After Transmigrated as a Black-Hearted Entertainment Boss [Transmigration] - Chapter 11

Calm down. I can’t let myself panic!

Tao Zui took several deep breaths and walked to the side table. When he received Zhang Ling’s call, he had been reviewing the entire audition process for Day and Night, confirming repeatedly that the problem didn’t lie with them.

Since the issue wasn’t them, it could only be the director.

Day and Night was Jiang Qisheng’s personal project; the only thing that could make him give up an actor he liked was pressure from investors. But Tao Zui was certain he hadn’t offended anyone since taking over Taoli Entertainment, and Gu Nan even less so—he was delivering food just a month ago! What kind of investor would want to snatch something from them?

Furthermore, like Su Jiqiu’s speculation, Tao Zui thought of Jiang Qisheng’s resume. For a director who had just come off a massive box-office bomb with an original script, it was a miracle he could even secure investment. Who would steal his third lead? And why not the first or second lead?

Even if someone with a discerning eye existed, what circumstance would make Jiang Qisheng change his mind?

Tao Zui thought of the one thing the director lacked most: money.

Once he understood this, Tao Zui felt a wave of relief. It wasn’t because he had interfered, nor was it Taoli’s bad reputation; it was simply a matter of being unable to beat capital.

Before transmigrating, he would have criticized the injustice of capital and cursed the mercenary nature of the world. But now, he was just glad he understood the reason, so he could apply the right “remedy” in the future.

After all, he was now a rich second-generation heir with two properties worth hundreds of millions waiting to be sold.

Tao Zui had already considered selling the houses to invest in projects—and what investment could be safer than investing in the protagonists? As long as the plot didn’t change too drastically, he could invest in the movies, shows, and songs the protagonists starred in to ensure a return.

Of course, the unexpected loss of “Bone” made him a bit nervous, but there was no direct evidence that the plot had deviated significantly yet. He still had a chance to fix it.

Then, Zhang Ling shoved the evidence right in his face.

Twenty million… Who could so accurately provide twenty million to invest in Day and Night? A fellow transmigrator? This company, Xincan, didn’t exist in the original novel—or perhaps it had appeared but he’d forgotten it. However, he was certain that in the original book, Qin Shuang’s agency was not Xincan.

Moreover, why did this person so precisely find Gu Nan’s rival to cultivate and snatch away his first role? Was it a “Supporting Character Faction” enthusiast from the legends?

Tao Zui’s head throbbed. He flopped backward onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Whatever the case, things had come to this. He had to consider the worst-case scenario.

What was the worst-case scenario? That all of Gu Nan’s resources would be maliciously snatched away.

The literary film The Guilty, which won the Hundred Flowers Best Newcomer Award; the comedy I’ll Pay Today, which grossed over four billion; and the mainstream film Tomorrow, which won the Golden Rooster for Best Actor… one by one, every film Gu Nan had starred in with good results would be intercepted.

The enemy was in the dark while they were in the light. Seeing the other party drop twenty million without blinking just to let Qin Shuang join a production with investment, it was clear this person was even richer than him. Head-on confrontation wouldn’t work; he had to find another way out.

But in the original novel, aside from Gu Nan’s major films, everything else was glossed over. He wanted to find another way… but where? Was he really expected to pick projects himself?

Tao Zui scrambled out of bed, pacing back and forth in the small space.

Setting aside that he knew nothing about the film and TV industry, where would he find projects that were still in preparation? He didn’t even have the connections… Wait! Taoli used to have a film production department! Although it was cut due to funding and the industry “winter,” the previous network of relationships was still there!

“A meeting is worth half a friendship.” Tao Zui believed that as long as he took the first step, rebuilding connections wouldn’t be hard. Who would turn down an extra path of networking?

Once he had projects, how would he choose the right one? He wasn’t looking to reach the top in one step, but it had to help Gu Nan—it couldn’t be a trashy film that exhausted the actor’s potential.

Tao Zui curled up in the bean bag chair with a notebook and began sketching and writing aimlessly.

Even big-name directors and screenwriters can’t guarantee a hit; at most, they just fail less embarrassingly… Among genres, only comedies have a solid base. With a good release window, they can make a splash… But comedies can easily pigeonhole an actor, making it hard to transition later…

It seemed he could only use the “stupid” method.

Tao Zui circled two words in his notebook: Director and Screenwriter.

In any film or TV work, these two figures are the core. The director controls the rhythm, composition, camera work, and part of the editing; the screenwriter is responsible for logic and emotional expression. As long as he could grasp the skill level of these two key figures, the tone of a work could be determined.

Find the projects first, then follow the clues—review the past works of the director and screenwriter for each project, and then select the best from the best.

It was a clunky method, and it didn’t guarantee the chosen project would be good—after all, there were issues like screenwriters being “ghost-written” or multiple directors filming in groups—but right now, he only had himself to rely on.

Maybe it’s not that pessimistic. Tao Zui closed the notebook and let out a long breath.

In his previous life, he became an account director at a top creative agency at a young age. Besides having a silver tongue, it was because of his ability to integrate opinions from clients, strategy, and creative teams, extract the content that best suited the market, and his ability to execute it perfectly.

Having personally handled many commercial blockbusters, he wasn’t ignorant of cinematography and possessed the ability to judge quality.

Additionally, because he had been raising his brother since his sophomore year and had no time for romance or entertainment, his only hobby was reading novels. Of course, being a reader isn’t the same as being a writer, but over a decade of reading helped in clarifying story logic and sensing emotional beats.

“Is this just me trying to put a gold leaf on my own face?” Tao Zui gave a bitter laugh, stood up, and put the notebook back in the drawer.

Regardless, now that the plot had changed, the only thing he could do was face the difficulties head-on and pull the lives of Gu Nan and the others back on track.

Having found a plan, Tao Zui didn’t hesitate. The next day, he contacted several producers who had previously worked at Taoli Entertainment, as well as directors and screenwriters they had collaborated with.

Some had left the industry, others had fallen to filming commercials and home videos, but a few were backed by major platforms and doing quite well.

No matter their current status, they were all delighted—at least on the surface—to receive Tao Zui’s call.

If it were the original owner, he would never have made these calls. These people used to rely on Taoli for their livelihood; now he had to ask them for help—how could he swallow his pride? But for Tao Zui, it was nothing.

Which “Party B” doesn’t act like a grandson in front of “Party A”? As long as the job gets done, what is pride worth? Whether they were smiling while cursing him in their heads didn’t matter. Tao Zui wanted to build a network; as long as he added them on WeChat, their social media “Moments” would be a major source of industry news.

Thus, Tao Zui wasn’t in a rush to contact everyone at once. He categorized them as online/offline and important/unimportant, scheduling dinners and tea or just making phone calls in batches. He didn’t reveal his true purpose, thick-skin-edly pretending to reminisce about the past and ask about their current lives—pure small talk, never mentioning business.

Busy scouting for project news, Tao Zui naturally couldn’t look after Gu Nan and the others. He still cooked, but grocery shopping was left to Gu Nan or Su Jiqiu. He’d just come back to man the stove, and often he’d leave right after finishing the meal, leaving a table of food and five “left-behind children.”

As time went by, Tao Zui came home later and later, and he didn’t even have time for lunch. Gu Nan used to bring bento boxes to the third floor, but now he didn’t even bother looking; the man was never there.

That day, the house supplies were low. Su Jiqiu happened to have no afternoon classes and was at the office. When school ended, he packed up to go shopping with Gu Nan.

As they stepped out of the company entrance, the black Cullinan drove past.

In the driver’s seat, Tao Zui was on the phone. He snapped his fingers at them and pointed to the phone by his ear. Before they could react, they heard him say “I’ll be there in about half an hour” to the phone before he sped away, quickly vanishing at the end of the road.

Su Jiqiu was dazed by the sequence of actions and looked at Gu Nan. “What did Young CEO Tao mean?”

Gu Nan took out his phone, his eyes dark. “Told us to watch our phones. He’ll message us in a bit.”

“Really?” Su Jiqiu also took out his phone, scrolling through WeChat. “So Young CEO Tao isn’t eating at home again today?”

Gu Nan didn’t answer, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Su Jiqiu didn’t mind, murmuring to himself, “He hasn’t eaten with us for half a month… Last night I was in the bathroom when he came home and smelled alcohol on him… Given the company’s situation, he must be struggling to hold it together… It’s here!”

A voice message popped up in a WeChat group named “Taoli Everywhere.” Gu Nan and Su Jiqiu pressed play almost simultaneously. Tao Zui’s clear voice, with a hint of soft sweetness at the end, drifted from their phones.

Tao Zui: “I’ve got something going on, can’t make it back to cook. Wait for Zhang Ling at the company entrance; she’ll go shopping with you and then cook.”

Zhang Ling had moved into the dorms a week ago. Perhaps not wanting to face her boss and colleagues after work, she hadn’t appeared since a brief greeting upon moving in. Her presence was lower than that of the neighborhood cleaning lady.

“Sister Zhang?” Su Jiqiu looked back, asking Gu Nan hesitantly, “Should we go up to the third floor to find her?”

“No need,” Gu Nan spat out two words stiffly. He pocketed his phone, shoved his hands into his pockets, and stared in the direction the Cullinan had disappeared. His face was expressionless, looking like a stone guardian of the Taoli entrance.

Su Jiqiu: “…”

Is Brother Nan angry? Why? No one bothered him…