Ye Leyao suppressed his excitement as his gaze first fell on Wei Qing, who was standing beside Gu Song.

At first, Gu Song didn’t notice Ye Leyao and his group approaching, as he was busy talking to Wei Qing. “...Xiao Yu is a bit too playful. You're older than him, so you should be more accommodating toward him in many things.”

Wei Qing nodded, appearing to take Gu Song’s words to heart.

Seeing this, Gu Song sighed with relief, then turned his head and noticed Ye Leyao and the others approaching. His eyes immediately lit up.

What he failed to notice was that, in the moment he turned, a distinct flash of disgust appeared in Wei Qing’s eyes. Even upon seeing Ye Leyao and his group, Wei Qing made no effort to hide his disdain.

Ye Leyao blinked:

*【Hmm? Did I see that right? Wei Qing seems to really dislike Gu Song?】*

*【That’s strange. In the original story, Wei Qing was supposed to admire Gu Song. Why would he hate him now? Could it be that he's finally had a wake-up call and realized that this entire family is trash?】*

The novel that featured Gu Yu and Wei Qing was a “rebellious heir forced-love” genre story. Gu Yu played the role of a rich, spoiled young master, while Wei Qing was a regular student from a prestigious university who had joined the Gu Corporation through a campus recruitment program.

Thanks to his outstanding work performance, Wei Qing had been promoted by Gu Song to serve as his assistant after two years. That’s how Gu Yu set his sights on Wei Qing.

Wei Qing had an exceptionally beautiful face, and his delicate features made it hard for anyone to forget him after just one glance.

The moment Gu Yu saw Wei Qing, he immediately harbored wicked thoughts. Unfortunately, Wei Qing didn’t like Gu Yu and ignored all of his advances.

But Wei Qing’s attempts to avoid Gu Yu only heightened Gu Yu’s desire to conquer him. Gu Yu eventually used every trick in the book to trap Wei Qing.

After about a year, Wei Qing finally relented, and they officially entered a relationship.

However, even after being in a relationship, Gu Yu couldn’t stop his dog-like behavior—cheating repeatedly. But he was cautious enough that Wei Qing never caught him in the act.

If Ye Leyao remembered correctly, the scene where Wei Qing caught Gu Yu cheating happened around the middle of the original novel, and it was purely accidental on Wei Qing’s part.

But seeing the deep hatred in Wei Qing’s eyes now, Ye Leyao suddenly felt that something was off.

*【Could the plot have deviated? Does that mean today’s “cheating reveal”—】*

As Ye Leyao pondered, the two groups met.

Upon seeing Ye Leyao again, both Gu Rou and Gu Song’s expressions turned complicated.

Gu Rou, who disliked Qin Yao, disliked Ye Leyao even more.

Remembering how Qin Hongxi had just scolded her because of Ye Leyao, Gu Rou’s eyes flashed with resentment.

*Of course, in this family, there’s no place left for me!*

As this thought crossed her mind, Gu Rou’s eyes reddened.

But she had just been warned by Qin Hongxi, so she didn’t dare pick a fight with Qin Yao or cause trouble for Ye Leyao.

Instead, Gu Rou turned to leave, hoping that out of sight would mean out of mind.

Just then, Gu Song suddenly grabbed her arm.

Gu Rou’s brows immediately furrowed.

Gu Song gave her a disapproving look and whispered, “Sis, you can’t leave right now. Do it for Xiao Yu.”

At the mention of Gu Yu, Gu Rou hesitated.

Recalling what Gu Song had just said to her, her expression shifted several times. Although she still didn’t look happy, she didn’t leave.

Gu Song thought he had spoken quietly, but the whole group had heard him.

Father and Mother Huo openly rolled their eyes.

Ye Leyao cursed silently to himself:

*【Some people truly have no shame. They’re still trying to push Gu Yu into Qin Corporation?】*

Then, Ye Leyao paused and smirked:

*【Alright, since you love your useless son so much, I hope you enjoy seeing him get humiliated later when you find out he’s cheating on you.】*

At his words, the group couldn’t help but stifle their smiles.

Qin Yao had no intention of acknowledging them, so he simply held Ye Leyao’s hand and continued walking forward.

But Gu Song wasn’t about to let Qin Yao walk away so easily. He hurried forward and called out, “Hey, Xiao Yao!”

Qin Yao didn’t stop.

Panicking, Gu Song rushed to block their path, smiling as he said, “It was my fault earlier. Let me apologize. Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

Then, he quickly pulled Gu Rou into the conversation. “And stop being angry at your mom. You’ve known her temperament all these years; she didn’t mean to upset you.”

“So, it was intentional then?” Ye Leyao suddenly interrupted.

As soon as he spoke, everyone fell silent.

Wei Qing suddenly glanced up at Ye Leyao.

The Huo family members all wore barely concealed grins.

Huo Ze tried hard not to laugh, but he couldn’t hold it back and let out a snort.

Gu Rou and Gu Song’s faces instantly turned pale. Gu Rou glared fiercely at Ye Leyao, about to say something, but Gu Song quickly stopped her.

Huo Ze had planned to come up with an excuse to diffuse the situation, but seeing the fury in Gu Rou’s eyes, he decided not to hold back and let out a loud laugh.

Well, seeing Gu Song frustrated made Huo Ze happy. After all, Gu Song had picked a fight with him first.

Since Huo Ze was now laughing, the rest of the Huo family didn’t bother holding back either and joined in the laughter.

Gu Song clenched his jaw tightly.

If it had only been Ye Leyao, he would have already lashed out. But now, Ye Leyao was with Qin Yao and the entire Huo family.

Gu Song didn’t fear Ye Leyao, and he didn’t need to be polite to him. But at the moment, he couldn’t afford to offend the Huo family.

So, even though his anger was boiling over, Gu Song had no choice but to swallow it.

Gu Rou, too, understood that now wasn’t the time to argue. After all, Qin Hongxi had just warned her, and their goal here hadn’t been achieved yet.

The two siblings stood in front of the group, their anger clear, but they had to restrain it.

Ye Leyao enjoyed watching their expressions but still didn’t feel fully satisfied.

After all, it was these two who had nearly caused Qin Yao to die on that snowy night.

How could he not be angry when looking at them?

Sensing Ye Leyao’s emotions, Qin Yao tightened his grip on his hand slightly.

Ye Leyao looked up in confusion at Qin Yao.

*【What is it?】*

Qin Yao whispered, “Don’t be angry.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened. “How did you know I was angry?”

*【I don’t think I was being obvious, was I?】*

*【Ah, as expected, Qin and I are totally in sync!】*

Ye Leyao beamed, his mood immediately lifting.

Seeing this, Qin Yao also relaxed slightly, his lips curving into a small smile. “Let’s go. We’ll head to the back garden first.”

With that, the group bypassed Gu Rou and Gu Song and headed straight for the garden.

Even after reaching the garden, Ye Leyao could still hear Gu Rou’s voice from inside the hall—

“...How dare he speak to me like that! Why should I apologize to him?!”

Gu Song tried to soothe her. “But there’s nothing we can do. Xiao Yao’s not a child anymore… And Qin Hongxi has made it clear that Qin Yao is in charge of Qin Corporation now. If Qin Yao doesn’t agree, what will happen to Xiao Yu?”

“And where on earth is Xiao Yu?” Gu Song suddenly yelled at Wei Qing. “Wei Qing! Hurry up and find Xiao Yu! Bring him here right now!”

From the back garden, which was separated from the hall by a glass door, Ye Leyao saw Wei Qing leave in a rush. Not long after, Gu Rou and Gu Song started heading toward them.

The back garden had been set up for guests with freshly grilled meat. Two stone tables sat under a pavilion, not far from where the chef was preparing the barbecue.

Huo Yan took a seat, sipped his soda, and turned to Qin Yao. “Are they really not like clingy plaster?”

Following his gaze, Qin Yao nodded without hesitation. “They’re exactly like clingy plaster.”

Now wasn’t the right time to chase them away.

Qin Yao first glanced at Ye Leyao, then at Huo Yan.

Huo Yan felt a slight shock in his heart.

*Has Qin Yao realized that we can hear Ye Leyao’s thoughts too?*

Qin Yao didn’t miss the surprise in Huo Yan’s eyes and nodded knowingly.

It seemed his guess was right—Huo family members could indeed hear Ye Leyao’s thoughts as well.

Ye Leyao, still oblivious, remained by Qin Yao’s side.

No one said a word, except for Huo Yan, who quickly lowered his head and sent a message to the family group chat: *"Qin Yao has found out!"*

Huo Mom was the first to check her phone.

The three Huo brothers followed suit immediately after.

A moment later, Huo Mom replied in the group chat: *"Don’t say anything yet."*

After all, Ye Leyao was still here.

So everyone suppressed their surprise and put away their phones.

Freshly grilled meat skewers were brought over, and Qin Yao took one and handed it to Ye Leyao before distributing the rest to the others.

That was when Gu Rou and Gu Song walked over.

To avoid being too obvious, they had even taken a loop around the garden before approaching again.

“What do you want now?” Qin Yao asked bluntly when he saw them coming.

Gu Song and Gu Rou’s expressions shifted slightly, but it was Gu Song who managed to keep his composure, smiling as he said, “Xiao Yao, we’re here to apologize.”

“What we did earlier was wrong. Please don’t hold it against us.”

Qin Yao didn’t even bother to look at him. He lowered his head, patiently using chopsticks to slide the meat off the skewers and pile it onto a small plate, which he then handed to Ye Leyao.

Gu Song hadn’t expected Qin Yao to remain silent for so long after he spoke, and a trace of awkwardness flashed across his face. Quickly, he nudged Gu Rou beside him.

Gu Rou glanced at Gu Song. She hadn’t wanted to come over and endure this humiliation, but when she thought of Gu Yu, she finally opened her mouth: “I... I was wrong earlier. I shouldn’t have given you that attitude... But I am your mother, Qin Yao. There’s no need for you to—”

“Are you finished?” Qin Yao cut her off impatiently, his tone cold. “If you’re done, then leave.”

Gu Rou’s face froze. “Is this how you talk to me—”

Gu Song quickly stepped in to stop her. He had just told Gu Rou to apologize properly, yet here she was, backtracking again. He felt a wave of fury rise inside him and shot her a sharp glare.

Under Gu Song’s glare, Gu Rou finally regained some sense. After a moment of hesitation, she muttered, “I... Xiao Yao, I’m sorry.”

Clenching her teeth, she managed to say, “It’s all my fault. Is that good enough?”

*【Is that even an apology?】*

Ye Leyao grumbled in his heart:

*【That was the most insincere apology ever.】*

Qin Yao gently rubbed Ye Leyao’s fingers, as if to soothe him, before finally turning to Gu Rou and Gu Song. “So, what is it you want this time?”

Every time these two had a request for Qin Yao, they would act like this. Over the years, he had grown used to it.

Gu Rou’s face darkened, but this time she wisely kept her mouth shut.

Seeing that Qin Yao was willing to talk, Gu Song’s face lit up, and he quickly spoke, “It’s like this, Xiao Yao. You know how things are with Xiao Yu right now...”

He went on for a while, essentially trying to get Qin Yao to agree to let Gu Yu join the Qin Corporation.

Ye Leyao, uninterested in the conversation, focused on eating the meat skewers in front of him. Once he finished, he glanced at the time.

*【It’s almost time! About ten minutes left.】*

With that thought, Ye Leyao couldn’t help but stand up and glance toward the villa.

What he saw made him freeze.

*【Huh? That’s Wei Qing, and the person next to him is...】*

*【That’s recording equipment!】*

Ye Leyao’s heart raced with excitement:

*【So the photos of the affair weren’t just a coincidence after all!】*

Before he could take a closer look, Wei Qing separated from the man and walked toward their group.

Seeing Wei Qing approach, Gu Song’s spirits lifted. He quickly asked, “Where’s Xiao Yu? Did you find him?”

Wei Qing hesitated, glancing at the others. “I wouldn’t say I found him exactly. I couldn’t reach him, but...”

“But what?” Gu Song’s expression immediately darkened.

Qin Yao had finally agreed to listen, and if they missed this opportunity, all their previous efforts would have been wasted.

And now Wei Qing couldn’t even find Gu Yu? No wonder Gu Yu had been fighting with him lately.

Though irritated, Gu Song held back his complaints and instead said, “What’s going on? Tell me.”

Wei Qing glanced around at the others, still looking hesitant.

Gu Song lost his patience. “Hurry up and say it!”

At his urging, Wei Qing finally spoke. “I couldn’t reach Gu Yu by phone, but when I walked past one of the rooms, I heard his phone ringing from inside.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened:

*【So Wei Qing noticed already.】*

*【He found out but didn’t go in directly—instead, he contacted a reporter first and then came to tell us.】*

Ye Leyao was now almost certain that today’s cheating scandal was deliberately orchestrated by Wei Qing.

But why would Wei Qing do such a thing?

Recalling the look Wei Qing had given Gu Song earlier, a bold thought crossed Ye Leyao’s mind:

*【Could it be that the plot has really changed? Has Wei Qing finally seen Gu Yu’s true colors and decided to leave him?】*

*That would be great!*

“What room was it?” Gu Song asked.

Following Wei Qing’s gesture, Gu Rou glanced in the indicated direction. “That’s a maid’s room, but...”

She hadn’t been to the Qin family villa in a long time, so she wasn’t sure if anyone was staying in that room now.

The Huo family already knew what was going on, but they held their tongues, occasionally glancing at Qin Yao.

Ye Leyao, on the other hand, was practically buzzing with anticipation.

*【The phone’s in the room, so he’s probably still there, right?】*

*【Not answering the phone means...】*

*【He must be busy!】*

Hearing Ye Leyao’s internal monologue, everyone struggled to keep from laughing.

Qin Yao’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he said, “That room is currently vacant. No one should be in there. If the phone’s ringing inside...”

“Maybe he’s sleeping?” Gu Song offered. Gu Yu had come home late last night, so that seemed plausible. He then asked Qin Yao, “Can we get the key to open the door? I’ll go wake that brat up!”

Qin Yao replied, “I’ll have the butler bring the key.”

With that, Qin Yao stood up and turned to the expectant Ye Leyao. “Would you like to come with me, Yao Yao?”

Without hesitation, Ye Leyao nodded. “Of course!”

Then he turned to the Huo family. “Dad, Mom, are you coming too?”

Naturally, they had to go!

Huo Mom and Huo Dad both stood up at the same time.

Huo Mom smiled. “We’ve got nothing else to do. We might as well check it out.”

Huo Ze nodded enthusiastically.

*Yes, yes!*

After all, listening to a live broadcast of catching someone in the act was nowhere near as fun as witnessing it in person!

Seeing so many people eager to join, Gu Song found it a bit strange. But since Qin Yao hadn’t said anything, he couldn’t object either.

More importantly, he didn’t dare provoke Qin Yao any further.

After much difficulty, Qin Yao had finally softened, and Gu Song needed to seize this chance to persuade Qin Yao to allow Gu Yu into the Qin Corporation.

Only then could they move forward with the next phase of their plan!

Feeling suddenly uplifted, Gu Song’s mood improved significantly.

Qin Yao made a quick call, and soon the butler arrived with the key.

As the group gathered outside the maid’s room, the butler looked slightly puzzled but didn’t ask any questions.

“Sir, do you need me to open the door?” the butler asked.

Gu Song said, "Hurry up and open it. Gu Yu must be inside, probably sleeping. We have something to discuss with him."

The butler didn’t move, instead turning to look at Qin Yao for approval.

The ground floor of the Qin family villa was spacious, with the maid’s room located on the right. A small path led to the back garden, so while the group stood there, various guests passed by. Seeing Qin Yao present, many couldn’t resist stopping and casting curious glances.

After a while, Qin Yao gave a slight nod.

Ye Leyao’s heart raced as he watched the butler's movements while also keeping an eye on Wei Qing, who stood nearby.

With a click, the lock was opened. The butler pressed down on the handle and gently pushed the door open.

As the door cracked open, a faint but distinct sound reached the security guards standing nearby. Despite hearing the inappropriate noise, the butler didn’t hesitate and fully opened the door before stepping aside.

The maid’s room had a small living room, so although no one could be seen at first, the sounds of amorous activity filled the hallway:

“Tell me, who's better, me or my dad? Hmm? Come on, answer me!”

“Slow down... Of course, you’re better! Your dad is just an old geezer—”

The series of indecent noises echoed through the corridor, leaving Gu Song and Gu Rou frozen in shock.

“T-This... Could there be some mistake?” Gu Song stammered, dumbfounded.

Ye Leyao couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer.

*【A mistake?】*

*【How could that be, when Gu Yu’s phone is right inside?】*

Ye Leyao quickly glanced at Wei Qing, who suddenly seemed to snap out of it and hurriedly said, “No, I’m sure I heard Gu Yu’s phone ring from inside when I called him...”

“Could you have misheard?” Gu Song’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Wei Qing, quick on the draw, dialed Gu Yu’s number again. In the next second, the familiar ringtone came from the same room, followed by a woman’s soft complaint, “Who’s calling you now?”

This time, Gu Song finally recognized the voice.

*That’s Han Wei’s voice!*

Gu Rou also recognized it—it was indeed Han Wei.

But how could Han Wei be in there...

Even more shocking were the words that followed from a man: “Damn it, it’s Wei Qing again! He never gives it a rest…”

Gu Song and Gu Rou’s faces turned ashen.

Gu Song's voice trembled, “What... What’s going on here?”

*【What do you mean what’s going on? Obviously, your son and your wife are having an affair!】*

Before anyone could react, Wei Qing suddenly stormed into the room. “Gu Yu! What are you doing—”

"Ahhhhh!"

Two high-pitched screams immediately followed.

Gu Song and Gu Rou finally snapped out of their daze and rushed into the room after him. Naturally, the onlookers, who had been sneakily watching, followed suit.

Ye Leyao, worried about seeing too much too soon, waited until everyone else had gone inside before holding Qin Yao’s hand and walking in. As they entered, they heard Gu Song’s furious shout:

“Gu Yu! She’s your stepmother!!”

Ye Leyao couldn’t hold it in anymore. He clapped his hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.

*【Well, well, looks like they’ve been caught red-handed!】*

Qin Yao’s low voice broke through his thoughts: “You can look now.”

Only then did Ye Leyao raise his eyes.

By this time, Gu Yu and Han Wei had quickly thrown their clothes back on. Standing together, their faces were filled with panic as they realized so many people had barged into the room.

Gu Song stood trembling, unable to utter another word, his hand shaking as he pointed at Gu Yu.

But Wei Qing reacted faster. Without a second thought, he stormed over and slapped Gu Yu hard across the face with a resounding crack.

“Gu Yu! You’re a bastard! An animal!”

Gu Yu, stunned by the sudden turn of events, didn’t even react. He muttered in shock, “You... How did you... How did you all—”

Gu Song’s face flushed with rage, and his hands trembled as he pointed at Gu Yu, shouting, “How dare you! Look at what you’ve done! Do you even know what you’re doing?!”

Gu Yu finally snapped back to reality. Trembling all over, he hastily tried to explain, “It’s not what it looks like... Wei Qing, Dad, Auntie, let me explain...”

“Explain what?!” Wei Qing’s eyes were bloodshot with fury. Clenching his fist, he swung it at Gu Yu’s face again.

Gu Yu instinctively dodged. “Calm down, Wei Qing... Han Wei and I, we...”

“I saw it all!” Wei Qing yelled in rage. “Don’t tell me you two weren’t doing anything when you’ve already stripped your clothes off!”

Gu Rou, still in shock, couldn’t stand it anymore when she saw Wei Qing hitting Gu Yu. She rushed forward to pull Wei Qing back. “What are you doing? How dare you hit him?”

Wei Qing shook her off. “Why wouldn’t I hit him? He cheated on me right in front of my face! You think I won’t beat him?”

Gu Rou was no match for Wei Qing’s strength. She turned helplessly to Gu Song. “Gu Song, do something—”

Before she could finish her plea, she saw Gu Song’s face turn ghostly pale before he suddenly collapsed backward.

Another wave of chaos erupted.

Qin Yao gave the butler a nod, who quickly left to fetch a doctor.

Ye Leyao, standing just behind Qin Yao, saw Gu Song faint and couldn’t suppress his grin any longer, his mouth curving high in amusement.

Gu Rou, panicking at the sight of her brother fainting, screamed loudly and rushed forward. “Gu Song! Gu Song! Wei Qing, stop hitting him!”

But Wei Qing wasn’t listening at all. He picked up Gu Yu’s belt from the floor and swung it hard at Gu Yu.

Gu Yu yelped in pain, running in circles around the room to avoid the blows. “Wei Qing, are you crazy?”

“Damn right I’m crazy! Today I’ll beat you to death!” Wei Qing yelled furiously.

Gu Yu, who had already been hit several times by the belt, finally lost his temper as well. He grabbed the belt from Wei Qing’s hand. “You—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Wei Qing suddenly kicked him, the movement swift and fluid.

The next moment, everyone in the villa heard Gu Yu’s agonized scream echo throughout the halls—

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Several of the male guests outside couldn’t help but wince.

Ye Leyao, leaning against Qin Yao’s shoulder, burst into laughter, unable to hold it back anymore.

*【What a perfect disaster!】*

The Huo family’s lips all curved up in unison.

*The beauty of the Chinese language truly knows no bounds!*