Chapter 293: Eat More Vegetables

"Thanks to the entire crew behind Lost in Thailand, thanks to Ms. Chen Zhixi's help, and thanks to the Principal's trust."

On the brightly lit stage, Xu Guangtou, Huang Bo, Wang Baoqiang, and other behind-the-scenes creative staff stood in a row.

Xu Guangtou was saying words of thanks, about the film being a huge hit, and behind him were the big red characters "Lost in Thailand breaks 1.2 billion," very eye-catching.

Cameras filmed around him; in post-production they would cut it into clips, it was impossible to broadcast the entire scene.

The venue was slightly noisy, but the audience below still watched them attentively.

"Clap clap clap!" There were sounds of applause and cheers at the scene.

Fang Hong and Chen Zhixi went on stage holding stemmed glasses filled with champagne; Xu Guangtou, Huang Bo, and the others on stage each held a similar stemmed glass.

"You guys stand in the middle, Zhi Xi and I will stand on the two sides, a toast to you." Fang Hong gestured.

The three main creators stood in the middle, with Fang Hong and Chen Zhixi at the edges on both sides.

Xu Guangtou stood right in the middle, also happy; he just liked this feeling of being the focus, it gave him a great sense of accomplishment.

But Wang Baoqiang was separated from him by one person.

Everyone formed a semicircle, glasses clinked, facing the camera ahead.

Lights flickered, the frame froze.

The audience members at the scene clapped with a "clap clap clap."

Basically, the celebration banquet was like this—those with talent would go up and sing a couple of songs, and there was also a dance floor for dancing.

Liu Tianxian went up and sang a song called "Heart Palpitations."

No one knew what she was singing; in any case, the lights were dazzling, the music was pumping, and some people stood up and started dancing.

"Come, have a drink."

Fang Hong and everyone at his table all stood up and raised their glasses together.

After finishing the drink, he beckoned Lu Dabo over and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Understood."

Lu Dabo nodded, quickly ran outside, and brought back a glass vessel filled with a liquid that looked like alcohol: "This one's fine."

Fang Hong poured a glass, tasted it, felt it was okay, then walked toward another table.

This table was the producers' group—Han Jianü, Li Anran, Liu Yin, and others.

"This year's work is done, thanks for your efforts." Fang Hong reached out and clinked glasses with them.

"Principal, remember to give red envelopes." Han Jianü said with a smile.

"That is a must." Fang Hong said.

Everyone was happy, all stood up and clinked glasses with Fang Hong with a "clink."

Then Fang Hong walked to the directors' table, put his hand on Wang Ran's shoulder, and said to Chen Sicheng, Wen Muye, Guo Fan, Lu Yang, Wang Ran, and others seated there: "Come, I'll toast you all."

"The Principal supports us in making good films, I feel this glass of wine must be drunk." Guo Fan said.

The others all burst into laughter.

Laughter never stopped at the scene; many people wove between tables, some who had drunk too much kept hollering, and no one stopped them—after a year of hard work, they should relax a bit.

"Thanks to all the talented screenwriters."

Fang Hong walked to the screenwriters' table, raised his glass and said: "Ladies who can't drink, don't force yourselves, just do as you like."

There were many young lady screenwriters, so if they could avoid drinking they would; if they wanted to drink, no one would stop them.

"Thanks to the Principal for giving us such a great platform." The screenwriters stood up and downed a glass with him.

Most of them drank, but Bao Jinjin didn't—she was like that traditional virtuous woman.

Unlike Liu Tianxian, bouncing around on stage, very wild.

Fang Hong then came to the celebrities' table; all the stars signed to Jade Rabbit were seated there, regardless of seniority and rank, all sitting together.

In his eyes, apart from Liu Tianxian whose status was a bit special, all other stars were the same.

"General Manager Fang is here."

Celebrities were better at reading the room; Zhao Xiaodao said one line, and the others all proactively stood up.

Nazha looked a bit excited, her beautiful face flushed, as if shy.

"I'll toast you all." Fang Hong said.

"Thanks, General Manager Fang."

Everyone raised their glasses; Fang Hong clinked with them, and when clinking Nazha's glass, he noticed her hand trembling slightly and couldn't help but glance at her.

Nazha, meeting that gaze, quickly lowered her head and dared not look.

But no one paid attention to her; the others all tilted their heads back and downed it in one gulp—celebrities generally had more social engagements and could hold their liquor better.

"General Manager Fang, let me toast you separately." Zhao Xiaodao poured another glass.

"Oh, alright."

Fang Hong shifted his gaze to Zhao Xiaodao—she probably had something on her mind.

Zhao Xiaodao poured another glass, tilted her head back and drank: "General Manager Fang, when will my drama air?"

She watched Chen Xiao's dramas being so popular while she herself remained lukewarm, feeling a bit unbalanced inside.

Yet her drama had long been finished filming, and post-production had taken so long.

"I remember it'll air after the New Year; this year we should air two of your dramas." Fang Hong said.

Hearing this, Zhao Xiaodao felt relieved; she had two dramas—one, Legend of Lu Zhen, happened to ride on Chen Xiao's popularity.

The other was The Heirs, which she starred in!

"Don't feel unbalanced. Since you've signed with Jade Rabbit, Jade Rabbit will be responsible for you—we'll arrange a good star path for each of you.

There will definitely be first and last, popular and not popular; this depends on the company, and also on your own efforts. I won't hide it from you—Jade Rabbit's focus in the future will also shift toward key artist development."

Fang Hong's words were directed at Zhao Xiaodao, and also at the others currently in the doldrums—Xie Miao, Guo Jingfei, and the rest.

All these people nodded with relief, a spark of fighting spirit in their eyes. Since the Principal had said so, it proved they would all receive resource allocations going forward and none of them would be left behind.

"I'll just follow the arrangements. Whether I get famous or not, I don't have too deep an obsession with it." Guo Jingfei was the earliest to have acted alongside Fang Hong.

He was essentially a stage actor by nature; as long as there were commercial films to make money, he didn't have much desire for fame.

Fang Hong looked at Nazha, who appeared reserved and silent: "You look pretty nervous. Relax a bit. Our company is still quite harmonious and friendly."

After all, there were plenty of resources, and many films and TV shows had been greenlit—more than enough to go around as leads and supporting roles for these people.

Nazha nodded lightly, her complexion rosy and alluring, not quite daring to speak.

"Eat more dishes, you're too skinny." Fang Hong gestured at the food on the table, then nodded to the others before going off to greet other tables. After he left, the stars all sat down. Nazha watched his back, her eyes full of light, her heart both excited and uneasy.

"Our company is all about helping each other and looking out for one another. Don't feel pressured." Zhao Xiaodao rested her hand on Nazha's shoulder.

"Thank you, Sister Zhao." Nazha pulled her gaze back, only now daring to speak.

Zhao Xiaodao didn't see her as a competitor either—she was too green, and in this company no one was her competitor; she was one of a kind.

Song Jia was too old in age, not the same type.

After finishing toasts at the stars' table, Fang Hong walked over to the table of Beijing Film Academy experts and professors—Cao Baoping, Xue Xiaolu, Xu Jiandong, and Xie Xiaojing.

He'd met many of them before; after all, their students and disciples were all at Jade Rabbit, and he'd met them when hosting dinners for the Beijing Film Academy professors.

"That kid used to wipe tables for me back then. Now, blink and years have passed—those old times are still vivid as ever!" Xu Jiandong bragged, half-drunk.

"You've said it hundreds of times already, and you still keep going." Cao Baoping said.

Every time they met he had to bring up how the "Principal" washed tables and mopped floors for him, as if he'd brag about it for a lifetime, as if others didn't know the "Principal" was someone he'd cultivated.

The others all just smiled. After this year, Xu Jiandong was going to be promoted to Secretary.

Just then Fang Hong walked over: "Hello, teachers."

"Good, good."

The professors didn't stand up, didn't clink glasses—just raised their cups and took a sip together.

Xu Jiandong teased: "Big boss, so busy!"

"There are really too many people, I haven't been able to attend to everyone properly." Fang Hong apologized.

The people at the table didn't mind. Fang Hong was indeed very busy now, with many people to greet. He could have gotten away with not inviting them, but he still did.

That was already very generous—eating his food, holding a position and taking his money.

Vice-Dean Xie Xiaojing set down her glass: "After the new year when school starts, find some time to come to the school and do an exchange with the students."

"An exchange?" Fang Hong was a bit dumbfounded, waving his hand: "Dean, you'd better find someone else!"

"Why so lacking in confidence? You're a successful entrepreneur now, you can do it." Xu Jiandong said.

Now Fang Hong was his calling card—he definitely had to promote him again and again.

"I'm afraid I'll lead the young people astray." Fang Hong said.

"Just talk about your experiences—it's just telling a story. Whatever the students ask, you answer. You can do it." Xue Xiaolu said.

Telling the story was about how he went from being penniless to being worth several billion—spinning his own awesomeness into a tale.

Before he made it, his past hardships were a joke to people; after he made it, those same hardships became a treasure trove.

Just like those billionaires Li Jiacheng, Jack Ma, Tony Ma, Bill Gates—they all liked to say they were ordinary people, and then how they succeeded, so young people would learn from them.

Worshipping them as idols was itself a kind of showing off.

"Well, alright then." Fang Hong said.

"Set an example for the students, so it'll be easier for them to come work at your company in the future." Xie Xiaojing said.

"I'm just afraid my temple is too small." Fang Hong said.

Beijing Film Academy trained so many people every year, and accumulated quite a few talents over time—how could his company possibly absorb them all.

Raising a few beneficiaries would be plenty.

"It's fine, take it slow."

What Xie Xiaojing had just said was just casual talk. Of the people who graduated from Beijing Film Academy every year, 90% never amounted to anything.

He added: "Then it's settled. Once we've picked a date, we'll notify you in advance."

That was a matter for after the new year; the students were already on vacation now.

Fang Hong agreed, chatted with the professors for a bit, then went to toast at other tables, getting to know people and drawing closer.

Back at his seat, Liu Tianxian had long finished her song and was drinking with others; on stage, Huang Bo was doing a hot dance and singing a spicy song.

Whistles—"Whew, whew, whew!"—kept going, and some people were dancing closely with another person.

Men with men, women with women, men with women—of course no one was going to drop their pants or anything; some restraint was still needed. If you needed to, go get a room yourself.

As long as it wasn't forced and was consensual, it was fine. Coercion was not allowed.

"Your drinking capacity is growing—you've been drinking for ages and you're not even drunk." Liu Tianxian said beside him.

Fang Hong brought his glass to her lips. Liu Tianxian took a sip: "Eh, it's a soft drink!"

"Hehehe." Fang Hong laughed.

Liu Tianxian leaned close to his ear and whispered: "If you don't get drunk, how do I get my chance?"

Fang Hong, who had been smiling, immediately lost his expression.

"Hahaha." Liu Tianxian covered her mouth and laughed out loud.

"I'll drink real alcohol now, give you your chance." Fang Hong immediately moved to switch to liquor.

"Hey, hey, no no, I was just kidding."

Liu Tianxian grabbed his hand—if he couldn't drink, then don't. She was just joking.

"I'm not joking." Fang Hong said.

"Oh come on, let's dance."

Liu Tianxian pulled him into the dance floor.

Red and blue lights flashed, the music was pumping, and many people were bouncing and jumping here, dancing passionately as if love didn't exist.

Liu Tianxian was also a free-spirited person, facing Fang Hong, swaying her supple waist.

Fang Hong also went along with it, shrugging his shoulders and body, though his body wasn't as supple as Liu Tianxian's.

But he could still manage to put on a decent dance!

The two faced each other, their bodies and steps moving rhythmically. Liu Tianxian placed both hands on his shoulders, a pair of eyes fixed on him.

Their gazes met, each seeing only the other in their eyes, a feeling of lingering tenderness between them.

Bystanders saw it, and people drinking outside saw it too, but they took it as a matter of course, didn't take it seriously, playing their own games, drinking their own drinks.

The two had been together for a few years now—a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, nothing worth making a fuss over, only envy.

Nazha saw it too, and couldn't help feeling a twinge of sourness in her heart.

(End of chapter)