The long table on the stage was lined up straight, with a dark grey curtain covering it from the tabletop to the legs. The large screen behind displayed the new necklace product, with the bold characters “New Product Launch – Redemption” prominently displayed in the center.
Below the stage, 23 media outlets were seated in an orderly, checkerboard-like arrangement.
Amidst the anticipation, Huo Yan and Lan Su made their entrance, their fingers intertwined.
Lan Su wore a light blue dress, her dark hair cascading to her waist. Her cool, pale face appeared porcelain white under the spotlights. A square neckline exposed her finely sculpted collarbones, where a necklace pendant rested.
Huo Yan wore a caramel-colored shirt, her curly hair draped and tucked behind one ear, looking much softer than her usual decisive and forceful demeanor. The V-neck of her shirt revealed a matching couple’s necklace with Lan Su—
The company’s new product launched today: Redemption.
“President Huo! President Huo is here!”
“President Huo, is the lady who was photographed with you two days ago this woman?”
“Have you started a new relationship?”
“Some people say the timing of your relationship coinciding with the new product launch suggests a possibility of speculation. What is your view on this?”
“Regarding the online discussion that your fate clashes with and harms your spouse, what do you want to respond?”
“Say something, President Huo! Please say something!”
As soon as they sat down, reporters swarmed towards them, only to be stopped by the security staff maintaining order, barely holding the final defensive line.
Huo Yan’s face remained cold. She nodded toward the design director and a few others who were standing hesitantly to the side, allowing the senior executives to sit down. She then moved her wheelchair forward slightly and leaned toward the desk microphone:
“I will answer all your questions one by one, provided that everyone cooperates with our work.”
Seeing this, the host quickly took over, speaking loudly:
“Ah, yes. Please, media friends, do not rush. Although today is a new product launch, our President Huo will answer any questions you may have. Please don’t worry, return to your seats. Every media outlet will have a chance to ask questions later!”
The staff responsible for maintaining order seized the opportunity and, along with the host, arranged the reporters back into their original positions.
Lan Su sat on the stage, watching the well-dressed, professional reporters obediently comply, and felt a little strange—in the past, she was the one who had to obey.
It turned out that sitting on the stage and looking down gave her a clear view of everyone’s state and a kind of inexplicable, commanding sense of control.
She pondered this but kept silent. When Huo Yan nodded, she followed suit. When Huo Yan applauded, she clapped along. When Huo Yan drank water, she also drank, continuing to play her role as a frail, wealthy young lady.
The host started the press conference according to the procedure. The sonorous broadcast voice made Lan Su feel sleepy. Fortunately, the hosting part was brief, and it quickly moved to the segment about the design inspiration, which Huo Yan would personally interpret.
“This necklace is named ‘Redemption.’ It is both the redemption of a life and the redemption of my emotions.”
Lan Su sat beside her, tilting her head to look at her. Firstly, to show affection, she had to look at her wife when she spoke. Secondly, because Huo Yan was not fond of talking, she rarely heard her speak this much.
Her voice was cold, like ice, but it was smooth, like an ice block sliding on a glacier.
“What life?” a reporter asked from the audience.
Now it was Lan Su’s turn. She had memorized the script they had rehearsed at home:
“When I was nine, I fell into a coma due to an accident, and it lasted for eleven years.”
Her speaking pace was quite slow, which greatly enhanced credibility:
“During that time, I was conscious but couldn’t speak or move. I heard doctors say that I might remain like this for the rest of my life, sleeping until one day, I would pass away from severe malnutrition. But later, someone saved me.”
Following the script, she turned her head, casting a look of emotion onto Huo Yan. The moment her gaze landed, her body felt a little cold, but she suppressed it.
“Ah Yan found the best doctors abroad for me and woke me up. Because of her, I can open my eyes and live in this world again.”
If there is anything that can quickly engage people, it must be love.
Just as Huo Yan rose to her current position as General Manager through a meticulously planned escape from marriage, which caused a public uproar.
“Ah…”
As expected, sounds of romantic admiration came from the audience.
“So, you fell in love with each other?”
Lan Su nodded: “That’s right.”
“To my knowledge, the beloved daughter of antique dealer Lan Haotian suffered an accident many years ago and was in a coma. So, you are Miss Lan?”
“Yes, I am the second Miss Lan, Lan Su.”
“Then, are you aware that President Huo’s previous three wives all passed away? Some fortune tellers have said that President Huo has a hard destiny and will harm her spouse. Given that you also suffered an accident when you were young, are you not worried?”
Lan Su felt the question was a bit long, so she chose not to respond directly:
“That doesn’t affect my love for her.”
The media outlet that asked the question then fell silent.
Huo Yan listened with an air of enjoyment throughout, taking a sip of tea, the corners of her lips slightly curved upward—Lan Su looked fragile, but her performance in front of a large crowd was quite good.
It’s just that the word “love” was a bit intense.
“Deeply in love,” Lan Su added, much to her surprise.
Reporters would not miss any opportunity to ask questions face-to-face.
“So, are you currently in a dating relationship?”
Afraid that Lan Su might invent something unbelievable and create a mess, Huo Yan quickly put down her teacup and cleared her throat:
“We are in a married state.”
“What?”
“Huh?”
“That fast!”
“Just photographed together and already… married?”
“President Huo, you’ve been married three times before, but all ended in accidental widowhood. Is it a bit too soon, given it’s been less than six months since your last wife passed away?”
“Some netizens have previously questioned whether your relationships with your former wives were merely business collaborations and publicity stunts, without a registered marriage. What is your response to this?”
Huo Yan waited quietly for them to finish their questions. Her upper eyelids drooped slightly, her eyes lowered, and her spectacles reflected a sharp glare.
This level of sensational digging was the lowest grade in the interview circle.
She only needed to cast that look, and the other party would sense her displeasure and subsequently shut up.
It was always troublesome to respond to mere speculation. Answering the first question would lead to a second one; if she said what she ate for dinner, she would have to say how many bites she took, and if she said how many bites she took, she would have to say how many times she chewed. Therefore, she never responded, letting them guess and write what they wanted. The best outcome was for them to concoct a fantastical story, pushing sales to a greater wave.
But Lan Su hadn’t yet developed this tacit understanding with her. Seeing her remain silent, Lan Su thought the sophisticated Huo Yan had been stumped and needed rescuing. So, she rushed to the rescue, quickly pulling out a bright red booklet from her bag and holding it up in front of them:
“We are legally married. Please do not make malicious speculations.”
To be thrown off by just a few questions, it seemed even the decisive and formidable boss Huo Yan had her weaknesses.
Thinking about it, it seemed understandable. Being in a wheelchair year-round, Huo Yan must be isolated and stubborn, not interacting much with people.
In terms of future interviews, she would still need to step up and hold the fort.
Backstage, Xu Panpan, the CP fan leader, was excitedly pulling Jiang Feng, her eyes sparkling:
“Have you seen that picture?”
“Which one?”
“The one where a little leopard looks up at a big, tall leopard and says, ‘She looks clumsy, she’s so cute, I want to protect her.'”