Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 245 - 246: Middle Finger Up!

Chapter 245: Chapter 246: Middle Finger Up!

Thinking left and right, she walked over to the waiter and frankly said there were no seats available and requested a chair, instructing the waiter to move the chair to the table of second-tier celebrities, where everyone would squeeze together a bit.

At another table, where Director Li was seated, he continued to speak with eloquence while other stars chimed in with flattering exaggerations. Sheng Yan simply kept his head down and ate without speaking.

He didn’t speak, and nobody was going to make the unwelcome effort to initiate a conversation with him.

With Sheng Yan’s status set in place and his aloof nature, those celebrities who had tried communicating with him had met with stern resistance and did not continue conversing. Only Director Li could exchange a few words with him.

Not long after He Jinxia had left, Director Li casually remarked, "That actress, Xiao He, danced beautifully. She’s quite talented."

Some well-informed first-tier celebrities laughed and said, "He Jinxia? Didn’t she also shoot a film in Film City this year? It was Director Gu’s film. I heard she can not only dance but also do embroidery, painting, and cooking."

Someone asked with confusion, "Which Director Gu, can she do it all? Or is it all just for show?"

The leading star replied, "It’s Director Gu Qiao! She can do it all, and it’s said she genuinely learned those skills. I’m not sure how extensively, but after the film was wrapped, Gu Qiao was quite satisfied with her and had praised her."

Everyone at the table had heard of Gu Qiao’s renown as directors who consistently make art films have become increasingly rare over the years.

Although Gu Qiao’s films did not do well at the box office, they received high ratings online, and the scripts were well-written.

Many of them had received invitations from Gu Qiao, and some had even considered participating, but it never came to fruition.

Moreover, earlier this year, Tangna Film and Television had specifically targeted Gu Qiao, causing embarrassment for their crew during a live broadcast. Many stars in the industry had heard about it, and some had even gone to investigate what had happened, understanding the details clearly.

A star remarked, "Director Gu is very meticulous in directing. If she praised He Jinxia, then He Jinxia must indeed be exceptional."

"After all, she’s the vigorous one who dramatically lost over eighty pounds. Her determination is indeed admirable. She looks like she wouldn’t be more than 120 pounds today, probably around 100 pounds, having slimmed down even more."

"Female celebrities will always struggle with the word ’fat’, even though 3D technology has evolved and we’ve moved beyond the constraints of flat visuals, many female stars still feel they are overweight."

The conversation could have moved on from the topic of being overweight and passed by He Jinxia, but a certain first-tier female celebrity, who didn’t have a good impression of He Jinxia and disapproved of her, changed the topic craftily:

"I’m not sure if you know this, but somehow He Jinxia offended an investor who has vowed to blacklist her in the industry. I just heard about it, not sure if it’s true or not."

What is fake won’t turn true, and what is true can’t turn into fake; the issue of He Jinxia being blacklisted was known to many first-tier celebrities already, just not brought up at the dinner table.

After all, He Jinxia, as an emerging star with great momentum who continuously made appearances in the media, and with notable physical attributes, was discreetly observed by many celebrities.

As the topic was brought up, other stars also chimed in with a few comments, more casually than usual as they had been drinking.

Who in the industry hasn’t faced a few blacklists!

"Back in the day, it was the same for me. I had finally shot a popular drama that put me in the limelight, and then I got offered a role in another project. I refused to participate, and just like that, for no apparent reason, I offended the investors who then threatened to blacklist me."

"In my time, I refused to attend the dinner gatherings, and the investors, seeing that I was uncooperative, also threatened to blacklist me."

"I was naive and spoke out of turn back then, so I ended up being frozen out of projects."

As this topic unfolded, everyone began to share their own dark histories of being blacklisted when they were starting out.

Having reached their current standing, conventional blacklisting could no longer hold them back. Talking about the difficulties of the past now, they displayed more letting go and acceptance.

Only by not caring, can one not fear others knowing.

The female celebrity who initially brought up He Jinxia’s blacklist furrowed her brows and parted her lips slightly, seemingly wanting to say something.

She hesitated for a moment but ultimately closed her mouth, choosing not to continue.

Initially, it could have been passed off as casual curiosity, but to persist with the topic now would appear too deliberate.

If it weren’t for some archenemy, it’s better not to deliberately make enemies and cause trouble in the circle. After all, you don’t see them when you look up but see them when you look down. Who knows if He Jinxia might blow up someday?

The female star with her head down hadn’t noticed the occasional glances Sheng Yan shot her way, sharp as cold ice, fiercely cold.

Sheng Yan glanced at this female star and took out his phone to message Zhang Ming, asking him to look into this star’s background and the details of He Jinxia’s ban.

Zhang Ming had not attended the wrap party but was chatting with his girlfriend in the hotel room.

Note: Not a video call, but a real person sitting right in front of him chatting!

Zhang Ming had been dating his girlfriend for three years and was planning to talk about marriage this year. Both were happily discussing whether to set the wedding date in September or later.

As they talked, inevitably, they engaged in some adult activities: holding hands, kissing, gently pushing each other down, to satiate their longing.

Zhang Ming had just pushed his future wife onto the bed when the ringtone exclusive to Sheng Yan went off.

The sound was loud and lasted for a full three seconds, hard for anyone to ignore.

Zhang Ming looked at his fiancée beneath him, took a deep breath, and decided to ignore it.

A few seconds later, the devilish ringtone went off again.

His fiancée pushed him annoyedly. Helplessly, Zhang Ming got out of bed to check the message, cursing under his breath that it had better be something important – his night of passion was at stake!

Another bout of the devilish ringtone started but was viciously cut off by Zhang Ming.

With a mood tangled in annoyance, Zhang Ming opened the message.

After a while, he couldn’t help but explode in profanity, saying furiously, "Fuck your great uncle, Sheng Yan!"

Raise the middle finger!

Must! Raise! The! Middle! Finger!

The phone screen displayed a total of three messages from Sheng Yan.

The first one: "Help me look up a female star, the one who plays a female general in the crew."

The second one: "I want the full process of Jinxia’s ban."

The third one: "Your girlfriend has arrived, hasn’t she? Treat her well, lest others think your job is at risk again."

Zhang Ming: "..."

He really felt like resigning right now!

None of these things were a big deal. Why did they have to come up just when he was about to spend a romantic moment with his fiancée?!

Zhang Ming reached up to pinch the throbbing temple, feeling certain he must have owed Sheng Yan something in a past life.

*

"Come on, drink! This is tasty, not bad!" Everyone chatted, ate, and drank at the dining table.

He Jinxia was sipping a drink, casually eating, and sitting next to her was Zhang Yuanyuan, a fellow second-tier star.

Zhang Yuanyuan, a child star not yet eighteen, had a delicate beauty and skin so tender it seemed water could be squeezed from it, and was curiously watching He Jinxia.