Back in the Spotlight [Entertainment Industry]

At twenty-one, Xu Zhi shot to fame across the internet thanks to his outstanding professional abilities and a face so stunning it was almost criminal. After his debut, his career took off, and commercial appearances, advertisements, film and television roles came pouring in. He became a bona fide top-tier star. Right as his career was on the rise, one day Xu Zhi suddenly announced his relationship on Weibo and decided to retire from the entertainment industry. Just like that, a top-tier star faded from the public eye. Xu Zhi retired for love, determined to become a househusband. But as he watched his lover climb higher and higher, grow tired of him, and hold a newly debuted young heartthrob at a cocktail party, Xu Zhi finally realized just how badly he'd been wrong. "How can he compare to you? You're at the height of your fame, while he's yesterday's news." "Even if he used to be a top-tier star, that was then. Would anyone care if he showed up in public now?" "His only real asset is his face. You're much more fun in bed." After the breakup, Xu Zhi cut off the head of curls he'd been praised for countless times, took off his apron, and returned to the public eye. But now that he'd become yesterday's news, he could no longer get the opportunities he'd had back then. Instead, mockery followed, with people saying he'd come back just to grab cash and that he was shamelessly desperate for money. When Xu Zhi took a role in a terrible drama, passersby said, "I don't get it, but I'm absolutely stunned." When Xu Zhi kept livestreaming sales one after another, a hater said, "Does he really have no opportunities left? Is he so broke he's hit rock bottom?" After a third-rate variety show maliciously edited his footage, a true fan who couldn't bear to watch said, "Sweetie, could you please take better care of your reputation? Waaaah..." Once, paparazzi caught Xu Zhi getting into a luxury car. The man who came to pick him up was He Beilan, one of the most acclaimed directors in the industry. A hater said, "Well, would you look at that. He slept with a famous director just to get famous." In the car, Xu Zhi, fresh from a commercial appearance, looked at the handsome man beside him and asked, "Will this do?" The man replied, "You want opportunities, don't you? I need a cover story. We give each other what we need." He tossed Xu Zhi a pen and a contract, then watched as he signed his name. · The media knew He Beilan was married, but he'd kept his wife's identity a closely guarded secret. At a film press conference, a host asked when He Beilan would let everyone meet his lovely wife. He Beilan said, "That'll be difficult. He's very busy, making money." Everyone laughed, thinking the famous director was joking. Not long afterward, Xu Zhi finished a dance performance onstage at a commercial event and walked straight over to the distinguished man seated backstage. The man's hand slipped beneath the hem of Xu Zhi's clothes... The cameras caught the moment, and the venue erupted into chaos. The audience cried, "Can they broadcast this? He Beilan, what are you doing?!" Only later did they learn that He Beilan's well-hidden wife was Xu Zhi, the top-tier star who had retired at the height of his fame. · He Beilan was the youngest director in the entertainment industry to win all three major awards. Countless celebrities and industry elites wanted to put projects in his hands. Everyone knew that whatever came out of his hands would produce either an award-winning actor or the next top-tier star. "Is there anyone in this industry who can turn you down?" "There is," He Beilan said. "My wife." He Beilan had always wanted to work with one particular person. But that person retired and returned to family life, and after that, there was no trace of him in the entertainment industry. He missed him day and night, unable to let go. He waited and waited, and at last, his patience paid off: a call for help came through. The other man's voice was humble and ashamed. He contacted He Beilan despite the risk of being exploited for sex. That night, He Beilan couldn't sleep. The person he'd loved for four years was crying to him. · At the height of his fame, Xu Zhi turned down far too many collaborations. He thought his marriage to He Beilan was nothing more than a mutually beneficial arrangement. Later, among the project proposals his manager had rejected, he found He Beilan's name. It turned out that four years ago, the script for the film that became an internet sensation had originally listed him as its leading man. It turned out He Beilan had chosen him once before. ◎ Career-driven bottom × powerful top. Theme: Passion and sincerity