Spilling the Tea on the Movie Star Who Won't Leave Me Alone - Chapter 43

After hanging up the phone, Xu Chi’s eyes were still sparkling. He looked at Lin Tao with a face full of uncontainable joy.

“Brother Lin, let’s go back to the hotel. Brother Gu is coming soon.” Xu Chi wished he could fly to the airport that very second to wait for his “Brother Gu.”

It was only a little past 8:00 AM—a time when most people had just finished breakfast. Lin Tao didn’t believe for a second that Gu Jingxuan was about to arrive.

“He’s probably still at the airport, isn’t he? I checked today’s flights yesterday; the earliest one from Beijing doesn’t land until nine. What’s the rush to head back now?”

Lin Tao simply couldn’t stand Xu Chi’s “lovestruck” behavior, where his entire heart seemed to be pinned on Gu Jingxuan.

“Can you put a little more focus on your own affairs? You can barely take care of yourself right now, yet all you’re worried about is when Gu Jingxuan is coming.”

Despite his grumbling, Lin Tao followed behind Xu Chi as they began walking back toward the hotel.

“I can’t solve my situation anyway,” Xu Chi analyzed the matter quite thoroughly. “You told me about Zeng Shuqi and Yan Qiu yesterday. No matter what the truth is, Yan Qiu is definitely going to protect Zeng Shuqi.”

“Besides, Brother Gu even posted a Weibo for me, yet Zeng Shuqi hasn’t said a word. He’s just waiting for me to apologize so he can establish his image as a victim. No matter what I say now, Yan Qiu won’t support me, so why waste my energy?”

Lin Tao was completely taken aback. He had always thought Xu Chi was still that naive newcomer who entered the industry years ago—someone who wouldn’t know what to do when wronged and believed everyone who treated him well was a good person. He hadn’t expected Xu Chi to see through this situation so clearly.

Xu Chi was right. As long as Jiang Yusen remained silent, the narrative belonged to Zeng Shuqi and Yan Qiu. Whatever they claimed became the truth, leaving Xu Chi with no chance to retort.

Originally, Lin Tao wanted Xu Chi to speak with Director Jiang about the situation. After all, Xu Chi had just accepted a role in Jiang Yusen’s new project; logically, Jiang Yusen should protect his own actor.

However, when he brought it up, Xu Chi was reluctant. He worried that he would be seen as a nuisance or that it would negatively impact his image in the director’s mind. Xu Chi was prepared to simply swallow this bitter pill in silence.

“Hey, Brother Lin,” Xu Chi mused. “The company knows I’ve landed another role with Director Jiang. Why are they still treating me like this? Exactly where did I give them the impression that I can’t bring in profit?”

Xu Chi had thought that telling the company about his new role would change the upper management’s perspective, but he didn’t realize that Yan Qiu was already planning how to push him even deeper into hell.

Xu Chi’s role in Childhood Sweethearts hadn’t been clearly explained yet, and now rumors were spreading about him joining Director Jiang’s new project. This would only lead people to believe that Xu Chi really was being “kept” by Jiang Yusen through an unspoken arrangement. Otherwise, how could he be quietly cast in two roles without even an audition?

Lin Tao shook his head, feeling that Xu Chi still thought too simply of people—especially a despicable man like Yan Qiu, who only cared about his own interests.

While Xu Chi and Lin Tao were fretting over the lack of a solution, Gu Jingxuan had already called Jiang Yusen.

“Uncle Jiang, how have you been lately?”

When Jiang Yusen picked up the phone, he had already guessed why the call was being made.

“As long as you aren’t hovering in front of me, I’ve been doing quite well.”

Knowing it was a joke, Gu Jingxuan didn’t take it to heart. He let out a hearty laugh and cut straight to the point.

“Uncle Jiang, surely you’ve seen the rumors online lately?”

Gu Jingxuan wasn’t sure of Jiang Yusen’s stance. In his memory, Jiang Yusen never bothered to explain things for his actors. No matter the reason, even if it involved his own projects, Jiang Yusen usually wouldn’t lift a finger.

“You mean the matter with Little Chi?” Jiang Yusen had looked into the situation the night before. He knew Gu Jingxuan would call, so he wasn’t at all surprised.

“Look, Uncle Jiang, Little Chi is about to join your new project. This whole mess was stirred up by a veteran artist at his own company. We filmed the last show together—don’t you think you should make a statement or something?”

Hearing the formal “you” (nin) in Gu Jingxuan’s speech, Jiang Yusen thought to himself that Gu Jingxuan only became this respectful when he was asking for a favor.

Actually, when he saw the reports last night, Jiang Yusen had already intended to seek justice for Xu Chi.

While Xu Chi might not be the most brilliant actor he had ever worked with, he was—aside from Gu Jingxuan—the one he liked most. Jiang Yusen appreciated the aura Xu Chi carried and liked his clean, pure nature.

“And how do you plan to thank me?”

Even so, Jiang Yusen wanted to tease Gu Jingxuan. If he could squeeze out some benefits, he would.

Hearing that there was a chance, Gu Jingxuan felt he could agree to any request.

“How about this: for the next year, as long as you need me, I am available at any time to help mentor newcomers in your projects.”

Gu Jingxuan’s time was incredibly precious. Usually, getting him to take a small role required endless persuasion, and even then, he might not accept. As a “Best Actor” award winner, he generally didn’t spare a glance for minor roles.

Offering this promise was proof enough that Xu Chi held a very high position in his heart.

Jiang Yusen agreed without a second thought; only a fool would refuse.

“One more thing, Uncle Jiang… please don’t tell him that I came to beg you.” Gu Jingxuan worried that if Xu Chi knew, he would be overwhelmed with guilt.

Jiang Yusen gave a cold snort. “I was going to help Little Chi anyway. You’re just here to take credit for doing nothing.”

Gu Jingxuan was so annoyed his vision went dark for a moment.

Fine then. Director Jiang knew all along that he would call and was just waiting to trap him.

“Thank you anyway.”

Gu Jingxuan was genuinely happy that Xu Chi had earned Jiang Yusen’s favor. This way, Xu Chi’s future path in the entertainment industry wouldn’t be so difficult.

As a director who saw things clearly, Jiang Yusen could guess some of what Gu Jingxuan felt for Xu Chi.

“Xu Chi is a good kid. You’d better make sure his path isn’t cut short in the future.”

“I definitely won’t let that happen.”

The moment Xu Chi returned to the hotel, before he even had a chance to drink some water, he was startled by a pounding on his door that sounded like Lin Tao was trying to knock it down.

“What is it, Brother Lin? Why are you so worked up?”

Lin Tao stood outside looking incredibly excited, his face flushed red, which made Xu Chi’s heart tighten with nerves.

“Quick! Look at Weibo! Director Jiang has spoken!”