After the Straight Male Incubus Became a Heartthrob - Chapter 28

How could there be such a treacherous and despicable person as Sheng Shao in this world, who also had the gall to lie so shamelessly?

However, Ye Lin could not bring himself to reveal that he had been set up by Sheng Shao. Doing so would destroy his dignity in front of Gu Jiazhi. If the “Big Brother” was revealed to be a victim of a scam, how could the “Little Brother” continue to admire him?

After a moment of deliberation, Ye Lin glared fiercely at Sheng Shao and said, “I just do not like the look of you!”

With that, he sat in the passenger seat and slammed the door with force.

Gu Jiazhi sensed that Ye Lin was hiding something, but since getting the patient to the hospital was the priority, he planned to interrogate him later. He got into the driver’s seat and started the car.

Sheng Shao sat in the back seat clutching his abdomen, gritting his teeth to endure the pain without making a sound.

Ye Lin looked back from time to time. Seeing him trembling violently, he mocked, “Your stomach is bad because your heart is so wicked.”

Sheng Shao did not reply. He knew that when facing provocation, silence was the best weapon; otherwise, the other party would only grow more excited.

Ye Lin felt unsatisfied and continued his attack. “I thought you were so capable, yet you messed up a business negotiation. You had to rely on me to settle it. You are truly useless!”

In reality, Gu Jiazhi had handled the negotiation the entire time while Ye Lin was busy eating, drinking, and playing. The credit should have gone to Gu Jiazhi, but Ye Lin had the thick skin to claim it all for himself.

Gu Jiazhi sighed helplessly but said nothing, focusing instead on driving.

Sheng Shao also understood that it was Gu Jiazhi who had closed the deal, but he still looked at Ye Lin and forced a smile to offer praise. “Then you are indeed amazing. Thank you so much!”

This guy was such an actor!

Ye Lin finally understood why Liang Wenle always looked so helpless whenever Ye Lin himself lay flat and accepted criticism. Now, Sheng Shao was using his own tactics against him, leaving him speechless.

Curse him! Sheng Shao was a copycat! He should just go die!

Sheng Shao looked at Gu Jiazhi and asked softly, “Jiazhi, how much longer?”

Gu Jiazhi turned the steering wheel and glanced back. “Soon, only three minutes. Are you in a lot of pain?”

Sheng Shao shook his head. “Jiazhi, I am fine. Just drive carefully; do not worry about me.”

Hearing this, Gu Jiazhi accelerated.

Ye Lin watched their entire exchange and wished he could rush into the back seat and give Sheng Shao a few punches to let him know the true meaning of pain. No wonder people online said that “male green teas” were the most formidable; they knew exactly how to act pitiful to win sympathy. Once others were gone, they would show nothing but pure malice.

How loathsome! Male green teas should just die!

Ye Lin liked watching soft, fragrant girls act pitiful and was willing to be deceived by them, but he absolutely could not stand seeing a foul man like Sheng Shao act weak. It was disgusting!

“Sheng Shao, you really know how to act! You are clearly in agony, yet you still talk tough.”

“And calling him Jiazhi, it is nauseating.”

Finally, the car stopped. Several medical staff members were already waiting at the entrance with a stretcher. This was the Gu family’s private hospital, which was known for its high level of privacy. They had received Gu Jiazhi’s message in advance and were waiting.

The car door opened, and the medical staff skillfully lifted Sheng Shao onto the stretcher. Their movements were swift, and in the blink of an eye, he was rushed into the emergency room.

Watching from the side, Ye Lin felt a bit bitter. “Gu Jiazhi, you are so good to Sheng Shao. You even had the medical staff wait here in advance.”

Gu Jiazhi explained helplessly, “I saw that his condition was serious. I prepared early to prevent any loss of life.”

Ye Lin tutted. “If he could hold on for this long, it shows it is not a major problem. Besides, villains tend to live longer.”

Gu Jiazhi finally had the chance to ask for clarification. “What is actually going on between you and Sheng Shao? Why do you harbor such great malice toward him?”

Ye Lin gave a perfunctory answer. “Nothing. I just simply dislike him. Do you not think he is an actor? He is hypocritical and lowly!”

Gu Jiazhi grabbed his shoulders and leaned in close to his eyes, nearly touching his forehead. “I feel like you are hiding something from me, and it is related to Sheng Shao.”

Ye Lin tried to turn his head to avoid his gaze, but Gu Jiazhi moved it back, forcing him to look directly at him. Gu Jiazhi tightened his grip and said in a heavy voice, “As I thought, it is related to Liang Wenle. You are afraid that Liang Wenle still has feelings for Sheng Shao, which threatens your position. That is why you are targeting him so fiercely.”

Ye Lin was afraid that Gu Jiazhi would discover the embarrassing incident of being coerced by Sheng Shao, so he chose to go along with the assumption. “That is right! He is so despicable. He claims he does not like Wenle, yet he hangs around him all day. That is why I say he is hypocritical and lowly!”

So it was true. Ye Lin really cared about Liang Wenle, so he viewed Sheng Shao as a romantic rival. Everyone in their circle knew that Liang Wenle had pursued Sheng Shao for over a decade and had deep feelings for him. Ye Lin had previously claimed it was just a dating contract, yet Liang Wenle had made an official announcement on social media. Ye Lin claimed he only wanted Liang Wenle’s money, but in reality, he must have him in his heart!

Gu Jiazhi was like a bomb that suddenly exploded. “You still claim you do not like Liang Wenle or care about him? Then why are you targeting Sheng Shao now? You only care about Sheng Shao because you love Liang Wenle!”

Ye Lin was nearly deafened by his shouting. He pushed him away indignantly and questioned him loudly as well, “Then what about you? You claimed you and Sheng Shao were just ordinary friends! Who helps an ordinary friend into the car? Who feels bad for an ordinary friend’s pain and arranges staff to meet them? Who gets angry at their best friend for the sake of an ordinary friend?”

At this point, Ye Lin felt it was not enough, so he mimicked Gu Jiazhi’s tone. “Only three minutes, are you in a lot of pain?”

“You two are so close! He calls you Jiazhi as soon as you meet, and you speak so gently! Sheng Shao is a grown man, not a little bunny. Why are you afraid that a loud voice will scare him?”

“I am not! You are just imagining things!”

“Gu Jiazhi, I am telling you the truth. No matter who you like, you cannot like that jerk Sheng Shao, or else we are breaking off our friendship!”

Ye Lin shouted and blustered, putting on an air that forced Gu Jiazhi to choose between him and Sheng Shao today. It was as if if he did not choose him today, they would never see each other again.

Gu Jiazhi suddenly felt physically and mentally exhausted. It was like playing the lute to a cow; he had played the lute with great effort for a long time, but the cow understood nothing.

His relationship with Ye Lin was complicated and bizarre. They clearly did many things that couples do, such as living together, being intimate, and going on dates, yet they still called each other “good friends” to the outside world.

At the same time, he was jealous that Ye Lin cared about Liang Wenle and that Liang Wenle received Ye Lin’s affection, even if it was performed. Meanwhile, Ye Lin was jealous of his concern for Sheng Shao, even if it was just the normal concern between friends.

It was so chaotic. Why was he caught in this whirlpool? Gu Jiazhi felt the scenery before him swaying violently and instinctively leaned forward.

Ye Lin quickly supported him. Seeing his pale face, he immediately remembered that Gu Jiazhi had been driving for several hours today. He was the first to compromise.

“Fine, I know you are straight and would never like a flamboyant jerk like Sheng Shao. Let us go in and rest first.”

“By the way, do not think I would ever like Liang Wenle; that is absolutely impossible. Also, I truly consider you a friend. You have invested in Fanxing now. Its scale will be much larger than your father’s in the future. I feel Fanxing’s market value can reach trillions.”

“Also, do not get angry so easily; it is bad for your health.”

Gu Jiazhi said nothing; he just listened quietly to his nagging, feeling warmth in his heart. It seemed Ye Lin did have him in his heart; as long as he showed a weak side, Ye Lin would panic.

Sheng Shao’s surgery was completed quickly. He was moved to a ward to recover under professional care, and his life was not in danger.

Ye Lin did not go to see Sheng Shao. He stayed in Gu Jiazhi’s ward, accompanying him as he rested. Outside the ward window was a tropical botanical garden. The plants inside were strange and unique, the flowers were mostly brilliant and gaudy, and there were colorful insects. It looked like a world inside a kaleidoscope.

Ye Lin stared out the window for a while. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head and saw Gu Jiazhi. He thought of something and suddenly looked down at the Gu Jiazhi on the hospital bed, who was still fast asleep and had not woken up.

Then he looked at the Gu Jiazhi at the door again. After checking twice, he finally confirmed it was Gu Zhe.

Gu Zhe’s clothes were mostly in dull tones of black, white, and gray, and he often wore a stern face. The moment he entered the ward, the tropical garden outside seemed to dim, as if it had withered overnight and lost all vitality. He was like an Asura who only brought bad news and the aura of death; he was ominous and terrifying.

Ye Lin tried his best not to look at him, asking with feigned calmness, “Why are you here?”

Gu Zhe walked up to him and said in a low voice, “Come out and talk.”

Ye Lin instinctively stood up, closed the door, and followed him to the hallway. He did not know why he was being so obedient; perhaps he was afraid of waking Gu Jiazhi. The hallway was empty and quiet, like a scene from a horror movie.

Gu Zhe did not waste words and got straight to the point. “A few hours ago, Gu Jiazhi asked the family for 90 million yuan, saying he wanted to invest. Our parents were worried, so they sent me to check. As expected, it is related to you.”

Hearing the amount of money, Ye Lin felt a pang of sympathy for Gu Jiazhi for a second. Although Gu Jiazhi usually seemed wealthy, he needed to inform his parents just to take 90 million. He was nothing like Liang Wenle, who could produce such sums casually.

It was clear that Gu Zhe suspected him of deceiving his younger brother and had come personally to demand a clear explanation. In reality, 90 million was not needed at the start; who knew Gu Jiazhi would want to invest so much all at once? Now his elder brother definitely thought he was a scammer.

Ye Lin waved his hand helplessly. “It is just an investment. I introduced a very good project to Gu Jiazhi. Investing 90 million now will yield hundreds of millions in dividends later.”

Gu Zhe clearly did not believe him. “Setting aside the fact that Fanxing’s scale is too small to warrant a 90 million yuan investment, regarding the profit alone, how are you so sure it can turn into hundreds of millions?”

Ye Lin was speechless. He could not exactly tell Gu Zhe that he had transmigrated into a book and knew the sequence of events; no one would believe that.

Failing to get a satisfactory answer, Gu Zhe defined his behavior ruthlessly. “You are lying to him.”

Ye Lin felt uneasy under his stare, and his tone grew impatient. “What, what am I lying to him about? Money? Your Gu family is so rich; 90 million should not be considered much!”

Gu Zhe had seen many young men like Ye Lin, who possessed superior looks and harbored ill intentions. All of them were out to scam people for money without exception. If it were just about money, he would step in to stop it once it reached a certain amount. However, his younger brother had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol lately; he was clearly sincerely moved.

“Now it is 90 million; in the future, it will only be more. Moreover, since you have already deceived Liang Wenle, you should not have come looking for Jiazhi.”

“Wow, you really look down on me! I sincerely want to help Jiazhi make money. I have absolutely no intention of deceiving him.”

“Oh, is it? Having him invest in a startup with no foundation? I think you are trying to set up a scam.”

“I cannot explain it to a suspicious person like you. Can you not check Fanxing yourself? It is clearly a seriously managed company, not a shell company for scams!”

“But I feel that you are untrustworthy.”

Ever since their meeting in the restroom, Gu Zhe knew the person before him was a liar who toyed with emotions. On the surface, he was Liang Wenle’s boyfriend, yet behind the scenes, he kept his younger brother on a hook; he was morally bankrupt, greedy, and selfish.

Ye Lin did not want to argue with Gu Zhe and shouted toward the ward, “Gu Jiazhi! Your brother insists that I am lying to you! Come out and tell him yourself!”

Gu Zhe did not expect him to shout suddenly. He immediately covered Ye Lin’s mouth, pinned his struggling hands, and warned in a low voice, “Shut up!”

Ye Lin refused. He opened his mouth to shout again, but he was covered even tighter. He was nearly suffocating. A flush appeared on his cheeks, his eyes grew moist, and his eyelashes trembled.

Gu Zhe could feel the warmth and softness in his palm, reminiscent of that sudden kiss that day. It was wanton and lingering, and it had a faint fruit fragrance.

Ye Lin was still struggling, staring straight at Gu Zhe with eyes full of hatred, fear, and defiance. His emotions were volatile, and his expression was vivid and agile, like a startled deer jumping in the forest.

Gu Zhe’s gaze was involuntarily drawn in, fixed firmly on Ye Lin’s face. It was so small it could easily be covered. He looked fragile, yet his eyes were incredibly fierce, like a wounded tiger cub baring its claws to retaliate against a hunter.

He could not help but stare for a while, not even noticing Gu Jiazhi opening the door.

Seeing Ye Lin’s cheeks flushed red and tears sparkling in his eyes, while Gu Zhe’s gaze was glued to that face, Gu Jiazhi immediately rushed forward and pulled Gu Zhe’s hand away.

“Gu Zhe, are you crazy? Why are you covering his mouth!”

“Cough! Cough! Cough!”

Ye Lin bent over and coughed. Saliva hung from the corner of his mouth, the heat on his face had not faded, and his breathing was uneven; he looked as though he had been severely bullied.

Gu Jiazhi gently patted his back to help him catch his breath, feeling a deep ache in his heart. He even personally used a tissue to help him wipe his mouth.

Gu Zhe looked at Ye Lin. His pupils shrank for a split second like a hawk spotting its prey, but he said nothing.

Ye Lin hid behind Gu Jiazhi, immediately grabbing his arm and complaining piteously, “Your brother suspected me of scamming you out of 90 million and leading you astray! He was just bullying me and even wanted to hit me!”

Gu Jiazhi looked at his twin brother and said sharply, “Ye Lin did not lie to me. I did it voluntarily. Besides, it is only 90 million. You ask our parents for much more money than I do, and they never question it. As soon as I ask, they investigate. Do they only care about controlling me?”

Gu Zhe said coldly, “I ask for money to upgrade the Gu family’s assets for long-term development. What can you do? I doubt you can even get your college diploma, yet you want to give money away to this liar for free.”

It had always been like this. Gu Zhe was the same age as him, but he always spoke to him like an elder; he was controlling him, lecturing him, and priding himself on being exceptionally brilliant.

Gu Jiazhi clenched his fists. “Get out. I do not want to hit you right now!”

Gu Zhe shook his head helplessly. “Since when have you been a match for me? Go ahead and try. I guarantee you can stay in the hospital for a full month this time.”

Hearing Gu Zhe’s tone, Ye Lin immediately thought of the terrifying methods of the big villain in the novel. He quickly gripped Gu Jiazhi’s arm to persuade him. “Fine, fine. The misunderstanding is cleared. Do not fight him.”

Gu Zhe’s gaze was sharp, always able to capture Ye Lin’s thoughts. “See? This little liar does not believe you can beat me either. He is afraid of you being tortured by me. He at least has some discernment.”

With Gu Jiazhi beside him, Ye Lin dared to straighten his neck and argue loudly, “I am not a little liar! Stop slandering me!”

Gu Zhe looked him up and down. “Oh? Then you are Liang Wenle’s official boyfriend, so my brother is just your side piece?”

Ye Lin shook his head. “No, Jiazhi is my best friend. Do not talk nonsense.”

Gu Zhe finally laughed out loud, and his shoulders shook. The laughter was loud, but it only made one feel a chill. “Hahaha! Jiazhi, did you hear that? You are the best friend he has slept with.”

Gu Jiazhi had been trying to numb himself, ignoring the fact that Ye Lin only treated him as a friend. But being reminded by his own brother now felt like a knife to the heart. Simultaneously, a surge of rage rushed up, nearly making him lose his mind.

Ye Lin also sensed that Gu Jiazhi’s aura was wrong and quickly refined his words. “We are friends with a very deep bond. I value Gu Jiazhi more than Liang Wenle.”

Gu Zhe continued his mockery. “Of course. As they say, wild flowers are more fragrant than garden flowers. A lover is naturally more interesting than an official boyfriend. Let me guess why you will not date Jiazhi.”

“Because you look down on him. He cannot compare to Liang Wenle’s wealth. He even has to ask the family for 90 million and has no financial freedom.”

With a simple investigation and observation of Ye Lin’s expressions, Gu Zhe could reach an accurate answer. Ye Lin’s little schemes were easy to guess; only his stupid brother did not know.

Being exposed, Ye Lin felt nervous. He quickly grabbed Gu Jiazhi’s arm to explain, “I, I do not look down on Jiazhi. I just feel that Jiazhi is my good friend. I cannot scam a good friend’s money, so I scam Liang Wenle’s.”

Gu Zhe nodded. “I can tell Liang Wenle right now that you are only after his money. Guess what he will do to you?”

Ye Lin quickly pleaded, “Do not do that! I, I have not offended you.”

Gu Zhe took out a check and handed it to him. “Here is 100 million. Take it. Jiazhi’s 90 million is also yours. Cut ties from now on and never have contact with him again. I guarantee I will not tell Liang Wenle about your business.”

Ye Lin suddenly had the hallucination of being in a relationship with a rich heir and being forced to accept money to break up. Although 100 million was very tempting, Gu Jiazhi knew about his succubus Hunger Value and was his good friend.

He had to painfully push the check away and replied with a firm gaze, “I, I will not give up Gu Jiazhi for 100 million.”

Gu Zhe’s tone grew heavier. “What about 800 million?”

Hearing that number, Ye Lin’s brain temporarily stalled. That was 800 million! Even Liang Wenle might not easily produce that much cash. Gu Zhe spoke as if he were saying eight yuan. He was obscenely wealthy!

Gu Zhe did not actually intend to give the money; he just wanted to tempt Ye Lin. He continued to increase the stakes. “1.2 billion. But you must promise never to see Gu Jiazhi again in this lifetime.”

It was as if a mountain of gold had crashed down, nearly knocking him unconscious. His body stood in the hallway, but his soul was already floating in the clouds. Ye Lin’s fingers were trembling; he could not believe his ears.

Gu Jiazhi said nothing; he was just brewing his emotions, still thinking about Gu Zhe’s words. Seeing him waver, Gu Zhe continued to urge him, “Hurry up. This price expires in five minutes.”

Ye Lin opened his mouth, desperately wanting to agree and take the money. But he recalled the bits and pieces of his time spent with Gu Jiazhi and his fatal weakness, which was the Hunger Value. He could not bear to let go. In the future, he would be a trillionaire; how could he give up a good friend for a small profit? Besides, without Gu Jiazhi by his side, he was truly afraid of being targeted by Gu Zhe.

After thinking it over, he chose to persist. “No! Let alone 1.2 billion, even if you offered tens or hundreds of billions now, I would not give up Gu Jiazhi. It is a pity. If you were Liang Wenle’s brother, I would have taken that 1.2 billion.”

Gu Jiazhi and Gu Zhe both widened their eyes, looking at him in disbelief. Gu Zhe, unwilling to give up, asked once more, “Are you sure?”

Ye Lin tightened his grip on Gu Jiazhi’s arm and said decisively, “I am sure. I think you are being very insulting. As Jiazhi’s brother, you have already received the endless favoritism of your parents. You should respect him and make it up to him, instead of interfering with his friendships and driving away his best friend.”

Gu Jiazhi had been struggling with the gap between being a friend and a boyfriend. But hearing Ye Lin’s words was like walking blindly in the dark and suddenly seeing a beam of light. Approaching the light source brought warmth, like a bright sun. Yes, he had always felt his parents favored his brother, but no one had ever said it out loud like Ye Lin, and no one had ever stood so firmly by his side.

He had thought Ye Lin was just a money-grubbing idiot. He did not expect that when faced with the temptation of 1.2 billion, he would firmly choose him. In that case, nothing else mattered anymore.

Gu Jiazhi suddenly kicked toward Gu Zhe. “Get out! I never want to see you again!”

Gu Zhe stepped back in time to avoid it and said anxiously, “Anyone can say pretty words! The key is action! Gu Jiazhi, use your brain. He is lying to you. He does not need 1.2 billion now because keeping you on the hook will get him even more money!”

Gu Jiazhi picked up a nearby flower pot and threw it at Gu Zhe. “Who asked you to care about me? You are acting crazy! You can produce 1.2 billion in one go, yet I only spent 90 million. It is perfectly reasonable!”

Seeing that persuasion was useless and unable to bear seeing his brother being deceived, Gu Zhe left a harsh warning. “Fine. From now on, all your cards are frozen. Just you wait. This liar will definitely leave you!”

Gu Jiazhi refused to back down. “You think I am afraid of that? I am telling you, I will prove that our parents are blind! I am far more capable than you!”

With that, he started throwing things again. Seeing his brother was beyond help, Gu Zhe left. He did not believe the little liar would stay long once the money was gone.

Ye Lin watched from the side, feeling indignant. “How unfair! Why are all the Gu family resources given to your brother, and why does your brother act like he has parental authority!”

Gu Jiazhi’s expression was dejected. “That is why I have lived away from home since middle school. I do not want to go back. Their eyes are only ever on Gu Zhe.”

Ye Lin could not bear it. He hugged Gu Jiazhi and comforted him in a low voice, “Do not worry. You will definitely be more capable than Gu Zhe in the future, and then you can rub it in his face!”

Gu Jiazhi’s heart softened completely. He asked once more, “Now that I have no money, are you still not leaving?”

Ye Lin patted his shoulder with great loyalty. “Please, I have never been after your money. I am only after you as a person. You can just spend my money in the future. Consider it repayment for taking me in at the start.”

Why differentiate so clearly between friendship and love? As long as I can stay by Ye Lin’s side, it is enough. Besides, he was not strong enough now. Once he became powerful, he would not need to care about Liang Wenle at all.

Gu Jiazhi lowered his head and kissed his forehead. “Do not worry. I still have money. I do not need your charity.”

Ye Lin touched his forehead and grumbled, “Oh, just talk normally. Why are you kissing me randomly?”

Gu Jiazhi was amused by him. He took Ye Lin’s hand in the same way Liang Wenle did. “Sheng Shao should be awake. Let us go see him.”

Ye Lin truly did not want to go, but since it concerned Fanxing’s development, he walked over.

The white ward contained a vase of forget-me-nots by the window, blooming intensely like blue stars. The sofa by the bed was made of soft dark green leather. Before it sat a cream-white coffee table shaped like a six-petaled flower, piled with five or six books.

Sheng Shao was sitting on the bed reading. Hearing the movement, he looked up to greet Gu Jiazhi. Ye Lin sat on the sofa and casually flipped through the books on the table. Finding they were all in English that he could not understand, he could not help but complain, “Wait, can you actually read these?”

Sheng Shao closed the book, placed it on the side cabinet, and replied with a smile, “Of course. The one in your hand is about a man who was constantly paranoid and liked to belittle his neighbor, only to be shot and killed by that neighbor.”

Ye Lin thought of Gu Zhe hitting the protagonist’s heart and lungs in the original novel, nearly killing him. He trembled and quickly put the book down, cursing, “What a boring story!”

Gu Jiazhi sat down beside him, coaxing him that the story was fake, and then asked about Sheng Shao’s situation. It turned out that Sheng Shao’s father had heard he was investing in Fanxing and tried to sabotage him. First, he pressured the partners, forbidding them from meeting Sheng Shao, and then bombarded Sheng Shao with phone calls and lectures. When Sheng Shao did not listen, he went personally to a partner’s home, only to be intercepted by the Sheng family, taken to a nearby villa, locked up, and had his phone confiscated.

Sheng Shao suffered many injuries trying to leave the villa. After finally escaping, his stomach problems flared up, and he had to borrow a stranger’s phone to call. Gu Jiazhi sighed at his experience, and feeling a connection since he also lacked family support, he offered comfort.

Ye Lin did not care about that. Instead, he asked bluntly, “Are you going to leave Fanxing then? The Sheng family will not let you join now.”

Sheng Shao was hesitant.

Ye Lin slapped the table in anger. “It is simple. Either you quit Fanxing so the Sheng family stops affecting the company, or you quit the Sheng family, focus on Fanxing’s business, and fight them to the end. I do not want Fanxing to be dragged down by you. Liu Wen works very hard writing code every day.”

Gu Jiazhi pulled at him. “There is no need to be so harsh. Sheng Shao does not want to affect Fanxing either; it is his family that is abnormal.”

Ye Lin snorted and turned his head away. “How can there be a way to have the best of both worlds? Jiazhi has already left the Gu family; he has to make sacrifices for Fanxing too. Personally, I feel that if you do not have the resolve to start from zero, you should not start a business!”

Gu Jiazhi thought for a moment. “Fanxing is mostly technical staff. It truly lacks management. You are experienced and can handle it.”

Sheng Shao looked at the forget-me-nots in the corner. They were young but blooming with all their might, creating an eye-catching scene. He asked, “Ye Lin, do you truly believe Fanxing will succeed?”

Ye Lin did not expect him to ask him. He immediately stood up, walked over to him, and promised with full confidence, “Of course! A million in revenue in four months, over a hundred million in three years, listed in five years, and a market value of trillions in eight years, becoming the industry leader. You were the first one to believe in Fanxing, were you not? Otherwise, why would you agree to Liu Wen? Personally, I am very optimistic about Fanxing. If you quit, I will find someone else to invest. I am not lacking you.”

Sheng Shao looked up at him and found he was backlit, making his face hard to see. Such pride and confidence were more dazzling than the sunlight and more intense than blooming flowers.

He could not help but wonder: Ye Lin was just an illegitimate son who could not get into university and hung around entertainment venues all day. He had no power, no influence, had achieved nothing, and relied on men to survive. Where did he get the confidence to say such words?

“Sheng Shao, let me tell you. Youth only happens once. You will not regret it only if you bravely do what you love. Personally, I think it is very tragic to live a mediocre, flat life and then die.”

What was it? What made Ye Lin so resolute and full of confidence? Ye Lin clearly had no business experience and was just an ordinary, somewhat good-looking boy. Yet, it seemed his confident expression and vibrant body could always infect those around him.

Sheng Shao stared for a long time. Suddenly, he felt that Ye Lin was glowing and radiating heat, like the sun everyone loves. He could not help but draw closer. “Fine. I will resign from the Sheng Group tomorrow and go to work at Fanxing.”

Gu Jiazhi said excitedly, “Great! With management at Fanxing, subsequent operations will be faster! Then I will be responsible for negotiating partnerships. Anyway, I am talkative and have a good alcohol tolerance.”

Ye Lin froze for a moment and could not help but confirm again, “Ah? Sheng Shao, have you really decided? No regrets?”

Sheng Shao first lowered his head, then raised his eyes to look into those amber pupils. He said solemnly, “Of course no regrets.”

The next day, after he recovered, he resigned from his job at the Sheng Group and joined Fanxing with a sum of capital, recruiting talent and setting up various departments for the company. Fanxing, which started as a small company with only a few people, now had finance, marketing, R&D, and other departments, and began to operate at high speed.

Gu Jiazhi was responsible for external negotiations, while Sheng Shao handled internal management. The two cooperated perfectly, leading the company to thrive.

Ye Lin did not understand the details of running a company, but he would occasionally bring gifts, visit employees, and show concern for their welfare, acting as the titular boss. Recently, a nearby dessert shop was selling well, so Ye Lin bought enough for the entire staff and brought them to the office. Everyone loved such a humane boss and offered their thanks.

After handing out the gifts, Ye Lin entered the office to check on Sheng Shao’s work. Although he did not understand it, he wanted to deliberately torment Sheng Shao and forbid him from slacking off.

Sheng Shao saw him enter and continued writing documents as if nothing were happening. Ye Lin leaned over to look. He did not understand a thing, but he still pointed at a document and questioned, “You are not secretly embezzling company funds, are you?”

Sheng Shao put down his pen and looked up at him. “Then check for yourself.”

Just as Ye Lin was about to pick up the document, he was tripped and fell into Sheng Shao’s arms. He immediately cursed loudly, “Fuck!”

Sheng Shao held his waist tightly, buried his head in his shoulder, and took a deep breath. He looked relaxed, as if he had just finished a cigarette. “Did you not run in here just to let me hold you?”

Ye Lin pinched him hard. “Sheng Shao, what are you imagining? I came in to check your work. I am the boss!”

Sheng Shao grabbed his hand, his voice deep. “Then check me right here.”

Ye Lin felt the heat and immediately tried to withdraw his hand, but he was held firmly. He had to curse, “You brain-dead idiot! It, it is working hours right now! Do not mess around!”

Sheng Shao said as a matter of course, “Soothing the emotions of employees is the responsibility of the boss.”