When Fu Yunzhou returned home, the first thing he noticed was Yuan Xi sitting on the sofa, hugging a cushion and reading a book.

The warm yellow light from the kitchen softly illuminated the room, and from a distance, Fu Yunzhou caught sight of a familiar clay pot.

Hearing the sound of the door, Yuan Xi lifted his head and glanced toward the entrance. As soon as he saw Fu Yunzhou step inside, he quickly got up to help him hang up his coat and take his bag.

When Yuan Xi took the coat, his fingers brushed against Fu Yunzhou’s arm and felt the dampness of sweat-soaked fabric. He frowned slightly, puzzled.

“Why are you back so late? Is the new job keeping you busy?”

After hanging up the coat, Fu Yunzhou took the fidgety little guy by the hand and led him to the dining table. “Yes, there was quite a bit of paperwork today. It should get better soon. I’ll likely be home around eight starting tomorrow.”

“Then… should I wait for you to eat together from now on?” Yuan Xi blinked, looking at Fu Yunzhou, who was already seated.

“No need. Today, my driver took you to your lessons. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can ask him to bring me a meal next time.”

Yuan Xi nodded, turned, and quickly headed to the kitchen to bring out the hot porridge he had been simmering.

After setting it on the table, Yuan Xi picked up the book recommended by Xu Guoyi and continued reading.

Though neither of them spoke, Fu Yunzhou felt his heart soften as he glanced at Yuan Xi, quietly sitting beside him.

His gaze shifted to the title of the book before he asked. “How was class today? Senior Xu’s acting skills and abilities are exceptional. If you study well, you won’t have to worry about too many NGs when you’re performing.”

The reminder suddenly jogged Yuan Xi’s memory about the tuition. He lifted his eyes from the book and glanced at Fu Yunzhou, his expression tinged with both gratitude and unease.

“Um… I heard from Teacher Xu that you personally covered my tuition. I… How much was it? Maybe I can pay you back once I start earning money!”

“There’s no need.” Fu Yunzhou replied with a laugh. “Focus on earning your money first. You haven’t even started making any, and you’re already eager to take on debts?”

He looked at Yuan Xi with a hint of amusement, wondering if the little guy would be startled if he revealed the actual amount.

Yuan Xi pouted, thought about it for a moment, and realized Fu Yunzhou had a point. Even though he had saved quite a bit from part-time jobs, it was nowhere near enough to cover even one lesson’s tuition.

After silently wrestling with the dilemma between protecting his savings and repaying the debt, Yuan Xi decided to wait until he earned more money to pay it back.

Not having his “little treasure fund” made him feel insecure. After all, he still planned to escape from the male lead someday! Though… it wouldn’t be so bad if he could take his male god along too.

As the thought of the male lead crossed his mind, Yuan Xi belatedly realized he hadn’t seen him at all recently.

Thinking of that lunatic-like male lead sent a shiver down his spine.

Scooting closer to Fu Yunzhou, Yuan Xi nudged his shoulder gently. “Yunzhou, do you know when Fu Yushen will be back?”

Fu Yunzhou’s hand paused mid-sip of porridge. He set the bowl down, raised his head, and looked at Yuan Xi. “Why are you asking about him? What’s going on—do you want to see him?”

Yuan Xi’s head immediately shook like a rattle drum, his expression filled with disdain as he looked at Fu Yunzhou. “Of course not! I absolutely don’t want to see him! I just want to know when he’s coming back so I can avoid him. I have zero interest in meeting that lunatic.”

Fu Yunzhou, who had been briefly worried, relaxed and let out a chuckle, shaking his head. “A lunatic? Why do you think he’s a lunatic?”

“Well,” Yuan Xi huffed indignantly, “he randomly brought me to the Fu family’s main residence and let me stay there without explaining anything. And then there’s his girlfriend—she’s even more of a lunatic! I’m a guy, and yet she got jealous of me and even tried to scheme against me.”

Whenever Yuan Xi thought about the male lead, a surge of frustration churned within him.

Even though some things hadn’t happened yet, he felt like they were inevitable—like a preordained misfortune he simply had foreknowledge of.

Just the thought of his bleak future was enough to make Yuan Xi sigh endlessly. From a lively, spirited “energy treasure,” he had morphed into a “sighing treasure.”

Fu Yunzhou, who was already familiar with Qi Yunrou’s antics, didn’t find Yuan Xi’s words surprising in the least.

Upon realizing that Yuan Xi genuinely wanted to avoid Fu Yushen, a subtle smile tugged at Fu Yunzhou’s lips. Feeling unexpectedly cheerful, he reached out and ruffled Yuan Xi’s hair.

“Alright, if Fu Yushen comes back, I’ll let you know in advance so you can avoid him. How about that?”

Yuan Xi looked up at him with an expression of pure delight, his big, bright eyes practically sparkling. “Really? Then it’s a deal! You have to help me avoid Fu Yushen when the time comes, okay?”

Fu Yunzhou nodded, but before he could respond, a bowl was suddenly thrust into his hands.

“Alright, hurry up and eat before the porridge gets cold. You probably have a lot of work tomorrow, right? Finish up and get some rest early. Otherwise, you’ll be exhausted at work.”

Aside from attending classes with Teacher Xu, Yuan Xi spent his days at home, diligently expanding his knowledge.

To many, acting might seem like an incredibly simple task, but only after stepping into the role does one realize the challenges it entails.

While plenty of celebrities enjoy massive popularity and influence, their acting often leaves much to be desired—sometimes so awkward it makes viewers want to either strangle them or abandon the show altogether.

After a month of training, Yuan Xi barely managed to reach the passing line in his acting skills.

When Chen Yang learned that Yuan Xi’s teacher was none other than Xu Guoyi, he found himself reevaluating Yuan Xi’s potential.

Although he had already sensed the boss’s high regard for Yuan Xi during the contract signing, he hadn’t expected the boss to go as far as personally hiring a veteran like Xu Guoyi to mentor Yuan Xi—and paying out of pocket for it.

Looking at the contract in his hands, Chen Yang felt a little stifled by its terms but when he considered the bigger picture, knowing that the big boss had Yuan Xi covered, he couldn’t help but feel a sly satisfaction bubbling up inside.

“Who would’ve thought I’d bring back a golden goose this time? Hehehe… I wonder if Little Yuan Xi might even become the boss’s wife someday.”

After chuckling to himself, Chen Yang turned his attention back to the script in his hands.

With Yuan Xi’s acting skills now meeting Xu Guoyi’s baseline standards, it wouldn’t be embarrassing to showcase his work.

After all, in Xu Guoyi’s eyes, many of today’s most popular young actors delivered performances that were nothing short of abysmal.

For Yuan Xi to achieve even a barely passing grade was already an impressive feat.

Even Xu Guoyi himself hadn’t expected Yuan Xi to improve so quickly. When he first saw Yuan Xi’s acting, only two words came to mind: utter garbage.

But over the course of just one month, Xu Guoyi had witnessed Yuan Xi’s progress with his own eyes.

In such a short period, Yuan Xi’s acting had reached the level of a professionally trained student—a development that Xu Guoyi found utterly astonishing.

When Yuan Xi mentioned that Chen Yang was planning to find a script for him, Xu Guoyi simply nodded, offering no additional comment.

Sometimes, it’s only by truly confronting a situation that one can understand their shortcomings.

As a teacher, Xu Guoyi could offer guidance and instruction, but the most profound lessons often came from personally encountering and resolving challenges.

Chen Yang had plenty of scripts in hand, but this was Yuan Xi’s first-time filming.

Even with Xu Guoyi’s endorsement, Chen Yang wasn’t confident enough to immediately place Yuan Xi in a major production without seeing his acting firsthand.

Nevertheless, the roles Chen Yang chose for him were supporting characters—either second or third male leads.

The project was a relatively straightforward modern drama, chosen for its simpler requirements compared to the complexity of period dramas. However, the director for the script Chen Yang selected was known for being exceptionally strict.

While the acting requirements weren’t overly demanding, anyone performing poorly would be unceremoniously removed from the project.

As news of Chen Yang scouting scripts and casting roles spread, it reminded everyone at Xingyao Entertainment of the newcomer who had signed a month ago.

Word quickly got out that Yuan Xi was officially one of Chen Yang’s contracted artists, and soon, the whole of Xingyao Entertainment was abuzz with the news.

When Qi Yunrou heard that Chen Yang’s newly signed artist was Yuan Xi, she snapped the limited-edition lipstick in her hand in half.

“Are you sure about this? Chen Yang’s new artist is definitely Yuan Xi?” she asked, her voice calm but her expression betraying a storm beneath the surface. Pretending to maintain her composure, she picked up a makeup remover wipe to clean the red smudge at the corner of her lips.

Anna, standing nearby with a stack of documents, glanced at Qi Yunrou cautiously and nodded. “It’s almost certain. Word is that Brother Chen has already chosen a script and role for Yuan Xi. He’ll be taking him to join the crew soon.”

Qi Yunrou’s hand froze mid-wipe, her expression darkening as fury bubbled up inside her.

“Yuan Xi, Yuan Xi—always Yuan Xi! He’s my nemesis!”

For the first time, Qi Yunrou felt an intense hatred for Yuan Xi, mentally marking him as someone she needed to keep a close eye on.

Her resentment stemmed from the fact that Yuan Xi had been the cause of her argument with Fu Yushen, leaving the two of them in a cold war that still hadn’t ended.

And now Yuan Xi had become one of Chen Yang’s artists—a situation Qi Yunrou viewed as an even greater threat.

She knew all too well how deep Chen Yang’s resources ran. Even though his offerings hadn’t been stellar before she left his management, they were far from poor.

It wasn’t until she moved to Bi Yingying’s team that Qi Yunrou discovered Chen Yang had actually been preparing a major opportunity for her back then. It was just that…

Anna’s phone rang, and she glanced apologetically at Qi Yunrou. “Sister Rou, it’s Sister Bi.”

Qi Yunrou pulled herself out of her thoughts, looked at Anna, and nodded lightly before returning to clean up the smudges at the corner of her lips.

“Hello, Sister Bi.” Anna answered the call, throwing a cautious glance at Qi Yunrou.

As she listened to the voice on the other end of the line, Anna’s expression darkened. Her furtive glances at Qi Yunrou became more frequent. “Understood, Sister Bi. I’ll let Sister Rou know. Goodbye, then.”

After hanging up, Anna hesitated, unsure how to break the news. She stood frozen in place, her face a mixture of anxiety and indecision.

Qi Yunrou had already noticed Anna’s unease. Setting down the makeup remover wipe, she began touching up her makeup. “Just say it. Don’t beat around the bush. What happened this time?”

Anna, wearing a pair of black, square-framed glasses, adjusted them nervously before speaking in a low voice. “The role of Empress Su in Beauty’s Makeup has been finalized. It’s going to Wei Qiqi from Dahai Media.”

Qi Yunrou’s hand, poised to fill in her brows, slipped, leaving a long streak across her face. Staring at the blemish in the mirror, her expression twisted in fury. Without a word, she flung the eyebrow pencil across the room.

“Get out.”

“Sister Rou, please don’t be angry.” Anna said cautiously. “Sister Bi mentioned that the director of Beauty’s Makeup really likes you. They’ve arranged another role for you—Consort An…”

Before Anna could finish, Qi Yunrou grabbed whatever was in front of her on the vanity and hurled it in Anna’s direction, shouting furiously. “I said, get out!”

=^_^=