Chapter 42: Yu Lan Was Actually Invited by Liu Ruotong?

Returning to the residential complex, Su Bai headed straight to Liu Ruotong’s house.

He had just called Yang Mengke, who said she was at Liu Ruotong’s place.

Standing before the luxurious villa, Su Bai felt no surprise. With bodyguards all driving matching A8s, living in a villa seemed hardly shocking.

As soon as he entered, he caught sight of a familiar figure, which made him feel a little awkward.

“Ms. Yu Lan?”

Several possible forms of address flashed through his mind, but in the end, he decided to respectfully call her “teacher.”

“Um, I’m sorry about leaving halfway earlier. The reason I—”

Before Su Bai could finish, Yu Lan interrupted him.

“No need to apologize. I’ve already learned what happened.”

“But you really put me in a tough spot!” she said with a smile. “Ruotong’s mother talked you up so much, she convinced me to come. And then you bailed halfway through—so tell me, what am I supposed to do now?”

Though Yu Lan’s tone was gentle and her smile remained, Su Bai could feel an immense pressure. It was an aura she naturally exuded.

What’s more, Yu Lan had been invited by Liu Ruotong’s mother? For him? That couldn’t be right—two days ago, the national news broadcast had already announced that their crew would be present in person. Could it be that after their first meeting, Liu Ruotong had gone to all this trouble to help him?

Feeling puzzled, Su Bai glanced at Liu Ruotong. “Ruotong, you—?”

Liu Ruotong smiled shyly, her eyes sparkling. “See? I knew I wasn’t wrong about you! Brother Su Bai, you really are the best!”

“Aunt Lan, don’t be upset with Su Bai. There was a reason for everything, as you know! If you were in his position, wouldn’t you have done the same?”

With that, Liu Ruotong ran over and hugged Yu Lan’s arm, pouting playfully.

Yu Lan tapped Liu Ruotong’s nose affectionately. “You little rascal. Your heart really is the kindest.”

Of course, Yu Lan understood there had been a reason. Deep down, she could empathize with Su Bai. But that didn’t mean she should keep the truth of what had happened hidden. Su Bai needed to know what Liu Ruotong had done for him.

She knew Liu Ruotong’s character well—she would never brag and claim credit for inviting Yu Lan on his behalf.

As for Ji Jingxian, she would be even less likely to say anything. Not out of reluctance, but out of disdain.

Yu Lan’s impression of Su Bai was limited to recognizing his talent, and now, she added another: he was at least someone with a sense of loyalty and gratitude.

Su Bai gave Liu Ruotong a grateful look, then turned apologetically to Yu Lan.

“Ms. Yu Lan, I truly am sorry. Is there anything I can do to make up for what happened today?”

Yu Lan smiled warmly. “If you’re asking for my sake, there’s nothing you need to do. I’ll handle any fallout myself. But if you want to restore your own reputation, there’s definitely something you should do. When and how you do it, though, is entirely up to you.”

Her words, though they sounded a bit cold, were simply the truth—Su Bai understood this well.

If he wanted to clear his name regarding today’s incident, he would need solid evidence. But that would also risk exposing Yang Mengke and Liu Ruotong to public scrutiny.

Just then, a noblewoman in elegant attire emerged from the second floor, holding Yang Mengke’s hand. Her features bore a strong resemblance to Liu Ruotong’s, making it obvious to Su Bai that this was her mother.

He couldn’t help but wonder: how did Xiao Ke seem so familiar with Liu Ruotong’s mother?

Yang Mengke, delighted to see her brother return, quickly said, “Aunt Xian, Aunt Lan, Ruotong, I’ll be heading home with my brother now!”

“Come visit anytime, Xiao Ke!” said the noblewoman.

“Yes, Xiao Ke, when you’re in Yanjing, come find me!” Yu Lan added.

“Big sister Ke, let’s keep in touch on WeChat!” Liu Ruotong chimed in with a giggle.

As Su Bai and Yang Mengke left, Yu Lan sighed, “Goodness, if that girl ever steps into the spotlight, she’ll absolutely steal the show—even more than her brother!”

Ji Jingxian nodded in agreement. “Indeed, with such an ethereal presence and that face—who could possibly compete?”

“But such a remarkable girl, without a powerful background, relying only on her singer brother—if she enters your industry... perhaps it’s best if she doesn’t. Since ancient times, beauty has often met with misfortune. Entering that world and trying to stay pure? It’s nearly impossible.”

Yu Lan’s face darkened. “What do you mean, ‘our industry’? Haven’t I fared just fine?”

Ji Jingxian gave her a peculiar look. “If it weren’t for Old Master Yu, do you really think you would have?”

Yu Lan fell silent at once.

“Alright, enough. You promised to cook for me, so stop changing the subject and get to the kitchen!” Ji Jingxian urged.

Back at Su Bai’s apartment—

Watching Yang Mengke making tea, Su Bai’s eyes gradually turned distant as he sank into deep thought.

He had originally believed that as long as Xiao Ke was safe, and he kept his distance from certain people, they could live quietly. But now it was clear—so long as you were part of this world of fame and fortune, there would always be hidden predators lurking, ready to devour anyone who stood in their way.

He had just wanted to sing a few songs, build up some capital, and once he had grown strong enough, seek justice from those people. But now he realized that was wishful thinking.

As Yu Lan had said, if he released the video of his sister’s kidnapping, his reputation would be cleared immediately. But he didn’t want to do that—it would put Xiao Ke in the public eye, and those ruthless people would surely catch the scent and come hunting again.

He thought back to his conversation with the taxi driver, a veteran scout who had been discharged for over a decade and now drove a cab for a living. Like him, many former comrades were struggling after leaving the service.

Su Bai was considering asking Wang Yan to gather his old comrades to secretly protect Yang Mengke and perhaps help with other tasks. Even if no one targeted her because of Su Bai, there were still those who might harbor ill intent toward her for other reasons. It was a huge risk, and Su Bai knew he couldn’t guard Xiao Ke around the clock.

Wang Yan, for his part, was eager to work for Su Bai—after all, working for a “superstar” was a far more promising path than driving a taxi.

But right now, the main issue was still money. With only a little over a hundred thousand left, even daily expenses were becoming a problem.

He could easily start a livestream and rake in generous tips, but he didn’t want to exploit his fans like that. It was clear—he needed to speed up the release of his songs.