Caught in Affairs with Superstar-Chapter 194 - 162: The Beginning of the Scandal

If admitting you like someone is difficult due to concerns about face, then expressing disdain is often similarly kept quiet for fear of making a big deal out of it.

Zhou Yun and Su Yan maintained just such a relationship.

In fact, Su Yan had approached Zhou Yun several times to "make amends," repeatedly stressing that their past was not an insurmountable hatred, and that making peace would benefit them both.

Even Su Yan had said, "We can help each other."

Zhou Yun rolled her eyes inwardly thinking "Screw your mutual help," but with a slight smile on her face, she amiably said, "No, thank you."

She also felt sorry that the longer she knew someone, the harder it was to straightforwardly tell them to get lost.

Not because it was crude, but because there were too many things to consider.

You can’t be at loggerheads on the surface – how else would you be able to act in the same scene afterwards?

Particularly because Song Chi was the producer of the drama, Zhou Yun didn’t want to cause trouble for Song Chi.

But just like anywhere else in the world, a drama set could never be free of troubles.

If Zhou Yun didn’t cause any problems, others would.

For instance, Luo Zhiqiu.

Speaking of which, as the boss of Zuo Jing, Luo Zhiqiu was both the sponsor and investor of the drama, and by all accounts, her words carried a lot of weight.

However, because the drama set had big names like Kang Xin and Song Chi, Luo Zhiqiu was usually absent.

As they were almost done with one location and preparing to move to another for shooting, Luo Zhiqiu suddenly showed up and began nitpicking many of the drama set’s arrangements.

Her nitpicks were numerous and trivial: one moment it was that the scheduling was chaotic, causing inactive time for many actors; another it was that the Prop Team was using too many consumables, driving up the cost of prop production, and so on.

To others in the drama set, these signs indicated Luo Zhiqiu’s dissatisfaction with the current lavish spending and waste – leading to deeper speculations.

Was Luo Zhiqiu unhappy with Director Kang’s pace of shooting?

No doubt, compared to other drama sets, Director Kang took considerably longer to shoot.

Current television drama productions rarely grinded scene by scene as Director Kang did.

The spirit of striving for perfection inevitably conflicted with cost control and schedule advancement.

If it weren’t for Song Chi, Luo Zhiqiu wouldn’t have agreed to produce "Heart Inquiry." The costs were too high, the risks too great; although the return on investment looked promising for now, everything was still uncertain before the money was recouped. Luo Zhiqiu was a relatively risk-averse businesswoman, wishing to make money with a greater sense of security.

The shift in attitude was due to a change in her relationship with Song Chi.

As the cooperation model had changed, Luo Zhiqiu no longer needed to accommodate him.

Zhou Yun thought that if Luo Zhiqiu hadn’t absurdly requested to add a role in the script for another artist from her company, Song Chi would never have engaged in a direct conflict with Luo Zhiqiu over such a matter.

Song Chi would have chosen to tolerate, yet deftly ensure the drama wrapped up successfully.

"Adding just one character won’t affect the main plotline, so why not?" Luo Zhiqiu said with folded arms, gazing helplessly at Song Chi as if dealing with an unreasonable child.

Zhou Yun knew full well that this gesture would only irritate Song Chi more.

With a stern face, Song Chi said, "President Luo, are you joking?"

Luo Zhiqiu responded, "The budget for this drama is through the roof, as you well know."

"Will it really lose money?" Song Chi retorted.

"Who knows," said Luo Zhiqiu.

Song Chi laughed bitterly, shook his head, and stated, "President Luo, you know I won’t agree."

"Xiao Chi, you know I can take a loss, but I can’t always be on the losing end," Luo Zhiqiu shrugged, "You’ve taken on such a big project, even hiring Director Kang; if you were still Zuo Jing’s artist, I would gladly invest as a treat to our Top, but now you’re no longer with Zuo Jing. Adding a supporting role to boost an actor from my company – that’s not too much, is it?"

Song Chi’s face remained somber as he replied, "President Luo, my studio still has shares invested by you; are we now clearly separating our interests?"

"Don’t get me wrong, that’s not what I mean. I just can’t always be the one to take a loss. With such a huge production, I’m shouldering the biggest risk; if it loses money, will you reimburse me?" posed Luo Zhiqiu.

Song Chi clenched his fists.

"Don’t be angry, let’s be clear on each account," Luo Zhiqiu continued, "You wanted to do this drama, I agreed. You wanted Director Kang, I agreed. You wanted Zhou Yun for the female lead, I still agreed. Song Chi, ask yourself, even if I have my own thoughts, haven’t I been accommodating enough? What company would be so obliging to their artist?"

"That’s why I didn’t partner with any other companies. Do you think there aren’t other companies who want to invest in my studio?" Song Chi, with a stern face, "President Luo, you know how much I value this drama. If it’s about making money, there are other projects; if it’s controlling risks, I can take on as many as you need. I cannot agree to changing the script, and you know I cannot agree. What do you actually want? Just say it."

Luo Zhiqiu demanded, "Make another drama with Zuo Jing."

That was Luo Zhiqiu’s true purpose.

"I won’t act in a flop," Song Chi stated bluntly.

Luo Zhiqiu replied, "It’s a metropolitan romance drama, not a flop, and I’ll be hands-on."

"That’s acceptable, but I want a share," said Song Chi.

"You can have 20%," Luo Zhiqiu said with a slight smile.

"The payment will be at market rate, no discounts."

"Agreed."

"Who gets cast, I decide."

"Sure, as long as they don’t cause me trouble," Song Chi remarked, "Also, as usual, no hype, no marketing."

"You must cooperate with the promotional activities."

"The normal promotional activities can be written into the contract; I am always cooperative."

In a matter of words, they thwarted potential trouble in its infancy.

One subtly threatening with all the legitimacy at her disposal, the other forced to accept the threat for the greater good.

Otherwise, if Luo Zhiqiu truly decided to alter the script, and neither Director Kang nor Song Chi agreed, she could always set up another shooting team and forcibly incorporate additional scenes with other actors.

After all, the final editing power was not in Director Kang’s hands.

Zuo Jing was the producer of "Heart Inquiry."

Problem resolved, but Song Chi, when not shooting, seemed increasingly troubled.

Zhou Yun had initially considered consoling Song Chi, but she soon encountered trouble of her own.

Somehow, news about "Luoyan," the drama involving noted celebrities Zhou Yun and Lew Qingqing, leaked online, and public discourse fermented rapidly.

Particularly Zhou Yun’s fans, when they learned that Lew Qingqing had snatched a role from Zhou Yun, were like fans from any other camp, launching attacks on Lew Qingqing.

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