Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

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"It's okay, don't worry, do you have enough money?"

"I have more if it's not enough, but please make sure you check carefully."

"Ok, bye."

Gu Qing put down her slightly hot phone, raised her hand to rub her sore neck, and let out a long breath.

Outside the window, the blazing afternoon sun of midsummer casts a bright patch of light on the wooden floor through the half-drawn curtains.

The air conditioner was running quietly, and the room was cool and refreshing, like two different worlds from the scorching sun outside.

How many times is this already?

He leaned back on the soft sofa and stared at the ceiling, silently counting.

the fifth.

This is the fifth sum of money he has lent out during this period.

As the Chinese entertainment industry launched that enthusiastic "replenishment" campaign, the entire industry seemed to be put on pause.

The once hectic shooting schedule, packed business engagements, and glamorous galas... all the noise suddenly fell silent.

Almost everyone's business work came to a standstill, and no film crew dared to guarantee that they could operate smoothly without any problems.

Capital is hesitant, projects are frozen, and people are filled with anxiety.

Gu Qing had planned to go out and take on some work, but faced with the entire industry shut down, she could only be "forced" to stay home and rest with tears in her eyes.

Although this break was accompanied by a subtle feeling of wanting to watch the drama unfold.

Fortunately,

There's also the fantastic drama "Want to Improve," which will keep him company during this sudden period of leisure.

Even Gu Qing himself didn't expect that perhaps it was because he, this little butterfly, inadvertently flapped his wings...

This grand drama sweeping through the Chinese entertainment industry in this lifetime is even more "exciting" than I remember from my previous life.

The internet was flooded with trending topics, revelations, statements, and apologies, with twists and turns unfolding one after another.

Its plot twists and turns are clearly a hundred times more exciting than any meticulously written TV series.

Looking at those absurd yet real scenes online,

Gu Qing couldn't help but admire the incredible luck of that "signing guy".

This guy has managed to disappear again!

originally,

With his hit song "Heart Like Still Water" that went viral across the internet, he could easily beat Kris Wu to a pulp.

Given the previous open and covert conflicts between the two teams, as well as the pent-up anger among the fans, this showdown should have been a resounding victory for Gu Qing.

If they're lucky, they might be able to halve Kris Wu's commercial value, making him a typical example of someone to be ridiculed by everyone during this special period.

The results of it?
But some people are trying to "do the right thing" and "steal the show"!

Who remembers his musical dispute with Chris Wu these days?

Everyone's attention was drawn to the even larger "melon field".

"This is really hard to kill..."

Gu Qing sighed sincerely.

Brother Qian, could you perhaps be the true chosen one?

Thinking back to that year,

Lu Han, who was also a top celebrity, simply announced his relationship openly, and his number of fans plummeted by half, his top spot changed hands, and his career suffered a severe blow.

But what about our Brother Qian?
There have been at least three "fan" incidents that have been photographed and confirmed, causing a stir on social media.

What's more outrageous is that
The woman involved in the second rumored relationship later went on to participate in a popular girl group audition show.

Using the title of "Qian Ge's rumored girlfriend" to attract attention, Qian Ge himself even recorded a video message to cheer her on!

Even so, his fan base hasn't collapsed!

That's how thick the health bar is, that's how much defense it has.
Goodness gracious, which male celebrity in the Chinese entertainment industry can compare to him?

It's practically an "immortal" constitution.

Gu Qing even felt that, despite his current good reputation and the fact that he had a hit work,
If so many outrageous things are exposed, they'll probably lose half their fans.

But Brother Qian is doing well. At thirty years old, he can still firmly wear the hat of "pure and innocent big boy" and live a lively life in the entertainment industry with a constant stream of resources.

What else can be said besides "I admire you"?

"Teacher, I want to make progress so much!"

"Look, he's in a hurry."

Just as Gu Qing was captivated by this classic scene in the drama.

The phone on the coffee table started buzzing and vibrating again, the screen lighting up and flashing the caller's name.

"Well, I'm alive again."

Gu Qing glanced at the continuously vibrating phone, her expression slightly helpless.

He wasn't afraid of friends or colleagues borrowing money, and he believed they would mostly pay it back.

However, these repeated phone calls with similar reasons gave rise to an indescribable sense of weariness in him.

Gu Qing really couldn't understand how some of her colleagues in the industry handled their finances and careers.

During the peak of the market a couple of years ago, news about sky-high actor salaries was being hyped more and more each day.

The rumors of his acting contracts earning tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of yuan have spread like wildfire and are known throughout the internet.

The fans were still there, raving that "the older brother/sister deserves it."
Marketing accounts are stirring up trouble, making it seem as if celebrities aren't earning money, but rather meeting the production quotas of a money-printing factory.

The results of it?
At crucial moments like these, when self-examination and self-correction are needed, they start complaining about being poor to others.
He said he only actually received a few million or ten million from a single film, and after deducting team expenses, there was hardly anything left...

Isn't this insulting the public's intelligence?

Do you really think everyone is a goldfish with only a seven-second memory?
Gu Qing shook her head, too lazy to think about this magical reality any further.

He reached for his phone, initially just glancing at it casually, but when he saw the name displayed on the screen...

His expression immediately became subtle, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"Finally here..."

He adjusted his posture, comfortably resting his arm on the sofa armrest, before leisurely swiping to answer the call.
Her tone was so flat it betrayed no emotion: "Hey, Sister Li, what's up?"

The caller was his agent, Li Li.

"Xiao Gu! Urgent! Very urgent!"

Li Li's voice on the other end of the phone was anxious and flustered, even somewhat incoherent, completely lacking her usual shrewd and composed demeanor.
"Are you... are you financially well-off right now? The company... the company wants to discuss with you about lending a small amount of money to tide us over."

Once this storm passes and cash flow is smooth again, I'll repay you with interest as soon as possible! I promise you!

"Small change?"

Gu Qing frowned slightly. This opening wasn't quite what he'd expected. His tone remained calm. "How much?"

Next second,
Li Li seemed to have grasped a lifeline, her voice filled with intense joy: "Not much, just one hundred million."

"Take the young master?!"

Gu Qing suddenly sat up straight, her eyes widening instantly, so shocked she almost choked on her own saliva.

He incredulously took the phone away from his ear, stared at the screen for two seconds, and made sure he hadn't misheard.

Then she put her ear close again, raising her voice slightly: "Sister Li, are you joking with me?"
One hundred million? A small amount of money?!

He paused, his tone filled with absurdity: "Since I joined the company, none of the jobs you've assigned me have been..."

Gu Qing has always been vigilant about the security of her finances.

He insisted that his partners pay him in two parts for every personal income he earned:
One part of it is his personal labor remuneration, which is 70% of his income.
The other part is the 30% of the profits that are given to the company according to the contract.

Gu Qing personally arranged for lawyers to declare and pay all the money she earned.

I also regularly check the records, for fear of any oversight.

after all,

The example of a once-glorious, almost-top-tier celebrity who ultimately stumbled over a mere 300,000 yuan is truly profound.

It's possible that someone close to you deliberately did it.

Gu Qing was naturally careful at all times, not wanting to give anyone a handle to use against him.

But he never expected that his own company could be so outrageous and lawless.

Owes one hundred million?

What is this concept?
He thought about it carefully.
As of June this year,

His personal income from film and television drama fees and advertising endorsements is approximately 423 million.

Inside,
We need to set aside the 300 million yuan box office revenue share from "Detective Chinatown," as that's film investment income, and the calculation method is different.

So, regarding the remaining 123 million, according to the contract...
The company can take 30% of it, which is about 36.9 million.

Even if this portion of the company's income is subject to the highest tax rate of 45%,
The amount to be paid is around 16 million.

"Sister Li, how did you manage to owe so much?"

Gu Qing asked directly.

"Little...Little Gu, it's mainly a problem that has accumulated over time."

Li Li stammered on the other end of the phone, her voice growing softer and softer, "The late payment fee is 0.05% per day... Over the years... it's accumulated to this much..."

"No money."

After listening, Gu Qing uttered two words crisply and decisively.

"Xiao Gu! Stop joking with me, how could you not have money?"

Li Li became anxious, her voice pleading as she tried to persuade him, "Just take out a small portion of the 300 million yuan share from 'Detective Chinatown' and it will solve our immediate crisis!"

I know you're kind-hearted, so please help the company and help me out, okay?

Why should I help you solve your urgent problem?

Gu Qing honestly said, "Sister Li, if you really go bankrupt because of this, wouldn't that be a good thing for me?"

Li Li: "..."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, lasting more than ten seconds, with only some heavy breathing heard.

"Xiao Gu... Sister... Sister is really begging you..."

Li Li's voice was choked with sobs; she was truly desperate. "Please have mercy and lend me some... I promise!"

If you lend a helping hand this time, the company will never restrict you again from now on!

You can take any role you want, and appear on any variety show you want.
We can discuss the profit-sharing ratio again, okay? Please, I'm begging you!

"Sister Li, it's not that I don't want to lend it to you,"

Gu Qing sighed, her tone sincere, "I really don't have much cash left."

My income this year, after deducting the 30% that goes to you, is about 386 million.

I prepay my taxes at the highest rate, 40%, which amounts to approximately 154 million.

"Then...then there's still 230 million left, right?" Li Li quickly did the mental calculation and immediately grasped the number.

"I do have some left, but I've deposited 130 million in a bank as a fixed deposit. I plan to make some stable investments or start some small projects myself in the future, so I won't touch it easily," Gu Qing explained.

"Xiao Gu, isn't the remaining 100 million just right?"

Li Li's tone became urgent again, as if she had seen a glimmer of hope, "Borrow this amount, at most six months! No, three months!"
The company will definitely repay you with interest! I'll write you a guarantee!

"Sister Li, the problem is that I've already lent out most of them these past few days."

Gu Qing's tone was full of helplessness, "The transfer records and remittance slip screenshots are still here. If you don't believe me, I can send them to you right now."

"me……"

Li Li was practically going crazy on the other end of the phone.

She is also one of the company's shareholders, although her stake is small. But if the company really collapses due to tax issues...

Or if she's put on the list of seriously dishonest individuals, she'll be finished too! All the wealth she's accumulated over the years through company dividends and agent commissions will probably be lost.

Judging from Gu Qing's calm yet somewhat helpless tone, what he said was very likely true.

No one knows the current state of the industry better than her, a seasoned agent.
The cash flow is so tight it's like they're about to suffocate; anyone with a little money is scrambling to find funds to patch up the hole.

Just when despair was at its peak,

A thought suddenly flashed through Li Li's mind, as if she had grasped at the last straw:
"Xiao Gu! What about your music copyright revenue?!"

She shouted urgently, her voice sharp with excitement: "I know! Your personal income statistics definitely didn't include the copyright income from your songs!"
Otherwise, it would definitely be more than that! What about the rest of the money? You probably kept all that money yourself, right?

Gu Qing's music copyrights are indeed completely independent and under his personal name; the company doesn't receive a single penny of the revenue.

Based on the popularity of his hit songs over the past two years, even without releasing a physical album or holding a concert tour, he has made a fortune through digital music sales, revenue sharing from streaming services on various platforms, and commercial licensing.

All things considered, it adds up to a very considerable income.

Li Li roughly estimated that even if she couldn't compare to Jay Chou, she could still earn at least 100 million yuan.

"Oh, the money from music copyrights,"

Gu Qing suddenly realized, and then explained, "The contract I signed with the platform usually settles copyright revenue on an annual basis, with payment made once a year."

It's not year-end settlement time yet, the money hasn't arrived in my account.

He even kindly encouraged her, saying, "Sister Li, hang in there a little longer. If you can hold on until the end of the year, things might get better once my copyright income arrives."

"Hold on...until the end of the year...?"

Li Li held her phone, her lips twitching stiffly, her expression even more unpleasant than crying.

There are still several months until the end of the year!
The maximum time allotted for making up the payment is about one month!
This isn't encouragement, it's clearly a suspended sentence!

"Alright, Sister Li, I have something to take care of, I'll go first..."

Gu Qing's voice came through, clearly indicating that she was about to end the call.

"Wait, Xiao Gu! Hold on a minute!"

Li Li suddenly interrupted with a shrill voice, as if she had made some huge decision, her teeth grinding together, "The company... the company can give you something in exchange!"

"Something? What?"

Gu Qing stopped what she was doing, her tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity.

"Copyright! The company will trade you the copyright to the subsequent revenue sharing of 'Love O2O'!"

Li Li's heart was bleeding.

"Xiao Gu, as long as you're willing to lend this money, all future copyright revenue from 'Love O2O' will be yours, the company won't take a single penny!"

Moreover, the company will still repay the principal and interest as previously mentioned! How about that? Pretty sincere, right?

"Is the company really going all out this time?"

Gu Qing chuckled lightly, seemingly somewhat surprised, but after only a moment, that surprise turned into regret. "I'm sorry, Sister Li, I really can't help you. I'm willing but unable to do anything about it."

That's all for now. Best of luck to you and the company.

finished,

Before Li Li could react, he decisively pressed the red hang-up button.

"You're trying to fool me with empty promises of copyright revenue..."

Gu Qing tossed her phone back onto the coffee table and stretched comfortably.

He could almost picture the scene on the other end of the phone: the company's top executives, furious, pounding their chests, and even cursing him for being "ungrateful."

He is not stupid.

If this money were to be lent out, it would be like giving a blood transfusion and relieving the pain of these "vampires" who are attached to celebrities.

Once they recover from their shock, heal their wounds, and regain their footing, what I've lost will likely far outweigh the empty promises I've received so far.

How much are their promises worth in the face of profit?

"One hundred million...tsk tsk, he really brought this on himself."

Gu Qing shook his head, not believing for a second that his own poorly managed, overspending company could raise such a large sum of cash in such a short time.

He had already met the performance targets stipulated in his contract for this year.
in other words,

As long as Gu Qing doesn't take on any new jobs or try to earn money in the second half of the year, the company will have almost no stable cash flow.

The entire company is now basically supported by him alone.

So what other options do they have?
Selling houses? Selling cars? Draining the personal savings of senior executives? Using company assets as collateral for bank loans?
Even if they manage to scrape together enough money to cover the 100 million yuan tax shortfall, how will they repay the mortgage loan?
Bank interest rates are no joke.

As long as Gu Qing is determined not to work in the second half of the year and not to generate new income for them,
What other way out does the company have besides sitting around and waiting to be dragged down by debt?
As for the final payments of his endorsement contracts, they were all agreed to be settled and paid at the end of the year, so there's no way to count on them now.

"A one-month deadline for making up the shortfall... what will happen if it's not paid in full..."

Gu Qing dared not think about it too much, afraid that he would burst out laughing.

Do you enjoy being a parasite?
Then don't be afraid of being cleaned up one day!
as predicted,

In the following days,
Gu Qing received a constant stream of calls from the company, from Li Li, and even from some company executives he had little contact with.

The frequency was so high that it was practically a bombing raid.

If the soft one doesn't work, then the hard one will do.

First came the threat: "Gu Qing! Don't be so stubborn! If you don't lend me this money, believe me, the company will immediately sell your agency contract to another company."
There are plenty of companies with even more ruthless methods waiting to take you down!

"Can any company be as ruthless as yours?"

Gu Qing retorted lightly, "Also, just a reminder, I've already exceeded my KPIs this year."

According to the terms of our contract, no matter who you sell my contract to, I have the right to refuse any additional arrangements as long as I complete the assigned work during the contract period.

In other words, I don't need to work for the rest of the year no matter which company I switch to. Why don't you take another look at the contract?

The contract threat has failed.

The other party started threatening him with his career and reputation again.

An exasperated executive lowered his voice and said menacingly on the phone, "Gu Qing, don't get too cocky! We have plenty of 'information' about you!"
You wouldn't want your fans to suddenly find out you're 'in a relationship,' would you? Your image would collapse then, and we'd see what you'd do then!

"When did I start dating someone? You'd better have some proof for that."

Gu Qing's tone even sounded like she wanted to laugh, "You can go ahead and post it, go ahead and expose it."

However, as a friendly reminder, it would be best to provide some solid, concrete evidence.

Don't use leaked photos from the film set to make a fuss.

His tone turned cold: "Otherwise, I can personally sue you for defamation and spreading rumors, damaging my right to reputation."

Perfect timing, I also need something to do to kill some time.

Finally,

He also "thoughtfully" added, "Oh, by the way, hiring a lawyer to file a lawsuit is quite expensive."

Does the company... even have the money to hire a good lawyer?

The company's side: "..."

Silence is Cambridge tonight.

It was also the last vestige of dignity for the company's top executives before bankruptcy.

I have no money, I really have no money!
While the company was like a trapped beast, helpless and throwing a tantrum at Gu Qing, this "ironclad" obstacle,
at the same time,

An official announcement, like a bolt of lightning, ripped through the dull and oppressive night sky of the Chinese entertainment industry.

The Dongyang Film and Television Industry Experimental Zone has released a list of taxpayers with good credit.

In the biting wind of industry-wide self-inspection and tax payment, this list is like a ray of warm sunshine, illuminating the few "clear streams".

This list primarily recognizes film and television companies that pay taxes honestly and in accordance with the law.

But surprisingly,
A number of independent artist studios and the artists themselves were also included, and the top ten artists with the highest tax payments were listed.

10th place: Jin Dong, tax payment: 533 million yuan.

Note: Mainly derived from actor fees and endorsement income from TV dramas such as "Nirvana in Fire".

Ninth place: Liu Tao, tax payment: 548 million yuan.

Note: Primarily derived from actor salaries and commercial activities related to TV dramas such as "Nirvana in Fire".

Eighth place: Qin Junjie, tax payment: 567 million yuan.

Seventh place: Lu Han, tax payment: 634 million yuan.

Sixth place: Dilraba, tax payment: 666 million yuan.

Fifth place: Hua Chenyu, tax payment: 792 million yuan
Fourth place: Jing Tian: 1043 million.

Third place: Yang Mi: 1553 million.

Second place: Zhang Yixing: 1913 million.

as well as,

First place: Gu Qing: 4210 million.

In such a rectification environment

The existence of such a list is self-evident.

There are still 'good people' in the Chinese entertainment industry!

This list has been released.

The drama series "Nirvana in Fire" received the most enthusiastic welcome.

Three of them made it into the top 10 list.

especially,
Gu Qing, who was in first place, had a dazzling 4200 million yuan figure that was enough to expose all the clowns who spread rumors and made controversies.

How could drama fans not be proud?

then,

"Nirvana in Fire," which should have ended and lost its popularity, has surprisingly climbed back to the top of the platform's streaming chart thanks to this list, maintaining its high popularity.

Apart from Gu Qing and the other two.

The other actors and singers on the list also received countless praises and accolades.

Just like Yang Mi, who was previously the most criticized,
Now I even wake up laughing in the middle of the night.

"Hehehe~ I'll teach you to underestimate me!"

"You've been calling me a bad person and saying I'm arrogant all the time. Now you know who the good person is, right?"

Not only did Yang Mi's public image improve overnight.

Just like Da Jingtian, who was criticized the most before,
Because of her collaboration with Gu Qing in "Love O2O", from casting to leaked photos, Gu's family members have been quite critical of her.

But now,
"Hey, she... seems alright."

"She doesn't seem like a scheming girl; she looks a bit naive, so it's unlikely she would bully her younger brother."

"To be honest, after seeing the Reuters photos, I feel that Jing Tian and her younger brother actually have good chemistry. A mature, innocent, and sweet young lady and a gentle, handsome younger man, isn't that a great couple?"

"Yes, yes, it feels really sweet."

The Gu family members' goodwill towards Jing Tian increased significantly.

Other than that,

Lu Han, who was ridiculed because of "Fighter of the Destiny"
Dilraba was disliked during the recording of "Running Man".

The little lamb who was always thought to be pretending to be silly and cute.
According to the records in this list,
They all won praise from the audience.

Overnight,
They have all become outstanding role models and artists, gaining immense popularity among audiences.

This is their reward.

What surprised everyone even more was...
Even state media not only reposted the list, but also added an extra video:
"Gu Qing, an outstanding young actor and singer, paid 154 million yuan in taxes as of June 2017, making him the artist with the highest annual tax payment."

Just this short sentence.

Gu Qing is about to become famous!

……

...(End of chapter)