The elevator doors opened, and as Gu Yulan stepped out, the secretary who had been waiting for a long time stood ready.
“Young Master Gu, the Chairman is already waiting for you in his office.”
Gu Yulan nodded and strode forward, completely ignoring the curious gazes from those around him. He pushed the door open, staring coldly at the stern, middle-aged man inside.
The features of the man bore a resemblance to those of Gu Yulan; even with graying temples, his handsome appearance remained, echoing the brilliance of his youth. Only after Gu Yulan entered did the man slowly look up, as if he had been waiting for this moment for quite some time.
“Do you know why I asked for you?”
Gu Yulan remained expressionless. “I know.”
Gu Qishan suppressed his rising anger and threw a newspaper at the feet of Gu Yulan.
“Take it. See for yourself.”
“I do not need to look. I already know the content.”
Perhaps it was the arrogant posture of Gu Yulan that finally snapped the patience of Gu Qishan.
“You know?” Gu Qishan said with a deep frown. “For the past few years, you wanted freedom and you wanted to play; what have I not granted you? But I hope you remember your status as the heir to the Gu family.”
He rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. “I did not know when you started liking men.”
Gu Yulan shrugged indifferently. “There are many things you do not know. I am not a three-year-old child; whether I like men or women, I do not need to file a report with you.”
Thinking of something, he mocked coldly, “Besides, when you were having an affair, you did not exactly consult with my mother.”
Those words were like a fuse to a powder keg, shattering the years of cultivation of Gu Qishan. He stood up abruptly.
“Shut up!”
Gu Yulan stood his ground. He clenched his fists, his eyes red as he stared at the man, shouting, “Whether I shut up or not, if it were not for your affair, my mother would not have died. That is a fact, and you can only use anger to cover your guilt.”
Outside the room, a slightly tall janitor was wiping the door with a cloth. Xie Yizhou, with the help of the system, was peeking at everything happening inside the room.
At that moment, a figure passed by in the hallway and said in surprise, “Auntie Zhang, was this not cleaned this morning?”
0377 cried out, “Oh no, you are going to be caught!”
Inside the room, the tense atmosphere reached its climax.
“That is a matter between me and your mother. No matter what, it is not your place to speak.”
Infuriated, Gu Qishan picked up a teacup from the desk and threw it directly at his son. The cup flew through the air, seemingly destined to strike Gu Yulan. Perhaps because there was no response to her greeting, the secretary walked over with a suspicious look.
Xie Yizhou glanced at the reflection on the floor tiles; the figure was getting closer. He immediately turned the doorknob, pressed his shoulder against the door, and pushed with all his might.
Suddenly, with a bang, the door was shoved open. A cry of surprise came from outside.
Gu Yulan turned his head and saw the somewhat familiar figure. His eyes widened in shock. Before he could react, he was knocked down by a sudden force.
The scalding teacup that should have hit him was blocked by the youth. It struck the wall instead, shattering with a crisp sound as several fragments fell to the floor.
Gu Yulan reacted quickly, catching the boy in his arms to prevent him from rolling into the shards. This all happened in a split second, too fast for thought. When it was over and he met those clear eyes, his mind went blank.
This sudden turn of events left the enraged Gu Qishan stunned. He looked at the person in the arms of Gu Yulan with a look of astonishment.
“I am sorry, Chairman.” The secretary rushed in to apologize after seeing the chaos.
The chest of Gu Yulan heaved violently. He quickly regained his senses, ripped the hat off the head of the youth, and felt a surge of anger. He gritted his teeth and hissed, “What are you doing here?”
Meeting the flaming gaze of Gu Yulan, Xie Yizhou slowly looked away. He climbed out of the arms of Gu Yulan without a word and stood his ground, ignoring the scrutiny of everyone around him.
Gu Qishan looked at the son, then at the sudden intruder. Judging by the situation, the two seemed to know each other.
“And you are?” He stared into those dark, clear eyes with a calculating gaze. Seeing that the youth looked quite young, his expression became increasingly stern.
Xie Yizhou pointed to his throat and took a step forward. Just as he was about to take out his phone, someone grabbed his hand.
Gu Yulan stood beside him, breathing heavily. He gripped the hand of the youth and gave him a fierce glare.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Whatever you are planning, forget about it. It was unclear if the youth received the signal, but after a few seconds of confrontation, Gu Yulan decided to lead him away.
“Come with me.”
Xie Yizhou allowed Gu Yulan to grip his wrist and lead him out of the office. Looking at the pale secretary outside, Gu Yulan said, “There is nothing else here. Do not worry about it. He is my,” he turned to look at the youth beside him, took a deep breath, and said, “friend.”
The secretary was terrified and had no desire to get involved in the family matters of the boss. She quickly said, “Alright, Young Master Gu. I have other things to do, so I will be going.” She then dispersed the other onlookers who had come to see the commotion.
Now that they were alone, Gu Yulan brought the boy into a nearby reception room. He forced him down into a chair.
“Listen, stay here and do not move. If I come back and find you gone, you will see how I deal with you.”
He looked at the quiet youth in the chair with sharp, dark eyes. Since the previous obedient behavior had been an act, he had to be extra cautious.
“I do not care why you did this, but before I return, you had better think of a reason that can convince me.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and left. Xie Yizhou watched the back of Gu Yulan as he departed, then slowly lowered his eyes to stare at his toes, beginning to think of a reason.
Gu Yulan hurriedly pushed the office door open again, glancing at the broken shards on the floor. He had little patience left for a lecture. Thinking of the youth in the reception room, who was like a time bomb, he worried about how much trouble might be caused in his short absence.
However, just as he was about to speak, Gu Qishan spoke first with a dark face. “Is he your little boyfriend?”
Ever since the mother of Gu Yulan passed away, he had rarely seen his son lose control like this. He guessed that the relationship between the two might be unusual. Hearing those words, the breath of Gu Yulan hitched and his eyes widened.
Him and that little mute? Ha! What a joke! That would be impossible in this lifetime.
Yet, he did not deign to explain. He had nothing to say to Gu Qishan. The scandal report was clearly a deliberate attempt to mess with him. Originally, he intended to use the report to come out and then find the person behind the scheme. He knew that when Gu Qishan discovered the sole heir of the Gu family liked men, he would be furious, and he was prepared for that anger.
He just had not expected a little mute to charge into the middle of it.
“This is none of your business.”
“None of my business!” Gu Qishan’s eyes bulged. “How old is that child? Is he even an adult? Did I not tell you before? You like to play, but there are some things you can touch and others you cannot!”
The youth looked like a high school student. Gu Yulan was temporarily speechless, his mind a mess.
Gu Qishan said with great pain, “This is a crime! Gu Yulan, if you have fallen this far, I will certainly,” but Gu Yulan felt a headache and could not help but shout, “It is not what you think!”
Damn that little mute! He ruined all my plans.
To prevent Gu Qishan from overthinking, Gu Yulan closed his eyes and gave a brief explanation. He handed over the video of Chen Yufei and her manager. After watching the video, the face of Gu Qishan gradually became solemn. It was clear someone was intentionally framing his son.
He looked at Gu Yulan, a hint of regret growing in his heart. “Why did you not tell me sooner?”
Gu Yulan gave a light sneer. “Would it have been useful? You would rather believe the reports outside than ask me a single question. Besides, I have nothing to say to you. That is all for today. I am leaving.”
At the same time, the door to the reception room was pushed open gently. Xie Yizhou keenly sensed the movement, thinking Gu Yulan had returned.
He looked up, only to see an unexpected person. A faint, imperceptible flash of surprise crossed his eyes. Why was he here?
Zhou Yichen looked at the unusually obedient and quiet youth sitting there, his gaze softening instantly. As if afraid of startling the boy, he intentionally lowered his voice.
“Hello, my name is Zhou Yichen.”
In the original story, Zhou Yichen was described as a man with a gentle temperament and a handsome face. When his deep, warm eyes looked at someone, it was as if they possessed a tenderness that could drown a person; no one could resist his charm.
Xie Yizhou tilted his head, looking expressionlessly at the man walking toward him step by step. Zhou Yichen gave a gentle smile and reached out his hand toward the youth.
“Can you tell me your name?”