The body had gone hungry for too long, and this was Su Huaiming's first proper meal in it. He inevitably had trouble controlling how much he ate, but fortunately, he hadn't eaten more than his stomach could handle.
When Su Huaiming got up to return to his room, he saw the butler and the others staring at him in amazement, as though they no longer recognized him.
Su Huaiming blinked and asked, "Is the chef here?"
A round-faced man with a beer belly, dressed in a chef's uniform, came forward from the back. He lowered his head awkwardly and said, "Sir."
"Thank you for your hard work," Su Huaiming said. "I really like your cooking. Please keep it up to this standard from now on."
Su Huaiming had been quiet ever since he arrived at the house and had never initiated a conversation with anyone. Seeing him smile, the chef was pleasantly surprised and hurriedly said, "Certainly. It's my job, and I'm honored that you like my cooking."
Su Huaiming chatted with him a little longer, then returned to his room, planning to catch up on more sleep once he had digested his food.
For the past few days, he had done nothing but eat and sleep, and he was in a wonderful mood. His youth also meant he recovered quickly, and his health had improved considerably.
But he was physically weak, and whenever he exercised too strenuously, his body would react dramatically.
Fortunately, Su Huaiming only wanted to lie flat and relax, so he never tired himself out.
After a few days, Su Huaiming's face had filled out a little. His chin was rounder, his cheeks no longer looked sunken, his complexion had regained its color, and his eyes were much brighter. He no longer looked as though he were covered in a layer of dust.
Su Huaiming stayed home every day, and just as he was thinking of staying there forever, he suddenly received a call from his agent.
Only then did Su Huaiming remember that the original host was a minor celebrity.
"Su Huaiming, come to the company today," his agent said in a commanding tone.
Su Huaiming casually asked, "Where is the company?"
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. The agent's voice rose considerably in surprise. "You've only been off for a few days, and you've already forgotten the company's address?!"
Su Huaiming brushed it off. "I haven't been sleeping enough lately, and my memory's gotten really bad."
The agent knew Su Huaiming wasn't in a good mental state and had a sleep disorder, so he accepted the explanation. "I'll send you the address later. Be at the company at two this afternoon, and don't be late."
With that, the agent hung up without waiting for Su Huaiming to answer.
Listening to the busy signal, Su Huaiming understood that this was how the agent and the original host had always dealt with each other.
Before the original host signed, the agency had made many promises. He had been inexperienced and hadn't had them written into the contract, leaving him badly cheated.
The moment he signed, his agent had shown his true colors. None of the promised resources materialized, and he heavily promoted another newcomer instead, forcing the original host to give way at every turn and even scheming to make him a stepping stone for the newcomer.
The agent had known perfectly well that the original host was in poor health, yet he had forced him onto a talent show, given him the persona of a sweet young man, and made him wink and make faces at the cameras all day while shouting the slogan, "I'm going to heal you with my smile!"
The original host had come across as so greasy that he was cursed onto the hot searches as soon as the show began airing. The production team also knew Su Huaiming was cannon fodder, so they exploited the attention he drew and gave him all sorts of malicious edits.
The original host was in poor health, and no matter how hard he tried to hold on, he couldn't endure the long hours of singing and dancing practice.
The production team cut every clip of him feeling unwell, showing only footage of him avoiding practice and ultimately dancing terribly. His teammates also insinuated that he was slacking off and lacked team spirit, their eyes reddening as though they had been wronged.
The original host was cursed onto the hot searches again and vilified and mocked across the internet. After using him to attract a wave of attention, the production team eliminated him.
After being vilified across the internet, the original host became deeply despondent and developed a sleep disorder. His agent also thought he was too fat and kept forcing him to lose weight, causing him to collapse both physically and mentally, as though all the life had been drained out of him.
Su Huaiming had different experiences and didn't have the original host's psychological burdens, which was how he had finally managed to nurse his body back to health.
Su Huaiming thought about what happened next in the story. His agent had probably summoned him this time because of the upcoming childcare variety show.
On the childcare show, the original host's already poor physical and mental health suffered another severe blow. He was subjected to all kinds of torment and abuse across the internet, bringing him to the brink of depression.
The original host had cared so much about his career in the entertainment industry, yet he had been left with no choice but to retire from it. That became the last straw, nearly destroying his personality.
Su Huaiming didn't want to go through any of that and planned to find a way to get free of the agency.
When the butler learned that Su Huaiming was going out, he immediately made all the arrangements and had the driver wait at the door.
The car drove for a full fifteen minutes before reaching the entrance to the villa. Su Huaiming estimated that the villa grounds were about five times the size of the residential complex where he had lived before.
The world of the rich is just too ridiculous!
But none of it was his, and he would be leaving in another six months. Su Huaiming looked away, losing interest.
His agency was in the city center, far from the villa. Su Huaiming played three games on the way before the car finally stopped in the building's underground parking garage.
After saying something to the driver, Su Huaiming took the elevator to the floor where the agency was located.
The agency was fairly sizable. It was located in the city center and rented three floors for its offices. It had more than a dozen artists under contract, including one it was heavily promoting who was trying to become a top-tier young actor, as well as two third-tier celebrities who appeared in public often. The rest, like Su Huaiming, received no resources and were exploited by the company, leaving their reputations tarnished. The original host was the unluckiest of them all.
Su Huaiming arrived at the office his agent had mentioned and drank a glass of water before the agent finally sauntered in, offering no apology for being late.
"Filming for the childcare variety show starts in five days, and the production team will release the teaser today." The agent sat across from him with his legs crossed, looking exceedingly arrogant. "I asked you here because there are a few things I want to emphasize again."
Su Huaiming paused, then asked, "Do I have to go on this show?"
The agent's brows knitted deeply at that. "The contract has already been signed," he said irritably. "You can refuse to go, but you'll have to pay twenty million in damages for breach of contract. Can you afford that?"
"If you'd kept your promises and given me the resources I was supposed to have, how could I possibly be unable to afford it?" Su Huaiming said mildly.
The agent hadn't expected Su Huaiming to stand his ground and bring up those old matters. As if offended, he flew into a rage out of embarrassment. "Su Huaiming, you're an adult now. You should look ahead, not keep harping on about those ancient, trivial matters!"
Su Huaiming had made up his mind to get away from the company as soon as possible, but he still needed some evidence.
"Are you denying it now?" Su Huaiming deliberately steered the conversation, looking his agent straight in the eye. His gaze was clear and fearless, as though he could see through him at a glance.
The agent panicked. Feeling that Su Huaiming was different from before, he unconsciously softened his tone. "I did promise you a lot back then, but none of it is legally binding. It would be no use suing me now. I suggest you behave yourself. Perhaps I'll give you some resources later on."
Su Huaiming lowered his eyes slightly, looking at the constantly flashing light on his voice recorder.
From the agent's perspective, Su Huaiming seemed sad and upset. He had always bullied the weak and feared the strong, so he resumed his usual attitude. "I'm your agent. Of course I have your best interests at heart. As long as you do a good job filming this childcare show, I'll definitely give you good resources."
Su Huaiming thought about his current savings. He really couldn't afford the damages for breaching the variety show contract, and he didn't want to ask Fu Jingfan for help.
Fu Jingfan might not help him, and even if he were willing to give him the money, Su Huaiming would have to pay it back after their divorce.
Besides, the childcare show paid fairly well. Earning some money now would also help him prepare for his retirement.
"All right."
Seeing that Su Huaiming had compromised, the agent finally breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Huaiming, you know perfectly well that someone of your standing wouldn't normally qualify for this show. The production team invited you to generate buzz. Find a little brat to go on the show with you and stir up some discussion during filming. Ideally, you should have some interactions with the other parent-child families..."
The agent coughed and said meaningfully, "You understand what I mean."
Su Huaiming knew he was going to be a stepping stone again and said nothing.
The agent didn't make an issue of it. "I've been too busy lately to look after you, so find a suitable child yourself. And remember, don't even think about pulling any tricks, or neither the company nor the show's investors will let you off easily!"
As he warned Su Huaiming, the agent kept glancing at his phone. He stood up before he had even finished speaking and hurried out without another word.
Su Huaiming finished the water in his glass before heading out, ready to go home.
He had just taken the elevator to the first floor when his phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Secretary Zhou.
Su Huaiming answered.
"Is this Mr. Su?"
"Yes."
"I heard you were in the city center. Could I trouble you to come to the company? President Fu needs to see you."
Hearing that, Su Huaiming confirmed who she was. He looked up at the skyscraper across the street and nodded. "All right. I'm just across the road. I'll be right over."
The building Su Huaiming's agency rented happened to be directly opposite Fu Group Headquarters. One building was like a giant with advanced equipment, while the other was like a middle-aged or elderly person who could hardly conceal how shabby they were. The contrast was striking.
Su Huaiming crossed the road and headed toward the Fu Group building.
Before he could go in, a silver van beside him suddenly opened, and a man stepped out with an air of arrogance.
Su Huaiming was alone, but the other man had five or six assistants following him. He wore a full face of makeup and designer clothes, and his whole appearance was blinged out.
Zhang Zhixuan raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "Well, if it isn't our great star Su?"
Su Huaiming looked up at the newcomer but didn't recognize him.
The two stared each other down. Although every advantage was clearly on Zhang Zhixuan's side, he couldn't help frowning.
How had Su Huaiming's looks changed so much in just a few days?!
Su Huaiming's complexion had improved, and he showed no sign of fatigue. His cheeks were slightly rounded, his eyes clear and bright, and he radiated a fresh, youthful air.
The lines at the corners of his eyes had relaxed and curved slightly upward, adding a touch of softness. His skin was no longer bloodlessly pale, and he looked much more lively. He no longer had the frailty of someone recovering from a serious illness; instead, the trace of vulnerability that remained made people feel sorry for him without meaning to.
The company had signed Su Huaiming because of his good looks and had once planned to promote him heavily. But Su Huaiming had lost out to Zhang Zhixuan in their rivalry and had all his resources taken away. After suffering physically and mentally, he had grown thinner and thinner, his whole person becoming dull and lifeless, and even his looks had declined considerably.
Zhang Zhixuan knew perfectly well that the entertainment industry was a place where looks mattered. Seeing Su Huaiming now, he felt a strong sense of threat.
Not wanting to lose his advantage, Zhang Zhixuan grew even more arrogant. He raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "You've been hiding at home all this time. I thought you were planning to leave the industry."
"Actually, I'd like to." Under Zhang Zhixuan's stunned gaze, Su Huaiming sighed and said helplessly, "But the company insisted on begging me to appear on a variety show. There was nothing I could do."
Zhang Zhixuan: "..."
"What are you dreaming about? You're going on that show as cannon fodder!" Zhang Zhixuan seemed to think of something amusing. He bent down and said into Su Huaiming's ear, "This company is an arena. It signs a bunch of newcomers and makes them fight each other. The last one standing gets all the resources, and everyone else becomes cannon fodder. I signed with this company because I knew that, and because I was certain I'd be the last one standing!"
Su Huaiming raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Zhixuan.
What a kind person. He's revealed such a huge secret, giving me another piece of leverage to get away from this unscrupulous company.
Su Huaiming deliberately provoked him. "Who are you? Do I know you that well?"
Zhang Zhixuan hadn't expected Su Huaiming to have gotten so much better at getting on people's nerves in just a few days. He sneered. "Don't use those little tricks to provoke me. You should know who I am better than anyone. My uncle is the company's second-in-command. You offended me last time and got shelved for six months. Haven't you learned your lesson?"
"Shelve me this time too," Su Huaiming said mildly. "I don't want to go on this variety show anyway."
"!!!" Zhang Zhixuan felt as though he had punched a ball of cotton. His frustration was trapped inside him, unable to go up or down, and it was almost suffocating him.
He snorted in exasperation, then caught sight of the Fu Group building out of the corner of his eye and found another way to humiliate Su Huaiming. "An artist of your standing can forget about ever working with the Fu Group. They'd even think you'd dirty their company's doors if you stepped through them!"
At that, Su Huaiming's expression turned strange. "And you have a chance to work with the Fu Group?"
Zhang Zhixuan was at a loss for words.
The Fu Group possessed an entire business empire, with deeply entrenched and interconnected influence. It ranked among the very top in the world of capital. To him, the Fu Group was out of reach; even if he worked hard for another ten years, he might only just qualify to work with it.
But Zhang Zhixuan didn't want to lose face in front of Su Huaiming, so he stubbornly said, "Of course. With my fame, I can go in whenever I want. It won't be long before I land a brand endorsement."
Zhang Zhixuan didn't feel guilty in the slightest as he said this. Subconsciously, he believed that a washed-up minor celebrity like Su Huaiming couldn't possibly expose him, much less embarrass him.
Zhang Zhixuan stood ready to continue arguing with Su Huaiming, but after a few seconds of silence, Su Huaiming suddenly curved his lips into a smile.
???
The smile was so unsettling that Zhang Zhixuan felt a chill rise up his back, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.
Before he could ask any questions, he saw a beautiful, elegant woman in professional attire and exquisite makeup emerge from the Fu Group's doors.