Chapter 176: The Starlight Project

However, Ah Du was not the kind of director who allowed actors to control him. On the contrary, in every film he directed, actors were essentially used as props, never allowed to overshadow the story. At that time, Wu Zhenyu’s performance was too over-the-top, leading to a fierce argument between the two, during which they swore never to work together again. Unexpectedly, Wu Zhenyu still won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actor for this film.
Had his acting skills reached a level that forced the director to change? Impossible! He still had enough self-awareness. After pondering for a moment, he thought this might be solvable. Looking at Chen Kexin, who was watching him eagerly, he smiled and said, “The key to this film lies in emotion—on one side, frantic searching; on the other, extreme longing. I think when dealing with the other storyline, you can use a more contrasting approach to express it, and that should work!”
Chen Kexin thought silently before realizing that Xiao Ran was not just an actor or a boss—he was also a director, one of Hong Kong’s finest. Although Xiao Ran would surely be ashamed if called that, everyone indeed saw it that way.
After discussing things, filming resumed its original schedule. Xiao Ran had always been interested in Luo Lan, and now getting to act opposite her made him even happier. That night, since Lin Qingxia didn’t have a role, she didn’t need to come.
Yet she still showed up, bringing soup for Xiao Ran. She greeted both Xiao Ran and Chen Kexin, and Xiao Ran called out to Luo Lan, whom he wasn’t very familiar with, “Sis Luo, come have some soup!”
Luo Lan had been very beautiful in her youth. When Xiao Ran saw photos of her younger self, he couldn’t believe she was the famous “Ghost Lady.” But it seemed that aging without proper care led to such a state. Wu Mengda was the same—don’t think his appearance was natural. Before the 1980s, he had been a handsome leading man, even appearing in a romance film starring Zhang Guorong as a supporting role.
Unfortunately, Wu Mengda became addicted to gambling in his youth and lost so much that no one wanted to deal with him. At his most desperate moment, he luckily remembered this outstanding supporting actor before filming “The God of Gamblers” and cast him as the third uncle, allowing him to make a comeback. Sadly, as Hong Kong cinema declined, even such an excellent actor was forced to go to the mainland to act in TV dramas, pitifully trying to imitate Zhou Xingchi’s comedic style.
Wu Mengda was a good actor! In Xiao Ran’s memory, he had even won Best Supporting Actor for “If There’s Love in Heaven.” Yet Xiao Ran always thought that Uncle Da’s role as a father in Li Ming and Wu Qianlian’s “Urban Romance” deserved an award too. It was a great film, but it was overlooked.
“Sis Luo Lan, which company are you with now?” After drinking the soup, Xiao Ran took Lin Qingxia’s hand and asked Luo Lan, “Do this role well. Trust me—once this film succeeds, you’ll likely get many more acting opportunities!”

Luo Lan couldn’t help but laugh at this young millionaire. She found Xiao Ran to be an interesting young man—having so much money yet still coming here to act was truly amusing. She clearly didn’t believe Xiao Ran’s words: “Where did all those film offers come from? It’s just to make a living!”
“What? Does your agency deduct money from you? Mirage pays very well!” Xiao Ran frowned. Supporting actors usually worked with one agency, and once that agency got a project from a big company, it would immediately start selecting suitable actors for auditions. That’s how many girls who wanted to become stars ended up being deceived by such agencies.
Of course, for now, no such bold agency dared act recklessly in Hong Kong, as Xiao Ran had strictly ordered that no one should damage the reputation of the film industry. Luo Lan chuckled and shook her head repeatedly: “That’s not the case. It’s just that aside from Mirage’s higher pay, Cathay’s pay is much lower.”
“Cathay again!” Not only did Xiao Ran frown, but Lin Qingxia also frowned as if she shared the same concern. Lin Qingxia was quite aware of what Xiao Ran wanted to do and understood his intention to raise salaries. Cathay’s refusal to increase pay for crew members, supporting actors, and even extras had clearly caused some chaos in the industry.
Let it be! Xiao Ran could even assert that if Cathay continued to be unambitious like this, it would surely go bankrupt within three years. Even without considering Cathay’s assets, which amounted to billions, a large portion of those came from financing and debts. Moreover, Cathay Entertainment was listed on the stock market but nearly went bankrupt in the late 1990s before eventually being delisted. If Xiao Ran wanted Cathay to perish, it wouldn’t be difficult at all.
Ignoring this for now, he simply smiled at Luo Lan and said, “Don’t worry. Mirage invests in many films. If you perform exceptionally well and have your own unique style, you’ll definitely have roles!”
Watching Luo Lan happily rehearsing the next scene, Xiao Ran then turned his gaze to her smiling face, gently holding her hand with a warm feeling in his heart. They had set their wedding date for September 20th, but Xiao Ran often felt an urgent desire to marry his beloved.
The filming progress wasn’t slow. The marketing department, the artist training department (i.e., the agency), and the security department had been separated, keeping Wei Dongling extremely busy. Xiao Ran also had plenty to do. Since he had purchased the other floors of the building, with the headquarters of other subsidiaries located here, things became much easier. For many fans of music and movies, it was extremely fortunate, as staff members came and went frequently.
He took some time to go to Tianlai and roughly hummed a few songs from his memory. Soon, it left some people in awe. Although Xiao Ran had provided a few songs before, these ones were clearly more astonishing.

However, in Xiao Ran’s memory, there weren’t many Chinese songs worth paying attention to. This time, most of the songs provided were in English—songs whose titles he didn’t know but whose melodies were absolutely beautiful. He left the rest to Tianlai’s team, feeling extremely relaxed and happy. Compared to Wei Dongling, he felt as if he was in heaven.

Recalling the classic variety shows from his memory, Xiao Ran explained the methods of “Award Gatekeeper” and “I Guess” to ATV’s producers. ATV then took charge of planning and organizing everything that followed.

After all this busy work, the Daban House had been rebuilt and renovated, ready for occupancy soon. On the day of the move-in, they invited many people over for a party. Only then did everything seem to come to an end, with a new beginning on the horizon.

By June, Xiao Ran had been in this era for four full years. Reflecting on how four years could turn a poor kid on the verge of joining the underworld into a wealthy man in Hong Kong, he was personally planning a “Starlight Project.”

It was an extremely ambitious plan, involving ATV, Tianlai, Meiying, the now-separated Star Talent Training Department, Miracle (the Marketing Department), Shuxiang Media, and joint investments. Simply put, it involved selecting the most talented, attractive, and distinctive artists from a group to turn them into Asian superstars. This plan had been in the works for a long time, with a concrete plan finally being developed only now.

To gain a real market presence in Southeast Asia and even Europe and America, super idols were essential, as the profits driven by idols were enormous. Regardless of other factors, if successful, it would surely reverse the ongoing losses from selling merchandise like figurines.

Idols were the key to conquering any entertainment market. The reason Aaron Kwok’s films were so popular in Southeast Asia was not only because Hong Kong movies were well-liked and of high quality but also because the charm of idols played a crucial role.

The Starlight Project was highly meticulous. Just for planning it, Meiying invested millions. Of course, this cost was later shared among ATV, Tianlai, and the star agencies. For selection, film actors needed at least three years of acting experience, while singers needed outstanding skills and a good image. Hosts required extensive experience, though TV actors had fewer requirements.

Beyond selection, the next step was packaging by the star agencies. They would tailor a packaging strategy that suited each artist’s image and provide rigorous training. The trainees later referred to this training as “hellish death drills.”

Although Xiao Ran often associated it with the training in “The King of Destruction,” which frustrated him greatly, it proved to be extremely effective. After the star agencies completed the training and professional packaging, if it was an actor, Meiying would create a blockbuster movie just for them. If it was a singer, Tianlai would focus on promoting them. The same approach was used for hosts and TV actors.

In this process, the assistant Shuxiang will play a role in boosting things by providing as much coverage and content as possible. Miracle Company must create a tailored marketing plan for each artist from the start, one that fits their personality and characteristics, while Sihai focuses on building these artists’ images and promoting their products.

This is the Starlight Plan, secretly referred to by the executives of several major companies as a one-stop service—truly comprehensive service. From selection to packaging to promotion, once you’re on this “chariot,” becoming famous is almost guaranteed.

Joking aside, even a fool can see how massive this plan is. Moreover, it’s not just implemented once but is a permanent and continuously improved plan. In the first year, the Starlight Plan will select 20 to 25 people, with an average investment of 80 million per person, covering movies, records, and more. Of course, this refers only to investment, not pure losses.

Undoubtedly, movie actors and singers make up the largest proportion. Among movie actors, those already confirmed include Zhou Runfa, Liu Hua, and the newly joined Leung Chao-wai; among female actors, only Feng Feier has been selected for now.

Xiao Ran originally planned to include Li Jiaxin as well, but unfortunately, she hasn’t undergone training yet. Moreover, if she won, she would have to represent Hong Kong in promotional activities for a full year. Among singers, the currently confirmed ones are the Beyond band, Zhang Guorong, Mei Yanfang, Liu Hua, Zhang Xueyou, plus the twin sisters.

However, a few days later, after reading the newspaper, Xiao Ran exclaimed, “Oh no!” Because the plan had been leaked in the newspaper. Of course, the newspaper didn’t go into details, only hinting that Shadow was planning to promote certain people.

This was truly annoying. In the following time, Xiao Ran was constantly pursued by everyone. He wished he could cut his head off just to get on this list. The only good thing was that the media didn’t know much about it.

Feeling helpless, Xiao Ran finalized the list after some more selections. Also, after asking Zhong Chuhong if she would continue in the film industry and getting a definite answer, she was added to the list. Su Renyao and Feng Feier were also included.

The only thing that troubled Xiao Ran was his uncertainty about whether Lin Qingxia should be part of it. Logically, Lin Qingxia didn’t need to take on more roles, but Xiao Ran couldn’t bear to see his beloved become a mere ornament at home. Besides, it would be a shame not to utilize such a good actress.

But Xiao Ran wasn’t fond of it—probably no man likes his wife being affectionate with other men on screen. In response, Lin Qingxia poked Xiao Ran’s head and scolded, “Nonsense! You need them to dare first!”

Only then did Xiao Ran realize—damn, his wife—who would dare to be affectionate with her? Unless they didn’t want to make it in the industry. Anyway, as long as there were no nude or intimate scenes, Xiao Ran didn’t mind. After all, it was the mindset of the 21st century. If one couldn’t even accept hugs in movies, it would be a waste to have lived through the 21st century. Of course, bed scenes? Don’t even think about it—no one would be that stupid.

A few days later, in the general manager’s office of ATV, Xiao Ran, who had personally taken charge of ATV, carefully reviewed several planning reports. In fact, Xiao Ran, the “Super Invincible Prize Giver,” had not seen the versions from the early years of the show, only the later ones. Back then, he always thought the participants were just some less well-known stars, but after reading this planning document, he realized it was not that simple.

From ATV’s perspective, the show was first and foremost a means to increase viewership, and secondly, it could be used to promote their contracted artists or give some less famous stars a chance to appear on screen. From this standpoint, superstars like Zhou Runfa or even established stars like Liu Hua didn’t need to rely on this show to boost their popularity. Moreover, stars like Zhou Runfa were unlikely to be willing to play games. As a result, the show usually featured either ordinary stars or artists under the company’s contract—this was how resources could be utilized effectively.

After reviewing the program, Xiao Ran quickly agreed to it, though he had one requirement. He looked up at Zhu Guangli and said, “Firstly, this show is aimed at everyone in Hong Kong—suitable for men, women, old, and young. So, the content must be carefully considered; it can be fun, but nothing pornographic should be included!”