Chapter 30: New Life.
When her third aunt was discharged from the hospital, Zhao Lan came back to take care of her. Having heard that there were still guests staying next door, she brought breakfast over after settling her aunt in.
The food looked and smelled delicious; it was clearly prepared with care. Wen Shili picked up his chopsticks, but he had little appetite. He guessed it was because he had stayed up too late the night before.
As the sun rose higher, neighbors and relatives who had heard the news rushed to visit, crowding the small courtyard. Wen Shili stood by the window, gazing at the coming and going crowds, and dialed Cao Jun's number.
"Now?" Cao Jun asked in surprise.
"Okay, let's go ahead and prepare."
In the afternoon, Cao Jun drove over in a hurry, loaded the luggage into the car, and then went to greet Grandma Zhao.
Grandma Zhao's hand was still wrapped in bandages, but she insisted that he have a drink of water first, saying, "You've been so busy these past few days, it must have been really hard on you."
"It's no trouble at all, it's my duty," Cao Jun said, but in his heart, tears were already streaming down his face.
During the time that Brother Li was away, Boss Lin was like a powder keg, always giving him the cold shoulder and never giving him a good look. Even Xiao You hadn't shown up at the company for a long time. He was the only one with his tail between his legs, facing Boss Lin's cold and sharp eyes all by himself.
He really wanted to find someone to vent to. But what Granny Zhao was saying didn't seem to be the same thing he was talking about.
Zhao Lan heard that he was the one who took her third aunt to the hospital, and that he had helped her a lot while her aunt was away, so she was full of thanks.
Cao Jun couldn't resist their enthusiasm and struggled for a while before he was able to break free. "Sorry, bro, they wouldn't let me leave."
Wen Shili tilted his head: "Them?"
"Yes, Grandma Zhao's niece is such a smooth talker, you wouldn't believe it, she..."
Cao Jun had barely begun to speak when someone next to him said calmly, "Let's go."
"Oh." He silently shut his mouth, started the car, and said, "It's still early, should we go back first?"
"No need, let's go straight to the airport."
-
Night fell, and at 10 p.m., Wu Simin finally finished work. Sheng Yi was almost asleep, and followed her out in a daze.
Her scenes have officially wrapped up, and she bought a ticket to go back tomorrow. She had promised to treat Ng Sze-man to a big meal before leaving, but who knew that she would be dragging her feet until this late.
Seeing how sleepy she was, Wu Simin suggested, "How about we eat it next time?"
Sheng Yi rubbed her eyes. "It's okay, I'm adjusting my biological clock."
She stayed up all night that day, and after returning from her third aunt's house, she slept soundly until dark. The next day, she immediately packed her bags and came to the film crew.
The film crew is not like usual; they can only go to work and come back according to the scheduled time. Fortunately, her scenes these past few days have all been filmed during the day.
Most shops were closed at this time, so the two chose a less crowded street food stall. Just as their food was served, a group of people rushed in and asked the owner to add them to the table.
With their superior numbers, the small restaurant quickly became their domain. The two men's voices were drowned out by the jeering and jeers.
It sounded like this group of people were also migrant workers from the same industry in the area, gathered together, eagerly exchanging the latest gossip. They talked back and forth, never stopping for a moment.
Sheng Yi and Wu Simin tacitly shut up, quietly listening as they went from discussing top-tier actors to extras on set, and from the latest big-budget film cast announcements to the plight of actors in the industry. By the end of the meal, they had heard a whole basketful of gossip.
Sheng Yi touched her belly and was about to call Wu Simin to leave when the gossip over there changed its topic again.
"So many people are holding concerts lately."
This one remark sparked a flurry of comments from other people.
"Who are they? I only know that Teacher Wen has held a few events in City A these past few days."
"You don't even need to tell me that. It's been trending on Weibo for days, and a lot of people in the industry have posted about it."
"I saw it on my idol's Weibo. There are so many people in the industry who like him."
“I have friends who also bought tickets to go to the event. The level of popularity and appeal is just too amazing.”
"I can't be envious of his popularity, and he's so handsome. If he ever acts again, I definitely want to submit my resume and try to be in the same group as him!"
From popularity to singing ability, and then from singing ability to character and acting skills, Wen Shili became the sole protagonist at the ensuing tea party.
At the end of the conversation, someone remarked, "If I could achieve even half of his success, my life would be worthwhile."
The crowd nodded silently, and someone whispered, "I wonder if his previous rumors were true or false."
"If it's true, then Sheng Yi has eaten too well."
Wu Simin glanced discreetly at the protagonist they were talking about, and seeing that her face remained unchanged, she nudged her hand, "Are you coming or not?"
The two quietly slipped away from the topic of Wen Shili, returning to the hotel close to midnight. Sheng Yi was incredibly sleepy; after showering and pulling up the covers, she was about to go to bed when she vaguely heard Wu Simin ask, "Are you still in contact with Teacher Wen?"
Sheng Yi squinted her eyes. "Yes."
"If one-sided conversations count as one."
For example, when she saw the news of the concert that the people at the table were talking about online, she had already sent Wen Shili a message to congratulate him.
Although he did not reply.
He's now treated with even more respect than her mother. She practically wants to find a shrine to enshrine him, hoping that one day she can change his heart.
The next day, Sheng Yi boarded the car to return home. She carefully selected a few photos and posted them on Weibo and WeChat Moments to mark the end of filming. Friends such as Yan Shen and Xiao You liked and commented on them. Luo Hongyu must have seen the news too, because she directly asked to meet up with her.
Even today, Sheng Yi can still recall the shock and astonishment she felt when she received the news.
Industry blacklists, no matter how grand the name may sound, are really just a very common way to exclude dissidents within an industry.
But when it comes down to an individual, especially one without a background, those few words, though seemingly insignificant, feel like a heavy mountain pressing down on their spine, preventing them from ever looking up again.
Unfortunately, she was the one chosen.
Hongjie said that she knew about this purely by chance. An actor came to her for a job opportunity and she discovered it by chance during a casual chat. It seemed that the actor had a grudge against Shengyi.
She said, "As long as she's around, you can forget about being seen by anyone."
Sheng Yi clenched her hands tightly. "Who is she?"
Luo Hongyu said a name.
Sheng Yi was stunned for two seconds before she reacted. She never expected that after so many years, the malice that had been gone would come back with a vengeance, and those memories that she thought she had forgotten would resurface with this name.
"The Overbearing King's Nightly Pampering" was the first drama she joined. The female lead was an already well-known actress, and the male lead was a popular idol. She hadn't graduated yet, so getting a role in such a drama was a pretty good starting point.
Only after joining the group did I discover that the group had its own strict ranking system.
The makeup and costumes that were set up could be changed at will if the female lead was not satisfied. The scripts that were written would also be adapted by her own screenwriters before being sent to everyone. All the supporting actors were dressed up like neither human nor ghost, and the important scenes could only be performed according to the other party's requirements.
An older, more experienced colleague told her that this crew was just a temporary group there to amuse people; as long as they got paid, they could turn a blind eye to everything else. Sheng Yi followed the director's instructions and spent half a month on set.
The two never met again after that.
In just a few years, the former newcomer quickly rose to fame, only to disappear from the industry for some unknown reason. If Sister Hong hadn't brought it up this time, she wouldn't have even bothered to think about it anymore.
Having no grudge against her, Sheng Yi thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out why the other party was targeting her.
What reason could there be? "I don't know why, but I just didn't like her and casually complained to someone about it."
What was unexpected was that later, the popular celebrities gradually faded into obscurity, the capital behind them collapsed, and the fans left one by one, but the impact they caused still lingered.
It was only when she saw Sheng Yi's face trending on social media that she vaguely remembered this supporting actress from the drama years ago. She never imagined that after all these years, Sheng Yi was still in the entertainment industry.
With such qualifications, it's hard to believe that there's something fishy going on behind the scenes if someone hasn't become famous.
To be honest, she had only been being a little coquettish, but who knew that the person in charge was so lazy that they hadn't managed to bring Sheng Yi back to her senses after all these years.
Since it is fate, why should she interfere?
After hearing Hong Jie's account, Sheng Yi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. It turned out that a casual remark from someone else could easily crush her. For so many years, because of this ridiculous reason, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't make any progress.
So she put aside her dreams and tried to treat it as just an ordinary job to make a living. But she had entered this industry precisely because she liked it.
She still remembers that money; it took her and her friends half a year to finally get it into her account. Rushing to graduate, she bought her mother a new phone, bought herself a new computer, and treated her friends to a meal. In the end, she had a few thousand yuan left, which sustained her for a few more months.
Unexpectedly, the real impact lasted for three whole years.
Hongjie said she would help find out the truth, as a way of repaying the favors Hongjie had shown her before. Sheng Yi knew that Hongjie was just trying to make her feel better. But besides saying thank you, she didn't know what else to say.
Luo Hongyu squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, I've already asked someone to put in a good word for you. If there's a suitable opportunity in the future, feel free to try it out. You're still young, and you have a long road ahead of you."
Is she young? This industry is so cruel to actresses. How many more three-year periods can she continue to remain unknown?
Sheng Yi knew she had walked into a dead end. Even without this incident, she would probably still be ignored by everyone.
But ultimately, they are different.
"Thank you, Sister Hong. I'm sorry, I got a little excited."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly kept them wide open, refusing to shed a tear in front of others. Luo Hongyu sat down beside her and gently put her arm around her shoulder. "It's okay, cry if you want to, just cry this once."
"The sky is high and the earth is wide; you can roam freely from now on."
A large, warm hand, a comforting embrace. When she was little and something sad happened, her mother would hold her like this and tell her that it wasn't a big deal.
Her mother never had high expectations for her, so she was deeply worried about her because of her choice, even though she was far away.
She knew that every fabricated news story would reach the ears of acquaintances, causing her parents at home to worry. So, she gritted her teeth and told herself that no matter what, she couldn't take shortcuts.
But it was really too hard to bear. Walking alone in the dark, not knowing how far ahead the light was, or whether I could hold out until I reached the light.
So when the opportunity came, she ultimately couldn't resist the temptation and reached out to someone else.
Without explanation or asking for help, he clung desperately to a large tree, trying to let it bear his fall.
So no matter how he defines her, she thinks she can accept it.
Sheng Yi straightened her back and refused to let her tears fall.
It wasn't her fault at all, so why is she the one crying all the time?
She still remembers that night, in front of her eldest nephew, she was laughing wildly one moment and crying her eyes out the next... She really made a fool of herself as an adult.
Even during adolescence, a time most prone to melancholy and sentimentality, she'd never been this depressed. It must have been quite a fright in the middle of the night. I'll have to ask Lao Qian later if he has any gifts he'd like.
As I thought about it, my emotions gradually calmed down.
What a stubborn child. Luo Hongyu looked at her red eyes, hesitated for a moment, and decided to see it through to the end. "If I have any suitable work recently, I'll let you know first."
Sheng Yi appreciated her kindness, "Okay, thank you for thinking of me, I will definitely work hard."
Opening ceremonies, business district events, advertising shoots—Sheng Yi has been running around with Luo Hongyu these days, spending less time at home than Fu Xiaodan. Fu Xiaodan has also been incredibly busy lately, and in a couple of days she'll be going on a business trip with her boss. The two joked that "the kitchen at home is practically covered in dust."
The promotional materials that Sheng Yi had previously filmed were also released before the end of the month. The brand is rich and powerful, and it has bought splash screens on major apps, and it has also been spreading out trending topics and offline advertisements for free.
Wu Simin saw her face on the app's splash screen, excitedly took a screenshot and sent it over, saying, "Your sponsor is really amazing!"
"But bringing such a beautiful face to the market is a benefit to the audience, isn't it?"
"Is the filter a bit too thick?" Sheng Yi smiled and didn't reply.
The most expensive screen in the city center has been re-uploaded with a new advertising campaign from Sheng Yixin. In the busiest commercial street, you can see that elegant face simply by looking up.
In the height of summer, the sun dispels the long-standing gloom, and new life is quietly accumulating, waiting for the day it will break through the soil and shine between heaven and earth.
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