Is This How the Entertainment Industry Works? (GL) - Chapter 35

The promotional video for Qing Shan Yuan was released.

It opened with the three large characters “Qing Shan Yuan” written in sweeping ink-wash style. Immediately following, a scene between Zhao Baoshang and Yan Zhen flashed onto the screen. The footage showed the two locked in a gaze beneath the shadows of trees at night. Yan Zhen called out, “Miss.”

The scene shifted. The wind whistled loudly. Inside a small wooden room sat half a cup of cold tea.

Ning An, played by Zhao Baoshang, pulled back the fleece blanket covering her, draped on a black cloth coat, and walked slowly to the window. She watched the heavy snowflakes falling outside. After a moment, she said in a flat tone, “The world is about to fall into chaos.”

Qing Zhu stood behind her, hidden in the shadows, her expression unreadable.

The wind and snow continued to howl. Ning An turned back abruptly and said to Qing Zhu, “I need you to do something for me.”

Qing Zhu slowly looked up, glanced at Ning An, and knelt: “For Miss, this servant will not hesitate even in the face of ten thousand deaths.”

Ning An’s expression remained unchanged. She turned her back to Qing Zhu. “I have always regarded you as a friend, but for this matter… it must be you.”

Qing Zhu froze. She closed her eyes and then opened them again. “I will do my utmost.”

As the words fell, the rhythmic dong-dong of a flower drum sounded. Two young girls were jumping and running in the street. One little girl suddenly stopped, looking at a roadside stall: “Miss, I want to eat tanghulu.”

The other little girl was disdainful: “What’s so good about tanghulu? Cousin is coming today, and the kitchen is making roast chicken and duck. Let’s hurry back!”

A moment later, the scene shifted again, spanning from their childhood to the night of the family’s massacre, from the martial arts world to the arena of fame and fortune. Ning An walked the path alone, seeking clues to find the truth, and Qing Zhu followed behind—neither rushing nor falling behind. She saw Ning An questioning passersby, saw Ning An unable to sleep, saw Ning An sobbing in secret. She saw much.

Ning An’s lightfoot skills improved; Ning An confided her secrets; Ning An found the truth of the massacre; Ning An got married.

All of this finally dissolved into a memory etched in Qing Zhu’s mind. Amidst the wind and snow, Qing Zhu stood under the eaves of a wooden mountain hut, watching Ning An leave with an umbrella. The footprints in the snow were covered by falling flakes, the image faded, and the word “END” appeared.

Viewers were left confused:

【Why is it all scenes of the female lead and the maid? Where is the male lead?】

【…This trailer is toxic. I thought I was watching a fan-made shipping video????】

【Is the maid played by that All-Star champion? She has no expression; did she get plastic surgery paralysis?】

Director Xu came out to speak: “Everyone, don’t worry! This is just a portion of the content! A small part showing friendship and family! I’ll release the romance parts later.”

Netizens weren’t buying it: 【Pah, this isn’t love? I’m already crying.】

Yan Zhen also felt moved after watching it. She ran to ask Zhao Baoshang, “Did you see our promo video?”

Zhao Baoshang nodded.

Yan Zhen asked curiously, “Do you have any thoughts?”

“Thoughts? What thoughts could I have? Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” Zhao Baoshang’s voice suddenly spiked, then quickly calmed down as she said, “You must be very excited right now. Fine, since I’m a magnanimous person, I won’t make it difficult for you. I allow you to express your ‘liking’ directly.”

Yan Zhen was silent. “…Huh?”

Zhao Baoshang snorted. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Also, I don’t like this promo at all.”

Just as she finished, Director Xu trotted over: “Zhao Er! Zhao Er! That ‘Collector’s Edition’ of the promo you asked for—I had someone burn it for you. Do you want it now or should I mail it to your house?”

Zhao Baoshang’s face turned so red it looked like it was burning. “Shut up!”

Director Xu scratched his head. “What? Didn’t you say it was urgent? I had people rush it. Look, the cover is the poster of the two of you. Guaranteed limited edition!”

“You misheard!” Zhao Baoshang walked over aggressively, snatched the CD, and shoved it at Yan Zhen. “I knew you liked it, so I specifically asked someone to get it for you.”

Director Xu: “Huh? You’re giving it away? You just said—”

He didn’t finish; he was silenced by Zhao Baoshang’s cold glare. Director Xu felt his heart racing—cursing her for being so beautiful yet so vicious—and turned to leave silently.

After he left, Zhao Baoshang chatted with her “little fan.” She looked at Yan Zhen with feigned disdain. “You really are the luckiest fan in the world.”

Yan Zhen said nothing.

“Don’t you think so too?” Zhao Baoshang asked.

“Mhm,” Yan Zhen replied quickly. She flipped the CD over and looked at it. After a moment, she offered her opinion: “Actually, I don’t really like this promo.”

“What?” Zhao Baoshang paused, her eyes widening. “You dare?”

Yan Zhen explained, “I don’t really like snowy days. Even though I know the ending was made with CGI special effects, it feels too tragic.”

Zhao Baoshang froze. Yan Zhen touched the promotional image, thinking of her own death in her past life. It had been a day of high winds and heavy snow when a group of people rolled her in a straw mat and pushed her off the city wall, shouting about “purging the court.”

She sighed and then asked, “By the way, did someone go to your house yesterday?”

“Mhm,” Zhao Baoshang nodded.

“Did anything happen?”

Zhao Baoshang thought about it, pulled Yan Zhen aside, and told her about the black bronze toad. “A fate master my grandfather knows came to check the Feng Shui, but his skill wasn’t high enough; he didn’t see anything.”

“I see.” Yan Zhen realized. The array she had set at Zhao Baoshang’s house had been disturbed. She thought it was an intruder, but it was just a Feng Shui check.

However, the black bronze toad was not a simple matter. She decided to visit Zhao Baoshang’s house when she had the chance.

“What are you thinking about?” Zhao Baoshang asked.

“I want to go to your house,” Yan Zhen replied.

“I knew it.” Zhao Baoshang patted Yan Zhen’s head. “Perform well. If you do, I’ll take you there.”

Director Xu called Zhao Baoshang to act. She changed into her costume, and the makeup artist gave her a vibrant look.

“Come here,” she beckoned to Yan Zhen. Yan Zhen walked over and crouched beside her.

“Go pull up a stool and sit,” Zhao Baoshang said. Once Yan Zhen was at the right height, Zhao Baoshang leaned in and left a bright red lip print on Yan Zhen’s cheek.

The “Princess’s” lips were a bit cool. Yan Zhen was stunned and reached up to wipe it, but Zhao Baoshang stopped her. “You are my fan.” She pinched Yan Zhen’s cheek. “This is the seal I give to fans. You’re not allowed to wipe it off.”

Yan Zhen nodded, a mysterious feeling of joy rising in her heart. Nearby, the makeup artist’s hand stiffened, looking like she’d eaten something sour.

“Next time you kiss me, remember to tell me beforehand, or I’ll get scared,” Yan Zhen said.

Zhao Baoshang snorted. “You’re so timid, what’s the use of you?”

Yan Zhen choked. “I-I might be useless, but I’m still your fan.” She had already accepted her fan status by default.

A blush rose on Zhao Baoshang’s face. “Are you just banking on the fact that I’m soft-hearted? You shameless little fan!”

The makeup artist accidentally dropped a compact of powder on the floor. Yan Zhen finally noticed someone else was there. “Are you okay?”

The makeup artist shook her head rapidly. “I’m fine, I’m fine! You two carry on!”

Later, Yan Zhen ran into Yu Lian on set. Yu Lian had brought her a glass of juice.

“Sister Lian?” Yan Zhen greeted her.

Yu Lian asked about the MMV endorsement. Yan Zhen explained that the company said her content was unqualified and intended to replace her with Alin unless she reshot it.

“I could tell you were soft-natured,” Yu Lian said. “If you didn’t have real talent, you’d be bullied to death.” She invited Yan Zhen to the fourth-floor lounge.

There, she introduced Yan Zhen to a major shareholder of Tianhua, Lin Xiaomei. Lin had been betrayed by her husband, who scammed her out of her money and was now threatening her. She wanted revenge.

“Help me pass the MMV review as a deposit,” Lin said. “For the rest, as long as I can do it, I will help you, and the money will be plenty. Is this offer sincere enough?”

Yan Zhen looked at a photo of the husband. He was a small-minded “rat” type. Even without her intervention, he would face disaster within a week and come begging Lin for forgiveness.

“I will help you,” Yan Zhen said. “But remember, you must bear all consequences yourself. If something irreversible happens, there is no turning back. You must not regret it.” Lin nodded.

The next day, a notice was posted at Tianhua. The photographer was fired for taking bribes and distorting the quality of the MMV shoot. Alin and Della were given severe warnings.

The photographer was devastated. Without Tianhua, her “dedicated” status for MMV was gone. Alin, seeing her at the door, tried to ask for help, but the photographer slapped her across the face and left.

Zhao Baoshang, hearing about this on set, asked Yu Lian. After hearing the story, she walked to Yan Zhen’s side.

“The MMV commercial… if I recall, it was your prize?” Zhao Baoshang’s expression turned icy. “So, there really was a problem with your endorsement, but you went to Lin Xiaomei instead of coming to me?”

“Mhm…” Yan Zhen replied subconsciously. After she answered, a chill suddenly rose in her heart.

Author’s Note:

Zhao Baoshang: Why didn’t you come to me?!

Yan Zhen: I was afraid of your Love Gu acting up…