Who Needs a CEO? I Choose Stardom

’The female lead suffers way too much. It’s guaranteed to be a tearjerker, but other than masochists, who wants to pay to go to a movie and feel awful?’

The crowd that regularly goes to the movies isn’t the same as the one that enjoys crying in front of their TVs.

Ni Bingyan figured the movie would probably bomb at the box office; its only hope was to aim for awards. But from what she knew, there were a ton of good films out this year, so the competition would be incredibly fierce.

If she put in all that effort and still didn’t win an award, several months of work would be for nothing. It was better to go for a surefire box office hit.

Honestly, the title of ”Ten-Billion Box Office Actress” was pretty appealing to her.

The second script was a realistic romance film exploring the issue of the bride price.

It was about a loving couple on the verge of marriage. Their two families got into a series of disputes over the bride price, which eventually eroded their love for each other until they broke up.

This film was also grounded in reality, offering social commentary and serving as a cautionary tale.

After reading a few pages of the script, she could tell the plot was masterful and the dialogue was sharp. One look at the author’s name confirmed it was the work of a renowned screenwriter.

As long as the acting was up to par, the movie would definitely be good.

However, Ni Bingyan felt it should be adapted into a TV series. An eighty-episode run would be even better; she was sure all the aunties and grandmas would love it.

The third was an urban comedy about the cutthroat rules of the workplace.

The protagonist was a ”super-competitor.” She’d fought her way through school and into the workplace, clawing her way up from one company to the next, constantly taking down rivals to get promotions and raises.

Just as she was about to reach the pinnacle of her career, one of her colleagues suddenly died from overwork.

The protagonist had an epiphany. She decided to quit her job, move to the countryside to grow kiwis, and live a peaceful, carefree life.

But even in the countryside, she couldn’t escape her destiny as a super-competitor.

She didn’t get a single day of leisure before she started studying advanced agricultural science while tending her crops.

Before she knew it, she had fallen back into her old competitive habits.

By constantly competing, she became a famous fruit farmer in the region. She even published two books: one on kiwi cultivation techniques, and another on her wonderful life after escaping the city.

Tsk.

It was supposed to be a get-rich-quick comedy, but it was dripping with dark humor.

’I’m sure any office worker who watches it will laugh until they cry, and then cry their eyes out.’

’Crush the competition or be crushed by it. That was the workplace. That was survival. That was the instinct carved into the very DNA of countless workers!’

They were like tireless worker ants, all contributing to the colony.

’The most tragic part is that she thought she had escaped, but in reality, she had just traded one web for another.’

If she hadn’t already played Liang Hongying, she would have likely taken this role. Unfortunately, both protagonists were super-competitors with similar life experiences. It felt a little too much like typecasting.

The final script was a coming-of-age film focused on a young woman’s journey of inner growth.

The ”Cinderella” protagonist, Luo Xiaoou, lost her parents at a young age and was raised by her grandmother. Ostracized and bullied as a child, she became timid, cowardly, and insecure. Then, her grandfather suddenly appeared, and she discovered she was the heiress to a massive conglomerate.

The sudden change in status left her feeling lost, but with her grandfather’s guidance, she regained her confidence and began to grow into a worthy Inheritor.

The story was filled with lavish, grand scenes, and the dialogue was sharp yet retained a gentle, human touch. It would definitely resonate with young women who were also finding their way, and the market response was sure to be excellent.

”I’ll take the fourth one! ’Be your own queen, not a prince’s princess.’”

Ni Bingyan murmured, reciting the last sentence from the synopsis.

”Oh?”

Wei Shuojie hadn’t expected her to choose the last one.

”This one doesn’t have the same profound themes as the other three...”

Based on Wei Shuojie’s experience, its chances of winning an award weren’t as high as the first three, which was why she had deliberately placed it at the bottom of the pile.

Oftentimes, films with social commentary are more likely to win awards, while the fourth one was more likely to be a box office hit.

”The first two themes have been done to death. I have no real desire to star in them. As for the third one about the super-competitor, it’s too similar to my previous role in *Children of the Mountains*. I don’t want to play the same part twice. Besides, since I already won a Huabiao Award for playing Liang Hongying, the chances of winning again for such a similar character are slim. On the other hand, the last one, *Inheritor*... a Cinderella who suddenly becomes an heiress, an ugly duckling turning into a swan? Tons of people will love that. I read the summary, and the plot sounds really interesting.”

’Besides, compared to human trafficking, bride prices, and office politics, how is a young woman’s personal growth not a profound topic?’

Seeing Wei Shuojie staring at her, Ni Bingyan threw up her hands in mock surrender. ”Alright, fine. I’m a country bumpkin, and I want to tag along with the film crew to see what this so-called ’high society’ is really like. Is that a good enough reason for you?”