Chapter 340: Why! (Eight thousand character update)

At this moment, Ma Zhongquan finally understood why Chen Ziyan was always fearless in the face of his threats.

It turned out that she didn't have any need to be "afraid" at all!

Ma Zhongquan took a deep breath, with ten thousand grass mud horses galloping in his heart, but he still had to squeeze out a smile that was uglier than crying on his face.

For Ma Zhongquan, at this moment, his mood was extremely heavy.

He thought he had caught Chen Ziyan's pigtail, but in fact, she had already communicated with Hong Qi, it was just that the two of them didn't take him to play.

Chen Ziyan looked at Ma Zhongquan, smiled, and said: "Ma Zong, I'm sorry, let you down."

Ma Zhongquan was so angry that his teeth itched.

"However, Yan He's work is decided by you alone, which has seriously affected our company's overall operation," Ma Zhongquan said. "President Hong, it's really not that I'm exaggerating. If Yan He were just an actor, or just a screenwriter, the impact on the company would not be so great. The key is that now everyone who comes to cooperate with us wants to cooperate with Yan He. Under such circumstances, if Yan He's brokerage affairs are still decided by Chen Ziyan alone, it will greatly affect our company's overall development, and it will be difficult for us to negotiate with people."

Hong Qi glanced at Ma Zhongquan.

"Of course, we also know that in the matter of Lu Yan He's development, Chen Ziyan has put in a lot of effort. We are not trying to take Lu Yan He's brokerage affairs away completely, but at least we must participate in it so that we can have bargaining chips to negotiate with other companies and platforms."

Chen Ziyan looked at him, smiled, and said: "Ma Zong must have been thinking about Yan He for a long time, right?"

Ma Zhongquan hurriedly waved his hand and said: "I don't want to snatch people from you, Ziyan, I just hope that Lu Yan He's brokerage affairs can cooperate with the company's overall planning, which is also more conducive to the company's development."

Chen Ziyan smiled, "It seems that the original sin is that I didn't serve as a senior executive at Star Entertainment. If I were sitting in your position, I suppose there would be no talk of whether to cooperate with the company's overall planning."

Ma Zhongquan's face changed instantly.

Chen Ziyan looked at Hong Qi: "President Hong, you asked me to sit in Ma Zhongquan's position before, but I found it troublesome and was too lazy to sit. Why don't I consider it again?"

Hong Qi didn't even speak, Ma Zhongquan's pupils shook instantly, and he said: "It's a pity for such an excellent agent like you not to be an agent on the front line. The company also needs an agent as excellent as you. Look, in just two years, Lu Yan He and Wen Minglan have been brought out by you. It's so troublesome for you to sit in my position, with all kinds of bullshit and annoying things every day, all affecting your mood."

Ma Zhongquan was really panicked.

Based on his understanding of Hong Qi, if Chen Ziyan was really willing to sit in his position, Hong Qi would definitely agree.

At this moment, he really regretted it.

Chen Siqi called and said to Lu Yan He: "Li Bi has contacted us."

Li Bi was the paparazzi who secretly filmed Lu Yan He near the Thirteenth Middle School and was caught by Qiu Ling.

Lu Yan He asked with some surprise: "Is he willing to come to us?"

"Yes," Chen Siqi said. "I chatted with him on the phone for a while, and he is quite interested in coming to us, but his companion refused directly."

Lu Yan He: "Well, if Li Bi is willing, let's talk to him seriously. Have you thought about what you want him to do?"

Chen Siqi said: "I really wanted to do a separate artist section before, but Li Bi's strength is not in writing. He is very familiar with the entertainment industry and knows very well what everyone is curious about and cares about artists. I really want him to do a separate section."

"Specifically for the entertainment section?"

"This is still too big. In the entertainment section, character interviews are one type, and promotional reports are another type. Moreover, the amount of text is very large, and Li Bi's writing skills are actually not very good," Chen Siqi said. "I think, why not use his strengths and let him specialize in photography."

"Actually, when I saw them, the reason I issued an invitation to them was because I had an idea in my head."

"Hmm?"

"I want to do a legitimate artist follow-up column," Lu Yan He said. "Actually, many artists have such promotional needs now, but traditional promotional methods can no longer attract everyone. They are all cliché-style promotions. Why is reality TV so popular? It's because everyone feels that they have seen the real side of many artists in reality TV. Why do people love to watch what paparazzi film? Because they are all private things that cannot be seen in the conventional sense. I think maybe we can do an artist follow-up, but not the kind of follow-up that only films the highlights, like reality TV, but more real than reality TV, like a video version of a character interview."

Chen Siqi: "This might not fit the style of our 'Editor Club'."

"How about making a video account specifically for him?" Lu Yan He said. "Specifically for such columns."

Chen Siqi didn't expect Lu Yan He to think this way.

She hesitated for a moment and said: "It's okay to do this, but it has never been done before, and I don't know what it will look like."

"Try it. We have always been doing media based on text reading, but we haven't really entered the video era," Lu Yan He said. "Now that short videos are so popular, it just happens to meet people like Li Bi, which can be used to explore some new fields through him."

Chen Siqi: "What you said makes sense, okay, but if we invest in a video account, the initial investment must be very large, maybe it will be a loss-making business at first."

"Let's do a preliminary plan first. If we don't reach our goal in the end, then stop this column and let him return to the regular section of 'Editor Club' to play a role," Lu Yan He said. "In any case, we cannot stay at the text stage, we must have more diverse forms, what do you think?"

"Hmm, okay."

Lu Yan He submitted a course paper for a course, about 6,000 words, which took a week to write, but he read no less than 30 documents in the early stage.

After submitting the paper, he left the library and went to an appointment.

He made an appointment with Chen Ziyan for dinner.

Chen Ziyan came after ending the meeting with Hong Qi and Ma Zhongquan.

As soon as Lu Yan He saw Chen Ziyan's appearance, he knew that she must have won the battle.

"Congratulations, Sister Ziyan, is there a story to listen to?" Lu Yan He asked.

He knew what Chen Ziyan went to do before.

In this regard, the information exchange between Chen Ziyan and him has always been very smooth, and basically whatever she has, she will say it directly.

Ma Zhongquan and the others wanted to take back part of Lu Yan He's brokerage affairs. This was also reminded by Chen Ziyan to Lu Yan He, and Lu Yan He knew it.

Chen Ziyan said: "Ma Zhongquan was very angry. He didn't expect that President Hong also invested in the company I was preparing to open outside, and was fully aware of it. He wanted to use this matter to pinch me before, hehe."

Lu Yan He: "You deliberately let him step into this pit, right?"

"Of course, if I don't mess with him properly, he will think he can really step on my head," Chen Ziyan said aggressively. "In the past few years, he has become more and more inflated, more and more taking himself seriously, and his ambition has been raised bit by bit."

Lu Yan He: "Then his power in Star Entertainment is indeed very great, and other vice presidents don't have as strong a sense of presence as him."

Chen Ziyan: "He has the ability, but his vision is too shallow and his level is not high."

Chen Ziyan's evaluation was not deliberately slandering Ma Zhongquan, but felt so from the bottom of her heart.

Lu Yan He said: "He might just be jealous. I heard Li Zhibai tell Yan Liang that I announced so many projects in one breath, and they all mind it. These projects have nothing to do with them, especially since we also set up Linghe Film and Television Production Company, because we didn't tell them in advance, they mind this matter very much."

Chen Ziyan rolled her eyes, "Why should we tell them about these things? In fact, it's just greed. They look at things that have nothing to do with them. If you didn't have such great energy now, see if they would be so jealous of you."

After Chen Ziyan finished complaining, she returned to the topic.

"However, President Hong is indeed unwilling to transfer your brokerage contract to my company, even if that company has his shares. I guessed it, tested the wind, and didn't say anything more," she said. "However, Ma Zhongquan wants to snatch you away. After this blow, he shouldn't have such unrealistic ideas for a while."

Lu Yan He asked: "Then for the projects I want to cooperate with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang later, they won't make trouble, right?"

"They are not stupid. How could they make trouble for such a good project that clearly allows Li Zhibai and Yan Liang to further develop? They won't do less disgusting things to you, but they will definitely not deliberately find fault," Chen Ziyan knew the mentality of Ma Zhongquan and Zhou Ping'an very well, and said firmly. "Don't worry, the only project that might be troubled by them is *Squid Game*, because in this project, Li Zhibai is not the male lead, and even in terms of scenes, he can't be counted as the second male lead, after all, he is not in the main plot."

Lu Yan He said: "But the role of the young policeman is very suitable for Li Zhibai."

"I know, of course I believe you, but not everyone will read the script. Zhou Ping'an is considered to be able to read the script and pick roles, but he is also a very snobbish person. Let Li Zhibai take a supporting role, he must have to overcome a lot of psychological obstacles."

Lu Yan He was worried when he heard this, "Then what should I do? What if they don't let Li Zhibai act—"

"Is this role indispensable for Li Zhibai?" Chen Ziyan asked.

"That's not it, I just think this role will definitely explode, and it will be very good for Li Zhibai to act," Lu Yan He said firmly.

In the parallel space, the commercial success achieved by *Squid Game* directly broke the streaming media record, allowing a group of actors to win awards in Europe and America, which is incredible.

Lu Yan He didn't know if *Squid Game* could replicate such a miracle in this space, but he knew that this must be a big hit.

Especially after entering the film and television industry, he had a more intuitive understanding of *Squid Game*.

Why can it be popular?

Because it is simple, rude, but always mobilizes the emotions of all audiences, following the life and death in the game to feel that kind of stimulation.

Lu Yan He thought to himself, after *Seventeen Layers* fires the first shot, many people will definitely discover the advantages of the battle royale theme.

Its production cost is much lower than many action blockbusters, but it can bring visual wonder and psychological feelings no less than action blockbusters.

Chen Ziyan said: "You don't have to be too anxious now. *Squid Game* may not be able to start this year. You have too many projects in progress. Haste makes waste. Let's take it slowly. What's more, you have plays to film later. I heard from Yongzhou that the script for *Road to Glory* has been changed almost, and I guess they will come to us to see the script soon."

This script was a new project brought by Director Fu Kai before, starring Shang Yongzhou, and let Lu Yan He negotiate the matter of appearing.

At that time, it was said that Lu Yan He's role would be changed to the second male lead, and he would star with Shang Yongzhou as a double male lead.

Lu Yan He said to Chen Ziyan: "I don't know what the script has been changed to. Sister Ziyan, if this script is not very good in the end, can I still refuse?"

"I won't suggest you refuse," Chen Ziyan said bluntly. "The opportunity for you to star in a movie with Shang Yongzhou next time, from the current point of view, there is no possibility of the next one at all. This time it was a mistake, and there was this opportunity. Moreover, Director Fu Kai is very capable in filming road comedy films. This time he is still typically wanting to lean towards the art film route, aiming for awards."

Lu Yan He knew what Chen Ziyan meant and nodded, "I understand."

"I know, you think this story is very steady, it is the kind of very healing life story, but, Yan He, have you ever thought that it is actually because you are not yet at the age to fully understand this kind of movie?" Chen Ziyan said directly. "You think this is a chicken soup story, telling a very cliché soul redemption, but why is this kind of movie always enduring? Have you thought about it?"

Lu Yan He shook his head, "I don't know."

"You now have a very strong eye to pick the kind of non-mainstream, adventurous and exploratory movies, but you haven't developed an eye to understand the classics," Chen Ziyan said. "I read the script of this movie three times seriously, and I have a feeling."

"What feeling?"

"Neat," Chen Ziyan said. "I haven't seen such an academic, such a neat script for a long time. I believe that it will definitely be a movie that touches those audiences who love classic movies when it comes out by Director Fu Kai. They may not be able to appreciate dramas like *Friends* and *Seventeen Layers*, but they must also be mainstream audiences. Moreover, to be vulgar, if this movie is acted well, you can enter the vision of mainstream awards. I think this movie will go to impact the grand prizes of international film festivals, not to mention our domestic grand prizes."

After listening to Chen Ziyan's analysis, Lu Yan He also realized his prejudice against this movie in his heart.

"After I receive the modified script, I will read it seriously again," he said. "Actually, I am not afraid that I have prejudice, I am afraid that I will never be able to understand what is good about this movie, and in the end, I don't know how to act."

"You don't have to worry about such problems. Too many actors can't understand a movie, they can only master their own roles," Chen Ziyan said. "But the director is good, the foundation is good, the opponent is good, you can ride the east wind of this movie. Do you think those actors who appeared in classic movies knew that this movie would definitely become a classic when they first acted? Most of them were bumped into."

Lu Yan He nodded.

Just as Chen Ziyan said, within two days, Fu Kai brought the modified script of *Road to Glory* and handed it to Lu Yan He.

He came to deliver the script in person.

Fu Kai said: "After you finish reading this script, I have to take it back."

He attaches great importance to the confidentiality of the script and is very afraid of leakage.

Lu Yan He nodded understandingly and took the script back to the room to read.

Yan Liang happened to be there, so he accompanied Director Fu Kai to play games outside.

Lu Yan He seriously started reading the script of *Road to Glory* again.

He never denied that this was a well-written script.

However, when he seriously read it again, he still felt from the bottom of his heart that this movie was too mediocre.

Just like the kind of high-scoring essay, every sentence is written steadily and well, but there is no surprise.

Lu Yan He thought silently for a long time.

Chen Ziyan's words echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Should I take this movie?

Lu Yan He didn't hesitate for too long.

"Director, can I tell you the truth?" Lu Yan He walked out of the room and asked Fu Kai.

Fu Kai was stunned.

Fu Kai looked at him blankly, "What?"

Lu Yan He said: "I finished reading the script. The script is very good, very good, but it didn't move me that much. Sister Ziyan told me that this is because I haven't reached the age to understand the goodness of this script. I don't have that kind of life experience, nor do I have the state of mind to understand it. I want to ask, if I take this movie under such circumstances, do you think I can act well?"

Fu Kai looked at Lu Yan He in surprise, and didn't come back to his senses for a long time.

Over the years, he has seen many, many actors, and I don't know how many actors have told him how much they like his plays, how much they want to participate in his plays, or directly and tactfully refused, leaving no room.

Like Lu Yan He, who sincerely expressed that he didn't like the script so much, but he was willing to act, just didn't know if he could act well, Lu Yan He was the first.

Fu Kai didn't know how to answer.

Lu Yan He looked at Fu Kai, seriously waiting for Fu Kai's answer.

Fu Kai said: "Yan He, can you understand the role you want to play?"

Lu Yan He nodded hesitantly, "I think I understand."

"Then does this role have anything that moves you?" Fu Kai asked again. Lu Yan He nodded, "Yes."

"About this role, if you play him, will you feel uncomfortable and awkward?"

Lu Yan He shook his head, "No."

Fu Kai nodded, "Then act. From the script to the actual filming, from you reading the script alone to the actual acting with your opponent on the set, it is completely different."

Lu Yan He took a deep breath, nodded, and said: "Okay."

Fu Kai said: "Then it's settled, this role, I'll leave it to you."

Lu Yan He nodded, "Good."

Yan Liang watched from the side, and the scene in front of him made him a little surprised.

Because the scene in front of him was very different from the negotiation about a play in the entertainment industry he was familiar with.

There was no professional team standing behind the actor to help negotiate, about the salary, about the billing, about the amount of scenes.

Lu Yan He and Fu Kai just settled the matter in a few words.

After Fu Kai left with the script, Yan Liang couldn't help but ask Lu Yan He: "Yan He, you take this play, don't you need to get Sister Ziyan's consent first?"

"Sister Ziyan hopes that I will take this play. She told me before," Lu Yan He said.

Yan Liang suddenly realized, and asked again: "But how dare you tell the director directly that you didn't think it was very good when you read the script?"

Lu Yan He: "This is my true feeling. I think I need to make it clear to the director, so as not to have problems when I get to the set. I am really worried that I will not be able to play this role well."

Yan Liang: "Your talent for acting is obvious to all. Why do you still have this idea?"

"I have always felt that the previous roles received a lot of praise because when I played those roles, I had a lot of resonance. I had my own excitement points and wanted to play them. But in this play, I don't have this impulse," Lu Yan He said. "I don't think he attracts me that much."

Yan Liang understood.

"By the way, your *?" Lu Yan He asked.

Yan Liang nodded, "The script is officially being written. Before, they dragged each of us to a meeting about how the story of the second season should be developed, and let us put forward opinions from the perspective of actors understanding the roles."

"Hmm, that's good," Lu Yan He nodded. "This play is very good, and your role is also very good. I'm really afraid that they won't treat it seriously and make the second season a mess."

Yan Liang was a little surprised and asked: "Do you hope the second season is also very good?"

"Hope," Lu Yan He nodded. "I don't need the failure of the second season to prove my irreplaceability. On the contrary, I really hope it can continue to be filmed and create a new precedent for sitcoms."

Yan Liang said: "You said at the Hexi Film Festival that you wanted to write a new sitcom, or ancient costume?"

"Hmm," Lu Yan He nodded. "That is also a story I like very much."

Yan Liang: "Everyone says that you wrote it specifically to compete with *Friends*."

"No, haha, there are so many days in a year, *Friends* is a play I wrote and starred in myself, why do I have to compete with it," Lu Yan He said. "I'm also preparing to ask you to guest star later. *My Own Swordsman* is different from *Friends*. It is a very orthodox unit drama. Each unit has a story and their new roles."

Yan Liang nodded and said: "Okay, when you need me, tell me, I will leave the time in advance."

By the middle and late May, probably knowing that Lu Yan He was not filming in the group and had plenty of time, several programs sent invitations to Lu Yan He.

Among them was *Idol Era*.

Chen Ziyan had a special position in this program, so she helped Lu Yan He take over this program.

Chen Ziyan said: "They hope you can perform a program, what do you think?"

Lu Yan He said: "Okay, but if I want to perform a program, I have to prepare, it won't be that fast."

Chen Ziyan: "I was thinking, haven't you always wanted to have a common stage with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang? Especially after your team disbanded, the last time you performed on the same stage was last summer. It's been a long time since you combined. Why don't you perform on the same stage with them, and then you do a solo performance yourself."

"I can," Lu Yan He nodded.

Chen Ziyan: "You wrote a song for each of them before, and they are almost ready, preparing to perform in the June program. You also wrote a *Childhood* for yourself before, do you want to sing it on this stage?"

Lu Yan He pondered for a while and said: "This song is not very suitable for the *Idol Era* program, right?"

"It is indeed not very suitable," Chen Ziyan said. "To be honest, I originally wanted you to sing this song at the Spring Festival Gala, but I didn't expect that I didn't help you win the opportunity for the Spring Festival Gala last year. In fact, at your current age, it is very difficult to let the Spring Festival Gala arrange a solo program for you."

Lu Yan He understood what Chen Ziyan meant.

"Then what should I do? I don't think *Childhood* is suitable for singing with others."

"Hmm," Chen Ziyan said. "Let's do this, I will still help you contact the Spring Festival Gala. If we can win a solo stage, we will sing *Childhood*. If we can't win it, we will cooperate with the Spring Festival Gala program group and do it according to their requirements."

Lu Yan He nodded.

"*Seventeen Layers* will be broadcast in July. If you have no ideas, you can sing the theme song of *Seventeen Layers* in *Idol Era*," Chen Ziyan said. "It can also warm up for this drama. At that time, they originally wanted to find you to sing the theme song, but later it was intercepted, and I didn't go to fight for it, so that's it, anyway, this song is not very indispensable."

Lu Yan He asked: "What's going on with the interception?"

"Someone got the opportunity to sing the theme song through other relationships," Chen Ziyan said. "It's an old acquaintance of yours."

"Ah?"

"You have a good relationship with him," Chen Ziyan said.

"Who is it?"

"Qin Zhibai."

Lu Yan He was stunned.

"Him? Impossible, right, Sister Ziyan, if he knew that this theme song was looking for me to sing, he would definitely not grab it," Lu Yan He didn't feel that his relationship with Qin Zhibai was that good, but he knew the character of this rich second generation very well. Qin Zhibai was not that "competitive," his biggest problem was "not competing."

Chen Ziyan said: "He might not know that this song was looking for you to sing at the beginning. Things are contacted by the brokerage team. You also know that artists basically execute according to the team's ideas most of the time."

"Then don't talk about this matter," Lu Yan He said. "Indeed, I don't have to sing this song."

"Hmm, so, I am going to discuss with Jiang Lan. At the beginning of June, the promotional video of Qin Zhibai's theme song will be released to warm up. Then, you will cover this song as the lead actor in the program to promote *Seventeen Layers* in advance. Jiang Lan will definitely be willing."

Lu Yan He nodded: "Okay, no problem, I can still learn a song quickly."

Chen Ziyan smiled.

"It's just the stage of the three of you, how to cooperate, you can discuss it well," she reminded.

Lu Yan He immediately went to tell Li Zhibai and Yan Liang about this.

Li Zhibai: "The three of us cooperate on a stage? Are you still willing to perform on stage?"

Lu Yan He: "Why am I not willing to perform on stage?"

"I thought you had decided to be an actor and not do stage anymore," Li Zhibai said.

"I am still willing to perform with you. I will forget it by myself, I don't have that charm," Lu Yan He said.

"Then do you write songs?"

"Can't write."

Li Zhibai: "Then we have to find a song ourselves."

Yan Liang said: "The three of us haven't performed on stage together for a long time. If we can really do it, it would be great. In this way, even this year, there is a cooperative stage, every year, without breaking."

Lu Yan He heard Yan Liang's excitement.

This made Lu Yan He stunned.

So, everyone is actually very much looking forward to performing on stage together?

It's just that they all think he will be an actor in the future, so even if they want to do this, they haven't mentioned it actively.

"Then let's strive for a cooperative stage every year in the future," Lu Yan He said immediately.

Yan Liang said yes immediately.

Li Zhibai: "Okay, then I'll go find a song. When the time comes, the three of us will fix it well. We haven't had a cooperative stage for a long time."

Lu Yan He: "Can you handle it? I heard that you have another stage in June."

"Almost ready, it doesn't matter on my side, what about you, Yan Liang?"

"I've practiced it long ago," Yan Liang said.

"Then it's fine," Li Zhibai said. "Let's practice well later."

Ma Zhiyuan, sweating profusely, finished his rehearsal and sat down in the corner to rest.

The backup dancers were resting on the other side.

He took out his mobile phone, and having nothing to do, flipped through Weibo and browsed the forum.

He clicked into a forum called "Spring Bud."

This was sent to him by a friend, saying that there are many "real revelations" in this forum.

After Ma Zhiyuan registered, he became a loyal user of this forum and often went in to see "revelations."

Sweat kept dripping down.

*Idol Era* rolled up all idol artists, allowing them to spend a lot of time in the rehearsal room every month.

This was something no one expected when the program was launched.

Everyone wants to give a better stage, rolling each other, the more rolling, the more powerful, which makes Ma Zhiyuan's sense of crisis stronger.

Especially in June, after the June program is broadcast, the data for the first half of the year will be summarized to produce a half-year list.

Many platforms, brands, and various partners are waiting to see this half-year list.

When there is no such list, which idol is popular, which is not so popular, which is in the top position, which is secondary, are all data packaged by the company. Many times, they know it is fake.

And since this list was launched half a year ago, it has been increasingly recognized by everyone.

Because it is real.

And because of this reality, it also has authority.

This is also something that all brokerage companies and idol artists did not expect.

Ma Zhiyuan is now competing with Li Zhibai for first place.

Ma Zhiyuan is very angry, because if Li Zhibai didn't have the big hit ancient idol *White Jade Ballad*, his performance in *Idol Era* would not be comparable to him at all, and his evaluation and data in all aspects would not be comparable. However, this "cheating-style" explosion publicly made his fan votes exceed him by a large margin.

Media evaluation is the same.

It wasn't until May that this trend slowed down.

Ma Zhiyuan knows very well that his performance in *Idol Era* in these two months, especially in June, must be hard, and he must firmly suppress Li Zhibai to keep his first place in the first half of the year.

Otherwise, there is a fight.

Just thinking about it, he suddenly froze.

A revelation that appeared on the mobile phone screen made his heartbeat seem to stop.

Someone revealed: Lu Yan He will cooperate with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang in *Idol Era* for a new performance, returning to the stage! Lu Yan He's fans can look forward to it!

Ma Zhiyuan felt a thud in his heart.

The protagonist of this revelation is Lu Yan He, but what Ma Zhiyuan saw was Li Zhibai's name.

The three of them are going to perform together?

Ma Zhiyuan's brain boomed.

This... why is this?! ===== CHAPTER 341 =====