Chapter 60: Instinct

In the hotel room, Shen Xici signed various documents as seriously as if he were doing homework. Ge Lanjing stood by, worriedly asking, “Why didn’t you tell me you hurt your foot?”

“It wasn’t that serious to begin with. If I had told you, you would have definitely worried.”

Shen Xici quietly thought to himself, if he had really told her, Ge Lanjing definitely wouldn’t have sent a driver to pick him up. So, he had to hide it until he returned to the set, no matter what.

At this thought, Shen Xici’s eyes dimmed.

From yesterday until now, Sheng Shaoyan hadn’t contacted him.

Sheng Shaoyan must have seen the note he left before he left, and he must have been angry.

Although this was the result he wanted, the goal he wanted to achieve, at this very moment, he felt an emptiness in his heart, like a desolate plain covered in a thin layer of winter snow. When the wind blew, it stirred up a bone-chilling cold.

“A sprained ankle is no small matter. What if it doesn’t recover properly and you injure it again? You’re still young, you should cherish yourself. Don’t take your health lightly.”

Shen Xici tried his best not to think about things related to Sheng Shaoyan. He pointed to the health bracelet on his wrist that displayed his blood pressure and heart rate, then gestured to the stethoscope on the table, feigning shock, “Sister Lanjing, have you ever seen anyone more concerned about their health than me?”

Ge Lanjing was amused by his exaggerated expression. “I really haven’t.”

She had come to the film crew’s hotel today to find Shen Xici for two reasons. One was that there were documents and contracts related to his personal studio that needed his signature. The other was that she had learned he had sprained his ankle. When the driver picked him up yesterday, he had been hopping on one foot and limped into the car. She couldn’t rest easy without seeing the situation for herself.

Unexpectedly, she had found Shen Xici using a stethoscope to listen to his own heart and lungs, and he had even meticulously recorded all the data.

However, in the entertainment industry where the work intensity is high and the pressure is great, she had seen it all among the artists she had managed: those who binged and those who were anorexic, those who moved their furniture around at three in the morning, and those who had to scrub a towel over and over for an hour every day.

As long as it wasn’t some terrible habit like drag racing, drug use, or alcoholism, just a case of health anxiety was something she could accept.

That matter was considered closed. Nagging any further would be annoying. Ge Lanjing changed the subject and asked with concern, “Is the filming going smoothly?”

“It’s going very smoothly. Director Lu and I are on the same page.”

Shen Xici had been in several film crews in his previous life, so he naturally had much more experience than Lu Jiming, who was filming for the first time. Although Lu Jiming often grumbled that he was rebelling against authority, after a few complaints, he almost always followed his suggestions, being very open to advice.

“It’s good that it’s going smoothly. I’ve read the script for Fleeting Life, and it’s indeed brilliant. Although this Director Lu is a newcomer and I’m not sure about his directing abilities, his screenwriting skills are at least very strong.”

Ge Lanjing’s eyes showed admiration. “Your planned career path is also very clear. Taking a supporting role in a famous director’s masterpiece as the first step, with a male and female lead like Zhong Yue and Wen Yage who bring their own buzz, plus the memorable character you play, this starting foundation is very solid.

Next, a leading role in a young, up-and-coming director’s work, and a non-commercial film at that, will further deepen the audience’s understanding and recognition of your acting skills, bringing you one step closer to being a serious actor. Otherwise, with your looks, it would be easy to be classified as a pretty-boy idol. Once that label is attached, it’s very difficult to get rid of, and it will also affect whether you can get good scripts in the future.”

Shen Xici hummed in agreement, with a reliable expression that said, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

He was too embarrassed to say that in his previous life, the reason he had participated in the open casting for Mountain Range Line was purely because he was too poor and in desperate need of money, and the casting call happened to give him an audition opportunity. As for Lu Jiming’s script, it was even simpler. He liked the character and the story, so he called Lu Jiming and said he wanted to act in it.

Ge Lanjing didn’t notice the fleeting guilt in Shen Xici’s eyes. She had initially been very worried that the director and crew were unreliable, but now she was much more at ease. She even had a bit of a filter, subconsciously feeling that any script Shen Xici chose for himself would definitely be fine. She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at her great luck in finding such a low-maintenance and high-potential artist!

Although this was only her sixth day on the job, she had basically figured out Shen Xici’s situation. During the casting for Mountain Range Line, because it wasn’t public, there was little exposure. Under such circumstances, Shen Xici would usually only be noticed when the movie entered its promotional period, or even after its release.

But who could have imagined that a bird-watching grandpa would also happen to film Shen Xici while filming birds? In addition, over the past six months, the attention and buzz accumulated from various incidents had led to a qualitative change from a quantitative one. At the point of Mountain Range Line‘s release, his popularity exploded, reaching a blowout effect.

Many people who had only seen a certain video of Shen Xici before, or had only heard his name, became fans or moviegoers after coming out of the cinema. The statistics showed just how astonishing the conversion rate was.

Today was already October 7th. In the National Day holiday box office rankings, Mountain Range Line was far ahead of the second place, securing the champion’s position. She could already foresee that before Mountain Range Line finished its run, Shen Xici’s fan count would definitely exceed ten million.

The artist was moving forward too quickly. As his manager, if she wanted to have a long-term collaboration, she had to speed up her own pace to keep up.

“In the past few days, I’ve received scripts and audition invitations sent to me through various means. I’ll screen them for you first. If there’s a good script or a good director, I’ll bring it to you. As for endorsements, I advocate for quality over quantity. What do you think?”

Some artists want to make a quick buck. After gaining some fame, as long as the price is right, they will accept all sorts of brand collaborations. This actually consumes the artist themselves. But Ge Lanjing didn’t know Shen Xici’s thoughts, so to avoid conflicts in the future, these things had to be communicated clearly from the beginning.

Shen Xici trusted Ge Lanjing’s professional abilities and replied without hesitation, “Scripts, endorsements, and all that, Sister Lanjing, you can screen them for me first. If you think it’s good, then it’s good. You’re more professional than me in this aspect.”

An artist’s willingness to trust her would make the process of working together much easier. Ge Lanjing relaxed and asked the question she most wanted to know, “Do you have a grudge with Xu Lingjia? Before the movie was released, Xu Lingjia’s side spent a lot of money to market his ‘serious actor’ label. Those paid commenters and marketing accounts would basically post two praises for Xu Lingjia for every one that stepped on you. If it weren’t for your outstanding acting in the movie, they might have actually succeeded.”

She had to have a clear understanding of who her artist was on good terms with and who he wasn’t, so she could grasp the right measure when things happened.

Shen Xici was very clear about Xu Lingjia’s personality. Putting other things aside, the mere fact that he was the biological son of Cheng Ningyu and Xu Yuanjin was enough for Xu Lingjia to max out his hatred for him.

“On a scale of one hundred, his hatred for me is probably at two hundred.”

At the same time, Xu Lingjia was pinching his phone, frowning as he asked, “Are you sure the lead actor is really Shen Xici?”

Two days ago, he had gone with Director Wu Ya to rent a filming location. He heard that the crew competing with them for the location was also a Republican-era drama. Although he had never heard of a movie called Fleeting Life in his past life, he had become concerned for some reason.

After thinking it over, he had someone inquire about it. Unexpectedly, it was really Shen Xici!

Clenching his teeth, he just didn’t understand. Why did Shen Xici have to deliberately get involved in everything he did?

The movie Two-Faced was his comeback battle. It had to be fought beautifully, with absolutely no room for error or mishap. After hanging up, Xu Lingjia scrolled through the contacts on his list and finally called Cheng Ningyu.

Cheng Ningyu was getting a facial. She asked him, “Are you calling for money again? Jiajia, your mother and godmother are doing this for your own good, we’re afraid you’ll be scammed—”

Xu Lingjia didn’t want to hear her nag anymore and interrupted directly, “Mom, I know. I’m not calling to ask for additional investment.”

He had signed that valuation adjustment mechanism agreement. A large sum of money would arrive in his account in two days. His account would be very well-funded, and he didn’t need the little money from Cheng Ningyu and Ye Mei at all.

As for the requirement in the agreement that the box office must exceed one billion, Xu Lingjia was not worried at all. In his previous life, Two-Faced had swept nearly two billion at the box office during the Spring Festival. In this life, he had brought so much money into the production. The investment scale had more than doubled, and the promotional budget was also much higher. The final box office would only be higher than in his previous life.

By then, Cheng Ningyu and his godmother would surely regret not listening to him and investing more in this movie, wasting a great opportunity to make money!

Hearing him say he wasn’t calling for investment, Cheng Ningyu’s tone softened. “That’s good. Our Jiajia is the smartest. So what happened that you called your mother?”

“Mom, do you remember that newcomer named Shen Xici?”

“Of course I remember. What’s wrong, did he offend you again?”

Of course you remember? Silently suppressing the twisted hatred and jealousy in his heart, Xu Lingjia’s tone was very wronged. “Mom, this Shen guy was always against me on the set of Mountain Range Line. There was one time I misspoke during a live broadcast and said domestic products were not good. It was actually him who deliberately set a trap for me to harm me. This time, with the release of Mountain Range Line, it’s not enough that he stole my thunder. I heard that I’m filming a Republican-era movie, so he also went to film one, trying to steal my thunder again and use me as a stepping stone to climb up!”

“Really?” Cheng Ningyu had been in the entertainment industry for so many years. She could easily tell that Xu Lingjia wanted to use her power to deal with that person named Shen Xici.

But the reason wasn’t important. What was important was that her interests and Xu Lingjia’s were firmly tied together. Moreover, their family had invested money in this movie. If Xu Lingjia was really outshone by Shen Xici, it would be hard to say how much of the invested money they could get back, let alone how much they could earn.

Cheng Ningyu pondered for a moment. “Jiajia, you focus on filming. I will handle this matter. It’s not that easy to make a name for yourself in this industry.”

Not long after Ge Lanjing left, there was a knock on the hotel room door. Lan Xiaoshan came in with takeout. “Brother Shen, Brother Shen, it’s mealtime. I got you a portion of stewed beef tendon. Eat what you need to replenish!”

Shen Xici put down his script and they unwrapped the disposable chopsticks and takeout containers together. “Did Sister Lanjing look for you?”

“She did,” Lan Xiaoshan pulled up a chair and sat down, a little embarrassed. “Brother Shen, I’m just a small assistant. The salary you’re paying me is too high. I knew some on-set assistants who became permanent assistants, but none of them made this much money!”

“It will be even higher in the future.” Seeing that Lan Xiaoshan was a little uneasy, Shen Xici said slowly, “Sister Lanjing is a very experienced manager. I’ll ask her to help. You should be smart too. When you have the chance, watch, learn, and ask more. When you have time in the future, get a degree. Work as an executive agent for a few years to accumulate experience. When you can stand on your own, you can manage your own artists.”

Lan Xiaoshan was stunned.

His heart thumped as if it would leap out of his chest.

Because his father had died early and his mother was sick, just the cost of medicine was a huge expense. He had left high school before finishing to work on film sets. As long as there was money, he would do any tiring work.

Sometimes at night, he would be too hungry to sleep and would think about his future. But the truth was, he couldn’t see the road ahead at all.

What could he do? His family was poor, he had no education, his looks were only average, and he had no talent for acting. In the future, he might continue to do some work on film sets, or maybe after saving some money, he would go back to his hometown and open a small shop. Life had to go on.

But now, Shen Xici was telling him that he had the opportunity to learn, to go to school, to become an executive agent in the future, and when he became skilled, he could even manage his own artists.

Could he, one day, also become that kind of manager who handles things with ease and shines brightly?

It felt like a stone was stuck in his throat. Lan Xiaoshan’s lips trembled as he mumbled, “But I, I don’t know anything. How could I possibly—”

“You’re very capable, Xiaoshan. You’re very good at communicating with people and can identify and organize all kinds of fragmented information. You know which management companies are harsh on their artists, which company’s cafeteria has good food, and you get along well with the staff on set. You know all the gossip in the crew.” Shen Xici put a piece of meat in his bowl, painting a grand picture for him. “Alright, eat up. Maybe our studio will grow bigger and become a film and television agency in the future, and we’ll have to rely on you, our star agent, to manage artists.”

Lan Xiaoshan lowered his head, his face almost touching his rice. After a while, he said in a low voice, “Brother Shen, I will definitely work hard.”

Shen Xici nodded. “Yes, let’s work hard together!”

He had no appetite. Shen Xici poked at his rice with his chopsticks. The phone next to him suddenly buzzed.

He knew very well it couldn’t be Sheng Shaoyan.

Sheng Shaoyan was a person who had always been in a position of power. As long as he wanted something, he could get it. Perhaps until now, he had never been rejected like this.

But besides leaving without saying goodbye and cutting off this relationship, he really didn’t know what else to do.

Sheng Shaoyan was like a huge vortex. Just getting close would attract you, and you would be drawn into it.

But what right did he have to have an intimate relationship?

Opening his phone, in the background of Bilibili, creator Dongyu had sent him a private message, saying he had no problem with the contract and had already signed it. He wished for a happy collaboration in the future.

Shen Xici really wanted to say, Creator! Although having a pure soul is a good thing, don’t trust people so easily. It’s easy to get scammed! Also, don’t you want to ask about the working conditions and fight for some benefits or something?

Just then, a new message popped up on the screen.

Dongyu: [Are you free right now?]

The crew had been filming the supporting actors’ scenes for the past two days. His name wasn’t on the call sheet. He had just been reading the script and urging Lu Jiming to hurry up with the editing. He rarely had free time.

Shen Xici replied that he was free. The other person seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying.

Dongyu: [I have a friend who is pursuing someone.]

Oh, a friend!

Shen Xici understood immediately. The “my friend is actually me” series. A university student had encountered an emotional problem and couldn’t discuss it with his friends, so he had to seek advice online.

Shen Xici asked: [And then? Did your friend succeed?]

Dongyu: [No, but my friend can feel that the other person has feelings for him too. But when my friend tried to test the waters, he was rejected in a roundabout way.]

Shen Xici immediately thought of all sorts of relationship posts made by university students. In addition, creator Dongyu didn’t seem to have much relationship experience. Wasn’t this a classic case of a heartbroken university student in the making?

[If you’re sure it’s not a misperception and the other person has indeed shown interest in this regard, the first thing to determine is whether the other person is treating your friend as a backup, which is why they are being hot and cold, ambiguous, but not responding or taking responsibility.]

Dongyu: [That person is not like that!]

Alright, if they’re not, they’re not. He even used an exclamation mark.

It seemed that creator Dongyu was quite deeply involved. Why was there even a faint trace of being love-struck?

Shen Xici confirmed again: [Is your friend really not just a fish in that person’s pond?]

After a while, Dongyu replied: [He’s not. That person doesn’t even bait him.]

Shen Xici asked again: [Is your friend rich?]

Dongyu: [He’s okay, but that person doesn’t want my friend’s money either.]

Temporarily trusting creator Dongyu’s judgment that the other person wasn’t treating him like a fish or a cash machine, and ruling out these two possibilities of being played with, Shen Xici typed his reply: [Perhaps the other person thinks the relationship hasn’t reached the point where they can be together, or that person hasn’t fully determined their own feelings and wants to spend more time together.]

Dongyu: [Are there any other possibilities?]

His fingertips hovered above the screen. After a long time, Shen Xici continued typing: [Or, that person has some unspeakable concerns and believes that because of their own reasons, this relationship cannot last long. They don’t want to fail this relationship, nor do they want to hurt the other person, so they have no choice but to refuse.]

In his office, Sheng Shaoyan looked at the reply on the screen.

He didn’t doubt his intuition—Shen Xici was different towards him, and Shen Xici was not without feelings for him.

But whenever he felt he was about to touch Shen Xici’s heart, Shen Xici would, like a small animal sensing danger, retreat back into his shell of ice, freezing himself over ten, a hundred times more.

His gaze was fixed on the last sentence that had been sent.

Instinctively, Sheng Shaoyan felt that perhaps this was the answer.

Doesn’t want to fail, doesn’t want to hurt. This meant his intuition was not wrong.

But what were the concerns that made Shen Xici feel this relationship couldn’t last?

After a long period of contemplation, Sheng Shaoyan contacted his medical team.

“Is there any illness that would make a person insensitive to pain?”