Chapter 149: Who Knows How Many More Sisters He Has

Su Chen was slightly taken aback as he looked at his vibrating phone.

He picked it up and shielded his eyes from the harsh sunlight, finally recognizing the caller: Wu Tong, the director of *Tomorrow's Star*, whom he rarely spoke to under normal circumstances.

"What's the situation with Wu Tong calling me at this hour? Has there been another change to *Tomorrow's Star*?"

"Could it be that even with Zheng Huayu gone, they’re still planning to change the competition format?" Su Chen chuckled to himself.

He found a spot under the shade of a tree and answered the call.

In Su Chen's eyes, although this director had caused him many difficulties on the show, Wu Tong was, at his core, a very straightforward person. Every move he had made against Su Chen was ultimately for the sake of making *Tomorrow's Star* a hit and ensuring it went as far as possible. In fact, Su Chen had once even leveraged this "characteristic" of Wu Tong to his own advantage. During the period when Su Chen was as reviled as a rat crossing the street, it was Wu Tong who refused to let him withdraw from the competition, simply because he saw the potential for drama and viewership in Su Chen.

A director purely focused on the program, coupled with a contestant who had both talent and controversy—their unspoken synergy had indeed generated many highlights for the show. So, to Su Chen, while Wu Tong wasn't exactly a "good person," he was a good director for the show. There was no deep-seated hatred between them, and they shared the same goal: to make *Tomorrow's Star* even more successful. That was enough.

"Hello, Director. Good evening. Is there something you need?" Su Chen asked with a smile.

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the line. "Evening? I've been in the studio editing the show. I looked outside and saw the sun was still blazing, so I thought it was still midday. Hahaha!"

Hearing the somewhat ingratiating tone in Wu Tong's voice, Su Chen raised an eyebrow.

*Tsk... what kind of trouble is this director trying to stir up now?*

Su Chen didn't rush to speak. After Wu Tong laughed awkwardly to himself, he continued, "Contestant Su Chen, I'm calling you today for three things. I wonder if you have a moment?"

Su Chen replied, "What do you mean 'do I have a moment'? Even if I didn't, I'd make one for you, Director!"

"Just tell me what you need, Director. If it's within my power, I'll definitely cooperate."

Su Chen’s casual flattery was well-received by Wu Tong.

"Hahaha, it's nothing major, really. In fact, these should be three pieces of good news for you. I'll get straight to the point," Wu Tong said, laughing.

"The first thing is that I've received notice. The Changsha Police Department received a tip-off that our original mentor, Zheng Huayu, was frequently involved in illegal activities like group debauchery, drug use, and gambling."

"The police conducted a surprise raid. Zheng Huayu resisted arrest and was caught with drugs and other contraband on his person. He is now in custody under investigation. I reckon he’ll be spending the rest of his days 'treading the sewing machine' inside!"

Hearing this, the corners of Su Chen's mouth curled up, though he replied in a tone of feigned shock, "Oh! Is that true? If it is, why would you call it good news, Director? I am truly heartbroken to hear this!"

"Mentor Zheng Huayu was a benefactor who gave me my big break, and he constantly offered me guidance on the show. It is precisely because of this senior in the entertainment industry that my career has been smooth sailing so far! Sigh! What a pity..."

Su Chen's words made Wu Tong pause for a moment before he chuckled, "Contestant Su Chen, you are truly a man of high moral character! It is indeed a pity about Mentor Zheng Huayu. He disregarded his own reputation to bring so much traffic to *Tomorrow's Star*. The show’s current popularity is partly his contribution—it is truly tragic and heroic!"

"If I have the chance, I will definitely go visit him in prison," Su Chen added.

"Then please be sure to pass on my thanks for me when you do, Director Wu!"

"Hahaha!" The two of them burst into laughter.

After a bit more small talk, Wu Tong continued, "Now that we've covered the first thing, let me tell you about the second. This one is genuinely good news."

"I'm listening, Director."

"The second thing is that Zheng Huayu's team is now missing a mentor. I’ll be bringing in another celebrity with high traffic to fill the spot. Because the team was under Zheng Huayu's influence, I won't be giving them much screen time. And this extra screen time? I've taken the liberty of allocating it all to you, Su Chen. From now on, you will undoubtedly be the number one in terms of camera exposure on the show!"

Hearing this, Su Chen smiled indifferently. To him, screen time was just a bonus; for a truly excellent musician, their work was their exposure. With great work, there would naturally be no shortage of popularity or discussion. However, while he felt camera time wasn't strictly necessary, he certainly wouldn't complain about having more!

Su Chen thanked Wu Tong in a polite and proper manner.

"Then I must thank you for your support, Director. Once the show wraps, I’ll be sure to treat you to a nice meal!"

"Hahaha, there's no need for that! Any director with a brain would give you more screen time. You're the face of *Tomorrow's Star* right now!"

Wu Tong sounded exceptionally courteous on the other end. If he had been polite to Su Chen at the start of the show because Su Chen was sent by Fengshang Media and specifically highlighted by them, his current courtesy stemmed from the fact that Su Chen now carried almost all the popularity of *Tomorrow's Star*. He also saw the genuine possibility of Su Chen becoming an A-list star, and was planning ahead to build a good relationship.

While it was usually the artists who had to curry favor with directors, that was just a general rule for ordinary artists. Su Chen had the backing of Fengshang Media, and based on their desperate efforts to protect him recently, their relationship was clearly not simple! Furthermore, Su Chen had three A-list actresses—Yan Mi, Wang Bingling, and Zhang Fuyu—openly acting as his "big sisters" in the industry; his connections were nothing short of terrifying! And who knew how many other "sisters" he had behind the scenes?

Beyond his connections and relationships, Su Chen's own talent was formidable. He wasn't like those traffic stars who might lose their fans overnight due to some scandal and never recover. With someone like Su Chen, the fans weren't just following a persona; they were fans of the work itself. An artist with such talent was the real deal.

Thinking of this, Wu Tong recalled the ultimate purpose of his call and couldn't help but marvel. Every move Su Chen had made along the way had been so precise, so impeccable! If this news came out, it would essentially be telling the entire industry that Su Chen had officially arrived, and his status would no longer be lower than those second-tier stars!