Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
As planes streaked across the sky, leaving milky-white trails behind them,
the signed artists and staff of Spring Sun Province's "Didn't Expect This One" entertainment company boarded flights to Nanjiang, preparing to attend the annual company gathering.
**Seven Kingdoms Ancient Costume Film Studio, Huanglian City**
**A TV Drama Set**
"Cut!"
"Zhu Tingting, wrap!"
"Thank you, everyone! Thank you!"
Amid the shouts from the set,
Zhu Tingting finally finished filming his last scene. After happily taking group photos, he walked through the set holding a bouquet, saying goodbye to each crew member one by one.
Perhaps because of his previous experience working in a hotel,
Zhu Tingting treated the set crew, logistics staff, and other workers with particular respect and had built great relationships with them.
Even on days when he wasn't scheduled to film, he would often help out with miscellaneous tasks.
When the crew heard Zhu Tingting had wrapped,
many of them came to see him off.
Some of the lighting technicians, who were suspended in mid-air adjusting lights and couldn't come down,
simply crossed their spotlights to illuminate the path in front of Zhu Tingting as a unique way of saying goodbye.
In the dimly lit set, the surrounding figures were barely visible,
but the road ahead of Zhu Tingting was brilliantly lit.
The chaotic set seemed to transform into a dazzling star-studded path, guiding him forward.
"Goodbye, Tingting! Hope we get to work together again!"
"Tingting, keep it up!"
"See you, Tingting!"
"Bye!"
Zhu Tingting's eyes reddened slightly. He stood in the middle of the set and bowed deeply to everyone.
"Thank you all, thank you!"
Reluctantly returning to the dressing room,
Zhu Tingting's eyes were still a little teary.
His manager sat beside him, looking extremely satisfied as she scrolled through her phone.
She had successfully captured the moment when the crew sent Zhu Tingting off, with the lighting technicians creating the "starlight path" for him.
"This photo is perfect!"
"If we post this online, it'll earn him a lot of goodwill!"
Many in the industry loved crafting personas,
and they had previously brainstormed several for Zhu Tingting—even considering a "lemon honey water" health-conscious boy image—
but ultimately, none felt authentic enough, so they were scrapped.
But just when they needed it most!!!
Today's spontaneous farewell from the crew was practically a ready-made persona gift-wrapped for them!
Over the years, many actors had been praised by directors, peers, and seniors,
but how many had been sent off so emotionally by the ordinary crew members?!
"Luck is on our side!"
The manager sighed in satisfaction as she saved the photo,
planning to carefully design a caption and release it at the perfect time.
"Your flight is booked for the day after tomorrow to Nanjiang."
"Tomorrow, I'll take you shopping to pick something out for Sister Huang."
"She likes jewelry."
"Let's look for a ring or bracelet for her—something around 200,000 yuan."
"After all, you don't have that much money yet, so anything more expensive isn't realistic."
"Sister Huang won't care about the amount anyway; it's the thought that counts."
Zhu Tingting: "Got it, sis. I'll follow your lead."
The "Sister Huang" the manager referred to was Huang Ning, the boss of Spring Sun Province's "Didn't Expect This One" entertainment company.
It was an unspoken company tradition for artists to bring small gifts for her after completing projects and earning paychecks.
Just as the manager was browsing her phone, recommending jewelry brands and styles to Zhu Tingting,
his phone suddenly rang.
"Boss?!?"
Seeing "Chen Jianhai" on the caller ID, Zhu Tingting's eyes lit up, and he stood up excitedly.
The manager immediately fell silent, not daring to interrupt the conversation between Zhu Tingting and his financial backer.
"A private jet?!" Zhu Tingting exclaimed in shock, his face full of disbelief.
The manager's ears perked up instantly.
Wait, what?!
Was the boss arranging a private jet for Zhu Tingting?!
This was next-level generosity!
"No, no, really, it's unnecessary!" Zhu Tingting protested anxiously. "Boss, my manager already booked my flight. I'm flying back to Nanjiang the day after tomorrow."
The manager gritted her teeth, nearly lunging for the phone in frustration.
*Are you stupid?!*
*Someone offers you a private jet, and you refuse?!*
*What are you being modest for?!*
*It's not like the plane ticket can't be refunded!*
"No, boss, don't misunderstand. The ticket I bought isn't some golden private jet—it's just a regular commercial flight," Zhu Tingting explained nervously.
The manager stared intently at Zhu Tingting's phone.
*Good!*
*The boss must be insisting!*
"But boss, I'm just a small-time actor. Wouldn't taking a private jet be too flashy?" Zhu Tingting hesitated.
The manager nearly exploded at his words.
*Too flashy, my foot!*
*Small-time actor, my ass!*
*Do you even realize how many contracts and endorsements you've signed recently?!*
*You've already climbed into the company's top tier this quarter—get some self-awareness!*
Just as Zhu Tingting was about to refuse again,
the manager couldn't take it anymore. In desperation, she grabbed a lipstick from her bag, scribbled "ACCEPT!!!" on a piece of paper,
and thrust it right in front of Zhu Tingting's face.
Zhu Tingting, mid-refusal,
was stunned by the two bold red words suddenly shoved into his view.
Across from him,
the manager had lost all composure, silently screaming at him to accept while violently stabbing the paper with her finger—
so hard she poked a hole straight through it.
*This absolute idiot!*
*When a backer is willing to invest in you, you seize the opportunity to elevate your status and build your career foundation!*
*If you wait until they lose interest, you'll have nowhere to cry!*
Seeing the manager's near-hysterical expression, Zhu Tingting reluctantly nodded.
"Whew!"
The manager exhaled in relief.
This whole private jet ordeal had stressed her out.
Thankfully, as a woman, she always carried lipsticks in her bag.
At least in emergencies, she could use them to write messages.
If this had been a male assistant, he might've had to bite his finger and write in blood.
"But… couldn't you have just used your phone?" Zhu Tingting asked timidly after hanging up.
Wouldn't typing on a phone work too?
The manager rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to poke his forehead.
"Would tiny phone text have gotten your attention?!"
Zhu Tingting shut up.
Those bold red letters had genuinely startled him.
"Sis, given my status, isn't taking a private jet a bit too much?"
The manager looked at him with exasperation. "What kind of place do you think this industry is?"
"It's a cutthroat world that eats people alive!"
"Forget the whole industry—just within our company, have you seen anyone keeping a low profile?"
"Everyone's fighting tooth and nail to get ahead, scrambling like wolves!"
"Even those barely scraping by, unable to afford rent or on the verge of giving up, still put on a tough front to avoid showing weakness."
"…Playing humble? Who do you think you are? A veteran artist?"
"Are you even in a position to act modest?"
Her expression turned icy.
"The stronger you appear, the less others dare to mess with you."
"If you show weakness, everyone will use you as a scapegoat, step on you, and take a bite out of you!"
"Only when you're powerful enough and your position in the industry is solid do you get the privilege of choosing to be low-key."
Zhu Tingting fell silent for a long moment before nodding. "I understand."
The manager eyed him.
"Do I really have to spell this out for you?"
"You're not some fresh graduate—you've worked in a hotel before."
"Isn't the competition there even fiercer?!"
Zhu Tingting quickly shook his head. "No, the atmosphere at our hotel was great. People didn't play these games."
The manager scoffed.
"No games… What about promotions? Raises? Aren't those tied to salaries and bonuses?"
"If you don't fight, don't push, don't stand out, how much could you possibly earn in a month?"
Zhu Tingting: "Around 20,000 yuan? With overtime, close to 30,000?"
Manager: "!!!???"
Zhu Tingting: "Plus, we get annual salary and housing fund adjustments. There's really no need for all this high-profile vs. low-profile stuff."
Manager: "?!!!"
Zhu Tingting almost added that if you were good at making PowerPoints, you could earn up to 50,000 a month—
but seeing the manager's expression, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
Suddenly,
an awkward silence filled the room.
The manager swallowed hard.
*…Should I ask about hotel job openings?*
*How much does she earn as a manager compared to this?!*
But she was a dedicated talent manager, so she steered the conversation back on track.
Softening her tone, she said:
"Don't feel like you're taking advantage of your boss."
"Why do you think brands are willing to invest so much in spokesmodels?"
"Right now, your fanbase and influence are still limited."
"So you don't fully grasp it yet."
"But once you truly blow up, you'll bring massive returns and value to the brands you represent!"
"This industry has always been about high risk, high reward."
"All you need to do is accept your backer's investment with peace of mind and repay them tenfold in the future."
Zhu Tingting nodded solemnly.
"I understand now, sis. Thank you."
The manager huffed.
"Good, at least you're reasonable and not stubborn."
Then she held up her lipstick.
"Buy me a new one tomorrow!"
Zhu Tingting grinned. "I'll get you a whole set!"
---
**The Next Day**
The manager took Zhu Tingting to Huoxiang City's largest luxury mall.
Zhu Tingting knew nothing about jewelry, so he let her pick while he handled payment.
Along the way, he bought her a full set of lipsticks and a pair of earrings, putting her in an excellent mood.
While the manager picked out gifts for Huang Ning,
Zhu Tingting also looked for something to buy Chen Jianhai.
Besides Chen Jianhai, there were also Electrician, Plumber, Lin Suyang, Xie Zhu Longxiong, Bai Cheng, and a whole group of friends—
this was a rare trip back, so he wanted to bring them something nice too.
"Last time, I got the boss a phone. Can't do that again."
"Maybe a watch?"
"But he doesn't seem to wear one—he always checks his phone for the time."
As he pondered,
Zhu Tingting suddenly froze in front of a massive display window.
Inside the foreign-branded luxury boutique (whose name Zhu Tingting couldn't read),
an entire set of *Calabash Brothers* limited-edition T-shirts was neatly displayed!
From First Brother to Seventh Brother, Grandpa, Snake Spirit, even the Toad Spirit—all were there!
Even Sixth Brother had both an "invisible" version and a "visible" edition!
Zhu Tingting's eyes sparkled.
*The boss would LOVE this!!!*
Without hesitation, he bought one of each in Chen Jianhai's size, happily lugging a giant bag back to the manager.
The manager was testing lipsticks in a cosmetics store
when she saw Zhu Tingting carrying such a huge package and was momentarily stunned.
"What did you buy that's so massive?"
Clothing here wasn't cheap—
the money spent on this haul could've bought Sister Huang another bracelet!
Zhu Tingting beamed. "I got these for my boss. He loves wearing stuff like this."
The manager curiously pulled out one shirt. "Which one does your boss like?"
The next second,
Third Brother (the water-spewing one) in a horse stance, hands on hips, puffing his cheeks to spray water, stared back at her.
Manager: "..."
---
**Two Days Later**
**Private Jet from Huoxiang City**
Looking out the window at the blue ocean below,
Zhu Tingting felt like he was in a dream, as if returning home in glory.
Ever since Chen Jianhai invested in his ads across the four major platforms, his career had skyrocketed.
Not only had he received multiple brand collaboration offers and signed contracts,
but he had also landed an endorsement deal for a watch brand and secured features and covers for three fashion magazines.
While these brands weren't top-tier international names,
they were solid second-tier players.
Combined with his endorsements for Colorful Holiday Resorts and Summer Mocha Coffee,
Zhu Tingting's market value had multiplied in just days,
propelling him from a no-name twelfth-tier actor to Spring Sun Province's "Didn't Expect This One" entertainment company's rising star.
He had even been offered supporting roles in several web dramas.
And what made others even more envious was
that as his advertising and fashion value soared,
his cameo appearances in *Mr. Sweetheart* had received widespread praise!
Though Zhu Tingting wasn't a trained actor,
his heartbreak at the time allowed him to authentically portray a hotel employee with a sunny exterior but melancholic eyes.
His acting might've been rough, but his emotional delivery was rich and precise—
even earning him a minor breakout moment with a few well-shot profile shots that attracted a wave of fans.
His official fan count quickly surpassed 4 million,
putting him far ahead of his peers and even surpassing some seniors who had joined the company years earlier.
For a time, his rise was meteoric, leaving others green with envy.
*"Talk about dumb luck—landing such a generous backer."*
The manager glanced at Zhu Tingting, marveling inwardly.
Originally, she had managed several artists from Zhu Tingting's batch, but now he was the most successful, with the most contracts and roles.
Huang Ning had explicitly stated she wanted to push Zhu Tingting, so the manager spent most of her time with him.
As the plane began its descent, approaching the airport,
the manager quickly checked Zhu Tingting's hair and outfit from head to toe.
For celebrities, airports were crucial public appearances where they couldn't afford to slip up.
Though "Didn't Expect This One" entertainment company had done its best to keep travel plans confidential,
the combined forces of fans and scalpers were formidable.
With so many of the company's artists suddenly booking flights to Nanjiang around the same time,
it was obvious something was happening.
As a result, paparazzi and fans had already swarmed Nanjiang Airport, ready to snap photos of whoever showed up.
If Zhu Tingting was caught in an unflattering shot now, it'd be disastrous.
"Success really suits you! Tingting, you've gotten even more handsome!"
The stylist touched up Zhu Tingting's hair and makeup while showering him with praise.
Zhu Tingting smiled faintly.
*"Success suits me?"*
*Nonsense.*
It was all about resources.
When he was a nobody, he had no money or connections—couldn't even rent decent clothes.
The only investment he could make was hitting the gym.
Now that he was rising, his team's resources had expanded.
Clothing, styling, makeup, accessories, fitness, nutrition, lighting, photography, PR, business, lifestyle—everything was taken care of.
Even his outfits were sent over by brands for free,
with teams falling over themselves to provide styling options without him lifting a finger.
The amount spent on cosmetic treatments, skincare, and minor procedures was beyond counting.
Just for this company gathering,
not only was he flying private, but upon arriving at Lang'ai Hotel,
even if he wasn't staying in the best Atlantis underwater suite, it'd at least be one of the hotel's premium rooms with the best views.
Meanwhile, his peers who were still struggling as eighteenth-tier unknowns weren't so lucky.
Some got business class if they were fortunate.
Others had to take the high-speed rail.
And when people were riding high, of course they looked better—with opportunities, paychecks, and bank accounts growing, who wouldn't glow?
"I'm going home!"
Zhu Tingting gazed at the vast ocean below, his eyes filled with anticipation...