Chapter 663: Unthinkable

"Lu Yanhe gave Li Zhibai another script?"

During a break in filming *Dragon Inn*, Yan Liang received a call from Zhou Ping'an.

Yan Liang: "What's wrong?"

"Another film with him as the lead?" Zhou Ping'an asked. "Why does he give all his lead roles to Li Zhibai?"

Yan Liang: "Up until now, for Yan He's plays, he only asked us to act in *Friends*, *Chinese Paladin*, *Dragon Inn*, and now the one he asked Zhibai for. How did it become that all lead roles are given to Li Zhibai?"

Zhou Ping'an: "Isn't the drama *Nineteen Years* also one, even though it wasn't successful?"

"*Nineteen Years* is a drama that Li Zhibai made from scratch as a producer. Its only relationship with Yan He is that the TV drama copyright of this drama was bought by Yan He for Liu Jiazhen from Ruyi, and then authorized by Yan He to Zhibai's side," Yan Liang said helplessly.

"Zhou Ping'an, can you stop sowing discord?"

"I am not sowing discord. I am your agent. I want to fight for the greatest interests for you."

"Yan He has no obligation to give us any benefits. You should figure this out first!"

"Only a fool would think that," Zhou Ping'an said. "Do you know that this time the film Lu Yanhe went to find Li Zhibai for is a Parameter film, a Hollywood film? You should know what this means, right?"

"I only know that the screenwriter and lead actor of this film are my friends. So, no matter what, I will support them," Yan Liang sighed irritably. "You always come to bother me with these things."

Zhou Ping'an: "Because you actually know in your heart that Lu Yanhe is being partial."

"Then do you know how you are being partial between Li Zhibai and Ma Zhiyuan?"

"Do you know how you are being partial between Li Zhibai and me?"

"Do you know how you are being partial between my long-term development and short-term interests?"

Yan Liang asked three questions in a row, like firing three cannons at Zhou Ping'an in one breath.

Zhou Ping'an was silent.

Chen Bige and her assistant walked past from the front. Seeing Yan Liang standing there on the phone, she made a gesture to him, indicating that Liu Bige was looking for everyone.

Yan Liang nodded and made an "OK" gesture, indicating that he would be there immediately.

After Chen Bige and the others left, Yan Liang continued to say to Zhou Ping'an: "I have to film here, hanging up first."

After hanging up the phone, Yan Liang stood where he was, silent for a few seconds, before turning to find Liu Bige.

After Zhou Ping'an hung up the phone, he pondered for a while in place.

Of course, he was not reflecting on himself, nor was he thinking about the questions Yan Liang asked him.

Zhou Ping'an is not that kind of person at all—

He certainly knows that he has done many things in the past that let down someone or some people. But he never feels that he needs to be worthy of everyone.

The world doesn't run like that.

If he were worthy of everyone, he would be unworthy of himself.

Holding this idea, he climbed from a person with no background to his current position, changed his appearance, and became an "elite person" looked up to by many.

Why call Yan Liang?

He certainly knows that Yan Liang will not have a gap with Lu Yanhe because of this call.

However, the reason he knows this and still does it again and again is, to some extent, for "brainwashing." Some things, said once or twice, may not have any influence on people, but if said too much, sooner or later, a seed will be planted in others' hearts, and you don't know when it will sprout.

Zhou Ping'an must sow the space for this seed to sprout between Yan Liang and Lu Yanhe, just to prevent Yan Liang from leaving him and signing with Shi Huo.

He uses this method to make Yan Liang have a thorn in his heart.

He doesn't believe that Yan Liang can be 100% magnanimous and not mind.

Especially, they are true friends.

The truer the friends, the more they really mind—

Why are you being partial?

However, these are all expedient measures.

The relationship between him and Yan Liang has already had many cracks in the early stages and cannot be truly completely repaired.

Both of them know well that when Yan Liang's career stabilizes and he has more sufficient choices, he will definitely leave.

Before that, Zhou Ping'an must bring out a first-tier star.

Now, the two stars in his hands, one Cheng Hai and one Meng Li, both belong to relatively popular but awkwardly positioned stars.

In the entertainment industry, a star's status is a very mysterious thing.

Some actors may have only acted in two or three plays, but in everyone's eyes, their status is very high.

Some actors may have acted in over a dozen plays and have always been quite popular, but in many people's eyes, they are closer to "just not outdated, but can't be said to have any status."

Meng Li belongs to the latter, an actor who has acted in quite a few plays and whose popularity is considered high, but obviously cannot be compared with Yan Liang.

Clearly, Meng Li became popular earlier, and her popularity and heat are higher than Yan Liang's.

The three dramas *Friends*, *Gold Rush*, and *The Summit* directly established Yan Liang's ruling status among young male actors in Chinese-language dramas. Later, *Intern*, which he acted in at the Jump Up Theater, also maintained a top-three position in ratings at the Jump Up Theater.

Doesn't Meng Li have a hit drama?

Of course she does, but there is no "big trend" on her.

The little thing she lacks might be like Zhao Liying before she acted in *The Story of Minglan* and *Wild Bloom*.

Very popular, good audience reputation, the previous dramas were also popular, and she is one of the famous 85-flowers.

However, the real two take-offs were these two dramas.

It gave her the texture of an actor.

Yan Liang's three dramas actually have the same effect.

The entire industry and the commentary circle have seen the "texture of an actor" in him.

Conversely, Li Zhibai is still defined by everyone as a very popular star with a talent for acting, but that's about it.

Even if he starred in Liu Bige's *Fake Death Won't Work* and his performance in the film was highly praised.

But "it's missing a little bit."

The key node where a career directly steps onto a new level is really something that can be met but not sought.

Zhou Ping'an doesn't know if Cheng Hai and Meng Li have any hope of transformation. If one of them can win a "Three Major Awards," perhaps that would be a real status take-off. It's just that from the current point of view, there is no such hope to be seen.

Fortunately, at least both of them are very concerned and very popular now, and they are in their prime.

He is still the gold-medal agent holding multiple popular stars. After thinking about it, Zhou Ping'an decided to send a message to Lu Yanhe:

—Yan He, I hope that next time there is a script, you can prioritize Yan Liang and Cheng Hai.

Lu Yanhe replied in seconds: When *Friends* asked Yan Liang to act, you refused at first. Have you forgotten?

Zhou Ping'an was suddenly stunned.

Lu Yanhe: You sent me a message after finishing the call with Yan Liang. You are quite scheming, playing both sides?

At this moment, Zhou Ping'an was truly stunned, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

Yan Liang actually turned around and told Lu Yanhe about this call?

???

"This person Zhou Ping'an is really a bit magical. Sometimes, I have even let go of his excessive behaviors in the past, thinking that he is just a profit-seeking person and not too excessive. As a result, he can always remind you in a new way that he is actually just a bastard."

Lu Yanhe put down his phone and complained to Chen Ziyan.

At this very moment, they were sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying this uneventful afternoon.

Chen Ziyan smiled, "A person who is profit-seeking by nature, even if he doesn't want to be a bastard, he will definitely behave like a bastard. This is something that can't be helped."

"He just wants to stir up everyone around Yan Liang who can provide help to Yan Liang, so that Yan Liang can only continue to rely on him."

"You are right."

Chen Ziyan nodded and gave Lu Yanhe an approving look.

"This is also his usual trick. Look at the artists he brings, especially those he has brought for a long time, including when Li Zhibai was in his hands before. Their reputation outside is not very good. Behind the scenes, nine times out of ten, he is pushing the waves behind the scenes. The more isolated his artists are outside, the more they rely on him as an agent."

【Content is being read!】

Lu Yanhe: "Too pit-filling. Yan Liang is in his hands. I don't know what he will be pitted into later."

"Then you don't need to worry. Before *Friends*, Yan Liang himself was not valued by Zhou Ping'an. At that time, Zhou Ping'an had Li Zhibai and Ma Zhiyuan in his hands. Even after becoming popular, he was still not as popular as the two of them."

"When Zhou Ping'an only has Yan Liang left in his hands, Yan Liang has already become a climate and is not a small artist he can manipulate at will."

Lu Yanhe: "Then about me, he can provoke on both sides. Who knows what other relationships around Yan Liang will be provoked into."

"That's true. You may need to remind Yan Liang. You and he are now talking about everything, and no one can provoke the relationship between the two of you. But others may not be so trusting of Yan Liang," Chen Ziyan said. "After all, the director of Yan Liang's *Gold Rush*, Wu Zhouyou, is Meng Li's boyfriend, and Meng Li is also under Zhou Ping'an."

Lu Yanhe couldn't help but sigh.

"However, I don't think you need to worry too much. To be honest, Yan Liang's temperament is the best among the three of you," Chen Ziyan said. "So, the reason Zhou Ping'an has such a sense of crisis is because Yan Liang poses a great threat to him. He feels that he cannot control Yan Liang."

"This person is also interesting. Why do you say he always wants to control Yan Liang? Can't he just correct his attitude and do his job as an agent?"

"Very difficult," Chen Ziyan said. "First, domestically, the agent system itself is something that grows wildly. It applies that set from overseas, but there are also many things that, because there is no supporting system, are actually imperfect."

"For example, you have to know that in the United States, there are laws that stipulate that the contract period between an agent and an artist has very strict restrictions. I forgot whether it is no more than three or four years. No matter how big an agent you are, when the contract expires, you have to renegotiate. This allows many artists in the newcomer stage not to be pitted too hard."

"Second, the domestic entertainment industry, don't look at it as if it is booming now. In essence, it is still running alone. Agent companies like William Morris and CAA that specialize in agency and can coordinate resources from all walks of life to do agency business cannot survive in China at all."

"Domestically, to put it bluntly, as long as the resources are not in your own hands, you can be extinguished by a basin of cold water in the next second under the cooking oil. The rules of the game are different. Whoever has the resources is the master. In essence, our current environment is not a healthy and orderly operating ecological environment. You know all these, no need to elaborate."

"Based on these two points, the relationship between domestic agents and artists, the core things, are often outside the legal cooperation framework. Agents generally have to throw all their efforts into one or two artists, throw out splashes, and throw them into popular stars with bargaining capital, only then do they have the opportunity to enter the real game and really enter this circle."

"Then think about it, from the agent's perspective, do they have the obligation to throw so many resources at you? Actually, no. But they threw things far beyond the contract agreement to you. At this time, you are popular. You may not have thought about leaving yet. But in this big environment, popular artists are given huge initiative in a deformed way. Which agent can look at the chips they threw resources at and become independent with a calm heart?"

"Of course, from the artist's perspective, artists also naturally think that I signed with you, and you have invested a lot of resources in me, but I have also brought you a lot of returns. I don't owe you anything. From an objective perspective, you really don't owe me anything. But to be honest, to say something unpleasant, those resources of mine, whoever I invest in is investing. I didn't invest equally in everyone, and then you became popular. It was most of my resources that fed you, and then you became popular. At this time, what does that share in the contract count for, to be fair?"

Chen Ziyan broke it down bit by bit and told Lu Yanhe, so that Lu Yanhe could clearly know what the operating logic behind this was.

Lu Yanhe nodded thoughtfully.

"We won't discuss right or wrong about these things. It's just a phenomenon. We just need to figure out the causes behind this phenomenon, which is convenient for you to deal with people in the entertainment industry later."

Chen Ziyan exhorted.

Lu Yanhe nodded again.

"Then looking back at Zhou Ping'an, it is actually easy to understand. He bought the wrong horse, let go of a horse that seemed unruly but was actually real gold and silver, and the horse he bought that he thought could be firmly controlled in his hands was directly abolished. Watching the chips he accumulated in his hands for so many years, he is about to lose everything overnight."

"In this case, will he care about that horse that is silently growing strong, not raised by himself? Will he have self-knowledge and not restrict this horse from running freely? Will he watch the horse that is most valuable in his hands now be pried away by others?"

"None of them will. So, he can only be a bastard and try every means to keep this horse by his side, just like those agents who try every means to prevent the artists they made popular from becoming independent."

Chen Ziyan picked up the cup, sipped the coffee lightly, and smiled.

"He just underestimated the trust between you and Yan Liang," Chen Ziyan said. "Of course, he can only underestimate, because in his world, trust between people can never be like the trust between you and Yan Liang."

"Values determine his judgment. This time he didn't succeed in stirring up, and he will definitely not think that he misjudged the relationship between you two. He will only think that if it doesn't work once, then twice; if it doesn't work twice, then three times. It's nothing more than dripping water through stone."

"Mental illness." Lu Yanhe heard Chen Ziyan finish talking about these mental journeys of Zhou Ping'an and couldn't help but spit out these three words.

"Yes, mental illness," Chen Ziyan nodded. "Don't look at these people with common sense. I am shocked that you actually told me that you are slowly not caring about his past behaviors and think he is just a profit-seeking villain."

Lu Yanhe: "I didn't forgive him because of this."

"No, I don't care whether you forgive him or not. What I care about is that like a wolf that will stab you at any time, you must not let down your vigilance against him at any moment," Chen Ziyan's eyes shot out a sharp light.

The phone rang.

It was Chen Ziyan's phone.

She picked it up and took a look, saying: "It's Darren calling. I'll answer the phone first."

Lu Yanhe nodded.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Yan Liang, telling him about what happened between him and Zhou Ping'an just now.

Yan Liang: Don't pay attention to him in the future.

Lu Yanhe: I'm fine here, I'm just afraid that he will do such things behind your back with others.

Yan Liang: Basically, most people who have worked with me know that the relationship between me and Zhou Ping'an is not very harmonious. I have been guarding against this point of him, so it's actually fine.

Lu Yanhe suddenly remembered what Chen Ziyan said just now, that Yan Liang's temperament is actually the best among the three of them.

It seems to be true.

Chen Ziyan finished the call, came back, and gave Lu Yanhe a "guess what happened" expression.

Lu Yanhe looked at her suspiciously, not knowing why.

Chen Ziyan said: "The film *Doomsday* may really be shelved."

"Ah?"

"Tang Mu Felton has officially withdrawn from this film."

"Why?" Lu Yanhe looked at Chen Ziyan in surprise, "Did he accept another film?"

"No, it's not. The official statement is that he is dissatisfied with the final script," Chen Ziyan sat down again. "This is a very bad phenomenon. It's fine if he withdraws, but he also directly released the news that the script is terrible. Then Parameter wants to find other actors to replace his position, and they have to consider it carefully. No one is willing to accept a film that Tang Mu Felton has clearly said is not good. Unless the final film performance is good enough to slap Tang Mu Felton in the face, otherwise, this is not a small influence on the reputation of any replacement actor."

"Then the film *Doomsday*—" Lu Yanhe fell into surprise and confusion, not knowing where this film would go.

Chen Ziyan said: "Now Parameter will re-evaluate this film. Even if it is to continue filming, the internal evaluation will be downgraded. Without a lead actor of Tang Mu Felton's level, this film is impossible to get the current investment."

"We haven't really made a move yet, and Chen Pinhe's film has already gone yellow by itself?"

Lu Yanhe felt unthinkable. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 664 =====

Lu Yanhe felt it was inconceivable. (End of chapter)