Actually, Yu Junqing had thought about giving up this path before. But this was the road he had chosen himself, the one he had longed for and dreamed of—walking the starry avenue of fame. And now… was he really ready to abandon it?
Bo Rui, observing the expression on his face, immediately understood that Yu Junqing hadn’t completely despaired. He wasn’t ready to give up. Bo Rui stroked his chin, noting the prickly morning stubble after getting up early.
“If you really feel you can’t let it go, then change your approach.”
“Change my approach?” Yu Junqing was even more confused.
“Yes,” Bo Rui nodded.
“If you can’t dodge it, then face it head-on,” Bo Rui said calmly, though there was a subtle, unspoken intensity beneath his words.
“Let me put it this way—if they play the fifteenth, you play the first,” Bo Rui said with a dangerous smile. Anyone familiar with him in business would immediately recognize that this was the smile he made right before dropping a ‘big move’ in negotiations.
“How…how do I do that?” Yu Junqing asked, still unsure, yet curious.
“Simple. Turn their methods against them,” Bo Rui tapped the table, his words striking like a bomb.
“Turn…their methods against them?” Yu Junqing stared dumbfounded. He understood the words, but not the meaning.
Bo Rui thought for a moment, then picked up a newspaper from the living room.
It was the paper Lao Lin had given him yesterday, still featuring the scandalous story of Yu Junqing being propositioned and exploited on set. Bo Rui pointed at the article and asked bluntly,
“Do you know who did this?”
Yu Junqing’s face darkened immediately. He hadn’t been paying attention to the news yesterday—he had just been ordered to that cursed place.
“I’m not sure. But the director of that project had hinted at it… I didn’t agree,” he said cautiously, his shame thinly veiled in polite phrasing.
“Tsk. Honestly, I don’t get these people. All they have in their minds is schemes like this,” Bo Rui interjected, then continued:
“Social media, right? Take advantage of the exposure. Stir up this news and raise your own value.”
Bo Rui stroked his chin. Though he didn’t fully understand the depths of the entertainment world, he knew one truth: the more exposure, the more people remember you.
Being an actor was about being remembered. The more recognition, the more fans, the more resources. Ultimately, the money came from those who held the purse strings.
Yu Junqing was stunned. Wait, what… doesn’t this feel… wrong?
“Is… is this really okay?” he asked, lips trembling. Honestly, it felt slightly unscrupulous.
Bo Rui rapped the table.
“You still think, after all this, that repaying evil with good is the right way?”
He couldn’t understand Yu Junqing’s mindset. If someone tried to crush him, using him as a stepping stone, his instinct would be two hard slaps in return. Kindness exploited is a universal truth.
Yu Junqing looked at Bo Rui suddenly quiet and expressionless, feeling a bit awkward. He realized he was in someone else’s home, slightly uneasy.
Bo Rui didn’t speak. He wasn’t overly talkative. In his mind, Yu Junqing had some status, but they weren’t close, and he wasn’t sure if praise would help or hurt.
Silence lingered. Yu Junqing, never one to be naive, noticed the subtle distance in Bo Rui’s demeanor. The warmth he had felt earlier seemed to have been only imagined in his mind.
He pressed his lips together and glanced out the window. The neighborhood’s trees were old, partially obscuring the three-story buildings. Dawn had yet to fully break.
“Well… I’ll head back, then,” Yu Junqing said after a pause. He stood, eyes filled with genuine gratitude toward Bo Rui.
“Thank you for letting me stay last night. I’ll seriously consider what you said,” he added, letting out a long breath. A flicker of determination appeared in his eyes.
Last night, meeting Bo Rui had been a kind of warning from fate, a wake-up call. There were still many battles ahead; hiding wasn’t the way of a man.
Yu Junqing felt a small surge of happiness as he realized he had been subtly guided by Bo Rui’s words.
Bo Rui watched him, understanding. He knew Yu Junqing tended to overthink and embellish situations in his mind.
Glancing at the window, dawn was approaching. It was best to see him off quickly. Bo Rui washed up and got ready.
Since he was up so early, he thought he might as well stop by the Xijie Fish Porridge Shop for some breakfast. A minor benefit from misfortune, perhaps?
Normally, he wouldn’t make the trip for porridge before work—it would waste half a morning—but today, having woken so early, he decided to indulge himself.
Bo Rui changed into casual clothes, packed a set of spare clothing, and took the car keys for his most common vehicle, planning to toss the bag in the car for later.
When he reached Yu Junqing, he noticed the surprised look on his face.
“What is it?” Bo Rui asked, looking himself over.
“N-no… it’s just… you suddenly look so young,” Yu Junqing said, embarrassed at his overreaction.
Bo Rui’s casual outfit—grey hoodie over a white fitted tank, paired with long legs in sneakers—gave him a surprisingly youthful, almost flashy appearance. Yu Junqing couldn’t help but feel a strange flutter.
Bo Rui didn’t notice, nor did he care. Youthful looked good.
He reached to lift Yu Junqing, who instinctively grasped Bo Rui’s hand. Bo Rui adjusted, holding his hand naturally, and led him toward the door.
“Where are we going?” Yu Junqing asked, following obediently in the house slippers.
“I’ll take you back—don’t linger. The day’s already brightening,” Bo Rui said, tossing him a pair of shoes.
“Here, I think your size is close to mine. If they don’t fit perfectly, just make do for now,” he added. Soft leather shoes, comfortable for Yu Junqing’s slim frame.
“Thanks,” Yu Junqing said, slipping them on. Bo Rui added casually:
“No foot odor, don’t worry.”
Yu Junqing nodded, gradually growing accustomed to Bo Rui’s straightforward way of speaking. Each word was real, no pretense.
The dorm wasn’t far. In less than half an hour, they arrived. Bo Rui had wrapped a scarf around Yu Junqing’s face, shielding his handsome features.
After seeing him safely to his dorm, Bo Rui revved the engine and drove off, already craving the porridge he had planned to eat.
Yu Junqing fumbled for his key in the dark and felt something wrong—the lock was loose, hanging precariously. He flipped the light switch, and his heart froze.
The room was a disaster. Splashes of paint covered the walls, insulting words scrawled across them. His carefully purchased furniture lay smashed to pieces. The wardrobe was shredded, and clothes thrown on the floor—burnt, cut, shredded—utterly destroyed.
Yu Junqing crouched, trembling, fingertips grazing the ruined garments. His lips were a bluish-purple from shock.
All those years signing with Xingyu Entertainment, buying fashionable clothes for appearances… and now, no second chance. His past investments—gone.
Time seemed frozen. Yu Junqing lowered his head, long lashes hiding his eyes, as the quiet of the room was broken only by shallow breaths.