“Luo Tian… I belong to you in this life and the next…” “Luo Tian…” … His ears were filled with similar cries, but Luo Tian paid them no mind as he struggled out of the venue, escorted by several staff members. It was like paddling furiously through an ocean of people, battling the waves until he finally made it into a waiting car. The door shut tight, the curtains drawn, and only then did he yank off his sunglasses, slumping into the seat and letting out a long sigh. “I’m exhausted…”

Thank goodness he was a yao, a demon. If he were one of those human celebrities… Luo Tian sometimes truly admired his human counterparts; enduring scenes like that required stamina and endurance beyond the human realm.

“Exhausted… Luo Tian, your charisma is truly boundless… Ha… This fan meeting was another massive success…” Luo Tian’s manager, Xu Haiyang, was also slumped in his seat, limbs weak after the day’s ordeal, but his tone remained cheerful, fueled by professional enthusiasm.

“You still have the energy to laugh about it.” Luo Tian used a tissue to wipe the lipstick stains off his face—the mark of those fiercely enthusiastic young women. Their fervor was genuinely frightening. “It’s settled, I’m doing absolutely nothing tomorrow. I need a full day of rest.”

“Deal. Nothing on the schedule tomorrow; I’ll handle those contract issues myself,” Xu Haiyang agreed readily.

“Stop the car,” Luo Tian commanded. He had already swiftly changed into a simple denim outfit and pulled a brimmed hat over his head while in the vehicle. The car pulled over precisely at the mouth of a secluded alley. Luo Tian glanced around, saw no one paying attention, and slipped out.

“You have to come back tomorrow night, you hear me!” Xu Haiyang called out through the closed window. Luo Tian waved a hand back and hurried into the darkness.

He always needed time to decompress.

After turning invisible, Luo Tian stretched out his wings and let out a long breath—a group of giggling girls just leaving the fan meeting walked past, completely unaware that the idol they were just discussing was standing barely a meter away from them. This was the mysterious disguise art that baffled Xu Haiyang and the others. Although he often went out roaming, he was never caught by fans or reporters; the simple truth was that the superstar either used an invisibility spell or simply changed his appearance entirely.

A quick flight in the air after intense work was the best form of relaxation.

Luo Tian circled above Lixin City for a good half-lap, humming a little tune and gnawing on a pig leg he’d snagged from the hotel, feeling completely blissful. He was a thoroughbred carnivore; normally, pretending to be human forced him to consume copious amounts of vegetables and noodles, which was pure torture.

He folded his wings and landed atop a skyscraper. Sitting on the railing, he chewed his food and contemplated what to do with this rare day off. Should he fly into the mountains for a long sleep? Or search for some prey in this concrete and steel “jungle” to satisfy his craving? Forget it; he was too tired today. A proper rest was in order. Oh, right—Liu Di and Gui’er had returned from the Otherworld a few days ago, apparently bringing word and gifts from Li Li. At the time, Gui’er had only sent him a vague text message while he was performing. Since he was free today, maybe he should swing by Zhou Ying’s place…

Ugh, he really wasn't keen on going there. Almost all of Lixin City’s greatest dangers could be encountered in that vicinity…

Luo Tian held a good impression of Zhou Ying, though he had strong reservations about his methods, judgment, and taste concerning how he raised his child and chose his friends and romantic partners.

Spreading his wings and deliberately lowering his altitude to fly between the buildings, Luo Tian was momentarily transported back to the days when he wandered among the abnormally tall forests of the Otherworld. Yet, now he had consciously chosen a lifestyle vastly different from that time—a life that, while sometimes exhausting, was often deeply satisfying.

In a window he passed, a sleepless girl was playing Luo Tian’s music. Luo Tian, soaring past, couldn’t help but smile. He had no ambition to become a superstar; his greatest desire was simply to have more people truly listen to his singing.

These girls could be quite charming sometimes.

Luo Tian had strong opinions about young girls throwing around "I love yous" to grown men. He was, at his core, a very traditional yao, but that didn't stop him from liking these lively, energetic girls, precisely because they were the ones supporting his dream. This was why Luo Tian had repeatedly dueled with other yao who dared to borrow his appearance to seduce women. He genuinely did not want these young women to be hurt, at least not because of him. However, since Liu Di enacted the decree forbidding any yao in Lixin City from impersonating Luo Tian (which happened after Liu Di brutally beat a yao who had successfully seduced a woman he was pursuing, shouting maniacally, “Let’s see who dares to look better than me! Who dares!”), this situation had mostly vanished.

As Luo Tian lazily flapped his wings, gliding past another structure, a sound of an object tearing through the air suddenly came from above.

An ambush?

Luo Tian instinctively flipped and dodged. An object plummeted past him. But the moment he saw what it was, he didn't have time to think and reached out, grabbing hold of the falling figure.

A girl, jumping from a skyscraper.

Luo Tian hovered in the air, utterly stunned.

He looked down. From this height, the cars on the ground looked like tiny scarabs. If he hadn't been flying by at that exact moment, this little thing falling from the rooftop would surely have splattered into a puddle of blood and gore. Honestly, why did humans build buildings so tall? They weren't aesthetically pleasing, inconvenient, and they just increased the danger.

The girl had already lost consciousness, perhaps from the fall or from being startled by Luo Tian.

“Kids these days are so bold, not even being careful this high up,” Luo Tian sighed. He’d saved her; he couldn't exactly toss her back down, could he? Eating her also seemed inappropriate. Best to see this good deed through to the end. Luo Tian easily erased five or six minutes of the unconscious girl’s memory, then flew her back to the rooftop. Just as he was about to set her down and leave, a letter tucked beneath a pair of shoes caught his attention.

Shoes left behind, and a letter scrawled: “Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. Please forgive this child who can do nothing right…” Could this girl have been attempting suicide? Luo Tian frowned. If he had known she simply didn't want to live, he might not have bothered saving her.

When Song Lingling opened her eyes, she couldn't immediately tell where she was. Above her, the sky was littered with stars blinking at her, and the colorful lights of an airplane cut through the layers of atmosphere with a low drone. Where was she?

“I am…”

“You’re awake…” A young man stood not far off, watching her with a half-smile.

“Who are you? Where… where am I?”

“You’re on the rooftop, didn't you climb up here yourself? You were about to jump, but you fainted from being too agitated before you could leap,” the man said with a mocking tone, waving a letter in his hand.

“You…” Song Lingling instantly recalled her purpose. Right, after dinner, she’d had a fierce argument with her parents, then stormed out in a huff. She ended up on the roof of this building, and the long-held thought of ‘death’ had resurfaced with unusual intensity. This time, the feeling was overwhelming, so she wrote her suicide note, stood outside the parapet, and imagined whether she would feel the sensation of flying if she jumped.

Then…

But she couldn't recall how she fainted, or when this man appeared beside her, or how he took her note. Facing an adult who had discovered her suicide attempt, she felt an indescribable panic, wanting only to flee the scene immediately. Yet, she feared the man might take her letter to her parents, so she mustered her courage and stammered, “G-give it back, I was just playing around.”

“Is that so?” The man arched an eyebrow. “If you want it, you’ll sit here with me for a while and chat. Otherwise, I’ll send it to your school for your teacher!” He knew students were always afraid of their teachers.

What? Sit with him? Was this man plotting something sinister? Song Lingling looked at him in horror.

The man shrugged. “I’m not trying to bully you, just sit and talk.”

Song Lingling studied him carefully. He was undeniably handsome, with sharp, defined features, shoulder-length hair, an earring, and a smile that held seven parts wicked charm and three parts restlessness. He was not the kind of person whose promise of ‘just sitting and chatting’ would put a young girl at ease. Should she turn and run? Perhaps…

“Oh my, it even says here that she hopes her soul can go to Luo Tian’s side. I’d better take this letter to Luo Tian to have a look,” the man exclaimed dramatically while examining the letter under the neon light.

“What, no!” Song Lingling shrieked and lunged forward. If she could bear her parents, teachers, or classmates seeing the letter, she could never accept Luo Tian seeing it. Under no circumstances could Luo Tian see it, because he had repeatedly stated publicly that he detested fans who committed suicide, dropped out of school, or ran away for the sake of an idol. If he knew one of his fans had done such a thing, he would certainly regard her as his most hated person. “I don’t want Luo Tian to hate me! Please give it back quickly! I’ll do anything you ask!” Song Lingling pleaded, tears choking her voice.

How easily these girls were hurt for their idols? They would do anything for him, yet she didn't seem to grasp the implication of her own words.

“Then tell me first, why did you want to kill yourself?” The man smiled at Song Lingling and patted the cement platform beside him, inviting her to sit.

“I…” Song Lingling sat down cautiously beside him, hesitant to speak.

“I’ll call Luo Tian and tell him this interesting story. His fan wrote a suicide note addressed to him and then tried to jump.”

“I didn’t write a suicide note to Luo Tian! He hates fans like that the most! I just hoped that after I died, my soul could go to his side to protect him!”

—You’ll be scared to death by what I’m about to reveal, the man muttered under his breath.

“Fine. As long as you tell me why you wanted to die, I won’t tell Luo Tian about this, and I’ll even get you an autographed photo of him, how about that?” the man said to Song Lingling with a wolfish grin.

“You—you said you know Luo Tian? Who would believe that? You must be lying.” He was very handsome; perhaps he was also an actor, which is how he might know Luo Tian, who was in the same line of work? Although Song Lingling said she didn't believe him, her heart longed for contact with someone who knew Luo Tian. For a girl like her, even the slightest contact with her idol would bring immense joy.

So easily trusting. If she meets a real charlatan, she won’t even know where to cry, the man thought.

The man pulled out his phone, dialed a random number, and then spoke into it, “Hello, Luo Tian? What are you up to? I have something to tell you…” He kept the volume quite high, and Luo Tian’s clear, magnetic voice immediately responded from the other end: “Liu Di, what is it? You need me?”

“Heh… long time no see. What are you busy with? Want to grab tea sometime? I have something interesting to tell you.”

“What is it? Can’t you say it here? A fan’s parents just came to me, saying their daughter committed suicide and left my name in her note. They’re actually trying to hold me legally responsible! I’m furious! I hate people who don’t cherish their own lives the most! They don't deserve to call themselves my fans! If I ever see her, I’ll…”

“You ran into that kind of situation? I happen to have something similar here…”

“Don’t!” Song Lingling shrieked, lunging forward and clamping her hand over his mouth to stop him from speaking further.

That was Luo Tian’s voice; she could never mistake it. How many nights, how many times of sorrow and despair, had only his voice accompanied her through? He was her spiritual pillar, the thing she cherished most in her heart. She had not misheard. The person on the other end of the phone was absolutely Luo Tian. But what if this "friend of Luo Tian" told him about her suicide note? Luo Tian was already angry about a similar incident; he would certainly be furious and regard her as someone he most despised! No, no, she would rather the whole world dislike her than have Luo Tian hate her.

Song Lingling clung to the hand holding the phone, her tear-filled eyes fixed on the man. The man seemed to soften, chuckling as he said to Luo Tian, “Nothing much, just have one of your little fans here, insisting on hearing your voice. I’m handing the phone to her now; say a few words.” He passed the phone to Song Lingling.

“Hello, this is Luo Tian.”

Hearing that voice, Song Lingling’s tears burst forth, and she instantly dissolved into uncontrollable sobs. All the words she wanted to say to Luo Tian vanished in that moment, and she couldn't utter a single syllable.

“Thank you for your support. I will work even harder in the future.”

Luo Tian’s voice was full of vigor and sincerity, speaking directly to her. Song Lingling cried hysterically, not knowing when Luo Tian hung up. The man gently pulled the tear- and snot-covered phone from her grasp. “Now, can you tell me why you wanted to kill yourself?”

“I’m useless. My studies are a mess, I’m not pretty, I’m terrible at sports, and I can’t make people like me, so I have no friends…”

“You’re going to die over that!” Veins popped on the man’s forehead. “You’re going to die for that? What are you thinking? Have you got a fever?”

Song Lingling had momentarily believed he was a good person for covering for her and letting her speak to Luo Tian, but the sudden outburst frightened her, causing her to pull back immediately, unwilling to sit beside him again.

“If your studies are bad, go study! If you’re not pretty, improve your inner temperament! If you’re bad at sports, then exercise more! If you have no friends, go make some! To die over such trivialities!” The man became angrier as he spoke, staring down at her with imposing aggression. After all his effort to help her, she pulled out such a foolish reason to die—a reason less compelling than domestic abuse, bullying, heartbreak, or sexual assault. He almost wished he had let her die!

“You don’t understand at all,” Song Lingling sobbed. “Since I was little, everyone called me an idiot, and nobody wanted to play with me. I was always the last one picked for any group activity. My father calls me a money-waster every day, and my mother says I’m trash. The teachers give me dirty looks constantly. What use is a useless person like me being alive?”

“I don’t understand…” the man sighed. “Maybe I would have understood when I was little, but growing up, I forgot some of those feelings… But let me tell you this: if you die because you’re deemed slow, or because others call you useless, Luo Tian would have died a hundred times over! He was slower than everyone else when he was young.”

“Nonsense! Luo Tian isn’t stupid!” Song Lingling immediately jumped to defend her idol.

The man smiled as he recalled the past. “He was certainly clumsy among his siblings when he was small. His parents often scolded him as an ‘idiot,’ and some of his siblings constantly called him trash. When he grew up, all he wanted was to sing for people, but he hit wall after wall; nobody liked his songs. When he finally became a star, people criticized him for being tone-deaf, saying he only made it on his looks. When he started learning film acting, he was bullied by a leading actress who insisted he be replaced, calling him a puppet. Once he gained some fame, he couldn't handle relationships well; he’d accidentally offend a reporter, and suddenly rumors, gossip, and negative news would fly everywhere… Honestly, isn’t that exhausting? He doesn’t even have a moment of peace to sleep properly, yet he’s still alive, not dead, isn't he?”

“You’re lying. Luo Tian is so handsome, how could he…”

“Can being handsome feed you?” The man’s smile grew stranger. “Do you know that sometimes he wishes he wasn't so handsome? Then people would focus more on his acting skills instead of his looks. But it’s too late… He already grew up looking like that; there’s no helping it…”

“What you’re saying isn't true.”

“Isn't true? Let me tell you, there was once Luo Tian wanted a role in a TV series. The director kept criticizing his acting, saying this was wrong, that was wrong. So he diligently worked on improving his skills. In the end, an actor who ‘gifted’ the director something got the part…”

“No way…”

“There’s more. Once Luo Tian was on a talk show, and the female host took a liking to him, insisting on dating him. Luo Tian refused, so she went on her show and claimed Luo Tian abandoned her or something, which caused Luo Tian to be…” Here, he stopped himself just in time. If he mentioned how Li Li had thrown a fit over that incident, it would reveal that Luo Tian, who always appeared single, actually had a girlfriend. “…which caused Luo Tian to be misunderstood by his fans…” As he spoke, he discreetly glanced at the girl, relieved that she hadn't suspected anything.

The man rambled on, recounting many of Luo Tian’s past experiences to Song Lingling—mostly how he messed things up, how clumsy he was and couldn't learn things, how he ran into bad luck. Regardless of whether Song Lingling believed it all, her curiosity about her idol’s anecdotes kept her listening intently, occasionally letting out a few laughs. It seemed, at least for the moment, that the thought of death had completely left her.

“So, the things you mentioned are absolutely not reasons to commit suicide. Who hasn’t encountered similar things? If everyone who did went to die, very few people would survive.”

Song Lingling bit her lip and remained silent.

“I’m telling you, try to look at the bright side. Think about the times your parents were good to you instead of scolding you, the happy times with your classmates, and yes, the times you listened to Luo Tian sing. Oh, are there other Luo Tian fans in your school?”

“Yes! Lots! Luo Tian is the most popular star. He’s handsome, he sings well, he acts great, his character is wonderful, and he’s so kind to his fans…” As soon as she started listing Luo Tian’s virtues, Song Lingling became animated.

“Then go make friends with people who love him just like you do. I guarantee you’ll find good friends.”

"Really...?" Perhaps if she told them the story of Luo Tian she heard today, they might be willing to associate with her? But then again, maybe they would think she was lying, that she was the kind of person who always imagined the worst in others. Thinking of this possibility, the joy that had just surfaced on her face sank again.

"Forget it. Anyway, it's because I met you. Here’s another gift. Are you going to Luo Tian’s fan meeting the day after tomorrow?"

The tickets for that fan meeting had sold out long ago, and the black market price was ridiculously high. How could she possibly go? Could it be... Song Lingling looked at him, her eyes beginning to fixate.

"I'll give you three tickets. You can invite two friends to come with you." I originally meant to give these to Gui’er as thanks for carrying things, but I'll give them to you now.

"R-really..." Song Lingling took them in ecstatic delight.

"Also, after the concert, you can go *find Luo Tian for an autograph. Tell him my name. My name is... Liu Di. He will definitely see you." The man immediately bestowed upon her an even greater joy.

"Why? Why are you being so nice to me..." It turned out he really was a good person. She had suspected he had ulterior motives at first. A man as handsome and kind as him would surely become a big star in the future; how could he possibly have designs on a girl like her?

"Because..." The man leaned in with a sly smile, "Are you willing to be my girlfriend...?"

Song Lingling took a large step back, but immediately realized the other person seemed to be joking.

"You’re not thinking of killing yourself now, are you?" He leaned in a little closer.

Song Lingling blushed slightly and retreated: "Thank you, thank you so much. I promise... I won't do that again." With that, she turned and ran downstairs.

"Hey! Your suicide note is still in my hand! If you break your promise, I’ll take it to Luo Tian to see!" The man shouted from behind, waving the letter.

The girl quickly ran until she disappeared from sight, unsure if she had even heard him.

Unsure if she would heed his words.

The man shook his head. He hoped that after all the coaxing he’d done all night, she wouldn't get depressed again in a few days and undo all his efforts. But then again, wasn't Liu Di the best at sweet-talking girls? Why did his own imitation of Liu Di have no effect? In the end, he had to use his own name to win her over. Was his acting not good enough, was his impersonation of Liu Di unconvincing? Or was he, perhaps, more effective with girls than Liu Di was? Thinking this, he couldn't help but feel a little pleased with himself.

Shedding his disguise, spreading his wings, he soared back into the sky. After circling the rooftop once more, he flew toward Zhou Ying's residence. Hopefully, he would see her in three days, after the concert...

"Liu Di!" A young girl suddenly rushed forward, throwing her arms around Liu Di’s arm, which startled him. He had many female "friends," but he would bet his life on the fact that he had never made a move on anyone under the age of eighteen involving Zhou Ying.

"Thank you, Liu Di, I finally see you again." Song Lingling seemed much more cheerful. Behind her were several girls her age, chattering animatedly, seemingly discussing how Song Lingling could possibly know such a handsome guy. "These are my friends. See? Just like you said, I went with them to see Luo Tian, and then we became friends..."

Luo Tian? Friends? Liu Di was utterly confused.

"Thank you, Liu Di!" Song Lingling, emboldened by some unknown courage, stood on her tiptoes and gave Liu Di a kiss, then fled with her friends, covering her face.

"Liu Di, you’ve even started making advances on such young girls."

"Yes, your range is far too broad. What are you planning for us?"

The pair of sisters, who had come out on a date with Liu Di because they couldn't trust each other to be alone, simultaneously became jealous, plunging Liu Di, who had been prepared to enjoy the bliss of having both of them, into a deep pit of trouble.

"Tell us, who was that girl?"

"Didn't you say that even when you’re a player, every relationship you have is dedicated and serious?"

"Exactly! How many women are you juggling right now?"

"What do we count as...?"

"Tell us! Tell us..."

"Tell us..."

"Who? Who dares to use my appearance to cheat women? Come out! Come out, I’ll tear you apart..." Amidst the pinching and twisting from the beautiful women, the furious roar of the Earth Wolf echoed over Lixin City, while the superstar Luo Tian, at that very moment, sat on a plane heading to an exterior filming location, eyes closed in meditation...