Since the family arranged for a driver, Yu Yan no longer had to rely on Yu Chen’s car before work, and his departure time was delayed by about half an hour.

He just stepped into the park area at the exact time when a young man came running toward him.

The man was wearing a white baseball jacket, a black T-shirt underneath, a large gold chain hanging on his chest, and denim overalls with colorful satin ribbons.

He wore a white mask and sunglasses, and even had a baseball bat, completely covering his face.

Yu Yan couldn’t help but feel inferior.

What brand of plastic bag is that? It can hold so much!

“Second-generation bro!”

Yu Yan immediately felt a warning bell go off in his head, and a bad premonition washed over him.

Sure enough, the man removed all his disguise in the next second, revealing a clean and confident face.

It really was He Zhiyu!

Yu Yan had always thought He Zhiyu was good-looking, but in person, he was even more stunning, far beyond his looks on camera. However, his outfit did not match his refined aura at all.

“Second-generation bro, you’re just on time for work? Just like me.” He Zhiyu casually threw an arm around his shoulder.

Yu Yan broke out in goosebumps. “Call me something else.”

“Okay, Xiao Yan,” He Zhiyu nodded.

“Did you finish your movie?” Yu Yan asked, a little surprised.

After all, the movie was clearly a huge production just by the name.

He Zhiyu visibly became more reserved, and the hand on his shoulder dropped.

“Let’s not talk about it,” He Zhiyu sighed, “By the way, what’s this resource exchange you mentioned last time? Is it reliable?”

“I think it’s fine.”

He Zhiyu thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Can you convince my dad?”

“Huh?”

Yu Yan pondered for a second, “How about I talk to your dad?”

The original book didn’t have any descriptions about He Zhiyu, and everything Yu Yan knew about him came from the internet and his brother Yu Chen. He only knew that He’s father was a former military man who now worked in business, and the family was strict.

Now, the father and son had completely clashed. He Zhiyu didn’t want to go home to take over the family business, and He’s father didn’t want him to stay in the entertainment industry. It was a battle of who could outlast the other.

Yu Yan heard that He’s father had forbidden anyone from providing He Zhiyu with resources, cutting off his future development in the entertainment industry.

If he could persuade his father, not only would He Zhiyu’s career in the industry become smoother, but even the artists under his management could benefit.

“Do you think it’s possible?” He Zhiyu looked at him skeptically.

“Not sure, but he will definitely give my dad and my brother some face. It might work?”

“That makes sense,” He Zhiyu leaned in and nudged him with his shoulder, “By the way, can I borrow your brother’s office?”

“Isn’t it a bit unnecessary to talk about personal matters at the company?”

Up until now, Yu Yan still felt uneasy about going to Chaoxing.

He wasn’t sure how far the previous owner had arranged things within the company and whether his arrival would have any negative impact.

He Zhiyu showed a troubled expression. “The main thing is, there need to be two people to mediate.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“My dad has a bad temper. He’ll resort to physical action at the slightest disagreement. You wouldn’t want the entertainment industry’s rising star to fall so quickly, right?”

“Isn’t that a bit extreme? You’re already over twenty and still get hit?” Yu Yan couldn’t believe it.

He Zhiyu got fired up. “Why wouldn’t it be? Last New Year’s Eve, I didn’t even get to have my reunion dinner before my dad hit and yelled at me, kicking me out of the house. There’s even a picture of me squatting at the gate of the neighborhood. You can search for it online.”

Yu Yan: “……”

“Alright, I’ll ask my brother when he has time.”

I heard that He Zhiyu’s father transitioned from the military to business, and he’s known for his swift and decisive actions.

When he founded the Lu Yu brand, he was already over forty, and He Zhiyu had already been born. Everyone thought he wasn’t suited for starting a business, and even the media didn’t support him. But he succeeded, and even pushed Lu Yu to the international stage.

He’s capable, smart, and a senior figure, which left Yu Yan feeling quite unsure.

After discussing it, the two of them decided to divide the tasks. Yu Yan would talk to Yu Chen about the situation and hope he could intervene when He’s father took action, while He Zhiyu would be responsible for luring his father out.

Outside Yu Yan’s office, there was a large terrace, lush with flowers and plants, a perfect place to relax.

As lunchtime neared, he sat on a lounge chair on the terrace, calling Yu Chen to discuss He Zhiyu’s matter.

Yu Chen seemed to know He’s father and agreed to help without hesitation.

The warm sunlight spread across his face, making him feel all warm and cozy. Yu Yan slouched in the lounge chair, not wanting to move.

“Snap—” The terrace door was gently pushed open.

“Mom—”

It was Shen Yuchen’s voice.

Yu Yan froze in place, completely pressed into the chair. The lounge chair hid him so well that anyone would have a hard time noticing him unless they looked closely.

Was it suspicious to leave now?

The footsteps grew closer, and Shen Yuchen’s voice became clearer.

The terrace was silent, and Yu Yan closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight on his eyelids. With his vision blocked, his other senses were heightened. The faint smell of flowers lingered near his nose, mixed with a subtle trace of tobacco.

Tobacco smell!!!

Yu Yan’s alarm bells went off immediately, and his long eyelashes fluttered slightly.

The chair across from him was dragged, producing a sharp “screeching” sound against the wooden floor.

Then, Shen Yuchen sat down, leisurely lighting a cigarette.

The scent of tobacco grew stronger, and Yu Yan could feel the smoke swirling around his vision, making him feel a little uncomfortable.

His eyelids fluttered again, and unable to hold back, he opened his eyes, only to meet Shen Yuchen’s teasing gaze.

“Achen—”

“I’m here.”

“Are you busy?”

“Not really.”

Zhang Shujun was silent for a moment before continuing, “Achen, I’m sorry. Yesterday was your birthday, but I was so busy that I forgot to call you. I only remembered when I saw your post on social media today.”

“Mhm.”

“Did anyone spend your birthday with you this year? I saw that you were eating cake.”

“Yeah.”

“Was it… a friend?” Zhang Shujun continued to ask.

Suddenly, Shen Yuming grabbed Yu Yan’s wrist, stopping him from reaching for his coffee.

Yu Yan snapped back to his senses and noticed a few fallen leaves in his cup, likely blown in by the wind.

Zhang Shujun on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before continuing, “I sent you some money. You can buy something you like. How about getting a few LEGO sets? Last month, your sister loved the LEGO set you sent her for her birthday, and she even posted about it on social media. Did you see it?”

“Mhm.” He had seen the family photo.

Suddenly, a young female voice came through the phone, “Mommy, for the student council assignment, I need to do a self-introduction. Can you record a short video for me?”

“Okay, baby, mommy will be right there.” Zhang Shujun said into the phone, “Your sister called me, I’ll go take care of it first.”

“Okay.”

“Beep—”

Before Shen Yuming could take the phone away from his ear, the call had already ended.

Pretending to sleep had been exposed. Yu Yan had felt a little awkward at first, but now that awkwardness was completely overridden by a strong feeling of sourness.

It was so quiet on the terrace, and with how close he and Shen Yuchen were, he could easily make out the conversation on the phone.

A wave of sourness rose in Yu Yan’s chest. He nudged the tip of Shen Yuming’s leather shoe with his foot.

Shen Yuming raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at him in confusion, but his foot didn’t move back an inch.

“You’re also a baby,” Yu Yan’s voice dropped to a whisper.