As dusk approached, the day-long rain finally eased up, but the road was covered in puddles. Lu Xingzhe first looked around before his gaze finally landed on Xi Nian. "Let's find a place to talk."

Xi Nian's identity was sensitive, and he didn't want to be recognized. Upon hearing this, he said, "There's a cafe across the street."

Lu Xingzhe raised his head slightly. The shadow of his cap's brim shifted half an inch, revealing his crimson lips and pointed chin. A white casual shirt was worn loosely on his body, his shoulders looking thin. "What's so good about coffee? We're already downstairs from your place, aren't you going to lead the way?"

His tone was matter-of-fact, even carrying a hint of over-familiarity.

Xi Nian didn't agree. "I refuse."

Lu Xingzhe was very shameless. He patted his leg, which was still wrapped in gauze, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Then what should we do? My leg hurts, I can't walk. If you carry me on your back to the cafe, I don't mind."

Xi Nian remained unmoved, his tone carrying a faint trace of sarcasm. "Why didn't you complain about your leg hurting when you were following me?"

Lu Xingzhe said, "Of course it's different in a car. All I had to do was press the brake and accelerator. Walking is a serious matter that could cause major injury."

He crossed his arms, looking like a scoundrel, making one want to press him to the ground and beat him up. Xi Nian fell silent for a few seconds upon hearing this, then turned and walked towards his home without a word.

Seeing this, Lu Xingzhe gave a half-smile, then pulled his cap down and glanced around. After confirming there were no suspicious people taking photos, he followed with a limp.

Xi Nian deliberately walked very fast, even taking a few detours. By the time he reached the elevator bay, he finally glanced back, only to see Lu Xingzhe still following behind, just a few steps slower than him.

The elevator hadn't arrived yet; it was still slowly descending.

Lu Xingzhe limped to his side, then leaned against the wall. Perhaps because he had walked too quickly, his breathing was a little heavy. He sighed, then looked at Xi Nian with a smile. "Did you take a detour on purpose?"

Rarely seeing him at a disadvantage, Xi Nian retorted, "So what if I did?"

Most of the time, Lu Xingzhe looked like a smiling fox and was rarely seen truly angry, but he never held back when screwing people over behind their backs. "Nothing. It's just that I've never lost anyone I wanted to follow."

With a 'ding,' the elevator arrived. It was empty. Xi Nian walked in and pressed the button, asking casually, as if by accident, "So you're a paparazzo?"

Only then did Lu Xingzhe remember he hadn't told Xi Nian his identity, not even formally introducing his name. He fell into a rare silence for a moment, then said slowly, "If you say so."

He probably knew his reputation was too rotten, so he didn't answer directly.

Xi Nian had a strong sense of personal territory and rarely brought others to his home. He took out his key to open the door, paused, and inexplicably felt like he was leading a wolf into his den. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't.

As an unpopular idol, Xi Nian's place wasn't exactly luxurious, just barely big enough to live in. Lu Xingzhe sized up the surroundings, finding the furnishings cold and sparse. His eyes fell on the sofa. "You don't mind if I sit, do you?"

Xi Nian opened the refrigerator and took out two drinks. "If I did mind, would you keep standing?"

Lu Xingzhe supported his injured leg as he sat down on the sofa. "Of course not."

Xi Nian placed a can of lemon tea in front of him, his presence fleeting. "What business did you want to discuss with me? Go on."

Lu Xingzhe propped his head on his hand and studied him, his fingertip slowly rubbing the end of his eyebrow. The light from above fell on him, giving him an indescribable, rich beauty. His sudden seriousness was a bit disconcerting. "You've offended quite a few people recently."

Xi Nian sat down nearby, a name quickly surfacing in his mind. "Su Ge?"

Lu Xingzhe said, "No, it's his manager. Jiang Lun has bribed a lot of paparazzi and is preparing to dig up dirt on you."

Su Ge was, at best, a small puppet. The one who truly had methods was Jiang Lun. He had worked at Shanxing Entertainment for nearly ten years, and every artist under him became a huge hit. His capabilities were evident, and he wasn't someone who could be easily taken down.

Xi Nian was lost in thought, but he didn't show it on his face. He crossed his legs and leaned back into the sofa. "So, what business did you want to discuss with me?"

At this moment, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the System had stopped him when he was about to deal with Su Ge back then; otherwise, it would have become a hidden danger today.

Lu Xingzhe took an envelope out of the camera bag he was carrying and waved it in front of Xi Nian's eyes, saying suggestively, "I have a lot of cards up my sleeve. It just depends on whether you can afford the price."

Xi Nian never doubted Lu Xingzhe's skills as a paparazzo. Hearing this, his mind stirred, knowing the other party must have a big scoop. He reached out to take the envelope but couldn't pull it away. He raised his eyes slightly and saw Lu Xingzhe looking at him with a half-smile.

Xi Nian paused, a dark glint flashing imperceptibly in his eyes. His hand holding the envelope slid down half an inch, covering Lu Xingzhe's cool fingertips without a trace. The corner of his lips curved up. When he smiled, it made one's face blush and heart pound. "You have to let me see the goods first, to know what they're worth."

Lu Xingzhe glanced at the hand gripping his, and the strength in his fingertips unconsciously loosened. "I didn't say I wouldn't let you see."

The envelope fell into Xi Nian's hands. He opened it and saw a thick stack of photos inside, roughly more than thirty of them. There were close-ups of Su Ge's hands during the competition, a picture of his bruised wrist that he had posted on Weibo to play the victim, and...

A photo of Su Ge deliberately scalding Xi Nian with boiling water in the dressing room.

Seeing Xi Nian seemingly stunned, Lu Xingzhe fiddled with his phone, spinning it intermittently. "The original video was destroyed by someone Jiang Lun hired. But coincidentally, I have a backup."

After the second round of eliminations that day, he had followed Xi Nian to the dressing room. He hadn't expected to overhear his conversation with Su Ge. From that moment on, he became suspicious about Xi Nian's injury. Plus, since the incident had just happened, it was easy to find evidence.

Su Ge had a guilty conscience and didn't dare to tell Jiang Lun for a long time. He only spoke up later out of fear that the matter would be exposed. Even though Jiang Lun had acted quickly to erase all the evidence, he was still a step too late.

Xi Nian's popularity was on the rise. If this material were to be exposed, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost. Moreover, it could also take down Su Ge, killing multiple birds with one stone.

The photos had probably just been printed; their edges were sharp and could cut one's hand. Xi Nian slowly gathered the photos, stacking them into a neat pile. His innate nature to climb upwards was hard to change. At this moment, he had to admit that this deal was truly tempting.

The System was afraid he would go down the old path and wanted to offer a reminder, but Su Ge had indeed done these things. It wasn't fabricated dirt, so the System had no right to interfere. A blue light flashed and then dimmed.

The wall clock ticked away. It felt like a long time had passed, yet it also felt like only a few minutes. Xi Nian put the photos back into the envelope, his voice resounding clearly in the room. "Name your price."

Lu Xingzhe wasn't surprised by his reaction. He propped his chin on his hand and thought for a moment, deliberately naming a price that the current Xi Nian couldn't quite afford. "Video plus photos, five hundred thousand."

It's true that celebrities make good money, but that only applied to popular ones. Ordinary minor artists not only had to spend money on packaging but also had to treat people to meals to get roles. They weren't necessarily better off than regular workers. Their homes were rented. Right now, let alone five hundred thousand, it was questionable whether Xi Nian could even scrape together two hundred thousand.

Xi Nian said bluntly, "I don't have it."

Lu Xingzhe seemed a bit regretful. He stood up from the sofa, then leaned close to Xi Nian, planting one hand beside him and pinching the envelope with the other. His voice was husky and ambiguous. "Although I'd love to help you, my hands are tied."

No one would push away benefits that were already within reach, especially since opportunities were the hardest thing to come by in the entertainment circle. Xi Nian's thoughts were in turmoil for a moment, but he didn't let it show on his face. He pinched Lu Xingzhe's chin, the pad of his thumb pressing against the other's delicate and smooth skin. "...Is that so? But I don't see your sincerity."

The two of them were too close, their breaths mingling, indistinguishable from one another. The scent on Xi Nian's collar was cold and faint, as if they had returned to the night of the car crash.

Lu Xingzhe deliberately moved a little closer. Seeing that Xi Nian didn't dodge away like before, the curve of his lips deepened. "Tsk, I dragged an injured leg all this way to see you, and that's not sincere enough?"

Xi Nian's thoughts grew more and more chaotic. The desire for fame and fortune drove him forward, but his reason advised him to avoid the cunning paparazzo in front of him. Yet, there was no one to tell him how he should choose in this life.

Seeing his prolonged silence, Lu Xingzhe slanted a look at him and said, "Actually, I'm not interested in money."

As a paparazzo who only saw profit, this was, of course, a lie. It was just that his interest in Xi Nian now far outweighed money.

Growing up, no one had taught Lu Xingzhe what was right and wrong, good and evil, which cultivated his perverse and hostile personality. He was used to doing as he pleased and didn't think there was anything rebellious about being interested in a man.

Of course, Xi Nian understood what he was saying. His right hand, holding the envelope, tightened slightly and didn't loosen for a long time. He stood up from the sofa, looked directly into Lu Xingzhe's eyes, and asked in a low voice, "Then what are you interested in?"

Hearing this, Lu Xingzhe slowly leaned in close to his ear. This time, they were so close it was no different from their faces touching. "...You."

He said the word so lightly, yet it was different from his usual playful banter, carrying a rare seriousness.

Lu Xingzhe said, "Xi Nian, I can make you famous."

"From now on, no one will bully you again, and no one will be able to sling mud at you. The glory Su Ge has now, you will have it all one day in the future."

He spoke word by word, his breath carrying a bewitching charm. When the last syllable fell, a string in Xi Nian's mind seemed to snap with a buzz. The hand he used to grip Lu Xingzhe's suddenly tightened uncontrollably, and he pulled him over without any warning, their chests pressed tightly together, hearts throbbing.

Xi Nian knew he was telling the truth.

In his past life, this person had personally sent him up to the Divine Platform, but when he later fell, it was also this person who had viciously dragged him down.

Xi Nian thought he didn't care about this matter, but it wasn't until today that he realized a thorn was embedded in his heart, one that had already grown into shackles.

Lu Xingzhe hadn't expected Xi Nian's move. Enveloped by the man's scorching aura, he was momentarily at a loss, a rare sight, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red.

He lowered his eyes, his lashes casting a shadow beneath them. A moment later, he looked up at him, as if making a promise. "Xi Nian, I won't harm you."