As soon as Gu Yanqiu returned to the company, someone arranged a contract renewal for him.
As a nobody, he surprisingly received a ten-year contract this time.
A ten-year contract is considered long-term for artists, but correspondingly, the benefits and compensation have also improved.
Just the basic monthly salary alone is five thousand. Compared to his previous life without a base salary, this is a significant increase in income.
It has made his life much more stable.
Even his manager hadn’t expected this. Although he failed the challenge competition, there were still such benefits. The tension and anxiety he felt before the competition were now replaced by a smile on his face.
“Xiao Gu, you worked hard during the challenge. The company is giving you three days off. Go back and take some time to adjust,” Manager Zhao said, his usual stern demeanor replaced with a warm attitude.
In the entertainment industry, flattering the successful and disparaging the unsuccessful is the basic rule.
Gu Yanqiu agreed.
The company even upgraded his dormitory. Previously, he shared a room with one other person. Now, it’s been upgraded to a small apartment near the company. Clearly, it had just been cleaned.
When Gu Yanqiu returned home, as an artist with long-term weight management needs, his fridge was almost empty of food.
Over the years, he had been training at the company and didn’t have many friends.
Facing this long-awaited break, he felt an unprecedented sense of confusion.
He opened his fan group.
The official group, which originally had around two hundred members, had now grown to a thousand-member group.
The group announcement read: Official Guide to Qiūqiū’s Archives. 109 Trainee Debut Guide, Flower Boy Limited Group Guide, Blurry Roadshow Edition Guide, Café Concert Raw Footage, I Am a Singer Challenge Competition CUT. Click to jump directly to the pages.
The group was filled with new fans, all sharing their excitement.
Of course, the most popular were the godly photos of Gu Yanqiu taken by the fan photographer Chen Duo.
Others had added cute photo frames and headwear, turning the originally dazzling godly photos into something dynamic and adorable.
“So handsome! How did I not notice him before?”
“This face is truly magnificent.”
“Finally found my people.”
“Hey, is Duoduo here? I worship you! Your skills and taste are absolutely amazing.”
“Sisters, the café recordings are so shaky, they’re giving me a headache. Is there really no official direct recording?”
“And yet, I actually got to appreciate his singing and dancing skills from such a blurry café concert.”
“If you ask me, he’s missing a proper singing and dancing stage. Even though I’m a new fan who just got hooked from the I Am a Singer show, I really want to see him perform live. I can’t stand it…”
The group owner, Moon, popped up: “There’s no helping it. There are too few singing and dancing stages in the country.”
Seeing the group owner speak, everyone got even more excited: “Ahhhhh! Group owner, is our brother in the group? Can he see our confessions?”
Moon said: “He is.”
Everyone exclaimed again. Being in the same group as the artist was just too thrilling.
This made everyone even more enthusiastic about chatting.
They were unstinting with their praise, and even Gu Yanqiu, who was lurking, felt a bit embarrassed.
He had thought about making a surprise appearance to say a few words, but seeing how lively and warm the atmosphere was, he couldn’t bring himself to disrupt it.
He opened his phone. Pinned at the top was the WeChat of his fan photographer, Chen Duo.
After his performance, he had tried to find out where she went. When he learned she had been removed, he had felt guilty ever since.
After editing for a while, she finally sent: “Thank you so much to you and your boyfriend for supporting me at the venue. To express my gratitude, could I treat you both to a meal?”
The moment he sent it, he felt the wording was too formal. He was about to retract and re-edit when the other party replied: “Sure.”
Gu Yanqiu’s heart skipped a beat, and he straightened up in front of his phone: “You pick the place!”
“Then let’s go to the Sichuan restaurant near your company. They have private rooms there. Their boiled fish is quite good,” she typed.
“I didn’t expect you to like boiled fish too,” he said, somewhat pleased. “Then let’s meet at 5 PM in room B12. Don’t be late.”
“Okay,” Chen Duo typed this single character.
Then she saw her boyfriend Xu Kaiming radiating a sulky, jealous aura: “How did you know he likes boiled fish?”
Chen Duo guiltily avoided his gaze.
What other reason could there be?
Of course, it was from digging up various old interviews in another world.
Though Gu Yanqiu was an idol, he loved spicy food, especially the boiled fish near the company where he debuted. As a longtime fan of Gu Yanqiu from another world, she naturally knew his habits inside out.
But there was no way to explain this to Xu Kaiming.
Just then, Xu Kaiming moved around to face Chen Duo directly.
“It was just a coincidence,” Chen Duo said.
The two had grown up together.
Xu Kaiming also knew Chen Duo’s micro-expressions when she lied.
So his displeasure intensified: “You don’t even know what your own boyfriend likes to eat. How could you know what another man likes? Look in my eyes!”
“Don’t you love beef jerky the most?” Chen Duo said.
Xu Kaiming, who had been fuming moments before, suddenly raised an eyebrow upon hearing her words.
Then the corner of his mouth twitched upward unnaturally: “Mm.” He seemed completely pacified.
Xu Kaiming said: “We’re going together.” No way was she meeting her idol alone.
“Of course,” Chen Duo said.
Xu Kaiming thought for a moment and told Chen Duo: “Come with me to the styling studio this afternoon to get a makeover.”
“Why?” Chen Duo asked.
“I can’t be worse than him,” he declared confidently.
“I never thought you were worse than him. My feelings for you and for him are different kinds of liking.” She didn’t voice the last part.
Xu Kaiming’s entire face began to flush red. It spread rapidly, even reaching his neck: “You… why… I like you too.” After saying this, he was nearly dying of embarrassment.
Chen Duo didn’t finish her sentence. Seeing his bashful expression, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Xu Kaiming had been feeling pleased. Seeing Chen Duo laugh, he immediately took offense: “Are you mocking me?”
“No.”
“You clearly are!”
“Really, I’m not.”
Xu Kaiming narrowed his eyes. Chen Duo laughed and ran away.
Xu Kaiming chased after her.
When the appointed time arrived,
Gu Yanqiu came as promised. He was dressed in casual clothes, and since he was genuinely good-looking, it made him appear even more dashing.
Upon entering, he saw Chen Duo and Xu Kaiming.
Chen Duo was a delicate, pretty girl, while Xu Kaiming was a handsome, elegant young man—together they simply looked perfect.
That afternoon, Xu Kaiming had wanted to get styled, but Chen Duo forcibly stopped him, saying he didn’t need to do that. He didn’t have to compete with Gu Yanqiu. Chen Duo was pressured into telling him he was handsome. Only then did he give up on the rivalry.
Fortunately, I didn’t dress up too formally, otherwise it would have been really strange in this small restaurant.
Gu Yanqiu was also happy to see them: “Hello.” He shook hands with each of them.
“Thank you all – I’ve renewed my contract with the company. This time, please don’t be polite with me. Let me treat you to this meal,” Gu Yanqiu said politely and courteously.
“Great.” After arriving, they had already checked the prices here – not too expensive. Having him treat them to this meal wouldn’t be much of a burden.
Only in Chen Duo’s heart was a screaming world achieved.
Her idol was treating her to a meal.
If she said this to others, hardly anyone would believe it.
Xu Kaiming stared at Chen Duo, feeling displeased in his heart. But he didn’t show it on his face.
Xu Kaiming naturally had the ability to quickly build close relationships.
He soon became familiar with Gu Yanqiu.
Xu Kaiming described how they managed to bring in the fan banner in such a thrilling way that Gu Yanqiu was completely amazed. When he got to the part about being chased out, Gu Yanqiu felt extremely guilty.
Xu Kaiming deliberately didn’t mention that after they left, they ate incredibly delicious spicy crabs.
Chen Duo looked at Gu Yanqiu with some concern.
People say those in the entertainment industry have eight hundred tricks up their sleeves. But why didn’t this kid seem like that? He’d probably help count the money even after being sold.
Gu Yanqiu said: “Maybe this sounds a bit presumptuous, but in my heart, I truly consider you all as friends.”
“Hey, we feel the same,” Xu Kaiming said. “We’re friends and fans. We’ll support you at more of your events in the future.”
“Thank you all.”
“Saying thank you between friends is too formal. Come on, come on, today we’re celebrating your successful contract renewal. Let’s make a toast.”
In Gu Yanqiu’s humble little restaurant, they raised their glasses together in celebration.
Soon the boiled fish arrived too, with its spicy and smooth fish slices quickly creating a lively atmosphere in the private room.