Chapter 4: Filming Begins

A sunny afternoon.

Though it was cold in Seoul and light snow was falling outside, the café felt like a warm little haven.

Even though he had already seen Qi Huai’s appearance on the hotel’s CCTV, when Qi Huai appeared in person before Choi Min-jun, the seasoned manager who was often surrounded by celebrities, he was still a little shaken by the other man’s looks.

No wonder Yoon Nam-hyuk had gone into the lounge with him…

Yoo Ji-hoon, Yoon Nam-hyuk’s assistant, had handled the CCTV footage cleanly. But for someone like Choi Min-jun, who had already laid his groundwork, finding out about Qi Huai’s existence wasn’t difficult.

Although this guy had inadvertently disrupted his plan, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.

Rather than worrying whether Baek Soo-kyung could catch Yoon Nam-hyuk’s interest, why not directly use the bait that had already hooked him?

Wouldn’t that raise the chances of success?

“Are you Manager Choi?”

“That’s me. You must be Mr. Qi Huai? Nice to meet you, I’m Choi Min-jun, senior manager at W Entertainment.”

Choi Min-jun had fair skin and refined features, dressed in a suit like an elite professional, his voice was gentle and polite, and he wore rimless glasses that added to his cultured look. Smiling as he shook hands with Qi Huai, the dimple in his right cheek deepened, making him appear even more likable.

System: [Wow… so this is what a pervert who likes NTR and eavesdropping on other people’s se-x looks like. You’d never guess it from his appearance.]

Qi Huai: …

Choi Min-jun spoke warmly: “May I ask your age? Sorry, Koreans always have the habit of asking that. For a foreigner, it might be uncomfortable, right?”

Qi Huai smiled: “It’s fine. I’m 22. Director Ahn Yonghe also asked me my age; I don’t mind.”

Choi Min-jun sighed: “Wow, only 22? I’m ten years older than you… If you don’t mind, just call me hyung—it’ll feel a little closer that way.”

Qi Huai nodded: “Min-jun hyung.”

Choi Min-jun: “I’ll be direct then. I heard from Director Ahn Yonghe that you’re considering entering the entertainment industry. Do you have any plans right now?”

Qi Huai: “I want to find a suitable company to sign with, but I’m not in a hurry.”

Choi Min-jun chuckled: “The director said you come from a good family. As expected, kids with a good background have confidence.”

Qi Huai lowered his gaze with a faint smile: “The director was just teasing me. Choosing a company is important—once you sign, it’s several years. Naturally, I want to do my homework and take my time. That way, it’ll be better for both me and the company.”

“Such a mature way of thinking.” Choi Min-jun smiled as he handed over his business card. “What do you think of Woosan Entertainment? We’re a long-established company of over a decade, a real leader in the Korean industry. And as it happens, I’m a senior manager here. Very few people can hold that title for long—I’m one of them.”

Qi Huai accepted the card: “You don’t seem to know much about me. Can I ask why you want to sign me?”

Choi Min-jun gazed at him, his tone calm and unhurried: “Because I think we’re the same kind of person. Qi Huai, you left home to chase your dream—you must want to prove yourself, right? I can tell you’re calculating and determined, unlike those spoiled rich kids who say they want to prove themselves but never actually do anything. If that’s what I thought of you, I wouldn’t be talking about signing you. I’d just happily have coffee with you and recommend you for an interview at a friend’s small company. Of course, I’m also satisfied with your looks. Director Ahn Yonghe has always had a sharp eye, and that’s one of the reasons too. But good looks and directors’ praise are everywhere—that’s not what makes me choose someone. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be a senior manager. What I value more is brains and conviction, Qi Huai—that desire to win. That’s my standard.”

The desire to win.

So this was also the standard by which Choi Min-jun signed the protagonist-shou Baek Soo-kyung? Qi Huai stirred his coffee thoughtfully.

“I really appreciate your offer, and your trust.” Qi Huai said lightly. “Can I take a few days to think it over? I’ve only just arrived in Korea and don’t know much about Woosan Entertainment yet, so…”

“Of course, I completely understand.” The probing look in Choi Min-jun’s eyes faded at once. His voice turned as soft as a breeze, skilled at lowering one’s guard. “If you’re curious about Woosan at all, feel free to call me anytime—or you can ask Director Ahn Yonghe. He’s a partner of ours and knows our president well. If you want to learn more about the industry, he can help you a lot.”

They chatted idly for another ten minutes before parting.

The system was confused: [Weren’t you planning to sign?]

Qi Huai muttered: “No rush. He came to me, so the home ground is mine. If I agreed on the spot, there’d be no room to negotiate. I looked at their contract—ten years. I don’t want to sign for that long. Let’s leave him hanging for a few days.”

[Oh…] The system found that reasonable. 

[So what do we do now, Oppa?]

Qi Huai sighed: “Look for an apartment… Before the end of January, we have to move out of the Cheongdam-dong flat. Otherwise, before I even start earning money, we’ll already be unable to pay rent.”

And then there were the debts…

Fortunately, the original host had only rented the place short-term. Otherwise, it’d be a nightmare.

In addition, he had to get rid of all those rented luxury goods and counterfeits. Before the system completely legitimized his identity, Qi Huai had to hide the fact that the original body was a scammer.

Protect the disguise.

Don’t make this already collapsing opening any harder.

---

Before Qi Huai gave his answer about signing with Choi Min-jun, Director Ahn Yonghe’s movie began filming.

The movie was titled The Fox Spirit’s Promise, adapted from a popular comic—a love story.

It told the tale of Min-er, a fox spirit searching through reincarnations for the benefactor who saved her in a past life. In the process of repaying him, she gradually falls in love with Kim Seung-soo, a gentle, smart, wealthy man—who has lost only one thing: the ability to love.

Because Kim cannot return her affection, Min-er suffers deeply. To restore his ability to love, she endures hardships and finally seeks out the great fox demon Qing Luan.

Through Qing Luan’s power to rewind time, Min-er learns that in his past life, Kim had traded his “love” to save a little fox’s life—meaning that she herself was Kim’s love.

The production team was almost entirely under Woosan Entertainment’s influence. The heroine Min-er was played by Woosan’s rising star, Cha Go-eun. “Gong 3” Park Seok-jin was cast as the gentle, wealthy, love-less Kim Seung-soo.

As for Baek Soo-kyung (the protagonist-shou) and Qi Huai, they were cast respectively as Kim Seung-soo’s past-life self, and the great demon Qing Luan—whose role had few scenes, but required a visually stunning impact.

“Oh my gosh! Director, where did you find such a handsome demon? My heart is melting!”

When Qi Huai stepped out in costume from the makeup room, heroine Cha Go-eun dramatically covered her mouth and widened her eyes, making the director laugh heartily.

Excited, Ahn Yonghe pulled Qi Huai forward to show everyone: “I caught him on a plane—didn’t expect it, right? Hahaha!”

Qi Huai, embarrassed, let the director parade him around.

Cha Go-eun pouted playfully: “Director, you’re so lucky. If I had your luck, I’d already have a boyfriend by now.”

The role of Qing Luan had long been unsettled, but now the director himself had confirmed it. Kim Seung-soo’s past-life role, however, had been suddenly replaced—from a newcomer with two works under his belt, to complete rookie Baek Soo-kyung, shoved in by Choi Min-jun.

Baek’s sudden appearance had indeed stirred a little dissatisfaction among some bit-part actors.

But in the original comic, the reason Park Seok-jin (Gong 3) became entangled with the protagonist-shou was precisely because Baek’s raw, clumsy performance in this film reminded him of his own early days.

System: [F*ck, so twisted!] 

It gnashed its teeth. 

[That narcissistic freak Park Seok-jin! If he wants to screw himself, he should just buy some toys and do it at home—why hurt someone else?!]

Then it suddenly went “huh?” 

[Wait… is it because he likes eating his own d—]

Qi Huai: Cough!

System: ?

Qi Huai: “Shut up.”

System: Oh…

Not far away, Baek Soo-kyung, also in costume, peeked shyly yet in awe at Qi Huai…

So handsome, he thought. Must be a new actor too, maybe from Woosan? If so, wouldn’t that make him my junior?

“ Soo-kyung.”

“Eh?” Baek started, turning around to see Choi Min-jun suddenly behind him. “Min-jun hyung?”

Choi Min-jun smiled gently, speaking low: “There are many charming people in this industry. But Soo-kyung, you must never forget what you’re here to do, okay?”

Baek Soo-kyung’s face went pale: “Yes, hyung, I understand.”

Choi Min-jun: “Good boy. This role is just your first step into the industry. As long as you take every task seriously, better roles will come to you. Do you understand?”

Baek Soo-kyung nodded obediently.