After Transmigrating into the Main Shou, I Topped the Paranoid Big Shot 24

Chapter 24

Su Mo’s gender is revealed in the third episode of the script. In the following five episodes, Shen Shi does all the “Long Aotian” things. Back and forth, in the end, the finale has no CP.

[T.N: No CP: In fanfiction and web novel terminology, “CP” stands for “couple” or “pairing.” “No CP” means the story ends without the main character ending up in a romantic relationship.]

It’s ambiguous from beginning to end, but in the end, both the one-sided and two-sided romance storylines end in a BE (Bad Ending).
He also rescues Su Mo from his psychologically twisted parents, helping him to face himself and live as a real man.
They become socialist brothers.

[T.N: Socialist brothers : A popular and ironic internet slang term in China used to describe the close, often ambiguously romantic, relationships between male characters in censored media. Because explicit homosexual relationships are banned, these relationships are often framed as a deep, “brotherly” bond that aligns with socialist values. It’s a way for fans to acknowledge the queer subtext while joking about the censorship.]

Zong Mo: …

Overall, it’s mainly about the great male protagonist building his career and slapping faces. Su Mo’s role is not very large, and the script is written very ambiguously, without explicitly stating whether he is gay.
Anyway, CEO Shen is a straight man.
Their relationship, at most, is the kind of tricky brotherhood that straight men have.
The straight man didn’t turn gay in the end. The cross-dressing part of Su Mo’s character was really unnecessary, completely illogical, and even very bizarre.
No matter how you look at it, it was the work of the client daddy.

“CEO Ruan,” Zong Mo said cautiously, “Regarding this script, can I make a request?”
“Say it first.”
“Can you promise me first?”
“Say it first.”
Zong Mo could only say, “Can I not play Su Mo, Ruan Chi big brother?”
Ruan Chi: “Hehe.”

Speaking of which, there was also a setting in this drama where CEO Shen was not interested in women. Even though many people threw themselves at him, CEO Shen only engaged in ambiguous push-and-pull with them, stopping at the right point and refusing any intimate contact such as hugging, kissing, or more.
The reason CEO Shen was not interested in women was because he was allergic to them. Ridiculous!
But he could touch Su Mo. Such a special Su Mo, he’s clearly the female lead, right?
The audience wouldn’t be unable to distinguish gender like the male lead; they would just angrily curse the drama for having a man cross-dress as the female lead, saying it’s sick.
But, this was a foreshadowing. Because Su Mo’s identity in the drama was originally a man!
Therefore, he could get close to CEO Shen, who was allergic to women.
So ridiculous!
Just dangling the foreshadowing right in front of the audience like that, it might actually fool them.
Zong Mo could already imagine that the bullet comments during the broadcast would be a screen full of question marks.
What a crappy drama, bad review! Wasting my life, save my eyes.
He had already thought of the lines for the audience. A thousand times unwilling, he still had to act.

On the seventh day of the New Year, Zong Mo was forced to join the crew.
He even ran into an old acquaintance, what a coincidence—Director Yang.
Ruan Chi, playing the male lead himself, actually hired Director Yang. He really liked to ask for trouble.
Zong Mo had wanted to watch a good show, but he heard Ruan Chi call out affectionately, “Old Yang.”
Right, he had heard this address before.

Only after An Lan’s extensive inquiries did he learn that although Director Yang came from a grassroots director selection competition and scraped together funds to make low-budget films, it was because he was a man with ideals.
His own dreams must be realized with his own hands, not by relying on his family!
That’s right, he wasn’t from a grassroots background. He had known Ruan Chi and Lu Bo for a long time, and was even of a higher seniority, which was why he called the dignified Film Emperor Lu a casual “Little Lu.”
In a sense, Zong Mo’s fate with the main gong wasn’t entirely heaven-sent. Most of the time, it relied on the matchmaking supporting characters.
He sighed. And Director Yang had no intention of tormenting Ruan Chi at all.
He was not convinced and went to question him, “Are you treating us differently, Director Yang?”
How can a man with ideals judge people based on their status and bow to capital!

“Haven’t you read the script?” Director Yang said righteously. “This is a cool drama with a great male protagonist. Of course it’s different.”
Zong Mo: …Forget it!

Conquering the Entertainment Industry adopted a format of filming and broadcasting simultaneously. The first episode didn’t have Zong Mo; it was mainly a setup. CEO Shen leaves the family’s main business to turn the tide and save the near-bankrupt Xingcheng Entertainment, thus creating his own entertainment empire.
Since it wasn’t his turn to appear, Zong Mo was still in the mood to watch the show for now.
Ruan Chi was indeed acting as his true self. The suit he wore today was one he had never seen before, but it was similar in style to what he usually wore. Zong Mo guessed it was his own clothes, a unique custom-made item just like in the script.
CEO Ruan, now CEO Shen, was sitting in an office large enough to run in, reviewing documents.
His black hair was neatly combed, his shirt buttoned to the top, the suit of fine quality, well-fitting and proper, looking refined and abstinent.
Ruan Chi also worked at home, but he wore pajamas, faced a computer, and sometimes lazily sat on the bed. The atmosphere was completely different.

Zong Mo: ? Why do I suddenly have a feeling that this drama could be a hit?
It must be his illusion. Let’s watch some more.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Ruan Chi clearly heard it, which was why he raised his hand to adjust his cuff, but he was in no hurry to answer.
It was a bit far, so Zong Mo went behind the camera monitor to watch. He found that the camera suddenly gave a close-up of his hand. His CEO Ruan probably wanted to show off his watch.
His ten fingers were intertwined, resting under his jaw.
Only then did he slowly say, “Come in.”
The watch slid down a little, allowing Zong Mo to see the small mole on his wrist bone.
He suspected he was the only one who would stare at that mole, and he had way too much time to observe the details.
His first thought was so lewd. His vocabulary was really poor. He then remembered a comment he had seen on Weibo.
[Husband, hehehe, pants flying off!]
Zong Mo: ?
Pah, pah, pah.
What’s flying off!!

The Shen family’s Old Master’s only son and daughter-in-law had died early, leaving only one grandson. But there were still many ambitious collateral relatives.
The Shen family’s business was so large. How could the young Shen Shi eat it all by himself?
Wasn’t he afraid of choking to death? The person who knocked and came in held such thoughts, coming to put the newly appointed Chairman Shen in his place.
The chairman was the real person in power in the company.
He, Shen Jie, as the CEO, could only be relegated to Vice President Shen after Shen Shi parachuted in.
Shen Shi had no practical experience in managing a company, yet he started with the highest position in the headquarters. Not just Shen Jie, the entire company was in a state of panic.
Shen Jie, as a representative, took the lead.
He beat around the bush, trying to make Shen Shi recognize his own limitations, retreat in the face of difficulties, and hand over the power.
He chattered on and on. Shen Shi just took out a stack of photos from his drawer, slapped them out with a thud, and said nothing.
Sponsoring college students, sleeping with his secretary, using the casting couch on young employees…
Shen Jie picked up the photos that had been thrown in his face and looked at them. His face turned pale, and he knelt on the ground.
Who would have thought that while Shen Shi was still studying abroad, he had installed a GPS tracker and listening devices in his uncle’s car thousands of miles away?
It was immoral and illegal, but a Long Aotian could do it. No one dared to say no.
The most high-end face-slapping often used the simplest methods.

The censorship standards in the book’s world were much looser than in his original world. And in this world, brainless slapstick comedies were not popular; dramas were more common. Even the term “Long Aotian” didn’t exist.
With his years of experience in the web novel circle, Zong Mo thought, the plot is a bit cliché, but it’s really satisfying.
It required no brainpower at all. He could focus entirely on admiring Ruan Chi’s face.
It was just that the face-slapping was a bit vulgar.
Zong Mo asked curiously, “Aren’t business wars supposed to be battles of wits, very brain-burning?”
Ruan Chi let out a light “heh,” and said contemptuously, “Reality is even dirtier than what’s portrayed in dramas.”
Zong Mo secretly nodded. Yeah, who would have thought that the actor playing the Long Aotian, and his prototype, also sponsored a young celebrity?

Director Yang’s work style was swift and decisive. As they prepared to shoot the second episode, the first episode had already finished post-production.
Zong Mo, bold and genuinely concerned for his sponsor, asked, “Filming and broadcasting simultaneously, and with this kind of script, which platform would dare… be willing to buy it?”
“Of course no one would buy it,” Ruan Chi said.
Zong Mo: …?

The first episode of Conquering the Entertainment Industry still aired as scheduled.
It was featured as a full-screen recommendation on the homepage of a certain streaming media platform, an exclusive broadcast. There were no sponsors, no advertisements. For the audience, the viewing experience was a perfect 10. For the platform, it was bound to be a loss.
Zong Mo took a look. This bold and daring streaming media was called Meimei TV, which sounded very indecent.
He searched for it. It turned out that they had been wildly testing the boundaries of bankruptcy for a long time. No wonder they dared to take on any drama. Maybe CEO Ruan had even paid them to broadcast it.
“Paid them?” Ruan Chi immediately refuted. “How is that possible? Of course I acquired the company.”
Zong Mo: …
He was really afraid his sponsor would go bankrupt from his antics, and he would have to pay off the debt with him.

The platform was obscure, the plot was ridiculous, and the protagonist was a complete newcomer. There was no promotion before the broadcast. The first episode naturally didn’t cause much of a stir and was a complete flop.
The promotional posters were also shot last minute. Ruan Chi, Zong Mo, and a few supporting characters with more scenes were all on them. A lot of money was spent, but there was no corresponding return.
Zong Mo’s three million-plus fans were already more than all the other actors combined.
He had a premonition. The number of fans he had would determine the size of his mission, regardless of whether his fans were real or bought by his sponsor.
Ruan Chi’s order came as he expected: “Zong Mo, start a live stream.”