With Director Zhong Yi openly supporting him and Yang Kai choosing silence, public opinion shifted entirely to Hu Xiaoyu's side.
He was delighted.
Every day, he opened Weibo several times to check his follower count, convinced that the faster his followers grew, the quicker his spiritual power recovered.
Of course, he did it secretly—quickly, stealthily—so Yu Tan wouldn't notice and get annoyed.
During this time, both Madam Hu and Li Yu called him.
Madam Hu pretended nothing unpleasant had ever happened.
Her voice was gentle and coaxing. She said she had cooked his favorite dishes and that his father hadn't been sleeping well.
"There's no real grudge between father and son," she said softly. "Come home for dinner. Talk things out."
Hu Xiaoyu replied politely, "I've been busy lately. I won't come."
In the host's memories, Madam Hu did cook for him sometimes,
But every meal came with conditions—go back to school, make friends, behave.
If he refused, she'd accuse him of being ungrateful and heartless.
To Xiaoyu, that kind of love felt like a blade hidden under silk—gentle on the surface, cruel underneath.
He wouldn't fall for it again. Once he decided to keep his distance from the Hu family, he meant it.
"If that's all," he said evenly, "I'll hang up now."
The next moment, his father's cold voice came through the line.
"Busy? Busy doing what? Making a fool of yourself in the entertainment industry with that lowlife actor?"
To the Hus, the Yang family had always been beneath notice. That arrogance still colored his father's tone.
"That's my business," Xiaoyu said quietly.
"You're my son, you—"
He didn't let him finish. He hung up and exhaled softly.
Hanging up was rude, yes—but compared to his father, maybe it was justified.
That afternoon, Li Yu called.
Xiaoyu answered out of reflex, then immediately regretted it.
Talking to someone he disliked was a waste of time.
Li Yu's tone was furious.
So now you're in the entertainment industry too? Can't you stay away from me for once?
When I was close with Brother Luan, you went after him.
Now I'm here, and you just had to follow. Being my shadow makes you happy?
Xiaoyu frowned slightly. He wasn't sure what Li Yu was so angry about—but it didn't matter.
He said calmly, "My mistake. I forgot to block your number."
"...You—"
The call disconnected.
Li Yu froze, then slammed his phone down, seething—not only with anger, but fear.
Fear of how fast Hu Xiaoyu was rising.
Before Xiaoyu returned to the Hu family, Li Yu had been the golden boy—handsome, privileged, adored.
But the day Xiaoyu appeared, someone had joked,
"Among all the Dragon City heirs, he might just be the best-looking one."
It was only gossiped—but Li Yu heard it.
From that day, he made it his mission to humiliate Hu Xiaoyu,
Until the boy became a joke, too afraid to lift his head.
He never imagined that one day, that same "joke" would outshine him—
Admired by Brother Luan, cherished by Yu Tan,
And even stepping into his territory, the entertainment world.
Worse, Madam Hu—who once treated Li Yu like her own son—had grown distant,
All because of Hu Xiaoyu.
Everything he'd had was being taken away.
And it was all because of that fox.
Fine. Let's see how long you can last.
The entertainment industry eats people alive—today's star is tomorrow's scandal.
We'll see how you survive, little fox.
Hu Xiaoyu, however, was perfectly content.
He went about his days as usual—until new scandals about Yang Kai erupted online.
A major fan account suddenly broke the news:
Yang Kai had slept with fans.
Screenshots, chat logs, censored photos—everything.
Within hours, it went viral.
But that was only the start.
Another user came forward, claiming Yang Kai had hit someone with his car in middle school and fled the scene.
At first, no one believed it. How could a teenager even drive?
Then a photo surfaced—
A young Yang Kai was standing beside a luxury car, smirking down at a figure lying on the road.
The internet exploded.
People began tagging official accounts, demanding an investigation.
Soon, another alleged classmate spoke up, saying Yang Kai had been a school bully who once hospitalized a student.
Outrage spread like wildfire.
Victims of bullying flooded the comments, adding their own stories.
The scandal snowballed until the entire internet was aflame.
Wrapped in his blanket, Hu Xiaoyu scrolled through the chaos with bright eyes.
So that's why he transferred to my school back then—to hide after causing trouble.
He smiled. Serves him right. Karma's real after all.
He was still reading when his phone vanished from his hand.
Looking up, he saw Yu Tan standing beside the bed, freshly showered, his damp hair sticking to his temples, gaze calm but commanding.
Xiaoyu immediately burrowed under the blanket. "I'm not dirty. I'll shower tomorrow."
Yu Tan arched a brow. "You said that yesterday."
It was true—Xiaoyu never seemed to sweat, always faintly sweet and clean.
But that wasn't an excuse.
"So do you think I'm dirty?"
"Mm."
Xiaoyu pouted, clutching his pillow. "Then I'll sleep in my own room."
Yu Tan caught him easily, fingers sliding through his hair before pulling the pillow from his arms and tossing it back onto the bed.
"Option one: you wash yourself. Option two: I wash you. There's no option three."
After a pause, Xiaoyu muttered, "You help me."
Bathing wasn't pleasant for fox spirits, but with Yu Tan there, it became tolerable—almost soothing.
Though it depended entirely on Yu Tan's mood.
When he was serious, the bath ended quickly.
When he wasn't... it could last all night.
And tonight, Yu Tan was in no hurry at all.
He scooped Xiaoyu up and carried him into the bathroom.
If he was going to wash him, he said, he'd wash him thoroughly—inside and out, until he was spotless.
By the time they were done, Xiaoyu could barely lift a finger.
Still, he stubbornly leaned against Yu Tan's chest, scrolling through gossip until he drifted off.
Yu Tan tucked him in, brushing a few strands of hair from his forehead.
As for the online chaos—none of it surprised him. Everything was unfolding exactly as he'd planned.
Two days later, on a quiet weekend morning,
Hu Xiaoyu was still asleep, exhausted from the night before.
Yu Tan worked on his studies while A Jiu entered with an update.
"Boss, rumor says, Yang Kai tried to jump off a building. Couldn't take the pressure."
Yu Tan didn't even look up. "Dead?"
"No. Just a broken leg. But I checked—it's fake.
The Yang family hired PR to redirect the narrative, claiming it was an accident to earn sympathy.
Netizens are already feeling sorry for him.
Yu Tan finally raised his eyes, his tone calm and detached.
"Jumped, huh? Then help him."
A short pause.
"Make it real this time. If he never stands again, even better."
A Jiu nodded once. "Understood."
Yu Tan leaned back slightly, thinking.
"Also—remind them to handle the case fairly and efficiently. Justice shouldn't drag."
"Yes, Boss. I'll make sure the authorities process Yang Kai's case quickly."
He hesitated a moment, then added, "Boss, Director Zhong Yi's meeting with Little Fish is this afternoon. Everything's arranged. Should I bring them here, or…?"
Yu Tan's lips curved into a faint smile, though his eyes remained cold and unreadable.
"In the place they agreed to meet," he said softly. "Go an hour early."
A Jiu bowed his head. "Understood."