Xi Nian was rarely moved by anyone, but Lu Xingzhe's attitude always managed to anger him. The force of his grip on the other's chin gradually increased, and his voice carried a faint, cold air: "I'll ask you one last time, why were you following me?"

His chin throbbed with pain from the grip, but Lu Xingzhe didn't even bat an eyelid. He looked directly into Xi Nian's eyes, then gestured to the camera in his hand and said with a curl of his lips, "I'm just a little reporter. If you're not afraid of the gossip magazines scribbling nonsense tomorrow, saying you have a violent streak, then I don't care."

Paparazzi are a celebrity's natural enemy; rumors and slander could really drive a person to their death.

Xi Nian didn't doubt the truth of these words. The feeling of being constrained at every turn from his past life once again swept over him in an instant, causing his expression to turn a little grim. Lu Xingzhe was just teasing him, but he didn't expect Xi Nian to be unable to take a joke. He glanced at Xi Nian's pale lips for a moment, then changed his tune, "I'm kidding..."

He had a black marker in his pocket. He spun it nimbly between his fingers, then lightly tapped the car door with the cap. Lu Xingzhe said with a grin, "I'm your fan. I just chased after you to get an autograph."

Xi Nian said, "Why should I believe you?"

But the force in his fingertips had already gradually loosened and dropped away.

Lu Xingzhe casually patted his still-injured leg. Because he had been standing for so long, the gauze wrapped around his knee, besides being stained with medicine, now had a faint patch of dark red congealed on it. "You saved me, after all. I have no reason to harm you, don't you think?"

Meeting Lu Xingzhe's slightly teasing eyes, Xi Nian knew that his identity had been recognized. He wasn't too surprised, because some things couldn't be hidden for long anyway.

Xi Nian asked him, "How did you find out?"

Lu Xingzhe said, "If I couldn't even figure this out, I might as well change careers."

Seeing that Xi Nian didn't move, Lu Xingzhe offered the pen forward a little and asked with a hushed laugh, "An autograph?"

"..."

Xi Nian watched him for a moment, then took the pen and removed the cap, only to find that the shirt Lu Xingzhe was wearing underneath was black.

Lu Xingzhe looked down, pointed to the blue and white jacket he was wearing, and said casually, "Then... sign here."

Xi Nian reminded him, "This is my jacket."

Lu Xingzhe realized, "Is it?"

Xi Nian put the cap back on the pen, not bothering to get entangled with him further. "Give me back the jacket."

Lu Xingzhe was a tremendously "good" person who never took advantage of small things. Upon hearing this, he brashly opened his arms and looked at Xi Nian with a half-smile, his eyes holding an indescribable flirtatious charm. "Okay, you come take it off."

Xi Nian didn't move, unable to understand how someone like Lu Xingzhe, who loved to act like a hooligan so much, could exist in the world.

Lu Xingzhe leaned lazily against the car door. "Not taking it off? If you don't, I'm leaving."

After speaking, he turned to get into the car, but before his butt even touched the seat, he was yanked out by Xi Nian. With a muffled thud as the car door was slammed shut, Lu Xingzhe found himself pressed against it with his hands pinned behind his back.

His face was pressed tightly against the car window, and he could even feel the cold streaks of rain on it.

Lu Xingzhe struggled to turn his head to look at him, still able to laugh at a time like this. "Don't tell me you're angry out of embarrassment?"

No one answered.

It was just a jacket; Xi Nian didn't care for it. He just couldn't stand seeing Lu Xingzhe look so smug.

The man said nothing. His sturdy body suddenly pressed against him from behind, its scorching heat making Lu Xingzhe flinch. Just as he was about to say something, an unfamiliar hand traveled up from his waist to his chest and then grasped the jacket's zipper—

With the sound of a zipper, the jacket was halfway off.

Lu Xingzhe grabbed that hand, a half-smile on his face. "Oh, so you wanted the jacket. You should have said so earlier. It's not like I wouldn't give it back to you."

The jacket hung loosely on his body as the cold wind poured in, instantly stealing away what little warmth he had. Lu Xingzhe's exposed skin was pale and cold, like jade, but his lips remained a deep red.

Xi Nian had to admit that even if this paparazzi had a thousand flaws, he had at least one good point: he was great in bed.

Perhaps too much had happened today, causing him to uncontrollably recall his past life. Xi Nian finally stopped deliberately lowering his voice, which was deep and magnetic, "No need. I'll get it myself."

Lu Xingzhe's ears felt a little itchy, and his scalp tingled from the provocative sound of Xi Nian's voice. But he didn't loosen his grip on the zipper, hinting, "Is that so? Why do I feel like you're deliberately taking advantage of me?"

The moment he finished speaking, the hem of his shirt was lifted, revealing a slender waist. The cold wind rushed in, making him shiver all over. After Lu Xingzhe realized what Xi Nian had done, he turned back in surprise. "Hey... you..."

Xi Nian's palm pressed against the sensitive skin of his waist. The pressure wasn't gentle; it could even be called fierce. He was satisfied to see Lu Xingzhe's playful expression change slightly.

"Lu Xingzhe," Xi Nian reminded him, "there's no advantage to be taken from you."

This kind of person never suffers a loss.

Just like in his past life, if he inflicted a wound on Lu Xingzhe, the other would, like a hyena, have to viciously tear a piece of flesh from him in return. This wasn't mutual destruction; this was taking each other down together.

Lu Xingzhe didn't understand what he was saying and said with a grin, "Maybe you're just into that and want to take advantage of me."

Xi Nian held the marker in his hand. He restrained Lu Xingzhe with one hand, while with the other, he began to write on the small of his back. The tip of the pen felt cool as it slowly traced out a name.

Xi. Nian.

Xi. Nian...

Xi Nian finished the last stroke and released Lu Xingzhe. He took a step back, the pressure gone, and watched the man, clothes in disarray, stumble to the ground. The left side of his face was slightly red from being pressed against the car window earlier.

Lu Xingzhe was stunned for a second before realizing what Xi Nian had done. He reached for the small of his back, his fingertips coming away with specks of wet ink. The base of his ears flushed red in an instant. "Hey... you... you..."

He wanted to say, 'How could you sign your name on my body,' but his tongue seemed to be tied in a knot, and for a long time, he couldn't form a complete sentence.

Seeing him lose his composure, Xi Nian was satisfied, and so the jacket became an optional matter. He calmly studied Lu Xingzhe and repeated what he had said in the hospital that day: "Nice body."

Lu Xingzhe closed his eyes. He never would have imagined that a day would come when he'd be flirted back at. His face burned as if it were on fire. He pushed himself up from the ground with his hands, then pulled open the car door and sat in the driver's seat.

Through the half-open car window, Xi Nian raised an eyebrow and asked, "My jacket?"

Lu Xingzhe gripped the steering wheel, finally calming down a little. He turned his head to look at Xi Nian, the lingering redness still at the base of his ears, his bangs hiding the expression in his eyes. "I told you to take it off earlier, but you wouldn't. Now it's too late. I'll give it back when I'm in a good mood."

As he said this, a strange sensation still lingered on the small of his back.

Xi Nian said, "As you wish."

After speaking, he returned to his car but didn't leave immediately. He watched in the rearview mirror as Lu Xingzhe drove off in the opposite direction before starting the car and heading home.

It happened to be Saturday, and the first elimination round of Star Games was airing at 8 PM on the Sports Channel. Given that Su Ge's elimination had caused a huge uproar over the past few days—with some saying his skills were lacking and others attributing it to his injury—many onlookers were camped out in front of their TVs, waiting to dig up the real reason.

The skill level of the celebrities couldn't compare to that of professional competitors. Aside from the decent scores of those at the top of the leaderboard, the rest were almost too terrible to watch. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Coupled with Xi Nian's last-place score in the ranking match, many people believed Su Ge had lost due to his injury.

[Not saying much, just here to see how Thousand Cuts Su lost. I'll leave after I see it]

Su Ge had gone under the knife, with many areas of his face having been slightly adjusted, so it was an infamous nickname that couldn't be erased. Gezi Fans were the most sensitive to such names, and a huge crowd of them instantly exploded.

[Thousand Cuts what? I think you're the one who deserves a thousand cuts. If you're jealous of Su Ge, just say it. Don't beat around the bush.]

[Su Ge is all-natural and stunningly handsome, thank you. He just fell and needed stitches on the side of his face as a child. Haters, please don't make baseless accusations.]

[A certain someone's fans are saying it all. Weren't you the ones hyping up that Su Ge would definitely win before the match? Does your face hurt?]

[No one can guarantee against accidents, but I can say that if Su Ge hadn't been injured, he would have had an 80% chance of winning.]

Meng Qianlin's and Yu Fan's fans were enraged upon hearing this. Are you treating our idols like they're dead?! Su Ge was only ahead of second place by two rings. How dare you say he had an 80% chance of winning?!

Unsurprisingly, the three fandoms started tearing into each other again. The number of comments visibly increased; it was a total bloodbath. Just then, a comment quietly popped up.

[I was at the second elimination round today. I personally think the one most likely to win is Number 9, Xi Nian. Twelve consecutive arrows in the 10-ring. His skill is truly solid.]

The user who posted the comment was a Big V, verified as a private coach at a shooting range. He spoke impartially, without praising one person to belittle another, but the Gezi Fans took it personally anyway, each acting as if their sore spot had been stepped on.

[How much dirty money did you get paid, OP? Let's earn it together, DM me.]

[Last place, his skill is truly solid, huh.]

[Twelve consecutive arrows in the 10-ring???? Seriously?? That's an exaggeration, isn't it???]

For the past few days, it had become routine for Xi Nian to be mocked and ridiculed, but today, a small contingent of dissenting voices surprisingly appeared.

[We'll know if his skill is really solid by watching the show. I'd advise a certain someone's fans to watch their mouths, so the slap in the face later won't hurt too much.]

[Xi Nian may have few fans, but that doesn't mean just any random person can come and step on him. If you see him in person, you'll know—he's handsome and kind-hearted. Anyone who insults him is blind.]

[The show's about to start! Niangao*, gather 'round! Let's go simp over my Brother Xi's stunning beauty!!]

*T/N: Xi Nian's fans named themselves Nian Gao - also known as glutinous rice cake!

Lu Xingzhe came out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe, his hair still dripping wet. He casually slicked it back and sat down at his computer desk, but unexpectedly, as if a sore spot had been pulled, he jolted upright.

"Damn it."

Lu Xingzhe grimaced as he rubbed the small of his back, silently cursing Xi Nian for being so wicked. Of all the places to sign, he just had to sign on his body. He had almost rubbed his skin raw washing the ink off.

The wall clock ticked, its hands pointing exactly to eight o'clock. Lu Xingzhe glanced at it, then opened his computer and logged into the Sports Channel's official website. Star Games had just started broadcasting.