The bedroom lights were off. Sitting on the bay window, Jiang Yumo had one leg bent and the other planted on the floor, rigid and cold like a lifeless statue carved from stone.
After the surge of emotion passed, his rationality returned. His mind raced as he kept thinking about who the person who attacked him tonight could have been.
“Did Qian Sheng finally come to his senses and send someone to mess with me?”
“Or did Jiang Huarong and Jiang Chongyuan suffer a loss over at Qian’s Mobile and come looking to settle the score with me?” Jiang Yumo shook his head. “No… Jiang Huarong doesn’t have the guts or the brains. Jiang Chongyuan has a bit of brains, but not much. But if we’re being honest, it’s more likely his wife.”
“They lost five million, and Jiang Corporation’s business deal is gone too. The Qian family definitely won’t let it go, they’ll tear a chunk off Jiang Corporation to vent their anger. Unless Jiang Corporation manages to appease those two scumbags.”
Jiang Yumo’s mind stormed through possibilities, deducing every scenario.
At the moment, two possibilities seemed the most likely.
First, Qian Sheng secretly hired someone. But the man just now had clearly intended to kill him, and he didn’t even try to take his phone, which made that possibility less likely.
The other possibility was that Madam Jiang was unhappy about him getting five million for nothing and had someone deal with him.
That wasn’t impossible. Jiang Yumo had always described Madam Jiang as a snake coiled in the shadows, silent, but venomous and deadly.
Putting everything together, she was currently the most likely suspect.
The streetlight outside poured into the room. Jiang Yumo, already pale, looked even more unreal under the faint glow, as if a filter had been placed over him.
Time slowly crept toward midnight. The old building had poor soundproofing, and Jiang Yumo clearly heard the neighboring door open and then slam shut in urgency, along with fragments of anxious voices.
“…played in water this afternoon… fever…”
“…hurry to the hospital… go, go…”
A family of three lived next door. Jiang Yumo had seen them a few times. The parents usually didn’t treat the child very well, often barking orders at him, yet even parents like that rushed anxiously to the hospital when their child suddenly had a fever.
After a burst of hurried, chaotic footsteps, the hallway fell silent again.
Jiang Yumo clicked his tongue, ruffled his hair into a mess, then went to shower, wash up, and change into clean clothes before lying down on the bed. Just as his eyes closed, he suddenly sprang upright like a compressed spring.
“Wait, that’s not right!” Jiang Yumo said. “System! Where’s that punishment system? Why hasn’t it said my mission failed?”
System: 【Uh, let me check…】
【Wow! Host! The backend shows the punishment mission has already been completed!】
Jiang Yumo frowned. “When? Don’t tell me you can’t check the time.”
【Um, let me see… around ten o’clock tonight…】
Jiang Yumo thought back. The scenes in his mind rewound rapidly like a film being played backward. Touching the neck that still hurt, he said, “Oh~ so that’s how it was.”
Jiang Yumo smiled, like a lifeless ink painting suddenly splashed with vivid, vibrant colors.
“Hehehe… hahahaha!”
He couldn’t stop laughing. The laughter rose from a faint chuckle into loud, carefree bursts. The frustration and anger from earlier vanished completely.
He laughed harder and harder, eventually clutching his stomach and collapsing onto the bed.
【…】
The system trembled, covering its mouth and not daring to make a sound.
Only after the laughter began to fade did it cautiously ask: 【Host… what are you laughing about?】
Jiang Yumo wiped the moisture from the corner of his eyes that had come from laughing. “I figured out who did it. Of course I’m happy!”
【…Who was it?】
“Not telling you.”
The system was genuinely curious. 【Host, just tell me. I can’t tell anyone else anyway.】
Jiang Yumo folded his hands behind his head. “Fine, I’ll tell you. That person is—”
His lips parted slightly. “Gu Yu, hahahaha.”
Jiang Yumo laughed so hard he could barely contain himself, covering his mouth as he snickered like a destitute survivor in the apocalypse who had suddenly discovered a warehouse full of food.
【Hahaha! Host, you really love joking. Anyone who’s read the original novel knows the male lead is upright and noble, a rare gentleman of impeccable character. How could he possibly launch a sneak attack, let alone choke you.】
Leaning against the headboard, Jiang Yumo crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head slightly. “Yes… why indeed?”
In the darkness, Jiang Yumo’s eyes gleamed slightly. “The Gu Yu in the original story definitely wouldn’t do it. But what if he isn’t?”
System: 【Huh? Host, you’ve confused me. I don’t think I understand.】
“Hahahaha.” Jiang Yumo ignored it. Propping himself up on one arm, he stroked his chin with a bright smile and said softly, “If I’m not mistaken, then that would be wonderful.”
The system watched its host grinning foolishly, completely confused, yet felt an extremely ominous premonition.
ᘻᘿᓍᘺ
By the time Gu Yu returned to the Gu family estate, it was already late at night. The hall was empty. As soon as he stepped inside, the wall lamps suddenly lit up.
“Why are you back so late? Youyou’s birthday, you—” Madam Gu stopped mid-sentence when she saw him, surprise appearing on her face. “Ah Yu, what happened? Did something occur?”
Gu Yu wore a well-fitted black suit. The jacket buttons were undone, and the creases on his clothes were so disordered that it looked as if he had gone through a fierce fight, something that should have been impossible for him.
No one knew better than Madam Gu that although her second son seemed easygoing, he was actually rather particular and a bit of a neat freak.
Gu Yu calmly took off his jacket and handed it to a maid beside him. “Nothing happened. I’m tired. You should rest early as well.”
With that, he started upstairs. As he passed Madam Gu—
She suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, “Ah Yu, your face…”
“What?”
Madam Gu pointed near his jaw, close to his neck. “Right here.”
Gu Yu touched it, only then feeling a faint sting. He paused for a moment. “Uh… scratched by a stray cat.”
“I’m going upstairs.”
Madam Gu watched his tall figure receding and muttered as she withdrew her hand, “But doesn’t Ah Yu dislike animals? How did he get scratched by a stray cat?”
As Gu Yu passed Gu Youyou’s room, he noticed light seeping out from beneath the door. Just as he raised his hand to knock, the light inside suddenly went out.
In the pitch-dark room, a small spark glowed.
Gu Youyou held her breath until footsteps sounded outside again and gradually faded away. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief. She took a deep drag from the cigarette; by now she no longer choked on it, but instead followed her benefactor’s instructions and savored the faint blueberry sweetness mixed with the tobacco scent.
Although it didn’t feel very good, if her benefactor told her to enjoy it, there must be a reason.
In the bathroom, steam filled the air. Gu Yu casually wiped away the white mist on the mirror and tilted his chin slightly. Several obvious scratch marks lay across his pale neck.
He frowned, a flash of irritation passing over his face.
Gu Yu wore only a white bath towel around his waist. Water droplets slid from his full chest muscles, down over his firm, powerful waist, and disappeared beneath the towel at his abdomen.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, his thick back muscles rising beneath his skin. It would be hard for anyone to believe that beneath his usually well-tailored, elegant clothing, the refined and dignified man possessed such a powerful physique.
Bracing his hands behind him, Gu Yu tilted his head back and closed his eyes for a moment. Then his long arm reached for the phone on the bedside table. After reading Xu Feiyao’s messages, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
Looking over everything Jiang Yumo had done that day, big or small, every action was, by common standards, a good deed.
Even examining it with a deliberately critical eye, he couldn’t find a single fault.
A sense of absurdity rose in his heart.
Gu Yu didn’t believe that someone who had committed countless evils and pursued every selfish goal in the previous life could suddenly become a person who enjoyed helping others.
His finger lightly tapped the back of the phone. After thinking for a moment, Gu Yu sent several messages.
That night, Gu Yu dreamed as usual.
In the dream, the tragic deaths of his friends and relatives replayed endlessly before him. Normally the dream would end there, but this time there was a change.
In the dream, Gu Yu held Jiang Yumo firmly under control, both hands gripping his neck tightly.
Jiang Yumo’s tears flowed uncontrollably, saliva slipping from his mouth. His face was pale and weak. He grabbed Gu Yu’s hands and tried to struggle, but it had no effect, only leaving several scratch marks on Gu Yu’s arms.
Only when Jiang Yumo’s eyes began to roll back and he was on the verge of suffocation did Gu Yu suddenly release him.
The violent coughing flushed the boy’s face red, his eyes wet. His lips moved as if to say something. Curious about what he meant to say, Gu Yu leaned his ear closer, only to be bitten hard.
Gu Yu suddenly opened his eyes. Every time he woke from a dream, he remembered it clearly, and this time was no exception.
He stared at his palm, his brows remaining tightly knit for a long time.
Over the next few days, Jiang Yumo treated the daily missions like a game’s daily check-in. Every day he went out on time to wander around the streets, completing his “good deed of the day” along the way.
After a few days, people nearby had become familiar with his face and held a very favorable impression of him. Whenever they saw him, they would greet him first.
“Little sister, come on, greet big brother,” an old lady said as she returned from buying groceries with a little girl. The moment she saw Jiang Yumo, she pulled the child’s hand and spoke.
The little girl had two braided pigtails and called out happily, “Big brother!”
The old lady fished a peach out of her bag and stuffed it into Jiang Yumo’s hand without hesitation. “Good child, this is for you. Last time it was thanks to you, otherwise this kid of mine would’ve been bitten by that dog. Sigh, young people nowadays are ridiculous. Walking their dogs without leashes, not responsible at all.”
Two days earlier, a man had been walking his dog while riding an electric scooter, but the dog wasn’t on a leash. Whether it was too excited or rabid, no one knew, it suddenly rushed at the little girl waiting beside her grandmother. Its mouth was wide open, drool hanging, the kind of bite that could snap a child’s thigh in one go.
Jiang Yumo had been the one who saved her, even scraping the skin on his arm in the process.
The old lady was very grateful and insisted on giving him something whenever they ran into each other.
Jiang Yumo casually chatted with her for a few moments. The old lady then took the child home to cook. Jiang Yumo glanced at the soft pink peach in his hand. When he passed an old beggar sitting against a wall, he casually tossed the peach into the stainless-steel bowl on the ground.
【Daily Mission: Do one good deed a day 9/10 completed】
【Host, keep it up! Current energy value: 11.7】
Seeing the gentle smile on Jiang Yumo’s face, the system couldn’t help but complain inwardly: The host looks cheerful on the outside, but inside he’s cursing everything!
It had thought the host might soften under all this kindness, but apparently it had overestimated that possibility.
The summer heat in A City was intense; the road surface was so hot it could melt the soles of someone’s plastic slippers and stick them to the ground.
In the afternoon, Jiang Yumo lay in his room enjoying the air-conditioning. He even played a few rounds of games. When he saw the time was about right, he stretched, changed his clothes, went downstairs, scanned a shared blue bike, and slowly rode off.
【Host, where are you going?】
Jiang Yumo had a milk candy in his mouth and thought, “None of your business.”
The system was extremely curious. 【Host, just tell me. I won’t leak it.】
Jiang Yumo remained calm and composed. “If you have the time, you’d better check whether there’s something wrong with Gu Yu. Maybe someone has taken over his body.”
【Impossible! The male lead is the pillar of this world, blessed by destiny itself. There’s no way he could be possessed.】
Even so, the system felt uneasy and hurried off to check anyway.
About an hour later, Jiang Yumo leisurely pedaled his bicycle to a stop by the roadside. Ahead of him stood a magnificent high-end private club. Luxury cars worth millions and even tens of millions passed by the entrance one after another, dazzling to the eye.
【I’m back! No signs of a transmigrator!】
The system announced cheerfully. Then it paused. 【Huh? Host, what are you doing here?】
Wasn’t this the kind of money-burning playground that the rich people of A City liked to frequent? What was the host doing here?
Although the system knew the plot of the novel, it only knew the parts the author had written. Anything the author hadn’t written about, it had no idea.
So in reality, the system didn’t know more than Jiang Yumo, who had lived an entire lifetime in the world of the original story.
Jiang Yumo looked at it like it was an idiot. “What else would someone come here for? Of course, to have fun.”
The club operated on a private membership system. A few million was only the entry threshold; having the money alone didn’t guarantee admission. One needed a recommendation from an existing member, and after their background was verified, they could finally become a member. Because of that, the privacy level was extremely high.
Many rich heirs often held private parties here. The doorman in a white suit saw countless glamorous, attractive men and women every day.
He had thought nothing could surprise him anymore, but tonight proved him wrong.
A remarkably good-looking young man slowly rode up on a shared bicycle and stopped in front of the club. The boy glanced around and effortlessly found an empty spot, parking the bike between a Ferrari and a Bugatti.
The doorman’s eyes widened: How dare he?
It turned out his audacity could go even further.
The boy didn’t leave. Instead, he leaned against the front hood of the Bugatti, sitting there casually while biting a cigarette and blowing out smoke.
The doorman: …
The doorman assumed he was another nobody-knows-where-he-came-from wannabe starlet trying to cling to some rich second-generation heir. Not far away, a security guard was already moving forward to drive him off when another sports car pulled up in front with a deep roar.
The doorman immediately put on a smile. “Young Master Xu—”
He had only said three words when he saw the good-looking “wild” boy slip past the security guards surrounding him and walk over. The doorman immediately frowned and questioned him, “What are you trying to do?”
At the same time, Young Master Xu turned around after hearing the commotion and laughed. “Hm? It’s you! What are you doing here?”
The doorman was startled, he didn’t expect Young Master Xu to actually know this person.
Jiang Yumo was generally very tolerant toward people who were useful to him. He smiled at Xu Feiyao, completely different from the earlier indifferent attitude.
“Tsk!” Xu Feiyao rubbed his chin. This kid… He wanted to make things difficult for him, but then seemed to think of something and suddenly grinned. “Hehe.”
“You’re smiling like a creep,” Jiang Yumo said bluntly.
Yet Xu Feiyao seemed to have endless patience with him, as if he hadn’t heard it at all. “Come on, I’ll take you inside to have some fun.”
“Thanks,” Jiang Yumo replied.
The doorman’s jaw nearly dropped when he saw Young Master Xu lead him inside. He had thought the boy was some random aspiring model, but it turned out he was actually Young Master Xu’s friend.
Anyone who could be friends with a rich young master couldn’t possibly be poor. No wonder the young man had such an extraordinary bearing. He must just enjoy messing with people, dressing in cheap clothes. The doorman had nearly embarrassed himself.
He immediately decided he had to be more careful in the future and never judge people by appearances again. The salary for this job was very good, over ten thousand a month, and plenty of people were eyeing it. He couldn’t afford to let others catch him making mistakes.
As soon as Xu Feiyao entered, the manager came over to greet him and led them to the private room on the 10th floor that he had rented year-round.
Ordinary members could only access floors 1 to 4. Mid-level members could go to floors 5 to 7. High-level members had access to floors 8 to 10. The 11th and 12th floors were reserved for guests personally invited by the owner.
As they stepped into the elevator, Jiang Yumo caught sight of the Qian brothers, Qian Xin and Qian Sheng, walking toward another elevator outside. Jiang Yumo thought for a moment, then revealed a satisfied smile.