Saving the Tyrant

Chapter 2

Huoli had not even left the hotel when he received a call from his assistant.

"Huozong, are you still at the hotel? Do you need me to come pick you up?"

"No need, I'll take a taxi back."

"Take a taxi?"

Huoli reminded, "I've gone bankrupt."

"Ah, ah."

Then Huoli instructed, "Remember to transfer the documents from the villa, and then sell the villa under someone else's name."

"Okay."

Huoli got into the car that he had called and sat in the back seat, with his eyes slightly closed.

He had indeed gone too far last night.

To be honest, when he was applying ointment last night and saw the marks on Chu Qing's body, he even doubted himself for being a beast.

But he couldn't control himself; he couldn't bear it.

He had waited too long, and finally, he had regained what was once lost.

"Mister!"

The car had arrived, and the driver saw Huoli standing on the side lost in thought, so he reminded him.

After getting into the car, Huoli sat in the back seat closing his eyes to rest.

He had spent a sleepless night last night, embracing thoughts and wild imaginations about Chu Qing, all the while filled with fragmented memories of his past life.

Now, as he closed his eyes, Huoli seemed to return to those fragments.

Huoli was Chu Qing's benefactor, and he couldn't differentiate his feelings towards Chu Qing. But in his previous life, when he heard the news of Chu Qing's suicide in the U.S., he felt like his world was about to collapse.

He rushed back and saw Chu Qing lying quietly in the coffin with closed eyes, like a still image waiting for something.

When Chu Qing's friend tearfully asked him why he had returned so late, and where he was when Chu Qing was tormented by depression, slandered on the internet, and pressured by Huo Liao, he didn't know what to say. Chu Qing was left alone in China, suffering from depression, and feeling trapped by Huo Liao's threats. Huoli began to doubt those rumors and messaged Chu Qing.

"What's going on between you and Huo Liao?"

"If you like Huo Liao, then be with him, you have grown up, graduated, and I won't interfere with your love life."

Then Chu Qing replied with a simple thank you, and that night he took his own life.

Later, Huoli returned to the U.S. and was assassinated.

Huoli took a deep breath.

He had been involved in underground business in the U.S., where on the surface the company was legal, but the actual transactions were black market deals. Living on the edge, accustomed to being alone, but he didn't die in that assassination; he woke up to two years prior. This time, he not only planned to find out who had caused his death in his past life but also had decided to turn over a new leaf. Most importantly,

This time, he would firmly hold onto Chu Qing.

He would protect the only person he had ever liked in this life.

As the car moved smoothly ahead, Huoli thought for a moment and changed his mind last minute.

He could have his assistant help with the luggage, but now he remembered something more important he had to do.

Huo Liao.

Huoli narrowed his eyes.

He had been audacious, persecuting Chu Qing in his past life, conspiring with outsiders to assassinate him.

Last night, he even made a move on Chu Qing.

Thinking about it, he hurried back from the U.S. after rebirth, and then directly met Chu Qing, without even meeting Huo Liao, who was so audacious.

Huoli called his assistant again.

"Help me check where Huo Liao is right now."

On the other end, Chu Qing, dressed and disoriented, was intercepted after leaving the building by a waiter.

The waiter grinned and said, "Mister, you haven't paid your room fee yet."

Chu Qing:

The waiter continued politely, "The gentleman earlier said you would pay."

Chu Qing adjusted his collar to cover the strawberry marks on his neck, resignedly went to the counter to pay, realizing that staying one night in this luxury hotel cost more than half a month's rent in his small apartment.

Last night, the man was probably more expensive than this room.

Ah.

Chu Qing now felt the reality of the situation.

He had slept with his benefactor, the man he had always respected as an elder.

Chu Qing felt desolate.

Moreover, Mr. Huo had mentioned that he would be supported financially in the future. Chu Qing was confused; did Mr. Huo really need his support?

No.

In the morning, he was short of fifty dollars.

To be honest, Chu Qing didn't dislike Huoli. In fact, he was an orphan, and Huoli was the only person who had been good to him in his lonely life, the only elder he had. Quietly, in his mind, Chu Qing had regarded Huoli as a mentor, support, and role model.

But, he never imagined anything romantic, especially involving support.

Chu Qing was still trying to rationalize the situation with his limited emotional intelligence when his phone rang, displaying an unknown number.

Upon answering, he was met with an angry voice.

"Chu Qing! Where are you?!"

Ah, it was Huo Liao.

Chu Qing furrowed his brows slightly.

The impact of Huoli's bankruptcy was too significant; he almost forgot that he had been drugged by Huo Liao last night, and coincidentally, encountered Huoli directly.

Chu Qing didn't know what had happened to Huo Liao and the bodyguard chasing after him later; he only remembered being taken away from the hotel by Huoli and brought to this current hotel.

Although Chu Qing had been in a daze all night, he could still recall the basic events.

Huoli had booked a room, carried him to the bed, and then

Chu Qing's ears turned slightly red.

In reality, he had been the one taking the initiative last night.

On the other end of the phone, Huo Liao, not receiving a response from Chu Qing, becoming angrier, said, "Are you capable? Who did you flirt with last night? Whose bed did you end up in?"

Huo Liao had waited all night, but the bodyguard seemed to have evaporated, and Chu Qing was missing.

Chu Qing cut off the call expressionlessly.

The pot calls the kettle black.

Chu Qing thought to himself, if Huo Liao could resort to such despicable tactics as drugging someone, he should stay far away from him in the future.

After ending the call, Chu Qing realized his phone was filled with missed calls, mostly from Huo Liao and his agent. When the agent couldn't reach him by phone, she sent him a message asking him to come to the company.

Chu Qing was somewhat surprised; besides a few inappropriate variety shows intentionally handed to him by Huo Liao, and some events and programs that the company was running, he didn't have any other business to attend to personally. Why would he need to go to the company himself?

With a sense of doubt, Chu Qing went to the company.

There, at the entrance, he met Huo Liao who had come to confront him.

Chu Qing's heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, he took a few steps back, only to be surrounded by the bodyguards brought by Huo Liao.

Huo Liao smiled happily and said, "This place isn't convenient; let's go to the back."

Chu Qing, where were you last night? After circling around to the back of the building, Huo Liao immediately revealed a fierce look.

Chu Qing remained silent.

"You've gotten bold, haven't you!" Huo Liao sneered.

"I think you're the one who's bold."

Chu Qing heard a low voice behind him, and saw Huo Liao's face directly turn pale.

"Brother?!"

Huo Liao's heart was pounding wildly, when did his brother return!

Huoli stepped forward, pulling Chu Qing behind him, took off his coat, gently draping it over Chu Qing's shoulders and softly said, "You came to the company for something, right? You go up first, I'll have a chat with my brother."

"Okay."

After Chu Qing left, Huoli stood with his arms crossed, looking directly at Huo Liao, not saying anything. His expression was not fierce, but Huo Liao felt weak in the knees.

Huoli's presence exuded a palpable aura that almost suffocated him. It was like a cheetah scrutinizing its prey, assessing its worth. His eyes were filled with a chilling intensity, effortlessly making people feel uneasy.

After a moment, Huoli calmly said, "Chu Qing was with me last night."

Huo Liao's eyes widened.

"W-what?"

Brother?" Huo Liao forced out a laugh, "You came back and didn't even say hello? What about that Chu, did he say anything to you?"