Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Without a doubt, Su Shengli was the most talked-about freshman in this year's Mingcheng Film Academy.

During the summer vacation, he had already dominated hot searches due to his bizarre and dramatic family background. After several public opinion swings, Su Shengli was unanimously hailed by netizens as the luckiest "lucky charm" of the year, with buzz rivaling that of any second-tier actor in the country.

Not to mention, when Director Zhang's new film recently began production, Su Shengli—handpicked for the third male lead role—was personally mentored by Director Zhang, surrounded by A-list and B-list stars fawning over him.

Even before officially entering the entertainment industry, his clout and standing were already approaching the top.

In return, the Su Group had seen significant gains during this period.

However, the flip side was that their fates were now intertwined—prospering or declining as one.

Yet, contrary to public perception, Su Shengli had not been doing well lately.

The reason was simple: after the Su family patriarch returned and harshly reprimanded him—the imposter heir who had driven away his own grandson—the old man unexpectedly stayed.

Not only did the patriarch not return to his own mansion, but he even moved into the villa where Su Shengli and his family lived, bringing along his personal butler.

Thus, Su Shengli—who had originally planned not to live on campus after funding two campus buildings for the school—voluntarily moved into the dormitory to avoid the patriarch.

Unfortunately for him, despite deliberately choosing to arrive at night, he was still recognized and mobbed at the school gates.

Suppressing his irritation, Su Shengli maintained his usual polished, camera-ready smile, speaking gently and patiently to the surrounding students.

"No, Director Zhang is too kind. The reason I trended again wasn’t because of me, but because Director Zhang himself is highly influential and draws massive attention."

"I think everyone is outstanding. I’m just luckier."

"The phrase 'raw talent' should go to the child stars in my cohort. They’re the ones exceptional in both acting and looks—I still have a lot to learn."

Those gathered to watch the spectacle found Su Shengli’s humility and courtesy truly deserving of his reputation—no wonder the wealthy Su family refused to let him go.

Some immediately began sucking up to him.

"Don’t be modest, Young Master Su. Among our freshman class, you’re clearly the most prominent. Those child stars just debuted earlier—they can’t compare to your refined and handsome charm."

"That’s right! And you’re so approachable. We never expected someone of your status to live in the dorms like us. We thought you’d have your own place off-campus."

Camera flashes intermittently lit up the bushes near the school gate. Surrounded by admirers, Su Shengli’s smile remained bright and radiant.

Though he appeared endlessly patient, he was already seething inside. Had his driver been even a second later, he might have blown his top on the spot.

Finally free from the crowd at the gate, Su Shengli’s expression turned icy the moment he stepped onto campus.

He instructed the driver who had come to help him settle into the dorm:

"I’ll take a walk around campus. Message me when the dorm is ready."

The driver nodded, and Su Shengli strode off toward the school pond without looking back.

His phone buzzed incessantly in his pocket. Finding a secluded spot, he answered the call.

"Rushing me like I’m rushing to my grave? Didn’t I say I’m busy lately? Stop contacting me. That old bastard has been watching my every move—he even posts people outside the bathroom to stake me out. That bastard will pay for this sooner or later."

The middle-aged man on the other end paused before replying, still sounding urgent.

"I wouldn’t bother you if I didn’t have to. But if you don’t send the money, how am I supposed to tie up loose ends? The driver has agreed to take the fall—we just need to pay his family. If you keep delaying, complications might arise."

Liao Anyang’s demand for money only deepened Su Shengli’s irritation. His irritation spiked.

His complaints spilled out: "Can’t you front the money yourself? That old fossil’s been suffocating me—how am I supposed to move money around now?"

Liao Anyang hemmed and hawed, "Your dear uncle doesn’t have a cent to his name. I lost everything at the casino. If you hadn’t bailed me out last time, I’d have been chopped to pieces."

His tone turned sycophantic. "Shengli, I’m your only family left. I’m doing this for you—you can’t abandon me now."

"Useless." Su Shengli’s brows furrowed sharply.

He chewed out Liao Anyang without restraint: "I’ve never met anyone as pathetic as you. Last summer, the car was supposed to hit Gu Yubai—yet he walked away without a scratch. What good is his adoptive father being in a vegetative state? I wanted Gu Yubai dead."

"This time too—such a perfect opportunity to take him out on the highway, and yet he still got away. Now even his adoptive father’s whereabouts are unknown, leaving us with no leverage over Gu Yubai."

"And you still have the nerve to ask me for money? The only thing I’m grateful for is that Gu Yubai has no evidence—otherwise, you’d already be locked up."

Su Shengli let out a cold laugh.

His eyes darkened as Liao Anyang stammered incoherently on the other end.

"I—I didn’t mean for it to go like this. Who knew the kid had nine lives? At least he doesn’t know his identity was stolen by his younger brother—otherwise, there’d be no place for you in the Su family."

"That old man plays favorites... Maybe your uncle can help you—"

Before he could finish, Su Shengli cut him off.

"If you can’t even handle Gu Yubai outside, what makes you think you can get close to that old bastard in the Su family? This isn’t like over a decade ago. Remember, you’re wanted for murder—the moment you show your face, you’ll be arrested."

"Where are you hiding these days? Don’t you dare come out recklessly."

Liao Anyang’s tone turned pleading. "But the money I need..."

Su Shengli fell silent for a few moments before speaking slowly.

"Wait a little longer. Once that old man stops watching me, I’ll have someone sell a few of my less noticeable properties and cars. You’re my only uncle—did you really think I’d let you rot in jail?"

Liao Anyang nodded repeatedly, deeply moved.

"Once things calm down, I’ll help you again in secret. I swear—if I fail this time, I’ll hire professionals! That brat’s luck can’t possibly hold forever."

A mocking smile curled Su Shengli’s lips.

"You think there’ll be a next time? Do you really believe Gu Yubai will just stand there waiting to be killed? No more chances. Next time you act, contact me first. If you can’t handle it, give me their contacts—I’ll do it myself."

His eyes darkened further.

"Don’t show your face now. I suspect that old man already has doubts about me."

After hanging up, Su Shengli remained standing in place.

Suddenly, he turned his gaze eastward, malice practically dripping from his gaze.

Even if he couldn’t act recklessly now, that didn’t mean he couldn’t manipulate others.

As for that Gu Yihong... Su Shengli refused to believe he wasn’t coveting the Su family’s wealth. If he truly didn’t care, why would he have impersonated his way into the family? Cutting ties now was just a ploy to drive up his price, or biding his time.

At 2 a.m., a piece of news related to Su Shengli quietly climbed to the top trending spots.

-----

Late-night netizens were already accustomed to seeing trending topics related to Su Shengli.

"What’s so interesting about this ridiculous trending topic? A college student starting school—why is this even trending?"

"You wouldn’t care if it were just an ordinary college student, but if it’s about Su Shengli, the fake young master of the Su family, doesn’t that make it a bit more intriguing?"

"It really is him! A month ago, I saw him trending every day and had a sudden idea to buy stocks in Su Group. Sure enough, they rose nicely. Where there’s hype, there’s money to be made."

"Genius move, original poster. I did the opposite—I sold my stocks in Director Zhang’s film company!"

At the same time, a photo suddenly appeared in a corner of the trending list.

In the photo, under the amber glow of streetlights, a handsome, fair-skinned young man stood beside a low-key black car, looking down at someone inside. Their hands were clasped together, as if reluctant to let go.

The photo seemed ordinary at first glance, but the sickeningly sweet romance vibe was practically dripping off the screen.

Someone commented below:

"Judging by the location, this seems to be near Mingcheng Film Academy? Is this guy also an aspiring star this year? He’s quite good-looking."

"He is, but why does the man in the car look so familiar?"

"Have we seen him somewhere before? Speaking of which, hasn’t the true young master of the Su family also started school?"

"No freaking way, look what I found out! The Su family’s fake young master is a freshman at Mingcheng Film Academy, while the true young master is a law freshman at Mingcheng University! And the best part? These two schools are really close to each other!"

"You're kidding! Does this mean we’re in for another soap opera?"

Late at night, the previously low-key hashtag exploded after this comment.

By 7 a.m., the photo of the two holding hands across the car door under the streetlights had already surpassed the trending topic about Su Shengli moving into his dorm.

In a shabby tenement district in Mingcheng, Zhou Jiarou sat with disheveled hair and a dazed expression.

A dozen menacing thugs armed with wooden clubs had completely blocked off the entire rental unit.

The leader sat in a chair, eyes narrowed, while a thug beside him suddenly slammed his club against the window next to Zhou Jiarou.

The woman, with deep shadows under her eyes, flinched in fright. She slowly raised her head, her face haggard and filled with bitterness and rage.

Zhou Jiarou abruptly stood up from her stool.

She sobbed, "I’ve already sold the house to pay off the debt! I’ve moved to this place—there’s nothing left in my home to help repay his gambling debts! Please, just let me go. That man is already in prison—why are you still coming after me? It’s not my debt!"

The man in front of her glanced at his phone, his tone indifferent.

"But you’re his wife, and you were the guarantor. Who else would we go after?"

Zhou Jiarou nearly buckled under the weight of despair.

"But if you keep blocking me like this, how can I even work to earn money to pay you back?"

The man sneered. "The pittance you make from odd jobs every month isn’t even enough to cover the interest."

Zhou Jiarou’s voice trembled. "Then what do you want?"

The man’s eyes flickered. He glanced at his phone again, a mocking smile curling at his lips.

"I heard… your biological son is the most favored adopted son of the wealthy Su family…"

Zhou Jiarou’s jaw clenched shut. Her gaze flickered, her face twisting with a mix of resentment and hatred.

She remembered the last time she had begged Su Shengli for help after her husband was arrested for gambling again.

Her supposed birth son had looked at her with utter disdain.

"What does that have to do with me? You don’t actually think I’m your son, do you? If you know what’s good for you, get lost already!"

The memory of that contemptuous rejection made her expression twist further.

"If he were any use, would I still be backed into a corner like this by you people?"

The man’s tone remained flat. "But everyone knows he’s your biological son."

Finally, Zhou Jiarou understood the implication behind his words. Her head jerked up, shock flashing across her face.

From the moment these men had trapped her, every action they’d taken slowly pieced together in her mind.

Her fingers trembled slightly, her expression a kaleidoscope of shock, confusion, hatred, and distortion.

When she spoke again, her voice was soft—like a venom-dripping mother.

She hissed, "You’re right. That fake young master of the Su family… is my biological son."

*My precious son, when you looked down on me, did you ever imagine I’d be your ‘real’ mother?*

*And these people… you're the one who brought them here.*

Thinking of the indignities she’d suffered, Zhou Jiarou’s face contorted with venomous resentment.

---

College life began as peacefully for Gu Yubai as it did in his previous life.

This time, Gu Yubai had chosen the chemistry program, which required wrestling with numerous complex and rigorous subjects.

Even though he was this year’s top science student at Mingcheng, he had to face facts—it had been nearly a decade since he last touched a high school textbook in his past life, plus the three months after his rebirth.

Gu Yubai: "..."

He had no choice but to dive headfirst into the mysteries of chemistry.

As a result, he had been quite swamped for several days in a row. Even when Yu Li came to visit, they could only squeeze in half-hour strolls near the campus.

A week later, Gu Yubai learned that Yu Li had bought an apartment near Mingcheng University specifically just to be nearby after work.

Of course, under Gu Yubai’s grilling, Yu Li grinned, rubbing his cheek.

He said, "All I wanted was to be closer to you."

Gu Yubai: "But what about when I go home on weekends?"

Yu Li blinked. "Then I’ll go back too."

At one point, Gu Yihong managed to make time for a meal with Gu Yubai during his busy schedule, only to unexpectedly bump into Yu Li—who had knocked off early to have dinner with Gu Yubai—at the school’s campus dining hall #2.

Gu Yihong’s brow arched. "Brother Yu, how is it your job seems so light?"

Yu Li countered with a smile. "Nothing compared to your class schedule, at least."

Gu Yihong: "......" Something feels weird.

On Friday, there’s only one class at 3:30 p.m. Yu Li, who knows Gu Yubai’s schedule, had arranged to pick him up after finishing work around 10 a.m. to take him out.

Gu Yubai shook his head, with a hint of hesitation.

"I have something to do in the morning. It won’t finish until around noon."

Yu Li asked curiously, "What is it?"

Gu Yubai explained that he and a few classmates had started a studio. Yu Li pondered for a moment.

"How far along is it? Do you need help? With marketing, PR, or technical issues?"

Gu Yubai declined Yu Li’s offer.

"We don't need outside help. My seniors are all skilled in game development—they just lack systematic organization. As for promotion, we can handle it ourselves."

The success of a project requires comprehensive planning.

Though Gu Yubai isn’t a game developer, he is undoubtedly the soul of this project.

Every year, thousands of projects are completed by universities and companies, yet only a dozen or so make any real impact. Even fewer achieve notable success. The odds of a university project standing out are one in ten thousand.

Gu Yubai hadn’t mentioned it publicly, but Yu Li understood the nature of such campus ventures.

It was likely a collaboration between high-achieving students with innovative ideas.

For these inexperienced youngsters, even conceptualizing a project is challenging, let alone securing funding, time, direction, teamwork, and later-stage promotion—all crucial steps.

Before Gu Yubai joined, his seniors probably already had a concept in mind. So why hadn’t they executed it? Not for lack of desire, but because unexpected roadblocks could easily derail their efforts.

Gu Yubai’s ability to bring them together, assign tasks, and guide discussions showed the essential skills of a project manager.

Given how seriously Gu Yubai took this studio, he clearly had confidence in the project.

Yu Li thought for a moment.

Perhaps... this studio had existed in their past lives too.

He smiled at Gu Yubai without pressing further, speaking earnestly.

"If you need investment or help later, just let me know."

Gu Yubai nodded and grinned.

"I’m no fool. If there’s a shortcut, I won’t break my head against a wall. Besides, who’d target an ordinary student like me?"

His smile held deeper meaning.

Yu Li flicked Gu Yubai’s forehead. "Don’t talk nonsense. I’ll keep an eye out for you."

Neither of them took Su Shengli seriously.

Gu Yubai based this on his past assessment of Su Shengli’s intellect, while Yu Li trusted his own capabilities.

After a moment, Gu Yubai pulled out an unlabeled white plastic container from his pocket—something he’d apparently made himself.

Yu Li took it, unscrewed the cap, and sniffed. A rich fragrance filled his nose.

His eyes lit up. "Did you make this perfume yourself?"

Gu Yubai nodded cheerfully. "Yep. Last time the professor took us to the lab, I whipped this up. Smells decent, right? Use it in your car to get rid of that office smell."

Yu Li chuckled, dipped his finger in the perfume, and—before Gu Yubai could stop him—dabbed it on his nose.

Gu Yubai’s eyes widened in alarm. "Wait! It hasn’t been tested yet—who knows if it’s toxic?"

He couldn’t help laughing at his own words.

Yu Li stood straight, applying the homemade perfume to his neck, tilting his head to expose his smooth, slender neck.

"Even if it’s poison, I’d savor it."

---

The next day, Yu Li arrived on time to pick up Gu Yubai.

Coincidentally, Gu Yubai had just come out of the university’s entrepreneurship center. He smiled when he saw Yu Li.

Unlike his usual attire—either dress shirts and slacks or T-shirts and casual pants—Yu Li was dressed remarkably stylish today.

A white off-shoulder top paired with ripped jeans adorned with gold chains.

Yu Li’s style was getting bolder.

If his previous outfits screamed "corporate elite" or "casual youth," today’s look was full-on "sexy boy"—super stylish and youthful.

Gu Yubai’s gaze lingered on Yu Li’s toned, pale arms. Unable to resist, he reached out and touched the muscle on Yu Li’s shoulder.

He said enviously, "I wish I could be as strong as you someday."

Yu Li squeezed Gu Yubai’s slim arm, pausing thoughtfully.

"You're pretty slim. Since you’re free after class sometimes, and dorm inspections aren’t until 10:30 p.m., why not... come work out at my place?"

As he spoke, he pulled out an elevator card and a door key from his pocket.

"Dear boyfriend, congratulations on unlocking a surprise gift in this relationship game."

Before Gu Yubai could respond, Yu Li slipped the key into his pocket.

Gu Yubai sighed, studying Yu Li before breaking into another laugh.

"Could you be any more obvious?"

Yu Li slung an arm around Gu Yubai’s shoulders as they walked. His tone was playful and surprisingly childish—hard to believe this was the same man heading China operations for a multinational.

"I’ve got no ulterior motives. I just want to stay close to my boyfriend."

Yu Li’s new apartment wasn’t far from Mingcheng University. With plenty of time, they walked instead of driving.

Just outside the university gates, before they reached Mingcheng Film Academy, a familiar shriek made them pause.

Gu Yubai looked puzzled, glancing at Yu Li.

"For some reason, that woman’s hysterical voice sounds familiar."

Yu Li listened for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "You're right, it does."

Their gazes met, and they simultaneously recalled the family recognition dinner during summer vacation that had utterly embarrassed the Su family.

"Zhou... Jiarou!"

"Su Shengli's so-called real mother!"

They spoke almost in unison, referring to the same person.

No sooner had they guessed her identity than the woman's piercing cries became distinctly audible from nearby.

"Su Shengli! I am your birth mother! You can't ignore me just because I'm poor! How can you betray the twenty years I spent searching for you? How could you disregard the pain I endured giving birth to you in that delivery room!"

"Shengli, I know Mom's life isn't as comfortable as the Su family's, but I love you just the same. You can't abandon your mother for the Su family's money and position!"

It was indeed Zhou Jiarou.

Gu Yubai's mouth twitched, wondering what kind of scene she was making now.