Chapter 64: Coming Soon
To obtain something, one must pay the price, and this process is quite arduous.
Nangong Ying wanted to go higher, fly farther, and thus had to pay more. Because she didn’t want to be tied down, she refused multiple movie contracts; she didn’t want to be restricted. As an actress, she didn’t want her acting path to be controlled, preventing her from breaking through. She didn’t want to keep filming costume martial arts films; that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to make a name for herself worldwide; constant attempts and breakthroughs were the most reasonable path.
After “Storm Seal” finished filming, she immediately packed her bags and flew to Zhejiang to shoot a new movie. This movie was still a costume drama, a male-led one. The male lead was the popular male star in the film and television circle, Liang Hui, a first-tier actor, and also a signed actor under Orange River. A true big shot.
As a newcomer, Nangong Ying was very lucky to be able to act opposite such a big-name star. Debuting as the protagonist, twice as the female lead, she was truly much luckier than ordinary people. Acting opposite this big shot was another opportunity for her.
However, don’t look at Nangong getting 2.5 million for this film, which seems like a lot. But compared to other actors, it pales in comparison. Liang Hui, playing the male lead, earned 35 million for one film, how many times more than Nangong Ying!
And this was also a major investment, expected to be released next year. Unlike Director Zhang’s transitional work, the director of this film was a well-known director in the industry. Regarding the arrangement, no one was more suitable than him. If there was anything about this movie that made Nangong Ying unhappy, it was that the ending had the male protagonist marrying four wives. For Nangong Ying, who was female, this itself wasn’t something to appreciate.
But since it was a movie, it was work. She wouldn’t bring personal emotions into it.
“Everyone in position! Scene 18, action!”
As the camera turned and the director commanded, the crew got busy again. Nangong Ying threw herself into filming. Although she was the female lead, her screen time was actually shared by many female characters, so her role wasn’t heavy. After all, the true soul of this movie was the male protagonist.
Although Nangong Ying was already filming for Orange River, the higher-ups at Orange River were still unhappy, precisely because they failed to sign Nangong Ying as an artist under their banner.
Orange River had already given this newcomer enough face, even sending out Yu Tianchen, and even factoring in Yu Linna. And the offered salary was so high, yet this girl was ungrateful, preferring to take a 2.5 million salary rather than accept the price of 8 million per film. Wasn’t she too arrogant!
“Think about it yourselves. I think this newcomer Nangong Ying really doesn’t know how to behave. I don’t want to cultivate such a brat.”
“Our Orange River put in people and effort, and now even brought her into our company’s film crew. Where does she get the face? Just because she won a national championship, she can act high and mighty?”
This issue was specifically discussed during a high-level meeting.
They unanimously believed that Nangong Ying was too arrogant, looked down on others, and didn’t know her place. Who made Nangong Ying still a newcomer, without much commercial value? People sought her for filming mainly because they wanted to cultivate this seedling. Indeed, she was talented; with proper cultivation, she had a chance to enter the circle. But she just didn’t know how to behave, didn’t understand the rules of the circle.
Nangong Ying didn’t know she had already been drawn into a smokeless war.
Yu Tianchen adjusted his glasses, sat at the round table in the conference room, pondering for a moment.
“Gentlemen, why should we tolerate a little brat? How significant is her status in the entertainment industry that it warrants us mobilizing forces and holding a special meeting for her?”
As soon as he spoke, everyone understood his meaning. This unremarkable-looking man’s heart was far from simple as his appearance suggested.
“Then your meaning is?”
“Very simple. Just teach her a lesson. Like a disobedient child, just a beating will do. We don’t need to make simple things so complicated.”
His words hit the bullseye, solving the problem that had puzzled everyone for a long time.
Indeed, they were Orange River; there was no need to worry about one person for so long. Why not use the most direct and straightforward method? This would also save a lot of trouble.
Poor Nangong Ying didn’t know she had unintentionally offended so many people.
Meanwhile, on the “Storm Seal” set, after Director Zhang finished all the filming, he was preparing for post-production work, but there were still many unresolved issues. For example, the soundtrack problem. Although Orange River provided funds, the money given was limited, unable to hire top-tier composers. Therefore, Director Zhang racked his brains. A movie’s soundtrack is crucial; without music, there is no soul.
The turning point came six days after Nangong Ying left the crew. Director Zhang’s assistant found him, bringing news.
“Director, Li Yuexin just called, saying she recommends herself.”
“Recommends herself? For what? Filming has already ended.”
“No, she’s representing her own band to recommend themselves to our crew. She said they can lower the price and compose the soundtrack for our movie.”
Li Yuexin was an actress, but she was also a band’s lead singer, although the latter identity wasn’t as dazzling as the former. The band she belonged to was a third-tier band with low fame.
Her taking the initiative to recommend herself, and even lowering the price, was unexpected. You know, Li Yuexin’s value wasn’t low; she earned 13.4 million for one TV series. The total investment for “Storm Seal” was only 90 million, of which 30 million had already been spent on actors’ salaries, with Nangong Ying’s salary being the lowest at 500,000. Then there were the costs of special effects and action choreography not yet included.
Li Yuexin lowering her price showed great sincerity; the director couldn’t not consider it. After all, the budget was limited, and he always had to find ways to save money. The special effects for this movie definitely required money; the money had to be spent in the right place, so he had to consider.
“Alright, tell her we can let her band try. But there’s one condition: the first name on the soundtrack list must be her, Li Yuexin.”
Li Yuexin’s fame was there. As long as her name was present, it could at least attract fans.
This was also out of commercial consideration.
The events happening in the film circle were still unknown to the public. Everything was the calm before the storm.
As for Yu Linna, a person struggling for survival, how could she possibly know what happened to Nangong Ying? She was currently teaching those children in the tutoring class.
It’s worth mentioning that Ye Zhiyun’s cousin, little Wu Lin, recently started playing with the other children and also grew fond of Sister Yu Linna. He had learned to cause trouble during class and create problems for her, becoming a veritable little brat.
“Sister Linlin, come catch me~”
“You brat! Bring back Jiajia’s homework, or else I’ll complain to your cousin!”
“I won’t! Nyeh nyeh nyeh!”
This little brat!
Yu Linna was almost angered to death.
In her days teaching at the tutoring center, having done it for so long, she had no dignity as an assistant teacher. Other children would be afraid when they saw a teacher, why did they become unruly when they saw her? Was it because she didn’t look scary enough?
Damn it, these little brats!
After the comic convention, her life slowly returned to calm. The person who gave her the business card never appeared again. She did think about whether to continue developing in the entertainment industry, but ultimately didn’t due to fear. She wasn’t Nangong Ying; she didn’t dare to gamble. She was afraid of ending up with nothing.
Indeed, she really wanted to become famous, wanted to achieve results. But now, she was afraid again.
“Linna, what are you spacing out for? Go get the kids back. This is your class. You can punish them later.”
“Oh… oh, okay, Sister Qing.”
Spacing out for a bit, she ended up getting caught by Zhou Xiaoqing. Yu Linna scratched her head and focused her mind on work.
Now she was still the same as before, nothing different, still living hand-to-mouth. Perhaps the only fortunate thing was that there was now someone named Ye Zhiyun by her side. Maybe seeing her pitiful state, Ye Zhiyun would call her out for meals every week. For free meals, Yu Linna never refused.
And most importantly, their relationship was no longer as bad as it was initially. Ye Zhiyun’s attitude towards her was clearly different from before. Holding the belief that having one more friend was better than one more enemy, Yu Linna accepted this existence by her side.
Recently, she heard that Nangong Ying had already gone to Zhejiang for filming. Her work seemed perpetually full, always non-stop. She was still a college entrance exam candidate; was it really okay to always be working outside like this? If it weren’t for Nangong Ying’s truly decent academic performance, the teachers would probably be furious.
But the school teachers didn’t care that much. Nangong Ying had already brought fame to the school; that was enough. Think about it, the champion of the National Singing Competition came from this school. No matter how you thought about it, it was an extremely face-saving matter. In the future, Nangong Ying would definitely be listed on the school’s list of famous alumni.
As for Yu Linna, she didn’t have that kind of ability. The luckiest thing for her was that she got first place again in last week’s mock exam, finally making the homeroom teacher relax her restrictions.
Suddenly, while Yu Linna was teaching, a strange phone call came in. She hung up, but a few minutes later, it called again. She looked, and it was still the same number.
She let the children study on their own and went out to answer the call.
“Hello, who is this?”
“Hello, Miss Yu Linna.”
“…It’s you.”
This voice, Yu Linna hadn’t forgotten.
At the comic convention, the person who gave her a business card, wanting to sign her.
“I wonder how you’ve thought about my proposal? We came to you with sincerity, hoping you would accept our invitation. You are special; we need you.”
Yu Tianchen’s voice echoed incessantly beside her.
She stood there silently, not knowing how to respond. She hadn’t expected him to be so direct.
“But I… I’m not as good as you imagine.”
“Opportunities don’t wait for people. I hope you can think clearly. Your friend is also working hard. Don’t you want to walk forward with her?”
This hole was getting bigger and bigger.
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