Chapter 202: One of the world

After *Leisurely Slow Life* switched to a monthly broadcast format, although the overall update frequency was lower than the weekly broadcast, it had its advantages.

The monthly format allowed for two consecutive episodes to be aired, unlike the weekly format where only one episode was shown per week.

With the monthly format, they could air one episode on Saturday and another on Sunday, which was perfect for completing a single theme and extending the discussion around the variety show.

Today was Saturday, and the results after the show's return had already left Zhang Guang very satisfied.

This episode was full of trending topics, and it was easy to imagine that tomorrow's episode would also dominate the hot search lists.

The young men of March Sky were so easy to manage that they had saved the company an unknown amount in marketing fees over the past year.

Other celebrities in the company felt the company was biased, giving all the resources to March Sky, but they didn't stop to think about what March Sky's return on investment was.

Other celebrities would get on a decent show, but it wouldn't make a splash, and the company would still have to spend money to buy hot searches afterward; they would start spending money before they had even earned any.

Even if they could make money, the marketing fees poured in weren't necessarily low, and in the end, the return brought to the company could only be described as average.

But March Sky was different.

Their popularity was solid, their data was impressive, and fans were willing to pay for them; the company rarely had to invest in marketing for them.

In stock market terms, March Sky was like a "demon stock" that hit the daily limit every single day.

How could the company not cherish them?

At Tianding Entertainment, Zhang Guang saw other agents bringing artists in or out, and he greeted everyone he met.

Only when someone asked what the happy occasion was, seeing him looking so pleased, would he modestly mention *Leisurely Slow Life*.

"No, no, *Leisurely Slow Life* returned today, and the viewership is quite good. I can give the advertisers an answer, so I feel at ease."

"*Leisurely Slow Life* is back. I thought the audience would have almost forgotten about March Sky, but I didn't expect them to remember so well. I'm truly moved!"

"*Leisurely Slow Life* has resumed. I just finished monitoring the data. I really don't know why March Sky has to be so willful with their group variety show, yet so many people still watch it..."

Watching Zhang Guang's departing back, heading in the direction of the CEO's office, the other agents couldn't help but withdraw their gazes.

Another artist muttered quietly: "March Sky got so many resources. Before the show even aired, Pink Girls promoted them one by one. They rode on the popularity of their seniors, so of course, many people watched!"

This artist's agent glared at them and warned:

"Just say that in front of me, don't say it in front of others. If this reaches Zhang Guang's ears, be careful, or he might give your gigs to someone else!"

The artist was unconvinced: "I'm at least a second-tier artist, and I've been somewhat popular this year. Can Zhang Guang really cover the sky with one hand?"

The agent said, frustrated by the artist's lack of ambition: "You're only second-tier and you're already this arrogant? There are so many second-tier artists at Tianding Entertainment, and even many first-tier ones.

He can't touch the first-tier ones, but would he be afraid of a small second-tier one? You better get some sense!

Besides, do you think everyone can get Pink Girls to do promotions? A first-tier artist in our company wanted to ask Jin Li to post a blog to pretend they had a good relationship, but Jin Li didn't even pay them any mind.

Even among first-tier artists, there is a world of difference in status. Those first-tier artists wouldn't dare give Zhang Guang a cold shoulder."

At Chenxi Entertainment.

Sui Lingfang received a call from Zhang Guang, inviting her to lunch.

Although it felt a bit abrupt, Sui Lingfang agreed. It was perfect; she wanted to understand some industry trends from Zhang Guang.

Chenxi Entertainment was ultimately too weak, with insufficient information channels.

If it weren't for Jin Li being so capable, with many shows actively seeking her out, it would be very difficult for Chenxi to pick shows on their own and gamble on their vision to make an artist explode in popularity.

At the same moment.

Li Xunfang heard from her assistant that Jin Li was trending on the hot search again.

She opened her phone and saw that it was because March Sky's group variety show *Leisurely Slow Life* had returned, and Jin Li and Yu Guan Mingzhu were the guests they had invited.

Li Xunfang concluded that these two were just made popular by March Sky and had coincidentally hitched a ride on the hot search.

She had also felt envy and jealousy toward the March Sky boy band.

Later, when all the data couldn't compare, Li Xunfang ultimately gave up on that thought.

No one would treat a target they could never surpass as their own competitor.

She curled her lip. She also had a variety show to appear on today; after all, it was the weekend, and most variety shows aired on the two weekend days.

So, her hot search was once again suppressed without warning.

This time, Li Xunfang didn't think about suppressing Jin Li at all costs; instead, she opened WeChat to check a chat group formed by some "plastic" sisters.

Listening to them gossip occasionally was also quite interesting.

She would also share some gossip to maintain the group's tone.

【The Eternal Queen, Youth Forever Group】

Plastic Sister (Yang Chunchun): 【Have you heard of Director Zhuang Fan?】

Surface Friend (Luo Fen): 【Never heard of him. Isn't he not very famous?】

Don't Know (Ai Ni): 【I just heard this scoop too. Is it this Zhuang Fan who invited Lian Baozhi to participate in the drama he's filming?】

Plastic Sister (Yang Chunchun): 【Yes, yes, yes. Lian Baozhi openly exposed major dirt on LP at the Roast Assembly, and many people in the industry didn't dare give her gigs for fear of being backstabbed or exposed. I didn't expect Zhuang Fan to actually dare to invite Lian Baozhi as the female lead. He's too crazy!】

Li Xunfang's assistant suddenly noticed that Li Xunfang's expression had turned very ugly, her eyes staring straight at her phone.

After a while, Li Xunfang stood up and walked to a corner to call Zhao Rui.

"Is the director of the drama *A Match Made in Heaven* called Zhuang Fan?"

Zhao Rui was slightly stunned. "Yes, what's wrong?"

Li Xunfang said in a gloomy tone: "I just received news that Zhuang Fan invited Lian Baozhi to film. Is it for *A Match Made in Heaven*, the one I didn't want?"

Zhao Rui said hesitantly: "I'm not sure. Should I check first?"

She advised: "Xunfang, since you aren't filming *A Match Made in Heaven* anymore, why not focus on other dramas? Don't worry about this drama, and don't worry about the director choosing actors—"

Li Xunfang interrupted: "Sister Zhao, I usually don't care, but why did Zhuang Fan specifically choose Lian Baozhi? I don't believe he had no other choices!

Lian Baozhi's reputation in the industry is so poor that she has to rely on her agent to socialize everywhere to get some gigs. Now she can actually film a costume idol drama as the female lead? I don't believe she didn't have other deals with Zhuang Fan behind the scenes.

Zhuang Fan ditching me so quickly must have a problem. Maybe Lian Baozhi specifically snatched my drama!"

Zhao Rui was speechless.

Was what Li Xunfang said unreasonable?

No, it made too much sense!

If the news was confirmed, then it was likely that Li Xunfang's drama had been targeted by someone.

If it had been a month or two later to confirm the female lead, Li Xunfang wouldn't have associated it with this.

The key was that this was decided almost back-to-back; they terminated the contract with Li Xunfang one moment and signed Lian Baozhi the next.

Li Xunfang said coldly: "Things I don't want can be thrown to others, but I can't be deliberately snatched from. Otherwise, next time, other first-tier artists will come to snatch my gigs!"

She had a very strong sense of crisis.

In this line of work, without a keen sense, one would soon be eliminated.

Li Xunfang knew she had been on a downward slope for the past two years, which was why she was desperately taking variety shows to stabilize her path.

If she didn't clash with Lian Baozhi this time, and such an artist could snatch her gigs, then other artists would target her next time.

Resources were limited, and first-tier artists who lost their popularity first would be carved up by other first-tier artists.

Without waiting for Zhao Rui to speak, Li Xunfang gave the order: "Have the official account smear Lian Baozhi, hinting that she was also involved in internal trading at LP."

Zhao Rui thought for a moment and said: "Okay, but the money..."

Li Xunfang gritted her teeth: "Take it from my account!"

Jin Li stayed on the set, continuing to film.

Director Deng didn't film according to the script's order, but according to the location, concentrating all the scenes that would happen in that setting to film them.

So this added quite a few challenges for the actors.

The scenes were scattered, and the emotions were fragmented.

Perhaps in the previous scene, you needed to film a very calm scene, and in the next, you had to change into a different set of clothes and props to film a screaming scene in the same setting.

While waiting for her turn, Jin Li also watched the performances of other veteran actors, feeling it was excellent.

Seeing some veteran actors free up, she would go over to chat.

She didn't have Ren Zhangtao's sweet-talking ability; that person could get along with anyone on set, joke with anyone, and had relatively little sense of boundaries.

Jin Li actually rarely encountered such people.

Once she did, she was stunned by Ren Zhangtao's acting skills.

But she also had one good quality: she was sincere and eager to learn.

"How do you act?" A veteran actor was asked this by her and smiled. "Just act like this!"

He replied: "At my age, I rarely consider how to act. Once I close my eyes, the character's image and actions just come out."

He smiled cunningly: "Perhaps my imagination is better. I can often imagine the character appearing in front of me, and I just observe them from the side."

Jin Li pondered for a while and regretfully found that she couldn't find it.

"My experience is too lacking. I don't have that sense of imagery," Jin Li said.

The veteran actor also said: "You don't need to learn from me. I don't have any secret techniques; it's purely because I have too much experience. In the words of young people, every move is acting, but for me, I'm just acting out my thoughts.

You young people sometimes think too much, guessing blindly, wanting to use a hundred or eighty expressions for one action, but actually, you only need to do one.

Instead of watching me, you'd better observe Xiao Ren more. Xiao Ren acts quite well."

Jin Li couldn't help but ask: "But he is playing himself. Is there a need to learn?"

The veteran actor smiled. "Yes. He isn't completely playing himself. He gets nervous when acting, but his camera presence is very good, and he is consciously incorporating some techniques, so you can't tell."

Jin Li was reminded, so she turned to monitor Ren Zhangtao.

Ren Zhangtao was focused when acting, but after the acting ended, he could see Jin Li's gaze looking over, and he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Jin Li's eyes were too clear, and her actions were not concealed at all, which instead made people feel that she was simply curious about him.

At night.

Ren Zhangtao gathered with his good friend Deng Zexu. Ren Zhangtao nominally said he came to talk to Director Deng about the script.

Deng Zexu was curious: "You're asking me about the script? You had a hand in adapting this script like this. If it weren't for you not wanting the screenwriter's name, I would have wanted to add you. What exactly are you here for?"

Ren Zhangtao touched his nose embarrassedly, feeling a bit awkward.

He subconsciously looked left and right, and when he confirmed the room was empty, he said:

"I think—no, others think—no, I should still think... Does Jin Li like me a little?"

Deng Zexu coughed heavily a few times.

One of the world's great illusions: She likes me!

Deng Zexu was curious to eat the melon and urged: "How could you have this idea? I didn't see it. I think she is more interested in those veteran actors, often finding time to go chat with them."

Ren Zhangtao was embarrassed, scratched his neck a few times, feeling restless inside.

"No, I'm also afraid I'm misunderstanding, which is why I came to ask you. Today while filming, Jin Li kept staring at me. I could feel her gaze even when I turned around."

Deng Zexu thought carefully, and it seemed to really be the case.

When he was filming Ren Zhangtao's scenes, Jin Li would take a small stool and sit next to him, observing very seriously.

That attitude was just like listening to a lecture in school.

Because she was too serious, it didn't make him think much.

Deng Zexu: "How about this, if you're so curious, I'll help you ask tomorrow. If she really likes you a little, what will you do?"

Ren Zhangtao lowered his head, stammering for a long time: "Then—then I'll pursue her!"

Deng Zexu was amused: "You're interested in Jin Li?"

After Ren Zhangtao said it, his mood felt a burst of relief, and he admitted: "Interested, who wouldn't be? She looks so sweet, and her personality is good. She's the type I like."

Deng Zexu: "Then if I ask, and Jin Li isn't interested in you, what then?"

Ren Zhangtao hesitated for a moment, and finally made up his mind: "Still pursue!"

Jin Li didn't know she had suddenly gained an admirer, and Gu Cheng didn't know he had gained another rival in love.

At night, they had a video call, connecting to do test papers together.

After finishing a paper, the two checked the answers and started chatting.

Jin Li said: "I thought this drama would be easy to film. The plot actually isn't difficult, at least not as difficult as *Dream Builder*.

But after entering the set, I realized I thought too simply. Everyone's acting in this drama is very poor."

She was a bit discouraged and sighed: "My acting is the worst."

Gu Cheng smiled.

His voice was clear and not deep, carrying full trust in her.

"You rarely say negative things. It seems other actors have brought you a lot of pressure. Have you found a solution?"

Jin Li nodded: "Found it. Many veteran actors told me not to learn from them. Their acting is entirely brought about by the growth of life experience. When I reach that age, I will naturally know how to do it.

They told me to learn from Ren Zhangtao. He is a newcomer who has never been exposed to acting, and his father is a Best Actor. I thought he was playing himself as a playboy, so I focused on him at first, but the veteran actor told me he wasn't."

Gu Cheng pondered: "But playing yourself is hard to learn, right? Actors almost don't need to ponder much; acting it out is just that one character."

Jin Li nodded: "Yes, but the veteran actor told me that his type can be learned. It's not that it can't be pondered; he just magnified his own traits." ===== CHAPTER 203 =====