---

The NPC lunged at me again, but I was too exhausted, slumping against the wall, neither screaming nor crying.

Turns out, when someone is trapped in sadness, they can’t feel fear.

Who cares about my love life or orientation? I’m just a washed-up celebrity.

But Lu Guanlan is different. He’s the youngest film emperor, the flawless idol in the hearts of his fans.

I’ve silently followed him for ten years. I know exactly how much pain he endured to get to where he is today.

His life shouldn’t have any blemishes.

I backed off ten years ago. Ten years later, he shouldn’t have any ties to someone like me.

---

Dragging my tired body home after wrapping up work, the moment I entered, the “Love System” notification popped up: [Daily task: Enjoy a sweet dinner together.]

“…”

System, you’re really something. We just had a falling out a moment ago.

The food delivered from the restaurant was already laid out on the table.

Lu Guanlan sat in a chair, glancing at me coldly.

“Wash your hands and come eat.”

“Oh.”

I sat across from him, eyeing his gloomy face as I quietly stuffed food into my mouth.

My phone chimed.

A message from a friend in the industry: [Old Han, you’re trending! You and the Film Emperor are tied up in the hot search!]

What?

I quickly opened the trending list.

**#Lu Guanlan Princess Carry#

Han Congyu Little Wife#

Lu Guanlan Han Congyu Wedding Room#

I’ve Always Been Behind You#**

The keywords were lined up side by side, and I felt my vision go black.

Just what I feared had come true.

I clicked into a fan-edited clip from the live broadcast, and my eyes widened.

The show’s filming was in ultra-high-definition.

From the start, Lu Guanlan had been following me, keeping a not-too-close yet not-too-distant distance.

When the NPC chased me, he chased after the NPC.

When I broke down crying and called his name, he instantly knocked out the NPC and picked me up like a big bunny.

And then, he heroically carried me into—the wedding room.

We even shared a close embrace on the wedding bed, decorated with red silk and the Chinese character for “double happiness.”

How long did that last?

Oh, a fan had kindly timed it for me.

12 minutes and 53 seconds.

The live chat was going wild. [Han Congyu must have a death wish! How dare he cling to the Film Emperor!]
[Such a shameless person! Who does he think he is, diving into the Film Emperor’s arms?]
[Poor Guanlan! His first time on a variety show, and he runs into this scheming guy!]

The reaction from fans was predictable. They probably wanted to strangle me through the screen.

A few of my loyal fans timidly tried to defend me.

[It’s not entirely Han’s fault. The Film Emperor’s expression was so gentle when he held him, he clearly didn’t mind.]
[Exactly! Lu Guanlan followed him as soon as he entered. It was clearly to protect him.]

But as soon as they spoke up, they were drowned out by the thousands of Lu’s fans.

[Who does this nobody think he is?!]

…

I frowned. This wasn’t good. The numbers were completely skewed, and continuing this argument would only hurt my few fans.

Just as I was about to enter the fan group to stop them, my phone was taken from me.

Lu Guanlan glanced at the countless comments, his eyebrows furrowing tightly.

“Sorry…”

I was just about to explain when Lu Guanlan raised a hand, cutting me off.

“Finish your meal. I’ll handle it.”

---

Five minutes later, the trending list exploded again.

Lu Guanlan posted on his personal account:
[It was me, I actively followed him. It was me, I actively carried him into the wedding room. It was me, I actively held his hand. If you want to blame someone, blame me.]

The comment section was filled with shocked fans, who then began to tearfully reply.

[Do you think we don’t want to scold you? We just can’t bring ourselves to do it!]

I nearly choked on my food. How many palace dramas had Lu Guanlan watched? Of all the things to learn, he picks this dramatic tone?

Ridiculously, it worked.

The fierce battle in the comments suddenly took a sharp turn.

[Just a neutral viewer here, but doesn’t anyone think that Lu Guanlan and Han Congyu actually look pretty harmonious together?]

[I agree. I never noticed before, but Han Congyu is quite handsome. His tearful expression hit me right in the feels.]
[Everyone knows Lu Guanlan doesn’t engage in fake relationships—unless it’s not fake.]
[Exactly! Pretending not to know each other, but who knows how many kisses they’ve shared in private!]

…

Sis, you’ve hit the nail on the head.

In the blink of an eye, the “Lu-Han” super-topic skyrocketed.

With just two hugging photos and a hand-holding clip, fans were already producing countless fan videos and fanfics.

People are so talented!

Panicking, I turned to Lu Guanlan. “Your team is more experienced. Hurry up and release a statement to clarify. There’s still time for PR!”

Lu Guanlan slowly cleared the table, his gaze casually sweeping over the new comments.

“Mm.
I’ll take care of it.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine for no reason.

Lu Guanlan washed his hands and fiddled with his phone.

A new post went up: [This is just the beginning. Haven’t you seen anything better?]

Fans: “…”

Fans: “?”

A few minutes later, one of Lu Guanlan’s long-time followers shared an encrypted link.

[Lu Guanlan and Han Congyu’s film from ten years ago. The chemistry is overwhelming. Watch it while you can.]

Fan group: “???”

Lu Guanlan’s final post of the night: [Yes, we were in a movie together.]

The fans went wild. I also freaked out.

---

Almost no one knew that I was classically trained at a film academy. At 20, I was chosen by a famous director to play the lead in an art film.

The other lucky one was Lu Guanlan, just as new to the industry as I was.

The film told the story of a disillusioned young artist who, before ending his life, travels to the grasslands to watch the sunset and is deeply moved by a local shepherd boy, ultimately finding redemption.

Back then, dual male leads weren’t just about “brotherly love.”

That director had no qualms about filming anything.

On the first day, our very first scene was a kissing scene.

We didn’t even know each other’s names.

We just exchanged our names and ages, then got surrounded by cameras and kissed while riding on horseback.

Lu Guanlan wore a bright traditional herdsman’s robe, holding the reins in one hand and wrapping the other arm around my waist.

I turned to look at him, the blazing sunlight shining on his face. His youthful, deep-set features were as vibrant as fire.

He lowered his gaze, staring at me with an intensity that was both gentle and passionate.

I felt my heart skip a beat.