《The Star Actor Is a Daddy: He Became an Internet Sensation After Transmigrating》


 Chapter 1

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mr. Song, this is your daughter, Xiaoxiao.¡± The village chief pushed a child, whose head was bowed, toward him. Song Qianming felt strange looking at the child no taller than his knees.


    He, the vaunted prince of a dynasty, found himself transmigrated to a new world, and upon his arrival, he was told that he had a three-year-old daughter to raise.


    Just three days ago, he found himself in the body of another who shared his characteristics. The only difference was that it was shorter and thinner. At first, he thought he had been put under a spell. That notion was quickly quashed when a coworker of his, who enjoyed reading online novels, mentioned the popularity of protagonists transmigrating into new worlds.


    There was nothing bad about being reborn. It was just that he did not inherit the memories of the body he now occupied. He feared others would notice his abnormal behavior and lock him up as a specimen for further study. Hence, he had been extremely cautious, working hard to learn the basics of his new reality. He only dared venture out when he was sure he would not oust himself as a foreigner in a strange, new land.


    He did not feel guilty taking over his present body. According to those he met in the past three days, the original owner shared several habits of his. Furthermore, the fact that he had not changed much physically allowed him to blend in almost seamlessly. Perhaps he and the original owner were tied by fate, their lives joined by karma.


    He was a very open-minded person. He chalked his opportunity at rebirth as a cosmic sign that it was the will of the heavens.


    The one hiccup he now faced, however, left him unsure of what to do. He had not had a wife or any children in his previous life, so what was he supposed to do with this newfound daughter left by the original owner of his current body? Even now, he could not help but feel dazed, at a loss for what to do.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, I¡¯m your father,¡± he said, squatting so that he was eye-level with his daughter. He spoke in the gentlest tone he could manage, hoping it was enough.


    Zhang Xiaoxiao stared wide-eyed at her father. Fear did not cloud her eyes; instead, they burned bright with intense curiosity.


    Song Qianming felt himself ease up a little. He would not have known what to do if the child rejected him. With the passing of the young girl¡¯s mother, he would be the child¡¯s only guardian. They would live together from now on.


    ¡°Follow Daddy, okay?¡± He reached out, waiting for the child to place her hand in his.


    Zhang Xiaoxiao hesitated but did not let Song Qianming down.


    The child¡¯s hand was soft and tender. When she placed her hand on his palm, Song Qianming¡¯s heart stirred. Was this what it meant to be connected by blood?


    He was a father! Song Qianming vowed to take good care of his daughter. If it were his previous life, his daughter would be an imperial princess; his royal brother would not deny him this request. Unfortunately, his imperial brother was absent in his new life, and he was no longer a prince. All he could do was try to ensure his daughter lived well.


    ¡°I heard she lived with her grandparents after her mother died. Are they in the village now? Can I visit them?¡±


    A complex expression twisted the village chief¡¯s face. ¡°This ¡­¡±


    The village chief stammered, ¡°Xiaoxiao¡¯s maternal grandparents say they want nothing to do with her. You are her father and only guardian. Everything she has is already here with her.¡±


    How could Song Qianming not understand what the village chief was trying to say? They wanted to sever all ties with Xiaoxiao, not wanting to involve themselves in her future.


    He was just a small star with a limited future. That scandal had hurt him deeply. Xiaoxiao¡¯s maternal grandparents probably did not want to be associated with him for fear of sharing his misfortune. Raising a child will always be a tremendous undertaking regardless of the era.


    Song Qianming recalled his past as a prince of the Lan dynasty. Even then, his royal brother had to issue an imperial edict banning the sale of women and children to stop situations like Xiaoxiao¡¯s from occurring. All parents were required to raise their children until the age they could work. This world seemed more focused on education, yet abuses of the system were still rampant. It would be troublesome raising a child in this new world.


    Since the relatives of the child¡¯s mother did not want to be involved, then he would take her away, and they could forget about getting close to her ever again.


    ¡°Forget it. Since they want nothing to do with her, I shall be her sole relative,¡± Song Qianming proclaimed, steel in his voice.


    Xiaoxiao looked up at him and smiled sweetly.


    Song Qianming felt as if his heart was about to melt. Was this how it felt to have a daughter?


    The village chief heaved a sigh of relief. He had thought Song Qianming would refuse to take on Xiaoxiao. After all, the man was supposed to be a celebrity, albeit boycotted by his fans because of the scandalous exposure of Xiaoxiao¡¯s parentage. It was so bad that there were calls for him to retire from the entertainment industry. If Song Qianming were to acknowledge Xiaoxiao, all his remaining fans would likely desert him. The village chief did not expect him to be such a responsible man.


    With that settled, the village chief was freed from the weight of having to find someone to take her. If custody of the child were given to the Zhang family, Xiaoxiao would undoubtedly lead a hard life. With her mother gone and the little money left in her coffers¡­


    The village chief shook away those errant thoughts. It was not his place to interfere in family affairs. Xiaoxiao¡¯s father would take care of her, which was a more ideal solution than having her stay with the Zhang family.


    ¡°Can I take Xiaoxiao away now?¡± Song Qianming asked.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao is still registered with us. If you want to change that or her surname, you¡¯ll need to prove that you are her father. Without it, we cannot release her into your custody.¡±


    Song Qianming found the paperwork troublesome, but he also knew it was the way of the world he had transmigrated to. In a way, it was not so much of a bad thing, showing that the government valued children. No such procedural codes were present in the Lan dynasty, and he could admit that the framework protected children.


    ¡°How long will it take?¡±


    ¡°It usually takes about three days, but we can expedite the process if it is urgent. You should be able to receive word by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Please do so. But where will she stay for the night? Can she stay with me?¡± Seeing as all her things were packed, it stood to reason that the child¡¯s maternal family did not want her to return.


    ¡°If Xiaoxiao has no objections, she can bunk with one of our female officers at the police station for the night.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± While he was the child¡¯s father, until proof could be produced, no one would feel at ease allowing her to stay with him. Beasts come in all shapes and forms, a constant in any era.


    ¡°Xiaoxiao, Daddy will take you home tomorrow, okay?¡± He squatted down again as he spoke to the young girl.


    Xiaoxiao nodded her head obediently, but she did not let go. It made Song Qianming feel sorry for her.


    How many children had the Zhang family cast aside? Song Qianming could not help but wonder. If they did care at all, why would they abandon the young girl, placing responsibility over her with a man they did not know?


    ¡°Chief, can I spend more time with Xiaoxiao today?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±


    It was a good thing Song Qianming understood the procedural delays and did not kick up a fuss. The village chief had thought things would go very differently. Didn¡¯t all stars carry themselves like big shots, throwing their weight around? Maybe Song Qianming¡¯s lack of popularity was the main cause for his easy demeanor.


    If Song Qianming knew the village chief¡¯s thoughts on the matter, he probably would not have known whether to laugh or cry.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The next afternoon, all the paperwork was properly filed, and Song Qianming left the place with Xiaoxiao.


    The first thing he wanted to do was change his daughter¡¯s name. He did not like the name ¡®Zhang Xiaoxiao,¡¯ but he still wanted his daughter¡¯s opinion before doing anything.


    Song Qianming did not have any children in his previous life. Yet, now that he had a child that looked similar to him, a girl no less, Song Qianming felt an unfamiliar ache in his chest. He did not want to impose his decisions on his daughter without hearing her thoughts.


    Thus, on the way back, he looked at the child with utmost sincerity and asked, ¡°Xiaoxiao, would you be willing to take Daddy¡¯s surname in the future? What do you think about a name change? Changing your name will give you a shot at a different life.¡±


    No sooner had Song Qianming spoken than he began to question whether his young daughter understood him. The child was only three and a half years old, after all. Some things were still beyond children of that age.


    Just as he was about to retract his words, Xiaoxiao hugged him by the arm and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Song Qianming¡¯s heart melted into a puddle of water at his daughter¡¯s reaction. The smile she wore was as vibrant as the sun. He finally understood why the old Prime Minister¡¯s expression always grew so warm when he talked about his little granddaughter back in his previous life. So this was what it felt like to receive a child¡¯s heartfelt affection!


    ¡°I want to take Daddy¡¯s surname.¡± The young girl hugged his arms tighter as she spoke, almost as if fearing he would disappear should she let go.


    Even Song Qianming, a transmigrator, could tell her actions were an obvious sign of insecurity, and his heart clenched in his chest. What a sad life his good daughter must have led so far!


    With her mother¡¯s passing and her maternal relatives shunning her, how could she have been raised in any comfort or security? Nothing but the bare necessities were afforded to her. Had the Zhang family continued to be her guardian, he shuddered at the thought of how they would treat her.


    Song Qianming easily recalled the Zhang family¡¯s heartlessness, so he did not push them for anything Xiaoxiao¡¯s mother might have left her. They were done, their ties severed. He would not allow them to take advantage of his good daughter.


    A cold flash lit up Song Qianming¡¯s eyes. The sudden change in his demeanor caused the cabbie to shiver involuntarily, refocusing his attention on the road instead of the father and daughter duo sitting in the back seat.


    However, the abrupt change was lost on the young child, and she asked in a sweet voice, ¡°What name will you give me, Daddy?¡±


    Song Qianming had not thought that far. Having never married or had children, how could he have had an opportunity to consider names for his children?


    In his past life, he had his royal brother. Even if he could not find a good match, he could still rely on his royal brother to select someone worthy of him. That way, the imperial family¡¯s prestige could be maintained. What was he supposed to do now without his royal brother around?! What should he do?


    His daughter¡¯s question well and truly stumped Song Qianming. Although countless names flashed through his mind, none felt good enough for his daughter. He cursed himself for not having read enough in his previous life. Why had he not paid more attention to the Grand Tutor and read more like he was instructed?


    ¡°My dear, is there a name you like?¡± Since he could not think of one himself, Song Qianming asked his daughter for her thoughts. He wanted to be a good father and respect his daughter¡¯s input.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take any name Daddy gives me,¡± the young girl answered shyly.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Song Qianming¡¯s thoughts were a mess, but even in that haze, he could not help but feel a surge of warmth suffusing his chest. To think he would have such a good daughter who would take any name he gave her!


    Only when they alighted did Song Qianming think of a name that ticked all the right boxes.


    He picked his daughter up as she struggled out of the cab, asking, ¡°What do you think of the name ¡®Youhuan¡¯? Daddy wants you to lead a happy life; everything else is secondary.¡±


    The young girl was not dissatisfied with her father¡¯s choice of name. She smiled and looped her short arms around his neck. ¡°Okay. From now on, my name is Song Youhuan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Song Youhuan,¡± Song Qianming repeated, feeling proud. ¡°We¡¯ll have your name changed at the registrar¡¯s office tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, are we going home now?¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡± Song Qianming hesitated, his footsteps slowing down. Every so often, his eyes would dart from left to right as if looking for something.


    ¡°Is Daddy lost?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Daddy is looking for his grandparent¡¯s house. Daddy has never been to their house before. Don¡¯t worry, Youhuan. Daddy will find it.¡± While he may have spoken to reassure his daughter, Song Qianming was far from confident. Why could he not have inherited the memories of the original body like other transmigrators?


    Song Qianming¡¯s past few days were spent scouring for basic information, reading chat records on his mobile phone, and cross-referencing the material with whatever else he could get his hands on. Even the current address he was looking for had been found digging through whatever the original body owner had saved in his mobile phone. As for how to get where he wanted to go¡­ He had no clue.


    In a way, it mirrored the original body¡¯s predicament. The original owner did not know who his father was, except that his surname was Song, while his mother had passed away in an accident during his primary school years. The one difference that set them apart was how his grandparents had treated him. They were much better than his daughter¡¯s maternal grandparents.


    Song Qianming¡¯s grandparents had raised him with love and attention all through his years in high school. Things only changed when the original body¡¯s owner had a big argument over his future during the college entrance examinations.


    He only managed to complete college because the original body¡¯s grandmother secretly contacted and sponsored him through school. His grandmother had sent the original owner of the body this address when they moved. It was a little convoluted, but that was as much as Song Qianming could gather in the few days he had to prepare himself for his new life.


    ¡°It should be this way,¡± Song Qiaming said while looking through his chat history, frustrated that there were so many identical buildings in this new world he had transmigrated into. Things would be much simpler if each house occupied one space like the norm in his previous life.


    However, being a prince in his previous life, Song Qianming was not referring to houses of the common folk but palaces befitting his royal station. Those who surrounded him were relatives or powerful ministers, and they each had their compounds. How could it not have been easy to find where someone lived?


    While he was aware that commoners tended to live together in large communal housing, it was not the first thought that came to mind when he searched his surroundings for his grandparents¡¯ address.


    The society he now lived in was more convenient in many ways, but it faced similar problems as those of his previous life, where those unfamiliar with each other would have a hard time looking for the people they wanted to find.


    It was night when Song Qianming and his daughter finally found the house they were looking for. Song Qianming was fine not eating dinner, but how could he let his daughter forgo a warm meal on their first day together? Although he had bought some cake and milk on the way home, they were not a proper meal.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out for dinner? If things don¡¯t work out, we¡¯ll stay in a hotel for the night.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned around with Youhuan in his arms. Who knew that, at this time, a firm voice would interject? ¡°Stop! It¡¯s late. Where are you taking my great-granddaughter?¡±


    Song Qianming spun around in surprise. A strange feeling bubbled to the surface. Was it guilt he was feeling?


    It was a natural reaction, and only the original owner of the body¡¯s grandfather could have elicited such a response. How was he supposed to interact with the old man? What would happen if the old man realized he had taken over the original¡¯s body?


    He had never meant to transmigrate, nor did he want to hurt the lives of those close to the original owner of the body he now inhabited.


    Since those managers and assistants never noticed anything wrong when he first transmigrated, he should be fine, shouldn¡¯t he? As far as he could tell, his habits were pretty much the same as the body¡¯s original owner.

 Chapter 3

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Qianming turned around stiffly, coming face to face with an angry old man glaring at him.


    How could he, the prince of a vast empire in his previous life, who had played tricks on the Grand Tutor and fooled around with the old Prime Minister¡¯s beard without remorse, not know how to react in the face of this old man?


    The old man did not seem to think anything amiss and continued his tirade, ¡°You¡¯re getting increasingly out of hand. I told you not to go to some film academy or enter the entertainment industry. Now you¡¯re unmarried and saddled with a daughter. Do you enjoy making things difficult for your family?¡±


    Song Qianming felt like his head would explode upon hearing the old man¡¯s words, but he reigned himself in. He was not a prince anymore, and even if he were still one, he would not show such disrespect to an elder. Moreover, he agreed with the old man¡¯s words, feeling it was inappropriate for the body¡¯s original owner to have a daughter without getting married.


    With everything said and done, Song Qianming refrained from responding. He did not want to say too much for fear of making a mistake and exposing himself.


    Seeing his grandson so unmoved by his lecture, the old man did not know what to say. What more could he say when a pair of large eyes glared at him for dressing down his grandson? What if he said something that scared the poor child?


    ¡°Stop scolding Daddy! Daddy is the best!¡± Youhuan cried.


    His daughter¡¯s love for him heartened Song Qianming, bringing a smile to his face. He could not help but feel smug at the open display of affection.


    The old man was infuriated by his grandson¡¯s behavior. He could not understand how this rascal could produce such a good daughter.


    ¡°Great-grandpa isn¡¯t scolding your father. Great-grandpa just said a few words to your father because he didn¡¯t listen to me. Why should you have to stay in a hotel instead of your home? How can a hotel be more comfortable than home?¡± The old man warmly deflected. ¡°Come child, what¡¯s your name? Great-grandpa shall carry you home, and we¡¯ll have dinner together. How does that sound? I¡¯m sure Great-grandma will whip up a feast for us.¡±


    ¡°My name is Youhuan! Daddy chose this name because he hopes I¡¯ll always be happy.¡±


    ¡°Youhuan?¡± The old man nodded with a smile. ¡°At least your father has learned from some of his mistakes. He chose a good name, not bad. Come, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Youhuan did not immediately reject the old man¡¯s proposal, instead turning to her father for direction.


    Song Qianming nudged Youhuan into the old man¡¯s arms. Even though he had a head full of white hair, he was still energetic and in good health. If the old man wanted to hold her, that was fine. He was afraid that he would not have anything to discuss with the old man. Now that he had a child, he had another mouth to feed, and he had to look after more than just himself. At least he did not have to worry about finding a place to stay.


    The old man held the young girl in his arms as if she were a precious treasure. He did not dare to jostle her too much for fear of hurting her.


    However, his actions made Youhuan uncomfortable. She writhed in the old man¡¯s arms, trying to make herself more comfortable. ¡°Great-grandpa, it¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re uncomfortable, just let your Great-grandpa know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an awkward form of address,¡± Song Qianming mumbled, but the old man¡¯s glare silenced him.


    The apartment building only had one flat per floor, so it was not too crowded.


    The old lady inside heard the door opening and spoke without checking to see who it was. ¡°Why are you back so early? Weren¡¯t you going to play chess with Old Li and the others?¡±


    ¡°What else do we have at home? If there isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll buy some more for our Youhuan. She must have suffered greatly with her unreliable father looking after her,¡± the old man responded with dissatisfaction.


    Song Qianming swallowed a retort. Why did he have to return to this place? Although he did not have much money, he tried his hardest to buy the best food money could buy for his daughter. Then again, the old man was not wrong. Compared to the exotic delicacies he had eaten in the palace in his previous life, the local fare was nothing to write home about.


    Shame filled his conscience when he realized he had been buying food of poor quality for his daughter and that she could not enjoy the same luxuries he had once had as a prince to a vast dynasty. He was a complete failure!


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already eaten? Why would we need to buy more food? Who is this Youhuan? Is her father¡­¡± As the old lady mumbled, a thought came to mind, and she spun around with surprising alacrity. Shock, and unconcealed surprise, colored her weatherbeaten face.


    The old lady came face to face with her eldest grandson. She had raised him since he was a child, and because of his estrangement from her husband, she had not seen him in two years. The moment she saw him, her eyes turned red.


    Song Qianming did not know what to say in the face of the old lady¡¯s concern.


    His previous life had not prepared him for a scenario like this. The previous emperor suspected his mother of treason, and she was beheaded. Her father, his maternal grandfather, was sent to a frontier fortress, where he died for reasons unknown. As for the empress, she had wished he and his royal brother would perish with every fiber of her being. So in the face of the old woman¡¯s unsullied love, Song Qianming stood paralyzed, unable to react.


    The guilt he had buried quickly resurfaced. After all, he was not her real grandson, just an impostor who had transmigrated and taken his place.


    ¡°Have you come home at last? What your grandfather said back then were words he spoke in anger. Don¡¯t take them to heart. Besides, when did he gain the right to decide in this household?¡±


    Song Qianming relaxed upon hearing the old woman¡¯s intimate words filled with reproach. Who would have thought the old man would be so henpecked? He could not tell at all!


    The old man flushed in embarrassment, quivering in barely suppressed anger as he felt his grandson¡¯s mocking gaze on him. ¡°Who says I can¡¯t make the decisions in this family?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Are you trying to drive our grandson away? You stubborn old man. Is it so hard to admit that you missed him?¡±


    The old lady did not give the old man a chance to speak, her eyes landing on Youhuan. ¡°Be good. Let your ancestor hug you.¡±


    ¡°What ancestor? What¡¯s with that title?¡± The old man¡¯s words may have sounded coarse, but he still handed the child to his wife.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t call Great-grandma ¡®Ancestor,¡¯ what should I call her?¡±


    ¡°Then what would you call me?¡± The old man asked.


    ¡°Great Ancestor,¡± Youhuan said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.


    ¡°Ai!¡± Before the old lady or Song Qianming could rebut the old man, he happily agreed, laughing in delight.


    The old lady rolled her eyes but did not correct him. Instead, she asked, ¡°What would you like to eat, Huanhuan? Your Great-grandma shall whip something up for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not picky,¡± she answered.


    While it may have seemed like she had spoken sensibly, the three adults could only feel sorry for her. What did a barely three-year-old child have to have gone through to remain calm and accommodating in the new environment she had been thrust into? They would much rather the child were a little more wilful and lively.


    ¡°Does Huanhuan have anything she can¡¯t eat?¡± The old lady changed tactics.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Youhuan shook her head.


    The adults did not relax despite her answer. They believed the young girl must not have had much food to sample if she did not know whether she had any allergies. Still, it would be best if she was not allergic to anything.


    ¡°Huanhuan, go and watch some television. Great-grandma will make something delicious for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Great-grandma.¡±


    The old lady patted Song Youhuan on her head and said, ¡°You never need to thank us, my dear.¡± The old lady¡¯s words were steeped in sorrow.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Wen Lanxin did not want the child to go hungry, so she did not make anything too complicated. She made a simple egg drop soup, throwing in some meatballs they had left over, steamed a plate of pork ribs, and prepared a plate of stir-fried vegetables.


    Even though it was just home-cooked food and nothing special, Song Qianming and Song Youhuan felt their appetites whet. Song Qianming had eaten all sorts of delicacies in his previous life, but when the simple egg drop soup filled with meatballs entered his stomach, a rush of warmth suffused him. It touched his soul in a way he had never felt before, almost as if he had longed for it his whole life without knowing what he was missing.


    ¡°Slow down.¡± The old lady watched her grandson and great-granddaughter shoveling spoonfuls of soup into their mouths, a loving smile on her lips.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us you were coming back?¡± The old lady chided her grandson. ¡°We would have been more prepared.¡±


    ¡°I just found out about Youhuan¡¯s existence. How could I have phoned ahead?¡± Song Qianming replied a little helplessly.


    The old man, Gu Honglin, interjected sarcastically, ¡°So you¡¯re saying you wouldn¡¯t have come home if you hadn¡¯t needed to pick up Youhuan, is that it?¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing good to say, then don¡¯t say anything,¡± the old lady scolded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out to buy some things for Youhuan,¡± the old man said, standing abruptly.


    The old lady shook her head helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind your grandfather¡¯s harsh words. He¡¯s been fretting over what he said to you two years ago. He may not want to admit it, but he¡¯s missed you very much.¡±


    Song Qianming could feel the sentiment. In his previous life, he had only enjoyed some measure of familial love through his royal brother, who cared deeply for him. Yet, from the moment he stepped into the house, Song Qianming felt nothing but care and concern for him. Life would have been perfect if only his royal brother had transmigrated with him.


    ¡°Your grandfather did not want to stay at our old place because there were too many people around. He feared it would inconvenience you since you wanted to enter the entertainment industry. Although our new place here is small, it has decent security, and there aren¡¯t as many people around as in our old neighborhood. He bought this place because he hoped you would come back more often to stay,¡± the old lady said softly.


    Song Qianming was by no means dumb, and he immediately understood what his grandmother was trying to say.


    ¡®Grandma, I was wrong. I¡¯ll come back whenever I¡¯m free in the future.¡¯ He thought to himself. The two were already so old; how could he feel at ease leaving them to their own devices without checking in on them from time to time?


    ¡°What are your plans regarding Huanhuan? Working in the entertainment industry isn¡¯t easy, and it won¡¯t be a good environment to take care of her. Why don¡¯t you leave Huanhuan with us?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Song Qianming rejected his grandmother¡¯s proposal without a second thought. ¡°I¡¯ve neglected my responsibilities for a long time. From now on, I¡¯m going to take a more hands-on approach. Besides, you and Grandpa are so old. How can I add to both of your worries?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t possibly bring Huanhuan to work with you. We have over a lifetime of experience raising a child, having cared for you since you were young. We know how to care for a child; at least, you¡¯d be able to focus on your career better. You won¡¯t have the energy to raise a child while working in the entertainment industry. Leave Huanhuan with us; we¡¯ll take good care of her.¡±


    Song Qianming shook his head, Huanhuan pitiful appearance flashing in his mind¡¯s eye. ¡°I¡¯m Youhuan¡¯s guardian. Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. I¡¯ll find a way to balance my work schedule. I¡¯m now a father; I won¡¯t be as insensible as I was before.¡±


    The old lady relented, seeing as her grandson would not give an inch. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. If you ever find yourself in trouble, let us know. We¡¯re here for you.¡±


    ¡°I definitely will,¡± Song Qianming replied. While he may not be a prince anymore, he still had the pride of one. How could he let two old folks worry so much about him? He would solve all problems, come what may, and let his daughter live a life befitting a princess.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be good. I won¡¯t cause trouble for you, Daddy,¡± Youhuan suddenly said. She spoke so seriously that, for a moment, she did not seem like a girl of three-and-a-half years.


    Song Qianming took a deep breath, meeting his daughter¡¯s piercing-eyed stare. ¡°Youhuan, you¡¯re my daughter. I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want in the future. Even if you land yourself in trouble, Daddy will bail you out. You don¡¯t need to be afraid of anything. A child your age should be thinking about food, games, and what you¡¯d like to do for fun; nothing else matters.¡±


    His words must have struck a chord because the next thing he knew, Youhuan was bawling her eyes out. ¡°Mommy said I have to be a good girl or no one will like me. Was I not good enough? Is that why Mommy¡¯s parents didn¡¯t want me? Daddy, please don¡¯t abandon me. I¡¯ll be good!¡±


    It was hard to imagine such words coming from the mouth of a child barely more than three years old. Song Qianming¡¯s heart clenched. Even his grandmother, Wen Lanxin, looked affected by his daughter¡¯s words. If anything, Wen Lanxin vowed she would pamper this child as best she could to make up for all the suffering she had endured in her short few years of living.


    Song Qianming hugged his daughter tightly. How could he not have seen how much his daughter was suffering? He was a failure of a father!


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Daddy will never abandon Youhuan. Daddy promises you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Youhuan asked in a quiet sob.


    ¡°Really.¡± Song Qianming answered.


    Youhuan¡¯s tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She did not cry out loud but continued sniffling. Perhaps she was finally beginning to open up after these two days together.


    Song Qianming felt like his heart was sliced into ribbons, and his hate for Youhuan¡¯s mother grew exponentially. His daughter was still so young. What on earth had her mother been teaching her?


    How could she and her family bear to hurt such an innocent child?


    Song Qianming rocked his daughter gently in his arms, whispering soothing words in her ear. He repeated his promise over and over again, hoping to instill some measure of calm in her trembling form.


    Gu Honglin returned a while later with Youhuan¡¯s daily necessities. By then, Youhuan had cried herself to sleep. Yet, it was far from restful, and she continued twisting and turning in the grips of some unseen foe, a nightmare conjured by her overactive mind. Song Qianming stayed by her side, not once leaving his daughter to suffer alone.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The old man asked in confusion.


    A heavy sigh escaped the old lady¡¯s lips. ¡°We were all fooled. Huanhuan is having trouble adapting. Let¡¯s not disturb them; give them some space.¡±


    The old man¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Huanhuan¡¯s maternal grandparents are no better than the woman they spawned. Since they could not give Huanhuan a happy life, why didn¡¯t they say so sooner?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use in complaining now? If anything, Qianming is at fault. How could he be so silly as to have unprotected sex with Huanhuan¡¯s mother? Now he¡¯s a single parent!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what the situation was like back then,¡± the old man said, ¡°It might not be Qianming¡¯s fault.¡± The old man remained unconvinced that his grandson was the guilty party.


    The old lady glared at him. ¡°Now you¡¯re just being contrary! Why can¡¯t you say these nice things when your grandson is around?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± The old man snorted. ¡°¡­ Has he said what his plans are?¡±


    ¡°Qianming says he wants to be a superstar. He intends to raise Huanhuan while pursuing his career.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still a child who hasn¡¯t grown up. How does he intend to do both? Aren¡¯t you going to stop him?¡±


    ¡°If he wants to grow, how can I stop him? He¡¯s already a father; it¡¯s about time he grew some. You old thing, you have a vicious tongue but a soft heart. If you feel strongly against it, then speak to him yourself.¡± The old lady returned to her room, leaving the old man in her wake, staring blankly at her retreating figure.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Qianming did not sleep that night. He stuck by his daughter¡¯s side, wiping away tears that rolled down her red cheeks.


    Had it been his previous life, she would have been surrounded by young and old maidservants to care for her.


    However, he did not have the means to do so in this new life. Song Qianming vowed he would not allow his embarrassing situation to continue for long.


    Besides, building a relationship with his daughter would never be bad. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she continue keeping her distance from him? Song Qianming could not bear the thought.


    Song Qianming stayed very quiet while his daughter slept. A gentle smile tugged at his lips as he watched over her sleeping form, feeling like he would never get enough of her.


    Youhuan awoke to her father¡¯s smiling face filled with love. She smiled shyly, snuggling under a blanket draped around herself.


    ¡°Come on; it¡¯s time to get up. Great-grandma should have prepared plenty of delicious treats for you, Youhuan. Daddy can already smell it!¡± Song Qianming lifted the young child and kissed her on her forehead, just like he had done the previous night.


    Youhuan giggled in delight. Perhaps it was the care she received the previous night or that the first thing she saw upon waking up was her father, but she was full of joy. She kissed her father in return, shedding the reservations that had previously held her back.


    Feeling his daughter¡¯s soft lips on his cheek, Song Qianming turned into putty. He had forgotten all about the disgusting article about kissing that he had read to pass the night.


    Wen Lanxin had prepared a sumptuous breakfast while Song Qianming and his daughter washed up. There was a little bit of everything for breakfast, and both father and daughter felt their stomachs growl.


    It was strange. Whether it was the simple dinner they had the previous night or the homely breakfast spread today, Song Qianming felt his appetite soar. This was despite having eaten all sorts of delicacies in his previous life.


    ¡°Have some vegetable porridge first.¡± Before Song Qianming could start wolfing down breakfast, his grandmother placed a bowl of vegetable porridge in front of him and his daughter.


    ¡°Try it. You haven¡¯t had it in two years, have you? Let¡¯s see if Grandma¡¯s cooking skills have deteriorated.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good enough that he can taste your cooking. Would he dare say he disliked it?¡± The old man mumbled.


    ¡°Shut your trap! Not even my cooking can keep you from blabbering your mouth off.¡±


    The old man wisely chose to keep silent. The old lady pointedly refused to give him anything else, and the old man could only make do with a few pickled vegetables, eating them in a huff. Song Qianming and Youhuan could not help but laugh.


    ¡°Grandpa, this bowl is for you.¡± Song Qianming took the initiative to serve the old man a bowl.


    His actions instantly made the old man uncomfortable. ¡°Eat your food. Don¡¯t worry about me. Your Grandma didn¡¯t cook much. What will you eat if you give me a bowl of porridge?¡±


    ¡°This bowl is enough for me. Besides, there¡¯s still more.¡±


    The old man did not know what to say, his eyes slowly burning red.


    The old lady eyed them with a smile. Although the old man had a sharp tongue, he was, in fact, a big softie. Both grandfather and grandson had shied away from meeting each other out of fear. The old man, in particular, had not known what to do when his grandson had told him what he wanted to pursue. Words were exchanged, some less savory than others, which had led to their estrangement. The old man undoubtedly still carried some guilt about how things had transpired.


    After a heartwarming breakfast, Song Qianming said, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± The old man inquired with a raised brow.


    Song Qianming patted Youhuan¡¯s head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I live if it¡¯s just me. But I have Youhuan to take care of now. I¡¯ll do my best to give her the best.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t those fans of yours boycott you after learning about Huanhuan¡¯s existence? I¡¯ve heard that there have been calls for you to retire from the entertainment industry. Do you still have a chance of turning things around?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, how¡¯d you learn about the boycott or my anti-fans?¡± Song Qianming asked in surprise.


    ¡°Your grandfather has been keeping a close eye on you since you debuted,¡± the old lady explained. ¡°He even got into a quarrel recently with a few anti-fans of yours. You should have seen him go¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again. I didn¡¯t do that. The internet is so advanced these days. I just happened to see the news while surfing the web.¡± The old man sniffed, refusing to admit to anything.


    Song Qianming knew his present state better than anyone else. With his current popularity, ranking somewhere around the 18th in the entertainment industry, few would know his specific situation unless they went out of their way to dig it up. The only news worth noting was that he had sired a daughter with a woman he had not married.


    ¡°If you plan to become a superstar, you must work hard. But never mind that. What if your fans lash out? What will you say regarding Youhuan¡¯s identity?¡±


    Song Qianming answered seriously, ¡°I won¡¯t hide Youhuan¡¯s existence. Youhuan is my daughter; that is a fact. I won¡¯t lie to make some of my fans happy./


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve thought things through. Things will be difficult for you with this black mark on your record. The company sponsoring you has probably terminated your contract with them. It¡¯s been so many days since the incident, yet no public relations officer has spoken up in your defense.¡±


    It was one of the reasons why the old man was so angry. What kind of black-hearted company was this? How could they treat a star of theirs so poorly?


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be more than an idol. It¡¯s a good thing too. With my public image destroyed, I can do whatever I want. Even if no major productions are scheduled, I can always take on a few minor roles; it isn¡¯t the end of the world. One day, I¡¯ll conquer the world with my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Good! I like your ambition!¡± The old man praised. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Look at the makeup you used to wear; you looked like a demon! I don¡¯t know what young people are into, but you look much better with this fresh, clean look.¡±


    Song Qianming rubbed his neck helplessly. ¡°Grandpa, you can¡¯t say that. Sometimes, stage makeup needs to be exaggerated to be effective. Makeup in real life isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    ¡°Bah! You always have your reasons. I can¡¯t beat you in an argument. Anyway, ensure your goals are down-to-earth and seize the opportunities you can. Also, this is for you.¡± Awkwardly, the old man passed him a debit card. ¡°The password is your birthday.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m an adult. How can I take your money?¡± Song Qianming quickly refused.


    The old man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hah. Still trying to be polite now, are we? Do you think I don¡¯t know how small-time idols like you are strapped for cash? The company will squeeze you dry if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know if the company has any opportunities for you,¡± the old man muttered. ¡°Never mind that. What about Huanhuan? You can¡¯t just leave her at home while you work. You need a nanny or someone to look after her ¨C that costs money. Where are you going to get it? Why don¡¯t you let us accompany you? At least we could take care of her while you¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°How can I do that?¡± Song Qianming objected without thinking. ¡°Both of you are already so old. How can I burden you both with more worries? Besides, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re used to this place. What if your health deteriorates because you need to go where I go for whatever job I¡¯m given?¡±


    ¡°All the more reason you should keep the money. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯d be worried sick. We wouldn¡¯t be able to eat or sleep well. Wouldn¡¯t that be worse for our health?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Listen to your grandfather.¡± Wen Lanxin placed the debit card in Song Qianming¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Take it. Grandpa and Grandma know you don¡¯t want to use our money because you¡¯re a good child. However, we have pensions and don¡¯t spend much on our daily lives. All that money is useless in our hands. Use it while you still need it. If you still feel bad, you can always treat it as a loan and repay us with twice the amount when you¡¯re a rich superstar.¡±


    Song Qianming had no choice but to accept it, a bittersweet aftertaste lingering in his mouth.

 Chapter 6

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Bye, Great-grandpa and Great-grandma!¡± Youhuan kissed her grandparents on the cheek. The two old folks could not bear to see their great-granddaughter go.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether it is a good time for us,¡± Wen Lanxin said. ¡°As long as you¡¯re free, bring Youhuan back to visit.¡±


    ¡°I definitely will.¡± Song Qianming nodded gravely. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, you guys take care too. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather and I are still in good health. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    The father and daughter got into a cab with their assorted luggage and waved goodbye to the elderly couple till they were out of sight.


    ¡°Daddy, where are we going?¡± Youhuan asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Sea City. My company is there.¡±


    ¡°If you are going to work, does that mean I have to go to school?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go to school?¡± Song Qianming rejoined.


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not even four. Isn¡¯t it a little too early to be thinking about school?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± the taxi driver interjected, seemingly bored by the long drive. ¡°Children these days are usually sent to kindergarten as early as two to three years old. My child is the same. You aren¡¯t being cruel by sending them to kindergarten; children adapt easily. It¡¯s good for them to interact with others their age, and kindergarten is the best solution.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m sorry. Due to certain events, my daughter is a little more dependent.¡±


    ¡°Young man, you can¡¯t be thinking of going to kindergarten with your daughter! What about work? It¡¯s better and cheaper to send a child to kindergarten than to hire a childminder to care for her the whole day. Your daughter seems a little introverted, and it might be a good idea to help her socialize more. Besides, kindergarten is only for a few hours each day, and you¡¯ll have plenty of time to spend with her after school,¡± the taxi driver persuaded.


    ¡°Daddy, I want to go to kindergarten. My cousins told me kindergarten is fun, but Grandma and Aunty wouldn¡¯t let me go. I won¡¯t cry!¡± Youhuan added, eyes glimmering with anticipation.


    Song Qianming could not come up with any reason to object. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look for a great kindergarten for you when we return to Sea City. The kindergarten you¡¯ll attend will be even better than your cousins.¡±


    Song Qianming contacted his agent when they neared his company¡¯s dormitories. Now that he had some money, he did not have to suffer anymore. Both father and daughter needed more comfortable accommodations. His grandparents had probably given him their life¡¯s savings, and the amount he could withdraw using their debit card was astounding.


    Anything could be solved with money. It was a fact of modern society. His agent introduced two houses. One was a two-bedroom apartment close to the company, though it looked rather shabby, while the other was a three-bedroom suite with a tasteful environment. The latter was more expensive, but it was also newer.


    Song Qianming mulled over his options but still chose the three-bedroom apartment. A spacious apartment would be more comfortable, in his opinion. A two-bedroom apartment would be too small if he needed to hire a live-in nanny for Youhuan, which was a real possibility with his work demands.


    After seeing the cramped houses that made up a large portion of modern housing, Song Qianming grew to miss the palaces and gardens of his previous life. Even his residence was far better than anything the modern world could provide, despite paling before his royal brother¡¯s palace. Accommodating hundreds of servants was no problem at all. Not to mention his study. It was larger than the whole apartment!


    Desperate times called for desperate measures. Who asked him not to have enough money? As long as he earned more, he could live in as large of a house as he desired.


    Although houses in modern times were not big, they were often more convenient than those in his previous life. For example, if there had been air-conditioning in his previous life, he would not have had to go to a resort every time summer came around.


    Feeling the cool air blowing the heat and fatigue away after visiting the two properties, both father and daughter relaxed. Bouncing around on the sofa, Youhuan said to her father, ¡°Daddy, I like this house. Will this be our home from now on?¡±


    Song Qianming was relieved. At least Youhuan was satisfied. ¡°Yes, this will be our home from now on.¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s amazing! Daddy, I love you!¡± Youhuan hugged her father, growing more cheerful by the minute.


    The words of adoration sent Song Qianming¡¯s heart aflutter. ¡°I will do even better in the future. This is nothing. I will buy plenty more houses in the future.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, you don¡¯t have to work too hard. I only want you.¡±


    Song Qianming felt himself turn into mush. With a daughter like Youhuan, he would traverse through fire and water to give her anything she desired.


    Having settled on their accommodations, his next step would be to find a kindergarten for Youhuan. Song Qianming quickly discovered that public kindergartens required one to have a registered residence under their name. Since he was only renting the apartment for now and did not own any real property, he had no choice but to look at private kindergartens. It drove home how important money was in this new world.


    The kindergarten could not be far from their apartment or have a bad reputation. It took two days, but after asking around, he finally settled on one that met his requirements. The one good thing about the private institution was that Youhuan could start at any time once he had paid the school¡¯s fees.


    ¡°Bye, Daddy! I¡¯ll see you when you finish work.¡± At the teacher¡¯s signal, Youhuan bade her father farewell. Song Qianming knew he would pick his daughter up in the afternoon, yet he could not shake the sadness that overcame him.


    ¡°See you later, Youhuan. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll come and pick you up after school.¡± He waved goodbye and said to the teacher, ¡°I¡¯ll leave Youhuan in your hands. If anything crops up, please let me know immediately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Song. Our kindergarten takes care of all our children,¡± the teacher reassured.


    Song Qianming headed to work reluctantly once his daughter entered the classroom. So many days had passed since the incident, and it was time to face the music.


    He would not be surprised if his company had already abandoned him. Otherwise, they would have contacted him by now.


    Recalling the attitude of the people around him when he first transmigrated, Song Qianming frowned. He did not have a good impression of his company, but he was still tied to them because of a contract, or so he had learned. Now, he needed to find out how he could annul it.


    When he entered the company, several staff members began gossiping with their fingers pointed at him.


    ¡°To think he still has the face to come back. He caused such a big mess. Brother Yuan and the others were all implicated by him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I really couldn¡¯t tell. He¡¯s always been such a gentleman. Who knew it was all a facade? How shameless.¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry for his fans.¡±


    ¡°Does he still have fans? They must be blind!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity for Brother Yuan and Brother Zhong. Why are they in the same group as someone like him?¡±


    ¡°I heard a popular variety show canceled on them because of the scandal exposing his illegitimate daughter.¡±


    ¡°Brother Yuan and the others have been wronged! If we give Brother Yuan and the others a chance, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be famous for their abilities¡­ What a pity!¡±


    ¡°A bad apple is all it takes to spoil the whole batch.¡±


    Song Qianming had sharp ears and eyes, so he naturally heard these discussions. He was not a good-tempered person and stood at the pinnacle in his previous life. Arrogance was ingrained in his bones, so how could he tolerate malign words aimed at him? He shot the gossiping crowd a sharp glance, and his aura turned oppressive, causing many to hold their breaths.

 Chapter 7

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Scary!¡± The gossipers only found the courage to continue their rumormongering when Song Qianming left. Even then, they were more subdued.


    ¡°Does he think he¡¯s someone important? Who¡¯s he trying to scare with that look?¡± A voice hissed in disdain.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Are we supposed to praise him for dragging Brother Yuan and the others into a ditch with him?¡±


    ¡°Hah! He still dares to glare at us! Let¡¯s see how Brother Tao will teach him a lesson.¡±


    Song Qianming eyed his dissenters coldly but ultimately ignored them. They were just a motley crew. It was not worth dealing with them, especially if they were cowed so easily by his gaze.


    Based on his memory, he tried to recall where the manager¡¯s office was, but that led to a dead end. Thankfully, he bumped into one of the manager¡¯s assistants.


    ¡°Brother Song, you¡¯re finally back?¡± The assistant exclaimed, worry clouding their expression. ¡°Are you here for Brother Tao? He¡¯s been on a rampage these few days; it¡¯s best if you talk things out with him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Rongrong.¡± Song Qianming had a good impression of this assistant. Since the incident involving Youhuan was exposed, Rongrong was the only one in the company who had shown him kindness. She had also been the one to introduce the term ¡®transmigrator¡¯ to him.


    ¡°Brother Song, why are you thanking me? Brother Song, I believe in you. Your situation might not be the best, but I believe you¡¯ll become famous if you overcome this crisis. Don¡¯t give up on your dreams; continue working your way up in the entertainment industry!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Song Qianming nodded as if it were a matter of fact.


    The tips of Nie Rongrong¡¯s ears turned red, and she screamed in her heart. Brother Song seemed so handsome when he showed his confidence. Rongrong did not know about the preferences of her fellow employees, but she felt that Brother Song¡¯s appearance and temperament were far better than Brother Yuan¡¯s. How could the company give up on him?¡±


    Song Qianming eventually found the manager¡¯s office and knocked on the door as etiquette dictated.


    ¡°Come in.¡± A middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from inside.


    Tao Kang looked up. When Tao Kang realized who it was, he was instantly filled with intense rage. ¡°So you still have the face to come crawling back, it seems! Do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve caused? Do you know the extent of the damage you¡¯ve done FB?¡±


    Song Qianming found it weird hearing the name of their idol group. It would take some time for him to get used to this new world¡¯s naming conventions.


    Their group, FB, was an abbreviation for ¡®Five Boys.¡¯ The company had formed a group with four boys for their debut. Song Qianming was unsure what the upper management had been thinking when they decided the group would be called ¡®Five Boys,¡¯ which they later shortened to FB.


    The original body¡¯s owner had majored in acting at university. He was so eager to debut and prove himself that the company easily convinced him to sign a contract with them even before graduation.


    However, the company was not very well known and lacked the resources to promote the group via TV commercials or movie montages. The original body¡¯s owner was left high and dry for two years before the company hastily rounded up another four participants to form their idol group, catering to the rising trends.


    The company¡¯s goal was obvious. They wanted to attract young, brainless fans to earn an easy wave of money.


    Song Qianming had not known any of this until very recently, having discovered the intricate twists and turns from the two days of arduous study, familiarizing himself with his new reality.


    In short, the company did not have any plans for them.


    The company promised to promote and increase the group¡¯s popularity, but it never materialized. In the two years since its inception, the group¡¯s influence in the entertainment industry was negligible.


    Having arrived at this conclusion, Song Qianming no longer hesitated. ¡°Why would the group need me to drag its popularity down? It was never good, to begin with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Someone rushed in from outside. ¡°Song Qianming, if it weren¡¯t for you making a mess of things, would we have lost that chance at the variety show? That might have been our big break!¡±


    Song Qianming squinted at the person who had barged into the room. He had some guts pointing fingers and scolding him.


    ¡°Maybe? Hah! Would a small-time variety show with hardly any viewers have been a boon to our situation? Is fame so easy to attain? Someone like you without any ability has no right to blame me for our group¡¯s lack of success.¡± Song Qianming sneered, uncaring about how his words might come across.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± The man was so angry that he clenched his fists.


    The man who had entered like a raging bull was the group¡¯s lead singer, Zhong Boyi. He had always been on the brainless side of things. The few fans he had liked him for his frank and honest persona. However, it led to an overinflated ego, making him inflexible in his words and actions. It caused him to become a rather unpleasant co-idol.


    The company did not care about his failings since his fans liked his character. None of the five members who made up Five Boys shared similar personality traits. It was part of the gimmick meant to help the group attract fans.


    For instance, the group¡¯s captain, Yuan Fei, was the steady, understanding big brother archetype. The expressionless Su Liang was a reclusive loner, while the youngest, Ji Tong, was cute and innocent.


    As for Song Qianming? He was supposed to follow the rich young master archetype. With their five different forms of appeal, they could attract the attention of a large population of ignorant students.


    All five of them were good-looking and were more or less capable to varying degrees. However, because there were too many male idol groups in the industry, coupled with the company¡¯s poor leadership and finite resources, Five Boys¡¯ popularity had not grown as they had hoped, declining in the past two years.


    The scandal involving Song Qianming and his illegitimate child should not have caused as much of a stir as it did. Even then, it had nothing to do with his four teammates. Only a small minority of his fans wanted him to leave the entertainment industry, citing his unprofessional behavior. Unfortunately, those few clamoring voices had grown more unpleasant of late, attracting a wave of bad press.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you all be the ones thanking me? If it weren¡¯t for me, you guys wouldn¡¯t have been able to draw so much attention to our piddling group!¡± Since they were not going to show him any face, Song Qianming did not pull any punches, his words slamming like physical blows against their psyche.


    ¡°Qianming, you destroyed our group¡¯s image.¡± Yuan Fei glared at Song Qianming as if he were some great sinner. Where was the caring big brother persona? It was all an act.


    ¡°While you may be trending, it¡¯s nothing but bad press. Now our fans are doubting us because of what was exposed. You need to take responsibility for your actions.¡±


    ¡°So? What has been decided? Am I being removed from the group?¡± Song Qianming chuckled mirthlessly. ¡°Say what you want to say. Why beat around the bush?¡±


    Ji Tong tried to mediate the situation between the two who were at loggerheads. Nervously, he said, ¡°Brother Song, let¡¯s not argue with the captain. The captain is just trying to do what¡¯s best for everyone. Brother Song, you¡¯re a good person. Please don¡¯t hold this against him¡­¡±


    In his previous life, Song Qianming had experienced what it meant to fight for the imperial throne. Although his brother had shielded him from much of the struggle, he could not protect him from everything. Even that was more than most, and he could read between the lines of what Ji Tong was trying to say. Was there a need for him to continue the charade, acting all innocent and pitiful?


    ¡°I can resign,¡± Song Qianming began, ¡°But I have conditions.¡±


    Tao Kang¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You have a contract with the company. What right do you have to renegotiate it from your position? Song Qianming, it¡¯s better you resign without making a fuss. If the company is forced to fire you, it¡¯ll leave a mark on your record.¡±


    Song Qianming was not afraid. He shook his head, saying, ¡°You can¡¯t say that. I¡¯ve read the contract several times. It is not as you¡¯ve said.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Knowing he would make an appearance at the company that day, Song Qianming had gone over his contract, scrutinizing the terms in great detail. Fortunately, things were not as bad as they could have been.


    Although the original body¡¯s owner was eager to become famous and was duped by Tao Kang into signing a contract while still in college, he was still rational enough not to sign a contract with unfair terms or one of a length spanning ten years. Otherwise, restitution would have been a nightmare, and he would not have had the ability to look for jobs outside the company.


    Tao Kang had not wanted to sign him on for a five-year contract because a large source of the company¡¯s income came from those in breach of contract.


    However, Song Qianming¡¯s looks were too good. Tao Kang had been very optimistic that the original body¡¯s owner would quickly rise to fame, so he agreed on a five-year contract instead.


    While the contractual length had been reduced to five years, Tao Kang insisted the other terms had to be amended, making them more demanding. Food, accommodations, training fees, and so on would be deducted from his pay, and any commission he earned was reduced by over 90%.


    Tao Kang had promised plentiful resources in return should the original owner agree to the terms of the contract. Eventually, the original owner agreed, albeit with gritted teeth. Those promised resources never materialized, and the company¡¯s promises to help him achieve stardom faded into the background, worsening his popularity ratings in the past two years.


    Two years of hard work ¨C all for nothing. The original owner regretted signing the contract with the company. He had planned to resign, but the penalty for breaking the contract was something he could not afford. Even if plenty of companies were recruiting new talents, how could any of them guarantee that he would succeed? Would they gamble on someone like him just because of his good looks?


    With these doubts floating in the head of the original body¡¯s owner, he decided to stay put and wait for his contract to expire.


    The original body¡¯s owner may have given up on the company, but the company was not done exploiting him. Seeing the pots of money several other companies were earning by relying on male and female idol groups, the company grew greedy, wanting a slice of the pie.


    The company believed it would be a waste not to milk the original body for all his worth, so they arranged for him to be part of a new group.


    A new group entailed a new contract, so the original body acted cautiously.


    The body¡¯s original owner knew the company would not agree to anything excessive since he was an artiste of no renown. Therefore, he had made just one request: Unless the company was disbanding the group, they could not ask him to leave of his own volition. Otherwise, the company would have to compensate him.


    The company probably had not thought much about his request. After all, why would they want to fire someone so soon upon forming a new idol group? The contract was iron-clad. It stipulated a series of things artists could and could not do. If the artist did not act in breach of contract, why would they fire one of its members for no reason?


    Tao Kang had thought the original body¡¯s owner was at his wit¡¯s end, afraid of being fired, so he agreed with no small amount of disdain. How could he have known that it would one day come back to bite him?


    Seeing Song Qianming fishing out the contract from his bag, Tao Kang sneered. ¡°Do you think you can fool me so easily? Song Qianming, the contract states that an artiste under the company cannot be in a relationship, get married, or create scandals that would harm the group¡¯s reputation ¨C begetting illegitimate children falls under this category. The company is already doing you a service by not suing you for breach of contract. Don¡¯t bite off more than you can chew.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Qianming flipped to the page stating the terms and conditions an artiste under the company had to abide by. ¡°Please look closer. It says that an artiste in the company¡¯s employ cannot do these things during the contractual period. I was already in a relationship when I signed up with the company, and my partner was already pregnant with my daughter.¡±


    Tao Kang read the terms, and his face grew darker. The company had cheated plenty of artists of their money, forcing them to buy their freedom. He never expected that the company would one day find itself on the back foot because of a contractual term they had drawn up.


    Song Qianming stowed away the contract and smiled. ¡°Brother Tao, I¡¯m not in breach of contract. You can¡¯t ask me for my resignation.¡±


    At this moment, Yuan Fei spoke, ¡°Qianming, what¡¯s the point of you insisting on staying in the group? Do you want to drag all of us down with you?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ You want the fame, not the scandal tied to it. Is that how it is?¡± Song Qianming was not a fool. The company had turned a blind eye to the fans calling for him to retire from the entertainment industry. How could he not understand the company¡¯s intentions?


    The company probably thought renewing his contract would be a waste of resources. Since he had less than a year left and had not risen to fame as they had expected even after so many years, the company wanted to take advantage of the situation to get rid of him while allowing the rest of his groupmates to stand out.


    It was a good plan, but he was no sacrificial lamb. Everything rested on whether he played along.


    Looking at the self-righteous Yuan Fei, he sneered, ¡°If the company detests my continued presence in the group so much, I¡¯m more than happy to discuss conditions for my leave. First, I¡¯d like the contract the company promised to give me for the variety show; second, I also want a role as a supporting male lead.


    ¡°With your current popularity, why would the company waste resources on you? Stop daydreaming!¡± Tao Kang slammed the table with his fist and said.


    Song Qianming retrieved his contract and said, ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming. Isn¡¯t it written as clear as day in the contract I signed with the company?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Tao Kang ground his teeth. ¡°The company will not waste its resources on someone like you.¡±


    ¡°Then, it might be in the company¡¯s best interests to suppress my supposed scandal. Who knows what would happen to our group if everyone is implicated in this mess,¡± Song Qianming shook his head mournfully.


    Ji Tong¡¯s eyes burned with hatred, and even his words sounded oddly distorted as he spoke, ¡°Brother Song, what¡¯s the point of you staying in the group? The fans would not be pleased if you remained. Brother Song, you¡¯re so talented! I¡¯m sure you can make a name for yourself. If we continue as we are, we¡¯d only be dragging each other down. Can¡¯t we part on good terms?¡±


    ¡°Hah! You¡¯re only saying this because you want to use me as a stepping stone. The interview you gave the other day was truly a sight to behold. Not only did you say you weren¡¯t familiar with me, but you also said I bullied you during our rehearsals. Now you want us to part on good terms. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a ridiculous request? Ji Tong, you¡¯re a two-faced man. I wonder what your fans would say if they found out.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Tong¡¯s face was bright red, though it seemed like he did not know whether to be angry or scared.


    ¡°Other than that, is there anything else you want? Song Qianming, I know you want to continue in this industry. It isn¡¯t wise to make enemies everywhere you go. What do you think the public will say when it¡¯s our word against yours?¡± Yuan Fei did not want to waste any more time with Song Qianming.


    ¡°As expected of the son of a shareholder. Yuan Fei, you¡¯re truly farsighted.¡± Song Qianming clapped enthusiastically. ¡°Your threat was quite effective, but the same can be said about you. I know the company is strapped for resources, and I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want me to drag you down. I don¡¯t want to continue as an idol, either. How about we each take a step back?¡±


    Yuan Fei took a deep breath, ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t go too far.¡±

 Chapter 9

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°The company has been working me to the bone all these years. Now, I have a daughter to raise, and I don¡¯t have the money to do so.¡±


    In the end, all he wanted was money. Tao Kang and Ji Tong eyed Song Qianming in disdain as if he were a beggar.


    ¡°I¡¯ll intercede on your behalf and ask for 200,000 yuan from the company as compensation. Treat it as your severance fee. After which, all your contracts with the company will be terminated,¡± Yuan Fei said.


    Song Qianming chuckled. ¡°Do you think you can dismiss me and only cough up 200,000 yuan?¡±


    ¡°Is that not enough?¡± Tao Kang growled. ¡°Tell me, how much have you contributed to the company in all these years? Don¡¯t be an ingrate!¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡± Song Qianming glared at Tao Kang coldly. Even before his royal brother ascended the throne, no one dared to mouth before him. To think someone in this modern world he now lived in would have the nerve to call him an ingrate!


    The original body¡¯s owner had an appearance and temperament out of this world. Why else would Tao Kang have taken a fancy to him, insisting that he had to sign a contract with the company? Now that the body housed the soul of a transmigrated prince, it exuded an air of nobility even greater than before. With one look, anyone could tell that he possessed a special aura.


    The others stared at him in disbelief. None of them had thought Song Qianming had such a side to him. Disbelief quickly transformed into anger. Song Qianming was not anyone special; he was just a piece of trash about to be forced out of the industry. How could he say such things so arrogantly?


    ¡°How much do you want?¡±


    Before Tao Kang could rage further, Yuan Fei stepped in to put an end to the farce.


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll accept the 200,000 yuan offered since the company is so stingy, but I have one condition. When the announcement of my leaving the company is made, I want it known that I resigned voluntarily. Furthermore, regardless of future events, the company cannot use this incident against me, for better or worse.¡±


    Yuan Fei did not immediately respond. Song Qianming knew what he was thinking. 200,000 yuan was nothing in the face of the fame or, perhaps, notoriety the group could gain by using him as a scapegoat. They were all wolves in sheep¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°Captain, why don¡¯t we agree to Qianming¡¯s request? We might lose some of the limelight now, but it might be better for us in the long run. If anyone asks, we¡¯ll say that we respect Qianming¡¯s decisions and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. At least, this way, we¡¯ll win some brownie points with our fans.¡± It was Su Liang who spoke up. He had been silent throughout the exchange, and it was only now that he joined the conversation.


    Song Qianming quirked a brow in surprise.


    Yuan Fei looked up and said, ¡°I, too, have a condition. You can¡¯t do anything to jeopardize the group¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to smear the group¡¯s reputation.¡±


    The terms were settled just like that. As Yuan Fei¡¯s father was a major shareholder in the company, no one objected to his decision. Song Qianming was just some small-time artiste; it was not worth offending someone like Yuan Fei, who had his father¡¯s backing, over someone like Song Qianming.


    Song Qianming accepted the cheque and the notice of terminating his contract with the company without looking back. These people were not worth his time and energy.


    Who would have thought he would resolve the issue regarding his contract so easily? It was all thanks to Yuan Fei. If it weren¡¯t for Yuan Fei, the son of a major shareholder of the company, who did not want the group to disband, Song Qianming knew it would not have been so easy to walk away scot-free.


    The 200,000 yuan was a pleasant surprise. While it may have sounded like a lot, it was not much in a place like Sea City. It still meant he was out of a job, with no real way to support himself or his daughter. This small sum would only do so much to tide them over. He had been occupied the past two days getting used to sending his daughter to kindergarten while preparing for his confrontation with the company and the termination of his contract.


    Song Qianming did not know what to do after depositing the cheque at the bank. He had not thought over what he would do next, so he sat at a dessert shop outside Youhuan¡¯s kindergarten and did just that.


    Actors and singers were considered rather low-class in his previous life, but Song Qianming would never dare look down on them.


    In his previous life, he and his royal brother were hunted like animals and had no choice but to seek refuge in a brothel. It was those lovely ladies that had protected them, sending the soldiers that came knocking on their door away. Song Qianming had learned the meaning of helplessness, then, and that not all who entered the profession were base or not deserving of respect.


    That was more so in this modern world he now lived in. Not only were celebrities not seen as lowly, but they were also highly sought after by many. It was pointless trying to distinguish between noble professions and those that were not; at least, that was what Song Qianming now believed. Not even his royal brother in his previous life would have been able to stomach such a change in viewpoints. Song Qianming believed this second chance at life was a blessing in more ways than one.


    If only he and his royal brother had access to this world¡¯s technology and knowledge, then the people of the Lan dynasty would not have had to suffer so much.


    Since it was the wish of the original body¡¯s owner to become a superstar, he, who had taken over this body, would do his utmost to fulfill it! Things would have been much better if his royal brother had come with him.


    Having decided on his path, Song Qianming began browsing the internet on his phone, doing his best to absorb as much as possible while waiting for Youhuan. He could not help but sigh, once again feeling how convenient the handheld contraption was.


    This world was amazing. Immortality may not be a thing, but their innumerable means allowed them to create immortal-like objects just as well.


    ¡°He¡¯s so handsome!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what a celebrity looks like!¡±


    ¡°Is he a celebrity? Even though he¡¯s wearing sunglasses, he still looks familiar¡­¡±


    ¡°Why would a celebrity come here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, where is he going?¡± The two shop assistants exclaimed as Song Qianming stepped out of the shop. Soon, they saw him pick up a little girl from the kindergarten across the road.


    ¡°Maybe he isn¡¯t a celebrity. How could a celebrity be a father at such a young age?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right. I read an article featured on the news two days ago. Didn¡¯t it say something about a minor idol having a daughter out of wedlock?¡± The shop assistant took out her phone and started searching for the article she was looking for. ¡°Look, it¡¯s this one. I was wondering why he looked so familiar¡­ He is a celebrity!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re right!¡± The other shop assistant cried. ¡°But¡­ the photo does not do him justice. He looks so much more handsome in person.¡±


    ¡°From now on, I will not criticize an actor¡¯s appearance. It must be the makeup; it ruined his look. Song Qianming is much better off without all that makeup. With an appearance like his, it¡¯s a crime that he isn¡¯t more famous than he is!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to have a daughter already. And he isn¡¯t even married! What a pity¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way of looking at things. I¡¯m more impressed that he did not abandon his daughter for fame. It shows he¡¯s a responsible man.¡±


    ¡°His fans won¡¯t see it that way.¡±


    The two shop assistants shook their heads and sighed. They lamented Song Qianming¡¯s fate, believing he was at the end of his rope. Girls these days all have strict requirements for their male idols. Anti-fans would beset those who did not comply with the industry standard. Song Qianming had not even become a superstar, yet he already had a black mark on his name. Who would dare hire him?


    The assistants at the dessert shop lamented as they watched Song Qianming pick up Youhuan from the kindergarten. A while later, he received a call from Yuan Fei, and they arranged a time to broadcast his resignation from the group and company.


    The Livestream went without a hitch ¨C most of it having already been discussed earlier that day. As for the haters flooding the comment section, Song Qianming did not pay them any attention. If a few small-time haters like them could affect his mental state, he would not have been as good a prince as he was in his previous life.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Daddy will be free in the future.¡± Song Qianming hugged Youhuan and kissed her forehead. ¡°Youhuan, are you happy staying with Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Youhuan smiled sweetly, her large eyes expressing her complete faith in him.


    ¡°Did Youhuan have fun in kindergarten today?¡±


    ¡°It was lots of fun! All the teachers are nice to Youhuan.¡±


    ¡°Did you make any friends today?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡­ Everyone is willing to play with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Song Qianming was relieved. He was afraid that his daughter would be bullied in kindergarten.


    ¡°Daddy, does that mean you¡¯re out of a job?¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Daddy still has lots to learn before he can find another job. Daddy will need to find someone to take care of you when he returns to work. Daddy may not be able to come home as soon as he¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°I can go home myself and wait for Daddy to come home.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Song Qianming wagged his finger. ¡°The world is full of bad people. You¡¯re still a child; you can¡¯t travel home alone.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want strangers in our home!¡± It was Youhuan¡¯s first time expressing her feelings, and Song Qianming could not help but be surprised by her outburst.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ We¡¯ll find someone to pick you up, and they can return when Daddy comes home. That¡¯ll mean only the two of us will remain in the house. What do you think?¡± Song Qianming asked, hoping to encourage Youhuan to discuss the topic with him.


    Children were quite sensitive to the emotions of adults. Youhuan did not want to trouble her father too much, appreciating that he was willing to hear her out. Perhaps this was the beginning of a bond between father and daughter!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daddy. I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    Song Qianming gently corrected her, ¡°I said I would always be there for you. Youhuan, you can do whatever you want. You don¡¯t need to force yourself into doing anything you don¡¯t like.¡±


    Youhuan threw herself into her father¡¯s arms, choking back tears. ¡°Daddy is the best. No one is as good to Youhuan as Daddy is.¡±


    Song Qianming wrapped his arms around his daughter, hugging her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful that the heavens have blessed me with such a good daughter. My only regret is that I was not there when you were born.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll be alright as long as I have Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Daddy will always be here for you; never doubt that.¡±


    A newly made father and his daughter spoke to each other, their hearts connecting across time and space. One was a prince of a foreign land steeped in the ancient past, and the other was a young girl who had not even lived more than four years. Their love for each other was unmatched. The two laughed, a beautiful sound that echoed with their bond.


    After tucking his daughter to sleep, Song Qianming immersed himself in his studies. The world was still unfamiliar to him. Two days was barely enough to scratch the surface. Who would have thought the naughty prince of the past would one day march into the arms of learning, the rigor of study the Grand Tutor tried to instill in him? There was much to do.


    If he wanted to become a superstar in the future, he needed to understand the common sense of his new reality. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t he fumble in the dark, making mistakes left and right?


    Having spent some time in this new world, Song Qianming realized how magical and sophisticated the internet was. Through the internet, one could learn just about anything. However, it was a double-edged sword. The internet could also magnify one¡¯s actions, blowing things out of proportion. Learning how to manage it was one of Song Qianming¡¯s top priorities.


    Perhaps it was a testament to his talent, but he effortlessly learned more about the modern world, quickly absorbing information regarding the sciences, English, drama, etc.


    ¡°I knew nothing could stump this young master!¡± Song Qianming closed his eyes in satisfaction, readying himself for the new day.


    A month passed in the blink of an eye. Even though he had not managed to find a job, that was not to say he was idle. If he were not escorting his daughter to and from kindergarten, he would be studying or out on the streets, experiencing the wonders of this new world.


    A month was enough for him to familiarize himself with Youhuan and his new life. Song Qianming was confident his comeback would proceed without a hitch.


    As far as he could gather, the entertainment industry was very realistic. No project would want a middle-aged man if he did not possess absolute fame or status. The younger you were, the more potential you possessed in the eyes of the industry. Therefore, Song Qianming knew he had to capture the eyes of his audience as soon as possible.


    Before going job hunting, he first visited a housekeeping agency. They had six people to recommend, and Song Qianming reluctantly selected one of them to pick up Youhuan after kindergarten.


    His first request to that aunty was to ensure Youhuan¡¯s safety and that she had enough to eat when she returned from kindergarten. His second request was for her to keep things private and not to spread the word that she was working for him. Those were his two and only requests.


    It was a simple job, but he still offered the kindly woman a salary 20% higher than the market price. His offer caused quite a stir, with several hoping he would pick them instead.


    Song Qianming lamented how troublesome it was to hire one person. He had had no such trouble in his previous life, where more than a hundred servants were under his direct employ, each with a specific job scope. If only things were as simple as that. All these new concerns were rather troubling in his mind.


    Still, the wonders of the internet had shown him a new breed of equality that was very different from his past life. As long as he had money, he could live a life as good as his previous one. It seemed he needed to work harder.


    His current apartment was small, and he did not even have a personal chef. Neither did he have a butler, driver, bodyguards, or maids. All of which he would need to arrange for in the future.


    Once his home arrangements were made regarding Youhuan, Song Qianming stepped out of the house. He was not going to a film studio to try his luck or go door to door, hoping a company would employ him. Instead, he headed straight for College Town.


    The original body¡¯s owner graduated from Sea City Academy of Drama and was one of the most outstanding talents in the school. His professors valued him highly. However, the original body¡¯s owner had been young and insensible, too eager for success. For this reason, Tao Kang managed to trick him into signing a contract even before graduating.


    If he wanted to get a role now, the best way to do so was to ask his professors for help. Fortunately, the original body¡¯s owner habitually recorded his classes. Otherwise, Song Qianming would not have known who to turn to for help.


    Since it was summer break, there were no lectures taking place. Song Qianming made a beeline for the theater, knowing his teacher would likely be there as she was still a prominent actor in the industry.


    ¡°Song Qianming?¡± He Enmin said, a questioning lilt to her words. She had just stepped out of the theater after filming, and the first thing she saw was her silly student waiting by the doors.


    ¡°Professor,¡± Song Qianming humbly greeted. Despite waiting a long time, he did not greet her with impatience but with politeness. There was no shame in greeting people at the level of the Grand Tutor or the old Prime Minister with humility. It certainly did not harm his reputation by treating his former teacher with respect, prince or not.


    The Grand Tutor never cared about his identity as a prince of the Lan dynasty. If he did not complete his studies, he would be punished. Even if his royal brother stepped in, nothing would change. Such was the impartiality of an educator. Thus, while he was a prince, he was also a student, and his interactions with the Grand Tutor taught Song Qianming the importance of respect.


    ¡°When did you arrive? Why didn¡¯t you say you were going to visit?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Song Qianming smiled shyly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡±


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Seeing him like this, He Enmin sighed helplessly. ¡°Come in. You¡¯re an artiste now; you must be more mindful of the paparazzi.¡±


    ¡°Who would pay attention to someone like me?¡± Song Qianming deliberately painted himself in a pitiful light.


    Professor He huffed, ¡°I told you to be careful. Have you learned your lesson?¡±

 Chapter 11

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? Tell me the truth.¡± He Enmin asked as she found a place to sit down.


    ¡°I just ended my contract with the company,¡± Song Qianming answered honestly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sign the contract for five years? It¡¯s not time yet, is it?¡±


    ¡°Because of what happened to my daughter, they felt that I would implicate them if I continued to stay in that group. In order to make me quit, they made me terminate the contract early,¡± he explained patiently.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you took my words to heart and didn¡¯t sign a longer contract. Otherwise, who would give you a chance after ten years? But what¡¯s with the child?¡±


    ¡°Her name is You Huan, and she¡¯s indeed my daughter. She was an accident. I didn¡¯t expect her mother to give birth to her. It was only when she was about to pass away that she contacted the media to find me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re not the one who betrayed her. Now, the child is with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t want to trouble you, but I¡¯m not alone now. I have a daughter to raise, so¡­¡± he scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°Teacher, you can scold me if you want. I was too ignorant in the past. In the future, I just want to be down-to-earth.¡±


    He Enmin glared at him. ¡°You¡¯re not that stupid after all. You knew to come back to me. You were one of the few people I had the highest hopes for. Now, even those who were not as good as you have made a name for themselves. Shen Yuting, who had the same qualifications as you, now has two big drama series in his hands. He¡¯s ready to step into the front line. You¡¯re really driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, I promise that I won¡¯t be muddleheaded in the future. After all, I¡¯ve suffered such a huge loss. I really understand what path is best for me in the future. Please help me.¡± He used the same method he used on his brother in his previous life to deal with He Enmin, which made the old man angry yet feel pity for him.


    ¡°You!¡± She tapped Song Qianming¡¯s forehead. ¡°As the saying goes, a fall into a pit, a gain in your wit. After such a huge fall, you¡¯re much more cunning now.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°In this industry, you have to be more smooth. If you succeeded from the beginning, although I would be proud of you, I would definitely be worried as well. But since you¡¯ve experienced hardships earlier on, in the future, I¡¯ll be more at ease and less worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely not taint your reputation in the future.¡±


    ¡°As long as you live well, I don¡¯t care about fame. But if you go out to film, will anyone take care of your child?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve hired a nanny for the time being, but if I¡¯m going out of town to film, I¡¯ll take her with me. Don¡¯t worry, teacher, I¡¯ll take care of both my work and Youhuan.¡±


    He Enmin paused for a moment before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s what you should do. She had just arrived at your side, so you should spend more time her. However, you have to be mentally prepared. You¡¯re not popular now and you¡¯ve just experienced all this. Others might not give you a good role.¡±


    ¡°As long as there¡¯s a show to act in, I¡¯m not picky. I¡¯m not qualified to be picky anyway.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t belittle yourself. Whether it¡¯s your looks or professional knowledge, you¡¯re outstanding. You haven¡¯t acted in a few years, have you?¡±


    ¡°I definitely won¡¯t embarrass you, teacher.¡±


    ¡°Then go back and wait for my news. I¡¯ll call you again if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, teacher.¡± Song Qianming stood up and bowed deeply.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me. The next time you come, remember to bring your daughter along for me to see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t stay idle after he returned. He watched the performance of the characters in the movie over and over again, and then performed it to the mirror.


    No one practiced lines with him, so he acted in two or even three roles. His lines and acting skills improved so fast that even his neighbors noticed.


    One day, when Song Qianming was acting out a scene of an argument, the neighbors almost called the police. It was clear that his lines were amazing.


    ¡°I knew I was a genius!¡± He looked at himself in the mirror proudly and then flicked his hair.


    In the beginning, he had chosen to enter the entertainment industry to fulfill his original body¡¯s wish and to support his family and become famous so that his royal brother could find him. But now, he had really fallen in love with acting.


    The feeling of being immersed in each character was too wonderful. It was as if he was experiencing someone else¡¯s life.


    ¡°Daddy is the best!¡± Youhuan watched from the beginning to the end, and then couldn¡¯t help but clap excitedly.


    ¡°Youhuan is the best too. Your face has become round again. It¡¯s great.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but kiss his daughter¡¯s little face.


    ¡°But everyone says that it¡¯s not good to gain weight,¡± Youhuan said worriedly, holding her face.


    ¡°Who said so?¡± Song Qianming frowned. ¡°The person who said that really has no taste. Children should be round to be cute.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care what others say. As long as daddy likes it, it¡¯s fine,¡± little Youhuan said sweetly.


    ¡°Yes, daddy likes our Youhuan fair and chubby. We have to eat well every day, okay?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Song Qianming, who had always loved his image, was completely unaware of the problem with his own aesthetics. He didn¡¯t even realize what kind of idea he had promoted to his daughter, so much so that when she grew up, she was constantly distressed by her figure.


    Song Qianming studied at home for another three days, and finally, his teacher called.


    ¡°It¡¯s a 1990s drama. There aren¡¯t many scenes. Old Qian gave you the role of a conservative young master who has been troubled by progressive ideals. He¡¯s the male lead¡¯s brother. He might not even have many lines, and in the end, he was killed by the enemy in an explosion while protecting the male lead. If you don¡¯t mind, you can give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Why would I dislike it? Moreover, it¡¯s elder Qian¡¯s movie.¡± Song Qianming was ecstatic. He had thought that it would be good enough to have a supporting role in a small web drama, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be elder Qian¡¯s movie.


    As long as they were in the industry, there was no one who didn¡¯t know elder Qian. This was because although the box office sales of elder Qian¡¯s movies were not necessarily high, their reputations were absolutely positive. Some of the movies that were produced by him were even highly valued by the country.


    Therefore, regardless of whether actors were big or small, they all hoped to play a role in elder Qian¡¯s movie. Even if it was a supporting role, it was fine because as long as the film was produced, it represented good reputation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be happy too early. Old Qian only said that he¡¯s giving you a chance to audition. It¡¯s up to you to get this role.¡±


    Song Qianming took a deep breath. ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make good use of this opportunity.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After all, this might be his first job in this world. If he could succeed in the audition, it would mean that he really had the ability to survive in this world.


    ¡°Daddy is so awesome!¡± Youhuan was also very happy for him.


    ¡°When daddy earns a lot of money, I¡¯ll give us a better life,¡± he said with great ambition.


    ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯ll also make a lot of money for daddy,¡± Youhuan said, imitating him.


    Song Qianming laughed heartily, ¡°My good daughter is so filial. Daddy will be waiting then.¡±


    He said that, but in his heart, he was thinking that he should be the one earning money. His daughter only needed to enjoy herself.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Old Scenes of Nancheng¡± was being filmed in Haicheng, so he rushed over by car early in the morning. On the way, he read up on the historical information.


    The pre-1949 Republic of China was a period of history that many Chinese people did not want to mention because China was bullied by foreign powers at that time. Ordinary people suffered unspeakable hardships, and wars were constantly happening all over the country. It was so depressing that people could not breathe.


    Looking at this part of history, Song Qianming felt as if he was looking at his previous life. His father was muddleheaded, his royal grandmother was in power, and the rulers all over the country established themselves as Kings. Men were forced to join the army, taxes were strictly enforced, and the people had no way of living.


    Fortunately, in his previous life, after his royal brother took the throne, the nation recuperated and the commoners¡¯ lives became better.


    However, in this life, the government here was even more powerful. Not only did they fill the residents¡¯ stomachs in a short time, but they also helped the vast majority of people escape poverty.


    What shocked Song Qianming the most was that the farmers here were not taxed. Not only were men and women equal, but everyone had to study, and the country paid for it.


    Since ancient times, in order to control a region, the higher-ups did not dare to let people read too many books. They would only promote one ideal and fix their way of thinking. This was because once people had knowledge, they would also learn to think. They would then doubt the series of orders from the higher-ups.


    Therefore, those dynasties either only promoted Confucianism or filial piety¡­ It was rare for people to open their minds and allow hundreds of schools of thought to compete, because once there were too many opinions, differences would arise, and then no one would be convinced of the other, and then war would begin.


    However, this world was different. The Chinese government wanted people to learn, but it was more to let people gain basic knowledge. They wanted to eliminate illiteracy and give everyone an additional choice to survive in this world.


    Although there was some patriotic education during the learning stage, Song Qianming did not think that there was anything wrong with it. The country was so powerful, and it was dedicated to the people. The people should be patriotic.


    These days, he had seen news on the internet about whether international students should come back or not. Perhaps he was too old-fashioned. He felt that those international students should come back. Even if they didn¡¯t, they shouldn¡¯t defame the country.


    This was because you enjoyed a series of benefits from China from the moment you were born. Don¡¯t say that you were raised by your parents and had nothing to do with the country. You spent money on your studies and had no obligation to repay anything.


    First of all, only with the existence of the Chinese government, could you grow up in a peaceful and stable environment. Otherwise, if you were born in a country with chaotic social relations, would you be able to grow up safely like this?


    Secondly, haven¡¯t you enjoyed the public facilities in society before? Roads, bridges, street lights, tap water, and so on were all related to the government¡¯s investments.


    Of course, you might continue to argue that these were all done with the taxes paid by your parents, so you are qualified to enjoy it, but what about medical care and education?


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t know much about other things, but in his Lan dynasty, if an ordinary person wanted to study, it would be difficult even if he went bankrupt for it. Most people didn¡¯t even have the chance to go to school.


    But here, no matter where you were born, no matter how your family treated you, the government would try to get you into school. This was an opportunity for you to rise in the social class.


    Besides, do you really think that your tuition fee of a few thousand Yuan is enough to offset the knowledge that the school has taught you? You have to know that these schools are subsidized by the government. The tuition fees you pay are not enough to support you to complete your college studies.


    The cost of books, accommodation, experimental funds, and so on, these were all prices given by the state and the school after preferential policies.


    Many high school students would leave after using the resources given to them by the school and the government. They would even take it for granted that they had paid the tuition fees and were going to contribute to other countries. It was true that it was your own ability to have a better choice, but since you had enjoyed the resources, shouldn¡¯t you change your attitude? At the very least, you should be grateful to his country and not slander it, right?


    His thoughts drifted away. Song Qianming couldn¡¯t control others, but he could control himself. He felt that at this stage, all he could do was to work hard and pay taxes. When he had more financial strength, he would do more to repay China and society.


    ¡°May I ask if this is the filming location for ¡®Old scenes of Nancheng¡¯?¡± He got out of the car and asked the person who seemed to be in charge.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The man looked at him warily, then frowned in disdain. ¡°We are not accepting interviews now, and we do not allow non-staff to enter at will. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m Song Qianming. I¡¯ve agreed to come for an audition with elder Qian.¡± Song Qianming was not angered by his attitude and remained polite and humble.


    ¡°Audition? What role did you audition for? Why didn¡¯t I hear elder Qian say that he was looking for a new actor? Don¡¯t try to fool me with this. Elder Qian is not someone you can easily meet. Go, go, go. Don¡¯t hinder our work here.¡± He waved his hand impatiently and snorted disdainfully. ¡°What a bunch of random cats and dogs. How dare you covet elder Qian¡¯s movie without any fame?¡±


    This time, Song Qianming really got angry. He had asked him nicely, but why was this person so disrespectful? It was true that he wasn¡¯t famous now, but how could he be so casually insulted?


    But in the end, it was elder Qian who gave him this opportunity, so he couldn¡¯t just vent his anger on elder Qian¡¯s people.


    ¡°My teacher and elder Qian have made an appointment,¡± he said patiently. ¡°Can you please go and inform him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I say, why don¡¯t you know what¡¯s good for you? I said elder Qian doesn¡¯t have time to see people like you.¡± The man¡¯s voice became louder.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Perhaps it was because they were arguing too much, a little girl in her 20s walked out.


    The man who had been so arrogant to Song Qianming just now immediately changed his attitude when he saw the young lady. ¡°Second miss, it¡¯s like this. This person insisted that elder Qian had asked him for an audition. Everyone knows that our crew is already complete, but he¡¯s still here pestering us. If he¡¯s not here to cause trouble, what is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Who said everyone is here? Aren¡¯t there still two supporting roles that haven¡¯t been found?¡± Second miss Qian rolled her eyes at him.


    ¡°But weren¡¯t Qi yang and Liu Shi auditioning for the two roles that we¡¯re missing?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the remaining characters can only be chosen from the two of them?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. But they¡¯re really quite popular right now.¡±


    Second miss Qian gave him a look and said, ¡°Since when did my grandfather¡¯s movies need to rely on traffic? Go away, it¡¯s not up to you, an unprofessional person who got in through the back door, to comment on the casting.¡±


    Song Qianming finally realized that this man had no real power at all. In this production team, he was just a fox borrowing the tiger¡¯s power. There were really people everywhere who were arrogant and had no brains!

 Chapter 13

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°You must be Song Qianming?¡± Second miss Qian walked up to him and asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Song Qianming nodded.


    ¡°Grandfather has already told me about your audition. Come in with me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Qian.¡±


    Seeing Miss Qian call out Song Qianming¡¯s name and even saying that it was elder Qian who told her about it, the man¡¯s face turned pale, and his eyes revealed his panic. However, no one paid him any attention at this time.


    ¡°Are you here for the audition for Chen Zeshu?¡± Second miss Qian tilted her head and looked at him.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± He smiled and nodded again.


    ¡°You look pretty good. Are you new?¡± second miss Qian sized him up.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been in the industry for over four years.¡±


    ¡°Four years?¡± Second miss Qian looked at him in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re so good-looking. Why haven¡¯t you made it even after four years? That shouldn¡¯t be the case!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m not good enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Second miss Qian shook her head. ¡°Those who can be recommended by grandma He can¡¯t be weak.¡±


    ¡°Then my luck is bad.¡± Song Qianming found another excuse.


    ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re just patronizing me?¡± second miss Qian was unhappy.


    Song Qianming laughed. ¡°Since it¡¯s not a matter of strength or luck, what do you think is the reason why I¡¯m not famous yet?¡±


    ¡°How should I know? But don¡¯t worry, as long as you successfully audition for my grandfather¡¯s movie, you¡¯ll be famous sooner or later,¡± second miss Qian said proudly.


    Sure enough, confident women were the most eye-catching. This Miss Qian looked like someone who had been pampered since she was young. It was great. Girls should live so freely. In the future, he would also give Youhuan the capital to live so freely.


    ¡°I hope elder Qian will take a fancy to me.¡±


    Miss Qian didn¡¯t dare to make any guarantees. ¡°Anyway, you have to work hard later. You still have Qi Yang and Liu Shi as your competitors. You know both of them, right? They have more acting experience and popularity than you, so you have to work hard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely try my best,¡± Song Qianming said firmly.


    His original appearance wasn¡¯t bad to begin with. His facial features were very handsome, and there were almost no shortcomings in his features and face shape. In addition, he was 1.85 meters tall, so he was definitely an eye-catching existence in a crowd.


    And since the young prince had travelled to this time period, his temperament had undergone a great change. His confident and calm expression made second miss Qian look at him a few more times.


    She thought to herself that the netizens¡¯ aesthetic standards were getting more and more incomprehensible. Why didn¡¯t a person with such a figure and appearance become popular in the past four years?


    ¡°This is the place. The other two haven¡¯t arrived yet, so I¡¯ll have to trouble you to wait for a moment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s no trouble at all. I should be the one thanking elder Qian for giving me this opportunity.¡±


    Second miss Qian didn¡¯t say any more formalities. She asked someone to bring him a bottle of water and walked out.


    ¡°How was he?¡± Elder Qian asked her as he flipped through the script.


    ¡°He¡¯s very handsome,¡± Second miss Qian gave an affirmative answer.


    Elder Qian closed the script and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s rare to find a male star that you can praise so sincerely.¡±


    Second Miss Qian snorted. ¡°It¡¯s because of the people that the companies are trying to push into the industry to make money. They don¡¯t even look at their own faces and insist on acting as those handsome young masters. Their makeup is so thick that it can be directly boiled into paste if it¡¯s shaved off. They also have to find a specific angle to shoot every single time. Otherwise, they¡¯ll be so ugly that any supporting character can beat them in a second. How can I not despise them?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but no matter which industry it is, there¡¯s always a mix of good and bad.¡± Elder Qian had a very open-minded look.


    ¡°But they don¡¯t even dare to show their true faces in front of the audience. They¡¯re using their edited photos to boost their popularity every day. Aren¡¯t they lying?¡±


    ¡°Real beauties and handsome men can stand the test. The liars won¡¯t be praised for too long. Moreover, after more and more of these things happen, the audience will become more rational. In the future, there will be fewer of these cases. After all, no one¡¯s money can afford to be burned like this. When the time comes, they will be scolded before they become famous. Who knows, they might not want to continue in this industry.¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand it. Some of the resources are clearly good, but they¡¯re being wasted by them. They¡¯re even dragging down other actors.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still too young.¡± Elder Qian didn¡¯t want to explain too much. He had experienced enough to have a balance in his heart.


    ¡°Grandpa, you only know how to use this excuse to brush me off. I won¡¯t talk to you anymore, hmph.¡±


    Elder Qian looked at her dotingly and said, ¡°Since you value Song Qianming so much, I¡¯ll go and see how he performs.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not waiting for the other two?¡±


    ¡°If they are still not here after I¡¯m done with Song Qianming¡¯s audition, it means that they don¡¯t care about the movie. Send these two pages to him, I¡¯ll give him ten minutes to understand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±


    Song Qianming did not expect it to happen so quickly, but he did not panic in the face of danger. He picked up the script and read it carefully.


    Before, teacher He had only told him that this was a Chinese period drama and that the role he was auditioning for was the male lead¡¯s brother. After getting these two pages of the script, the character gradually became clear in his mind.


    Chen Zeshu was the second brother of Chen Zeyu, the male protagonist. They had an elder brother who joined the government army and was killed by the Japan. Since then, their family had taken them seriously and forbade them from participating in all activities.


    In contrast to the clever and disobedient male protagonist who was the third son, the second son, who he was going to play, was a very filial son. He also believed that in such a chaotic era, they should do their best to protect themselves. After all, it did not matter if they were one more or one less member in the Progressive Party. Why should they take the risk of worrying their family?


    As a result, he often stopped the male protagonist from attending those activities, and their relationship became very stiff.


    Song Qianming had to audition with the part where he argued with the male lead and refused to let the male lead out of the house. From the script, he looked like a stubborn and inflexible second brother, but Song Qianming didn¡¯t think so.


    There were three sons in the family. The eldest and the third were both worked hard for the country and they all received the same education. Was the second son a person who feared death?


    Song Qianming did not think so. He thought that Chen Zeshu was suppressing himself. He wanted to serve the country like his brothers. It was just that his family of old and weak women and children made him have more scruples.


    Therefore, the dispute between Chen Zeshu and Chen Zeyu should not be simple anger and confusion, but depression and worry.


    The expression of such emotions had to be very subtle. If it was too forceful, it would ruin the classic scene. If it was not expressed enough, it would not achieve the desired effect.


    Song Qianming mulled it over and could not help but think of his previous life. In his previous life, his royal brother was assassinated, and he wanted to risk his life to draw the enemy away for his royal brother. What did the people around him do then?

 Chapter 14

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    The moment he saw Song Qianming, elder Qian was slightly surprised. It had been a long time since he had seen such a refreshing, clean, and smart young man.


    Second miss Qian lifted her chin slightly in satisfaction. She had said that she had good taste, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, elder Qian!¡± Song Qianming quickly stood up and greeted.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± Elder Qian had a gentle look on his face. ¡°How¡¯s your preparation going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to listen to elder Qian¡¯s advice.¡± Song Qianming wasn¡¯t being modest, and was prepared to show him his acting.


    Elder Qian didn¡¯t think there was a problem with his attitude, so he turned on the camera. ¡°Since you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s do it. Xiao Er, rehearse the lines for him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±


    Putting down the script, Song Qianming immediately adjusted his expression. This was the first time he was acting in front of someone other than Youhuan, but he didn¡¯t feel nervous at all.


    He had experienced many assassinations in his previous life, so this was nothing to him. After all, in the treacherous palace in his previous life, he had been acting for nearly twenty years. It was only when his royal brother ascended the throne that he did not need to hide himself.


    ¡°Third brother, do you really have to go?¡± he roared with a hint of forbearance.


    Second miss Qian read Chen Zeyu¡¯s lines emotionlessly, ¡°Second brother, you won¡¯t understand me. You don¡¯t understand patriotism and devotion to the country at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t understand, but big brother has already sacrificed himself for this country. If something happens to you as well, what do you want grandmother and mother to do? ¡±


    ¡°Grandmother and mother have you.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Song Qianming¡¯s voice grew louder, and his lips trembled. His eyes were filled with crazed emotions, but he quickly suppressed them.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not as righteous as you,¡± he mumbled and clenched his fist as he lowered his head. ¡°Second brother is not as brave as you.¡±


    The script did not specify how this scene should be played out, but elder Qian¡¯s eyes became more and more bright. ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Song Qianming raised his head again, and the look in his eyes changed. ¡°No matter what, as long as I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let you out of this house. You can scold me or hate me, but third brother, we can¡¯t let anyone else die in the Chen family.


    The second Qian miss looked at him in surprise and continued to read, ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone die in our family, but can others? Second brother, I was wrong about you. I, Chen Zeyu, am ashamed to be your brother.¡±


    Song Qianming was unmoved. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged a marriage for you. From now on, you can just stay at home and prepare to marry the girl.¡±


    ¡°You ¡­¡± Second miss Qian¡¯s voice was involuntarily filled with emotion. ¡°How can you agree with mother about this? You know that I wish for a free love. Have you forgotten what we once said? I won¡¯t marry her, I can¡¯t ruin the rest of a girl¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide if you want to marry her or not.¡±


    ¡°Second brother, you¡¯ve really changed. I really have no respect for the current you.¡±


    Song Qianming¡¯s eyes were deep, as if he was watching Chen Zeyu¡¯s back as he left angrily. Then, he laughed at himself and returned to his room decisively, looking desolate and lonely.


    ¡°Pa pa pa!¡± Elder Qian was not stingy with his applause. ¡°Not bad, as expected of someone recommended by old He.¡±


    ¡°Elder Qian, you¡¯re overpraising me. It¡¯s good that I didn¡¯t embarrass teacher.¡± Song Qianming quickly adjusted his emotions and replied humbly.


    ¡°She should be proud to have such a student. I really envy her! She¡¯s lucky enough to find all the talented ones.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of teacher¡¯s good teaching.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your good fortune to be able to learn from her. May I ask why you acted like that just now? Normally, Chen Zeshu would be pedantic and foolish if one only read these two pages of the script.¡±


    Song Qianming explained his understanding. ¡°The three sons of the Chen family all received the same education. There¡¯s no reason for the eldest and third sons to be patriotic while the second son is not. In my opinion, Chen Zeshu has to take care of his family and face the war at the same time. His elder brother died suddenly, and he unexpectedly had to bear the burden of supporting the family. He must be very confused and sad.¡±


    ¡°Very well understood.¡± Elder Qian nodded his head in admiration, ¡°You and I are thinking the same thing. However, even though you performed well in all aspects, I still can¡¯t guarantee you this spot. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course I understand. I¡¯m already very thankful that you¡¯re willing to give me this opportunity to audition, elder Qian.¡± Song Qianming was not disappointed. He had tried his best, so he had no regrets.


    Moreover, some things couldn¡¯t be obtained with one¡¯s own strength. In his previous life, even if his royal brother sat on the throne, he had to consider all his decisions carefully, let alone a director in this life.


    Even if it was a famous director, he might have things he couldn¡¯t control. It could be seen from the arrogant man outside just now. That man was obviously not on elder Qian¡¯s side, but he was on the filming set. This clearly explained the problem.


    ¡°Xiao Er, you two exchange contact information. Have you signed a contract with an agency?¡± he asked Song Qianming.


    ¡°No, I just terminated my contract with the previous agency.¡±


    ¡°Then which company did you sign with before?¡± second miss Qian asked curiously. ¡°How did you get buried for so long? Logically speaking, with your looks and skills, as long as you¡¯re given slightly better resources, you should be able to become famous very quickly, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just bad luck!¡± Song Qianming shook his head and laughed, then said seriously, ¡°Elder Qian, whether you hire me or not, there¡¯s something I must let you know in advance.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I only terminated my contract with my previous agency because the media exposed a piece of negative news about me.¡±


    Second miss Qian was taken aback, then immediately asked, ¡°What negative news?¡±


    Song Qianming answered honestly, ¡°I made a mistake when I was in university. I didn¡¯t know that the other party had given birth to my child behind my back. It was only a few days ago that the child¡¯s mother fell seriously ill and couldn¡¯t take it anymore. That was when she exposed it to the media and came to me.¡±


    The grandfather and granddaughter obviously did not expect this to happen. This was indeed a bit difficult to handle because the higher-ups could not tolerate artists with a bad reputation now. They did not know if his situation counted.


    Thinking of his earlier performance and his honesty, second miss Qian could not help but speak up for him in front of elder Qian, ¡°Grandpa, I don¡¯t think this counts. After all, it¡¯s normal for adult men and women to have sex. Besides, the woman deliberately hid it from him, so he can¡¯t take responsibility even if he wanted to! Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Elder Qian rolled his eyes at her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re only here to broaden your horizons? Why are you being biased suddenly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that you¡¯ll lose a good actor,¡± second miss Qian replied coyly. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Second miss Qian wasn¡¯t too satisfied with this result, but with a look from her grandfather, she had no choice but to give up. She gave Song Qianming a look that said she had done her best.


    Song Qianming smiled and thanked her. The rest was up to fate. If he really couldn¡¯t become an actor, there would always be another way out. He didn¡¯t believe that he, a prince, couldn¡¯t make something of himself in this society.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Grandpa, that¡¯s not fair.¡± Second Miss Qian looked at her grandfather indignantly. ¡°That day, you were obviously more optimistic about Song Qianming¡¯s performance. Why didn¡¯t you choose him in the end?¡±


    Elder Qian¡¯s head ached when he heard this question. He explained helplessly, ¡°Xiao Er, when it comes to casting, performing well at the audition is not necessarily the best choice.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯re just afraid that Song Qianming will steal the protagonist¡¯s limelight because he¡¯s too outstanding, right?¡±


    ¡°Since you already know, why bother asking?¡± elder Qian sighed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the famous elder Qian would be threatened by capital,¡± Second Miss Qian snorted.


    ¡°If this movie was directed by me, I might have signed Song Qianming as the lead. But the script and funds for this movie are all provided by the investors. Since they have already decided on the lead role, they will not agree to let grandpa choose a supporting role who is better than the lead in both looks and acting skills.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, with your current status, are you still threatened by them?¡± Second Miss Qian was dissatisfied and distressed.


    ¡°With grandpa¡¯s current status, there are naturally many scripts waiting for me to shoot, but this script is really good, and I doesn¡¯t want to miss it. The male lead they decided on isn¡¯t too bad either. Besides, this investor helped me when I was down and out, so I can¡¯t reject it. Xiao Er, there are some things you might not understand now, but you¡¯ll understand when you grow up.¡±


    ¡°You only know how to use this excuse,¡± Second Miss Qian mumbled, but did not pester him any further. She only sighed and said, ¡°Then it¡¯s a pity for Song Qianming.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a pity, but it might not be a bad thing for him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You have to know that in grandpa¡¯s movie, even the supporting roles are competed for by countless people in the industry. If the role that even a first or second-tier star couldn¡¯t get was snatched by a small star who just had a scandal, what do you think he would face in the future?¡±


    ¡°But unless you have a strong backing, people with the potential to become famous will still be targeted.¡±


    ¡°However, it¡¯s different to become famous through a big production than through a small production. I promise you that if there are good resources in the future, I will give priority to Song Qianming. However, this movie is not possible. Help me reply to him. If he doesn¡¯t mind, I can introduce him to another role.¡±


    ¡°What role?¡± Second Miss Qian asked curiously.


    ¡°Grandpa has a student whose previous two movies did not do well at the box office. This year, no one dared to invest in him, so he had no choice but to take on a historical drama. He said that besides the female lead, he couldn¡¯t find the male lead or the supporting role. With Song Qianming¡¯s qualifications, as long as he is willing to go, my student will be ecstatic.¡±


    Second Miss Qian mumbled. ¡°He can¡¯t even find anyone to act. Now that there¡¯s a handsome man to save the day for him, how can he not be ecstatic?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you speak in a better way?¡± Elder Qian knocked her forehead lightly. ¡°Although the investment isn¡¯t big and the main actors haven¡¯t been found, my student will definitely take this movie seriously because he has no other way out. No one wants to act in it not because they look down on him, but because he has announced that he will spend most of the money on the production of this movie and won¡¯t pay too much for it.¡±


    ¡°That sounds pretty good.¡± Second Miss Qian nodded her head. There were very few good productions these days. Firstly, it was because some businesses wanted to use this industry to optimize and legalize some of their funds. Thus, they had never bothered to control the production quality. Instead, they only wanted the production time to be as short as possible.


    Secondly, some of the bigger investors were afraid that they would not be able to recoup their costs, so they could only adopt the safest approach, which was to hire popular stars. In the end, most of the money would go to the main lead¡¯s salary after hiring them. Moreover, they had to agree to a series of requests of these popular main leads during the filming process. Would the final film be good?


    Moreover, some of the directors and actors were really bad, which led to the terrible productions in the end.


    ¡°Although Xiao He has failed two movies in a row, he was brought up by grandpa. He¡¯s actually quite good. It¡¯s just that in the previous two movies, he was sabotaged by the lead actor, who claimed that he was bullying people during the filming process. As a result, he was boycotted by the netizens. The second movie had an unpopular theme, so no one dares to invest too much in him now. In order to restore his reputation, he will definitely put in the effort to produce this movie. You can tell Song Qianming not to worry,¡± elder Qian explained.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let him know.¡±


    Song Qianming wasn¡¯t surprised that he didn¡¯t get the role, so he wasn¡¯t too disappointed when Second Miss Qian called him.


    Second Miss Qian felt very regretful. ¡°Grandpa said that if this movie was completely directed by him, he might make you the main lead directly, but no, Brother Song, I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve made a wasted trip.¡±


    ¡°How can that be? To be able to receive such a high evaluation from elder Qian, it is definitely worth it,¡± Song Qianming said with a smile.


    Second Miss Qian quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t be sad. Grandpa said that we¡¯ll work together again if there¡¯s an opportunity in the future. He also introduced another role to you. Although it¡¯s not a big production, the director is grandpa¡¯s student, and his standard has been acknowledged by grandpa.¡±


    Song Qianming did not expect such a pleasant surprise. What right did he have to refuse? Furthermore, the character recommended by elder Qian would definitely not be too bad.


    ¡°As long as there¡¯s a chance to act, I¡¯m willing to give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give them your contact number, Brother Song. They¡¯re in a hurry to begin filming, so they should contact you soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll definitely grasp this opportunity well.¡±


    ¡°Brother Song, you can do it. I have faith in you.¡±


    Song Qianming chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you then, Second Miss Qian.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Qian Anan still felt her ears burning. She knew that the other party had a child, but why was her heart beating so fast just by listening to his voice?


    Sigh, if only he didn¡¯t have a child. If he didn¡¯t have a child, when Song Qianming became successful in the future, her family might even agree. But to let her be a stepmother? Not to mention the her unwillingness, her grandfather wouldn¡¯t be allow it in the first place.


    It was better to put this little attraction aside. Anyway, there would be no result. If it was exposed, her grandfather might even interfere with Song Qianming¡¯s future. It would not be good if she ruined his future because of her own wishful thinking.


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t expect to receive an audition invitation from Director He so soon. It just so happened that he was in Sea City for the past two days, so they had arranged to meet at night. Also, because the nanny he hired, Auntie Feng, happened to be busy at night, and she had asked for leave from him before, he had no choice but to take little Youhuan to the restaurant.


    The moment they met, Director He decided on Song Qianming. Firstly, there was no need to worry about his acting skills. After all, he had been acknowledged by elder Qian. Secondly, his looks were too outstanding. Where else could he find such a cheap, handsome, and good actor?

 Chapter 16

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Not bad, not bad at all.¡± As someone who had been in this circle for many years, Director He could tell at a glance that Song Qianming had never had plastic surgery. He was indeed someone who even his teacher acknowledged.


    Although he had been demoted to film a TV series, Director He had inherited one of elder Qian¡¯s habits, which was that he was not willing to use people who had plastic surgery. Because on the big screen, even the slightest flaw on an actor¡¯s face could be seen.


    Even if he was filming a TV series now, he would prefer to use authentic images, instead of producing dramas that used so much skin filters that the facial features were almost unclear.


    Not only was Song Qianming¡¯s appearance stunning, but his aura was even more excellent. It was as if he was tailor-made for the male lead of the drama.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡± He was even a little afraid that Song Qianming would not like his drama and run away.


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    ¡°This is my daughter.¡± Song Qianming did not plan to hide it from elder Qian, and neither did he plan to hide it from director he.


    ¡°Director He, Youhuan was born while I was still studying and unmarried. If you¡¯re worried that my situation will affect your drama, you can reject me directly. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Director He really didn¡¯t expect Song Qianming to have such a fatal scandal. He hesitated for a moment, but he quickly cast it aside.


    ¡°As long as the woman gave birth to the child of her own will, it¡¯s nothing. Besides, the role I¡¯m giving you doesn¡¯t even need couple publicity with the actress.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t mind, Director He.¡± Song Qianming heaved a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t expect little Youhuan to also let out a sigh of relief.


    Her cute appearance immediately attracted Director He¡¯s attention. He suddenly remembered that this drama also needed to film the scenes of the two leading actors when they were young, and this child could play her father.


    ¡°How old is she? Would you be interested in letting her act as a cameo for one episode?¡±


    ¡°You have to ask her,¡± Song Qianming replied, stunned.


    Director He immediately tried to tempt her. ¡°Do you want to film with your father? It¡¯s very fun.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± When Youhuan heard that she could be with her father, she quickly agreed.


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. But Director He, Youhuan is only three and a half years old. If she did anything wrong, please don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? We all know that children and animals are the hardest to film. Do you think we can sign the contract now?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me about the script yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Director He smacked his head. ¡°I was so excited to see you that I forgot about it. Although the production cost is a little low and the pay will be lower than industry standards, don¡¯t worry. I will put in my most effort to produce this drama and won¡¯t ruin the reputation of the film.¡±


    It seemed that the two failed movies had a huge impact on Director He. Otherwise, he, as elder Qian¡¯s student, would not be so humble.


    ¡°Director He, if you don¡¯t mind me, why would I mind the pay? Besides, I¡¯m just a nameless small star with a bad reputation. Even if you don¡¯t pay me, it¡¯s my honor.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re underestimating yourself,¡± Director He laughed.


    As he spoke, he took out a simple script. ¡°Although it¡¯s a web drama, what attracts me is that this web drama is different from those love stories. In it, the male protagonist only took advantage of the female protagonist. Later, although the male protagonist achieved his goal, he was eventually also abandoned by his friends and family. You have to be mentally prepared. After this drama is broadcasted, you may be criticized by people who pities the female protagonist.¡±


    ¡°The most important quality an actor should have is to not be afraid of being defamed. If you have a glass heart, you shouldn¡¯t continue to stay in this industry.¡± Song Qianming commented as he read the script.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Director He slammed the table. ¡°I hate those pretentious people the most. Since they like the fame and fortune brought by this industry, they should accept the doubts as well. After all, a public figure is to be appreciated and criticized by everyone. To earn this money, one must have this awareness. If they are afraid of being criticized, they should not have joined this industry. Those people who are successful and famous now, which one of them has not been slandered before? Even the most respected people can¡¯t avoid this when they first enter the industry. It¡¯s just that they¡¯ve settled down and proven themselves through their works and time.¡±


    Song Qianming laughed when he heard this. He didn¡¯t expect this Director He to be such a sentimental person. However, what he said did make sense. In this line of work, one needed to have a strong mind. He was already prepared for this. After all, in his previous life, when he was scolded by the civil and military officials for being a useless prince, he had already developed a thick layer of skin.


    The script given by Director He was indeed different from the average web drama about love. Although the female lead had more scenes, the male lead was equally outstanding.


    The script was about the story of the innocent female protagonist being used by the dark male protagonist. The female protagonist was deeply in love, and although the male protagonist was moved, he never wavered from his intention of using her.


    In addition, the contrast between the male lead in the first and second halves of this drama was particularly great. In the first part, when his true nature was not exposed, the male lead was handsome, and considerate. He was simply an ideal boyfriend.


    However, he was also very ruthless after he was exposed in the later parts. He even wanted to kill the female lead. It could be said that he was very hateful. Song Qianming could already predict how the audience would scold him when the male lead revealed his true colors.


    In the end, the female protagonist¡¯s counterattack was not very successful because she died together with the male protagonist. The only one who survived was the supporting male character, but he had to take over the world that the male protagonist had conquered and work hard for the male protagonist¡¯s grand plan. After all, the dynasty had already been unified. If he didn¡¯t take over, was he going to sit back and watch the people suffer?


    This was a character who could sacrifice everything for the sake of his grand ambitions. He was great, but he was cunning. He had set up a few of his close brothers to get to that position. He was hateful, but he had indeed achieved the great unification.


    This was a controversial character, and Song Qianming could not help but think of his previous life.


    In his previous life, it was not easy for his royal brother to ascend to the throne. Although his brother was not as despicable and hypocritical as the male lead in this script, in order to achieve his final goal, he had no choice but to sacrifice some subordinates. It could only be said that there was a lot of helplessness in sitting in that position. He was confident that he could play this role well.


    ¡°Director He, are we signing the contract now?¡±


    ¡°Sign it. Take a look at the contract and see if there are any problems.¡± Director He hurriedly took it out as if he was afraid that Song Qianming would change his mind.


    Song Qianming wasn¡¯t very good at looking at contracts, but he could read people. He believed that Director He wouldn¡¯t lie to a small-time actor like him, so he signed his name decisively.


    ¡°The female lead and a few supporting actresses are all in place. I¡¯ll add you into the group first. I have to hold the audition for two supporting actors tomorrow. If everything goes well, we¡¯ll start shooting next month. Do you have any questions? ¡±


    ¡°No problem, Director He, you can call me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. I wish us a happy cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Happy cooperation.¡±


    Little Youhuan seemed to know that her father had a new job, and her eyes squinted as she grinned. Her cute and well-behaved appearance made people like her very much.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Waa!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so handsome!¡±


    ¡°Director He, where did you kidnap Xiao Song from?¡± When Song Qianming walked out of the fitting room, everyone was shocked. The female lead even patted Director He¡¯s shoulder and exclaimed, ¡°No wonder the female lead fell for him. Who wouldn¡¯t be fooled by such looks!¡±


    Director He was still the most surprised. He felt that signing Song Qianming was really worth it. He could already imagine how the netizens would exclaim after the show was broadcast.


    However, the more they liked him in the early stages, the more disappointed they would be in the later stages. Although this kind of routine was beneficial and harmless to the drama, it would probably make Xiao Song suffer. However, the more controversy there was, the more popular he would be, right?


    ¡°I only realized that those photos of you in the past had pulled you down when I saw you in person. I really don¡¯t know what your previous company was thinking. They didn¡¯t make you famous even with such amazing conditions,¡± Shen Bao¡¯er, who played the female lead, said with admiration in her eyes.


    ¡°Sister Bao¡¯er, don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± Song Qianming smiled humbly, destroying the noble air of a young master that he had just walked out with.


    ¡°I just wanted uncle to find a show for me to film for fun. If I still don¡¯t become popular after this, I¡¯ll leave the industry. Since you and Director He are both so serious, it seems that I have to work hard.¡±


    Song Qianming recalled what Director He had told him previously. The biggest investor of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ was a big shot with the surname Shen. His purpose was to promote the daughter of the Shen family, which was Shen Bao¡¯er.


    Shen Bao¡¯er came from a wealthy family and had no interest in inheriting the family business. Instead, she fell in love with the entertainment industry. However, it was strange. She was not bad looking and her acting skills were passable. However, she had already been the female lead in several movies, and Shen Bao¡¯er still did not show any signs of becoming famous. This fact was often used by netizens to ridicule her.


    She was the daughter of a wealthy family. After being ridiculed for so long, she lost the passion she used to have for the entertainment industry. Therefore, this was the last chance that she and her family were giving herself. If she still couldn¡¯t stir up any waves, she would leave the entertainment industry for good.


    Originally, she didn¡¯t have much hope for this drama, but since Director He was so hardworking and the male lead was so handsome, maybe she could really use this to become famous?


    As a result, under everyone¡¯s anticipation, ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ finally started filming. Also, because most of the filming locations for this drama were in major scenic spots or the wilderness, Song Qianming couldn¡¯t return to Sea City every week, so he brought little Youhuan with him.


    Little Youhuan was also loved by all the uncles and aunties when she joined the crew, mainly because she was really too cute and had a great personality. Who in the world didn¡¯t like beautiful, cute, and well-behaved child?


    Song Qianming could clearly feel the change in his daughter. When she first came to his side, she was careful and obedient, afraid that she would do something wrong and he would abandon her. She was the kind of person who worried about this every day.


    But now, even though he had not been by her side for long, he could already feel the happiness and satisfaction from the bottom of her heart. She dared to say what she wanted to eat or not. She wanted to sleep in and watch more TV, and she had learned to act coquettishly.


    This feeling made Song Qianming particularly surprised. His daughter should be unscrupulous. He would give her more security in the future.


    ¡°Dad, everyone is so nice to me!¡± Little Youhuan hugged a pile of snacks and sighed with emotion.


    Song Qianming unwrapped a packet and put it in his mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but nod. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The crew is all good people.¡±


    Even though he was already sick of the various delicacies made by the royal chefs in his previous life, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the fascinating creativity of the people of this world every time he tasted a new food. The children here were so blessed. One had to know that in his previous life, he didn¡¯t get to eat so much good food even as a prince.


    ¡°Youhuan, you¡¯re a child. You have to eat lesser snacks, okay? Otherwise, it¡¯s not good for your body.¡±


    ¡°But daddy, you eat more than I do.¡±


    ¡°Daddy is an adult, it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Daddy only knows how to say that. Uncle director said that you should eat less too, or you won¡¯t look good on camera when you get fat.¡±


    Director He had also mobilized the entire crew to prevent Song Qianming from overeating and drinking.


    Every time he saw him ordering takeaway, Director He felt very helpless. He had never seen an actor who loved to drink milk tea and eat skewers so much. The way he drank milk tea and ate skewers completely destroyed the image of a refined gentleman that the stylists had spent so much effort to create. It was simply infuriating.


    And because of how well-liked Song Qianming was, other than him, all the other crew members had been bribed to cover for Song Qianming. In desperation, he had to ask little Youhuan for help and ask her to keep an eye on him.


    ¡°Daddy won¡¯t get fat.¡± Song Qianming ate a spicy strip. Although he knew that it wasn¡¯t that healthy, he couldn¡¯t help but eat it.


    ¡°But daddy, you have pimples.¡± Little Youhuan pointed at his face brutally.


    Song Qianming was shocked. He immediately took a mirror and looked at himself. Indeed, he found a red pimple on his brow.


    He thought to himself that he was done for. If Director He found out tomorrow, he would definitely come to his room and take all his snacks away.


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to tell anyone, understand? It¡¯ll definitely go down tomorrow.¡±


    After that, Youhuan watched her father put on a mask and aloe vera. After a long time, he looked at the spicy strips unwillingly and finally looked away in anger.


    Little Youhuan covered her mouth and laughed non-stop. She felt that her father was really interesting now. He was much better than his strong and responsible appearance in the beginning.


    Perhaps even Song Qianming himself didn¡¯t realize it, but it wasn¡¯t just little Youhuan who was changing. He himself was also changing. He was originally a carefree prince, but suddenly he had a daughter, and furthermore, it was in this strange world. It would be a lie to say that he wasn¡¯t nervous.


    Now, the father and daughter had gradually found the most comfortable way to get along. He had also begun to gradually understand this world and had the ability to survive in this world. His natural personality had begun to surface.


    ¡°You little rascal, I can¡¯t eat it, so you¡¯re not allowed to eat it either.¡± Song Qianming tickled her, which made little Youhuan laugh.


    She actually understood everything. She was too young and it was not good to eat too many snacks. Her father was doing this for her own good.


    ¡°Cut! Little Youhuan¡¯s performance is pretty good.¡± Director He happily replayed the scenes he had just shot. He didn¡¯t expect a young child to be so expressive.


    ¡°This is amazing, this is amazing. If our Youhuan enters the entertainment industry in the future, her acting skills will definitely be able to beat everyone.¡± A group of people surrounded her and showered her with praises and care. Even Song Qianming, as her father, could not interfere.


    The little child was wearing an ancient costume, playing the role of the young male protagonist. When the male protagonist was young, because of the cunny and treacherous harem, he had to pretend to be a girl, so little Youhuan was wearing a pink palace dress, and there was a flower bud in her hair, which made her look even more exquisite and lovely.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°So you¡¯re not Xu Mengchen, but Xiang Jingchen. I was wrong about you.¡± The female lead played by Shen Bao¡¯er looked at the male lead, who was being played by Song Qianming, with teary eyes. The truth of the matter had hit her so hard that she spat out a mouthful of blood.


    However, the male protagonist was unmoved, as if the woman in front of him was not the lover who had followed him to the ends of the earth.


    ¡°Shuang¡¯er, I advise you to hand over the jade seal, and perhaps I can spare your life.¡±


    ¡°Ha, spare my life? Haven¡¯t you killed enough people? You still care about my life?¡±


    Song Qianming squinted his eyes, and his determined face looked even colder. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to listen, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Xu Mengchen, do you even have a heart?¡± the female lead roared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Shuang¡¯er. He won¡¯t be soft-hearted to us. If we don¡¯t leave now, it¡¯ll be too late.¡± The supporting male character forcefully dragged her away.


    Song Qianming had already drawn his bow, and an arrow shot out at a rapid speed.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Director He couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    ¡°Cut! Not bad, everyone¡¯s performance was good. I¡¯ll treat everyone to more food tonight.¡±


    ¡°Director, you¡¯re finally not stingy anymore?¡± The production crew was instantly in an uproar.


    ¡°Oh my, are we finally getting chicken legs tonight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to teacher Song. That arrow just now simply shot right into my heart.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, teacher Song, why are your archery movements so accurate? Did you practice it before?¡±


    Everyone chattered and surrounded him in the middle. Some touched up his makeup and some took water. Because there was still a scene to shoot, the earlier they finished shooting, the earlier they could rest.


    ¡°I have come into contact with it a little in the past.¡± Song Qianming replied humbly.


    Shen Bao¡¯er laughed at the side. ¡°I don¡¯t think that you¡¯ve only come into contact with a little. I¡¯ve worked with quite a number of male actors, but none of them had such graceful movements. And it¡¯s not just graceful. That arrow was half-buried in the ground. It¡¯s a good thing that it wasn¡¯t aimed at me. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve been scared to death.¡±


    ¡°Not only was he good at archery, but the way he rode the horse was also very cool. Brother Song, I can already predict how people will ridicule me after this drama is broadcast. You¡¯ve clearly taught me step by step, so why can¡¯t I learn it?¡± the second male lead said with a bitter face.


    ¡°This is a matter of temperament,¡± the second female lead mocked, ¡°Otherwise, why didn¡¯t Director He make you the male lead? ¡±


    ¡°You are only a supporting actress too?¡± The supporting male character retorted.


    ¡°You¡­ Hmph! Brother Song, you should teach him a lesson.¡± She actually turned around and started acting coquettishly with Song Qianming.


    Song Qianming was speechless.


    He felt rather awkward. Even though he was trying his best to adapt to this world, most of his beliefs were still stuck in his previous life. The women there were almost all very reserved. Who would act like a spoiled child to a man they were not familiar with? He really couldn¡¯t handle this Li Jinyun.


    Fortunately, Shen Bao¡¯er stepped in. ¡°Don¡¯t look for Xiao Song for everything. Just be yourself. One day, you¡¯ll be able to act as the female lead. Or, you can also invest like I did.¡±


    The atmosphere suddenly froze, and many people couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh.


    They couldn¡¯t be blamed for being like this. It was just that Li Jinyun, who played the second female lead, was a little odd. Although her acting skills and looks were not bad, perhaps it was because of this that she was usually very pretentious. She also liked to argue with the second male lead about everything and get close to Song Qianming.


    As for why she didn¡¯t like to get close to Shen Bao¡¯er, it was because Shen Bao¡¯er¡¯s family had invested in this drama and she couldn¡¯t afford to offend them. Moreover, Shen Bao¡¯er didn¡¯t bother to entertain her.


    ¡°Alright, everyone get ready.¡± It was still Director He who broke this stiff situation, and everyone returned to their orderly work.


    Because Director He insisted on filming at the authentic scenes, it took more than half a year to complete the filming even though it was a web drama with a small investment. However, although the process was tough, the returns were generous. One could tell just by looking at Director He¡¯s confident smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been hard on everyone during this period of time. Thank you for your cooperation all this time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Director He.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s worth it for the drama to have a good effect when its broadcasted.¡±


    ¡°I promise everyone that I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Director He laughed.


    When he said that, everyone was very happy, because once this drama became popular after its broadcast, it would not only benefit the director and several main actors. Behind-the-scenes staff like them would also be able to write a strong note on their resumes. In the future, no matter which crew they went to, they would have confidence.


    ¡°Xiao Song, let¡¯s work together if there¡¯s a chance in the future.¡± In the end, the director picked up his glass and clinked it with Song Qianming¡¯s. As a director who had been in this industry for so many years, he was sure that Song Qianming would be famous in the future. He had really picked up a big bargain this time. After all, no matter how popular Song Qianming was in the future, he would always be the first director to invite him to act as the male lead.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Song Qianming didn¡¯t hesitate and finished the wine in his glass in one go.


    Director He was grateful to him, but how could he not be grateful to Director He? After all, only Director He would dare to invite someone like him, who had no acting experience at all and even had a bad reputation, to act as the male lead.


    ¡°Xiao Song, you haven¡¯t signed a contract with any management company, right? Listen to me, don¡¯t sign it for the time being. Even if you want to sign it, you have to wait until after our drama is broadcasted.¡± Director He said earnestly, ¡°I have a feeling that our drama will definitely be a hit.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks for Director He¡¯s teachings.¡±


    At this moment, Shen Bao¡¯er also came over to give him a toast. ¡°Xiao Song, I also think highly of you. If no one wants to invest in you in the future, you can come to me. I¡¯ll ask my uncle to support you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Bao¡¯er.¡± Song Qianming downed another glass.


    Then he got up and gave a toast to everyone. In the past few months, everyone had been very kind to him and had taught him a lot of things. He thought to himself that there would probably be very few such harmonious film crews in the future. Although he had never been in any other film crew, he could feel that this film crew was special.


    Even Li Jinyun, who was the most pretentious, didn¡¯t have any other major flaws. She was very professional in the shooting process.


    After a few rounds, everyone was drunk. Shen Bao¡¯er even patted Song Qianming¡¯s shoulder regretfully and said, ¡°If only you didn¡¯t have a daughter, I would have wooed you. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like Youhuan, but I don¡¯t want to be a stepmother.¡±


    ¡°Sister Bao¡¯er, you¡¯re drunk.¡± Song Qianming helped her sit down.


    ¡°You have to remember that not everyone in the circle is like us. You have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°I will. Thank you, Sister Bao¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°Wuwuwu¡­ If only I was a little more scumbag, then I could even be your sugar mommy. But I can¡¯t bear to see people like you being humiliated, and I can¡¯t bear to see Youhuan be sad when she finds out. I¡¯m so rich, why am I a good person?¡±


    Shen Bao¡¯er¡¯s assistant looked at Song Qianming awkwardly. Song Qianming nodded at her and left without saying anything else. This made the assistant heave a sigh of relief. Her artiste would never learn to be cautious like those in the industry. How could she say such things so casually? What if there were outsiders present just now and this spread?


    Furthermore, it was a good thing that the other party was Song Qianming. From their interactions over the past few months, his character was trustworthy and he would not spread rumors.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It had been almost two weeks since he last saw his daughter. Therefore, after getting off the plane, Song Qianming did not go home immediately. Instead, he went to the entrance of the kindergarten.


    He watched anxiously as the children were picked up one by one, but there was no sign of his daughter at the door. Just when he couldn¡¯t help but go in and ask, he saw his daughter with her head lowered and carrying a small school bag as she was led out by the teacher. The back of her hand suspiciously looked like she was wiping her tears.


    An inexplicable anger suddenly rose in his heart, and he rushed forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Seeing him, the little girl immediately smiled, but Song Qianming could still see her red eyes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He suppressed his anger and asked the teacher.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing much,¡± the teacher replied awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s just that the children in the class had an argument.¡±


    ¡°I know my daughter very well. She would never initiate an argument with others. What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Your daughter might be a little antisocial, and no one was willing to play with her. That¡¯s about it.¡±


    ¡°Antisocial?¡± Song Qianming saw that he couldn¡¯t get anything out of her, so he asked Youhuan, ¡°Tell daddy, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t hide it from me, or else daddy will be sad.¡±


    ¡°I said that my daddy was a celebrity, but they didn¡¯t believe me. They even called me a liar. But I didn¡¯t lie. I said that I was acting too, and they asked me to show evidence. I couldn¡¯t, so they wouldn¡¯t play with me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Daddy will develop some photos of the crew and bring them to the kindergarten tomorrow, so everyone will believe you. Don¡¯t be sad, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The child was coaxed very quickly. ¡°Daddy, did you come home this time because you¡¯ve finished filming?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t taken on any other jobs yet. Now, I can accompany Youhuan. Do you want to go somewhere to play? ¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to go to the amusement park.¡±


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go this weekend.¡±


    ¡°This is definitely fake.¡± A well-dressed little girl slapped the photo away from Youhuan¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know. Nowadays, you can take ancient costume photos with just a little money. You and your father must have gone to those film studios to take the photos.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Youhuan¡¯s face turned red. ¡°There¡¯s still Auntie Bao¡¯er on the show. Although my father isn¡¯t famous yet, Auntie Bao¡¯er has already acted in several TV dramas.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know her at all. You¡¯re lying. Besides, the photos can be photoshopped.¡± The little girl said loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s not play with her anymore. My mother said that good children can¡¯t play with liars.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a liar. You¡¯ll find out in the future. My dad is a celebrity.¡±


    ¡°Why would a celebrity¡¯s child come to our kindergarten? You¡¯re still saying that you¡¯re not lying? ¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re a liar.¡± A little boy pushed Youhuan, and Youhuan accidentally hit the slide ladder, a big bump appearing on her forehead.


    When Song Qianming received the call, he rushed over immediately. The boy¡¯s parents had already arrived, and they looked like they were unwilling to take responsibility. ¡°It¡¯s normal for children to play around. It can¡¯t be my child¡¯s fault that other people¡¯s children are injured, right? Anyway, this has nothing to do with our Xuanxuan.¡±


    ¡°Xuanxuan¡¯s mother, the surveillance camera shows that Xuanxuan was the one who pushed her,¡± the teacher tactfully reminded her.


    ¡°That¡¯s also your kindergarten¡¯s fault. Why wasn¡¯t your teacher there when the children had a conflict? You want to extort me? No way.¡±


    ¡°Xuanxuan¡¯s mother, no one¡¯s blackmailing you, but shouldn¡¯t you at least apologize to the other party? ¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just a slight touch? What¡¯s the big deal? My child was scared because of this, and I still want to hold you responsible. We paid the money, but how did you take care of our child?¡±


    ¡°It was free time at that time¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shirking responsibility just because you say that it¡¯s free time?¡±


    Song Qianming was clearly the victim, but he couldn¡¯t get a word in. He was really angry.


    On one hand, it was because the boy¡¯s parents were being unreasonable, and on the other hand, it was because of the kindergarten¡¯s inaction.


    ¡°What are you looking at? My son said that your daughter was the one who lied. Your daughter insisted on playing with my son. What¡¯s wrong with my son not wanting to play with a liar? ¡±


    This woman¡¯s unruly and unreasonable way of twisting right and wrong really made Song Qianming gasp in amazement. He was a dignified prince, so he had never dealt with such a shrew.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, my daughter isn¡¯t lying, and she¡¯s not a liar,¡± he said, suppressing his anger.


    The woman was startled by his imposing manner, but she quickly argued, ¡°Your daughter said you¡¯re a celebrity. If that¡¯s not a lie, then what is? If you¡¯re a celebrity, why haven¡¯t I seen you before? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re some random embarrassing model?¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth, don¡¯t think I won¡¯t hit you.¡±


    ¡°Aiyo, you still want to hit me? Come and hit me, come and hit me!¡± The woman leaned her face closer.


    The teachers hurriedly pulled them apart and said, ¡°Xuanxuan¡¯s mother, the children are still here. It¡¯s not good for you to be like this.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it? I¡¯m teaching him not to be threatened and bullied by others. He even threatened to hit me. If you dare to hit me, I¡¯ll send you to jail. Do you know what my family does?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll definitely find out in the future.¡± Song Qianming stared at her and laughed coldly.


    The woman¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly forgot about it. If this man really had the ability to deal with her, his daughter would have gone to the best private kindergarten, instead of talking to her here.


    ¡°There¡¯s really everything now. Do you really think you can soar to the sky and take revenge on others when you get rich? You¡¯re dreaming.¡±


    Song Qianming looked at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming. You¡¯ll find out in the future.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait then. Who¡¯s afraid of who? All liars like to talk big.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you to settle the kindergarten withdrawal procedures.¡± Song Qianming ignored her.


    The principal smiled and tried to persuade him to stay. ¡°It¡¯s just a small conflict between the children. If you¡¯re not satisfied with the current class, you can transfer your child to another class for free.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t feel comfortable leaving my daughter in an irresponsible kindergarten like yours.¡±


    Although the boy¡¯s parents were barbaric, there was one thing that they were right about. This kindergarten liked to shirk responsibility. If the boy was in the wrong, the kindergarten was in the wrong too. They only wanted the parents to solve each other¡¯s problems. Did they not think about their own problems?


    Why didn¡¯t these teachers come forward to mediate the dispute that had been happening for such a long time? Were they just going to watch as Youhuan was isolated and targeted by the other children?


    With such an irresponsible teacher and kindergarten, how could he be at ease and let Youhuan continue to stay? It seemed that just being close to home wasn¡¯t enough. He had to consider more aspects.


    Seeing his firm attitude, the principal didn¡¯t try to keep him, and his tone became stiff. ¡°If you protect your child like this, no matter where you go in the future, Youhuan won¡¯t be able to integrate into the group of children.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Song Qianming said angrily. ¡°If you guys continue like this, you should be worried about closing down.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    He angrily brought Youhuan out of the kindergarten. Song Qianming blamed himself. He should have been more careful. Otherwise, Youhuan would not have to suffer such grievances. He did not know how long she had been bullied.


    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be sad.¡± Little Youhuan touched his face. ¡°They don¡¯t want to play with me, but I don¡¯t want to play with them either. I just don¡¯t want them to talk about you, daddy.¡±


    ¡°Silly.¡± Song Qianming was extremely touched. ¡°In the future, no matter what happens, you have to tell Daddy, okay?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the amusement park.¡±


    ¡°I want to ride the merry-go-round!¡± Little Youhuan laughed immediately. Perhaps Song Qianming was feeling heartache because of these things, but little Youhuan didn¡¯t think much of it. From the beginning to the end, she only cared about her father.


    If her classmates had not called her a liar and said that her father was not a celebrity, she would not have cared if those people got along with her or not.


    It wasn¡¯t the weekend, so there weren¡¯t many people at the amusement park. There was no need to line up for the merry-go-round, so some people still wanted to continue after playing it twice.


    After Song Qianming sent her in, he instructed, ¡°Dad is going to the toilet and will be back soon. Can you sit by yourself? I¡¯ve already asked the staff to take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you can go. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Youhuan waved her hand.


    Song Qianming turned back three times with every step he took. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, he wouldn¡¯t have left the child in the hands of the staff. However, it was unrealistic to bring Youhuan to the men¡¯s room.


    As little Youhuan was cheering, she didn¡¯t notice that a little boy was looking at her enviously. The little boy looked about the same age as her, but he didn¡¯t have any adults with him.


    When Song Qianming returned, Youhuan had just finished a round of rides. After three consecutive rides, she was finally satisfied. She held her father¡¯s hand and prepared to go to the next ride.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, daddy?¡±


    Song Qianming turned around and frowned. ¡°Someone¡¯s following us.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Youhuan looked around curiously and then met the eyes of a delicate little boy.


    ¡°Daddy, he seems to be alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go up and ask.¡±


    The little boy didn¡¯t avoid them when he saw them coming towards him. He even smiled at Youhuan, then looked at the father and daughter holding hands with envy.


    ¡°Older brother, did you get lost with your family?¡± Youhuan asked him in a soft and cute voice.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t come with me.¡± The little boy¡¯s tone showed a hint of disappointment.


    ¡°Then how did you get in here alone?¡± Youhuan¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I have auntie to accompany me.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find her.¡±


    Youhuan raised her head and said to Song Qianming, ¡°Daddy, he¡¯s really lost his way. We have to help him.¡±


    The little boy waved his hands. ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble you. Auntie will find me soon.¡±


    ¡°How can that be? My daddy said that children can¡¯t be alone. Don¡¯t disobey him.¡±


    ¡°Your daddy is so good to you,¡± he sighed, his tone full of envy.


    Youhuan and Song Qianming looked at each other. Song Qianming had no choice but to squat down and say, ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the staff and ask them to help you find your auntie. How about it?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The little boy did not refuse. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank us.¡± Youhuan¡¯s eyes squinted as she smiled, and then, as if seeing that he was too lonely, she took the initiative to hold his hand. ¡°My name is Youhuan, and I¡¯m four years old this year. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Xu Fengming. I¡¯m also four years old this year.¡±


    ¡°Wow, we¡¯re the same age, so I can¡¯t call you older brother. Maybe I¡¯ll be older than you!


    ¡°Mine is in January,¡± Xu Fengming replied, pursing his lips.


    Song Qianming looked at him with an amused expression. He didn¡¯t expect this little boy to be so scheming.


    Then, he heard his daughter say with a look of pity, ¡°I was born in October.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll still be your older brother.¡± Xu Fengming¡¯s lips curled up.


    Youhuan didn¡¯t mind. ¡°So be it. Let¡¯s go and find a staff member to make an announcement. Your auntie must be very worried now. By the way, little brother, why didn¡¯t you go to school today?¡±


    ¡°I just returned to the country, and my family hasn¡¯t found me a kindergarten yet.¡±


    ¡°Older brother, did you grow up abroad? That¡¯s so cool!¡±


    ¡°Not at all. This isn¡¯t something I can decide.¡±


    ¡°But you can definitely speak English. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t learn it no matter how hard I try.¡±


    Song Qianming nodded his head in agreement. He had been studying hard recently, and just like his daughter, he was also very troubled by those earthworm-like words.


    When he first started learning, he thought that it was only 26 English letters. What was so difficult about it?


    His learning progress was indeed fast at the beginning, but it stopped later on, especially when he began to learn grammar. He was confused, but now he could roughly understand some simple conversations and words.


    However, it was not enough to just listen to some simple conversations. He had understood that there were many chains of contempt in the entertainment industry now, and one of them was whether one could speak fluent English. He was going to become a big star in the future, so he could not have any shortcomings like this. Besides, if he learned English well, he could better earn money from foreigners, right?


    ¡°I can teach you if you want to learn.¡± The little boy looked at Youhuan with bright eyes.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not classmates, and we don¡¯t live in the same place.¡±


    ¡°We can contact each other by phone.¡±


    Youhuan raised her head and looked at Song Qianming. ¡°Can I, daddy?¡±


    He was very glad that his daughter would ask him any questions she had, but he was also very depressed that his daughter had a little brat going after her at such a young age. He wanted to teach her English even asked for her phone number.


    However, he couldn¡¯t reject her directly. His daughter had just dropped out of that kindergarten. After being isolated by her classmates, he didn¡¯t know if she had any psychological trauma. If he still refused to let her make friends now, he was afraid that it would affect her growth.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he answered gloomily, and then secretly glared at the little boy¡¯s head.


    Xu Fengming touched his head. Why did he feel a chill?


    I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s great. I can keep in touch with Sister Huanhuan in the future.


    After waiting in the broadcast room for about 20 minutes, Xu Fengming¡¯s auntie finally arrived. She was hired by the Xu family to take care of Xu Fengming after they returned to the country. She did not seem to be very anxious when the employer¡¯s child was missing. Instead, she started to blame a four-year-old child when she saw him.


    ¡°You only know how to run around. Why are you so disobedient?¡±


    Song Qianming furrowed his brows. In his previous life, the maids in the manor would not dare to speak to the young masters and young ladies like this. As expected, one cannot trust someone just by signing the work contract with them.


    ¡°Do you remember your parents¡¯ phone numbers? Do you want to call them directly?¡± he asked Xu Fengming directly.


    Xu Fengming ignored the woman and thanked Song Qianming politely, ¡°Thank you, uncle.¡±


    Seeing him take the phone, the woman¡¯s face turned pale immediately. She stammered as if he wanted to take it from him, but she was afraid of Song Qianming¡¯s aura.

 Chapter 21

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Xu Fengming¡¯s father was a man in his early thirties, and he was obviously a successful man. The suit he was wearing was obviously very expensive.


    After seeing Xu Fengming sitting there and eating ice cream, he went straight to Song Qianming and thanked him, ¡°Thank you for today. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know what would have happened.¡±


    Before Song Qianming could say anything, the nanny that they had hired quickly explained, ¡°We¡¯re in this amusement park. How can we really get lost?¡±


    Xu Fengming¡¯s father¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Sister Liu, I paid you to take care of my child. I didn¡¯t pay you to come and quibble after my child went missing.¡±


    ¡°I was just going to the toilet. I already told him to wait. Who knew that your child would be so playful and insist on running away?¡± she continued to complain unhappily.


    ¡°Dad, she¡¯s lying.¡± Xu Fengming exposed her lie expressionlessly. ¡°She wanted to see the flower parade, but there were too many people there and she couldn¡¯t take care of me, so we got separated.¡±


    Sister Liu¡¯s face turned even paler, and she cried, ¡°Brother Xu, please forgive me just this once. I¡¯ve never seen it before, so I was a little curious. You know what my family¡¯s situation is like. They¡¯re still waiting for me to bring the money back. I promise you that I¡¯ll do my best in the future.¡±


    Xu Yuanshan did not have the patience to listen to her cry. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not a charity ambassador. We were lucky that there was no accident today. If anything happened, can you bear the responsibility?¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that a false alarm? Nothing really happened.¡± She was still mumbling.


    ¡°So, I can only fire you after my child has an accident? ¡± Xu Yuanshan suppressed his anger and said, ¡°Sister Liu, I didn¡¯t want you to take care of Fengming at first. After all, you didn¡¯t take the professional examination and didn¡¯t have the relevant knowledge. But because you are a distant cousin of Fengming¡¯s mother and you said that your family is in a difficult situation, I made an exception and let you stay. Have you forgotten how you promised me?¡±


    Sister Liu was on the verge of tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget. I was just too curious today. I promise I won¡¯t do it again. Fengming, can you help Auntie beg your father? Did auntie not treat you well these few days? Auntie has a son a little older than you at home, and he¡¯s still waiting for auntie to bring the money back for treatment. You can¡¯t bear to see that brother get sick and have no money for treatment, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Xu Yuanshan pulled her away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t try to use this to blackmail my son. We didn¡¯t cause your family¡¯s misfortune. I¡¯ve already given you a chance. I¡¯ll pay you thirty thousand Yuan when we go back. You can find another job.¡±


    ¡°Brother Xu, you can¡¯t be so heartless. Xiao Wan won¡¯t agree to this.¡± Seeing that her tearful begging didn¡¯t work, auntie Liu went on to mention other things.


    ¡°If Xiao Wan knew that you took care of her child like this, she wouldn¡¯t be nice to you either. If you continue to make a fuss, I won¡¯t even give you the last thirty thousand Yuan,¡± Xu Yuanshan said with a cold face.


    With that, the woman didn¡¯t dare to say anything else and looked at the two of them with hatred.


    Song Qianming was shocked to see this. Indeed, you shouldn¡¯t help someone so much that they take it for granted. This woman almost lost her employers¡¯ child. Isn¡¯t thirty thousand Yuan enough to compensate her for her work for a few days? She actually still had the face to resent them?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve made a fool of myself. Thank you so much for today,¡± Xu Yuanshan said to Song Qianming apologetically.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. We didn¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s related to our child, it¡¯s a big deal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Song Qianming nodded in agreement.


    Xu Yuanshan looked at his watch and said apologetically, ¡°I was going to treat you and your daughter to a meal, but I¡¯m really busy right now. I have something urgent to attend to. Do you want to leave me your contact information?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, no need to be so polite.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Song, I¡¯ve already made a promise with Huanhuan. Please exchange contact information with my father.¡± Xu Fengming was afraid that Song Qianming would just leave like that, so he quickly spoke up.


    It was the first time that Xu Yuanshan had seen his son take the initiative. He was a little surprised, but he understood when he saw that the girl opposite him was really cute.


    His son had been complaining that he and his wife were too busy and wanted his wife to give birth to a younger sister to play with him. He had lost hope of having a younger sister at home, so he had set his sights on someone else¡¯s daughter.


    After the two families exchanged contact information, Xu Fengming left with his father, feeling at ease.


    ¡°You like her a lot?¡± In the car, Xu Yuanshan was dealing with the company¡¯s affairs while asking his son.


    ¡°Yes, her smile feels especially blissful.¡± Xu Fengming said in an envious tone, ¡°She probably has her daddy to play with her!¡±


    Xu Yuanshan glanced at him and laughed. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful at such a young age. You were waiting to say this?¡±


    Xu Fengming stopped talking. Xu Yuanshan continued, ¡°Daddy needs to work. Only by handling the company¡¯s matters can you have a better life, understand?¡±


    ¡°But I hope that you and mom can watch me grow up.¡±


    Xu Yuanshan said to him in a serious tone, ¡°Fengming, you can¡¯t be so selfish. Mommy and I both have our own lives. Your mommy has to fulfill her dreams, and I have to manage the company left behind by your grandpa. We can¡¯t give up everything just to spend time with a child, understand? You¡¯ll know the importance of money when you grow up.¡±


    Xu Fengming was only a child and did not understand the big picture. He did not understand why his father called him disobedient just because he wanted his parents to accompany him for a little longer. However, he could not find any more reasons to refute it.


    On the other hand, Song Qianming saw that Xu Yuanshan had a luxury car and a driver. He was even more determined to make his daughter live the same life as Xu Yuanshan. He could not let his daughter be inferior to Xu Yuanshan just because of her family background when she became friends with him in the future.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Youhuan. Daddy will get those for us very soon.¡±


    Youhuan blinked. She didn¡¯t quite understand why her daddy would suddenly say this, but her daddy was always right. She just had to listen.


    ¡°This one won¡¯t do, and this one won¡¯t either.¡± Song Qianming looked through the information on all the private kindergartens in Sea City. After contemplating for a long time, he finally chose two.


    He was still unsure, so he went to ask Youhuan, ¡°Which one would you like to go to?¡±


    Youhuan looked up at him and said, ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t the uncle who gave us the information say that we have to go through an interview if we want to get into these two kindergartens? It¡¯s not like I can choose whichever I want to go to.¡±


    Song Qianming was confident. ¡°With both of our intelligence, do you think their test will be a problem for us?¡±


    ¡°But that uncle said it would be very difficult.¡±


    ¡°If daddy says there¡¯s no problem, then there¡¯s no problem.¡± He frowned after he said that. Why was this world so troublesome? Even if you had money, you couldn¡¯t get into a kindergarten?


    ¡°This one then.¡± Youhuan randomly pointed at one, simply because the photos of this kindergarten looked better.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and contact them now.¡± Song Qianming was actually very nervous, but since he had already made a promise in front of his daughter, he had to fulfill it.

 Chapter 22

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Mr. Song, to be honest, there are many people like you who come for our kindergarten¡¯s interview every year. Do you have any other outstanding advantages?¡± The kindergarten principal looked at Song Qianming with a troubled expression, as if she was ready to reject him.


    ¡°In what aspect specifically?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, in order to promote the all-round physical and mental development of our children, every year, we invite some parents to teach our children some courses. May I ask if you have any skills for that? Of course, please don¡¯t misunderstand, we¡¯re not trying to exploit the parents¡¯ labor, we¡¯re just ensuring that the parents can also educate their children well in their spare time. Our school¡¯s philosophy is that children are the shared responsibility of parents and the school, not that you can just throw your children into our kindergarten with money and leave them alone.¡±


    Although Song Qianming found it troublesome for children to study, he had to admit that the way children were educated in this world was much better than in his previous life.


    ¡°I know how to ride a horse, archery, calligraphy, and painting. Are these enough?¡±


    The head of the kindergarten looked at him in surprise. He seemed to be a little suspicious that a small actor like him could be proficient in these things, so she suggested, ¡°Is it convenient for you to show it in front of us?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± he said.


    This was a kindergarten for the rich, so it was well-equipped with everything. The first thing Song Qianming wanted to show everyone was his calligraphy and painting.


    It had been a long time since he had held a brush. Looking at these, he seemed to see his past life again. At that time, the Grand Tutor was so worried about his studies that he had lost countless strands of hair. No matter how much he was punished to copy and practice calligraphy, his handwriting, according to the Grand Tutor, was worse than that of a seven-year-old child.


    His father didn¡¯t like him as a son and turned a blind eye to his unruliness. He was too lazy to teach him. Whenever his father thought of him, he would give him a beating. Only his royal brother cared for him and taught him calligraphy step by step. Only then did his calligraphy gradually improve.


    As for why he was decent at painting, it was because after his royal brother ascended the throne, he had nothing to do all day and often went out to play. While he was out, he met a painting master and studied from him for a period of time. Unexpectedly, he got pretty good at painting.


    When the kindergarten principal saw that his aura changed the moment he picked up the pen, she couldn¡¯t help but re-examine Song Qianming.


    As for little Youhuan, she was looking at her father with an expression of admiration.


    A piece of calligraphy was quickly completed. He wrote a poem by his royal brother in his previous life. His royal brother had quelled the rebellion in his previous life and saved the people from suffering. The entire poem was filled with dominance.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Although the kindergarten principal was not good at calligraphy, there were many capable people in their private aristocratic school. Despite not knowing how to write, she could appreciate it.


    ¡°Go and invite Master Yu over,¡± the principal said to another teacher in a low voice.


    The teacher¡¯s expression was a little awkward. ¡°Then what if Master Yu doesn¡¯t come? He might not be willing to come if I¡¯m the one inviting him.¡±


    ¡®Try to goad him into coming. Tell him that one of our parents is better at calligraphy than his disciples. He¡¯ll regret it if he doesn¡¯t come.¡±


    The kindergarten principal saw that Song Qianming had changed the paper and started to paint this time, and her expression became more and more expectant.


    Time and space were limited, and Song Qianming did not have the time to prepare something too complicated. He simply copied a piece of work that he had created from his previous life. White snow covered the mountains, and the scenery was lonely. However, in the lower right corner of the painting, two men were fishing in the cold river. One was holding a fishing rod, and the other was lying lazily, stretching out his right hand, as if he was attempting to catch the falling snowflakes.


    This was the last time he and his royal brother had time to play together. After this, the war for the throne had started. After that, his royal brother had gone through a lot of hardships to succeed the throne. Since then, he was busy every day handling state affairs and no longer had such leisure time.


    ¡°Not bad!¡± An old man beside him nodded with a smile. Song Qianming had long noticed his arrival, but he did not stop painting.


    ¡°It¡¯s really good!¡± This person even pushed him away impolitely and started to admire the painting alone. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a spiritual painting.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too polite, old sir.¡±


    ¡°Looking at your painting style and the way you move your brush, you definitely didn¡¯t come from a normal school. May I ask which master you studied under?¡±


    Naturally, Song Qianming could not reveal the truth, so he came up with a random reason. ¡°I learned it from a teacher in my hometown. He¡¯s not very famous in the painting world, but he has passed away a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Then, is there any of his remaining work?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else,¡± Song Qianming shook his head. ¡°Teacher¡¯s last wish was to burn all his drafts to accompany him in his grave. Therefore, he didn¡¯t leave behind any last works.¡±


    The old man sighed regretfully, ¡°That¡¯s really a pity. I didn¡¯t expect that there would be people who didn¡¯t want to leave their names behind. He was able to cultivate a student like you. If he was willing to put himself out there back then, he would have definitely left a his name in our country¡¯s painting world.¡±


    ¡°On behalf of my teacher, I thank you for your praise.¡± Song Qianming actually felt that it was a pity. It was a pity that this world did not have the history of their Lan dynasty. It was as if their Lan dynasty had appeared and disappeared out of thin air. If there were historical records or relics left behind, those people he knew in his previous life would definitely become legendary figures in the history books.


    ¡°But he should be glad to have a student like you. If you don¡¯t mind, can you gift me this painting?¡±


    Even though this painting had a special meaning to Song Qianming, the time just now was too short for him to do his best. If he missed his royal brother, he could just draw another one in the future. However, if this painting could get Youhuan into this kindergarten, it would be worth it.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind my rough strokes, old sir.¡±


    The principal really didn¡¯t expect that this parent¡¯s talent would receive such praise from elder Yu. She had thought that such a handsome young man would have been more impetuous!


    ¡°Elder Yu, please take a look at this.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but show off the calligraphy piece Song Qianming had just drawn. Her proud expression made it seem as if Song Qianming was one of her own people.


    ¡°The strokes are strong and has its own style. It must be done in one go. Young friend, did you write this too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Elder Yu sighed. ¡°I thought that there wouldn¡¯t be many young people these days who are good enough. It seems that I can¡¯t just limit my vision to those students and competitions. This is really well written!¡±


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t stand on ceremony any longer. Instead, he turned around and asked the kindergarten director, ¡°Principal, do you think I¡¯ve passed the test?¡±


    ¡°You passed, you definitely passed.¡±


    ¡°What about my daughter¡¯s admission?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to fill in some more information later. We¡¯ll send you an email about the admission details. But Mr. Song, because you¡¯re only average in other aspects, we might have to invite you to teach a few calligraphy and painting classes for the students in the next semester. What do you think?¡±


    Finally, he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Of course, but I have to work as well. I¡¯ll just communicate with them in advance.¡±


    ¡°I will definitely respect your time, Mr. Song.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xiao Song, are you interested in joining our Calligraphy Association? ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a small-time actor. Can I join?¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with your career. With your skills, it¡¯s more than enough for you to join.¡±


    ¡°But I usually have to act, so I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have much time to participate in many activities.¡±


    ¡°Our Calligraphy Association doesn¡¯t organize any activities often. If we were to be so diligent, my old bones wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. It¡¯s only once or twice a year. You should be able to find time for it, right?¡±


    As if afraid that he would continue to refuse, Master Yu continued to persuade, ¡°You¡¯re a celebrity. If you join our association, you¡¯ll have an additional identity. Won¡¯t you attract more fans when you¡¯re exposed in the future?¡±


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. He didn¡¯t expect that an old man who was considered to be highly respected in this world would actually spend time and effort to persuade him.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that the old man had other thoughts. Modern society was too impetuous. Many parents were eager for success, so they followed major trends and let their children learn Western musical instruments and oil paintings. On the contrary, things from their own country were despised.


    It wasn¡¯t that their own school wasn¡¯t good, but that it would take more time to learn their own things, and they wouldn¡¯t be accepted by foreign schools and society. In the eyes of many people, it was useless even if you did well in your own country¡¯s things.


    Now that such a great role model was in front of them, if they didn¡¯t quickly rope him in, who would help them promote? What could be more simple and effective than a big star promoting the quintessence of China?


    Although this young friend said that he was just a small star, elder Yu had always been a good judge of character. He could judge a person¡¯s character by looking at their calligraphy. Such calligraphy was definitely written by a person with a righteous heart. In addition, this little friend looked upright and had real skills. He would definitely be famous in the future.


    ¡°Then I thank elder Yu for your favor.¡± The old man was right. With an additional identity, especially one like being a member of the Calligraphy Association, if this was accidentally discovered by the media or fans in the future, he would definitely attract a wave of positive responses from the general public. Song Qianming was not a pretentious person.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s add each other¡¯s contact information. Write two more calligraphy pieces for me, and I¡¯ll show them to those old guys.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± he said.


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t expect this trip to go so smoothly. Finally, he didn¡¯t have to worry about Youhuan¡¯s studies anymore. However, this place was still a little far from where they lived. He should rent another house nearby.


    The rent prices nearby was much more expensive than his current residence, but no matter how expensive it was, he still had to rent it. So, after paying the tuition fees, the rent, and the deposit, Song Qianming had spent almost all of the pay he earned from filming ¡®Frost Falls¡¯.


    Without any money on hand, he began to feel anxious again. He didn¡¯t expect that Shen Bao¡¯er would actually hand him an advertising contract for her family¡¯s products because she thought so highly of him.


    Shen Bao¡¯er was obviously very happy to see her again. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not famous yet. Why did you choose me?¡±


    ¡°Because I think you¡¯ll definitely become famous. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re taking advantage of me. When you become famous, I won¡¯t be able to hire you with this price.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, I still have to thank you.¡± Song Qianming signed the contract without hesitation. He did not know when his next film would be, and he really needed this advertising fee.


    ¡°We¡¯re all friends, so there¡¯s no need to be so polite. Why didn¡¯t you bring Huanhuan?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring her here today because I¡¯m here to discuss a business collaboration.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to treat her to a meal, but since you¡¯re the only one here, I¡¯ll just forget about it,¡± Shen Bao¡¯er joked in disdain.


    Song Qianming smiled helplessly. He didn¡¯t expect his daughter to be more well-liked than him. However, his good daughter was so cute, so it was only right.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of school. Putting on the school uniform that the kindergarten had sent to his daughter, Song Qianming sighed in his heart. This expensive kindergarten was indeed different. There were several sets of uniforms, and they were all custom-made. But the money was worth it, because she looked much better in it than the one in the previous kindergarten.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to school!¡±


    At the school gate, almost all the cars were luxury cars. Even though Song Qianming was a man from ancient times and preferred horses, after living here for a long time, he also felt that men should be matched with luxury cars.


    Moreover, it was time for him to learn how to drive. He heard that sports cars should only be driven by the owner. When he had money in the future, he couldn¡¯t just buy a sports car and let the chauffeur drive it, right? Song Qianming kept this in mind and decided to sign up when he had the time.


    ¡°Little sister Huanhuan!¡± Just as he was immersed in the fantasy of what kind of car he would buy when he had the money, he heard the voice of a brat behind him.


    ¡°Older brother Fengming!¡± Youhuan turned around in surprise when she heard him. Then, Song Qianming saw the two little children hugging each other.


    Today, Xu Fengming was sent over by his mother. She still did not know Song Qianming and Youhuan, so she asked her son, ¡°Fengming, why didn¡¯t I know that you¡¯ve met a new friend?¡±


    ¡°We met at the amusement park last time.¡± Xu Fengming explained to her, ¡°Mommy, after that auntie lost me the last time, it was little sister Huanhuan and her father who helped me contact daddy.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Tang Wan immediately greeted Song Qianming.


    ¡°Mr. Song, thank you so much for last time.¡±


    ¡°Your husband has already thanked me last time. You don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡±


    ¡°I still have to thank you. Is this your daughter? She¡¯s so cute!¡±


    ¡°Your son is also very handsome.¡± The two parents complimented each other¡¯s children out of courtesy, and then smiled as they watched the two children get along.


    ¡°Little sister Huanhuan, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re also studying in this kindergarten. We¡¯ll be classmates from now on.¡±


    ¡°Older brother Fengming, what a coincidence!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re fated.¡±


    What fate? Song Qianming found the kid to be an eyesore. He always felt that this kid was an eyesore when he stood beside his good daughter.


    ¡°Then, little sister Huanhuan, let¡¯s go in together.¡±


    The children were picked up by the teachers, and the parents were not allowed to enter the school today. Therefore, Song Qianming could only stand like a rock and watch his daughter talk and walk further and further away.


    ¡°Goodbye, daddy!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye, daddy will come and pick you up after school.¡± Hearing his daughter¡¯s voice, Song Qianming immediately smiled and waved. After all, she was still his good daughter. She didn¡¯t forget to say goodbye to him even when school started today.


    This was the third time that Youhuan had come to the kindergarten. On the first day of the interview, she had come here for some tests and physical examinations. Although she was no longer a stranger to the place, she was still very surprised.


    This kindergarten was simply too different from the one she had attended before. Not only were there many foreigners among the teachers, but there were also many foreigners among the students.


    ¡°Do we have to speak English in school? What if I don¡¯t know how?¡± She was a little nervous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Xu Fengming patted his chest and said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you. You have me.¡±


    ¡°Stinky boys don¡¯t know how to take care of others. Pretty little sister, I¡¯ll take care of you in the future.¡± At this moment, a crisp girl¡¯s voice suddenly came from the side. Youhuan turned her head and saw a short-haired girl looking at her with anticipation.

 Chapter 24

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Hello!¡± Youhuan greeted her with her iconic large grin and smiley eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Youhuan.¡±


    ¡°Little sister Huanhuan!¡± The little girl dragged her own stool over to Youhuan¡¯s side. ¡°My name is He Junyu. You can call me big sister Yu.¡±


    ¡°Big sister Yu.¡± Youhuan didn¡¯t hesitate and directly called out.


    He Junyu¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she said, ¡°You¡¯re so cute! I¡¯ll definitely protect you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Seeing that someone had stolen his little sister Huanhuan¡¯s attention, Xu Fengming was not happy.


    He Junyu also did not have a good impression of him and said angrily, ¡°I said my name is He Junyu. Are you deaf? ¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You can¡¯t even speak properly, and you still dare to say that you want to protect her? What a big mouth, you¡¯re boasting shamelessly.¡± The little girl rolled her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not boasting shamelessly.¡± Xu Fengming¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°I¡¯m a man. Only I can protect little sister Huanhuan.¡±


    He Junyu stood up and looked at him with contempt. ¡°You¡¯re not even as tall as me, and you call yourself a man? Tsk.¡±


    Indeed, this sentence did great damage. Xu Fengming, who had always been mild-tempered and polite, could no longer bear it. ¡°Then how do you want me to prove it to you?¡±


    ¡°Unless you can beat me in a fight,¡± He Junyu rolled up her sleeves.


    ¡°Kids, you shouldn¡¯t fight!¡± The teacher who had been paying attention saw that the situation was getting more and more intense and finally came forward to stop it. Their kindergarten did not control their children¡¯s personalities, but they did not allow violence.


    Seeing the two children at a standoff, she even encouraged them, ¡°There will be combat class tomorrow. You guys can have a fair fight then.¡±


    ¡°Then just you wait,¡± He Junyu said heroically.


    Xu Fengming did not want to lose his face in front of Youhuan, so he also raised his chin and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait then, I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡±


    Youhuan was a little lost and helpless. She quickly went to coax them, but He Junyu and Xu Fengming were always smiling when they faced her. Only when the two of them met each other¡¯s eyes, the atmosphere became tense.


    However, they soon ran out of energy to continue the fight. All their attention was drawn to the teachers.


    Youhuan couldn¡¯t really tell what she had experienced this day, but she felt very happy. She felt that this kindergarten was much better than before.


    ¡°It seems that transferring to this kindergarten was the right decision.¡± After the incident at the previous kindergarten, Song Qianming had been worried for the whole day. Fortunately, everything was going well. As long as his daughter was happy, he could rest assured.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Mr. Song, please put on a more noble expression.¡±


    Song Qianming was dressed in an ancient costume, but he was holding a modern drink in his hand. He even pretended to be noble, looking very silly.


    He was filming an advertisement for a new product from the Shen Corporation that Shen Bao¡¯er had introduced to him. The director had a novel idea. He heard that the recipe for the drink came from an ancient recipe, so they wanted to film the advertisement with an ancient costume.


    Song Qianming first presented it with a proper aristocratic air, but the director insisted that it didn¡¯t feel right. After a few tries, he deliberately showed signs of acting with a playful attitude, and the director actually said that it felt right.


    Well, he could already predict how people would laugh after this advertisement was put out, but it didn¡¯t matter. Who asked them to pay so much?


    It was no wonder that after celebrities became famous, they were not willing to film dramas anymore. Instead, they tend to take on advertisements and variety shows, because shooting advertisements was much easier than shooting TV dramas, and the pay was not low either.


    It only took a day, and they dressed him in both ancient and modern costumes. The filming was completed very easily.


    As he walked out of the studio, Song Qianming suddenly realized that he was the poorest celebrity. He had no assistant, no car, and had to take a taxi home after filming. The other staff members either had special cars to pick them up or drove themselves. He really didn¡¯t look like a celebrity at all.


    With him like this, the paparazzi outside didn¡¯t know who to take pictures of. After all, he was not famous and in a miserable situation.


    It wasn¡¯t until a few months later, when Song Qianming started to become popular, that the paparazzi suddenly realized that he had missed a good opportunity to secretly take photos of a popular celebrity¡¯s down-and-out period.


    Song Qianming did not expect that his second movie would be introduced to him by elder Yu, who had invited him to join the Calligraphy Association previously. It was definitely a surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this. The national channel is going to shoot a national congratulatory movie this year, and they need someone to play the role of one of our leaders when he was young. This leader doesn¡¯t have many scenes as a youth, and the director¡¯s intention is to only shoot a few scenes of calligraphy and not use a body double, so he asked our Calligraphy Association to choose someone with a good temperament and looks to send over. Xiao Song, are you interested?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m interested. Thank you, elder Yu!¡± Song Qianming agreed without a second thought. After all, this kind of national movie was not something that ordinary people could participate in. It was worth it even if there were no lines.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll send your pictures and your calligraphy works to the director. Wait for my news.¡±


    Perhaps it was because of elder Yu¡¯s status as the Vice President of the National Calligraphy Association, the director in charge of the film quickly replied, saying that he wanted to meet Song Qianming. He promised that if all the conditions were the same as what elder Yu had claimed, the role would be given to Song Qianming.


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t waste this opportunity. He rushed to Jingdu to meet elder Yu.


    When he arrived, elder Yu didn¡¯t take him to see the director immediately. Instead, he dragged him to show him off to old guys in the Association.


    ¡°This is the little brother who wrote ¡®Nation¡¯s Landscape¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Your ¡®Painting of Friends Fishing in Hanjiang¡¯ is also very fascinating. As expected, there are always new talents in our country!¡±


    Painting of Friends Fishing in Hanjiang? Song qianming was confused, but he quickly realized that they did not know that it was him and his royal brother on the painting. So what if they misunderstood?


    ¡°Old Yu, what are you so smug about? you were the one who discovered little friend Song, not the one who taught him.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you guys are just jealous. But it¡¯s useless even if you¡¯re jealous. Xiao Song has already given me his calligraphy and painting,¡± elder Yu said proudly.


    ¡°Little friend song, you¡¯re too easily fooled by him. With your level, you¡¯ll definitely be able to get a high price at an auction. This old man took advantage of you.¡±


    These people didn¡¯t ask Song Qianming to write a few more pieces for them. After all, there were so many people in the Calligraphy Association. If they all wanted one, how long would he have to write?


    ¡°Thank you for your praises, I really don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Song Qianming¡¯s tone and attitude were particularly humble, but his back was always straight. This attitude made people nod in approval.


    ¡°I heard that old Yu has accepted a role for you. Little friend Song, the reputation and appearance of our Calligraphy Association will depend on you.¡±


    ¡°Everyone always says that our Association is made up of a bunch of old people. Now, finally the average age has dropped.¡±


    Seeing that everyone was surrounding him and teasing him, Song Qianming was relaxed. Indeed, most people in this world were friendly, unlike the bad guys talked about on the internet.


    Nowadays, in order to attract attention, the media only reported about the bad news and rarely reported the good ones, which was quite sad.

 Chapter 25

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Old Zhang, I¡¯ve brought you the person you wanted. He definitely meets your requirements.¡± After meeting with the people from the Calligraphy Association, elder Yu brought Song Qianming to the production team. As the shooting of the drama was decided at the last minute, they were rushing the progress. This was also why the directing team did not directly select the people they wanted from the industry, but asked the Calligraphy Association to send one.


    ¡°Yo, this child is so handsome!¡± The director¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Song Qianming.


    ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t let you down. Let me introduce. This is Song Qianming. You can call him Xiao Song. He¡¯s not only a member of our Calligraphy Association, but he¡¯s also an actor. So, you can count on him to perform well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all in the entertainment industry,¡± elder Yu said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to introduce Director Zhang Hua to you, do I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Director Zhang.¡± Song Qianming stepped forward to greet him.


    ¡°You¡¯re also an actor? This is a great surprise.¡±


    Elder Yu was afraid that Director Zhang would be worried, so he explained, ¡°Xiao Song is one of the best among the younger generation in our Association. He¡¯s not only good at calligraphy, he¡¯s also good at painting. If you¡¯re worried, you can ask him to do it on the spot.¡±


    ¡°How can I not be at ease with the people you brought? It¡¯s decided.¡±


    Director Zhang wasn¡¯t curious as to why he had never heard of Song Qianming in the entertainment industry. After all, there were so many artistes in the industry, and he didn¡¯t know many young artistes.


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret it. You¡¯ll know when you start filming.¡±


    Director Zhang wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would make promises without thinking. The reason why he was able to decide so quickly was because there weren¡¯t many scenes for Song Qianming. Secondly, since elder Yu had recommended him so strongly, he must be quite capable. Thirdly, Song Qianming¡¯s image was really good. The leader he was supposed to shoot was a handsome man in his youth, and this fit the bill perfectly.


    Due to the tight filming schedule, after signing the contract, Song Qianming checked into the hotel arranged by the crew. Although his part was scheduled for a week later, he had to do his makeup and practice his scenes before that.


    ¡°Is this Xiao Song?¡± Just as he was about to go on stage, a middle-aged actor with a righteous face walked up to him. Song Qianming recognized him because this actor was a senior actor who was very respected in the industry.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang.¡± He hurriedly stepped forward. Although he was a dignified prince, and he felt helpless to keep bowing his head to others during this period of time, these capable people were worthy of respect. Moreover, he had no reputation or status now, so this was the only way. If he wanted to have a higher status, he could only keep working hard.


    ¡°Yiming, this child is not bad, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s not worse than you were when you were young,¡± Director Zhang chuckled.


    Zhang Yiming nodded, ¡°Not bad? I think he is much more handsome than when I was young.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, you think too highly of me,¡± Song Qianming said humbly.


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth. I heard that you¡¯re also a member of the Calligraphy Association? ¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s rare for a young man to have interest in calligraphy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my family¡¯s encouragement.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too humble. Even with your family, if you don¡¯t have real skills, you won¡¯t be able to enter the Calligraphy Association. Don¡¯t be nervous during the filming later.¡±


    ¡°I will put my heart into it.¡±


    After the small talk, they began filming. In front of the camera, the humble young man quickly turned into a confident young man. One could clearly feel his upbeat spirit.


    Zhang Yiming looked at Song Qianming¡¯s performance in shock, ¡°Director Zhang, you¡¯ve really gotten a bargain.¡±


    Director Zhang was also very surprised. He had only wanted to shoot a few scenes of him doing calligraphy, but he didn¡¯t expect Song Qianming to be so impressive!


    As one of the main leaders of the country¡¯s founding, the young character played by Song Qianming was naturally confident and full of ambition at his age. Even though Song Qianming did not have any lines, his micro-expressions were on point. How could Director Zhang not be pleasantly surprised?


    ¡°Cut!¡± Because there were only two shots in this scene, the shooting was completed very quickly. However, Director Zhang¡¯s brows were furrowed.


    The other staff members looked at each other, and some even assumed that Song Qianming performed poorly. But Zhang Yiming understood and asked, ¡°Do you have other ideas?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity to only give him a few shots. But how should we change it?¡±


    Zhang Yiming laughed, ¡°Then have you ever thought about giving him some scenes from young to middle-aged?¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you the one acting for that?¡± Director Zhang looked at him hesitantly.


    ¡°To be very honest, I know I¡¯m a little too old to act as a young man. Now that there¡¯s a better choice, why don¡¯t you use it? Director Zhang, don¡¯t worry about me. I won¡¯t miss a few more scenes. The big picture is our priority, Xiao Song is more suitable for those scenes.¡±


    Director Zhang seemed to be afraid that Zhang Yiming would regret his decision, so he immediately agreed. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided then.¡±


    Zhang Yiming pointed at him with a smile: ¡°You! You just want me to be the one who says it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just assuming thigns.¡± Director Zhang smiled slyly.


    Song Qianming had only wanted to show the best side of that time period. He had read that part of history and admired these great people very much. Therefore, he did not want to tarnish the reputation of the leader when he performed it. He did not expect such a surprise.


    What did it mean to have more than five minutes of scenes in a National Day representative drama? This was something that young actors in the industry would fight for, but he had achieved it so easily.


    However, with more scenes, he had more to prepare. But no matter what, he had to act well in this movie.


    ¡°These words are really well written!¡± Not only was his acting recognized, but his calligraphy was also praised by Zirector Zhang and the veteran actor Zhang Yiming.


    Zhang Yiming pointed it out directly, ¡°Were you trying to imitate the leader¡¯s notes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s only the shape,¡± he smiled humbly.


    Zhang Yiming sighed. ¡°In the past, I always thought that the young actors in the industry were too impetuous. Now that I¡¯ve met you, I know that I was too biased.¡±


    Director Zhang even said directly to the cameraman, ¡°Come, give this piece of paper a few close-up shots. Forget it, let¡¯s do it again. Xiao Song, you don¡¯t have any objections, right? ¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Again, Song Qianming¡¯s acting was still on point. This time, the focus was on his expression and the words he wrote.


    Because of the increase in his scenes, his plan to return in a week had to be delayed. Even when there were no more scenes for him, he would still stay on the set. Those who could participate in the filming of this film were all capable actors in the industry. He would be lucky if he could learn anything.


    Nowadays, there weren¡¯t many people in the circle who were as eager to learn as he was, and also had a strong learning ability. In addition, he was good-looking and very likable, so he often had a group of seniors kindly guide him, which benefited him a lot.

 Chapter 26

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Here you go.¡± Youhuan took out two bottles of drinks from her bag and showed off. ¡°My father is the one who endorsed them.¡±


    He Junyu looked at the picture on the bottle in surprise. ¡°Little sister Huanhuan, so this is your father? He¡¯s so good-looking.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my daddy is the most handsome daddy in the world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so envious of you for having a celebrity as a father. Little sister Huanhuan, does that mean you¡¯ll be able to see a lot of movie stars with your father?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. My father isn¡¯t that famous.¡± Youhuan sighed.


    He Junyu patted her shoulder with encouragement. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Your father is so good-looking. He¡¯ll definitely be more famous in the future, more famous than everyone else.¡±


    Youhuan laughed happily after being coaxed. Her eyes were like crescent moons. ¡°Thank you, big sister Yu. If my father knew about this, he would definitely be very happy.¡±


    Xu Fengming stood at the side, unable to join in the conversation. He felt that He Junyu was really very annoying. Ever since she came, she had stolen all of little sister Huanhuan¡¯s attention.


    Moreover, she was very good at complimenting Huanhuan¡¯s father and kept bringing him up. If she wanted to see a movie star, she should go to the cinema!


    He angrily opened his drink and decided to say something nice about Huanhuan¡¯s father to attract her attention.


    However, as soon as the drink entered his mouth, he couldn¡¯t help but spit it out. He stared at the bottle in disbelief. How could there be such a terrible drink in this world?


    ¡°Xu Fengming, why are you so unhygienic?¡± He Junyu looked at him with a face full of disdain. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we haven¡¯t entered the kindergarten yet. Otherwise, the teachers would scold us again. Don¡¯t be a burden.¡±


    Xu Fengming didn¡¯t have the time to care about her because there was still a strange taste in his mouth. The Xu family¡¯s newly hired nanny saw it and immediately handed him a bottle of water.


    ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± Youhuan looked worried.


    Xu Fengming¡¯s expression was strange as he tactfully said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not. Maybe I¡¯m not too used to it. Maybe I¡¯ll find it delicious if I drink more?¡±


    After saying that, he picked up the bottle and was about to continue, but he was stopped by Youhuan.


    ¡°I also thought it tasted bad when I drank it yesterday. I thought I was the only one who felt that way. I didn¡¯t expect you to feel the same way. It seems that it really tastes bad.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she sighed worriedly. ¡°If daddy becomes the spokesperson for such a terrible drink, will the people who buy this drink come and scold daddy in the future? Wouldn¡¯t my father¡¯s reputation be ruined then?¡±


    ¡°Little sister Huanhuan, you have to know that people in this society are all curious. Alternatively, sales might get better and better, and your father will become more and more famous.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± He Junyu nodded her head with certainty.


    Xu Fengming looked at her angrily. She snatched the chance to suck up to Huanhuan again. How could she do this?


    He Junyu bared her teeth at him provocatively and the tension between the two of them intensified.


    On the other end, the drink endorsed by Song Qianming had also begun to be put on the shelves of supermarkets and small stores in large quantities. The advertisement was also carried out on television and the Internet at the same time.


    ¡°A new drink from the Shen family? An ancient formula? There¡¯s so much Chinese medicine in it. Can it be drunk?¡± a netizen asked.


    She glanced at the advertisement and said, ¡°Who¡¯s the spokesperson? Why haven¡¯t I heard of him before? He¡¯s quite handsome.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s indeed handsome. With his looks, I have to buy a bottle to try it out. It¡¯s only four Yuan anyway. Besides, such a handsome man can¡¯t lie. Look at how much he enjoyed the drink.¡±


    The roommate didn¡¯t care about the drink, but was more concerned about Song Qianming¡¯s appearance. ¡°Do you think he looks better in ancient or modern clothes? I think he really looks like an ancient noble when he¡¯s sitting there in ancient clothes. I think I can match his face to those princes in novels.¡±


    ¡°Their faces do match, but don¡¯t you think he looks silly in an ancient costume while holding a drink and reciting the advertisement lines?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just mute it? Think of the drink in his hand as something else, like a fan or a teacup.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll Photoshop it.¡±


    It had to be said that the Shen family¡¯s food products had a really wide audience. There were many people who were willing to buy and try their products. At the same time, Song Qianming was also getting more and more attention. Many people were starting to wonder who the spokesperson of this new drink was.


    However, when they bought the drinks to try, most of them didn¡¯t find the scene beautiful.


    ¡°What the hell is this thing?¡± In front of the crowd, a young man drank a mouthful and immediately spat it out.


    ¡°Do you need to be so exaggerated?¡± His companion looked at him in disdain.


    Then, the young man handed the rest to him, unconvinced. ¡°If you can finish it, you¡¯ll win.¡±


    His companion drank it with genuine apprehension. After drinking a mouthful, he tasted a second mouthful. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you say.¡±


    The young man looked at him in disbelief, ¡°You actually don¡¯t think it tastes bad? You¡¯re not holding back on purpose, are you? There¡¯s no need, there¡¯s really no need.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding back. I really think it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s something wrong with my taste buds? No, let me try again.¡±


    However, he took another sip and still couldn¡¯t stand the strange taste. ¡°Boss, you tricked me into drinking another mouthful. I¡¯m really impressed. You¡¯re amazing!¡±


    ¡°What should I say to make you believe me? I really think it¡¯s okay. Although the first sip isn¡¯t that great, it gets better. I¡¯m going to buy a few bottles and put them in the refrigerator at home.¡±


    Similar events were happening all over the country today. Some people went to buy and try it because the spokesperson was the handsome Song Qianming. Some people believed that it was produced by Shen¡¯s Food and tried it. However, the strange thing was that some people couldn¡¯t stand the taste and would spit it out after drinking a mouthful, while some netizens found it more and more delicious.


    Then, because of this incident, it began to become a hot topic on the internet. Some small video bloggers also bought it to test it in order to ride on the popularity.


    ¡°It¡¯s him? How did he get an advertisement for Shen¡¯s food?¡± In a training room, Yuan Fei and the others were resting after training. Zhong Boyi looked at his phone and spoke with jealousy.


    ¡°What¡¯s the fuss about? What news did you see this time?¡± Yuan Fei frowned and looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Song Qianming.¡± Zhong Boyi gritted his teeth and said, ¡°He accepted an advertisement for Shen¡¯s Food and is now famous all over the internet.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Yuan Fei was also stunned.


    Ji Tong quickly took out his phone, and his expression was a little jealous. ¡°It¡¯s really him, but how did he get such good resources? Did he use some tricks? He¡¯s really going all out just to become famous.¡±


    Su Liang glanced at him and said in a cold tone, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not teammates anymore, it¡¯s not very nice to say that, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who pretends to be pure and virtuous. If nothing happened behind the scenes, how could someone who doesn¡¯t have representative works and doesn¡¯t even have a management company endorse Shen¡¯s Food products?¡±


    ¡°You guys continue.¡± Su Liang didn¡¯t want to listen to them anymore. He didn¡¯t want to argue either, so he left.


    ¡°Stop pretending.¡± Zhong Boyi snorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Yuan Fei chided the two of them. ¡°We should keep such conversations between us. Today¡¯s training is over. Go back and rest.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± In the student dormitory, the roommate look over curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at Big Mouth King¡¯s review. Isn¡¯t the new drink from the Shen¡¯s Food company very popular on the internet? I wanted to see what the review bloggers have to say.¡±


    ¡°Some say it¡¯s addictive, while some say they can¡¯t even take a sip. The polarization is quite serious. Let me take a look.¡±


    ¡°But no matter what the results are, I¡¯m going to buy a bottle to try.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go together after the evening self-study session.¡±


    The testing video officially began. A blogger with a Sichuan accent appeared in front of the camera. ¡°Friends, this is the drink that I¡¯m going to try today. Let me have a taste of what¡¯s so popular.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he opened a bottle and drank half a bottle. He first frowned, then relaxed. ¡°Still okay? At first, the smell was a little strange, and I can¡¯t really describe it.¡±


    Then, he took another sip. ¡°There¡¯s a Chinese medicine taste in it. It says that it has the effect of reducing internal heat. I can¡¯t tell the effect for now, but the more I drink, the more I feel that it¡¯s getting good.¡±


    After saying that, he changed the scene. ¡°But there is a heated debate on whether it¡¯s good or not on the internet, so it doesn¡¯t count if I drink it alone. I bought a box today, and our entire team will try it for everyone.¡±


    The two students watched nervously. Then, they saw that out of the ten people in the team who tried the drink at the same time, six of them actually spat out the first mouthful, indicating that the taste was really strange and they did not want to drink a second mouthful.


    Then, there was another one who expressed that it was acceptable, but it was not particularly delicious.


    As for the remaining three, at first, they felt that the drink was pretty ordinary, but they slowly accepted it. Then, the more they drank, the better it tasted. They began to strongly recommend the drink.


    In the end, the blogger, Big Mouth King, made a conclusion. This drink was really fascinating. No review would be useful. One had to try it himself.


    The two roommates looked at each other. It seemed that the evaluation this time was kind of useless, but it had indeed aroused their curiosity.


    Because of the publicity by the big bloggers, the interesting taste of the drink, and of course, Song Qianming¡¯s advertisement, the drink was selling like crazy.


    The biggest beneficiary of the explosive sales was naturally Song Qianming. After all, he was just a nameless star before this. Now, he was known to the public because of a drink.


    However, at the same time, there were more and more doubts. Most of them were wondering how he, who didn¡¯t have many works, got the endorsement.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yuan Fei frowned at Zhong Boyi.


    Zhong Boyi put down his phone and said indignantly, ¡°I just can¡¯t stand him being so smug now. I don¡¯t want those netizens to be deceived.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an endorsement, why are you so jealous? Do you know how much of an impact it would have on our team if it was revealed that you were the one behind all these comments?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not using my own account.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what account you¡¯re using, stop what you¡¯re doing immediately.¡± Yuan Fei glared at him coldly. ¡°Otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for being merciless.¡±


    Although Zhong Boyi was unwilling, he couldn¡¯t refute it. Who asked Yuan Fei¡¯s father to own the company¡¯s shares?


    Yuan Fei opened the door and was about to leave when he paused. ¡°Song Qqianming doesn¡¯t have any works. Even if he tried his best to get this endorsement, he won¡¯t be famous for long. Let¡¯s use our abilities to speak. We will definitely be better than him in the future.¡±


    After he left, Ji Tong walked out from the corner. With an innocent face, he sighed and said, ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t care about an endorsement deal. After all, he¡¯s the son of a major shareholder. His family is rich, and even our team is made to only support him.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Zhong Boyi¡¯s slowly clenched his fists.


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m just feeling sad for ourselves. What¡¯s the point of training so hard every day? Every time there¡¯s an event, it¡¯s always Yuan Fei who¡¯s in the center spot. Even if we become famous in the future, everyone will probably think that he¡¯s the one who brought us to fame. If we don¡¯t become famous, it¡¯ll be even worse. His fans will only attack us for dragging him down.¡±


    Then he laughed bitterly. ¡°But if we really become famous, even if our status is not as high as his, I¡¯m okay with it. I¡¯m just afraid that if we don¡¯t become famous, we will be abandoned and Yuan Fei will go solo. Then what will our training for the past few years be for?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be used by him like this.¡± Zhong Boyi¡¯s eyes were red with anger.


    Ji Tong patted him. ¡°Being used by him proves that we still have some value. Don¡¯t think too much. We just have to be careful in the future and don¡¯t get into any conflicts with him again. Sigh, who asked us to sign with the company for so many years? We have no choice but to accept our fate! Speaking of which, Song Qianming was still the most decisive. Look at how he can develop so well just by himself. The endorsement fee that Shen¡¯s Food gave him must be quite high. If only we could get such an advertisement one day.¡±


    ¡°Even if we get such an advertisement, Yuan Fei will still get the most of the advertising fees,¡± Zhong Boyi said in a choked voice.


    ¡°He¡¯s the captain and has the most fans.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the captain because his father is a shareholder. Who knows if the company bought more fans for him? If it¡¯s solely based on strength, he¡¯s not stronger than any of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. Captain can dance better than me, but it¡¯s a pity for you, brother Boyi. With your singing skills, I think you can even enter the major competitions. Once you become popular, you won¡¯t have to worry about terminating your contract. Those big companies will definitely be willing to pay for your expenses.¡± Ji Tong¡¯s face was full of regret for him.


    When Zhong Boyi heard this, he felt more and more that it was a waste of time for him to continue working in this company¡¯s team. When he was in school, his music teacher had always said that he sang very well. He was discovered by the company during the campus singing competition. Later, when the team was established, he became the lead singer directly. He thought that he would become famous quickly, but now he was already 25 years old, and the company still had no intention of making him famous.


    Although there were more jobs recently and they even went to two variety shows, the only one who was performing in those shows was always Yuan Fei. After editing, he only had two lines in one episode. If this continued, when would he become famous?


    He was the lead singer, and singing was his advantage. Yet, he was not allowed to sing during the program. Wasn¡¯t it because the company wanted to suppress him to give priority to Yuan Fei?


    No, he couldn¡¯t just stay silent like this. He didn¡¯t want to stay in this disgusting team for another day.


    Ji Tong looked at Zhong Boyi¡¯s changing expression and lowered his head with a smile. This guy is so impulsive. But this is good. At least he¡¯s easier to manipulate than Su Liang, that cold man.

 Chapter 28

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Daddy, are you really acting as a bad person in the movie?¡± Little Youhuan was watching the TV. The opening theme song had already started playing, and she didn¡¯t even want to blink.


    ¡°Yes, I guess so.¡± Song Qianming nodded.


    ¡°Will people scold you after they see it?¡± Youhuan frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Song Qianming smiled and patted her head. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing to be scolded. If everyone comes to scold daddy, it proves that daddy¡¯s acting is good, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all fake anyway. It¡¯s enough that I know that daddy isn¡¯t a bad person.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the right way to think.¡±


    The opening song ended and the film officially began. Youhuan did not say anything else. She stared at the TV with her big eyes, unwilling to miss any scenes with her daddy.


    Song Qianming also watched the drama seriously. After all, this was his first time watching the actual drama. He had to admit that there was a huge difference between the shooting scene and the actual movie, especially the special effects. When he was ¡®flying¡¯ with equipment, he thought that it was quite silly. Now that he was watching the actual drama, it was actually quite cool.


    He admired his own beauty. He had to admit that Director He was indeed a director who had a lot of experience in making movies. He had a very good grasp of the sense of the screen, especially when they had shot it in real life. It was impossible to tell that this was a low-budget web drama. The texture of the images was excellent, and Song Qianming felt that this drama was going to be a hit.


    At the same time, Shen Bao¡¯er also excitedly sent out several big red packets in the group.


    She even specially mentioned Director He. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could be so beautiful. Director He, I think I can continue to be a celebrity. My family was praising me just now.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Director He accepted the red packet with a smile.


    ¡°Director He, do you have any plans for your next series? Do you need investment? Are you lacking actresses?¡± This time, Shen Bao¡¯er didn¡¯t directly request for the female lead. Obviously, she knew Director He¡¯s standard. Back then, he had no choice but to film this web drama. After this drama became popular, Director He would definitely take on better resources.


    With Shen Bao¡¯er¡¯s family background, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to be the female lead in a web drama. However, her family was a solid entity. Other than investments, they didn¡¯t have any other resources in the entertainment industry. Furthermore, not all dramas lacked investments. If they had sufficient funds, they would want to work with an actor who was more compatible with them. That was why she didn¡¯t say that she wanted to be the female lead.


    However, in those big productions and good scripts, even the supporting characters were usually very outstanding, so it was not an insult to her, a professional web drama female lead.


    Director He didn¡¯t agree or reject directly. Instead, he chuckled and sent a voice message, ¡°In the future, if there are any suitable scripts, I¡¯ll definitely choose you guys first. This time, it¡¯s all thanks to you guys. The response from the website was especially good, and this was without much publicity. You guys should get ready. We might start to get busy in a few days.¡±


    Just as Director He had expected, not many people were optimistic about this drama. After all, the investment wasn¡¯t big, the publicity wasn¡¯t strong enough, and the leading actors weren¡¯t famous either. The only one who was slightly well-known was Shen Bao¡¯er. Who didn¡¯t know that she acted for fun? What good drama could she produce?


    Perhaps the only ones who were looking forward to this drama were the fans of the original novel. They were both afraid and looking forward to it, with the mentality of giving it a try. They didn¡¯t expect the situation to be completely different from what they expected. This drama was actually quite good?


    Moreover, the male lead was really handsome, so handsome that they didn¡¯t dare to scold him casually. They even wondered if the ending would be changed since it was an adaptation of a web drama. After all, with such a handsome and considerate male lead, they really couldn¡¯t imagine how he would look when he was exposed as the mastermind behind the scenes.


    The original work of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ wasn¡¯t very popular. After all, it was completely different from the popular romance dramas and golden finger dramas. Even the ending was very sad.


    However, those who liked the novel really liked it back then, so now that the drama was filmed well, they also actively promoted it. Therefore, quickly, all major platforms quietly had some discussion related to the drama.


    The video broadcasting website saw that the effect of the premiere was unexpected, so they decided to strike while the iron was hot. Not only did they arrange a press conference, but they also arranged a few variety shows for the lead actors to promote.


    As the lead actor, Song Qianming had to cooperate with the crew in their promotional activities. This was also agreed in the contract.


    However, although it was tiring to run such high-intensity advertisements, the exposure was high. For an actor who was not famous, it was a good thing, even if he did not get paid for the advertisement.


    ¡°Look at the comments. Everyone¡¯s saying that you¡¯re so handsome!¡± Shen Bao¡¯er pointed at her phone and showed it to Song Qianming. ¡°Even the fans of the original novel are speculating that you might not be evil after all.¡±


    The second female lead also rushed over and said, ¡°What¡¯s even funnier is that they¡¯re willing to continue pampering you like this and don¡¯t want you to turn into a villain later on. Brother Song, you¡¯re really famous. Everyone says that your male lead is very attractive. It¡¯s no wonder that they¡¯re like this. Even I, who filmed with you every day, was so smitten by you back then.¡±


    What? Shen Bao¡¯er pouted in disgust. Recently, Li Jinyun was always like this. As long as Song Qianming was mentioned, she would interject. She also liked to get close to him. Even at the press conference, she would deliberately pretend to be ambiguous with Xiao Song. It was really annoying.


    She wasn¡¯t jealous. After all, she didn¡¯t have any intention of developing a relationship with Song Qianming outside of the show. She just felt that it wasn¡¯t easy for Xiao Song to become popular, but Li Jinyun was so clingy to him. What if the fans misunderstood?


    ¡°They won¡¯t be like this when the show reaches the end.¡± Song Qianming replied lightly, then he got up and sat beside Director He, pretending to have questions.


    He didn¡¯t fall out with Li Jinyun because the show was currently being broadcasted. Secondly, Li Jinyun only acted ambiguously. She didn¡¯t do anything out of line. Moreover, he could understand why she did this.


    After all, she wasn¡¯t particularly young in this industry and didn¡¯t have any backing. If she wanted to be famous, she naturally wanted to grab every opportunity. And he, who was about to become popular, was the person she could cling onto the most.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Shen Bao¡¯er glared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t give up the last bit of friendship between us for fame. You know that Xiao Song doesn¡¯t want to do fauxmance. Going after him is naturally good for you. But why should Xiao Song be dragged down by you? If he wants to do fauxmance, won¡¯t he do it with me first?¡±


    Li Jinyun¡¯s face turned pale and then red, but she didn¡¯t do anything.


    Shen Bao¡¯er snorted. ¡°Your acting skills aren¡¯t bad, and you¡¯re good-looking too. Don¡¯t try to pull off all those dirty tricks and make your own fans disappear. If you have the time to do all this, why don¡¯t you focus on your next role?¡±


    Li Jinyun smiled bitterly in her heart. How could a rich person like Shen Bao¡¯er understand the pain of a person with no background like her? Does she think anybody can get a good role just because they wanted one?


    However, Shen Bao¡¯er was right about one thing. Her fans did like her to be down-to-earth in her acting. Could it be that she was too eager? But what could she do? Her contract was about to expire, but her company didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of renewing it.

 Chapter 29

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you laughing at? And you¡¯re smiling so wretchedly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m watching a drama. It¡¯s super good.¡±


    ¡°How can web dramas be good nowadays?¡±


    ¡°This one is different,¡± her roommate intensely recommended, ¡°I guarantee you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Xiao Ting didn¡¯t really believe it, but her roommate has been watching this drama for two days. Besides sleeping in class, she spent almost all her time on it. There should be some redeeming qualities, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely true. Especially the male lead, he¡¯s so handsome! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a handsome actor in the entertainment industry, and he¡¯s especially good at acting. I¡¯ve decided that he¡¯ll be my ultimate favorite from now on!¡±


    ¡°Do you need to be so exaggerated?¡± Xiao Ting was slightly convinced by her roommate¡¯s words. Anyway, she couldn¡¯t focus on reading now, so why not try watching?


    She opened the video address sent by her roommate, and after the advertisement, she was instantly attracted by the grand opening. Then, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, is this really just a web drama?


    ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ began with the clich¨¦ story of the male lead heroically saving the damsel in distress. The female lead played by Shen Bao¡¯er was involved in a murder case when she first stepped out into the world. She was wrongly accused as someone else was using her as a scapegoat and happened to hide in the male lead¡¯s room. After that, she accidentally saw a beautiful man come out of the bath and was immediately mesmerized.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just the female lead who was fascinated. The netizens were also fascinated, okay? Xiao Ting couldn¡¯t move her eyes away on the spot. Was this really something she could see without paying?


    ¡°Come, have some water,¡± her roommate snickered and looked at her. ¡°To prevent your mouth from getting dry.¡±


    Xiao Ting really swallowed her saliva, then let out a long breath, ¡°Weiwei, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the male lead super handsome?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not just handsome, his figure is amazing too. He¡¯s not like the other feminine actors with no figure at all. This director really knows how to shoot. He caught our attention in just ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°The more you watch, the more you¡¯ll like this male lead. Is there really such a perfect person in this world? I¡¯m so jealous of the female lead! No, I¡¯m jealous of Shen Bao¡¯er. Indeed, only rich people can find such a handsome guy to act with them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just realized that the female lead is actually Shen Bao¡¯er. She¡¯s completely different from how she looks like in the previous movies.¡±


    ¡°Right? Not only did she become prettier, but her acting skills have also improved.¡±


    ¡°It should be all thanks to the director. I can see that the other supporting roles are not bad at all. Just from the first episode, we can see that the texture of the scenes is different from other web series.¡±


    ¡°It really gets better and better. Every case in the drama is really good. I really like the male and female leads. Also, the supporting characters and the male and female leads don¡¯t have any unwanted emotional connections. It¡¯s simply too good. I hate scenes where third parties and fourth parties are entangled.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I hate it when the male lead has a cousin and the female lead has a loyal suitor. I¡¯m relieved to hear you say that.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I¡¯m in trouble. After this episode, I¡¯ll have to wait a week for the next episode. Can¡¯t they change the weekly broadcast to a daily broadcast?¡±


    Ever since ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ was released, such recommendations had been happening all over the internet. It proved that a good drama didn¡¯t need to spend too much money on marketing. The audience didn¡¯t want a good drama to be ignored.


    The crew of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ also felt that their drama had really become popular. When they went out to participate in the production of the variety show, every staff member was very polite.


    Shen Bao¡¯er sighed and said, ¡°In the past, no matter how rich I was and how many female leads I acted as, these people were only polite to me on the surface. I didn¡¯t feel like I was being complimented at all. As expected, it still depends on the quality of the work!¡±


    Didn¡¯t Director He feel the same? When he had first started filming, everyone was rather polite because of his teacher¡¯s reputation. Later on, his two movies failed one after another. No matter where he went, he faced ridicule and disregard from others. But now, the drama he filmed was popular again, and everyone was more respectful to him than before.


    He didn¡¯t blame people for being realistic, because this was how society was. It was just more obvious in this industry. Just like what the good actor who had won many awards had said, when you became famous, you would be surrounded by nice people.


    After going through so much hardships, Director He had calmed down. What impressed him was Song Qianming. His first drama was a hit, but Song Qianming was not arrogant or rude. He was not blinded by the crazy fans. Instead, he was calm. This was very rare.


    This was indeed someone he had his eyes on. However, it was also because of this mentality that he could go far in this circle.


    However, Director He would never know that Song Qianming had experience far more ups and downs than him. From a prince who was second only to one man, he became a single father without a job. Although he was happy with his first-time success, he was not muddleheaded.


    However, most of the fans in this world were quite cute. In the past, he was the only blood-related younger brother of his royal brother. Although he was very popular with the women of the Lan dynasty, the women at that time were more reserved and would not express their feelings directly like the women of this world.


    Song Qianming was touched when he saw them expressing their love and support for him so straightforwardly. No wonder so many people liked to be celebrities. It felt great to be supported by so many fans.


    At the same time, Song Qqianming also knew that most of the fans only liked the character he played in the drama. Perhaps in the future, when better dramas came out, and more handsome male actors became popular, these fans would move on to like them. However, he understood that as long as they had supported him, he was grateful.


    For the love of these fans, he had nothing to repay them with. The only thing he could do was to act well in every drama and do a good job in every variety show. As for his figure, even if they didn¡¯t say anything, he would train himself well because he couldn¡¯t lose his demeanor as a prince.


    ¡°Teacher Song, please get ready. We¡¯ll be calling for you to go on stage soon.¡± While Song Qianming was still in a daze, the staff member came to invite him with a smile.


    Today, they were participating in an online variety show that the video website had produced. It had been popular for two years. The hosts were also a few well-known veteran actors and singers. Although these people were not as good as professional hosts, it was precisely because of their wild hosting style and the gimmicks that every episode had many views.


    It was precisely because of the high number of views that every episode¡¯s guests were either strong or popular. For example, it was almost impossible for Song Qianming¡¯s previous group to be on such a variety show. They wouldn¡¯t even qualify as background characters.


    But now, he was invited onto the stage as an official guest. He wondered how Yuan Fei, Zhong Boyi, and Ji Tong would feel when they saw this. After all, when he was exposed to have a daughter, they said that he had destroyed their chance to become famous and caused them to be eliminated by a variety show. What was that variety show called again?

 Chapter 30

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Yuan Fei¡¯s eyes were fixed on the person in the video. Song Qianming seemed to have been reborn. He never knew that his former teammate was so talkative. He didn¡¯t even show fear in front of the seniors who were once famous.


    This was ¡®A Happy Life¡¯, the biggest variety show in Little Raccoon Streaming, and they had actually invited Song Qianming!


    That¡¯s right, ¡®Frost Falls¡¯, which Song Qianming was starring in, was currently a hot topic in Little Raccoon Streaming. He was now one of the most popular male actors! It was no wonder that these seniors were all flattering him.


    It was impossible to say that he wasn¡¯t jealous and disappointed. After all, Song Qianming was once his teammate, and he was even kicked out of the group because of his scandal. Now, Song Qianming had become famous so quickly after leaving, but no one had ever paid attention to his group. They had to beg to even appear on a variety show with not much views.


    Speaking of which, he had quite a number of fans. However, anyone with a discerning eye could see how much of it was fake. It was not like Song Qianming, who could attract a wave of cheers just by showing his face.


    Why was Song Qianming so lucky? He was clearly a nameless nobody with a dark past, so how did he manage to get the male lead role after going solo?


    It was inevitable for Yuan Fei to overthink it. After all, Song Qianming had previously endorsed an advertisement for Shen¡¯s Food. Now that the female lead of this drama was Shen Bao¡¯er, could it be that all of Song Qianming¡¯s resources were given by Shen Bao¡¯er? As for the reason why a rich young lady would give resources to a male stranger?


    On one hand, Yuan Fei despised Song Qianming for using his body to get to where he was, but on the other hand, he was afraid that Shen Bao¡¯er would be deceived. His brows were tightly furrowed.


    ¡°Song Qianming has a daughter? And the daughter was born when he was unmarried?¡± Xiao Ting was stunned for a while after reading the news. She couldn¡¯t believe it. After all, Song Qianming was only 25 years old this year. How could he have a four-year-old daughter? According to this calculation, he would have gotten another woman pregnant by 21 at the latest?


    ¡°It¡¯s really a world-shaking event!¡± Her roommate was also speechless. ¡°To think that I liked him so much. He¡¯s actually a scumbag.¡±


    Xiao Ting hesitated, ¡°We can¡¯t come to a conclusion so early, can we? After all, it¡¯s just someone else¡¯s information.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s just someone slandering him, would they be so detailed? Moreover, it was the child¡¯s mother who had asked the media to contact him, and he was the one who had personally picked up the child. This couldn¡¯t be wrong, right? Scumbag, getting someone pregnant and not taking responsibility.¡±


    Xiao Ting had nothing to argue with. Even though everything on the internet was true, she still didn¡¯t want to believe that Song Qianming was a scumbag. Maybe there was a hidden story?


    At the same time, the internet was filled with comments telling Song Qqianming to get out of the entertainment industry. In comparision, the previous commotion was like a splash hitting the waves. After all, the last time people said that, he wasn¡¯t very famous. Now, the drama he was starring in, ¡®Frost Falls¡¯, was a big hit.


    In this industry, there were only so many resources. If one person became popular, they would naturally take away a portion of the resources. This meant that others would have less resources to receive. Song Qianming was a person without a company or backing. Wasn¡¯t this a good opportunity to bully him?


    ¡°Mr. Song, based on your current situation, this is the best contract that our company can offer you. This is also under the condition that we specially approved your application. If you sign it, I guarantee that the public relations team will immediately help you solve this problem.¡±


    The man in front of him looked at Song Qianming with a look of pity, as if he was sure that Song Qianming would have no choice but to accept his offer. Song Qianming was furious.


    The manager had contacted him a week ago. At that time, before his scandal was exposed, although the man¡¯s attitude was arrogant, his words were still polite, and the contract he offered was also reasonable.


    Now that the news about him had come out, the man had become more and more arrogant. His new contract was even worse than an ordinary newcomer¡¯s, and he still acted as if it would be accepted. It was really disgusting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I may not be in line with your company¡¯s philosophy,¡± Song Qianming rejected coldly.


    The man¡¯s expression changed immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful. Go out and ask around. Who else would want you other than Wenha entertainment? If you don¡¯t sign it today, you won¡¯t have the chance to do so tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business whether anybody else will sign me. You¡¯d better watch your mouth.¡± Song Qianming stared at him coldly. He sat there as if he was a successful man with a net worth of hundreds of millions, not a single father with a lot of scandals.


    ¡°You¡­¡± The manager couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He kept the contract and sneered, ¡°Let¡¯s see how far you can go. I¡¯ll wait for the day you come to me on your knees.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to say this to me. The first one has already regretted it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself, Song Qianming. Do you think you¡¯ll be able to make a comeback when you go against Wenha Entertainment? ¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± A woman who had just come out of the bathroom witnessed this scene, and she searched up Song Qianming¡¯s name on the internet.


    Then, she said to the assistant beside her, ¡°Didn¡¯t Sister Hong terminate the contract with the person she¡¯s holding? Go and ask her if she¡¯s interested in this person.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss, but can I ask you why you like this man so much? I know him, it¡¯s not easy to clean up his black record now.¡±


    The woman smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s very handsome? He¡¯s got a good temperament too. He¡¯s so good-looking and has a good temperament. Now, he¡¯s also a hot topic. If we can clear this black material, he¡¯ll definitely help our company make a lot of money in the future. We can take advantage of his current state and take advantage of this. Oh, right, let Sister Hong talk to him politely. Don¡¯t be rude.¡±


    ¡°After what happened with Liu Shi, I¡¯m afraid that Sister Hong is no longer willing to lead popular artistes.¡±


    ¡°This Song Qianming isn¡¯t Liu Shi. If we let Sister Hong get in touch with him, she might change her mind. Besides, even if we offer him our conditions, he might not come. Don¡¯t worry about that for now.¡±


    The assistant smiled shyly and didn¡¯t say anything else.


    After Song Qianming angered Wenha¡¯s manager, he frowned and looked at his phone. Although he had a clear conscience, it was not good for things to continue like this.


    On the other side, Director He and the person in charge of Little Raccoon Streaming also sent him messages to urge him to deal with this matter, so that the show wouldn¡¯t be boycotted because of him.


    ¡°Xiao Song, after knowing you for so long, I know your character. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have hired you in the first place. It¡¯s better for you to clarify this matter as soon as possible. If you¡¯re too late, the netizens won¡¯t believe you. They might even think that you¡¯re just creating hype. If there¡¯s a need, I can help you put in a few words on Weibo.¡±


    Song Qianming replied, ¡°Director He, thank you. This matter has nothing to do with you, so I don¡¯t wish to drag you into this. I will handle it as soon as possible.¡±


    After he replied, he began to think of how to phrase his words. He would definitely admit it. Youhuan was his daughter, and he would never deny it.

 Chapter 31

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Qianming had long since registered a Weibo account. However, he had signed a contract with the previous company for a few years, and his number of fans never exceeded 50000. Furthermore, most of these fans were fake.


    Ever since ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ became popular, the number of followers had reached millions. He had never bought any followers, so these were all active users who followed him.


    However, after some of the breaking news about him was posted a few days ago, he lost another 100000 to 200000 fans. Now, he still had about 800000 fans. He felt that no matter these were anti-fans or those who really liked him, he should give them an explanation.


    He had never studied public relations, but he wanted to tell the truth. If they could understand him, then so be it. If they couldn¡¯t understand, then so be it. As for whether people believed it or not, he didn¡¯t really care.


    The fact is, he was not a bad artiste, and he did not intend to go for the popular route in the future.


    Popularity could bring huge benefits and attention, but at the same time, the views of the industry and the outside world on popularity were too biased. In the future, it would be more difficult to obtain more acting resources on different levels.


    This was actually not a bad thing. After knowing that he had a child, everyone would not fight to be his girlfriend fans and then quarrel with other people every day.


    He really didn¡¯t want to see that happen, especially when most of his fans were students who hadn¡¯t formed a sound social mindset. When he had just become popular last month, he was afraid that these fans would like him too much and affect their study and work.


    Now that these irrational fans had quit, he didn¡¯t have to worry about misleading them or holding them back. He also didn¡¯t have to worry about them being too extreme and bringing him trouble in the future. He liked people who paid more attention to his works than to him.


    After some thought, Song Qianming explained the situation clearly and posted it on Weibo.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused trouble for the ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ crew because of my personal matters. Please look at the drama rationally. I, Song Qianming, do have a daughter, and I¡¯m indeed unmarried. I don¡¯t want to explain what happened, but I really didn¡¯t know that her mother was pregnant and gave birth to my daughter at that time. I¡¯m very sorry that I wasn¡¯t by their side all those years, but from now on, I will shoulder the responsibility of being a father and take good care of my daughter. Thank you for your attention.¡±


    As soon as he posted this on Weibo, Director He and Shen Bao¡¯er sent him a message, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too straightforward?¡±


    ¡°You should have been more tactful. This way, some fans might criticize you even more.¡±


    ¡°The truth is the truth. I don¡¯t want to lie.¡± Song Qianming looked expressionlessly at the comments on his most Weibo post asking him to get out of the entertainment industry. Then, he looked at the next comment.


    Director He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Actually, thinking about it, this response isn¡¯t too bad. It¡¯s not your fault. If you say too much, people will think that you¡¯re deliberately trying to shirk responsibility. Although some fans might be disgusted and step back now, the responsibility of this matter isn¡¯t on you. As time goes on, as long as you have better works, everyone will slowly understand.¡±


    Shen Bao¡¯er sent a regretful emoji. ¡°I just feel that it¡¯s a pity. You just became popular. You could have been even more popular.¡±


    ¡°If this gets brought up after I got even more popular, the backlash might be even greater. Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just afraid that it¡¯ll affect the image of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯.


    After a while, Director He sent a laughing emoji with its hands on its waist. ¡°Just now, the streaming site told me that the new episode¡¯s viewership is actually higher than before. So, Xiao Song, you don¡¯t have to blame yourself. We were too anxious before.¡±


    Hearing that, Song Qianming heaved a sigh of relief.


    However, although the number of views was high, the bullet comments were all scolding him. It just so happened that this episode was broadcasting his true colors. In fact, from the beginning, the encounter with the female lead was all planned by him, so everyone scolded him even more.


    ¡°I thought he was acting as a good man. I didn¡¯t expect him to be a scumbag both inside and outside the show.¡±


    ¡°No wonder he acted so well. It turns out that he¡¯s acting in his own character.¡±


    ¡°Song Qianming, get out of the entertainment industry! Song Qianming, get out of the entertainment industry! Song Qqianming, get out of the entertainment industry!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, there¡¯s no need to be like this. A drama is a drama, and a person is a person. Besides, he didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything wrong? He¡¯s not even taking responsibility for making a girl give birth before marriage. If he¡¯s not scum, then what is?¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Song Qianming already explain that he didn¡¯t know about the woman¡¯s pregnancy? He didn¡¯t even know that he had a daughter. How was he going to take responsibility? It¡¯s also very hard on him to suddenly have a daughter to raise, okay?¡±


    ¡°So, he was forced to get another girl pregnant? Do you believe this? A scumbag¡¯s life is dark anyway.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s quite courageous. He didn¡¯t shirk the responsibility just because he¡¯s popular. He¡¯s brave enough to take on the responsibility.¡±


    ¡°The mother of his child has already contacted the media. How can he not bear the responsibility?¡±


    ¡°Please, the child¡¯s mother was already at the terminal stage of her illness. If Song Qianming didn¡¯t agree to do the DNA test, no one could do anything to him, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, so what if he has daughter? Is it against the law for adults to have sex?¡±


    ¡°Ha, do all fans have such a mindset now? Are you saying that you¡¯re a good person as long as you don¡¯t break the law?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t argue with these brainless fans. In their hearts, even if their idol killed someone, they would still think that there¡¯s a reason behind it, and they can forgive their idol.¡±


    ¡°Song Qianming¡¯s hater forever, no explanation needed. I¡¯ll always boycott him.


    Xiao Ting was about to die from anger. How was she a brainless fan? It was all her fault for being too impulsive and giving others a chance to rebut. She was so angry, how should she refute?


    Because he didn¡¯t have a management company, nor did he have a manager or assistant to manage his fans, even though Song Qianming came forward to explain, the number of people who criticized him increased. This was because many of these haters were hired by his competitors who had resources. They had plans and tricks, so how could ordinary fans deal with them? He had fallen into the trap just by being a little careless.


    Even if Song Qianming had a clear conscience, he knew that he couldn¡¯t go on like this. He had to control the reviews. Otherwise, if the general public started to dislike him, it would really be bad for his future acting career.


    As the saying goes, when you¡¯re sleepy, someone will send you a pillow. Someone contacted Director He and said that they wanted to talk to him about the signing a contract.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already understood everything that happened after you debuted. Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal for you to have a daughter before marriage, but can you tell me honestly if you¡¯ve made any mistakes in your principles in this matter?¡± After the basic requirements of both sides were discussed, the capable woman opposite him asked very straightforwardly.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Song Qianming replied with certainty, ¡°We only had sex once, and it was an accident. I didn¡¯t even know that her mother was pregnant and gave birth to her. But let me make it clear to you, Youhuan is my daughter. Even if I didn¡¯t know before, I love her very much now.¡±


    ¡°Of course, our company will respect your personal choice. Song Qianming, here¡¯s to a happy cooperation in the future.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ssister Hong.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Qianming took the contract home. Although the contract was not the best, it was good enough considering his current situation.


    This Sister Hong had contacted Director He to look for him. At first, he was still suspicious. He didn¡¯t expect that the other party didn¡¯t even bother to play tricks and directly explained the relationship of interests. This made him feel at ease to continue the discussion.


    Everyone was straightforward, and after half a day of discussion, they confirmed the cooperation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a driver and an assistant for you. During this time, don¡¯t speak on any major platforms. I¡¯ll deal with the recent uproar.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Hong. I¡¯ve troubled you.¡± Song Qianming sighed in his heart. It was great to have a manager. There was someone to arrange everything, and he didn¡¯t have to worry about it. Even if the company¡¯s commission was slightly higher, it is worth it. After all, there was someone to solve the problem for him, right?


    Moreover, the company would give him resources in the future, so he would not have to spend so much effort to find them. In the future, when he became more popular, his share would increase correspondingly. As expected, he had to sign with the right company!


    Just like the Xi Le he had stayed with before, and the Wenha where the arrogant man later came from, one only thought about how to abandon him after something happened, and the other only thought about squeezing out his remaining value. No wonder their developments were not good.


    The company he signed with was called Chang Hai, but the main business of Chang Hai Group was not in the entertainment industry. Chang Hai used to be in real estate, and later it began to involve itself in other industries. Chang Hai Entertainment was only a subsidiary of the Chang Hai Group.


    Although it was a subsidiary company and had only been in the entertainment industry for less than five years, with the huge existence of the head office and strong capital, Chang Hai Entertainment had developed rapidly. Ignoring its poor foundation, it was very unique and bold in the development of film and television.


    Chang Hai was not short of money. In the past few years, they had bought a lot of copyrights and produced a lot of movies and TV shows. Two of them had box office sales of over one billion Yuan, and three of the TV shows were on Star TV.


    In the past five years, Chang Hai had brought an actress and an actor to the A-list, as well as a few second and third-rate ones. However, the first-rate actor had terminated his contract this year for some reason.


    All in all, Chang Hai Entertainment¡¯s ability to support stars was very good, and Song Qianming felt that it would not be a loss for him to sign with this company.


    After signing the contract, he went home with a peace of mind. When nighttime reached, he clearly found that there were fewer hate posts about him. Under the comments about his daughter, some people had begun to control the comments.


    Chang Hai Entertainment didn¡¯t officially respond to the fact that he had a daughter before marriage, because Sister Hong felt that his response was enough. Instead, they emphasized that he didn¡¯t know about the existence of the child before, and that he had the courage to take responsibility after knowing, instilling the image of a good father in the netizens.


    Then, they directed the netizens¡¯ attention to ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ and focused on instilling everyone with the idea of how good the drama was. Then, the posts about how good his acting skills were increased, and many edited clips were constantly flooding the small video websites.


    Most people were biased towards beautiful looks. Since ancient times, beautiful women would be treated well. Once, the foreign media had done a test. Two different-looking people asked strangers for help, but the better-looking one had a higher success rate.


    Song Qianming¡¯s looks were unquestionable, and his acting skills were good. The netizens were naturally happy while they watched his drama, and they grew more tolerant of him.


    ¡°How could this be?¡± Seeing that the heat had died down, Yuan Fei slammed the table. ¡°Are these people blind and stupid? How can a person with a stain stay in the entertainment industry?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re regretting it, right?¡± Zhong Boyi walked in and said, ¡°If you didn¡¯t chase Song Qianming away, would we have been able to ride on his popularity now? You didn¡¯t expect him to be able to rise again, did you?¡±


    ¡°Who allowed you to enter my lounge?¡± Yuan Fei glared at him angrily.


    Zhong Boyi¡¯s face was full of mockery. ¡°You pretend to be noble in front of us. It turns out that you¡¯re just like this in private. You¡¯re the one who exposed all the recent news, right? You¡¯re the one who hired the haters.¡±


    ¡°Zhong Boyi, I don¡¯t want to argue with you. Get out.¡±


    Zhong Boyi clenched his fist and said, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have remained unpopular. It¡¯s all your fault.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense? Aren¡¯t you just relying on your family¡¯s wealth to make us your supporting characters? But in the end, under your suppression, none of us can be famous. Now that Song Qianming has left you and soared to the top, how are you going to explain yourself?¡±


    Yuan Fei laughed in anger, ¡°You¡¯re saying that I¡¯m the one who stopped you from becoming famous? Zhong Boyi, what kind of dream are you having? Who do you think you are? If I didn¡¯t let you join this group, you wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to debut.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Zhong Boyi was an impulsive person by nature, so he quickly resorted to violence.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t trick me into coming here, I would have already released my album and held a concert if I worked for another company. Yuan Fei, I won¡¯t listen to your nonsense anymore.¡±


    How could Yuan Fei let Zhong Boyi hit him? The two of them started to fight. ¡°Song Qianming became popular because of his looks. What about you? Do you really think that your singing ability is comparable to the famous singers out there? Even if you strip yourself naked and give yourself away, no one will take a fancy to you. You still want to hold a concert? Go to the cemetery.¡±


    Zhong Boyi was so angry that he felt dizzy and his blows became more and more powerful.


    At this moment, Ji Tong happened to pass by with a glass of hot water. When he saw them fighting, he was so surprised that he broke the glass in his hand.


    ¡°Stop fighting. We¡¯re all teammates. We shouldn¡¯t have to resort to this.¡±


    His exclamation quickly attracted the attention of the staff. Yuan Fei was the son of a shareholder, so everyone naturally went to help him. Zhong Boyi was hit by Yuan Fei quite a few times.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Ji Tong said worriedly, ¡°There¡¯s glass on the floor. Don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    The moment he finished speaking, Zhong Boyi broke free from the staff¡¯s control and picked up the glass on the ground. Then, under everyone¡¯s horrified screams, he cut a 10-centimeter scar from the left to the right on Yuan Fei¡¯s face.


    He had obviously used up all his strength. The wound was very deep, and the white flesh was turned to both sides, and then a large amount of blood flowed out.


    Everyone was shocked by this scene, and then there were screams, one after another, and calls for an ambulance and police cars.


    Ji Tong took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t expect Zhong Boyi to be so cruel. He looked at the glass shards on the ground and his face turned pale. His heart was beating fast.


    Zhong Boyi was completely scared out of his wits. After seeing the blood on Yuan Fei¡¯s face, he instantly calmed down. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured on his head, and he felt his blood turn cold.


    He¡¯s finished!


    These two words appeared in his mind. Even if Yuan Fei¡¯s father wasn¡¯t a shareholder of the company, he knew that he was done for. If Yuan Fei pursued the matter to the end, would he have to go to jail?

 Chapter 33

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Your previous group was called Five boys?¡± Sister Hong frowned as she looked at her phone.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Song Qianming answered as he ate, ¡°But after I quit, they became Four boys, and then the group¡¯s name got shortened to F.B. What about them?¡±


    ¡°One of your ex-teammates, Zhong Boyi, injured Captain Yuan Fei. It¡¯s on the news now and he was taken away by the police. Did you have a bad relationship with them before?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Qianming also took out his phone to check.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t respond to this matter for the time being. Just pretend that you don¡¯t know anything. If the media asks, just say that you didn¡¯t contact them after you left the team and that you don¡¯t know the inside story. Just wait for the police to report it, understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Song Qianming looked at Ji Tong, who was crying in the video, and his intuition told him that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.


    Surrounded by the reporters, Ji Tong was crying very sadly, but even so, it didn¡¯t affect his handsomeness at all. On the contrary, his fragile and sad appearance easily aroused the desire of others to protect him.


    Although some may think that it is unsightly for an adult man to look so weak, the public¡¯s aesthetic standards were different, and some people fell for this.


    Ji Tong¡¯s bright eyes looked at the camera and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re doing this either. Maybe it¡¯s because Brother Boyi is jealous of Brother Qianming¡¯s popularity. That day, Brother Boyi said that it was Brother Yuan who held us back. He said that Brother Yuan had been in the limelight for every job, but he hadn¡¯t made a splash in the past few years. Then, he said that Brother Qianming had become popular after leaving the team.¡±


    As he spoke, he even shed tears. ¡°If only I had listened more to Brother Boyi that day. If only I had realized that something was wrong back then. Otherwise, today¡¯s incident wouldn¡¯t have happened. I only hope that Brother Yuan is fine now.¡±


    ¡°By Brother Qianming, are you referring to Song Qianming, the male lead of the recently popular drama ¡®Frost Falls¡¯?¡± a reporter asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a good thing that Brother Qianming terminated his contract early. It would be horrible if he was also affected by this incident.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t have any more contact with this Ji Tong in the future.¡± Sister Hong shook her head after watching it. ¡°He¡¯s not a simple person.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Song Qianming thought that Ji Tong might have played a part in this incident. After all, Zhong Boyi was an impulsive person, and he might have been incited.


    Because this was one of the rare cases of injury exposed to the media in the entertainment industry, and they were the ex-teammates of the recently popular Song Qianming, this incident quickly became a hot topic.


    Everyone tried to contact Song Qianming and ask him to come out and say a few words, but he never did.


    As a result, there were people who started to criticize him on his Weibo, saying that he had no conscience, that he was too cold-blooded, and so on. He could not care less when his former teammate was in such a situation, he was simply too heartless.


    After waiting for a few days, the police finally came to report that Yuan Fei¡¯s face had suffered a very serious injury. Even with the best medical treatment, it would leave a scar for the rest of his life. Zhong Boyi was undoubtedly guilty of intentional injury.


    Although the wound was on his face, Yuan Fei¡¯s injury was only judged as a minor injury by the hospital. However, according to the country¡¯s criminal law, if Yuan Fei pursued the matter and didn¡¯t choose to forgive, then Zhong Boyi would be sentenced to less than three years in prison.


    With his face disfigured, Yuan Fei¡¯s future as a star was basically ruined. He probably wouldn¡¯t choose to forgive him and Zhong Boyi¡¯s life was over. With a criminal record, he could forget about becoming a star and it would be hard for him to even have a good job opportunity in the future.


    Besides, Zhong Boyi¡¯s family wasn¡¯t as rich as Yuan Fei¡¯s. He was just an ordinary college student back then. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have signed the contract after being fooled by Xi Le.


    These few years, he had been wasting his time on training and jobs because he believed that he was going to be a star. He didn¡¯t even finish university back then, so if he came out from jail, his future was basically bleak.


    F.B. had four people, one injured and one arrested. The group was completely disbanded, and only during this, the group was closely watched by the public.


    What caught Song Qianming¡¯s attention was that after Ji Tong went solo, he received a variety contract and a film contract. He was more and more certain that this matter had something to do with Ji Tong.


    However, he didn¡¯t have any evidence, so what could he do even if he was suspicious? Perhaps even Zhong Boyi didn¡¯t think of this.


    In the future, he would do as Sister Hong said and stay as far away from Ji Tong as possible. It would be best if he didn¡¯t have anything to do with him. As for how Ji Tong tried to talk to him in variety shows, it would be fine as long as he didn¡¯t give any response. Even if people said that he was cold-blooded, or that he had turned his back on Ji Tong after being popular for a long time, it wouldn¡¯t matter. As time passed, everyone would automatically think that he and Ji Tong really didn¡¯t have any friendship.


    Although this would affect his reputation in the short term, it was still better than being associated with Ji Tong and being schemed against by him in the future. He didn¡¯t want to put on such a fake brotherhood with Ji Tong.


    ¡°He¡¯s really calm!¡± Ji Tong gritted his teeth as he watched the interview video about Song Qianming. ¡°He¡¯s still not responding even when things are already like this. Isn¡¯t he afraid that the netizens will be disgusted with him?¡±


    His new manager sighed regretfully and said, ¡°It seems that this trick won¡¯t work. In the future, stop saying that you¡¯re brothers with him or that you used to be close to him. If you say that too much, people might think that you¡¯re trying to gain popularity from him. Now, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I know, I just feel like it was a wasted opportunity.¡± He threw his phone away.


    The manager took out a business card and handed it to him. ¡°CEO Ma from Wolian would like to have a meal with you. This is her business card. Although she¡¯s is a widow, her husband left her a lot of inheritance. In recent years, she has also invested in many projects in the circle. You should handle this opportunity well.¡±


    Ji Tong took the business card with some humiliation and gritted his teeth, ¡°Can¡¯t you find a better one?¡±


    The manager scoffed at him. ¡°CEO Ma¡¯s qualifications are already good enough. Although she¡¯s a little old, as long as you can coax her, she¡¯s still very willing to spend money. Do you think that people like Shen Bao¡¯er are everywhere on the streets?¡±


    Ji Tong was unconvinced. How could Song Qianming find someone as rich, young, and beautiful as Shen Bao¡¯er? And he could only accompany these old women?


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t like her, there¡¯s one more person you can try.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°CEO Yan from Yun Cang is not only more generous and rich, but he¡¯s also young.¡±


    ¡°Yan Zhen? But is he not a¡­ a man ?¡± Ji Tong was shocked.


    The manager half-smiled, ¡°So what if he¡¯s a man? You¡¯ve been in this circle for three to four years, right? Is that very rare? Besides, even if you¡¯re trying to get close to CEO Yan, he might not even like you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with CEO Ma.¡± He took the business card and laughed dryly. ¡°When did CEO Ma say she would be free?¡±


    ¡°Prepare yourself and change your clothes. CEO Ma will send someone to pick you up.¡±


    The manager left after he finished speaking, leaving Ji Tong alone with an unclear expression on his face. After a long time, he went to wash up and change his clothes. He told himself again and again that this was normal, that it didn¡¯t matter, as long as he got the resources and made a name for himself, he must be more famous than Song Qianming.

 Chapter 34

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Little sister Huanhuan, I saw you on TV yesterday. You¡¯re so awesome!¡± On Monday morning, He Junyu pulled Youhuan along and started chattering away. ¡°Were you acting as your father when he was young?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Little Youhuan smiled shyly.


    Beside them, Xu Fengming also said hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ve watched it too, little sister Huanhuan. I wish there were more scene of you. Do you have any more scenes after this?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s only for this episode.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a pity.¡±


    ¡°Go away, we girls are talking, don¡¯t interrupt.¡± He Junyu pushed him away.


    Xu Fengming prided himself on being a modest gentleman. Especially in front of his little sister Huanhuan, he did not want to show his rough side. Hence, he could only glare at He Junyu in anger.


    However, He Junyu did not care about him. She pulled Youhuan closer to talk to her. Youhuan could only helplessly give him a look.


    At the same time, Director He¡¯s interview about Youhuan¡¯s true identity also spread on the internet. Only then did the netizens who paid attention to ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ and Song Qianming find out that the little actress who played the role of the male lead when he was young was actually Song Qianming¡¯s biological daughter!


    ¡°I was wondering why there was a slight resemblance between their eyes and brows. So they¡¯re biologically related!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys think that Song Qianming¡¯s daughter is really cute? I really want to pinch those soft and cute little cheeks.¡±


    ¡°Right? I knew I wasn¡¯t the only one who had such thoughts. Such an obedient and cute daughter, Song Qianming is really lucky.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I really envy him. I also want to have a daughter like him without getting married!¡±


    While there were people who envied and praised him, there were naturally people who ridiculed and dissed him. Whether they were real or fake anti-fans, ever since Song Qian had been exposed, there had been no shortage of them.


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯ve just acknowledged her and you¡¯re already making your daughter earn money. I¡¯ve never seen such a cruel person.¡±


    ¡°He probably saw that his daughter was so cute and obedient, which is why he wanted to take her back. It¡¯s to help him earn money, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be Song Qianming¡¯s hater for life with no explanation.¡±


    ¡°Other celebrities take good care of their children. He¡¯s the only one who¡¯s blinded by greed.¡±


    ¡°Can you haters be fair? There are many people in the industry who let children appear on screen, right? But when it comes to Song Qianming, this is not allowed?¡±


    ¡°Other people are busy with work and want to spend more time with their children on variety shows, but is he?¡±


    ¡°Song Qianming just wants another money-making tool. You stupid fans, stop being so stupid. If he really loves children, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten other girls pregnant carelessly.¡±


    Xiao Ting was now a loyal fan of Song Qianming. She just couldn¡¯t stand it when people kept criticizing her idol. Although her idol didn¡¯t explain much about this matter, she felt that it was definitely not all Song Qianming¡¯s fault.


    Moreover, the child was brought to his side when she was three and a half years old. When he was filming ¡®Frost Falls¡¯, the little guy was already four years old. In between this, his contract was terminated and he did not have any income, but he still raised the child so well. It was clear that Song Qianming loved the child and was not like what the anti-fans said.


    She looked at the infuriating comments, but she didn¡¯t want to continue arguing and cause more controversy for Song Qianming, so she closed the comments with her last sentence. ¡°I believe time will prove everything. Just wait to be slapped in the face.¡±


    It had to be said that even though there were a lot of anti-fans, little Youhuan still gained a lot of attention with her cute looks. Some of them even became Song Qianming¡¯s fans because of her.


    Because little Youhuan did not have a Weibo account, other than the cameo in this episode of memories, there were no other scenes or photos. Therefore, these motherly fans rushed to Song Qianming¡¯s Weibo and threatened him to release the child¡¯s daily life, or they would annoy him once a day.


    ¡°Do you have any plans to let Huanhuan join the industry?¡± Sister Hong asked him very seriously.


    Song Qianming shook his head. ¡°No, I only let her film one episode because she liked it. It¡¯s too hard to enter the entertainment industry. I don¡¯t want her to get involved in this.¡±


    Sister Hong didn¡¯t force him. After signing the contract, they had worked together for a few days, and she had a general understanding of Song Qianming¡¯s character.


    She felt that he was full of surprises. At first, she agreed to meet Song Qianming because of his looks, but later, she decided to sign him because of his acting skills.


    This was only his first drama, but he acted very well. Of course, this was inseparable from the cooperation with a very good director, but even so, his excellent performance was very attractive.


    After getting along with him, she felt that her artist was strange and mysterious. He had a particularly attractive temperament and always had some surprises that you didn¡¯t know about.


    For example, she only found out the day before yesterday that Song Qianming had actually participated in the National Day drama ¡®The generation¡¯.


    As an industry insider, almost everyone knew about the National Day drama that the main TV station was organizing. At that time, all kinds of actors in the industry fought for the role. Many famous actors even said that they didn¡¯t need to be paid for the role. Even so, a good number of excellent actors were eliminated.


    Who could tell her how Song Qianming, a newbie actor with no background or experience, managed to secure one of the roles facing such a fierce competition?


    ¡°Speaking of which, I really got it through my connections.¡± Song Qianming pondered for a moment and said.


    ¡°What connections?¡± Sister Hong held her breath and focused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that there weren¡¯t any messy relationships involved in your career?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing, but it¡¯s also kind of related to my abilities?¡±


    Sister Hong was angered to death by him. ¡°Don¡¯t keep me in suspense. Tell me quickly.¡±


    Song Qianming laughed. ¡°At that time, Director Zhang was looking for someone to play that role. At first, he only wanted to find someone who was good at calligraphy to shoot two scenes. At that time, time was tight. Director Zhang directly asked the Calligraphy Association to send someone over.¡±


    ¡°So you know people from the Calligraphy Association?¡±


    ¡°Not only do I know him, I¡¯m also a member of the Calligraphy Association.¡±


    Sister Hong took a deep breath and said, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re talking about the National Calligraphy Association? And not the Calligraphy Association of some neighborhood?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Song Qianming nodded. ¡°It just so happens that the Vice President knows that I¡¯m an actor, so he recommended me.¡±


    ¡°I need to calm down.¡± Sister Hong took a sip of water and then said excitedly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about such important news before?¡±


    Song Qianming didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°When we signed the contract, didn¡¯t you only ask me to say if there was any negative news? Besides, I¡¯m only in the drama for a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Only?¡± Sister Hong raised her voice. ¡°Do you know what drama you¡¯re in? It¡¯s a National Day tribute drama by the main TV station. If other actors can even get one scene, they¡¯ll be proud and happy, but you have lines and a few minutes of scenes!¡±


    Fine, actually, Song Qianming himself knew that it was an honor to be able to act in this movie. He just wanted to see the shocked expression on his manager¡¯s face at this moment.


    After recovering from her shock, Sister Hong said to him solemnly, ¡°Since you¡¯re acting in this movie, we can do a good job when it¡¯s time for the publicity and broadcast. As for how to do it, I¡¯ll have to go back and think about it. Put these scripts aside first. I¡¯ll find you a few better ones.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Xu Mengchen, no, I should¡¯ve called you Xiang Jingchen a long time ago.¡± Shuang¡¯er, played by Shen Bao¡¯er, had a pained expression on her face. ¡°You¡¯ve deceived us so much! I¡¯ll ask you one last time, did you ever love me?¡±


    Xiang Jingchen, played by Song Qianming, looked at her coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t make any more pointless struggles. My army will be here soon.¡±


    Shuang¡¯er wiped her tears and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with fierceness. ¡°But they¡¯re not here yet, are they? Xiang jingchen, I won¡¯t let you have your way. Even if someone like you becomes the Emperor, you¡¯ll only be a tyrant.¡±


    ¡°What do you people know? Do you know what it means to unify the world? I¡¯m doing this for the world!¡± Xiang Jingchen said heroically.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± The second male lead pointed his sword at him. ¡°If I knew that you¡¯ve killed so many innocent people, I wouldn¡¯t have followed you at all.¡±


    ¡°For the sake of this country, some people will always need to be sacrificed,¡± Xiang Jingchen said in a cruel tone.


    ¡°But there are clearly many ways, yet you have chosen the most radical method.¡±


    ¡°Only by solving it as soon as possible can we prevent any accidents from happening. You won¡¯t understand if you¡¯re not in my position.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will never understand your grand plan, but you have killed so many of our friends and innocent people. I must avenge them.¡± Shuang¡¯er raised her sword and walked toward him step by step.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ve never thought that you¡¯d die in my hands one day, right?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Xiang Jingchen¡¯s face was as black as iron.


    ¡°How dare I? When you killed my family and friends, did you ever think that this day would come?¡±


    ¡°My men will be here soon. If you kill me, you won¡¯t be able to live either.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think your cavalry is so late?¡± The second male lead¡¯s gaze was sharp. ¡°Xiang Jingchen, your methods are too cruel. There are too many people in the army who don¡¯t agree with you. They¡¯re also afraid that you¡¯ll point your sword at them after you ascend the throne.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you! You colluded with the military counselor? You¡¯ve got some nerve, but do you think you can stop me like this?¡±


    ¡°The military counselor was right. We¡¯re going to get rid of the evil for the sake of the people today.¡±


    Xiang Jingchen, who was played by Song Qianming, spat out a mouthful of blood. He wiped it away expressionlessly, then picked up he sword and said angrily, ¡°So what if you¡¯ve poisoned me? You¡¯re still no match for me.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s try.¡±


    Dressed in a black robe, Song Qianming engaged in a fierce battle with the female lead played by Shen Bao¡¯er and the others. Although he was fighting against a few people by himself, he was not at a disadvantage at all. Instead, his every move revealed a sharp aura.


    Xiao Ting and her roommates were extremely nervous. After following the drama for more than two months, they were finally going to see the finale. The Xu Mengchen played by Song Qianming was so good at the beginning, so lovely, but when the truth was revealed, he became equally as evil and heartbreaking.


    However, regardless of the plot, whether it was the good Xu Mengchen or the bad Xiang Jingchen, Song Qianming¡¯s character was very charming.


    Although Xiang Jingchen was exposed to have done many bad things and killed many innocent people, he was so handsome that even if he showed a cruel and cold expression, people could not help but feel worrid for him.


    As expected, good looks were justice. How could anyone bear to blame someone who was so handsome?


    Xiang Jingchen¡¯s martial arts skills were excellent. Seeing that he was about to break out of the encirclement even though he was poisoned, Shuang¡¯er blurted out a secret. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. The child is yours.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± He was stunned for a moment, and his attacks halted.


    Shuang¡¯er took advantage of this opportunity to get close to him. She wanted to stab him with her sword, but she was unexpectedly restrained by Xiang Jingchen.


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me?¡± he asked as he held her neck.


    Shuang¡¯er¡¯s back was facing him, and her counterattack was powerless. She then revealed a determined look. ¡°Do you think I would lie to you about this? However, your dirty blood flows in his veins. I will not allow him to be born in this world.¡±


    With that, under everyone¡¯s horrified eyes, the long sword in her hand was thrust into her abdomen and pierced through Xiang Jingchen¡¯s abdomen behind.


    ¡°No!¡± The people on Shuang¡¯er¡¯s side saw this scene with red eyes and pushed Xiang Jingchen away.


    ¡°I¡¯m dying, big brother Duan. I¡¯ll leave the country to you,¡± she said weakly to the second male lead.


    ¡°Shuang¡¯er, why are you so foolish?¡±


    ¡°Sister Lingling, Xiaohai, Uncle Zhang, and big brother Wu all died because I trusted Xiang Jingchen. I am too ashamed to live in this world. Now that I took him down with me, I¡¯m giving them an explanation.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, blood gushed out of her mouth.


    Xiang Jingchen¡¯s eyes widened. Perhaps he knew he didn¡¯t have long to live. He looked up at the sky and laughed bitterly. His laughter was full of sorrow and unwillingness.


    At the end of his life, Xiang Jingchen looked at Shuang¡¯er and her stomach. However, Shuang¡¯er closed her eyes and tears flowed down her cheeks.


    Sad music started playing, and Xiao Ting and her roommates were all crying. They couldn¡¯t describe what they felt, but they felt that things shouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.


    ¡°Scumbag, he caused such a good woman like Shuang¡¯er to die with him.¡±


    ¡°Although Xiang Jingchen didn¡¯t respond to her in the end, I feel that he still had some feelings for Shuang¡¯er. He¡¯s cruel to everyone else, and he always says that he¡¯ll kill Shuang¡¯er. But in fact, he had a few chances to kill her before, but he always let her go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If he really didn¡¯t have any feelings for Shuang ¡®er, he wouldn¡¯t have fallen for their trap and come here alone. He wouldn¡¯t even have been poisoned by Shuang¡¯er.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying so much? He killed so many of Shuang¡¯er¡¯s friends and family, isn¡¯t he still a scum? If you love her, you should protect everything about her.¡±


    ¡°To be exact, although he loves Shuang¡¯er, he loves his country and his grand plans even more.¡±


    ¡°This is just being criticized because it is in a TV series. If this was real, there aren¡¯t many emperors in history who are kind, right? I don¡¯t care, Song Qianming is just too handsome. Whether it¡¯s Xu Mengchen or Xiang Jingchen, they both have their own charm. I¡¯m definitely a fan.¡±


    ¡°Even though the role is controversial, Song Qianming is undeniably handsome!¡±


    ¡°And his acting is good too. Even though I knew he was the culprit from the novel, I still fell in love with him. It¡¯s all thanks to his acting!¡±


    At the same time, the official ending of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ had also caused a heated discussion on various major websites. Everyone had a love-hate relationship with the male lead played by Song Qianming.


    However, the more controversy there was, the more popular Song Qianming became. After the finale, the number of fans on his Weibo exceeded five million, and he was on two hot searches at the same time.


    Sister Hong was overjoyed when she saw the numbers. After all, this was just a web drama.


    This time, she had really signed a treasure artist. She knew in her heart that this was only temporary. When Song Qianming¡¯s identity as a member of the National Calligraphy Association gets exposed, and when the news of his participation in ¡®The Generation¡¯ starts spreading, he would become even more popular and even more shocking.

 Chapter 36

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°The president is here.¡±


    With a cry of surprise, the front desk staff almost forgot to keep her phone.


    She lowered her head uneasily. Fortunately, the president and the others only glanced at her and left.


    ¡°That scared me to death.¡± Her face was still pale, and it was obvious that she had not recovered from the shock.


    Her colleague shook her head and looked at her. ¡°You¡­ Why are you still watching dramas during work hours?¡±


    ¡°This the ending of ¡®Frost Falls¡¯, which Song Qianming acted in. I just couldn¡¯t hold back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this next time. The president can¡¯t tolerate a single grain of sand in his eyes. The last time, the president fired the Madam¡¯s nephew from her mother¡¯s side and even sent a lawyer¡¯s letter. If you don¡¯t want to change jobs, you need to learn your lesson.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely remember this time. Although our president is a little strict, he treats us low-level employees so well. I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    ¡°Just make sure to remember it. Actually, don¡¯t blame the president for being so strict. The Song family is in such a mess. If the president wasn¡¯t so dominant, he would have been gnawed to the bone by others.¡±


    ¡°The president fired Madam¡¯s nephew. Madam will definitely make a fuss these few days, right?¡±


    ¡°She can make a fuss, but she¡¯s not the president¡¯s biological mother. The president won¡¯t spoil her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. What do you think she¡¯s after? Her son is useless. If she really takes over Song Group, it¡¯ll be a waste. Can¡¯t she just take some shares and dividends and enjoy her life?¡±


    ¡°This is what it means to be overly greedy. Some people always feel that it¡¯s better to have everything in their hands. They don¡¯t realize that if it weren¡¯t for the president, Song Group wouldn¡¯t have developed to where it is today.¡± The colleague laughed coldly. ¡°If they continue to act like this, they should be careful that the president won¡¯t let them even have the soup to drink one day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If they come and cause trouble again, I¡¯ll definitely call security at once.¡±


    ¡°Smart.¡± Her colleague gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Let¡¯s just follow the president closely.¡±


    On the top floor of Song Group, Song Qianxian started to look at all kinds of reports after he came in. Several department directors and managers stood there, not even daring to breathe.


    ¡°Manager Liu, Lianzhou is clearly more experienced and offered a lower price. Why is it that the proposal you submitted in the end belongs to Hongyu?¡±


    A drop of cold sweat trickled down Manager Liu¡¯s forehead as he stammered, ¡°This was decided by the third young master.¡±


    Song Qianxian looked at him coldly, ¡°Are you the project manager or is he? Since you don¡¯t care about the company¡¯s profit, then you should quit being the project manager.¡±


    ¡°President¡­¡± Manager Liu¡¯s face turned pale and he hurriedly tried to explain, ¡°I was forced to¡­ At that time, third young master¡­ He¡­¡±


    Song Qianxian did not give him a chance to explain. ¡°It seems like in your heart, Song Qianxin is the boss of this company?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out. I don¡¯t want to hear your explanation anymore. I told you that if anyone tries to oppress any of you, you can come and report to me first,¡± Song Qianxian said coldly.


    Then, he looked at the others and coldly said, ¡°Understand whose company this is and who you¡¯re working for. If you can¡¯t figure out your own position, leave as soon as possible. I don¡¯t necessarily need any of you to manage Song Group.¡±


    All of them kept quiet out of fear under his pressure, afraid that they would be the next ones to be scolded.


    After leaving the president¡¯s office, everyone looked at Manager Liu in disdain. He actually went to the third young master¡¯s side. He was really stupid. He almost got them scolded as well. In the future, they must stay away from such a stupid person.


    Manager Liu was extremely flustered and hurriedly called Song Qianxin.


    He was furious, but his tone was submissive. ¡°Third young master, now that the president has found out about the proposal and even reprimanded me, what do you think we should do? I still have a mortgage to pay and a child to raise. I can¡¯t be fired!¡±


    On the other side, Song Qqianxin was surrounded by noise, and there was the constant sound of women acting coquettishly and clinking glasses. He said impatiently, ¡°Trash, you can¡¯t even do such a small thing. Song Qianxian has so many things to do every day, how could he notice the mistake in a small plan? You must have done something wrong.¡±


    Manager Liu wanted to curse in his heart. Who was the one who promised that everything would be fine? And now he was blaming him?


    ¡°Third young master, I¡¯ve never made any mistakes in my previous work. If you didn¡¯t ask me to do this, the president wouldn¡¯t be dissatisfied with me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you asking me to take responsibility?¡± Song Qianxin sneered, ¡°Who told you to be so opportunistic? I told you to change it to Hong Yu and you changed it so obediently? Who can prove that I instructed you to do it and that you didn¡¯t receive Hong Yu¡¯s commission?¡±


    Manager Liu¡¯s eyes widened and his tone was filled with despair. ¡°Third young master, you can¡¯t be so heartless.¡±


    ¡°Heartless? I can still say that you¡¯re deliberately slandering me. Do you have evidence to prove that I ordered you to? Who doesn¡¯t know that my big brother is the head of the Song family? How would I dare to go against my big brother?¡±


    After that, he hung up the phone, leaving Manager Liu staring at the phone with red eyes.


    ¡°Manager Liu, the Human Resources Department is calling you.¡± His assistant came over to call him and was shocked to see him like this.


    Manager Liu knew that he was completely finished this time. Such a big mistake was either because he was not good at his job, or he betrayed the president and went to the third young master. In any case, he was no longer useful in the president¡¯s heart.


    Would he be directly dismissed this time? How could he do that? if he was fired by Song Group, where could he go?


    Manager Liu was filled with regret. If he had known earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have been greedy for that little money. At his age, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to find a job with better pay than the Song Group.


    ¡°President, please give me a chance. I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Holding the dismissal letter from human resources, he was about to rush into the president¡¯s office, but he was stopped by the security guards and secretaries at the door.


    No one sympathized with him now. Who could he blame for his own greed and his own ignorance of the situation?


    Song Qianxian was unmoved by the commotion at the door. These people were so stupid. Did they really think that he would not look at such a small proposal? The memorials from his previous life were much more difficult to deal with than these plans and reports. The ministers in his previous life were also more difficult to deal with than these employees. He could even fix a country, so he didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t fix the Song family and the Song Group!


    It had been two years since he came to this world. When he first came, he was still abroad. From the confusion and surprise at the beginning to the ease he felt now, he had taken less than half a year.


    He would soon be able to clean up all the parasites in the group, but where was his royal brother now? Would he also come to this magical world like him?


    If his royal brother came and he wasn¡¯t by his side, would he be afraid?


    It could be said that from his previous life to this life, the one he was most worried about was his royal brother, even more than his sons. After all, they had grown up relying on each other, and his royal brother was the one who accompanied him through the sea of blood to ascend to the throne, so their relationship was naturally not ordinary.

 Chapter 37

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Song Qianming was preparing for the shoot. He had no idea that his royal brother had come to this world before him. If he knew, he would be overjoyed.


    If Song Qianxian knew that his beloved royal brother had no choice but to work as an actor in order to survive in this world, and was even ostracized and insulted by others, he would probably be heartbroken.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± The photographer directed Song Qianming to do all kinds of poses, and the excitement in his tone was beyond words.


    Today, he was here to shoot a new promotional photo for Shen¡¯s Food¡¯s drink that he had endorsed. Back then, the drink had gone viral on the internet as soon as it was released. If the reason for its popularity at that time was due to the strange taste and the Shen Corporation¡¯s signature brand, then the reason for the increase in sales now was because of Song Qianming.


    ¡®Frost Falls¡¯ had brought him a huge amount of traffic, and his fans discovered that he had no other works other than ¡®Frost Falls¡¯. As for his previous performance as a singer and dancer at Xi Le, it was needless to say. His style was too unsightly, and his fans did not even want to acknowledge his ¡®dark¡¯ past.


    In order to support him, his fans didn¡¯t have much choice but to buy the only product he endorsed, which was this strange-tasting drink.


    Although many people weren¡¯t used to it, those who could drink it basically liked it very much, so the fans weren¡¯t afraid of wasting it when they bought it back. After all, there were so many relatives and friends, and there would definitely be someone who liked it.


    After the sales increased, the Shen Corporation wanted to strike while the iron was hot and quickly shoot an advertisement and a promotional video as well.


    ¡°Shen Corporation would like to sign another advertising contract with you. Do you have any intention?¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Sister Hong?¡± Song Qianming didn¡¯t agree or object directly. He wanted to hear his manager¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°The Shen Corporation is considered an established brand in the country and has a relatively high public appeal. Although their marketing is not as fashionable as the new and popular online brands, they promised that if you agree to sign the contract, they can hire someone to design the advertisements for their next product. What I mean is that you can only take on one or two more advertisements for food products like this. In the future, you should wait for more works to be produced before you try to get in touch with other brand styles.¡±


    ¡°Back when I wasn¡¯t famous, Shen¡¯s Food had the courage to hire me. I can¡¯t be ungrateful. Since they¡¯ve already asked, I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll discuss the follow-up with them. You should get ready to join the crew.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s a charity banquet tomorrow night. Many investors, directors, producers, and actors in the industry will be there. I¡¯ve gotten you a ticket. I¡¯ll take you to get your styling done tomorrow afternoon. Don¡¯t sleep too late.¡±


    Song Qianming frowned as he had heard some rumors, ¡°What do I have to do?¡±


    Sister Hong understood and then smiled. ¡°When we signed the contract, we have already agreed that we wouldn¡¯t force you to do this kind of thing. Boss will be there tomorrow too. She¡¯s just taking you to meet people and make you familiar with those directors.¡±


    Song Qianming heaved a sigh of relief. He had thought that he would be sent to do some ridiculous things. As a dignified prince, and he would never yield.


    On the other side, the assistant placed an invitation on Song Qianxian¡¯s table. ¡°Boss, this is an invitation from Bihua¡¯s side. They said there¡¯s a charity banquet tomorrow. Are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll donate one million Yuan in my own name. I won¡¯t be going. Please help me apologize to Bihua¡¯s CEO.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± The assistant took the invitation back. Afterwards, every time Song Qianxian remembered this scene, he deeply regretted it. If he had went for the charity banquet, he would have been able to reunite with his brother earlier.


    The next afternoon, Sister Hong brought Song Qianming to a styling studio. The stylist of this studio had worked with the most famous fashion stylist abroad for two years. Later, he had worked for several luxury brands. It could be said that he knew the fashion circle inside out.


    After he returned to the country, not only did he maintain a harmonious and friendly relationship with major brands, but he also established his own fashion brand, which was very popular with domestic stars.


    If not for the fact that the boss of the management company Song Qianming signed with was his friend, based on Song Qianming¡¯s current status, this styling studio would not have accepted him at all.


    ¡°Sister Hong, is this the newbie you¡¯re managing?¡± A man who was dressed in a androgynous manner sized Song Qianming up, and his gaze made him feel a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°Jack, our Xiao Song already has a child,¡± Sister Hong suddenly said something irrelevant.


    Song Qianming saw the man¡¯s eyes filled with disappointment, but he still asked unwillingly, ¡°Are you interested in getting to know me?¡±


    No matter how stupid Song Qianming was, he knew what kind of person this man was.


    In his last life, before his royal brother had ascended to the throne, some officials liked to raise beautiful boys at home. If they were willing, it would be fine, but the vast majority of them were forced.


    After his royal brother ascended the throne, this kind of thing was not allowed to happen in the officialdom. However, there were still many private music houses that raised little boys.


    After coming to modern society, especially after entering the entertainment industry, Song Qianming¡¯s thinking had become much more open-minded. He now respected people with different sexual orientations, but it definitely did not include those who had already been rejected and still tried.


    ¡°Song Qianming,¡± he said, squinting his eyes. ¡°Male, likes women.¡±


    Jack sighed sadly, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find someone who¡¯s my type. Forget it. Are you guys here to get styled for tonight¡¯s charity banquet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, our Qian Ming is a newcomer, so we¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t pester him too much and was instead doing his job properly, Sister Hong¡¯s smile became more sincere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I promise you¡¯ll be satisfied. At least I¡¯ll give your boss some face.¡±


    Then, he took the ruler and said to Song Qianming, ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I take some measurements, right?¡±


    Seeing that his gaze was no longer flirtatious, Song Qianming opened his arms and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡±


    However, Jack sighed as he measured, the regret and pity in his eyes could not be hidden.


    Song Qianming was handsome and had a good figure, which was thanks to his daily exercise.


    He was 1.85 meters tall, with broad shoulders, a thin waist, and especially long legs. Even his butt was perky at just the right angle, and his muscles were evenly distributed. No wonder Jack coveted him at first sight.


    It was no exaggeration to say that with his figure, he could look good even if he wore a piece of sackcloth. However, Jack still carefully chose a suit for him.


    The suit was already very fitting, and it was also a big brand, but Jack was still a little dissatisfied. ¡°If it was customized, it would definitely look even better than this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already in contact with the company for the custom-made clothings,¡± Sister Hong said with a smile.


    It was rare for Jack to offer help when he had not achieved his goal. ¡°If you have any difficulties, you can contact me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that. I¡¯ll definitely praise you in front of the boss later.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    It was generally said that women took a long time to put on makeup. In fact, male celebrities also took a long time to put on makeup.


    Fortunately, Song Qianming¡¯s facial features and skin were good. Coupled with his strong objection, his face did not change much. However, it took him a long time to fix his hairstyle.


    He didn¡¯t understand it himself. It was obviously short hair, so what could change about it? However, Jack seemed to be dissatisfied and changed several styles before finally stopping under his unfriendly gaze.


    ¡°This will do.¡± He was still a little regretful, but Song Qianming did not dare to let him get any closer.


    ¡°In the future, you can come to me in advance for your red carpet styling,¡± Jack said excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied. I¡¯ll try to get you the Best Red Carpet Styling Award every time.¡±


    Song Qianming was speechless. ¡°Isn¡¯t that something only female celebrities fight for?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. The competition between male celebrities these days is no less intense than that between female celebrities. Everyone is putting in all their effort into the small details.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it next time.¡± His scalp went numb at the thought that he would have to go through such torment in the future.


    At about six o¡¯clock, a Bentley arrived at the entrance of the styling room. Looking at the smooth design of the car, Song Qianming whistled in his heart. When he first arrived, he didn¡¯t think much about it. However, the longer he stayed in this world, the more he wanted to own these gorgeous luxury cars.


    ¡°The boss is here,¡± Sister Hong said as she recognized the license plate.


    Song Qianming was curious. He had never seen his boss!


    This feeling was quite novel. He was a prince with countless people under him in his previous life, but now he had become someone else¡¯s employee.


    When he had just signed the contract, Sister Hong had said that it was the boss who had asked her to get in touch with him. Who was this mysterious boss? Since he knew him, why did he not have any impression of him at all?


    The first thing he saw was a leg in high heels. He was slightly stunned. The boss was a woman?


    The woman was wearing a red dress and a pair of big sunglasses. She walked in with large stride and looked confident and arrogant.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± She sized up Song Qianming and seemed to be very satisfied with his style today, so she nodded.


    ¡°Dashan, help me put on some makeup too.¡± She sat on the sofa and looked at Jack.


    Jack had a constipated look on his face. ¡°My young miss, can you not call me by that name anymore?¡±


    The woman rolled her eyes, but she didn¡¯t seem crude. ¡°No matter how long you¡¯ve been abroad, aren¡¯t you still called Li Dashan?¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Jack did not argue with her. ¡°Do you want to change your clothes?¡±


    ¡°No need. Just do it like this. I¡¯m in a hurry. Just do my face.¡±


    Song Qianming watched as she commanded the men. This woman was different from all the women he had known before. Although she looked charming and had a seductive figure, her actions were not very mannerly. However, those actions, such as rolling her eyes, were surprisingly not annoying.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself to you. I¡¯m your boss, Ge Yunqing. You can call me boss or young miss like they do.¡±


    Song Qianming smiled and extended his right hand. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m your artist, Song Qianming.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Ge Yunqing shook his hand. ¡°I was the one who asked Sister Hong to sign you.¡±


    ¡°Where did you find out about me, boss?¡± he asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°In a restaurant. You were talking to another agency at that time, right? I happened to see you.¡± Ge Yunqing gave a simple explanation.


    Song Qianming did not expect it to be such a coincidence, but he was not surprised.


    ¡°Do I need to pay attention to anything at the banquet later?¡±


    ¡°No need. You¡¯re a part of my company, so you don¡¯t have to be afraid of anything. If anyone bullies you, feel free to come to me. But our company¡¯s foundation in this industry is still weak, so we shouldn¡¯t go out of our way to make people dislike us.¡±


    Song Qianming¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Thank you, boss. With your words, I¡¯m even more confident.¡±


    Ge Yunqing was not the first powerful woman he had met. In his previous life, his royal grandmother controlled the court and was much more dominating than this. However, her power in his previous life was extremely oppressive. He and his royal brother had almost lost their lives to her.


    However, Ge Yunqing was different. Ge Yunqing¡¯s domineering energy made it seem as if she was protecting him under her command. Even though she was clearly just a woman who looked about the same age as him.


    Song Qianming did not feel humiliated at all. In fact, he felt a little special.


    Sitting in Ge Yunqing¡¯s car, Song Qianming¡¯s desire to buy a car grew stronger. Nice cars just felt different from ordinary cars.


    ¡°Do you know how to drive?¡± Ge Yunqing sat beside him and asked.


    Song Qianming touched his nose, feeling a little awkward. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You still have to learn it. What if you encounter an emergency in the future?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your reminder, boss. I¡¯ll find time to learn it as soon as possible.¡±


    The two of them had nothing more to say. Song Qianming did not have a wife in his previous life, and the most interaction he had with women was with the palace maids. However, the palace maids were there to serve him, and without him saying anything, they could understand his intentions.


    After he came here, the girl he spent the most time with was his daughter, but she was only a child in kindergarten.


    As for Sister Hong, Shen Bao¡¯er, and the rest, most of their time was spent talking about work. Therefore, Song Qianming did not have much experience in interacting with women. Therefore, he did not know how to find a topic to talk about.


    Ge Yunqing was probably tired from work today. She did not care about the man beside her and slowly closed her eyes to catch up on sleep.


    Song Qianming thought to himself, ¡®She¡¯s quite at ease with me. But I guess this isn¡¯t my past life, where there are taboos between men and women. She¡¯s the boss, and there¡¯s a driver in front. I¡¯m just an artist under her, what can I do?¡¯


    The venue of the banquet was a five-star hotel in the city center. They arrived in no time. Song Qianming thought about the etiquette of this world and walked to the other side of the car to open the door for Ge Yunqing.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. Ge Yunqing smiled perfectly and then held his arm. This action almost made Song Qianming unable to keep his expression.


    Usually, when a man and a woman entered a banquet together, the woman would hold the man¡¯s arm. However, Ge Yunqing was his boss, so there was no need to do this.


    Ge Yunqing explained in a low voice as they walked, ¡°I¡¯m the boss. If I go in with you like this, others will assume that I¡¯m supporting you. This way, those who have other thoughts won¡¯t dare to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Boss, thank you for being so thoughtful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the people with the most potential in my company. It¡¯s only right for me to think for you.¡±


    The banquet was filled with toasts and conversations. Song Qianming had never attended such a party before. This kind of social interaction was completely different from his previous life. It was especially novel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to meet a few people first. If you¡¯re hungry, just bear with it. There¡¯s a buffet over there. You can eat after you meet them.¡±


    As a boss with such a career at such a young age, she was still so considerate of her subordinates. It was really rare. Song Qianming felt warm in his heart. The personality of his boss seemed to be completely different from her flamboyant appearance!

 Chapter 39

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    ¡°Who are you looking at?¡± The slightly chubby middle-aged woman was dissatisfied with the attitude of the man beside her and questioned him in a rough tone.


    Ji Tong suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart. When he thought of the resources she promised, he had to force a smile. ¡°I just saw an acquaintance. I didn¡¯t expect to see him here.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Ma Fengjuan followed his line of sight.


    Ji Tong was a little flustered. He was afraid that she would stop supporting him if she took a fancy to Song Qianming. But at the same time, he felt very aggrieved for keeping such an old woman by his side. Why was Song Qianming always surrounded by rich, young, and beautiful women?


    Wasn¡¯t it enough that Song Qianming had scammed Shen Bao¡¯er? Now, he had hooked up with another woman again. Why did they all only want Song Qianming, but not him? What was he lacking compared to Song Qianming?


    Ji Tong looked at Song Qianming¡¯s boss, Ge Yunqing, drooling. Then, from an obscure angle, he glanced disdainfully at his current sugar mommy, Ma Fengjuan. For the sake of resources, he would endure anything now, but when he became famous¡­


    He gritted his teeth and thought that it would be great if he could exchange sponsors with Song Qianming. He was very eager to see Song Qianming getting squeezed dry.


    Ji Tong loathed Ma Fengjuan. Even though she treated him well, he still felt wronged and disgusted.


    Looking at the young and beautiful woman beside Song Qianming, he couldn¡¯t help but doubt himself. Were all the young and rich women these days not into his type?


    Seeing that Ma Fengjuan¡¯s attention was also drawn to Song Qianming, he felt even more indignant. Although he did not like Ma Fengjuan, he was her sugar baby. Was Song Qianming going to take away even that?


    ¡°The acquaintance you mentioned is him?¡± Ma Fengjuan¡¯s interest was indeed piqued. Compared to the childish Ji Tong, who liked to throw tantrums, she preferred the tall, handsome, and elegant type. When she was with Ji Tong, she always felt like she was coaxing a child.


    At first, she was still a little patient, but her business was busy, and she didn¡¯t have the patience and temper to coax a small idol every day.


    Ji Tong looked at her excited expression and an idea immediately came to his mind.


    Since Ma Fengjuan was interested in Song Qianming, why not make it happen?


    He knew Ma Fengjuan. Although she was only the boss of a supermarket chain, she had a lot of power and money. As for the young woman beside Song Qianming, there¡¯s no way she could be more powerful than Ma Fengjuan, who had been doing business for many years, right?


    Although Song Qianming would have better resources after the exchange, it would be equivalent to him knowing about Song Qianming¡¯s scandal. After all, he knew all about Ma Fengjuan¡¯s hobbies.


    As long as Song Qianming fell, as his ex-teammate, he would be the topic of discussion again. By then, with the resources that Ma Fengjuan had given him, he would definitely rise to fame.


    ¡°We used to be teammates, but he¡¯s much more popular than I am.¡± Ji Tong deliberately put himself down.


    However, Ma Fengjuan just nodded and said bluntly, ¡°He is more handsome than you.¡±


    Ji Tong almost crushed the wine glass in his hand when he heard this. How was Song Qianming better than him?


    Ma Fengjuan did not have the time to care about him. Instead, she picked up another glass of wine and said, ¡°Take me to your friend for a drink.¡±


    She walked straight up to them. Ji Tong did not know how to explain that he did not have a good relationship with Song Qianming, so he could only follow her. However, with Song Qianming¡¯s current status, he could not reject Ma Fengjuan directly, right?


    Ge Yunqing was a very straightforward boss. She said that she was here to introduce Song Qianming to all the major directors and producers, so she did not let him do anything else. As a boss, she was even very protective of her own people. When others coaxed Song Qianming to drink, she would not let him drink too much.


    ¡°Boss, there should be very few bosses like you, right? How can I repay you for taking such good care of me?¡±


    He had just drunk a little alcohol. Although it was not much, there was a hint of tipsiness in the way he spoke. After drinking, even his voice had become sexier, especially when he spoke in such a low voice. Not many women could stand it.


    However, Ge Yunqing frowned and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Pay attention to your image. You¡¯re now working for my Chang Hai. I won¡¯t force you to go out to socialize, but at the same time you shouldn¡¯t have any ideas about me. Only by showing your ability at work can you get resources from me.¡±


    Song Qianming was stunned when he heard that. He didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. He really didn¡¯t mean it that way. He was really just touched by her protectiveness just now and asked casually. His original intention was to be a better actor in the future to repay her. How did he give his boss the wrong impression?


    However, he didn¡¯t know how alluring his looked currently. His skin was originally pale, and his eyes were dark. After drinking, the corners of his eyes were flushed pink, and even his dark eyes had a layer of moisture. Coupled with his deliberately lowered tone, it was no wonder that Ge Yunqing would misunderstand.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way,¡± he smiled helplessly and explained, ¡°How would I dare to offend my superior? I just want to promise you that I¡¯ll be serious in acting and take every job seriously.¡±


    Seeing that he seemed to mean it, Ge Yunqing nodded. Fortunately, Song Qianming did not have any ill intentions. Otherwise, she would have really planned to change her focus.


    Ji Tong did not know Ge Yunqing, but Ma Fengjuan did. She had once seen Ge Yunqing at a banquet when she was with her late husband. However, Ge Yunqing was still the eldest daughter of the Ge family at that time, not the General Manager of an entertainment branch of the Ge Group.


    She had heard about the Ge family from her dead husband, but she did not know much about it. After all, it was a huge family, and it was rare for ordinary people to come into contact with them. However, since Ge Yunqing was only the General Manager of an entertainment branch, could she have been abandoned by the Ge family?


    Thinking of this, she was even more determined to win over Song Qianming, who was next to Ge Yunqing.


    She first sized up Song Qianming, which made both Ge Yunqing and Song Qianming uncomfortable. Then, she went to talk to Ge Yunqing.


    ¡°Miss Ge, long time no see,¡± she smiled and handed her a glass of wine.


    However, Ge Yunqing raised her eyebrows. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    This contemptuous attitude almost made Ma Fengjuan lose control over her expression. After all, she was the boss of Wolian now. She did not believe that Ge Yunqing really did not know who she was.


    She was just a daughter abandoned by the Ge family. How dare she be so arrogant?


    ¡°Miss Ge is still so arrogant even now. Aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll have nowhere to go after leaving the Ge family?¡± Ma Fengjuan said arrogantly, ¡°Although my company is not as good as the Ge Group, I¡¯m still the one in charge. You can only call something your own when you have it in your hands. You cannot just rely on your family. Don¡¯t you think so, Miss Ge? ¡±


    Ji Tong really didn¡¯t expect Song Qianming¡¯s new sugar mommy to be from the Ge family. Was it the Ge family he knew?


    Ji Tong thought excitedly. Even though Ma Fengjuan had said that miss Ge might not be able to inherit the family business in the future, she was still from the Ge family and her future was still unknown. With this identity and appearance, even if the resources given to him in the future were not as good as Ma Fengjuan¡¯s, she was still much better than Ma Fengjuan.

 Chapter 40

    Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


    Although Song Qianming did not know about his boss¡¯s family background, the way this woman spoke was really annoying. Ge Yunqing was much more elegant than her. With just a little bit of money, this woman dared to be so smug. He really did not know where she got her courage from.


    Moreover, the way she looked at him reminded him of the way his father looked at those young and beautiful palace maids before he died in his previous life. It was very disgusting.


    Song Qianming looked at Ji Tong again. He was the one who brought this woman here. He really didn¡¯t let people rest easy!


    Ji Tong couldn¡¯t help but shiver. He glared at Song Qianming unwillingly. He would never admit defeat. They both had the same starting point. Why should he be intimidated by Song Qianming? They were all sugar babies, so who had the right to look down on the other?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t left my family yet, and I represent the Ge family. Aren¡¯t you afraid that my elders will think that you¡¯re here to challenge the Ge family by bullying me, the eldest daughter of the Ge family?¡± Ge Yunqing looked at Ma Fengjuan coldly, her eyes arrogant and her tone contemptuous.


    Ma Fengjuan was obviously angered by her attitude. She was now a billionaire, but she did not dare to offend the Ge family behind Ge Yunqing.


    She looked at Song Qianming reluctantly and said firmly, ¡°If the Ge family really cared about you, they wouldn¡¯t have let you manage a small entertainment company.¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the impression that my boss isn¡¯t valued?¡± Song Qianming stood up for Ge Yunqing. ¡°If my boss was really not valued by the family, would Chang Hai have developed so quickly in such a short time? Our boss has never been worried about resources and funds.¡±


    Hearing that, Ma Fengjuan really was a little unsure. Could it be that the information she had about her dead husband was inaccurate?


    At the same time, she was angry that the man she liked was protecting another woman. However, even though Song Qianming said that to her, she was not unhappy. Instead, she tempted him, ¡°I might not have a good family background like hers, but I can definitely give you more than she can. Do you want to consider coming to my side? You can get any house, car, or watch you want.¡±


    A house, a car, and a watch from anywhere?


    Ji Tong¡¯s jealous expression was almost twisted. Ma Fengjuan had never been so generous to him before. The last time, he had received an eight hundred thousand Yuan watch after tirelessly serving her for two days. Why was Song Qianming more expensive than him?


    However, towards the person he was trying so hard to please, Song Qianming was full of disdain. Who did this woman think he was?


    He was a man. Why did he have to use his body to exchange for what he could get by himself? This person was so bold to actually say such words to him!


    Song Qianming¡¯s aura instantly turned cold. Even Ge Yunqing could clearly feel that he was extremely angry.


    ¡°If I want to live on the first Ring Road of Beijing, can you help me make it happen?¡± He replied sarcastically.


    Ma Fengjuan did not react at first and was stunned for a moment. It was Ji Tong who reminded her.


    ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself. You want to live in the Forbidden City? Do you think you¡¯re the Emperor?¡±


    Song Qianming glared at him coldly. Even though he had never lived in this palace before, he had lived in a real palace. Even when his royal brother ascended the throne, he had a house in the palace. What did this useless man who used his looks to serve others know?


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t have the ability to give him what he wants, how are you thick-skinned enough to claim that in the first place?¡± Ge Yunqing distorted in disgust.


    Ma Fengjuan flew into a rage out of humiliation. She thought that Song Qianming did not know what was good for him. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be able to buy you a house there if you follow her? You¡¯re delusional.¡±


    Ge Yunqing looked at her smugly and deliberately went along with her words. ¡°Because Qianming didn¡¯t need me to give him things for him to follow me!¡±


    Song Qianming nodded. ¡°Of course. After all, the difference between you and her is huge.¡±


    Their cooperation seemed to have disgusted Ma Fengjuan and Ji Tong, and both of them had ugly expressions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so smug now. You¡¯ll regret it in the future,¡± Ma Fengjuan said through gritted teeth.


    Ji Tong also looked at Song Qianming with a dark expression, ¡°Don¡¯t be ungrateful. It¡¯s your good fortune that our CEO Ma likes you.¡±


    ¡°You can take this fortune yourself. I don¡¯t care for it. I, Song Qianming, will only rely on my own efforts to get what I want.¡± After he finished speaking, he silently followed in his heart. Of course, that was apart from anything his royal brother gave.


    Ji Tong felt that he had been insulted again. ¡°Song Qianming, just you wait and see. I will definitely be more famous than you. There will be a time for you to beg me in the future.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re finally not pretending anymore.¡± Song Qianming gave him a meaningful look. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that you¡¯re not simple. Also, what happened to Yuan Fei and Zhong Boyi, could it be that you were involved in it?¡±


    Ji Tong¡¯s was clearly flustered for a moment, Song Qianming caught his expression. He was really just bluffing, but he didn¡¯t expect Ji Tong to really be guilty.


    Just by looking at the news that day, he knew that Yuan Fei¡¯s face was disfigured. Zhong Boyi was charged for intentional assault and his life was ruined. This Ji Tong really did a lot of harm in order to become famous.


    However, Ji Tong quickly calmed down. After all, Song Qianming wasn¡¯t there that day. Now that Zhong Boyi had been convicted by the police, what did it have to do with him? He just happened to pass by and wanted to stop the fight. So what if Song Qianming guessed something? Who would believe that?


    However, since Song Qianming discovered his true nature, he would not let him off easily in the future. Song Qianming must not become an obstacle on his path to fame.


    Ji Tong hated Song Qianming in his heart, and Song Qianming knew it. However, he was not afraid of such scheming people. If he had any tricks up his sleeve, just come at him. He was a noble prince, and he was never afraid of anything.


    ¡°CEO Ma, since he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him, let¡¯s go. It¡¯ll only be his loss if he misses you.¡±


    Ji Tong thought that Ma Fengjuan wouldn¡¯t be angry after hearing his words, but Ma Fengjuan turned around and scolded him, ¡°Useless thing. Didn¡¯t you say that he was your good friend?¡±


    The two of them left but did not leave. Ji Tong felt a little embarrassed. ¡°CEO Ma, I didn¡¯t expect Song Qianming to be so ignorant.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s ignorant.¡±


    Ma Fengjuan ignored him and walked away. Ji Tong took a few deep breaths and chased after her under Song Qianming¡¯s mocking gaze.


    ¡°Nasty,¡± Song Qianming snorted in disdain.


    Ge Yunqing was very satisfied with his performance today. The employees under her should not bow down and give up everything for fame and fortune.


    As long as one worked hard enough and had the talent, they could get anything they wanted in her company with their own abilities.


    Today, Ji Tong and Ma Fengjuan did not have a good time here. After they went back, Ma Fengjuan was so angry that she blacklisted Ji Tong on her contacts. That night, Ji Tong was not even allowed to enter her villa.


    When the manager heard the news, he criticized Ji Tong severely. He even removed a role that he had already decided to give to Ji Tong.