Chapter 1: I've already spent money to win an award, what use do I have for you?

(Note: This story is set in a parallel world, with no private interests, purely for entertainment. If there are any violations or similarities, it can be deleted or modified at any time.)

Galaxy City.

Spotlights shine, and stars twinkle.

"Hello everyone, I am Feng Dagang, the presenter for this award ceremony."

"Without further ado, let's look at the big screen!"

[VCR: He is the flamboyant and seductive Sha Qianmo from 'Flower Thousand Bones'! He is the pure and innocent love interest of Xia Yuhuo in 'The Riverside of the Ming Dynasty'! With his youthful voice and natural acting, he exudes the charm of the younger generation!

For the 2023 edition, the award for the Most Popular Male Artist goes to Su Mu!]

"Ah!!!"

"Su Mu!?"

"Not... Are you sure it's him?"

"Damn, a brain-dead ancient costume idol drama? Why? Just because of the high traffic?"

"Definitely bought it!"

"It's him, it's him, it's him! You can't say anything bad about Brother Su Mu, do you know how hard he works?"

"Ha~ How hard?"

"Hmph, he memorizes his lines in a car under the scorching sun on set!"

"...?"

"Also! To shape a character, he can only eat a few slices of wagyu beef and salmon every day, not even caviar, do you understand?"

"...??"

"Yes, I heard he willingly reduced his pay, which allowed the production team to afford the special effects team. Su Mu only took 40 million for that drama! He really deserves it... 555..."

"???"

Amidst the fans' reminiscence.

Su Mu, dressed in a splendid suit, walked onto the star-studded stage with a confident stride, under the admiring gazes of many seasoned industry professionals.

Step by step, it was a devilish pace.

He was very confident.

This confidence stemmed from a wise and humble mindset deep within his soul.

The main point was to be carefree.

Reborn in this parallel world for three years, without any cheats, he reached the pinnacle of life, winning awards with his exceptional 'talent and wealth,' setting a model of fame and fortune among the young male idols in the entertainment industry over the past two years.

In terms of acting, he had looks.

For singing, he had looks.

For writing, he still had looks.

In short... this was called professionalism.

Being envied was inevitable.

Initially, Su Mu genuinely wanted to be a good artist, a good actor, a good singer, and a good idol.

After being reborn and discovering his stunning good looks, he went to a film and television base to be an extra, then randomly sent resumes to media companies, and was actually contacted by one. He was just one step away from joining the rigorous idol training program with other young people.

He knew that this world wasn't much different from his previous life.

As long as he could join the training program, endure a few years of hard work, improve his talents, and eventually have a chance to debut.

But, fate had other plans.

Before he could join the training program, he was spotted by a director during an unfortunate outing.

He directly played a fourth male lead in an ancient costume drama.

The response was good, and he even gained some fans for his looks!

The company's top agent, sensing the heat and potential, immediately cast him as the third male lead in another web series.

More fans, and the heat didn't wane.

When the agent threw him another script for a second male lead,

Su Mu knew that his hard-earned opportunity to be a trainee was about to slip away.

Looking at the trainees being sent to remote suburban dormitories to undergo years of brutal training, Su Mu's eyes... were envious.

Their efforts to pour their youth into their work were truly admirable.

But his future would be... always playing the second male lead, always playing the second male lead, always playing the second male lead, always playing the second male lead!

And now, he was the first male lead.

Yes, playing the first male lead earned him money that others could only dream of, and he debuted without much hardship. The company even spent money to buy him two annual awards for the Most Popular Male Artist.

But so what?

Su Mu's heart was conflicted.

He had once thought about giving up, not wanting to become the person he despised the most.

To put it bluntly, he wasn't someone who 'craved shortcuts'!

He wanted to become a high-quality idol in the hearts of his fans, to prove himself through hard work and true talent.

They say a good idol starts with looks, loves for talent, and remains loyal to character.

So two years ago, Su Mu secretly vowed:

Once he earned 30 million, he would stop!

Then he would focus on honing his skills to become a genuine male artist and actor!

Later, through his relentless efforts,

He continuously participated in variety shows,

Continuously endorsed luxury brands GG,

Continuously starred in over a dozen mindless, domineering CEO, rich second-generation, ancient costume handsome man romance dramas.

Now, three years have passed.

Looking back,

The vast sea cannot be surpassed, and the years have been wasted.

Without thinking, it's hard to forget, 30 million?

Ha, he was young.

Money was really easy to earn!

His pay had already approached the 60 million mark!

The more money he earned, the harder it was to stop, as heaven wouldn't allow it!

Last year, if he hadn't reduced his pay to help the production team afford the special effects, he would have already broken the 60 million mark.

Of course, Su Mu wasn't really concerned about the money.

He was facing the three-year rule of the entertainment industry's top stars.

Like a parabola, after reaching the peak, there's always a decline, and he wouldn't be an evergreen tree among millions.

According to past trends, without substantial talent and impactful works, he would inevitably enter a low period.

That's why he had to invest heavily in maintaining his popularity as a male artist for another year.

More importantly, he still had two years left on his contract with the company.

If his popularity declined, his pay would also drop, and he might not meet the contract goals.

In that case, he might have to pay the price himself.

Su Mu wasn't unaware that such a contract was a double-edged sword.

But without it, he wouldn't have received the company's full support and resources, even spending money to win awards to maintain his top status and gain more commercial endorsements.

However, all of this was just a false prosperity.

Without true works and talent, it was like a castle in the air, bound to collapse or at least wobble.

There would always be someone younger and more handsome to replace him.

So, Su Mu knew that as a top idol, he ultimately had to... quickly make money, make a lot of money, and make crazy money! That's what gave him a sense of security.

"Cough!"

Su Mu snapped back to reality, holding the trophy with a deep expression: "Winning this award... I only have four words in my heart: Never Forget the Original Aspiration!"

Industry insiders: "......"

Industry outsiders: "......"

Everyone was silent.

After his speech,

Everyone except the stars, audience, industry professionals, judges, organizers, and staff gave enthusiastic applause.

The host walked over: "First, congratulations to Su Mu. I think what everyone is most concerned about is your upcoming schedule. I heard you're planning to join three major variety shows on Goose Factory next year. Also, do you have any plans to break through in your roles?

Like the trophy in your hand, you've won the Best Popular Male Artist for two consecutive years. Do you plan to challenge the true crown of Best Actor next year?"

Ha, what a question. Who would want to be a popular male artist if they could be a Best Actor?

Everyone knows these awards are bought, aren't you deliberately making things difficult for me?

Putting me in a difficult position, Su Mu thought helplessly: "Oh, the host is joking. My experience is still shallow. A Best Actor requires a more comprehensive foundation and talent. I still have a lot to learn, and there are many more outstanding peers. So, I just hope to solidify every (paycheck) I get."

The host: "Su Mu is as humble as ever. By the way, I heard Director Zhang is currently holding auditions for a new drama. It's one of the hottest scripts right now, and many big names want to participate, with many veteran actors joining.

Ha, why don't we take this opportunity to apply for a role on the spot? Do you have the confidence to outshine the others and win over the director and the audience with your acting?"

Come on... where does he get the confidence?

Su Mu was speechless, feeling the host was deliberately targeting him.

It wasn't being petty; the host was just poking at the wrong spot.

If he had won a Best Supporting Actor or a Best Actor nomination, he could have handled it with some confidence.

But the problem was, as a reborn novice, the awards he had won over the past two years were all vague labels like 'Most Popular' and 'Best Liked.'

He was just buying himself a golden facade, seemingly popular but actually annoying, as everyone understood.

So, saying he had confidence would be pure shamelessness, as performing better than these big names and veteran actors was a pipe dream.

Being criticized was one thing.

But making everyone lose face would be truly awkward.

He would probably make the headlines tomorrow.

Su Mu was very helpless. He felt no one loved him. In rebirth stories, the main characters always have cheats, and they become stronger with a simple phrase.

But he had been reborn for three years and still had to rely on spending money to win awards.

Every day, he faced various criticisms and ridicule, causing immense psychological pressure.

Some reborn people wake up with cheats, and if they don't have them, they probably never will.

Life had no hope.

[Installation took 1206 days, 6 hours, 18 minutes, and 32 seconds]

Name: Su Mu

Height: 183 cm

Looks: Fresh Meat Level (Top)

Strength: 1

Speed: 1

Stamina: 1

Brainpower: 1

[Public Speaking (Beginner) Proficiency Level 0: 1/10]

"Have..." Su Mu was shocked: "Have it!?"

Whoosh!

Stars: "!!!"

Judges: "???"

Fans: "!!!"

Director Zhang: "......"

The entire audience was stunned.

"Did you hear that? He said 'have it!'"

"Um, I heard it... a bit arrogant."

"Where does he get the confidence? He's really getting cocky!"

"Ha, not to mention the veteran actors and big names, just outshining the other young supporting actors would make me stand on my head and wash my hair. And Director Zhang's drama, would he even consider him?"

"I've read the script, and almost every character is well-developed. The more outstanding the supporting roles, the harder it is to perform. Su Mu really doesn't know his limits."

"Cough..."

The host was embarrassed: "Wow, I didn't expect Su Mu to be so confident about this... job application. Let's not joke around, let's wait and see. I hope you get a good role from Director Zhang. Congratulations on winning the award again!"

The host quickly smoothed things over and ended the conversation.

He was speechless, not expecting Su Mu to have such thick skin and accept it on the spot.

Shouldn't he have humbly declined and joked it off?

Why did he climb the pole?

If the media hype up the story tomorrow, and due to public pressure, Director Zhang has to give Su Mu a role, wouldn't he be the one digging a hole for Director Zhang?

Offending a big director wouldn't be good.

Caught off guard by Su Mu, the host was drenched in cold sweat and dared not tease him anymore.

On the other side,

Under the strange gazes of the audience, Su Mu had already walked off the stage.

Sitting back down, he felt a deep sense of sorrow.

He knew he had been misunderstood.

When he said 'have it,' he meant he had a cheat, not that he had the confidence to outshine the others in Director Zhang's drama.

This cheat was really unlucky!

Wasn't it just accelerating his decline...

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(End of Chapter)