Chapter 128: I Want to Choose Li Bai

When traditional media channels were still the mainstream for social information dissemination, figures in the entertainment industry, especially the big shots, deeply loathed this group of so-called uncrowned kings, yet often found themselves helpless in the end.

A typical example is the sole female lead of the "Pink Lady" production team: Liu Ruoying.

As a name one cannot avoid when the word "mistress" is mentioned in the entertainment circle, her emotional entanglement with her mentor Chen Sheng and her ambiguous relationship with the mainland young actor Huang Lei have fed countless tabloids.

But Liu Ruoying never expected that, having already squatted in the "Pink Lady," a manga-adapted idol drama centered on female roles, playing with younger sisters, she would still be dragged into a connection with a "mistress."

Oh no, this time it's not a mistress, it's a fourth mistress.

"Some of Elva Hsiao's fans believe you are interfering in their relationship; some of Sun Yanzi's fans similarly believe you destroyed the romance between the Warner twins;

"Even Zhang Shaohan's fans think you, having suffered emotional setbacks, are trying to eat young grass and obstructing Zhang Shaohan's rise.

"Additionally, fans of Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbin, guided by the news, believe you are seducing Zhou Yi."

Sitting in the Shanghai production team's hotel, listening to her manager report this sudden situation, Liu Ruoying was utterly baffled: "What's the situation with Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbin? What do they have to do with this?"

She knew Zhou Xun; last year, "The Love of April in the Human World," which caused her and Huang Lei to fight passionately behind the scenes, also starred Zhou Xun. As for Fan Bingbin, basically anyone who has watched television knows Jin Suo.

"This is thanks to the song 'Love Me or Him' in Zhou Yi's new album. Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbin performed an extraordinary effect with Zhou Yi in the MV of this song.

"According to the market department's survey, the reason many people on the Treasure Island side are willing to pay a higher price for CDs with MVs is absolutely due to the movie-plot-level effect of the 'Love Me or Him' MV."

The manager's expression became somewhat strange when mentioning this: "Zhou Yi's styling and rogue temperament were fully embodied in this MV, and his performance of wavering between Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbin was also very realistic, thereby driving a lot of CD sales.

"Consequently, Fan Bingbin, who had previously only played maids, began to gain popularity after being filmed beautifully in Zhou Yi's music video, where her appearance in a red dress stunned many people.

"Rumors in the streets say many directors feel Fan Bingbin isn't as bad as Qiong Yao said, and she seems to be a talent with potential."

"..."

Having heard the reason, Liu Ruoying was somewhat speechless: "What does the company say?"

"The company has already debunked the rumors, and Warner has also debunked them, openly admitting that Zhou Yi came to meet his friend Chen Hao, not you.

"But this storm won't calm down so easily; 'Next Week' just entered the Treasure Island, and Li Zhiying needs a blockbuster and a hot topic to help his people establish a foothold on the Treasure Island.

"Unfortunately, Zhou Yi, who is currently at the height of his fame, has been targeted because of this, and the 'Pink Lady' production team has been implicated."

"Why?"

Liu Ruoying was puzzled: "Isn't 'Next Week' giving Zhou Yi heat? Does he think Zhou Yi's album isn't selling enough on the Treasure Island?"

"Theoretically, whether Zhou Yi's album sells well or not has nothing to do with Li Zhiying; he just needs Zhou Yi's heat. In other words, the higher Zhou Yi's heat, the happier he is.

"If he accidentally makes the Treasure Island side unhappy, the most he can do is send someone over to serve a prison sentence for him. As long as the money is enough, there are plenty of people willing to serve a prison sentence for him."

"..."

Because of her emotional problems, Liu Ruoying, who has always been criticized and mocked in gossip and public opinion, felt a slight confusion about the world she knew for the first time.

She had been struggling in the entertainment industry for over a decade; why was Zhou Yi's relationship with the media so different from what she was familiar with?

And openly releasing photos with Chen Hao for Warner to publish? Could he really be so innocent and unafraid of being dug up?

Just as Liu Ruoying was wondering, Chen Hao's phone call came in, interrupting her thoughts—

"I am truly sorry; I didn't expect that a simple meeting between Chen Hao and me would cause such a huge negative impact on you, sister. I am really sorry."

Noon, inside a private kitchen room in a certain district of Shanghai.

Zhou Yi, who immediately showed an attitude of admitting his mistake, sincerely apologized to Liu Ruoying: "The company is already handling this matter, and Chen Hao and I have already issued a statement to the outside world."

Chen Hao, whose face also carried an apology, rarely raised her wine glass: "Sister Ying, I am truly sorry; I didn't know it would bring you so much trouble."

Liu Ruoying, who had long been accustomed to various accusations of being a mistress, felt somewhat dazed upon seeing these two young people's perfectly matched call-and-response.

Coming back to her senses, she smiled and shook her head: "It's just a rumor; I don't know how many times I get written about every year, it doesn't matter. As for you two, releasing photos together, aren't you afraid of being written about even more rumors?"

Chen Hao's beauty was visible to everyone in the production team; the wife of the original author of the "Pink Lady" manga was even willing to personally guide Chen Hao on costume coordination, makeup, styling, and demeanor in the drama.

Such a beautiful woman, wouldn't it be even easier to spread rumors?

"Write it if you want; the pen is in other people's hands, I can't stop them; besides, it doesn't affect me."

Upon hearing this, Chen Hao instinctively glanced at Zhou Yi sitting down, then quickly straightened her gaze and said with a smile: "After I finish filming this drama, I will take the exam for the People's Art Theater; once I enter the People's Art Theater, I cannot come out to film dramas for a year; by then, the entertainment industry will probably have forgotten I exist."

"..."

As a veteran in the field of secret crushes, how could Chen Hao's instinctive action escape Liu Ruoying's eyes?

Youthful admiration for beauty.

She was familiar with this movement; she was even more familiar with this operation of hiding emotions.

Once, she looked at her teacher this way too; unfortunately, in the end, she didn't hide well enough and was discovered.

"You two, you are still making a mountain out of a molehill; I am not an unreasonable person."

Shaking her head, Liu Ruoying cast aside the surging emotions and smiled, accepting the two's apology: "The production team and the investors might even have to thank you two for bringing a lot of attention to this drama."

This was not just polite talk.

After this unexpected incident, the drama "Pink Lady" actually appeared in the eyes of many people in advance, and the number of legitimate media calling the production team these days wanting to come in for interviews increased significantly.

After finishing the meal, and after Liu Ruoying stood up to take her leave, Chen Hao, carrying her handbag, followed Zhou Yi, got into his car, and after closing the car door, asked with some confusion: "Why do I feel like Liu Ruoying doesn't seem to have any emotion about being written as a third party interfering?"

Something was off.

If it were her, she would have exploded with anger long ago.

"Is it possible that she really thought about being a mistress?"

Zhou Yi, who started the car, chuckled and, in front of Chen Hao who had not yet contacted the entertainment industry on the Treasure Island, showed off his "knowledge" thoroughly, describing the matter of Liu Ruoying knowing she was a mistress and acting as one with her mentor Chen Sheng as if he had been squatting under someone's bed eavesdropping that night.

Causing Chen Hao to open her mouth in surprise, she didn't know what to say for a moment.

Liu Ruoying's impression on the production team was still that of a very good and kind person.

After dropping Chen Hao back at the production team, Zhou Yi returned to the hotel and saw his manager Qian Jiang waiting for him in the room.

"The 'Pink Lady' production team will announce later that you came to visit; this is no surprise. However, regarding the theme song or ending song, because they were already decided, they cannot easily break the contract."

Seeing Zhou Yi return, Qian Jiang immediately spoke about the results he negotiated as a manager: "As for the insert songs, that is possible; like Wu Bai and others, they have quite a few songs serving as insert songs in this drama; putting your song in wouldn't lose face."

In terms of status in the Jianghu, Wu Bai, who also carved out a territory with original works, is currently much higher than Zhou Yi.

"That works, then let it be an insert song; count it as my apology to the production team for dragging them into this kind of thing."

Zhou Yi didn't have that heavy a craving for star status. In any case, the drama "Pretty Lady" would be a hit across both sides of the strait and beyond in the future, and his insert song might even ride the wave and rise in value along with the TV series.

"Oh right, the director did mention something to me. There are two roles in 'Pretty Lady' that would suit you for a cameo. Not much screen time, and no real acting skill required. I think they'd actually be a good fit for you to guest in."

"Me, cameo?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yi immediately widened his eyes: "Are you sure?"

Qian Jiang waved his hand: "I've read the script. It barely needs any acting at all — the level you scraped together for that MV is plenty. With that face and that figure of yours, just standing there is enough.

"Even Shawn Yue, whose acting comes from MV work too, got a guest invite for the Hong Kong film 'Infernal Affairs.' What pressure could you possibly have guesting in 'Pretty Lady'?

"And Ah Yi, 'Pretty Lady' is also going to broadcast in Taiwan. In the future, you'll be exactly short on exposure there."

As an agent with professional ethics, Qian Jiang still knew how to behave.

Zhou Yi was positioned as a singer. If needed, he could pop up in a cameo role that didn't demand much acting, just to get his face out there — that was enough.

The success of F4 was something even Warner couldn't afford to underestimate. If Zhou Yi hadn't been uninterested in acting, Warner would have shoved him into one of the drama crews springing up like bamboo shoots after rain.

Isn't this face more handsome than F4 and Wang Lihong?

If F4 could blow up and Wang Lihong could star in 'Thunder Cops,' then Zhou Yi's laid-back attitude — indulged as it was by Zhou Jianhui — was enough to make some people inside Warner anxious and frustrated.

Zhou Jianhui had given Zhou Yi far too much autonomy when he signed him.

Swap in someone with less autonomy and they'd definitely be unable to refuse the company's arrangements. Another hugely popular guy in Taiwan, Jay Chou, had even gone and filmed a music idol drama he didn't much care for.

If not for two consecutive album explosions, Warner would have definitely kicked off the classic entertainment-industry infighting.

"Stop hyping me up for now. Let me see which two roles they are."

Zhou Yi cut off Qian Jiang's flattery of his looks and reached out to take a few thin pages of dialogue.

Judging by the screen time, calling it a cameo really was just a cameo.

The only difference was that one role mostly played opposite Liu Ruoying and Xue Jianing, while the other role's scenes were basically all with Chen Hao.

Zhou Yi glanced at the character called Li Bai. Just the other day, Chen Hao had even mentioned him on the phone: "Li Bai, I'll pick Li Bai."

In the drama, the parachuted-in love interest for Wan Ren Mi — little screen time, no acting required.

And, after seeing this character's name, he actually thought of a song that wasn't exactly classic, but was absolutely catchy.

It was more than enough for an insert song.

PS: Damn, finally done with overtime. I've got half a mind to take a gun and blow the client's head off.

Tonight I can finally get a good night's sleep.

This time it's really, truly — extra chapter tomorrow.

Other people's holiday starts on the 1st. Mine got dragged to the 15th. FML.

(End of chapter)