Gu Xuanze didn’t say anything more. Instead, he gently held Lu Youze’s hand.

Doctor Xiao He noticed this and quickly made a hand gesture to the nurse sitting by the ambulance door. The nurse immediately nodded in response.

The ambulance doors opened, and the stretcher was pushed out. The doctors and nurses’ expressions instantly turned serious. They hurriedly passed by the reporters’ cameras, and occasional murmurs like “The patient’s condition is very unstable” could be heard.

The well-prepared reporters managed to capture the anxious faces of the medical staff, as well as the image of President Gu tightly holding Lu Youze’s hand from start to finish, never letting go.

Lu Youze was first sent to the emergency room. After nearly an hour inside, he was transferred to a special ward.

This was the hospital’s VIP ward—an area not easily accessible to ordinary people.

“You’ve worked hard.” Gu Xuanze spoke to Lu Youze, who was still pretending to be unconscious. “Youze, you can wake up now.”

“President Gu.” Lu Youze smiled. “The reporters are gone. Shouldn’t you also…”

Gu Xuanze hesitated slightly before reluctantly letting go of his hands. The two of them now stood one step apart, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.

“President Gu, what do you plan to do next?” Lu Youze was the first to break the silence.

“Next, the truth will come to light, and you’ll get the justice you deserve.” Gu Xuanze’s eyes turned cold as he spoke. After a moment, he glanced at Lu Youze with slight nervousness. “I’m going to expose Yu Li’s true colors. You… won’t mind, will you?”

He was still worried that Lu Youze might have lingering feelings for Yu Li.

“How could I mind?” Lu Youze chuckled. “I don’t want to keep being called a scumbag either! President Gu, I should be thanking you for helping me clear my name. So, what do I need to do next?”

“Youze, just stay here and rest for the next few days.” Gu Xuanze avoided answering his question. “This ward has everything you need. If you get bored, I can ask Xuanhao to keep you company.”

Lu Youze felt like he was being underestimated. This was clearly something that concerned him, yet he was being left out.

Even though his expression didn’t change—he even maintained a smile—Gu Xuanze was sharp enough to notice the shift in his mood.

“Youze, trust me. You won’t have to wait long. I’ll make sure you return to the film set in glory, so you can focus on acting without any external distractions.”

Gu Xuanze suddenly realized his words might have been overstepping. He quickly added, “What I mean is, I’ll take care of everything. You just have to wait for the good news.”

Lu Youze’s heart trembled slightly.

This man’s words weren’t just empty promises—he was actually making them a reality. His entire focus was on Lu Youze, doing everything in his power to give him the best of everything.

It was only then that Lu Youze snapped out of it. He had unconsciously been drawn in several times just now. He had even been moved by Gu Xuanze’s actions more than once. Some of his reactions were things he himself couldn’t even explain.

If he really had to choose a lover—an Alpha who would inevitably mark him during his heat—Gu Xuanze was, without a doubt, the best option.

But reality always delivers a harsh wake-up call when one starts to fall too deep.

Lu Youze knew better than anyone—Gu Xuanze wasn’t in love with him, but with the original Lu Youze from the novel.

He had never been an emotional person. Even at the peak of his fame as a Best Actor, he understood that his success wouldn’t last forever.

If he didn’t perform well, if he made the slightest mistake, the people who admired him today could just as easily trample him tomorrow.

The Lu Youze of this world was a living example of that.

Lu Youze reminded himself once again—Gu Xuanze wasn’t in love with him, but with the original Lu Youze.

He couldn’t afford to indulge in this illusion.

Even if the original Lu Youze would never return, even if he could rightfully enjoy everything Gu Xuanze offered him, the moment he truly fell for him, jealousy would arise. He would start caring about the fact that he was nothing more than a substitute.

“President Gu, there’s no one else here now. You don’t need to keep acting.”

Gu Xuanze leaned forward slightly, suppressing the chill in his tone caused by his worsening mood. “Youze, I thought… at the very least, we were friends.”

“President Gu, I think it’s better if we just remain colleagues.” Lu Youze realized he had been too soft before. In less than a day, he had let himself get caught up in Gu Xuanze’s warmth multiple times. He was afraid that one day, he might truly fall.

Gu Xuanze was far better than he had imagined, and he was afraid he might lose control.

“Youze, just get some rest.” Gu Xuanze cut him off. The ruthless businessman who struck fear in everyone was, at this moment, acting like a coward. “I have a lot to take care of. I’ll be leaving now.”

With that, he turned and left the room.

Watching Gu Xuanze’s retreating figure—his “escape”—Lu Youze felt a strange emptiness in his chest.

He clenched his fists, reaffirming his decision.

He couldn’t waver. He must not waver. Hesitation would only lead to disaster.