Swish, swish, swish.

Meteors scattered across the phone screen.

Guan Ciyan’s fingers touched the screen, and the sound effect Jian Yang had been eagerly waiting for played.

Limited! Special! Card!

The limited card that Jian Yang had never been able to pull! Guan Ciyan easily drew it.

Jian Yang was unconvinced, widening his eyes, his golden irises surrounded by red veins, like a poisonous, seductive flower. It created a strange harmony with his round, almond-shaped eyes, like a shattered crystal doll, clear and transparent, with countless tiny cracks. Light bent inside, unable to refract a single complete beam.

Guan Ciyan, with shoulders as wide as the Pacific Ocean, blocked Jian Yang’s way like a wall. His voice was cold and stern, his gaze rudely scanning Jian Yang from head to toe. “You’re here.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

The earlier “Is it you?” was already answered by Guan Ciyan himself. He seemed to understand very well why Jian Yang was here.

But Jian Yang himself still didn’t understand.

He was just taking things one step at a time.

However, Jian Yang’s attention was still on the limited card. The vague feeling he had earlier seemed to be getting closer to an answer.

“Mr. Jian, I bought your eye drops, and you should take your cold medicine too.” The director jogged from the far end of the hallway to the VIP lounge, calling out to Jian Yang from a distance.

He stopped abruptly, about ten meters away.

Jian Yang turned around, delighted. “You got the eye drops?”

The eye drops that he couldn’t find anywhere around the set—once Guan Ciyan appeared, they were easily bought.

The director handed over the eye drops, his voice trembling. “Has it really come to needing Mr. Guan’s intervention for my production?”

“The lead actor still can’t do it, Mr. Jian. Changing people now won’t make it in time for the schedule.”

“Although Mr. Guan likes you the most, I really will…”

Jian Yang pressed his finger to the director’s lips. “Quiet, don’t say anything.”

After speaking, Jian Yang hesitated to turn around. Guan Ciyan’s cold voice rang out from behind, “The person I like most is you?”

Jian Yang’s heart lifted. Was it impossible to escape his doomed fate?

He forced a smile, suddenly shy. “You heard wrong, Wei Ge said, ‘I like you the most.'”

Guan Ciyan looked at the director, Wei Wei, who took a step toward Jian Yang. The two small fry could still feel each other’s presence.

Guan Ciyan’s gaze landed on Jian Yang’s face. “Did you send out the news?”

“Of course not!” Jian Yang protested with a sense of injustice. “This kind of news won’t benefit you at all. Why would I spread something like that?”

“It benefits you, for example, it could let someone catch my mistake, threatening me to resolve the funding issues for Jian’s Cinema. Or, haven’t you already secured a role in Wei Wei’s new drama?”

Jian Yang silently retorted in his heart: You know it full well, yet you’re being played around by Guan Jingyu and Jian Buqing.

But on the surface, he could only say, “Mr. Guan, don’t underestimate yourself. I could get a minor role like this even without you. Besides, if I had sent the news, I’d have made a fortune already. Why would I still need Wei Ge to buy me medicine?”

Wei Wei held the cold medicine and eye drops in both hands.

Guan Ciyan’s gaze passed over Wei Wei’s outstretched hands. The most ordinary cold medicine—his dog wouldn’t even take this.

“You see, I didn’t lie to you,” Jian Yang’s voice sounded a bit nasal. It was then that Guan Ciyan connected his reddened cheeks with his fever, his golden irises surrounded by red bloodshot veins, the pink allergy-like puffiness under his eyes, slightly swollen eyelids, wet lashes resting on his eyelids, and his earlobes darkened from the light sweat, which made his skin appear even paler.

He looked seriously sick.

Jian Yang kept rubbing his eyes, his right eye becoming even redder than the left. His soft, hoarse voice was almost pleading with Guan Ciyan. “I didn’t lie to you, do you believe me?”

He didn’t ask Guan Ciyan for help or make demands; he simply explained while rubbing his eyes.

Guan Ciyan’s mood soured, and he grabbed Jian Yang’s wrist, impatiently saying, “Stop rubbing it.”

“It itches.” Jian Yang raised his head, his golden eyes unfocused. Guan Ciyan’s face was blurred to him. He blinked hard twice. “It feels uncomfortable.”

Guan Ciyan shrugged, and Wei Wei placed the eye drops into his hands. Guan Ciyan twisted open the small opening on the cap and placed it in Jian Yang’s palm. “You apply it yourself.”

Jian Yang muttered, “I was going to apply it myself.”

While Jian Yang was applying the medicine, Guan Ciyan’s phone rang. Jian Yang said, “Mr. Guan, if you have something to do, you can go ahead. Don’t mind me.”

But Guan Ciyan ordered, “Come with me.”

Jian Yang: ??? Why is he not giving me a chance to refuse again?

Even the passing dogs could offer him two cents.

“Mr. Guan, you see, I still have work,” Jian Yang pointed at Wei Wei and then at himself.

Guan Ciyan said in a calm voice, “Your scenes are scheduled for tomorrow. Come with me. You’ll get double pay for today. Future medical fees at the Guan Family Ophthalmology Hospital are waived. You can choose.”

“But of course, you’re more important than work.” Jian Yang said without missing a beat, “I must go with you today.”

This wasn’t really a choice, it was a freebie.

The Guan Family’s hospital might be able to treat his eyes directly, and his career would go from a one-lane road to a six-lane highway.

Wei Wei raised his hand weakly. “Then Jian Yang, I don’t need to pay you your salary for today, right?”

Low-budget productions were all about penny-pinching.

Jian Yang waved grandly, “No need, but can you help me keep the half bottle of red wine in my lounge? Don’t waste it.”

Guan Ciyan’s icy expression cracked slightly—half a bottle of leftover wine.

“Let’s go.” Guan Ciyan’s face turned red. He didn’t yet know that this feeling was called embarrassment. He grabbed Jian Yang by the back of his collar and pulled him forward.

The assistant following behind them asked Wei Wei, “What’s Mr. Jian’s salary for today? I’ll handle the details with you.”

“No need to settle accounts. His salary is 180 today, just send him 360 on WeChat.”

Having navigated the business world, Guan Ciyan was sharp. When the number 360 entered his ears, his pace quickened as he dragged Jian Yang out.

After all, the person was delivered to his bed.

One day was worth 360?

He threw Jian Yang into the backseat of the car and coldly asked, “Are you this poor?”

Jian Yang sat up straight and spoke with a straight voice, “Mr. Guan, you’re being a bit presumptuous.”

“I agreed that before you leave, you were mine. Stop looking so poor.” Guan Ciyan took the lapel pin off his suit and pinned it on Jian Yang’s white shirt collar.

The car passed a curved overpass, and the sunset streamed in from the left window. The sunlight evenly covered Guan Ciyan’s lowered profile, and his fingertips were kissed by golden light. The blue diamond chest pin lifted the texture of the plain white shirt, reflecting tiny specks of light.

The one side of the collar grew heavy, and Jian Yang instinctively shrank back. Guan Ciyan’s profile burned into his mind, refusing to fade.

Before, he had always wanted to hide, but now he truly saw Guan Ciyan’s face—stunning, flawless.

“Sir, where are we going?”

Guan Ciyan pinched Jian Yang’s cheek, pulling him back to his side. His gaze cooled, his voice calm and flat, “To act.”

“Then can you not pinch my face? There can’t be marks on it for the camera,” Jian Yang regretted speaking.

Guan Ciyan was easier to talk to this time. After releasing his grip, he ignored Jian Yang. Jian Yang secretly prayed that after today, he would never encounter Guan Ciyan again—no one could serve such a temperamental person.

Even if he paid!

As for which scene they were doing, Jian Yang didn’t dare to ask again. He would improvise on the spot; acting was already his instinct, and he certainly wouldn’t cause a scene on stage.

Unexpectedly, the car stopped in front of an ancient-looking building.

Is this a park performance?

It’s still quite difficult.

The corridor inside twists and turns, with a profusion of flowers, typical of a traditional Chinese garden. There’s even a garden built in the second courtyard. It’s similar to the Suzhou gardens that Jian Yang visited before. Compared to the semi-mountainous estate of Guan Ciyan, it exceeds it, though one is European-style and the other is Chinese.

Jian Yang guesses that this is probably not a park, but another private property of Guan Ciyan, where he’s likely hosting someone.

When they reach the beautiful, grand main building, there’s still a faint light in the sky, and the Chinese-style red lacquered building looks terrifying. Guan Ciyan suddenly speaks, “Anything else you want to ask?”

Jian Yang still remembers being pinched earlier and shakes his head repeatedly, “I’ll do whatever you tell me, sir.”

Guan Ciyan tilts his head slightly and pats Jian Yang’s head in approval, “Quite clever, remembering your earlier words.”

The devil’s hand rests on his head, with warmth like the embers of a sunset, capable of crushing his head at any moment.

Walking side by side into the main building, Jian Yang’s slightly nearsighted eyes can’t make out the layout of the house because it’s too vast. A faint, burnt fragrance hangs in the air. This is beyond extravagant, beyond extravagant!

Do all the world’s riches like to clump together?

Jian Yang wants to test if the room has an echo, so he lets out a syllable from his throat.

There’s an echo.

A hoarse, powerful voice crashes into Jian Yang’s head, “What are you doing?”

Jian Yang squints and sees an old man sitting in the high hall, hands on a cane resting on his knees, dressed in a black Chinese silk shirt with golden dragons embroidered on it. His face is hard to make out, but his presence is as imposing as Guan Ciyan’s.

Jian Yang shudders and instinctively steps half a step behind Guan Ciyan.

Guan Ciyan tilts his head slightly, “Hmm?”

Jian Yang follows with a “Hmm?”

Why did he hide behind Guan Ciyan? Is Guan Ciyan some kind of good person?

It can only be concluded that the old man in the hall can only be matched by Guan Ciyan, and Jian Yang is just finding a shield.

“You come with me,” the old man says, pausing in front of Guan Ciyan before walking straight out.

Guan Ciyan hesitates for no moment and follows.

Leaving Jian Yang alone in the main building, confused, he stands for a while before finding a chair for himself. He looks left and right but sees no one else in the room. Outside, the sky has fully darkened, but inside the room, it’s bright as day.

The fear of traditional Chinese aesthetics creeps up his back.

The red furniture is eerily bright.

Jian Yang shakily pulls out his phone. Given the situation, he might as well play a couple of games.

In the evening, Guan Ciyan had given him a limited-edition card that he hadn’t looked at before; it’s already in his collection now. Jian Yang quickly dives in, strategizing for the cute younger brother in the game, sending out biubiu shots of affection.

After completing two storylines, he needs to find the key items to unlock the next chapter. Jian Yang searches everywhere based on experience but can’t unlock it.

“This can’t be,” Jian Yang’s bad feeling resurfaces.

After parting ways with Guan Ciyan this morning, he’s experienced being kicked out of the house, causing trouble on set, and failing nine consecutive draws.

It’s not just ordinary bad luck; it’s extreme bad luck. But when Guan Ciyan drew a card for him, it was a limited edition.

Could it be that he has to stay close to Guan Ciyan to avoid being a walking disaster?

Jian Yang’s eyes flicker as he walks outside with his phone. Sure enough, as soon as he steps out, the game pops up with a clue about the key item. He turns left and gets stuck in the game map again. Turning right, he soon exits the maze.

“Is it here?” Jian Yang holds his phone up high, feeling both elated about gaining experience points in the game and anxious because his guess has been confirmed.

Bang bang—

The game interface crashes with fireworks, and the key item is collected.

“Don’t forget your identity. Your existence is the lesson you should learn!” The old man’s voice booms like a bell, almost scaring Jian Yang into dropping his phone.

Jian Yang ducks behind the door, peeking inside.

Crack—

A one-meter-long whip lands on Guan Ciyan’s back. Guan Ciyan kneels straight, and when the whip falls, there’s not even a flinch.