ASPWL Ch89: You’re Not Called U

An overwhelming panic engulfed the three members of the Gu family. Gu Yu was the first to come to his senses, quickly standing up and looking at Gu Song and Gu Rou, who were still sprawled on the ground. He asked in a flustered voice, “Now…what do we do now?”

The recent series of events had happened so fast that Gu Yu hadn’t even had a chance to say anything before being thrown out. He was completely bewildered and a bit scared.

Gu Song was just as confused.

What to do?

He didn’t know either.

Gu Song couldn’t help but dwell on the last thing Qin Hongxi had said…

Could it be that Qin Hongxi really intended to go after the Gu Corporation?

His mind was a mess.

As for Gu Rou, she was even more panicked.

The realization that Qin Hongxi genuinely wanted a divorce weighed so heavily on her that she could hardly breathe.

Gu Rou didn’t want to divorce Qin Hongxi.

Even though over the years, she had frequently clashed with him because of the Gu family and hadn’t placed much importance on him.

But after so many years together, Gu Rou had already fallen in love with Qin Hongxi.

That’s why she reacted so strongly every time Qin Hongxi brought up divorce, even going as far as to use Qin Yao as leverage to threaten him.

But these were merely Gu Rou’s tactics to secure her marriage. She said she would ruin Qin Yao, but had she ever actually done it?

Did Qin Hongxi have to go this far?

Did he really want to divorce her over this?

Gu Rou found it laughable, yet her eyes reddened as she laughed.

Gu Yu waited quietly for a long time but still didn’t get an answer from either of them. He began to pace anxiously in place.

Suddenly, Gu Yu thought of something and hurriedly took out his phone.

One look, and his vision went black; with a dull thud, Gu Yu fell to the ground.

His fall was so dramatic that it startled Gu Rou and Gu Song, who were lost in thought. They both turned to look.

Gu Rou wiped her tears away and rushed forward to help Gu Yu up, asking anxiously, “Xiao Yu? Are you okay? What happened?”

Gu Yu had fallen hard; the asphalt road had scraped his forehead, leaving blood streaming down.

At this moment, Gu Song also trembled as he walked over, even more anxious when he saw the injury. “The hospital—get the driver to take us to the hospital right away…”

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone to call the driver.

Before he could make the call, his secretary’s call came in first. “Mr. Gu, something terrible has happened! Master Gu just fainted!”

Gu Song exclaimed, “What?!”

The loudspeaker was on, so Gu Rou heard it too, and her expression instantly changed. “Quick, the hospital! We need to get to the hospital!”

The Gu family driver finally arrived, hastily taking the unconscious Gu Yu and the on-the-verge-of-fainting Gu Song and Gu Rou to the hospital.

On the way, Gu Yu regained consciousness. His head injury had been bandaged, but the pain was still sharp. Yet he couldn’t care less; he immediately looked for Gu Rou and, seeing her, ignored the blood still trickling from his forehead and lunged forward. “Auntie, please help me! The internet is full of comments calling me a scumbag. Hurry, contact Qin Yao—his company’s PR team is really strong. If they speak up for me, I can definitely clear my name…”

Blood streamed down from Gu Yu’s forehead, seeping into his eyes, making his already red eyes look even more furious.

Gu Rou looked at him, deeply worried, and quickly tried to calm him down. “Xiao Yu, don’t worry; I’ll…”

She was about to say she’d contact Qin Yao right away, but halfway through, she froze.

Could she still reach Qin Yao now?

Anxiety filled Gu Rou’s heart, and she couldn’t bring herself to say the rest.

Gu Yu stared at her, realizing she was silent for too long, and grew frantic. “Say something! Auntie, Qin Yao is your son! Can’t you just—”

Before he finished, Gu Yu froze.

Right.

Qin Yao was Gu Rou’s own son, but would he still acknowledge her as his mother now?

Putting aside that Qin Hongxi was planning to divorce Gu Rou, there was also the matter from earlier—

Gu Rou had actually suggested to Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi that they could throw Qin Yao under the bus to take the fall for her!

Gu Yu knew, of course, that it was a good idea.

After all, Qin Yao had also been at the scene, and just like Gu Yu, he had a two-character name; there was no better scapegoat.

But Gu Rou should never have said it in front of Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi!

Didn’t Gu Rou know how much Qin Hongxi cared for Qin Yao?

But she acted like she had no sense, not only saying it in front of Qin Hongxi but in front of all the guests as well.

Qin Yao already had a strained relationship with Gu Rou, and now, after hearing this, would he still help him?

In fact, Qin Hongxi’s determination to divorce Gu Rou might very well be influenced by this!

Moreover, what Qin Hongxi said today didn’t just indicate his desire to divorce Gu Rou but also to sever all ties with the Gu family.

As if that wasn’t enough—

The worst part was that Qin Hongxi had ordered his bodyguards to throw them out right in front of all those guests, without a hint of mercy!

It was already humiliating enough that Gu Rou and Gu Song had exposed his affair with Han Wei; now, thanks to Gu Rou, their family had become the laughingstock of the entire circle…

The more Gu Yu thought about it, the angrier he got. His bloodshot eyes glared at Gu Rou. “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, why would Qin Yao refuse to help me?!”

Hearing this, disbelief filled Gu Rou’s eyes, and she spoke, feeling hurt, “Why are you blaming me, Xiao Yu? I…”

“Not your fault?!” Gu Yu was seething. “What did we tell you before we left for the Qin family? We told you to sweet-talk Qin Hongxi and Qin Yao. Did you even try?”

Hearing Gu Yu’s angry roar, Gu Song came back to his senses and looked at Gu Rou in the back seat.

Yes.

It was all Gu Rou’s fault.

These days, Gu Song had been working tirelessly to ease tensions between Qin Hongxi and Gu Rou. He had finally made some progress with Qin Hongxi.

Before they left for the Qin family, Gu Song had repeatedly reminded Gu Rou to listen to everything Qin Hongxi said this time, to go along with him, and not to oppose him.

After all, Qin Hongxi wasn’t the same as before. He didn’t dote on Gu Rou like he once did, and he wouldn’t tolerate her every whim anymore.

But as long as he didn’t divorce her, they would still be a family.

Then, no matter what Gu Rou asked, Qin Hongxi would certainly grant it.

But what actually happened?

Gu Rou had promised readily, but once at the Qin household, she acted with the air of the Qin family’s lady.

As soon as she met Qin Yao, she annoyed him.

Later, she even suggested in front of Qin Hongxi that Qin Yao’s reputation didn’t matter…

Thinking about it made Gu Song feel like coughing blood.

How could he have such a foolish sister?

Yes, Gu Rou could favor Gu Yu, but why couldn’t she pretend a little in front of Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi?

If she’d put on an act today, things wouldn’t have come to this.

Now look.

Not only was Qin Hongxi divorcing Gu Rou, but Gu Yu’s future was ruined as well.

And more importantly—

Gu Song had no idea what other moves Qin Hongxi might have prepared!

Gu Rou was still trying to explain to Gu Yu, “Xiao Yu, I know you’re upset, but you can’t put all the blame on me…”

“How can I not blame you!” Gu Song, seated in the front, grew angrier the more he thought about it. If it weren’t for Gu Rou, today’s situation wouldn’t have turned out this way at all!

“It’s all because of you that everything got completely ruined!” Gu Song’s face twisted with anger as he glared at Gu Rou with hatred.

“Whether it’s Gu Yu joining Qin Group or our Gu Group’s comeback, it’s all ruined, and it’s all because of you!”

Gu Rou opened her mouth to speak, but before she could defend herself, Gu Yu’s scolding followed close behind: “Auntie, don’t tell me you still think you’re innocent? Look at what you’ve done over the years! We arranged such a good marriage for you, but you didn’t know how to make use of it at all!”

“Your son, your husband both see you as an outsider now; are you satisfied?”

Their accusations came crashing down on Gu Rou like a tidal wave, and her eyes instantly turned red.

She wanted to say that it wasn’t true, that today’s mess had nothing to do with her. The reason she reprimanded Qin Yao the moment she saw him was because, not long ago, Gu Song had complained to her about Qin Yao refusing to meet with him.

Gu Rou had been so furious because she wanted to stand up for Gu Song!

How was that her fault?

And then there was the matter with Gu Yu.

At that time, Gu Rou had been so flustered; she wanted to help Gu Yu so badly that she hastily said those things to Qin Yao.

If it wasn’t for Gu Yu, she wouldn’t have done that!

And…

In the beginning, the reason she agreed to marry Qin Hongxi, whom she didn’t like, was also for the Gu family, wasn’t it?

Growing up, both her father and mother had told Gu Rou that Gu Song was the most important person in the family and that, no matter what, she had to take good care of him.

Gu Rou had taken it all to heart.

She had even married Qin Hongxi, whom she didn’t like, and had a child for Gu Song’s sake, so why was Gu Song now turning on her and scolding her?

Gu Rou wanted to explain, but father and son didn’t listen to her at all.

Each harsh word struck Gu Rou’s heart like a dagger, and in the end, Gu Song even angrily shouted, “It’s all your fault! How do you even have the nerve to go with us to the hospital to see Dad?”

“Throw her out!” Gu Yu snapped.

The driver slammed the brakes.

Gu Rou was tossed onto the roadside just like that.

Watching the car drive off without any hesitation, it was only at this moment that Gu Rou finally came to a sudden realization.

She had been wrong!

She had been wrong from the very beginning!

She had a husband who loved and respected her and an outstanding son, so why had she been so blinded that she couldn’t see it?

Under the scorching sun, Gu Rou knelt on the side of the road, crying hoarsely.

But it was too late; the damage was done, and nothing could be undone.

Meanwhile, at the Qin family villa.

It wasn’t until the three members of the Gu family were thrown out that Ye Leyao finally reacted, exclaiming, “I didn’t turn off the livestream!”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yao and the Huo family members all looked at him.

Qin Yao said, “It’s not too late to turn it off now.”

The livestream viewers, however, immediately grew restless upon hearing this:

—”???”

—”Oh, Qin Yao, you’re really planning to burn bridges, aren’t you?”

—”No—no, I want to keep watching the livestream!”

—”Yes, yes, yes! And just now, did you hug Ye Leyao, Qin Yao? Heh heh—”

Before the viewers could react further, Ye Leyao swiftly turned off the livestream.

Seeing the blacked-out screen, the fans and viewers lamented:

—”Ye Leyao! Why did you listen to Qin Yao?”

—”Yes, just give us a little more! I really wanted to see you two hug!”

Alas, the blackened livestream was not going to come back on.

However, the fans and viewers didn’t stay disappointed for long. After all, without Ye Leyao’s livestream, there was still plenty of entertainment today!

No sooner had a trending topic exposed a certain male celebrity’s affair than the viewers witnessed Gu Yu’s live meltdown.

The fans and viewers knelt down, thanking the “Drama King.”

But just as they were celebrating, they heard Qin Yao’s mother say something baffling.

Her nephew had gotten into trouble, and she pushed her own son out as a shield.

What kind of mother did that?

The viewers were outraged.

Qin Yao’s fans were even angrier.

Even bystanders who had just tuned in found it absurd.

Who knew there were actually mothers who didn’t like their own sons?

Angry and indignant, the viewers couldn’t help but unleash their feelings online.

After venting, the viewers couldn’t help but marvel:

—”But honestly, today I totally became a fan!”

—”Ahhhh, who didn’t?! I’m telling you, Qin Yao and Ye Leyao are the real deal!”

—”When they’re together, it’s like sweetness overload!”

—”Sweetness overload? Who came up with that cheesy couple name?!”

—”Eh, you don’t like it? But it has a nice meaning.”

—”That ridiculous name actually has a meaning?”

Soon, a fan of the couple came forward to explain:

The reason Qin Yao and Ye Leyao met was because of this drama-filled reality show.

And in the show, wherever there was gossip, Ye Leyao and Qin Yao were always there.

What does that mean?

It means that Ye Leyao and Qin Yao both love drama!

So, Qin Yao plus Ye Leyao equals “Sweetness Overload.”

Just a little nibble—a “taste” of the drama.

How can a couple name that fits them so well not sound good?!

After hearing the fan’s explanation, some viewers were still reluctant to accept it.

To this, the fan base replied: Sorry, there are a lot of us, so step aside, everyone.

Unable to contain themselves, the viewers burst out laughing.

Seeing all this on social media, Ye Leyao couldn’t hold back his laughter either.

Even though Gu Rou had already been kicked out by the Qin family, today’s banquet, held under the pretense of celebrating Gu Rou’s birthday, hadn’t dispersed at all; instead, more and more guests continued to arrive, making Qin Hongxi even busier.

When the guests increased, Qin Hongxi couldn’t handle them alone, so Qin Yao, as the future head of the Qin Group, also had to go and entertain.

Before they parted, Qin Yao held Ye Leyao’s hand and asked, “Why don’t you go rest in my room for a while? I left some milk chilled for you in the kitchen.”

Ye Leyao thought for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, I’ll go up by myself then. You go attend to the guests?”

Qin Yao gave a brief response but still didn’t let go of Ye Leyao’s hand.

Ye Leyao looked at Qin Yao in puzzlement. “What’s wrong?”

“Yao Yao,” Qin Yao’s brow was slightly furrowed, “Are you unhappy?”

Ye Leyao paused, instinctively saying, “No, I’m not.”

Qin Yao suddenly reached out, gently smoothing the furrow between Ye Leyao’s brows. “Then why are your brows furrowed?”

Ye Leyao was a bit confused as well and touched the spot Qin Yao had just touched.

**Huh? They’re actually furrowed… so why am I unhappy?**

The confusion on Ye Leyao’s face didn’t seem faked, and Qin Yao visibly relaxed a little.

“Is it because you’re a bit tired?” Qin Yao asked.

Ye Leyao thought about it, nodding slightly, “Maybe that’s it!”

[After all, I did wake up early today!]

Hearing this, a slight smile appeared on Qin Yao’s lips.

Actually, he knew he shouldn’t be telling Ye Leyao these things yet; they’d only just confirmed their relationship not long ago.

But for some reason, Qin Yao just wanted to tell Ye Leyao, even feeling a bit impatient: “Yaoyao, please be patient with me; I’ll be back soon… Also, after you graduate from university, would you want to marry me?”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened instantly.

[Huh? Marriage?]

Qin Yao pressed his lips together and continued, “I know it’s too early, but ever since I’ve been with you, I think about it constantly. But there’s no need for you to hurry or give me an answer lightly; I’ll wait patiently for you to make up your mind.”

Qin Yao took a soft breath, the bright weather complementing his radiant smile. “Yaoyao, I’ll head off now.”

After speaking, Qin Yao leaned in and left a light kiss at the corner of Ye Leyao’s lips.

It wasn’t until Qin Yao had walked away that Ye Leyao couldn’t help but touch the corner of his own lips.

Qin Yao had kissed him!

And Qin Yao had done it voluntarily!

The furrowed brows on Ye Leyao’s face finally relaxed, and he smiled as he walked towards the villa, preparing to head upstairs.

As he reached the main hall on the first floor, Ye Leyao paused.

He had spotted a familiar figure.

“What are you doing here too?” Ye Leyao asked in surprise, instinctively walking over to the young man.

The young man, however, didn’t look particularly surprised. His hair was tied in a small knot at the back, and upon seeing Ye Leyao, he quickly walked over while signing to him.

Ye Leyao frowned slightly and said, “Still signing? But I don’t understand…”

Before he could finish, he froze.

No.

Something was off.

The young man’s signing speed was quick, even faster than the last time they’d met.

But this time, Ye Leyao found himself able to understand.

Not only could he comprehend each gesture’s meaning, but he could also understand the young man’s questions.

The young man signed, “The time is almost here; have you thought about what you’re going to do?”

Ye Leyao opened his mouth. “Time? What time?”

The young man blinked, suddenly pointing to a spot.

He pointed to the backyard.

Ye Leyao glanced around, noticing that there were indeed many people around. This wasn’t a good place for a conversation.

Almost without hesitation, Ye Leyao nodded and followed the young man towards the backyard.

On the way there, the young man signed to Ye Leyao several more times.

Again, Ye Leyao understood.

The young man signed, “My name is Bai Yu. Last time we met was too rushed; I think I scared you. I’m sorry.”

Ye Leyao didn’t understand why he was apologizing, but when he recalled their last meeting, he asked, “So what did that note you gave me last time mean?”

As they spoke, they reached the backyard.

Hearing Ye Leyao’s question, Bai Yu’s round eyes widened in surprise as he signed, “You don’t know?”

Ye Leyao shook his head, genuinely puzzled. “Am I supposed to know?”

The two of them arrived at the garden where Ye Leyao and the others had been barbecuing earlier.

The head chef spotted Ye Leyao and hurried over to ask if he wanted anything to eat.

Ye Leyao shook his head and asked Bai Yu, “Do you want anything?”

Bai Yu shook his head as well.

Ye Leyao told the head chef they didn’t need anything, and the two sat in the pavilion.

As it approached noon, the sunlight outside grew increasingly dazzling.

When Ye Leyao turned his head, he happened to see Bai Yu looking up at the sky.

Seeing that Bai Yu didn’t seem inclined to speak, Ye Leyao didn’t press him.

In fact, Ye Leyao felt a strong sense of curiosity within. He was intrigued by Bai Yu’s identity and puzzled by the question Bai Yu had previously asked. Yet, just as these questions started to surface, they quickly faded from his mind.

Instead, Ye Leyao thought of the question Qin Yao had just asked him—why was he unhappy?

Ye Leyao’s brows suddenly furrowed, and his eyes stung slightly.

Yes, why was he unhappy?

Today he’d seen Qin Yao and even had the oat milk he’d been craving.

Although Gu Rou was unkind to Qin Yao, after today, Gu Rou wouldn’t be able to harm Qin Yao anymore.

Ye Leyao should be happy.

Yet just as joy began to bubble up, it was immediately suppressed by an overwhelming sadness.

But as Ye Leyao tried to delve deeper into this sorrow, the emotions accumulated in his mind abruptly dispersed.

The feeling was oddly familiar.

It was as if a pre-written program had been embedded in his mind, clearing away these thoughts automatically whenever he touched upon this issue.

It was a very strange feeling.

Suddenly, Ye Leyao felt Bai Yu, who was sitting beside him, gently pat his shoulder.

Ye Leyao turned around.

Bai Yu’s attractive brows were tightly knit together as he signed, “You may have lost a part of your memory. I don’t know if it was caused by that person, but… you helped me before, and I promised I’d find you today, so I’ll tell you everything I know. But I can’t guarantee that you’ll remember it after I tell you.”

“Watch closely, alright?”

Ye Leyao was startled.

Memory loss?

Had he lost his memory?

No, that couldn’t be right.

Ye Leyao was certain of it.

But Bai Yu didn’t give him a chance to explain and continued signing, “So far, we’ve met a total of four times, including our last meeting at the resort. The first time we met, I was on a mission, but because I fell for my mission target, I failed.”

A mission?

Mission target?

Ye Leyao’s eyes were filled with confusion.

Bai Yu said, “At that meeting, you saved me. I promised you I’d help you with something, but you said there was nothing you needed help with and left first.”

“The second time we met, I was still on a mission… It’s honestly so frustrating! I had to go through the same situation again because of you, even though I’d already been through it once! But you helped me again, so I’m still grateful to you. And this time, you asked me to ask you a question the next time we met.”

Ye Leyao’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he instinctively asked, “U, did you find a way to save **?”

Bai Yu nodded, then shook his head, signing, “Due to the restrictions of world rules, I can’t write that person’s name, but you haven’t forgotten your own name, have you?”

“Could it be that after restarting time four times, the program got messed up?”

Restarting time?

What did that mean?

Ye Leyao suddenly felt a sharp pain start in his brain.

This kind of pain was strikingly similar to what he’d felt when Gu Rou tried to push Qin Yao out to take the blame earlier—an intense, soul-deep pain, impossible to resist.

In just a few seconds, a layer of sweat appeared on Ye Leyao’s forehead, and his vision blurred to the point he could barely make out Bai Yu’s hand signs.

Ye Leyao was in terrible pain, and just as he was about to reach his limit, he suddenly sensed that the program restraining him seemed to loosen.

With the release of that restraint, the sharp pain in his head subsided slightly.

Calming himself, Ye Leyao looked up at Bai Yu again, and suddenly, he felt a vast, ancient memory unlocking within him.

They spoke simultaneously:

Ye Leyao: “I’m not U; I am L1.”

Bai Yu said, “You’re not U; you are L1.”

He was the top-ranked regulatory system of the Space-Time Bureau, L1.

The small note Bai Yu handed to Ye Leyao had been written too hastily; the lowercase letter “L” and the number “1” were connected, causing it to be misread as the letter “U.”

His name was L1, and because Qin Yao thought “yi (means 1)” didn’t sound as nice as “yao,” he’d always called “yiyi” as “yaoyao.”

11 was “Yaoyao.”

L could be pronounced as the pinyin “lè.”

Together, it became “Leyao.”

He was L1, also known as Leyao.