Chapter 56: Missing a Theme Song

"Do you truly not recognize me?" Xi Dong asked again in surprise.

Chen Fang scratched his head awkwardly. This couldn't be right—Xi Dong was a powerful figure in the film industry, never one to keep a low profile, yet Chen Fang didn't know him.

Still, Xi Dong was only surprised, not offended.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you don't know me. I invited you here today for no other reason than that you're one of Yuan Yuan's artists. You two interact a lot, so if she ever runs into trouble, I hope you can look out for her," Xi Dong said with a cheerful smile.

Chen Fang didn't respond to that, instead steering the conversation elsewhere.

In truth, Chen Fang and Xi Dong were contemporaries. Chen Fang was forty years old, and Xi Dong was just over forty, not yet fifty. There was no generation gap between them. The more they talked, the more common ground they found.

Yuan Yuan, sitting nearby, couldn't get a word in edgewise and could only watch helplessly.

After a long while, Xi Dong clasped Chen Fang's hands with the excitement of meeting a kindred spirit. "Brother Chen, you're exactly my kind of person! You must come over often in the future!"

Brother Chen?

Yuan Yuan's expression turned odd. Weren't they supposed to be from different generations?

Just then, Liu Ke emerged from the kitchen, her face warm and inviting. "Wash up and get ready to eat. It's rare we have guests; make sure you eat plenty."

"Brother Chen, let me tell you—"

"Tell you nothing!"

Xi Dong was cut off as Liu Ke walked over, gritted her teeth, and tugged on his ear, dragging him back to the kitchen.

"Come help me serve the dishes," she said, giving him a pointed glare. Her husband truly had no sense sometimes.

Soon, only Chen Fang and Yuan Yuan remained in the living room.

Chen Fang sipped his tea and looked at Yuan Yuan. "So, what's the important matter you wanted to discuss? Don't tell me you just wanted me to come over for dinner."

Yuan Yuan's face grew more serious. "There are three things I need to talk to you about."

Three? That many?

"First is the variety show. I've searched long and hard, but couldn't find anything suitable for you. So you have two choices: pick one of the three shows I gave you before, or choose a show yourself and I'll negotiate with them as your agent and on behalf of Future Stardom."

When considering a variety show, the first thing is its popularity. Any show with a rating below five points isn't worth considering. That alone filters out most programs.

After all, though there are countless variety shows in Hua Country, only a handful guarantee high ratings.

Of course, Chen Fang's status must also be considered. Strictly speaking, he was still a newcomer. Newcomers don't have much standing, so aiming for the most famous shows was out of reach.

Simply put: no one wants to go on unpopular shows; but the most popular ones aren't accessible. That left Chen Fang with only middling options.

After listening to Yuan Yuan, Chen Fang recalled a conversation with Tong Qin at the company. "What if I went on a dating show? How would that work out?"

A dating show?

Yuan Yuan instantly frowned. For reasons she couldn't explain, the very thought made her instinctively resistant.

Still, as Chen Fang's agent, she didn't reject the idea outright, but asked him to elaborate.

"In fact, before the third round of auditions, Tong Qin came to see me at the company," Chen Fang explained. "She wants me to participate in 'Let's Fall in Love Together,' replacing Cheng Jie. I've thought it over—it's a very lucrative deal.

"If I team up with An Tinghan, the diva, as a couple, my fan base will grow quickly. By replacing Cheng Jie, I'd be helping An Tinghan, so she'd help promote me, as would Dream Entertainment, even pushing the couple angle.

"Plus, she promised me a substantial payment."

The living room fell silent.

After a moment, Yuan Yuan cast a scornful glance at Chen Fang. "That last part is the real reason you want to do the show, isn't it?"

She didn't know how much An Tinghan was offering, but as a diva, the payment would hardly be small.

Chen Fang didn't deny it. He was indeed broke, with only a few thousand left in his account. If not for that damned system, he wouldn't be in such dire straits.

Yuan Yuan considered it carefully.

Truth be told, Chen Fang's analysis made sense. There were plenty of advantages to joining the dating show; perhaps the only downside was offending Cheng Jie and the company behind him.

But did Chen Fang care? Not at all.

Besides, he'd already offended Ke Min during the first audition, and Cheng Jie during the second. He had long since crossed paths with their respective companies—one more wouldn't matter.

From a personal standpoint, Yuan Yuan disliked the idea of Chen Fang joining a dating show. The thought of his face paired with An Tinghan's made her uncomfortable. Yet objectively, it was the most suitable show for him right now.

After a brief silence, Yuan Yuan nodded. "Alright, let's do it. I'll contact the showrunners."

Chen Fang had no objections. He actually wanted to go—not because the show itself was interesting, but because that million yuan was too tempting.

That settled the first matter.

"What's the second thing?" Chen Fang asked.

Yuan Yuan was about to answer when Xi Dong and Liu Ke came out carrying dishes, inviting them to dinner.

Yuan Yuan decided to keep him in suspense. "I'll let my dad tell you later."

Chen Fang was taken aback. Surely they weren't asking him to act in a drama?

There were many dishes. Xi Dong, Liu Ke, and the maid went back and forth five or six times. Chen Fang wanted to help, but Xi Dong insisted that first-time guests shouldn't set foot in the kitchen, so he had no choice but to sit and wait.

Soon, the large dining table was filled with delicious dishes.

Chen Fang's stomach growled. Having spent his energy last night, the aroma made him ravenous.

"Dig in," Liu Ke said, wiping her hands as she sat.

Chen Fang waited for Xi Dong and Liu Ke to start eating before picking up his chopsticks.

Seeing this, Xi Dong and Liu Ke were even more pleased with him. Handsome, polite, easy to talk to—his only flaw was his lack of money, but that was no concern for the Xi family.

Chen Fang thought he was hungry, but when he glanced over, Yuan Yuan was devouring her food like a starving soul, her bowl and mouth both full.

She could really eat.

Chen Fang hadn't finished his first bowl, while Yuan Yuan was nearly done with her second.

The Xi family didn't believe in staying silent during meals, so they chatted freely. Yuan Yuan, taking advantage of the maid preparing her third bowl, looked at her father. "Dad, didn't you say you had something to discuss with Chen Fang?"

At her words, Xi Dong put down his bowl and chopsticks. "Chen—"

The next moment, Liu Ke shot him a cold look.

Xi Dong quickly corrected himself. "Chen Fang, I watched your performance in the third audition yesterday—very impressive. I'm currently preparing to shoot a TV drama and need a suitable theme song. I wanted to ask if you have any ideas."

Chen Fang was a bit disappointed. So after all that, it was just about writing a song. He had thought they might invite him to act.