On the other end of the phone, Yuan Fenghui remained calm and composed. “Where do you think something’s off? She hasn’t done anything. How does that make her your rival in love? Fine, let’s just treat her as your rival. An opportunity to earn money from your rival falls into your lap, and you aren’t moved? Are you silly or what?”
Yuan Fenghui offered Wen Ying a truly ruthless and heart-stabbing idea. Dating costs money. Not only would Xie Qian have to spend, Wen Ying would too, unless Wen Ying could accept Xie Qian footing every bill.
That was clearly impossible!
Since money had to be spent anyway, why not earn that sum back from the rival?
Spending the rival’s money on dates with your boyfriend would surely make those dates even more enjoyable!
After laying out her reasoning, Yuan Fenghui fell silent for a moment before Wen Ying cautiously asked, “Teacher Yuan, is this from your personal experience?”
If it was, being Yuan Fenghui’s rival would be utterly tragic.
Yuan Fenghui denied it outright. “How could I possibly be that kind of person?”
Wen Ying was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when she heard Yuan Fenghui add over the phone, “Not only can I earn money from rivals, I can even make money while dating my boyfriend. One year, when I was dating a new boyfriend, we were tailed by paparazzi. They thought I was dating one of the male artists under me. They followed me for a whole month without ever getting a clear shot of my new boyfriend’s face. While watching them guess their way through all my male artists, I occasionally released smoke bombs to keep confusing them. That month, my male artists and I took turns dominating the front pages of gossip tabloids. I seized the chance to secure several jobs for them.”
Wen Ying listened, dumbfounded.
Yuan Fenghui truly was a top-tier agent in the industry!
Guided by Yuan Fenghui’s advice, Wen Ying felt a little tempted.
Between investing and buying a river-view property, Wen Ying chose the former.
It wasn’t that Wen Ying had suddenly become enlightened. The main issue was that she didn’t have enough cash on hand.
“You You Group Buy” only required 30 million this time. Wen Ying and Xie Qian could handle it together. But next time, if it needed hundreds of millions, what would Wen Ying use to follow the investment?
In this kind of financing, the more rounds you could follow, the less your shares would be diluted.
Even if it only meant an extra 1% in the end, Wen Ying’s wealth and influence would increase significantly!
With her mind cleared, Wen Ying decided she couldn’t let money slip away. “I can meet Miss Ran and Director Zhang, but I really don’t have time today. How about this, Teacher Yuan, please relay to Miss Ran and Director Zhang that they should visit Tianjiao again tomorrow.”
Wen Ying wanted to earn extra income, true, but her head hadn’t gone fuzzy.
Why Ran Keqing wanted her to write a script was unclear, but Director Zhang from Liansheng handing over his card definitely valued her creative ability.
Creation was always Wen Ying’s fundamental strength. How could she invert priorities just to earn money from a rival?
No one was going to disrupt Wen Ying’s plan to finish the ending of her new book “Exploring Thorns”!
This time, Yuan Fenghui didn’t call Wen Ying muddle-headed. Clearly, Yuan Fenghui approved of putting creation first.
After hanging up on Wen Ying, Yuan Fenghui indeed went to the neighbouring office to convey Wen Ying’s message.
Yuan Fenghui handled matters smoothly, making everything sound pleasant.
Director Zhang immediately went along with it. “Ah, it’s our fault for not scheduling with Teacher Xiaoyu in advance. We understand. We’ll come again tomorrow.”
Director Zhang had wanted to meet Wen Ying for a long time. Finally getting his wish granted, waiting one more day was no hardship.
Ran Keqing was different.
No one had ever made Ran Keqing wait.
Whether entertainment company bosses or top stars, who would lack such discernment?
A mere little writer had done what even bosses and stars wouldn’t. Ran Keqing’s fury was imaginable.
That fish was doing it on purpose, right?
Deliberately refusing to give face!
Yuan Fenghui pretended not to notice. “Miss Ran?”
Director Zhang coughed lightly. “Xiao Qing, let’s come again tomorrow. If you have something tomorrow, I can come on your behalf.”
Director Zhang’s meaning was clear. Whether Ran Keqing came tomorrow or not, he definitely would.
Director Zhang actually hoped Ran Keqing simply wouldn’t show up tomorrow.
Ran Keqing seeking Wen Ying was mostly to break up a newly confirmed young couple. Director Zhang was different. He genuinely wanted to make money!
Ran Keqing took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Of course I’m coming. Director Yuan, let’s set a time. Tomorrow I’ll definitely arrive punctually.”
Ran Keqing wasn’t stupid. Without setting a time first, what if Wen Ying stood her up again tomorrow?
“Then 9 a.m. it is. Don’t be late.”
Yuan Fenghui enthusiastically saw them out. Once the two left, she immediately advised Wen Ying from afar on how to fleece them. “Liansheng is bigger than Tianjiao, and Huanyu is the industry leader. Both companies are flush with cash. When you quote your price, don’t hold back!”
Wen Ying was shocked. “Teacher Yuan, you’re my agent!”
How could the author quote the price herself? What was the agent for?
Yuan Fenghui softened her tone. “It’s not convenient for me to quote.”
An agent who could even monetise dating actually had times when quoting wasn’t convenient?
What had thinned Yuan Fenghui’s thick skin!
Wen Ying pondered for a moment, then suddenly realised. “If I really write a script for Ran Keqing, you want Tianjiao to participate too?”
Yuan Fenghui neither confirmed nor denied.
Tianjiao lacked film resources.
Yuan Fenghui was trying to develop Tianjiao artists into film stars, and it was going quite well so far.
But Tianjiao still didn’t have the strength to produce films itself.
No strength? Then tag along with the big players who do!
Yuan Fenghui was dozing off when Liansheng’s Director Zhang and Miss Ran arrived together with a pillow. Naturally, she had to seize these two fat sheep.
Wen Ying not only realised, she was enlightened. “You’re not inconvenient to quote. You want to quote twice!”
Once as Wen Ying the screenwriter.
The second time as Yuan Fenghui the agent.
Wen Ying collects once as screenwriter. Then Yuan Fenghui raises the requirement for Tianjiao to participate in production.
Yuan Fenghui firmly denied it. “Am I that profit-obsessed? I’m thinking of you. Ran Keqing is your rival after all. Her spending a few million on your script won’t hurt her, but if she buys it and doesn’t film it, isn’t that wasting your effort! Or worse, if she’s more malicious and produces it poorly on purpose, deliberately tarnishing your reputation as a screenwriter, what can you do about it! As your agent, I can’t watch you get bullied. I need to eliminate such risks. What better guarantee than Tianjiao participating in production?”
Of course you are!
Wen Ying thought about it and realised she indeed wouldn’t lose out. She immediately turned and showered flattery. “Teacher Yuan is brilliant!”
The brilliant old fox and the clever little fox reached consensus. They whispered and schemed for half the day over details, sharpening their knives in wait for the two fat sheep to deliver themselves.
When Xie Qian heard Ran Keqing wanted to buy a script from Wen Ying, a smile involuntarily curved his lips. Had Miss Ran studied abroad and obtained a fake diploma?
