Chapter 108 – Han Yun & Xiao Mu Extra 3: Rumors

After being scolded by Han Yun, Xiao Mu said nothing. He lowered his head, eyes filled with bitterness. He had originally planned to stay far away from this man—yet now, inexplicably, he had been placed in Han Yun’s private villa.

Life was truly a rollercoaster, full of twists and turns.

Han Yun’s villa wasn’t large—just a small two-story house with sparse furnishings. It was clear that Han Yun didn’t stay there often; most of the items inside were brand new.

“President Han, I can’t afford the rent,” Xiao Mu said quietly, doing the math in his head and realizing it was far beyond his means.

“No rent. I’m lending it to you,” Han Yun replied flatly, as if stating something entirely normal.

A tiny flame of hope began to flicker in Xiao Mu’s heart. He stepped forward and, from behind, pressed himself lightly against Han Yun. His voice dropped into a soft, sultry tone.
“President Han, if you’re willing… I can pay with my body—”

Suddenly, the world spun. Han Yun had him firmly restrained, eyes full of disappointment, laced with mockery and disdain.
“Still trying to seduce higher-ups. You really don’t want to debut, do you?”

The words cut deep. Xiao Mu, stung, retorted stubbornly,
“If that’s how you see me, why not just blacklist me? Why help me before? Why lend me this place now?”

Han Yun stared at him, his gaze unreadable and unfathomably deep.
“You’re an artist of this company—personally selected by me. Your performance reflects my judgment… and my face.”

Xiao Mu refused to back down.
“Is that really all it is?”

“Nothing more,” Han Yun said.

Xiao Mu laughed bitterly.
“Alright then. If President Han doesn’t fancy this body of mine, I won’t offer it again. Best wishes to you and your fiancé—may you grow old together in happiness.”

Just before leaving, Han Yun gave him a sharp look and warned,
“Keep yourself clean. Don’t touch what you shouldn’t. Don’t provoke people you shouldn’t provoke. Stay in line, and I’ll make sure you become a star.”

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut.

Xiao Mu sat alone in Han Yun’s villa, laughing quietly to himself. He shook his head with a touch of self-mockery. He’d never cared about fame and fortune. If Han Yun didn’t want him, then he had no reason to sell himself for career resources.

So, Han Yun… didn’t believe in him.

He couldn’t blame him, really. After trying to seduce him multiple times, anyone would doubt his intentions.

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*

The debut went smoothly. Xiao Mu was the type that naturally appealed to audiences. With his striking looks alone, it took only a few days of promotion before his Weibo followers skyrocketed—surpassing a million almost overnight.

For someone starting out from complete obscurity, it was an impressive feat. Compared to the other trainees who debuted alongside him, Xiao Mu was leagues ahead.

In no time, all of the company’s top-tier resources came crashing down on Xiao Mu like a flood—magazine covers, endorsement deals, ad campaigns—he could barely keep up.

His life became a whirlwind of nonstop schedules, every day packed to the brim. During this time, he only caught a distant glimpse of Han Yun once—at a celebration party. After that, they never crossed paths again.

Then, one day, Xiao Mu’s agent excitedly brought him big news: the long-coveted, dual-male-lead historical film Youth’s Journey had finalized its casting. Xiao Mu had clinched one of the two lead roles. His co-star would be none other than Pei Yao, a rising young actor with a strong reputation and immense popularity.

On the day he joined the production team, the company’s higher-ups hosted a dinner with him and his team. And at that dinner table, Xiao Mu saw Han Yun again—for the first time in a long while.

Throughout the meal, people at the table took turns toasting Han Yun. His table manners were impeccable, and his alcohol tolerance impressive. Despite multiple rounds of drinks, he remained composed and steady, while several of the others were already visibly tipsy.

“President Han,” one person said, raising a glass, “the casting for Youth’s Journey was no small feat. I’ve been sending you actor profiles and photos for a whole year, and you didn’t react to any of them—until finally, someone managed to meet your standards.”

The speaker cast a suggestive glance at Xiao Mu as they spoke.

Han Yun’s face remained unreadable, his tone mild as he replied,
“Xiao Mu’s still young—just debuted. He can be a bit reckless at times. He’s one of ours, though, so please take care of him.”

After speaking, he lifted his wine glass—clearly offering a toast. The other person was flattered and scrambled to stand up, patting his chest with a vow to do just that, then downed his drink in one go.

Xiao Mu watched quietly from afar, not daring to speak. But inside, his heart soured.

So the reason Han Yun had given him this role… was likely because he’d been handpicked by Han Yun during recruitment, and Han Yun didn’t want his own judgment to be questioned. That was all.

Filming was scheduled for three months straight. Xiao Mu got along well with the crew, especially with his co-star Pei Yao. They were close in age, shared similar interests, and quickly became friends.

Seeing their budding friendship and knowing the film needed publicity, their managers coordinated and decided to leak a dating rumor between the two to the media.

As expected, the buzz around them—and around the movie—soared. They topped trending searches every day. Xiao Mu quickly became the hottest new star in mainland China.

Meanwhile, Han Yun sat in his office, staring at the headline on his phone with a distinctly sour expression.

The article featured a grainy, long-distance paparazzi photo. In it, two boys stood close together, both wearing caps backward. On its own, it wouldn’t have meant much—but both had cigarettes in their mouths, and under the hazy glow of the streetlights, the glowing tips of their cigarettes nearly touched, creating a scene full of unspoken intimacy.

Han Yun felt like he’d been punched in the chest. A wave of nameless anger flared up inside him.

He picked up his phone, found Xiao Mu’s agent’s number, and called.

As soon as the call connected, he got straight to the point:
“Tell Xiao Mu to break things off with that actor he’s paired with. Company policy—no dating during the career rise period. He knows that, doesn’t he? Is he doing this on purpose?”

The agent on the other end trembled as he tried to explain,
“President Han, you’ve misunderstood—Xiao Mu is fully aware of that. This is just a publicity stunt. There’s a whole promotional plan behind it. You know how much this kind of buzz helps his popularity.”

Han Yun’s face didn’t soften one bit. His tone stayed icy:
“If it’s popularity he needs, the company can throw resources at him. Don’t use cheap, back-alley tricks like this on him again.”

When the agent passed on Han Yun’s message, Xiao Mu was in the middle of reading a script. He sniffled suddenly, mid-line.

He turned to the agent and gave a small smile.
“Bro, is the pay from this movie enough to cover my contract termination fee?”

The agent froze. A chill ran down his spine.
“You can’t be serious, Xiao Mu. President Han’s doing this for your own good. The company’s been pouring resources into you like crazy—why would you even think about breaking your contract?”

Xiao Mu wiped his eyes and gave a bitter laugh.
“Bro, I just… got my heart broken.”

The agent blinked, completely misreading the situation.
“Wait—don’t tell me you’re planning to go up against President Han because of that Pei Yao kid? You’re just getting started, and if you fall out with the company now, it’ll be impossible to make a comeback later.”

Xiao Mu shook his head. A smile still on his lips, a single tear slid down his cheek.

“I was never trying to get famous in the first place.”