Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, the Diary of a 95 Flower

Leaving the Marriott Hotel.

A guild bus was coming towards them, and the extras, carrying simple bags, were lining up to board the bus one by one.

Jiang Yang's cell phone rang.

It's the number that was noted down, Zhou Qi.

I remember now, it was when I first arrived in Hengdian, the team leader I met said: "Teacher Jiang Yang! Congratulations on becoming the top scorer..."

"It was an exceptional performance. Even if I did it again, I still wouldn't pass," Jiang Yang said with a smile.

Zhou Qi doesn't usually contact him.

If they call at this exact moment, something must have happened.

After exchanging a few polite words, Zhou Qi said on the phone, "Well, Mr. Jiang Yang, let me be frank, the news of you being the top scorer in the college entrance examination has gone viral all over the internet. Our guild leader specifically instructed me to make sure we get in touch with you."

"The guild is looking for me?"

"Yes, yes, we want to invite you to be the cultural promotion ambassador for Hengdian World Studios."

Zhou Qi's tone was tentative.

In the background, there are noisy sounds from the film set.

You can tell at a glance which film set called him.

"Professor Jiang Yang, are you free right now? Would it be convenient to schedule a time to meet and talk?"

We chatted briefly, then hung up.

Jiang Yang understood what a cultural promotion ambassador was; frankly, it was just someone trying to ride on his current popularity and promote Hengdian World Studios to attract more film crews.

This year, Hengdian is expanding by taking advantage of the film and television industry experimental zone.

Often labeled as a base for period dramas, it desperately needs fresh symbols that can break stereotypes.

His current status as the top scorer in the college entrance examination has attracted attention.

Jiang Yang knew very well.

This presented him with an opportunity to negotiate.

The film and television dramas we're preparing for next are modern dramas.

Tian Xiwei, who was standing nearby, took out her phone and sent a message to the [Beautiful Girl Battle 4] group: ["Have you guys sat down yet? Jiang Yang and I are here."]
Bai Lu replied: ["It's on the table. Let me tell you, Xiwei, Chaoyue is really stingy. I wanted to order a 1.5L Sprite from the menu, but she wouldn't let me. So she ran out and bought three 500ml bottles of Sprite, saying it was cheaper that way. I'm speechless."]
Yang Chaoyue chimed in: ["Save where you should, spend where you should, be greedy where you should. @Jiang Yang, @Tian Xiwei, you two hurry up, I've already packed up all of Yang Ge's groceries."]
Zhang Ruonan sent a message: ["I also want to eat hot pot... What groceries did Chaoyue buy for Jiang Yang? Don't hot pot restaurants have them? You even went out to buy them for Jiang Yang. Chaoyue, you're so good to your boss."]
Yang Chaoyue replied: ["That's it, Yang-ge's favorite food, really, you guys don't understand. On my very first day signing with Jiang Yang's company, Jiang Yang specifically asked for this."]
Then I posted a photo that I had just taken.

In the center of the photo, an open white plastic takeout box contains a plate of extra spicy pork trotter rice.

Bright red chili oil soaks into the rice, two pieces of stewed pork trotters lie on top of the rice, their skin and flesh trembling and covered with thick sauce, while pickled cowpeas and braised eggs are piled up next to them.

Yang Chaoyue posted another message: ["Extra spicy pork trotter rice, Yang-ge's favorite."]
Zhang Ruonan replied: [“Does Jiang Yang like to eat this?”]
Hengdian Wansheng Street.

The newly opened Wudu Hot Pot restaurant is having a grand opening discount event.

Yang Chaoyue chose a booth by the window.

The table was covered with side dishes.

The bok choy was glistening with water droplets, fresh duck blood was cut into cubes, and sliced ​​beef and lamb were arranged in alternating red and white. There was also frozen tofu, quail eggs, and wide rice noodles, which filled most of the table.

The copper pot stand in the middle is ready.

The bottom of the pot was bubbling away, with red oil floating on the surface, and a generous amount of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns sprinkled on top, the aroma filling the air.

Yang Chaoyue typed a reply to Zhang Ruonan in the group: [“Why would I lie to you? Many people know about this, @Zhou Ye.”]
Zhou Ye chimed in: ["Yes, Ruonan, Jiang Yang likes to eat this stuff. Xiwei reminded me of this. I noted it down in my notes. We Chongqing people are particularly good at eating spicy food, unlike you Wenzhou people."]
Zhang Ruonan replied: [“Okay, I’ll buy some for Jiang Yang next time too.”]
Zhang Ruonan posted again: ["@Haochun, you should also write this down, we'll both write it down."]
Liu Haochun chimed in: [“Haochun received this!”]
Zhao Jinmai responded: [“Chaoyue, you scheming bitch, you’ll make Xiao Jiang a dog one day, but I like it, hahaha.”]
Liu Haochun typed: [“MaiMai, what does ‘dog die’ mean?”]
Finish sending this message.

She opened her mother's chat window.

I sent her score a long time ago. It was over 390 points, which is not as good as Xiwei's, let alone Jiangyang's, but it's enough for her to get into Beijing Dance Academy.

From a young age, her mother told her, "Haochun, one minute on stage requires ten years of practice off stage. If you slack off even once, you'll fall behind others! Don't shed tears. Your legs are for dancing, not for acting cute!"

“I work day and night to run the studio and save every penny to support your dance lessons, not so you can just coast along, you know?”

“If you don’t get into Beijing Dance Academy, all your hard work over the years will have been for nothing, and all my efforts will have been wasted.”

"I admit I've never amounted to much in my life. I just hope you can escape our little town and reach a bigger stage. You can't let me down."

In my memory, my mother had given me gentle comfort.

But rarely.

They were all when they were very young.

So few that I can't even remember them.

Since her mother discovered her talent for dance and asked her to learn to dance, her mother's words to her have been filled with real demands and pressure.

It stretched an invisible string in her mind to its limit.

My mother worked so hard and trained her so strictly so that she could get into the Beijing Dance Academy in the future.

I passed the exam.

The moment I saw my score, I showed it to my mom.

But my mother hasn't replied yet.

He must be busy.

My mother runs a dance studio in our hometown in Jilin.

I imagine the studio is currently busy giving intensive training to a group of children who are about to take their exams.

After all, June is the peak season for dance exams.

My mom's studio must have been full of kids who signed up, from lower elementary to middle school students.

The mother not only had to personally lead the children in the basic class to practice their basic skills and correct their movements, but also had to supervise the rehearsals of the advanced class, and also had to find time to communicate with parents about the examination precautions and verify the registration information. She was very busy.

I probably won't see any news about her until tonight.

Understanding my mother's difficulties is actually a way of comforting myself.

I feel an indescribable grievance in my heart.

No matter how busy she is, today is the day she gets her college entrance exam scores.

My phone vibrated; it was a reply from my mom: ["You got into the Beijing Dance Academy? Great!"]
Liu Haochun hesitated for a few seconds.

Typing: ["Mom, you said you'd reward me if I got into the Beijing Dance Academy, and I did."]
She added another point: "[You said this when I went to study in Beiping during my first year of high school.]"
The top of the chat box displays the other person's typing progress.

My mother sent me a message: ["Why are you always thinking about rewards? All these years of sacrifices I've made for you, isn't that a reward? What are you so proud of?"]
"I'm not arrogant."
"What about your friends, Tian Xiwei, Jiang Yang, and Yang Chaoyue? What scores did they get?"
Send over Tian Xiwei's and Jiang Yang's scores.

Mom sent me a message: ["Xiwei scored almost a hundred points higher than you, and Jiangyang even became the top scorer. What are you so proud of? Why don't you learn from her? Tell me, who can you compare to?"]
"Mom, I'm not proud."
"What about Yang Chaoyue's score?"
"The results for the advanced students will be released tomorrow, but my score should be higher than theirs."
Liu Haochun just sent this message.

Some regrets.

Because I don't want to compare myself with others.

Another reason is that the scoring system for the exams in Chaoyue's hometown of Jiangsu is different from that in Beiping. The total scores are different, so comparing them would be unfair to Chaoyue.

I just retracted this message.

But Mom obviously saw it.

My mother's message came immediately: ["Don't compare yourself to those worse than you! Compare yourself to those better than you!"]
[“Mom, Chaoyue is just as good as me, she’s amazing.”]
"Stop talking nonsense, Haochun. Remember, your future is in your own hands. Don't really treat Chaoyue and the others as your sisters. Use them when you need to, as long as it helps you climb the ladder. Jiang Yang can be your stepping stone too. Have you forgotten what I taught you since you were little? No man is a good one. I don't have anything else to teach you anymore, I'm just sharing these experiences with you. If you don't see through these things, you'll die in this society without even knowing how you get schemed against and trapped."
After talking with my mom.

Liu Haochun lowered his head, his bangs covering half of his face.

Yang Chaoyue, who was sitting next to me, and Bai Lu, who was sitting opposite me, were chatting and laughing happily.

Liu Haochun felt as if she were inside a transparent dome, and the hustle and bustle outside had nothing to do with her.

She smiled back.

Read your mother's words again.

I feel a tightness in my chest.

I used to think these were just my mother's survival wisdom.

It was meant to help her avoid detours, but reading it now, it felt so unfamiliar that it chilled her to the bone.

In her mother's eyes, could her friendship with Chaoyue and Xiwei, and Jiang Yang's kindness in recognizing her talent, all be considered tools for climbing the social ladder?

Not surprising.

Because my mother has always been like this.

I have always obeyed my mother and lived according to her experience since I was a child.

When did I start to feel that my mother's past experiences couldn't be applied to me?

It probably started at the beginning of this year.

My mother said that all men are bad, they only lust after her body.

Jiang Yang never touched her, but he wrote songs for her, composed music for her, sang for her, and acted in big-budget TV dramas for her.

I never craved her body as my mother claimed, and I always respected her boundaries.

My mother said that girls always scheme against each other. If she says she's doing better than the girls around her, she'll be envied; if she's doing worse, she'll be suppressed.

But in reality, Chaoyue and Xiwei took good care of her on set.

I will only be there for her when she is sad, and be genuinely happy for her when she makes progress.

Bai Lu wouldn't bully her; she would often tell her interesting gossip she had heard to make her laugh.

These genuine feelings of warmth were something she truly experienced.

But Mom couldn't see any of that; all she saw were grades and the calculation of climbing the ladder.

My legs have bruises and old scars from years of dancing.

Over the years, following my mother's instructions, I dared not be lazy or playful, and devoted myself wholeheartedly to dancing and exams.

She thought that getting into the Beijing Dance Academy would please her mother and earn her a sincere compliment.

But what she received was not a reward or recognition, but criticism that she was arrogant and that she couldn't compare to others.

And the teachings that treat those around you as tools.

My mother's experience was something she gained through half a lifetime of trials.

She knew that her mother wanted to protect her from being bullied.

But why must these experiences be built upon the denial of all that is good?

Why can't we believe that there really is selfless help and pure friendship in this world?

She turned off her phone screen.

My mother's past experiences really can't be applied to her.

The times have changed.

The environment they are in is also different.

The man my mother met back then was my father, who was attracted to my mother's beauty.

But the person she met was Jiang Yang, who made her feel loved.

She kept that number in her heart.

More than one million.

Once I've paid off all that money for my parents, I won't owe them anything anymore.

and so.

Even if I get into the Beijing Dance Academy, I still have to keep working hard!!!

The phone vibrates.

In the [Battle of the Girls 4] group chat, Liu Haochun received a reply from Zhao Jinmai: ["Haochun, don't you even know what 'go die' means? You must be out of your mind from filming. It's about Huang Zitao's impromptu rap at his Changsha concert, 'I won't just go die like that,' and then it became a meme. It's something that happened recently."]
Liu Haochun typed: ["I've learned it, and so will I. I won't just die so easily!!!!"]
Zhao Jinmai sent a message: [“Oh my god, Chongqing hotpot is really awesome! Hao Chun is totally fired up.”]
Bai Lu sat opposite, wearing a bracelet on her wrist.

In front of me is a 500ml bottle of Coca-Cola that Chaoyue just bought.

After sending a message in the "[Hoeing the Farmers at Noon]" group, I noticed my mom had sent a message in the "[A Loving Family]" group: "[Lulu, your boss is quite handsome.]"
[“He’s just like that.”] Bai Lu typed in reply.

You can guess.

My mom must have seen Jiang Yang on the trending topics.

Is Jiang Yang handsome?
When I first saw him, I did think he was quite handsome.

However, the filter of her being handsome shattered instantly because Jiang Yang wouldn't let her into the company's internal group, and because of his lecherous tendencies.

What's most infuriating is...

Jiang Yang slept with Nazha, Meng Ziyi, and Ruonan, yet he always said he'd rather die than sleep with her. His actions certainly reflected this.

From childhood, she was praised by her elders for her beauty and good skin, but in Jiang Yang's eyes, it was as if he couldn't see her.

The advantage is that she has no worries about Jiang Yang having any ulterior motives towards her.

The downside is that your self-esteem is trampled on by the dog-like boss.

Mom continued: ["That's really impressive. When you first said he was a high school student, I thought it was hard to believe. He's the top scorer in the college entrance exam!"]
Bai Lu typed a reply: ["My boss is awesome!"]
Mom posted another message: ["Guan Xiaotong and Lu Han both specially posted on Weibo to congratulate him. In your industry, he must have a lot of connections... I know Guan Xiaotong, she's the nation's daughter, I've seen her dramas, but who is this Lu Han? He seems quite famous."]
My mother only knows Guan Xiaotong, not Lu Han.

Very normal.

In the previous generation, Guan Xiaotong was more famous than Lu Han.

However, among young people, Lu Han is undoubtedly a top influencer.

Bai Lu continued in reply: [“My boss is awesome!”]
Mom asked again, "How is Jiang Yang treating you?"
Saw this message.

Bai Lu's first thought was that the dog boss pinched her butt, and it really hurt.

Several times, I reached in and pinched a small clump of flesh, like I'd just received a shot in the butt.

Of course, I can't tell my mom about this: ["My boss is very good to me."]
[“When you went home a few days ago, you kept calling Jiang Yang ‘dog boss,’ but now it’s all ‘boss, boss.’”]
"I'm proud!"
After talking with my mom.

Bai Lu glanced at the group name: [A Loving Family]
It feels too ordinary.

Because Sister Meng's family group has this name, Boss Gou's family group and Xiwei's family group also have this name.

Hao Chun's family group is also like that.

I heard that Zhao Jinmai's family group is the same.

Ruonan and Chaoyue were the only exceptions.

Ruonan has left the family group.

However, Chaoyue has no family group.

It's like a nationally standardized family group chat template.

After meeting more people, Bai Lu understood why things were like this.

Whether in the South or the North, the older generation of parents always felt that family groups should have a proper appearance.

The name "A Loving Family" perfectly captures their ideal of a home.

But this name is really outdated.

So after starting university, Bai Lu secretly changed the name of her family group chat twice.

It was changed to: a den of pigs and dogs.

My mom called and scolded me.

Later it was changed to: "Bring glory to one's ancestors".

Mom scolded her even more fiercely.

I didn't dare to change it again.

"Jiang Yang, Xi Wei, over here!" Suddenly, Liu Haochun's voice was heard.

Bai Lu looked up.

They discovered that Jiang Yang and Tian Xiwei had already entered and were looking around.

Liu Haochun stood up and waved towards the door.

Yang Chaoyue turned around, grunted a few times, and continued playing King of Glory with his head down.

"Chaoyue, just started?" Jiang Yang glanced at Yang Chaoyue's phone screen, which showed the character selection page: "Let's just leave it running."

"Why are you AFK? I've already picked my heroes for my promotion series."

Yang Chaoyue didn't even look up: "You guys eat first, all the dishes are served."

Done.

She typed in the chat: "[Monkey top lane, if you don't feed, I'll feed.]"
Bai Lu frowned at Jiang Yang: "I've been waiting for you for half an hour, you know? You're so slow and indecisive. What are you and Xiwei doing in the room? I'm too embarrassed to call you out, but I'm getting so annoyed waiting."

“Yang Chao is paying for it, you’re just freeloading, what’s the big deal… Sit down, I have nowhere to sit.”

"I won't sit!"

Jiang Yang didn't chatter much with Bai Lu.

I know this girl just needs to be taught a lesson.

Seeing Tian Xiwei sit down next to Yang Chaoyue, he unzipped Tian Xiwei's bag, pulled out a freshly printed document, and slapped Bai Lu's buttocks with a whoosh: "Sit down!"

"Spanking all the time, they have no manners at all," Bai Lu muttered under her breath, quickly moving further inside.

There was a snap.

Jiang Yang threw the document directly onto Bai Lu's jeans-clad lap: "What are you muttering about? Speak up!"

"I'm so proud that my boss got the top score in the exam!" Bai Lu rubbed her thigh and shouted.

"Alright, alright, eat up." Jiang Yang stopped teasing Bai Lu.

If you say Bai Lu is timid, then Bai Lu is definitely the one who criticizes him the most behind his back.

Bai Lu is bold, but she backs down as soon as she sees him.

Bai Lu carefully put away the document Jiang Yang had placed on her lap. It felt warm in her hand, clearly freshly printed.

This old lecher and Xiwei came so late, not to make love in the private room, but to print something?

I glanced at it out of curiosity.

Bai Lu's eyes flickered.

The title reads: Letter of Intent for Collaboration with Guests on the Variety Show "Mars Intelligence Agency".

She brought the document closer.

The boldface text on the paper was very clear.

Her name was prominently displayed after the list of collaborating artists in the first column.

It was an invitation specially made for her.

Scroll down to find the core terms and conditions:

1. Invite Bai Lu, the second party, to participate as a junior agent in the recording of the main episode of "Mars Intelligence Agency". The recording locations include the main venue in Changsha and outdoor scenes.

2. Party B shall have no less than 5 minutes of independent screen time per episode, including a dedicated speaking opportunity in the creative proposal segment. The production team will design a script for the吐槽 (tu cao, a type of humorous commentary) and interactive segments based on Party B's persona.

3. Cooperation fee: RMB 5 per period after tax.

4. Supporting Resources: The production team provides a professional styling team and packaging solutions. If the performance is outstanding, the production team can arrange for the production team to participate in online promotional activities, including Weibo trending topics and platform promotion.

5. Additional benefits: If the number of views on the topic of Party B exceeds 10 million after the program airs, Party B will have priority to renew the senior agent position in the next season and will be recommended to participate in the S-level variety show derivative projects on the Youku platform.

As Bai Lu read through the entries one by one, she became increasingly shocked.

Because we know the quality of this variety show.

Bai Lu gripped the few sheets of paper, still warm from the ink, tightly in her hand.

The further down you look, the louder your heartbeat becomes.

I was stunned by the weight hidden in these words on paper.

During breaks on set, I enjoy watching variety shows and had already seen the official lineup for "Mars Intelligence Agency".

Knowing that this is Youku's major variety show this year, it even has a separate channel on the homepage when it airs.

She was just a newcomer who had just entered the film and television industry.

He has only played minor, supporting roles.

It doesn't even qualify as a work of art.

It's even further from being famous.

How did I manage to get an invitation from "Mars Intelligence Agency"?
It was like a market vendor suddenly being invited to be the head chef of a five-star hotel—it was so absurd she couldn't believe her eyes.

I am well aware of the harsh realities of the industry.

Countless newcomers are desperate to get on variety shows and show their faces, even if it's just for a few seconds of screen time, they have to pull strings and find connections.

And this moment.

The document that Jiang Yang casually used to slap her buttocks actually got her a permanent spot as a junior special agent.

They even have their own exclusive speaking opportunities.

"Did the boss come so late just to negotiate a variety show gig for me?" Bai Lu thought to herself.

Looking up, I saw Xiwei putting vegetables into the pot.

Hao Chun picked up a piece of bright red mutton roll, but Tian Xiwei nudged him with her chopsticks and said, "It's not cooked yet. Eating it will give you diarrhea. What's the rush?"

"It's okay." Liu Haochun was about to pick up another piece of food.

Tian Xiwei reminded her, "Jiang Yang said it."

"That's right, it needs to be cooked before eating." Liu Haochun pursed his lips, immediately put down his chopsticks, and stared intently at the mutton rolls that were almost cooked.

Jiang Yang stared at the extra spicy braised pork trotter rice on the table and scoffed, "Yang Chaozhong, you ordered this for me!"

Xiwei could kiss his lips until they were swollen.

The leap could make his mouth swell up from the heat.

Don't go too far, or you'll end up fucking both of them until they're swollen.

Yang Chaoyue didn't even look up: "Don't bother me, we're in a team fight. Ugh, so annoying, Arthur stole my red buff, I can't use my ultimate!"

Bai Lu smiled and watched without saying a word.

Quietly slip the contract into your bag.

The top female boss in the company, who's still engrossed in playing King of Glory, is right. What a great boss!

Suddenly, she realized that she had just made the sordid speculation that he and Xiwei must have been making love in the hotel suite since they arrived so late.

But now, looking at this letter of intent specially tailored for her...

Looking at my name marked on it.

Only then did I belatedly realize what had happened.

Jiang Yang was quietly paving the way for her.

A wave of guilt washed over me.

Noticing that the three girls opposite weren't looking this way, Bai Lu quietly grabbed Jiang Yang's hand and placed it on her buttocks.

"What are you doing, you white paparazzi?"

"Pinch my butt, it'll make me feel better."

She genuinely didn't know how to express her feelings at that moment.

The words of gratitude stuck in my throat; I was too ashamed to say them.

Apologizing would seem too sentimental and unbecoming of her usual carefree personality.

She responded to his kindness in this clumsy and childish way.

Jiang Yang's hand paused, but he didn't actually squeeze it.

He simply patted her bottom gently, like soothing a kitten that had gotten into trouble.

That gentle pat brought tears to Bai Lu's eyes.

She quickly lowered her head even further, pretending to pick up food with her chopsticks, so that no one could see the redness in her eyes: "Jiang Yang, I will never scold you again. Whatever you ask me to do, I will do."

"Really, you'll do whatever I tell you to do?"

"real!"

Bai Lu nodded vigorously.

Then Jiang Yang said, "Then give me all the money you get paid for appearing on variety shows."

Bai Lu was silent for a few seconds: "That won't do. One thing at a time, understand? Jiang the Skinflint!" (End of Chapter)