Actresses

Chapter 77 Narrow Path

Shi Jiahe sighed inwardly. If only they weren't artist and manager, but just ordinary sisters. But how could that be? The difference in their social standing was undeniable. Even so, her boss's words were truly touching.

There's a saying that when someone seems to have lost all their strength and means, it might actually be the latest and greatest tactic they've ever used.

Shi Jiahe wasn't sure what her true feelings were, but she couldn't hold back any longer and shed two tears. She hugged the boss's arm and sobbed as if releasing her emotions.

He Yuran shifted his position to make her more comfortable, and then gently comforted her, "How was I supposed to know that something like this happened to you yesterday! Just thinking about it gives me the chills! We both need to live well, take care of our health, and not do anything foolish."

Shi Jiahe wiped away her tears and nodded vigorously.

"Oh, right, I was just about to tell you something." He Yuran said, her excitement returning—partly because she had finally returned to normal. "You know that Chen Yueming play, right?"

"I know, boss. I was just about to tell you that your teacher is his father, right? I just realized."

"Yes, yes, yes!" He Yuran smiled even more broadly after hearing this. "You're the one who can draw inferences from one instance! I reckon Yueming isn't having an easy time either, probably because some actors have backed out. Especially those cast members whose names have already been revealed, they're the most troublesome, several fan groups have already made a fuss online. Ding Yi said that Yueming contacted me again yesterday, asking Jiang Fan to come and talk about that role again, and then she asked me if we should continue the discussion? Because Ding Yi is worried about being implicated by that drama. After all, no one can say for sure how Yueming's father's situation will affect things. What's your opinion? Actually, I checked the schedule, and even if Jiang Fan joins the crew, it won't conflict with our drama's filming time."

Shi Jiahe blinked, trying to guess what answer her boss wanted to hear. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I think Teacher Jiang Fan could give it a try. The role isn't big, but the production is extensive. It would be a good opportunity for Teacher Jiang to rediscover his work ethic and confidence on set."

"Right! I agree!" He Yuran seemed even happier now. "Ding Yi is so hesitant and timid when doing things, I don't like that. How do you know if you don't try? Besides, they're the ones begging us now, so we can't lower the pay even more at a time like this. It's not like we're begging him, right?"

"Yes! My boss is absolutely right," Shi Jiahe echoed.

"There's a second thing. I'm planning to meet up with a kid who does podcasts. We hit it off really well at Luo'an's house the other day, so I'd like to introduce you to him."

Shi Jiahe asked, "A podcast host?"

"Yes, Song Lin, Luo An values ​​her highly. I want Song Lin to help me persuade Luo An to act in our play. Because we don't have a specific script yet, and I know Luo An, she'll only be interested if there's a script. So, this favor is very important; it's not enough for me alone, we need this kid to join us."

"Then wouldn't it be better if you guys just got together? If I'm here, it'll feel too much like business." Shi Jiahe had never really liked Li Luoan, so she made an excuse to decline.

He Yuran frowned. "How could that be? What's the difference between us and sisters? Come on, keep me company."

"Sis, I might not be able to socialize for long periods of time these next couple of days." Shi Jiahe deliberately lowered her voice, sounding weak. "The doctor told me to rest at home as much as possible, but of course, I can come out if it's absolutely necessary."

He Yuran said "Oh," and then said, "Never mind, you don't need to make the trip. I'll make a separate appointment with them tomorrow."

"Okay, it's my decision."

"But I have another question. Why did you turn down Song Lin's interview for me?" He Yuran tilted her head and looked at her.

Shi Jiahe blinked rapidly, her heart pounding with anxiety. What interview? Had she forgotten something again? But this time, Shi Jiahe was more cautious. Having already angered her boss twice before, she couldn't afford to be so tactless again. She hesitated for a moment before answering, "It's mainly because it's not the promotional period right now."

He Yuran stared at her for a moment, then her expression suddenly darkened. "Are you sure you know what I'm talking about? What's the name of Song Lin's podcast? Tell me."

Shi Jiahe was stumped. She racked her brains to see if such a thing had happened. Even if it had, it would likely be in her WeChat chat history, which she probably hadn't looked closely enough and missed. The only way was to search for keywords, but she couldn't do that in front of He Yuran.

"I really forgot the podcast name, sis," Shi Jiahe said honestly.

"Isn't that a coincidence? I forgot too!" He Yuran suddenly clapped her hands and burst into laughter. In the quiet living room, her shrill laughter sent chills down Shi Jiahe's spine. It wasn't clear how funny it was, but He Yuran even wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, finally stopping after a while. "Hahaha, all their podcast names have four characters, it's really hard to tell them apart, but anyway, they have a pretty big following."

Although Shi Jiahe didn't understand He Yuran's purpose in saying this, she still smiled and said, "Yes, the quality of podcast audiences is quite high. A podcast with over 50,000 subscribers is considered quite large. And because podcasts offer a lot of companionship for listeners, each episode is usually over an hour long. If it's an interview/conversation format, the requirements for the guests' and interviewees' communication skills are also very high. So, actually, nowadays, there are very few artists who can accept podcast interviews without making a mess of things. Because podcast interviews are far more in-depth than current entertainment interviews. Besides, many famous podcast hosts are veteran media professionals from the previous generation of magazine and newspaper editors, and they know a lot about past works and gossip. I'm just worried that chatting with them will put too much pressure on you, so..."

"I understand, you don't need to explain anymore. After meeting Xiao Song at Luo'an's house that day, I completely understood your good intentions. But, I want to get closer to Song Lin, so I hope you can take over that relationship later. Besides, you become like the company you keep. If I hang out with him for a long time, how can I not be influenced? Who knows, I might actually find time to have a proper meeting with him." He Yuran said, his excitement returning.

However, seeing her boss act so unpredictably, Shi Jiahe felt somewhat relieved, because this was the usual state of her boss that she was most familiar with.

After resolving the trust issue with the boss, it was time to get back to business. Shi Jiahe said softly, "We've reached an agreement with Zhuang Pan; we'll start going over the contract the day after tomorrow."

To her surprise, He Yuran wasn't that excited; she just gave a faint "oh."

"Sister Ran, has Zhuang Pan sent you any WeChat messages these past few days?"

No. There is no contact whatsoever.

"So, sister, our division of labor is pretty clear from now on. I'll get the script finished as soon as possible. You talk to Professor Luo'an. Once it's settled, just let me know if you need any assistance."

Shi Jiahe was already planning to retreat as soon as possible, but He Yuran's mood was clearly dropping, and she seemed to have completely lost interest. "I know. Then you should take good care of yourself and not overwork yourself. Let Wei Ning take care of the script."

"Okay!" Shi Jiahe observed the situation for a while, then found an opportunity to get up and say goodbye.

After watching Shi Jiahe leave, He Yuran leaned back on the sofa and pondered for a long time.

Why did my dear agent suddenly come over today? And why did she inexplicably cry for a while?

"Hmph." She suddenly gave a cold laugh. "They're just putting on an act for me."

It's certainly possible to faint at home, but it couldn't possibly be as bad as it appeared. Although she knew very well that Shi Jiahe was devoted to her, she was definitely not a naive person. She disappeared for a whole day yesterday; who knows what she was up to? Not replying to a single message on WeChat—did she faint all day? If it were really that serious, she would definitely have put aside work to rest and recuperate. Anyway, right now it seems like she's hiding something on her mind.

However, He Yuran didn't want to think about these things right now. As she just said, her greatest interest at the moment was indeed in Song Lin.

She thought, "Why wait? Is Song Lin harder to book than a celebrity? I'll just ask him on WeChat." So she cleared her throat and made a voice call to Song Lin. He answered promptly.

He Yuran asked in a friendly tone, "Little Song, were you busy this afternoon?"

"I was just about to leave. Ran-jie, is there something you need?"

"Oh, are you meeting a friend? What a coincidence, I was just about to go out too." He Yuran said, getting up and walking to the window to look at her face in the glass.

"Yes, I met up with a senior media professional this afternoon to catch up."

"Then I'll come find you later." He Yuran announced this decision unilaterally.

Song Lin hesitated for a moment. "Sure... I'll talk to that teacher too."

He Yuran immediately stopped her, "No need, no need! Just tell me your address, and I'll stage a chance encounter with you. Wouldn't that be more fun? You don't have to feel awkward. It'll all be on me. It's just that I'm shameless enough to insist on sitting next to you, isn't that enough?"

He Yuran got more and more excited as she spoke, and had already started brainstorming her lines for this part.

"Sister Ran, you have such... hobbies..." Song Lin's tone was intriguing.

"I sometimes hang out with my friends, it's so much fun."

"Okay, I'll send you the address later. You can come anytime, sis. My appointment with that friend was pretty casual too."

"No problem, see you in a bit!" He Yuran excitedly put down her phone.

She was determined to make a dazzling entrance as a big star, and then, in front of Song Lin's senior, to showcase her intimacy with Song Lin to the fullest extent, which would be a way of giving Song Lin face. After all, she was a big star, wasn't she?

However, since she was meeting people in private, she couldn't overdo her makeup, so she simply curled her hair into a few large curls to give herself a more imposing look, applied a bright red lipstick to brighten her complexion, and then added a few touches of light makeup to finish her look. After looking herself over, she was very satisfied. Then she put on sunglasses and went downstairs to find Xiao Zhao.

Song Lin and her friend were to meet at a popular restaurant in the China World Trade Center. He Yuran got lost after getting out of the car, thinking to herself, "Why is the China World Trade Center still such a mess!" She practically trekked through the streets, asking for directions everywhere before finally finding the place. It had been a long time since she'd walked such a long distance on her own; even the big star was a bit out of breath, not as energetic as she had been when she first set out.

From afar, she could see Song Lin sitting in the shop, chatting and laughing with someone across the street. The person across the street was obscured by the restaurant's glass, so she couldn't see them clearly at first.

He Yuran deliberately walked another ten meters closer before waving and shouting, "Hey, isn't this Xiao Song?"

Song Lin was taken aback for a moment, then looked up and smiled. "Sis, you're here!"

He Yuran thought to herself, "This silly child can't even act properly. Isn't this the same as selling me out? The line you shouldn't have said was, 'Why is it you, sis!'"

She walked to the table with a smile, glancing instinctively at the person across from her. The person, upon seeing her, was clearly startled. Perhaps due to extreme surprise, they also stood up.

He Yuran took off his sunglasses and blurted out, "...Master Ye?!"