***
Chapter 38 – Deal
The car pulled up beneath Zhou Xun’s apartment building.
Jiang Liusui went downstairs. The temperature had dropped sharply, so he’d thrown on an extra shirt over his clothes as a makeshift jacket. In the dead of night, right after a heavy rain, the surroundings were completely empty.
A sleek black business car flashed its lights. As Jiang Liusui drew closer, the soft click of the unlocking doors reached his ears.
He hesitated for a moment before pulling the car door open.
The backseat was surprisingly spacious. On the opposite seat, He Yujing sat casually in a light gray tracksuit and sneakers. His relaxed appearance matched what he had said earlier—he just returned from Japan late in the night.
All in all, it had been six days since the last time they met. Seeing him now, Jiang Liusui found himself at a loss for what to do.
The driver and Lin Chong, who had been in the passenger seat, silently got out of the car. After waiting for a while without any movement from Jiang Liusui, He Yujing turned his head and said calmly, “Get in.”
Jiang Liusui didn’t hesitate this time and slid into the backseat.
“You…” Jiang Liusui actually had many things he wanted to ask him, such as why he knew that he had gotten into trouble, and why he had rushed back to the country in the middle of the night.
In the end, Jiang Liusui only asked, “How did you even have time to come back?”
He Yujing said nothing, his gaze fixed directly on Jiang Liusui’s face.
That night in the desert had ended very badly. When the team came to pick him up, Shen Jie noticed the dark look on his face and hadn’t dared to ask any questions during the ride.
Once he had calmed down a bit, he thought it might be better to take some time apart.
No one had ever pushed him this far. If he hadn’t walked away, he wasn’t sure what he might have done.
Once he landed in Japan, the grueling schedule left He Yujing little room for distraction. Perhaps subconsciously trying to divert his attention, he became even more excited and engaged during his stage performances. But as soon as the concert ended, that hollow, empty feeling surged over him, leaving his heart heavy and uncomfortable. He didn’t want to be alone. As soon as his work was done, he went out with friends, numbing himself in this way for nearly a week.
After tonight’s show, he finally had a brief two-day break before the next concert. He had planned to head to the coast for some relaxation, but on the way, he received a call from Chi Lianxi.
Chi Lianxi’s voice was unusually impatient: “Have you checked Weibo these past few days? Has anyone mentioned anything to you?”
News from home and abroad didn’t travel equally fast. He and his team had been buried in preparations for the tour. In his rare moments off, He Yujing rarely checked Weibo—and truthfully, he didn’t want to see anything about Jiang Liusui, so he hadn’t touched his phone much these past few days. He hadn’t even bothered to watch the latest episode of the variety show.
“I’ve been filming in the middle of nowhere. The signal’s awful, I only just found out… damn it!” Chi Lianxi’s voice was sharp with frustration. “Jiang Liusui got into trouble, and his company is clearly refusing to help. You need to go check on him right now.”
He Yujing watched in silence as the surveillance footage played and scrolled through the overwhelming comments online. In the end, he suddenly slammed his phone onto the seat, startling Lin Chong beside him.
For the past few days, a dark cloud seemed to cling to He Yujing. Everyone around him tread carefully, unwilling to provoke his bad mood. Seeing him suddenly lose his temper, Lin Chong became even more cautious: “What’s wrong, ge? Did something happen?”
“Book me the fastest flight home,” He Yujing said, his voice low but burning with suppressed anger. “Turn the car around. Take me to the airport.”
Shen Jie had picked him up in the Turin Desert and sent him to the nearest city, but she did not follow him to Japan. On his way to the airport, He Yujing contacted Shen Jie and asked her to investigate the entire incident from start to finish—the mastermind behind it, the relevant members of the production crew… every detail, nothing left unchecked.
He wanted to get a rough sense of the situation before reaching out to Jiang Liusui. Shen Jie noticed that he was planning to fly back overnight and, after discussing the serious matters, couldn’t resist teasing him: “You’re in such a rush to help him… and you’re not even expecting anything in return?”
Her intention was to ease his mood, but He Yujing was caught off guard by this playful question and found himself momentarily speechless.
He knew Jiang Liusui would never agree to any unspoken rules. Gallery’s complete inaction clearly indicated something fishy. When he first heard Shen Jie’s words, he hadn’t thought too much about it, only focusing on helping to resolve the situation. But now, once he’d calmed down, he realized the truth: he had no real authority to intervene.
What exactly was his relationship with Jiang Liusui now? Friends? It was obvious that Jiang Liusui had no intention of continuing to be friends with him. When He Yujing had confessed, the rejection had been clean and absolute, leaving no trace of doubt or lingering sentiment.
He Yujing was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, “You’ve reminded me.”
“If he doesn’t agree, consider this my final gift to him.”
“If he agrees, of course, I’Il properly claim my reward.”
He spoke unhurriedly, but even through the phone, one could detect the underlying possessiveness in his tone.
Even without fully understanding his meaning, Shen Jie sensed trouble: “What are you planning to do?”
He Yujing didn’t answer: “Just get the full details as soon as you can. Thanks for your hard work.”
He didn’t want to say more, and Shen Jie naturally didn’t ask. But she understood the importance of this matter and used as many resources as she could.
As soon as He Yujing landed, he received Shen Jie’s reply—she had already uncovered valuable information.
“I have plans tomorrow,” He Yujing replied indifferently.
Jiang Liusui caught a faint scent.It was cool, quiet, and woody—a fragrance reminiscent of a snow-covered forest in winter. He didn’t know whether it came from He Yujing himself or from the perfume in the car.
He Yujing got straight to the point: “I can help you, but there’s one condition.”
On the way over, Jiang Liusui had repeatedly wondered why He Yujing was willing to help. Hearing there was a condition actually made him feel somewhat relieved.
Jiang Liusui asked quietly, “What condition?”
He Yujing stared at him intently. He had rejected him repeatedly before, insisting on clear boundaries… but now, since Jiang Liusui didn’t want to start with a romantic relationship, they would entangle in a different way.
He Yujing said unhurriedly, “Be my lover[mfn]情人 (qíng rén) – lit. lover (pure romantic relationshi); but can also implies a relationship that is not socially legitimate or openly acknowledged, carrying undertones of secrecy or a deliberately ambiguous, unequal, or concealed romantic/sexual relationship[/mfn].”
This would be the last time.
If Jiang Liusui still didn’t agree, he would help quietly, in the shadows. But from then on, he would no longer approach Jiang Liusui—he would act as if he had never met this person.
But if Jiang Liusui agreed today, he would take it as him walking into his life voluntarily. No matter what happened in the future, He Yujing would never let him go.
Jiang Liusui froze in place.
He almost thought he had misheard, staring blankly at the man an arm’s length away. After waiting a long time without a response, He Yujing’s eyes flickered.
“You’re unwilling?” A cold voice suddenly broke the silence in the enclosed space. Jiang Liusui snapped back to reality at the question and instinctively replied, “No, I just… didn’t process it.”
He Yujing didn’t press further, instead telling him what Shen Jie had uncovered: I got the full surveillance footage. Someone outside had blocked the door and was caught on camera—just after the part that was posted online.”
“The person blocking the door was a crew member from the production team, surname Qiao.”
By now, the situation had escalated far enough that transparency was the best approach. Shen Jie had run her investigation openly, leaving nothing hidden.
Upon hearing that He Yujing was looking into the incident, the chief director of ⟪The Ultimate Guide⟫ proactively reached out. Trying to earn favor, he explained that after the accident, just to be safe, he had kept the full surveillance footage. Since the matter was rather unsavory, they would never have handed over the footage if it wasn’t He Yujing asking…
He Yujing finished speaking and waited for Jiang Liusui’s reaction.
Hearing He Yujing mention the surveillance footage, Jiang Liusui was momentarily dazed.
Both he and Qin Yi had previously tried every means to contact the chief director—one was outright refused, while the other was given the runaround. And now, He Yujing had only just returned… and already had the complete surveillance footage in hand.
Wait… was He Yujing actually offering to help clear his name?
Was he now detailing what he could offer if Jiang Liusui agreed to the terms?
Still reeling from He Yujing’s proposition, Jiang Liusui responded belatedly with a soft acknowledgment.
“You should know that the one targeting you is Xie Chen,” He Yujing observed his expression, confirming he was aware. “You—”
As the initial shock of being asked to become a lover gradually subsided, Jiang Liusui suddenly grabbed He Yuing’s arm. “On the day of the audition for ⟪Eternal Bell⟫, I had a conflict with Xie Chen. Help me make this matter explode.”
He Yujing paused for a moment, then asked, “That’s all?”
Yes. There was no need to make it more complicated than it was.
It was like a balance scale set before them. He Yujing had been placing the weights carefully, one by one. The crucial question now was whether Jiang Liusui could accept this deal.
Jiang Liusui felt his heart rate quicken. He met He Yujing’s gaze squarely. “I mentioned some things in tonight’s livestream. That should be enough.”
After the livestream, someone would likely dig into those who had recently clashed with him. Once the story gained traction, the focus would naturally shift to Xie Chen.
Hearing Jiang Liusui mention the livestream, He Yujing was briefly surprised before sending a quick message to Shen Jie, instructing her to monitor the situation.
Almost at the same time, he received a message from Shen Jie. She had just been about to bring it up: the impact of Jiang Liusui’s reckless “all-or-nothing” livestream had clearly surpassed his expectations and was spreading across the internet at lightning speed.
He Yujing glimpsed something in the updates and let out a small smile. “You’re clever, I’ll give you that.”
He slid his phone aside and steered the conversation back. “We’ve reached this point. It’s time for you to make your decision.”
The car fell into silence.
Jiang Liusui pulled his hand back. He Yujing frowned, thinking that when it came down to it, he was still unwilling. Then Jiang Liusui spoke, his voice soft. “There’s one last thing.”
He Yujing’s expression shifted slightly, gesturing for him to continue.
“The person who entered my room was Zhu Renliang.” Jiang Liusui looked at the man an arm’s length away, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. “I hope… you can help me take revenge on him.”
Upon hearing the name, He Yujing let out a low scoff, his voice tinged with cold ruthlessness: “He deserves it.”
Even if Jiang Liusui hadn’t mentioned it, he had already planned to settle the score one by one.
Zhu Renliang himself wasn’t clean, and the companies under his management had issues. Due to the time constraints, Shen Jie had mainly investigated matters related to the film crew, only getting a general idea of Zhu Renliang’s affairs, so he hadn’t mentioned it to Jiang Liusui.
For a moment, Jiang Liusui was intimidated by the gangster-like aura in He Yujing’s words. People always said He Yujing was strong-willed and not someone to be trifled with. In the past, when dealing with him, he seemed very easygoing—more like an older brother taking care of him than the reckless young master that most people imagined. He had even thought those rumors were exaggerated. Now it seemed… they were fully justified.
Within just a few sentences, it seemed like all the problems were resolved. Leaning back against the car seat, Jiang Liusui felt some of the tension that had gripped him since he’d gotten in the car begin to ease.
During the livestream earlier, he had acted recklessly, just wanting to feel some relief before leaving. But that was a last resort. If circumstances allowed, he wanted—more than anything—to remain in this industry, to keep making the projects that truly mattered to him.
He Yujing could help him clear his name—and he was also willing to settle the score with Zhu Renliang. Jiang Liusui trusted He Yujing’s character and ability. Whatever he promised, he would see it through. Even if it meant becoming his lover, he wouldn’t feel powerless or at the mercy of the arrangement.
Most importantly, since He Yujing had proposed this transaction, Jiang Liusui didn’t feel insulted or pressured. He had thought they would never cross paths again. Yet here it was—continuing, in this unexpected way…
“All right.” Jiang Liusui finally let go of his hesitation, his voice steady and certain. “I agree with your condition.”
He Yujing’s gaze locked onto him, and for a fleeting moment, his expression shifted—like someone finally laying hands on a long-coveted treasure.
Under such a blatant and intense gaze, Jiang Liusui almost couldn’t withstand it. He instinctively stepped back, only for his arm to be firmly seized.
“You said it yourself.” Thinking he might be hesitating, He Yujing tightened his grip, clamping down on Jiang Liusui’s wrist like a shackle, and said word by word, “If you go back on your word, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
— — — —
