Chapter 88: You Have to Have the Ability to Take on the Role
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“So, will I be able to receive less criticisms from the public then?” Jiang Yuning asked, pretending to be naive.
“We will have to look at the effect that the <Theory of Tea> has on the public after the first broadcast tonight,” Shen Yichen replied. It was easier to promote and increase the fame of a brand-new rookie artiste as compared to cleaning up and rebranding the reputation of an artiste who had already been blacklisted.
This was because it was useless to spend so much money and resources in generating a new image for her, with the public already having a specific, inherent impression of her. In order to create a brand new image and clean reputation for someone like Jiang Yuning, they needed to be extremely patient, because the only way to create a lasting impression on the public was to slowly accumulate positive thoughts and impressions through her actions. Therefore, it was inevitable for Jiang Yuning to suffer some criticisms at the moment.
“I was just teasing you. I understand the situation that I am in right now.”
“After the lineup of actors and actresses for the new drama is announced, it will then be necessary to start publicity of the drama by participating in different photoshoots and filming. Study your script day and night and make sure to perfect your acting. The drama production will start in less than half a month. Guangying Media is very strict and we expect all our artistes to be disciplined, so you had better not be lazy!”
“I got it,” Jiang Yuning answered as she picked up the remote control and turned on the television. “So, which channel will <Theory of Tea> be broadcasting on? What time is the programme? Wait…forget it, don’t tell me. I think it is better if I do not watch it.”
“Coward!” Shen Yichen said before hanging up the phone directly.
She had not bothered about the ratings of all the dramas that she had acted in before because she had not even been invested in the storyline of the dramas. However, now that she wanted to start afresh, she was really eager to obtain positive feedback and rating from the viewers.
When night fell, Lu Jingzhi suddenly called to inform Jiang Yuning that he was heading back to the Lu family mansion that night as he wanted to help second uncle to sort out matters relating to Chen Jingshu’s true identity as a member of the Lu family. Therefore, he asked Jiang Yuning not to wait up for him and to go to bed earlier.
Jiang Yuning felt groggy after taking her flu medication and she slept soundly the entire night until she was woken up by an incoming call from the young paparazzo at nine in the morning the next day.
Jiang Yuning sat up on the bed before answering the call and she could immediately hear the young paparazzo shouting excitedly on the other side of the phone. “Sister Yuning, your fan base has grown! Your fan base has finally grown! Have you seen it yet?”
As soon as she heard the young paparazzo’s words, Jiang Yuning turned on her laptop and quickly logged into her social media account. However, she saw that the number of followers that she had was still the same as it had been previously.
“You have two hundred thousand followers now! Two hundred thousand!” the young paparazzo said excitedly before sending a screenshot to Jiang Yuning. “Previously, there were only a few of us and the fan club was not as active. There is so much activity on the fan club right now because you have officially gained another two hundred thousand fans today! Do you know what the secret weapon that has helped you to gain these followers is?”
The young paparazzo sent her a screenshot taken from the broadcast of <Theory of Tea> yesterday.
In the picture, there was fog in the background and Jiang Yuning looked extremely refined and charming as she was pouring tea out of a teapot.
“The broadcast of <Theory of Tea> last night was sensational and everyone seems to be singing praises of it.”
Jiang Yuning scrolled down to look at some of the comments about <Theory of Tea> and she was pleasantly surprised to see mostly positive reviews and comments.
[I honestly did not realize that the young lady talking and explaining about tea was in fact Jiang Yuning!]
[I feel as though Jiang Yuning had been reborn as soon as she signed up as an artiste under Guangying Media.]
[Ah, ah, ah! The traditional and ancient customs are really in trend nowadays. Jiang Yuning looked extremely beautiful in her outfit!]
[I feel that Jiang Yuning really has a deep understanding of tea. Her explanation and steps in preparing the tea were all done very professionally too. Jiang Yuning, you have just gained another fan!]
[Jiang Yuning, I think that you look really beautiful in the traditional Chinese outfit. I will introduce you a superb shop selling really pretty traditional outfits. You should try it! @JiangJiangLovestheScenery]
Jiang Yuning heaved a huge sigh of relief. Although she had already been in the entertainment industry for so many years, she still had to pay attention to her ratings and the netizens’ comments about her as though she was still a newbie in the industry. Fortunately, all her hard work finally proved to be rewarding.
Jiang Yuning decided to click into the clothing link that the fan had just shared with her and she found that the design for the clothing sold on the online boutique was in fact very unique and modern.
Therefore, she suddenly had an idea.
She quickly registered for an online shopping ID using Sister Liang’s identity and then browsed through all the clothing before purchasing some of the outfits sold online.
Since so many of her fans seemed to like it when she wore the traditional Chinese outfit, she could try on and model a few more different styles for them. Most importantly, she really enjoyed wearing the traditional outfits too.
Therefore, Jiang Yuning decided to ask Sister Liang to clean up one of the guestrooms so that she could use it as a fitting room to try on the different outfits that she had just bought.
Then, she suddenly remembered that Shen Yichen had informed her yesterday that the lineup of the cast for <Backlight> would be announced to the public today. Why had she not received any notifications about it?
Therefore, Jiang Yuning logged onto Guangying Media’s official website and discovered that the lineup of the cast for <Backlight> had already been publicly released. However, she was not listed as the actress who would be playing the role of Qin Tong—another girl named Zhou Jinshu was listed instead.
Jiang Yuning panicked and quickly took out her cell phone to call Shen Yichen. “Director Shen, what is going on?”
“I will call you back in a while,” Shen Yichen replied flatly before hanging up on the phone without saying another word.
Had she just been robbed of her role again?
…
At this moment, at the vice chairman’s office at Guangying Media, Shen Yichen was in shock as he stood in front of the deputy chairman.
“Vice chairman, I think that you should provide an explanation as to why Jiang Yuning was switched out of her role.”
“Why should I explain anything to you? The investors had asked for a change of actress. They do not want to invest in a drama that Jiang Yuning is in. Furthermore, <Backlight> is an inspirational youth drama and the investors think that Jiang Yuning is not suitable for the role because of her bad reputation. Who is Jiang Yuning that you have to come forward and question me on my decisions? Now that Chairman Gu is not around, I get to have the final say on all these matters. I have already given you all the resources that you had asked for in the past, so do not fall out with me just because of that person,” the vice chairman replied angrily. “Get out!”
“I hope that you would have a good explanation for Chairman Gu when he returns from his business trip.”
After he spoke his sentence, he turned around and left the vice chairman’s office immediately.
“Does he think that I would have to explain myself to the chairman over such a small matter?”
The vice chairman snorted. Although he knew that it was Gu Pingsheng who had accepted Jiang Yuning into Guangying Media as one of their artistes, he did not know about the relationship between Jiang Yuning and Gu Pingsheng.
He had always assumed that Gu Pingsheng had signed Jiang Yuning into their company merely as a simple appreciation gesture.
Otherwise, he thought that Jiang Yuning would never have been accepted into Guangying Media based on her acting skills.
Furthermore, he had a very good reason to switch Jiang Yuning out for another actress! It was simply because the investors did not want Jiang Yuning in the drama!
Shen Yichen sighed as he tried to call Gu Pingsheng a couple of times but his calls were not connected.
It was not surprising for an actress or actor to get their role snatched from them, but he had never expected Jiang Yuning to encounter it as soon as she got into Guangying Media.
Although the big entertainment companies seemed to be just and fair to the public, there were still many who placed their personal interests above the company’s interest.
This was not the first time that the vice chairman had placed his own personal interest above the company’s interest.
Shen Yichen sighed as he made a phone call to Jiang Yuning. “Do you have time later in the afternoon? Let’s meet up.”
“My role has been snatched away, right?” Jiang Yuning asked. “In fact, after Guangying Media had officially announced the lineup of the cast on their official website, I thought that it was probably better if I did not get the role. I feel that I might invite more criticisms and negativity if I was given the role. To be honest, I feel somewhat relieved that the role has been given to someone else.”
“Chairman Gu does not know about this matter yet. He has not return to China. Jiang Yuning, I am sorry that I was unable to keep your role for you.”
“It is alright,” Jiang Yuning quickly replied. “I have already experienced this sort of situation many times in the past.” She still had a scar on her shoulder because she was burnt when Shen Ru robbed her of her role in a drama in the past. Therefore, she was already used to this kind of things happening to her.
“However, do not worry because I am already fighting for another role for you in one of Director Shen Guobang’s production. You have to have the ability to take on the role.”
“Alright then, I will meet you later in the afternoon. I have a new idea that I would like to discuss with you. I feel that this might give me many more opportunities in the future,” Jiang Yuning said to Shen Yichen.
“Okay, I will come over to the villa in the afternoon.”
Shen Yichen was distressed, but he was helpless—there was nothing else that he could do.
He had not been able to protect Jiang Yuning’s role when Gu Pingsheng was not around.
He also felt bad for Jiang Yuning because he knew how much time and effort she had spent preparing for the role of Qin Tong.
Jiang Yuning felt a little down when she thought about her situation and so, she quickly sent a text message to Lu Jingzhi. “I need a hug right now.”
“I am busy. Hugs.”
Lu Jingzhi merely replied with four simple words, but Jiang Yuning felt warmth in her heart immediately.
It was just a role in a drama anyway!
Because, she believed that there would definitely be a better opportunity in future…
