Chapter 587 As long as you're happy

While Chen Ziyan was worrying about balancing Zhang Ruozhi's work and studies, He Sha was having an even harder time.

She is in a very difficult situation.

Several scripts had been submitted, and one of them was already in the contract negotiation stage. However, due to the widespread rumors in the industry that Aurora Video was blacklisting her, all the collaborations that were being inquired about were terminated.

"Are all these shows going to be sold to Aurora Video? Have all the other video platforms gone out of business?" He Sha asked her agent angrily.

Her agent said, "...Don't worry, we've already signed a cooperation agreement with Lighthouse Video, and we'll have Lighthouse Video projects for us to act in later."

He Sha ignored her: "Didn't we already apologize to the Northern Lights? They accepted our apology at the time, so why are they still pursuing this?"

"They accepted it, but the production companies don't know yet," the agent could only explain helplessly. "Moreover, Zhou Ping'an has been fueling this from behind the scenes."

"It's him again!" He Sha cursed angrily.

“Zhou Ping’an is a very meticulous person,” the agent said. “I told you that when you decided to do that on the show.”

“He doesn’t have Li Zhibai now, and Ma Zhiyuan is washed up. Does Yan Liang give him the capital and ability to make everyone listen to him?” He Sha glanced at her agent. “Why can’t you find a way to make him stop?”

"If I could find a way to make him stop, I would first find a way to prevent you from going down this path of infamy," the agent said somewhat irritably. "Now that you've already left, don't think about a win-win situation. Northern Lights Video definitely won't let this go easily anytime soon. They want to make an example of you in the industry, and they won't tolerate this kind of behavior from an artist who takes advantage of them. They accepted our apology, which only means they won't continue to kick you when you're down. Now, let's focus on doing a good job on the Lighthouse Video program 'Directors, Please Advise,' and try to let everyone see your acting skills on that show."

After being rebuked by her agent, He Sha's arrogance subsided slightly, but she was still somewhat unconvinced. She pouted and said, "For this show, what's my performance script? Have you coordinated with them?"

"It's a draw on the spot," the agent said. "They'll give you a list of the most talked-about scripts, and you'll have to draw one from them."

Upon hearing this, He Sha immediately frowned.

"Why can't we decide now? Why do we have to draw lots on the spot?"

Agent: "They want chance and stories."

He Sha pouted.

“With your acting skills, what is there to worry about?” the agent said. “Many of the actors participating in the show ‘Director, Please Advise’ this time are young actors who have only been in the industry for a few years. Your acting skills completely crush theirs. If you then receive significantly better treatment from the show’s production team, they will easily use this against you.”

He Sha thought about it and felt that it made sense.

These young actors' fans are all as fierce as fighting roosters, so let's just forget about it.

Just crush them openly and fairly.

However, after a moment, she realized something and asked, "Why are there so many young actors and idols? What exactly is the purpose of this show?"

He Sha began to worry that this show might not be as good as "The Birth of an Actor".

The agent took a deep breath.

-

"A male lead role was offered to Cheng Hai, but Zhou Ping'an turned it down immediately."

On his way to record the new episode of "The Birth of an Actor," Wang Biao told Lu Yanhe about the news he had heard.

Lu Yanhe was surprised and asked, "Is the script too bad?"

Wang Biao: "I don't know if it's a problem with the script, but everyone was quite surprised because even though he became popular again in 'The Birth of an Actor,' in everyone's opinion, there are still very few scripts that offer Cheng Hai the male lead role. I don't know why Zhou Ping'an rejected such an opportunity."

Are other people questioning Zhou Ping'an's decision?

“Hmm.” Wang Biao nodded. “Some people even think that Yan Liang was unhappy with Cheng Hai’s rise to fame, so he put pressure on Zhou Ping’an to prevent Cheng Hai from becoming popular.”

Lu Yanhe was amused.

He found it unbelievable.

"These people are really idle. Zhou Ping'an's eye for choosing scripts has been recognized by me, Sister Ziyan, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang. He may have flaws in other aspects, but Sister Ziyan admires his eye for scripts in this regard."

Lu Yanhe was also a little dazed. He didn't expect that he would speak up for Zhou Ping'an. He didn't even know the details, but he firmly believed that Zhou Ping'an had a reason for turning down the script with Cheng Hai.

Without realizing it, many of his perceptions had changed. He smiled and came to his senses.

"Is this news only circulating within your circle of agents, or has it spread widely?" Lu Yanhe asked.

“It’s just circulating in a small circle.” Wang Biao thought for a moment and said, “Actually, Yan Liang and Li Zhibai’s contracts with Xingyu are about to expire. I think some companies might want to poach them, so they’re deliberately causing trouble for Zhou Ping’an.”

Lu Yanhe suddenly realized.

Wang Biao reminded him that Li Zhibai and Yan Liang both had eight-year contracts, which were nearing their expiration. Would Li Zhibai and Yan Liang renew their contracts with Xingyu Entertainment?

Star Entertainment itself needs to adjust its business direction and positioning, separating its actor and singer management functions. However, this separation will inevitably fragment Star Entertainment's overall strength in the entertainment industry—a company that cannot coordinate and negotiate as a whole will always have fewer bargaining chips.

Given their current career trajectory, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang are precisely at a point where they need a strong and reputable agency to help them climb the ladder of success. The restructuring at Xingyu Entertainment will inevitably involve a period of adjustment and uncertainty. Will they choose to stay with Xingyu?

Lu Yanhe had not heard Li Zhibai and Yan Liang mention this matter yet, and did not know whether they had started to consider it.

-

"Yan Liang, what have you thought about renewing your contract?"

That day, Zhou Ping'an also brought up this issue with Yan Liang.

“The company will set up a studio for you and assemble a dedicated team to handle your affairs,” Zhou Ping’an said. “This is something you’ve been very concerned about. I will entrust specific tasks to specialists and only help you with key work. Of course, you don’t need to worry about this team; I will train them well.”

Yan Liang said, "I heard that the company's business model and strategic direction also need to be adjusted."

“Yes, but this is also for optimization and upgrading. By separating idol management, we can also improve the previously criticized system of equal distribution of talent.” Zhou Ping’an explained, “At Xingyu, you and Li Zhibai are the most popular young actors. No one can compare with you two. Moreover, your acting styles and images are different, so there is not much competition. I can assure you that if you renew your contract with us, you will receive the best treatment.”

"Aside from setting up a studio, I haven't seen any substantial benefits," Yan Liang shrugged.

Zhou Ping'an's tone was hesitant. After a moment, he said, "The main reason is that you have two series, 'Friends' and 'The Gold Rush,' in your hands. You don't lack acting opportunities. As for commercial deals, you've seen the results I've achieved in the past six months. I've even secured two top-tier luxury brand endorsements. And regarding revenue sharing, I already communicated with the company six months ago and helped you sign a new contract. You're already enjoying the contract terms of a top-tier actor."

“That’s not what I meant.” Yan Liang looked at Zhou Ping’an seriously and said, “Brother Ping’an, I told you before that I hope you can help me get an art film every year so that I can hone my acting skills, right?”

Zhou Ping'an never expected that Yan Liang would mention art films at such a time.

“To be honest, when I made this request to you, I was inclined to renew my contract. However, so much time has passed, and I haven’t received a single script for an art film,” Yan Liang said. “I’m not saying that my hesitation stems from the lack of art film scripts; I’m just giving an example. I hope the company, especially you, truly values ​​my needs and understands what those needs are. Compared to other actors, I have a stable series of sequels, which carries less risk in the market and is more beneficial for the company’s operations in the capital market. I would receive the standard treatment of a top-tier star at any company, and you certainly know that many companies can offer me the same contract terms as Xingyu. I haven’t asked for more in terms of profit sharing and compensation because I hope you can provide genuine attention and support beyond the contract.”

Zhou Ping'an tried his best to control his shocked and incredulous expression.

Yan Liang's words truly surprised him.

Zhou Ping'an was already aware of the extent of Yan Liang's changes over the past two years. But he never imagined that Yan Liang, who never spoke of it, actually had very clear ideas about the company and himself.

An actor should be emotional and selfless when performing, but when facing his career path, he must be ambitious, or perhaps, completely unambitious. Once he falls into the middle, it becomes difficult for him to become the most outstanding actor.

In Zhou Ping'an's mind, Yan Liang was always the kind of actor who wasn't particularly talented, had a clumsy personality, but was rewarded by hard work.

Zhou Ping'an wouldn't be surprised if Li Zhibai said these words to him, because Li Zhibai is usually a person with a very distinct personality and a very sharp edge.

But Yan Liang was different. When he directly expressed his dissatisfaction and what he wanted, Zhou Ping'an realized that Yan Liang was actually just pretending to be someone who "had no self" when he couldn't truly be himself.

Vice President Ma doesn't believe Yan Liang will one day reach superstar status. The company's efforts to attract him and offer him good treatment are simply to retain this actor who still has significant commercial value for the next few years. Therefore, there won't be any deep partnership, nor will the company's resources be used to propel him to greater heights.

Zhou Ping'an thought Yan Liang was unaware of this, but in fact, Yan Liang had already realized it; he just didn't say anything.

-

"Your film 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option' has been nominated for the main competition at the Jose Film Festival, where you'll be competing for Best Actor against your good friend Lu Yanhe. Have you discussed this with him privately?"

After getting out of the car, Li Zhibai was still surrounded by reporters with their cameras and microphones as he walked just a few meters toward the hotel. They wouldn't let him go.

Such questions have been constantly emerging ever since the announcement that "Love Letter" and "I Can't Fake Death" were selected for the main competition at the Jose Film Festival.

Many people unconsciously think that when faced with a barrage of questions from reporters, they should just answer them frankly and openly.

Actually, it's not like that. It's like if you feed a stray dog ​​a sausage, it won't be satisfied and stop chasing you. On the contrary, once it has eaten a sausage from you, it will remember you. Because you'll have sausages for it.

This is why Li Zhibai has always been too lazy to answer such trivial questions.

However, the more he refused to answer, the more people pressed him for answers, as if there was a shocking revelation behind his avoidance of the topic.

"..."

Li Zhibai said impatiently, "Why are you so concerned about how we talk in private? Besides, why would we talk about such trivial things? Why do you care who wins Best Actor? Whether it's us or not, if it's really us, you'll all have something to write about and report on, right? It's as if we talk in private and the award is actually given to one of us."

Lin Suyang followed beside Li Zhibai. Upon hearing Li Zhibai's reply, his eyes went black as usual. He wanted to say something, opened his mouth, and then decided against it.

He was already used to it. In front of the camera, he couldn't very well stop Li Zhibai from speaking openly. Besides, Li Zhibai had already said what he wanted to say, and there was no going back. He should think about how to deal with the consequences of this incident.

Once inside the hotel, the media were stopped by the hotel security.

Before Lin Suyang could even speak, Li Zhibai said to him, "I'm really fed up. Why do these media outlets just want to see me and Yan He fight? Do they really enjoy watching us argue? I'm speechless."

Lin Suyang: "I understand, they need to find topics to talk about, otherwise how can they attract traffic?"

"It's so annoying how these people are. They can't even ask any sophisticated questions. They just stare at these trivial, meaningless things all day long." Li Zhibai pouted, then remembered something and said to Lin Suyang, "By the way, Suyang, I'm not having dinner with you tonight. I have an important phone call to make. Could you order some food and have it delivered to my room?"

Lin Suyang was somewhat surprised.

Lin Suyang knew about Li Zhibai's work arrangements.

However, Lin Suyang was unaware of this call beforehand, indicating it was a private call. It was precisely because it was a private call that Lin Suyang was surprised—

What kind of private phone number is so important that you don't even go out to eat?

-

"How did your talk with Zhou Ping'an go?"

During the video call, Li Zhi asked Yan Liang a hundred questions.

Yan Liang: "He has already promised to help me negotiate with the company and get what I want."

"Don't let them fool you. Whether it's endorsements or film and television projects, even if you don't need them, it should still be written into the contract. It should clearly state what level of resources and support they need to provide for you, without any ambiguity," Li Zhibai said. "Don't think that just because you're communicating with Zhou Ping'an relatively smoothly now, he'll consider things from your perspective. Yan He and I are cautionary tales."

"I know, I'm not that naive." Yan Liang smiled and sighed. "Fortunately, you guys have already helped me avoid the pitfalls. No matter how many sweet words Zhou Ping'an says to me, I won't believe them."

"That's good." Li Zhibai nodded.

"What about you? Did you tell Lin Suyang?" Yan Liang asked.

"Not yet. I haven't decided whether I should go solo." Li Zhibai's thoughts were still undecided. "Actually, my situation is different from yours. If I had the Friends and Gold Rush series as insurance for the next few years, I would have left directly. But going solo might not be as comfortable as staying at Star Entertainment. Especially since Lin Suyang has been working with me for over a year, and he's been quite helpful. If I could poach him too, I would feel more at ease and have more confidence. But he still has the MX group with him, so he can't go with me."

Yan Liang: "Hmm."

Yan Liang did not say that Li Zhibai did not actually need to worry about his resources after leaving Xingyu.

Even though they all knew that if Li Zhibai really lost Xingyu's support, his resources might be downgraded in a short period of time, Lu Yanhe would not sit idly by. He definitely had projects for Li Zhibai to act in.

They both felt the same way. They wanted to do their own jobs well, and if Lu Yanhe had any suitable projects for them to act in, they would take them. But they didn't want to make a mess of their own affairs and require Lu Yanhe to specifically help them by sending them scripts. Losing face was secondary; their main concern was not wanting to cause Lu Yanhe any trouble.

No matter how high Lu Yanhe's current status, how much influence he has, or how many projects he has, and how much others think he can say whatever he wants, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang know very well that Lu Yanhe is constantly weighing the pros and cons and making choices.

Li Zhibai said, "Moreover, I just became the producer of 'Nineteen Years'. I'm thinking that maybe if I accumulate a few more years of experience, my own team will be established by then, and I'll be more comfortable going out on my own."

"That depends on how you think about it. Our situations are very different, and my opinion is not of much reference value." Yan Liang pursed his lips. "However, there is one thing I think you don't need to be so self-deprecating. You have Liu Bige's new movie, 'Nineteen Years' and 'Chinese Paladin,' plus the popularity and audience appeal you've accumulated over the years. Your strength is much greater than you think. I didn't expect you to be so anxious about gains and losses."

“I’m not worried about gains and losses, but I have self-awareness,” Li Zhibai said. “In the entertainment industry, if you have a company, even if you fail a few times, it won’t affect your chances of making a comeback. But if you go it alone, and you fail a few times, your lifeline will be basically exhausted. Relying on yourself to keep going is like a drop in the ocean. Having a company behind you to support you makes a big difference.”

Neither of them became complacent because of their current success, believing that they could continue in the same situation even after leaving Star Entertainment. A top actor can offend partners due to chaotic team management, struggle with brand PR, or be replaced by another well-connected actor in the competition for top projects because no company is involved in the exchange of benefits... These artists, who debuted in their teens, have been exposed to these intricacies since childhood.

There are very few artists who can truly survive a seven- or eight-year "cooling-off period" on their own merits.

Of course, they can also choose to switch to another brokerage firm.

Given their current fame and popularity, plenty of agencies would be willing to take them on. The problem is, agencies comparable to Star Entertainment might not offer better terms. Their decision not to renew their contracts with Star Entertainment isn't because the latter is demanding or has crossed their bottom line—

For these reasons, Yan Liang had already decided to renew his contract with Xingyu Entertainment from the beginning, hoping to solidify his position in the entertainment industry with the help of Zhou Ping'an and Xingyu's resources. Li Zhibai, on the other hand, continued to weigh the pros and cons of leaving and staying, remaining thoughtful and hesitant.

They haven't discussed it with Lu Yanhe yet.

It wasn't that they deliberately kept it from Lu Yanhe. As they said before, they wanted to be brothers who could fight alongside Lu Yanhe, not vassals who would occasionally take advantage of him... Lu Yanhe has his own film and television production company and is also a shareholder of Shihuo Agency. If Lu Yanhe knew about Li Zhibai's situation, he would definitely invite him to Shihuo.

Then what?

Li Zhibai was displeased. He didn't want to take advantage of Lu Yanhe, but he was already in Lu Yanhe's sphere of influence. In that situation, was the script given to him truly necessary for him to act, or was it something Lu Yanhe had to give him because of his presence? What would he think if Lu Yanhe gave a script to someone else in the company instead of him? Would Lu Yanhe have any reservations about this?

Li Zhibai genuinely didn't want such a specific bond of interest between him and Lu Yanhe. A tighter bond would only hinder each other and leave everyone feeling uncomfortable.

Therefore, both Li Zhibai and Yan Liang hoped that they would have a clear understanding of the situation before informing Lu Yanhe.

They are friends and should communicate with each other. But before communicating, you should first figure out what they want and what they want to do.

Li Zhibai and Yan Liang had a video call that lasted an hour and a half. They reviewed their conversation, offered suggestions, summarized key points, and got to the point.

Li Zhibai nodded in satisfaction: "I think I have made great progress. Yan Liang, if you have the opportunity to become a producer in the future, although the process will be as painful as peeling off a layer of skin, you will really learn a lot."

Yan Liang was both amused and exasperated.

"You've said this to me far too many times. How much suffering did you endure working on the 'Nineteen Years' project? Could you write a memoir about it?"

Li Zhibai's eyes lit up instantly.

“You’re right, I have to write it down so I don’t forget it later,” Li Zhibai said. “Just recently, Chen Siqi asked me if I had any ideas about writing a few columns for the ‘Jump Up’ e-subscription account, so I’ll write about that.”

Yan Liang: "I'm truly impressed."

Li Zhibai: "What's wrong? Is it not working?"

Yan Liang: "No, no, that won't do. I'm just admitting it."

After hanging up the video call, Yan Liang yawned, only to see a push notification pop up on his phone:

Meng Li joins the cast of "Director, Please Advise".

-

"Why would Meng Li go on 'Director, Please Advise'? Why would someone as popular as her need to appear on such a show?"

Zhou Pingan received a call from He Yingzi, who sounded quite surprised on the phone.

Upon hearing He Yingzi's words, Zhou Ping'an immediately guessed her purpose and asked directly, "Do you also have an actor participating in this program?"

He Yingzi cursed inwardly at this old fox, whose sense of smell was really sharp.

Denying it now won't help; the show will have to air eventually.

"Yes," He Yingzi sighed.

"Could it be Lang Xia?"

“Of course I wouldn’t let him participate in this kind of program. I’m not like you,” He Yingzi said. “He’s a newcomer I signed.”

"A girl?" Zhou Pingan asked.

"Yes."

Zhou Pingan smiled and said, "Alright, don't be nervous. With so many actors on this show, Meng Li alone can't steal her exposure."

He Yingzi smiled.

"Whoever can steal the spotlight from Mengli, I'll immediately poach that person and sign them to my company." He Yingzi highly approves of Mengli's ability to create buzz and attract attention.

Mengli's continued popularity is entirely due to her ability to generate buzz.

Zhou Pingan smiled.

"She's going to this show to showcase her acting skills, not to cause trouble."

He Yingzi: "If I believed you, you'd be a ghost. But Zhou Ping'an, tell me the truth, were you doing this on purpose?"

"deliberately?"

"He Sha is on this show, do you want Meng Li to teach her a lesson?"

"Why did I have to use my hands to teach her a lesson?" Zhou Ping'an said slowly and deliberately.

He Yingzi: "Indeed, Meng Li's hands don't get dirty, but I'll have my artist help you get revenge, and you can have Meng Li give her a boost on the show, how about it? Is this deal done?"

Zhou Ping'an: "Is this an alliance?"

"A show with dozens of actors competing against each other is nothing short of a battleground. If we don't form an alliance now, when will we?" He Yingzi said righteously.

Zhou Pingan smiled.

You have a point.

-

"The show 'Director, Please Advise' will be quite exciting." After hearing some inside information, Chen Ziyan smiled and shook her head at Lu Yanhe. "I don't know if their performances on the show will attract attention, but anything beyond their acting skills will definitely be a hit."

Chen Ziyan also disliked He Sha very much.

She knew that Lu Yanhe was also very unhappy because of He Sha's previous actions.

So she shared the news immediately.

"Don't offend Zhou Ping'an. Zhou Ping'an has allied with He Yingzi. Meng Li and He Yingzi's newly signed actress will embarrass He Sha on the show."

"Meng Li actually helped Zhou Ping'an?"

"Zhou Ping'an orchestrated her romance and reality show, and now Meng Li is incredibly famous," Chen Ziyan laughed. "Meng Li is the kind of person who gives face to whoever helps her. Zhou Ping'an has a very pleasant working relationship with her, and there's a top-tier production coming up for her soon."

“No wonder.” Lu Yanhe imagined the scene of Meng Li and He Sha on the same stage, with someone else stirring up trouble in the middle. That scene would indeed be quite interesting.

"The second season of 'The Birth of an Actor' is about to start, and many similar programs will follow suit. We need to quickly finalize the right and good actors to avoid being snatched up by other programs," Chen Ziyan said. "Although it's not that we can't use 'recycled' actors, the sense of surprise will be much less."

"Yes, indeed."

Chen Ziyan: "For the second season, are you planning to use the same format as the first season?"

“At least that’s how it is for the first phase,” Lu Yanhe said. “Whether it’s team battles or other modes later on can be adjusted, for example, having the actors’ teams from the second season challenge the actors’ teams from the first season.”

Chen Ziyan's eyes immediately lit up, "This looks pretty interesting."

“Hmm.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “So many actors made a name for themselves in the first season and became known to the audience. They were also the audience’s first impression of the show ‘The Birth of an Actor’. Their competition with the actors in the second season will definitely be very exciting.”

Chen Ziyan laughed: "If you do it this way, how are you going to do the third season? Are you going to have the actors from the second season form a team to compete against the actors from the third season?"

“Using this format all the time gets boring,” Lu Yanhe said. “We have so many directors and writers, let’s brainstorm together and come up with more innovative formats.”

“Yeah, why think so much now?” Chen Ziyan said contentedly. “The show ‘The Birth of an Actor’ is really worth doing. So many good actors who couldn’t get roles before suddenly started frantically collecting scripts. Although I know that the hype might die down after the show ends, at least they have gained attention and opportunities to play good roles that they couldn’t play before.”

"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.

"Caina has finally agreed to sign her agency contract in mainland China with us." Chen Ziyan smiled. "We at Shihuo have finally taken our first step towards internationalization."

"Congratulations." Lu Yanhe clapped his hands.

Chen Ziyan: "So, you're really planning to write a character for Cai Na in the second season of 'Squid Game'?"

"Um."

“Okay, then consider this a signing gift for her,” Chen Ziyan said.

Lu Yanhe: "Don't use this as an excuse to do something I've already planned out."

“Bullshit! You told me before that it was possible, but this is the first time you’ve told me for sure that there will be a role for her,” Chen Ziyan emphasized. “I remember it very clearly.”

Lu Yanhe: "..."

Chen Ziyan: "Caina is indeed quite popular in Southeast Asia, which is good."

Lu Yanhe asked, "Would you help Cai Na get roles in domestic film and television dramas?"

"It depends. If there are good projects and suitable roles, it's not a bad idea," Chen Ziyan said. "I didn't sign her just to be a decoration. She already has a certain degree of fame in China. How about letting her participate in the second season of 'The Birth of an Actor' as a contestant?"

"She can't even speak fluent Chinese, how can she participate?"

"After studying for a year or two, you should be able to speak it, right?"

"Sister Ziyan, what you're saying now makes me feel like you're not reliable at all."

"Hahahaha." Chen Ziyan laughed heartily.

Lu Yanhe didn't know why she was suddenly so happy.

But as long as you're happy.

-

I recommend the older book, "I Became the Leading Lady of a Scandal Overnight".

(End of this chapter)