The Next Morning, Star Media Agency.
Su Hao sat in his leather chair, his face dark with rage. The shredded pieces of the contract from yesterday still lay in his trash bin.
"Block him!" Su Hao roared at his assistant. "Call all the producers. Tell them if anyone dares to hire Lin Yu, they are enemies of Star Media! And get the legal team ready. I want to sue him until he has to sell his kidney to pay me back!"
Standing next to Su Hao was a young, delicate-looking boy—the 'White Lotus' from the engagement news. He massaged Su Hao's shoulders gently.
"Brother Hao, don't be angry," the boy said softly. "Lin Yu is just impulsive. Once he realizes he has no money and no home, he will come back crawling on his knees to beg you."
Su Hao sneered. "Crawling? I'll make him lick my shoes."
Bang!
The office door was kicked open.
Su Hao jumped, furious. "Who the hell dares to—"
His voice stuck in his throat.
Lin Yu walked in. But he looked nothing like the gloomy, submissive artist Su Hao knew.
He was wearing a white high-collar sweater and a beige trench coat. The outfit looked simple, but Su Hao, who cared about brands, recognized it instantly. It was a limited edition from a high-end Italian brand. The watch on his wrist alone was worth more than Su Hao's car.
Lin Yu walked in like he owned the place, pulling out a chair and sitting down casually.
"Morning, Mr. Su," Lin Yu smiled. "I'm here to terminate the contract."
Su Hao stared at him, bewildered. "Where did you get those clothes? Did you sell yourself to some old sugar daddy overnight?"
"Something like that," Lin Yu shrugged, unbothered. "So, how much is the penalty?"
Su Hao recovered his composure. A greedy glint appeared in his eyes. He slammed a file on the desk.
"Breach of contract. Damage to company reputation. Mental distress. The total is 20 million yuan," Su Hao smirked. "Pay up now, or go to jail. Or... if you admit your mistake and sleep with Director Wang tonight, maybe I can lower it to 10 million."
The delicate boy next to him giggled. "Lin Yu, just apologize. Brother Hao is kind."
Lin Yu didn't get angry. He just looked at them like he was watching two clowns in a circus.
"20 million? That's quite cheap," Lin Yu said.
"Stop bluffing!" Su Hao stood up, slamming the table. "You don't even have 200 yuan! Who do you think you are?"
"He thinks he is my spouse."
A deep, indifferent voice came from the doorway.
The temperature in the room plummeted instantly.
Su Hao looked up and froze. His face turned pale, drained of all blood. His legs went weak, and he collapsed back into his chair.
A tall man walked in. He was surrounded by four men in black suits—elite lawyers, each holding a briefcase. The man walked with an aura of absolute authority, his dark eyes sweeping over the room with disgust.
It was Gu Chen. The Tyrant of the Capital.
The entire entertainment industry knew this face. Su Hao had spent years trying to get an invitation to Gu Chen's parties, only to be rejected at the door.
"President... President Gu?" Su Hao stammered, his voice trembling. "What... why are you here?"
Gu Chen didn't even look at him. He walked straight to Lin Yu.
"Did you sleep well?" Gu Chen asked, his tone flat but possessive.
"Very well, hubby," Lin Yu replied sweetly, emphasizing the word.
Hubby?!
Su Hao felt like he had been struck by lightning. He looked back and forth between the terrifying Gu Chen and the smiling Lin Yu. His brain short-circuited.
"Mr. Su," the head lawyer stepped forward, placing a document on the desk. "We are representing Mr. Lin Yu. Regarding the contract termination..."
"We... we can talk!" Su Hao sweated profusely. "If Lin Yu is your... friend, we can waive the fee! Zero penalty! He is free to go!"
"No," Gu Chen spoke up.
He finally looked at Su Hao. His gaze was like looking at a dead bug.
"I don't like owing people favors," Gu Chen said lazily. "You said 20 million?"
Gu Chen took out a checkbook. He wrote a string of numbers, tore it off, and threw it.
The check fluttered in the air and landed on Su Hao's face. A humiliating slap.
"Here is 50 million," Gu Chen said.
Su Hao held the check, his hands shaking. "P-President Gu, this is too much..."
"The extra 30 million," Gu Chen adjusted his cuffs, his voice calm and cruel, "is to buy your company."
"What?" Su Hao's eyes bulged.
"Star Media is annoying me," Gu Chen said as if discussing the weather. "I'm acquiring it. As of this moment, you are fired. Get out of my building."
Silence. Absolute silence.
Lin Yu blinked. He looked at Gu Chen with genuine surprise. Buying the whole company? This wasn't in the plan. This tyrant is even crazier than the rumors.
Gu Chen glanced at Lin Yu. "Let's go. The air here is dirty."
He turned and left.
Lin Yu stood up. He walked over to the paralyzed Su Hao and the terrified White Lotus.
"Oh, Brother Hao," Lin Yu whispered, leaning down. "Remember what you said? About crawling? I think security is waiting to drag you out. Try not to ruin your expensive shoes."
Lin Yu patted Su Hao's frozen face, turned around, and followed his new husband out the door.
For the first time in two lifetimes, Lin Yu felt truly, undeniably free.