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But... Xu Yuqing closed his eyes. He would not do that.

He had never regretted what happened back then, and it would be the same in the future. If he had to do it again, he would still make the same choice.

When he opened his eyes again, Xu Yuqing said, "Sister Liu, I choose to leave the industry."

Those words were both a difficult compromise and the most helpless, heartbreaking measure.

No matter how wonderful a dream was or how desperately one wanted to achieve it, people always had to learn to bow to reality.

Sister Liu sighed. She wanted to comfort him, but she truly did not know what to say.

Just then, her phone rang again.

Sister Liu tensed all over and sat up straight. Looking at the unfamiliar number on the screen, her finger hovered for a long time without pressing it.

Could it be more bad news?

Xu Yuqing said, "Sister Liu, answer it. What worse news could there be? I can handle anything now."

Sister Liu said, "Don't worry yet. Maybe it has nothing to do with you."

She stood and went to the balcony to answer the call.

Xu Yuqing did not hold out any hope.

But after a while, Liu Rong flung open the balcony door in wild delight and rushed to Xu Yuqing. "Yuqing, a company wants to sign you!"

As an agent, Liu Rong's phone number was not difficult to obtain.

So when she received the call, the unease in Liu Rong's heart was immediately replaced by surprise. The other party spoke sincerely and said they were interested in signing Xu Yuqing.

"They said they want to meet with us in person. I've already set a time." Liu Rong smiled. "Yuqing, maybe your chance has come."

It seemed not every entertainment company feared or dreaded Star Universe Entertainment's suppression and warnings.

The entertainment industry had not yet reached the point where Star Universe Entertainment alone reigned supreme and acted with impunity.

Xu Yuqing stood up from the sofa as well. At first, he was shocked, delighted, and excited as he paced around the living room twice. Then he calmed down somewhat, returned to Liu Rong, clenched his fists, and said nervously, "Sister Liu, but does the other party know about my situation? Star Universe Entertainment will definitely fight me in court to the bitter end. If I leave the industry on my own, I can endure it if I have to. But if I join a new company, then it won't just be my problem anymore."

Did they have the ability to help him break free from Star Universe Entertainment?

And afterward, if Star Universe Entertainment still refused to let him go, could they withstand Star Universe Entertainment's methods of suppression?

Offending Star Universe for him alone was a price that simply was not worth paying.

Even if that company truly intended to sign him at first, they would surely think it through carefully after weighing all the pros and cons...

And usually, the final outcome of something like this was that giving him up was the best choice.

With that thought, it felt as if a basin of cold water had been dumped over his head. Half of Xu Yuqing's excitement vanished as he grabbed at his hair. "Forget it. I don't think we need to meet them. There's a high chance it'll all come to nothing in the end..."

He had already endured too much disappointment. This time, he had been battered beyond recognition. If it happened again, he did not know whether he could keep going.

Xu Yuqing slumped back onto the sofa with a long sigh, his expression bleak.

Liu Rong sat down as well and tried to persuade him. "Are you going to give up already?"

"What else can I do if I don't?" Xu Yuqing gave a bitter smile.

Liu Rong said, "As long as there's even the slightest chance, you have to seize it with all your strength. If you don't go and try for yourself, you'll never know the true outcome. Yuqing, don't assume there's no hope at all. What harm is there in meeting them once? You've already anticipated the worst possible outcome, but what if something good happens?"

Xu Yuqing hesitated. After a long while, he said, "Sister Liu, you're right. I shouldn't give up like this. I'll go."

Opportunities had to be fought for. This time, he would take the initiative and speak properly with them. Even if he was rejected, at least he would have tried. Then, when he looked back after leaving the entertainment industry, he would not regret failing to go.

For the meeting, he took out his best and most formal clothes, fixed his hair, shaved his beard, and prepared himself to look as presentable and energetic as possible.

The meeting was arranged in a private room at an upscale restaurant.

By the time they arrived, the other party was already there.

"Hello, are you Miss Liu and Mr. Xu?"

The man introduced himself as Yuan Guangjin, an assistant from Jinbai Entertainment. He was the one who had made that call.

Today, Jinbai Entertainment's president and vice president were waiting inside the private room. He was receiving them at the door and invited them in.

Xu Yuqing could not help exchanging a glance with Sister Liu.

Even the president and vice president of the company had come?

And Jinbai Entertainment?

Why had neither of them heard of this company?

It really was some small company, then. Or perhaps it had only recently been established and intended to develop in the entertainment industry, but did not yet understand the industry's current state. They probably knew even less about the dispute between Star Universe Entertainment and him, or they would not have made that call...

Xu Yuqing and Liu Rong were thinking the exact same thing.

Especially Liu Rong. As an experienced agent in the entertainment industry, she knew the field deeply and thoroughly. She might not know every company or every celebrity studio inside and out, but she knew most of them.

If even she had never heard this company's name, then it was most likely an obscure little company with no prospects or room for development. It might even be one of those shady companies that made money by exploiting celebrities and actors, squeezing them dry before abandoning them once they had no value left. If one was lucky, one could leave cleanly. If one was unlucky, one would have to pay the company a penalty to leave, or else face a lawsuit. That was their usual tactic.

Or, looking on the bright side, perhaps it was a newly established company. But could a rising newcomer compare to an established entertainment company? Especially a giant like Star Universe Entertainment.

Star Universe could probably crush such a newly established little company with a casual move, forcing it to the brink of bankruptcy.

At that thought, Sister Liu's heart gradually sank. She held no hope for the outcome of this meeting. They would probably return empty-handed.

Xu Yuqing was not stupid. Naturally, he could think of everything Liu Rong had thought of.

So the two of them entered the private room with hearts already half chilled.

But the moment they entered, Xu Yuqing and Liu Rong could not help freezing in place, their expressions stunned.

These were the president and vice president of an entertainment company? They were not actually major stars sitting here, were they?

Their appearance was completely different from what Xu Yuqing and Liu Rong had imagined. They had thought the president and vice president would be two middle-aged men. Even if they were young, they had never imagined they would be no less handsome than famous stars, perhaps even more distinguished.

In the entertainment industry, where stars gathered, these two would undoubtedly stand at the very top.

So they really were not signed actors and celebrities meeting them on behalf of their boss?

Then Yuan Guangjin's introduction confirmed their identities. "This is President Cai of Jinbai Entertainment, and this is Vice President Xuan."

"President Cai, President Xuan, these are Miss Liu and Mr. Xu."

Liu Rong and Xu Yuqing came back to their senses and hurriedly greeted them.

If the company's leaders possessed such bearing and presence, then no matter how they looked at them, they did not seem like the sort of company that would scam people.

"No need to be so polite. Please, sit." Cai Jinbai said.

Xuan Yu did not speak. He had come purely to keep Jinbai company.

After the two sat down, Cai Jinbai got straight to the point. "I assume you both understand the purpose of today's meeting. I've watched Mr. Xu's previous works. His acting is good, his image is excellent, and he meets all requirements quite satisfactorily."

"It so happens that Mr. Xu's contract with Star Universe Entertainment is about to expire and he intends to leave. If you have no other plans yet, why not consider Jinbai Entertainment?"

The words went straight to the point. Xu Yuqing was tempted, but he had even more concerns.

He said, "Since President Cai has looked into my work, you must also know that I've been shelved by Star Universe Entertainment for three years. I haven't acted in much during those three years, and my dispute with Star Universe Entertainment isn't over yet."

"If President Cai makes even a few inquiries, you'll know that Star Universe Entertainment currently has no intention of letting me terminate my contract smoothly. They're exploiting a loophole in the contract to threaten me, saying I can only leave if I pay liquidated damages."

"No, even if I pay every cent, Star Universe Entertainment still won't let me go, because I..."

"Because you indirectly caused Gao Chi, the younger brother of Star Universe Entertainment's president Gao Su, to be sent to prison on charges of drug use and repeatedly allowing others to use drugs. You were also dragged into that incident because of a photograph, falsely accused of using drugs and of attending that gathering."

"After the incident, Star Universe Entertainment not only failed to clear up the rumors for you, but instead placed all the blame on you. They suppressed you relentlessly, shelved you, and now they want to drive you into complete ruin. Before you came here, you even considered leaving the industry, didn't you?" Cai Jinbai said.

He was not finished. He continued, "The reason you were photographed back then was nothing like what people said online—you were not close to Gao Chi and attending a gathering he hosted. You went in to save someone out of kindness, interrupting their revelry and taking that person away."

"But because of that, when the door was opened and the commotion began, someone discovered that Gao Chi was gathering people to use drugs and reported it. A reporter lying in wait also found an opportunity to take a photograph of you."

Xu Yuqing's expression went completely blank. His mouth opened, and only after a long while did he manage to ask, "H-how do you know all that so clearly?"

The person who reported it and the person who took the photo were not the same. Back then, he had wanted to find that reporter and ask him to help clear his name.

Unfortunately, that reporter had long since been bought off by Star Universe Entertainment. Later, he disappeared without a trace, and Xu Yuqing could not even find out where he was.

To this day, it remained unknown whether the reporter had initially been following and photographing him or Gao Chi. Among the many photos he released, Xu Yuqing's figure was clearly visible, which sparked the public attack against him. Xu Yuqing still remembered the overwhelming abuse across the internet. Even though he had undergone testing, he still...