After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH91

Chapter 91

Gu Xingshi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. He hadn’t expected Wen Yue’s lips—so cold and stoic by nature—to feel this soft, carrying a faint warmth.

In the heat of the moment, Gu had acted impulsively, but after the kiss, he felt a bit embarrassed and started to pull away. Yet, a large hand suddenly pressed against the back of his head, stopping him from retreating.

At the same time, the warmth on his lips intensified—moving, exploring, savoring. Wen Yue’s lips nipped and tugged gently, each touch lingering, each breath mingling between them, heating Gu’s cheeks into a deep blush.

The breath between them was intoxicating, and Gu found his own breathing nearly overwhelmed by Wen Yue’s. Wen’s hand slid down from Gu’s neck, his thumb brushing the diamond earring on Gu’s earlobe, lightly caressing the sensitive skin.

His palm rested over Gu’s pulse point, and the heat seemed to seep through, stirring Gu’s blood as if it were boiling.

The sensation made his ears ring, and though Wen’s movements were gentle, his inherent intensity was undeniable. There was an unspoken thrill—a lingering question of when he might shed his restraint and claim his prize fully.

*

By the time Gu Xingshi returned to Yan Zhiheng, ten minutes had passed.

Yan, who’d been growing impatient, was on the verge of going to look for him. When he saw Gu return, he said, “All right, let’s go… Hey, why are you wearing a mask?”

Gu lowered his gaze and mumbled, “I think I might be coming down with something…”

Yan didn’t think much of it and even instructed the driver to adjust the car’s temperature to keep it warmer.

On the way, Yan enthusiastically shared stories about his old friends in the industry. Usually, Gu would listen intently to business matters, but today he found himself distracted, his mind wandering back to what had just happened.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Gu excused himself to go to the restroom.

He took off his mask and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were shimmering, his cheeks flushed, and his lips were slightly swollen.

Touching his mouth, he could still feel the lingering warmth of the kiss. Startled, he quickly pulled his hand back, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on his face, trying to clear his mind and dispel the memory from his thoughts.

After washing up, the redness on his cheeks faded, but his lips remained somewhat red. Finally composed, he tucked his mask away.

As he stepped back into the private dining room, the system chimed in: [Host, host!]

Gu paused. [What’s wrong?]

[See that man in the gray suit over there? His name is Bian Shicheng, and he played a significant role in LeShi’s downfall years ago!]

Gu’s gaze sharpened as he looked toward the man by the window. Bian appeared to be in his early forties, his hair slicked back with gel, giving him a polished look. Though his skin had started to sag with age, his features still hinted at the handsomeness of his youth. Yet despite his smile, Gu felt an instinctive discomfort.

The system explained: [Bian Shicheng was once a contracted artist with LeShi. He joined the company at a young age, and both Yan Zhiheng and Gu Jinyu looked out for him. He often presented himself as Yan’s junior and rode on his popularity to gain exposure.]

[But compared to Yan, he lacked both looks and talent, and audiences never really warmed to him. Even after years of promotion, his career remained stagnant. Instead of recognizing his own limitations, he blamed LeShi for funneling all resources to Yan, claiming that’s why he never made it big.]

[Later, he managed to get close to the eldest daughter of the wealthy Zhuang family, married into her family, and then quit the industry. But he harbored resentment toward Yan Zhiheng and Gu Jinyu, keeping up a friendly facade while working to undermine them. After Yan left the industry, he poached many of LeShi’s people and used the Zhuang family’s influence to block resources from LeShi. If it weren’t for him, even with Gu Jinyu’s missteps, LeShi wouldn’t have fallen so fast or so hard…]

Gu remembered when he first took over LeShi. The once-large company had been reduced to a single office, with almost no artists left except for Cheng Xin.

Back then, he hadn’t thought much of it, chalking it up to regular business struggles.

But as LeShi slowly grew under his management, he began to sense that something was amiss.

Though LeShi had gained considerable renown within the industry, it was still relatively small in the eyes of those with official connections. If Yan Zhiheng hadn’t brought him along, Gu Xingshi likely wouldn’t have had the chance to meet someone like Bian Shicheng.

System: [Bian Shicheng relied on the Zhuang family and has maneuvered his way into a position of influence. But many industry leaders look down on him for climbing the ranks through family connections, which has always been a sore point for him.]

[Especially now, with the huge buzz around Yan Zhiheng’s return, these same industry leaders have eagerly reached out to him for dinner. It’s only fueled Bian’s resentment, mixing old grudges with new ones, and he’s been plotting to bring down both LeShi and Yan Zhiheng…]

Before the system could finish, Yan Zhiheng called Gu Xingshi over to introduce him to the other guests.

Yan’s old friends were now leading figures in various fields, including several high-ranking officials within the country’s cultural and arts sectors. With so many prominent people around, Gu put aside his chat with the system to focus on building connections.

LeShi’s positive reputation over the past few years had preceded him, and the guests responded warmly, showing an added degree of respect.

Then he reached Bian Shicheng.

Bian’s betrayal had been so carefully concealed that even Gu Jinyu hadn’t realized it, let alone Yan Zhiheng, who had been overseas at the time. Yan still saw him as the obedient, well-mannered junior from years ago, and his tone held a trace of familiarity. “Shicheng, this is Gu Xingshi, Gu Jinyu’s distant nephew and now the president of LeShi. He’s technically your junior, so be sure to look out for him.”

Bian glanced at Gu, smiling. “Of course.”

To Gu, Bian’s smile felt chilling. He decided to speak up directly. “I didn’t know you were once with LeShi Entertainment, Uncle Bian. It’s an honor to meet you for the first time.”

He placed particular emphasis on the words “first time.”

Everyone around them—seasoned veterans in the art of reading between the lines—immediately picked up on the implication.

It was well known that Bian Shicheng had started at LeShi Entertainment, where Gu Jinyu and Yan had treated him generously. Without Yan frequently introducing him to influential circles, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to connect with the Zhuang family heiress. Yet when LeShi faced bankruptcy, Bian had done nothing to help.

Of course, in business, helping someone is a matter of goodwill, not obligation. But from Gu’s tone, it sounded as though Bian hadn’t even attended Gu Jinyu’s funeral.

That was harder to overlook.

Yan’s expression shifted, and he frowned.

Bian’s smile froze, and he tried to explain awkwardly, “I was abroad at the time…couldn’t make it back in time…”

Gu’s face lit up with feigned understanding. “No need to explain, Uncle Bian. I get it!”

He cut Bian off completely, leaving him no room to continue.

Bian’s face darkened. You “get it”? What do you know?!

As expected, the other guests became noticeably cooler toward Bian Shicheng. After all, no one wanted to associate with someone so callously indifferent.

When the dinner finally ended, Bian, barely holding his emotions in check, was the first to leave.

Meanwhile, Gu stayed with Yan to see the other esteemed guests off, feeling he’d gained a lot from the evening’s connections.

Once everyone had left, Gu Xingshi pulled Yan Zhiheng aside to a quiet corner, his expression serious as he recounted what Bian Shicheng had been doing behind the scenes.

Yan was stunned. “No…that can’t be. Shicheng…he might be a bit ambitious, but his character isn’t bad. How could he…?”

Gu replied, “People change.”

Yan recalled Bian’s behavior at the dinner earlier. He hadn’t been oblivious to it, just unwilling to believe that the junior he had once cared for had turned into someone like this.

Gu thought for a moment and added, “He’s always resented my uncle and you. Now, with his higher status, he likely feels even more bothered by his past struggles. And after what I said tonight, someone like him won’t take it lightly—he might start retaliating soon.”

Yan asked, “What do you think he’ll do?”

Gu leaned in and whispered a few words.

Yan looked at him, incredulous. “Are you sure?”

Gu, hearing the system murmuring affirmatively in his ear, coughed lightly. “Pretty sure…”

*

When Tang Ling received the call from Wen Yue canceling the dinner reservation, he felt a bit anxious, but he soon sensed something unusual. Wen had gone to meet President Gu with a dark expression, and now, not only had dinner been canceled but Wen hadn’t even picked up Gu. Yet there was a tone of contentment, almost satisfaction, in Wen’s voice.

Whatever President Gu had done to smooth things over, it had clearly worked.

As Tang mused over this, his attention suddenly sharpened.

“President Wen, some unfavorable rumors about President Gu and Yan Zhiheng have just popped up online.”

Wen Yue frowned. “What are they saying?”

Tang explained, “There’s a rumor circulating that half of LeShi Entertainment originally belonged to Yan Zhiheng, and he’s returned to reclaim his stake from President Gu…”

Wen’s expression darkened.

He knew Yan Zhiheng had no such intention, but the potential fallout of the rumor was the real issue. LeShi Entertainment’s success was something Gu Xingshi had built from the ground up, and his fans—as well as the fans of LeShi’s artists—would naturally side with him. But with Yan Zhiheng’s immense popularity and loyal fanbase, some people would inevitably argue that Le Shi owed Yan a significant share.

Whether the two clarified the situation or not, the rumor could still be twisted by the public, causing damage to both their reputations and their relationship. Whoever had spread this rumor clearly intended harm.

Wen Yue immediately called Gu. “Did you see the rumors online?”

Gu sounded surprised. “You know about them already?”

Wen noticed the calm in Gu’s tone and relaxed a bit. “Do you have a plan to handle it?”

Gu coughed lightly. “I did…but now it seems I won’t even need to take action. It’s already being handled…”

Wen: “…?”

He opened Weibo.

The topic about the supposed company takeover had already risen to the hot search list. However, there was another hashtag rapidly overtaking it, climbing to the top.

#GuXingshiWenYueUndergroundGarageKiss#

Wen Yue: “!!!”

[I was worried at first, but now all I want to say is, paparazzi, don’t just post one photo! Release the whole video! Do you think I’m worried about giving you views?]

[So it wasn’t a hostile takeover; it was a merger by marriage.]