Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

……

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"Initially, no celebrities paid attention to this tax controversy; it was just another daily news story at 7 p.m., an announcement, a notice, until this little breeze became relevant to everyone..."

At the end of May 2017, the air of early summer was already filled with a sweltering heat.

The tax authorities issued the "Key Work Arrangements for Tax Inspection in 2017," which clearly identified performing arts companies, equity transfer companies, and investment companies as entry points, and uniformly selected 30 senior executives of enterprises and performing arts stars to conduct tax inspections.

This operation targets high-income celebrities and involves complex financial arrangements:

The common practice of evading tax obligations, such as registering companies in tax-preferential regions, transferring equity, and engaging in capital operations, in order to solve the problem of mismatch between income and tax burden.

At that time, tax evasion methods in the entertainment industry had already become incredibly diverse, forming a set of unspoken "rules":
"Dual contracts": Two contracts with vastly different amounts are openly signed. One "public contract" with a lower amount is used for tax declaration, while the other "private contract" with a real, exorbitant reward is executed in private.

"After-tax remuneration" agreement: Stars strongly demand that production companies pay "after-tax amounts," blatantly shifting the huge tax burden that should be borne by individuals to film and television production companies, exacerbating cost pressures in the industry.

"Distributed payments" and "equity conversion": splitting a huge sum of labor remuneration into multiple "service fees" and "consulting fees".
Alternatively, celebrities can circumvent the progressive tax rate of up to 45% on their labor remuneration by allowing them to hold equity in the project company and enjoy a share of future profits.

These ever-evolving methods not only severely erode the tax base but also blatantly exacerbate income inequality, stinging the public's nerves.

The iron fist was about to fall; it was inevitable.

For the first two days after the announcement, the entire Chinese entertainment industry remained immersed in an illusion of "peace and tranquility".

The prevailing sentiment online remains the lingering effects of Gu Qing's "Heart Like Still Water" unilaterally crushing Chris Wu's "Two or Three".

From their initial arrogance to their subsequent retreat after being proven wrong by the work, the "Megni" fans went from being arrogant to fleeing in disarray.

The Gu family, in high spirits, pressed their advantage, staging a classic scene of "one hiding, one chasing".

The other onlookers, some laughing, some amused, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Tax notice?

Which celebrity would bother reading news announcements all the time?

The real turning point came with the sudden emergence of a list.

A highly authoritative financial media outlet chose this delicate juncture to release a research report titled "Annual Celebrity (Star) Income Ranking from June 2016 to June 2017".

The report is rich in data, and the statistical scope covers the main sources of income for celebrities, including film remuneration, endorsements, commercial activities, and investment dividends.

When this list appeared on the front page of major portal websites with eye-catching numbers, everyone's attention was truly and thoroughly drawn to it.

Then came the widespread astonishment and uproar across the internet.

The list is published starting from number 20:
20th place, Chen Kun: 89.8 million yuan.

19th place, Deng Chao: 92.3 million yuan.

No. 18, Jing Boran: 94.5 million yuan.

17th place, Lin Chih-lin: 96.8 million yuan.

……

The ever-increasing numbers are pushing the limits of ordinary people's understanding.

Until number 13, with a net worth of 1 million yuan. However, thanks to her roles in several popular dramas and numerous commercial endorsements, Ms. Zhao successfully entered the "480 Million Yuan Club."

Ranked 13th: with an income of 104.8 million yuan, she is a true little rich woman.

Hu Ge, the most well-known young actor born in the 80s, didn't even make it into the top 10.

Ranked 11th: Revenue: 136.1 million yuan.

Starting from the tenth place, the style of the list changes abruptly, almost becoming a showcase for "traffic stars" and "kings of controversy":
10th place, Kris Wu: 136.8 million yuan.

9th place, Yang Ying: 146.8 million yuan.

8th place, Liu Tao: 165.2 million yuan.

7th place, Huang Xiaoming: 167.9 million yuan.

6th place, Brother Chen Long: 168 million yuan.

5th place, Li Yifeng: 177.7 million yuan.

4th place, Jay Chou: 181.5 million yuan.

3rd place, Lu Han: 181.6 million yuan.

Second place, Bingbing: 244 million yuan.

And at the top of the list, overwhelmingly dominating everyone else is—

1st place, Gu Qing: 432 million yuan.

……

"Taking away the young master?!?"

"Four hundred million?! Holy crap!!"

"I didn't see that wrong, did I? Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands... hundreds of millions... hundreds of millions?!"

"Do celebrities really make this much money?!"

The first to be stunned by this astronomical figure were the general public.

They toil daily for basic necessities, earning a monthly salary of three to five thousand yuan is the norm, and they are struggling to breathe under the weight of mortgage and car loan payments.

The glamorous celebrities on screen earn astronomical sums in a year that would be impossible for them to achieve even in hundreds of lifetimes!

"So the online rumors that Gu Qing received 3 million yuan in box office revenue from 'Detective Chinatown' weren't false?!"

"We work ourselves to the bone for a meager monthly salary of 3,000 yuan, so why do these actors earn so much money just by going out to sell smiles and making those low-quality, poorly made movies?!"

"Gu Qing's movies are pretty good. Detective Chinatown grossed over 3 billion yuan, so it seems reasonable for him to get 300 million yuan... But over 400 million yuan in a year is just too scary!"

"Even if we put Gu Qing aside, look at those other couples, those failed couples, what good works have they contributed this year? Why can they earn one or two hundred million?"

"And Lu Han and Chris Wu, are they good at singing or acting? How come they make money so easily?"

"Of the top ten, four are male celebrities and two are female celebrities... I really don't understand this world."

"Am I offline? Besides Chen Long, Jay Chou, and Gu Qing who was on the Spring Festival Gala, who are the others? What did they do to earn so much?"

The public's pent-up dissatisfaction with "sky-high salaries" and "garbage works" accumulated throughout the year was completely ignited by this blatant list.

Discontent over high celebrity salaries quickly escalated, creating a massive wave of anger online.

In stark contrast to the anger and bewilderment outside the entertainment industry, the reaction within the industry itself was nothing short of surreal.

Fear? Anxiety? Panic?

On the contrary,

Fans of various celebrities are scrambling to compare their incomes, and then arrogantly trying to put down their rivals who are ranked lower!

"Look! My brother/sister made the list! They earn over 100 million a year!"

"Ranked higher than XXX! Outstanding performance!"

"This is the true prestige of a top-tier celebrity!"

The list has become the latest "colosseum" and "wealth-flaunting list".

The celebrity's team privately compared the numbers and thought about how to highlight the "commercial value" in the press release;
Fans went wild, regarding the list as the most hardcore proof of their idols' "strength" and "status," and launched "attacks" everywhere, using rankings and numbers as new weapons to attack others.

Industry insiders and marketing accounts immediately jumped on the bandwagon, creating headlines that were increasingly eye-catching:
Four Top Celebrities Dominate the Chinese Entertainment Wealth Ranking! A New Era Has Arrived!

Bingbing earns 2.4 million yuan a year, truly deserving the title of "Queen of the Rich and Powerful!"

"A struggling couple? No, they're a wealthy couple! Huang Xiaoming and Yang Ying's combined income exceeds 3 million!"

Gu Qing is unparalleled! His annual income of 4.3 million yuan revealed, a new king has ascended the throne in the Chinese entertainment industry!

The most dramatic moment occurred between the fans.

Gu Qing's fans, known as "Gu Family," seeing their idol rise to the top with overwhelming force, naturally wanted to take advantage of the situation to "unify the fandom" and "smear" the fans of the other three top celebrities.

"From now on, my younger brother will be the only top star in the Chinese entertainment industry!!"

"Look at the difference between these two companies, how dare they be listed together?"

"The rankings reveal the truth: who is the real TOP1?"

The funny thing is,
They encountered unprecedented "united" resistance.

Little Bee, Meganie, and Sister Reed suddenly formed a "United Front Against Gu Qing," pointing their guns at each other and launching a righteous and "unique" counterattack:
"Leaving aside the 3 million yuan box office share from 'Detective Chinatown,' Gu Qing only earned 1.3 million yuan this year, which is less than what my prince earns! What's with the arrogance?"

"Exactly! Take away the movies, and he's just a top-ten goalkeeper. Does he really think he's something special?"

"Those shameless bastards from the Gu family! They just got lucky and landed a role in a blockbuster movie. If my brother had acted in it, he could have gotten just as much! Maybe even more!"

"Box office revenue sharing is about investment acumen, not real skill! If you're truly capable, compare pure film salaries and endorsements!"

The Gu family members: "???"

Is it even possible to "ignore the facts" like this?

Isn't the success of "Detective Chinatown" and Gu Qing's investment dividends part of his ability and vision?

This logic made them laugh in anger, yet they were momentarily at a loss for words to refute such absurd and unreasonable argument.

This income list is like a mirror, reflecting the starkly different lives of people inside and outside the entertainment industry:
Outsiders see injustice and anger.
What insiders see is capital for comparison and revelry.

Amidst this commotion, three teams went into overdrive, attempting to convert the popularity of the rankings into marketing opportunities that would benefit them.

Among them, Huang Xiaoming was the most hardworking.

For the past two years, the title of "failed couple" has been like a leech, accompanying every box office or critical failure they have participated in.

The audience looks down on you the least, yet you are the least competitive.

Neither of them delivered a satisfactory performance; instead, they contributed countless memorable moments of awkward acting and industry jokes about their "unappreciative use of green screen effects."

This income list is a timely boon for them.

Look!
Who said we "failed"?
We are clearly very good at "earning"!
Commercial value is the only true measure of success!

Huang Xiaoming grasped at a straw.

On the set of "Duckweed," he sported a slightly outdated middle-part hairstyle, specially styled to fit the 90s setting.

Before the performance began, he eagerly moved to the side, pulled out his phone, and urgently contacted his team and familiar media outlets:
"Quick! While the list is trending, post 'Ugh... I mean, this wealthy couple earns over 3 million a year'..."

Push topics like "The Most Powerful Couple" and "Top in Commercial Value" to the forefront! Emphasize our "affection" and "strength"!

Not to mention,
The CP (couple pairing) culture in the entertainment industry has long been deeply ingrained in people's minds; even the most bizarre CP pairings have their fans.

This couple, whose relationship and marriage were accompanied by a "domineering CEO falls in love with me" plot and countless controversies,
Despite being ridiculed for two years, a group of "resilient" fans of the couple have actually emerged.

Of course, a large part of this stems from the legacy of the original sibling couple, Gu Qing and Yang Ying.

Some fans of the original CP (couple pairing) who turned from love to hate projected their emotions onto Huang Xiaoming and Angelababy, creating a kind of "substitute literature".

They gave the couple a CP name that combined their names – "Yingxiao CP".

Yang Ying was in front, Huang Xiaoming was behind, and they imagined a grand drama of "sibling stand-in literature 2.0".

They see Huang Xiaoming as Gu Qing's "substitute".
Huang Xiaoming's "doting" on Yang Ying allows viewers to find echoes of Gu Qing and Yang Ying's interactions on Running Man, thus deriving a twisted sense of satisfaction.

Some extremists even fantasize about making "Yingxiao CP" popular to provoke Gu Qing, imagining that Gu Qing will become "jealous, regretful, and driven mad by jealousy," and eventually "return to the right path," returning to Yang Ying's side and reviving the "great first generation of sibling CP."

They privately referred to this absurd plan as the "Revival Plan".

Unfortunately, it wasn't someone else who first burst the marketing bubble of this "Yingxiao CP" (Yingxiao Couple).

It was precisely Yang Ying's own core fans—the "Yang Family Generals".

Their dissatisfaction with Huang Xiaoming reached its peak after the list was released.

When the team attempted to use the terms "loving couple" and "wealthy couple" for marketing purposes, the fan group erupted in outrage:

"Pah! 'Yingxiao CP'? I think it's more like a 'marketing CP'! Can the guy please stop trying to ride on my darling's popularity?"

"It's disgusting! I hate this kind of malicious pairing! They're always marketing this 'domineering CEO and his sweet little wife' thing. Which 'sweet little wife' can earn 1.5 million a year on her own? Our darling is clearly a leading lady!"

"Exactly! A nearly forty-year-old 'old geezer' earns not much more than our twenty-something darlings. What gives him the nerve to market himself as a 'high society'?"
"If you really want to piggyback on someone else's success, learn from Gu Qing. If you, Huang Jiao, could earn over 400 million a year, we'd barely accept it!"

"The thought of my baby having to pretend to be affectionate with him in front of the camera breaks my heart! Can't my baby just enjoy the beauty on his own?"

The "Yang Family Generals" never truly accepted Huang Xiaoming.

Especially with Gu Qing as a contrasting "ex" partner, the young, handsome, talented, and successful Gu Qing...

Like a mirror, it made Huang Xiaoming feel embarrassed at every turn.

The fans' criticism and disdain were almost undisguised.

Besides being older than Gu Qing, what else do you have that you don't?

Huang Xiaoming is not unaware of these remarks.

He scrolled through the comments on social media mocking him for being "old," "greasy," "relying on his wife," and "riding the coattails of others' fame," and could only manage a bitter smile as he looked at his phone screen, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Just as he was hesitating about whether to subtly suggest to Yang Ying after work that evening that she should restrain her fans' comments a little,

"Click!!!"

A very impatient, even angry shout to stop came from the filming center.

Huang Xiaoming turned around and saw director Han Han, his face flushed with anger, his signature black-rimmed glasses askew to one side of his nose.
He was clapping his hands vigorously, almost shouting at Yang Ying who was standing in front of the camera:

"Niu Aihua, I'm begging you!"
Smile, a natural smile, a happy smile! It's not enough to just twitch the corner of your mouth!
You're playing an ordinary, happy girl. Don't you even know how to laugh?!

The atmosphere at the scene instantly became quiet.

All the staff members kept their heads down and worked silently, but their eyes were all glancing towards the eye of the storm, their eyes filled with anticipation and pleasure.

Huang Xiaoming's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong.

He knows Yang Ying's acting skills... or rather, her performance style, all too well.

I also know that Han Han is a literary director who has high standards for his work and a temper.

Similar scenes have occurred more than once during the past two weeks of filming, but this time Han Han seemed particularly angry.

He quickly jogged over, a familiar smile plastered on his face, and stood between Yang Ying and Han Han.
He pressed his hands together in a soothing gesture: "Hey, Director Han, Director Han, calm down, calm down! What happened? Let's talk it out."

He tried to ease the tension by adopting his well-known "nice guy" persona.

"A cute boy..."

Han Han subconsciously called out Huang Xiaoming's character's name from the movie, but looking at Huang's face, which was even more disheveled and aged than his own, he reluctantly changed his address, "Brother Ming, can I call you brother?"

"Your baby... I really can't film with Teacher Yang Ying in this state. We've filmed a simple scene where she's laughing eight times already!"
Each one is stiffer than the last!
I told her to find a natural, happy feeling, and she asked me, "How do I act that?" Do I have to teach her how to laugh?!

Huang Xiaoming's smile remained unchanged as he turned to Yang Ying, his tone gentle but carrying a subtle, unconscious "patriarchal" tone: "Baby, Director Han is only doing this for the good of the film."

Relax, don't be nervous, think about happy things...

His intention was to smooth things over and give both sides a way out.

But he underestimated Yang Ying's grievances and sensitivity at that moment.

First, she was publicly reprimanded by the director, which made her lose face. Now, when she saw Huang Xiaoming coming over, instead of comforting and protecting her, he immediately sided with the director and spoke in a tone that said, "It's because you didn't do a good job."

The pent-up grievances erupted in an instant.

"Xiaoming, you're insulting me?!"

Yang Ying's eyes reddened, and tears welled up instantly. She looked at Huang Xiaoming in disbelief, her voice trembling with sobs, "Even you think I acted badly?!"

"That's not what I meant. I..."

Huang Xiaoming panicked and tried to explain.

"I'm quitting!!"

Yang Ying ignored him completely, stomped her foot, and turned to run towards her rest room.

Her assistant was stunned for a moment, then quickly grabbed her coat and bag and jogged after her.

"This...this, this, this..."

Huang Xiaoming stood frozen in place, his hand outstretched, looking bewildered and humiliated.

Go after them? Han Han hasn't been properly appeased yet;

If I don't pursue it, there'll probably be another argument when I get home tonight.

He felt trapped, unable to find a solution.

Watching the female lead in the drama run away again...

"Master, please teach her how to act."

Han Han took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose hard, and pleaded with a voice full of exhaustion and near despair: "If you can't memorize the lines, I can find a voice actor to dub them in post-production!"
If I'm not emotionally ready, I can work it out slowly!

But you're telling me, how am I supposed to film someone who can't even express the most basic, heartfelt 'laughter' and 'cry'?
I'm a director, not a facial expression management training instructor!

Han Han was really on the verge of a breakdown.

This former "rebellious genius" and "opinion leader," known for his sharp writing and unconventional style, achieved considerable success after transitioning to directing with "The Continent."

He originally thought that with his talent and insight into human nature, it was not an impossible task to train an actor, even one who was generally considered to be a poor actor.

Han Han even carried a touch of scholarly aloofness and a desire for challenge.

He wanted to prove that bad acting is not an inherent trait of actors; it's just that they haven't encountered good directors and guidance.

But in the past two weeks, reality has dealt him a heavy and continuous blow.

Yang Ying's "deeds" on set are enough to fill a book titled "The Passion of a Director":
Lines? They're not memorized.
It's common to look at the teleprompter before filming, and even if you only glance at it occasionally, what you read out is dry and lifeless.

Time? Being late is commonplace; the whole team waits for her to start work.

Emotions? Staring wide-eyed in anger, staring wide-eyed in surprise, staring wide-eyed in happiness...

Sadness requires eye drops, while joy requires the director to personally demonstrate "the upward curve of the corners of the mouth".

discipline?

The most frustrating experience for Han Han was when the female lead suddenly "disappeared" during the filming of a crucial scene!

The entire crew searched the entire set but couldn't find her. An hour later, her assistant casually informed them, "Baby has a pre-signed advertisement to shoot, she went to the city, and she's taking the day off."

Without any prior formal leave request or consultation, the entire crew was simply abandoned, and the production was halted for a day.

At that moment, Han Han stood on the empty film set, looking at the expensive equipment and dozens of idle staff members.
For the first time, I truly understood what it must have felt when Tsui Hark was tormented by Yang Ying's acting and attitude on the set of "Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon" to the point of publicly declaring that he "would never work with her again."

"Director Han, Director Han, please calm down, please calm down."

Huang Xiaoming could only continue to play the peacemaker, bowing and scraping as he apologized and promised, "I'll definitely go and talk to my darling about that later!"

I promise that from now on she will memorize her lines diligently, never be late or leave early, and will follow your instructions completely!

"Memorizing lines and not being late?"

Han Han looked at him as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He put his glasses back on, his eyes full of absurdity. "Brother Ming, isn't this the most basic requirement for an actor to join a production?"

"Having done all that, do you expect me to give her a red flower?"

He got angrier and angrier as he spoke, raising his voice again: "Do you know what she just said to me?"
She said her outfit was too tacky; the floral shirt and flared pants weren't fashionable enough and made her look old. She demanded a more stylish outfit!

They even said the female lead's name is Niu Ai Hua Tu (牛爱花土), and they want to change it to a nicer name, haha…

Han Han was so angry he almost laughed. "This is a 90s drama, I'm playing an ordinary person, not a runway model! Does she think I'm filming an idol drama?!"

If it weren't for the signed contract, the exorbitant penalty for breach of contract, and the fact that most of the film's funding came from Huayi Brothers, he would have already thrown down the director's tube and stormed off.

This doesn't look like a movie shoot.
It's clearly serving one's ancestors, a slow and agonizing death of artistic ideals!

He couldn't help but recall his initial ideal cast:

Gu Qing, Deng Chao, Zhao Liying.

What a perfect lineup!

Deng Chao's comedic talent, Gu Qing's youthful energy and agility, Zhao Liying's resilience and approachability...

He even imagined countless promotional gimmicks: "Running Man brothers become father and son", "Sha Qianmo and Hua Qiangu travel to the modern world and become a family", "Gu Qing and Zhao Liying collaborate for the third time and finally become a couple"...

These off-screen connections and fan anticipation alone are enough to make the movie a hit even before filming.

But now?

The ideal lineup has turned into a "hellish combination":
In the public eye, she is seen as: a scheming woman who steals Huang Xiaoming's love.

The public opinion against it is extremely negative.

Han Han seemed to have already foreseen the film's fate: being heavily criticized and suffering a dismal box office performance after its release.

Faced with the great talent's outpouring of resentment and despair, Huang Xiaoming had no choice but to apologize with a forced smile.

How could he not know these things?

But he is even more aware of how scarce opportunities for a good script and a good director are in today's film market.

He himself turned his career around with high-quality works like "American Dreams in China," and he knows all too well the power of a good movie to reverse an actor's reputation.

No matter how difficult or frustrating it was, he had to grit his teeth and persevere.

This could be the key battle for him to shed the labels of "greasy" and "domineering CEO" and regain the audience's approval.

Just as he was racking his brains, trying to figure out how to appease Han Han again, his phone vibrated in his pocket at the most inopportune moment.

Master Huang frowned, intending to hang up immediately, but then he glanced at the name on the caller ID.

He quickly made an apologetic gesture to Han Han, then walked a little further away to answer the phone: "Mr. Wang, I'm filming here right now, what's up..."

A hurried, low voice came from the other end of the phone, speaking very quickly.

The smile on Huang Xiaoming's face froze instantly, his eyes widened slowly, revealing an expression of disbelief.

"what?!"

"Bingbing...something happened?!"

……

……

(P.S.: I was wrong, I can't even manage two more chapters.) (End of Chapter)