AITFYMIBP Chapter 26

TL: Hua

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As one of the top video-sharing platforms in the country, EC Video’s sudden and massive scandal naturally drew immense public attention. As soon as the news broke, the trending topics were dominated by it.

Shortly after, EC Group released a statement confirming that a certain Li was under investigation. Following this, the official Weibo account of Day and Night Entertainment was discovered to have been completely wiped clean overnight.

At this point, everyone was certain that this was the real deal.

Li was about to be put behind bars.

The people at Day and Night Entertainment involved in illegal dealings with him, along with their pathetic company, were all going to face a complete downfall.

A clean sweep—not a single person would escape!

The public watched in amazement as a new scandal unfolded each day. The 24/7 online community of melon eaters had no idea that Lin Yanran’s small contract termination issue would eventually lead to so many major developments.

Some people later pieced the events together, realizing that from the moment Lin Yanran’s college entrance exam score became a trending topic, every subsequent turning point was interconnected, with each event building on the last. This chain reaction finally led to the culprits being brought to justice!

Even more miraculously, he didn’t just fight against the corporation on his own; he also helped several young artists in his company, who had been suppressed and neglected, escape from their clutches.

Everyone who followed the story agreed he was an incredible person.

—

After hanging up with Yingying, Lin Yanran immediately went to meet with his lawyer.

“Day and Night Entertainment has agreed to a settlement. Once they sign the termination contract, you’ll be able to leave the company. This will likely happen within the next two or three days. Congratulations in advance.”

The lawyer shared the good news with Lin Yanran as soon as he saw him.

Although he was mentally prepared, hearing the lawyer’s words still felt like a dream to Lin Yanran.

“Thank you. I thought this lawsuit would take at least a month or two at the quickest.”

Contract disputes are inherently time-consuming. Before starting the lawsuit, he was ready to battle Day and Night Entertainment for months, or even years.

He never expected everything to go so smoothly.

The lawyer nodded. “This whole thing was quite surprising for me too. I didn’t expect such a massive public outcry online.”

The lawyer paused, highlighting the key point. “The main reason they’re backing down so easily is the subsequent discovery of their dealings with the EC executive. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have given in so easily.”

Now, with many people from Day and Night Entertainment arrested, the entire company was in chaos—a sinking ship with no one left to steer. No one had the energy to deal with artists’ contract terminations.

Lin Yanran nodded; he understood the logic.

Everyone assumed that the investigation into the EC producer was a direct result of the turmoil caused by their contract dispute.

However, Lin Yanran couldn’t shake the feeling that such a rapid reaction was intentional.

It was as if someone had been waiting for the perfect moment to help him from behind, igniting the crucial flame that set everything in motion.

He and the lawyer discussed the next steps, and as they parted ways, the lawyer offered a piece of advice.

“While it’s not really my place to say this, other companies will definitely want to sign you after your contract is terminated. Next time, make sure you read the contract clauses carefully. It’s best to consult a professional first.”

The lawyer, a man in his forties, saw that Lin Yanran was around the same age as his own child. Fearing that the young man might be scammed again by these wicked capitalists, he felt compelled to offer the kind advice.

“Okay, I’ll be sure to pay attention to the contract.”

Lin Yanran nodded, grateful for the lawyer’s kindness.

The lawyer’s warning was spot on. As soon as Lin Yanran left, he received calls from several talent agency heads.

They all expressed their interest in working with him.

Although Lin Yanran was not a top-tier celebrity, his recent high-profile presence and successful comeback made many agencies optimistic about his future career.

As soon as they heard the news of his impending contract termination, they immediately contacted him to discuss a new contract.

However, in contrast to the agencies’ eager invitations, Lin Yanran wasn’t very enthusiastic about finding a new company.

He didn’t have a strong desire to be a celebrity.

But when he arrived in this world, his situation was already set, and he had no other options, so he just went along with it, even without knowing anything.

Now that he was about to terminate his contract and regain his freedom, he had to seriously consider whether he wanted to continue in the entertainment industry.

Was there anything in it that was worth staying for?

Could he control his future career path?

After dinner, Lin Yanran found a piece of paper and began a cost-benefit analysis.

After comparing the two sides, he found that although the entertainment industry was unfamiliar, it was also interesting and challenging.

For instance, on Super Idol, as a mentor, he could use his creativity and express what he wanted to on the public performance stages.

He also really enjoyed the feeling of growing and improving alongside the trainees during the intense competition.

So, overall, there was nothing wrong with continuing to be an artist.

But there was one thing he couldn’t stand about being a celebrity.

It wasn’t the insults from haters, the pressure of work, or his private life being exposed to the public.

It was… the irregular schedule.

Having learned about wellness from his grandmother since kindergarten, Lin Yanran had a huge problem with staying up late.

Lin Yanran compared the two options and decided to observe and think for a while longer before making a new decision.

So he put away his pen and paper and pushed open the door to the original owner’s music room.

He had only been in this room when he cleaned it and rarely entered otherwise.

He could tell the original owner cherished the items in the room, so he had respectfully treated the space as the original owner’s private property and generally stayed out unless necessary.

Although he knew that the person no longer existed in this world and was just a character from a novel, Lin Yanran still treated him like a deceased friend, trying his best to preserve everything he had created in this world.

So today, after hearing the good news about the contract termination, Lin Yanran wrote a note and placed it on the original owner’s lyric book to inform him.

As he placed the note, Lin Yanran noticed a snippet of lyrics peeking out from underneath it.

I once wanted to be

The most brilliant star in the night sky

To break through the darkness and leave a trail

That is the light that illuminates dreams

Reading the words, Lin Yanran felt a pang of sadness.

Although everyone online criticized the original owner, thinking that the six singles the company released for him were terrible, Lin Yanran had gone through the songs the original owner wrote and knew he was very talented and had his own attitude toward music.

Now, combined with the meaning of these lyrics, Lin Yanran understood that the original owner had been so passionate about entering the entertainment industry, willing to sign an unfair contract, because he had wanted to become a star that lit up the dreams of countless people.

However, due to the company’s suppression, he never had the chance to realize his dream.

Gently running his finger over the lyrics, Lin Yanran’s mind began to waver a little.

*

The next day, inside the Super Idol production studio.

After finalizing the contract termination, Lin Yanran hurried to the set.

For the past few days, he had been fully focused on the termination, and the production team had been considerate enough to give him plenty of time off, not scheduling any shoots for him.

Lin Yanran was very grateful for this. So, as soon as he arrived today, he immediately offered to make up for the scenes he had missed.

However, a staff member told him there was no need for reshoots and that today’s filming had already started. The trainees were playing basketball.

These everyday activity clips would be edited into behind-the-scenes footage or included in the main show.

So the mentors also needed to participate in the filming.

Lin Yanran hadn’t been notified and realized he was late again, so he immediately said, “I’ll go over as soon as I’m done with makeup.”

The staff member smiled and waved him off. “Teacher Yanran, don’t worry. You can take your time. Teacher Gu has already filmed for you.”

Lin Yanran was surprised. “Teacher Gu? You mean Gu Siyue?”

The staff member nodded. “Yes, Teacher Gu Siyue. He filmed for you.”

The person added, “He also filmed all your parts for the past few days. Didn’t you know?”

Lin Yanran had been wondering why the production team hadn’t rushed him for so many days, thinking they were giving him time to peacefully handle his contract issue…

It turned out that Gu Siyue had completed all his filming tasks for the past few days?

No wonder…

After learning the truth, Lin Yanran was both surprised and touched.

Since coming to this world, he didn’t know many people in the entertainment industry.

But of the people he did know, Gu Siyue had taken care of him the most.

Gu Siyue never acted like a top celebrity around him and had offered to help him on multiple occasions.

Especially during the contract termination scandal, Gu Siyue had completely disregarded what others thought and directly liked his post to show support for an 18th-tier celebrity like him.

Lin Yanran thought about it and realized that, without him even knowing, he owed Gu Siyue a great deal.

“Where are they?”

Lin Yanran followed the staff member to the indoor basketball court.

From a distance, he could hear the trainees shouting.

“Go, Teacher Gu!!!”

“Go, Teacher Gu, go, go, go!!”

“Three-pointer! Get a three-pointer!!!”

Lin Yanran’s gaze swept over the basketball court.

Gu Siyue, who was dribbling the ball, stood out among the group of trainees.

He brought the ball to the three-point line, his peach-blossom eyes under his bangs curving slightly. With a quick turn, he easily dodged a trainee who tried to steal the ball and tossed it up.

The basketball arced beautifully and went straight into the hoop.

“Wow!! Teacher Gu is the GOAT!!!!!”

The trainees on the court and the staff watching from the sidelines couldn’t help but cheer and scream.

Lin Yanran, who had deliberately avoided the crowds, stopped and stared at Gu Siyue from a corner.

He felt that the scene of Gu Siyue shooting the ball looked a little familiar.

Even the way he shot the ball seemed exactly the same as something he had seen before.

Lin Yanran was puzzled.

He felt like he was missing some small detail.

The sound of the referee’s whistle brought his thoughts back to the present. Lin Yanran walked past the crowd, bent down, and grabbed a bottle of water.

On the other side, Gu Siyue, satisfied after making a beautiful three-point shot, walked over to the spectator area.

He took a clean towel from a staff member, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and then reached for a bottle of water.

Just as he turned and looked down, he saw Lin Yanran standing in front of him, looking at him with his beautiful eyes and holding a bottle of water.

Gu Siyue tentatively reached out, the corner of his eye lifting into a slight smile. “Is that for me?”

Lin Yanran nodded, handing the water to him with practiced ease. “For you.”

“Thank you.”

The smile in Gu Siyue’s eyes deepened. He took the bottle without hesitation, twisted open the cap, and tilted his head back to drink.

Gu Siyue had planned to find a quiet place to chat with Lin Yanran after drinking the water.

But in those few seconds while he was drinking, a trainee noticed Lin Yanran’s quiet arrival.

Someone shouted, “Teacher Yanran, you’re finally here!!”

Then, all the trainees who had scattered about gathered around him.

Although the trainees were in a secluded training environment, they had heard about Lin Yanran’s contract termination and felt angry and sad for him.

Xia Xingxing, in particular, was so furious that he couldn’t sleep at night after finding out how badly his idol had been harmed by the terrible company. He cursed himself for not having a phone to support his idol on Weibo and drew countless circles in his notebook to curse the unscrupulous company to go bankrupt.

Now that he saw Lin Yanran, he was the first to rush over. “Teacher Yanran…”

However, there were too many words of concern to say, and when he was finally in front of Lin Yanran, Xia Xingxing’s mind went blank.

Just as Xia Xingxing stumbled over his words, Lin Yanran spoke first. “Xia Xingxing, have you been having insomnia again? Your dark circles are so heavy.”

Xia Xingxing subconsciously touched his eyes.

He thought to himself, My idol cares about me so much wuwuwu.

But at the same time, My dark circles are from staying up all night, angry about my idol’s unfair contract. How can I possibly tell him that?

The trainees, who hadn’t seen Lin Yanran for days, were all incredibly enthusiastic. They spoke to him all at once, leaving Gu Siyue with no chance to interject.

So, Gu Siyue could only retreat a few steps, holding the bottle of water Lin Yanran had given him. After the trainees left to have lunch, he motioned for Lin Yanran to find a quiet corner to sit down.

“Did you handle the contract issue?”

Gu Siyue took a new bottle of water from a staff member, gave it to Lin Yanran, and sat down across from him.

“Pretty much. The lawyer told me to go sign it tomorrow morning.”

Since Gu Siyue had helped him so many times, Lin Yanran naturally had nothing to hide from him.

Then he remembered what the staff member had said and looked up at Gu Siyue.

“The staff member said you covered my filming for the past few days. Thank you, Teacher Gu.”

Lin Yanran’s eyes were filled with gratitude. He continued, “Also, thank you for liking my post that day…”

Gu Siyue met Lin Yanran’s pure, innocent, doe-like eyes, and a low chuckle escaped his lips. “Calling me ‘Teacher Gu’ feels a bit too formal.”

After expressing his dissatisfaction with how Lin Yanran addressed him, Gu Siyue saw the flash of surprise in Lin Yanran’s eyes.

A subtle light flickered in his eyes. He slightly reined in his smile and spoke in a more serious tone. “Between friends, you don’t need to say thank you so much.”

Lin Yanran wasn’t foolish and immediately understood what Gu Siyue meant.

He could feel that Gu Siyue was treating him like a friend.

But since they hadn’t had many chances to talk before, he didn’t feel comfortable asking directly.

Now that Gu Siyue had explicitly stated it, Lin Yanran naturally considered him a friend, and his tone became much more relaxed.

“A few companies have contacted me recently about signing a contract.”

Gu Siyue listened quietly. “Are they serious? Have they talked to you about specific plans?”

“It’s just the initial contact; we haven’t gone into details.”

Gu Siyue had been in the entertainment industry for seven years. Although he didn’t have to worry about contract negotiations himself, he had seen enough to have more experience than Lin Yanran.

He immediately sensed a problem with Lin Yanran’s description.

He was about to offer a warning, but then Lin Yanran spoke again.

“Actually, I’m the one who didn’t want to talk in depth. When they approached me, I was just starting to feel annoyed by the irregular schedule of being an artist and always staying up late.”

Hearing this, Gu Siyue chuckled, easily grasping the meaning of the keywords Lin Yanran used. “And now?” he asked.

“I still hate it,” Lin Yanran said, smiling. But his tone was much softer. “But I’ll try my best to get over it.”

He had already made up his mind after realizing the original owner’s wishes.

However, he felt that the companies that had contacted him were not up to his standards after he looked into them, so he didn’t pursue further conversations with them.

When Lin Yanran mentioned staying up late, his eyebrows furrowed in an expression of intense distaste.

But to Gu Siyue, that expression was exceptionally vivid and endearing.

He suppressed the subtle stirring in his heart and said softly, “No one in the entertainment industry can guarantee they won’t have to stay up late.”

After telling him the reality of the situation, he offered a solution. “But most of the time, you can have your agent step in to negotiate and arrange filming schedules.”

“The problem before was with Day and Night Entertainment. If you switch to a reliable company, that kind of situation won’t happen again.”

“Is that right?”

Lin Yanran’s experience in this area was very limited, so he took all of Gu Siyue’s words to heart.

“Then I’ll talk to a few more companies. I’m not in a hurry now.”

Gu Siyue didn’t say anything, but a few seconds later, he returned to the previous topic.

“I have a friend who wants to sign you.”

Gu Siyue looked down, casually playing with his phone. “He called me several times this morning and insisted that I pass the message on to you.”

Gu Siyue’s words completely caught Lin Yanran off guard.

Gu Siye did not specifically mention who the other party was, but Lin Yanran knew that people like him, who hold top positions in the entertainment industry, must have friends who are also well-known in the circle.

How could someone like that even notice someone as unremarkable as him?

Seeing Lin Yanran’s silence, Gu Siyue assumed he wasn’t very willing. He then gave them both an easy way out of the situation.

“I’m just making the introduction. You don’t have to feel pressured just because I’m the one who introduced him. You can talk to him about the details. The choice is yours.”

Lin Yanran didn’t refuse Gu Siyue’s kindness and simply nodded in agreement. “Okay. Thank you, Brother Gu.”

Just as they finished their conversation, the staff brought them their lunch.

They both intuitively stopped talking and began to eat.

Lin Yanran opened his lunchbox, and his gaze lingered on the stir-fried beef with celery for a few seconds, a slight fear in his heart.

He was allergic to celery. He had been terrified of it his entire life; even a small touch could be life-threatening.

Gu Siyue noticed his unusual behavior. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Yanran shook his head. “Nothing.”

Seeing Gu Siyue sitting across from him, Lin Yanran suddenly remembered that he was no longer in his old world.

He had confirmed with Yingying before that the original owner had no allergies. So this body of his was not allergic to celery.

However, because of his past painful experiences, Lin Yanran still had a psychological shadow with the vegetable. He resisted the urge to eat the beef with celery and only ate the other dishes.

Gu Siyue saw that the celery and beef were untouched and asked him, “You don’t like it?”

Lin Yanran nodded. He was about to say yes when he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and a stuffy nose, making it hard to breathe.

Realizing he was having an allergic reaction again, he lowered his head, trying to suppress the discomfort and nausea.

But because he couldn’t breathe, his head spun as he bent down, and he fell to the ground, his face deathly pale.

Lin Yanran’s fall immediately alarmed everyone around him.

The staff members who saw his condition were so frightened that they couldn’t speak clearly.

“Yanran… wh-what’s wrong!!”

“Call 120! Call 120!!”

Everyone gathered around in a panic, not knowing what to do.

In the midst of the chaos, Gu Siyue calmly picked up the motionless Lin Yanran.

His expression was grim, but he held the person in his arms tightly and strode out.

“Call a doctor! He’s having an allergic reaction.”

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