Chapter 114: The Challenge Arena

Many things had become the norm in the circle, a morbid, pathological norm.

When the news broke, the internet exploded in an uproar. The entertainment industry began a massive reshuffling; anything that had been done was bound to leave a trace. Countless celebrities were exposed and dragged down with the tide. Of course, the industry was full of all kinds of people; for every person willing to use any means necessary to climb the ladder, there were naturally those who worked hard and focused on their craft.

Mo Niannian dug them all out and threw her full support behind them. She even established a new entertainment company and signed them all on. It didn’t matter if they weren't famous yet; what Mo Niannian wanted was their integrity and attitude. She spent several busy days setting up the new company. She wouldn't have gone through the trouble, but she had happened upon Jiang Hu—a jealous, clingy nuisance. He insisted that the company was a gift Mo Niannian had promised him and shouldn't be shared with anyone else. Mo Niannian had no choice but to start a separate agency.

The major industry giants were tottering, filled with anxiety. The smarter ones among them began looking for an exit strategy. Mo Niannian seized the moment, harvesting the treasures she wanted and formally going head-to-head with the giants. The executives were caught off guard and, in a desperate rage, reached out to Jiang Hu.

Jiang Hu answered the phone and spoke in a slow, measured tone: "Hello."

"Jiang Hu, you’re something else! You really are something else!" They were so angry their faces turned beet red.

Jiang Hu’s expression remained unchanged. "My apologies, I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Don't play dumb! You accepted the gifts, and now you’re turning your back on us? You really are something, Jiang Hu." The executive was so furious he had a headache.

"The gifts? You mean the offerings you sent to apologize? I did accept those, yes."

The executive grew even angrier. "Jiang Hu, have a conscience. Since you agreed to a reconciliation, what is the meaning of stabbing us in the back now?"

Jiang Hu replied unhurriedly, "When did I ever say I agreed to reconcile?"

"But the gifts and the apology—"

"I accepted the apology. As for the accounts between us, those, of course, must be settled slowly." Jiang Hu’s voice was low and soft, tinged with a faint smile, as if he were commenting on the pleasant weather.

"Jiang Hu! A lean camel is still bigger than a horse! If you push us into a corner, we’ll just take you down with us!" The executive gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

"I am at your disposal, at any time."

"Fine! Fine! Just you wait!"

They were incensed, deciding to stop retreating and instead take the offensive. It was just the Mo family; they refused to believe they couldn't shake the Mo family's position.

Mo Niannian had found dealing with them quite boring, but now that they were fighting back, she finally felt a flicker of interest. It was like a cat playing with a mouse; there was no fun unless the mouse put up a struggle.

The entertainment industry began its grand reorganization. Under the onslaught of Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu, the major giants collapsed in disarray. Mo Niannian’s new company became the hottest agency in the business, a place everyone yearned to join. The benefits she provided were better than any other, and she held countless resources, all of which she poured into the artists under her wing.

As for Jiang Hu...

It’s better not to mention that dog-hearted male lead. Mo Niannian had thought he might finally develop a bit of ambition, but he remained exactly the same. He stopped filming, stopped doing promotional appearances, and stopped taking endorsements. He was constantly elusive; the public hadn't seen him in a long time. Mo Niannian, however, saw him all day, every day, until she felt like she might be sick of it. Jiang Hu had no self-awareness, sticking to her like glue. He was becoming increasingly skilled at being a clingy nuisance.

In the end, the entertainment war that had lasted for months concluded with the bankruptcy of the major giants. As the truth gradually surfaced, everyone realized they had truly wronged Jiang Hu. His life had been incredibly arduous, burdened with such parents. If it had been them, they weren't sure they could have done any better. Most of the scandals surrounding him turned out to be fabricated. As for the "sugar daddy" contract between Jiang Hu and Mo Niannian, people eventually came to see it as a bit of lovers' playfulness. The two were simply too sickeningly sweet together, especially Jiang Hu, who seemed to want to grow into Mo Niannian’s skin. His cold persona had crumbled into nothingness.

Fans ran into the couple several times. Before they could even ask for an autograph, they were drowned in the overwhelming display of affection. Jiang Hu had eyes only for Mo Niannian; when he called out "Niannian" with such longing, few could handle it. Although Mo Niannian didn't show any special outward affection, she indulged him without realizing it. As long as his requests weren't too excessive, she satisfied every one of them. The fans could only scream about how much they adored the couple.

Jiang Hu’s image began to shift, and more people stepped forward to speak up for him. Indeed, from beginning to end, what had Jiang Hu actually done wrong? Was he not supposed to stab his father? But from the start, he was only trying to protect his mother. Born in the darkness, it was truly remarkable that he had grown into the person he was today.

Many fans who had previously insulted him came forward to apologize, stating that they were in the wrong and shouldn't have treated him that way. The hashtag "Sorry Jiang Hu" stayed on the trending list for an entire week, along with a series of similar topics. With the momentum of these events, the film Jiang Hu had shot long ago exploded globally upon its release. It was the director's final masterpiece, polished to perfection, and Jiang Hu’s acting in it won universal acclaim. Overnight, he became famous beyond measure.

The film lived up to the hype: a brilliant plot, tight pacing, and powerful performances. It raked in nearly six hundred million dollars on its opening day, with a terrifyingly high rating of 9.0. Countless fans vowed to watch it two, three, or even ten times. It was an instant classic, an epic work of the era, and Jiang Hu received endless praise. Many began to call for his comeback, pleading with him not to hold their past behavior against them, leaving messages on his social media begging for his return.

Jiang Hu remained quiet and unmoved. He was wearing an apron, experimenting with how to make vegetables taste like meat. The easiest way was to use various flavorings and additives, but those weren't healthy. And Niannian didn't like eating greens. He was racking his brain to get her to eat more. He tasted his creation; it didn't seem too bad. He brought the vegetable dish, now disguised as meat, to Mo Niannian. "Niannian, try this."

The moment Mo Niannian saw the greens, her brows knit together involuntarily. She looked somewhat reluctant. "Can’t you make something else?" She wasn't a caterpillar; she couldn't eat greens every single day.

Jiang Hu coaxed her softly, "I spent such a long time on this. Just take one bite, Niannian."