Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path

Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path Chapter 47

“While I may not have the boldness of Zhao Changshuo to directly give you Xingchen like he did, I know far more than him in this circle,” Zhao Ruihong said without thinking about why Zhao Yao chose to enter this circle. It didn’t matter to her which circle Zhao Yao entered, but now that he had entered the entertainment industry, he also knew that she was the one behind RH’s power. Yet, he hadn’t come to her seeking any benefits or favors. In terms of their relationship, although she had been abroad for a few years, she was still easier to approach than Zhao Changshuo. Why hadn’t he reached out to her?

Zhao Yao paused slightly and said, “I only found out recently that RH is your company.”

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Upon hearing this, Zhao Ruihong smiled and said, “Now that you know, why don’t you discuss collaboration with me? I know about Huihua as well. It’s a decent company, but there are still some resources within that haven’t been fully utilized, right?”

“Yes,” Zhao Yao replied.

Zhao Yao knew that he couldn’t hide this matter from Zhao Ruihong. As a shrewd person, she must have already investigated the backgrounds of the people who came with him today. Even if she hadn’t personally investigated, her subordinates would have informed her about who held the most power in the industry and who needed favors.

Before knowing that the resources Chen Xi wanted were related to RH, Zhao Yao had planned to do some investigation and understand the background of the company. However, upon knowing Zhao Ruihong, he realized that delving into these preferences and interests would be pointless. Zhao Ruihong wasn’t interested in that approach.

“RH’s development in China has been satisfactory over the years, but you also know that its main influence lies internationally. The artist agencies that have collaborated with RH are carefully selected internally. It’s not easy to work with us,” Zhao Ruihong explained.

Seeing that Zhao Yao wasn’t particularly interested in her words, as if today’s meeting was about resources between her and not Zhao Yao, she said, “You’re not interested? I went through all this trouble to invite you for tea, and you don’t want to talk about collaboration?”

Zhao Yao chuckled in response, “If I were eager to discuss collaboration with you, I could have gone directly to your old mansion or called you. I came here today mainly to see you. As for RH’s high standards, it happens to be a good thing for Huihua.”

“What do you mean?” Zhao Ruihong asked.

Zhao Yao spoke frankly, “Huihua is still in the early stages of development. It would indeed be beneficial to start off with top-notch resources. However, at the same time, the public perception associated with it will gradually be confined within a limited scope. But for Huihua, which is currently growing, this isn’t necessarily a good thing. I hope that the partners we collaborate with have a broad vision and high standards. This way, when Huihua obtains resources, the public’s impression won’t solely be based on capital, but rather on the outstanding abilities of Huihua’s artists, who can live up to the expectations.”

Zhao Ruihong fell silent for a moment upon hearing these words, then burst into laughter. “Well, Zhao Yao, are you using RH as a stepping stone for Huihua?”

When a big company collaborates with top-notch resources, the public perception often assumes that these resources come from capital cooperation. However, in reality, this is mostly the case in the industry. Artists rely on their companies, which provide them with resources. The benefit lies in the company’s ability to help the artist gain recognition and influence. But Zhao Yao didn’t just want to do that. In addition to wanting the company’s strength, he also wanted to cultivate a unique label for the artists.

The former gives the impression to the public that a certain artist can obtain these resources thanks to their affiliation with a good company. The latter implies that a certain artist can obtain these resources because they are outstanding in their own right.

Zhao Yao continued, “This is a win-win cooperation. RH will have talented artists who can build their reputation, while Huihua’s artists will gain recognition through the status and resources provided by RH.”

Zhao Ruihong clicked her tongue twice and said, “Many people have approached me for cooperation, but you are the first one to be so straightforward about your intentions. Are you only trying to take advantage of me because I’m your second sister?”

“That’s not entirely true,” Zhao Yao finished his tea. “I won’t deceive you, so if we collaborate, I will make everything clear.”

“When Zhao Changshuo helped you, I was quite curious about how he could willingly and actively assist you, considering your personalities clashed before, almost leading to a conflict. I couldn’t understand it from any angle,” Zhao Ruihong looked at Zhao Yao. “But now I understand. You always say pleasant things and make a few whimsical demands before talking to people. However, these requests are not overly unreasonable. They require some effort but don’t harm the fundamentals. That’s why Zhao Changshuo casually handed over Xingchen to you.”

Zhao Yao remained silent and poured himself a cup of tea.

Zhao Ruihong continued, “It’s fortunate that we had a good relationship when we were younger, so you would clarify things before taking advantage of me. Now that I think about it, it’s quite extraordinary for you to come out of the Zhao Group. With your mindset and methods, it would be magical for Zhao Zhikai to beat you, and Zhao Changshuo was almost played around by you.”

Zhao Yao replied simply, “I didn’t have any ulterior motives when I left the group. I was just tired, and it wasn’t good for my health. Huihua has Chen Xi, so I don’t need to worry.”

Zhao Ruihong was curious again and asked, “You’ve been trending on social media a lot these days, right? Every time I follow the latest gossip, I see you. You’re a boss, but your popularity surpasses that of many artists. Don’t you think it’s necessary to suppress that attention a bit? Is it interesting to spend your days in the trending topics?”

The topic took a sudden turn, and Zhao Yao didn’t expect Zhao Ruihong to bring up the trending topics. He paused for a moment and continued, “It’s not interesting to stay in the trending topics, but using my reputation to promote Huihua saves a lot of PR expenses. This industry is quite peculiar. Some reputations that can be easily bought with capital face resistance, while others effortlessly achieve success in seemingly unintentional matters. My reputation doesn’t hold much weight, and managing these requires effort. As long as the Chen Xi can make money by utilizing my reputation, everything is negotiable.”

The more Zhao Ruihong listened, the more amazed she became. During this period, she had been observing the entertainment industry from the outside and contemplated the whole situation, but she never expected Zhao Yao to adopt a laid-back attitude. He didn’t strive for control over the Zhao Family Group, neglected building a good reputation, and didn’t enjoy dealing with work. It turned out to be true, as others had told her. The Third Young Master of the Zhao family voluntarily left the Zhao Family Group to become a salted fish.

“Well, isn’t that perfect?” Zhao Ruihong smiled and said, “It’s possible to thrive as a salted fish in this industry, but you still need some skills. It’s fine for you to be laid-back, but you shouldn’t let others step on your head, right? I’ve also heard about the scandal involving Lu Zishi. Seriously, Zhao Yao, can a mere traffic flaunt their power in front of you?”

“You don’t need to provoke me,” Zhao Yao said calmly. “As you saw just now, Lu Zishi couldn’t enter the party without the influence of Mr. Wang. But the person surnamed Wang isn’t foolish. It’s not worth it for him to offend you just because of Lu Zishi. That can only mean someone informed him of the plan and then took advantage of the rumors about your aversion to unspoken rules to plot against Huihua.”

“That person will definitely be present at the party, Mr. Lin from Shiyang Films, who has a minor grudge against Huihua,” Zhao Ruihong continued where he left off. “You seem to know everything, so why not take direct action?”

Zhao Yao paused for a moment. “It’s not profitable to take action now. It could bring bad luck to Huihua, and I can’t benefit from Shiyang Films. I don’t need to strain myself for something that’s not rewarding.”

So, he didn’t want to get involved because there was no money to be made?

“Then does it require much effort to stir up a scandal with Movie Emperor Pei?” Zhao Ruihong smiled mischievously. “I saw the trending topics, and hey, I have to say, you and him really make a good-looking couple. Releasing a clarification statement in the middle of the night and using the Movie Emperor’s Weibo account to do so, sharing a room and having dinner together. If I guess correctly, you didn’t come out that night, right?”

Zhao Yao’s hand holding the teacup paused, causing the tea to dampen his fingers. He said briefly, “You’re overthinking.”

“Whether I’m overthinking or not, it’s based on what I saw on Weibo,” Zhao Ruihong continued when she saw that his expression hadn’t changed. “It’s not just me. Many people on Weibo would think the same. You’re so smart, but you couldn’t see through this obvious scheme regarding the Movie Emperor Pei?”

“What scheme?” Zhao Yao didn’t understand her statement.

Zhao Ruihong shrugged, “I won’t say it. If I do, there won’t be any juicy gossip left. A fruitful melon field needs nurturing. You don’t understand what it means to be a professional melon grower.”

“A professional melon grower?”

Zhao Yao understood the concept of “eating melons,” but it was the first time he had heard that expression. He glanced at the time and felt that he had stayed here for too long. “You’re the host, and there are still a lot of guests downstairs. It’s not good for me to stay here for so long. I will let Chen Xi handle the collaboration with you.”

After he finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment. “If you have time, come to my house for a meal. I won’t go to the old mansion.”

Zhao Ruihong was slightly surprised and was about to say something, but Zhao Yao had already pushed open the door to the reception hall and walked out.

Zhao Ruihong’s secretary, who was waiting outside the door, walked in and asked, “Boss, should I stop Mr. Zhao?”

The secretary found it strange. Initially, their return to China was supposed to be a secret, and the boss didn’t intend to inform the young master of the Zhao family. Later, when he heard about Zhao San’s withdrawal from the competition for control of the Zhao Group, the boss changed his mind and informed Zhao Changshuo at the last minute. They also changed their plans from staying at a hotel to returning to the old mansion. Having followed Zhao Ruihong for many years, the secretary knew that she disliked seeing internal power struggles within the Zhao family because such struggles always led to one side being suppressed and even brothers turning against each other.

The boss didn’t like the cold and calculating nature of the Zhao Group’s internal power games, but he also didn’t want to see a situation where the brothers destroyed each other.

So, upon hearing that Zhao Yao had left the group and that Zhao Changshuo had taken the initiative to clean up the mess, the boss was puzzled by the change in the relationship between the two brothers. That’s why he chose to inform Zhao Changshuo of their return to China.

“No need, he has achieved his goal,” Zhao Ruihong said, glancing at the teacup in front of her. “He didn’t greet me proactively at the party because he was waiting for me to approach him. He knew that I specifically sent him an invitation because I had something to discuss with him. So, whether it’s a private conversation or a greeting in front of others, he has a way to connect RH with Huihua.”

Zhao Ruihong looked at the time on her phone screen. It wasn’t too long or too short. It was just enough time for a brief discussion about collaboration.

Zhao Yao’s words were indeed correct. If Huihua’s artists could secure an invitation from RH based on their talent, it would indeed be a shining point for the artists themselves. However, he also wanted other companies and artists to know that without Huihua, Huihua’s artists wouldn’t have a stepping stone.

The collaboration between RH and Huihua was seen by the public as how the artists themselves performed.

But those in the industry looked at how Huihua gained an advantage in this game.

Zhao Yao not only wanted the artists’ fame but also Huihua’s position in the industry.

It had been several years since they last met, and Zhao Yao was indeed as capable and cunning as the rumors suggested. He was no longer the child who used to follow behind others. Over the years, due to the environment of the Zhao family and the instigation of interested parties, even a simple child would gradually learn to seek their own interests.

He is no longer a child, and he won’t suffer because he doesn’t have anyone backing him up. That’s a good thing.

The secretary asked again, “Have you found out what you wanted to know?”

“I have.”

Zhao Ruihong smiled helplessly. Zhao Yao just wanted to be a bystander, but she had overthought things.

-*

Yao Bai was calculating the time. It had been half an hour since his brother went upstairs to the third floor.

Not only he was paying attention to the situation upstairs, but others also occasionally glanced towards the staircase. Manager Liaohad to deal with many people who came to get close and inquire about the situation. Many people in the industry were curious about the relationship between Zhao Yao and the Great Demon King, and why the Great Demon King directly challenged Mr. Wang because of Zhao Yao. Moreover, isn’t the Great Demon King the one who dislikes the hidden rules in the industry the most? Why is he indifferent to the open suppression by Huihua?

In short, various reasons left the people present puzzled. Moreover, Zhao Yao had been invited to the third floor, a privilege that even Mr. Lin 1, the CEO of Shiyang Films, might not have the honor to talk to the Great Demon King directly. How did Zhao Yao manage to win the favor of the Great Demon King? Could it be that the Great Demon King is attracted to Zhao Yao’s type? Love at first sight?

“It’s been half an hour since they went up.”

“RH hasn’t had specific cooperation with other companies in the industry for so many years. Most of the time, it’s them who extend the invitations. Could Huihua…?”

“Really? Among the companies present here, there are at least seven or eight that are larger than Huihua. What makes Huihua so special in the eyes of the Great Demon King?”

Manager Liao glanced at Yao Bai. He also wanted to know what the relationship between those two really was.

Yao Bai suddenly realized that his brother’s connection with the Great Demon King might not be as simple as mere acquaintances. He had been busy with other matters recently and hadn’t paid much attention to these things. His brother’s expression when he received the invitation was also very calm… but now, thinking about it, this calmness often indicated something extraordinary. Why could his brother be so calm?! It could only mean that the two of them had a closer relationship…

“What do you think is the relationship between Zhao Yao and the Great Demon King? He received a separate invitation, and the Great Demon King even supported him when he arrived. Now they’ve gone upstairs to discuss cooperation directly. None of the possible relationships seem to fit. Is Huihua really that powerful?”

“Zhao Yao is impressive. He used to be suppressed by Zhao Changshuo in the Zhao family’s Group, but now that he’s out, no one can suppress him.”

“The Zhao family’s Group is also extraordinary. When Xingchen entered the entertainment industry back then, you were all nervous as hell. It was fortunate that the CEO of Xingchen was an idiot.”

“But they are not bad either. Those talented and capable individuals from Xingchen have all joined Huihua now.”

“Didn’t you guys want to poach one of Xingchen’s managers recently?”

…

The surrounding discussions grew louder, and Mr. Lin, who was standing at a distance, turned pale at the sight.

Mr. Wang said, “Mr. Lin, this Lu Zishi is useless in front of Edith. Could it be that the rumors about her dislike of unspoken rules were spread by someone else?”

“No, a few years ago she openly discussed such matters within the industry abroad. It can’t be false,” Mr. Lin’s expression was grim as he said, “It can only be said that Lu Zishi happened to be informed about it, which led to this situation. That fool, he doesn’t even know how to read the situation. You don’t need to bother with him anymore.”

“Now that Zhao Yao and Edith have been talking upstairs for so long, could it be that they have really reached a cooperation agreement?” Mr. Wang asked.

“Even if it’s not a collaboration, considering her attitude towards Zhao Yao, it’s obvious that she treats him differently,” Mr. Lin said. As he thought about it, anger surged within him. He personally came here to save face for RH, but Edith’s attitude clearly showed no regard for his face, yet she showed great favor to Zhao Yao. Once this news spreads, does Zhao Yao’s Huihai Agency still need to worry about resources? There are plenty of companies willing to kneel and lick RH’s feet 2.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Why did it have to be Huihai, this troublesome company that always got in his way.

At a critical moment, Yao Bai mastered the art of speaking nonsense. Those individuals who couldn’t extract any information from Manager Liao turned to Yao Bai when they heard he was Zhao Yao’s personal assistant. Yao Bai didn’t have any other skills, but after reading millions of CEO novels over the years, he had acquired the knack for speaking like an assistant in a novel. With just a few sentences, he skillfully redirected the conversation back to them.

Don’t ask, these are things you can’t know.

If you ask again, it’s what Mr. Zhao meant.

Accompanied by a standard and somewhat mysterious smile, let them guess as they please.

When Zhao Yao came down, the entire venue suddenly quieted down.

He casually walked over to Yao Bai and asked, “How did the conversation go?”

Manager Liao now looked at Zhao Yao as if he were a deity. His admiration for Zhao Yao couldn’t be expressed in words. He openly declared his intention in front of so many people and then casually went up to chat with the big boss as if nothing had happened. There were many big shots present, but only their Zhao from Huihai could do such a thing. Being impressive or not was no longer the question, as Yao Bai put it in his words.

These things are beyond their knowledge.

When Yao Bai saw Zhao Yao coming, he felt relieved as if his main support had arrived. “Brother, you’re down? How did it go? Is the Great Demon King easy to talk to?”

“It’s fine,” Zhao Yao glanced at the others out of the corner of his eye. “I told you to interact more with others. How did it go?”

“It went well, it went well. They all came to ask me about your relationship with the Great Demon King,” Yao Bai briefly recounted what had just happened to Zhao Yao. “By the way, brother, what’s your relationship with the Great Demon King? You guys seem like friends, but not quite like friends, and the Great Demon King treats you well too…”

“Oh,” Zhao Yao replied simply, “She’s my second sister.”

“Oh, so she’s the second Miss,” Yao Bai said.

“!!!!” The second Miss? The second Miss of the Zhao family, the Zhao Group??

Not only Yao Bai, even Manager Liao, who was standing next to them, was dumbfounded.

Apart from the current heir of the Zhao Group, Zhao Changshuo, and the third young master Zhao Yao, who had left the Zhao Group, the rest were just Zhao Qizhen, who had some playboy reputation outside. As for the second Miss of the Zhao family, she had been mysterious for these years. It was said that she went abroad early on and there was no news from her, and the Zhao family had kept her information tightly guarded. People knew that there was a formidable second miss, but very few knew what she looked like. However, it turned out that Edith, the person in power at RH, was the rumored second miss of the Zhao family.

Yao Bai carefully recalled the appearance of the Great Demon King now. No wonder he felt that the Big Boss slightly resembled his older brother, Zhao Yao. He had thought it was just his imagination, but he didn’t expect there to be a connection. At that time, why didn’t his brother disclose any information about his relationship with the Big Boss? No one in this circle knew about the connection between the Big Boss and the Zhao Group…

Zhao Yao’s words were not loud enough for the people around to hear.

Manager Liao, as if discovering an unheard secret, quickly lowered his voice and asked, “Um… Mr. Zhao, were you discussing a collaboration with RH upstairs?”

Zhao Yao glanced at Manager Liao and replied, “I don’t need to worry about the collaboration. When the time comes, Chen Xi can take you there. The most important aspect of this party hosted by RH is not about discussing collaboration. Don’t stick around me, go have fun elsewhere.”

With so many industry insiders present, these two stood there, oblivious to engaging in conversations with others.

Yao Bai suddenly remembered that his brother had asked him to come and have fun. He had so many questions he wanted to clarify. If he had known that RH was owned by the second miss, there would have been no need for Chen Xi to worry. It would have been better for him to focus on currying a favor with his brother instead of trying to please RH’s executives.

As the onlookers observed the situation, they also had many questions they wanted to get answered. Did RH and Huihua really reach a collaboration? Did the Big Boss truly have a liking for Zhao Yao? There were plenty of doubts lingering in their minds, and they were considering whether to approach Zhao Yao and strike up a conversation. Just then, they saw Mr. Lin, the boss of Shiyang Films, who had been standing on the side, walking over.

Zhao Yao had just drunk a lot of tea and had already seen enough of Zhao Ruihong’s flushed face. He didn’t have much interest in this party either.

Initially, he had been concerned about the reason for Zhao Ruihong’s return to China. However, upon careful recollection of the situation when he had seen her at the funeral in his previous life. It was his father’s burial, Zhao Changshuo being expelled from the center of the group and facing public criticism, Bai Chengxue about to go to jail. The Zhao family was already in shambles. Given the scene Zhao Ruihong witnessed upon her return, there was no way she would treat him kindly. He had been too arrogant and impulsive in his youth, and he should have anticipated ending up with a lonely outcome.

But he had no regrets. After all, in his previous life, he had earnestly dedicated himself to the coveted power that everyone desired.

In this lifetime, however, he hadn’t fallen out with Zhao Changshuo over power struggles, and had drawn boundaries with Zhao Zhikai or Zhao Qizhen. Since he no longer cared about the Zhao Group’s affairs and hadn’t treated the Zhao family with disdain, whether Zhao Ruihong returned or not was irrelevant to him.

Just as Pei Mingzhan had said, there was no need to fret over insignificant matters.

“Mr. Zhao, I’ve heard a lot about you.” Mr. Lin approached with a glass of wine, smiling at Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao finally perked up a bit and turned his head to face the smiling tiger. “Mr. Lin.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mr. Lin shifted the conversation to the main point. “Mr. Zhao, you’re young and promising. You’ve achieved so much shortly after taking over Huihua. I’ve heard that Huihua’s projects are scheduled until next year, and several more projects are expected to start filming?”

“I’m just average. The progress of the projects may not be as good as that of Shiyang Films. I heard that your projects are also being prepared quite well,” Zhao Yao said calmly. “Congratulations in advance, Mr. Lin.”

Mr. Lin’s gaze slightly darkened. “Zhao, you’re being too modest. Edith’s attitude towards you is not ordinary. By the way, I heard that RH is preparing for new projects and looking for suitable artists. I assume there are suitable candidates within Huihua?”

“Oh, so RH is preparing for new projects?” Zhao Yao paused for a moment, his tone showing slight surprise. “I actually didn’t know about that. Just now, Edith invited me for a couple of cups of tea and we discussed some recent happenings in the industry.”

Mr. Lin looked at the young man before him. He already had outstanding looks and spoke with natural ease. In their brief conversation, he didn’t reveal even the slightest bit of information. This industry was not lacking ambitious young individuals, but young people often carried a sense of immaturity when faced with major situations, either being overly cautious or reckless.

However, Mr. Lin couldn’t see any of that in Zhao Yao. He couldn’t find any faults in his behavior, and his expression gave away no clues. It was as if the person was an old fox standing before him that had already undergone years of business experience, remaining unruffled and composed in any situation.

“Mr. Zhao, it’s best not to make grand statements. Saying you’ll blacklist a minor celebrity in front of so many people, no one in this industry would dare make such a bold claim,” Mr. Lin’s gaze turned unfriendly. “Huihua has just been through a lot recently and is only just stabilizing. Mr. Zhao, you have big ambitions, but be careful not to lift a brick only to hit yourself.”

Yao Bai and Manager Liao listened intently, their hearts pounding. This Mr. Lin came directly to criticize them, and he even said not to hit oneself with a brick. The tone was both sinister and sarcastic. Weren’t they the ones from Shi Yang Films who had set a trap to target someone earlier?

“Oh,” Zhao Yao raised an eyebrow slightly. “Well, that’s fine. Unlike Mr. Lin, I prefer to speak my mind.”