Chapter 2

Chen Mo sat blankly in the oven-like van for a long while before finally picking up his chopsticks and lowering his head to eat in silence.

But before he had taken more than two bites, a sudden commotion erupted from the set outside. Someone was shouting at the top of their lungs, mixed with the rapid clicks of camera shutters and the cries of crew members trying to maintain order. Chen Mo could not help feeling a little curious. He set down his boxed lunch and ducked out of the van.

By then, the set was already in complete chaos. Somehow, the reporters and paparazzi who had been staking out the area outside had rushed in, surrounding Wei Zifu's actress, Lin Xia's manager Sister Hong, along with several other crew members. Their voices overlapped in a noisy jumble, making it impossible to hear exactly what they were saying. Chen Mo stood at the edge and watched blankly for a while before someone quietly patted him on the shoulder.

When Chen Mo turned around, he saw that it was the crew's assistant director, Zhang Lin. Zhang Lin whispered, "Come with me. The director wants to see you."

Chen Mo froze for a moment, then immediately followed Zhang Lin to the director's lounge. Only then did he realize that, besides the chief director, his uncle Jiang Jie and Lin Xia were also there.

When Jiang Jie saw Chen Mo, he gave him a reassuring smile and said, "Xiao Mo, don't worry. The director called you here this time because we hope you can help the crew out."

Before Chen Mo could react, Lin Xia, who had barely paid him any attention before, actually stepped forward and took his hand, giving it a shake. With tears in her eyes, she pleaded pitifully, "Chen Mo, please help me. You're the only one who can help me this time. Otherwise, I'm doomed."

Chen Mo was even more stunned when he heard that.

Chapter 2

Lin Xia held Chen Mo's hand, choking back sobs as though she wanted to speak but could not. Chen Mo had not been a patient person in his previous life. Even when dating girls, it had usually been the girls coaxing him. Watching Lin Xia cry so prettily now, he felt three minutes of sympathy at most. Once those three minutes passed, her crying only gave him a headache.

In the end, it was his uncle Jiang Jie who pulled Chen Mo aside and explained.

The matter was simple. Lin Xia had been eating lunch and taking a break in the dressing room when, overcome by a craving, she secretly ate a few pieces of braised pork from her assistant's boxed lunch. A hidden pinhole camera in the dressing room caught the whole thing. Then someone with ulterior motives posted it online, drawing countless gossip reporters to surround the production.

If this had happened to an ordinary person, it would have been nothing. The problem was that Lin Xia had become an ambassador for an animal protection association last year. She had publicly claimed that she did not eat meat in order to protect animals. Now, the gossip paparazzi had caught her red-handed eating braised pork. Once the matter blew up, it would naturally damage the gentle, kind girl-next-door image she had always promoted.

Likewise, since Lin Xia was the female lead of Emperor Wu of Han: The Young Emperor, any ugly scandal involving her at this time would naturally implicate the production as well.

So after Lin Xia's manager Sister Hong repeatedly apologized to Director Zhang Qingzhong, she asked the crew to help defuse the situation. Director Zhang and the production's higher-ups were naturally dissatisfied with Lin Xia's behavior, but for the sake of the show, they could not simply ignore it.

Then assistant director Jiang Jie—Chen Mo's uncle—came up with an idea: have Chen Mo, the lowly crew member who delivered boxed lunches, publicly admit that he admired Lin Xia and had begged his father to make vegetarian braised pork for her to satisfy her craving. Outsiders did not know the truth. They had only seen the secretly filmed footage from the dressing room and assumed that Lin Xia had truly "broken her vow."

For the production, going this far was already doing everything they could. As for the subsequent crisis management, Lin Xia's agency and publicity team would naturally handle it.

Sister Hong had originally been worrying over how to resolve the matter. When she heard Jiang Jie's proposal, she saw that it was both logical and convincing. If handled well, it could even be used to generate publicity and boost Lin Xia's fame and popularity. It was killing two birds with one stone, so Sister Hong naturally applauded the idea.

But the key to the matter was Chen Mo. If they wanted to resolve the crisis, they had to obtain Chen Mo's agreement.

As Jiang Jie's nephew in name, Chen Mo naturally would not undermine his own uncle. But outsiders did not know their relationship. Thus, Sister Hong was very worried that Chen Mo would refuse. Before he could speak, she hurriedly said, "I know this matter has caused trouble for you, Student Chen. I won't ask you to do it for nothing. Here are twenty thousand yuan, a small token of appreciation from Lin Xia."

Of course, it was also hush money.

Chen Mo looked at the twenty-thousand-yuan cashier's check in Sister Hong's hand and curled his lips into a faintly amused smile. This woman was rather interesting. Before this, she either did not speak to him or simply shouted "Hey, hey" at him. Now that she needed him, it was "Student Chen" this and "Student Chen" that.

How realistic.

Still, she was much smarter than Lin Xia.

With that thought, Chen Mo gave Lin Xia a somewhat disdainful look. In his previous life, he had liked many types of women. Pure girls, mature women, white-collar elites—so long as they caught his eye, he would not turn them away.

But Chen Mo hated stupid people most of all. He especially could not understand people who lied over a bite of food, who were so stupid they did not even care about their reputation or future...

Looking at the tearful Lin Xia again, Chen Mo no longer felt that flutter in his heart that came from her face alone.

It was like choosing a shiny, tempting red apple, only to bite into it and find a wormhole inside.

He did not take the cashier's check from Sister Hong. With both hands in his pockets, he looked at Jiang Jie and said, "I can help with this. But I won't tell reporters that I like her. Change the story. Say that I saw her staring longingly at someone else's lunchbox and felt sorry for her, so I asked my old man to make her a bowl of vegetarian braised pork."

"Of course, since I won't say it the way you wanted, I won't take your money either."

The last sentence was naturally directed at Sister Hong.

That explanation was not impossible, but while it could resolve Lin Xia's crisis, it would be difficult to use it for publicity afterward. Sister Hong was somewhat unwilling to let it go and wanted to persuade Chen Mo further.

But after only a few sentences, Chen Mo grew irritated and frowned. "Stop dragging this out. Either say it this way, or figure out another solution yourselves."

Seeing Chen Mo's firm and obviously impatient attitude, Sister Hong was afraid that pushing further would make things fall apart and create even more trouble. She could only glance helplessly at Lin Xia. She knew Chen Mo was somewhat interested in Lin Xia, but Lin Xia looked down on him as an ordinary outsider and had never treated him kindly. Sister Hong had not thought much of it.

But she had not expected Lin Xia to ever need to ask someone for help. Since she was asking for a favor, she naturally could not keep up that attitude. At the very least, she should come forward and coax him herself, shouldn't she?

Prompted by Sister Hong's meaningful looks, Lin Xia could only awkwardly step forward. She was unhappy as well—because Chen Mo refused to cooperate with Sister Hong.

In Lin Xia's eyes, Chen Mo's status was worlds apart from hers. Under normal circumstances, the two of them would never have had a chance to interact. Now that she was in trouble and needed Chen Mo's help, he should have helped without hesitation—besides, they were not refusing to pay him.

After thinking it over, Lin Xia still could not swallow her anger. Turning her head toward Sister Hong, she said, "Forget it. Since Crewman Chen won't agree, let's ask someone else for help. There are plenty of stagehands on the crew anyway."

Sister Hong was so angry at Lin Xia's words that she nearly laughed. Even Jiang Jie and the others felt that Lin Xia was stupid in an almost endearing way. Only Chen Mo smiled and said, "Then ask someone else. There are so many stagehands on the crew, after all."

"But Student Chen is the only crew member responsible for handing out boxed lunches who also has a chef for a father." Chief Director Zhang Qingzhong impatiently added, frowning at Lin Xia. "Miss Lin, there should be a limit to your willfulness. Even if you do not care about your own image, you should consider the production's reputation. Could you stop causing us trouble?"

Director Zhang's words naturally carried more weight than anyone else's. Seeing that even Director Zhang had complaints about Lin Xia, Sister Hong immediately made a decision. "We'll do as Student Chen says. Please come out with us now and explain the matter to the reporters on Lin Xia's behalf. Sorry to trouble you. To show our gratitude, please accept this token."

As she spoke, Sister Hong grabbed Chen Mo's hand without giving him a chance to refuse. She stuffed the twenty-thousand-yuan cashier's check into one hand and pushed him toward the door with the other.

Chen Mo uncomfortably pulled free. Before Sister Hong could speak, he frowned and said, "What are you rushing for? With no proof, do you think those reporters will believe us if we walk out there empty-handed?"

After saying that, he casually set the check aside, took out his phone, and called the restaurant. He told Father Chen to make a serving of vegetarian braised pork right away, pack it in a lunchbox, and quietly send it over. Then he asked the production for a disposable paper lunchbox used for braised pork. Everyone was baffled.

Chen Mo explained impatiently, "Our family switched lunchboxes. If we do not switch back, and someone gets bored enough to compare them later, wouldn't we just be asking for trouble?"

No one had expected a young man like Chen Mo to be so meticulous. They were all somewhat surprised.

Chief Director Zhang Qingzhong silently studied Chen Mo for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Student Chen, are you interested in acting?"

"Huh?" Chen Mo looked at Zhang Qingzhong in confusion.

"Our production still has the role of Han Yan open. The actor unilaterally tore up the contract before joining the crew, so we're short-handed now. Student Chen, would you be interested in auditioning?"

"But I—" I can't act.

Before Chen Mo could finish, a sudden ding sounded in his mind. A mechanical, icy voice said, "Host has met the activation requirements. Jinjiang Literature Repository's Entertainment Circle Male God System is starting up—"

Chapter 3

A system interface appeared before Chen Mo's eyes. It was a fresh, pleasing green. In the center stood a chibi boy wearing a dark green tailcoat. He had an oversized head, dark green hair, and dark green eyes. The instant he noticed Chen Mo looking at him, he flashed a bright sunny smile, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. He curled the four fingers of both hands into fists, leaving only his thumbs raised and pointed back at himself, signaling Chen Mo to tap him.

Seeing this, Chen Mo instinctively reached out with his right hand and tapped the boy. A burst of intense green light exploded from the boy's body. Once the light faded, the boy vanished, and a row of fresh green buttons appeared on the interface, labeled Library Search, Immersion Space, Training Space, and Original Works Space.

"What is this?" Chen Mo was stunned. The interface looked like a website he had often logged into in his previous life, but the details were different.

"This is a newly developed role-playing game from the gaming and entertainment section of Jinjiang Original Network. Congratulations, player! You have triggered the hidden requirements and activated the Entertainment Circle Male God System. This system can assist players in improving their acting skills, comprehensively enhance their personal qualities, and ultimately become a new-generation male god in the entertainment industry! Marry a tall, rich, handsome man! Reach the pinnacle of life—"

"Wait a second..." A bad feeling suddenly rose in Chen Mo's heart. He interrupted the system's forceful introduction and asked, "...How did you get into my head?"

"Because I transmigrated together with you!" The system continued acting cute.

"Then why did you transmigrate with me?" Chen Mo continued to lead it on.

"Because you chose me!" the system answered righteously.

"Why would I choose you?"

"How would I know that? You should ask yourself! Maybe you thought I was beautiful as a flower and perfect for home and family!"

"Then why did I transmigrate?"

"The host's question is beyond the system's scope. The system cannot answer. The system cannot answer..."

Even though it had been relentlessly taking the cutesy route, the system's response was extremely decisive. It gave an answer almost the instant Chen Mo asked a question, without the slightest hesitation. Yet Chen Mo still felt that something was off. But he could not uncover anything for the moment. Besides, Sister Hong and Director Zhang were waiting for him, so Chen Mo could only say, "Let me out first. We'll talk tonight."