Chapter 26 Yu Zhizhou.

Chapter 26: Yu Zhizhou.

Yu Xin followed the greeter to the penthouse restaurant.

Though located in a bustling area, the environment was surprisingly serene. The seats were partitioned off, offering excellent privacy. Soft music played throughout the restaurant, and guests chatted in hushed tones with their companions, creating an elegant and intimate ambiance.

The greeter led Yu Xin to the innermost private dining room and opened the door for him: "This is the seat reserved by Mr. Yu. Please come in."

Yu Xin thanked her softly and stepped into the room.

The restaurant was situated on the top floor of the tallest building in the vicinity, and their seat was right beside an expansive floor-to-ceiling window. Looking down, the entire Silver Rose Plaza area was visible.

It was indeed incredibly prosperous—sky rails crisscrossed, huge electronic screens displayed vibrant colors, and a massive holographic projection of a youthful-looking female celebrity holding the latest skincare product was giving an enthusiastic pitch.

Not far away, a slightly smaller screen featured none other than Sheng Xingyao.

It was likely a fan-funded ad, with his image covering the entire screen. It showed him radiating charisma on stage, a side of him Yu Xin had never seen before.

Looks like he's really popular.

Yu Zhizhou hadn’t arrived yet. Yu Xin sat idly by the window, resting his chin in his hand as he watched the aerial vehicles come and go.

After what seemed like a long wait, footsteps finally sounded outside the door, and then the door was pulled open.

"Please come in, Mr. Yu," the greeter said with a bright smile, closing the door behind them as she left.

Yu Xin turned to look at the door. A man walked in, dressed in an expensive gray suit. It was the same face Yu Xin had seen on the Starnet yesterday—Yu Zhizhou.

Mimicking how the original owner would have reacted upon seeing his former older brother, Yu Xin remained seated, motionless, and lifted his gaze to meet Yu Zhizhou’s.

After a moment of locking eyes, Yu Zhizhou frowned. "What’s wrong? Have you been away from home so long that you’ve forgotten to address me as ‘big brother’?"

"...Big brother." Yu Xin pursed his lips but still called out.

"Hmm." Yu Zhizhou took a seat across from him. "Next time, remember to show proper respect without me having to remind you."

Yu Zhizhou opened the digital menu, selected a few dishes, handed the device back to the waiter, then turned around, placed his hands on the table, and silently watched Yu Xin.

"Why aren’t you sporting those gaudy hairstyles and clothes anymore? You look a bit more respectable now. Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d done this earlier?" Yu Zhizhou’s tone softened slightly.

"People change," Yu Xin could only deflect vaguely.

"Hmph, you certainly have changed a lot. Since when did you learn to do so many things? Cooking, wilderness survival—all that *nonsense*, nothing *proper*."

"......" Yu Xin said nothing, though he really wanted to shut him up.

"Can’t you learn from Yu Ning? Yu Ning is accomplished and driven; he doesn’t need anyone to worry about him." Yu Zhizhou snorted coldly.

"Look at yourself. You were quite well-behaved as a child, but the older you got, the more out of line you became. Messing around with all this frivolous stuff—what good will you be in the future?"

For the original owner’s sake, Yu Xin held back, resisting the urge to toss water in Yu Zhizhou’s face.

Fortunately, the dishes started arriving one after another, temporarily silencing Yu Zhizhou.

Yu Xin was very curious about future-world cuisine and observed the dishes in front of him with great interest.

The food in this era seemed closer to some molecular gastronomy dishes from Yu Xin’s original world.

For example, the plate in front of him was made to look like incredibly realistic cherries. Yu Xin cut a small piece and tasted it, finding it was actually a mix of mashed potatoes and foie gras. The vibrant red exterior was made from some kind of fruit glaze Yu Xin didn’t recognize—sweet and sour, and surprisingly delicious.

Another dish was a creamy bisque made from unknown ingredients, with the components finely ground and blended into the broth. Yu Xin took a sip; it likely contained mushroom, ground chicken, and seafood, and was very fragrant.

The flavors of several dishes were quite good, and Yu Xin thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

Most importantly, Yu Zhizhou didn’t bother him anymore.

The Yu family seemed to observe the tradition of not speaking during meals. Yu Zhizhou’s dining etiquette was flawless, while Yu Xin was much more casual, drawing several dissatisfied glances from Yu Zhizhou.

When they were about halfway through the meal, Yu Zhizhou set down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and finally said, "The reason I came to see you this time is about one thing."

"Go ahead." Yu Xin was growing impatient; it was finally time to get to the point. This person was beating around the bush too much.

"You were on some variety show before—don’t go anymore." Yu Zhizhou said this in a tone that left no room for debate, clearly not giving Yu Xin any choice in the matter.

"?"

"Our family doesn’t need you to make a spectacle of yourself in the entertainment industry. Moreover, by going on that show and doing those things—cooking, building houses—you made it seem like the Yu family mistreated you. Do you know what people online are saying about our family and Yu Ning? Yu Ning was so upset after seeing it that he cried!"

"Those netizens just irresponsibly make malicious assumptions. You should know what Yu Ning is like—he’s so kind and tender-hearted. He even appealed for mercy on your behalf in front of our parents. How can you bear to see him suffer such malicious criticism?"

When Yu Zhizhou spoke of Yu Ning, his expression softened. Mentioning how Yu Ning had been saddened by the negative comments made him frown, his face full of distress.

"............"

Yu Xin could see it clearly now—Yu Zhizhou did care about the original owner, his younger brother, to some extent, but not much.

At least, it was far less than his concern for his real brother, Yu Ning.

Yu Xin had also seen the netizens’ comments. There were indeed a few who raised such doubts, but they were very few. Most still believed Yu Ning was innocent and kind.

Yu Zhizhou was so heartbroken over the slightest criticism Yu Ning received, but when the original owner was condemned by thousands and canceled across the net, where was this elder brother then?

His priorities were clear as day.

The original owner had indeed made mistakes, but from what Yu Xin understood, the so-called "harm" done to the true young master was nothing more than a few trivial obstructions that caused no real damage. It was the original owner’s error, and he had accepted the punishment. But in some people’s eyes, he was treated as if he were utterly wicked.

Those minor incidents were exaggerated and spread until they became rumors that the original owner had deliberately targeted the true young master. And the Yu family had allowed the situation to escalate, almost coldly watching as the original owner was vilified.

Is this how you treat a child you raised for over a decade?

Seeing that Yu Xin had not agreed for a long time, Yu Zhizhou’s tone turned harsh again: "Yu Xin, did you hear me? Don’t go on that show anymore. Clarify things for Yu Ning on the Starnet, then go home honestly and apologize to Yu Ning!"

Yu Xin suddenly looked up, staring straight at him, but brought up something entirely unrelated: "You used to play games with me before, right?"

"...Why bring that up now? Don’t change the subject. Do as I say seriously, and I’ll put in a good word for you with our parents so you can come home..."

"Did you or didn’t you?"

"Are you even listening to me! Yes, I did play that game with you for a while—what was it called, 'Before Dawn'? That was so long ago, why are you bringing it up now?"

"...No reason."

It’s just... somewhat unfair to the original owner.

Yu Xin had found it strange—when the original owner was at his most destitute, barely able to afford food, why didn’t he sell that fully equipped game account he had spent so much on?

Now Yu Xin understood—that account must have held some special meaning for the original owner. It was because of this elder brother, wasn’t it? The game he had played with his big brother, so he couldn’t bear to sell the account.

And this elder brother, whom he cared about so deeply, hadn’t sent a single message after he left the Yu family. It was only when he felt Yu Xin was threatening Yu Ning’s interests that he condescended to meet with him.

The original host never heard a single word from the brother he looked up to until his death.

"Why won't you agree? You're not still hung up on things that don't belong to you, are you?" Yu Zhizhou said warily. "Don't cause trouble, and I might still be able to plead with Mom and Dad to let you come home. But there's one condition: you can't take anything from Xiao Ning anymore."

"No need."

"What did you say?" Yu Zhizhou thought he must have misheard.

"I said, no need. Don't forget that I've long severed ties with the Yu family, so don't try to interfere in my affairs," Yu Xin said coldly.

"I won't quit the reality show, and I won't beg you to let me back into the Yu family. As for what people online say about your precious Yu Ning, sorry, but it has nothing to do with me."

"Get it now?"

"Yu Xin, you—!" Yu Zhizhou was infuriated by Yu Xin's words and sprang to his feet. "You're really being ungrateful. What, do you think you've gotten too big for your britches and don't have to listen to me anymore?"

"Whether I have or not is none of your business, and I have no obligation to listen to you," Yu Xin retorted coldly, meeting his gaze without flinching.

They were squared off like two gunslingers.

"Since we can't reach an agreement, there's no point in continuing. Let's end it here for today." Yu Xin finished the last of his water, dabbed his hands deliberately, stood up, and offered a half-hearted thanks. "I enjoyed the meal. Thank you for your hospitality."

"Goodbye, Mr. Yu." Without so much as a glance at the furious Yu Zhizhou, he turned and left.

"Yu Xin!!"

Leaving Yu Zhizhou's enraged shouts behind, Yu Xin walked out of the private room and took the elevator to the first floor.

As the elevator descended slowly, Yu Xin collected himself, feeling that this trip had been a complete waste of time.

When he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed the sky outside was no longer as clear as when he had arrived. Dark clouds hung low, and it looked like rain was coming.

No, it had already started.

The rain fell in a fine, dense drizzle, soon growing heavier and blurring the massive digital billboard outside.

"..."

Just his luck—already dealing with nonsense, and now he hadn't brought an umbrella.

The hotel was still quite a distance from the transit station Yu Xin needed to get to. If he ran through the rain, he'd be drenched from head to toe.

He had already burned bridges with Yu Zhizhou, so turning back to ask for help was out of the question.

Yu Xin decided to borrow an umbrella from the front desk. At worst, he could make a special trip tomorrow to return it.

"Hello, I assume you need an umbrella?"

Just then, an unfamiliar male voice spoke up behind him.

Yu Xin turned around. A formally dressed young man was holding a black umbrella, a friendly smile on his face.

"..." Yu Xin hesitated to take it immediately. Are all interstellar citizens this helpful?

Suspiciously helpful, even...

"Here's the situation," the young man said, as if reading his thoughts. "My... my employer noticed you were troubled by the lack of an umbrella and specifically asked me to bring you one."

"My employer is very kind-hearted. It's just a small gesture—please accept it."

Yeah, right, kind-hearted my foot.

Bai Yizhou kept his smile in place but inwardly scoffed. Since when was his general the type to help others? He never usually bothered with such trivial matters.

He discreetly studied the young man before him, trying to figure out what made the general treat him differently.

As the general's personal aide, Bai Yizhou had memorized the faces of all the important figures in the Imperial Capital Star. This young man wasn't one of them.

He was unusually young and unusually... handsome.

Wait, why did he look familiar?

Wasn't he one of the guests on that reality show the general had been watching?

No way the general wants to make personal contact with him!

Yu Xin followed the direction the young man indicated. In the café on one side of the lobby, a man gave him a slight nod.

The man was quite tall, sitting there with a relaxed posture. Though Yu Xin couldn't make out his face clearly, he could somehow tell he was smiling in those eyes.

Ji Yixing was indeed quite pleased.

This was the first time they had made eye contact without the barrier of an electronic projection or screen.

Yu Xin looked away. Since the other party had made the offer, he accepted the kindness and took the umbrella. "Then please thank your employer for me."

"I'll pass that along."

"Should we exchange contact information so I can return the umbrella?"

"No need. My employer said you can keep it," Bai Yizhou replied with a smile.

Yu Xin said goodbye, opened the black umbrella, and stepped into the rain. As he left, he glanced back toward the café—the kind-hearted employer was still watching.

In the café, Ji Yixing kept his eyes on the young man's figure disappearing into the rain until it was gone before finally looking away. Someone nearby who had witnessed the entire scene asked curiously, "General, is that someone you know?"

"...Not yet."

But soon, he would be.