CHAPTER 458: CHAPTER 455: BEST ACTRESS 22

However, given the other party’s position in coming all this way, they must have some favorable opinion of her. So Ning Shuangshuang wanted to take the opportunity to persuade Jin An to make up his mind to take her on. Her question seemed directed at the company, but she was actually asking Jin An.

Jin An also didn’t answer Ning Shuangshuang’s question. Instead, he asked her a question just like she had done before, "Miss Ning, what are your thoughts on your current popularity and your future trajectory?"

This was to test Ning Shuangshuang’s perspective, to examine her self-positioning and temperament and see if she was worth his effort.

Regarding Jin An’s question, Ning Shuangshuang didn’t feel intimidated. She replied with a gentle, spring-like smile, "My popularity seems to have created a miracle. With just one drama, I’m already as popular as an A-list star. But in reality, this popularity is just like a castle in the air, without foundation. Quite frankly, the number of truly loyal fans may not even surpass that of B or C-list stars."

"Actually, the true miracle was created not by me but by the character Qin Shuangshuang. The fans pursuing me now are all calling out and seeing Qin Shuangshuang, not Ning Shuangshuang. Fans of Qin Shuangshuang are so numerous they even outshine famous superstars. So it may not necessarily be me; any star capable of vividly portraying Qin Shuangshuang would achieve this level of popularity, if not more."

"Those who like me as Qin Shuangshuang, once I play other roles, most of these currently fervent fans won’t continue to support me, unless I only ever play Qin Shuangshuang. Once I take on other roles, it’s normal for my popularity to slip from A-list to B-list, or even C-list."

Jin An raised his eyebrows, a bit surprised by Ning Shuangshuang’s clear-headedness. She hadn’t let her current A-list level of popularity cloud her judgment with arrogance. Instead, she fully recognized the superficiality of her popularity. Indeed, she is a smart person!

Ning Shuangshuang’s unexpectedly clear and intelligent insight made Jin An, who was already intrigued before coming over, even more determined. However, he didn’t rush to express his stance, continuing to listen to Ning Shuangshuang’s self-analysis.

Ning Shuangshuang, unaware of Jin An’s thoughts, continued contemplating her current predicaments, "My situation appears promising, but the fact is quite the opposite. Qin Shuangshuang’s role is so successful that everyone’s impression of me is deeply etched into this character."

"As a result, if I take on roles other than Qin Shuangshuang or portray characters vastly different from Qin Shuangshuang’s persona, it can lead to a significant drop in popularity. This is because viewers habitually assess my other roles with the lens of Qin Shuangshuang, and with the character Qin Shuangshuang being so ingrained, any of my other roles are easily scrutinized. This is a disadvantageous position for me!"

Speaking to this point, Ning Shuangshuang was also quite troubled, "The role of Qin Shuangshuang has accomplished for me, but it has simultaneously shackled me, making my acting path incredibly narrow. If I want to continue climbing, a narrow acting path is not acceptable."

With a slight frown, Ning Shuangshuang, somewhat frustrated, said, "I need another role, something colorful and demanding exceptional acting skill to break this situation! While a decrease in popularity is inevitable, this can minimize the decline and capture loyal fans who genuinely like me and won’t easily leave, rather than those who, out of affection for the role of Qin Shuangshuang, have come to like me superficially and might depart at any time."

"Well said, clear-headed, with a lucid understanding of your future—Ning Shuangshuang, you’ve truly surprised me!" Jin An’s tone carried a hint of appreciation, his gaze at Ning Shuangshuang full of satisfaction, while also being a bit prideful that his judgment remained as excellent as ever.

As one of the few ace agents at Sky Company, and often referred to as a super gold medal agent, Jin An kept a keen eye on the entertainment industry, especially since the star he was currently managing had once again won the crown of Best Actor, and he was preparing to cultivate new talent.

Ning Shuangshuang was noticed by Jin An under such circumstances. Jin An first noticed her because of her mature acting skills full of impact! With such skills, if her temperament is also solid, there’s no doubt she could truly soar, even becoming a Best Actress in the future.

Before coming, Jin An had thought that if Ning Shuangshuang wasn’t foolish, he would sign her as his next main focus. Jin An was aware of all the problems Ning Shuangshuang faced.

But Jin An didn’t expect that Ning Shuangshuang was not only far from foolish, but she was exceptionally clear-minded. She hadn’t let her current unexpectedly high popularity cloud her judgment. Instead, she clearly saw all the issues she faced and even had solutions thought up.

In fact, Ning Shuangshuang’s solution coincided with his own; the only difference was that Ning Shuangshuang lacked resources to easily find a role that would break her current constraint. And resources were precisely what he had in abundance.

Jin An was a decisive person. Seeing Ning Shuangshuang’s potential, he naturally decided to sign a management contract with her and take on the role of guiding her career.

With an agent, Ning Shuangshuang finally enjoyed a long-lost peace. The agency arranged an apartment directly, and following Ning Shuangshuang’s requirements, the apartment wasn’t large. Located in a high-end community with excellent privacy, it was a two-bedroom, one-living-room place, about a hundred square meters.

What Ning Shuangshuang liked the most were the giant floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the room, offering a view of the beautifully landscaped community greens outside. The interior was fully furnished and tastefully decorated, ready to move in, saving Ning Shuangshuang a lot of hassle.

The female assistant, Lin Siyu, who before the signing viewed Ning Shuangshuang, the suddenly popular young girl, with some disdain, was also stunned by the exchange during the signing with Jin An.

Although Jin An rated Lin Siyu as an inadequately trained assistant, as an assistant specially trained by the company, Lin Siyu’s perspective was not comparable to ordinary assistants casually hired by actors or agents.

Ning Shuangshuang’s self-analysis might be obvious to many onlookers, but what’s rare is that Ning Shuangshuang herself, amidst such an opulent and celebrated atmosphere, could still clearly recognize her own issues. This is something many cannot achieve.

Now, Lin Siyu is full of admiration for the young yet remarkably calm-minded girl, Ning Shuangshuang, carefully tending to her without any negligence, greatly satisfying Ning Shuangshuang.