Actresses

Chapter 32 Reason

Although she readily agreed verbally, it didn't mean Shi Jiahe had no thoughts on the matter. Especially since Wei Ning was involved.

No matter what, the two had been business partners before. Even if there were ulterior motives between them, there was still a bond between them. If Shi Jiahe really had to do as He Yuran suggested, go directly to Zhao Cai, and then kick Wei Ning aside, she would feel uneasy.

In such matters, it's perfectly reasonable for agents to consider the issue and make decisions from the perspective of protecting the artist's feelings. One could even say that the artist's will is absolutely correct.

—Of course, this is on the premise that it doesn't cause any major trouble.

But Shi Jiahe knew very well that even an agent couldn't only consider the artist's perspective. She asked herself, "The road ahead is so long, will you be tied to Sister Ran for life?" Impossible.

He Yuran isn't the type to stick with one agent forever. What if one day she leaves He Yuran? How will she maintain her relationship with Wei Ning? What if that day isn't far off?

So, Shih Chia-ho was in a real dilemma, having to do things according to the artist's wishes without damaging long-term interpersonal relationships.

However, it's more important to deal with the immediate issues first.

First, look at the document Wei Ning sent. If the content is good and there's something to talk about, then immediately start asking around about Zhao Cai.

The second thing was just about to move forward when Stone Sister sent a message saying that Zhuang Pan was in very poor condition, and the filming had been delayed all day, probably until very late. She said to check again tomorrow.

Shi Jiahe thought to herself, "Then I'll just go back and catch up on my sleep."

As a result, Shi Jiahe was unable to concentrate on anything else all night, and would check her phone every now and then to make sure Wei Ning had sent her the story outline.

However, considering the time spent writing, reviewing, and revising, it wouldn't be until the next day before it was sent. So Shi Jiahe simply put down her phone and went to bed around 10 PM. Compared to before, this was practically an elderly person's schedule.

Unbeknownst to her, her mindset seemed to have changed a lot. Although she still had to work hard, she didn't want to be tied to her phone for work all the time, nor did she want to be so anxious.

Eat when you're supposed to eat, sleep when you're supposed to sleep.

What's wrong with replying to WeChat a little later? It's not like the entertainment industry, which argues about trivial matters and makes headlines all the time, can actually produce any big news.

The sky will never fall. Besides, it won't fall from the entertainment industry.

Before long, she drifted off to sleep.

Her phone was lying aside, not turned off. She seemed to hear a few vibrations, but Shi Jiahe didn't wake up. Around 2 a.m., she got up to use the restroom and remembered she had a new message. She picked up her phone and squinted at the screen in the dark; sure enough, Wei Ning had sent a WeChat message.

Shi Jiahe instantly became much more alert, and even started to feel nervous. But she didn't understand why she was so nervous.

She shook her head, turned on the light, and opened the messages to read them carefully.

One message read: "This is only for you and Ran-jie to see. Don't forward it to anyone else. It will be deleted after being read! Reply to me as soon as possible."

The other one is a document, which contains character biographies and a story outline.

Shi Jiahe scrolled through the script, suddenly feeling a little disappointed. It shouldn't be this short! She'd been so looking forward to receiving several episodes of the script…

Oh well, let's just watch whatever's available.

All in all, it's less than 5000 words, so you can finish it quickly. The story has a murder case as its outer shell, but it's essentially a group portrait of the entertainment industry.

Outlines only reveal the general direction of the story; they don't reveal much detail or nuance. Experienced production teams might be more interested in the overall framework, but Shi Jiahe currently thinks like a talent agent. When reviewing these materials, she's primarily concerned with the role He Yuran is best suited for. However, the outlines portray every character very evenly, which is the awkward aspect of viewing ensemble dramas from an agent's perspective. It's difficult to clearly explain to the artist how much a role will enhance their performance. Without putting every scene on paper, or even without seeing each actor's actual performance on screen, it's hard to predict who will stand out, considering the interactions between actors and the final quality of the costumes and props. This has nothing to do with billing order; sometimes, the most eye-catching character in a drama is even a supporting actor ranked eighth or lower.

In short, this outline doesn't reveal anything at all.

Shi Jiahe needs more.

She glanced at the time. The document had been sent less than half an hour ago, and given the typical night owl schedule in this industry, Wei Ning was definitely still awake.

After hesitating for a while, Shi Jiahe finally suppressed her laziness, sat down in front of the computer, logged into the WeChat web version, and replied seriously: "Received, I'll let you know after I discuss it with Sister Ran tomorrow."

"Great! You've worked hard!"

Shi Jiahe yawned and was about to close the laptop when Wei Ning sent another message.

"How did you feel after reading it?"

This put Shi Jiahe in a dilemma. If she said it was good, there was no need to worry. If she said it was bad, it wasn't necessarily bad either. To be fair, the story was alright; at least it was a type she hadn't seen before. But she didn't want Wei Ning to have too high expectations.

She pondered for a moment, then began typing.

"I just glanced at it. I'll tell you more when I get to work tomorrow. Go to sleep early!"

"No! What's your thought after you read this? Tell me your first instinct while you're still awake."

"Who said I wasn't asleep? I just got up in the middle of the night and was replying to your WeChat message."

"Don't pretend with me. When we used to stay up all night together, when did you ever fall asleep at this hour? You were always as energetic as an owl. Ran-jie listens to you so much, so just be honest with me. If you like this story, put in a good word for me, and I can send you the script soon. Once we've settled on the initial idea, everything else will be easy to discuss! I'll move forward as quickly as possible."

Shi Jiahe thought about it and decided it wasn't a bad idea. She should at least ask Ran Jie for her opinion first.

"When can you send me the script as soon as possible?"

"I should be able to give you five episodes in five days."

Shi Jiahe stared at those few words and fell into deep thought.

Generally, a single episode of a long drama script is around 15000 words, and experienced screenwriters write an average of one episode per week. Veteran screenwriters can manage one episode every three days, but this is extremely rare. Five episodes in five days—what level of speed and quality would that require?

"Did you write it on the spot, or did you already have a copy?"

"I have a ready-made script, but I still need to adjust it. There's no such thing as the best script, only a better one, right? Besides, it's for your sister Ran to see."

Shi Jiahe thought for a moment, deciding not to make any definitive statements.

"Then I think I should show the first five episodes to Sister Ran. Giving just an outline is a bit insufficient, since we usually receive complete scripts directly."

There's nothing wrong with what Shi Jiahe said. It's a way that Wei Ning won't find fault with, but can subtly give her a piece of her mind.

"Hey, you! Don't you think this story is fresh and flows smoothly? The characters are vivid too. The script is even better than the outline. And to say something you might not like, if I gave it to any actress, she would absolutely be willing to play the role!"

Shi Jiahe thought to herself, "I've never heard of an actor being cast just by looking at the outline. You can fool newcomers, but don't try that on me."

—Of course, you can't say that out loud.

"Yes, yes, I definitely believe you. But Ran-jie will definitely ask about the script after reading the outline. Anyway, you can finish it in five days, so I'll wait for you for another five days. Take your time to revise it. I'll wait for you. Goodnight."

She slammed the laptop shut, put her phone on airplane mode, and flopped onto her pillow.

She slept soundly until dawn. When she woke up, she wondered why her phone was so quiet. Picking it up, she remembered the conversation from last night. Connecting to Wi-Fi, she saw that Wei Ning had not only bombarded her with over ten WeChat messages last night, but had also made a phone call. Shi Jiahe couldn't help but curse inwardly, "These lunatics in the entertainment industry! They don't sleep themselves and they don't let anyone else sleep either, then they're all unreachable during the day."

Shi Jiahe was too lazy to reply immediately. After waking up, she prepared to wash up and go to the company.

Just after nine o'clock, Wei Ning called again, and Shi Jiahe was yawning when she answered the phone.

"My dear sister, did you just wake up?" Wei Ning said sarcastically.

"My dear sister, you're still awake?" Shi Jiahe said bluntly.

"Hey!" Wei Ning switched back to her normal tone, "I'm talking to you about serious business, and you keep dragging your feet! Are we even best friends anymore? Let's take advantage of this beautiful sunshine and get our work done. The sooner we get things done, the more we can accomplish."

"Our industry starts at 2 PM every day. The fact that I'm answering your call right now proves that we have a life-or-death bond."

"Then tell me Ran-jie's answer at 2 PM this afternoon. I'm busy finishing up the script here."

"You revise your script, I'll read my outline, there's no conflict."

Wei Ning was now truly anxious. "Is it that difficult to give me an answer this afternoon?"

"Oh, I just got a call. I'll talk to you later." Shi Jiahe said and hung up decisively.

Sometimes, even if cooperation is necessary, you should first decisively refuse.

Judging from the quality of the outline, it's certainly worth pushing forward with the progress. However, Shi Jiahe dislikes Wei Ning's secretive and cryptic communication style. She's now decided to first find Zhao Cai, and then quickly schedule a time with Sister Stone.

First, I searched various social media platforms using the keywords "screenwriter" and "lucky charm," but found nothing. Since usernames weren't working, I tried finding people within the industry.

First, knowing that Zhao Cai graduated from the drama department, she should ask a screenwriter with formal training. However, considering Zhao Cai's age, she should be a recent graduate, so she decided to ask a screenwriter's apprentice as well. Shi Jiahe started going through the names in her mind, and then placed orders with each person in her WeChat contacts.

This matter is both difficult and easy. It might easily disappear without a trace, but if you happen to find someone in the same industry as Zhaocai, it will come to you effortlessly.

When the news spread, Shi Jiahe was still cautious and didn't say what it was about, only that she was helping someone inquire about such a person.

After sending a round of messages, she breathed a sigh of relief and was about to go downstairs for breakfast when Ding Yi suddenly sent her a WeChat message.

"Sister Ran actually came to the company today, but she threw a tantrum in the meeting room. Do you know why?"

Shi Jiahe was completely baffled. What kind of trouble was this so early in the morning? Everything was fine when they parted yesterday.

"I don't know..." she answered honestly.

"Don't you want to come to the company right away? My sister looks terrible. I don't know how to comfort her."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Well, breakfast is ruined again.

Shi Jiahe hurriedly changed her clothes, her head throbbing. One dark cloud hadn't even drifted away when an even larger cumulonimbus cloud appeared, looking even more frightening. She began to mentally replay the events like a movie in her mind—what could it be?

The more I think about it, the more confused I become.