After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH58

Chapter 58

Sun Hongfei had been experiencing frequent twitching in his right eyelid lately.

As the saying goes, “Left eye brings fortune, right eye brings disaster.”

The thing was, everything had been going smoothly for him. The viewership for Reincarnation was steadily climbing, and he could already foresee a sizable bonus at the end of the year. As for his career, the CEO had already spoken to him, and he was just waiting for the company’s final assessment to step into the role of vice president.

Nothing about his situation hinted at disaster!

As he puzzled over this, he saw Gu Xingshi walking in with an artist. Quickly dismissing his ominous thoughts, he went over to greet him.

Only to witness President Gu come to a screeching halt, turn sharply, and head straight for the stairwell.

Sun Hongfei: “???”

At first, he comforted himself, thinking maybe President Gu hadn’t noticed him, or perhaps he was suddenly inspired to take the stairs for exercise.

But then, it happened a few more times.

Eventually, he realized that Gu Xingshi was actively avoiding him.

But… why?!

He hadn’t done anything recently!

Soon, though, he discovered an even more surprising fact.

Not only was Gu Xingshi avoiding him—he was avoiding President Wen too!!

It made no sense!

Hadn’t Assistant Tang mentioned that just recently, they’d spent Chinese Valentine’s Day together? Had they somehow gotten into an argument?

His suspicions were finally confirmed at a certain banquet.

Ever since Gu Xingshi had heard about the gossip surrounding him, he could hardly bear to look directly at Wen Yue, especially knowing that Wen Yue might also have heard about it. The thought alone made his toes curl with embarrassment.

So, he opted for the simplest solution—avoidance.

As he and Wen Yue were in different social circles, it wasn’t too hard to dodge him.

But there were always a few unavoidable occasions.

At one particular event, Gu Xingshi arrived early to avoid Wen Yue and found a quiet corner to sit in. His plan was to wait it out inconspicuously until the banquet ended, then slip away when no one was watching.

But, well, that was wishful thinking.

The moment he entered, the CEOs and business elites in attendance, scattered around the room, swarmed over like wolves on fresh prey.

So much for lying low.

It wasn’t until Wen Yue arrived that the crowd finally shifted their attention, releasing him from his ordeal.

Wen Yue spotted Gu Xingshi right as he walked in.

The young man was effortlessly charming, standing out from the crowd even as he engaged everyone around him. Despite the chaos, he remained calm and composed, not slighting anyone.

He had an ease in managing the flow of conversation, keeping it just right, leaving no one feeling uncomfortable.

It was an unparalleled talent.

Wen Yue had glimpsed it during their dinner on Chinese Valentine’s Day.

At the thought, his throat tightened, and his hand subconsciously brushed his cufflinks—a pair with golden gems carved to resemble little oranges, the smooth surface evoking a faint, sweet scent.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was greeting Wen Yue, Gu Xingshi slipped away to the restroom.

Everyone knew that Wen Yue typically left these gatherings soon after making an appearance unless something required his presence.

So, Gu Xingshi waited out a good while in the stall, calculating that Wen Yue would have left by now. Just as he stepped out and reached the sink, he realized someone else was also there, washing their hands at a leisurely pace.

Just his luck—it was Wen Yue.

Gu Xingshi: “…”

I hid in the restroom, and I still couldn’t escape him! What kind of cursed fate was this?!

But since they’d already run into each other, walking off without a word would be rude.

He reassured himself with a little “if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen” pep talk, then casually approached the sink, greeting Wen Yue as he washed his hands, “President Wen, long time no see.”

Wen Yue looked at Gu Xingshi through the mirror. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Long time no see. President Gu seems quite busy these days?”

Gu Xingshi’s hand froze on the faucet, then he flashed a smile. “Not really. It’s just how it goes in our line of work!”

“That’s good,” Wen Yue said as he dried his hands, slipping in, “Otherwise, I might have thought I’d said something wrong that night and upset you, leaving you unhappy with me.”

Gu Xingshi frowned slightly, looking at Wen Yue in suspicion, but Wen Yue’s expression was calm and sincere, making it impossible to tell whether he was aware of the rumor or not.

Gu Xingshi forced a smile. “Of course not. We had a great conversation that night.”

Even though he knew Gu Xingshi’s reply was just polite, Wen Yue still felt a little pleased and nodded. “I thought so too.”

The longer they spoke, the more unsettled Gu Xingshi felt, and he couldn’t help but call out to his system: [Hey, does Wen Yue already know about it?]

The system whispered, [Probably. It seems he’s been looking into where the rumor came from recently.]

Gu Xingshi: […]

He hadn’t forgotten how, back when he’d needed to fake an influential backer, he’d posted all kinds of things on social media.

Sure, he’d deleted those posts as soon as he heard about the rumor, but once something’s out on the internet, who knows what traces might remain?

If Wen Yue found out and connected the dots with the rumors about their “relationship”…

Great, his toes were already laying the foundation for a five-story mansion.

Wen Yue watched the kaleidoscope of expressions flashing across Gu Xingshi’s face, not expecting such a strong reaction.

After all, the other night Gu had been so bold, testing him with flawless composure, almost managing to pull the wool over his eyes.

Now, Wen Yue was only trying to return the favor with a small gesture, hoping to clear the air. These kinds of vague romantic rumors were only as significant as the parties involved made them out to be; if they both disregarded it, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

He’d finally found a business partner with whom he truly connected, and he didn’t want something so trivial to drive a wedge between them.

Yet, before he could say more, Gu Xingshi’s expression had already tightened, and he hurriedly found an excuse to take his leave.

Rubbing his temples, Wen Yue hadn’t anticipated that Gu would be so affected by the rumor. In social situations, he was effortlessly adept, but when it came to matters of the heart, he seemed… so inexperienced.

For a fleeting moment, Wen Yue’s heart gave an unsteady beat.

More and more, Gu seemed like an enigma, revealing a new facet of himself each time they met.

Pressing a hand to his chest, Wen Yue too left soon after.

Once they’d both gone, Sun Hongfei, who had been hiding in the stall, finally lowered his hand from his mouth and exhaled deeply—only to gasp again when he recalled the conversation he’d just overheard.

He finally understood why President Gu had been avoiding President Wen lately!

While he hadn’t caught every word from his hiding spot, he’d heard enough of the keywords.

“That night,” “offended,” “pleasant”…

Could it possibly be what he was thinking?!

Could the two of them have hit a snag in their relationship and ended up in a cold war over some… incompatibility?

Oh, man…

For the first time, Love Security was at a loss.

Weighed down by this secret, Sun Hongfei came into work on Monday looking particularly troubled.

Seeing his grim expression, his subordinate, Xiao Li, asked with concern, “Manager, are you dealing with something difficult?”

Sun Hongfei thought for a moment and decided not to burden himself alone—better to call in reinforcements on this sort of issue.

So he said, “Xiao Li, here’s the thing. I have a friend… and don’t look at me like that, it’s really my friend! Anyway, this friend of mine and his boyfriend usually have a great relationship, but recently they’ve hit a rough patch and ended up in a cold war over some issue. Do you have any advice on how to get them back together?”

Xiao Li rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. “A cold war between couples, huh? It’s a tricky thing, but not too big of a deal. Usually, as long as one of them is willing to give in, and with a little encouragement from friends, it’s fixable.”

Sun Hongfei frowned. “It’s that simple?”

“Of course!” Xiao Li raised a hand confidently. “I may not have been in a relationship myself, but back in college, I was a renowned love counselor. Every time my friends had a spat with their partners, I’d be the one to help patch things up. Trust me, it’ll work.”

Sun Hongfei sighed, “All right, you’re the one with experience. I’ll take your word for it.”

Xiao Li: “?”

Just then, Sun Hongfei’s office phone rang—it was Tang Ling, letting him know that President Wen was asking for him.

Since Sun Hongfei had been involved with projects from the Film and Television Center recently, he’d had several meetings with President Wen for updates. So, without giving it much thought, he straightened his clothes and headed to the headquarters.

However, when he walked in, he saw Wen Yue staring at him with a complex expression for a long moment.

Sun Hongfei’s heart skipped a beat—he felt there was something odd about the way President Wen was looking at him. Did he have something on his face?

Wen Yue finally looked away.

To be honest, he was a bit taken aback when he found out that Sun Hongfei was involved in the rumor.

After all, Sun Hongfei seemed like an honest, dependable guy and certainly wasn’t lacking in competence.

Wen Yue had even considered mentoring him.

But who would have thought he’d be involved in something like this behind the scenes?

Since he hadn’t managed to resolve things with Gu Xingshi last night, today he decided on a new approach.

To untie the bell, you need the person who tied it.

Since the rumor seemed to have originated from Sun Hongfei’s side, it was only logical to have him clear things up.

With that in mind, he asked, “You and President Gu get along well?”

Sun Hongfei’s heart thumped. He replied cautiously, “Pretty well. Mostly because we’ve had a lot of projects together. He’s been a great help.”

Wen Yue shot him a look with an inscrutable expression before continuing, “I’ve heard a rumor recently. About me and President Gu…”

Sun Hongfei looked blank.

What rumor? He hadn’t heard of anything.

Seeing his clueless expression, Wen Yue felt a stab of frustration.

Sun Hongfei used to be pretty sharp—so why was he so clueless at a critical moment?

But there was no way Wen Yue could outright say, “There’s a rumor that Gu Xingshi and I are dating.”

Instead, he leaned in and spoke more emphatically, “It involves you. I suggest you think carefully before responding.”

Sun Hongfei looked even more confused.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head.

As far as Sun Hongfei knew, there ‘had’ been whispers recently suggesting some friction between President Wen and President Gu. Was ‘that’ the rumor President Wen was referring to?

Moreover, President Wen had first asked about his relationship with President Gu, then mentioned the rumor and emphasized that it involved him.

Didn’t this mean he wanted him to act as a go-between and help patch things up with President Gu?

Xiao Li’s words popped into his head immediately.

Of course!

President Wen was clearly trying to soften his stance!

In that instant, Sun Hongfei felt he understood everything perfectly.

Wow, President Wen’s mind sure works in twists and turns.

Good thing he was skilled at reading people; otherwise, who knows how much trouble this might have caused!

With newfound resolve, he said seriously, “President Wen, I understand.”

Wen Yue raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “You ‘really’ understand?”

Sun Hongfei nodded confidently. “Absolutely.”

Wen Yue: “…”

He decided to give Sun Hongfei one last chance—competent subordinates were hard to find, after all.

“Well, if that’s the case, I’ll leave it to you to clear up this rumor. Think you can handle that?”

“Of course!” Sun Hongfei said, brimming with confidence.

After all, you’ve practically issued a denial yourself. How hard can it be?

Wen Yue: “…”

*

Sun Hongfei, now tasked with a critical mission, began working hard to create opportunities for Gu Xingshi and Wen Yue to meet.

Gu Xingshi, despite his best efforts, found it impossible to avoid these orchestrated encounters and couldn’t explain the situation either. Every time he tried to clarify, Sun Hongfei would just look at him with that “You’re just saying that because you’re upset” expression.

Reaching the end of his patience, Gu Xingshi decided to bury himself in work instead.

After Reincarnation became a hit, it brought the entire cast into the limelight.

The main actors, of course, received substantial attention, but Sheng Yueqing’s performance left viewers especially astonished.

In the early episodes, his character’s true identity wasn’t revealed, and everyone assumed he was a villain. He was constantly targeted and misunderstood by others, yet he quietly continued to help them despite the mistreatment.

This conflict made the audience feel for him deeply.

There was one particularly heart-wrenching scene where his character, Shichen (played by Sheng Yueqing), returns to his quarters gravely injured. Exhausted, he’s too weak to tend to his wounds and can only lie on the floor.

Even without a single word, his despair and pain were palpable to everyone watching.

It was so poignant that some viewers felt he might be ready to give up on life altogether.

Just then, a faint meow came from the corner of the room.

A little white kitten approached him, mewing softly as it licked his face.

Shichen moved his hand away from his eyes and looked into the kitten’s gentle gaze.

At last, he sighed, hauled his battered body up, and took out some jerky from a cabinet, scattering it in front of the kitten.

Watching it eat with such innocent focus, he seemed to let go of all his burdens, mumbling, “I really can’t say no to you,” as the purest smile spread across his face.

A sliver of sunlight shone into this small corner.

Blood-stained and battered, his face still marked with fresh wounds, he nevertheless wore a smile as pure as the sunshine itself.

This striking contrast pierced right to the hearts of the audience.

But this brief moment of peace didn’t last. In the next episode, Shichen sacrifices himself to save the protagonist at the last second, making a dazzling exit from the story.

That very night, the hashtag #ShichenEternalWhiteMoonlight shot up the trending list.

People flooded the comments, pouring their hearts out in collective grief.

Some even recalled Sheng Yueqing’s own story.

Back then, like Shichen, he had entered the entertainment industry at a young age, enduring misunderstanding, suppression, and harm, all while managing to keep his heart as clear and genuine as ever.

Though Shichen was gone, audiences transferred their empathy for him to Sheng Yueqing instead.

Gu Xingshi had anticipated that Shichen’s experiences, which mirrored some of Sheng Yueqing’s own, would resonate with audiences—but the impact had exceeded all his expectations.

The harsher the insults people had thrown at Sheng Yueqing in the past, the stronger their sympathy now.

Even those who had blindly followed the crowd in smearing his name came forward to apologize, confessing to having “wanted to slap themselves awake in the middle of the night.”

Although Sheng Yueqing’s popularity soared to new heights, Gu Xingshi remained clear-headed.

Many people hoped Sheng Yueqing would continue portraying these “white moonlight” characters or take on lead roles while he was in the spotlight.

Indeed, some scripts with these types of roles had been sent to Gu Xingshi. But after analyzing them with Sheng Yueqing, they ultimately decided to turn them down, painful as it was.

It wasn’t that the scripts were lacking; it was simply that Sheng Yueqing’s current level of skill wasn’t yet enough to truly bring these roles to life.

He’d been able to portray Shichen so well because their shared experiences had allowed him to empathize deeply with the character.

But audience sympathy couldn’t be exploited repeatedly. The appeal of a character would eventually fade, and when it did, they might not be able to withstand the backlash.

Taking advantage of Sheng Yueqing’s current popularity, Gu Xingshi decided it was better to find him more challenging supporting roles to help him gradually improve his acting skills.

But while Sheng Yueqing’s path was promising, Gu Xingshi’s real headache was Qin Wen, who had just left the Cloud of Seals crew.

When it came to acting, Qin Wen’s talent was unquestionable.

Ironically, though, finding the right scripts for him was even harder than for Sheng Yueqing.

There was an unwritten rule in the industry: high-quality scripts were always filtered through big companies first, and only those that didn’t make the cut would trickle down to smaller studios.

Occasionally, a gem like Reincarnation might slip through, but more often than not, luck was not on their side.

So Gu Xingshi had no choice but to bring Qin Wen to various casting calls.

But there were only so many quality scripts, and big studios fought tooth and nail for them. A small company like LeShi would get crushed the moment they entered the fray, forcing Gu Xingshi to abandon many opportunities in frustration.

He couldn’t help but think how much easier things would be if he could set up his own creative team.

One day, as usual, he brought Qin Wen to an audition. While Qin Wen waited his turn, Gu Xingshi headed over to a vending machine to buy some water, only to hear some shuffling sounds nearby.

His years of gossip-hunting instincts told him there was drama in the air.

He cautiously peeked around the corner to see a short-haired girl with glasses pulling on the arm of a tall man who wore a look of utter annoyance.

He heard the girl pleading tearfully, “Mr. Fang, didn’t you say I could have my name on this project?”

The man, whom she’d called Mr. Fang, sneered. “Credit? What kind of dream are you living in? Look around this industry—every young screenwriter here has to pay their dues. You’ve only been at this for a few years and you want credit?”

The girl’s tears fell faster. “But this script… I wrote two-thirds of it. You promised you’d add my name to the credits…”

The man gave a derisive laugh. “Oh, really? That mess of a script you turned in? Who do you think fixed it in the end? You’re not even formally trained as a screenwriter. If I hadn’t taken you under my wing, do you think you’d even be in this industry? Now, step aside.”

With that, he shoved her aside, and she stumbled to the ground, clutching her knees as she began to sob quietly.

The system murmured some background gossip to Gu Xingshi. [That guy’s name is Fang Xiao. He’s not particularly talented, but he’s been around for years and has connections. He started a scriptwriting studio, takes on projects, and hands them off to his writers—but then he takes all the credit for their work.]

[This is actually an industry-wide norm, though Fang Xiao takes it further. That girl’s name is Yu Youxia. She’s been passionate about becoming a screenwriter, but because she didn’t formally study screenwriting, she’s faced constant rejection. Fang Xiao finally took her in. Although she lacks formal training, she’s got talent, and for the past two years, nearly every decent script from his studio has been her work. Fang Xiao can’t afford to lose her, but he also refuses to give her credit, so he keeps her dangling with empty promises…]

Hearing this, Gu Xingshi’s brows furrowed in disgust.

This was crossing the line!

But he was helpless too—intellectual property issues in scriptwriting were tricky to resolve legally. It wasn’t as straightforward as the recent novel plagiarism cases he’d dealt with.

Besides, the industry ran on connections. Even if Yu Youxia managed to get justice, she’d likely be blacklisted by the people who held power in these circles and left without any work.

At that thought, a sudden idea struck him.

Wasn’t he just considering setting up his own creative team?

Now that the company had the funds, supporting a few in-house writers wouldn’t be a problem.

So, he walked over to Yu Youxia and asked, “Are you all right?”

Startled, Yu Youxia looked up at him, eyes red and wide with fear, like a frightened little rabbit.

He offered her a tissue, which she accepted cautiously, whispering a soft “thank you.”

Once Yu Youxia seemed to have calmed down, Gu Xingshi said, “My name is Gu Xingshi. I’m with LeShi Entertainment…”

Before he could finish, Yu Youxia’s eyes widened in surprise. “President Gu!”

Gu Xingshi: “…”

He hadn’t realized his reputation preceded him, saving him the trouble of an introduction.

“I saw what just happened,” he continued. “If you’re interested, how about joining our company?”

Not knowing the standard salary for screenwriters, he decided to offer 50% more than an assistant’s wage.

But as soon as he mentioned the salary, Yu Youxia gasped. “Whaaa—!”

Gu Xingshi added, “Since this would be an in-office role, you’ll receive full benefits, like insurance and company perks, in line with national standards…”

Yu Youxia: “Whaaa—!”

“And regarding credit, the work goes under the name of whoever wrote it. We can put that clearly in the contract…”

Yu Youxia: “Waahh—!”

Gu Xingshi couldn’t continue. “Please, don’t just keep gasping. If you’re not satisfied with any of the terms, we can discuss them further…”

Unexpectedly, this question brought Yu Youxia to tears again. “No, I’m not unsatisfied! These terms are too good! President Gu, when can we sign the contract?”

Gu Xingshi: “…”

Despite her timid appearance, Yu Youxia turned out to be someone who took swift action.

Since she hadn’t signed a formal employment contract with Fang Xiao, her past grievances saved her from any complicated exit process. She could walk away freely.

When she finally saw her new workspace and dormitory, her eyes reddened once again.

Summoning her courage, she asked, “President Gu, I actually have a few friends who are also screenwriters. They’re very talented. I don’t know if…”

Her voice trailed off as she added, “They’re really good. You could test them yourself! It’s just that they’re a little… shy.”

Since Gu Xingshi was planning to build a creative team, he didn’t mind adding a few more people. “Sure,” he agreed.

Yu Youxia’s face lit up. “I’ll let them know right away!”

Initially, Gu Xingshi expected maybe two or three people. But when he opened the conference room door, he was met with an entire row of people staring at him, only to quickly lower their heads as he looked over, resembling a line of trembling quails.

Gu Xingshi: “…”

Yu Youxia walked over, a bit embarrassed, and started introducing each person. “President Gu, this is Chun Yan. She specializes in mystery and suspense. She wrote the Culprit trilogy…”

Chun Yan raised her head, greeted Gu Xingshi softly, then promptly lowered her gaze again.

As Yu Youxia went down the line, it became clear that this group covered nearly every genre and had strengths in specific areas—some excelled at dialogue, others at character design, and others at world-building. More importantly, they’d been supporting each other for years, developing seamless rapport and synergy. With a team like this, whatever script Gu Xingshi needed, they could likely produce.

But, faced with such an ideal setup, Gu Xingshi couldn’t help feeling wary. [System, is there anything off about them?]

[Oh, you’ve come to the right place!] The system chirped.

Gu Xingshi’s heart sank. [Such as?]

[Well, this group may be talented writers, but they all have one thing in common—they’re extremely socially anxious.]

Gu Xingshi: […That’s… clear enough.]

[Take Chun Yan, for example,] the system continued. [Despite having authored several acclaimed works, she’s so timid that she doesn’t even dare raise her voice in conversation. She’s never once managed to claim her final payment. Her worst year? She only made 5,000 yuan and is still paying to commute to her job…]

Gu Xingshi: […]

[Then there’s Wen Boling. Once, while working on set, the fifth male lead tried to climb into his bed at night, hoping to secure more screen time. Wen screamed so loudly he scared the guy into instant retreat. But he was too socially anxious to confront him directly, so not only did he not receive an apology, he was extorted for the cost of ‘therapy.’]

Gu Xingshi: […]

The system sighed. [Thank goodness you met Yu Youxia first. Believe it or not, she’s the boldest of the bunch.]

Gu Xingshi: […]