Hu Xiaoyu's brief silence only made Yu Wenhe's temper worse.
Anything related to Yu Tan—his son, his name, even his shadow—seemed to ignite a raw, uncontrollable rage inside him. Years of resentment had made him skilled at hiding it, but that didn't mean it wasn't there, simmering beneath the surface.
At this point, Hu Xiaoyu's answer no longer mattered.
Yu Wenhe recognized Xin Shibai as Yu Tan's man. And the beautiful young boy standing beside him—so calm, so perfectly put-together—clearly had something to do with Yu Tan as well.
So, he thought bitterly, the cold, heartless son finally learned to appreciate beauty.
The irony amused him enough to soften his tone—just slightly.
He even smiled, saying politely, "Let's not make this a big deal. For my sake, the two of you should shake hands and make peace. Yang Kai can continue with the commercial, and I'll make sure this young man gets some other resources as compensation."
Yang Kai frowned. That wasn't what he wanted at all. What good was "compensation" if that fox didn't get humiliated?
But he didn't dare contradict Yu Wenhe.
As long as Hu Xiaoyu was pushed out of the shoot, that was good enough.
Once he's off this project, Yang Kai thought smugly, he'll be the one everyone laughs at.
As for those "resources," he could always ask Uncle Yu to forget about them later. It wasn't like, nobody like Hu Xiaoyu had anywhere to complain about.
Everyone in the room could see what Yu Wenhe was doing—coercion dressed as courtesy.
Director Zhong's jaw tightened. He despised this kind of power play, especially when it trampled on fairness.
He was just about to speak up when Xin Shibai said carefully, "Mr. Yu, perhaps… we should consult with President Yu first?"
He knew it was risky to bring up his boss in front of his boss's father, but his loyalty wasn't to the elder Yu—it was to the younger one.
And besides, he was betting on something he'd already noticed:
Yu Tan might be cold, but when it came to Hu Xiaoyu, his restraint ended.
Yu Wenhe's eyes narrowed. The mention of his son stiffened his shoulders. He turned to Hu Xiaoyu, voice cutting. "And what do you think, young man?"
Hu Xiaoyu had been quietly studying him this whole time.
Something about the man's face felt wrong. His fate line was broken—childless, ill-starred, shadowed by early death.
Strange, he thought. Maybe my spiritual sight's off. My energy's still weak…
Still, whether this man was Yu Tan's father or not, basic decency was universal.
After a moment's thought, he said sincerely, "I'd rather not. Mr. Yu, that man—Yang Kai—has a poor character. You shouldn't get too close to him."
His tone was soft, almost kind, like he was giving a genuine piece of advice.
Someone nearby snorted with laughter.
The sound sliced through the air like a spark in dry grass.
Yang Kai flushed crimson, fists clenching, humiliated by words.
Yu Wenhe's expression twisted. "Who gave you the courage to speak to me like that?"
Before Hu Xiaoyu could respond, the door of the studio slammed open.
A tall man stepped through, his expression dark, his presence like the sharp crack of ice breaking.
"I did," Yu Tan said coldly. "If there's an issue, you talk to me."
He didn't raise his voice, but the sheer authority in it made everyone's spine stiffen.
Yang Kai went pale. Something primal inside him whispered danger, and he unconsciously edged closer to Yu Wenhe's side.
Yu Wenhe froze. Regret clawed up his throat.
If he'd known Yu Tan was coming—
Yu Tan's eyes swept the room like a blade before locking on Hu Xiaoyu.
He crossed the space in three strides, his tone clipped, his words sharp: "Why are you just standing there? You're so fierce with others, but go soft the moment I show up?"
Hu Xiaoyu blinked. "…"
He knew those eyebrows, that voice, that quiet storm behind the calm.
He turned briefly toward Yu Wenhe—and his heartbeat stumbled.
There was no resemblance between the two men. None.
Not in face, not in aura, not even in the way the air bent around them.
These two couldn't possibly be father and son.
Xin Shibai, watching from the side, was oddly unfazed.
That tone from his boss—half scolding, half indulgent—didn't sound angry at all. If anything, it sounded… almost tender.
Director Zhong, meanwhile, couldn't help but notice how naturally the boy moved to Yu Tan's side.
Hu Xiaoyu reached for his hand, their fingers intertwining as if by instinct.
Together, they looked strangely right—dark and light, sharp and soft, opposites that fit perfectly.
Yu Tan gave the boy's hand a squeeze, his expression easing.
His focus turned to Xin Shibai. "What happened?"
Xin quickly summarized the situation.
Yu Wenhe might as well have vanished.
"Yu Tan," he finally said stiffly.
Yu Tan looked at him once—flat, detached—and gestured for Xin to continue. Only when the story was done did he glance back at his father.
"So this Yang Kai…" he said mildly, "is worth your personal appearance?"
The question was light, almost conversational—but everyone in the room felt the air tighten.
Yu Wenhe swallowed. "Just a… friend's child. A small misunderstanding. If it's all settled, I'll take him and go."
He was already halfway out the door in his mind.
Yang Kai, meanwhile, was frozen in shock. Yu Tan.
He'd never seen the man in person, only heard the stories—the shark in a suit, the storm behind the calm.
How in the world did Hu Xiaoyu know him?
Yu Tan chuckled, a sound that somehow managed to be both soft and lethal.
It sent color draining from Yu Wenhe's face.
Towering over everyone, Yu Tan looked down at Yang Kai. His voice was almost gentle. "Yang, was it? Interesting surname. Your father's name is…?"
He spoke a name.
Yang Kai's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's right, Mr. Yu!"
Yu Tan tilted his head, smiling faintly. "Right. I remember now. Your family used to be distantly related to my grandmother's line. Haven't gone bankrupt yet?"
Yu Wenhe's mouth twitched. "Yu Tan, this isn't— It's a coincidence. Don't—don't make trouble."
Yang Kai's stomach turned to ice. The way Yu Tan said it—the tone—none of it boded well.
Yu Tan took Hu Xiaoyu's hand again and pressed a kiss to his fingers, eyes still on Yang Kai.
"Ugly faces don't belong on camera," he said pleasantly. "Go home. Rest. In a few days, when your family's bankrupt, you'll have plenty of time to beg for scraps."
Yu Wenhe flinched, about to speak—but Yu Tan's gaze slid towards him, cold and fathomless.
He stopped.
One look was all it took.
The kind of look that remembered things, that promised consequences.
Even Yu Wenhe felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Threats like that would've sounded absurd to anyone else. But from Yu Tan, they were simply… statements of fact.
And the truth was, the Yang family's fortune had been built on favors from Yu Tan's late grandmother.
One word from her heir, and that fortune could vanish overnight.
Yu Tan arched his brow, his voice almost lazy. "Old age affects memory. That's fine. But next time another stray dog tries to bite, I'll deal with it the same way. Don't you agree?"
Yu Wenhe said nothing.
Yu Tan turned back to Hu Xiaoyu. "You're done shooting?"
The boy nodded.
"Good. Let's go."
Within fifteen minutes, the studio had gone silent again.
Yang Kai turned to Yu Wenhe, wanting to ask what Yu Tan meant—but the older man recoiled as if from a snake and hurried off without a word.
Whatever protection Yang Kai thought he had was gone.
Outside, Yu Tan and Hu Xiaoyu walked toward the car.
Hu Xiaoyu looked up at him, puzzled. "What did you mean back there?"
Yu Tan didn't answer right away. He was still simmering from what he'd walked into, but the moment he met those wide, innocent eyes, the tension drained from him like water.
"You hate Yang Kai, don't you?" he asked instead. "Then what's wrong with making sure his family can't eat?"
Hu Xiaoyu tilted his head, thinking. Then he shook it gently. I already hit him. We're even now.
If his family goes bankrupt, lots of people might lose their jobs. Forget it.
Yu Tan pinched the boy's cheek—the soft, baby-fat curve of it—half amused, half exasperated. "Talkative little thing."
He knew there was no point arguing; when it came to morals, the fox could be impossibly stubborn. So he changed the subject easily.
Still, the Yang family's downfall was already sealed.
Mercy was not in his nature.
When they reached the car, Ajiu opened the door.
Inside, Yu Tan handed Hu Xiaoyu a small dessert box.
The boy held it carefully, fingers tracing the ribbon, before looking up again. "That man—he had the same surname as you. Who is he?"
He already knew the answer from Xin Shibai, but he wanted to hear it from Yu Tan himself.
Yu Tan's eyes closed briefly. His profile turned to a shadow. "He's no one that matters. Eat—or throw it away."
The sharpness in his tone made Hu Xiaoyu shrink slightly. He nodded. "Okay."
Fine, he thought. I'll just ask Uncle Hong later.
He opened the box. The sweet scent of cake filled the car.
Scooping up a small bite with the tiny fork, he held it to Yu Tan's lips. "It smells so good. Try it."
Yu Tan's patience was tested—and yet, somehow, he didn't snap.
He took the bite, then gently pushed the box aside, eyes locking onto the boy in front of him.
Hu Xiaoyu blinked back, utterly unaware of the storm behind that gaze.
"Are you," he asked innocently, "thinking about kissing me?"
Yu Tan froze for half a heartbeat, then growled, "So what if I am?"
Hu Xiaoyu's fox eyes curved into a smile. He slid his arms around Yu Tan's neck and whispered against his ear, voice soft as a sigh:
What a coincidence.
I want to kiss you too.
Today felt so long… I missed you so much.