FLBOTCP Chapter 45

Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path Chapter 45

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After Pei Mingzhan finished posting on Weibo, he didn’t bother with the online rumors. He and Zhao Yao had a simple meal together, and then they discussed matters related to the livestream platform for a while.

“Yao Bai is probably still busy. Can I wear my pajamas?” Pei Mingzhan glanced at the time.

Zhao Yao used to stay overnight at the company frequently and would occasionally return to his apartment in the morning to freshen up. He wasn’t particular about these things and replied, “Sure, it’s fine.”

It was just past 11 o’clock when they finished their discussion.

After taking a shower, Zhao Yao put on Pei Mingzhan’s pajamas. He hadn’t worn the underwear before, but everything else fit perfectly except being slightly larger. Seeing Pei Mingzhan tidying up documents, Zhao Yao said, “I’ve written half of the proposal document. Should I finish it before resting?”

It was still early at eleven o’clock, and there was some time left before he would sleep. He thought it would be better to take advantage of this time to finish his work while he was still mentally alert.

However, Pei Mingzhan closed his laptop and said, “It’s late enough already. Don’t you feel tired after playing for so long during the day?”

Zhao Yao paused for a moment and replied, “It’s fine. My schedule is usually late, and I can’t adjust it easily.”

Although his sleep quality had improved recently, he still didn’t feel sleepy until past midnight.

Pei Mingzhan led him to a guest bedroom, saying, “It’s better to rest early at night. It’s more comfortable to lie down and close your eyes than to focus on reading documents.”

After saying that, he added, “Let me get the blanket. Just wait here.”

Zhao Yao stood at the doorway of the guest bedroom, watching Pei Mingzhan come out from the master bedroom with a bedsheet in his arms.

Pei Mingzhan spread the bedsheet while saying, “The weather has turned cooler, and some blankets are still being washed and haven’t been returned yet. You can use this bedsheet for now.”

Zhao Yao said, “Actually, there’s no need to go through so much trouble. There’s a small blanket in the guest bedroom, which is enough.”

After finishing his work, Pei Mingzhan asked, “Has your sleep quality improved lately? Yao Bai and the others mentioned that you were still having insomnia?”

Zhao Yao nodded, “It has improved a lot.”

“Then go to sleep,” Pei Mingzhan said. “Or do I need to stay and have a conversation with you?”

“No need for that,” Zhao Yao replied.

After Pei Mingzhan left, Zhao Yao lay down on the bed to rest. He thought he would take a while to fall asleep or have trouble adjusting to the new environment, but as soon as his head touched the pillow, his whole body relaxed, and he quickly felt drowsy.

The pillow and bedsheets were freshly changed, and only the newly delivered blanket carried a faint scent of Pei Mingzhan.

The temperature in the guest bedroom was just right, and he could still see the city lights outside the window that never went out. Zhao Yao half-closed his eyes, gazing at the scenery outside before closing his eyes slightly. The exhaustion in his body overwhelmed him.

Before falling asleep, he thought in a daze,

“So many things happened today, yet I haven’t continued to ponder over them. It’s truly strange.”

After Pei Mingzhan finished tidying up the living room, he took a shower. Worried about Zhao Yao’s sleep, he specifically warmed a glass of milk for him.

When he finished with all these tasks and went to check on Zhao Yao in the guest bedroom, he discovered that Zhao Yao had already fallen asleep.

He stood outside the guest bedroom for a while, then quietly closed the door.

His phone, casually left on the sofa, was now lighting up. He walked over and answered the call, saying, “Hello? Big brother.”

He lowered his voice slightly, “I’m with him. He just fell asleep. The online matters are under control. I’ll have someone handle them.”

His older brother’s voice came through the phone, “Even Mom saw it online and said for you to bring Xiao Yao to our home when you have time. It’s been so many years since you last met.”

Pei Mingzhan chuckled, “It’s been so many years, yet she still remembers those things. It will take some time before we go back. Zhao Yao hasn’t mentioned anything about our childhood, and I don’t think he remembers it anymore.”

His older brother added, “You were so close when you were kids. You should bring it up with him.”

“Childhood is in the past,” Pei Mingzhan said. “Besides, our relationship isn’t based on those childhood memories. I feel like the Zhao family’s matters have had some impact on him, and it’s different from our childhood.”

The Elder Brother Pei said, “The Zhao family has been through so much in these years and aunt passing away early. Also, it’s not an ordinary family. Do you still expect him to follow you around like he did when he was a child?”

Pei Mingzhan leaned back slightly on the sofa and replied, “No, I don’t expect that anymore. He’s adorable as he is now.”

-*

When Zhao Yao woke up, Pei Mingzhan had already prepared breakfast.

As he was getting ready, he felt a bit surprised. He couldn’t believe that he could fall asleep so quickly in an unfamiliar environment. It was a night he hadn’t experienced since his rebirth. Since the night he had talked to Pei Mingzhan about some things, he had gradually stopped dwelling on his past life. Undeniably, his mental state had been greatly affected by past events, and excessive pondering had severely disrupted his sleep.

Yesterday, so many things happened, yet he fell asleep without any worries. It was as if he knew that the rumors online were irrelevant, and the matters regarding the livestreaming platform still required further consideration… All these things didn’t need his immediate attention.

“I asked the driver to bring the clothes for washing,” Zhao Yao said. “Do you have any plans for today?”

Pei Mingzhan replied, “I need to handle some matters at the company. Gu Sui went on a business trip. We can visit his studio next time.”

Zhao Yao nodded and said, “That works.”

After finishing breakfast, Zhao Yao’s driver arrived, and he took a shower and changed clothes before parting ways with Pei Mingzhan. On the way back, he noticed the rumors about “Li Meng” circulating online. Huihua had quickly managed the situation through public relations overnight, but scattered rumors still persisted, mainly targeting Zhang Qi.

When Chen Xi signed Zhang Qi to Huihua, he had already conducted a thorough background check on him. Most of the information matched what Pei Mingzhan had told him. After Zhang Qi’s wife’s death, he had been struggling alone with his daughter, facing suppression from others in the industry at every turn. Most of these people were instigated by Shiyang Films, the company that Zhang Qi had previously signed with under Dingfeng. Their goal was to make Zhang Qi unable to survive in this industry.

Shiyang Films was a well-known and influential company in the industry, and its boss was surnamed Lin. Zhang Qi had offended this Mr. Lin. Not only did Mr. Lin have considerable influence within the industry, but he also had connections in other circles. Therefore, most people in the industry would give him face and not think of offending him.

Chen Xi had considered this aspect from the beginning. Having conflicts with Dingfeng was a small matter, but getting into a feud with Shiyang Films would have later implications on film projects or online streaming projects. This was because the theaters and platforms under Shiyang Films were also well-known in the industry.

In this industry, perhaps Mr. Lin himself didn’t speak directly, but there were countless people who cleared obstacles for him.

Zhao Yao glanced through the documents sent by Yao Bai. Since Chen Xi didn’t mention this matter to him, it meant that it was within Chen Xi’s expectations, and therefore, Zhao Yao didn’t need to solve this matter.

In the eyes of those people, Zhang Qi was ultimately a dispensable person, at most a bit bothersome, but there were no conflicting interests.

However, things might change in the future. The growth of Huihua would undoubtedly encroach on the cake of certain individuals, and a lack of a win-win situation would inevitably lead to conflicts. In the eyes of others, they might see offending Shiyang Films for the sake of Zhang Qi as a reckless move. However, looking at Huihua’s current development plans, competing with Shiyang Films was only a matter of time.

They would inevitably come into conflict sooner or later. It wasn’t a matter of offending people for the sake of Zhang Qi. It was more like keeping Zhang Qi as an ace up their sleeve.

-*

Huihua acted swiftly, with the help of Pei Mingzhan’s studio. The black hot search that emerged just yesterday was quickly resolved. While suppressing the hot search, they also selected an auspicious day for the commencement of “Li Meng” and made several character announcements in response to the negative trend. At the same time, they essentially confirmed that Zhang Qi would play the role of Su Liguan, the male lead.

After receiving the report, Chen Xi pondered for a moment. “They won’t focus too much on ‘Li Meng,’ but the main emphasis will be on Zhang Qi. This is what the current production team needs to pay attention to. When necessary, they can utilize it for promotion, but if it involves core issues, the best approach is to clarify and provide explanations.”

The secretary said, “The person in charge also mentioned that the clarification plan will be prepared in advance. However, Mr. Chen, we discovered that there were individuals affiliated with Dingfeng behind yesterday’s incident. Should we handle this matter?”

“Today it’s Dingfeng, tomorrow there will be other individuals causing trouble,” Chen Xi had long been prepared for this. “After all, Zhang Qi was once a frozen artist, and him taking on the leading role was bound to attract others’ targeting. These are all trivial matters. As long as Shiyang Films doesn’t intervene, at other times, you can let the production team handle things freely.”

The secretary nodded. “The invitation for the RH Party next week has already arrived. However…”

“What is it?” Chen Xi asked.

The secretary handed the invitation to Chen Xi. “We received two invitations. One was from Huihua, and the other one bears the name of Mr. Zhao. The RH Party specifically invited Mr. Zhao.”

Chen Xi was shocked. “The Great Demon King specifically invited Mr. Zhao?!”

-*

Yao Bai was exhausted from his busy schedule, and when he finally had some time to rest, he suddenly noticed that his brother had been going to Pei Mingzhan’s place these past few days. On this day, he arrived at Zhao Yao’s apartment with the invitation letter entrusted to him by Chen Xi, only to find Zhao Yao sitting on the couch, going through some documents.

“Uncle Wang, is my brother not watching TV dramas today?” Yao Bai looked puzzled at the folders on the table.

Uncle Wang approached him and said, “Young Master just finished watching the latest episode. The next episode will be released in two days.”

Yao Bai asked, “Are those documents sent by Chen Xi?”

“No, they were sent by Mr. Pei,” Uncle Wang replied. “Lately, Young Master has been discussing a collaboration with Mr. Pei. He will make time this afternoon to review the documents.”

“Xiao Bai is here?” Zhao Yao turned his head to look at him. “How are things going with the project?”

Yao Bai finally sat down beside him. His brother seemed unconcerned about the crisis the project faced, and instead, he occasionally asked what Yao Bai had learned from dealing with the issues. It was as if “Li Meng” was merely a project given to him to practice on, without any regard for how much investment Huihua had put into it.

“Except for a few troubles we encountered a few days ago, things have been mostly resolved recently,” Yao Bai briefly explained the incident where Zhang Qi was targeted. He also talked about how the project team handled the crisis. “This Zhang Qi is quite tough. Recently, I came across some unfavorable information about him, and I realized that he has had a difficult time over the years. His daughter’s illness may not be a serious one, but the expenses involved are very high. He has been spending a lot of money into it for the past two years. Now he has hired someone to take care of his daughter while he tirelessly rehearses lines and tries to find the right emotions.”

“Finding the right emotions?” Zhao Yao was a bit curious.

Yao Bai explained, “The character Su Liguan has many facets. Although it requires a certain level of experience, connecting the character’s experiences with real-life emotions needs refinement. Two days before the makeup photo shoot, Zhang Qi spent the whole night discussing with Director Tang and then started dieting to get into the right emotional state. He even went to the countryside and spent a night there. When he returned the next day, his whole demeanor had changed.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao thought of Pei Mingzhan’s high praise for Zhang Qi and said, “He is a very talented actor.”

“I can sense that he’s under a lot of pressure,” Yao Bai, busy with the project, could naturally see Zhang Qi’s efforts. “I hope he performs well.”

Zhao Yao paused in flipping through the documents and said, “Yao Bai, as one of the project leaders, you shouldn’t focus too much on the actors’ feelings. It’s not that considering their feelings is a bad thing, but you have a broader perspective compared to others. Actors are focused on their performances, while you are facing all the issues that arise throughout the entire project. Everyone needs to do their job well in their respective positions, but that’s not enough. Completing 100% of the work may not necessarily result in 100% returns. Similarly, you need to invest more in this project.”

“I don’t think you need to worry too much about how Zhang Qi portrays this character because of his unique experiences. He has high standards for himself. He’s not a newcomer to the industry. He has played lead roles, supporting roles, and even worked as an extra. He has seen a lot of things,” Zhao Yao lowered his gaze slightly and continued flipping through the documents. “Someone like him will cherish the opportunity in front of him because he understands that if he takes on this project, he needs to achieve returns that exceed expectations. Otherwise, the public’s perception of him won’t change, and his enemies will have more chances to push him off a cliff. But that’s not enough. A project is not solely carried by the lead actor. You, the behind-the-scenes staff also need to put in effort.”

“So, if you really want to do well in this project, you have to dedicate more time and energy,” Zhao Yao stated simply. “Opportunities wait for no one. Even students understand this concept, let alone adults like you who have already experienced many things.”

Yao Bai listened with mixed emotions. “I understand. I will supervise others to ensure their work is done well.”

He handed the invitation letter to Zhao Yao and said, “By the way, Chen Xi asked me to deliver this invitation to you. It’s strange, but Huihua actually received two invitation letters, and one of them is specifically addressed to you.”

Zhao Yao took the invitation letter, briefly glanced at it, and closed it.

Yao Bai asked, “Brother, aren’t you surprised?”

“Because it’s her, it’s very much her style,” Zhao Yao continued reading the documents. “Chen Xi will be busy with the press conference next week, and since there are two invitation letters, Huihua probably intends to send a high-level representative. Arrange your work for the next few days and come with me next week.”

Yao Bai nodded. “Do I need to prepare anything?”

“No, just bring yourself. Don’t be nervous,” Zhao Yao continued reading the documents. “Consider it a trip to relax.”

-*

Lu Zishi’s phone was hung up by someone from the company again, and even the vice president refused to answer his calls. Things had been calm online these past few days. When the news about Zhang Qi’s incident broke out a few days ago, Lu Zishi had intended to stir up some trouble. However, he didn’t expect that the marketing accounts he had previously collaborated with would claim to have received a message from the company, stating that they didn’t plan to get involved in this matter.

Now Lu Zishi’s agent started to get anxious. These marketing accounts had never refused their requests before, and Lu Zishi’s popularity was currently on the rise. The company should have been supporting them, so why did things suddenly change? He decided to call the vice president, but to his surprise, the vice president didn’t answer the phone, and even the people in the company started rejecting their requests.

The agent had some connections and after inquiring carefully, he found out that the top boss was exerting influence. Now, every department in the company was reporting and handling matters related to Lu Zishi’s studio. Even the two resources they were supposed to collaborate with were given to other B-list celebrities. It was obvious that they were withholding resources from Lu Zishi.

“What’s going on?” Lu Zishi slammed his phone down. “They were talking about contract renewal with me earlier, and now they’re diverting our resources? I don’t want to stay with this company anymore. It’s not the only place I can go. Call the company that approached us earlier and let’s review the contract in a couple of days.”

With the company treating them like this and giving their resources to someone else, there was no way they would stay. Lu Zishi could easily find another company to work with.

The agent tried to explore other options, but after making some calls, his face turned gray with defeat. “There’s nothing we can do.”

Lu Zishi exclaimed in astonishment, “What do you mean, there’s nothing we can do? Wasn’t there another company that approached us two days ago?”

The agent said, “I just made a call, and they said we have offended someone.”

“Offended someone?” Lu Zishi pondered but couldn’t figure out any reason. His resources have been smooth this year, plus he had Mr. Wang’s special support. He was gradually approaching the position of a top-tier influencer, and he always acted carefully when dealing with these big shots, making sure not to offend them. “Could they be mistaken?”

The agent looked distressed and said, “It can’t be a mistake. Just think about the attitude of the company and these people. It’s obvious they don’t want to deal with us anymore. Think carefully if you have offended anyone recently. If all else fails, why don’t you call Mr. Wang and ask?”

Only now did Lu Zishi become nervous. “I’ll make the call right away.”

He took out his phone and dialed Mr. Wang’s number. After two attempts, the call went through, but he immediately heard Mr. Wang’s impatient tone on the other end.

Lu Zishi had to soften his voice and ask about the situation.

Mr. Wang said, “Xiao Lu, this is a difficult situation. Didn’t you send the water army to mess with the ‘Li Meng’ drama crew recently?”

Lu Zishi responded, “But that drama crew is just a small and poor production of Huihua Agency. What does it have to do with this?”

Laughter could be heard from the other end of the phone, indicating that Mr. Wang was socializing with others.

Upon hearing Lu Zishi’s question, Mr. Wang said, “This is a tricky situation. Since you know it’s a Huihua drama crew, then you should know who the current boss of Huihua is, right?”

“Nowadays, many companies are eager to collaborate with Huihua. By directly offending their drama crew, which company would take your offer now? Being associated with you also means crossing paths with Huihua.” Mr. Wang continued after a moment, “The drama crew may be small, but the power behind it is not. Do you know who is currently leading Huihua? It’s Zhao Yao. His abilities are not as simple as the rumors suggest. You know about Zhao Group, right? It has handed over its Xingchen subsidiary to Zhao Yao. If Huihua threatens to go after you, who would dare to help you?”

Lu Zishi was completely dumbfounded. What did this all mean?

Did Huihua really issue a threat against him just because of the “Li Meng” drama crew?

“Wang ge, you have to help me with this. I really didn’t expect it to turn out like this,” Lu Zishi pleaded in a low and submissive voice. “Should I go and apologize to Mr. Zhao? It’s not what he thinks. I…”

Mr. Wang smiled and replied, “We’ve known each other for a while now, but I can’t help you with this. I’ll take you to the party next week, and whether you can salvage the situation depends on you.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Lu Zishi felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing there stunned, unable to utter a word.

The agent anxiously asked, “What did Mr. Wang say? Is there any hope in this situation?”

Lu Zishi replied despondently, “We’re finished.”

On the other end, Mr. Wang hung up the phone and turned to the person sitting at the head of the table. There were others around, offering toasts.

The man referred to as “Lin Zong”¹ appeared to be in his thirties. At this moment, he leisurely picked at peanuts, ignoring the flattery from others. When he heard Mr. Wang’s words, he suddenly became interested and asked, “Is that so?”

 -*

Zhao Yao went to Gu Sui’s studio a few times with Pei Mingzhan. The boss was not there, but the other people in the studio were diligently preparing. After a few visits, Zhao Yao stopped going since Gu Sui wouldn’t be back for a few more days, and he was busy with other matters during that time.

Knowing that he was going to RH, besides asking Chen Xi to send over some materials, Zhao Yao also had EV check on the current situation of RH in recent years.

He knew very little about the events in his lifetime, and even when he tried to recall related matters, his impressions mostly stayed in the following years. The domestic market was currently undergoing significant changes and turbulence. Some companies may appear successful now but would fail within a couple of years, while some companies may currently have no reputation but would rise unexpectedly during these market fluctuations.

RH had always been stable, whether in the present or in the following years.

Zhao Ruihong didn’t have many industries under her name. She had the ability to thrive in the business circle, but she wasn’t inclined to take risks. So, in recent years, her focus had been primarily on managing RH’s overseas industries and reputation, while the RH’s domestic presence also stands strong internationally, thanks to its brand. Although it couldn’t compare to well-known brands with a history of hundreds of years, it held a prominent position among new brands.

After going through the materials provided by EV, Zhao Yao had a general understanding of RH’s situation. Those were minor issues. The only question remained about Zhao Ruihong’s attitude towards him during this period. He was unsure of how she perceived him now.

In terms of their past relationship, they could be considered as having a good sister-brother relationship. However, if he were to recall their last encounter in their previous lifetime, their relationship was reduced to a cold congratulations.

“Brother, are you leaving?” Yao Bai had long been prepared, and the supervisor who was now officially in charge of managing fashion resources at Huihua accompanied him.

Wearing a low-key black suit, Zhao Yao took the thermos bottle handed over by Uncle Wang, gave a few instructions upon hearing Yao Bai’s question, and then left the apartment.

The driver had been waiting downstairs for a while, and Zhao Yao got into the car ahead of them.

The supervisor followed behind Yao Bai, cautiously asking, “Mr. Zhao seems very calm about this?”

Going to a party with a thermos bottle in tow, it gave off a mysterious and unpredictable aura, like when his old man went out to practice Tai Chi. The supervisor had been at the company for some time and had seen Zhao Yao in meetings, but Zhao Yao rarely expressed his opinions. Most of the time, he let them make their own decisions. Now, being asked to follow Zhao Yao to the Great Demon King’s party, he couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation.

Yao Bai still had a list of names in his hand to avoid not recognizing people at the party. He patted the supervisor’s shoulder and said, “Don’t be nervous. My Yao Ge, said to us that we can relax and enjoy ourselves at the party.”

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1. President Lin [↩]