Wu Liyi’s words might have sounded reasonable at first, but upon closer thought, they were clearly just sophistry—after all, unexpected situations were inevitable. However, since he needed something from Wu Liyi at the moment, naturally, whatever the man said was right.

Just as Lu Youze was contemplating how to calm him down, Fang Xiaowu, the head chef who had been forcibly dragged from the Gu family villa to this restaurant’s kitchen by Ye Xing, emerged carrying his proud creation.

Although Fang Xiaowu had “retired,” he was barely in his early forties. As a renowned chef accustomed to grand occasions, he immediately sensed that something was off in the atmosphere as soon as he entered the hall. Perhaps the dessert in his hands could help ease the tension.

“Mr. Wu, long time no see,” Fang Xiaowu greeted with a smile as he placed the dessert in front of Wu Liyi, addressing his old acquaintance. “I remember that you and Mr. Wan used to love this dessert. Try it and see if my skills have declined.”

Wu Liyi stared at the dessert on the table. He wasn’t particularly picky about food, but ever since he had tried this dessert with Renmi, he had fallen in love with its taste. During the time Fang Xiaowu had retired and gone missing, Wu Liyi had tried to get various renowned chefs to recreate it, but something was always missing.

It was human nature—when something became unattainable, the desire for it only grew stronger. Wu Liyi had searched through nearly every famous pastry shop in B City, but none could replicate the taste in his memory.

Now, with the dessert he had longed for right before him, Wu Liyi couldn’t be bothered with Lu Youze anymore. He eagerly picked up a piece and took a bite.

“Mm.” It tasted exactly as he remembered. A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips, and for a moment, he seemed to see Wan Renmi sitting across from him, propping his head on his hand with a bright smile.

“It’s good, right?” He recalled that when he first tried the dessert, he hadn’t been used to its taste and had furrowed his brows deeply. But Wan Renmi had beamed at him, a hint of pride in his voice as he introduced the dessert.

“This was my idea for Chef Fang—it’s different from the ones elsewhere. I love this flavor. I think it resembles my current situation. When you first taste it, it’s bitter, but as you savor it, the sweetness lingers. That’s how I feel now. Though I’m still unknown, I believe in you. You can make me the most popular one. And I will…”

Wan Renmi’s voice in his memory grew fainter and fainter. All Wu Liyi could taste now was bitterness. He unconsciously wiped at nonexistent tears before the sweetness gradually spread from his mouth to his heart.

In the end, he had never confessed his love, but it didn’t matter. The memories they shared were something no one else had—something that belonged only to them.

“If I ever have a child, you can be their godfather. And if they like acting, I know you can make them just like me.”

These long-forgotten words suddenly resurfaced. Wu Liyi glanced at Lu Youze and reluctantly asked, “Did you bring the script?”

“I did.” Lu Youze hurriedly handed it over.

Wu Liyi took the script and, as he flipped through the pages filled with notes, his expression remained unreadable, though he was slightly surprised.

He read while savoring the dessert, and the people around him wisely refrained from disturbing him. He didn’t take long—just a quick skim to get a general idea.

After having the dessert he had long craved, his mood visibly improved. He returned the script to the still-standing Lu Youze and shifted his gaze to Gu Xuanze, who was seated behind him.

The Gu family’s young master hadn’t taken his eyes off Lu Youze the entire time—his gaze was just like the one Wu Liyi had once directed at Wan Renmi.

It was as obvious as Sima Zhao’s ambitions—anyone could see it. Yet, unfortunately, the seemingly intelligent Lu Youze remained oblivious.

Wu Liyi was known not only for his eccentric temperament but also for his strong sense of retribution. If someone made him uncomfortable, he would make sure they felt the same way. As an idea formed in his mind, a mischievous smirk curled his lips.

Honestly, while Lu Youze wasn’t as exceptional as Renmi and had many flaws as a washed-up actor, his earlier performance had piqued Wu Liyi’s interest. And he had to admit—the script was well-written.

But agreeing so easily to direct Lu Youze’s new drama? That would be too dull.

After all, old ginger is spicier, and not everything in this world was under Gu Xuanze’s control.

“Young Master Gu,” Wu Liyi said, picking up another piece of dessert and savoring it before speaking again, “I can direct Lu Youze’s new drama, but I have one condition.”

From the very beginning, Gu Xuanze had noticed the changes in Wu Liyi’s expression, and he had a bad premonition. However, seeing the anticipation in Lu Youze’s eyes, he had no choice but to ask, “What request? Director Wu, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to fulfill it.”

Wu Liyi smiled, but the moment he spoke, his words were full of sarcasm. “Is there anything that the great President Gu can’t do?”

“Heh.” Gu Xuanze chuckled, his expression unmoved. In fact, his aura even pressed down on the other party. “Director Wu, you must be joking. My abilities are limited—there are plenty of things I can’t do.”

To say the least, there was something right in front of him that he couldn’t accomplish.

Gu Xuanze’s gaze couldn’t help but drift toward Lu Youze again, but afraid of being noticed, he didn’t dare linger for too long.

Meanwhile, Gu Xuanhao was on the verge of exploding with anger. This so-called Director Wu was way too arrogant! How dare he speak to his brother like that? If it weren’t for considering Lu Youze’s presence, he would have cursed him out already.

But then… something about his brother’s attitude made him think there was hope.

Suddenly, Gu Xuanhao wasn’t angry anymore. Instead, as if realizing something, he glanced smugly at Ye Xing. Ye Xing, just you wait—your days of arrogance are numbered.

“This won’t be difficult for you,” Wu Liyi said, not angered by Gu Xuanze’s attitude. He was actually in a good mood, knowing that Gu Xuanze’s confidence would soon be shattered. He straightforwardly stated his request: “Other than Lu Youze as the lead, the rest of the cast hasn’t been decided yet, right? Then I want Yu Li to play the second male lead.”

As expected, the moment Yu Li’s name was mentioned, both Gu Xuanze and Lu Youze’s expressions changed.

Wu Liyi hadn’t read the script in detail, but after skimming through it, the image of the second male lead overlapped with Yu Li in his mind. He had also seen Yu Li act before—his skills were decent. Of course, it wasn’t as if only Yu Li could play the role, but Wu Liyi just wanted to make things difficult for Gu Xuanze.

Even though Wu Liyi didn’t usually pay attention to the entertainment industry, Lu Youze and Yu Li’s situation had been such a hot topic that he naturally knew about it.

“Why Yu Li?” Lu Youze suppressed the countless thoughts running through his mind and asked with some confusion, “Mr. Wu, you also know that Yu Li and I recently had some unpleasant conflicts. I don’t think we’d be able to work well together.”

“That’s not my concern.” Wu Liyi looked at Lu Youze seriously. “I simply think Yu Li fits the second male lead’s character. If you’re not willing, you can find another director. In that case, I’ll take my leave.”