In the Years When I Was a Father

Half a year later, the news of Xingyu Entertainment’s equity restructuring made headlines in the entertainment section. Everyone in the industry was curious about the mysterious investor behind the scenes. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried to dig, they couldn’t find any useful information—only vague rumors that the big shot had some overseas background.

No matter how turbulent things were in the entertainment circle, Qi Wei continued to deliver food diligently.

It had been half a year, and the old bastard hadn’t caused any trouble. Qi Wei still found it a bit hard to believe. But seeing him stay home obediently every day—even refusing when the old men in the neighborhood invited him to play mahjong—Qi Wei finally felt a little relieved. It seemed the loan shark incident last time had genuinely scared the old man.

That day, just like usual, Qi Wei was delivering food nearby. While riding his electric scooter, he noticed someone following him again.

Qi Wei couldn’t figure it out. He hadn’t offended anyone in Yang City, and the old bastard had been behaving himself at home. He hadn’t noticed anything unusual when he returned every night, so it didn’t seem like the old man had snuck out to cause trouble.

After completing his last delivery, Qi Wei didn’t take any new orders. Instead, he rode toward a livelier street nearby. It was almost lunchtime anyway, so he decided to grab something to eat.

But just as he sat down at a table waiting for his food, he saw a man step out of the car that had been following him all along.

Qi Wei muttered inwardly, Showing up in broad daylight in a crowded place? Doesn’t look like someone here to collect debts or settle a grudge.

Before he could figure it out, the well-dressed man had already sat down across from him and handed him a business card.

Qi Wei took it reflexively and looked it over carefully: Xue Yuan, Director of Artists at Xingyu Entertainment and Professional Talent Agent. Qi Wei’s mouth twitched—he had already decided this guy was one of those scammers trying to fool young people.

Xue Yuan also felt a bit awkward about showing up so suddenly, but since the higher-ups had explicitly ordered him to sign this guy, he didn’t care whether it was abrupt or not. Better that than letting his arch-rival snatch the guy first.

Word from the top was that the company planned to focus heavily on grooming this newcomer—supposedly because he resembled the deceased child of some major investor. Xue Yuan couldn’t help but think, What a weirdo. If he wants someone to remind him of his kid, why not just adopt a godson? Why go through all this drama of playing the mysterious backer card?

But faced with the power of capital, he had no grounds to argue. Whatever the big boss wanted, that’s what went.

“Let me introduce myself—I’m—”

“No need, sir. I’m not stupid. Don’t disturb my meal. Go find someone else.”

Xue Yuan was taken aback. Ever since becoming a professional talent agent, he rarely encountered anyone who spoke to him like that. Did he look like a scammer?

Look at his outfit—it was all luxury designer wear. And his watch alone cost over a million. What kind of scammer could afford to look this good?

Unfortunately, the guy sitting across from him had no eye for these things…

Helpless, Xue Yuan reluctantly pulled out his phone, opened the browser, and searched his name. When his photos and bio appeared on the top of the search results, he proudly showed the screen to Qi Wei.

Qi Wei glanced at it skeptically. Seeing the information there, he still wasn’t entirely convinced—Manager of Movie King Xiao He?!

Qi Wei didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment industry, but he did like the movie king, Xiao He. He just didn’t have time to be a fanboy, so he had no idea what Xiao He’s agent even looked like.

Qi Wei thought to himself, No way. Do scammers nowadays even go as far as buying fake online profiles? Recalling the recent news about XX Hospital buying ads on the same site, he figured this information wasn’t necessarily reliable either.

Xue Yuan nearly coughed up blood seeing that Qi Wei still didn’t believe him. This brat…

Helpless, he opened his photo album on his phone and pulled up a selfie with Xiao He. “This was taken a year ago when Xiao He won the Golden Pig Award. If you still don’t believe me, I’ve also got pictures with Zhang Ningxin and Xia Qing. They’re both under my management—you’ve heard of them, right?”

Qi Wei shook his head, but he had heard of Zhang Ningxin and Xia Qing. One was a top-tier award-winning actress, the other a current trending starlet. His dad had even been obsessed with a variety show Xia Qing appeared on recently.

Before Xue Yuan could spit blood again, Qi Wei scrolled through the gallery of photos with various celebrities and finally believed him.

“So, what do you want with me?”

Qi Wei couldn’t imagine why someone with such a high status would be looking for him.

“There’s a restaurant up ahead. Let’s go talk there.”

Qi Wei felt a bit of regret for abandoning the lunch he’d just ordered, but his curiosity got the better of him. He pushed his electric scooter to a spot where he could see it from the restaurant, locked it up securely, and followed Xue Yuan.

Inside a private room at the restaurant, after ordering food, Xue Yuan cut straight to the chase: “Are you interested in joining the entertainment industry?”

Qi Wei raised an eyebrow. So this guy really wanted to sign him? Was he blind? Or was the entertainment world seriously short on people?

Seeing Qi Wei remain silent, Xue Yuan went on, “I’ve been looking to sign a new talent but haven’t come across anyone that really fits. Then I ran into you today. Your appearance is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

Qi Wei looked at himself skeptically. He was wearing plain clothes, nothing particularly clean or eye-catching. This kind of image attract a talent scout?

It all seemed too fishy to Qi Wei, so he asked, “I have no talent, never learned acting, and only graduated from middle school. You’re seriously okay with that?”

Xue Yuan was sweating internally. Of course he wasn’t okay with it! Sure, the guy had a great face, but the industry was fiercely competitive. Someone with no skills or background would be expensive and difficult to train. If it weren’t for the big boss willing to invest money into this, who in their right mind would go looking for someone like him?

Even if he needed a rookie, he could just go to a film academy where at least the students were passionate about acting. But someone wild like Qi Wei—what if he suddenly quit one day? That’d ruin Xue Yuan’s reputation!

That’s what he thought inside, but what he said was: “You can’t think of it that way. Talent can be developed over time. No acting experience? Doesn’t matter. Once you sign, the company will assign you professional acting coaches. We’ll also have experts train you in body posture, speech—everything. No one is born a star; it’s all about shaping and building.”

Qi Wei understood that much, but he still couldn’t wrap his head around it. After thinking carefully, he finally figured out what was bugging him—They’re willing to invest all this in him just because he’s good-looking?

If it had been a small company, he might chalk it up to a talent shortage. But Xingyu Entertainment? Even someone who barely followed the industry like him knew it was a major company, filled with attractive men and women, top actors and actresses everywhere. Why would they spend so much on a complete rookie with no visible future?

Qi Wei still didn’t quite believe it. The man across from him looked sincere and humble, but something just felt off. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he asked bluntly, “Did someone send you to seduce me or something?”

Xue Yuan rolled his eyes inwardly. Kids these days really do know a lot…

He decided not to beat around the bush anymore and just told the truth: “Yes, someone did send me. But it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“I’ll put it this way—you resemble Chairman Bai’s son. I heard his son always dreamed of being a star, but Chairman Bai refused no matter what. Unfortunately, the boy later died in an accident. When Chairman Bai came to Yang City to pay his respects, he happened to see you delivering food. You reminded him of his son, and he remembered that dream. That’s why he decided to invest in our company to specifically groom and promote you.”

That’s what he had heard from General Manager Lin, Chairman Bai’s personal assistant. As for Chairman Bai himself, Xue Yuan had never even met him. But if Lin said so, it was most likely true. Seeing that Qi Wei still hadn’t reacted, Xue Yuan continued his pitch.

“If you’re not totally against joining the entertainment world, this is a huge opportunity for you. There’s no shady business involved, and you’ll be backed with solid funding and high-quality resources. Chairman Bai hasn’t placed any extra demands—it’s all upside for you.”

Qi Wei frowned. “Just because I look like his son? And there are really no conditions?”

Xue Yuan laughed. “There is a condition—but for you, it’s actually more of a guarantee. Chairman Bai’s request is that you must star in one high-quality film or TV series every year for the next ten years. How about it? Do you agree to those terms?”

Qi Wei was stunned. He could barely keep the calm expression on his face—it was as if a golden pie had fallen straight from the sky. But this pie was too big, and he couldn’t help but suspect a trap.

“Can I meet Chairman Bai?”

Qi Wei wanted to see the man behind all this in person. If things were really as Xue Yuan said, there was no way he’d let the opportunity pass him by. He was a man—given a shot at a different life, why wouldn’t he grab it with both hands?

Unfortunately, Xue Yuan shook his head. Seeing Qi Wei’s slight disappointment, he explained, “Don’t overthink it. It’s not that Chairman Bai doesn’t want to meet you—he’s currently living overseas. All of Xingyu’s operations are now handled by his assistant, Lin Tao, also known as Manager Lin. If you want to meet him, I can make the introduction.”

As he spoke, Xue Yuan took out a contract that had clearly been prepared in advance. “This is the proposed contract from the company. I’ll give you one day to think it over. My contact details are on the business card—call me if you decide to sign.”

Xue Yuan could tell the kid in front of him was already tempted, and that put his mind at ease. Giving him a day would help ensure he’d sign willingly—and once he did, he’d likely follow directions more reliably.

Qi Wei took the contract and business card, watching this so-called gold-agent calmly eat from his plate. His own mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and he’d completely lost his appetite.

After the meal, Qi Wei watched Xue Yuan’s car drive away and hesitated for a moment—then decided to visit a law firm.

It was one of the most reputable firms in Yang City, with sky-high fees and a strong reputation for confidentiality. Qi Wei sat nervously as the lawyer went through the contract, torn between hoping there was a hidden trap and hoping it was actually legitimate.

“Mr. Qi,” the lawyer finally said, “after careful review, this contract contains no hidden clauses or traps. It’s fair and just, and won’t place you at any disadvantage. The term is ten years, which—given your current age—is quite favorable…”

The lawyer patiently explained each clause in detail. Only after everything was clearly laid out did Qi Wei finally feel at ease. Could it be that he really got this lucky?

Leaving the law firm, he carefully placed the contract in the delivery box on the back of his electric scooter like it was treasure, then rode home in high spirits.

Qi Sheng, who was working at home, heard the door open and immediately switched his screen from a work page to a game interface. He watched his son excitedly rush in, shut down his computer without a word, and even grumbled dramatically.

“I was in the middle of a dungeon run! How’s your old man supposed to find teammates if you keep turning off my computer like this?”

Qi Wei ignored his dad’s complaints and, still buzzing with excitement, dragged him to the bed and laid the contract in front of him. “Do you know Xue Yuan? The agent for Best Actor Xiao He and Xia Qing?”

Qi Sheng pretended to think for a second, then said, “Yeah, I’ve heard of him. Why?”

“He came to find me today and said he wants to sign me!”

Qi Wei had just turned eighteen this year, and something this incredible had completely overwhelmed him. Outside, he’d held back his excitement, but now that he was home, he couldn’t help but start rambling.

“Here’s the contract. It says I’ll star in a high-quality TV series or movie every year. Dad, if it’s really like he said, doesn’t that mean I could make a ton of money?”

Qi Sheng couldn’t help laughing at his son’s excitement. In fact, he laughed out loud and even exaggeratedly said, “Seriously? That’s amazing! I need to take a good look at this contract for you.”

The two of them huddled together, studying the contract carefully. After a while, Qi Wei suddenly squinted at his dad with suspicion. “Dad, if I really become a star, won’t people start digging up my dark past?”

Qi Sheng reflexively asked, “What kind of dark past?”

But seeing his son’s suspicious gaze, Qi Sheng smacked him. “You’re not even famous yet, and you’re already looking down on your old man?”

Qi Wei huffed, “I already look down on you.”

Qi Sheng didn’t bother replying, but still promised, “Don’t worry. If you really sign with an entertainment company, I won’t drag you down. As for any so-called black history, just talk to that agent you met today. A company that big shouldn’t have trouble handling it. Since he’s signing you to please the higher-ups, he’s not going to make things difficult over a few old skeletons.”

Qi Wei was a little surprised at how on-point his old man’s analysis was. He couldn’t help asking, “How do you even know all this?”

Qi Sheng smacked him again and said, “Your dad isn’t stupid. I spend all day online—I pick up a few things.”

Qi Wei nodded, then went back to staring at the contract, his mind already drifting off into dreams of what his life might be like after signing.

Qi Sheng sat next to him in silence, watching his son’s expression shift with budding ambition, and felt nothing but happiness for him.