No Substitutes for the Bigshots' Dream Girl Anymore!-Chapter 1817: Jack Stewart Side Story (4)

But it’s alright, none of those people were the ones he liked anyway.

His mother once said, learn to distinguish true feelings. If you truly love someone, you must give them all your emotions — don’t disappoint, and don’t hurt them.

Later, he met someone.

It was on the university campus.

At first, it was just a silhouette — long black hair, a light-colored dress, walking under the sunlight. A fleeting glance, and he saw her profile... her brows like spring hills, her eyes like autumn waters.

Maybe she was a gentle girl.

That’s what many people said.

But he didn’t think so.

Later, he tried to get closer to her.

After entering university, his personality had changed significantly compared to before — a kind of personality that others found somewhat unusual.

But fortunately, it was this personality that made it easy for him to approach her.

He learned her story and found out she had something akin to a boyfriend—though not quite a boyfriend.

She seemed a bit foolish, unable to discern whether others were sincere or not, yet she gave her whole heart away. Often, when they met, she was sighing or crying. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Even brief moments of happiness would be ruined by a phone call from that man, leaving her sad once again.

That so-called boyfriend of hers was only treating her as a stand-in for someone else.

It took him some effort to uncover the truth, but he didn’t know how to tell her.

He agonized over it for a long time, struggling internally. His instincts told him she wasn’t the type to be this naive. Thankfully, he didn’t have to say anything — she told him herself that she had broken up.

She didn’t seem... particularly upset.

The words of comfort he had prepared ended up being unnecessary, but he was happy for her.

Later, she told him she wanted to participate in a talent show, to make her debut, to let the whole world remember her beauty.

Maybe many people would mock her for overestimating herself, but he wouldn’t. He would support her, always be by her side.

As her best friend, as the person who knew her best — that was enough.

She began to shine on stage, gaining more attention, but also becoming a bigger target. The industry was chaotic and complex, just as they’d heard others say before.

This was a vast dyeing vat — you go in one color, and come out another. Almost no one came out unscathed.

He initially studied directing on a whim. He wasn’t someone with grand ambitions, but from that moment on, he started learning how to be a good manager, how to hold his own in social circles, how to plan for the future.

This was an industry where, if you didn’t work hard to rise, you’d be trampled and forgotten.

Over the years, she transformed from a controversial idol into an acclaimed actress, and he became a celebrated top-tier manager in the industry.

At one point, a major company approached him, hoping to recruit him. They even hinted at intentionally suppressing her career as part of the deal.

He refused. He could never agree to something like that. Even if it meant retaliation, it didn’t matter. He had promised her—he’d be her manager for life, and only hers.

They were going to conquer the entertainment industry together.

And later, they did it.

She said he should become a director and make a movie, with her as the lead actress.

He didn’t really want to, because he was afraid... afraid that she would leave him behind.

But in the end, he agreed.

She thought she was holding him back, that he deserved better choices, a brighter future. Being a successful director, she felt, was far better than being a manager who could only stand behind others.

What she didn’t know was that in this lifetime, all he ever wanted was to stay... no, just to be with her. Watching her from afar would be enough.