Chapter 19: Dog-Blood High Society
Lu Shichen had meticulously prepared a formal attire for Gu Xiu for the banquet. It had crossed the Pacific Ocean and was delivered to the villa by a special courier just two days prior.
It was purely hand-stitched, with fine and exquisite stitches. The warm mouse-gray color, with a dark, delicate, and smooth striped pattern, perfectly showcased his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
The inner layer was a simple white shirt, with a thin golden chain collar clip to secure the collar as a finishing touch. The tie was a houndstooth pattern of dark purple and light gray, which blended together to match the color of the jacket, creating a lively but not abrupt combination. Every detail seemed to be tailor-made for his age in his early twenties and his flamboyant personality.
As for Lu Shichen, he was still in his familiar all-black attire. This time, he even changed his shirt to a dark gray that was close to black, solemn and dignified. He didn’t look like he was going to a high-society banquet, but rather a funeral.
And it had to be the funeral of a detestable person.
Of course, Gu Xiu was just secretly complaining in his heart and would never dare to let these words reach Lu Shichen’s ears.
There was just one thing that was less reserved than usual. Lu Shichen left his jacket open. When they arrived at their destination and got out of the car, the biting winter wind rushed into the car. Gu Xiu shrank his neck, but when he turned his head, he saw that he hadn’t even batted an eyelid. He stepped out of the car with his long legs.
The blade-like cold wind scraped against his exposed cheeks and neck, curling up a corner of his well-ironed black clothes. But Lu Shichen only lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze even more chilling than the cold wind.
His thin lips parted slightly. “Get out.”
Gu Xiu came to his senses. “…Oh.”
After urging him, Lu Shichen didn’t say much more. He walked ahead with his head held high, his tall and straight back a dark silhouette.
Gu Xiu didn’t know why his mood was particularly low today. Could it be that coming to a party had affected his overtime work? In any case, when this daddy-type gong gave fewer orders, Gu Xiu had the leisure to observe him.
Gu Xiu watched for a while and sincerely sighed in his mind: 【Ninth Uncle is still very handsome, as long as he doesn’t really act like my dad.】
【Of course! He’s the dignified protagonist gong of our great Jinjiang!】 007 said with a sense of pride. 【Don’t be so picky. When you two are at odds over the protagonist shou, when you’re completely crushed by him and slapped in the face by his death glare, you’ll know how happy you are now!】
Gu Xiu wrinkled his nose: 【I’m just saying.】
On the way into the venue, Gu Xiu didn’t forget to look around, searching for that Young Master Su.
He had to use this tool-person to make the protagonist shou jealous. After the protagonist shou left heartbroken, Gu Xiu would be a step too late to confirm that Young Master Su was not the person he had been searching for. The more he recalled his time with the protagonist shou, the more familiar it felt, until he began to guess: Could it be that the white moonlight has been by my side all along?
Unfortunately, with one misunderstanding after another, a huge chasm had already formed in the relationship between the scum gong and the protagonist shou, which could no longer be repaired.
Gu Xiu was comparing the handsome young men in the banquet hall with the photo when a young man took the initiative to approach him and start a conversation. “You must be Gu Xiu, right?”
Gu Xiu was stunned. This enthusiastic handsome young man looked like…
“My surname is Su, Su Yanli,” the young man introduced himself enthusiastically. Although he was talking to Gu Xiu, his eyes kept glancing at Lu Shichen behind him.
Countless people wanted to curry favor with Lu Shichen, but Lu Shichen was like a rock, unyielding to both soft and hard tactics. He was always business-like. To those who flattered him, his answer was always the same: If you have business, make an appointment with my secretary.
But recently, Lu Shichen had been bringing the good-for-nothing pastry from the Gu family to the company every day and even letting him get involved in the company’s core projects. Such explosive and bizarre news had spread throughout their circle.
Gossiping was human nature. Even Gu Xiu’s nickname within Huanya had spread, the slightly exaggerated and ridiculous—Crown Prince of the Chairman’s Office.
Seeing him today, he really lived up to his name.
Su Yanli’s father found this incredible and was skeptical. He had instructed his son to confirm whether the two had come together before striking up a conversation.
Not only that, the two had gotten out of the same car together!
The custom-made suits they were wearing were even from the same brand, the Milanese handmade custom brand that he had been on the waiting list for two years for!!
This was not just a crown prince, but his ancestor.
But Gu Xiu frowned and poked the good-for-nothing pastry system in his mind, asking hesitantly, 【Are his eyes glowing?】
【I don’t think so?】 The small silver ball of light popped out and flew around, making a very incomparable comparison. 【Look, Jiujiu, I’m the one who’s glowing!】
Gu Xiu: “…” I can’t stand it! I have a system-aversion to stupidity.
At this moment, Lu Shichen was also deeply annoyed.
He was tired of his cousin-nephew’s fickle and promiscuous behavior, and even more tired of the endless stream of handsome boys who appeared in front of him, those boys who stole his attention.
“Gu Xiu!”
The more you’re annoyed by something, the more it happens.
Jiang Yuan Yao noticed the well-dressed Gu Xiu from a distance, and his eyes lit up. He jogged towards him excitedly. It wasn’t until he saw the strange boy in front of him that he quickly stopped.
“Who is this?”
“Oh, this is the young master of the Su family, Su Yanli,” Gu Xiu said with a warm smile like a spring breeze, while also making a scum man’s remark. “Yaoyao, don’t you think you two look three or four parts similar?”
Jiang Yuan Yao was stunned, staring blankly at Su Yanli, whom he was seeing for the first time.
After a moment, the excitement and joy, like a flimsy piece of wallpaper, were gently peeled off and torn into pieces in a few strokes.
In that instant, he must have realized many things.
Gu Xiu tried his best to play the role of a negligent scum man who always hurt others indirectly. He looked left and right, and finally asked innocently, “What’s wrong, Yaoyao?”
But Gu Xiu’s internal theater was a different story: 【Alright, alright, the protagonist shou has finally realized he’s a substitute. Although it’s another misunderstanding, I should be able to rest for a while, right?】
【That’s right, that’s right!】 007 also gave him encouragement. 【’Key Plot Point 4′ is 60% complete. As long as Su Yanli spills red wine on the protagonist shou, and the protagonist gong comes to the rescue, it will be fully completed～】
Only 60%, still a long way to go.
After the novel was generated into a small world, the characters in the book all had their own consciousness. If Gu Xiu said a few wrong words, it could cause the plot to deviate.
Fortunately, the plot only needed to be roughly completed. As long as the general direction was correct, a certain margin of error in the details was allowed, which was why Gu Xiu dared to be so willful.
Right now, it was a confrontation between the real white moonlight and the fake white moonlight. Gu Xiu was at ease, accepting a glass of red wine from a waiter and waiting for the two to clash.
Su Yanli made the first move.
He held out a hand. “Hello, I’m Su Yanli. I’ve seen your work. I guess I can be considered a fan of yours?”
Gu Xiu’s movements froze. The wine glass was brought to his lips and then moved away.
【What’s going on? This isn’t right, is it? Why is Su Yanli so polite?】 Gu Xiu quickly called 007. 【In this world, shouldn’t all the handsome men and women, except for the legitimate gong and the cannon fodder gong, be jealous and hate the protagonist shou? Every time they cause trouble, it just happens to push the protagonist shou and the protagonist gong’s relationship forward…】
Su Yanli was eloquent. After a few sentences, the defensiveness and rejection on Jiang Yuan Yao’s face disappeared, and he was overjoyed by the other’s praise.
He even blushed and said to Gu Xiu, “Gu Xiu, we’re both wearing gray suits today. We really match.”
Su Yanli smiled and agreed, “That’s right.”
“…”
Gu Xiu had no choice. Thinking that he was a moody second-generation heir anyway, he changed his expression without another word. “Since you two get along so well, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Gu Xiu!”
Jiang Yuan Yao immediately chased after him, not angry at all.
Gu Xiu’s brow furrowed in annoyance. He wished he could turn his mental energy in his sea of consciousness into a long whip and whip that useless ball of light that was playing dumb.
“Gu Xiu, Gu Xiu…” Jiang Yuan Yao jogged after him, carefully calling his name.
Gu Xiu could only throw a dark face at him. “Can you stop following me? Do you know what this place is? If someone sees Chairman Lu’s cousin-nephew entangled with an unknown little celebrity… you’re not ashamed, but I am.”
This sentence finally stopped Jiang Yuan Yao’s footsteps. His lowered long eyelashes trembled slightly, and he was on the verge of tears.
Only then did 007 pop out to act as the atmosphere group: 【Very good! Jiujiu! Just like that! You’re the ultimate scum!!】
Gu Xiu: “…”
“Alright, don’t worry.” Jiang Yuan Yao looked up, his eyes filled with an unfamiliar determination. His next sentence was a line that had never appeared in the script. “I will definitely work hard to become someone worthy of you!”
Gu Xiu was speechless.
007 was still creating anxiety: 【Huh? Why isn’t the protagonist shou jealous, sad, or angry?… Ahhhhh, your crematorium seems to be doomed!】
Gu Xiu said coldly: 【If it’s doomed, we’re both doomed.】
【…】 007 struggled to digest the unexpected situation. 【Whatever. Jiujiu, think of a way to get the protagonist shou’s clothes dirty with wine. We’re not in a hurry for the crematorium. Let’s finish this plot point first…】
007 seemed unreliable, but it was actually very good at its job. Work was work, as long as it was done. It was these guys who had built the huge, makeshift Quick Transmigration Bureau.
Of course, the outstanding employee Gu Xiu, who would never be serious if he could be lazy, and would never sit if he could lie down, was no different.
To ensure the wine-spilling plot went smoothly, he first needed to confirm—
“Hey?” Gu Xiu scanned the crowd in the banquet hall and couldn’t help but wonder, “Where’s Ninth Uncle?”
The wine was ready. If there was no cannon fodder to cause trouble, he would do it himself. Anyway, he was going to the crematorium sooner or later, so he might as well be the villain.
But the key scene was still missing another protagonist.
Seeing Gu Xiu looking around anxiously, Su Yanli enthusiastically came over. Not only did he not cause trouble, but he also fully displayed his sycophantic skills, asking him, “Young Master Gu, are you looking for Chairman Lu?”
“Mm,” Gu Xiu nodded. “Have you seen him?”
“Ah…” Su Yanli let out a slow breath. He couldn’t accurately judge the complex and treacherous situation, so he tentatively said, “When he saw Mr. Jiang come over, he left by himself. He didn’t look very well. Is Chairman Lu not feeling well today? Or maybe he didn’t want to disturb your… world for two?”
The relationship between these three was unusually strange, far beyond Su Yanli’s imagination.
Gu Xiu’s face immediately darkened. He ignored the fact that there were others present and sternly reprimanded Jiang Yuan Yao, “Stop following me. I’m going to find Ninth Uncle.”
Jiang Yuan Yao was determined not to give up and followed him closely. “Gu Xiu, if Chairman Lu is angry with you because of me, then I should be the one to apologize to him… It was wrong of me to always shout at you before. I will definitely be obedient in the future. I will also work hard at acting and become someone worthy of you!!”
The more silent Gu Xiu was, the more anxious Jiang Yuan Yao became. Thinking of the contract that was about to expire, his breathing became rapid, and his voice was a little unsteady. “I’ve recently realized that the contract we signed, you spent a huge amount of money to get me resources, but I didn’t have to do anything. This is very unfair to you…”
“There’s nothing unfair about it,” Gu Xiu pressed his throbbing temples. “We’re just taking what we need.”
Jiang Yuan Yao pursed his lips, his eyes filled with autumn waves. His lingering and entangled gaze and tone were full of suggestion. “Then… shouldn’t you be coming to take it now?”
Gu Xiu: “…………”
Jiang Yuan Yao looked at the young man’s handsome and compelling face and blushed again, becoming even more coquettish. “Gu Xiu～”
Jiang Yuan Yao ignored everything and grabbed Gu Xiu’s arm.
Gu Xiu was still holding a half-empty glass of red wine.
“Let go.”
“Gu Xiu…”
Gu Xiu’s heart moved, and he warned coldly again, “Let go.”
Jiang Yuan Yao’s cheeks puffed up, and his competitive spirit also rose. Hearing this, he held on even tighter. “I won’t!”
It was really hard to tell who the sugar daddy was.
Gu Xiu was by no means a person who cherished the fairer sex. Besides, the Jiang Yuan Yao in front of him was just a handsome-looking man, but in essence, he was a man with the same parts as him. He no longer held back. His muscles, though not exaggerated, were by no means for show. He struggled hard!
“Ah!” Jiang Yuan Yao cried out in fright, followed by an even more flustered, “Gu Xiu—”
Thanks to Jiang Yuan Yao’s shouting, the two of them had become the focus of the banquet hall.
Splash! Half a glass of red wine was spilled out.
【Jiujiu!】 007 also screamed.
Gu Xiu was stunned.
Because at the last critical moment, Jiang Yuan Yao had pulled his wrist again, causing the wine glass to tilt in the opposite direction, and it just so happened to spill all over him.
“…”:)
The banquet hall was in an uproar. A circle of onlookers, men and women, had formed. The large space under the chandelier was like a circular stage, with the frozen Gu Xiu and the flustered Jiang Yuan Yao standing in the middle.
Lu Shichen was on the second floor, leaning against the railing. His long and powerful fingers rested on the mahogany railing, his gray eyes slightly lowered, taking in the farce below.
Seeing this, the business partner who was chatting with him laughed a few times and fell into a reminiscent mood. “When I was young, my wife and I also came all the way here, bickering and arguing…”
Lu Shichen’s face was cold and grim. He turned and left without a word.
“Chairman Lu?”
Lu Shichen left without looking back. He found the head waiter and instructed, “Take Gu Xiu to a hotel room downstairs to change into clean clothes.”
The head waiter lowered his eyes. “Yes, I’ll arrange it.”
After the hotel staff had separated Gu Xiu and Jiang Yuan Yao, Lu Shichen’s handsome brow was still furrowed. He silently drank one glass of wine after another. The fiery burning sensation in his stomach still couldn’t alleviate the nameless anxiety that was entangled in his heart.
At this moment, the head waiter who had sent the person away returned.
Lu Shichen’s brow was tightly furrowed. He thought Gu Xiu had caused some more trouble.
“Chairman Lu,” the head waiter said with a smile, respectfully handing over a card with both hands. “We’ve taken Young Master Gu to suite 8188. This is the spare room card.”
