The midnight, 0:30 AM. It was rare to glimpse a dark and gloomy summer night. The sky was covered densely by black clouds. It didn’t let through even a tread of starlight.
Ba Tian Entertainment that was located at the prime location of the city center was lit brightly. In the boss’s office, the boss of Ba Tian entertainment, who was a man in his early thirties, had a very unsightly expression. All of his attention was fixed on the computer screen which showed the hottest news from the entertainment. He bit to his back teeth until they were making creaking sounds.
That one article dominated among the trending topics.
【Gossip Entertainment News: Little flower dan1 Li Mo confirms joining the recording of the upcoming episode of the Deserted Island Survival. She confesses to being happy to collaborate with the person from her previous company, Ba Tian Entertainment, in the recording of the same episode.】
Deserted Island Survival was a documentary-like reality show that has recently gained in popularity. In each episode, guests that were invited by the show were sent to a completely unexploited deserted island. They were only equipped with a water supply that met the minimum survival requirements, a military knife, and a lighter. Any other food and stuff weren’t provided.
The guests must rely on their own stamina, wits, and knowledge to survive on the deserted island for three days and two nights. MAX Company has catered the show with the latest remote sensing camera drones to follow and film the guests. The production staffs were far away from the island. Even if guests run into a difficult situation or danger, as long as their lives weren’t jeopardized, nobody would step in.
The uniqueness and authenticity of Deserted Island Survival made it immensely popular upon airing. The show’s rating hit the roof. What’s more, it continued to stay as a hot topic and subject of discussion. No matter how little well-known was the person, as long as they went to 《Deserted Island Survival》their popularity will immediately grow several times. As for whether they could attract fans and keep their popularity, it depended on the guests’ capabilities.
Be it big or small celebrities in showbiz, they both loved and hated this show. They loved the popularity the show would bring them, and what they hated was that the production staff was without any mercy. Other reality shows contained, more or less, a scripted component. In front of the camera, they played their roles. Once the camera turned off, they were attended upon as per usual.
Yet, Deserted Island Survival was an oddball. Everything was authentic. The flying camera documented them from the beginning to the end for three days and two nights. Even the biggest celebrities had no privileges once joining the program. One could only depend on oneself. The post-editing was particularly ruthless. They gave you no whatsoever cover in areas you didn’t perform well. Instead, they would broadcast it openly for everyone to see.
Some guests were unknown before taking part in Deserted Island Survival. However, they gained immense popularity among the netizens after its participation and from then on embarked on the pinnacle of their career. On the other hand, there were also popular stars who ruined their public persona and shocked their fan’s three views.
It can be said that this program was the same as gambling.
If you won, you will gain both fame and fortune.
If you lost, you will be knocked off your pedestal.
Because of this, even though big stars with stable status in the entertainment industry fancied this show, they would still restrain their impulse and wouldn’t rashly accept the invitation. Those not among A-list, especially the newbies, yearned and tried everything in their might to join at least once Deserted Island Survival.
The little flower dan Li Mo rose to fame in these recent years. She’s starred in several popular idol dramas. She had a pure and beautiful appearance. Due to her fair and delicate skin and baby-face, she was affectionately called “Porcelain Doll” by her fans.
Li Mo was going to participate in this episode’s Deserted Island Survival. Once this news came out, it immediately made to the headlines.
Not to mention, Li Mo has also confessed that she was very happy to join the show together with the female star of her ex-employer, Ba Tian entertainment. It was simply a dog blood2 drama of a year.
Back then, Li Mo started her career at Ba Tian Entertainment. It was not long after Ba Tian Entertainment made her popular that the scandal over artist’s harsh salary distribution, the unreasonable terms of the contract, etc. was blown out. It had stirred much discussion among people. Many artists of Ba Tian Entertainment used this opportunity to terminate their contracts. Li Mo, who was at the time considered as a decent artisan of Ba Tian Entertainment, was naturally one of those people.
Li Mo job-hopped to Feiteng Entertainment, a well-known entertainment company in the industry that could be considered as the industry’s big shot. Over these years, the resources it had provided to Li Mo were pretty good. Ba Tian Entertainment was much worse in comparison.
They were originally a new company. Yet, the artists they’ve cultivated with great difficulty left in large numbers. Since a few years ago until now it continued to stumble, unable to rise3. Their operations kept on scaling down. What was left from the company were only two-three kittens. Rather than calling them a company, they were even worse off than some studios.
The fact that Ba Tian Entertainment was able to get the place for the recording of 《Deserted Island Survival》surprised the outside world.
However, seeing Li Mo’s statement, many people speculated that Li Mo has gone soft-hearted and planned to support people from her former company. People reckoned that Li Mo made the request. Otherwise, just based on Ba Tian Entertainment’s current state, no matter how they sparred with others, they wouldn’t be able to get this quota.
Fans frantically cheered on their idols, with various fancy confessions.
【Our Porcelain Doll is both beautiful and kind-hearted. Ba Tian Entertainment treated her so badly in the past, yet she doesn’t mind it and now she plans to bring the people from her former company to the show.】
【She is too soft-hearted. While all the other people are tearing into each other over a resource, Porcelain Doll wants to share this resource. Who will be coming from Ba Tian Entertainment? It won’t be Li Na, right?】
【Tsk. Don’t mention that woman who has bullied Li Mo. She bullied Mo Mo so much in the past. How can she have the nerve to steal her resource?】
【But, Ba Tian Entertainment has no one other than Li Na, right? I thought that company has already gone bankrupt.】
【I have inside information. I heard Ba Tian Entertainment has a newbie. Maybe it’s the newbie?】
【Newbie? Which newbie has such a crappy sigh, daring to go to that scam company? I guess it’s some internet celebrity that madly wishes to become a star. Such a low-class. Does she not feel a shame standing next to our Porcelain Doll?】
【Be it newcomer or Li Na, there must be nothing worth to look at anyway.】
【Exactly. How can the light of a firefly compete with the radiance of a bright moon? Haha. Our Li Mo is the best.】
———
Under the hype of many media outlets and fans, Li Mo, Ba Tian Entertainment, and Deserted Island Survivalbecame a hot search topic of the day. Ba Tian Entertainment that practically lacked any whatsoever presence has uncommonly taken over the headlines on the news.
The old stories of how Ba Tian Entertainment treated harshly its artists back then has been again raked up and used for a publicity stunt. Many people sarcastically expressed that if Ba Tian Entertainment still had a conscience, they would not freeload Li Mo’s resources and would give up on the recording on their own.
The boss stared at those mocking comments on the Internet. Suddenly, he looked at the woman on the sofa, the only remaining window dressing of their company, B-lister Li Na.
“Are you really not going?”
The woman flicked her fingernail that was covered with nail paint and uttered as lightly as a feather: “Not going.”
“It’s a Deserted Island Survival, a program that dominates both in ratings and topics! Even if you’re upset by Li Mo’s recommendation, it would be a pity to miss such an opportunity.” The man persuaded patiently.
“I can’t go exactly because it’s a Deserted Island Survival.”
Li Na rolled her eyes, “Look, how do I go to that show like this?”
The boss paused for a moment before he understood what she talked about.
Although many female guests were participating in Deserted Island Survival, there were not a lot of young and beautiful celebrities like Li Mo who have established a foothold in A-list. Not to mention, most of the female idols had a beautiful face. No matter what occasion, they were constantly bright and pretty. What’s more, they had to ensure the photos people took of them were always beautiful. Even if there were so-called “photos by a passerby” or “makeup-less photo” of them, they have been all carefully created.
If she went to other programs, she could still put on a pretty makeup on herself. During the gap time, she could furthermore take a shower and fix her makeup, making sure that her image did not get ruined. However, in Deserted Island Survival it was simply impossible.
There were no high bed and soft pillow nor the conditions for a shower and fixing makeup in the deserted island. Needless to mention the hidden danger. Although these dangers were not mortal, they were unbearable city people.
In the past, some female guests have appeared in front of the camera with makeup. After three days and two nights, the remaining makeup on their faces was simply a spectacle too horrible to look at.
The best way to participate in this show is to go with a makeup-less face. Little flower dan’s makeup-less face. Just this one point skyrocketed the publicity stunt for the show.
But Li Na was different from Li Mo. She pursued the route of a gorgeous and arrogant woman. Although she was still a beauty after removing makeup, her appearance became much more ordinary. Both her aura and the bright spot would somewhat dim a bit.
Not to mention she didn’t know any survival skills. If she participated in Deserted Island Survival she would surely lose fans and ruin her public image. She already had numerous anti-fans. Besides, there was Li Mo for comparison. Even thinking with a toe she knew that her outcome would not be good.
It was obviously a hole Li Mo dug for Li Na and Ba Tian Entertainment. Her IQ must be crumpled if she was to participate in the program.
After understanding this fact, the boss dejectedly leaned against the chair and mumbled to himself: “Li Mo is truly heartless. I must have been blind back then for exerting efforts to boost her popularity.”
There were little people left in the company. Although Li Na was only a B-lister, she could still be considered as the company’s last signboard. Li Mo wished to destroy the company’s last presentable artist and make Ba Tian Entertainment completely withdraw from the entertainment industry.
The boss of Ba Tian Entertainment had invested all his net worth into the company. In the end, not only didn’t he make any profit, he lost money to the point he almost jumped from the building. If the company went on like this, even this floor can only be sold.
Even if the boss knew Li Mo had no good-intentions, the Deserted Island Survival program was a rare resource. If he just gave up, he won’t be contented.
He dispiritedly flipped over the material containing the internal staff information. His gaze stopped on the latest page.
Tang Luo Xi, 19 years old.
The place of birth was unknown. The family home was unknown. One week ago, because of that extraordinary beautiful face of hers, she was picked up on the street by the company’s only remaining talent scout and has thus entered Ba Tian Entertainment.
There was no shortage of beauties in this circle. The boss of Ba Tian Entertainment has seen plenty of them. However, someone with such a beauty as Tang Luo Xi was a rare sight.
Even if she couldn’t sing, dance nor act, just that face alone was enough to open the door to the entertainment industry.
The boss regarded Tang Luo Xi as their secret newbie. He intended to groom her properly and boost her status. As long as they did it well, Ba Tian entertainment can absolutely depend on this person to bring about a change of their fortunes.
Unfortunately, there was no time.
He didn’t want to give up on such a good opportunity as Deserted Island Survival. In that case, they could only….
“Where is Tang Luo Xi?” The boss made a call and asked his only secretary that was left.
The secretary on the other hand walked with quick steps. Drenched in sweat, she finally found the person and replied to the boss with gasps: “I found her. She’s soaking in the pool.”
The boss: “…..bring me the person.”
Damn. What was going on with that Tang Luo Xi? She loved to soak in the water every day. In the week she joined the company, if it was not for that she had a person to look after her, she would be soaking in the swimming pool for 24 hours a day!
When one asked her to dance, she would say she wanted to soak in the water.
When one asked her to sing, she would say she didn’t soak in the water hence she didn’t have the energy to sing.
Even when sleeping, she wouldn’t sleep in a soft bed. In the middle of the night, she would soak herself into the swimming pool. On the next day, staff members would be scared to death, thinking that it was a floating corpse!
She obviously got a top-notch face, yet she had such an odd hobby. Could such a person truly be pushed out to become an idol?
The boss grabbed his hair in depression. The secretary over the phone whimpered: “Boss, she’s soaking in the swimming pool and won’t come out.”
“Don’t you know to catch her if she won’t come out?!” He had to teach them even such a trivial thing. Were all the remaining people left in the company pigs?
“Boss, I’m unable to catch her…” The secretary was aggrieved.
Tang Luo Xi loved to soak in water. Her swimming skills were superb.
In the water, she was as beautiful as a painting and as smooth as a fish. The speed and swimming pose of hers had made the secretary sigh on numerous occasions. How good it would be for her if she became an athlete and won an honor for the country. Why did she take things the hard way and entered the entertainment industry?
“Dammit.”
The boss swore. He threw aside the phone and rose, intending to go to the swimming pool and catch the person himself.
Li Na followed behind him on high heels. In high spirits, she planned to go and see the newbie who has been dimwittedly scouted by the company since it has been called a “scam company”.
Translation notes:
[1] Little flower dan is a Chinese term used to describe actresses that dominates Chinese cinema
[2] Dog blood is a Chinese phrase meaning melodramatic
[2] One stumble, unable to rise is a Chinese idiom that means a setback leading to total collapse