Chapter 4: Resources Hijacked

"Fine, I get it." Shen Xingman's eyes were all rubbed red, she looked exhausted, her long hair was loose and tied into a bun, a few stray strands fell onto her forehead, adding a sense of melancholy and decay, like a rose tangled in thorns.

"Oh my god, baby, you're in this condition…" Qiao Yun helped Shen Xingman to the dressing table, speaking earnestly to the fairy in the mirror, "Snap out of it quickly; our movie this time is very important, we can't treat it like a child's play anymore, you need to feel the urgency, baby."

Shen Xingman rubbed her waist and lazily replied, "Got it, got it."

She's more laid‑back, lacking the ambition that other actresses have.

When Qiao Yun first signed her, she promised not to make her work too hard, to have effective dramas and full success—that's the principle.

But this time is different; Director Chen's film is truly important, a big production, offering Shen Xingman great chances for an award. If Jiang Xiaoyan snatches it again, the other side could indeed rise into the ranks of popular young actresses this year.

Even though the star power is still a notch below Shen Xingman's, how can Qiao Yun give the juicy part to someone else? This movie was originally meant for her own Manman.

With that in mind, Qiao Yun had the makeup artist give Shen Xingman a simple look, aiming to wow the director at first glance, but without over‑doing it, since the film requires a bare‑faced appearance on screen.

Unlike ordinary performers, Shen Xingman's beauty isn't just skin deep; her bone structure is unique in the entire entertainment world. A high, rounded crown makes her head‑to‑face proportions extremely harmonious, her full, attractive occiput handles any hairstyle with great command, even a simple high ponytail can be styled beautifully.

She can be a delicate flower swayed by a gentle breeze, a cool and cunning fox king, or a ruthless black lotus…

Her style is ever‑changing, from pure to enchanting.

In her debut year she won Best Newcomer, the next year she turned the tide and captured Best Actress, and in the past two years her fame has surged, slaying the entertainment industry with her stunning looks and god‑given acting.

Qiao Yun thought, someday she'll definitely bring Manman up to the level of a beauty idol.

Once on the car, Qiao Yun grabbed Shen Xingman's hand: "Manman, don't be nervous or scared; we're like grasshoppers on the same boat—no matter what happens, I'll always stand by you."

Shen Xingman was certainly nervous, but now she had a tiny doubt: "Is this how you use a proverb?"

Qiao Yun gritted her teeth: "At a time like this, you're still undermining me??"

The two troublemakers kept teasing each other on the road, unaware that in a private room of the Rafete Hotel, Jiang Yan had already arrived ahead of them.

"Old Chen, I know you already have a suitable candidate in mind," Jiang Xiaoyan's manager Tan Yun handed the documents to Chen Cheng, "but I think you should take a look at this."

He had known Chen Cheng for five years, so they were old acquaintances and could speak without formalities.

Tan Yun took a sip of tea, a clear disdain in his eyes: "Take your time; these are candid shots and recent photos of Shen Xingman from the past few months."

He had secretly hired someone to shoot them, which took a lot of effort.

He painstakingly sifted through countless photos, yet couldn't pick out any that had flaws.

No wonder—this called Shen Xingman truly has an otherworldly looks; the closer the camera gets, the more beautiful she appears.

But destroying the photos wouldn't be that easy?

Boost contrast, add yellow tint, sharpen, deepen blemishes—these tricks are used sparingly.

Chen Cheng took them and flipped through each one.

Jiang Xiaoyan seized the chance to glance at him, and when she looked away her mouth couldn't help but curve slightly.

"Is this still the pure campus beauty you have in mind?" Tan Yun said with a restrained smile, his words tinged with sarcasm.

Chen Cheng's new film is a youthful pain literature piece, requiring actors to appear bare‑faced on screen, and the female lead, obviously, must be young and beautiful, fresh and unworldly, and most importantly, able to endure being bare‑faced.

"Old Chen, the ethereal and beautiful Shen Xingman you see on the big screen is built up with makeup, filters, and atmosphere; without beauty apps and retouching, she's hardly a fairy at all. There are countless look‑alikes on the streets, and online praise for her is a bit overblown." Tan Yun tapped the table intermittently, "I bet when she comes to you today for a collaboration, she'll definitely apply a layer of heavy makeup in advance."

Chen Cheng was half‑convinced: "You know her that well?"

Tan Yun smiled: "Of course I do. She's only twenty‑four, her features have no major flaws, but before debut she was an ordinary person with no background, working the fields with her family as a child, exposed to sun and rain, so her skin wasn't perfect."

He paused, then continued: "That's also why I originally chose to sign Xiaoyan."

Chen Cheng frowned, deep in thought.

"Shen Xingman leans toward a strong‑color look, with a short bloom period—she'll probably be popular only for a few years. But Xiaoyan is different; she has a forest‑girl appearance, delicate features, cute and exquisite, age‑defying, and could stay popular for another ten years without issue."

As he spoke, Tan Yun's voice softened: "Look, today she came to see you bare‑faced."

Hearing that, Chen Cheng looked up and saw Jiang Xiaoyan give him a slight smile.

Very pure, very beautiful, a textbook campus‑beauty face.

He stared, and unconsciously fell into silence.

He seemed a bit shaken.

Tan Yun seized the moment, first praising Jiang Xiaoyan's virtues, then shifting to a business angle: "I recall your new film is backed by Tianxing Investment, and Tianxing's biggest controlling shareholder is the Jiang Family. In other words, our Xiaoyan is filming a movie for her own company."

He had already phrased it quite politely.

The implication was, if you don't use our artists, don't expect the investment; you'll have to handle it yourself.

Yet he still sounded courteous: "You know, our Xiaoyan's price for Tianxing hasn't changed for years. As for Shen Xingman, her salary probably exceeds the entire crew's combined budget. To be frank, an actor with a hot‑search driven popularity like her is only good for drawing traffic, not for reputation."

He was persuasive, coaxing Chen Cheng in circles, "Old Chen, after all these years of a good reputation, don't let it be ruined in an instant."