"LeLe, I'm afraid I can't do what you asked."

Upon receiving the call from his friend, Han LeLe became anxious, "What happened?"

He'd promised Yu Antong he'd handle this for him.

His friend explained, "The big influencers in our company have been informed not to share or discuss the incident anymore. The orders come from Qi himself."

Han LeLe: "Qi? Do you mean Qi Jingyao?"

Friend: "Yeah, LeLe, don't you know our CEO? I'm curious about the person in that video who made the CEO intervene."

"I don't really know him," replied Han LeLe. "Okay, I understand. Thanks for letting me know. I'll treat you to dinner some day."

"No need to be formal."

After hanging up, Han LeLe scrolled through his contacts until he found Qi Jingyao's number.

He hesitated for a moment before calling.

The call was quickly answered, and Qi Jingyao's teasing voice came through.

"Hello, kiddo. Finally decided to call your elder brother Qi?"

Han LeLe bristled at his tone, "You're so annoying!"

Qi Jingyao laughed, "If I'm annoying, why call me?"

Han LeLe retorted, "I have a matter to discuss. Why did you pull Yu Antong from the trending list? What's your relationship with him?"

"How did you know?" Qi Jingyao inquired. "Jealous?"

...

Yu Antong was nearly infuriated to death by Xing Lixuan's unilateral decisions.

"If you pull the heat, how am I supposed to sway public opinion and get back the money from the Yus? Who did you ask to do it? Can it be reversed? Do it now."

"Calm down," Xing Lixuan disagreed with Yu Antong's approach. "You might get the money back, but at the cost of becoming a target of public criticism."

"It's like injuring the enemy a thousand times and ourselves eight hundred."

"What you're saying sounds like 'why not eat minced meat?'" grumbled Yu Antong. "I'm alone, without power or influence, what else can I do?"

The two had different perspectives due to their distinct positions.

As Yu Antong spoke, a trace of bitterness spread in his heart. Mysteriously transported into a book and left alone to face various challenges, no one knew where he came from, nor did he know where he belonged.

Trying not to think about it made things easier, but the more he dwelled, the sadder he became. Yu Antong hugged his knees, looking sullen.

Seeing the usually spirited and lively Yu Antong in such a rare low mood made Xing Lixuan feel inexplicably restless.

Xing Lixuan said, "Why didn’t you tell me? My team of lawyers could help you."

Even if he felt nothing for Yu Antong, legally speaking, Yu Antong was his partner. He wouldn't stand by and watch him get bullied.

"Weren’t we fighting? Why would I ask for your help?"

Yu Antong's spirits dipped only momentarily before bouncing back.

Granted another lease on life with a healthy body, regardless of how much time he had, he was determined to live it fully and joyfully, not wasting time wallowing in self-pity.

Seeing Yu Antong's swift mood shift, Xing Lixuan heaved a sigh of relief, hoping not to be on the receiving end of another of his tantrums.

For some reason, in that moment, Xing Lixuan thought of his uncle who was famously whipped by his wife.

Xing Lixuan couldn't resist ruffling Yu Antong's hair, saying, "Come to me if you need anything in the future."

Yu Antong shifted a bit, snuggling into Xing Lixuan's embrace.

This man... not too bad after all.

No longer sleepy, Yu Antong began scrolling through Weibo on his phone.

"Hey! The person you employed is unreliable, Xing Lixuan. It's still trending."

Moreover, just as he had hoped, the tide was turning.

Righteous Young Man v//Handsome Appreciator v: This wasn’t staged. According to a source close to a rich second-generation, the middle-aged man in the video is the head of the Yu Corporation. Some might not recognize "Yu Corporation," but if I mention "Baifangzhai," you'd know. It's the Yu family. Based on the original video, we can infer that the young man is the boss's nephew.

"Whoa! A plot twist."

"I always felt that the young man in the video had the air of wealth. I didn't dare say anything for fear of backlash. But, there you go."

"Stop playing hindsight hero. Weren't they supposed to be mistreated? But now with the twist, they suddenly appear noble and distinguished."

"I googled the CEO of Yu Group and it's really the same person【Picture】"

"Bai Fang Zhai, face the music!"

"Bai Fang Zhai, I know you're there, stop playing dead. Time to pay up!"

"Shameless boss, Yu Qingnian, pay my boyfriend back!"

"Watch your words, commentator. He's my husband. He said he would get the money back, and he's given his bank card to me!"

"All of you are just after the young man's money! You're all despicable. But I’m different; I desire him."

"All of you step back; both the young man's money and person are mine!"

...

Qi Jingyao, putting personal gain over friendship, betrayed Xin Lixuan, pushing Yu Antong back into the limelight.

Yu Antong poked Xin Lixuan, proudly saying, "See? I don't need you. I can get the money back on my own merits. It’s much more satisfying to slap their faces directly than to withdraw from trending topics. Whoever dares to bully me will get a slap!"

Seeing Yu Antong's defiant, proud expression, Xin Lixuan smiled. Perhaps Yu Antong’s way is the best. Maybe he allowed his subconscious prejudice against Yu Antong to cloud his judgment initially and shouldn’t have judged him hastily.

He pinched the chin of the proud peacock and laughed, saying, "You're the best. No one can bully you."

The tone held a gentleness he himself might not have noticed.

Yu Antong then called his lawyer, pressuring Yu Qingnian amidst the public opinion, before contentedly heading to bed.

Yu Antong slept soundly, but someone else was sleepless.

Yu Qingnian received a call from his secretary and rushed out of bed to call an emergency meeting.

"Suppress it! Suppress it immediately!" Yu Qingnian banged the table in frustration.

The head of the PR department looked troubled, saying, "The issue escalated too quickly. It's too late to suppress it now..."

The incident blew up during peak online traffic in the evening, right after their company had closed. By the time Bai Fang Zhai's official account noticed the numerous comments from netizens, it was too late.

"If we can't suppress it, find another solution!" Yu Qingnian pointed angrily at the staff, saying, "The company doesn't pay you to slack off!"

The head of the PR department, a respected senior in the company, felt humiliated being berated in such a manner.

At the end of the day, this was a personal issue of Yu Qingnian. The employees were not responsible for it, and now they had to clean up his mess. Resentment brewed among them.

Still, the situation had to be resolved quickly to protect the company's reputation and profits.

The PR head suggested, "Mr. Yu, it's crucial that you transfer the inheritance to young master Yu as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the company’s reputation."

"You!" Yu Qingnian, veins bulging in rage, turned to the company's legal team and yelled, "What did you promise me? You said there was a solution! Speak up!"

Every member of the legal team kept their heads down, remaining silent as if they had turned mute.

Anyone who resorts to petty tricks during these turbulent times risks the end of their career if exposed.

Yu Qingnian looked around the silent boardroom, sinking heavily into his chair. It felt like they were all pressing him for money. "Out! All of you, out now!"

Handing over the inheritance? Easier said than done. Where would he get such an amount right now?

Recently, a friend introduced him to a highly profitable project. Tempted, he'd invested nearly all his liquid assets, waiting for a big return and a chance to venture into the real estate business.

baimengshu.com

His initial intention to marry Yu Antong into the Xing family was to exchange him for benefits. He never expected Yu Antong to play such a deep game.

Playing dumb all these years, and now with backing, he sheds the disguise and bites back hard.

Arriving home, Yu Qingnian encountered his meticulously dressed wife, Liu Qian, preparing to go out for a game of mahjong. Angrily, he asked, "Where do you think you're going?"

"What else? To play mahjong." Liu Qian, surprised by his early return, inquired, "Why are you back at this hour?"

"All you do is squander! Do you have any idea how hard I work to earn money?" He vented all his frustration on her. "We're about to be penniless, even lose our house!"

Liu Qian, in shock, responded, "How... how is that possible?"

"Stop standing there and start packing. We need to move."

"Was it that bastard Yu Antong?!" Liu Qian exclaimed, her face contorting with rage. "The ungrateful wretch! He's forgotten who raised him! How dare he claim our house! I'll confront him!"

Yu Qingnian grabbed her, "Stay here! His online antics are public knowledge. If we don’t pay him, our family's reputation is ruined."

"But that's over 60 million!"

Liu Qian slumped onto the sofa.

Plus the value of several villas, the total was almost a billion. The mere thought of parting with such an amount felt more painful than tearing her own flesh.

After liquidating multiple properties he had acquired over the years, Yu Qingnian finally managed to gather the 60 million, and together with the villas left for Yu Antong by their father, he returned it all.

"Yu Antong, remember this!" Yu Qingnian glared menacingly.

Yu Antong, rubbing his temple with feigned distress, said, "Oh, it's tough. I have so much to learn every day at school. I don’t have the capacity to remember every random person or issue."

"You'll pay for this!" Yu Qingnian seethed.

With a nonchalant tone, Yu Antong responded, "As you age, you shouldn't get angry so easily. It's bad for your health. It would be unfortunate if you had a stroke from your rage and couldn't even walk."

After that comment, Yu Antong left in high spirits, leaving Yu Qingnian so furious he almost needed hospitalization.

With the afternoon free and a significant inheritance in hand, Yu Antong merrily strolled through the streets, examining the decor of several stores, contemplating the design of his future shop.

Checking the time, Yu Antong called Xing Lixuan: "Hey? Honey, are you off work?"

Xing Lixuan closed the document in his hand, "Yes, what's up?"

Yu Antong: "Accompany me to pick up my younger sister. She's about to be off from school for the weekend. You're aware of the recent mess in my family; she doesn’t have a suitable place to stay right now, so I’m thinking of letting her stay at our place for a couple of days."

Yu Annan is in her final year of high school this year. She stays on campus and, given the intense curriculum, the school only allows students a break once every two weeks.

Now that he's completely severed ties with Yu Qingnian, it's natural that he wouldn’t let Yu Annan go back to that house. Although Yu Qingnian and his family have moved out and returned the house, it’s still in disarray, and it's not safe for a young girl like Yu Annan.

Xing Lixuan isn’t accustomed to letting strangers into his territory. He frowned, "Just this once."

"Just for two days." Yu Antong wouldn’t be pleased with a longer stay either. How could he enjoy his freedom with a child around at home?

Outside the school gate, Yu Antong stood amidst a crowd of waiting parents, expecting Yu Annan's dismissal.

Since the school prohibits students from carrying mobile phones, Yu Antong had informed Yu Annan's class teacher in advance that he would be picking her up.

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, students burst out of the school buildings, reminiscent of birds being freed from a cage.

Amidst the many students dressed in identical uniforms, Yu Antong instantly recognized a short-haired girl resembling him. Intuition told him this was his sister.

As expected, that short-haired girl headed straight towards him upon spotting him.

This was Yu Antong's first encounter with his sister. Perhaps it was the bond of blood, but he felt an inexplicable closeness to this girl, who should have been a stranger to him.

Having lived two lifetimes, he finally had a true blood-relative.

Yu Annan’s eyes lit up when she saw Yu Antong, and she quickened her pace. But as she neared him, she slowed down again.

Her great-uncle tried to marry her brother off to the Xing family for her sake. She didn’t want her brother to compromise for her. She protested, but in the end, her brother agreed for her well-being.

On the wedding day, she locked herself in her room, missing her brother’s ceremony, unsure if he held a grudge against her.

With a tight-lipped expression, Yu Annan approached Yu Antong, hesitantly uttering, "Brother."

Yu Antong took her school bag, "Who upset the little beauty? Should I teach them a lesson?"

Tears welled up in Yu Annan’s eyes as she clung to her brother's hand, murmuring, "No one, nobody bullied me."

Xing Lixuan, standing by, opened the car door for them, "Get in."

As Yu Antong tried to lead her into the car, the girl hesitated. Looking back, he saw her glaring at Xing Lixuan with evident hostility.

Yu Antong glanced at Xing Lixuan, smirked mischievously, and whispered to Yu Annan, "That's your sister-in-law."

Xing Lixuan clearly heard and shot him a warning glance.

Once inside, the siblings sat in the backseat. In a low voice, Yu Annan asked her brother, "Bro, does he treat you well? I hope he hasn’t been unkind to you."

The man seemed stern and intimidating. If he were to bully her soft-hearted brother, he surely wouldn’t resist.

Yu Antong, keeping a straight face, replied, "He's deeply in love with me, can't stand a moment apart. How could he possibly mistreat me? See, even when I came to pick you up, he insisted on coming along."

Xing Lixuan's grip on the steering wheel tightened, a vein pulsating prominently on his forehead.

What is this guy babbling about?

Yu An'nan warily eyed Xing Lixuan's retreating figure, then turned to her brother, "Is that true? I don't believe it."

Ugh, this pesky kid, always hard to fool.

Yu Antong patted the back of the driver's seat, saying to Xing Lixuan, "She doesn't believe it. Tell her yourself, can you live without me?"

Click to download the best book reading app, many readers use it for audio playback!