Jiang Ruotang wanted to use this incident to uncover the secret between Bai Yue and Lin Chengdong. His intuition told him that this secret was also Lin Chengdong’s Achilles’ heel.

“Oh, right, a few things I need to tell you about dealing with Lin Chengdong.”

Jiang Ruotang’s voice became serious, losing the childishness he usually had when joking with classmates. Instead, it gave Bai Yingchuan a feeling of being looked down upon from a high place, inexplicably making Bai Yingchuan put away all his pride and submit.

“I’m listening, tell me.”

“I know you’re proud, but you must humble yourself in front of Lin Chengdong. Let him feel like he has you in his grasp. Once he gets complacent, many things will slip out. You’d best put your acting skills to good use, and in turn, control his emotions, making him reveal how he instigated or even coerced your mother into doing bad things.”

Thankfully, Jiang Ruotang reminded him. After all, the opportunity might only come once. If Lin Chengdong became suspicious, no useful information could be extracted.

“Thank you, and please rest assured. My acting isn’t bad.”

Hanging up the phone, Bai Yingchuan took a deep breath.

He clearly knew that no one in this world could be trusted. Whoever held his biggest secret could potentially betray him and become the next Lin Chengdong.

However… Jiang Ruotang had never sought anything from him.

Sure enough, not long after, Lin Chengdong’s call came in again.

Bai Yingchuan adjusted his emotions and began his performance.

“Hello, Uncle Lin, is there something you need?”

Lin Chengdong’s voice was smiling, as if telling him a great piece of news: “Yingchuan, that movie your mother is about to star in plans to cast you as the male lead! You and your mother co-starring, that’ll generate so much buzz!”

Bai Yingchuan said as if unintentionally, “The college entrance exam is coming up. Any work will have to wait until after the exam.”

“Oh, come on, how can the college entrance exam be more important than your future development? As long as you follow the right person, you’ll have an endless stream of acting jobs. Whether you’re a professional doesn’t matter.”

A sharp, cold smile curved Bai Yingchuan’s lips: Isn’t my mom like this precisely because she followed the right person?

“Maybe I’m just traditional. Whether I’m a professional is very important to me. I need to do some practice questions, Uncle Lin.”

Seeing Bai Yingchuan about to hang up, Lin Chengdong’s voice suddenly turned sinister.

“If you hang up on me, your mother will be finished.”

“What do you mean?” Bai Yingchuan’s voice became tense.

Lin Chengdong laughed, “The actual remuneration for the three movies Bai Yue recently filmed is different from what’s written in the contracts. If some reporter accidentally found out, the tax authorities might conduct an audit on her.”

Bai Yingchuan didn’t forget Jiang Ruotang’s instructions, his voice calm with a hint of teasing.

“Uncle Lin, even though my mom is very vain and cares about remuneration and billing, there are some things she wouldn’t dare to do because she’s afraid of public criticism and falling from grace. Don’t try to scare a high school senior like me; I’ll demand compensation for emotional distress from you.”

“Scare you? I helped her negotiate those yin-yang contracts! Also, your mother has several studios specifically for public relations. They pay fees to marketing companies run by the bosses, which then funnels the money back. The money goes from the bosses’ company accounts, through your mother’s studio, and back into the bosses’ hands – how smooth and perfect!”

Hearing this, Bai Yingchuan’s gaze turned cold, but his voice still carried three parts sarcasm and disbelief.

“Oh… so that’s how it is. No wonder she kept complaining that the marketing companies you introduced were useless? It seems my mom was kept in the dark from the beginning. The accountants and operations managers you introduced to her were all helpers to help you cash out remuneration and transfer it to those big bosses.”

Bai Yingchuan’s intention in saying this was to make Bai Yue appear to be exploited and deceived in the recording.

“Yingchuan, using the word ‘deceived’ is too hurtful. Wasn’t I just helping your mother with her connections? She couldn’t even see the situation clearly at first and even threw a tantrum at me. If it weren’t for me, would she have the resources she has now? She’s past her prime; it’s time for her to retire.”

“Yes, and when she refuses to cooperate with you, you’ll tell her that if she doesn’t continue doing this, you’ll expose her and ruin her reputation?” Bai Yingchuan countered.

“Tsk, I already said, I’m just helping her with connections. Otherwise, how could her remuneration for the next two movies be so high?”

“Didn’t you negotiate my mom’s remuneration? Lin Chengdong, should I even thank you? You dug such a big pit for her to fall into, and now she can’t even climb out?”

Bai Yingchuan’s voice rose. He had also been pampered growing up and finally couldn’t maintain his composure when facing a scoundrel. “When she discovers that you and those bosses are using her as a money-laundering channel, were you deliberately threatening her to continue cooperating, or else you’d ruin her reputation?”

“Yingchuan, how can that be called a threat? I merely ‘persuaded’ your mother,” Lin Chengdong laughed triumphantly on the other end. “The whole world knows you’re Bai Yue’s son. If her reputation is ruined, what do you think will happen to you? Will the general public associate you with Bai Yue? Do you still want to be a top star? By then, you’ll be a notorious top star! Condemned by thousands, verbally attacked, you won’t even have a peaceful life.”

Bai Yingchuan’s agitated expression subsided. He had already obtained the recording he wanted.

And Lin Chengdong would never imagine that Bai Yingchuan, a high school senior, would actually act while stringing him along, making him admit that he was the mastermind behind those studios and even confessing to threatening Bai Yue.

“I need to ask my mom, and no matter what, I have to take the college entrance exam,” Bai Yingchuan’s tone softened.

When Lin Chengdong heard this, his face almost crinkled into a steamed bun smile. This naive high school senior, this little prince in an ivory tower, was so easily manipulated by him.

“Alright, we can sign the contract first, and then you can join the crew after your college entrance exam.”

“Send the script to Sister Yu for evaluation first.”

After hanging up the phone, Bai Yingchuan felt a chill run through him, as if he were in an ice cellar.

He had thought his mother might be unintelligent, but he never expected her to be so… foolish. Even when Lin Chengdong had her by the throat, she didn’t try to cut her losses. If the amount continued to grow, they, mother and son, would truly be ruined.

He stood up, clutching his phone, wanting to go to Bai Yue’s room. At that moment, his mood was like a roaring tank, eager to crush Bai Yue’s desire for control and her sense of authority. How could she have the nerve to interfere with his life when she had made such a mess of her own?

Just then, a message popped up on his screen. It was from Jiang Ruotang.

[Your mother is very proud, so absolutely do not confront her, to avoid her making more irrational decisions. Let’s find a lawyer first, assess the situation, and then persuade your mother.]

Jiang Ruotang accurately predicted what he intended to do, mature and calm like a stabilizing force.

[Okay, can I see you now?]

Actually, Jiang Ruotang had already put on his pajamas and was ready to crawl into bed, but Bai Yingchuan sent such a message. A lonely man meeting a handsome man late at night, people might misunderstand that he was still infatuated with Bai Yingchuan.

“Sigh… If only you had trusted me like this in my last life?” Jiang Ruotang sighed deeply.

Forget it, back then, Jiang Ruotang, with no social experience and a full-blown young master’s temper, couldn’t have come up with any decent ideas anyway.

Jiang Ruotang made a call, and Bai Yingchuan answered almost immediately.

“Tomorrow night, I’ll take you to see a lawyer who specializes in economic cases.”

“You actually know a lawyer?”

“Mm, otherwise, we wouldn’t get anywhere just talking. Leave professional matters to professionals.”

After saying that, Jiang Ruotang didn’t even specifically ask what useful information he had extracted from Lin Chengdong, and simply told Bai Yingchuan, “Go to sleep, my eyes are closing.”

He was still the same, not caring about any of Bai Yingchuan’s emotions, which felt like a mental torture.

The next morning, Jiang Ruotang was napping at his desk.

Lu Guifan, with unspoken understanding, didn’t wake him up but went to collect the practice papers from the others first.

It had been a while since school started, and this was the first time the entire classroom was filled with complaints.

“Class monitor, can you wake Jiang Ruotang up first and ask him if there are any questions he can’t do?”

“Teach him first, then collect from us. He’s your VIP, we’re just small fry!”

“Jiang Ruotang is like a generator every day, how come he’s out of power today? Hurry up and save us…”

Although everyone was complaining, no one dared to shake Jiang Ruotang awake. After all, if they really woke him up, Lu Guifan’s speed in collecting papers would probably be like a whirlwind.

Even after everyone in the classroom had handed in their papers, Lu Guifan still didn’t wake Jiang Ruotang. Instead, he squatted down and whispered in his ear, “I’m taking your paper.”

“Mm…” Jiang Ruotang made a very soft sound.

Lu Guifan’s hand reached between Jiang Ruotang’s chest and the desk, feeling around in his backpack, accurately finding his practice paper, rolling it up, and pulling it out.

Standing up and tidying it, Lu Guifan found the math paper, then handed the English paper to Jian Sha next to him, and went to the office.

Not until after lunch did Jiang Ruotang, for a change, not order bubble tea. Instead, he was drinking black coffee, walking back to the classroom.

Lu Guifan’s voice rang in his ear: “The sun’s nice, want to walk a lap around the track?”

Jiang Ruotang’s spirits immediately lifted. Lu Guifan was asking him to walk around the track? That was something only young couples did!

“Forget sunbathing, I’d go even if it was raining knives!”

Lu Guifan’s palm immediately covered Jiang Ruotang’s head, pulling him closer, but unfortunately, he let go before truly touching him.

“Do I look like I’d stab you?”

Jiang Ruotang smiled and followed Lu Guifan to the track.

There were quite a few students out for a walk at this time, and some were just sitting on the edge of the track.

Walking in front of them was a semi-public couple from their grade. The two wanted to hold hands but didn’t dare, looking very sneaky, as if afraid of being discovered by the school teachers.

“What happened last night? You look like you didn’t sleep well?” Lu Guifan asked.

Actually, Jiang Ruotang didn’t want Lu Guifan to know about those messy things.

But thinking of Lu Guifan’s experiences in the research institute in his previous life, Jiang Ruotang understood that Lu Guifan wasn’t a pretty potted plant in an ivory tower; he would eventually experience the treachery of human nature.

“Lin Chengdong has been plotting against my dad and has done a lot of bad things. There’s an actor who has been cooperating with him who should know a lot of his secrets. I really want this actor to come forward and expose Lin Chengdong’s insider dealings.”

Jiang Ruotang carefully observed Lu Guifan. His world had always been very simple, and he would probably tell Jiang Ruotang to focus on his studies.

Lu Guifan remained silent, walking with Jiang Ruotang for more than half a lap before speaking, “Ruotang, what I’m worried about is that this actor is deeply tied to Lin Chengdong. Even if you know what their secret is, this actor can’t expose Lin Chengdong because exposing him would be tantamount to suicide.”

Jiang Ruotang was stunned, “I thought you’d tell me not to get involved in adult matters.”

“But you are already an adult,” Lu Guifan glanced at him.

Jiang Ruotang smiled, then suddenly hugged Lu Guifan from behind, rubbing his cheek against his back a few times. “You’re absolutely right!”

“There’s nothing I can do to help you and your family, so I can only light a stick of incense for Lin Chengdong in my heart.”

Jiang Ruotang’s forehead rested on Lu Guifan’s back, laughing so hard that tears almost came out.

He thought to himself, if Lin Chengdong really were to be finished, this stick of incense from Lu Guifan’s heart would definitely be a huge contribution.

“But Ruotang, I don’t think any benefit you offer can tempt that actor to betray Lin Chengdong. Only Lin Chengdong can do that. Your pressure needs to be on Lin Chengdong, making him act and push that actor to the brink.”

Jiang Ruotang’s heart stirred, and he instantly understood what the other person meant. Indeed, bystanders see things more clearly.

He had always thought of pushing Bai Yue to expose Lin Chengdong, but he hadn’t thought that the forces between Bai Yue and Lin Chengdong were mutual.

Jiang Ruotang looked up, looking at the back of Lu Guifan’s neck and said, “How do I feel like you… in ancient times, you’d also be very popular as a palace intrigue strategist for princes and royal descendants. I thought you were only good at physics, chemistry, and math.”

Lu Guifan chuckled softly, “Do you have some misunderstanding about me? I’ve never been a good person.”

Jiang Ruotang walked out from behind him, and they exchanged “bad guy” looks.

“I used to be kind and innocent, but I lived like a dog. Since I became a bad person, my family has spare money, my grades have improved, and I even picked up the top student in my grade as my deskmate. Indeed, only by being a bad person can one become a winner in life.”

Lu Guifan took a deep breath and walked ahead.

Idiot, does a deskmate need to be “picked up”?

In the afternoon class, Jiang Ruotang was very serious, but Bai Yingchuan was fidgeting, yet had to maintain a calm demeanor next to Lin Lu.

During evening self-study, Bai Yingchuan thought Jiang Ruotang would take leave, but unexpectedly, he continued studying until nine o’clock, occasionally pulling Lu Guifan’s sleeve beside him and whispering something into his ear.

When Bai Yingchuan looked back for the Nth time, Jiang Ruotang was almost resting his chin on Lu Guifan’s arm.

“Do you know that big star has been looking at you?” Lu Guifan suddenly turned his face and whispered into Jiang Ruotang’s ear.

The warm airflow made Jiang Ruotang feel a little ticklish. Realizing that Lu Guifan’s lips were very close to him, he subconsciously pressed his ear closer.

Unfortunately, his ear couldn’t touch Lu Guifan’s lips before Lu Guifan sat upright.

“Ah?”

Jiang Ruotang looked up, and his gaze finally met Bai Yingchuan’s.

He could understand Bai Yingchuan’s anxiety at this moment, but Attorney Dai had a client tonight and had only reluctantly agreed to give them his time after 10 PM, so going now would be useless.

Jiang Ruotang mouthed to Bai Yingchuan: Go after class.

Unexpectedly, Lu Guifan understood.

“So where are you going after class?”

Lu Guifan’s voice was flat, as if asking casually.

But for some reason, Jiang Ruotang detected a hint of coldness.

He thought it was because he hadn’t listened carefully to Lu Guifan explaining the problem, so Lu Guifan was upset.

“Bai Yingchuan and I have something to do tonight. We’re going to visit an elder for help.”

Since it was Bai Yingchuan’s private matter, Jiang Ruotang couldn’t be too explicit.

“Mm.” Lu Guifan nodded. “Next question…”