Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 73: An Ulterior Motive Invitation

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: An Ulterior Motive Invitation

He Jinxia fully awoke and said, "Brother Luo, isn’t this a bit too much?"

Luo You said happily, "Of course, it has to be this grand. In my life, I might only ever manage one artist who has a Quasi-A-level contract. Can’t you let me take more photos to satisfy my wish?"

He Jinxia: "...As long as you’re happy."

After hanging up the phone, it belatedly dawned on He Jinxia, and the corners of her mouth twitched unwillingly.

Wait, was Luo You’s comment just now suggesting that she won’t be able to fulfill the bet agreement in three years?!

He Jinxia instantly felt she had agreed too quickly; she should have kept Luo You in suspense.

When she encountered Luo You on the fourth floor, he took her to the area specifically designated for styling the artists. Once he was satisfied with how radiant she looked, he happily took her up to the fifth floor.

Signing the name, stamping the seal—a few simple steps, and the Quasi-A-level bet contract was in her hands.

It happened so quickly that He Jinxia felt a bit dazed.

The CEO’s male assistant, who came to sign the contract on behalf of the company, only said "hello" and "goodbye" to He Jinxia, then efficiently left without any unnecessary chatter.

If it weren’t for Brother Luo excitedly taking photos of the contract beside her, He Jinxia would have thought she was just there to sign her name.

Luo You muttered to the contract, "What a shame, a Quasi-A-level contract. I’ve never seen one in my life. The material is just ordinary A4 paper, yet it somehow exudes a unique gold-foil essence."

He Jinxia: "..."

As Luo You was muttering, he noticed He Jinxia out of the corner of his eye and quickly handed her the contract. "You haven’t looked at the content closely, have you? Do you want to take a look?"

He Jinxia shook her head, "No need. I’ve read the consequences for failing to fulfill the bet very carefully. They aren’t too harsh for me. The deed is done; just keep the contract safe."

If the bet was not fulfilled, she simply had to sign a regular ten-year contract with the company. They had anticipated such an outcome, so it wasn’t surprising; on the contrary, she felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

No surprises, which was the best outcome.

Luo You nodded solemnly, "Okay, should the contract stay with you or..."

"Keep it with you," He Jinxia interrupted.

At her words, a hint of joy tinged Luo You’s brows. "Alright, no problem."

Seeing how happy he was just for signing a Quasi-A-level contract, He Jinxia couldn’t help but tease, "Brother Luo, keep it cool. What if I sign even better contracts in the future? What will you do, continue to take nostalgic photos?"

Luo You was momentarily stunned before he realized what she meant. Annoyed, he glared at He Jinxia and said, "Do you think I’m so shortsighted? Don’t expect me to take photos next time unless you’re signing a contract worth millions!"

After saying that, even Luo You himself laughed.

He carefully cradled the Quasi-A-level contract in his arms. "I’m also getting ahead of myself. Your work isn’t even out yet, and though your popularity seems impressive, it’s too early to tell if it’s real or not. Only after ’Chen Xiaohui, Go Forward!’ is released will we be able to get a rough idea of your worth."

As He Jinxia walked and talked with him, she asked curiously, "What’s my market value now?"

Luo You spoke with the intention of broadening the artists’ horizons, educating them: "Depending on their popularity, A-list stars start at five million Hua Coins per movie, but this doesn’t mean the peak value of a B-list star is below five million.

There is an insurmountable gulf between A-list and B-list. One million is practically the highest price in the B-list category. Looking at nothing else but your works, one million is the ceiling.

As for anything above one million Hua Coins, only those hopeful to become A-list stars, the popular rising stars, can achieve that. The higher the popularity, the higher the price, but no matter how high it becomes, as long as you haven’t reached the A-list, it’s impossible to break through the three million mark."

Pausing here, Luo You looked up at He Jinxia with a more serious tone: "Actually, based on popularity, you can already be considered a rising star; the only drawback is the lack of works."

"Once your work comes out, I estimate your value could soar above one million." Luo You said, his expression somewhat wistful.

Who could have known that before the successful weight loss, He Jinxia’s appearance fee for recording a variety show was only a few thousand Huaxia Coins, and it was due to her having a substantial role that he could negotiate a hundred thousand Huaxia Coins for a movie.

After the weight loss success, the world that unfolded before them was entirely different.

A hundred thousand, one million, the value jumped tenfold. As He Jinxia steadily progressed, her value would only get higher!

"You don’t need to think too much right now, this one million valuation I’m talking about is just hypothetical for now, everything will be confirmed only after the movie release in May," said Luo You.

He Jinxia’s clear and pleasing voice came through, carrying a calm and confident assurance, "Brother Luo, we will get better and better."

Luo You nodded emphatically, his hand clenched slightly. Yes, they would get better!

What Luo You didn’t expect was that the opportunity to take photos might come again so soon.

In the afternoon, having finally managed to get out of the company and back to the dorm, He Jinxia, who was working out, received a call from Luo You.

"Your contract with the company is settled, and I can start picking out suitable engagements for you, including a few good offers. One is an invitation to shoot a magazine cover, where you’ll be the main feature. Another is an endorsement for a weight-loss product, a couple of interview activities, and then—"

Luo You intentionally paused, with an undertone of restrained excitement: "It’s for a historical TV drama. The production wants to cast you as the third female lead, no audition required, directly a done deal, and the fee is—1 million!"

He Jinxia frowned, not dizzied by the sum of money, but instead asked, "Why?"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Luo You’s eyes, "Very good, you’re not blindly rushing to accept because of the money. When I saw this offer, I had already looked into the production team. It’s simple, they want to use you to boost their newcomer."

He Jinxia pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "You mean, they want to leverage my popularity for the newcomer’s promotion?"

Luo You affirmed, "Exactly, stepping on established stars to lift newcomers is a common practice in the industry—stepping high and supporting low!

Of course, the production team isn’t trying to suppress you; rather, they want to ride on your popularity to pave the way for the newcomer. If we play our cards right, it could be a win-win situation for both."

He Jinxia’s eyebrows lifted, "How so?"

With a faint smile, Luo You’s words carried a shrewd cunningness: "Although the drama is purposely meant to step on you and raise the newcomer, what if you outperform them?

It would be as if you received good money for an easy job. Moreover, this drama isn’t bad; the audience has discerning eyes. If you perform well, you can highlight the newcomer’s lack of acting skills. So, whether or not you get stepped on essentially depends on you!"

Luo You said pointedly.

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