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Zhang Ye’s Studio, which had been silent for over three years, was back in action.

On Weibo, quite a few people were discussing this topic.

“Zhang Ye has actually returned!”

“I’ve really missed Face-smacking Zhang.”

“Could this fellow be trying to start something again?”

“But he’s probably not going to be able to call the shots in this day and age, right?”

“Yeah, any random young, hot celebrity is more popular than him these days.”

“Let’s wait and see what kind of projects he’ll be taking.”

“Right, I wonder what Teacher Zhang’s market value is like these days.”

“If I were Teacher Zhang, I wouldn’t have made a comeback. Back then, he was so popular, and so many people loved him like crazy. But it’s completely different now. Too many years have passed. If Zhang Ye makes his return and can’t even command one-third of the endorsement fees of a B-list hunk, that would be so embarrassing. I’d rather he leave us with the memory of his good times and just retire. The entertainment circle is being rejuvenated with young blood, with an emphasis on good looks and idol values. Teacher Zhang doesn’t fit in with any of that. He’s never been an idol since the start, so he’ll definitely find it even harder to get ahead now.”

“I’m not too optimistic either.”

“Hai, Face-smacking Zhang has really gotten old.”

There were all kinds of talk.

Most people held a skeptical stance regarding this matter.

…

At the studio.

Everyone got busy.

Ha Qiqi was making some phone calls:

“Boss Yan.”

“Director Ha, has Teacher Zhang really made his comeback?”

“Yes, he’ll be returning to the entertainment circle starting today.”

“Then we’d like to arrange an endorsement deal with Teacher Zhang.”

“Sure.”

“We have a new beverage that will be released to the market soon. It’s a new product for the brand name that Teacher Zhang used to endorse for us several years ago. Will you be interested in working together on it?”

“Of course, we can always discuss about it. What is the endorsement pay?”

“Why don’t we do it this way? We’ll sign a year’s contract at three million RMB first, how about that?”

“Three million RMB?”

“Director Ha, that’s already quite a big sum of money.”

“If you aren’t sincere in your offer, I’m afraid we won’t be able to discuss this further.”

“I am sincere, but that’s the market rate these days. Director Ha, I know that you find this amount to be somewhat little, but times have changed. We were able to accept Teacher Zhang’s rate of 30 million RMB a year for his endorsement back then and would never have bargained with it. But it’s not the same anymore. I’m sure you know Teacher Zhang’s situation clearer than I do. It’s also a big risk for us to get Teacher Zhang to endorse us. Surely you can’t let us lose money, right? And besides, the amount that we’re offering to Teacher Zhang is still very high. I believe that, after some time, when the news of his return as a Heavenly King fades away, and when the news of humans winning against PeterGo has cooled, his value will drop even further.”

Nearby.

Zhang Zuo was also in contact with a company.

“A commercial appearance?”

“Right, is Teacher Zhang willing to take the job?”

“What’s the price?”

“Why don’t you quote us?”

“If it’s a large ribbon cutting ceremony, that will be 3 million RMB per engagement.”

“Come again?”

“Three million RMB, that’s not asking for much. Teacher Zhang has never taken any commercial appearances before, but we’re willing to make an exception since our studio has just reopened and we’re in need of money.”

“That’s too expensive. Even if we were to invite a male idol for this event, it would only cost three to four million RMB. That won’t do. We can only offer up to 600,000 RMB, not any higher than that. Brother Zuo, you worked with us at your previous company, right? You’ve also been in the entertainment business for the past few years, so surely you should know the market rates better than us, right? If this were four years ago, we’d surely grab the offer even if Teacher Zhang was asking for five million RMB, much less three million RMB. How many companies in the industry were able to invite Zhang Ye for a commercial appearance, after all? But now? You must be joking, right? Teacher Zhang’s name isn’t even in the popularity rankings anymore, so how could it cost that much?”

On the other side of the office.

Little Wang was also making calls on her cell phone.

The entire office could hear Little Wang screaming.

“What did you just say? 500,000?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Director Chen, you’re offering 500,000 RMB for Teacher Zhang to act in a show? Are you alright?”

“Little Wang, Teacher Zhang isn’t going to be the main lead in the show. It will only be a guest appearance. There are only two scenes and a line for him, so surely 500,000 RMB isn’t little, right?”

“We don’t intend to take a guest appearance!”

“You want to take the leading role?”

“Yeah, and there’s also a requirement to vet the script first.”

“Hur hur, then I think you better check with the others. There isn’t such an opportunity in our production crew. Little Wang, don’t mind me saying this, but go ask around in the industry about which big productions for a TV drama or film are not hiring young, hot male celebs to be their leading roles. Without them, where would the box office earnings come from? Where would the viewership come from?”

An hour later.

None of the studio’s staff could get any leads.

Zhang Ye was busy humoring and playing with his daughter.

Ha Qiqi came over and said, “The ads and endorsements these days are paying too little!”

Zhang Zuo sighed. “I couldn’t get anything either. All of the offers were basically insincere.”

Little Wang said angrily, “Don’t even mention the production crews that I had to contact. What are they even thinking! Trying to get Director Zhang to act in a supporting role? No, it’s not even a supporting role; it’s just a guest star! And they’re only paying 500,000 RMB too!”

Zhang Ye asked, “How much are the others getting?”

Ha Qiqi hesitated.

Zhang Ye smiled. “You can speak the truth.”

Only then did Ha Qiqi say, “Two months ago, young gun Guan Zhaohua was reported to have received 50 million RMB a year for an advertising endorsement deal.”

Zhang Ye asked, “And what are they offering to me? ”

Ha Qiqi said in anger, “They’re offering three million.”

Three million?

50 million?

This was a difference of more than just one zero!

Zhang Ye smiled. “This is normal.”

Little Wang said, “What’s normal? It’s not normal at all!”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Do you guys remember that I said four or five years ago that the entertainment circle would be taken over by young, hot men? That’s why I told everyone at that time that we’d have to get to the top within a year, or it would get very difficult after that to advance. Look at this. The entertainment industry has become the entertainment industry I predicted, so this isn’t surprising to me at all.”

Zhang Ye had already experienced a similar situation in his previous world, so he did not find this to be a strange phenomenon and was in fact mentally prepared for it.

Zhang Ye took out his cell phone and said, “Let me make a call.”

He had just changed his SIM card today, and his cell phone number was back in use.

He still had telephone numbers stored in his SIM, but he wondered if any of his old friends had changed their numbers. If they did, he would really be unable to get in contact with them.

Du du du.

The call connected.

Famous film director Li Ke answered: “Zhang’er?”

Zhang Ye laughed and said: “Director Li, you still have my number saved?”

Li Ke said in surprise: “You haven’t changed your number either. I was trying to call you yesterday, but I couldn’t get through.”

“I just got a new SIM card today. The old card couldn’t be used anymore, but the numbers were still saved on it.” Then Zhang Ye said: “I heard that you were preparing for a new movie recently? I’ve just come back, so would you like to offer your old friend a job?”

Li Ke said: “I was looking for you regarding this matter as well. Did you think that I didn’t think of you? When I learned that you were back, my guess was that you’d definitely have nothing much to do. At that time, the second male lead was not selected yet. Therefore, I suggested to the investors to get you, but—” he sighed. “They were not willing to.”

Zhang Ye asked: “Was it a matter of the salary?”

Li Ke said: “It’s not that. They were just worried that you’d affect the screening of the movie. After all, your case caused a huge impact. You were taken off the popularity rankings because you had become a banned artist. Although almost four years have passed, they are still afraid that it will have some implications now and in the future. You might not know this, but after you went to prison, many of your projects got affected. The investors are only out for profit, so it’s only natural that they would have concerns. As such, the production company overrode me today and selected a B-list young gun to join the film. They didn’t even seek my opinion on it.”

Zhang Ye said in amusement: “Old Li, you’ve been in the industry for so long, and you’re considered one of the few elite directors in the country, but why does it feel like you’re starting to lose your authority?”

Li Ke said helplessly: “The environment has changed. It’s a different era now. I’m getting old, and my previous few movies didn’t do well either, so I’ve lost the influence that I had. It’s now the era of the male idols. Do you know why the investors love them so much? Even though their salaries are high, with some productions hitting 200 million RMB in investment, half of that being used for their salaries, they’re still willing to pay that amount. That’s because their involvement in the movie basically guarantees a certain profit. A male idol can bring in a massive number of fans, and that means that even before a movie is filmed, or before a television drama starts production, the box office earnings and viewership are already a guarantee.”

Zhang Ye said: “Is it really that exaggerated?”

Li Ke told him: “That is how it works these days. With a young stud cast in a leading role of a movie, even if the word of mouth for the movie is terrible, with ratings so low that even the industry insiders are unable to bear seeing it, the box office earnings at the end still leave everyone dumbfounded. 500 million yuan! Can you imagine that?”

Zhang Ye said: “Then help me find a reliable investor. I’ll shoot something myself.”

Li Ke asked: “You want to self-direct and act in it?”

Zhang Ye said: “Yes.”

“A TV series or a movie?”

“Either is fine.”

“I don’t think there are any opportunities like that. Who would be willing to invest in you? Be it a movie or TV series, you’ve never done any of them before. Can the investors trust you? To shoot a production these days, all you need is a large investment and have hot, young men join the project to make it work. Do you think they still care about acting skills? Or experience? All of those are outdated ways of doing things. Do you know why Ning Lan retired? It’s not because she got married, but that her last two movies after her marriage only took in just over a 100 million yuan at the box office. This is Ning Lan we’re talking about, an A-lister and a best actress winner. What does it mean to earn just over a 100 million yuan at the box office? Can you imagine that?”

The call ended.

Zhang Ye shrugged.

Endorsements?

Commercial appearances?

Acting?

Directing?

All of the possible inroads seemed to be cut off for him.

Ha Qiqi rubbed her forehead. “Even Director Li can’t help?”

Zhang Ye laughed and said, “Director Li can’t even fend for himself anymore. He also has it tough.”

When Chenchen, who was playing with Sisi nearby, heard that, she said, “So, Zhang Ye, it’s true that you’re a has-been?”

This was show business.

The cruelest place in the world.

Hearing that, Sisi panicked. “Daddy isn’t a has-been! Daddy is the greatest!”

Zhang Ye picked up his daughter with a smile and gave her a kiss. “Right, they just don’t know how to appreciate what’s good.”

Sisi nodded enthusiastically. “Daddy is the greatest superstar!”

Zhang Zuo was tickled. “That’s right, your daddy is the most unique celebrity in the world. You can’t find someone like him no matter how hard you look.”

Ha Qiqi came over and patted Sisi on her head. She said emotionally, “It’s been four years already. A lot of people seem to have forgotten about the earth-shattering events that your daddy caused. Since they’ve forgotten, let us remind them once more! Since no one is optimistic about your daddy, let’s tread our own path to move forward on. We’ll make them remember your daddy’s name again!”