After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH35

Chapter 35

When Qin Wen followed Gu Xingshi back to Beijing, he could hardly believe it.

He sat in the car, watching the bustling traffic and neon lights outside the window.

The city was so vibrant and lively, completely different from Baishan City or Chongshan City, where he had worked.

Qin Wen tightly clasped his hands.

Although Gu Xingshi seemed to have complete faith in him, Qin Wen was aware of his own limitations. Maybe he looked decent and had a slightly better knack for observation and mimicry, but Beijing was a place full of hidden talents and capable people. Could he really establish himself in a place like this?

He remembered how, before coming to Beijing, Gu Xingshi had shown him videos of Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin’s performances.

They shone on stage.

Whether dancing or singing, they were outstanding, and on top of that, Meng Yuansheng could even compose music.

But what did he have?

It probably wouldn’t be long before Gu Xingshi realized he didn’t have much talent and decided to give up on him.

Thinking of this, a pang struck his heart.

The recent days have been surreal for Qin Wen, like a dream.

All his life, he had been the one protecting and taking care of others.

Even when the future seemed uncertain, he forced himself to move forward, never allowing himself to show weakness.

But ever since Gu Xingshi arrived, for the first time, he experienced what it felt like to be cared for.

From checking into the hotel to the smallest details like meals and the entire trip back to Beijing, Gu Xingshi had taken care of everything.

He had even taken him to wash up, cleanse bad luck with grapefruit, and, when they visited his sister’s memorial, had already prepared the paper money, incense, and offerings in advance. His thoughtfulness was impeccable.

What was even more important was Gu Xingshi’s unwavering confidence, which brought a rare sense of peace just by being near him.

Qin Wen felt like a small boat that had drifted for years and finally found a safe harbor.

At first, he just wanted to repay Gu Xingshi, but after spending these days with him, he had grown attached to this sense of security.

The thought of losing this if he ever left Gu Xingshi filled him with a preemptive sense of panic.

But Qin Wen hid it well, and Gu Xingshi didn’t notice anything unusual as he led him to the door of the apartment.

It was a two-bedroom apartment.

Though the furnishings were simple, it was clean and well-kept. One room’s door was firmly closed, with a small wooden sign that read “Meng Yuansheng.”

Gu Xingshi introduced it to him, “This is your roommate, Meng Yuansheng. He’s the kid you saved all those years ago, but he’ll be busy with his work in the limited-time group for the next two years and lives in their dorms, so he’ll only come back occasionally.”

Qin Wen was a bit shocked.

After Gu Xingshi told him he wanted him to become an actor, he had secretly researched the entertainment industry.

From what he read, the treatment of artists who had debuted versus those who hadn’t was worlds apart.

Debuted artists, who brought in revenue, received attention from the company and enjoyed better living conditions and benefits.

But undeveloped artists, who were mostly in the expense stage, often had to share rooms with seven or eight people to save costs.

So Qin Wen had mentally prepared himself for that reality. Yet here he was, assigned to live next door to Meng Yuansheng. What had he done to deserve this?

However, Gu Xingshi misinterpreted his expression.

Since Qin Wen had no specific dreams, Gu Xingshi had been trying to convince him to sign by painting an attractive picture of Meng Yuansheng’s life as a star.

It turned out that the glamorous superstar on stage still had to share a room in private.

Naturally, Qin Wen would feel a bit disappointed.

So Gu Xingshi quickly reassured him, “Our company isn’t very wealthy right now, so for the time being, you’ll have to share with A Sheng. But once we have more money, we’ll upgrade to a bigger place.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Qin Wen hurriedly explained.

After hearing Qin Wen’s nervous explanation, Gu Xingshi was taken aback.

He realized that he might have been a bit naive in his thinking.

To him, someone as talented as Qin Wen, with his natural affinity for the big screen, shouldn’t waste his potential on small, background roles.

Before returning, he had already arranged for Qin Wen to work with a voice and acting coach, planning to carefully refine his skills and eventually find the perfect opportunity for him to shine.

For most actors, this would be the ideal, happiest path.

But for Qin Wen, it wasn’t necessarily the best path.

Qin Wen had endured hardship from a young age and had witnessed the coldness of the world. He harbored a deep sense of insecurity.

Rather than a smooth career path as an actor, what he craved was to be needed.

When Gu Xingshi saw him admiring Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin on stage, he had thought Qin Wen envied their radiance.

Now he understood that Qin Wen simply envied the fact that Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin had debuted and were able to earn money, to be needed.

A wave of sadness rose in Gu Xingshi’s heart.

In an instant, he scrapped the original path he had planned for Qin Wen.

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll follow the schedule I’ve set for your classes in the morning. As for the afternoons, you might have to work a bit harder and attend auditions.”

Qin Wen’s eyes lit up. “I’m not afraid of hard work!”

In reality, the schedule Gu Xingshi had set was very demanding.

Wake-up time was 6 a.m., combining exercise and vocal training, followed by breakfast at 7:30. To maintain his figure and take care of his skin, the breakfast was nutritious but bland.

Classes began at 8:30 and lasted three hours without breaks, followed by a similarly tasteless, low-fat lunch.

If he didn’t have auditions in the afternoon, he had to take online film analysis classes.

If he did have an audition, on a good day, it might only take a few hours within the city, but on a bad day, he might need to fly to another city, audition, and then fly back the same day.

Gu Xingshi felt the schedule was somewhat excessive, yet he had to harden his heart.

Though Qin Wen was a year younger than Meng Yuansheng, in the increasingly competitive entertainment industry, his age was a bit of a disadvantage. Besides, he lacked any formal training. To surpass others who had been honing their skills for over a decade, he would have to work exceptionally hard.

But Qin Wen surprised him.

Despite the grueling schedule, he never complained. His dedication to learning was intense; any issue raised by his teacher one day was corrected by the next, and he never repeated his mistakes.

Some teachers even gently suggested to Gu Xingshi that he shouldn’t be so strict with Qin Wen, as he was already progressing rapidly.

Gu Xingshi could only laugh helplessly.

But soon, the teachers realized that this wasn’t an issue with Gu Xingshi—Qin Wen was simply a natural overachiever.

Not only did he work hard, but he also had remarkable talent.

One time, when Gu Xingshi returned after handling some business, he caught a lesson in progress. The acting teacher had given Qin Wen a specific scene to perform.

Qin Wen had only attended two acting classes and was encountering this kind of exercise for the first time.

After thinking about it for just five minutes, he began the scene.

In less than ten minutes, he managed to bring the teacher to tears.

These teachers, whom Gu Xingshi had hired through Liang Wenjun’s connections, were all highly respected in the industry.

They had coached countless actors, so the fact that Qin Wen could move one to tears showed just how exceptional his performance was.

But despite his impressive performance in class, he failed every single audition he attended.

Though Qin Wen felt somewhat disappointed, he was more troubled by feeling like he was letting Gu Xingshi down.

Gu Xingshi didn’t doubt Qin Wen’s acting skills, but he was perplexed.

After all, he had meticulously selected these productions.

He had ruled out shady productions and hyper-competitive large-scale ones, opting for mid-level productions with a healthy atmosphere and roles like third or fourth male lead that weren’t too competitive.

These roles weren’t particularly challenging to land, so with Qin Wen’s acting ability, he should have easily secured one.

Puzzled, he decided to consult Liang Wenjun.

After listening, Liang Wenjun laughed. “You’re falling into a trap here.”

Gu Xingshi quickly replied, “Sister Wenjun, please enlighten me.”

Liang Wenjun explained, “These roles don’t have high requirements for acting skills. The difference between 100% skill and 60% skill isn’t that significant, so most productions reserve these roles for artists with connections—maybe as a favor or for someone backed by investors. The fact that Qin Wen wasn’t chosen isn’t his fault; those slots are already taken.”

Gu Xingshi frowned and couldn’t help but complain, “If that’s the case, why even hold auditions? Isn’t it just a waste of people’s time?”

But as soon as he said it, he realized he was being a bit naive.

Liang Wenjun replied, “You’re not wrong, but isn’t everyone betting on that slim chance?”

The rules of the entertainment industry had always been ruthless.

Having talent doesn’t guarantee success.

After hanging up the phone, Gu Xingshi fell into deep thought.

He felt a bit frustrated but quickly recovered, trying to figure out a solution.

In terms of acting skills and looks, Qin Wen was top-notch.

If he weren’t in a small, unknown company like LeShi Entertainment, he would’ve already made a name for himself.

Ultimately, it was his own limitations holding Qin Wen back.

Gu Xingshi ruffled his hair in frustration.

But LeShi’s circumstances were what they were, and he couldn’t just magically turn it into a big company.

Then, a spark of inspiration hit him.

If he couldn’t invent a company, maybe he could create a powerful “backer.”

*

Ever since Sun Hongfei received the assignment from Tang Ling, he’d been focused entirely on it.

Although he’d assured Tang Ling he could handle it, he quickly realized the challenges involved.

For most entertainment companies, the biggest issues are either a lack of resources or a shortage of talented artists.

Although Gu Xingshi only had Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin under his management, with their current popularity, anyone would have to admit they were top-quality. The two of them alone were worth a whole team.

As for resources, being from Tiancheng Video, Sun Hongfei knew all too well that they weren’t lacking. In fact, Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin had the best resources in the entire group, making others green with envy.

If he couldn’t deliver something that truly touched President Gu’s heart, how could he show President Wen’s care?

Then, Sun Hongfei heard that Gu Xingshi had signed a new talent, an actor who had been auditioning recently but was frequently rejected.

Sun Hongfei slapped his thigh in realization.

Sigh!

President Gu is still so stubborn!

With a backer like President Wen, why doesn’t he make use of it? Instead, he insists on doing everything the hard way, relying on talent alone.

Not everyone has my keen insight, old Sun thought to himself.

But then he realized that this might be the perfect opportunity.

He could help President Gu and fulfill President Wen’s assignment.

Without further ado, Sun Hongfei sprang into action.

*

After coming up with a solution, Gu Xingshi quickly cleared his schedule and personally accompanied Qin Wen to the audition.

This time, the audition was for a historical drama called Secrets of the Six Gates, a mystery and detective series. The role Qin Wen was auditioning for was the third male lead, Yu Changyan, a gentle and romantic young noble.

Yu Changyan secretly loves the female lead, Rong Yu, but doesn’t dare to confess his feelings. His main role in the team is as a wealthy patron, and the character is rather one-dimensional.

Gu Xingshi dressed himself in an outfit specially chosen by Liang Wenjun as his “battle attire.” Though expensive, it was a necessary investment in a world where appearances often came first.

He also dressed Qin Wen up, instructing him to adopt a cool and aloof demeanor, and then they arrived at the audition hotel in a rented luxury car.

Before coming, Gu Xingshi had thoroughly researched the crew from top to bottom using his system.

The director of the series was Gao Shen, a graduate of a prestigious film academy who initially studied screenwriting. Frustrated by the lack of influence as a screenwriter, he had turned to directing.

This was his first production as a director, one he both wrote and directed.

Gao Shen was known for his talent. In previous projects, he had been the on-set screenwriter, often single-handedly handling all script adjustments.

“Flying pages” refer to script pages that need to be revised and rewritten on the spot after filming has started due to various reasons.

Most screenwriters would make these changes without adding much, but Gao Shen took it further, writing bold and sometimes even more captivating revisions than the original script.

This habit carried over to his current work.

The script for Secrets of the Six Gates was very rough, so it was highly likely they would shoot “flying pages” after joining the crew.

Despite this issue, Gao Shen was known for his integrity and had a good reputation, so there was little chance of any underhanded schemes within the production.

Although Gu Xingshi wasn’t particularly fond of the character, he still brought Qin Wen to audition.

There were about a dozen people auditioning for the third male role.

Gu Xingshi didn’t recognize most of them, but after scanning the room, he quickly spotted his target.

It was a boy with rather bland features, accompanied by a woman who was constantly on her phone—probably his agent.

The boy was dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, holding an iced Americano, not even glancing at the audition script. He surveyed the other candidates with an air of arrogance, practically exuding the words “This role is mine.”

They likely had already researched the other candidates, knowing they lacked connections. Confident this audition was a mere formality, they could afford such a relaxed attitude.

Gu Xingshi gave Qin Wen a subtle signal, and Qin Wen immediately adjusted his sunglasses, revealing his wrist adorned with a watch worth half a million yuan.

As expected, Gu Xingshi saw the boy’s expression change immediately.

The boy stood up, pulling his agent aside, and after a brief exchange, the female agent cast a curious, slightly uncertain glance their way.

Gu Xingshi couldn’t help but smirk.

The bait had been taken.

Not long after, the female agent walked over to them, her face wearing a tentative smile as she tried to make small talk.

At first, Gu Xingshi was aloof, barely engaging with her. But when she couldn’t resist mentioning her company’s name, he finally lowered his sunglasses, revealing his eyes, and said casually, “Oh, you’re with Mengyu Entertainment? How’s that peacock fish President Fan imported recently?”

The agent was taken aback.

Everyone in the industry knew President Fan had a passion for keeping fish, but that was all. Only close acquaintances would know that he had recently spent a fortune importing a peacock fish. She herself had only heard about it from President Fan’s secretary, whom she happened to know well.

Her first thought was, could this guy be the young heir of a major company?

She discreetly assessed Gu Xingshi’s appearance.

Though his outfit was simple, it exuded understated luxury. His pants alone cost more than her artist’s entire outfit.

And the artist beside him was even more striking.

With his exquisite bone structure, naturally handsome features, and an unmistakable presence that even sunglasses couldn’t hide, he seemed like someone any company would invest in heavily.

Although he was dressed in affordable clothing, he wore a watch that didn’t match his style or status.

The agent recognized that watch—it was popular among wealthy second-generation heirs in the industry, which drew her gaze back to Gu Xingshi.

Sure enough, he wasn’t wearing a watch.

So, the expensive watch was likely a gift from Gu Xingshi to his artist.

Who else but a privileged young heir would casually gift such a valuable item?

The agent had heard of wealthy heirs playing around with their family’s resources, only to abandon the projects when they got bored.

Could she be encountering a similar situation?

Just then, she saw Gu Xingshi give an effortless order to Qin Wen, “Qin Wen, I’m thirsty. Go get me a bottle of water.”

Without hesitation, Qin Wen stood up and went to buy the water.

This confirmed the female agent’s suspicions.

If he was indeed some young master, she, as a regular agent, certainly couldn’t afford to offend him. There was no need to risk offending him over a third male lead role.

While she was still debating, her phone suddenly rang.

Seeing the caller ID, she paused in surprise before hurrying to the window to answer.

Gu Xingshi sat in his chair, though he was far less composed than he appeared on the outside.

He noticed her hesitation but wasn’t sure if it was enough to make her give up on the audition.

After all, her backing was real, while his “backing” was fabricated.

As he was considering how to push her further, he suddenly noticed her expression change dramatically as she grabbed her artist and started to leave.

As they passed him, she hesitated briefly but ultimately offered an apologetic smile and said, “President Gu, we apologize. We didn’t realize you had your eye on this role. We were too presumptuous.”

With that, they quickly exited as if something was chasing them.

Gu Xingshi: “?”

Just then, Qin Wen returned with the water, passing by the artist and his agent, who glanced at him with a look of envy before being pulled along by the agent.

Qin Wen was a bit bewildered as he returned, noticing that the remaining artists waiting for the audition were all subtly glancing in Gu Xingshi’s direction.

He hurried to Gu Xingshi, handed him the water, and asked quietly, “President Gu, what just happened? Did… our plan work?”

To be honest, Gu Xingshi was a bit stunned himself.

Could a fabricated backer really be this effective?

Just then, it was time for Qin Wen’s audition.

Setting his confusion aside, Gu Xingshi focused on the moment.

Qin Wen took off his sunglasses and watch, handing them to Gu Xingshi, then followed the staff into the audition room.

The main people overseeing the audition were the director, Gao Shen, and the casting director.

As Gao Shen flipped through Qin Wen’s resume, he was momentarily taken aback by the clean and simple record, and as he looked up to ask a question, he was struck by Qin Wen’s striking appearance.

Though originally a screenwriter, Gao Shen had also worked as a camera assistant on set before, so he could instantly tell how photogenic Qin Wen was.

After a moment of admiration, he asked, “You haven’t acted before?”

Qin Wen answered him with a calm and composed demeanor.

Gao Shen had initially planned to give this role to someone from Mengyu Entertainment, so he hadn’t paid much attention to the other candidates. Casually, he waved his hand, “Why don’t you perform the scene where Yu Changyan buys a hairpin for Rong Yu but then sees her being close with the male lead?”

Qin Wen closed his eyes to prepare himself, and when he opened them again, the previously cool gaze softened to one of deep tenderness. Even his posture had subtly shifted.

He reached out his right hand, while his left hand instinctively moved to gather up his right sleeve—a natural gesture for wearing flowing sleeves in ancient clothing.

In ancient times, wide sleeves, though elegant, could be cumbersome. People often lifted them with one hand while moving to avoid getting tangled.

This action wasn’t in the audition script, and he wasn’t wearing a costume, yet he naturally made the gesture.

It seemed he had read the character’s background and instinctively added details to bring Yu Changyan to life.

With just that one move, his dedication to the character was clear.

Gao Shen’s previously casual demeanor vanished as he sat up straight.

Although now a director, he was a writer at heart.

As the sole creator of this drama, seeing an actor show such respect and care for the character filled him with satisfaction.

The scene was simple, and Qin Wen finished quickly.

Gao Shen’s sharp eyes quickly realized that for someone with Qin Wen’s acting skills, this role was a bit of an underutilization. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of performance Qin Wen could deliver if the character were more complex.

But before he could fully indulge in this thought, he remembered that the role had already been reserved for someone else.

No matter how much he admired Qin Wen, he had to bow to reality, and his mood dampened.

At that moment, the casting director approached with a peculiar expression. “Director Gao, the people from Mengyu Entertainment left.”

“They left?!” Gao Shen, already frustrated that the role had been reserved for them, was even more annoyed. “So they think the role is theirs by default and don’t even feel the need to go through the motions?”

“It’s not that…” The casting director’s expression grew even stranger. “Their agent messaged me saying they’re withdrawing from the audition.”

“What?” Gao Shen was puzzled.

Why would they suddenly give up on the role, especially after Mengyu Entertainment had put in so much effort to secure it?

As he tried to figure it out, his phone rang.

The caller introduced himself as Sun Hongfei, the manager of the external partnerships department at Tiancheng Video.

Since this drama was a web series, they had been careful to avoid offending any platforms. Although he didn’t know why Manager Sun was calling, Gao Shen greeted him with a friendly tone.

Sensing the right moment, Sun Hongfei asked, “Director Gao, you’re in the middle of auditions, right? I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“One of the actors auditioning for the third male lead is named Qin Wen from Leshi Entertainment, correct?”

Gao Shen replied, “…Yes.”

Sun Hongfei continued, “Well, President Gu from Leshi is close to our President Wen, and President Wen heard that he has his eye on the third male lead in your drama. He’d like to ask if you could do him this favor.”

Gao Shen was stunned. “Uh… what?”

President Wen?! Could it really be ‘that’ President Wen?!

Gao Shen suddenly felt nervous. This was just a third male lead role—why would it require President Wen’s involvement?

Then, Sun Hongfei added, “President Wen really trusts President Gu’s judgment. Tiancheng Video will invest an additional 10 million in this project and secure exclusive streaming rights.”

Gao Shen was completely floored by this unexpected windfall.

He was already inclined to cast Qin Wen, but now he could not only hire his preferred actor but also receive an extra 10 million in funding. And with Sun Hongfei promising to secure exclusive streaming rights, it meant complete peace of mind for the production.

Was this even an audition anymore?!

This was like receiving a godsend!

Seeing Gao Shen’s reaction, Sun Hongfei was satisfied, but he added a final, meaningful note: “The relationship between President Gu and President Wen isn’t public right now, so… you understand?”

Gao Shen understood immediately: “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it!”