Chapter 154

Hu Fei was the director of the Western Channel at CCTV.

Tong Liya had performed classic dance pieces like *Loulan Girl* and *Why Are the Flowers So Red* on his program in January.

At this time, Tong Liya had already been training in the Northern Frontier Song and Dance Troupe for two years, traveling north and south with the dance team for performances, and had even been on big stages like CCTV.

Gradually, she began to yearn for the outside world.

She wanted to take the exam for the Central Academy of Drama and stay in Beiping.

Hu Fei was her fellow townsman and had introduced her to the China Song and Dance Troupe so she could stay in Beiping to prepare for the exams.

In later years, Tong Liya was officially hired by the Song and Dance Troupe in 2004 and enrolled in the 2004 undergraduate acting class of the Central Academy of Drama, where she was a classmate of "Qiu Ya."

Yu Dong's Poly Bona was now making a name for itself, showing signs of developing in all directions: production, distribution, and cinema chains.

Hu Fei also had the intention to be on good terms, not to mention he was now asking for a favor.

As for this girl, Tong Liya...

Fellow townsman is one thing, but Yu Dong said he wanted to take her to meet a red-hot big director; he was also helping her.

Yes, that was the logic.

Time was of the essence; the bid closed at 12:00 tomorrow noon, so they had to act tonight.

Yu Dong rushed to Hu Fei's office with his assistant and secretary, and Tong Liya was sitting prettily on a chair.

Yes! It was her; she was guaranteed to make Lu Kuan lose his soul!

"Hello, Little Tong, I am Yu Dong from Poly Bona."

Tong Liya stood up politely to shake hands; she didn't know why Hu Ge was in such a rush to call her over, only saying on the phone that there was a huge piece of good news.

"It's like this, Little Tong, an entertainment company of a friend of mine is currently signing directors and actors, and I think you are very suitable, so I want to recommend you to him."

Tong Liya nodded blankly; she had her own plans for her future path, but to suddenly plunge into the entertainment industry like this still made her somewhat surprised.

"This director's name is Lu Kuan; surely you've heard of him?"

"The 'washing machine'???"

Hu Fei's expression changed drastically: "Little Tong, that's not right of you; those are just rumors on the internet!"

Yu Dong also swore: "I've known Director Lu for over ten years; I can guarantee with my character that he is absolutely not that kind of person!"

Tong Liya had been in the dance team for a long time and wasn't very used to social interactions, so she apologized with a blushing face.

"I'm sorry, General Manager Yu, I've been reading too much gossip online lately; I also feel it shouldn't be true, it's all just paparazzi nonsense."

As if!

Being able to have scandals with a 15-year-old girl, could he be any good?

"General Manager Yu, Hu Ge, why are you looking for me?"

Yu Dong got straight to the point: "Little Tong, you want to take the exam for the Central Academy of Drama, right?"

"Yes."

"Director Lu is a student of the Directing Department at the Beijing Film Academy and a Golden Lion Award winner. He is very familiar with the department heads of all departments at the Beijing Film Academy. The Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama are the same; why don't you consider the Beijing Film Academy?"

"As long as you can enter his company and become a signed artist, Director Lu has always spared no effort in promoting people. Look at that Liu Yifei, she's only 15!"

"How many episodes of *The Noble Family* have aired? She is now even more popular than the lead actress Dong Jie; don't you envy her?"

Tong Liya was somewhat speechless.

To say she wasn't envious would be a lie; she had long been tired of the days of running around with the dance team. Who wouldn't want to study hard, learn, become an actor, and make big money?

Progress is the most primitive instinct of mankind; everyone wants to be popular, which is understandable.

But she wasn't prepared to do anything to become popular.

"General Manager Yu, I don't want to go."

Yu Dong's expression stiffened, and he continued to coax: "Lu Kuan's company has signed 4 or 5 male artists, but not a single female artist. He is also asking us friends in the circle to look for new talent."

"His company has also signed many directors this year, preparing to enter the film and television industry with great fanfare; the timing is perfect for you to go now!"

"If it weren't for your Hu Ge vouching for you, saying you are smart and beautiful, and have the ambition to develop in this line of work, we wouldn't be looking for you, would we?"

Seeing him ramble on, Tong Liya sneered in her heart.

She wasn't a novice; she had seen too many dark things over the years. How did those girls in the dance team retire without a sound?

A few times in the dormitory, seeing the bruises on their knees, Tong Liya didn't even have the courage to ask.

"I'm not going; if I can't be an actor, I'll continue to dance."

Yu Dong gave Hu Fei a look, and the latter had no choice but to step in.

"Liya, Brother hasn't treated you badly, has he? Giving you solo dance performance opportunities, helping you contact the Song and Dance Troupe for a trial; whether you can be retained next year is also very critical!"

"Liya, I hope you can consider it carefully; this is a good thing for all of us."

"If this matter is botched, I'm afraid your brother here won't have the ability to help you stay in the National Song and Dance Troupe."

Tong Liya was dumbfounded; she couldn't believe that Hu Fei, whom she saw as righteous and generous, could say such things!

If she didn't agree to them, she would have to continue drifting around with the Northern Frontier Song and Dance Troupe and would never realize her dream of becoming an actor?

Hu Fei also sighed secretly in his heart, thinking that this time he had been completely screwed by Fatty Yu; how would he face Tong's father in the future!

It's just that he, a director who had been in the business for over twenty years, was already at the end of his career.

He now only hoped that the leader of the Film Channel whom Fatty Yu contacted for him could help him out; this was his last chance.

Thinking of his wife and daughter still looking forward to him solving the problems of household registration and schooling...

He could only be sorry to Little Tong.

Betrayed by a trusted fellow townsman, Tong Liya felt as if her heart was being cut by a knife.

"Alright, I can go."

She raised her head and stared blankly at Hu Fei, her eyes red: "Hu Ge, you don't need to take care of me anymore in the future, thank you."

Hu Fei guiltily avoided her gaze, rubbing his hands awkwardly.

Yu Dong said excitedly: "Good! Little Tong is a smart person! Go back and prepare; I'll have the driver pick you up tonight."

This sentence made not only Tong Liya's expression even gloomier, but Hu Fei also furrowed his brows.

Can you fucking restrain yourself? Can you not be so blunt?

Making him, the big brother, look like an animal.

"Damn! My fault, my fault, didn't explain clearly."

"Tonight, Director Lu is hosting a group of friends for dinner at his own courtyard house; they are all the leads of his new film *Thief Family*, like Feng Yuanzheng, Zhou Xun, and so on. Going now is good atmosphere, good timing!"

Only then did Tong Liya react; she almost thought they wanted her to... tonight.

The self-esteem of a future female star shattered all over the floor and was painstakingly pieced back together, but it was difficult to be as flawless as before.

Gongjian Hutong, Ice Cellar Wang Mansion.

Liu Yifei was also there today; *The Noble Family* started airing in March, and her EP release was synchronized.

Because all the songs were written for her by Lu Kuan, the record contract was signed with Wenjie, and distribution was entrusted to Mei Yin in Xiangjiang.

Lu Kuan asked his music friends Zhou Jielun, Zhang Yadong, and their connections to promote it, matching the popularity she had already gained.

Currently, over ten thousand copies had been pre-sold in the Beiping area, entering the top ten monthly charts of the Beiping Audio-Visual World.

This result was already quite good for a newcomer; this was just pre-sale, and later, with the popularity of *The Noble Family* and the strengthening of the online publicity offensive, the results would definitely not be bad.

The most gratifying data was that CDs accounted for 60% of these ten thousand copies, which was due to the distributor throwing out the gimmick of a Golden Lion Award-winning director personally directing the MV.

In fact, he was just a producer, guiding the filming with the fashion perspective of later generations.

"Little Lu, are you really going to cook yourself today?"

The little girl wasn't used to seeing him wearing an apron.

"What are you questioning? Come over and pick the vegetables!"

Liu Xiaoli had just visited the renovation of the courtyard house; she had also purchased one in the adjacent hutong, but construction hadn't started yet.

"Little Lu, why don't I help you, Auntie; there are many people tonight."

Lu Kuan hadn't invited many people, just Li Mingqi, Feng Yuanzheng, Zhou Xun, and Fan Bingbing from the *Thief Family* crew.

And several male artists from Wenjie, including Lu Yao, Sun Wenwen, and Zhong Lifang, who had just joined.

He wasn't often at the company, so occasionally when he had free time, he had to pull the executives together to eat and drink to improve cohesion.

It was just that Fatty Yu suddenly called just now, saying he wanted to bring a friend, adding two more pairs of chopsticks.

Roughly counting, there were nearly twenty people; it really wouldn't work without help.

Boss Lu gave up the opportunity to show off his skills alone: "That's great, sorry for the trouble, Auntie Liu."

"This child, getting polite now."

Liu Xiaoli had also figured out his temper; don't provoke him when he's working, don't easily touch his bad side, and at other times he looked no different from an ordinary college student.

Quite easy to talk to.

"Director Lu is very easy to talk to; just act naturally later, today is just a meeting."

"Mm."

Tong Liya was wringing her hands nervously; the biting cold wind of early spring chilled her to the bone.

The large round table in the south room restaurant was filled with cold dishes, and a barbecue grill was set up in the courtyard.

Zhou Xun, Fan Bingbing, and others were laughing and eating while grilling, not looking like stars at all.

Tong Liya observed them curiously; this was Zhou Xun, that was Fan Bingbing, and there was the Best Actor Teacher Feng, and the veteran actress Teacher Li Mingqi!

There were idol types, and there were strength types; was this the entertainment industry?

"General Manager Yu is here? Director Lu is cooking inside; he was just scolding you, saying you don't do proper work and only know how to sponge off meals."

The one joking was Zhou Xun; she had a close relationship with Lu Kuan, so her teasing was unrestrained, and no one blamed her.

"What? I brought a gift, I didn't come empty-handed; why is he scolding me?"

Yu Dong gestured to the two plastic buckets he was carrying.

These were all raw spirits secretly transported out by distillery workers at the Yibin Wuliangye Distillery, which couldn't be bought on the market.

Fan Bingbing suddenly laughed: "General Manager Yu, if you hadn't mentioned the wine, I would have thought the gift you mentioned was this beauty!"

Everyone looked at Tong Liya together, not lacking some up-and-down measuring gazes, making one wish to cover their face and run away.

Her complexion turned gray instantly, and she had a sense of shame at being stripped naked and displayed in front of everyone.

Why did everyone not hesitate to step on her, crushing her already shattered self-esteem completely?

She had already begun to regret it.

Yu Dong gave two awkward laughs and didn't answer, put the wine on the dining table, and took Tong Liya into the kitchen.

"I want salt, why are you giving me sugar? Oh my, really getting in the way, Little Liu, get out quickly!"

Boss Lu was extremely dissatisfied with the Red Star Dock artist, who was lazy and useless, only adding to the chaos.

Liu Yifei stuck out her tongue and prepared to go harm Liu Xiaoli.

Turning her head, she saw Fatty Yu bringing in a beauty with exotic charm.

Alarm sounded.

"Yifei, hello."

Yu Dong greeted her; he wasn't clear about what kind of relationship Lu Kuan had with her, so being polite was never wrong.

"Hey, Director Lu, are you really cooking yourself?"

Lu Kuan turned his head and saw a big face.

"You're here?"

He glanced at his empty hands again.

"Came empty-handed? Go back! No chopsticks for you."

He rubbed his eyes, which were stung by onions, and saw another beauty in the misty vision.

"Whoa, wronged you, let's go, let's go out and talk."

The three walked into the courtyard, and Yu Dong lit a cigarette for him.

"Let me introduce, this is Director Lu Kuan, the hottest director in the country right now."

Boss Lu touched the oil smoke on his face: "Heh, the darkest is about the same."

Yu Dong introduced Tong Liya again, and she also introduced herself tactfully.

"Hello Director Lu, my name is Tong Liya, I am an actor from the Song and Dance Troupe, very happy to meet you!"

Boss Lu shook her soft, boneless little hand and glanced at the Poly Bona boss who was observing secretly.

Heh, the stinky Fatty Yu, he's here to offer a tribute to himself.

"Little Tong, can you cook?"

Tong Liya was stunned for a moment: "Yes, Director Lu."

"Good, the mutton just taken out of the refrigerator should be thawed; go stir-fry a cumin mutton, or whatever you are good at is fine."

Boss Lu took off his apron and handed it over.

Lu Kuan's fingers touched her slightly, and Tong Liya stiffened in fear; she glanced at Yu Dong from the corner of her eye and forced herself to calm down.

"I... I'm sorry Director Lu, I'm too nervous."

Fatty Yu also rubbed his hands awkwardly: "The girl is too young, intimidated by your aura, heh."

Tong Liya looked at the apron in her hand and suddenly breathed a sigh of relief; this Director Lu seemed a bit different from the rumors.

On the way here, she had already imagined a thousand scenes of meeting, including how the other party would pounce on her like a beast...

It's just cooking, it's not hard!

She smiled sweetly, revealing two dimples, and the whole person seemed to have walked from the bitter cold winter into spring.

Fan Bingbing walked over with a plate: "Director, the skewers are ready to eat."

Wasn't she also observing silently?

This Northern Frontier beauty, with her graceful eyebrows and ethereal appearance, was too lethal; the "washing machine" was probably going to start working again!

She once thought about monopolizing Lu Kuan when she was a second-tier actress and Lu Kuan was a nobody.

Now she was still a second-tier actress, but he was already a Golden Lion Award-winning big director, a resource magnet that everyone in the circle wanted to please and get close to.

What could she use to monopolize him?

It's just a pity she didn't meet him earlier; if she had met Lu Kuan when she was fifteen or sixteen...

"Thanks, Bingbing, don't bring them over; General Manager Yu is fat, he's on a diet."

Yu Dong's expression stiffened, and his outstretched hand retracted.

This was Boss Lu seeing through his intentions and pointing it out.

Could it be that he didn't like it?

Did his flattery hit the horse's leg?

Boss Lu signaled him to come to the veranda, and the two stood there smoking.

"Old Yu, do you have some misunderstanding about me?"

It was the first time Yu Dong saw this expression on Lu Kuan, squinting at him, his face shrouded in smoke, obscure and unclear.

"This... Director Lu, I just brought a friend's child to pay respects; she also has aspirations for the entertainment industry..."

Lu Kuan looked at him leisurely and continued to speak (fabricate).

He was a man who played in the world, but that didn't mean he would do such stinky things that were no different from coercion.

The actresses who had relationships with him were either mutual attractions between adults like Jiang Qinqin and Yu Feihong.

Or they were clear-cut equivalent exchanges like Fan Bingbing, each getting what they needed.

He had never used power to suppress others or forced anyone.

If Yu Dong used coercive means to send a woman, he looked down on such filthy behavior that was no different from rape or seduction.

If you, Yu Dong, can send a woman for resources today, then for greater benefits in the future, can you sell me, Lu Kuan, without blinking?

Not to mention that one must be on guard against others; who knows if Yu Dong is planting a nail by his side.

Fatty Yu's reputation in later generations didn't seem very good either.

"Hey! Director Lu, you really misunderstood, no one forced her! Little Tong came to pay respects voluntarily!"

Boss Lu smiled, patted his shoulder, and left.

"I will ask her."

The temperature in Beiping in March was very low, and Yu Dong touched his forehead, which was covered in fine sweat.

Watching Lu Kuan's carefree departing back, he couldn't tell for a moment whether he was a hypocrite or a true villain.

No, must find an opportunity to give Little Tong a few words of advice.

The meal was enjoyed by both host and guests; Zhou Xun envied Lu Kuan's courtyard mansion, especially the "sky garden" on the second floor.

She asked Lu Kuan for Xu Kai's contact information, and the wealthy sister prepared to arrange one for herself immediately.

Yu Dong gave Tong Liya a few words of advice and left; the courtyard was also mostly empty, leaving only the hired auntie cleaning up the mess.

When Boss Lu was tipsy, he saw only Tong Liya standing prettily at the door.

Her expression was awkward and embarrassed, not knowing whether to go or stay, with a clumsy cuteness.

"Waiting for me to see you off?"

"Don't dare, don't dare, you're joking, Director Lu."

Boss Lu signaled her to sit down on the bamboo chair in the courtyard together.

"You want to take the exam for the Central Academy of Drama, right?"

"Yes, Director."

"I introduced Teacher Feng to you at the dinner table just now; they have many acting teachers at the People's Art Theater who run tutoring classes, you can sign up."

"Dancing and acting are two different things."

Tong Liya nodded obediently, watching the cleaning auntie close the courtyard gate, her heart pounding.

He wouldn't want to...

There was an occasional breeze of early spring in the courtyard, slightly blowing away Lu Kuan's surging drunkenness.

Zhou Xun got excited every time she drank; recently, she had problems with Li Yapeng, so she took the opportunity to drown her sorrows in wine.

Fatty Yu kept raising his glass; although he didn't say a word, the meaning he should express was all in place.

He had handled this matter foolishly, so he offered wine to apologize.

"Tong Liya, Yu Dong sent you here; what promise did he give you? Or coercion?"

"No... nothing."

Seeing that Lu Kuan didn't quite believe it, she hurriedly added: "There really isn't; he just said he would take me to meet a big director and give some advice on future development."

She was still intelligent; this world wasn't just black and white.

Since she hadn't suffered any loss, there was no need to anger Yu Dong; just consider it doing him a favor.

Boss Lu smiled, not knowing if this was the script Yu Dong had arranged for her, or if she was exonerating Fatty Yu herself.

"What the entertainment industry is like, you've been in the dance team for so many years, I think you should be clear about it too."

Tong Liya didn't know what he meant, just responded in a low voice.

"The entertainment industry is a place of equivalent exchange; if you have talent and economic value, you can take them out to exchange."

"If you have looks and a figure, and are willing to let go, your body can also be taken out to exchange."

"Or both."

"I'm not!"

Tong Liya argued anxiously; she thought this was Lu Kuan hinting that she should undress tonight.

Because she felt she had no economic value, let alone talent, and dancing wasn't acting.

Boss Lu saw that she was very immature and had no intention of making a deal with him, so he patted his thigh and stood up.

"The choice is left to you; if you want to stay, go into the room; if you want to leave, the door is behind you."

Until Lu Kuan's back disappeared into the main room, the Northern Frontier girl still hadn't come back to her senses.

"Miss Tong, Miss Tong?"

Afei patted her shoulder: "Let's go, the boss asked me to take you back."

Only then did Tong Liya stand up numbly; for some reason, she had a feeling of loss.

Afei took her toward the entrance of the hutong.

A Mercedes-Benz turned onto the main road, its high beams very dazzling; it was the car of Liu Xiaoli and her daughter.

"Xixi, what did you lose at Little Lu's house, in such a rush."

"A... little sachet."

The little girl's expression was calm, just staring tightly at the high lintel of the Ice Cellar Wang Mansion not far away.

She remembered the conversation she accidentally heard between Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbing on the veranda in the evening.

【"Little Lu should pay attention to his reputation; Yu Dong is sending a woman to trade with him so openly."】

Fan Bingbing smiled, not knowing if Zhou Xun was satirizing her: 【"Directors, they are higher on the food chain than actors, it's normal."】

Zhou Xun shook her head: 【"This Little Tong is obviously being forced; if this matter is exposed by the media, it has nothing to do with a talented man's romance; it's going to stink."】

【"You were the same just now, why did you say that to her, almost squeezing her to tears."】

Fan Bingbing carefully touched up her makeup: 【"Heh, I was just joking, let's go, sister."】

Trade... trade...

The Lu Kuan in her eyes might be a bit romantic and dissolute, but he was definitely not a person who would rack his brains to abuse the weak like this.

Liu Yifei's heart kept echoing these two words; she wanted to see the facts with her own eyes.

Liu Xiaoli suddenly said: "Eh, isn't that Afei, and Little Tong."

Liu Yifei also rolled down the car window: "Afei, are you seeing someone off?"

"Yes, the boss asked me to take Miss Tong."

"Then you go back, she can just take our car."

Tong Liya said politely: "No need, no need, don't see me off, I'll just walk myself."

Liu Yifei happily opened the car door and jumped down.

"Sister Tong, you are a dancer, my mother used to be a dancer too, get in the car, you two can have a good chat!"

Liu Xiaoli didn't know what play her daughter was performing, so she also invited her.

"Let's go Little Tong, it's all on the way, no delay."

"Then... alright."

Liu Xiaoli let Tong Liya sit in the passenger seat and urged her daughter: "Hurry in and get the things and go; Little Tong is tired from dancing during the day and needs to rest early."

Liu Yifei had a small sachet in her hand, exactly the same as Lu Kuan's, only it was purple.

"The thing wasn't lost, I found it, let's go home!"

(End of chapter)