Chapter 98

"Wow, goodness, there's actually a Pacific Group advertising contract here!"

On the soft, large bed, Sun Yizhen and He Zhiyuan were looking through the dozen or so advertising contracts one by one. The latter suddenly exclaimed, her face filled with unhidden envy.

Sun Yizhen was also beaming with joy. The Pacific Group was the top cosmetics company in South Korea and ranked among the top twenty in the world. Being chosen as their spokesperson naturally meant she was very popular.

She happily took a look and then nudged Lee Jung-hee, who was sitting on the bed playing on the computer, and said in a sweet voice, "Hey, I'm going to sign this one...!"

Lee Jung-hee was interacting with his fans online and casually replied, "You can decide for yourself!"

Sun Yizhen was displeased. She was sharing her joy with him, not really seeking his opinion. She immediately kicked him, almost knocking Lee Jung-hee off the bed.

"What's up?" Lee Jung-hee was frustrated. When he turned around, he realized the trouble and quickly said, "What I meant was, I'm here to seek your opinion. If you want to sign it, of course, it's up to you. Would I say no? If I did, you'd probably kill me...!"

This response barely passed, and Sun Yizhen huffed and let him off. At this moment, Lee Jung-hee also noticed He Zhiyuan's somewhat melancholic mood and added, "Actually, this is just a Laneige endorsement. If they ask you to endorse Sulwhasoo, that would truly prove you've become a top star in South Korea, not just a sudden sensation... ."

Most of South Korea's industries are controlled by large domestic companies, and the cosmetics industry is no exception. Companies like Samsung, LG, Sowon, Pacific, and Aekyung all have their own cosmetics subsidiaries.

Pacific is the most professional and successful among them. It has numerous sub-brands, such as Laneige, Mio, Innisfree, and Sulwhasoo, and these brands are also ranked.

Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, Mio, Laneige—this is the ranking from high to low. What the Chinese consider a famous brand, Laneige, is just a brand for girls in their early twenties in South Korea and is considered a low-end cosmetic.

Therefore, there's nothing particularly impressive about this endorsement. Moreover, the contract is only for one year, clearly indicating that the Pacific Group is capitalizing on Sun Yizhen's brief popularity... .

However, Lee Jung-hee's honest words dampened the mood. Sun Yizhen glared at him, but He Zhiyuan understood his thoughts and felt a bit better, even joking, "At least it's better than me. I don't have any endorsements right now!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Yizhen immediately felt embarrassed, as if she was showing off. Then, the innocent Lee Jung-hee suffered again, getting kicked by her. She scolded, "Hey, did you hear that? You need to get a lot of endorsements for Sister Zhiyuan... ."

She then grumbled, "Like you, such a lazy guy, still taking such a high commission as an agent, how shameless... ."

She would probably say this for the rest of her life. Perhaps, the shock was too great at the time. A girl who had saved up a few hundred thousand won since childhood suddenly had to pay over 100 million won in commission. The pain and shock were deeply etched in her mind.

Even Lee Jung-hee couldn't escape this feeling!

So, he naturally ignored it and instead looked at He Zhiyuan seriously, saying, "Don't worry, in a while, I'll make your advertising contracts so numerous that you'll be annoyed and won't want to take any of them!"

He Zhiyuan smiled. Whether it was for comfort or not, hearing this made her feel a bit better.

Since her debut, she had only taken one advertisement, which was canceled due to her previous contract with Wellde. More importantly, she was just an unknown actress, so how could advertisers come to her? That wasn't something Lee Jung-hee could achieve through effort.

So, her most important goal now was to become famous, and not only did she understand this, but Sun Yizhen and Lee Jung-hee also understood. The former suddenly noticed Lee Jung-hee's computer and said, "Hey, bad guy, aren't you about to shoot 'My Sassy Girl'? I think Sister Zhiyuan would be the best for the lead role... ."

'My Sassy Girl' was already extremely popular. With Lee Jung-hee's rising fame and the ongoing negotiations for the U.S. rights, the film had become one of the most anticipated in South Korea and even Asia.

Undoubtedly, if He Zhiyuan played the lead role, her chances of becoming a sensation were almost 100%. Therefore, when Sun Yizhen said this, He Zhiyuan's eyes instantly lit up.

Lee Jung-hee, however, was taken aback. This was different from his plan. In his mind, he still hoped for Cha Tae-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun to complete the film, as the previous classic was deeply etched in his memory.

But, seeing He Zhiyuan's expectant eyes made him hesitate. After some thought, he didn't directly refuse or agree but looked into He Zhiyuan's eyes and said seriously, "I've talked to Director Kwak Jae-yong. I believe he can perfectly present the effect I want, so I made him the co-producer and director, letting him make all the decisions."

He paused slightly and then added, somewhat awkwardly, "So, I'm sorry, I can't help you with this... ."

"Pfft!" Sun Yizhen pouted but didn't say anything else. She knew the limits of her mischief. She wasn't a person who acted recklessly, and He Zhiyuan nodded, "I understand. It's not your fault."

Although she said this, her eyes clearly dimmed, making Lee Jung-hee feel somewhat apologetic. However, a film is an art form, and 'My Sassy Girl' meant more to him than just a movie; it also included his feelings for Kim Tae-hee.

Therefore, he absolutely couldn't allow the film to be ruined.

For a moment, the three of them fell silent, the atmosphere heavy. Lee Jung-hee felt particularly oppressed and subconsciously opened the Devil Entertainment System in his mind.

He had a compensatory mindset, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. Of course, rejecting a beautiful woman is a sin in itself.

This time, it was quick. He found his target, as it was a film of the same type as 'My Sassy Girl,' both featuring sharp and violent women. Perhaps, the female lead in this film was even more violent and cruel, and its name was 'My Wife Is a Gangster.'

Although 'My Wife Is a Gangster' wasn't as popular in Asia as 'My Sassy Girl' and didn't have the same impact on making the lead actors famous, in terms of box office, it not only surpassed 'My Sassy Girl' in South Korea but also had higher box office numbers in Hong Kong.

More importantly, this was a film centered around the female lead, providing a great opportunity for her to shine.

Perhaps, this could be a slight compensation. Of course, it would also depend on whether He Zhiyuan was willing and capable.

"Hey!" As he was thinking, Sun Yizhen suddenly pushed him and said, "What are you thinking about? I'm talking to you!"

"Oh," Lee Jung-hee snapped out of it and quickly asked, "What's up?"

Sun Yizhen pouted, "Be honest, do you already have someone in mind, or are you planning to play the lead role yourself and let Kim Tae-hee be the female lead? Can she do it?"

Lee Jung-hee was taken aback and then laughed, "What are you thinking? If that were the case, I would have told you directly." He had never considered playing the role of Kyeon-woo, as he was too handsome and couldn't capture the charm of Cha Tae-hyun's character.

Finding a more suitable lead actor than Cha Tae-hyun in all of South Korea, or even the world, would be difficult.

"That's good!" Sun Yizhen stared at him intently, "And when Sister Zhiyuan goes for the audition, you mustn't say anything bad to Director Kwak Jae-yong!"

Lee Jung-hee shrugged innocently, "Am I that kind of person?" Unfortunately, he received extremely disdainful looks from Sun Yizhen and He Zhiyuan. Clearly, his actions with Song Hye-kyo and Song Yoon-ah had ruined his reputation.

If you add his efforts to help He Zhiyuan during the 'Curse' audition, including makeup and costumes, he had no grounds to stand on.

So, he could only smile bitterly, but Sun Yizhen was delighted and pulled He Zhiyuan to the corner of the bed, whispering and giggling. After a while, they both laughed together.

Sun Yizhen even turned around triumphantly, waving her little fist, and said, "I hereby announce that the female lead in 'My Sassy Girl' will definitely be Sister Zhiyuan's!"

Lee Jung-hee was taken aback but was smart enough to quickly think of some possibilities. He didn't want to be too harsh, so he calmly said, "I hope you can get the role, but I will specifically instruct Director Kwak Jae-yong to choose the person he believes is the most suitable... ."

Sun Yizhen pouted again. She wanted to have Zhang Dongguo or Baek Soo-young talk to Director Kwak Jae-yong, as 'My Sassy Girl' was an Empire Entertainment project, and they were Empire Entertainment artists. This would be keeping things within the family. Of course, she also believed He Zhiyuan could handle the role.

He Zhiyuan smiled, "I understand. I will try my best to get it!" After the commotion, she really let go of some of her concerns. She not only understood the difficulties Lee Jung-hee faced as the boss but also admired his fairness.