Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Had Gu Yubai known that his pressing questions tonight would uncover such a massive secret, he would have sewn his mouth shut—immediately!

Yu Li was the Patriarch of the Yu family?

How did he even have time to date him?!

He even spent half of every year with him in the country, handling domestic business affairs while keeping him company.

No matter how Gu Yubai thought about it, it seemed almost unbelievable.

The overseas Yu family was nothing like the Su Group back home in scale. The number of Yu family members dwarfed the Su family’s small numbers.

Over the past two years, even without actively seeking information, Gu Yubai had learned that the Yu family’s subsidiaries operated across nearly every continent, each one a dominant industry leader in its region.

Correspondingly, the Yu family’s extended branches were also spread worldwide, with a vast number of members. It was said that over a hundred people—those closely related to the main bloodline—were eligible to return to the headquarters and family compound each year.

If everyone came back, even a whole plaza wouldn’t be enough to hold them all.

Thus, the overseas Yu family’s rules were notoriously strict and traditional. The closer one was to the upper echelons of the main bloodline, the more rigorous the family regulations became, rivaling military discipline in strictness. Being the patriarch of such a vast and formidable family was no simple task.

And indeed, it wasn’t simple.

Whether it was taking back the wealth and power rightfully belonging to the main bloodline while still young, suppressing the numerous collateral branches until they gave in completely, or using his own abilities to make those ambitious figures yield power to him—each of these was a Herculean task.

Yet Yu Li had accomplished it all.

And he was only 29 this year. Two years ago, at just 27, he had already brought the entire Yu family under control.

He was the leader of the pack.

A figure this formidable, with such strategic brilliance—anyone else in his place wouldn’t have given up the stable power structure within the family for the sake of a boyfriend, much less challenged the dangers of greater instability.

But just now, Yu Li had nonchalantly proposed he wanted to reestablish the marriage ties between the Yu and Su families, as if it were nothing.

Gu Yubai’s face flushed instantly. If anyone else had said such things, he might have suspected empty promises meant to coax him. But coming from Yu Li, he knew it was sincere—Yu Li would rather give up the absolute authority of the Yu family than let go of him.

He couldn’t be this selfish.

He couldn’t ignore the immense resistance Yu Li would face from the Yu family if this news got out, all for his own sake.

Besides...

“I’m a grown-ass man. I don’t need to make such a big deal over a marriage certificate and invite trouble.”

Wasn’t being an adult all about weighing pros and cons?

If Gu Yubai were in Yu Li’s position, forget a mere boyfriend—even a devoted wife who had borne him children wouldn’t make him give up his firmly held power and wealth.

Compared to that, Yu Li’s love for him went much deeper.

Gu Yubai lowered his eyes, hiding the turbulent emotions within them.

Then, a hand suddenly rested on his head. Before he could react, Yu Li pulled him into an embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

Yu Li’s voice was soft, so soft that every word carried an unexpected tenderness.

“It’s not inviting trouble. I want to be with you forever. I want the whole world to know you’re mine, and I... am yours.”

“Besides, it’s just about heirs. If the Yu family betrays and overthrows me simply because I’m with you and lack a ‘legitimate’ successor, then I would deserve to fall.”

A deep chuckle rumbled in Yu Li’s throat. Gu Yubai, his cheek pressed against Yu Li’s chest, felt the vibrations.

Hearing words so sincere, his eyes suddenly welled up.

Yu Li leaned down, gently wiping away the dampness at the corners of his eyes, then added,

“Besides, isn’t this fair? You and I are together, and neither of us wants someone else interfering in our relationship. So not only will I have no heirs, neither will you in the future.”

“So... why should you pity me just because I’m the Yu Family Patriarch with more wealth and power?”

“Real love doesn’t involve weighing pros and cons like this. What I don’t have, you won’t have either. We stand equal. It has nothing to do with outsiders’ opinions—this is just between us.”

Yu Li shrugged, a relaxed smile on his face.

“As for who inherits the Yu family in the future? Such a valuable thing—I’m sure there’ll be takers.”

Though Yu Li smiled, his eyes held a chilling arrogance. The depth and sharpness in his gaze seemed to say: *If the Yu family is destined for turmoil, then whoever can’t rise above the storm doesn’t deserve to be the next patriarch.*

Gu Yubai couldn’t help but mutter, “...So *I’m* the temptation that brings down empires.”

Yu Li’s gaze returned to Gu Yubai’s face. He bent down, pressing a light kiss to his forehead.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ve got this. At most, they’ll give me a few headaches—it won’t affect you.”

The air around them seemed to crystallize into a net.

In that moment, Gu Yubai heard his own heart pounding violently, as if someone were sighing at him—*You’re a goner.*

Gu Yubai admitted it: after nearly two years together, he had finally, completely and utterly, been captured by Yu Li.

Like a beautiful butterfly crashing headfirst into a spider’s web, struggling was futile.

Fortunately, this beautiful butterfly was willing to be caught by the wily spider.

Gu Yubai murmured, “Since you’ve decided, then don’t regret it.”

Then, suddenly, he frowned and warily raised his head from Yu Li’s embrace.

“...You don’t have anything else you’re hiding from me, do you?”

Yu Li: “...Huh?”

*Me? Probably not?*

For a moment, Yu Li genuinely couldn’t think of anything else he’d kept from Gu Yubai—aside from his accidental concealment of his true identity, which he’d tried multiple times to reveal but never found the right opportunity.

He nodded firmly. “No, darling. From now on, I’ll always be an open book to you.”

Then, his eyes bored into Gu Yubai. “What about you?”

Gu Yubai: “...”

He sheepishly shoved Yu Li away. “I don’t either!”

---

That night, Gu Yubai didn’t sleep at all. He restlessly shifted in bed, unable to settle.

Meanwhile, Yu Li, who had spilled all his secrets on the couch nearby, slept like a log.

Gu Yubai felt inexplicably irritated.

Clearly, it was Yu Li who had been hiding secrets and was forced to confess, yet here he was, lying awake restless, while the culprit slept soundly with a clear conscience.

This wasn’t fair!

Gu Yubai frowned, feeling as though he’d forgotten something but unable to recall what it was.

In the darkness, he simply got up and stood over the sofa, staring at the soundly sleeping Yu Li.

A few minutes later, his brows knitted tightly.

Shit!

No wonder he felt like he’d forgotten something—it was the early death of the Yu Family Patriarch in his past life!

Before, he hadn’t known that Yu Li was that ill-fated main-line patriarch of the Yu Family, but now that he knew Yu Li’s true identity, Gu Yubai couldn’t help but recall how this man had ended up in his previous life.

This man had died under mysterious circumstances the year Gu Yubai was about to graduate from university!

If not for that, Gu Yubai, who had been forced by Su Wanlin to take over the Su Group, would never have wound up inheriting part of Yu Li’s private assets a few months later.

Soon after, the Yu Family’s collateral branches descended into infighting chaos and fragmentation.

Doing the math, there were only about two years left until Yu Li’s death date in his past life.

Gu Yubai sharply inhaled. He hadn’t even figured out the cause of his own death in his past life, and now Yu Li’s impending demise was looming over him?!

In a daze, Gu Yubai suddenly remembered the confusion he’d felt two years ago when he first met Yu Li.

Why was it that, despite Yu Li being so formidable, he’d heard nothing about him after inheriting the Su Group in his past life?

So that was it, so that was it!

The mysterious Yu Family Patriarch and this so-called collateral member of the Yu Family were one and the same person—that explained everything. This man had died two years earlier than him, so of course Gu Yubai wouldn’t have heard anything about him!

At this realization, Gu Yubai suddenly felt a gnawing anxiety.

Then, what exactly had caused Yu Li’s early death? In this life, he’d finally found a boyfriend he truly cared about, and the two of them might even get married in the future. How could Gu Yubai bear to watch Yu Li inexplicably vanish from his life?

Fuck!

No matter how hard he racked his brains, Gu Yubai couldn’t recall even a single word about the circumstances of Yu Li’s death.

Gu Yubai: "..."

He really didn’t want a boyfriend who was doomed to die young.

No way he was sleeping now—completely impossible.

With a dark stare, Gu Yubai watched the soundly slumbering Yu Li. After a long while, he suddenly felt like giving their little couple a team name—something like the "Wealthy Early Death Squad."

Orz!

Hah, when people are excessively depressed and upset, they sometimes suddenly become optimistic.

----

Just as Yu Li was half-awake, a question suddenly reached his ears.

"Under what circumstances would you leave your inheritance to a complete stranger you’ve never met?"

Gu Yubai’s presence was so familiar and comforting that Yu Li didn’t resist at all. Thinking he was still dreaming, he answered instinctively.

"I’d never leave my inheritance to an outsider. It's all mine. Unless I liked that person, only..."

Unless I liked that person...

These words hit like a thunderbolt in Gu Yubai’s ears, and he suddenly hit upon a possibility.

Perhaps, in his past life, Yu Li had also seen him without his knowledge.

That would explain why, despite having no connection in their previous lives, Gu Yubai had unexpectedly inherited part of Yu Li’s private assets after the Yu Family Patriarch’s death.

Even the lawyer handling the patriarch Yu’s estate had thoughtfully advised Gu Yubai to claim the inheritance quickly before the feuding Yu Family branches overseas could react.

In his past life, Gu Yubai had naturally known there was something off about it, but so what? It was clearly a stroke of luck that wouldn’t cost him anything. So, he had quietly taken the unexpected windfall.

But if, in that past life, this windfall had been based on Yu Li falling for him at first sight, then...

Just what kind of unlucky bastard was Yu Li?!

He’d only seen him once, fallen in love at first sight, and then died before getting a second chance.

Silence. Shock. Bewilderment. Sympathy.

Then again, looking at it from Yu Li’s perspective, he’d also died young too in his past life.

At least in this life, he’d cut all ties with the Su Family. So far, neither he nor his brother Gu Yihong had shown any issues in their twice-yearly checkups.

Gu Yubai felt that, in this life, he likely wasn't fated to die young.

As for Yu Li...

Yu Li was already frowning, his eyes still sleep-heavy. Just as he was about to open them, he heard the familiar voice beside him ask another question.

"Your medical reports are fine, right? You’re not going to just drop dead?"

Yu Li snapped fully awake instantly.

Then he saw his boyfriend, Gu Yubai, crouching beside him with dark circles but a weirdly alert expression.

Yu Li’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"You... didn’t sleep at all?"

Counting from the time they’d left the country, Gu Yubai had been up for at least twenty hours without closing his eyes.

His originally fair, porcelain complexion had grown even paler, as if an amateur unfamiliar with makeup had picked the wrong foundation and haphazardly smeared it on.

His soft pink lips had also faded from lack of sleep.

Most noticeably, the smooth, flawless skin under his eyes now bore faint shadows.

The slight dark circles shouldn’t have been so obvious, but Gu Yubai’s skin was so perfect that any wear from staying up all night was immediately visible on the surface.

Despite the obvious exhaustion, his eyes were unnaturally bright—so bright that the excitement in them was almost impossible to hide.

Not that he bothered hiding it, anyway.

Yu Li sighed in resignation, propping himself up, figuring Gu Yubai was still worked up over his confession last night.

He rubbed his temples, his tone gentle yet resigned.

"Tired?"

"Yeah."

Gu Yubai nodded. Squatting beside Yu Li's sofa, his small stature and attentive gaze made him look endearingly obedient.

Yu Li's heart instantly softened.

He’d always been a sucker for this—whenever Gu Yubai showed even the slightest hint of playful affection, Yu Li would give in completely.

Others had tried acting cute or spoiled in front of him before, but only Gu Yubai could make him capitulate without a second thought.

Perhaps, in this lifetime, he was truly fated to be hopelessly into Gu Yubai.

Strangely, the thought warmed his heart.

A smile tugged at Yu Li's lips as he stood from the sofa, stretching absentmindedly to shake off the tiredness.

Gu Yubai had been squatting for too long, watching Yu Li. When he tried to stand up along with Yu Li's movement, his legs gave out, sending him tumbling backward onto the soft rug beside the sofa.

It didn’t hurt, but it was embarrassing.

Might as well stay down.

Gu Yubai relaxed his shoulders, closed his eyes, and let sleepiness take over.

He parted his lips slightly, spreading his arms in playful defeat.

"Oops, baby took a tumble. What if I don’t want to get up?"

From above came Yu Li’s deep, velvety voice, laced with helpless amusement.

Yu Li indulged him without hesitation. "Then I suppose your dear husband will just have to carry you back to the bedroom."

*Dear husband...*

Gu Yubai’s face instantly flushed.

They’d never used pet names like that before—it was overwhelming!

The younger man on the floor shyly opened his eyes, lifting an arm to cover them in embarrassment.

The next second, Gu Yubai felt a shadow loom over him. Peeking from behind his arm, he saw Yu Li bending down, reaching out with strong arms to sweep him up from behind. With a firm grip around his waist, Yu Li effortlessly lifted him off the ground.

Instinctively, Gu Yubai wrapped his arms around Yu Li’s neck. Then, with a slight upward adjustment of Yu Li’s hold, his feet lifted clear off the ground, pulling him flush against Yu Li’s body.

They were suddenly much closer.

Yu Li murmured, "I’ll nap with you a bit longer. Last night, you were so upset I didn’t even risk going back to the room, much less sneak into your bed. Had I known you’d stay up all night, I would’ve just slept there with you."

"I hardly slept a wink on the sofa."

His tone carried a touch of whining, but it was mostly affectionate and familiar.

Gu Yubai rested his chin on Yu Li’s shoulder, letting Yu Li carry him back to the room.

Once seated on the edge of the bed, he tugged at Yu Li, who was about to toe off his shoes and join him for a nap.

"Wash up first, then sleep."

With that, he headed straight for the bathroom.

Though he hadn’t slept all night, a full day had passed. Sleeping now without brushing his teeth or washing his face would just feel gross.

Yu Li didn’t protest, following him to the sink.

One tall and broad, the other slim and graceful—despite the nine-year age gap, their reflections in the mirror looked perfect together.

After cleaning up, Gu Yubai sent Gu Yihong a message telling him not to come looking for them, then flumped onto the soft bed for a much-needed nap.

Yu Li lay beside him, feeling the bed shift before pulling Gu Yubai into his arms.

He buried his nose in Gu Yubai’s hair, inhaling his comforting familiar scent, and finally relaxed into steady breaths.

-------

Gu Yubai slept right through till afternoon.

When he opened his eyes, Yu Li was no longer beside him, but the window was open, letting in a cool breeze under the shade of lush greenery.

The nap had been incredibly refreshing, melting away the exhaustion of the sleepless night.

After a shower and a change of clothes, Gu Yubai stepped out of the room to find Yu Li sitting by the living room window, going over papers.

Yu Li had waited for him to wake up. At the sound of footsteps, he immediately looked up.

With a smile, he stood and walked over to Gu Yubai.

Yu Li: "Hungry? I made something for you in the kitchen—it’s still warm. Let me get it for you."

Gu Yubai hugged him briefly before nodding. Yu Li promptly headed to the kitchen.

Glancing around, Gu Yubai eventually took a seat where Yu Li had been sitting earlier.

On the coffee table in front of him was a stack of documents, likely the ones Yu Li had brought last night to explain himself—though they’d gone unused. Curious, Gu Yubai skimmed through them, then couldn’t help but tsk in disbelief.

What the—?!

Unless he was mistaken, these documents detailed Yu Li’s private assets—many of which Gu Yubai had inherited in his past life. He still remembered their names and locations.

What was Yu Li thinking?

If his explanations last night hadn’t worked, was he planning to bribe his way back into Gu Yubai’s good graces with all this wealth?

For a moment, Gu Yubai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He quickly shifted to another seat, deciding out of sight, out of mind.

Soon, Yu Li returned with an insulated container. Smiling at Gu Yubai, he set it on the coffee table and carefully unwrapped it.

"I wanted to order takeout, but the nurse said outside food wasn’t allowed. So I had someone prepare two dishes and a soup in the kitchen here. Dig in, and later we’ll leave the sanatorium to sample some local dishes."

He smiled warmly.

Moved, Gu Yubai picked up a spoon and glanced at Yu Li.

"Have you eaten?"

Yu Li nodded. "This is all yours."

Gu Yubai didn’t hesitate anymore.

After dinner, Gu Yubai noticed Gu Yihong was absent. Before he could even ask, Yu Li, who was looking through paperwork, answered his question.

"Yihong went to visit Uncle Gu early this morning. I heard there’s a specialist team visiting today, so he went to inquire about Uncle Gu’s condition."

The specialist team Yu Li mentioned was the primary reason Gu Yubai had sent Gu Mingliang to this rehabilitation center. Gu Yubai had dealt with them before and knew their medical expertise was among the world’s top.

Today, they had come again.

But there’s no way it’s a coincidence that they always happened to be on duty whenever consultations were needed.

Before knowing Yu Li’s true identity, Gu Yubai hadn’t questioned it. Now, it was clear these experts had been arranged by Yu Li behind the scenes.

Gu Yubai smirked slightly as he sat back down beside Yu Li.

Gu Yubai: "Thank you."

Yu Li paused, lifting his head to look at Gu Yubai before letting out a wry laugh.

He said, "Just doing my part. After all, you’re my boyfriend."

"I’m more than happy to help you in any way I can."

The mood between them warmed instantly.

Just then, the phone in Gu Yubai’s pocket suddenly rang.

The blaring ringtone ruined the moment between the couple. Yu Li sighed, tilting his head and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Yu Li said drily, "Yihong has a real talent for being a cockblocker, always interrupting us at the perfect moment. Maybe the most suitable career for him would be a human lightbulb."

Gu Yubai answered the call, raising an eyebrow at Yu Li’s remark.

Yu Li smirked and added coldly, "A lightbulb needs electricity to shine, but Yihong comes self-powered."

"Next time we go on our honeymoon, I’m definitely picking a deserted island with no signal."

Gu Yubai: "..."

Gu Yihong’s call was important—the experts had detected increased brainwave activity in Gu Mingliang, indicating he’ll likely wake within six months. They sought the family’s opinion on whether to take a risk and adjust the treatment plan, urging family to stay close during this period.

No one wanted Gu Mingliang awake more than the two of them. Even if the experts couldn’t guarantee a full recovery, Gu Yubai and Gu Yihong decided to stay.

Gu Yihong frowned, ticking off on his fingers. "Luckily, it’s winter break now. Once school starts, we can take shifts—just a few days each month. It won’t affect our studies too much."

Gu Yubai nodded. "That’s the best arrangement."

After discussing, the brothers finalized their priorities for the next six months.

Gu Mingliang had grown much thinner. Years of lying motionless had left his body frail, his frame gaunt as a skeleton—despite daily nutrient infusions and massages from the medical staff.

Standing by the bed, Gu Yubai gazed down at him, a sudden realization hit him.

In his past life, his adoptive father Gu Mingliang had died in a fire long before this point. But even if he had survived, his emaciated body likely wouldn’t have lasted much longer.

Unless Gu Mingliang truly woke within these six months, the only outcome awaiting him was death.

So even if it meant taking a full year off from school, both Gu Yubai and Gu Yihong were willing.

After visiting Gu Mingliang, the three left the ward.

Yu Li checked his watch. "Let’s head out for dinner first. We can also ask the island’s agent to arrange a long-term place to stay for us."

The other two had no objections.

Gu Yubai and Gu Yihong followed Yu Li like ducklings following their mom, with Yu Li leading them patiently.

Over the years, both brothers had come to appreciate Yu Li’s presence—whenever he was around, they felt a strange sense of safety.

----

Gu Yubai and Gu Yihong stayed on the island throughout the winter break.

Meanwhile, after arranging their stay, Yu Li flew overseas to attend to his duties at the Yu Family’s headquarters.

He was busy.

Though he wished to stay with Gu Yubai, his schedule made it impossible. Instead, he sent gifts over whenever he could.

It was during this time that Gu Yihong learned Yu Li’s true identity from Gu Yubai.

Shocked, he dropped the peeled banana in his hand, eyes bulging—full of doubt and suspicion toward Gu Yubai.

Gu Yihong gulped hard. "Dude, have you lost your mind from dating Brother Yu? I admit he’s impressive, a total boss, but the mysterious Yu Family Patriarch? No way!"

"If he really were, how come none of the Su family ever figured it out? They always treated him like some distant relative!"

Gu Yubai shot him a look.

He chuckled. "Funny, I thought the same. I thought I was hearing a lie."

Gu Yubai: "Until I went out to get a package earlier and ran into Old Master Su. He asked me point-blank how preparations for the engagement ceremony with the Yu Family Patriarch were going."

Gu Yihong: "..."

His face went blank as he dug a finger into his ear.

"Did I just hear something that should theoretically be bombshell news?"

The next second, his expression twisted violently. He shot up, yelling at Gu Yubai.

"You and Brother Yu are getting engaged, and I’m the last to know?! Gu Yubai, do you even see me as your brother?!"

He grabbed Gu Yubai’s shoulders, shaking him like a ragdoll.

Gu Yubai, dizzy, pushed him off. Once steady, he scoffed, his face twisted.

"Who said you were the last to know? I didn’t know much earlier than you!"

He pulled out a fancy red invite from behind him.

"If I hadn’t gone to get that package, Old Master Su wouldn’t have asked about the engagement arrangements, and I wouldn’t have found my own invitation inside!"

"I thought Yu Li’s words were just sweet talk. Who knew he was 100% serious?!"

Gu Yubai had assumed that after reconciling, they’d quietly forgotten about marriage.

But today, two shockers had dropped, rattling even unflappable Gu Yubai.

Gu Yubai said bitterly, "...The worst part? Brother Yu never even told me!"

My own boyfriend’s getting engaged to me, and I wasn’t even told?

Could this get any more ridiculous?

Yes—the fact that this engagement, which rocked China’s high society, went ahead without one of the grooms, Gu Yubai, even there.