Although she really wanted to delay and go back later so as to fulfill her long-cherished wish of marrying him, Xia Yitong was not bold enough to challenge Lu Yinbing's words. She said hello to the director and the staff, and went back to the hotel with Fang Hui, seemingly very calm but anxious.
I sat in the room for ten minutes. Not only were the curtains drawn tightly, but the lights were not even on.
Since Lu Yinbing told her last night that he was following her, Xia Yitong was afraid of missing out on any more news, so she decided to develop a habit of checking Weibo every day. However, she deliberately avoided searching for her own news, and only checked the updates on her homepage. This was basically a work account, and she only followed fellow actors, some producers, and singers, lyricists, and composers in the music industry. She just casually checked it, but she found a piece of news related to herself, or more precisely, related to her and Lu Yinbing.
From lyyv:
I haven't checked Weibo for a few days and I'm confused now. The media is so funny now. Even if they are having a scandal, it should be with me. Don't Lao Lu and I have a better sense of couple? They can stir up any unfounded rumors. It's windy outside, be careful not to bite your tongue.
It has been a while since she came back to China. She has a lot of things to deal with and is so busy that she has not had time to contact Lu Xia and the two of them. The dinner they had agreed to was also delayed. A few days ago, she posted a heartfelt and heartfelt article, recording the relationship between her and her husband over the years, which moved a large number of fans and passers-by. The fans of ordinary female stars do not have the amazing fighting power and abnormal possessiveness of the girlfriend fans of male stars. As long as they are honest enough, most fans will slowly accept and bless them over time.
Logically speaking, she was in a sensitive period and shouldn't openly post anything on Weibo to speak for anyone, but she did it, and she said it openly. Xia Yitong thought: There must be a reason why she and Lu Yinbing could become good friends.
Although Laiying does not have as strong a background as Lu Yinbing, she is also at the top of the entertainment industry. Her own strength should not be underestimated. She has been in the industry for nearly ten years and has won two Best Actress trophies. Even if she faces the risk of termination of her contract, she is still loved by investors and filmmakers, and the audience will still buy into her works.
You have to stand higher to not be afraid of these things.
Xia Yitong reaffirmed this idea.
Just as she was thinking, her cell phone rang. Xia Yitong thought it was Lu Yinbing. Before she could even look at him, she stood up straight and called out in a mature and steady voice, "Teacher Lu."
"What Teacher Lu? I'm your teacher." A teasing female voice came from the other end of the phone, which was completely different from Lu Yinbing's cold voice.
Xia Yitong took off her phone, looked clearly, and said with a relaxed smile: "Sister Laiying, I just had an appointment with Teacher Lu and didn't pay attention. What do you want to talk to me about?"
"What could it be? I saw the news and came to express my condolences to you."
"I have nothing to do. Have you called Teacher Lu?"
"What's there to comfort her about? Xue Yao will handle it." Lai Ying said, "By the way, I want to let you know that I'm almost done with my work, but since your situation is a bit sensitive right now, I can't visit you for the time being."
If Laiying was talking to someone else, she would have chosen her words carefully, but facing Xia Yitong, she knew that Xia Yitong would definitely understand that she didn't want to cause her any more trouble. Sure enough, Xia Yitong also said: "Yeah, I think so too. Even if you don't say it, I will remind you."
Laiying stretched out her legs and crossed them on the fabric sofa, with her long black hair hanging down. She didn't say anything, but her eyes and eyebrows were smiling gently.
Xia Yitong: "Sister Laiying, I read your long Weibo post and it made me cry. I wish you and Brother Zhao Jun all the best again."
"I didn't write it." Laiying smiled.
"ah?"
"I just wrote a rough draft and Xue Yao polished it for me."
Laiying rolled her long hair with her index finger, laughing at Xia Yitong who was still naive sometimes after being in the industry for so long: "This long Weibo post is a weapon for me to defend myself and attract fans. How can I just post it casually? It must have true feelings and be polished by a master. These skilled writers can easily get the public's G-spot and know what to write to make you cry and move you to tears."
Xia Yitong, who once cried bitterly into her phone, said: "... I want to hang up."
A gloating laugh came from the other side.
Xia Yitong said angrily: "If you laugh again, I will be angry."
"I'm not laughing anymore, hahaha. Why are you so cute? I really hate that I'm not by your side right now. I can't see you crying in person. To be honest, I've never seen you cry before."
Xia Yitong didn't want to pay attention to her anymore.
Laiying laughed enough, slid down from the sofa, and lay flat on the sofa, resting his head on his arms, looking at the retro chandelier above his head, and suddenly said: "Xia Xiaotong, I want to terminate the contract."
"Is there no way to save it?"
Lai Ying sneered, "Our company has never done any PR for me from beginning to end, and they are trying every way to discredit me. Even if I switch to another job, I won't be able to make any splash. If it weren't for Lao Lu helping me, I would have sunk a long time ago. You know, in the industry, once an artist flops, it is very difficult to get up again. How can I still be here chatting and laughing with you?"
Xia Yitong had heard of this kind of thing. When an artist wants to switch to another agency, some companies will take extreme measures to discredit you in order to prevent you from making profits for others. This is similar to the villains in TV dramas who say "if they can't get you, they will destroy you."
Xia Yitong thought for a moment and asked, "What are you going to do after the contract is terminated?"
"Just set up your own studio to avoid being bullied. But you know my situation. I'm short of manpower, and I don't know yet. I guess I can borrow a few people from Lao Lu and register them under Lao Lu's studio."
"Why not sign directly with Teacher Lu's studio?" Xia Yitong was very curious. Aren't she and Lu Yinbing good friends
Laiying sounded very scared: "No, I won't. Xue Yao, who is in charge of her studio, is a vampire. If I go, she will suck me dry. As long as she doesn't go too far, Lao Lu won't care about her. I remember... How long does it take for your contract to expire?"
“Less than a year.”
"Do you want to join me? We are good sisters, let's work together and take care of each other. You can use my connections at will." Laiying extended an olive branch to her.
Xia Yitong is a very loyal person, and she has always remembered Qin Mu's kindness. She hesitated and said, "Let me think about it. Mr. Qin in our company treats me as a sister. I... am embarrassed... to ask for termination of the contract."
"Okay," Laiying said, "but forgive me for being blunt, your company is too small, which is not good for your growth. You should either sign with a big company, such as Yaoshi or Xingguang, or go out on your own. I suggest you go it alone, be your own boss, and don't have to give a share to the company. If I remember correctly, the general agency contract is 30% to 70%."
"… Yeah. The company is seven, and I'm three."
"If you feel bad about it, you can offer to help them train new people. When they need you, come out to support them. People want to move up. You will only delay yourself if you do this. The management contract I signed has a different set of standards, 50-50. Even if this hadn't happened, I was considering opening a studio directly after the contract expires, so I would have more autonomy."
"I'll consider it." Xia Yitong knew that what she said made sense, and she even completely agreed with Laiying rationally. Now she was working so hard to make wedding clothes for others. It didn't matter if the salary was low, because the working environment was good after all. But in the future... If she was lucky enough to develop something with Lu Yinbing, she would have to be selfish and think about herself.
"Think about it. A year is not a long time. You should prepare early."
"I... Teacher Lu?" Xia Yitong stood up immediately with the phone in one hand, and looked in surprise at Lu Yinbing who was pushing the door open. Lu Yinbing had long hair hanging down her shoulders, and was wearing a black V-neck jumpsuit with flat-heeled mesh sandals, showing her chic and neat temperament. She held a pair of sunglasses in one hand, which seemed to have just been taken off, and her eyebrows and eyes were cold.
Lai Ying almost fell off the sofa: "Lu Yinbing? Aren't you in your room? Oh my God!!! Is the rumor true? I'm blind, tell me again."
Xia Yitong didn't bother to respond, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito: "You're back."
Lu Yinbing closed the door. Seeing her dull look, the coldness on his face melted a little, and he asked in a gentle voice, "Who are you talking to on the phone?"
Lai Ying was almost going crazy with curiosity when he heard Lu Yinbing's voice, scratching his head and saying, "Hey, hey, hey, someone please pay attention to me, or I'll expose you!!!"
Xia Yitong handed her the phone, and the call interface was showing an incoming call.
Lu Yinbing was amused when he saw her screaming inside for a while, then he cursed into the receiver without thinking: "You are so good, Lai Daxian, I... You didn't even call me when I was in trouble, and you chose to flirt with me when I was not around. Are there any people like you? I'm telling you, no talk, no friendship, hanging up!"
After saying that, he hung up the phone without mercy.
Xia Yitong looked shocked.
Lu Yinbing smiled mischievously and said, "It's okay, ignore her, let's talk about business first."
Xia Yitong's mind was filled with the words "my person" and "my person". Her face was red and her heart was beating fast. She felt like she was about to explode into a firework. Her eyes and eyebrows were filled with the spring of love. She had no mind to talk about business. She just wanted to strip naked and give herself to Lu Yinbing, completely becoming hers.
"Come and take a look at this." Lu Yinbing spread out a large stack of documents she was holding on the table. These were the documents Xiaoxi had printed out and just handed to her.
Xia Yitong wanted to laugh, but couldn't. In the end, she could only breathe softly, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "It's a little hot. I'll go wash my face and come right back."
Lu Yinbing looked up at the air conditioner, which was 22 degrees. He frowned slightly, but didn't think much about it. He said, "Come back soon."
"OK."
Xia Yitong went to the bathroom in a daze. A minute later, he came back to his senses with a wet face. He stood at the corner of the table and opened the documents on the table at the signal of Lu Yinbing.
She flipped through the pages slowly at first, then faster and faster, and after ten minutes, she had finished reading it completely.
Seeing that she was still standing, Lu Yinbing simply sat on the bed and gave her the chair.
Xia Yitong obviously didn't overuse her eyes, but her eyes felt a little sore. She closed the folder and after a long while, she gently asked, "Are you sure it's her?"
"Sure." Lu Yinbing understood her feelings a little, but she didn't particularly resonate with them. She had been alone since her debut and had even fewer close friends. She had never experienced the feeling of being stabbed in the back by someone close to her.
"Dong Yafei, she..." Xia Yitong blinked slowly and looked at the floor. "She signed with Chaochu Entertainment together with me. Um... four years ago, we were both unpopular. She was better than me. I was an 18th-tier star and she was a 17th-tier star. We were both unknown little stars. At that time, we often cheered each other up, watched each other's dramas, and praised each other. Although we were not famous, we were happy.
"I was silent for two years, but she was better than me. In the second year, her career gradually improved. Someone picked her up at the airport, and when she went out, people would surround her and ask for autographs. But she was still very nice to me and took me out to play wearing sunglasses and a mask."
Lu Yinbing: "Didn't you feel psychologically unbalanced at the time?" It is normal in the entertainment industry to praise the powerful and bully the weak. If it is two artists of the same period, it is even easier to compare with each other. To put it nicely, they are colleagues under the same agent, but to put it bluntly, they are the opponents that each other needs to step on the most, and the direct predators of the agent's resources.
Xia Yitong shook her head: "No, I was happy for her at that time." She was telling the truth. Maybe because her purpose of entering the entertainment industry was not pure, Xia Yitong did not care about her status like others did. She only cared about whether the other person was a good person when making friends.
Lu Yinbing raised her eyebrows slightly and praised, "You are rare." But the other party might not be the same. Maybe they were once true friends, and Dong Yafei would help her after she became famous, but that kind of help was somewhat condescending and almsgiving. Once Xia Yitong became more famous than her, such a person would immediately change his attitude.
As expected, Xia Yitong thought of something, frowned slightly, and looked into the distance, revealing a hint of sadness: "Just two years ago, we signed to Sister Su Han together, and I immediately starred in a good drama, which immediately ushered in the peak of my acting career. Film contracts continued, and advertisers kept calling. I started working day and night. I finally found some time to invite her to dinner, but she would turn it down. We are obviously under the same agent, but when we meet, we are like strangers. Only when Sister Su Han is present will she pretend to be good to me.
"Although I was very sad at the time, I also knew that I couldn't keep her, and this friendship would end here. So I went along with her wishes and stopped looking for her. If there are good opportunities, I will ask Sister Su Han to help her fight for them. For some shows and TV series that I can't schedule but I feel have potential, I will let her try."
"But she didn't get in?" Lu Yinbing asked. If she had gotten in, she wouldn't still be in a third or fourth tier city.
"Yeah." Xia Yitong nodded and said, "You know, this circle requires a bit of luck. If you are lucky, you will rise to the top. If you are unlucky, even if a big pie falls in front of you, someone will snatch it away."
Lu Yinbing curled his lips and agreed deeply. God is so cruel sometimes. In the entertainment industry, hard work only accounts for half of a person's success. The other half depends on God's will, the company, and the team.
"I wanted to take the role of the palace maid at that time. I told you the reason. After that, I apologized to Dong Yafei and used some of my connections to get her into a TV IP drama as the second female lead. I..."
"Didn't you expect that she was not satisfied and would stab you in the back?"
Xia Yitong nodded gently, then lowered her head and blamed herself: "But I was wrong in this matter first. I shouldn't have snatched her role for my own selfish interests. I am not doing her justice."
She was hit on the head without noticing it, and screamed, "Ah!" She covered her head and said, "Why did you hit me?"
Lu Yinbing retracted his long arm and looked at her with a mentally retarded look: "I really don't know how you made it in this circle. Let me tell you, this kind of person is a typical villain, an ungrateful person, and you can't feed him. Jealousy makes people crazy. No matter how good you are to her, as long as there is something wrong with her, she can immediately overturn all your previous goodness-"
"Dong Yafei she-ah!"
Lu Yinbing responded quickly and gave her another slap on the face.
Xia Yitong looked at her aggrievedly and dared not speak.
Lu Yinbing: "I told you to be stubborn with me. Didn't anyone tell you to listen to the old man? The old man hasn't finished speaking yet, listen carefully. Speaking of this, your agent, what's his name... Han Su?"
"Su Han." Xia Yitong said weakly.
"I know her name is Su Han. Han Su Han failed in her duty first. Her artists turned against each other. I mean, she unilaterally turned against you..."
Xia Yitong looked helpless: "... Can you change the word?"
Lu Yinbing came back to her senses and laughed, "I was wrong. She did that to you unilaterally. I've only seen people from the same company fight each other, but I've never seen an agent's subordinates dare to make such a big fuss." Lu Yinbing kept it a secret, "Aren't you curious about how a third-tier celebrity like her dared to make such a big fuss? What ability does she have to make such a big fuss? Isn't she afraid that the matter will be exposed and she will be hidden by the company?"
Xia Yitong thought of a possibility and opened her eyes slightly to look at her. Her misty eyes were particularly beautiful.
Lu Yinbing knew she had guessed it as soon as he saw her eyes. He sneered and announced the answer: "She is being kept by someone. With a backer, she naturally doesn't take you, your agent, and your company seriously. Her sponsor is the son of a top ten media company - Yaoshi Media."
Xia Yitong immediately frowned and said, "Yu Kai, the young master of Yaoshi Media? Isn't he a well-known playboy in the circle? He changes women more frequently than he changes clothes. How can Dong Yafei be so obscure..."
Lu Yinbing bent his fingers and made a gesture as if he was about to attack. Xia Yitong covered his forehead in advance and sincerely confessed: "I was wrong. I shouldn't still be thinking about her. I am guilty."
"That's better, you're such a naive person," Lu Yinbing said, "Who she hooks up with is her business, you should stay away from her. Also, since she's been so unkind to you, you have to be unjust to her. According to my intelligence, she has proposed to unilaterally terminate the contract with your company and sign with Yao Shi instead, so as to climb up the ladder and become the tail of a phoenix. You, the chicken head, should stop worrying about her! If you get into trouble again, no one will save you."
Xia Yitong heard a hint of hidden concern in her seemingly fierce tone, and a sweet feeling rose in her heart. She looked at her with bright eyes.
Lu Yinbing was surprised: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Teacher Lu, I noticed that you are particularly beautiful today! You are beautiful at other times, but you are especially beautiful today!"
Lu Yinbing raised the corners of his mouth: "I just like to hear the truth."
"She is not only beautiful, but also very capable." Xia Yitong said, "I will listen to you no matter what you want to do."
Lu Yinbing took all the credit for Xue Yao and the studio without any guilt. Her vanity was unprecedentedly satisfied. She exhaled and said, "This is my initial plan. First, shut down that marketing account and let it spread rumors. I have inquired and found that the marketing account belongs to another popular actress, who happens to be your competitor. Killing two birds with one stone. The second step..."
Xia Yitong listened to her talk, and a complex look flashed through her eyes. In just one day, less than a day, Lu Yinbing was able to get the hotel records of Yu Kai and Dong Yafei. This was definitely not something that a studio in the entertainment industry could do. The background behind her was unfathomable. And what about herself? She was penniless, and the only valuable thing was her life.
She once again felt the huge gap between her and Lu Yinbing, which was like an insurmountable chasm.
How could Lu Yinbing know that she was wandering in the sky again? After she finished pointing out the mountains and rivers, she suddenly stared at Xia Yitong and asked, "Do you know what this incident tells you?"
Teacher Lu's class started, and Xia couldn't answer the question, so he asked in confusion: "What?"
"It's best to make friends with people who are more famous than you. The more famous the better. This way, not only can they help you, but you don't have to worry about them harming you." Lu Yinbing straightened his back.
"For example, you?" Student Xia was particularly helpful.
Lu Yinbing nodded, and smiled even more widely when she heard this: "Don't worry, within two days, this matter will disappear from the public eye."
Xia Yitong also smiled. She knew that this matter would be resolved satisfactorily. As long as Lu Yinbing was happy, she would be happy. She didn’t need to think about other things for the time being.
As she was laughing, her face suddenly froze and a deep sense of guilt suddenly surged in her heart.
She remembered a widely circulated saying that was very suitable for the current situation between her and Lu Yinbing.
—I treat you as a friend, but you want to sleep with me