Chapter 62: It Doesn't Matter What You Think, It Matters What I Think

On June 11, the great fame of The Tuner swept across China alongside the massive promotional campaigns of "Another Bottle," "Another Can," and "Another Ticket," as Wahaha Beverages launched a fierce offensive into Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

In the capital city, at a restaurant near the Beijing Film Academy, Vicki Zhao walked into the lobby wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a face mask. Huang Xiaoming, who had been waiting inside and was similarly disguised with sunglasses and a mask, excitedly called out, "Vivi!"

As he spoke, Xiaoming walked over briskly.

He had his own assistants and aides following him closely to prevent being recognized by citizens and causing a commotion.

Two years after graduation, the TV series starring Xiaoming, *The Invincible County Magistrate* and *Emperor Han Wu*, were both scheduled to broadcast next month. However, he had already accumulated credits in six television dramas and two films prior to this.

Yet, his career development speed lagged far behind Vicki Zhao.

Even so, he was now making great strides in a positive direction.

She was his unattainable goddess, his white moonlight.

Vicki Zhao smiled and nodded. "Shall we talk in a private room?"

Huang Xiaoming nodded, said nothing more, and led Vicki Zhao to a private dining room.

Dishes and wine were already laid out on the table, while the assistants and aides stood guard outside the door. Xiaoming took off his protective gear and smiled sheepishly. "Vivi, what brings you here to see me?"

Compared to his white moonlight, who had started her career leagues ahead of him, Xiaoming still felt a bit inferior at this stage. His previous major financial backer, Boss Shi, had casually showered young actors and handsome stars from the Central Academy of Drama and Beijing Film Academy with hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury cars.

Boss Shi had even invested fifty million yuan to produce *Emperor Han Wu*, and Xiaoming was the male lead!

Fortunately, Boss Shi had been placed under residential surveillance, as his illegal fund-raising and financial fraud scandals had blown up into a massive storm.

Of course, there was no problem with his goddess approaching him; if she needed his help, he would definitely lend a hand.

Vicki Zhao took off her mask and sunglasses, picked up a bottle of red wine from the table, and poured a glass. "Are you close with Junior Brother Li? You managed to secure the male lead in his upcoming project and even signed with his company."

The male lead had been finalized over three months ago. Huang Xiaoming had already cleared his schedule, waiting for production to start after October, and had been diligently working on whitening his skin.

Signing with the agency had followed naturally as the next step.

He nodded, then shook his head. "We weren't really close before. The audition for the male lead came down to me, Deng Chao, and Yan Kuan. Director Li probably chose me based on our alumni ties and my acting skills."

"However, Director Li also helped me out of a tight spot and did me a huge favor. After Boss Shi was investigated for crimes, I signed directly with Time Media."

"I even offered to star as the male lead for free, but Director Li turned it down. He insisted on paying me standard market rates, and the company only takes a conventional commission. He told me to just make a friendly cameo appearance in his other projects once I skyrocketed to fame."

"The audition process was quite fair; it just required me to spend eight months lightening my skin tone."

Vicki Zhao took a sip of the red wine and frowned. "Only a signing requirement? As long as you fit the bill, you get the part? Tsk..."

"If this truly rivals *Meteor Garden*, and F4 is currently popular all over Asia, Xiaoming, I must congratulate you."

She still felt a bit speechless and frustrated!

If roles could be secured by maneuvering, building connections, and exchanging favors, she believed her backer, Old Wang, would be willing to pour in money and resources—just as he had done to secure her roles in *Just Follow Me* and *So Close*.

This was no different from how Real Estate tycoon Old Chen helped Crystal Liu secure *The Story of a Noble Family* and *Demi-Gods and Semi-Demons*!

Yet, Li Wenyu cared nothing for these networks of relationships or money. Once a contract was signed and acting skills passed muster, the role was locked in.

Right now, groups like China Star, Media Asia, Emperor Group, along with Jackie Chow, Stephen Chow, and Huayi Brothers, were all itching to jump onto the Li family chariot.

The connections her boyfriend Old Wang had within the industry simply weren't enough.

Vicki Zhao took another sip of her red wine. "It's so infuriating. It’s one thing for Fan Bingbing to rise to the ranks of an A-list actress, but on what grounds did Li Bingbing get it?"

"You know it too, Xiaoming. Right now, Brother Rong, the Heung family, and President Wang of Huayi are all whispering behind the scenes, urging The Tuner to break 150 million RMB at the mainland box office."

"On what grounds does Li Bingbing deserve this? Director Li hasn't even played—"

Gritting her teeth with envy and jealousy!

He hadn't even taken that beat-up old jalopy of a skinny Bing for a spin, so why on earth did she get the female lead in *The Tuner*?!

It was unreasonable, illogical, and frankly out of touch with the inner circle.

She knew that older veterans like Michele Lee and He Qing hadn't been touched by Li Wenyu either.

He Qing had gained thirty pounds for a role, causing her charm to plummet significantly.

Yet, under forty and once a strong contender for the title of the number one beauty in the mainland, that voluptuous fullness was still deeply alluring.

You might think a peerless beauty gaining thirty pounds means going from a normal 120 pounds to 150? Don't be ridiculous—due to camera angles, that meant going from ninety-something to over 120!

In the future era of the skinny toothpick aesthetic, gaining thirty pounds meant jumping from eighty to 110.

Michele Lee, at thirty-four, with her looks and aura recovering somewhat, was still a breathtakingly ravishing older sister!

Xiaoming was slightly thunderstruck, looking at Vicki Zhao in sheer disbelief. With that facial expression and demeanor, could it be that Director Li had given her an opening? You???

This was his goddess we were talking about.

Vicki Zhao was ready to cast aside all pride. "Xiaoming, when that major idol drama of yours—the one Director Li predicted would rival *Meteor Garden* and *Autumn in My Heart*—starts filming, do me a favor when I come to visit your set. Help me out and create an opportunity for me to toast Director Li a couple of times."

"Ideally, when that plump Bing isn't around, could you help cover for me?"

She had awakened to the machinery of capital through the assistance of her current boyfriend, and now, she cast aside the issue of her boyfriend Old Wang.

Among the many capitals in the Hong Kong circle, there was so much money to be made!

*The Tuner* had high hopes of breaking 150 million at the box office, and Hong Kong could add another 80 million?

Combined with the Taiwan region, wouldn't the total Chinese market have a shot at 300 million?

What a wretched world—Vicki Zhao wanted to beat some sense into that bastard junior brother of hers. Give her a chance, please! She could do it too, and she wanted to advance her career as well.

If *The Tuner* crossed 300 million in the Chinese region, and the female lead was handed to Li Bingbing simply because of a recommendation from plump Bing!

Vicki Zhao felt like dying of grief.

Huang Xiaoming also felt like crying. "No, isn't that going a bit too far? And honestly, I think..."

He desperately wanted to roar: What kind of bizarre topic are you talking about? You want me to help you win over Director Li?

Then all the suffering he had endured under Boss Shi would have been suffered in vain!

Vicki Zhao poured another glass of wine. "I don't care what you think, I care what I think. Old Wang is still messing around behind my back with some vixen, playing fast and loose."

"He even wants to hit on Li Yu. Does he really think I'm blind? Straddling four or five boats at once, aren't they afraid of kidney failure?"

She simply didn't care about the sordid affairs of Vanity Fair.

Vicki Zhao quickly raised her glass. "We've been classmates for four years and colleagues for two. You wouldn't refuse to help me, would you?"

Huang Xiaoming once again felt like crying. If he were asked to play Yuan Hua in *Goodbye Mr. Loser*, he wouldn't even need to act; he *was* Yuan Hua incarnate!

The meal had very little food eaten, but plenty of wine drunk. After Vicki Zhao left, Xiaoming ended up dead drunk in the private room and had to be carried back to his hotel by his assistants and aides.

***

On June 12, Li Wenyu and plump Bing arrived in Shanghai once again. The outside world was still engulfed in the massive "Another Bottle, Another Ticket" bombing campaign.

As time passed, this momentum only grew hotter and hotter!

Consumers felt their luck was exceptionally good, and sentiments like that were causing the general public to hold Wahaha as a massive brand and corporation in extremely high regard—and like it even more.

And as a pleasant side effect, the movie *The Tuner*, the latest masterpiece by the director of *The Shallows*, featured an all-star cast as well.

Amidst all kinds of publicity and promotion, word of mouth for *The Tuner* poured into every household and every major and minor street.

In a guest room at a luxury hotel in Shanghai, Li Wenyu received word that Jiang Qinqin, Zeng Li, Gao Yuanyuan, Hu Jing, Qin Lan, and other female stars were arriving one after another. He smiled and said to plump Bing, "Shall we begin the auditions?"

Plump Bing beamed with radiant joy. "The last time I went through an audition was back during *The Tuner*. Am I really sitting here as the boss's wife now?"

She was happy and excited not just because she was sitting at the panel of interviewers during a film's casting process.

It was because, facing beauties like Jiang Qinqin, Zeng Li, Yuanyuan, A-Jing, and Qin Lan... Old Li hadn't kept her in the dark!!

He had proactively invited her to join him.

Female stars with this level of visual appeal were prime targets for all sorts of industry "rules."

Every single one of them was in her early twenties, with the oldest being Jiang Qinqin at twenty-seven; they were all actresses who had surged into the top fifty most beautiful faces in Asia.

Today's auditions were for the roles of the second and fourth female leads in *My Love from the Star*.

One was a character who had grown up alongside the female protagonist, Li Jiaxin, acting as her supporting foil throughout the early stages; the other was a female star who would be murdered by the third male lead, the villain played by Yan Kuan.

This second character was also a rival female star who feuded and was openly hostile with the female protagonist, much like the daily mutual dirt-slinging and backstabbing between the "Four Dan Actresses and Two Bings."

While the first batch of actors had been preparing for months, these second and fourth female lead roles also required advance preparation.