After Reuniting with My Aloof Movie Queen Childhood Friend - Chapter 21.1

Meng Xingshu lowered her gaze and greeted, “Director Meng.”

“Have you heard about Zhou Wenchen’s matter?” Meng Yuting got straight to the point.

Meng Xiao’s star path had originally been perfectly mapped out.

First, use an on-screen couple (CP) to build anticipation, then seize that momentum to co-star with the male lead in a massive, high-budget film or drama. They would attend variety shows, shoot magazines, and take on endorsements. Once her footing in the industry was secure, they would dismantle the CP, harvest the solo fans, and continue shooting new dramas. Through repeating this operation, her status would rise step by step, launching her career into flight.

Yet, just half a month after sharing a frame, the male lead’s reputation turned to absolute garbage. He was dropped by his production crew and lost his luxury brand endorsements.

Zhou Wenchen was previously a brand ambassador for V-brand. When negotiating cooperation with them initially, he even arrogantly boasted, saying, “I can secure a title for Xiaoxiao as well.”

Now, look. Before Meng Xiao could even touch the threshold of the fashion circle, he himself had been kicked out first.

What annoyed Meng Yuting even more was that a problem had also arisen with the drama they had lined up to shoot.

The investors stated that if Zhou Wenchen remained the male lead, they would pull their funding.

What a mess!

Meng Yuting complained, “It seems he offended someone powerful. How terribly unlucky. Of all the choices, how did we pick him? What kind of bullshit top-tier star is he? He was fine before, but this month he suddenly collapsed. He must have been jinxed by someone behind the scenes. He even dragged Xiaoxiao down. Xiaoxiao was supposed to join the crew soon, but now he’s blacklisted.”

Meng Xingshu’s expression remained faint. “Blacklisted? I wasn’t aware.”

“What could you possibly know?” Meng Yuting made no effort to hide the disgust in her eyes. “Hurry up and call President Lin, ask her to help out. You’ve been in this circle for so many years yet you still haven’t figured it out. What’s the use of only knowing how to act if you don’t even know how to build a good relationship with your boss? If you had a good relationship with President Lin, Xiaoxiao wouldn’t have to go through so much trouble to become famous.”

The film and television industry relied heavily on connections and resources. If Meng Yuting wanted to make money, someone had to be willing to bring her to the table.

Lin Shen, holding Filmily in one hand and Lingxing in the other, was the absolute best candidate.

Thinking back ten years ago, when Lin Shan had just founded Lingxing, she had used a single contract to turn Meng Xingshu inside out. Even then, Meng Yuting felt that woman was a formidable player.

Unfortunately, at that time, the real estate industry was booming like wildfire. She looked down on the petty pennies of the entertainment industry, and now she regretted not establishing a connection sooner.

Meng Xingshu completely ignored Meng Yuting’s attitude and replied, “Then I will head out for a bit.”

Only then did Meng Yuting recall that every time Meng Xingshu entered the main building, she would have someone confiscate her phone.

She waved her hand, her expression displeased. “Forget it, go upstairs and kneel first. This month has been far too unlucky. Once you leave, remember to book an appointment with President Lin for me. Ask her if she’s free for dinner recently.”

The car sped past the green belts on the highway. With the windows rolled up tightly, the two people in the back seat were conversing.

“Dinner? Sure, if she dares to invite me, I dare to eat,” Lin Shan said, reaching out to brush aside Meng Xingshu’s long hair, looking closely. “What did they call you back for this time? They didn’t do anything, did they?”

“No, it was mainly for this matter. They also took a few group photos to post on Weibo.”

“Going to buy trending searches again, I assume.” Lin Shan smacked her lips, mimicking a high-pitched voice. “Wow, a happy family of three; wow, such deep sisterly love; wow, they are a wealthy household~ Just wait, I’ll go restrict their traffic flow.”

Meng Xingshu remained indifferent. “Why waste that money? Let them be.”

Lin Shan: “When I pulled down the hot searches of you and Little Ji, why didn’t you say I was wasting money?”

Meng Xingshu didn’t take the bait and continued, “Tonight is the time. While her head is still hot, get the contract signed early. Have you spoken with Duolong?”

“We settled it long ago.”

“If possible, invite an executive over tonight to chat for a bit. Consider it a personal favor I owe them.”

“No, no, no, how could you owe them a favor?” Lin Shan was ecstatic. “They owe you a massive, heavenly favor.”

Duolong was the exact investor wanting to pull funding, and the company boss was a die-hard fan of Meng Xingshu.

The drama Meng Yuting had her eyes on was called The Phoenix Decree, a historical masterpiece heavily planned by Duolong. From the moment it was greenlit, it aimed to be the “drama of the year.” The production crew was incredibly luxurious, with the entire main creative team consisting of famous names in the industry.

Earlier this year, Duolong believed the romance rumors. Heartbroken, the boss proclaimed it might be destiny, raised the investment to one billion, and personally visited Meng Xingshu, sincerely inviting her and Zhou Wenchen to play the leads, only to be politely declined by Meng Xingshu.

Later, Meng Xingshu had someone leak the news, allowing Meng Yuting to “accidentally” hear about this stellar project, prompting her to bring Meng Xiao to Duolong.

At that time, rumors fabricated by the Meng family flew everywhere, claiming things like ‘The two sisters of the Meng family possess more spiritual grace than the last,’ ‘Director Cao Wei chose Meng Xingshu for “The Eye of the Wind” because of Meng Xiao back then,’ and ‘Meng Xiao will be the next Meng Xingshu.’ The boss believed it again, accepting gladly.

Until half a month ago, when she received a call from Lin Shan, learning that the main creators of the project had gathered to abuse drugs during the preparation period.

Zhou Wenchen was merely an excuse. Whether he participated or not, Duolong would absolutely never invest in this drama again.

This was a ticking time bomb that could detonate at any moment, an absolute trainwreck of a mess that had to be offloaded immediately. And the only person likely to take over was Meng Yuting, who wanted to craft a perfect stardom script for her daughter.

Lin Shan asked, “But where will Changfeng get so much cash flow? Does she still have spare money to invest?”

“Didn’t she just secure financing in January?” Meng Xingshu said faintly. “She will invest. The piece of land she originally wanted to buy was stopped by my tip-off right before the signing. She won’t sit back and watch her money gather dust, she will definitely invest it in something. As long as Duolong lets her see the potential for massive profits, she will gamble.”

Lin Shan frowned. “But that money… shouldn’t it be used to fix those unfinished residential buildings first?”

“You’re thinking too much. How could that tiny bit of money possibly fill such a massive crater?” In Meng Xingshu’s usually emotionless voice, a rare trace of cold cynicism surfaced. “Moreover, someone who is used to winning at the gambling table has long forgotten how to make money through normal means.”

In the financial era, real estate had long detached from its essence, turning into a game of passing a ticking parcel.

Red-eyed gamblers ignored the scale of their debts and crazily added leverage, firmly believing that as long as the bubble didn’t burst in their hands, they could reap boundless profits.

But when a gambler loses, they lose only what they own, when a real estate company loses, society pays the price.

Pre-sale property funds were the ultimate interest free loans. Yet the destination for this money wasn’t the construction site, but newly auctioned land, using the funds to build houses meant the money would disappear, but using it to buy land could spawn even more interest free loans.

Between earning small money standing up and making massive wealth lying down, “smart people” knew which one to choose.

Thus, they sang and danced merrily on the entertainment pages.

Banknotes drifted down like snowflakes, everyone envying the Changfeng heiress, everyone wanting to become the Changfeng son-in-law.

Little did they know that behind all this lay ordinary people who bought unfinished properties, paying high mortgage rates while renting for a lifetime, migrant workers who were owed their hard earned blood money, unable to afford school for their children or even feed themselves and construction contractors whose companies went bankrupt, leading to suicide and ruined families.

They strove with all their might, yet their hands remained empty. Their despair was so vast, yet it was completely drowned out by the even louder cheers of the masses calling for glitz and glamour, very few ever heard them.

Inside the carriage, after a long silence, Lin Shan snapped her fingers. “Understood. If she loves to gamble, let her gamble, preferably on something that doesn’t affect ordinary citizens too much. I’ll arrange the gathering tonigh, it will be handled flawlessly.”

Having said that, seeing Meng Xingshu remain motionless, she nudged her, teasing with a grin, “Hey, Boss Meng, now that we’re done talking about other people’s companies, shall we discuss your own? The drama shot by Little Ji has been sent over and is about to be rated. Want to drop by and join the fun?”

Filmily Headquarters

When Filmily was initially founded, true to its name, it focused primarily on movies and movie related videos. Although it soon expanded into new domains, guiding the entire platform toward a younger, mainstream direction, its deep cinematic heritage remained.

The company’s primary color theme was cobalt blue. The review rooms used for screening films were also heavily designed with this dark, deep blue-purple hue, brimming with artistic flair.

Inside the review room, Guo Chang had bought afternoon tea for the entire purchasing department. Everyone ate pastries and reviewed dramas, creating a highly pleasant atmosphere.

Guo Chang could be considered a veteran producer in the industry. Having entered the business for over a decade, the quality of his productions varied wildly.

However, this was rather common in the entertainment circle. After all, the success of a drama depended on many factors, having a few standout works was enough for him to thrive.

“It seems you put in a lot of hard work after that massive flop last year. This project is executed brilliantly, literally a night and day difference!” The purchasing director sipped his coffee comfortably, asking curiously, “What was the budget?”

The massive flop Guo Chang produced last year was entirely his own doing. Being dragged into the yearly worst drama roundups was one thing, but crucially, the project was an absolute disaster, losing even his underwear, leaving him unable to secure any new projects until now.

Hearing the other party say this made Guo Chang feel incredibly slighted, but he couldn’t show it. He could only rub his hands and smile apologetically. “A small-budget drama, just over three million.”

Every reviewer present let out a gasp of surprise.

“Was this conjured by a god??”

“No way, three million can shoot this kind of quality? What did those projects with tens of millions in investment spend their money on?”

“This just shows Producer Guo truly has skill! When can you come over and share some experience with our crew? That way, we won’t get scolded by President Lin every day.”

“Haha, it’s all thanks to the collective effort of the team. I’m glad you teachers like it.”

Guo Chang maintained a highly humble attitude. “When I first received this project, I thought to myself, no matter how little money we have, we must do it well. So I spent day and night agonizing over the budget, thinking about how to cut costs, how to use the least amount of money to achieve the best results. Let alone the preparation period, I didn’t even rest during the shooting phase, keeping my eyes on the set every single day…”

Laughter and conversation filled the review room until the door to the office area was swiped open.

Along the way, Lin Shan had been telling Meng Xingshu about Bones of Noble Splendor, speaking with great relish. “…I watched a bit when the rough cut first came out, and it’s truly good, even better than I imagined when watching on set. Especially the latter half, that texture, if the props and sets were a bit more refined, I would have thought it was an S-tier project. I don’t know where Little Ji found her lighting and camera crew. I really want to scout them over.”

Meng Xingshu narrated calmly, though perhaps due to the lighting in the review room, her gaze appeared slightly softer. “Their project underwent a restructuring, and the scripts were entirely rewritten on set. They had zero preparation for filming, so the lighting and camera angles relied entirely on the director’s on the spot designs. It was very taxing.”

“I know, the most impressive one is still the director. Scout her over, scout her over.”

A month ago, when Meng Xingshu asked her to give Bones of Noble Splendor a prime recommendation spot, Lin Shan had been extremely reluctant.

As a mature internet company, every decision made by Filmily had to be backed by data.

Not a single piece of data indicated that a tiny crew of forty to fifty people could produce a drama capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with an S+ project investing over a hundred million yuan.

Once a precedent was set without achieving results, it would become a massive joke.

But between data and Meng Xingshu, Lin Shan leaned entirely toward Meng Xingshu.

After all, she had been copying Meng Xingshu’s homework since their student days, getting it completely right every time, and she continued copying after entering the industry, never missing a beat.

This time, Lin Shan chose to trust the top student’s investment vision as always, handling the instructions early on, of course, the main reason was that Meng Xingshu said she would cover any losses.

The moment they stepped into the review room, the screening team gathered to welcome them. The supervisor introduced them to Lin Shan. “President Lin, this is the producer of Bones of Noble Splendor, Teacher Guo Chang.”

Producer?

Meng Xingshu cast a glance at Guo Chang, remembering something, and her gaze instantly froze into an icy chill.

Guo Chang’s face piled with smiles as he brought over a cup of coffee. “President Lin, it’s been a long journey, please have some coffee to quench your thirst. Ah, Teacher Meng has also graced us with her presence, what an absolute honor! I truly didn’t expect to have the chance to meet you, I especially love your movies! Would you like some coffee?”

Meng Xingshu’s face was dark and frigid, her hands remaining motionless in her coat pockets. She didn’t look at Guo Chang again, bypassing the crowd to walk straight into the private screening room.

Fang Ruohan clearly felt her boss’s aura shift drastically, but unable to comprehend why, she could only trot along behind Meng Xingshu into the screening room.

Lin Shan, on the other hand, amiably accepted the coffee and began chatting with Guo Chang. “Producer Guo, right? Why didn’t your director come today? I thought I’d see her.”

Not only was there coffee, but Lin Shan also noticed the room was filled with the sweet aroma of pastries.

Reviewing films should be a serious job. Only when the screening staff watched attentively and scored fairly could the platform push high-quality content to the audience more precisely.

Such a relaxed and comfortable working atmosphere was somewhat lacking in professionalism.

But since they were reviewing Little Ji’s drama today, Lin Shan didn’t want to disrupt things, deciding to hand down criticism later.

Guo Chang assumed President Lin was highly satisfied with his flattery, replying cheerfully, “Everyone has their own duties. Managing production is already exhausting enough for the director.”

Lin Shan nodded. “True. I felt it when I visited the set, that workload of hers is not easy. She deserves more rest.”

Guo Chang’s smile stiffened for a moment, but he quickly adjusted. Without missing a beat, he shifted the topic. “President Lin, let me introduce the highlights of our drama to you…”

Inside the private screening room, Meng Xingshu clicked on the first episode, playing it from the very beginning.

Like the vast majority of television dramas, the opening credits of Bones of Noble Splendor placed production and presentation at the front, with screenwriting and directing at the tail.

When the screen played the words [Producer, Guo Chang], the frosty malice in Meng Xingshu’s eyes deepened by a fraction. And when the final line jumped out. [Director, Quan Xinrong] Fang Ruohan, standing behind her, understood completely.

Fang Ruohan’s mouth dropped open in pure rage. “Wait, who is this person? Where did he crawl out from?”

“Investigate these two names.” Meng Xingshu didn’t continue watching, turning around to exit the screening room.

Seeing her come out, Guo Chang greeted her respectfully with a smile once more.

This time, Meng Xingshu’s gaze finally landed fully upon him.

Except her eyes were cold, piercing, and intensely oppressive. Looking at him was like looking at a pile of garbage waiting to be disposed of.

Guo Chang grew increasingly defensive under her gaze, faintly realizing something. He felt as if thorns were piercing his back, his entire body freezing completely as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Is the review finished?” Meng Xingshu opened her lips, her voice freezing cold, asking the purchasing team.

The supervisor on the side was equally terrified, forcing himself to answer, “Not… not yet.”

“No need to review it. Reject it.”

Dropping those six words, Meng Xingshu walked to Lin Shan’s side, lowering her voice. “Apologies, I need to return to City D. You’ll have to handle tonight alone.”

Finishing her sentence, she didn’t linger for a single second, departing with rapid strides.

Lin Shan stood frozen on the spot, unable to process it.

The Meng Xingshu in her memory had always been either composed, casual, or restrained.

This was the very first time she discovered that words like “hurried” could actually be applied to Meng Xingshu.

Fang Ruohan was in a rush to chase after Meng Xingshu, only managing to whisper hastily into Lin Shan’s ear, “Look at the project proposal.”

Lin Shan demanded the project proposal and flipped through it rapidly.

Within mere seconds, the atmosphere in the entire review room plunged to absolute freezing point.

Some held guilty consciences, not daring to lift their heads, while others exchanged bewildered glances, completely unaware of what had occurred.

Lin Shan surveyed the room, slammed the project proposal heavily onto the table, and glared at the supervisor. “Come to my office.”