Actor: Thank you.

"Shaolin?"

Upon hearing those two words, Zhang Yuan immediately became alert.

This place is no joke.

After all, he had stolen from Shaolin Temple.

Learning from people like Shi Xiaolong is also considered stealing.

And as I just said, Shi Xingyu acts like a mouse before a cat whenever he sees me lately. I don't want outsiders to see this and think I'm throwing my weight around and bullying people from Shaolin.

That's trouble.

Behind him is the Northern Shaolin Temple, which has now been packaged as the number one in the country, or even the number one in the world.

Chenlong didn't notice the change in his tone and continued speaking.

"Yes, Shaolin Temple wants you to act in their movies."

"Filming?" Zhang Yuan was somewhat relieved to hear that it wasn't about Shi Xingyu.

"Yes, they're filming, and they specifically asked for you." Chenlong said, thinking that Zhang Yuan was about the same age as his son.

Don't even mention that he can't reach his level... Chenlong is both very confident and helpless about this, as he understands that there is almost no one who can surpass him.

Even Nicholas Tse, who is also a "young master" in Hong Kong, cannot compare to him. He often sighs that his fourth brother has raised a good son.

When it comes to Zhang Yuan, there's no comparison at all!

Those two were young masters, but this one relied entirely on himself to get Shaolin to come knocking on his door. That's quite remarkable.

Uncle Long was referring to a play, a movie.

It's the movie "Shaolin" that's currently in pre-production.

Why was it Chenlong who came to find them?
First, it's confirmed that he will appear, but not as a lead actor.

The reason why the older brother can act is because the film's director is Benny Chan, who is considered one of his regular collaborators.

In his early years, he was Johnnie To's junior colleague, working with To on gangster films.

But he really became famous after collaborating with Chenlong.

Films like "Who Am I?" and "New Police Story" were all his work.

This is a film directed by Chen, so Uncle Long naturally had to go and lend his support.

This film is amazing.

On the surface, China Film Group took the lead, Huayi Brothers followed suit, and Emperor Entertainment Group was also involved.

Why is it called "on the surface"?

Because the chief producer of this film, although according to the rules, is Lao Han.

But the producer who actually takes charge is named Fu Huayang.

This person's Dharma name is Shi Yantan.

Besides him, the producers of this film also included the second-in-command of Henan Radio and Television and the head of Henan Film Studio.

And the film's executive producer!
Therefore, this film is actually half a Shaolin promotional video.

These kinds of works related to IP and brands are very troublesome.

For example, there was a blockbuster called "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, and directed by Quincy Wen.

The dates had already been set in the country.

However, Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee, reported the film to the authorities, saying it insulted her father.

They didn't give it to me after that.

This film, "Shaolin," was spearheaded by the Shaolin Temple itself.

The most popular "Shaolin Temple" movie is undoubtedly the version starring Li Lianjie.

This photo was taken in 82.

Another relatively popular TV series is "New Shaolin Temple," directed by Yuan Hepin.

It stars Wu Jing and Athena Chu.

However, Ashin only took office at the end of 99, so he was always late to the party, whether it was for movies or TV series.

During my tenure, not a single blockbuster was released?
That's how this play came about.

I've actually wanted to make film and television works for a long time.

Li Lianjie definitely won't go; repeating himself is pointless and would only make him a laughingstock.

Old Li has some wisdom; even if he were the same person, the middle-aged version of himself wouldn't be as good as the younger version.

There is a reopening day, and no one is young.

Andy Lau has been cast as the lead actor.

They even brought in Master Yu Hai.

The preparations are still in the early stages, and these are the celebrities tentatively confirmed.

Chenlong meant that the other party had come to him because they wanted him to play the villain.

It's like he's playing a supporting role to Andy Lau.

Zhang Yuan said he was aware of the situation.

It's not shameful to act alongside Brother Wah, and it's never shameful, no matter when or where. He's your big brother, and you have to acknowledge that.

Don't turn your back on someone just because they've become famous.

With Chenlong around, who's like an older brother to me, it wouldn't be difficult for me to help.

If necessary, I can rearrange my schedule and squeeze out some time.

But one thing made him alarmed.

"Uncle Long, so Shaolin specifically asked me to come, right?"

"Yes."

"Not China Film Group, not Huayi Brothers, not Brother Hua or you, is it Shaolin?"

"Yes, you are very famous. The authentic martial arts schools all seek you out."

wrong!

Zhang Yuan keenly sensed that something was wrong!

Whether it's Lao Han or Xiao Wang looking for me, it's all right.

It's perfectly normal for them to drag me into it to boost box office revenue in order to make money.

Regardless of whether there are conflicts in private, they can be put aside when it comes to making money.

It's strange that only Shaolin is looking for me, and they specifically asked for me by name.

Zhang Yuan knew very well that he didn't have that much ability.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation.

Ashin is also a person who causes a lot of trouble.

Zhang Yuan thought about it for a moment, counted on his fingers, and decided to play it safe.

"Uncle Long, I need to think about it."

"I have a lot of engagements lately, and my schedule is too full."

"And I don't really want to play villains."

"Alright, you can think about it." Chenlong wasn't angry when he heard this. It would be awkward if he agreed to do something he had already agreed to.

It's good to leave room for interpretation when speaking.

But he still offered a word of advice.

"Shaolin is an ancient temple with a history of thousands of years. It is beneficial to make friends there."

"And from what I heard, they're going to be quite generous."

"We're out here to make money. With money, we can buy cars, houses, and do whatever we want."

"I know."

"I'm glad you understand." With that, Chenlong hung up the phone.

Uncle Long is a very down-to-earth person; he's very accommodating as long as there's money to be made.

Why is he called an "endorsement killer"? Whatever brand he endorses, that brand collapses?
It's not that he's bringing misfortune to others; the cause and effect are reversed.

These brands themselves have problems and need Chenlong's reputation to endorse them.

Uncle Long saw that the other party offered enough money, so he didn't mind doing it.

These brands made a fortune and then ran into trouble, making it seem like Chenlong was unlucky.

There was no such thing as luck. As for the specifics, others don't know, and even Chenlong himself doesn't know.

Just like the brands that received preferential treatment from Zhao Benshan in the early days, they also frequently encountered problems. Teacher Zhao even endorsed Ant Power God.

It's all the same.

Zhang Yuan decided to delay and remain inactive for the time being.

He continued filming on his own.

Working tirelessly day and night.

Shen Chongyang often worked night shifts and frequently worked overtime.

Fan Bingbing occasionally brings him late-night snacks.

Zhang Yuan told her not to deliver it, since it wasn't something she made herself, and that he would order takeout instead.

I rolled my eyes at this woman several times.

At that time, the Shanghai World Expo had not yet started, and it was still a suburb, so there were still street vendors on the road.

Although there are many restaurants around the film studio, he's not particularly interested in them when it comes to late-night snacks. He prefers the small vendors with pushcarts.

Stir-fried noodles or stir-fried rice cakes have to be from these kinds of small stalls, where you can taste the wok hei (wok aroma).

After filming night scenes, he would usually treat everyone to a meal.

His favorite place was a wonton stall run by an old man.

It's made with fresh meat or shepherd's purse and meat, with a soup base of seaweed and dried shrimp, sprinkled with some pickled mustard greens, and a spoonful of lard added.

The best place is a wood-fired stove, not a gas stove.

Even without cooking, just smelling the firewood from afar and hearing the soft crackling of the burning wood gave him a strange sense of intimacy.

In his past life, he also frequently visited the boxed lunch stalls prepared for migrant workers on construction sites. The portions were large and filling, and he ate to his heart's content.

Fan Bingbing was also nice; he didn't mind the small stall and ate with her while wearing a t-shirt.

An actor who can't even sit at a roadside stall, who needs eight people to serve him meals, and who can only eat at high-end restaurants.

Such actors are unlikely to make good films or play good roles.

Because such people have become detached from the masses.

Small wontons cost three yuan, large wontons cost five yuan; a meal can be had for just a few yuan.

Zhang Yuan always finished his soup and ate every last drop.

"Look at the way you eat, you don't look like a big star at all!" Fan Bingbing complained from the side, holding a spoon.

"What's it like for a big star to eat?" Zhang Yuan turned to look at him.

“I’ve seen Andy Lau and Chen Long eat boxed lunches before; they’re no different from ordinary people.”

"Even celebrities wipe their mouths sometimes." Fan Bingbing took out a pack of tissues from her pocket, tore it open, and handed one to him.

"By the way, I heard that Shaolin Temple is looking for you?"

"Hmm?" Zhang Yuan wiped his mouth and threw the paper down: "You're well-informed."

"Of course... Hua Yi also called me and asked me to audition for the female lead."

“That’s suitable. You’ve worked with Brother Hua before, so you have a foundation.” Zhang Yuan thought for a moment, “Then you’ll have to keep some distance from me.”

"why?"

"To avoid getting too close, or those two brothers, Huayi and his brother, will ignore you from now on."

"Hehehe, I'm not afraid at all." Fan Bingbing laughed and took a bite. "They wouldn't turn down money if they could."

"You, on the other hand, need to be careful, especially after the other party goes public and becomes more available."

"It's nothing," he waved his hand dismissively.

Seeing his expression, Fan Bingbing thought to herself that he must have something on his mind but didn't want to tell her.

Hmph, they didn't even treat me like a close friend...

"Back to that, Shaolin Temple is looking for you. Will you go and act in it?" Fan Bingbing seemed quite excited.

If he goes, they can be in the same group again.

"let me see."

"Is there a problem with the film?" Fan Bingbing became nervous.

She knew he had a very sensitive sense of smell and trusted his judgment.

"I don't know about other things, I only know about myself."

"They sent me a script, but I wasn't particularly interested."

“Oh…” Fan Bingbing agreed, but her doubts were not completely dispelled.

The next day, on the film set, Nicholas Tse, sporting a long braid and special effects makeup, found him.

Before filming began, Chen Desheng told him that if he were to act in the film, he would definitely make him look ugly.

Because your role is a servant, a waiter, a coachman.

Overall, the character Deng Si Di, played by Nicholas Tse... sounds very much like someone from the lower class just from his name.

This character is the young master's assistant, not even a page.

A combination of Xiangzi from "Rickshaw Boy" and Zheng Laopi, the number one mukbang streamer from "The Grand Mansion Gate".

They were general servants who also pulled rickshaws for the young masters and masters.

So the director asked the makeup artist to create a terrifying scar on the left corner of his eye.

The front end of this scar is connected to the left eye, causing the eyelid to droop slightly, which is why Mr. Xie has uneven eyes in the film.

The scar's tail connects to the left ear, and the ear was also given special effects makeup, with a design that shaved off half of it.

We absolutely have to make him ugly.

To be honest, even when he's not conventionally handsome, he's not that bad-looking.

Moreover, the director is very meticulous.

Characters like Wang Xueqi and Hu Jun shave their heads every day when they get their makeup done.

The forehead must be shiny.

But Nicholas Tse only shaved his head once every five or six days, and he would deliberately leave it with some stray hairs, making it messy and unkempt.

Because one of them was a master, and the other was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, while he was just a servant.

In ancient times, getting a haircut cost money, and only important people paid attention to their image and had the time to deal with stubble.

A servant should not be too neat, otherwise it will not look proper.

When Nicholas Tse arrived looking rather disheveled, he spoke with a helpless expression.

"I heard you were offered a role in that Shaolin movie?"

Zhang Yuan turned his head back and forth to look.

Did you install a surveillance camera on me or something?
How come everyone knows this?
Do I have no privacy at all?

"Yes."

"What are you thinking?" Young Master Xie, used to filming, squatted down next to him.

"I don't have any ideas."

"So, are you going to act or not?"

"No decision yet."

"Oh..." the other party replied indifferently.

"what happened?"

"Actually, Mr. Yang originally wanted me to act as Hua Ge's co-star, playing the villain."

"Mr. Yang took good care of me and wanted me to learn from Brother Hua."

Zhang Yuan patted his arm.

Why do so many people fawn over them?

There are many second-generation Hong Kongers, so why is everyone praising him?

I was grateful for what they said; I didn't feel like I deserved it all.

Since Eagle King has invested, he must want to use "his own people".

Nicholas Tse is the number one star of the Eagle King.

"But Shaolin Temple says they want to use you."

"I know that if you agree to act, I definitely won't have a chance," he said, looking a little aggrieved.

"Then you have a pretty clear understanding of your own abilities," Zhang Yuan nodded in approval.

Young Master Xie turned around and punched him.

With a simple grappling move, he pushed her into a "spread-wings eagle" position, leaving her completely defenseless.

Nicholas Tse was even more frustrated.

I've practiced kung fu for so long, but I still can't beat them in a fight, and I can't even act as a better actor.

"Don't worry." Zhang Yuan released his arm and helped him straighten up.

"Go ahead and perform, because I won't be going."

"I have already decided to postpone this announcement."

"Really!" Young Master Xie looked at him with a slightly skeptical expression, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"There's no point in me lying to you."

"I won't go on this show."

"That's great... no, it's such a pity!" Nicholas Tse replied with an expression similar to Cui Yongyuan's, a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

You almost told the truth... Zhang Yuan was too lazy to complain.

After several days of consideration, he has decided to reply.

I just wanted to make it seem like I was seriously considering it and planned to delay my return for a while.

The reason he refused was that he had finally figured it out after thinking about it for the past few days.

I had always felt there was a problem, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

Later, I broadened my thinking, shifting my focus away from myself as a single individual, expanding and magnifying it.

Then I understood!

The problem with this matter can be summed up in two words.

Ip Man! (End of Chapter)