We asked you to make an anti-corruption film, but you made one in the name of the people!

When Zhao Liying received the call from her agent, she was filming a period drama in Hengdian.

Wearing three layers of costume in the sweltering summer heat, my makeup ran twice from the heat.

The director had just yelled "Cut!" when her assistant handed her a bottle of water. Before she could even open it, her phone rang.

"Liying, I have something to tell you." The agent's voice sounded more urgent than usual. "It's a movie co-produced by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Supreme People's Court, and the Ministry of Public Security. The director is Lin Mo, and they want you to play the second female lead—Hao Xiuping."

Zhao Liying paused for a moment in her hand holding the water bottle.

Lin Mo...

"Director Lin is looking for me?" Her voice unconsciously rose half an octave.

"Yes, the script has been sent to your email. Get back to me after you've read it. But I'll let you in advance—directors Lin's films are highly sought after in the industry. Teacher Fan, Teacher Zhang Yi, and Teacher Xu Yajun have all already accepted the roles."

Zhao Liying hung up the phone, without even removing her makeup, and immediately opened her email on her phone.

The first page of the script has four words: "Article Twenty".

She flipped through a few pages and came across the character Hao Xiuping—a mute girl who was being bullied.

There are no lines; the entire performance relies on eye contact and body language.

Zhao Liying stared at the character introduction for a long time.

She remembered where she came from.

He comes from a rural area and has no family connections or resources.

He started working as an extra in his teens, playing maids, passersby, and nameless minor roles for seven or eight years.

In those years, when she went home for the Lunar New Year, relatives would ask her what she did outside, and she was too embarrassed to say that she was an actress.

It wasn't until she played the lead role in several period dramas that she gradually gained a name.

But one label has always been attached to her—an actress in period dramas.

Actors in period dramas, translated, mean they can't act in realistic dramas.

Lin Mo is now asking her to play a mute woman, with no lines and no fancy makeup, a woman from the bottom of society who is being worn down by life.

This is exactly the kind of role she most wants to play.

She replied to her agent with a message: "Answer."

Just one word.

.......

One week later.

Yanjing, a restaurant located on the East Third Ring Road.

The private room is on the twelfth floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of the entire CBD.

It was 5:30 p.m., half an hour before the agreed time.

Gao Ye was the first to arrive.

She was wearing a simple white shirt, her hair down, and sitting by the window flipping through a script. When the waiter asked if she wanted to order a drink first, she waved her hand and said she was waiting for someone.

The second person to come in was Zhang Yi.

The two exchanged a glance and nodded, after all, they were old acquaintances.

Zhang Yi sat down opposite her, took out his phone to check the time, and then placed the phone screen-down on the table.

Soon, Xu Yajun also arrived.

He pushed the door open and looked around before chuckling, "Why is it just the two of you? Am I too early?"

"It's too early." Gao Ye closed the script. "Please have a seat, Professor Xu."

Xu Yajun sat down next to Gao Ye, draping his coat over the back of the chair. The three were silent for a few seconds before Gao Ye spoke first: "Mr. Xu, the last time you collaborated with Director Lin was on 'In the Name of the People,' right?"

"Yes." Xu Yajun picked up his water glass and took a sip. "Back then, Director Lin was only twenty-six years old. I thought to myself, can such a young director make an anti-corruption drama? Then on the first day of filming, he was explaining the scene to me—and halfway through, I knew that this person was not simple. He wasn't making a film; he was dissecting human nature."

Zhang Yi said, "I've worked with him on two films, An Xin in 'The Storm' and Cao Bin in 'Dying to Survive.' Director Lin is different from other directors. He won't tell you how to act; he'll only tell you what kind of person the character is, and then you have to find it yourself."

Gao Ye immediately nodded in agreement.

Just then, the door opened.

Aruna peeked in, and upon seeing Gao Ye, grinned, "Sister Ye, Brother Yi, you're here too!"

Gao Ye smiled and waved: "You're playing the villain again this time."

Zhang Yi nodded at him.

Aruna walked in and plopped down next to Gao Ye: "Director Lin said that this time I'm playing Liu Wenjing—still a villain, but even worse than Li Hongwei in 'The Storm'." He paused, scratched his head, and said, "I've been wondering why Director Lin always casts me as a bad guy."

"That's what you look like," Gao Ye said.

Everyone in the private room burst into laughter.

Next to enter was Lei Jiayin.

He strode in, a smile on his face, and glanced around at everyone in the room, nodding to each of them: "Teacher Zhang Yi, Teacher Xu—hello, hello, I'm Lei Jiayin."

Xu Yajun stood up, shook hands with him, and pointed to the chair next to him: "Don't be shy, sit down."

After sitting down, Lei Jiayin laughed first: "To be honest, I was nervous before meeting the director for the first time. I've been in the industry for so many years, and this is the first time I've worked on a film directed by Director Lin."

Gao Ye glanced at him: "We were all nervous, but you'll know after spending three minutes with Director Lin—he's not scary."

"real?"

"real."

Before the words were even finished, the door opened.

Ma Li walked in, wearing a navy blue top and carrying a large bag. As soon as she entered, she greeted everyone familiarly, "Oh dear, everyone's here! I'm late, I'm late!" She looked around, then sat down next to Lei Jiayin. "Brother Lei! We're playing a married couple this time!"

Lei Jiayin chuckled twice: "Teacher Ma Li, I'm a little nervous acting with you. You talk too fast and I can't keep up."

"Come on, you're kidding me." Ma Li waved her hand. "Director Lin hasn't arrived yet?"

"Soon."

Then the door opened again.

Zhao Liying walked in. She stood at the door and glanced around at the people in the private room.

Gao Ye stood up first, smiling as he took two steps forward to greet her: "Liying's here!"

The two had met once before backstage at the Weibo Night event, chatted for half an hour, and added each other on WeChat.

"Sister Ye." Zhao Liying smiled and shook Gao Ye's hand. Her gaze then turned to the others. She first recognized Zhang Yi and nodded, "Hello, Teacher Zhang Yi." Then she turned to Xu Yajun, "Hello, Teacher Xu. I've watched Qi Tongwei's gun-swallowing scene several times. It was so shocking."

Xu Yajun stood up and shook hands with her: "You're too kind, Teacher Zhao."

Zhao Liying then looked at Lei Jiayin and Ma Li, and gracefully extended her hand: "Teacher Lei, Teacher Ma."

Lei Jiayin grasped her hand and chuckled twice: "Teacher Zhao, no, no, no, you can just call me Lao Lei."

Ma Li chimed in from the side, "Stop being so outrageous, hurry up and pull out a chair for them."

Lei Jiayin quickly stood up and pulled out a chair next to her, and Zhao Liying nodded and thanked her.

She was very relaxed, and after sitting down, she didn't rush to speak, but quietly listened to others talk.

This is the confidence of top stars—they don't need to exchange pleasantries or flatter anyone; they simply sit there and exude presence.

Gao Ye tilted his head and whispered a few words to her: "You're playing Hao Xiuping?"

"Hmm." Zhao Liying put down her coffee cup. "The mute girl has no lines."

"This role is difficult," Gao Ye said.

"I wouldn't take the role if it wasn't difficult." Zhao Liying smiled, then added seriously, "I've acted in period dramas and modern dramas for several years, and people think I can only play those kinds of roles—pretty, talkative, and good at crying. But this character doesn't say a word. What I want the audience to remember isn't Zhao Liying's face, but Hao Xiuping's eyes."

Gao Ye didn't say anything, but reached out and gently patted Zhao Liying's hand.

Just then, there was a sound at the door, and everyone fell silent.

Fan Wei pushed open the door and came in.

He was wearing a dark gray Chinese-style jacket, his belly was slightly protruding, and his eyes narrowed into slits when he smiled. Just standing there, he exuded a different kind of aura.

Everyone stood up.

Fan waved his hand for everyone to sit down, then laughed first: "Why are you all standing? Sit down, sit down."

Lei Jiayin was the first to greet him: "Teacher Fan! Who are you playing?"

Fan sat down next to him with a smile: "Director Lin asked me to play Liu Wenjing's father—a protective father."

Aruna jumped to her feet, clasped her hands together, and bowed deeply to Fan Wei: "Dad!"

Fan Wei paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "This kid, he's already calling someone his father before even turning on the machine."

Then, the other main cast members arrived one after another.