novellhall Chapter 52 The Sugar Figurine in the Storm
Chapter 52 The Sugar Figurine in the Storm
If we're talking about which company in the entertainment industry has had the most exciting time in the past six months, it has to be Sugarman.
Since the end of October last year, everyone at Sugarman, from artists to employees, has felt like they're on a rollercoaster, with good news and bad news coming one after another. People with heart problems simply can't handle it.
When "Scarlet Heart" aired in September, it became an instant hit, achieving both high ratings and critical acclaim, and the entire company was immersed in the joy of success.
The film "Heaven's Scar," which has already finished filming and is currently in post-production, is highly anticipated, and everyone feels that Sugar Man is about to reach new heights.
Then came the various inspections that followed at the end of October. Although the situation wasn't very optimistic, everyone still felt that with the popularity of "The Shocking Heart" as a safety net, there shouldn't be any major problems.
However, following the lukewarm reception of "Heaven's Scar," no television station showed any interest in purchasing the series, and the company was barely surviving on the profits from "Scarlet Heart."
Later, the company suddenly received some resources from the Hong Kong entertainment circle, and the situation seemed to have improved. Cai Yinong and his artists frequently attended various Hong Kong entertainment events, and it seemed that they had not only weathered the crisis but had even reached a new level.
At this stage, the Hong Kong entertainment industry has not completely declined, and the resources released from there are enough to make mainland artists flock to them.
Hong Kong celebrities on set often act superior, arbitrarily yelling at and insulting mainland staff and even fellow actors. Some even resort to physical violence, displaying extreme arrogance.
Although the broadcast of "Heaven's Scar" remains unresolved, the company's connection with the Hong Kong entertainment industry has given its artists and employees a strong boost, with their confidence in the company even exceeding that during the peak of "Scarlet Heart's" popularity.
Just when everyone thought the company was about to turn things around, news broke that the Hong Kong tycoon the boss had been allied with had been arrested. Combined with the news of Zeng Zhiwei's arrest in Shenzhen, a storm was brewing at the Shanghai Sugarman headquarters, and everyone was filled with anxiety.
The artists from Sugar Man have been holed up in the company lately. Although they were always taken to Hong Kong entertainment circles parties and banquets by Cai Yinong, and seemed glamorous, none of them actually got any decent roles.
"What exactly is going on now?"
Jinfu, who hadn't received any work since filming "Heaven's Scar" and had been idle for almost a year, spoke first in the small conference room, his tone full of unease and anxiety.
"I've been unemployed for almost a year now. Is the company really going downhill?"
In the conference room, several of the artists from Sugar Man were present; none of them had received any serious work for a long time.
Whether Sugarman treats its artists well or not depends on the individual. They certainly go the extra mile for top artists like Hu Ge and Liu Shishi, providing them with ample resources, effective promotion, and all the recognition they deserve.
But for others, just look at the endless contract termination lawsuits that followed over the next few years, and you'll know what kind of company this really is.
Last year, celebrities like Hu Ge and Liu Shishi received that phone call, asking them to consider terminating their contracts. However, Sugarman (the company behind Sugarman) held firm on the contract terms, and since their desire to terminate the contracts wasn't particularly strong, the matter has dragged on until now.
Brother Hu leaned back in his chair, his expression calm, but a hint of seriousness lingered in his eyes.
He had always been aware of the company's true situation; he had just met with Cai Yinong a few days ago and knew the company was on the verge of collapse. But with morale low, he couldn't reveal the truth, as that would only worsen the situation.
Moreover, the meaning of that previous phone call was very clear: the person who made the move was mainly targeting the company and would not implicate its artists.
The worst outcome would be nothing more than everyone terminating their contracts and going their separate ways, which wouldn't be fundamentally different from their current half-dead state. Perhaps we should wait and see if Mr. Cai can find another way.
"Don't worry, Ms. Cai is trying to find a solution," Brother Hu said, his voice still relatively calm. "After all, she comes from the Hong Kong entertainment circle, so she must still have connections."
Hearing this, Jingfu opened his mouth but ultimately didn't press the matter further. He still held the company's top leader in some respect, and besides, he approved of Brother Hu's usual conduct.
"I went to see President Cai a couple of days ago, but she didn't even see me." Liu Shishi spoke up, her words faster than usual, her face showing annoyance. "The hype surrounding 'Scarlet Heart' has long since died down, and there are no new work arrangements for me."
Although Liu Shishi and Brother Hu are both the company's top stars, she has less experience and is not as calm as Brother Hu when things happen.
Ultimately, she was the one most affected by the company's turmoil.
She had already amassed considerable popularity through "Chinese Paladin 3," and the airing of "Scarlet Heart" should have been the icing on the cake, propelling her career to new heights.
However, the company's unexpected situation abruptly cut off the popularity brought by "Shocking Heart," preventing it from fully benefiting her.
Work has almost come to a standstill, no new endorsements have been received, and Wu Qilong, whom I met while filming, is not as enthusiastic as before. All these things piling up together are indeed making me feel upset.
Just as Brother Hu was about to say something to comfort him, Lin Gengxin, who had been sitting silently in the corner, suddenly blurted out, "What are you afraid of? You're so popular, even if the company goes bankrupt, countless companies will be vying to sign you. Unlike us, who have no fame, we'll starve if we don't get any work."
Lin Gengxin certainly won't starve if he doesn't get any work, but seeing Liu Shishi constantly having the best resources while complaining about not having any work makes him somewhat unhappy.
The main conflicts between Lin Gengxin and the sugar company stemmed from unfair resource allocation, unclear accounts, and outrageously high commission rates. These grievances had been weighing on his mind for a long time.
Although he and Liu Shishi did not have direct conflict in terms of resources, they were both artists signed with the same company. The company treated her like its own daughter, giving her the best resources and taking a lower percentage of the commission.
Before these stepchildren could even say a few words, their biological daughter started complaining about not getting any endorsement deals.
Anyone would be angry in this situation.
Liu Shishi was so choked by Lin Gengxin's words that her face turned pale, her lips moved but she couldn't say a word.
Brother Hu frowned and glanced at Lin Gengxin: "What time is it? Is it fun to bully others when you're just dealing with people at home?"
Lin Gengxin pursed his lips and didn't say anything more, but his face still showed his dissatisfaction. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and acted as if he didn't care who it was.
Of the people present, he was the least in a hurry. His film "Twelve Citizens," which he co-starred in with his most respected director Lin Yu, was currently showing in theaters and was doing well at the box office and with both critical acclaim.
Given his relationship with Director Lin, if he were truly desperate, he could simply beg Director Lin for help, and Director Lin would definitely... well, probably lend him a hand.
The meeting room fell silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat somber.
The door was pushed open from the outside, and Cai Yinong walked in wearing high heels, followed by an unfamiliar, capable-looking woman with short, neat hair, carrying a stack of documents.
Cai Yinong glanced around the room at everyone, his face devoid of any smile. "The company hasn't gone bankrupt yet, so why does everyone look like that?"
Cai Yinong's gaze lingered on Lin Gengxin. "It's just a small crisis, and you're already so eager to break up?"