Chapter 10 – A dinner party full of ill intentions

Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen

“Producer Liu! Hello, hello! Long time no see! Yes, we met at a salon before, if you don’t remember, no worries, here’s my business card.”

“Manager Sun, so great to finally meet you! Your company is so well-known in the industry, how could I not know? Oh, you’re too kind. I’m just lucky to be part of Longfeng…”

“Director Yang! That movie you recently directed was really good! Yes, I watched it, and I’m always following your great work! It’s clearly a hit!”

“I’m just here today to let the young ones under me see the world, he’s just a…” Wang Shigang turned around and saw Yan Shu standing far away, his smile freezing on his face.

In front of these big shots, he didn’t dare speak loudly to Yan Shu, so he frantically mouthed, “Come over here!”

Yan Shu slowly took a small step forward, and Wang Shigang couldn’t resist reaching out to pull him closer. Turning back to the big shots, Wang Shigang put on a flattering smile once more.

“This is our company’s artist Yan Shu. Yes, he’s a member of a boy group, a singer and dancer, occasionally taking on minor roles in dramas.”

After introducing Yan Shu, Wang Shigang noticed that Yan Shu was still standing there like a log. Losing his patience, he coldly said, “What are you doing? Learn to call people! Do you understand manners?”

Yan Shu usually let Wang Shigang’s nagging go in one ear and out the other. He had even forgotten the identities and surnames of these people from earlier.

Looking around, the average age of these people seemed to be over 40.

Yan Shu politely spoke up, “Hello, elders. Nice to meet you for the first time. I apologize for any lack of courtesy as a junior. Please forgive me.”

He then performed a traditional bow of respect as a junior.

The group of people was stunned by this scene and looked at each other in surprise.

Just as Wang Shigang was about to rebuke him, they heard applause from outside the door.

“Hahaha! This kid is so well-behaved. You old folks can indeed be called elders by him.”

The newcomer seemed a bit younger than the people present, dressed in a flashy purple suit, hair impeccably styled, adorned with multiple rings, the diamonds on them shining brightly.

Even his earrings were purple diamonds, and a strong men’s cologne filled the entire private room.

“Manager Wang, stop scolding him in the future. You’re around the same age as him, so it’s natural to feel nervous in such situations, right?” The man patted Wang Shigang’s shoulder.

Wang Shigang nodded with a smile, “Yes, yes, Young Master Jia is right. It’s just a professional habit. The young ones in the company are rebellious, hard to manage. I was just worried that Yan Shu, being a first-timer here, might offend everyone.”

Jia Chong smiled as he looked at the people present, “Do you feel offended?”

Everyone shook their heads, praising Yan Shu for being polite.

At this critical moment, anyone who couldn’t see that this kid was already in Young Master Jia’s pocket was a fool.

Yan Shu observed quietly on the side, making judgments in his heart.

With Young Master Jia’s arrival, everyone immediately toned down their presence, not daring to challenge his authority.

Clearly, Young Master Jia was the central figure at this dinner party, holding the highest position in terms of status and influence.

The dynamics in the room shifted from Wang Shigang surrounded by a group of big shots to everyone surrounding Young Master Jia.

Watching these people exchange pleasantries and shake hands, Yan Shu felt like their palms were on fire.

Jia Chong’s presence livened up the atmosphere, and after Wang Shigang was signaled out, he didn’t dare show an unfriendly face to Yan Shu anymore.

As everyone gathered and got ready to eat, Wang Shigang specifically seated Yan Shu next to Jia Chong.

In a low voice, he advised, “Be attentive later, offer a few more toasts to Young Master Jia, be flexible, got it?”

Yan Shu chose not to respond to Wang Shigang’s words and simply shut him up with his actions.

Bravely, he sat down, and this bold move directly pleased Jia Chong.

Swiftly waving his hand like shooing away a fly, Jia Chong directed Wang Shigang to sit on the other side, and Wang Shigang obediently and quickly moved away.

His mission for today was already more than half accomplished.

In fact, Jia Chong had taken the initiative to provide this opportunity.

Wang Shigang had no idea when Jia Chong had set his sights on Yan Shu. When Jia Chong’s secretary contacted him, Wang Shigang agreed without a second thought.

The entertainment industry was full of such deals; some small fries wanted to cling to big shots, but they weren’t even noticed.

How great was it when the big shot actively came to you, allowing you to latch on? Just a bit of rubbing shoulders, and you could soar to great heights.

Wang Shigang not only felt no guilt but was proud of his excellent and sharp judgment.

Yan Shu was under his management. Although it took a few years to nurture this talent, the effort would eventually pay off.

Now is the time for things to come to a head.

“How’s your alcohol tolerance, Xiaoyan? I won’t bully you, just offering you one drink.”

Yan Shu glanced at the size of the wine glass, probably around 150 milliliters, which when full might be about three or two ounces.

Yan Shu could hold his liquor before he inhabited this body, his tolerance was not shallow. However, he wasn’t sure about the alcohol tolerance of this current body.

He didn’t believe Jia Chong was so kind as to go easy on him at the drinking table. If drinking could help him get through this situation, he was willing to drink.

“Old Yang, you had a script before, and I thought it was quite good. Don’t you like to recruit good-looking actors? Here, there’s a ready one, why not consider it?”

Exquisite dishes were being served one after another by the waiters, while people with various thoughts chatted and ate.

Director Yang was also a cunning fox. He didn’t directly answer the question but joked, “Since you’re so optimistic, is Young Master Jia prepared to invest a bit more? With the funds in place, where can’t you find good-looking actors? Even I can bring Wei Tingxiao to you! Haha!”

Wei Tingxiao?

Upon hearing the name he just learned this morning, Yan Shu’s mind suddenly perked up.

Are they planning to invite Wei Tingxiao to act?

Just as Jia Chong took a bite of food, he scoffed at the words, “The big movie emperor looks down on the dramas I invest in! The remuneration he demands could hire several A-list stars. Let’s forget about it.”

Jia Chong didn’t want to beat around the bush. He glanced at the young man quietly sipping soup and wickedly smiled, “In this era, we still need to promote new talents. If they don’t know, they can be taught. Maybe it’s a low-cost, high-return investment? I think Yan Shu is quite suitable for a leading role.”

Finally, the main topic of the evening arrived.

No one present was naive; they were all shrewd individuals who had long been in the industry and understood Jia Chong’s temperament well.

This was the beginning of painting a rosy future for the newcomer. It’s difficult for a young artist just entering the entertainment industry to resist such temptations.

In today’s TV dramas, those who are suddenly cast as the male or female leads without any acting foundation are likely backed by a wealthy sponsor.

Resourceful individuals flaunt themselves in the industry, disregarding their reputation, as long as they earn enough exposure in front of the audience.

The young talent brought here tonight was definitely not the first male artist Jia Chong wanted to promote, but it was clear he was the one Jia Chong was most willing to invest heavily in.

In the past, promoting someone at least followed a gradual process, but now, they are turning a newcomer in the entertainment industry directly into a leading actor.

Director Yang was taken aback but dared not refute, as Young Master Jia was also the main sponsor of their drama crew! How could he afford to offend him?

During the course of exchanging cups and plates, this matter was verbally agreed upon.

Jia Chong was very pleased; there was nothing he desired in life that he couldn’t obtain, and the matters he controlled always went according to plan.

Ever since he came across the video news related to the SAP boy group online, Jia Chong had set his eyes on the most stunning flower vase among them.

He truly wanted to see what expression that cold face would reveal in bed.

Yan Shu’s performance at the music festival yesterday had impressed him even more.

Such a rare beauty was not easy to come by. Since he had set his sights on him, he didn’t want to delay. If another wealthy elite in the industry snatched him away first, he would feel regretful.

So that night, he had his secretary contact SAP’s agent. This meticulously planned dinner party was nearly set in stone in an instant.

Yan Shu was Jia Chong’s favourite in terms of looks and physique.

As long as he was willing to invest resources, any artist would willingly come under his wing.

His intention of promoting Yan Shu was already quite evident. Jia Chong wanted to see how Yan Shu would react.

Would he be shocked? Grateful? Or… would he resist yet welcome?

Proudly turning his head to look, precisely at that moment, a droplet of oil splattered into his right eye, causing him to close it immediately in pain.

“Ah!” he exclaimed, clearly in discomfort.

Yan Shu, startled, put down the half-peeled crayfish in his hand, quickly picked up a wet tissue from the table, and handed it over.

“Sorry, it was my fault. Are you okay?”

Jia Chong gritted his teeth, managing to squeeze out two words, “I’m… fine.”

It seemed that while he was working hard to secure resources for the young artist, the artist was not only unexcited but also seemed entirely oblivious to his surroundings, peeling shrimp at the table.

How big was this kid’s heart?

Entering the entertainment industry not for money and fame, but just for a meal? Nerve-wracking!

Jia Chong went through a tumultuous internal struggle before calming down. He reassured himself, ‘Yan Shu must be too naive and needs proper guidance. Acting so clueless and dull, how will I show him off to my friends in the future? A newbie can be sweet, but shouldn’t be overly foolish.’

He went to the restroom to clean the oil from his eyes. When he returned, both his eyes were slightly red, and the previous pain had caused tears to involuntarily well up.

No one was aware of Jia Chong’s thoughts about Yan Shu. As far as they could see, the Jia Chong who returned to his seat at that moment seemed more like a rabbit. The people at the table stifled their laughter, not daring to speak out.

Jia Chong didn’t notice the expressions of the others; he hadn’t forgotten the purpose of his visit tonight. To savor the taste of rabbit meat, he had even taken a bath before heading out.

After the recent incident, Jia Chong was no longer polite. Tenderness and cherishing should not be used at the drinking table.

He began pouring more and more drinks for Yan Shu.

Of all the glasses on the table, Yan Shu’s contained the highest-proof white liquor, a whopping 68%. For those who couldn’t handle alcohol, a small glass could easily leave one completely disoriented. Even those with some tolerance couldn’t handle being served such high-proof liquor.

Yan Shu was almost choked by the spiciness from the first sip. This was entirely different from the drinks he had with Dayun. This was too extreme!

With such strong liquor, he feared he wouldn’t be able to handle a full glass.

Pretending to be overwhelmed by the alcohol, his fair skin flushed with a pinkish hue, Yan Shu waved his hand, “I can’t drink this much. You promised not to bully me.”

Although he seemed to be calmly pushing back, in Jia Chong’s ears, it was nothing but a blatant display of coquetry.

Seeing Yan Shu’s gaze start to become hazy and unfocused, Jia Chong confidently believed that he was already drunk. Kids who hadn’t drunk much were the easiest to manipulate¹The filth of the rich and powerful. It’s everywhere in this world. I won’t bring the topic up much cuz its borderline political and I don’t want to be hunted down.

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  The filth of the rich and powerful. It’s everywhere in this world. I won’t bring the topic up much cuz its borderline political and I don’t want to be hunted down.