Chapter 82: Heart-to-Heart
Mr. Wang wasn't angry. He was quite different from Old Shi, who had a bad temper.
He stared at the chessboard for a while, then took out his phone to take a picture of it, planning to study it later.
Jiang Ting wasn't very interested in chess. Instead, he asked Su Jinli, "Your private school is quite impressive. Do they teach everything?"
Su Jinli nodded. "The teachers are quite skilled."
"Who are these masters?"
"There isn't just one."
"Is it a famous private school? I have a son who's almost school age. You've piqued my interest. Does the private school require full-time attendance?"
Su Jinli found it hard to explain that he had been eavesdropping on lessons from outside the private school window since ancient times and was merely an observer. So, he smiled and said, "You should let your child attend a regular school. I don't know any English and have very few friends."
An Zhiyan, worried that Su Jinli might say something wrong, quickly changed the topic to the new movie.
Jiang Ting's new film was an ancient action movie with elements of demon hunting.
Set in the Ming Dynasty, the world suddenly faced a surge of evil spirits, requiring people to step in and manage the situation.
The third male lead was a famous opera singer, known for his good looks and exceptional singing skills, often invited by noble families to perform.
However, rumors later spread about his ambiguous relationship with a certain lady, leading to his downfall.
The main character had to investigate this singer because all the troubled noble families had invited him to perform, leading to suspicions that he might be a demon.
There was even a scene where he would be tied up and burned alive.
Initially, when An Zhiyan sent Su Jinli's profile to Jiang Ting, he didn't take it seriously.
Su Jinli was just a new talent with some popularity. Did he really need him?
Moreover, Su Jinli was too tall for the role.
However, when Su Jinli appeared in a red costume, Jiang Ting changed his mind and contacted An Zhiyan.
An Zhiyan didn't miss the opportunity, canceling his plans for the day to meet Jiang Ting early in the morning.
Now, looking at Su Jinli, his good looks and natural acting skills were evident.
His singing was also at a professional level.
Any height issues could be resolved through filming techniques. Missing out on such a talent would be a pity.
Jiang Ting immediately asked, "Has Su Jinli acted before?"
Su Jinli looked at An Zhiyan, who smiled and replied, "He is exceptionally talented. He has only been a trainee for six months and has already achieved this level of skill. Plus, there's still time before filming starts. After the competition, we'll train him further."
"So, he has no experience and isn't professionally trained?"
"Yes," An Zhiyan had to admit.
"This movie has a lot of special effects. You know that, right?" Jiang Ting continued.
An Zhiyan understood what Jiang Ting meant. A newcomer with no acting experience would require a lot of effort to teach, and the pay wouldn't be high.
An Zhiyan smiled and continued discussing Su Jinli's current popularity and its potential impact on the box office.
He praised Su Jinli's good looks, which fit the character, and his ability to sing opera, a rare talent in the entertainment industry.
"Sure, we can use dubbing, but does that mean the entire film will need it? And for the opera scenes, will he need to be taught from scratch?"
The two sides continued their negotiation. Mr. Wang, finding the conversation dull, pulled Su Jinli aside to play chess.
After Su Jinli won two games, An Zhiyan finally said to him, "You need to get back to training, right?"
"Yes, I have four songs and two dance routines to practice," Su Jinli replied.
"I'll have Jiang Pingqiu take you back."
"Okay."
________________________
When Su Jinli stepped outside, he saw Hou Yong, who anxiously asked, "Little Jinli, how did it go inside?"
"It went well."
Hou Yong, still inexperienced, couldn't participate in such discussions. Only An Zhiyan could handle it. After hearing the news, Hou Yong rushed over but had to wait outside nervously.
"Is there a strong interest?" Hou Yong continued to ask.
Su Jinli thought for a moment and replied, "I just played chess. An Zhiyan did most of the talking, but they were already discussing the pay."
Hou Yong's eyes lit up. He patted Su Jinli on the shoulder and said, "That's great! This is a rare opportunity. Make sure you seize it, okay?"
"Yes."
Instead of troubling Jiang Pingqiu, Su Jinli asked Hou Yong to take him back to the training camp.
Sejia Legend had already provided Su Jinli with a car, the same level as An Zhiyan's luxury van, and it was top-of-the-line.
Other artists at Sejia Legend hadn't received such treatment even after years, showing how much An Zhiyan cared for Su Jinli.
Su Jinli's personal team wasn't fully assembled yet. He wanted a team of familiar faces, so Hou Yong was acting as both manager and assistant, handling various tasks.
Brother Hao had already confirmed his involvement, with the salary agreed upon. Su Jinli would start work right after the competition.
As a result, Hou Yong had to double as a driver today.
In the car, Su Jinli looked around, feeling like he was dreaming.
He had a car now!
It was amazing!
After Su Jinli finally calmed down and sat in the car, Hou Yong glanced at him several times while driving. He hesitated before speaking, "Little Jinli."
"Hmm?"
"I want to tell you something, but you might not be happy about it."
"Then why say it?" Su Jinli found the preamble strange and asked directly.
Hou Yong was momentarily embarrassed but explained, "I don't want you to make mistakes."
"Oh, then go ahead."
"We don't need to rush to fame or use top-tier resources. You're Shen Cheng's brother, and he's becoming a shareholder in Boruo Pineapple. When you go there in a year, he can take care of you."
"Oh..." Su Jinli didn't understand what Hou Yong was getting at.
"But don't get involved in any shady deals. It's unnecessary. Even if you become famous, you'll regret it later. A while ago, a female star named Deng Xuanhan committed suicide. She rose to fame through such means, developed depression, and was unhappy for the rest of her life, ultimately leading to her suicide."
Su Jinli found this strange.
What are shady deals?
"You're still young and don't understand the entertainment industry. Even if it's true love, you should be discreet. I don't oppose free love, and I don't discriminate against anyone's choices. But society's tolerance for homosexuality is still low. If your relationship is exposed, you'll face public scrutiny and unnecessary trouble."
"My brother mentioned this..." Su Jinli replied.
"Yes, I just want you to be well and not be affected by these things. We've known each other for a while. You might have a new manager in a year, and I don't have to tell you this, but... I hope you can establish yourself in the entertainment industry. You have talent and potential; you'll make it."
Su Jinli frowned slightly but nodded. "I understand your good intentions, but... have you misunderstood something?"
"I see how well An Zhiyan treats you, and I can tell your attitude towards him. I just wanted to remind you to think about your relationship with him."
Although Hou Yong hadn't been with Su Jinli all the time, he had observed enough.
An Zhiyan even acquired an unnecessary studio just to sign Su Jinli.
When Su Jinli got injured, An Zhiyan returned from out of town to handle it.
When Su Jinli was challenged, An Zhiyan angrily threw the microphone.
And for such a good movie opportunity, he recommended Su Jinli instead of the company's long-term contracted young talents. Hou Yong didn't believe this was just care for a newcomer.
"Hmm," Su Jinli responded.
"At least... wait until you're more established to deal with these matters. Lu Wenxi is stable and strong enough to be so bold."
"Hmm," Su Jinli nodded.
"I've been thinking about this alone. Do you have any goals for yourself? Which direction do you want to develop in?"
"I don't really understand these things. I haven't been out of the mountains for long and don't know much. I don't have any strong opinions either," Su Jinli replied, feeling a bit down.
He only persisted in things he was particularly passionate about.
For example, finding his brother after leaving the mountains was one. Now, he wanted to win the competition and stay in the entertainment industry. Other than that, he didn't have any big plans.
An Zhiyan asked him to meet the director, so he did. He always felt that An Zhiyan wouldn't harm him and would treat him well.
"After this competition, let's find a chance for all of us to meet. You, me, An Zhiyan, and Shen Cheng can discuss your future. It's not a small matter, and they both have their own ideas. It's better to talk it over together."
Just thinking about that scene made Su Jinli feel terrified, so he only gave a vague response.
As he was about to get out of the car, Su Jinli suddenly stopped and said to Hou Yong, "Brother Yong, thank you."
"Thank me for what?" Brother Yong asked with a smile.
"I can feel that you genuinely care about me."
"Signing you was my luck. You helped me through a tough time."
"Brother Yong, you'll be lucky!"
"Of course, I have the great Koi Immortal protecting me."
Su Jinli reached out and ruffled Hou Yong's hair before getting out of the car.
Hou Yong was stunned by the gesture and couldn't help but mutter, "Does he think I'm a little girl?"
________________________
When he got back, An Zhihan immediately started questioning Su Jinli about what happened. Su Jinli detailed the entire process, leaving An Zhihan shocked. "You can play chess and sing opera?"
"Yes."
"Show me a split."
Su Jinli shook his head. "No."
"Why not?"
"I'm afraid my prostate will burst."
"......"
________________________
Author's Note:
Comments on the Wall:
[Red Bean Rice Cake:** Are you all devils discussing how to eat fish? I don't pick out fish bones! Fish bones can be eaten too!!]
[*Successfully attracted the attention of Shen Cheng and An Zhiyan]
[But won't fish bones get stuck in your throat?]
[One Mountain and Moon: Actually, An Zhiyan is the Koi, right? *Sobs*]
[Shen Cheng: !!!! It's this person!!!!]
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