"It’s nothing special, just telling it like it is." Li Manman spoke slowly, "Zhongxing is undergoing reform, and everyone is guessing what path the company plans to take next? Senior ng, as Zhongxing’s Top Sister, undoubtedly has more specific news than us."
ng Yinge frowned, neither confirming nor denying her words, her gaze wary and sharp, as if trying to discern sothing from Li Manman’s face.
Li Manman waved her hand: "I’m not saying this to expose anything. On the contrary, we both had our own powerful backers in the past, but those supports will hardly be of any help in the future.
If I’m not mistaken, the face of Zhongxing’s boss appears to be Jiang Chuanning, but in reality, it is Yan Yueqing! Even if it isn’t her, there must be many connections behind the scenes.
Honestly, I can’t understand why, with her capabilities, she had to wrestle within the circles for so many years to reach today’s predicant. Senior ng, you probably share my thoughts! Since we’ve chosen to stay, we should be clear that the road ahead will not be easy.
But... after all, the reason we chose to stay is just to see if Zhongxing, under her leadership, could ever beco what we once dread of, isn’t it?"
In response to Li Manman’s candid speech, ng Yinge didn’t hide her thoughts: "So, you’ve decided to abandon Director Yang and side with Yan Yueqing?"
"If I were still involved with Director Yang, I’d definitely be the next one to be publicly exposed."
ng Yinge understood her aning: "You’re saying that you now want to be soone who relies solely on yourself, without any support?"
"Yes."
"I reckon that will be difficult." ng Yinge ruthlessly demolished her illusions, "Your relationship with Director Yang is no secret, not only in the company but also within the industry. If Zhongxing were still as it used to be, no one would bother to dig up such old news. But now, because of the reform, it has almost beco a public enemy in the industry. Whatever you want to hide, if leaked by soone with power..."
"I understand." Li Manman nodded, "This is my Achilles’ heel, but also where I have to strive the most."
"Oh?"
Seeing Li Manman not disheartened, but instead full of fighting spirit, ng Yinge suddenly chuckled.
"Could it be that you have a master plan?"
"Not a master plan, just the truth."
Li Manman, when not intentionally targeting others, was quite likable in her speech and actions.
"Whether it’s the entertainnt circle or the company, one cannot escape the word ’benefit’. There are so many people in the circle who have made mistakes, how many have been exposed? They are all trivial issues, the real problems are hidden very deep!
Do you think the company is a fool? They know these people have made mistakes, and if it cos out it would tarnish the company’s image, yet they still cover for them in secret. It’s simply because they have made the company too much money."
She took a deep breath: "I believe that as long as the company is willing, none of my issues are a big deal. Even if they get exposed, they can still be managed with paid articles and PR. The precondition is... whether I am worth the company’s ti and effort."
Having said that, Li Manman glanced at ng Yinge: "Although Senior ng has stayed with Zhongxing, your heart may not be at ease, probably having similar doubts. Why not take as an example to see just what extent Zhongxing is capable of."
Is this a truce?
ng Yinge pondered for a mont, then nodded: "Alright."
She needed a case to reassure herself, and since Li Manman was willing to be that example, she would wait and see.
Night.
The working class returned ho after a busy day, ready to indulge in so rest and juicy gossip.
Today’s hot search, as expected, was dominated by Zhongxing’s training camp! Many netizens who hadn’t caught the live broadcast started watching the replay while eating dinner, and so also watched various edited clips by marketing accounts.
Zhongxing was down to twenty-three people, and everyone shook their heads.
After a grueling day, the twenty-three people smiled and let it pass.
When Director Tang announced that he was going to invite so top national masters of the Gentleman’s Six Arts, everyone was stunned.
"I’m illiterate, can soone explain to what the Gentleman’s Six Arts are?"
"They are the six basic skills that ancient nobility’s children were trained in from a young age: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics."
"Did they study advanced math back in ancient tis too?"
"Ah, are you really illiterate? ’Math’ is a general term, although in ancient tis they did study the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, but mostly ’math’ encompassed natural and humanities-related variations."
"That sounds so profound. I wonder if Zhongxing’s artists can really understand it?"
"They don’t need to beco proficient, do they? Even a superficial knowledge of the Gentleman’s Six Arts can make a significant difference in their deanor and insight. Anyway, I am impressed with Zhongxing’s move here, but I’m curious about who the national masters Director Tang ntioned are?"
Just when everyone was having an enthusiastic discussion.
Soaring Sky Studio suddenly posted a Weibo update.
[Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock, our studio sincerely invites Professor Zhang Guowen to give a live calligraphy class to the artists who will join the group soon. During the session, three lucky buddies will be randomly selected for video call-in to receive live guidance on their calligraphy works. Everyone is welco to join us in the YY live broadcast room @Soaring Sky Studio...]
What’s going on?
Zhongxing just ntioned bringing in experts to teach their artists the Gentleman’s Six Arts, and Soaring Sky Studio imdiately invited Professor Zhang Guowen?
The netizens imdiately blew up the chat.
"I’m dying, is the war between companies this blatant now? Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock, isn’t that tomorrow afternoon? Unless sothing unexpected happens, the earliest the teachers Zhongxing ntioned are likely to appear is after the artists finish farming tomorrow, right?"
"Professor Zhang Guowen, isn’t he the senior professor from the Qing University Departnt of Literature? I heard he is a national master in the calligraphy world, a virtually unbeatable presence in Hua Country! One of his calligraphy works, if auctioned, could easily fetch millions without a problem."
"In the current calligraphy world, if Professor Zhang says he’s second, no one dares claim first."
"Isn’t Zhongxing in a difficult position then? Professor Zhang Guowen couldn’t possibly give two lectures in one day, and since Soaring Sky has announced that Professor Zhang is coming to teach, I guess Zhongxing will probably..."
"No choice, it’s Director Tang who boasted about inviting national masters, but there’s a gap between a national master and the absolute top. It’s like those who have passed piano grade ten saying they’re great, but how many Lang Langs are there in Hua Country?"
Everyone scoffed and ridiculed, seemingly laughing at Zhongxing for overestimating their capabilities.
After all, it was a second-tier entertainnt company that suddenly got bought out and announced a major reform and overhaul, scattering four-fifths of its artists to the winds. Just as they were starting to see so improvent, they got slapped in the face by a competitor...
The most fatal thing was, why didn’t Zhongxing invite Professor Zhang Guowen sooner?
Now the trump card was in Soaring Sky Studio’s hands! Once the live broadcast starts tomorrow, no matter who Zhongxing invites, they’re going to be mocked by netizens.
The executives at Zhongxing must be panicking by now, right?
However, what the netizens didn’t expect was that Zhongxing’s executives were quite at ease.
Director Tang was taking his daughter to her painting class, and Jiang Chuanning was leisurely sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, drinking wine.
The only busy person was Yan Yueqing... She had been dragged off to study.
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