Wei Cai's Scheme

Public opinion naturally tends to favor the initially disadvantaged, a lesson Wei Cai had learned and applied skillfully.
Before, he had recounted how Qi Gu had bullied and looked down on him, ultimately forcing Qi Gu to retreat at a loss.
Wei Cai's Weibo was filled with comments; some advised him to cherish his life and not commit suicide easily, others urged him to clarify the situation, and some speculated about which powerful force could have pressured a somewhat well-known agent like Wei Cai into such a state of panic.
Public opinion had been steered towards Qi Gu, suggesting that he, having been severely harmed by Wei Cai in the previous incident, would surely seek revenge now that he was in a position of power.
There were also opinions that Qi Gu was currently just a young star, his influence in the industry not strong enough to pressure Wei Cai to such an extent.
As Wei Cai's matter climbed the hot search, Qi Gu was playing video games with Lin Han Zhi.
This game was quite perverse; if one person died, the other would "die along" with them. Although Qi Gu wasn't addicted to gaming, he played for entertainment, so after getting used to the controls, he could play naturally.
But Lin Han Zhi was not so good.
He was clearly dressed very fashionably and wasn't old, yet he was extremely clumsy at gaming. He frequently crashed into obstacles or made wrong jumps and fell into abysses, dragging Qi Gu down to defeat with him.
"I'm really sorry." Lin Han Zhi didn't know how many times he had apologized, his eyes looking at Qi Gu filled with caution, flattery, and remorse.
"Alright, perhaps this game isn't for you. Let's switch to another one." Qi Gu looked at his demeanor and couldn't bring himself to be angry.
Lin Han Zhi obediently returned to the home screen to choose a new game.
But at this moment, Qi Gu's phone rang.
He picked up, and on the other end was Mu Xing Shen's agitated and indignant voice: "Master, have you checked Weibo? That scoundrel Wei Cai is manipulating public opinion about you again. Should I find a lawyer to help you clarify things?"
Qi Gu said: "Let him be, I want to play games."
After a moment's thought, he felt that Mu Xing Shen was calling out of concern for him, so he added: "Don't dwell too much on online remarks; focusing on yourself is eternal cultivation."
Mu Xing Shen hung up in a daze: "..."
For a moment, he felt as if he was the one being scolded online, not his Master. Otherwise, how could Master be so calm, still thinking about playing games in such circumstances?
Lin Han Zhi slightly raised his head: "Is someone trying to frame you again?"
"You're quite sharp," Qi Gu said, raising an eyebrow.
Both sat in front of the large screen. Lin Han Zhi leaned slightly closer to Qi Gu, his tone casual: "I'll go deal with him."
"It's all external matters," Qi Gu said, picking up a washed grape and putting it in his mouth.
"I know you don't care, but I don't like seeing you get scolded," Lin Han Zhi said. "When the first round of the show started, many people messaged me telling me to stay away from you. I found them meddlesome, so I blocked them all."
This was the first time Qi Gu had heard Lin Han Zhi mention this, and he was slightly surprised.
At that time, their relationship wasn't even this good, was it?
"Just seeing you for the first time, I felt this person must be kind-hearted," Lin Han Zhi said, seeing the confusion in Qi Gu's eyes, half-joking, half-serious.
Actually, at that time he thought... This person looks quite handsome, why isn't he popular in the entertainment industry? Viewers these days truly have no taste, only knowing how to eat some chaff.
That thought suddenly stopped when Lin Han Zhi once curiously opened a video of Qi Gu's acting. That scene was the kind that made one embarrassed to praise. It was the kind that even Qi Gu wouldn't know how to praise.
If one tried hard to praise, one could say Qi Gu's Mandarin was quite standard...
Such a good person, why such terrible acting?
Heaven truly was fair.
Qi Gu's heart stirred slightly, then he saw Lin Han Zhi frown: "Do you mind me being scolded?"
"I just feel that you're so good, doing so many good deeds, you shouldn't have such an outcome," Lin Han Zhi said seriously, no longer acting spoiled. "Seeing them scold you, my heart rate wanted to jump to 200. If you don't believe me, look at my heart rate monitor."
With that, Lin Han Zhi wanted to pull up his shirt to show Qi Gu the number on his heart rate monitor.
Qi Gu quickly pretended to be busy, his eyes darting around like a thief considering what to take. "Thanks, no need."
Recently, he had been a little allergic to Lin Han Zhi's body. The specific symptom was that seeing Lin Han Zhi's body made him feel hot and his throat constricted.
An image naturally appeared in his mind: Lin Han Zhi with fair skin, soft chest curves, wrapped in a black strap. That image must have been a little sensual.
Very quickly, Qi Gu thought again, a heart rate monitor collects data more accurately than a sports watch, more suitable for exercise. But the black strap still clung tightly to his chest, a bit uncomfortably tight. Why was Lin Han Zhi wearing a heart rate monitor at home?
"Do you have heart disease?" Qi Gu asked.
Lin Han Zhi, accustomed to major situations, was also slightly stunned, not knowing how the topic had flown there: "Huh?"
"Why wear a heart rate monitor when not exercising? Isn't that uncomfortable?" Qi Gu said.
Realizing that Qi Gu was concerned about his health, Lin Han Zhi said: "I just wear it casually. Don't you think being able to see your heart rate at any time helps you understand your own preferences and interests better?"
Qi Gu: "..."
A very novel and unique way of speaking; he had never heard of preferences being judged by this method.
Qi Gu paused, then said: "If that's the case, my heart rate would probably peak when I eat and sleep peacefully."
Lin Han Zhi just wanted to make casual conversation; he could, of course, use the excuse of poor health to gloss over it. But recently, he didn't want to appear weak in front of Qi Gu. He hadn't expected Qi Gu to say such a thing: "..."
"Then guess, when does my heart rate peak?" Lin Han Zhi asked.
Qi Gu maliciously said: "When the character you're manipulating in the game dies?"
Lin Han Zhi: "..."
After Lin Han Zhi was speechless, Qi Gu chuckled softly and said: "I'll handle the online matter. If you don't want to see it, then as my friend, I should consider your feelings for me."
Finally, he had friends; it was ultimately different from being alone. Qi Gu thought.
But he didn't realize that these words sounded very much like things would be different when one had a partner.
"Are you really willing to tear into Wei Cai for me? Those things are very troublesome." Lin Han Zhi couldn't believe it, yet his eyes and the corners of his mouth honestly curved upwards.
"So I can't let your heart rate keep soaring?" Qi Gu joked.
The afternoon sun streamed through the blinds and glass window, illuminating his back, making him appear gilded, his facial features even more profound, enchantingly beautiful.
Lin Han Zhi restrained his wildly beating heart, thinking, he had found the reason for his heart rate's ascension.