Tan Yi took a few steps toward the door and saw Xu Zifan shaking hands with the director. Both of them had smiles on their faces, especially the director. He had seen that expression many times before; it was the expression of someone who had struck gold.
How is that possible? He clearly interfered with Xu Zifan's resources, and Xu Zifan had no chance to hone his acting skills. How could he possibly outperform him and be praised by the director?
In an instant, Tan Yi thought of the Holy Emperor and immediately concluded that the Holy Emperor had done something to secure Xu Zifan's casting. The director simply wanted the Holy Emperor's investment; otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense.
Xu Zifan came out, and Tan Yi's eyes flickered. He smiled and said, "Zifan, when did your acting become so good? You actually managed to get Director Chen to decide on the spot."
Xu Zifan put on sunglasses and said calmly, "Then I should thank you. If you hadn't deliberately made me play a role that I couldn't handle at the time in order to smear me, I wouldn't be so persistent in my acting skills and have studied them for so long in private."
"If you hadn't gone even further, I wouldn't have signed with Saint Emperor to receive better acting training. Speaking of which, I owe my current acting skills entirely to you, my backstabber. Thanks."
He curled his lips in a mocking smile, then strode away with Liu Xiangdong. The actors who overheard their conversation gave Tan Yi strange looks, but Tan Yi was too devastated to care.
He completely believed Xu Zifan's words because in his previous life, Xu Zifan had gradually honed his acting skills through private practice. He only wanted to undermine Xu Zifan's confidence and force him to leave the entertainment industry, deliberately casting him in unsuitable roles. He never expected that this would actually ignite Xu Zifan's competitive spirit, prompting him to secretly hone his skills for so long!
He'd tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead, and now he wanted to beat up his past self. But no matter what, the role was set, and he couldn't possibly play a supporting role to Xu Zifan. So he simply took his manager and left, his mind filled with thoughts of going back to his company and asking if they could get the role back.
Xu Zifan and Liu Xiangdong returned to the company in the car. Liu Xiangdong looked at him and asked curiously, "Are you really so dedicated to acting because of that terrible drama? It takes real perseverance to study it to this extent."
Xu Zifan chuckled and shook his head. "I lied to him. He doesn't have that much power. I just love acting but haven't had the chance, so I've been studying hard and waiting for the best opportunity. Isn't there a saying that 'opportunity only favors the prepared mind'? I'm just recharging for my dream, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."
Liu Xiangdong looked surprised. "Why would you lie to him?"
"Make him suffer. He's too arrogant. He thinks he can control my development in the entertainment industry. My signing with Saint Emperor and breaking out of his control has already made him panic. If he also thinks that all my excellence is due to his pressure, do you think he'll be in so much pain?"
Looking at Xu Zifan, who was speaking casually beside him, Liu Xiangdong chuckled and gave him a thumbs up. "Psychological torture, you're really something. You were bullied in Lihua for so long, you were completely buried."
Xu Zifan propped his head up and looked out at the bustling traffic, smiling faintly, "It's not really that; I'm just lying low, waiting for the perfect opportunity to soar to new heights. Without everything I've done before, I wouldn't have gotten the Saint Emperor's S-level contract today, nor would I have such great resources. Every step I've taken has been towards my dream."
Liu Xiangdong's smile deepened. He was so lucky to have picked up such a promising and talented young man. He felt that he could easily win with Xu Zifan. He was truly a lucky star.
Xu Zifan passed the audition for a famous director on the spot, so auditioning for commercials and TV series was naturally no problem for him. With his popularity and the Emperor's attention, he easily secured several good resources.
Liu Xiangdong also arranged two variety shows for him. One was "Plastic Brothers," where six male celebrities were the MCs. Each episode, they would go to a different place to do tasks and challenges arranged by the production team. They would play a lot of fun games and competitions all day long. The three winners would enjoy delicious food, while the three losers would not get any food. At night, the losers would also be punished by having to stay outdoors.
To make the show more entertaining, the six members will have various hilarious moments and will form and break up alliances at any time, showcasing their fake brotherhood and endless fun.
This is a new variety show, adapted from a show produced after purchasing the rights from H country. It's a national variety show in H country, so there's no need to worry too much about the ratings. The production team is excellent, and the other MCs include two well-known actors, one well-known singer, and two young heartthrobs.
In other words, the MC is a combination of three middle-aged people and three young people. They are a perfect match in terms of popularity and looks, which will definitely attract fans. Moreover, the fan base can range from a few years old to sixty or seventy years old. Liu Xiangdong plans to use this variety show to increase Xu Zifan's popularity among the public.
There's another variety show adapted from a popular Korean show called "Escape Room". It also features six men as MCs. At the beginning of each episode, they are blindfolded and sent to an unknown place to be locked up. Then they have to search for clues in the escape room, open door after door, unlock one escape room after another, and finally escape.
Liu Xiangdong remembered that President Feng said Xu Zifan had a great sense of variety. In a show like this, if you have a strong sense of variety, you are more likely to be liked. Moreover, Xu Zifan is very intelligent and may even become the intellectual representative. He is also meticulous and should have an advantage in finding clues.
This kind of brain-teasing variety show is very popular among young people. It features challenges such as solving puzzles, finding patterns, and solving riddles, highlighting Xu Zifan's abilities. This is how Liu Xiangdong is solidifying Xu Zifan's fanbase. Who wouldn't like a high-achieving idol with high emotional and intellectual intelligence?
After signing all these contracts, Xu Zifan's schedule was suddenly packed. All company courses and physical training were canceled, and he was so busy with work every day that he didn't have much time left.
When Feng Xuanqi saw the variety show Liu Xiangdong had chosen, her first thought was, "Plastic Brothers is going to go to another city, and they'll be there once a week, taking a whole day and night to come back. What will she eat?!"
However, the variety show was indeed very good. She pursed her lips and said nothing, but even praised Liu Xiangdong a few times.
Xu Zifan's first project was the first episode of "Plastic Brothers". He called Feng Xuanqi before leaving in the morning.
"Mr. Feng, I'm away on a business trip today and probably won't be back until tomorrow afternoon. I've been thinking about it and I feel that I need to be consistent in what I do and not work on it half-heartedly. I've neglected cooking, so I've prepared some dishes that keep well. Would you like me to bring them to you now?"
Feng Xuanqi was taken aback for a moment, then immediately agreed, "My place isn't far from yours, so just come over. Do you have a lot of stuff?"
Xu Zifan suppressed a laugh and said, "There's plenty. If President Feng doesn't mind the leftovers, it'll be enough to last until tomorrow."
Feng Xuanqi raised the corners of her mouth and said, "You're working too hard. Actually, not doing it for a day or two won't have any impact, but I really admire your perseverance in doing things. That's great, and I support you in continuing."
"Thank you, Mr. Feng. I'll call you when I get to your house."
Xu Zifan hung up the phone, shook his head and chuckled, then carried the ten packed insulated lunchboxes to his car and drove to Feng Xuanqi's house. There were so many that Feng Xuanqi obviously couldn't carry them all, so he entered Feng Xuanqi's house without any problem.
She used to live in a villa with her parents and some servants. After her parents passed away, and she became busy with company matters, she moved to a 170-square-meter upscale residence near her company.
The house has two floors. The first floor has a large living room, bedroom, dining room, study, kitchen and bathroom, while the second floor has a gym and a large terrace with wooden floors.
Living alone is a little empty, but Feng Xuanqi is used to big villas, so living in such a large house is just right.
Her apartment felt completely different from her office; it was very warm, with pink carpets and cushions, and two large plush toys on the sofa—very girly.
Feng Xuanqi felt a little awkward when she saw Xu Zifan's gaze sweep over the sofa, and hurriedly called Xu Zifan to the kitchen to put things away. Then Xu Zifan saw that the kitchen tableware was all pink, and the refrigerator was also pink, and couldn't help but laugh.
"Does Mr. Feng like pink?"
Feng Xuanqi calmly replied, "No, my assistant got everything set up before I moved in, and I'm using it right now."
Xu Zifan put the lunchbox down and looked at her with a smile, "Oh, I was just saying that it's quite cute for girls to like pink. President Feng is much warmer in private than when he's in the office."
Feng Xuanqi was taken aback. "You mean I'm cold and aloof when I'm working?"
"Being cold and aloof is a good thing. There are so many people in the company, and you're so young. Being a bit tough makes it easier to manage. I see that the company is doing very well now." Xu Zifan smiled and opened the breakfast for her, pouring it into a pink plate. "Once the company is more stable, President Feng can smile more and reward the employees more often. I think everyone is looking forward to receiving your praise."
This was the first time someone had talked to Feng Xuanqi about these things. It was originally her idea, but she had been wearing a cold face at the company for so long that she had gotten used to it. Only when she returned home could she relax and not wear a mask. Today, when Xu Zifan saw her favorite pink color and said these words, it was as if he had suddenly barged into her life and seen a different side of her. She was a little at a loss and didn't know how to respond.
Xu Zifan knew when to stop. After setting out the breakfast, he checked his watch and said he was leaving. "President Feng, please remember to try it if you have time. I'm off."
"Okay, take care on your way." Feng Xuanqi said a caring word naturally. After seeing him off, she thought about it. It seemed like this was what Xu Zifan would say to her every time they finished dinner together and she had to go out for a social event. She had heard it so many times that she blurted it out when she saw Xu Zifan about to leave.
Are they no longer in a superior-subordinate relationship but have become friends?
Feng Xuanqi ate a few bites of breakfast, then unconsciously looked up at the person opposite her, and realized that Xu Zifan wasn't eating with her. They had been eating all three meals together lately, and suddenly not being able to see him felt... strange.
Feng Xuanqi shook her head, quickly finished her breakfast, took her lunch with her to work, and stopped thinking about these things.
Xu Zifan arrived at the meeting place, and the six of them were all gathered in less than ten minutes before heading to the suburbs to film the first episode. Xu Zifan demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, interacting with everyone in a short time without being deliberate or obvious, giving people a very comfortable feeling, enlivening the team atmosphere, and making everyone feel close amidst laughter and joy.
Seeing this, the director of "Plastic Brothers" suddenly understood why Xu Zifan and Li Hua had such a bad relationship, yet the director of "Survival on a Desert Island" still insisted on using Xu Zifan as the main MC. He was truly a gem!