The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

Upon hearing this, Li Xu glanced at it but didn't move.

Shen Ao said irritably, "Answer it, Director Li! It's the investor and leading actress calling, aren't you going to answer?"

Even if I accept the offer, I will stick to my idea.

After a few seconds of silence, Li Xu got up, took the phone from Li Deyuan, and walked to the window to answer it.

"Feed".

"Senior Liu, what's up?"

Li Xu's voice was dry, like sandpaper rubbing, yet firm as a stubborn rock.

"Junior Li Xu, are you still stuck in casting hell?"

On the other end of the phone, Liu Yifei noticed that Li Xu's tone was a little off. She spoke softly, without blaming him, but with a knowing smile, like a gentle breeze dispelling the tension in the room.

"Um."

"...How many more were executed?"

"They were all killed."

Li Xu uttered three words softly, with a kind of resigned frankness.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Shen Ao, with his sharp ears, heard Liu Yifei let out a soft sigh, which made him sigh involuntarily as well.

"Liu Yifei, the investor and leading actress, is really asking for trouble by running into such a stubborn rock as Li Xu. Sigh..."

"Judging from that tone, it seems the casting process is going to be a nightmare. That Li Xu guy, I never expected him to have absolutely no respect even for the investors. He's made me look forward to nothing."

Li Deyuan watched the scene unfold from the sidelines. Seeing this, he couldn't help but give Shen Ao a look of sympathy, for they were both victims of Li Xu, this stubborn rock.

"Okay."

"Don't be too anxious, Li Xu. I know the role of Du Minghao is difficult, but... maybe the right person will come tomorrow?"

"Can't you find anyone suitable right now? Otherwise, I can help you invite a few more people. Huang Xiaoming, Hu Ge... Hu Ge won't do, he's still recovering from his car accident... How about Peng Yuyan? I know all of them. If all else fails, there's Lin Zhiying."

Liu Yifei hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Thank you, senior."

"But I feel it's unnecessary. Lin Zhiying's looks and acting skills are okay, but he's a bit short. Peng Yuyan doesn't seem like a singer. Huang Xiaoming doesn't seem like a good fit either."

Li Xu singled them out one by one.

"..."

Liu Yifei choked for a moment.

Goodness, these are all decent male celebrities in the entertainment industry right now. Even if I were willing to personally invite them, I wouldn't necessarily be able to get their approval. Now, Li Xu has rejected them all with just one word.

She finally understood why choosing the male lead was so difficult.

This guy is clearly a living Yama!

However, Liu Yifei knew what kind of person Li Xu was. Seeing that her suggestion was ineffective, she quickly adjusted her tone and became concerned.

"Okay, I got it. You can continue choosing at your own pace. I won't rush you."

"By the way, Director, have you had lunch? It's almost two o'clock now."

Li Xu paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked out the window at the bright sun.

He was so engrossed in casting that he completely forgot about the time.

"...I forgot."

"I knew it!"

Liu Yifei's tone carried a hint of "I knew it" in her complaint, but it also sounded like she was worried. "You said the boiled pork slices at that Sichuan restaurant downstairs from the studio were pretty good with rice, so I had my assistant order it. It'll be here in half an hour."

"Remember to eat, otherwise your stomach will hurt and no one will be there to make a movie for you."

Li Xu held his phone without saying a word, a subtle feeling of emotion flashing through his heart.

He never expected that Liu Yifei would not blame him for the long delay in casting, but would even ask if he had eaten and order food for him.

"That Sichuan restaurant, okay, then I'll trouble you, senior."

"I just mentioned it casually last time, I didn't expect you to remember it, thank you."

Li Xu's originally heavy mood unconsciously improved slightly, and he said thank you.

"Why are you being so polite with me? You're the one I've chosen, and no matter what others say, I'll always stand by your side."

Liu Yifei's voice carried a hint of amusement.

"Li Xu, I believe in you. You will definitely find the most suitable Du Minghao. Don't worry about the funding. It's just a matter of spending more time, which is necessary during the filming process."

"Just focus on your work, I'll take care of the rest."

Li Xu tightened his grip on the phone slightly, said nothing more, and simply hummed in response.

"Then you go ahead with your work, remember to eat..."

Liu Yifei gave him one last piece of advice before hanging up. Li Xu also put down his phone and went back to the table.

Outside the window, the sunlight has shifted slightly.

The few beams of light that pierced through the gaps in the curtains fell on the three characters "Du Minghao" in the center of the whiteboard, somewhat dazzlingly bright.

Shen Ao and Li Deyuan, who were standing to the side, exchanged a glance but remained silent.

Li Xu was deeply moved by Liu Yifei's unwavering support, as were the other two.

They had never met such a good investor as Liu Yifei before, and had never even heard of her.

She risked everything, but somehow didn't put any pressure on their photography team.

Shen Ao opened his mouth, looked at the deep expression on Li Xu's face, sighed and said, "Director Li, then you can spend a few more days casting."

"Anyway, since the sugar daddy and leading lady has said so, and she's given you permission, we two assistants can't just be the bad guys."

"But I still want to say, Director Li, junior Li Xu, we are not choosing God, we are choosing an actor, an actor who lives in the real world, who needs to eat, drink, and relieve himself, who needs to get paid, and who needs to listen to the director."

"Every director wants perfection, and every director wants perfect actors, but do such people really exist? Even if they do, we can't afford them."

As he spoke, Shen Ao lit a cigarette with his Zippo lighter and went to the balcony outside his studio to smoke and relieve his stress.

Li Deyuan also wanted to speak, but looking at Li Xu's calm and deep gaze, he felt a little uneasy and could only smile awkwardly, then simply stayed in the corner and remained silent.

-

The sunlight outside the window had turned into a dull orange-red, unable to paint the curtains.

The long and desperate day has finally come to an end.

Shen Ao and Li Deyuan had already left, leaving only Li Xu in the studio.

Alone in the quiet studio, Li Xu couldn't help but recall a question Shen Ao had suddenly asked before leaving:

"Junior Li Xu, have you ever thought about this? What if you can't find the real Du Minghao? Will we still be able to make this movie?"

Li Xu did not answer the question about the application to apply for the Australian visa in person.

But since no one was around, he finally couldn't help but start to ponder this question.

Thinking of Liu Yifei's trust in him, which involved risking everything, and Zheng Dongtian and Mu Deyuan's all-out assistance, Li Xu felt an immense pressure on his shoulders.

The male lead is Du Minghao.

This role became the deepest chasm between his ideal film vision and reality.

"What if this person really doesn't exist...? What should I do...?"

"Then I'm afraid I really have no choice but to compromise."

"Perfection may exist, but I don't have time for it."

"After all, I can't drag others down to hell just for the sake of my own ideals. If I only care about my own movie and ignore the lives of others, wouldn't I really become like Wong Kar-wai... and I'd also ruin Sister Liu's life."

He murmured to himself.

Li Xu finally had the idea of ​​giving up on "Perfect Du Minghao". He couldn't be as selfish as Wang Jiawei, only caring about his own movie and not caring about the investors' lives.

With this thought in mind, Li Xu stood up, no longer intending to waste time in the studio, but only planning to go home and get a good night's sleep.

-

Li Xu returned home.

The sun had already set outside.

Li Xu casually cooked some noodles, ate them in a few bites, washed up, and went back to his room to lie down and rest.

But as he entered the room and passed the full-length mirror in the wardrobe, Li Xu, as if possessed, suddenly remembered Du Minghao.

"Du Minghao, do you really not exist? How can I find you?"

Looking in the mirror, Li Xu silently moved his lips; this name had become a demon in his heart during this period.

"..."

"It's simple, I just need to become him, right?"

A very faint, distant sound suddenly arose from the depths of Li Xu's heart.

It was like a rusty lock being suddenly turned open, or a gate that had never been opened before being flung open.

Countless fragments of light, shadow, sound, and sensation rushed into Li Xu's mind in an instant, like a flood bursting its banks!

This is not a continuous memory, but fragments, sharp, cold, and dazzling.

Feeling the familiar pain in his mind, Li Xu was greatly shocked. He had experienced this feeling before when he obtained those memories from future movies.

After a while.

After enduring this familiar pain, Li Xu realized that his body seemed to have gained an extra instinct, and at the same time, he finally understood what he had gained.

—The blinding flashes of light formed a silent, roaring ocean of light.

A tidal wave of cheers and screams in English.

Beneath his feet were cool, smooth wooden steps, and in his hands was a heavy weight. Li Xu looked down and saw a small golden sculpture reflecting a cold light... an Oscar statuette?

—The cramped rehearsal room was filled with stuffy air.

Li Xu saw that the acting coach sitting opposite him had sharp, eagle-like eyes and said coldly in accented English, "Li, your pain is too cheap. I want to see your soul being fried in oil, yet still able to smile at the camera—that kind of 'choice'."

—In the hotel room, outside the window is an unfamiliar cityscape at night.

He held a script covered in annotations, filled with his understanding of the characters.

As his fingertips traced the words in the script, Li Xu could clearly feel and understand how he should perfectly portray the character in the script.

Close your eyes.

Let new memories flow freely in your mind, and accept all the fragments completely.

He stood on the side of the stage for the first time, listening to his own heart pounding like a drum in the darkness.

His first time performing in front of the camera, he was almost dizzy from the intense lighting.

For the first time, he experienced life for a role, wandering through the dilapidated neighborhoods of Los Angeles, playing a homeless person and experiencing a life completely different from that of a glamorous superstar.

For the first time, he was so completely immersed in the role that he couldn't detach himself. In the bathroom late at night, looking at his unfamiliar self in the mirror, he was so terrified that he vomited.

Much later.

Li Xu suddenly opened his eyes and began to breathe heavily, but at the same time, his eyes began to shine.

Slowly raising his hand, looking at his slender fingers, Li Xu suddenly laughed, "Du Minghao... now, I can become you, the perfect you!"

"There's no need for any further casting; I'm the perfect actor for this role, the chosen one!"

talking.

Li Xu stood up, looked at the full-length mirror in front of him, his eyes subtly changing, and his expression also subtly changing.

In just a few seconds, director Li Xu "disappeared".

Instead, a newcomer appeared with eyes full of weariness, fear, and a desire to escape.

There were no lines, no actions.

With just a gesture, a change of expression, Du Minghao appeared!

-

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Shen Ao, sporting dark circles under his eyes, yawned and pushed open the studio door, muttering, "Li Xu, you little devil, why are you calling so early in the morning to urge us all to gather here? Have you found a suitable male lead yet?"

Upon entering the studio, Shen Ao glanced around and discovered that not only he, but also Li Deyuan and Liu Yifei had arrived, though both of them had somewhat peculiar expressions.

He unconsciously looked at Li Xu and couldn't help but exclaim "Eh!"

It was clearly the same person as last night, except that there were slightly more bloodshot eyes.

But for some reason, Shen Ao felt as if he saw the shadow of another "person" in Li Xu, a person who was both strange and familiar.

"Shen'ao, we're just waiting for you. Please have a seat."

Hearing Shen Ao's surprised tone, Li Xu remained calm and spoke in a composed manner.

"Alright, Li Xu, you seem to have changed quite a bit overnight. What's wrong? Have you had a change of heart as the director? Or have you finally discovered a suitable hidden gem?"

He plopped down in his usual seat.

With a strange intuition, Shen Ao felt that Li Xu seemed to have already found a solution for the male lead, "Du Minghao".

"No hidden gems."

"But regarding the male lead of 'Love Announcement,' Du Minghao, we don't need to continue casting anymore."

Li Xu's gaze swept lightly across Shen Ao's face, a rare smile appearing in his eyes, as he spoke earnestly.

Upon hearing this...

Shen Ao paused for a moment, then formed his own guess.

"It seems that Junior Brother Li Xu, this stubborn rock, has finally come to his senses and is willing to give up and compromise."

"It has to be Liu Yifei again. It must be because of her phone call yesterday, plus the fact that they couldn't find a suitable candidate. This guy thought about it all night and finally decided to face reality... Well, although it's a bit of a shame, at least the project can move forward."

Thinking about this, Shen Ao hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should say something to comfort Li Xu.

Before Shen Ao could speak, Liu Yifei, who was standing to the side, felt a tightness in her heart upon hearing Li Xu's words and couldn't help but speak first.

Seeing the bloodshot in Li Xu's eyes, Liu Yifei, who knew Li Xu's personality well, couldn't help but feel sorry for him and said, "Junior Brother Li Xu, it's okay. Taking a step back temporarily is for moving forward more easily in the future."

"Whether it's Chen Xiao or Zhang Yi, whom we discussed before, I think they are both good choices. Whoever you choose in the end, we will support you."

"Next, we can work together to film more and refine the character of Du Minghao, and we will be able to establish the character's personality."

At this point, Liu Yifei looked at Li Xu, her eyes filled with tenderness and comfort.

Upon hearing this, Li Xu shook his head. He spoke calmly, but his words were earth-shattering: "Senior Sister Liu, what I mean is that we don't need to look for any more external actors."

"Because, I'll play Du Minghao."

The moment Li Xu uttered those words, everyone in the studio except him froze, and the atmosphere suddenly became deathly silent.

While she was diligently cleaning her ears with her fingernails, listening intently to see which candidate Li Xu would choose, Shen Ao, she almost accidentally poked her fingernail into her eardrum.

"Ouch... Holy crap, my ears! Li Xu, what you're saying is absolutely insane!"

Shen Ao covered his ears in pain as he looked at Li Xu, his eyes filled with the image of a madman.

Li Deyuan and Liu Yifei, who were next to Shen Ao, didn't look much better either.

Li Deyuan's mouth dropped open, and the notebook in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

The tenderness and comfort on Liu Yifei's face instantly froze, turning into utter astonishment, and even a hint of panic.