Generation Z Artists

Chapter 374 Overturning the table

After Liu Xiaoli stepped down, the atmosphere became extremely intense.

Chen Jinfei laid the groundwork for the situation, Liu Yifei displayed her softness, and Liu Xiaoli declared on behalf of her daughter that she was devoted to the motherland. By this point, it was already a fairly perfect public relations operation.

Whether the guests are emotional or have an elder's perspective, they can always be touched by what they hear.

But it's not explosive enough.

Too mild, too subtle, it's missing something.

Many people subconsciously turned their gaze to Fang Xinghe... You guys really understand him.

But Fang Ge didn't move; instead, Chen Jinfei invited two officials to the stage.

They were from the Youth Federation and the Charity Federation, respectively. The two held up a calligraphy scroll, representing the official commendation and blessings for Liu Yifei.

"Over the past few years, Ms. Liu Yifei has donated a total of RMB 180 million to our various charitable causes through multiple channels, which has led to the construction of Yifei Primary School and numerous special subsidies..."

"To express our gratitude for Ms. Liu Yifei's charitable act, we are presenting this calligraphy as a token of our appreciation for her sense of social responsibility..."

The banner unfolds vertically, displaying eight large characters—

As good deeds spread widely, virtuous influence naturally follows.

The signature is Li xx, who is not very well-known and does not seem to be a contemporary master calligrapher.

Some shallow people were about to quietly make a sarcastic remark, but the sensitive ones immediately stopped them: Shh! That's the big boss in the civil affairs department right now.

When the news spread, the female celebrities in the audience were green with envy.

Actually, a piece of calligraphy is nothing special; what matters is the meaning behind the act of publicly presenting the calligraphy.

Unofficial, yet seemingly official; not a platform, yet seemingly a platform.

It seemed useless, yet it also seemed to carry a special meaning.

"Why?!"

Many people were truly overwhelmed.

Celebrities attend charity galas and donate money and goods countless times, and many have accumulated donations exceeding 180 million, but who can receive such an honor?
No one present was a fool; anyone who thought about it for a moment would realize that Liu Yifei's personal charitable contributions were not enough to warrant that person's personal inscription.

No need to ask, it's definitely because of Fang Xinghe's influence.

Aside from Director Fang, who dominates civil affairs and education, no one can get that guy working.

"No, what gives her the right?!"

Female celebrities are even more envious.

It felt like Liu Yifei had encountered all the good things in the world. Things that she herself could not obtain with great difficulty were easily obtained by others, and she took it all for granted.

The buzzing discussion from the audience continued to spread, the atmosphere was enthusiastic enough, yet also contradictory.

The process continued, with the head of the Beijing Film Academy's acting department presenting her with a sash as an "Outstanding Student Representative," Sony showcasing the contract, and the entire cast of "Chinese Paladin" coming on stage for a group photo...

After all the usual procedures were completed, Chen Jinfei excitedly shouted: "Before the banquet officially begins, for the last segment, let's give a warm round of applause to invite Qianqian's benefactor, guide, and good friend, the respected director Fang Xinghe, to come to the stage to give a speech!"

A person's name, a tree's shadow—when Fang Xinghe stood in front of the microphone, the scene fell completely silent before he could even speak.

The guests and reporters were all thinking: With such a grand event today, it feels like something's missing if Fang Xinghe doesn't say a few words.

But what will he say?
This coming-of-age ceremony was already extremely high-profile. Although Liu Yifei's status and popularity deserve such a high profile, she is not the one to carry the flag and lacks the ability and authority to control everything.

Therefore, even a fool would know that Fang Xinghe's speech was the key.

Is this guy going to fire a cannon in a situation like this?

The anticipation, a mixture of trepidation and excitement, had barely begun when Fang Xinghe ignited the atmosphere with his very first words upon opening the door.

"As everyone knows, I'm not good at blessing others; I'm better at destroying them."

The handsome man chuckled and shrugged, as if to show off his sense of humor.

A pure black fitted shirt, with two buttons undone at the collar, and a Cartier ruby ​​bracelet wrapped around the buttons, with two main gemstones hanging on either side, one on the left and one on the right, one high and one low, adding a touch of fashion to the overly serious look.

The hair is styled in a slicked-back style, with hair wax applied to create individual, clumped strands that lie close to the scalp.

Ten years later, his slightly greasy hairstyle, paired with his full forehead and handsome features, perfectly fits contemporary aesthetics, making him look like a beautiful young man who stepped out of a painting.

Maintaining a youthful appearance until age 20 is just basic stuff for Fang Xinghe.

But his calm expression, composed demeanor, and firm, weighty gaze made people dare not underestimate him in the slightest.

A dad with a youthful vibe?
No, no, it was more like a young boy ascending the throne.

Wang's "humor" makes one's heart tighten and makes it hard to breathe.

"Today, we've already said too many blessings and hopes, so I'd like to say something different to liven things up."

Most of the guests present were from the entertainment industry, so they should be able to understand that being a celebrity is both extremely easy and extremely difficult.

The advantage lies in the significant disparity between the workload and the reward.

Even the most miserable actors only had to go down icy rivers in winter and wear cotton-padded coats in summer, roll in mud, and travel between different locations.

But once you gain some fame, you can earn at least a few thousand yuan per episode, and by doing a few appearances or gigs, you can make tens of thousands of yuan.

It's really hard work, but it's also really lucrative. Compared to plastering on a construction site or tightening screws in a factory, you can earn in a year what others accumulate in a lifetime.

Therefore, I've always believed that we should endure this hardship.

The hardest part about being a celebrity isn't about money or physical hardship, but rather the mental anguish caused by many things.

For example, public misunderstanding, hyena consumption, humiliation by bad people, bullying by capital and environmental pressure, and so on.

To be frank, I've been through it all.

Among these forms of mental anguish, there is a distinction between what is right and wrong.

As public figures, being judged by the public, criticized by consumers, and even used by the media to generate buzz and incite conflict is an unavoidable and necessary consequence of this industry.

Since you're making money off fame, then whether you're busy, suffer, get criticized, or have no privacy after becoming famous, it's all your due.

But this shouldn't include anything else.

Fang Xinghe paused for a moment, looked around the scene, and took in everyone's reactions.

Then, he gave a somewhat mocking smile.

"Look, many people are nodding in agreement, while others disagree. This is a matter of perspective."

Most celebrities in the spotlight can relate, while the bigwigs behind the scenes who control capital might think I'm being sentimental. That's fine, I don't like being melancholic, but I'm particularly good at making others feel melancholic.

Come on, let's talk about what other burdens people shouldn't have to bear in front of the camera.

For example, regarding being criticized, if the audience feels that my show is not well made and they are holding back their anger and just want to criticize it, then that's perfectly fine, let them criticize as much as they want.

Even with my awesome action scenes, some viewers still think they're unrealistic or criticize me for promoting violence and setting a bad example for children.

Even an authoritative figure like Director Chen could only endure the widespread condemnation from the audience; the more he tried to explain, the more criticism he received.

Mrs. Chen instinctively covered her forehead, feeling an extreme sense of exhaustion.

However, faced with those sudden strange looks, she dared not react at all, and could only suppress her anger and continue listening.

She had a feeling that Fang Xinghe probably didn't see her as a target, but was brewing something big.

On stage, the cold, detached voice continued.

"Regardless of whether our films are good or bad, or whether we do things right or wrong, as long as the criticism from the people is spontaneous, we must accept it."

Those of us who are celebrities should have developed this awareness from the very first day we entered the industry.

However, such criticism should not contain any malicious intent—or to put it more clearly, there should be no colleagues jumping around in it.

Our industry is inherently prone to arousing public gossip and curiosity, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.

The benefits of high attention and enthusiasm are something we can all enjoy. However, the distortions caused by high attention coupled with low transparency destroy the credibility of the entire industry.

Today, out of jealousy, you spread a smear campaign about your colleague and feel quite relieved.

Tomorrow, driven by self-interest, he'll buy two smear articles about his rival, gloating as he watches them struggle to cope.

Is she very smart?

No, not smart at all!
Please remember this: what you can do, others can do too; what you dare to spend, others may dare to spend even more of.

Does this mean we'll stop comparing skills and start comparing who's the most ruthless?
The problem is, once the industry becomes tainted, there are no survivors, and no beneficiaries. In the eyes of the public, all practitioners are covered in filth!
Our counterparts in Hong Kong and Taiwan should deeply sympathize with this.

What is the status of celebrities in the eyes of ordinary people over there? Actors, prostitutes, the lowest of the low.

What do we call these serious actors from mainland China? We call them performing artists!

How did the differences come about?
The older generation of Chinese artists created works for the people, cherished their reputation, adhered to artistic ethics, and refrained from spreading rumors, making long-term and outstanding contributions to enriching the people's spiritual life.

It wasn't until the reform and opening up that the transformation from people's art troupes to market-oriented organizations gave rise to the first batch of commercial stars with market appeal who came from within the system.

Teacher Cai Guoqing is a good example.

Therefore, celebrities in mainland China have always enjoyed a high social status and are much happier than those in Japan and South Korea.

Hong Kong and Taiwan are completely different. They don't have this kind of environment. Their stars are toys that have grown wildly under the exploitation and oppression of gangsters, politicians, and tycoons.

I heard many years ago that gangsters pointed guns at Brother Long's head and forced him to make movies.

Thirteen Aunt was so beautiful and popular, but her future was ruined because of a rumor about golf balls.

And then there's Ms. Shu. Her commercial value and fame are seriously mismatched, pitifully low, and I think everyone knows why.

The lessons learned from the sidelines are still fresh in our minds, so I hope my colleagues in the mainland entertainment industry will carefully consider two things—

First, does the reputation and atmosphere of the entire circle have anything to do with you?

Second, if the circle becomes increasingly chaotic, will you be able to have the last laugh?
Once you understand these two questions, you'll probably be able to be a competent mainland celebrity in the future.

Of course, wealth can be alluring, and self-interest can be tempting. I know that many people are not unable to understand this, but rather they genuinely do not want to be a law-abiding good person.

It's alright, what I said above makes sense. If you don't like the logic, I also know a little about threats.

Today's occasion isn't quite appropriate, so I'll try to control myself and avoid saying anything too harsh.

Fang Xinghe turned off the microphone and casually put it aside. He braced his hands on the edges of the table, leaned forward, and stared down with eyes like an eagle or a wolf.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

Everyone realized that Fang Xinghe was about to unleash a tirade again, and it was likely to be very, very fierce.

The last time he showed this attitude was when he first arrived in Japan, and he ended up giving them a thorough dressing-down on their own turf.

Popular jokes say that's Fang Xinghe's fighting stance.

Now, his voice became intense, and the resonance of his voice without a microphone made every word clear to everyone in the audience. The powerful sound pressure carried a ferocious, predatory quality, crashing down on everyone.

"To be fair, the environment in our circle isn't the worst on a global scale, but in my eyes, it's absolutely rotten and stinks!"

This sin has little to do with those in the public eye, but mainly with that small group of people behind the scenes who don't speak human language, do human things, or act like human beings.

Once people detach themselves from actual production and creation and begin to profit through capital appreciation, their thoughts and ideas are no longer based on humanity and morality, but on pure utilitarianism.

You can be moderately pragmatic, but you cannot profit by destroying the industry ecosystem!

Who fabricated the rumors about Liu Yifei?

Nobody dares to admit it, right? Then don't blame me for calling them out.

"Those two Wangs from Huayi, and your Huo, at least three times at drinking parties, they talked about me and Qianqian in a dirty way with outsiders. Did she see it with her own eyes?!"

With a whoosh, the entire venue erupted in cheers.

No matter how much they dared to imagine or guess, they could never have imagined that Fang Xinghe would be so irritable as to directly call out names in such a grand public setting!

In fact, this is not just roll call, but a physical exercise call.

The Wang brothers were completely taken aback and stood there, staring blankly with wide eyes, as if their brains had crashed due to some kind of bug.

But Young Master Fang's harsh scolding was only the beginning.

He showed no mercy, slapping the two CEOs across the face, shocking everyone.

"Huayi is a leading private enterprise in the film and television industry and one of the important representatives of the mainland entertainment circle!"

How do you manage your company?
Or rather, her actions were entirely at your behest.

There was a drinking party where you, Mr. Wang, were also present. Come up here now and explain to me why you were laughing so happily back then. Did you enjoy watching me make a fool of myself?

In a flash, most of the people turned their heads to look at Wang Er.

His eyes held astonishment, pity, and schadenfreude, but mostly anticipation—anticipation for him to go on stage and let the Martial Saint show off his skills…

There are plenty of people who enjoy watching a spectacle and aren't afraid of things getting out of hand.

Wang Er's head was buzzing; how could he dare to go on stage?

Not daring to go up and get beaten, and unable to think of a way to explain, he could only turn to his older brother for help.

They looked so wronged and pitiful.

Wang Da cleared his throat, about to speak up to smooth things over, but was abruptly interrupted by Fang Xinghe.

"Mr. Wang, you'd better shut up before you've thought it through! I'm too lazy to listen to those clichés and hypocritical pretenses!"

If you're capable, then do your job well. If you're not, then get out of the entertainment industry right now!
I'll buy Huayi at a premium, take the money and switch careers. You guys will have a good ending.

Or let's officially declare war starting today!
You're no good when it comes to playing the white card, and you're even worse when it comes to playing the black card. Today, I'm going to slap you across the face in front of everyone. What can you do about it? What do you dare to do?
"You're really giving me a hard time by spreading rumors about me!"

Fang Xinghe's sudden outburst plunged the scene into silence, followed by a chaotic and noisy uproar.

No one understood how Fang Xinghe dared to do such a thing.

Most importantly... is it really necessary? To throw away one's image? To throw away one's dignity?
No more.

Fang Xinghe was extremely clear-headed; at this point, the powder was no longer of any meaning to him.

A positive social image is still somewhat useful, but it's not a fundamental thing that absolutely needs to be maintained.

His foundation lies in his works, his high-caliber fans, his composure as the richest man, and his prestige that transcends the entire entertainment industry.

If I donate billions and I can't be arrogant in the entertainment industry, then what's the point of my donation?

Instead of getting entangled with a bunch of scoundrels within the rules, hoping they'll have a change of heart and curb their greedy and despicable behavior, it's better to just overturn the table and use authority to subdue the entire industry.

Otherwise, today Huayi will target Liu Yifei, tomorrow Comic will target Zhang Junning, and the day after tomorrow they'll turn their attention to Zhao Xiaoding and Dong Youde.

If they can't target you, Ziwei Star, they'll target the people around you. If they can't destroy you and disgust you to death, how much energy will you have left for creating?
Today, Fang Xinghe's anger wasn't just directed at Nen Xian.

He saw the whole picture, the big picture, the dark, cunning, and disgusting side of this rotten industry.

The manipulation of the two Wangs of Huayi was just the beginning; Fang Xinghe's real goal was to... create an order.

That order can be fully summarized in just eight words.

Those who follow me will prosper, those who go against me will perish!

If anyone doesn't want to have fun, then nobody should have fun.

If anyone can't understand human speech, then this humble Taoist priest also knows a little bit of martial arts.

Why don't you guess how many people can emerge unscathed from this storm if things really get too big?

The scene was chaotic.

The clever people sensed the pressure of the storm, and they... were utterly panicked, their bodies going numb.

(End of this chapter)