After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH2

Chapter 2 

Meng Yuansheng walked along the road, lost and defeated.

Facing Jiang Mo, he had tried to appear carefree, but in truth, he was numb from the pain inside.

For six years, he had poured his heart into Jiang Mo. Jiang Mo didn’t like eating out, so Meng Yuansheng prepared nutritious meals for him by hand, he often offended people with his impulsive nature, so Meng Yuansheng would endure cold words and clean up his messes. Furthermore, Jiang Mo wasn’t interested in networking, so Meng Yuansheng made it his job to remember everyone and everything in the industry, subtly guiding Jiang Mo through it all.

He had never imagined that after all those years of love and devotion, Jiang Mo would turn out to be such a jerk.

Beyond the pain, he felt lost. His life had revolved solely around Jiang Mo; he had nothing for himself. Now, leaving Jiang Mo, he didn’t even know where to go.

It began to drizzle.

Meng Yuansheng sat by the roadside, knees pulled to his chest, slowly being drenched in the rain, looking like a small, abandoned cat.

Suddenly, the icy rain stopped.

Meng Yuansheng looked up in a daze and saw a young man holding an umbrella over his head.

The young man looked to be in his early twenties, with soft, light brown hair, innocent puppy-like eyes, a well-defined nose, and a faint, endearing smile that made his full lips even more adorable.

His eyes were clear and carefree, and his smile was contagious, lifting even Meng Yuansheng’s heavy heart just a little.

Gu Xingshi asked, “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“Thank you, I…” Meng Yuansheng instinctively began to respond, then suddenly recognized him. “It’s you?!”

Gu Xingshi blinked, confused. “You know me?”

Meng Yuansheng’s lips tightened. Though it was phrased as a question, he sounded sure. “You were the one in the convenience store, weren’t you?”

Gu Xingshi was shocked. “How did you recognize me?”

He was certain Meng Yuansheng hadn’t seen his face in the store.

“I recognized your voice.”

Gu Xingshi was even more surprised.

He’d only said a few words, muffled by the sounds of rain and passing cars. He could hardly hear himself, yet Meng Yuansheng had not only heard him clearly but remembered his voice.

What kind of ears were those?

Meng Yuansheng looked at him coolly. “You wanted me to hear you, didn’t you?”

“Who are you, and what’s your goal?”

Gu Xingshi saw no reason to hide the truth. “I’m a talent manager.”

“A manager?”

Meng Yuansheng paused, quickly recalling that Jiang Mo was about to finish his contract. Recently, several agencies had been courting him, trying to sign him.

The thought that Gu Xingshi might be here for that same purpose made Meng Yuansheng’s chest tighten, and his voice grew colder. “If you’re planning to use this as leverage to threaten Jiang Mo, I’d advise against it.”

“Why?”

Meng Yuansheng replied evenly, “There are no intimate photos, flirty messages, or transaction records between Jiang Mo and anyone. You only saw him picking Xu Yi up at the hotel. Even if they were close, it could easily be explained as friendly.”

Meng Yuansheng didn’t know that Gu Xingshi had followed him, capturing more than just a friendly scene.

Without offering an explanation, Gu Xingshi simply asked, “And with you? No proof either?”

Meng Yuansheng froze and looked at Gu Xingshi, horrified.

Gu Xingshi blinked innocently, “Jiang Mo is your boyfriend, isn’t he?”

Meng Yuansheng lowered his eyes, staying silent for a long time before answering. “No, there’s nothing.”

The system chimed in to confirm, [Meng Yuansheng regularly clears both of their phones and social media accounts. Other than Jiang Mo’s agent, no one knows about their relationship.]

Gu Xingshi was taken aback.

He recalled the system telling him that Meng Yuansheng had been with Jiang Mo for six years.

Six years!

Not six months, not six days.

Meng Yuansheng had sacrificed so much for him.

Argh! Jiang Mo was the worst kind of jerk!

Gu Xingshi felt a pang of sympathy for Meng Yuansheng and shook his head. “It’s not Jiang Mo I want to sign. It’s you.”

Meng Yuansheng stared, speechless.

His tired mind struggled to process those words.

“Sign…me? Why?”

“What do you mean, ‘why’?” Gu Xingshi looked puzzled.

Meng Yuansheng asked quietly, “I’m just a regular assistant. Why would you want to sign me?”

“You’re good-looking, can sing and dance, and I know you were behind a lot of the creative direction for Jiang Mo’s first few albums, weren’t you? Why wouldn’t you be a good fit?”

Meng Yuansheng’s eyes widened slightly.

Since Jiang Mo’s debut, Meng Yuansheng had poured countless hours into each album, from song selection to post-production materials.

At first, he had hoped for some credit, but Jiang Mo would always talk him down, saying things like, “The album cover space is limited,” or “I don’t want crazy fans finding out about us, or my career would be over.”

For Jiang Mo’s sake, Meng Yuansheng had endured it all.

To the outside world, no one knew that these brilliant concepts were his creations.

But how did Gu Xingshi know?

Naturally, the system had clued him in.

The system had even told him that without Meng Yuansheng, Jiang Mo wouldn’t have risen to fame. Meng Yuansheng didn’t need Jiang Mo; Jiang Mo needed Meng Yuansheng.

When Gu Xingshi first heard this, he was floored. And Meng Yuansheng still hadn’t broken up with him? Was Jiang Mo some kind of mind-control wizard?

Cutting someone off from their career was the cruelest thing to do. Jiang Mo’s actions had practically destroyed Meng Yuansheng’s dreams.

If it were him, he could never stand for it!

The system explained, [Well, it’s a long story. When Meng Yuansheng was little, he was almost kidnapped, and someone saved him. He always thought it was Jiang Mo, and Jiang Mo knew this but never corrected him.]

Gu Xingshi sighed, A textbook example of a scumbag.

To get back at someone like Jiang Mo, Meng Yuansheng would need to surpass him, to become more popular, and to drag him off his pedestal.

With this in mind, Gu Xingshi asked Meng Yuansheng, “Do you want to be a star?”

Meng Yuansheng’s heart skipped a beat.

He thought of the times he stood in the shadows backstage, watching Jiang Mo perform under the spotlight.

He recalled the crowd’s adoration, the excitement of the stage, and the thrill of being in the limelight.

Did he want that?

Yes, he did.

He wanted to stand on that stage, be admired, and be in the spotlight!

Gu Xingshi’s question seemed to peel back a layer, releasing a long-buried desire from deep within him.

It was as if a glass cage had shattered, and his ambitions began to grow wildly.

Meng Yuansheng’s heart raced, color flooding his pale cheeks, his face more alive than ever.

Seeing the blush on Meng Yuansheng’s cheeks, Gu Xingshi grew concerned. “Your face is so red. Are you running a fever? You should probably go to the hospital.”

“I’m fine.”

Meng Yuansheng snapped out of his thoughts, ready to say something when Jiang Mo’s voice suddenly rang out nearby: “Yuansheng!”

Both Gu Xingshi and Meng Yuansheng’s expressions shifted.

Gu Xingshi regretted not having pulled Meng Yuansheng farther away from the hotel. Who would’ve thought Jiang Mo would come out looking for him?

“Yuansheng…” Jiang Mo pulled down his mask, gazing affectionately at Meng Yuansheng. But then he spotted Gu Xingshi standing nearby, and his face darkened. “Who is this?”

Meng Yuansheng looked away. “None of your business.”

A flash of annoyance crossed Jiang Mo’s face, but he held back, saying patiently, “I need to talk to you. Let’s go over here.”

Meng Yuansheng hesitated for a moment.

Though he was deeply disappointed in Jiang Mo, their years together made it difficult to fully detach. Jiang Mo seized the opportunity, pulling him to the side.

“Who was that guy?” Jiang Mo demanded. “When did you meet him, and you didn’t tell him anything about us, did you?”

Meng Yuansheng knew him well enough to sense that what Jiang Mo really cared about was the latter question. In the past, he had been too blinded by love to realize this, but now he saw clearly just how selfish and cold this man, who had been with him for six years, truly was.

He chuckled bitterly. “He’s just a kind stranger who saw me in the rain and offered an umbrella.”

Jiang Mo was visibly uncomfortable with Meng Yuansheng’s tone, but for the sake of his objective, he held back. “Yuansheng, I’m only worried about you. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

At that moment, a short video began playing nearby”

“Top Ten Lines of Emotional Manipulation Used by Jerks.”

Line #1: “I’m just so worried about you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

On the surface, it seems like the jerk is concerned about you, but really he’s just trying to justify his controlling behavior.

Jiang Mo froze, his face flushing as if he’d been slapped.

He shot an angry glare toward Gu Xingshi, assuming he’d played the video on purpose, but Gu Xingshi was standing far away, well out of earshot.

It must have been a coincidence.

Frustrated, Jiang Mo could only grit his teeth and ask, “Could you turn that down?”

Gu Xingshi rolled his eyes. “Why should I? There’s no law against playing it out loud.”

Jiang Mo couldn’t argue and, reluctant to reveal his identity, bit his tongue.

He composed himself and turned back to Meng Yuansheng. “I’ve already sent Xu Yi away. I know what I did was wrong—it was a momentary lapse…”

Men’s words are lies! If a man says, “It was a mistake; I was just confused,” don’t believe him! Cheating happens either zero times or countless times. If you see one cockroach, there are likely thousands hiding in the dark. When you catch him cheating once, he’s probably done it countless times before…

Jiang Mo’s expression turned murderous, his gaze sharp enough to cut through stone as he glared at Gu Xingshi.

Initially, Meng Yuansheng felt heartbroken.

But Gu Xingshi’s interruptions lightened the mood, making it all seem a bit less painful.

Meng Yuansheng looked at Jiang Mo. “Just say what you came to say.”

Jiang Mo frowned, clearly uncomfortable with Meng Yuansheng’s tone, but he pressed on, “My next album is in the planning stages, and I know you’ve been excited about it, with lots of ideas you wanted to try. Tomorrow, come back to the capital with me for a meeting.”

When he finished, Meng Yuansheng stood still, unmoved.

Jiang Mo gritted his teeth and continued, “I fought hard to get you a credit on this one. Aren’t you grateful?”

Had he said this before today, Meng Yuansheng would’ve felt deeply touched.

But now, hearing something that should’ve been his by right described as if it were a benevolent favor only left him feeling weary and disappointed.

In that moment, another thought crossed his mind:

Why don’t I make my own album?

Not one granted by someone else but an album that truly belongs to me.

This thought sparked a fierce determination within him, lighting up his eyes with a newfound resolve.

But it faded quickly. What am I thinking?

He was just an ordinary assistant with no real credentials. Who would give someone like him a shot at releasing an album?

Thinking this, he glanced over at Gu Xingshi.

Gu Xingshi met his gaze with encouragement.

His eyes were clear, sincere, and full of energy, like a beacon cutting through the fog of his insecurities.

Jiang Mo continued detailing the plans for the album when Meng Yuansheng interrupted, “I don’t want to.”

“What?” Jiang Mo hadn’t quite heard him.

Meng Yuansheng raised his head. Though his voice trembled, he spoke slowly and firmly, “I don’t want to.”

Jiang Mo was stunned.

He had never expected Meng Yuansheng to refuse him.

“What do you mean?”

Meng Yuansheng replied, “I don’t want to stand in your shadow anymore. I… want to try for myself.”

“Try for yourself?” Jiang Mo scoffed, catching on. “Yuansheng, are you thinking of becoming an entertainer?”

“Don’t mean to discourage you, but do you really think it’s that easy? You’re no spring chicken. Be realistic. Big companies only accept the very best. As for smaller companies? Please, they’re all just casting wide nets hoping to trap trainees with huge penalty fees.”

He patted Meng Yuansheng’s shoulder, his voice softening, “I’m only looking out for you. With your personality, if I hadn’t been there, you would’ve been devoured ages ago.”

Meng Yuansheng’s face turned pale, but he insisted, “This is my decision.”

Jiang Mo’s patience was running thin. “Fine! I’ll wait and see what you’re capable of!”

With that, he stormed off.

Meng Yuansheng, used to Jiang Mo’s temper, paid him no mind.

When he’d finally disappeared down the street, Meng Yuansheng turned to Gu Xingshi, a mix of nerves and hope in his voice. “What you said before… was that real?”

Gu Xingshi was deep in a heated gossip discussion with the system and took a beat to respond, “What… Oh, oh, you mean signing you? Of course, that’s real!”

Awkwardly, he pulled out a business card and handed it to Meng Yuansheng.

Meng Yuansheng gripped the card tightly in his palm, as if it were a lifeline.

Gu Xingshi held out his hand. “My name’s Gu Xingshi. Looking forward to working together.”

Meng Yuansheng shook his hand, showing his first genuine smile of the evening. “Me too.”