“What’s wrong? Did you really lose something valuable?” Yu Jinghao asked, seeing Baili Xiao frozen in place. Though Yu had always thought Baili’s ability to sense lingering auras was a bit far-fetched, seeing his current reaction made him start to believe there might be some truth to it.

Baili Xiao didn’t answer. Out of nowhere, fragments from Li Xiao’s diary, which he had glimpsed half a month ago, resurfaced vividly in his mind.

A personality twisted by greed and the desire for wealth, dark and cunning… Each of these traits seemed like hazy shadows slowly converging on a particular figure.

It was as if something in Baili Xiao’s mind was rapidly connecting the dots.

He recalled waking up in this body, followed shortly by Deng Zirui, who had been in a vegetative state, miraculously regaining consciousness. Then there was the rare and ominous “Lone Wolf Seven Stars” fate, the meaningful glances exchanged at the auction, the mysterious break-in, and now the disappearance of Li Xiao’s seemingly worthless phone.

Baili Xiao distinctly remembered that in Li Xiao’s diary, there was mention of an encounter with a so-called master. This master had supposedly told him that he bore the “Heavenly Fiend Solitary Star” fate—a cursed destiny that doomed him to be cut off from human ties but promised him great wealth and power. Baili Xiao didn’t know if such masters were real in this world, but he knew there was no mention of any “Heavenly Fiend Solitary Star” in the celestial charts he was familiar with. Still, this master’s interpretation of such a fate sounded eerily similar to the “Lone Wolf Seven Stars.”

Suddenly, Baili Xiao’s mind clicked into place. He cast a deep look at Yu Jinghao, then walked over to the closet. From the bottom, he pulled out a shoebox, opened it—and just as he feared, the diary that had belonged to Li Xiao had disappeared along with the phone.

Yu Jinghao, standing beside him, spoke slowly, “If something was stolen, we need to figure out how the thief got in. You mentioned this house is an ancestral property, not a second-hand purchase, and never sold. Since the lock wasn’t tampered with, the thief likely had a key. Could it be an inside job?”

An inside job.

The thought struck like a bolt of lightning.

Baili Xiao suddenly turned to Yu Jinghao, locking eyes with him. “According to the habits of people in *this world*, do some of them hide spare keys near their front doors in secret spots?”

“*This world’s* people?” Yu Jinghao was taken aback. “What do you mean by *this world’s* people?”

“Just answer me. Yes or no?”

Yu Jinghao hesitated. “I don’t do that myself, but… it’s possible some families might.”

That explains it.

As the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place in Baili Xiao’s mind, the tension that had been gripping him suddenly melted away. He walked over to the bed and sat down, his expression contemplative. After a few moments, he unexpectedly let out a soft chuckle.

“Xiao, are you okay? What exactly did you lose that’s so important?” Yu Jinghao asked, clearly concerned.

Baili Xiao lifted his head, and those eyes, which had been clouded by alcohol just moments before, now gleamed with startling clarity. There was always something subtly otherworldly about him, a mystical allure that lingered beneath his calm and distant demeanor. Now, that touch of danger, of something beyond human, was fully on display. If it were anyone else, they might have felt unnerved by the intensity of his presence, but for Yu Jinghao, it only drew him in further.

Why was that? He couldn’t quite explain it. It was as if, on some subconscious level, Baili Xiao held an irresistible pull over him, like a contract written between their souls. They were opposites in almost every way—background, status, personality—yet whenever Baili revealed this awe-inspiring side, Yu Jinghao felt a deep resonance, sensing the same loneliness that mirrored his own. He had always known, deep down, that they were destined to be soulmates.

Baili Xiao’s lips curled into a mysterious smile as he spoke, his voice tinged with amusement. “Yu Jinghao, you’re not leaving tonight.”

Yu Jinghao, who had been lost in thought, reflecting on his own feelings for Baili, was jolted by the sudden statement. “What do you mean? Are you going to… confess to me?”

Baili Xiao laughed softly, shaking his head as he gestured toward the chair in front of him. “Not quite. You’ve had so many questions about me, haven’t you? And you’ve been curious about Deng Zirui’s fate too. I have a lot to tell you tonight.”

…

Yu Jinghao’s worldview was about to be shaken to its core like never before.

Yu Jinghao wasn’t entirely a skeptic. He had always somewhat believed in Baili Xiao’s ability to sense and even influence people’s fortunes, attributing it to some kind of extraordinary sixth sense. But when Baili uttered the words “soul transfer,” Yu Jinghao felt his temples begin to throb.

Still, he couldn’t deny the truth of what Baili was saying. When he had questioned Baili’s claims about being a “descendant of the divine” and his supposed ability to “manipulate fate,” Baili had casually opened Weibo, created a small account, and found a giveaway post for a mobile phone, with the prize draw set to happen soon. Baili clicked “share,” and they waited in silence. Five minutes later, the platform announced the winner, and that brand-new account had won the phone.

Baili Xiao’s lips curled into a faint smile, a smile Yu Jinghao knew all too well. He had long noticed the strange way Baili looked at people sometimes—an expression of compassion and understanding, almost like a creator gazing upon their creation.

Yu Jinghao couldn’t help but believe him.

Parallel worlds existed. Descendants of gods were real. Baili Xiao told him he had the “Eyes of the Heavens” and the “Hands of Fate.” In that moment, Yu Jinghao recalled Baili’s uncanny ability to read people’s luck and his astonishingly precise bid for the deep-sea black pearl at auction. And across from him sat this young man, calmly smiling, with a presence that felt almost divine.

Yu Jinghao had already looked into “Li Xiao.” He knew the original person didn’t even graduate from high school, his parents had passed away early, and he had been regarded as a troublemaker by his neighbors. How had he suddenly developed this refined temperament, extraordinary talents, and even medical knowledge? It all made sense now—Baili had always insisted his real surname was Baili, not Li. He had never truly been Li Xiao.

“So, you’re saying that Deng Zirui is the real Li Xiao? After you took over his body, he woke up inside Deng Zirui’s body?” Yu Jinghao asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Very likely.” Baili Xiao nodded slowly. “Although all the clues seem fragmented, it may seem like a coincidence when pieced together. But this is my instinct, and my instincts tend to be facts.”

Yu Jinghao processed the information with growing uncertainty. “So…he’s now like you? A guy with a powerful fate and exceptional talents?”

“No, you’ve misunderstood.” Baili shook his head. “Strong fate is part of his destiny, written in his stars. Everyone’s fate outlines their fortunes. However, he’s just an ordinary person. He has no supernatural abilities like you think. The only reason he has hostility towards me is because he knows I’m not the real Li Xiao. I took his body.”

Yu Jinghao nodded, thinking deeply. After a long pause, he asked, “Earlier, you mentioned that among the thousand of astrology, only the Northern Seven Mansions can rival the Lone Wolf Seven Stars. And I remember you saying that I belong to the Northern Seven Mansions. You don’t need to be afraid—I’ll protect you.”

Baili Xiao raised his finger and waved it slightly, his tone cryptic. “I don’t need your protection. I want to form an alliance with you.”

“An alliance? How do we do that?”

A sly smile spread across Baili’s lips, his beauty almost unsettling. “Did I forget to tell you? I also belong to the Northern Seven Mansions.”

Yu Jinghao was left speechless.

Baili continued, his voice soft, almost to himself, “Two Northern Seven Mansions meeting—if not natural enemies, then they form an unbreakable blessing. You remember earlier when you asked me why we seemed to share luck so easily? The answer is simple: our destinies are identical. Our fortunes are perfectly aligned. Once we join forces, our luck will never cease.”

Yu Jinghao stared into those deep, dark eyes, feeling almost hypnotized, and quietly asked, “But, if he hasn’t wronged you, why do you need to be his enemy now that you know his identity?”

Baili Xiao smiled faintly. “The Lone Wolf Seven Stars is a foreboding fate. If I didn’t know his nature, it would be one thing. But now that I know him, he was already deceitful and treacherous when he was Li Xiao. I find it hard to believe leaving him unchecked would be safe. Such a man—if he enters politics, he could threaten you and Tang Shao. If he enters the entertainment world, he could be a threat to me. Even if he holds no grudge against me, I can’t allow him to rise unchecked. Besides…” Baili paused, sighing lightly. “As a descendant of the divine, even if I don’t belong to this world, I have a natural inclination to uphold justice. The Lone Wolf Seven Stars would already be bad enough, but paired with a calculating personality like his, I must crush his fate before it grows.”

Baili’s eyes gleamed brighter than ever before. He had spent four months in this world, struggling for survival. But now, for the first time, he was filled with a sense of purpose and determination. This soul switch was fascinating, and now that he had pieced everything together, he held all the cards.

…

Yu Jinghao, after being inundated with such a massive amount of information, sat alone in the living room for a long time, lost in thought. He was silent for so long that Baili Xiao began to wonder if he had failed in his persuasion and if Yu Jinghao was on the verge of calling the police. But then, Yu Jinghao suddenly returned, his steps light and sure, and told him that he agreed to the alliance.

Baili Xiao asked him why he agreed, but Yu Jinghao, instead of answering directly, gave him a meaningful look and said, “If everything you said is true, then I’m very glad my star belongs to the Northern Seven Mansions.”

“Because it means you don’t have to fear Deng Zirui anymore?”

Yu Jinghao smiled, that familiar gentle smile he always reserved for him. “No. If everything you said is true, and your ally were anyone else, I would be insanely jealous.”

Baili Xiao was stunned by this response and didn’t know how to reply. Before he could react, the man who had been constantly making his presence known in his life suddenly sighed softly, leaned in, and gently embraced him.

“Uh…what are you…doing?”

“Shh, don’t speak.” Yu Jinghao’s voice was husky, barely above a whisper. He spoke quietly into Baili’s ear, “I believe you, I believe it all. I believe you’re a descendant of the gods, and I know you don’t think much of ordinary people. But even so, when I found out that we both belong to the Northern Seven Mansions, when I realized I’m the only one in this life and the last with the same destiny as you, you don’t know how happy that made me. I’ve always been that ‘perfect child’ people talk about, winning countless awards, excelling academically, and cutting through the business world. But never in my life have I felt so full of pride.”

“Uh…”

“I’m the only person in this world who is worthy of you, even if in your eyes, I’m still insignificant.”

“…Yu Jinghao?” Baili Xiao tentatively called out to the man holding him, wondering if Yu Jinghao had misunderstood something. While he often joked, calling him a foolish mortal, he had never actually thought of Yu Jinghao as insignificant. Sure, Yu Jinghao was a mortal, but wasn’t Baili Xiao now a mortal too? Even in his past life, in the Baili Valley, among all the divine descendants, only he, Baili Xiao, had the fortune to belong to the Northern Seven Mansions. Baili Xiao asked him why he agreed, but Yu Jinghao, instead of answering directly, gave him a meaningful look and said, “If everything you said is true, then I’m very glad my star belongs to the Northern Seven Mansions.”

Baili Xiao was about to explain things properly to Yu Jinghao when the latter let go of him and said, “Get some rest. Tomorrow you’ll be back on set. I’ll have someone help move your things. Let’s stay in touch.”

“Uh… okay.”

Yu Jinghao nodded and repeated, “Go to sleep, it’s late.” Without giving Baili Xiao a chance to respond, he grabbed the car keys from the table and walked straight out of the small, old house.

Left standing there, Baili Xiao was bewildered, and strangely, a new feeling began to sprout inside him—something itchy, a bit unsettling. It was a sensation he had never experienced before.

…

The next morning, Mike arrived bright and early, waiting downstairs to take Baili Xiao back to the set. Baili, having gone to bed too late the previous night, was catching up on sleep in the car. Half-asleep, he was still being pestered by his agent, who bombarded him with questions about the reason behind his sudden move.

Baili Xiao’s answer remained the same: “I’ve struck it rich, so I’m moving into a nicer place.”

No smart agent would buy that explanation. What irked Mike the most about Baili was how he lied without putting any thought into it, as if it were an insult to the intelligence of the person being deceived. So he kept pressing for details until finally, when Baili could no longer stand the questioning, he threw out a line: “I calculated the other night—there’s a major disaster coming, and moving houses is the only way to avoid it.”

Mike scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically.

However, as if cursed by some strange force, an incident that occurred that afternoon completely shattered his belief that his artist’s occasional absurd statements were nothing more than random nonsense.

Baili Xiao had a scene scheduled for the afternoon, and it was an important one. This scene involved three key characters—him, Shen Yuan, and Dai Jue. According to the script, the female lead would accidentally fall from a high place, and both Baili Xiao and Dai Jue’s characters would rush to catch her. Baili would narrowly miss, but Dai Jue would successfully catch her.

Perhaps due to his poor rest the previous night, Baili Xiao seemed out of sorts all day. Director Luo Wei, who had always been particularly accommodating toward him, surprisingly suggested abandoning the multi-shot setup in favor of a single, continuous long shot. Although this would demand more from the actors, it would also significantly increase filming efficiency.

This “one-take” approach meant all three actors would need to be suspended on wires simultaneously, with the entire airborne sequence completed in a single shot, without the option of editing.

Baili Xiao wasn’t afraid of heights and was more than happy to finish the scene quickly, so he had no objections. Shen Yuan and Dai Jue, who had more complex aerial stunts, also appreciated the chance to avoid repeating numerous takes, which would be required if they filmed in separate cuts. So, even though tensions had long been brewing between Baili Xiao and Dai Jue, making them practically incompatible, all three actors agreed with Luo Wei’s proposal.

While Mike was giving Baili tips on overcoming the psychological effects of being suspended in midair for the first time, Baili overheard a nearby props worker grumbling to their assistant: “They didn’t say we’d need all three actors up at the same time—this is going to be such a hassle.”

For some reason, that single remark made Baili Xiao’s heart skip a beat.

With the props ready and cameras in position, filming commenced swiftly.

Shen Yuan was the first to be lifted into the air. She was no stranger to such scenes, and the “accidental fall” stunt was a breeze for her. She executed the motion of “stepping off the edge” with ease, gracefully descending on the wire in slow motion. After she hung suspended for a few seconds, Dai Jue and Baili Xiao were hoisted up, both moving toward Shen Yuan in midair.

In the final cut of the show, what seemed like a fleeting moment was, in reality, a slow-motion scene filmed on set. Below, the crew watched as the three actors were suspended mid-air, slowly closing in on one another. Soon, the moment in the script would unfold—*“they almost met at the same time, but Shen Ziting was a second too late. Just as she reached out, the eldest son of the Xiang family had already swept Tang Wan into his arms, and the two gracefully landed on the ground.”* However, just as the scene was about to play out as written, the mechanical arm holding their wires emitted a dull, ripping noise. In the next second, the main support cable snapped, and the three actors began plummeting toward the ground at a terrifying speed.

Even in the semi-open set, where they were filming a scene involving martial arts and wire-fu, the actors had been suspended more than ten meters above the ground. The assistants below screamed, but everything happened too fast for anyone to react. The chief props operator immediately pushed the rescue arm’s control lever to its limit, but the arm swept over Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan’s heads a second too late, failing to catch the safety latches attached to their waists. Only Dai Jue’s safety latch was successfully hooked.

TN: The word wire-fu refer to a style of action choreography in films, particularly in martial arts movies, where actors perform gravity-defying stunts with the help of wires.

In that split second, everyone—Baili Xiao included—witnessed it. As soon as Dai Jue felt the rescue arm catch him, he instinctively let go of Shen Yuan’s waist, where he had been holding on according to the script. He released her in an instant, trying to reduce the weight pulling him down. Shen Yuan let out a scream as she and Baili Xiao plummeted rapidly toward the ground together.

“Damn it!” Mike cursed loudly, sprinting toward the center of the set, knowing full well that it would be futile. Still, he risked everything, hoping against hope to break Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan’s fall.

But at that moment, just as things seemed most dire, Baili Xiao, who had noticed Dai Jue’s release, acted swiftly. Despite falling faster than Shen Yuan, he kicked off from a nearby lighting rig with all his strength, twisting in midair to reach her. He grabbed Shen Yuan, pulling her into his arms, and then twisted again, positioning his own back toward the ground to shield her from the impact, fully prepared to take the brunt of the fall.

Everyone on set held their breath, hearts sinking at the inevitable crash.

Then, miraculously, the lighting rig Baili had kicked suddenly swung downward as if by some strange force. The rig’s arm caught on both Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan’s wires, bringing their fall to an abrupt halt with a loud crash as the rig slammed into the mechanical rescue arm.

The entire set was stunned into silence.

—Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan, who had been falling, ended up awkwardly suspended in midair, while Dai Jue, who had initially been rescued, suddenly plummeted straight to the ground. The rescue arm, shaken by the impact of the lighting rig, loosened the improperly secured safety latch, sending him into free fall.

—All of this happened in mere seconds, though it felt like an eternity. Every twist and miraculous event was clearly witnessed by everyone on set. Mike, his spirits lifted, quickly directed his assistants to lower Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan, completely forgetting that he was also Dai Jue’s manager. Meanwhile, the props and rescue team rushed to Dai Jue’s side. He appeared to have broken his leg, sitting on the ground, too pained to speak. Sweat poured down his face and neck in large beads as he let out a furious roar, shoving aside those trying to help him. With an enraged look, he glared at Baili Xiao, who stood not far away.

“You did this on purpose!” he shouted.

Baili Xiao turned and glanced at him coldly, his expression indifferent. “You must be out of your mind,” he replied calmly.

Director Luo Wei, his face pale, stepped in, scolding them, “Is this really the time for arguing? Get Dai Jue to the hospital immediately! And someone call the doctor to check if Baili Xiao and Shen Yuan are hurt!”

“I’m fine,” Baili Xiao said with chilling composure. His calmness was so unnerving that those present couldn’t help but recall how, throughout the entire incident, he had been utterly collected—calm as he fell, calm as he sacrificed himself to save Shen Yuan, and calm as they both miraculously escaped unharmed.

Baili Xiao lowered his gaze to look at Shen Yuan, who was clearly still shaken. His voice softened slightly as he asked, “Are you okay? Do you want me to check your pulse?”

Shen Yuan, still shaken, looked at the composed young man before her and suddenly realized what had just happened. The usually straightforward leading lady turned sharply to face Dai Jue, her eyes filled with anger. Dai Jue, feeling somewhat guilty, didn’t retort, allowing the rescue team to lift him onto a stretcher without protest.

Mike, who had been standing behind Baili Xiao, lightly nudged him with his shoulder and whispered, “The internet is going to blow up today. Get ready for the headlines.”

Baili Xiao cast a deep glance at the stretcher being taken away, sighed, and said, “You reap what you sow. This guy really has terrible character.”

The collapse of the lighting rig wasn’t a coincidence; he had intentionally kicked it. Prior to that moment, he had already harnessed all of his luck, so it was impossible for things not to turn out in his favor. If Dai Jue hadn’t foolishly let go of the hand that could have caught Shen Yuan, Baili Xiao wouldn’t have had to go through such trouble. He simply wanted to be thrown onto the nearby soft mat instead. In that instant, when Dai Jue released his grip, Baili Xiao admitted that even he, who rarely got angry, was genuinely upset. It wasn’t because of his relationship with Shen Yuan but rather because such a crucial moment had been handled with utter disregard. Regardless of his status as a top celebrity in the entertainment industry, Dai Jue didn’t even deserve to be considered a common person.

Thus, Baili Xiao coldly withdrew his gaze from the bustling crowd nearby and softly reminded Mike, “Make it a tough sell. You and Yu Jinghao are unsure if he’ll start his own studio or look for another opportunity, right? This time, force him to give you an answer.”