FLME Ch2: Company

The cool guy glanced at him, then lowered his head, typing rapidly on his laptop.

The rain drummed loudly, a cacophony filling the world, crashing down on the ground, the shelter, the grass, the trees… creating a continuous symphony.

Yu Wen sat down and stretched out his legs, staring blankly at his soaked shoes.

He wasn’t really interested in becoming a big star. However, being an official actor was definitely more relaxed than being a stagehand or an extra.

Yu Wen had been lazy since childhood. If he could achieve a goal with seven parts effort, he would never spend the remaining three parts to make it perfect, much to the frustration of his mentor, who always berated him.

This lazy mindset hadn’t changed even after he ended up in a different world. As an extra, he wasn’t sure about the restrictions, but since he started off in the same crew as the main characters, it was safer to stay close to them. In an entertainment industry story, the people around the main characters were either staff or colleagues.

Compared to being a stagehand, an actor’s job was much more enjoyable! With a bit of effort, he could become a third-tier actor, neither too famous nor too busy, earning just enough money without drawing too much attention.

Now the question was, how could he become a third-tier actor?

He understood the assistant director’s offer. It wasn’t that he was too proud to join a company; it was because he still didn’t have an ID card and almost thought he was an undocumented person. That was until yesterday, when he received a message on his phone from an official account informing him that his ID card was being processed.

Estimating roughly, it would take about half a month to get it.

Thankfully, he wasn’t undocumented.

Lost in thought, Yu Wen didn’t notice the rain gradually letting up.

As the rain softened, the sound of keyboard typing beside him became more distinct.

The cool guy’s laptop screen displayed a PowerPoint presentation with a heading about “Company Prospects.” Yu Wen’s gaze drifted to the cool black keyboard and the white, slender hands typing rapidly on it. The typing speed was so fast that it almost left afterimages. Occasionally, during pauses, the hands would relax, tapping the keyboard edge lightly. The slender fingers had slightly prominent joints, and the veins on the back of the pale hands were visible, creating a silent, tense charm.

Watching someone with beautiful hands work was a pleasure. Yu Wen stared for a while, then started daydreaming, thinking about the upright piano at home. Hands like these would look great playing the piano…

In a blink of an eye, Yu Wen’s thoughts drifted far away.

When he snapped back to reality, he heard a “whoosh” beside his ear.

A black umbrella was held over his head.

Yu Wen looked up and saw the cool guy standing in front of him, having put away his laptop. He was holding a backpack strap with one hand.

“I…”

“Do you need an umbrella?”

“Nice hands.”

The cool guy: “…”

Yu Wen blinked, not feeling awkward. He instinctively thought the person standing in front of him was offended by his staring and came over to confront him, so he blurted out his honest thoughts.

The cool guy tilted his head slightly, not responding, his face expressionless. He tilted the umbrella handle towards Yu Wen.

Yu Wen understood he was being offered the umbrella and thought it was a bit embarrassing.

“…What about you?”

The cool guy answered concisely, “I live nearby.”

Yu Wen noticed a small geometric-shaped earring on his right ear, tiny and subtle, reflecting a cold light, enhancing the cool guy’s handsome features.

Yu Wen found it very cool.

He reached for the umbrella, smiling at the cool guy.

“Thank you.”

As he took the umbrella, he didn’t hold it firmly, and it tilted backward, but the cool guy quickly caught it.

The rain traced a beautiful arc before Yu Wen’s eyes.

The umbrella’s edge was pinched by a slender white hand. Looking up, he saw the cool guy’s sharp jawline.

“Hold it steady.”

As he let go, Yu Wen saw water trickling down his thin wrist, disappearing into his sleeve.

When Yu Wen got on the bus, he realized he had forgotten to ask for the good Samaritan’s name.

Spring rain was the most unpredictable. Just a moment ago, it seemed to be stopping, but now it was intense again, raindrops pelting the bus windows like beans.

From the rear window, he could see the cool guy hadn’t gone far. His tall, slender figure was shrouded in the misty rain, walking while looking at his phone. Yu Wen couldn’t help but marvel at how cool it was that he didn’t wear a hat in such heavy rain…

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the guy looked up at the sky and then put his hat on.

Yu Wen: “…”

Alright, being flexible is also cool.

Back at his rented apartment, Yu Wen took a hot shower first, then turned on his high-end desktop computer and searched for information about the company on the business card given by the assistant director. He sent his resume to their official email.

Yu Wen was aware of his own abilities. He had no acting skills, couldn’t sing or dance, but had a good-looking face. If he rashly called, the company might give him a chance out of respect for the assistant director, but with his current level, joining the company would only put the assistant director in a difficult position.

He carefully selected and compiled information on five or six legitimate entertainment companies and sent his resume to each one. Who knows, maybe one of them would be blind enough to take him in?

Outside, it was still raining continuously. The poor lighting in the apartment made the room appear dim even with the lights on. The computer screen illuminated Yu Wen’s fair face, which bore an earnest and meticulous expression that belied his youthful appearance.

He was looking for the most cost-effective acting training institution—spending money needed to be done cautiously.

For the first twenty years of his life, Yu Wen had lived comfortably and never experienced financial hardship. When he first arrived here, with only fifty yuan left in his pocket, he was quite bewildered. Fortunately, he adapted quickly and threw himself into the great endeavor of making a living, even teaching himself how to save money.

After comparing several options, he chose a moderately priced, well-reputed acting training institution and also enrolled in a vocal class with a monthly installment payment option.

There’s a saying: “Having more skills doesn’t burden you.” In case he wasn’t cut out to be an actor, he could still be a low-tier singing and dancing star.

Yu Wen checked his dwindling balance and sighed inwardly.

Yu Wen sent out resumes with a mindset of giving it a shot, and within two days, he received a response.

It was from the agency that the assistant director had initially recommended.

He couldn’t understand what they saw in him, but Yu Wen still showed up for the appointment on time. The interviewer was the CEO of StarLight Entertainment Media Co., Ltd., a middle-aged man with slightly long hair and a short stubble beard. His smile had a kind of decadent charm.

He introduced himself as Xie and quickly got to the point.

Mr. Xie: “Do you have any particular strengths?”

Yu Wen: “Singing, dancing, composing, acting…”

The charming man was overjoyed: “You can do all of these?”

Yu Wen honestly replied: “I can’t do any of them yet, I’m still learning.”

Yu Wen didn’t know much about interviews. When asked a question, he answered straightforwardly.

However, the other party seemed just as sincere as he was.

The charming man rubbed his hands together, “To be honest, StarLight Media was just established and is still in its early stages. We might not be able to offer you great resources…”

Yu Wen looked serious, “I know, you’ve been established for half a month and don’t have any artists under you yet.”

Although he was unclear about many things, he had done his homework beforehand. He looked up information online and asked acquaintances in the industry. The summary was: StarLight Media had no significant achievements yet, but also no bad reputation. The CEO, Mr. Xie, had been around various circles and had extensive connections. It was a legitimate company with some potential.

Whether it had potential didn’t matter. Yu Wen just needed a contract proving he could be an actor. Besides, Mr. Xie indeed had many connections. When Yu Wen inquired, many people vouched for him: Old Xie might be unreliable at times, but he was definitely an honest person.

The charming man hesitated, “If… there are no assignments for one or two months…”

“No problem,” Yu Wen said, “Is there a base salary?”

The charming man’s gaze lingered on his striking features before nodding emphatically, “Yes! And also full social insurance!”

Yu Wen was overjoyed, leaning forward to ask, “How much is the base salary? Does it include accommodation? Will the company cover training expenses?”

“Five thousand, accommodation included, training covered by the company.”

By the end of the conversation, Yu Wen was over the moon, feeling a bit anxious. He couldn’t help but wonder: Am I worthy? Is this too much? Maybe I should handle the company’s cleaning to earn this money…

After carefully reading the contract and ensuring there were no issues, he hesitated before signing, “Maybe your company should reconsider. After all, I don’t know anything and have to learn everything from scratch…”

The charming man refuted seriously, “You are an unpolished gem, and it’s our duty to refine you. If signing an artist required them to know everything, what would we be here for? Trust me! The company will make you shine!”

Yu Wen grasped his hand, “I believe it too. Your company will one day be immensely successful. StarLight Media is worth it! I’ll work at StarLight Media until I die!”

Both parties looked at each other with tearful eyes, feeling they had gotten a great deal.