The company contract

After the show ended, Gu Nian'an's reputation shifted from a talentless pretty face who acted like a diva to a poor, frail little thing.

And the discussions about Gu Nian'an never stopped.

Quite a few directors even tried to contact Gu Nian'an, hoping he would take a role in their productions.

But Gu Nian'an knew perfectly well that he had no acting skills, nor did he want to stay in the entertainment industry for long. That world did not suit him. He only wanted to wait out his three-year contract, take the money, and leave this place, so he turned them all down.

When Jubao, the company Gu Nian'an had signed with, saw him turning down every opportunity, it finally lost patience and summoned him directly to its headquarters.

The middle-aged man sitting across from him said in a low voice, "Gu, we all have to make a living. You're still getting attention, and people are willing to work with you. Things change fast in the entertainment industry. If you don't seize the moment, no one will remember who you are after a while. You signed a three-year contract with the company. You can't just do nothing, can you? The penalty for breach of contract you agreed to was five million."

Certain that Gu Nian'an could not come up with those five million, the man spoke with a mixture of persuasion and threats.

His words left Gu Nian'an feeling irritated. He was not someone who liked this sort of glitzy world, nor did he like being the center of attention. Had he not transmigrated into this novel, he would never have gone anywhere near the industry.

But the original owner of this body had signed the contract. He could hardly tell people he was not "Gu Nian'an." After a long silence, he could only say, "Let me think about it first. Give me a little time."

Seeing that the young man was willing to relent, the man did not want to push his future cash cow too hard, so he said impatiently, "Fine. Think it over these next few days, but don't take too long."

Walking out of the company and feeling the breeze brush his cheeks, Gu Nian'an suddenly felt exhausted. He had thought he could simply vanish from this world, yet somehow he had ended up inside a novel.

Back home, Gu Nian'an lay tossing and turning in bed, still unable to figure out how to deal with it.

Even at dinner, he was still racking his brains, his brow furrowed as he kept a mouthful of rice in his mouth for half a minute without swallowing.

Fu Xiuyuan raised his eyes, glanced at the young man, and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"

Still not quite registering the question, the young man answered instinctively, "I'm thinking about my contract with the company." Only after the words left his mouth did he realize what he had said, and he covered his mouth.

But after a few seconds of silence, he added, "Well, it's really nothing. I'm just a little torn."

Looking at his uneasy expression, Fu Xiuyuan simply said, "Would you like to switch companies?"

He had known early on that Gu Nian'an had gone to Jubao, and that company was notorious for exploiting newcomers. It was obvious that the two sides had clashed.

Gu Nian'an froze at his words. He looked up at Fu Xiuyuan and hurriedly waved his hands, declining the offer. "No, no. There's no need to trouble you."

At his answer, Fu Xiuyuan silently set down his chopsticks. A trace of coldness suddenly entered his eyes, and he said in a low voice, "Gu Nian'an, you're my partner now. For these three years, I have a duty to protect you. You only need to tell me whether you want to switch or not."

Gu Nian'an stared blankly at him. The man was particularly frightening when his expression turned cold. Even the air around them seemed to grow colder.

Yet when he heard him say, "I have a duty to protect you," a sudden sense of hurt welled up in his heart for some reason.

No one had ever said those words to him before.

He had only ever had himself to rely on.

But since arriving in this world, he had received the man's help time and again. He lowered his head, feeling his eyes sting slightly as a mist gathered in them, yet he did not know what to say.

Seeing him lower his head without speaking, and unable to see his expression, Fu Xiuyuan grew a little impatient. He got up, walked over to the young man, and lifted his chin.

But when he saw his expression clearly, the man instantly froze, his pupils contracting. The tip of Gu Nian'an's nose was slightly red, and his eyes brimmed with tears that were on the verge of falling. He looked utterly pitiful.

Gu Nian'an instinctively wrapped his arms around the man who had come over and buried his face against his chest, not quite wanting him to see his expression.

At this, Fu Xiuyuan sighed softly, bent down, and gathered him into his arms. He could not help wondering whether his tone had been too harsh just now. He had no idea which words had made him cry.

For some reason, his boundaries kept gradually giving way when it came to the person before him.

He gently patted and stroked the back of the person in his arms, softening his voice as he asked quietly, "Why are you crying? Even if our relationship is contractual, I'm still your husband. I'll protect you. You don't need to be afraid."

But Gu Nian'an still said nothing and only held him tightly.

Feeling a patch of dampness against his chest, Fu Xiuyuan helplessly tightened his embrace and continued soothing him softly. "Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid."

Only after a long while did Gu Nian'an emerge from his emotions and realize he had lost his composure. Too embarrassed to get up, he kept his head buried against the man's chest and said in a muffled voice, "I'm not afraid. I just don't want to trouble you. I signed a contract, and breaking it means paying five million in compensation."

He was already living in the man's home, and the man kept helping him and taking care of him. He did not want to trouble him, no matter what.

The things he had once longed for, the things he had thought he would never have, had appeared before him just like that.

Even if it was only temporary, the man's embrace was so warm that it was enough to bring him to tears.

Fu Xiuyuan sighed softly, pulled a tissue from the table, and wiped the young man's tears. Completely unconcerned, he said, "It's only five million. I, Fu Xiuyuan, am not someone who would let my partner suffer over that kind of money."

To him, five million was merely a small project. It was nothing at all.

He picked up his phone and settled things with his secretary, then turned to ask, "If you want to keep working as an entertainer, come to Baiyu."

Baiyu was a highly prestigious entertainment company in the industry. It had launched countless A-list stars and had excellent resources.

He also had quite a few joint projects with Baiyu and considerable influence there.

Arranging for the young man to join it was clearly the most sensible choice.

Gu Nian'an, however, froze for a moment.

He did not want to keep being an entertainer, but the male lead seemed to have already arranged a company for him, and the original owner had wanted to become famous too. If he refused again, there was the question of whether people would realize he was not the original owner.

Even setting that aside, he could hardly let the male lead go to all that trouble for nothing.

So he gave a slight nod.

A moment later, he asked softly, "But I don't really want to attend too many events, and I don't want to act either. Would that be all right?"

Fu Xiuyuan waved a hand dismissively. "I'll sort it out with your manager. As long as you're happy."

Gu Nian'an could not help hugging him again and murmured, "Thank you, Mr. Fu."

Feeling the warmth in his arms, Fu Xiuyuan's gaze darkened slightly, and he gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.