Judging by the other party's profession and unusual behavior, Xie Zhuzhou soon realized he might be looking for an investor.
There were only so many things that went on in the entertainment industry. Otherwise, surely he wasn't asking an ordinary person like him to appear on a show or giving him a script to act in?
Another possibility was that an agent had taken an interest in him.
Whatever the answer, Xie Zhuzhou could firmly refuse.
As long as he spent a little less, the balance in his bank account would be enough for retirement. Besides, the original owner had a home and a car in his name, along with some stocks and funds, all birthday gifts from his biological father.
Thoughtful or not, at least they were plain and practical.
He could buy whatever he wanted himself, but in a wealthy family, love was something elusive and intangible.
The original owner had plenty of money. He could spend some on living expenses and leave the bulk of it for his biological father, perhaps?
In case that man wanted it back someday.
He had better find his own way to make money, or he would be left in a very passive position.
When Xie Zhuzhou was thinking, he paid no attention to the people around him, either. He hurried past and headed upstairs.
Anyone watching would have thought Xie Zhuzhou had an air of melancholy amid his mystery.
Wang Zhengxiao, who had come back from work, had just made dinner and was about to invite Xie Zhuzhou to join him, only for the man to vanish like a ghost in a flash.
"Seriously, this guy... Are we wolves and tigers or something?"
"I'd say so."
The people who had returned during the day were Zhang Yin, Wen Nan, Xuelai, and Wang Zhengxiao.
During the livestream, everyone tacitly kept things to themselves.
Once the stream ended, every one of them was curious about Xie Zhuzhou.
"What are you looking at?" Wen Nan sat down, fork in hand, and ate his salad unhappily. Seeing Wang Zhengxiao's eyes studying Xie Zhuzhou with curiosity irritated him, as though someone were prying into something that belonged to him.
Wang Zhengxiao wanted nothing to do with the powder keg that was Wen Nan, who would start a fight at the slightest disagreement. He had no idea who had set him off.
Wang Zhengxiao always kept his distance from people who went crazy like this, lest the man suddenly come at him with a knife.
Wen Nan didn't care how others saw him. Tonight, the production team had a segment where they sent a text to someone they liked. He didn't want to send one to anyone, but if he had to, he could take the opportunity to make some passive-aggressive digs at Wen Ruohuai, that peerless white lotus.
When he went back to the Wen Family today, Wen Ruohuai had not only provocatively told him that his fiancé was his too, but even told him not to covet what belonged to other people.
Fucking hell.
He didn't want to leave the Wen Family because he still had a little filial affection for his parents.
But now...
Forget it. He would stop thinking about it.
He should find a time to get the hell out of the Wen Family.
Xuelai pushed a cup of yogurt toward him. "Have some. You're so thin you barely look like yourself anymore."
Wen Nan really had lost a lot of weight lately, and he was somewhat on the verge of a mental breakdown. He glanced at Xuelai, and his heart suddenly felt less heavy. "Thank you."
Xuelai curved her lips. "You're welcome." She had noticed that Wen Nan's gaze often unconsciously sought out Xie Zhuzhou.
She had to admit, on this show, aside from the mysterious Xie Zhuzhou, who could pique her interest, everyone else was nothing.
With men in the entertainment industry, who knew whether they were sincere or putting on an act?
What she really wanted most was someone outside the industry.
And right here was a guy whose age, looks, and height all suited her tastes.
"Wen Nan, I heard you're going to the desert for a magazine shoot soon. How many days will you be gone?"
"Four days next week, I think. I'll ask the director for time off then." Wen Nan took a sip of yogurt, felt as though his tongue had finally woken up, and couldn't help smacking his lips.
"I see."
That should be enough time to seduce a little puppy, right?
But Wen Nan had striking features, like a little vixen. If Xie Zhuzhou wasn't straight, it would probably be hard for him to turn down that type, right?
At that thought, Xuelai suddenly gave a soft laugh. She really was overthinking things... Nothing had even begun, yet she was acting as though Xie Zhuzhou had already joined this battlefield of love.
Xie Zhuzhou returned to his room, sat on the sofa, and took two books out of his backpack. After reading for fifteen minutes, he soon grew sleepy.
"..."
How could something as sleep-inducing as studying exist?
After reviewing the day's material, Xie Zhuzhou unconsciously started scrolling through videos. Once he went in, it took two hours to get back out. Like opium he couldn't quit, it was addictive!
Xie Zhuzhou took a deep breath, his mind filled with the thought that he had fallen into depravity!
Before the depraved Xie Zhuzhou could even despise himself, the number he had called last night suddenly called him.
His pupils contracted sharply, and he bitterly regretted forgetting to block Ji Wangyun!
He didn't know whether to answer or not.
In the end, Xie Zhuzhou steeled himself to offend him and delivered the full block-and-delete service.
Ji Wangyun couldn't get through. After his third call, he finally confirmed that he had been blocked.
He looked at Aolai innocently.
"This isn't my fault. He doesn't want to see you."
Aolai jumped angrily and turned his backside toward him in protest.
"Though I don't know what happened last night, it looks like he doesn't want anything to do with you." Ji Wangyun patted his head, regardless of whether he understood.
Aolai wasn't the only one who felt disappointed. Ji Wangyun was also very curious about what this younger brother was doing, actually blocking him.
Normally, shouldn't he be trying to please him?
Xie Zhuzhou felt that having no contact was the best outcome, lest their relationship become tangled. This weekend, he would choose short-term pain over prolonged suffering and visit his biological father. Whether he was treated coldly and ignored or seen as someone looking for a handout, once he had conveyed what the original owner had instructed him to, it would all be over.
Having made up his mind, he was just about to take a nap and then go to the market to pick out carrots when someone knocked on the door.
He froze for a moment, then immediately searched for Love 5's livestream on his phone. Today's one-day lover was Zhang Yin, so the villa's cameras should be off.
With no peephole, he could only open the door.
Then he saw a young man whose looks could be described as stunningly beautiful. Though that description was a little strange, Wen Nan truly did have an androgynous beauty.
"Do you need something?"
"Yes... It's just, I wanted to ask you for a favor. I..." With the words on the tip of his tongue, Wen Nan faced the other man's intensely oppressive gaze and suddenly couldn't help stammering.
Xie Zhuzhou glanced at him. Surely he wasn't asking him to help frame the protagonist shou or something? Xie Zhuzhou was a little surprised that Wen Nan could even notice such a marginal figure as himself. Clearly, his rules for staying invisible weren't working so well anymore.
"Don't you have an assistant?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you have an agent?"
"Ah..."
"It's fine. If all else fails, ask Director Wang for help. He's very nice."
"No, they can't help me."
Xie Zhuzhou froze for a moment. He had forced himself to offer so many solutions, yet the man still wasn't satisfied!
Too much contact with people, even just conversation, made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Sigh. I'll try to overcome it a little more.
Wen Nan said, "So, I, I wanted to ask you to help me..."
Xie Zhuzhou said, "Shut up. No, you don't."