Chapter 42 Signing a Movie Star

In the five-story building that my uncle rented, the room on the third floor towards the back is the largest and most respectable. They usually meet with clients and receive new guests here.

But when Cen Yanhuai pushed open the door and saw Yu Yu and Zhou Zongyun sitting on the sofa waiting for him, dressed in brand-new and fashionable clothes, he suddenly felt a sense of helplessness and shame for the dilapidated state of the room.

He was wearing a wrinkled suit, with some dust on the trousers from helping move materials at noon, and the part of his shirt tucked into his trousers had been accidentally rubbed with oil by the plastic bag the old man was carrying when he came off stage.

Do you drink tea?

Having not seen each other for more than six years, Cen Yanhuai rubbed his hands together, his movements somewhat awkward.

Zhou Zongyun was still as carefree as ever, his personality unchanged. He strode over and gave him a familiar hug.

"Haven't seen you in so many years, buddy, you're still so handsome, I'm so envious."

The somewhat tense atmosphere was easily broken by this one sentence, and Cen Yanhuai also showed a long-lost, carefree smile, turning around to get tea from the large metal cabinet.

The atmosphere in the room gradually relaxed. Yu Yu rummaged through the cabinet where he had taken the tea and found a stack of game cards. The three of them started talking about the game that was popular all over the streets seven years ago. At this moment, it felt no different from when they were still in college.

"Oh right, I forgot to ask, why did you suddenly come to find me?"

After brewing the tea, Cen Yanhuai had just placed the teacup on the table when he saw Yu Yu point to the inner room next door, which had a closed door, and whisper, "There's a surprise. You'll know once you send the tea in."

Looking at the closed room, Cen Yanhuai was completely confused, but he still obediently knocked on the door with his teacup in hand.

If Yu Yu and Zhou Zongyun's glamorous attire made the room appear old and drab, then the man in front of them seemed to have the ability to elevate the surrounding environment.

This small cubicle seemed to instantly transform into the office of a young entrepreneur's thriving factory. Although the old paintings on the wall were all curled at the edges, hanging next to that person, the painting inexplicably looked like the kind of ink and wash landscape paintings by calligraphy and painting masters that big bosses love.

Cen Yanhuai certainly recognized the person in front of him. His hands were trembling so much he almost spilled his tea, and he was even stuttering as he spoke:

"Mr. Fang, hello. I didn't know you were coming. Would you like to eat? We have a banquet downstairs, or I can take you to eat in the city..."

Fang Zhuo had just finished a remote meeting and casually sent the contract he had prepared in advance on his personal terminal to the other party:

"No need, take a look at the contract first, and let me know if you have any questions."

Cen Yanhuai was somewhat flustered.

He couldn't open the contract immediately; his portable terminal was still in the previous two generations, and he needed to restart the terminal twice before turning on his computer.

Normally it works fine every time I turn it on, but this time for some reason, it suddenly stopped working and I couldn't turn it on no matter how hard I tried.

It took a good four or five minutes before the portable terminal finally lit up its screen, like an old man who couldn't finish urinating.

What came into view was a short performance contract.

Just like all the rumors online, the profit split is 90/10, with five social insurances and one housing fund, and the contract even specifies an indefinite employee dormitory.

Yu Yu carefully explained the details of the contract to him from the side. Cen Yanhuai felt a pang of sadness and cast a grateful glance at the two of them.

After reviewing the contract, he forced a smile, nervously rubbing the oil droplets off his shirt, and explained to General Manager Fang:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fang, I'm not very good at dancing. I'm also a bit introverted, so I probably won't get many tips from group live streams..."

"Moreover, I injured my right cheek in a car accident before, and I had to get several stitches. It left me with a disfigurement."

He pointed to the area above his cheekbone, a bitterness in his eyes that he himself didn't even realize:

"You may not know much about my situation before you came here. I tried working at a modeling agency for a while, but I wasn't very popular with the brands."

Fang Zhuo didn't reply, but just glanced at the other person quietly.

Of all the celebrities he has met, Cen Yanhuai himself is the one whose personality differs the most from the description in the original novel "Brilliant".

In the original text, Ruan Zihan and Cen Yanhuai's chapters are placed side by side, and some media even refer to them as twin stars on the small screen and the big screen.

They are like two sides of the same coin. One is a grassroots actor who worked hard for decades to finally win the Best Actor award. The other is a genius actor who became famous within half a year of his debut and has no shortcomings in acting skills or appearance.

But what they had in common was their rebellious spirit and their arrogance. The two entered the public eye at almost the same time, each displaying their own unique charisma and self-assurance.

Ruan Zihan and Cen Yanhuai became two people who stood at the top of the entertainment industry at the same time, and it is inevitable to talk about the other when discussing one of them.

They are each the best representatives of the two paths to success: one of inspiration and the other of genius, like twins growing from the same branch.

Fang Zhuo still remembers Cen Yanhuai's impressive acceptance speech in the original text:

"Thank you to the organizing committee. Everyone said that it was impossible for a newcomer to win all the major film awards within two years of debuting. Now I stand here to prove to the world that I did it!"

In the book, Cen Yanhuai always presents a carefree and unrestrained image to the public. As a true acting genius without any weaknesses, confidence is the one thing he has in abundance.

Faced with someone whose personality could be described as aloof and arrogant, Fang Zhuo was prepared to be met with a cold shoulder before he arrived.

But he never expected to see a young man here who had been worn down by life and become weak and humble.

The other person's back was slightly hunched, his eyes were dull and lifeless, he was wearing a short suit made of thin material that didn't fit him well, and he was holding an old-fashioned terminal that was as heavy as a brick.

When Cen Yanhuai spoke, he always subconsciously avoided looking at the person opposite him, and his fingers rubbed back and forth on his clothes.

His face was still impeccably handsome. The injury from the car accident had not affected the surrounding skin texture or facial features at all, but Cen Yanhuai would often turn his head away, unconsciously covering the barely visible scar.

Even when they receive an acting contract, the first reaction from the other party is not joy, but worry and anxiety that they will not do well.

Fang Zhuo patiently asked, "I'm not asking you to do group broadcasting, I'm asking you to act. Have you had any contact with this kind of thing before at Ruan Zihan's subsidiary?"

Cen Yanhuai seemed a little hesitant.

Seeing this, Zhou Zongyun chimed in, "Most of the work there is shooting main images for brands. Occasionally, they'll ask us to play minor supporting roles in low-budget, revenue-sharing dramas, the kind with no lines, but those dramas never seem to be released on the platform."

After hearing this, Fang Zhuo roughly understood what was going on.

Ruan Zihan's subsidiary was most likely tailor-made to monitor Cen Yanhuai; otherwise, with such outstanding objective conditions, it would be a complete free-market competition.

Fang Zhuo rarely provides psychological counseling to artists, and unusually, he looked directly into their eyes:

“I knew you had acting talent from the first time I met you. You’ve also read a lot of news about Giant Entertainment, right? Trust me, give me some time, and I will definitely promote you to the top.”

This promise carries significant weight. If another entertainment company boss had said something like this, Cen Yanhuai would have assumed the boss was just making empty promises.

But this is Giant Entertainment, the Giant Entertainment that has created countless miracles.

Just a month ago, Mr. Fang spent countless sums of money to promote an unknown idol to the position of a rising star, and also single-handedly made dozens of aspiring live streamers famous.

Although Cen Yanhuai did not believe that he had any real talent in acting, he had great faith in the financial resources of the owner of Juyu Entertainment.

With a few quick strokes, he signed his name on the contract.

Upon receiving notification of the successful investment, Fang Zhuo immediately relayed the message to Deng Jiaqiang, instructing him to bring his men to the company in three hours.

[Investment Target Number Seven: Cen Yanhuai]

[Intelligence: 65][Stamina: 52][Appearance: 95][Emotional Intelligence: 52][Loyalty: 92]

[Recommended Careers: Performing arts, hosting, and other entertainment-related jobs]

[Skill Talents: 90]

[Initial valuation: 5290]

Giant Entertainment's efficiency was astonishing. Cen Yanhuai had only just gone home to pack the necessary documents when the spaceship immediately picked him up and took him to the main planet.

Mr. Fang personally led him to a dazzling shopping mall. As soon as the two stood in front of the terminal sales counter, all the store's employees swarmed around them.

"Sir, are you looking to buy a portable device? Would you like to take a look at our new model? This limited edition mini device was just released the day before yesterday, and it's the lightest on the market."

"It has human body sensing and motion capture functions and supports the simultaneous operation of eight screens of optical computer."

"Currently, this special-type terminal is not sold online; it is only available at the six stores on the main star."

"Or perhaps you'd like to take a look at this interactive screen, which is 1.5 meters long and 3 meters wide. It can record hundreds of movements and link with thousands of human body sensing games in the official library..."

The sales clerks recommended three or four products to them in succession, and their attentiveness made Cen Yanhuai even a little scared.

He stepped back several times, but accidentally bumped into a corner of the counter, where he saw the prices of various products displayed on the electronic screen behind him.

The new shuttle, which weighs only a few dozen grams, is priced at over 20,000 yuan, while the special mini terminal has soared to nearly 90,000 yuan.

The price of such a terminal is more than the current balance in his account.

Cen Yanhuai quickly realized why the waiter was being so proactive—

Fang Zhuo pointed to a few practical electronic products: "Give me two of each."

His gaze fell on the last row of cameras, and he felt that Qin Yi might need them. He then said to the sales clerk, "Give me one of each of those cameras."

The waiter's smile was practically overflowing as he packed up the bags, making small talk while praising the two men's good looks.

Cen Yanhuai held the negligible mini-terminal in a worshipful posture. After listening to the waiter's compliments, he inadvertently turned the side of his face that had been injured earlier to an angle where no one could see it.

Perhaps sensing his embarrassment, Mr. Fang patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly:

"Make do with this terminal for now. I've transferred one million to your card. You can buy any daily necessities you need tonight."

One million? What kind of daily necessities would cost one million?

That's enough money to renovate a bare-bones apartment.

Oh no, it's more than just renovations; it's enough to buy a house on Star 894.

Cen Yanhuai knew that President Fang was very rich, but he didn't know that he was rich to such an astonishing degree.

When he arrived at the office building on Star 399, he was so nervous that he didn't know where to put his hands and feet.

Although it only has five floors, it occupies a larger area than the main planet's high-rise office buildings. Next to the entrance is a huge sunken plaza, where some employees are even openly sitting on the plaza steps, slacking off.

Everyone stood up to greet General Manager Fang respectfully, but no one showed any signs of panic or anxiety. This shows that although General Manager Fang is quite authoritative, he is not a harsh or unreasonable boss.

There was a niche, high-end coffee brand on the corner of the first floor of the office building. Seeing them walk by, the staff asked in a low voice, "What would you like to drink, sir?"

Cen Yanhuai was taken aback by the shop assistant's proactive approach. He was somewhat allergic to this kind of high-end-looking shop and instinctively paused for a moment.

The shop assistant was quite friendly and immediately changed her tune: "Would you prefer it sweeter or with milk? I can recommend one for you."

Fang Zhuo leaned against the bar: "Two hot Americanos."

Cen Yanhuai breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to see a kind-looking, slightly overweight middle-aged man slowly walking over from the elevator.

Before the other person even arrived, he jokingly said loudly and familiarly, "Don't order the same thing as him. Drinking hot Americano is worse than drinking dishwater. Go home and cook some dumpling soup, it'll taste better than hot Americano."

"Two iced lattes, one for this handsome guy and one for me."

The middle-aged man put his hand on his shoulder and laughed, "The residents of Star 894 really have bad taste. He's so handsome, yet no one has taken a picture of him and posted it online."

Cen Yanhua smiled sheepishly and turned to hide the injured side of his face behind his back.

After the coffee was made, he was surprised to find that the staff did not charge him. Moreover, it wasn't just the three of them; all the passing employees had developed the habit of coming over to get a drink.

The clerk noticed his confusion and explained, "Handsome, our operating model is a little different from other stores. You can think of it as Mr. Fang having already prepaid for the cost of each cup."

What shocked him even more was not just this unusual coffee shop, but that an entire floor of this office building was actually a staff rest area.

The floor plan not only includes a whole area of ​​luxurious single rooms with two-meter-wide beds, but also a sauna, shower room, gym and huge tea break area, while on the other side are various ball courts.

If you're too lazy to go home, you can even stay at the company for half a month without any problem.

Unlike other companies that treat rest areas as mere decorations, Cen Yanhuai was surprised to see two or three employees using treadmills during working hours as he went up in the elevator.

As he walked through the office area with tracks laid on the ground and sat on the sofa in General Manager Fang's office, he was so amazed by the building's layout that he was speechless.

This was completely different from the traditional office he was used to; it felt like working while having fun. If you worked in this kind of environment, you might actually enjoy going to work.

While his assistants were reporting to President Fang, Cen Yanhuai opened his personal computer and searched for updates about Giant Entertainment. The content of these casual conversations alone was enough to broaden his horizons.

[So, all of you who attended the offline meetup actually stayed overnight on the cruise ship, and all your food, drinks, and entertainment were free? Haha, I'm not jealous at all.]

[I'm so jealous I'm unrecognizable; I was already annoyed at not getting a ticket in the draw.]

[A fan on my contact list won a ticket. She said that after the fan meeting, she saw many celebrities eating on the ship. It wasn't just the artists from Juyu Entertainment, but also many singers and bands. However, it seems that the streamers all disembarked at 10:00 AM this morning.]

[Because they have to do magazine shoots for six afternoons... These guys have really risen in status again, looking gorgeous. Besides the original nine-page spread featuring Jia Sha, who was invested in by Juyu, Volle also proactively invited several of their lead actors to be on the cover... I'm not sure if they managed to get on Volle's good side, but I'll say it first.]

[Why don't you take a look at the business partners who have come to us... This is the first time I've seen so many endorsements announced in one day. Mr. Fang, are you really not considering having them film other dramas afterward? QAQ I really, really want to see them.]

[The next time we'll have dramas for the streamers will probably have to wait until the next competition.]

[I have a feeling the next competition will be even fiercer than this one, since all the rewards were actually paid out this time, and the speed at which I rose to stardom was like a rocket.]

[^^Why is everyone talking about group streaming? I heard the 399-star area is going to be open to tourists.]

[Put your ear in advance]

[When did the official account release this information?]

Sitting in General Manager Fang's office, listening to the report on investment promotion, Cen Yanhuai felt for the first time how close he was to the gossip being discussed online.

Various sizes of boards are placed on the floor tracks in the office area. Staff can easily pull a board over to create a giant projection screen.

"Mr. Fang, since the announcement of the investment promotion information yesterday afternoon, 2,985 merchants have expressed their intention to join."

"After screening based on qualifications and brand category image, 1,320 businesses remain initially. There are still two days left until the deadline we announced, and we expect to have more new businesses added in the next two days."

Fang Zhuo glanced at the file sent in advance on his personal computer and roughly browsed through the list of businesses: "Send this list to the employees and let them vote on their favorite stores."

"Okay, Mr. Fang."

Another staff member immediately switched the content on the whiteboard: "President Fang, after the release of the short drama 'Card Making,' the organic page views of the six main actors' entries increased elevenfold. In addition to the three brands initially reserved, a total of nine high-value commercial endorsements have been added."

"Tai Mi has been invited to play the second female lead in the upcoming S+ level long drama 'Winter Snow Banquet' on Tencent Video. We have already reviewed the script. Can you sign a contract and join the production?"

Fang Zhuo tapped his fingertip on the desk.

The second female lead doesn't have many scenes, and the series airs on a two-day rotating schedule, so TaoMi should be able to manage. Even if she misses one or two episodes, for a newcomer, appearing in a foreign drama on such a major platform is a good opportunity to build a substantial body of work and increase her visibility.

If the broadcast is successful, it would be a good idea for Tao Mi to transition into acting.

"Let Taomi decide for herself. The company has no objections."

The report was brief and concise. Just as they pushed the board aside and left, Fang Zhuo received the 60 million yuan rebate from Tao Mi's signed contract.

As the company's various businesses expand, his passive income will gradually increase like a snowball.

What he needs now is to quickly devise a promotional plan to bring Cen Yanhuai into the public eye.

Deng Jiaqiang finished his latte in a few gulps, as if it were water, and suggested, "Isn't that trending lately? Qin Yi, why don't you create a new account, pretend to be a passerby, and pretend to bump into this handsome guy on the street, and then film a video?"

Qin Yi hugged the pile of cameras Fang Zhuo had just bought for her like a child, and immediately retorted upon hearing this:

"That's so unbelievable! How could you just bump into someone on the street? What's the difference between that and being hit by a pile of money on the street?"

"If there were so many handsome men on the street, would I still be single?"

Deng Jiaqiang shrugged: "There's nothing we can do, that's how everyone takes pictures. I see everyone in the comments section believes it was a chance encounter."

Fang Zhuo interrupted the argument that was about to erupt between the two and made a decision for Qin Yi: "You can plan a special feature. You can pretend to run into Cen Yanhuai at his workplace. The expenses for taking photos or videos can be paid directly from the company card, with no limit."

Qin Yi pondered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow: "President Fang, you yourself said there was no upper limit, so I'll plan an entire special feature."

Fang Zhuo gave an "okay" sign.

It was already past 4 p.m. Cen Yanhuai thought the filming wouldn't start until the next day, but Qin Yi brought over a stylist to change his clothes and then took him directly to the bottom of the tallest building on the main planet.

This place is also known as the Summit of the Federation. It is over 1,500 meters high and has a super high-rise observation deck with three floors on top. It attracts a huge number of people every day and is one of the must-visit tourist attractions when you come to the main planet.

Qin Yi is less than 1.6 meters tall and doesn't look very old. When communicating with the staff at the tower, she seemed to be putting on a brave face.

"I want to book the top three floors for an hour and a half, from 8:30 to 10:00."

The staff member didn't even bother to lift his head, resting his chin on his hand as he sat at his workstation inside the front desk, looking at his personal terminal: "We don't support private bookings here."

Qin Yi took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "Never mind, I'll just call President Fang over."

As soon as he finished speaking, the staff member on the other end finally raised an eyebrow, looked them both up and down, lingered on Cen Yanhuai's face for a moment, and asked:

"Are you an artist? Which Mr. Fang are you?"

This time, Cen Yanhuai even forgot to cover his right cheek and replied, "It's Mr. Fang from Giant Entertainment. We are employees of Giant Entertainment and would like to temporarily occupy the venue to film for a while."

The receptionist then stood up from her chair, jogged a few steps, and called the manager over.

The manager was a rather easy-going middle-aged woman who didn't make things difficult for them and quickly brought up a calculator from her personal terminal:

"You two want to book the whole place, right? Our daily visitor count is around 10,000. The entrance ticket is 90 yuan, and there's also a suspended amusement ride on the roof, which costs 300 yuan per ride."

"It's peak season now, and a ticket for just one and a half hours costs around 150,000 yuan. If you want to book that much time, it might be a bit expensive."

Qin Yi and Cen Yanhuai exchanged a glance, then she also pulled up her calculator and did a quick calculation, before boldly declaring:

"Those who want to ride are expensive, but our CEO Fang has plenty of money! Let's book your hoisting amusement project too, a total of 300,000 yuan, by card."

As soon as the money was transferred, the receptionist reacted quickly and picked up the walkie-talkie to notify the security guards at the foot of the tower to control the flow of people.

After Cen Yanhuai saw Qin Yi pay with the company card, he paced back and forth in the same spot, showing a visible tension.

He coughed twice and said, "Miss Qin, isn't this expense a bit too much? Should we tell Mr. Fang about it?"

Qin Yi: "That's exactly what I was thinking."

She switched to the chat interface in front of Cen Yanhuai, her tone so humble that it was almost unrecognizable compared to when she had just swiped her card so lavishly:

[Your Majesty, the venue fee just cost you 300,000. What do you think? If it's too much, I think I can still get it back by having someone else do it.]

Fang Zhuo: [I didn't notice. I thought it was some software's auto-renewal that I forgot to turn off. Don't ask me about single transactions under ten million in the future.]

Qin Yi: [Yes]

Qin Yi then patted his chest and performed a two-stage face-changing act:

"It seems I've been too narrow-minded. The Emperor casually brought me a few cameras that cost over 100,000 yuan in total. How could I care about a mere 300,000 yuan venue fee?"

She wrapped the camera strap around her arm and made a starting gesture to Cen Yanhuai: "Paw Patrol, let's go!"

The two reached the top of the tower at 8:35. Below them were bustling streets and high-rise buildings twinkling with lights.

The entire top floor was deserted, with only the city night view reflected in the large floor-to-ceiling windows, like a scene from a science fiction movie.

Qin Yi first took two quick photos to test the lighting, then suddenly frowned.

Cen Yanhua nervously touched his cheek and awkwardly licked his lips: "Will the scar be visible in the camera? I was in a car accident before..."

"No." Qin Yi shook her head, her eyes reflecting the bright light. She said solemnly, "You are very beautiful. After makeup, you can't see any trace of injury."

“Teacher Cen, don’t always hide your face. You have to believe that there will be people who appreciate the whole you.”

"You must first learn to love yourself and be confident, and then others will naturally love you."

Looking into those bright eyes, Cen Yanhuai was momentarily at a loss for words.

Having only been at Giant Entertainment for a short afternoon, he received the kindness and support he hadn't received during the six months he spent at Xinghan subsidiary.

Everyone here has a rich inner life, possessing the kind of self-consistency that they lack most in their hearts.

He once thought that he had a mental problem during that period, that he was having paranoia, but was it possible that the environment in Xinghan was really too strange...?

This hour and a half was too precious; almost every minute and second was burning through funds beyond his comprehension. He didn't have time to think deeply; he could only try to correct his instinct to dodge and try not to waste the expensive venue fee.

In the final shot, he was hanging outside a building over 1,500 meters away, looking down at the bustling streets of the main planet. The camera no longer focused on his face, but rather on the muscle lines and movements of his entire body.

Only at this moment did he tense all his muscles, gripping the blade fixed to his upper arm as Qin Yi instructed. A tear finally slid down from the corner of his eye, silently crossing a thousand meters to hit the ground.

Behind him was the empty three-story building, and no one but himself knew of this tear.

With a "thud".

Qin Yi lay on his bed in the dormitory, placed his physical computer on the pillow, and focused intently on clicking the mouse.

She deliberately zoomed in on a section of the video, hoping that someone would appreciate her masterpiece once it was released.

To be honest, the performance of the new artist that Ms. Fang recently signed is ridiculously high, a whole level above the idols and stars she had previously worked with.

After editing the video, she was extremely satisfied. She first circulated it among everyone in the company group before setting a time to send it out the following evening.

To make Cen Yanhuai's video seem more "chance," she plans to casually film another ordinary person tomorrow and release the two videos one after the other, so that it will appear more accidental from the audience's perspective.

She watched the entire video again and couldn't help but chuckle to herself, praising herself inwardly.

How can she have such a brilliant idea? She's truly a genius.

At 8 PM, after receiving praise in the internal group chat, this meticulously planned "chance encounter" video was simultaneously released on Qin Yi's official account and short video platform account.