Chapter 859 You're clean, he's dirty.
Bai Jin waved his hand and said, "How could that be? I just want to take advantage of the fact that 'Friends' is still filming. I want to do what I want to do in the next two years. If 'Friends' ends, I probably won't be able to study this book anymore. However, if I go to Manchester to study, although the time for graduate studies is relatively flexible, and I told my advisor in advance that I would be filming at the end of each year, it will definitely still affect filming and promotion. So, I wanted to tell everyone in advance."
"So, you're planning to only film 'Friends' and not take on any other roles?" Wen Minglan asked.
Bai Jin nodded.
“I discussed it with the company. Actually, I’ve wanted to pursue a master’s degree for a long time, and they know what I’m thinking,” Bai Jin said. “After a long negotiation, they finally agreed. If I’m going to study, it’s definitely not realistic to star in other projects. That’s why I said that I can only do this while Friends is still filming. Otherwise, I don’t think the company would agree. If I don’t take on any roles for several years, I might be forgotten by the audience and be eliminated.”
After a brief moment of surprise, Lu Yanhe came to his senses and nodded.
"It's nice to read whenever you feel like it."
Actually, Lu Yanhe was not surprised that Bai Jin would have such thoughts.
He always felt that Bai Jin was the most thoughtful of the girls.
Neither Zhan Yun nor Wen Minglan had considered anything beyond acting in their lives, at least for the past five years.
But Bai Jin is different. In recent years, although she has been acting, she has also been doing a lot of cross-industry things.
She doesn't have that many of the traits of a female celebrity.
Bai Jin even writes her own public account—she's practically the only celebrity to do so.
He wrote essays over a long period of time, recounting his observations and experiences, both related and unrelated to the entertainment industry.
Of course, she wasn't the typical artsy type, nor was she a quiet girl with long, flowing hair and wearing a white cotton dress.
She is actually very individualistic, a personality that doesn't quite fit the image of a star in a commercial era; she's more like a maverick icon.
Aside from "Friends", Bai Jin wasn't very famous.
She has no shortage of acting opportunities and is not an unknown, but she is not a highly popular idol either.
Therefore, these special aspects of hers do not attract much attention.
Only people like Lu Yanhe, who were relatively familiar with Bai Jin, had a good understanding of him because they had a lot of contact with him.
Zhan Yun was quite envious and said, "That's so nice, I'm so envious of you."
Bai Jin smiled and said, "You can also apply to schools overseas in the future and give yourself a break."
Although Bai Jin said that, everyone knew that it was actually much more difficult for Zhan Yun to study than for Bai Jin.
Like Yan Lingyu and Jiang Yuqian, she is a popular, top-tier female celebrity. So many people are vying for their schedules; every minute and every second of their time can be monetized.
Under these circumstances, it is almost impossible to suddenly disappear for two or three years to study.
-
After the dinner, Yan Liang and Lu Yanhe drove back together.
Because the filming of "Friends" took place in Yuming, they didn't stay in hotels and returned to Ziyuan Bridge every night.
On the bus, Yan Liang said, "It's quite unexpected that Bai Jin would choose to go to school at this time."
“Actually, this is the safest approach for her,” Lu Yanhe said. “Friends is filmed every year, so if she goes to study during this time, she doesn’t have to worry about being forgotten by everyone due to a long period of no exposure.”
With "Friends" currently being filmed, Bai Jin has a stable output of works every year.
Yan Liang: "That's not what I meant. I meant that she still wants to continue her studies."
Lu Yanhe: "Oh right, I forgot to ask, and I don't know what she's studying."
Yan Liang: "Yes, I don't know what major she's going to study, but it's a bit unbelievable that she's still thinking about studying. I've never seen anyone like that around me."
“Don’t you think it’s normal for someone with Bai Jin’s personality to do something like this?” Lu Yanhe said. “It seems like she has never thought about making acting her lifelong career, and she can leave at any time. That’s the impression I get from her.”
Yan Liang: "If you put it that way, it does seem to make sense. She is indeed quite different from us. Unlike us, who film one movie after another, she doesn't seem to take on many other roles each year besides 'Friends,' and she doesn't appear on many variety shows either."
It's not that Bai Jin doesn't have much exposure, nor that she never appears except to promote her work. It's just that most of the time, she doesn't act like a typical female celebrity. For example, when she walks the red carpet, her style isn't the "glamorous" or "outshining" type, nor is she unconventional or edgy. Most of the time, she appears in a conventional way, appearing and then seemingly not at all, rarely appearing in the usual trending topics for female celebrities.
For example, in the current era of booming live-streaming e-commerce, she has only occasionally appeared in live streams for brands she endorses. More often, she appears in the live streams or videos of her friends. These friends include chefs, curators, and doctors, covering a wide range of fields with seemingly unrelated connections. Each time she appears, she is casual, not deliberately bare-faced, but also not as polished as a female celebrity. It can be said that she is a celebrity who appears frequently on various video platforms, yet her appearances are unconventional.
Of course, this is a very stereotypical view.
But overall, this is the kind of image Bai Jin presents.
An atypical female celebrity image.
Lu Yanhe actually admires Bai Jin's style.
Many celebrities, including actors, are now packaged too cleanly by their companies and teams. "Clean" refers to what's outwardly apparent. This includes Li Zhibai and others; because traits like "arrogance" and "humanity" are popular, his team has done a lot of guidance and packaging in these areas. In this commercial age, even Lu Yanhe isn't immune to this trend.
However, Bai Jin exhibited a very unique degree of freedom in this regard.
This may also be related to the fact that she has relatively few loyal fans but a high level of fame. This allows her to meet the economic needs of her company and team in terms of commercial value because of "Friends," while also allowing her to retain maximum freedom because she doesn't follow the popularity and traffic route.
"I'm envious," Yan Liang said.
Lu Yanhe: "It is indeed enviable."
Yan Liang: "Compared to the people in 'Friends,' I suddenly feel that apart from the changes in our careers, the three of us have hardly changed in other aspects. We are still the same as we were a few years ago. How could this be?"
"Because we dedicate all our time to our careers, we hardly have time for anything else." Lu Yanhe shrugged, turned to Yan Liang and grinned, "You reap what you sow, don't you?"
"Is it considered a sacrifice?"
“It’s a choice,” Lu Yanhe said. “Even if you were given the chance to do it all over again, you would still make the same choice. Character determines destiny, and that’s absolutely true.”
Yan Liang smiled too.
He hooked his arm around Lu Yanhe's neck and said, "Every time this happens, I think I'm glad you're here, so that when I feel a little lost, I'm not so lost."
“What’s there to be confused about? You’re just looking at a path you’ve never walked before, and it looks quite beautiful,” Lu Yanhe laughed.
-
Li Zhibai was still awake.
Or rather, Li Zhibai was actually home tonight.
"Why did you come back here today? What about next door? Isn't Siqi here?"
“She’s away on a business trip.” Lu Yanhe hooked his arm around Yan Liang’s neck. “So we’ll just have to make do with you guys tonight.”
"It'll have to do, get out!" Li Zhibai waved his hand dismissively, shooing the customer away.
"What are you doing?" Yan Liang changed the subject and asked, "It's already one in the morning, and you're still not asleep."
"Me? What's so strange about me not being asleep at 1 a.m.? It would be strange if I were going to sleep at 1 a.m.," Li Zhibai said. "I was reading the script. Why are you two so late?"
"We talked for a bit too long tonight." Lu Yanhe yawned. "I'm sleepy, I'm going to bed."
Li Zhibai: "You guys have to work tomorrow, go to sleep."
Aren't you going to sleep yet?
"Even if you asked me to sleep now, I wouldn't be able to."
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang thought about it and agreed, so they washed up and went to bed.
Li Zhibai remained seated in the living room, looking at the script in front of him.
The script was on the table, but neither Lu Yanhe nor Yan Liang had thought of taking a look at it.
Li Zhibai took a deep breath, his brows furrowed.
This script was commissioned by his company, who wanted him to act in it.
The script wasn't terrible, but it certainly didn't meet Li Zhibai's standards. However, this script was written by Chen Mo, the go-to screenwriter for the renowned director Liu Lida, and his family's film and television company bought it specifically to collaborate with Liu Lida.
And in such a collaboration, the male lead is naturally played by Li Zhibai.
This is a family production. The script alone cost eight figures, and once production officially begins, the project will definitely cost at least 100 million yuan. Of course, if Li Zhibai actually stars in it, the budget will increase accordingly.
The key point is that if Li Zhibai doesn't star in the show, the platform might not be willing to buy the rights to the drama, and even if they do, the purchase price certainly won't be as high as if Li Zhibai were the lead actor.
Logically speaking, he should support the film and television company that his family set up specifically for him, and this is the first major production the company wants to make.
Li Zhibai has never been one to dwell on things, but this time he was unusually conflicted.
-
I don't want to act in this movie.
The next day, Li Zhibai left home early and returned home, appearing at their family's breakfast table for the first time in a long time.
"Why?" Li Zhibai's father, Li Rui, asked.
Li Zhibai said, "The script was too ordinary and did not meet my criteria for accepting roles."
Upon hearing this, Li Rui glanced at Li Shenyuan, who was sitting to the side.
Li Shenyuan said, "This script was written by Mo Chen. He is director Liu Lida's go-to screenwriter, and the two have collaborated on several dramas."
Li Zhi nodded a hundred times.
“I know, but this script won’t do,” Li Zhibai said. “The company wants to produce its own films and TV series. I’m willing to act in them, but not in a regular project.”
Li Shenyuan frowned slightly.
"Is there room for revisions to the script?" he asked.
“Yes, but will the silence lead to revisions?” Li Zhibai said. “Screenwriters of this caliber usually only accept the fact that their scripts are not good enough after the show has been filmed, broadcast, and the audience doesn’t like it.”
“I don’t understand this, but we spent ten million to buy this script,” Li Shenyuan said. “At the time, several film and television companies were vying for this script.”
“Normally, screenwriters collect a deposit before they start writing the script,” Li Zhibai said. “Of course, this script isn’t terrible; it’s actually alright, but not good enough for me to act in.”
Li Shenyuan looked at Li Rui.
Li Rui said, "Since you think the script is no good, then forget it."
Li Zhibai said, "Why didn't you tell me beforehand that you wanted to buy this script?"
“Since Silence has such a big reputation, and there were so many companies vying for it at the time, I was worried someone else would snatch it away, so I just bought it directly.” Li Shenyuan asked, “Did I botch this script? It’s not worth that much money?”
“Of course not.” Li Zhibai shook his head. “Brother, if you want to do it, I can help you. Although I don’t want to act, with the fame of Chen Mo and Liu Lida, we can still attract other actors to act.”
“If this script were to be adapted into a TV series, the production costs would be considerable. Without an actor recognized by a platform to play the lead role, it would be difficult to get it approved,” Li Shenyuan said. “Of course, I’m also just starting out in this business, so I may only know the basics.”
Li Zhibai: "Big productions generally do require actors recognized by the platform, but if Liu Lida is really the director, given the current quality of the script, the platform certainly won't give it a red light. The key is that they might not be willing to just be a platform and collect copyrighted dramas."
"So what's your suggestion?"
“With Liu Lida as the director, they definitely have a lot of say in this drama, which will inevitably weaken our control over it. It depends on whether you want to produce this drama yourself or connect with Director Liu Lida and start a long-term collaboration with him,” Li Zhibai said. “If it’s the latter, then we’ll play a supporting role. If it’s the former, to be honest, it would be better to take the script directly to the platform and see if they are interested. We can act as a co-producer, using the platform’s production budget and production team to gain experience and break into the market.”
Li Shenyuan looked at Li Rui.
Li Rui: "This company was originally proposed by your brother to help you. Tell me, what are your thoughts?"
“My idea is to follow the Linghe model and do it ourselves,” Li Zhibai said frankly. “Of course, we definitely can’t do it ourselves at the beginning. The company doesn’t have any professional managers right now. It’s all my responsibility. We’re figuring things out as we go. Whether it’s cooperating with director Liu Lida’s company to develop the project or trying to retain some control by contacting and cooperating with platforms in advance, it’s all the same. It’s just that if we cooperate with the former, we have much less room to maneuver and are more easily constrained, especially if I don’t act in the project. They are less wary of us then.”
Li Rui: "Can't this script be compromised?"
“I can compromise. Not every film I've worked on has been a great success. But I don’t think it’s necessary to compromise,” Li Zhibai said. “It’s not like I absolutely have to act in this now. If it doesn’t work out and the project doesn’t go well, I can sell the script to someone else and manage the losses. But if I know the project isn’t good enough, and I still have to force myself to get on board because of you, one wrong step will lead to another. And I have a bad temper, so I’ll end up arguing with you every few days. It’ll be so annoying.”
Li Shenyuan smiled.
"You know you have a terrible temper."
“Yes, that’s why I came here early this morning to tell you I wouldn’t be acting,” Li Zhibai said. “Afterwards, I will have some projects that I want to do, including the ‘Grass on the Grass’ series. I will bring them to our company to work on. Brother, you don’t have to worry about the company not having projects. If you see any good projects that can be developed, and if you want me to be deeply involved, then let me get involved in advance. The script for ‘Silence’ can actually be completely revised. If it’s not the work of such a great screenwriter, if we go to him now to talk about revising the script, not only will he ignore us, but he might also think I’m being arrogant. The communication cost is too high.”
Li Shenyuan nodded.
"I see."
"Brother, are you planning to shift your focus to this company? To work mainly in film and television?" Li Zhi asked.
Li Shenyuan said, "In the next two years, we will focus our work on this area. Our family's business distribution is trending towards new technologies. These fields have very obvious internet characteristics. In other words, compared to traditional heavy industries, we will rely more on brand effect and public image. Our cautious entry into the entertainment industry is actually due to the demand generated by industrial transformation. Our family has the same need."
Li Zhibai immediately glanced at Li Rui.
"A company set up for me? Ha."
Li Rui: "..."
-
Li Zhibai only told Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang about it after he had resolved the matter.
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang exchanged glances, somewhat surprised by the speed at which Li Zhibai acted.
“It’s better to say something sooner rather than later,” Li Zhibai said. “If you don’t want to act but keep dragging it out, people still have hope for you.”
“They’re your family, so you can just refuse them.” That’s what Lu Yanhe admired about them.
When it comes to official business, things are easy to handle. The most complicated and difficult issues are always family matters.
Li Zhibai: "I know what you're thinking, but you all know that my relationship with my family isn't always that harmonious."
“Although we’re not on good terms, we’re still family at heart. We haven’t become enemies, but we’re not exactly all polite to each other either.” Lu Yanhe laughed. “Stop pretending to be cool. You actually care about your family a lot, otherwise you wouldn’t have said no so quickly, right?”
“That’s obvious,” Li Zhibai retorted to Lu Yanhe before sighing. “Sigh, I never expected that I would be so protective of my reputation that I even turned down a role in a play my family was producing.”
He's back to his usual calm and collected self.
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang exchanged a speechless glance.
My phone suddenly rang.
It was Chen Ziyan calling.
"I received information that Zhang Yue is indeed investigating your past."
Lu Yanhe frowned immediately, holding his phone, and went back to his room.
Why is she investigating my past?
"I guess she wants to dig out some information to deal with you," Chen Ziyan said with a smile. "It seems that the 'drama tyrant' incident was a big enough blow to Chen Pinhe that made her unable to sit still."
Lu Yanhe: "That's really interesting. They can't sit still without getting hurt. What if they really get hurt later?"
Chen Ziyan: "I've investigated for a long time. Chen Pinhe and Zhang Yuezhen have done a lot of things over the years, but I haven't found any solid evidence against them. Zhang Yuezhen has been too clean in the act. She is a formidable opponent."
For the first time in a long time, Lu Yanhe heard Chen Ziyan refer to Zhang Yuezhen as a formidable rival.
It's clear that Chen Ziyan has been frequently sparring with Zhang Yuezhen lately, and she genuinely believes that Zhang Yuezhen is quite capable and not someone to be trifled with.
Lu Yanhe: "..."
He said, "It's okay, there's plenty of time. Anyway, I'm young, I can outlast them."
Chen Ziyan: "...You've really gone too far."
“Really, Sister Ziyan, it’s actually so great. They’ll never be at ease from now on, because they’ll always be worried that we’re watching them, always worried that we’ll do something to them.” Lu Yanhe said, “Thinking about it this way, I think they’ll definitely have a hard time, and that makes me very happy.”
"Don't use the 'spiritual victory' method," Chen Ziyan said bluntly. "Although what you said makes sense, don't use the 'spiritual victory' method, it will only numb yourself."
Lu Yanhe: "Sigh, you've hit the nail on the head again."
“Zhang Yuezhen probably wanted to give you a hard time, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find anything,” Chen Ziyan said. “You are clean and upright, and you never have to worry about being caught in a trap. That’s what makes you feel good. You are clean, and he is dirty.”
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
