Chinese Entertainment: Directors Start with the Fairy Sister

Chapter 69: Another bombshell drops, "You don't have any classmates!"

"None of our people were selected?"

Not a single one!

"Zhou Xun, Li Jia, Fan Jiayong—they weren't even given a single audition opportunity?"

"----No."

Xu Li's voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, and he hardly dared to look up at Wang Zhonglei.

At this moment, Old Wang's face was as gloomy as the sky before a summer downpour.

"Go, according to our previous plan, teach them a good lesson!"

Zhao Yanxi had long anticipated that the casting for "Painted Skin" would cause a stir, but she did not expect it to come so quickly and so fiercely.

The news of Liu Yifei playing the role of Xiao Wei is being hotly debated across the internet: "She's beautiful, but can she portray the sexy and alluring fox spirit?"

"Whether she acts well or not, I'm willing to watch; I just love Liu Yifei!"

"Painted Skin? What a cliché story! Sanlang Shen playing Wang Sheng, won't he just kill the fox demon in one round? After all, he's the God of Justice!"

"Hilarious! Zhao Yanxi got cocky just because she got a Silver Bear, huh? Nepotism?"

"Female celebrities have it so good, with their long legs, they can have whatever they want~"

"Liu Yifei doesn't even deserve to be called 'Fairy Sister'!" She learned to please directors even as a minor, and now she's spending fortunes to get a smile from them. No wonder she plays fox spirits; she's a vixen at heart!

"I heard Liu Yifei had an abortion when she was 16? Director Zhao really has the nerve to do that!"

"She's not even an adult yet and she's already messing around with men. Foreign women really know how to have their ways!"

All sorts of scandals, gossip, and negative news came flooding in, and almost all the public opinion storm surrounding "Painted Skin" was placed on Liu Yifei alone.

"Boss, don't worry!"

Yang Siwei patted his chest and guaranteed, "My four top lieutenants aren't just for show; I'll have them deploy their online army to clean up the mess right now!"

"We must find out exactly who's behind this."

Zhao Yanxi's expression was solemn. Although he had expected the casting to provoke a backlash from many celebrity fans, such an organized and large-scale attack was something that could not be accomplished by scattered individuals.

Thinking of this, he dialed Wang Changtian's number again.

"Mr. Wang."

"Director Zhao, what are your instructions?"

Wang Changtian laughed heartily, seemingly unaware of the online turmoil.

"Mr. Wang, you must have seen what's going on online, right?"

"I saw it, I saw it," Wang Changtian said with a smile. "Director Zhao's methods are brilliant! Just one casting choice has spurred the film's popularity to the max—this effect is worth at least five million in publicity fees!"

"————"

Zhao Yanxi forced a smile, but couldn't manage it. Sure enough, this "head of the online army" had his own set of logic.

"Mr. Wang, could you please help me reduce the online buzz? I don't want my leading lady to be attacked like this all over the internet."

"Oh, I see, I see!"

Wang Changtian then realized Zhao Yanxi's true intention and quickly replied, "Don't worry, Mr. Zhao, we are the professionals in this field. We will definitely handle it properly today!"

The release of "Stone" made Enlight Media a household name and brought them a fortune.

Now, Yanxi Film and Television is the strongest support for Wang Changtian's entry into the film and television industry, and he will never let go of this opportunity to show his talent.

Although she expected Wang Changtian wouldn't refuse, Zhao Yanxi was still quite satisfied with his enthusiastic response.

"By the way, Mr. Wang, didn't you mention last time that some of the company's hosts wanted to transition into acting? I happen to have a good role here; would you like her to give it a try?"

"Great! Thank you so much, Director Zhao!"

Looking at the comments popping up on the website, Zhao Yanxi thought, "Little Liu really does attract a lot of trouble when he's famous."

No matter what you do, you'll be watched.

This also proves that she is indeed very popular; other female stars can't even get this kind of treatment!

However, this time it's alright; it didn't escalate into the "gangster incident" from my past life memories.

Behind "Painted Skin" are at least two major state-owned companies and the first private cinema chain, so those film companies and media reporters can no longer act as recklessly as they did in the past.

This is one of the benefits of working with China Film Group!

After instructing Yang Siwei to follow up on the online public opinion, Zhao Yanxi had the driver take her back to the villa.

The students of the Class of 02 are about to officially graduate, and Liu Yifei should still be at home working on her graduation thesis at this time.

"Director Zhao!"

Director Zhao—

—

"Director Zhao~"

Zhao Yanxi never expected that Liu Yifei's villa would be so lively today.

Luo Jin, Zhu Yawen, Zhou Yang, and Jiang Yan—who should now be called Jiang Yiyan—each holding a laptop, sat in a row at the dining table. The scene looked like a team playing video games.

"Yanxi, come and take a look at this for me," Liu Yifei said, resting her chin on her hand and frowning slightly. "I feel like something's not right with this thesis."

"What's the problem?"

Zhao Yanxi leaned closer to take a look, and wow—it was titled "A Brief Discussion on the Creativity of Actors".

"Sisi, did you choose this topic to challenge the limits of your mentor's knowledge?"

"What's wrong? Is this question not working?"

"It's not that it's impossible," Zhao Yanxi said with a smile, giving a thumbs up, "it's just that the scope is too broad. If you can really write this paper well, then you're definitely capable of this!"

"Hehe, I also think my writing is pretty good, but there's just something awkward about it—can you take a look?"

"Let me state upfront that I'm not an expert in academic papers; I'm just offering my perspective from a reader's point of view."

"OK!"

"Director Zhao, you're a director, so your perspective is definitely different from ours," Jiang Yiyan said softly, leaning closer with her notebook. "Could you take a look at this for me too?"

"Let's forget about it."

Zhao Yanxi didn't even look up. "I can say a few words about the topic 'Xixi's Creativity,' but I really can't see anything worthwhile in her other papers."

"You haven't even looked at it yet~" Jiang Yiyan refused to give up, her voice becoming even sweeter.

Zhou Yang looked up, glanced at Jiang Yiyan, and then gave Liu Yifei a look that said, "See, I told you so."

Although Liu Yifei is simple-minded, she is not oblivious.

Ever since Jiang Yiyan arrived at the villa today, she hasn't stopped talking about the casting for "Painted Skin." Now, she's even speaking to Yan Xi more and more intimately in front of her. If Yan Xi still can't see through Jiang Yiyan's intentions, she's truly a blockhead!

I'm never asking her to come over again!

In the afternoon, Liu Xiaoli ordered food from the restaurant.

After dinner, the others invited Liu Yifei and Zhao Yanxi to go out for karaoke, but Liu Yifei declined because she was revising her thesis.

"Xixi, you should try to have less contact with Jiang Yiyan in the future," Liu Xiaoli said in a deep voice.

She never stopped Liu Yifei from making friends at school, even if she made bad friends, it was still a kind of life experience;

But she was worried that someone like Jiang Yiyan, who was both stupid and wicked, would corrupt her daughter's mind!

"Okay, Mom."

Liu Yifei didn't say anything, but instead expressed her agreement, simply gesturing towards Zhao Yanxi with her lips and saying, "I'm afraid some people aren't used to not having a delicate girl around to call him Director Zhao~"

"Hahaha!"

Zhao Yanxi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Qianqian, I really adhere to the rules of being a boyfriend."

Actually, there are some things I've wanted to tell you for a long time.

"What did you say?"

Liu Yifei looked curious, while Liu Xiaoli looked murderous—you dare to confess your feelings to my daughter in front of me? I'll give you a lot of guts!

Actually, you don't have any classmates.

"Huh?" The mother and daughter both expressed their confusion.

"Although you were a student in the class of 02, you were already the second female lead in 'The Story of Jin Li' before you even started school, and after 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,' you went straight into playing the lead role."

"When you played the lead role, many of your classmates hadn't even taken on any acting roles yet."

"Your starting point is too high, so high that they can only look up to you in the distance, and they won't treat you as a classmate!"

Liu Xiaoli glanced at Zhao Yanxi in surprise, as if she were meeting him for the first time. To have such insight at such a young age, it's no wonder he was able to start from scratch and build such a huge business.

Compared to him, Sisi was practically a greenhorn.

While relieved, Liu Xiaoli couldn't help but worry. Looking at her daughter's innocent and naive appearance, she feared that if she were tricked into having eight children, she might still think Zhao Yanxi was doing it for her own good...