Chapter 69: A Message for You—Stop Playing the Sympathy Card

As the filming of Joy of Life progressed, Penguin Video began the premiere of Cang Lan Jue. The release was once again seamlessly connected to The Son-in-Law—before the latter even reached its finale, the exclusive broadcast of Cang Lan Jue had already commenced.

The high-frequency firepower of three consecutive dramas directly overshadowed all other period romance series airing at the same time. Now, they had even managed to capture a wave of female fans. From the start of the year to midyear, almost all the buzz revolved around Su Mu. No one knew how much longer his period dramas would dominate the screens and dictate the conversation.

Yet, the two neighboring platforms were already showing signs of giving up on this year's drama segment. The fact was, they simply had no strong cards left to play. Even if they rushed a few more productions to air, quality would be hard to guarantee. Producing shoddy work was worse than doing nothing at all. After all, trends in subject matter come and go every year—if they lost this year, there would always be next year. Their energy might be better spent focusing on other segments instead.

...

Penguin Video Headquarters.

Yu Hong sat in the conference room, brimming with pride as he reviewed the various data metrics projected on the screen. The staff below were presenting their mid-year analysis.

“In the first half of the year, Penguin Video’s daily active users and watch time increased by 35% compared to last year, with thirteen million new subscribers. Up to this point, it’s safe to say our video segment has been a complete triumph.”

Yu Hong nodded in satisfaction, a smile curving at the corners of his lips. At this moment, he couldn’t help but wonder—who else could compare?

With this, they had recovered all the losses from the previous two years. And most people still didn’t know that they had another season of Joy of Life to wrap up in the second half of the year—they were on track for an overwhelming victory.

He glanced to the other side of the room.

“Information Department, any news from the other two platforms lately?” Yu Hong asked.

“Director Yu, it seems that this year, both Qiyiguo and Oil Depot won’t be investing much in dramas. There’s word that Qiyiguo is already preparing next year’s lineup, while Oil Depot appears to be shifting its focus to variety shows in the latter half of the year. Should we perhaps…”

Yu Hong shook his head with a smile.

He knew you couldn’t have your cake and eat it too. This year’s victory in the drama segment was thanks to clinging to Zhang Huaimou and Su Mu—two powerhouses. If they recklessly branched into other categories, it would only mean losing the watermelon to pick up sesame seeds.

“Keep a close eye on entertainment industry news at all times, especially regarding Su Mu. He may soon terminate his contract with Giant Elephant Media. When that happens, we must seize the opportunity and pursue as much collaboration as possible. In the coming years, this man is bound to stir up a storm.”

“Director Yu, Qiyiguo and Oil Depot surely won’t ignore Su Mu, will they?”

“Then it will come down to who makes the higher bid.”

...

Giant Elephant Media Building.

Qian Jida took the high-speed rail from Hengdian back to Galaxy City, heading straight for the company. His face was serious, a thick file in his hands, and a rare sharpness flickered in his eyes.

“Director Zhou, what do you mean by this?” he demanded in the office.

Zhou Wanming looked at the indignant Qian Jida and then smiled. “Su Mu is so popular now; the company must adjust its strategy and give him more resources.”

Qian Jida sneered inwardly. How shameless. Why didn’t they say this before? Only now, after Su Mu’s meteoric rise, did they regret their earlier neglect.

And though it sounded pleasant, what “resources” were these? Seven or eight brand endorsements in a year—with decent fees, yes, but many of the products hadn’t even passed company quality control. If safety and quality couldn’t be guaranteed, any mishap would bring public censure upon the spokesperson. In the end, the profits all went into the company’s coffers.

As his agent, Qian Jida certainly wouldn’t blindly burn through Su Mu’s value, nor would he allow him to be taken advantage of. He could already guess Zhou Wanming’s intentions.

That was the nature of the industry—where self-interest reigned and few could truly be called decent.

“Director Zhou, this is the second time already. You can’t have forgotten how my last carefully nurtured artist fell from grace.”

“Second time? Why dredge up old, irrelevant matters?” Zhou Wanming replied.

“I’d rather not,” Qian Jida said with a faint smile, “but if you insist on making me go through it again, I’m sorry—I won’t let Su Mu suffer the same fate.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Zhou Wanming’s eyes. “What do you mean? Qian Jida, remember your position. You are first and foremost an employee of this company!”

“I don’t have to be,” Qian Jida replied, tossing the file onto the table. He continued, “The ‘Artist Fair Guarantee Clause’ in the contract states clearly: during the five-year term, if the company significantly reduces resources for the artist, and the artist has fulfilled 85% of the agreement, they have the right to terminate the contract early in the final year. In reality, with this year’s acting fees and endorsements, Su Mu has already completed the contract.”

Zhou Wanming’s face darkened. “If you go through with this, you can pack up and leave too! Without the company behind you, do you think you can still talk to those big investors? Without these channels, how will you get Su Mu better opportunities? All of this is added value the company provides.”

Qian Jida smiled silently. As if he needed Zhou’s concern. Su Mu’s schedule was already booked to the end of next year.

“No matter. I will stick to my principles and formally apply for early termination on our side. Also, Su Mu asked me to pass on a message: Don’t play the sentiment card every time you meet. If the relationship’s that good, just handle it quickly—maybe you’ll still be able to enjoy some seafood together in the future.”

Zhou Wanming fell silent.

...

Hengdian.

At that moment, Su Mu knew nothing of the outside developments. After several days of filming, he was already fully immersed in his role as Fan Xian.

In truth, Fan Xian was not a particularly complex character. Compared to Gao Qiqiang and Mei Changsu, he was far easier to play. With Su Mu’s current level of acting proficiency, the role posed no difficulty at all.

But this time, the cast was full of seasoned veterans. Aside from Zhuang Yan, Wang Ouyi, Li Yao, and Xu Dong’an—these were all household names in China, renowned for their dedication to their craft. Naturally, Su Mu dared not become complacent.

He also wanted to hone his own skills.

“Su Mu, you’re up next. Director Zhang asked me to let you know,” a crew member called from outside the dressing room.

“Alright, got it,” Su Mu replied, then turned to Little Orange. “Hand me my liquor.”

“Are you sure?” Little Orange asked. “That’s real baijiu—over forty percent alcohol! If you drink that, can you still perform? Didn’t the director’s team tell you to use fake liquor?”

Su Mu took the bottle of Erguotou from her hand, smiling. “Fake can never be real, and only by acting truthfully can it feel natural. I’m going up against a group of veteran actors—I’m not at their level yet, so authenticity is key.”

Little Orange was stunned. She thought Su Mu’s acting was already more than good enough, yet every day he continued to practice every gesture and line as though possessed.

Before she could say more, Su Mu had already downed half a bottle of Erguotou…