The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 144 Being plotted

Zhou Yanruo picked up the conversation, her tone revealing a hint of helplessness: "Indeed, the entertainment industry is all about profit, but then again, isn't that true everywhere? We can't lose our sense of propriety because of this. Since the script has to be changed, then we'll let our talent speak for itself and let the audience see that no matter how the script changes, Shang Yibo's acting skills remain consistent."

Shang Yibo glanced at Zhou Yanruo and teased, "You should clench your fists, raise them to your chest, and say these words with a beaming face. That would be even more inspiring."

Zhou Yanruo sensed the ill intent in Shang Yibo's words and wondered if she should bring up Fang Xichen's words at this moment.

Although Ding Jiajia was still indignant, she also felt that Zhou Yanruo's words made a lot of sense. What else could she do? Could she really just quit the performance? So, she nodded and agreed, saying, "Sister Yanruo is right. We can't let external interference affect Yibo's performance. In the days to come, we must work harder and let everyone see our strength."

Shang Yibo was silent for three seconds before speaking again, his voice growing deeper: "Why are you all joining in this commotion? Didn't you understand when I said to find a lawyer?"

Ding Jiajia's phone rang unexpectedly. She quickly glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Brother Can.

At that moment, Jie Can called. She hesitated whether to answer or not, whether to answer here or go outside to answer.

She held up her phone towards Shang Yibo, "It's Can-ge calling, should I answer?"

Shang Yibo said, "Receive."

Ding Jiajia pressed the answer button, and as soon as the call connected, she turned on speakerphone before speaking: "Hello, Brother Can."

Jie Can's voice came through the phone: "Jiajia, have you finished your filming this morning? Have you had lunch yet?"

This was the first time in two years that Ding Jiajia, as Shang Yibo's assistant, had received a call from Jie Can, whose voice was normal and polite.

Ding Jiajia pouted and replied, "Brother Can, we just finished filming and haven't eaten yet. Is there something you need?"

There was a pause on the phone for a second, then Jie Can asked again, "I heard Zhou Yanruo is going to visit the set today. I wonder if she's arrived yet? We should remind her to bring some pastries and coffee to the crew as a token of our appreciation. Zhou Yanruo is new to this industry; she's talented but not worldly enough, don't you think?"

Ding Jiajia pouted forcefully, her lips practically reaching the back of her head if her ears weren't blocking the view. "Whether Sister Yanruo is here or not, Xiaoguangzi should have already reported to you, right? Why is Brother Can still asking me? Besides, Sister Yanruo is the assistant to the chairman of Rushang Group. She's my boss. She's a senior executive in such a big group. Do you think it's my place to remind her?"

Zhang Xiaoguang was a male assistant specially arranged by Xie Can for Shang Yibo. He had been working for Xie Can for two or three years, and was both smart and hardworking. He was carefully selected to assist Shang Yibo. However, everyone knew that Zhang Xiaoguang was Xie Can's man.

Jie Can chuckled awkwardly twice and said, "That's right, that's right."

Ding Jiajia then asked, "Brother Can, are you looking for Sister Yanruo? We're together right now, can I let her answer the phone?"

Jie Can said awkwardly, "Huh? Ah, that works too."

Zhou Yanruo said, "President Xie, are you urgently looking for me to ask about the supplementary agreement?"

Jie Can changed the subject, saying, "President Zhou has already arrived in Zhuocheng. Looks like he got up very early. How's everything going on your end?"

Zhou Yanruo said, "Your call comes at a very opportune time. We are discussing this matter right now. Why don't you talk to Shang Yibo yourself? He happens to be sitting right across from me. Or should I give him the phone?"

A flustered voice came from the other end of the phone, "No, no need. It's more appropriate for President Zhou to talk. I'll hang up now."

He hung up the phone as soon as he finished speaking, looking like he was fleeing in panic.

Zhou Yanruo and Ding Jiajia exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud at the same time, momentarily forgetting that they had been so angry just a few minutes ago.

Shang Yibo said coldly, "Is it that funny that the two of you teamed up to make fun of Jie Can?"

Zhou Yanruo's smile vanished, and she said seriously, "Playing tricks on him? That's not funny at all. He's used to talking like a boss, but today he's become a lackey for the sake of a contract. That's what's funny."

Shang Yibo said, "Let's not talk about others. What are your thoughts? We've been talking for so long, and you still haven't shared your opinion."

The little incident of Jie Can calling actually calmed Shang Yibo down, and he began to seriously consider the matter at hand.

Zhou Yanruo said, "In my opinion, this supplementary agreement should still be signed."

Shang Yibo asked, "Why? Tell me your reasons."

Zhou Yanruo replied earnestly, "I carefully reviewed the revised script outline. From the perspective of the script itself, the revised character Ling Shaojing's growth arc wasn't cut, but rather reasonably streamlined. The original character development arc was too lengthy, making the plot less compact and dragging. In comparison, I prefer the revised version. By expanding the emotional arc, the protagonist appears more human, and the character's personality is more fleshed out, which effectively corrects any potential stereotypes of a positive character. As for the newly added character Ling Shaohuai, he adds even more highlights to the plot, making the entire emotional arc more fleshed out. This is the brilliance of screenwriter Lin; he not only met the investors' needs but also made the characters more vivid, and unexpectedly won investment for a sequel—truly a win-win-win situation."

Shang Yibo nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Ding Jiajia praised directly, "Sister Yanruo, you're really amazing. After what you said, I think the script should be changed. Anyway, the change would be a plus for Shang Yibo's character, Ling Shaojing. He'd have fewer scenes and wouldn't have to work so hard, and his salary would still be the same as before. Why not do it!"

Shang Yibo pondered to himself. He really liked the character Ling Shaojing and had poured a lot of effort into it, so it was a little hard to let go of him now. But since it didn't actually harm the character, he didn't care whether he had more or less screen time, and he wouldn't care about the order of billing between the main male lead and the dual male leads.

After a moment of contemplation, he murmured, "Since you've weighed the options so clearly, then do as you see fit."

Although the production team's questionable actions did not actually affect Shang Yibo's interests, it was thanks to screenwriter Lin's appreciation for her reputation that she skillfully balanced the investors' demands with the script's quality, thus safeguarding the bottom line of creative integrity.

Zhou Yanruo felt slightly ashamed because there was something she had thought about repeatedly but ultimately did not reveal to Shang Yibo—that was, Shang Yibo's outburst in anger, "Find a lawyer to terminate the contract."

The words "contract termination" are not to be taken lightly. Terminating the contract with the production company is tantamount to voluntarily resigning from the role. For Shang Yibo, whose acting career is on the rise, navigating the storm of public opinion unscathed is undoubtedly a major challenge. Furthermore, the huge breach of contract fees and potential compensation involved in the termination are a significant concern. While the Shang Group is financially strong and theoretically not a threat, the group is currently facing difficulties and struggling to cope; how could it easily bear this additional financial burden?