Money 4%

So soon? There was already a reply?!

Jiang Tangmian clicked on the little red notification, her heart pounding with excitement—

A single comment: “Lose 4–5 jin a month, painless slimming, click my profile for details.”

Her smile froze at the corners of her mouth. Of course, she’d been too naïve—who else but her would think to look for the male lead on Xiaodigua?

“If the male lead isn’t in place within three days, I’m quitting.”

Zhou Xicun’s words echoed in Jiang Tangmian’s ears. Although any director could make a shoddy costume drama, she firmly believed that this genius would turn even a flimsy script into a masterpiece.

Another comment popped up: “OP’s description sounds a lot like my classmate…”

Jiang Tangmian checked the IP address and perked up. After a few more questions, the age matched, but the commenter didn’t know the zodiac sign, so it remained uncertain.

But she decided to give it a try.

The next morning, Jiang Tangmian’s people appeared at a construction site on the outskirts of C City.

Thanks to her secretary’s overnight investigation, they’d narrowed it down: there were eleven active construction sites in C City, and two of them had someone named Gu Yanxun on the roster.

The search area shrank dramatically.

Jiang Tangmian was very pleased with her team’s efficiency, and by dawn, she was on site with a group of bodyguards, ready to find the suspected male lead.

Morning light bathed the world, dust drifting gently in the air, everything peaceful.

Just wait, Gu Yanxun.

Your sugar mama is about to arrive on the battlefield in ten minutes—be prepared.

This time, Jiang Tangmian would personally tear up the script of the villainess.

She wore a bright yellow tracksuit, the designer label glaringly out of place on a construction site.

To keep out the dust, she’d wrapped her face in a floral scarf like a factory worker, wore sunglasses and a hard hat, her every move looking suspicious and out of place.

“Hello, I’m looking for Gu Yanxun. Have you seen him?”

To the others, she looked like a giant lemon politely making inquiries.

“Gu %…&”

The accent was too thick for Jiang Tangmian to understand, but she followed the direction the worker pointed. There, a tall, sturdy man was busy hauling cement.

Too tragic—the future top star was still carrying bricks.

Pure, natural material for fan angst.

Jiang Tangmian didn’t have time to shed tears over his hardships. She grabbed the contract and strode forward, nearly ready to throw herself at the male lead and weep.

But when the man turned around, Jiang Tangmian was instantly petrified—

A weathered, middle-aged face, with traces of toothpaste foam still clinging to the corners of his mouth from an early morning wash.

Hearing she was looking for him, he grinned sheepishly, revealing a mess of yellowed, nicotine-stained teeth.

He introduced himself with confidence: “Ah’m↗ Gu→ Yan↗xun↘.”

“S-sorry to bother you!!”

Jiang Tangmian fled at lightning speed.

Forget being a young, popular idol—this middle-aged man couldn’t even qualify as a social media uncle.

That left only one other site.

Jiang Tangmian’s only clue from Xiaodigua was this, and she’d even hired private investigators for the original male lead, but information was scarce. She could only try her luck.

The sun baked the city’s asphalt, traffic streaming by, the morning market winding down, the air outside the car thick with heat and exhaust.

Suddenly, a figure darted out from the roadside. Fortunately, the car wasn’t going fast; the driver slammed on the brakes, nearly sending everyone flying.

In the front seat sat her bodyguard, He Fei, young but steady, who immediately checked on his employer: “Miss?”

“I’m fine.”

Jiang Tangmian had been lost in thought in the back seat, but thanks to her seatbelt, she was unharmed.

“Old Zhang, what happened?”

He Fei, all muscle and discipline, had come with the young miss from headquarters. One look from him and the driver broke out in a cold sweat.

The driver, surnamed Zhang, was temporarily assigned from the C City branch.

Old Zhang glanced at the person lying in front of the car, quickly grasped the situation, but still answered nervously, “Miss Jiang, there’s a little problem up ahead. I’ll handle it right away.”

The car’s soundproofing was good. Though Jiang Tangmian was worried about the new drama’s male lead, she was curious about the commotion. Judging by Old Zhang’s tone, it seemed like a scammer faking injury.

She lowered the window halfway and heard Old Zhang negotiating with the man outside.

“I know you’re Li Xiaohua’s son—you’re notorious for this in town.”

“You should know this is a Jiang Group car. Do you really think you can pull this here?”

“We can call the police. We’ve got dashcam footage, so we’re not afraid.”

“Get up. Settle for two hundred, don’t waste our boss’s time.”

…

From inside, Jiang Tangmian couldn’t see clearly, but the person on the ground seemed young.

The deal struck, he stood up, dusted himself off, and grinned as he took the money from Old Zhang.

Only then did Jiang Tangmian get a good look at his face.

In the dazzling sunlight, he stood tall, wearing a faded gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing strong forearms.

His skin was fair, his hair long for a man, his smile pure, as if the person scamming for cash wasn’t him at all.

When Old Zhang mentioned the boss, he glanced toward the car. He couldn’t possibly see inside, but his ridiculously handsome features still made Jiang Tangmian blush and look away.

He had a high-bridged nose, deep, bright eyes, and a gaze so gentle it seemed to see right through you. Most striking were the two dimples on his cheeks—when he smiled, they appeared and vanished, making people feel at ease.

With looks and height like this, how was he any worse than that scandal-ridden Chang Ze? He could easily be in the top five in popularity.

But he was just a seasoned scammer. The thought made Jiang Tangmian instantly lose interest.

Escorted by her bodyguards, Jiang Tangmian went to the next construction site, but this “Gu Yanxun” was still not the real deal.

Even disappointed, she had no choice—it seemed she’d have to start her search for the male lead all over again.

On the way to the airport, Jiang Tangmian mentioned the young scammer from earlier. Old Zhang, as if a switch had been flipped, launched into a tirade: “Him!”

“His dad, Li Xiaohua, is a nationally wanted con artist—already in prison, I think. His parents divorced when he was little. His mom raised him alone, not easy, but last year, there was a factory fire where she worked, and she didn’t make it out. Now she’s in the ICU, and the daily costs are sky-high…”

“I heard he dropped out of college. Now he just does odd jobs around the city, or scams out-of-town cars like today. Everyone here knows him—he’s good-looking, but he’s not using his brains for anything decent. What a waste…”

As Old Zhang recounted the young man’s story, Jiang Tangmian felt an eerie sense of familiarity—it matched the original male lead Gu Yanxun’s backstory almost exactly.

Unfortunately, the original author had only described him—there was no definitive photo for Jiang Tangmian to compare.

In the novel, Gu Yanxun’s parents had also divorced early. He worked to support his mother, who got injured and ended up in the hospital.

One day, he saw a supermarket singing contest. For the two-thousand-yuan first prize, he got up on stage.

A passerby posted a video of his performance online, and soon after, he was invited by a famous director to play a double-crossing undercover in a film—less than five minutes of screen time.

Without any formal training, he managed to deliver a role full of twists and turns with such mastery that he became an overnight sensation.

Jiang Tangmian just wanted to confirm one thing: “What’s his name?”

Old Zhang thought for a moment. “Can’t quite remember—seems it’s Li Xuan.”

Not the male lead.

But his image was now etched in Jiang Tangmian’s mind, impossible to shake. She had a bold idea.

She paused. “Uncle Zhang, let’s go visit Li Xuan’s mother at the hospital.”

Old Zhang didn’t understand, but complied. “Alright.”

The black luxury car turned a corner and quickly disappeared into the neon-lit city.

It was an ordinary, second-tier municipal hospital. Aside from outdated facilities and a slow elevator, Jiang Tangmian hadn’t been in a place that smelled so strongly of disinfectant in ages, and she wrinkled her nose.

At the dim end of the corridor, a tall boy was wolfing down a boxed meal.

Life had to go on. In the faint light, he seemed almost fragmented, as if he had to force himself through each day.

Jiang Tangmian approached slowly. She had a good eye—just this image of Li Xuan eating his meal looked like a scene straight out of a movie.

“It’s you?”

The boy looked up and recognized Jiang Tangmian at once.

She was surprised. How did he know her? She hadn’t gotten out of the car today.

She asked bluntly, “You know me?”

Li Xuan nodded, gesturing toward the black luxury car parked outside. “That kind of high-profile ride—it’s hard not to notice you.”

Jiang Tangmian’s flight was about to depart; she didn’t have much time.

So she got straight to the point: “Would you be willing to accept acting training? If you pass all the courses, we’ll arrange for you to act in dramas or films. The roles might be small at first, but the pay will be better than what you’re making now…”

Li Xuan’s expression didn’t change. He seemed used to such offers, as if this wasn’t the first time.

Jiang Tangmian added, “You know the Jiang Group. We can help cover some of your mother’s expenses up front, or find you a better medical team…”

A faint light flickered in Li Xuan’s eyes.

“And the most important condition is: no more scams. During the contract period, you’ll work as we require. Don’t worry, Jiang Entertainment isn’t some scam company—we’ll do our best to—”

“Alright.”

Before Jiang Tangmian could finish, Li Xuan spoke quietly.

It was as if a stone had been dropped into the lake of her heart, sending ripples outward.

He agreed just like that?!

With his looks and build, he could play any supporting role in *Solemn Oath* and become a hit.

Besides, his past was forced by circumstance—she was already thinking of how to spin his redemption before he’d even signed.

With a top-tier handsome guy like this, Jiang Entertainment could support him with their eyes closed. Helping him turn over a new leaf—surely she deserved a big red banner for that.

He walked over, his tall figure blocking out the light, casting petite Jiang Tangmian into shadow.

A wave of pressure swept over her. She couldn’t see his expression, but the atmosphere was so intense it needed a fateful K-drama soundtrack—this scene could be broadcast uncut in a Korean drama.

“But…”

The top-tier handsome guy hadn’t fully agreed. “I have one condition.”