POBR 1

Ning Chao is a unique individual.

He doesn’t smoke, drink, fall in love, or play games.

In this modern era, the focus was all on making money, and Ning Chao was no different – driven by the pursuit of wealth.

Sitting in a private coffee shop, he addressed the manager seated across from him, asking, “So, if I were to join Sn4, what would the signing fee be? Five hundred thousand?”

The agent adjusted his glasses, his eyes gleaming with eagerness, not of a lustful nature but more akin to the anticipation one has when counting banknotes. It was almost as if he could see his saliva about to flow from his eyes.

Ah, what a charming new member! The savior of Sn4, a group that has seen countless members depart, resulting in a loss in fans!

“If that amount doesn’t satisfy you, we can add another 50,000. My friend, no other entertainment company can match this offer, apart from Shengshi Entertainment.”

“Moreover, you studied Chinese in college, and can’t sing, dance, or act. With 550,000 yuan, I could sign several new talents.”

At this point, Ning Chao wasn’t pleased. He slapped the documents on the table and leaned in, placing his arms on the table, asking, “Then why did you approach me?”

The agent gazed at Ning Chao’s face.

Isn’t it because of your good looks?! How is it possible that you’ve gone unnoticed by talent scouts for twenty-two years? You’re incredibly handsome, so why haven’t you entered the entertainment industry?

“Little brother, if you sign with Shengshi Entertainment, you’ll bask in unlimited stardom. It’s the dream of many,” the agent began to talk about dreams.

Ning Chao interjected, “I don’t have any dreams. I’m here for the money.”

“Let’s make it 600,000. Brother, it’s mainly for my sake. I have both an elder and a younger one to support in my family. My mother just turned fifty and has never driven a Ferrari. Our cat is only four months old and has never live in a cat villa; I feel guilty for them…”

Ning Chao’s speech was rather exasperating. “Moreover, we’ve only met a few times. We lack any emotional connection, and discussing money will hurt feelings.”

Sn4 was a group under Shengshi Entertainment, only six months old.

Originally, this boy band was created to compete with others in the market. However, Sn4 was in disarray, making its reputation worthless. (t/n: not sure what this part meant) /

Finally, one of the members was about to rise to fame. However, at this time, he decided to quit the group and pursue a solo career.

Not only did he quit the group, terminate his contract and found another job, he also criticized Sn4, as a tumultuous, envious, and sordid group.

The two sides were at war now.

Thus, the manager was actively seeking new members to revive the group.

Incredibly, the manager spotted Ning Chao on the street.

He took a picture and showed it to his boss, leaving the sixty-five-year-old chairman in awe. So, the agent rushed to find Ning Chao.

Getting into Sn4 was relatively easy, but the real challenge was securing new members before other companies could get to him. After all, Ning Chao’s astonishing good looks made him an ideal choice.

Ning Chao requested 600,000 yuan, and he was elated. He purchased a plane ticket to visit his parents in his hometown.

Upon seeing Ning Chao, his mother immediately served him fruit cakes and couldn’t help but express her concern. “Is your recent ailment still troubling you?”

Ning Chao’s ailment can be summed up as insomnia.

He was born with it, often managing only an hour of sleep in a few days, which was already quite an achievement.

From a young age, his mother had sought medical help for this condition in numerous hospitals, but the cause remained elusive.

His insomnia is so severe; it should have taken a toll on his heart and liver. You would think he didn’t have long left to live.

But, no!

He was incredibly healthy! The kind of robustness that can knock out a bear with a single punch! He eats well, and apart from not sleeping at night, he had no other issues!

The doctor could only conclude that the human brain was a mysterious thing, and there might be some issue with his brain nerves… Luckily, it doesn’t affect his daily life.

As Ning Chao grew older, he noticed that he was different from others, but he didn’t think it was a big deal.

In fact, he liked it.

He didn’t need to sleep. During the middle and high school exams, he’d revise until dawn, and his grades were outstanding!

When he mentioned his condition, he would express his feelings to his mother.

“Maybe people like me are destined for success! Time is precious, and we should use it to work hard, not sleep.”

His mother rolled her eyes.

Holding a fruitcake, Ning Chao declared, “Why sleep when life is so short? We can rest in eternal sleep after death!”

“Ugh, can’t you stop eating?” His mother exclaimed.

When it came to signing with an entertainment company, his mother was perplexed. “You’ve been good-looking since childhood, and so many people have invited you to join the entertainment industry over the years. Why are you considering it now?”

Talking about this would make Ning Chao feel wronged.

“Look at my novel ‘Ming Tang’! I spent a year and a half writing it, diligently updating it every day! Nine thousand words a day! My hand almost broke from writing! I sold the rights for two million! But the actor playing the lead role, after being on set for only thirty-five days, earned 56 million in remuneration!”

His mother responded with a surprised, “Ah.”

“And the lead character should be a handsome man! A very handsome man! Don’t they understand what ‘handsome’ means? How could they find an actor who looks so ugly? I’m not satisfied!”

His mother replied, “So you…”

Ning Chao nodded vigorously. “That’s right! From now on, I want to write and act myself, self-produce, and self-promote to make sure I don’t miss a single penny!”

Ning Chao had one ailment – insomnia. And another, he loved money.

He really loved money. Even his own mother couldn’t fathom why he was so infatuated with it.

But his own mother didn’t know what he’d done for money.

Ning Chao, also known as the master of all vests, used all the time others spent sleeping to create multiple vests.

After venting, he enjoyed a meal at home and then took a flight back to Shengshi Entertainment. He wanted to visit the company.

What he didn’t know was that news about him had already spread throughout the company.

An astonishing Sn4 trainee had been signed! He couldn’t sing, dance, or act, but he was signed just because he was handsome!

Many felt it was unfair!

Once inside the company, he took a stroll in the practice room and was met by a young man with blonde hair rushing towards him.

This young man seemed to know him and raised an eyebrow, saying, “You can join a group without basic knowledge?”

Ning Chao glanced at him and retorted, “You can speak Chinese without a single strand of black hair?”

The young man was confused.

Just as he was about to say something rude, a person in a flight jacket approached them.

The young man kept quiet, showing respect. He might be impatient with Ning Chao, but he still respectfully introduced them.

“This is our team leader, Ming Ran.”

Ning Chao never idolized anyone and didn’t know much about the industry. Otherwise, he would have recognized the young man and Ming Ran.

“Hello, hello, hello.”

Ning Chao shook Ming Ran’s hand and casually gave it a few shakes. Mostly, he wanted to ask, “Where’s the cafeteria?”

Ming Ran looked puzzled. “Um?”

“Hmm, what are you waiting for? Tell me where the cafeteria is; the company provides meals. I didn’t eat anything since my flight, so I came straight here. Quick, show me the way.”

Ming Ran said, “…It’s on the fifteenth floor.”