Leaving the agency building, Lin Yu didn't go home to cry.
He went straight to the nearest luxury salon.
"Cut it," Lin Yu ordered, looking at his reflection. He pointed to his slightly long, soft hair that Su Hao liked so much because it made him look 'obedient.'
"How short, sir?" the stylist asked.
"Short enough to look sharp. I want to see my forehead."
Half an hour later, Lin Yu walked out. Gone was the submissive boy next door. The man in the mirror now had a trendy, textured undercut that accentuated his sharp jawline and the cold determination in his eyes.
He hailed a taxi.
"Where to?"
"The Emerald Club."
The driver paused, looking at Lin Yu in the rearview mirror with surprise. The Emerald Club was the most exclusive private club in the city. It was a place where billionaires discussed mergers and mafia bosses settled debts. It wasn't a place for a young man who looked like a pop idol.
Lin Yu ignored the driver's gaze. He leaned back and closed his eyes, sorting through his memories.
In his past life, on this exact night, a major scandal shook the capital: Gu Chen, the head of the Gu family, was attacked by a spy in the Emerald Club. The spy was crippled, and Gu Chen went into a rage that destroyed three small companies overnight.
Lin Yu wasn't going there to save the spy. He was going there to catch the spy.
This was his only ticket to get Gu Chen's attention.
...
The Emerald Club, 10:00 PM.
The atmosphere inside was suffocatingly luxurious. Gold, velvet, and the scent of money.
Lin Yu didn't have a membership card, but he had something better: acting skills. He walked past the security with such natural arrogance and a bored expression that they assumed he was a young master from some wealthy family. He didn't even glance at them.
Confidence was the best disguise.
He took the elevator to the top floor—the VVIP area.
According to his memory, Gu Chen was in Room 808.
As he approached the heavy mahogany door, he heard a muffled noise from inside. It sounded like glass shattering.
Two massive bodyguards in black suits stood by the door. They saw Lin Yu and immediately stepped forward, blocking his path. Their hands moved to their waists—clearly, they were armed.
"Get lost," one bodyguard growled. "This area is restricted."
Lin Yu stopped. He didn't retreat. instead, he adjusted his cuffs calmly.
"I need to see President Gu," Lin Yu said, his voice steady.
"Mr. Gu is not seeing guests. Leave now before we break your legs."
"Tell him I know about the 'Snake'," Lin Yu said softly.
The bodyguard's expression changed instantly. The 'Snake' was the codename of the corporate spy they had been hunting for months. It was a top secret. How did this pretty boy know?
The bodyguard hesitated, then pressed his earpiece. "Boss... there is a kid here. He says he knows about the Snake."
There was a long silence on the other end.
Then, a deep, magnetic voice came through the earpiece, loud enough for Lin Yu to hear faintly in the quiet corridor.
"Let him in."
The bodyguards stepped aside, opening the heavy doors.
A blast of freezing air conditioning hit Lin Yu's face.
The room was dimly lit. In the center sat a black leather sofa. A man was sitting there, holding a glass of whiskey.
Gu Chen.
Even sitting down, he was imposing. He wore a dark grey tailored suit, the jacket discarded on the side. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing muscular forearms. His face was like a sculpture, handsome but terrifyingly cold. His eyes were dark abysses that promised danger to anyone who dared to look too long.
On the floor, a man—the spy—was kneeling, trembling violently.
Gu Chen didn't look at the spy. He looked straight at Lin Yu.
The pressure was immense. It was the aura of a predator watching a rabbit.
"You have three minutes," Gu Chen said. His voice was low, indifferent, and incredibly sexy. "If you waste my time, you will end up like him."
He pointed his glass at the trembling man on the floor.
Lin Yu felt a chill run down his spine, but he forced himself to smile. He walked forward, stepping over the shattered glass on the carpet, until he stood right in front of the Tyrant of the Capital.
"I don't need three minutes, President Gu," Lin Yu said.
He grabbed the wine bottle from the table, poured a glass for himself, and took a sip.
"The drink is on me," Lin Yu said, putting the glass down with a clink. "And the spy... he isn't the real Snake. He is just a decoy."
Gu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. The temperature in the room seemed to drop another ten degrees.
"Continue," Gu Chen commanded.
"The real spy is your secretary, the one waiting outside with the getaway car," Lin Yu lied seamlessly—well, it wasn't a lie, it was the truth from the future. "Check his phone. The draft folder in his email."
Gu Chen stared at Lin Yu for a long, agonizing moment. Then, he pulled out his phone and sent a short message.
Two minutes later, a scream echoed from outside the hallway.
Gu Chen's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then looked back at Lin Yu. The indifference in his eyes was replaced by a flicker of interest.
"Who are you?" Gu Chen asked.
"I am an actor," Lin Yu replied. "My name is Lin Yu."
"What do you want? Money? Resources?"
"No."
Lin Yu leaned down, placing both hands on the armrests of Gu Chen's sofa, trapping the dangerous man in his personal space. It was a bold, suicidal move.
Gu Chen didn't push him away. He just watched, amused.
"I want a deal," Lin Yu whispered, his eyes locking with the tyrant's. "I helped you catch a rat. Now, I want you to be my backer."
"I don't do charity," Gu Chen sneered.
"It's not charity," Lin Yu smirked. "It's an investment. Marry me, Gu Chen. I promise I'm more useful than a secretary. And..."
He let his gaze drop to Gu Chen's lips, then back to his eyes.
"...I'm very good at playing the role of a loving partner."