Your confidence scares me

Quite a few people were secretly keeping tabs on Shen Lian's decision to terminate his contract with Xingtu Entertainment.

His haters celebrated in advance, calling him a homeless dog.

Xingtu finally realized that Shen Lian was serious.

One of Xingtu's senior executives even declared that anyone who took Shen Lian in would be showing him disrespect.

Media companies that couldn't compete with Xingtu naturally obliged, but Xingkai had Hengtai behind it and didn't need to pay him any mind.

So when Shen Lian reclaimed his account, changed his Weibo password, cleared all his previous posts, and tagged Xingkai Entertainment, saying he looked forward to a pleasant working relationship, a whole bunch of people were dumbfounded.

Xingkai reposted Shen Lian's Weibo post with a handshake emoji.

[Holy shit... no wonder Shen Lian didn't say a word. So this was what he was waiting for?]

[Honestly, Shen Lian's really impressed me lately. He always stays completely silent, then comes out with something huge.]

[Is Xingkai blind? They must be starving if they'll take any artist they can get.]

In the past, comments like that would naturally have racked up likes. The original Shen Lian had a terrible reputation, but after Shen Lian's two recent comebacks against the odds, his follower count had increased by forty thousand. That might not look like much at first glance, but public opinion was gradually shifting.

[I've only just started following celebrities. Go, Shen Lian! I believe in you.]

[I'll like whoever I want. Don't come acting like an asshole in front of me.]

Zheng Ge held his phone, his face full of bewilderment and disbelief.

He knew perfectly well who owned Xingkai. Back when his career wasn't going smoothly, Chu Yilan had offered him an olive branch, specifically directing him to Xingkai. But he had refused, choosing instead to be deeply grateful for Zhou Tangsi's arrangements.

Did Chu Yilan not know Shen Lian had joined Xingkai, or what...?

Zheng Ge pressed his lips together and thought for a moment, then opened his chat with Chu Yilan.

Their last messages were from five months ago. Chu Yilan rarely said much, but he always answered his questions. At that thought, Zheng Ge relaxed and typed: [Yilan, did you know Shen Lian joined Xingkai?]

[This person is not your friend. Please add them as a friend first...]

The string of bright red text froze Zheng Ge's fingertips solid.

Chu Yilan deleted me?!

Zheng Ge's eyes widened.

Even though Zheng Ge didn't like Chu Yilan, he had grown accustomed to enjoying the privileges that came with Master Chu's status.

He simply hadn't realized it himself.

That morning, after having breakfast with Chu Yilan, Shen Lian took a taxi to Xingkai and finally met his new manager, Hu Kailan.

Hu Kailan was nearly forty and had filled out a little, but he dressed stylishly and sported a short, dense layer of stubble. When he wasn't speaking, he looked rather stern, his gaze sharp.

The instant Hu Kailan saw Shen Lian, he sincerely had to admit that he was stunning.

With looks like these, how had he managed to squander such a good hand at Xingtu?

Hu Kailan sat down across from Shen Lian and got straight to the point. Contract terms, work arrangements, compensation-all of it needed discussing.

Shen Lian had someone backing him. Although Hu Kailan didn't yet know who it was, he knew that person existed, so he had prepared himself for Shen Lian to be demanding. Instead, Shen Lian accepted every arrangement and agreed to everything he said. Only at the very end did he make a small request. "Kailan, I had a junior assistant working with me at Xingtu. Now that I've left, there's no one looking out for her. Do you think I could bring her over?"

Jiang You had spoken with him on the phone just two days earlier. She knew Shen Lian was leaving, and the company had figured it out too, so they hadn't held back with a young woman still on probation. Wu Cheng's assistant, in particular, had repeatedly made trouble for her, upsetting her so badly that she cried.

Jiang You hadn't said anything at first. Shen Lian had noticed something off in her tone and pressed her repeatedly before she finally broke down.

Shen Lian had only one thing to say about it: "Wait to hear from me."

Jiang You had been anxious, unsure whether Shen Lian was serious or had only said it casually.

Hu Kailan frowned slightly. "As a rule, we don't do anything that amounts to blatant poaching."

"It's not poaching," Shen Lian explained. "She's new and still on probation. Now that I've left, Xingtu's taking it out on her a little. They're pushing her to leave, both openly and behind the scenes."

Seeing how firm Shen Lian was, Hu Kailan asked, "Can you trust her?"

"I can."

"All right," Hu Kailan said. "That's easy enough. Bring her over sometime so I can meet her and give her a few pointers. I'll put in a word with HR."

As one of Xingkai's top managers, Hu Kailan had considerable say in matters involving assistants.

Shen Lian smiled sincerely. "Thanks, Kailan."

Hu Kailan waved a hand. "Let's keep going. The way I see it, you can't rely on variety shows. Look at Li Jiabo-that's how he ruined his reputation. I'm not planning to have you go into cosplay, either. As it happens, I have a script on hand."

Shen Lian's eyes lit up. Without a moment's hesitation, he said, "I'll take it!"

Now Hu Kailan smiled. "It's a period drama, with fight scenes. The director is Dai Tong, the notorious Iron Tiger. If you don't perform well, he'll eat you alive!"

Shen Lian said, "Directors who eat people alive are my favorite!"

Hu Kailan's smile deepened. "Then let me tell you something else."

"Go ahead."

"The male lead has already been cast."

An ominous feeling rose in Shen Lian's heart.

Hu Kailan said, "Zheng Ge."

Fantastic, Shen Lian thought.

The fated entanglement between the cannon fodder and the main bottom was clearly meant to turn the original Shen Lian into a stepping stone. How else could he explain this cursed connection?

But although Shen Lian was annoyed, he wasn't afraid.

"I'll take it."

Compared with his future, Zheng Ge wasn't worth shit.

Now Hu Kailan truly saw Shen Lian in a new light.

If Shen Lian hadn't come to Xingkai and didn't have Hu Kailan, he would never have gotten a chance at this script. He could only have gone on variety shows to maintain some visibility. Hu Kailan had originally been undecided, too. If Shen Lian had shown even the slightest unwillingness to cooperate, he would have made other plans.

But from the moment Shen Lian walked in until now, Hu Kailan had felt completely at ease. Shen Lian had a clear head, and every choice he made was one Hu Kailan approved of.

Honestly, Shen Lian didn't seem like an obscure celebrity hated by the entire internet. He seemed more like a seasoned veteran.

That striking contrast left Hu Kailan unexpectedly eager. He kept feeling that Shen Lian might have some pleasant surprises in store for him.

"Should we get a few professional coaches to work with you soon?" Thinking of the practical issues, Hu Kailan started to feel a headache coming on again. "Otherwise, with your acting skills..."

"I'll be fine," Shen Lian interrupted. "It's a supporting role, anyway. I can handle it."

Hu Kailan said, "..." Your confidence scares me.

After leaving Xingkai, Shen Lian contacted Jiang You.

She answered almost instantly. When she heard Shen Lian's news, she squealed with excitement and kept asking, "Really, Shen Lian? Really?"

"Really." Shen Lian laughed. "Pack your things and come to Xingkai. I'll make sure you live the good life."

"Okay, Shen Lian! Sob!" Jiang You was moved beyond words. "I'll do anything for you, no matter what!"

As a newcomer, Jiang You wasn't actually all that efficient to work with, but she was honest and well-intentioned, and Shen Lian could see that clearly. Unlike someone whose background he didn't know, Jiang You had babbled away to him about everything, right down to where her family's ancestral graves were. Shen Lian didn't think teaching her would take much effort. Most importantly, she gave him peace of mind.

With that, his move to a new company was settled.

In a good mood, Shen Lian bought flowers and headed home.