Ling Qianhe leaned close to her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
"Give me a child, my darling."
His voice was too low for the audience to hear, only able to witness him whispering into Lin Muci's ear.
The audience was about to be driven mad by him.
They were dying of curiosity about what he was saying.
Because although they couldn't hear his words, they could clearly see Lin Muci's cheeks flush a deep red in an instant!
The live broadcast lasted about thirty minutes before Ling Qianhe himself turned it off. He looked at the sofa behind him, then at Lin Muci, a smile curving his lips.
His gaze fell upon her, heavy and deep.
"Did you think I'd let you go?"
Lin Muci's eyes widened.
"The agent will be here soon, and we still have promotional events to attend..."
Ling Qianhe said.
"Make her wait a while longer."
Lin Muci took a deep breath.
She already knew what was going to happen—resistance seemed futile, like a waste of effort against this man.
Yet, Lin Muci still wanted to struggle a little. She raised her head to look at Ling Qianhe, her voice suddenly filled with annoyance.
"Then why don't you—why don't you hurry up?"
Ling Qianhe chuckled instead.
"You're so enticing."
"I can't rush this."
...
The agent, Ye Tongtong, waited downstairs for quite some time before Ling Qianhe finally carried Lin Muci down.
This was also a first for her; Lin Muci being unable to come down for work for such a long time.
Ling Qianhe looked at her and nodded politely.
He was an actor, after all.
A global top star.
Yet, in front of a novice agent like her, he was so courteous. Ye Tongtong heard Ling Qianhe speak.
"Please take good care of Xiao Ci."
Ye Tongtong felt a bit nervous.
"She's my artist, of course I'll take care of her... You should be heading off for promotions."
"My Rise to the Top in the Scum-Abusing World" had unexpectedly exploded in popularity, causing a significant surge in resources being sent to Ye Tongtong. Her workload had also become immense. She wasn't Lin Muci's personal agent to begin with, but the agent for the entire girl group, "Era Girls."
She had been working late into the nights recently, her eyes bearing dark circles like a panda's.
She sat in the front seat of the car, flipping through an Excel document in her hands while explaining to Lin Muci.
"Xiao Ci, the domestic film industry wasn't sure about the success of your movie initially. After all, this was your first leading role as a newcomer, and if it flopped, the impact would have been huge."
"But now, the movie is on the verge of a massive breakthrough."
"So, many top-tier resources have come my way."
This was as expected.
The entertainment industry was notoriously hierarchical, favoring those with higher status.
With Lin Muci's movie being a phenomenal hit, the resources she was now receiving were all top-tier.
"Huo Ziyao's career has cooled down, so a significant amount of film resources has opened up. In the past, top art-house films in China were always offered to the 'Five Great Actresses' first."
Lin Muci had heard about this unwritten rule before.
For instance, Hanks had mentioned it to her.
Hollywood scripts were first sent to him. Only if he disliked them and rejected them would these scripts be offered to other stars.
That is, he was always the first choice for major productions.
His immense fame and top-notch acting skills were his foundation.
Now, Lin Muci also had the power to choose scripts.
Ye Tongtong continued.
"After 'Scum-Abusing World' became a massive hit, there have been dozens of scripts and invitations sent my way. I've filtered through them. I know you'll be filming Wu Minlong's new project next, so you probably won't have much free time. And your current status is likely to skyrocket, making it difficult for smaller films and TV shows to afford you."
"After screening, there are a few projects left. Take a look for yourself."
Ye Tongtong handed her phone to her.
Lin Muci lowered her head, seizing every moment in the car to review them.
Her time was incredibly tight now.
She had to make the most of every second.
"'Iron Tower.'"
This was a war film. Lin Muci glanced at it. The female lead's role wasn't extensive, and the plot was set on an international battlefield. She was to play a female doctor in a peacekeeping force. The plot was good, and the production team was reliable.
She continued scrolling down.
"'Investiture of the Gods'!"
This film had a grand production team.
"This is an adaptation of 'Investiture of the Gods.' She could choose the role of Nuwa's descendant."
Lin Muci continued to scroll down.
"'Yangchun Well.'"
"This is an art-house film, depicting the protagonist's arduous yet warm life in a small town. If acted well, it could be an award contender."
In fact, the scripts that were selected, along with their production teams, wouldn't be too shabby.
After all, Lin Muci was now a rising star in the film industry.
Her film, produced by He Yunru, had become a massive hit, establishing her as a brand-new dazzling star overseas. Therefore—Lin Muci now only needed to choose films that interested her.
Her agent also intended to give her the choice.
"Let's see more."
"I still need to film Brother Long's movie first."
In Wu Minlong's film, strictly speaking, she wasn't the main protagonist. That movie was part of a series, with an ensemble cast. Her role in the first installment wasn't the most crucial—but the more it was an ensemble, the more it tested the production's skill.
As long as each character could stand on their own.
Undoubtedly, this would be a masterpiece that would truly endure for twenty years.
If she could hold her own, the series would be stable.
An original Eastern interstellar epic.
Just thinking about it sent shivers of excitement down her spine.
Ye Tongtong didn't rush her. Xiao Ci now had two consecutive blockbuster works to her name, so her next choice was crucial. The entertainment industry was like this: either soar to the heavens.
Or plummet to the depths.
With so many newcomers each year, those who could maintain their momentum, have one hit after another, produce top-tier masterpieces annually, and ascend to god-like status.
Seemed truly rare.
To become a world-class superstar like Ling Qianhe, with five consecutive hit albums.
And three consecutive hit films.
It seemed incredibly uncommon.
Thinking about it, being cautious was indeed better.
Lin Muci looked at the scripts again, and she asked the system in her mind.
"Which of these scripts has the highest star rating?"
"Are there any nine-star scripts?"
The system gasped, clearly shocked by Lin Muci's words.
"Nine-star scripts? What do you think nine-star scripts are, madam? Cabbages in the field? How could there be any nine-star scripts? Impossible—they are truly rare, and perhaps not even one is produced globally in a year."
"The highest here is only seven stars... which means it could rank within the top ten annual box office in the country."
"Guess which one it is?"
It was even playing coy with Lin Muci.
Lin Muci thought for a moment.
"'Iron Tower'?"
"'Investiture of the Gods' feels like it's been heavily altered. Does the original script have the role of Nuwa's descendant that I'm playing? Isn't Daji the most famous character in Investiture of the Gods? I think this movie might have a bad reputation, it's quite risky."
"'Yangchun Well,' if filmed well, should be good, but as an art-house film, the box office might not be great."
"'Iron Tower' is a war film with a stable audience; it's a type that guarantees returns regardless of weather."
"Moreover, if the production team is reliable and it's not a bad film, then the box office won't be too bad."
"Of course, I personally think the performance in 'Yangchun Well' is the most challenging. The protagonist's age span seems very wide, and with my current experience and qualifications, I doubt I could interpret it well. I think this movie would be suitable for Zhao Lan."
The system admired her ability to analyze calmly.
"Yes. Host, you are correct."
"The best is indeed 'Iron Tower.' However, for you, this movie is merely adding icing to the cake; it's not a must-do."
"'My Rise to the Top in the Scum-Abusing World' is a nine-star movie, and Wu Minlong's 'Starry Sky' series is eight stars."
"Therefore, your next film can only be better, not worse."
"The uphill climb is difficult, but you need to persevere."
Lin Muci understood this principle.
Until she encountered a more compelling film, she intended to continue maximizing her idol career.
"The 'Era Girls' are approaching their one-year anniversary. I want to give them the most perfect work."
"And the most unforgettable stage."
She conversed with the system as the car stopped in front of a cinema, where crowds of people were gathered.
All of them were holding banners with her name, and the audience was enthusiastically chanting her and Ling Qianhe's names!
"Xiao Ci! We love you!"
"Xiao Ci—"
The audience desperately shouted her name.
She looked at their incredibly excited faces, as if imprinting each one deep within her heart.
With her popularity reaching forty percent—she had become a top-tier star, and her face was likely recognizable in many parts of the world.
Fans were even moved to tears upon seeing her.
"Your movie was amazing!"
"It's legendary! Your character was so fierce—"
Compared to her heroic and valiant presence on screen and stage, off-stage, she was sweet and cute, giving off a strong contrast that was incredibly endearing. She smiled and thanked her fans, while the fan photographers eagerly captured her. She spoke.
"Thank you all for your support."
"I hope the movie brings everyone into a brand-new world."
"I hope—everyone can draw strength from the film and my performance."
"If it can make you feel happy."
"Then I am already very happy!"
The fans were close to tears.
How could Xiao Ci be so devoted to her fans?
However, some fans were earnestly advising her.
"Xiao Ci, please get more rest! Even though you're focusing on your career, you can rest more. Your schedule must be packed; it's practically a death schedule. Although we're happy to see you, we're truly worried about your health,呜呜呜."
"Yes!"
"Brother Qianhe will also be heartbroken."
Even though she was accustomed to it.
Hearing her fans mention Ling Qianhe still made her cheeks flush.
"I will rest."
"Everyone, please go watch the movie."
The fans' eyes were teary.
"Of course! Xiao Ci, when will you give us some wedding candy呜呜呜!"
Is asking for wedding candy too much to ask?
When will Xiao Ci fulfill her fans' humble wish!