Chapter 57: Release. "Long time no see, my Cici." ...

The autumn air was crisp, and a plane streaked across the clear sky, leaving a long trail in its wake.

On the other side of the Northern Hemisphere, a globally anticipated press conference was about to begin.

Huo Wenyuan, still dressed in his impeccable black suit, gazed lazily out the car window. Huo Xiao, sensing his son's indifference, said, "You'll soon be free from my control and taking control of the Huo family. Aren't you happy?"

Huo Wenyuan sneered, "What do you think?"

"Are you happy to hand over all the responsibilities to me?"

"Honestly, I'm quite happy," Huo Xiao, breaking his usual stern demeanor, shrugged. "But I didn't force you to do that later. You took over the Huo family of your own free will."

"Look, you've recovered and now have power. Looking at all the children from aristocratic families, which one could achieve such exceptional results?" He

made no mention of the hardships and difficulties involved.

Huo Wenyuan snorted coldly, not bothering to pay attention.

It was clear that retirement was indeed imminent, as Huo Xiao was talking a lot more than before.

"Old Du told me about the car accident. It seems you were also keeping an eye on things, just like me," he said with satisfaction. "After the press conference, I'll transfer the remaining 3% of the shares to you, and you'll have absolute control over the Huo family."

"As for that illegitimate son of the old man who appeared out of nowhere..." Huo Xiao's eyes were sharp. "Let him make trouble. We'll see what he can do."

Huo Wenyuan asked, "Do you believe the old man has an illegitimate child?"

Huo Xiao smiled, "Of course not."

"How could he have an illegitimate child without my mother pelting him with jewelry?"

Huo Wenyuan finally couldn't help but smile.

Huo Xiao, displaying the qualities of a typical parent, spoke earnestly, "You're not a child anymore. Now that your career is well established, why don't you consider your personal life?"

Huo Wenyuan frowned, seemingly unprepared to hear such words from Huo Xiao: "Are you planning to remarry?"

"Nonsense!" Huo Xiao scolded. "I'll only love your mother in my life!"

"Our Huo family's fine tradition is loving your wife!"

Huo Wenyuan couldn't help but scoff, "Even men who love their wives can fly around all day without coming home."

Huo Xiao: "That's why I regret it."

A sudden silence fell in the car.

Huo Xiao said, "I've done everything in my power to get you to the highest point possible. I haven't let Wen Yan and those who trusted the Huo family down. Now I can't interfere with your life. Follow your own path. Just don't regret it."

Huo Wenyuan wondered what had happened to Huo Xiao that had actually spoken such a human language.

Before exiting the car, Huo Xiao patted him on the shoulder. "It's good that you're not like me."

The car door opened, and the long-awaited media immediately rushed forward. Though held back by security outside the red line, they pressed forward, cameras and microphones in hand.

"Mr. Huo, you've been in retirement for six months. Now you're at this press conference with Mr. Huo Jr. Do you have something important to announce?"

"Is this press conference really about the transfer of control of the Huo family, as previously speculated?"

"Mr. Huo! Are the rumors about Mr. Huo's illegitimate son true?"

A sharp glare from Huo Xiao's secretary tactfully silenced the reporter who had been asking the question and was quickly escorted out of the venue by security.

Huo Wenyuan walked leisurely onto the red carpet. Behind him, another car pulled up, and a woman in a tight black dress emerged and approached him.

"Hale!" The woman, with her black hair and red lips, clearly mixed-race, walked over enthusiastically, took his arm, and asked in broken Chinese, "Did your return home go smoothly?"

Huo Wenyuan's expression betrayed his pride.

The woman smiled, "Congratulations! Counting today, it's a double celebration!"

"We'll have a good celebration tonight!"

Entering the spacious, brightly lit venue, at least a hundred cameras were trained on the main stage. Reporters, wearing badges, sat eagerly, waiting for the main event to arrive.

Huo Wenyuan and Huo Xiao took their seats in the middle, while the woman took the host's seat, looking out at the audience with a smile.

With five minutes left before the press conference began, the reporters checked their watches for a final confirmation.

Five, four, three, two, one—

cameras on.

"Hello everyone, I'm Nina," the woman introduced herself fluently in English, while a translator from the audience simultaneously broadcast the news.

"Entrusted by the Huo family and as a trusted partner of the Huo family, I will host this press conference. It is an honor to invite authoritative media from all parties to witness it together. I believe that everyone is looking forward to the theme of this press conference. The two people sitting on the stage must be familiar to everyone."

"One is the current person in charge of the Huo family, Mr. Huo Xiao, and the other is Mr. Huo Wenyuan, who was recently appointed as the president of the Huo headquarters. Next, please allow Mr. Huo Xiao to introduce us to the news of today's press conference."

Huo Xiao nodded and turned on the microphone in front of him: "The reason why we invited everyone here today is actually just for one thing."

"There seemed to be rumors among the people before that I was going to step down. I now announce that this is not a rumor."

There was an uproar in the audience.

After the crowd quieted down, Huo Xiao continued his announcement: "With this press conference, Huo Wenyuan has gained absolute control over all areas of the Huo family. From now on, he will inherit my responsibilities and become the head of the Huo family."

"Oh my God! It's true!"

"Doesn't this make Mr. Huo the youngest head of a prominent family?"

"I can't believe that Mr. Huo is already middle-aged, and the Huo family is about to change hands!"

Huo Xiao stood up and left the table. "From now on, Huo Wenyuan will be solely responsible for answering any questions regarding the Huo family and the Huo family."

Nina smiled at the press box. "Does anyone have any questions?"

The reporters raised their hands one after another.

"Mr. Huo, may I ask..."

"Hello, may I ask..." Gu Ci, pulling his suitcase, looked at the license plate number Huo Wenyuan had sent him and confirmed with the driver. "Did Mr. Huo arrange to pick us up?"

The driver politely replied, "Yes, you get in first, I'll put the luggage in."

"Thank you." Gu Ci handed the luggage to the driver and put it in the trunk, then watched as the driver led his seniors to a car behind.

He walked over and asked, "What's going on?"

Why weren't they in the same car?

The driver said, "Mr. Huo has instructed us to send your seniors back to school first. As for you... he'll be waiting for you at another place."

Another place?

Gu Ci had no choice but to nod

, "Please." The driver smiled and said, "You're welcome."

Gu Ci sat in the back seat and secretly studied the driver. Judging from his appearance and accent, he was a pure Chinese.

He asked curiously, "Have you been following Mr. Huo all this time?"

The driver replied modestly, "Yes, you can just call me Su Yan from now on."

"Okay..." Gu Ci, studying the driver's handsome profile, asked, "Mr. Su, would you mind telling me where we're going?"

The car steadily drove forward, and Su Yan said solemnly, "You'll know when you get there."

The car stopped in front of a grand commercial building. Su Yan opened the door for him, then handed him a pass and led him through a side door. Bewildered,

Gu Ci followed Su Yan through the halls until he entered a spacious lounge, where he was surprised to see someone he hadn't seen in a while.

"Mr. Huo?!"

Su Yan walked over quickly and leaned over to Huo Xiao, saying, "Mr. Huo, Young Master Gu has already taken it."

Huo Xiao nodded, "Thank you for your hard work. You can keep an eye on the press conference."

Looking at Gu Ci at the door, he smiled and said, "Come, Xiao Ci, have a seat."

Gu Ci had no choice but to walk over, greeting him with a guilty yet respectful "Uncle Huo. "

After much thought, he hadn't realized the "Mr. Huo" Su Yan was referring to was actually this "Mr. Huo."

"I've been having dreams a lot lately, and I feel uneasy." Huo Xiao handed Gu Ci a cup of tea. "Freshly brewed, try it."

Gu Ci thanked Huo Xiao, picked up the tea and took a sip. Then he frowned because it was bitter, but when he thought of Huo Xiao in front of him, he quickly controlled his expression and looked at him obediently.

Huo Xiao noticed the change in Gu Ci's expression and asked with a smile: "Is it bitter?"

Gu Ci didn't dare to nod: "Not... not too bad."

"What were we talking about just now... I feel uneasy." Huo Xiao said for no reason. "Don't be nervous, I just wanted to see you. Although I promised Gu Li to take care of you, I just kept you in the Huo family. I have failed in my duty to both Wen Yuan and you."

"Do you blame me?" he asked suddenly.

Gu Ci was stunned by the question: "Uncle Huo, why do you ask this suddenly?"

Huo Xiao shook his head: "I kept you and Wen Yuan apart for so long, don't you blame me?"

Gu Ci finally understood what Huo Xiao meant.

"I don't blame you," he answered truthfully. "I have no right or standing to blame you."

"How about Xiao Ci being well-behaved?" Huo Xiao smiled with relief. "That Wen Yuan kid has been blaming me for seven years. I know he's been thinking about you all these seven years. He even clutched your photo during surgery."

Gu Ci bit his lip, suddenly no longer daring to listen to Huo Xiao's next words.

He was afraid that soon Huo Xiao would start asking them to break up.

...But he didn't want to. Having promised Huo Wenyuan they would be together, it was a lifelong commitment.

"I called you here today for another reason." Huo Xiao's true purpose was beginning to reveal itself. "I don't know if you're aware that after today's press conference, Wen Yuan will be the head of the Huo family. In other words, he can do whatever he wants."

"I don't know if you're together, but I know he came back to see you. He broke the agreement we made: he couldn't meet you until he had complete control of the Huo family."

Gu Ci grew increasingly uneasy as he listened.

Huo Xiao sighed, "But I can't sleep well. Gu Li and Que Ci keep coming to me in my dreams, asking why I don't allow their baby to see his best friend. Wen Yan blames me, saying I shouldn't let Wen Yuan live a lonely life like me."

"Don't laugh at me, loneliness is just the way it is when you get old."

Gu Ci shook his head in denial, "No, Uncle Huo, you're still young."

Although he was in his early fifties, Huo Xiao looked very well-maintained, and his spirit and aura were still strong. Retiring so early was indeed surprising.

"Did you know about the car accident a few days ago?" Huo Xiao hinted.

Gu Ci held his breath: "Do you... know what happened?"

Huo Xiao said: "Wen Yuan's journey has not been easy. Aristocratic families are very snobbish, and it is inevitable that they can't withstand all kinds of struggles. Not long ago, a son claiming to be the old man's illegitimate son jumped out, that is... Wen Yuan's cousin? He said he wanted to 'return' to the Huo family."

"The identity has not been confirmed yet, but in order to obstruct this press conference, he has done his best. All the people who were arranged to cause trouble at the press conference have been pulled out. He wants to take advantage of Wen Yuan's return to make trouble."

"So..." No wonder Gu Ci always felt that something was wrong, "Brother Wen Yuan also knows..."

"His methods are even worse than when I was young." Huo Xiao said, "You can rest assured. However, I tell you this just to let you know that if you are with him, the road ahead will not be easy."

"Before, I asked you if you were willing to stay by his side because I wanted you to help Wen Yuan like your father protected me. It was my selfish motive. But I didn't expect that brat would fall in love with you."

"Wen Yuan has a bad temper and a cold personality, always keeping a distance from others. You're the only one who's been able to tolerate him since childhood, and I've only seen him treat you differently than others."

"Now, I still want to ask, are you willing to stay by Wen Yuan's side?"

"In... another capacity."

Gu Ci fell silent.

"Mr. Huo." Xue Yan quickly walked up behind Huo Wenyuan on the press conference stage. "What are your instructions?"

"Where did you send him?" Huo Wenyuan turned his head. Although he was unhappy, his expression remained emotionless. He asked coldly, "I arranged for him to be sent to the apartment, but he ended up meeting Huo Xiao?"

As Huo Wenyuan's assistant, Xue Yan had no doubt about Huo Wenyuan's well-informedness, and he knew this was a precursor to his anger. So he explained in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Mr. Huo, it was Mr. Huo Xiao's arrangement, so..."

Huo Wenyuan immediately turned his head and said to Nina, "Stop asking questions. I have one final announcement to make. This concludes the press conference."

Nina nodded in understanding.

Huo Wenyuan's expression was as serious as ever, staring directly into the flashing cameras: "Thank you all, there is one more announcement to make at today's press conference."

"As everyone knows, most of the Huo family's industries have been developing overseas. But starting today, I will gradually shift the main business focus back to China."

The press conference was in an uproar. One reporter stood up and excitedly asked in Chinese: "Mr. Huo, are you going back to China too?!"

According to regulations, additional questions would not be answered, but Huo Wenyuan turned around and directly responded to his question: "Yes, I am going back to China."

A reporter gasped and sighed: "Mr. Huo has lived abroad for seven years, and now he is going back just after taking over..."

"His grandfather settled abroad a long time ago, and his father is rarely in China. Now he has announced his return so resolutely. Is there something in China that is holding him back?"

"Are the previous rumors true? Is he going back for the lover he once loved but couldn't get?"

"Maybe it's some kind of business strategy..."

The audience was discussing the Huo family leader's return to China, but Huo Wenyuan had no intention of stopping. He had only one thought in mind: Gu Ci couldn't be left alone to face Huo Xiao again.

Seven years ago, Gu Ci had also spent a long time with Huo Xiao, and upon leaving his study, he had actively urged him to seek treatment abroad.

Seven years later, he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Huo Wenyuan ignored all the questions and stood up, eager to leave. But the moment he stood up, as if with a premonition, he looked up and saw a familiar figure enter the venue.

Gu Ci smiled broadly, silently mouthing "Brother Wenyuan" from afar.

Huo Wenyuan felt his nerves numb. The surrounding sounds gradually faded, and the vast venue was empty of Gu Ci.

Nina deliberately revealed to the media on stage, "You'll have to wait and see why Mr. Huo is returning to China. I think there may be other reasons besides expanding his business..."

"Because of him," Huo Wenyuan replied firmly, his eyes darkening as he glanced in a direction.

A hush fell over the room.

Nina and the reporters watched as Huo Wenyuan hurried off the stage, making his way through the crowd. Then, he embraced a handsome, fair-skinned young man, his gaze greedy and longing.

"Long time no see, my Ci Ci!"

The audience erupted in excitement.

That night, this scene made headlines in major news outlets around the world.