The System was like a stumbling block on the road to success. Usually, it seemed quiet and unobtrusive, but when it popped up unexpectedly, it was as disgusting as swallowing a fly. As for "reforming well and becoming a new person," Xi Nian had never taken it to heart.

He looked askance at the blue ball of light floating in mid-air, his eyes narrowing silently. "If you're really that bored, go find yourself a prison cell."

It wasn't the first or second day that Xi Nian had wanted to kill it.

The System was already used to it. Receiving the cold shoulder was a common occurrence in the service industry. It was just afraid that Xi Nian would once again be unable to resist temptation. After all, the dazzling world was alluring. Its body quietly dissipated into the air.

Xi Nian withdrew his gaze, only to find Lu Xingzhe looking at him. He raised a hand, pushed him down into the quilt, then turned off the table lamp. Amidst the shadowy darkness, he said, "It's getting late, sleep."

Lu Xingzhe didn't have the habit of turning off the lights to sleep. He pressed his lips together, his eyes open in the darkness as he stared at the ceiling. He suddenly remembered being bullied by others and locked in a utility room at the orphanage when he was a child. A dark gloom swirled in the depths of his eyes, and he closed them, his expression blank.

Lu Xingzhe leaned closer into Xi Nian's embrace. After a long silence, he suddenly whispered, "Can you hold me?"

Xi Nian didn't have the habit of holding someone while he slept, and Lu Xingzhe had never made such a request in his past life. Upon hearing this, he quietly opened his eyes in the dark. He didn't speak or make any move, unable to understand why so many things had changed in this life, be it people or events.

...

Since he didn't move, Lu Xingzhe said no more, as if he had fallen asleep.

The wall clock ticked away. Moonlight shone on the floor, casting a cool-colored glow. After an unknown amount of time, Xi Nian suddenly stirred. He quietly turned over, then reached out and slowly pulled Lu Xingzhe into his arms, holding him in a tight, seamless embrace.

They were finally beginning to learn how to adapt, whether to the person beside them or to this night without light.

Early the next morning, Lu Xingzhe woke up in Xi Nian's arms. He unconsciously nuzzled against the man's shoulder, the tips of his ink-black hair lightly brushing against Xi Nian's chin, causing a faint tickle.

Xi Nian knew he was about to wake up and was just about to pull his arm away, but who would have thought that his wrist would be grabbed midway.

Lu Xingzhe buried his face in the pillow, the corners of his lips curving slightly as he said in a lazy voice, "Tsk, so heartless? Cuddling a bit longer won't make you lose a pound of flesh."

Hearing this, Xi Nian felt he had gone too easy on him yesterday. He threw off the covers, sat up, and took out his phone to check the time. "I have to go to the company to sign a contract today. I'll be leaving in a bit."

Lu Xingzhe's eyes flew open at his words, and he subconsciously let go. He tried to get out of bed, but as soon as he sat up, he couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air, then fell back down, clutching his lower back and grimacing. "Damn..."

Xi Nian glanced back at him, then raised an eyebrow with a subtle expression. He got up and went into the bathroom to wash up, an imperceptible smile flashing across his lips, so fleeting that it was impossible to catch.

Lu Xingzhe felt like his back was about to break. He struggled out of bed and, muttering curses, squeezed into the bathroom. Xi Nian was brushing his teeth. When he turned his head, he saw the other man standing behind him, leaning listlessly against the door, the corners of his eyes tilted up, looking roguish.

Xi Nian averted his gaze, rinsed his mouth and washed his face, then found a disposable toothbrush and handed it to him. "Wash up yourself."

Lu Xingzhe mumbled, "If I don't do it myself, are you going to help me?"

Xi Nian reminded him, "Who gave you your bath yesterday?"

Lu Xingzhe raised an eyebrow slightly at his words, looking rather smug. He gave him a smiling glance but said nothing.

Xi Nian was a rather down-to-earth celebrity; he had no assistant and no savings. Lu Xingzhe couldn't figure out how an artist could be doing so poorly. He got dressed and, seeing a black baseball cap in the closet, casually took it out and tried it on. The size was a perfect fit.

Xi Nian watched from the side. Seeing Lu Xingzhe once again covering his face so thoroughly that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him, he reached out and took off the cap. "Why are you dressed like that? Are you planning to rob a bank?"

Lu Xingzhe was taken aback for a moment before realizing he had told Xi Nian yesterday that he wouldn't be a paparazzi anymore. He said subconsciously, "Just a habit."

After spending so long in dark, unseen corners, it was inevitable to feel a bit uncomfortable suddenly shedding that identity. Xi Nian gazed at Lu Xingzhe's dark, shining eyes and, for some reason, put the cap back on his head. He paused and said, "If you want to keep being a paparazzi, then go ahead. Just don't take any pictures of me."

It was better to sacrifice a friend than oneself. In the past, he definitely wouldn't have said such a thing, but now, Xi Nian suddenly felt that he didn't care about some things as much as he thought.

Lu Xingzhe didn't want Xi Nian to think he was someone who broke his promises. He lowered his head and said, "I told you I wouldn't deceive you."

'In the past, you were always the one I deceived. You never had the chance to deceive me,' Xi Nian thought.

The two of them left the house together. Xi Nian was heading to his company to sign a contract, while Lu Xingzhe had some loose ends to tie up. They were headed in different directions, taking different paths.

As Xi Nian sat in the driver's seat, Lu Xingzhe stood outside, tapping on the car window with a bent finger. His dashing and boyish features were completely exposed to the sunlight, making it difficult for one to look away.

Xi Nian rolled down the window. For the first time, he saw a Lu Xingzhe who seemed to be bathed in the warmth of the sun. "What's wrong?"

Lu Xingzhe didn't speak. He just reached out and quickly stroked Xi Nian's face. After teasing him, he was about to make a run for it, but as he retracted his hand, the other man swiftly grabbed his wrist.

It was early morning, and there were only a few pedestrians on the street. Lu Xingzhe struggled to pull his hand back but couldn't budge it. He was forced to lean against the car door in that position. His plan to tease had backfired, and he was a bit embarrassed. "I just touched you, don't overreact."

Xi Nian remembered how much of a rogue he had looked when he'd touched his face. The pressure from his fingertips eased, but he didn't let go. "If you dare to act like a rogue again, you'll have to bear the consequences."

'Xi Nian is a total iceberg, a quiet flirt,' Lu Xingzhe thought. He was actually hoping Xi Nian would "deal with" him. At his words, he leaned slightly into the car window, his smile enough to make one blush and their heart race. He lowered his voice and asked, "How about I let you touch me back?"

Before the words had left his mouth, a slight, sharp pain suddenly shot through his fingertip, a sensation both wet and warm. Lu Xingzhe froze for a moment, then belatedly realized that Xi Nian had actually bitten him. The base of his ears reddened uncontrollably. "You..."

Lu Xingzhe's Adam's apple bobbed as he stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

Xi Nian gave him a half-smile, then released his fingers. "I'm off to the company."

Lu Xingzhe stood rooted to the spot, watching the car drive into the distance. For some reason, he put his hands behind his back, unconsciously hiding his fingertips.

Ever since the videos of Xi Nian's matches were broadcast online, he had become a hot favorite to win the Star Games. Fans of other contestants joked that the rest of the participants were clearly just playing second fiddle, there to round out the numbers. And Xi Nian lived up to expectations, advancing triumphantly all the way. He defeated his opponents in the subsequent fourth elimination round and the finals, successfully claiming the overall championship for men's archery.

The happiest of all, of course, were his fans. They had personally witnessed how Xi Nian had climbed step by step from last place to where he was today. Organized fan support groups began to form, and their membership steadily grew. The only unfortunate thing was that Xi Nian had very little screen time in the media, so there wasn't much footage available for fan edits.

Just then, someone leaked the news that Xi Nian would be participating in the fourth season of Escape Room: Decode. The news spread like wildfire, quickly disseminating across the entire internet and sparking heated discussions.

Domestic variety shows were rampant nowadays, but not many could generate huge traffic. Escape Room: Decode was one of them. Apart from a few regular cast members, each episode invited currently popular idols to participate. Truth be told, one really couldn't get on the show without a certain level of status.

Although Xi Nian had stolen the show at the Star Games, in the eyes of netizens, he was, after all, just a minor celebrity who had risen to fame quickly. He had no foundation, no representative works, and no national recognition. Besides being good at archery and being handsome, he inevitably gave off the impression of lacking substance.

This time especially, it was rumored that the production team had originally intended to invite the award-winning actor Yan Du, but for some unknown reason, he was inexplicably replaced by Xi Nian. Consequently, some people subconsciously assumed that he had stolen Yan Du's spot, and a flame war inexplicably erupted.

I really want to know why the production team invited Xi Nian. There are tons of people who get famous overnight these days. Can every single one of them get on the show?

Who's Xi Nian? Never heard of him. I heard he's good at archery. Did the show invite him to shoot arrows?

He has no significant works. He was in a youth film before, I went and dug it up, his acting is mediocre. Probably just another pretty face who relies on his looks.

Escape Room: Decode is so mentally demanding. Can Xi Nian handle it? Yan Du is a top student who graduated from S University. What was the production team thinking, letting a rookie take Yan Du's spot? No way, no way?

I bet Xi Nian won't even make it past the first stage. Ahhh, I'm so pissed, I really wanted to see Yan Du.

Yan Du was a senior figure in the entertainment circle. Although he wasn't an idol, he had a massive fanbase and a high degree of national recognition. Now that there were rumors of a fledgling artist like Xi Nian stealing his spot, it would be a miracle if the netizens didn't explode.

The Niangao mobilized to counter the slander as soon as they got the news, trying to suppress the negative posts. However, it's impossible to gag the public. Furthermore, Xi Nian truly had no notable works to his name. His only television series had failed to leave a lasting impression due to his youth, leading most netizens to be convinced that he was a pretty-boy celebrity who relied on his face to get famous.

What? You say Xi Nian won the championship at the Star Games?

Excuse me, but in the entertainment circle, what matters are acting skills and a portfolio of work. Being good at archery is only useful in the sports world. The door is to your left, thank you.

The Niangao were about to explode with anger. It's true that fame attracts controversy, but Xi Nian had only just debuted. Even if he wanted to have a body of work, he needed the opportunities! Besides, who the production team decided to invite was their business. Why blame Xi Nian??

Perhaps the online flame war became too intense. Some netizens even flocked to the show's official Weibo account, shouting for them to invite Yan Du instead. The director of Escape Room: Decode was forced to release a Weibo post explaining that Yan Du was unable to participate due to a scheduling conflict with a film, so they had no choice but to find a last-minute replacement. He clarified that no one had stolen the spot and hoped everyone would look forward to the upcoming episode.

Subsequently, Yan Du also liked and reposted this Weibo post, confirming the truth of the statement.

The Niangao wished they could grab the haters by the throat and shake them: Did you see that? It's because of Yan Du's scheduling conflict that he can't participate! Stop pinning all the blame on Xi Nian's head! He's just a minor idol; he can't take this!!