Nolan waved his hand, and the bodyguards moved forward, taking photos of everyone present.
"What are you doing?"
"This is a violation of our portrait rights!"
The fans, led by An Ruoxi, started shouting.
The bodyguards, expressionless, ignored them entirely. To avoid any misunderstandings, Grayson addressed the media and onlookers, "This is to record everyone's information, so we don't miss anyone when sending out the legal notices."
The crowd of onlookers, hearing this, was visibly surprised.
"They're really going to sue them."
"They went too far. Even as fans, they can't behave like this. Coming to the school and premeditating an attack, it's already crossed the line into disorderly conduct and incitement."
"They deserve to be taught a lesson."
"Exactly. They don't deserve any sympathy."
Faced with the misunderstanding and harsh words from those around them, many fans felt ashamed and lowered their heads. Some even stepped forward to apologize to Owen and Zuri.
"We're sorry. We were wrong."
Once one person took the lead, others followed suit, offering their apologies as well.
The group of ringleaders, including An Ruoxi, began to waver, unsure whether they should apologize.
An Ruoxi, however, couldn't swallow her pride. This was her alma mater, a place she'd be living for the next two years.
"Let's go," An Ruoxi said to her hesitant friends.
"But we..." One of them began, but An Ruoxi cut her off.
"Apologize? They won't let us off even if we do. Why should we apologize? Do you want to humiliate yourself?" An Ruoxi snapped.
In the end, she led the other four away.
The rest of the fans followed suit and left.
With Nolan's arrival, the drama finally came to an end.
Nolan looked at Zuri. "Let's go."
Zuri nodded.
Surrounded by bodyguards, Zuri followed Nolan as they left.
"Wait for me," Owen quickly caught up with them.
Grayson stayed behind to handle the aftermath, his smiling gaze sweeping over the gathered reporters. The journalists, seeing his smile, couldn't help but shiver.
In the Rolls-Royce, the atmosphere was tense. Nolan turned to his unreliable younger brother, his voice stern. "We don't care if you fool around, but don't drag Zuri into it or hurt her."
Owen hung his head, not daring to make a sound. He knew he was in the wrong.
Zuri glanced at the guilty-looking Owen. "Actually, it's not entirely his fault. Things happened too quickly; none of us expected this."
Hearing his sister defend him, Owen was deeply touched, his eyes welling up with tears as he looked at her like a large, pitiful sheepdog.
"You've played around enough these past few years. It's time to come back," Nolan's voice was steady but brooked no argument.
Owen nodded, "Okay."
Having dealt with his foolish brother, Nolan turned to Zuri. "If anything happens at the academy, don't hesitate to tell me immediately. After this incident, if you feel uncomfortable staying at school, you can move out. I have a vacant apartment nearby that would be perfect for you to stay in temporarily."
As he spoke, Zuri felt a sense of déjà vu, as though she had heard these words somewhere before.
She glanced at Owen, who immediately chimed in, "I also have a vacant apartment."
"Heh," Nolan let out a cold laugh, and Owen fell silent.
At that moment, Adam called.
Zuri answered, hearing Adam's calm yet concerned voice on the other end, "Zuri, where are you right now?"
"I'm with..." Zuri began, but when she reached the names "Nolan" and "Owen," her voice caught in her throat.
Adam, sensing her hesitation, spoke in a gentle but anxious tone, "Is it inconvenient for you to say? That's fine. I just wanted to make sure you're safe. Try to avoid spending too much time with Owen in the future."
He stopped short of calling Owen a foolish troublemaker.
"If you ever find yourself in trouble and can't reach me, you can call my assistant, or, if necessary, ask our eldest brother for help. Remember, no matter what happens, we've got your back. Whatever comes up, we'll handle it for you, okay?"
Faced with Adam's sincere concern, Zuri couldn't help but feel touched.
In her past life, she had longed for familial love.
Now, looking at the brothers by her side and the one on the phone, she felt a warm current flowing through her heart. The cold, impenetrable walls around her heart seemed to crack just a little, letting in a hint of warmth.
"I understand, Second Brother," Zuri replied softly.
Hearing her call him "Second Brother," Adam was momentarily stunned. When he realized it wasn't his imagination, a smile spread across his face.
Pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, Adam's eyes sparkled with joy.
"When I'm done with this project, I'll come to the capital to keep you company," he promised.
"Okay."
After Zuri hung up, she noticed the intense gazes from the people beside her. Turning her head, she met two pairs of eager eyes.
Owen made no effort to hide his jealousy.
How unfair! Zuri had never even called him "Third Brother!"
Why did Adam, who rarely showed up, get to be called "Second Brother" first?
He couldn't deny it; he was jealous.
Although Nolan's expression remained calm and composed, Zuri sensed that something was slightly off with him as well.
Zuri wasn't foolish. She turned to both of them and said, "Thank you, Big Brother, Third Brother, for today."
In an instant, Owen was appeased.
Nolan maintained his usual expression, but the slight lift of his brow hinted at his good mood.
That evening, Owen posted a bombshell announcement, sending shockwaves through the entire entertainment industry.
**OwenV:** *"Thanks to all my fans for their support. Today, I'm announcing that I will be retiring from the entertainment industry."*
As soon as this news broke, social media platforms crashed.
Countless fans—music lovers, moviegoers, those who admired his looks, and drama fans—were all in disbelief, unable to accept the sudden announcement.
The news was too abrupt, too shocking for them to process.
Fans flooded his social media with comments, begging him to reconsider.
*"Oppa, if it's because of your girlfriend, I can accept that. Please don't abandon us. I don't want you to leave the industry."*
*"You can have a girlfriend! I don't mind, and I'll never oppose it. You can date a new one every month if you want. I don't care. Just don't leave us."*
*"I must be dreaming. Why would I dream of something so terrifying?"*
*"It's all your fault, girlfriend fans. You're the ones who kept yelling that he couldn't date anyone, and now you've driven him out of the industry. Are you happy now? You don't deserve to be his fans."*
Owen's retirement brought mixed reactions. While some celebrated, particularly his rivals, others were devastated—especially those who relied on Owen's fame for their livelihood and An Ruoxi and her group of fans.
The five girls, led by An Ruoxi, were left in shock after reading Owen's announcement, unable to recover for a long time.
"Owen has really quit the industry!" one of the girls exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and anxiety.
Just moments ago, they were plotting how to tarnish Owen's reputation. But now, seeing that they had truly forced him to retire, they realized that everything Owen had said before was indeed true.
Although they stood against him now, there was a time when they genuinely liked and even loved him. Now, as they watched him leave the industry for good, their previous anger and bitterness evaporated, replaced by unease and reluctance.
"If others find out that we pushed Owen to quit, they'll tear us apart," someone voiced the terrifying thought.
"We can't let anyone know about this."
"Ruoxi, you're the smartest. What should we do now?"
All eyes turned to An Ruoxi. She was even more panicked than the others. She understood the potential consequences as well as they did. As a die-hard fan of Owen, she knew all too well how terrifying his fans could be.
If they ever found out that it was them who started this, their lives would be over.
"Just say… just say…" An Ruoxi stammered.
As they continued discussing and worrying, the truth was already being uncovered online. Someone had dug up the backstory and posted it, including images and even screenshots of An Ruoxi confronting Owen and claiming that he only gained fame because of the videos they made.
When the fans learned the truth, they were furious.
["Damn it, I want to strangle those idiots! What gives them the right to speak for all of us?"]
["Even if Owen's 'rumored girlfriend' is just his sister, so what if she wasn't? Who are they to interfere and threaten him? Do they think they're gods?"]
["How could anyone say that Owen owes his success to them? If they want to flatter themselves, this isn't the way to do it."]
["Are these people insane? How can they think they represent us as fans?"]
["Waaah, so it was those people who forced Owen to quit. I hate them so much! How could there be such evil people in the world? They're not real fans—Owen, come back and see your true fans. These people are fake!"]
["Why should Owen quit because of them? They're not worth it. This decision is so irresponsible."]
This comment quickly garnered a lot of likes.
Shortly after, another comment began to rise in popularity:
["I see some people saying that Owen is being irresponsible, but let me speak up for him. Owen once said on a variety show that his family is the most important to him. When his career started hurting the people he loves most, that's why he chose to quit. A dragon has its reverse scale—touch it, and you die. No matter what Owen decides, I'll support him."]
This comment was also liked by many and pinned to the top of the page.
["I already know who the ringleader among the fans was."]
It didn't take long for all the troublemaking fans to be identified by the broader fanbase. From that moment on, they knew no peace—especially the five girls led by An Ruoxi.
As An Ruoxi walked across the campus, a group of girls suddenly appeared from the side, hurling objects at her. The plastic bag they threw split open, and spoiled food spilled all over her.
The surrounding students quickly stepped aside, avoiding her. No one offered to help, not even the three roommates who were usually inseparable from her.
"Serves you right! How shameless can you be?"
"Who gave you the right to hurt Owen's sister? What makes you think you deserve to be Owen's fan? You're nothing but a black-hearted troll."
"Disgusting, despicable woman."
The girls continued to pelt An Ruoxi with the items they had prepared, while she crouched down, covering her head, silently enduring their wrath.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
Her books had gone missing for no reason, her food had been tampered with when she wasn't looking, and she never knew when a fan might jump out to throw something at her while she walked.
An Ruoxi had had enough of this life!
Suddenly, she lifted her head, her eyes blazing with fury as she glared at them. "Damn it! If you've got the guts, come kill me! I'm not afraid of you. You hypocrites—all of you want him, too! Don't act like you're above it. You're all fake! At least I'm honest about it."
The fans were stunned by her outburst, but seeing her crazed demeanor, they didn't dare continue.
Without returning to her dorm to change, An Ruoxi, still reeking of spoiled food, headed straight to the design department where Zuri was. Along the way, she garnered countless stares, and everyone quickly stepped aside as she approached.
They avoided her as if she were a plague.
At that moment, Zuri walked into the lecture hall. As soon as she sat down, several girls emerged out of nowhere, each carrying a beautifully wrapped gift box, which they placed in front of her.
"Zuri, can you please convince your brother not to quit?"
"Zuri, we're begging you."
"Zuri, please, have pity on us. We don't want him to leave the industry with regrets."
"We're not asking you to do it for sure, but could you at least convey our feelings to him? Let him know how much we care."
Faced with their pleading eyes, Zuri didn't know how to refuse.
"Alright, I'll try my best."
Satisfied with her response, the girls left, content.
They hadn't dared to bother her too much. Their approach was measured, knowing when to stop. Perhaps because Owen had suddenly quit the industry for her sake, they were all particularly careful around Zuri.
Zuri, being highly perceptive, could sense their emotions.
She couldn't understand their obsession with celebrities, but she could feel their sadness and reluctance.
Xu Zexi sat down beside her with a notebook in hand. "I never expected you to be Owen's sister, and I'm even more surprised that the financial genius Nolan is also your brother."
"Honestly, I didn't expect it either," Zuri replied with a smile.
"Hahaha, you're too funny."
Sitting a few seats away, Esme and Shen Menglai kept glancing in Zuri's direction.
Shen Menglai was utterly shocked by Zuri's powerful background. One brother was a top-tier celebrity, and the other was the founder of an international corporation worth billions. With such a strong family background and outstanding siblings, Zuri was the definition of a winner in life.
She regretted it—deeply regretted it. Why had she been so foolish to believe Shi Feifei's lies, to think that Zuri was an orphan being kept as a mistress?
Despite Zuri's clear rejection, Shen Menglai refused to give up.
"Where are you going?" Esme asked her, puzzled.
Without a word, Shen Menglai picked up her books and shamelessly sat down on Zuri's other side. Esme watched her actions, her eyes darkening, but she didn't follow. Instead, she stayed in her seat.
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