Seeing the other party’s serious expression, Shang Lu was momentarily at a loss for words.
But in an instant, her mind shifted gears, and she readily agreed, “Sure, but I can’t offer much in terms of salary.”
Though she said this, her eyes betrayed a hint of skepticism.
Xin Yan revealed a faint smile, his gaze softening slightly. “Alright, to be honest, I don’t have time to act.”
He was about to say more but stopped when he saw the server approaching.
The server placed the coffee on the table and said softly, “Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” Shang Lu replied. Having talked for a while, she was a bit thirsty and took a small sip before returning to the earlier topic.
“I actually considered looking at art schools, but none seemed quite right. I heard Huasheng is planning to enter the entertainment industry. Do you have any related ventures?”
Although she couldn’t find any information online, Shang Lu felt that if Xin Yan wanted to break into this industry, it made sense for him to establish a film and television subsidiary and sign a group of actors. That way, he could ensure a steady stream of web series for the video platform.
In simple terms, it was about producing and distributing content in-house.
A flicker of surprise passed through Xin Yan’s eyes. He hadn’t expected Shang Lu to be so perceptive.
“Hongxin Entertainment. You might find something there.”
Hongxin Entertainment? Shang Lu hadn’t heard of this company before. Could it be his personal investment?
But as long as there was a talent agency, she wasn’t worried. At worst, she could scout for stars directly on the streets.
“Alright, I’ll go there tomorrow. Once the actors are finalized, my series will start filming. Mr. Xin, you’re welcome to attend our opening ceremony and supervise.”
After all, aside from Yu Jialin’s Huayi Film and Television, Huasheng Group also had a stake in this project.
As the financial backer, Xin Yan certainly had the right to attend the opening ceremony.
Xin Yan glanced at his watch. It was almost time. “Alright.”
Shang Lu was tactful, knowing how precious a big boss’s time was. “Mr. Xin, if you have something to attend to, please go ahead. You can review the materials I gave you when you have time.”
Xin Yan nodded. As he stood up, his impeccably tailored suit showed not a single wrinkle. When his expression was neutral, his aloof and distant demeanor became even more pronounced.
Xin Yan paid the bill and left, with Shang Lu following him out of the café.
To Shang Lu’s surprise, Xin Yan had driven himself. Though taken aback, she didn’t comment. After all, they had only met twice and weren’t familiar with each other.
“Miss Shang, you’re very clever.” Just as Shang Lu turned to leave, Xin Yan said this seemingly out of nowhere.
She was about to ask what he meant when she heard Yu Jialin call out, “Shang Lu!”
“I’ll be right there!” she replied.
With Yu Jialin already here, Shang Lu didn’t press further. “Mr. Xin, I’ll take my leave.”
Xin Yan nodded. “Goodbye.”
Only after Shang Lu’s car had driven out of the alley did Xin Yan snap out of his thoughts. He glanced at the file folder in his hand before getting into his car.
Upon returning home, the first thing Shang Lu did was take out her phone and search for information about Hongxin Entertainment.
The company was established just last year. The legal representative wasn’t Xin Yan but a completely unfamiliar name: Tian Xinfei. This person was only associated with one company, and there was very little information about him online.
If Xin Yan hadn’t given her the contact information, Shang Lu would never have guessed that this unremarkable company had any connection to Huasheng Group.
Could it be that this was a side project Xin Yan had set up for herself?
The contact Shang Lu received was for Tian Xinfei. Thinking this, she simply called the number. The voice on the other end sounded quite young, and the two arranged a meeting time.
By now, it was already late at night.
Shang Lu looked at the script Sun Ruhui had sent her. She had written the outline and character relationships, while Sun Ruhui was responsible for filling in the details.
However, as she read through the script, Shang Lu frowned and decided to knock on Sun Ruhui’s door.
Sun Ruhui answered in her pajamas, a face mask still on. “I regret it. I shouldn’t have signed that contract with you, and I definitely shouldn’t have moved in across from you. Don’t you workaholics ever sleep?”
Shang Lu pulled out a mango mousse from behind her back. “I just bought this. If you don’t want it, I’ll just put it back in the fridge.”
Sun Ruhui’s face twisted with conflict. She absolutely loved mangoes, and mango mousse was her favorite dessert. Despite herself, she couldn’t help but stare at the tempting treat.
“Alright, alright, come in,” she sighed, reluctantly opening the door wider.
Shang Lu secretly gave herself a mental high-five. Good thing she had inexplicably wandered into the cake shop downstairs earlier.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had an excuse to make Sun Ruhui work overtime.
“Senior, I just looked over the script you sent me. It still needs some revisions.”
She pulled out her phone. “See, some of the dialogue is still too formal. What I want is that arrogant, childish feel—that’s what fits the target audience for this show.”
Sun Ruhui, happily munching on the mango mousse beside her, wasn’t really paying attention, just nodding along. “Mhm, sure, okay, fine.”
Seeing her like this, Shang Lu knew she wasn’t listening properly.
She sighed helplessly. “Senior, how do you stay so thin when you eat so much every day?”
It was strange. Sun Ruhui loved to eat—Shang Lu could always see plenty of snacks at her place—and she never exercised. Her motto was to sit if she could stand, and lie down if she could sit.
Yet, despite all that, she didn’t gain any weight.
Shang Lu couldn’t help but remark, “If you were just five centimeters taller, Senior, I’d definitely make you a star.”
Sun Ruhui waved her hands dismissively. “No, thanks. Those performance majors at our school are always dieting. I couldn’t handle that.”
Alright, Shang Lu wouldn’t push it.
“Our show’s target audience is elementary and middle school students, so try to avoid overly literary language. Keep it plain and simple. If you’re not sure what kids are into these days, I can help you look it up.”
Shang Lu remembered that Pang Wei had a young daughter in fifth grade—a ready-made audience right there.
Hearing this, Sun Ruhui nodded vigorously. “I remember. I already asked the kids in my family, but mine’s a bratty boy. He’s helping me gather intel from his class now.”
Since Sun Ruhui said so, Shang Lu didn’t press further. After all, the script could still be revised.
The most important thing now was to cast the four key male roles.
Shang Lu didn’t plan to change the characterizations much. The male lead needed to be arrogant and hot-tempered, while the second male lead should be melancholic and handsome.
Acting skills could be compromised, but looks absolutely could not!
So now, whenever she had free time, she browsed resumes on “Actor’s Home,” searching for suitable candidates.
Relying solely on Hongxin Entertainment, Shang Lu wasn’t entirely confident—depending on others was never as reliable as depending on herself.
If it weren’t for the lack of funds, Shang Lu would have loved to start her own film and television company to cultivate new actors herself.
Scrolling through the screen, Shang Lu suddenly paused. This name seemed so familiar…