In the middle of filming

He knew he could not back down today, no matter what. Otherwise, he was finished. At that point, he had even been prepared to die.

Just then, Lu Yan appeared. Two were better than one, and together, they finally managed to drive those men off.

But neither of them had escaped without injuries all over.

Even injured, Lu Yan was as flippant as ever. "Seriously, who did you piss off? They really went to town on you."

"Trouble I didn't ask for." He could not go back to the dorm now, so he made up an excuse and asked his student adviser for leave at the last minute. Fortunately, his adviser had always been easygoing and only reminded him to stay safe while he was out.

He did not mention the fight.

With their injuries, the hospital was their only option tonight. He was better off, with what looked like nothing but superficial wounds, but Lu Yan was a different story. Someone had slashed his arm with a knife.

Mo Hua supported Lu Yan as they limped out of the alley. Luckily, Lu Yan's car was not far away.

Fortunately, apart from the gash on Lu Yan's arm, neither of them was seriously hurt. It was late, and the hospital had rooms available, so they took one.

When it came time to dress their wounds, however, Lu Yan insisted that Mo Hua apply his medicine. Since he had saved him, Mo Hua did not refuse this time.

He carefully dabbed alcohol on Lu Yan's wounds, but Lu Yan simply could not keep his mouth shut.

"Were those guys trying to rob you? You could've just given them the money. What matters more, your money or your life?"

"You think I didn't want to? They weren't after money."

"Wait, if they didn't want money, what did they want?"

Mo Hua fell silent.

Lu Yan's eyes widened. "Don't tell me they were after your body?"

Mo Hua's expression darkened. No one would be happy about being sexually harassed by someone of the same sex.

Lu Yan kept staring at Mo Hua until he grew irritated. "What do you keep looking at me for? Something wrong with you?"

"Ah," Lu Yan sighed. "You know, with looks like yours, I'd go after you if I were a girl. What a missed chance at love."

"Shut up and let me put this on."

There was no chance of him shutting up. Lu Yan leaned toward Mo Hua. "Hey, wouldn't you say I saved your life today?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't you think you should repay me?"

"What do you want?"

"Simple." Lu Yan smiled. "Be my friend."

"No. Pick something else."

"Why?"

"We live in different worlds. Besides, I hate rich kids like you."

"Hey, hey, hey." Lu Yan was not having that. "That's not fair. Isn't that discrimination? I guarantee I'm nothing like those other rich kids."

"Then why are you so set on being friends with me?"

"Because you're good-looking. Having someone that good-looking among my friends would give me something to brag about."

"Besides, I'm a sucker for a pretty face."

What a remarkably straightforward reason. Mo Hua asked, "Aren't you good-looking yourself, though?"

Lu Yan's explanation was that it was not the same.

That night, Mo Hua still did not agree to Lu Yan's request. But the next time Lu Yan came to see him, his attitude toward him was considerably warmer.

Still, however much Mo Hua disliked rich kids, he was ultimately just a student at heart. When it came to working people, he was nowhere near Lu Yan's league.

Under Lu Yan's relentless persistence, the two finally became friends.

Lu Yan really knew how to handle things. He never pushed Mo Hua into anything he disliked, nor did he ever act superior around him. Even after learning that Mo Hua worked part-time at a restaurant, he never looked down on him.

He even taught Mo Hua things he could not learn from books.

All in all, Mo Hua's days had been fulfilling lately. What made him happiest was getting a call from his older brother.

His brother had only called to tell him that he had an assignment in the next few days and would probably be out of contact for a long time again.

Mo Hua was used to it. That was the nature of his brother's work. As long as he was safe, Mo Hua was happy.

At the same time, someone addressed the man seated at the head of the table. "Boss, they're cracking down harder and harder. It's getting increasingly difficult to move our shipments out."

"Understood."

A few days later, Lu Yan suddenly came running over in excitement to tell Mo Hua that his birthday was coming up, insisting that he attend.

"Won't there be lots of people? I don't think I should go."

"It's fine. They're all friends I hang out with. Besides, you can just stick with me the whole time."

"All right." It was Lu Yan's birthday, after all. Even if he did not want to go, he could hardly turn him down.

When he arrived at the venue, there were indeed a lot of people. Mo Hua did not know them, and he did not like the way they looked at him.

He only planned to drop off his present and leave, but Lu Yan stopped him.

He told Mo Hua to rest in a room first and promised to come up as soon as he had greeted the guests.

With no other choice, Mo Hua found a room to wait in. Not long afterward, someone knocked on the door. A maid stood outside. "Young Master Mo, Young Master Lu asked me to bring you something to eat."

Mo Hua bowed slightly and accepted the food. "Thank you."

When he woke again, Mo Hua found himself lying on a bed with his hands bound. He tried to struggle free but could not.

How did I end up here? I remember being at the birthday party. Lu Yan even had someone bring me a bowl of noodles.

Right, the noodles. After I ate them, I blacked out.

He realized that there must have been something in the noodles. But who could have abducted him from Lu Yan's house?

And he was just a university student. What use was there in kidnapping him?

Could it be one of Lu Yan's enemies? Like in novels, where you get too close to someone and their enemies use you to threaten them?

If that's what happened, Lu Yan, you've really screwed me over.

He was still only a student. Faced with something like this, he could not help being frightened.

He had been awake for so long, yet no one had come into the room. They probably thought he was still unconscious.

Mo Hua tried every way he could think of to undo the strips of cloth binding him, but nothing worked. They might not hurt his wrists, but they were far too tight.

Mo Hua gave up. He was better off conserving his strength.

After an unknown amount of time, light finally spilled into the dark room. A stranger walked in, bald, with a long scar down his right cheek.

The man spoke in a rough voice. "I hear you've been getting pretty close to the Lu Family's young master lately. Do as I say. Call him and tell him to come pay your ransom."

Mo Hua played dumb. "Sir, haven't you got the wrong person? I don't know any young master from the Lu Family."

"Don't play dumb. The guy who's always with you."

"So he's the Lu Family's young master? But we really aren't close. Your plan's going to fall through."

"Cut the crap. Call him."

"I don't remember his number."

The man slapped Mo Hua across the face. "Call him!"

Mo Hua did not make a sound. Eventually, the man dialed the number himself.

Even after hearing the voice on the other end, Mo Hua remained silent. The man hung up and slapped him again.

"You lost!"

At that voice, Mo Hua instantly raised his head. Someone he had never expected to see appeared before him.