Chapter 26 Lavish Rewards: S-Rank Practical Items
When Shi Yao makes a move, it's astonishing; she throws out a script with a bang, leaving even Bai Wenning, who has been in the industry for over a decade, stunned.
She glanced at the few lines of small print on the script cover, and her eyes widened instantly.
[TV series "Under the New Sun Tree"]
Director: Lu Jiang
It's actually Lu Jiang's play!
Lu Jiang is a well-known veteran director in the industry. He directed many famous films when he was young. After retiring, he became a judge for the three major film awards and occasionally took on some central government projects to make New Year's films. The last time he directed a TV series was ten years ago.
The period drama "The Rise of an Era" starred an entirely new cast at the time, but the script was exceptionally strong, instantly propelling all the main actors to stardom. The show broke CCTV-8's viewership records and swept the awards season.
Moreover, the show has a very good long-tail effect. Even though ten years have passed, people still watch it repeatedly, and new memes are constantly emerging. The actors who starred in the show are jokingly said to have a retirement insurance policy.
As an insider in the industry, Bai Wenning may not be the most well-informed, but any news about a renowned director like Lu Jiang would surely spread quickly throughout the industry.
Ten years later, he's going to descend to earth again to film a new TV series, and she hadn't heard a thing about it!
Bai Wenning's gaze swept back and forth between the script and Shi Yao. It wasn't that she wanted to doubt it, but the news was simply too explosive.
She was certain that this matter had not spread within the industry, otherwise she would have heard a lot about it. Last time, Lu Jiang spent more than half a year just holding auditions for a TV series. Why was it so quiet this time?
Moreover, Shi Yao even got her hands on the script directly—it was Lu Jiang's script!
Normally, if you want to get a role in his show, you can only get a thin piece of paper when you audition, which at most contains a small part of the audition content, and you can't see the rest at all.
The script in front of them looked quite thick. Who was Shi Yao to be able to get her hands on a script like this? And it even looked like a complete script.
And most importantly, she also has the power to show scripts to anyone she wants!
The script is the core of a play. If the script is bad, no matter how luxurious the cast or how great the director, the final result will not be very good. It will just be a waste of effort.
Although Bai Wenning had never acted in Lu Jiang's dramas or been in his production team, she had heard long ago that Lu Jiang had a lot of say in the production team. Basically, he had to make the final decision on who would play the role, and he was very strict about the script. Only actors who were confirmed to join the production team through auditions could get the complete script.
I've never heard of anyone getting Lu Jiang's script in advance.
Bai Wenning's gaze toward Shi Yao gradually became hesitant, and an unbelievable thought surfaced in her mind.
Could it be that Shi Yao is actually the daughter of some big shot in the industry? Acting was just a hobby before, but now that she's settled down and doesn't want to do it anymore, she switched careers and opened her own studio.
No wonder she has such unfathomable methods and connections...
Shi Yao noticed Bai Wenning's increasingly strange gaze and knew that the other party had probably misunderstood. The story of the script was a long one and not easy to explain clearly, but she was afraid that the other party would overthink it, so she could only say simply: "Don't overthink it. I got this script by chance. Director Lu just happened to be interested in it, so I took it. If you don't like it, I have other scripts here."
After saying that, she started rummaging through her bag again. Bai Wenning quickly waved her hand, looking somewhat flattered: "No need, no need. I don't dislike it. I'm just a little... too surprised."
What are you talking about? This is Lu Jiang's team, who wouldn't like it!
As for Shi Yao's explanation, she had almost grasped the deeper meaning behind it.
"By chance" means that she is indeed very capable, and the true owner of this script is Shi Yao herself;
"It just so happens that Director Lu is interested" means that he has a wide network of connections and can easily get even a big director like Lu Jiang to take over the camera.
"If you don't like it, there are other options," meaning there's no shortage of scripts, and this bombshell directed by Lu Jiang is just an appetizer.
Bai Wenning felt a chill run down her spine upon closer examination. In an instant, all her previous suspicions about Shi Yao vanished completely. Now, in her mind, Shi Yao had become a powerful figure with unfathomable background, strength, skills, and connections.
It's incredible that someone like her would be willing to open a studio with such a novel business scope; it's as if she's been sent down to save an unlucky person like herself.
If it weren't for the fact that the contract still had some time left, Bai Wenning would have been tempted to ask Shi Yao if she had any plans to start a company.
I can hardly imagine how happy it must be to be an artist under Shi Yao's management!
Lu Jiang's team comes whenever they want, and if one high-quality script isn't enough, there's another. Turning public opinion around is a piece of cake.
Bai Wenning forcibly restrained her wandering thoughts and focused on reading the script in front of her.
The cover only showed the script title and director's name, not the screenwriter's name. Bai Wenning was too embarrassed to ask such a private question. Since Lu Jiang was willing to take the job, the script must be of very high quality.
She opened the cover, and the first page was a synopsis. This script was also a period drama, which was Lu Jiang's forte. However, it was set in a different era than his previous film, "The Rise of an Era," which was set during the Liberation War. This one was set in the 1970s and 1980s.
The synopsis was very short, less than a page long, summarizing the entire plot of the script. Bai Wenning wasn't actually a fan of period dramas, but this script was so excellent that she found herself engrossed in it without even realizing it.
Shi Yao gave her the first fifth of the complete script, not the script from the perspective of a single character. Bai Wenning read five episodes in one go, just like reading a novel. There were six main characters in the first five episodes, two of whom were elders, and the other two were young male characters and two were young female characters.
Both female characters were outstanding, and Bai Wenning liked them at first sight. While watching, she unconsciously began to simulate and rehearse in her mind how she would perform if she were to play the role.
Finally, the waiter came in to serve the food, interrupting Bai Wenning's immersive state. When she looked up, she realized that twenty minutes had passed, and Shi Yao was still patiently waiting for her feedback. A faint blush unconsciously crept onto her face.
"I'm sorry, this script is so wonderful that I got completely absorbed in it without even realizing it."
Shi Yao smiled knowingly and generously said, "It's okay, you can continue reading. This is the first fifth of the complete script, you can read the whole thing."
Bai Wenning glanced at her gratefully. She really wanted to finish reading it. Regardless of whether she could participate or not, seeing such a wonderful script was a bonus for her.
But she didn't forget the most crucial question, and cautiously asked, "Excuse me, which role did I audition for, Ye Xin or Meng Tao?"
The two characters have roughly the same amount of screen time, as do the other two young male characters. This is not surprising, as period dramas are mostly ensemble pieces and rarely feature a single protagonist.
Bai Wenning likes both characters very much. It's clear that the screenwriter has a deep skill in character development and doesn't favor one over the other. Both characters have their own highlights, and Bai Wenning would gladly accept either role she auditioned for.
But Shi Yao's answer surprised her again. She just shrugged and said, "Choose whichever one you like. If you don't know how to choose, you can try them all. Let the director decide which role suits you best."
Bai Wenning was once again stunned into silence. This was a film directed by Lu Jiang, whose auditions were considered among the most difficult in the industry. The script was not given in advance, and it was impossible to find out the details beforehand. You could only know the general theme and which role and scene you could audition for depended on which actor was assigned to on set.
She thought that being able to get the script in advance and knowing the specific role she could audition for was already a great privilege, but she didn't expect Shi Yao's abilities to far exceed her expectations. She could even choose the role she liked!
Is this really a Lu Chuan production...? Is this really the kind of treatment she deserves...?
Bai Wenning was a little dazed, but she no longer questioned the truthfulness of Shi Yao's words. She had even brought out the complete script, so what else could she possibly lie to her about?
Seeing that Bai Wenning hadn't answered for a long time, Shi Yao thought she was too conflicted to choose, so she simply waved her hand and said casually, "It's okay if you can't choose for now. Take the script back and take another look. Try out both roles and see which one you like. Don't rush to tell me."
Bai Wenning was almost moved to tears. Shi Yao actually let her take the script with her. This was Lu Jiang's drama. The last time he filmed a TV series was ten years ago. The news of his second time filming a TV series had not yet spread in the industry. She couldn't imagine how many people would want to submit their resumes to audition once the news spread. The other party actually felt at ease and gave her the script directly.
Unconsciously, she had already made up her mind and her stance had completely sided with Shi Yao. Although the last time she met him was a year ago and they weren't exactly familiar with each other, he gave her an unprecedented sense of security.
This sense of security was something she had never felt in the five years since she signed with the company.
She had a strange intuition that she had met a benefactor in her life, and that her luck might really be about to change.
The first course was the chef's salad, which contained shredded beef and some herbs. The dressing was said to be a special blend by the chef. Without waiting for Bai Wenning, Shi Yao used her fork to pick up a piece of beef with the dressing.
The subtle roasted flavor, mixed with the musky aroma of black truffle, wasn't exactly delicious, but it was certainly quite unique.
When she took the first bite, Yao thought it was just so-so, but after a couple of bites, her appetite was gradually whetted. By the time Bai Wenning came to her senses, she had already finished half a plate.
"This salad tastes very special, doesn't it?" Bai Wenning couldn't help but chuckle as she saw Shi Yao eating so earnestly. "I felt the same way the first time I ate it. At first, I didn't think it was anything special, but after a couple of bites, I started to get hooked."
Shi Yao nodded, reluctantly putting down her fork. The main course hadn't been served yet, and she couldn't just eat a salad and be full.
Bai Wenning straightened her expression and said seriously to Shi Yao, "Miss Shi, I would like to sign a long-term contract with you. If you don't mind, I would like to start with a monthly subscription."
Shi Yao was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected that the other party would want to sign a long-term contract right away, even though she hadn't even come up with a specific plan yet and had only shown them a script.
While she was pleased with the other party's frankness, she still candidly reminded them, "My quote isn't exactly cheap."
Bai Wenning nodded without hesitation: "It's okay, as long as I can sign a contract with you, the price is not a problem."
She was speaking from the heart. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that this was their first meeting, she would have directly asked Shi Yao if she would start a company in the future. She had absolutely no intention of renewing her contract now.
Having encountered another generous patron, Shi Yao's smile became even more genuine. She quickly estimated the amount, wrote down a line of numbers on her tablet, and handed it over:
"Based on the assessment, the business you chose is a medium-difficulty long-term project. The fee is 150,000 per day, which is 4.5 million per month. You are the first customer to place a long-term order, so I can give you a discount. How about 4 million?"
Bai Wenning nodded without hesitation: "No problem, what's your card number?"
Although her pay isn't very high, the entertainment industry is inherently a highly profitable one, and over the years, the savings she has accumulated in her account are not a small amount, which is why she dares to directly place long-term contracts.
Seeing that the new boss was about to transfer the money, Shi Yao quickly stopped him: "No rush, I charge after the service is provided, and payment is made in installments based on the results."
After saying that, she couldn't help but chuckle and tease, "At least see the results before transferring the money, aren't you afraid I'll cheat you?"
Bai Wenning shook her head, but smiled without saying a word. In her heart, she thought to herself, how could someone with such connections and background possibly bother to swindle a mere few million?
Shi Yao was in a good mood after securing the new order. She had originally thought that Bai Wenning would at most choose a single service to try it out, but she did not expect the other party to be so generous.
Now she'll have to change the plan she prepared last night; if it's a long-term contract, she'll have a lot of work to do.
Joining the production team isn't enough. Bai Wenning's career path has problems in many aspects, so she needs to create a suitable persona for her and also maintain the quality of her daily work.
Since Bai Wenning trusts her so much, she should let her experience the beauty of the first-line flower.
Shi Yao raised her head, her eyes resolute, and said, "If you sign a long-term contract, you'll have to listen to me on many decisions for the next month. First and foremost, you have to reject the fantasy drama that your company arranged for you. Can you do that?"
Bai Wenning didn't know why Shi Yao suddenly became somewhat serious, but she was unconsciously influenced and nodded vigorously: "I'll call my agent to refuse when I get back."
She didn't want to take the role in this drama in the first place. The script was so bad it was unbearable to watch, and the production team was also very shoddy. The reason she didn't completely reject it was because she wasn't sure if she could get a better script on her own. Now that Lu Jiang has a new drama in hand, who would want that lousy fantasy drama?
"Okay." Shi Yao nodded in satisfaction, then reminded her, "Let me tell you first, I can't guarantee you'll be cast in Lu Jiang's drama. I'm just giving you a chance to audition. Whether you get the role ultimately depends on your performance. Is that acceptable?"
Even without Shi Yao saying it, Bai Wenning understood the rules. How could a famous director as picky as Lu Jiang just throw people in like that, especially the lead role? Back then, he would rather delay filming indefinitely than not find the right actor. Bai Wenning knew how difficult it was to get into this production team.
She was already very grateful that Shi Yao gave her a chance to audition.
After all, her company simply doesn't have that capability.
"But don't worry, if you can't get into this group, I have other groups for you to choose from, I guarantee they'll be better than the ones your company recommends." Shi Yao reminded him, not forgetting to reassure him; putting her boss at ease was an essential quality of hers.
Bai Wenning immediately admired Shi Yao even more. Assembling a team was as easy as playing house for Shi Yao. She couldn't imagine what kind of powerful background and capital she had behind her.
"Do you have assistants? How many?" Shi Yao asked, unaware that Bai Wenning thought of her as something unfathomable.
Bai Wenning was taken aback, then nodded: "There is one, my personal assistant. She usually comes with me when I join a film crew or when there are variety show activities. When I'm resting, she goes to work with other people."
Shi Yao asked incredulously, "You don't have a personal assistant?"
Bai Wenning nodded slightly, a hint of shyness appearing on her delicate face: "I don't have my own studio. My current team is shared with several other artists in the company. My manager and assistant are responsible for multiple artists at the same time, so I'm all by myself when I'm not working."
Shi Yao remained silent, and added another mark against Bai Wenning's agency.
What kind of makeshift team is this? It's outrageous! Bai Wenning is a well-known, almost A-list actress, yet she doesn't even have her own team, and she has to share her assistant with someone else.
No wonder she's fallen so far behind in recent years. With a team like that dragging her down, it's hard not to fall behind.
Shi Yao was a little tired. She looked at Bai Wenning, who seemed indifferent to the matter, and said seriously, "Then the first thing you need to do now is to hire an assistant who is completely subordinate to you and only listens to your instructions. Once the assistant is on duty, arrange the business license immediately."
She spoke with a heavy heart, "Even if you don't have a job, you can't stop operating. If you don't operate, you can't retain your fans. If you don't retain your fans, they'll leave. And it's very difficult to get those fans back, you know?"
Shi Yao opened Weibo, casually typed in the name of a popular young actress, and showed Bai Wenning her Weibo account: "Look, she hasn't aired any dramas or appeared on any variety shows in the last three months, but she's never stopped posting promotional photos and she posts a vlog every month. Her data activity level is very healthy."
Then I switched to Bai Wenning's homepage, which looked much more desolate. Her last Weibo post was half a month ago, when she attended a fashion gala and posted a red carpet photo.
Shi Yao became increasingly speechless as she flipped through the pages. Bai Wen Ning's team was not just perfunctory, they were doing absolutely nothing.
For a typical young actress's team, attending a single gala event requires at least five promotional activities: one for the official event announcement, one for preparations before the red carpet event, one for an indoor departure photo, one for a professionally edited photo on the day of the red carpet event, and one for a group photo and a solo photo after the event.
Those who put in more effort will also share some animated GIFs, live images, and videos, or mix in some everyday outfit content.
Bai Wenning's team is quite something; not only did they only post one message, but they also only posted one picture, as if they were afraid to let their fans see it even once more.
To avoid wrongly accusing the other party, she even checked Bai Wenning's studio's account and found that it was even more taciturn than Bai Wenning's own Weibo account, only forwarding business and official announcements, and not even making schedules.
A studio this lazy is rare in the industry. Shi Yao is wondering how they don't get criticized by fans? Fans are known for their strong work ethic; a team like this would have been driven away by other companies long ago.
"There was a period when the fans made a fuss, but the company said not to worry about it. Fans just like to talk. The company has limited resources and manpower, so they told me to use them sparingly," Bai Wenning answered honestly.
Shi Yao was so angry she almost laughed. What kind of ridiculous excuse was this? She had never seen a company so good at manipulating its artists.
She looked at the person in front of her with a hint of pity, and couldn't help but sigh again: "You have your Weibo account, right?"
Bai Wenning nodded. The company hadn't interfered, but she couldn't get the studio's account.
In fact, she had no idea who managed the studio's account, and she would only go online occasionally to repost.
With account management in hand, there shouldn't be much of a problem. Shi Yao became a little serious: "Starting today, you have to learn how to operate on Weibo. If you don't have an assistant, don't take outdoor promotional photos yet. Prepare some beautiful selfies that your fans will also like. If you're unsure of what to do, go and take a look at the Weibo accounts of your rivals and learn how to take photos and write captions."
After saying that, he couldn't help but add earnestly, "You're still quite a distance from getting on the right track. You really can't afford to delay, you know?"
Bai Wenning inexplicably felt that Shi Yao was like a worried matriarch, even though the other party was clearly younger than her.
It's amazing how such a young girl can give people such a strong sense of security and reliability. Bai Wenning felt a little ashamed. She was older than the other person but far less capable. And yet, she hadn't realized the problems the other person was talking about until today.
She even chose to contact Shi Yao simply because she felt the drama recommended by the company wasn't very good.
Bai Wenning silently jotted down all the key points Shi Yao had just mentioned in her memo, deciding to start preparing for her selfie business and then hire an assistant when she got back.
Shi Yao is so dedicated, she can't let her down.
The meal lasted three hours, with Shi Yao spending most of the time teaching Bai Wenning how to run the business. Bai Wenning listened with great interest and seemed reluctant to let it end.
In the end, Shi Yao felt that Bai Wenning did not have an assistant yet, and she herself had preparations to make, so she reluctantly called a halt.
When she got home, Yao collapsed onto the elephant gray sofa in the living room and let out a long sigh of relief, feeling utterly exhausted.
Before going, I thought it would be an easy task, but it turned out to be more tiring than any other time.
Unfortunately, the other person was beautiful, gentle, and eager to learn, so she couldn't get angry at all.
Shi Yao stared at the patterns on the ceiling and suddenly asked the system, "System, with the script you gave me, can I really assemble a team? Won't you back out at the last minute or shortchange us or something?"
The system arrogantly corrected, "Host, please watch your wording. It wasn't me who gave you the script. You drew an S-rank practical item yourself, which you then exchanged for the script. You drew it, not I gave it to you."
"Okay, okay, I got it by drawing the card, so the team can be assembled now, right?" Shi Yao couldn't stand the system's rambling and only cared about the main point.
"Of course, host. Didn't I explain it yesterday? When using practical props, you must select the application identity. The rest will be filled in for you. You chose screenwriter, so you don't need to worry about the other positions," the system said lazily. "Didn't you receive a call from Lu Jiang yesterday?"
Shi Yao curled her lips slightly; even though it was a reward she herself had drawn, she couldn't help but find it amazing.
I had already saved up two chances to draw a prize by completing tasks before, so I just used them all yesterday. As a result, I got an S-level useful item and 20 points of free attribute value.
Shi Yao put all her attribute points into intelligence, but she didn't feel that her mind became much sharper. On the contrary, she found another S-level practical item to be very amazing.
One of the rewards for unlocking the fourth task was a useful item of grade A or higher. Unexpectedly, instead of unlocking that, she drew an S-grade item. When she asked the system how to use it, the system's response shocked her.
"Host, practical items are among the most expensive items in the system shop. You haven't unlocked the redemption qualification yet, but you're incredibly lucky. You actually drew this type of item ahead of time, and even an S-rank one. This is truly a blessing from heaven, host!"
"The practical props are used by redemption. The redeemable items include: original film projects, original TV series projects, original variety show projects, original business projects, and original album projects. When redeeming, you need to select the role. For example, for a film project, you need to choose one of the roles of director, any lead actor, screenwriter, or investor. I will then assemble the remaining roles for you, ensuring that the best possible team is assembled."
Shi Yao was stunned by the generosity of the reward. She never expected the system to be so intelligent, even able to pinpoint the user's identity and help her gather other people.
She had previously wondered if there would be an option to exchange scripts in the store. If so, would she get the role directly or would she have to audition? She had already retired from acting and couldn't act anymore. Could the scripts she obtained be given away? And how would the other people in the crew explain it?
To her surprise, the system was far more considerate than she had imagined, solving everything in one go. She could choose any identity she wanted, and it wasn't limited to being an actress. She also didn't have to worry about the transfer of the identity.
If Shi Yao wanted, she could even act as an investor and put all her clients into the group.
However, she didn't choose that option. Although the system could help her solve the problems of funding and logic, it would still be too conspicuous for capital to suddenly appear. Shi Yao chose to settle for second best. She exchanged her S-level practical items for a TV drama script and then chose the identity of a screenwriter.
In other words, she currently holds the copyright to the script of "Under the New Sun Tree," and she is the original screenwriter of the play.
This is also why the screenwriter's name is not on the script. Shi Yao does not intend to use her real name, but she has not yet thought of a pen name, so she can only leave it blank for now.
The system was very efficient. Not long after she successfully redeemed the item, she received a call from Lu Jiang's assistant, who said he had something to discuss with her. They quickly finalized the cooperation agreement, with Lu Chuan agreeing to direct "Under the New Sun Tree" and allowing Shi Yao some casting rights.
Shi Yao almost immediately figured out who would play the key roles. Since she was meeting Bai Wenning today, she brought part of the script with her, which surprised Bai Wenning.
However, it's not the other party's fault, since even she herself was amazed by the system's amazing methods.
This useful tool is really a good thing. Shi Yao suddenly felt a little anxious and wanted to complete the fourth main quest as soon as possible and get the reward that is at least A-level. With such a treasure in hand, she wouldn't have to worry about not being able to win over clients.
Financial freedom is just around the corner!
Shi Yao became more and more excited as she thought about it. She rolled over and got up from the sofa. "Under the New Sun Tree" is an ensemble drama. Bai Wenning only occupies one spot. She has another candidate she wants to recommend. If she can find a match, she can even complete two big deals in one go.
She picked up her phone and began searching for that familiar account.
As if by telepathy, a notification sound came from WeChat.
The person she was looking for came to her.
Author's note: Congratulations to Sister Shi on securing her first long-term contract!
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-06-14 20:33:32 and 2024-06-15 20:58:00!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: a little fish, a little yellow cat, and a bottle of Bean Frog;
Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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