Fu Yanlin turned his head in surprise. Mo Xiaobei, wearing a white apron and a transparent mask, had somehow appeared behind him, staring intently. Being scrutinized like this made Fu Yanlin’s skin crawl a bit, and he couldn’t help but frown slightly. This kid looked so stubborn, as if he was determined to get to the bottom of things.
"There’s no reason…" Normally, Fu Yanlin might have explained further, but now his mood was increasingly agitated and restless, and he just wanted to get away quickly.
He glanced around and, seeing no no-smoking signs, lit a cigarette. He flicked the lighter absentmindedly, the snapping sound echoing, and took a deep drag. The nicotine cleared his head a little, calming his most intense emotions. He pinched his aching brow and looked at Mo Xiaobei with a calm demeanor.
However, the drifting smoke made Mo Xiaobei cough uncontrollably. Fu Yanlin watched as the young chef quickly lowered his head, then smirked slightly. Despite his efforts to restrain himself, his expression betrayed him—clearly dissatisfied and annoyed, yet having to swallow his pride.
Mo Xiaobei asked patiently, "Can you tell me what’s wrong with it? Please give me some suggestions for improvement, or if you’re willing to give me a chance, I’ll make another bowl for you."
Mo Xiaobei actually hated cigarettes and didn’t smoke himself; it would affect his taste and smell as a professional chef. He usually avoided secondhand smoke as much as possible. If it weren’t for Fu Yanlin’s good looks and the fact that he was a guest, Mo Xiaobei would have mentally given him a bad review! Who says only customers can rate businesses? Businesses can certainly rate customers too, and annoying ones should be blacklisted!
Fu Yanlin was amused by him. This guy looked so young, almost like a minor. He leisurely looked at Mo Xiaobei, who was a head shorter, feeling a bit mischievous. He smiled wickedly, "Mind your expressions, kid. Your mouth is almost dragging on the ground."
"I… you…" Mo Xiaobei was taken aback. He wasn’t used to being teased, and being exposed like that made him a bit embarrassed, even his ears turned a little red. He rubbed his apron vigorously, looking a bit at a loss.
Finally, he sniffed and mustered the courage to say, "I’m genuinely asking. I really need advice." But as he spoke, he subtly shifted his steps, inching away from the smoking Fu Yanlin.
Seeing this, Fu Yanlin suddenly understood. He quickly extinguished the cigarette, his tone softening as he realized he might have gone too far earlier. "As for personal taste, I think there might be a bit too much chili. But it’s my issue; I’m not feeling well and can’t eat much. It’s really not your fault. The kitchen’s already closed, so no need to make another. Let’s talk about it tomorrow."
"I know, I know! Got it! I’ll definitely fix it by tomorrow!" Mo Xiaobei’s expression brightened instantly, and he smiled with twinkling eyes. This time it was a genuine smile, and he let out a long breath. Jokingly, he said, "Thank you, otherwise I’d really lose confidence in myself."
Now he felt that this guest from Hong Kong was not only good-looking but also reasonable, aside from the smoking habit.
Fu Yanlin nodded gloomily. He was already tired of socializing and left with a simple "Get some rest early."
Unexpectedly, misfortune never comes alone. Not long after returning to his room, he received a termination letter from the company. Following that was a bank notification that his account had been frozen. The company had fired him for breaching contract terms and was even counter-suing him for a hefty, unreasonable termination fee. In the face of absolute power, he was like an ant, powerless to fight back.
Fu Yanlin stared blankly at the cold words, completely stunned. He staggered and collapsed onto the sofa. The agency, where he’d spent five years, was so ruthless, not only shelving him without resources but also freezing his assets. Now he had nothing but twenty thousand dollars to his name!
It must have been He Kai’s doing. His vengeful nature wanted to crush Fu Yanlin completely, to have him blacklisted and disappear from the entertainment industry.
The root of the issue traced back to the Golden Melody Awards ceremony months ago. The annual Top Ten Golden Melody Awards ceremony was a star-studded event, one of the highest honors in Hong Kong’s music scene since the 1990s. Winning such an award meant recognition from both audiences and the industry, making the competition extremely fierce.
Fu Yanlin, who had just turned twenty-five this year, signed with Huanya Entertainment at nineteen after winning first place in a singing competition. Backed by a big company, he thought he would get good resources and a smooth career path. But Fu Yanlin was too straightforward and proud, and without any background, even with his captivating looks and decent skills, he remained a background figure for the top stars, never quite making it big. This time, unwilling to see resources always favoring others, he took a risk, secretly writing a song, recording an album behind the company’s back, and submitting it for review. Unexpectedly, he won an award.
For a week, Fu Yanlin was in a state of feverish excitement, ignoring the ambiguous glances from company executives after learning of his win. He revised his acceptance speech five times, practicing in front of the mirror daily, counting down the days to the ceremony.
However, when the award list was revealed—
"The winner of this year’s Most Popular Golden Melody Award is He Kai!"
The middle-aged actress on stage, still with a stunning figure, announced with a beaming smile. Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Fu Yanlin, already half-standing with his speech in hand, was stunned. Beside him, He Kai stood up, waving and nodding to the applause. He had just come of age and had explosive resources since debuting, now setting a record as the youngest Golden Melody Award winner.
He Kai’s image was that of a melancholic, youthful heartthrob, attracting countless female fans. He also had another identity: the son of the TV station director who had produced several award-winning actors. Fu Yanlin clearly saw the moment He Kai stood up and looked down at him, his eyes filled with mockery and pity.
One person, with the demeanor of a victor, walked up to the stage to embrace the spotlight, while the other, red-faced and awkward, sat back down. Even though the artists nearby lowered their voices to talk to their companions, their words still reached Fu Yanlin’s ears due to the close proximity.
"Why did he stand up when He Kai won? Trying to steal the spotlight? Such a cheap trick."
Fu Yanlin, half-standing with a shocked and bewildered expression, was in stark contrast to the elegantly poised He Kai beside him. This scene was captured by tabloid reporters and, with some sensationalized writing, made it to the trending topics that night.
"Wannabe crashes the spotlight, trying to steal the king’s thunder!"
"Men’s battle no less dramatic than actresses, full of fireworks!"
The lines of bright red exclamation marks stung Fu Yanlin’s eyes, and he received "gifts" of curses from He Kai’s fervent fans when he got home.
"Xiao Fu, you’re not that young anymore. Why so impulsive? You know submitting under your own name was against the rules. The company didn’t pursue your violation, which was already generous. How could you be so foolish as to try to steal the spotlight?"
Wang Zuping, the manager of Huanya’s artist department, adjusted his glasses, his droopy eyelids lifting slightly as he sneered at Fu Yanlin, who had barged in to argue his case.
Fu Yanlin felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He knew these people were all in cahoots, colluding against him. His naivety and recklessness had led to this bloodied collision.
"Young man, if you had followed Director Yang earlier, none of this would have happened. I had high hopes for you and made plans for you. It was just a drink, not your life. You’re too hot-headed. You should rest and adjust your state. I think you should take a break from work and cool off for a while."
Wang Zuping gave his final ultimatum, unceremoniously waving Fu Yanlin out.
Was it just a drink? Everyone knew how notorious Investor Yang’s reputation was. The company’s actions were no different from a pimp’s. Even if Fu Yanlin lost his job and starved, he would never degrade himself to do such things.
To this day, Fu Yanlin didn’t regret his decision back then. It went completely against his original intentions. He just wanted to be a simple musician. Fame and fortune were, of course, hard to refuse, but he couldn’t accept them through dirty deals. Even in his current dire situation, he couldn’t bow to those people.
Overwhelmed with emotion, the symptoms of altitude sickness grew stronger. Fu Yanlin staggered and fell onto the bed. His head throbbed more intensely, and his vision darkened. Just before losing consciousness, he wondered if dying like this would cause trouble for Mo Xiaobei…