During dinner, Ju Li didn’t manage to get much useful information from Chen Haoyu or screenwriter Xiao Yun. At the table, everyone was just too tactful, almost as if they were all each other’s relatives.
Xiao Yun was a screenwriter in his forties, somewhat well-known in the industry, having written two or three well-regarded TV dramas. At the dinner table, he presented himself as a reserved and refined intellectual, carrying an air of scholarly restraint.
Chen Haoyu, though nearly thirty, still looked like he was in his early twenties, sometimes, from certain angles, he even had a youthful charm. But after one meal, Ju Li could tell that he was full of pride. Even when he pretended to be humble in conversation, he couldn’t hide that smug attitude of knowing he was handsome while acting as if he didn’t.
The director and producer appeared warm and polite to everyone, but if one paid close attention, it was clear that they treated people differently. Within this production crew, it was evident that Chen Haoyu was the most valued figure. The way the director and producer spoke to him had subtle yet noticeable differences.
However, even after observing all this, it didn’t help much with the new task in her [Little Secretary System].
By the time they got off the elevator, the burning embarrassment on Ju Li’s face had faded. She was contemplating how to get into the internal meeting in Boss Zhong’s room when Zhong Liyan suddenly turned and instructed her:
“Go buy a bag of milk, warm it up, and bring it to my room for the meeting minutes.”
“But, Boss Zhong, I didn’t bring my laptop.” Ju Li had already dealt with the octopus tentacle in her mouth in the elevator, brutally and efficiently, using her hands.
“Use mine.” With that, he strode into his room without another word.
Ju Li didn’t dare waste time. She quickly washed her face in her room, then ran downstairs to get the warm milk.
When the hotel front desk heard that a VIP guest in a luxury suite had a stomachache, they were very accommodating, even leading her to the kitchen to personally heat up the milk and pour it into a beautiful, elegant cup. Everything was arranged flawlessly.
By the time she knocked on Boss Zhong’s door, the producer Bai Meng, Director Zhang, and several other colleagues from Zhan Yun were already inside.
They were seated around the long table in the living room. Except for Bai Meng, Director Zhang, and Boss Zhong, everyone had a laptop in front of them.
Ju Li noticed that even though it had only been ten minutes since they last saw each other, Bai Meng had touched up her makeup. This sophisticated city woman insisted on being meticulous, even for a late-night meeting.
That made Ju Li, a fresh-faced office worker who had never even bothered with lipstick, feel a little self-conscious.
She nodded in greeting to her colleagues, who were eyeing her curiously, then walked over to place the warm milk in front of Boss Zhong; she had added a bit of sugar on purpose.
After all, she had noticed that when Boss Zhong once drank the coffee she bought for herself, which had sugar in it, he finished the entire cup without any sign of disliking the sweetness.
Then, under the silent atmosphere and everyone’s gazes, she naturally took a seat next to Boss Zhong.
His laptop was open in front of her, already on a blank document for note-taking.
Opposite her, Bai Meng had been watching Ju Li closely. This young intern assistant had an innocent and somewhat plain appearance, yet her actions carried a composure and self-assurance rarely seen in someone her age.
Once everyone had arrived, Bai Meng introduced the unfamiliar faces to Boss Zhong:
“Boss, these two are our project planners who assist Screenwriter Xiao Yun in script development. This is my executive producer, Xiao Qing, she helps coordinate communication between the production team and the actors, handles contracts and liaises with agents.”
The introduced employees immediately greeted Boss Zhong respectfully. For lower-level staff like them, having such a close-range meeting with the big boss was a rare opportunity, thanks, in part, to the conflict between the screenwriter and the lead actor.
Zhong Liyan was a man of few words. He simply nodded in acknowledgement.
Then, Bai Meng began explaining the origins of the dispute between Screenwriter Xiao Yun and the lead actor, Chen Haoyu.
Overall, Xiao Yun’s script wasn’t problematic. The plot was well-structured, engaging, and had strong character development.
However, Chen Haoyu was dissatisfied. His reasons, admittedly, had some merit:
The role he was playing was that of a brilliant military strategist, but he felt the character was too weak and not masculine enough.
He worried that playing such a role would damage his tough-guy image, making it difficult for him to land action-hero roles in the future. After all, rugged male leads were still the most popular in film and TV.
Additionally, the drama wasn’t the typical mass-produced CEO-romance series where the male and female leads dominated the screen. This was an ensemble show with a diverse cast, meaning that even though he was the male lead, his screen time wasn’t the highest.
He felt that this would hurt his status as the top actor in TV dramas, that the public would think he was no longer relevant and was being sidelined. Fans would definitely stir up trouble, which could have a negative impact on both his popularity and his image.
Moreover, Chen Haoyu was convinced that Xiao Yun was deliberately sabotaging him, trying to use his fame to boost lesser-known actors while suppressing his own standing.
He saw Xiao Yun as nothing more than a scheming opportunist.
In his eyes, it was either him or the screenwriter, there was no room for both in this production.
Of course, Xiao Yun wasn’t about to take this lying down. Even though screenwriters often had lower status than lead actors in the industry, he had been in the business for many years and was a respected veteran. He wasn’t about to be humiliated by a young star.
No matter what, he refused to alter the script. And if anyone dared to change it behind his back, he was ready to take legal action to protect his rights.
As the conflict escalated, Xiao Yun became increasingly stubborn, expressing his willingness to replace the lead actor.
Thus, two heavyweight figures clashed within the production team.
Recently, the atmosphere on set had been filled with rumours of the production falling apart and the crew disbanding, which was detrimental to the show’s progress.
As Bai Meng explained the situation, her expressions and tone conveyed her frustration.
Director Zhang occasionally chimed in, equally distressed.
Zhong Liyan listened impassively, only revealing a hint of relaxation after taking a sip of warm milk.
In reality, he had been suffering from stomach pain all night.
“You’ve already spoken with both sides?” He took another sip of the sweet, warm milk before asking slowly.
Bai Meng immediately responded, “Of course, we’ve done everything we could. Honestly… we’re completely out of options.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the executive producer, Xiao Qing, began recounting how Chen Haoyu had been acting up in recent days, how they had tried to mediate, persuade, and negotiate with his agent, only for everything to be in vain.
Once she finished, the planning team took their turn, detailing the grievances of Teacher Xiao Yun, who had endured all he could and was at his breaking point.
Since the script was unfinished, he was already under immense pressure, and now having to deal with Chen Haoyu’s antics had pushed him to the verge of a mental breakdown. Any further pushing might just drive him insane.
Everyone spoke over each other, some detailing their conversations with the two disputing parties, while others simply vented their frustrations.
After listening for a while, Zhong Liyan finally furrowed his brows.
Bai Meng, keenly observant, immediately interrupted the ongoing discussion, restoring silence to the room.
“What’s your plan moving forward?” Zhong Liyan’s voice carried a hint of impatience, though he kept his irritation in check.
This wasn’t something he should have to personally intervene in, and yet these useless subordinates were still chattering pointlessly in front of him.
If they expected him to step in and use his influence in the industry to suppress either Xiao Yun or Chen Haoyu, then what was the point of having producers, planners or directors at all?
Should he be expected to solve every problem himself?
The company was large, and there were countless matters to handle, was he supposed to step in whenever there was an issue?
Although he didn’t voice these thoughts, he was already considering letting someone go as a lesson to the rest, making it clear that certain issues required independent problem-solving.
Bai Meng licked her lips, sensing the danger in the air.
She glanced at Director Zhang, but seeing that he had no intention of speaking, she had no choice but to brace herself and continue:
“Boss, we plan to have another discussion with Teacher Xiao tonight. If we want to sell this show at a high price to platforms, relying solely on his script won’t be enough.”
She licked her lips again and continued, “To secure a high price from TV stations and streaming platforms, we need the lead actor. No matter how good the script is, its value can only be determined after the show airs and feedback is received. Right now, no one is going to pay a premium for a content-based product that can’t be measured by data.”
She paused to gauge Zhong Liyan’s reaction, but seeing his indifferent expression, she had no choice but to continue:
“Male celebrities are different. Their fan base and popularity are tangible, making the show easier to sell. So… at the end of the day, we can’t afford to offend Chen Haoyu. Our only option is to compromise with Teacher Xiao.”
“…” Zhong Liyan remained silent.
The room grew tense with awkwardness.
Bai Meng swallowed dryly before forcing herself to speak again:
“I was thinking… could we offer Teacher Xiao a supplementary contract? Something like a revenue-sharing agreement, if the show performs well after airing, he would receive a portion of the earnings. Would that work?”
“Are you confident that this condition will convince him to compromise?” Zhong Liyan finally spoke.
Bai Meng exhaled in relief but immediately frowned again. She was filled with frustration, silently cursing both Chen Haoyu and Xiao Yun in her mind.
How could she make such a guarantee? What if Xiao Yun remained firm and refused to be swayed by financial incentives?
Seeing Bai Meng at a loss for words, Zhong Liyan already knew she wasn’t confident.
He turned to gaze out the window at the night sky for a moment before pushing his cup toward Ju Li.
Ju Li glanced at the cup and, as if enlightened, picked it up and went to boil some water.
It was already 11:30 pm, drinking milk at this hour wasn’t a great idea. She figured Zhong Liyan wouldn’t be so unreasonable as to demand it, so she assumed he wanted warm water instead.
Zhong Liyan watched her leave and, upon hearing the sound of boiling water, leaned back in his chair with satisfaction.
This young assistant was surprisingly perceptive.
“I can accept the revenue-sharing approach, but the budget must be calculated clearly, right now. Also, draft several alternative solutions tonight and implement them immediately,” he ordered, his voice calm but carrying undeniable weight. “If you can’t resolve this issue by tomorrow morning… my method will work just fine, but you’ll all have to pay a price for it.”
Ju Li returned with a cup of warm water, just in time to hear his words.
As she sat down, the room remained eerily silent. The air felt heavy, as if frozen, sending chills down everyone’s spines.
Ju Li felt suffocated by the tense atmosphere. Recalling that her system’s task was called ‘Tears of a Star’, she figured that, given the system’s nature, the key to resolving this issue lay with Chen Haoyu, not Teacher Xiao Yun.
After hesitating for a few moments and seeing that no one else dared to speak, she timidly suggested, “Wouldn’t it be possible to try persuading Chen Haoyu instead? After all, he’s the one who started this whole conflict, ”
Before she could finish, Bai Meng shot her a sharp glare, as if wielding a knife.
So, the ever-diplomatic Bai Meng wasn’t always polite to everyone.
Some of the others either rolled their eyes at Ju Li or pretended not to hear, secretly mocking her in their hearts,
A mere secretary daring to offer suggestions in a meeting like this?
Who does she think she is?
Does she even know her place?
Ju Li quickly shut her mouth and looked away.
After a few more seconds of tense silence, Bai Meng finally conceded, “Understood, Boss.”
Her voice was bitter, she clearly understood that the ‘price’ Zhong Liyan referred to likely wouldn’t be small.
“Alright, get started.” Zhong Liyan’s decision was final.
Everyone immediately got to work, some calculated budgets, others brainstormed solutions, while others planned execution details.
Ju Li bit her lip, struggling to suppress the shame of being disregarded and belittled. She absentmindedly licked her lips while contemplating her next move.
A few minutes later, she reached for her phone, recalling a mysterious item she had recently acquired,
A sweet drink that makes people open their hearts.
Leave a Reply