To Be A Star - ZhanYi

Chapter - 17

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

The sun slowly ascended to its zenith, casting its fiery glow upon the afternoon. Xiao Zhan, amidst the scorching heat, found himself drenched in sweat. He longed to be at the agency, basking in the cool comfort of the air conditioner. However, duty called, and he found himself obligated to visit the mill in Zheng Lei's absence, as Zheng Lei was preoccupied with matters at Sheng Li Entertainment.

Since the manager was unaware of Xiao Zhan's involvement as a silent partner, Xiao Zhan seized the chance to visit the mill in disguise, posing as a job seeker. While it wasn't strictly necessary, Xiao Zhan harbored doubts about managers in general. He recalled his past experience working at a frozen food factory, where the manager had been consistently rude and seemingly indifferent to his responsibilities. Wanting to assess the character of the newly hired manager, Xiao Zhan disguised himself to observe their behavior firsthand.

During his time at the frozen food factory, Xiao Zhan frequently witnessed the manager favoring certain employees, often at the expense of others who were left without proper wages. Reflecting on his own fortune, Xiao Zhan felt grateful that he had not been among those mistreated by the manager.

As he approached the man cleaning his teeth with a toothpick, Xiao Zhan bowed respectfully and offered a polite greeting.

"What's your name?" the manager inquired, handing Xiao Zhan a form to fill out.

"Xiao Zhan," he replied, accepting the form. The manager nodded in acknowledgment.

Glancing around the area before starting to fill out the form, Xiao Zhan noticed several workers carrying pieces of cardboard towards the manager. They placed the cardboard near him, catching Xiao Zhan's curiosity.

Observing the manager examining the cardboard pieces, Xiao Zhan couldn't help but inquire, "What are these for?"

"That's none of your business, you should not ask me questions. Just work for me," the manager retorted sternly.

In response, Xiao Zhan slowly curled up his lips, a subtle smirk playing on his face. Dismissing the form, he confidently declared, "I don't need your work."

Xiao Zhan had assumed the newly hired manager might be arrogant, but the discovery that the manager was taking the cardboard pieces and selling them privately caught him off guard. The foundation of their business was built on trust, and the revelation was a stark deviation from their expectations, especially considering they rarely visited the area.

Concerned about this issue, Xiao Zhan promptly messaged Zheng Lei. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they now found themselves in the position of needing to hire a new manager. He on the other hand was busy, Xiao Zhan faced a hectic schedule in the upcoming ten days, with intensive practices lined up. The surge in trainees, all vying for a spot in the survival show, demanded heightened focus and dedication from Xiao Zhan

Meanwhile, Zheng Lei found himself preoccupied with YiBo's unexpected announcement of releasing a new song. This development led ShengLi to ramp up preparations for their artists to release new music as well. No matter the hustle and bustle within ShengLi, there didn't appear to be any suspicious activity aside from the intense competition in the industry.

Despite his efforts, Zheng Lei continued to struggle in his search for a woman named Ke within the company's ranks. 

Dealing with the troublesome manager during the next week will be increasingly burdensome, so Xiao Zhan decided to leave the matter in Zheng Lei's capable hands. He couldn't help but reflect on how much his life had relied on Zheng Lei's support. Without their friendship, Xiao Zhan doubted he would have reached this level.