After the tycoon went bankrupt, he was raised by the villainous female supporting character and beca

"...Won't it delay me in any way?"

Lu Yibai's casual words and dismissive tone really startled Zhao Siming.

Zhao Siming looked at him in disbelief and said in a trembling voice, "President Lu, this is jail time!"

"I know." Lu Yibai glanced at him casually, took two steps back, and sat down in the chair behind him.

"Going to jail is nothing, what's the big deal?" He looked up at Zhao Siming, but the contempt in his eyes made Zhao Siming feel that he was the one being looked up to.

"Going to jail is not like being executed. You'll be out in a few years and come out unharmed. There's no need to make such a fuss."

"No... Mr. Lu, is this an overreaction?" Zhao Siming was almost paralyzed with fear by Lu Yibai. "This is jail time! If I go in, my life will be ruined!"

“It won’t be ruined.” Lu Yibai didn’t take his panic seriously at all. “Don’t worry, I’ll still want you after you get out of jail. After all, you took the blame for me, and I won’t let you suffer too much in there.”

"Besides, didn't I give you a check?" Lu Yibai smiled gently and kindly. "Five million for a few years in prison, you won't lose out at all."

“…President Lu!” Zhao Siming clenched his fists, his anger reaching its peak as Lu Yibai’s condescending attitude fueled his fury. However, considering that Lu Yibai was still his superior, he didn’t completely break ties with Lu Yibai, no matter how angry he was.

"I don't want to make this deal with you. I don't want the five million, and I won't take the blame for you and go to jail!"

"Not going to take your place?" Lu Yibai casually raised one of his sharp eyebrows and said with a half-smile, "If you don't take your place, then I'll have no choice but to tell your mother everything you've done over the years."

Zhao Siming: "You—"

“Your mother has worked so hard to raise you to where you are today.” Lu Yibai interrupted him and continued, “She is proud of you and tells everyone that she has raised an exceptionally successful son. You don’t want her to know that her son has been doing so many despicable things outside, do you?”

The matter had already been made clear, and Lu Yibai showed no regard for the meager bond between them, master and servant.

Zhao Siming glared at him with red eyes, no longer willing to be tactful.

"Mr. Lu, which of those sordid things I did wasn't for you?"

“So,” Lu Yibai smiled and winked, “we’ve been in the same boat for a long time. What I did was despicable, and so was what you did. Neither of us needs to criticize the other.”

"..." Zhao Siming was shocked by his shamelessness.

He continued, "As long as you agree to take the blame for me, I will keep these dirty deeds a secret for you."

“I’ve consulted a lawyer. If you are convicted of defamation, you could only be sentenced to a maximum of five years. Five years isn’t a long time. I can easily make up a reason to cover it up for you. You don’t need to worry about your mom and girlfriend finding out about your jail time, and you don’t need to be afraid that your girlfriend will leave you.”

"If you're willing, I can give you another sum of money so you can go back and marry your girlfriend right now."

"You got married, and then immediately went to jail?" Zhao Siming gave a bitter smile.

Lu Yibai: "It's only five years. If you perform well inside, you can get out in less than five years."

As he spoke, Lu Yibai suddenly raised his voice: "Zhao Siming, five million for five years of your time, where else can you find such a good deal?"

"..."

Zhao Siming gritted his teeth, his breathing rapid.

He didn't want to argue with Lu Yibai anymore, because Lu Yibai had already made his decision, and he had no right to refuse.

He only wanted to ask one last question.

"Mr. Lu, why me?"

Why not Chen Zheng, or Li Su? They were both his secretaries, so why was it Zhao Siming who took the blame?

“Because you are the most suitable one.” Lu Yibai was quite frank. “Chen Zheng and Li Su have been with me for almost ten years. They know too many of my secrets, and I can’t send them to jail. Besides, at a time like this, I really need them to stay by my side and help me.”

Zhao Siming: "So I was abandoned?"

Lu Yibai shook his head: "I didn't abandon you. After you finish your prison term, you will still be my personal secretary."

"..." Zhao Siming nodded and didn't say anything more.

Lu Yibai had already made up his mind, and any further words from him would be a waste of time, so he might as well shut his mouth and remain silent.

Lu Yibai got up from the chair and considerately saw him to the door: "Your wedding leave starts today. Xiao Zhao, go home and prepare for the wedding. I'll arrange for people to come and help you."

"..."

Zhao Siming ignored him and left, clutching the check.

As I approached the elevator, I almost bumped into Chen Zheng, who was coming out of the way.

"Ouch--"

Chen Zheng grabbed Zhao Siming's shoulder and pulled him aside, saying, "What's wrong, Xiao Zhao? Why can't you watch where you're going?"

Zhao Siming kept his eyes downcast, neither looking at him nor paying him any attention.

“…Little Zhao?” He waved his hand in front of Zhao Siming’s eyes. Zhao Siming impatiently pushed his hand away and stepped into the elevator.

"Tsk..." He turned to watch Zhao Siming's departing figure, frowning in confusion, "Why isn't he talking to me anymore..."

"Ding--"

The elevator doors slowly closed, and it descended steadily to the ground floor.

"Sigh..." Chen Zheng sighed helplessly, picked up his tablet, and strode towards Lu Yibai's office.

When he came out again half an hour later, his expression was almost identical to Zhao Siming's.

"What are you doing?" Li Su was on his way to deliver something to Lu Yibai's office when he saw Chen Zheng leaning against the wall in a daze as soon as he got out of the elevator.

Chen Zheng shook his head and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Xiao Zhao was arranged by President Lu to take the blame."

"...Huh?" Li Su didn't understand.

Chen Zheng raised his hands and rubbed his face vigorously, then told Li Su everything that Lu Yibai had told him.

Upon hearing this, Li Su's expression changed instantly.

"How could it be Xiao Zhao?"

Chen Zheng: "It can only be Xiao Zhao. Xiao Zhao arrived later and doesn't know as much as the two of us. Only by letting him take the blame can we ensure that President Lu is safe."

"What did Xiao Zhao say?" Li Su asked, leaning against him.

He said in a low voice, "What else can I say? Does Xiao Zhao have the right to refuse?"

"..." Li Su was speechless.

Chen Zheng looked up at the cold, hard ceiling and asked in confusion, "Li Su, today Xiao Zhao took the blame, so will it be us tomorrow?"

Li Su dared not speak.

An hour later, news that Zhao Siming was going to take the blame for Lu Yibai reached Pei Xingzhi's ears.

"President Pei, you're right, he really did abandon me."

Zhao Siming's voice sounded very dejected.