LNTSWJLY Chapter 5

Yu Zhi came in with a glass of water, glanced around briefly, and noticed Yin Xu’s unusual expression. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Yin Xu lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry, Mr. Yu. I answered a call without consulting you just now.”

Yu Zhi checked his phone, furrowing his brows slightly before relaxing them. He slid his finger across the screen, adding the incoming number to the blacklist.

Casting a sidelong glance at Yin Xu, he figured the boy must have overheard something.

“Let’s continue,” he resumed teaching as if nothing had happened.

However, Yin Xu seemed distracted, frequently zoning out.

Putting down the textbook, Yu Zhi spoke calmly, “The most important thing in anything you do is to focus and be serious. If your mind is elsewhere right now, I can give you time to settle it down before we continue.”

Though his tone was gentle, Yin Xu felt a sense of guilt and embarrassment, akin to being scolded by a teacher. His cheeks reddened, and he dared not lift his head.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Yu. My mistake. Let’s continue,” he apologized.

Yu Zhi continued tutoring Yin Xu every evening while working at the company during the day. The original owner later died in a car accident, but as long as Yu Zhi avoided danger and death nodes, it wouldn’t be difficult.

After signing the contract with the Lin family, he began to launch attacks against them.

By delaying payments due to quality issues with their products, he caused the Lin family’s financial chain to break, leading to stock price fluctuations. Seizing the opportunity, he quietly acquired shares, and everything progressed slowly but surely.

When Lin Youde realized what was happening, it was already too late. He thought he had climbed onto a big mountain, albeit an unstable one, but he believed he could gain some temporary benefits.

Little did he know, he had provoked a fierce tiger that tolerated no sand in its eyes. While sleeping, there was no danger, but upon waking up, it could devour him whole in an instant!

Yu Zhi arranged accommodation for Xiao Pang, only returning home once a week.

After enduring a torturous week in the strict school, Xiao Pang finally returned home. Suddenly, he felt that even his dad, who was going through menopause, seemed kind and amiable. He opened his arms, ready to embrace him tightly.

“Dad…”

Click!

Bang!

The door that had just been closed was opened and then shut again.

Xiao Pang turned around and saw that it was the little lover who had stolen his snacks, instantly pulling a sour face.

“Dad, you haven’t dumped him yet? Are you turning gay? Does that mean I’m going to have a stepdad?”

Just as Yin Xu, who had just entered and changed his shoes, was about to speak, Yu Zhi gave Xiao Pang a pat on the back of his head.

“Stop talking nonsense. Your pocket money is halved.”

Xiao Pang looked dismayed. “Seriously… halving a hundred means fifty!”

Fifty yuan a day? He had never had so little money in his life!

Yu Zhi stared at him steadily.

Xiao Pang drooped his head in dejection but dared not say anything more. The experiences of the past week had taught him that his dad had changed. He kept his word now, and dreaming of coddling or making trouble would be futile.

His New Year’s money had been confiscated, he had no little brother to rely on, and life was already tight. Offending his dad again would probably mean he couldn’t even afford an ice cream each day.

After dinner, as usual, Yu Zhi tutored Yin Xu, but this time, they had an extra member, Xiao Pang.

As an elementary school student, Xiao Pang’s homework was almost non-existent, so Yu Zhi mainly have him focused on diligently doing his homework.

The nanny brought drinks and milk for the three of them, smiling as she said, “Xiao Xu, we ran out of mango juice from yesterday, so I brought watermelon instead. I hope you like it.”

Yin Xu gratefully smiled, “Thank you, Auntie. I like it.”

Xiao Pang widened his eyes, dropped his pen, stood up, and walked to Yu Zhi’s side. “Dad, why does he get to come home every day while I only get to come home once a week?! You favor him over me!”

“Phew!” Yin Xu nearly choked, coughing repeatedly. “Cough, cough…”

Yu Zhi fetched water for him, about to pat his back, but then thought better of it and discreetly withdrew his hand.

Yin Xu’s eyes flickered.

Yu Zhi looked down at his son, who had to tilt his head up to meet his gaze. “Because he’s obedient. He listens better than you.”

Xiao Pang protested, “But I can be obedient too!”

Yu Zhi replied directly, “When you can rank in the top ten of your class, then we’ll talk about day school.”

He lowered his head to sip his tea, saying lightly, “Obedient kids don’t need to worry about their test scores.”

The chubby boy, ranked dead last in the school: “…”

In the evening, as Yin Xu was about to grab some clothes to take a shower, he heard the door open. His heart skipped a beat, but surprisingly, he didn’t feel scared.

However, upon seeing who it was, a trace of disappointment flashed in his eyes, unnoticed even by himself, yet he felt a sense of relief.

Xiao Pang cautiously approached him, glancing around as if checking for ambushes, and only then did he speak to Yin Xu, “I’m okay with you being my stepdad, but I have a condition.”

After some thought, Xiao Pang realized that having a stepdad was better than having a stepmom. At least a stepmom could have more siblings, but a stepdad couldn’t!

Yin Xu: “…”

Xiao Pang, oblivious to Yin Xu’s internal turmoil, continued, “I want you to say good things about me in front of my dad, so I can get my allowance back sooner.”

Yin Xu stayed silent for a moment before responding, “Your dad won’t listen to me.”

Xiao Pang gave him a look that said ‘Nice try’, and said, “He spoils you so much, and he even lets you go to day school. How could he not listen to you? Don’t tell me you don’t know how to manipulate him?”

Yin Xu: “…” He didn’t know how.

He didn’t take Xiao Pang’s words to heart.

The man had made it clear that he had his agenda, and their relationship was purely transactional; there was no room for terms like ‘spoiling’.

He wouldn’t indulge in wishful thinking, and the man wouldn’t give it a second thought either.

During the weekend, Yu Zhi didn’t go out. He spent his time quietly reading in his study. His phone rang, and it was his assistant reporting news, “Mr. Yu, Lin Industries’ financial chain has been broken, and we’ve informed the banks not to lend them any money.”

“Good job, keep the plan going,” Yu Zhi responded.

“However, it probably won’t be long before Mr. Lin comes to see you. I’ve arranged for a bodyguard to be with you tomorrow.”

“I understand. Double the bonus for this month.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Yin Xu pushed open the partially closed door and looked at the man standing by the window, his posture impeccable. After a moment, he quietly exited the room, still holding his drink.

The housekeeper was surprised to see him back without drinking. “Sir, don’t you like it?”

Yin Xu smiled and shook his head. “Mr. Yu is busy and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Could you please bring it over later?”

Yu Zhi had considered whether Lin Youde would realize he was targeting Lin Industries. He didn’t bother to hide it because there was no need.

As the saying goes, if you strike at the king, you must kill him. Even if Lin Youde knew, what could he do?

As for Yin Xu…

After some thought, he made a call to the school.

“There may be someone impersonating a relative of my child causing trouble at the school recently. I hope the school can thoroughly investigate. Apart from me and my assistant, anyone trying to see my child has ulterior motives.”

The voice on the other end of the line was respectful. “Understood, Mr. Yu. I will instruct accordingly. You can rest assured.”

After the principal hung up, he immediately made another call. After hearing the instructions, the other person sounded hesitant. “But Mr. Yu brought two people into the school. Which child was he referring to?”

The principal was also caught off guard by the question.

In the new week, shortly after Yin Xu arrived at school, he frowned and asked, “You mean someone was looking for me? And they claimed to be my dad?”

The messenger security guard nodded. “That’s what he said, that he needed to see you about something.”

Yin Xu’s eyes darkened, and he clenched his lips firmly. “That’s a liar. I’m an orphan, I don’t have a dad.”

In the afternoon after school, as Yin Xu was leaving the school grounds, before he could get into the car, a figure quickly dashed out from the side and covered Yin Xu’s mouth, pulling him into a nearby corner.

Yin Xu was gasping for air, his heart racing, and as he looked up, he saw Lin Youde, disheveled and exhausted, with bloodshot eyes.

Lin Youde’s voice was menacing as he said to Yin Xu, “I underestimated you, kid. I never thought you’d be able to get that Yu guy to come after me. Have you forgotten who gave you the life you have now? You’re already thinking of burning bridges when you’re barely stable in your new lover’s arms?”

Yin Xu furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about?”

Lin Youde snapped, “Stop pretending! Dare you to say that Mr. Yu is not instigating against Lin industries behind my back? That he’s not wasting money to go against me?!”

Yin Xu interrupted, “Someone’s coming.”

Lin Youde turned to see Yin Xu’s driver approaching. He quickly softened his tone and pleaded with Yin Xu, “Xiao Xu, I’m still your real dad. Can you bear to see your parents and two brothers left with nothing? Please, go back and tell Yu to stop. I’m begging you!”

Yin Xu looked at the pleading and obsequious figure before him, recalling the arrogant and disdainful demeanor of the past. A sense of ridiculous absurdity welled up within him.

Lin Youde tried to run away, and the driver moved to chase after him, but Yin Xu stopped him. “No need to chase.”

“Go back”

Yin Xu wanted to know if what Lin Youde said was true.

During the ride, the driver sent a message to Yu Zhi, reporting today’s events.

Yu Zhi frowned as he read the message and called his assistant. “Arrange two more bodyguards for me, to handle the transportation of the two kids to and from school.”

As the assistant listened to the way Yu Zhi referred to them, he began to entertain other speculations about Yin Xu’s identity during this time.

Could he not be the boss’s lover, but rather his illegitimate child?

“Yes, I’ll arrange that right away,” the assistant replied.

Yu Zhi added, “Also, expedite the actions against Lin’s industries. I want Lin’s industries under new ownership within two weeks.”

Assistant: “I wonder what Mr. Yu’s thoughts are regarding the Lin family?”

Should they leave a way out or go for total elimination?

Yu Zhi thought for a moment. “Remove them from the board of directors and acquire their shares.”

If the Lin family could be sensible and surrender gracefully, they could still live a comfortable life with millions in assets. If they couldn’t be sensible…

He would make them sensible.

After sorting things out, Yu Zhi hung up the phone and turned around, pausing in his movements.

Putting away his phone, he casually asked, “When did you come back?”

But he saw someone standing quietly in the room, their expression complex and inscrutable, clearly having listened for quite some time.

Yu Zhi didn’t delve further. “Bring your homework textbooks over. I’ll go check if dinner is ready…”

His words trailed off as his voice abruptly stopped, his movements towards the door freezing in place.

He lowered his head slightly, glancing downward.

There, he saw a slender, fair-skinned hand, a few sizes smaller than his own, gripping his wrist.

Skin touching skin, the warmth from the other person’s hand flowed unreservedly into his body.

The hand was small but firm, refusing to let go.

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