Chapter 56 - Bet

After talking to Mu Shaohua and allowing his pursuit, Hao Ritian did not stay in the Mu family house for too long. Although he wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to Mu Shaohua, the time was not right. He was also looking forward to how Mu Shaohua would pursue him.

When he left, Hao Ritian naturally informed the old lady. The old lady could not hide the disappointment and reluctance on her face when she learned that he was leaving so soon, as she kept on winking at Mu Shaohua. Before, Hao Ritian may not understand what the old lady meant, but now he can clearly see that the old lady wanted Mu Shaohao to keep him a while longer.

Hao Ritian had no option but to disappoint the old lady's kindness for the time being. Mu Shaohua also did not force him after he said that he wanted to leave. He was reluctant to let him leave, but he still sent him back.

Looking at their backs as they left, she glared at her eldest grandson in hatred of iron not becoming steel and was really furious with him. That blockhead was not competitive at all!

When her grandson returned, she found out that he had already taken the initiative to chase Ritian. The old lady, who was about to explode from anger, was instantly overwhelmed with surprise. Her face changed quickly. She kept on giving him ideas as she followed her eldest grandson. She swore that if he followed her instructions, he could definitely chase the other person soon, which made Mu Shaohua annoyed.

Although he knew that Grandma meant well, it was quite low to ask him to send flowers every day for no apparent reason. Moreover, it may also interfere with the receiving party's work. He didn't feel like it was a good idea.

After dodging his grandmother who was chasing him to give him advice, he sat alone in the study and started to search about Li Bufan online. Who let the person that he wanted to pursue work under Li Bufan? He was also very concerned about how Hao Ritian looked out for him everywhere, especially when they lived together. He must understand what charm Li Bufan had for him to get such favorable treatment from Hao Ritian.

With this understanding, he watched Xia Xin's incident from the beginning to the end. After learning the whole story, he didn't need to mention his disgust towards Xia Xin, but he also understood where Hao Ritian's good feelings toward Li Bufan came from. Their good feelings were mutual because Li Bufan was good to him so he will return the same feelings to Li Bufan.

Because of this, his perception of Li Bufan had improved a lot, but at the same time, he was a little envious of the mutual trust between the two. It was undeniable that he also learned how to get along with Hao Ritian in the future from this incident.

Hao Ritian didn't know that Mu Shaohua was still studying in order to pursue him. He returned earlier than Li Bufan and it was already late when Li Bufan came back, so he ordered a table full of takeout.

If it was Xia Lou himself, he would do it himself, but he had no talent. He also failed to inherit Xia Lou's cooking skills. He may even blow up the kitchen if he was asked to cook so he can only cheat and order take-out.

When Li Bufan came back, he saw the table of food and sat down. He was busy all afternoon and did not eat much. His stomach was growling with hunger.

While he was eating, he looked at Hao Ritian's face and saw that he was in a good mood with no obvious sadness. As expected, it was correct to let him take a break this afternoon. He was very happy and didn't try to question him to avoid making him feel uncomfortable, so he just ate with his head down.

But Hao Ritian ate a few chopsticks and asked him: "Did work go smoothly this afternoon?

Li Bufan answered back reflexively, "It went well."

In fact, it was a bit rough. The talk show was supposed to focus on him but due to the drama online, the program team always asked for news about Xia Xin to generate heat, which made him pretty upset.

But he couldn't have a fallout with the program team. He felt oppressed, so the recording was delayed for a long time before it continued, otherwise it should have already ended at an earlier time.

But he didn't want Xia Lou to know about this, since he would definitely feel guilty again if he knew. He did not want to add to his troubles, since all of this had nothing to do with Xia Lou in the first place.

It was a pity that he came home late and answered his question too quickly, so Hao Ritian could see some clues but he didn't expose him. He just paused slightly before saying, "You have more free time on Wednesday afternoon. I will take you to meet someone that afternoon."

There are too many people in the entertainment industry who did not have the freedom to act independently. Hao Ritian knew this all too well. Even if Li Bufan was being treated unfairly, he couldn't help him with his identity either. Mentioning this issue will only make both of them unhappy. In the end, it was all a matter of status. If Li Bufan was big enough who would dare to embarrass him, it was good enough if he did not embarrass others.

Thus, he can only let him climb up as soon as possible and stand at the top of the entertainment circle at the fastest speed. At that time, he wouldn’t have to worry too much, and he could live more freely.

And the opportunity was already in front of him.

Hao Ritian didn't ask anymore, which made Li Bufan relieved, but he was still surprised when he said that he was going to take him to meet someone, "See, who?"

Hao Ritian didn't hide what he meant, "Didn't I ask you not to renew your contract with the company after your contract expires? You also agreed. I would like you to sign under Qingfeng Entertainment. Qingfeng Entertainment is more suitable for you in terms of both resources and environment. I have already made an appointment with someone today, and we will meet with an executive of Qingfeng Entertainment on Wednesday to talk about your signing."

With a bang, the chopsticks in Li Bufan's hands fell in shock. He stammered, "What are you talking about? Qingfeng Entertainment?"

Compared with Qingfeng Entertainment, his current company can only be regarded as a second-rate broker company. Xia Lou had told him before that he should switch to another company, but he never thought it would be Qingfeng Entertainment. He also said he had already made an appointment with an executive of the company?

His first reaction was not excitement, but instead, he hurriedly questioned Hao Ritian, "Xia Lou, how did you get an appointment with the executives of Qingfeng Entertainment? Did you compromise something with other people? You don't need to do this. Even if I don't sign with Qingfeng Entertainment, as long as I work hard, I will not be worse than the contracted artists of Qingfeng Entertainment. You must not do stupid things!"

It was not strange that he thought so, after all, he was very familiar with Xia Lou. He knew that with his connections, it would be impossible to get in touch with an executive of Qingfeng Entertainment as well as schedule an appointment. He can only think of what kind of compromise Xia Lou made in exchange for such an opportunity, if that was the case, he would rather not have it.

Hao Ritian looked at Li Bufan's anxious and worried expression. It was the first time he knew that he had such a strong imagination, and he sighed helplessly, "Where do you want to go?"

Seeing that Li Bufan was adamant until he figured it out, he compromised first, "Do you still remember what I told you about helping an old lady when I got back to the car after going to the hospital to get my medicine last week? The old lady insisted on repaying me, so her grandson gave me a business card when he arrived and told me to find him if I needed help. This afternoon, I went to that old lady's house…"

Hao Ritian’s expression remained unchanged under Li Bufan’s frown, "I just took that business card to ask the other party to provide a little help. Don't worry, I didn't ask for too much. I just asked him to introduce me to an executive of Qingfeng Entertainment and nothing more. It is up to us whether we can negotiate at that time."

He didn't have to guess what was in Li Bufan's mind. He was clearly worried that he would trouble others in return for his kindness. There were a lot of worries at a young age, so saying this should assure him.

After confirming again that it was just like this, Li Bufan was relieved. But when he thought that he had a chance to sign a contract with Qingfeng Entertainment, he suddenly became nervous again. He didn't even eat as he said back and forth, "Qingfeng Entertainment has many great artists, and I haven't won any awards so far. Is it really okay to sign for such a big company?"

With his current worth, it was not always a good thing to sign into that kind of big company. The competition for resources from big companies would only be more intense. It was no wonder that Li Bufan couldn’t help but think too much.

Hao Ritian said in a relaxed tone, "What are you worried about? Don't you believe in your own ability? The competition in a big company is intense, but its resources are top-notch. As long as you have the ability, you don't have to be afraid of not getting it. As for the reward, you are going to get it soon."

The tone in his last sentence was certain and was not a consolation, as if he was just stating a fact.

Li Bufan was infected by his calm attitude. Li Bufan was similarly not lacking in confidence. He had been in the entertainment industry for more than six years. Although he had never participated in big productions, he had played countless roles. He always seized the opportunity to polish his acting skills. He believed that his acting skills were no worse than those of the first-tier stars. All he was short of was the experience in confronting highly skilled opponents.

If he can sign with Qingfeng Entertainment, then...

Li Bufan's eyes were unprecedentedly hot. Wouldn't he then be able to play with many other peers with superior acting skills? Even if he had to play a supporting role, he was willing to do so.

Looking at his eyes burning up, Hao Ritian smiled faintly.

It can only be said that some people were born to eat that bowl of rice. Li Bufan was one of them. He was very spiritual in acting and acting appeared to be integrated into his bones. Otherwise, according to the established trajectory, it would be impossible for Li Bufan to go that far under the suppression. Aside from his obsession with avenging Xia Lou, he was also obsessed with acting.

After knowing that he was going to meet with an executive of Qingfeng Entertainment on Wednesday, Li Bufan had been enthusiastic for the past few days. It was always on his mind since he didn't want to let go of this opportunity that Xia Lou had secured for him.

Wednesday arrived soon, and the idol drama starring Li Bufan finally started airing after the promotions.

In the morning, Hao Ritian called Mu Shaohua to confirm the appointed time and place again. After all, he didn't want to drop the chain at such a critical moment.

After finishing the morning's work, Li Bufan took a break according to Hao Ritian's request and changed into a more formal outfit. They went to the agreed place with just the two of them.

The agreed place was a high-level club with high security. Even celebrities frequently come here, and they all must have a certain status to come. It can be seen that the attitude of the other party was also quite serious.

After arriving at the clubhouse and reporting the private room number, a waiter led Hao Ritian and Li Bufan to the second floor. Hao Ritian didn't feel much, but Li Bufan was a little nervous.

Seeing him like this, Hao Ritian approached him and whispered, "There's nothing to be nervous about. If you are really nervous, just think of the person you want to meet as a hammer. I'll be your agent in the future. Issues such as signing contracts are naturally left to me to handle. You just have to put on airs and don't let people look down on you, that will be enough."

"Who, who is nervous." Li Bufan instantly corrected his expression. His ears were still slightly red, but his face already hardened up.

Li Bufan's appearance was a bit different from the popular pretty boys. Compared to pretty boys, he had a more reserved aura. His haughty appearance and stern face made it difficult for him to get along with those who were not familiar with him. No, more specifically, it made people afraid to approach him, because of the sense of distance he showed.

Hao Ritian had already figured out his temper and couldn't stand the excitement. Bufan looked unfriendly and blunt, but he was warm and tender inside. He also has exceptionally smooth hair. It was a little frizzy right now, but it looked more natural instead. Hao Ritian thought that it was quite fitting for him.

When they got to the private room, the waiter knocked on the door, and the sound of entering was soon heard from inside. The waiter pushed the door open and made a gesture of invitation to let the two in.

Hao Ritian and Li Bufan walked in one after another, and after they entered, the waiter closed the door again.

The floor of the private room was covered with a soft carpet, and you can hardly hear footsteps when you step on it. After walking through the entrance, they finally saw the two people waiting inside. Wait, two people?

Hao Ritian looked at Mu Shaohua with a slightly surprised expression, because when they talked, this person didn't even say that he would come as well. Did he want to surprise him?

His eyes turned away from Mu Shaohua and fell on another person, who looked about the same age as Mu Shaohua. Compared to Mu Shaohua's calmness and indifference, he seemed to be a flirtatious young man, but the gleam in his eyes made people know that this person was not to be underestimated.

Mu Shaohua beckoned to Hao Ritian, "Come, sit down."

Hao Ritian withdrew his eyes and gave a wink to Li Bufan before they sat down.

Just as the two of them took their seats, the man sitting next to Mu Shaohua spoke up first, "First, let me introduce myself. I am Qi Jin, the president of Qingfeng Entertainment. It's a pleasure to meet you."

His eyes skimmed over Li Bufan, before focusing on Hao Ritian. His eyes were measuring and full of interest. After all, he was able to make Mu Shaohua open up to him, he was quite curious about what special features this person had for Mu Shaohua to value him so much.

"Qi Jin?" Hao Ritian's tone rose slightly.

Apart from his career plans, he actually wanted to let Li Bufan sign with Qingfeng Entertainment because of emotional connections. In the original trajectory, Li Bufan also signed with Qingfeng Entertainment later on, and he also had an emotional entanglement with the president of Qingfeng Entertainment, Qi Jin. He was unsure whether the two of them got together in the end.

Li Bufan's emotions were unclear to Hao Ritian, but since he had an entanglement with Qi Jin, it meant that they had the possibility of getting together. Thus, letting Li Bufan sign earlier under Qingfeng Entertainment can be regarded as a chance for the two of them. He will not interfere unnecessarily whether the two can get together depends on fate.

But these ideas were only considered after Li Bufan became an artist of Qingfeng Entertainment.

For a meeting like today, in Hao Ritian's opinion, any executive from Qingfeng can come. After all, Li Bufan did not really have much weight in the eyes of a big company like Qingfeng Entertainment, but the person who came here turned out to be Qi Jin, the president himself.

His eyes turned to Mu Shaohua. Well, no need to think, it must be because of him. He and Qi Jin must have a good relationship, otherwise, Qi Jin wouldn't have come here personally because of an artist.

When Mu Shaohua saw Hao Ritian's eyes fall on him, his brows subconsciously softened, "Qi Jin can make decisions about Qingfeng Entertainment, you can talk to him about anything you want."

Mu Shaohua's demeanor made Qi Jin wonder in his heart. In his eyes, Mu Shaohua had always been impeccable, and he was always as precise and cold as a robot. Now that he can see him showing such a human-like expression, Qi Jin felt that it was right to come here.

But...

"Does Mr. Xia know me?" Qi Jin raised his eyebrows. He didn't miss the sound just now, but he really didn't remember this person in front of him. Maybe he forgot?

Li Bufan's eyes were still glued to Mu Shaohua. From Mu Shaohua's words to his slightly intimate attitude towards Hao Ritian, he could easily see that this man was the grandson of the old lady that Hao Ritian mentioned, so he couldn't help but pay more attention.

When Qi Jin's words fell, Li Bufan and Mu Shaohua turned their eyes to Hao Ritian. Hao Ritian didn't notice and just chuckled, "How could I know such a big shot like President Qi? But it's a great honor for President Qi to come here in person. I assume that Mr. Qi already knows my intentions, so let's talk about business directly. I wonder what Mr. Qi wants to do?"

Hearing what he said, Qi Jin's expression became a little serious, and his eyes stared straight at Hao Ritian, "Since Mr. Xia is so straightforward, I won't be polite. You want Mr. Li to sign with our company. You are Mr. Li's agent, right? You must be aware of the status of Qingfeng in the entertainment industry without having me say more, Mr. Xia. So what do you think it will do for us to sign Mr. Li? Our company has a lot of artists like him. He doesn't have any advantage."

Regarding official issues, Qi Jin had always been prepared, otherwise, the company would not have grown so big. Although the words he said were a bit too sharp, they were also true.

Li Bufan didn't seem to hear these 'belittling' words, his expression remained unmoved. He handed everything over to Hao Ritian.

Hao Ritian didn't get angry, and said, "What Mr. Qi said is indeed the truth, but what you said is nothing more than Bufan's current status. There is currently a TV series starring Bufan, and Bufan can win the Best Newcomer Award with this drama. Of course, the Best Newcomer Award is nothing in Qingfeng, but I can guarantee that within three years of signing Bufan, I can turn him into a superstar. In this case, does President Qi still think he has no advantages?"

Under normal circumstances, it would take a lot of effort for him to do this.

But don't forget that he was now in a mission world. He couldn't be clearer about Li Bufan's career experience, and he also knows what dramas will be popular in ten years. With Qingfeng's resources, Li Bufan's acting skills, and his control over the selection of the script which was basically the same as cheating, if he can't reach the top, he should just wash up and go to sleep.

These words he said were filled with certainty. His strong self-confidence made people involuntarily want to believe what he said. Even Li Bufan, who remained still when Qi Jin belittled him, looked shocked by Hao Ritian's words. His heart was burning hot from Hao Ritian's confidence in him. This sense of trust for no apparent reason was captivating.

At this moment, Mu Shaohua hoped that the person who was trusted by Hao Ritian was him. He felt that Hao Ritian's body seemed to be glowing, which was extremely attractive.

Qi Jin's expression changed slightly, before laughing out loud and applauding, "I admire Mr. Xia's self-confidence, but everything Mr. Xia said was only based on speculation. Your guarantee has no practical value. Just take the Best Newcomer Award you mentioned, the award hasn't been opened yet, how can you be sure that Mr. Li will win the award?"

Hao Ritian had long expected that the other party would not easily believe him. After all, everyone can speak empty words, whether it can be realized or not was a different matter.

"Of course, Mr. Qi's worries are normal. Whether you believe it or not, the decision is in Mr. Qi's hands. I won't force you. I can only say that signing Bufan is definitely something profitable." Hao Ritian's expression remained unchanged.

After he finished speaking, he touched his chin, "Otherwise, let's make a bet with the Best Newcomer Award. I said that Bufan will definitely win this award. If I'm correct, Mr. Qi should be able to trust me, right? Signing with Bufan is just a trivial matter for Mr. Qi. The higher Bufan's achievements, the greater the reward Mr. Qi will get. In other words, even if Bufan's achievements are not very high, they will not have much impact on Mr. Qi. Businessmen have to take risks when doing business. It can't be that Mr. Qi is unable to take even a risk as small as this, right?"

Qi Jin stared at Hao Ritian's expression for a moment, before suddenly turning his head to Mu Shaohua, "This Mr. Xia that you introduced to me is too eloquent. I'm impressed by what he said."

Qi Jim controlled his expression and looked at Hao Ritian again, before saying with a smile on his lips, "Okay, I'll bet with Mr. Xia, and I'll bet on the Best Newcomer Award. If you win the bet, I will sign Mr. Li and give him the same treatment as other artists in the company. If you lose the bet, I'm sorry. In business, even with Shaohua's recommendation, I will not yield."

Hao Ritian unexpectedly nodded, "Of course, President Qi's decision will definitely not be wrong. It's only three years, Mr. Qi will see.”

Qi Jin raised his eyebrows, intrigued by the tone of victory in his voice, "Then we'll wait and see."

Li Bufan was stunned by Hao Ritian's unusual strength. Isn't this really talking big? Although he had confidence in himself, he didn't think that he would be able to rank in the top tier within three years. Although it was just one more word from the first tier, there was a big difference in status.

He suddenly felt like the pressure was too big. Xia Lou regards him that highly?

But Xia Lou had already said it, he couldn't lose his face at this time. He maintained a calm face, but his heart was beating wildly, and it was quite hard to maintain.

In fact, signing an artist was really not a big deal for Qi Jin. The decision had already been made, so he temporarily put it aside. His eyes circled back and forth on Hao Ritian and Mu Shaohua, "Since the business is over, let's talk about other things. Why don't Mr. Xia talk to me about how you met Shaohua? After all, it must be because of Mr. Xia that Shaohua can speak to me because of this trivial matter. I'm really curious."

At his words, Li Bufan, whose heart was in a mess, couldn't help but also looked over. Xia Lou himself said that Mr. Mu was the grandson of the grandmother he helped, but based on his observation, it seemed that it was not that simple. He also wanted to know more details out of concern, and not for gossip. After all, this Mr. Mu didn't seem like an ordinary person. He was afraid that Xia Lou suffered.