The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 298: Midnight Strategies

Julian shook his head slightly, his voice still barely a whisper: "Not exactly."

Julian had indeed been exhausted earlier, but after resting for a while, he felt much better. Perhaps the incident where Ethan Caldwell was framed this time truly affected Julian, causing Julian’s sleep to be fitful and restless. Vaguely, he kept hearing the man’s voice talking, and then he woke up without even realizing it.

It was just that Julian was so utterly drained that he did not want to do anything; he merely listened to Louis York and Ethan Caldwell discussing matters, thus learning that the situation on the internet had already been controlled by Louis. Honestly, he should thank Louis, this was supposed to be his and Ethan’s responsibility, but everything happened so suddenly that the two of them did not even have the time to handle it.

Ethan Caldwell played with Julian’s hair: "I should have gone out to the balcony to take the call, so I wouldn’t have disturbed you."

"Without you holding me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway."

"Hey." Louis York’s voice came through from the other end of the line: "You two stop flirting, I am still here."

By this time, Ethan Caldwell had already switched the phone to speaker mode, so Louis York’s voice came through much more clearly, no longer fading in and out: "You don’t have any issues with posting intimate photos?"

"Taking advantage of the discussion to build a reputation and boost popularity will make selling products or doing anything else much more convenient in the future, won’t it? Aren’t the tactics you people use in the entertainment circle also focused on building up someone’s fame?"

Julian shifted slightly, perhaps moving affected his waist, causing him to draw in a sharp breath. Ethan Caldwell consciously placed the phone on the headboard, after all, the speakerphone was already on. Then, the man used both hands to lift Julian up, letting Julian lean against Ethan’s body in the most comfortable position possible. Once settled, Ethan even reached out to massage Julian’s waist.

Meanwhile, Julian conversed naturally with Louis York, his voice sounding much more awake: "Being at the top of the news for several consecutive days out of nowhere, if I do not take advantage of this to seek some benefits for myself, I would feel that I am losing out too much."

"Tsk." Louis York clicked his tongue: "I told you that you are suitable for the entertainment industry. You have the ability, the courage, and the brains. Have you never thought about venturing down this path, Jules?"

"I accept that I have the looks, but as for ability, that is not so certain. How do you know I could survive well in that circle? I do not know how to sing, my sense of pitch is zero, and I do not have the talent like the artists under your management."

"But your acting skills are quite good, though. That appearance of covering your face and running away truly portrayed the scene of a bullied little wife. If Helen Lloyd had not explained the situation to me, I wouldn’t have believed it myself."

Louis York’s voice was clearly very normal, but for some reason, Julian felt it carried a hint of sarcasm. Perhaps it was because Julian’s current demeanor was completely unlike the first time Louis had met Julian.

Perhaps the initial impression of those who met him in the private room of The Ebony Lounge that day was simply meeting Ethan Caldwell’s partner. Someone with a bit of capability within the company, but excessively shy and reserved.

But this time, when his actions were exposed before them, Louis York suddenly gained an entirely different perspective.

Julian was definitely an old fox, perhaps sometimes even more cunning than Ethan Caldwell. Louis did not even know whether he should feel fortunate for his best friend or not. For someone living in a position like Ethan Caldwell, having a smart partner would help him a great deal, or at the very least, bring fewer troubles than an ignorant partner who was easily deceived.

The more insecure and timid a person was, the easier it was for others to take advantage of them.

However, being too smart was sometimes a double-edged sword as well.

Louis York could not determine at all whether the person sharing a bed with Ethan Caldwell would turn around and stab his friend in the back one day in the future.

Perhaps all three people present in today’s conversation understood that underlying issue, but no one tore the facade apart. Julian casually replied: "I will take that as a compliment."

"Well, it was originally meant as a compliment."

Julian did not continue this topic anymore, and Louis York was also very tactful in changing the subject: "As for the matter of Ethan Caldwell hitting you, besides the video in the company, is there anything else that can prove your innocence? Although the video can cool things down a bit, if someone really wants to, they will still find a way to suppress it anyway."

Upon hearing this, Julian pondered for a moment, then took a screenshot of a chat log and sent it over to Louis York. The other end of the line fell silent for a long moment, before Louis York finally managed to squeeze out a few words: "You really know how to play."

"I think those things are quite normal, there are much wilder ways to play."

"... I do not have much interest in what you do to increase your bedroom pleasures. Thank you." Louis York gritted his teeth as he spat out a sentence, and then he continued: "Alright, I plan to arrange this matter like this..."

The three of them put their heads together and discussed for a while, eventually finalizing a plan of action. By the time the call with Louis York ended, the screen displayed that it was already two in the morning. Julian let out an exhausted yawn and buried himself into the man’s chest: "It is so late already, will you be able to wake up in the morning?"

"Why do I have to wake up early? We are in the right position anyway, so there is no need to rush to wake up and solve anything. The problem did not originate from us in the first place."

Julian cast a glance at the man, then felt that what Ethan said was actually right: "Alright then, let’s sleep. Hold me."

Ethan Caldwell did not refuse, he pulled the blanket right up to their chests, and then contentedly embraced his partner as they sank into a deep slumber.