Darkstone Code-Chapter 815 - 813: The Unique Taste of the Wealthy
Life is like a dream, with good things and bad things.
For several days, Nelly felt like she was living in a dream, not quite real.
Lynch bought her some things he described as "cheap trinkets," but despite their supposed cheapness, they were extremely expensive to Nelly.
Such as the snowy white bear coat she saw in many shop windows, specially processed to make the soft white bear fur puff out, wearing it made her look like a big snowball.
Every time she passed by a shop window with this coat, she would stop and look at it for a while.
Every girl has many colorful dreams, she does too, but she knows not all dreams can come true. Not every dream turns real.
Often, only nightmares become reality.
Tens of thousands of dollars, by her current earning ability, it would take twenty or thirty years to wear it.
Yet in these surprising days, she wore it decades earlier.
The soft fur made her want to hug herself all the time, too comfortable, the gentle silky feeling could make one ignore the passage of time.
Plus various jewelry and accessories, she owned them all.
Even more surprising was that Lynch bought her many things but never gave her money.
Odd, isn’t it?
She thought so too, she gave so much, though she did receive many good things, but why wouldn’t Lynch give her some money to improve her life?
Don’t people say, after being kept, one becomes wealthy?
Until she left, Lynch never brought this up, and she was too embarrassed to ask.
This is the biggest difference between her and Penny, if it were Penny, she would pick a time while riding Lynch to ask the question.
But Nelly, due to shyness or other reasons, didn’t muster the courage to ask.
Just as she was about to return to Laridemo, Lynch unexpectedly gave her the answer she wanted.
"You are not anyone’s personal property, nor are you my kept mistress, your individuality is always independent."
"I respect your individuality, I won’t use money to humiliate you directly, making you feel like a little pet or something."
"In the new era, independent women are admired and loved, I believe you can do well!"
"Besides, you don’t need to worry about money, soon you’ll realize that money is not hard to get!"
What Lynch said made Nelly feel a bit baffled, a sense of being used for free, but it was different from being used for free because Lynch bought her many expensive things.
So it’s a very contradictory feeling, although those things are worth tens of thousands at least, when it was time to pay he didn’t produce a penny.
Not only won’t it make people hate him, dislike him, it’ll actually make people feel an unexplainable relief.
On the afternoon she returned to Laridemo, Nelly hadn’t even had time to leave the station when Fox Film Corporation staff were holding signs waiting for her.
A slender woman in her thirties, dressed in a gender-neutral outfit, short hair, looking very sharp, with a strong aura.
She was accompanied by a young man and woman, obviously assistants, they lacked that strong presence.
Nelly hesitated a moment, then approached.
Typically, this kind of station pick-up service isn’t used for low-tier contract performers, only stars and company executives enjoy such treatment.
She hadn’t realized what Bupen’s journey meant in recent days, it wasn’t just about being "used for free," many things underwent significant changes during the "use for free."
"Hello, Nelly, I’m your new broker..." the sharp and competent lady extended her hand, a smile appearing on her tense face, "From today, your contract is upgraded to the second tier, I’ll fully take charge of everything in your work and life!"
She emphasized, "Everything, we’ll also live together." She turned to introduce the other two staff to Nelly.
These two are also company employees, and members of the "Nelly team."
This is one of the benefits of being with Lynch, rapidly climbing to a high position in the company.
Nelly was somewhat unaccustomed to this change, "The house I live in now is very small..."
She meant her tiny apartment couldn’t fit so many people, the new broker had made it clear that their team would always be together, whether at work or in life, which means being squeezed together.
This made Nelly feel a bit embarrassed, that little apartment really was too small.
But her broker laughed, "No worries, company benefits for second-tier contract actors include clauses for improving living conditions."
"We have our own community in the suburbs where you will have a detached house, of course, just for use, and we will live together."
Nelly’s eyes widened. She had heard of this place. Actually, third-level contract actors are eligible to live there, but they live with other third-level contract actors.
At the second level, they can live alone with their team.
If they reach the first level, they reside directly in a city villa, and sometimes the house is even gifted to the contracted star.
When you’re a bottom-tier actor in training, you always dream of this day arriving. She didn’t expect it to come true, and so quickly!
"I still have some things I’ve checked in..." She went forward, and although Lynch hadn’t bought that much, it wasn’t too little either. A girl definitely couldn’t carry it all, so she entrusted it to the warehouse to ship.
The broker put an arm around her shoulder, leading her outside, and took the ticket she was using to claim her goods, handing it to the male assistant beside him, "What you need to do now is not worry about those things but choose a script!"
Nelly’s steps paused slightly, "Choosing a script... what does that have to do with me?"
She hadn’t quite reacted, or adapted to it; having spent too long at the bottom, and seen so many dreams shatter, she couldn’t believe these things anymore, so she hadn’t realized how quickly her efforts and contributions at Bupen were coming to fruition.
The broker continued to lead her by the shoulder as they walked forward, "Of course, the company plans to spend 300,000 to shoot a romance film, and you’re lucky, chosen as the female lead."
"You know, in our industry, no one is more important than the lead..."
The broker actually had more to say, the correct phrase being "no one is more important than the people behind the lead."
She was in a daze until the broker led her to the house the company allocated to her, gradually understanding why Lynch didn’t give her money, because there really was no need.
She could completely earn money with her own ability, it was Lynch’s respect for her, she understood Lynch’s intentions!
The company’s 300,000 filming budget included a 50,000 fee for her, considering her low fame, it was actually quite a lot, even more than usual.
"I personally suggest you talk to the company’s production department and take the initiative to lower your fee..." Sitting in the clean and bright living room, the broker said while peeling imported fruit from Nagariel.
Having just eaten the fruit handed over by the broker, Nelly was puzzled, "Why?"
The broker passed the remaining fruit in hand and then took a wet wipe to clean his hands, "Because starting with such a high fee, future projects outside may not dare to use you."
"Honestly, although I’m not too sure whose passage you took, I’ve taken on this job, so I have to be responsible for you."
"Right now, you have no standing, you’re still a newcomer, other newcomers at your stage taking lead roles wouldn’t earn more than 10,000, many earn only three to five thousand."
"The company gave you 50,000, that’s way too much; starting at such a high level means others will want to pay at least 50,000 to use you."
"But you haven’t proven your value in the entire circle; frankly, I don’t think you’re worth that much."
"I also believe many others feel the same way; this will lead to a lack of film offers once you’re out of the company’s business scope!"
"Others wouldn’t take such a risk to invite you, you wouldn’t be able to star in a variety of films and with different production companies, limiting your career path."
Having listened intently, Nelly nodded, "I’ll talk to the company, maybe we can lower the fee a bit if that’s the case, say..."
"10,000?"
The broker didn’t answer immediately but asked, "Could you hint to me whose road you’re walking?"
A relatively unknown contracted trainee suddenly elevating and starting to pick scripts—it’s hard to believe there isn’t something going on.
This rapid ascent has advantages and disadvantages; if you meet someone not strong enough, it might not last for years.
But if you meet someone stable, your future career path might be easier to arrange.
To the broker, the difference is akin to the difference between a "ticket" and a "car."
A ticket allows Nelly to quickly rise to fame; as long as her strength is sufficient, she might remain at the top.
However, in that case, she has to work extra hard, especially in acting and networking.
A car can at least quickly carry her to a high enough level; as long as she’s not entirely useless, there’s always a place for her in showbiz.
Nelly hesitated but eventually told the broker.
From the day she entered the industry, she understood the significant role a broker plays in an artist’s life.
When the name "Lynch" left her lips, the broker inhaled sharply.
Her gaze on Nelly turned slightly strange; she didn’t find anything particularly attractive about Nelly that could have caught someone like Lynch’s eye.
She wasn’t as young as Penny anymore; reportedly, Penny met Lynch when she was only seventeen, and age is also significant to men.
And Nelly? She was already twenty-two, with no advantage at all.
