Fortunately, Xiao He wasn't the type to obsess over fans.
Otherwise, hearing Liu Rulan's words might have shattered his confidence: "Sister Liu, you know way too much about this."
Was this the capability of a top-tier agent?
"As Su Shengxi's manager, I had some contact with that paparazzi too. When I compared all the information from different sources, I could pretty much piece together the truth."
Liu Rulan continued while comforting Xiao He: "Don't worry, once this current buzz dies down, she'll voluntarily leave the fan group. She won't cause you any trouble."
Xiao He: "That's not the main point..."
"Then what is?"
With too many absurd aspects to address, Xiao He thought for a moment before simply giving up: "Sister Liu, do you think I should update my wardrobe? Just in case there are more paparazzi in the future, at least when they pay for photos, they won't have to see me wearing the same few outfits on rotation."
"You've finally come to your senses. That last paparazzi didn't even want to mention it - every time they photographed you, you looked exactly the same. They felt too embarrassed to sell the photos as different shooting periods, so they could only use them as free bonuses." Liu Rulan finally gave Xiao He an approving look that said 'the student has become worthy', "Don't worry, I've already contacted designers to completely reorganize your wardrobe. From now on, vary your outfits when going out instead of cycling through the same few clothes every day."
"Especially that backpack of yours - I can't even be bothered to criticize it anymore."
Liu Rulan pointed at Xiao He's backpack with a look of utter disdain.
Xiao He: "..."
Wait, what's wrong with carrying a backpack when going out? This single bag can hold chargers, power banks, tissues, water bottles, headphones, basic documents, and usually can also fit a hat, mask, and jacket. For longer trips, it can even carry some trauma spray and ointments for bruises and bleeding.
Most importantly, it can also hold his laptop.
During unexpected situations, all these things are absolutely essential!
However, Liu Rulan mercilessly shattered Xiao He's fantasy: "From now on, you're not allowed to carry this bag when going out. For other situations, have Xiao Chen carry it for you. If you need anything, just ask Xiao Chen for it."
Xiao He looked at Xiao Chen: "Ah, but—"
Liu Rulan said expressionlessly: "Xiao Chen is here to be your assistant, not to be treated like royalty. You should give him something to do, otherwise I'll fire him."
Xiao He: ...
Xiao Chen: ?
"Alright, alright, I understand."
Xiao He rubbed his temples and surrendered.
...
July 9th was just an ordinary, uneventful day.
Hemiao, who had finally started summer vacation, lay lazily on her family's sofa.
Her mother complained while hanging laundry: "How many days has it been since vacation started? All you do is lie around the house every day without going out. Didn't we give you travel money?"
As everyone knows, college students only get two days of maternal love after returning home for vacation.
Once those two days expire, their status at home drops to the point where even passing dogs would bark at them.
Clearly, Hemiao was currently in this exact situation.
"Ah, Mom, I really don't want to go out. In this hot weather, what could be more interesting than staying home with air conditioning and eating watermelon?"
Hemiao said while swinging her legs coquettishly, boredly flipping through TV channels.
Mother He looked disgusted: "Didn't I hear you had a classmate inviting you out? If you're worried about the heat, go shopping at the mall or watch a movie."
Hemiao refused: "No, I don't need clothes right now, and I can watch movies on TV too—"
As she spoke, she opened Penguin Video's homepage and happened to see a movie poster on the featured page.
Just as Hemiao was about to scroll down, she heard her mother beside her suddenly go "Huh?"
"Isn't this Little Six?"
Hemiao: "Huh?"
She looked at her mother confused.
"Oh my, it really is Little Six!" Mother He pointed at the person on the homepage cover, "Those eyes, that nose—my goodness, he's all grown up now! He looks completely different from when he was little!"
Hemiao glanced at the poster.
A black-clothed swordsman held a long sword in his hand, looking solemnly at the camera. The three characters "Thief Catcher" were written in powerful brush strokes that carried a master's style. The overall poster design followed classic traditional Chinese ink painting aesthetics, dominated by black and white, with only the blood on the swordsman's blade and the gleam of copper coins at his waist adding vivid highlights to the poster.
It was an extremely impactful and story-rich shot.
And the swordsman in the frame—
"He looks somewhat familiar..."
Hemiao looked at her mother.
Mother He chuckled lightly: "It's normal that you don't really know him. Back then he was just a little brat of six or seven years old, only a few years older than you."
"Ah—" Hemiao seemed to recall something, "I think he was called... Pu Rong?"
"Yes, yes."
Mother He's eyes immediately revealed nostalgia.
Of course, it wasn't nostalgia for Pu Rong himself, but rather for those bygone days.
"Back then, your father and I loved watching movies. We would basically rent DVDs to watch on our player almost every week."
During that time, they mainly relied on renting DVDs and watching them on DVD players for movies and TV shows. This was actually one of the leisure activities common among their generation.
But in the blink of an eye, so much time had already passed...
Seeing her mother lost in memories of the past again, Hemiao pursed her lips but actively clicked open the movie.
"Thief Catcher," directed by Lin Yipeng, starring Pu Rong... It was actually a new movie released just today.
Since Hemiao was an avid drama watcher, she had annual memberships on several video platforms. The member discount made the film cost less than a cup of bubble tea—practically free in Hemiao's eyes—so she decisively paid and started playing the movie.
--------------
Morning mist drifted faintly. Pink walls and black tiles lined the scene as a winding, clear river flowed through the tranquil town, carrying a black-canopied boat that slowly drifted past. The crisp sound of horse hooves approached from afar, suddenly shattering the town's peaceful serenity.
"Please, we're begging you, just give us a little more time, please—"
Amidst the noisy commotion, a burly man with a fierce-looking face punched a kneeling man to the ground, then grabbed a little girl beside him and threw her aside despite a woman's desperate cries.
"Ah—"
The little girl landed in the cold river water nearby, flailing about in terror. The weeping woman tried to jump in after her, but the burly man grabbed her by the neck, forcing her head back and making her watch as her daughter struggled painfully in the water.
"I've already shown you enough respect! But you? You really think I'm easy to bully? Today I'll make you watch your own child drown in this river with your own eyes!"
"No, please don't—"
The woman struggled continuously while her husband tried desperately to get up from the ground, only to be pinned down by the burly man's foot, unable to move. Meanwhile, the little girl in the river struggled less and less, visibly about to sink completely beneath the surface.
Just at that moment, a nearby black-canopied boat slowly approached.
The black-clothed swordsman on the boat reached out and casually lifted the little girl from the water, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Oh? What good luck this early morning—I actually caught a little fish?"
The morning wind still carried a slight chill. The little girl hugged her arms, shivering, looking at the black-clothed swordsman with innocent confusion and gratitude. After coughing a few times, she thanked him in a hoarse voice: "Thank you, big brother."
"Goddammit, you over there! What are you doing? Looking to die?"
In the background, the burly man's furious roar came from the riverbank.
The black-clothed swordsman completely ignored him, simply taking off his straw raincoat and draping it over the little girl.