Before David Muller finally realized he could just run whenever he saw him, Lin Zhu took every possible opportunity and had more or less finished watching all of Zhong Yao’s musicals from the past three years.
As the audition invitation deadline approached, some ambitious domestic artists and teams had already set their sights on the major roles in Marlensius’s production and officially began making moves to compete.
Filming on Zhong Yao’s side also smoothly entered its final wrap-up stage.
“There are three main roles, and a few remaining supporting roles that haven’t been finalized yet. That’s enough for them to fight over.”
Leaning against the hotel’s down comforter, Lin Zhu took small sips of sweetened hot milk and reassured his team, “We’ve got a handle on things. No need to rush to release any news.”
[Serving the Sovereign] was nearing completion and about to enter its promotion phase. Zhong Yao was the male lead and also half a producer, so he would definitely have to take on the main promotional responsibilities.
On Marlensius’s side, Zhong Yao had long already been decided on, and all the script elements were designed around him. Only the final audition announcement remained. Once revealed, it would undoubtedly become huge news.
At a time like this, publicity had to be handled carefully. A misstep could result in competing with themselves, diminishing the impact on both sides.
“[Serving the Sovereign] is about to enter promotion, step by step…”
With the script basically finalized, Lin Zhu had more free time and no longer needed to report to the studio every day. He shifted his focus back to his own team’s work. “Which parties have made moves?”
“Tian Xingzhi, Xin Xuetong, Gong Feng,” the PR staff listed names one by one. “Oh right, and that Song Tianlang.”
“The others aren’t too bad, but he’s making the biggest splash.”
The team had been secretly investigating for Lin Zhu. The more they looked into Song Tianlang, the less they thought of him. “Just an audition invitation, and he’s hyping it everywhere like the role is already his…”
Lin Zhu curled his lips. “Not surprising.”
The police’s long-term investigation had already closed in. Song Tianlang’s agent had been arrested not long ago, leading to the exposure of numerous drug supply chains both inside and outside the industry. The domestic internet was in an uproar.
Song Tianlang himself hadn’t been directly involved. At most, he had been aware. So he wouldn’t be implicated. But he needed to quickly build new momentum to dilute the impact of the massive negative news.
Huaying Entertainment was already well-practiced in handling such situations. They immediately had Song Tianlang undergo blood tests to clear his name, then had his assistant leak stories to the media under a personal account, painting the agent as domineering and abusive, forcing artists to attend endless social events and even requiring them to secure their own resources.
Several artists previously managed by the same agent also spoke up in support, creating momentum and successfully rehabilitating Song Tianlang’s image.
At a time like this, adding news like “receiving an audition invitation from an Oscar-level director” would naturally double the effect.
When Lin Zhu occasionally browsed Weibo, it was flooded with sympathy and support for Song Tianlang. Many casual viewers were misled into promoting him, not to mention his existing fans and hired accounts.
“With tricks like this, anyone can play the victim. Hasn’t Zhong-laoshi had a smoother path than him?”
Outsiders might be easily fooled, but insiders looked down on this. The PR team grew increasingly annoyed. If not for Lin Zhu stopping them, they would have already tried to sAlbertge him behind the scenes. “At this rate, what if he uses the same trick again and stabs Zhong-laoshi in the back…”
“We’re prepared on our side. If he dares, let him try.”
Lin Zhu finished the last of his milk. “If he behaves, at most he’ll lose both fame and money and go home to retire. But if he insists on stabbing.. then we’ll stab back.”
The PR team liked that answer and immediately agreed, eager for action.
Holding the still-warm glass, Lin Zhu rubbed it lightly.
The higher someone is lifted… the harder they fall.
Sooner or later, Song Tianlang would come for the audition. There were many things Lin Zhu needed to confirm then, and many things he could only do at that time.
To achieve one’s dreams, there was never any justification for sacrificing someone else’s future.
This was someone he intended to deal with personally.
Knowing the planning team was also online, Lin Zhu didn’t want to think about unpleasant matters before sleep and changed the topic. “How is Zhong-laoshi? Is filming going smoothly?”
Ever since the time difference appeared, this question had become routine for the agent. The planning manager perked up and began reading Zhong Yao’s daily log, “Zhong-laoshi is doing well, and filming is going smoothly. Yesterday he filmed five scenes, no night shoots, and had dinner with the production team—”
The planning manager paused, recalling something. After seeing that Lin Zhu had no particular reaction, they cautiously continued, “The production team was very enthusiastic. He couldn’t refuse, so he had a bit of alcohol…”
Lin Zhu frowned slightly. “Why so many scenes? Didn’t you talk to the crew about adjusting the schedule?”
“Huh?”
The planning manager hadn’t dared hide anything and had been waiting for Lin Zhu to ask about the drinking. Caught off guard, they quickly explained, “We did, we did— it was Zhong-laoshi himself who wanted to film more.”
The planning manager spoke honestly, “Anyway, the entire crew already knows your story, and it was nighttime on your side. Zhong-laoshi said since he had nothing else to do, he might as well finish filming early, handle everything here… and adjust to your time zone sooner.”
Lin Zhu clutched the blanket, a quiet warmth spreading in his chest.
They hadn’t seen each other for almost a month. He missed Zhong Yao terribly.
When you miss someone, nothing feels better than knowing they miss you too.
“Lin-laoshi…” the planning manager hesitated, seeing his calm reaction. “Zhong-laoshi went out to eat and drink with others. You aren’t angry?”
Zhong Yao had strictly ordered that the agent must not drink. Anyone accompanying Lin Zhu to social events had to block drinks for him.
Now that Zhong Yao himself had drunk alcohol, the team had worried all night about whether to tell the truth. In the end, they decided to be honest before the two met. Better for Lin Zhu to be angry briefly now than later.
Unexpectedly, Lin Zhu didn’t mind at all.
“What would I be angry about? Is Zhong-laoshi not allowed to socialize?”
Lin Zhu smiled. “I also have to eat with people all the time… You don’t actually know why Zhong-laoshi won’t let me drink, do you?”
Zhong Yao was very protective. He only ever told others about his agent’s strengths, never about these slightly embarrassing matters.
Lin Zhu missed him too much. Everything that could be said had already been said by Zhong Yao, so he simply gave up resisting and started chatting with the core team members, “You don’t know… actually, I’m really bad at drinking…”
Now energized, Lin Zhu propped himself up on the bed and even ordered himself a small cake.
Planning Manager: “……”
PR and publicity managers, both offline, each sent the planning manager ten window-shake notifications.
Half an hour later, Lin Zhu, in a good mood, finished the last bite of cake and finally let the team — who had been forced to wake early to match their agent’s schedule — go back to sleep.
Lin Zhu had only just returned to the hotel from the studio not long ago. He had buried himself in the blankets until now, and his body was finally completely warmed up. He yawned, got out of bed, and did a simple wash-up before preparing to sleep.
Brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, Lin Zhu suddenly felt a bit of regret, thinking he probably shouldn’t have always stopped Zhong Yao from telling others about him.
It was actually… quite interesting.
Lin Zhu rubbed his face twice and let out a long breath, feeling that the urge to book a flight back to see Zhong Yao had indeed lessened by one or two percent.
Now that Muller ran faster than a rabbit whenever he saw him, and there were no more “movies” to watch, being able to calm down this much was already quite something.
Lin Zhu returned to bed, replayed two of the clips he had already seen with slight regret, then closed his eyes and reached out to turn off the light.
There was another meeting tomorrow.
Starting the next day, Asian stars gradually began arriving in Manhattan for auditions.
It still wasn’t suitable to generate buzz domestically, and Lin Zhu had no intention of drawing attention. He didn’t participate in interviews, and whenever he needed to give opinions, he remained objective and proper. Even when encountering domestic competitors, he never deliberately targeted or retaliated against them.
“I have to say, you really are a rare gentleman.”
After watching another batch of auditions, the producer leaned back on the sofa, handed Lin Zhu a cup of coffee, and smiled. “If I were your age, in your position, I definitely wouldn’t be able to resist kicking out those who opposed me.”
Lin Zhu thanked him, took the coffee, and smiled. “I couldn’t resist before either.”
The producer reviewed countless scripts every month, probably hundreds of stories passed through his hands, and Lin Zhu’s was just one among them.
“When I was young, helping out on set, if someone bullied me, I always found a way to get revenge. If I could beat them, I’d fight. If I couldn’t, I’d find another way. Either way, I never backed down.”
Lin Zhu had dreamed about his childhood with Zhong Yao on set last night. He gently rotated his coffee cup and smiled. “Once, there was a horse trainer who brought trouble upon himself by bullying someone close to me…”
He rarely referred to Zhong Yao that way. Even though no one would connect the dots, Lin Zhu still couldn’t help but secretly enjoy the subtle brag.
Suppressing the small flutter in his chest, he coughed lightly and continued seriously, “He didn’t have much hair to begin with. While he was sleeping, I snuck in and shaved off the rest.”
The producer was surprised, then burst out laughing. “Terrifying! You must have been quite the troublemaker as a kid. Good thing I didn’t meet you back then!”
There were several middle-aged British members in the team. Imagining the scene, the producer laughed again and patted his chest. “So how did you ‘turn over a new leaf’? Was it because you got together with Zhong?”
Zhong Yao had a proper degree from Columbia. The producer had heard his story from friends and couldn’t help but sigh. “He really is a true gentleman. From what my friends say, it’s impossible to associate him with even the slightest improper behavior…”
A faint pride showed in Lin Zhu’s eyes. He nodded and smiled. “I just want to do things that make him happy. Once I started trying to do that, I realized that many things weren’t actually that difficult.”
He had simply loved Zhong Yao wholeheartedly. Only when he looked back did he realize how far he had come from the desperate, withdrawn person he once was.
Lin Zhu set down the paper cup and happened to glance up, his brows lifted slightly.
At some point, the person in the audition room had changed. On the monitor screen stood Song Tianlang.
The producer, who had been listening with genuine emotion, noticed his expression and looked surprised. “What, this person—”
Though older, the producer had a good memory. After a moment, he immediately recalled that distinctive Asian face. “It’s him… the one who chatted with Marlensius at the reception last time, teamed up to target Zhong, and was thrown out by you?”
Lin Zhu nodded, speechless. “I’m afraid I’ll have to take back what I just said about being a gentleman… and try again tomorrow.”
“No, no. Getting angry for your lover is hardly a fault.”
The producer patted his shoulder and winked. “Actors can’t interact before or after auditions, but there’s a networking party tonight, so they should all be there. Need any help?”
Lin Zhu paused, then smiled. “Thank you.”
He had been planning to find an opportunity to meet Song Tianlang anyway. Since the other party had come to him, some things would have to be resolved sooner.
After saying goodnight to Zhong Yao at noon, Lin Zhu went back to the hotel and took a nap. After showering and changing clothes, he arrived at the evening gathering on time.
Along the way, people kept tipping him off. By the time Song Tianlang reached the entrance, Lin Zhu entered just at the right moment.
Seeing the familiar figure in front of him, Song Tianlang’s heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously slowed his steps.
He had clearly seen news that Zhong Yao was still in China today. He hadn’t expected the agent to arrive first.
Song Tianlang had once been thrown out by Lin Zhu before and felt an inexplicable wariness. He tried to sidestep and pass quietly, but Lin Zhu raised a hand to stop him.
“Mr. Lin, I didn’t expect to run into you here…”
Last time, only the agent had stepped forward, and Song Tianlang hadn’t spoken to Lin Zhu directly. He forced a smile. “You came ahead of Zhong-laoshi, right? We’re all colleagues. Supporting each other and working hard together. If there’s anything—”
Lin Zhu cut him off, unable to listen further. “Mr. Song, do you really not know about this matter?”
He didn’t spell it out, but Song Tianlang’s face changed instantly.
“M-Mr. Lin, you must be joking,” Song Tianlang stammered, forcing a strained smile. “I’m also a victim. If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have let this happen…”
Lin Zhu nodded. “Then the matter of inciting Li Yijie to target Zhong-laoshi, deliberately startling the horse… you also don’t know who did that, right?”
Song Tianlang’s face turned completely pale, cold sweat sliding down his forehead.
Only then did he realize… Lin Zhu hadn’t come to ask him questions.
Lin Zhu clearly already had evidence and had identified him as the culprit. He was here to confront him directly.
Song Tianlang opened his mouth but couldn’t deny it. He instinctively stepped back. “I—”
“Alright, not you either.”
Lin Zhu lowered his gaze slightly. “So, three years ago, you colluded with Zhong-laoshi’s agent to betray him, framing him… causing him to lose the award-contending role he had already secured, even forcing him to withdraw from acting for three years. Wasn’t that you?”
Song Tianlang’s expression changed repeatedly. He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Y-you… what do you want? Money? How much? I’ll give it to you. Just don’t spread these rumors…”
Lin Zhu looked up and met his gaze.
Song Tianlang’s heart jolted violently, his composure instantly collapsing.
Seeing Lin Zhu’s indifferent expression, Song Tianlang became even more certain that he held evidence that could completely destroy him. He lost all confidence. “I—I didn’t mean to… I had no choice!”
“Ten years. Ten years without a single decent work. Do you know what that feels like?”
Song Tianlang stared at him, face pale. “I debuted as Best Actor! I have the ability, but I just couldn’t get good scripts! Newspapers criticized me, the internet said everything, called me a one hit wonder, saying I’d never recover… There was that one role. If Zhong Yao didn’t get it, I could!”
Song Tianlang trembled slightly. “As long as I got it, I could win awards. I know I could. I’ve endured for ten years. It’s been too long…”
Lin Zhu looked at him and spoke slowly. “Did you ever ask him?”
Song Tianlang shuddered. “W-what?”
Lin Zhu: “Did you ever ask Zhong-laoshi if he would give that role to you?”
Song Tianlang was weak-willed. Most things had always been controlled by his agent and company, and with recent pressure, his mental defenses crumbled easily.
Lin Zhu had learned everything he needed to know. A mix of emotions surged in his chest, and he closed his eyes briefly.
Lin Zhu looked at him. “Are you so certain… that if you had asked, he wouldn’t have agreed?”
Song Tianlang looked up in shock.
“Sometimes I find it strange. You clearly can’t see what others are thinking, yet you insist on assuming the worst about them, then act first and do something even worse…”
Lin Zhu took a breath and let it out slowly. “At that time, Zhong-laoshi didn’t even know you were competing for that role.”
Given Zhong Yao’s nature, if he had truly known Song Tianlang’s situation and how important that role was to him, he would definitely have given it up.
Song Tianlang shuddered violently, staggering back in a daze.
He swallowed hard. “B-but—”
Lin Zhu said nothing more. Seeing Song Tianlang’s new agent hurrying over, he casually handed over a document.
The new agent, also sent by Huaying to control Song Tianlang, had always been wary of Lin Zhu. Seeing him actually hand over materials, he frowned and quickly flipped through a few pages.
The agent’s expression changed. “You—! What does this mean?!”
“I’ve heard Mr. Song performs better under pressure. And you just said we should support each other… our team plans to help as well.”
Lin Zhu smiled. “This information is enough to completely destroy your foundation in China. With no way back, Mr. Song, go all out and fight for this role.”
Lin Zhu: “This time, no matter how pitiful you are, Zhong-laoshi won’t give up the role to you again.”
“Are you crazy?!” the agent exclaimed. “Even if Tianlang doesn’t get the role, it doesn’t mean you will! Do you think you can decide who gets it? What if it ends up going to a Japanese or Korean actor—”
Lin Zhu remained unmoved and turned to leave.
The agent gritted his teeth and shot Song Tianlang a furious look, signaling him to act.
Song Tianlang’s face grew even paler. He opened his mouth, his throat dry. “S-someone…”
The agent snapped, “Louder! Do you want to be ruined here?!”
Having completely lost his composure, Song Tianlang steeled himself and shouted, “Someone! That Chinese man stole my things— quick—”
Lin Zhu suddenly turned back, the last trace of warmth in his eyes gone cold.
