Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 38 Xiao Zhang, what do you think?

The negotiations with Chen Daoming went quite smoothly. After all, actors' salaries are so-so these days, and Chen Daoming couldn't possibly raise the price just to maintain a good reputation in his hometown.

After resolving the issue of the male lead, the production team subsequently found several supporting actors.

Three days flew by.

Early that morning, Wei Liben busied himself with preparations. He was especially excited when he saw that there were already quite a few people queuing in the hall an hour before the registration and audition time.

Come on, come on, the more the merrier, let me, Old Wei, make a big splash!

After observing the scene in the lobby for a while, he couldn't help but go upstairs to urge them: "Director Yan, Director Ma, quite a few people have already gathered downstairs, should we move upstairs..."

"Shh~"

Yan Xiaoming made a shushing gesture, pointed to Zhang Yan's room diagonally opposite, and was about to say something when Zhang Yan pushed open the door and came out.

"Director Wei."

Zhang Yan said with a smile, "If we start earlier, where will you film the crowds of people? If it weren't for the reputation of our crew, I would love to postpone it even further."

Wei Liben slapped his forehead, annoyed, and said, "Yes, yes, I was so happy that I got confused."

"cough~"

Ma Huiwu coughed lightly and gestured with his eyes for him to stop talking nonsense.

"Director Yan, Director Ma."

Seeing his little gesture, Zhang Yan smiled and stretched out his arms, saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine now, even better than before."

Yan Xiaoming and Ma Huiwu were not convinced. They exchanged a glance and said awkwardly, "It's good that you can think positively about it."

But Zhang Yan wasn't actually lying.

After six days without a single useful message, Zhang Yan thought he would be quite disappointed, but in reality, he felt an unprecedented sense of relief, as if a mountain had been lifted from his heart and a shackle had been removed.

Perhaps it's because he was already prepared to give up, or perhaps he didn't actually like Zhou Nan as much as he thought.

Anyway, he does feel very relaxed now.

But in the eyes of Yan Xiaoming and Ma Huiwu, this seemed quite amiss.

Before the appointed time arrived, the two huddled together and whispered a few words. No one knows what they decided, but when they came back, they both had smiling faces.

8am.

The number of actresses who came to audition after hearing the news, as well as ordinary people who wanted to try their luck, has exceeded three digits. The hotel lobby couldn't accommodate them all, and some girls could only stand with their arms crossed in the second-floor corridor to wait.

A fat man who came to do business had gotten up a little late in the morning. When he opened the door and saw this scene, he couldn't help but gasp.

"Wow, I thought the South was enough... I didn't expect the capital to be even more open and have such a grand scale!" He peeked at this, then squinted at that, and exclaimed in admiration again, "As expected of the capital, the quality is absolutely amazing!"

Another few minutes passed.

Zhang Yan, who was making final preparations on the third floor, heard that someone was being indecent on the second floor. Fortunately, Wei Liben dealt with it in time and had the hotel security guards take him to the police station.

"Xiao Zhang, isn't it about time we started?"

Just then, Yan Xiaoming came over to ask, and Zhang Yan suggested, "Although what happened downstairs has nothing to do with us, in order to appease the girls, do you think we should move the girls who were harassed to the front?"

"Makes sense!"

Yan Xiaoming agreed without hesitation.

After explaining the situation to the staff at the door, the two of them sat down behind the table.

This is a room that was temporarily cleared out. The space is not very big. There are three chairs and a desk against the wall, and a lonely square stool opposite.

Zhang Yan felt it wasn't an audition, but rather an interrogation of a criminal. However, given the limited conditions while traveling, he had no choice but to make do.

At this moment, Ma Huiwu also came in and said to Zhang Yan and Yan Xiaoming, "Chen Daoming is reading the script next door. Just call him when you need him to come and act with you."

After Ma Huiwu took his seat, the first girl was quickly let in.

She entered the room with light steps and a face full of surprise, but when she saw the layout of the three-way trial, she immediately became nervous, her speech became stammering, let alone reciting her lines.

This girl is not from a professional acting background. She had only worked as an extra in a movie crew before, playing a maid without any lines.

Yan Xiaoming shook his head secretly after seeing her performance, then looked at Zhang Yan beside him: "Xiao Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Yan glanced at the uneasy girl on the stool and finally spoke the truth: "I'm afraid she doesn't quite meet our requirements."

The first one was rejected just like that.

As a result, the second girl was even more flustered and nervous than the first, and even her speech was incoherent. As a result, Ma Huiwu asked her several times, but he still couldn't get a clear picture of her resume.

So Ma Huiwu turned to Zhang Yan: "Little Zhang, what do you think?" Zhang Yan: "..."

It's obvious that the two senior actors were worried that he would be heartbroken, and they were determined to put him first in the selection of the female lead this time—after all, Ma Yuan had given Zhang Yan this right.

But you should only ask me questions when you encounter someone who performs well. Asking me to deny every single one of them is just offending people.
Zhang Yan secretly complained in his heart, but since the two meant well, he could only grit his teeth and continue to play the bad cop.

The third one was rejected outright because she was too average-looking. If the first two averaged over 85 points, then this one would only score 68 points at most.

The fourth, the fifth...

Perhaps it was because the room was filled with evil energy, but it wasn't until the sixth person that someone finally spoke fluently.

"I am Tao Hong, from the class of '89 at the Central Academy of Drama..."

Another Tao Hong?
Tao Hong's performance was quite outstanding, and she also had experience in acting in movies and TV series. Among them, "The Investiture of the Gods," in which she starred, has just finished its run and is considered one of the most popular TV series of 90, second only to "Aspiration."

Upon hearing her mention it, Zhang Yan also recalled her appearance in the Investiture of the Gods—the goddess Nuwa who appeared in King Zhou's dream wearing a light veil.

However, Zhang Yan ultimately rejected her because when this girl smiled, her eyes and eyebrows curved like a fox, which was too different from the heroines he wrote about.

The first girl Zhang Yan chose was Jiang Shan, who was number nineteen. This girl performed exceptionally well in every aspect, and even held her own against Chen Daoming.

The only flaw is that the girl still has a bit of baby fat on her face, which makes the curve from her cheeks to her chin a little steep. When she purses her lips and doesn't speak, she looks a bit petty.

Usually, this situation will naturally ease in a year or two, but the problem is that the production team certainly can't wait that long.

Therefore, although Jiang Shan passed the preliminary test, she was not ranked high in Zhang Yan's mind.

After the interview, Jiang Shan didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stared at Zhang Yan and asked, "Teacher Zhang, did you find it?"

Zhang Yan was stunned for a moment before he understood what she was talking about, and then he shook his head frankly and said, "I give up."

Jiang Shan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she subconsciously wanted to say something, but after looking at Yan Xiaoming and Ma Huiwu beside her, she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

In the end, she simply smiled at Zhang Yanyan and then turned and left.

"This girl is interesting."

After Jiang Shan left, Ma Huiwu looked at Zhang Yan with a hint of amusement.

Let's keep reading.

Zhang Yan gave a noncommittal reply.

Seeing this, Chen Daoming waved the script in his hand and said, "Then I'll go back next door to analyze the characters."

He doesn't yet possess the domineering aura he later developed; instead, he exudes a refined and scholarly air.

…………

Downstairs lobby.

Chen Hong was holding a copy of "Popular Fiction Newspaper" and hesitating. She wanted to take the opportunity to reveal her identity as a fan of Zhang Yan, but she was also worried that it would seem too deliberate.

"Xu Fan, Xu Fan~"

At this moment, Jiang Shan darted downstairs, grabbed Xu Fan who was not far away, and laughed, "As expected, we didn't find it. Hehe, here comes my chance!"

Xu Fan smoothed his hair and asked casually, "How did you do?"

"Okay!"

Jiang Shan leaned close to Xu Fan mysteriously and whispered, "Let me tell you, this Zhang Yan definitely has connections. I've heard that he was the one who rejected everyone who was eliminated earlier, and he was the one who made me stay just now!"

As she spoke, she mimicked Xi Shi clutching her heart, saying, "He's got connections, he's talented, handsome, and so devoted—he's practically... Hey, what are you doing?!"

Halfway through her sentence, Jiang Shan's expression suddenly darkened as she looked behind her.

Chen Hong suddenly appeared, and facing Jiang Shan's angry glare, she calmly replied, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

Jiang Shan confronted her for a while before letting out a cold snort and stepping aside.

After Chen Hong left, Jiang Shan complained to Xu Fan, "Tch, a toilet is a toilet, why call it a 'restroom'! Look at her, acting like everyone knows she was eavesdropping!"

Then she took Xu Fan's arm and said with a smile, "You have to do your best too. It would be great if I got selected, but if you get selected, I'll be counting on you to help me find a partner."

"This is too hasty, you don't even know him..."

That's why we need to find a way to get close!

Seeing Jiang Shan's infatuated expression, Xu Fan could only shake his head helplessly.

(End of this chapter)