Actresses

Chapter 1 Master

A Monday morning that couldn't be more ordinary.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the thin curtains, and birdsong filled the air. Suddenly, a cell phone rang urgently, the blankets on the bed stirred, revealing disheveled hair and a thick eye mask.

The blindfold was lifted slightly, and he squinted out. With his other hand, he grabbed the flat metal object that was making noise at the foot of the bed.

"Feed?" the woman replied lazily, rubbing her eyes.

A woman's crying came through the receiver.

Her nerves immediately tensed, and she ripped off her blindfold. "Ah, boss? You mean... okay, okay, I'm coming right now!"

The girl turned off her phone, slammed her hand on the bed, and then screamed, clutching her head. "Aaaaaah!"

After shouting, she calmly stood up and dragged herself to the bathroom.

After washing up and tidying up in the bedroom, she came out looking completely different.

Her hair was styled to be smooth and fluffy, her makeup was light and simple, and she wore a designer brand outfit with an understated cut. She grabbed a large tote bag, walked out quickly, and went downstairs to meet the ride-hailing car she had just hailed.

She nimbly climbed into the back seat and said in a very polite tone, "Driver, please let me know when we arrive!"

Then her head suddenly tilted to the side, and she closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly.

This state of catching up on sleep whenever possible, with her mental state constantly on the verge of collapse, permeates every day that Shi Jiahe, as an agent, is living.

Recently, Shi Jiahe has been going through a period of her boss's erratic behavior, and her only job every day is to soothe him. She's on call 24/7, either eating with him, chatting with him, or putting him to sleep. The person she's about to meet, fully prepared, is none other than her boss—He Yuran, a top-tier actress who has won the Golden Kirin Award for Best Actress and is widely recognized as a character actress with exceptional acting skills.

There's a reason why he's considered a character actor.

The matter to be discussed wasn't a big project, but rather that He Yuran had just cried on the phone about wanting to quit the entertainment industry, and the Weibo post was already in drafts. Shi Jiahe was terrified and could only try to calm her down, telling her not to send the message, before rushing over in a panic.

In terms of acting skills and star power, He Yuran is no less than any actress, but she has been in an awkward situation than anyone else in recent years.

Since parting ways with her previous management team, He Yuran's commercial value has begun to decline. After being elevated to a certain height by her Best Actress award, several of her subsequent film and television projects were considered promising before filming began, but all failed to gain traction for various reasons after their release. Her films, in particular, suffered consecutive box office flops. The industry began to adopt a wait-and-see attitude towards He Yuran, and various speculations circulated online, making it increasingly difficult for her to choose roles. In the past year, she hasn't even joined any productions, and her career has virtually come to a standstill.

Over the past year, He Yuran's mental state has been like falling into a smooth, deep well. The more she tries to grasp something, the less she can hold on, and she can only slide downwards. The most terrifying thing is that she has no idea what lies at the bottom.

While overnight fame is a common phenomenon in the entertainment industry, there are also many actors who fall from grace. This is especially true for actresses, whose situations become particularly dire once their careers decline.

When the glory days become yesterday's sights, the hopeful tomorrow becomes an endless abyss.

Shi Jiahe felt that she was currently using her limited energy and vitality to fill He Yuran's infinite emotional black hole every day. When she couldn't take it anymore, she would most likely have to leave. However, she needed to get through today's ordeal first, no matter what.

Upon arriving at He Yuran's residential complex, Shi Jiahe couldn't help but run as soon as she got out of the car. She worried that if she missed even a few seconds each time, He Yuran might have an even more unpredictable episode of madness.

At the door, I entered the password to go inside and change my shoes—I've been here so many times, I know the way like the back of my hand.

As Shi Jiahe walked inside, she called out, "Boss? Boss? I'm here!"

Sure enough, He Yuran didn't get up at all. When Shi Jiahe stood by the bed, she found him fast asleep, snuggled in the covers. Shi Jiahe felt helpless; she couldn't just wake him, as He Yuran might not have slept much last night. So she left him a message on WeChat: "I'm waiting for you in the living room."

She then closed the door and left. Taking the opportunity, she quickly rested on the sofa for a bit.

Half-asleep, Shi Jiahe suddenly felt a heavy pat on her shoulder. She gasped and sat up with a start. There sat He Yuran beside her, grinning, "Haha, I knew you weren't asleep!"

Shi Jiahe glanced at her phone; it was more than an hour after she came in, meaning she had slept for quite a long time.

"Boss, are you alright?" Shi Jiahe shook her head to clear her mind, then grabbed He Yuran's shoulders and carefully checked her face for tear stains.

"I'm fine. I had a strange dream last night, it didn't feel like a good omen." He Yuran's expression turned worried, and as she spoke, her tone became agitated. "Jiahe, you're the only one in my world right now, you can't leave me. Stay with me today, okay?"

Shi Jiahe sighed silently to herself. It seemed another day was going to be wasted. There were still so many small tasks to handle: scripts to review, collaboration requests to respond to—don't misunderstand, there were no business collaborations—a lawyer sent a link spreading rumors, and new resumes received by the studio. Shi Jiahe had to review each and every one of them herself first, organize them, and then discuss the key points with He Yuran. Although none of these things were urgent, they could be left to their own devices.

However, it has been piled up like this for several months.

Can you pile them up for a lifetime?

Too much garbage will block the way forward.

Shi Jiahe sat up, composed herself, and said softly, "Boss, did you read the two scripts I sent you last time?"

"No. I don't think either is good." He Yuran's face fell.

Shi Jiahe's blood pressure spiked instantly, and her voice rose accordingly. "Boss, no, is it that you haven't watched it, or that you don't like it? If you say you don't like it, did you watch it all?"

"I read it! But it's just not good. What kind of story is this? It's either about a miserable mother or a domineering female CEO in a relationship with a younger man. Can't they have some normal characters? I'm almost forty, I can't keep playing these same old roles!"

"Boss, I'm going to say something you won't like to hear." Although she knew He Yuran was on the verge of exploding, Shi Jiahe was going all out. "You're a precious, delicate work of art, but I, this broken pot, have the right to throw caution to the wind. We have to accept reality, right? This isn't five or ten years ago. The industry isn't doing well; there aren't many projects to start, not many options. This is already a pretty good cast and set of roles that I've selected. If you don't choose it, then don't even bother joining this year!"

Although she had softened her words and blamed it all on the prevailing environment, Shi Jiahe still felt a pang of regret after she finished speaking. It wasn't just one unpleasant remark; it was a whole host of unpleasant things to hear.

Sure enough, He Yuran was ignited.

"I just can't play roles I don't like! Forcing me won't help!" He Yuran said, then suddenly burst into tears. "Do you think I'm not anxious? I'm more anxious than anyone else! But I really can't afford to make another mistake! I can't afford to make any more!"

Seeing large tears rolling down her cheeks, Shi Jiahe's heart clenched instantly. She stepped forward and put her arm around He Yuran's shoulder. "Ah, Sister Ran, I'm sorry, I was too harsh... If you don't like it, then we won't film it."

"But, there's no show, what should we do next? Waaaaah..." He Yuran cried even more passionately.

Having not filmed for a long time, the award-winning actress wants to give herself a stage.

Shi Jiahe patted He Yuran on the back, then suddenly frowned, an idea forming in her mind. "If all else fails, I'll find you another master, and we'll carefully calculate our next step."

He Yuran, whose head was nestled in Shi Jiahe's shoulder and whose eyes were closed from the back pats, pulled her head out upon hearing the word "master," glared at Shi Jiahe, and then elegantly rolled her eyes. "You still mention 'master' to me! If masters were useful, would I have had such a rough few years? Besides, xx Film Industry, xx Culture, and xxx, which of them didn't consult a master before starting a project? I haven't seen their projects make any money. The master probably made all the money."

Shi Jiahe wanted to laugh when she heard that.

Indeed, He Yuran's words are absolutely true. Netizens often think that the biggest money earners in the entertainment industry are the big stars, but they often overlook several relatively hidden high-income groups within the industry, such as makeup artists and stylists. Their fees for a single job are shockingly high, and celebrities have to wait in line to book them. But doing makeup and hair requires at least several suitcases of equipment, a small team, and personally going to events. Those elusive masters, on the other hand, sit at home and make a fortune, relying on word-of-mouth referrals from celebrities and bosses, earning enough to buy a house in a year just by talking.

Moreover, what angers hardworking people the most is that the master doesn't even need to issue an invoice.

When she noticed the silence around her, Shi Jiahe exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Ran-jie, you're not crying anymore?"

"Hey, I can still control my tears." He Yuran raised her little finger and deftly tucked away the dried tear tracks at the corners of her eyes, then smiled brightly at Shi Jiahe. "I'm all better!"

Shi Jiahe looked closely at her boss, feeling a mixture of love and hate.

Good? Nothing at all!

"Sister Ran, where's your phone?" Shi Jiahe reached out.

"You found it?" He Yuran's face was full of joy, and she subconsciously leaned forward.

Shi Jiahe was stunned for a moment before realizing that He Yuran had misplaced her phone again. "How would I know where your phone is!"

"Oh, if you don't know, then why are you asking?" He Yuran forced a smile.

Shi Jiahe sighed. "Sis, didn't you call me and say you'd edited your Weibo post and put it in the drafts folder?"

She was referring to He Yuran's statement on the phone that she wanted to announce her retirement from the entertainment industry.

But He Yuran blinked, looking at her innocently, as if she knew nothing. "What drafts? I didn't write anything on Weibo! Don't I always show you what I post on Weibo first? Did you forget?"

"Sis, I don't have time to joke around right now. Are you serious or not?" A thought flashed through Shi Jiahe's mind, and she felt a little like beating up He Yuran, who always talked nonsense in private.

"Oh, I missed you, that's why I called you. No, that won't do. Let's not talk about that. You should think about finding the master."

Shi Jiahe sighed helplessly. Wasn't he quite resistant just now? Now he's doing it?

Shi Jiahe thought for a moment and said, "Boss, this time I'll definitely find you a reliable one."

He Yuran was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. "The way you talk, it really sounds like my mom..."

Shi Jiahe rolled her eyes. "Just tell me if you want to see me or not! If you don't want to, I'm not going to bother!"

"Meet me, meet me, meet me!" He Yuran laughed wildly for a long time, then stopped abruptly as if slamming on the brakes. "If there's no announcement, we'll make one ourselves. You arrange it. I think we should have the master come to our house; it'll be easier for them to talk."

Shi Jiahe frowned, making other plans in her mind.

She already had a very suitable master in mind, but she dared not invite him to He Yuran's house.

He Yuran is a completely different person in public and in private. If they were at home, her home turf, Shi Jiahe was afraid she would get too comfortable and start talking nonsense. It would be better to choose a restaurant outside, where everyone could sit down as equals and chat over brunch. That way, regardless of whether things went well or not, they could leave after the chat without delaying anything.

Shi Jiahe is always decisive and efficient, so she arranged the meeting to take place in Lido three days later.

The night before, Shi Jiahe repeatedly reminded He Yuran that the new master had a strong sense of time and had often complained to her privately about how artists had no sense of time and liked to make people wait, so she mustn't be ridiculously late. He Yuran readily agreed.

result……

On the morning of the appointed day, Shi Jiahe sat in the restaurant, pretending to be calm and chatting with the customer while anxiously glancing at her phone for the time.

...As of this moment, He Yuran is exactly half an hour late.