# 4
The next day at the morning meeting.
They discussed how to handle Hu Chun and whether to disband the TR boy group.
Other company executives believed that Ju Xiao had a relatively weak presence in the group, and moreover, Rong Jin was the young master of Rong Chuang. Currently, whether in terms of popularity or commercial value, he was the highest.
It really wasn’t necessary to have a falling out with him over Ju Xiao.
Duan Baisui asked, “So what are you suggesting?”
“We could kick Ju Xiao out of the TR boy group, temporarily shelve him, wait until the controversy dies down…”
Duan Baisui: “After the controversy dies down, he’ll be a nobody. You all know how realistic this industry is.”
The Talent Management Director said, “But if we terminate our contract with Rong Jin, the company will also suffer great losses. He has many endorsements, and his fans are the most willing to spend money.”
Duan Baisui: “An artist’s commercial value cannot represent their character, and someone with poor character doesn’t deserve to be an idol.”
Now everyone finally understood that Duan Baisui was determined to blacklist Rong Jin.
The Art Director said, “Director Duan, I think we shouldn’t act on impulse. Ju Xiao’s situation is indeed sympathetic, but who doesn’t suffer some grievances in this industry? Besides, if Ju Xiao is willing to settle privately, Rong Chuang would certainly compensate him fairly.”
“If he’s still willing to stay in the TR boy group, the PR department can definitely manage this issue. If not, he can also go solo.”
Duan Baisui didn’t speak, his fingers lightly tapping on the table, a sign of his impatience.
“If this matter gets bigger, it will also affect the company’s reputation.”
“Director Duan, I think we should take a long-term view. Which artist doesn’t have some scandal? Rong Jin’s case is minor, and perhaps it really was Ju Xiao who orchestrated this himself. If Chairman Duan were here…”
The group’s chatter was giving Duan Baisui a headache.
Duan Baisui coldly interrupted: “If my father were here, he wouldn’t waste so much time with you.”
After the meeting, Duan Baisui received a call from Dr. Qin.
The blood test results were out, showing that Ju Xiao may have been injected with certain prohibited drugs intended to forcibly change his secondary gender.
And although Ju Xiao hadn’t yet developed glands, according to his own account, he had experienced symptoms similar to an Omega in heat.
If all this was done by Rong Jin, then he was not only morally corrupt but had also broken the law.
According to AO Management Bureau regulations, to change one’s secondary gender, one must undergo psychological testing through a professional institution. The results of this testing would determine whether gender change was allowed. Additionally, gender-changing drugs actually had many uncertain factors and potential for drug dependency, so non-professionals couldn’t abuse them privately.
Many of these drugs were even classified as prohibited substances.
Rong Jin had disregarded the other person’s wishes and forcibly used prohibited drugs on them. With sufficient evidence, he could be charged immediately.
“Did Ju Xiao say anything?” Duan Baisui asked.
“The psychologist is still talking with him,” Dr. Qin said. “Oh, right, it’s your wife’s father.”
Yes, Ason was one of the city’s top psychologists. He had previously provided psychological counseling for many artists, and given his close relationship with the Duan family, Luo Yin had naturally sought him out.
“I’ll head over right away,” Duan Baisui said.
When Duan Baisui arrived at the hospital, Ason was talking with Dr. Qin in the hallway.
The man was tall, with striking golden hair.
He was of mixed Chinese and American descent, with features more like the delicate beauty of Asians, but eyes as blue as the ocean.
Well-maintained and with elegant speech, he stood out wherever he went, not at all inferior to the top stars of today.
“Dad,” Duan Baisui called out.
The man who had his back to him turned around, smiling broadly: “Sui Sui is here.”
When Duan Baisui was little, Ason and Zuo Jun often took him out to play.
At that time, they hadn’t yet adopted Zuo Nian and treated Duan Baisui like their own son, especially Ason, who, whenever he took Duan Baisui out, wanted to bring the whole shopping mall back home.
They certainly knew that Duan Baisui didn’t lack these things, but they couldn’t help wanting to give him the best.
After adopting Zuo Nian, their love for Duan Baisui hadn’t diminished at all, so Duan Baisui had a particularly good relationship with Zuo Jun and Ason.
“Thank you for coming all this way,” Duan Baisui said.
Ason: “Don’t say that, this is my job.”
Having lived in China for over twenty years, Ason’s Chinese was now very fluent.
“I’ll let you two talk. I need to get back to the office,” Dr. Qin interjected.
Duan Baisui nodded: “Alright, thank you for your help.”
After Dr. Qin left, Duan Baisui and Ason moved to another location to talk.
Duan Baisui asked: “Dad, did Ju Xiao say anything?”
“He seems to be very afraid of that person,” Ason explained smoothly. “They isolated him, deliberately ruined scenes during filming, kicked him into water multiple times, everyone burst into his room at night, wouldn’t let him sleep in bed, handcuffed him next to the toilet, and if he dared to call for help, they would stuff flattened bread into his mouth.”
Duan Baisui listened quietly, he could somewhat imagine Ju Xiao’s helplessness and despair.
“But he said that he could actually endure all that,” Ason added. “Until Rong Jin said he wanted to turn him into an Omega, and often scared him, saying that once he truly transformed, he would make a big bet.”
“What kind of bet?” Duan Baisui pressed.
“A bet on children,” Ason looked at Duan Baisui. “Do you know what that means?”
Duan Baisui did know.
He had heard that in certain rich second-generation circles, they often played this game.
Several people would have relations with one person simultaneously, causing them to become pregnant. Ten months later, when the person gave birth, they would test to see who the father was, just to compare whose “tadpoles” swam the fastest.
It was truly outrageous.
“Ju Xiao lived in constant anxiety until he experienced a false heat. That day he was nearly assaulted by a teammate. Because of his extreme fear of that experience, his mental state completely collapsed, causing hallucinations. He saw glands growing on his wrists, which led to his self-harm.”
Typically, Alpha and Omega glands are on the back of the neck, but for some who have been forcibly changed through medication, glands might grow elsewhere.
Some on the inner thigh, some on the wrist.
Duan Baisui was silent for a moment, then asked: “Is he willing to press charges against Rong Jin now?”
“He has always been willing, but he was threatened by that manager before, which is why he kept quiet.”
“Thank you, Dad. Now that he’s willing to speak out, the problem will be much easier to solve,” Duan Baisui said.
Ason smiled: “There’s nothing to thank me for. This is my job, and besides, that child is truly pitiful.”
Duan Baisui: “I’ll have Assistant Luo talk to him later. No matter what, the company won’t cover this up.”
Ason nodded, then looked at his watch and said: “It’s getting late. Shall we have lunch together?”
Duan Baisui had the same thought: “Sure.”
The restaurant they booked was near New Era Plaza, so they decided to pick up Zuo Nian on the way.
No one answered the phone on the way, and Ason worriedly said: “I hope his phone hasn’t been stolen again?”
After Zuo Nian opened his shop, some people noticed his differences from normal people and often took advantage of his slow reactions to steal things from his shop.
The item he lost most frequently was his phone.
Installing surveillance cameras didn’t help; those people wore hats and masks, making their faces impossible to capture.
They would come every so often, different people each time, making it very difficult for Zuo Nian to prevent.
Duan Baisui parked the car and said to Ason: “Dad, please wait in the car. I’ll go get him.”
“Okay.”
Arriving at the inner alley on the first floor, Duan Baisui saw Zuo Nian crouching at the store entrance from a distance, doing something.
As he approached, he saw that Zuo Nian was breaking up a sausage into a small plastic plate.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his expression changing from confusion to joy as he called out sweetly: “Brother!”
“What are you doing?” Duan Baisui asked.
“The little kitten has no mother, it’s hungry. It just came to Nian Nian for help, but was scared away by customers. Nian Nian couldn’t find it, so I thought if it comes back later, it will have something to eat,” Zuo Nian explained seriously.
In such cold weather, who knew if the cat would return.
Duan Baisui didn’t voice this cruel possibility. He said: “Alright. Lock up, let’s go eat.”
“Okay~” Zuo Nian ran back into the store to get the keys and lock the door.
Coming out with his small bag, he looked at his phone curiously: “Oh? Beautiful Dad called Nian Nian many times…”
He was about to call back when Duan Baisui said: “No need. Dad is waiting for us in the car. You should keep your phone with you.”
Zuo Nian looked a bit dejected: “When it’s in my pocket, it always falls out. Even hanging it around my neck, it falls. So Nian Nian locked it in the drawer. If it’s locked up, no one can steal it.”
For Zuo Nian, this was probably the best anti-theft method.
Duan Baisui didn’t comment further, simply saying: “Let’s go.”
The two arrived at the parking lot. Ason had already gotten out of the back seat and was standing by the car looking in their direction.
Zuo Nian ran over, throwing himself into Ason’s arms, happily calling out: “Dad!”
Ason stroked his hair, his face full of indulgence: “My precious, let me see, you’ve gained weight.”
Zuo Nian pinched his stomach: “Yes, I have gained weight. Brother bought a lot of candy for the house, and the housekeeper always makes midnight snacks for Nian Nian. Nian Nian has gained eight pounds!”
Saying this, he seemed to make some kind of resolution: “Need to lose weight!”
“What do you mean lose weight? You’re still young, you’re growing,” Ason said lovingly.
Zuo Nian made a bitter face: “Dad is teasing me again. I saw online that at twenty-five, you don’t grow taller anymore, you only gain fat.”
Ason laughed at this, and Duan Baisui also smiled.
The family got into the car, and Ason said: “Sui Sui, your father and Xu Yi are coming back next week. Let’s have a meal together.”
Recently, Xu Yi had been diagnosed with gland obstruction syndrome.
Although not a life-threatening illness, the treatment period was particularly long and quite torturous for an Omega.
Duan Yan was so worried he couldn’t sleep at night, and eventually just left the company to take Xu Yi abroad for treatment.
“Okay,” Duan Baisui agreed.
Zuo Nian added: “I video called Xu Dad this morning. Xu Dad and Duan Dad have both lost weight. When they come back, Nian Nian will make many delicious things for them, and for Chubby Dad and Beautiful Dad too.”
Ason pinched Zuo Nian’s cheek: “My baby is so good.”
Zuo Nian ate very little for lunch and even less for dinner.
When Duan Baisui returned home from work, he saw that Zuo Nian had put away all the snacks and was using the treadmill.
He rarely exercised, and after this session, he was completely exhausted, lying motionless on the bed.
Duan Baisui was impressed by Zuo Nian’s willpower.
After all, Zuo Nian loved snacks the most.
But after turning off the lights, when the bedroom fell into darkness, he heard Zuo Nian mournfully say: “Brother, is a rabbit Little Sui’s age usually ready to be cooked in a dry pot?”
Duan Baisui turned on the light and said: “Want me to make you some noodles?”
Zuo Nian shook his head, lifted his pillow to reveal a pile of small snacks hidden underneath.
“Brother, do you mind if I eat a small cookie in bed?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
