CH 5

Translator: Aafkee

Proofreader: ChaiTea

“Sister Mei*, why did you come here?” (T/N*: It’s common to address someone who you respect as your older brother or sister.) Shen Yu found it weird that he would see Mei Fei sitting in his makeup room when he pushed open the door. Out of all the celebrities under Mei Fei’s management, Shen Yu had always been the most disciplined, often acting by the book. He was neither outstanding nor subpar. Given that he had yet to finish with the filming, nor did he have any other schedules, Shen Yu could not fathom the reason why Mei Fei would visit him during his work all of a sudden. “Sit,” Mei Fei greeted and asked him to sit down before she explained, “I was taking Bai Zhuzhen to his schedule nearby so I thought I would stop by during my free time to tell you something.” Bai Zhuzhen was the most understanding celebrity under Mei Fei’s management, who was also their company’s top-ranked male celebrity. He could already be considered half an A-lister, so more than half of Mei Fei’s focus and effort were on him. “Sorry to trouble you, Sister Mei. Please go ahead.” After Shen Yu confirmed that it was not a problem that had arisen, he relaxed once again. He smiled and looked towards Mei Fei seriously, not a tiny bit of unhappiness could be seen on him due to Mei Fei’s blatant bias against him. Shen Yu was a sensible person, he knew exactly where he stood and never acted unnecessarily. There were not many in the entertainment circle who was smart and had a great sense of self-knowledge. In response to Shen Yu’s reaction, Mei Fei was extremely satisfied and she became even more sure of her own decision. “We’ve got news this morning about the collaboration between Zhong Simo’s studio with Tian Chen to film a commercial film. I was given a spot for the audition, you should try out.” “What did you say?” Shen Yu was dumbfounded for a second and tried to confirm with her subconsciously. Mei Fei was not surprised about his reaction. She took a few pieces of A4 paper out of her bag with a smile and straightened the paper in her hands as she waited for Shen Yu to calm down. There was no one in this circle who could remain calm after hearing Zhong Simo’s name. The man behind this name represented the current epitome of the highest standard in the Chinese moviedom. In the current environment where the quality of Chinese films was deteriorating day by day; he, alone, supported as the core pillar of the Chinese moviedom on the international stage. He was arrogant, he was stubborn, he was sharp-tongued, but none of those could conceal the radiance of his talent. Ever since he had entered the industry ten years ago, he had directed seven films. Each and every one of his films could be considered masterpieces that were capable of leaving their marks on the history of art.

There were people who mocked Zhong Simo’s journey to success, saying that it was all thanks to his ability to court disaster. Since he appeared in front of the public’s eyes ten years ago, he had done countless things that were considered taboo in the entertainment circle, seemingly unruly and was prone to take rash actions. However, he was always able to avoid the consequences just by his talent alone until he developed into the boss of one of the best studios in the entertainment circle, with no one capable of going against his words. That man had a natural disposition and vigour to take on challenges, he also had the innate talent and luck to go with it. He was revered as a god by countless people who had struggled in this grotesque and variegated mud pit that was also known as the entertainment circle, even though those people had never seen him before. “Director Zhong wants to direct a commercial film?” Shen Yu could not completely understand. It did not seem to match the image of Zhong Simo who pursued art. Mei Fei could not help but shake her head when she heard Shen Yu’s words, “Do you really think that Zhong Simo is a lunatic who only pursued art? He wouldn’t be where he is now if that was the case.” “Zhong Simo’s ambition is definitely not only limited to directing a few good films. If not, there is no need for him, the sole director of his studio, to make so much effort in trying to improve his business operations and develop the local commercial film market. There are many from the foreign market who took advantage of the situation and made a profit. It is impossible for a person like Zhong Simo, who possesses exceptional advantages in this industry, to not want to have a slice of the pie.” Shen Yu rarely took the initiative to come in contact with the hearsayers that circulated within the entertainment circle, and not many people would tell him about it either. So when he heard Mei Fei’s comment on Zhong Simo, he could not help but ask, “A characteristic of a commercial film lies how they can pursue business value just like a fast-food chain. Is Director Zhong willing to give up his baseline in filming for that?” It was well-known by the whole of the internet, that Zhang Simo’s demand during casting and filming was almost to the level of pervasion. It was unlikely that these rumours appeared out of nowhere. “The film industry now is not the same anymore. The box office can no longer rely on a few popular idols. People nowadays thirst for films that truly suit their tastes. Judging from Zhong Simo’s capabilities, do you think that he can’t make a film that would suit the taste of the general mass if he put his heart into it? As for his baseline… just look at who he is collaborating with.” Shen Yu was never dumb, so he understood the moment Mei Fei mentioned it. The one who was collaborating with Zhong Simo was the well-known veteran movie publisher industry known as Tian Chen Films. They had published many films that appealed to the masses but due to various reasons, the quality of films was no longer comparable to those in the past in recent years. They did not lack money or resources, they merely lacked a movie that was good enough to regain their public reputation.