Chapter 217 Dinner Party
Having finally managed to get out of town, Xia Mian didn't even have time to do any sightseeing. After finishing work, she immediately bought a plane ticket back to China and threw herself back into work without stopping.
He first met with the production company of the new drama—that is, the investors. Television dramas broadcast on satellite channels are more elaborately produced, of higher quality, and involve more investment from their producers; their operating style is also quite different from that of web dramas.
For example, this meeting was a dinner organized by Zhao Wei's team, held in a private restaurant in a courtyard house. He not only brought Xia Mian, but also several newly signed artists.
"What do you mean? Trying to bundle sales?" Xia Mian raised an eyebrow.
"Don't misunderstand, my ancestor," Zhao Wei quickly waved his hand, "I didn't mean to bundle them together. You'll see how useful they are in a moment."
He had barely finished speaking when the two bosses from the production company returned after ordering. Zhao Wei quickly winked at the new employees: "Aren't you going to pour drinks for General Manager Zhang and General Manager Li?"
The newcomers were probably experiencing this kind of occasion for the first time; they looked at each other, exchanging glances.
"What are you standing there for? Go!" Zhao Wei said impatiently.
The newlyweds gritted their teeth, picked up their wine glasses, and sat down next to the two producers.
Before they came, Zhao Wei asked for their opinions. Although he didn't explicitly ask them to drink with him, they knew exactly what he meant.
So now that you've made the choice, there's no reason to be hesitant or reluctant.
The man referred to as "General Manager Li" was clearly a veteran of the entertainment industry. With one arm around a young newcomer, he joked and drank with them for a couple of minutes before turning his gaze to Xia Mian: "You're Xia Mian, right? You're much more handsome in person than in photos. Come over here and have a chat with me for a bit."
His face, hollowed out by greed, showed bags under his eyes that swayed as his mouth opened and closed.
Summer hibernation subconsciously clenched her back molars.
Zhao Wei shook his head at him, signaling him to calm down, and then whispered something in President Li's ear.
Mr. Li looked knowing and raised his glass: "I apologize for my earlier offense. I'll make amends to you."
Zhao Wei: "Mr. Li, you're too kind. We should be the ones toasting you. Xia, let's all toast Mr. Li together."
Xia Mian looked at them, first understanding, then a sense of bewilderment arose.
After entering the industry, he inevitably attended several dinner parties, but fortunately, these were all organized by directors and producers to help the guests get to know each other better. He never attended these kinds of dinner parties with the producers, or rather, Zhao Wei never asked him to attend.
To be fair, Zhao Wei treated him well, but he wasn't exactly a completely innocent person. In this circle, without connections or backing, and without using some underhanded tactics, you can't survive.
He is now able to remain untainted by unspoken rules and choose the work he likes as he pleases, not only because Zhao Wei values him, but also because he knows in his heart that it is mainly related to Zhou Pingchuan.
If he left Zhou Pingchuan, he would no longer be able to enjoy his current "privileges." At this moment, Xia Mian picked up her cup, her desire to take things further reaching its peak.
"Brother Wei, I'll take any job you think is suitable. Of course, I can't take on multiple projects at once," Xia Mian whispered to Zhao Wei.
Zhao Wei stared at him for a while: "Did you have another fight with Jay Chou?"
"This time... it's for real."
"When have you ever been lying?" Zhao Wei laughed and patted him on the shoulder, clearly thinking he was just throwing a tantrum.
The pungent taste of the liquor seeped into her heart and lungs as it flowed down her throat. Xia Mian closed her eyes and offered no further explanation.
The production team scheduled him to join the crew a month later. In that month, besides his original work, Zhao Wei added two commercial gigs and three live-streaming sessions for brands. The company doesn't tolerate idlers; since Xia Mian wanted to "enrich" his life, Zhao Wei had plenty of work for him!
At this point, Xia Mian finally understood what "oxen and horses" meant. It turned out that all the talk about oxen and horses before was a lie; this kind of life—working from the moment she opened her eyes, eating only one or two meals a day, and even sleeping only in a van or on an airplane—was the life that real oxen and horses should live!
However, there are advantages to being an ox or horse. In April, after the previous spokesperson's contract expired, Xia Mian's advertisements for fast-moving consumer goods brands, which she filmed before the Lunar New Year, were launched.
Meanwhile, the nationwide chain stores have put up huge posters featuring a young boy running in the sunlight, laughing arrogantly and brightly. Passing customers can't help but stop and exclaim, "That young man is so handsome!"
A mother took her son to the mall to buy clothes. After walking around twice, she couldn't decide which store to buy from. Finally, she stood in front of a poster and said, "Let's buy from this store. The one the model is wearing looks good, and it's cheap. My son will definitely look great in it!"
Cotton's sales power shouldn't be underestimated. The moment the advertisement went live, the brand's official flagship store was overwhelmed with traffic, causing network lag. Cotton, with a poor internet connection, frantically clicked and clicked, but by the time she finally managed to get through, the same style worn by Summer Sleep was already sold out.
They had no choice but to go on a shopping spree offline, and when paying, they made sure to state their identities: "I'm a fan of Xia Mian, and I came here specifically for him."
The cashier couldn't help but laugh: "It's so great to have fans like you."
Cotton: "Summer hibernation is great, hehe."
Brands choose spokespeople to boost sales. With the influence of the spokespeople, products sell out and their sales ability is recognized, which naturally attracts the attention of other brands.
Xia Mian had signed a non-compete agreement, which prohibited him from endorsing other fast-fashion brands during his endorsement period. So Zhao Wei carefully selected and helped him get in touch with two skincare brands.
"We have to be careful about what we put on our faces. Let's buy a few bottles first, and Chestnut and Rhubarb will try it out for a while," Xia Mian said.
“I guessed it,” Zhao Wei tossed him a delivery box. “I bought it myself from the official website, I didn’t ask PR to mail it.”
Xia Mian asked curiously, "How did you guess?"
"I have to check the fabric and testing reports for the clothes you endorse, let alone cosmetics. Alright, pack your bags, I'll take you to the set tomorrow."
Before I knew it, it was time to join the crew.
Zhao Wei then reminded her, "You don't have many scenes in 'The Chronicle of Time,' but the director has high standards for quality. Filming is expected to take twenty to twenty-five days. Xia, do you want to go home before you leave?"
For the past month, Xia Mian has been flying all over the country. If he returns to Beijing, he stays with Da Huang Li Zi in the apartment rented by Zhao Wei. As far as Zhao Wei knows, he hasn't been home even once.
Xia Mian's hands didn't stop packing her luggage: "No need."
"Don't think I'm being nosy. It's normal for couples to argue. Your sister-in-law and I have a big fight every three days and a small fight every five days. Afterwards, we each give each other a way out and it's over. The worst thing you can do in life is to take things too seriously. It hurts the people you love and are closest to you, and it's not worth it."
When it came to marriage advice, Zhao Wei spoke eloquently, making Xia Mian's temples throb.
He knew Zhao Wei was only saying so much because he was close to him, but his situation with Zhou Pingchuan was different from Zhao Wei's.
Zhao Wei and his sister-in-law are each other's dearest, and there's really no need for them to be sad. But he and Zhou Pingchuan... haven't been in contact since their argument in Paris.
He didn't go home for more than a month, and Zhou Pingchuan didn't go to see him either.
It's as if they've returned to square one, becoming two unrelated people.
Just then, her phone rang. Looking at the name displayed on the screen, Xia Mian momentarily thought she was seeing things.
Upon hearing the ringtone, Zhao Wei immediately paused his "lecture." Xia Mian remained silent for a while before confirming that the call was genuine.
He answered the phone: "Hello."
"Are you free tonight? Let's talk."
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the man's voice sounded somewhat tired. Xia Mian closed her eyes briefly: "Sorry, I'm packing my luggage, I don't have time."
"Then I'll wait until you're done packing."
After saying that, the man hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.
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