Chapter 42: I've got this Celebrity's back (2)
Seeing him not speaking, Lu Deng suddenly became a little uncertain.
It was uncertain how much data that the other party can retain from each world. The amount of data he has retained might not have been sufficient to produce a reverse judgement effect in this current world. For an actor who has been a law-abiding citizen for nearly thirty years of his life, he might still have been frightened by having his car stopped and being declared robbery upon.
Already frightened by its host's alternative methods, the system deeply agreed, "The target hasn't seen such a big scene. He surely must have been frightened!"
Oh well, it didn't matter if he had been frightened. Now that he had already barred Gu Xi here, the person laying in wait at Gu Xi's front door will now come up empty-handed. Now, he just needs to explain clearly and it would be fine.
This was a minor problem. Lu Deng pondered for a moment and raised his head to explain when suddenly Gu Xi grabbed his wrist, eyes sparkling, he said, "Rob me!"
Lu Deng: "…"
System:"..."
Two minutes later, Film Emperor Gu, with his active cooperation, was robbed and stuffed back into the car.
The robber who was kidnapping him was really good-looking and his movements were neat and efficient. His strength control was more precise than before. He even gently supported his back as he stuffed him into the back seat of the car.
The nanny car had a lot of space and was more than enough for two people.
Gu Xi leaned on the back seat. He lowered his head slightly and his eyes fell involuntarily on the hand that was tying his seat belt for him. His eyes slid along his pale fingers quietly reaching out to help.
The buckle closed with a click and the seat belt was strapped against his chest, binding him back to the seat.
Lu Deng straightened up, turned around and got out of the car. He picked up Gu Xi's phone and put it next to him.
Kidnappers nowadays were very humane.
The smell of fresh greenery suddenly moved away. Gu Xi raised his eyes as he followed the other's movements. He raising his eyebrows and said, half jokingly, "Where are you making off with me?"
"Someone is lying in wait for you at your door. They're waiting to take your pictures so better not go back tonight."
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Although his villa was remote and few people knew about it, those who deliberately wanted to know could find it. He had already experienced paparazzo ambushing him and on several occasions, he had even been stalked. But there were still some unwritten rules within the circle. Each party, when handling business, had a bottom line. After several times of sounding each other out and after being refused entry, they generally know to behave themselves and wouldn't dare cross that line.
Now, it seems that he was no longer being protected by those unwritten rules.
An unusual situation means the presence of a devil.
There was an deviation in the normal convention of the entertainment industry which meant that someone was acting as a devil.
The intention of the young man in front of him was still unclear–maybe he has just entered the industry and his conscience had yet to completely vanish; maybe he wanted to ingratiate himself to him; maybe he was one party to a secret dispute between paparazzi and was hell bent on not letting the other party succeed.
But no matter which one it was, at least he was certain that his kidnapper had no malice towards him.
Having thought out matters up to this point, warmth gradually returned to the pit of Gu Xi's stomach and his pupils regained some gentleness.
Lu Deng allowed himself no distractions. He fumbled in his pocket for the eye mask he had the system retrieve through urgent delivery. With one knee against the seat, he leaned close and carefully put it on Gu Xi.
He actually brought something to obstruct his eyes. Seems like he's a very dedicated kidnapper.
The corners of Gu Xi's lips rose up and he took the initiative to lean forward slightly, allowing the other to put on his eye mask properly, trying his best to ignore the adorable panda pattern on it.
The phone began to vibrate again and again. Without even looking at it, he knew that it was the company trying to get a hold of him to question him.
Since his debut, he has worked hard on his own. He had no backers to rely on. He had relied on his innate talent and the blessing lady luck bestows upon children to push his way, shoving and bumping, through. The agency was unreliable. The agent only knew how to fish for a quick buck and the assistant sold fabricated so-called secrets. Now, he even had people lying in wait for him at his front door.
It was better to be kidnapped.
Film Emperor Gu simply gave up and stopped bothering. He fumbled around for a while and simply did a long press to shut off his phone. The world was finally completely quiet.
Although he had on a nonchalant expression, it was impossible that he wasn't filled with anger inside. Gu Xi took a deep breath and slowly let out an exhale. He was about to completely throw away his phone away but he suddenly stopped.
In the darkness caused by his obstructed vision, a cool and gentle sensation alighted on his brows, slowly rubbing. The other hand was against his shoulder, pressing him back against the seat.
It was gentle as though trying to console him.
Gu Xi's heart stirred. He accurately grasped on to that hand. He tightened his hold then hesitantly let go a little. "…Who are you?"
Given that he had been carjacked in the dead of night, strapped to the seat with a seat belt and blindfolded with a fluffy panda eye mask, his remaining rationality reminded Gu Xi, that his reaction to all this was a little too calm. And because his kidnapper touched his face like that was not a good enough reason.
But in any case, he couldn't bring himself to feel nervous.
He clearly didn't recognize the other person but he still felt inexplicable sense of familiarity, as he had accepted and blended him into his subconscious countless times. Even if it wasn't rational, he just couldn't bring himself to bring up his guard around him.
It was like they'd been acquainted long ago.
It might also be because he was certainly good-looking.
With his sight completely obstructed and everything pitch black, his thoughts become all the more active. Film Emperor Gu leaned back on his seat and let his imagination run wild. After a while, a clear and mellow voice rang in his ears once again.
"Lu Qingzhou."
It was a good name.
It had a nice ring to it.
Paparazzo nowadays were really top quality.
Gu Xi couldn't help already doubting which agency's runaway teen idol this was. As before, Gu Xi held his hand and still did not let go, searching for memories in his mind.
Lu Qingzhou also wasn't in any hurry to get up. He let him hold his wrist and he paused for a moment before continuing, "I specialize in taking secret photos."
…
Then it really was a camera.
With a helpless smiles caused by his self-introduction, Gu Xi no longer asked Lu Qingzhou why he suddenly appeared here and why he was granting him such a big favor. Instead, he let go of his hand and joked with a smile, "Are you taking a photo of me now?"
There was no verbal reply. He could only vaguely sense some movement from the other. He didn't know whether it was a nod or a shake of his head.
Gu Xi raised his hand to lift the blindfold but it was held down with a bit of force by Lu Qingzhou. "Don't move, I'm taking a secret shot."
…
Film Emperor Gu froze and was pushed to sit back down.
Paparazzo nowadays were full of ideas.
Film Emperor Gu, who was forcibly taken a secret photo of, was forced to cooperate in it's taking, allowing the camera's pleasant unceasing clicking sounds. While distracted and worried about what he must look like at the moment, he couldn't help closing his eyes and raising his hand to rub his forehead.
The eye mask exuded a refreshing plant fragrance. It was starting to get hot after wearing it for a while. It was not unbearably hot though. It was just hot enough to effectively relieve the fatigue and soreness around his eyes.
His paparazzo kidnapper took shots of him for a while and then the sound of the camera stopped. The folded blanket in the back seat was gently spread open and carefully laid over his shoulder, covering his body.
After a while, the slight movements finally left him and returned to the driver's seat.
There was no need to face the camera or to maintain his image at all times. Gu Xi breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed and leaned back against his seat.
The situation was unclear. The people around him couldn't be trusted. It was unclear who was out to ruin him. Maybe everyone was. Everyone was just itching to place stumbling blocks along his path.
The only person willing to lend a helping hand to him was actually a paparazzo, someone who has always been shunned by celebrities.
Gu Xi silently pursed his lips. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, stretched out his body and adjusted the back rest to lie back.
This eye mask was very comfortable.
He doesn't care where he was abducted to.
Film Emperor Gu couldn't go anywhere.
With the sound of the car starting up, Gu Xi had made up his mind to give hand his entire schedule tonight to Lu Qingzhou. He closed his eyes and leaned back. He waited for a while, but the car stayed put.
Gu Xi blinked and quietly lifted the eye mask.
The little paparazzo who robbed him was still there. His tall and handsome figure was seated on the driver's seat, hands on the steering wheel, seeming to be caught in some profound contemplation
Gu Xi lifted his blindfold and looked at Lu Qingzhou's back for a while. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He unfasten the seat belt with one hand, sat up and put a hand on the other's shoulder.
Lu Qingzhou was lost in thought. He felt Gu Xi's breath behind his neck, making him instinctively shiver. He came back to himself and looked up.
Gu Xi lay over him, one hand wrapped around his shoulder. Gu Xi looked at the dashboard that had not been successfully activated at all and asked with a smile, "Can you drive?"
Lu Deng: "…"
He could not.
The system was reliable enough when it came to handling work. He himself had also checked the package when they bought it. There shouldn't have been any problems. After decompressing the packing, he should have automatically understood and learned how to drive.
But facing the complicated mechanisms in front of him, he still felt like his hands were bound and he was unable to do anything about it.
The system has also become aware of the problem. Panicked, it hurriedly said, "I will lodge a complaint right now! I'll go to the mall customer service!"
"It's okay, the mall must have made a mistake. Just ask what's going on."
The mall of the Main System was not very reliable and it was not the first time that there had been a problem. This time there was probably something wrong with the product they ordered.
Lu Deng consoled it gently in his mind. He met Gu Xi's gaze and pursed the corners of his lips.
He then moved from the driver's seat to the co-pilot seat.
Looking at the little paparazzo who all too naturally and logically let the driver's seat go, Gu Xi raised his eyebrows slightly. He raised his long leg and crossed over from the back row. He said, voice deliberately filled with meaning, "If I drive, I get to choose the place…"
In the co-pilot seat, Lu Deng held his camera and nodded.
Anywhere would be the same.
Lu Deng's residence in this world was still in the process of being formed. His original plan had only been to drive Gu Xi around to while the night away.
Seeing that the other didn't seem to understand at all, Gu Xi couldn't help being dumbfounded. Tapping his fingertips on the steering wheel, he started up the car. "Did you bring your ID card?"
Without realizing what the newly robbed Film Emperor Gu was intending to do, Lu Deng blinked and pulled out the ID card that had been generated when he entered this world. He handed it over.
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
ID photos were goblin revealing mirrors. This rule applied to people within the industry more than to the people outside of it. Gu Xi raised his hand to take it and quickly glanced at the location of the photo.
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Talent scouts nowadays mustn't be any good.
Not that being an actor was necessarily a good career either. Film Emperor Gu thought so given his current situation. With a flick of his fingers, he placed the ID card into the chest pocket of his shirt. He turned the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator, back towards the way he came.
Although he didn't have many chances to drive by himself, Gu Xi still drove very steadily. He drove all the way into the city, went around a few blocks, and stopped in front of a hotel.
He couldn't go back home but that didn't mean he couldn't even stay at a hotel.
Gu Xi was used to living comfortably. Apart from being when he was forced to obey the company's arrangements, he was never one to treat himself poorly. Conscience clear, he led the little paparazzo into the hotel. He swiped his membership card, pressed down the ID card and went straight to the top floor.
Lu Deng often stayed with him in a hotel and he was totally unguarded. He followed after him quietly, holding the camera in his arms. He walked in and found the sofa, creating his nest there. He turned on the camera and adjusted the secret photos he had taken today.
The lights in the business suite were dim, falling on the figure curled up in the sofa. The delicate face looked softer and his eyelashes created fine shadows, unexpectedly revealing a serious posture.
Bringing someone to check in to a hotel; staying in the same room in the middle of the night — given this atmosphere, shouldn't a little something happen?
Gu Xi shook his head, not without some regret. He turned on the bright overhead lights and sat on the sofa, looking over his script.
That night he had driven away from the cast and crew to figure out just what kind of situation he was in. He originally planned to stay at home for the night and then head back tomorrow at noon to rush in for the afternoon shooting.
Now, the plan has temporarily changed but he still needed to read the script.
There were many lines in this drama and monologues took up large sections of it. It was all too easy to remember it wrong. Gu Xi flipped through the script, engraving the plot in his head. He closed his eyes, silently memorizing the dialogue.
Now, he's mired in rumors of sex scandals and even when he doesn't make any mistakes, mistakes will be made for him. If he really were to make any mistakes, it might just be written up on a big character poster and hung up for everyone to see.
The lines were cryptic and awkward-sounding. Gu Xi concentrated and memorized them several times but he was stuck in a particularly long scene. He couldn't help but raise his hand and pinch his eyebrows. He was trying to concentrate when he clearly heard the camera click.
The little paparazzo was blatantly taking secret photos of him again.
King Gu laughed silently. He opened his eyes and brought to mind his name. He tried calling out his name, "Qingzhou."
With just a call of his name, the delicate face immediately peeked out from behind the well-designed camera. Lu Qingzhou looked at him and his figure was almost reflected in those clear black eyes.
"Before, have you–"
Gu Xi beckoned him to come over. He weighed his words carefully, his tone unknowingly turning gentle, "have you done this sort of job before?"
Lu Deng shook his head and stood up obediently.
When it comes to other professions, you could learn the job gradually. But in this line of work, he might just get beaten up if he goes out this green.
Gu Xi raised the corners of his lips and made room for him to sit down beside him. He raised his hand to take the camera and adjust the settings to 'silent' for him. But Lu Qingzhou put the camera deeper into his arms, guarding it. "I haven't retouched the photos yet…"
Paparazzi nowadays even offer free photo adjustments on their secret photos.
The other's professional manner immediately triggered Gu Xi to do some introspection. Gu Xi chuckled and nodded slightly in compromise. He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, I won't look."
Lu Qingzhou relaxed his arms and sat back beside him. Gu Xi curled his lips. He turned sideways, raised his hand and rubbed the other's hair. "Next time you take a sneak shot, remember not to make any noise."
The short hair under his palm was as soft as he imagined. Those clear eyes looked up and his figure reflected in them, jabbing straight to the bottom of his heart. "I can't take pictures of you?"
"…"
Film Emperor Gu's heart disappointingly gave a jump. He coughed lightly and rubbed even more forcefully, "…You can."
Don't speak out loud, just pose for a photo.
He really didn't have any principles.
The little paparazzo who had gotten his agreement seemed very happy. He sat down with his lips curled up, looking at his script curiously.
The fresh and clean scent struck close to him and the other's body was warm against the side of his arm. The other lay quietly motionless, only breathing evenly and gently.
Gu Xi memorized a few pages of lines and felt that he was becoming more easily distracted.
This won't do.
He won't be able to finish memorizing the script.
After a rare bout of profound self-reflection, Film Emperor Gu closed the script, patted the back of the young man next to him and reluctantly opened his mouth. He urged him to take a bath and go to sleep first.
Lu Qingzhou also seemed to be a little sleepy. The light in those black eyes had become a little hazy. He yawned softly between his arms and the his eyes sparkled with tears. Like a small hook, it pulled at Film Emperor Gu's heart.
…This is bad.
Gu Xi watched him get up in a daze and obediently walk to the bathroom. Gu Xi turned a few more pages of the script, letting the paper pages rustle as he turned the pages. Then the sound of falling water came from the bathroom. With much difficulty, he kept on reading and then he painfully slapped his face.
Still unable to calm down, Gu Xi fumbled around in his pocket. He grabbed a hold of the pack of cigarettes with his finger. Remembering Lu Qingzhou's uncomfortable cough, he hesitated for a moment and stuffed the pack of cigarettes back.
After staying in the circle for such a long time, he had picked up some bad habits. He'll need to kick that habit later.
Opening the window to let the night breeze blow in for a while, Film Emperor Gu turned back to the room. He called the front desk and ordered a cup of hot milk with sugar.
It was already halfway through the night and the moonlight had became even brighter.
Lu Qingzhou took a relaxing shower. Afterwards, Gu Xi watched him drink down the glass of milk. He was stuffed into the bed. For a while, he held onto his camera, fixing the photos before finally falling sound asleep.
After slogging through his lines for a while, Gu Xi breathed a sigh of relief. He took out his phone and turned it on. An astounding number of missed calls notifications flooded in in an instant.
Gu Xi cleared it out with a swipe of his finger. He clicked on his messages and looked through them. His phone suddenly buzzed. It was a message from the young director from whom he had wormed out information earlier this night.
Liang Yuan: where are you, kid? you really committed suicide?! Even if you want to jump off a cliff, come back here and jump, use "weiya" and crush those scums!
Liang Yuan was a young director who had recently risen to fame. He graduated from the same school with Gu Xi but he had had no interaction with him at school. After Gu Xi made his debut, they had collaborated on several films. Their friendship had also been formed from drinking together.
Both of them were people who had gone through challenging experiences to get to where they were now. Though young, they had been through a lot. How could mere words possibly trick them? Liang Yuan took the opportunity to tell Gu Xi the truth and warn him. Gu Xi also knew how much risk Liang Yuan had taken to tell him this during this sensitive time.
He made his debut early and he had set his mind to do his best at acting. He has always maintained good relationships within the circle, but in the end only Liang Yuan dared to tell him a few truths.
Except for the people in the company, Liang Yuan was the only one who knew that he had fired his assistant and agent today. Suddenly sending himself a message, making a fuss about nothing, the only possible reason was that there was some new development in the situation.
Gu Xi clicked on Weibo and swiped up a few times. He found a distinctive piece of news in the hot search.
The boss of Yikun Entertainment had reported the disappearance of an artist. The police issued an emergency statement stating that the search was on-going. They made an urgent search of the artist's residence, but they also caught a group of unknown people who had broken into the property. At present, malicious kidnapping has not been ruled out.
It had made such a big commotion and even the hot search has not been withdrawn. It seemed that those who secretly were going against him had not yet set out to handle it.
This group of "unidentified people" was probably the group of people that Lu Qingzhou had him avoid.
Gu Xi pressed his lips into a thin line. He quit the news and tapped on the screen with his fingertips, "I'm fine. I was robbed."
Within a few seconds, three lines of question marks were sent by the other party.
"Liang Yuan: You were really robbed? Report to the police! Where's the robber? Did he run away? Where are you now??"
Gu Xi tapped on the screen. He raised his head thoughtfully and looked at the figure sleeping peacefully beneath the quilt. He slowly walked over. He took the camera out of his arms and put it away. He gently stuffed back under the quilt the arms of the young man that he had pulled out.
He had abducted his robber and checked-in to a hotel with him. He had just taken a bath, drank a glass of hot milk and was now sleeping.
If he made a police report like this, he would probably be arrested.
Film Emperor Gu held the phone and pondered for a long while. He tapped out a reply.
"I'm kidding. I checked into a hotel with someone."