What kind of nonsense is this about a college dropout from Beijing Film Academy being reborn as Bian

Chapter 33: Victory is Inevitable!!!

As soon as Guan Shengbai got out of the car, he saw a familiar figure standing next to the revolving door in the office building lobby.

Yang Mi had her hands in her pockets and was tilting her head to look at him.

Those big eyes were full of mischief, and the corners of his mouth were turned up high.

They were obviously waiting here on purpose.

"I told you you should buy a car!"

Her voice came from across half a sidewalk, with that distinctive nasal tone, both sweet and charming.

Guan Shengbai closed the car door, patted off non-existent wrinkles on his coat, and went to greet him, casually spreading his hands.

"I don't have any money, will you buy it for me?"

"How come I remember you had a Mercedes back in college?"

Yang Mi tilted her head, her tone tinged with doubt.

When Guan Shengbai was studying at the Beijing Film Academy, he was known in the acting department for his wealthy family background.

He drove a Mercedes-Benz C-Class in and out of campus during his freshman year. Although it wasn't particularly flashy, it was still quite conspicuous among the students.

"I didn't use it much after that, so I sold it."

Guan Shengbai spoke casually, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

Yang Mi's heart skipped a beat, and then a wave of regret washed over her.

She shouldn't have brought that up.

She knew about what had happened to Guan Shengbai's family.

During his sophomore year, his parents were in a car accident. Without hesitation, he took a leave of absence to go home and take care of them, but in the end, he still couldn't keep them.

She didn't even dare to think about what he went through during that time.

Selling one's possessions is a burden that can crush any young person who hasn't even left school yet.

She looked at the face before her; the features were still those of the boy from back then, but the arrogant and unrestrained air between his brows and eyes had completely faded away.

Instead, there is an unfathomable composure.

Suddenly, Yang Mi felt a surge of pity that she couldn't suppress.

"What kind of car do you want? I'll buy it for you!"

Yang Mi spoke quickly and urgently, her tone carrying a hint of leaving no room for argument.

Guan Shengbai paused for a moment, seemingly realizing Yang Mi's seriousness, and then waved his hands repeatedly.

"Hey! Don't! I'm just starting out, and I don't want the media to report that I'm living off you."

As he spoke, he glanced at the other person sideways, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"If they really buy me a car, it might just be trending on ByteDance's news tomorrow..."

What kind of "A-list actress Yang Mi is keeping a junior male cop" rumor is this? How am I supposed to survive in the entertainment industry now?

Yang Mi was amused by his avoidance, but she knew in her heart that he was telling the truth.

That's how this circle is; they can write up baseless rumors as if they were true, let alone a real luxury car as a gift.

In reality, Guan Shengbai won't be affected much, since he's just a nobody right now.

He only gained some fame because of the "punching Katsuto" mix-up.

However, such "sugar baby" rumors have a real impact on Yang Mi, who is on the rise.

"Fine, fine, I won't buy it then, why are you hiding?"

She smiled and shook her head, reaching out to gather her hair that had been blown about by the wind.

"Let's go inside, it's cold outside."

As they spoke, the two walked side by side into the office building lobby.

There were only the two of them in the elevator.

Guan Shengbai pressed the button for the sixteenth floor, and the elevator slowly rose.

"Senior sister, is the big project you mentioned 'Gu Jian Qi Tan'?"

Guan Shengbai suddenly spoke, his tone as casual as if he were talking about dinner.

Yang Mi glanced at him sideways, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

How did you know?

This wasn't her overreacting.

The details of this project were only finalized in an internal meeting yesterday; even people within Huanrui Century might not know them so clearly.

"Sister Jia mentioned it briefly."

Guan Shengbai gave a perfunctory reply, but then his tone suddenly became serious.

"Senior sister, I need your help to get the role of Baili Tusu."

The elevator stopped on the sixteenth floor with a ding, and the doors slowly slid open.

Yang Mi didn't take a step, but turned around to look at Guan Shengbai.

The corridor was quiet. The sixteenth floor was the executive office area, and most people had already left work at this time. Only a few offices at the end of the corridor still had their lights on.

She looked into Guan Shengbai's eyes, and there was not a trace of a joke in those phoenix eyes.

In fact, Yang Mi realized that this was the first time Guan Shengbai had ever asked her for a favor in such a serious manner.

From "Tiny Times" to now, this person has always had a confident and composed demeanor.

Even during that assault incident, it was Zeng Jia who stepped in and resolved everything.

By the time she found out, the mess had already been cleaned up.

Now he stood in front of her, staring straight at her.

His tone was calm, his eyes were serious, and there was not a trace of hesitation or probing.

A slight tremor ran through Yang Mi's heart.

"OK."

she says.

In short, it was straightforward and decisive, without any strings attached, and without even asking him why he wanted the role.

Guan Shengbai was taken aback, clearly not expecting her to agree so readily.

"Aren't you going to ask why?"

"What's there to ask?"

Yang Mi shrugged and turned to walk into the corridor.

"If you want it, I'll help you. Anyway, this role wasn't finalized yet."

She took two steps, then turned back with that sly smile on her face.

"Besides, if you play the male lead, then we'll be the official couple, which is better than casting someone you don't know well, right?"

Guan Shengbai was momentarily speechless at her logic, then burst out laughing.

Yang Mi pushed open the door to Zeng Jia's office. The room was well-heated, and Zeng Jia was sitting behind her desk flipping through a stack of documents.

Hearing the door open, she looked up, her gaze sweeping over the two of them, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"You're here? Have a seat."

Zeng Jia put down the documents in her hand, leaned back in her chair, and placed her hands folded on her knees.

Today she was wearing a dark gray suit jacket, her hair was neatly pinned up, and she exuded a capable and shrewd aura.

Yang Mi sat down on the sofa, and Guan Shengbai sat down next to her.

"Sister Jia, I want to try for the male lead role in 'Swords of Legends'."

Guan Shengbai got straight to the point, without beating around the bush.

Zeng Jia raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting from Guan Shengbai to Yang Mi, and then back again.

"Baili Tusu?"

"right."

Zeng Jia did not answer immediately, but instead picked up the coffee cup on the table and took a sip, her expression showing no change.

Of course she knew about the "Gu Jian Qi Tan" project.

To be honest, she didn't think highly of the project.

With a modest investment scale and a mediocre production team, and the original game's fame far less than Tangren's Legend of Sword and Fairy series, whether it can recoup its costs is still unknown.

The reason Yang Mi was chosen as the female lead in this drama is partly because she herself thought the script was pretty good after reading it.

On the other hand, it's more about considerations of personal relationships.

After all, their studio had just been affiliated with Huanrui, and it wouldn't be good to turn down the first project the company had put their way.

But she really didn't expect that Guan Shengbai, the newcomer she had high hopes for, would also have his eye on this drama.

Zeng Jia picked up her coffee and took another sip, using this action to quickly make plans in her mind.

Did she misjudge the situation?

Is there some potential in this film that she hasn't discovered yet?

She mentally reviewed all the project data again.

Investment scale, production team, director's experience, screenwriter's level, influence of the original IP, and market competition for similar themes.

Each item was unremarkable, and there was really no sign of anything "explosive".

Like Yang Mi, I guess I just like the script.

Zeng Jia made a judgment in her mind, and then frowned slightly.

When actors choose scripts, putting "liking" them first is, in her opinion, the least cost-effective choice.

Yang Mi has the right to be capricious because she is already a top-tier celebrity and has room for trial and error.

However, it's not good for Guan Shengbai, a newcomer who's just starting out, to follow others and choose roles based on his own preferences.

This "bad habit" needs to be corrected as soon as possible.

However, this couldn't be said outright. Zeng Jia thought for a moment and decided to approach it from a different angle.

"If I remember correctly, filming for 'No War in Beiping' was supposed to start in April, right?"

She put the coffee cup back on the table, speaking in a gentle tone, as if she were chatting with her younger brother.

"The company has also tentatively confirmed that filming for 'Gu Jian Qi Tan' will likely begin in July or August."

There might be a scheduling conflict; you definitely need to prioritize Director Kong's scenes.

Guan Shengbai shook his head.

"My role in Director Kong's film isn't that big; if we film intensively, three months will be more than enough."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"I have read Fang Mengwei's script many times and communicated with the coordinator. It is possible to have a concentrated arrangement in the early stage."

Zeng Jia raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when Guan Shengbai spoke up again.

"Sister Jia, I really want the role of Baili Tusu. Please help me."

As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, clasped his hands on his knees, and exuded an undeniable seriousness.

Zeng Jia looked into his eyes and suddenly felt something was amiss.

She hadn't spent much time dealing with Guan Shengbai, but it was enough for her to form a preliminary judgment about the young man.

This person usually seems a bit silly and is very sincere, but deep down he is quite arrogant.

If someone can use the word "beg" in their words, it must be something they are determined to get.

What exactly makes him so confident in this drama?

Zeng Jia tapped her fingers lightly on the table twice, various thoughts flashing through her mind.

After a moment, she spoke, her tone still gentle and mild, but what she said was not so easy to respond to.

"Okay, I'll try to get it for you. But—"

She paused, then a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

"The premise is that you can persuade Director Kong to agree to focus on filming your scenes so that you can finish filming for 'No War in Beiping' within two months."

Guan Shengbai's eyebrows twitched slightly.

two months.

"No War in Beiping" is a period spy drama, and the filming period in Hengdian alone lasted for more than four months.

Although his character Fang Mengwei is not the main character and his screen time is relatively limited, the fact that filming had to be completed within two months meant that the production team had to adjust the entire filming schedule for him alone.

Such a request would be considered "illegal" in any film crew.

Moreover, Kong Sheng is a director who is known for being meticulous and following plans.

Zeng Jia leaned back in her chair, looking at Guan Shengbai's expression, feeling somewhat smug.

Her proposal of this condition was indeed based on practical considerations.

If Guan Shengbai can't handle Kong Sheng's side, then there's no chance for "Gu Jian Qi Tan," saving her the trouble of negotiating with Huanrui's executives.

On the other hand, she also wanted to see just how determined Guan Shengbai really was.

If he actually approached Kong Sheng for the role and was rejected, then it would be a good opportunity for him to learn that not every role can be played according to his whims.

Of course, there was another unspoken thought.

If Guan Shengbai can truly persuade Kong Sheng, it means that he holds a more important place in Kong Sheng's heart than she anticipated.

This is definitely a good omen for his future development.

Three birds with one stone.

Zeng Jia picked up her coffee cup, concealing the smile on her lips.

Yang Mi had remained silent until she heard this condition, but her brows furrowed.

Filming "All Quiet in Peking" was completed in two months?

It's no wonder that Kong Sheng would agree.

Although she had never worked with Kong Sheng, she knew of his reputation in the industry.

He was known for being extremely impartial and inflexible, showing no leniency to anyone during filming.

"Sister Jia—"

She was about to speak up for Guan Shengbai when Guan Shengbai raised his hand to stop her.

"OK."

Guan Shengbai's voice was very steady, as if Zeng Jia's request was nothing more than a trivial little thing.

"I'll talk to Director Kong tomorrow."

Zeng Jia paused for a moment while holding the coffee cup.

Looking at Guan Shengbai's calm face, she suddenly wondered if this young man was truly confident or simply naive and ignorant.

But she didn't show her doubts on her face; she just smiled and put the coffee cup back on the table.

"Then it's settled."

When I came out of Zeng Jia's office, it was already completely dark outside.

The corridor was empty, except for the motion-sensor lights near the elevator.

Yang Mi followed behind Guan Shengbai, her face filled with worry.

"Are you really sure? I've heard a lot about Director Kong; he's ruthless when it comes to filming."

"Give it a try."

Guan Shengbai pressed the elevator button, his tone as relaxed as if he were just going to have tea with Kong Sheng tomorrow.

Yang Mi stared at his profile for several seconds before finally sighing.

"Never mind, I'll arrange a date with him for you."

Guan Shengbai turned to look at her.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Yang Mi rolled her eyes at him, took out her phone, and started scrolling through her contacts.

"Who do you think you are? You think people will be willing to meet you just because you make a phone call?"

Director Kong happens to be in Beijing these days, I'll find an opportunity to invite him out for dinner.

Indeed, although Guan Shengbai had eaten with Kong Sheng before and even won the role because of that meal.

However, the reason Kong Sheng went to that dinner party was entirely because of Professor Chen Bing's influence.

She muttered to herself as she flipped through the contact list, her voice not loud, but every word clearly reached Guan Shengbai's ears.

"You're always like this. You're the one who asked for help, but I, your senior, have to clean up your mess."

Guan Shengbai watched her looking down at her phone, the elevator lights shining on the top of her head, casting a soft halo around her head.

"Senior sister."

"Um?"

"Thanks."

Yang Mi paused on the screen for a moment, then continued scrolling down as if nothing had happened.

"Don't give me that. If you really want to thank me, just focus on making a good film and don't embarrass me."

The elevator arrived with a ding, and the doors slowly slid open.

The two entered the elevator, and Yang Mi pressed the button for the first floor. The elevator car began to descend slowly, and the floor numbers on the wall jumped one by one.

"Oh, right."

Yang Mi suddenly remembered something and looked up at Guan Shengbai.

"You just said you wanted Sister Jia to help you get a role, so you should still have some of the pay from your previous two films left, right? If it's not enough, I can help you—"

"Need not."

Guan Shengbai shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I know exactly what my salary is. I have other uses for that money."

Yang Mi raised an eyebrow, wanting to ask him what use it was that was more important than buying a car, but she swallowed the words back.

She had a vague feeling that Guan Shengbai was plotting something, but since he didn't say anything, she didn't press him for details.

The elevator stopped on the first floor, and the doors opened.

The security guard in the lobby was dozing off. Hearing the elevator, he groggily looked up at them, then lowered his head again.

Yang Mi walked to the door. She didn't know when the wind had picked up outside, but it made the withered branches on the roadside rustle.

"Let's go, I'll take you home."

She took out her car keys and pointed towards the parking lot.

Guan Shengbai watched her retreating figure, wrapped his coat tighter around himself, and strode after her.

……

……

At 10 p.m., Guan Shengbai returned to his home in Jinmao Mansion.

He changed into slippers, went to the living room, and sat down on the sofa.

The phone screen was lit up, displaying a WeChat message from Xu Kai, dated around 7 PM.

"Brother Bai, I have some good news to tell you."

"We're about to acquire the comic book and film rights for 'The King's Avatar'."

The price was negotiated to be 500,000 yuan, for a five-year term.

Five hundred thousand.

Guan Shengbai looked at the number on the screen.

Although it was expected, he still couldn't help but sigh when he actually saw the number.

They bought the full copyright and film and television adaptation rights of "The King's Avatar" for 500,000 yuan.

That was a top-tier domestic animation IP that would later generate hundreds of millions in commercial value, but at this moment, its full copyright value couldn't even buy a luxury car.

Of course, acquiring the copyright is just the beginning.

To transform an IP from words on a contract into a real film or television work...

The resources and connections required in the process are far beyond what can be measured in mere hundreds of thousands or even millions.

But you have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.

Guan Shengbai sent Xu Kai a message.

"Sign the contract as soon as possible, don't delay."

After sending the message, he put his phone on the coffee table, leaned back, and looked up at the ceiling.

The ceiling light emitted a soft white glow, illuminating the entire living room.

He suddenly smiled.

One thing after another is happening before my eyes, like a plate of scattered beads being strung together one by one by an invisible thread.

And now, the most crucial thread is in Kong Sheng's hands.

Guan Shengbai closed his eyes and began to quickly recall the script of "No War in Beiping" in his mind.

Every scene, every line, and every moment of Fang Mengwei's appearance is clearly arranged in his memory.

two months.

How to schedule, how to film, and how to coordinate with the production team to compress all of one's own scenes without affecting the overall progress of the production.

He began to calculate, to deduce, and to construct a complete narrative in his mind.

The living room was quiet, with only the clock on the wall ticking away.

In the faded family photo on the coffee table, a middle-aged couple is smiling gently, as if they are quietly watching over him.