Page 3

[Trash company, why are they treating Little Xu like this? Hurry up and terminate the contract. I hope Little Xu has a bright future!]

[Which director can take a look at our big brother? His acting is incredibly good! He works seriously! He never cuts corners!]

There were not many comments, but every one of them was sincere, filled with affection for this actor.

Through the fan topic, Cai Jinbai clicked into the actor's homepage and searched for his basic information.

—Xu Yuqing, a signed actor under Star Universe Entertainment. He had exploded into fame after starring as the male lead in an idol drama. He had been the campus heartthrob in university, handsome, academically gifted, and even better at acting.

After graduation, he entered the entertainment industry, and his career had shone brilliantly ever since. It had taken him only a short time to go from supporting roles to male leads.

His face had once been praised as a high-end, flawlessly sculpted face with no bad angles. Tall and slender, he looked perfect in both modern and historical costumes, and many of his photos had gone viral. Back then, countless fans had flocked to admire him, and the fan topic had become so active that the page once lagged from the sheer number of followers. He trended constantly, with advertisements and acting offers pouring in. For a time, he had been immensely popular.

But Xu Yuqing had risen quickly, and fallen just as swiftly.

By now, Star Universe Entertainment had shelved him for three whole years. He had even been implicated in a scandal back then that caused an enormous uproar in the entertainment industry.

Although Xu Yuqing had firmly proven his innocence, his popularity had still plummeted. The entertainment industry moved on quickly, and after three years without any roles, he could not stir up even the slightest ripple. He was like a meteor streaking through the night sky—beautiful and brilliant, but only briefly so, leaving behind nothing but darkness.

If not for a handful of fans who still supported him, believed in him unwaveringly, and kept the fan topic alive every day, Xu Yuqing would likely have vanished from the entertainment industry long ago.

When Cai Jinbai switched back to Xu Yuqing's fan topic page, several glaringly mocking comments had suddenly appeared amid the previously quiet and harmonious messages.

[Heh, what are you still waiting for? He'll never make it in the entertainment industry again.]

[If you've touched even one of porn/gambling/drugs, you're finished. Mark my words, Xu Yuqing will never make a comeback.]

[Xu Yuqing's acting is decent, sure, but he's not the only good actor in the entertainment industry.]

[What director would want your gege? A drug-using piece of trash, ptui.]

[Star Universe Entertainment did well. Letting someone like that be an actor would mislead the public. Good thing he was blacklisted long ago.]

[Get lost! Little Xu never used drugs, never! We've said it so many times! He was tested over and over back then, and he didn't! He's innocent! If he had, the police would have issued a statement and thrown him in prison already, instead of letting you spread rumors here!]

[If he really touched drugs, I would be the first to stop supporting him and would never become his fan again. But Little Xu had sufficient evidence back then—he simply never used drugs. Please don't pin fabricated accusations on Little Xu! I'll sue you for defamation!]

[Heh, go ahead and sue. You think I'm scared? Who knows what he did behind the scenes? What kind of good person could hang around with Gao Chi? The photos were crystal clear. He attended that party. Maybe he didn't use drugs that time, but what about the second, third, or fourth time? Sooner or later, he would have used them. If he attended parties like that, there would eventually come a day when he couldn't resist. He was lucky the police caught him before he used anything, otherwise... heh.]

[Gao Chi belongs to the Gao Family. Star Universe Entertainment upheld justice by cutting ties with him, and Xu Yuqing was friends with Gao Chi, so Star Universe Entertainment shelved him too. Is there a problem with that? Heh, not at all. Only idiots like you are still defending someone with questionable character.]

[Tsk tsk, keep fooling yourselves. I'm too lazy to waste time here.]

Some fans still insisted on proving Xu Yuqing's innocence, but the passersby and antis had long since vanished without a trace. After being shelved for three years, even his antis had nearly died out.

The fans who had posted those comments felt rather lost as they looked around, not knowing where they could seek justice.

After a while, Xu Yuqing's fan topic page became quiet again, this time like a pool of stagnant water.

Cai Jinbai tapped the screen with his slender fingers and said thoughtfully, "It's him."

He turned his palm over, and Wealth Aura gathered there. In an instant, a Golden Ingot about three inches long appeared in his hand, glowing faintly. Chubby and round, it wiggled twice before a crisp, childish voice rang out. "Master, Master, Jinbao is here~"

A smile could not help appearing on Cai Jinbai's face.

Since he had begun cultivating Wealth Aura, his artifact-refining methods had steadily improved. By now, he was already a renowned master artifact refiner throughout the Heavenly Mirror Great World.

When he had first started learning artifact refinement, he had fashioned a magical artifact for himself that could collect Wealth Aura and record his cultivation progress. It had been shaped like a Golden Ingot. Later, he gradually perfected and continuously upgraded it, until an artifact spirit was born within the Golden Ingot. He named it "Cai Jinbao."

After arriving in this small world, Cai Jinbai had upgraded the Golden Ingot again, allowing it to combine with modern technology. It could help him observe Wealth Aura and even connect to the internet.

"In modern terms, you are no longer a magical artifact. You are a system, and I am your host." Cai Jinbai reached out and pinched the Golden Ingot, amusement in his voice. His voice was clear and pleasant, like jade striking jade, making people unable to help but listen with their full attention.

Cai Jinbao shyly wriggled his plump body. After calling him host twice, it said, "But Master sounds better. Master, Master, Jinbao wants to call you Master."

"Fine, then as you wish." Cai Jinbai doted on the little artifact spirit.

Xuan Yu secretly curled his lips.

"Master is the best!" Cai Jinbao happily bounced twice in Cai Jinbai's palm. "Why did Master summon Jinbao?"

Cai Jinbai drew out a wisp of Wealth Aura with his fingertips. It was extremely faint, like firefly light, as though it could flicker out at any moment. This was the Wealth Aura attached to Xu Yuqing's final words before he left the internet. It was the aura of Proper Wealth. Three years had already passed, yet it still carried a faint golden glow.

He said, "Follow this wisp of Wealth Aura and find him. Observe his financial fortune, then return and report his current circumstances to me."

Everyone possessed a unique Wealth Aura scent. Since Cai Jinbao could roam the internet, it could naturally follow Wealth Aura to find people.

Cai Jinbao stood at attention, straightening its tiny body. "Yes, Master! Jinbao guarantees the mission will be completed!"

Chapter 3

Xu Yuqing lived in S City. He rented a one-bedroom apartment with a living room. The layout was exceptionally simple—one could even call it shabby. Aside from necessities such as furniture, there were almost no other decorations.

It was hard to imagine that a star who had once exploded in popularity and been crazily adored by fans would live in a place like this, but it was the truth.

Xu Yuqing's career had suffered a severe blow three years ago when he had been implicated in a drug-use scandal. Although he was ultimately proven innocent, his image still suffered irreparable damage.

Furthermore, Star Universe Entertainment had worked against him behind the scenes, causing him to lose all his endorsements and forcing him to pay enormous breach-of-contract penalties.

The amount was neither too much nor too little—it happened to be exactly all of his savings.

Once he had paid the compensation, he had very little money left.

His family background was ordinary, merely comfortable. His mother was retired and stayed at home, while his father had some minor health issues and would retire in a few years. His family had some savings, but they were reserved for emergencies. Besides, given Xu Yuqing's personality, unless he had reached a point of utter despair with no path forward, he would never ask his parents for money or make them worry. He had always shared good news rather than bad with his family.

Three years ago, Star Universe Entertainment had shelved him, leaving him without any work opportunities.

The company would no longer make connections or open doors for him, so he had tried to seek out acting opportunities on his own.

Even if it was only a minor role, even if he had only a single page of scenes, he wanted to try as long as there was an opportunity.

Unfortunately, Star Universe Entertainment had been utterly ruthless in this regard, leaving him no way out at all.

The higher-ups at Star Universe Entertainment had made it clear: which production crew would dare hire him? Which would dare use him?

Large productions did not lack one actor like him, while small productions would not offend Star Universe Entertainment, the leading company in the entertainment industry, for his sake. Even if a crew was not afraid and he successfully auditioned for a role, his already pitifully few scenes would later be cut entirely before the show aired for one reason or another.

Xu Yuqing knew this was Star Universe Entertainment's work behind the scenes again, just like what the president of Star Universe Entertainment had once told him—"Do you really think the principles you cling to are so important? Let me tell you, self-righteous people do not last long in the filthy cesspool that is the entertainment industry. No matter how innocent or kind someone is, they will eventually be stained black. You think what you are doing is right and that you can face your conscience, but look at where it will get you. One day, you will bow your head to me, beg me to stop, and voluntarily do the things you once looked down on."

How had he answered at the time?

He had said, "No. I will never betray my principles."

He had spoken with resolute conviction, then turned and left.

At that moment, he had not hesitated in the slightest. Now, Xu Yuqing gave a bitter smile. Although he still did not regret the decision he had made, the repeated blows—each time thinking that a little hope might appear, only to be left with disappointment in the end—had indeed shaken his confidence. After all, all his persistence and effort had brought him nothing but emptiness.

But principles were principles. If he cast them aside so easily, how could he face the teachings his parents had given him since childhood? Be a good person, kind yet with boundaries. They did not ask him to be exceptionally outstanding or remarkable. They only wished for him to live with a clear conscience, distinguish right from wrong, possess sound values, know gratitude, and carry light in his heart, so there would be a road beneath his feet.

He had always lived that way.

If there were no acting opportunities, then he simply would not act for now. He could diligently hone his skills. Ability was in his own hands, and no one could take it away. Acting skill was an actor's foundation. As long as an opportunity came in the future, he could seize it. Even if he had to start over from the beginning, he was willing.