Gu Xubai, in the original novel, is the half-brother of the malicious supporting female Gu Mingyan, a secret child their father brought home.
Though barely described in the original text, Yun Qingqing remembered him vividly: Gu Xubai was a reckless madman.
His personality was unpredictable and unruly. Later, he used ruthless, decisive methods to seize control, orchestrating the Gu Group’s collapse and even driving his biological father to death.
However, such a “supermodel villain” overshadowed the original male lead. The author, unable to handle the plot, had to kill him off abruptly as a “madness-induced death.”
Yun Qingqing’s first reaction upon learning it was Gu Xubai was not shame or shock—it was relief.
Thank goodness! He wasn’t one of Gu Mingyan’s models! That meant she’d saved the 300 yuan travel fee!
After letting out a pitiful sigh of relief, she realized she had almost flirted with the story’s ultimate BOSS.
Her face instantly burned red. She wished she could travel back a few minutes and strangle her handsy self for showing off.
Yun Qingqing fumed at the system: “System! Why didn’t you warn me he was Gu Xubai?!”
The system’s electronic voice sounded innocent: 【Host, it’s not my fault. You moved too fast when teasing him. By the time I wanted to warn you, your claws were already on him.】
Reviewing the moment, Yun Qingqing realized her hand really had been too quick.
But now wasn’t the time for blame. The urgent matter was how to salvage the current predicament.
Taking a deep breath, she put on an innocent smile:
“Xubai, right? Haha, that just now was an accident! Can we just pretend it never happened?”
Gu Xubai lowered his gaze, calmly saying:
“Fear not—it won’t be that simple.”
Yun Qingqing nearly cried: “Why not?”
He lifted his chin, gesturing toward a corner of the room:
“The camera… seems to still be on.”
Following his gesture, she looked up—
In the ceiling corner, a black hemispherical fixed camera pointed at them, the red recording light still on.
Yun Qingqing froze.
For privacy, the production team set bedroom and hallway cameras to automatically shut off at 10 p.m., reactivating at 8 a.m.
It wasn’t yet 10 p.m.—meaning everything she’d just done, every socially mortifying moment, had been broadcast live, high-definition, to countless viewers!
The livestream chat was already full of laughter:
【If I were Yun Qingqing, I’d be leaving Earth overnight.】
【I feel you, Yun Qingqing. Sometimes life suddenly makes you not want to live.】
【New here, is this a public execution site? (lol)】
【Hahaha, this is punishment for her bragging about being a romance master! Qingqing, stubbornness is a disease!】
【Stop laughing, save her some dignity! She just got flipped while playing the innocent white flower—she’ll survive, don’t worry.】
【Upstairs, you didn’t spare her either.】
【Isn’t it hilarious that she tried to reclaim one hundred yuan?】
…
Yun Qingqing felt her toes digging into the floor as if carving out the Potala Palace.
She forced herself to compose her face and said dryly to Gu Xubai:
“…The keys are with the housekeeper. Mingyan said you should get them yourself.”
Go quickly! Leave me alone!!
Gu Xubai seemed amused by her frazzled state, a faint smile flickering in his eyes:
“No trouble. My stuff is in this room anyway.”
“Ah? Oh-oh!” Yun Qingqing stammered, quickly stepping aside.
Without a word, he went to a wall cabinet, skillfully opened a door, and took out several anatomy textbooks.
Yun Qingqing had never explored the cabinet; Gu Mingyan’s servants had tidied up her things. She didn’t know the books were there.
She mentally ran through the timeline. According to the original story, Gu Xubai should still be in college.
She asked, “Your major is anatomy?”
He nodded, holding the books: “Mm.”
For some reason, the major fit his cold, dangerous aura.
Her imagination ran wild—Gu Xubai in a white coat, wielding a gleaming scalpel, casually wiping blood from the corner of his eye while dissecting tissue.
Stop it!
Shivering, she forced herself to control her thoughts.
Once he had gathered what he wanted, he nodded slightly and left the room.
“So late, and this castle is so secluded… how will he get back?” Yun Qingqing murmured to herself.
The system answered: 【Host, you worry too much. Judging by current info, Gu Xubai already has partial control in the Gu Group and some influence. He has a car to get here and back.】
Yun Qingqing went to the window, drew back the heavy curtains, and looked outside.
A light rain had started. From her vantage point, she could clearly see the main road below.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom sat quietly in the rain, flanked by two bodyguards in black suits.
That had to be his car and escort.
Yun Qingqing spun around, grabbed a long-handled umbrella from behind the door, and ran after Gu Xubai.
The system asked: 【Host, what are you doing?】
“Of course I’m trying to get close to Gu Xubai!” she shouted while running. “Before he fully turns dark, I need to raise his favorability, find a way to bring him back to the right path, and stop him from becoming a lawless, dangerous BOSS!”
The system immediately expressed respect: 【Host, I didn’t expect you to have such a sense of justice!】
Yun Qingqing let out a little chuckle: “It’s not a big deal, really. If he actually ruins the Gu family’s fortune, then the golden leg I’ve been clinging to—Mingyan—would be gone too!”
System: 【…】
As expected, one can’t have too high expectations for the host’s sense of awareness!
As Yun Qingqing rushed around the corner of the second-floor stairs, the corner of her eye caught a low table nearby, decorated with an ink bottle and a quill.
She slammed on the brakes, quickly dipped her index finger into the ink bottle, then opened her off-white umbrella and, with a swift flick of her wrist, wrote the four characters “Morality” and “Rule of Law” across its surface.
After scribbling the words, she hurried down the hallway, taking a shortcut to intercept Gu Xubai, who was about to leave the main building.
“W-wait!” Yun Qingqing panted, blocking his path.
Gu Xubai stopped and turned slightly to look at her. “Gu Mingyan wanted to say something to me?”
“No,” Yun Qingqing replied, feigning concern, “it’s raining outside. I saw you didn’t have an umbrella, so I came down to give you one.”
She deliberately slowed her movements, opening the umbrella slowly toward him, making sure he could clearly see the large, bold characters “Morality” and “Rule of Law.”
She hoped that this subtle gesture might plant the concept of following rules and laws into Gu Xubai’s mind.
But his attention wasn’t on that at all.
He noticed her flushed cheeks from running. He actually wanted to tell her that a dutiful bodyguard would soon bring an umbrella, but he swallowed the words and accepted her gesture instead.
Seeing his eyes linger on the umbrella, Yun Qingqing felt a secret thrill and shook the handle to emphasize the four characters.
She pressed on: “So? Do you feel… anything when you see it?”
She expected him to respond with something uplifting like “one must follow moral principles” or “act according to the law.”
Gu Xubai thought for a moment and assumed he understood her intentions.
Ah, it was meant to shut him up.
“Don’t worry,” he said.
Yun Qingqing’s eyes lit up: “! He got it?”
He continued, “I won’t reveal what you just did to me.”
“……”
Her buried memories immediately started attacking her again.
Seeing her expression, Gu Xubai thought he was being considerate and added, “And I won’t tell Gu Mingyan that in front of her, you pretended to be a seasoned player in love, but blushed just from holding my hand, and even tried to bribe me to let you go back.”
Yun Qingqing: “…………”
Please, stop! Just stop!
She felt like her toes were no longer carving the Potala Palace—they were trying to dig through the Earth’s core!
The embarrassment nearly suffocated her. She desperately tried to steer the conversation back on track: “I actually meant… when you see this umbrella, does it inspire any thoughts about life?”
Gu Xubai was baffled by her odd behavior but, unusually, glanced at the umbrella.
He studied it carefully for a moment, watching the rain blur the ink of the word “Morality.”
“Don’t… follow morality?” he said uncertainly.
Yun Qingqing: “……”
I…%￥&……!!*
….
Meanwhile, Meng Xian and Ding Manni, having finished last in the previous task, were just completing their frog-jump punishment.
Normally, punishment tasks weren’t that strict; production teams would turn a blind eye and let participants off lightly.
But the Best Partners production team was different. The show’s selling point was authenticity and no script, so they made Meng Xian and Ding Manni complete three full laps around the giant castle, no shortcuts, no mercy.
By the last lap, Meng Xian felt like her legs no longer belonged to her—they were sore, numb, barely able to stand.
Ding Manni wasn’t any better, sitting on the ground, gasping for breath.
With help from the staff, they barely returned to their room.
Once inside, Meng Xian used the excuse of showering to hide in the bathroom and call Ye Jinyan.
The show was Ye Jinyan’s investment, and she was his beloved—why should she have no privileges and still endure punishment?
Especially thinking about Yun Qingqing and Gu Mingyan, who effortlessly finished first and were probably relaxing somewhere in the castle, Meng Xian felt a sharp pang of resentment.
The call was picked up instantly. On the other end, Ye Jinyan’s voice carried a subtle concern: “Xianxian? The show’s over?”
Hearing his voice, Meng Xian’s eyes immediately reddened. “Jinyan, I feel awful! My legs feel like they’re going to break!”
Ye Jinyan’s tone hardened with a hint of anger: “What happened? Did someone bully you?”
“It’s the show’s punishment… we had to frog-jump around the castle three times.” Meng Xian deliberately downplayed the reason, emphasizing her suffering with sobs, “…I really did three laps. I can barely walk now, it hurts so much…”
Ye Jinyan felt heartbroken, his tone filled with restrained anger: “Nonsense! How could the production team be so reckless, letting you do such strenuous punishment? I’ll contact the director immediately!”
“No! Don’t say anything,” Meng Xian said, acting understanding. “The team was following the rules. Manni and I just ranked last, it’s not their fault. I just feel a little wronged and wanted to vent.”
She knew exactly how to tug at Ye Jinyan’s heart, adopting a pained but forgiving posture. Naturally, he felt even more protective.
“Xianxian, you’re always so kind, thinking of others first. But seeing you suffer like this, I…”
“I’m fine, a rest will be enough,” Meng Xian sniffled.
Ye Jinyan relented: “Alright, I’ll listen this time. But if the production team overdoes it again, I won’t stay silent.”
“Mm, thank you, Brother Jinyan.” She said obediently, then shifted: “Actually, today’s failure isn’t all bad luck. Mainly, it’s Mingyan and her group… sigh…”
Her hesitation caught Ye Jinyan’s attention.
“Gu Mingyan? What did she do this time?” His tone became slightly impatient at her name.
“Nothing really…” Meng Xian sighed softly. “When selling brooms, Mingyan gave away the limited-edition perfume she brought as a free gift. Buy a broom, get a perfume worth thousands. Naturally, the visitors flocked to them.”
She paused, sounding a bit helpless. “I know she wanted to finish quickly, but this did disrupt the game balance.”
Hearing this, Ye Jinyan’s face darkened: “She’s still so reckless, acting only for her own enjoyment, never considering consequences.”
Meng Xian sympathized: “It’s not really her fault. She’s straightforward; maybe she didn’t think it through. It just made it harder for those of us following the rules.”
“Sorry you had to suffer,” Ye Jinyan softened. “I heard Mingyan bought the castle—tomorrow, I’ll ask the team to change the location, so you can have more opportunities to shine.”
Meng Xian’s heart leapt—this was like getting a pillow while half-asleep, exactly what she wanted!
She had been overshadowed by Mingyan’s flashy gestures—buying a castle, flying in meals by helicopter, casually handing out luxury perfume. Now it was finally her turn to stand tall.
Seizing the moment, she asked: “Can we go to that island you took me to for relaxation last time? You even gave me a pass. The scenery was beautiful, air fresh, and perfect for photos.”
On the other end, Ye Jinyan hesitated for a moment before answering.
Meng Xian paused: “What’s wrong, Jinyan? Is it inconvenient?” She asked again to confirm, “That’s your private island, right? I remember you saying so.”
“…Of course,” Ye Jinyan’s voice returned to normal. “No inconvenience at all. If you want, I’ll have the production team take us there.”
Relieved, Meng Xian’s smile returned: “Thank you, Jinyan. I knew you’d treat me best.”
They chatted a bit more before ending the call.
Once the phone was down, her weak, wronged expression vanished, replaced with a mix of triumph and anticipation.
Ye Jinyan’s private island had many rare flora and fauna. Maintaining its ecosystem and facilities cost astronomical amounts—far surpassing the value of Mingyan’s multi-million-dollar castle.
After days of being overshadowed, it was finally her turn to stand tall.
However, the next day, Yun Qingqing and Gu Mingyan did not get to go to Ye Jinyan’s island.
Before the production team could lead the guests to the island, Gu Mingyan received a message from Ye Jinyan saying something important was being sent to her and she needed to stay at the castle to sign for it personally.
Without hesitation, Gu Mingyan asked the team for leave, taking Yun Qingqing along to wait for the delivery.
The two of them spent the day playing games and chatting to pass the time.
Finally, Gu Mingyan learned about Yun Qingqing mistaking Gu Xubai for a model the night before and couldn’t help but burst out laughing while hugging a pillow.
“Hahaha! Yun Qingqing, you’re incredible! You actually… touched him?!”
Yun Qingqing lunged forward, trying to cover her mouth: “Gu Mingyan! Stop talking about it!”
Gu Mingyan nimbly dodged, laughing so hard she was out of breath: “Oh my, I can’t… so, how did Gu Xubai’s face feel?”
Yun Qingqing, embarrassed and angry, scolded her: “I gave up going to the island with the crew just to wait for that blasted delivery with you! And you’re mocking me?!”
Seeing that Yun Qingqing was genuinely flustered, Gu Mingyan finally managed to stop laughing and hurriedly coaxed her: “Alright, alright, I won’t laugh at you anymore. What’s so great about some island anyway? After the first episode finishes, I’ll take you to my private island. I promise it’ll be a hundred times better than the one the crew is going to. Consider it compensation, okay?”
Yun Qingqing’s expression changed instantly: “Really? What kind of island?”
“Of course it’s real. My mom gave it to me as a coming-of-age gift.” Gu Mingyan lazily picked up her tablet and brought up the photo album, handing it to her. “Here, take a look. There are lots of rare plants and animals, and the scenery is beautiful.”
Yun Qingqing excitedly took the tablet. On the screen were a few stunning aerial shots of the island: blue skies, turquoise seas, white sandy beaches, and palm trees—like a paradise.
Just as she was about to compliment it, a clear voice came from the tablet: “…We are now flying over our destination, a private island known as the ‘Pearl of the South Seas.’ As you can see, the island has excellent ecology, with multiple protected coral reefs and rare species…”
Yun Qingqing froze.
Now the tablet images even had automatic narration?
Looking closer, she realized she had accidentally tapped her phone screen and entered the 【Best Partners】 live stream.
On the phone, the show’s live broadcast was playing.
The camera was focused on the airplane window below, revealing a beautiful island in clear detail.
The host continued: “Unfortunately, because this island has many rare species and strict ecological protections, some core areas require the owner’s permission to enter. This time we can only move within the designated areas…”
A gentle voice interrupted: “No problem. I have a pass.”
The camera cut back to the cabin.
Meng Xian gracefully stood and took out a card with a special texture from her small bag.
Ding Manni, sitting beside her, looked surprised: “Xianxian, how do you have a pass for this place?”
Meng Xian blushed slightly and whispered: “Because the island belongs to him. He gave me a pass before.”
Ding Manni immediately made an “I get it” expression and smiled knowingly: “The ‘he’ whose name starts with Y, right?”
Meng Xian nodded shyly.
The live-stream viewers quickly caught on:
【Wow, Y, huh? Blind guess—Ye something!】
【It has to be Ye Jinyan, who else?】
【Is this a subtle reveal? Even a private island pass, clearly shows her relationship with him.】
【He’s giving out sugar! I knew my ship is real.】
【Considering the privacy level of this island, getting to shoot a show there is already special permission. Definitely a green light for Meng Xian.】
【And this island is clearly different from overdeveloped tourist spots—it’s real top-tier private property.】
【I thought Gu Mingyan buying the castle was extravagant, now Ye Jinyan clearly outshines her!】
【Owning an island like this? Definitely old money or top-level capital.】
Yun Qingqing looked from the live feed at the island below the plane and then at the aerial photos Gu Mingyan had shown her of her private island.
In an instant, her expression turned utterly confused.
Something was off—the island Meng Xian was showing, wasn’t it starting to look exactly like Gu Mingyan’s private island?!