Huayu: This top star doesn't play by the rules.

After a moment's hesitation, Guo Fan smiled and said, "Chen Chao, your acting skills and temperament are more than enough to secure the role of Liu Qi. There's no doubt about it. However, I suddenly have an idea. Could you try out a scene with Liu Peiqiang?"

Hearing what he said, even producer Zhang Ning was stunned. After all, Liu Peiqiang and Liu Qi, father and son, were a young and rebellious teenager and a mature and patient astronaut who shouldered an important mission.

The two characters are vastly different in age, aura, and mindset, and the range between them is enormous. Few actors can simultaneously handle two such contrasting roles.

Although somewhat surprised by Guo Fan's words, Chen Chao did not hesitate and simply nodded, "Okay, Director Guo, just give me the script excerpt."

Upon seeing that Chen Chao had agreed, Guo Fan, as if he had been prepared, immediately took out the corresponding script from his backpack and handed it to him.

This scene depicts Liu Peiqiang on his lonely duty aboard the space station, gazing at Earth and longing for his son. He feels guilty for not being able to be there for his son as he grows up because he bears the heavy responsibility of ensuring the survival of humanity.

After quickly glancing at it and memorizing it, Chen Chao closed his eyes and began to adjust his state.

Five minutes later, Chen Chao opened his eyes again. His aura suddenly calmed down, becoming steady and heavy. He straightened his back and looked out the window into the void, his eyes filled with concern and guilt.

There were no exaggerated movements or deliberate shouts. He simply stood quietly, speaking softly in a low, calm tone, with the restraint and forbearance of an adult. Between the lines, there was a deep sense of guilt towards his son, a longing for his home, and a resolute determination to shoulder the responsibility despite knowing the dangers ahead.

The layers of guilt, tenderness, and determination in his eyes, along with a few lines of monologue, perfectly portray the complex emotions of a husband, a father, and a guardian of humanity, touching the heart deeply.

Moments later, the performance came to an end, but the aftertaste lingered for a long time.

This performance left Guo Fan speechless for a long time, his eyes filled with shock. He remained stunned for several seconds before letting out a long sigh: "A genius! A true genius!"

"You've managed to perfectly embody two completely different personalities! You captured Liu Qi's rebellious vivacity and Liu Peiqiang's composure and gravitas perfectly, with your expressions, aura, and state of mind completely distinct, without the slightest hint of mixing roles!"

He has been a director for quite some time now. Although he hasn't made many films, he has seen quite a few actors. But he has never seen a young actor who can portray two roles with such a wide range so perfectly and fittingly.

Producer Zhang Ning couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "He plays two roles, two characters with completely opposite personalities, yet he portrays them both flawlessly. He truly lives up to his name, 'Chen Yitiao'!"

With his gaze fixed firmly on Chen Chao, Guo Fan declared, "Chen Chao, I'm not making a choice anymore. Liu Qi and Liu Peiqiang, both roles are yours! You are the undisputed lead actor in the entire 'The Wandering Earth,' starring in two roles!"

Upon hearing Guo Fan's earth-shattering decision, even Zhang Ning, who was sitting next to him, sat up abruptly and subconsciously advised, "Old Guo, isn't this too risky? Playing both father and son roles, and both main characters at that, puts too much strain on the actor, and it's easy for the audience to be pulled out of the story."

"Taking a risk? I think that's the safest option." Guo Fan waved his hand, his gaze still fixed on Chen Chao, his tone extremely firm.

"As you just saw, when he played Liu Qi, he was that rebellious teenager with a prickly exterior but a soft heart; when he played Liu Peiqiang, his eyes were filled with vicissitudes, guilt, and a sense of responsibility, which is not something a twenty-year-old could portray."

"Moreover, this talent of being able to seamlessly switch between two characters with completely opposite personalities is not something every actor can possess."

He paused, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Chen Chao. "And I believe that if we give him enough time to hone his skills, he will definitely surprise us."

Upon hearing Guo Fan's words, Chen Chao's heart was stirred. He truly hadn't expected that he would be able to land both the roles of Liu Qi and Liu Peiqiang at the same time.

This is not just about doubling his screen time and becoming the absolute lead actor in a movie. If he can perform well enough, he will go directly from a TV drama actor to a highly sought-after and powerful actor in the film industry.

But he still maintained a calm demeanor, bowed slightly and said, "Director Guo, thank you for your trust. These two roles are indeed very different. I dare not say that I can do them perfectly, but I will do my best to bring them to life and play them well. I will definitely not let you and Producer Zhang down."

"Great! I'm relieved to hear that." Hearing Chen Chao's reply, Guo Fan couldn't help but burst into laughter, patting the table. "Then let's talk about the contract now. Zhang Ning, could you please go and process the contract?"

Nodding, Zhang Ning quickly left the office, and returned a dozen minutes later with two printed copies of the contract.

"Mr. Chen Chao, please take a look at the contract terms first. Because most of our film's budget has been invested in special effects and production, we are indeed a bit tight on actor salaries." He handed both contracts to Chen Chao and said with a smile.

"Originally, we offered 800,000 yuan for the role of Liu Qi. Now that you're also playing Liu Peiqiang, we'll increase it to 1.5 million yuan, plus 0.5% of the net box office revenue. What do you think?"

This price is actually quite generous for a newcomer who hasn't had any works released yet.

But Chen Chao knew very well that the future box office of "The Wandering Earth" would exceed 4.6 billion yuan. The 0.5% share may seem small, but it was actually an astronomical figure for him.

As he flipped through the contract, his fingers lightly traced the pages, carefully checking each clause, especially the sections concerning role guarantees and revenue sharing.

After confirming that there were no problems, Chen Chao raised his head again, looked at Guo Fan and Zhang Ning, and said seriously, "Director Guo, Producer Zhang, since the budget for this movie is very tight, I can lower the actors' salaries a bit more, but I hope to increase the box office share to 1%."

When Chen Chao said this, Guo Fan and Zhang Ning were both stunned. They had seen many actors demand higher fees, but they had never seen anyone like Chen Chao who would voluntarily lower his salary in exchange for a share of the profits for a movie that many people did not think highly of.

It's important to understand that the reputation of domestic science fiction films is basically ruined now. Nobody is optimistic about "The Wandering Earth," and they think that the film will most likely lose money. In their eyes, the so-called box office revenue sharing is just an empty promise.