Chapter 22.3: Master

　　He caught his reflection in the mirror, his gaze resting on the small beauty mark beneath his eye. Nonchalantly, he said, “Sister, it wasn’t me who called the cops. It was CEO Fu.”

　　Silence fell on the other end of the line.

　　Fiona was just a small-time manager, while Fu Yue was the crown prince of the entertainment empire—someone she could not afford to cross.

　　However, she never expected Gu Panqiu to be involved with him.

　　Frustration bubbled within Gu Panqiu. The original host might have a troubled past, but did that mean he had to take bullying from his former teammates in silence?

　　“It looks like it’s time for you to flex those crisis management skills, Sister. I guess you won’t be sleeping tonight? If Huang Xu ends up like me and gets kicked out of the group, how many members will be left? Can you even scrape together a whole song?” Gu Panqiu’s voice held a hint of amusement. “You’d better work hard to help Huang Xu turn things around. Good luck!”

　　Fiona was taken aback by the sudden assertiveness of someone she had always seen as a pushover. Gritting her teeth, she retorted, “You went on Solo, didn’t you? Let me make this clear: as long as you haven’t terminated your contract with W&H Entertainment, your footage won’t air! We’re sending a lawyer’s letter to Nova Entertainment immediately. Let’s see what happens!”

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　　In a typical contract, there was no clause preventing him from auditioning for other companies. However, Fiona was now exploiting his breach of contract to control his schedule, leaving him trapped.

　　Without the funds to pay the penalty or pursue legal action, he found himself trapped under the current company’s thumb.

　　If he stayed with W&H, both the higher-ups and his manager would look down on him, and he might never get another shot at turning his career around. 

　　Right now, his top priority is to get his hands on some money and terminate his contract with the company.

　　The forums were buzzing over Huang Xu’s street brawl, and tonight, many spotted Gu Panqiu at Solo. When he came out with his advancement badge, someone even managed to sneak a photo of him from the side and behind.

　　“Holy crap, Gu Panqiu actually made it through?! I’m definitely watching this week’s Solo auditions! Let’s see what level he’s at now!”

　　“Wait… Gu Panqiu still owes the company 3 million and is trapped in that scam contract, so how’s he even allowed to participate in Nova Entertainment’s Solo auditions?”

　　“Huang Xu’s no good! Why’s he acting like a thug? Could he be the one bullying his groupmates?!”

　　“A friend of mine passed by the Nova Entertainment building tonight and said they just happened to see Huang Xu’s brother trying to stab Qiuqiu. But Fu Yue grabbed him just in time!”

　　“Fu Yue! OMG, I know him! He’s on 5041! So does that mean he’s getting close to Qiuqiu?! Ahhhhhh, I can’t wait for this week’s episode!”

　　“Seriously, are the girls in front dreaming? The heir of the entertainment empire would never be interested in some washed-up nobody. Fu Yue can have any beauty he wants, so why would he go for a single dad who’s already had a kid?”

　　“There’s definitely a reason that jerk Gu Panqiu is getting his ass kicked! All I can say is… Good job, Huang Xu!”

　　Initially, most of the sensible netizens were on Gu Panqiu’s side, but Fiona had already hired paid internet trolls to intervene. They spoke up for Huang Xu, manipulating the conversation and smearing Gu Panqiu’s reputation.

　　In the cutthroat world of entertainment, a small star stood no chance against the might of capital, and Gu Panqiu was all too aware of this reality. After taking the call, his mood sank into an unprecedented gloom.

　　He was about to light a cigarette when he realized Shen Yao had somehow slipped into the room and was watching him from the doorway.

　　In the dead of night, Shen Yao loomed in the entrance, his oversized black clothing making him look like a shadow, startling Gu Panqiu more than he cared to admit.

　　“Teacher Shen, why didn’t you knock?”

　　Shen Yao replied, “I saw you on the phone just now, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

　　Gu Panqiu patted his chest to calm his racing heart. “It’s pretty late. What brings you here?”

　　“I heard you joined Solo.” Shen Yao came over with two bottles of beer and took a seat beside Gu Panqiu. “I saw the forums, and it looks like you’re in some trouble?”

　　Gu Panqiu nodded. “Yeah, a rather tricky contract issue.”

　　“I’ve heard the rumors,” Shen Yao remarked. “The forums say you owe the company three million for breaching your contract. Since you haven’t paid up, they’ve got you in some indefinite renewal clause. Even if you advance in the show, you might not be allowed to appear on screen. Sounds like a scam contract, huh?”

　　Gu Panqiu gave a soft laugh. “Yeah, three million.”

　　Shen Yao cracked open a beer and took a sip, glancing at him from the seat beside him. “If three million is all it takes to solve your little problem, I can help.”

　　Three million might seem huge to a struggling young star, but to Shen Yao, it was probably just the price of a few designer suits.

　　Gu Panqiu was baffled. He had only just met Shen Yao. Sure, the man had shown some interest in him, but this? This… was something else entirely.

　　“What do you mean, Teacher Shen?”

　　Shen Yao responded, “I mean, I can give you the money, but I have a condition.”

　　“Give it to me?” Gu Panqiu blinked. “You don’t mean lend it, do you?”

　　Shen Yao shook his head. “No. Three million is nothing to me. Once we’re together, it’s yours to spend as you please. Consider it a gift.”

　　Money was the one thing Shen Yao never lacked. Music was just a hobby, as his true passion lies in cars.

　　He took another swig of beer, as a pang of jealousy hit him when he recalled Gu Panqiu staying in a presidential suite with Fu Yue just days ago.

　　“My condition is simple,” Shen Yao continued. “From now on, you can’t date anyone else on the show. You can only date me.”

　　Gu Panqiu let out an awkward chuckle and half-joked, “Wow, Brother Shen, you want to give me all this and set that kind of condition… it sounds like you want to be my sugar daddy.”

　　Shen Yao looked at him seriously. “I didn’t mean that, Qiuqiu. I just want to help you.”

　　Gu Panqiu froze for a moment. All the more reason I can’t accept it.

　　The three million was tempting—painfully tempting—but he could not bring himself to accept such a favor for no reason. After all, a favor that large might one day dictate his choices.

　　“I appreciate the thought, Brother Shen, but I can’t accept it.” He picked up his phone from the practice room floor and headed for the door. “I’m tired, so I’ll turn in first. You should get some rest, too.”

　　He dashed out in a flash, leaving Shen Yao to wallow in his drink on the floor alone.

　　Gu Panqiu was like a ray of light he could never catch—appearing and vanishing without a sound, yet utterly stealing his heart.

　　Shen Yao had expected Gu Panqiu to accept his proposal eagerly, but Qiuqiu’s response took him entirely by surprise.

　　It turned out that Gu Panqiu was not just some materialistic boy; he was a talented artiste with his own ideas and aspirations. 

　　Tossing his beer bottle into a distant trash can, Shen Yao muttered to himself, “…What a guy to fall for.”

　　When Gu Panqiu stepped back into the room, Jiujiu was already sound asleep, arms wrapped around the carrot pillow the 5041 director had given him.

　　He pulled the blanket up over the boy’s shoulders, feeling utterly cornered himself.

　　Had W&H Entertainment already contacted Fu Yue?

　　He had been elated when he got that advancement badge today, but that joy quickly faded, giving way to an overwhelming sense of dread. No matter how he turned beside Jiujiu, sleep would not come.

　　At this hour, neither Fu Yue nor his brilliant young assistant had gone to bed.

　　In his headphones, Gu Panqiu’s version of “Undercurrent” played on repeat. The haunting melody looped endlessly as Fu Yue scanned line after line of the old contract between W&H Entertainment and Gu Panqiu.

　　The scandal of his supposed drunken escape from that concert had long turned to dust; true or not, there was no way to uncover the truth anymore.