The manager, Mr. He, walked into the meeting room with a more animated expression, no longer the aloof and serious figure he had been in the dance studio. He even wore a friendly smile as he greeted Baili Xiao, extending his hand. “Let me introduce myself. My surname is He; you can call me Mike. Unless something unexpected happens, I’ll be your manager from now on.”

Baili Xiao stood up politely to shake his hand. Though he wasn’t fond of physical contact with strangers, he understood that with Mike becoming his manager, he would soon no longer be a stranger.

Mike took a seat across from Baili Xiao and opened the folder he had with him. “The signing process can be a bit complicated, but you don’t need to worry too much about it. As a newcomer in this industry, I feel it’s important to inform you that at Oneworld International, I am the best manager. So unless you get shelved, the likelihood of you switching managers is quite low. This means that in your future acting career, for anything—any news, whether good or bad—you are not only encouraged but required to keep me informed.”

Baili Xiao nodded. “I understand.”

Mike raised an eyebrow, his gaze now filled with a hint of admiration. “You don’t seem surprised that I’m the best manager at Oneworld International. Did you do your homework before coming here?”

“I had a hunch,” Baili Xiao replied.

“Interesting. Well then, please answer me honestly: do you currently have a girlfriend?”

The question took Baili Xiao by surprise, and he paused for a moment. “None.”

“What about a boyfriend?” Mike asked, his tone teasingly significant.

“?”

Mike leaned back slightly, a knowing look in his eyes. “You should know that this industry is quite chaotic. More than half of the people here are either gay or bisexual.”

Baili Xiao considered Mike’s words, sensing the weight behind them. “I’ve heard about that,” he admitted, trying to gauge how open he should be in this conversation.

Mike continued, “It’s important to be aware of the environment you’re stepping into. Relationships—especially romantic ones—can have a huge impact on your career. It’s not just about acting, it’s about managing your public image and personal life.”

Baili Xiao nodded, appreciating the advice. “I understand. I’ll be careful.”

“Good,” Mike said, leaning forward slightly. “Because as your manager, it’s my job to protect you, but I can only do that if I know everything that’s going on in your life. This industry can be unforgiving, and maintaining a clear line of communication is crucial.”

“Understood,” Baili Xiao replied, feeling the weight of the responsibility ahead of him.

Mike smiled, seemingly satisfied. “Excellent. Let’s get started on the paperwork then, shall we?”

Baili Xiao thought to himself, *I really don’t know*. But he didn’t want to argue; he simply answered honestly, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Mike chuckled softly, leaning in. “I already told you, I’m your manager. There’s no need to feel embarrassed.”

Baili Xiao felt a bit exasperated. “I really haven’t had one.”

“That’s unrealistic. You’re a grown man; you must have had some flirtation, whether with men or women,” Mike replied, his tone slightly teasing.

“Really, I haven’t,” Baili Xiao insisted, still baffled.

“Are you telling me you’re a celestial being, untouched by the mundane?” Mike asked, raising an eyebrow.

“…”

He couldn’t very well tell Mike that he was indeed a descendant of the divine, destined for romance one day but currently not involved with any mere mortals.

Mike studied the seemingly speechless young man for a long moment before finally saying what was on his mind: “Honestly, you don’t need to lie to me. Your resume is quite sparse; logically, you shouldn’t even be here at Oneworld. To be frank, today’s audition list originally had only four people. You—every interviewer only know about your addition this morning.”

Baili Xiao’s demeanor shifted immediately to seriousness. He understood the changes in Oneworld’s personnel department’s attitude, and that was precisely what puzzled him.

Mike scrutinized him for a moment and slowly continued, “If you want me to be direct, it was Liu Jie who insisted on adding you. She oversees all the trainees at Oneworld and manages the recruitment of newcomers. Logically, it was her who decided to eliminate you yesterday; she wouldn’t even offer you a trainee spot.”

“So the one who eliminated me is also the one who’s signing me?” Baili Xiao asked, his mind racing. He was certain he had no connection with that woman, they were complete strangers. The real Baili Xiao had been an insignificant figure with no skills, someone who definitely wouldn’t have had any ties to Oneworld’s middle management.

“Exactly,” Mike confirmed, leaning back in his chair. “Liu Jie is known for her strictness, and her decision-making can be quite harsh. If she changed her mind about you, there must be something noteworthy that caught her attention during your audition.”

Baili Xiao felt a mixture of relief and confusion. “But I didn’t do anything special during the audition.”

“Sometimes, just being yourself is enough to impress the right people,” Mike replied, a glimmer of intrigue in his eyes. “Or perhaps you showed a potential that was overlooked by others. Either way, you’re here now, or I intend to help you navigate this industry.”

Baili Xiao nodded, still processing the unexpected turn of events. “Thank you for the guidance.”

“Let’s focus on the future, then. First things first, we need to get the paperwork sorted out,” Mike said, pulling out the necessary documents. “And remember, honesty is crucial in this industry. I’m here to support you, but I need to know everything.”

“I understand,” Baili Xiao replied, determined to approach this new chapter of his life with sincerity and focus.

Mike’s gaze had become increasingly nuanced as he finally voiced the somewhat jarring truth: “Last night, two trainees caused a scene, and Liu Jie came over to handle it. When she saw you get out of a black car—right outside the company—she assumed you were… so she changed her mind on the spot.”

Baili Xiao was utterly bewildered, his expression reflecting pure confusion: “？？？？？？？”

Mike was also at a loss. With the conversation laid bare to this extent, how could the person across from him still pretend to be ignorant?

He knew that revealing this connection might be somewhat embarrassing, but as his manager, he had the right—and the obligation—to know everything about him, especially matters that could affect his public image in the future. After all, who didn’t know that the president of Oneworld International came from a prestigious family and had always been aloof? Even if this young man had some connection with the boss, he wouldn’t be painted with the same brush as those who clawed their way up without scruples. After all, Yu Jinghao’s bed wasn’t a place anyone could easily reach. Mike had never seen a precedent for that in all his years at the company.

Thinking this, Mike felt a surge of anger. As the top manager, he had always only worked with Oneworld’s biggest stars. Today, he had merely come along to accompany Director Luo, never intending to take on a new talent. He admitted that Baili Xiao’s personal qualities and talents genuinely impressed him. That sense of astonishment had made him set aside any biases about the young man potentially climbing the ranks through unsavory means, even prompting him to take him under his wing personally. Yet, after showing such appreciation and goodwill, Baili Xiao wouldn’t even offer the slightest bit of honesty in return.

Thus, Mike’s voice hardened slightly. “The car with the license plate 京AA4466—who does it belong to? Please don’t tell me you really don’t know.”

Baili Xiao was even more perplexed. He knew who it belonged to—yesterday’s client—so what did that mean?

Mike’s frustration grew. “The owner of that license plate is Yu Jinghao, the prsident of Oneworld International. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone at Oneworld who doesn’t recognize that plate. Li Xiao—like I said, there’s no need for you to hide anything from me.”

This time, Baili Xiao was truly speechless. The client from yesterday, who had seemed so powerful yet completely unconvinced of his abilities and talents, was the president of Oneworld International? No wonder that man had been so concerned about whether he was a staff member or an artist. No wonder he had laughed oddly after saying they wouldn’t meet again. He was the boss here! Yet yesterday, he had deceived the man, claiming to be an artist at Oneworld International.

The realization sank in deeply, and Baili Xiao felt a whirlwind of emotions churning within him. The connection between the two worlds he had been trying to navigate suddenly felt overwhelming and complex.

Baili Xiao felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment, his emotions a chaotic whirlpool that left him at a loss for how to respond. His expression shifted through a spectrum of confusion and frustration, each moment more tangled than the last.

…

Perhaps his shock and bewilderment were so palpable that Mike finally came to believe he genuinely didn’t know Yu Jinghao was the president of Oneworld. When Mike pressed him about how he came to know Yu Jinghao, Baili Xiao found himself unable to concoct a plausible story.

What could he say? Classmate? Friend? It seemed implausible for classmates or friends to be unaware of each other’s high-profile positions in the entertainment industry.

He felt as though the heavens had just rolled thunder around him; living two lifetimes hadn’t prepared him for this. After a long sigh of resignation, he finally admitted, “He’s my client, but our deal ultimately fell through…” As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of Mike’s increasingly perplexed and twisted expression and quickly added, “Not that kind of deal, I swear.”

Mike scoffed lightly. “To be blunt, while Mr. Yu is the president of Oneworld, he’s also more than just that. His background… frankly speaking, a person with no social capital like you—if it weren’t for that kind of transaction, I genuinely can’t imagine what else you two could possibly have to negotiate.”

Despair flooded through Baili Xiao, he felt as if he were being hollowed out.

“I was invited by him for fortune-telling. Believe it or not, in his eyes, I’m just a fortune-teller from the streets.”

“……”

Mike found himself caught in a quandary, struggling to decide if the young man was either pulling his leg or wrapped in a web of mysteries. His rational mind and social experience screamed that the person across from him was being disingenuous, yet he couldn’t shake the odd recollection of Baili Xiao’s resume, which boasted a peculiar hobby: stargazing.

—He remembered it so well precisely because it was an odd hobby to include in a resume, its quirkiness had left a deep impression on him. He couldn’t help but put a hand to his forehead, suddenly realizing he might have impulsively tied himself to a sinking ship.

Mike fell silent for a long moment, ultimately deciding to tentatively accept Baili Xiao’s explanation for now, planning to probe deeper once they became better acquainted. He listed the various procedures that needed to be followed and the documents Baili Xiao needed to provide, watching as the young man signed page after page of contracts.

Baili Xiao’s handwriting was remarkably beautiful—strong and vigorous, not at all would expect that from someone his age. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating Baili Xiao’s profile. Though it was rare for anyone to describe a non-feminine man as beautiful, at that moment, Mike genuinely thought he looked like a celestial being.

He watched him for a long time before letting out a deep sigh, saying, “I think you’re very lucky.”

Baili Xiao raised his head at Mike’s comment, feeling a curious sense of novelty. It was the first time someone from the mortal realm had called him lucky after he had often assessed the masses himself. He replied with casual confidence, “I’ve always had good luck, better than anyone else.”

“You really are quite unmodest. Newcomers in the entertainment industry can’t rely on luck alone. You know, one can’t always be lucky…” Mike attempted to temper his enthusiasm, but before he could finish, Baili Xiao interrupted, his expression remaining relaxed. “Don’t worry, my luck will continue to be good. I can guarantee that.”

“……” Mike wore an expression of incredulity, almost twisted in disbelief. “You truly are a conversation killer. Fine, let’s get back to business. Director Luo came to Oneworld today to discuss casting for a new project. He’s usually quite energetic, but today, I don’t know what got into him—he suddenly took an interest in scouting new talent and insisted on observing the auditions. As a result, he ended up spotting you and wants you to officially sign on before auditioning. Many established actors have struggled for years without such an opportunity. And here you are, not even signed yet but already noticed by Director Luo. Tsk tsk…” Mike shook his head, sighing, “Such luck, and if you tell others, they’ll surely be envious.”

A glimmer of confusion flickered in Baili Xiao’s eyes as he recalled the old man sitting nearby. It seemed his earlier suspicions were confirmed—he was indeed a director. Moreover, from Mike’s words, this Director Luo was quite prominent.

Baili Xiao made a silent resolution to prepare well for his “homework” on Luo Wei.

…

The signing process was quite complex, involving endless discussions throughout the day. By the time Baili Xiao returned home, it was already night. The day’s influx of information had been overwhelming, and he found himself unable to dwell on Yu Jinghao’s status as president or their shared fate as members of the Northern Dipper constellation. After taking a shower, he turned to stargazing, finding the movements of his fate incredibly clear. He had already foreseen the direction of his next step.

At midnight, he posted on Weibo:

@ Master Baili: Tomorrow is suitable for weddings, transactions, contracts, and repairs. Avoid moving beds, opening channels, or raising beams. The Ziwei constellation is shifting, bringing blessings from the Northern Dipper. All matters are harmonious.

As he typed, he leaned lazily against his bed, the audition script freshly printed beside him. The upcoming shift of the Ziwei constellation coincided perfectly with the day he was invited to Director Luo’s studio for his audition.

It just so happened that Director Luo was one of the main stars associated with the Ziwei constellation, positioned directly south of the Northern Dipper.

With these signs aligning, Baili Xiao felt a surge of confidence and anticipation for what was to come.