IPCFS: Chapter 50 Part 1

Ji Li looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the other person was a flashy looking young man. The red suit on his body was particularly eye-catching at this drinking party.

Ji Li saw his apricot-shaped eyes and had a sense of deja vu. “…May I ask who you are?”

Just listening to the other person’s sour tone, it was obvious that the other person knew him.

There was a hint of embarrassment in the young man’s eyes when he heard his reply. He pretended to calmly swirl his wine glass as he said with a smile, “Sure enough, you’ve climbed onto a high branch and have forgotten many things. You don’t even remember your classmates from your movie and television training period?”

Ji Li heard his jealous and sour words and desperately thought back to that time. Then, he found the number one candidate in his mind. “Xu Ziming?”

The young man in front of him snorted softly and acquiesced to the name. “Long time no see, Ji Li.”

Ji Li quietly looked at Xu Ziming’s face. To be honest, his face was a bit different from his memory. It wasn’t just from the modeling effect from after his debut. The other person had opened the corners of his eyes and raised his nose.

However, plastic surgery was tacitly approved in the circle.

Ji Li wouldn’t use this to mock others.

Xu Ziming was right. He and the original owner were movie and television trainees at the same time. There were half former colleagues.

At the beginning, most of the trainees in that period followed the lead of the rich second generation, Lin Qiao. Apart from the original owner, who was bullied, this Xu Ziming was also an exception.

The latter’s background was very ordinary. At first, he took the initiative to sign up for the trainee audition of Dream Media. After several levels of selection, he entered the company in ‘first place.’

Due to this audition result, Xu Ziming was very popular among the trainees, and even Lin Qiao was willing to give him a bit of leeway.

Yet, now that Ji Li thought about it, he felt that Xu Ziming was probably scheming.

At that time, Xu Ziming was clearly jealous of the original owner, but he didn’t take the lead. He openly and secretly provoked Lin Qiao and used Lin Qiao to suppress the original owner.

Later, Ji Li replaced the original owner just in time for the completion of the company’s movie and television training. He was busy with filming, canceling the contract and other matters, and he didn’t communicate much with Xu Ziming.

Unexpectedly, they met again at such an occasion.

Xu Ziming opened his mouth and spoke insincerely, “You have had a lot of momentum lately. Congratulations, you ran into Teacher Qin Yue in your first debut movie and you acted with him. Your luck is really different.”

If he had obtained the role of Song Zhao, then he would’ve definitely acted better than Ji Li. After all, they were at completely different extremes with assessment results during the training period.

Xu Ziming thought of this secretly, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the ability to hide it from his eyes.

Ji Li easily detected these thoughts, and the corners of his mouth twitched. “If I remember correctly, the rest of you picked roles other than Song Zhao? Therefore, people have different discerning eyes.”

“……”

Xu Zhiming was choked to silence by this counterattack. He hadn’t seen Ji Li for half a year, and this young man’s personality had really changed greatly.

Ji Li asked without changing his expression, “I haven’t asked you for advice yet. I learned about the perfume endorsement of domestic brands. Why isn’t it promising?”

“Do you still need me to say it?” Xu Ziming took a sip of red wine and raised his overly distinct chin. “For an artist’s endorsement, the brand should be a top high luxury and light luxury brand. Even if it is domestic, it should be a well-known famous brand.”

He paused and seemingly kindly advised, “Why bother to learn about a small brand that isn’t famous? It is obviously a cheap product just by listening to it, Ji Li, you will be lowering your own value if you accept it.”

Ying Yuanjing couldn’t listen for any longer. “Xu Ziming, please stop in moderation!”

Yes, their perfume wasn’t famous yet, but it was something that they developed after years of painstaking effort. He was reluctant to let an outsider who didn’t know about perfume to criticize and to trample their efforts on the mud.

Xu Ziming glanced at Ying Yuanjing in silence and found a reason to attack again. He gave a ‘friendly’ smile, but there was actually a needle hidden in his words.

“Mr Ying, are you really casting a wide net? You were initially rejected by me, and now you are looking for a new spokesperson?”

Ji Li’s gaze shifted to Ying Yuanjing when he heard this.

The latter’s expression was very ugly, and there was obvious anger in his gaze.

It seemed that there was an unpleasant relationship between the two of them?

Ji Li took the initiative to speak and relieve Ying Yuanjing. “I have heard about Mr Ying’s efforts to find a spokesperson for his perfume. The brand’s spokesperson hasn’t been decided on yet. What does it matter if he looks for you first and me later?”

“Mr Ji, I didn’t mean to hide this from you. Before you came to the party, I met him at the entrance of the banquet hall…” Ying Yuanjing took the initiative to explain.

Some time ago, Xu Ziming starred in a TV drama that became popular. As the second male lead, he gained a lot of fans and popularity.

Thanks to his daughter’s help, Ying Yuanjing got to know the dinner party guests in advance.

Therefore, he took the opportunity to meet and express his intentions to Xu Ziming in a friendly manner. As a result, the other person had heard that it was a nameless small brand made in China and contempt immediately appeared in his eyes.

Ying Yuanjing thought about explaining more, but he was met with malicious words.

Xu Ziming directly told Ying Yuanjing to take his junk products out of his sight.

The more Ying Yuanjing thought about it, the angrier he became. He asked, “You don’t like our Ying’s Perfume, but you won’t allow me to talk to others about cooperation?”

Seeing his angry face, Xu Ziming shrugged and said with a smile, “Mr Ying, why are you so angry? I just passed by and heard your conversation, so I thought about reminding my colleague Ji Li.”

“Celebrities accept endorsement products, but it should only be done cautiously. Even if he can’t get the best product, he shouldn’t pick up the worst, right?”

There was obviously a smile on his face, but his words pierced at people’s hearts.

Xu Ziming looked at Ji Li, and there was a trace of gloating hidden in his eyes.

His original appearance was a bit bland and far inferior to Ji Li’s appearance. Therefore, even if he took first place during the training period, he still harbored an unwilling sourness in his heart toward Ji Li.

Later, Ji Li accidentally won He Ling’s role in an ancient drama and jumped to an established movie and television company like Chaoying with Yu Fuya as his agent. This made the jealousy in his heart reach its peak.

In the past six months, he received a TV drama that was fast to film, produce, and set for airing.

The TV series had some nonsensical and foolish content, and it unexpectedly swept the Internet some time ago.

As Ji Li became popular due to the movie, he also gained a wave of popularity as the second male lead in this TV drama. In addition, a brand endorsement invitation came to his door. The brand couldn’t be called the top in the world, but it was well-known in China.

The two of them debuted in the same company, and their conditions were similar in all aspects. Ever since Ji Li switched companies, Dream Media always asked Xu Ziming to treat the other actor as his  ‘competitor.’

Xu Ziming originally thought that Ji Li was backed by the two mountains of Yu Fuya and Chaoying, and he would definitely gain excellent resources. There would be no need to worry about scripts or endorsements.

Unexpectedly, tonight he saw this young man at this type of exchange dinner, and also found that Ji Li was willing to accept a perfume brand that he didn’t even look at…

For a while, Xu Ziming’s vanity exploded.

This was why he pretended to come over to persuade Ji Li while his heart was actually full of ridicule.

Ji Li guessed most of this person’s heart, and a sneer appeared on his face.

“I think Mr Ying’s perfume products are good, and I plan on taking a closer look. However, seeing your smug expression, you must’ve received top luxury brand endorsements and a high quality script, right?”

The smile on Xu Ziming’s face froze.

Ji Li raised his glass and dropped a sentence, “You are really promising.”

These words that sounded like praise were actually more hurtful than obvious mockery.

Xu Ziming choked and his face was a bit red. “What do you mean?”

The moment he finished speaking, another mocking voice was heard. “Just him? Is he worthy of a top luxury brand? Then, the brand must be blind.”

“……”

The three of them looked over in unison.

Ji Yunqi slowly moved out from behind the pillar in the corner. He walked to Ji Li’s group and casually examined Xu Ziming from head to toe.

“This gentleman, if I’m not mistaken, your suit is the style from the light luxury brand Oman at the beginning of last year, right? This isn’t just an out of season style, it has been out for almost over a year.”

“According to what you just said, even if you can’t wear the best, you shouldn’t wear the worst, right?”

Even if it was a light luxury brand, it was a style from the beginning of last year? Tsk tsk, how was he shameless enough to come here and pretend otherwise?

Ji Yunqi was a young master from a wealthy family, so he had the most say when it came to luxury brands.

Based on his arrogant nature and the confidence he gained from his family, he would never save face for those he couldn’t look at.

In addition, Ji Yunqi had heard the conversation just now and felt that Xu Ziming wasn’t a good person. The words were simply a rooster’s crowing and they were difficult to hear.

Ji Li couldn’t help but smile when he heard Ji Yunqi shooting his mouth off.

It might be wrong to laugh at other people’s style of dress. In this glamorous and gorgeous entertainment industry, the other person’s style was indeed a bit degrading.

“What is wrong with domestic perfume brands? China has been around for 5,000 years and there are many good things. Mr Ying’s current undertaking is carrying forward the traditional fine culture. It is a good thing if it is produced sincerely. We should support it as Chinese people.”

The smile on Ji Li’s face widened and he nodded in agreement. He hadn’t expected that Ji Yunqi, this young master, would have such a strong sense of national pride.

Xu Ziming hadn’t expected that someone would point out the style of his clothes on the spot, and his cheeks started to turn red with embarrassment.

Ji Yunqi deliberately didn’t lower his volume, so the guests around them noticed the confrontation in the corner and looked over.

Just as the scene was deadlocked, Yu Fuya came over with the party’s organizer, Qi Shanhai.

“Ji Li, what happened?”

Yu Fuya realized that there was something wrong with the situation, and immediately accelerated her pace. She moved protectively in front of her own artist.

Ji Yunqi raised his head proudly. “Sister Yu, you came just in time. Ji Li was almost bullied by this person and I am protecting him.”

“……?”

Ji Li was a bit confused and threw a puzzled look toward Ji Yunqi.

No? Wait a minute.

How did things get to the point where he was being bullied? In addition, to be protected by the other person?

Yin Ning covered her forehead and hurriedly moved to pull aside the young master who suddenly got the ‘chuunibyou disease.’ “Little ancestor, don’t make trouble. Obediently stay with me to the side.”

He hadn’t debuted yet. How dare he fight with debuted artists?

“I didn’t do anything. Mr Ying just wanted to talk to Ji Li about a perfume endorsement, but that person came out and said irresponsible things. As a member of Chaoying, I couldn’t stand by and had to come out.” Ji Yunqi couldn’t help saying.

Yu Fuya heard these words and immediately fixed her cold eyes on Xu Ziming.

Who are you?

You dare to say anything to my family’s baby, Ji Li?

---

TL: I have once again restarted advance chapters over on my Patreon. You can go check out the details on my Patreon page.

In addition, I am holding my annual translation anniversary celebration event with the possibility of winning cash prizes just by participating. Please check out the details below. The deadline is November 30th.

Event Details

Proofreader: Azure