Chapter 394

Chapter 394

◎Has a Death Wish◎

The Ji family weren’t pushovers. With just one glance, they could see right through He Wan’s transparent schemes. But they didn’t suspect any supernatural trickery—they simply assumed he was trying to leech onto the Ji family for personal gain.

Ambition wasn't inherently negative, but when ability failed to match ambition, it became wishful thinking.

If He Wan had been smarter, he should have focused on buttering up Mrs. Ji. If he could charm and please her, resources would naturally follow. Unfortunately, he didn’t want to be the one doing the groveling. Instead, he tried to use public opinion to tie himself to the Ji family, elevating himself to the same level as Ji Nanxing. That way, he wouldn’t be just a D-list celebrity currying favor for opportunities, but a favored hanger-on who’d won the elders’ affection.

He wanted to raise his own status, but others weren’t fools.

Ji Yanting teased her mother: “First time being a fan, and you’ve already caused such a mess, even exposing Xiao Bao. What’s his angle? Trying to compare himself to Xiao Bao? What does he have to compare with? Mom, your taste is questionable—what kind of lowlifes are you picking?”

Mrs. Ji sighed. “At first, I thought that kid looked a bit like Xiao Bao, especially when he smiled. Seeing him lose work opportunities made me feel bad for him. Who knew he’d show his true colors so quickly? Ah, forget it. I’ll just find another celebrity to like. What about this girl? Her big eyes are so pretty.”

The Ji family didn’t take the matter seriously. A minor celebrity like He Wan wasn’t worth their attention. However, after one of He Wan’s interviews, Eldest Ji grew impatient with his attempts to cling to the family and sent someone to put him in his place.

The interviewer had been arranged by He Wan, so the questions naturally aligned with what he wanted to say—how he felt about the earlier rumors of being "kept," the uncanny resemblance between him and the young master of the Ji family, and whether they might become good friends in the future.

He Wan smiled at the camera. “Maybe this is just fate. As for whether we’ll become good friends, that also depends on fate. I have to thank my mom for giving me this face—otherwise, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity.”

At this point, He Wan had no idea his actions had already irritated the Ji family. He wanted to drag Ji Nanxing into the public eye, to create comparisons. The more people compared them, the more their fortunes would become entangled.

When he first conceived this plan, he hadn’t even met Ji Nanxing in person. He assumed that if they were somewhat similar, Ji Nanxing must be decent-looking—but still just an ordinary person, nothing compared to a media-trained star. If he could pull Ji Nanxing into the spotlight, the contrast would only make him more popular.

But that night, when he finally saw Ji Nanxing in person, he understood what "somewhat similar" truly meant—and his plan wavered. Because he realized that, even without considering family background, Ji Nanxing’s face alone could make him an overnight sensation as a pretty-boy idol. Add to that his status as a top student at Lanzhou University and his prestigious family background—his advantages were practically stacked to the max.

If he dragged Ji Nanxing into the public eye, he’d only end up looking worse in comparison.

Yet, after hesitating, he still went through with it. Because the more people compared them, even if only one out of ten preferred him over Ji Nanxing, the gains he could leech off Ji Nanxing wouldn’t be insignificant. Over time, his fanbase would grow. Being overshadowed temporarily didn’t matter—what he wanted was long-term fortune. It was about who would last.

But all his plans were disrupted by a single warning.

His agent came in looking grim. “The boss just called. From now on, you’re not to mention the Ji family again—not so much as a whisper. Otherwise, not even the boss can protect you.”

He Wan paled. “Why?”

The agent gave him a mocking look. “Because you weren’t smart enough—you were too direct. I told you to take it slow, but you wouldn’t listen. What kind of old-money family do you think the Jis are? Do you really believe they’d let a minor celebrity like you cling to them? Currying favor with Mrs. Ji was already a great start, but you were too impatient. You wanted results immediately—but how could that ever work? Think about it yourself.”

He Wan wasn’t the only artist under his management. While He Wan wasn’t bad-looking and had a smooth debut, the agent had seen plenty of people in this industry. A person’s temperament and character often determined whether they’d have lasting success.

He Wan was transparent even to him—let alone the shrewd elites of high society. He was impulsive, not particularly bright, and had likely been spoiled by attention since childhood due to his looks. Such people might enjoy fleeting fame, but never lasting success.

The agent only intended to milk He Wan for all he was worth. He hadn’t truly invested in long-term planning for him—until that unexpected A-list event.

Originally, if He Wan had played his cards right with the Ji family, he could have built a solid foundation. Even if he didn’t achieve massive success, he wouldn’t have ended up too badly. But the kid got restless, ignored advice, and even sought out some "master" for dubious methods.

The agent stopped trying to reason with him. He’d said all he needed to say. Now, he’d just watch and see what He Wan could stir up. If He Wan somehow succeeded, it wouldn’t hurt him. As long as He Wan didn’t get involved in actual black magic, any fallout wouldn’t affect him.

But before anything could even begin, He Wan was already shut down. After delivering the warning, the agent cut him loose.

Plenty of people in the industry sought out masters for luck-altering rituals—but how many actually succeeded? So he decided to stand back and watch, curious to see what He Wan would try next.

He Wan panicked. This wasn’t how he thought this would play out. Only now did he truly grasp the chasm between social classes—how some people could erase his existence with just a word.

His scheduled magazine shoot was canceled. The promised red-carpet outfit was withdrawn. Even a confirmed role was suddenly given to someone else. Overnight, the world seemed to turn upside down. Yesterday, he was living it up in the limelight—today, people couldn’t give him the cold shoulder fast enough.

Colleagues mocked him openly, mocking his audacity for trying to befriend someone without knowing his place. They sneered that just because some socialite brought him to one fancy event, he thought he had entered a different social circle—as if their word couldn’t ruin him in an instant.

He Wan had no real background, his fanbase was flaky, and he barely had any credits to his name. Even though his last drama gave him some buzz, that kind of buzz dies fast without constant visibility—fans were fairweather, always onto the next shiny thing.

So it was normal that those who were calling him “big brother” yesterday now mocked him behind his back today.

He Wan touched the bead at his chest, gritted his teeth, pricked his finger, and smeared blood onto it.

He was only twenty. In an industry like entertainment, where youth was everything, he didn’t have much time left. Not everyone got lucky enough to blow up later in life—if he wanted fame, he had to strike while the iron was hot. Even those who made midlife comebacks had tasted stardom when they were young.

Before, he wanted something for nothing—something that wasn't his. But now that the Ji family crushed his schemes, and he couldn’t drag Ji Nanxing into the spotlight to use as a stepping stone, he had to pony up to get what he wanted.

Calculating when Xiao Ye’s club activities would end, Ji Nanxing stepped out of the library and was mid-way down the path when He Wan blocked him.

This time He Wan wore only a hat, no mask. His face was pale, looking rough. Instead of beating around the bush, he spoke earnestly: “I came to apologize. I wasn’t trying to cause trouble—I just got greedy after getting a taste. Through your mother’s connections, I landed a third-billed part, and that taste got me hooked. I’m sorry. I know I went too far. I’ll stay clear of the Ji family from now on. Can you forgive me? Please give me another shot.”

Ji Nanxing frowned slightly as he looked at the man before him. He didn’t care much about what aspiring celebrities did—even if they tried to latch onto the Ji family, it wouldn’t affect much. In fact, after the last trending topic, he hadn’t even followed the matter. Now that He Wan showed up, he figured his family must have shut him down for overstepping.

But what made him frown wasn’t being randomly stopped—it was the cologne He Wan wore. It smelled similar to last time, but beneath the fragrance was a faint whiff of blood.

What’s more, he noticed that his qi was being siphoned off toward He Wan, slowly gathering around his chest.

Ji Nanxing raised an eyebrow. This guy hadn’t been like this last time.

He took two steps back, trying to stop the flow of qi. Misreading the movement as rejection, He Wan quickly stepped forward. “Ji-shao, I really mean it. I’m begging you—give me this chance. I’m just getting started. My career’s just beginning. Please, let me have another opportunity. I promise I won’t bother the Ji family again. Just give me another chance.”

As he spoke, He Wan suddenly reached out and grabbed Ji Nanxing’s arm desperately.

Xiao Ye came sprinting over and shoved him away. “Who the hell are you? What do you think you’re doing?”

Ji Nanxing calmed Xiao Ye with a gesture, then turned back to He Wan. “What do you want?”

He Wan shook his head repeatedly. “I just wanted to apologize—to ask the Ji family not to ice me out.”

Ji Nanxing: “That’s it? Then fork over that necklace around your neck, and I’ll give you another shot.”

He Wan instinctively grabbed at his collar and stepped back, his expression flickering with panic before steadying. “I’m sorry, Ji-shao, this is a talisman my mother gave me. I’ve worn it close to my skin for years—I can’t give it to you. If you like it, I can ask her to get you a new one.”

Ji Nanxing: “You know where people can’t hide their emotions best?”

He Wan hesitated.

Ji Nanxing: “Their eyes. From the moment you blocked my path, I saw the scheming in yours. I know what you’re playing at. I’ll give you one chance—hand over that necklace, and I’ll forget what you’ve done. The Jis won’t ice you out.”

He Wan: “I just wanted to latch onto the Ji family to make my road easier. That’s all I’ve done. This talisman was from my mother—I really can’t give it to you. Ji-shao…”

Ji Nanxing had no patience left. He took Xiao Ye’s hand and turned to leave. “Then keep wearing it. Don’t regret it.”

He Wan tried to follow, but a single glare from Xiao Ye froze him in place.

Only after the two had gone far away did He Wan’s pitiful expression twist into something cold and dark.

Xiao Ye glanced back. The distance was too great to see clearly, but he was confused. “What was that about? Why’d he come looking for you?”

Ji Nanxing: “Probably because my brother shut him down for overstepping.”

Xiao Ye: “What was that thing around his neck? If you wanted it, I could’ve bought it for you.”

Ji Nanxing shot him a *‘are you stupid?’* look. Xiao Ye immediately snapped, “Ji Naonao, you dissing me?!”

Ji Nanxing: "You noticed?"

Xiao Ye: "You made that exact face yesterday when you saw that Husky run into a wall!"

Xiao Ye kept asking what that guy was wearing around his neck. The thing was hidden under his clothes, and he didn’t have X-ray vision—he was itching to find out.

By the evening, though, he wasn’t curious anymore. News of He Wan’s car accident had gone viral online.

Ji Nanxing lit the incense and then washed his hands: "I can’t figure out what he was thinking. In the entertainment industry, he could’ve gone after so many rich or lucky people, yet he picked me."

Xiao Ye: "He wanted you? What for?"

He always thought He Wan had been targeting him—after all, that day He Wan had clearly been trying to get close to *him*. Never imagined the real target was Ji Naonao. Totally misread that!

Ji Nanxing: "He wanted my luck."

Out of all people, why choose him? What luck did he even have? Born cursed with a short life and drowning in Yin energy—stealing fortune from him was basically a death wish.