Mr. Zhou Doesn’t Want to Work Hard Anymore!

Chapter 60

After a while, Zhou Mingxuan sent another message: “Have you seen the news? It seems like something has happened with the Lu Corporation recently?”

This question sounded more normal, and Lujin quickly replied: “It’s a minor matter. Thanks for your concern.”

Zhou Mingxuan responded: “Regardless of the situation, I hope you’ll keep your promises and not let problems you can’t handle affect my little brother.”

Lujin replied with a simple “Of course.”

Feeling relieved, Lujin was about to put his phone aside when Zhou Mingxuan sent another message with the word “Hehe.”

Lujin: “…”

For a moment, Lujin couldn’t figure out if Zhou Mingxuan was just casually saying “Hehe” or if he had some hidden intent behind it.

However, their brief chat had already ended, and Lujin refrained from sending any more messages. Adding anything else might make him seem odd.

Zhou Chenxi, after arriving in the capital, had quite a bit of free time. His role in the capital had fewer scenes, leaving him with ample time each day. Besides studying the script, he filled his time by browsing gossip news and messaging Lujin relentlessly.

He got tired of playing mobile games after a while. “Dream of Destiny” was something he hadn’t played in a long time, mainly because he found it too pay-to-win, and his luck in that game was abysmal. So, he decided to combine his activities by constantly pestering Lujin with messages.

[Shocking News! Zhuang Jinglou admits on a show that he hates washing socks! [Web Link Share]]

[Revealed! Zhou Chenxi’s return from the desert less than three months ago miraculously transformed his skin from dark to fair! [Web Link Share]]

[Gossip! Are there hidden rules between entertainment company bosses and their artists? [Web Link Share]]

These gossip shares appeared to be illogical at first glance, but there was more to them than met the eye.

Zhou Chenxi was truly bored. On set, waiting for his scenes often turned into an endless ordeal. Sometimes he’d come to the set in the morning and end up waiting all day, only to find out that the scheduled scenes weren’t happening. This often occurred due to poor scheduling or actors not performing well, resulting in delays that disrupted the shooting schedule. Zhou Chenxi would return to the hotel for the night and try again the next day.

In these prolonged periods of waiting, he needed something to keep himself occupied. Zhou Chenxi had become a hidden chatterbox, mainly because he had been suppressing his desire to talk for too long. When he was younger, nobody talked to him. His brother would get impatient if he muttered a few words, and he had to maintain an image in front of his classmates to avoid being seen as overly talkative.

Once he entered the entertainment industry, no one was particularly interested in hearing what he had to say. Everyone was busy, and most people focused on their own problems. Therefore, he became exceptionally clingy because he didn’t have many people to talk to.

Before leaving for Beijing, he asked Lujin if he could send him messages while in Beijing, and Lujin agreed, saying he would be ready by his phone at all times.

But Zhou Chenxi didn’t want to disrupt Lujin’s work. Later, Lujin explained that during meetings and busy periods, he would mute his phone so that when Zhou Chenxi sent messages, Lujin could see and respond to them once he was free.

Lujin’s assurance led Zhou Chenxi to test this out for several days and he found it did indeed not affect Lujin’s work. So he began to send messages without reservation.

Zhou Chenxi had recently read a news article stating that Zhuang Jinglou was gaining momentum, possibly because Lujin had taken an interest in him and provided significant resources.

Zhou Chenxi was furious. He had a good relationship with Zhuang Jinglou and wanted to leave a comment using a pseudonymous account but found no way to do so. Thus, he ended up forwarding the article to Zhuang Jinglou to vent his frustration.

After reading the article, Zhuang Jinglou was also angry. He had recently accepted a role in an idol drama, playing the second male lead. Although he had failed the audition for “Peak Battle,” this time the drama had good resources. The television network had already acquired the rights even before the shooting had begun, and there was a chance it might become a hit, making it a fantastic opportunity for Zhuang Jinglou. Lujin even liked a post related to the drama’s cast on Weibo, which led many to speculate about Zhuang Jinglou’s relationship with Lujin.

“Is there something going on between them?”

Zhuang Jinglou sent several messages to Zhou Chenxi on WeChat: “I finally got a role, and they can’t congratulate me without spreading rumors!”

Zhou Chenxi replied: “Exactly!”

Zhuang Jinglou continued: “The company’s secretary has been managing the boss’s Weibo recently, and there are even more followers than I have! You don’t have to repost that official announcement on Weibo; simply liking it is an excellent way of advertising.”

Zhou Chenxi: “Wow!”

Zhuang Jinglou’s responses started to seem strange: “You don’t have to worry! There’s nothing between the boss and me. [Patting my chest]”

Zhou Chenxi: “…”

Zhou Chenxi was bewildered. How did Zhuang Jinglou find out so quickly, given that he had just started seeing Lujin? Suspicious, Zhou Chenxi opened Weibo to investigate and found that under the official announcement post that Lujin had liked, there were three or four fans asking why Lujin couldn’t support both of them equally and why he didn’t like and repost the “Cat Demon Chronicle” trailer as well.

This was getting a bit too much. Although these questions from fans might have been unintentional, if Zhuang Jinglou noticed, he might feel uncomfortable. Sending the article to him again would probably make him seem too overbearing.

Feeling guilty, Zhou Chenxi decided to use his main Weibo account to repost the official casting announcement for Zhuang Jinglou.

Zhuang Jinglou was overjoyed and sent a big red envelope within minutes: “Thanks, Chenxi! [Kisses][Love you]”

Zhou Chenxi replied, “Kisses back!”

After their friendly exchange, Zhou Chenxi couldn’t help but overthink the situation. Lujin and Zhuang Jinglou might have nothing going on between them, but what if the temptations of the entertainment industry grew too strong, and Lujin fell for someone else?

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. That’s why he sent those news articles over. It wasn’t as though he was speaking ill of Zhuang Jinglou, so Zhuang Jinglou should forgive him… right?

Zhou Chenxi felt a bit guilty and quickly refunded Zhuang Jinglou’s red envelope. He also ordered a special perfume for Zhuang Jinglou on an online marketplace, a fragrance that would suit him perfectly. He had it sent directly to Zhuang Jinglou’s place, hoping to make amends.

Lujin had just finished his meeting when he took out his phone and was greeted by a plethora of messages from Zhou Chenxi. He smiled, took his time to read them all, and replied: “I don’t know if there are any unspoken rules between entertainment company bosses and their artists, but it seems like a rich sugar daddy has taken a liking to a certain ‘Bai Xixi’.”

Surprisingly, he even complimented Zhou Chenxi as “Bai Xixi.” Zhou Chenxi felt his heart swell with happiness and replied, “Are you done with your work?”

Lujin responded, “Yes, I still have a few minor tasks to complete in the next couple of days.”

Zhou Chenxi said, “[Looking forward to it][Looking forward to it][Kisses] Next week, I’m going to Country A. When I return, we might finally be able to meet!”

Since Lujin’s company became independent, he had been swamped with work and couldn’t spare the time to visit Zhou Chenxi’s filming locations like he did previously.

They had just started their relationship, and it had been over a month since they last met, leaving both of them feeling somewhat helpless.

Lujin could have waited a little longer, waited for everything to be completely resolved.

However, he couldn’t hold back his feelings.

He just wanted to kiss Zhou Chenxi, to make him his own.

For that reason, Lujin knew he had to work even harder.

However, no one expected that while Lujin was busy with his company’s affairs, Luo Xinghe was released on bail. His previous case was going through the legal process, but it seemed that someone had used their connections to pay a bond and get him out of custody.

During this time, Luo Xinghe’s actions were restricted, but he had freedom of movement. So he bought a plane ticket and traveled to the capital city.

Luo Xinghe knew exactly where the “Peak Battle” set was located. Upon his sudden appearance, he started yelling at the people around, claiming that Zhou Chenxi had stolen his luck. According to him, he was supposed to be the male lead in “Peak Battle,” and the character Li Yunzhou was originally his. However, because of Zhou Chenxi’s arrival, not only did he lose his role, but he also got falsely accused, leading to his imprisonment.

He stated that Zhou Chenxi was not a good person. Originally, he shouldn’t have survived for so long, and after participating in the “I Am a Method Actor” show, he should have died falling into a pit! Now, he claimed that Zhou Chenxi had hitched a ride with Lujin, getting sponsored by Lujin and benefiting from these excellent resources.

He hoped that everyone would see through Zhou Chenxi, describing him as a person who stole opportunities and warning others not to be deceived by his appearance.

Luo Xinghe was ranting and raving like a madman, causing chaos on the set at the time.

As part of the filming period, there was a scheduled media visit to the set, and many reporters had arrived early to interview the actors when they weren’t busy with their scenes. Unfortunately, they stumbled upon this major news event that day.

Reporters were eager to cover anything that could attract attention, especially in the world of entertainment news. They rushed to wherever there was gossip, and rumors spread faster than any official denials. As long as a story could grab headlines, it was reported immediately, without waiting for verification.

Therefore, on that afternoon, the news about Luo Xinghe causing a scene on set was quickly picked up by the media, and stories were published.

Although, after the incident, the production’s public relations team and responsible personnel came forward, hoping that the media would hold off and give them time to verify the specific details before reporting. However, many media outlets, citing reasons like lack of communication, went ahead and published the news. They promised to delete the articles one by one after the production team contacted them.

The speed of internet news spreading is extremely fast, and such an overt strategy not only didn’t help but also fueled more speculations among the gossip-hungry audience.

From the afternoon into the evening, many people were busy with the situation. Zhiqi was frantically suppressing messages, and Zhou Mingxuan had someone monitor the reviews. The Lujin Corporation issued a stern statement through its official website, warning that those who spread false information would be held accountable under the law.

On Zhou Chenxi’s side, Zhao Yi and Qian Er were sent by Zhou Mingxuan to protect him.

Zhou Chenxi had been reluctant to have bodyguards, but this time, he had no choice but to accept Zhou Mingxuan’s decision.

Fortunately, the set had good security measures in place, and they managed to apprehend Luo Xinghe before he could enter the set. Before Luo Xinghe could cause any further extremist actions, they took him into custody.

Zhou Mingxuan breathed a sigh of relief that Luo Xinghe didn’t harm Zhou Chenxi.

Currently, the police were verifying whether Luo Xinghe had violated any regulations and were considering re-detaining him. The production team, due to this unexpected incident, postponed Zhou Chenxi’s shooting schedule, allowing him to first handle his personal matters.

The winter in the capital city was particularly cold, and Zhou Chenxi sat in a corner, wearing a coat, browsing the news online.

“Brother,” Xiao Liang asked him, “how about going back to the hotel? There’s nothing to do here.”

Zhou Chenxi didn’t want to go anywhere. The set actually made him feel more connected to life.

He remembered when he was young, being excluded by other kids because he was short and dark-skinned. That feeling was exactly the same as now, and he was afraid that his fans might not like him anymore due to Luo Xinghe’s baseless claims.

Fortunately, his fans were quite rational, and they came over to comfort him.

“Don’t be scared, we’re all here.”

“Is Luo Xinghe insane? I suggest sending him to a mental hospital.”

“Don’t let him off easily. Maybe he’s pretending to be crazy and acting stupid to escape punishment.”

In other places, there were people speaking up for Zhou Chenxi.

“Chenxi has had some bad luck, but he works very hard. Why should we believe he stole Luo Xinghe’s role? Has anyone asked Director Colbert for his opinion?”

“Isn’t Lujin just a friend of Chenxi’s? Do they have any evidence for this ‘sugar daddy’ claim?”

Some of the previously disreputable media outlets that had criticized Zhou Chenxi came forward, providing evidence to suggest that he was simply unlucky and had modest means. They went on to argue that Zhou Chenxi dreamed of climbing higher and achieving success, just like anyone else.

One of them dug up Zhou Chenxi’s alternate account with the username “2333” and attached a screenshot of a Weibo post he had shared.

The screenshot contained a post Zhou Chenxi had made earlier.

【@2333: If this time doesn’t take off, I’ll have to go back and live off my multi-million family property for the rest of my life.】

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chenxi quickly deactivated that alternate account, regretting his actions deeply. He scolded himself for using an alternate account as it always seemed to lead to trouble.

However, he didn’t realize that fans could still trace his steps and find clues indicating that “2333” was his account.

He would post rainbow praises for Ren Qian: “【@2333: Ren’s acting is so handsome, and I saw him in person today! [Excited]】.”

He would secretly like his own Weibo posts: “【@2333 liked posts: (@Zhou Chenxi: Sharing a treat! [Image])】.”

He even liked a certain comment criticizing Luo Xinghe: “【In my opinion, if Lujin gets hurt, it’s probably caused by Luo Xinghe. Luo Xinghe is really evil!】”

Through these actions, people concluded that “2333” was Zhou Chenxi’s alternate account. After this was exposed by an unscrupulous marketing account, he quickly deactivated the account, and it was like “there’s no smoke without fire.”

However, fans didn’t think of it as a dark past; instead, they found Zhou Chenxi quite adorable.

“Chenxi is just like this! What’s the matter, are you jealous now that he’s famous?”

“What’s wrong with having an alternate account? Who doesn’t have one? Do you dare say you don’t?”

“Blowing your own trumpet isn’t some dark history, and besides, who forced you to read it? Did it bother anyone in his alternate account?”

“Heartache! Heartache! Why is everyone attacking our Chenxi? What did he do wrong? Please, police, don’t release Luo Xinghe anymore; he’s a dangerous person!”

“That’s right, I’m going to buy whatever Chenxi endorses now.”

“+1, it’s not Lujin ‘sugar-daddying’ him; it’s us willing to ‘sugar-daddy’ him, okay?”

“Chenxi’s endorsement fee must be in the tens of millions now, right? I heard that the endorsement fee for ‘Chenxi Strawberry Jelly’ he did previously wasn’t cheap, and that jelly sells very well. My six-year-old niece pesters me every day to get her some Chenxi Jelly. How good is that? Does anyone need to sugar-daddy him?”

“With Chenxi’s current business acumen, he can totally support himself!”

Just when fans and marketing accounts were heatedly arguing about this situation, Zhou Mingxuan from Zhouxin Group suddenly issued a personal statement through the company’s platform:

【Regarding the rumors on the internet about my younger brother being “sugar-daddied,” “poor,” or “stealing someone else’s resources,” etc., relevant evidence has been collected and handed over to my legal representatives for processing. The internet is not a lawless place, and I hope everyone can be accountable for their words and actions.】

The entire internet exploded in response.

To clarify that his younger brother was not poor, the overbearing CEO Zhou Mingxuan singlehandedly catapulted himself and this statement onto the hot trending topics.

The author has something to say: Thanks to “Alpha” for the hand grenade!

Thanks to “Mou Hu” and “Tian Lao” for the landmines!

Thanks to “Late Night,” “Lei,” “Twenty,” “6769,” “Fairy Lin Qiao,” “Monolid,” and “Alpha” for the nutrient boost!

1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ️”