CH 22.2

On that day, Su Zhihe took Qin Qing in Shang Mohuai’s car to a hot pot place to eat.

The whole time Qin Qing was only eating and drinking. After he finished, he sat to the side, studying and memorizing exam questions.

Su Zhihe and Shang Mohuai chatted about old times.

Qin Qing only realized then that the two of them studied under the same acting teacher after they joined the industry. They were considered half apprentices.

Su Zhihe studied first and was also slightly older. Shang Mohuai was considered his junior.

The emergency substitution in “Survival in the Wild” was because the original guest, Duan Pu, was injured by a beating and Chief Shen of Star Screen Video, personally opened his mouth to ask for help.

t/n: save the show

And Shang Mohuai’s joining was not anyone’s arrangement. It was Shang Mohuai himself who called Su Zhihe and said he wanted to participate and it was only then that Su Zhihe made a recommendation to the program team.

Speaking about this matter, Shang Mohuai was cooking dishes on one side while mocking himself on the other: “I’ve never asked you to do this before, so regard this as me thickening my face*”

t/n: alternatively being brazen, audacious

Su Zhihe hummed: “You’ve always been thin-skinned, unlike me. When we were young, I robbed your chicken leg to eat, and have never been polite to you.”

Shang Mohuai: “You were young then, I’m not young now.” With that, he picked dishes for Su Zhihe.

Su Zhihe: “I can’t eat too much.”

Shang Mohuai: “Are on a diet?”

Su Zhihe: “hmm, I’m going to enter a film crew in a little while.”

Shang Mohuai was lost in thought for a moment.

Qin Qing raised his eyes to look at Shang Mohuai. He noticed that he had something in his eyes and that something had occupied his mind.

Shang Mohuai regained his composure, smiled, and said: “Let’s cook some dishes to eat okay.”

At the end of the meal, when they’d eaten and drunk enough. The empty plates were placed on the table and the pot of boiling soup was slowly simmering.

Shang Mohuai: “Brother”. He wanted to say something, but then stopped.

t/n: Senior Brother

Su Zhihe lazily reclined in his chair. He raised an eyebrow and indicated for him to speak.

Shang Mohuai looked at Qin Qing, who had been studying n the corner of the private room.

Su Zhihe: “It’s alright.”

Shang Mohuai hesitated.

Qin Qing closed the book and prepared to leave.

Su Zhihe repeated: “It’s alright.”

Shang Mohuai, surprised by that meaningful gaze looked at Qin Qing. Although he was confused about this boy’s identity, he withdrew his gaze and fixed his composure, then he said solemnly: “I want to be thick-faced again ……”

t/n: brazen

Su Zhihe: “Don’t say words like being thick-faced again in future.”

Shang Mohuai: “I want to ask another favor from Big brother.”

Su Zhihe nodded his head and agreed. Lazily said: “You’ve been a little different lately.” In the past, you wouldn’t open your mouth to ask for a favor and not to mention twice in a row.

Shang Mohuai: “That’s right, I’m different.”

Su Zhihe: “What kind of favor. Tell me.”

Shang Mohuai was silent. He lowered his eyes, concentrating on the bottom of the pot in the center of the table, and after a moment, lifted his gaze. His expression was determined.

“I want a resource in the hands of Senior brother.”

t/n: I forgot to mention. SMH calls him Senior brother (Shige, because both studied their craft under the same master. According to google shixiong 师兄 and shige “师哥” are sort of the same.

“Which one.”

“The Ferry on the River.”

“The Ferry on the River ” was the movie Su Zhihe was about to enter.

The future box office was 1.5 billion

This was a high-quality resource. There was no open recruitment of actors. All the actors for the roles were approached by the film studio and recommended internally.

Su Zhihe and Shang Mohuai have a huge difference in status in the industry.

There was a natural barrier in resources so they didn’t see each other very often.

Su Zhihe did not mention this to anyone so Shang Mohuai should not have known, and at the very least he didn’t hear about it from Su Zhihe.

The room was silent for a moment. Only the soup in the pot was slowly simmering.

When he opened his mouth and asked for resources directly, Su Zhihe unexpectedly didn’t turn against him. He just asked: “Have you changed agents?”

Shang Mohuai: “I haven’t.”

“Survival in the Wild” and “The Ferry on the River.” Su Zhihe asked: “Did someone talk to you about it?”

Shang Mohuai: “Yes.”

Su Zhihe looked at him and mused: “What do you think?”

It was reasonable to want “Survival in the Wild” but to want a movie that he was going to enter very soon?

Shang Mohuai picked up his chopsticks and dropping his eyes, picked at the bottom of the soup that was empty of vegetables. You could tell that he himself was also very nervous about making such a request.

“Brother. I’m over thirty.” Shang Mohuai smiled bitterly: “If I can’t be popular, I’m afraid I won’t be able to even play the second male lead.”

Su Zhihe: “Previously, Xiang Xun also gave you some advice on work. You did not listen.”

Shang Mohuai thought about it: “Recently, some other people also gave me some advice. I listened to it.”

Su Zhihe: “That person’s advice was “Survival in the Wild” and “Ferry on the River”?”

Shang Mohuai: “Yes.”

Su Zhihe: “Come on, tell me, who is it and what are they called?”

Shang Mohuai clearly did not want to explain too much: “Senior brother ……”

Su Zhihe suddenly said: “Qin Qing.”

Qin Qing closed the book and got up to leave the private room.

Only two people were left. Some words were finally convenient to state clearly.

Su Zhihe: “You are strong. To save face, you have never asked this of me before. This time, since you have mentioned it to me, if I can help, of course, I will.”

Su Zhihe: “But for a variety show why was it necessary for you to find someone to go beat up Duan Pu?”

Shang Mohuai’s eyes slowly widened.

Su Zhihe blandly said: “Don’t say it wasn’t you.”

Shang Mohuai gritted his teeth and his complexion instantly became ashen.

Su Zhihe: “originally, you merely had to open your mouth and I would help you recommend and the program will add a few more guests inside.”

“But plotting other artists behind the scenes?” Su Zhihe examined Shang Mohuai with narrowed eyes: “When you do this, It’s like you’re deliberately not allowing Duan Pu to participate in the show so you can then fill his position.”

Su Zhihe: ‘Why?”

Shang Mohuai did not answer and neither did he deny it. With a grim face, he just insisted: “Brother. I want that movie.”

Su Zhihe also did not answer, he continued to ask: “Who gave you the idea?”

Shang Mohuai: “It’s my own business!”

Su Zhihe: “That person asked you to fill Duan Pu’s position, but what’s in it for you? And the subject matter of “Ferry on the River” is very practical and isn’t very commercial. Its evaluation was that it didn’t have a high financial value. But you don’t want other resources, you want this movie?”

Su Zhihe was very serious: “Mo Huai. Shang Mohuai. Give me a reasonable explanation.”

read at readsleeptranslate.org

Outside the private room, in the corridor, Qin Qing secretly thought to himself:

Shang Mohuai, Duan Pu, “Survival in the Wild”.

Shang Mohuai, Su Zhihe, “Ferry on the River”.

Shang Mohuai ……

Kou Jiang sure enough, not only came up with the variety show proposal but was also making more arrangements.

Shang Mohuai was a chess piece in his arrangement.

If Shang Mohuai, talented but had no opportunity and had been silent for many years can really turn popular with “Survival in the Wild” and “Ferry on the River” under the guidance of Kou Jiang, Kou Jiang will immediately have an extra trump card in his hand.

He (KJ) would no longer be just an ordinary intern.

Kou Jiang, towards this person, even if he was indeed arrogant and domineering and revealed his status as a reborn person as soon as they met, Qin Qing will never be careless.

And even if Kou Jiang was really unlucky and the variety show proposal that had already been rated S-grade because of its full content, was completely defeated because of Su Zhihe. But to have chosen Shang Mohuai from the many artists who have not yet taken off to support, Kou Jiang was still very capable.

After all, Shang Mohuai in future will be really popular. Right now, Shang Mohuai was just talented but had no opportunity.

Shang Mohuai also had acting skills and sufficient experience. And then there was Su Zhihe, a big backer who can help him with resources.

And the variety show can quickly increase Shang Mohuai’s exposure in a short time so that he will quickly become popular. After he was popular, there will be a high-quality and high-grossing movie. With popularity, works and achievements, he can enter the front-tier actors in the shortest time.

Kou Jiang’s scheme was really exceptionally deep.

Qin Qing was convinced.

However, all this had nothing to do with him.

Not long after the door of the private room opened and Shang Mohuai walked out.

Qin Qing looked over and Shang Mohuai nodded at him and said: “You go in.” After saying that, he left.

Qin Qing walked into the private room.

Inside the private room, Su Zhihe was talking to someone on the phone: “Xiang Xun is still reviewing the film in your building. You should give him the thing. Hmm, good.”

After hanging up the phone, Su Zhihe asked Qin Qing: “Are you full?”

Qin Qing nodded.

Su Zhihe: “Let’s return since you’re full.”

He was about to leave when a phone call from Xiang Xun came in. Probably because he was afraid that Su Zhihe had something to do and could not answer, he called Qin Qing first.

Xiang Xun was suspicious: “Why did Boss Su ask Chief Shen for some kind of variety show proposals?”

Kou Jiang’s proposal?

Qin Qing raised his eyes to look at Su Zhihe.

Su Zhihe guessed who it was and stretched out his hand: “Give it to me.”

The phone was changed to Su Zhihe’s hand.

Su Zhihe: “It’s me.”

Qin Qing couldn’t hear Xiang Xun’s voice on the other end of the phone, only Su Zhihe in front of him.

Su Zhihe: “I want it.”

“It’s nothing. Bring it over for me to see.”

“Take it with you and go to my place after the film review and bring it to me.”

“Hmm. Just finished eating.”

All normal content and normal conversation.

Until ……

Su Zhihe: “Help me check someone.”

“Kou Jiang. The person who proposed the variety show proposal you’re holding.”

“One of the interns on Chief Shen’s side.”

Qin Qing raised his eyes to look over.

Su Zhihe’s usual face mixed with a slightly thoughtful look. Qin Qing suddenly had a subtle foreboding.

Just like a wild animal, Su Zhihe seemed to have a razor-sharp intuition.

Could he have sensed something on Kou Jiang’s end?

On the way back, Qin Qing called a cab.

Su Zhihe wore a hat and mask and sat at the back. Qin Qing sat beside him.

The traffic flowed like a rainbow outside the window, but inside the car was quiet and muffled. 

t/n: I’m guessing rainbow =  lively

Su Zhihe closed his eyes and sat quietly.

When they arrived at Shang Linglong, the cab could not enter, so both people had to walk into the neighborhood.

As they were walking, Su Zhihe suddenly said: “The script that you chose last time, you still remember it right?”

Qin Qing turned his head: “I remember.” It was “Ferry on the River”. The future 1.5 billion box office.

Su Zhihe’s voice was muffled in the mask: “Although before I said that you were quite ‘prospering’ to have picked the script that I’d already chosen in one go. But in fact, that film has a poor rating and the commercial value is not high.”

“The filmmaker just wants to make a quality film and earn acclaim. As long as they don’t lose money in the process, they aren’t trying to earn a box office.”

“However, in the private room just now, after you went out. Mo Huai told me that he wanted that film resource because someone told him that this film, shot this summer and released next spring, would become a dark horse in its release period, with at least 1.5 billion at the box office.”

He added: “Remember that intern on Chief Shen’s side.”

“That’s him, Kou Jiang.”

Su Zhihe’s tone was deep: ‘1.5 billion box office. A complete and detailed variety show content. This intern is really not simple.”

Facts have proven that no matter how smart you think you are.

In front of Su Zhihe, it was all worthless.

And besides, who could be as perceptive as his boss Su? And who would be so receptive towards such strange ideas?

When the average person hears that a movie that has not started shooting will have a future box office of 1.5 billion, isn’t it just like hearing nonsense, who would take it seriously?

Even Shang Mohuai, when explaining Kou Jiang’s persuasive words to him in the hot pot’s private room, hesitantly said: “I also don’t know why I believed such fraudulent words. But when he said that to me, I really felt that he was right.”

That same evening, Xiang Xun, who came to Shang Linglong to deliver the variety show proposal, also said: “That intern wanted Shang Mohuai to rob a movie from you, wasn’t that just sowing discord?.”

“was it?” Su Zhihe flipped through the proposal: “I instead think that that intern, Kou Jiang’s words don’t seem to be false.”

Xiang Xun: “?”

Su Zhihe raised the proposal in his hand: “Detailed personas, specific characters and styles, the potential outlines and hot spots and even what kind of controversy might occur in the live shows and what will be on the hot search. It was all written clearly.”

Xiang Xun listened while blinking his eyes: “So what?”. He glanced towards Qin Qing, who had been taken upstairs by Su Zhihe with the excuse that it was too boring to take the elevator alone.

“I said before that he copied someone.” Su Zhihe looked fascinated: “this copy, maybe it’s actually real.”

Xiang Xun was even more confused: “What’s real?”

It’s the reality of the future.

Su Zhihe suddenly said: “Find time to ‘invite’ that intern to come over and drink tea with me.”

t/n: lol ‘invite to drink tea’ is like saying ask them over to interrogate!!

Xiang Xun revealed a “your kidding right” expression to a: you’re really serious?

Su Zhihe said profoundly: “didn’t he want to be Shang MoHuai’s life coach and career planner? Just as well, he can also come and talk to me.”  

Qin Qing: “……”

Qin Qing: Brother Kou, I’m addressing you as a brother. You are too stupid, be more cautious!

t/n: alternatively stupid = naive, be more cautious = be smarter!