Yang Jierui may have incredible resources within the fashion and film industries, but Zhang Man was of the opinion that he wasn’t very good when it came to crisis management. Of course, he was still pretty adept at managing the fans, having never lost a single argument against the water army.
However, Liang Yu had always focused on movies. He’d established himself very early on. As such, he didn’t need something like crisis management. He wasn’t afraid of some petty rumors. After all, his skills and accolades would completely overshadow any of his other shortcomings. In a sense, this was also the fate of a true star. Liang Yu might not be as strict with himself as Xu Jingzhe, but his team was just as idle, having grown used to his domineering style of doing things.
If he had been a television actor or an idol, Yang Jierui would have been the type of agent to get browbeaten by the fans.
Therefore, Zhang Man had been pretty pleased to hear that Yang Jierui had recently recruited some idols. That old rat needed the fans to beat some sense into him. It wasn’t that easy to be an agent.
“Mr. Xu isn’t walking with the rest of the cast, so, naturally, he’ll be walking with Mr. Liang.” Zhang Man is still feeling a little glum. Sure, Xu Jingzhe had been single for so long that even Zhang Man started to have suspicions about his sexual orientation. Still, that didn’t mean she expected for him to be snatched up by Liang Yu.
Society was much more open now, and homosexuality was no longer considered a stain on your character. However, that didn’t mean it was entirely free from opposition, especially in the entertainment industry where the culture remained relatively conservative. Up until now, the only people to take the risk and openly operate as a gay couple are Xu Jingzhe and Liang Yu. Of course, this was only possible because of their high industry status, which could crush any unwanted gossip.
Yang Jierui clearly did not know that Xu Jingzhe and Liang Yu had privately terminated their contract. He’d been pretty high-spirited as of late thanks to both the box office results and the produce show. News of his latest recruit, Tang Mian, had even reached Zhang Man. Having debuted as the center, Tang Mian’s fans poured in a staggering amount of funds. Yang Jierui probably made a lot of money from it. After all, the film and television company belonged to Liang Yu, and Liang Yu had taken the lion’s share of the box office dividends. Yang Jierui was just working for him. However, managing the idols was different. Liang Yu had left this job to him, and, with his abilities, he was sure to make a boatload of profit.
In the end, Zhang Man couldn’t hold back from giving him a kind reminder, “Mr. Liang is used to doing as he pleases, but you should still try to manage him a little bit.”
Yang Jierui was momentarily stunned. He wasn’t clueless, but his train of thought had clearly gone in the wrong direction. He hadn’t even considered that the relationship between the two might have changed. “Oh, don’t worry about Mr. Liang’s family matters. Mr. Liang isn’t at fault. All those rumors online are just meant to rile people up. I would’ve sued them if Mr. Xu hadn’t gotten to them first.”
Zhang Man: “…” You think I give a shit? Who cares about your artist and his family problems?!
At the end, Yang Jierui shamelessly added, “By the way, that reminds me. Please thank Mr. Xu for doing that. If there are any legal fees you’ve incurred, don’t hesitate to request an invoice. I’ll make sure that Mr. Liang reimburses you!”
Major production companies and media platforms were usually the ones to organize the annual mid-year Starlight Awards. Although it wasn’t on the same scale as some of the bigger award shows in the country, it was still considered one of the most important celebrity events in the industry. Various agencies and their teams would be competing with each other on everything from styling to photography to retouching. Not even the male celebrities could slack off, let alone female celebrities.
The event began at eight in the evening. Some female celebrities had already arrived at the hotel holding the event during the early hours of the morning in order to begin preparing. They not only began fasting, but they also began holding back from drinking water. Zhang Man paid a visit to the venue that morning. Most agents and assistants would check out the venue before an event. Zhu Xiaoxiao stayed behind with Xu Jingzhe. Cai Cai was the one who came with her this time.
As they made their way, they encountered several stylists running around with dresses in their arms. Zhang Man still had the time to gossip with Cai Cai. “It looks like two people accidentally ended up with the same outfit.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Cai Cai had learned a lot during her time with Zhang Man, so she knew that there were some issues in which they could get involved and others in which they could not. After checking the seating arrangements and taking a few photos, Zhang Man and Cai Cai began to head out. It was then that they just so happened to run into Luo Yaoye’s agent.
Zeng Nian was in his forties, and he was one of the few individuals who was still active as an agent at that age. He’d maintained himself exceptionally well, so it was hard to tell. Dressed in an elegant and understated suit, he smiled at Zhang Man.
“Zeng ge.” Zhang Man greeted Zeng Nian with a great deal of respect. She gently shook his hand and politely asked, “Has Ms. Luo already arrived?”
Zeng Nian: “Other celebrities arrived much earlier than her. She could practically be considered late.”
Zhang Man laughed. Zeng Nian’s words may suggest otherwise, but he actually cared about his artists very much. His standards were high. He would never allow his artist to gain popularity in a way that he deemed beneath them, that way in this case being red carpet appearances. Her team was similar to that of Xu Jingzhe, focusing on quality and achievements.
After a brief conversation, they noticed several other agents and assistants coming to scout the venue, one after another. In an industry where everyone knew each other, Zhang Man and Zeng Nian were both considered fairly prominent agents, representing two leading figures in the industry. It was only natural that those with less experience and qualifications would take the initiative to greet them. Zeng Nian, not one for socializing, said a few words and left. Zhang Man had just finished dealing with a few more people and was ready to leave as well. Suddenly, Cai Cai gave a quick glance to their surroundings and whispered into her ear, “The person who had to change their outfit was Jiang Yueming.”
Zhang Man blinked and confirmed, “The female lead of Liang Yu’s holiday film?”
Cai Cai: “She can’t really be considered the female lead. Her role in the film was pretty limited.”
She wasn’t wrong. Liang Yu’s film was basically packed with big strong men. Jiang Yueming’s role was much smaller, but it was distinctive. She wasn’t just a pretty face. However, she was still a newcomer after all. Her acting couldn’t even stand up against Mai Jiu’s, let alone Liang Yu’s. Still, Xu Jingzhe believed that the young girl had great potential.
“She has this pair of expressive eyes that really speak to you. That’s what makes her stand out.” Those were Xu Jingzhe’s exact words.
Zhang Man thought about it for a bit before sending off a message to Xu Jingzhe.
After a while, there was a reply.
Zhang Man nodded towards Cai Cai.
Jiang Yueming’s agent was surnamed Guo. She was also a newcomer. Apparently, the two of them were old friends, belonging to the same school but different departments, and were now trying to make it in the industry together. At the time, Jiang Yueming had auditioned for Liang Yu’s movie just to try her luck. It was thanks to her background as a professionally trained actor that she was chosen. In fact, Liang Yu had personally selected her. Otherwise, Jiang Yueming would still be playing minor roles in amateur films and web dramas or modeling for fast fashion brands on Taobao. If she really had no other work, she would even work as a hostess for ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
Xiao Guo was on the phone with a brand, speaking humbly and beseechingly. Her voice was choked, tears silently streaming down her face without end. Cai Cai walked up to her and handed her a tissue. Xiao Guo was startled when she saw her. Upon seeing Zhang Man, her entire face turned red.
“Man jie.” She hung up the phone, her voice small. However, after greeting them, she didn’t know how to continue.
Zhang Man sighed helplessly and said, “Mr. Liang asked me to come find you. He said that the crew has a spare dress and they just sent someone to bring it to you.”
Xiao Guo was frightened half to death, and her face paled. She stammered. “T-that would be too much trouble for Mr. Liang.”
Zhang Man’s tone became a little stern. “Ms. Jiang isn’t just here by herself. She represents the entire cast and crew. If you run into any problems, you’re supposed to discuss them with the rest of the crew. You’re her agent. Why wouldn’t you reach out for help? What exactly were you thinking?”
Xiao Guo seemed to come back to her senses after receiving that scolding. However, it also seemed to have opened up the floodgates for her, and her tears began to fall even more freely.
Zhang Man was between tears and laughter. She softened her tone and said, “Okay, enough crying. Go back and accompany Ms. Jiang. She still needs to walk the red carpet tonight. How are you going to be of help to her if your eyes are puffy from crying?”
Xu Jingzhe hardly ate during lunch. At around 1:00 PM, his styling team began working on him. His hair was about halfway done when Liang Yu arrived.
He stood behind Xu Jingzhe, observing him in the mirror for a while. Then, he started giving advice on his makeup.
Xu Jingzhe laughed and said, “Stop worrying about me. Go get ready yourself.”
Liang Yu’s custom-made suit wasn’t like Xu Jingzhe’s. The pattern and tailoring were neat and simple. After he’d changed into it, the makeup artist began by giving him a shave.
“I asked Luo Yaoye to lend Jiang Yueming a dress.” Zeng Nian definitely arranged more than one brand for Luo Yaoye, so borrowing a dress or two wouldn’t be a problem. At most, Liang Yu would owe Zeng Nian a favor. Anyway, Luo Yaoye owed him a lot of money over mahjong, so he could consider nulling one of her losses.
Xu Jingzhe was a little curious. “Does Zeng Nian know that his artist owes you money?”
Liang Yu glanced at him and calmly replied, “He owes me money himself.”
Xu Jingzhe: “…” He hadn’t expected Zeng Nian to be swindled by Liang Yu into a mahjong game.
Liang Yu: “Luo Yaoye has a good idea of who was trying to sabotage Jiang Yueming.” His face darkened, and he sneered, “They’re just a bunch of pathetic lowlifes. The only thing they know how to do is play these little tricks.”
Xu Jingzhe didn’t say anything, keeping his eyes closed for the eyeliner. He reached out and squeezed Liang Yu’s fingertips.
The two of them shared a dressing room. Xiao Luo and Zhu Xiaoxiao were with them, and witnessed the entire interaction between them. Zhu Xiaoxiao had been floating on cloud nine ever since Xu Jingzhe declared his intention to terminate the contract relationship. What could be more blissful for a shipper than the knowledge that their ship was real? Nothing! Her ship would sail the high seas now and forever! Nothing would ever be able to sink it!
The Author Has Something To Say:
You guys just need to trust me. When have I ever mistreated my characters?
Each pit will only bring the characters closer together.
The Translator Has Something To Say:
Haha…I seem to keep going on hiatus…
On a positive note, I’m uploading six chapters today!
Also, I’ve added author’s notes and mini theaters to the previous chapters, so, if anyone needs a refresher, now would be a good time to go back and reread! Mini theaters are in Chapters 42, 43, 45, and 52!
I kinda forgot the story I only remember I was excited for this. it seems I need to reread😅
Cant remembers whos who 😅
Thanks for the update!
Haha, me too. I was like Zeng Nian, Zhang Man, Cai Cai?!? Who are they?!?
Thank you for the updates!
It’s always a pleasure seeing this novel update, even if the gap between each new update is a little big-
Dont rush! Take care of yourself and you’ll deliver a stellar translation!
Thanks for the chapter ❤️ and I run to read author’s notes
I never understood ‘the same dress’ problem, but I can see it’s very important for them, so it wasn’t nice to play that card :/
Thank You for the new chapter (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡
I actually started re-reading from the start when I noticed new chapters. I really enjoyed the mini theater thanks for adding it too 😊