Other people all hoped for their idols to become wildly popular, but only Xi Nian's fans constantly talked about their 'little unpopular idol', as if afraid others didn't know he had flopped to the center of the earth. For a time, it made netizens think they were anti-fans in disguise.

Because of this farce, it wasn't long before the production team of Escape Room: Decode publicly announced the list of invitees. Besides the few permanent members, there were also three special guest stars.

The first was the ancient-costume-drama male god, Bai Yicheng. He had been in the industry for seven or eight years without much success, but recently, he starred as the male lead in a major IP drama and shot to fame overnight. He gained countless fans with his handsome and dashing on-screen persona, the type that would make young girls clutch their hearts and swoon.

The second was actress Qiao Zhi. She was someone who had become famous through infamy. Because her management team was skilled in hyping her up, press releases praising her 'goddess-like face of a siren' were everywhere. She was once hailed as an 'otaku harvester,' but similarly, negative stories about her were endless. A typical super 'vase'.

The third was Xi Nian. Aside from stealing the show at the Star Games some time ago, neither his popularity nor his representative works could compare to the first two. Therefore, in the eyes of netizens, his ability to get on this show was pure dumb luck. Like Qiao Zhi, he was just a vase.

Mm, a vase that could shoot arrows.

It was unknown if the production team did this intentionally for the gimmick, but Xi Nian alone had sparked countless debates. What's more, with the addition of a semi-infamous, semi-famous female star like Qiao Zhi, it made netizens so angry they could spit out three liters of blood from their hearts.

I'm gonna puke. Did the production team run out of people to invite? What are they doing putting these two on the show?

In comparison, isn't Xi Nian's substance a bit too lacking? His status is clearly not high enough. Did he get in through the back door?

Just climbing up by relying on his background. Variety shows aren't something you can just join blindly. I heard this time the script requires the guests to form their own teams. If he ends up alone, it's a question whether he can even make it out.

It's over, it's over. Three guests, and two are dead weight. What's Bai Yicheng going to do? Protect our Little Bai Bai!

Escape Room: Decode was known for being highly mentally taxing and highly thrilling. Since its broadcast began, it had invited many guests, but most of them returned in defeat, with very few managing to pass. To put it bluntly, this show really exposed one's intelligence. One blunder could cause a public persona to collapse.

Xi Nian had just returned from the gym. After showering, he casually dried his hair, then sat down at his computer and opened Weibo, only to find that Qiao Zhi had @'d him and Bai Yicheng online.

@Qiao Zhi: So happy to be recording the show with two handsome guys! (Flower)(Flower)(Flower) Hope we have a pleasant collaboration! @Xi Nian @Bai Yicheng

After posting on Weibo, she attached two 'green tea-esque' selfies underneath—the kind that men would praise as beautiful and women would curse as a green tea bitch.

Bai Yicheng's fans exploded on the spot, feeling that Qiao Zhi was reeking of bitchiness. The man himself probably felt a bit embarrassed, so he replied with a polite sentence underneath, then liked and reposted it.

Xi Nian seemed to recall something and stared at the screen, lost in thought. Just then, a knock came from outside. He snapped back to his senses, then got up to open the door, only to find that the visitor was Sun Ming.

Xi Nian only opened the door halfway, with no intention of letting him in, and asked while leaning against the door, "What is it?"

Sun Ming and Xi Nian had already torn all face with each other. If not for the company's orders, he wouldn't have come looking for him. Hearing Xi Nian's question, his face turned pale, and he pulled a schedule out of his briefcase. "This is the schedule for the show's recording. The boss said he'll get you an assistant tomorrow to manage your schedule."

Xi Nian was not an accommodating person by nature. He took the schedule, glanced at it, and said, "Anything else?"

Sun Ming choked. Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of someone walking towards them in his peripheral vision. The person's baseball cap was pulled down low, making it hard to see their face clearly. They carried a black casual bag on their shoulder and had a slender frame.

This apartment complex was for the company's artists to live in, and the man before him was clearly an unfamiliar face. Sun Ming frowned at the sight, feeling suspicious, and couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

Hearing this, Xi Nian looked over and saw that it was Lu Xingzhe. He subconsciously straightened up and was about to find an excuse to brush Sun Ming off when a voice sounded by his ear, "I'm Xi Nian's newly hired assistant."

Lu Xingzhe lifted the brim of his cap slightly. The shadow shifted, revealing a pair of stunning phoenix eyes. He said to Sun Ming, "I'm Xi Nian's newly hired assistant. I came over today to help him pack."

Hiring a personal assistant was something that usually had to go through the manager, but Sun Ming didn't care much about the artists under him. Plus, he was too lazy to meddle, so he had never considered this issue. Hearing this, he looked at Xi Nian and asked, "When did you hire him? Does he have experience?"

Xi Nian gave a perfunctory 'mm' and lied without batting an eye, following Lu Xingzhe's excuse. "I hired him the day before yesterday. He's been a personal assistant before. I'll send you his contact information later. You can just coordinate any work with him."

Sun Ming was secretly annoyed, feeling that Xi Nian was too disobedient. But ultimately, he had been in the wrong first. In a displeased tone, he said, "You hired him yourself. Don't blame me if something goes wrong later."

After speaking, he glanced at Lu Xingzhe with a frown and then turned to leave.

Seeing his back disappear down the hallway, Xi Nian stepped aside to make way. Lu Xingzhe walked in, took off his hat, and spun it on his fingertip, asking with a smile, "Your manager?"

Xi Nian closed the door behind him and sat back down at the computer. "I'm about to go to C City to record a show. He came to drop off the schedule and said he'd find an assistant to arrange my itinerary."

Lu Xingzhe leaned languidly against the edge of the desk. Hearing this, he said with a grin, "An assistant? You could just ask me."

Xi Nian glanced at him, amused. He propped his chin on his right hand, hiding the curve of his lips. "You actually took that lie seriously?"

Lu Xingzhe pouted. "I wasn't lying."

After speaking, he unzipped the black backpack he was carrying. Inside was no longer a camera, but a stack of paper documents. The top two were plane tickets to C City for tomorrow.

"Here," Lu Xingzhe waved the tickets in front of his eyes. "Escape Room: Decode is recording in the suburbs of C City. The flight is at two in the afternoon tomorrow. After we arrive, we'll stay one night at the Lake Island Hotel. The production team will arrange the rest."

After speaking, he pulled out another stack of documents and placed them on the desk. "If you terminate your contract with Shanxing, you have to find a new company. The entertainment companies in the circle with decent reputations and resources are all here. You choose."

Having been a paparazzo for so long, Lu Xingzhe might not have known every single private matter in the entertainment circle in great detail, but he knew enough. The companies he had picked out were all the most suitable choices for Xi Nian at present.

After doing all this, Lu Xingzhe tilted his head to look at him. The light fell on his eyes, reflecting a distinct smile. He hadn't said much, but one could still see a hint of pride.

Like a child waiting to be praised by an adult.

Xi Nian was originally gripping his phone, his hold tightening for a moment. But as he looked at the plane tickets and documents on the desk, he couldn't help but let his grip slacken. The black phone fell onto his lap with a soft thud.

He didn't speak, just quietly watched Lu Xingzhe. His hand, hidden under the desk, moved. He picked up the phone again, his fingertips stroking the cold, hard edges over and over. A moment later, he finally spoke, "You were nowhere to be seen these past few days. You went to take care of all this?"

Lu Xingzhe didn't know if Xi Nian was happy or not. He paused for a moment and said, "You terminated your contract with Shanxing. You have to think about what's next."

If Xi Nian wasn't going to think about it, he would think for him. It would be best to pave the rest of the road ahead so smoothly that there wouldn't be a single bump.

Xi Nian sat at the computer, his body leaning back into the chair. On the screen was Qiao Zhi's selfie. The balcony's floor-to-ceiling window reflected the distant, fading city lights of the night. Lu Xingzhe was right beside him. Amidst their disordered breaths, the scene felt like déjà vu.

Xi Nian closed his eyes, sorting out his chaotic thoughts bit by bit. Only then did he look at Lu Xingzhe, his earlier distraction almost imperceptible. "Are you really planning to be my assistant? I'll say it first, the pay won't be very high."

Lu Xingzhe sat on the edge of the desk, swinging his legs lightly. He replied nonchalantly, "I know you don't have money."

You're unpopular, after all.

After speaking, he glanced at the computer screen and saw Qiao Zhi's selfie on it. The corner of his eyebrow lifted slightly, and the smile in his eyes held a hint of profound meaning. "What, you think she's pretty?"

Xi Nian seemed to be deliberately trying to annoy him. He pondered for a moment, then replied with a somewhat deliberate tone, "Most men would find her very pretty."

But after saying that, he moved the mouse and closed the photo page.

Lu Xingzhe hadn't expected Xi Nian to actually praise Qiao Zhi's looks. He was so sour he almost died on the spot. He held it in and held it in, but in the end, he couldn't take it anymore. He squeezed directly into Xi Nian's arms, sitting on his lap face-to-face, and pinched his chin. "What about me? Am I ugly?!"

His eyes were long, narrow, and beautiful. When he smiled, he looked suave and amorous; he had nothing to do with the word 'ugly'. Xi Nian hadn't planned on paying him any mind, but he was afraid he would fall off his lap, so he reached out and wrapped an arm around his waist.

For some reason, seeing Qiao Zhi's photo made Lu Xingzhe feel inexplicably upset and flustered. He rested his chin on Xi Nian's shoulder, burying his face in the man's neck, and asked, "You don't like her, do you?"

Xi Nian glanced at him. His long, fair fingers landed on his soft black hair, the contrast between black and white stark. He asked in an emotionless tone, "If I did like her, what would you do?"

What would you do?

Lu Xingzhe didn't know what he would do either. He lifted his head from Xi Nian's arms and watched him quietly for a moment. Then, without any warning, he cupped Xi Nian's face and lowered his head to bite his lip fiercely.

The metallic taste of blood spread between their lips. Xi Nian furrowed his brows slightly but did nothing.

Lu Xingzhe bit down once, then just stayed there, pressing against his lips. He held the position for a long while without moving. A moment later, he slowly pulled away, his breathing a little ragged.

Lu Xingzhe pressed his forehead against Xi Nian's. He slowly reached out and wiped away the faint trace of blood on his lip with the pad of his finger, asking in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"

Xi Nian shook his head.

Lu Xingzhe took a breath and answered his earlier question. "If you really fell for her, I would be very jealous."

Very, very jealous.

Xi Nian's fingertips moved down, slowly caressing his earlobe. "And then? How would you plan to get revenge on me?"

Lu Xingzhe: "Then I'd leave the fandom and become your anti-fan!"

He said this as if in a fit of pique, then immediately buried his face in Xi Nian's shoulder and didn't move for a long while. His heart felt heavy, as if Xi Nian had really already fallen for Qiao Zhi.

But what could he do? What could he possibly do to Xi Nian?

He could never harm him in this lifetime…

Perhaps because of malnutrition as a child, Lu Xingzhe's frame had always been so small and thin. Curled up in Xi Nian's arms at this moment, he looked like a small cat.