Why did his father avoid talking about his mother, and why did he despise him? This question had haunted Yu Mo for over a decade, yet he still had no answer.
He had always hated his own cowardice, even feeling like a complete failure.
Despite being the enviable heir of a wealthy family, despite knowing his mother had left him a coming-of-age gift—the shares of the Yu Corporation—he still lacked the courage to demand what was rightfully his.
Before he reached adulthood, the shares had been held in trust by his father, and even now, they remained in his father’s hands.
Back then, Yu Jianhua had transformed a luxury boutique into the sprawling Yu Real Estate Group, but the initial capital had undeniably come from Yu Mo’s mother, Madame Zhou.
So even after she stepped away from management due to pregnancy and childbirth, she remained the company’s largest shareholder.
It was like an early-stage investor in a startup—no matter how much the company grew, their early, high-stake investment ensured they retained a significant share.
After Yu Mo’s birth, Madame Zhou had drafted an agreement and notarized it, placing her shares in trust for her son.
She believed her son would one day inherit the company, that he was worthy of it.
But after her death, Yu Mo’s father seized control of everything.
Later, as his younger siblings grew up, they too began to resent him, knowing full well that Yu Mo was the rightful heir.
So they bullied him, hired thugs to threaten him—all to force him to leave the country.
If he were gone, everything would fall into place, and their schemes would be easier to execute.
Yu Mo knew all this, yet he could do nothing. No one supported him, no one helped him.
Eventually, he began to resign himself to it, growing numb.
Until Yu Xin appeared.
From childhood to adulthood, Yu Xin was the first girl who ever stood in front of him, shielding him—a scene eerily reminiscent of how Yu Meng had once protected Yu Fei.
His first thought was, So this is what it feels like to be protected by a "little sister."
Before he realized it, Yu Xin had become more important to him than classmates, friends, even family.
So when Yu Xin uttered those words in disappointment, he felt something inside him slipping away.
Something he had desperately tried to hold onto his whole life but had never truly possessed.
Gradually, Yu Mo’s body began to tremble, his heartbeat quickened, and his eyes reddened.
The moment Yu Xin stepped into the shop, Yu Mo tore off his black-framed glasses and hurled them to the ground.
Then, with every ounce of strength, he roared at her retreating figure, "I won’t let anyone look down on me anymore!!!"
The outburst stunned everyone present, including Liu Yutong and Gao Min, who stood across from him.
After the roar, he charged into the shop, reaching for the baton in Yu Xin’s hand.
"Grab it, grab it—huh? Why can’t I grab it?"
"Oof!"
Thud!
Yu Mo missed his grip, stumbled, and fell to his knees right in front of Yu Xin.
Yu Xin stared at him: "???"
Uh, dude, it’s not New Year’s yet. Why the early bow?
Too flustered to care, Yu Mo blurted, "I dropped my glasses! Help me find them!"
With over 500 degrees of myopia, he was practically blind without them.
Yu Xin turned and walked outside, picking up his glasses. Luckily, modern lenses were made of resin—unbreakable, though the frame was slightly bent but still usable.
Once the glasses were back on, Yu Mo regained his "vision" and rallied himself with another shout: "Let’s go! I can do this!"
Then he snatched the baton from Yu Xin and charged toward the second floor.
Everyone: "..."
......
Second floor.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary arcade—retro arcade posters on the walls, rows of old coin-operated machines. But hidden in the east corner was a disguised door, nearly invisible unless inspected closely.
Behind it lay a secret gambling den.
Inside, a crowd of bleached-haired thugs and desperate gamblers huddled around slot machines, betting wildly.
Some, having lost everything, eyed the money-counting thugs by the door with greed. One tried to snatch the cash and run but was yanked back and beaten senseless by the enforcers.
Such scenes were common here, and neither the gamblers nor the thugs batted an eye.
Qiao Yong sat in the VIP section at the back, flanked by Xie Dong—once the top enforcer of the vocational college—and a few local power players from the university district.
Across from him sat Scarface and Er Kun from the Yilian Society.
Scarface puffed on a cigarette, squinting at the screen as he fed coins into the machine.
Truth was, Qiao Yong owed this underground operation’s survival to the Yilian Society’s backing.
Gambling dens were one of the society’s biggest revenue streams, and their setup mirrored Qiao Yong’s—a front of harmless arcades masking rows of rigged machines.
The payout ratios could be tweaked at will, ensuring the house always won.
After burning through his stack with no wins, Scarface slammed the machine and cursed, "Qiao Yong, what kind of scam odds are these? I haven’t hit once!"
Qiao Yong forced a smile. "Scarface, relax, relax. Here, have some more chips." He signaled a lackey by the door, who promptly delivered a fresh batch.
Somewhat pacified, Scarface resumed playing—only to lose again. This time, he gave up and fixed Qiao Yong with a stare. "So, kid, made up your mind yet? I’m gunning for the Xuanwu Hall leader spot. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you live like kings."
Qiao Yong smirked inwardly.
He knew Scarface was all talk—a spineless hack who’d groveled before Liu Yutong’s crew like a whipped dog.
Sure, Qiao Yong had knelt too, but that was just strategy.
If not for Scarface’s nominal status in the Yilian Society, Qiao Yong would’ve had him tossed out long ago.
Barely a dozen lackeys, and he’s acting like some big shot? Dream on.
What could this loser even offer him?
Nothing. So why pledge loyalty to trash?
He’d once considered aligning with Scarface to dominate the university district, but that dream was dead now.
The district already belonged to the Wanlong Society.
Though that's what he thought, Qiao Yong said instead, "Scarface, I really apologize, but I’ve already pledged my loyalty to another boss. I can’t just turn my back on him, can I?"
Hearing this, Scarface narrowed his eyes. "You’re not joking with me, are you?"
