Outside, Jian Xingsui remained unaware that someone they hadn't yet met had already stirred them into a frenzy.

After ending a phone call, the assistant director collapsed into a chair, appearing utterly despondent.

The director, unaware of the gravity of the situation, asked, "What's wrong?"

"Do you remember Jian Xingsui, whom the Jian family called earlier and asked us not to choose?" the assistant director queried.

The director, sipping his milk tea, nodded, "Vaguely. What about him?"

Taking a deep breath, the assistant director said, "Fu's manager just called. Their designated spot is for Jian Xingsui!"

"Cough... cough cough!"

The director choked on his milk tea, almost asphyxiating. Coughing violently, he turned red before catching his breath, looking at the assistant director in disbelief: "What did you say?!"

The assistant director showed the call logs to the director.

The director, sweating profusely despite the summer heat, wiped his brow, his hand slightly trembling. "Fetch me Jian Xingsui's profile. I want to see who this mysterious person is."

If it was just a call from the Jian family, they wouldn’t care much. But if it was a call from Fu Jinxiao, everyone would almost stand in reverence.

Fu Jinxiao, unanimously acknowledged as the benchmark in the entertainment industry, has almost zero negative reviews. He’s known for his dedication and professionalism, undeniably a top-tier actor.

His impeccable reputation has attracted numerous rising stars and starlets over the years. Many sought to connect with Mr. Fu, yet none ever succeeded, nor did he show any preference for anyone. Now, out of the blue, there's this Jian Xingsui, arousing everyone's curiosity.

The assistant director brought out a profile card, mumbling, "He's signed with what? 'Bankrupt Entertainment'? What a funny name."

The director chuckled, "As enigmatic as the man himself."

Both were in a quandary. They couldn't offend the celebrated actor Fu, yet they had also given their word to the Jian family. They felt trapped.

Just as they were mulling things over, someone entered. The golden-haired Thai tutor removed her mask, sighing in relief, "Finally found the place. Thank heavens."

"Tuya!" The director greeted the much-anticipated female tutor with a smile. "We heard from your agent that you easily get lost. We were about to send someone to fetch you."

Tuya, with her sweet and lovely appearance, replied with a smile, "I did get lost. A Chinese contestant helped me out. His Thai is impeccable, and he seemed nice. I look forward to his audition."

Intrigued, the director asked, "We’ll certainly select him then. If he caught your attention, he must be exceptional. What’s his name?"

"It's..." Tuya pondered for a moment, then her eyes brightened, "Jian Xingsui."

...

A palpable silence fell upon the room.

A puzzled Tuya glanced between the director and the assistant director, "What's wrong?"

The director and the assistant director exchanged glances, revealing a wry smile.

It's not that they had any issue, they just suddenly felt a bit like giving up on life.

Outside, Jian Xingsui remained blissfully unaware of the turmoil within the director's team. As auditions proceeded, many showcased their talents. Some multidimensional talents, excelling in both singing and dancing, garnered significant attention. An Ran went ahead of Jian Xingsui, performing a traditional Chinese dance, earning accolades.

An Ran's traditional dance set him apart from other modern and street dance routines. His flexibility and training since childhood were evident, leaving a lasting impression on the directors. He shone brilliantly under the spotlight.

Shortly after, it was Jian Xingsui's turn.

Upon entering the grand hall, numerous individuals sat within. The directors and other key figures were seated in the front row. Jian Xingsui wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but upon his entrance, the gaze from the directors felt… fervent.

Jian Xingsui bowed politely, "Greetings to the mentors and directors. I am Jian Xingsui, and my talent is singing."

He sang to the accompaniment, a standard performance.

Although it wasn't breathtakingly outstanding, his voice was quite good. And something about him pleased the directors. After seeing many young talents with stylish haircuts, Jian Xingsui's buzzed hairstyle was refreshingly... unexpected.

It was akin to a lumberjack suddenly appearing amidst a group of delicate scholars. This distinctive appearance was exactly what the production team often preferred.

Though his talent might be slightly average, in the past, such a contestant might have gone unnoticed by the directors and production team. However, now with nods from two prominent figures and even Tuya mentioning his name, he couldn't be overlooked.

A director asked, "If you were to join our show, do you have any requests or expectations regarding the support our team would provide?"

Jian Xingsui pondered, his expression earnest.

Just as the director thought someone endorsed by two bigwigs might have high demands, perhaps more screen time or specialized training, the young man below the stage looked up and softly inquired, "I just wanted to confirm, if I pass the preliminaries and make it to the first episode, do I really get twenty thousand yuan?"

"..."

A profound silence enveloped the room.

The director felt he had never been this dumbfounded in his entire life.

Was someone, who had been recommended by two influential figures, here just for twenty thousand yuan?

"I'd give you the twenty thousand right now if it means they'll let me off the hook!" lamented the director internally, his feelings a whirlwind of emotions.

The assistant director nodded tearfully, "Yes, you do."

Jian Xingsui bowed, "Thank you. That's all I wanted to know. Oh, do you provide accommodation and meals?"

The assistant director replied, "...Yes, we do."

Jian Xingsui broke into a smile, "That's wonderful."

The directors were now even more conflicted, but considering his simple requests and lack of demands for screen time, they thought he wouldn't be much trouble. This made it easier for them to report back to Fu Yingdi.

The director smiled, "Great, you've been selected. Wait for our notification."

Jian Xingsui was taken aback, not expecting it to be this straightforward.

As he bowed and went forward to get the registration form, a backstage crew member approached the director and said, "Director, our runner, Little Wang, just had an emergency at home and took leave. He won't be here for a few days. What should we do?"

The director frowned, "Why does this have to happen now, especially when he's only taking a few days off? It's hard to hire someone on such short notice."

As he ruminated on this issue, the ever-surprising Jian Xingsui, holding his form, suddenly inquired, "Director, are you in need of a temporary worker?"

The director blinked in astonishment, staring at him.

After all, those attending auditions usually come from affluent backgrounds. It was unusual for someone to ask about such a position. Yet, he nodded, "Yes, why do you ask?"

Jian Xingsui said, "Would I qualify?"

"..."

The director felt his day was being dominated by this young man, finally replying, "Well, you can. But the pay is only 150 yuan a day."

Without hesitation, Jian Xingsui nodded, "I'm in."

The director's mood suddenly became complex. He noticed Jian Xingsui's hands were fair, slightly youthful, not at all like those of a child from a poor family. With two powerful figures vouching for him - although one seemed to have ulterior motives - the director couldn't help but ask, "Are you really short on money?"

Jian Xingsui nodded slightly, "Yes."

At this moment, the emotions of the director and assistant director were beyond words.

In essence, the young man had caught their attention in a rather complicated manner.

However, regardless of the complexities, Jian Xingsui had a job now. He didn't plan on returning to the rice cake shop and aimed to stand on his own two feet. Brother Wang had agreed to let him stay in the agency's employee dormitory. So, if he took a temporary job here, he could make ends meet. Being a runner might be tiring, but it was simple and he could adapt quickly.

...

A few days later,

At the base of the Entertainment Building, Jian Xingsui was assisting a security guard in the parking lot, checking the list of special guests and vehicles. Not far from them, a group of girls gathered, holding glow sticks and other fan merchandise.

Curiously, Jian Xingsui asked the security guard, "Who are they waiting for?"

"Oh, the superstar Fu might be coming to discuss the schedule with the production team today," the security guard glanced at the fans. "Most of them are fans who somehow found out about his schedule in advance."

Jian Xingsui's hand, holding a sheet of paper, froze, his grip unconsciously tightening.

The guard asked him, "Are you a fan of Fu too?"

"I..." Jian Xingsui lowered his head, his expression obscured, and after a moment, he slowly shook his head. "No, I'm not."

The guard didn't press further.

But Jian's heart began to race. Just as he was about to leave after checking the list, a minivan entered the vicinity. Before he could react, the group of girls became ecstatic, some screaming, others cheering. When the van stopped, they rushed over.

But, the person who stepped out was another female artist scheduled for a show. After the assistant cleared the crowd, the fans waited a little longer. Once they realized Fu wouldn't be arriving today, they started to leave. Some left their fan merchandise scattered on the ground.

...

Jian Xingsui waited for them to disperse before carefully picking up the discarded items.

Just then, another minivan drove in.

Parking at its designated spot, a staff member quickly approached, suggesting, "Mr. Fu, you can use the private elevator with us to avoid the crowd."

A man dressed in casual punk attire stepped out. Tall and handsome, he took off his sunglasses, revealing tired eyes with faint dark circles. He was Fu Jinyao. He nodded, "Let's go."

As they headed towards the elevator, they passed by the place where the fans had been.

Fu Jinyao casually glanced over and noticed a young man delicately picking up the discarded fan items, cleaning them with care, as if handling treasures.

Intrigued, Fu Jinyao looked a moment longer.

Following his gaze, the staff member chuckled, "That's a temporary worker we hired for cleaning."

Fu Jinyao, feeling an odd familiarity, asked, "What's his name?"

The staff member pondered, "I believe it's Jian Xingsui."

"..."

The usually indifferent superstar raised an eyebrow and after a pause, chuckled softly.

Author's note: