Chapter 47

After hanging up, Jiang Chi first asked for leave from the crew. Fortunately, he had few scenes these two days, so it wouldn't delay the overall progress. The director had dealt with too many artists who juggled multiple projects and took on side gigs, so his temper had long been worn down. Hearing this, he assumed Jiang Chi had an announcement to run off to and didn't say much, only telling him to return to the set early after he was done.

Jiang Chi thanked the director and sat quietly on the sofa for a moment.

There was one thing Jiang Chi couldn't figure out. Even if the company ruined him, they wouldn't gain any benefit from it, so why would they want to fight to the bitter end with him?

Jiang Chi knew he wasn't some big shot with a powerful background, but he was at the peak of his popularity. To have a complete falling out with him just before his contract ended, becoming irreconcilable enemies, weren't they afraid that he might turn around and make things difficult for the company in the future?

Although Century Entertainment wasn't a major company, it had all the necessary departments. The operations department, the public relations department, and the higher-ups making decisions were not fools. With profit as their top priority, even if he had offended the company before by breaching the contract, what had he done to deserve the company going so far as to harm them both just to ruin him?

It made no sense...

While Jiang Chi tried his best to calmly consider the inside story of this matter, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Ye Lan.

Jiang Chi's phone vibrated. It was still that same unfamiliar number from before. The executive sent him a text message:

[Just got word, they've already contacted an external marketing company. I heard they're about to release a press release. You... you're on your own now.]

Jiang Chi had long heard of this tactic. Every profession has its specialists. Some management companies, when they wanted to promote or smear someone but their own PR system wasn't well-developed, would outsource the job as a project to a specialized marketing company.

This way, they would have professionals writing comprehensive advertorials, and they could also perfectly leverage the marketing company's water army to create a large-scale coordinated effect online, setting the initial direction of public opinion.

He was about to be smeared across the entire internet, but as Jiang Chi clutched his phone, his mind was filled with Ye Lan.

Paper can't wrap up fire after all...

Would he believe it?

Just last night when he was taking Ye Lan home, Jiang Chi had secretly wondered if Ye Lan had started to like him a little.

If Ye Lan believed it, if he believed it...

Jiang Chi found a pack of cigarettes, took one out, lit it, and took a few drags.

He unconsciously touched his waist, took a deep breath, and forced himself to temporarily forget Ye Lan.

If he couldn't handle this matter well, forget whether Ye Lan would believe him or not, he might not even have the chance to approach Ye Lan and explain things clearly in the future.

After finishing a cigarette, Jiang Chi called his contact for the reality show.

Jiang Chi didn't mention the mess with his company. He only said that he was busy with filming recently and wanted to ask about the work schedule for the reality show.

The director in charge of Jiang Chi's side quickly expressed concern for his health, told him to pay attention to getting rest, and added that the show was about to pass its review and that they would contact him as soon as there was any news.

After hanging up, Jiang Chi lit another cigarette. Thinking it over, he felt something was wrong.

The reality show side seemed completely unaware of the matter. Although he had already signed the contract for the first season, the show hadn't been promoted yet. Once he was hit with negative news, the production team could cut their losses in a timely manner. According to the contract, they could remove him from the guest list on the grounds of "affecting the show's reputation and public image".

If that happened, his company would lose a huge performance fee.

Was the company really willing to part with that money?

Even if they wanted to smear him, they should have at least waited until after the reality show started filming, forcing the production team to accept their losses.

Forgoing the money, had the company gone mad?

Jiang Chi smoked quietly. The moment his mind drifted, he thought of Ye Lan again.

"Huu..."

Jiang Chi pinched the bridge of his nose hard.

Jiang Chi got up, changed his clothes, and prepared to go to the company.

Just as he was about to leave, Jiang Chi's phone rang.

It was another unfamiliar number.

Jiang Chi thought it was his executive friend again and answered it.

"Have you returned to the crew?" Geng Tian lowered his voice. "Are you in North City?"

Jiang Chi was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "I am, what's wrong?"

"I, I..." Geng Tian's voice couldn't get any lower. "Let's talk in person. It's not convenient for me to go to your place, and you shouldn't come to mine either. I'll send you the address of a private restaurant in a bit. Let's talk face-to-face."

After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Chi nodded. "Okay."

A private Western restaurant on Wangxi Road. Not only were the prices ridiculously expensive, but it was also members-only. Whether it was a weekday or a holiday, the place was consistently sparse with customers.

Fewer people were better; it was more convenient to talk. The waiters here were also all Italian, so Geng Tian figured they probably wouldn't understand anything.

Jiang Chi had a pile of messy affairs waiting to be handled and was in no mood for pleasantries with Geng Tian. He said directly, "Brother Geng... I have to go to the company today. I'm in a hurry, so if you have something to say, let's just..."

"I know, I know." Geng Tian wiped his sweat and said in a low voice, "When you go to the company, don't you dare mention that I looked for you. I must be crazy to ask you out today."

Jiang Chi's heart skipped a beat. "You know about what's happening with the company?"

"I didn't at first." Geng Tian chugged a mouthful of lemonade, his voice trembling. "This morning, an executive from the company contacted me and asked me for your private photos."

Jiang Chi frowned.

"I didn't understand at first. I thought they were preparing a draft statement about your contract termination and needed them, so I just sent over a few." Geng Tian lowered his voice. "But not long after I sent them, they contacted me again, asking if I had any photos of you with other people. That's when I realized something was wrong."

As if he had a premonition, Jiang Chi asked in a low voice, "With Ye Lan?"

Geng Tian swallowed and nodded.

Jiang Chi's right hand, resting on his leg, clenched tightly, then relaxed.

"Aren't they afraid of offending Ye Lan?" Jiang Chi really couldn't understand what had gotten into his company. "Have they gone mad?"

"They haven't gone mad." Geng Tian looked at Jiang Chi. "It's Film Emperor Ye who thought things were too simple. He thinks he can sign you just because he wants to? And you think you can leave just because you want to?"

"Jiang Chi... think about it yourself. How much money do you make for the company in a year? You're just leaving like this, do you think the company would be willing to let you go? You said you weren't renewing your contract, and the company didn't say much. Didn't you find that strange?"

Jiang Chi frowned. "My relationship with the company has been strained for half a year already. It's normal that they wouldn't try to keep me..."

"That's what I thought at first too!" Geng Tian said with regret. "After that, the company deliberately had you take on this film and the reality show at the same time. I just thought they wanted to squeeze you dry one last time. I never expected... that they had no intention of letting you go at all."

If Geng Tian had known earlier, he wouldn't have ignored Jiang Chi until now.

Geng Tian's phone started vibrating. He glanced at it, silenced it, and didn't dare to answer.

"Telling you all this today... I consider it repaying our friendship over the years. No matter what happens in the future... I've warned you in advance. Don't hate me, and don't let Film Emperor Ye misunderstand that I was the one stirring up trouble and come after me." Geng Tian was genuinely afraid of Ye Lan. "If something really happens, you'd better be clear that I helped you. I don't want to offend you, and I can't afford to offend Ye Lan either."

Only after Jiang Chi, his mind heavy with thoughts, nodded did Geng Tian continue: "Not long after you told the company you weren't renewing your contract, the company started spreading rumors everywhere, revealing to almost every entertainment company that had contacted you that you had already signed with Starlight. They said the reason you were pretending to be undecided was to build hype and get more attention for when you officially signed."

Jiang Chi listened in silence, finally understanding why so many people knew he was going to sign with Starlight.

"During this time, while we weren't paying attention, the company has already offended many people on your behalf. I'll tell you why in a moment."

Geng Tian took another large gulp of water, then changed the subject. "As for why they want your private photos with Ye Lan, I only managed to find out seventy to eighty percent of the story, but I can guess the whole picture."

"Actually, as soon as the company found out you accepted the script for 'The Scum', they were already planning to stir up a huge controversy about you and Film Emperor Ye, to guide your respective fans to tear each other apart, and while they were at it, slip in some promotion for the new rookies the company just signed." Geng Tian first cleared his own name. "This idea wasn't mine! No one wants to offend Film Emperor Ye, especially not me. So back when the planning department wanted to create this big news, the higher-ups were hesitant because of you and Ye Lan, and they didn't agree. But when they heard you were leaving, the higher-ups immediately agreed."

"But the direction of the hype has changed. Before, they just wanted to sell some bromance to increase the company's popularity and nurture new talent. Now... they want to add something more explosive. It just so happens you two just filmed a gay movie, so it's a perfect opportunity to claim that... Ye Lan turned the acting into reality."

Jiang Chi's face instantly turned ashen.

"They'll say Ye Lan forced you onto the cast, which is why you didn't get paid. As for Tong Yizhe being replaced by Film Emperor Ye earlier, it was because you were jealous and felt his acting outshone yours, so you forced Ye Lan to kick him out. Film Emperor Ye's zealous fans are no pushovers; they won't let a minor artist who just shot to fame become his stain. They'll definitely pin the blame on you, saying you were maliciously creating hype. Your fans will certainly rebut, and once the fan armies are mobilized, the company won't even need to push it. Things will naturally escalate." Geng Tian got a headache just talking about it. "Once this news is out, the fans' first reaction will be to protect their own idol. Logic or no logic, that's how it is online... Real and fake news get mixed together, and as long as it's said, someone will believe it."

Jiang Chi nodded. "Yes... even I'm about to believe it."

After a huge online war, even if he worked for free from now on, Starlight would never dare to sign him in order to avoid suspicion for Ye Lan.

Geng Tian said with a guilty conscience, "With Ye Lan's temper, do you think he could tolerate an artist who has publicly torn into him? Besides, if he still let Starlight sign you, then the rumors about you two would never be cleared up. Who doesn't know that Starlight is his family's company?"

"Spreading those rumors to offend all the other companies on your behalf was done precisely so you'd have nowhere else to go."

"At the height of the storm, Starlight won't dare to sign you, and other companies won't be willing to sign you. You'll have no choice but to stay." Geng Tian said awkwardly, "So... there is one thing you can be assured of. Even if they do create hype, they won't completely destroy you. They'll leave some leeway, since they'll still need you to make money in the future. I heard... that to appease you, the new contract will give you the most optimal profit-sharing ratio. The company figures... you'll just accept it."

First, they would eliminate the possibility of Jiang Chi going to other companies, then viciously disgust Ye Lan, and finally, offer a carrot after the stick, forcing the cornered Jiang Chi to take it.

The company would gain both fame and fortune, and could also use Jiang Chi's case to warn new talents to be cautious about terminating their contracts, making an example of him.

Jiang Chi was thoroughly convinced.

He had been swept up by a series of good things recently and had thought about terminating his contract too simply.

Jiang Chi stared quietly out the window, not saying a word.

Geng Tian rarely saw this kind of expression on Jiang Chi's face and felt an inexplicable panic. He said awkwardly, "You... don't get too worked up. Things aren't as bad as you think. After all, the company wants to keep you. I asked about that profit share! You get eighty percent! You won't find a contract with that ratio anywhere else now, right? To be fair... the company's offer to appease you is quite sincere. If the ratio in the new contract is really like that, it's rarely seen in the industry."

Jiang Chi nodded lightly. "It is."

Geng Tian gritted his teeth. "Just accept it... you're in the rising phase of your career with a limitless future. Don't be foolish and go against your own prospects."

Jiang Chi touched his waist and said in a low voice, "I won't."

No one would go against their own prospects.

No one would go against their own dreams.

Unfortunately, Geng Tian didn't know that for Jiang Chi, his prospects and dreams had the surname Ye and the given name Lan.

Since I waded into these muddy waters for you in the first place, what is there to be reluctant about now?

Jiang Chi looked up. "I understand... I'm going to the company."