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This time, Xie Jianwei was quite ordinary. He had an ordinary family and an ordinary life, and aside from being exceptionally good-looking, he seemed worlds apart from the persona of the Military Advisor.

Moreover, his personality differed drastically, or rather, to an exaggerated degree.

Xie Jianwei had been born ordinary, yet he refused to accept mediocrity.

After graduating from the film academy, he had remained constantly frustrated and depressed. Despite having genuine talent, a great look, and solid acting skills, he repeatedly hit brick walls simply because he lacked connections and background.

Of course, Lu Li could not bear to see him suffer more setbacks, so roughly after the second time he was smeared in public, he crossed paths with Lu Li.

The two had initially started with a one-night stand. After a casual, uninhibited night together, Xie Jianwei dusted off his trousers and walked away.

Lu Li did not try to keep him either, merely giving him a helping hand afterward by offering him an audition opportunity.

As luck would have it, he was the only one who truly stood out in that audition, and with a casual remark from Best Actor Lu, he smoothly broke through.

A hit drama allowed this salted fish to turn over and sing triumphantly. His agent, Yan Ke, was thoroughly baffled, asking, “Has your rotten luck finally turned around?”

Xie Jianwei replied, “Who knows,” though his thoughts lingered on Lu Li.

Later, Yan Ke went around making inquiries, returning in high excitement, “My treasure, how in the world did you hook up with Best Actor Lu?”

Xie Jianwei then confessed the fact that he had accidentally slept with Best Actor Lu.

Yan Ke exclaimed, “Well look at that, you’re quite capable after all!”

Xie Jianwei countered, “It was a pure accident. When I slept with him, I didn’t even get a clear look at who he was.”

Yet Yan Ke was overjoyed, “No matter what, it’s a golden opportunity. If you want to make a name for yourself, grab onto it tightly!”

Xie Jianwei said, “Grab onto what? There definitely won’t be a next time.”

Last time, he hadn’t seen clearly who Lu Li was, and presumably Lu Li hadn’t seen him clearly either. After a messy roll in the sheets, they went their separate ways upon waking. Lu Li giving him that audition was likely hush money to close the chapter. Being sensible, he would never seek him out again.

Yet who could have guessed that Lu Li actually kept his phone number, contacting him again only a few days later.

They didn’t do anything else, just hooked up for another round.

Yan Ke grew thrilled, “Baby! There’s something here; you have to seize it!”

Xie Jianwei thought it over and felt it was fine. He was sick of being pushed around anyway, and climbing the ladder by riding this wave suited him just fine. Besides, Lu Li was devastatingly handsome. A bed partner who was both generously endowed and skilled in bed, with industry resources attached, couldn’t be found even with a lantern.

And so, back and forth, the two slept together for over half a year.

Xie Jianwei genuinely found this life wonderful. His sugar daddy demanded little and spent lavishly, gifting cars, luxury apartments, and career opportunities. The man was handsome and possessed an incredible physique, and his bedroom skills were so sublime that a mere thought of them sent a pleasant shiver across the skin.

For the past six months, Yan Ke looked at him as though he were a migrant worker who had struck a billion-dollar lottery jackpot.

By rights, Xie Jianwei shouldn’t have grown tired of Best Actor Lu so quickly.

Yet Xie Jianwei was a scumbag, a scumbag in bold capital letters.

To be precise, he wasn’t tired of him; he had chickened out.

He told Yan Ke, “Getting bottomed every day is getting a bit annoying.” Before meeting Lu Li, he had been a top, but now he had somehow become a bottom who was railed to sweet satisfaction.

Yan Ke felt his heart skip a beat in terror, “My living ancestor, would Best Actor Lu ever let you top?”

Xie Jianwei said irritably, “Definitely not, which is why I want to switch flavors.”

Yan Ke caught on, “You damn well want to cheat!”

Xie Jianwei rolled his eyes at him, “Why put it so harshly? He and I were only in a mutually beneficial arrangement to begin with.”

Yan Ke argued, “That might be true, but the sugar daddy hasn’t grown tired of you yet, so what kind of nonsense is getting tired of him first!”

Xie Jianwei said, “Who cares about him? Anyway, I’m bored.”

Yan Ke tried earnestly to talk sense into him, practically wishing he could pry open his skull to see what madness had possessed him, casting aside such a peerless catch of a man just to sample new flavors.

In truth, what Xie Jianwei hadn’t dared confess to Yan Ke was that he wasn’t bored; he had cold feet.

Lu Li was far too good to him, excessively so.

It didn’t feel like pampering a kept boy, but rather cherishing a true lover, cradling him in the palm of his hand with utmost devotion.

He had assumed they were friends with benefits trading resources for pleasure, but Best Actor Lu actually wanted to fall in love with him, and Xie Jianwei chickened out in an instant.

In such an unequal dynamic, falling in love was pure self-inflicted torment, and he would never be so foolish. Besides, trapped in such a murky circle, clearly priced sex was vastly simpler and lighter than messy, sentimental romance.

To put it bluntly, Xie Jianwei’s boredom was a calculated exit to cut losses and preserve himself.

Emotions were notoriously fickle; people loved each other to death, only to part ways in bitter hatred.

He could not afford to cross Best Actor Lu, nor did he trust his own heart. If he didn’t want to end up blacklisted after a future breakup, cutting ties early was best for everyone involved.

When Xie Jianwei shared this memory with the real Yan Ke, Yan Ke was left completely speechless.

What could one say? Xie Jianwei in this persona was selfish and cold, yet also timid. His so-called self-preservation was, from another perspective, simply lacking the courage to shoulder a real relationship.

Unable to give Lu Li what he desired, he chose to give nothing at all.

If this weren’t a dream, and if Lu Li weren’t Lu Li while Xie Jianwei weren’t Xie Jianwei, acting this way would be harmless. They might have simply drifted apart, going their separate ways, with any late-night memories reduced to nothing more than pleasant sexual encounters.

Yet Lu Li was Lu Li, and Xie Jianwei was Xie Jianwei. Even without those six months, Lu Li would still love Xie Jianwei down to his very bones.

In such circumstances, wanting to cut losses? Allow him a bitter chuckle.

Pondering for a moment, Yan Ke said, “I always feel something is rather strange.”

Xie Jianwei knew what he found odd.

Yan Ke continued, “Logically, this is the Lord Marshal’s dream, the manifestation of his inner world. Could it be that deep down in his heart, he truly sees you as… well…” He left the sentence unfinished, but both understood the implication.

In Lu Li’s eyes, was Xie Jianwei truly such a heartless scumbag?

This defied all logic. Even if misunderstandings and knots existed between them, they had stood side by side for a decade through countless trials. No one should know better than Lu Li how much responsibility and courage Xie Jianwei possessed.

Even if more than half of the Milky Way’s high command suspected Xie Jianwei might have used the Lord Marshal for revenge, they also knew full well that Xie Jianwei would protect Lu Li for a lifetime, because this man would never fail anyone who treated him with genuine warmth.

Not to mention the Marshal loved him with such boundless devotion.

That was precisely why the Marshal’s closest inner circle held deep respect and faith in Xie Jianwei.

Yet what was this version of Xie Jianwei supposed to be? This wasn’t Xie Jianwei at all!

Yan Ke remarked in confusion, “The first dream was too short to dwell on. In the second, the Marshal’s knot was feeling that you were merely sugar-daddying him. The third was feeling that companionship and habit didn’t equate to love. As for the fourth…” Yan Ke hesitated, having not quite deciphered the core knot of the vampire world.

Xie Jianwei said, “That knot likely formed only after the split. He didn’t know which Lu Li I truly loved.” The vampire world was essentially a hypothetical scenario: assuming their physical forms separated to pursue Xie Jianwei simultaneously, which one would Xie Jianwei choose?

Of course, every personality shared one common core knot, and that was the terror of loss.

At the root of it all lay a single conviction: Lu Li believed deep down that Xie Jianwei did not love him. Or perhaps loved him, but nowhere near the depth of his own devotion.

For instance, losing Xie Jianwei would shatter Lu Li’s universe; whereas losing Lu Li would bring Xie Jianwei pain, but before long, once the wounds scarred over, he would still embark on a new life.

A brilliant, colorful life that simply lacked Lu Li.

Sighing softly, Xie Jianwei said, “It is my fault as well.”

He had believed that handing Lu Li everything was the definition of love, yet sometimes love also required asking and taking.

A person who demands nothing might not be someone without desires; it could simply be that you cannot provide what they want.

Relinquishing immense authority the moment it was attained, discarding supreme glory without hesitation, caring not an ounce for a status revered by millions.

What, then, did he actually care about?

When even the treasures countless souls coveted were cast aside, what did Xie Jianwei truly desire? What could Lu Li possibly offer him? Had he nothing left to pursue once his vengeance was complete?

In truth, Xie Jianwei had simply wanted to avoid suspicion, but tragically, Lu Li never believed Xie Jianwei could love him to such an extent.

Waking up from countless nights sleeping in each other’s arms, Lu Li’s constant dread was that the person beside him would vanish into thin air.

If Xie Jianwei ever wished to leave, Lu Li would never find him again in this lifetime.

Knowing his capabilities all too well while lacking any leverage to make him stay, Lu Li lived in perpetual terror.

In the past, Xie Jianwei had never considered these things. Not having thought of them was fine in ordinary times, since companionship was the universal remedy; he would never leave Lu Li, spending a lifetime showing him that he loved him with equal depth.

Yet Lu Li would have endured that silent, suppressed agony for an entire lifetime.

In reality, Lu Li would never voice it, nor let a trace show, so Xie Jianwei would never have noticed, and they would have walked to the end of their days together.

Only when their lives ended would Lu Li finally feel at peace, yet his entire life would have been consumed by insecurity and dread, receiving far too little happiness.

Xie Jianwei felt somewhat fortunate. Though Lu Li’s personality split brought numerous dangers, entering his dream world had allowed Xie Jianwei to experience and understand so much more.

Now that he knew, he would resolve it, never letting Lu Li miss out on a lifetime of peace.

They were meant to share a century of devotion, so how could he bear leaving Lu Li to suffer alone?

Yan Ke’s heart churned with mixed emotions, “So in this dream, does the Lord Marshal wish for you to take from him?” Even using him as a stepping stone would provide a sense of security?

Xie Jianwei nodded, then shook his head, saying, “He does wish for me to demand things, but not in this manner. Someone is definitely pulling strings behind the scenes.”

Yan Ke caught on sharply, “Could another personality be at work?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Other personalities cannot alter the dream’s foundational settings, so this points to a deeper, more rooted force.”

A force that had continuously misled Lu Li, deliberately magnifying his darkest impulses. In this dream, it had laid bare its malice; unwilling to let the therapy succeed, it loathed Xie Jianwei and sought to tarnish him completely.

Yan Ke immediately turned vigilant, “Do you still suspect the Lord Marshal’s personality split has another underlying cause?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Lu Li is not a fragile man. Furthermore, even if I haven’t done enough, as long as I remain by his side, he wouldn’t develop such an illness solely from that.”

Though Lu Li felt anxious, insecure, and terrified of loss, his core was forged in resilience, a warrior who had looked death in the eye amidst storms of gunfire. He might bury his secrets for a lifetime, yet as long as Xie Jianwei was there, his world would not collapse.

Lu Li’s emotional state might have served as the fuse, but what had ignited that fuse?

The answer would surface eventually. For now, what he wanted most was to understand Lu Li even deeper.

Yan Ke fretted, “This time even the memories are firmly locked in, meaning you must abide by the persona, but this…”

It was excruciatingly angsty. Lu Li clearly loved him to his bones, and while using him as a backer was one thing, getting bored after barely six months and planning to offer up a replacement lover to appease him was outrageous.

If Lu Li found out…

Good grief, the fallout was terrifying to imagine.

Xie Jianwei’s mouth twitched. He felt displeased as well; handpicking a side piece for his own husband was something he could never stomach.

The pressing priority was to halt this plan.

Xie Jianwei said to dream-Yan Ke, “Let me think over this matter a bit more.”

With him suddenly relenting, dream-Yan Ke suspected nothing, breathing a sigh of relief instead, wishing Xie Jianwei would cling to Best Actor Lu for eternity without letting go of this golden backer.

“Taking time to rethink it is the best possible choice! The timing really isn’t ripe right now. Besides, you need a partner anyway, so why be picky about a man like Best Actor Lu? Take it day by day, and pocket whatever benefits you can grab first!”

Xie Jianwei nodded, “Mm.”

Fearing he might change his mind, dream-Yan Ke reminded him, “Bai Song is no angel either. He acts sweet right now, chirping ‘Brother Xie’ this and that, but once he latches onto Best Actor Lu, will he look kindly upon an old flame like you? Heaven knows how he might make your life difficult.”

Xie Jianwei remained silent.

Dream-Yan Ke patted his shoulder earnestly, “Think it over carefully!”

Once dream-Yan Ke left, the real Yan Ke hurried to pledge his innocence, “My Lord, that wasn’t me, please remember that wasn’t me!” I’m a respectable doctor, not a pimp, sob!

Xie Jianwei mused, “It’s fine, you were merely worrying yourself sick on my behalf.”

Yan Ke was speechless. As the saying went, what goes around comes around; why did he have to laugh at Admiral Loren in the previous dream? Now it was his turn to suffer!

Having slept throughout the day, Xie Jianwei felt wide awake by evening. Turning off his phone had delayed several matters, and upon powering it on, missed calls and messages flooded in.

Skimming through, he selected a few to reply to, and just as he hit send, an incoming call flashed across the screen.

Three words displayed: Senior Lu.

Lu Li? Xie Jianwei answered without hesitation.

Across the receiver came Lu Li’s voice, “Eight tonight, the Victoria.”

Xie Jianwei acknowledged, “Alright.”

The call disconnected.

Summoned by his patron, Xie Jianwei got up to freshen up and head out for his duties.

The Victoria was an international luxury hotel, with the top-floor penthouse reserved under Lu Li’s name year-round.

Xie Jianwei had visited frequently. The moment his car pulled up, dedicated staff attended to him from valet parking all the way to the private elevator.

Public figures, especially of Lu Li’s stature, could never be too cautious.

Ascending to the floor, Xie Jianwei walked across plush carpeting into the lavish suite that occupied nearly half the floor.

Upon entering, Lu Li was occupied with work, merely telling him, “Wait a moment.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Okay.”

He had brought a script along, settling onto the sofa to flip through it.

Although he possessed memories, they were merely an outline providing the skeleton; the details required his own exploration.

Since his identity was an actor, fulfilling his professional role and committing the script to memory early was only proper.

Naturally, this was trivial for Xie Jianwei.

Skimming ten lines at a glance with photographic memory, flipping through the thick script once was enough to engrave it into his mind.

Lu Li wrapped up some tasks and looked up, catching sight of Xie Jianwei.

He sat facing sideways, the warm lights illuminating him as night descended. He wore casual attire, a beige pullover paired with matching trousers, the warm palette complementing his soft, delicate skin.

Xie Jianwei had likely showered before coming; his hair looked clean and fresh, his face bare of makeup, studying the script with downcast eyes in quiet absorption.

As if sensing his gaze, Xie Jianwei turned to look at Lu Li.

Their eyes met unexpectedly. Lu Li’s expression remained neutral, while Xie Jianwei offered a faint smile, “Done with work?”

Rising, Lu Li responded, “Mm.”

Setting down the script, Xie Jianwei asked, “Would you like something to drink?”

Lu Li countered, “What about you?”

Previously, Xie Jianwei drank wine every time he came, since the bottles stocked at the bar were authentic vintages easily running into five figures; not drinking them felt like a personal loss.

However, the present Xie Jianwei cared little for such trifles. What did five figures matter? In the Marshal’s Manor…

Wait! Military Advisor Xie reacted with lightning speed, realizing this was a subtle opportunity.

Demanding and showing a bit of greed was never a mistake. Curving his eyes, Xie Jianwei pointed, “I want to drink that one.” A single point directed toward a bottle worth tens of thousands.

Lu Li asked, “Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

Xie Jianwei said, “Drinking a little won’t hurt.”

In reality, the Military Advisor possessed immense self-discipline; he never overindulged in food or entertainment, planning everything meticulously and moving with steady precision, remaining unreadable to outsiders.

Yet now Xie Jianwei understood that before one’s lover, excessive restraint was unnecessary. Having flaws was not a bad thing. After all, the word perfection hardly belonged on a human being, and if forced upon someone, it signified a degree of failure in living as a person.

The ancient brewing craft was truly commendable. Enjoying his drink, Xie Jianwei remarked with satisfaction, “Money truly isn’t spent in vain.”

Lu Li said nothing, merely letting the corner of his lips curve imperceptibly.

Xie Jianwei was actively striving to change himself. Under his usual habits, even if it tasted divine, he would stop at one glass, especially with work the next day, where a few sips would suffice. Now, however, he needed to dismantle his rigid discipline and indulge more freely.

Sneaking a moment while Lu Li wasn’t paying attention, he poured another glass.

Just as he raised it to drink, Lu Li reached out to stop him, “One glass is enough.”

Unconcealed disappointment flashed in Xie Jianwei’s eyes, “I won’t get drunk.”

Lu Li said, “This wine has a strong afterkick.”

Xie Jianwei said with disappointment, “Just a sip, only one sip, please?”

Flushed from the alcohol, his cheeks were faintly pink and his eyes moist. Speaking in such a soft, melting voice, it was like a kitten scratching lightly at one’s heart.

His thoughts stirring, Lu Li took a sip of wine, leaned down, and captured his lips.

Xie Jianwei took the initiative to loop his arms around his neck, greedily drinking in the exquisite red wine along with his kiss.

By the end of the kiss, wine was forgotten entirely, his mind filled with nothing but stripping off their clothes and having a round.

Lu Li wasted no time either, following his wishes and going all the way.

Probably keeping in mind that Xie Jianwei had to get up early tomorrow, Lu Li exercised restraint, stopping after a single round.

Xie Jianwei actually thought this was just right, as they were usually far too indulgent. Still, considering the word “demanding”…

Steeling his heart, he nuzzled against Lu Li again.

Lu Li caught his mischievous hand, asking, “If we do it again, do you really think you can get out of bed tomorrow?”

Leaning down, Xie Jianwei took Big Li into his mouth, murmuring indistinctly, “It’s fine, just one more time.”

Lu Li wanted to push him away, yet his hand tangled in his hair seemed only to pull him closer.

After teasing him for a bit, Xie Jianwei impatiently sank down upon him.

After thoroughly enjoying a cowgirl ride, Xie Jianwei felt deeply satisfied. Yet recalling that Lu Li usually went at least three or four rounds, he began growing restless again.

Lu Li, however, refused to indulge him any further. “Alright, sleep.”

Pinned in his arms, Xie Jianwei’s mouth remained restless. After planting messy kisses all over, he looked up at him. “I can’t sleep.”

Moist eyes, flushed cheeks, and lips tender like petals beneath morning dew. Seeing him like this made Lu Li want nothing more than to pin him down and take him again.

But if they kept fooling around, Xie Jianwei truly wouldn’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Li caught sight of the script lying to the side and had an idea.

“If you can’t sleep, get up and look over your script.”

Xie Jianwei had memorized that thing long ago, so why would he need to read it again? Just as he was about to decline, Lu Li added, “I’ll go over it with you.”

The two of them sitting together to read a script?

Xie Jianwei thought that sounded quite nice, curving his eyes into a smile as he said, “Sure! There happen to be a few parts I don’t quite understand, so teach me!”

Lu Li answered, “Mm.”

Getting dressed, they sat embracing each other on the sofa.

Lu Li asked him, “Is this Li Dongxing’s film?”

Xie Jianwei replied quickly, “Yes.”

This film counted as Xie Jianwei’s very first big-screen project, secured after latching onto the Best Actor’s coattails with great difficulty.

Although it wasn’t a big-budget blockbuster or an arthouse film destined to sweep awards, Li Dongxing was a director with a stellar reputation. His string of low-budget romance films had been hits with audiences, reliably guaranteeing box office success.

With little experience and newly acquired fame, landing the second male lead in this movie was truly rare for Xie Jianwei.

In truth, the plot was quite straightforward, the standard love triangle with two men and one woman.

Xie Jianwei played a nouveau-riche, foolish second male lead.

Wealthy and devoted, but inept at practically everything else, and terribly vulgar on top of that.

Against the female lead, an ethereal, artistic goddess, he appeared all the more tacky.

The goddess was the female lead who, after separating from the male lead, agreed in despair to her family’s arrangement and married the second lead.

Although the second lead was rich and loved to show off, he loved the female lead to death, and marrying his goddess was enough to keep him joyful for a lifetime.

Even if they slept in separate rooms after marriage, even if the goddess could never forget the male lead, and even if his gaudy style clashed completely with hers, he still tried his hardest, hoping that one day he could truly win over this icy beauty.

Because this was merely a subplot, Xie Jianwei’s scenes were few, with only a handful of key moments.

Yet these few scenes were thought-provoking, striking Xie Jianwei as remarkably allegorical.

The first was when the wealthy second lead courted the female lead, showering her with luxury bags, shoes, and designer clothes easily worth tens of thousands, yet the female lead rejected them all, not sparing them even a glance.

The second lead bragged to his friends, “Look how wonderful my girlfriend is! She doesn’t care about my money at all!”

His friend laughed, “You think not wanting money is a good thing? I fear what she truly wants is something you cannot give.”

The second part captured daily life after their wedding. The female lead loved landscape sketching, so taking advantage of the warming weather, she dressed lightly and headed into the mountains. The second lead trailed behind her in full Versace and Louis Vuitton, covered in mud yet grinning like an idiot. Throughout it all, she never spared him a second glance.

Another scene left an exceptionally deep impression on Xie Jianwei.

It was actually a tiny detail. When the female lead merely knitted her brows, the second lead’s internal monologue filled half a page. He felt uneasy, awkward, and anxious, not knowing what displeased her or why she was upset. He did everything in his power to please her, yet constantly felt that whatever he did was wrong.

Xie Jianwei played the nouveau-riche second lead, but he vaguely sensed that the female lead in this script was mirroring himself.

Mirroring how he had been back on the desolate planet.

Back then, having just awakened, he had been indifferent to everything. Living did not matter, dying did not matter, finding no purpose whatsoever to carry on with life.

In those days, hadn’t Lu Li been bustling around him nonstop?

He wished he could give him every good thing on that barren planet. It seemed that as long as he could coax a smile from him, he would willingly climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of fire without fear.

Undeniably, Xie Jianwei had been drawn to that Lu Li.

But perhaps in Lu Li’s eyes, he hadn’t been attracted, only touched by his persistence?

Xie Jianwei stared blankly at the script for a moment until Lu Li called to him, “Which part don’t you understand?”

Xie Jianwei paused, pointing to the final paragraph. “Why doesn’t she like him?”

Lu Li said, “Love is a matter of precise timing and fit. Hard work does not necessarily yield results.”

Xie Jianwei countered, “What counts as just right? When she was heartbroken, he stayed with her. When she felt despair toward everything, he brought her joy. When she did not want to face life, he carved out an Eden for her…”

Lu Li smiled faintly, asking softly, “Then how do you know this was what she wanted?”

But that truly was what she had wanted.

Lu Li said, “Keeping this mindset is good. That is exactly how Shen Li ought to think.” Shen Li was the wealthy second lead.

Xie Jianwei mumbled, “If I were Song Qian, I would definitely choose to be with Shen Li.”

Lu Li shook his head, “That is only because you haven’t met Jiang Sen.” Jiang Sen was the male lead, the man whom the female lead, Song Qian, could never forget.

Xie Jianwei felt there was little point in splitting hairs over this, so he dropped the topic.

“Run lines with me!”

Lu Li said, “Alright.”

With Xie Jianwei playing Shen Li, Lu Li had to play Song Qian.

Running the scene together felt like inadvertently swapping their lives.

Xie Jianwei became Lu Li, and Lu Li became Xie Jianwei.

Viewing oneself and the other from this altered perspective stirred an involuntary sigh of realization.

With the hour growing late, Lu Li set down the script. “Rest early.”

Xie Jianwei wasn’t tired in the least, having slept all day, but remembering work tomorrow and that he had been unruly enough for one night, it was about time to sleep.

When he woke up, broad daylight flooded the room.

Probably thanks to last night’s physical exertion, Xie Jianwei had slept soundly.

Waking up, he prepared to step out of bed and dress, but reconsidered, retreating under the covers and refusing to budge.

Lu Li came in from outside. “Time to get up.”

Xie Jianwei grunted softly, burying his head in the pillow. “Don’t want to.”

Lu Li laughed faintly, though his tone remained measured. “It’s seven. You’ll be late.”

Xie Jianwei said, “One minute. Just one more minute of sleep.”

Lu Li walked over and pulled back his blanket. “How can there be so many one-minutes?”

Who could have guessed that pulling it back revealed little Xie standing pert and proud.

Stroking it himself, Xie Jianwei narrowed his eyes at Lu Li. “Help me out?”

Lu Li stood speechless.

Xie Jianwei licked his lips. “It will be fast.”

He was fast indeed, but Big Li could not be fast. With time running out, Xie Jianwei took a shower and dressed as soon as he reached his release.

Lu Li went to take a cold shower.

Hearing the sound of rushing water from the bathroom, Xie Jianwei couldn’t help laughing.

Yan Ke clicked his tongue. “Acting like a sugar daddy to this degree, the Lord Marshal is truly incredible!”

Xie Jianwei said, “How adorable.”

Yan Ke only felt a sharp throb in his molars, unsure if it was from too much sweetness or pure jealousy. Who could understand the misery of a single dog? Sigh!

Xie Jianwei moved to slip out the moment he dressed, but Lu Li said, “Eat your breakfast.”

Grabbing a piece of bread, Xie Jianwei said, “No time, no time!”

Lu Li pushed him gently into a chair at the table. “Eat.”

Pulling a long face, Xie Jianwei said, “I skipped the set yesterday. If I’m late again today, Director Li will explode!”

Lu Li said, “You won’t be late. It’s on my way, so I can drop you off.”

This was the exact offer Xie Jianwei had been waiting for. He beamed, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

After finishing breakfast, the two headed out together.

Inside the car, Xie Jianwei stayed restless. Remembering the cold shower from earlier, his hands roamed for a bit.

Lu Li said, “Behave.”

Xie Jianwei planted a peck at the corner of his lips. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

Lu Li said, “I have to travel to City A in the afternoon.” A round-trip flight took four to five hours, so returning tomorrow evening was impossible.

Disappointed, Xie Jianwei murmured, “Never mind then.”

Lu Li’s lips parted slightly, but he said nothing in the end.

Xie Jianwei complained to Yan Ke, “Flying this slowly, how does an airplane dare call itself a flying machine?”

Yan Ke answered earnestly, “It’s called a flying machine because it flies. If it flew fast, it would be called a fly-very-fast machine.”

Xie Jianwei was silent. What a terrible joke.

Arriving at the studio lot, Lu Li did not drive inside, parking just outside instead.

This was to avoid gossip. Although many knew in their hearts that Xie Jianwei had climbed into Best Actor Lu’s bed, flaunting it so openly was still poor form.

Xie Jianwei thanked Lu Li, pulling a subtle trick right before leaving.

Entering the set, dream-Yan Ke hurried over anxiously. “Can you move any faster? You were five minutes away from being late!”

In truth, arriving at this hour was practically late already, considering the director was seated in position.

Xie Jianwei’s scene was two takes away, but having stood everyone up yesterday, showing his face and apologizing was only proper.

Just as Xie Jianwei stepped before Director Li and bowed in apology, a man off to the side remarked with snide sarcasm, “If you’re so busy, don’t take on the script in the first place, wasting everyone’s time waiting around for you.”

Another chimed in, “Looking down on our modest production, why doesn’t Big Master Xie have Best Actor Lu arrange a role for you in Demon Realm 7?” This was Lu Li’s signature franchise, currently preparing its seventh installment and remaining wildly popular, earning Lu Li six consecutive Best Actor titles from this series alone, which spoke volumes.

With these people fanning the flames, Director Li’s already sour mood soured further. Glaring at Xie Jianwei, he snapped in fury, “Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused the crew yesterday? A day lost pushes back the entire shooting schedule! The soundstage lease is about to expire, and if the next production moves in before we wrap, how massive will the damages be? Can you afford to cover it?”

Most directors had terrible tempers, practically an occupational trait. When scolding someone, their tongue was sharp enough to bury you in disgrace.

Moreover, a crowd was actively kicking him while he was down. Worse yet, Xie Jianwei was undeniably in the wrong, with the fault resting entirely on him, leaving him unable even to offer an excuse.

Yet Military Advisor Xie was never one to take losses lying down. Letting them rail on like this would make his future days on set utterly unbearable.

Fortunately, a few minutes later, Best Actor Lu arrived.

“My apologies. I had urgent business yesterday and called Jianwei away, causing trouble for everyone.”

The moment Best Actor Lu appeared, the entire set fell dead silent.

Yan Ke clapped in delight. “The Lord Marshal’s timing is impeccable! A splendid hero saving the beauty!” Then, recalling something, he wondered aloud, “Didn’t the Lord Marshal leave already? Why did he come back?”

The Military Advisor informed him, “I left my phone in his car.”

Anticipating that he would certainly be scolded upon arriving at the set, Xie Jianwei had prepared in advance.

Leaving the phone in the car meant Lu Li would definitely bring it over, and running into this scene, he was bound to bail him out.

Yan Ke was speechless. What calculating schemes, Lord Advisor!