Gu Xuanze’s voice was like a sudden cold breeze in autumn, carrying a hint of chill. “Youze, I don’t want to.”

Lu Youze had imagined countless possible reactions from Gu Xuanze, but such a straightforward rejection wasn’t among them. He naturally understood why the other refused. He let out a helpless smile, yet deep down, a sweetness unexpectedly surfaced.

On the other end of the phone, Gu Xuanze neither explained himself nor showed any intention of hanging up. He simply remained silent, waiting for Lu Youze to speak.

Lu Youze sat back down on the sofa and finally said, “Ah Ze, you should know, I truly want to marry you.”

“I know.” Gu Xuanze’s voice lowered slightly, his usually cool tone carrying a hint of grievance. “Youze, I don’t want it to be like this.”

Lu Youze felt his heart soften, but at the same time, his determination grew firmer. His expression turned serious. “Ah Ze, to me, you are the most important.”

The other side suddenly fell silent.

Taking advantage of Gu Xuanze’s pause, Lu Youze continued, “Besides, what’s so bad about planning such a ‘thrilling’ wedding? It will definitely be unforgettable—perhaps even one of a kind, with no precedent and no successor.”

Lu Youze knew that his lover wanted to give him a matchless wedding. His lover, who was feared in the business world with titles like ‘the Rakshasa of the Market’ and ‘the Life-Reaping Yama,’ was ruthless to his competitors, never leaving them a chance to rise again. Yet, this very same man—who made his rivals tremble at the mere mention of his name—was nearly obsessive when it came to giving him the best of everything, ensuring his life was filled only with flowers and applause.

Especially this wedding. Gu Xuanze had likely planned countless versions of it in his mind, wanting to give him a flawless and perfect ceremony.

Lu Youze, of course, also wanted to give Gu Xuanze a “matchless” wedding, but if he wanted to lure out the big fish, he needed an irresistible bait. Though he had never met Gu Xuanyu in person, from Gu Xuanze’s wariness, as well as the old man’s and Uncle Lu’s attitude toward him, it was evident that this man was not only ruthless but also cunning and deceitful. Ordinary tricks wouldn’t be enough to draw him out.

To Lu Youze, Gu Xuanze was what mattered most.

On the other end, Gu Xuanze remained silent, as if throwing a silent tantrum.

Lu Youze chuckled indulgently. In truth, he wished Gu Xuanze would act a little more willful in front of him. Perhaps because of the original novel’s Lu Youze’s attitude, combined with that past incident that left a shadow on Gu Xuanze’s heart, his lover was always cautious around him. A little petulance now and then wasn’t such a bad thing.

During the day, he had told Gu Xuanze to cooperate with his plan no matter what. If he insisted, Gu Xuanze wouldn’t be able to refuse. But if this ended up making Gu Xuanze unhappy, in the end, the one who would feel distressed would still be him.

“Ah Ze, a wedding is just a formality,” Lu Youze switched the phone to his other hand, his tone soothing. “As long as we are happy, that’s all that matters.”

Yet Gu Xuanze still remained silent. This time, even Lu Youze couldn’t guess what he was thinking.

Was he really upset?

Just as Lu Youze was contemplating whether to say a few sweet words to coax his lover, the previously silent Gu Xuanze finally spoke.

“Youze, you don’t have to do all this for me. I… am not worth it.”

Hearing this, Lu Youze felt both anger and heartache. How could someone so extraordinary still be so humble before him? But that was not what he wanted to see. “Whether you’re worth it or not is for me to decide.”

Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, he added, “Ah Ze, don’t say things like this anymore, or I’ll be angry.”

“…Mm.” Gu Xuanze was silent for a long moment before he finally responded. “Youze, I will make the arrangements.”

“So, does that mean you agree?”

“Didn’t I already agree at the hotel during the day?” Gu Xuanze seemed to return to his usual self. “I promised you, Youze, that I would follow your plan. I never go back on my word. I don’t want to be someone unreliable in your eyes.”

“You never were.” Lu Youze smiled sincerely. “Ah Ze, in my heart, you are perfect.”

“Then I have to work even harder,” Gu Xuanze chuckled, seemingly appeased by Lu Youze’s sweet words. “I can’t let you down.”

“As long as you stay just like this, that’s enough.” Lu Youze regretted that he couldn’t see Gu Xuanze’s expression at this moment. Some words were much more fun to say when he could look at that beautiful face. “Let’s talk more about the wedding when we see each other. Ah Ze, go home and get some rest.”

“Alright.” Gu Xuanze’s voice was gentle. “Youze, you should rest early too.”

On the other side, after Ye You and Lu Youze bid farewell, the first thing Ye You did was call Ye Xing.

The phone had barely rung once before it was picked up—so fast that it felt like the person on the other end had been waiting for his call.

Ye You didn’t waste time and got straight to the point: “Little Uncle, let’s meet up.”

Ye Xing was sitting in his car, with an unlit cigarette between his lips when he spotted Ye You stepping out of a café, smiling and waving at him. He hadn’t deliberately avoided Ye You, so it was only natural that his tailing was discovered.

Looking at Ye You, who was already standing outside his car window, Ye Xing had no intention of unlocking the door. Instead, he simply said into the phone, “Address.”

“The usual place.”

The moment Ye You finished speaking, Ye Xing hung up the phone and drove off without hesitation, making it clear that he had no plans of letting Ye You into the car.

“Little Uncle really holds grudges.” Ye You muttered, feeling a bit wronged as he stared at the disappearing car. But in the next instant, his expression shifted—completely different from the bright, sunny fanboy persona he had shown in front of Lu Youze.

The Ye family did have an extensive intelligence network. In this city, no news could escape their grasp. However, each of them had their own areas of expertise, and this particular matter happened to be something his little uncle was best at. That meant, no matter what, he needed his little uncle’s help.

Half an hour later, Ye Xing and Ye You arrived at a private club exclusive to the Ye family.

“So, does this mean you’re willing to help me with this favor, Little Uncle?”

Ye Xing gave a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Ye You, don’t bother putting on an act in front of me. You called me here because you knew I’d agree. So spare me the pleasantries—just get straight to the point. My time is valuable.”

After all, he cherished every second he could spend with their family’s second young master.

“Little Uncle, do you know I’ve been investigating Gu Xuanyu?”

“I do now.” Ye Xing glanced at him, his gaze probing. “Since when did you become interested in the Gu family’s affairs?”

“Someone asked me to look into it.”

“Lu Youze?” Ye Xing chuckled, his tone laced with mockery. “You sure are dedicated to your idol.”

“Of course! He’s my idol, so I have to give it my all.” Ye You grinned, completely unfazed by the teasing. He didn’t look at Ye Xing but instead swirled the wine in his hand. For a fleeting moment, the playful gleam in his eyes turned dangerously sharp.

“I swore to be Brother Lu’s guardian angel. Anyone who dares to hurt him will have to pay the price.”

Ye Xing, who had been watching Ye You closely, suddenly seemed intrigued. Initially uninterested in Lu Youze’s affairs, he now perked up as if he had just made an interesting discovery. He casually scratched his ear and unceremoniously mocked his younger relative. “I never knew the future head of the Ye family was such a coward—too scared to even confess? Acting like a high schooler with a crush? How pathetic.”

“I’m not like you, Little Uncle.” Ye You showed no reaction to having his hidden thoughts exposed. He had always been good at self-deception. “Just being by his side makes me happy.”

After all, in the past, he could only watch from afar like some obsessed stalker. Now, being able to stay close and protect him was already more than enough.

“You know…” Ye Xing stared at Ye You with an unreadable expression, pausing as if searching for the right words to describe this so-called perfect heir in their family’s eyes. Then, he suddenly laughed, tapping a long finger against Ye You’s chest. “Ye You, you might be even more twisted than I am.”

“Who knows?” Ye You didn’t refute it. He simply smiled faintly. “Little Uncle, enough with the family chit-chat! Didn’t you say you were short on time? Let’s get down to business.”

Ye Xing lit a cigarette, though he wasn’t addicted—just occasionally felt like smoking. The best thing about the Ye family’s private club was that anything went. It was ironic, really, considering their old-fashioned, rigid family had nothing to do with the word ‘freedom.’

Ye You laid out his entire plan to Ye Xing. Since he needed help, he had to be upfront. Besides, with that Gu family’s second young master involved, his little uncle would help no matter what.

“You’re really going through with this?” Ye Xing raised an eyebrow after hearing him out. “Young Master Ye, do you really think the other party is an idiot?”

Ye You had the appearance of a charming and bright model student, but upon hearing Ye Xing’s remark, he only responded with an easygoing smile. Yet, his eyes were filled with disdain, as if he were mocking something—or rather, someone. It wasn’t Ye Xing he was laughing at, but those foolish enough to think they could scheme in the shadows.

“Aren’t they idiots? They actually think they can take advantage of Brother Lu—ridiculous.”

Seeing Ye You’s expression, Ye Xing knew there was no point in saying more. He stood up and prepared to leave. “I get it. I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”

“Little Uncle.” Ye You called out just as Ye Xing was about to walk away. “According to my investigation, when Gu Xuanyu was younger, he used to torment your precious second young master quite a bit.”

“Ye You, there’s no need to go out of your way to provoke me.” Ye Xing sneered. His back was turned to Ye You as he coldly said, “I never planned on letting him go in the first place.”

Ye Xing had been tracking Gu Xuanyu for a long time. Ever since losing the power struggle against Gu Xuanze, the man had gone into hiding abroad. Every time Ye Xing was about to catch him, he’d slip away.

Now, this cunning fox had returned on his own accord. Based on what Ye Xing knew about Gu Xuanyu, he wouldn’t have shown up unless he was certain of his success.

So what exactly was this old fox planning? Why was he so confident?

Ye Xing frowned.

“Well then, I’ll be waiting for good news, Little Uncle.”

“You’d better focus on your own business.” With that, Ye Xing left.

After exiting the Ye family’s private club, he drove straight to the Lu family’s residence. If he remembered correctly, Lu Youze was supposed to be staying there tonight.

On the way, Ye Xing made a call—to Gu Xuanze.