Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 310, Episode 308: "Lurking" Premieres

All good things must come to an end.

The city of Beijing at night is ablaze with lights, and the neon lights outside the car window, like a flowing galaxy, reflect on Cecilia Cheung's young and delicate face.

She glanced at Li Xiuxiu, who remained silent beside her, and keenly sensed that something was amiss.

The back seat of the car was spacious, and Cecilia Cheung naturally reached out and put her arm around Li Xiuxiu's shoulder, pulling her closer to her. Then, she whispered in Li Xiuxiu's ear in Mandarin with a Hong Kong accent, "What happened? Didn't you tell President Wang?"

The warm breath tickled her ear, and Li Xiuxiu's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

She has been with Cecilia Cheung for more than two years, from her initial role as executive agent to her current role as exclusive agent. The two have worked hard together and experienced some ups and downs. Their relationship has long surpassed that of ordinary working partners and is almost like that of sisters.

That's why there are some things she finds even harder to say.

She tilted her head slightly, avoiding Zhang Bozhi's overly piercing gaze, her voice so low it was almost a whisper, carrying an undisguised embarrassment and a hint of humiliation: "I told her... and she rejected me."

"Wow, really?" Cecilia Cheung's small mouth opened slightly as she let out a soft exclamation, her bright eyes filled with disbelief.

The decision to have Li Xiuxiu "do the work" was actually a result of a private discussion between the two of them.

Cecilia Cheung grew up on Hong Kong Island from a young age, experiencing the bizarre and class-divided society of the late colonial period, and witnessing the common occurrence of wealthy and powerful men having multiple wives and concubines and countless lovers.

In her mind, it was perfectly normal for a capable man to have several women around him.

Wang Sheng was young, handsome, and possessed vast resources and wealth; in her eyes, he was the perfect support.

She had already made up her mind to hold on to this high branch, and at the same time, she felt that by pushing Li Xiuxiu, whom she absolutely trusted and who was grateful to her, to the position, she could not only consolidate her position by Wang Sheng's side, but also give Xiuxiu a future.

In her mind, although Li Xiuxiu was slightly less beautiful than herself, she was still pretty and charming with a slender figure. More importantly, she had a "hidden buff"...

In Cecilia Cheung's mind, this was quite attractive to some men.

Unexpectedly, Wang Sheng refused to even try a bite.
"He...is he...?" Several thoughts flashed through Zhang Bozhi's mind in an instant.

Is Wang Sheng's vision too high?
Or has he already developed other ideas about us?

Or perhaps he realized that this was a deliberate arrangement by them and felt disgusted?

“He said, ‘Manager Li, please have some self-respect.’” Li Xiuxiu repeated those words, her cheeks burning again, this time with pure shame and indignation.

Being rejected after offering herself was embarrassing enough, but to be told such a distant and cautionary remark was like trampling her self-esteem into the ground.

A brief silence fell over the car, broken only by the steady hum of the engine and the indistinct noise of the city outside the window.

Zhang Bozhi quickly composed herself and put her arm around Li Xiuxiu's shoulder, as if to encourage her and also to reassure herself: "It's okay, if it doesn't work this time, there's always next time. Mr. Wang... he might be in a bad mood today, or he might be too tired."

She paused, a glint of cunning and determination flashing in her eyes: "Don't worry, I'll find you an opportunity. As long as we're still in Shengying, still under his nose, there's always a way."

Li Xiuxiu sighed, gently rested her head on Zhang Bozhi's shoulder, and mumbled, "Yeah, maybe next time." Even so, the feeling of being completely ignored and rejected still weighed heavily on her heart.

They racked their brains over how to get closer to that man, unaware that what they considered a matter of utmost importance might not even leave a ripple in Wang Sheng's eyes.

……

Wang Sheng had indeed long forgotten Li Xiuxiu's abrupt "self-recommendation".

He had experienced far too many similar hints, whether explicit or implicit.

In this position, he is surrounded by countless temptations. If he had to take each one to heart, he would have nothing else to do.

To him, Li Xiuxiu was just one of his many artists' managers, capable enough, but her actions tonight seemed somewhat inappropriate.

The simple remark "have some self-respect" was already a rather polite reminder, given out of consideration for Li Bingbing and Zhang Bozhi.

If there is a next time, he might consider having Cai Yinong change her position, or simply remove her from the team.

……

Time slipped away quietly amidst the hustle and bustle, and the calendar turned to August 15, 2000.

This day marked the end of the first run of "My Sassy Girl" in the Chinese film market, and the beginning of its rollout to the second run and even lower-tier markets.

Although the total box office revenue for this phenomenal film in its first run has not yet been tallied, it is estimated to be at least 90 million.

This achievement further solidified Wang Sheng's status as the "King of Box Office" and also truly propelled Fan Xiaopang into the ranks of top-tier actresses.

Celebration banquets and debriefing meetings will naturally be scheduled.

However, for a wider range of Chinese television viewers, especially loyal viewers of CCTV-1's prime time slot, this day was given a different meaning by another work.

At 8 p.m. sharp, after the familiar CCTV-1 news broadcast ended and a short commercial break, the low and slightly suspenseful opening theme music began to play on the screen.

Immediately following, a scene with a calm tone and full of the style of the Republic of China unfolds—a rainy night, an old-fashioned street, shadowy figures under the dim streetlights, and danger lurking everywhere.

At the bottom of the screen, the title of the drama, "Lurking," was displayed in a large and eye-catching manner.

The opening sequence flashes back quickly to a series of tense and exciting scenes, or those rife with undercurrents: Wang Zhiwen as Yu Zecheng, his eyes filled with complex emotions, struggling between the cutthroat world of the Kuomintang and the precarious nature of underground work; Jiang Wenli as Cui Ping, rustic yet possessing a stubborn vitality, out of place in her surroundings; Li Youbin as Station Chief Wu, cunning and calculating, his smile concealing a deeper meaning; and Chen Daoming as Li Ya, sinister and ruthless, sending chills down the spine…

The excellent production quality, cinematic visuals, and the actors' precise performances instantly captivated countless viewers in front of their remote controls.

"Lurking," a period spy drama produced by Shengying Media, with Wang Sheng serving as the chief producer and director and deeply involved in the script and casting, and featuring a cast of powerful actors including Wang Zhiwen, Jiang Wenli, Li Youbin, Chen Daoming, and Feng Yuanzheng, has finally landed on the most influential national television platform amidst much anticipation, officially kicking off its broadcast.

(End of this chapter)