Chapter 580

It was Bai Jiang's assistant who answered the phone.

Hearing that Xu Ting wanted to find Bai Jiang, the assistant's first reaction was: "Sister Xu, I'm sorry, Brother Jiang is still busy; he has quite a lot of announcements lately."

Xu Ting asked in confusion: "Our most important announcement lately is running the promotion for 'Dawn'; I, the lead actress, don't even have many arrangements, so why is Bai Jiang so busy?"

Movie promotions are usually done by the lead actor and actress together; if the lead actress is free, the lead actor shouldn't be that busy either.

The assistant's eyes darted, and he responded extremely quickly: "Brother Jiang has taken on many personal announcements and has been running around lately."

Xu Ting didn't dwell on it and asked: "Then when is he free? I'll find him when he's free."

The assistant flipped through the schedule, though there was no such schedule at all; he was just putting on an act.

After a good while, the assistant said: "Brother Jiang won't be free until after 11:00 tonight."

Xu Ting: "Then what about tomorrow?"

Assistant: "He's free tomorrow morning between 7:00 and 8:00; Brother Jiang has to go to the gym, and then his announcements don't end until 12:00 at night."

The assistant didn't make these time slots up; he had specifically checked Xu Ting's schedule.

He knew she liked to sleep in and take beauty naps in the morning, and she rested and went to sleep at 11:00 at night.

Some celebrities, in order to maintain their condition, are extremely strict with themselves, planning their bodies with strict precision.

When young, one can stay up late and overdraw, but once one gets older, one must have a healthy routine; this is also to extend one's career.

Xu Ting frowned after hearing these time slots.

She said: "Forget it, I'll just come over then; I have an urgent matter to discuss with him."

Without waiting for the assistant to answer, she hung up the phone.

The assistant hurriedly told Bai Jiang the news.

Bai Jiang was closing his eyes to rest at the moment; hearing the assistant's words, he opened his eyes.

He asked: "She said she's coming over?"

The assistant nodded: "Yes, that's what Sister Xu Ting said. Brother Jiang, should we turn her away then?"

Bai Jiang shook his head: "If she comes, let her come. Just be quick-witted when the time comes and don't let my real announcement schedule slip."

Assistant: "Okay."

Bai Jiang didn't know what he was thinking of and asked: "By the way, I told you to check Xu Ting's recent announcements earlier; did you find anything?"

Assistant: "I found it. Sister Xu Ting has had very few announcements lately; the biggest one is running the promotion for 'Dawn.' Plus, with the 'acting like a big shot' controversy online a few days ago, several of her announcements have been temporarily delayed by the brands."

Bai Jiang raised an eyebrow and said indifferently: "No wonder I always felt she was so idle."

On the other side, Jin Li, relying on the stunning performance of her driver, Xiao Cheng, who rivaled a professional racer, successfully shook off a large wave of paparazzi and returned to the large flat.

Originally, after the college entrance exam, she was supposed to move back to the apartment provided by the company.

But later, Sui Lingfang felt that the location of the large flat was better and the security was tighter, so she let her continue living there.

Jin Li felt it was indeed quite good here, but living alone was too empty, so she specifically sent messages telling her little sisters to come over and stay whenever they were free; there were plenty of rooms.

Today, when she returned to the large flat and walked in the garden, she had a sudden whim to raise some fish.

The Little Prince had his roses that he watered day and night, and she had fish that needed her to feed them every day.

The more one puts into something, the more one values it; those efforts all become unique memories.

Thinking of it, she did it; she started digging a fish pond herself.

She didn't just dig silently; she also started a live stream.

【What is she doing?】

【I can tell, she's digging dirt.】

【The room name is 'Digging a Fish Pond'; is Jin Li planning to raise fish?】

【Forget the fish, look at me; I want to be a fish in Sister's pond!!】

Some industry insiders who had been following Jin Li's live stream room thought the traffic would drop when they saw Jin Li wasn't reading books this time but had switched to digging a fish pond.

But no one expected that not only did the traffic not drop, but there were actually more people watching than in her previous reading live streams!

In the senior management meeting of Maozhao Live, some executives followed Jin Li, and when she started a live stream, a reminder would pop up, even during meetings.

Jin Li is highly tied to Maozhao; in some respects, Jin Li herself is more important than many meetings.

Those executives discovered that she was digging a fish pond and still attracting many netizens to watch, so they asked in confusion: "What exactly are the netizens watching in Jin Li's live stream room?"

Other executives looked at each other, unable to give a reason.

There was one executive who used to follow Jin Li's live stream room often, but not for himself, but for his child who was in high school.

He heard people in the company say that many students were studying in Jin Li's live stream room, and everyone said the effect was very good and their hearts could calm down, so he accompanied his daughter, who was in her first year of high school, to watch Jin Li's live stream every weekend.

He didn't feel much himself, but his daughter said she felt she could concentrate better and became more willing to do practice problems.

This executive said: "Maybe it's just to pursue peace of mind."

"Even if she does nothing and just digs dirt silently, many people find it interesting. Those who come to her live stream room are souls who need to rest in the busy metropolis."

Well, this executive had also been watching Jin Li's reading live streams lately, and his wording was subconsciously flowery.

Others looked at each other, and one executive suddenly mentioned: "Last meeting, we had an idea that was ultimately passed over by a vote. Everyone felt that the newly established 'Knowledge Universe' should weaken Jin Li's influence; this app has already placed many important initiatives on Jin Li."

"But I think, since we have already bet so much on her, why weaken it? Why not let Jin Li become the spokesperson for 'Knowledge Universe,' tie her more deeply, and let her push our learning software internationally? Wouldn't that be better?"

A company cannot walk a single path.

They also cannot bet all their most important strategies on one artist.

A company that is too "singular" cannot go far.

Many big shots who became famous relying on a single piece of software gradually retreat behind the scenes as their businesses grow, cultivating more excellent talent.

So Maozhao had thought about letting more celebrities join Maozhao and join "Knowledge Universe" to get rid of the single situation of relying only on Jin Li for promotion.

But now, some executives felt that Maozhao hadn't reached that step yet.

Because they relied on Jin Li, but hadn't done it to the extreme.

"Jin Li has many fans, and neither Maozhao Live nor Knowledge Universe has fully digested her fans. She just digs dirt silently and so many people watch; we haven't even analyzed the logic behind it clearly. Not to mention she works while taking the college entrance exam, and the whole internet is watching her scores—"

This executive paused and said solemnly: "We haven't fully released her potential, and we are rushing to untie from her just as the company is about to take off; I think it's too rash."

"Therefore, I hope to continue to deepen the cooperation with Jin Li and continue to tie her deeply, even if the 'Knowledge Universe' software is deeply branded with Jin Li's mark and controlled by Jin Li, we should spare no effort!"

Jin Li didn't know that just silently digging some dirt could make some companies change their strategic thinking.

She used a shovel to dig for half an hour, felt the place she dug was too small, so she expanded the edges and continued to dig.

Jin Li's movements were very slow; in the matter of digging dirt, she appeared inefficient, and one could see the awkwardness in every movement.

But she had a kind of magic in doing things; she wouldn't do it, but once she did, she would do it seriously.

In the long process of digging dirt, netizens discovered that her digging movements actually became more and more proficient!

【Others get more tired the more they dig; am I the only one who thinks Jin Li gets more spirited the more she digs?】

【On the journey from awkwardness to mastery, on the journey from unfamiliarity to proficiency.】

【Family, I discovered that repetitive mechanical exercise can allow the brain that never stops thinking to relax. Jin Li is worthy of being Jin Li; the things she promotes are never useless. I've started digging dirt too!】

【(Smirking) When I'm idle, I like to do puzzles to pass the time; I never feel it's a waste of time.】

And what about Jin Li, who was being watched by tens of millions of netizens?

After digging a shallow layer, she put down the shovel and started planning her fish pond.

She wanted to plant lotus flowers, wanted to build a stone bridge, wanted to have a windmill that could turn...

Jin Li thought of the book "The Little Prince" again, put her hands on her cheeks to support her chin, and started daydreaming.

At this moment, the sunlight was just right, filtering through the shade of the trees and falling on her, casting dappled patterns.

She didn't have a professional team to adjust the angle, but from the angle the camera could see, beam after beam of light hit her, making her look light and clear.

As if beloved by heaven and earth.

Netizens watching the live stream couldn't help but hold their breath; this was a beautiful scene that even magazine blockbusters couldn't capture.

Before long, the scene in Jin Li's live stream room was screenshotted by netizens, uploaded to the internet, and parachuted into the top ten trending searches—

#Those beauties you thought didn't exist in life#

At the forefront of this tag was Jin Li's photo.

Xu Ting found the hotel where Bai Jiang was staying on the second day.

The assistant didn't hide this basic information from her, because one could find it out by asking others slightly.

She came during the lunch break, when Bai Jiang happened to return to the hotel to eat.

Seeing Xu Ting show up, Bai Jiang's expression didn't change, and he even asked if she wanted to eat a little.

Xu Ting shook her head: "I've been eating fat-loss meals lately to maintain my figure; I've already eaten."

Bai Jiang nodded and continued to eat with his head down.

Xu Ting waited patiently.

After he finished eating, Xu Ting immediately asked: "Don't you feel that Director Chu's arrangements are very strange?"

Bai Jiang asked: "What's strange?"

Xu Ting frowned: "Everything, everything is strange!

From the moment the promotion for 'Dawn' started, I felt it was very wrong. He placed the entire focus of the movie promotion on Jin Li, while Jin Li has never shown her face once; the only time was through a VCR."

She said with dissatisfaction: "Jin Li is acting too much like a big shot!"

Bai Jiang, however, didn't feel disgusted by this and said: "Jin Li's popularity is very high; she just took the college entrance exam recently, and many media outlets are using her to write articles. It's already very good that she's willing to let 'Dawn' ride on her popularity."

Xu Ting: "I know her popularity is great, but the movie is the result of everyone's joint effort. As a member of the crew, she should attend."

Bai Jiang: "I think it doesn't matter whether she attends or not; as long as the crew gets the popularity, that's enough. Currently, the crew's pre-sale box office is still number one, and that's enough."

Xu Ting still felt it was wrong.

"If the director needs to use her for promotion, that can be explained, but why does he need to ask Jin Li for help to get rid of a scandal?

We clearly have better ways to handle it, for example, sending a lawyer's letter to the assistant director, or using other methods to cover it up; it doesn't have to be Jin Li."

Bai Jiang said calmly: "But finding Jin Li is also fine, isn't it?"

Xu Ting: "I, I just feel—"

Bai Jiang suddenly interrupted her, "Xu Ting, I think you need to clarify one thing: do you feel it's unnecessary to find Jin Li, or do you feel that Jin Li stole your spotlight in the crew and overshadowed you, the lead actress?"

Her dark thoughts were openly exposed, and her face looked ugly for a moment.

Xu Ting's expression twisted for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Do you think these are two different things? Actually, they can be seen as the same thing.

I am the lead actress of this show, and you are the lead actor, but Director Chu didn't place the promotion center on us; this is inherently very strange.

He overvalued Jin Li, a supporting role. If it were any other ordinary director, they could do this to pursue popularity, but Director Chu is different.

He is an internationally renowned director; he has his own principles and wouldn't weaken the lead to over-amplify a supporting role.

And now, because the promotion focus is on Jin Li, many netizens think that the lead actress of this show is Jin Li.

What if they go to the cinema and find it doesn't live up to the name? Jin Li's fan base is very large; if every fan spits once, they could drown the crew."

Bai Jiang was silent for a while and looked at her meaningfully.

"Xu Ting, you have already told yourself the answer; haven't you seen it yet?"

Xu Ting was stunned by his question, "What seen or not seen?"

Bai Jiang looked at her steadily and said mercilessly: "You have already been abandoned by Director Chu, and I might have been abandoned by Director Chu as well."

Xu Ting was very shocked, "Impossible, how is that possible, I—"

Her words stalled, and her expression was full of disbelief.

Yes, Director Chu is a great director; he has his own principles.

And when he wants to strongly promote Jin Li and ignore the original lead actor and actress of this show, it means that Jin Li is the one he values.

She realized it, was shocked, took a few steps back, and muttered to herself: "How could it be, how could it be like this? I didn't do anything wrong; why treat me like this..."

Bai Jiang said in a low voice: "Xu Ting, I reminded you before when we were in the crew that your assistant did many things behind your back."

He paused, but whether it was done openly or behind the back, it's hard to say.

Everyone wants to save face, even if they know it in their hearts.

"The director doesn't forget; he remembers everything and follows his own ideas during the promotion period."

He sighed and said earnestly to Xu Ting: "Don't go against Jin Li; the director won't let you go against Jin Li either."