Chapter 3: Protagonist's Perspective - I'm Your Fan.

When He Guan returned to his room, the cage and the man inside had indeed been delivered.

The man inside the cage lay prone, exposing a soft, pale back.

He Guan remarked, "Never expose your back to others. Do you wish to be stabbed by a manager again?"

The prostrate figure twitched slightly before slowly rising to his feet and looking up.

He Guan paused momentarily.

All one could say was... truly the mark of a protagonist.

The man had elfin ears, a flawless complexion, cat-like pupils, and brows that seemed alive and expressive. His lips were soft and moistened.

He had been completely auctioned off as an item, adorned with decorative pieces. Even the choker around his neck was studded with delicate silver diamonds.

Pearls and diamond hair ornaments, woven into his hair, cascaded down to his shoulders, shining brilliantly. The chain around his waist, due to his movement, draped in a natural triangle, drawing one's gaze to the tantalizing base of his legs.

He resembled an elf who had mistakenly wandered into the human realm.

Chu Li's first reaction to He Guan's cautionary yet caring words was to plead.

He trembled as he spoke, "Please, please don't pay... If an auctioned item gets harmed before disembarking, the auction house bears the responsibility. Please give me that dinner knife on the table... let me end my life... I beg you..."

He Guan ignored him.

Shedding his suit jacket as he headed to the bathroom, garments fell to the floor in his wake.

Chu Li's gaze followed him into the bathroom.

Just as he was about to close the bathroom door, the masked He Guan, while unbuttoning his shirt, turned and said, "We'll discuss everything when I return. Don't even think of biting your tongue; it'll hurt, but you won't die. You've tried it before, haven't you?"

Chu Li met his gaze and nodded in a daze.

Even though nothing much was said, he felt an unexpected sense of reassurance.

It seemed... he might be a good person.

He Guan was swift in his actions. In five minutes, he was fresh and clean; in three, his hair was dried. Wrapping himself in a bathrobe, he put on his mask again.

Fresh from the shower, his warm skin met the cold mask.

He stepped out barefoot.

Chu Li looked up at him from within the cage.

Treading softly on the carpet, He Guan approached, unlocked and swung open the cage door.

He tossed some clothes from the wardrobe to Chu Li, remarking out of context, "Put them on."

Chu Li, in disbelief, eyed the open cage and then He Guan, who had walked away, "Aren't you afraid I'll just run?"

Seating himself on the edge of the bed, He Guan replied with nonchalance, "I assumed you had some common sense."

Chu Li: "..."

Fair point.

Firstly, given Chu Li's current condition, he hardly seemed fit enough to elude He Guan.

Secondly, on this ominous ship, so far, only He Guan had engaged in any meaningful conversation with him.

And yet, Chu Li had no clue what He Guan even looked like.

Biting his lip, Chu Li stepped out of the cage.

Simply standing up caused his tattered garments to hang precariously, nearly tearing further.

Suppressing his embarrassment, Chu Li cast a glance towards He Guan.

But the young man had turned away, now facing the other side of the bed, head slightly lowered, utterly still.

Chu Li paused again.

Without further hesitation, he quickly changed out of his tattered clothes.

He Guan was engrossed in his phone.

Given the original host's swindler background, it wasn't surprising to see countless contacts related to forgery. Out of a hundred contacts, ninety-seven were in the business.

Notes: Locksmith, ID cards, invitations, business cards.

The invitations and business cards were marked with various upscale hotel and club names. Even forgeries were specialized.

He Guan chuckled, finding this new identity intriguing.

Most of the original host's financial transactions, apart from his lavish expenditures, went to these folks, forming an entire illicit supply chain.

Quite fascinating.

As for the remaining three contacts...

He Guan stroked his chin in thought.

The notes from the original body referred to them as Ren Ning, the elder, and the blind man.

Before he could figure out the other two, his attention was drawn to Chu Li.

Chu Li is dressed.

He Guan put down his phone and nodded, tossing something to him, "Catch."

There were no spare clothes here, so He Guan gave Chu Li a pair of beach shorts that came just above his knees.

As Chu Li fumbled to catch the keys, his slender, pale legs got tangled, and he nearly fell.

Chu Li: "Ah—"

He Guan clicked his tongue, rushing over to steady him, feeling as though he was looking after a high school boy.

And not the sharpest one at that.

He quickly let go, chiding, "Clumsy, aren't you?"

Chu Li didn't dare to retort, tightly clutching the keys and lifting the corner of his lips in a slight smirk.

He Guan's tone reminded him of his high school homeroom teacher.

He Guan: "The collar's key, unlock it. Also, remove that earpiece."

Chu Li complied smoothly, "Yes, sir."

Lacking any other way to address He Guan, he took the initiative to call him "sir."

Chu Li stole a glance at He Guan's expression.

He Guan remained unfazed.

Behind the mask, He Guan's eyes were deep and bright, currently fixated on his collar, seemingly lost in thought.

Chu Li undid the collar, and the waist chain that was connected naturally fell off.

He gently placed the collar and waist chain on the soft carpet, not wanting to disturb He Guan's contemplation, and softly called out, "...Sir?"

He Guan: "You should know that I didn't buy you without reason."

Chu Li quickly nodded.

He Guan: "I'm a fan of yours."

Chu Li: "Um... Excuse me?!?!"

With a raspy voice and a hint of amusement in his eyes, He Guan continued, "The talent show you were on? I was following it."

Chu Li covered his mouth in astonishment.

He Guan chided himself, "I've noticed you constantly being challenged by that person named He Guan, so I've been paying even closer attention to you."

Chu Li's eyes suddenly welled up.

Only five out of the seventy-two participants in the "Talent Selection" show would debut.

Chu Li was originally ranked fifth. The top four were seasoned talents who had long aspired to debut. Chu Li had a significant gap above the sixth, securing his debut spot without ambitions to climb higher.

He still had pride. Since he could maintain the top five, he didn't urge his fans to artificially boost the metrics.

However, he was unexpectedly pushed down by He Guan, who arrogantly claimed he was just dabbling in the entertainment industry.

Panic set in for Chu Li, but rallying his fans to act at this stage was too late.

He Guan's reputation for challenging the show's profiteering motives became well-known. Of course, this also included the intent of rising to fame by stepping over Chu Li.

A myriad of viewers flocked to vote for this handsome participant with no debut aspirations, pushing him into the top three.

Chu Li was demoted.

For a while, Chu Li deeply resented He Guan.

Why would someone just playing in the entertainment industry snatch away a spot others had worked so hard for? He was even more perplexed by the netizens who supported this.

But the situation was set. He became the tragic sixth.

On the night the voting results came out, Ji Ge, Chu Li's manager, came to his house with bottles of liquor.

Without any suspicion, Chu Li drank until he blacked out. The only memory was Ji Ge, in tears, clutching him, lamenting, "Little Li, I've failed you... After three years together... It shouldn't have come to nothing..."

When he woke up the next day, he found himself on a ship.

He Guan lowered his voice, "It took me some effort to locate you, so I arrived late."

He took a tissue and gently dabbed Chu Li's eyes, catching the rolling tears. Seeing him cry, he wanted to comfort him but couldn't find the right words, so he simply said, "For your fans, say something."

Chu Li hugged him tightly, tears freely flowing, as he sobbed into He Guan's shoulder.

Someone still cared... Someone was still watching over him...

He was so scared, truly terrified.

Being sold and held amongst cargo on the ship was maddening. He recognized no one. He was injected with muscle relaxants, rendered immobile...

No one cared about his cries, his struggles, they just kept dressing him up...

This place felt like a predatory den; he soon reached a point where he couldn't even cry anymore.

His crying was uncontrollable and far from poised.

He Guan stiffened.

Why were the tears flowing even harder? He wasn't adept at comforting others.

Finally, he raised his hand, patting Chu Li's slender back.

Being deceived and sold was undoubtedly distressing.

Once Chu Li's sobs subsided, He Guan spoke, "Tomorrow morning you'll return. Someone on the ship, a man with curly black hair, will guide you off."

Chu Li's eyes, red and swollen like walnuts, choked out, "How can I ever repay you... That was five hundred million..."

He Guan shook his head, tone casual, "Forget about it. Money lost can be earned again. Just promise me that once back in the entertainment industry, you'll be a devoted idol. That's all I ask."

The protagonist, Chu Li, was a natural-born star. He had to return to the entertainment world for He Guan to break even—

Though the idea of breaking even wasn't truly relevant.

After all, He Guan's investments were largely in Lou Junyu.

In the original story, Chu Li becomes a sensation. With proper promotion, he rapidly rises to fame, becoming a major source of revenue for Lou Junyu.

Now that He Guan had a way to recruit talent, he would pull out all the stops.

Chu Li nodded vigorously, then remembered something, "But I lack the votes... I can't debut..."

He Guan assured, "Don't worry, I have my ways."

Cautiously, Chu Li inquired, "Can't you tell me now?"

He Guan replied, "No. It's a surprise. You'll find out soon enough after you return. Now, stop crying, get some rest. You can take the bed."

Chu Li clutched the sleeve of He Guan's robe, "... And what about you?"

He Guan remarked, "Didn't you say on the show that you can't sleep with strangers around? I'll squeeze in with a colleague."

Chu Li blushed, pleasantly surprised that He Guan remembered his particular habit.

His expression shifted several times, eventually biting his lip, "If that person was you..."

He Guan's face darkened, "It's still a no! No one is an exception!"

Before fully entering the entertainment circle, one faces the temptation of selling themselves for some money.

He Guan didn't see Chu Li's offer as an attempt to trap him through seduction. He recognized it as a psychological scar from Chu Li's unfortunate upbringing.

Chu Li, an orphan, grew up without the love of parents. After being discovered by a talent agent, he finally achieved a level of comfort and security. This is why he never suspected those planning to sell him.

Whenever someone showed Chu Li a hint of kindness, he would instinctively seek ways to please and repay them.

Now, with nothing else to offer, he could only give his body.

A classic case of a people-pleasing personality.

He Guan, having stepped in, couldn't let Chu Li continue with such a mindset.

Otherwise, his future career wouldn't be sustainable.

Chu Li was startled, but upon reflection, felt a warm sweetness.

Someone cared for him.

Watching He Guan leave without ever removing his mask, Chu Li, summoning his courage, inquired, "Sir, may I see your face?"

He Guan's stride towards the exit momentarily paused.

Chu Li pressed, "If that's not possible... can I at least know your name?"

Still, He Guan remained silent.

With both questions unanswered, Chu Li's spirits fell, a pang of regret piercing him, tears threatening to spill.

Naturally, a man who effortlessly spends half a billion wouldn't readily reveal his identity.

After a moment of contemplation, He Guan, without removing his mask, assured, "We'll meet again soon. By then, you'll know."

Chu Li brightened, "Really?!"

He Guan chuckled softly, "Of course."

He still had arrangements to cancel before Chu Li could proceed; a future meeting was inevitable.

Chu Li gazed intently, captivated by the upward curve of He Guan's eyes when he smiled.

He heard He Guan advise,

"Get some rest early."

"I will," Chu Li silently vowed.

After all, I'm destined for stardom, and I owe a debt to this gentleman.

*

The next morning,

At the port of Huaiyin City,

He Guan, ice cream in hand, bought a fresh peony, its green leaves vibrant, from a young flower girl in the corner.

Dressed casually in a white windbreaker paired with matching athletic shoes and trousers, and wearing a white face mask, only his white fisherman's hat bore a hint of bright yellow. Looking youthful and energetic, he stood out brilliantly under the 10 a.m. early spring sun.

Ren Ning hailed a taxi for Chu Li, sending him back to his apartment. Turning a corner, he nearly became blinded by a sudden glare.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that He Guan seemed different after recovering from a serious illness.

More mature and poised.

Ren Ning asked, "You didn't see Chu Li?"

To be honest, when Ren Ning heard this morning that it was Chu Li, he was taken aback. And when he heard He Guan mention sending someone off the ship, he immediately agreed.

They were from the same company, after all. Even though Ren Ning couldn't match He Guan's audacity in spending half a billion and gaining so much without initial investment, a task like sending someone off the ship was a small matter to him.

He Guan replied, "No need. He just had some bad luck to end up there. Now that he's out, I won't bother him anymore."

His expression was nonchalant, clearly unconcerned.

Just one look and Ren Ning knew He Guan really felt that way. Observing his gleaming white attire, Ren Ning commented, "You've earned yourself a new nickname."

He Guan: "What?"

Ren Ning: "He Maria."

He Guan rolled up his sleeves, revealing his bicep, "Cousin, just remember, your nicknames won't stop me from giving you a hard time."

Ren Ning quickly stepped back three times in succession.

He Guan chuckled and waved as he began to leave.

Ren Ning asked, "Aren't you coming back to the company dorm with me? Don't we have a press conference tomorrow? Remember the debut press conference for Nolimit at 10 am?"

Nolimit is the name of the upcoming boy group from the show "72 Star Hopefuls". Infinite potential, limitless life.

Who would've thought that after He Guan's sudden death, he'd wake up in an entirely different world?

He Guan replied, "I remember. I'll be there on time tomorrow. I won't cause any buzz online tonight, don't worry. Just heading home for a bit."

Fortunately, He Guan was known to keep his word, so Ren Ning didn't ask any further and left on his own.

After disembarking, He Guan made a note of the ship's cargo number and headed to the police station.

It's essential to report what needs to be reported. Without signal onboard, once ashore, He Guan immediately looked for a nearby police station and filed a report at the local precinct near the port.

After leaving the police station, He Guan hailed a taxi. Settling into the car and fastening his seatbelt, he instructed, "Sir, take me to 300 Hongqiao District."

The driver, an older man with experience on the road, hesitated for a moment, seemingly reluctant, "Why are you heading to that remote area?"

He Guan responded, "That's where my home is. I don't have a choice."

The driver remarked, "Makes sense. Otherwise, who would go there for no reason? The road is also tough. It's quite far from the dock here. It might cost over 200 yuan."

He Guan remarked, "Go ahead. If you feel you won't break even by driving back to the city center, feel free to raise your price. Four hundred, five hundred, it's up to you."

The driver, masking his intention to charge more with a pale expression, said, "Look, I just like to chat when I've driven for a while. I don't indulge in extortion."

He Guan smiled too, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes.

It was not yet March, just after the Lantern Festival, and despite the bright sunlight, it wasn't particularly warm. Inside the taxi, a chilly heaviness was palpable.

As the taxi moved further from the city center, fewer people were seen, the sky grew bluer, and the atmosphere became increasingly stifling and cold.

He Guan leaned back in the seat, squinting.

He placed his fingers in a patch of sunlight streaming through the window, playfully moving them for a bit, pondering his next move.

Lou Jun was arrogant and aggressive, easy to manage by simply playing along, being a bit petulant. Chu Li was pitiable and fragile, requiring gentle consolation and some boost in confidence. Given resources, he could stand on his own.

But how to handle the next one?

Tricky.

About this next person... even the original owner had never mentioned him to An Ning.

This man is the "blind man" noted in the original's records, Lou Dongzang, the younger uncle of the scumbag, and legally the original's spouse.

He Guan didn't think much of it while reading the novel. Only after stepping into this world did he realize same-sex marriage was legal here.

The place he was headed...

Was the marital home of Lou Dongzang and He Guan...

Their matrimonial abode.

A marriage out of thin air, and suddenly, a wife, a family.

And the gender? Still male.

His fingers finally hovered above a foreign peony, dew still fresh, shielding it from the noon sun.

The sunlight slanted, casting his half-shut eyes in a translucent golden brown.

He Guan sat quietly, silent, his similarly amber-illuminated irises observing the rapidly receding world outside.

A brand new world where He Guan existed.

This time, he wouldn't be away on a business trip while both parents passed away, missing their funerals, nor would he work incessantly, driving himself to exhaustion, slumping before his computer, and closing his eyes amidst overwhelming dizziness.

This time, he lived solely for himself.

A note from the author:

The foreign peony is also known as the Globeflower.

The flower symbolizes wealth, good fortune, popularity, blissful happiness, and a lifetime of joy.