Miss Dora sipped her coffee, fingers flying over the keyboard as she messaged Fu Yue.
Dora: Boss, the issue with Qiuqiu and Huang Xu has been handled. Now, even more people are standing up for Qiuqiu against the bullying!
Fu Yue: Add a few more clips of the bullying. Edit them together and post it.
Dora: On it! But what about Qiuqiu’s contract? Should we confront them head-on or just pay them off?
Fu Yue: If money can fix it, use money. Let’s not complicate things.
After a moment’s thought, he sent another message.
Fu Yue: I’ll handle this matter; you don’t need to worry about it.
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Tossing and turning in bed with Jiujiu’s carrot pillow clutched in his arms, Gu Panqiu felt a wave of relief wash over him upon reading Fu Yue’s message.
There was something about Fu Yue that made him feel dependable. If Fu Yue was reaching out, it meant there was still hope.
Gu Panqiu: Waaah, save me, Boss!
A moment later, his reply came.
Fu Yue: …Come to my office tomorrow morning. We’ll talk.
Gu Panqiu: Okay!
If there was still something to discuss, that meant there was still hope.
Gu Panqiu let out a long sigh of relief. Fu Yue’s abilities were extraordinary; as long as he was willing to step in, everything could change. He had no idea what the man had up his sleeve, but for the first time in days, panic did not grip him.
The next day, Gu Panqiu dropped Jiujiu off at kindergarten before making his way to Nova Entertainment’s bullet-shaped skyscraper.
Following Fu Yue’s directions, he soon arrived at Fu Yue’s private lift. There, Dora was already waiting in a black suit and stilettos. She waved at Gu Panqiu with a bright smile. “This way, Qiuqiu!”
Stepping into the elevator, Gu Panqiu noticed the little girl’s eyes sparkling with excitement. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long!” she exclaimed cheerfully.
Confused, Gu Panqiu smiled and asked, “Waiting for what?”
“It’s nothing!” Dora led the way and reassured, “Don’t worry, CEO Fu is very reliable.”
Gu Panqiu never expected to be welcomed by Fu Yue, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit with gold-rimmed glasses glinting, and a printed document labeled “Three Million Loan” lay out on the table.
Sitting across from him, Gu Panqiu picked up the paper. “What’s this, CEO Fu?”
“The three million you owe W&H Entertainment, which is preventing you from terminating your contract,” Fu Yue stated calmly. “I can lend you the money myself and even help you break your current contract, but I have a few conditions.”
He continued, “First, no matter how you do it, the debt must be repaid within two years. Second, if you win first place on Solo and sign with Nova Entertainment, you’ll be bound by a ten-year contract. The profit split stays the same, and I’ll give you my full support during that time.”
Gu Panqiu met his gaze. “And if I can’t pay it back in two years?”
Fu Yue gave a sly half-smile. “You’ve got two choices: work as a housekeeper at my place—that’ll be ten thousand1 CNY 10,000 is approximately US $1,404.19. a month, so it’ll take you twenty-five years to pay off. Or I sue you, and you spend a few years in prison. Your choice.”
He slid the pen and paper across the table to Gu Panqiu, who stared at him in a daze. Tentatively, he whispered, “…Does the housekeeper’s role involve sleeping with you?”
“No.” Fu Yue’s face remained expressionless.
The stakes were clear: failing to repay the loan meant becoming a housekeeper for the Fu family, while successfully repaying it would bind him to a ten-year contract.
Despite the seemingly outrageous terms, Gu Panqiu felt that Fu Yue’s offer was far preferable to Shen Yao’s. At least he would not carry the burden of feeling indebted to Fu Yue, and the prospect of help gave him a renewed sense of hope.
Additionally, he understood that Fu Yue was willing to lend him money because he saw potential in him.
It was risky, yes, but he was confident he could claim first place in Solo and also carve out a name for himself at Nova Entertainment.
“Thank you, CEO Fu. It’s a deal!” Gu Panqiu signed his name with a flourish and pressed down his handprint. “I’ll give it everything I’ve got!”
Fu Yue watched Gu Panqiu stride away, his figure unhurried and self-assured. Then, he turned to his assistant, Dora. “Do you think my terms were too harsh?”
Dora shifted the stack of files in her arms. “Hmm… that depends. Does Qiuqiu have enough confidence in himself? Honestly, I thought you wanted to sign him so badly you’d just throw money his way.”
“He’s not the kind of man who’d take it,” Fu Yue replied quietly. “He never would.”
He pushed up his non-prescription glasses and slid on his headphones, letting Gu Panqiu’s version of “Undercurrent” wash over him on repeat.
Qiuqiu’s voice… was truly enchanting.
If things went as he expected, all the clips of Gu Panqiu’s auditions would go viral, gathering his first batch of devoted fans.
After all, the artistes Fu Yue had his eye on were bound to hit it big.
Not long after Gu Panqiu stepped out, three million yuan had been transferred to his bank account.
Thanks to Fu Yue’s help, the contract termination went off without a hitch. Nova Entertainment even had a team of specialists smoothing out every legal detail for him.
Early Friday morning, Gu Panqiu signed a termination notice in W&H Entertainment’s conference room.
Besides that, Fu Yue had an extra surprise waiting: the company had spent money to push the news of Gu Panqiu’s contract termination into Weibo’s list of trending topics.
Now, the entire country knew Gu Panqiu was free, and his path to stardom was back on track.
“Don’t get cocky too early!” The moment Gu Panqiu stepped out of W&H Entertainment, Huang Xu and his four former teammates loomed behind him, all looking disheveled and glaring at him with hostility.
“I don’t know where you got the money, but you know exactly what shady deeds you’ve done,” Huang Xu sneered. “You got lucky this time, but using charm to get ahead? Sooner or later, it’ll catch up with you.”
Gu Panqiu tilted his head innocently. “Has your brother… been released?”
That hit a nerve. Huang Xu spun on his heel, dragging the SkyNight members with him. Before vanishing, he spat over his shoulder, “I hope you fail spectacularly!”
Recalling how these jerks had bullied the original host, a smirk spread across Gu Panqiu’s face. “Hey, Huang Xu, let’s make a bet.”
Huang Xu frowned and glanced back.
Gu Panqiu’s eyes curved into a gentle smile, but behind it gleamed the calculating look of an ambitious young wolf.
“If I win a music show within a year, you’ll kneel right here before me.”
He added, “And if I don’t… I’ll kneel to you.”
A gust of wind tousled Gu Panqiu’s dark hair, leaving Huang Xu and his crew momentarily speechless.
“Are you in or not?” Gu Panqiu’s voice was calm. “If you’re too scared, we can forget it.”
“Let’s do it,” Huang Xu shot back defiantly. “I’ll be waiting for you to kneel!”
Now that Gu Panqiu was free, he finally received his share from the first episode of 5041. Not only did he buy Jiujiu a stash of his favorite oranges, but he also bought a whole box of chocolates for Fu Yue, his creditor.
When Fu Yue returned from work, he froze at the sight of the box waiting at the door.
In the kitchen, Gu Panqiu was busy cooking one of his signature dishes. Spotting Fu Yue, he strolled over with his hands behind his back, wearing a small apron and looking perfectly obedient. “Honorable Creditor, to repay your kindness, I’ve specially prepared a whole box of your favorite chocolates. I hope you’ll accept them.”
Fu Yue looked up and demanded, “Don’t call me that.”
“Generous Patron, then!” Gu Panqiu quickly corrected himself.
Fu Yue frowned, deadpan. “That’s even weirder.”
With a mischievous glint, Gu Panqiu stepped closer and teased, “Master!”
His laughter was sweeter than the chocolates themselves. Fu Yue knew Gu Panqiu was only teasing, yet he could not help but melt a little at how adorable he was.
And just then, Xiao Luo, who had just returned, walked in on the scene and was utterly shocked. “You two… are this bold?”
The author has something to say:
Xiao Luo’s imagination ran wild!
“CEO Fu, can I be your dog?”
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