Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gu Yubai didn't leave immediately after delivering the milk tea. He asked for the restroom's location, and upon exiting, he unexpectedly overheard someone mentioning the Su family's true young master, Gu Yihong. His steps instantly faltered.

A smile playing on his lips, he leaned in. "Ladies, what are you talking about?"

The two women were administrative staff on the 12th floor, positioned behind the glass automatic door. They looked up at him, their faces breaking into faint smiles after a quick appraisal.

"You must be the new intern. We're discussing this surveillance video that suddenly popped up online. Someone's already dug up that the person trashing the Su family's place so brazenly is none other than the rumored true young master of the Su family. Wow, I used to think he was purely a victim—turns out his personality is this awful. As for whether the Su family's false young master is truly scheming, that's still up in the air."

Gu Yubai's eyes narrowed. He looked down at the video on the administrative assistant's phone, and the smile in his eyes gradually vanished.

So that's what happened. Now he finally understood what had transpired with Gu Yihong at the Su family's residence—he had caused quite a scene.

Though the method was crude and simple, it somehow felt... incredibly satisfying!

In his past life, Gu Yubai had been curious about his biological family. After returning to the Su family, he had acted cautiously and obediently, even constantly yielding to Su Shengli, yet he was still maliciously slandered.

But Gu Yihong was different.

He was reborn. He knew the suffering Gu Yubai had endured in the Su family in his previous life. He hadn't impersonated Gu Yubai to return to the Su family out of greed for wealth; he simply wanted to teach the Su family a lesson.

The Su family wasn't Gu Yihong's blood relatives, so he felt no constraints. His unrestrained and reckless destruction at the Su family's home wasn't just to vent Gu Yubai's grievances; it was also out of deep affection for Gu Yubai.

However, while it might have been gratifying at the time, now that someone had seized upon it and spread it online to tarnish his reputation, the situation had turned unfavorable.

It was obvious how the surveillance footage had been leaked.

The curve of Gu Yubai's lips flattened. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard the elevator doors open outside the glass door.

A familiar, lively, and playful young voice rang out.

"Assistant Jin, has Mr. Yu really returned to the country? I came specifically to represent the Su family and deliver the invitation for the banquet in two days. You absolutely must remind Mr. Yu to attend, okay?"

"Our two families have been close for generations. By the way, is he really not here? I'd like to go up and meet him—it's been so long since I last saw him after he returned."

Mr. Yu's assistant, Assistant Jin, who had previously exited the elevator with the interns, emerged leading the well-behaved and refined-looking Su Shengli.

The two headed directly towards the 12th-floor reception desk. Su Shengli held a red invitation in his hand, his face beaming. Just as he was about to step forward, his peripheral vision caught sight of a boy roughly his age not far away, and he instantly froze.

This was their first encounter in this lifetime.

Gu Yubai couldn't be bothered with him.

But Su Shengli suddenly lifted his head, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Yubai in the distance, a flicker of coldness in his eyes.

"Who's that? An intern at Yu Corporation? I didn't realize Yu Corporation hired interns that young."

The smile in Su Shengli's eyes vanished as he subtly questioned Assistant Jin.

Assistant Jin glanced at Gu Yubai, recognized him as the milk tea delivery person from earlier, and casually replied,

"He's not our intern. He's a staff member from a nearby milk tea shop who came to deliver milk tea."

Su Shengli's smile instantly widened. He thoughtfully observed Gu Yubai's simple attire, a trace of disdain and disgust flashing in his eyes.

"I see. But Assistant Jin, perhaps it's best not to let these unauthorized individuals from society into the Yu Corporation building next time. What if something happens and they try to make false claims?"

Assistant Jin smiled politely but didn't respond to Su Shengli's words. He led Su Shengli further inside.

Gu Yubai had seen Su Shengli. He glanced at the invitation in Su Shengli's hand and walked past him expressionlessly.

------

After just two steps, Su Shengli's voice suddenly called out from behind.

"Hey, you! You bumped into someone and didn't even notice? Shouldn't you at least apologize?"

Gu Yubai stopped, turned around impassively, and followed Su Shengli's smug gaze to see a red invitation scattered on the floor beside him.

The polished floor made the luxurious red invitation stand out.

It was the very invitation Su Shengli had claimed he would personally deliver to Mr. Yu.

So his new neighbor knew Su Shengli too. It seemed this distant relative of the Yu family was more important than Gu Yubai had assumed.

Gu Yubai scoffed inwardly but showed no outward reaction. He looked at Su Shengli and pointed at himself.

"You're saying I knocked your things over?"

Su Shengli nodded, smiling as if putting on a patient front.

"You knocked my things over. The least you could do is pick them up for me."

He was dressed in a finely tailored handmade shirt, adorned with discreet yet expensive jewels at the details, and wore a wristwatch worth millions.

Just standing there, he exuded an air of untouchable elegance, radiating the superiority of years of pampered upbringing, like a dazzling young prince.

Meanwhile, Gu Yubai, working part-time at a milk tea shop, wore a simple white cotton tee for ease of making drinks.

Though his demeanor and appearance far surpassed Su Shengli's, to onlookers, these two boys of similar age were worlds apart.

Their birth circumstances placed them in separate universes.

The way Su Shengli looked at Gu Yubai was as if he were staring at a dog begging for scraps.

The people around hadn't noticed whether the two had collided when passing each other, but now they looked at Gu Yubai uncertainly.

It was just picking up an invitation that had been knocked to the ground...

Everyone's attention turned to Gu Yubai.

Assistant Jin frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by the sudden commotion in the hallway, but he remained silent, quietly observing the scene unfolding near the 12th-floor elevator.

A heavy silence fell. Su Shengli lowered his head slightly, the malice practically dripping from his gaze.

No one else noticed—except Gu Yubai, who locked eyes with him.

Gu Yubai suddenly smiled.

He said, "Since I knocked it to the ground, of course I'll pick it up."

His tone suggested surrender. Su Shengli's brows unconsciously lifted with a trace of disdain.

His gaze danced mockingly on Gu Yubai’s handsome features and commanding presence, waiting for this person to grovel before him.

Gu Yubai actually took two steps toward him. He walked up to the red invitation on the floor, standing face-to-face with Su Shengli, and pretended to bend down and pick it up. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Su Shengli's smile growing even more triumphant.

The next second, Gu Yubai straightened up and, under Su Shengli's shocked stare, stepped directly onto the red invitation.

Not only did he step on it, but he also ground his foot hard a few times, leaving deep shoe prints on what had been a spotless invitation.

Gu Yubai’s clean sneakers weren’t dirty, but after running around outside all day, the dust had undoubtedly settled onto the invitation now.

Su Shengli's eyes widened in fury, and he shouted,

“What are you doing?!”

Gu Yubai glanced down at the red invitation on the floor, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Can’t you see? There’s something dirty here.”

The dig was obvious. Those who understood instinctively looked at Su Shengli, whose face immediately turned a mottled green and purple.

Gu Yubai lifted his foot, all pretense of politeness gone. He scoffed, his face a mask of scorn and disdain as he looked at Su Shengli.

“Seems like I wasn’t the one who knocked this thing over after all. In that case, why don’t you bend down and pick it up yourself!”

He emphasized the word “yourself,” his eyes filled with mockery, before turning and walking away, washing his hands of the whole scene.

The elevator doors opened, and just as Gu Yubai was about to step inside, someone came charging at him from behind.

Gu Yubai instinctively sidestepped, and the person, unable to stop their momentum, stumbled into the open elevator, their head cracking against the back wall.

With another *ding*, the elevator doors closed automatically, seeing no one else entering.

Everyone outside was stunned, including Gu Yubai, who gawked at the closed elevator.

Could this be considered Su Shengli’s own doing?

From start to finish, Gu Yubai hadn’t laid a finger on him.

He blinked, then turned to Assistant Jin, shrugging innocently.

“This has nothing to do with me. He tried to pull a fast one and got what was coming to him. If he hadn’t made the first move, he wouldn’t have crashed into the elevator wall.”

“Should we call the police? I can wait here and let the officers sort this out. By the way, the surveillance in your Yu Corporation building hasn’t suddenly malfunctioned, has it?”

A knowing smirk played on Gu Yubai’s lips.

----

Then, a familiar voice came from behind.

Yu Li deadpanned.

“It hasn’t.”

A shell-shocked Assistant Jin quickly stepped aside.

He cleared his throat and said to Yu Li, “Ahem, President Yu, I saw everything that happened. This boba guy had nothing to do with it.”

Their unexpected ally, who they'd just seen not long ago, had reappeared.

He didn’t seem concerned about the injured Su Shengli in the elevator and instead waved at Gu Yubai.

“You go ahead. I know this has nothing to do with you. If that little lord Su really wants to make trouble, I’ve got your back.”

Gu Yubai nodded.

“Thanks.”

They spoke so casually, as if they had known each other for a long time. Finally, Assistant Jin seemed to understand, giving Gu Yubai a sheepish grin.

“Sorry about earlier. We didn’t stop Young Master Su in time.”

“It’s fine.” Gu Yubai shook his head, then looked at Yu Li thoughtfully.

“I happened to hear—you knew this Su guy from abroad?”

Yu Li’s expression didn’t change as he walked over to Gu Yubai and murmured,

“Not really. Just met him a few times.”

Then, he reached out and patted Gu Yubai’s shoulder, as if brushing off lint.

Yu Li leaned in close to Gu Yubai’s ear and whispered, “Don’t worry. If he really causes trouble for you, I’ll stand on your side.”

His voice was low, his hot breath fanning against Gu Yubai’s ear as he spoke.

Gu Yubai instinctively touched his ear and took two steps back.

Just then, the elevator doors opened again, revealing Su Shengli, tears welling in his eyes as he rushed out.

Seeing Yu Li standing by the elevator, he froze, putting on his best wounded puppy act, his gaze pleading.

He whimpered, “Yu—”

Before Su Shengli could finish, Yu Li took a step back. Su Shengli, who had been staring at him, instinctively moved forward, unwittingly moving out of the way.

Gu Yubai glanced at Yu Li, and their eyes met.

Somehow, even without Yu Li saying a word, Gu Yubai immediately understood his meaning.

He was telling him to take advantage of the pampered little prince’s temporary brain fart and make a quick escape!

Though he didn’t really need to, Gu Yubai took the out his neighbor offered.

His eyes gleamed with amusement as he stepped into the elevator. With a lazy wave, he waved goodbye to his neighbor.

Then, with one last glance at Su Shengli, who was still clueless and had his back turned, Gu Yubai scoffed, let the doors slide shut, and left.