Just because I wrote "Zhu Xian," the school beauty sent me razor blades.

The top floor of Starway Entertainment features a luxurious lounge.

Berlek was leaning back on the sofa as a makeup artist carefully removed his stage eye makeup.

The agent burst through the door excitedly: "Ah Kun, the buzz last night was phenomenal! The hashtag #TheBerlekunEraHasArrived# has surpassed 800 million views, and our inbox is overflowing with endorsement offers from all the big brands! Next month we're going to the Paris Music Festival, and Starway will be pulling out all the stops for publicity, solidifying your title as the 'Leading Figure in Chinese Music Going Global'!"

Looking at his meticulously groomed face in the mirror, Berlekun showed no joy, but rather a hint of barely perceptible irritation.

He casually swiped through his phone, and the appalling comparisons and insults from various forums caught his eye.

The name "Lin Yuan" is like an insurmountable mountain. Even though he has won the most prestigious awards, when people mention him, the prefix is ​​always "comparable to Lin Yuan" or "replace Lin Yuan".

"Brother Zhao, aren't some of the marketing accounts going too far with their comparative articles?" Bo Laikun frowned. "I still feel ashamed of myself when I listen to Lin Yuan's 'Sunny Day' soundtrack album from two years ago. Comparing me to a master who's on vacation is going to cause a huge backlash online."

"What do you know!" The agent patted his shoulder, his tone carrying the cold-blooded calculation unique to capital. "Business needs narratives, and the masses need new gods! Whether you admit it or not, as long as Lin Yuan doesn't show his face, you are the only king! This is the road to heaven that the company has paved for you. You just enjoy the applause and resources, and leave the rest to us."

Berlekun remained silent for a moment, looking at his reflection in the mirror, which had been elevated to a divine status. Finally, he slowly lowered his eyes and did not refute it further.

He longed to surpass that mountain, even if the path was shrouded in the bloody smoke of capital.

……

Night falls in Venice.

The daytime hustle and bustle faded into the depths of the canal as tourists dispersed, the water lapping against the ancient stone steps, producing a clear and ethereal sound.

A windproof candle burned on the wooden table on the waterfront terrace, its warm yellow light swaying gently in the night breeze.

Gu Zhiwan was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, originally looking at domestic cooking tutorials, when she was suddenly bombarded with Weibo push notifications. Following the trail, she clicked into the super topic and saw the screen full of smears and vicious curses against Lin Yuan. Her delicate brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and her fingertips even turned slightly white from the pressure.

"What's wrong? Your brows are so furrowed they could trap a mosquito." Lin Yuan walked over with two cups of freshly boiled hot milk and sat down next to her.

Gu Zhiwan bit her lip, pushed her phone screen in front of him, her tone filled with undisguised heartache and anger: "There are some clowns in China who are getting more and more outrageous. And Sister Fei... she sent an email half an hour ago, Xingtu Entertainment is launching a full-scale attack on Tianxing."

Lin Yuan calmly picked up his phone and opened the email.

Fei Zhao's words contained not a trace of grievance or pleading; she simply provided an extremely professional overview of Tianxing's current financial situation, the list of projects that had been hijacked, and the dynamics of the capital market. Finally, she left only one sentence:

The company's foundation is still solid and won't collapse in the short term. Whether you continue your trip or return home early is the choice.

After reading the entire long letter, Lin Yuan casually glanced at the trending search terms filled with hostility and flattery.

There was no outburst of anger, no sneer, and not even the slightest ripple of emotion on his face.

"Are you angry?" Gu Zhiwan looked at him cautiously, reaching out to hold his slightly cool fingertips. "Sister Fei is bearing all the pressure alone. Those people at Xingtu clearly want to take advantage of your absence to completely ruin your business. If you want to go back, I can have my assistant book your tickets anytime. We can save our vacation for later..."

"Silly girl."

Lin Yuan chuckled softly, then took her soft, slightly cool hand in his palm and placed the phone, its screen flickering with countless distractions, face down on the wooden table with a thud.

"The capital market never believes in tears, only in interests. The position I've vacated is so large that anyone who sees it can't help but want to pounce and take a bite. That's perfectly normal."

He turned his head, looking at the tranquil Venetian canals flowing under the night sky, his eyes as deep as the boundless starry sky above: "Berlecone has some talent, but if Starway wants to replace me with this kind of artificially produced assembly-line product, they're underestimating the value of art. If a god's throne can be snatched away with a few PR articles and a few self-serving awards, then I'd find this altar too uncomfortable to sit on."

Gu Zhiwan stared at him blankly: "Then... what do we do now?"

"Proceed according to the original plan."

Lin Yuan raised his hand and ruffled her hair, his tone firm and composed: "Sister Fei has seen it all, she can handle it. Only a third of the two-year agreement has passed. If Tianxing can't even withstand this little bit of trouble, it doesn't deserve to have come this far with me. If we rush to buy plane tickets and rush back now, it will be a bad move, and they'll really think that I, Lin Yuan, am afraid."

He picked up the hot milk and brought it to Gu Zhiwan's lips, his brows displaying a serene and unassuming beauty: "When the time comes, I will naturally go back. But not because they'll bother me, but because we've had our fun."

Looking at the composure in his eyes, Gu Zhiwan's previously anxious and restless heart miraculously calmed down.

This is Lin Yuan.

He never belittled himself when he was in the mire, nor did he lose his way when he was at the peak. Now, even surrounded by wolves, he still has the confidence and pride to stroll leisurely and watch the sunset.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." A clear smile returned to Gu Zhiwan's eyes.