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Chapter 777: Chapter 675 "Civilization: Soul of the Stars" (Please Subscribe!)_1
Retouched makeup.
Hu Li and Lin Jiaxue are about to leave.
A voice sounded from behind.
"Lily?"
Hu Li turned around and seeing who it was, her face lit up in surprise. She walked over quickly, giving the beautiful woman a big hug. "Silly girl, why didn’t you tell me that you’re in Shanghai Market?" Hu Li said.
The woman was Hu Li’s old roommate, Liang Meng.
Not the one who got lost, but another one. After graduation, she signed with HuaYi and went to Beijing. She had been working as a medium-tier actress. With the backing of HuaYi, her circumstances were somewhat better than Hu Li’s.
She wasn’t popular, but she was getting by.
Waiting for her opportunity.
Seeing Hu Li, Liang Meng was also very happy.
"I just got here yesterday too. The crew here just finished preparation and we’re having the opening banquet today. Once my work is on track, I was going to find time to message you. How about you? Do you have a lot of roles? I know the directors too. If there’s an opportunity, I can put in a good word for you."
This wasn’t her showing off. Not at all. Liang Meng just wanted to help Hu Li. Considering the lack of substantial resources to promote her, it was unlikely that Hu Li would become popular. That’s why Hu Li had yet to sign with anyone since graduation.
What Liang Meng didn’t know was that Hu Li still owed money to usury. Balancing the pros and cons, she didn’t join an entertainment company yet and was acting as a contractor. Sometimes, she was part of a crew. As her acting skills were not too bad, she had grown quite popular among the audience.
"Thank you, I do have an acting role now, it’s pretty good, and I’m about to sign with a management company soon," Hu Li gratefully replied.
Hearing this, Liang Meng happily said, "Really? That’s great news, congratulations! But be careful when choosing a company, it can be quite a hassle if you don’t choose carefully. Which company?"
"Well... not established yet, I’m not sure about the name. But it’s happening in the next few days," Hu Li replied, a little embarrassed.
Assuming that Hu Li was just trying to save face, Liang Meng remarked, "What? A company that’s not yet established, isn’t that a bit unreliable? What resources will such a company have to promote you? I know a lot of people these days, if you trust me, I could help you get in touch with a firm one."
"No need, this company is great and I’ve made up my mind," Hu Li quickly responded. Resources? With Tang Qing’s financial strength, he would naturally have a vast network. Resources wouldn’t be an issue.
"What company is it?" Liang Meng hurriedly asked.
"Comet Film. They are preparing to start a management company and want me to sign. I’m currently filming a movie for their company, a science fiction film where I’m the lead actress," explained Hu Li.
"Lead actress? A movie? Science fiction? Can this... be screened?" Liang Meng asked, puzzled. Chinese science fiction movies were mostly crudely made.
Out of ten movies, fifteen lost money. The extra five failed halfway through production.
These are hard-to-release movies.
Being a lead actress in such movies was almost the same as not being in any.
With a bit of pride in her voice, Hu Li said, "it will be, don’t worry. It’s already been scheduled. A nationwide release on New Year’s Day." As the lead actress for a movie released on such a golden date, though her screen time wasn’t much, she was still the main actress.
If the movie is released globally as Tang Qing said, her fame would definitely see a tremendous boost.
Liang Meng inhaled sharply, "That... doesn’t seem right. There’s less than two months until the Chinese New Year, and all the movies set to be released have already been decided. I didn’t see a science fiction film in the schedule. You weren’t scammed, were you?" She suddenly remembered that there really wasn’t any sci-fi movie scheduled to be released on New Year’s Day.
"Definitely, it’s on New Year’s Day," replied Hu Li confidently.
Just as Liang Meng was about to say something, a voice came from outside.
"What’s on New Year’s Day?"
A stylishly dressed woman walked over.
Liang Meng quickly said, "This is my agent, Liu Mei. Sister Liu, this is my acting school roommate, Hu Li."
Liu Mei looked Hu Li up and down, then smiled, "Not bad, the young girl looks quite pretty. With some grooming, she has the potential to be famous." She left her next sentence unsaid, which was, ’potential doesn’t mean guaranteed fame.’
Liang Meng quickly steered the conversation, "Sister Liu, don’t underestimate Hu Li. She starred as the leading actress in a sci-fi movie that’s being released on New Year’s Day. It’s pretty amazing." Regardless, she had to back up her good friend.
"A sci-fi movie? What’s its title? Is there a sci-fi movie being released this Spring Festival?"
Liu Mei was puzzled, she had no idea.
"The name of the movie is "Civilization: Soul of the Stars", it’s a series of movies. We just haven’t started extensive promotion yet." Hu Li said, blushing a little, as Comet Film didn’t hype the promotion too much this time.
Instead, they planned a pre-emption campaign with no warming-up press conference.
It was totally unprofessional.
What Hu Li didn’t know was that Pu Chaodong had been focusing primarily on negotiating overseas distribution channels lately. For the domestic part, there was Zheng Lin. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, after seeing the preliminary special effects scenes, Pu Chaodong knew this movie was destined to be a hit, a massive hit.
The grand scenes might even lead many people to watch it three or four times. He himself had watched it over and over again, feeling exhilarated and not getting enough. Pu Chaodong had actually sorted things out with domestic media, that as soon as the film was completed.
Zheng Lin would fix the schedule.
Then a deluge of promotion would follow.
Liu Mei thought for a long time, but could not fathom that there would be this movie released on New Year’s Day. After all, she was with Huayi, the industry leader in domestic entertainment, and her entertainment news was always spot-on.
"Miss Hu Li, are you sure you’re not being scammed? According to our information at Huayi, there isn’t any sci-fi movie being released on New Year’s Day, let alone your movie. I’ve never heard of it." Liu Mei questioned.
Hu Li believed in Tang Qing: "Definitely not. If our Chairman said it could be released, then it could be. That’s what the Chairman said just now."
Liu Mei thought that Hu Li didn’t appreciate kindness. Their news from Huayi was the most accurate. She was certain that a sci-fi movie wouldn’t be released during the Spring Festival, but whatever. It wouldn’t make any difference to her if a scam was involved.
"Alright, then. Be careful. Liang Meng, let’s go back. Director Feng is waiting." Liu Mei urged. She was here because Liang Meng hadn’t come back for a long time, just for a look.
Liang Meng now, however, thought that Hu Li might really have been scammed, and urgently said: "Sister Liu, Hu Li is my roommate. If she’s been scammed, it would be a big trouble. Why don’t you come with me to meet their Chairman, and see what’s going on."
"Well..." Liu Mei hesitated.
"I beg you." Liang Meng began to plead.
"Liang Meng, I won’t be cheated," Hu Li laughed bitterly beside, she accepted the concern, but didn’t know how to explain about Tang Qing. There were things that couldn’t be said. Comet Films wasn’t well-known in the industry, and this was its first movie.
"No, we have to let Sister Liu take a look. She knows a lot of people." Liang Meng insisted.
"Who’s the director of the movie?" Liu Mei suddenly asked.
"Li Xizhao," Hu Li replied.
"Li Xizhao?" Liu Mei was surprised.
"Yeah, do you know him, Sister Liu?" Hu Li asked, puzzled.
Liu Mei nodded and smiled: "I’ve met him a few times, dealt with him before. I heard that he was signed by a less-known film company, and I didn’t expect it was this one. I should go and drink to it. In the industry, there’s no denying that Director Li Xizhao is very capable."
Liu Mei didn’t expect their company to have signed Li Xizhao on. In that case, it shouldn’t be a scam company. Otherwise, Li Xizhao couldn’t afford such a loss.
"Well... okay, it’s good you know each other, let’s go, we don’t want to keep them waiting." Hu Li agreed. There was no way she could stop someone from meeting an old friend.
Hu Li reached out and took Lin Jiaxue’s hand, ready to leave.
Liu Mei also noticed that Lin Jiaxue was with Hu Li, and commented: "Who’s this little sister? She’s really pretty. Little sister, would you be interested in signing a contract with us at Huayi?"
Lin Jiaxue shook her head. She didn’t have a good impression of Liu Mei. Tang Qing said the movie would be released on New Year’s Day, so it would be. She didn’t like people who doubted Tang Qing’s words.
"Sister Liu, this is our Chairman’s fiancée, she won’t be signing with Huayi." Hu Li quickly clarified.
"What a pity then."
Liu Mei was bitterly disappointed.
Lin Jiaxue’s innocent demeanor and clear eyes gave a sense of tenderness at a glance, especially the actress Liu Yifei, who played Zhao Ling’er in "The Legend of the Sword and Fairy" that premiered in the beginning of the year, and she was greatly loved by the audience.
Their agents also wanted to unearth new innocent and adorable actresses.
Looking at Lin Jiaxue.
She seemed to be another canary.
