Actresses

Chapter 2 Change of Fortune

"The weather is really nice today!" Shi Jiahe said with a beaming smile. "It's just... a bit congested."

"It's alright, let's chat slowly, there's no rush." ​​The woman sitting opposite me had a perfectly timed smile, a model of politeness.

The other person had already figured out what she was going to say, but He Yuran hadn't replied to her WeChat message saying where she was yet, so Shi Jiahe could only keep trying to find topics to talk about. "Maybe it's because the weather's warmer, our Ran-jie has been sleeping really badly lately. She wakes up more than ten times a night, and I feel really sorry for her when I find out."

"It seems like you have to manage every aspect of an artist's life, just like a mother taking care of a child. It's exhausting."

"Absolutely..." Shi Jiahe's heart warmed at his words. The master was so empathetic; just a few words touched her deeply and brought tears to her eyes. Before He Yuran arrived, Shi Jiahe decided to be frank. She glanced around and lowered her voice. "Teacher Ye, not a single word I said to you on the phone was polite. Sister Ran is a top actress; even if she doesn't act for the rest of her life, she won't have to worry about money. But I can't! I'm really about to lose my job. You absolutely have to help me!"

Seeing the genuine anxiety on Shi Jiahe's face, the woman known as Master Ye nodded and said unhurriedly, "But her condition is unlikely to improve in the short term. Can't you sign a few other artists to tide her over?"

"Our studio is solely owned by Ran Jie, and it only employs a few people. She doesn't want to expand, and she has never considered signing other artists. As for myself, it's not appropriate for me to go out and take on agency collaborations. If Ran Jie finds out, given her temperament, she'll think I've betrayed her."

"Oh, that's a bit tricky." Master Ye nodded. "Understood, let me think about how to say it later."

Shi Jiahe's gratitude was palpable. "Thank you so much, Teacher Ye! I'll have to treat you to a meal later!"

"Don't mention it. It was nothing."

As they were talking, footsteps echoed from outside into the restaurant, and someone burst in with a gust of wind. Shi Jiahe instinctively stopped talking and turned around. When she saw the person, she felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders and quickly stood up to wave, "This, this!"

Today, He Yuran perfectly blends the casualness and deliberate style of a celebrity's street style. Sunglasses covering half her face, a scarf with an ambiguous knot—but whatever, it's undeniably elegant. Her long, wavy hair exudes vibrant energy. Her all-black ensemble is incredibly sophisticated; the brand and tailoring are both exceptional.

"I'm late, sorry!" It has to be said that He Yuran's voice is indeed pleasant and outstanding, no wonder she never needs to use dubbing when filming.

But there was no hint of embarrassment in his tone.

Master Ye nodded and smiled. "It's nothing, we were just chatting."

He Yuran sat down, took off his sunglasses, revealing a bright and cheerful smile like a magazine cover, yet he softly leaned against Shi Jiahe, the stark contrast captivating. "Jiahe, hurry! Introduce me!"

Shi Jiahe coughed lightly, composed herself, then extended her palm and respectfully pointed to Master Ye opposite her. "Ye Hongwei, Hongwei of macroeconomics, is an entertainment economics scholar. He is extremely low-key and does not accept interviews or public exposure. He currently serves as a private consultant for several top-tier celebrities."

The term "consultant" is simply a new way of referring to a master.

Sure enough, this string of titles and descriptions stunned even the well-informed He Yuran. The word "scholar," in particular, was a complete blow to He Yuran, who had never liked studying.

He Yuran's expression shifted from relaxed to admiring. "Ah! Professor Ye, then I'll have to trouble you to give me some pointers today. Please order first!"

Shi Jiahe was filled with questions. Professor? How did Master Ye become a professor? But after a couple of seconds of surprise, she realized what he meant.

Although He Yuran can be quite capricious behind closed doors, once she steps out of the house, every single hair on her head exudes the aura of a superstar, and her speech and behavior are unmatched by ordinary people. He Yuran once said that giving others face is giving yourself face, so she's probably just spouting official jargon to elevate Ye Hongwei's status.

To put it bluntly, it's not something to take seriously.

He Yuran was currently putting in the same effort as dealing with those veteran directors, smiling and nodding at every word Ye Hongwei spoke. However, Master Ye could sense this forced politeness, and soon the atmosphere grew cold; Master Ye spoke less and less. It seemed the meal was about to end. Shi Jiahe was frantic, wanting to salvage the situation, but didn't know where to begin.

At this moment, He Yuran said with a smile, "I'm going to the restroom!"

She then picked up her sunglasses and stood up gracefully.

Shi Jiahe forced a bitter smile at Master Ye and hurriedly followed.

When He Yuran reached the restroom door, Shi Jiahe disregarded everything else and grabbed his arm. "Let's chat for a bit!"

He Yuran didn't even turn his head. "I need to pee."

"..." Shi Jiahe let go and waited outside, fidgeting with her hands. When He Yuran came out, she ignored the people coming and going and went up to her, saying, "My sister, we invited her out, we can't treat her like this."

"No! What do you mean 'we'? You invited us." He Yuran turned around after washing her hands. Her face was covered by sunglasses, so her expression couldn't be seen, but her tone was cold.

Shi Jiahe felt a chill in her heart.

This is dissatisfaction; they're putting on a bad face. I wasn't the one who was most anxious, the one who agreed to meet the master but is now hiding at home crying and wailing!

Shi Jiahe frowned, forcibly suppressing the thought of resigning once again. She convinced herself for the ten thousandth time.

Forget it, isn't that what managers do? They coax artists to work at home and take the blame for them outside. When things were good and money was plentiful, these daily conflicts could be smoothed over by money. But now there's no work, and the two of them are just staring at each other every day. He Yuran has plenty of time and reasons to get angry. Each issue isn't actually a big deal, but without external conflicts to distract her, the subtle friction she suffers from him becomes increasingly glaringly obvious every day.

Like a grain of sand in your shoe, the longer you walk, the more exhausted you become. When you finally collapse, you might even forget that it all started with just a grain of sand.

But leaving He Yuran now isn't the right time. The next step must be glamorous and unexpected. At the very least, He Yuran needs to feel that failing to keep her was a huge mistake.

For now, we should continue to appease this demanding older sister.

"Okay, okay, I suggested it, so you need to explain to me why you're suddenly unhappy?"

He Yuran crossed his arms and rattled off a list of actresses' names. "You, Teacher Ye, just mentioned other actresses. Go work with them, okay? What are you doing here to see me?"

Shi Jiahe suddenly realized, oh, so Sister Ran was just jealous.

To be fair, He Yuran isn't a particularly scheming person; she usually expresses her emotions directly, a point Shi Jiahe largely agrees with. However, He Yuran's Achilles' heel is that she minds when collaborators mention other actresses in front of her. Especially when she falls from grace while other actresses rise to prominence, this stark contrast in circumstances causes her immense inner turmoil.

"Teacher Ye was just checking what everyone else was doing."

He Yuran raised an eyebrow. "Is it something we can learn from, or what? Can they compare to me?"

"I'll just say hi to her and then I'll leave. You guys chat." He Yuran adjusted his sunglasses, his tone becoming cheerful again. "Come find me when you're done. I want to go shopping for a bit."

Shi Jiahe suppressed her soaring blood pressure and said firmly, "No. You absolutely cannot leave early today!"

He Yuran crossed his arms and looked at Shi Jiahe without saying a word.

Shi Jiahe deflated. "...At least stay for another half hour."

They haggled very humbly.

He Yuran said calmly, "Alright. But you can do the main chat from now on; I can't go through all that trouble."

Shi Jiahe had no choice but to nod.

The two returned to the table one after the other. He Yuran took off his sunglasses, switched to a very formal expression, and started scrolling through his phone without even looking up.

Shi Jiahe felt a tightness in her chest, but as the organizer, she still had to try her best to smooth things over.

"Teacher Ye, people in the industry have been talking a lot these past two years about the rise of the Nine Purple Fire Maiden. Do you think our Sister Ran will naturally improve as long as she waits for her chance, right?"

"Astrology is just a general term; every person, every event, and every destiny is unique, and nothing is absolute. Of course, this also represents a rather optimistic view for us practitioners," Master Ye said with a smile.

Shi Jiahe smiled, "Yes, we should go with the flow and definitely create momentum for ourselves."

"Fire represents brightness, so wearing bright colors associated with fire can bring good luck," Master Ye said casually.

Shi Jiahe inwardly grimaced. Who wanted to hear that? Let's get straight to the point. "You've had a lot of contact with young creators in the industry. Are there any directors you'd recommend we collaborate with? Also, what types of roles do young people like to see these days? We'll try to work in those areas."

"If the Day Master is weak and the Eating God and Hurting Officer stars are strong, then a female-centric drama is the best option. A female-centric drama emphasizes delicate emotions, and the strong Eating God and Hurting Officer stars provide delicate emotional portrayals, while the strong stars act as a counterbalance, allowing them to complement each other."

Shi Jiahe asked in confusion, "Checks and balances?"

"Yes, checks and balances are also a form of balance. Yu Ran should no longer shoulder the burden of projects alone."

Are you referring to the play or the movie?

"Yes, all of them."

He Yuran, who was next to her, suddenly put down her phone. "Are you saying I should play supporting roles for other actresses? Oh, is it a mistake that I'm too outstanding? Do I need someone to keep me in check?"

"Being overly attached to one's own self is like creating obstacles in a small world. If one's energy channels are blocked, how can one integrate with the energy field of the Nine Purple Fire and make one's own fortune flow smoothly?" Master Ye said unhurriedly.

Shi Jiahe knew, to put it bluntly, that she was telling He Yuran not to care about things like billing order and screen time anymore.

But it's easier said than done!

Before Shi Jiahe could speak, He Yuran gave a cold laugh. "Master Ye, you may be looking at this from a higher perspective, but I'm right here in the thick of it. The competition among us actresses is fiercer than you know, and more intense than outsiders imagine. How could I not care about this? If I don't care now, I won't care later."

Master Ye smiled. "Yu Ran, actually, an actress's rival is never another actress."

He Yuran visibly burst out laughing, then realized her slip and tried to control herself. "If we're not competitors, then what are we?"

"Those who share the same voice respond to each other, and those who share the same spirit seek each other out." Master Ye remained calm.

"Master Ye, Master!" He Yuran gestured for a stop. "I'm uneducated, could you please stop using four-word phrases all the time? I can't understand you."

Shi Jiahe was sweating profusely, but Master Ye agreed, "Okay."

"Thank you," He Yuran said.

"Yu Ran, think about it carefully. Aren't there more male actors of similar status to you than female actors?" Master Ye asked.

Everyone paused for a few seconds, silently going through names in their minds.

"Hmm," He Yuran replied listlessly.

"Are they short of acting opportunities?"

It was deathly silent again.

"...Not lacking."

"Continuing from where we left off, do you always think that male actors' competitors are male actors, and female actors' competitors are female actors?"

"yes?"

"Yu Ran, given your position in the industry, you don't have to follow this set of rules that everyone takes for granted."

He Yuran sighed heavily. "Master, I usually like to hear nice things, but I still have some reservations about how my career has fared these past few years."

Ye Hongwei didn't respond to her question, but instead rattled off the names of four or five middle-aged male actors.

He Yuran blinked, turned her face to meet Shi Jiahe's gaze, and Shi Jiahe read from her eyes: Why did the master not mention female artists, but male artists instead?

"These actors have many representative works, and many projects have also flopped. But that doesn't stop them from always having roles to play."

"Now that you mention it, it seems to be true." While He Yuran was still in a daze, Shi Jiahe quickly chimed in.

"Don't you realize where the problem lies? It's not that you're really that bad, nor that they're that good, but rather that in the operating mechanism of the film and television industry, male stories and male characters make up the majority, and similarly, male actors have far more opportunities."

He Yuran remained silent.

"The essence of this industry is unequal distribution, but the entire industry chain is creating a misconception that actresses are rivals and have to steal resources from each other. In reality, your current predicament is also an illusion, and other actresses will face the same difficulties you are facing. What you should do is step back and re-examine everything."

He Yuran seemed to have been paused, but upon hearing this, she finally let out a long sigh. "Even if you put it that way, I still don't quite understand what I can do."

Master Ye said with certainty.

"Stop waiting for others to give you opportunities. The key to your change of fortune is in your own hands. Take the lead and make your own show."