Run, Best Actor!

"I told you it was right to bring a lawyer and financial auditor back to the studio with you, wasn't that the right thing to do?"

Liu Taile boasted to himself over the phone, "Otherwise, how could I have gotten you to defuse such a huge bomb?!"

"Yes, yes, Xiao Le, you're the best!"

Yang Mi said with a laugh, "But Xiao Le, how did you predict that our studio's financial situation was problematic?"

Is it most likely to happen with my previous contracts?

"Simple derivation".

Liu Taile slowly said, "After all, artists in the industry usually have their own studios where the artists themselves are the legal representatives. It was obviously abnormal for Zeng Jia to insist on being the legal representative."

Although it was said to be preparation for the studio to be upgraded to a company in the future, this reason is untenable.

More likely, this involves some financial issues that she doesn't want you to know, and she can handle it properly as the legal representative.

As for financial issues, the most likely way things will go wrong is because some of the contracts your studio previously had, signed by her as the legal representative, are different from the ones you, the artist, received…”

The key to that major event in later generations was this kind of "dual contract".

Those damn goods were deliberately handled that way to evade taxes.

Yang Mi was unlucky enough to be tricked by Zeng Jia.

This is probably why Yang Mi in the original timeline went from being a boss to a high-level employee.

Zeng Jia had dug a huge pit for her from the very beginning, and she couldn't get away unscathed unless she obediently admitted defeat.

Later, Yang Mi became a Class A taxpayer recognized by the State Taxation Administration. It is estimated that she was traumatized by the previous experience and would never default on taxes.

"Wow! Xiao Le, how do you know so much about this?"

Yang Mi exclaimed in surprise.

"Because this kind of thing doesn't only happen in the entertainment industry!"

Liu Taile suddenly sighed, "This kind of thing was actually more common in the sports circle before."

In many cases, it is the collusion between insiders and outsiders to deceive the athletes.

I almost got scammed before, but Brother Liu Xiang kindly gave me some pointers, which allowed me to land safely that time.

So ever since then, I've been extremely cautious about anything related to contracts.

"Sigh, I really never imagined that Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruoyao would turn out like this!"

Yang Mi sighed again, "Just over two years ago, we were still best friends fighting side by side."

But just over two years later, they became completely strangers to me; everything had changed so much!

"That's normal. In a commercial society, people can be alienated by money in a short period of time."

Liu Taile calmly stated, "Therefore, you must never become a slave to money, but rather learn to control money and your own desires. Otherwise, sooner or later you will become a completely different person from who you once were."

In the original timeline, Liu Taile had seen far too many examples like this.

A person who seemed like a good person suddenly "collapses" and their dirty secrets are exposed, and only then do people realize how "dirty" this person is in the dark.

Later, Liu Xiang lived abroad for a long time and rarely returned to China, probably because he was heartbroken after being cheated before.

Therefore, compared to many secretive circles, the dirty secrets inside the entertainment industry, which receives a lot of media attention, are really nothing.

"Honey, has Zeng Jia agreed to transfer the legal representative status to you?"

Liu Taile asked again.

"With that evidence, how could she possibly disagree?"

Yang Mi said, "Otherwise, she won't be able to get past the tax hurdle."

I told her to pay the taxes, then I took Zhao Ruoyao and the others and left the studio. We parted amicably.

"Did any of the artists your studio signed before leave with her?"

Liu Taile asked curiously.

"well……"

Hearing his question, Yang Mi sighed, "I have to admire Zeng Jia for this. She really knows how to win people over. After we announced the 'splitting' of the company, not only did most of the staff leave, but in the end, only three artists were left. Everyone else went with her."

Yang Mi gave a bitter smile and said, "Xiao Le, do you think I'm a pretty failure as a person?"

Not only did my longtime colleague of over eight years betray me, but most of my subordinates also lost faith in me. I don't even know where I went wrong!

"Those people are blind; what does it have to do with you?"

Liu Taile comforted him, "They probably just think Zeng Jia is a well-known agent in the industry and assumes she can bring in a lot of resources. They don't really know; you're the one with the connections!"

The main reason is that Yang Mi is kind-hearted and did not disclose Zeng Jia's previous financial misconduct to the entire studio. She only said that they parted ways because of differences in their philosophies.

Most people, unaware of the facts, choose the side they believe is advantageous.

After all, Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruoyao are currently employed by Huanrui, backed by a large company, which is much more reliable than Yang Mi, who will most likely have to rely on herself in the future.

Well, hopefully they won't panic when they find out that Yang Mi will be collaborating with Huanrui on "Swords of Legends" and will be one of the producers, and they won't lament their poor judgment.

Who are the three remaining artists?

Liu Taile asked again.

"One is Brother Wang Jiao. He only signed with the studio because of me. He even brought his own resources, so he will definitely stick with me through thick and thin."

Yang Mi counted on her fingers and said, "The other one is Gao Weiguang. He said he entered the industry at an older age and doesn't want to change jobs frequently."

There's one more...

As Yang Mi spoke, her tone was complicated, "I never expected it would be Zhang Binbin. He firmly chose to continue with me."

Actually, compared to him, I had higher hopes for Zhang Yunlong and Liu Ruilin, but unfortunately, both of them disappointed me.

What bothers me the most is that several girls, Huang Mengying, Li Xirui, Xiao Yuyu, Daisy... have all chosen to leave me!

So, in the end, I'm the only female artist left in my studio!

"Well……"

Liu Taile could imagine how frantic Yang Mi would be in this situation.

The original "Mi Family Army" has been reduced to just three men, almost like a monastery. Who will take over the female star resources that Yang Mi has been showering on in the future?

I have no idea what those female celebrities were thinking.

However, Liu Taile's situation wasn't particularly surprising.

Competition among female celebrities is fierce, making it difficult for them to form truly close relationships.

In the original timeline, when Yang Mi terminated her contract with Jaywalk Studio, no other female artist followed her.

Oh, Dilraba actually wanted to leave, but Yang Mi persuaded her to stay.

Among the male celebrities, Wang Jiao and Zhang Binbin were really tough; they both left when their contracts expired, right around the same time as Yang Mi.

Actually, it was Gao Weiguang who stayed at Jiaxing in the original timeline and never left.

I guess it's true, just like he said, that he only became an artist because he knew he was too old, and he's too lazy to move on.

"Honey, don't be so smug. There are plenty of female celebrities in the industry. You can sign a few more that you like."

Liu Taile offered further advice.

"That's all we can do."

Yang Mi said helplessly, "But the most urgent thing is that I need to find a decent agent, otherwise my business will really collapse!"