Chapter 85 Earn Your Own Throne

Chapter 85: Earn Your Own Throne

Lu Guifan immediately tucked his phone away and tried to turn around, but Jiang Ruotang was clutching him too tightly.

"Ruo-Tang, what's wrong?" Lu Guifan gently covered Jiang Ruotang's hand with his own.

He wanted to turn his head, but from the side, he could only see Jiang Ruotang's hair and ear.

Sometimes, Lu Guifan didn’t understand why Jiang Ruotang liked nuzzling into his back so much.

But at the very least, he guessed that Bai Yingchuan must have said something that upset Jiang Ruotang.

"I'm sorry..." Jiang Ruotang's voice was choked up.

"Hmm?" Lu Guifan was puzzled.

Jiang Ruotang was the last person in the world who should apologize to him.

Because he had been too good to him—so good that it almost felt surreal to Lu Guifan.

"I shouldn’t have jinxed you to die alone."

Hearing this, Lu Guifan chuckled softly, the sound resonating from his chest, deep and pleasant.

"You were upset over this? But isn’t there you to share the 'second-cup-half-off' milk tea with me? I don’t feel lonely at all."

On the contrary, before meeting you… maybe I was lonely.

Only after hearing Lu Guifan’s words did Jiang Ruotang realize he had lost his composure.

He silently loosened his grip and carefully observed Lu Guifan’s expression. Seeing no trace of annoyance, he finally relaxed.

"Let’s go back," Jiang Ruotang said softly.

At this hour, returning to school for *night study* would be pointless.

In the car, Jiang Ruotang was unusually quiet.

He kept staring out the window, thinking about the Lu Guifan from Bai Yingchuan’s dream—from studying abroad to returning home to start a business, then becoming a tech mogul. That version of Lu Guifan must have suffered a lot.

The car stopped at a red light. Xiao Gao, probably feeling the silence was too heavy, decided to speak up.

"Mr. and Mrs. Zhao went to visit Lin Lu. Poor kid… stuck with parents like that. Apparently, his grandfather and uncle want nothing to do with Wu Ning’s case—they won’t even hire a lawyer for her. Bai Yue is practically losing her mind. Ever since she turned herself in, she’s banked all her hopes on Bai Yingchuan. Now that his face is injured, his future is directly affected. Bai Yue will definitely hold Wu Ning accountable to the end."

Jiang Ruotang sighed. This was probably what goes around comes around.

The suffering he endured in his past life, Lin Lu was now experiencing too.

But compared to Lin Lu, Jiang Ruotang felt lucky.

Because even when he had nothing, Zhao Yunshu and Zhao Zhangfeng still treated him like family, and at the end of it all, there was Lu Guifan by his side.

"Lin Chengdong and his wife… ruined themselves and Lin Lu’s life. Without their influence, Lin Lu wouldn’t have turned out so two-faced and selfish. Cutting off their negative impact might actually be good for him in the long run."

Lu Guifan’s voice remained calm, and Xiao Gao, who had initially pitied Lin Lu, suddenly felt at ease.

"That’s true. With parents like that as bad examples, Lin Lu should take a hard look at his own life. It’s not too late to start over."

As the light turned green, Xiao Gao asked, "Where to? Should we still drop Lu Guifan off?"

Hearing this, Jiang Ruotang’s heart skipped a beat. Of course, he didn’t want to send Lu Guifan back—he wanted to keep holding him while they slept!

But would Lu Guifan mind his boundary-pushing in the hospital hallway?

"Let’s not go back," Lu Guifan said, glancing sideways at Jiang Ruotang. "After all, someone turned into a crybaby and seems to need company."

Jiang Ruotang’s face turned red on the spot. Not only was he relieved, but he also felt a secret pleasure, muttering smugly under his breath, "You’re the crybaby. Your whole family’s crybabies..."

That night, back at home, he had no drive left for studying. He didn’t even check his phone—opening it would just bombard him with news about Bai Yingchuan and the Lin family, but all of that belonged to his past life now.

Lying in bed, Jiang Ruotang still felt a sense of unreality.

Had Lin Chengdong really been locked up?

Had his family been spared?

And… had Lu Guifan really stayed by his side all this time?

Just then, the bedroom door opened. Lu Guifan walked in wearing loose PJs and slippers, looking completely at ease as he approached the bed. Seeing Jiang Ruotang’s expression, he smiled and booped his cheek.

"What are you doing, cocooned like a silkworm? Waiting for some emperor to dote on you?"

Yeah, even this gentle, teasing version of Lu Guifan felt unreal.

Jiang Ruotang reached out, about to pinch Lu Guifan’s waist, but suddenly, Lu Guifan grabbed his hand and leaned down. His damp locks swayed slightly, and the smile on his lips faded.

His fingers tightened abruptly, crushing Jiang Ruotang’s bones until they ached, forcing a pained whimper out of him.

"Mmph—"

Lu Guifan hummed lightly. "Hurts? Then it’s not a dream."

With that, he straightened up and returned to the desk, picking up the blow-dryer.

Watching his back, Jiang Ruotang shook his wrist, wondering how this guy always knew what he was thinking.

He’s so infuriating!

Once his hair dried, Lu Guifan returned to bed. As he pulled back the covers, a faint, fresh soapy scent drifted over. Jiang Ruotang inhaled subtly, his heart fluttering wildly.

"My pajamas are coming apart at the seams. Guess I need new ones," Lu Guifan remarked offhandedly.

"Huh? Does that mean no more pilling?"

Lu Guifan chuckled quietly. "If you like them that much, you can have them."

"Tch, you’re ribbing me. Don’t think I don’t get it."

The bedroom was silent, the lights off, leaving only the dim glow of the night outside the window.

Jiang Ruotang turned onto his side. Once his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could make out the sharp line of Lu Guifan’s nose and the subtle undulation of his Adam’s apple, like the steady ebb and flow of a hidden tide.

"Hey, Lu Guifan… are you the type who’d forego relationships forever for the sake of research?"

"Hmm?" Lu Guifan’s brow furrowed slightly. "Science can’t compare to dating."

"What?" Jiang Ruotang rubbed his ear, rolling onto his stomach and bumping into Lu Guifan. "Since when do you know anything about dating?"

"If you have someone, holding them is warm. You feel dependent and protective. You can cheekily insist they only look at you, only like you. They can have many important things to do, but you’re the only one they’re allowed to love. They have to commit to you."

Jiang Ruotang buried his face in the pillow and laughed for a long time after hearing this. "Take responsibility? How would you take responsibility for him? You're the one who should take responsibility for him, okay?"

"Fine, I'll be responsible for him."

"Then... under what circumstances would you stay alone forever?"

"The end of the world, when everyone's dead." Lu Guifan's tone carried a hint of "are you dumb?"

"I mean not being in a relationship, not having no friends or family around you."

Lu Guifan fell silent for a while before answering, "To me, loving someone is like a lifelong study. Learning their preferences, growing and changing alongside them, protecting them and being protected by them, working out how to make them happy, how to make them keep their eyes on just me—all of that is part of the research. If this study never pans out, it just has to keep going, waiting for a response. I can't move on to something new. You asked me under what circumstances I'd stay alone forever—probably if they fell in love with someone else, or if they disappeared."

Jiang Ruotang didn’t say anything, turning over and lying quietly under the covers.

*Lu Guifan, why don't you like me instead? I care about your preferences too. Because of you, I keep striving forward, wanting to protect you and be protected by you. Simply being near you makes me happy, and I only have eyes for you.*

*Your study will definitely win you a lifetime achievement award.*

With these thoughts, Jiang Ruotang drifted off to sleep.

Back at school, Lin Chengdong, his son, and Bai Yingchuan remained the talk of the class.

The two desks diagonally in front were empty.

Teacher Song made no mention of Lin Lu, but Jiang Ruotang knew Lin Lu wouldn’t be coming back to school.

As for Bai Yingchuan, Teacher Song implied that to avoid crowds and distractions, he would likely study at home after being discharged from the hospital.

The buzz quickly died down, overshadowed by the second mock exam.

When collecting his test results, Jiang Ruotang’s hands trembled. The difficulty of the second mock had jumped a level compared to the first, as if designed to crush confidence.

Jiang Ruotang squeezed his eyes shut, as if opening them would let Sadako crawl out of his test paper.

Lu Guifan sighed helplessly. "Whether you look at it or not, the score isn’t going to change."

Jiang Ruotang peeked with one eye—just scraping by with 501, nearly 20 points lower than last time. He felt a bit discouraged, but surprisingly, his class ranking had actually risen?

Jian Sha, standing nearby, remarked wisely, "The first mock tests foundational knowledge, the second is about finding weak spots—no wonder it's tougher. The score doesn’t matter, the ranking does."

Jiang Ruotang leaned toward Lu Guifan and asked, "So I did pretty well, right?"

Lu Guifan didn’t answer. He raised his hand, and Jiang Ruotang expected his face to be shoved away—but instead, Lu Guifan’s hand landed on his head, pulling him closer.

Unfortunately, Jiang Ruotang reacted too slowly. Before he could even feel Lu Guifan’s chest, he'd already let go.

*Ah, how could he do this?*

Jiang Ruotang was disappointed. This was like Jiang Taigong fishing—the fish bit, but the old man didn’t want it.

Jian Sha also did well, pulling over 640. It seemed the lawsuit hadn’t gotten her down, though the verdict likely wouldn’t come until after the college entrance exams. Still, she believed in "evil begets evil" and "karma's a bitch."

Even Zhao Zhangfeng stared at his score sheet in disbelief. "No way—I got 408? I broke 400! Oh my god, I’m the brains of our basketball team!"

Jiang Ruotang and Jian Sha both cringed. A 54% score rate made him the ace?

*Don’t drag the school basketball team into Beicheng Guangyao’s intellectual wasteland!*

That evening, Xiao Gao picked up Jiang Ruotang and Zhao Zhangfeng, with news—Lin Chengdong’s shares had been snapped up by the Qin family, meaning they now held 5% more shares than the Jiang family. Old Master Qin was poised to become the new chairman of Universe Pictures.

A shareholders’ meeting would be held in two days. If approved, the chairmanship would change hands.

Jiang Ruotang had seen it coming.

Zhao Zhangfeng, however, was scratching his head. "How come after Lin Chengdong’s downfall, Dad still loses the chairmanship?"

Old Master Qin even called Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu personally, explaining that his grandson Qin Zhanchao had just returned from studying abroad, full of book smarts and itching to prove himself. Without consulting the family, he’d negotiated a sky-high price with Lin Chengdong, nearly cleaning them out!

Old Master Qin had read Qin Zhanchao the riot act, but the deal was already set. Lin Chengdong needed the money urgently, and Qin Zhanchao’s offer was practically a real lifesaver, allowing him to pay his fines.

Jiang Huaiyuan didn’t care about being chairman—all he cared about was making movies.

But if he stepped down, future projects might not receive the same resource allocation from Universe Pictures. The board of directors played favorites.

Zhao Yunshu also humored Old Master Qin. Even if unhappy, she couldn’t risk burning bridges. Still, she and Jiang Huaiyuan agreed Jiang Ruotang should be told.

At noon, just as Jiang Ruotang returned his tray to the cafeteria window, Zhao Yunshu called. The shareholders’ meeting had just ended—all votes unanimously supported the Qin family.

After hearing the details, Jiang Ruotang gave a dry chuckle.

"Old Master Qin played this brilliantly—the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

Zhao Yunshu hadn’t expected Jiang Ruotang to see through it so clearly. She sighed, but after months together, she understood his temperament. "Sorry excuse for parents, couldn’t even protect your throne."

"Hahaha..." Jiang Ruotang laughed. "Mr. Zheng was your introduction, Mother Empress. The size of my empire isn’t decided by you or Father Emperor—it’s built by my own hands. Besides... you already knew, didn’t you?"

Zhao Yunshu laughed too. Reflecting on Jiang Ruotang’s investments, she marveled, "You really think long-term."

"Honestly, Dad hates dealing with boardroom politics. He loves making films—being a pure director. You don’t like sucking up to execs either. You’ve got your own company—why not focus on your ‘little husband-and-wife operation,’ starting with *Drunken Immortal Terrace*? Do what you love without being tied to Universe Pictures. If you ever run short on funds, your son’s got plenty."

By now, Jiang Ruotang’s net worth was in the hundreds of millions. Between Xiaotian Guo’s rivalry with Qilin and Yunfeng, plus other investments, he was practically rolling in dividend cash. Funding Jiang Huaiyuan’s films? Pocket change.

Honestly, Zhao Yunshu was tempted.

She’d long grown tired of being an audit director—working hard just to line others’ pockets.

Why bother meddling when she could sit back and collect dividends?

"But what if the Qin family... keeps scheming against us?"

"They won’t. Old Master Qin knows exactly what kind of man Dad is. The Qin family needs stability now. If they keep scheming against Dad after he willingly stepped down, what would other shareholders think? They’d see the Qins as insatiable. So, your benefits will only increase. Grandpa Qin wouldn’t want gossip either. And... I’ve heard Qin Zhanchao is actually capable."

In his past life, after Lin Chengdong became chairman and rebranded Universe Pictures as Universe Entertainment, Qin Zhanchao had been his fiercest opponent on the board.

Young, capable, and power-hungry? Let him have it.

Jiang Ruotang’s easy acceptance put Zhao Yunshu at ease.

Tucking his phone away, he looked up to see Lu Guifan waiting nearby.

Instantly putting on a pitiful act, he rushed over and hugged Lu Guifan from behind, his over-the-top act like a bad soap opera.

"Class President, my dad’s no longer chairman of Universe Pictures... my throne is gone..."

Then, he deliberately nuzzled against Lu Guifan’s back.

*Hehe, smells so good.*

Feeling the arms encircling his waist and the warmth against his back, Lu Guifan instinctively stiffened.

He slowly adjusted his breathing, raised his hand to pat Jiang Ruotang’s hand lightly, then covered it with his own.

“Really? You were laughing so happily when you hung up the phone.”

“Everyone thinks I want to take over, so I have to act a little pitiful.”

“Alright, what kind of comfort do you want?”

“Bubble tea and a small cake?” Jiang Ruotang lifted his head, gazing at the nape of Lu Guifan’s neck.

“I'll order some for you.” Lu Guifan took out his phone and actually ordered delivery for Jiang Ruotang.

Only then did Jiang Ruotang let go. The moment his breathing finally eased, Lu Guifan felt a strange emptiness.

From not far away came Jian Sha’s voice, “Are you two acting out another ABO roleplay again? How gross!”

“Coming, coming!”

Not long after, the ownership changes at Universe Pictures became industry news, setting off industry gossip. Rumors swirled that Jiang Huaiyuan had lost his position as chairman due to his close association with Lin Chengdong, which might have dragged him down.

During a family dinner on Sunday, Zhao Yunshu was visibly annoyed. “Old Master Qin isn’t even bothering to address these rumors. Isn’t that clear enough?”

Zhao Zhangfeng looked up, confused. “Obvious what?”

Jiang Huaiyuan kept his head down, clearly upset. “It’s nothing. There’s less than a month left before the college entrance exams—you two shouldn’t worry about other things.”

But Jiang Ruotang didn’t mince words, explaining bluntly to Zhao Zhangfeng, “Old Master Qin is actively weakening Dad’s influence to secure power for his grandson.”

“Oh.” Zhao Zhangfeng thought for a moment, then added, “But running a company isn’t like making movies. What influence does Dad even have?”

Jiang Huaiyuan coughed, his feelings were hurt by his sons’ bluntness.

“The worst part is that these rumors have made two of the original investors for *Drunken Immortal Terrace* hesitate, holding off. They want to wait until Lin Chengdong’s case is resolved before committing. They’re afraid your dad might be mixed up in something shady and end up getting dragged down with Lin Chengdong!”

Zhao Yunshu raised an eyebrow, shooting Jiang Huaiyuan a glance.

Jiang Huaiyuan quickly protested, “I didn’t! I haven’t!”

Immediately, both Zhao Yunshu and Jiang Ruotang burst into laughter.

After dinner, Jiang Ruotang knocked on the door of Zhao Yunshu’s study and walked in.

“Mom, about the money problem you mentioned…”

“I know your Táng Yùn Culture Investment has made a lot of money, but Sweet Fruit’s in-house animations are expensive, aren’t they?”

“*Drunken Immortal Terrace* is also an excellent project.” Jiang Ruotang frowned slightly, glancing down at the documents. “Is Qin Zhanchao the one making things difficult for you?”

“It’s understandable. New leadership means changes. This project couldn’t get approval at Universe Pictures before, and now that your father is no longer chairman, others are following Qin Zhanchao’s lead. Naturally, they won’t approve it.”

“So, if this project fails to secure funding, Old Master Qin’s goal of pushing Dad out will be achieved.” Jiang Ruotang curved his lips into a faint smile. “They still need a warning. Dad is a blockbuster director with box-office draw—they shouldn’t treat him so lightly. If they don’t want to make money, then let someone else take advantage.”

Zhao Yunshu tilted her head, watching him.

Jiang Ruotang only smiled faintly, but that alone told Zhao Yunshu he had a plan.

That very afternoon, Mr. Zheng called Qi Yanfeng of Hongtian Borui to discuss *Drunken Immortal Terrace*, presenting it as his junior’s project—one he knew was above board, with transparent costs and expenses—and offered to broker a deal.

On the other end of the line, Qi Yanfeng lowered his gaze, his other hand gripping a pen that lightly tapped against paper, ink bleeding into the paper.

“Mr. Zheng, your company may be new, but it’s already handling major deals and pulling in big money. You used to work under someone. Táng Yùn Culture Investment Ltd. must have a major shareholder behind it, right? You’re just holding shares on their behalf, acting as their spokesperson. I’m curious—who has the vision and boldness to manage talents like Gao Cheng and Dai Ming, to lead Sweet Fruit through the fierce competition between Kirin and Yunfeng?”

Zheng Huasheng chuckled. “You’re sharp, Qi. But some things are better left unsaid—that's just business etiquette. Besides, A Ze has only profited with us, never lost.”

The mention of Qi Yanze made Qi Yanfeng’s blood boil.

That brat had become unbearably smug lately, responding to everything with, “Let me ask my buddy.”

The strangest part? After all this time, Qi Yanze—who could never keep his mouth shut—still hadn’t revealed his so-called buddy’s name!

That wasn’t normal. Not at all!

But Zheng Huasheng wasn’t wrong. Qi Yanze’s initial two-million investment had already ballooned past nine figures, making more than his big brother. Qi Yanfeng was practically losing face at home.

Whenever something came up, the Qi elders would even suggest, “Why not let A Ze ask his friend?”