I have a persona specifically for acting.

After Ze Shan group was established, Tong Zhao invested in several projects that she believed would become popular.

Of course, her investments weren’t made blindly.

What if the movies she produced unintentionally set off a butterfly effect?

To earn money in the long run, it’s crucial to understand the underlying meaning behind investments. Many people lose money in stocks simply by following tips about stocks that are supposedly guaranteed to be profitable, only to jump in without understanding. They wait too long to sell, thinking they might make more, and end up losing it all.

Tong Zhao used her foresight to eagerly absorb various knowledge, filtering out reliable and sustainable projects that could be managed by Wei Zekai and his team. She was too busy with announcements to do anything other than make decisions, so she often delegated tasks.

She didn’t put all her eggs in one basket.

Even if a stock in her memory was set to soar, she only invested a portion.

The money she missed out on was part of her risk assessment; it didn’t count as a loss.

Second Generation A: “If I had known that 721 would skyrocket, I would have borrowed heavily to invest!”

Second Generation D: “I borrowed from the loan sharks!”

Boss Kai: “@Second Generation D, are you suggesting we give the loan sharks a run for their money?”

Tong Zhao: “Don’t treat missed profits as losses; focus on what you have.”

Tong Zhao: “I’ll be responsible for figuring out how to expand our portfolio.”

Wei Zekai shared his grand ambitions in the group, and Tong Zhao casually chimed in, which had a greater impact on the members than even their own parents’ advice.

It wasn’t solely about the money.

One major reason was the offline gathering where they decided to establish Ze Shan group. Tong Zhao had momentarily tapped into the spirit of a rally for a survival organization in a dystopian setting—she could have easily been a successful network marketer, inspiring these sheltered young heirs to work fervently for her.

Additionally, this was their first successful venture that yielded significant returns.

Their families had always doubted their intelligence, talent, and dedication, believing they weren’t cut out for business. This group of second-generation heirs lacked nothing in terms of basic needs and always aimed for the best.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, their pursuits revolved around socializing, respect, and self-actualization.

Tong Zhao managed to satisfy all three desires at once, making them willingly follow her.

While their earlier involvement had a playful aspect, the first round of profits genuinely astonished them. They collectively invested five million (mostly from Wei’s allowance, which he later topped up), and they had already recouped their investment. The total valuation of the projects they invested in reached eight figures… this part couldn’t be liquidated yet, but it was sustainable unless the companies bought back their shares at a high price.

Even if they intended to, Tong Zhao wouldn’t sell now.

She extended a helping hand during the companies’ toughest times; she wasn’t there for charity. She planned to hold long-term and consider selling at the right moment to maximize profits.

The current profits looked impressive but were merely small gains compared to the ongoing potential.

It was like going back to “Sword Three” to speculate on limited-edition fashion—what seemed exaggerated at hundreds could later reach thousands.

Boss Kai: “Listen to my brother!”

Boss Kai: “By the way, bro, about the ‘Excellent Companion Learning’ project you tasked me with, Boss Chen has added a ton of details based on your instructions. We’re optimistic about this project, but we need more funding for promotion…”

Tong Zhao remembered.

The concept of companionship and training had only gained popularity in recent years, and it was still a blue ocean market.

Tong Zhao: “I’m very optimistic about this project. Keep investing, and let me know if you need more. It has to be executed well.”

Tong Zhao: “…I was just giving some suggestions, how did it turn into orders?”

At that moment, a colleague who had attended the meeting with Boss Chen jumped in to report—

Wei Zekai was serious about executing Tong Zhao’s directives, turning the unseen strategist into an untouchable investment guru. After hearing about the “ton of details” from Wei, Boss Chen not only was brought back on track but also illuminated many profitable paths that others might not have seen. He had studied for a long time but hadn’t figured it out until now!

After all, some conclusions can only be reached through trial and error.

Boss Chen immediately regarded this strategist from Ze Shan as a remarkable figure, akin to Zhuge Liang.

Considering Wei’s age and background, this strategist must have been sent by the Wei family to safeguard their only son, conjuring an image of a well-dressed elder with well-maintained salt-and-pepper hair.

The same situation repeatedly occurred when the second-generation heirs went to oversee these companies.

They feared they weren’t authoritative enough.

After all, they were just following Sister Zhao’s lead.

But in the eyes of these smaller companies, they arrived with substantial investments, and every opinion they voiced was seen as highly enlightening… clearly, they were big shots! Young? Carrying documents? That meant their unseen backer was incredibly impressive!

Under the invisible pressure from strategist Tong Zhao, the finances of these companies dared not engage in any underhanded dealings.

Because of the profits, they didn’t even think about schemes to defraud investors or run away—

Why would someone who successfully started a business and is earning steadily want to flee?

Working for oneself is the true essence of being an employee!

If one were to delve a little deeper, Ze Shan group seemed almost like a mysterious cult.

What Tong Zhao said became their belief.

Wei Zekai was the most devoted archbishop, holding the most practical resources.

The other second-generation heirs acted as bishops, working to develop followers.

Every company owner who received investment and guidance from Ze Shan became a devoted believer after seeing substantial profits.

The colleagues pieced together how the strategist was viewed by these smaller companies.

Whenever Ze Shan was mentioned, a wise, aged silhouette appeared in their minds—

Tong Zhao: [I suspect there’s a problem here.JPG]

Tong Zhao: [Forget it, I won’t manage this for you; just make sure it’s done well.]

The second-generation heirs all promptly sent acknowledgment emojis, behaving obediently.

…

The “Good Sisters” controversy did not cease with Xu Zhu’s announcement of her withdrawal from the entertainment industry.

At first, audiences of “Star Selection Girl” suspected that Xu Zhu’s debut was rigged, uncovering her connections and the Tong family. Tong Zhenming’s company was suddenly thrust into the public eye, and angry fans created a PR crisis for the company—friends who had helped arrange Xu Zhu’s debut no longer wanted to associate with him.

Netizens began to focus on what kind of life Tong Zhao had at home.

Dramatically, fans of “Heartless Tribulation” discovered the film’s submitted documents.

Such documents are available for public scrutiny through the film association, completely transparent, but generally, only dedicated fans pay attention. The documents clearly stated whether lead actress Tong Zhao had applied for pain exemption.

…

“Shocking My Whole Family: Tong Zhao didn’t apply for pain exemption in ‘Heartless Tribulation’???”

The main post immediately garnered significant attention.

Similar screenshots circulated widely on Weibo.

Some netizens questioned why she would put herself through this, given that the memories recovered from the holographic chamber could be painfully distressing, potentially leaving psychological scars.

However, the top comment from a fan offered a different perspective: [Applying for pain exemption mainly serves to give the protagonist an advantage; after all, the subconscious has a natural tendency to seek benefit and avoid harm. Not having pain exemption could enhance the actor’s performance, though it might affect realism.]

Even without pain exemption, Tong Zhao’s subconscious was just as ruthless with herself.

A young fan advised Tong Zhao and her manager on Weibo to arrange for a psychologist for their sister, fearing she might have self-destructive tendencies.

Seeing this, Tong Zhao felt compelled to respond.

@Tong ZhaoV:

“My mental state is very healthy.

I’m used to pain and prefer not to apply for exemption, as it could affect my subconscious performance.”

Tong Zhao managed her Weibo personally.

She felt it was impossible to make any inappropriate comments that could lead to her being blacklisted. She didn’t want her fans to only see a Weibo filled with promotional ads and business selfies… While she couldn’t respond to everyone’s affection, she at least wanted the few ways fans could “connect” with her to feel more genuine.

Other than that, she had nothing more to say.

Public curiosity would never be satisfied.

To respond to everything was impractical—first, there was no time, and second, it would lower her status.

“I’ll just be myself; let them think what they want about the rest,” she told her manager.

“So confident,” Sister Chu said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Tong Zhao smiled, steering the conversation back to work: “Isn’t the next variety show about survival on a deserted island? Not applying for pain exemption could be used for publicity; if others do it, I won’t.”

Sister Chu glanced at Tong Zhao’s light-hearted Weibo post.

She then reflected on Tong Zhao’s comment about using it for publicity, which had a very commercial flavor and felt quite grounded. She couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed: “That angle could indeed be expanded, but you’re only a guest for two days; we should first decide what major project to take next…”

Another director wanted her to audition.

Of course, given her current status, not everyone could afford her, but several prominent names still required Tong Zhao to be on her toes.

The conversations between stars and their managers remained unknown to the outside world.

Fans, on one hand, felt reassured knowing that their sister’s mental health was in good shape.

On the other hand, netizens focused on Tong Zhao’s comment about being “used to pain.”

What situation would lead someone to become accustomed to pain?

Considering the previously uncovered details about the Tong family, Tong Zhenming clearly didn’t care for his daughter and favored boys over girls.

Some netizens suggested that “Tong Zhao might have experienced domestic violence,” which quickly gained many supporters—if she hadn’t been beaten growing up, how could she be so accustomed to pain?

To be fair, Tong Zhenming had never physically abused her.

After all, Tong Zhao excelled in her studies and was a source of pride for her father among peers. Other than the disappointment of not being a son to carry on the family name, she was already a very perfect daughter.

But why would Tong Zhao step up to defend him?

It was impossible; let the netizens speculate.

Emotional abuse is still abuse.

The psychological impact and torment inflicted by Tong Zhenming on her were far worse than a physical beating.

The reputations of Tong Zhenming and Xu Zhu as a dysfunctional father-daughter pair had soured. Xu Zhu had thought that by retreating from the industry, she could live quietly as a pampered young lady, but Tong Zhenming, disregarding her feelings, cut off her allowance, telling her to reflect on herself.

And this time, it wasn’t just her.

Xu’s mother, who had recently given birth to a son, also faced a downgrade in lifestyle.

Conflicts arose between mother and daughter; Xu’s mother felt she shouldn’t argue with her father, as the whole family relied on him, while Xu Zhu believed her own mother didn’t see her as a person.

Without money, life became unbearable. She couldn’t go out shopping to vent and was stuck at home.

What entertainment was there at home?

Every time she logged onto Weibo, she was met with insults. Her account had been reclaimed by the company, which only became a platform for netizens and fans to criticize her, almost hoping to dig up a scandal. Fans who once treated her like a little princess were now expressing their disappointment in every word.

Xu Zhu felt that life had become incredibly difficult.

If she knew the truth behind this downgrade in lifestyle, it would be even more unbearable.

Tong Zhenming was no longer generous to his wife and daughter, not for their education, but because he genuinely had little liquidity left. He was already overwhelmed with work, scrambling for connections for the company, and now that people knew it was him, their attitudes shifted subtly.

Some old-school businessmen didn’t see it as a problem to be harsh with their children.

The issue was that Tong Zhao and Xu Zhu, in terms of both appearance and achievement, were worlds apart.

Tong Zhenming’s silence in the face of this slander was like stamping “fool” on his forehead.

A boss who discarded something precious for a trivial gain couldn’t possibly have good investment instincts.

Considering Tong Zhao’s relationship with Wei Zekai, she might even end up being called Mrs. Wei in the future.

It wasn’t worth it for Tong Zhenming, marked as a fool, to offend the Wei family.

Although Wei Zekai repeatedly declared that Tong Zhao was his good brother, who could say for sure?

Moreover—

After Ze Shan group turned a profit, Wei Zekai returned home triumphantly, turning the family dinner into his performance review. As he talked enthusiastically, clearly and understandably, Wei’s father realized that he had made money, and quite a bit at that.

Here, “quite a bit” referred not to the amount but to the return on investment.

Once he finished, Wei’s father surprisingly praised him: “Well done! If you earn five more times, you can make up for your past losses.”

“……”

Damn.

The family didn’t want to constrain the child and initially provided him with sufficient funds.

The losses were quite spectacular.

Wei Zekai pouted for a moment but quickly rallied, saying, “Don’t worry, breaking even is just a small goal for now; in the future, I will lead Ze Shan to grow big and strong.”

As he said this, he raised the corners of his mouth, his handsome face full of youthful vigor.

Seeing him take a big step from zero to one, the elders didn’t discourage him.

After dinner, Wei Father called him into the study.

Wei Zekai felt a bit anxious; after all, he had often been scolded in the study. Every time there was a loss in investment, he would be lectured for two or three hours, and his father would end with, “Maybe you should just find a job.”

Actually, Wei Father was hoping he would work at the family group.

However, Wei Zekai, having read too many web novels, panicked and thought his father wanted him to work on an assembly line at an electronics factory.

That time was a low point in his life.

Now, stepping into the study, he secretly encouraged himself—

He was making money.

He needed to be confident!

“Sit.”

As soon as he walked in, Wei Father patted the sofa, motioning for him to sit down.

Once he obediently settled, his father got straight to the point: “How much of this was taught to you by someone else?”

“…”

Wei Father had navigated the business world for many years, and with only one son to watch over, it was easy to read Wei Zekai like an open book. When it came to feelings, though he claimed to see Tong Zhao as just a good brother, Wei Father could tell it was far from the truth.

But why remind his son?

After all, he had faced his own setbacks in love, and his son shouldn’t be spared.

“About seventy percent,” Wei Zekai admitted, realizing he couldn’t hide it from his father. “The ‘Little Lamb Playmate’ project and those others were my responsibility. I didn’t want to say too much at home; Tong Zhao asked me to organize the information and bring it back to discuss, saying it was to reassure you.”

Tong Zhao.

Hearing that name again, Wei Father was a bit surprised.

In his mind, she was a woman so beautiful that it overshadowed other qualities.

“Then why didn’t you mention her earlier?” Wei Father asked, a hint of displeasure in his tone.

Wei Zekai knew he had invested a lot of money in Ze Shan.

In terms of funding, he indeed held the major stake.

However, some of the precise and seasoned decisions mentioned earlier, along with the reporting approach, were definitely not his own ideas.

While it’s important to polish one’s own brand in business, taking too much credit is also a major taboo.

“I want to invite Tong Zhao over to play,”

Wei Zekai was puzzled: “After reviewing the materials and reports I organized, she polished them up and told me to remember my lines, saying not to mention her and just act like these ideas were all mine.”

Wei Father understood; she was trying to make a good impression on him.

But since Xiao Kai was an only child, he had no motivation to compete with siblings…

At that moment, Tong Zhao’s image in Wei Father’s mind shifted from a particularly shrewd and beautiful woman to a girl who really liked his son. “You should treat her well, you fool.”

He patted his son’s head.

After that lesson, he asked Wei Zekai to share his thoughts and questions about managing the company.

That night, after tucking himself in, Wei Zekai couldn’t help but message Tong Zhao on WeChat: [My dad thinks you’re really good to me.]

Tong Zhao: [Did Uncle find out? Well, it’s hard to keep anything from him.]

Tong Zhao: [I treat you well because you treat me well.]

Tong Zhao: [Moreover, my kindness isn’t blind; I believe you’re qualified to be my partner and have the talent to manage a company… I want to act, I enjoy acting, and I like leaving behind various works that showcase different sides of me. Hearing discussions about the characters I’ve played makes me happy. When my time is limited and I want everything, I can only collaborate with others.]

Tong Zhao: [They are my partners, and you are my collaborator.]

After sending that, Tong Zhao said it was too late and she was going to bed.

Wei Zekai replied with an “OK” emoji and didn’t message her again to disturb her.

They were so familiar with each other that as soon as Tong Zhao sent him a message, he could instantly hear her slightly cold and lazy voice in his mind. So, that lengthy text felt like it came with its own sound effects for him.

Wei Zekai felt a bit restless under the covers, pressing on his chest where his heart was and feeling a little excited.

Tong Zhao wanted to make a lot of money, wanted to invest everywhere, and wanted to grow the company strong…

That was what he wanted too; they shared a common goal.

Yes, they were partners and lifelong good brothers.

Wei Zekai secretly laughed under the covers.

Xu Zhu didn’t dare to go online and scroll through Weibo, because everywhere she looked, there were insults directed at her.

Originally, a small-time star from a talent show would be virtually ignored online, and after a couple of days of criticism, it would die down.

The problem was that Tong Zhao, who had recently had a conflict with her, had become incredibly popular.

She was so famous that her promotional image for “Heartless Tribulation” featured her in a flowing white outfit, holding a long sword. Even those who hadn’t seen the movie could recognize her. Her elegant features were hard to reconcile with her softer, delicate persona from “Sea King Kill.”

“Is Tong Zhao’s multifaceted subconscious not enough to explain her? Could she possibly have split personality disorder?”

[Don’t joke about it; there hasn’t been a successful example of split personalities portraying different roles in film history.]

[That’s because they aren’t all handsome or beautiful / doge/doge.]

[Instead of wondering why there are so many facets to her subconscious, I’m more concerned about Zhao Zhao’s mental health!]

This was the mainstream view among her fans.

They believed what Tong Zhao said; after all, each of her personalities had a similar, stubborn core. The essence was still her, just painted in different colors by her tumultuous life experiences…

“Miss Tong, please have a seat,”

In a consultation room at the headquarters of the Instinct Film Association, Dr. Gu, a refined gentleman, sat waiting.

Unlike an ordinary psychological clinic, there was a white holographic imaging chamber in the corner of the room.

Dr. Gu’s gentle eyes, framed by silver-rimmed glasses, looked toward his first special guest of the day. “Would you like something to drink? The examination you’ll undergo will last anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, depending on your performance.”

Tong Zhao’s unique subconscious had caught the association’s attention.

The Instinct Film Association deals with the subconscious, which differs slightly from the needs of traditional psychologists. Therefore, doctors in this field require an additional license, and top talent is unique to the association. If this emerging actress truly has psychological issues, the association will provide assistance right away, rather than impose sanctions.

After all, even if she were a patient with schizophrenia, she wouldn’t be breaking any laws.

The production team is willing to work with her, and she still has roles to play.

Tong Zhao had previously declined an examination, but after learning more about the process this time, she didn’t want to raise further doubts or cause concern for her genuinely caring friends, so she agreed to find time for it—

The association has a great reputation in the industry and stands by the actors.

After she refused the examination last time, some senior colleagues thought she was being cautious and had even comforted and advised her.

“Once the examination is complete, if everything is fine, can I post the results on Weibo?” Tong Zhao asked.

Dr. Gu paused for a moment before smiling. “Miss Tong, are you worried about your fans?”

She nodded.

“Of course, Miss Tong, you can think of it as filming a short video for your fans,” Dr. Gu said with a smile. “Actually, I’m one of your fans too.”

“Great! What do I need to do?”

Dr. Gu clasped his hands and said gently, “Once you connect to the holographic filming pod, you don’t need to play anyone else; just be yourself.”

Tong Zhao paused, then jokingly replied with a double entendre, “I haven’t been myself in a long time.”

“Well, being a big star means you can’t help it.”

Dr. Gu assumed she meant that stars have to wear a persona when facing the public.