SAE CH7

“Congratulations, Jiang-ge! You’ve lost a full ten pounds!” Xiao Zhou ceremoniously bought a party popper and let it rip a few times right at Jiang Fanxing, as if he had accomplished some impossible mission.

Heh, losing ten pounds in half a month—truly unimaginable.

Acting training classes started at 8:30 AM sharp, requiring a substantial emotional output every single morning. At 2:00 PM came vocal and dance lessons, which barely elevated Jiang Fanxing from ‘average KTV goer’ to ‘mic hog’, and his dancing from ‘just recognizing my own limbs’ to ‘looks like morning calisthenics’. When night fell, he still had to endure strength training and body sculpting, entirely eradicating his little belly. Three meals a day consisted of either munching on vegetable leaves or being on the way to munching on vegetable leaves. Occasionally getting an extra egg, some chicken breast, or fish felt like celebrating the New Year.

Only during the weight-loss process did Jiang Fanxing realize that the celebrities he saw eating so happily on variety shows weren’t acting.

They were genuinely starving.

Starving to the point where if a cow walked past, they’d chase it down for a bite.

This damn life was completely devoid of joy.

If he couldn’t eat and drink freely, what was the point of making so much money?

The heavens are vast, the earth is vast, but eating and drinking are the vastest of all.

Jiang Fanxing had pondered countless times how he could tear up the contract and somehow dodge that thirty-million-yuan penalty.

He was really starving.

If an artist looks ten pounds heavier on camera, it proves the camera is the problem. Why has no one ever thought of improving the cameras, instead demanding the artists endlessly lose weight? Doesn’t this promote a morbid weight-loss culture?

He couldn’t endure this hellish life for another day. Let the world hurry up and end.

Jiang Fanxing’s self-confidence crumbled daily, and his temper grew increasingly volatile, to the point where even Chen Kele took detours to avoid him. During acting class, when performing scenes requiring explosive emotions, Jiang Fanxing’s delivery was remarkably on-point. Even Teacher Wang praised him as a natural born for this industry.

“Jiang-ge, you have a makeup test tomorrow. So, to cheer you up today, you get one cheat meal,” Xiao Zhou said, having thoroughly figured out Jiang Fanxing’s temper over this period.

Although Jiang Fanxing’s mental state was somewhat unstable lately, generally speaking, as long as you didn’t provoke him, he would only go crazy on his own. But if someone walked right into the line of fire, all bets were off; he’d bite anyone he saw.

Shen Tianqing had given a thousand reminders over the phone: tomorrow’s makeup test for the “Wansheng” production was absolutely crucial, and no mistakes could be made. He would drive back overnight, arriving before 7:00 AM to accompany Jiang Fanxing to the test. Xiao Zhou’s responsibility was to placate Jiang Fanxing’s temper.

After much deliberation, Xiao Zhou decided to personally prepare a massive feast for Jiang Fanxing.

“Ta-da! This way, Jiang-ge. We’ve got it all ready for you.” Xiao Zhou led Jiang Fanxing to the company kitchen, then revealed a massive spread of food.

“Thirteen-spice crayfish, steamed crabs, seafood congee, BBQ skewers…”

Creatures of the sky, land, and sea—everything was there.

Jiang Fanxing’s mood instantly soared.

I’m back, baby!

As long as he could eat these delicacies, his life still had meaning.

Watching Jiang Fanxing charge in and feast ravenously, Xiao Zhou couldn’t help but sigh silently in his heart.

Jiang-ge really has a good temper. If it were the artists I managed before, they would be using this opportunity to make all sorts of unreasonable demands right now. Sometimes Shen-ge had to personally step in to subdue them. None of them were as easy to coax as Jiang Fanxing.

After a day of indulging in his cheat meal, Jiang Fanxing even had more energy during his workout.

So delicious. I feel like I’m only alive in this world for this mouthful of food.

At 5:00 AM the next morning, a groggy Jiang Fanxing was half-dragged, half-carried by Xiao Zhou into the RV. He was forced to rinse his mouth with several mouthfuls of mouthwash before the makeup artist started working on his face and hair. The stylist brought over various outfits, measuring them against him back and forth.

If Jiang Fanxing still didn’t wake up after all this, he would be a dead man.

“It’s only 5:30? The sun hasn’t even clocked in yet,” Jiang Fanxing glanced at the time on his forcefully strapped-on watch and completely broke down.

He knew there was a reason he was this exhausted.

He had worked out until past 1:00 AM last night because he had eaten BBQ at midnight, so Xiao Zhou had forced him to hit the gym for another hour. By the time he finished washing up and got into bed, it was 2:00 AM. He had only slept for three hours.

“You go back to sleep,” Shen Tianqing turned around from the passenger seat, pushing up his non-prescription glasses, which gave him a distinct elite aura. His overall condition looked much better than before.

If memory served, Shen Tianqing had been out working for over three months, traveling back and forth between several cities to meet different investors, discussing cases with various lawyers, and racking his brains to clean up the messes left by those two disgraced artists. He hadn’t been on a vacation.

How could there be such a freak in this world who looked even more radiant after three consecutive months of overtime?

“They’re professionals. Even if you’re asleep, they can change your clothes and do your styling. They used to be Qin Shi’s professional team, but now they’re yours. And this RV, it was also Qin Shi’s, now mortgaged to me,” Shen Tianqing continued. “We have to drive for two hours to reach the hotel where the crew is based. We must arrive before 9:00.”

“Boss, did you miscalculate the time? Arrive before 9:00? It’s only 5:00 now. A two-hour drive means we’ll be there by 7:00!” Jiang Fanxing was shocked.

“This is a tier-one city. Just how terrifying do you think the morning rush hour is at six or seven?” Shen Tianqing countered. “Better early than late. You’re still just a rookie.”

Jiang Fanxing was left speechless.

“By the way, I heard you’ve been getting close with Chen Kele recently. He hasn’t been attending his acting classes much, and has been constantly body-sculpting instead…” Shen Tianqing frowned. “What kind of crazy idea did you give him?”

“Well, you don’t have any resources for him anyway, so he’s trying to save himself. Plenty of artists have made a comeback just by knowing how to put on a show,” Jiang Fanxing yawned repeatedly. “Having more skills never hurts.”

Shen Tianqing sighed. Having met Jiang Fanxing’s parents, he truly couldn’t imagine how such normal parents could raise someone like Jiang Fanxing.

He could only conclude that the heavens were fair: giving Jiang Fanxing beauty and intelligence meant taking away a normal person’s prudence.

Fortunately, he had studied law. If he had studied finance, he might have been his own boss by now.

Or so Shen Tianqing thought.

Beside them, the makeup artist and stylist exchanged a glance and silently put even more effort into styling Jiang Fanxing.

They initially thought he was just a highly promising rookie, but they hadn’t expected him to be able to converse with Shen Tianqing like this. And Shen Tianqing was actually sighing repeatedly.

This was Shen Tianqing! Even a huge star like Qin Shi hadn’t dared to confront him directly, only daring to play petty tricks behind his back.

Just what is Jiang Fanxing’s background?

By 7:30 AM, Jiang Fanxing arrived at the hotel where the “Wansheng” crew was based.

In the hotel’s underground parking garage, several similar RVs were already parked.

What the hell, is everyone this hardcore?

Jiang Fanxing choked down a few bites of breakfast in the RV before following Shen Tianqing out.

“I won’t say much else, but once you’re with the crew, behave yourself,” Shen Tianqing warned once more. “Although this role is practically ours, we absolutely cannot let our guard down. Often, even after signing a contract and filming for a month, you can still be replaced. We’re only here for a makeup test today, understand?”

“Don’t worry, I get it,” Jiang Fanxing tried his best to wake up. He had already secured the promise that he could go back to sleep right after the test, so naturally, he knew what to do and what not to do. “Before the dust settles on the result, I can fake it perfectly.”

Heh, I personally reviewed the contract. If the production dares to breach it, I’ll sue them until they’re kneeling and apologizing!

Ever since the “Wansheng” production announced Qiao Qiao as the female lead, the project’s rating instantly skyrocketed to the highest tier. Countless artists wanted to snag a role in this production.

Along the way, led by Shen Tianqing, Jiang Fanxing had already seen over a dozen familiar faces.

Although Nian Nian Studio wasn’t doing well, Shen Tianqing’s lingering prestige remained. Therefore, even though Jiang Fanxing was a fresh face, he still received plenty of smiles. The rumored scenes of rookies being blatantly bullied didn’t happen to him.

Are you kidding? Shen Tianqing is right here.

Once the lawsuits with Qin Shi and Yi Zhu were settled, Shen Tianqing might just stage a comeback.

The circle was small; they would inevitably cross paths and need to collaborate in the future. Offending him now was out of the question.

Of course, quite a few young actors silently took note of Jiang Fanxing upon seeing him, instructing their teams to thoroughly investigate him.

The young actor lane was always crowded. Finally, Qin Shi had fallen, and everyone hadn’t even finished devouring his slice of the pie when a new competitor suddenly appeared, brought into this crew by Shen Tianqing no less. Taking early precautions was never a mistake.

Even salespeople worry about new hires stealing their commissions, let alone the vanity fair that is the entertainment industry.

Harmony was non-existent; backstabbing was guaranteed.

Wherever the money flows, there lies the colosseum.

“You’re here. The director and the others are waiting. When the time comes, act tough. I have faith in you,” a woman with exquisite makeup and designer clothes said to Shen Tianqing and Jiang Fanxing. “Go on in.”

Shen Tianqing silently mouthed the word “Zhang”.

Oh, Producer Zhang Jie.

The one who agreed to trade the debt write-off with him.

Jiang Fanxing instantly put on a genuinely sincere smile.

This is a VIP client.

Just as Jiang Fanxing was about to say something, a person suddenly dashed out of the room, bumping squarely into him.

“Jiang-ge, are you okay?” Xiao Zhou immediately stepped forward in concern.

“Sorry, sorry,” the person’s voice was choked with sobs. He glanced at Jiang Fanxing, then ran out crying.

Looks familiar… but damn, he’s really good-looking.

Immediately, two people looking like managers chased after him.

“Xiao Qiu, Xiao Qiu, you’re the best. Don’t mind what the director said.”

“Xiao Qiu, today you can have two candies. Three, three, is that okay?”

Are they coaxing a child?

Jiang Fanxing suddenly remembered who the person who bumped into him was.

Wasn’t this Qiu Songsheng, the untouchable center-position idol that Chen Kele desperately wanted to surpass?

Wait, doesn’t he cultivate an image of a cold, aloof male god obsessed solely with music for his fans? Getting scolded to tears by the director and running away—is this for real?

“The director is very strict; he scolded Qiu Songsheng to tears. He auditioned for one of the two male leads,” Zhang Jie sighed nearby. “He’s an idol transitioning to an actor, so it’s normal that his acting is poor. But he has traffic, he’s good-looking, and he’s willing to yield the top billing. We couldn’t find a better rising star than him.”

After speaking, Zhang Jie looked at Jiang Fanxing with some concern, “Later, if your makeup test or audition goes poorly and the director scolds you, you can’t…”

“I’ll try my best not to make the director cry,” Jiang Fanxing cracked his neck, radiating fighting spirit. “Bring it on!”

“Ah?”