The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 38 Persuading Bing to Repent
"Is it that obvious?"

Fan Bingbing looked slightly embarrassed, pursed her lips, revealing a hint of stubbornness that was barely perceptible.

The indoor light shone obliquely in and fell directly on her face.

Her lips were full, well-defined, and naturally rosy.

Under the not-so-bright light, the skin seemed to have its own soft glow, so smooth that the pores were almost invisible.

Her face shape is a classic oval, with smooth and full lines, and a delicate chin that is neither too sharp nor too round, but just right.

Her eyes were large and bright, with slightly upturned corners, giving them a natural allure. But at this moment, her gaze was calm, revealing a serene focus.

The bridge of the nose is very high, and the lines from the root of the nose to the tip are straight and sharp, making it the most heroic part of the face, yet it blends perfectly with the soft contours.

Shen Shandeng nodded and said, "It's quite obvious. After leaving Huayi, they don't know where they'll go."

Fan Bingbing was silent for a while: "You may not understand, but I want to prove myself and not be looked down upon by others."

Shen Shandeng said, "Speaking of which, I'm still your fan. When I was in high school, you were my favorite among Xiao Yanzi, Ziwei, and Jin Suo."

“It makes me look a bit old,” Fan Bingbing said with a laugh. “But you have a good eye. Back then, Aunt Qiong Yao said I couldn’t play the lead role, but I insisted that I could.”

Shen Shandeng commented: "Challenging industry veterans right from the start, vying for control over one's own life and career. That's not just brave, that's incredibly audacious, and yet you actually succeeded."

Fan Bingbing gazed at the distant sky, her tone carrying an indescribable feeling—a mix of happiness and unease.

"I also paid a price. My career did take off, but joining Huayi did not make me feel free. Instead, it made me feel even more suffocated."

Shen Shandeng took another sip of wine: "So, this time, you're more familiar with the rules of the game than last time, and you want more freedom?"

Fan Bingbing stared at the mouth of the wine bottle in her hand without saying a word.

The two had only met a few times and hadn't known each other for very long, but Fan Bingbing suddenly felt that Shen Shandeng understood her very well.

I envy you.

Fan Bingbing suddenly said, "My family can't be said to be without connections in the industry. My father was a singer in a performing arts troupe, and my mother was a dancer who studied at the film and television art academy directed by Xie Jin."

"But in this industry, background matters. I lack the top-tier resources and connections. Only today do I realize that if I were one of the Big Three, my path would be much easier."

Shen Shandeng agreed, "I don't have any connections or resources either. The film and television industry, the cultural industry, the media industry—blood ties, family ties, mentorship—are all interconnected. I'm completely uninvolved in any of them."

Fan Bingbing laughed, laughing so hard she almost fell over.

"Don't kid me. How could someone like you understand the struggles of someone like me? I'm directing a multi-million dollar production, and there are still huge projects waiting for me."

Shen Shandeng was baffled. What was Fan Bingbing imagining?
He owes his success today entirely to his diligence and hard work.

He's a true example of someone who rose from humble beginnings!
"I really want someone to lean on." Fan Bingbing leaned closer.

Shen Shandeng covered his face with his hand: "It wouldn't be good if someone saw it."

“You were quite proactive in the private room,” Fan Bingbing teased, raising her left hand and sniffing her index finger.

Shen Shandeng said, "At home, I am a good man."

Fan Bingbing asked, "What should I do now? It's hard to join Orange Sky, Huayi won't let me off the hook, and getting involved in Chen Hao and Wu Kebo's love triangle will ruin my image."

"There aren't many options on the mainland, except for Hong Kong and Taiwan."

Shen Shandeng sighed: "I'm not one to analyze situations for others."

"Then please make an exception for me this time," Fan Bingbing said with a smile and a coquettish tone.

Shen Shandeng thought for a moment and said, "It depends on your ambition. If you want to become a top star and live up to your name, you can cooperate with Hong Kong and Taiwan, but don't go too deep."

Fan Bingbing became interested: "Oh?"

Shen Shandeng asked, "What do you think it represents for a celebrity to be involved in two or three fields?"

Fan Bingbing blurted out, "First-tier, I guess."

Shen Shandeng repeated what he had told Da Mimi.

After listening, Fan Bingbing was completely baffled.

Shen Shandeng, for reasons unknown, perhaps because men enjoy this kind of thing, persuaded bad people to reform.

"What's the most important thing when you're out in the game?"

Fan Bingbing said somewhat embarrassedly, "I think it's about personal connections."

"That's right!"

Shen Shandeng praised: "However, for celebrities as public figures, the biggest background is not their circle, but the country they live in!" "Especially for those who want to reach the top, what kind of country has what kind of stars?"

"If you go against the national style, the higher you go, the harder you will fall."

In some countries, even the biggest celebrities have to go to the island.

Even Stephen Hawking wanted to go to the island.

If you want to be a politician, you have to go through the motions.

There is no possibility of remaining unaffected; we must start nurturing from the beginning.

Ivy League student councils, fraternities, and sorority cliques—to enter these cliques, you must offer incriminating evidence and pledge allegiance.

These are not unspoken rules; they are all legal.

But in some countries, it's the opposite.

Shen Shandeng said, "Hong Kong and Taiwan stars only look glamorous. The post-90s generation is no longer interested in Hong Kong and Taiwan stars. The original upside-down order will slowly return. If you want to become a top star, you have to consider this."

"After Zhou Lin Wang Tao, Sun Cai Xiao Liang, in recent years, have there been any newcomers from Hong Kong and Taiwan who have achieved national fame? On the contrary, Super Girl has completely blown us away."

Fan Bingbing, a big star, has her own team and her own ideas, so Shen Shandeng just gave her a simple reminder.

"You don't need to worry now. The Four Dan and Two Bing are like the Four Heavenly Kings, they are intertwined. As long as you don't all fall behind, you don't need to worry about becoming outdated."

"My advice is to wait a while and try to start your own business. You have connections and relationships in the industry, so you can leverage the resources of Hong Kong and Taiwan, but don't rely on them too much."

"You need to understand your own strengths. You've already reached the top tier, and as the mainland market continues to grow, opportunities will become more and more abundant."

Fan Bingbing asked thoughtfully, "May I ask why you chose to enter the entertainment industry, like Yang Zi?"

"I don't understand what you're saying."

Shen Shandeng didn't understand what Fan Bingbing meant: "Of course I entered the entertainment industry because I value its development prospects."

Fan Bingbing complained, "Our industry can't even compare to the market value of a foot massage parlor."

Shen Shandeng said earnestly, “Looking back at the 1980s and 1990s, haven’t we developed a lot now? We have a population of over a billion, use the same language, and share common historical memories. In the cultural market, we are a unified market.”

"In addition to strong government planning capabilities, with the development of infrastructure, our market should be several times larger than the American cultural market. After all, the language and skin color are different in the United States, but our language and culture are the same."

“We also have a deeper culture. A movie in the United States costs six or seven hundred million US dollars, while we can easily reach two or three billion US dollars, or more than 10 billion RMB in the future.”

"As the market expands in the future, minor celebrities will be like small companies, while major and top-tier celebrities will be like large companies. Flexible small teams can generate hundreds of millions or even more in revenue."

Fan Bingbing felt that Shen Shandeng's promises were too grandiose, and she dared not make any promises.

That's not optimism, it's a bit crazy.

Shen Shandeng dares to say that a celebrity is equivalent to a company, but she herself doesn't quite believe it.

I can't even feel at ease in my dreams; they feel so unreal.

However, in Fan Bingbing's view, this was not Shen Shandeng's idea, but rather something he had heard from his family. Combined with his choice, it was very convincing.

"You want to become the top director, right?" Fan Bingbing asked.

Shen Shandeng nodded.

Fan Bingbing was also spurred on by this display of ambition; she was naturally a strong-willed person: "I will also become a top star, an international superstar. That will be our time."

"You guys are here?" Da Mimi interrupted.

She played cards for a while, then realized something was wrong and quickly looked for someone to take her place. She found the person on the balcony.

They were chatting enthusiastically when she felt like her head was about to explode.

"I won't steal your man."

Fan Bingbing drank quite a bit and spoke with great bravado.

Some are happy and some are sad.

Huang Li, who had just moved to a new neighborhood in Shunyi, got into an argument.

"The child is one year old."

After breastfeeding, Sun Li argued, "They invited me to act, and in a major role at that. This project is mainly funded by China Film Group. Wu Jing and Fan Bingbing have officially joined, and there are rumors about Chen Kun and Huang Xiaoming as well. It's clear they're maintaining a publicity pace, just waiting for the official announcement. Isn't this the best choice for my comeback?"

(End of this chapter)