The Secret of Second Marriage

I never dreamed that my TV series would have the best viewership ratings, trend on social media, and my name would frequently appear on the shortlists of directors and producers in the industry.

I now have my own RV, an assistant team of makeup artists, and I've even landed a role in a palace drama.

I heard that this palace drama is full of top actresses, from the empress and imperial concubines to ordinary concubines, all of whom are vying for the roles. It is said that thousands of actresses went to Hengdian to apply for this role.

I sent my information to the director and producer, and about a week later, Sister Qiong told me some good news, saying that she would take me to a dinner party that night.

The famous director Zhang at the dinner party came specifically to see me. He has a very important role in their film, I think it's a female villain, playing the role of a vicious imperial concubine.

The producers chose me for this role because I had played a villainous character before, and I portrayed it so convincingly that I can be considered a talented actress.

Sister Qiong said, "Man, tonight at the Family Banquet Hotel, I've booked a private room. Producers, directors, and several senior figures in the entertainment industry are having dinner together. You should come too. You're a newcomer, so remember to bring gifts for each director and producer!"

"Okay, I understand."

I say.

After a while, Sister Qiong sent me an Excel spreadsheet, which clearly listed the director, the director's wife, the producer, and several senior figures in the entertainment industry, along with their various hobbies and taboos. She told me to familiarize myself with them beforehand so as not to offend anyone later.

I suddenly realized that the entertainment industry is also quite particular about interpersonal relationships and seniority.

Following the gift list that Sister Qiong sent me, I bought 2 yuan worth of cosmetics and lipsticks for the director's wife, and an antique teacup from the Qing Dynasty that was worth tens of thousands of yuan at an auction house for the director.

The remaining few senior figures in the entertainment industry are very superstitious about feng shui. They go to Thailand every year to pray, and I give them amulets and sandalwood bracelets that have been blessed by temples.

I don't really want to be navigating these social niceties to please these senior figures in the entertainment industry, but there's no way around it. As an actor in this industry, if you don't know how to socialize, even if there are good roles available, people won't invite you; they'll invite someone else instead.

I need to become a familiar face at these dinner parties.

I, Jiang Man, was once such a naive and socially awkward girl, but I never imagined that I would become so worldly-wise now.

There's no other way; it's all about survival. When you're out in the world, sometimes you have to bow your head.

That evening, at the entrance of the grand hotel, my agent saw me and warmly greeted me, saying happily, "Man, you've been doing great lately! Among all the artists in the company, you're the one whose popularity is skyrocketing!"

If this continues, you'll become the top female employee in the company!

It seems my judgment was right. I knew you were suited for the entertainment industry when I signed you; you were destined for stardom!

"Sister Qiong, thank you..."

I said, "Actually, I'm very grateful to the company. They treat their artists very well. There's no drinking involved, and no unspoken rules. All you have to do is act well."

"Yes, I'm a woman too, and I've been in the entertainment industry for so many years. I know it's not an easy job in the entertainment industry, so after I started my own company and became an agent, I vowed to treat the artists under my management well."

Sister Qiong is a straightforward person. She took my hand and led me to the private room. The private room was particularly exquisite and luxurious, with all kinds of sumptuous dishes, including king crab and Australian lobster that cost thousands of yuan each, ginseng, bird's nest, and so on. The waiter quickly brought out all the dishes.

I went in, greeted the directors, clinked glasses with them, and then distributed the gifts to the directors, their wives, and several senior figures in the entertainment industry.

They were all quite happy.

The director took the initiative to start a conversation, clinking glasses with me at the dinner table and saying, "Jiang Man, right? You're a pretty good girl. I've seen your work... the female villain role in that national spy drama you played last time was excellent. You made people both love and hate you. I was quite impressed with you."

"Thank you for the compliment, Director."

I say.

The director nodded and said, "You're quite good. I've heard Shen Xing mention you before. Last time he had dinner with his father, his father brought Shen Xing along. At the dinner, Shen Xing said that you're a very good actor and that if we, the director, have any projects, we should cast you!"

Can I gossip a bit about your relationship with Shen Xing?

"We have nothing to do with each other."

I say.

I was stunned. I didn't expect Shen Xing to have helped me so much behind the scenes. Suddenly, I remembered that Shen Xing had also recommended my manager.

"You two haven't talked yet. I thought you and Shen Xing had already talked. If you get married, Shen Xing's father is a top director in the industry, so you won't have to worry about getting roles."

The director probably thought I was a good actor, or maybe he was trying to get close to me because of Shen Xing's father.

But the more he said that, the more uneasy I felt, as if I owed Shen Xing something.

I sat alone in the private box for the second half of the game and didn't say much.

After exchanging pleasantries, Sister Qiong sat down and drank and chatted with the director, the crew, and other senior figures in the entertainment industry.

Sister Qiong is a senior figure in the entertainment industry, with a lot of experience. She has managed many popular artists, so directors and producers all give her face.

Sister Qiong said, "Our Xiaoman is relying on the two directors' support. I'll introduce you to a few bosses about the investment later, and then you can discuss it... How about we go for a drink?"

She's a very witty and capable woman. In order to negotiate a film contract for me, she drank quite a lot of alcohol at the dinner table that night and also shielded me from a lot of drinking.

We were half-drunk from drinking when the door to the private room was suddenly pried open. It turned out to be a female director from another dinner party, bringing her newly signed young actress to toast the investors, producers, and other senior figures and bigwigs.

The moment I saw the director walk in, I was shocked... It was Director Zhang Zhiwei. Behind her was a newly signed actress whose features resembled mine, but she was clearly younger and exuded a bright and pure aura.

Director Zhang Zhiwei, it's been a long time.

I didn't treat her well. When I first entered the entertainment industry, she was my mentor, and I trusted her like an older sister.

Unexpectedly, after I was no longer of any use to her, she showed me the most cold-blooded, ruthless, and cannibalistic side of the entertainment industry.

If it weren't for Shen Xing, I might have been sold by her.

When Director Zhang Zhiwei saw me, she looked a little embarrassed. She smiled obsequiously at the director, who was also surnamed Zhang, but was a well-known director in the industry.

She smiled and said, "Director Zhang, you're eating here too. I heard you're going to start filming a drama called 'The Legend of a Certain Concubine' and are recruiting actresses. I brought along Xia Yanwei, an artist from our company. She just debuted and acted in a web drama. Her acting skills are quite good."

We are fresh blood in the entertainment industry, and as newcomers, we can act in Director Zhang's TV series for free.

Do you think we should talk about this?

"This new girl your company just signed looks so much like Jiang Man! Did she debut under the guise of being a younger version of Jiang Man?"

Director Zhang glanced at the young actress and said with some surprise.

"Director, you don't know that Jiang Man used to be an artist in our company. After she became famous, she looked down on me, the agent who brought her into the entertainment industry."

Hey, even if you become famous, you shouldn't forget your roots!

Back then, when she was divorced and abandoned by her husband, leaving with nothing but her daughter and homeless, I extended an olive branch and had her film a short drama produced by our company.

She had just entered the entertainment industry and was just starting to make a name for herself. Now that she's famous and successful, she's blocked my number and I can't contact her at all… Do you think an artist like that is worth nurturing?

Director Zhang Zhiwei said in a sarcastic tone.

I watched Zhang Zhiwei's film, and I never expected her to betray me in front of so many people. It once again made me realize the viciousness and twisted nature of humanity.

Her words pierced me like steel needles. In her description, I seemed to be a wicked woman who fawned on the powerful and bullied the weak, and who betrayed trust.

The director looked at me somewhat awkwardly and said, "Ms. Jiang, you're not that kind of person, are you?"

"Director... if it weren't for me, how could a divorced woman like her have achieved her current status in the entertainment industry?"

Director Zhang Zhiwei said sarcastically, "Now that she's famous, she's turned her back on you. You'd better watch out for her, otherwise, after you've made her famous, she might become ungrateful!"

I walked over coldly, splashed the red wine in my glass directly onto Zhang Zhiwei's carefully styled, slightly curled hair, and said with a sneer, "Are you done?"

"Jiang Man, what are you doing? No matter what, I'm still your former agency boss. I'm the one who brought you into this industry... You used to pitifully tell me that you weren't doing well, that you had no food to eat, that you couldn't make a living with your daughter after your divorce... Have you forgotten all that? Have you lost your conscience?"

Zhang Zhiwei said angrily.

She's just jealous. I've been doing better and better since I left her company, while the artists her company has signed in the past year or so, despite spending a lot of money and resources, have all failed to make a splash and have lost a lot of money.

I told her coldly, word by word: "Our contract has expired. If you have any complaints, you can take legal action! Don't spread rumors and slander here."

Besides, I got to where I am today not because of you, but because of my own hard work and acting skills!

Zhang Zhiwei, when I was with your company, I filmed several dramas. The investors gave me millions in salary, but I only received ten or twenty thousand. The company took 99% of the profits, while I only got 1%.

Do you think you're some kind of saint? And besides, if I weren't capable of making that much money at the company, why would you hire me?

"Jiang Man!!!"

Zhang Zhiwei looked at me with hatred.

"Please leave! This is a dinner party hosted on my home turf, and you are not welcome!"

After my agent, Sister Qiong, saw the truth of the matter, she stood up for me and moved Zhang Zhiwei and her young actress away.

Zhang Zhiwei said viciously, "Sister Qiong, what's so great about a big company? Are you bullying me? Fine, I'll leave. A divorced woman can become a big star. I don't believe my personally signed young actress won't ruthlessly trample Jiang Man, you old woman, under her feet in the future!"

"I'm waiting. Try me if you dare."

I drank a glass of red wine and said with a cold laugh.