Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 386 of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils": Mu Wanqing and A'Zhu a few years later

The next day, exhausted Jiang Xin wanted to rest, but her agent showed up at her door.

"Old Jiang, we've got a big job coming up."

"Oh, I'll sleep a little longer."

Jiang Xin pulled the blanket over her head, not wanting to talk to anyone, but her manager pulled it off again.

"Wake up, Feng Xiaogang wants you to make a movie."

"Ok?"

Jiang Xin, who had been keeping her eyes closed, opened them instantly: "Who are you talking about?"

The agent noticed some marks on her body and then covered her with the blanket again.

"Get up first, and I'll explain it to you in detail."

Jiang Xin had no choice but to get up. Her manager went to the living room, looked at the mess from the party and class, sighed, and began to quietly tidy up for Jiang Xin.

After a while, Jiang Xin got dressed, her hair a little messy, and pulled her manager to sit down.

"Old Yan, what's going on?"

Jiang Xin's agent is Yan Langruo, who was originally an actress but didn't do well, so she wanted to switch to working behind the scenes.

At this time, Jiang Xin met Yan on a film set. They got along quite well and were not satisfied with the agent that Hairun assigned to her. So they hit it off and brought Yan into their team.

Previously, Yan was just an executive agent, or even more like an assistant.

However, after the huge success of "Lurking" last year, Yan worked hard to help Jiang Xin steadily reap the benefits, greatly enhancing her status and fame.

Jiang Xin, who already had a good personal relationship with Yan, felt that Yan was also capable and strongly supported him to rise to the top and become her agent.

Because of this, although the two had not known each other for long, Jiang Xin trusted Yan completely, to the point that she had a key to Yan's house and could come and go freely, and was used to seeing her private life.

You know "If You Are the One 2", right?

The agent cut to the chase and got down to business: Feng Xiaogang is going to film "If You Are the One 2," with Ge You and Shu Qi still playing the male and female leads.

However, the newly added male and female supporting roles were given to Sun Honglei and Jiang Xin, who became hugely popular after "Lurking".

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin understood that this was already the fourth project they were considering having Sun and Jiang work together on.

"Lurking" was incredibly popular, and it boosted the careers of many actors. Sun Honglei is now one of the highest-paid male actors in television dramas, while Jiang Xin is slightly less so, but her salary has increased several times over.

As a result, many projects are trying to capitalize on the trend.

LeTV had previously wanted to bring the two together to film "The Battle of Shama Town," but the deal fell through and they only used Sun Honglei.

Other companies, such as Hairun and Yi'an, were also considered, but none were quite suitable. Unexpectedly, Huayi Brothers was the first to make a move, and it was with the hit movie "If You Are the One 2".

Seeing Jiang Xin's excitement, her agent advised, "Don't be too optimistic. It's still uncertain whether your application will be finalized."

Jiang Xin looked at her agent with a puzzled expression, and the latter explained.

"If You Are the One 2" had an impact on Jiang Xindu, as well as on the artists from Huayi Brothers.

I heard that Hu Jing, Yao Chen, Hu Ke, and Luo Haiqiong are all vying for the position, and Huayi Brothers is also unsure whether to use Sun Honglei or Zhang Hanyu.

“Sun Honglei is more famous and has old connections with Xinbaoyuan, but Zhang Hanyu and Feng have a good personal relationship and are also Huayi’s own people, so it’s hard to say.”

"If Sun Honglei plays the lead role, the chances of him being cast as the male and female leads in 'Lurking' are much higher. If Zhang Hanyu plays the lead role, you're probably out of luck."

Jiang Xin calmed down: "So it seems like my chances aren't very good?"

"So you need to find a way to fight for it."

The agent looked at Jiang Xin, who was still a little confused, and pointed to the hickey on her collar.

"Ask that person to put in a good word for Huayi Brothers; it will make things much easier."

Jiang Xin was speechless: "Did you not wake up this morning? If it's Yi An's project, he can say whatever he wants. Why would Huayi listen to him? Besides, everyone knows that Feng Xiaogang was dealt with by him. How could he not hold a grudge?"

"That's still better than us just worrying."

The agent said, "Even if Huayi Brothers doesn't work out, it's always good to put in a word with Sun Honglei. If they decide to cast you later, he'll strongly recommend you, and you might get the part."

"If You Are the One" is not an ordinary film, but a hit film by a famous director. Although I only played a supporting role, it may be more beneficial than acting in one or two ordinary movies.

The agent sincerely hopes that Jiang Xin can seize this opportunity.

No matter how good Yi An is, there are many people eyeing her, and Jiang Xin may not be able to compete with her. Moreover, filming Huayi Brothers' productions won't prevent her from going back to grab Yi An's resources. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so she should fight for what she can.

"let me see."

Jiang Xin hesitated. She could ask Yan Li for help with Yi An's play, and at worst, she could use some tricks. However, Huayi Brothers might have to use Yan Li to build up their relationship, which would be a different story.

"Let's talk to the company first, at least they can help out."

Jiang Xin planned to start with Hairun to get a feel for their business. If that didn't work, she would then approach Yan Li. Her agent also thought it was a reliable option. If it worked out, great; if not, it would be more secure if both sides worked together.

The two tidied up at home and then drove to Hairun, intending to seek help from relevant senior executives.

As soon as Jiang Xin entered the company, she ran into Li Xiaoran, who was wearing a mask and looked a little haggard. When she saw Jiang Xin, she nodded and then left in a hurry.

Was she greeting me just now?

Jiang Xin looked at her agent with some confusion, and the latter was also a little bewildered: "I guess so."

"Did she take the wrong medicine?"

Jiang Xin couldn't help but complain that there were rumors circulating that she and Sun Li were vying for the top spot, leading people to believe that the two had a bad relationship.

In reality, their relationship wasn't good, but it wasn't terrible either.

The main conflict was in their careers; there was no personal grudge. It was a disagreement, but not a feud. Otherwise, Jiang Xin would never have considered participating in "Empresses in the Palace".

Can you imagine Wang Ou being a supporting character to Huo Siyan? She wouldn't do it even if she starved to death.

To a certain extent, the conflict between the two was forced upon them, involving both a struggle for personal career resources and a power struggle between two factions behind the scenes.

That's right, Hairun artists also have different factions.

Hairun Artist Management is somewhat similar to the former Orange Sky, with Chang Jihong in charge and a group of people under him, including Sun Li, Jiang Wenli, Liu Huohua, and Wang Luodan.

She personally trained all of these people. Although their contracts were with Hairun, she had a very strong influence.

Now, Chang Jihong's contract with Hairun is about to expire, and there are rumors that she may leave Hairun. At that time, she may have many followers, and may even repeat the mistakes of Wang Jinghua and Huayi Brothers.

Of course, Hairun wasn't stupid either. They had taken precautions early on and signed some artists with Changjihong, such as Jiang Xin, Guo Tao, Tong Lei, Zhao Zihui, and Lian Yiming.

Therefore, Hairun's artists can be roughly divided into regular and non-regular groups.

After Jiang Xin became a huge star in "Lurking", her fame soared and she became the representative of the Extraordinary Clique. So she was put forward to compete with Sun Li, the representative of the Regular Clique.

If Sun Li, Wang Luodan, and others leave Hairun with Chang Jihong, then Jiang Xin will directly become Hairun's top female executive.

If the conflict between Jiang Xin and Sun Li was merely a professional one, without much personal animosity, then the conflict with Li Xiaoran was a combination of public and private matters.

Firstly, Jiang Xin's rise threatened Li Xiaoran's position in the company; secondly, their acting styles somewhat overlapped; and thirdly, both are straightforward and outspoken.

Well, okay, Jiang Xin is brainless and lacks tact, and Li Xiaoran isn't much better, she's even a bit arrogant.

One is clueless, the other is unhappy; they already disliked each other, and with their interests clashing, they're even less likely to get along.

Before arguing with Sun Li, Jiang Xin met with her. Regardless of what she was thinking, she still chatted and laughed on the surface.

However, with Li Xiaoran, apart from some initial exchanges after Jiang Xin joined Hairun, they went their separate ways. Later, they simply ignored each other when they met, and it was common for them to exchange a few sarcastic remarks when the mood struck.

That's why Jiang Xin felt very uncomfortable when she suddenly saw Li Xiaoran's nice face, and even suspected that the other party was trying to trip her up.

The agent looked around and whispered, "I heard she seems to be in trouble, quite a mess. Even President Chang and President Liu have stepped in, but they still couldn't resolve it."

Jiang Xin thought about some rumors circulating in the company: "Is it her ex-boyfriend?"

She had heard from people in the company before that Li Xiaoran had a boyfriend who kept harassing her after they broke up, causing her a lot of trouble. This was also a factor in her poor career development in the past two years.

"should be."

The agent glanced at Jiang Xin and whispered a reminder: "You should also be careful. If your man does that, with his influence, you won't even be able to get any acting roles."

"hehe."

Jiang Xin gave a wry smile: "I would like him to keep bothering me, but I'm afraid he'll forget about me as soon as he turns around."

Yan Li is not the kind of man who can't live without women, at least he can't live without her.

Other people's business is none of my business, let alone the business of my enemies. Jiang Xin's lack of gloating is considered morally upright.

She and her agent went off to talk to the executives at Hairun Media on their own, even using "Empresses in the Palace" as leverage, saying that if Hairun helped her get "If You Are the One 2", she would play a supporting role to Sun Li.

This can be seen as helping Sun Li gain prestige in a certain sense, and as Chang Jihong prepares to leave Hairun, it will be a small bargaining chip for Hairun to retain Sun Li.

As for whether it will affect Jiang Xin's future competition for the top spot at Hairun, to be honest, Jiang Xin isn't particularly concerned.

Compared to the top female star, she values ​​tangible resources more, and what Hairun can offer her is far less than what Yan Li can provide.

Jiang Xin is still with Hairun because Hairun said it was going public. Seeing how much money Huayi Brothers and Stars made, Jiang Xin also wanted to try her luck as a celebrity shareholder.

After some negotiation, Jiang Xin was fairly satisfied with the attitude expressed by the senior management of Hairun, so she took her leave.

As they were walking out, they ran into a producer from Hairun. As soon as the latter saw Jiang Xin, he immediately grabbed her and wouldn't let her leave.

Seeing this, Jiang Xin felt somewhat helpless. This person had a drama about the War of Resistance against Japan, and they really wanted Jiang Xin to star in it.

Because there were better options available, and because the role was too similar to Cuiping's, Jiang Xin was afraid of limiting her acting range, so she turned it down. However, the other party persisted.

"Don't rush to refuse. Here's what we've arranged: I've invited an actor to dinner, and you can come along too. Just to give me your opinion, and we can also discuss the script together. If you still don't like it afterward, I'll accept it and won't bother you anymore."

This producer had approached Jiang Xin to act in a film before she became famous, and the two had a good relationship. Jiang Xin couldn't refuse too harshly, so she had no choice but to agree.

The actress the producer approached was Qin Hailu. Qin Hailu was one of the candidates for the female lead in "Lurking," showing that she was quite competitive for the role of Cuiping.

Qin Hailu was a little surprised to see Jiang Xin, but Jiang Xin gave her a polite smile and explained indirectly that she wasn't there to steal the role.

The latter relaxed slightly and then told the producer that she had a friend who seemed quite suitable for a role in the drama, and asked if she could invite her over for dinner.

This is perfectly normal in the industry. You recommend me, I recommend you, friends introduce friends, and everyone helps and supports each other. Everyone is used to it.

The other person readily agreed, assuming they were already waiting. Qin Hailu made a phone call, and the other person arrived within minutes.

"Liu Tao?"

Jiang Xin looked at the newcomer with surprise. Liu Tao was also surprised to see Jiang Xin. He was slightly embarrassed, then shook hands and greeted her.

"long time no see."

The two had known each other for a long time. Back in the day, in the TV series "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", one played Mu Wanqing and the other played A'Zhu. Although they didn't have many scenes together, they were still acquaintances.

After everyone took their seats, Jiang Xin was puzzled by Liu Tao's appearance and asked him a question.

"Didn't you retire from the entertainment industry? Why are you back to acting?"

The agent couldn't help but kick her under the table. Of course, a rich woman like her has something going on when she comes out to film. Why are you asking so many questions?

Liu Tao didn't hide anything; playing the victim card would make it easier to get work, so he smiled wryly.

"My husband's business ran into some problems, so I had to come out and act."

"Oh, that's so unfortunate. It seems you've only been married for two years."

Jiang Xin sighed sincerely, her agent facepalmed, and Qin Hailu couldn't help but glance at Liu Tao, asking with her eyes.

You two don't have any grudge, right? Is she trying to mock you?

Liu Tao was alright. She had met Jiang Xin before, and her impression of her was that Jiang Xin was not very talkative, and judging from her expression, she didn't seem to have any ill intentions.

So Liu Tao just smiled and said, "I chose this path, so I have to bear the consequences. Fortunately, I can still act. That's why I asked Hailu to help me find a job."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin realized that Liu Tao had come looking for an opportunity, so she spoke up for him.

Although Liu Tao hasn't filmed any dramas in the past two years and has faded somewhat from the spotlight, she still retains some of the popularity she had back then. Her roles as A'Zhu in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" and Bai Suzhen in "The Legend of the White Snake" are considered to be quite influential.

When Producer Wang heard that Liu Tao wasn't picky about roles and that his pay was reasonable, he was somewhat tempted. With the help of Qin Hailu and Jiang Xin, he said he could consider it.

Afterwards, Producer Wang had to leave first, and Liu Tao expressed his deep gratitude to Qin and Jiang.

"Thanks to your help."

Qin Hailu waved her hand: "What's this? What's our relationship?"

Jiang Xin also said, "No need to be polite. Everyone has their difficult times. Let's help each other out if we can."

Speaking of this, she remembered something and said to Liu Tao, "I don't know if you've heard of the TV series 'Empresses in the Palace,' but it has a promising future. There's a role for an empress in it, and I think it would be quite suitable for you."

"If I can successfully make a comeback, it will be easier to get roles, and the pay will be more substantial."

Qin Hailu and her agent, who were standing nearby, also expressed their approval.

Liu Tao's return to acting is due to her husband's business problems and financial difficulties.

In this situation, blindly making films for money is actually a bad strategy.

Because filming these kinds of movies doesn't really help an actor's career much besides making money, and it also incurs various other costs.

Over time, Liu Tao might earn some money, but he will lose his remaining popularity and connections, become even more washed up, find it harder to get roles, and receive even lower pay, thus falling into a negative cycle step by step.

Therefore, making money is actually secondary for Liu Tao now; making a comeback is her top priority.

Once you become famous, you have more options, and you can even develop your career while finding ways to make money, without neglecting either.

Liu Tao understood this as well, but "The Legend of Zhen Huan" didn't sound like a simple project, and it wasn't something she could just decide to act in.

She wasn't a particularly famous actress to begin with, and her best friend Qin Hailu wasn't much better. After her husband's business failed, she had no support in the industry. Otherwise, she wouldn't have needed Qin Hailu to introduce her and help her get a role.

"Well then, let's go all the way and I'll try to think of a solution for you."

Jiang Xin had always had a good impression of Liu Tao, an old acquaintance, and now seeing her difficulties, she felt somewhat sympathetic. Besides, Liu Tao had acted in "Empresses in the Palace," so she had a companion on set.

Liu Tao was very grateful to Jiang Xin for her generosity, but Jiang Xin waved her hand in return.

"We're friends, no need to be so polite. Just wait for my message."

After talking for a while, the two groups separated, and Qin Hailu snorted.

"It's just a stroke of luck that 'Lurking' became a hit. Look at how smug she is."

"Don't say that."

Liu Tao interrupted, saying, "She's not a bad person, and she's kind-hearted. If anyone else were in my situation, they would run away as fast as they could."

Without experiencing hardship, one cannot know the value of human nature!
When Liu Tao's career was going well, she was used to seeing smiling faces. After marrying into a wealthy family, she was the envy of many.

As a result, her husband's business ran into trouble, and she was also affected. When she started to return to acting to pay off her debts, she truly experienced the coldness of human relationships.

The friends who used to surround her now avoid her, afraid she'll borrow money. That's bad enough, but some even mock her behind her back or to her face, saying she's gone from a rich wife to a debtor.

Qin Hailu was the only good friend who was willing to lend her money and actively help her. Even when Jiang Xin's words were unpleasant to hear, she stepped in to help her make arrangements.

Upon hearing this, Qin Hailu nodded. Although she felt that Jiang Xin was deliberately showing off, Liu Tao was already a benefactor for being willing to help.

"In that case, if you have the chance, try to get closer to her."

Qin Hailu is an actress herself, with very limited resources and connections. She can't even get many good roles, let alone help Liu Tao.

Jiang Xin is a rising star now, and her network of connections is incomparable to Qin Liu's. The producer's willingness to agree earlier was also due to Jiang Xin's help.

Needless to say, Jiang Xin also has a powerful backer who is well-known in the industry.

"There are rumors that she is Yan Li's person."

Qin Hailu whispered to Liu Tao, who asked, "Is the information reliable?"

With so many people rumored to be romantically involved with Yan Li, even the industry itself can't distinguish between the truth and the falsehoods.

Moreover, having a relationship with Yan Li does not mean being one of Yan Li's people; the two are completely different. The latter is someone you cannot afford to offend and even have to curry favor with.

"You can tell from her development over the past two years that without a powerful figure backing her, could she have become famous so quickly and so consistently?"

Most artists have to go through a fierce battle to rise to fame.

The huge success of "Lurking" can be attributed to Jiang Xin's incredible luck, but after becoming famous, she rarely had any negative news. She went into film, reaped commercial benefits, and even won the Magnolia Award for Best Actress. No one would believe that she had no one behind her.

Liu Tao nodded slightly: "I understand."

She felt conflicted. Both men were looking for wealthy men, but although she had gained entry into their lives, she was heavily in debt. Jiang Xin, on the other hand, had no official status, yet her career was thriving. She even had to curry favor with him in hopes of getting his help.

People with different fates!

Qin Hailu understands her best friend. Seeing Liu Tao's state, she half-comforts and half-jokingly says, "My suggestion last time that you dump Wang Ke and Yan Li still stands. This time, with Jiang Xin involved, you even have a matchmaker."

Liu Tao patted her and scolded her lightly, "Why do you always encourage me to cheat on you? What's wrong with you?"

"I feel sorry for you."

Qin Hailu said to Liu Tao, "What's there to miss about that man? The sooner you break it off, the better. Find a way to pay back the money and start a new life."

Liu Tao was silent for a long time before saying, "When I came out to film, he said he wouldn't force me to accompany people for drinks anymore, and besides, there's the child."

Qin Hai opened her mouth, but then closed it. Liu Tao and Wang Ke were definitely not people who could just get a divorce on a whim.

Money and debt are one issue, but there are also two children. The younger one was just born not long ago, and the older one is still a baby. What will happen to the children if we get divorced?
Being a single mother is easy to say but hard to do, and Wang Ke's mental state is indeed poor right now. She is afraid that divorce will provoke him to do something extreme.

Not to mention that the two still have some feelings for each other, he is also the father of her child. Even if there are no feelings left, bankruptcy, divorce and husband's suicide would cause Liu Tao's reputation and image to collapse, and she would never be able to get any roles again.

Let's just make do for now and wait until the child is older or Wang Ke has recovered.

Looking at Liu Tao, who was pretending to be strong, Qin Hailu sighed. She had also wanted to marry a rich man before, and even caused a farce of two women fighting over one man.

Having learned her lesson and seeing Liu Tao's miserable state, she feels that marrying a rich man is also risky, so it's better to find someone down-to-earth and live a stable and comfortable life.

The two chatted for a while longer, until nearly evening, before Liu Tao returned home.

The house hasn't been sold yet because it's already mortgaged. If the money isn't repaid by a certain time, we'll have to move.

I went to see the child first. Liu Tao has been busy making a comeback lately and asked her mother to help. As for her mother-in-law, the two do not get along. The latter even blamed Liu Tao for her son's bankruptcy and called her a jinx.

So Liu Tao invites his own mother whenever possible. If his mother is busy, he grits his teeth and spends money to hire a postpartum nanny or housekeeper to fill in for a while. He just doesn't want his mother-in-law to come over.

After seeing the child, I spoke a few words with Liu's mother, who told me that someone had come to collect debts again today, and that the child's milk powder and some other baby products were running low.

Liu Tao handed a credit card to his mother, asking her to buy things like baby formula.

Afterwards, they went to visit Wang Ke in his room, which was filled with the smell of alcohol and some other unpleasant odors.

Since Liu Tao threatened divorce to force him to compromise, although Wang Ke no longer allowed Liu to go out drinking with clients, it has become increasingly difficult to attract investment.

This caused Wang Ke to become self-destructive, hiding in his room every day to drink heavily, sometimes not leaving for days and nights, eating, drinking, and relieving himself all in one room.

Liu Tao, who had long ago separated from him from his room, had tried beating, scolding, and persuading him, but to no avail. Now, when he has time to come and take a look, he's just checking to see if the man is dead or alive.

Looking at Wang Ke, who was sleeping like a log, Liu Tao suppressed his disgust, cleaned up the trash, threw it away, and returned to his room.

Recalling what happened today, and thinking about the debts I'm carrying, not knowing when I'll be able to escape this darkness, the more I think about it, the more upset I become, and finally I lie on the bed and cry bitterly.

She wanted to be a good wife and mother, but now the burden of everyone and everything in the family rests on her shoulders...

　My condition was too poor this month; I will resume updates next month.

　　(4000/271000)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)