On-Set Turmoil

At the suburban film and television base, the crew of "Dark Night Manhunt" officially started filming.

As director Chen Kai's three-year-prepared masterpiece expected to compete for awards, the opening ceremony of this suspense film gathered a galaxy of stars, with media long lenses and short guns crowded around the scene.

However, amidst all the star power, the most eye-catching figures were the female lead Li Xingruo and the man like a black shadow, always standing one step behind her.

Today, Qi Lie was still in his pure black suit without a single wrinkle. He wore sunglasses, hands folded in front of him, standing as straight as a spear. He was like a precise human radar, constantly scanning the crowd around him. Even a flying insect approaching Li Xingruo would be instantly locked onto by his cold and stern gaze.

"Xingruo, is this your 'legendary' new bodyguard?"

After the opening ceremony, the top male lead Lin Mu walked over with two cups of hot coffee.

Lin Mu is currently one of the hottest young actors in the domestic entertainment industry, with a sunny and warm first-love face. Everyone in the circle knew that he had always had a vague fondness for Li Xingruo, and every time they collaborated, he would be extremely attentive to her.

Li Xingruo took the coffee, but before she could speak.

"Click."

A large hand with distinct knuckles and rough calluses intercepted her movement, taking the coffee cup from her hand in a natural yet irresistible manner.

Lin Mu was stunned.

Li Xingruo was also stunned.

Qi Lie expressionlessly twisted open the coffee lid, lowered his head to smell it, and even professionally took out a silver test strip to dip into the coffee.

"Supervisor Qi, what are you doing?" Lin Mu's face instantly darkened, his tone clearly displeased. "This is coffee ordered by the crew. Are you suspecting that I poisoned Xingruo?"

Qi Lie completely ignored Lin Mu's anger.

He looked at the color change on the test strip, confirmed it was safe, then twisted the lid back on and handed the coffee back to Li Xingruo.

"Miss Li, it's safe." Qi Lie's voice was cold and unwavering.

But behind the sunglasses, which only Li Xingruo could see, his deep black eyes were churning with intense jealousy and warning.

That look seemed to say: Try accepting something from another man again?

Li Xingruo held back the strong urge to curl up her lips and took the coffee. She knew Qi Lie too well. This man wasn't doing any safety test; he was clearly jealous seeing Lin Mu being attentive, and he was using this extremely domineering and plausible reason to claim sovereignty!

"Thank you, Supervisor Qi." Li Xingruo deliberately emphasized the words "Supervisor Qi," a hint of mischievousness flashing in her eyes.

Lin Mu, watching this extremely strange and even vaguely ambiguous interaction between the two, felt even more annoyed.

He was a top star! When had he ever been publicly humiliated by a bodyguard?

"Sister Xingruo, where did you find such an ill-mannered bodyguard?" Lin Mu snorted, trying to regain his ground. "Even though he's protecting your safety, he should still respect the crew colleagues, right? He has no professionalism at all."

Hearing this, Qi Lie finally turned his head and gave Lin Mu a proper look.

That look was like staring at an unweaned cub, full of contempt and disdain.

"Professionalism?"

Qi Lie suddenly stepped forward.

He was nearly half a head taller than Lin Mu, and the terrifying pressure honed from battlefields and mountains of corpses instantly pressed down on Lin Mu like a heavy mountain.

Lin Mu could even feel the air around him being sucked dry, his breath catching, instinctively wanting to step back.

Qi Lie extended a long finger, poking Lin Mu's chest with great force and a warning tone.

"Stay away from her." Qi Lie's voice was extremely low, hoarse and dangerous. "That is my greatest professionalism. Got it, big star Lin?"

Lin Mu was pushed back two steps, his chest aching dully. His face flushed red, both ashamed and angry, but looking into Qi Lie's murderous eyes, he couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.

All the staff around were stunned.

This bodyguard was too arrogant! He even dared to publicly warn a top star!

"Supervisor Qi!" Li Xingruo stopped him in time when she saw it was enough. Although she was secretly overjoyed, she was also afraid that Qi Lie would really anger Lin Mu and affect the crew's shooting.

She turned to Lin Mu, her tone distant and polite: "Lin Mu, I'm sorry. Supervisor Qi used to be a special police officer, so he's very strict about safety precautions. He's not targeting you. I hope you understand."

"Special police?" Lin Mu swallowed, his expression softening slightly, but he still looked at Qi Lie with great caution. "No wonder... Alright, since it's Sister Xingruo's bodyguard, I won't make a fuss."

After saying this, Lin Mu found an excuse and slunk back to his own rest area.

A turmoil was resolved by Qi Lie's extremely domineering approach.

Over the next few days of filming, the entire crew witnessed the terror of this "Supervisor Qi."

He was like a human-shaped barrier around Li Xingruo. Anyone, whether actor or staff, who approached within 1.5 meters of Li Xingruo would immediately feel his icy gaze as solid as matter.

Moreover, he controlled her diet and daily life to an appalling degree.

The crew's box lunch? Not allowed, for fear of food poisoning.

Water handed by others? Not allowed, for fear of being drugged.

Even Li Xingruo's rest RV, without his personal full electronic scanning and safety inspection, no one was allowed to approach half a step.

This extreme protection stirred up surging gossip within the crew.

"Don't you think... Sister Xingruo's bodyguard is way too controlling?" In the dressing room, a few assistants whispered.

"Right, right! He's like a prison guard watching over a prisoner! But... he's so handsome! That ascetic and domineering vibe is absolutely stunning!"

"But Sister Xingruo isn't angry at all! Haven't you noticed? Every time that bodyguard orders her in that cold tone, although Sister Xingruo looks unhappy on the surface, she actually obeys!"

"I think so too! And yesterday I accidentally saw Sister Xingruo drinking water in the RV, and that bodyguard helped her twist off the bottle cap so naturally, like... like an old married couple!"

Once the seed of gossip is planted, it grows wildly.

But the two at the center of the storm continued to play the thrilling game of "employer and bodyguard" in front of everyone.

In the afternoon, a major scene wrapped up.

Li Xingruo, exhausted, slumped into a rest chair, and Xiaoya quickly brought a small fan to cool her down.

Qi Lie still stood like a spear behind her.

"Supervisor Qi." Li Xingruo didn't turn around, just spoke lightly.

"What are your orders, Miss Li?" Qi Lie's voice was businesslike.

"I'm a bit tired. I want to go back to the RV and rest for ten minutes. You accompany me." Li Xingruo's tone was firm.

"Yes."

The two walked one after the other, under the curious and gossipy gazes of the crew, into Li Xingruo's exclusive bulletproof RV.

"Bang."

The heavy soundproof door of the RV closed.

All the noise and eyes were completely cut off.

The moment the door shut, Qi Lie's originally cold and hard body suddenly relaxed.

Instead of standing guard at the door as usual, he stepped forward and pinned Li Xingruo against the wall of the RV, who was about to sit on the sofa.

"Are you crazy!" Li Xingruo was startled by his sudden move, whispering in shock, "There are people outside!"

"Soundproof." Qi Lie said hoarsely.

He took off his sunglasses, and his deep black eyes were no longer the cold and killing intent of the day, but surging with breathtaking, burning desire.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other hand gently touched her slightly swollen cheek from filming.

"Today, you shot more than a dozen takes with that pale-faced Lin?" Qi Lie's voice was thick with sourness, as if suppressing something.

"That was work..." Li Xingruo looked away guiltily.

"Really?"

Qi Lie lowered his head, his hot breath spilling on her ear, his voice dangerous and alluring.

"Then the way he looked at you, was that also for work?"

"Li Xingruo, didn't I tell you not to smile at other men?"

The next second, he sealed her lips without hesitation, swallowing all her excuses and protests between their teeth.