Month: August 2020 (Page 2 of 3)

An Xumo hadn’t eaten his fill in a long time.

Teenage boys always had big appetites—there was a saying that half-grown boys could eat a family into poverty. This was the stage when they were growing fast. But An Xumo’s hunger had started when he was seven years old. A decade had passed, yet his habits hadn’t changed much.

Back when he was at the Zhou family’s house, things were still manageable. Although no one cared for him, there was always food in the kitchen. An Xumo didn’t eat with Zhou Yunlin and his wife; he ate on his own, and no one controlled how much he ate. At school, meal fees were collected uniformly. Even if he wasn’t full, he could always rummage through the kitchen when he got home at night.

But being a trainee was different. Every meal was fixed in portion and schedule, and all the food was low in calories. Even sports drinks had to be bought separately. An Xumo was often starving—drinks that others despised for tasting like bitter melon juice, he finished to the last drop. Chicken breast, which many found unappetizing, he ate along with the carrot garnish. But even that wasn’t enough. When hunger struck, his only option was to buy cheap bread from the convenience store.

For a while, he had lived off compressed biscuits, the cheapest plain-flavored kind. He didn’t care about taste, only about getting full. But after eating them for too long, they left his mouth dry and his body overheated, so he eventually switched to something else.

The last time he managed to get a decent meal was at that chaotic birthday banquet. An Xumo was usually indifferent to the gazes of those around him, but that time, Zhou Jinchen had been there. The other man had given him an impatient glance, and in a daze, An Xumo had left early. In the end, he hadn’t eaten much at all.

But for An Xumo, the constant presence of hunger was something he had long since adapted to. He had many ways to suppress it—biting the tip of his tongue, doing extra training to distract himself, or secretly looking at Zhou Jinchen’s photos while eating.

Now, with Zhou Jinchen sitting right in front of him, An Xumo hadn’t even started eating, yet his perpetually empty stomach already felt comforted.

Following the server’s lead, An Xumo went to the food station. This buffet restaurant was lavishly decorated and had booked two entire floors for the event. The second floor offered grilled dishes that could be ordered and delivered, so he first explored the first floor.

The seafood section alone had four or five long counters divided into Japanese, French, Chinese, and other styles. The cooking stations had an even wider variety of dishes. As he walked, An Xumo picked up food along the way, quickly filling an entire meal cart.

The server helped push the cart back to the private dining room. The small, elegant plates covered more than half of the table. Since Zhou Jinchen wasn’t in a position to appear in public, he had asked An Xumo to bring back portions for both of them. But judging by the amount of food, even with two people, there would likely be leftovers.

After the server left, the two began eating in silence. Zhou Jinchen had originally planned to bring up the variety show after they finished their meal, but before long, he couldn’t help furrowing his brows.

Zhou Jinchen ate at a normal pace and had a standard appetite. Since he maintained a regular fitness routine, he had never deliberately dieted. But just as he was halfway full, the seemingly slender An Xumo had already eaten twice as much as him, and his eating speed hadn’t slowed down in the slightest.

Setting aside the seafood like Arctic surf clams and spicy crab, An Xumo had finished an entire bowl of sour soup beef on his own. He had eaten two servings of fried milk and sweet-and-sour pork ribs, and if Zhou Jinchen remembered correctly, he had also just polished off three slices of double-cheese pizza.

Even ordinary people who didn’t need to be camera-ready rarely ate like this. This wasn’t maintaining his figure—it was like he was trying to eat himself into a ball.

Zhou Jinchen asked, “The company’s meal plan doesn’t taste good?”

An Xumo, who was focused on eating crab roe, looked up. “The company meals? I think they’re pretty good.”

Zhou Jinchen glanced at the half-empty plates. “Haven’t been eating well these past two days?”

An Xumo wasn’t sure why he was asking, but after thinking about the fitness meal he had at noon, he honestly nodded. “A little. I haven’t really been full.”

In fact, he hadn’t felt full in a long time. But since seeing Zhou Jinchen today, that lingering sense of hunger had eased quite a bit, so he hadn’t taken too much food this time. If it were any other day, he could have eaten at least twice as much.

Although Zhou Jinchen found An Xumo’s appetite a bit odd, he didn’t dwell on it after hearing that the other hadn’t been eating well lately. Now that the conversation had started, he brought up the main topic. “Greent City TV has a variety show that will soon begin recording its second season. There’s a guest spot reserved for you. Your agent will inform you of the exact schedule, but you can check out the first season in advance to prepare.”

An Xumo, who had paused to speak, almost knocked over his soup spoon. Green City TV, second season of a variety show…

“Is it… <Weekend with a Sunny Day>?”

“En.” Zhou Jinchen took a sip of red wine. “The guest contract is only for one episode, but I’ll be on the same one as you.”

Two consecutive pieces of news sent An Xumo’s thoughts into a whirlwind. The crab roe in front of him remained unfinished, yet his stomach already felt full, his entire being overflowing with a sense of happiness and contentment.

But despite that, the sheer weight of such an opportunity crashing down on him made disbelief his most genuine reaction.

The first season of <Weekend with a Sunny Day> had propelled three young artists—including Han Ming—to stardom. In just two months, from the first episode to the finale, they had gone from complete nobodies to being greeted by thousands at the airport. And none of them were even regular cast members.

With such impressive results, the second season was set to continue with the same production team and cast lineup. It was an undeniably valuable opportunity. Not to mention a trainee who hadn’t even debuted—this was something even established artists would go to great lengths to secure.

Zhou Jinchen naturally understood An Xumo’s emotions, but he didn’t think it was a big deal. This resource was simply compensation for the misunderstanding he had about An Xumo before. But since An Xumo hadn’t known about that incident, there was no need to tell him now.

“A variety show is just a platform. It’s like a magnifying glass that can highlight your strengths and draw attention to you.” Zhou Jinchen said. “But what really allows an artist to establish themselves is their own professional ability. That’s what gets magnified.”

“The recording for <Sunny Weekend> will take a month, post-production about the same, and after approval, the broadcast will be at least half a year later. During this time, you must debut with actual works, or else this show won’t have its full effect.”

“Do you understand?”

Zhou Jinchen’s tone wasn’t particularly warm, but his words were already rare advice. Other than this nominal younger brother he felt some obligation toward, he wouldn’t have bothered to say such things to anyone else.

But the usually obedient younger brother’s expression didn’t seem quite right at the moment.

“U-understood.”

An Xumo’s face was pale, and a faint layer of cold sweat had formed on his forehead. His voice trembled slightly, and he even stuttered. Zhou Jinchen assumed he was just nervous, so he didn’t press further. In any case, he would be there during the recording—nothing major would go wrong.

“Are you full? I’ll send you back.”

The bill had already been paid in advance, and the person being asked gave a soft response, preparing to leave together. Zhou Jinchen was just about to step away from the table when he suddenly saw the person beside him sway.

He instinctively reached out to support him. The thinness he felt under his hand made him wonder where all the food this person had just eaten had gone. But before Zhou Jinchen could think further, the boy, upon being touched on the back, suddenly curled in on himself, letting out a muffled whimper from his throat.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Even Zhou Jinchen could tell something was off now. An Xumo’s slender neck was completely covered in cold sweat, his thin back tensed like a steel plate, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably, on the verge of convulsing.

An Xumo was already unable to speak. Zhou Jinchen made him sit back down and reached out to lift his shirt. He had just touched An Xumo’s back—so the problem had to be there. But even though he had mentally prepared himself, seeing it with his own eyes still made him frown deeply.

On that frail back was a glaringly deep bruise. The injury wasn’t bleeding, but a large, dark hematoma had pooled beneath the skin. Even more concerning, the bruised area had begun to swell, along with the surrounding skin. Against the stark contrast of his pale complexion, the injury looked all the more shocking.

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The author has something to say:

An Xiao Mo just got full and then… The lesson here is, don’t eat recklessly when you’re injured (cough

The details of Mai-zi’s CP will be revealed in the next chapter 030.

The extra update progress is more than halfway done la. Looking forward to your comments (☆▽☆).

Although he noticed that the call was on speaker mode, the noise on the other end was too loud for his voice alone to attract their attention. Before smashing the plate, Zhou Jinchen also turned on his speakerphone. Only after ensuring that the loud crash was transmitted in full did he turn it off and take back his phone.

The shoving and jeering from the other end had already disappeared. Zhou Jinchen had guessed the identities of the people there from their voices, but to buy some time, he still asked, “Who are you?”

As he spoke into the phone, a waiter approached. Dressed in the restaurant’s uniform, the young man looked at them suspiciously, his gaze lingering on Zhou Jinchen’s face for a moment. After cleaning up the broken pieces on the floor, he asked in a standard professional tone, “Gentlemen, is there anything about our service that you are dissatisfied with?”

Chen Li had already arrived at the scene, and Zhou Jinchen had taken the phone she was using. The man showed no awareness of having caused a commotion in a public place, leaving the ever-dutiful manager with no choice but to brace himself and clean up the mess for him.

“No, no,” Xin Zimai stood up, took some cash from his wallet, and handed it to the waiter. “Thank you for helping us clean up. It was our personal issue, nothing to do with the restaurant. We’ll also cover the cost of the plate. Sorry for the trouble.”

The waiter didn’t want to disturb the other diners. Seeing Xin Zimai’s cooperation, he politely asked, “Understood, sir. Would you like us to continue serving your meal?”

“Yes, please.”

After the waiter left, the curious glances around them gradually dispersed. This restaurant was quite expensive, and there weren’t many customers at the moment. Since Zhou Jinchen had remained seated while only Xin Zimai stood up, the others couldn’t see his face. Thankfully, they had narrowly avoided a “Famous Actor Loses Temper and Smashes Restaurant” headline-making waves in both entertainment and social news. When Xin Zimai looked back at the culprit sitting across from him, he saw that the man had already switched back to his own phone and was talking.

“Did those people hurt you?” Zhou Jinchen asked. The person on the other end seemed to respond, and he didn’t press further. Instead, he got to the point. “I’ll treat you to dinner tonight. What do you want to eat?”

Just then, the polite waiter returned with a plate of freshly grilled chicken breast. Xin Zimai saw the man across from him raise an eyebrow. “Anything’s fine? How about chicken breast?”

Xin Zimai glanced gloomily at the plate, which was beautifully arranged with fresh garnishes. He thought to himself that the chicken breast actually looked quite appetizing.

However, Zhou Jinchen clearly received an answer that didn’t match his expectations. He lifted his gaze and gave Xin Zimai a cool glance before reporting the restaurant’s address over the phone. Only after that did he hang up.

Xin Zimai had a bad feeling. He quickly asked, “Jinchen, how do you plan to deal with those trainees?”

Zhou Jinchen glanced at him again and said, “Transfer their contracts to Tian Xiang.”

Tian Xiang was a subsidiary under Jin Dian’s umbrella. It was one of those trial-run companies that Jin Dian set up on a whim. Calling it a company was a stretch—it didn’t even have the resources of a proper studio. Their method of testing the waters was to sign people at low prices. If someone gained traction, they would be promoted to Jin Dian. If not, they would be left idle, bound by their contracts without receiving any resources. Since it didn’t cost much to maintain, Jin Dian didn’t lose anything either.

Jin Dian had four or five such subsidiaries, mainly to scoop up fresh talent and avoid missing out on potential stars, preventing the need to spend a fortune poaching from other companies. But in reality, overnight success stories with no background were rare in the industry. So while it sounded like an opportunity on paper, being signed to Tian Xiang was far from a lucky break.

Moreover, these seven trainees were being kicked out of Jin Dian’s official roster and dumped there. That was even worse than terminating their contracts outright. Having once received resources and been on the verge of debut, only to be thrown into a dead-end situation with no future prospects, the psychological gap would be unbearable.

Xin Zimai, however, wasn’t particularly concerned. Handling a few trainee contracts wasn’t a big deal to him, especially when the other party had practically delivered a reason for him to do so. He was about to call and settle the matter when he realized his phone hadn’t been returned. “Hey, Jinchen, my phone is still with you.”

But Zhou Jinchen didn’t hand it over immediately. Instead, he turned the screen toward Xin Zimai, showing the flashing call notification.

“Who’s calling?” Xin Zimai didn’t react at first. But when he saw the caller ID, his right hand, which had reached out for the phone, recoiled as if electrocuted. “H-He, why is he calling?”

Zhou Jinchen’s voice was deep and elegant, but to Xin Zimai, it sounded like an explosion. “Because you just sent him a message saying you wanted to have dinner with him.”

As Xin Zimai stared in shock, Zhou Jinchen repeated, “Here, have a chicken breast dinner.”

The pleasant ringtone sounded like an urgent death knell. Zhou Jinchen placed Xin Zimai’s phone on the table and said calmly, “An Xumo said he’s fine with anything for dinner—except a fitness meal.”

But Xin Zimai no longer had the capacity to care about his boss’s tone. His mind was filled with just one name.

—It was the one displayed on the screen.

“So, this meal is my treat for the two of you. Consider it a chance to meet.” Noticing a tall, slender figure outside the restaurant, Zhou Jinchen picked up his own phone and stood up, leaving Xin Zimai sitting there in a daze. “No need to thank me. Enjoy your meal.”

Before leaving, he added faintly, “By the way, I won’t be reimbursing this dinner.”

When Zhou Jinchen stepped out, An Xumo was looking up at the restaurant’s sign. His expression held a slight hesitation as if he wasn’t too keen on going inside. However, the moment he saw Zhou Jinchen, he quickly adjusted his demeanor. “Brother… Senior.”

The man glanced down at him over the top of his sunglasses, seemingly dissatisfied with the messy way he addressed him. Knowing he was at fault, An Xumo lowered his head and stood obediently.

He had remembered it earlier, but he had been too caught up in the shock of the invitation to dinner, so An Xumo didn’t react for a moment.

Fortunately, the other party didn’t press the issue and simply motioned for him to get in the car. Relieved, An Xumo quickly followed, sitting properly in the back seat.

As the city lights flickered on, the deep night sky and the dazzling lights outside the car window painted a beautiful, vivid scene. Inside the car, with only the two of them, the atmosphere was quiet but not awkward. Even the pain in An Xumo’s back felt significantly lighter.

“I’ll take care of those people for you.”

A deep, magnetic voice broke the silence. An Xumo looked up and saw the man in the front seat gripping the steering wheel, the joints of his wrist slightly protruding beneath his sleeve in a particularly striking arc.

“Including tonight’s dinner, consider it an apology for the wine incident at the birthday banquet.”

An Xumo was stunned for a moment before remembering what had happened last time. He had never thought of blaming Zhou Jinchen. “No, no, I should be the one thanking you…”

Zhou Jinchen didn’t respond. Keeping his eyes on the traffic ahead, he said indifferently, “You need to learn how to handle relationships within the industry on your own.”

“Yes.” An Xumo lowered his voice, feeling a bit regretful for troubling him. “I’ll be more careful next time.”

He didn’t want to burden Zhou Jinchen. Let alone complaining, even hearing Zhou Jinchen mention the incident made him feel like he had wasted his brother’s time. “Sorry for bothering you… this time.”

Zhou Jinchen frowned slightly and glanced at the rearview mirror. The boy was sitting properly in the back seat, hands neatly placed on his knees, like a child obediently receiving a lecture.

With a personality like this, how was he supposed to survive in the entertainment industry?

An Xumo didn’t notice Zhou Jinchen’s gaze. He was thinking about something else. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke. “Last time, Senior Han Ming… who came to the company with you, he was there too.”

Zhou Jinchen asked, “Did he bully you as well?”

An Xumo was startled and quickly shook his head. “No, no, Senior Han Ming was there with Sister Chen Li.”

He pursed his lips, a little nervous. “Later, when I left, Senior Han Ming walked out with me. He even asked me… about my relationship with Director Xin.”

He said Xin Zimai, but it was obvious that Han Ming was actually asking about his relationship with Zhou Jinchen. Zhou Jinchen glanced at the rearview mirror again. The boy’s nervousness was written all over his face. “I told him we had only met… once before and nothing else.”

An Xumo anxiously pinched the edge of his pants, worried that this might cause trouble for Zhou Jinchen. However, the man didn’t seem to care at all. “You don’t need to worry about this. Someone will handle it.”

Shortly after he finished speaking, they arrived at their destination. Following the valet’s instructions, Zhou Jinchen parked the car. When they stepped out, An Xumo looked up—and his eyes immediately lit up.

Under the guidance of the host at the entrance, the two of them were seated in a private room. A waiter handed over two dining cards. “All dishes in our restaurant are available in unlimited quantities, except for the golden king crab. The seafood and cooking stations are on the first floor, while the barbecue area is on the second floor. You may help yourselves.”

Zhou Jinchen handed both dining cards to An Xumo without hesitation.

“Get whatever you want to eat.”

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The author has something to say:

The meal was finally served () cough—a certain someone really understands Xiao Mo’s heaty best~

The grand chicken breast feast is left to Mai-zi and his little buddy xd

An Xumo’s back hurt terribly. The spot where he had been struck burned with a sharp pain, and even the act of breathing tugged at the injury. The trainees were all around 20 years old; even without much skill, the force of a direct hit from a club was nothing to underestimate. An Xumo was thin, with little flesh on his bones, so the blow had landed directly on the bone. Just the sound of it at the time was enough to make one’s teeth ache.

But when Han Ming reached out to pull him up, An Xumo didn’t show much reaction. He withdrew his right hand from the man’s grasp, lowered his head, and softly said, “Thank you, senior. I’m fine.”

He walked a short distance away on his own, bent down slowly, and picked up the phone that had just been thrown down by the brown-haired trainee.

Chen Li had already ended the call. Her gaze shifted to the seven trainees standing in a row. The respect she had shown during the call had completely vanished, replaced by an expression clouded with uncertainty. Under her stare, the trainees grew even stiffer, each lowering their heads, wishing they could bury their faces into their chests, not daring to make a sound.

Chen Li was furious, but she had no intention of dealing with them directly. Zhou Jinchen’s status in Jin Dian was far more than just that of a popular star. The department Chen Li belonged to had little contact with the higher-ups, and she had never imagined that her first conversation with Zhou Jinchen would happen under these circumstances.

The person who had initially called Chen Li was Xin Zimai. When she answered and heard him bringing up issues about the company’s artist management, she was somewhat surprised, as such matters usually had little to do with someone in charge of trainees. But Xin Zimai insisted that she go to the trainees’ practice area, and since her office was just downstairs, she came to the dance studio. By now, it was already break time, and the studio should have been empty. Yet, as soon as she reached the floor, she was met with the sound of someone shouting angrily.

On the way there, she had run into Han Ming, whom she had previously mentored. Han Ming had just finished discussing a new choreography with the dance instructor and was about to leave after a quick greeting. But upon hearing the commotion, he didn’t feel right leaving Chen Li alone and decided to come along.

And now, two artists had gotten involved in the situation, making it impossible to handle quietly. Forcing down her frustration, Chen Li turned to An Xumo and asked, “Xiao An, right? I remember you. Are you hurt? Can you tell me what happened?”

An Xumo was looking down at his phone. The call on his screen was still ongoing. He didn’t know why the other party hadn’t hung up, but he was reluctant to end it himself—he hadn’t heard Zhou Jinchen’s voice yet.

Hearing Chen Li’s question, An Xumo looked up and glanced at the seven trainees, whose faces were ashen. None of them dared to meet his eyes.

“Thank you, Sister Chen,” An Xumo thought for a moment before saying, “I’m not sure. After training ended, they came over and pushed me into this room.”

Chen Li frowned. She was well aware of An Xumo’s situation—aside from his own abilities, he had no other backing. Yet today, Xin Zimai had personally stepped in to protect him, forcing Chen Li to reassess An Xumo’s position.

Regardless, this matter had to be handled in a way that satisfied the right people. After a few words of reassurance to An Xumo, she dialed a number. She then called out the names of the seven trainees one by one before saying to the person on the other end, “Pull out their contracts and send them to Director Xin.”

The moment she finished speaking, the trainees, who had been bracing themselves for a reprimand, felt their hearts sink.

This outcome was far worse than being scolded. Though Chen Li was an experienced manager, her authority was nowhere near that of Xin Zimai, who had long been involved with the company’s top-tier teams. Even with trainees, she didn’t have the power to dismiss them directly. But Xin Zimai was different—whatever action he chose to take against them would be well within his rights.

After handling that, Chen Li still paid no attention to the trainees. Instead, she turned to Han Ming and said, “By the way, you were looking for backup dancers for your new single last time, right? Xiao An happens to be one of the candidates. Things got a bit messy today, but at least you two got to know each other in advance. When the choreography is set, be sure to work well together.”

She said this to reassure An Xumo, but unintentionally, it was like driving another knife into the seven trainees’ chests. Their reason for attacking An Xumo in the first place was their resentment over him robbing the resources they wanted. Given that he had always been a loner with no background, they had acted so brazenly. But now, not only had An Xumo secured the opportunity, he had also gained such a powerful supporter.

The trainees were already drowning in despair, but Chen Li showed no intention of acknowledging them, leaving them without a chance to plead their case.

What shocked them even more was that Han Ming also spoke up. “Xiao An is very talented. I had already taken notice of him before. Don’t worry, Sister Chen—our collaboration will definitely go smoothly.”

The seven trainees found it increasingly unbelievable—just what was the origin of this An Xumo, that everyone seemed to be protecting him?

While resentment burned in their hearts, An Xumo remained unaware of their emotions. After briefly thanking Chen Li and Han Ming, he said apologetically, “Sorry, I still have a call to finish.”

Han Ming was the first to respond, “Go ahead. How about I walk you out?”

He exchanged a glance with Chen Li. Since she couldn’t gauge An Xumo’s background, she wasn’t in a position to insist on keeping him there, so she simply went along with it. “Go on, go on. You’ve had a scare today—get some rest. I’ll handle things here.”

Han Ming and An Xumo left the dance studio together. Outside, the sky had already darkened. An Xumo had initially wanted to decline Han Ming’s company, but the other insisted on leaving together, so he didn’t press the issue. He glanced at the still-lit phone screen, took a shallow breath, and softly called out, “…Hello?”

On the other end of the line, Zhou Jinchen, who had just listened in on the entire situation, wasn’t in a good mood either.

After leaving the task of reserving a restaurant to Xin Zimai, he had originally planned to call his long-estranged younger brother directly. But with An Xumo’s tight training schedule, by the time he dialed, An Xumo was already in class. Since the restaurant wasn’t far from Jin Dian, Zhou Jinchen decided to head there first and call An Xumo over when the time came.

However, upon arriving at the restaurant, his mood took a sharp turn for the worse. Xin Zimai, who hadn’t even had a chance to leave yet, was dragged into the restaurant along with him.

Holding up the printed meal order, Zhou Jinchen’s voice carried a distinct chill. “Oil-free stewed skinless chicken breast, avocado salad, non-fat yogurt. This is what you picked for dinner?”

Xin Zimai rubbed his nose. “Isn’t it healthy?”

Zhou Jinchen’s fingertips traced the row of numbers printed beneath the meal descriptions. The stark white paper bore visible gray smudges from his touch. His deliberately slowed voice carried an undeniable pressure. “Oh, it’s healthy, alright. So healthy that every single calorie is meticulously counted.”

Xin Zimai cleared his throat. “Well, actually, I found it strange too, but this is exactly what Xiao An’s manager instructed. I checked his contract—he didn’t sign a comprehensive agreement. The company is only providing him with idol-related resources. You know idols and actors have different demands. Maybe he’s just trying to maintain his figure?”

Zhou Jinchen gave him a blank look, then pulled out his phone and dialed An Xumo. He had intended to ask for An Xumo’s preference directly—if he wanted something else, they could simply change restaurants. But the moment the call connected, an odd crashing noise came from the other end.

The sounds that followed only grew more concerning. Zhou Jinchen frowned, pulling the phone slightly away to avoid being detected. In a lowered voice, he told Xin Zimai, “Call the person in charge of the trainees. Tell them something’s happening over there.”

Xin Zimai, who had been intently studying the calorie chart in an attempt to make himself invisible, was momentarily stunned. But seeing that Zhou Jinchen’s expression was dead serious, he quickly pulled out his own phone and dialed Chen Li.

Though somewhat confused, Chen Li agreed to check on the situation. However, getting there would take time. As the noises coming from the phone grew increasingly unsettling, Zhou Jinchen grabbed the plate of appetizers that had just been placed in front of him and, with a swift motion, smashed the pristine white dish onto the floor.

“Clang!”

The high-end restaurant had an elegant atmosphere and excellent privacy, but its layout was still semi-open. The sudden loud crash exploded through the refined music, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

Xin Zimai couldn’t help but press a hand to his forehead, doing his best to maintain a composed expression under countless gazes. While hurriedly urging Chen Li over the phone, he made a silent vow in his heart—

…In the future, never, ever come to this restaurant again.

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The author has something to say:

Didn’t get to the meal this time—sorry for the false lead (bows). But they’ll definitely eat in the next chapter…

Also, I’d love to ask everyone to bookmark this story and follow me as an author! You can do that by clicking into my profile. Thank you all~ -3-

I’m working hard on improving my writing style and hope you all enjoy reading~ Looking forward to today’s comments (☆▽☆). The progress bar for the update is already halfway there XD

The afternoon training was still a dance class. An Xumo had already switched to a new dance instructor and was currently practicing a solo dance routine. He had excellent perception, outstanding coordination, and a strong sense of rhythm. Combined with his diligent and hardworking attitude, it took only a few days for his new instructor to give him the same evaluation as his previous coach, Brother Li.

An Xumo had been signed with Jin Dian for less than a year. Among the many trainees, he was no longer considered the youngest. However, in terms of progress and results, he was undoubtedly one of the most outstanding among the thousands of trainees. The other top performers at his level had already been training for three to four years and were internally designated as leaders of upcoming groups. An Xumo was the only exception—his rapid improvement outpaced the team’s integration process, which was why Tang Tang had singled him out.

Both dance and vocal training required long hours of relentless practice. The effortless performances seen on stage were backed by countless days and nights of sweat and hard work. For an artist, perseverance was an essential skill. Since Jin Dian began expanding its market into the younger generation, thousands of people have signed up as trainees each week. Appearance was merely the first step of the selection process—the real, ruthless elimination process happened silently in the daily training sessions.

Trainees at Jin Dian typically went through six stages of training, but after just the first stage, fewer than 10% chose to continue.

Those who made it to the end had endured grueling training that outsiders could hardly imagine. Yet, as in many fields, hard work only raised the lower limit. The true upper limit was determined by something beyond human control—talent.

An Xumo’s diligence was undeniable, but the praise he received was largely due to his natural talent.

An Xumo was like a pearl, still encased in its shell, but those with discerning eyes had already caught a glimpse of its brilliance.

The training areas at Jin Dian were clustered together, with all the dance studios on the same floor. After thanking his instructor, An Xumo took a quick shower and left the dance studio while thinking about what to eat for dinner. The hallway was filled with other trainees who had just finished their classes. As he walked alone, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Reaching for it, he was surprised to find that it was his personal phone.

The name on the screen made him freeze for a moment. He stopped in his tracks, rubbed his palm twice against his pants, and only then did An Xumo carefully swiped to answer the call.

“Hello…?”

Before the voice on the other end could come through, An Xumo was suddenly hit by a force from behind. He staggered, barely managing to grab onto a nearby door to keep from falling. Startled, he turned around, but before he could react, a group of people shoved him straight into the room next to him.

“Wu…!”

With a loud “thud,” An Xumo was forcefully thrown onto the wooden floor. A dull groan escaped his lips from the pain, and his phone slipped from his grasp, skidding half a meter away.

“Yo, our big star took a fall. So careless when walking ah.”

A voice dripping with sarcasm rang out. Supporting himself with his arms, An Xumo looked up. “…Lu Yingtu?”

There were a total of seven people who followed him into the room, with the last one even reaching back to shut the door to the unused dance studio. An Xumo glanced around and immediately recognized them—they were the trainees who had been waiting for Han Ming in the hall that day. Their expressions were anything but restrained; their stance made it clear they had no good intentions.

Lu Yingtu let out a laugh. “How unexpected ah, our big star still remembers my name. I’m truly flattered.”

An Xumo frowned slightly, not quite understanding. “Do you need something?”

Lu Yingtu scoffed and sneered, “Oh, drop the act. Playing like a white lotus really suits you. Why bother practicing dance at all ah? Why don’t you just go straight into acting?”

Someone behind him chimed in, “Exactly. Taking advantage once was bad enough, but twice? And you always put on that helpless look. You use this trick in front of Han Ming too, don’t you?”

A brown-haired boy standing nearby clapped his hands. “Enough talking nonsense. Let’s just beat him up first and vent some steam.”

At his words, the group immediately pulled out several batons from under the mats in the corner. This was obviously premeditated—both the location and the tools were already prepared.

An Xumo tried to get up from the floor, but Lu Yingtu kicked him hard in the chest. His body scr4p3d against the wooden floor, the harsh friction producing an ear-piercing sound that made the scene even more unnerving.

But to the seven people in the room, that sound was music to their ears. Each of them now held a baton in hand, surrounding An Xumo in the center.

Lu Yingtu had already raised his baton, and just as the thick wooden stick was about to come down, a loud crash suddenly echoed through the room.

“Who?!”

Startled, the group frantically looked around, but the dance studio was empty except for them. After scanning the room nervously, someone finally shouted, “Over there!”

The fallen phone nearby was still glowing, its screen displaying an ongoing call. When it had been thrown earlier, it had accidentally hit the speaker button, allowing all the sounds in the room to be transmitted clearly. A deep male voice now rang out, amplified for everyone to hear.

“Who are you?”

Due to the speaker distortion, the voice sounded somewhat altered. The brown-haired boy closest to the phone bent down to pick it up, and on the screen, two glaringly obvious words were displayed: “Big Brother.”

An Xumo’s situation was well-known among the trainees. During their intensive training camps in the outskirts, where they were completely cut off from the outside world, everyone else had family or friends eagerly picking them up during the rare holiday breaks. Only An Xumo—every single time—had no one come for him.

He wouldn’t even go home, choosing instead to stay alone at the training camp, spending the entire holiday by himself.

Given that, no one believed An Xumo’s family cared about him. As for this so-called big brother who had suddenly appeared, he wasn’t any threat to them. A trainee’s family wouldn’t have much influence—if this person were really powerful, An Xumo wouldn’t still be here struggling as a trainee.

Lu Yingtu chuckled, deliberately softening his tone as he spoke into the phone in the brown-haired boy’s hand. “Ah, big bro, we’re actually Xiao An’s good friends. Just having a little heart-to-heart, you know? No need to worry ah.”

The others burst into laughter, intentionally playing along. “That’s right.”

“Just bonding a little~”

Their taunts had barely ended when An Xumo—who had been silent all this time—suddenly lunged forward from his kneeling position. With all his strength, he threw a vicious punch straight into Lu Yingtu’s face!

“Ah!!”

Caught off guard, Lu Yingtu let out a pained cry. Clutching his now-swollen cheek, he glared at An Xumo with rage, gritting his teeth as he yelled, “You actually dared to hit me?! Laozi will fvcking kill you! Go, beat him up for me!”

The others, momentarily stunned, snapped back to their senses at Lu Yingtu’s shout and quickly raised their batons again. An Xumo was already on the thin side, exhausted from a full day of training, and hadn’t eaten enough. He lacked both strength and fighting skills. His earlier punch had only landed because he had taken them by surprise. Now, surrounded by six or seven peers, he had no chance to fight back.

A baton whistled through the air before striking hard against his thin back. An Xumo grunted in pain, biting down to suppress the cry threatening to escape. But before he could, a bang suddenly echoed through the room.

This time, it wasn’t from the phone’s speaker. The dance studio door had been forcefully pushed open, and the person standing at the entrance, taking in the scene inside, shouted sharply, “What are you all doing?!”

The seven trainees holding batons panicked as soon as they saw who it was. “Sis-Sister Chen…”

Standing in the doorway was Chen Li, the manager responsible for the eleven trainees, including them. Unlike Tang Tang, Chen Li was notorious for her fiery temper. Since she managed trainees who hadn’t debuted yet, those under her were deeply afraid of her. Even someone like Lu Yingtu, who was used to sweet-talking and arrogance, wouldn’t dare raise his voice in front of her.

Dressed in a sleek professional skirt, Chen Li strode into the dance studio, her high heels clicking against the floor with each step. The sound made the group’s faces turn even paler. But what truly terrified them was that Chen Li wasn’t alone. Behind her, another person stepped inside. A tall figure, instantly recognizable—

Surprisingly, it was Han Ming, the very person they had been talking about just moments ago!

“Drop those batons, now!” Chen Li snapped harshly. Only when the seven of them timidly stepped back into a line did she release her grip on the phone in her right hand. Then, in a sudden shift to a much gentler tone, she spoke into it, “Hello, Director Xin, I’m here now. Ai, yes, yes. Don’t worry, I will handle this matter seriously.”

The trainees were still frozen in shock at seeing Han Ming. But before they could even recover, Chen Li’s uncharacteristically respectful tone sent another wave of panic through them.

Director Xin. Xin. How many directors at Jin Dian had the surname Xin?

They were still clinging to a last shred of hope when Chen Li spoke again, “Director Xin, I’ll have to trouble you to put in a good word with Brother Zhou about this matter. I will definitely…”

Before she could finish, the person on the other end seemed to have changed. Chen Li’s tone immediately became even more respectful. “Brother Zhou. Ai, you’re with Director Xin? Yes, it’s me, Chen Li. Don’t worry, I will handle this properly…”

Apart from Chen Li’s voice, the entire room had fallen into dead silence. The seven trainees turned pale, staring in disbelief at Chen Li, who was nodding repeatedly as she spoke. Han Ming had also stepped inside by now. He walked over to An Xumo, who was still kneeling on the floor and reached out to pull him up.

“Are you alright?”

---

The author has something to say:

Next chapter: Mealtime! Mwah~

Han Ming was just passing by, and Chen Li was called in as reinforcements. But the details will have to wait for the next part—anyway, this time, our clever and courageous Mr. Zhou successfully carried out the rescue mission~

And in the next chapter, An Xiao Mo can finally enjoy a big feast~

Happy New Year, everyone! Looking forward to your comments on the new chapter~ (≧▽≦)/~

Han Ming was still speculating repeatedly when Xin Zimai, who had already left Green City TV, dialed Zhou Jinchen’s number.

Zhou Jinchen was shooting a magazine cover today. When his phone rang, it happened to be break time. As the makeup artist touched up his look, he connected to his Bluetooth earpiece.

“The contract has been settled.” Xin Zimai’s voice came through the small white earpiece. “Just as you said, I used Jin Dian’s authority to sign the contract for him directly.”

Zhou Jinchen gave a faint response and closed his eyes. The soft bristles of the brush swept lightly over his eyelids, further accentuating his already striking and well-defined features. His looks weren’t the rugged type—his nose was straight and refined, his thin lips enticing people. Even without any makeup, his face carried an exceptional delicacy, a beauty that blurred the lines of gender.

As the brush moved downward, his slightly closed eyes slowly opened. The piercing brightness in his gaze gradually settled within his beautiful eyes, stripping away any trace of femininity from his androgynous beauty. His outstanding appearance undoubtedly provided him with an advantage, but the reason he had remained explosively popular for five years wasn’t just because of his looks.

Unlike An Xumo’s youthful and pure charm, Zhou Jinchen’s presence carried an intoxicating allure. His appearance alone was enough to capture everyone’s attention, but it was his aura that truly made people fall into him. This was why his short clips frequently went viral on Weibo, with each screenshot garnering tens of thousands of shares.

In still photography, Zhou Jinchen’s ability to express himself was beyond question. He was every photographer’s dream model, capable of embodying any mood or style flawlessly. But in an era where heavy Photoshop was the norm and retouchers’ work often outshone the models themselves, only those who could exude charm in motion could truly withstand the test of time.

It was no exaggeration to say that Zhou Jinchen was born for the camera.

More than a dozen magazines had given him this recognition, some of which hosted prestigious annual fashion galas. The raw sensuality that radiated from his very being was like a domineering, rich sandalwood fragrance—intoxicating and inescapable once ignited.

The person touching up Zhou Jinchen’s makeup wasn’t his usual stylist but a professional makeup artist from the magazine. She was still young but had been in the industry for quite some time. Yet, facing such a face up close, it was impossible to remain unaffected. In the end, she couldn’t help it—her face flushed slightly.

As the makeup artist hurriedly tried to hide her flushed cheeks, Zhou Jinchen remained unaware of the subtle changes around him. Xin Zimai’s voice continued in his earpiece, “The contract is settled, but have you told him about it yet?”

Zhou Jinchen absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the armrest. “I wouldn’t say anything before it was confirmed.”

“You…” Xin Zimai was momentarily speechless. Going through all the trouble to squeeze someone into such a high-rated variety show, yet not even informing the person benefiting from it—Xin Zimai found it truly unbelievable.

“Mr. Zhou, Brother Zhou, are you really planning to play the role of a kind and caring older brother now?”

“This is what I owe him.”

Zhou Jinchen lowered his gaze. The bright overhead lights poured down, casting deep shadows in his eyes.

“I said that I would personally apologize to him.”

At the mention of this, it inevitably brought up the serious illness Zhou Jinchen had suffered ten years ago. Xin Zimai sighed and his tone grew heavier. “We’re still looking into that matter. Jinchen, don’t worry too much.”

“Mm.” Zhou Jinchen responded softly without further comment.

Xin Zimai asked, “So, are you going to tell him about the recording yourself? The production team needs his information, and I also need to talk to Tang Tang to arrange Xiao An’s schedule.”

Zhou Jinchen tapped the armrest twice more before speaking. “Do I have any other engagements after the cover shoot?”

Xin Zimai thought for a moment. “There’s an exclusive interview, about two hours. They also want to invite you to dinner after the interview.”

Zhou Jinchen said, “I’ll try to speed up the shoot, move the interview earlier, but skip the dinner. Book another restaurant for me instead.”

After agreeing, Xin Zimai suddenly realized and asked, “Are you inviting Xiao An to dinner?”

“Mm.”

“Which restaurant should I book?”

“…”

Zhou Jinchen suddenly fell silent, realizing that he couldn’t remember what his long-unseen younger brother liked to eat.

Although he didn’t need to rely on excessive social maneuvering to secure resources, his position still required him to attend various necessary engagements. In the entire S City, there was hardly a high-end restaurant he hadn’t visited—whether it was Chinese, Western, Japanese, Korean, or Thai cuisine, he had the perfect venue for any occasion.

But now, for the first time, he felt a little clueless.

Xin Zimai, always quick to catch on, immediately understood the reason for the pause. Naturally, he offered, “I’ll ask Tang Tang and see what Xiao An prefers. Once I’ve booked it, I’ll send you the details. Oh, do you need me to inform him about the dinner?”

“No need.” Zhou Jinchen said slowly, “I’ll call him myself.”

After hanging up, the photoshoot resumed. Zhou Jinchen rose from the lounge area and stepped into the brightly lit spotlight.

* * *

While the person inviting was actively making arrangements, the one being invited remained completely unaware.

An Xumo had just finished half a day of vocal training and was sucking on a cool, spicy mint lozenge to soothe his throat. Tang Tang took him back to her office and laid out several development plans on the desk.

“The company plans to offer you opportunities in both solo and group activities to test the water. Group projects are more flexible to execute but might take longer. Solo work carries more risk, but we’ll need to secure as many resources as possible.”

Since they had already discussed this before, Tang Tang didn’t repeat herself. “Since the company has provided solo resources, you should focus on developing your solo career. Although this path is riskier, the potential is higher, and it will save time in the early stages.”

“What if it’s a debut as a solo artist? Right now, the company has three main training plans for newcomers. I’ll explain them one by one.” Tang Tang pressed her thumb against her pinky, holding up three fingers. “The first is participating in talent shows. Last year, new regulations were introduced restricting certain types of talent showcases, cutting down on those dramatic, tear-jerking backstory programs by the higher-ups. As a result, performance-based talent competitions are seeing a resurgence. In the second half of this year, Jin Dian negotiated collaborations with four talent shows. If you debut solo, this is a relatively controllable starting point. Given your qualifications and the company’s resources, making it to the finals wouldn’t be an issue.”

An Xumo bit down on his mint candy, lightly grinding it between his teeth without responding.

Tang Tang placed another proposal on the table and continued, “The second option is shooting music videos. Since your focus is on singing and dancing rather than just vocals, MV exposure is crucial. The company will first arrange for you to appear in other artists’ MVs. Once you gain some experience, if the results are promising, I can try negotiating for you to sing the opening or ending theme of one of the company’s new dramas…”

Before she could finish, the phone on the table lit up. She glanced at the screen mid-sentence and suddenly exclaimed, “Qu…?!”

Tang Tang’s trailing voice hung in the air, and An Xumo curiously looked over. He saw Tang Tang staring at the screen in shock, as if she had just received a bank notification that a million yuan had been deposited into her account.

“Xin, Xin Xin…”

An Xumo was puzzled. “What’s wrong? Just answer the call first.”

Only then did Tang Tang snap out of it. She hurriedly grabbed her phone, drawing an exaggerated cross over her chest with her other hand.

“Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, go eat first. I’ll talk to you later ah.”

Since Tang Tang was taking a call, An Xumo had no choice but to grab his lunch from the break room. As he shut the door, he could still hear Tang Tang’s barely concealed excitement. “Hello, this is Tang—Tang Tang speaking.”

…

An Xumo wondered if today’s lunch would have a little more sugar.

But reality was disappointing as always. Lunch was just another bland, repetitive meal. By the time he struggled through his unappetizing fitness meal, Tang Tang stormed into the break room like a gust of wind, hastily dragging him back to her office.

As soon as she entered the office, Tang Tang grabbed the three development plans and, right in front of An Xumo, stuffed all of them into the shredder.

“…” An Xumo was a bit confused.

“Alright, Xiao Mo, your job now is to completely forget everything I just told you.” After disposing of the documents, Tang Tang clapped her hands happily. “We have a brand-new starting point!”

An Xumo glanced at her. Though he didn’t quite understand the excitement, he still cooperated and asked, “What happened?”

Tang Tang was about to explain but suddenly stopped herself. “Uh, well, someone will explain it to you later. Just take a break for now; you still have training this afternoon. Once the new plan is finalized, I’ll go over everything with you.”

An Xumo didn’t pay much mind to her intense reaction. He simply nodded. “Okay.”

As he left, Tang Tang was still so delighted that she couldn’t help but hum a tune. Just before he stepped out, she called after him. “Oh, right, Xiao Mo, someone from the company asked about your food preferences today—they said it was for the official website’s profile. Since you weren’t around, I just told them you like pan-seared salmon with no oil and chicken breast. Just keep that in mind for now ah.”

An Xumo’s hand paused on the doorknob.

Tang Tang didn’t notice his reaction. “Anyway, it’s not set in stone yet. Later on, the company will customize a whole list of preferences for you. You can change it when the time comes.”

”…Okay.”

An Xumo closed the door and stopped outside for a moment.

He didn’t like chicken breast. He didn’t like fitness meals either.

Chicken breast was going to the top of his list of least favorite foods.

---

The author has something to say:

Everything in this story is purely fictional. Please don’t overanalyze. Thank you~

Zhou Jinchen: Let’s have dinner together tonight.

An Xumo: (☆▽☆)

Chicken Breast: Eat me! Eat me!

An Xumo: Σ( ° △ °|||)︴?!!

Besides the paper bag containing clothes, Xin Zimai also gave An Xumo a clean towel. After briefly wiping the damp marks on his chest, An Xumo put on the brand-new shirt and pants. These clothes seemed to be casual wear, much more comfortable than the formal shirt he had worn earlier. However, due to the size difference, they were noticeably loose on him.

When asked for his address, An Xumo was in the middle of folding the two damp garments. No one had ever taught him how to fold clothes, so even though he had been living independently for a while, his movements were still somewhat clumsy. After hearing Xin Zimai’s question, An Xumo paused, looking up at him in disbelief. “But… I live on the top floor ah?”

Xin Zimai turned the wheel and started driving the RV. “You live in the last row of the company dormitories?”

An Xumo nodded blankly, “Yes.”

Xin Zimai asked, “Then have you seen the building across the street?”

An Xumo thought for a moment, “That high-rise villa?”

He lived in an eight-person dormitory, the worst accommodation available, which was why he had been placed in a remote corner, far from the building in front. However, that area was not the only residential complex. Across the fence and the roadway was another housing district.

Xin Zimai coughed lightly, “How do you know that the villa is across the street?”

An Xumo replied, “You can see them from the hallway windows. The rooftops there are open-air gardens.”

Xin Zimai nodded. “That’s right. But do you know that your own building also has an open-air garden on the rooftop?”

An Xumo was taken aback. “…Yi?”

The RV exited through a side gate. Since the necessary registration had been completed in advance, there was no obstruction as they left. While driving, Xin Zimai explained, “Your building is the farthest one if you enter from the main entrance of the employee district. But if you go through the central avenue of the residential area, it’s actually in the best location. That area has a total of 20-30 buildings, and the top floors are all high-rise villas. These were specially reserved by Jin Dian as benefits for executives and artists.”

The artists he referred to were, of course, not just ordinary signed contracted stars. Jin Dian has produced 3-4 top-tier superstars that are labeled as “First Brother,” “First Sister.” Even in terms of seniority alone, there were plenty of notable names.

Xin Zimai continued, “But many seniors prefer more private spaces. Mr. Zhou only acquired that property because of work needs. He’s currently staying there. If you want to go over, you can ask him first.”

The impact of this offer was a bit too strong—almost like suddenly winning a 30-day buffet pass. An Xumo didn’t react immediately and dazedly asked, “But… our floor doesn’t seem to have any way to go further up?”

Xin Zimai chuckled. “The entrance to the high-rise villas isn’t the same as the units below. You also need to go through identity verification before entering. So, you’d have to ask Mr. Zhou first. He can take you there.”

An Xumo was little afraid to accept this buffet pass, afraid that indulging in it would make the boss dislike him. “Thank you, but I might trouble Mr. Zhou… I’ll wait for another opportunity to talk about it.”

Xin Zimai didn’t let his polite refusal end the conversation. “If we’re talking about trouble, tonight has already caused you quite a bit of inconvenience.”

Through the rearview mirror, he looked at An Xumo. “You’re signed with Jin Dian, right? Who are you currently working with?”

An Xumo mentioned Tang Tang’s name. Xin Zimai nodded but didn’t say more. “If you’re tired, get some rest. You can recline the seat by pressing the button on the side. It’s still over two hours to Jin Dian—I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

An Xumo softly thanked him and placed his folded clothes on the back seat. He knew it wasn’t the most polite thing to fall asleep while alone with someone, but the intense training of the past few days, combined with today’s series of shocks, had left him physically and mentally exhausted.

After the seat was reclined, Xin Zimai turned on the car’s audio system. The song playing was one of Zhou Jinchen’s previously released singles. The familiar, deep, and soothing male voice carried a calming charm. Completely drained, An Xumo finally couldn’t hold on any longer and drifted off into sleep.

The RV had ample space, a comfortable temperature, and thanks to its smooth performance, there were no major jolts along the way. An Xumo slept deeply, only beginning to regain consciousness when faint noises reached his ears.

A hazy grayness surrounded him. The lights inside the vehicle had been dimmed to a night mode. An Xumo drowsily opened his eyes, only to see an unexpected silhouette in front of him.

He stared in a daze for a moment. Even though his eyes were open, he felt like he was still dreaming.

The figure quickly moved away, and the lights inside the vehicle brightened. The sudden brightness stung An Xumo’s eyes, making him instinctively shut them. As he heard the sound of the car door opening beside him, he raised a hand to shield his eyes and sat up, only to see Xin Zimai poking his head in. “Awake?”

An Xumo figured he must have been mistaken earlier and nodded at Xin Zimai.

Xin Zimai said, “We’re here, come down.”

An Xumo followed him out of the car. Though it was already summer, the night breeze was still cool. The temperature outside was a bit low, and wearing only a short-sleeved shirt, he couldn’t help but shiver. The lingering drowsiness in his mind vanished completely.

He was wearing Zhou Jinchen’s clothes, but since their body sizes were different, the tailored outfit looked rather loose on him. The movement of stepping out of the car was quite large, and the loosely hanging pants around his waist felt cumbersome. Worried that he might step on the fabric, An Xumo moved with extra caution.

Just as he set foot on the ground, before he even had the chance to adjust his borrowed pants, a deep voice beside him asked, “Are you injured?”

An Xumo froze and looked up blankly. Zhou Jinchen stood about a meter away from the car door, frowning as he looked at him.

“Huh?” Xin Zimai, who had been closing the car door, looked up at the question. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Only then did An Xumo find his voice. He quickly shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine. I’m not injured.”

Xin Zimai almost laughed at the three consecutive denials.

He cleared his throat and glanced at Zhou Jinchen, only to see that the man’s expression hadn’t relaxed much. Zhou Jinchen’s gaze swept over An Xumo’s legs before he asked again, “Did I step on you during the collision?”

It took An Xumo a moment to realize that the other party was referring to the accident at the birthday banquet. He quickly replied, “No, you didn’t step on me. I’m really fine.”

He wanted to explain, but the real reason was somewhat embarrassing to talk about. Speaking in front of the two of them, his voice involuntarily lowered. “It’s because of the pants… The waistband is a bit thick, and I was afraid they’d fall down…”

Xin Zimai really couldn’t hold it in this time—he leaned against the car door and burst out laughing. An Xumo looked at him in confusion, and Xin Zimai quickly waved a hand. “Sorry, sorry.”

But even as he apologized, his laughter didn’t stop.

Zhou Jinchen shot him a sideways glance and reached for a paper bag from the car roof. He handed it to An Xumo, who took it and realized it contained the clothes they had bought together that afternoon.

Behind him, Xin Zimai was still grinning. “Jinchen, do you need to increase your workout plan tomorrow?”

After all, he had just been personally criticized by his younger brother for having a thick waist.

Zhou Jinchen glanced at him indifferently. “Sure. The extra training costs will be deducted from your salary.”

Xin Zimai’s smile froze instantly.

Ignoring him, Zhou Jinchen gestured to An Xumo. “Turn right and walk straight for two hundred meters. The main entrance of the complex is there. Go back first—I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”

An Xumo quickly nodded and carefully bid farewell to both of them seriously. His slightly oversized clothes hung loosely on his frame, the wide neckline revealing the smooth lines of his shoulders and collarbone. His fair skin, bathed in the moonlight and street lamps, was hard to look away from.

He had completely forgotten Xin Zimai’s earlier suggestion about going to the rooftop villa. Hugging the paper bag obediently, he turned and left.

An Xumo often felt hungry, but when it came to Zhou Jinchen, his appetite seemed to shrink. Just catching a few glimpses of him in person was enough to fill both his heart and stomach to the brim.

* * *

Two days later, backstage at Green City TV, Han Ming had just finished recording an episode and was about to leave when he ran into a surprising figure in the elevator.

“Brother Mai!” Han Ming greeted him with a smile and glanced toward the entrance. “What a coincidence! Did Brother Jinchen come with you?”

Xin Zimai smiled, “I came alone.”

Han Ming didn’t show any sign of disappointment. “Brother Mai, are you here for the next episode of <Sunny Weekend>?”

Xin Zimai nodded. “Next episode’s guest is Jinchen.”

Han Ming’s eyes lit up. Even though he had long known that Zhou Jinchen would be participating in the <Weekend with a Sunny Day>¹This is the full title of the program. The author just switch between this and the shortcut one which is Sunny Weekend. hearing the confirmation still brought him undiminished excitement. “Then we’ll get to record the next episode together. I’ve always looked forward to working with Brother Jinchen.”

After exchanging a few more polite words with him, Xin Zimai left as soon as the elevator doors opened. Meanwhile, Han Ming, who had been stopped by his manager, was still lost in his excitement, not fully registering what was being said to him.

It wasn’t until his manager repeated it that Han Ming snapped out of it. “What? A last-minute guest addition?”

His manager nodded. “Yes, aside from Zhou Jinchen, another guest will be joining the next episode.”

Han Ming frowned, “Who is it?”

“The director only mentioned adding someone but hasn’t confirmed the details yet,” the manager explained. “It’s probably similar to that unexpected guest from season one—someone arranged by a sponsor.”

Han Ming was puzzled. “Which sponsor has that much influence… to get someone placed in the same episode as Brother Jinchen?”

His manager wasn’t sure either and reassured him, “The temporary guest’s identity hasn’t been confirmed yet. But since you’re a regular cast member, just focus on performing well. The newcomer won’t be familiar with the team, so the final result will definitely be affected.”

“Besides, isn’t Zhou Jinchen known for disliking being constrained? He probably won’t go out of his way to accommodate this last-minute addition,” the manager added. “Next episode’s key focus will definitely be on Zhou Jinchen. Just interact with him more, and as for that temporary guest… whether they even get screen time is another story.”

---

The author has something to say:

Sorry for being late!!

An Xiao Mo’s triple denial: It wasn’t me, I didn’t, I’m not hurt.

Zhou Jinchen: Mm.

An Xiao Mo (softly): I didn’t say your waist was thick either.

Zhou Jinchen: …

Zhou Jinchen: Let me measure just how thin your waist is.

Ten years ago, Zhou Jinchen was only 12 years old when he fell gravely ill and hovered on the brink of death. If not for the intervention of the long-retired Mr. Old Yu, he would never have survived his first zodiac year. Even after recovering, Zhou Jinchen had to spend half of each year deep in the mountains under Mr. Old Yu’s care to rid his body of lingering ailments. It wasn’t until five years later that he fully recovered.

Having barely snatched his life back from the jaws of death, the Zhou Family no longer imposed any expectations on Zhou Jinchen, only hoping he could live safely and peacefully. So when, at 17, he announced his decision to enter the entertainment industry as an artist, the Zhou Family raised no objections. Instead, they paved the way for him in advance, investing an astronomical sum into Jin Dian—enough to leave people astonished.

At the time, the entertainment industry was still dominated by grassroots success stories, with artists often relying on tragic narratives to gain public sympathy. Wealthy elites and business tycoons looked down on celebrities, and it was common for them to be openly priced at social gatherings. When Zhou Jinchen debuted, the Zhou Family faced immense public scrutiny. It wasn’t until the tides shifted and the entertainment industry became so lucrative that everyone wanted a share that these rumors gradually turned into envy.

By then, leveraging Zhou Jinchen’s status, the Zhou Family had already reaped great rewards from the murky waters of the industry.

Everything stemmed from that grave illness, yet the latest intelligence revealed that the person responsible for nearly taking Zhou Jinchen’s life was someone else entirely.

The young man discreetly surveyed their surroundings. After confirming that no one was paying attention to them, he lowered his voice and said, “So far, we’ve only confirmed He Wenbin’s identity. The full truth behind that accident still requires deeper investigation. But Jinchen, you should understand—whoever targeted you couldn’t have completely bypassed the Zhou Family. Be cautious about the equity distribution at today’s birthday banquet.”

Zhou Jinchen glanced across the room at An Xumo, who was quietly holding his food in a corner, and felt a complex mix of emotions. Not wanting to draw attention to An Xumo, he quickly retracted his gaze. “So the family called him back today because of the equity?”

The young man nodded. “He has no direct ties to Zhou Corporation’s shares, but before your uncle passed away, he left behind Yangfan Group. Once An Xumo comes of age, those shares will rightfully be his. Yangfan’s shares don’t mean much to Zhou Corporation, but the Zhou Family refuses to swallow this grievance—they’ll definitely try to take those shares from him.”

Equity transfers were no trivial matter. Forcing someone to sign a voluntary waiver in a highly public setting, with all eyes watching—Zhou Family never hesitated to employ such tactics. Despite being favored all his life, Zhou Jinchen had never doubted this fact.

The once-clear web of grudges and debts had suddenly become a tangled mess, and it was highly likely that An Xumo had been caught up in it without cause. The thought that he was the one who had personally brought An Xumo here made Zhou Jinchen even more uneasy. He stood up, intending to head in An Xumo’s direction, but the young man beside him immediately grabbed his arm.

“Where are you going?”

Zhou Jinchen frowned. “To get him out of here.”

The young man shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, “There are bodyguards. He won’t be able to leave.”

Zhou Jinchen’s gaze darkened as he scanned the room. After withdrawing his gaze, he turned to the young man and said, “Zimai, do me a favor.”

An Xumo briefly met their eyes but felt confused about what was happening. Zhou Jinchen and the young man quickly looked away and resumed their conversation. Thinking the eye contact was just a coincidence, An Xumo didn’t dwell on it. He was satisfied as long as he could catch a few glimpses of Zhou Jinchen—he had no other expectations.

His decision to enter the entertainment industry was largely because of this. Although Zhou Jinchen had ample resources and never lacked screen time, his personal schedule was extremely low-profile. He rarely appeared in public outside of work and had never even opened a Weibo account. Wanting to see more of the older brother he once had, An Xumo had mustered up the courage to step into this world.

But he didn’t have to wait long before a waiter approached him and said that the Third Young Master had summoned him. Among his generation, the third in line was Zhou Jinchen. An Xumo was surprised but still followed the waiter.

The young man beside Zhou Jinchen was still there, engaged in a conversation with another guest. As An Xumo got closer, he found the man increasingly familiar. However, having never been involved in the Zhou Family’s social circles, he knew very few people and couldn’t recall where he might have seen this person before.

When he reached Zhou Jinchen’s side, the latter didn’t acknowledge him. It wasn’t until the young man gave him a reminder that Zhou Jinchen finally turned his gaze, as if he had only just noticed An Xumo.

An Xumo was slightly taken aback—he could clearly see displeasure on Zhou Jinchen’s face. He was usually insensitive to other people’s emotions; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stood in the banquet hall completely unaware of being scrutinized like a spectacle. But when it came to Zhou Jinchen, he was keenly perceptive. The man obviously didn’t want to acknowledge him. He barely spared An Xumo a glance before turning away again to continue his conversation with the others.

This Zhou Jinchen was completely different from the one An Xumo had interacted with that afternoon. And since it was Zhou Jinchen who had called him over in the first place, An Xumo couldn’t understand what had changed, leaving him feeling at a loss.

Standing there all alone, he looked rather pitiful. In the end, it seemed the young man couldn’t bear to watch any longer and took the initiative to speak. “Mr. An, right? Would you like to have a drink with Jinchen?”

A nearby waiter promptly brought over wine glasses and a bottle. An Xumo had never drunk alcohol before and had no intention of doing so now. But in this tense and awkward situation, the young man had naturally helped him out of his predicament. With no other way to respond, An Xumo could only follow along and, feeling both cautious and uneasy, nodded slightly.

“…Okay.”

Zhou Jinchen still showed no reaction. His wine glass was already empty, and as the waiter busied himself refilling it, the young man picked up another glass from the tray and handed it to An Xumo.

Just as An Xumo reached out to take it, Zhou Jinchen suddenly stepped back, bumping into him. The unexpected impact caused An Xumo’s arm to shake, and he failed to grasp the glass properly, spilling the entire drink down the front of his own chest.

“Tsk…” The waiter had just finished pouring the wine and stepped aside, so no one else noticed Zhou Jinchen’s movement. Showing no awareness that he had bumped into An Xumo, he instead spoke impatiently, “You can’t even hold a glass properly?”

Spilling wine at such an event wasn’t a trivial matter. With the young man repeatedly apologizing and Zhou Jinchen’s tone carrying obvious displeasure, many people around them took notice. In recent years, Zhou Jinchen hadn’t attended many of Zhou Family’s banquets, and most of those present only knew him through his fame in the entertainment industry. Seeing him speak this way, they simply assumed he disdained An Xumo—after all, in the eyes of outsiders, An Xumo had taken Zhou Jinchen’s parents from him.

An Xumo lowered his gaze and softly murmured an apology. He forced a smile at the young man, waving a hand to indicate it was fine.

It’s just that the suit he just bought was scrapped, wasting a bit too much money. He thought to himself that the cost of this suit could have bought plenty of those white T-shirts that had been discarded earlier in the afternoon—that was why he felt so regretful. The softest, most vulnerable part of his heart was being prodded over and over, the pain making it hard to breathe.

The young man seemed to have said a few words to persuade Zhou Jinchen, but An Xumo didn’t catch them. Then Zhou Jinchen told him to go change his clothes. With an apologetic expression, the young man offered to accompany him. Zhou Jinchen frowned, waved them off, and let the two of them leave.

An Xumo was led toward a side exit of the banquet hall, the wine stain on his chest still dripping intermittently as he walked. In such a grand setting, his appearance made him seem even more out of place.

But clothes were just objects—no matter how disheveled they were, they could never look more pathetic than the person wearing them.

He wandered forward in a daze, only realizing something was off after they had taken several winding turns outside. Just as he was about to ask the young man leading the way, the other gestured for him to stay silent. The path ahead grew increasingly complicated until a gray van appeared before them, and the young man finally stopped.

Once An Xumo was ushered into the van, his confusion deepened. The young man, who had also boarded, didn’t offer any immediate explanation. Instead, he retrieved a bag from the back seat and handed it over.

“These are your brother’s clothes—just delivered, still unopened. Make do with them for now.”

An Xumo held the paper bag in his arms, momentarily unable to react. Seeing this, the young man patted his shoulder and said, “Did I scare you? Sorry, your brother wanted to get you out of the banquet.”

He introduced himself, “I’m Xin Zimai, Mr. Zhou’s manager and assistant.”

Only then did An Xumo realize why the other party seemed familiar—he had been looking in the wrong direction. He hadn’t expected the young man to be someone from the industry.

Even so, his wariness barely subsided. “I’m An Xumo… Sorry, but I’d like to leave.”

Xin Zimai gave a slightly apologetic, wry smile. “I’m really sorry about earlier. Let me explain everything first, alright?”

An Xumo’s chest was still damp, but he had no intention of changing clothes here. Remaining somewhat guarded, he nodded slightly. “Go ahead.”

Xin Zimai explained, “At tonight’s birthday banquet, Old Master Zhou will be announcing the distribution of Zhou Corporation’s shares. They called you back to make you relinquish any shares under your name.”

An Xumo frowned, “I don’t have that…”

Xin Zimai said, “I just saw Mr. Zhou Yunshan’s lawyer at the banquet—he’s here specifically for this matter. Before his passing, Mr. Zhou Yunshan independently founded a business group called Yangfan. Yangfan has no financial ties to the Zhou Family, and its shares will legally transfer to you once you reach adulthood. The only way for them to take it is if you willingly sign away your rights.”

An Xumo had never heard of this before. He had been fostered in Zhou Jinchen’s home from a young age and had very little memory of Zhou Yunshan.

Xin Zimai continued, “Mr. Zhou wasn’t initially aware that you had been removed from the family registry. He only started investigating after meeting you this afternoon. Since he was the one who brought you here, he wanted to ensure you got out safely.”

An Xumo looked at him cautiously. “If I’m not there, will my brother… will Mr. Zhou be affected?”

Xin Zimai smiled. “No need to worry about that. Technically speaking, even if the Zhou Family reclaims Yangfan’s shares, they would only end up under Mr. Zhou’s name. He doesn’t care about them, so there won’t be any major obstacles.”

An Xumo was stunned again. If that was the case, then by sending him away, Zhou Jinchen was actually giving up his own interests.

“As for tonight’s incident, Mr. Zhou said he’ll personally apologize to you,” Xin Zimai added. “For now, just change into something more comfortable.”

An Xumo gave a sluggish response. Xin Zimai then stepped out of the van and moved to the driver’s seat, giving him space while also starting the engine.

“Mr. Zhou asked me to take you home first,” Xin Zimai asked. “Where are you staying now?”

An Xumo provided an address. Acting as the driver, Xin Zimai was momentarily stunned. He then asked for a more specific location. Although An Xumo didn’t understand why, he obediently gave the details.

This time, Xin Zimai’s tone became even more peculiar.

“So… you live right below your brother?”

---

The author has something to say:

One chapter to settle the rich family drama; hands on hips (…

Starting next chapter, we’ll shift to the entertainment industry la. Our poor An Xumo will be attending classes and landing his first resource~

And the male gods chasing after his brother will begin to make their appearances one by one~

Dingjin Center is a famous luxury goods shopping mall in S City, where the number of customers is often fewer than the salespeople. The environment is elegant, and the atmosphere is superb. It has long been a place that many celebrities are keen to patronize. With only a few hours left before the birthday banquet, it wasn’t realistic to have something custom-made, so Zhou Jinchen brought the person here, intending to pick out a formal suit temporarily.

An Xumo had been to places like this before, but he had never come dressed like this. Walking alongside Zhou Jinchen, who was wearing a high-end bespoke suit, An Xumo quickly became the subject of admiring gazes mixed with curiosity. It wasn’t just about the clothes—Zhou Jinchen, who had been famous for five years, had a completely different aura from ordinary people. No matter how one looked at it, the two of them didn’t seem to belong in the same world.

Zhou Jinchen was already accustomed to ignoring the attention, and An Xumo, too, paid no mind to the curious glances around them. The two entered one of the brand-name stores, where a salesperson quickly approached them. At Zhou Jinchen’s nod, she began selecting clothes for An Xumo.

There weren’t many customers in the store, and another salesperson came over. She glanced at Zhou Jinchen, who was wearing sunglasses, and couldn’t help but speak up. “Sir, you look familiar. Are you one of our Gold Card members?”

An Xumo, who was being fitted by the other salesperson, looked up and silently noticed the large vertical advertisement taking up half the wall in the store.

For top international brands like this, new product launches usually feature professional supermodels or top international celebrities. When Zhou Jinchen became the spokesperson for this brand at just over twenty, the news sent shockwaves through the domestic entertainment industry.

When An Xumo looked up, the salesperson who had spoken to Zhou Jinchen quickly realized who he was. Her gaze shifted between Zhou Jinchen and the advertisement twice, before she swiftly suppressed her surprise, working hard to maintain her professionalism.

Zhou Jinchen only nodded, then gestured for An Xumo to go change. The salesperson selected three suits for him, but Zhou Jinchen didn’t even glance at them, simply telling An Xumo to take all three into the fitting room.

An Xumo had a good figure and natural good looks, and when he wore the suits, it wasn’t that the clothes flattered him, but rather that he made the clothes look even better. The salesperson, who was used to dealing with high-end clients, couldn’t hide her expression of surprise. She started to praise him wholeheartedly, framing every ordinary critique as a compliment.

She picked out three light-colored suits for him, paired with pure white shirts and several ties. An Xumo only wanted to choose one set, but the salesperson was so enthusiastic that after trying on all three, he couldn’t decide which one was the best. He hesitated, wondering if he should ask for the other man’s opinion, but when he turned to look at Zhou Jinchen, he froze on the spot.

Zhou Jinchen held a white T-shirt in his hand, inspecting the tag at the collar. Beside him was a pair of black shorts—the same ones An Xumo had just changed out of in the fitting room.

Noticing An Xumo looking over, Zhou Jinchen lifted the T-shirt with one hand and, his voice was faint, no emotion could be heard, “Where did you buy this?”

An Xumo instinctively adjusted the bowtie the salesperson had helped him put on and honestly replied, “Online.”

Zhou Jinchen asked, “How much?”

An Xumo spoke softly, “9.99 yuan.”

An awkward silence fell over the large store. The two salespeople, each holding shirts priced in the five digits and ties in the four digits, exchanged glances.

Zhou Jinchen set the T-shirt down. “What about the pants?”

An Xumo’s voice became even softer. “19 yuan.”

Zhou Jinchen took off his sunglasses and looked at him. “Does it come with free shipping too?”

Without the sunglasses to block him, Zhou Jinchen’s appearance and gaze placed even more pressure on An Xumo. An Xumo felt his tongue go numb, but Zhou Jinchen didn’t wait for him to answer. He casually placed the two items back on the sofa and gestured to the salespeople. “Please cut the tags off for him.”

The salesperson quickly caught on. “Understood, sir. You’ve decided on this set, correct?”

Zhou Jinchen nodded. “All three sets. Two ties, one striped and one houndstooth. Also, grab another shirt.”

The salesperson hurried to fetch the clothing boxes and paper bags. An Xumo stood there, stunned, letting another salesperson cut the tags off his clothes. He finally managed to find his voice. “Sorry, I,I might not have enough money…”

Zhou Jinchen, who had been fiddling with his sunglasses, froze for a moment. His gaze, now without the shield of the glasses, seemed loaded with unspoken meaning. He appeared to want to say something but ultimately remained silent, simply taking out a card from his wallet and handing it to the busy salesperson.

After paying with the card, Zhou Jinchen asked the salesperson to place the two bargain items that An Xumo had tried on into the store’s miscellaneous collection basket. He turned to An Xumo and said, “The generic brands from online, throw them away when we get back.”

An Xumo, still somewhat at a loss, hadn’t fully processed Zhou Jinchen’s action of completing the payment. Zhou Jinchen glanced at him, his voice calm but firm. “Cheap clothes affect your body and your image. If you want to make a living from this industry, you have no right to be reckless.”

What should have been a simple clothing purchase was now being turned into a lecture on artist training. If a fan of Zhou Jinchen had been present, they would no doubt see him through the lens of professionalism and growing admiration. If there were black fans, it would’ve rendered as bullying and condescending. But for An Xumo, who didn’t belong to either group, he stood there, awkwardly accepting the heavy bags from the salesperson. After gathering his courage, he finally managed to thank Zhou Jinchen.

Zhou Jinchen took the card from the salesperson without responding. It was only when he put his sunglasses back on that he heard the faint second thank-you.

“Thank you, brother.”

Zhou Jinchen turned to look at the following An Xumo, his voice still devoid of emotion. “Let’s go upstairs and get shoes.”

Even in such a high-end, luxury store with few customers, there were people who recognized Zhou Jinchen. After their shopping trip, An Xumo also ended up being photographed by three separate groups with their phones. Fortunately, the security at Dingjin was tight, and nothing major happened.

The black Bentley started again. With just two hours remaining until the birthday banquet, they made another stop. An Xumo received a simple makeover. Zhou Jinchen was already prepared, but An Xumo’s hairstyle was still from the previous concert and wasn’t quite suitable for the birthday banquet.

The birthday banquet, while officially a celebration for Old Master Zhou, was also a gathering for the Zhou Family’s business dealings. It wasn’t just Zhou Family members who were invited, but many of their business partners as well.

By the time they arrived at the main residence, it was evening. The expansive garden had rows of lights illuminating it. The completely opened grand main gate had been decorated with great flair, and the attendants were methodically guiding the many luxury cars. The reception process was well-organized, with the subtle details reflecting the Zhou Family’s deep legacy.

The Bentley stopped in an open space in front of the lawn, and An Xumo followed Zhou Jinchen out of the car. The attendant who came forward to greet them was slightly stunned upon seeing An Xumo but quickly regained his composure. With impeccable politeness, he invited the two of them into the bright main residence.

The lobby on the first floor had been arranged as the venue for the banquet. The splendid lights illuminated the lavish furnishings. There were already quite a few people inside, and and as far as the eye could see, the scene was filled with the scent of perfume, the rustle of attire, and clinking glasses. Anyone who stumbled in might mistake it for a grand party. In reality, for the Zhou Family’s financial power, this kind of gathering was hardly considered extravagant.

As soon as Zhou Jinchen and An Xumo entered, they attracted many curious glances from around the room. One was dressed entirely in black, tall and upright, while the other was dressed in light white, slim and graceful. Though their temperaments were different, both were striking figures. However, the gazes directed at them carried entirely different emotions.

After all, one was the promising heir, while the other was the illegitimate son who had been recently kicked out.

Just like the attendant who had greeted them, many people were surprised when they saw An Xumo. There was no privacy in the mansion. The Zhou Family’s scandals were common knowledge, and no one had expected An Xumo to even appear at tonight’s birthday banquet.

An Xumo himself didn’t know the reason. He had asked Zhou Jinchen in the car, but Zhou Jinchen had only said it was a family order and that the specifics were unclear.

An Xumo was indeed uneasy, but this was the only opportunity he had had in a while to spend time with Zhou Jinchen. Plus, he could take advantage of the chance to get a good meal, which was why he was standing there.

Once inside the hall, several people came forward to greet Zhou Jinchen, which soon separated the two. An Xumo wasn’t concerned about that. The long white table was already filled with sumptuous dishes, so he helped himself to a plate of food and found an inconspicuous corner to sit down.

The Zhou Family had their own pastry chef, and the presentation and taste of the treats were top-notch. An Xumo was probably the only one in the banquet hall who was quietly eating. No one would bother him anyway. It was just that in the eyes of this only attentive diner, these carefully crafted meals weren’t very tasty either.

This luxury family birthday banquet was grand to the extreme, yet the attention on An Xumo was subtle, with whispered comments and unabashed malice. The guest of honor, who was the subject of their gossip, didn’t notice the atmosphere around him. He sat quietly in the corner, slowly nibbling on a cookie.

The sweet taste he loved turned into a faint, flavorless dryness on his lips. An Xumo silently filled his stomach, but in his mind, he felt that this plate of carefully baked dessert wasn’t as tasty as the chicken breast he had for lunch.

Everywhere felt cold, even the translucent shrimp dumplings that were steaming had bits of ice on them. A bite would cool his stomach completely.

An Xumo stopped eating after a while. He didn’t look back at the increasingly direct stares, instead, he searched the room for the familiar figure in pure black. Zhou Jinchen’s appearance made it impossible for him to blend into the crowd, and even in a banquet where everyone was carefully dressed, An Xumo spotted him at once.

However, Zhou Jinchen, who had just been talking with family and friends, was now standing in a rather secluded corner. He was speaking in a low voice with a youth who looked hurried, his expression somewhat cold and stern. An Xumo glanced curiously at the young man, feeling that he had seen him somewhere before.

He had only glanced a few times when both people suddenly raised their heads and turned their gaze toward him.

Coldly meeting one another’s eyes, An Xumo couldn’t help but freeze for a moment.

But in fact, the one who was more surprised was Zhou Jinchen.

“Are you sure the person who died 15 years ago was his biological father?” Zhou Jinchen’s voice was very low, his grip on his wine glass tight. The rounded bottom of the glass dug into his palm, causing him pain.

“Since his father jumped to his death long ago, who was the one who drugged me ten years ago?”

A brief silence arose on the other end of the phone. After a while, Zhou Jinchen’s voice slowly came through: “Are you at Jin Dian?”

“Yes…”

It seemed that Zhou Jinchen said something to the driver, and after a moment of fuzziness, his voice became clear again: “200 meters away from the road sign is the location I sent you.”

A brief buzzing vibration came from the phone, and soon, the call ended.

The overheated phone burned his palm. A bit of sweat from the side of his face had slid onto the smooth screen. An Xumo quickly wiped the screen with a tissue, stood up, and went to the bathroom to wash his face.

Clear water droplets slowly slid down his delicate features, and his fair skin appeared even more translucent after getting wet. An Xumo didn’t have the habit of wearing makeup during practice, as his conditions were excellent. His whole demeanor exuded the pure charm unique to youth. Although his temperament was different from Zhou Jinchen’s, there was no doubt that both of them unconsciously emitted an irresistible charm to those around them.

But when An Xumo looked up at himself in the mirror, he couldn’t help but feel a lack of confidence or peace of mind.

He had thought he would change back into his dance practice clothes in the afternoon, so he had just casually thrown on a plain white T-shirt and black shorts. This outfit had looked poor even when he was in high school, let alone when meeting his brother.

While editing a message to ask Tang Tang for time off, An Xumo absentmindedly chewed on the tip of his tongue, thinking about the time they hadn’t seen each other. When he was anxious, he had the habit of biting his tongue, a trick he had originally used to stave off hunger.

In fact, An Xumo didn’t need to think much. He had been keeping track of the cumulative days—he had last seen Zhou Jinchen a year ago. 370 days had passed, and now this date could finally reset, starting again from scratch.

Tang Tang directly called him. An Xumo’s tongue felt a little numb, but he apologized as best as he could: “I’m really sorry, there’s something important at home. I’ll make up for the practice when I get back.”

Fortunately, he had just started working with a new agent, and his schedule hadn’t been finalized yet. After giving a few instructions, Tang Tang relaxed. An Xumo didn’t dare delay further, tugged at the hem of his T-shirt, and hurriedly left the company.

The black Bentley stopped in front of the bank. An Xumo glanced at it and immediately recognized it as the family car. He hurried over, and a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle opened the car door. An Xumo softly thanked him, taking a deep breath to calm his hurried breathing before bending down to sit in the backseat.

The driver and the butler sat in the front, and naturally, the man who had been counted to 370 was sitting in the back. The car was spacious, with a refined atmosphere. There was even a soundproof partition between the front and back seats. An Xumo was afraid his voice might sound impolite, so he did his best to suppress his rapid breathing.

But the other party’s first words easily shattered the calm he had tried to maintain.

“Why aren’t you going to school?”

Before An Xumo could decide whether to mention his contract with Jin Dian, the man’s question caught him off guard. Zhou Jinchen flipped over the tablet he was holding, the cold light from the screen stabbing into An Xumo’s eyes.

It was the contract he had signed with Jin Dian.

Clearly, Zhou Jinchen had found more than just that contract. With a swipe of his long fingers, An Xumo saw several thumbnail images of his personal files. His performance videos, vocal range analysis, class schedules—everything was there.

His appearance certainly gave Zhou Jinchen’s career a boost, but the reason he had landed such amazing resources right after debuting was because of the investment the Zhou Family had slammed into the Jin Dian Group.

Within just a few minutes, Zhou Jinchen had obtained all of An Xumo’s information.

The screen froze, and a formal yet celebratory admission letter was enlarged. The emblem of a top university was prominently displayed at the top, and the next line began with An Xumo’s name.

The man’s voice remained low and alluring, despite only containing a word: “Explain.”

An Xumo pinched the seam of his pants, his voice slightly muddled: “I want… to be a star.”

Zhou Jinchen’s voice revealed no emotion: “Why didn’t you tell the family?”

An Xumo murmured, “There’s no need to trouble them with this…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the tablet was thrown with a sharp “thud” between them.

An Xumo looked down and saw the display showing all his expenses for the month—training, food and accommodation, clothing… and even energy drinks.

All in all, aside from the essentials, everything else was the lowest option available, totaling less than 3,000.

For an average student, 3,000 might cover one or two months of living expenses, but for the Zhou Family, that amount was less than what they would pay for a day’s cleaning service.

An Xumo could no longer stay defiant; the truth was glaringly obvious in front of both of them.

He had been kicked out of the Zhou Family.

The Zhou Family had been in business for three generations, and under Old Master Zhou, the family had become even more prosperous, with four sons. An Xumo had originally been raised by the youngest, Zhou Yunshan. After Zhou Yunshan passed away, when he was just three years old, An Xumo was fostered by Zhou Yunshan’s second eldest brother, Zhou Yunlin—Zhou Jinchen’s family.

Although he was being raised there, the Zhou Family had never hidden their rejection of An Xumo.

Zhou Yunshan had been intelligent since he was a child and was greatly loved with a natural talent for business that made him even more admirable. He was perfect in every way, but he fell short when it came to love.

When Zhou Yunshan brought An Xumo back, the Zhou Family nearly exploded—no one expected the prestigious Zhou Family, with their successful Young Master Zhou, to stubbornly insist on raising another man’s child for his fiancée.

An Xumo wasn’t even Zhou Yunshan’s biological son. His existence was a shame to the Zhou Family. But Zhou Yunshan refused to break off his engagement, and even when he lay on his deathbed, he never forgot to entrust An Xumo to his second brother, who had only one child.

After Zhou Yunshan’s death, the Zhou Family changed An Xumo’s surname back to his mother’s. They considered their duty fulfilled after nearly 18 years of raising a child of another family. The day An Xumo received his university admission letter, all contact with him was officially severed. Zhou Jinchen, busy with filming and engagements, might not return home once in a year, and no one had informed him, so he naturally knew nothing of this matter.

When An Xumo left the Zhou Family residence, all he had left was the phone Zhou Jinchen had given him for his birthday and the inheritance left to him by Zhou Yunshan before his death. He was still underage, so Zhou Yunshan’s estate only allowed him to withdraw 2,000 a month. The Zhou Family had paid for his university tuition, but An Xumo no longer wanted to continue studying.

No matter how well he did or how obedient he was, no one would change their attitude toward him. To the Zhou Family, An Xumo had been a disgrace from the moment he was born.

The problems didn’t stop there. The Zhou Family didn’t care about An Xumo signing the contract on his own, but Zhou Jinchen, who also worked in the entertainment industry, couldn’t remain indifferent. The man’s voice, calm yet forceful, landed near An Xumo’s ear with the same oppressive effect as his appearance.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Zhou Jinchen’s imposing presence had always been intimidating, and with An Xumo, who had always been afraid of him, the questioning threw him off balance. His face turned even paler as he stammered, “I was afraid I’d cause trouble to brother…”

Zhou Jinchen faintly cut him off, “If you don’t want to cause trouble, then don’t call me ‘brother’ in front of others.”

The color drained from An Xumo’s face in an instant.

He understood this logic completely—Zhou Jinchen had his own considerations. The entertainment industry was full of both good and bad, and the media would dig up anything they could. Zhou Jinchen had always disliked his privacy being exposed, and naturally, he wouldn’t make their relationship public. That was why An Xumo had never mentioned Zhou Jinchen to anyone during his time with Jin Dian, not even to Tang Tang.

What truly left An Xumo feeling helpless was the undeniable truth in front of him—Zhou Family had completely severed ties with him, even transferring his guardianship. So now, he no longer had the right to call him that.

Zhou Jinchen glanced at the slender boy in front of him, his eyes briefly stopping on the pale hand where veins showed faintly, before quickly moving away. He pressed the intercom button and spoke to the driver, giving a new destination. The direction shifted, and the luxury car’s shock absorption system worked so smoothly that An Xumo couldn’t feel any bumps during the turn.

When Zhou Jinchen released the button, he heard the usual light tone from the other side, but this time it was slightly hoarse, “I understand. I will try my best. I won’t disturb you, senior.”

Zhou Jinchen raised an eyebrow in response, his handsome face carrying a mysterious expression. He had planned to say something, but when he saw An Xumo’s face, he froze.

An Xumo was staring down at the dimming tablet when a slender hand reached out with a wet wipe. He hurriedly looked up, and the man holding the wipe said, “The corner of your mouth.”

An Xumo instinctively wiped with the back of his hand, only to smear a large patch of blood across his fair skin.

It was then that he realized he had bitten his tongue. After quickly thanking the man, An Xumo took the wet wipe from him and carefully cleaned up the blood.

The car fell into a brief silence. Just as An Xumo was about to ask a very important question, he heard the man’s usual deep, captivating voice, “Off-camera, you can call me whatever you like.”

An Xumo looked up in confusion. The light outlined Zhou Jinchen’s perfect profile, and at such a close distance, it was enough to soothe all of his hunger.

“Senior will do,” Zhou Jinchen said indifferently. “But you haven’t debuted yet.”

An Xumo had initially wanted to ask why he was still allowed to attend the birthday banquet, but Zhou Jinchen’s words completely threw him off. He sat there dazed, feeling as though his ears were ringing, or perhaps he had misunderstood.

The smoothly driving Bentley came to a stop. Zhou Jinchen opened the car door and stepped out first. The butler opened the door on An Xumo’s side. In a daze, An Xumo stepped out of the car and looked ahead.

What stood before him was not the cold, imposing main gate of the mansion, but a magnificent, refined, tall commercial building. Several famous luxury brand logos stood out on large signs, and the bright windows displayed small but expensive new arrivals.

Zhou Jinchen, wearing sunglasses, passed by him and tilted his head slightly, signaling to An Xumo, who was dressed in cheap clothes.

“Keep up.”

---

The author has something to say:

The very poor and hungry An Xiao Mo is about to be taken out shopping for clothes =v=.

Click to bookmark this story, and you’ll get a stable daily update (≧▽≦)/!

The phone screen had already locked, but denying it now would only make it seem a little too much. An Xumo responded as naturally as possible, both in expression and tone, “Mm, senior is my idol.”

Tang Tang didn’t find it strange that her own artist was chasing after a star. The name Zhou Jinchen had been well-known in the circle in recent years—he was the ideal model for anyone dreaming of overnight fame. While An Xumo had exceptional potential, he was still just an unknown trainee. It was only natural for him to admire Zhou Jinchen.

However, admiration was one thing; necessary warnings couldn’t be omitted. As she packed up the meal boxes, Tang Tang said, “Xiao Mo, there’s nothing wrong with chasing stars, but you have to remember your own identity. Once you officially debut, the company will arrange various materials for you. You need to be mindful of boundaries, or who knows how others might spin things if they catch wind of it.”

Tang Tang’s words were blunt, but they served as a very timely reminder. In the entertainment industry, there was no such thing as privacy—an artist’s preferences were all exploitable elements. Having an idol could be a small matter or a big one, but An Xumo had no leverage at the moment. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily be labeled as someone clout-chasing.

“Brother Zhou’ team is the top-tier setup in our company, and his fanbase is particularly loyal. He’s on the actor track, yet his stats are no less than those of top traffic stars.” After finishing her initial reminder, Tang Tang softened her tone, half comforting and half advising, “We don’t need to rush things. Just keep working hard, and you’ll definitely have the chance to collaborate with him in the future.”

An Xumo responded quietly, showing no signs of discomfort. Tang Tang assumed he had taken her words to heart, unaware that, for An Xumo, her advice was completely unnecessary.

He had been hiding his emotions for over ten years—far longer than any other fan of Zhou Jinchen—and he understood better than anyone how to suppress them.

After lunch, the trainees had an hour of break time. An Xumo had long since gotten used to using this time for extra practice. He was about to head to the dance studio when Tang Tang called him back.

“Right. Han Ming, the one who arranged for you all to appear at the concert, is coming over. He’s selecting a few dancers for his new single. Go wait for him in the lobby first. Make a good first impression—it’ll make it easier to stay in touch later.”

An Xumo hesitated for a moment, only nodding after Tang Tang called his name again.

Tang Tang had other matters to attend to. After a few more reminders, she let An Xumo go. During the lunch break, the corridor was quiet. An Xumo walked alone for a long time until he reached the railing on the second floor. Looking down, he finally saw some figures moving through the lobby on the first floor.

Jin Dian was a massive company with a very luxurious interior. The spacious lobby was bright and pristine, with floors polished enough to reflect one’s image. People occasionally passed through, and a few trainees sat in the booth-style sofas to the side, seemingly casual but clearly keeping an eye on the entrance.

Surrounded by emptiness, standing atop this stage of fame and fortune adorned with heavy makeup and pretense, An Xumo found himself standing in this high-class building countless people dreamed of reaching. The windows were spotless, the lighting was warm, yet hunger swept over him like a gust of wind through an open hall, sudden and overwhelming.

The staircase was easy to find. When An Xumo descended to the first-floor lobby, the trainees immediately noticed him. An Xumo didn’t notice the unfriendly gazes directed his way, simply finding a quiet corner behind the stairs to sit alone.

The lobby was vast, so much so that its daily cleaning was divided between two separate teams. An Xumo sat in an inconspicuous spot where he could clearly see those entering through the doors, but others would find it difficult to notice him.

The wait wasn’t long. Before long, Han Ming’s figure appeared at the entrance. Han Ming was a prime example of a successful solo debut after leaving a group. His appearance was striking, and after securing opportunities, he made the most of them. After skyrocketing to fame through a variety show, he hadn’t neglected his core skills in singing and dancing. Now, he was capable of holding solo concerts in China, with VIP seats being resold at triple the original price.

Despite having debuted only three years ago and not yet having solidified his foundation, to these trainees who had yet to debut, Han Ming was already a senior star beyond reach. They waited here eagerly, hoping for a chance to strike up a conversation with this senior.

However, when Han Ming finally stepped inside, everyone’s attention was instantly stolen by someone else.

Accompanying Han Ming into the lobby was a young man nearly 1.9 meters tall. Both had long legs and tall statures, yet standing together, their differences were strikingly clear. The man who drew all eyes had an imposing presence and an exceptionally outstanding appearance. In terms of looking at his appearance alone, he was even more stunning than Han Ming, who had debuted as an idol.

This was no exaggeration. Setting aside everything else, the media was always eager to use the largest headlines and the most captivating descriptions to praise this man’s looks, knowing they would guarantee surging readership every time. Yet, even with all the flowery words, no retelling could fully capture his allure without losing some part of it.

Despite debuting as an actor, he held two records: the highest solo magazine sales and the fastest sellout of limited-edition issues. Over the years, his refined temperament had only enhanced his appearance, making him more breathtaking and awe-inspiring with each passing year.

—The man walking into the lobby alongside Han Ming was none other than Zhou Jinchen.

Only the trainees seeking opportunities from Han Ming had been keeping an eye on him, but the moment Zhou Jinchen appeared, all attention was instantly drawn to him instead.

Jin Dian was an established entertainment conglomerate, with countless celebrities coming and going daily. Any random star from the company was enough to capture public attention. Even so, the people present were momentarily stunned by the sheer impact of his presence. It took a while before they could regain their composure.

Once they snapped out of it, they realized that Han Ming was engaged in conversation with Zhou Jinchen. The latter was dressed in a custom-tailored black suit, which not only made him look even more striking but also indicated something else—he was likely on his way to attend a highly formal event.

Compared to the surrounding onlookers’ reaction, Han Ming’s demeanor remained calm and composed. He was undoubtedly good-looking himself, though he paled slightly in comparison to Zhou Jinchen. However, his poised manner of speaking still made him an appealing presence.

The lobby was spacious, and those nearby couldn’t make out the details of their conversation. They could only see Han Ming chatting enthusiastically, while the usually reserved Zhou Jinchen didn’t seem entirely uninterested either. He said something brief, and Han Ming immediately broke into a pleased smile. The atmosphere between them that moment let the bystanders hesitate to interrupt.

However, after just a few steps, a few unfamiliar young men approached to greet them. Whether due to the unexpected turn of events or the overwhelming aura Zhou Jinchen exuded, they rushed forward so clumsily that they couldn’t even introduce themselves properly.

Han Ming, who had been casually joking earlier, immediately adjusted his expression. He didn’t react much, simply glancing at the name tags on their chests before giving them a polite nod and moving on without lingering.

Seeing the trainees gathering around Han Ming, An Xumo, who had been sitting in the distance, suddenly remembered his own task. He was supposed to greet Han Ming as well. But with that person there, there was no way he could go up and start a conversation now.

Left with no other choice, An Xumo could only apologize to Tang Tang in his heart.

Compared to An Xumo, it was the other trainees who were truly filled with regret. But at this moment, Han Ming and Zhou Jinchen had already entered the elevator, leaving them no chance to salvage the situation. What was meant to be an opportunity to leave a good impression had instead turned into a disaster. Worse still, they had made a rash and discourteous impression in front of Zhou Jinchen. First impressions were crucial, and now, they would have to work ten times harder to make up for it.

Meanwhile, An Xumo, who hadn’t stepped forward at all, was ironically the most at ease. Even the hunger he had felt earlier had mostly subsided. With half an hour of lunch break remaining and Han Ming already gone, he had no other tasks left. He initially planned to resume extra training but then recalled Tang Tang mentioning adjustments to his new training schedule. Pausing his steps toward the upper floor, he took out the company-issued trainee phone and sent Tang Tang a message.

Training and debuting newcomers in groups was a standard cost-cutting and risk-reducing strategy for the company. However, An Xumo had already proven his value in the competitive environment at the bottom tier, which meant the company was bound to make new considerations for him. The original group training was no longer suitable for his current situation, and now that he had a manager, he needed to start a new training plan.

Tang Tang was still busy, so she only replied with a short WeChat message telling him to wait a little. Since the manager wasn’t available, An Xumo couldn’t go directly to the second-floor offices, so he simply stayed in the lobby, waiting for her response.

Not long after, just as the lobby had settled into calm again, small commotion arose. Snapped out of his thoughts, An Xumo looked up—only to be startled by a familiar figure.

Just ten meters away, coming down the stairs, was none other than Zhou Jinchen, the very person who had been occupying his mind moments ago. This time, he was alone—Han Ming was nowhere to be seen.

Unlike the others in the lobby, who were all subtly trying to attract Zhou Jinchen’s attention, An Xumo’s heart was racing wildly, and even his stomach tightened with a mix of sweet and sour nervousness. He didn’t dare make a sound, holding his breath as if staying perfectly still would keep him from being noticed.

Fortunately, Zhou Jinchen didn’t seem to pay attention to his surroundings. He was never the type to engage in casual socializing, nor did he need to build connections through small talk. Without stopping in the lobby, he quickly exited the Jin Dian building.

An Xumo had yet to recover from his nervousness when his phone suddenly vibrated against his leg, making him jump again. When he finally calmed down enough to check, he saw a message from Tang Tang. She was arranging his new training plan and told him not to rush—he could rest for now.

Tang Tang understood An Xumo’s personality well, so she never pressured him to over-train. Instead, she tried to help him balance work and rest. An Xumo sent her a quick thank-you message but soon found himself troubled over where to go next.

Staying in the lobby was out of the question—who knew who else he might run into? But aside from the dance studio and the vocal practice room, he didn’t really have anywhere else to go.

As he was thinking, his leg suddenly vibrated again. He assumed it was another notification from Tang Tang and instinctively reached for his phone, only to realize that the company phone was still in his right hand.

If it wasn’t the company phone…

An Xumo’s back stiffened once more.

He hurriedly fished out his personal phone from his other pocket. As the screen lit up automatically, the name displayed on it was the only person he dared not even think about.

Taking a deep breath, An Xumo felt more nervous now than he had ever been while waiting backstage before a performance. His palm was slick with sweat, and it took two tries before his fingers managed to answer the call.

“…Hello… Brother?”

The person on the other end didn’t seem to notice his nerves. A deep, magnetic voice resonated through the phone, sending a tremor down the back of An Xumo’s pale ears. Zhou Jinchen’s low voice was as famous as his looks, and An Xumo had to dig his nails into his palm just to focus on what was being said.

“Grandfather’s birthday banquet tonight. Come to the main house.”

An Xumo’s lips parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, but after opening and closing his mouth a few times, no words came out.

He knew about the banquet, but attending had never been part of his plans. No one wanted him there on a joyous occasion, and he never expected Zhou Jinchen to call him back for it.

This was completely outside of An Xumo’s expectations. He had every reason to refuse. No one in that house wanted to see him, and he himself still had classes to attend—dance practice, lessons, workouts, rest…

His schedule was packed with classes, yet none of those reasons were enough to change his decision.

—An Xumo had no way to refuse an opportunity to meet Zhou Jinchen.

Just like the fleeting glimpse he had stolen earlier—he had been terrified, yet he indulged in it willingly. His empty stomach felt as if it had been filled with cheese and honey, soft and sweet, warming him from the inside out.

As An Xumo remained silent, the voice on the other end spoke again. The sound of a car door opening and closing accompanied the deep male voice: “Turn on your location. The driver will pick you up.”

His personal phone had a security system, and An Xumo had forgotten to disable location tracking earlier. He had never given it much thought—because no one had ever come looking for him.

So now, just as Zhou Jinchen finished speaking, a soft “beep” sounded—a notification indicating an active location ping. The faint chime seemed to explode across the signal between them.

A sweet, mechanical female voice announced on the other end, “Destination reached.”

An Xumo swallowed with difficulty, his voice as dry as his parched lips. Quietly, he said, “Brother… I’m at the place you just left.”

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Daily stable updates, please bookmark -3-!

The gong and shou aren’t biologically related. This is an alternate universe where same-sex marriage is legal. Their names are derived from a Chinese idiom: 望尘莫及 (wàng chén mò jí), meaning “far beyond reach.” It signifies both an unattainable crush and the idea of longing for “Chen” while “Mo” remains out of reach~