Chapter 45: The Case

From the moment Yu Zhaozhao saw the winning entry, things spiraled out of Zhou Yingzhe’s control. Furious, Yu Zhaozhao confronted Gu Yuxuan, forcing Zhou Yingzhe to fabricate “evidence” in her favor, trying to suppress the matter as quickly as possible.

In the days leading up to graduation, the anonymous abusive messages Yu Zhaozhao received, the strange looks from classmates, and the harsh warnings from her mentor were all orchestrated by Zhou Yingzhe. He knew that with Yu Zhaozhao’s proud yet naive personality, she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

And sure enough, just as he expected, by creating the illusion that “the whole world was against her,” he not only buried the disgraceful incident but also completely shattered Yu Zhaozhao’s psychological defenses. Out of desperation, her graduation project was a complete disaster, and her once-bright future was cast into shadow.

She fled home in embarrassment. Although she continued creating, none of her works ever saw the light of day again. People soon forgot that she was once a rising star in the design world, filled with promise.

With Yu Zhaozhao gone, Zhou Yingzhe and Gu Yuxuan were also doomed to be impossible. Gu Yuxuan wasn’t clueless—she could easily piece together what had happened. After all, she never signed up for that competition, and the prize money never ended up in her hands.

But Zhou Yingzhe was truly the quintessential male lead. He begged relentlessly, constantly reminding her of his “life-saving grace.” Although his halo might not be as dazzling, it was still enough to influence Gu Yuxuan. In the end, she agreed to keep his secret—but at the cost of cutting ties with him completely.

Zhou Yingzhe accepted because, by then, Gu Yuxuan was no longer important to him. Shortly after receiving the prize money, he managed to establish connections with Gu Lang, and in fact, he was eager to distance himself from Gu Yuxuan.

After all, how could a rising star in the business world be someone who climbed up by relying on women? No, his “talent” had shone through even in his early struggles, attracting Gu Lang’s attention.

Su Shiyi: …

No amount of cursing could express her current feelings. She just wanted to find a basin—so she could throw up.

She was utterly disgusted, and across from her, Yu Zhaozhao didn’t seem any calmer. After a few brief words, Su Shiyi made an excuse and prepared to leave.

Not only did Yu Zhaozhao not stop her, but she looked as if she was about to roll up her sleeves and start a fight. That posture strangely reminded Su Shiyi of Lin Jiayan and Lin Xi going off to beat up Zhao Nian.

Now that she thought about it, the situations were eerily similar—that scumbag had also been playing both sides.

Hmm, wouldn’t it be fine if she sent Gu Yuxuan a little message?

Su Shiyi didn’t feel like she was stirring up trouble—she was just telling Gu Yuxuan the truth: the so-called “hero saving the beauty” was fake. From start to finish, it was all just a calculated scheme. Some things became painfully obvious once you knew the outcome and worked your way backward.

No need to thank her too much—Su Shiyi was just an ordinary good person.

She was simply dedicated to letting the light of justice shine upon the world.

—

This exciting drama once again reached her through Kevin’s live updates. As Su Shiyi lay on a beauty spa bed, enjoying a full-body massage, she even made sure to have some sunflower seeds, Coke, and popcorn on the side.

Ah, what a shame that Zhou Yingzhe was at home instead of his office—otherwise, she could’ve watched the live scene through surveillance cameras!

Who was Yu Zhaozhao? She had always aimed to be a top-tier designer. Even if others saw her work as flawless, as long as she found a single imperfection, she would never allow it to be released. Her pride was evident in every aspect.

Zhou Yingzhe dared to steal her designs and ruin her reputation—such a humiliating betrayal had completely sobered her up. Back then, Yu Zhaozhao hadn’t pressed charges partly because of the overwhelming psychological pressure and partly because she had still considered Zhou Yingzhe’s situation.

“She’d rather sacrifice herself than make things difficult for Zhou Yingzhe“—was that really something she had thought? Yu Zhaozhao seriously questioned whether her brain had been slammed in a door!

Determined to right the past, she immediately started consulting lawyers and gathering evidence. She was going to make sure that Zhou Yingzhe experienced the iron fist of socialist law—firsthand.

Gu Yuxuan, on the other hand, stayed true to her role as the classic “female supporting character”—hot-headed and impulsive, she showed up with a few bodyguards, planning to ambush Zhou Yingzhe while he was taking out the trash and beat him up in a sack (…)

Oh boy. If Su Shiyi hadn’t arranged for Kevin to keep an eye on things and step in at the right moment, Gu Yuxuan might already be on her way to jail.

Even if they wanted to deal with Zhou Yingzhe, they had to follow the law and couldn’t resort to thug-like methods.

That said, Gu Yuxuan still personally stepped in and gave Zhou Yingzhe a kick.

As for where she kicked him… well…

Let’s just say Zhou Yingzhe probably wouldn’t want to talk about it. The bodyguards who witnessed it, however, shuddered with lingering fear.

But that was just a small matter. What really made waves was the uproar she caused on Gu Lang’s side. Even though Gu Yuxuan couldn’t contact Gu Lang directly, she still bore the Gu surname, so making a scene in front of Secretary John was well within her ability.

—And it just so happened to coincide with the four judges exchanging sharp glances, each critiquing the other’s judgment. Zhou Yingzhe’s downfall became the perfect excuse for the other three to unanimously reject Gu Lang’s pick, which left the “big boss daddy” quite furious.

In a private group chat, Gu Chen mocked sarcastically: Oh dear, how did Father’s top candidate turn out to be this bad? And to think he even sneaked two people in to meet Su Shiyi before the preliminary selection ended—if that’s not cheating, what is?

Sure, it was Gu Lang who kicked off this whole competitive frenzy, forcing Gu Pan and Li Shuman to follow suit, even Gu Chen had pulled some strings for his own friends. But for Gu Lang, being publicly called out by his own son was a serious loss of face.

More importantly, this proved beyond a doubt that his judgment of character was terrible. How was he supposed to maintain his dignity as a father in front of his daughter now?

Twice.

For this man, he had embarrassed himself in front of his daughter twice!

Gu Lang rarely made bad business investments, but when it came to Zhou Yingzhe’s character, he had stumbled twice. This was practically a black mark in his record.

The last time, Zhou Yingzhe had been rude to his daughter, and Gu Lang had already crossed him off the list of promising young talents. Now, with his past misconduct being exposed, Zhou Yingzhe had no hope of ever making a comeback in Gu Lang’s eyes.

“President Gu is considering pulling out his investment,” Kevin reported the latest updates. “This kind of insider news spreads quickly. Aside from the founding members, most of the company’s employees are now thinking of quitting.”

Hearing this, Su Shiyi couldn’t help but laugh.

Zhou Yingzhe ran one of the most ^[1]“Cash-burning internet companies” refers to internet-based companies that are spending a large amount of money, often more than they are earning, in an attempt to grow quickly, gain … Continue readingcash-burning internet companies, still in the stage of spending aggressively to capture users. Even if the withdrawal process wouldn’t be instant, and the company wouldn’t collapse overnight, without an endless stream of funding, its exit from the market was practically inevitable.

With Gu Lang shifting his attention elsewhere, he had already found a new promising candidate in the industry. Now, his official withdrawal didn’t just mean losing a powerful backer—it also put the company’s financial chain in jeopardy.

A company that lost Gu Lang’s investment, especially due to personal scandals, was one no serious investor would dare touch. Zhou Yingzhe’s character was indeed questionable—if he could betray his girlfriend, he could betray anyone. Partnering with him was simply too risky. Besides, the industry wasn’t his alone, there were plenty of competitors waiting to carve up the market.

Su Shiyi clicked her tongue in amusement—this time, Zhou Yingzhe was well and truly finished. Not just in the capital—no respectable company worldwide would want him. After all, in terms of influence, “Father Gu Lang” was still top-tier.

Rather than worrying about rebuilding from scratch, Zhou Yingzhe should focus on dealing with Yu Zhaozhao’s lawsuit first.

Kevin also informed her that the man who had tried to “hit on” her at the pork bone shop had been arrested by the police.

Just as Su Shiyi expected, he hadn’t truly repented. The coward had been simmering with resentment, too scared to confront her directly, so he had been waiting for another opportunity to lash out at someone else.

The moment her people filed a report at the police station, that very same night, the man had already tried to target another woman at a different food stall. With video evidence and witnesses, he was detained for a few days at the station.

Of course, such a light punishment wouldn’t really teach him a lesson. But more importantly, stopping him in the act prevented another woman from becoming his victim.

And Kevin’s team wasn’t withdrawing just yet. With this guy’s record, they now had even more justification to keep an eye on him.

Rather than just locking him up, Su Shiyi hoped he would genuinely change for the better—though she knew the chances were slim. Because every time he committed a crime, another woman would suffer for it.

Pushing aside this annoying matter for now, Su Shiyi picked up the tablet and reviewed Kevin’s first draft for the gym investment plan.

With Gu Lang as her backer, when she said she’d invest a billion yuan, her team took it literally—if anything, they only aimed higher.

According to Qi Yude, setting up a large gym in a first- or second-tier city required at least two million yuan. But in reality, costs didn’t have to be that high. The Gu family already owned a fitness equipment company, so they could purchase supplies at discounted internal rates. They also had access to commercial buildings and malls at lower rental prices, significantly cutting down on major expenses.

Su Shiyi’s goal was to provide women with a safe and comfortable workout environment. Based on different consumer spending capacities, the gyms would be categorized into three tiers: low, mid, and high-end. Not all locations needed top-tier facilities.

With this approach, a billion yuan would be more than enough to open 500 gyms nationwide—without even needing a separate marketing budget.

Perfect. Kevin was always reliable.

Su Shiyi handed the tablet to Lucy and praised the team’s professionalism.

At this point, the team directly working for her had expanded to over twenty people. Secretaries and assistants only had a few days off each year, while others rotated shifts weekly.

Although their salaries are high and the benefits are excellent, Su Shiyi still felt that working non-stop was a bit excessive, making her feel slightly guilty.

“Is the overseas trip plan ready?” she asked Lucy beside her. “When the time comes, bring everyone along. No one is allowed to work—just relax on the cruise. Have Dad arrange a professional service team so you can all treat it as a vacation.”

Lucy smiled happily. “Thank you, Miss Shiyi. We’ve already coordinated with the eight guests of Return to Senior Year, and the schedule is set for next Wednesday. Starting at midnight that day, the livestream room will temporarily stop counting valid study hours until 8 a.m. the day after returning.”

This was Su Shiyi’s request. It was better to have the platform pause the count for everyone, rather than risk one smart aleck secretly studying and forcing the other seven to keep up with the grind.

And don’t say it wouldn’t happen—these top-tier study maniacs were absolutely capable of such a thing. The last time she checked the rankings, the difference between first and eighth place wasn’t that big—still within an hour. With a little extra effort, even the one at the bottom still had a chance to make a comeback.

At this point, it wasn’t just about winning a villa anymore. Sure, fighting for fan benefits was nice, but the massive daily influx of viewers had given the guests a taste of popularity. Now, they were being hailed as “representatives of modern, high-quality idols.”—how could they slack off and not study?

Study. They had to study. And bring their fans along to study. The goal? To turn future fan meetups into alumni gatherings for ^[2]Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, and Shanghai Jiao Tong Universities are among the most prestigious and top-ranking institutions in China, known for their excellence in various academic fields.Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, and Jiaotong University!

That’s right—these study-crazed, utterly insane celebrities had now extended their influence to their fans in the livestream room. Since they were studying, shouldn’t their fans study too?

Today’s task: a pop quiz on the 64 required essays for the college entrance exam. Tomorrow: an intensive drill on English essay writing. The interactive features co-developed by the show and Kuaishou streaming platform had put the fans in agony. Those who wanted to flee immediately found themselves held in place—by their parents.

High schoolers could watch the elite group. Middle schoolers had their own comparison group—currently still wrestling with the Pythagorean theorem.

Student fans: ???

Before, they had to chase idols in secret, afraid their parents would find out. Now, their parents wouldn’t let them leave their idol’s livestream—not even for a second!

Want to start hating your favorite song? Just set it as your alarm tone. Want to quit being a fan? Just let your idol join Return to Senior Year (cries).

Damn it, they thought this variety show was supposed to be about watching celebrities struggle for fun. How did it end up being them, the innocent fans, who were suffering the most before the show even officially aired?!

Su Shiyi, seeing the overwhelming praise from parents: …

No one might believe her, but her original intention was just to mess around. The whole education aspect? That was just a side effect.

Who would’ve thought she’d accidentally create a show recommended by top schools?

#I didn’t mean to become this famous

#I didn’t actually do anything, they’re just too hardworking

#How much money did I even make from this, why is everyone calling me a marketing genius?

Su The Industry Legend Worthy Heir of the Gu Family Mastermind Striking from the Shadows Shiyi was now being analyzed as a case study in marketing.

Countless professionals concluded that her extravagant spending was just a facade—just like how Batman played the role of a frivolous billionaire to hide his true identity. Su Shiyi’s approach was the same. She seemed like a carefree, money-burning socialite, but in reality, she was playing the long game, ready to reap massive rewards!

The Gu family truly had deep foundations. Gu Lang and Gu Chen were already formidable enough, and now, out of nowhere, Su Shiyi had emerged as well. Even her once-impoverished background was now being interpreted as a rigorous trial—personally designed by Gu Lang to sharpen her willpower.

Su Shiyi: ???

You’re overthinking this. She’s just an ordinary, lazy, good-for-nothing salted fish!

After finishing her massage, Su Shiyi had to head to a café to meet Gu Chen’s close friend. According to her “discounted” older brother, Male Guest No. 16, Pei An, was his best friend—completely overshadowing the candidates recommended by Father Gu Lang from every angle.

Su Shiyi chose to ignore her brother’s blatant attempt to drag Father Gu Lang through the mud. The moment she spotted Pei An in the café and compared him with the information in the compressed file, she couldn’t help but sigh in realization.

Pei An—the standard best friend of a domineering CEO and an all-purpose general practitioner.

His medical expertise was top-notch, capable of solving all the CEO’s problems. He was cold toward outsiders but tolerant of the CEO, even willing to be summoned at ungodly hours. He existed in a Schrödinger’s state of busyness—always busy, yet miraculously available whenever the CEO needed him.

Just look at his textbook appearance: a three-piece suit, gold-rimmed glasses, long, well-defined fingers, and a pocket-sized bottle of alcohol spray. His lips carried a faint, unreadable smile.

Ah, a stock doctor character straight out of Lüjiang novels brought to life.

Sitting across from him, Su Shiyi had the odd feeling that he was about to diagnose her with some mysterious illness at any moment.

But she understood—this wasn’t his fault. Romance novels all followed the same formula. Doctors diagnosing people on sight was practically a built-in setting.

However, thanks to her personal nutritionist’s meticulous diet planning and her assistant’s constant care, Su Shiyi’s health was in excellent condition, leaving Pei An with nothing to comment on. When their eyes met, she could even detect a hint of bewilderment in his gaze.

Poor guy. He was so accustomed to scripted interactions that he didn’t even know how to hold a conversation outside of them.

She decided to break the silence. “Hello, Doctor Pei. I’ve heard a lot about you. My brother often talks about how gentle and considerate you are, with exceptional medical ethics.”

Lies. What Gu Chen actually said was that Pei An had an insanely fit waist and great stamina (omitting certain details that shouldn’t be put in writing).

Pei An adjusted his glasses. “That’s actually something I should say to you. Gu Chen often praises you too—says you’re cheerful, enthusiastic, and kind-hearted.”

More lies. What Gu Chen really said was that this girl had a chaotic, meme-like aura and possibly some loose screws, yet for some reason, she wasn’t annoying.

The two, both spouting blatant falsehoods, nodded at each other in perfect sync.

For people who could spout this kind of nonsense with a straight face, their psychological endurance had to be off the charts.

After exchanging these pleasantries filled with empty flattery, silence fell between them again. The only sounds left were the soft clinks of their spoons stirring coffee against the cups.

Su Shiyi: ……

Come on, say something! I initiated the last topic, so it’s only fair that you start this time!

She gave Pei An a pointed look. He clearly understood the signal, nodded heavily, but still seemed at a complete loss for words.

At nearly thirty years old, Pei An was indeed under family pressure to settle down, but thanks to his Schrödinger’s busy schedule, this was actually his first time going on a blind date.

After much effort, he finally managed to come up with, “The weather’s nice today, isn’t it? Lots of sunshine.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, immediately followed by a torrential downpour. The café’s glass windows provided them with an unobstructed view of the pouring rain.

Both of them: ……

Su Shiyi sighed. “Are you sure you didn’t just come back from the UK?”

Pei An understood the joke—over there, people loved talking about the weather, and it was always raining.

But when she glanced up at his hairline, Pei An immediately declared with righteous indignation, “I’m Chinese. And I’m not bald.”

His hair was thick, and his hairline was perfectly fine—there was absolutely no way he’d go bald at an early age!

Alright, this time it was Su Shiyi’s turn to speak.

She asked, “Pei An, do you have any hobbies?”

“I occasionally listen to classical music,” Pei An replied, before asking her in return, “What about you? What do you like to do in your free time?”

Great, he followed up on her question and completed another topic checklist. √

Su Shiyi honestly answered, “I enjoy everything related to eating, drinking, and having fun. Right now, I’m working hard to make sure I spend money as fast as my dad makes it.”

Pei An: …

He thought for a moment and said, “With Mr. Gu’s capabilities, it might be a bit difficult to achieve that goal. After all, no matter how much you splurge, you’d only be buying a few million worth of clothes and bags a day.”

For rich second-generation kids, this was already a lot. Most people were still stuck at the level where they could spend a few hundred thousand or even a few million a day. It might seem small compared to Su Shiyi, but when compared to an average person’s salary or annual income, it was a world of difference.

And obviously, Su Shiyi wasn’t like them at all.

She blinked her eyes and said, “But I just spent a billion. I thought my dad would scold me, but instead, he said the money was too little and that it wasn’t worth calling about.”

Pei An: ???

He understood now—sitting in front of him wasn’t just any rich young lady, Mr. Gu really spoiled her.

“Sorry to ask, but did you customize a yacht?”

Besides these bottomless gold-eating beasts, he couldn’t think of anything else that could be this extravagant. He hadn’t heard of any national treasure-level artifacts being auctioned recently either.

“No, I already have plenty of those.”

Su Shiyi casually waved off her immense wealth, cleared her throat, and then began to introduce Pei An to the grand plans for a women’s gym (based on a project proposal prepared by a professional team).

This was also one of the ways she tested her blind date prospects. By observing their attitudes, she could usually decide whether to continue the conversation or find an excuse to leave.

Whether it was due to the selection of high-quality candidates by the four-member judging panel or just her luck, neither Xiao Yu, Xiao Jiang, nor Pei An (across from her) showed any signs of resistance.

She automatically ignored Luo Yuanqian, who wore leopard print. That guy clearly had a biased male perspective toward women, and she wasn’t going to waste time talking to him. The one time they met at the bone shop was enough to satisfy the elders’ expectations.

She was evaluating Pei An, and he was also getting to know her better. As Su Shiyi’s fame grew, the controversies surrounding her never seemed to stop. His willingness to go on this blind date was partly for Gu Chen’s sake and due to his family’s pressure, but partly, it was because of her.

He wanted to see what this Su Shiyi, who stirred up countless discussions, was really like.

Hmm… the real Su Shiyi, as Gu Chen had said, indeed had that unmistakable, yet somehow harmonious, chaotic aura. But when she talked about her plans and aspirations, the light in her eyes shimmered with dreams, and the determination in her gaze moved him. With her wealth and status, she would never face such problems, but she could still empathize with other women’s struggles.

She was truly an alluring girl.

Pei An felt his heart rate increase, and the temperature on his cheeks rise, though he hadn’t engaged in any physical activity—this was clearly unusual.

His medical training told him that he might be falling for Su Shiyi. He didn’t want her to notice his awkwardness, yet he couldn’t bring himself to look away, unwilling to miss the brilliance of her passion for her dreams.

She was truly wonderful.

And as for the person who was the object of his affections, the dazzling Su Shiyi, at this moment, she was thinking:

How much longer are they going to talk? It’s been nearly half an hour already, and she still has to have dinner with Gu Pan tonight.

The most important thing was, these sparkling contact lenses looked great, but they weren’t very comfortable to wear.