Chapter 135 – 132: Choice of the Leading Lady (Extra for Nanyue Sword God)
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“No need to choose anymore, I think the leading lady should be her.”
As the indifferent words rose in the eting room, all eyes converged on Chu Mo, and at that mont, in everyone’s gaze, there shimred a mysterious brilliance.
“Mr. Chu, please have a seat.”
Chairwoman Qin Zixuan bent forward slightly, her expression full of cautious respect due to her disappointing performance recently, which had sowhat dissatisfied the young man in front of her.
Chu Mo had no desire to ddle in company affairs. When Sun Qing nearly usurped Qin Zixuan before, Chu Mo rely reprimanded her slightly and did not offer any specific suggestions.
The reason he had chosen the girl opposite him at first glance was purely because her performance had moved him.
He felt in his heart that the girl opposite was a talent in the making; giving her a platform would surely launch her to stardom.
Chu Mo, having returned his phone to his pocket, shook his head at Qin Zixuan. He was about to turn away and leave when suddenly, a middle-aged man with a goatee spoke up:
“Chairwoman Qin, directly appointing a candidate seems inappropriate. Didn’t we agree to vote? Shi Yuan Entertainnt is a large company; you can’t go back on your word.”
Chu Mo, who had begun to turn away, stopped in his tracks. He deliberately looked at the middle-aged man in shorts and a shirt, then rested his gaze on Qin Zixuan, his voice colored with a hint of puzzlent:
“Who is this?”
“This is Director Wang Hua from Tianhua Entertainnt, the chief director helping us shoot a short film. Director Wang strongly recomnds Deng Yun’er, a top-line artist from Tianhua Entertainnt, for the leading role. The other three candidates are artists from our Shi Yuan Entertainnt.”
Dressed in a black business suit, with her hair pinned up high and wearing petite rimless glasses on her nose, Qin Zixuan looked both intellectual and elegant.
Hearing this, Chu Mo, who had no intention of involving himself in company matters, paused. He intentionally lingered his gaze on the middle-aged man for a mont.
Then, he swept his eyes over the other three candidates but finally settled on a trainee nad Ding Qian.
Seeing the undried tear stains at the corners of her eyes and yet a radiant, flower-like smile on her stunning face, Chu Mo felt stirred again. He turned, casually walked forward, and took a seat where Qin Zixuan had been sitting. His expression was serene as he said:
“Director Wang, is it? What are you doing here?”
As a top director in the country who had personally launched many stars, Wang Hua hesitated slightly. He wasn’t a fool. Anyone who could make the chairwoman of Shi Yuan Entertainnt so deferential was certainly no ordinary individual.
But he had co on a mission. The company had pre-selected Deng Yun’er as the lead. If he changed the candidate midway, he would not be able to account for it to his superiors, hence the argunt.
The distinguished young man before him was undoubtedly a significant figure; Wang Hua was aware of this.
However, he had already decided when he refused Qin Zixuan: no matter what, he belonged to Tianhua Entertainnt, to the Zhou family faction’s firm pillar, and his actions had the company’s backing.
Even if the young man opposite held high power and influence, Wang Hua didn’t believe he could reach into Tianhua Entertainnt.
With his mind made up and many colleagues and subordinates watching, he didn’t want to back down, so he replied in a lukewarm tone:
“We are here to assist Shi Yuan Entertainnt in shooting a short film. Shi Yuan Entertainnt currently needs so weighty works to break into the scene.
You lack top-tier directors and a network for cooperation with first-class companies, which is precisely where Tianhua Entertainnt excels. Our collaboration is driven by the higher-ups. If you are unsatisfied and wish to replace the lead actress abruptly, you can discuss this with our company’s executives. I’m just soone who gets things done.”
The middle-aged man spoke evenly, placing the responsibility cleanly on others. He wasn’t afraid of the young man opposite but did not want to offend him without reason, so Wang Hua shifted all responsibility to the company’s higher-ups.
’If there’s an issue, talk to the people above,’ he thought. There were sure to be others within the company to argue the point. He was fearless and unwilling to get involved.
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Frowning slightly, Chu Mo was not concerned about the attitude of just one middle-aged man in front of him. Truth be told, the cooperation between the two companies involved more than just the production of this short film; there were various other aspects of the partnership.
If Tianhua Entertainnt held this attitude in every collaborative project, Chu Mo felt he needed to reevaluate the necessity of their partnership.
He turned his gaze to Qin Zixuan and spoke in an even tone:
“I rember that you seed to have reported this project to ; the investnt for the short film is our money, isn’t it?”
Qin Zixuan, who had been standing by Chu Mo’s side, imdiately stepped half a step forward and, while bending slightly, said respectfully:
“Yes, Mr. Chu, this short film is a key project in the company’s next phase. The initial investnt is thirty-five million, and the post-production special effects will also cost several tens of millions. All in all, at least fifty or sixty million—with all the funds coming from us.
Tianhua Entertainnt is responsible for providing the personnel and the location, as well as coordinating with the special effects company and the post-production. After the filming of the short film is complete, a significant amount of money will also need to be invested in marketing…”
Chu Mo nodded slightly and said in a calm voice:
“So, we pay, and they get all the results?”
As those nonchalant words fell, Qin Zixuan gently lowered her head, and the atmosphere in the entire eting room beca suddenly more solemn.
The middle-aged director who had appeared unconcerned earlier imdiately changed his complexion, sensing the calm before a storm.
“Are the other collaborative projects also structured this way? We pay, and they reap the benefits?”
As Chu Mo’s words fell, Qin Zixuan’s face, which had slightly changed, imdiately beca respectful:
“Not exactly, our company currently lacks top-level connections and can’t secure good resources in many areas. Tianhua Entertainnt has offered quite a few opportunities to our artists, such as invitations to top television shows, and to attend various grand events, and so on.
So far, the company’s developnt is entirely within expectations. Of course, the financial investnt is substantial—like this short film. Once it is successfully shot, it will carry the banner of Shi Yuan Entertainnt, which is considered a reputation booster for the company.”
Chu Mo listened quietly. He didn’t interfere with the specifics of the company’s affairs, so he was unaware of many decisions. The cooperation with Tianhua Entertainnt had originally been settled by him and Elder Zhou with the aim of expanding the company’s network, but it was certainly not ant to benefit others at their own expense.
He turned his gaze to the middle-aged man, and in a neutral voice, he said:
“Let’s have our company’s trainee, Ding Qian, take the lead role in this short film. You don’t have any objections, do you?”
The middle-aged director’s complexion turned dark. He wanted to object, but the pressure from the young man across was too intense. Deep down, he had a premonition that if he opposed the young man’s decision again, the consequences would be severe.
After hesitating for a mont, he chose to remain silent.
At that mont, Chu Mo, who had suddenly risen from his seat, left the eting room with long strides.
Qin Zixuan, the President who had not lingered, imdiately followed him. Just before exiting the eting room door, Chu Mo paused slightly and said in an icy voice:
“Zi Xuan, I’ll leave the rest to you. Contact Tianhua Entertainnt and tell Director Wang to go back. For this short film, we will select a new director, and the lead actress will be Ding Qian.”
As his words concluded, Chu Mo’s figure had already disappeared, but at this mont, the atmosphere in the entire eting room had suddenly beco eerie.
The middle-aged director Wang Hua had a glowering look.
The face of Sun Qing, the top-tier superstar, flashed with a hint of resignation and bitterness.
anwhile, on the eting room floor, the stunning beauty with tears still marking her face bit her lip gently.
Then, the trainee nad Ding Qian suddenly quickened her pace, striding towards the eting room’s exit with a graceful figure.
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