I Truly Never Intended to Have a Contract Marriage with a Big Shot - Chapter 1

[Entertainment Little Goose Leak: Web series The Sunny Day He Knows—Male Lead 1: HYZ, Male Lead 2: QY, Male Lead 3: SMZ]

1L: Decoded instantly: Huo Yuzhe, Qiao Yan, Sheng Mingzhi.

2L: Huo Yuzhe and Qiao Yan just went public with their relationship, and now he’s “remarrying” Sheng Mingzhi???

3L: Taking our handsome boy Huo Yuzhe away. He decoupled from Sheng Mingzhi eight hundred years ago. Sheng Mingzhi, stop trying to leech off his fame [vomit].

The comments under the leaked Weibo post grew rapidly.

“Wait, I know Huo Yuzhe and Qiao Yan just went public last week, but who even is Sheng Mingzhi? The ‘other man’?”

The replies followed:

“A commoner among celebrities.”

“An influencer among commoners.”

“The entertainment industry’s number one ‘vase’ (eye candy with no talent).”

“?”

Sheng Mingzhi lowered his eyelashes, scrolling through the comments one by one. Expressionless, he personally blacklisted and reported every account that called him a “commoner.”

The air conditioning in the Yunjing International Airport VIP lounge was blasted on high. Outside, it was raining. Sheng Mingzhi sat inside, preparing to head to Haicheng for a film festival opening ceremony.

His skin was porcelain white, and he tucked his neck into a black down jacket, leaving only a pair of fox-like eyes with slightly upturned corners. His lashes were long and straight, and his lips were full, the color of red bean paste. He was a top-tier beauty, a standard “striking visual” type.

Even in an entertainment industry crawling with beauties, he stood out effortlessly.

His manager, Xiao Wang, buzzed in his ear: “Even though you and Huo Yuzhe have decoupled, we should leech off what’s left of the CP (couple) heat while we can. Try to turn the CP fans into your solo fans. Anyway, he’s the one who wronged you. You agreed to a promotional ‘bundled’ relationship for mutual benefit, and then he turns around and goes public with his boyfriend on Weibo. That’s a breach of contract.”

Sheng Mingzhi listened half-heartedly.

Mid-sentence, Xiao Wang caught a glimpse of Sheng Mingzhi’s phone screen. It was filled with insults. He fell silent.

Having worked in the industry for six or seven years, Xiao Wang had managed many artists, including A-listers. He’d seen all kinds of “black-and-red” (fame through notoriety), but he had never seen someone like Sheng Mingzhi: all “black,” no “red.”

In the first half of the year, the company arranged for Sheng Mingzhi to act in a small-budget web drama. Unexpectedly, it became a minor hit. His on-screen chemistry with the male lead, Huo Yuzhe, gained traction, and they became a somewhat famous “ship” in the industry, accumulating a decent fanbase.

Striking while the iron was hot, the company and Huo Yuzhe’s team agreed to have the two interact more to hype the CP.

Just as the hype was peaking, Huo Yuzhe’s actual boyfriend got upset. After a series of dramatic maneuvers, the relationship went public. Sheng Mingzhi’s popularity instantly became a stepping stone for the other two.

Huo Yuzhe won in both career and love, gaining a reputation for being “daring and responsible.” Sheng Mingzhi, however, was kicked back to square one, branded with the derogatory title of “The Other Man.”

A month had passed, yet marketing accounts were still using the three of them to bait engagement.

The heat belonged to the sweet little couple; the insults belonged to him.

He was truly the unluckiest person in the industry.

Xiao Wang couldn’t bear it and said, “Stop looking at these hate comments. They’re all fake.”

As if remembering something, he quickly added, “Be careful not to ‘slip’ and hit the like button. Last time you liked a post saying your visuals crushed every idol in the industry, our studio was besieged by eight different fandoms. Even the ‘Six Great Sects besieging Bright Peak’ wasn’t as dramatic as you getting torn apart!”

Sheng Mingzhi replied lazily, “Was that a slip? I was just stating a fact.”

Xiao Wang: “…”

With that dog temper of yours, you deserve to be flamed!

Xiao Wang’s gaze fell on Sheng Mingzhi’s ring finger. The silver platinum band was low-key and exquisite. He sighed. It was bad enough this kid was covered in scandals, but he was also “prematurely married.”

Sheng Mingzhi being married wasn’t a secret within the industry. This meant he could never take the “idol” route and had lost most of his “girlfriend fans”—though his total number of active fans only amounted to about thirty anyway.

In the three years they’d worked together, Xiao Wang had never seen Sheng Mingzhi’s other half. Even when Sheng Mingzhi was being called a “man-wrecker,” flamed by the whole internet, and told to get out of the industry, his spouse hadn’t uttered a single word. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.

The partner’s lack of responsibility made Xiao Wang doubt reality; he often felt like Sheng Mingzhi had a fake marriage. How was this any different from being a “living widow”? Even a fifty-cent plastic flower from a stationery shop was less “plastic” than their marriage!

Xiao Wang offered a few more words of comfort, but feeling they were insufficient, he was about to say more when he saw Sheng Mingzhi’s screen.

He choked—under these circumstances, this little ancestor still had the heart to look at other people’s gossip?!

The screen showed a piece of tabloid news about his old rival, Qiao Yan.

[OHHH MY GOD! Massive scoop! Is that the CEO of Shengjia Group attending the film festival with Qiao Yan today?!]

1L: Woc (WTF), Qiao Yan is something else. He just went public with Huo Yuzhe, and now he’s hooked up with Shengjia?

2L: Is the photo just a forced perspective?

3L: There were always rumors that Qiao Yan had a sugar daddy. Could it be Hemu Entertainment, which is backed by Shengjia Group? He’s winning an award tonight; did the Shengjia CEO fly back to the country just to support him?

4L: …That much face? Is he being sponsored?

5L: The CEO has been married for a long time. His wife is the young master of Mingchen Bank. Qiao Yan is just a B-list celebrity; he couldn’t climb that high even if he broke his neck. How can a pheasant compare to a phoenix?

When Xiao Wang saw the words “Shengjia CEO,” he froze. “Lu Jiayan is back in the country?”

As a veteran who had kicked around the industry for years, Xiao Wang was no stranger to the world of capital. The name “Lu Jiayan” was legendary.

Shengjia Group was one of the old-money tycoon families in Yunjing. They started in real estate and later transitioned into commercial properties. The “Yunting” luxury shopping centers found in every first-tier city were under Shengjia.

As the heir born with a silver spoon, Lu Jiayan had a grand wedding three years ago with the young master of Mingchen Bank. The “Wedding of the Century” was the talk of the town for its sheer extravagance.

At the same time, this commercial alliance represented a powerful merger between Mingchen and Shengjia. In less than three years, Lu Jiayan had completed the restructuring and reform of Shengjia, gradually moving it toward the internet sector.

However, no one was surprised by Lu Jiayan’s success.

After all, that young master of Mingchen Bank was famous in Yunjing high society for being insufferable, arrogant, and having a terrible reputation.

To win an internal power struggle against his own brother, Lu Jiayan was willing to “marry” such an ancestor. A move that was practically “killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of your own.” With that kind of ruthlessness, what obstacle couldn’t he overcome?

Furthermore, Lu Jiayan flew abroad the day after the wedding to seize international markets. He probably hadn’t even warmed the bed. The newlywed couple’s “plastic” relationship was so blatant they didn’t even bother to act.

Now, after three years of market expansion, a certain international communication app under Shengjia had grown rapidly, with over 640 million downloads overseas. This staggering influence solidified his position as the group’s young master.

Lu Jiayan’s sudden return was like dropping a massive boulder into the calm waters of Yunjing’s capital circles, causing an immediate undercurrent.

Even more turbulent than the capital circles was Sheng Mingzhi’s heart.

Though the “forced perspective” photo was blurry, it still outlined Lu Jiayan’s silhouette—broad shoulders, long legs, and a tall frame. Even a low-quality photo couldn’t hide the man’s noble and cold aura.

Sheng Mingzhi’s gaze lingered for a few seconds on the comment “Is Qiao Yan being sponsored?”

Was there anything more disgusting than your own husband “sponsoring” your arch-rival?!

His phone buzzed. A WeChat message from his childhood friend, Shen Ling, popped up:

【Link: Latest News! Shengjia CEO Lu Jiayan appears at the Haicheng Film Festival, suspected to be closely linked with Qiao Yan…】

【Your husband is back? I guess I won’t have to Photoshop your couple photos anymore?】

Sheng Mingzhi lowered his eyes coldly, masking his emotions.

Yes, this Shengjia Group CEO, who was sparking scandals the moment he returned, was Sheng Mingzhi’s marriage partner—his husband, who was alive, but not completely alive in his life.

Lu Jiayan had flown to America the day after their wedding, making their “plastic” status crystal clear. In the three years they hadn’t seen each other, their “sweet” photos used to fool their elders relied entirely on high-level Photoshop. They maintained their marriage on pure faith.

Sheng Mingzhi: 【You can Photoshop a funeral portrait for him now.】

Shen Ling: …

Don’t argue with a man in a rage.

She sent a recent photo of Lu Jiayan to Sheng Mingzhi.

Shen Ling: 【I’m just reminding you, it’s your Grandpa’s 80th birthday tonight. Don’t forget to come back to Yunjing. I’ll host a welcome-back dinner for you (kiss).】

Shen Ling: 【By the way, familiarize yourself with your “late” husband’s recent look. Don’t mistake his brother’s photo for him like you did last time!】

________________________________________

At 6:30 PM, the Haicheng Film Festival opening ceremony officially began.

By the time Sheng Mingzhi arrived, Lu Jiayan was already gone.

Of course, he had no intention of greeting his “cheap” husband anyway. The relationship between Sheng Mingzhi and Lu Jiayan was shallow; they weren’t even “respectfully distant”—they simply disliked each other on sight.

Half an hour later, Huo Yuzhe appeared on the red carpet hand-in-hand with Qiao Yan. The latter gave Sheng Mingzhi a mocking smile before walking the carpet—a pure “bitchy” move.

As their first public appearance since announcing their relationship, the two of them instantly hit the top of the Weibo trending list.

“Real couples are so sweet!”

“Lmao, if I were Sheng Mingzhi, I’d perform a self-termination on the red carpet.”

“I’m embarrassed for him. Who told him to be the other man?”

“Is he hiding in the dressing room in a powerless rage right now?”

Inside the dressing room, Xiao Wang glanced at Sheng Mingzhi’s phone. The screen was full of personal attacks. It made even him angry. He muttered, “Only you could be this calm. Doesn’t looking at this make you mad?”

Sheng Mingzhi looked lazily into the mirror. “Getting angry causes wrinkles. It’s not worth getting wrinkles over internet trolls.”

Xiao Wang: “…”

If you put half the effort you spend on your face into your career, would people be mocking you for ‘acting with your feet’?!

However, Xiao Wang had to admit that the anti-fans’ nickname for him “The Entertainment Industry’s Number One Vase” was well-deserved. Sheng Mingzhi was the most beautiful person he had ever seen among all celebrities.

It wasn’t just his features; his figure and temperament were uniquely noble. Even wearing the “branded fakes” provided by the organizers for the red carpet, he looked so good that he made them look like the real deal!

Sheng Mingzhi countered coldly, “I never wear fakes, thank you.”

The multi-million dollar haute couture outfit he was wearing had been delivered half an hour ago by the head of Chanel Asia-Pacific. Young Master Sheng would go into anaphylactic shock if he wore anything under 100,000 yuan, thank you very much.

To Sheng Mingzhi, anything under 100,000 wasn’t “clothing.” It was a “rag.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Xiao Wang carefully guarded the last bit of dignity for this 18th-tier flop and Sheng Mingzhi’s fragile glass heart. “What you’re wearing is real. The grey version of the latest Chanel Autumn Haute Couture suit Qiao Yan is wearing is the fake one. Happy now?”

Only Sheng Mingzhi’s face could make a thousand-dollar outfit look like it cost millions.

But being famous really had its perks, Xiao Wang thought sourly, recalling Qiao Yan’s suit. A multi-million dollar couture piece was lent out just like that.

After the festival, Qiao Yan, as the winner of the Best Newcomer Award, was surrounded by countless camera flashes. Xiao Wang led the ignored Sheng Mingzhi toward the van, sighing deeply.

Ever since he heard Lu Jiayan was at the festival, Xiao Wang had been planning to let Sheng Mingzhi “show his face” in front of the big boss. In the end, they didn’t even see a shadow of Lu Jiayan.

Same industry, same debut year, yet how was Qiao Yan’s luck so much better? He just went public with Huo Yuzhe to harvest CP fans, and now he’d hooked up with Lu Jiayan.

And truthfully, compared to Sheng Mingzhi, Qiao Yan’s face wasn’t even close. Their styles were somewhat similar, which led to Qiao Yan’s fans constantly attacking Sheng Mingzhi for “shamelessly imitating” him.

With the rival flourishing, Xiao Wang got into the van like a protective mother hen, speaking indignantly: “So he won Best Newcomer, what’s the big deal? Everyone knows those awards can be bought.”

“If you ask me, when Huo Yuzhe and that little green tea Qiao Yan went public, you should have posted a photo of you and your husband to slap them in the face!”

“I can’t go public,” Sheng Mingzhi replied casually. Lu Jiayan’s status was special; a sudden revelation could affect Shengjia’s stock price. After all, his own scandals were enough to circle the Earth three times, one more lap than Xiang Piaopiao milk tea.

Xiao Wang misunderstood and asked, puzzled, “Why? Is your husband uglier than Huo Yuzhe?”

If so, he really couldn’t go public. Otherwise, the rival fans would mock his taste!

“No,” Sheng Mingzhi thought for a moment. “He’s old.”

“Old?”

Sheng Mingzhi nodded expressionlessly.

He was pretty old, six years older than him. When Lu Jiayan was in university, Sheng Mingzhi was still a bratty middle schooler.

They say there’s a generation gap every three years; between him and Lu Jiayan, there was at least a Mariana Trench.

As the van drove forward, Sheng Mingzhi added, “By the way, I need to go back to Yunjing tonight. Book a ticket for me.”

Xiao Wang hesitated. “Why are you going back so late?”

“To attend a birthday party.”

Xiao Wang: “?”

Sheng Mingzhi sneered, “My husband’s 80th birthday.”