Fangirl

When Lu Heng was reborn, the domestic entertainment industry had already fallen under the control of all kinds of capital. The influx of capital had inflated celebrities' market value while also bringing many exploitative terms. For instance, contracts for newcomers signed by major entertainment companies were generally pushed down to a 70-30 split. The entertainment companies took the larger share, while artists could work themselves to the bone and still earn little more than living expenses. Even so, they still had to perform for the company free of charge at least five to seven times a year. Very few people could secure contracts with a 70-30 or even 80-20 split. That was why many stars chose to open their own studios after becoming famous.

Compared to that time, entertainment companies now offered fairly generous contract terms. Lu Heng carefully read through the contracts and found that Huaxia Imperial Entertainment's terms differed from Star Entertainment's. When Lu Heng had signed with Star Entertainment in his previous life, the contract had explicitly stated that he had to pay all makeup, transportation, accommodation, and training expenses himself, and he had to perform for the company free of charge three times a year. Huaxia Imperial Entertainment, however, would directly cover all those expenses and had even offered to provide him with housing.

Furthermore, Huaxia Imperial Entertainment's management contract explicitly stated that once an artist reached a certain level, the contract could be upgraded, and the revenue split and allocation of other resources could be negotiated separately.

Thinking of Huaxia Imperial Entertainment's standing in the industry in his previous life, Lu Heng was still inclined to sign with them.

There was even less need to mention Father and Mother Lu. When they saw the contract's clear promise to help the Lu siblings resolve their school enrollment issues, Lu Zhenjun and Shen Yunjuan were so happy they nearly cried. Without another word, they signed the official contract on the spot as Lu Heng's guardians.

The contracts were made in triplicate. Huaxia Imperial Entertainment kept one copy, Lu Heng kept one himself, and the remaining copy would be delivered to the Yanjing Notary Office after the production crew arrived in Beijing.

Wei Linxuan had Chen Zhenggang put away the other two contracts, then rose and shook Lu Heng's hand. "Time is tight, so the signing arrangements have been rather simple. To make up for it, Huaxia Imperial Entertainment will hold a press conference for you after we return to Beijing."

Of course, the greater purpose of doing so was to promote Exchanging Lives.

Lu Heng smiled in understanding. Only then did Wei Linxuan notice that Lu Heng looked quite beautiful when his brows relaxed. He was like rippling spring water glinting beneath the sunlight—peaceful and serene, clear and cool, instantly refreshing.

Now fully in boss mode, Wei Linxuan could not help praising him. "You look good."

Good-looking, skilled in martial arts, already somewhat publicly known, and intelligent too.

If the company signed someone like that, he would definitely become famous as long as they were willing to promote him!

The only question was how famous Lu Heng could become!

With that thought, Wei Linxuan could not help saying, "Let's make a deal. Huaxia Imperial Entertainment's top male star just ran off with someone else. If you're outstanding enough, how about I make you our new top male star?"

Lu Heng's expression instantly turned strange. He involuntarily thought of the slogan from some discount promotion store in the future. Keeping a straight face, he suppressed his laughter and tried to look serious. "I'll work hard, Little Boss."

That night, Lu Heng stayed in the same room as Father and Mother Lu. He slipped the ten-thousand-yuan reward from the police to Father Lu.

"...Didn't Dad always want to be like Uncle Wang from the neighboring village, driving a large truck to sell the village's grain directly to processing plants in the south? That way, Dad can make money, and the uncles in the village can earn a little more too. Now we have money. Dad can hire a fleet, and he can ask your former comrades to help drive."

The Lu family's ancestors had been hunters, and neither the young nor old in the family knew much about farming. Father Lu had also answered the nation's call and enlisted when he was young, so he had never mastered the skill of farming.

In Lu Heng's memories, Father Lu had spent several years talking about wanting to get into trucking when he was young. There had not yet been a term like logistics company, but many people in the village had made fortunes by reselling grain, with the most successful earning several million yuan in a single year. Father Lu had learned to drive in the army and had wanted to enter the business after returning to Lu Family Village following his discharge. But he lacked the capital, so during the first few years, he had wanted to work in the city to earn money. Instead, he had been cheated into working for free for a year, receiving not a cent and even falling ill from the frustration. After recovering, he listened to Mother Lu's advice and stayed peacefully in the village with his wife and children.

Not until Lu Heng signed with Star Entertainment and brought back tens of thousands of yuan in signing fees did Father Lu finally fulfill his wish. Part of the money went toward building a house for the family, while another part was used to buy Father Lu a truck.

Now that he had been reborn, Lu Heng did not want to alter his father's path as an entrepreneur. After all, logistics would remain a sunrise industry for the next several decades. There was even less reason to worry about the family business—as long as Wei Linxuan developed the internet and e-commerce step by step according to the trajectory of his previous life, his father's logistics company would certainly have room to thrive.

Father Lu looked at his second son, who was sitting beneath the covers and speaking eloquently and methodically, and rubbed his son's head with a large hand, his heart full of comfort.

As expected of a son of the Lu family. He really had promise.

While Lu Heng and the production crew remained in J City, Wei Linxuan's filming in Lu Family Village was nearing its end. However, most of the previous footage had focused on daily life. To publicize Lu Heng's role in helping the police crack the major human trafficking case, the crew had to return to Lu Family Village and shoot more footage of Lu Heng practicing martial arts.

Thus, early the next morning, Wei Linxuan brought the production crew, along with Father and Mother Lu with ten thousand yuan in their pockets, back to Lu Family Village. That evening, Lu Heng, Chen Zhenggang, and the others boarded a northbound train for Beijing.

After a night of swaying travel, the train arrived at its destination.

Yanjing Railway Station in 2000 had not yet undergone major renovations or expansion, and it looked vastly different from how it would appear more than a decade later.

Wei Zhanjie, who had received a call from the production crew early that morning, was already waiting in the arrivals hall. Seven or eight bodyguards were stationed around him, discreetly protecting their boss.

As soon as they got off the train, the cameramen dutifully switched on their cameras, filming both the surroundings and Lu Heng's reactions. The sight of such a large group carrying cameras and recording equipment to film a program was too unusual, immediately drawing the attention of nearby travelers.

Some people spontaneously followed behind the production crew as they left the station. The imposing procession made it easy for Wei Zhanjie, waiting in the arrivals hall, to spot them.