After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH75

Chapter 75

Hearing Gu Xingshi’s words, Ruan Xiyin froze, then felt a warmth bloom in her chest.

When she stepped onto the red carpet, she had already seen Ruan Wenrou walking arm in arm with Ruan Chengze.

As a child, Ruan Xiyin was small and frail, often bullied at the orphanage and at school. There had been another girl at the orphanage, just as thin and weak as her, but nobody dared bully her because she had a brother who always protected her. Ruan Xiyin had envied that girl and often wished she, too, had an older brother.

When she was taken back to the Ruan family and found out she had a biological brother, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope, even though she was long past the age where she expected to be protected.

That hope was quickly extinguished the moment Ruan Chengze stood before her, coldly declaring, “My sister will always be Wenrou. Don’t even think about replacing her.”

From that point on, Ruan Xiyin stifled her small, naive hope. Yet, every now and then, when she saw the closeness between Ruan Chengze and Ruan Wenrou, a pang of envy would surface in her heart.

Though she quickly suppressed her emotions, she was surprised that even a fleeting moment of vulnerability had been noticed by Gu Xingshi. Not only that, but the four others all continued to show her care and affection, entirely ignoring Ruan Chengze and Ruan Wenrou standing nearby.

[Gu Xingshi is too amazing! Ahhhh, I’d give anything to switch places with little Ruan for just a minute!!]

[Haha, last time brother Xing was complaining about how every other company had female artists, while the “Gu’s Family” were a group of monks with no sisters. Now that they finally have a little sister, they can’t help but cherish her!]

[Haha, I know about this! Gu’s Family has been hoping for a younger sister forever. Last time, brother Xing even suggested Xiao Qing try dressing up as a girl, and Xiao Qing nearly beat him up for it.]

[Little Ruan truly is the embodiment of “the pampered little sister”—the precious little one everyone wants to hold and protect!]

[Everyone in Gu’s Family is so caring. In other agencies, artists are constantly fighting with their “siblings” over resources, yet the Gu’s Family brothers are more invested in promoting each other than themselves.]

[It’s not just Gu’s Family . All of LeShi has a close-knit, warm atmosphere! The more I hear, the more I envy anyone who gets to work at LeShi.]

*

Watching Ruan Xiyin surrounded by four handsome men, Ruan Wenrou’s face darkened. She deliberately tugged on Ruan Chengze’s sleeve, acting coyly, the way she often did at home. There was no way, she thought, that Ruan Xiyin could truly be indifferent.

Before, such a display might have upset Ruan Xiyin, but Gu Xingshi’s words had finally allowed her to release the last of her lingering attachment. Why continue seeking acceptance from people who didn’t care for her? Destiny had already brought the best people right to her side.

Without even a glance toward Ruan Wenrou, she continued chatting with Meng Yuansheng and the others.

Ruan Chengze, however, couldn’t help looking in her direction. In the past, Ruan Xiyin would secretly glance at him and Ruan Wenrou with hopeful, envious eyes, which had irritated him to no end. Now, she no longer looked at him, exactly as he had wanted, but somehow it left him feeling unexpectedly empty.

Realizing that her entire display had failed to attract even a glance from Ruan Xiyin, Ruan Wenrou felt a surge of resentment. She boldly stepped forward and spoke in a sweet voice, “Hello, Mr. Gu. I’m Wenrou. My sister signed with a new company without saying a word to her family, and we were all so worried. But to learn that she’s signed with your company—well, she’s very lucky indeed.”

Gu Xingshi responded with a pleasant smile, “Signing on such a smart, talented artist with so much potential has been incredibly fortunate for me.”

Ruan Wenrou’s expression froze, but she quickly turned to look at Meng Yuansheng and the other three, speaking graciously. “Thank you, seniors, for looking after my sister.”

She then turned to Ruan Xiyin and pretended to chide her playfully, “Sister, how could you not introduce the seniors?”

This little tactic had never failed her before.

Today, however, she hit a wall.

Before Ruan Xiyin could respond, Cheng Xin had already rejected her coldly. “No photos, no autographs, no handshakes.”

Ruan Wenrou: “???”

[Hahaha, brother Xin never fails to impress with that mouth of his!]

[Am I the only one who finds Ruan Wenrou kind of, you know, manipulative?]

[Be confident. Drop the ‘kind of.’]

Ruan Wenrou, visibly embarrassed, turned to Ruan Chengze with a pitiful look. “Brother…”

Ruan Chengze, suppressing his anger, turned to Ruan Xiyin and said, “Xiyin, Wenrou took the initiative to greet you, and this is how you respond? If you’re upset that I brought her here instead of spending time with you, then take it out on me, not her. Where’s your upbringing?”

Before he could finish, Cheng Xin replied mockingly, “Oh please. Look at yourself! You don’t hold a candle to Xiaoqing’s looks, Qin Wen’s height, or A Sheng’s emotional intelligence, and you can’t even out-insult me, let alone measure up to our President Gu. Xiyin isn’t cursed with your family’s legacy of poor judgment—why would she ditch us to choose you?”

Sheng Yueqing, with an innocent expression, chimed in, “Is this what they call an average man syndrome?”

Qin Wen flashed a smile that could kill. “You’re all adults. If you want to meet someone, go do it yourself; why does someone need to introduce you? Also, Xin rejected you, not Xiyin, so why are you taking it out on her? Where’s ‘your’ sense of manners?”

[Hahahaha!! Why would you even mess with them? Do you think the LeShi’s interview crew is all bark and no bite?]

[Why is Ruan Chengze so biased? He just jumped down little Ruan’s throat without any sense of right or wrong. I bet he was like that when she lived with the Ruan family, too.]

Ruan Chengze, unable to respond, looked visibly shaken, his handsome face twisted in anger.

Meanwhile, Ruan Xiyin was shielded by her senior brothers, perfectly protected, and his blame had failed to touch her for the first time.

Meng Yuansheng patted her shoulder, meaningfully saying, “Don’t worry. Say whatever’s on your mind—we’re here to back you up, after all.”

A newfound courage surged within Ruan Xiyin as she straightened, raised her chin slightly, and coldly told Ruan Chengze, “My upbringing is none of your business, and as for introductions, I’m afraid I’m not obligated to make them.”

[Go, little Ruan!!]

[She’s so cool!]

Ruan Chengze froze, almost unable to believe his ears.

Ruan Xiyin was speaking to him like this? Back when she lived with the Ruans, she was always docile, and she never refused anything he asked of her.

How had she changed this much?

After speaking, Ruan Xiyin turned decisively and ignored them entirely this time.

Ruan Wenrou, flustered and anxious, turned to Ruan Chengze. “Brother, how can she talk to you like that…”

But Ruan Chengze, uncharacteristically, didn’t immediately respond. He seemed momentarily taken aback before he muttered, “…What?”

Being overlooked made Ruan Wenrou even angrier.

Yet, fearing Ruan Xiyin and retaliation from Cheng Xin and the others, she had no choice but to swallow her frustration.

Luckily, the next guest arrived shortly afterward.

This episode of Let’s Travel Together had six guests in total: four women and two men. Besides Ruan Xiyin and Ruan Wenrou, there was Tang Mengmeng, an idol from a girl group, and Xing Ling, a rising star from web dramas. The two male guests were Li Lezhe, a singer-dancer, and Jiang Yi, a variety show entertainer.

The four other guests were stunned by the powerful “support team” behind Ruan Xiyin.

Jiang Yi, full of envy, remarked, “I thought my company treated me well, but compared to this, I feel like I was raised by a stepmother…”

His comment made everyone laugh, instantly lightening the atmosphere and bringing the group closer together.

Now, it was time for the families and staff who had come to see them off to leave.

Almost everyone was giving their artists final instructions, especially Jiang Yi’s manager, who huffed and glared at him. “Brat, so I’m a stepmom now, huh? Let me tell you, watch what you say during the show! Don’t go causing trouble…”

Just then, Jiang Yi overheard Gu Xingshi telling Ruan Xiyin, “…Don’t worry about a thing. If anything happens, the company will back you up!”

Jiang Yi turned a wistful gaze to his manager. “See how a real mom treats her kid?”

Jiang Yi’s manager: “…”

After Gu Xingshi and the others left, the director emerged to announce the filming schedule.

The theme for this trip was “Art Journey.”

Through different tasks, they would earn clues and funds for their journey. Their first stop was to visit an independent artist—Su Yuan.

Ruan Wenrou’s face lit up in excitement. “Su Yuan? You mean the Su Yuan who’s toured Europe and America and is famous worldwide?”

Seeing her enthusiasm, the director asked, “It seems like you know a lot about him, Wenrou?”

Ruan Wenrou smiled modestly. “Yes, when I traveled to Europe with my family, I was lucky enough to see his work in Santiago. It was truly impressive…”

She spoke with confidence, displaying her breadth of knowledge.

[Wenrou is amazing! She knows so much!]

[She’s the definition of a high-class lady, knowledgeable and sophisticated!]

[Little Ruan must have traveled too, right? Why isn’t she saying anything?]

At this point, the director continued, “Each of you will receive an initial budget of a thousand yuan. With it, you can choose a gift for Mr. Su Yuan. He will evaluate each gift’s suitability, and based on how much he likes it, you’ll be awarded the next phase’s travel funds. The amount will vary, and your budget will directly affect the quality of accommodations and experiences you can enjoy on the trip. So, choose wisely!”

[Hahaha, here we go! The show’s signature challenge!]

[Compared to previous seasons, this is actually pretty mild—just choosing gifts.]

[I’m not so sure! Didn’t you catch what the director said? The next travel budget depends on how much the artist likes the gifts. If none of them hit the mark, they could all end up on the poverty budget!]

[Hahaha I can totally see it happening. This show would absolutely pull something like that!]

As soon as the staff handed out their budgets, everyone’s faces turned troubled.

“Giving a gift that has to be something he actually likes—how are we supposed to manage that?”

“Yeah, we barely know anything about him. How are we supposed to choose?”

Tang Mengmeng and Li Lezhe, recalling Ruan Wenrou’s earlier commentary, immediately walked over to her. “Wenrou, since you seem to know so much about Mr. Su Yuan, you must have some idea of what to get him, right?”

Ruan Wenrou, feeling pleased with herself, nodded with a touch of reserved pride.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yi asked Ruan Xiyin, “Xiyin, what are you planning to give him?”

Ruan Xiyin didn’t hold back. “I was thinking of getting him some local specialty chestnut cakes.”

Upon hearing this, Ruan Wenrou nearly laughed out loud, though she maintained a gentle expression. “Sister, Mr. Su Yuan is such a cultured man. Don’t you think giving him cheap snacks like that is a bit insulting?”

Jiang Yi, who had initially planned to go with Ruan Xiyin, now hesitated.

Unbothered, Ruan Xiyin turned to leave and buy the chestnut cakes.

After she took a few steps, Xing Ling caught up with her. “I’ll go with you.”

Ruan Xiyin looked at her in surprise.

Xing Ling, straightforward and spirited as ever, covered her microphone and whispered in Ruan Xiyin’s ear, “My manager told me to stick with President Gu’s people—that’s where the real action is. And since you’re one of his artists, I figure it’s basically the same thing, right?”

Ruan Xiyin, amused, leaned over and whispered something back.

Xing Ling’s eyes widened in excitement. “I like your style, girl! Count me in from now on!”

[What did little Ruan just say to Lingling? Don’t keep VIPs in the dark!]

[Is little Ruan seriously buying chestnut cakes?? What is she thinking? That’s way too casual!]

[Looking at it this way, Ruan Wenrou’s gift prep seems way more thoughtful! Having a solid education really does make a difference!]

After they finished shopping, the six of them got on the bus headed for Su Yuan’s countryside art farm.

Su Yuan turned out to be a gentle-looking middle-aged man, his long, wavy hair tied back, and he greeted them all with a friendly smile.

After some polite conversation, the group explained their purpose and began presenting their gifts.

Ruan Wenrou shot a disdainful glance at Ruan Xiyin before proudly producing her gift: a beautifully crafted inkstone.

Su Yuan accepted it with a smile, thanked her, and placed it to the side.

Ruan Wenrou’s brow creased slightly.

This inkstone was the most expensive and elegant item she could find within the show’s budget guidelines. She had thought it would perfectly match Su Yuan’s tastes, but his reaction was unexpectedly subdued.

The others followed suit, each presenting their gift.

Su Yuan’s response was polite but equally reserved for each one.

Finally, only Ruan Xiyin and Xing Ling’s gifts remained.

Ruan Wenrou barely spared them a thought. Surely, her inkstone would win without contest!

At this moment, Ruan Xiyin and Xing Ling revealed their chestnut cakes.

Su Yuan raised his brows in surprise. “How did you know to bring me chestnut cakes?”

Xing Ling waved her hand. “I was just following Xiyin’s lead.”

Ruan Xiyin explained, “Before we started filming, the production team gave us a travel guidebook. I saw a brief introduction about you and a short interview where you mentioned that you really enjoy the chestnut cakes from Qinghuan Hall. So, I thought if we’re bringing a gift, it’d make sense to choose something you actually like.”

Everyone fell silent, staring in disbelief.

Jiang Yi stammered, “The… the travel guide? That massive brick of a book? I only made it through two pages… Wait, you finished the whole thing? No, you didn’t just finish it—don’t tell me you actually remembered everything?”

Ruan Xiyin nodded.

Everyone around took a collective sharp breath.

Ruan Xiyin looked a bit embarrassed as she said, “I just have a habit of preparing in advance for everything—it’s really nothing…”

Everyone else: “…”

[Whoa!! I watched the teaser, and that travel guide was huge. Just finishing it is impressive enough, let alone remembering it all! Little Ruan, you’re on another level!]

[Exams are coming up soon. Borrowing little Ruan’s memory powers!]

[Yes, please!]

[Am I the only one wondering if she’s the first guest in all four seasons to dodge the production team’s hazing?]

[Little Ruan is incredible!!!]

[Hahaha, the production team definitely didn’t see this coming, right? Total backfire!]

*

The director was clutching his head.

They really hadn’t anticipated this!!

When they made that book, they hadn’t expected anyone to actually read the whole thing!

The original plan was for all the celebrities to flounder and end up with the minimum amount. They’d then have to play various games and tackle challenges to earn their travel funds. That’s how it was supposed to go!

Wasn’t the entertainment industry supposed to be full of average folk with below-average luck? How did they end up with a Ruan Xiyin of all people?!