Chapter 136: Snatching the Destined Heroine, the Virtuous Assistant, Secured!

Although Bai Ling was tempted by literary classics like *To Live*, her gaze kept drifting back to the *Jin-Gu* wuxia novels. After much deliberation, she ultimately chose *To Live* with a heavy heart. On one hand, she truly loved the book; on the other, most *Jin-Gu* wuxia stories focused on heroic deeds, grand adventures, and the themes of righteousness and chivalry. For Bai Ling, who already held the scripts for *Ashes of Love* and *Sword and Fairy*, these were not immediate necessities. Only *The Return of the Condor Heroes* held significant meaning for her, as the character of Little Dragon Maiden was a classic that could leave an indelible mark on anyone’s heart. Yet, she reasoned that there would be more opportunities to choose *Jin-Gu* works in the future, so she decided to dedicate this opportunity to *To Live*. In short, she was simply being willful.

Of course, she had other intentions. The film adaptation of *To Live* had won international awards. While Bai Ling had not yet touched the realm of film—being considered merely a television actress, several tiers below film stars—who was to say she couldn't reach for such heights? Ultimately, she had no regrets.

In the following days, she took time to handle studio affairs while writing the scripts for *To Live*, *Ashes of Love*, and *Sword and Fairy*. Fortunately, the system helped her; otherwise, given the sheer length of these stories, Bai Ling’s hands would have been worn to the bone. She was no professional novelist. Even an unknown veteran writer could not finish millions of words in just two or three days. Armed with these scripts, Bai Ling contacted Ouyang Ruofeng.

"What are you busy with?" Ouyang sounded quite anxious over the phone, as if he were dealing with some urgent matter. Bai Ling could also hear the voice of Zhuge Ming in the background; the two good friends seemed to be debating something together.

"Bai Ling, you’ve come at the right time. Little Ming and I are hashing out a new script, but this kid is incredibly stubborn... Help me persuade him—no, help me scold him!"

Zhuge Ming was equally indignant. "No, you should help me scold him! He’s just a director; what does he know about artistic creation? Words have charm! These lines cannot be cut!"

Ouyang grew agitated. "If we film according to your script, the audience will fall asleep!"

Bai Ling found it amusing; she had never heard such an absurd request. "You two idiots, can you let me get a word in?" After satisfying their request, she said, "I’ve written a few scripts. Take a look. Shall we collaborate again? By the way, how are things with your families? Especially you, Ouyang—are your parents still giving you a hard time?"

Indeed, Bai Ling’s intentions went beyond merely recruiting new talent. Both Zhuge Ming and Ouyang Ruofeng were promising prospects. Ouyang, in particular, was a natural-born worker for the new generation of directors. Why let such talent go to waste? Bai Ling wasn't a fool. She didn't want to wait for Wen Yan to swoop in and snatch these two treasures away with a few sweet words. Given Wen Yan’s current attitude toward her, Bai Ling felt no need to hold back.

The bickering pair fell silent. "You? A script?" "And several of them?" "Are you serious?"

"My good friend, you’ve been quite active lately. Aren't you participating in an acting variety show? How do you have time to write scripts? Don't you need to rehearse? What about writing songs?"

Bai Ling cut him off. "How am I supposed to answer all those questions? Answer my question first: how are things with your parents?"

Ouyang’s tone darkened. "Don't get me started. My old man is incredibly stubborn. Even though *The Crown Princess* performed well, he claims it lacks 'high-brow' appeal and wants me to return to further my studies under him. He’s even set up several blind dates, demanding I provide him with a grandson by the end of the year. I suddenly feel like I’m just a baby-making machine. They don't love me; they love my ability to produce offspring..."

Bai Ling cut him off again. "Stop rambling. Most girls aren't as long-winded as you. Give it a rest."

Zhuge Ming teased from the side, "Heh, I’ve said it before: if I hadn't grown up with you, I’d have kicked you twice by now."

Faced with Zhuge, Ouyang stopped his complaining.

"What about you?" Bai Ling asked. "Ouyang, don't worry, I’ll support you!"

Ouyang became instantly excited. "Really? A wealthy woman wants to keep me? Oh yeah!"

Bai Ling sneered, "Of course. I’ve taken a liking to your body. Come to my studio in a couple of days and report for duty as my exclusive director."

Ouyang became disappointed again. "I thought I could make a living with my body, but I didn't expect that I would still be making a living with my body."

Bai Ling: "Flirting with me? You want to die?"

Ouyang laughed. "No, no, we’re all just buddies." After some back-and-forth banter, Ouyang asked seriously, "You opened a studio? And you want to pull me in? What’s up? Are you planning a major expansion? Let me tell you, my salary expectations are quite high."

Bai Ling smiled. "Could I ever shortchange you?" She claimed she wanted Miao Miao and the others to work for free, but the salary she had set in her mind was actually quite generous. For an assistant like Miao Miao, Bai Ling was willing to pay tens of thousands a month. After all, those closest to her were the most important; if she wasn't willing to invest in keeping them, sooner or later, something would go wrong. She had seen too many precedents of assistants and agents clashing with artists after parting ways.

The same applied to Xiang Zi. Though he was just a driver and a gofer, he had to be paid properly. Otherwise, how could he afford to date Miao Miao? Live on thin air? These were things well within Bai Ling’s power to manage. As for Ouyang, her exclusive director, it went without saying.

After a brief discussion, Ouyang was thrilled, while Zhuge sighed beside him. "Sigh, you two are happy, but I, this outdated screenwriter and writer, am heartbroken."

"The smell of jealousy is strong! Little Ming, you’ve been this sour ever since we were kids," Ouyang teased.

Bai Ling said, "Zhuge, I want to sign you, too." If she were to recruit more people later, it would be impossible for her to handle every script personally. Zhuge Ming was also crucial; in the original work of *Jinxiu*, he was a genius writer and screenwriter. Both of them were top-tier talents.

Upon hearing this, Zhuge cheered up. Before he knew Bai Ling well, he had been quite reserved, but now, he had opened up significantly. Then, it was time for business. Bai Ling sent the three script documents she had finished to both Zhuge Ming and Ouyang, waiting for them to carefully read through the files.