The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

"Is there anything else?" Li Xu asked Wang Jing.

"Um... Miss Jing Tian."

Wang Jing observed Li Xu's expression and cautiously said, "She finished filming her movie in the US and said she'd be returning to China in a couple of days. She wants to come to the film set... to take a look."

Li Xu raised his eyes, his expression unchanged: "Come if you want, the film crew didn't put up a sign to stop people from entering."

She also said... she wanted to treat the main crew members to a meal to celebrate her successful endorsement and to thank everyone for their hard work during this time.

Wang Jing added, feeling a little apprehensive himself.

He could somewhat guess what that young lady was thinking, but Director Li's attitude...

"It's a good thing that someone is treating you."

Li Xu's tone remained calm. "The lead actors, directors, and producers can choose whether or not to go, but the stagehands, production assistants, and those low-paid junior staff should at least have a decent meal."

"You can make the arrangements, just don't be too ostentatious. I won't stop you, and I won't make things difficult for you in front of this young lady."

Li Xu spoke calmly.

Wang Jing gave an awkward laugh, dared not say anything more, and turned to get back to work.

He had indeed received some "favors" from Jing Tian recently, who introduced him to some good post-production resources. He was grateful for the help, but Director Li made it clear that he wouldn't actually act as a mouthpiece.

Watching Wang Jing walk away, Li Xu sat alone in a corner of the theater, which was gradually quieting down.

The stage was being dismantled, and one by one the huge spotlights were turned off, as darkness slowly swallowed the space that had just been filled with music, lights, and cheers.

The emptiness and desolation after the concert unexpectedly resonated with his current mood.

After filming a major production, I felt exhilarated but also exhausted, and more real-world problems were on the horizon.

He took out his notebook and opened to the latest page.

It contained some strange and unusual inspirations.

Besides his ideas about the upcoming filming, he also came up with some lines and scenes that he suddenly thought of that might be good.

There were also a few scattered, out-of-tune musical scores and fragments of words written hastily in the corner.

"What you don't know... I silently persist..."

"Are you looking at your book or at me? Your eyes are full of thirst for knowledge, and your heart is burning with passion. Speak your mind bravely..."

Li Xu stared at these lines of text, his brows furrowing slightly.

He had never studied composition systematically. Although he had a good voice and his mother forced him to study music theory for a few years when he was young, that foundation was far from enough to support him in creating such a melodic fragment.

Yet these thoughts truly flowed from his mind when he was fully immersed in the role of "Du Minghao".

It's as if it had been hidden in some corner all along, and was unintentionally unlocked by the character's emotions and circumstances.

He closed the notebook and rubbed his temples.

He thought it might just be a hallucination from being too immersed in the role, but somewhere in his heart, a voice couldn't help but ask: What if... I could really give it a try? Maybe I can do music too?

-

On the other side of the ocean in mid-June.

Li Xu and Liu Yifei were filming a concert scene together.

Because Zhao Shanshan had to go back, the person in charge of Starlight Brilliant Company, who had been accompanying her, rushed to Jing Tian's side after she had just finished filming the last scene of her American cherry endorsement, and said with barely concealed excitement:

"Sister Tian Tian, ​​the Washington State Governor's office has confirmed the entire meeting schedule for the day after tomorrow afternoon."

"In addition, the interview outlines from The Seattle Times and KOMO-TV have also been sent over. The questions mainly focus on how your Eastern background combines with the healthy and sweet image of Northwest cherries, as well as your views on American culture."

As she spoke, the emergency manager of Starlight Entertainment lowered her voice, her smile widening, "We've even made arrangements for things back home. Several mainstream media outlets' entertainment and social sections will reprint the news articles and photos from here. The titles and content will be handled according to what you wanted before, Sister Tian Tian, ​​emphasizing cultural exchange and brand recognition while downplaying personal hype."

Jing Tian nodded slightly, a polite smile on her face, but her eyes remained calm and undisturbed.

Given her background, it's not surprising that she received these resources.

Since her debut, she has never worried about resources. All she has ever needed to consider is whether her acting skills and performance are worthy of these resources.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Her voice was gentle. "Remember to remind the company's publicity department to be careful when reposting. The key point is that I am a Chinese actress who promotes cultural exchange and is recognized by international brands. As for my personal part, don't deliberately exaggerate it, especially don't mention my family."

"My family... doesn't like me being too high-profile, you know what I mean."

"Understood, understood."

The emergency response manager at Starlight Brilliant nodded repeatedly, then couldn't help but laugh, "But Sister Tian Tian, ​​I've heard that quite a few people in China are already privately inquiring about your background. It's definitely better for you to be more cautious this way."

Jing Tian just smiled and didn't reply.

inquire about?

Let them find out.

Some things, the more you try to hide them, the more curious others become.

It would be better to be straightforward, but only provide the "answer" that they can see, and based on their own background, do they even know how to guess the answer?

Even ten years from now, no one will be able to guess.

Not caring about the matter, Jing Tian turned around and walked towards the dressing room behind her to remove her makeup.

Along the way, the person in charge of the "Starry Night" event seemed to remember something, quickened his pace to catch up, and lowered his voice even further:

"By the way, Sister Tian Tian, ​​back in China... Producer Wang from the 'Love Announcement' production team just sent a message saying that there's been a problem with commissioning the theme song for the movie. They originally wanted to contact Wang Li Hong, but the timeline might not be right."

Jing Tian paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, then resumed her normal pace.

"What did Director Li say?"

Jing Tian spoke casually, as if she were just asking a casual question.

"Director Li instructed Producer Wang to prepare on two fronts: on one hand, to find suitable songs that were already available, and on the other hand, to continue contacting other musicians. The budget was raised to around 300,000, which is quite generous."

Jing Tian nodded, said nothing more, and went into the dressing room.

The door closed gently behind me.

She sat in front of the mirror, looking at her exquisitely made-up self, her eyes flickering slightly.

Theme song...

Picking up a makeup remover pad, Jing Tian slowly wiped away the makeup from her face.

She certainly has the resources for this; she could even contact Jay Chou.

But it's too early.

Li Xu needs this small predicament to hone his resilience, and he also needs this search process to clarify what he wants.

She shouldn't interfere too early, lest she incur the displeasure of her elders.

"Okay, that's settled."

"If Mu Tou really feels like he's reached a dead end, then I'll just let things take their course and intervene. But if I interfere too much, he probably won't like it."

Jing Tian smiled and gave herself a thumbs up for her "wisdom".

-

June 18, Washington State Governor's Mansion.

The meeting took place in a simple yet professional atmosphere.

The female governor, a capable middle-aged woman, extended a polite welcome to Jing Tian, ​​the young actress from the East, praising her "healthy and sweet image, which perfectly matches the Washington cherry."

Jing Tian was poised and confident throughout, and spoke fluent and standard English.

When asked about her impressions of the American Northwest, she smiled and said, "The natural scenery here is impressive, like cherries—bright on the outside, sweet on the inside, and you have to take the time to appreciate it."

This tactful yet clever response earned a silent nod of approval from the person in charge of Starlight Brilliant who was accompanying him.

A brief greeting, a group photo, and a short interview with local media.

The ceremony was short, but formal enough. When the flashbulbs went off, Jing Tian stood beside the female governor, dressed in a well-tailored light-colored suit, her smile just right—neither overly enthusiastic nor aloof.

She was well aware of the significance of this occasion.

In 2007, it was highly newsworthy that a newcomer actor from mainland China was able to endorse an international agricultural product brand and receive a formal meeting with a U.S. governor-level official.

There is no need for any exaggeration; this fact alone is remarkable enough.

That evening, the group photo, along with some beautiful behind-the-scenes photos taken earlier at the cherry orchard, was sent back to the country through news agencies and early online portals.

The titles were very similar—"Eastern beauty Jing Tian stuns North America," and "Mysterious newcomer receives high-level treatment on her first international journey."

The reports are short, mostly appearing in the corners of the entertainment or social news sections, but their positioning is clear.

A more sophisticated and "mysterious" image, different from the glamorous competition among domestic actresses, has quietly begun to take shape.

Once fame spreads from abroad to China, adding headlines that "amaze foreigners" is the best way to quickly and maximize one's popularity.

-

The crew of the TV series "Love Announcement" at Huairou Film and Television Base.

The afternoon's filming had just ended when Liu Yifei took the water handed to her by her assistant, Xiao Tang, and sat down in the rest area.

There was an entertainment newspaper lying on the chair next to her, which she picked up and flipped through.

Her fingers paused slightly as her gaze fell on the social news section.

Jing Tian's photo was prominently displayed above.

Surrounded by foreign officials and media, she wore a light-colored suit that was both appropriate and dignified, and her smile was standard, without showing her teeth.

The caption is concise, but every word emphasizes "high standards," "international recognition," and "cultural exchange ambassador."

Liu Yifei's gaze lingered on the photo for a few seconds, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the edge of the newspaper.

The newspaper's ink was rough, but the smile in the photo was particularly jarring.

Jing Tian's path to stardom is extremely glamorous, seemingly stepping onto the international stage in one step, and receiving resources that many domestic actresses, big and small, can only dream of.

Her current experience on set, repeatedly polishing a single shot, pondering a single line of dialogue for ages, and struggling through dust and sweat, seems like two paths that will never intersect.

A path that appears adorned with flowers and splendid colors, like oil being poured over a raging fire.

One path requires walking in silence, carrying a heavy burden, measuring the distance step by step.

She recalled some speculations she had heard about Jing Tian's background, bit her lip, and remained silent.

She was somewhat envious of this kind of path, but she didn't particularly yearn for it.

Rather than seeking glory and brilliance, she aspires to be a true actress with outstanding acting skills and notable works, so that she will have something to look back on in her old age.

However, she couldn't help but wonder, what kind of path would someone like Li Xu, who only loves to focus on acting, appreciate more?

There was a few seconds of silence.

She moved gently, slowly crumpling the newspaper in her hand into a ball, then tossed it in an arc, landing precisely in the film crew's trash can nearby.

"Senior Yifei, what are you throwing?"

Shen Ao happened to be passing by and, seeing this, jokingly remarked, "It's not good to litter on set, Director Li will say something if he sees it."

Liu Yifei paused in her steps as she was about to leave.

She didn't turn around, but merely turned half her face to the side, her peripheral vision seemingly glancing at Shen Ao. Her voice was calm, yet tinged with a hint of irritation:

"Once you've finished reading the newspaper, you should throw it away. What's the point of keeping it?"

"As for who you want to get close to, and how you want to report to junior Li Xu, that's your prerogative... I can't interfere."

After saying that, she didn't look at Shen Ao's suddenly interesting expression, nor did she look at the trash can. She left directly, her aura icy.

Shen Ao stood there, blinked, and looked a little confused.

What did he say wrong?

It was just a joke, why did Liu Yifei get so worked up?

After carefully considering Liu Yifei's words and glancing at the trash can, Shen Ao suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Watching Liu Yifei walk away, he walked to the trash can and couldn't help but unfold the crumpled newspaper and take a look.

Jing Tian's smile was still striking on the crumpled newspaper.

"Hey... this... I guess I'm just unlucky."

Looking at the newspaper layout, Shen Ao realized why his earlier joke had backfired.

That was definitely a collision.

He shook his head, crumpled the newspaper up again, and threw it back into the trash can.

Looking in the direction Liu Yifei left, he thought of Miss Jing Tian, ​​who already had a strong presence even before officially "entering the scene," and couldn't help but stroke his chin.

have to.

It seems the film crew is going to get more and more "lively" from now on.

Shen Ao walked unsteadily toward the director's monitor with his hands behind his back, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face as he thought about the plot.

In addition to my usual anticipation for the upcoming filming and the final product, I also felt a bit more curious and expectant about the off-screen developments of this film.

Director Li, oh Director Li...

Your film is really well made, but I wonder what your life outside of the film is like?

Tsk~

-

In late June, the summer sun was scorching.

The afternoon sun on a summer day shines through the blinds, cutting out alternating stripes of light and dark on the floor of Wang Lihong's studio.

The cool air from the air conditioner dispelled the summer heat, and the air was filled with a faint aroma of coffee and the scent of old wooden floors.

Li Xu sat on the comfortable leather sofa with his back straight.

Wang Jing sat to his side and slightly behind him, holding a folder in his hand, his posture respectful yet cautious.

Across from her, Wang Lihong leaned back in her large office chair, a professional smile on her face.

His agent stood beside him, equally polite with a smile.

"Teacher Wang, this is our revised song invitation plan and budget."

Wang Jing stood up and handed a document to Wang Lihong's agent. "Our director, Li, attaches great importance to the theme song of this film, so we hope to secure the best possible work within the budget."

Wang Lihong's agent took the document, quickly scanned the key figures, and his smile became more genuine.

He leaned down and whispered in Wang Lihong's ear, "Lihong, I've seen the quote, it's very competitive, the budget has been raised to 300,000, why don't we accept it?"

"Let's postpone the other small order for a few days first, since the other party isn't in a hurry anyway."