[{"content_id":1986,"novel_id":33,"chapter_no":1,"chapter_title":"Scumbag Reformation System","content":"

\n Eastern Sports Arena.\n

\n When the entrance opened at nine in the morning, the venue was packed to capacity in less than half an hour. Most of them were fans who had come to support their idols, holding colorful banners in their hands. The competition had not yet begun, but they were already scanning the field everywhere for a glimpse of their idols, their cheers growing louder and more fervent.\n

\n Star Sports Meet was a celebrity competitive sports program jointly organized by M&E Media and the Sports Channel. With retired national team coaches serving as referees and a host of stars participating, the show's ratings hit a new high in its first season due to the massive traffic it brought. The partners, riding on the momentum, launched a second season, inviting many young starlets and heartthrobs, making it unrivaled among programs in the same time slot.\n

\n Some artists in the entertainment circle who were still in their developmental stages would mostly accept any invitation they received for the sake of exposure. Although their status couldn't compare to A-list celebrities, the combined popularity of all their fans was a considerable force.\n

\n The cameras in the arena were already in position, and the participating artists were warming up backstage, roughly divided into a men's group and a women's group. The most eye-catching among them were Shen Xilin, one of the nation's four little starlets, and Su Ge, the lead singer of the currently popular TR Boy Band. The cheering colors for these two each took up half of the audience seats, a truly magnificent sight.\n

\n Before the competition began, the backstage area was a hive of activity. There were a total of 32 people in the men's archery group. The first ranking round was already over, and the subsequent elimination round was about to begin.\n

\n \"Quick, quick, is everyone here? And the camera positions, stage manager, hurry up and confirm them!\"\n

\n \"Makeup artist, makeup artist, Yali's eye makeup is smudged, touch it up for her quickly, it's almost her turn to go on!\"\n

\n Su Ge was practicing archery backstage. He ranked first in the qualifying round and was considered a hot favorite to win this year. Coupled with his solid popularity, he had been trending on search engines frequently in just a few days, showing signs of breaking out of his circle. The coach was also paying close attention to him.\n

\n Everyone was busy with their own affairs, but on a long bench in a rest area not far away, a man was lying down. He covered his eyes with the back of his hand as if sleeping. He was wearing a blue tracksuit, clearly also a participating artist, but no one among the people coming and going seemed to notice him.\n

\n The overhead lights poured down, brightly illuminating the corner of the rest area, but the man lying on the bench seemed to be trapped in a muddy nightmare, unable to pull himself free. His body curled up uncontrollably, accompanied by slight twitches, his hair already slightly damp with sweat.\n

\n \"Xi Nian has been deceiving his fans for so long. Turns out he not only has a terrible character, but he also bribed paparazzi to slander his rivals. No wonder he rose up so fast!\"\n

\n \"I'm gonna puke, I'm gonna puke. And he's a Best Actor. Could it be he also climbed up through improper means? How deep must his connections be?\"\n

\n \"I always found it strange. Xi Nian has had no negative press since his debut, it was just abnormally clean. Turns out he's cut from the same cloth as Lu Xingzhe.\"\n

\n The number one actor of the new generation, this was what others called Xi Nian.\n

\n The most notorious paparazzi in the entertainment circle, this was what others called Lu Xingzhe.\n

\n No one knew how these two, who should have had nothing to do with each other, became entangled. All they knew was that not long after Xi Nian won the Best Actor award, someone suddenly posted online exposing all sorts of scandals from when he first debuted. Overnight, his reputation was in tatters.\n

\n The computer screen glowed in the dark, and an overwhelming flood of negative press kept popping up, threatening to drown him. At first, it was just deep dives into the fact that Xi Nian had previously bought off paparazzi to suppress competitors. Later, it gradually evolved into various other versions: the casting couch, plastic surgery, being a diva...\n

\n Some were true, some were false. Some things Xi Nian had indeed done, some he had not, but none of it mattered now. When he ascended to the Divine Platform, he was covered in glory; when he fell to the bottom, he was likewise covered in filth.\n

\n People in the entertainment circle probably all have such a day. When you're lukewarm, no one cares. When you become famous, countless pairs of eyes will be on you, reaching out from the shadows to push you into the abyss.\n

\n Xi Nian had just won an international award last month and was at the height of his success. However, someone, for unknown reasons, acted in secret, thoroughly investigated his past, and overnight, exposé posts sprang up like mushrooms after rain, impossible to suppress.\n

\n Xi Nian sat in front of the computer for a long, long time. His phone, placed silently on the desk, vibrated continuously. Countless calls came in, and then, because the battery ran out, it returned to silence.\n

\n \"Was it you?\"\n

\n His voice was deep and hoarse, his gaze indifferent. No one could imagine that the gloomy man before them was the spirited, newly crowned Best Actor, Xi Nian.\n

\n Beside him stood a young man in a black hooded sweatshirt, his figure mostly hidden in the darkness, his presence extremely faint. When he wasn't speaking, you would hardly notice his existence.\n

\n Hearing Xi Nian's words, the young man raised a hand to pull at the brim of his hood. His complexion was paler than most, but he had a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes, though their color was too deep, giving the impression that he was not to be trifled with. It was, in fact, the notoriously infamous paparazzi of the entertainment circle, Lu Xingzhe.\n

\n He stared motionlessly at Xi Nian for a good while before finally reacting, as if he had heard some kind of joke, and suddenly laughed out loud: \"Why?\"\n

\n Why did he think it was him?\n

\n Lu Xingzhe laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight. He bent over, propping himself up on his knees, took a breath, and asked with a half-smile, \"Just because you kicked me away after using me, so I held a grudge and wanted to get revenge on you?\"\n

\n His hands were long and slender, clean, with thick calluses at the joints from holding a camera for too long. But it was these hands that had lifted Xi Nian from an obscure little star to an A-lister, and had also done all his dirty work for him.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe reached out and tapped the computer. Due to the excessive force, the screen rippled slightly. On it was the scandalous photo of Xi Nian and the popular actress Qiao Zhi embracing late at night on the street: \"This was your gift to me.\"\n

\n Lu Xingzhe looked at him, a playful smile on his lips, and mouthed silently: \"I'll give you one too, it's only polite to return a favor...\"\n

\n Xi Nian had shown no emotional fluctuation from beginning to end, but upon hearing this sentence, he suddenly shot up from his chair. He raised his hand, grabbed Lu Xingzhe's collar, and slammed him hard against the wall. His aura was extremely oppressive as he questioned in a deep voice, \"Was it really you?\"\n

\n Lu Xingzhe's throat was seized, making it hard to breathe. The hand hanging by his side clenched and unclenched, but ultimately did nothing. He looked up and saw Xi Nian staring at him with bloodshot eyes: \"...It was me.\"\n

\n Lu Xingzhe smiled like a madman, wild and triumphant, speaking words of unknown truthfulness: \"It was me.\"\n

\n \"Don't you want to be a big star the most? Don't you care about your future the most? Don't you want to get rid of me even in your dreams? I just won't let you have your way...\"\n

\n They were vermin in the gutter, they were grasshoppers on the same rope, forever destined to rot in sunless corners, never to see the light of day in this lifetime.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe deliberately stomped on his sore spot. Xi Nian grabbed his hand, expressionlessly pulled him over, and pushed him down onto the sofa. Then he pressed his knee against Lu Xingzhe's left leg, slowly applying pressure downwards, and asked back in a deep voice, \"What about you? Is there nothing you want?\"\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had a disability in his left leg. This action instantly drained the color from his face, his body convulsing in pain. Xi Nian pressed close to his ear, one hand slipping under the hem of his shirt, but it brought no warmth, only endless ice.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe, with a sudden burst of strength from nowhere, began to struggle desperately, only to be held down firmly by Xi Nian again.\n

\n \"Didn't you come here today wanting me to fuck you?\" Xi Nian pressed him onto the sofa, bit his earlobe hard, causing a dense wave of stinging pain, his breath scorching as he reminded him with a hint of vengeful meaning, \"You were so eager before, what's with the act now...\"\n

\n The sofa, the bed, the floor here—all had once borne the traces of their lovemaking. Xi Nian had touched this body of Lu Xingzhe's countless times, and it was Lu Xingzhe who had forced him to.\n

\n A foul and shady paparazzi, trying to bind someone with the fame and fortune of the entertainment circle. How laughable it would sound if it got out.\n

\n For some reason, Lu Xingzhe suddenly stopped struggling at his words. He squeezed his eyes shut, cold sweat rolling down his forehead, and hugged his left knee, curling into a ball on the sofa, suppressing the ragged breaths caused by the pain.\n

\n Xi Nian looked down at him from above, paused for a moment, then slowly released his hand.\n

\n For some reason, Lu Xingzhe could still smile in such a situation. He lay limp on the sofa, pale and weak, yet with the same old vile and triumphant look, his eyes narrowed, cunning as a fox: \"If you want to fuck me, you should've said so earlier. It's not like I'd disagree.\"\n

\n As he spoke, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Xi Nian's neck, forcing his head down, and kissed him in a near-biting manner. Teeth and lips collided, the taste of blood spreading, bringing nothing but pain.\n

\n Cold sweat trickled down the side of Lu Xingzhe's pale face, his dark eyelashes wet and sticky.\n

\n This was the first time he had kissed Xi Nian.\n

\n Because Xi Nian didn't like kissing Lu Xingzhe.\n

\n Xi Nian stared at him fixedly, his fingertips tightening, then without warning, he shoved him away. The wrinkles on Lu Xingzhe's collar slowly smoothed out, becoming neat again.\n

\n For some reason, Xi Nian suddenly took a step back, his figure falling back into the darkness. The night view outside the floor-to-ceiling window made him look incredibly lonely, ephemeral for a moment.\n

\n The trending topics online were still constantly updating, countless curses and jeers piling up into a mountain. It's hard to make a person, but all too easy to destroy one...\n

\n Xi Nian had only been in the entertainment circle for a few years, yet he had already obtained things others might never get in a lifetime: prestigious awards, popularity. With his exceptional looks and decent acting skills, he had pocketed them all.\n

\n However, the precondition for obtaining all this was inseparable from Lu Xingzhe's help. After all, no one would have thought that these two people from completely different worlds had once been together.\n

\n Whether it was false affection or mutual exploitation.\n

\n Xi Nian had established a firm foothold in the entertainment circle with his help. Now that he was famous, he wanted to kick him aside. Thinking about it, it was only human nature. After all, no one would like a notoriously infamous paparazzi, especially when that paparazzi held all his secrets.\n

\n Xi Nian's goal had been clear from the very beginning. Since he had entered the entertainment circle, he would never be one of those who just blended into the crowd.\n

\n He was ambitious,\n

\n He was calculating,\n

\n He climbed his way up with all his might—\n

\n He also took the wrong path.\n

\n There's no such thing as a wall that doesn't leak. The things Xi Nian had done, one by one, added up to become the last straw that broke the camel's back. Like a skyscraper crashing down, it was beyond saving.\n

\n Not even Lu Xingzhe could.\n

\n \"Get out.\"\n

\n The night air was cool. When Xi Nian said this, his tone was calm, vaguely reminiscent of how he was when he first debuted, like an uncut gemstone, indifferent to everything, before he was soaked in the big dye vat of the entertainment circle, his original appearance no longer discernible.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe didn't move. He maintained the posture he was in when he was pushed away, with a slight trace of blood on his pale lower lip. After a second or two, he slowly stood up from the sofa, a strand of hair falling from his temple, looking inexplicably disheveled.\n

\n The room was silent for a moment.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe barely steadied himself, and due to his unstable center of gravity, he took a small step back. He reached up to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled nonchalantly, \"I was originally thinking of watching your pathetic downfall, but forget it, it's boring.\"\n

\n Perhaps because he had left in a hurry, there was a faint trace of dust on the knee of his pants from a fall. His shoulders were bare, and the camera that was always with him was also missing. He turned and limped away.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe was a cripple.\n

\n No one knew why he would drag his crippled leg back to find Xi Nian when the entire internet was cursing him.\n

\n Perhaps it was to admire his miserable state after falling from the divine platform, or perhaps it was for something else...\n

\n The dream gradually faded.\n

\n The light in the rest area flickered, making a crackling electric sound. This sound, for some reason, stimulated Xi Nian, and a certain inorganic, cold mechanical voice echoed in his bizarre dream.\n

\n [Ding! Scumbag target discovered]\n

\n [System binding...]\n

\n [Binding successful, initiating reformation program...]\n

\n Hearing this, the man lying on the long bench suddenly began to breathe rapidly. His fingertips clenched unconsciously as if someone were strangling him, desperately wanting to break free from something. Finally, he shot up from the bench, his pupils constricted—\n

\n Like a drowning man finally breaking the surface.\n

\n A faint blue ball of light quietly landed in front of him.\n

\n [Ding! Host?]\n

\n “...”\n

\n The air was completely silent.\n

\n Xi Nian slowed his breathing but said nothing. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel and sat quietly where he was, ignoring this strange thing.\n

\n Even though the other party had given him a second chance to start over.\n

\n [Ding! Dear Host, what happened in your past life is over. This is a brand new start. I hope you will reform well and become a new person. The System will be here to supervise you!]\n

\n Reform well, become a new person...\n

\n Those who knew it was because Xi Nian was a scumbag understood, but those who didn't would have thought he'd committed some crime.\n

\n This thing that called itself the Scumbag Reformation System was quite mysterious. Other than shouting some uninspired chicken soup for the soul in his ear every day, it rarely revealed any information. Xi Nian only vaguely knew that it seemed to want to reform him, but he knew nothing beyond that.\n

\n 'Reformation?'\n

\n Xi Nian thought, 'There's nothing to reform.'\n

\n Some people are born kind, some are born vile, and he happened to be the latter. There was no need to forcibly change anything.\n

\n Seeing its first host displaying his usual indifferent expression again, System No. 009 felt a little troubled. Its round, blue body trembled like jelly, and it checked the host's data once more.\n

\n In his past life, Xi Nian had been unscrupulous in his pursuit of fame, ending up with a ruined reputation and committing suicide by jumping off a building. Just before he died, he was coincidentally selected by an Interstellar Executor for reformation and was given a chance at rebirth.\n

\n This was just the beginning, the very starting point.\n

\n The System hoped he would make a different choice.\n

\n Xi Nian seemed not to have detached himself from the emotions of his past life and didn't want to talk to anyone. He had no idea how annoying the System in front of him would be in the future. He covered his eyes with the back of his hand, seeming to intend to sleep again. However, just then, a tall, thin man suddenly rushed into the rest area, looking around as if searching for something. When he saw Xi Nian, he became even more furious and slammed the long bench with a newspaper he had rolled into a tube.\n

\n \"Xi Nian, the competition is about to start, and you're still sleeping here?! If you don't want to make it, pack your things and get lost now, you'll save me some trouble!\"\n

\n The man had high, thin cheekbones and a shrewd face, looking difficult to get along with. Xi Nian sat up straight, narrowing his eyes. He found him somewhat familiar. After rummaging through his long and messy memories for a long time, he belatedly recalled that the man in front of him was his manager from when he had just debuted, Sun Ming.\n

\n An unknown nobody had no say, not to mention that Xi Nian at this time could be considered hopelessly obscure. Sun Ming managed five artists, none of whom were particularly famous, just muddling along. Xi Nian was one of them.\n

\n In this season of Star Games, a total of 32 people participated in the men's archery group. In the ranking round, Su Ge was first, and Xi Nian was last. They were assigned to the same group to PK in the elimination round.\n

\n The two were artists from the same entertainment company. If not for the fear of affecting Su Ge's time in the spotlight, Sun Ming probably wouldn't have bothered to care even if Xi Nian missed the competition.\n

\n Xi Nian was thinking about something, but in Sun Ming's eyes, it was disobedience. He raised the newspaper in his hand and slammed it on the edge of the chair, \"Can't you hear me talking to you? Are you deaf or mute? You got lucky this time, kid. Later, during the match with Su Ge, remember to use him to get a few shots...\"\n

\n Before he could finish his words, he was caught off guard by the man's dark eyes, and his voice died away—\n

\n Sun Ming had never seen such a pair of eyes before, dark and churning, hiding countless negative emotions, but upon closer inspection, they were just empty.\n

\n Xi Nian slowly rose from the long bench, his tall figure extremely oppressive. His eyes held a lingering gloom that hadn't dispersed, sending a chill to one's heart.\n

\n Sun Ming unconsciously swallowed and blustered, \"You... why are you staring at me? Hurry up and go warm up!\"\n

\n At this time in his past life, Xi Nian had not yet learned archery, and with an injured wrist, his scores were a mess. He was the only contestant in the men's group to miss the target completely. When the show became a hit, he was treated as a joke by netizens, a world apart from Su Ge, which was quite embarrassing.\n

\n Xi Nian had forgotten the final result. In any case, he was eliminated in the PK round. It took him several years to shake off the label of a pretty-boy artist. Meeting Sun Ming's gaze, he picked up his jacket and turned to leave without a word.\n

\n Su Ge had already finished warming up and was sitting to one side, discussing something in a low voice with the coach. He glanced up inadvertently and saw Xi Nian, but then looked away as if he hadn't seen him, treating him like thin air. There was no mockery or disdain, but it was more piercing than either.\n

\n Xi Nian paid him no mind and walked into the practice room to pick up a recurve bow. He put on his finger tab, wrapped the bow sling, and checked the equipment. He showed no sense of urgency, seeming to have little interest in the upcoming competition.\n

\n Xi Nian tested the draw weight of the bowstring, then took out an arrow. Only then did he draw the bow, nock the arrow, and aim at the distant target, squinting his eyes to adjust his position bit by bit.\n

\n The practice room was quiet, a stark contrast to the clamor outside.\n

\n Time ticked by relentlessly. A slight soreness had already appeared in his arm muscles from the excessive tension. He narrowed his eyes, his fingertips twitched, and he finally released the bowstring—\n

\n \"Whoosh!\"\n

\n With a faint sound of something cutting through the air, the afterimage of the arrow flashed past, shooting straight towards the target with unstoppable momentum, hitting the bullseye dead center. The fletching was still trembling slightly.\n

\n A perfect ten.\n

\n The door to the practice room was ajar, and no one saw this scene. Xi Nian subtly moved his wrist, then put down the bow and arrow, turned, and left, his warm-up complete.\n

\n The competition was about to begin, and the cheers on the field grew more and more enthusiastic. Almost the entire crowd was chanting Su Ge's name. After all, with the first place PK-ing the last place, the result was a foregone conclusion.\n

\n Some meddlesome netizens had already started a thread online, placing bets on who the champion of the second season would be. Su Ge's fans were not to be outdone, voting and boosting his stats everywhere, the thread's replies increasing at a visible rate.\n

\n \"If there are no surprises, the champion of the men's archery this year will be Su Ge. He was in a shooting club in high school, so he's a bit better than the second-place Yu Fan.\"\n

\n \"Su Ge looks so handsome when he shoots an arrow, ahhhhhh! The arrow didn't hit the target, it hit my heart! The Pacific Ocean is the drool I shed for him!!\"\n

\n \"By the way, who is this number nine PK-ing with Su Ge? What's his name? Xi Nian?\"\n

\n \"It's Xi Nian, the only one in the men's group who missed the target. Su Ge competing against him, isn't that like using a cannon to shoot a mosquito? I know stars aren't professional athletes, but can the production team screen the guests next time? He can't even hold the bow steady, did he come here to be a clown?\"\n

","published_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":1987,"novel_id":33,"chapter_no":2,"chapter_title":"The Competition","content":"

\n Stepping on one to praise another was a common tactic in the entertainment circle. Moreover, Su Ge could be considered a popular idol. Because his naturally deep-set features made him look like a mixed-race person, he had successfully broken out of his circle with a set of unedited photos during the preliminaries, gaining a large number of 'girlfriend fans'. His leaderboard data crushed that of other artists from the same period, showing signs of dominating the scene. Similarly, the hype for this elimination round was naturally high, which brought a lot of attention to Xi Nian as well.\n

\n Xi Nian hadn't been in the industry for long and had yet to produce any noteworthy work. He had only guest-starred as the second male lead in a youth film. Most of his fans were casuals, and their loyalty was generally low. Even the fans holding up signs for him in the audience for this competition were from a water army hired by the company. Seven or eight people sat sparsely in a corner, unnoticeable without a careful look.\n

\n With one minute left before the match, Xi Nian was waiting at the entrance. Su Ge, on the other hand, was surrounded by three or four assistants, who were tidying his clothes and touching up his makeup. The comparison made Xi Nian's side seem rather desolate.\n

\n Gan Xuyang, like Xi Nian, was an artist under Sun Ming. Seeing the situation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of shared misfortune. Tossing his eye-catching platinum-blond hair, he leaned over and whispered in Xi Nian's ear, \"What's so good-looking about Su Ge? Are his fans blind? They can't even tell he's had so much work done on his face, yet they go on and on about his 'noble young master' persona all day. It makes me want to puke.\"\n

\n You could say he was being sour, or you could say he was jealous, but it was an undeniable fact.\n

\n Xi Nian rarely paid attention to such idle gossip. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow slightly, grunted an \"en,\" and said nothing.\n

\n Gan Xuyang didn't seem to notice his perfunctory attitude. He peeked outside the arena and pouted, \"Sun Ming is too stingy. Would it kill him to hire a few more people for the water army? No, I have to call my parents tomorrow and have them come over. That'll look more impressive!\"\n

\n His dozen or so fake fans from the water army were scattered around the audience, drowned in Su Ge's sea of blue support banners, looking even more pathetic than Xi Nian's.\n

\n Xi Nian crossed his arms and glanced at him. \"No need.\"\n

\n Gan Xuyang was dumbfounded. \"Why?\"\n

\n Xi Nian didn't speak. He turned and walked away, letting him figure it out himself.\n

\n Today was the elimination round. As the third from the bottom in the men's group, Gan Xuyang was up against the third from the top, Meng Qianlin. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be eliminated by the afternoon. There was no need to drag his parents over, unless he could turn the tables against all odds—\n

\n But Xi Nian felt the chances were almost zero, just as netizens didn't believe he could beat Su Ge.\n

\n When the competition began, Xi Nian and Su Ge walked to the center of the arena together and stood in their respective positions. For some reason, the latter suddenly shed his arrogant demeanor from backstage and, under the watchful eyes of the public, smiled and patted Xi Nian's shoulder. \"Good luck!\"\n

\n Xi Nian was not only sharp-tongued but also had a terrible temper. Otherwise, he wouldn't have struggled for so long without becoming famous despite his decent acting skills. If it hadn't been for Lu Xingzhe paving the way for him later, he probably would have been lost in the crowd for his entire life.\n

\n Some things couldn't be changed just by being reborn.\n

\n Faced with Su Ge's posturing, Xi Nian didn't even look at him, continuing to lower his head and check his bow and arrows without any response.\n

\n The camera zoomed in, capturing this exact moment.\n

\n Half of the front-row seats in the audience had been privately distributed by the organizers to major news media outlets. Reporters, holding long and short lenses, scanned the arena with eagle eyes, not letting go of any shot that could create a hot topic. Without even looking, Xi Nian could guess what kind of headlines would appear tomorrow.\n

\n #18th-Tier Male Star Is Arrogant, Su Ge's Pre-match Encouragement Brutally Ignored#\n

\n #Su Ge's Strength Crushes Opponent, Who Is Suspected of Holding a Grudge and Maintains a Cold Face Throughout#\n

\n No matter which headline appeared, Xi Nian would definitely be torn to shreds by Su Ge's fans, but he didn't care.\n

\n It couldn't be any worse than his previous life.\n

\n Being ignored by him, Su Ge's expression changed imperceptibly. But as if remembering something, he smiled warmly again. At the referee's signal, he picked up his bow and arrows. When his handsome face was projected onto the big screen, the arena was filled with the screams of his fans, at one point drowning out the commentator's voice.\n

\n \"Go, Su Ge!! Mommy loves you, ahhhhh!\"\n

\n \"Susu, fly boldly, Gezi will follow you forever!\"\n

\n \"You're the best! Bring home a championship!\"\n

\n In the elimination round, each person shot a total of twelve arrows in four sets of three. They shot alternately in a one-on-one format, and the winner would advance to the next round. Su Ge was clearly proficient in this sport. With his legs apart, he began to nock his arrow and aim at the target. At the twelfth second of the countdown, he released his hand—\n

\n \"Swoosh!\"\n

\n The black arrow shaft flashed by, shooting straight towards the target ahead, and finally landed in the red nine-point ring. This was undoubtedly a great start. Thunderous applause immediately erupted around them, surging like a tide and making one's ears go numb.\n

\n Su Ge glanced at Xi Nian with a half-smile, his eyes holding a contempt that only he understood.\n

\n When it was Xi Nian's turn, the applause gradually died down, replaced by a wave of boos from the audience. It was clear that everyone still remembered his disastrous performance from last time. Faced with such a situation, anyone would have been embarrassed, but Xi Nian still chose to ignore it.\n

\n He stood on the shooting line, nocked an arrow, drew the bow slowly, and in the instant he narrowed his eyes to aim at the target, his aura underwent a seismic shift. Unlike Su Ge's superficial youthfulness and warmth, there was something more captivating about him, yet it was hard to define what it was. It was like a wildfire wrapped in cold ice, contradictory and complex.\n

\n His features were cold, his expression untamed. When Xi Nian's side profile was projected onto the big screen, some who met his sharp gaze felt their breath catch for a moment.\n

\n There was a thirty-second preparation time for each arrow.\n

\n At the twentieth second, Xi Nian hadn't moved. The audience had already begun to whisper among themselves.\n

\n \"What's he doing, still not shooting.\"\n

\n \"Maybe he's worried he'll miss the target.\"\n

\n \"I really don't know what he has to be so arrogant about. He completely ignored Su Ge's greeting just now. Isn't he just jealous that Su Ge is stronger than him?\"\n

\n At the twenty-third second, Xi Nian finally made a move. He slightly lowered his aiming point, and at the same time, the three fingers of his right hand holding the string quickly relaxed. The long arrow shot out with a soft whoosh, heading forward—\n

\n With a dull thud, the thirty-second timer ended right on time.\n

\n The audience sitting closer followed the arrow's path and saw an arrow in the inner circle of the ten-point ring in the very center of the target, its tail still trembling slightly.\n

\n Some people were sitting far away and couldn't see the target clearly, but they heard it when the score was announced over the broadcast: \"Number nine, Xi Nian, first arrow, ten points.\"\n

\n Upon hearing this, everyone's first reaction was that it was impossible. Even putting aside Xi Nian's previous misses, his scores in the last ranking match had hovered between five and six points. How could he possibly hit a ten-point ring in one shot, and the inner circle at that?\n

\n At this moment, only one reason could explain this: Xi Nian got lucky.\n

\n Su Ge obviously thought so too. He pouted slightly where the camera couldn't see and began to shoot his second arrow at the referee's signal. However, perhaps he was too eager to win, his aiming point shifted too much, and this time he only managed to graze the edge of the eight-point ring.\n

\n The broadcast announced the score: \"Number three, Su Ge, second arrow, eight points.\"\n

\n Hearing this, Su Ge's hand holding the bow slowly dropped to his side, his expression a little unnatural, even though his fans were still cheering for him enthusiastically.\n

\n When it was Xi Nian's turn, scattered applause sounded from the surrounding area. The number of people paying attention to him was clearly greater than in the previous round, but their gazes were mostly scrutinizing, wanting to see if his previous ten-point shot was just a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.\n

\n Xi Nian was inherently competitive, whether it was in acting or anything else. Even for this competition that had made him a laughingstock in his past life, he had to polish every detail to perfection, leaving no room for criticism.\n

\n He probably never expected that the archery he had learned out of a desire to win in his past life would one day be useful.\n

\n Xi Nian drew his bow and nocked an arrow. This time, he only took fifteen seconds. Under the gaze of countless pairs of eyes in the arena, the black-shafted arrow with a white fletching shot out with a swoosh, once again hitting the ten-point inner circle without deviation. The shift in his aiming point compared to the first time was completely negligible.\n

\n The broadcast automatically announced the score: \"Number nine, Xi Nian, second arrow, ten points.\"\n

\n \"Whoa—\"\n

\n Before the words had even faded, the crowd exchanged glances. The first time could be called dumb luck, but the second time couldn't possibly be luck again, right? What kind of miracle drug did Xi Nian take? It had only been a few days since the last ranking match; this improvement was too ridiculously fast!\n

\n Some people still stubbornly attributed it to luck.\n

\n \"Tsk, his luck is way too good, two ten-point shots in a row.\"\n

\n Others who couldn't stand Su Ge's fans retorted, \"Why is it luck? Can't it be skill? Is it so hard to admit that someone is better than Su Ge?\"\n

\n \"Hah, that's hilarious. There are twelve arrows in total, and Su Ge has only shot two. The match isn't even a quarter over. On what basis do you say Xi Nian is better than him?\"\n

\n When the entertainment circle started to tear into each other, the force was no less than a battlefield filled with gunpowder smoke. Su Ge had no mind to care about the discussions in the stands. He continued to draw his third arrow. Although his face was calm, he was faintly unsettled, clearly puzzled by Xi Nian's rapid progress.\n

\n This time, Su Ge concentrated, extremely serious, and only released the arrow at the twenty-seventh second. As if he had gotten his feel back, it hit the ten-point ring with a swoosh.\n

\n When the score was announced, he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief and glanced at Xi Nian. This time, there was no disdain in his eyes, but the wariness of facing a formidable enemy.\n

\n Su Ge's fans, however, did not notice their idol's tension. They only felt that this ten-point shot had reclaimed their home-field advantage, and continued to scream and applaud: \"Go, Su Ge!!! The champion is definitely yours!!\"\n

\n Compared to Su Ge's unease, with his back damp with sweat, Xi Nian appeared far too calm. His expression hadn't changed from beginning to end. He simply drew his bow at the referee's signal. Dressed in his sportswear, the smooth lines of his muscles were faintly visible, revealing truly broad shoulders and a narrow waist.\n

\n Meanwhile, the half-hearted fake fans from the water army who were originally sitting in the audience had somehow become interested. They all sat up straight, vigorously shaking the 'Xi' character light signs in their hands, and cheered him on with great dedication: \"Go, Xi Nian! Hit another ten!! Go, ahhhhhh!\"\n

\n Their voices were quickly drowned in the noise. Su Ge's fans heard them and shot them a scornful glance, almost laughing out loud, thinking to themselves, 'Do they really think Xi Nian is an Olympic champion?'\n

\n Even an Olympic champion couldn't guarantee hitting a ten with every arrow, so who the hell did Xi Nian think he was?\n

\n However, before they could voice their thoughts, the man on the field quickly shot his third arrow. As always, it carried an unstoppable momentum. Before Su Ge's fans could even see the target clearly, the familiar broadcast voice sounded in their ears.\n

\n \"Number nine, Xi Nian, third arrow, ten points.\"\n

","published_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":false,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":1988,"novel_id":33,"chapter_no":3,"chapter_title":"Victory","content":"

\n If Su Ge was the big favorite to win this year, then Xi Nian was the absolute dark horse. Netizens might have bet on the second-place Yu Fan, or the third-place Meng Qianlin, or even the fourth or fifth place, but Xi Nian was definitely not among them.\n

\n Su Ge's fans had already fantasized about their idol dominating the competition, but unexpectedly, a dark horse emerged and caught them off guard. Although there were still three rounds of competition left, and it wasn't impossible to turn the tables, it seemed a bit... iffy?\n

\n Ever since the Star Games began, there had never been an instance of the first-place contestant being defeated by the last-place one. If word of this got out, it would absolutely become a huge joke.\n

\n Some audience members had already started whispering and asking about Xi Nian: \"Why haven't I seen him before? Is he a newly debuted rookie?\"\n

\n \"He's so handsome, sniff sniff!! That waist, those legs, I'm dead!! Sisters, are you fans of Xi Nian? Is there a group? Add me!!!\"\n

\n Perhaps sensing that this competition would generate a lot of buzz, even the camera turned to give Xi Nian's fans a shot.\n

\n The few paid posters Sun Ming had hired for two hundred yuan to act as fake fans: \"...\"\n

\n Damn it, they were just here to slack off and fill the seats. Was this part of the job too??!\n

\n What was this sudden feeling of being overwhelmingly flattered...\n

\n Under the surrounding fervent gazes, the few paid posters braced themselves and raised their light-up support signs, feeling like they were facing the biggest challenge of their professional careers. As for those who wanted to join a fan group or asked for the group number, they could only look around and pretend not to hear.\n

\n To hell with it, how would they know what Xi Nian's fan group was!!\n

\n Su Ge's fans kept repeating the word 'calm' in their hearts. The competition wasn't over yet, so it was too early to say anything. Maybe this Xi Nian fellow just had a stroke of shit luck. They'd see what happened in the second half.\n

\n Strictly speaking, Su Ge's score wasn't bad. He had also hit a ten in the end. It wouldn't be hard to catch up. The decisive point still lay in the next three rounds.\n

\n Xi Nian's right hand had been injured a few days ago, and a dull ache was now faintly radiating from it. During the few seconds of rest, his gaze inadvertently swept across the audience. When he caught sight of a young man in a hoodie sitting in the corner, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes—\n

\n Lu Xingzhe...\n

\n Right, how could he be absent from an occasion where so many stars were gathered.\n

\n The other person was wearing a black baseball cap, the upper half of his face hidden in the shadow of the brim, making his expression unreadable. Only his high-bridged nose and well-defined lips were visible. He sat in his seat, fiddling with his camera. He probably didn't find any shot he wanted, so he finally crossed his arms and casually cast his gaze towards the center of the arena—\n

\n The second round of competition had already begun in the archery area.\n

\n The hot topics of this season's Star Games were none other than Shen Xilin and Su Ge. If one were looking for a bombshell, it would naturally have to be found with them. Unfortunately, the protective measures of Shen Xilin's management team were too tight, making it basically impossible to find any fault. Therefore, the paparazzi and media were more willing to target the latter.\n

\n 'Lu Xingzhe really lived up to his identity as a paparazzi. He still liked to stay in unnoticed corners, just like in his previous life, never letting the camera leave his hands. Whichever star was targeted by his lens was ninety-nine percent certain to face a great disaster.'\n

\n Su Ge was actually already a little uneasy, feeling that something was vaguely slipping out of his control. But at the referee's signal, he could only continue to compete against Xi Nian in the second round.\n

\n There wasn't much rest time between rounds. As the matches progressed, his arm muscles grew sore and numb, his strength gradually faded, and his accuracy would also decline. Su Ge's results in the second round were clearly not as ideal as the first, hitting an eight, a nine, and an eight respectively.\n

\n As for Xi Nian, his aim seemed to always be focused on the same spot.\n

\n Ten points,\n

\n Still ten points.\n

\n Those hands were unbelievably steady. Even the referee glanced over several times. The sounds of gasps or sighs from the audience didn't seem to affect Xi Nian at all. He was clearly in his twenties, a prime age, yet he possessed the composure and restraint of a thirty-year-old. There wasn't a hint of the rashness or recklessness of adolescence on him. It was utterly contradictory, yet it held a fatal attraction.\n

\n This man is kind of interesting.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe looked at the obscure little star next to Su Ge and curled his lips. This slightly playful thought unconsciously popped into his mind, but it dissipated in an instant.\n

\n No matter how vibrant and bright a person was, once they entered the great dyeing vat of the entertainment circle, they would invariably become mediocre and vulgar in the end. No one was an exception.\n

\n The gap between Su Ge and Xi Nian's scores had gradually widened. Anyone with eyes could see that if things continued this way, he was bound to lose. Su Ge's agent paced back and forth anxiously off-stage, clearly also caught off guard. He already couldn't imagine what kind of storm would be stirred up after the show aired.\n

\n Su Ge was young, after all. Under such high pressure, his back was already drenched in sweat. He avoided the camera and discreetly gave Xi Nian a slightly dark, warning look, moving his lips silently: \"You'd better not show off in front of me. Consider the consequences...\"\n

\n So what if Xi Nian won this competition? Su Ge was someone the company had spent a great deal of resources and energy to promote. His popularity and seniority were there for all to see. They would never take the risk of promoting Xi Nian just because his momentum had slightly improved.\n

\n Cultivating a newcomer not only involved taking certain risks, but it was also too time-consuming.\n

\n It was unclear if Sun Ming had received a call from the higher-ups, but his originally cheerful expression instantly turned vexed and annoyed. He stood in the shadows and made a gesture at Xi Nian, first making a ten, then frowning and shaking his head. The meaning was clear.\n

\n Don't shoot any more tens.\n

\n The company's upper management didn't want him to overshadow Su Ge, or at least not overshadow him too much.\n

\n Xi Nian looked at Sun Ming, his gaze momentarily scornful. The latter, perhaps sensing his mood, repeated the gesture with a warning in his eyes. This time, his frown was deeper, leaving no room for refusal.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had sharp eyes. He inadvertently noticed this scene and thoughtfully raised his camera, pressing the shutter.\n

\n Meanwhile, the cheers on the field grew louder and more enthusiastic.\n

\n \"Xi Nian! Go! Xi Nian! Go!\"\n

\n \"Ten points, ten points!\"\n

\n \"Hit another ten! A perfect score!\"\n

\n Su Ge felt disdain upon hearing this but didn't let it show. The third round had already begun. He forced himself to calm down, his eyes fixed on the inner circle of the ten-point ring ahead. Then he drew his bow and aimed. The desire to surpass Xi Nian grew stronger in his heart, but unfortunately, he still only hit an eight.\n

\n There were some boos from the audience, but not many. His fans were still cheering for him, a testament to his popularity.\n

\n When it was Xi Nian's turn to draw his bow, everyone's eyes were on him. But for some reason, he didn't shoot his arrow as swiftly and decisively as before. Instead, he aimed at the target for a few seconds, then slowly lowered his bow.\n

\n It wasn't just because of Sun Ming frantically gesturing at him from off-stage, but also because of the faint tearing pain coming from the ligaments in his wrist.\n

\n It wasn't impossible to hit another ten, but Xi Nian's contract with the management company hadn't expired yet. If he went against their wishes this time, he would likely be shelved later on. This was undoubtedly a fatal blow for an artist on the rise.\n

\n In that brief moment, Xi Nian seemed to have weighed the pros and cons. He glanced at Sun Ming expressionlessly, then drew his bow again. The muscles in his arm tensed once more, his aim subtly shifting between the ten and nine-point rings.\n

\n Perhaps his pause for a few seconds had given something away, or perhaps his motion of drawing the bow this time wasn't as powerful as before, but Su Ge's fans began to whisper among themselves.\n

\n \"Why isn't he shooting?\"\n

\n \"He's probably running out of strength. I saw his hand tremble on the big screen just now. What's the use of showing off earlier? He's not as steady as Su Ge.\"\n

\n \"Does he really think he can hit a ten every time? What a daydream.\"\n

\n The distant and nearby murmurs drifted over, the words somewhat blurred and indistinct. Xi Nian's fingertips twitched slightly, and he finally released the bowstring. With a muffled 'whoosh', another arrow appeared in the yellow ring area of the target—\n

\n But it wasn't a ten, it was a nine.\n

\n The announcer's voice clearly reached everyone's ears: \"Number nine, Xi Nian, first arrow of the third round, nine points.\"\n

\n Before the voice had faded, those who had been hoping for him to hit a ten looked at each other, unable to hide their disappointment. In contrast, Su Ge's fans let out a sigh of relief as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.\n

\n \"I told you, Xi Nian must have just been lucky. How could he hit a ten every time.\"\n

\n \"I have to laugh. Is nine points that bad? It seems Su Ge only hit an eight, right? Xi Nian isn't a professional archer; this result is already very good.\"\n

\n \"Xi Nian got nine points this time, maybe next time it'll be seven. Although Su Ge's scores aren't that high, his performance has been very stable. There's still hope for him to win the championship.\"\n

\n Xi Nian's paid fake fans: \"...\"\n

\n Damn it, I'll just sit here and watch you spout your serious-sounding nonsense!\n

\n The fans of both sides were at daggers drawn, and the smell of gunpowder began to spread silently, even affecting the atmosphere between the idols themselves. After Xi Nian hit a nine, Su Ge visibly relaxed. His next shot was consequently less tense, but the continuous drain on his stamina made it difficult for him to even maintain his previous scores.\n

\n \"Whoosh!\"\n

\n The announcer automatically reported the score: \"Number one, Su Ge, second arrow of the third round, seven points.\"\n

\n Xi Nian glanced at him, then looked away and drew his bowstring. This time, he only took five seconds from aiming to shooting. After the muffled sound, the arrow landed squarely on the eight-point ring. For some reason, his attitude gave Su Ge a feeling of perfunctoriness.\n

\n Apparently, he wasn't the only one with this misconception. In the following few rounds, the scores of the two were truly subtle. At first, Su Ge's fans were happy about Xi Nian's decline, but as they watched, they suddenly fell silent.\n

\n If Su Ge hit a seven, Xi Nian would hit an eight.\n

\n If Su Ge hit an eight, Xi Nian would hit a nine.\n

\n Even on the final arrow, when Su Ge rarely performed above his level and hit a nine, Xi Nian immediately followed with a ten. Once or twice could be called a coincidence, but it couldn't be so coincidental every single time, always beating Su Ge by exactly one point, could it??\n

\n Xi Nian was controlling his score...\n

\n Everyone looked at the grim-faced man in the arena, and this absurd thought suddenly popped into their minds.\n

\n The competition ended in such a thrilling yet suspense-free manner. Xi Nian, who had been last in the ranking match, had completely defeated Su Ge with an absolute, overwhelming advantage. This was an event that had never happened since the show began.\n

\n When the referee announced the results, the media all turned their cameras over. The dense flashes of light were so blinding one couldn't open their eyes. Su Ge's face turned a little pale, and he could no longer maintain his composure.\n

\n No matter how foolish Xi Nian was, he wouldn't show any smugness at a time like this. He simply put down the heavy recurve bow, took off the protective gear from his hand, and his gaze swept over the packed audience, just in time to catch a glimpse of Lu Xingzhe's departing back—\n

\n The other person's steps were light as he turned sideways to avoid the crowd, quickly disappearing from sight.\n

\n Xi Nian raised an eyebrow slightly, belatedly recalling that Lu Xingzhe's leg wasn't lame from birth. He had been injured when staking out a famous male star having a tryst with his mistress in a car, and the other party, out of shame and anger, had hit him with his car.\n

\n He vaguely remembered that in his past life, the other man had also once leaned lazily against a table, smoking. Amidst the curling smoke, he had casually joked about his own crippled leg: \"I sold the photos for one hundred and fifty thousand. Tsk, if I'd known I was going to lose a leg over it, I should've quoted a higher price.\"\n

\n A foul paparazzi, with not a shred of warmth in his eyes, only cold, hard profit.\n

\n In a way, he and Xi Nian were the same kind of person.\n

\n And those of the same kind should stick together, helping each other out. Lu Xingzhe was a double-edged sword for Xi Nian. Used well, he could clear all obstacles; used poorly, he would hurt others and himself, just like in the last life.\n

\n 'Then what about this life?' Xi Nian thought to himself.\n

\n Although that stinking paparazzi Lu Xingzhe was as hard to get rid of as a persistent ulcer, it had to be said that he also brought a lot of convenience. After all, not everyone knew all the dirt on every star in the entertainment circle in such detail. And at this moment, Xi Nian was still tempted by this double-edged sword.\n

\n It was unclear if it had detected his thoughts, but a blue ball of light suddenly floated up.\n

\n [Ding! Dangerous thoughts have been detected in the host. Please dispel them immediately. If the regulations of the Interstellar Reformation Manual are violated, an electric shock punishment will be administered. Life is precious, please cherish it. We must turn over a new leaf and become a new person!]\n

","published_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2025-08-13T00:00:00.000Z"},{"content_id":1989,"novel_id":33,"chapter_no":4,"chapter_title":"His Helpless Past","content":"

\n The System had said such things if not ten times, then at least eight, but Xi Nian clearly didn't take it to heart, turning a deaf ear. He avoided the swarming reporters, returned backstage to change his clothes, and prepared to leave.\n

\n Sun Ming, who had been following him the whole way, saw this and quickly blocked his path. “Hey, hey, hey, where are you going? So many reporters are waiting for you outside. You should at least go out and show your face.”\n

\n Xi Nian was in a black tracksuit, a travel bag slung over his left shoulder. He reached up and pulled the zipper to his chin, covering most of his face, showing no intention whatsoever of being interviewed. “Not going.”\n

\n With both hands in his trouser pockets, where no one could see, his fingertips began to twitch slightly, uncontrollably, but he suppressed it by clenching his fists.\n

\n Hearing this, Sun Ming adjusted his glasses, his brow deeply furrowed and his voice tinged with annoyance. “You stole Su Ge's thunder this time, and this matter won't be easy to resolve. His contract with the company is up, and the executives are all trying to get him to renew. If he comes to resent you and uses this as leverage, just think about the consequences for yourself!”\n

\n The relationship between a manager and an artist is one of mutual benefit; they prosper together and suffer together. It was a good thing for Sun Ming that Xi Nian could stand out, but this kind of “spotlight” was clearly not what the company's executives wanted to see.\n

\n An already popular idol versus a newcomer with an uncertain future—even a fool would know which to choose.\n

\n Xi Nian, however, simply said, “Let them.”\n

\n Shanxing Entertainment was clearly not a good choice. Its contract terms were too harsh, and it was in lawsuits with many of its own artists. Its reputation was getting worse, and its influence was declining. He had no intention of staying with them long-term.\n

\n Sun Ming, still unaware of his thoughts, said, “Did you get your head caught in a door?! It's just a small competition; losing to Su Ge is no big deal. There will be plenty of opportunities later. Now that you've outshone him, his fans will tear you to shreds on Weibo tomorrow. You're simply absurd!”\n

\n He couldn't stand Xi Nian's nonchalant and impervious demeanor. His chest heaved, and after a cold sneer, he turned and left in a huff.\n

\n It wasn't as if Xi Nian would chase after him. He simply glanced down at his right hand; the area around his wrist was visibly swollen. He nonchalantly pulled down his sleeve, intending to go to the hospital, but then he suddenly remembered that he had left his phone in a locker in the lounge and turned back.\n

\n The lounge was empty.\n

\n Xi Nian took his phone from the locker. The screen clearly displayed the time, glowing faintly for a moment before turning dark again.\n

\n The 26th.\n

\n He vaguely remembered that at this time in his past life, the next morning's Weibo headlines were completely dominated by a famous male star's cheating scandal, which caused a huge stir. And the mastermind behind it all was Lu Xingzhe.\n

\n So, by a rough calculation, that stinking paparazzo's leg was probably injured tonight?\n

\n Xi Nian propped one hand against the locker door, lost in thought. A moment later, he pursed his lips. System 009, observing in secret, felt like he was gloating, but a closer look suggested otherwise.\n

\n “Congratulations on first place.”\n

\n Just as Xi Nian was lost in thought, a sarcastic voice suddenly sounded from behind him. He turned to see it was Su Ge and raised an eyebrow slightly, knowing the other man was looking for trouble.\n

\n Su Ge had just been surrounded and interrogated by those reporters for what felt like an eternity, and his expression was as foul as could be. He walked to the water cooler for a cup of water, anger flaring up inside him. Seeing Xi Nian’s dismissive look, he asked coldly, “Feeling pleased with yourself?”\n

\n In his past life, Xi Nian had spent many years muddling through the entertainment circle. Su Ge's petty verbal provocations were like a children's game to him, and he wasn't even in the mood to feign a response. Hearing him, Xi Nian sidestepped him and headed straight for the door.\n

\n No vicious words could be more insulting than this kind of disregard.\n

\n Su Ge was already furious from the loss of face. He could have made it to the finals but was eliminated in the preliminary round, losing out on a lot of exposure. Seeing Xi Nian leave, he stepped forward to block his path. “Leaving so early? Aren’t you going to stay and watch the rest of the competition?”\n

\n He was holding a cup filled with boiling hot water. As he spoke, whether intentionally or not, he suddenly seemed to trip. His body tilted and he stumbled straight toward Xi Nian, simultaneously letting out a deliberate cry of alarm—\n

\n “Watch out!”\n

\n The scalding water instantly poured down. Xi Nian reacted and quickly moved back, but a dark glint flashed in Su Ge’s eyes. He deliberately grabbed Xi Nian’s arm, holding him in place. Then, just as he'd hoped, he saw a large patch of Xi Nian's sleeve become instantly soaked as hot water dripped from his wrist and trickled across the tiled floor—\n

\n The exposed back of Xi Nian's hand visibly reddened and even began to blister.\n

\n Seeing this, Su Ge secretly curled his lips. He stood up straight, finally releasing him. Glancing at the empty paper cup in his hand, he gave an insincere shrug and said, “Sorry, I lost my footing just now.”\n

\n With that, he crumpled the empty paper cup and casually tossed it into the trash, saying sarcastically, “Don't forget the competition the day after tomorrow. Be sure to come back with first place.”\n

\n Faced with something like this, the victim could either choose to forgive or make it public. Unfortunately, Xi Nian couldn't do the former, and as for the latter, no one would believe him if the story got out.\n

\n The lounge door was ajar. Just as Su Ge was about to leave, a great force suddenly struck him from behind. He was kicked to the ground and couldn't get up for a long moment. The force of him falling forward slammed the door shut with a click.\n

\n Xi Nian stood behind him. Expressionlessly, he zipped down his jacket, took off the garment soaked with hot water, and tossed it onto a long bench. Then, he bent down, grabbed Su Ge by the collar, and hauled him up from the floor, saying in a low voice, “You know, competing or not doesn't really matter. Friendship first, competition second.”\n

\n As he spoke, the smile on his lips grew, but it only made one's blood run cold. Xi Nian completely ignored his injured right hand, forcefully gripping Su Ge's neck and dragging him like a dead dog toward the water cooler. Seeing the green light on the machine, he said, “Tsk, so there’s still hot water.”\n

\n Su Ge wasn't as strong as him. He struggled until his face was red and his neck was strained. Hearing Xi Nian's words, he seemed to realize what was about to happen. His pupils dilated in an instant as he thrashed his legs wildly. “You're crazy! Let me go right now!!”\n

\n The sun of June or July was blazing, its light spilling freely through the glass, yet it could not dispel the gloom surrounding Xi Nian. The System appeared at that moment, materializing with a “ding.”\n

\n 【Warning! Warning! Dangerous behavior detected from the Host. You have violated the reformation regulations. Please cease immediately!】\n

\n Xi Nian turned a deaf ear. He freed one hand to grab a cup and began filling it with hot water, as if he intended to scald Su Ge's head. Seeing this, Su Ge was scared out of his wits. His calls for help turned to begging, and he wailed tearfully, “Xi Nian! I was wrong, I was wrong! I’m begging you, please spare me!!”\n

\n When the System saw that Xi Nian’s movements hadn’t paused in the slightest, it had no choice but to intensify its warning. Its blue light turned to a flashing red: 【Host, please cease your current actions. Otherwise, this footage will be uploaded to Interstellar headquarters. If you are judged to be in violation, you will lose your chance at rebirth.】\n

\n After the System spoke, everything suddenly froze as if someone had hit a pause button, abruptly fixed in place. Then, time rapidly rewound. The jacket on the bench was suddenly back on Xi Nian, and the paper cup in the trash can was drawn by some unknown force back into Su Ge’s hand.\n

\n They had returned to a minute ago, just as the fight was beginning.\n

\n On the floor was a trickling puddle of water, still faintly steaming.\n

\n Xi Nian felt as if his entire body was fixed in place, unable to move. Scalding hot water dripped from his right sleeve.\n

\n He watched as Su Ge stood before him, crumpled the paper cup, and tossed it into the trash. His actions were identical to a minute ago, even his tone of voice was unchanged as he said with a derisive sneer, “Don't forget the competition the day after tomorrow. Be sure to come back with first place.”\n

\n After speaking, he brushed the dust from his cuffs and turned to leave.\n

\n Xi Nian's eyes were cold. He still wanted to smash the guy's damn head in, but his limbs were stiff, and his strength had vanished without a trace, making it impossible to even take a step.\n

\n Knowing this was the System's doing, Xi Nian gave up struggling. He squinted at the blue sphere of light floating in mid-air and said, in a tone that could be either praise or sarcasm, “Your timing is truly impeccable.”\n

\n The System’s jelly-like blue body quivered, looking incredibly soft. Its voice, laced with the crackle of static, came out intermittently: 【Host, let this be the last time. Don't go down the wrong path…】\n

\n In this life, one cannot afford to walk down the wrong path.\n

\n There's no such thing as a perfect secret; paper can't contain a fire. The wrong turns you take and the mistakes you make now will one day be exposed for all to see.\n

\n There were surveillance cameras in the lounge. Xi Nian clearly had countless, more prudent ways to respond, yet he chose the most radical one. In punishing the perpetrator, he would have also dragged himself into the mire.\n

\n Xi Nian was unappreciative. He wasn't a good person to begin with. He said slowly, word by word, “Mind your own business.”\n

\n After saying that, he went to the sink to rinse the back of his reddened hand with cold water. Only then did he sling his bag over his shoulder, leave the sports arena, and drive to the hospital.\n

\n The profession of a paparazzo was always a vile and despised one. Combined with the fleeting nature of scandals, the moment a target appeared, they would swarm like hyenas that had smelled blood. And Lu Xingzhe was undoubtedly a “standout” among them.\n

\n At twelve midnight, the city had fallen silent. Linglong Bay was a high-end, quiet residential area. At this hour, not even a pedestrian could be seen, only the occasional car speeding by with a roar before vanishing back into the darkness.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had been staking out the place from the shade of the trees for eight hours. His camera was aimed at the residential complex's gate, patiently waiting for the target to appear, not letting a single clue slip by. But his client on the other end of the line seemed anxious, calling one time after another, constantly rushing him.\n

\n The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to a woman. After a burst of noise, it abruptly went quiet. “When can you get me what I want? He’s flying to America tomorrow for a shoot. It won’t be so easy to catch him meeting secretly with that vixen again.”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe chewed on a piece of gum. The swaying tree shadows cast a dark pattern on his shoulder. He reached up and pressed down the brim of his cap. His voice was like ice cubes clinking against the rim of a glass, tinged with a cool indifference. “Mrs. Jian, what’s the rush?”\n

\n The woman, addressed as Mrs. Jian, was furious. “He’s divorcing me next week! How can I not be anxious?!”\n

\n The smile in Lu Xingzhe’s eyes remained. “You can either wait, or you can find someone else.”\n

\n “You—”\n

\n The woman choked on her words, the full force of her complaints immediately stifled by his sentence.\n

\n Although Lu Xingzhe had a foul reputation, nine out of ten of his exposés were true, and his information network was the most extensive. He just never showed his face, so very few people knew what he looked like. It had taken her a great deal of effort to contact him this time.\n

\n Mrs. Jian unconsciously tightened her grip on her phone, but she managed to suppress her anger. She did her best to soften her tone, speaking through clenched teeth, “I want evidence of his affair by eight tomorrow morning at the latest.”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe only replied with three words: “Wait for news.”\n

\n Then he ended the call.\n

\n Time passed drop by drop. In the hazy night, a man and a woman behaving intimately appeared at the gate of the residential complex, looking like a couple. The man was tall and slender, bundled up so tightly that not even his face was visible. He had his arm around a graceful, long-haired woman as they walked toward a black sports car parked by the road.\n

\n The angle from the shade of the trees couldn't capture the man's face; Lu Xingzhe adjusted his position but could only get a blurry shot of his back. He shifted his numb legs, thinking to himself that Jian Yihong, who always looked so proper on television, was actually an old fox behind the scenes, wrapping himself up so thoroughly for a late-night outing.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe glanced around, then hid his camera in the shoulder bag he carried. He pulled his cap down low and walked out, pretending to be looking at his phone, appearing at a glance like an ordinary passerby.\n

\n As he got closer, he could faintly hear the man and woman talking.\n

\n “When are you going to divorce that old hag?”\n

\n “Soon. Be good. I’m flying to America to film tomorrow, so I might not be back for a few months. Take care of yourself.”\n

\n “I can come visit you…”\n

\n “No, we’ll be photographed by reporters…”\n

\n Seeing them get into the car, Lu Xingzhe took a few steps back, concealing himself in the shadows. He then raised his camera and aimed it at the couple, who were now kissing passionately inside the car, and snapped a photo. Under the streetlight, the lens flashed with an imperceptible glint of white light.\n

\n Artists are often sensitive to cameras, especially when they're doing something they shouldn't. The fact that Jian Yihong had survived in the entertainment circle for so long, setting aside his “veteran cadre” persona, was inseparable from his shrewdness. The corner of his eye sharply caught the flash of the lens. He subconsciously looked out the car window, his face completely exposed—\n

\n Seeing his chance, Lu Xingzhe no longer bothered to hide, directly raising his camera and firing off a series of shots. Jian Yihong immediately realized something was wrong. As a reflex, he pushed the woman in his arms away and said in a low, angry voice, “There are reporters!”\n

\n He immediately covered his face with his collar and slammed his foot on the gas pedal to get away. In his panic, he accelerated to top speed, but unable to see clearly in the dark, he drove straight toward Lu Xingzhe.\n

\n Bang—\n

\n Seeing the car hurtling toward him, Lu Xingzhe’s pupils constricted. He quickly dodged to the side, but he was a step too slow. The front of the car slammed violently into his left leg, and the force sent him tumbling to the side of the road. Jian Yihong, seeing this, didn't hesitate for a second, flooring the gas pedal and speeding away.\n

\n As the sound of the engine faded, the surrounding road fell back into silence.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe was dazed from the impact and only came to his senses after a long moment. He struggled to get up from the ground, ignoring the sharp pain in his left leg to first check the camera in his hand. He was relieved to find that the photos he had just taken were safe.\n

\n Being a paparazzo wasn't an easy job; scrapes and bruises were common. Lu Xingzhe glanced in the direction Jian Yihong had fled, then stuffed the camera into his backpack. He used a tree trunk by the road to stagger to his feet, breathing heavily to ease the pain coursing through his body. After a moment, he actually chuckled.\n

\n Well now, he most disliked settling scores with people on death's door…\n

\n He hoped the other party would continue to be so reckless tomorrow.\n

\n He used the last of his phone's battery to send a message to his client, then picked up the baseball cap from the ground, dusted it off, and tried to limp away. But just as he took a step, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his knee, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.\n

\n “Ugh…”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had always been good at enduring pain, but this time a muffled groan escaped his lips, his face pale. It was clear the pain was extreme. He clutched his leg, unable to get up from the ground for a long time as his back gradually became soaked with cold sweat.\n

\n Damn it.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe closed his eyes and cursed under his breath, taking a ragged gasp of air. He fumbled to touch his knee, and his palm came away with something wet and sticky, like blood. Unfortunately, the night was too dark to make out the color of the liquid.\n

\n Not far away, a white car was parked quietly by the roadside. Xi Nian sat in the driver's seat, arms crossed, leaning against the backrest with his eyes faintly closed. Through the windshield, which was dimly illuminated by the streetlights, he could vaguely see Lu Xingzhe get up from the ground and then limp forward.\n

\n He would take two steps, then pause with difficulty.\n

\n A few more steps, and he would lose his balance and fall heavily to the ground again.\n

\n It took him a full five minutes to cover a short distance of a dozen meters, and he fell a countless number of times.\n

\n Xi Nian sat in the car, motionless the entire time. Perhaps he wanted to see how Lu Xingzhe would get back, or perhaps he wanted to watch him make a fool of himself. Several times, the System thought he would get out of the car to help, but Xi Nian just adjusted his posture and continued to observe the situation.\n

\n He was like an audience member, using the windshield as a screen, watching the drama unfold with calm detachment, while Lu Xingzhe was the actor on television.\n

\n Stars were rarely seen in the big city at night, only a pale moon. Lu Xingzhe was drenched in a cold sweat, and when the wind blew, his exposed skin felt chilled. He walked intermittently for a while before he finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed onto the ground, his face pale.\n

\n This time, he couldn't get back up.\n

\n He was covered in dust, his pant leg stained with blood, a wretched sight.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had once told Xi Nian that when he was hit by the car, it didn't hurt much, so he first went to his client to sell the photos for a high price and only then went to the hospital, but by then, he had already missed the optimal treatment window.\n

\n “Just bad luck, so I ended up with a limp,” Lu Xingzhe had said, brushing over the incident.\n

\n But clearly, he had been lying.\n

\n It wasn't that it didn't hurt.\n

\n It was just that there was no one to save him.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe grew up in an orphanage, a wild child with no parents. He didn't seem to have many friends either. But perhaps because the paparazzo profession was so loathsome, it was hard to feel sorry for him even after he was hit by a car. The only words that came to mind were that he deserved it.\n

\n At least, that's what Xi Nian thought.\n

\n His gaze passed through the car window and finally settled on Lu Xingzhe's left leg. There was a dark, dried patch over his knee—the mark of coagulated blood.\n

\n It was already nearing dawn; no more cars would pass by here.\n

\n Xi Nian shifted slightly. Just as the System thought he was adjusting his position again because he'd gone numb from sitting, the man pulled a black mask from the compartment, put it on, opened the car door, and walked straight toward Lu Xingzhe.\n

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\n In his past life, Xi Nian had always tried his best to avoid getting too involved with Lu Xingzhe. He had too much dirt held by that paparazzo, so much so that he was constantly constrained by him. For Xi Nian, this was undoubtedly a matter that made him lose sleep and appetite.\n

\n He didn't like Lu Xingzhe, but he didn't hate him either.\n

\n Before the sun rose, the streetlights on this long street would remain on. The warm yellow light shone on the ground, stretching the shadows of the trees long. Lu Xingzhe didn't have the strength to stand up again. He felt his leg bone, but the dense pain made it difficult to discern the extent of his injuries, and even his nerves were gradually becoming numb.\n

\n He managed to catch his breath and looked around, quickly searching his mind for nearby bus station routes. Who would have thought that a low, indifferent voice would suddenly sound from above his head, unexpectedly interrupting his train of thought.\n

\n “I'll take you to the hospital.”\n

\n Xi Nian was wearing a mask, revealing only a pair of eyes as still as a cold pond. Although his face couldn't be seen clearly, his body proportions were comparable to a male model's, unlike an ordinary passerby. After speaking, he bent down and extended a hand to Lu Xingzhe, who reacted strongly and dodged sideways to avoid it.\n

\n “No need.”\n

\n As a child who grew up in an orphanage, his childhood was filled with nothing but endless fighting and plundering. Lu Xingzhe was like a wild dog—despicable and selfish, suspicious and sensitive. To him, the unwarranted kindness of others was like poisoned candy, something to be avoided at all costs.\n

\n Facing this man who had appeared out of nowhere, Lu Xingzhe's eyes were vigilant and defensive. He didn't appreciate Xi Nian's good intentions. Ignoring the pain, he quickly got up from the ground, wanting to hurry away with his camera bag on his back. However, before he could take a single step, his neck was seized.\n

\n A faint smile played on Xi Nian's lips, as if a cat toying with a mouse. He grabbed the back of Lu Xingzhe's collar and whispered in his ear, “Do you enjoy being a cripple?”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe instinctively felt that this person had ill intentions. He became inexplicably flustered and uneasy, his eyes holding a fierceness that shouldn't belong to someone his age. He said in a deep voice, “Let go!”\n

\n Hearing this, Xi Nian raised an eyebrow and let go as requested. With a dull thud of something heavy hitting the ground, Lu Xingzhe fell to the ground again. His injury, as luck would have it, slammed against the pavement. The pain made him clutch his leg and curl into a ball, his whole body trembling as he gritted his teeth, glaring viciously at the culprit.\n

\n Xi Nian looked down at Lu Xingzhe with a sense of detached calm, as if nothing could affect him. He was not one for nonsense, so he simply bent down, scooped the person up into a princess carry, and walked towards his car parked not far away.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe was very light. Xi Nian had prepared to use all his strength, but in the end, he didn't even use seventy percent of it.\n

\n But he didn't care.\n

\n He hadn't really held Lu Xingzhe much in his past life either.\n

\n Probably aware of the disparity in strength, Lu Xingzhe stopped struggling. He endured the pain and stared at Xi Nian with gloomy eyes, as if trying to see his face through the mask. His voice was somber and hoarse from prolonged suppression, “I said, no need—”\n

\n Still holding him, Xi Nian pulled open the car door with his fingertips and tossed Lu Xingzhe into the back seat. “What, afraid I'm a bad guy who's going to sell you?”\n

\n A faint scent clung to his lapel, like white tea, or perhaps cold rain. It was a refreshing yet icy coolness that vanished upon contact.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe was stunned for a moment. He was then thrown into the back seat, and before he could come to his senses, the car door slammed shut from the outside with a bang. He looked up to see the man walk around to the other side, get into the driver's seat, and start the car. A thick layer of gauze was wrapped around his right wrist, its whiteness a bit glaring.\n

\n Having been a paparazzo for so many years, it would be a lie to say Lu Xingzhe had no enemies. He kept feeling that Xi Nian's eyes were inexplicably familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen them. He pressed his phone, which was still powered off due to a dead battery, and could only give up in frustration.\n

\n He took out his wallet from his pocket, rose slightly, and messily tossed a few large bills onto the front passenger seat. The movement pulled at his wound, and his voice was heavy as he hissed in a sharp breath of cold air, “Drop me off at the next station.”\n

\n Xi Nian stared at the road ahead, the light and shadows from outside flickering across his deep-set features. His voice was flat. “And then?”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe said, “I'll take a car myself.”\n

\n Xi Nian retorted, “Is my car not a car?”\n

\n He wasn't a person overflowing with kindness. It was rare for him to be charitable, and when the other party didn't even appreciate it, Xi Nian wasn't inclined to force his help on him. As he drove towards the hospital, he said, “Either you jump out yourself, or shut up.”\n

\n A normal person would have obediently shut up by now, but Lu Xingzhe was someone who wasn't afraid of death. He shot Xi Nian a cold look and immediately pulled on the car door, intending to get out. Unexpectedly, it wouldn't open even after a long while. Only then did he realize the doors had been locked.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe slammed his fist hard on the car window. The back of his hand was already scraped from the ground earlier, and now it was bruised purple. “Who the hell are you?”\n

\n Xi Nian observed his condition in the rearview mirror, then retracted his gaze after a moment. Hearing the question, he said, “A passerby.”\n

\n He said, “Just a passerby.”\n

\n The hospital was just ahead. It was a tall, white building with a red cross emblem, its lights on 24 hours a day. It was unclear if Lu Xingzhe saw it, but he finally stopped struggling. He curled up sideways on the car seat, slowly calming the pain.\n

\n A few scattered items were piled on the back seat: a sports jacket, a medical record book, and a small plastic bag of medicine. Unfortunately, the light was too dim for Lu Xingzhe to see the name on the medical record. His mind began to wander uncontrollably, fully exercising his paparazzo's instinct for wild scribbling, randomly guessing Xi Nian's identity.\n

\n Someone who drums up business for the hospital?\n

\n An organ trafficker?\n

\n He didn't know how to describe it, but right now, Lu Xingzhe had the damn feeling of being on a pirate ship with no way off.\n

\n Xi Nian drove the car into the hospital and entered the parking garage. The incandescent lights overhead finally brightened Lu Xingzhe's dim vision. He moved to get out of the car, only to find a mottled bloodstain on the leather seat, seemingly from his own leg. He pressed his lips together and wiped it messily with his sleeve.\n

\n Xi Nian had just been to this hospital in the afternoon and was fairly familiar with the layout. He parked the car, walked around to the back, pulled open the door, and said to Lu Xingzhe, “Get out.”\n

\n His voice echoed slightly in the empty parking garage.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe probably should have said thank you, but he paused, said nothing, and pulled the brim of his hat low to completely cover his face. He painstakingly moved his injured leg out of the car, closed the door behind him, took out his wallet, and stuffed all the remaining cash into Xi Nian's hand, muttering indistinctly, “For the ride.”\n

\n Including the bills scattered on the passenger seat, the money he gave was at least over two thousand. Xi Nian glanced at the red notes in his hand, then slowly folded them and put them in his jacket pocket. His voice was low, laced with a hint of a smile that wasn't quite a smile, as if in admiration, “So generous.”\n

\n How had he never realized Lu Xingzhe was this interesting before?\n

\n The man's face wasn't revealed, but those eyes, hiding a smile, were enough to make one's face flush and heart race wildly.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe, a paparazzo who had perfected the art of prying, suddenly found himself inexplicably afraid to look at him again and just wanted to leave quickly. However, before he could take two steps, he felt a grip tighten around his waist. Immediately after, his body was lifted off the ground, and a familiar sense of weightlessness washed over him, causing his pupils to contract sharply.\n

\n Xi Nian avoided his wound and scooped Lu Xingzhe up in a princess carry. “I'll just see this through to the end.”\n

\n Through the black mask, his expression was impossible to read. Lu Xingzhe's gaze drifted upward, only to see Xi Nian's sexy, slightly prominent Adam's apple. Through the thin layer of clothing, it wasn't hard to feel the man's lean, strong body.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe had never been held like this in his life. He felt that every point of contact with Xi Nian was searingly hot, making him flustered. A hint of sarcasm unconsciously crept into his tone, “You don't even know if I'm a good guy or a bad guy, and you dare to help me?”\n

\n As he spoke, his fingertips curled, subconsciously wanting to grab Xi Nian's lapel due to the feeling of weightlessness, but when he caught sight of the mottled scrapes and grime on his hand, he quickly pulled it back.\n

\n Carrying him, Xi Nian strode towards the elevator without another word. It was late at night, and the hospital corridor was empty and silent, with only a few doctors on duty. Xi Nian registered Lu Xingzhe for the emergency room, handled the paperwork for an X-ray, and then stood aside watching the doctor treat his wound.\n

\n The doctor on duty was somewhat old. He rolled up Lu Xingzhe's pant leg, and upon seeing the mangled wound, he adjusted his glasses with a bit of a headache. His aged voice said, “I'll clean the wound in a bit, bear with the pain.”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe sat on the edge of the bed with his eyes downcast, not saying a word. He looked like a fair-skinned youth, but his expression was a bit gloomy. He remained silent even when the dressing was being changed, just staring at the cotton ball on the doctor's tweezers. The few times he glanced up, his gaze fell on Xi Nian, who was waiting outside the door.\n

\n The man had his back to him, his head bowed as he looked at his phone. It was unknown what he was scrolling through, but he then turned off the screen.\n

\n Xi Nian sensed the gaze from behind him. He turned around to see Lu Xingzhe staring at him. He raised an eyebrow slightly, put his phone in his pocket, and walked over. “What are you looking at?”\n

\n The doctor had finished disinfecting and was changing instruments not far away.\n

\n With his wound treated, Lu Xingzhe's disheveled state was somewhat lessened. He met Xi Nian's gaze with a blank expression, not dodging or flinching. After a moment, he smiled frivolously. “Looking at your nice figure…”\n

\n Still a hooligan, just like in his past life.\n

\n Xi Nian used to be a naive young man who would get uncomfortable and look away after a few flirtatious words from him, but clearly, that was no longer the case. They were both old hands now; there was no room for embarrassment.\n

\n “You're not bad yourself.”\n

\n Xi Nian commented as such. His gaze moved down from Lu Xingzhe's collarbone, recalling how the other man used to desperately entangle with him in bed. The way his features became rich and alluring as he panted hotly was quite captivating.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe paused at his words, seeming not to have expected such a reply from Xi Nian. Then, he smiled slowly, the corner of his eyebrow twitching up as he asked in a low, husky, and ambiguous voice, “How would you know?”\n

\n Xi Nian crossed his arms, studying him leisurely. In the most serious tone, he said the wildest words, “Have you forgotten? I just held you…”\n

\n The end of the last few words faded between his lips, as if speaking of some clandestine affair, and the atmosphere was inexplicably tinged with a layer of amorous charm.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe: “…”\n

\n Damn it.\n

\n He had thought Xi Nian was a great iceberg, seeing how taciturn he was the whole way. Turns out he was just secretly flirtatious. Lu Xingzhe was about to say something, but seeing the doctor approach, he had no choice but to shut his mouth.\n

\n Xi Nian brushed off some non-existent dust from his clothes, then found a place to sit nearby. The phone in his pocket vibrated incessantly, with notification sounds for new messages and calls from his agent, sounding particularly abrupt in the relatively quiet examination room.\n

\n Lu Xingzhe glanced at him. “Someone's calling you?”\n

\n Xi Nian took out his phone and pressed the mute button. “Guess.”\n

\n Lu Xingzhe's phone was dead. If he could have logged into Weibo right now, he would have discovered that several negative posts about Xi Nian had been quietly published by someone, and as the number of views increased, they were gradually climbing to the top of the trending topics.\n

","published_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","paid":true,"show_flag":true,"show_scheduled_time":"2025-08-03T00:00:00.000Z","unpaid_scheduled_time":"2025-08-27T00:00:00.000Z"}]

On the Thousand Postures Reconstructed by the Scumbags

On the Thousand Postures Reconstructed by the Scumbags

Chapter 4 - His Helpless Past

Kiyo