The Most Popular Comedian

As soon as these words were spoken, it caused a great stir in the group, creating waves of discussion. Even the usually silent members came out of hiding and took their seats upfront to watch the show.

Rong Yuheng was never someone driven by a strong desire to win, and his friends knew that. But this time, he unexpectedly uttered the phrase “bringing my own funds to join the production.” The group of idle fish, who relied on others for a living, couldn’t help but praise him:

What a remarkable ambition!

【You Tianyu】: Why are you so motivated? Did someone bully you?

【Chi Nang】: Did I miss something when I woke up from my nap?

【Rong Yuheng】: Just snatching resources, that’s all.

If it were a battle of strength against strength, he wouldn’t have taken this step. But it was evident that Zai An wanted to use his influence to suppress others, so the only way to fight back was with capital.

In this world, problems that can be solved with money are not really problems.

After making the agreement with the rich and influential kids, Rong Yuheng regained his bright spirit. Like a delicate flower stretching its petals in the sunlight, his cheeks reflected the light, as if he was about to soar… The background music of “Chasing Dreams in the Entertainment Circle” reached his ears, sounding exceptionally pleasant.

Rong Yuheng put down his phone, jumped off the bed, and started dancing the long-forgotten tango in rhythm.

“For the sake of dreams, we should fight and must fight. That’s what I think… Odada, we are innocent young boys… Odada, beautiful dreams cannot be hindered by bad people… Odadadada!”

“…” Zhou Shubai’s hand hovered over the song skip button for a long time but ultimately tolerated it without interruption.

A week flew by, during which Rong Yuheng didn’t contact Xu Sun or Zai An.

Rong Yuheng found Zai An quite amusing.

Zai An liked to frequently post on his Moments about participating in program recordings and performances, accompanied by captions like “Hard work pays off,” “I want to become stronger,” “By working hard, I’ve received more program offers,” and so on. It was clear that he was trying too hard.

Especially the last post, which was a group photo of the cast of “Guest from a Distant Place,” blatantly aimed at provoking Rong Yuheng.

Rong Yuheng had a good attitude. He not only read each post carefully and liked them but also left artificial comments one by one:

“Brother, you’re working so hard!”

“You’re amazing!”

“Keep it up, strive for at least ten minutes of screen time!”

Zai An was infuriated and wanted to block Rong Yuheng, but he couldn’t bear to give up the chance to show off. So, he posted on his Moments every day, and every day he received Rong Yuheng’s fancy encouragement…

Xu Sun, not knowing if it was genuine or not, expressed his satisfaction below, saying, “I’m glad to see you have such a good relationship!”

Zai An: “… Bullshit.”

Rong Yuheng once again burst into a crisp laughter resembling a hamster’s “Khekhehehe.”

Lu Mingxuan and the others acted quickly because they had to record the trial version of “Treasure Hunt Challenge” on Thursday. So, by Tuesday, they had used the power of money to secure the sponsor’s position.

Lu Mingxuan didn’t have enough personal funds, so he turned to his father for help.

Lu Mingxuan’s father, Lu Enyi, was also an extraordinary person. In his twenties, he started his own business and achieved remarkable success, overcoming countless obstacles and eventually establishing a significant presence in the electronics industry.

However, even the most meticulous plans could have flaws. When he named his brand, he happened to be young and ignorant, so he used the abbreviation of his own name and came up with “Luei.” It was only decades later, with the rise of internet slang, that he realized this name meant “tired.”

The production team felt a bit exhausted when accepting this sponsorship.

After all, “Treasure Hunt Challenge” was a competitive adventure-themed variety show, and even before the guests started recording, there was a prominent “Luei” hanging over their heads. They had no idea if it would last until the end.

Fortunately, the sponsors also included You Tianyu and Chi Nang.

You Tianyu had been a close friend of Rong Yuheng for many years, and their families had a close relationship. He had watched Rong Yuheng grow up.

Chi Nang was the fool who had been lurking in the “Guest from a Distant Place” program team. His family also sponsored it. So, having one more sponsor didn’t matter much to him.

With the three companies joining forces as sponsors, Yang Wen, the director of the “Treasure Hunt Challenge” production team, felt like he had struck gold. After all, it was a new show concept that hadn’t even started recording, and unexpectedly, three major companies dropped in to invest.

Yang Wen wasn’t foolish and knew things weren’t so simple, so he happily took the initiative to ask, “Do the bosses have any special requests?”

The three people on the opposite side gave a remarkably unified response, as if they had set up an AI intelligent response program.

“No other requests, just have Rong Yuheng as a guest.”

Yang Wen was stunned for a moment and scratched his head in confusion. This situation sounded quite impressive…

But who was Rong Yuheng??

The production team wanted to insert someone they hadn’t even heard of, so Yang Wen had to investigate on his own. Upon researching, he discovered that Rong Yuheng was an aspiring contestant from a talent show who hadn’t debuted yet.

Yang Wen’s assistant was worried, “Director Yang, this is too…”

Yang Wen was busy catching up on “Ace Star,” so he waved his hand, saying, “Wait, let me watch for a while.”

At first, he furrowed his brows, but as time went on, his brow gradually relaxed, and his eyes became brighter… When he saw Rong Yuheng passionately singing “Dou E’s Injustice” towards Wen Zhecheng, he suddenly slammed the table with a loud “bang.”

“Damn, hahaha! Why would he go for a talent show when he should be in variety shows?!”

Assistant: ??

Yang Wen: “Alright, even though he’s a newcomer and not well-known, he’s a potential stock. The sponsor also made a request, so inform the team that this person is confirmed.”

…

While the production team had finalized the cast, they hadn’t had a chance to inform Xu Sun, who still believed that Zai An was the one going to record the show.

After receiving confirmation from Lu Mingxuan and the others, Rong Yuheng didn’t immediately go and boast to Zai An.

Seeing Zai An posting “Diligence can make up for incompetence” and “Hard work in program recording,” diligently liking each post, he joined in with a new move:

He copied all of Zai An’s posts in his Moments and reposted them one by one—suddenly, over a dozen updates like “Hard work in recording,” “Hard work pays off,” “Achieving resources through effort” flooded his Moments!

Apart from a group of confused friends wondering, “Have you gone crazy?” and Zai An’s furious three replies:

“Are you crazy?”

“What are you trying to do?”

“You get the resources, and now you want to imitate me?”

The fence-sitter Xu Sun emerged once again, swaying back and forth.

“Brothers with a good relationship, posting the same things in Moments. [Grinning]”

That [Grinning] was particularly soulful.

Zai An became even more infuriated—damn it, is Xu Sun blind? Can’t he see he’s cursing people? Good relationship? Screw your good relationship!

Rong Yuheng couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably: khekhehehe… relieving stress.

Rong Yuheng’s playful move didn’t catch Wen Zhecheng’s attention. Wen Zhecheng’s flight to Country F was in the early morning, and he arrived in the afternoon.

After quickly freshening up at the hotel, Wen Zhecheng didn’t have time to rest and had to attend a work meeting. He handed his phone directly to his manager, Qu Youhe, and when he returned to the hotel, it was already past 7 pm.

There was a time difference between Country F and his home country, and even if Wen Zhecheng could endure it, he was starting to feel a bit exhausted. Just as he finished showering, Qu Youhe knocked on the door.

“Ge, here’s your phone.”

Wen Zhecheng thanked him and asked, “Has anyone contacted me?”

Qu Youhe replied, “The director of ‘Overseas Flower’ called once. I told him you were in Country F, and he said to have a meal when you get back.”

Wen Zhecheng nodded. “Got it.”

As Qu Youhe was about to leave, Wen Zhecheng suddenly stopped him. “Can you bring me my laptop? I need to use it.”

Qu Youhe’s expression instantly turned fierce. “You’re still not going to sleep!?”

Wen Zhecheng attempted to negotiate. “I’ll just use it for a bit, really, I’ll sleep soon.”

Qu Youhe sighed. “Fine, but remember to sleep early. You have plans tomorrow.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Wen Zhecheng also just remembered that it was Tuesday, and it was already late at night in his home country. The episode of “Guest from a distant place” should have aired by now.

He was tired, but he wanted to see Rong Yuheng. Rong Yuheng was like a power bank to him. Just a touch on the metal plates and he would recharge.

After a few minutes, Qu Youhe came back with the laptop, accompanied by his assistant, Xiao Tang. Qu Youhe placed the laptop on the small coffee table and brought over two chairs, motioning for Xiao Tang to sit with him.

“Go ahead, it’ll be quick. Xiao Tang and I will wait together.”

Wen Zhecheng replied, “…”

He should have known that Qu Youhe wasn’t that easy to deal with.

Wen Zhecheng quickly opened the laptop and searched for the latest episode of “Guest from a distant place.” Under the meaningful gaze of Xiao Tang and Qu Youhe, he pretended to remain calm as he swiftly dragged the progress bar.

It was quite obvious!

Qu Youhe asked, “What are you looking for, Ge?”

Wen Zhecheng pursed his lips. “Amusement.”

Qu Youhe and Xiao Tang exchanged glances. They suspected that Wen Zhecheng, who uttered such words, was already too tired to think clearly.

An episode lasted nearly ninety minutes. Wen Zhecheng scrolled through it once and didn’t see Rong Yuheng, causing him to be momentarily confused. Did he miss it?

But the film emperor’s mind was sharp. Instead of mindlessly dragging the progress bar again, he directly switched to the danmu1barrage section to search for keywords.

After searching, there was still no sign of Rong Yuheng!

Xiao Tang asked, “No, Ge, what are you looking for?”

Wen Zhecheng replied, “Where can I find the list of cast members for this episode?”

Qu Youhe was exasperated. “Why don’t you just ask me directly?” As Fan Yu’s senior agent, he had access to most of the resource information. He could easily check the guest list for “Guest Arrival.”

Wen Zhecheng averted his gaze guiltily. “Can you check for me?”

Qu Youhe let out a sigh, as if he were an old father worrying, but he still accommodated Wen Zhecheng’s request and checked on his phone.

A few minutes later, he had the result. “Here it is.”

Wen Zhecheng took a look and indeed, Rong Yuheng was not on the list. There was a guest who made a cameo appearance, and their name was “Zai An.” When he quickly dragged the progress bar, it seemed like he only caught a glimpse of that person’s face, with even the tea cup on the table having a higher screen time than him.

In other words, he was less significant than an inanimate object.

Wen Zhecheng felt a heavy weight in his heart, a mix of anger and frustration. He recalled the day after the competition, in the corridor, when Rong Yuheng had a faint smile on his face, his eyes bright, filled with anticipation and joy.

He had even said to him, “More people will like you.” Now, he didn’t know if Rong Yuheng would feel even sadder after hearing that, knowing his resources were snatched away.

To become a senior agent, apart from having strong abilities and a wide network, the skill of observing and understanding people’s expressions and moods was essential. Qu Youhe looked at Wen Zhecheng’s expression, and a few suspicions floated in his mind. He lowered his head and checked on his phone again.

After a while, he stared at the list of personnel changes and tentatively asked, “Rong Yuheng?”

Wen Zhecheng reflexively looked up.

Qu Youhe, who knew he had hit the mark, sighed silently. “Are you upset because Rong Yuheng got replaced?”

Without waiting for Wen Zhecheng’s response, he continued, “This kind of thing is common in the industry. Sometimes, there are last-minute replacements. After all these years, you should know that better than anyone, right?”

Wen Zhecheng knew, and precisely because he knew, he couldn’t find the right words to say.

Qu Youhe scrolled his phone a few times and suddenly exclaimed, “Damn! His resources have been snatched more than once.”

Wen Zhecheng was taken aback. “What?”

“On this list of changes, Rong Yuheng was originally scheduled to record ‘Treasure Hunt Competition,’ but now it’s also changed to Zai An.”

Now, Wen Zhecheng not only felt blocked but also a surge of anger. What was Xu Sun doing? It was clear that they were bullying the newcomer!

Unfortunately, he was currently abroad and couldn’t rush back immediately.

Qu Youhe glanced at the time, worried that Wen Zhecheng would delay his plans for tomorrow. He quickly said, “Okay, you rest first. I’ll call the company tomorrow and talk to Xu Sun.”

Wen Zhecheng responded with a gloomy “Hmm.”

Xiao Tang and Qu Youhe anxiously watched as Wen Zhecheng lay down on the bed and covered himself with a blanket. Only then did they let out a sigh of relief and prepare to leave.

Before the two could turn around, Wen Zhecheng suddenly stuck his head out again and earnestly reminded them, “You can make the phone call in the morning. There’s a time difference.”

Qu Youhe felt exhausted and softened his tone, as if coaxing a child to sleep. “I know, I know. I’ll make the call when I wake up…”

Only then did Wen Zhecheng settle back in comfortably.

Qu Youhe sighed inwardly:

Wen Zhecheng’s mother passed away early, and Wen Zhongyun was busy with his career and neglected to take care of him. As a result, Wen Zhecheng had been in the public eye since he was young but didn’t have the protection of his parents.

He could only put up a strong and tough exterior, deflecting all attacks and malice.

But in reality, his heart was softer than anyone else’s.

Even though he was an adult, he still needed someone to comfort him.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Qu Youhe called the company. “Guest from a distant placel’s resources have been taken, but we need to keep ‘Treasure Hunt’ at least.”

He had planned to handle it personally, but to his surprise, the person on the other end of the line sounded complicated. “To be honest, Qu Ge, Rong Yuheng’s resources were already taken, but this morning, the program team specifically requested him. Don’t worry, the resources won’t slip away!”

Qu Youhe was also taken aback. After working as an agent for so many years, he had seen many young people who went astray for the sake of resources. Some worrisome speculations instantly came to mind.

He knew that Wen Zhecheng was overly concerned about Rong Yuheng, and for a moment, he hesitated. Should he tell Zhecheng-ge?

After a while, Qu Youhe made up his mind and went to find Wen Zhecheng.

“Zhecheng-ge, the matter is resolved. However… it was the program team’s decision to specifically request Rong Yuheng. We didn’t contribute much.” He cautiously observed Wen Zhecheng’s expression as he finished speaking.

To his surprise, he saw Wen Zhecheng let out a sigh of relief, looking relaxed and content. “That’s good.”

Qu Youhe: ???

Wait, why are you acting so indifferent?

Aren’t you surprised? Don’t you doubt? Weren’t you worried? Isn’t Rong Yuheng your little treasure anymore?

…No, what am I saying?

Qu Youhe found himself engulfed in a whirlpool of question marks, but as an agent, he needed to adhere to professional ethics—don’t say what shouldn’t be said, don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked. If Wen Zhecheng didn’t see any problem, then let it be!

As soon as Qu Youhe left, Wen Zhecheng took out his own phone, in a cheerful mood, wanting to send a string of “otter rubbing face” emojis to Rong Yuheng.

He knew that Rong Yuheng was not someone who could be easily manipulated, especially considering his many “brothers” in the industry.

Wen Zhecheng thought about this and suddenly paused his joyful mood for a second:

…Does Rong Yuheng have too many “industry brothers”?

Enjoy!

1barrage