’s designers!”

— “Wait, what’s RJ’s background? One minute it’s ‘he stole a suit,’ now it’s ‘custom couture’? My curiosity is about to combust.”

— “Actually, the bigger question is: why was the chairman there taking the photos? What’s his relationship with Rong Jing?”

— “Hold up. Check his wiki page. It just updated!”

They clicked and sure enough, it had.

Rong Jing’s once-sparse page, which had only listed his Film Academy years and his breakout role in Sovereignty, now featured a new “Relatives” section:

• Older brother: Xie Ling

• Position: Director, Xie Group

Xie Ling’s own previously bare-bones page had also updated:

• Younger brother: Rong Jing

Moments later, Xie Group’s official site dropped a bombshell: their first-ever global brand ambassador had been announced. The new face of the season?

Rong Jing.

The site banner read: “Long Awaited. Is He the One?”

Hashtags erupted: #XieGroupRongJing #XieBrandRongJing #ThisIsWhatBigBrothersAreLike

— “Tell me, does that slap sting?”

— “I was still chewing one melon when the next one dropped. Xie Group has never had a spokesperson. And now it’s his own brother? That’s family keeping the water in the field.”

— “RJ is so low-key. He never said a word. Meanwhile, others out here fake rich-kid personas like it’s a job. He just came to act.”

— “Honestly, if not for this mix-up, he probably would’ve kept wearing that vest forever.”

— “No wonder there were rumors he was an exec at Xietian. He never denied it. Turns out that was on top of being a director at Xie and CEO of several companies.”

— “The quietest flex is the loudest flex.”

— “Now it makes sense why Xie gave staff free premiere tickets. Chairman doesn't ‘follow entertainment’, he supports his brother.”

— “Stolen suit? From whom? That was literally made for him.”

— “This is what a real second-gen looks like. He came for the work, not the fame. He kept every label hidden just to be judged fairly.”

— “Too bad, Rong Rong. You tried so hard to keep it under wraps, then big brother blew your cover in one post.”

— “Hey, where are Xun Jiarui’s fans now? Not crowing anymore?”

— “Your guy already issued an apology. Awkward.”

Xun Jiarui had been having a rough time lately. After spreading casting couch rumors about Rong Jing and Gu Xi, public opinion had soured. Most people wrote him off as a bitter has-been, and he’d been laying low, until now.

He thought he finally had something. He was ready to celebrate. Then the reversal hit so hard he saw stars.

He knew Rong Jing had some kind of background, but this?

Not even in his nightmares did he imagine this.

His agency’s higher-ups told him to apologize sincerely. He pulled strings to get Rong Jing’s number, but the call did not connect. Rong Jing’s phone was off.

Xie Ling’s post drew a flood of new followers and messages.

“Today’s melon was a full meal. Burp.”

“And it was a super-sweet one. Little brother is maligned, big brother who never posts comes out to clear it up. Adorable.”

He did not reply until someone asked: Why did Rong Jing hide his identity in the first place?

Ling V: He wants people to remember him first as an actor, not for anything extra.

“I finally got lucky. He replied to me!”

“So it is settled. He really acts for love. And unless I am hearing things, big brother’s tone suggests RJ considers ‘director of Xie Group’ a burden. =v=”

“Please gift me such a ‘burden,’ or at least such a brother.”

“Rong Jing: A trillion cannot stop me from acting.”

“Did anyone else hear a trace of aggrieved big brother voice? As if he were saying, ‘Am I that embarrassing to you?’”

“Ha, this is the worst dunk Xie Ling has ever taken.”

“Careful, the icy persona is cracking.”

“What a pair. One wants to prove himself on merit and hides with all his might. The other keeps the secret for him and is dying to blurt it out.”

“From now on: Rong Jing is an actor. He is not ‘just’ a rich second gen.”

“Everyone go see Sovereignty! You will not regret the ticket!”

“I thought he was playing at showbiz between executive meetings. Now I suddenly want to see it.”

“Sis, go. It is worth every cent.”

The film’s box office had been easing off in the usual post-peak curve. This accidental “unmasking” gave it a fresh surge.

When the topic exploded online, Rong Jing was in the ER with Gu Xi.

Gu Xi had been scrolling Weibo so intently that he dropped his phone, right on his face. The impact made his nose bleed, and by the time Rong Jing returned, there were blood-red tissues everywhere. It wouldn’t stop. Despite Gu Xi’s protests, Rong Jing panicked and dragged him straight to the hospital.

He had no interest in Weibo. He asked Zhou You to issue a simple statement that the outfit had arrived through proper channels. Before the post could go out, Xie Ling called.

His voice was calm, but teasing:
“Now that little brother has made a name for himself, is big brother finally allowed to show his face?”

Rong Jing heard the private little grievance and nearly laughed. He agreed at once.

He told Zhou You not to bother. Let big brother freestyle.

As for the storm that would follow, the sheer number of incoming calls spoke for itself. Rong Jing made the smart move and powered down.

He and Gu Xi sat quietly in the waiting area, bundled up from hat to mask. The other patients gave the two suspiciously wrapped-up people a wide berth.

The doctor glanced at the name on the chart and tsked. She had seen the name “Gu Xi” over a hundred times in her career, as parents begged to name their own Omega after him. There was only one Gu Xi.

“Mask off,” she said.

With the mask off he looked even more like Gu Xi. Her heart skipped. After examining the nose, she confirmed there was no soft-tissue injury. The problem was that Gu Xi’s pheromones were very active. Blood flow had aggravated them, which made the bleeding hard to stop.

“Do you have an Alpha?” she asked.

Gu Xi nodded. “Yes.”

His eyes lit up as he answered. He could not remember the last time he had been so righteously proud.

He tugged at Rong Jing’s sleeve. Rong Jing laced their fingers and he stopped fidgeting.

The doctor side-eyed the sticky-sweet couple. Must have mistaken them. The frosty lotus Gu Xi would never cling to an Alpha like that.

She stayed calm and delivered the advice. “More in-depth communication will help settle the overactivity. If that does not work, you can consider stacked marking.”

This Omega looked like Gu Xi, and the Alpha’s build and bearing were reminiscent of Rong Jing. She could not help sneaking another look or two.

Professional ethics kept her from asking questions. After they left, she muttered to the resident, “You think Gu Xi and Rong Jing are together?”

“No way,” the resident said without hesitation. “Everyone knows.”

They had recently watched the film and, in private, wished Zhao Hua and Fu Qianming could hand them a little sugar in real life.

Neither of them filled a prescription. They walked out.

Gu Xi did not ask where they were going. He simply fell into step.

Thankfully the first floor had a pheromone room. Rong Jing steered him inside, bent down and kissed him, and pulled him into a new whirlpool.

“So… soon?” Gu Xi was dazed. He loved how quickly and precisely Rong Jing always cut to the point, pure Alpha through and through. It made his heart race.

“Do you not like it?” Rong Jing asked low against his lips.

“I like…”

He had noticed Gu Xi had little patience for foreplay and always rushed him. So recently he had taken to getting straight to it. He learned on the job and kept track of what his Omega needed.

Looking into his eyes, he saw them bright and glistening. He deepened the kiss.

Gu Xi let go of his nose and wrapped his arms tight around Rong Jing’s neck.

The bleeding slowed, and his boiling pheromones calmed under the deep, sure press of a kiss.

“Still bleeding?”

Gu Xi touched under his nose. It had stopped. Rong Jing used a wet wipe to clean away the flecks on his face.

“I told you a kiss would fix it. You insisted on the hospital.”

“I needed to be sure. Let us swing by pheromone clinic after.”

He had planned to come anyway. A heat every week was too much. It was torture for Gu Xi’s body.

“No. I am fine.” Gu Xi glared. “If you make me take medicine again, I will jump from right here.”

“This is the first floor.”

“Then I will still jump.”

Rong Jing turned away to hide his smile. This version of Gu Xi, sharp-tongued, full of fire, was far too cute for words.

He knew he wouldn’t win this argument, so he simply said what was on his mind. He was scared. He worried that heats this frequent would do real harm.

Gu Xi had already guessed the reason for his concern. Deep down, he feared Rong Jing would see him as too difficult, too much to handle, and pull away.

After all, if he hadn’t pursued Rong Jing so persistently from the start, they might never have ended up together.

But it felt like Rong Jing understood that fear. Since his return, he hadn’t left Gu Xi’s side. Not once.

Gu Xi’s heart had never raced this wildly before, had never soared this high.

If it is you, then even if you know… it is fine, right?

He rose on his toes, tugged Rong Jing’s ear close, and whispered a secret.

Rong Jing had not expected something that big. He stared, and Gu Xi looked away, shy.

Outside, Zhou You pulled up. Rong Jing turned to call Gu Xi and found the Omega looking fixedly at his back.

Gu Xi had recently changed his phone wallpaper to a deleted scene from Sovereignty. After Fu Qianming is shot, Zhao Hua hoists him onto his back and drags him step by step toward the city. Zhao Hua’s eyes are red. Sweat drips into the dirt. Behind them are the furrows of Fu Qianming’s heels.

The scene deepened the love between them, but after discussion, the creative team had cut it. The film’s rhythm was relentless, and the moment felt too heavy to end with. Rong Jing had asked for the footage to keep, and Gu Xi had quietly taken a still and made it his wallpaper. When they filmed it, Rong Jing could tell Gu Xi truly fell into character. He was Zhao Hua, helpless before the loss of the one he loved.

Since Rong Jing’s return, Gu Xi had never spoken of the anxiety that scene represented. Just like Zhao Hua, he was terrified of loss, yet never said it aloud. Saying it would change nothing. All he could do was wait for Rong Jing to come back, knowing that some day he might vanish again without warning.

Rong Jing’s heart ached. Not a stabbing hurt, but a slow, sinking one that seeped into his chest and lungs.

“Shall we walk back?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“A stroll. It is a beautiful night.”

Gu Xi looked up at the moonless sky, then at his Alpha making a rare spontaneous suggestion. He nodded with a show of restraint, though his steps grew quicker with barely contained joy.

Rong Jing told Zhou You to take off early. They would go back on their own.

Zhou You watched the pair, as sweet as high-schoolers, and swallowed a bit of envy. He checked his watch, remembered a friend’s social post about yet another “gathering,” and decided to swing by for a look.

They walked shoulder to shoulder without talking. Now and then their arms brushed, and the small, accidental touches had their own flavor.

After a while, Rong Jing asked, “Want me to carry you?” He remembered the cut scene. Gu Xi had borne him. Now it was his turn.

Gu Xi nodded, face warm, and climbed onto his broad, steady back. They had done far more intimate things many times, but even something this simple could still make his heart skip and skip again.

He really did like him. He liked him so much.

If every hardship had been leading to this, then the heavens had not been unkind.

He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on that shoulder.

They passed a cinema. Gu Xi remembered that at the premiere he had been too distracted by Rong Jing to truly watch.

“Movie?” Rong Jing asked, following his gaze.

“Would that count as a date?” Gu Xi smiled. They had never officially dated.

“Yes.”

“Great. I will get popcorn and soda. Do not you dare steal mine.”

He hopped off and ran inside.

Rong Jing watched him go, amused, when he felt eyes on them again. It had happened a few times lately. He scanned around and saw nothing out of place.

In line, Gu Xi peered at the person ahead. “Wu Fuyu?”

Wu Fuyu turned. Oh, great.

He had been grinding 9-9-6, and when stuck he no longer pestered his father. He had switched to pestering Xie Ling. Xie Ling was blunt too, but at least more patient than his dad.

Normally he would have gone back to the main house to keep his father company, but Wu Hanqi had been sleeping a lot and told him not to disturb him. Rebuffed, Wu Fuyu stormed out. He did not feel like bars or girls. Had he really been that empty before?

With nothing to do and his car rolling past a cinema, he had decided to watch Sovereignty again. This time he would not be dumb enough to cry.

Of course the old nemesis showed up too.

“What is this, gravity? Why do I run into you everywhere?” he said first.

He did not know that in this world he had once been the original gong and Gu Xi the original shou. Whether they liked it or not, “coincidences” between them came in bulk.

“Heh. I could ask the same. Anyone would think you were following me,” Gu Xi shot back.

“Please. Who do you think you are, just a pretty face! If I were going to stalk someone, it would be Rong—” He noticed the people around them eyeing an A and an O bickering and swallowed the name. “Him. I would stalk him.”

“My husband. Find your own.”

“Oh, big talk when he is not here to hear it. I should call him and let him see what a shrew he lives with.”

“He would not believe you.”

“You vicious Omega.”

“You empty-headed Alpha.”

They were at each other’s throats as usual. Wu Fuyu glanced across the lobby and immediately spotted the tall figure that stood out no matter what. He lit up.

Gu Xi saw him fix on Rong Jing and forgot all about buying tickets. He turned to hurry back. Before he could move, Rong Jing burst into a run, face drained, shouting something.

Gu Xi followed his line of sight. A man in black broke from the crowd and sprinted straight at him. If Gu Xi stepped aside, the attacker’s angle would bury the blade in Wu Fuyu.

In that sliver of an instant, perhaps less than a second, Gu Xi did not dodge. He planted himself and braced, ready to take the hit and hunt for an opening to disarm.

Wu Fuyu had instincts honed in military training. He saw Rong Jing’s face change and registered the danger at once. Seeing the Omega standing there like a statue, he cursed the uselessness of Omegas and hurled himself forward to shove Gu Xi out of the way.

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