While eating, they ended up talking about the characters in the script and then about Luo Yu’s audition.

“At first, I heard you were chosen because of your looks, and I kind of looked down on you for it,” Cheng Fei said. “I owe you an apology. Your acting was so good, I almost couldn’t keep up.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“It’s alright. During the audition, others could only see my appearance and not my performance,” Luo Yu replied, pouring tea for Cheng Fei and looking into his eyes. “But Brother Cheng, can you tell me the real reason you were dissatisfied with me?”

“Ah…” Cheng Fei was taken aback.

Luo Yu’s gaze appeared gentle but was penetrating.

Cheng Fei realized that Luo Yu had held back his powerful gaze while acting; now, it was truly intense.

The makeup artist and assistant at the table were also surprised.

Could there be reasons beyond the usual gossip about stealing roles and scheduling conflicts, or the fact that Cheng Fei’s junior brother didn’t get the role, making Cheng Fei unhappy?

“We need to be honest with each other, without any hard feelings, to work well together,” Luo Yu said, pushing the teacup toward Cheng Fei.

Cheng Fei looked at him, remained silent for a long time, and then sighed, “Ah Qing, Xiao Jun, you two go settle the bill.”

The assistant became worried, “It would be great if you two can talk openly. But make sure to talk calmly.”

Luo Yu nodded, “Rest assured, Brother Qing. Teacher Cheng and I will speak properly.”

“I’m worried about him… losing his temper…”

Cheng Fei got annoyed, “What do you mean by that? Do you think I’d hit him?”

Luo Yu also nodded, “Yes, even if it came to a fight, Teacher Cheng wouldn’t win against me.”

Cheng Fei gave Luo Yu a “Where do you get your confidence?” look.

The assistant and makeup artist left, giving them privacy.

Cheng Fei wasn’t one for long introductions and got straight to the point, “You probably don’t remember. A few years ago, there was a historical drama called ‘Tea Ceremony.’ Didn’t the production invite you to audition for a top scorer role?”

“I remember.”

“Why didn’t you go to the audition? Did you think the supporting role wasn’t worth it?” Cheng Fei asked.

Luo Yu lowered his eyes, then shook his head. “Because at that time, I was being attacked online, and I couldn’t handle it.”

“Couldn’t handle it?”

Talking about this clearly made Cheng Fei angry. He patted his chest and said, “As actors, our roles are destined to be judged by people. Whether they criticize you, slander you, misunderstand you, or even elevate the character’s flaws to the actor’s own, it’s a common occurrence we face. You face it, I face it, and other actors face it too. If you can’t handle this, how do you plan to continue on this path?”

Luo Yu’s fingers twitched. “You’re right, Brother Cheng. I regret it now. But… this is my audition. Why are you so angry?”

“Because… a friend of mine really admired you. He thought you had talent, so he showed your debut idol drama to the director of ‘Tea Ceremony.’ He also sent your school performance videos to the crew. His persistence moved the director, who then gave you an audition slot.”

Luo Yu was stunned. “Tea Ceremony” was a drama from three years ago, by which time his popularity had already been drained by Zhuque Media, yet someone still remembered him.

“Later, there was another drama, ‘Thorn.’ That same friend… He’s like me, not one to flatter or attend social gatherings. At that time, he had just secured his own position but still asked the casting director out for drinks for you. He got so drunk I had to pick him up. All this was to get you an audition! Do you know my junior brother really wanted that role of the prosecutor’s assistant? But the crew didn’t think his acting was good enough and didn’t even give him an audition!”

Luo Yu didn’t want to push the blame onto Bo Wenyuan, as it had always been his own mistake. He not only made wrong choices but also trusted the wrong people, failing to resist despite knowing the path was wrong.

It’s not scary to walk the wrong path; what’s scary is lacking the courage to turn back.

“It was my fault. I wasn’t determined enough back then.”

“And ‘Sunset Avenue,’ a major drama. My friend finally fought his way through the casting to get his role, then foolishly went to chat with the director…” At this point, Cheng Fei struggled to continue.

“He fought for me to get an audition for the progressive teacher role?”

“Yes! He even had a falling out with the producer over it. Of course, his acting skills were well-recognized, and both the director and investors liked him, so a producer couldn’t affect him. But in the critical stage of his career, what if someone backstabbed him? And the audition invitation was sent to you, but you didn’t show up! Instead, you went to act in some trash web series!”

Hearing this, Luo Yu already knew who that person was. Because on the night of Bai Ying’s wrap up party, that person, while Luo Yu was half-drunk, had also asked him why he gave up those roles.

“Why… did he help me so much?” Luo Yu’s throat was painfully dry, and he felt a surge of emotions he couldn’t suppress.

“How should I know? He loved watching your ‘Plum Blossom Rain’ and probably had a starry-eyed view of you.” Cheng Fei said irritably.

What kind of admiration would make someone repeatedly set aside their pride to help him?

“Brother Cheng, thank you for telling me,” Luo Yu took a deep breath and said earnestly.

Gu Xiaowei had asked him, in a moment when his guard was down, why he gave up those roles. But with his character, he would never tell Luo Yu how those audition opportunities were obtained.

“Don’t thank me. I feel impulsive now, I shouldn’t have told you this. I don’t like you because I think you’re… heartless, weak, selfish, can’t handle anything. With such good opportunities… If you could’ve grabbed just one of those three roles, you wouldn’t be in this situation now,” Cheng Fei sighed, speaking with a hint of frustration.

Luo Yu refilled Cheng Fei’s tea and said very seriously, “Brother Cheng, rest assured, I won’t mess up anymore. I will treat every role and every line seriously.”

“I… After filming with you for a day, I know you’re not such a bad person. Over the years, I somewhat felt that you were probably targeted. But why are you so useless!” Cheng Fei said, hating iron for not being steel, “Those keyboard warriors and hired internet trolls say a few words, and you can’t take it. It’s nasty to say you’re eating He Mu’s leftovers, but when there’s no food, I’d eat anyone’s leftovers! Not only would I eat, but I’d also thank them!”

Luo Yu knew Cheng Fei had also struggled over the years, and he survived, but the former Luo Yu was stuck in the mud, unable to rise.

Because back then, Luo Yu valued his pride more than his acting career.

“Alright, we’ve talked it out, and you’ve promised me! Let’s move on!” Cheng Fei stood up, patted Luo Yu’s shoulder, and added, “But I used to think my friend was blind for seeing potential in you. After filming with you today, I must admit I respect his judgment. His vision is far beyond mine!”

Luo Yu took a deep breath, realizing that in those dark days, someone had been shining brightly, trying to illuminate his world. He didn’t see it and didn’t cherish it.

That person who said, “Stand at the top with you and watch others chase fame and fortune,” wasn’t just spouting empty words.

Luo Yu’s heart overflowed, almost bursting, as if he was back in his university days, standing on stage with his classmates, reciting “wild horses gallop for 30,000 miles,” filled with enthusiasm for the future.

And Gu Xiaowei was probably watching him from the audience.

“Alright, it’s getting late, and we have filming tomorrow. I’ll take you back,” Cheng Fei said.

Since Luo Yu’s scenes in “Storm” were mostly in office buildings in the same city as his apartment, he didn’t need accommodation arranged by the crew and could go home after work.

Knowing Luo Yu had no car or assistant, Cheng Fei went out of his way to take him back to his apartment.

From the moment Cheng Fei told him how those audition invitations came about, Luo Yu wanted to rush to the “Counterattack” set to see that person.

This thought grew stronger and stronger.

He wondered if he was crazy. But even if he was, he wanted to see that person.

It was already 10 PM. Even if he hailed a taxi now, it would be 1 AM before he arrived at the film base.

But by then, Gu Xiaowei would be asleep.

He couldn’t wake him up in the middle of the night to say “thank you,” or he would be seen as crazy.

Luo Yu was desperate to get closer to him, even if it was just to stand outside the film base’s walls. That “thank you” would carry more weight.

He knew he was impulsive, but he couldn’t calm down.

Luo Yu took a deep breath. Determined, he went to the street and tried to hail a cab. Several drivers refused to go to the film base so late, even when Luo Yu offered to pay for the return trip.

He tried to book a ride online, but the earliest bookings were for 5 AM the next day.

Luo Yu stood in the cold wind for nearly two hours, regretting that maybe he needed a car more than a house.

If he had a car, he could drive to find Gu Xiaowei.

The weather had turned cold. Luo Yu pulled up his collar and returned to his apartment, feeling dejected.

He took a shower, kept the lights on, and reviewed his script for tomorrow.

Despite having read the script countless times, he couldn’t focus for an hour. His mind was filled with the image of Gu Xiaowei’s look when they said goodbyes before he left the “Counterattack” set.

Luo Yu glanced at the clock. It was 2:30 AM, destined to be a sleepless night.

Habitually, he opened his phone, and his fingers unknowingly hovered over Gu Xiaowei’s WeChat avatar. He wanted to say something but worried about waking him up.

But when he released his finger, a blank voice message was sent.

“Damn it!”

Luo Yu quickly retracted it, but a reply came instantly.

Gu Xiaowei: [What did you send?]

Luo Yu’s heart trembled. Was he filming a night scene? Was he still awake so late?

Luo Yu leaned close to the microphone and whispered: [It’s nothing, I just accidentally bumped into something.]”

Gu Xiaowei’s voice message quickly came through: [As long as you’re okay, get some rest.]

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Gu Xiaowei’s voice was deep and magnetic. Luo Yu couldn’t help but listen to it several times, faintly hearing the sound of an aluminum drink can being blown and rolling on the ground.

A strong premonition surged in his heart. Luo Yu, driven by an inexplicable force, threw off his blanket, got out of bed, and quickly opened the curtains to look outside.

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“All transactions in our company follow the principle of three-level consensus. Accounts exceeding one million must be subject to layer-by-layer approval.”

The same tone, the same demeanor, everything was like a replay of the scene. Cheng Fei’s emotions were brought back to that scene by Luo Yu.

“Your company is indeed rigorous.” Ling Jin looked at Huo Haoyan with cold eyes.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

The camera zoomed out, suggesting that the confrontation between the two had officially begun.

Hearing “cut”, Luo Yu pushed back the chair he was on and stood up.

Cheng Fei was waiting for the other to mock him with the words “Although Director Xu’s bottom line is three times, I, Cheng Fei, only allow one pass.” Unexpectedly, Luo Yu only stood up and took back the mineral water by Cheng Fei’s hand, unscrewed it and took two sips.

As soon as he raised his eyes, Cheng Fei saw Luo Yu’s head half thrown back, his jawline was at a nice and sharp angle, and his Adam’s apple was rising and falling as he swallowed water. If Cheng Fei’s male appeal was overt and anyone could feel his strength and toughness, then Luo Yu’s sense of attraction and strength was hidden in the sheath.

If you pass by him, what you see was an exquisite scabbard.

If you provoked him, the sharp blade would be unsheathed and very lethal.

“Teacher Cheng, there are still a few scenes later, do you want to discuss them?” Luo Yu asked while twisting on the bottle cap.

Probably because of having drank water, his voice became a little softer, as if the hidden resentment between the two before filming didn’t exist.

Although Cheng Fei sometimes spoke bluntly and seemed to have low emotional intelligence, he was very serious about acting.

“En, we should go over it a bit.” He leaned his head over naturally.

After this confrontation, Cheng Fei discovered that Luo Yu not only understood his own role, but also put great effort into studying the role of Ling Jin.

“Look, when my line comes to this point, should we have an exchange of looks?”

Luo Yu opened the script and showed it to Cheng Fei. Cheng Fei discovered that Luo Yu had made a lot of notes, including jotting some pause points in the lines and places where the tone of voice was emphasized.

The strange thing was that Cheng Fei had only seen such small symbols as triangles and upward or downward arrows in the script notes of his friend Gu Xiaowei.

Was it possible that Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei acted in a drama together, and even their script note-taking habits became similar?

Cheng Fei took a closer look and made sure that the marks on Luo Yu’s script were not just random scribbles. The triangle was marked where you need to interact with the opposite actor’s eyes. The upward arrow was the brewing of emotions, and the downward arrow was the release of emotions.

Luo Yu had digested every word of the script.

Cheng Fei was a person who could be described as “My attitude towards you depends on your attitude towards work.” So when Luo Yu showed his professional side, Cheng Fei immediately felt that this person was pretty good, at least it was not tiring to act with him.

Cheng Fei coughed and said, “What you said is what I thought. Otherwise, how about this. I’ll observe you, you raise your head and look at me, and then smile, the way you would look at an incompetent opponent… that kind of expression…”

“Expression of tactical neglect?”

“Right, it’s the kind that doesn’t hurt one much but is a bit insulting…”

As soon as Cheng Fei finished speaking, Luo Yu gave him a look of “tactical neglect”, arousing in him a desire to be angry yet could only hold it in.

The two communicated for a while, and their exchange of acting skills soared. They spoke lines back and forth, and their eyes were full of blades flashing as if they were fighting each other to see who was more capable than the other.

As a result, the day’s filming was completed more than an hour faster than expected.

The director’s assistant said that filming had never been so easy, because the scenes between Cheng Fei and Luo Yu were almost all done in one pass, and even if there were reshoots or NGs, it was because of minor problems like lighting, clothing and makeup issues.

Xu Han was so good-tempered that day that the whole crew found it incredible.

In fact, because the actors were in such good condition, Xu Han directly adjusted the night scene to be filmed the day after tomorrow to be filmed that night.

The assistant director thought to himself, don’t be so willful——for this temporary schedule adjustment, the actors may not have memorized the script well.

Unexpectedly, while everyone was adjusting the set, Luo Yu and Cheng Fei were in a corner. The two of them took the script and they spoke their lines one by one. They even discussed body gestures and expressions. When the scene started in the evening , the two of them entered the right state instantly.

This night scene was an exchange of wills between Huo Haoyan and Ling Jin. There was a long professional analysis on money laundering and taxation. Ordinary viewers might not be able to understand it so the highlight was to create an atmosphere of mutual questioning and confrontation, which was quite difficult. 

However, there was no mistake in the entry point or sequence of the lines between these two people.

Moreover, the aura of PK between these two people stirred up the atmosphere, making viewers focus on their performances rather than the lines themselves.

Huo Haoyan showed his boldness for the first time, his eyes were like a general attacking a city, charging deep into Ling Jin’s back camp. The two of them exchanged wills, refusing to give in.

Ling Jin said: “Mr. Huo, do you have to hit the wall to know how to write the word “desperate”?”

The corners of Huo Haoyan’s mouth raised, and the smile conveyed the sorrow and determination of Huo Haoyan’s character, “So what if I hit a wall?”

Even the cameraman was sucked into the tense atmosphere by the confrontation between the two, and his palms started to sweat.

“Is this a battle between two computers? How did they memorize such long lines?”

Xu Han said quietly: “Because they are professional actors.”

There was the sound of “cut”, and today’s filming was finally over.

Everyone cheered and called it a day.

The assistant director looked at the bucket of sugar-free Coke behind Xu Han. He had only opened one bottle all day long, and he hadn’t even finished it yet!

Xu Han touched his chin and said, “Why do I feel like something is missing today.”

“Coke? Do you want to drink it?”

“Not Coke.” Xu Han waved the megaphone in his hand, “I didn’t yell at anyone today.”

“Remaining calm and even tempered is good for the health!”

The assistant director thought to himself, Luo Yu was a treasure, you’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good.

Luo Yu returned to the dressing room, changed out of his clothes, put them on a clothes rack, put on his sweater and trousers, and said to Cheng Fei who was taking off his makeup: “Teacher Cheng, I’m heading back first. “

Cheng Fei paused and said, “Uh… if you’re not in a hurry… let’s have a late night snack together. Of course, if you want to stay in shape, then next time.”

The assistant next to him was stunned for a moment and thought to himself: It’s not easy. His Brother Cheng knew to take the initiative to invite other actors to have a late-night snack!

In the morning, he was still letting out embarrassing harrumphs, but after a day of acting together, he found that Luo Yu was on par with him in terms of acting skills and had a better temper.

Aren’t you embarrassed now, huh?

Luo Yu tilted his head and joked, “Teacher Cheng, are you serious?”

Cheng Fei coughed and said, “Of course I mean it! You want to eat, eat, if not then forget it!”

The assistant quickly said to Luo Yu: “Teacher Luo, don’t mind him. Our Brother Cheng talks like this every day, huffing and snorting and harrumphing. He is probably a fan of “Nunchucks”.” (TN: song by Jay Chou)

Luo Yu was amused by the other, “I know, so I also joked with Teacher Cheng.”

Cheng Fei said angrily: “I don’t find it funny at all, and I don’t like “Nunchucks” either.”

The assistant was obviously familiar with him and knew his character well. He did not shy away from Luo Yu’s presence at the scene and directly revealed his boss’s weakness: “Yes! Because you don’t sing in tune with any song!”

“Who said that! I can sing “Unity is Strength” very well!”

“Yes, yes, you must thank your college military training!”

Listening to Cheng Fei chatting with his assistant, Luo Yu also felt that Cheng Fei was actually a person with no airs.

After entering the parking lot, Cheng Fei got into the nanny car. After getting in, he nestled next to the window. This was obviously giving up his seat to someone.

His assistant was quite discerning and directly dragged the makeup artist to sit in the back row.

Luo Yu opened the car door and sat in the same row as Cheng Fei.

Cheng Fei’s assistant had already booked a private room. When about to get out of the car, Luo Yu suddenly felt a hat pressed on his head.

“I know you’re used to trending on hot searches, so you’re not afraid of paparazzi taking pictures! But you don’t have to be so careless!” Cheng Fei said in annoyance.

He thought to himself that it was not unreasonable that Luo Yu had always been scolded on the hot searches before. He was already careless enough, but this time he met someone who was even more careless than him.

Luo Yu smiled in his heart. This Cheng Fei was indeed like what he thought. He obviously cared about people, but the words coming out of his mouth were always so gruff.

“Thank you, Brother Cheng.”

Luo Yu pushed the brim of his hat down and walked out.

The environment of this restaurant was good. After Luo Yu sat down, he took off his hat and smoothed his hair.

The waiter came in to pour them hot tea. The moment Luo Yu looked up, the waiter almost poured the tea on the table.

She heard the head waiter say that if a celebrity comes to eat in the evening, she should take good care of them, but she should not ask questions, stare at the celebrity’s face, ask for autographs or take photos, and protect the privacy of the other.

When she first saw Cheng Fei sitting in the center, she was very calm.

But she was really shocked when she saw Luo Yu.

She could always read on the Internet that Luo Yu and He Mu look similar, but when she actually saw him with her own eyes, she didn’t know how to describe her feelings.

——Luo Yu and He Mu have completely different styles.

He Mu was indeed handsome, especially when he danced, he was extremely charming, but she always felt like he was wearing a mask. All his expressions and movements seem to be designed just to attract attention and stir up emotions.

But when Luo Yu raised his eyes and smiled at her, it was real and humble. The light in the box was orange, but Luo Yu’s face still had a sense of transparency, and his aura was tougher than He Mu’s, with a “dive into the night with the wind, silently and softly drizzle like the rain” feeling that was very attractive.

“Yes… I’m sorry.” The waiter quickly lifted the teapot.

“It doesn’t matter. I happen to be a little thirsty too.” Luo Yu didn’t care that the waiter overfilled the tea.

Cheng Fei handed the iPad for ordering to Luo Yu, “What about… what do you want to eat?”

Luo Yu took the iPad and looked at it, “Brother Cheng, it’s evening, so don’t eat too greasy. How about steamed pork ribs?”

“Sure!”

Luo Yu searched for the memories of his previous life. After he returned to the TV drama circle from the stage, he also filmed a drama with Cheng Fei, but Cheng Fei was married at that time. After filming, he always immediately went home to be with his wife. The two of them didn’t have much interaction with each other. He only remembered the other speaking coquettishly with his wife on the phone that he wanted to eat chicken stewed with mushrooms.

“Chicken stewed with mushrooms?” Luo Yu said.

Cheng Fei opened his mouth, looking like the image of someone who was happy to have found someone of the same kind. But the assistant next to him said, “Come on… The chicken stewed with mushrooms in this big restaurant will definitely not taste good.”

But Luo Yu knew from the look on Cheng Fei’s face that he craved it but was too stubborn to admit.

“Since I brought Luo Yu here, he can order any dish he wants.” Cheng Fei made the decision.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Cheng Fei did not have extravagant tastes, and he didn’t want to show off in front of Luo Yu. There were four of them so they ordered four dishes.

“There is work tomorrow, so we won’t drink.” Cheng Fei said.

Although it was just a meal, Luo Yu could feel Cheng Fei’s character. Although he was a little bit macho, he took his work very seriously and did not say anything hypocritical.

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Cheng Fei was beside director Xu Han, listening to him explain the key points of the scene.

Luo Yu also walked over.

Director Xu Han and Lin Yue have different habits when filming. He was not an old-fashioned style who never left his thermos cup, nor did he drink chrysanthemum and wolfberry tea. Instead, he had an ice bucket at his feet filled with sugar-free Coke.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Legend had it that every time Xu Han was so angry at an actor who was not in the right state, he would open a bottle and gulp it down to cool down his anger.

And Xu Han had a mantra called “No more than three times”.

This meant that no matter if you were a popular traffic star or an experienced veteran actor, if you NGed due to your lines more than three times by him, he would suddenly stand up and roar through a megaphone, letting the whole crew know that a certain actor was not in the right state.

In a commercial war drama he directed before, Dijun Media arranged a small supporting role for He Mu. At that time, He Mu was busy with variety show gigs and did not read the script carefully. The actor opposite him was an experienced veteran actor. It could be regarded as letting him rub off on the veteran actor’s audience popularity.

After the veteran actor finished speaking his lines, He Mu looked around for the assistant’s prompter board, not even looking at the veteran actor.

Xu Han directly yelled “cut” and said “do it again”. He Mu continued to look for the prompter board to recite his lines. Xu Han asked someone to move the inscription board away, causing He Mu to stutter and unable to speak the lines. Xu Han yelled “cut” for the third time. After that, he started to yell with the megaphone.

“Excuse me, are you a goldfish? Can’t you remember a single line? Do you know how to respect others? The actor opposite you keeps making eye contact with you, and you don’t even look at him! You are acting, not doing a poetry recitation! This is not an MV!”

Xu Han’s roar was heard by the entire crew, and He Mu was scolded stupid.

It was only ever the case where the program crew had treated He Mu like an emperor. How had he ever been yelled at like this? 

He Mu originally thought that many people would come to comfort him, but except for the veteran actor opposite him, Mr. Yang who patted him on the shoulder and said, “Kid, you have to be sincere when acting.”

Everyone else went to comfort Director Xu Han.

A bunch of people opened the Coke and said things like “It takes a few sips of Coke to relieve the anger,” and “I have ice here, adding ice is better.”

Xu Han drank Coke and calmed down. He continued speaking through the megaphone without giving any face to He Mu: “Do you remember this line clearly? If you don’t remember it clearly, go to the side and remember it. Don’t waste Teacher Yang’s efforts!”

In the afternoon of the same day, #HeMuGoldfishBrain# was on the hot search trending list. Seeing that something was wrong, Gao He immediately removed the hot search. He was frightened for quite a while. If this hot search hit the top three, He Mu would not be far from becoming the laughingstock of the industry.

Since then, Xu Han’s reputation for “no more than three times” had completely spread, and He Mu and his posse would make a wide circle as soon as he saw Xu Han, like a cat seeing a mouse.

At this moment, Xu Han told Cheng Fei about the scene first, and Luo Yu also listened carefully.

“You two must catch each other’s play. What I want is a contrasting confrontation.”

Cheng Fei and Luo Yu nodded together.

“Cheng Fei, your Ling Jin is to test Huo Haoyan. You know that Huo Haoyan has always been well prepared, so hitting it with one strike is not the purpose of your trip. You are here to ‘reveal’ clues to him, and you want Huo Haoyan to panic . As long as he panics, he will take action. Once he takes action, it is easy to make mistakes and the police will easily catch evidence.” Xu Han said.

Cheng Fei nodded, made an OK gesture towards the director, and said in a voice that the both of them could hear: “Luo Yu, can your Huo Haoyan withstand the pressure from me?”

Luo Yu nodded calmly, “I’ve watched some of Teacher Cheng’s scenes, I feel like I can handle it.”

Cheng Fei chuckled lightly, as if to say, “You overestimate yourself.”

Xu Han looked at Luo Yu and said: “Huo Haoyan has always hidden his sword in the scabbard and will not reveal his blade easily. And people in the business world have always been good at deflection. When Ling Jin aims at you straight in the face, you have to be able to…”

“I have to be able to deflect his strength and return it at the same time. Make his hit be absorbed into the cotton.” Luo Yu replied.

Xu Han nodded, knowing that there was no need to remind Luo Yu too much.

Luo Yu and Cheng Fei walked forward side by side. Cheng Fei said, “Are you familiar with the lines?”

“I’m familiar with it, Teacher Cheng, don’t worry.”

“Although Director Xu’s bottom line is three times, I, Cheng Fei, only allow one.” Cheng Fei said.

Cheng Fei was a well-known “one pass” in the industry.

He glanced at Luo Yu, thinking that Luo Yu would show dissatisfaction with him, and even predicted Luo Yu’s inner thought: The director can tolerate three mistakes, who do you think you are, Cheng Fei?

Unexpectedly, Luo Yu nodded in agreement: “Teacher Cheng is right. If you don’t remember the lines and cause NG, you and the opposite actor will become emotionally disconnected from the scene. Even if you reshoot later, the emotions will hardly be exactly the same.”

Cheng Fei opened his mouth, thinking that Luo Yu’s tone was quite tough, which was interesting!

This was the first scene to be filmed. It took place in Huo Haoyan’s office. The scene was when the economic investigation team leader Ling Jin came to Huo Haoyan’s office to talk. Ling Jin wanted to observe Huo Haoyan’s reaction and Huo Haoyan returned the move. This was the first confrontation between them in the drama.

With the sound of “action”, the first scene of this drama kicked off.

Huo Haoyan was sitting at his desk, signing documents with a pen.

The light from the floor-to-ceiling windows cast a faint light on his body. The whole office was very quiet. The high piles of documents were on the right side of Huo Haoyan. His expression was calm and focused, which immediately gave the feel of how high paced and efficient a big company’s financial department was like.

Xu Han put his fingers against his chin and squinted at the display screen.

Because no one at the set had seen Luo Yu’s audition performance, and others didn’t know what his skills were like, everyone was worried that Xu Han would get angry if he got stuck on his lines. A director’s assistant had already picked up a bottle of iced Coke, ready in case Luo Yu’s performance was bad, and he had to unscrew it quickly and hand it over to the director.

Probably because Luo Yu’s Huo Haoyan had a quality that attracted people to appreciate slowly, the cameraman took the scene of him approving documents for nearly a minute. When the director raised his hand to indicate, Ling Jin was ready to enter the scene.

After knocking on the door twice, before Huo Haoyan could say “come in”, Ling Jin walked in wearing casual clothes.

“Long time no see, Mr. Huo.” Ling Jin pulled the chair across from Huo Haoyan, sat down, leaned back, and looked at Huo Haoyan’s face with his eyes.

It must be said that Ling Jin’s gaze was very powerful. Sitting opposite him made Huo Haoyan feel like he was being judged.

“Hardly. We obviously just met last week.” Huo Haoyan received his opponent’s gaze calmly, closed the document and capped the pen slowly, as if he was deliberately trying to wear down the opponent’s patience.

He didn’t ask Ling Jin if he wanted to drink something, nor did he ask his secretary to come in with a cup of coffee. Instead, he took a bottle of mineral water from the side and handed it to him.

Ling Jin looked at Huo Haoyan with a smile, but refused to take the bottle of mineral water, as if he was competing to see who could endure the other’s provocation better.

“I almost forgot, you came to the station to pick up Accountant Wang last week.” Ling Jin said with a smile.

His line skills were very good and his rhythm was just right. This line seemed as if he was simply chatting with the other, yet there was a hint of sarcasm aimed towards the other’s hypocritical attitude.

“Yes.” Huo Haoyan was not angry when he saw that the other man did not reach out to accept the mineral water. He left his seat and put the water by Cheng Fei’s right hand. Seeming to show his humility, but his face remained steady, “Then this time, did Captain Ling come here to understand something else, or did you need to retrieve some information?”

Ling Jin’s eyes dimmed, staring at Huo Haoyan as if he wanted to unwrap his hypocritical skin, “You have a sum of money that you sent to a shell company.”

“Oh, really? How much? Which company?” Huo Haoyan showed a surprised expression, but this surprise was very formulaic. It was obvious that both of them were acting.

You test me and I will give you a reaction. Is this surprised expression enough to give you face?

“Mr. Huo, it’s pointless for you to be like this.” Ling Jin turned and looked at Huo Haoyan with an even sharper gaze.

It was like he wanted to cut him open, dig out the secrets inside piece by piece, and expose them to the sun.

But Huo Haoyan enjoyed Ling Jin’s gaze very much, and Luo Yu, who was under Huo Haoyan’s skin, also enjoyed Cheng Fei’s gaze.

Between actors, it was actually a competition whether overt or covert. Cheng Fei not only had good line skills, his eyes did not rely on staring to give him an aura of intimidation, the emotions conveyed by his eyes were truly layered.

“Captain Ling, it’s also pointless for you to be like this. Speaking in only halves, what do you want me to admit?” Huo Haoyan imitated Ling Jin’s sitting posture and leaned back, “Are you also a bluffer when playing mahjong?”

In a bright office, the two actors were just sitting, and they only exchanged lines with each other, but it made people feel an undercurrent.

Cheng Fei also became excited. He heard from his junior brother that Luo Yu’s image and aura fit the role of Huo Haoyan, so he was selected by the director. Because of what his junior brother said, Cheng Fei thought Luo Yu was just a pretty boy, but today he had a scene with this pretty boy and found that he actually had something to him!

“I don’t play mahjong, nor do I bluff.” Ling Jin stopped his half-joking tone, and his voice became sharp and sonorous, “June 12, 18.6 million, Hengyu Economic and Trade.”

“Please wait a moment.” Huo Haoyan also stopped the idle chit chat and his expression became serious. He looked at his computer, typed on the keyboard for a while, and then turned the screen to Ling Jin’s direction, “Captain Ling, take a look. This 18.6 million yuan is payment for goods, as evidenced by the contract. This amount is required by our partner Qingfeng Industrial to pay. And the so-called shell company Hengyu Economic and Trade you mentioned belongs to Qingfeng Industrial Subsidiary. If there is any doubt about this payment, I recommend you investigate Qingfeng Industrial. After all… we are just fulfilling the contract.”

The two looked at each other for less than a second. Ling Jin lowered his head and smiled, “Mr. Huo is really well prepared.”

This implied that Huo Haoyan had long been ready to throw the blame.

The line of Huo Haoyan’s lip curved, and he and Ling Jin switched places in this smile, and it was Huo Haoyan’s turn to begin examining Ling Jin. The moment he raised his eyes, although there was no intensity in his eyes to crucify his opponent, they still held a hook as if to pull out all the unwillingness Ling Jin had from his heart to his face.

“All transactions in our company follow the principle of three-level consensus. Accounts exceeding one million must be subject to layer-by-layer approval.” Huo Haoyan said.

“…Oh.” But Ling Jin still remained in the state of being examined by those eyes just now.

The whole space was quiet, and everyone’s eyes were focused on them, as if they were waiting for something.

Four or five seconds passed, and a “cut” sounded. Cheng Fei suddenly came back to his senses and realized that he had gotten stuck on his lines!

Just now he said that he would only allow one pass, but he didn’t expect that the one who got stuck was actually himself!

Cheng Fei’s face turned red at that moment, and he was embarrassed to look at Luo Yu.

Luo Yu, who was on the opposite side, approached him and lowered his voice: “Your company is indeed rigorous.”

“Huh?” Cheng Fei raised his head and realized that Luo Yu was reminding him of his lines.

He didn’t expect that Luo Yu not only memorized his own lines, but also his opposite actor’s lines.

Cheng Fei had to re-evaluate Luo Yu’s acting skills in his heart.

“Is there any problem in starting over? Just start again with what Huo Haoyan said, ‘all the accounts of our company’!” Director Xu said loudly.

Cheng Fei adjusted his breathing and replied, “No problem!”

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Then he looked at Luo Yu. After all, Luo Yu was very good in terms of lines and emotions just now. It was his own fault that ruined Luo Yu’s coherence.

Luo Yu also raised his hand and gestured, “I don’t have a problem either!”

When Cheng Fei raised his eyes, he found that Luo Yu’s expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book, and he immediately returned to Huo Haoyan’s state of mind.

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Li Qian did not sleep yet. On the contrary, he had been waiting for this call for a long time. “Tell me, have you confirmed it with Luo Yu? Is Dijun Media trying to force him to the point where he can no longer be an actor?”

“I have to disappoint you. This must have been a miscommunication.”

Li Qian held his forehead and sighed, “What a pity. I thought it was an opportunity. If it is true, I can make a big headline——the consequences of rejecting Dijun Media. The perfect opportunity to repay what happened back then, sit back and watch how Ou Juntao tries to clarify himself.”

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“But I don’t want him to be targeted because of his rejection of Dijun Media.”

Li Qian paused and couldn’t help but laugh: “So it is true that Dijun Media wants to sign him? They treated him so badly before, and now they find out that Luo Yu is actually a delicious piece of cake, so they come sniffing over to him again? This is very shameless indeed.”

Gu Xiaowei was silent, as if still waiting for Li Qian’s reply.

Li Qian frowned and then remembered that Gu Xiaowei just said that he didn’t want Luo Yu to be targeted for rejecting Dijun Media?

Was this a hint that he should pay more attention to the direction of public opinion over Luo Yu?

Indeed, when it came to experience with Dijun Media, if Li Qian ranked second, no one could rank first.

“According to the information I got, Xinghan’s senior management is indeed very interested in signing Luo Yu because of the recommendation of director Lin Yue and screenwriter Hua Xingyun. As for what kind of conditions they will give, it is still being evaluated, and it won’t be too good at the moment.”

Li Qian paused and then said: “So, as your friend, I think it is best for your senior brother to wait until “Counterattack” is broadcast before signing a contract. I have watched his scenes, and I have confidence in Bai Ying. There will be a big splash for the character. By then, he can get better conditions for himself.”

“Thank you for your suggestion, I think so too.”

“Don’t worry, whether it is as an actor who may be signed by the company in the future or as an important role in “Counterattack”, I will not let Dijun Media attack him easily.”

“Thank you.” Gu Xiaowei said.

Li Qian smiled, “It’s not easy to hear a thank you from you.”

The next morning, Ou Juntao sat at his desk as usual, flipping through the latest project documents and drinking coffee.

His secretary came to his office.

“Chairman Ou, we got some news from Xinghan Pictures.”

“What’s the news?” Ou Juntao put the cup back on the table.

“Li Qian seemed to have mentioned in a meeting with his team that if we were to take any action against Luo Yu, he would immediately collect information of the mental devaluation and suppression of opportunities we have done against Luo Yu in the past five years and package it as a hot search. Such hot searches will have a great impact on the company’s image.”

Ou Juntao pondered for a while, then smiled: “If Li Qian really plans to do this, you won’t have received any news, we would have been on the hot search already. This is Li Qian’s warning. It seems… the possibility of Xinghan Pictures signing a contract with Luo Yu is very high.”

“But can the conditions offered by Xinghan Pictures be better than ours?”

“Of the three major directors in the entertainment industry——Lin Yue, Xu Han, Sheng Yunlan, Xinghan Pictures account for two. This alone is more attractive to Luo Yu who wants to pursue a career as an actor.” Ou Juntao’s pen tip tapped on the paper, leaving a few smudged ink marks, “So, you told me that Luo Yu’s agent also plans to follow him and leave Zhuque Media?”

“Yes.”

“Luo Yu is a very loyal person, otherwise he wouldn’t have been deceived by Bo Wenyuan back then. He should have great trust in this agent. Pay close attention to who this agent has contact with. Once someone from Xinghan Pictures… including Honghe Film and Television contacts her, you must tell me immediately.”

“Understood, Chairman Ou.”

“Wait a minute.” Ou Juntao stopped his secretary, “Since Li Qian has spoken, there should be no activities against Luo Yu. You should also keep an eye on He Mu, I’m afraid this kid will not be obedient.”

“Understood!”

More than half a month later, Luo Yu successfully joined the crew of “Storm”.

The scenes of Huo Haoyan’s character were basically in the office building. Although he had more appearances and more lines than Bai Ying, because the scenes were more concentrated, according to the crew’s arrangement, the filming could be completed in a week.

The crew had specially designated dressing rooms, but it was only divided by gender, not by status. This was also director Xu Han’s consistent style, which meant to let everyone know that everyone who joined his crew was just an actor and no special treatment was allowed.

Luo Yu didn’t know anyone else very well, so he sat quietly, reading the script and waiting for the makeup artist.

After a while, the door opened and a tall man wearing a leather jacket walked in.

Luo Yu recognized him as Cheng Fei, who played the role of Ling Jin, the economic investigation captain in this drama, and was also the male lead of this drama.

Cheng Fei was 1.9 meters tall. He should be 33 or 34 this year. After years of hard work, this was the stage when his acting skills and aura were at his best.

He and Gu Xiaowei belong to the same company, but different agents.

Everyone in the circle said that Cheng Fei’s professional ability was good, but he was too arrogant and had the most bossy attitude.

In the early years, he suffered some hardships because of this temper of his. He also worked as extras in the film and television industry for a long time. Later, because of his serious attitude towards acting, he was noticed by an agent of Xinghan Pictures. Starting from the age of 27 or 28, he started playing small supporting roles, and it was finally in the past two years he had started to take the leading role, and the ratings and reputation of his work were also very good.

In terms of appearance, Cheng Fei’s face had more straight lines, a tough look, and an upright aura, which made him very suitable for a righteous role like the economic investigation captain.

Cheng Fei had his own makeup artist and assistant, and the three of them sat behind Luo Yu, chatting while putting on makeup.

“Brother Cheng, I heard that the actor who plays opposite you today has very good acting skills.”

“Who is it?”

“Luo Yu, Teacher Gu’s senior brother. You and Teacher Gu have such a close relationship, shouldn’t you take good care of him?”

“That Luo Yu?” Cheng Fei chuckled lightly, audibly unhappy.

The assistant quickly looked around. There was an actor in the dressing room with his back to them. He was reading the script with his head down and his earphones plugged in. He probably didn’t hear it, otherwise he would look back at them.

“Brother Cheng, be polite. There are other colleagues here.” The assistant reminded in a low voice.

After so many years, Brother Cheng still displayed his likes and dislikes to a person on his face, even though his agent had told him countless times to no avail.

“Aren’t I very polite? I didn’t say anything offensive.” Cheng Fei closed his eyes indifferently and let the makeup artist apply makeup on him.

The assistant looked back again and found that the actor with his back to them was still unresponsive. Then he exhaled. It seemed that he was really listening to music.

At this time, the makeup artist from the crew came in, and first said hello to Cheng Fei, “Hello, Teacher Cheng.”

“Hey, hello.” Cheng Fei nodded without any airs.

The makeup artist walked up to Luo Yu, looked around, and said softly, “Teacher Luo, it’s really you!”

The air suddenly became quiet.

Cheng Fei’s assistant suddenly felt embarrassed. Just now, his boss expressed his dissatisfaction with the person literally right behind his back.

There would also be a scene later, really… don’t know if Luo Yu really didn’t hear it, or if he just had a good attitude. Or maybe because Cheng Fei was the male lead of this drama, and it was hard for the other to express his dissatisfaction.

“Hello, I don’t dare be called a ‘teacher’, just call me by my name. I’m going to trouble you today.”

Luo Yu took off his earphones and shook hands with the other.

The makeup artist opened the makeup box, sat in front of Luo Yu and looked at him, and couldn’t help but whisper: “I was chatting with other makeup artists two days ago, and they were talking about which actor’s appearance gave the makeup artist the least room to perform. The discussion was quite intense.”

Luo Yu naturally started chatting with the other, “Let me guess, the one who comes out on top should be Teacher Gu, right?”

The makeup artist laughed in a low voice, “Haha, it’s true. But Teacher Gu’s makeup artist Brother Yan said——he chooses you. Everyone said that he deliberately said another person’s names just to attract attention.”

“I have worked with Teacher Gu before. Brother Yan is maintaining the relationship with colleagues for Teacher Gu.” Luo Yu said with a smile.

There was another light “Hmmph.”

Luo Yu knew that it was Cheng Fei. The makeup artist paused for a moment. Luo Yu smiled and gave the other person a “it doesn’t matter” look.

Cheng Fei put on his makeup first and left with his assistant and makeup artist.

Other actors came in one after another, and the atmosphere in the dressing room became lively.

In the corridor, Cheng Fei’s assistant couldn’t help but say: “Brother Cheng, why are you huffing! How bad it would be to make Luo Yu misunderstand that you are dissatisfied with him. Being in the same crew, you will always be able to come across each other.”

“Then he didn’t misunderstand. I am indeed dissatisfied with him.” Cheng Fei replied.

“Can you please restrain your temper? Although Luo Yu is still unknown, it is rumored in the industry that Director Lin Yue admires him. And there is news that our Xinghan Pictures is considering signing him.”

“Xinghan Pictures plans to sign him? What do they even want from him?” Cheng Fei frowned and his voice raised.

The assistant could see that Cheng Fei wanted to quarrel with Luo Yu, and said in annoyance: “Because he is handsome, because he has good line skills, because he has good camera sense, because he can act like Gu Xiaowei…”

“The way I see it, Gu Xiaowei has fallen under his spell.” After Cheng Fei finished speaking, he strode forward.

In the dressing room, Luo Yu’s makeup artist whispered: “Brother Cheng is just a straight-tempered person.”

“I know, among actors, Brother Cheng is one of the few actors who follows the three no’s.”

“Three no’s? Which three no’s?” The makeup artist asked curiously.

Luo Yu stretched out his hand and counted with his fingers one by one. “No messing around at dinner parties, no marketing hype, no lateness or absence during filming.”

The makeup artist smiled and thought Luo Yu was quite generous, so she said a few more words to him: “Just don’t take it personally. I am guessing it’s your previous reputation online…”

“Stealing images, grabbing roles, and eating leftovers?” Luo Yu asked with a smile, as if it had nothing to do with him, but other people’s business.

The makeup artist originally thought he would care, but she didn’t expect him to speak out so openly, and her favorability level skyrocketed, “Yes, just those things. So Brother Cheng may have misunderstood that you like to hype up marketing and don’t focus on acting. Plus… his junior brother originally competed for your role, but who would’ve thought that you actually outshone his junior, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Clearing up one person’s misunderstanding of another person was useless just by refutation and grievance. It could only be reversed by actions and achievements.

The fact that Cheng Fei could become Gu Xiaowei’s “good buddy” showed that his character was good. And he himself had never interacted with Luo Yu before, so his current attitude was probably because of Gu Xiaowei.

Luo Yu thought half-jokingly, could it be because Gu Xiaowei frequently interacted with him on Weibo, breaking up the old CP of Gu Xiaowei and Cheng Fei, and making Cheng Fei lonely?

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In any case, he relied on his acting skills to make a living, not on Cheng Fei’s favorability.

Luo Yu stood up, straightened his collar, and walked out.

The props team was making final adjustments and arrangements, the camera team was also adjusting the camera position and angle, and the crew staff were doing preliminary work in an orderly manner.

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If it was Ou Juntao’s secretary or other agent who came, Luo Yu might think that this was just a trap set up by Dijun Media, and might even be disgusted with their condescending attitude. Once bitten, twice shy, moreover. Luo Yu’s suppression at the hands of Dijun Media did not happen overnight.

If Ou Juntao didn’t come, Luo Yu would probably not even open the contract and read it.

It was because of so much consideration that Ou Juntao put down all his airs and came to talk to Luo Yu face to face.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

But the Luo Yu in front of him rejected him more sharply than five years ago.

What Ou Juntao didn’t expect was that he was completely disdainful of Dijun’s all-round resource tilt. He even pointed out the biggest problem of Dijun Media at the moment——there were no talented artists, and they were almost all just marketing gimmicks.

Luo Yu admitted that he was feeling a bit evil at that moment and wanted to see Ou Juntao lose his grace and become angry.

But Ou Juntao had always been very calm and patient when it came to prey.

The more valuable the prey, the more careful he was about damaging its fur.

“You will…”

You will regret it.

Before Ou Juntao finished speaking, Luo Yu on the opposite side spoke: “You will regret it.”

Ou Juntao frowned.

“You will regret treating me as prey, regret wanting to control my freedom and influence my choices.” Luo Yu said, looking into Ou Juntao’s eyes.

One look shattered his pretense of gentleness and compromise.

Ou Juntao’s expression turned cold. He wiped off his almost doting mask and returned to Ou Juntao’s usual coldness and arrogance. “The ability of Dijun Media is far greater than you think. You should be very clear about what has happened in the past five years. The school idol image, He Mu’s dupe, stealing roles and eating the leftovers. These things only made it difficult for you but didn’t really cause you to suffer seriously.”

“I know, so thank you Chairman Ou for showing mercy. However, if I can’t be a screen actor, I can be a stage actor.”

Luo Yu stood up and leaned towards Ou Juntao. The closer those eyes were to him, the tighter Ou Juntao’s heart squeezed.

“If you have the ability to make me unable to act in stage plays, then I will teach children how to act. If I can’t even teach acting, I will go be an express delivery man.”

“What did you say?” Ou Juntao’s voice turned cold.

“I said express delivery. You may not believe it. If I had delivered express packages properly five years ago, maybe my savings would be more than now.”

Ou Juntao’s anger boiled from his chest, and he grabbed Luo Yu’s wrist, because he had a hunch. Luo Yu could really be stubborn enough to disappear from the entertainment industry, even if the choice left was to deliver express delivery in the wind or rain.

“I don’t want to hear those words from you.” Ou Juntao couldn’t bear to hear that this man could give up opportunities and talents so casually that others could only wish for.

Luo Yu suddenly turned his wrist, broke away from Ou Juntao, and clasped the back of his hand on the table.

“I’m sorry, Chairman Ou, I’ve practiced martial arts before.” At that moment, Luo Yu looked at him with cold eyes, full of warning.

Cold and distant as if looking at a stranger.

And Ou Juntao was that stranger.

Luo Yu picked up the milk on the table and drank it all in one gulp. “Thank you for your deep favor. It’s too late. Go back and rest early.”

After saying that, Luo Yu left Ou Juntao’s side.

And for the first time, the words “deep favor” sounded piercing in Ou Juntao’s ears.

“I asked someone to contact your agent. You should think about it carefully.” Ou Juntao said coldly.

Luo Yu raised his hand and waved it gently.

At this moment, Ou Juntao’s inner anger had completely subsided, replaced by a stronger desire to conquer.

He suddenly didn’t want to pick this rose. He wanted it to grow wildly and one day it would bloom for him willingly.

Luo Yu took a leisurely walk back home. As soon as he opened the door and put on his slippers, his cell phone rang. It was Sister Cui calling.

“Luo Yu, what’s going on? I sent you several WeChat messages but you didn’t reply! Just now someone from Dijun Media contacted me and said they planned to sign you. I took a look at the electronic contract. Oh my God——Is Dijun Media doing charity?”

Luo Yu lowered his head and smiled, walked to the living room on his slippers, and fell back on the sofa.

“There are not so many philanthropists in the world. They just want to create an illusion of ‘fame’ for me, so that I will gradually rely on their marketing methods and degrade my acting skills.”

Sister Cui couldn’t understand what Luo Yu said, “What do you mean?”

“It means that I could have been recognized by the audience with my own efforts, but suddenly someone kept spending money on marketing. I can lay flat and everyone is boasting that I am a skilled actor. Then do I still need to work hard? After I become useless, can I leave the company and go somewhere else?” Luo Yu asked.

After you become addicted to enjoying the traffic, you will either fall from a height or follow all the instructions of Dijun Media and become the second He Mu.

“Oh… I understand, I understand! I was just saying it’s like a pie falling from the sky. If your head and neck are not strong enough, you will be smashed to death! What about this contract? Should we reject it directly? You were suppressed for five years when you refused before. If you refuse again this time, they won’t to around slandering you, right?”

“Instead of worrying about this, it is better to live each day well. I want to see just where the lower limit of Dijun Media is.”

“Then what should I say to the contact person at Dijun Media?”

“Let’s just say I haven’t thought about it yet. What if I don’t act anymore in the future?” Luo Yu said with a smile.

In fact, the words “don’t act anymore” was a sarcastic response to Dijun Media. He didn’t expect Sister Cui to take it seriously, and she actually responded to the contact person like that.

As a result, that night, a few people heard the news that Luo Yu would “no longer act in the future.”

The first one was naturally Ou Juntao. As soon as he got home and was unbuttoning his shirt to take a shower, he received a call from his secretary, and his brows suddenly furrowed so tightly that it could kill a fly.

“What did you say? His agent said he won’t be an actor anymore?”

Ou Juntao doubted his life at that moment.

When he saw Luo Yu, it was clear that he was calm and composed. Although he said harsh words, Ou Juntao only regarded those harsh words as Luo Yu’s determination, and even felt a little appreciation in his heart… But turn around, and this man actually used such an extreme way to get out of his control?

“Is there something wrong with the contract you showed his agent? Or did you hint to his agent that we will cause trouble for Luo Yu if he doesn’t sign the contract?” Ou Juntao asked coldly.

“No, this is absolutely not the case. Since Chairman Ou has given such sincere conditions to negotiate a contract, how could we possibly threaten him? Of course our tone will be very polite and amiable.”

“Then in the past five years, apart from the things I know, have there been anything else done behind my back? To the point where he has no trust in our Dijun Media? Does he think I will retaliate against him if he doesn’t sign the contract?” Ou Juntao’s fingers on the phone turned white from the force of his grip.

“No, definitely not. Maybe He Mu bought some trolls to attack him, but isn’t this normal in the industry?”

Ou Juntao closed his eyes, blue veins protruding from his forehead.

How could he not know how powerful Dijun Media would be if it wanted to launch a cyber bombardment against someone?

If not for this, how could Li Qian still hold a grudge against them for smearing Li Qian’s cousin?

“Normality in the industry…” Ou Juntao gritted his teeth.

Luo Yu was right, he would regret it.

Now he began to regret that he had let He Mu suppress Luo Yu. Having been bullied so much, it would not be easy for Luo Yu to just smile and forget about his grudges for the sake of profit.

Of course, it was impossible for Ou Juntao and his secretary to leak the news, but that did not mean someone around them would not leak the news.

At eleven o’clock in the evening, as soon as Luo Yu lay in bed, a WeChat phone call came in, and Gu Xiaowei’s name flashed on the screen.

Luo Yu was startled, wondering why did this guy call him on WeChat?

“Hey, Teacher Gu, why are you calling me so late? Did you touch the screen by mistake?”

Gu Xiaowei went directly to the topic: “I heard that Dijun Media wanted to sign you, but you rejected it.”

Luo Yu was stunned for a moment, “No way, this news spread really fast. I thought Dijun would keep it a secret.”

Otherwise, it would be a loss of face to be rejected despite making such a good offer, wouldn’t it?

“Don’t worry, apart from Dijun Media and your people, only two people currently know this news.”

Luo Yu was stunned for a moment, “You, and the person who told you?”

“Yes. I also heard that after you rejected Dijun Media, you decided not to act anymore.”

So it was because of this casual remark that the other man called him after a day’s hard work in filming?

Luo Yu nodded and said to him in a slow but serious voice: “Gu Xiaowei, I will not give up my career as an actor. No matter what slanders or resource suppression, I will never bow my head.”

Because in the previous life, he had too easily compromised. If one kneels down when they feel some pressure, then they will never be able to straighten their backs again.

In the past, his horizons were too narrow. After being suppressed by Dijun Media, he only saw Dijun Media. However, there were still many different people in this circle, such as Lin Yue, Hua Xingyun, and Xu Han.

In this life, Luo Yu had walked out of the nutcracker, seen different people, and seen the glimmer of stars in the darkness. He would be brave and continue to walk bravely.

Even if there was no road under his feet, he would insist on walking.

Gu Xiaowei on the other end was silent for a while, and Luo Yu could hear him exhale a long breath despite restraint.

Was Gu Xiaowei worried about him?

“Have you decided where to go after leaving Zhuque Media?” Gu Xiaowei asked.

“Not yet. I suddenly became free. I want to breathe more fresh air. I don’t want to become a bonded slave again so soon.”

“It shouldn’t have reached the extent of a bonded slave, it is at least a tenant.”

Although Gu Xiaowei’s tone was serious, Luo Yu could feel the smile in his voice.

“What about you? Are you a small landowner?” Luo Yu asked with a smile, imagining what Gu Xiaowei looked like with a landowner hat on his head.

“Luo Yu, if you’ve made up your mind, just let me know. I can get you the most flexible contract in Xinghan Pictures, and I can also arrange you to have the same agent as me.”

Hearing this, Luo Yu was surprised.

He and Gu Xiaowei have not known each other for a long time in this life. The drama they worked on only lasted for just over ten days. Gu Xiaowei was not the kind of person who easily let others into his world, but why did Luo Yu feel that he was especially caring towards him?

“Thank you, really. I… still need to think carefully.” Luo Yu said.

“I understand. Before that, you can rest assured and enjoy your freedom.”

“Okay. You know what? When I learned today that Bo Wenyuan will not renew my contract, even the air felt sweet to me!”

“I hear your voice and also feel the air is sweet.”

The voice belonging to Gu Xiaowei sounded in his ears, like a cello playing softly thousands of miles away.

And Luo Yu’s heart on this end trembled along with the notes.

“Gu Xiaowei, what did you say was sweet?” Luo Yu asked subconsciously.

“I share your joy of being free.”

“So that’s what you mean, Teacher Gu——it’s easy for people to misunderstand when they say that the air is sweet when they hear someone’s voice.” Luo Yu had some naughty intentions and wanted to hear if the serious Gu Xiaowei would be embarrassed or not?

“Oh——what misunderstanding occurred, Senior Brother?”

Gu Xiaowei’s face was thicker than Luo Yu expected, and there was a hint of tease in his voice.

Luo Yu looked at the time and said with a smile: “It’s getting late. You have to get up early tomorrow to film, right?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“It’s fine.”

“Your habit is to review the script before going to bed.”

“So Senior Brother is hinting at me to say——good night.”

Luo Yu nodded and smiled, and said softly: “Good night, Gu Xiaowei.”

After hanging up the call, Gu Xiaowei did not sleep, but dialed another person’s mobile phone, “Mr. Li, I’m sorry for calling you so late.”

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“Xiao Luo, are you sure you don’t want me to drop you off?” Sister Cui asked.

“No need. I’m a man, walking on the street at nine o’clock in the evening, will someone try to rob me or harass me?” Luo Yu asked in amusement.

“Can you be a little… conscious about being a celebrity?” Sister Cui said helplessly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“What kind of celebrity am I?” Luo Yu smiled and took out the mask from his pocket, “Put on a mask and I won’t even be recognized by relatives.”

Sister Cui thought for a while, even if there were paparazzi following Luo Yu to take pictures, what photos would they be able to take?

The negative content used to slander Luo Yu was the same three old things, including the school idol image, stealing He Mu’s roles, and eating He Mu’s leftovers.

The problem now was that Luo Yu’s image had nothing to do with that of a school idol. The crew of “Storm” had not sent an audition invitation to He Mu. He Mu’s leftovers were variety shows, and Luo Yu was now focused on his role in “Storm”. Even if there was a variety show which invited him, she was afraid he wouldn’t accept it anyway.

So… if Luo Yu wanted to go back by himself, then Sister Cui felt she should indulge him.

After all, when he really became famous later, such leisurely days would become fewer.

“Then take your walk slowly and send me a WeChat message when you get home. Okay?”

“Okay!” Luo Yu smiled and gestured.

B City was very lively at night. It was past nine o’clock and the streets were still busy with traffic.

There were various advertisements on the LED screens in the shopping mall, and the bright lights swept over Luo Yu’s eyes over and over again.

He was like the only sober person, wandering leisurely among the colorful lights with his hands in his pockets.

And behind him, followed a Lamborghini.

Ou Juntao held the steering wheel with one hand and put the other hand on the car door, quietly admiring Luo Yu’s back.

Luo Yu was no longer the boy wearing a white shirt and jeans five years ago.

The greenness had been tempered by time, but even if he was taking a walk in the neon nightlife, in Ou Juntao’s eyes he was still bright, pure and spotless.

Luo Yu stopped when he walked past a light screen advertisement on a platform.

On the screen was a beverage commercial shot by He Mu, and Ou Juntao became nervous at that moment. He wanted to know if Luo Yu was a little bit envious of He Mu’s infinite spotlight now.

​But he was disappointed.

Luo Yu didn’t look up at the advertisement at all. He just took out his cell phone and was replying to a message by someone.

The mask covered most of his face, but it couldn’t hide the look in his eyes.

In the light and shadow, like winding smoke and spreading ink, there seem to be thousands of poses that could not be seen clearly.

Until Luo Yu put his phone in his pocket and walked around to the other side of the billboard.

Losing sight of his figure, Ou Juntao felt empty in his heart. He drove over, but he didn’t see any sign of Luo Yu on the other side of the billboard.

Where did he go?

Did he lose track of him?

Ou Juntao looked back and forth, but he really didn’t see the other person.

He immediately got out of the car and as soon as he stepped onto the sidewalk, a chuckle sounded from behind him.

Sounding especially pleasant in the night wind.

Ou Juntao turned around and saw Luo Yu leaning against his car with his arms folded, “Mr. Ou, what are you doing following me?”

His heart felt like it had been scratched hard, although Ou Juntao’s expression did not change at all.

“I want to talk to you. But just now there were other people present so I wanted to wait for them to leave.”

“Oh. That’s not just other people, that’s my agent and one of my own.” Luo Yu came over, stood at an arm’s length from Ou Juntao, and said quietly, “What do you want to talk about?”

This was the closest Ou Juntao had been to Luo Yu in the past few years.

He could finally clearly see Luo Yu in person, and this person was far more captivating than he was in the photos.

“Must we talk here at the bus stop?” Ou Juntao asked.

He thought Luo Yu would take him to the small apartment where he was repaying the loan, but he didn’t expect Luo Yu to point to the fast food restaurant opposite and say: “KFC, is that okay?”

Ou Juntao wondered if his ears had heard wrong, “KFC?”

“Then there’s McDonald’s, a little further away, at the other end of the road.” Luo Yu said.

“What I want to talk to you about is cooperation. Shouldn’t you find a more private place?”

Before Ou Juntao went out, he had confirmed with Bo Wenyuan that Zhuque Media would not renew the contract with Luo Yu, so it was very important for Luo Yu to sign a new agency at this moment.

Maybe he got the role of Bai Ying because of his luck and his talent was appreciated by Lin Yue.

But most of the opportunities in the industry depended on powerful agencies to negotiate or even fight for their artists.

Having been cut off from roles by He Mu so many times, Luo Yu should understand the rules of this circle. He should not be as naive as he was five years ago.

He should learn to weigh the pros and cons and understand that all his resistance in the face of capital was just an egg hitting a rock.

Luo Yu just said calmly: “Then Alice’s Cafe. It’s quieter there.”

Ou Juntao opened the car door for him personally, but unexpectedly Luo Yu walked past.

“Let’s meet at the coffee shop. If I’m photographed sitting in your car, your phone will be blasted tonight, and I might be on trending searches that I don’t want to show up on.”

Ou Juntao took a deep breath, Luo Yu’s back became farther and farther away, and the feeling that something was getting out of his control little by little became more prominent.

He turned on the navigation and drove the car near Alice’s Cafe. After looking for a parking space for a long time, he parked his car.

There were not many customers in the coffee shop, except for a young couple.

The decoration here was very bourgeois, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, which also made Ou Juntao’s mood slightly better.

At least the coffee served here was hand-ground coffee, not the instant drinks in fast food restaurants.

And Luo Yu was sitting in the corner, still wearing a mask. The dim light made his eyes look warm, and the sense of distance at the bus stop faded.

He was playing with his mobile phone with his eyes lowered, and his fingers were moving quickly, probably sending a WeChat message to someone.

With a document envelope in hand, Ou Juntao walked up to him, pulled out a chair and sat down.

The waiter came over and asked softly: “Do you two want anything to drink?”

“It’s a bit late for coffee. Serve him a glass of milk.” Ou Juntao said, “Is there lemon ice tea here?”

“Yes, please wait a moment.”

Luo Yu did not refuse the drink that Ou Juntao ordered for him. On the contrary, he was very interested. After five years of making detours and going around in a big circle, he wanted to know what Ou Juntao would say to him.

However, Ou Juntao was not a simple person. Luo Yu did not put down his phone and Out Juntao also remained silent. The two of them seemed to be competing to see who was more patient.

After about five minutes, the waiter placed hot milk in front of Luo Yu and served Ou Juntao a glass of lemon ice tea.

Ou Juntao was very interested in Luo Yu now, so he had enough patience to tolerate the other’s temper. After all, he also gave Luo Yu a lot of unpleasantness in the past few years. Now, in his opinion, he could tolerate all Luo Yu’s little tempers, in fact he even found them interesting.

But he didn’t expect that Luo Yu would put his phone on the table, not at all caring that the screen of the phone would be seen by Ou Juntao.

“I’m not recording, I just let my agent know about my meeting with you to prevent the news of our meeting from being spread out, while she is unprepared. Mr. Ou, it’s getting late so let’s start talking.”

Ou Juntao was a little surprised by Luo Yu’s candid manner.

After all, five years ago, when Ou Juntao negotiated a contract with him for the last time, Luo Yu kept his head down and was on the weaker side. It even made Ou Juntao wish he could pry his brain open to see why he didn’t understand how to make the better choice and why the wheels in his brain could not turn properly.

But the Luo Yu now, clearly he had been suppressed by him to the point he had very few opportunities to take good roles. It was also unknown whether Bai Ying could be the turnover in Luo Yu’s career, yet he was confident and calm.

“This is the signing contract Dijun Media has for you. You can take a look at the conditions inside. Whether it is salary percentage or the tilt of resources, it is impossible for other companies to compare. And we guarantee that you will be a TV drama every year, not including web dramas, in which you will be the male lead. You have the right to refuse all jobs arranged by the company, you can form your own team, and set up your own studio. The company will also do its best to fight for the role you choose and like.”

Luo Yu took the document envelope handed over by Ou Juntao, opened the contract inside, and started to read through it.

“You also know our marketing capabilities. You have far more highlights than many A-list celebrities today.”

Luo Yu quickly scanned it from beginning to end, then put his hand on it, “This is the first time I have seen a company of Dijun’s level give such a contract.”

Ou Juntao looked into Luo Yu’s eyes and said solemnly, “Because I really want to sign you.”

Although he didn’t make a sound, Ou Juntao could tell that Luo Yu chuckled.

It was just that such a smile had him unable to decipher whether it was because the conditions were very favorable and he was satisfied, or whether it was… disdain.

“Mr. Ou, with this contract, do you plan to use excessiveness to cause me to fail like you are doing to He Mu?”

Ou Juntao’s brows furrowed, “Why do you think so?”

“Dijun Media’s resources will all tilt towards me? With all due respect, your company has been committed to creating idols and popular variety shows. You guys are indeed good at making stars. But you are very weak in the creation of TV dramas and movies. Xinghan Pictures has directors like Lin Yue and Xu Han who can guarantee ratings and box office success, as well as a group of veteran actors and young acting talents such as Gu Xiaowei. Honghe Film and Television has popular actresses like Xie Shang and film queens like Xia Yun. But Dijun Media… even if you can allocate all your resources to me, it is not what I need. Or could it be you just plan to increase my traffic, buy some hot headlines, and let everyone see my pretty face and in this way I become a top star?”

Ou Juntao’s expression turned cold. How many people dreamed of signing a contract with Dijun? Signing a contract would mean the popularity brought by strong marketing capabilities and countless jobs. Even one year’s glory under the spotlight would be enough for one to earn a lifetime’s worth of money. But what Luo Yu wanted was not “popularity” or “traffic.”

“Do you want to sign with Xinghan Pictures or Honghe Films?” Ou Juntao asked coldly.

Luo Yu smiled and said, “I haven’t thought about it yet. You can rest assured that they haven’t contacted me yet.”

Ou Juntao’s fingers clenched, which was why he offered such a generous offer and came in person——he knew in his heart that once the news that Luo Yu and Zhuque Media would not renew their contract got out, Xinghan Pictures or Honghe Film and Television would probably extend an olive branch to him, not to mention Lin Yue, a director who was very protective of actors he accepted.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

These two companies may not promise him a starring role, and the salary percentage may be very harsh. It may even take him many years to become the male lead, or he may always be in a supporting role, but Luo Yu would always have filming jobs and a place to be.

After being suppressed by Dijun Media for so long, Luo Yu would definitely have a better impression of Xinghan Pictures or Honghe Film and Television.

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