Bai Mao was stunned.
What was going on?
How did things suddenly start heading in such an absurd direction?
It was true that he had said yesterday that he wanted to come to the Yu Corporation to thank Mr. Yu, but that had been before he learned the truth.
Back then, he’d only planned to use “expressing gratitude” as an excuse to ask about how he had been tricked by the film crew.
But last night, he had already met Mr. Yu in person. He knew now that everything really had been connected to Bai Sheng.
He had already thanked him quite enthusiastically, in fact, so enthusiastically that he’d practically offered himself in repayment.
So now…
Why had Mr. Yu called him over again?
What exactly did he want him to thank him for?
Could it be…?
Maybe Bai Mao was just a hopeless pervert, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a deeper meaning hidden in Mr. Yu’s words.
Something along the lines of… what had happened in the office?
Exciting!
Was this going to be a new battlefield?
Mr. Yu really knew how to play, didn’t he?
Bai Mao slipped easily into his little canary persona.
He knew exactly what to do to make himself most alluring.
His teeth caught his lower lip. The long dark lashes framing his eyes lowered like the brush of crow feathers.
His slender, fair fingers slowly lifted, brushing lightly over his throat. When he swallowed, his Adam’s apple moved with the motion, drawing attention to the subtle rise and fall.
In a soft, deliberately husky voice, Bai Mao murmured, “Mr. Yu…” His gaze was clear and moist like autumn water. “To repay your kindness this time, you can ask me to do anything. Anything at all.”
Mr. Yu looked up at him. “Is your throat uncomfortable?”
As he spoke, Yu Xiangchen’s gaze lingered for a second on Bai Mao’s pale neck. He had already looked away once, but the next moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes returned there again.
“Ah?” Bai Mao blinked.
Wait.
Was that really the main point right now? Whether his throat felt fine or not?
He had lowered his voice on purpose! Wasn’t that supposed to be seductive? Wasn’t that the kind of tone that could make someone’s ears go weak just listening to it?
How had it turned into him having a sore throat?!
Mr. Yu was really… unbelievably lacking in romantic awareness!
Bai Mao’s eyes widened. He looked at Yu Xiangchen with a mix of disbelief and grievance. “No, no, my throat’s fine.”
Yu Xiangchen listened carefully. Hearing that Bai Mao’s voice was normal, he nodded slightly. His gaze, however, did not move away. Instead, he began to focus on what Bai Mao had said just before.
“You said you’d do anything?” Yu Xiangchen asked calmly.
Here it came.
The thrilling part!
Bai Mao nodded earnestly.
So, what would it be this time? Under the desk? On top of it?
He was ready for either!
Yu Xiangchen’s tone remained composed. “Then just study hard.”
“…Huh?”
Bai Mao froze.
What?
That was it?
Just that?
He stared at Yu Xiangchen in disbelief.
Yu Xiangchen lowered his gaze and spoke in an even voice. “The director of your film crew went back on his word because of the investor, Ying Yimiao. He had previously invested in a movie Bai Sheng starred in. The two likely met at that time. Ying Yimiao heard about you from Bai Sheng, which led to what happened afterward.”
Bai Mao fell silent, his expression growing a little strange.
Those were the exact words Mr. Yu had said yesterday.
His lashes trembled, and he lowered his head.
Last night, he had already started to feel suspicious of his benefactor’s identity, especially after the man claimed he was on a business trip but suddenly showed up at Birdcage that same evening.
And now, listening to him repeat the same explanation word for word, as if he had no memory of their previous conversation, a daring thought surfaced in Bai Mao’s mind.
Yu Xiangchen’s brows drew together slightly. “What is it?”
“…Nothing,” Bai Mao said softly.
Yu Xiangchen didn’t notice the subtle shift in Bai Mao’s expression. His own state hasn’t been great lately.
Partly because that other one had surfaced again these past few days, whatever it was doing at night, Yu Xiangchen didn’t know.
But every time he regained control of his body, he felt utterly drained, as though all his energy had been consumed.
Lack of rest made him sluggish and unfocused.
And another thing… was Bai Mao’s neck.
His brows knit once more.
Lost in thought, Yu Xiangchen didn’t realize the flicker of suspicion that had passed over Bai Mao’s face.
He pressed a hand to his nose bridge, speaking in his usual calm tone. “I told you before, what belongs to you will naturally be yours. When something like this happens, just tell me. You don’t have to worry about the rest.”
Ah…
Mr. Yu’s words… were really moving.
Bai Mao’s heart softened. He whispered, “Alright.”
Then, after a brief hesitation, he glanced up again, his tone tentative. “What about Bai Sheng?”
Yu Xiangchen lifted his eyes.
He was silent for a moment, as if it took him a second to process what Bai Mao meant. Then he said quietly, “You don’t need to concern yourself with him. He has Yu Wantian to look after him.”
Bai Mao suddenly felt enlightened, as though someone had just tapped him awake.
Of course.
He had been overthinking it before. He kept assuming that since Yu Xiangchen liked Bai Sheng and also had the ability to help him, he would naturally do everything within his power to fulfill Bai Sheng’s wishes.
But in the original novel, the male lead was Yu Wantian. The story was meant to revolve around Yu Wantian and Bai Sheng. If Yu Xiangchen were to take care of everything, then Yu Wantian would never have a chance to shine.
Heh.
So in the end, it had just made things easier for him.
Although… there was still one question that needed to be answered.
“Mr. Yu,” Bai Mao asked seriously, “would you ever give me to someone else?”
Yu Xiangchen looked up at him. His reply came almost instantly, without hesitation. “No.”
He gave the most important answer first. After that, his expression returned to its usual calm, faintly detached state as he added, “Focus on your studies. Do your job well. Stop filling your head with all that nonsense.”
Bai Mao’s eyes curved as he smiled. “Alright.”
He believed Mr. Yu’s words.
With Yu Xiangchen’s current status, even if he really did want to harm Bai Mao, Bai Mao would have no power to resist. The difference between them was simply too great. There was no reason for Yu Xiangchen to lie to him.
Besides, this world’s setting didn’t involve any supernatural elements. There couldn’t possibly be another person who looked and sounded exactly like Yu Xiangchen.
Which meant that the man from before had indeed been Mr. Yu himself.
As for what exactly was going on…
Bai Mao had a preliminary guess that it might be something like a split personality, but he had no intention of asking directly. There was no need to dig too deeply into it.
As long as they were the same person, that was all that mattered to him.
Even if he learned the truth from Mr. Yu himself, it wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring him any benefit. Better to focus on the present, behave well, and continue being a good, obedient little canary.
He had someone supporting his career, and they could even engage in “academic research” together. That was already more than enough.
“Then, Mr. Yu, I’ll be going now,” Bai Mao said as he prepared to leave.
Yu Xiangchen suddenly said, “Wait.”
Bai Mao turned, puzzled. “Yes?”
Yu Xiangchen stood up and walked over to him.
His gaze dropped slightly. Those long, well-shaped fingers reached out, gripping Bai Mao’s chin. Ignoring the surprised look in Bai Mao’s eyes, his gaze stopped on Bai Mao’s neck.
He had noticed it earlier, and it had been bothering him ever since.
After a few seconds, Yu Xiangchen’s thumb brushed lightly over the skin of Bai Mao’s neck.
His brows knit tightly together, his expression even more displeased than before.
Bai Mao tilted his head slightly, feeling the odd pressure of Yu Xiangchen’s thumb against his skin. The atmosphere around him seemed to drop all at once, the air heavy with invisible tension.
Carefully, Bai Mao asked, “Mr. Yu… what’s wrong?”
Yu Xiangchen was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. “Are you in a relationship?”
Bai Mao blinked, stunned. “Huh? No.”
What kind of question was that?
He was utterly confused.
Ever since he’d realized that this world was a novel, and that anyone who interacted with Bai Sheng would inevitably fall for him under the influence of the story, Bai Mao had lost all interest in romance.
He didn’t want to develop feelings for someone who might one day be compelled by fate to fall in love with Bai Sheng.
And besides, was there anyone more handsome than Mr. Yu anyway? Though Mr. Yu wasn’t exactly superhuman in stamina and couldn’t quite live up to the “seven times a night” standard of fictional lovers, Bai Mao was perfectly satisfied with their current harmonious, mutually beneficial arrangement.
Yu Xiangchen’s eyes darkened slightly.
If Bai Mao wasn’t dating anyone, then… What about those marks on his neck?
It was already 2021. The child who used to write him letters every month, sharing bits of his life, was now an adult, a full twenty-two years old.
Yu Xiangchen suddenly felt as if he were standing in the position of a guardian or parent.
He didn’t object to Bai Mao dating someone at his age. Nor did he disapprove of premarital intimacy. But what he couldn’t accept was Bai Mao being careless, letting himself get involved recklessly.
Still, explaining that would be too complicated. It might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. And Yu Xiangchen had no desire to expose that other side of himself, if Bai Mao found out, it might change how he treated him.
Things were fine the way they were now.
After a moment of thought, Yu Xiangchen decided to cut the issue short.
He withdrew his hand and said coldly, “Bai Mao, remember who you are, and remember the agreement between us. Don’t go out and cause trouble again. If it happens one more time… you know what the consequences will be.”
Bai Mao: “?”
Bai Mao: “???”
He froze in place.
There were so many things wrong with that sentence that he didn’t even know where to start.
Noticing where Yu Xiangchen’s eyes had been focused, Bai Mao instinctively reached up and touched his own neck, and finally understood.
The “Mr. Yu” who visited him at Birdcage at night seemed to have a particular fascination with the small pale mole beside his Adam’s apple.
Every time they conducted their “academic discussions,” that spot would end up covered with marks. His shirt collars weren’t high enough to hide them completely.
Whenever he went out for something serious, like signing the contract for Princess Xihe, he always used concealer to cover the traces. But since he was only meeting Yu Xiangchen today, he hadn’t bothered. He never expected Yu Xiangchen to completely misinterpret it.
Bai Mao was speechless.
He could only laugh silently to himself.
What else could he do in a situation like this?
He could only forgive Mr. Yu, just as a patient father forgives his troublesome child.
Bai Mao was exasperated on the inside, but on the surface, he remained obedient. In a soft voice, he said, “I understand. It won’t happen again.”
Yu Xiangchen nodded slightly, his tone cool. “You can go.”
“…Alright.”
When the driver arrived to pick him up, Bai Mao couldn’t help but let out a helpless little sigh.
He hadn’t expected that one visit to the office would bring such a “surprise”, he had actually discovered that his benefactor secretly had a split personality.
Still…
He had only ever heard of such things before, never actually seen them. Thinking back on it, there really was quite a big difference between the two personalities. It was almost… refreshing.
A small, mischievous thought crossed his mind.
So technically, he had signed an agreement with one person… but was enjoying twice the pleasure?
That actually sounded pretty good.
Bai Mao chuckled to himself. He really didn’t mind at all. The more he thought about it, the more pleased he felt.
The production team for Princess Xihe was surprisingly efficient.
The main cast had already been decided long ago, and after a round of auditions, the important supporting roles had all been filled as well. Within ten days, nearly all the contracts were signed.
The team then spent about half a month preparing for filming, and by the end of the month, they were ready to start shooting.
In just two more days, Bai Mao would be heading to Hengdian to join the set.
As usual, he sent a message to Mr. Yu, reporting his schedule in advance.
“Mr. Yu, my part in this drama isn’t very big. I should be done filming in about a month and a half,” he wrote.
The benefactor replied simply, “Got it.”
Reading the brief, almost emotionless message, Bai Mao let out a small sigh.
More than half a month had passed, and that version of Mr. Yu, the one who had appeared at Birdcage, hadn’t shown up again. Just like last month: two nights of intense activity, and then complete disappearance.
Bai Mao didn’t know what triggered the other personality’s appearance, but he understood now.
When it rained, it poured. When it dried up, it was bone dry. There was no in-between.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator humbly requests tribute in coffee form. (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A Nightmare or Reality?Chapter 2 · Yu family’s BanquetChapter 3 · I know your Secret..Chapter 4 · Becoming A Stand-InChapter 5 · Real IntentionChapter 6 · Yu XiangchenChapter 7 · Moved into new houseChapter 8 · Why he’s so perfect?!Chapter 9 · Role stolenChapter 10 · Four Times a WeekChapter 11 · Wrong Message?Chapter 12 · Flower protectorChapter 13 · Study MaterialChapter 14 Part 1 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 14 Part 2 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 15 · Four thousand yuan has arrived in AlipayChapter 16 · In the River?Chapter 17 · Boss like him, People would ready to do OvertimeChapter 18 · Does Mr. Yu have two faces?!Chapter 19 · Now we can begin to express our gratitude.Chapter 20 · Split Personality!Chapter 21 · Mr. Yu is busy and may not have time to comeChapter 22 · Call duration: 0:12Chapter 23 · He’s not Worth itChapter 24 · Mr Yu on film setChapter 25 · You can consider me if you decided to leave Mr. YuChapter 26 · Big Sister has unique hobbyChapter 27 · Really? I’m actually the young master of the Bai family?Chapter 28 · Bai Sheng is Pitiful?Chapter 29 · Someone took a picture of themChapter 30 · Your little one is hereChapter 31 · Mr. Yu asked me if I had a stiff neckChapter 32 · The little lucky butterfly’s wings flutteredChapter 33 · Mr. Yu, you came here just once at the beginningChapter 34 · The door wasn’t lockedChapter 35 · You’re an adult nowChapter 36 · Are rooms still available by scrambling?Chapter 37 · I’m definitely going to watch this variety show!Chapter 38 · Who asked Bai Sheng for money to support Bai Mao?Chapter 39 · How many zeros are there?Chapter 40 · You have to be careful with your methodsChapter 41 · Let’s get MarriedChapter 42 · I’m obviously just coveting your body!Chapter 43 · Does what we’re doing count as Sneaking?Chapter 44 · You want to change rooms?Chapter 45 · Isn’t Bai Sheng’s scheming way too deep?Chapter 46 · Mr. Yu in front of me has become calm and composedChapter 47 · You care a lot about Yu Yutian?Chapter 48 · Bai Sheng has found someoneChapter 49 · How to fall in loveChapter 50 · Uncle Long LegsChapter 51 · Bai Mao, I’m a little scaredChapter 52 · I simply told them the truthChapter 53 · That was far too mercilessChapter 54 · Your fans mention it in your fan forumChapter 55 · In your dreamsChapter 56 · Hello, UncleChapter 57 · Verified account had repliedChapter 58 · Maomao, you don’t need to be afraid of themChapter 59 · What a headacheChapter 60 · It’s a bit… tragicChapter 61 · I’m waiting for you at homeChapter 62 · That’s just too much!Chapter 63 · Is this watch really that expensive?Chapter 64 · Tian CityChapter 65 · They’re easy to get along with.Chapter 66 · Want to have a relationship with marriage in mind?Chapter 67 · Is this the joy of being someone’s “little uncle”?Chapter 68 · Has the protagonist finally figured it out?Chapter 69 · I miss youChapter 70 · That whole family is something else.Chapter 71 · Then comfort meChapter 72 · What about sincerity?Chapter 73 · There’s also 10% of the company’s sharesChapter 74 · So called conservativeChapter 75 · I thought you’d be walking with a limpChapter 76 · They’ve been brainwashedChapter 77 · We got marriedChapter 78 · CongratulationsChapter 79 · You already knew it was me?Chapter 80 · You look very good in a shirtChapter 81 · Did you used to like Bai Sheng?Chapter 82 · I never liked himChapter 83 · Uncle is super niceChapter 84 · Extra 1Chapter 85 · Extra 2Chapter 86 · Extra 3