Switched to being a charlatan?

Lu Yanting.

A newly crowned best actor who truly lived up to the description-aloof and aristocratic.

Seeing him up close was far more stunning, far more pleasing to the eye than seeing him on television.

His extraordinary good looks alone, which had made him famous beyond Asia, had won him legions of fans of every age and gender, never mind his superb acting and mysterious, fabulously wealthy background (standard issue in melodramatic novels).

The legendary top-tier heartthrob had an eccentric, ill-tempered personality and rarely smiled or joked. Frost seemed capable of forming between his exquisite brows, and a biting chill radiated from him. Even an inadvertent approach brought a sense of sharpness and pressure.

Of course, his face was not paralyzed. He did show an expression occasionally.

Like now, when a slight tug of his lips conveyed scorn and mockery to perfection.

"Switched to being a charlatan?" Lu Yanting narrowed his long eyes, his gaze chilly.

Jian Ran almost shivered, but held himself steady.

What a joke.

If a master of the mystic arts got scared, how the fuck was he supposed to sort things out for people?!

Before he could respond to the business of "switching to being a charlatan," Xu Xuda stepped between them. With his short stature facing someone a hundred and eighty-nine centimeters tall, he could only look up at the other man's nose.

"Emperor Lu, I'm sorry. Don't listen to Jian Ran's nonsense. He just woke up and isn't thinking straight."

"Are you here to discuss working together? Our variety show really has potential! Lucky Inn! Just hearing the name brings good fortune! You..."

The main reason he worked so hard to curry favor and introduce the show in detail was that business had been bad these past two years. Every artist signed to the company had flopped without a sound (Jian Ran was the exception; his notoriety was flourishing), and they could not even recoup their investments.

Left with no other choice, Maple Blue Entertainment had invested in, sponsored, and developed its own variety shows, hoping to use the resources it held for a two-pronged approach: making money and promoting its artists without neglecting either.

Unfortunately, without good producers and directors, the shows they created were tacky and unsophisticated. Even when they plagiarized, they failed to capture the essence.

Others made a talent show and called it Creation Factory. Maple Blue copied the formula and called theirs Everyone Goes to the Countryside.

Others made a travel show and called it Flower Sister. Maple Blue followed suit and named theirs Butterfly Sister.

Others made a restaurant show and called it Ten Kinds of Flavor. Maple Blue went completely off the rails and simply named theirs Lucky Inn...

And so, every variety show they filmed flopped. Even producing a second season proved difficult, leaving them no choice but to keep trying.

But this time, they had really poured everything into Lucky Inn.

Not only had they set up camp deep in the remote mountains and forests ahead of time, but the company employees had also pledged their lives to securing Emperor Lu's variety-show debut.

Succeed or die trying...

So at this very moment, Xu Xuda felt he was not far from dying.

He shot Jian Ran a vicious glare and silently made up his mind: Even if I die, I'm dragging someone down with me!

He had not expected that brief lapse in attention to give this guy an opening.

Jian Ran made a show of counting on his fingers, looking every inch a charlatan. "Lu Yanting, right? Have you been having trouble sleeping and dreaming a lot lately? Waking up at three in the morning on the dot?"

"Does someone dressed in red always appear in your dreams..."

Before he could finish, a scholarly-looking man in glasses hurried out of the Maybach's driver's seat and rudely cut him off. "Lu, ignore him. Let's head inside first."

As he spoke, he leaned toward Lu Yanting's ear, making a show of secrecy while keeping his voice loud enough for everyone present to hear. "His name is Jian Ran. He's notorious in the entertainment industry for stirring up incidents to leech off other people's fame. Even the slightest contact with him can land you in the headlines."

"I know him." Lu Yanting raised an eyebrow. "I was right behind him when he scattered talisman papers on the red carpet."

The yellow papers, smeared with glue, had plastered his face, and he had been unable to get them off no matter what he tried.

Only when the staff finally stepped in to help had he avoided having "unflattering" photos taken.

With the memory still so fresh, how could he forget?!

Another cold curve tugged at his lips. He walked around Jian Ran and strode toward the company building on his long legs.

Xu Xuda stood there, stamping his feet in agitation. "You've screwed me over again!"

Jian Ran lowered his head and muttered to himself, "That's not right."

"Isn't he curious about that woman in red...?"

Hearing him still spouting nonsense, Xu Xuda was so furious that he cursed incoherently, "I'll fucking dress in red and hang myself at your place tonight!"

After delivering that threat, he hurried after Lu Yanting on his short little legs. "Emperor Lu, please wait! Let me explain..."

Left alone, Jian Ran suddenly felt his phone vibrate.

He lazily took it out. When he saw the caller ID, the distaste between his brows practically flew all the way to the Pacific.

The screen read-Domineering CEO A.

Jian Ran pressed the answer button. "Need something?"

His detached, indifferent voice caught the person on the other end off guard.

A few seconds later, Yu Fengyi imagined it was a ploy to play hard to get and sneered, "If you don't want to break up, just say so. You actually sabotaged the elevator? Aren't you afraid I'll call the police?"

Jian Ran's tone was airy. "This is the first time I've met a domineering CEO who knows the law so well."

The other end fell silent again for a moment, then the voice grew colder and grimmer. "I'm warning you. Stop playing games, or else..."

Sensing something was wrong, Yu Fengyi pulled the phone away from his ear and held it before his eyes. His face immediately cycled through a whole array of expressions as he gritted his teeth.

"He actually dared to hang up on me?!"