Chapter 74: The Beginning of the Scandal

Words : 1284 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Beginning of the Scandal Zhou Yun knew she was regretting it. She asked, "Sister Lan, is it okay if you stay?" Zhou Lan said, "Xiao Yun, it would be better for you to switch to another agent." Zhou Yun said, "You were my first agent." Zhou Lan said, "I am only your first agent." With that said, there was no need for further words. There was a loud rumble in the sky, as the sunny skies instantly turned overcast with clouds. A big rainstorm seemed imminent. Silence lingered in the car for a long time, until they finally reached the front of the photo studio. Staff from the magazine were waiting at the entrance, and upon seeing Zhou Yun, they greeted her with warm, enthusiastic smiles. Zhou Yun had no choice but to lift her spirits, hug people, and exchange pleasantries. After a bit of small talk. During the photoshoot, Zhou Yun struck various poses under the lights, some casual, some fashionable. Among the crowd, Zhou Lan folded her arms across her chest, her eyes brimming with unprecedented tenderness. Zhou Yun’s gaze momentarily lost focus, as if her spirit had drifted elsewhere. The photographer captured this moment, exclaiming, "That’s perfect!" Zhou Yun snapped back to reality and turned towards the camera with a gracious smile. The last job Zhou Lan was responsible for was the VX fashion show. Once the news of Zhou Yun being a guest model for VX was released, it immediately topped the trending search list. However, it was VX who had bought the spot on the trending list. Zheng Xiaowen said, "President Chen is quite effective, asking me to hype up the momentum." Such purchased trending topics led many to mock Zhou Yun, saying she soared from a nobody to a phoenix and managed to get resources that A-list actresses couldn’t even land for a role she’d played only in one film. Zhou Yun felt suffocated with irritation, thinking to herself, VX had just entered the Chinese market and wasn’t a renowned luxury brand; which A-lister would be willing to walk the runway for it now? But she could only fume internally. Regardless, after a month of relentless promotion, Zhou Yun had firmly established her standing in the "traffic star" circle. TV stations, online platforms, advertisers, variety shows, live streams, and commercial performances that had been skeptical of her lasting appeal swarmed in. It was like a breached dam. Zhou Lan had already decided to leave at month’s end, but before that, she was still busy helping Zhou Yun line up jobs. "The company has already arranged another agent for you, she’s more experienced than me and has a wider network." Hearing this from Zhou Lan, Zhou Yun felt conflicted. To make matters worse that afternoon, He Yong appeared at the company as if nothing had happened, greeting her with a laugh, "Our big celebrity is back at the company! You’ve been in great form recently, other agency heads have been calling me, all envious." His tone was false and exaggerated. Seeing He Yong made Zhou Yun feel repulsed. Such a hypocritical man in a high position, controlling both her and Zhou Lan. Zhou Yun had to suppress her displeasure and greet him with a smile. "President He, what brings you here personally?" She came to the company that afternoon to finally sign a significant endorsement deal. A mobile phone endorsement. Although it wasn’t a top-tier phone brand, it was well-known domestically. Nowadays, smartphones are updated very quickly, with new models coming out almost every six months to a year. Endorsers are switched out frequently, much like KFC, with contracts typically lasting only one or two quarters. The brand offered Zhou Yun a one-quarter contract. Although short, the endorsement fee was not insignificant. In fact, Zhou Yun’s ability to drive sales had not been tested, and her online social media data only showed she had high popularity, not a large following of loyal fans. Under such circumstances, the endorsements that came to her were usually from brands with low visibility, looking to raise their profile on Zhou Yun’s coattails. Mobile phone brands differ from other fast-moving consumer goods; fans willing to spend a few dollars on a beverage or a magazine are not necessarily ready to shell out thousands on a phone. For a mobile phone brand with established name recognition, merely expanding visibility is not enough; the key is to increase market acceptance of the brand. He Yong said, "President Zhao, who’s coming later, is an old friend of mine. Come say hello." Zhou Yun feigned realization. "Oh yes, this is Siyao," He Yong suddenly introduced the cute-looking girl behind him to Zhou Yun, "a newcomer who just signed with the company, a fan of yours who specifically wanted to meet you." Upon hearing this, Zhou Yun thought subconsciously, how could she have fans when her work hadn’t even been aired. Very odd. She kept her expression neutral and looked at Siyao. "Nice to meet you," Zhou Yun greeted warmly with a friendly smile. Xu Siyao smiled sweetly and said, "Sister Xiao Yun." He Yong added, "She will be in ’Eighth Heartbeat’ too. As her senior, you should take good care of her on set." When Zhou Yun heard this, she realized what was going on. It seemed He Yong had helped her land ’Eighth Heartbeat’ and managed to secure some minor roles through Yuehai Network for newcomers. This was a decent opportunity for Chengqian Entertainment’s rookies. Was He Yong suggesting that she, a newcomer herself and yet the lead actress with some sway on set, should look after Xu Siyao? Not to mention that she was the only well-known actress in ’Eighth Heartbeat’ and, although the series would be aired on their own platform without the need for distribution, she was pivotal for attracting sponsors and advertising using her popularity. The show couldn’t ignore her sentiments since she brought the most benefits. Similar to the previous meeting with Liu Pinran, even if their first encounter was unpleasant, in the current scenario, Liu Pinran still had to show Zhou Yun a warm smile. Reality was harsh. Zhou Yun, keeping her smile, asked, "Is Siyao related to you, President He? You’ve taken such good care of her. I’ve been with the company for over a year, and you’ve never taken care of me like this." Zhou Yun’s demeanor caught Xu Siyao off guard, unsure of how to respond and looking to He Yong for help. He Yong, unprepared for his actions to lead to such an awkward situation, realized Zhou Yun was expressing her dissatisfaction rather openly. "Xiao Yun, how have I not taken care of you? Look, you joined the company for just a year, and you’ve already filmed a show, haven’t you?" He Yong said, looking towards Zhou Lan, "If it weren’t for me speaking up, why would they cast you, a rookie?" What a joke, that role was clearly fought for by Zhou Lan. Zhou Yun sighed and said, "Alright, it seems I’m being unreasonable." She was all smiles but decidedly did not take up the task of looking after Xu Siyao. Once the branding party arrived, contracts were signed, and promotional plans set, Zhou Yun had completed her task and could leave. In the car, Zhou Lan said, "Why give him a hard time in public? No matter what, he is the deputy director in charge of the agent department." "I’ve been patient before, but that didn’t stop him from pushing you to get me jobs and endorsements, did it?" Zhou Yun replied. "He even pushed my agent away. If I continue to play timid, he’ll walk all over me."

Chapter 74: The Beginning of the Scandal

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