Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 316 Legend of Ravaging Dynasties?! (6k)
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"what?"

Gu Qing's voice suddenly rose, her eyes widened instantly, and her face was filled with disbelief, "He agreed to a 100 million yuan fee?!"

He could no longer hide his shock, and his heart was pounding.

A 100 million yuan salary! What does that even mean?
Looking at the entire Chinese film industry, actors who can earn over 100 million yuan in film remuneration are extremely rare, truly exceptional.

One is the globally renowned "Brother Chen Long," needless to say.

Back in the 1990s, his film remuneration and profit sharing were calculated in US dollars, and his annual income had already easily exceeded 100 million.

The other is Li Nianjie, a kung fu superstar who is equally renowned worldwide. He played the male lead in the movie "The Warlords" and received a staggering 100 million yuan in salary!
If this news really gets out... Gu Qing took a deep breath, and could almost imagine the earth-shattering shock.

He will become the third actor in the Chinese film industry to earn over 100 million yuan in film salary, and the youngest of them all!
This hype is enough to make it a top-tier endorsement for any popular celebrity, symbolizing undeniable market value.

In this industry, as long as you convince people that you are worth that much money, there will definitely be "foolish and rich" investors willing to open their wallets.

This is why so many popular idols desperately buy articles and hype up their exorbitant salaries—when the bubble inflates, there will always be someone willing to take the fall.

Even now, Gu Qing's heart couldn't help but pound wildly when faced with this astronomical figure.

That's a hundred million! Real money!
When he attends business events, he inevitably faces scrutiny and even exploitation from investors or brands in various ways.

As long as we hold the line, it doesn't matter who occupies it.

At the very least, Guo Jingming dared to offer 100 million in real money!
"How about... we make a bad movie?" A wavering thought flashed through Gu Qing's mind. "I remember the 'Tiny Times' series had a bad reputation, but its box office performance was always good, and it also had a group of die-hard fans who strongly supported it."

Under the immense temptation, the scales in his heart began to tip, and he couldn't help but ask, "Sister Li, which 'Tiny Times' movie did this director Guo Jingming ask me to direct?"

“Xiao Gu, it’s not ‘Tiny Times’,” Li Li quickly explained, trying hard to recall the name before finally remembering it. “It seems to be called… ‘Legend of Ravaging Dynasties’.”

"have to!"

In an instant, an invisible bucket of ice water was poured over her head, completely extinguishing the burning passion that had just ignited in Gu Qing's heart!
He instantly snapped back to reality, and reason regained absolute dominance. This "masterpiece"—whoever stars in it dies!

Despite its poor quality, "Tiny Times" accurately tapped into the fantasies of a specific audience, resulting in strong box office performance and substantial profits at every stage. It even became one of the top-grossing films featuring Yang Mi.

Its value lies in its success in bringing to life the "luxury, fashion, and glamour" of the upper class that its target audience (especially young women) imagined.

To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy: the "Tiny Times" series is like chocolate-flavored poop; at least it can coax the audience to hold their noses and eat it.

As for "Legend of Ravaging Dynasties"... Gu Qing recalled his painful experience watching the movie in his previous life, which was simply pure shit on top of shit! And it was the old kind!

He was also intimidated by the film's overwhelming hype back then—"pioneering Chinese-language CG films" and "super-luxurious all-star cast"—
I obediently paid for a movie ticket, only to end up with a bellyful of lessons and deep regret.

How would you describe the quality of this movie?
Before Bi's earth-shattering and tear-jerking film "Dream Chasing in the Entertainment Circle" was released, "L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties" definitely had the potential to claim the title of the worst movie ever!
The latter's 3.8 rating on Douban is already dismal, but the former's shocking 2.1 rating... can only be described as the new generation surpassing the old, and new talents emerging in every generation.

If it weren't for Bi's later "astounding talent" that shattered all of history, "L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties" would surely have been firmly nailed to the top of the pillar of shame in film history!

The stiff and bizarre facial capture technology neither pleased animation fans who sought visual enjoyment, nor did it amplify the actors' abysmal acting skills.

It made even the fans who came for "Gege" and "Jiejie" cringe with embarrassment.

It failed to please either audience, resulting in a double flop at the box office and critical acclaim, leaving the company with nothing.

Unless Gu Qing suddenly has a mental breakdown and decides to retire right after finishing this show, completely let loose, and plans to feed his fans a big surprise before running away...

Otherwise, even if you offered him a billion dollars, he would absolutely not act!
"Uh... wait, one billion?" Gu Qing's mind raced. "One billion... it seems... not out of the question?"

The thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly shook his head to shake off the terrible "degenerate" idea and said to Li Li firmly, "I'm going to join the 'Nirvana in Fire' crew tomorrow. 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties'... there's a scheduling conflict, I don't have time. Just decline."

"Xiao Gu! One hundred million! Are you really not going to reconsider?"

Li Li was practically going crazy. She had just seen a glimmer of attraction in Gu Qing's eyes, so how could he suddenly become so rational and clear-headed?

She tried to find reasons to convince people, saying, "The original novel of 'Legend of Ravaging Dynasties' already has a huge fan base, the remake has an all-star cast, and it's directed by Guo Jingming himself. The quality... well... the quality might be controversial, but the box office will definitely be good! It's a sure-fire deal!"

"I don't think he can make a good CG movie." Gu Qing said calmly, with certainty.

He could understand Li Li's breakdown; after all, who could resist the temptation of 100 million?
But who made him stand on the shoulders of giants?

Any actor who didn't know the disastrous consequences of this movie's release would probably fight tooth and nail to get the role.

But the price of acting in this movie was just too high!

Big enough to destroy the career of a rising top-tier film.

Even Kris Wu, known for his resilience and ability to withstand pressure, has largely faded from the mainstream film industry after "L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties".

To some extent, "L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties" is to Chris Wu what "Shanghai Fortress" is to Lu Han.

Without these two "divine assists," it wouldn't be so easy to take down these two top stars in the film industry!

"Okay... I'll go and decline."

With the contract for "Nirvana in Fire" already signed and the die was cast, Li Li had no choice but to accept it.

She turned and walked towards the door, but as she placed her hand on the doorknob, she suddenly turned back, a smile spreading across her face: "By the way, Xiao Gu, I noticed you only have Xiao Ya as your assistant. Isn't that a bit too much?"

Before Gu Qing could answer, she continued speaking to herself, her tone deliberately ambiguous: "Do you want the company to find you a few more?"
Young and beautiful, with varying body types.

You're young and strong, and your workload is so heavy. It's inconvenient for you to have to consider the fans' reactions when you're in contact with female celebrities.

Why not let the company arrange a few attentive staff for you? The company will cover all salaries! And…”

She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, making it highly suggestive: "They all know the rules and will sign the strictest confidentiality agreements. You can do whatever you want, and they'll guarantee to keep it a secret."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ya, who was standing behind Gu Qing, changed her expression drastically and looked at Gu Qing nervously.

"No,"

A barely perceptible hint of doubt flashed deep in Gu Qing's eyes, but her tone remained calm, "Sister Xiaoya is quite good, I find her easy to use. If we really need to hire an assistant,"

He paused for a moment, then said, "We should hire men too. Why hire only women? It's inconvenient."

“Oh dear, Xiao Gu, how come you don’t understand what I mean? I mean…” Li Li was unwilling to give up and wanted to be more explicit and direct.

Gu Qing raised her hand to interrupt, "I'm going to sleep. I have to catch a flight to Hengdian tomorrow morning."

"……All right,"

Li Li's smile froze for a moment, and she had no choice but to compromise, "Then when I get back, I'll help you find a few reliable male assistants."

She sullenly closed the door and left.

"Boss..." Zhao Ya's voice was filled with the emotion of surviving a disaster, and her eyes were a little red.

"Okay, okay, stop it now." Gu Qing chuckled and said half-jokingly, "I'm just worried that Sister Li might be careless and bring in a few fanatical fans disguised as assistants. Wouldn't that be like a lamb entering a tiger's den?"

This kind of thing has happened before in the industry.

He waved his hand, signaling Zhao Ya not to be too emotional.

But then he frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "However, it's a bit unusual for her to bring this up tonight. Could it be that she's worried about you working too hard?"

"How can it be!"

Zhao Ya immediately reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, raising her voice, "Boss, she'd love to kick me out!"
You wouldn't believe it, every time I went to her to hand over my work, her face would turn incredibly long, and she'd practically roll her eyes to the sky!
She just wants to put someone new next to you so she can push me out!

She became more and more excited as she spoke, as if she had seen through the script of palace intrigue. "More importantly, it makes it easy to plant spies! To keep track of your every move, boss! That's how it's portrayed in those palace dramas!"

Zhao Ya was extremely empathetic, as if she were a concubine about to be banished to the cold palace, and indignantly predicted: "What if... what if those new assistants used some underhanded means to get pregnant with your... uh, 'dragon seed'!"
"Then they can use the emperor to command the nobles, and threaten you, boss!"

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Gu Qing was amused and exasperated by her increasingly outrageous imagination. "Sister Xiaoya, you should read less palace intrigue novels! You even think you can use the emperor to command the princes?"

"It's a shame you're not a screenwriter with that kind of imagination."

He smiled and reassured her, "You're the most capable 'female version of Su Peisheng' by my side, firmly in the position of Grand Eunuch, alright?"

These words indeed made Zhao Ya beam with joy, and her worries vanished instantly. She left the room in high spirits.

After washing up, Gu got into bed and prepared to sleep.

One minute... five minutes... ten minutes...

"Something's wrong!" Gu Qing suddenly opened her eyes, threw off the covers, sat up in the darkness, and tossed and turned.

Before going to sleep, people tend to unconsciously review the day's experiences.

Zhao Ya's half-complaint, half-joking "palace intrigue theory" now lingered in his mind like a demonic whisper.

Considering Li Li's ambiguous and deliberate actions before leaving, a strong sense of suspicion arose.

He suddenly recalled those explosive entertainment news stories he had casually browsed in his previous life: a certain male celebrity who was at the height of his popularity was instantly blacklisted because he was exposed for "tax problems" (the amount of which was not even very large);

A top-tier actress or rising star suddenly finds herself embroiled in a dating scandal, or is exposed for having a volatile temper and abusing staff...

Without exception, all of these artists had fierce conflicts with their original companies over contract renewal issues before their scandals broke!
This is a common pressure tactic used by talent agencies—collecting or even fabricating "dirt" on artists in advance, intending to control them at crucial moments and force them to submit!
Gu Qinghe's contract with the company still has more than three years left before it expires, so logically they shouldn't be having conflicts over the renewal right now.

What is the purpose of the company suddenly making these small moves?
"Could it be..."

Gu Qing's pupils suddenly contracted as a thought flashed through her mind: "They want to gain leverage over me beforehand and control me?!"

How to destroy an idol artist?
The simplest and most lethal trick is to "fall in love"!
Once a relationship is confirmed, even if you're the most popular celebrity, you'll fall from grace on the same day, as the backlash from your fans can be fatal.

He threw back the covers, stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet, and paced restlessly in the spacious yet oppressive hotel room.

Finally, she stopped in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling yet cold city nightscape, a chill inexplicably rising in her heart. Gu Qing wasn't worried that the company would dare to make a fuss about Liu Shishi or Zhao Liying.

Rashly involving important artists from other major companies is tantamount to inviting trouble and will inevitably lead to a joint attack from those companies.

Given the size of his company, he wouldn't dare to do that.

So... Li Li's behavior of "recommending" her female assistant tonight makes perfect sense!

It doesn't need to be as dramatic as Zhao Ya imagined, like "holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords".

Even if Gu Qing did nothing, as long as someone sneaks into his room while he's asleep and takes a few photos taken at ambiguous angles, that would be enough to "proven" that he has a "chaotic private life" or "sexually harasses his assistant"!

Amidst the frenzy of the media and fans, any celebrity facing such "ironclad evidence" would be utterly overwhelmed and unable to defend themselves!
"We must replace him! The team needs a complete overhaul!"

Having reached this level in the entertainment industry, Gu Qing has become extremely sensitive and suspicious. She only pays attention to trending topics about herself unless explicitly purchased by her company.
He would subconsciously suspect that it was a dirty trick by his rivals, an attempt to either praise him to death or smear him.

“Besides Sister Xiaoya, whom I know very well, everyone who can get close to me—driver, makeup artist, hairstylist, other assistants…—must be replaced with absolutely reliable ‘insiders’ whom I personally vet!”

Gu Qing fell into deep thought.

While a person with a clear conscience has nothing to fear, in today's information-saturated world where public opinion can be deadly, it takes considerable effort to truly ruin someone's reputation.

Even if you were the reincarnation of Lei Feng, it wouldn't work! You must always maintain the highest level of vigilance.

"Drip-drip-"

The phone screen on the bedside table suddenly lit up, emitting a pleasant notification sound that broke the silence of the room.

Gu Qing turned around, picked up her phone, and saw the name flashing on the screen—"Sister Bingbing".
A flicker of hesitation crossed his expression.

Why is Da Bingbing looking for him so late?

The message that popped up on the screen read: "Little brother, are you asleep? Is it convenient for you to answer the phone? Your sister misses you."

"?"

Gu Qing, filled with doubt, replied with a simple question mark emoji.

Next second,
The phone screen instantly switched to a video call invitation interface!
Gu Qing hung up immediately and then dialed a regular voice call.

"Brother~"

As soon as the call connected, Da Bingbing's voice, tinged with a hint of sorrow yet incredibly alluring, came through: "Do you really not want to see your sister that much? You won't even answer the video call?" Her tone was reproachful, with a hooky edge.

"Sister Bingbing, I look too ugly without makeup, I'm afraid it will scare you."

Gu Qing gave a perfunctory reply and immediately changed the subject, "What do you want to see me so late? Where's Brother Chen? I haven't seen him in ages."

"I'm at home,"

Fan Xiaobing's voice sounded lazy and a little nonchalant, "Big Black Bull is probably off having a party somewhere, he's probably forgotten all about me."

Having worked in the entertainment industry for so many years, she had become quite shrewd. Gu Qing couldn't possibly miss her little scheme, as she mentioned "Li Chen" in every other sentence.

He found it both amusing and a little helpless: "What a little gentleman he is."

But then I thought about it again and felt a little uneasy—had my charm faded?
Why doesn't it have any appeal to this young man?
She couldn't help but think of the female stars who had been rumored to be dating Gu Qing at the Bazaar Gala: the sweet type, the gentle type, the demure type... someone as beautiful, flamboyant, and aggressive as her really didn't fit the bill.

Da Bingbing shook her head to dispel this ridiculous thought. When she was recording a variety show with Chris Wu, he had often secretly glanced at her.

"Sister Bingbing, what's wrong? If there's nothing else, I'll rest now. I have to fly to Hengdian to film a movie early tomorrow morning."

Gu Qing didn't have time to guess her thoughts. Seeing that she wasn't getting to the point, he raised his voice slightly, urging her on.

"Oh, little brother, speaking of filming, I have something I want to ask you."

Da Bingbing finally put aside her romantic thoughts and got to the point, "I heard that Director Guo Jingming invited you to star in his new movie 'L.O.R.D.', but you turned it down?"

Her voice carried just the right amount of surprise and regret, "I heard the pay is 1 million! Even I, your older sister, don't get that much salary. Are you really willing to spend that much?"

So they came here as lobbyists.

Gu Qing understood, a sense of helplessness welling up within her. "Sister Bingbing, there's nothing we can do, no matter how reluctant we are,"

He said, "I've already signed contracts with all my other film crews, in black and white. I can't just breach them, can I? The penalty for breach of contract is no small amount."

"It's not a breach of contract,"

Bingbing immediately chimed in, her tone displaying the "flexibility" of someone in the industry, "Little brother, you can film multiple projects at once!"

Director Guo Jingming certainly won't mind. Wouldn't it be better if we just secured that 1 million yuan salary? It's practically free!

"It's very difficult to film multiple projects at once,"

Gu Qing said firmly, "The production team of 'Nirvana in Fire' that I'm currently working with has very strict rules. Actors are required to be on set the whole time and are not allowed to leave at will. The director is keeping a close eye on them."

"Even the strictest rules are only for minor artists!"

Bingbing spoke with an air of dominance, radiating the superiority of a top star: "Someone of our caliber can do whatever they want! The production crew isn't really going to tie you up, is it? They can just coordinate your schedule!"

Gu Qing twitched the corner of her mouth. "We can't do anything illegal."

"..."

Da Bingbing was taken aback, then scolded playfully, "Little brother! I was talking about filming multiple projects at once, not breaking the law! Be more flexible!"

"I can't squeeze a single bit." Gu Qingming refused without leaving any room for negotiation.

"My dear brother, please!"

Da Bingbing immediately switched to her coquettish mode, her voice so sweet it could drip honey, "Your sister is in this movie too! If you come over, we siblings can play together all the time, wouldn't that be so much fun!"

"And with the two of us guaranteeing box office success, this movie is sure to be a huge hit!"

"I'm not happy, and I don't want to sell."

Gu Qing remained unmoved, her tone visibly weary, "Filming so many projects at once is exhausting. I really can't take it anymore. If I don't get some sleep, I feel like I'm going to suddenly die any second now."

Goodnight, Bingbing. I'm really going to sleep now.

After saying that, without waiting for the other party's reaction, he decisively hung up the call, his actions swift and efficient.

The world was quiet for less than five minutes.

"Buzz buzz buzz—" The phone started vibrating wildly again.

Frustrated, Gu Qing grabbed her phone and saw "Brother Chen" displayed on the screen!
"Are you two playing a mixed doubles relay race with me?!" Gu Qing was practically going crazy and answered the video call in a huff.

The screen lit up, the image shaky, showing Li Chen's flushed face and drunken appearance.

The background noise was loud and noisy, with figures moving around, clearly indicating a lively drinking party.

“Brother Chen,” Gu Qing said helplessly, looking at the drunken Li Chen on the screen, “you’re not here to persuade me to film ‘L.O.R.D.’, are you?”

"What are you filming for! Xiao Gu, why is Brother Chen advising you? I'm just here to show my face and make an example for her."

Li Chen, slurring his words, chuckled and waved at the camera, appearing very "loyal," saying, "If you don't want to film, then don't! I support you! What's so great about filming that piece of junk!"

"Brother Chen! You're the best!"

Gu Qing felt a warmth in her heart, and her tone became sincere.

"Don't be so moved yet!"

Li Chen chuckled, then suddenly swung his phone camera towards the noisy table. "Come on, say hello to my friends! They're all clamoring to see you!"

The camera panned across the table, and the men and women sitting around it burst into excited screams and cheers:

"Ah—! Little brother! It really is Gu Qing!"

"Little brother, look at me! I'm your fan!"

"My God! Gu Qing is alive!"

Li Chen's smug voice rang out from off-camera, drowning out the noise: "How about that? I wasn't bragging, was I? Gu Qing is my good brother! Do you believe me now?"

"I believe it! Brother Chen is awesome!!" "Brother Chen is mighty!!" A chorus of flattery and even more excited screams erupted at the table.

Gu Qing stared at the excited yet unfamiliar faces on the screen, and at Li Chen's smug expression, utterly speechless.
"..."

He could only force himself to switch into business mode, forcing a standardized smile at the camera and waving, "Hi, everyone..."

And so, in the middle of the night, Gu Qing was forced to work for a full half hour, exchanging perfunctory pleasantries, engaging in awkward conversations, and accepting flattery from a group of "Brother Chen's friends" whose names she didn't even know.

The unexpected "fan meeting" only ended when Li Chen finally had his fill of fun.

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qing felt utterly exhausted, even more so than after a whole day of filming.

He now had only one incredibly strong thought: get on set as soon as possible! Get away from all this messy people and things!

It's just dawn,
Gu Qing then took Zhao Ya and a small amount of luggage and headed straight to the airport, boarding a flight to Hengdian.

The roar of the airplane sounded surprisingly pleasant, almost like a relief.

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(End of this chapter)