The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

(Latest update: The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top)

"Mr. Shen, the head of the acquisition department at Hunan TV has contacted us, hoping to buy back the first broadcast rights for 'Nirvana in Fire'."

Chen Zhixi stood at the door of Shen Mo's office, her expression somewhat subtle.

Shen Mo looked up. "Buy it back?"

"Yes." Chen Zhixi walked in. "When you were taken away before, they took the initiative to change the schedule and replaced it with 'Little Seven the Wonder Dog'. At that time, President Li took back the first broadcast rights on the grounds that the other party had violated the contract."

She paused for a moment, then said, "Now that they see you've come out safe and sound, and that this incident has caused such a stir, they're guessing your popularity is probably off the charts, so they want to get back together with you."

Before Shen Mo could speak, a voice came from the sofa, "Tell them to give up."

Li Yitong didn't even look up, her fingers still swiping on her phone, her tone indifferent, but the resentment she held could be smelled even from three meters away.

Chen Zhixi looked at her, and Li Yitong finally raised her head, her crescent-shaped eyes curving, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"They abandoned us when we were in trouble, and now they're coming back to us when we're fine? It's not that simple."

She put her phone aside and told him, "I've already reached a cooperation agreement with Tomato TV, so they don't need to think about it anymore."

Chen Zhixi looked at Shen Mo, who nodded and said, "I'll listen to President Li."

Chen Zhixi suppressed a laugh and turned to leave.

The moment the door closed, Li Yitong sprang up from the sofa and walked over to Shen Mo in a few steps. "It doesn't matter where we broadcast it, but they'll lose a hit show."

She crossed her arms and raised her chin slightly, like a proud kitten. "I rejected 'Nirvana in Fire'. I'm really looking forward to seeing how they regret it later."

Shen Mo leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

Li Yitong blinked. "After Tomato TV takes over, it will be competing directly with Mango TV's 'Little Seven the Wonder Dog.' I want to see just how good their chosen drama is."

Shen Mo smiled, "President Li is increasingly showing the demeanor of a chairman."

Li Yitong's crescent-shaped eyes curved, and with a quick glance around, she suddenly bumped her bottom against Shen Mo and sat down.

Shen Mo's office chair wasn't very big to begin with, and with her squeezing in like that, the two of them were instantly pressed tightly together.

She turned her head and looked at him triumphantly, "That's right, I sat in this chair for a few days too."

Shen Mo looked at her face so close to his own, and the smile on his lips deepened.

"Would you like to sit a little longer?"

Li Yitong raised an eyebrow.

"You have bad intentions."

"How can you call it bad intentions?" Shen Mo looked innocent. "I'm doing this for your own good."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Absolutely."

"Tell me about it."

Shen Mo reached out and put his arm around her shoulder to make her more comfortable. "Huayi's foundation is in the Beijing circle. But the Beijing circle is not monolithic, nor is it a unified entity."

Li Yitong blinked and listened attentively.

"As I said before, we can deal with them by dividing people based on personal relationships. We can win over those who have a good impression of us, or those who are neutral and do not want to get involved in these kinds of events."

"This way, we can isolate those who are hostile to us to the greatest extent possible."

Li Yitong nodded.

"Besides, our company is located in the capital," Shen Mo continued. "If we go against the entire Beijing entertainment circle, we'll inevitably fall short in their tactics. If we can bring in a group, we shouldn't force them all to band together."

Li Yitong looked at him. "So?"

"So, through Huang Lei's introduction, several people have developed a good impression of us and want to get to know us."

Shen Mo said, "The actors are Chen Daoming and Wang Luodan, and the directors are Zhao Baogang and Zheng Xiaolong."

Li Yitong was stunned for a moment, "This lineup... is quite impressive."

"Yes." Shen Mo looked at her. "I remember you directed Zhao Baogang's 'Special Agent Mission' in your previous life, so you should be quite familiar with him."

When Li Yitong met his gaze, she could tell that Shen Mo was paving the way for her.

I personally value development in the entertainment industry more.

As for Shen Mo, if it weren't for his own request, he probably wouldn't even want to enter the entertainment industry; his mind would be entirely focused on those investment strategies.

Now he's entrusting these connections to her so she can maintain and cultivate them.

She nodded. "Alright, I'll take this task."

Li Yitong rolled her eyes at him. "However, my identity is quite suitable."

"Where can just anyone in the entertainment industry meet the chairman of a multi-billion dollar corporation whenever they want?"

Shen Mo smiled and said, "That's right, I'm too busy as the chairman, so I can only trouble the vice chairman to make the trip."

"Come on, I think you just don't want to socialize." Shen Mo laughed heartily.

"Xuezi understands me best."

After laughing, Li Yitong asked again, "And what about you? What are your plans?"

Shen Mo nodded. "There are three companies I need to meet with."

"Hmm? Which three?" Li Yitong immediately became interested.

Anyone who can get Shen Mo to personally intervene must be no small fry.

Shen Mo held up three fingers. "Paopao Mart is going to conduct strategic financing, Xiaomoushu is going to conduct Series B financing, and Pinduoduo has just been established and is gaining momentum, so it wants to conduct Series A financing."

Li Yitong was stunned for a moment: Paopao Matt, Xiaomoushu, Pinduoduo.

Any one of these three companies could become a company worth tens or even hundreds of billions in the future.

Although she didn't understand investing, she knew the power of these companies. These three were all dark horses that rose to prominence in their previous lives.

Compared to these three companies, this little thing in the entertainment industry is really nothing.

She suddenly felt a little dazed. She was fussing over Hunan TV's petty tricks like a child playing house, while Shen Mo was already playing a much bigger game.

"You...you've gone too far with this plan!"

Shen Mo smiled. "This is normal practice for reborn individuals. These companies aren't highly valued yet, so now is the perfect time to get in. In a few years, the entry requirements will be much higher."

Li Yitong thought for a moment, then sighed. Sure enough, people can't earn money beyond what they know.

Even if she knew that these big companies would definitely make a lot of money in the future, she didn't have the ability to get involved. Business negotiations, equity structures, valuation games... she really didn't understand these things.

I guess I should just stick to working in the entertainment industry. But as long as Shen Mo can get involved, that's fine.

He was her man, and the thought suddenly filled her with sweetness.

Li Yitong reached out and took Shen Mo's arm. "Then you should talk it over properly and try to earn more."

She winked at Shen Mo, "Then you'll support me!"

Shen Mo laughed, "Okay, I'll support you! I was just worried you wouldn't be able to afford that much."

"Who are you underestimating? Anyone can spend money! If I can't spend it all, I can always get others to spend it with me!"

At this point, she thought of the scene in the conference room that day, wondering how many more there would be.

However, she still wanted to show off her earning power in front of Shen Mo.

Li Yitong leaned on his shoulder and suddenly asked, "By the way, have you been following the box office performance of 'Monster Hunt'?"

"The box office has been skyrocketing lately!" Li Yitong exclaimed excitedly, sitting up straight.

You should know that on the first day of its release, Shen Mo hadn't even appeared yet. At the premiere, she was the only one standing on the stage, facing so many reporters and audience members...

Shen Mo tightened his grip on her hand. Li Yitong took a deep breath, met his eyes, and a sense of security washed over her. Then she smiled.

"The first day's revenue was 1.74 million, which is neither good nor bad."

"The next day you came out, and there were all sorts of reversals online, and the box office jumped to 2 million."

"On the third day, which was yesterday," she said, her eyes sparkling, "the celebrities started lining up to help promote it, and the box office skyrocketed to 2.5 million!"

Shen Mo's smile deepened as he watched her excited expression.

"Do you know what 2.5 million means?" Li Yitong continued, "It's equivalent to the box office of other movies in a week, or even an entire movie, in one day!"

"There's a lot of discussion in the industry right now, saying that this is the first time a film has seen such a surge in popularity, and it's likely to set a new record for domestic films."

Shen Mo nodded, "That's right. It already had a box office of over 2 billion, and now with our top star Sister Li starring, breaking records is a sure thing."

Li Yitong rolled her eyes at him. "You're just teasing me."

"Now that you've come out, public opinion has reversed, and those who previously tried to sabotage us don't dare to act anymore."

"With so many people taking sides and helping with the promotion, the hype builds up, and the box office naturally goes up."

Shen Mo blinked, reached out and pinched her cheek, "That wasn't a joke, it really did help Sister Xue who was so tired those days!"

Li Yitong smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and proudly pouted, "Of course."

She paused, then leaned closer. "What do you think the final box office will be? Will it surpass the original target?"

In her previous life, this movie broke 2 billion, but many people questioned whether it was inflated. So, if she didn't choose the path of inflating box office numbers in this life, she really wasn't sure if she could surpass it.

Shen Mo thought for a moment, "At this rate, there shouldn't be any problem."

"It might be even more," Shen Mo said. "The word-of-mouth is growing, the hype is continuing, and 25 billion is not impossible."

Li Yitong froze for a few seconds, then hugged him tightly. "That's great! Does that mean I've profited from your misfortune?"

Shen Mo was choking so hard he could hardly breathe. He patted her back with a laugh, "Alright, alright, loosen your grip now, or I'll be out of blood before the blood bun arrives."

Li Yitong ignored her and hugged her even tighter, saying, "Let me hug you for a while!"

Shen Mo smiled helplessly, "Okay, hug."

……

In the private room on the second floor of Xue Lu, the aroma of tea wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of sandalwood.

Li Yitong wore a beige knit sweater with dark trousers today, and her hair was simply tied back.

The young woman at the front desk spotted her as she walked in and gave a slight bow, saying, "Sister Yitong, you've arrived."

Li Yitong nodded, and a figure with his back to the door, leaning on the counter and bragging to two girls, turned around.

Upon seeing Li Yitong, Huang Lei's face instantly lit up with a smile. He waved and said, "Chairwoman Li, you're here so early?"

Li Yitong pursed her lips and smiled, "Teacher Huang, it's so early, you're too kind, just call me Yitong."

Huang Lei waved his hand, "For this occasion, we should call him Chairman Li."

"They're all waiting inside. I came out to greet you, but you should be too modest, or I'll feel uncomfortable."

Li Yitong thought for a moment, nodded, and followed Huang Lei into the private room. "Okay, I'll do as you say."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he encountered another figure in the corridor, one of the people he had arranged to meet today, Wang Luodan.

She was wearing a dark gray trench coat. When she saw Li Yitong, her face lit up with a smile. She walked over quickly and took Li Yitong's arm.

"Chairman Li, we meet again."

Li Yitong grasped her hand in return, "Sister Luo Dan, it's been a long time."

Without stopping, Wang Luodan followed suit and walked inside. "I heard Teacher Huang's laughter inside, so I guessed you were here. I told you to come and see, and hey, it really is you."

Li Yitong smiled helplessly, "Sister Luo Dan, you're too kind. It's my fault for being late."

Wang Luodan blinked. "No, we're just too early."

As they were talking, Huang Lei pushed open the door to the private room, and the two of them stepped inside.

As Li Yitong entered the room, three figures instantly stood up from beside the tea table.

Chen Daoming was wearing a dark blue Chinese-style jacket. Next to him were two men: Zhao Baogang, who was slightly overweight, and Zheng Xiaolong, who was wearing glasses.

Wang Luodan quietly let go of Li Yitong and stood behind her, while Huang Lei stood between the two groups with a beaming smile.

"Teacher Chen, Director Zhao, Director Zheng, this is Chairman Li Yitong, the head of Mohen."

"Chairman Li, I believe these gentlemen need no introduction: Teacher Chen Daoming, Director Zhao Baogang, and Director Zheng Xiaolong."

Li Yitong stood there without even lifting her eyelids, her face expressionless.

Chen Daoming, however, bowed slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Chairman Li, it's an honor to meet you."

Zhao Baogang chimed in, "Chairman Li, your name has been all over the place these past few days. We've been watching the news about you every day at home."

Zheng Xiaolong pushed up his glasses and smiled, "Yes, especially the interview at the premiere that day, you handled it really well."

Li Yitong nodded, a formulaic smile appearing on her face. "Teacher Chen, Director Zhao, Director Zheng, I've heard so much about you."

"Today I finally got to meet some veteran figures in the entertainment industry."

She gestured towards the tea table, "Teachers, you're too kind. Please have a seat."

After saying that, she walked towards the tea table, but the others remained standing in the same spot until she stood in front of the wooden chair on the other side of the tea table.

Noticing Li Yitong's gaze, Chen Daoming smiled and gestured, "Please have a seat, Ms. Li."

A slight smile curved Li Yitong's lips as she nodded and sat down.

Only then did Chen Daoming and the other two, along with Huang Lei and Wang Luodan, pull out chairs and sit down opposite Li Yitong.

The tea master then began brewing tea, poured it for everyone, bowed, and left, closing the door behind him.

As soon as the door closed, she looked at her friends waiting at the door and a big smile spread across her face, her expression full of admiration.

"Wow, you don't know, Sister Yitong was so cool just now! She didn't sit down, and none of the people inside dared to sit down."

Inside the room, Huang Lei, acting as the middleman, broke the silence with a smile.

"I organized this gathering today, so I'll take the liberty of saying a few words first."

"These teachers are senior figures I respect in the industry; their character and abilities are impeccable."

"As for Mohen, I've collaborated with them several times. Based on my interactions with President Shen and Chairman Li, I feel that they are genuinely dedicated to the performing arts."

"So I think it's good to introduce everyone to each other. After all, in our circle, having more friends means having more options."

After he finished speaking, Chen Daoming picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and then slowly put it down.

He slowly raised his eyebrows to look at Li Yitong. The smile on his face had faded, and his eyes held a scrutinizing look.

In terms of seniority and age, Li Yitong is the youngest among everyone present, but from the moment she entered the room until now, the feeling she gives them is that of the most elegant and intimidating.

Chen Daoming knew that it was the confidence she gained from controlling a large company with thousands of employees and assets worth billions, whose every word and action could stir up public opinion in the entertainment industry.

In comparison, their so-called qualifications and connections were insignificant.

However, in this situation, we have no choice but to bring it up.

"Chairman Li, I'm being blunt, please don't mind."

Chen Daoming paused for a moment, then said, "We are unaware of what the Wang brothers and Feng Xiaogang did."

"Although we're in the same circle, they are themselves, and we are ourselves."

He took a deep breath as he said this.

"The Beijing entertainment circle is very large, with many people and is quite complex. If the actions of a few individuals lead to your company going to war with such a large group of people in the circle..."

"I don't think this is a good choice; it would be detrimental to your company's development."

Perhaps realizing that his words were too harsh, he paused for a moment before continuing, "It is also an obstacle to the development of the cultural and entertainment industry and detrimental to the promotion of our country's arts and culture."

"Therefore, we are meeting with you in a friendly manner, hoping to communicate with your company. After all, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor, right?"

He spoke very bluntly, and although his tone was firm, Li Yitong sensed a hint of complexity in his voice.

They clearly didn't want to be dragged into the conflict, but they also didn't want to appear too submissive. The confidence and dignity of the Beijing elite circle made them unwilling to show weakness.

They wanted to distance themselves from the Wang brothers, didn't want to get involved in their mess, and didn't want to be seen as enemies by Mohen.

After all, they couldn't imagine what the consequences would be if such a method, which involved sending people in so easily, were used on themselves.

Li Yitong also picked up her teacup and took a sip. Her crescent-shaped eyes curved slightly, and she showed a friendly smile for the first time since entering the venue.

"Teacher Chen, what you said really resonated with me."

She scanned the crowd before her one by one. "Actually, from the very first day that Ink Trace Pictures was established, all we wanted to do was make good movies, nothing else."

"We don't like fighting, nor do we want to engage in backstabbing."

"To be honest, if I didn't love acting and wanted to make movies, I probably wouldn't have gotten involved in the entertainment industry."

At this point, everyone could even see a hint of happiness on her face.

"After all, I might earn less from filming several movies than Shen Mo earns from just a few minutes of filming."

She gently set down the teacup, making a soft, crisp sound on the tea table.

Her words left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment, but they couldn't refute them.

They had naturally done their research on Mohen beforehand, and the entertainment industry was indeed only a small part of Mohen's business portfolio.

Leaving aside the two funds with the clearest figures, which already control more than 2 billion yuan, just take Mohen's Internet Investment. Among the publicly disclosed portfolio companies, several are currently valued at over 10 billion yuan. Not to mention that in the recent Tencent financial report, Mohen has become a shareholder with a stake of more than 1%.

To Li Yitong's words, they could only sigh inwardly, "This woman is really lucky."

Li Yitong withdrew her smile, her face returning to its usual calm and expressionless state.

"Moreover, as everyone can see, in this incident with Huayi, they started the conflict first. We were just protecting ourselves, not actively provoking trouble."

Zhao Baogang nodded. "We know that. Wang Zhonglei went too far this time and broke all the industry rules."

Zheng Xiaolong also spoke up, "We in the industry all understand this. It's not your fault; they just overreacted."

Seeing their eager expressions, Li Yitong gradually realized that these people were not there to speak up for Huayi; they were just worried that Mohen would "expand the scope of the attack" and drag them into it.

She smiled, her tone becoming more relaxed, "Teachers, don't worry, Mohen won't do anything reckless."

She leaned back gracefully in her chair and looked at Chen Daoming. "Teacher Chen, you've been acting for so many years, we all know you're a true lover of art."

"What Mohen wants to do is precisely to make good works and contribute his own small part to the domestic film and television industry."

Chen Daoming looked at her, and her words instantly dispelled the worry in his heart. "Chairwoman Li, you speak very frankly."

Wang Luodan covered her mouth and laughed, "I knew Chairman Li was a straightforward person. I could tell when I first met him backstage at the Weibo Night event."

Zhao Baogang chimed in at the opportune moment, "At the premiere that day, Chairman Li stood alone on the stage, facing hundreds of reporters below, criticizing what needed to be criticized and saying what needed to be said, without any fear."

"I immediately thought, this guy is no ordinary person!"

Zheng Xiaolong nodded. "Yes, that scene would have made most people's legs go weak."

Li Yitong looked at the group of people in front of her with an indifferent expression, a polite smile on her lips. It was a strange feeling that these people were actually praising her to her face.

"Teachers, please don't praise me. I'm just putting on a brave face."

The group exchanged glances and laughed. Chen Daoming even gave them a thumbs up, saying, "It's already quite an achievement that Chairman Li could hold on."

The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and after a few rounds of tea, Li Yitong took the initiative to bring it up, "Teachers, Shen Mo should have come in person today."

"But he has several internet company financing matters to deal with, and he really can't leave, so he can only ask me to apologize on his behalf."

Zhao Baogang waved his hand, "Chairman Li is enough. We are familiar with Mohen's business. Financing an internet company is indeed a big deal."

Zheng Xiaolong nodded, "Yes, although we don't understand, we know that these are big deals and we can't afford to delay them."

Li Yitong bowed slightly, "Thank you for your understanding, teachers."

She paused, then continued, "Shen Mo asked me to pass on a message: Mohen Pictures has no other ambitions in the entertainment industry than to make good films."

"If there's an opportunity in the future, I hope to collaborate with these teachers. Whatever the project, as long as it's suitable, we're willing to support it."

Chen Daoming looked at her, remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Chairwoman Li, now I dare to speak the truth."

Li Yitong was taken aback for a moment, "Oh? Teacher Chen, please speak the truth."

Chen Daoming picked up the teacup, but held it for a long time without drinking it.

"Actually, before I came here today, my impression of you was still that you had a powerful aura at the premiere of 'Monster Hunt'. I thought you were the kind of person who was aggressive."

After saying that, he shook his head and chuckled, putting down his teacup. "But now it seems that I was judging a gentleman by my own petty standards."

Zhao Baogang reached out and patted Chen Daoming on the shoulder. "Daoming, you're being prejudiced. I've watched all of Chairman Li's previous TV series and movies. His acting is top-notch, and his reputation in the industry is excellent. How could someone like that be aggressive?"

Chen Daoming smiled and shook his head, picked up his teacup, and said, "Yes, I was prejudiced. I will punish myself with a cup of tea instead of wine."

Li Yitong smiled slightly, "Teacher Chen, Teacher Zhao, I'm embarrassed by your praise."

Zheng Xiaolong chimed in with a smile, "Daoming and Baogang don't praise people casually. Chairman Li's character and acting skills are indeed worthy of praise."

Li Yitong smiled slightly and picked up her teacup. "Then thank you for your praise, teachers."

Chen Daoming waved his hand, "Chairman Li, you're too kind. We'll have more opportunities to cooperate in the future."

"Great! As long as the teachers are willing, we at Mohen are ready to serve you anytime."

Zhao Baogang leaned forward slightly. "Perfect timing, Chairman Li. I have a few notebooks I'd like to discuss with you later?"

Zheng Xiaolong then chimed in, "I also have a project here, and I'm looking for investment."

Li Yitong nodded, "Okay, okay, you teachers can contact me anytime. My phone is on 24/7."

"Actually, I also have a film that I'd like to invite Mr. Chen to participate in, but I don't know if you would be interested."

Chen Daoming looked at her in surprise. He thought it was just polite talk before, but he didn't expect Li Yitong to propose cooperation directly. Then, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Really? Mohen's films are top-notch quality. Mr. Li's words have made me start to look forward to them."

"It's a historical drama set in a fictional world called 'Joy of Life'," Li Yitong said. "If you're interested, I'll have my team send you the script when I get back."

"A fictional story?" Chen Daoming pursed his lips. He usually acted in historical dramas and serious dramas, and had little experience with fictional stories. However, he couldn't directly refuse the collaboration that Li Yitong, representing Mohen, had proposed for the first time.

"Then I'll leave it to Chairman Li. Let's take a look at the script and discuss the specifics."

They chatted for another half hour, and after several more pots of tea, everyone got up and left.

Huang Lei stayed for a while, since he was the one who organized the gathering, and he still wanted to say a few words in his defense.

"How was it? Not bad, right?"

"Yitong, you're in the industry too, you should understand their status. They've already lowered their stance enough today."

Li Yitong's lips curled up slightly as she nodded and looked at Huang Lei.

"We'll remember what happened today. If you ever need any help from Mohen in the future, please don't hesitate to ask, Teacher Huang."

Huang Lei laughed, "Okay, that's enough."

He paused, then added, "By the way, how's Shen Mo doing?"

Li Yitong pursed her lips. "It's all good. I'm in Shanghai today, and I'll be in Pengcheng tomorrow. He said he'll try to finish everything this week and come back next week."

Huang Lei shook his head with a sigh, "You two, one in charge of the entertainment industry, the other in charge of the capital industry, I really envy you."

Li Yitong laughed, "No way. I'm just a handyman, he's the one who makes the big decisions."

Huang Lei looked at her, his eyes full of admiration and respect.

……

After receiving a call from a friend in the industry and learning about the matter, Feng Xiaogang slammed his phone onto the sofa.

"grass!"

The teacup was swept to the floor and shattered into pieces. The nanny peeked out from the kitchen, glanced at it, and then retreated back inside.

Feng Xiaogang paced back and forth in the living room, his chest heaving. "They're all from the Beijing circle...they're all from the Beijing circle..."

He was muttering to himself, his face ashen.

Chen Daoming, Zhao Baogang, Zheng Xiaolong, and Wang Luodan—these are names that have been circulating in Beijing's social circles for decades, and they are almost all old acquaintances of Feng Xiaogang.

Now look what's happened! Shen Mo has only been out for a few days, and they're already rushing over to have tea with Li Yitong.

"At this point, instead of sticking together, you're turning against us, damn it..."

He grabbed his phone, intending to call Wang Zhonglei, but his finger froze as soon as he found the number.

He paused for two seconds, then dialed Wang Zhongjun's number.

"Feed?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was deep, hoarse, and exhausted, as if it had just been pulled out of the water.

Feng Xiaogang was taken aback for a moment. "President Wang, it's me."

"Um."

With just one word, Feng Xiaogang took a deep breath, "Chen Daoming, Zhao Baogang, and the others went to meet with Li Yitong today."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, then a "Mm".

"What do they mean by this? They're all from the Beijing circle, and instead of offering to help, they've turned against us so quickly?"

Silence followed again, then Wang Zhongjun spoke, his voice weak and listless, "Xiaogang, I don't have the mind to worry about these things right now."

Feng Xiaogang froze on the spot.

Wang Zhongjun's words came through a bitter laugh: "People from the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the tax bureau have been going through my documents for the past two days."

He paused, then continued, "Do you know what responses I received from the lawyers at the top-tier law firms I consulted?"

Feng Xiaogang opened his mouth but didn't say anything, but he could guess what was going on.

Wang Zhongjun continued, "I guess I'm not far from going to be operating a sewing machine myself."

Feng Xiaogang's heart tightened suddenly, "President Wang..."

"Alright," Wang Zhongjun interrupted him. "Do you think I still have the mind to care about what's going on in the entertainment industry? Chen Daoming and the others can have tea with whomever they want; it's none of my business."

"All I can do now is pray that the investigation team finds out nothing."

"As for the rest..." he paused, "we'll leave it to fate."

After the call ended, Feng Xiaogang stood motionless in the middle of the living room, holding his phone.

The sun was shining brightly outside the window, but he felt cold all over.

The next morning, Feng Xiaogang opened Weibo and saw a trending topic that made his heart skip a beat.

#Wang Zhongjun's case has been filed# and #Wang Zhongjun's appearance on camera has been restricted#. Clicking on the trending topics reveals a ton of media news.

[Official News: Wang Zhongjun of Huayi Group Under Investigation]

[Huayi's investigation continues; Wang Zhongjun restricted from leaving the country]

[Sources familiar with the matter reveal: Huayi's case may involve over one billion yuan]

[Lawyer's Analysis: Wang Zhonglei and Wang Zhongjun may face more than five years in prison]

……

Each one felt like a knife stabbing into his heart.

At noon, he drank some wine and finally mustered up the courage to call Chen Daoming.

It rang for a long time before being answered.

"Feed?" Chen Daoming's voice was as calm as if nothing had happened.

Feng Xiaogang opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

After a few seconds of silence, Chen Daoming spoke first, "Xiaogang, what do you want?"

They had known each other for decades, and this way of addressing him suddenly made Feng Xiaogang feel a lump in his throat.

"Daoming, you went to meet Li Yitong, right?"

Chen Daoming didn't speak, remaining silent for a long time, before his voice finally came through.

"Xiaogang, I'm just an actor," Chen Daoming said. "I don't want to get involved in those backstabbing and infighting things, and I won't get involved."

"If you just want to make good movies, we can continue to be friends."

"But if you want me to take sides and help you fight someone—"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Then I can only say that you've come to the wrong person."

Feng Xiaogang's hand holding the phone began to tremble. "Brother Daoming..."

"Alright," Chen Daoming interrupted him, "I have something to do here, I'll hang up now."

"You'd better watch yourself."