Chapter 29: Surely, This Is a Man Worthy of Trust

[Male Artistry Panel]
Skill Points: 1.93
[Expression Control Proficiency Lv2: 43/50 (At the Doorstep)]
[Speech...]
[Emotion...]

Several days passed quickly.

Su Mu barely left his home, dedicating himself entirely to grinding his proficiency.
From practicing a bright, sunny smile to a smile that concealed a dagger, and from refining a lecherous grin to... well, truth be told, a lecherous grin hardly required any practice.

Morning.

Su Mu was jolted awake by a barrage of WeChat notifications.
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes were the parameters on the Male Artistry Panel.

By his calculations, today he’d likely reach Lv3.
But he was mentally prepared: once he hit Lv3, the required proficiency points would probably skyrocket to an astonishing degree.
Su Mu understood that for any craft to be deemed the work of a master, it demanded thousands of repetitions, relentless refinement.
The first two levels might not require much in the way of proficiency numbers.
But from Lv3 onwards, it would necessitate endless repetition, forging the skill into his very blood, etching it into his bones.
Only then could the craft truly become his own.
As the saying goes, a minute on stage takes ten years of practice behind the scenes—such is the truth of the matter.

And the blind box mission required him to “max out” his proficiency at Lv3 to complete the task.
Here, “max out” meant reaching the full proficiency required for Lv3.
So Su Mu could more or less guess—the mission would not be easy.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t set the time limit at thirty whole days.
He reckoned that to truly achieve the mastery of expression control, he'd need to practice at least a thousand times—perhaps even tens of thousands.

With these thoughts, Su Mu opened WeChat.
Several voice messages from Qian Jida bombarded him:

Qian Jida:
“Su Mu, are you up yet? Do you know what time it is? Get up and message me back.”
“You still haven’t woken up? Listen, the contract with Director Zhang’s crew is finalized. Good news: they’re offering us ten million after tax!”
“Su Mu Su Mu Su Mu! Check the trending topics! Director Zhang has officially announced the cast list!”
“The company’s arranged for you to attend a charity event next week.”

Half asleep, Su Mu listened to Qian Jida’s relentless barrage of messages.
He then opened Weibo’s trending topics.
Several of the top items were about him.

Weibo Trending Topics:
1. Asian Cup *hot!
2. Did Su Mu really join the cast?
3. Director Zhang’s New Drama Cast Revealed!
4. CBA Finals: Liaoning vs. Zhejiang...
5. Su Mu’s Acting! hot↑
6. Su Mu Passed Director Zhang’s Audition
7. Super Topic #SuMu’s Single “Listen” is Amazing!
8. LPL/MIS...

Su Mu scanned the trending list.
There were four or five keywords directly related to him.
Honestly, when he first debuted and needed to build fame and exposure, he would have loved to see his name trending every day.
But now that he was already established, there was no longer a need to fight so hard for attention, nor rack his brains with Qian Jida for more buzz.

Of course, often the things celebrities do outside of work become fodder for gossip and PR, sometimes blown out of proportion.
Many stars have lamented their hardships on various programs, urging fans to focus more on their work and less on the gossip.
But since entering this industry, Su Mu never saw it that way.
Being gossiped about, critiqued, and entertained by the public was simply part of being a celebrity.
After all, he enjoyed an income and social status far above the average person, so he must also shoulder burdens that ordinary people could not—it's a fair exchange.
If one can’t accept that, or refuses to be the subject of public gossip and amusement, then perhaps being a star isn’t the right path—one might as well become a civil servant.
So Su Mu took it all in stride.

“You’ve got to be kidding me—when did I need you lot to worry about my acting? You lot don’t know the first thing! Mind your own business!”

[Comments Section:
What’s Zhang Huaimou thinking? Even Su Mu passed the audition?
This show is definitely going all-out—Sun Danfei! She’s so sexy, I can’t wait!
Ning Yuyan, Sun Danfei, Zhang Jianlin, Zhou Yi, Ma Baoguo, all veteran actors... cough, but Su Mu... oh dear!
Hahaha, relax everyone, at least Su Mu isn’t the lead—thank goodness!
Looks like Su Mu’s playing a villain!
Well, that’s a relief—I can roast him to my heart’s content! Excellent!
Hey, don’t go too far! Even as a villain, Su Mu is super handsome!
Hmph, your Su Mu has a wooden face and delivers lines like a statue—ready to be schooled by the veterans?
Pfft! Hahaha!]

Director Zhang Huaimou’s official account had released the cast list.
Though it was only a list of names, without any official character images yet, just seeing the lineup sent the comments section into chaos.
The entire internet had been waiting for news of Su Mu’s failed audition, with rival boy band fans at the ready to attack.
But seeing Su Mu’s name among the cast threw them into disarray.
So they started stirring up drama in every comment section.

Su Mu grumbled as he closed the comments.
If this time he didn’t deliver a performance that made even these critics root for the villain Gao Qiqiang’s rise, then he’d be letting down the ancestors of the Male Artistry Panel cheat!

Su Mu flashed a smile, but his mouth emitted a wailing sound.
He seamlessly blended laughter with tears—a bittersweet expression.

[Emotion Control Proficiency +1]
[Expression Control Proficiency +1]
[Skill Points +0.01…+0.01…]

…
…

A week later.

At the charity gala, the venue was packed with guests.
Events like this were frequently held in first-tier cities.
Besides inviting celebrities to boost the event, various entrepreneurs and socialites attended as well.
Su Mu and Qian Jida, representing Giant Elephant Media, had been invited to participate.
Truth be told, their presence was little more than a formality.
But by coincidence, they ran into several familiar faces.

Qian Jida’s nemesis, the manager of the rival NNQT boy band from Starshine Media, Zhang Hua’an, was there.
Also present was Liu Qiangxi, the brand representative of the international label Su Mu had just started endorsing.

They ended up at the same table.
Upon learning that Su Mu had successfully auditioned, Liu Qiangxi offered his congratulations.
However, he also seemed concerned that Su Mu taking on a villainous role might negatively impact the brand’s image.
If the spokesperson’s image suffered, it could impact sales.

Liu Qiangxi said, “Su Mu, don’t forget the additional clauses in our contract. You’re allowed to act in Director Zhang’s drama, but isn’t playing a villain a bit risky? If it affects our brand, I’ll have to adjust the contract terms unilaterally.”

Before Su Mu could reply, Zhang Hua’an, clearly relishing the drama, added fuel to the fire:
“Director Liu, maybe you’re unaware, but a few years ago, a red-hot actor played a villain so convincingly that the audience loathed him for a whole year—it ruined his future roles.
So, anyone who knows the industry understands: playing a villain is dangerous. It’s very difficult to change your public image afterward.
Aren’t your brand’s values all about positive, mature, and steady masculinity?”

After Zhang Hua’an’s remark, Liu Qiangxi’s expression darkened with worry.
He’d only recently been promoted to Greater China regional manager.
If the spokesperson’s image damaged next year’s sales, it would be a disaster; he’d rather break the contract than risk it.

The atmosphere grew awkward.
Zhang Hua’an was being deliberately malicious, nearly talking Su Mu out of a job with just a few words.
What a scoundrel!

Qian Jida was about to explode, his moustache twitching as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to lash out.
But in the end, Su Mu held him back.
After all, it was a charity gala, full of people and gossip.

Su Mu looked calmly at Liu Qiangxi, “Director Liu, I may not be a movie king, but I have full confidence in the roles I choose.
Rest assured, even if this character is a villain, I can still win public approval and bring recognition to our brand.”

Liu Qiangxi pressed, “Really?”
Su Mu replied, “Didn’t we sign supplementary terms? If I can’t deliver, you’re free to adjust my endorsement fee.”

Zhang Hua’an chuckled maliciously, “You’re quite confident in your acting. But Director Zhang’s villains are meant to be hated—are you sure this fits your brand’s image?
Frankly, you should consider our NNQT boy band instead...”

“Shut up.” Su Mu suddenly fixed Zhang Hua’an with a frosty stare, his smile vanishing, “Your effeminate little group is hardly on my level—how dare they compete for the same endorsement?”

[Expression Proficiency +1]
[Line Delivery Proficiency +1]
[Skill Points +0.01…+0.01…]

With just a subtle change in expression, Zhang Hua’an felt a chill run down his spine, his scalp tingling.
As if Su Mu were about to kill him.

“!!!”
Zhang Hua’an was inexplicably frightened and immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Su Mu instantly shifted his expression, turning to Liu Qiangxi with a radiant, sunlit smile:
“Don’t worry, Director Liu. I never make empty promises—if I fail, I won’t take a dime.”

“…”

Liu Qiangxi was momentarily stunned by Su Mu.
It wasn’t the words that struck him, but the sincerity in Su Mu’s smile—it sent ripples through his heart. He hadn’t seen such genuine warmth in a long time.
So bright, so confident, so pure—someone truly worthy of trust.
He felt a sudden, inexplicable fondness.
Liu Qiangxi flushed slightly, “Uh… yes, alright, Su Mu. I… I believe you.”

⁄(⁄⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄⁄)⁄

Zhang Hua’an: “???”
Qian Jida: “???”
Su Mu: “Ahem.”

Perfectly under control~!