Chapter 101

On the trending topics list, #It's that time of year again, Winnie's 'May all wishes come true' day# popped up, sponsored by the skincare brand she endorsed. It was both a birthday celebration and a product launch. At the same time, another piece of news, though not trending, was being shared widely across major marketing accounts with astonishing speed: "Winnie failed the audition for Antony's movie ??, a role she was almost guaranteed to get, and I heard it was taken by Mia?" "What kind of ability does Mia have to snatch a role from her senior, an award-winning actress?" The topic board was filled with intriguing comments. "Releasing a topic like this on her birthday? Is she trying to upset her fans?" "Don't believe the rumors, don't spread them. Mia has always worked diligently, putting her work first. Let's focus on her projects instead." "Mia shouldn't have signed with Raven Entertainment. She's been the top star for years, with all the power in the company. I said from the start that she would only get what was left behind. Now, look, it's proven true." "Oh Mia, don't be so petty. You took the role, and now you're playing the victim? That's exactly what you would do." "What? Has Mia lost her mind, releasing a topic like this to ruin the birthday celebration? Anyone with common sense wouldn't do that, right? Winnie, try to be more calculating." "Don't call him." "No, I must call him!" Wendy grabbed Yulia's phone. "What's the point of calling David? Do you think there's any press release he doesn't know about?" Yulia was furious, her eyes burning with anger. "I want to ask him what this mess on Winnie's birthday is about. Is he bullying her just because she's not around?" "What are you thinking? Do you think Winnie's an idiot? If David was going to do something, do you think she wouldn't know? She knows exactly what's happening—that's why she went to Africa." Wendy pressed her hand down, prying her fingers apart. "Give me the phone. Don't make trouble for her." "She's getting the short end of the stick!" Yulia was too impatient. "She's not. She must have gotten the deal she could accept, which is why she allowed David to do this," Wendy said seriously. "She's not completely passive. She knows how to fight for what she deserves." "I don't care. Why should I? Promoting Mia shouldn't be done like this..." Yulia suddenly deflated with a sigh. "Old and new stars are constantly replacing each other, and it's always brutal," Wendy said slowly. "This is just the beginning. There will be others launching one attack after another on her. From the company's perspective, using her residual heat to promote their own new talent is the best win-win deal." "Are you defending David?" Yulia couldn't believe it. "Business is business." "But Winnie is still very popular." "Because you're not seeing the pattern. All artists have a predictable lifecycle and trajectory. It's hard to stay evergreen; peaks and valleys are the norm. She's been popular for twelve years, it's time for the sun to set." Wendy looked at Yulia with a pitying expression. "The company needs to plan ahead." "Mia only does historical dramas," Yulia muttered, unconvinced. "Times change, and the pay for TV series is now much higher than for movies. Plus, TV fans are more stable. The gap between the small screen and the big screen isn't as obvious as it used to be. Can't you see? The company's approach to managing female artists is subtly shifting. Start from the small screen, elevate to the big screen, solidify with hit dramas, and associate with the fashion world—this is how a new top female star is born," Wendy explained. "If it were as simple as you say, there wouldn't be so many female artists who can't find their place," Yulia clenched her fists. "Of course, the premise is that the acting skills have to be good." Yulia immediately clasped her hands together in prayer. "Please, God, may Mia's acting never improve, never improve, never improve." Wendy: "......" "Pray with me," Yulia said, pulling her off balance. "It's more useful with two people." Wendy couldn't help but laugh. "Fine, I'll also ask the heavens for help. But the road is made by people. There's one path, full of thorns, but it's outside the rules." "What path?" "The path of an international film queen who voluntarily discards popularity." Yulia's eyes suddenly lit up, but quickly dimmed again. "David won't allow it. Popularity is money, and money is his life." "Why wouldn't he allow it?" Wendy smiled, asking with interest. "Yulia, don't you think being a manager or producer is quite fascinating? You can control everything from the highest place, even challenge the rules." "It's interesting, but..." Yulia didn't understand why she was bringing this up. Wendy pulled a card from her bag, pinching it between her fingers. "Actually... I have some startup capital, specifically set aside for trial and error."