Just Want to Be His Lover - Chapter 12.2

When Fang Yuan came to pick Gu Yanshu up the next morning, Shen Jue was still asleep.

Gu Yanshu didn’t know why, but he felt that he didn’t sleep as well last night as he did the night before.

However, the heater had been turned on and the temperature was just right. He should have had a good night’s rest.

Yet, he felt as though he was missing something.

However, he didn’t mind it too much, and after he spoke to the crew, he left the villa.

The black MPV drove towards UN.

When he reached the company, he headed straight for the President’s personal meeting room.

Today, Fang Yuan didn’t wear his usual flamboyant outfits. Instead, he was in a dark-coloured suit and woollen coat.

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When they pushed the door in, there were already a number of people seated around the meeting table.

Zhang Nan, Ding Yun, Chen Ran.

At the head of the table was a youth barely the age of thirty. His hair was combed back, and his dressing was impeccable. On his prominent nose bridge sat a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, while the tailored suit fitted his lengthy figure well. An air of conceitedness and extravagance of a prince emanated from him.

His facial features were well-defined, similar to Shen Jue’s mixed-blood features, just that compared to Shen Jue’s unbridled wilfulness, what he exhibited was another type of arrogant elitism.

There was a fountain pen in his hand, which he tapped the table twice with. “Take a seat.”

Gu Yanshu sat down across from him.

Ye Leng didn’t bother exchanging pleasantries with him.

He turned to look at Zhang Nan. “Let’s continue with the topic just now. I don’t have any interest to probe into how Gu Yanshu’s programme became Chen Ran’s. I’m only concerned about the negative impact this matter has brought to the company.”

Zhang Nan explained, “President Ye, this matter isn’t as bad as you think it is. Chen Ran’s performance was actually not bad.”

“Not bad?” Ye Leng’s liped curled up into a sneer, “If it’s ‘not bad’, why would the production crew come and demand an explanation from us now? The agreement was to keep him till the semi-finals…”

After a pause, he gave a mocking smile, “And you dared to sign that contract. Why don’t you weigh your own worth first?”

Zhang Nan explained again, “This was agreed upon with the production crew.”

“The production crew had originally agreed because Gu Yanshu had the ability. I’m not going to state upfront how things developed to this extent because I’m leaving all of you some face, but don’t act shamelessly in front of me.”

The arrogance and candidness of the man in power rendered the Zhang Nan trio speechless.

Gu Yanshu was seated across from him, but he didn’t appear restrained. Instead, he spoke calmly, “Hence President Ye invited me here today because you want me to replace Chen Ran?”

He was equally frank.

Ye Leng glanced at Gu Yanshu and nodded. “Right now, the production crew intends for Chen Ran to withdraw from the competition, but the company’s image, including the abilities of our artists, will be under scrutiny, hence I need an outstanding celebrity to prove the company’s name. The reaction from your busking video yesterday was very good.”

“I understand. However, I won’t be a reserve.” Gu Yanshu leaned back into his chair, a faint smile on his face. He looked straight back at Ye Leng, his tone calm but firm.

From the beginning, he had already expected this.

For celebrity-related competitions, in order to pre-empt celebrities’ schedules and make plans for other celebrity invitations, the contracts for celebrities who had a large following or had strong abilities would carry a guarantee for a few episodes.

Because the competition was already more than halfway through, and taking into consideration Gu Yanshu’s popularity and abilities, Gu Yanshu and the crew had already agreed back then to keep him till the semi-finals. And when Ding Yun and Zhang Nan snatched this resource away, they had also made us of the chance to continue the contract in this manner.

Hence, the current situation was, the audience felt that Chen Ran should be eliminated, but Chen Ran couldn’t be eliminated. However, if they continued to allow Chen Ran to enter the semi-finals, “The Greatest Stage” would lose their credibility, and the fans of other participants wouldn’t agree to it too.

So, it was a matter of time before they would force Chen Ran to withdraw.

And it was a matter of time before the resource returned to him.

It was all expected, hence Gu Yanshu wasn’t surprised, nor was he planning to help Chen Ran clean up his mess.

Ye Leng was intrigued by Gu Yanshu’s attitude. “Tell me, then, what do you intend to do?”

“Sign the contract that would keep me till the semi-finals. Then there would surely not be a competitor in the next episode.” Gu Yanshu went straight to the point.

Ye Leng raised his brow, “So what you mean is, you will go in as a challenger, then replace Chen Ran.”

Gu Yanshu wasn’t flustered. He replied plainly, “The replacement might not happen. It would depend on the result.”

“But the production side might not be willing to fork out two salaries.”

“The one who loses won’t get a salary.”

When he said that, Ding Yun and Chen Ran cocked their heads over to look at him.

Was he crazy? After all the hard work spent in preparation, not only would one be embarrassed from losing, he also wouldn’t get paid? Was being a celebrity a philanthropic act?

Ding Yun wanted to refute that.

However, Gu Yanshu looked in her direction, his brown eyes covered in a layer of frost. It was hard to read his emotions, but his frigid tone rang out, “If you’re not willing, I won’t mind it either.”

Ultimately, given Gu Yanshu’s popularity and resources, he wasn’t lacking a chance like this.

Yet, once Chen Ran was forced to withdraw, his chances of taking on singing competitions in future would be ruined.

If Ding Yun’s plan this time could be described as almost flawless, then the only problem was, in this industry, beneath all the pretenses, the ones who could truly travel this path stably and for a long time still had to rely on one word – ability.

Ding Yun could only swallow her grievances.

Right now, the only route to survival was to let Chen Ran defeat Gu Yanshu in the next round of competition.

Ding Yun had always been decisive, so she nodded, “Alright.”

On the other hand, Chen Ran panicked. If he had to compete with Gu Yanshu, wasn’t that a public execution? “Sister Yun…”

“Don’t worry.” Ding Yun cut him off coldly, “You were sick the last time, but I believe that your next performance will be very good.”

And so he would certainly win.

Gu Yanshu observed her expression and felt that she was as boring as a clown. He turned his gaze over to Ye Leng, “What does President Ye think?”

Ye Leng leaned back into his chair, while he placed one hand on top of the other. “Alright, it’s decided then. Meeting dismissed.”

Zhang Nan was feeling incredibly ashamed, so he quickly ran away.

Gu Yanshu had also stood up leisurely.

However, Ye Leng spoke nonchalantly, “Gu Yanshu, stay back for a while.”

Fang Yuan, who was preparing to bring Gu Yanshu to have breakfast, turned and looked at Gu Yanshu, unease and worry on his face.

Gu Yanshu nodded slightly towards him, comforting him.

He struggled internally, but eventually left the room.

Gu Yanshu sat back down in his original seat and met Ye Leng’s impassive gaze across the table.

Ye Leng swirled the fountain pen in his hand. “Are you sure you’re not going to recontract?”

His voice didn’t betray his emotions.

Gu Yanshu answered plainly, “Yes.”

Ye Leng nodded, “I’m not surprised.”

The first time he met Gu Yanshu, he knew that they wouldn’t be able to retain this child.

He was too pretty looking, but there was a sense of heartlessness that emanated from his bones.

Normally, when one was called a pretty boy, it would be because he looked somewhat androgynous. However, Gu Yanshu wasn’t like that.

His features reflected someone who was a proud loner, his jawline was defined, his frontal bone was protruding, his nose bridge was slim, and the outline of his face was so fine that he appeared cold. Yet, he had a pair of phoenix eyes; the corners of his eyes were curved upwards, his eyelids deep, as though a drop of cinnabar had fallen onto a bland porcelain piece, resulting in an overbearing magnificence.

However, the colour of his eyes were light. His emotions were usually restrained, so when he stood there in his cold deposition, that fickleness and stubbornness within his bones would burst past his skin and surface.

He was like the sharp edge of a knife without its blade, astere and sharp, yet could not be used by others.

Back then, Ye Leng had already known that he wouldn’t be able to keep this kid, but he still signed him on.

He stared at Gu Yanshu, interest flashing across his eyes. “I heard that you rejected playing a couple with Chen Ran.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I think that someone who doesn’t respect his sexual orientation and feelings is not qualified to become an idol.” Gu Yanshu’s reply was calm yet resolute.

However, Ye Leng appeared as though he didn’t hear the answer that he wanted. He tapped the fountain pen on the table again, before an unfathomable smile appeared on his face, “Aren’t there other reasons aside from this? For example…”

He paused, before saying the next two words clearly yet teasingly.

“Shen Jue.”