To Be A Star - ZhanYi

Chapter - 15

The plot of the story is purely fictitious, any similarity to the reality is purely coincidental.

"Xiao Zhan, I'm so frustrated with you right now! You're always pushing me to do things like this. Do you even understand the consequences you will face with this?" Zheng Lei yelled at him from the other end.

"Lao Lei, you're my only hope in this. If you won't help me, then I don't know who else I can turn to," Xiao Zhan's voice pleaded, tinged with desperation, as he tried to persuade Zheng Lei to help him over the phone.

"You...you... I just can't wrap my head around this. Why the sudden obsession with Wang YiBo? A few months ago, you couldn't care less about the entertainment world, and now you're talking about becoming an idol, wanting to defend him? Xiao Zhan, what's going on with you?"

"When I heard about Wang YiBo's struggles, something clicked inside me. I felt a connection to him, like I could understand his journey. I want to be there for him, to support him like no one else can. But... I don't really want to get into it," Xiao Zhan's voice trailed off, a hint of evasion evident in his tone. He sensed he was keeping something from Zheng Lei, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

There was a brief pause, a heavy silence hanging in the air. "Xiao Zhan, you've got to understand, the entertainment world doesn't work like that. But fine, I won't push it. It's your life, you're free to make your own choices, but─"

"Please, Lao Lei, I'm begging you. You're my only hope besides Jia-ge. You know that, right?" Xiao Zhan pleaded desperately, his voice filled with urgency. He felt like he was running out of options, with nowhere else to turn but to Zheng Lei for help.

"Xiao Zhan," Zheng Lei sighed heavily, his tone weighed down with resignation. "You know my family's ties to MingXing. How could you expect me to get involved there? Even though my relationship with my father isn't great, I can't risk stirring up trouble like that. If he catches wind of this, I don't even want to think about the consequences."

He realized he had been asking for something unreasonable. With a sense of defeat, he decided to let the matter rest. "Alright then, I won't push it further. I'll catch you later. And thanks for sending those videos. Without your help, I don't even want to imagine what could have happened, Lao Lei."

Before Zheng Lei could respond, Xiao Zhan ended the call abruptly. A sense of unease lingered with him, gnawing at his thoughts. MingXing and ShengLi's actions didn't sit right with him. How could they hire someone who posed such a threat to YiBo? It all seemed too calculated, too deliberate. Suspicion clouded his thoughts, particularly regarding ShengLi Entertainment. He couldn't shake the feeling that the woman involved might have been sent by them.

Despite his troubled mind, Xiao Zhan knew he needed rest. Tomorrow held an important audition, and he couldn't afford to be sleep-deprived.

FH Entertainment, though not as renowned as MingXing or ShengLi, had its own share of idols and B-list actors. Every year, they sent their talents to compete in survival shows, hoping to propel them to greater fame.

Nervousness gripped him as doubt clouded his confidence in his skills. It was a new and unfamiliar feeling for Xiao Zhan. For the first time, he found himself yearning for the comforting presence of his mother. In the past, he never longed for her when his grandmother was around, she had filled his world with love and care, showering him with affection that seemed more than enough.

Now, the absence of his mother left a void. There was no one to utter those reassuring words, 'ZhanZhan, you are the best.' No one to embrace him, offering warmth and solace. No one to welcome him home, no one to share the events of his day with. The sudden sense of loneliness descended suddenly.