Chapter 668 Erbao The Little Glutton
Meanwhile, in Livingsfill, Erbao’s performance was so exceptional at the photo shoot that one could be forgiven for mistaking her for a superstar.
During the break in between, the entire production team wanted to play with her. Some gave her chocolate, while others gave her candy and potato chips.
Erbao accepted all the snacks and thanked the adults with a big smile but ate none. Ever since the poisoning incident, the girl had learned not to eat anything given to her by strangers.
She did not even dare eat the food Qiao Zhan’s subordinates offered her. That was quite difficult for Erbao since she loved to eat. All she could do when facing the snacks was secretly gulp back her desire.
At that moment, Cheng Xiangyun walked over and quietly handed Erbao a chocolate bar. “I bought this myself, so it’s safe to eat.”
Erbao then turned to look intently at Ning Ran and waited for her permission. “You can eat the one you got from Aunt Xiang, but put the rest away,” instructed Ning Ran softly.
Erbao was over the moon when she got the approval to eat the snack, and after tearing open the packaging, she took a large bite.
“Is the contract signed yet?” Ning Ran was concerned about the show that offered twenty million, for she did not wish to miss such an opportunity. “The company refused,” replied Cheng Xiangyun.
Ning Ran was taken aback when she heard that. “Why? Do they consider twenty million too little? That’s how much a superstar is offered! A newcomer like me is more than happy to accept it.”
“The payment isn’t the problem. I think Sir Chen doesn’t want you to take the role.” Immediately, Ning Ran boiled with anger because that was what she was afraid of. The company will go to Nan Chen whenever they have a contract that concerns me and have him make the final decision.
That was why she called Nan Chen personally with the hope that he would not stop her from accepting the offer.
However, things turned out to be the exact opposite of what she wished for—Nan Chen still thwarted her plan.
“Look after Erbao for me. I’m going to call him!” Ning Ran then angrily dialed Nan Chen’s phone number, but the man did not answer.
As much as she tried, it was still to no avail.
“I’m so mad right now! Does he think he’s all that just because he’s the boss and that he gets to decide my every move?” Ning Ran was so furious that a vein popped out on her forehead.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, though. He’s the boss, so of course, he gets to decide everything. I mean, who else has the right to do that if not him?” voiced Cheng Xiangyun while shaking her head.
She, too, thought it was a shame that the twenty million worth of contract got forfeited, but she was just an assistant who had no right to offer her opinion, much less decide for her employer.
“Why does he get to decide? Do I really have no say at all?” Ning Ran refused to accept what Cheng Xiangyun had just said.
“Artists are supposed to play by the company’s rules. Otherwise, they’d be considered breaching their contracts and be forced to fork out a huge amount of money as compensation. This is just how it works.”
“No, I’m not fine with that. I have to return to Flower City to reason with Nan Chen. That man has no right to dictate my future. If I don’t accept the twenty million offer, people in the industry will think I asked for more. Who will dare cast me in the future, and how will I develop my career then? My future is on the line here, so I can’t just let it be!”
Erbao, who was still enjoying her snack, was thrilled when she heard that. “Are we going back? Then I’m going too!”
“This has nothing to do with you, so stay in Livingsfill with Aunt Xiang. I won’t be long.”
“You’re not really considering returning to Flower City alone, are you? I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” uttered Cheng Xiangyun.
“I don’t have a choice; Nan Chen obviously thinks I’m a pushover. How am I going to be an actress if I don’t get to act? I want to be a professional performer, not just an eye candy!” exclaimed Ning Ran.
In response to that, Cheng Xiangyun sighed. “You should be more grateful for what you have. What I wouldn’t give to be just an eye candy living off somebody. I don’t think you should jump to conclusions because there must be a reason Sir Chen turned down the contract. If he wanted to ruin your career, why would he invest so much in you in the first place? Since he wants you to be a superstar, it’s only natural that he’s selective with the roles you take. Some well-known actresses took roles they shouldn’t have, and those mistakes ended up killing their careers. Sir Chen is an expert, so I think you should trust him, not go against him. Besides, he’s the boss. Do you think you have what it takes to twist his arm?”
After listening to Cheng Xiangyun, Ning Ran fell silent.
“So, are we still going back to Flower City?” inquired Erbao, who only cared about going home.
“Why do you want to go back so much, little glutton?” questioned Cheng Xiangyun.
“Aunt Xiang, you can’t call me that. I’m very self-disciplined and not gluttonous at all. I want to return to Flower City because I’m sure Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma miss me very much, and I want to let them know that I’m as lively as a cricket again. I also wish to see Daddy and Uncle Xing. Last but not least, I miss the desserts of Flower City.” After all that Erbao had said, the last sentence sounded like the main reason.
“Sir Chen will decide whether you can go back. It’ll have to be after everything has settled down in Flower City,” informed Cheng Xiangyun.
“I’ll call him again later to ask about the situation there. If he still doesn’t answer my call, I’ll go to him!” voiced Ning Ran.
On the other hand, Nan Chen looked at his phone and saw four missed calls from Ning Ran.
He purposely ignored them because he knew what the woman wanted to talk about.
“Mr. Chen, I think you should explain to Ms. Ding. Otherwise, she’ll never let it go,” advised Jiang Zhe beside Nan Chen.
However, he dared not say another word after Nan Chen glanced at him.
“Is the news you received reliable?” questioned Nan Chen after turning to his assistant.
“Absolutely. What we heard at first was a fantasy film, but it turned out to be science fiction. The script is almost the same as ours; it’s about parallel worlds and centers around the theme of family. Moreover, many in the production team were offered high salaries.”
Nan Chen furrowed his eyebrows when he heard that.
“I keep feeling there’s something off here, Mr. Chen. Scripts are supposed to be kept secret before the actual films are released; no one besides the production team knows their contents. However, the team isn’t allowed to share what they know because they signed a non-disclosure agreement, so how did those guys know what was in our script?” Jiang Zhe shared his thoughts.
“What are the odds that it’s a coincidence?” responded Nan Chen with a question of his own.
“I think they’re very low. Due to the relatively high production cost of making science fiction films, there aren’t many such projects in the country. Even if they had planned to produce a sci-fi all along, it’s unlikely that our scripts would end up the same.”
“So what’s your conclusion?” inquired Nan Chen, gesturing for his assistant to get to the point.
“You should know already, Mr. Chen. I believe they’re intentionally targeting us. However, I can’t figure out why they’d offer Ms. Ding a role in the movie if they really are against us,” stated Jiang Zhe.
“That’s because they know I won’t allow Ning Ran to be their second female lead. I’d be playing into their hands if I signed the contract. What would people think of us if I let our female lead play second fiddle to theirs in a similar film?”
“If that’s the case, that means they really are targeting our new film, but what’s the point?” Jiang Zhe scratched his head in bafflement.
