Chapter 565: Handpicked by the Empress Dowager (Part 2)

At their own company, neither of them wore masks or sunglasses.

“Wow, it’s Sister Mi and Reba!”

“Reba and Sister Mi are both gorgeous. They look way more beautiful in person than on TV.”

“They’re both so skinny! And Sister Mi is definitely stacked!”

“Heh heh, and Reba’s got a great butt, too!”

“…”

Whether they were men or women, all the employees were thrilled to see the two top-tier stars.

Reba and Yang Mi openly waved and greeted them in return.

After all, they were all part of the same family now.

“Mimi, Reba.”

Hearing the commotion, Qin Wen stepped out of her office and greeted the pair with a smile.

“Director Qin.”

Yang Mi and Reba didn’t dare to put on airs and greeted her respectfully.

Before arriving, they had gotten plenty of insider information from Qi Sheng.

The single most important department in the entire company was the screenwriting department.

As the head of the screenwriting department, Qin Wen was one of Qi Sheng’s most valued and trusted confidantes.

You don’t make it to the top of the industry with poor emotional intelligence, and they were no exception.

“President Lin mentioned to me that your management contracts were being transferred over from Jiahang.”

“As it happens, I have a few scripts here. You two can take a look at them in a minute.”

Qin Wen enthusiastically led them into her office, though it was largely out of deference to Qi Sheng.

As a Master Level screenwriter, she’d never have to worry about finding another job.

Countless film and television companies were dying to poach her.

“Past Life, Si Teng, Menghua Record, Love Between Fairy and Devil, Happiness to Ten Thousand Families, Wind Blows Half Summer, and The Human World.”

What was happiness?

At that moment, Yang Mi and Reba were feeling it—an indecisiveness more intense than anything they’d ever experienced.

Every script in front of them was exceptional.

In fact, a few of the scripts were so good they felt unworthy of them.

They were afraid their performance would only drag down the final project’s rating.

“Director Qin, we can choose from any of these scripts?”

Yang Mi had always thought that switching companies wouldn’t make much of a difference for her career.

But now, she realized just how wrong she was.

Jiahang’s screenwriting department and Universal Entertainment’s were worlds apart.

Any one of these scripts was guaranteed to be a success.

It was easy to imagine how stunned Yang Mi felt.

“While you can choose any of them, I suggest that you, Mimi, consider the more serious dramas on the list.”

“You’ve reached an age where you’re no longer suited for romantic period pieces. Transitioning to more serious roles is your top priority right now!”

Qin Wen, who had let them look through the scripts undisturbed, smiled at Yang Mi’s question and offered her suggestion.

Whether Yang Mi took her advice was no concern of hers.

“As for you, Reba, you can still film a few more period pieces to solidify your current fanbase. There’s no rush for you to transition.”

Qin Wen picked out two scripts, offering her suggestions for them as well.

“Both Past Life and Menghua Record are S-Level tentpole productions that the company will invest heavily in.”

“If you’re interested, Reba, the female lead roles for both shows can be yours!”

“By the way, our company’s S-Level productions have a rock-solid budget of over 250 million.”

“I was also very supportive when President Lin had you turn down Long Song.”

“Their production budget was only 120 million. They’d definitely have to cut corners and use cheap green screens for the big scenes to save costs.”

“Filming that kind of trashy show would only have brought you bad press, with no real benefit.”

Hearing Director Qin’s logical analysis, Reba naturally wasn’t going to refuse such a generous offer.

“Thank you, Director Qin. I’ll choose these two scripts, then.”

Reba knew the company had many actresses and that resources were limited.

To be given the lead roles for two S-Level productions was already a sign of Qi Sheng’s extraordinary favor.

It put her on nearly the same footing as Gu Pan.

“I’m glad you’re satisfied.”

Qin Wen smiled and nodded, her opinion of Reba improving significantly.

‘Not greedy, and she knows when to push and when to yield. No wonder she made it to the top.’

“Mimi, have you decided?”

Qin Wen turned to Yang Mi, who was still hesitating, and understood that this was indeed a difficult decision for her.

She’d built her career on idol shows and period pieces. Now she was trying to transition into serious dramas.

For Yang Mi, it was nothing short of a massive gamble.

If she won, she would reap a double harvest of critical acclaim and career advancement.

If she lost, she would face an overwhelming torrent of ridicule.

“Director Qin, I’ll choose Happiness to Ten Thousand Families and Wind Blows Half Summer.”

Yang Mi took a deep breath, bracing herself for a potential critical disaster.

‘Worst comes to worst,’ she thought, ‘I’ll just retire from acting and go have Qi Sheng’s babies.’

With that mindset, Yang Mi was no longer torn.

“A smart choice. You won’t regret it!”

Qin Wen smiled with satisfaction and gathered the remaining scripts.

“You can go see President Lin now. She’ll help you work out the specific shooting schedules and itineraries.”

As the director of the screenwriting department, Qin Wen was incredibly busy.

Taking a few hours to help Yang Mi and Reba choose scripts was already a major exception for her.

Actresses like Jiang Shuying and Mao Xiaotong would have a hard time even getting a meeting with her.

But then again, Yang Mi and Reba had both signed S-Level contracts.

Not only was their profit share higher, but their status was completely different.

…

While Yang Mi and Reba were still reeling from the sheer power of the major corporation…

…Qi Sheng had brought Tan Hua and the others with him to Hangzhou to attend the grand opening of the West Lake Hotel.

After a full year of renovations, the West Lake Hotel was finally ready.

It was officially rebranded as a Banyan Tree and began accepting reservations.

Marketed with the draw of offering the most beautiful sunset views over West Lake and the ultimate luxury sleeping experience…

The West Lake Banyan Tree hadn’t even officially opened, yet it was already fully booked for the next month.

Even the lower-tier Xixi Wetland Joy Spring Hotel was also maintaining full occupancy.

In China, there was certainly no shortage of wealthy people.

And in a popular tourist city like Hangzhou, the streets were always teeming with visitors.