Pushing those thoughts aside, Lu Wen brought up another matter. "Oh, right. About that list that was sent out before—find an excuse and send those people away."

Sister Li said, "You’re finally getting rid of them. Honestly, just seeing them around makes my blood boil."

Everyone else nodded. They were all aware of the moles in the company, but having to hold back and not expose them had been incredibly frustrating for everyone.

Lu Wen explained, "Back then, our wings weren’t fully fledged. If we’d rashly pulled out those spies, who knows what the mastermind would have done? But now, we’re not afraid of them, and we don’t have to put up with them any longer."

Sister Li considered it. "You’re right. Okay, let’s have Old Qin handle it. It’s about time the head of our legal department stretched his legs a bit."

Old Qin pushed up his glasses. "I’m very busy as it is, Sister Li."

The head of PR chimed in, "Just look at the heads of legal at other entertainment companies. Then you’ll realize how easy you have it."

Old Qin didn’t deny it. "That’s true. Our company is pretty low-maintenance. It’s all thanks to Sister Wen’s capable leadership."

Lu Wen scratched her cheek. She still felt a little embarrassed, riding on Tan You’s coattails like this.

News always traveled fast in the company. The moment the meeting ended, everyone knew they were going to start producing short dramas. The more established actors, of course, weren’t worried; they never had a shortage of roles.

The ones who were truly excited were the new trainees and directors. A short drama was still a drama, after all, and making a good one wasn’t easy. Besides, if a short drama was a hit, it could bring just as much fame.

So, when Ji Mingxi returned to his office, a crowd of trainees was there to ask for details. It was a testament to how approachable Ji Mingxi usually was; the trainees got along with him quite well.

In truth, the company didn’t have many trainees—only eight in total. A single short drama could easily accommodate all of them.

Ji Mingxi’s gaze swept over the trainees. "The company intends to cast its own artists. You all have what it takes, so we’ll just have to see the audition results."

"Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get cast," he added. "There will be other opportunities. The company isn’t just producing a single short drama; there will be more scripts down the line."

One of the girls whispered, "But the next one won’t be a script written by Sister Wen herself."

Ji Mingxi raised an eyebrow. "You’re well-informed. That’s right. So you’d better be prepared."

His expression turned serious. "Let me be clear: the company encourages healthy competition. But if we find anyone engaging in malicious competition, there will be no place for them here. You all know what the stakes are."

"We get it, Ji Mingxi. We all get it. We’ll compete for the opportunity based on merit," a cool-looking guy nodded. "Everyone understands. No one will try any funny business."

"That’s good to hear," Ji Mingxi said with a smile. "The company only has you few trainees, and you’re all being cultivated as actors. Here, as long as you’re hardworking and ambitious, you’ll get your chance. Sister Wen is the epitome of fairness."

"Now that you’ve joined the company, she’ll map out a career path for each of you. She absolutely won’t hold you back."

With this mix of warning and reassurance, the trainees’ restless minds settled. After all, wasn’t Lu Wen the very reason they’d come here to train in the first place?

Besides, look at the artists signed to Lu Wen’s company. Aside from the top-tier stars, the rest were all doing well for themselves in the industry. Plus, the company didn’t exploit its artists, which was a rare display of integrity.

"Alright, here’s the script. Prepare well." Ji Mingxi pulled a script from behind his back and handed it to the cool-looking guy at the front of the group. "I need to get back to work now."

Lu Wen paid no mind to how the trainees were preparing. For the past couple of days, she simply observed her executives bustling about, watching them assemble the crew, scout locations, coordinate with the costume department, and so on. Before long, the rudimentary framework of the production was in place. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Even Director Qi, who was at home prepping for his new movie, showed up, full of interest.

"A big-shot director like you is curious about a small production like this?" Lu Wen asked, standing beside Director Qi with a curious look in her eyes.

Director Qi pushed up his black-framed glasses. "Well, I’ve never seen a short drama being filmed before, so I came to check it out. Is this where your focus will be from now on? Short dramas?"

"Of course not." Lu Wen shook her head. "Short dramas are just a side business for the company. Our main focus is still on television series and films. I’m not about to put the cart before the horse."

"If they do a great job with the short dramas, we can have them try their hand at a full TV series down the road. Sticking only to short dramas would be too limiting in the long run."

Director Qi nodded. "True. Actors are ambitious. Who wouldn’t want to star in bigger and better projects? The crew may be small, but from what I can see, the costumes, makeup, and props are excellent. The final quality should be quite good."

Lu Wen looked slightly smug. "But of course. If we’re going to do something, we’re going to be the best at it. Short dramas may be low-cost, but that’s no excuse for shoddy production, is it?"

The two of them stood in a corner of the set, watching the trainees act. Perhaps because the big boss and the big-shot director were on site, everyone was giving it their all, trying to show their absolute best side.

Lu Wen didn’t see it as being opportunistic. ’You only have a chance of being noticed if you take the initiative and work hard.’ There was nothing wrong with fighting for your own opportunities, provided you used legitimate means.

"That’s always been your way," Director Qi said with a small laugh. "Back in the day, I was just a rookie director, and good scripts were hard to come by. But after I met you, every script I received was exceptional."

"Not a single one has ever flopped."

Lu Wen felt a pang of guilt. "That’s because you’re incredibly talented."

She quickly changed the subject. "How are the preparations for your film coming along? I heard Old Qi is casting a wide net, trying to find the perfect actors."

Director Qi rolled his eyes. "He’s always kicking up a fuss. I haven’t asked much about his production. After all, we’re not at the same company, so it’s best to avoid any potential conflicts of interest."

"But Old Qi did tell me something last night," Director Qi said, suddenly letting out a laugh. A teasing glint appeared in his eyes.

Lu Wen’s back went ramrod straight; she had a bad feeling about this. "What is it?"

"There are three major awards ceremonies in the country. At the first two, *Prison Tyrant* came away completely empty-handed. Then we turned around and swept the floor with everyone overseas. And from what Old Qi was saying, the last and most prestigious ceremony is just a week away."

Having been in the industry for so many years, Lu Wen was a seasoned veteran. Just from Director Qi’s few words, she immediately understood what was happening. It was time to divvy up the cake.

Director Qi asked, "So, are you going to the ceremony?"

Lu Wen answered without hesitation. "Of course. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. Besides, we’ve already delivered the slaps we needed to; there’s no reason to keep things so tense. It’s not like I’m the one feeling wronged here. I’ve had my fun."

Director Qi chuckled softly. "True. You’ve always been the best at reading the room and making the choice that maximizes your own benefit."

Lu Wen was unabashedly proud. "Naturally. I still have to survive in this industry, after all. I may not stoop to their level, but I’m not arrogant enough to believe I can single-handedly upend the entire entertainment world."

"It’s good enough just to be able to protect myself and stay out of trouble."