Reborn in the Chinese Entertainment Industry: You're a Director, But You're a Casanova?

The clothing wholesale market was bustling with activity.

Niu Yuehua was standing in front of a stall displaying Italian export surplus goods, looking at a suit in his hand.

"Young man, you have a good eye! This is a genuine Armani original. You look quite dashing, so I'll take it for 800 each, no questions asked," the proprietress said with a smile.

Niu Yuehua reached out and pulled out a long thread.

"Big sister, what do you mean by this?"

"Your Armani must have been made by working on a sewing machine all night, right? Cost price 30, wholesale 50." He pulled out two crumpled 50-yuan bills from his pocket.

"100 yuan, that's enough for you to eat well for two days. Are you selling it or not? If not, I'll go try out that Versace outfit across the street."

The proprietress rolled her eyes at his retort and grabbed the money.

"Fine, fine, I guess I'm just unlucky. Consider it making friends, you can take it."

Niu Yuehua happily stuffed the high-quality replica suit into a plastic bag. He had worn so many custom-made suits costing tens of thousands of yuan each, reimbursed with public funds, in his previous life that he was sick of them and had long since become desensitized to such superficiality.

In the eyes of this former contractor, clothes were just packaging material; as long as they could fool people in dim lighting, that was enough. 100 yuan for a fake was just right.

Just as I stepped out of the wholesale market, my Nokia phone rang.

Feng Gong's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy.

"Yuehua, your results are in. You got first place in all three tests."

"Although Lao Tian scolded you, he gave you a higher score than anyone else, and Lao Xie even declared that Beijing Film Academy is determined to have you as a promising student."

"As expected."

"Don't be arrogant. Just passing the exam isn't enough. If you want to be a director, you need real money."

"There's a club across from Heaven on Earth at 7 pm tonight. A big boss from Shanxi is hosting a party. I'll take you there to pay your respects," Uncle Gong arranged over the phone.

"If you can swindle some start-up capital, your shell company can be set up and you'll have food to eat."

"Alright, Master, don't worry, I just got myself a new Armani outfit." Niu Yuehua changed the subject.

"By the way, Master, is dinner provided for this trip tonight?"

"You good-for-nothing." The phone rang.

7 p.m., at a private club.

The carpet was so thick it reached above the ankles, and the waitresses standing in the corridor were all beautiful and well-proportioned, their cheongsams slit up to their thighs.

In the largest private room, the Emperor's Hall, a large round table that can seat 20 people was already full.

Niu Yuehua, wearing a 100-yuan Armani outfit, was seated by Feng Gong at the very back, closest to the door.

He didn't care, loosened his belt comfortably, and then fixed his gaze on the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, priced at 8888 yuan.

The bigwigs at the table were engaged in a lively discussion. Seated at the head of the table was tonight's big spender, Mr. Wang, the general manager of AAA building materials wholesale in Shanxi. Oh, no, he should be called a coal wholesaler.

Next to President Wang was a minor celebrity with a sharp chin that could kill someone, who was peeling shrimp for him.

Sitting on the other side of Mr. Wang were several long-haired cultural figures who claimed to be prominent directors in Beijing's cultural circles.

They were holding several sheets of A4 paper, passionately describing to Mr. Wang an art film called "Scars and Cries." They kept talking about Cannes long takes, redemption, and literature of suffering.

Uncle Gong sat in a relatively far spot, quietly eating with a few familiar people, seemingly unaware of the old swindlers next to him.

While eating this exorbitantly priced meal, Niu Yuehua pondered the situation.

Asking for a budget of 1000 million, but not even having a complete story outline, daring to seek funding with just two scraps of paper.

If this happened at their future bidding meetings, they'd be kicked out by security guards before they even got through the door.

Niu Yuehua wasn't in a hurry to overturn the table. He wanted to wait until these people had hyped up the coal boss to the point of exhaustion and buried the mine before he could make his move and blast it open, enjoying the experience and leveling up all by himself.

He buried himself in the main dishes on the table, quickly devouring them. After all, he'd spent 100 yuan on a suit this morning, and tonight he had to eat his way back 2000 yuan.

Just as Niu Yuehua was struggling with a large crab, the door to the private room opened.

Liu Xiaoli, dressed in a cheongsam, walked in with a glass of red wine and a somewhat ingratiating smile, holding a glass of red wine.

The Liu Xiaoli at this moment is completely different from the arrogant, aloof, and protective socialite who stood outside the Beijing Film Academy exam hall earlier.

Her eyes were weary, and her smile was stiff and humble.

Liu Xiaoli, holding her wine glass, first politely greeted Feng Gong and a few other people nearby, then walked over to the group of long-haired men and Boss Wang.

"Director Zhang, Producer Li." Liu Xiaoli bowed, adopting a very humble posture.

"Regarding the third female lead role you mentioned last time, do you still have any opportunities for our Sisi?"

"That girl, Sisi, can endure any hardship. Her pay is negotiable; she'd even do it for free."

The conman, who was called Director Zhang, looked Liu Xiaoli up and down for a while, his eyes gleaming with a sticky, greasy light.

"Oh dear, Ms. Liu, actually, there are quite a few people eyeing that role." Director Zhang chuckled and turned to look at the young starlet next to President Wang.

"Of course, it mainly depends on what Mr. Wang thinks. Since Mr. Wang is investing, the female lead will definitely be Mimi. As for the third female lead..."

The young actress named Mimi suddenly covered her mouth and let out a coquettish laugh.

"Oh dear Director Zhang, that third female lead has to do a beggar scene, crawling through puddles and rolling in mud! Sister Liu's daughter is as beautiful as an angel, how could she possibly endure that?"

"Besides, what's the use of just being pretty in this industry? You have to know the rules, okay?" These words were like a slap in the face to Liu Xiaoli.

Liu Xiaoli gritted her teeth tightly.

She forced a smile and raised her glass.

"Miss Mimi is right. I was ignorant of the rules. I'll drink this first as an apology to everyone. As long as I can give Qianqian a chance to shine, I'll do anything." After saying that, she raised her head and drank the red wine in one gulp.

Niu Yuehua, sitting at the last seat, wiped his mouth and felt something was off.

In her past life's memories, at this point in time, Liu Yifei debuted with a silver spoon in her mouth.

Behind her is her powerful and mysterious godfather, Chen Jinfei.

With a powerful backer paving the way with money, Liu Yifei debuted as the second female lead in "The Story of a Noble Family," followed by the role of the fairy sister in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," directly bringing her own investment to the production.

Several film crews are too busy patronizing her to possibly stoop to such a lowly position, for a mere third female lead stuck in the mud, to fawn over and toast her.

Chen Jinfei, where are you? You're not in Beijing at all, where did you go?

Could it be for some reason that my godfather has disappeared?

Or did they simply not know the mother and daughter?

In his perception, Liu Xiaoli was emanating a constant stream of humiliation, panic, and morbid longing.

"Damn it!" Niu Yuehua couldn't help but curse in his mind.

Without a powerful backer, Liu Yifei, who is poised to become a top star for the next 20 years, is currently in a completely vulnerable position with no financial backing.

This is an extremely undervalued and clearly defined asset.

At this moment, Director Zhang, with his long hair, was still manipulating Liu Xiaoli.

"Ms. Liu, how about this, you finish this bottle of Moutai, and I'll put in a good word for you with President Wang regarding the third female lead's matter."

Looking at the Moutai in front of her, Liu Xiaoli felt a deep despair welling up in her eyes. She knew that these people were deliberately humiliating her, but for her daughter's future and for her own desire to return to China in glory, she still reached out with trembling hands towards the bottle.

Niu Yuehua leaned back.

Drink up, it's good to suffer a little.

When a person is at their most desperate, when their self-esteem has been crushed, they would give their life for you even if you offered them a straw.