Shen Xingsui was startled, his face flushed as he gazed at Fu Jinxiao.

Fu Jinxiao's arm wrapped around his waist, the warmth of his touch electrifying. The scent between them was intoxicating as they held each other close.

As Fu Jinxiao's words trailed off, Shen Xingsui's ears turned crimson. He murmured, "Isn’t it... too soon?"

Fu Jinxiao planted a kiss on Shen's porcelain cheek and whispered, "When would you think it's right?"

Blushing profusely, Shen replied, "Perhaps... not until after we're married..."

"Mm," Fu Jinxiao's voice was rich and elegant, hinting at amusement. "I see, Mr. Shen is expressing dissatisfaction. Should we speed up our wedding plans?"

Shen Xingsui choked up, whispering, "That's not what I meant..."

Their fingers interlaced, and the intimacy of their proximity was undeniable. Fu Jinxiao, about to speak, was interrupted by the buzzing of a phone on the table.

"Tsk..."

Slightly irritated, Fu Jinxiao got up. His shirt collar slightly open, revealing his toned figure. He grabbed the phone and answered tersely, "Hello?"

The unfortunate caller was Zhang Chi, "Mr. Fu, have you both woken up?"

Fu Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, "What do you think? Is it a ghost answering your call?"

Zhang Chi hastily replied, "I apologize, but there's urgent news. Have you seen Weibo? Someone seems to have posted our photos from last night."

He had now naturally aligned himself with their side.

Fu Jinxiao checked his backup phone and sure enough, saw a trending post. The post was cautious, with a headline: 【Rising Star Suspected of Revealing Love Affair, Candlelit Dinner at Midnight, Debate Over Partner’s Gender】

Although same-sex marriages had been legalized in the past two years, no public figures, especially celebrities, had come out. Now, there was a potential exposure, especially of a popular young celebrity, causing quite a stir:

"Is that Shen Xingsui?"

"It really looks like him!"

"Wasn't he on a retreat composing songs? Now he's having a clandestine meeting?"

"The person he's embracing is definitely a man."

"Oh my God, is he gay?!"

Many netizens were astonished by this fresh gossip, and they eagerly joined the discussion, vying for the title of top gossip consumer.

Fans of Shen Xingsui insisted it was just a casual dinner among friends, while some bystanders speculated it was a romantic relationship. Some expressed their intention to stop being fans due to homophobia, while others lamented that their imagined pairing had been 'broken'.

Some even humorously remarked:

"I thought Shen Xingsui was truly with Teacher Fu."

"I was prepared to break them up, but he's with someone else!"

"Hahaha, isn't my Teacher Fu worthy?"

"I'm oddly upset right now!"

The thoughts of these fans are quite fascinating. Nonetheless, the presumed romantic relationship involving Shen Xingsui quickly became a trending topic.

In his room, Shen Xingsui saw the online chatter and rubbed his temples in frustration. "How did they get pictures? I thought this villa was secluded enough."

Fu Jinxiao glanced at him and remarked, "Remember, nowhere is absolutely safe unless it's your own turf."

Shen Xingsui genuinely felt the weight of the lesson learned.

Some truths only resonate when personally experienced. He'd been too trusting, leading to manipulations.

On the phone, Zhang Chi said, "Teacher Fu, An Ran contacted me earlier."

Fu Jinxiao's demeanor shifted to a more serious tone. "What did he say?"

Zhang Chi, ever the opportunist, relayed all the information An Ran had inquired about, even divulging An Ran's plan to meet.

"I didn't disclose the actual events from last night. Just as you instructed, I told him I had succeeded," Zhang Chi was quick to point out his compliance, "Then, An Ran wanted to expose my dealings with Xingsui, but he lacks concrete evidence. He wants me to set up a chance encounter for him."

After listening, Fu Jinxiao queried, "Didn't he suspect you?"

Zhang Chi hastened to say, "You might not be aware, but the Jian family is in dire straits. They've lost many partnerships and deals initiated by the Shen family. Their finances are tied up, and Jian Kuo has been selling properties to raise funds. Their hope is on An Ran and Jian Zhi from the entertainment industry."

The worst part is, both are proving to be unreliable.

Jian Zhi's opportunities are restricted by Fu Jinxiao, leaving him little room to breathe. As for An Ran, scandals have tarnished his reputation, and he faces challenges in his band and from his brother, making it difficult to secure any good projects.

They blame all their woes on the Shen family, especially Shen Xingsui.

"He utterly despises Xingsui now," Zhang Chi stated gravely, "Blinded by hatred and seeing the negative online sentiment towards Xingsui, he believes he has a chance to bring him down."

Fu Jinxiao's gaze darkened, murmuring, "Understood. Don't respond to him yet. I'll contact you later."

Zhang Chi hastily responded, showing an astonishing level of eagerness.

Listening for a while, Shen Xingsui couldn't help but chuckle, "Why does he listen to you so much?"

Setting his phone aside, Fu Jinxe stretched languidly, got a glass of water, and commented casually, "He's not really obeying me."

Shen Xingsui looked puzzled.

"He's been forced into submission," Fu Jinxe said, draining his glass in one gulp. "When dealing with such people, it's best to find their weak point and exploit it."

Recalling the recent conversation, Shen Xingsui hesitated, "I've been thinking..."

Fu Jinxe looked surprised, "Go on."

Shen Xingsui adjusted his posture, "I haven't interacted much with An Ran, but I have an idea of who he is. Both he and Jian Zhi harbor deep resentment towards me. If Zhang Chi was coaxed by An Ran this time, it's highly probable that Jian Zhi was also plotting behind the scenes."

Fu Jinxe poured a cup of warm water for him, settling onto the couch with a keen gaze, "Continue."

"I never wanted any confrontations with An Ran, but he's pushed it too far this time," Shen Xingsui said, his voice gaining confidence, "I know for a fact that Jian Zhi has been secretly supporting someone financially. They meet secretly at a hot spring resort every month, and..."

"And?" prompted Fu Jinxe.

Shen Xingsui took a deep breath, "The person Jian Zhi meets is his boss's boyfriend."

Even the unflappable Fu Jinxe was taken aback.

The agency Jian Zhi and Jian Anran are signed with, Jiutian, is a rival to Fu Jinxe and Shen Xingsui's agency. Unlike upright agents like Wang Meican, Jiutian has always looked for shortcuts, often involving their artists in unscrupulous dealings.

Jian Zhi is one of Jiutian's main assets.

Jian Anran, too, was a talent heavily promoted by Jiutian. Jiutian's owner, Zhang Chuliang, is an unscrupulous businessman. Despite Jian Zhi's dwindling career, he hasn't given up on the two brothers, always searching for new opportunities for them.

Yet, little did he know...

That Jian Zhi had been betraying him all this while!

Fu Jinxe smiled wryly, "How did you come across this information?"

"Well," Shen Xingsui began sheepishly, "when I was still with the Jian family, I once overheard Jian Zhi talking on the phone."

"Is that all?" Fu Jinxe probed.

Realizing he couldn't hide anything from Fu Jinxe, Shen Xingsui admitted, "After I found out who it was, I was shocked. I didn't believe it, so I secretly followed him one time and discovered the truth."

For the first time, Fu Jinxe felt he might have underestimated Shen Xingsui.

The boy was sharper than he'd given him credit for. But at the same time, Fu Jinxe felt a pang of sympathy.

Shen Xingsui had held onto such damning information about Jian Zhi but never used it. He wasn't the kind to push someone into a corner. If Jian Zhi and Jian Anran hadn't acted so maliciously this time, Shen Xingsui might have kept this secret for life.

Fu Jinxiao pondered for a moment and said, "So, you're suggesting..."

"I've checked the dates. If nothing goes wrong, half a month should be nearing. They have a fixed meeting on the 15th every month. So, if An Ran intends to gather some evidence, this is the best opportunity," Shen Xingsui laid out meticulously. "I've noticed that An Ran has been participating in a brand's store exploration activity lately. He goes around the city with a live camera to explore interesting places. I suspect he wants to use the live stream to capture some compromising footage of Zhang Chi and me. This would tarnish my reputation online."

And through live streaming, accidental filming, he can also absolve himself completely.

Shen Xingsui had pretty much deciphered An Ran's malicious intentions.

Knowing the malevolence of his adversary is exactly why he decided to fight back head-on.

The corners of Fu Jinxiao's mouth curled into a deeper smirk. "So, you want to lure him there and surprise him with Jian Zhi's unexpected presence?"

Shen Xingsui cleared his throat lightly, nodding gently. "That's the general idea. What do you think?"

It's a deviously cunning plan.

When the time comes, it won't just be Jian Zhi and An Ran at each other's throats; even their bosses might get involved.

Detailed planning is essential, though. Any mishap could ruin everything. But fortunately, with Fu Jinxiao's support, the chances of success are higher.

The man on the couch smirked, speaking languidly, "Why wouldn’t it work? If An Ran has already set the stage, then let's play his game."

Hearing the approval, Shen Xingsui sighed with relief. "I thought you might find it a bit naive and unfeasible."

"Have some confidence in yourself; you've been quite thorough," Fu Jinxiao said, twirling a glass in his hand. "Didn't expect such a prank from you, considering how demure you usually seem."

Shen Xingsui choked up, hesitantly asking, "Is it too malicious?"

Fu Jinxiao arched an eyebrow, smiling, "No."

As his words settled, the man rose from the sofa, approached the bed, and leaned down. He gently kissed Shen Xingsui, who was looking at him with nervous eyes, and whispered, "Your plan is far kinder than what I had in mind, darling."