novellhall 61, We need more houses.
61, We need more houses.
Lee Kyung-sung casually put his phone aside and took a moment to reply to a few messages, including greetings from Lee Hyeri and Im Yoon-ah.
His gaze fell on Li Huili's message inviting him to dinner, and he paused for a moment, lost in hesitation.
It wasn't that he didn't want to keep the date, nor that he had no feelings for Lee Hyeri; it was just that his popularity was skyrocketing thanks to his role as Lee Hwon in "The Moon Embracing the Sun," and the entire internet was watching his every move. With his current fame at its peak, going out on a date would make him too vulnerable to being followed by paparazzi and photographed by passersby.
Once the rumors and behind-the-scenes footage are leaked, it will only create a lot of unnecessary public opinion storms.
If he could go out whenever he wanted, he would have taken Bae Joo-hyun out shopping, on dates, and out for a nice meal to relax long ago. Instead, he would have been stuck at home these past few days, not daring to step outside.
At this moment, Li Jingcheng experienced firsthand the pros and cons of being a top celebrity. It was also remarkably realistic; being in the entertainment industry is inherently contradictory.
At the height of their fame, every word and action is scrutinized under a magnifying glass, even making them hesitant and reserved during private dates.
But if one day no one cares and the hype dissipates, they will have to try every means to create topics, play the victim to gain attention, and desperately try to maintain their presence.
Li Jingcheng thought for a moment and realized that inviting Li Huili to his home for the appointment wouldn't work either.
This house has long since become Bae Joo-hyun's private territory; her traces are everywhere. The girl has secretly come to regard herself as the mistress of this place.
Thinking about this, Li Jingcheng finally understood completely. No wonder any celebrity with a bit of fame in the industry is desperately buying multiple properties.
Asset management becomes secondary; what's truly important is having multiple burrows—enough private hideouts to avoid paparazzi, acquaintances, and public scrutiny, allowing one to live a peaceful and secure private life.
But as soon as the thought popped into his head, the small balance in his previous life's bank account flashed through his mind, and instantly, like a punctured balloon, all his expectations deflated completely.
The luxury villa districts in Seoul are beyond his reach right now, and high-end apartments in good locations with tight security are equally out of reach.
Forget it, let's make money!
He has to do well in tomorrow's magazine shoot; I love my job.
Lee Kyung-sung stopped worrying and directly sent a text message to his manager, Na Yong-ho. He no longer needed to check the revenue sharing information of Korean entertainment magazines online; he could simply ask his manager.
I also asked Luo Yonghao to help me customize two sets of ancient-style costumes similar to those worn by Lee Hwon and Heo Yeon-woo in "The Moon Embracing the Sun," with the workmanship as close to the original as possible.
……
Meanwhile, inside the CJ company building, Luo Yonghao was still working overtime in his office, sitting with his team discussing Li Jingcheng's future entertainment plans, resource allocation, and public opinion stabilization strategies.
The reason why Li Jingcheng saw that the majority of positive feedback online was thanks to them was because of their efforts.
His phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated slightly. He picked it up and saw that it was a message from Li Jingcheng.
At first glance, I thought it was just an inquiry about the process and precautions for tomorrow's magazine photoshoot, but the more I read, the more something seemed off.
Then, upon seeing the magazine's revenue sharing details, Luo Yonghao was filled with even more doubts.
Based on his understanding of Lee Kyung-sung, the other party came from a well-off family. He had studied abroad since childhood and lived in the United States, where the cost of living was always high. In addition, he owned a detached villa in Hannam-dong. He was not short of magazine royalties at all. Why would he suddenly care about these small profits?
When his gaze fell on the last line, which listed the requirement to order two sets of costumes identical to those worn by the crew, Luo Yonghao's eyes went black, several black lines appeared on his forehead, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.
It's obvious what he's up to; he couldn't possibly be planning to practice acting out scenes with the script in private for fun.
A name flashed through his mind: Bae Joo-hyun, the female trainee who had been getting very close to Lee Kyung-sung recently.
Wow, they've got some fun to be had. Judging by this, they're probably planning to do a cosplay at home, right?
However, he had no reason to refuse. Playing cosplay privately at home was much better than going out for a stroll and being photographed by paparazzi, which could lead to scandals. Moreover, he had taken care of a lot of trivial matters and favors for Li Jingcheng, so Li Jingcheng would be more reliable and obedient in terms of resource sharing and work cooperation in the future.
Furthermore, CJ itself has reserve funds for event planning, so even if they order two sets of high-priced outfits,
Given his authority, it was entirely within his capabilities and not a difficult task.
Luo Yonghao quickly replied to the message, agreeing immediately. He also repeatedly reminded Luo to do whatever he wanted at home, but to keep a low profile and not to wear it out or be photographed by outsiders, so as to avoid unnecessary rumors.
After sending the message, he added it to his work memo, put away his phone, and returned to the meeting to continue discussing Lee Kyung-sung's future development path with Kim Min-joo and the others.
Li Jingcheng held his phone quietly, waiting for a reply. After a short while, his phone vibrated; it was a text message from Luo Yonghao.
He clicked on it to take a closer look; it was about the payment for tomorrow's fashion magazine photoshoot.
The total fee for this cover and inside page shoot is 9 million Korean won. According to the entertainment contract signed with CJ, the revenue sharing rules are that the company takes 60% and the artist takes 40%. After deducting a small amount of basic process service fees, you will actually receive about 3.6 million Korean won this time.
"Magazine sales have nothing to do with me, right?" Li Jingcheng thought for a moment. He had thought he would get a commission on sales, but it seemed he had been overthinking it.
However, he also knew that while viewership ratings are something everyone can see directly by turning on the TV, and the data is transparent and verifiable, magazine sales are different. They are the result of fans' real money and support, and are a genuine reflection of commercial value.
Lee Kyung-sung was originally a die-hard fan of Korean pop idols, but he always talked about love and never about money. He had never bought any albums or merchandise, so he naturally knew very well that fans who were willing to spend money on their idols were their true bread and butter.
Continuing to look at Luo Yonghao's reply on her phone, along with his meticulous and thoughtful repeated instructions, she knew that the other party understood her thoughts, and a knowing and satisfied smile appeared on her lips.
After putting down his phone, Lee Kyung-sung belatedly realized that Bae Joo-hyun had been taking a shower for quite some time, so why hadn't she come out yet?
As he slowly walked towards the bathroom, he called out softly, "Joohyun? Are you alright? Are you okay in there?"
As I walked to the bathroom door, I casually turned the doorknob, and to my surprise, the door wasn't locked and was slowly pushed open.
Li Jingcheng stood at the door, slightly startled, then a playful smile flashed across his eyes, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips. His laughter, like that of a villain, echoed from the bathroom.
The bathroom was filled with steam, and the warm yellow light shone on the tiles, making it look exceptionally enchanting.
Like a frightened little rabbit, Bae Joo-hyun gasped and shrank into the bathtub, desperately trying to burrow into the pile of bubbles, only her terrified eyes peeking out at the grinning man.
"Is her acting really that good, Bae Joo-hyun?" Lee Kyung-sung's mischievous grin practically spilled out. He casually tossed his T-shirt aside, his gaze fixed intently on the woman in the bathtub. "You didn't even lock the door. What are you implying?"
Just as Bae Joo-hyun was about to explain, her small hands gripping the edge of the bathtub tightly, her eyes fixed on his abs, she stammered, "I...I forgot..."
"Forgot?" Lee Kyung-sung didn't give her a chance. He strode to the bathtub, leaned down, and gently touched her wet hair with his finger. His voice was low and dangerous. "It's all your fault, Bae Joo-hyun. You didn't lock the door properly and deliberately attracted me!"
After saying that, before Bae Joo-hyun could react, he reached out and pulled the still-steaming foam, along with the person inside, into his arms.
"Hey! Li Jingcheng! Your pants are wet!"
"Take it off if it gets wet, anyway... you can't escape now."