Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Two: A Powerful Comeback (II)

Setting aside everything else, what left Xiao Yu so confused was——

Why did all the people around him look so happy?

“Is YL going to become a multinational corporation? Are we going to be paid in a different currency?”

“Our salary currency definitely won't change. You're thinking too much  — becoming a multinational corporation isn't possible either. How can these things change so suddenly?”

“Wow, Gabriel… It's such a legendary family. I didn't think the day would come where I get to see the heir to such a family.”

“h.e.l.lo? We see one every day.”

“But Chairman Yan isn't the heir yet. How can it be the same?”

“It only sounds a little more awesome. There's not actually much difference.”

“What do you mean, 'a little more awesome? It's much more awesome. I can finally say I've made it…”

“When G.o.ds fight, even chickens and dogs can ascend to Heaven.”

“What a great metaphor!! Did you learn how to speak from your physical education teacher?”

Over the lunch break, a few employees stayed huddled in their own teams excitedly conversing. Xiao Yu couldn't find an opportunity to speak.

Normally, Xiao Yu definitely wouldn't have tolerated such treatment, but this was a special occasion. Sucking up to the mystery designer could be done any time, whereas this was perhaps the only opportunity to discuss and gossip about the Gabriel Family.

“Hey…” With some difficulty, Xiao Yu managed to get the attention of someone else who didn't seem to be partic.i.p.ating in the discussions. Unexpectedly, the other person started talking first.

“Chief Xiao, what are you still doing here?”

Xiao Yu was stumped.

“Director Shao was looking for you all over earlier. What time is it already? The press conference has already started!” It was Shao Yue's a.s.sistant Little Zhao. He'd been left behind at the company to wait for Xiao Yu because Shao Yue hadn't been able to contact Xiao Yu.

In recent days, Xiao Yu's situation was very awkward. Although YL had forbidden the media from interviewing him, it couldn't stop the reporters' devotion to their job. As a result, the time Xiao Yu arrived and left work was always random for the last half month. Chu Ge had even urged him specifically to spend less time at the company and more time at home and avoid going out alone. He couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if Xiao Yu came across people with ill intentions.

Xiao Yu had originally protested that he didn't need such extreme protection. He had thought that these matters wouldn't affect his work. However, he had quickly discovered that while he could still single-mindedly devote himself to work, his colleagues, especially the more junior ones, couldn't handle the media's endless schemes. Since they couldn't catch Xiao Yu, they went after the people close to him. In the end, Xiao Yu could still only listen to Chu Ge's advice and randomize what time he went to work. Sometimes, he spent the entire day at home and worked entirely online.

It was fortunate that Xiao Yu's occupation was rather special and didn't require his physical presence.

In the end, Xiao Yu's schedule had become extremely chaotic.

For almost a week, Xiao Yu hadn't talked directly with his colleagues. Today was the first time he'd come to the office this week. He had arrived early to the company and went directly to draw designs until his tablet had frozen. Xiao Yu had carried his precious tablet to find his friend in the IT department. However, his friend had coincidentally left to go to his electronic maintenance store, so Xiao Yu had left the office to go find him. This had also been the exact time that Shao Yue and Chu Ge had searched for him throughout the entire office, which was why they had missed him.

When Xiao Yu had heard the strange topic the others were excitedly discussing, he initially thought that he'd been away from any social contact for too long and couldn't keep up with the times.

Actually, he hadn't been away for that long. The news had only broken two hours ago in the morning. In those two hours, Xiao Yu and his friend had been frantically trying to recover whatever designs they could in the event that the hard disk was irreparable. They hadn't known anything about the earth-shattering changes.

“I…” Xiao Yu took out his phone. It was entirely pitch black.

“When I was drawing earlier, my tablet froze, so I urgently went to IT to get it fixed. It seems that my phone is out of battery. I was so rushed that I didn't check it.

“What are you saying at this time? Just hurry up and go! Otherwise, the press conference will have concluded already.” Little Zhao took two steps back, grabbed a power adapter and cable off of a random desk, and shoved it towards Xiao Yu. Then, he hauled Xiao Yu with him to the ground floor as if they were escaping from a fire.

Xiao Yu had wanted to ask a few questions in the elevator, but the design department was only on the third floor. In the blink of an eye, they were already in the lobby. He was madly dragged to a taxi and shoved inside without the opportunity to regain his breath.

“To location X, as fast as you can!” Little Zhao gave his instructions and stuffed two bills into the driver's hand. The moment he saw understanding and confidence dawn over the driver's eyes, he slammed the door shut.

The word “wait” couldn't even escape Xiao Yu's throat before the cab took off like the wind.

Xiao Yu hadn't even buckled his seatbelt when the back of his head thumped into the headrest. He let out a pitiful groan.

“Hold on tight. We'll be there in ten minutes!” The driver confidently declared.

Xiao Yu took out his phone while cradling his head.

Ten minutes was probably enough to understand what was going on.

Xiao Yu turned on his phone. The first thing he saw was a screen full of missed calls.

Ah…

It certainly was his mistake.

Xiao Yu guiltily pressed “call back”, but Shao Yue couldn't be reached. He tried Chu Ge's number as well, but Chu Ge also couldn't be reached. Then, he tried calling Jing Mo but couldn't reach him either.

It was quite tricky if all three of them couldn't be reached.

It was easy to guess that either they had entered an area that blocked signals or that they were in a situation where it wasn't convenient to pick up.

Connecting the dots with the press conference that Little Zhao had mentioned earlier —

Was YL holding a press conference?

The chance was quite high. Recently, YL had been suppressed by the newly reborn SI. Perceptive a.n.a.lysts could determine that a battle was going to begin. In addition, the earnings report for the new summer lineup was about to be released, and with it, stated goals and ambitions for the autumn season. It was quite reasonable to hold a press conference.

However, this kind of official press conference would have been planned at least a week in advance. No matter how chaotic Xiao Yu's schedule was, he wouldn't have missed the announcement for such a major event.

Xiao Yu couldn't understand.

No matter what, the chief designer needed to be present at a design company's press conference. How could the conference be held otherwise? Even if Chu Ge and Shao Yue could keep the company neat and orderly, they didn't specialize in design. It would be extremely strange if they could come up with even the start of any reasonable a.n.a.lysis of tomorrow's hottest trends and the distinguis.h.i.+ng characteristics of YL's new seasonal products.

It would end extremely poorly if they had to talk about such things.

Xiao Yu had initially hoped that the driver would slow down a little, but now Xiao Yu finally turned impatient. Fortunately, the driver really did make an effort to go faster. He was exceptionally skilled and knew how to pick emptier roads. With the road conditions being pretty good, in the time that Xiao Yu spent thinking, Xiao Yu could already see their destination.

Xiao Yu was familiar with the location of the press conference. He had been here before when YL had announced that they were hiring him after his ident.i.ty as the mystery designer had been revealed. He had been the protagonist of the show then, but it had been easy for him since Yan Jin had already prepared everything long in advance. That press conference had followed Yan Jin's script to the letter. Xiao Yu had only needed to repeat some lines and the reporters simply had to record them. A special report had been released with everything proceeding exactly as planned.

Thus, this was Xiao Yu's first serious press conference.

The sight before him caused him to mistake the event for a superstar's alb.u.m sale.

“Excuse, excuse me…” With great difficulty, Xiao Yu tried to worm his way through the crowds to the press conference on the south side. The moment he entered, he felt like it was hard to breathe in the bustling crowd. The few tens of meters seemed long and almost endless.

“What's wrong with you? What are you doing here?” Xiao Yu's unusual movements had attracted the attention of the crowd control crew. Many of them came over to encircle him.

“I'm from YL… I'm YL's… designer. I'm a little late. Here's my ID card.”

The crowd control officer doubtfully looked at the card. But, after one glance, his expression instantly changed. After a quick discussion with a few of the officers, they formed a wall around him and marched him towards the conference hall.

“Quickly, make way! Make way! Coming through!”

While helping Xiao Yu move people out of the way, the officer discreetly asked, “Sir, how come you're so late? It's already almost over.”

“Something unexpected happened this morning and I didn't receive the notification.” Xiao Yu wasn't in the mood to discuss it further with the officer. He only wanted to break through the crowd to the conference hall.

With the untiring help of the five or six crowd control officers, Xiao Yu finally made it to the entrance. He nodded gratefully to the officers and quietly opened the door.

The main entrance was on the other side, but it was impossible to get there through the current crowds. Also, once the conference started, the main doors would have definitely been cleared so that the speakers could leave after. As he was so late, Xiao Yu was more than satisfied that he could enter through the back door.

Xiao Yu had hoped to enter without attracting any attention and discreetly get the attention of someone he knew. He wanted to quietly be sent onto the conference stage.

However, none of these plans were needed.

The moment he opened the door, an extremely familiar voice coincidentally echoed throughout the conference hall.

Well, perhaps it wasn't entirely a coincidence—

“Look, my lover is here now.”

In a flash, everyone's eyes turned toward Xiao Yu. Their scorching gazes could almost burn a hole through him.

Along with their X-ray-like gazes, camera flashes immediately illuminated the room as if daylight permeated the room. Camera shutters clicked endlessly away.

The moment he entered, he was tossed under the spotlight. Xiao Yu wasn't ready for it at all. He was so blinded from all the flas.h.i.+ng he couldn't open his eyes.

Xiao Yu, who had planned to enter discreetly: “…”