Cheng Xue withdrew her gaze and turned to counsel Chen Jinzhao, urging him not to overthink things.
Once one enters the gilded cage of the entertainment industry, everything becomes beyond one's control. Few can remain untainted. "Let me put it this way," she said, "there are very few people in this circle who can emerge unstained. Many start out with a resolve of 'rather die than yield,' but gradually become half-hearted, and finally, they let loose, actively seeking favor from sponsors or big directors in the industry."
This was precisely how Cheng Xue had navigated her own path.
Chen Jinzhao found her words jarring and frowned. "Are there no clean people in this industry then?"
Cheng Xue knew Chen Jinzhao was still unwilling to give up. She chuckled, "Of course there are. These people either gradually become marginalized by those in the industry and eventually quit, or they have solid works that allow them to establish themselves. However, the latter often have rather stubborn personalities, and people in the industry rarely try to curry favor with them."
Chen Jinzhao understood.
In this industry, being corrupt was the norm, and those who remained pure were seen as outliers.
"It seems I can't let her enter this industry. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain myself to her grandfather," Chen Jinzhao murmured to himself. If Elder Xu found out, he would surely beat him to death.
Xu Yaoyao was so innocent. Chen Jinzhao did not want her to be tainted.
Cheng Xue heard Chen Jinzhao's muttering and said, with a hint of mockery, "If you think about it this way, perhaps she is willing?"
*Swish!*
Chen Jinzhao’s cold gaze fell upon her, making Cheng Xue feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave. Her entire body stiffened.
What kind of person possessed such a terrifying gaze?
Cheng Xue recovered and instinctively said, "I apologize. What I said might have been unpleasant. If I've offended you, please forgive me."
She did not offer these words out of genuine remorse.
Instead, she feared Chen Jinzhao would fly into a rage and ruin Manager Zhang's plans.
Chen Jinzhao also realized that Cheng Xue seemed to be deliberately, or unintentionally, trying to persuade him to accept the unwritten rules of the industry. He understood her malicious intentions. It was no wonder why Zhang Lian had looked at Xu Yaoyao with such a peculiar gaze earlier. He suspected nothing good would come of it.
He stood up and walked toward the villa.
Cheng Xue immediately rose and blocked his path. "What are you doing?"
Chen Jinzhao lowered his head to meet Cheng Xue's eyes. Her eyes stung under his sharp gaze, and she quickly looked away before saying, "Don't rush. Manager Zhang won't do anything to Xu Yaoyao. If you go over there now, you'll only ruin Manager Zhang's good mood. This would negate all of Xu Yaoyao's efforts. Can you bear that responsibility?"
"If one isn't doing anything wrong, why fear being overheard?" Chen Jinzhao retorted.
Cheng Xue stammered, unable to answer.
Seeing this, Chen Jinzhao understood. He said coldly, "Get out of the way!"
Cheng Xue was also angered. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Wait a little longer. How can you guarantee that Xu Yaoyao won't offer herself willingly? To become the brightest star in the entertainment industry, offering herself is the first step."
Chen Jinzhao couldn't stand such twisted logic.
He believed Xu Yaoyao would never do something so foolish.
"I'll say it one last time: Get out of my way!"
Cheng Xue tried to say more but was pushed aside by Chen Jinzhao, almost falling face-first onto the ground.
In her desperation, Cheng Xue immediately called out to the two bodyguards on the lawn, "Stop him! Don't let him into the villa!"
Chen Jinzhao stopped and stared at the two approaching bodyguards.
Seeking death!
Five minutes earlier, in the main hall of the villa.
After Chen Jinzhao and Cheng Xue left, Zhang Lian stood up and sat beside Xu Yaoyao, attempting to close the distance between them.
Xu Yaoyao politely moved to the side, maintaining an appropriate distance from Zhang Lian. Seeing this, Zhang Lian smiled, "Ah, you don't need to be nervous around me. You can completely relax."
"Manager Zhang, please say what you need to say without such enthusiasm," Xu Yaoyao replied with a polite smile.
Zhang Lian secretly thought that this girl still didn't understand what he meant. He withdrew his gaze and leaned back on the sofa, sighing, "Do you know, every year, many people rack their brains to get into the entertainment industry to make money? These people only see the high salaries and advertising fees of artists, but they don't see the sweat and effort artists put in, nor the invisible sacrifices."
"Yaoyao, you're a promising talent. I truly want to promote you."
"It's a win-win situation for everyone, isn't it?"
Xu Yaoyao did not accept Zhang Lian's grand promises. Instead, she asked, "So, according to what Manager Zhang said, should I pay a price for it?"
A gratified smile spread across Zhang Lian's face. He nodded, "Yaoyao, you are indeed very smart. You understand immediately. As the old saying goes in our country, 'there is no gain without pain.'"
"Then what do I need to pay?" Xu Yaoyao asked, tilting her head.
Zhang Lian's gaze scanned Xu Yaoyao. He said with a smile, "The heavens' secrets cannot be revealed. You need to figure it out yourself. This is also one of the tests for you."
Xu Yaoyao frowned, falling into thought.
Zhang Lian suddenly felt Xu Yaoyao was a bit slow. He had already made it so obvious, why wasn't this girl reacting?
Of course.
No matter how anxious he was, he couldn't say it explicitly. It would be easy for people to catch him off guard.
This matter still required Xu Yaoyao to take the initiative.
Seeing that Xu Yaoyao had not yet figured it out, Zhang Lian suppressed his impatience and coughed dryly, "Think about it. What special advantages do you have compared to Cheng Xue outside, that are worth me investing resources to promote you?"
"Yaoyao, you need to be good at using your advantages, understand?"
Xu Yaoyao tilted her head and pondered for a long time. Finally, she said as if she half-understood, "I get it. Manager Zhang wants me to sleep with you, right?"
Zhang Lian froze. He thought to himself that Xu Yaoyao was too direct. He quickly waved his hand, "Hey, what are you saying? That's called spiritual and physical communication. Don't put it so crudely."
"We are civilized people, aren't we?"
Xu Yaoyao rubbed her forehead and shook her head. "If I refuse to accompany you, can I still sign the contract?"
Seeing Xu Yaoyao ask so seriously, Zhang Lian also put on an air of authority. "If we cannot have a deep exchange, I cannot guarantee whether you meet our company's requirements, nor can I guarantee that you won't be an ungrateful wretch who, after we invest resources and make you famous, will then go off on your own. You should understand what I'm saying, right?"
"I understand," Xu Yaoyao nodded.
"Then, what are your thoughts now?" Zhang Lian asked.
He did indeed admire Xu Yaoyao and intended to cultivate her into a popular artist. A deeper reason was that Xu Yaoyao possessed a cultural refinement that other female stars lacked, which greatly pleased certain elders.
If he could curry favor with those elders, Zhang Lian could further advance his career. This was why he valued Xu Yaoyao so much.
The next step was to see if Xu Yaoyao was willing to sacrifice for art.
Xu Yaoyao replied without hesitation, "I'm sorry, I cannot agree. I am not that kind of girl without principles."
"Manager Zhang, please find someone else."