Caught in Affairs with Superstar

Chapter 700: Chapter 494: Out of Their Mind

Kang Xin heard the news and his first reaction was to laugh and say, ”This year, Song Chi and Zhou Yun are holding hands all the way to Cannes.”

Yao Yuanfeng’s reaction was, ”Now we’re talking. The most powerful and rising couple in the entire film and television industry has been born. Anyone who dares to underestimate them from now on is either brain-damaged or has a screw loose.”

In fact, their reactions represented the majority of people’s.

Maybe you could say that Zhou Yun and Song Chi have had unprecedented good fortune, or you could say there are many in the industry who are more talented but not as famous as them, or you might even say that both Zhou Yun and Song Chi are too dominant, that if they really got married and had kids, the issues and conflicts that arise would be even more irreconcilable.

But no matter what you say, at this moment, Zhou Yun and Song Chi are the two brightest stars in the domestic film industry. These stars hang in the night sky, twinkling brightly, and no one can overshadow their brilliance.

Kang Xin is an elder who genuinely wishes Zhou Yun and Song Chi the best in their careers. Having worked with them on ”Heart Inquiry,” he developed a sincere fondness for these two juniors, believing they are young people worth supporting.

When you reach the top in an industry, you always hope that ”New talents will continue to emerge across the generations.” This is the spirit of legacy—it’s probably that stubborn persistence in our bones, the desire for the industry one loves and is a part of, to shine brilliantly forever.

Yao Yuanfeng is a prime-aged collaborator. His cooperation with Zhou Yun is heating up. The better Zhou Yun does, the more he benefits, especially with ”Under the Moonlight” which he wrote himself and is preparing to collaborate with both of these individuals. So, with them thriving, he’s delighted to see their success.

The unhappy ones are the competitors, the opposition.

Like Li Ci.

This year’s ”Dingfengbo” is nothing short of a massive blow for Li Ci. As the male lead, he became ”the biggest flop” after the show aired.

It’s not just within the industry, but most netizens are mocking him for his terrible performance in the series, especially when compared to Zhou Yun and Xu Siyao, he stood out like a sore thumb, and even Li Ci’s own fans couldn’t save the situation.

With such a bad reputation, no matter how popular he is, major productions won’t consider him—anymore, at least there’ll be a lot more hesitation before casting him. All big productions hope to achieve both fame and profit, and while using Li Ci could make money, the poor reputation harms the profit margins.

”Heart Inquiry” made a killing because it had the combination of three A-list celebrities and the great director Kang Xin, which drove the price to the industry’s top from the start, and the subsequent explosion in popularity made the broadcast rights even more lucrative.

”Dingfengbo” struggled due to its poor reputation, failing to increase its viewership ratings later on, and its streaming numbers couldn’t find a new breakthrough, naturally limiting its revenue.

Li Ci and Song Chi belong to the same cohort of actors. The number of those who can match their name recognition and popularity is few. Song Chi is inherently more likable to the general public than Li Ci, and he is also more successful in terms of achievements, outperforming Li Ci in every aspect. Now that Song Chi not only won the best actor but also became a jury member at Cannes, he’s left everyone far behind. This would definitely impact Li Ci’s situation even more.

He Yong knew that Li Ci was a bit like ”a hopeless case,” but for the moment he couldn’t think of a way to turn the tide for Li Ci. To change the public perception of ”poor acting” about Li Ci, first, there had to be works that showcased his good acting. With that as a basis, marketing and PR could work on whitewashing Li Ci’s image.

But how to improve Li Ci’s acting? Send him to acting classes? Hasn’t Li Ci attended enough already? Were they effective? Have Li Ci hone his acting skills in arthouse films? Why would the company agree to let their cash cow stop making money to act in arthouse films with little pay? Even if he went against everyone’s opinion and let Li Ci do it, which renowned arthouse film director would want Li Ci?

After a long ponder, He Yong concluded that Li Ci’s situation is basically unchangeable. His reputation might be poor, but he still has many fashion and commercial resources due to his good looks and loyal fanbase. Under these circumstances, to ask him to take a plunge and hone his acting, He Yong felt that even Li Ci himself couldn’t do it. Things will just have to continue as they are. It’s better not to get involved in serious genres anymore. From now on, just let Li Ci stick to romantic idol dramas and keep singing.