After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH6

Chapter 6

“Achoo!”

Meng Yuansheng sneezed loudly.

Gu Xingshi immediately looked worried. “Are you okay?”

After passing the audition, Meng Yuansheng threw himself into dance practice like a man possessed, dragging Cheng Xin along in his intense routine.

Several times, Gu Xingshi would arrive in the morning only to find Meng Yuansheng already in the practice room. After asking around, he realized that Meng Yuansheng hadn’t even gone home the night before, instead just grabbing a few hours of sleep there in the studio.

Yet, somehow, he looked completely energized, showing no signs of an all-nighter.

While Gu Xingshi wanted him to debut, he didn’t want him to push himself to the point of exhaustion.

Meng Yuansheng, however, only laughed it off. “When Jiang Mo had a packed schedule, I followed him around. Sometimes we’d only sleep a few hours over two or three days—I’m used to it.”

Gu Xingshi: “…!”

How terrifying!!

But Meng Yuansheng’s hard work was paying off.

He and Cheng Xin grew more and more in sync, performing their dances seamlessly. Even Gu Xingshi, an amateur, could see their outstanding coordination.

And now, it was finally time to head to the recording site.

The recording would take place in Dunhai City, in a completely closed-off environment.

Dunhai City is a newly developed tourist destination with a unique landscape.

As soon as Gu Xingshi stepped off the plane, he could feel how different the scenery was compared to Beijing.

The airport was crowded, and at the exit, many fans were carrying DSLR cameras, flowers, and support banners.

It was unclear which celebrity they were there to welcome.

However, the three of them weren’t particularly concerned.

Having worked alongside Jiang Mo and encountered many celebrities, Meng Yuansheng had long since lost any illusions.

Cheng Xin was naturally indifferent, showing little interest in much of anything.

As for Gu Xingshi, his knowledge of the entertainment industry was still limited, so even if a star stood before him, he probably wouldn’t recognize them.

Bai Ran was the lead fan of singer Shen Yu.

Shen Yu was one of the new mentors at this year’s [Boy Group Training Camp].

Unfortunately, the flight was delayed, so she and the other fans were still waiting.

Bored, Bai Ran looked around and spotted the three of them walking by, her eyes immediately lighting up.

The young man on the far right had a slim waist and long legs, with fair skin. Though he wore no makeup, Bai Ran’s years of fan experience told her that his face would look flawless on camera!

On the left was a single-lidded, cool-looking guy whose vibe was the complete opposite. With his buzz cut and tanned skin, he exuded a mix of weariness and rebelliousness that made him stand out in the crowd.

The young man in the middle was slightly shorter than the others, with clear eyes and an endearing smile.

Especially those innocent puppy eyes that tugged at Bai Ran’s motherly heart.

The three had very distinct styles, yet somehow looked harmoniously striking together.

They drew everyone’s attention.

Instinctively, Bai Ran picked up her DSLR and began snapping photos of the three.

Having worked as an assistant for years, Meng Yuansheng was highly sensitive to flash photography and quickly noticed Bai Ran in the crowd.

Bai Ran, seeing that she’d been noticed, remained calm. She put down her camera and walked over to the three of them.

“Are you contestants in [Boy Group Training Camp]?”

Gu Xingshi nodded confidently.

Bai Ran, delighted that her guess was correct, smiled even brighter. “You’re all so handsome! I’ll definitely vote for you when the time comes!”

Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin were both pleasantly surprised. They hadn’t expected to have a fan before the show had even started filming.

Gu Xingshi was thrilled as well, flashing a bright smile. “Thank you, Miss!”

Seeing his eyes curve in a cute, heart-melting way, Bai Ran felt her heart practically melt and had to resist the urge to pinch his cheeks. Instead, she pulled out her autograph book from her bag. “What are your names? Could you sign for me?”

The two of them agreed without hesitation.

Once they finished signing, they handed the book back to Bai Ran. However, Bai Ran looked puzzled, staring at Gu Xingshi. “Hey, you haven’t signed yet, have you?”

Gu Xingshi looked equally confused. “Huh? Do managers need to sign too?”

Bai Ran: “!!!”

What did you just say you are?!

*

After leaving the airport, staff were waiting to take them to the filming location.

That evening, they’d be filming the first stage. Quite a few trainees had already arrived—some were practicing, while others were mingling.

Naturally, trainees from the big companies were at the center of attention.

The topic of discussion? None other than Jinyou Entertainment, which had recently lost two trainee spots to another company.

“Didn’t they say Jinyou and Starshine were close? How did they end up losing spots?”

“LeShi? What company is that? Never heard of it!”

“Jinyou won’t let this go easily, especially since Jiang Mo is one of the mentors. This is going to be interesting!”

The trainees in attendance wore smug expressions, quietly gloating.

Jinyou Entertainment’s trainees were strong contenders, and nobody wanted to face them in competition. Now, with Leshi in the spotlight, they could just sit back and watch the drama unfold.

However, this LeShi company was extremely low-profile, and nobody could find any information about their trainees.

It was at this moment that Gu Xingshi and his group entered.

Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin were fully styled and dressed for the evening’s shoot, wearing name tags that listed their names and company.

Almost as soon as they appeared, everyone turned to stare at the three of them.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Meng Yuansheng turned to Gu Xingshi and asked, “Why is everyone looking at us?”

Gu Xingshi replied calmly, “Maybe they think their food delivery has arrived.”

Meng Yuansheng: “Huh?”

Are you serious???

At that moment, a trainee walked over with a smug look, sizing up the three of them before finally settling on Gu Xingshi, who seemed the easiest to intimidate. “Hey! Assistants aren’t allowed here—get out!”

Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin both frowned, ready to step in and speak up for Gu Xingshi.

But then, Gu Xingshi suddenly widened his eyes, muttering to himself, “What! Falsifying his age? He’s actually 29?!”

The entire room fell silent in shock.

Everyone looked incredulously at the trainee.

He had a cute baby face and had introduced himself as just having turned 20. And yet, he was pushing 30?!

The trainee’s face went pale. “You… what nonsense are you spouting?!”

But Gu Xingshi ignored him, continuing to speak to himself. “And he’s been married before! He even abandoned his ex-wife!”

Everyone: “!!!”

The trainee was terrified. He had kept his marriage hidden, even from his company. How could this guy from LeShi know about it?!

Fearing that Gu Xingshi would spill more secrets, he didn’t dare make more trouble and quickly slinked away.

Satisfied, Gu Xingshi turned back, noticing that the room had gone silent. Everyone was looking at him with odd expressions.

Gu Xingshi scratched his head in confusion. “What just happened?”

Everyone: “…”

What just happened? Aren’t you the one who knows best?

Exposing him down to his deepest secrets, and now you’re pretending to be clueless!

Such scheming!

Meanwhile, Meng Yuansheng was quietly impressed.

He had encountered similar situations before. On the surface, everything seemed friendly, but behind the scenes, it was survival of the fittest.

If they had appeared weak just now, they’d have surely been bullied during filming. But if they’d come across as too aggressive, people would’ve joined forces to get them out early.

Striking that perfect balance—deterring others without inviting further trouble—was incredibly difficult.

Yet, Gu Xingshi had handled it perfectly.

What was more, he didn’t have to endure that humiliation. The managers’ area wasn’t even in this section. He had anticipated this kind of encounter and had accompanied them specifically to protect them.

Furthermore, Gu Xingshi had gone above and beyond what was expected of a manager, shielding them without letting them feel any pressure.

Meng Yuansheng, never having been protected like this before, felt a warmth in his chest and a prickling at the back of his eyes.

He hid his gratitude deep in his heart and sincerely said to Gu Xingshi, “Thank you.”

Gu Xingshi: “???”

Thank you? For what?

But after Meng Yuansheng spoke, he led them to their designated seats.

Gu Xingshi quickly brushed off what had happened and let it go.

Once they were seated, four or five trainees came over to introduce themselves.

After smoothly navigating these interactions, Meng Yuansheng turned around and noticed Gu Xingshi frowning. He quickly asked, “President Gu, is something wrong?”

Gu Xingshi cleared his throat. “That trainee in the white shirt—stay away from him. He was on another reality show before this one, and he’s known for creating romantic drama and stirring up fake relationships. And the one with the yellow hair? Full of scandals. And then…”

Meng Yuansheng and Cheng Xin listened in growing shock.

Even the usually silent Cheng Xin couldn’t help but mutter, “Is there no one decent in this entire room?”

Gu Xingshi: “…”

Did he just insult himself, too?!

He was at a loss for words. Who would have thought that these trainees, who hadn’t even debuted yet, were already wrapped in so much drama?

Thinking about it, he added, “These few over here—XX, XXX…you might want to connect with them.”

Meng Yuansheng asked in surprise, “Are they particularly skilled?”

Gu Xingshi: “…”

Not exactly—it’s just that out of the whole room, they’re the only ones without any scandals.

While Gu Xingshi pondered how best to explain, four trainees from Jinyou entered, accompanied by none other than their mentor, Jiang Mo. 

Even in his casual clothes, Jiang Mo’s presence radiated a star quality that instantly drew attention.

Many trainees were already his fans, and several rushed over to ask for his autograph, causing quite a commotion. Jiang Mo responded with patience and warmth, quickly winning over even more admirers.

“Jiang Mentor is so kind!”

“There were rumors about him being difficult and hard on the staff, but I bet they’re all false…”

Jiang Mo wore a gentle smile, signing autographs and taking photos. But when he glanced in the direction of the LeShi trio, his smile abruptly froze. “Sheng…Meng Yuansheng, what are you doing here?!”

Meng Yuansheng halted, recognizing the familiar voice.

Over the past few days, he had learned that Jiang Mo was one of the mentors and had mentally prepared himself for their eventual encounter. He had expected it to be painful, maybe even unbearable. Yet, now that the moment had arrived, he found an unexpected calm within himself.

Seeing the concern in Gu Xingshi and Cheng Xin’s eyes, he felt a wave of courage swell within him.

He stood up, steady and respectful. “It’s me.”

The crowd was stunned.

Jiang Mo knew a trainee from LeShi? What was going on?

This was like two close allies mistakenly clashing!

Jiang Mo hadn’t expected Meng Yuansheng to be here. No wonder he hadn’t been able to find him. But how had he ended up as a trainee at LeShi? And now even joined [Boy Group Training Camp]?

Looking at Meng Yuansheng’s calm expression, Jiang Mo felt an anger rise within him—an anger tinged with a trace of fear that even he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“You’re just an assistant. You haven’t trained a day in your life. Coming to this audition—is this some kind of joke?”

Assistant?!

The crowd erupted in shock.

Jiang Mo smirked, continuing, “You worked at Jinyou for years. I don’t know what incentives they offered you to make you take this step, but if you’re willing to come back, I can overlook all of this.”

The implications of his words were huge.

He was hinting that Meng Yuansheng might have betrayed Jinyou’s secrets in exchange for a spot on [Boy Group Training Camp].

Meng Yuansheng’s body trembled slightly. His fists clenched so tightly his nails nearly dug into his palms.

Just then, he felt a warmth on the back of his hand.

Gu Xingshi gently held his hand and patted it.

Then, standing up, Gu Xingshi addressed Jiang Mo, “Are you saying that my artist used to work at your company?”

“Do you have an employment contract? Any record of monthly wages? Social security and insurance?”

Jiang Mo’s expression froze immediately.