Chapter 102 Intercepting the Spoils [VIP]
Chapter Summary: How will this matter be handled?
The words "voluntarily reduced her salary" felt like a slap in the face to Liu Rui, burning hot.
Liu Rui felt embarrassed and furious, and couldn't help but curse Dou Wei in her heart:
This director Dou, who exudes a fatherly air, actually revealed that she lowered her fee to act in his film in order to show how popular his new movie is—not because he's a fan of the actresses, but because the actresses are vying to act in his movies!
It cannot be admitted openly, under any circumstances.
Liu Rui said in a light tone, "This is my second collaboration with Director Dou, so I gave him a friendly price."
This is a common practice within the industry.
Some actors work with renowned directors repeatedly without receiving payment, while others pay out of their own pockets to appear in films or TV shows. So what's so special about giving a "friendship price"?
He Zhiyue remained silent, knowing that Liu Rui was making excuses.
He was very familiar with the situation of several of the company's top artists.
Liu Rui was originally in talks to play the lead role in a crime thriller. However, her previous collaboration with Director Dou resulted in the film grossing only a little over 200 million yuan, and she had subtly criticized him for "running out of ideas," so she had no intention of working with him again.
Whether Director Dou handed the script to Liu Rui first, or only to Mu Zhi, is not the point.
The key question is whether Liu Rui only decided to take the role because Mu Zhi was negotiating a collaboration on the film "Twins," and whether she took the role not for the sake of the film itself, but to steal Mu Zhi's resources.
He Zhiyue had no intention of arguing with Liu Rui about this matter.
"The company explicitly prohibits malicious competition among its artists, as such behavior would have a negative impact on the company if it got out."
Looking at Liu Rui, his expression and tone lost their usual gentleness, replaced by the authority of a superior: "Teacher Liu, since you signed with the company, you have enjoyed the best resources among all artists. As a senior, you should have a broad perspective and set a good example for other artists."
If you can't do it, the company will consider replacing you with someone else.
The last sentence was spoken with considerable emphasis.
The implication is that the company can promote Liu Rui as the top female employee, or it can promote someone else.
"Teacher Liu, are you determined to take on the role in 'Twins'?"
Liu Rui's face turned pale and then flushed, looking extremely unwell.
Sitting opposite her, He Zhiyue was like a lion, looking down at her with an aggressive gaze.
Two days ago, Liu Rui found out that Mu Zhi was interested in starring in "Twins," so she arranged to meet Dou Wei before Mu Zhi could and proposed to play the female lead in the movie.
Director Dou was quite surprised by this, but then realized that Liu Rui was trying to compete with Mu Zhi for resources. The old fox felt that he had suddenly turned the tables and was now in control. He wanted to take advantage of the situation to manipulate Liu Rui.
He didn't agree to let Liu Rui play the role, saying, "Actually, for the female lead in 'Twins,' my preferred choice is Mu Zhi..."
He said he had arranged to meet Mu Zhi tomorrow, but needed to think about it again, implying that Liu Rui should lower her fee and act in the film as a friend.
This infuriated Liu Rui.
After thinking about it for a day, I had no choice but to agree to lower my salary in order to get the role.
One of the reasons Liu Rui snatched the role from Mu Zhi was that Mu Zhi had risen too quickly and her career development was too rapid. Liu Rui was worried that her position in the company was not stable and that she would be dragged down. Therefore, snatching the resource was intended to suppress Mu Zhi.
However, that is not the main reason.
Recently, at some industry dinners, when Mu Zhi was mentioned, everyone was amazed by the mystical aura surrounding her. "The Bell Ringer" was originally a mess, but Mu Zhi's performance made her a huge star, and "Back to 17" broke box office records, achieving a remarkable 1 billion yuan.
The spy drama "The Edge of the Blade," which is currently airing, has become a minor hit.
Mu Zhi didn't get the best resources, but she maximized the benefits of all of them.
He still has a film in stock by the renowned director Wan Zhou.
People in the industry think that Mu Zhi is lucky, has a good eye, and is very good at choosing scripts.
Liu Rui snatched the role of Mu Zhi, hoping to steal Mu Zhi's good fortune as well. She hopes to become a star with the drama "Twins" instead of remaining a mediocre actor.
So she's definitely going to take the role in this movie.
"President He, I have agreed to star in Director Dou's 'Twins' and the letter of intent has already been signed."
This means that the matter is settled, there is no room for negotiation, and it will absolutely not be handed over to Mu Zhi.
Knowing that He Zhiyue was someone who responded better to gentleness than force, she played the victim and said, "President He, you're right. To many actors in the company, I'm a senior. I've been in the industry for almost 10 years and am about 10 years older than Mu Zhi."
She mentioned the age gap between herself and Mu Zhi with some reluctance: "The roles we take are for different age groups. I only took the role in 'Twins' because it was suitable for me. I wouldn't pretend to be young to compete with a young girl for a role just to target someone else."
He Zhiyue was speechless for a moment; he hadn't meant that.
When the company signed Liu Rui, she was already over 30. Actresses of every age can shine in the field of acting and should not be limited by age. Naturally, Liu Rui's development will not be slowed down because of her age.
At that moment, Luke walked in and announced, "Director Ji has arrived."
He Zhiyue gestured: Please come in.
Ji Binghe informed the boss that Liu Rui had snatched the role from Mu Zhi, which was just a routine report. Then she went to talk to Mu Zhi to understand her thoughts on "Twins" before considering how to handle the situation.
I had just finished talking with Mu Zhi when I heard that the boss had called Liu Rui to the company.
Thinking about how displeased the boss looked when he heard her report, she knew that the boss was very disgusted by his artists fighting for resources, especially malicious competition.
Ji Binghe rushed over.
Upon entering, I could tell from their expressions that the conversation hadn't been very pleasant.
This matter could be a big or small one. Given the company's current situation, it's not advisable to lose another key employee. Ji Binghe's intention was to handle it leniently, and she had already sent her proposed solution to the boss when she stood at the door.
He winked at the boss, signaling him to look at his phone.
Ji Binghe immediately acted as a peacemaker, giving Liu Rui a way out. Liu Rui also tactfully gave Ji Binghe some face, saying that she would discuss future roles with her agent in advance to avoid such "misunderstandings" from happening again.
After Liu Rui left.
Ji Binghe noticed that her boss's expression was still somewhat unpleasant. In fact, He Zhiyue usually handled things with a maturity beyond his years, was not fussy about details, and sometimes couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing; he was quite arrogant.
He's still too young and too idealistic.
"President He, I've spoken with Mu Zhi. She wasn't very satisfied with the script for 'Twins' to begin with, and wasn't keen on taking the role. And now that she's learned that other actors have been cast in 'Twins'..."
Mu Zhi simply said "Oh," and then added, "Then let's look at some other scripts."
I don't feel regretful at all.
So if Liu Rui wants to act, then let Liu Rui act.
To put it bluntly, Mu Zhi and Liu Rui do have an age gap, and it's highly unlikely that their roles will overlap, so this situation won't happen again.
Ji Binghe knew the boss was acting out of concern for another matter, hence her harsh treatment of Liu Rui. The company had invested a lot of effort in her, and for an artist to cause trouble behind the company's back would inevitably make her the next...
After hesitating for a moment, he still asked the boss, "President He, what are your plans to do about Mao Hongjun's matter?"
He Zhiyue frowned upon hearing the name.
He said somewhat coldly, "If your heart isn't in gazing at the stars, there's no need for you to stay."
Ji Binghe sighed inwardly: The company has invested the most in its actors, with Liu Rui as the female lead and Mao Hongjun as the male lead. However, it seems that they have not yet generated as much revenue for the company as Mu Zhi.
All talent agencies face a common dilemma: the question of whether or not to retain their actors.
The contract has expired, and renewal is a problem.
Some companies even try to abscond with the money before the contract expires.
The thought of Mao Hongjun terminating his contract with Lanxing Media gave Ji Binghe a headache; she estimated the uproar it would cause online...
Mu Zhi received a call from You Chan.
"Are you free, Sister Muzhi? Can you treat me to a meal?"
“…Okay.” You Chan was quite outgoing.
You Chan said she wanted to eat hot pot, so the two of them went to eat hot pot.
Mu Zhi, Zhou Jingzhu, and Liu Cai went out to eat. Because the three of them were developing in different fields, they didn't have many common topics and didn't often talk about their work. Most of the time, they just ate together.
He had a gut feeling that You Chan hadn't just asked him out for a meal.
Once the hot pot base was served, all the meats and vegetables we ordered were also brought out.
As soon as the waiter left, You Chan gossiped, "Sister Muzhi, I heard that Liu Rui snatched a movie from you?"
Mu Zhi: How did you get such good news about something that happened two days ago?
You Chan looked at her with an expression that said, "You don't know this, do you?" "Some news can be kept tightly under wraps if neither side wants it to be known. But if they want it to be known, it can spread in minutes."
It means that someone deliberately leaked the information.
Then, mysteriously, she said, "I also heard that Liu Rui came to the company yesterday and went into Brother Zhiyue's office."
Curious, she asked, "How do you think Brother Zhiyue will handle this?"
Mu Zhi was curious as to why He Zhiyue was addressed in that way.
“I’ve worked with Grandpa Feng before. He played my grandfather in a movie. My own grandfather visited the set and played chess with Grandpa Feng. We became good chess friends, and that’s how we got to know each other a little bit. That’s why my family felt comfortable letting me sign with Lanxing Media.”
You Chan rested her chin on her hand, smiling mischievously: "Don't you think calling him President He or Boss is too serious and old-fashioned, and quite boring? Brother Zhiyue has no airs at all, and we have no generation gap when we communicate."
He's older than me, but looks young. I don't think I should call him "uncle," so I'll just call him "brother."
Let's get back to the main topic.
You Chan: "I bet Liu Rui is deliberately stealing your resources. I used to call her a movie queen, thinking she was the kind of low-key, unpretentious actress who was dedicated to performing arts. I really admired her. I was wrong!"
Hearing You Chan speak up for her, Mu Zhi explained, "Liu Rui could also play that role in this movie."
Although the other party's act of lowering their own value to steal resources is very unethical.
However, after meeting with Director Dou, the two sides were not on the same page regarding the script and could not reach an agreement.
After considering it, Mu Zhi decided to give up taking on the role in "Twins".
Then I received a call from my agent informing me that Liu Rui had been cast as the female lead in "Twins"...
Upon hearing this, You Chan laughed happily, "So Liu Rui accepted a movie that you decided not to take, hahaha, that's so satisfying! I wonder if she'll regret it if she knows the truth!"
Then that has nothing to do with Mu Zhi.
The two of them didn't order much food, and after eating almost everything, they stopped eating.
You Chan dropped her second exclusive bombshell.
"Sister Zhizhi, are you aware that Mao Hongjun wants to terminate his contract with the company?"
Mu Zhi: ? When filming for "Countdown" started, she reminded her agent about Mao Hongjun's private meeting with the vice president of the He Group.
Several months have passed, and Mao Hongjun wants to terminate his contract with the company? She knows nothing about the reasons or what exactly happened.
You Chan saw that Mu Zhi was somewhat surprised to hear the news. "Sister Mu Zhi, you are really... so cute. You are so focused on filming and you don't even know about the gossip and scandals in the company."
Usually, when filming on set, the staff would occasionally gossip with Mu Zhi about the company's artists or things trending on social media when they were bored while waiting for their turn. But the two pieces of news that You Chan "heard" tonight were not gossip that the staff could easily hear.
Mu Zhi simply smiled and said, "I don't pay much attention to that."
You Chan hesitated before probing, "Sister Muzhi, I'm not quite sure why Mao Hongjun terminated his contract. Why do you think he would terminate his contract with the company?"
After saying that, he laughed it off and said he was just asking casually.
Mu Zhi shook her head: "I don't know either, everyone has different ideas."
Two days later.
Mu Zhi recently accepted a furniture endorsement deal and will be shooting advertisements and promotional photos.
Ji Binghe accompanied Mu Zhi on the journey.
After work, the company car took Mu Zhi back to Donghua Mansion.
Ji Binghe and Mu Zhi went upstairs together; they had something to talk about.
Back home, Mu Zhi told her agent to make himself at home.
I went and poured a glass of warm water for my agent.
Ji Binghe had visited Mu Zhi's home many times, and each time she saw it was spotless, a stark contrast to where Mu Zhi lived.
After sitting down on the sofa, he took the water that Mu Zhi handed him and took a sip.
We began by discussing the work-related topics.
"You just finished filming the female lead role in Director Wan Zhou's movie, and your career is booming, unlike last time when you had too much downtime."
There's a patriotic film airing these past couple of days, which, according to online descriptions, is a multi-director anthology film...
This means a film revolves around the same main theme and is divided into several stories. For example, it might be divided into three chapters and directed by three different directors.
"The patriotic film 'Role Models of the Times' consists of five chapters, each directed by a different director, depicting role models in various positions... You are invited to star in the chapter about building a hometown, playing the role of an inspirational rural teacher who, after graduating from university, resolutely chooses to return to his hometown to contribute to its development."
Mu Zhi glanced at her agent's bag.
Ji Binghe immediately understood: "...There's no script yet, but there are character biographies. I'll send them to you via WeChat."
I unlocked my phone and sent Mu Zhi some basic information about the movie and a document containing character biographies.
Continuing on: "The director in charge of directing this chapter is named Hong Yan."
Mu Zhi, who was looking down at the document sent by her agent, looked up and her eyes lit up. She knew Hong Yan, a very famous and talented director who also had multiple identities as a screenwriter, producer, and actor.
Hong Yan's films have a very distinctive personal style. He has directed many classic martial arts films and won numerous awards.
“I hope you will take this role so that you can get in touch with Hong Yan. He has a martial arts movie in preparation, which is expected to start filming in the second half of next year.”
The document I received on my phone was very short.
It only took two or three minutes to watch.
The role she was invited to play was based on a real person. As an actor, sometimes you don't just choose roles based on your personal preferences. For example, Hong Yan has almost always made martial arts and action movies, but she took on this filming task.
As artists, we also have a responsibility.
Mu Zhi immediately decided to take the role.
Filming will begin in January and is expected to last about a month, finishing just in time for the Chinese New Year.
Ji Binghe was very pleased. "Okay, I'll reply to Director Hong as soon as I get back."
This also bought her some time to properly choose the next role for Mu Zhi.
Otherwise, if she doesn't join any productions for another 34 months, the amount of criticism from fans will be overwhelming.
We didn't discuss work at the company today; instead, we came to Muzhi's house as guests after work.
Ji Binghe had a private matter to discuss with Mu Zhi.
"By the way, there's something going on at the company recently..."
Mu Zhi: "Regarding Mao Hongjun's contract termination?"
[Author's Note]
We'll arrange something better for Zhibao, hmph!
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