After the secret marriage to my top star partner

Chapter 43

Editor: Princess

After getting off the plane and setting foot on Hong Kong soil, Mu Nan finally realized he had gone crazy.

He actually had no idea what this bell-ringing ceremony was about, nor did he know what he was supposed to do. He had simply agreed when Cheng Han mentioned it.

Just after disembarking, he secretly took out his phone to search for “IPO bell ringing”. The results didn’t explain the process but described it as a symbol of great achievement and tremendous honor. Various companies would also carefully arrange their bell-ringing personnel.

However he felt that Cheng Han’s casual invitation while eating shrimp didn’t seem like careful arrangement at all.

Nevertheless, there wasn’t much time left for him to think. As soon as they got off the plane, they were surrounded by fans at the airport.

Since both of them rarely came to Hong Kong, usually only when holding concerts, the fans were extremely excited to see them this time.

Looking at the sea of people outside the airport, Mu Nan began to regret his decision.

Why hadn’t he just gone home instead of coming here to suffer?

Fortunately, Cheng Han had arranged everything. They each went out to meet their fans briefly, said a few words, then returned through the VIP passage and slipped away.

After arriving at the hotel, Mu Nan discovered that all the artists signed to Cheng Han’s studio had come, along with many employees.

There were still three days until the bell-ringing ceremony, and Cheng Han had booked two entire floors of the hotel. He had also arranged for a local tour group, so anyone who wanted could spend three days touring properly.

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When Mu Nan arrived at the hotel, he was met with curious stares from everyone.

Since this was a business event, Cheng Han had basically not invited any friends from the industry. Mu Nan was the only one.

The studio employees gathered around Mu Nan, full of questions they didn’t dare ask. Weren’t these two supposed to be mortal enemies? What was the situation now? Why would they invite Mu Nan over?

After a period of staring at each other, Yang Yuzhu finally took on this responsibility.

“Teacher Mu Nan! You’re here!” He called out from a distance when he saw Mu Nan.

“Please don’t.” Mu Nan stopped him quickly, “it’s been so long since we finished filming the show, don’t call me teacher anymore. Just call me Nan Ge.”

After signing with Cheng Han’s studio, Yang Yuzhu’s rise to fame was like riding a rocket.

He was very capable himself, and had the show’s popularity as his foundation, plus he was known as a workaholic in the industry who basically never rested, so it would be against natural law if he didn’t become popular.

However, looking at him, Mu Nan said with some surprise: “How did you get even thinner?”

He had always thought Yang Yuzhu was already thin enough, but he hadn’t expected him to become even thinner from exhaustion.

“Being thinner looks better on camera.” Yang Yuzhu led Mu Nan to his room, where basically all of Cheng Han’s studio artists were gathered. The small room was packed with over ten celebrities, from A-list to eighteenth-tier, with an excessive concentration of star power.

Seeing Mu Nan enter, everyone stood up to greet him: “Nan Ge is here.” “Teacher Mu Nan.” “Nan Nan, please sit.”

Mu Nan didn’t understand what this situation was: “What’s all this?”

Yang Yuzhu explained: “Nothing much, the employees can still go out and have fun, but we can only stay cooped up here with nowhere to go. Everyone was too bored, so we might as well chat together.”

Everyone was dressed very casually, basically no one wore makeup, and they were all in everyday private clothes.

Some people were playing cards in groups of three or four, others were chatting idly, and some were discussing business matters.

The suite’s living room had a large TV, and someone had brought a gaming console, with people playing video games as well.

A female celebrity he didn’t recognize responded to Yang Yuzhu’s words: “Hey, I’m different from you all. We eighteenth-tier people can go out whenever we want.”

They gave off the feeling of being just like ordinary people, no different from anyone else.

However, Mu Nan was shocked by how harmonious everyone seemed. Logically, the entertainment industry didn’t have traditions of mutual help and harmonious friendship, because resources were limited and there was often fierce competition even between artists from the same company.

Yet the artists in Cheng Han’s company actually seemed quite harmonious.

Since Mu Nan thought this, he asked about it too.

He asked Yang Yuzhu quietly, who explained that this was because Cheng Han consciously avoided signing artists of the same type.

Even if there were two female stars who both took the sophisticated route, he would sign one with a heroic short-haired type and one with flaming red lips and long hair. In any case, the only requirement was to avoid direct competition.

“That’s good.” Mu Nan sincerely admired this.

Although artists all wanted to escape being used by capital and become capital themselves, very few could achieve what Cheng Han had done.

He quickly became one with everyone after arriving.

He activated his card-playing skills, and after just a few rounds, the other players nearly threw their cards away, saying they wouldn’t play anymore.

Mu Nan won big, but was soon held down and beaten up by the group. Some messed up his hair, others pinched his face, and someone tickled him.

“Help!” His voice trembled, sounding funny but not pitiful at all.

“Even if you scream your throat raw, no one will save you!” A female singer who was already familiar with Mu Nan led the bullying, with others joining in.

Mu Nan had no allies and was small, pitiful, and helpless, so he could only lie flat and accept it.

“Ahem, what’s going on here?” Cheng Han’s voice came from the doorway. As soon as he entered, he saw this “unseemly” scene.

“You’re here!” Mu Nan took the opportunity to escape from the clutches, his face flushed red, his clothes wrinkled, actually creating a uniquely disheveled beauty.

At this time, the other artists were also greeting Cheng Han. “President Cheng.” “Cheng Ge.” “Boss.”

Everyone’s forms of address were different, but Mu Nan could sense that these artists actually held some awe for him. Only at this moment did he really feel the reality of Cheng Han’s identity transformation.

“Boss?” He called out jokingly.

“Come here.” Cheng Han called to him.

“Oh.” Mu Nan straightened his clothes and walked over, being incredibly obedient.

Cheng Han looked around the room, then said: “I’m taking him away first, you all continue.”

“Hey, don’t.” The same female singer from before called out, “Cheng Ge, if you take him away, who are we going to play with?”

The corner of Cheng Han’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, then he said: “Be careful or I’ll leave you in Hong Kong.”

After saying this, he left with Mu Nan.

“The artists in your company are all so interesting, really like a family.” Mu Nan sighed.

Cheng Han asked casually: “So, do you want to sign with our company?”

“Huh?” Mu Nan was startled, not having considered this possibility.

After all, if he signed over, Cheng Han would become his boss, creating a class difference between them.

“I don’t think so.” He refused decisively. He didn’t want to have to call Cheng Han “boss” in the future.

Cheng Han didn’t force him: “Alright, you can come anytime you want.”

“Where are we going?” Seeing Cheng Han leading him outside, Mu Nan asked.

“Taking you out for a look around.” Cheng Han said.

Cheng Han actually brought Mu Nan all the way to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The venue for the bell-ringing ceremony was being set up. The red carpet was half-laid, the background LED screen was being tested, and the venue looked somewhat chaotic, completely different from the glamorous appearance seen in news reports.

“The ceremony will be here?” Mu Nan asked.

“Yes.” Cheng Han pointed to the center of the stage, “Monday morning, we’ll ring the bell there, and Changnian Media will officially go public. There will be a live broadcast domestically, and both your fans and mine will witness this moment together.”

“Wait!” Mu Nan nearly shouted, “There’s also a live broadcast?”

“Of course.” Cheng Han said, “Basically all of my company’s artists came, this isn’t just a bell-ringing ceremony, it’s also a business event. After the ceremony there will be many media outlets and a banquet, all good exposure opportunities for them.”

Mu Nan nodded. What Cheng Han said made perfect sense. But he asked: “What about me?”

“You? Just eat well, drink well, and have fun.”

Mu Nan looked incredulous: “So others came to work, and I came to vacation?”

However, Cheng Han looked at him with a smile, his deep gaze looking into Mu Nan’s eyes: “You came to accompany me in witnessing this moment.”

Mu Nan’s breath caught, then he quickly avoided his gaze, “You make it sound like I’m so honored.”

Cheng Han stopped talking, however Mu Nan couldn’t help thinking.

This moment was probably very significant for Cheng Han. He knew what Cheng Han had given up. He had given up his Harvard Law School degree, he had given up the family fortune awaiting inheritance, he had given up so many possible life paths.

The current Changnian Media was the fruit he obtained after giving up all those other possibilities. He had to be feeling very emotional right now.

Look, everyone opposed me, no one was optimistic about me.

But I succeeded, I still succeeded. As long as I want to, I can achieve success in any field. Even as an entertainer, I have to be the very best.

Looking at his handsome profile, Mu Nan felt deeply moved.

He was moved by Cheng Han’s persistence and determination, and even more moved by how honored he felt to be the only friend invited to accompany him.

“Congratulations, Cheng Han.” Mu Nan looked at him and said with utmost sincerity.

Cheng Han smiled: “Thank you, thank you for being willing to accompany me.”

“Oh, you don’t need to thank me.” Mu Nan’s voice caught, then he hurriedly changed the subject, “Hey, I still don’t know why your studio is called Changnian Media.”

Hearing this question, Cheng Han’s eyes deepened several shades. He looked into Mu Nan’s eyes, lowered his head slightly, and closed the distance between them.

He asked word by word: “Do you really want to know?”

Mu Nan nodded subconsciously, but then regretted it immediately.

Because this gaze was full of aggression and invasiveness, as if it wanted to devour him.

He immediately changed to shaking his head: “Actually, it’s not that…”

“Because it’s both of our names.” Cheng Han’s voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

Mu Nan froze. He suspected he had misheard. Cheng Han’s voice was very faint, as if floating in the air.

He hadn’t even seen clearly whether Cheng Han had opened his mouth, only heard that sentence.

“You… what did you say?” He asked with a trembling voice.

However, Cheng Han said nothing more and instead turned and walked out of the venue.

Changnian, Chang, Nian, C, N

—Cheng from Cheng Han, and Nan from Mu Nan.

Mu Nan’s footsteps stopped. He would rather believe he had overthought it.

Because that really was his name and his name.