Chapter 27

Chapter 27

To Gu Yubai, apart from the deceased Old Master Su, there wasn't a single decent soul in the Su family.

He had endured the most grueling years of his life there in his previous existence. It was only after the Su couple perished in a plane crash, Su Shengli drowned, and the Su family was left with only the crippled Su Linyuan, that Gu Yubai's life finally took a turn for the better.

Having been tormented for two years directly under Su Wanlin's watchful eye, Gu Yubai understood Su Wanlin's cold and ruthless nature better than anyone.

Thus, the Su family's decision to push out Su Shengli, the fake young master they had always cherished, came as no surprise to Gu Yubai.

In fact, he had already anticipated Su Wanlin's current actions back at the recognition banquet, when he witnessed Su Wanlin calmly and kindly reassuring Su Shengli, who had been startled by Zhou Jiarou's impromptu public acknowledgment.

The reason was simple:

Su Shengli's controversial appeal was potent enough to salvage the tarnished reputations of the Su family and Su Group, bringing them back to an acceptable standing.

Yet, none of this was genuinely for Su Shengli's sake.

The moment Su Wanlin thrust Su Shengli into the public eye, Gu Yubai knew that Su Shengli's role in Su Wanlin's heart had fundamentally shifted. Su Shengli, once the beloved youngest son who epitomized the Su family's warm and harmonious atmosphere, cherished by parents and elder brother alike, had officially become a mere tool for Su Wanlin's exploitation.

Never underestimate Su Wanlin's cold ruthlessness; this man was driven solely by self-interest.

In his previous life, when Su Linyuan became crippled, Su Wanlin unhesitatingly abandoned the heir he had groomed for nearly thirty years. He even forbade the "useless" Su Shengli from having any involvement with Su Group, going so far as to arrange for the death of the once-adored Su Shengli.

He compelled Gu Yubai to become the new heir, meticulously teaching him business acumen under his direct supervision—not out of affection, but simply because Gu Yubai was the most suitable candidate at that particular moment.

In Su Wanlin's mind, the interests of Su Group always superseded everything else.

And now, with time rewound and Su Group suddenly facing a public relations crisis, Su Shengli had become a convenient instrument.

When it came to tools, Su Wanlin was always cold and merciless, extracting every last bit of utility from them.

To be honest, Gu Yubai felt a pang of pity for Su Shengli.

Su Shengli's previous life had been like a dazzling firework exploding in the night sky—magnificent but fleeting. But in this life, he wouldn't even get the chance to shine. Gu Yubai had propelled him into Su Wanlin's path, and Su Wanlin, in turn, was treating him as a mere instrument.

In the face of Su Group's interests, Su Shengli, just like Gu Yubai in his past life, became the one to be sacrificed.

The video of Su Linyuan taking Su Shengli to the car dealership, which quickly went viral, owed its rapid spread entirely to Su Wanlin's behind-the-scenes machinations.

Su Wanlin had mobilized a vast army of online trolls, not only to implant the idea that "the fake young master Su Shengli has utterly eclipsed the true bloodline young master, monopolizing the Su family's affection" into everyone's minds, but also to diminish the presence of Su Group and the true young master Gu Yihong.

After all, prior to this, both Su Group's earlier announcement and Su Wanlin's decision to hire an actor to impersonate the true young master for the recognition banquet—all to save face—had already provoked widespread public resentment, while simultaneously garnering more sympathy for the "victim," Gu Yihong.

Yet, throughout these events, the other protagonist, the fake young master, had remained conspicuously absent from the public eye.

Now, Su Wanlin's strategy was to push the highly controversial Su Shengli into the public spotlight, inviting people to comment, judge, envy, resent, and ultimately distort their perceptions.

------

Beyond the widely publicized news of Su Linyuan personally accompanying the favored fake young master Su Shengli to buy a car, the Su family also released two additional videos.

Based on their distinct themes, Gu Yubai categorized them into two types.

Theme One: The Su Family Sincerely Apologizes for Deceiving Netizens by Hiring an Actor to Impersonate the True Young Master.

Featured Actor: Su Wanlin.

An apology was imperative; when you're caught red-handed, you must face the music.

Su Wanlin displayed considerable sincerity, immediately bowing deeply to apologize to the vast online community for hiring an actor to portray Gu Yihong. He then explained that he had initially considered this a private family matter, never anticipating such widespread public attention and subsequent misunderstanding.

His appearance was refined yet stern, reminiscent of a strict high school dean.

Perhaps the recent events had truly taken their toll, as Su Wanlin exuded an air of exhaustion. He took full responsibility, his eyes in the video filled with remorse, as if he had genuinely undergone profound self-reflection.

"My sincerest apologies to everyone. This is entirely my fault. When I first instructed the butler to bring Gu Yihong home, I failed to properly manage his relationship with the family. As a result, our family's tranquility was shattered, and Gu Yihong, in his anger, never returned. Later, in a moment of poor judgment, I succumbed to the allure of online traffic and had the company issue that announcement."

At this point, Su Wanlin's voice in the video faltered, and viewers could almost discern a faint catch in his throat.

Yet, the dignified and serious middle-aged man maintained his composure, speaking at a measured pace.

"Gu Yihong's anger is entirely justified. Everyone in this family is a businessman; we cannot provide the emotional closeness he desires. Therefore, if he chooses not to return, we respect his decision. We only hope that Gu Yihong can privately accept our apologies."

"Furthermore, even though our child Su Shengli has also faced online criticism, we will never abandon him as some might expect. Just as Gu Yihong is our child by blood, Su Shengli, despite lacking a blood connection, is equally a part of our Su family."

This man, seemingly cold and critical towards his estranged biological son Gu Yihong, displayed such profound affection for his adopted fake young master Su Shengli, whom he had raised himself!

Netizens were filled with envy.

Some immediately took to the comments to defend him.

[I don't know what you all are thinking, but if I were the fake young master Su Shengli, I'd feel incredibly touched. His adoptive parents love him so much that they'd rather give up their biological son than let the fake young master leave home.]

[Honestly, from Su Wanlin's perspective as a businessman, wanting to leverage the public discourse surrounding the Su family's true and fake young masters for traffic isn't really a problem... Though it's certainly unfair to the true young master, isn't he reflecting now? That's already incredibly responsible. Have you ever seen a powerful and influential CEO apologize for online comments?]

[Now the true young master has gained the freedom he desired and doesn't have to return to the Su family to acknowledge his roots. And the fake young master has received the genuine affection of his adoptive parents. Aside from us nosy onlookers being dissatisfied, is there a loser here? No!]

The media's narrative quickly shifted.

Especially since Su Group had also released a second video.

Theme Two: Moving the Audience with Familial Love—A Mother's Heartfelt Story.

Featured Actor: Su Shengli's biological mother, Zhou Jiarou.

Zhou Jiarou had already reached an agreement with the Su family. She was utterly professional, tearfully recounting her nearly two decades of longing for her eldest son, Su Shengli, who had been swapped at birth. She spoke of the panic and fear she and her husband felt upon discovering their child had been switched, worrying that their son might be suffering out in the world.

She offered a brief apology for abandoning Gu Yihong, the Su family's biological son, at an orphanage over a decade ago, then quickly moved past it.

She informed netizens that they had lived with guilt and sorrow ever since, only finding true peace when they later learned that the family who adopted Gu Yihong was better off than they were.

The main thrust, however, was her profound gratitude to the Su family for raising her son, Su Shengli, to be so outstanding, investing such immense effort, resources, and love. The bond between Su Shengli and the Su family, she emphasized, transcended mere blood ties.

Su Shengli was deeply reliant on and trusting of the Su family, and Zhou Jiarou couldn't bear to disrupt their harmonious household.

"I have grown accustomed to years of waiting in solitude, experiencing the bitter taste of loneliness and worry. How could I possibly drag another mother into such a deep abyss? Since the Su family isn't preventing me from acknowledging Shengli, both the Su family and I have taken a step back, which is ultimately better for the child."

Zhou Jiarou's weary yet gentle face, coupled with her persuasive, tearful narration, quickly garnered empathy from those watching.

This offered a fresh perspective on the drama of the true and fake young masters. Previously, netizens had viewed events solely from the perspectives of the true or fake young masters, filled with jealousy, sorrow, and pity. But now, seeing the whole situation from a mother's viewpoint, many were moved to tears.

[Everything has two sides. We can't just focus on how the true young master was neglected by the Su family or how the fake young master was spoiled and get indignant—there are reasons behind it all.]

[Mrs. Su painstakingly raised a child for nearly twenty years, only for someone to suddenly tell her he wasn't her biological son. Should she just withdraw all her love? Ms. Zhou sent her non-biological child to an orphanage and felt guilty for so many years while searching for her own son. Should her suffering be ignored?]

[Exactly! And let's not forget the true young master Gu Yihong's adoptive father, who hasn't even appeared. This isn't just a simple case of a child being swapped; it's a major upheaval involving three families. I think the current outcome is already perfect. Gu Yihong doesn't want to return to the Su family and continues to live with his adoptive father. The fake young master couldn't bear to leave his adoptive parents and stayed. As for Ms. Zhou, she has found her biological son, and they have acknowledged each other. This is the best ending!]

[...You're right, this is indeed the best outcome, good for everyone.]

Su Wanlin was a seasoned manipulator of human emotions. With a blend of logic and sentimentality, the Su family's two-pronged approach quickly salvaged their tarnished public image among most netizens.

Su Group, once at the epicenter of public opinion, and the controversial true young master Gu Yihong, quickly faded from view, while the fake young master Su Shengli soared to become the darling of the media.

Online discussions began to revolve around whether blood ties or the bonds cultivated through years of upbringing and companionship held greater importance.

Some cited the Su family as an example, arguing that the Su family had sided with emotional bonds, especially since the true young master himself was unwilling to return and claim his birthright.

The topic quickly exploded, diverting netizens' attention, who soon became engrossed in heated debates over new trending subjects.

However, one consensus emerged among everyone: the fake young master Su Shengli was unequivocally the luckiest child of the century.

Neither the Su family nor Su Shengli's biological mother had ever concealed their affection and concern for him.

Blessed by fate, it was still he—the fake young master—who remained in the Su family, enjoying wealth and privilege.

-------

"Bang!"

Late at night, a sudden loud crash echoed from the bathroom.

Butler Zhang, on his way to deliver sea cucumber porridge to Su Linyuan, who was burning the midnight oil in his study, heard the commotion from the second floor and hurried to knock on the door.

After a long moment, Su Shengli finally opened the door, his hair damp, his face glistening with moisture, and his clothes soaked.

Butler Zhang cast him a worried glance. "Young Master Shengli, should I call the family doctor for you?"

Su Shengli waved a dismissive hand, his gaze falling on the small bowl in Butler Zhang's hands.

"I'm fine, I just accidentally slipped in the bathroom. Are you taking that tonic to Big Brother?"

Su Shengli mused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Butler Zhang nodded, about to speak, when Su Shengli's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"You... you can give me the tonic. I happen to have something to discuss with Big Brother."

His face wore its usual gentle smile.

But the moment Butler Zhang turned to leave, the smile on Su Shengli's face abruptly vanished.

He recalled the online comments about himself, his expression twisting slightly.

What luck was this?!

If he were truly lucky, Gu Yubai would never have crossed paths with Old Master Su on his way home.

Old Master Su would never have doubted his parentage because of Gu Yubai's appearance. If there had been no doubt, the Su family would still be peaceful and harmonious, and he would still be happily living as their beloved second young master, instead of remaining in the Su family under a cloud of illegitimacy.

It was all Gu Yubai's fault!

Why hadn't he just died in that earlier car accident?!

A flicker of malevolence appeared in Su Shengli's eyes.