Chapter 88
Even though it was late at night, Yan Zhiheng’s attire was as impeccable as ever, every detail meticulously attended to as if he were ready to walk the red carpet at any moment. When he entered the small hospital room, his mere presence made it seem a touch grander.
Wen Yue frowned at him, though. “Did you really come to visit a hospital without bringing anything?”
Yan Zhiheng paused mid-step. “I was too worried about your accident to think about buying gifts.”
Wen Yue cut through his pretense without hesitation. “Yet you had time to change clothes—and you even accessorized.”
Yan Zhiheng shifted his gaze away. “…Ahem, well, since it wasn’t a major accident…”
Wen Yue sneered, then turned to Gu Xingshi to introduce him. “This is my uncle, Yan Zhiheng. He’s the one who invested in this hospital.”
Gu Xingshi’s expression showed sudden understanding. No wonder the ambulance had arrived so quickly, even abroad.
Just as Wen Yue was about to introduce Gu Xingshi to Yan Zhiheng, Yan raised a hand to stop him. “No need—I know him.”
Both Wen Yue and Gu Xingshi were taken aback.
Yan Zhiheng looked at Gu Xingshi with a faint smile. “Did you forget? We’ve met before.”
Gu Xingshi suddenly remembered. “You were… at my uncle’s funeral…”
Yan Zhiheng nodded slightly.
When Gu Xingshi’s uncle had fallen gravely ill, he’d written his will early, instructing his lawyer to contact Gu Xingshi. But the illness had progressed so quickly that by the time Gu Xingshi returned with the lawyer, his uncle had already entered his final hours and soon passed away.
As his uncle’s sole heir, Gu Xingshi had overseen the funeral.
It had rained that day, and only a few people attended. Toward the end of the service, a man arrived. He was surrounded by bodyguards holding a black umbrella over him, obscuring half his face and leaving only his pale lips and sharply defined jaw visible. Swathed in his entourage, Gu Xingshi hadn’t managed to get a good look at him.
Only as the man left after paying his respects did Gu Xingshi glimpse him briefly. But just as quickly, the bodyguards had blocked the view, escorting him away.
Looking back, it was no wonder Gu Xingshi hadn’t recognized him. Yan Zhiheng had looked completely different then—pale and haggard, a far cry from the perfectly groomed man before him now.
The system chimed in, [Don’t feel bad. I didn’t recognize him either. Yan Zhiheng never shows himself in public looking anything less than flawless.]
[Since his debut, he’s had flops, he’s had failures—but he’s never been caught looking less than perfect. Even his detractors agree. Other stars have been caught with spinach in their teeth or yawning, but Yan? Never. Whenever he appears, it’s always like he stepped right off a magazine page. He’s even been accused of being ‘too perfect’—some people think he’s not real.]
Gu Xingshi felt a ripple of curiosity. [If he’s so obsessed with his image, why did he come to the funeral looking like that?]
[Because he’d just had surgery,] the system explained. [He wasn’t supposed to be moving around, but he ignored the doctor’s advice and rushed back to attend your uncle’s funeral. When he returned afterward, he collapsed and had to rest for half a year.]
Gu Xingshi recalled the rumors. Supposedly, Yan Zhiheng and his uncle had a falling out so severe that it led to Yan’s departure from LeShi Entertainment. But now, it seemed that their relationship wasn’t as icy as the rumors had suggested.
Yan Zhiheng had shown up at the funeral in such a weakened state. And his uncle—his office still had posters of Yan Zhiheng, along with DVDs of every show and film he’d been in, even concert footage.
After their argument, Yan Zhiheng had left for abroad, and his uncle never mentioned him again, not even when the company faced hardships. He would rather sell assets to make ends meet than reach out to him.
No one knew the reason behind their quarrel. Yet, his uncle had remained single his entire life, passing away without ever having married or found a companion.
Meanwhile, Yan Zhiheng had also been living a secluded life abroad, and as far as anyone knew, he too was single.
Rumors had started swirling, suggesting that the two men had once been deeply in love. Supposedly, Yan’s wealthy family had opposed their youngest son being with someone as ordinary and powerless as Gu Jinyu, and so the two were forced to part ways. One left the country, and the other fell into despair and eventually passed away.
At that moment, Gu Xingshi heard Yan Zhiheng sigh, “When I heard you were taking over LeShi Entertainment, I thought I might be able to lend a hand. Didn’t expect you’d manage it all on your own.”
“Your uncle Gu Jinyu was blind in so many ways, but at least he showed some insight when it came to choosing a successor…”
Gu Xingshi was puzzled. Is this really how a tragic love story sounds?
The system helpfully clarified, [Ahem, they weren’t lovers. Gu Jinyu didn’t get married because he was a workaholic who threw himself entirely into his career, leaving no time for anything else. As for Yan Zhiheng, he’s so fixated on perfection that he doesn’t want anyone seeing him in a less-than-ideal state…]
Gu Xingshi was speechless. Who could have guessed that the truth beneath such an intense rumor would be so mundane?
[As for the real nature of their relationship,] the system continued, [it might be more accurate to call them ‘nemeses.’]
Gu Xingshi: [?]
The system elaborated, [Yan Zhiheng is the youngest son of the Yan family, and he’s always been pampered and admired, especially with those looks of his. But when he turned eighteen, he had a rebellious phase and joined the entertainment industry under a false name. The company he signed with back then? None other than your uncle Gu Jinyu’s.]
[At the time, Gu Jinyu’s previous star had just left him, and the company was struggling to survive. He immediately saw the potential in Yan Zhiheng and did everything he could to sign him. But after signing him, he realized that their personalities clashed horribly. They bickered every three days, and had a major blowout every five. If not for the fact that Gu Jinyu had poured all his money into promoting Yan Zhiheng, and Yan was too stubborn to admit defeat and go home, they would’ve split long before they did.]
System: [Yan Zhiheng was indeed born to be a star. His very first show became a hit, and from there, the debates between him and Gu Jinyu began. Gu insisted it was his sharp eye and script selection that made the show a success, while Yan believed it was his own talent that had brought the story to life. Neither would give an inch. Every new project became a battle of egos. Then, when Yan transitioned to being a singer, the pattern repeated all over again…]
[His decision to come back now is also because he can’t let things go. With Gu Jinyu gone, it’s as if their rivalry can never be resolved.]
Gu Xingshi sighed quietly. In a way, the two could be called both rivals and allies.
Curious, he asked, [Then why did Yan Zhiheng leave the entertainment industry in the first place?]
System: [Because Yan Zhiheng is a perfectionist. He wanted to preserve his most flawless image on screen and didn’t want anyone to see him growing older…]
Gu Xingshi: [….]
Absurd, but knowing Yan Zhiheng, it made perfect sense.
*
Although Yan and Gu Jinyu had clashed often, he had a good impression of Gu Xingshi. Finally, someone who seemed to understand him, someone whose every word hit just the right note, even complimenting him in ways no one else did, exactly where it mattered.
And not only was he eloquent—he was also quite good-looking, which made their conversations genuinely delightful. Originally, Yan had thought of Gu Xingshi as just another younger relative of Gu Jinyu and wanted to look after him. But now, he was genuinely beginning to like him, almost as if he were his own family.
The two of them were so engrossed in conversation that they seemed to forget Wen Yue was even there.
Wen Yue: “….”
He knew that Yan Zhiheng was notoriously picky, with almost no one meeting his standards. Though he understood Yan saw Gu Xingshi as a junior, Wen Yue couldn’t shake the feeling that his own “treasure” was being eyed a little too closely.
While he couldn’t bring himself to blame Gu Xingshi, he decided to turn his displeasure toward Yan and politely but firmly suggested, “Uncle, it’s getting late, and since I’m fine and I know you’re busy, you shouldn’t let us keep you.”
Yan gave him an unimpressed look. “I’m talking to Xingshi—why are you interrupting?”
Wen Yue: “…”
He tried again, his tone more insistent. “Weren’t you here to check on me?”
“Oh, right,” Yan said as if just remembering. He turned to Gu Xingshi with genuine concern. “Xingshi, I heard you were in the accident with this kid. Are you sure you’re okay? How about I take you for a full physical exam, just to be safe?”
Gu Xingshi shook his head. “There’s no need, Mr. Yan. I’ve already had a thorough check-up.”
When they arrived at the hospital and the doctor was treating Wen Yue’s wounds, Wen Yue had insisted that they examine Gu Xingshi as well. It was only after they confirmed he was fine that he felt relieved.
Yan Zhiheng clicked his tongue. “Why still call me Mr. Yan? Just call me Brother Yan.”
Wen Yue: “Huh?”
“Any objections?” Yan raised an eyebrow, glancing over. “Xingshi, don’t be fooled by how proper this kid looks now. When he was younger…”
Wen Yue swallowed his protest and, with a deadpan expression, cut him off. “No objections. If you’re fine with being a generation younger than my uncle, who am I to say anything?”
Yan Zhiheng froze, only now realizing that Gu Xingshi was indeed a distant nephew of Gu Jinyu.
Gu Xingshi, however, found Wen Yue’s lively response unexpectedly amusing. Yan mentioned that Wen Yue had once lived with the Yan family for a time as a child, and back then, he had been far cuter than he was now. Yan had plenty of video evidence and kept it all carefully archived. If Gu Xingshi was interested, Yan offered to bring it by next time.
Wen Yue: “…”
Under the suppression of his (dark) blood (historical) ties, he had no choice but to swallow his frustration and find another way forward.
So, just as Gu Xingshi and Yan Zhiheng were happily chatting, Gu suddenly felt Wen Yue tug at his sleeve.
When he turned, he saw Wen Yue lying weakly against the pillow, a rare, vulnerable look on his usually stern face. “Xingshi, I’m feeling a bit dizzy…”
Noticing how pale Wen Yue looked, with an unfamiliar hint of fragility, Gu Xingshi grew concerned. He found the medicine the doctor had left and poured some warm water. “Maybe you should take some medicine first?”
Wen Yue kept up his weakened demeanor, taking the medicine and sipping water straight from Gu Xingshi’s hand.
Yan Zhiheng was completely dumbfounded.
What was this performance? This was his tough nephew—the one who’d rather die than show a hint of weakness?
Though Wen Yue wanted to keep all of Gu Xingshi’s attention to himself, he noticed the slight fatigue on Gu’s face and hesitated. In the end, he called someone to take Gu Xingshi home to rest.
Gu didn’t insist on staying either. He was indeed exhausted from the day, and though he wasn’t injured in the accident, the shock had left him drained. Now that he was able to relax, the fatigue surged over him.
Besides, with Wen Yue having both medical and family support, Gu felt reassured. After agreeing to meet tomorrow, he headed home.
Once he was gone, the room fell silent.
Any trace of Wen Yue’s frailty vanished instantly, and he turned to Yan Zhiheng with a cold look. “Why are you still here?”
Yan Zhiheng raised an eyebrow. “Not keeping up the act?”
Wen Yue shrugged. “It’s called charm, something a lifelong bachelor like you wouldn’t understand.”
“Charm?” Yan Zhiheng, completely unruffled, responded in a graceful but ruthless tone, “That’s a fancy way of putting it. Seems to me you’re just scrambling for attention because you haven’t won him over yet.”
“Amateur.”
i was kinda rooting for Uncle Gu and Yan Zhiheng romance lol