When they met again after many years, the other person only offered a cup of poisoned wine with a mocking smile, exactly the same as in their previous life.
"I'll give you unparalleled wealth and status, above all others. Do you dare?"
Zhou Shu accepted it with a smile and drank it all in one gulp.
He doesn't seek to be above everyone else; he only hopes that Jiang Jianning will turn back and love him.
"I refuse to fawn over others, nor do I want my life to hang on someone else's knife. I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me."
Ruthless and ruthless powerful minister (shou) × Stoic and even more ruthless general (gong);
Reading Guide:
1• A love-hate relationship between two strong characters, with the protagonist experiencing both love and hate, and the other character experiencing a "wife-chasing" scenario. The protagonist transmigrates into a book and is reborn, while the other character regains his memories from his previous life.
2.1v1 HE (Happy Ending) The protagonist was focused on his career in his previous life, and the other protagonist didn't love him in his previous life either. Their romance only begins in the second life, which is the start of the main story.
3. The top and bottom were only nominally registered as a family, with no blood relation.
Chapter 2
In those few short seconds, countless possibilities flashed through Zhang Chaohe's mind, including strange thoughts such as "Was Cheng Jixue also transported to another world?", "Am I still in the original story and haven't stumbled into some strange fanfiction?", and "Was the original body really that stingy?"
Zhang Chaohe stood frozen in place: "Don't you think this is an insult to you?"
Cheng Jixue raised an eyebrow: "If you mean to humiliate me with money, I'd be happy to."
Zhang Chaohe picked up the sugar daddy contract and skimmed through it. The more he looked, the more something seemed off—the original owner wasn't just stingy, but rather a victim of injustice!
This contract not only promised Cheng Jixue's salary and benefits during the duration of the relationship, but also agreed to pay off the troupe's debt of 3.25 million yuan. In addition, the original owner also promised the general framework of a star-making plan, the parts concerning the artist's freedom and resource selection of which would move even philanthropists to tears—besides investing regardless of cost, they even made huge concessions on income, with the artist and company splitting profits 50/50!
This is utterly a loss of sovereignty and a disgrace to the nation!
Compared to the other two, Zhang Chaohe is now too embarrassed to even show off his current agency contract!
Zhang Chaohe knew, of course, that these were all sugar-coated bullets from the original owner of this body. He was only trying to trick Cheng Jixue into signing the contract so that he could keep the beauty under his control. As for the extent to which the star-making plan would be implemented and how much of a deficit it would cause to the company's revenue, those were matters that the original owner could decide on his own and were not worth worrying about at all.
But this is very important to Zhang Chaohe right now! He wants to exploit Cheng Jixue to make money for him!!
Zhang Chaohe silently raised his head: "If I told you this contract was a test of your resolve, would you believe me?"
"The kind that tests you all afternoon?" Cheng Jixue took the contract back from him. "I don't have good self-control."
That's incredible! Shouldn't that beautiful, powerful, and pitiful woman have thrown the contract in his face to demonstrate her noble character of not being swayed by money or power?!
Zhang Chaohe is now in a bind. Cheng Jixue's superior looks and protagonist aura guarantee his immense success, making investing in him a sure-fire way to make money. Moreover, he's already stepped into someone else's minefield. Whether it's Master Ji discovering his inappropriate relationship with his "treasure" later, or whether he's ruined Cheng Jixue today and later complains to Master Ji, Zhang Chaohe seems destined for a tragic end.
The original owner of this body had gotten herself into this hot potato, but now she was leaving it to him to deal with.
However, in this critical moment, Zhang Chaohe actually came up with a brilliant excuse!
He cleared his throat, revealing a cool and arrogant expression typical of domineering CEOs, and said seriously, "I am a businessman. Signing you and investing a lot of costs and resources is not to satisfy my own perverted selfish desires, but because I sincerely hope that you can create greater commercial value for Jiasheng."
"This contract is just a test to gauge the artist's bottom line. I hate trouble caused by ulterior motives. Signing such an absurd contract is a stain on your reputation and an insult to me. If you are willing, apart from the fact that you are not being kept, all other treatment will remain the same. I will give you the best resources and promote you to the top. All you need to do is work hard and give me a great performance."
This statement sounds cheesy and commonplace, but with the added aura of Mr. Zhang's status, it somehow seems inexplicably reasonable and true.
Cheng Jixue nodded knowingly: "It seems that President Zhang is having a lot of troubles."
Zhang Chaohe: No, no, it's usually me who's bothering others.
"Whether you sign this contract of servitude or not is your choice." Zhang Chaohe's tone was indifferent, without any coercion or enticement. He simply stated the facts: "If you are unwilling, please find another job."
What is an epic counterattack?
The wicked accuse first, Zhang Chaohe completely cleared himself of the "kept woman" label, and even righteously threw the blame back at him!
Cheng Jixue's expression remained unchanged. He looked at Zhang Chaohe thoughtfully—it was an evaluative look, as he weighed the sincerity and weight of Zhang Chaohe's words.
Zhang Chaohe stared blankly into his eyes. The newly appointed CEO, only half an hour old, didn't know how to maintain his cool and arrogant demeanor, so he simply kept a blank face.
Two minutes later—or perhaps ten minutes later—the condensed air suddenly melted away with Cheng Jixue's smile: "Alright, thank you for your kindness, Mr. Zhang, but I have one more request."
Zhang Chaohe gestured to him with his eyes to speak quickly.
“I only sign agency contracts for the minimum term.”
"Okay." The minimum term is four years, and Zhang Chaohe readily agreed, thinking to himself that he might not even be the boss of the company in four years, so he could meet this small condition.
"Then please let me know after you have drafted the contract, Mr. Zhang." Cheng Jixue extended his hand for the second time. Perhaps due to his upbringing in traditional opera, his demeanor carried an elegant and refined air: "It would be a pleasure to cooperate with you."
"It would be my honor," Zhang Chaohe said, a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. His forced expression softened slightly, and he let out a long breath: "Let's make money together and get rich as soon as possible."
Cheng Jixue smiled and said, "Does President Zhang still need to get rich quick?"
“Of course,” Zhang Chaohe said solemnly, “wealth has no limits.”
Next came the usual pleasantries. Zhang Chaohe invited him to dinner, but Cheng Jixue declined, saying he had other commitments. The two left the reception room in a pleasant atmosphere.
Before parting, Cheng Jixue suddenly asked, "Why did President Zhang choose me?"
Zhang Chaohe thought about it carefully and decided to tell the truth: "Because you are good-looking?"
Cheng Jixue smiled distantly and politely, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
The two sides said their goodbyes amicably downstairs. Zhang Chaohe even turned the tide of the story, successfully transforming the victim of persecution into a money-making ally. He also managed to save face for the domineering CEO Zhang with a not-too-shameful excuse, making it a resounding victory.
Whether Cheng Jixue believed him or not was not within his consideration—time would tell. As long as he actively distanced himself from the other party and kept himself pure, Cheng Jixue would eventually understand his predicament!
The driver had been waiting for a long time. As soon as Zhang Chaohe got into the car, the driver asked, "Mr. Zhang, are we going back to Guanshanju, Longyutianfu, or Sanzhuguan today?"
Poverty has limited my imagination; I never knew you could choose a house just by flipping through signs!
Zhang Chaohe secretly vowed to prevent Zhang Po's tragic end, and to let him continue to be a parasite of capital corrupted by money!
Based on his memory, he chose the most luxurious Longyu Tianfu, trying to experience the ruthless encroachment of capitalism. Longyu Tianfu was a gift from his father, Chairman Zhang, when he first returned to China. It exuded the retro aesthetic of a middle-aged or elderly entrepreneur, and the luxurious and heavy solid wood furnishings made him wonder if he had stepped into the Forbidden City.
The housekeeper had already prepared the meal and quietly left before he arrived home. The house was cold and quiet, with only the sound of his breathing. Zhang Chaohe, with tears in his eyes, made up his mind to build a good relationship with the main characters. He would let the rich man bear the loneliness alone, after all, he was willing to be a superficial and materialistic person.
Zhang Chaohe was admiring the original owner's collection, staring blankly at a box of car keys and tie clips and cufflinks inlaid with various colored gemstones, when he was suddenly called by his older brother to check up on him.
The eldest brother, Zhang Yinshan, inherited Chairman Zhang's business acumen. Prioritizing career over family, he founded Shengjing Group in his early thirties, achieving dominance in emerging industries such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. While a ruthless and cunning businessman, Zhang Yinshan was incredibly indulgent towards his younger brother, the original owner of this body. Less than half a month after taking over Jiasheng, he had already secretly invested nearly 800 million yuan in his brother, preparing him for great success.
Zhang Chaohe answered the phone respectfully from his sugar daddy: "Hello, sir."
Zhang Yinshan paused for a moment, clearly surprised by his rebellious younger brother's obedience: "Dian Dian, have you been busy lately?"
Zhang Chaohe: Can anyone tell me why Mr. Zhang's nickname is the same as my dog's nickname, Diandian?
"Fortunately, I have Assistant Jiang to help me with company affairs."
Presumably, the topic ahead made the older brother hesitant to speak, so he said tactfully, "I heard that you've recently decided to promote an artist?"
Zhang Chaohe: Assistant Jiang is indeed a double agent!
To prevent his elder brother and father from misunderstanding and causing any irreparable consequences, Zhang Chaohe explained his plans in detail, and finally mentioned that Cheng Jixue was a Peking Opera actor who had switched careers and had a noble desire to promote traditional culture.
Although he knew his rebellious younger brother was talking nonsense, Zhang Yinshan's tone was still much more relaxed: "When you have time, bring it back and sing a song for Dad. He has always loved listening to these kinds of songs."
"Mhm." Zhang Chaohe nodded frantically, and before hanging up the phone, he asked Zhang Yinshan if he had any good agents to recommend.
Of the company's three agents, Xu Shen's agent can no longer be used; Zhao Xinyue's agent certainly won't devote much energy to Cheng Jixue. And the third agent has a bunch of trainees who haven't realized their economic value, so clearly they don't have the skills or connections to promote Cheng Jixue in a short time.
Zhang Chaohe decided to find another powerful agent to manage Cheng Jixue, hoping that in the future, Master Ji would not resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, considering how dedicated he was to the task.
Zhang Yinshan said he would notify Assistant Jiang if there was any news. After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chaohe felt a little lost. Although he worked in the film and television industry and had relatively rich experience and intuition in this field, and the original owner's taking over Jiasheng was, in a way, paving the way for his future integration into this world, he was already a little tired of the glitz and glamour of the industry.
If he could do it all over again, perhaps there would be endless possibilities for him.
He hadn't figured out exactly what to do, so, following his work instincts, Zhang Chaohe began to study the resources at hand. Bringing Cheng Jixue into the public eye was both a simple and difficult task. On the one hand, he had some performance experience, and his skills were more solid than those of newcomers who only had a pretty face; on the other hand, he had been exposed to traditional opera since childhood, which was very different from the mainstream pop culture of today.
This means that Cheng Jixue cannot debut through the ordinary route of gaining popularity.
Zhang Chaohe pondered for a moment, then picked out the wildly popular works that Jiasheng had mentioned in the original text, and eliminated two youth campus scripts. What remained were the IP film "Drunken Blade" and the ancient costume drama "Sa Ta Shuang Xue Ming".
Among them, "Drunken Blade" has extremely high national popularity, and is a sought-after resource that makes whoever plays it famous—the original owner of this body, in order to prevent Cheng Jixue from truly becoming famous, forcibly snatched the resource away. The text also extensively describes Cheng Jixue's desolation and loneliness after learning the truth, in order to highlight the original owner's wickedness and the deservedness of her tragic end.
The reason why Cheng Jixue was unable to participate in "Sa Ta Shuang Xue Ming" is even more outrageous. The original owner originally wanted to arrange the male lead for Cheng Jixue, but at a banquet, the original owner's friend said that he wanted to put the boy he was keeping into the production, so the original owner generously gave up the male lead position!
Meanwhile, the positions of the second and third male leads had already been decided, and Cheng Jixue once again missed out on the role in this drama.
Zhang Chaohe: For a moment, I felt that the CEOs in pure love novels were all ridiculous. They didn't work and just joked about the company's future.
Of course, the company couldn't rely solely on Cheng Jixue to make money. Zhang Chaohe then redistributed some of the original owner's resources based on his memory, and selected a few children from the company's list who he remembered and who were good-looking, and gave them special attention for training.
Just kidding, he knows his own acting skills. Letting him debut would be worse than just losing money.
The domineering CEO certainly doesn't need to step onto the stage personally! He's a ruthless capitalist, the behind-the-scenes tycoon who's about to possess several high-tech money-making machines!
Just then, Assistant Jiang called: "Mr. Zhang, Xunfei has a variety show called 'Dream Training Camp' that would like to invite you to join us. Each episode of this show invites the CEO of an entertainment company to bring their artists to challenge the trainees in the training camp. It's quite popular. Would you like to learn more about it?"
The boss is a celebrity, and the popularity is quite good.
Sometimes, it's not a bad thing for the domineering CEO to personally take the stage. Zhang Chaohe silently took back what he had just said.
A note from the author:
Mr. Zhang: Although the profit-sharing ratio isn't high, I can help you earn more by working harder.
Xiao Cheng (hesitatingly): If you let me earn more, then you'll let me...
Mr. Zhang: Get out of here!
Chapter 3
"Dream Training Camp" is a talent show where the production team gathers some washed-up minor celebrities and new trainees from various entertainment companies for "training." Then, CEOs of these entertainment companies are invited to bring their own artists, who haven't been trained by the production team, to the show to challenge the trainees. Trainees who successfully defend their titles advance, while those who fail are relegated. Finally, five outstanding trainees are selected to debut as a group.
The gimmick of this variety show is to bring CEOs down to earth, allowing marginalized newcomers to get up close and personal with their own big bosses, break out of the predicament of "no way to get ahead," and obtain a ticket to truly enter the entertainment industry.
The challenge guests brought by the CEOs' surprise appearances already had a certain amount of buzz. Coupled with the trainees' desire for screen time and good rankings, they had to compete with the challenge guests and also engage in internal strife, making it a dramatic and suspenseful event. As soon as "Dream Training Camp" premiered, its ratings and popularity skyrocketed, with each episode dominating several trending topics. It became an instant hit!
At the beginning of the variety show gathering, Jiasheng also packed in a few trainees, which naturally required the CEO to parachute into the production team to cooperate. However, the one who agreed to this was the former CEO who had been poached by Chairman Zhang. Assistant Jiang was not sure whether Chairman Zhang was willing to condescend to participate in the variety show, so he made a special call to sound him out.
Just three minutes ago, Mr. Zhang insisted that he would never personally run the business: It's not impossible to consider it.
This variety show is quite popular. As long as Cheng Jixue has the opportunity to appear on screen, he won't have to worry about generating buzz just based on his appearance!
Let's set a small goal: just let the audience know that Cheng Jixue exists!
Assistant Jiang immediately contacted and sent over detailed information about "Dream Training Camp". It has now reached the fifth episode and is about to air. Of the 48 trainees, only 28 remain. The production team invited Zhang Chaohe to participate in the recording of the sixth episode. According to the script, Zhang Chaohe will lead three artists to provide a group stage and two solo stage challenges for the trainees. In the end, the mentors will score the challenges and decide whether to upgrade or downgrade the trainees.