Yu Mo looked at the girl, feeling an inexplicable pressure weighing on his heart for some reason.
She was undeniably beautiful, and young too, yet somehow, she made him feel suffocated.
"Yu Mo? What’s your relation to Yu Fei?"
"He... he’s my younger brother," Yu Mo answered nervously.
Liu Yutong’s suspicions were all but confirmed upon hearing his response. Yu Xin had sent him here with a purpose.
Among all the people under her, Yu Xin had shown the most rapid progress and transformation—truly embodying the saying, "After three days apart, view with new eyes."
While Liu Yutong could foresee the futures of many, Yu Xin remained an enigma.
And this was meant quite literally.
According to the normal trajectory of her past life, Yu Xin shouldn’t even exist at this point.
Though Yu Xin’s future remained unclear, her rapid growth suggested she would soon become a formidable force, especially in the business world.
By recommending Yu Mo, Yu Xin had clearly identified his potential value—someone who could prove useful to the company.
And indeed, Yu Mo had significant exploitable qualities.
Simply put, his presence could directly catalyze the exponential growth of Wanlong Supermarket.
"Xiaohui, I’ll have a private talk with Senior Yu Mo. Don’t rush the next steps with the team—there’s no hurry."
"Understood, Yutong-jie." Though Li Xiaohui didn’t know what Liu Yutong had in mind, she obediently complied.
Soon after, Liu Yutong stood and headed straight for the conference room. Yu Mo hesitated for half a beat before hurriedly following.
Only by standing at the heart of this "Dark Empire" could one truly grasp the extent of this junior’s methods and influence.
Before this, he had never imagined someone could run an organization like this—it completely shattered his understanding.
Martial arts halls to strengthen the body, law firms to cultivate discipline, and headquarters to solidify loyalty.
If he had to sum it up in one sentence:
This was a group of organized, disciplined, and highly capable outlaws.
Once inside the conference room, Liu Yutong took her seat at the head of the table before gesturing for him to sit beside her. "Senior, have a seat."
Perhaps because it was just the two of them, without the intimidating presence of the black-suited enforcers outside, Yu Mo’s tense nerves relaxed slightly. He pulled out a chair and sat down.
Liu Yutong had never been one for pleasantries—she preferred directness.
Of course, there was no need for niceties with those weaker than her. Those were reserved for people above her.
"Your father’s health isn’t great, is it? But you don’t need to worry—he’ll live at least another ten years. Your brother won’t inherit the family business so soon. You still have a chance."
Yu Mo’s heart lurched violently.
This was terrifying.
He hadn’t said a word, yet this junior had laid bare his family’s current situation—even the thoughts in his heart.
"How... how did you know?"
"I’ve met your brother before. Let’s just say we’ve crossed paths. I don’t have a good impression of him."
"You’ve left a decent impression on me so far—though that’s from an outsider’s perspective. To your father, you’re far from a qualified heir. Aside from your timidity, you lack any standout qualities. There’s no way he’d hand Yu Corporation’s vast empire to you."
"And there’s no need for self-doubt. Learn to prove through action that you’re the rightful successor to Yu Corporation."
"......"
Now Yu Mo finally understood why Yu Xin had recommended he seek out this junior.
He was getting a firsthand taste of her terrifying insight.
Without him uttering a word, she had vocalized every thought in his mind and dissected his current predicament with chilling clarity.
And this was their first meeting!
How horrifying was that?
A complete stranger had seen straight through him, leaving him feeling utterly exposed—as if he had no secrets in front of her.
No wonder Yu Xin’s eyes always gleamed with admiration whenever she mentioned this junior.
She really was extraordinary.
Was she truly just an eighteen-year-old girl?
As Yu Mo remained lost in the weight of Liu Yutong’s words, the creak of the door snapped him back to reality. She was leaving.
He scrambled to his feet and chased after her, mustering the courage to voice the plea he’d been rehearsing in his mind.
"Yutong-jie, please—help me!"
Liu Yutong turned, her gaze settling on him. "How do you want me to help?"
Yu Mo faltered, struggling to articulate his thoughts. "I just... can you make me more confident? Stronger? I really don’t want to go abroad—I can’t stand foreign food."
Liu Yutong lowered her eyes in brief contemplation. "There is a way to quickly build your confidence and strength. But it depends on whether you’re willing."
"I’m willing! I’ll do anything you say!" Yu Mo agreed without hesitation.
A sudden thought flickered through Liu Yutong’s mind. "What if I told you to send your father to prison? Would you still be willing?"
Honestly, he just might.
If the tabloid rumors from her past life held any truth, Yu Mo’s father might very well end up behind bars. Though Yu Corporation was a major real estate enterprise in Bright Pearl City, Yu Jianhua’s rise to wealth wasn’t exactly clean.
Of course, he wasn’t the only one. Many tycoons from this era had skeletons in their closets—it all came down to whether evidence could be uncovered.
A decade, or even five years later, even Liu Yutong would struggle to dig up proof. But now was different.
She had a real shot at obtaining evidence of Yu Corporation’s illegal activities.
Hua Muying’s frequent acquisitions of dubious luxury goods? The primary supplier was likely Yu Corporation.
Yu Corporation’s origins traced back to a luxury boutique owned by Yu Mo’s mother. After Yu Jianhua married into the family, he took over operations, especially once she became pregnant. Under his management, the boutique expanded into a company and later pivoted to real estate as the industry boomed, amassing the capital that built the billion-dollar Yu Corporation of today.
Along the way, Yu Mo’s mother passed away, and her relatives were systematically removed from the picture by Yu Jianhua.
Yu Jianhua was undoubtedly a ruthless strategist—though his treatment of his first wife was particularly harsh. The exact reasons remained unclear; only he knew the full story.
Liu Yutong was just an observer, privy to fragments of gossip.
But based on the intel from Hua Muying, Yu Corporation hadn’t fully laundered its operations yet—smuggling was still part of the business.
She just wasn’t entirely sure whether it was Yu Jianhua himself behind it or someone acting without his knowledge, but one way or another, the matter wasn’t completely resolved.
Beyond that, one thing was certain—Yu Mo was definitely not favored by Yu Jianhua. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been bullied so badly by his younger half-siblings from his stepmother.
"Alright, since you’ve made your decision, you can go with Xiaohui."
"Thank you, Yutong-jie!" Yu Mo replied excitedly.
He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly.
If he could really secure the support of the Wanlong Society, he’d have a fighting chance to compete with his siblings for the inheritance of Yu Corporation.
