Chapter 8: Bonding With Their Idol

As they neared their destination, the grandeur of the White Phoenix Empire (WPE) became unmistakable. Even from miles away, the empire that Alexander Bai had proudly built and Lillie Bai had meticulously groomed towered over its surroundings.

The massive structure stood tall and imposing, its sleek architecture exuding dominance. Compared to it, the neighboring buildings seemed like mere ants at its feet.

Even though Li Yifei had seen WPE countless times before, she still found herself gaping in awe.

"I wish I could create something like this one day," she murmured to herself.

Lillie caught her expression through the rearview mirror. "Your father and brother manage Huo Long Corporation. Why not use that as a reference for the future?"

Yifei snorted as if she had just heard the biggest joke. "Yeah, right. Dad's company is great and all, but compared to WPE? It's so-so—well, to me at least."

Lillie raised a brow. "What is it you don't like about HL Corp?" She didn't want to admit it, but Ethan had done a remarkable job managing the company. If anything, WPE and HL Corp are on equal footing.

Yifei sighed. "You know how much I love gaming, and HL Corp? They suck at making games. Instead, they thrive in the entertainment industry. And because my brother is handsome, actresses practically throw themselves at him." She scowled. "And to make things worse, they even try to get close to me just to get into his good graces!"

Lillie remained silent as Yifei ranted.

"Do you know how annoying that is?! Those plastic-faced women even insist on driving me home after school! And don't get me started on my classmates—they're always begging me for their autographs!" She huffed in frustration.

Gabriel scoffed. "Tch, you just don't know how to handle them."

"Haahh?!" Yifei shot him a fierce glare.

"My sister," Gabriel began smugly, "has thousands of admirers, fans, and even enemies. But because she's smart, she avoids public attention and hates being in the spotlight. As a result, very few people actually know who she is. Unlike your brother, whose face is plastered all over magazines, TV, and radio."

Yifei blinked at him.

"The only people the public knows about in my family are my parents. When I'm at school, my classmates don't even realize I'm related to the Bai family—they either think I share the same surname by coincidence or that I'm from a branch family." Gabriel smirked.

Yifei gaped at him. "Why didn't that stupid brother of mine think of that?!" she cried in frustration.

Gabriel crossed his arms. "That's one reason your brother is inferior to my sister."

Yifei grumbled. "Even if he's my brother, I can't argue with that."

Lillie, who had been listening to their entire conversation, gave them a strange look.

She didn't know that not appearing in public actually helped her brother a lot. She mentally let out a sigh in relief. 

'Ethan Li, even your own little sister is criticizing you.' She almost felt sorry for him.

The car smoothly entered WPE's underground parking lot and came to a stop at the owners' reserved space.

The three stepped out and entered the VIP elevator—a lift exclusive to the owners and high-ranking executives, ensuring a direct trip without interruptions.

As the elevator ascended, employees waiting on various floors stiffened in alarm when they noticed the VIP lift moving.

It could mean only one of two things:

Someone extremely important was visiting the company.

The She-Devil herself had arrived.

They immediately assumed the latter.

Panic spread like wildfire. Employees rushed to inform their colleagues, hastily grabbing their phones to alert other departments—just in case Lillie Bai was conducting a surprise inspection.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the chaos they had caused, Lillie and the two excited teenagers calmly waited for the elevator to reach her office floor.

Ding…

As the doors slid open, they were greeted by Elliot Anderson, Lillie's Executive Assistant—a strikingly handsome yet perpetually serious British man.

Lillie had hired him for his professionalism, efficiency, and diligence. She had first met him in London while attending a business event, where he was working as a waiter.

Now, why would she give a mere waiter such a prestigious position in WPE?

Because Lillie Bai had an exceptional eye for talent.

The moment she saw his sharp gray eyes, she recognized the intelligence and capability she wanted in her people. A background check later revealed that Elliot had attended Princeton on a scholarship but had been forced to drop out due to his mother's deteriorating health.

As the only child of a widowed mother, he had to abandon his education to support her. That was how he ended up waiting tables.

Moved by his story, Lillie covered all of his mother's medical expenses, arranged for her treatment at the best hospital in Country K, and even provided them with a new home.

In return, Elliot had sworn absolute loyalty to her.

"Elliot, prepare two PCs for them. I'll be in my office," Lillie instructed.

Elliot nodded and led the two teenagers to Lillie's private computer lab—a high-tech space where she personally tested WPE's latest games, inspected system firewalls, and monitored for hacking attempts.

Few people knew this, but Lillie Bai was nearly omniscient when it came to the people around her.

The moment Gabriel stepped inside the lab, he turned back with a deep frown. "Wait… I thought you were going to help me beat the Mega Boss?"

Lillie, already halfway into her office, slightly tilted her head to the side, revealing only half of her face.

"Li Yifei can help you with that," she said impassively. "She's already at Grandmaster Level Six, which means she's beaten the Mega Boss before."

And with that, she disappeared into her office.

"..."

Gabriel: You've just ruined my bonding time with my sister…

Li Yifei: I shouldn't have leveled up so fast…

The two could only sigh in regret.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for missed opportunities.