From unemployment in crosstalk to top star in Chinese entertainment

"What about Gao Ye? Didn't you see the official announcement? Gao Ye was deemed not to be a big name by Xin Li, so Zhang Yuqi replaced him before he could even sign a contract. It's said that they wanted to use her to boost Wang Churan's status."

"To elevate her status? I heard it's because Xin Li invested too much and was worried that Wang Churan wouldn't be able to maintain the lead actress's popularity, so they temporarily brought in Zhang Yuqi."

"Then why cast her as the female lead?"

"I heard it's because of Yu Liang."

Thus, the comments section, which was originally discussing Yu Liang and Zhang Yi's stance, gradually changed direction, and the topic shifted to what exactly Yu Liang's strengths were.

In the hotel room, Zhang Yi put down his phone and leaned back in his chair.

The image of his position during the group photo lingered in his mind for a while, but he temporarily put it aside.

The way people position themselves in group photos can be accidental, coincidental, or simply because the people involved didn't think much about it.

Thinking about this for too long only makes you seem petty.

But there was one thing that concerned him more.

He recalled a scene from the reading session earlier that day. When screenwriter Zhu Junyi talked about the formation process of the script outline, he casually mentioned, "The framework of this script was provided by Teacher Yu Liang, and I completed the script within his framework."

Framework and guidelines.

It comes from a 25-year-old actor.

Zhang Yi has been in the industry for twenty years and has seen actors transition into directors and producers, as well as actors participate in script polishing.

But he had never seen a young actor who had only been in the industry for a year and was still playing supporting roles produce a complete framework for a serious political and legal drama.

This project was tailor-made for a specific person, or by a specific person, from the very beginning.

He asked his assistant to check, and the results were similar to what he had learned before: Yu Liang made his official debut in "Joy of Life" as Teng Zijing, then took on "Reboot: The Lost Tomb", participated in several variety shows, and signed with Xinli Media.

He looks like a lucky actor on the rise.

"Why did Director Sun Hao choose him to play Teng Zijing?" Zhang Yi asked.

The assistant flipped through the documents: "Public reports say that Director Sun saw his knife-wielding video, thought he had a good foundation in martial arts, and took the initiative to contact him."

Zhang Yi nodded.

This explanation is reasonable.

Sun Hao is known for not being swayed by capital; he only considers suitability when choosing people.

The assistant added, "However, I heard something: after Yu Liang signed with Xinli, Xinli's director of agency, Zhao Mingyuan, personally assigned him a personal agent, Zhou Jiajia, who was poached from Jiahang and previously managed Dilireba."

Zhang Yi's eyebrows twitched.

"Zhou Jiajia? The one from Yang Mi's team?"

"right."

It's quite unusual for a newly signed artist to receive such treatment, with the management director personally recruiting outside talent to mentor them.

But it's not entirely unreasonable.

Yu Liang has appeared on "The Actor's Singing" and is currently very popular, so it's understandable that Xin Li wants to focus on developing him.

Zhang Yi placed his phone on the table.

"Alright, no need to check it for now," he said. "I'll look at it myself during the script reading tomorrow."

He decided to hold off on drawing conclusions for the time being.

Having been in this industry for twenty years, he knows when to ask questions and when to observe first.

No matter what's behind Yu Liang, there's no rush to find out right now.

---

The script reading continued the next day.

Xu Jizhou asked Zhang Songwen, who was a performance teacher, to stand up and set an example for everyone.

Zhang Yi was taken aback after seeing Zhang Songwen's performance.

After the reading session ended, Zhang Yi went to the corridor for some fresh air.

Xu Jizhou happened to come out to answer the phone.

After he hung up the phone, Zhang Yi casually asked, "Director Xu, did you choose Songwen?"

Xu Jizhou shook his head: "It was Teacher Yu Liang who recommended him. At the time, Xin Li and I had a headache for several days about who would be the right person for Gao Qiqiang. The people we initially selected were either unsuitable or unavailable. We searched for several days but couldn't find a suitable candidate."

"In the end, it was Teacher Yu Liang who suggested that Teacher Zhang Songwen try out a scene, and then Mr. Zhao and I finalized the decision after watching it."

He paused, his tone tinged with emotion: "Speaking of which, I have to thank Teacher Yu Liang. It seems that Teacher Zhang Songwen is the only one capable of acting opposite you."

Zhang Yi didn't say anything.

It is remarkable that a young man in his twenties could write the script framework for "The Storm" and also had the discerning eye to cast Zhang Songwen in the role.

And we can also sign him in advance.

Whether in terms of ability or courage,

He always felt that Yu Liang was no ordinary person.

"Director Xu," he changed the subject, "are we having another reading session tonight?"

"We're taking a break tonight," Xu Jizhou said. "Teacher Yu Liang took Wang Churan and Zhang Yuqi out for roast goose."

The third male lead takes the first and second female leads out for roast goose?

You should know that these two are his sisters-in-law in the drama.

Zhang Yi smiled.

"Okay, then I'll go back and look at the script."

---

In a private room of a famous local seafood restaurant in Jiang City.

Yu Liang, Wang Churan, and Zhang Yuqi were having dinner. The private room wasn't particularly fancy, but it was clean, and you could see the lights on the river outside the window.

Today is Zhang Yuqi's first day on set. She's wearing a beige knit sweater with a dark trench coat over it, her long hair loosely draped over her shoulders. She's not dressed up, but she exudes a natural aura just sitting there.

The role of Chen Shuting, the eldest sister-in-law, was originally intended for Gao Ye. However, after much deliberation, Zhao Mingyuan felt that the casting of Chen Shuting, the second female lead, had to be a sure thing.

This role requires someone who can handle the amount of screen time, has a strong presence, and ideally, is also a high-profile and popular actor.

Zhang Yuqi, who debuted as a "Star Girl" and has won important awards, is the perfect candidate in this regard.

Zhao Mingyuan weighed the pros and cons between Gao Ye and Zhang Yuqi repeatedly.

The two actresses have similar acting styles, but Zhang Yuqi is a much bigger star.

Yu Liang originally wanted to take Wang Churan out to eat roast goose alone, but Zhang Yuqi, who had just joined the crew, heard this and said with a smile that she also wanted to try the roast goose from Jiang City, so they came together.

One more person wouldn't make a difference, so Yu Liang naturally had no reason to refuse.

"Come on, Sister Yuqi, try this roast goose." Yu Liang turned the roast goose in front of her. "It's the Gujing roast goose from Jiang City, with crispy skin."

"Thank you." Zhang Yuqi picked up a piece, tasted it, and nodded. "It's really good."

She took the opportunity during her meal to observe Yu Liang. Before joining the crew, her agent had mentioned that the actor playing Gao Qisheng was the same one who played Teng Zijing in "Joy of Life," who was currently very popular and was also one of the investors in the drama, participating by contributing the script as equity.

Script as equity investment.

Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, Zhang Yuqi knows all too well what this means.

Most actors at most bring their own investment to the production team, paying money in exchange for roles.

However, contributing an original screenplay as equity means that he was involved in the project from the very beginning.

He wasn't invited later; he was one of the initiators of this project.

This made her even more curious about Liang.

She was just curious. She didn't intend to do anything during their first meeting.

Let's have a meal first, get to know each other, and see what kind of person this is. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other better later in the group.

So she dressed very casually today, and her attitude was very open and generous. It was just a senior film and television actor having a meal with two young colleagues, nothing special.

"Yu Liang, have you been to Guangdong Province before?" Zhang Yuqi asked casually.

Yu Liang shook her head: "No."

Zhang Yuqi smiled knowingly: "Really? You haven't been to Dongguan either?"

Yu Liang nodded: "Yes, why go there? Now they've all moved to the south of Shanghai and Hangzhou. Guangdong Province only has Huizhou, Danshui and other areas around the Pearl River Delta left."

Ok?

Yu Liang suddenly realized that something was wrong.

Zhang Yuqi smiled knowingly: "Didn't you say you'd never been here before?"

"I swear on my life, I have never been here before," Yu Liangmian said without changing his expression.

Zhang Yuqi smiled and shook her head, not pressing the matter further. In her mind, she labeled Yu Liang: a seasoned veteran.

People who talk faster than they think are not uncommon in the industry, but few can handle a "mishap" so smoothly.

Wang Churan looked up, completely bewildered: "What are you talking about? What's this about coming here or not?"

"It's nothing." Zhang Yuqi glanced at Yu Liang, then turned to Wang Churan with a smile, "We were just chatting about the industry's development. Your brother Liang knows a lot about this."

Wang Churan was even more puzzled. He looked at Yu Liang and then at Zhang Yuqi.

"Yes," Yu Liangmian said without changing his expression, picking up a piece of roast goose. "The industrial transfer between the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta is quite interesting."

Zhang Yuqi lowered her head and took a sip of tea, a slight smile playing at the corners of her eyes. This younger brother of hers certainly knows how to smooth things over quickly.

The meal went fairly well.

Zhang Yuqi didn't do anything deliberately, occasionally asking Yu Liang about his previous roles and chatting about the relationship between Gao Qisheng and Chen Shuting in the script.

Her attitude was more like that of a senior member who had just joined the crew and was getting familiar with the environment.

Yu Liang didn't say much, but when Wang Churan couldn't reach the steamed fish in the distance, she pushed the plate towards her.

As they left the restaurant, Zhang Yuqi walked ahead, making a phone call. Her assistant had already driven the car to the entrance and was waiting.

Wang Churan and Yu Liang walked behind. She suddenly turned her head and asked in a low voice, "What were you talking about with Sister Yuqi just now?"

Yu Liang paused for a moment.

"I was discussing the issue of uneven regional economic development."

Wang Churan glanced at him but didn't say anything. Then she quickly followed and took Zhang Yuqi's arm.

"Yuqi, what time should we get our makeup done tomorrow?"

Yu Liang stood under the lights at the entrance of the restaurant, watching the backs of the two girls in front of him.

He suddenly chuckled.

Wang Churan seems a bit difficult to fool.

---

A few days later, filming officially began.

Zhang Yuqi and Wang Churan's relationship is much better than Yu Liang expected.

The two didn't have many scenes together in the film, but they often sat together on set while waiting for their scenes to be filmed. Zhang Yuqi would offer suggestions to Wang Churan when he was working on his character.

Her years of experience in the film industry are truly invaluable for a young actor still in university.

Wang Churan also liked following her, feeling that Sister Yuqi was generous, straightforward, and down-to-earth.

"Sister Yuqi, what exactly are Meng Yu's feelings for An Xin?" Wang Churan asked earnestly, holding the script.

"Childhood sweethearts, but they didn't end up together." Zhang Yuqi thought for a moment, "This kind of relationship is the hardest to act out. It's not that they didn't love each other, it's that they missed their chance."

"You don't need to put in too much effort when you act. Just bring out the feeling that 'being together is a habit, and not being together is also a habit.'"

Wang Churan nodded thoughtfully.

Yu Liang happened to pass by and saw the two of them chatting about the script, which surprised him somewhat.

He originally thought that Zhang Yuqi, as a movie star, might be a bit detached from the TV drama crew, but he didn't expect her to integrate so quickly.

However, he also noticed that Zhang Yuqi would occasionally ask a few more questions when interacting with others—asking about Xu Jizhou's schedule, what projects Zhao Mingyuan was busy with recently, and the production structure of "Raging Storm".

Yu Liang heard this but didn't say anything more.

He knew what she was doing.

Gather information.

An actress transitioning from film to television needs to quickly understand her new environment. This is perfectly understandable.

As for Wang Churan, she was still immersed in her admiration for "Sister Yuqi" and was completely unaware of it.

---

That same afternoon, in the film set's rest area.

Zhang Yi sat on a folding chair, holding a thermos in his hand, his gaze fixed on Yu Liang in the distance.

Yu Liang and Zhang Songwen were discussing the action design for the next scene, gesturing as they spoke, occasionally laughing at the same time.

Zhang Yi withdrew his gaze and took a sip of tea.

Over the past few days, he has stopped trying to figure out whether Yu Liang has any connections or not.

But he didn't completely let it go; he just kept it in a corner of his heart, maintaining a professional curiosity and observation.

What he saw was not a "capital manipulator" or a "hidden tycoon".

What he saw was that directors, screenwriters, veteran actors, and young actresses of all kinds of experience naturally gravitated towards Yu Liang.

It wasn't because of the resources he had, but because of him as a person.

There was something about this kid, something that wasn't background or capital. What was it? Zhang Yi was still thinking.

Just then, the assistant jogged over.

"Teacher Zhang, the director asked me to tell you that tonight's reading session has been moved to tomorrow morning."

"Changed again?" Zhang Yi was taken aback. "What's the reason this time?"

The assistant hesitated for a moment: "Director Xu said that we're wrapping up early today, and he'd like to treat everyone to some oysters from Jiang City."

Zhang Yi paused for a moment while holding the thermos.

"...Oysters?"

"Yes, oysters. The director said the oysters in Jiang City are the best, steamed is the freshest."

Zhang Yi put down the thermos, stood up, and patted his assistant on the shoulder.

"OK."

-

The crew of about ten people split into several cars and headed towards Ru Shun Restaurant. On the way, they passed through an old neighborhood. Xu Jizhou pointed out the window: "If I remember correctly, this is Goose Town from 'Let the Bullets Fly,' right?"

Zhang Yi and Zhang Songwen both looked out the window at the same time. The old arcade street was silent in the twilight, and moss climbed all over the gray brick walls.

"Yes, the Mei Family Compound," Zhang Yi said.

Yu Liang suddenly spoke up: "Why don't we film Gao Qisheng's final scene here?"

Xu Jizhou glanced at him.

"Which scene are you referring to where he's surrounded by police and jumps off a building?"

Yu Liang nodded.

"Okay. I'll have the art department come to scout locations tomorrow."

Upon arriving at the restaurant, about ten people sat around a table.

Plates of various seafood were served one after another, steamed, garlic-flavored, and grilled, filling half the table.

Xu Jizhou raised his glass: "Come on, let's toast everyone first. The filming went smoothly these past few days, thank you all for your hard work."

Everyone raised their glasses, and the atmosphere relaxed.

Lin Jiachuan tells jokes about his time studying at the Beijing Film Academy with Zhang Songwen, while Zhang Yuqi and Wang Churan huddle together to shuck oysters.

Xu Jizhou drank two cups, then suddenly remembered something, put down his cup and looked at Yu Liang: "By the way, Yu Liang."

Guo Qilin called me a couple of days ago. He heard that you invested in this drama and insisted on coming to support it by playing a cameo role.

Yu Liang was taken aback when he heard this. "Da Lin is coming?"

"Yes. He said he didn't want the payment, he just wanted to come and have some fun."

Yu Liang chuckled.

This kid has a sense of loyalty.