Chapter 29: Scheming Against Yu Mengyi

At 1:30 AM, Yan Xuan returned to his dormitory to find his roommates huddled together, playing cards.

Li Pengyu set down his hand and turned around. "Old Yan, what took you so long?"

Yan Xuan walked into the bathroom, yawning as he replied, "Had dinner with your goddess."

"My goddess? Who?"

"Huang Sisi, of course. Aren't you her biggest fan?"

"Hey! Why didn't you say you slept with her too?"

"She wanted to, but I thought she was ugly, so I turned her down."

"Go wash up and get some sleep. You'll find anything you want in your dreams... Pair of Kings!"

Li Pengyu turned back to continue his battle of wits with his roommates, not taking Yan Xuan’s words to heart. Huang Sisi was a rising national goddess; there was no way she would have anything to do with an ordinary college student.

After showering, Yan Xuan sat down at his computer and logged into League of Legends. As expected, Mi Xiaoyue was online.

Mi Xiaoyue: Brother Yan, where are you?

Yan Xuan: Where do you think I’d be? In Huang Sisi’s bed?

He hadn’t had a chance to explain things to her during the day, and knowing Mi Xiaoyue, he knew she would be waiting anxiously for him to come online.

Mi Xiaoyue: ...

Yan Xuan: Jealous?

Seeing she didn't reply, Yan Xuan simply pulled her into a lobby so she could hear his roommates playing cards.

Mi Xiaoyue: I'm sorry, Brother Yan. I shouldn't have doubted you.

Yan Xuan: Don't worry. I’m not interested in her type.

Mi Xiaoyue: Then what type are you interested in, Brother Yan?

Yan Xuan: Definitely my little Yue. Small, sweet, and soft. She looks so easy to bully, and even when she's jealous, she’s too afraid to get angry at me. She just sits foolishly in front of her computer, pouting her soft, pink lips with grievance, her eyes all red, waiting for me like a little bunny.

"Brother Yan..."

Mi Xiaoyue stopped typing and let out a shy, soft whimper over the voice chat.

Imagining her face flushing red with steam rising from her head, Yan Xuan couldn't help but chuckle.

Yan Xuan: Little Yue, can you find a way to stay by your aunt’s side as much as possible?

Mi Xiaoyue asked, puzzled, "Brother Yan, why?"

Yan Xuan: If you stay close to your aunt, we might be able to see each other often.

"Really!?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'll go ask my aunt."

Mi Xiaoyue went offline, and Yan Xuan closed the game to open a file sent by Fang Lian. One had to admit, Fang Lian had real potential as a secretary. Though Yan Xuan had only mentioned his interest in the Yu family gossip during the day, by the afternoon, she had already compiled a detailed dossier on the entire family. While the information was publicly available, aggregating it was no small feat.

As for why Yan Xuan was interested in the Yu family, Fang Lian remained silent, as she always did.

Yan Xuan spent half an hour carefully reviewing the file. Yu Jiangxiong had two older sisters and one younger sister. Before Mi Xiaoyue was found, the hottest gossip about the family was which nephew Yu Jiangxiong would choose as his successor. As for Yu Mengyi, her topics were strictly related to the entertainment industry.

Online, people praised Yu Jiangxiong as a doting brother who didn't just let his half-sister Yu Mengyi take his surname, but also poured endless funds into her dream of being a director, gifting her countless luxury cars and mansions.

Yet, the more Yan Xuan read, the more he felt something was off. Even though people claimed Yu Jiangxiong spoiled her rotten, Yu Mengyi didn’t actually hold a position in any of his companies or participate in his business operations. Furthermore, the 100 million in capital she registered for "Mengyi Pictures" had come from one of Yu Jiangxiong's companies, but it was structured as a loan, not an investment. As the saying goes, even brothers should keep clear accounts, and they didn't even share the same father.

"It seems Yu Mengyi’s life in the Yu family isn't as good as it looks..." Yan Xuan pondered. She seemed like a promising breakthrough point.

Speak of the devil—just as he was thinking of her, Yu Mengyi sent a message.

Yu Mengyi: Little brother, Huang Sisi just complained to me, saying you gave her the cold shoulder during dinner.

Yan Xuan: Did I?

Because it was Yu Mengyi who introduced them, Huang Sisi had been quite polite, even hinting at returning to the hotel room together. But Yan Xuan’s mind was elsewhere.

Yu Mengyi: She said you didn't say a word, paid the bill, and left without even looking at her properly.

Yan Xuan: Can't help it. I realized she looked completely different in person than on screen. The filter shattered. (Sticker: Speechless!)

Yu Mengyi: You’re quite picky, aren't you?

Yan Xuan: I heard Miss Yu’s company signed that eighteen-year-old traditional-style beauty, Miao Leying?

Yu Mengyi: What do you mean, little brother?

Yan Xuan: Her look is exactly my type. I wonder if your company has any period drama scripts suitable for her right now?

Yu Mengyi: If there were, how much would you intend to invest?

Yan Xuan: Fifty million? One hundred million? Two hundred million? You give me a number, Miss Yu.

Yu Mengyi: Hahaha (Sticker: Goodnight!)

In an executive suite at a five-star hotel in Nanjiang, Yu Mengyi set her phone down and laughed at herself. She felt like she’d gone mad; for a split second, she had genuinely wondered if Yan Xuan could actually invest 200 million.

"He's just driving a beat-up Bentley..." She shook her head to clear her thoughts, leaning toward the idea that Yan Xuan was just blowing hot air. Still, if he really could produce 200 million in cash flow, she wouldn't just let him have a minor role like Miao Leying—she’d be willing to accommodate him herself.

"Auntie, you're not asleep yet?"

Mi Xiaoyue, wearing pink rabbit pajamas, walked into the room and dove under the covers. "Auntie, let's sleep together."

Yu Mengyi said softly, "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, I just couldn't sleep and wanted to talk to you."

"Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Auntie, I'm so bored staying at home every day. Can I follow you around to film sets?"

"Follow me?"

Yu Mengyi looked troubled. Setting aside whether her brother and sister-in-law would agree, Mi Xiaoyue was just a girl who hadn't even finished vocational school; she had no skills to handle the work.

"Little Yue, do you have any special talents?"

"Play... playing games, does that count?"

"Uh..." Yu Mengyi smiled awkwardly, then asked, "If you're good at games, are you good with computers?"

Mi Xiaoyue shook her head. "Not at all. If the computer at the internet cafe acts up, I just turn it off and restart it."

"Then do you know any English?"

"A little?"

"Like what?"

"First Blood, Double Kill, Triple Kill, Quadra Kill..."

"Alright, alright!" Yu Mengyi couldn't help but laugh.

Mi Xiaoyue had missed the best time for education, and for the past half-month, her parents had thought about hiring professional tutors. But if Mi Xiaoyue resisted even a little, the couple’s hearts would ache, and they wouldn't dare force her.

"Auntie will find a way to talk to your father."

Yu Mengyi had her own agenda. She was close to Mi Xiaoyue largely to gain favor with Yu Jiangxiong. If Mi Xiaoyue were willing to follow her, Yu Jiangxiong might throw some scraps her way for his daughter’s sake. Maybe the loan terms could be extended...

Yu Mengyi asked, "Little Yue, why do you want to follow me?"

Mi Xiaoyue was a girl who wasn't good at lying, but to complete the task Yan Xuan had given her, she lied, "Of course, it's because I like you, Auntie."

"Alright... go to sleep."

Yu Mengyi turned off the light and held Mi Xiaoyue as they lay down, her conscience pricking her. Her niece was simple and sweet, yet she, the aunt, was always looking for ways to use her.

In the dead of night, the two lay in each other’s arms, each harboring their own secrets.