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Fang Hui had clearly rushed over. When she ran into Lu Chen's office, her face was flushed red, beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her anxious expression carried a trace of embarrassment.
"Lu Chen, I fired my agent!"
Lu Chen was startled. He quickly stood up and said, "Sister Fang Hui, please don't get upset. Sit down and tell me slowly."
Realizing that she had lost her composure, Fang Hui nodded and sat down on the sofa.
Lu Chen poured her a cup of tea.
Fang Hui didn't stand on ceremony; she took the cup, sipped it, and gradually calmed down.
She was genuinely furious with her own cousin.
After the New Year, Fang Hui had been busy shooting a ten-episode indoor short drama, a project she had taken on last year. Although her circumstances had changed dramatically since then, she never intended to break her contract or act unprofessionally.
In this industry, credibility is everything. No one wants to work with someone who goes back on their word.
Thankfully, the investors were quite reasonable. They paid her several times the originally agreed directing fee and treated her exceptionally well on set, giving her the kind of respect normally reserved for top-tier figures in the entertainment world.
Even the actors, whether famous or not, greeted her enthusiastically with "Director Fang! Director Fang!" Their attitudes were nothing but respectful; no one dared to throw their weight around in front of her.
Fang Hui had been directing for many years, yet this was the first time she had been treated with such deference.
And she knew perfectly well why.
Because last year, Fang Hui directed a phenomenal TV drama, one that not only broke domestic records but also became a hit in South Korea, achieving unprecedented viewership ratings. Practically overnight, she had become a household name in the entertainment industry.
Since the start of this year, countless film and television companies, as well as investors, had come knocking on her door, all eager for her to direct their projects. Some of the offers were so generous they made her heart skip a beat.
However, Fang Hui was still occupied with her current project. More importantly, Lu Chen had already hinted that he wanted her to direct his new drama. So she politely declined all other invitations.
But earlier today, Chen Fei'er called her and said that Lu Chen seemed to have had some conflict with her agent, so much so that he was considering finding another director. She wanted to know what had happened.
Fang Hui was completely dumbfounded.
Of course she knew her agent, her cousin Fang Jun, had been in talks with Lu Chen's studio about the new contract. Negotiating such things was normal; it was better handled by an agent to avoid any awkwardness about money.
But since she had been busy wrapping up her short drama these past few days, she hadn't paid much attention to the negotiations. After all, Lu Chen's new project wouldn't start immediately. She never expected things to turn out like this.
She immediately called Fang Jun over to question him.
Under her interrogation, Fang Jun finally confessed the truth: he had on his own initiative added several new clauses to the contract, intending to secure the best possible terms for Fang Hui.
What he hadn't expected was Lu Chen's firm rejection. Thinking Lu Chen was simply bargaining, Fang Jun decided to play hardball, he believed that giving in too easily would only let Lu Chen take advantage.
In Fang Jun's view, even if Fang Hui didn't work with Lu Chen, plenty of other investors were willing to pay top dollar for her talents. Compared to them, Lu Chen's offer looked far less generous.
He truly thought he was acting in Fang Hui's best interest.
After hearing this, Fang Hui nearly spat in his face in sheer frustration.
If you ever wanted an example of short-sighted stupidity, her cousin was the perfect case study.
Given Lu Chen's character, he would never mistreat those who worked with him. The reason he wanted Fang Hui to direct his new show again was first and foremost out of respect and appreciation for their past successful collaboration.
But that didn't mean he would agree to unreasonable demands, like a share in the copyright.
Fang Hui was furious. Even if her cousin wanted to negotiate, adding such presumptuous clauses into a contract was outright disrespectful, and deeply embarrassing for her.
As for those investors who had been courting her, their offers might sound tempting, but Fang Hui knew perfectly well that most of them were just trying to exploit her current fame for publicity. The scripts they offered were mostly cheap imitations of 'Autumn in My Heart'.
If the writing had been good, she might have considered it, but honestly, most of the plots were unbearable. She also knew how those investors operated: they often had "pre-assigned roles" for certain actors who got in through shady connections, and their productions were usually rushed and sloppy.
In the end, the final product would be an incoherent mess.
Sure, she had fame now, but fame can be destroyed just as easily as it's earned.
Compared to others in the industry, Lu Chen was far more reliable. Fang Hui would rather join his new drama for a lower pay than compromise her principles just to earn a bit more money elsewhere.
As long as she directed two or three more hit dramas, her standing in the entertainment world would be solid, and money would come easily after that.
Unfortunately, Fang Jun couldn't see that. He was blinded by immediate profit, too greedy to understand the bigger picture.
Fang Hui even knew that Fang Jun had been keeping unusually close ties with several investors.
At first, she hadn't paid it much attention. After all, everyone had their own private connections and small ambitions. But now, after this incident, she could no longer tolerate it. So she decisively fired him and came to Lu Chen in person to apologize.
If she missed this chance, she would never forgive herself.
After hearing Fang Hui's sincere explanation, Lu Chen felt a bit embarrassed too. In hindsight, he realized he should have had Lu Xi sign the new contract with her earlier, then things wouldn't have escalated to this point.
Still, better late than never. Since the misunderstanding was cleared up, there was no reason they couldn't continue working together.
Lu Chen genuinely appreciated Fang Hui's professionalism and her grasp of storytelling.
He said, "You really didn't have to fire him. I'll have Lu Xi renegotiate the contract with him."
It wasn't rare for agents to overstep and make decisions on behalf of their clients. And Fang Jun, being Fang Hui's cousin, was clearly trying, albeit clumsily, to secure better terms for her.
But Fang Hui shook her head firmly. "This isn't just about the contract. Just have Lu Xi draft one for me directly."
Her meaning couldn't have been clearer, whatever terms Lu Chen set, she would accept them without question.
And it wasn't as if Lu Chen would ever take advantage of her, right?
Of course not. Lu Chen chuckled. "Out of the question. Let's wait until you find a new agent before we finalize anything."
"By the way," he added, "I've got an appointment with Sister Li this afternoon to visit the Beijing Film Academy. Why don't you come along?"
Hearing that, Fang Hui finally felt the heavy weight in her heart lift. She smiled. "You're scouting actors for the new show? Planning to sign a few new talents to your studio?"
It was common for star-run studios to sign newcomers. And with Lu Chen's talent and reputation, turning a few rookies into rising stars would be a breeze.
But Lu Chen shook his head. "I'm planning to let Sister Li's agency handle that. If we find any promising rookies, we can cultivate them together."
Fang Hui immediately understood. Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands. "Then why don't I just sign with Sister Li's company too?"
It was the perfect solution. Sister Li had an excellent reputation in the industry, Fang Hui wouldn't lose anything by joining her agency, and it would also strengthen her connection with Lu Chen. A win-win situation.
Lu Chen paused, then laughed. "In that case, talk to Sister Li yourself. Let's go together."
So the two of them left the studio and drove to Beijing Film Academy to meet Sister Li.
By the time they arrived, Sister Li was already waiting at the gate with her assistant.
Seeing Fang Hui, Sister Li couldn't hide her surprise.
After all, she'd heard some rumors that Lu Chen's new drama wasn't going to involve Fang Hui and that he was looking for a new director instead.
Clearly, the rumors had been false.
After a brief chat, when she learned Fang Hui intended to sign with her agency, Sister Li immediately understood the situation.
She smiled broadly and said, "That's wonderful! As long as Director Fang doesn't mind that Rainbow Agency is a bit small, we can discuss any terms you like."
Rainbow Agency, which Sister Li managed, was a well-known mid-tier firm in the industry. It had a decent roster of contracted artists and a few directors as well, but all of them were relatively minor figures, at best, third or fourth tier.
In the entertainment industry, directors of film and television productions hold the highest status. Top-tier directors typically run their own studios and pick which production companies or TV networks they want to collaborate with. They would never sign under an agency like Rainbow.
Originally, Fang Hui had been a mid-tier director herself. But thanks to the massive success of Autumn in My Heart, she had all but broken into the first tier of TV drama directors; her future prospects were limitless.
For someone of her caliber to willingly join Rainbow Agency was a huge surprise and an incredible opportunity for Sister Li.
A director like Fang Hui could become the company's signature figure, its strongest selling point. Managed properly, she could elevate Rainbow Agency to a whole new level.
Naturally, Sister Li was overjoyed. She welcomed Fang Hui with open arms.
(End of chapter)