"Rebirth comes with a cheat too?"
Zhang Yang was delighted.
This is the right way to make it in the entertainment industry.
It was 2011. He still had more than two years left on his ten-year contract with Tangren, which would expire in early 2014.
2014 was a special year. Smartphones began to spread on a massive scale, and internet giants entered the entertainment industry, sending actors' pay skyrocketing. The era of celebrity traffic began, the Returnees Quartet set off a tidal wave of fan traffic, and the broadcast of Swords of Legends gave birth to a Traffic Pioneer.
Before the government introduced the Salary Cap Order, starting in 2014, even a minor star in the third or fourth tier could earn more per role than today's top stars. People even started using phrases like "one Shuang" and "several small goals a year" as units of measurement.
If he could become a top-tier star over the next three years, he'd be able to earn more in no time than he'd made in the entire previous decade.
So making money wasn't his top priority anymore. Becoming famous was.
Of course, he also had to find a way to get out of his contract as soon as possible and regain his freedom.
He'd been wondering how to use Tangren's resources to become famous and secure a release from his contract. Then the cheat had appeared.
"Let's see."
With a thought, Zhang Yang opened the Jade Tome in his mind.
The first page displayed a line of large characters: Spend Character Points to foresee entertainment-related opportunities within the next 24 hours. Seize an opportunity to earn Opportunity Points.
In the lower-right corner of the Jade Tome, Zhang Yang saw the number of Character Points he could currently use: 10 (Wang Xiaohu, Yang Yanhui, Yin Zhiping, He Biping).
How to obtain Character Points: Play a character with a certain degree of fortune in a film or television production, and gain a certain level of recognition after it airs. Earn one to three points.
"Hm?"
"That's a pretty high bar."
Zhang Yang mused to himself.
As he understood it, a character with fortune had to be at least a supporting role, with a name, a background, and enough presence in the story to be memorable.
In terms of efficiency, playing a supporting role with fewer scenes seemed like a better way to accumulate Character Points than taking a lead role with more screen time. But in reality, that wasn't the case.
If you played a supporting role, it meant you weren't famous enough to have any say on set. You had to follow the production team's schedule, and because filming was often so spread out, you might have to stay with the crew from the first day of shooting until the wrap.
As for becoming famous and then taking supporting roles, that was just throwing money away—a fool's move in the eyes of investors, and a waste of your commercial value.
By contrast, playing the lead well and earning recognition from more people could bring you success and three Character Points. That was the most cost-effective choice.
"I wonder how it gives out opportunities."
A thought flashed through Zhang Yang's mind, and he decided to give it a try.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed Jiang Jinfu.
Like Zhang Yang, Jiang Jinfu was a 2009 acting student at Shanghai Theatre Academy and his roommate.
Zhang Yang was the oldest, so the other three called him "Brother Yang."
There were two others in the dorm. Zhang Bohan was the second oldest, and Zhang Zhe was the third.
With three guys named Zhang in one dorm, their classmates often joked that they shouldn't pick on the youngest, Jiang Jinfu. But in reality, Jiang was the one who never let anyone get the better of him, and he had a short fuse.
That afternoon, Jiang Jinfu had gotten worked up during a basketball game and put too much force into a shot. After someone slapped his hand, the ball flew off and hit Zhang Yang in the head.
"Hello." Zhang Yang answered.
"Brother Yang, are you feeling better?" Jiang Jinfu asked, his concern clear in his voice.
Rubbing his head, Zhang Yang laughed. "Fuzi, I think I've got a concussion. Ten rounds of barbecue should do the trick."
Jiang Jinfu immediately understood that Zhang Yang was fine and gave a sheepish laugh. "Brother Yang, you're asking for the moon. How bad could it be, getting hit by a ball that flew all the way over here?"
Before Zhang Yang could respond, the two "Zhangs" beside Jiang Jinfu, who had been eavesdropping, objected first. They insisted the hit had been pretty hard.
Whether they were sticking up for Zhang Yang or hoping to use the opportunity to get Jiang Jinfu to buy them late-night snacks, only they knew.
Jiang Jinfu argued with them for a bit, then finally gave in. "Ten rounds is out of the question, but I've got good news to share tonight. I can treat you guys to one round."
Zhang Bohan and Zhang Zhe immediately protested that one round wasn't enough, but Zhang Yang said, "Deal. Your Brother Jinfu is paying for tonight's late-night snacks."
Brother Jinfu?
For some reason, Jiang Jinfu found the nickname a little grating.
Was it because Zhang Yang was the one calling him that?
"Let's get something to eat first."
He tucked the blanket around Zhao Ji.
Since they were going out for late-night snacks in a bit, Zhang Yang didn't rush to test the opportunity system.
Half an hour later, the four of them sat in a barbecue restaurant, clinking glasses and drinking.
After a few drinks, Jiang Jinfu's face was a little flushed. He spoke up first. "I signed with an entertainment company."
All three turned to look at him. Everyone except Zhang Yang wanted to know which company he'd signed with.
"Same as Brother Yang. Tangren." Jiang Jinfu raised his glass to Zhang Yang. "From now on, you're my senior. You've gotta look out for me."
"What can I do for you?" Zhang Yang wasn't about to fall for that. He smiled and clinked glasses with Jiang Jinfu. "Senior Hu Ge, Senior Lin Gengxin, and Senior Yuan Hong are all at Tangren. You should ask them."
Since Jiang Jinfu had signed with Tangren, Cai Yinong must have promised him the male lead in Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven and put that condition in his contract.
If Zhang Yang promised to look after him now, he'd only end up getting slapped in the face later.
"I'm still a rookie. There's a lot I don't know." Jiang Jinfu downed his drink. "Honestly, I'm under a lot of pressure. When Sister K signed me, she promised I'd be the male lead in a drama. Liu Shishi will play the female lead, Tang Yan the second female lead, and Gulinazha—the most beautiful acting-school applicant from the Beijing Film Academy, who was all the rage earlier this year—the third female lead."
Hiss!
Zhang Bohan and Zhang Zhe were stunned.
Liu Shishi, Tang Yan, and Yang Mi were known as the Paladin Trio.
Earlier that year, Yang Mi and Tang Yan had both become top-tier stars thanks to Scarlet Heart and Xuan Yuan Sword: Scar of Heaven.
Liu Shishi was a little less famous, but she was still one of the biggest names among second-tier stars. Her unreleased drama, Scarlet Heart, was said to have hit potential. It might even make her a top-tier star once it aired, while the drama starring Jiang Jinfu probably wouldn't even have finished filming by then.
When his drama aired, it would feature two top-tier actresses. He had every chance of becoming an overnight sensation, just like Hu Ge when he starred in Chinese Paladin 1.
At that thought, Zhang Bohan and Zhang Zhe looked at Jiang Jinfu differently. They showered him with compliments.
In other words: If you strike it rich, don't forget us.
They even competed to pay for the late-night snacks.
But Zhang Yang merely watched with composure, as if he didn't care at all.
That wasn't the reaction Jiang Jinfu had expected. He changed tack. "Brother Yang, when I signed, I mentioned to Sister K that you should play the second male lead. We know each other well, and the instructors all agree you're a good actor. You could even give me some pointers. We could be in it together, brothers and all."
"But Sister K said Senior Hu Ge would play the second male lead. I don't have any say in it."
"I'm doing my best to get you the third male lead, Zhang Lie."
At that, Zhang Bohan and Zhang Zhe looked at Zhang Yang with envy, even a little jealousy.
Zhang Yang was widely considered the most handsome guy at Shanghai Theatre Academy. He'd even made it onto the all-time campus heartthrob list at number ten; the nine above him were all famous actors.
On top of that, Zhang Yang had Tangren backing him, the instructors approved of his acting, and he was the Student Union vice president. He was a bona fide campus celebrity.
They could understand why Jiang Jinfu wanted to help Zhang Yang, but what shocked them more was that Hu Ge would play the second male lead and take a supporting role to Jiang Jinfu.
Was Jiang Jinfu Cai Yinong's illegitimate son or something?
"Fuzi, that's thoughtful of you." Zhang Yang raised his glass again.
Seeing Zhang Yang act like that, Jiang Jinfu felt a little frustrated.
He and Zhang Yang had never had any beef. He just couldn't stand being outshone by him in everything and wanted to win once!
So how was Zhang Yang still this calm?
Meanwhile, Zhang Yang was already weighing things up.
Jinfu absolutely has to play the male lead.
How do I become the second male lead?
I'll have to find a way to get more scenes.
Dear readers, the protagonist of this book isn't selfish, but he won't go out of his way to give things away.
If anything makes you think he's "fawning," there'll definitely be a twist or an explanation later.
Thanks for supporting the book. It starts slowly, but it'll absolutely be worth it.
Before you continue