Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Ran directly confirmed the instruction to claim the reward in his mind.

I felt a strange warm current flowing through my limbs and bones, and some inexplicable memories appeared in my mind.

He keenly noticed that he had made significant improvements in his emotional perception, body language, and understanding and control of different roles.

Almost simultaneously, the system interface reappeared.

[Main Quest Released (New)]

Content: Participating in film and television shooting or variety show recording, officially debuting in the entertainment industry.

Reward: 1 random scenario

[Random task triggered]

Content: The system has detected a close relationship between the host and the artist "Zhou Ye". Please co-star in a film or television drama with him within one year.

Reward: Random (determined based on completion rate and final result)

"Jointly participate?" Li Ran's gaze lingered on the "random task" for a moment.

In addition to the main storyline, system tasks can also be triggered by people you interact with, which is quite interesting.

……

At noon, Zhou Ye rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked out of the bedroom. He was wearing Li Ran's pajamas loosely on his body, which made her look particularly petite, like a little dog in clothes.

In the living room, Li Ran was lying on the sofa scrolling through his phone when Zhou Ye, barefoot, quietly moved closer and suddenly lay on top of him, resting his chin lightly on his chest.

"I'm hungry," she said in a drawn-out voice, her voice hoarse and soft from just waking up.

"My great champion, will you provide meals?"

Li Ran groaned under the pressure, put down his phone, raised his hand, and naturally ruffled her messy hair.

"The fridge is empty, let's order takeout. What do you want to eat?"

She squinted and thought for a moment, her fingertips unconsciously tapping his chest. "Let's have hot pot! Extra spicy and numbing, with lots of wide rice noodles and fish tofu!"

Forty minutes later, the food arrived.

The aroma of spicy and savory food instantly filled the entire restaurant. Zhou Ye was already seated obediently, with his bowl and chopsticks neatly arranged.

She picked up a slice of fatty beef coated in chili oil, blew on it, and put it in her mouth, her eyes crinkling into crescents with satisfaction.

"It still tastes just right! I've been eating only low-fat meals on set."

She ate until her nose was sweating, then slurped up another mouthful of wide rice noodles, looked up at Li Ran, and asked, "Are you busy this afternoon? There's a new movie out, want to come see it with me?"

"I'm afraid that won't work. I'll have to go to my aunt's place." Li Ran picked at the food in her bowl, looked up and saw a little oil stain on the corner of her mouth, and naturally took out a tissue and handed it to her.

Zhou Ye took it, wiped his mouth, and looked slightly disappointed, but his eyes quickly lit up again: "What about tonight? That barbecue place next to the school, I haven't had it in ages."

This time, Li Ran didn't refuse. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take you there tonight."

"It's a deal! No going back on your word." She laughed, gently nudging his calf under the table with her foot.

At 3 p.m., Li Ran drove his black supercar into the underground parking lot of Wajijiwa headquarters.

The elevator ascended smoothly; this was the first time he had officially stepped into this place as an "artist" since deciding to change his career path.

Pushing open the heavy office door, you see Long Danni, the woman known in the industry as the "Godmother of Talent Shows," hunched over her desk reviewing documents. The scratching sound of her pen across the paper is particularly clear in the spacious office.

She heard the door open, glanced up, and said in a flat voice, "You've finally decided to come?"

Li Ran closed the door behind him, walked to the sofa and sat down, relaxed, a familiar ingratiating smile playing on his lips. "Look at what you're saying, I just missed my aunt, so I couldn't come and see her."

He casually picked up an orange from the fruit plate and slowly peeled it. The golden peel curled off and released a refreshing fragrance.

Long Danni finally put down her pen, leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and asked with her usual sharp gaze: "When have you ever come to see me on your own initiative simply because you miss me?"

Without waiting for Li Ran to reply, he went straight to the point, "We can't let this hype go to waste. The team's initial plan is that you must post on Weibo as soon as possible to officially announce your entry into the entertainment industry and change your identity."

Li Ran paused in his act of peeling the orange.

He broke the peeled orange in half, handed one half to Long Danni, and put the other half into his mouth, the sweet and sour taste melting on his tongue.

He swallowed the fruit, and his tone became serious.

"How do I post the copy? Do I need to report it to the authorities?"

"The team will draft this. Take another look and confirm it." Long Danni took the orange and looked out the window.

"Remember, this is a crucial period for your transformation; every word must be carefully considered."

"Understood." Li Ran nodded.

He knew that once this Weibo post was published, there would be no turning back, and he would officially step into the entertainment industry.

Li Ran unconsciously rubbed the edge of his phone with his fingertips, then paused before speaking, "Auntie, now that you're in the entertainment industry, you should at least get moving, right?"

"Are there any suitable variety shows where I can get some screen time? Anything is fine, I'm not picky."

Long Danni glanced at him, her tone devoid of emotion: "Now you know you need resources? Back then, when we sent you to Beijing Film Academy, our family paved the way for you, and you, after studying for half a year, you sneaked off to play video games."

"Otherwise, you'd be a top-tier celebrity by now."

Li Ran wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, he raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of self-satisfaction. "That's because I'm young. Besides, I really love my profession."

"Besides, I haven't let you down, have I? Two world champions, millions of followers on Weibo—in terms of public recognition, I'm no less than many top-tier celebrities who've been in the industry for years, am I?"

He leaned forward, his tone softening, a clear intimacy mixed with his usual nonchalance, "Good auntie, I know you're the best, and it's not too late now."

"A guest appearance is fine too. I promise I'll perform well and won't embarrass you."

Long Danni looked at Li Ran and finally nodded, no longer scolding him.

"Alright, let me see if there are any suitable variety shows recently, and I'll let you know once I've decided."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Li Ran felt a surge of joy and stood up to leave.

"Then I'll be going now, so as not to disturb your work."

"stop."

Li Ran paused as he walked out. Long Danni's voice came from behind the large desk, not loud, but carrying its usual weight.

Li Ran turned around, stood still, and waited for what was to come.

"Being an entertainer is completely different from competing with you." She leaned back in her chair, clasped her hands together, and stared sharply at his face.

"The camera focuses on every corner of your life. Even a trivial little thing can cause a huge uproar once it is placed under the spotlight."

She paused slightly, a hint of complexity in her voice, "In the e-sports world, results are like a get-out-of-jail-free card. As long as you win, it seems like whatever you do is right."

"But it's different here. Winning is taken for granted; but if you make a mistake, you could be in a situation of no return. This path is narrower and slipperier than you imagine. Do you understand?"

Li Ran lowered her eyes slightly, her voice steady: "Understood, Auntie. I'll be careful."

Long Danni stared at him for two seconds, then finally waved her hand, her expression softening, her tone revealing a familiar yet concerned urge to leave.

"Alright, get out of here. I hate seeing you."

A hint of a smile flashed across Li Ran's eyes. He bowed slightly, quietly closed the door, and left.

As night fell, Li Ran drove Zhou Ye to the barbecue restaurant he used to frequent during his university days.

The two sat down by the window, the orange flames in the charcoal brazier crackling softly.

Zhou Ye's fingers unconsciously traced patterns on the desktop before he suddenly looked up: "Now that you're in this circle, do you need me to help you make connections?"

Li Ran raised an eyebrow. If she remembered correctly, she didn't seem to have gotten any decent resources at Hesong.

He picked up his drink, took a sip, and shook his head, saying, "When I go to see my aunt this afternoon, I'll ask her to help me find a suitable variety show. I'm not in a hurry for the others right now."

He put down his cup and leaned forward slightly: "By the way, are you available anytime soon?"

Zhou Ye didn't expect Li Ran to ask this question suddenly, but he still explained, "I had to ask for leave to come see you, and I have to go back to the film crew tomorrow."

She paused slightly before continuing, "But filming is almost finished, so I'll have a few months to rest afterwards."

Li Ran breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her, saying, "That's perfect. You can film a movie with me then."

"play?"

Zhou Ye was taken aback, and asked in surprise, "What kind of performance? Are you going to act in a movie? Or a TV series?"

"It's not decided yet." Li Ran gave a vague answer. He couldn't very well say that the script required the system to open blind boxes! He didn't even know yet.

"I'll let you know once it's confirmed. Just make sure you have a available time slot."

"By the way, you're not thinking of dating on company money, are you? But I've given your permission, I'll talk to my manager about it."

Just then, the waiter brought over sizzling grilled meat, oil droplets jumping on the iron plate, and the aroma spreading.