Everyone Regrets It After My Death - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Substitute

Su Mingran rested for only one night; the next day, he had to return to the coffee shop.

He hadn’t lost his job. His coworker, Li An, seeing that Su Mingran hadn’t shown up and couldn’t be reached, had taken the liberty of requesting a few days off on his behalf. To show his gratitude, Su Mingran bought a large stash of snacks for Li An and offered to buy him dinner.

Li An accepted the snacks but waved off the dinner. “We’ll eat these when we get hungry on shift. As for dinner, forget it. It was just a small favor; everyone has family emergencies.”

Su Mingran had told him there was an issue at home and he’d left his phone behind, which was why he hadn’t answered.

Li An was incredibly sympathetic. He, like many others at school, assumed Su Mingran was desperately poor—perhaps supporting a bedridden parent. Because of this, Li An always made sure to tip Su Mingran off about any high-paying side gigs.

The shop was quiet that day, so Li An spent his downtime browsing real estate videos on his phone—massive mansions with manicured lawns, grand pianos in the foyers, and sprawling backyards.

“So much money,” Li An marveled, showing the screen to Su Mingran. “I dream of living in a place like this!”

Su Mingran took a quick glance. The layout was similar to the Su family villa. He wasn’t impressed.

“A family like this must have a nanny, right?” Li An mused.

“Mhm,” Su Mingran replied, his mind elsewhere.

“Probably more than one. And do the nannies call them ‘Sir,’ ‘Young Master,’ or ‘Miss’?”

Su Mingran nodded absently. “I suppose so.”

While Li An continued to ramble about the habits of the rich, Su Mingran checked the calendar. He had a day off in three days. He planned to find Su Mo and ask if there was any news about “Sister Xiaoling.”

As he scrubbed dishes, he worried. What if Su Mo said there was no news? The world was so large. When childhood companions were separated by their respective families, they often vanished into the void of the past. If Su Mo refused to help, Su Mingran decided he would finally leave the Su family for good.

…

In a high-end office district, Su Mo was dealing with a crisis.

Liu Jiqing, a star he had personally groomed, had been caught in a scandal. Liu was a boy from the countryside with exceptional looks whom Su Mo had turned into a “key asset” for the company. Liu brought in high-end clients, and the company gave him resources.

But recent tabloids had caught Liu entering an apartment with a married female CEO. His image was ruined, and he was being blacklisted.

Su Mo needed a replacement, but finding someone with the right “quality” was difficult. Some suggested Su Minmin, but Su Mo immediately rejected it. She was already an “infamous” star with a bad reputation; her risk factor was even higher than Liu’s.

After hours of fruitless meetings, Su Mo dismissed his staff, feeling a headache coming on. His secretary knocked, informing him that his brother, Su Mingran, was waiting to see him.

Disgust flickered across Su Mo’s face. “Let him wait. I’m busy.”

Inside the office, his top assistant poured him a tea. “President Su, I think Young Master Qi (Xinghe) would be perfect for that position. He’s handsome, highly educated, and a music student.”

Su Mo’s hand paused. He gave his assistant a sharp, piercing look. The assistant scrambled to add, “I mean… he’d make a great singer.”

Su Mo set his teacup down with a heavy thud.

Unlike his father, Su Renhua, Su Mo was a cold pragmatist. He valued people solely for their utility. Everyone saw what happened to Liu Jiqing—now that he was no longer useful, Su Mo was forcing him to pay back every cent of the exorbitant contract termination fees alone.

The assistant, desperate to prove his worth, looked through the special one-way glass of the office wall. From the inside, they could see the lobby. Su Mingran was sitting there, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He had returned late the night before and was clearly exhausted.

“Young Master Qi is your favorite; we shouldn’t let him touch the ‘dirty’ side of the business,” the assistant whispered, pivoting. “What about… the one outside?”

He looked at Su Mingran. “He’s not as good-looking as Young Master Qi, but with the right packaging…”

Su Mo stared at Su Mingran through the glass for a long time. Finally, he said, “Send him in.”

…

Outside, people were whispering.

“Who is that?” “President Su’s brother.” “Young Master Qi?” “Don’t be ridiculous. Have you ever seen Young Master Qi dress so shabbily? Or seen the President make him wait in the lobby? That’s the… unloved one.”

Su Mingran opened his eyes and looked at them. The group went quiet for a second before continuing, “No wonder he’s not favored. He has a scary look in his eyes.”

The secretary approached with a cold tone. “President Su will see you now.”

“Thank you,” Su Mingran said politely. As he stood up, another guest arrived. The secretary’s tone instantly flipped to warm and welcoming, offering the new guest tea and snacks. Su Mingran—the President’s actual brother—had been offered nothing.

He gave a self-deprecating smile and entered the office.

The office was the epitome of elite success, overlooking the river with floor-to-ceiling windows. On the desk sat a framed family photo. Su Mingran looked away.

He wasn’t in that photo. He wasn’t in any of the family photos. At first, it was because he was missing; later, Su Renhua simply “forgot” to include him, and eventually, Su Mo decided he was too embarrassing to be seen.

In moments like this, he thought of Sister Xiaoling.

Once, the man who had kidnapped them had stolen a camera. Xiaoling had played with it in secret. When Mingran returned from begging on the streets, she pulled him in for a photo. They had both clumsily held up “V” signs.

“This is my family photo!” she had said. “ARan, I don’t have a family. So from now on, you are my family.”

Su Mo finished reviewing a contract and finally looked up. “You wanted to see me?”

“Brother, do you remember the person I asked you to help find?”

Su Mo paused. He didn’t remember at all, but he didn’t let it show. “I remember.”

A spark of hope lit up Su Mingran’s eyes. “Is there any news?”

Su Mo lit a cigarette. “China is big. Finding one person is like a needle in a haystack. It’s difficult.”

“I’ll do anything to help. Just tell me what I need to do.”

A slow, calculating smile spread across Su Mo’s lips. “You’re twenty now. It’s time you worked. How about coming to work for me?”

Su Mingran was confused. Su Mo never let him touch family business.

“You should contribute to the family. What if I make you a star? When you’re famous and have influence, being on TV and in papers… finding someone would be easy, wouldn’t it?”

The offer was incredibly tempting, but Su Mingran hesitated. Such a “good” thing never happened to him.

“I thought about letting Xinghe do it,” Su Mo continued, “but you know his temper. Being a star means your private life is exposed to the media; I don’t think he could handle it. Su Minmin is already a star, but her reputation is too poor. After thinking it over, you’re the only one left. You’re family, after all. Better you than an outsider.”

Su Mingran clenched his fists. He sensed it wasn’t that simple, but he had no other way to find Xiaoling.

“Fine,” he said. “What do I need to do?”

Su Mo’s smile widened. “Write a song first. Let’s see if you have any talent.”