Nobody said that teachers at elite academies have to be heartthrobs.

"oh."

Jiang Lianqing placed the file folder on the coffee table, leaned back, and instantly became composed. He looked up at Yun Bai, his tone casual, even somewhat innocent: "It's just that I haven't been sleeping well lately, so Xiao Yu bought some sleeping incense to help me sleep... What, did I break a taboo?"

He shrugged, his expression impeccably sincere. "What law in the Empire explicitly states that you can't buy sleeping potions?"

Yunbai glanced at him.

That glance wasn't particularly forceful; it merely swept lightly across Jiang Lianqing's face, yet the meaning within it was crystal clear: Do you think I'm stupid?

Dislike it.

A blatant expression of disdain.

Jiang Lianqing pretended not to see it, and even the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. Protecting his younger brother was something he had been doing for over twenty years, and he was already an expert at it. Let alone a sleeping potion, even if Jiang Yu made a huge mess of things today, he could still say without batting an eye that he had asked Jiang Yu to do it.

Mo Yi, who was standing nearby, suddenly stepped forward and interjected at just the right moment: "Patriarch Jiang, why don't you continue to look around and we'll talk about it later?"

Jiang Lianqing raised an eyebrow.

Looking ahead? Fine, I'll see what tricks you have up your sleeve.

He picked up the file folder again and pulled out the next page.

Jiang Yu invited people to the hot spring hotel, and then deliberately used Qiao Qi to lure Yu Fuli there.

This line of text was circled in red and highlighted in black next to it, making it so eye-catching it seemed to jump into his eyes.

Jiang Lianqing stared at it for three seconds.

...That's it?

It's just inviting people to play. As for that Yu Fuli, Jiang Yu simply wanted to see him but didn't want to ask directly, so he used Qiao Qi's name to trick him into coming. What's the big deal?

He turned to the next page expressionlessly.

The following content is quite ordinary.

Really, it's very ordinary.

At [time], A arrived at the hotel and checked in at the front desk. During the check-in process, A scratched the back of his left hand three times.

At [time], B was eating cake at a restaurant. After finishing one piece, B took another, and some cream got on the corner of B's ​​mouth.

At xx:xx, C stopped in the corridor, picked his nose with his finger, and looked pleased for about ten seconds, seemingly enjoying it.

Jiang Lianqing: "…………"

His gaze lingered on the line "satisfied with the squeezing" for a full five seconds.

What is this?

Was Yunbai showing off the power of her intelligence network to him?

Was it necessary to record this in such detail? How did you figure out that picking your nose was enjoyable? Was someone watching from the window? Or did you send someone to eavesdrop in the bathroom? Was this person from the Mo organization or a paparazzi?

He looked up, wanting to ask Yunbai if she was deliberately messing with him.

But as soon as he looked up, he met Mo Yi's expressionless face. When the other man saw him looking over, he even slightly curved the corners of his mouth and made a gesture to let him continue.

A polite smile and a respectful attitude.

Jiang Lianqing: "..."

Row.

He took a deep breath and continued flipping through the pages.

The following content wasn't so outrageous; it recorded that Jiang Yu deliberately made ghostly noises to scare people while everyone was sleeping, and also cut off the signal.

Jiang Lianqing nodded in agreement. This was indeed Jiang Yu's normal practice; he had been doing this since he was a child and was very skilled at it.

Turn the page again, and you'll find another paragraph of text highlighted in bold.

[An additional incense was lit in Yu Fuli's room; upon inspection, it was found to be the "Dreaming" incense.]

Jiang Lianqing's gaze froze, and he slowly sat up straight.

My first reaction was—Oh? Jiang Yu didn't buy the sleeping potion for himself, but actually used it to drug someone else?

He blinked, looked at the text again, and made sure he hadn't misread it.

Then, a second thought came to mind—she's improved! Not only did she cleverly lure people over, but she also knew to light sleeping potions in the room. One step after another, she did use a little trick, didn't she?

Jiang Lianqing's sense of relief flared up like a small flame.

My brother is really capable!

He closed the file folder, a slight, involuntary smirk creeping onto his lips before quickly suppressing it.

No, I can't laugh, it's not the right occasion.

But they have really made progress.

"Oh." Jiang Lianqing thought this was making a mountain out of a molehill, her tone very casual. "Just some guy getting drugged for fun... Who's this guy?"

As he spoke, he suddenly felt that the name "Yu Fuli" sounded familiar. After going through it in his mind, he suddenly realized, "Isn't that a teacher at the academy? And Xiaoyu's homeroom teacher?"

When Jiang Yu transferred classes, his subordinates reported on the teachers of each subject. He glanced at the report casually, not paying much attention, but the name was quite unique—Yu Fuli. Fuli sounded like a fox, so it left some impression on him.

He raised his eyes and looked at Yunbai, his expression showing a hint of indifference.

"He's just a teacher at the academy, why are you treating Xiaoyu like this?" He paused, his tone even carrying a sense of entitlement and reproach. "He's your friend."

Yunbai remained silent.

Jiang Lianqing continued, "If that teacher has any grievances, they can freely make requests to the Jiang family. We will certainly do our best to help..."

"He's someone I've liked for a long time."

Yun Bai's voice wasn't loud, but it cut Jiang Lianqing's words off like a knife.

Jiang Lianqing was taken aback.

"She is the person I am willing to spend my whole life pursuing."

Yun Bai looked at him and spoke slowly, word by word. In his usually indifferent eyes, there was now an indescribable solemnity. No one who saw that emotion would doubt his high regard for Yu Fuli.

Jiang Lianqing's nonchalant expression froze. Before he could even process what she said, Mo Yi's voice came from the side, unhurriedly: "By the way, Mr. Yu is also the Duke of Cornwall's only son."

Jiang Lianqing's expression darkened.

Duke of Cornwall.

Only son.

The two words, once they entered his ears, were like two stones thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples. His mind raced, trying to find some room for maneuver in this sudden information, but Mo Yi's next sentence left him completely stunned.

"Young Master Jiang drugged the woman in order to rape her."

"Mr. Yu, this was not voluntary."

The reception room suddenly became eerily quiet.

Jiang Lianqing's lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word. He looked at Yun Bai, then at Mo Yi, and finally his gaze fell on the open file folder on the coffee table. The dense text, the records he had just found boring, suddenly took on a different meaning.

He recalled the moment of relief he had felt just moments before, and suddenly felt as if he had been slapped across the face, the pain burning intensely.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but found that he couldn't say anything at all.

Yun Bai remained seated on the sofa, her posture and expression unchanged. But when Jiang Lianqing looked into those eyes, he suddenly felt a coldness he had never seen before hidden within them.

He moved his throat.

"I……"

He only managed to say one word before getting stuck.