The café that Gu Xuanzhe mentioned was a ten-minute drive from Lu Youze’s apartment. Because it was located in a more remote area and the owner had a rather eccentric personality, the place wasn’t just empty at this hour—it didn’t have a single customer.

As they walked into the café, the owner, who was reading a book, glanced up and said to Gu Xuanzhe,

“I got it, same as always.”

Gu Xuanzhe nodded and then led Lu Youze and the others into a private room.

“President Gu is a regular here?” Ye You couldn’t help but ask after they sat down, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Gu Xuanzhe furrowed his brows slightly and replied in a calm tone, “Something like that. The owner’s skills are quite good. You should give it a try.”

If it weren’t for the owner’s terrible temper, the café’s business wouldn’t be this bad. But of course, the owner hadn’t opened the shop to make money in the first place. According to him, it was merely a way to pass the time.

Shortly after they sat down, the coffee was served, but instead of coffee, Lu Youze received a glass of milk.

Lu Youze felt a mix of emotions—Gu Xuanzhe always paid attention to these little details.

“Mr. Lu, let me introduce myself. I’m Ye You, a journalist from Yiye,” Ye You took the initiative to introduce himself, showing his sincerity.

Gu Xuanzhe raised an eyebrow, as if something had come to mind, but he didn’t say anything.

“Nice to meet you, Reporter Ye,” Lu Youze responded with a fair amount of enthusiasm, then gave an awkward laugh while pointing at himself and Gu Xuanzhe. “As for the two of us, I suppose we don’t need introductions.”

Ye You nodded but suddenly shifted his gaze to Gu Xuanzhe, his eyes sharper than before. “President Gu, may I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“As Mr. Lu’s Alpha, have you considered restoring his reputation?” Ye You’s gaze carried an intense sense of pressure. In his view, Gu Xuanzhe’s public declaration of dominance during the livestream had been utterly foolish, only worsening Lu Youze’s current situation. Furthermore, if he remembered correctly, these two had always been at odds. How had they suddenly become close in a situation like this? It all seemed a bit suspicious.

Not to mention, his idol looked different today.

Faced with Ye You’s interrogative tone, Gu Xuanzhe’s frown deepened, and his voice turned even colder. “Mr. Ye, let me correct you. This isn’t a matter of whether I’ve considered it or not—it’s something that must be done. And as you can see, I am already doing it.”

As he spoke, Gu Xuanzhe turned his gaze to Lu Youze once more, and his expression softened. “He’s already suffered enough. I won’t let him endure any more injustice.”

From anyone else, these words might have sounded like nothing more than sweet talk. But the moment Lu Youze met Gu Xuanzhe’s eyes, he understood—this man wasn’t just saying empty words. He would truly do everything in his power to make it happen.

Lu Youze quickly looked away. Being stared at with such gentle eyes was overwhelming.

He was afraid he might really fall for this man.

A voice, like an angel, whispered in his mind: If you fall for Gu Xuanzhe, wouldn’t that be perfect?

Lu Youze liked Gu Xuanzhe. If their feelings were mutual, he could have both love and career success.

But just as he was about to be convinced, another voice, like a devil, doused him with cold reality: Don’t forget, the person he likes isn’t this version of you.

“I’m a fan of Mr. Lu, and I will do everything I can to help,” Ye You declared, unwilling to back down.

Ye You’s words snapped Lu Youze back to reality. He avoided Gu Xuanzhe’s worried gaze with some guilt, then gave Ye You a perfectly practiced smile.

“Thank you for your support,” Lu Youze said with a hint of self-mockery. “I never thought that after everything, there would still be people who like me.”

As he spoke, his mood darkened further. Whether he was deliberately acting for Ye You or not, only Lu Youze himself knew.

Seeing this, Gu Xuanzhe immediately grasped Lu Youze’s hand, his fingers gently stroking the back of it in a soothing motion.

In front of others, they were already a bonded AO pair—Lu Youze couldn’t exactly reject his touch in public. Gu Xuanzhe admitted that he was doing this on purpose. An Alpha craved closeness with their Omega. He had promised not to let Lu Youze suffer any more, but in the end, he was still selfish, using these small, underhanded tricks to satisfy his own desires.

Lu Youze didn’t pull his hand away. Ye You’s attention was fully on him, so he didn’t notice their subtle interaction. The warmth spreading from his hand unexpectedly calmed the unease hidden deep inside him, making him reluctant to let go.

Lu Youze thought, pulling away now would only seem deliberate. It wasn’t a big deal anyway, so he let it be.

“Mr. Lu.” Ye You suddenly stood up in excitement. He couldn’t bear to see his idol like this. “I don’t believe the reports about you, so I did some investigating on my own. The reason I came here today is to give you the information I gathered. No matter what you choose to do with it, I will support you completely.”

As he spoke, he took out all the documents he had prepared from his bag and placed them on the table. There was quite a lot—various photos, a voice recorder, and files containing information on people who had secretly interacted with Yu Li. It was clear that he had put a lot of effort into this and had been following Yu Li for quite some time.

After speaking, Ye You glanced at Gu Xuanzhe again, his gaze carrying a trace of provocation. It was as if he were saying: I’m just a fan, and I’ve already done so much. What about you, as his Alpha? What will you do?

Gu Xuanzhe didn’t mind Ye You’s childish actions. After all, he was genuinely trying to help Lu Youze, so there was no way he could be his enemy. He briefly organized the items on the table before carefully examining them. Gathering all this information required more than just patience; it also demanded a strong intelligence network and financial resources.

Glancing at Ye You, who was taking the opportunity to get closer to Lu Youze, Gu Xuanzhe couldn’t help but think—the Ye family was indeed unfathomable.

With the information Ye You provided, along with the crucial recording in Ye Xing’s hands and his own influence and methods in the entertainment industry, Gu Xuanzhe was confident that nothing would go wrong this time.

However… as he watched the two chatting rather comfortably, his grip on the photo tightened, wrinkling one of its corners. His expression shifted several times, and once again, he felt that his so-called love was nothing but selfish and cowardly. Even a mere fan had silently done so much for Lu Youze, yet what had he done? Before A Hao told him about Lu Youze’s amnesia, during the darkest and most helpless period of Lu Youze’s life, he had done nothing but hide like a coward.

And all because Lu Youze had told him to stay away from his life and never interfere again.

Gu Xuanzhe retracted his gaze and carefully organized the documents beside him. His expression was firmer than before. The past couldn’t be changed, but the future was in his hands. This time, no matter the cost, he would seek justice for Lu Youze and ensure he got what he deserved.

“Reporter Ye, could I ask for your help with something?” Gu Xuanzhe asked after steadying his emotions.

“President Gu, just tell me what you need.”

Although Ye You disliked Gu Xuanzhe ordering him around, he was willing to do anything if it could help his idol.

“Thank you.”

Lu Youze wasn’t entirely sure what Gu Xuanzhe wanted Ye You to do, but he understood his intentions. Playing along, he looked at Ye You with eyes full of gratitude. “Mr. Ye, if I ever get the chance to act again, I’ll be even more dedicated to every role so that I won’t disappoint a loyal fan like you.”

“Idol, I will do everything I can to help you.” Ye You looked at Lu Youze seriously. “You will definitely be able to continue acting.”

An actor like his idol not being able to perform would be a great loss to all audiences.

Gu Xuanzhe opened his phone’s album, where a photo of Yu Li’s attending physician, just sent by Yuan Baiyue, was displayed. This doctor had told reporters that Yu Li was still in a coma and in a terrible condition, and no one else had been allowed to contact him.

The media had been widely reporting the so-called “Yu Li suicide” case, which had occupied multiple trending searches. However, aside from a few photos of Yu Li being wheeled into an ambulance unconscious, all other information came from this doctor.

“Reporter Ye, I need you to investigate this person,” Gu Xuanzhe said. “Look into everyone he’s interacted with this past week, his family, and his financial situation.”

“Alright.”

Ye You didn’t waste words. After the two exchanged WeChat contacts, Gu Xuanzhe sent him the photo.

“Reporter Ye, can you get results in two hours?” Gu Xuanzhe asked.

Their gazes clashed intensely in the air for a moment before Ye You, unwilling to back down and brimming with confidence, scoffed, “Hmph, one hour is enough.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

Ye You ignored Gu Xuanzhe and instead enthusiastically bid farewell to Lu Youze. After Ye You left, only the two of them remained in the private room.