James was exhilarated by his newfound interest in Chi Hui. If he wanted to make a mark in the business, he couldn't depend solely on women; he needed a loyal "wolf pup" to charge into battle alongside him.
"If you come work for my company," he proposed, "your pay would start with a 28-72 split for the first two years, guaranteed at twenty thousand a month. After that, it'll be a 60-40 split, with a hefty termination fee in the six figures. It's a twenty-year contract. Sound good?"
The offer left everyone stunned.
This deal was far better than what most agencies provided, especially with a guaranteed minimum salary of twenty thousand, something other companies didn't even offer. The termination fee, however, was daunting.
Avril felt a rush of excitement.
Happiness comes with comparison, after all. Her own contract was a 50-50 split with no strings attached, which she now realized was absolute luxury compared to others.
Thinking about how spoiled she was, Avril couldn't help but cuddle up to James and planted a bold kiss on his cheek in front of everyone.
[System Notification: Avril's favorability +5]
James shrugged her off, visibly annoyed.
Really? He dropped three billion without any acknowledgment, but the moment a handsome guy came into play, Avril's favorability soared?
This girl was going to be the death of him.
"Can I talk it over with my family?" Chi Hui hesitated, realizing that agreeing so easily to such an important ten-year chapter of his life felt irresponsible.
However, considering the opportunityâif it included meals, housing, and a solid runway for his careerâhe felt it was worth pondering.
"Feel free; the resources I'll provide you will far exceed the termination fee. I'm investing three hundred million in this production, and I might even plan another two this year. It's only a matter of time before you shine," James calmly reassured him.
Trying to impress upon Chi that the chance was to be seized, he added, "We don't recruit many male actors at our company, so you'd best take this opportunity."
Chi Hui noticed the envy flashing in the director's eyes, boosting his confidence in James's words.
If the financial backer truly had that much power, his starting point would definitely surpass that of his peers.
Most of the attractive boys and girls in his class were still scraping by on side gigs.
Suppressing his bubbling enthusiasm, he deliberated carefully.
There was no way to validate James's claims before he signed anything; life was one big gamble.
Without considering anything else, he decided he'd take that leap. "If you can guarantee me the lead role in this movie, I'll sign the contract right now."
James glanced at Director Park with a bit of uncertainty, asking, "Do you think this guy can take on the lead role? Be honest."
Director Park smiled. This was currently his favorite candidate. "Of course. He might look a little soft, but with the right makeup, he'll come off as much more mature."
James replied courteously, "I'm not an expert on filmmaking; don't pick him simply because I say so. I can always fund another project for him if needed."
That would pair him with Sofie Barnes, who wasn't exactly an acting talent, making her a perfect fit for the naive lead.
Director Park quickly assured, "No, no; his looks align perfectly with what the male lead should embody."
However, Producer Yang countered, "I believe his style is more suited for reality TV or a singing competition."
The way Avril admired that actor, there was a risk he could cause some commotion on set.
If things went south and the bosses got upset, it could mean disaster for all of their efforts.
"Yang, you seem to have a plan for him. Why not take him on as your side project?" James suggested playfully.
Yang paused, looking pained as he replied, "I lack the resources; if he followed me, he'd have far fewer opportunities."
James didn't pick up on his subtle refusal and merely laughed. "It's alright; he doesn't have to pick up any other gigs. We can manage anything we want on our own. If we want to ride the coattails of some big star, we'll pay to bring them on board."
This proclamation left everyone stunned.
James's lavishness was nearly outrageous; it was as if he was ready to buy a network to air his own series.
Yang Mu shot a glance at Chi Hui, sighing softly.
Having a star like that close might help ensure nothing went awry.
After all, with a boss like him, one never knew when his temper might roll in like a storm, and it could potentially be destructive.
Yang Mu reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Seeing Yang's troubled expression, James offered words of encouragement, reminding him that once Chi Hui took off, he'd be making far more than he ever had before.
Yang adjusted his demeanor, smiling back.
With that, it seemed the lead had been decided.
James turned back to Director Park and asked, "So, how many more actresses are still awaiting auditions?"
Director Park scratched his head, mumbling uncertainly, "About twenty or so, I think?"
James instructed, "Let's start with the girls; I'm short on time."
Director Park was momentarily taken aback, but the assistant director quickly responded, "Sure thing."
He dashed off to the next room, calling out, "Can we have all the girls come up for their introductions? The older lady doesn't need to come..."
The expressions in the room varied as they observed James.
The producer and director showed composure, unbothered by the situation.
Avril, on the other hand, leaned on her palm and looked completely disinterested.
She didn't want her "dad" to select a leading lady, but felt powerless to stop him; she could only lazily watch as the assistant director led a group of ten or so girls to showcase their talents.
Before her stood a lineup of glamorous girls, all waiting to be admired, evaluated, and chosen.
The visual impact was striking.
James knew that as soon as he indicated his intentions, most of these women would jump at the chance to work with him.
But he didn't yell out that he wanted them all.
Instead he scanned the group, surprised to find that there wasn't a single girl scoring over 90.
What was going on here?
Noticing James's perplexed expression, Director Park explained, "King, our film only has a handful of female supporting roles left, so we're focusing more on acting skills and experience."
Finally, it clicked for James.
Since Avril was the lead, hiring actresses too beautiful might overshadow her.
Nonchalantly waving his hand, he instructed the assistant director to send them all away.
Then, remembering something, he asked, "I noticed that other major productions audition thousands of actresses, so why only this few here?"
"We're focusing on confirming the main actors first; the roles for smaller characters aren't as critical. We have a designated casting agency and crew handling that," Park patiently explained.
"The main actors have already gone through a selection process; otherwise, we wouldn't get any work done."
James understood now.
Actors interested in roles typically submitted their information beforehand.
What he needed to do was request their files from the company and check their photos, not gather everyone together for a useless audition.
He stood up and instructed, "Make sure to gather and send me the profiles of the actresses you passed over."
"Sure thing, King," Director Park replied.
"Well then, I won't hold you up any longer."
As James moved towards the exit, he hesitated and turned back to Chi Hui. "Do you have a place to stay? Want to crash at my place?"
The room went completely silent.
Everyone found it hard to believe the boss had such broad tastes that he wouldn't even overlook men.
Chi Hui was taken aback, stammering in surprise.
James sensed the shift in the atmosphere and quickly clarified, "Don't get the wrong idea! I just bought a few properties and needed to provide employee accommodation. Yang could stay over too."
Yang Mu's face flushed, and he shyly chimed in, "Boss, um... I have hemorrhoids!"