Caught in Affairs with Superstar

Chapter 1407: Chapter 732: Liking Yourself

"Xiao Yun, did you agree with Yuehai to act in a play?"

When Zhou Lan suddenly asked Zhou Yun, Zhou Yun was taken aback and didn’t catch on immediately.

Seeing Zhou Yun’s expression, Zhou Lan asked, "What, is it not true? President Lu suddenly contacted me today, asking to sign the intention contract first."

Zhou Yun said, "I haven’t contacted President Lu, what do you mean?"

Zhou Lan frowned in confusion, "Didn’t you agree to take on Yuehai’s play? What’s he implying then?"

"Oh, I got it, he’s probably talking about Gu Huaichun’s play," Zhou Yun said. "Gu Huaichun came to me yesterday; he took a liking to a script and wants to shoot a play, inviting me to be the female lead."

Zhou Lan asked, "Did you agree with him?"

Zhou Yun nodded and said, "I did agree. It’s his first time coming to me, and after talking briefly, I found it quite interesting. However, I said I’d look at the script first. Yuehai hurriedly coming to me to sign the intention contract is probably just his own idea."

Zhou Lan said, "Then how do we handle it? Sign or not?"

Zhou Yun said, "Let’s not sign yet; we’ll talk after seeing the script. I promised Gu Huaichun, not Yuehai."

Zhou Lan nodded and said, "Alright, I know how to handle it."

After discussing the matter, she suddenly got gossipy and asked, "Weren’t you always wanting a break? Why did you agree so quickly this time?"

Zhou Yun sighed and said, "Gu Huaichun has always wanted to transform, but Yuehai hasn’t given him the chance. This time, he found a script on his own, intending to make it his transformation work. I’m happy to see him doing this, and I want to help him."

"Ah, he’s popular and has many fans. How could Yuehai easily let him transform? Transforming doesn’t guarantee success; many actors become obsolete after transforming and gradually fade away." Zhou Lan seemed pessimistic about Gu Huaichun’s transformation. "You know, this market updates so fast. An actor who rose to fame in the first half of the year might lose popularity quickly if there’s no work lined up for the second half. The audience’s attention shifts too fast. That’s why many brands only sign short-term contracts with artists these days. Although Gu Huaichun isn’t widely recognized in the mainstream drama circle, the idol dramas he’s often criticized for have contributed significantly to his enduring popularity. Don’t underestimate the roles he’s played in contemporary or historical romance; most fit his image and temperament. Yuehai hasn’t let him take on works that would waste his talent."

Zhou Yun: "Yes, I know, and Yuehai wouldn’t exhaust him like that. He’s been Yuehai’s most popular actor these past few years. But as an actor, everyone has the desire to improve. I think someone like Gu Huaichun, who can act, can shoot serious dramas while also doing mainstream market-oriented works. Plus, serious dramas don’t necessarily diminish his popularity. Look at how many have become hits recently."

Zhou Lan: "But Gu Huaichun can’t enter those serious dramas with good teams. They have their own familiar, seasoned actors, and few serious dramas feature young males as protagonists. Yuehai wouldn’t agree to let him play a supporting role, and Gu Huaichun’s fans wouldn’t accept it either. Nowadays, fans are so focused on their idol’s rank; if you leak that Gu Huaichun is going to play a second-tier role, his fans will raise hell online."

"What’s the point of caring so much about rank?" Zhou Yun couldn’t understand, "Whether the audience likes or recognizes you isn’t based on rank. Industry awards or recognition also don’t focus on rank. Such empty fame is meaningless."

"That’s true." Zhou Lan shook her head, "But no one likes being overshadowed, and fans think even more this way. Remember back during ’Four Killers’? Your fans fought over rank like crazy."

"Honestly, this trend needs to change." Zhou Yun shook her head helplessly, "I feel that, as long as I’m not maliciously overshadowed, being third-tier is fine."

"That’s because you’re confident," Zhou Lan said. "Any major star basically never cares about rank, since the industry doesn’t measure you by rank anymore. Wherever you go, your name is the most important rank."