Andrew did not expect that Finn had such a misunderstanding.
Although clearing up the misunderstanding is a good thing, but—
Gloomy, Head-Down Mushroom Andrew: "I'm sorry." I really was incredibly clumsy back then.
Finn looked at Andrew's dejected expression as he hung his head low, then he couldn't help but ask, "After that accident, it was clearly I who crashed into the tree, yet I deliberately acted as your creditor, bossing you around so arrogantly and making you a meaningless secretary. Didn't you feel even a tiny bit dissatisfied?"
Creditor?" Andrew was stunned. "But a creditor wouldn't give away that much money.
"So, is it because I gave too much!?" Finn asked in surprise.
This was worlds apart from the plot Finn had experienced with his dear Host! He had clearly been strictly following the persona of an arrogant rich second generation, so why did his Host loathe that rich second generation so much back then? Would Andrew not?
—It couldn't be because that rich second generation didn't give enough money back then, could it?
—But his own budget was clearly very tight, he was always stingy whenever he gave cash!
I used to think the world was a terrible place, even though Steve Montgomery and Matt were my friends, it didn't change my mind," Andrew said in a low, trembling voice. "It wasn't until you appeared that I felt everything had become different. It was you who showed me.. a completely different world, provided me with so many opportunities I could hardly have imagined. Because of that, I've tried all sorts of things I had never done before. I truly.. truly am very grateful to you.
This was the first time Andrew had spoken the words hidden deep in his heart so seriously and cautiously, his voice trembling with apprehension.
"So, you're also willing to be my secretary?" Finn asked curiously.
It is my honor." Andrew nodded heavily, "No matter what you need me to do, I will do my best to complete it.
Looking at him in this state, Finn suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
—This tone is exactly like Max's.
Incredible·Finn: ".." Did you all get your filters for me installed from the same place?
"And I'm still belittling you as a Clumsy Magician?" Finn asked cautiously again.
It's not a disparagement, it's a fact." The name tag was still hanging from Andrew's neck, "And besides, I quite like this image.
"And you're also willing to follow me for filming?" Too many things were completely different from what he had imagined, leaving Finn dazed, so he simply decided to ask everything at once.
[What's going on? Did his torturous methods not produce the expected effect?]
System PP replied calmly: 【It has had a significant effect; the Misery Value progress has reached 58.09/100.】
Finn: 【Don't talk.】
[System PP high-fived you. gif]
I'd be delighted!" Andrew noticed the softening in Finn's tone and responded eagerly, "I know I still have many areas where I am immature, but I can learn. I will seriously learn the skills of filming and editing. I will also definitely attend the courses arranged for me by Young Master Noah on time, I will never make the same mistakes I did before.
Young Master Finn, can you understand?
It's just that while I might indeed enjoy filming, I don't need to appear in front of the camera.
Andrew's voice grew increasingly soft, tinged with a hint of apprehension that he might be rejected.
I'll just stand to the side. As long as I'm in the frame, I can capture shots centered around you.
I.. will be very happy.
Finn gazed at the anxious Andrew before him, then suddenly curled his lips into a bright smile.
[As expected, Andrew really is like a system.]
Bright sunlight outside the window pierced through the glass, flowed over the snow-white sheets in the ward, fell into the eyes of the young man on the hospital bed. Those emerald eyes, like a pool of lake water warmed by sunlight, appeared exceptionally warm and bright at this moment.
Andrew's words hit Finn right where it hurt.
After all, he had also once been such a "System" that placed his entire focus on each successive Host.
Finn himself still didn't know how to be a proper human being, so naturally, he wouldn't try to teach or change Andrew, nor would he try to interfere with the decisions others made.
If you think it's fine, then it's fine.
The smile in the young man's eyes became increasingly genuine.
He could only look at the young man before him, whose fingertips were trembling slightly with nervousness, say with a smile—
Of course I understand.
Chapter 50: Heart-Wrenching Short Drama
Because Max had now officially taken up the position of bodyguard, Finn even specially custom-made a suit for him.
So handsome! Yes, this is exactly the feeling!
Finn's gaze fell upon Max. The man before him was originally about 1.8 meters tall, but his usual timidity and cowardice had caused people to overlook his aura. Now, Max was dressed in a custom-made pure black suit, his shoulders and back held straight, his entire being exuding a sharp and upright temperament. As Finn watched, a look of undisguised satisfaction spread across his face.
Spread your feet a little wider, clasp your hands in front of you." Finn walked around Max in a circle, raising his hands to seriously adjust Max's posture, "Yes, those gold-standard bodyguards in the movies all stand like this.
Max followed Finn's instructions to the letter, performing them with meticulous care.
So cool, absolutely fantastic!" Finn said excitedly, then pulled out a pair of sunglasses and handed them to Max. "Here, put these on, you'll be absolutely perfect!
Max immediately raised his hand, took the sunglasses, put them on.
He had lived his entire life like an inconspicuous invisible wall, silently staying in the corner, never having received such attention from anyone, let alone such blunt and passionate praise. As Young Master Finn's compliments fell into Max's ears one after another, the emotions surging in his chest were intense, the corners of his mouth curling upward uncontrollably, his eyes were filled with irrepressible joy.
"Don't laugh, be serious," Finn quickly reminded him.
Max, having put on his sunglasses, immediately suppressed his smile, tightening his jawline and lifting his chin.
Following Finn's instructions, he stood straight and upright.
He actually had a bit of a cold and aloof aura that made people keep their distance.
Spider-Man: ".." It was as if he had just witnessed what it truly meant to [train a dog on the spot].
So cool!" Finn clapped his hands, extremely satisfied with his new bodyguard. "You alone could hold your own against Harry Osborn's entire security detail.
"Of course." Max immediately grinned a bright smile, but as soon as he finished speaking, he remembered that he needed to maintain a serious demeanor and quickly composed his face. However, the corners of his mouth were turned up, no matter how he tried to suppress them, they stubbornly maintained their upward curve.
At this moment, Harry happened to walk in and glanced at Max, who was worth his entire security team.
The key was that before this, Max was merely an ordinary electronic engineer within his group.
Finn looked at Harry nervously; during these few days of his hospitalization, Harry had come to visit for an hour every single day.
It was as if visiting him had become an essential task in his daily routine.
Just as Harry had told Peter before, he would change in his capacity as an older brother. Setting aside the topic of inheritance, Harry thought of a way to maintain daily communication with his younger brother, so he specifically asked Mr, Mrs. Wilson to dig out all the investment contracts Finn had signed previously. Every day, Harry would pick a few projects and discuss them calmly with Finn.
Forced Discussion · Finn: ".."
[Help!]
[Every day, my brother picks out my old, haphazardly written homework notebooks and asks me about my thought process for solving the problems back then with complete seriousness!]
It was only after Harry had gathered all the contracts and skimmed through them that he realized—
Finn had already consciously categorized these contracts.
They were clearly categorized into [Short-term Returns], [Long-term Returns], [No Returns].
Harry's brow furrowed because of this, a surge of indescribable emotion rose in his heart. He knew Noah was right; Finn was not the mere profligate young master who only knew how to squander money as he appeared to be; he possessed an extremely sharp business mind.
Finn could accurately see through which projects were valuable and held true potential, which projects were merely tricks used by those so-called "friends" at parties to deceive him into shelling out money under the guise of cooperation and pretty packaging.
But Finn simply did not care.
The young man could clearly analyze the pros and cons, yet he irrationally threw money around like dirt on those projects that were destined to yield no return.
For him, that money was probably nothing more than a means to purchase a moment of fleeting pleasure.
"Don't bother looking at these contracts." Finn also felt a bit guilty; he hadn't had much of a concept of money when he was squandering it recklessly back then. On one hand, having finally become a human, he had started engaging in retaliatory consumption; on the other hand, he had comforted himself by thinking that having money was too much fun, that in order to better carry out his mission, he had to spend all the money to increase the Misery Value.
He never imagined there would be a day when he would have to sit with his own brother and explain every single investment in detail.
"Anyway, when it comes to investing, it's normal for some to make money and some to lose money, isn't it?" Finn really had no way to explain it, so he simply braced himself and tried to gloss over the matter with a nonchalant tone.
Harry frowned deeply, staring at Finn with a heavy gaze.
His Adam's apple bobbed, he couldn't help but want to speak up and argue—
[If you know full well that there is no return on investment, yet you continue to pour money into it, then you are abnormal.]
But Harry still held his tongue, after all, his brother was already sick.
Impulsive and irrational consumption is a part of Finn's condition.
Harry thought that the passing of their father, Norman, must have had a profound impact on Finn as well. That man, who possessed a massive commercial empire and seemed to hold everything at the very top of the pyramid, ultimately could not escape the fate of dying from illness. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that all this cold money and capital had become so meaningless in Finn's eyes.
After all, I'm not as smart as you. Someone said it could make money, I foolishly believed them." Seeing Harry's expression darken even further, Finn's heart sank, suspecting that Harry was secretly calling him stupid again for throwing so much money away for nothing. Finn thought for a moment and then apologized in a low voice, "It was wrong of me to act on impulse and make such reckless investments.
Don't say that." Harry immediately frowned and retorted sharply; he truly did not want to hear Finn's deliberate self-deprecation in front of him again. But Harry still did not know how to praise Finn, so he could only say dryly, "I am not blaming you.. just forget about it.
He only wanted to settle the score with Finn, not with those who used fake investment projects as a pretext to swindle Finn out of his money.
He took that part of the contract back to handle himself.
If you want to deceive the brother of the person in control of the Osborn Group, you must first consider whether you are even qualified.
Harry picked out a few more projects and continued the discussion with Finn.
"What is this project?" Harry asked with a frown.
It's a short drama, they're very popular lately," Finn explained. "I don't have enough money to invest in movies, so I just casually invested in a few short dramas. That girl Sophia Hansen is very capable; she is both the director and the screenwriter.
So you also invested in several short dramas." Harry felt that he had a brand new understanding of Finn's social circle and the scope of his interests. "The title of this short drama is—'Love of Heart-Stealing: My Heart Belongs to My Love Rival'.
Reading such a title in a serious tone made Harry feel somewhat awkward.
Exactly!" At the mention of this, the topic finally became something Finn was truly interested in. The young man grew excited and introduced it with animated gestures, "The male lead is a CEO with a heart condition who undergoes a transplant. As a result, after being discharged from the hospital, he falls in love with the female lead at first sight, leading to a series of forceful pursuits as he becomes obsessed with winning her over. But once they finally manage to be together, they discover—the heart he received actually belonged to the female lead's ex-boyfriend!
"And then?" Hearing this, Peter also couldn't help but lean in and ask.
"Then the plot revolves around the key questions of 'Do you love me, or do you love the person who possesses this heart?' and 'Do I love you, or is it this beating heart that makes me love you?'" Finn explained.
".." Even Harry, who was also a CEO of the Osborn Group, felt like he had hit a blind spot in his knowledge.
Finn opened his mouth, feeling that a few words could not adequately explain this melodramatic yet addictive plot, so he simply pulled out his phone and found an audition clip of a male and female lead arguing to show Harry and Peter. The images on the screen instantly became filled with tension, the performances of the leads were full of stereotypical outbursts, their voices were laced with hysteria—
Male: So my love for you is all because of this heart? I don't believe it! I don't believe it!
Female: I knew it! How could you understand me so well? It's because you possess his heart.
Man: Then I don't want this heart anymore! Who cares about this broken heart!