Chapter 7: Don’t Ask Me to Discuss the Script—That’s Just Not Who I Am!

The banquet carried on. Having completed their social obligations, Su Mu and Qian Jida were preparing to leave. The conversation earlier with Liu Qiangxi had more or less settled the additional terms outside the main endorsement contract. Now, it all depended on Su Mu’s performance.

If he succeeded, the endorsement fee would be increased by another twenty percent, and he would have priority for contract renewal. But if Su Mu failed, the fee would be reduced, and he would be obliged to work for their brand unconditionally. It had to be said, Liu Qiangxi was indeed a shrewd businessman. What appeared to be a passive concession was, in fact, a perfect execution of his own intentions. To put it bluntly, this side bet had undoubtedly been planned in advance, and no matter the outcome, the brand would not lose.

Even if Su Mu won, it would be in Director Zhang’s production—a place where anyone who rose to fame would find their career elevated. It was not just about having one’s acting recognized, but also significantly boosting one’s public image. The higher Su Mu’s profile, the more value he brought to the brand. An entirely risk-free deal, inside and out.

Of course, the person most opposed and infuriated by this was not Qian Jida, but Zhang Hua'an. Originally, he’d hoped to use this opportunity to embarrass Su Mu and Qian Jida, ideally sabotaging their endorsement, which might have opened the door for the NNQT boy band, even if it meant accepting a lower fee. Who could have guessed that with just a single exchange, Su Mu would turn the tables on him? Worse, he became an unwitting accomplice, prompting Liu Qiangxi to propose a bet that further cemented Su Mu’s relationship with the brand.

With this wager in place, neither Su Mu nor the brand could walk away until it was settled. Watching Su Mu and Qian Jida leave the banquet, satisfied and swaggering, Zhang Hua'an was fuming, nearly choking on a piece of cake. To be mocked for managing a “defective” boy band—wasn’t that just calling him a scavenger? Outrageous! One day, he would launch a superstar and show them all who was truly the greatest agent in China. Silently, Zhang Hua'an made a vow to himself.

… …

Unaware of Zhang Hua'an’s inner turmoil, Su Mu and Qian Jida had already left the banquet hall, heading out to catch a ride back to the hotel. But before their driver arrived, a melodious voice called out from behind. “Su Mu.”

Turning around, Su Mu saw Ning Yuyan approaching, her figure perfectly accentuated by a low-cut evening gown. He exchanged a glance with Qian Jida.

“She’s calling you.”

“I know.”

“What’s going on?”

“No idea.”

“Do you know her?”

“No.”

Their eyes communicated their shared confusion. They’d hardly ever interacted with Ning Yuyan, apart from the occasional awards ceremony. They’d never worked together on set or appeared on the same variety show. Ning Yuyan belonged to the Beijing circle, backed by established entertainment industry investors, while Su Mu was part of the Milky Way circle, a rising force fueled by new-age media. There was no real hierarchy—just different networks.

Su Mu smiled politely, keeping it formal. “Hello, Ms. Ning. I really enjoy your work. I wanted to say hi at the banquet earlier, but something came up and I had to rush off.”

Ning Yuyan smiled, her delicate face practically spelling out, “I don’t believe a word.” “I know, which is why I chased you down. We’ve crossed paths a few times but never formally met. I wanted to take this chance to introduce myself. If we ever get to work together, I hope we can look after each other.”

Work together? Su Mu was skeptical. Unless it was one of the major network variety shows, their resources were like parallel lines. Ning Yuyan was a popular young actress, starring in prime-time dramas on major networks—young, talented, and well-trained, with broad appeal. She might soon transition to film and compete for box office glory. In contrast, Su Mu mostly starred in web series—hugely popular and lucrative, but still a notch below the big screen. In summary, what opportunity could they possibly have to collaborate? Clearly, this wasn’t the real reason.

Could it be… she was attracted to him physically?

Wait, no. Dating an actress could be a nightmare—who would take care of the children if both were filming all year round? They might not even spend holidays together, left to stare wistfully at each other’s on-screen romances, each comforting themselves with the fantasy that the other’s co-star was actually them. Such a marriage couldn’t last. Su Mu dismissed the thought.

Noticing his expression, Ning Yuyan assumed he doubted her words. She laughed. “Don’t guess. I’ll tell you in advance—it’s Director Zhang’s project. I’ll be auditioning too.”

“What? You’re joining ‘Wild Surge’ as well?”

“Hm? What are you talking about? Wild… what surge?”

Ning Yuyan looked puzzled. Su Mu realized that “Wild Surge” was the title from his past life—here, Director Zhang probably hadn’t even decided on a name yet.

He cleared his throat. “Ah, I just meant I didn’t expect you to be as daring as I am, going to audition for Director Zhang’s new project.”

Ning Yuyan gave him a knowing look. “Director Zhang and I are pretty well acquainted. He reached out to me personally about auditioning for a role.”

Of course—the resources in the Beijing circle were on another level. The director himself had made the call. Clearly, Ning Yuyan was all but guaranteed a role. Judging from her aura, she wasn’t suited to play the crime boss’ wife, but she’d be perfect as the protagonist’s partner, Meng Yu, or Gao Qiqiang’s sister, Gao Qilan.

Since they’d gotten to this point, Su Mu dropped the pretense and took out his phone. “Let’s add each other on WeChat. If we really get to work together, I look forward to it.”

Ning Yuyan’s eyes sparkled as she took out her phone to scan his code. “Su Mu, the auditions are in a couple of days. Have you seen the script? If you haven’t, you can come to my place. We could go over the roles together.”

Late at night, at your hotel, to discuss the script? Su Mu’s eyes inadvertently lingered on her graceful figure, her collarbones and neck glowing invitingly under the lights. With looks like that, she’d be wasted on any role but the leading lady.

But he wasn’t that kind of man. “Sorry, I’ve got things to do these next couple days, so I really can’t make it. But thank you—next time I’m in the capital, dinner’s on me.”

He genuinely had no time. He needed to spend the next few days at home honing his skills and gaining proficiency. Besides, discussing character motivation was pointless for someone who could now master any role with enough practice. Once he leveled up, there wasn’t a character he couldn’t embody with ease.

Ning Yuyan didn’t seem disappointed by his refusal. She smiled sweetly. “Alright, see you in the capital then.”

“Goodbye.”

…

Leaving the scene, Su Mu and Qian Jida soon returned to their residence. Ning Yuyan was just a brief interlude—Qian Jida didn’t give it another thought; all the way back, he kept fretting over Liu Qiangxi’s additional endorsement terms.

“Su Mu, how could you agree to that? Even with an extra twenty percent, the risk is huge. Our chances aren’t great. I told you to be confident, not to throw caution to the wind.”

Su Mu tuned out Qian Jida’s nagging. When he finally finished, Su Mu addressed the group: “Everyone, let me say a few words about what happened today.”

Qian Jida: “…”

Fan Xiaoju: “…”

Driver: “…”

“Life is a journey… We must… So do you understand? If you don’t… it must be, and then…”

[Speech Proficiency +1]
[Skill Point +0.01]
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