Chapter 23
Lu Xiao, however, acted as if he had received a royal decree. He immediately had the sales assistant pack up the few clothes that had been "chosen" and picked out a few more that he thought would look great on Zhuo Hua, buying them all at once.
As he checked out, Lu Xiao's heart tightened at the sight of the long bill, but the thought that it was for Zhuo Hua made it all worthwhile. His newly received salary had shrunk by more than half in an instant, but looking at the heavy shopping bag in his hands, his heart felt as sweet as if it were filled with honey.
Zhuohua watched him pay with that foolish "I'd go bankrupt if I had to" look on his face, then glanced at the large bags he was carrying, and her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Trouble.
Clothes for ordinary people are expensive and troublesome. However... looking at Lu Xiao's sparkling eyes because he bought the clothes she "approved of," that sense of trouble seemed to be somewhat diluted by a strange warmth, similar to "being clumsily flattered."
The doorbell rang precisely at 10:00 a.m. the next day.
Lu Xiao took a deep breath, straightened the collar of his newly bought white shirt (although Zhuohua hadn't asked him to buy it, he felt he needed to have a decent outfit to meet his manager), and ran to open the door.
Standing outside the door was a woman in her early thirties, dressed in a sharp suit, with impeccable makeup and a smile that was both capable and approachable. She was carrying two thick folders. Upon seeing Lu Xiao, she immediately flashed a bright, professional smile and extended her hand: "Hello, Lu Xiao! I'm Wang Li, the company's new agent assigned to you both. Please take care of me from now on!"
"Hello, Sister Wang! Please come in!" Lu Xiao quickly stepped aside and nervously led Wang Li into the house.
Wang Li walked into the spacious and bright living room, her gaze quickly sweeping over the surroundings, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. When her gaze landed on Zhuo Hua, who was walking out of the bedroom, her professional smile deepened instantly, revealing undisguised amazement and high regard.
Zhuohua changed into a beige cashmere sweater she had bought yesterday. The soft fabric clung to her slender figure, making her skin appear as white as jade, and her temperament exuded a cool and aloof air with a touch of domestic languor. She simply stood there casually, and her calm aura made the entire space seem extraordinary.
"Hello, Miss Zhuohua! I'm Wang Li!" Wang Li greeted her warmly yet tactfully. "I've heard so much about you! Your performance in 'The Long Song' was absolutely stunning!"
Zhuohua nodded slightly in response, her gaze calmly falling on Wang Li with a silent scrutiny.
Wang Li felt a chill run down her spine when she saw that gaze, and immediately stopped the unnecessary small talk, getting straight to the point.
She placed the two thick folders on the coffee table, her smile still warm, but her tone more serious: "Director Su specifically instructed that you two are rising stars that the company is focusing on developing, and that we will give you all the resources we need. And look, the first project has come right after we signed the contract!"
She pushed one of the thicker folders in front of Lu Xiao, and another thinner one in front of Zhuo Hua: "Look! 'Under the Blue Sky'! A period detective light comedy, produced by the top-notch 'Daylight Entertainment', and directed by Director Chen, who has won the Magnolia Award! This is a coveted project that many people would kill for!"
Lu Xiao's heart skipped a beat! Noon Sunshine?! Director Chen?! This lineup is practically the ceiling that a newcomer can ever reach! He quickly opened the folder, and what came into view was the production team, the story synopsis, and character biographies.
"Under the Blue Sky" tells the story of Shen Yan (played by Lu Xiao), a poor scholar who becomes the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination and is sent to a remote county as a magistrate. He gets involved in a bizarre murder case as soon as he enters officialdom.
With his exceptional intelligence and pure heart, he meticulously unravels the case, seeking the truth amidst the machinations of various forces, ultimately restoring justice to the people. The story has a light and cheerful tone, ingeniously designed cases, and vividly portrayed characters.
Lu Xiao's portrayal of Shen Yan is no longer that of the stoic general burdened with blood feud in "The Long Song," but rather an idealistic young county magistrate with a touch of scholarly refinement. He is intelligent and upright, but his lack of worldly wisdom leads to repeated setbacks and many comical situations. The character arc is one of growth from idealism to maturity and composure.
Lu Xiao's eyes lit up; this role offered so much potential for development! It had both comedic elements and depth; if played well, it would definitely be memorable!
Wang Li added at the opportune moment, her tone carrying a subtle hint of excitement: "The key person is this one!"
She pointed to another name in the character biography, "Song Qinglan! Shen Yan's childhood sweetheart, the girl next door he grew up with. She has a fiery and straightforward personality, and is exceptionally skilled. From a young age, she was Shen Yan's 'guardian angel.' When Shen Yan was sent to serve as an official in another region, she was worried about him, so she disguised herself as a man and infiltrated the county government as a yamen runner. Ostensibly, she was there to protect the 'official,' but in reality, she was 'fighting for justice' along the way, causing many laughs and helping Shen Yan solve many thorny problems. The two bickered and teased each other throughout, yet they also supported each other, their feelings deepening amidst hardship, and finally…"
Wang Li paused, then her smile deepened, "Of course we're together!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiao's heart skipped a beat! Childhood sweethearts? Traveling together? Mutual teasing and support? And they even ended up together?! This premise... why does it sound so familiar?! He subconsciously looked at Zhuo Hua.
Wang Li also looked at Zhuohua, her smile carrying a hint of knowing mischief: "Miss Zhuohua, this Song Qinglan is practically tailor-made for you! A chivalrous heroine, highly skilled, with a straightforward and protective personality, and most importantly, she's the male lead's childhood sweetheart, protecting him all the way, and in the end, the lovers get together! The company went to great lengths to secure these two roles, and the director team made the decision on the spot after watching the interaction scenes between you and Lu Xiao in 'The Long Song'!"
She opened the folder in front of Zhuohua, which contained detailed settings for Song Qinglan and excerpts from the script.
Zhuohua glanced down at the script. In the script, Song Qinglan's lines were mostly crisp and straightforward, with a bit of a fiery temper, and there were quite a few action scenes, so she didn't really need too many complex emotions.
One passage describes her fighting off thugs in the street to protect Shen Yan. Her movements are clean and graceful, and she even shields Shen Yan behind her while muttering disdainfully, "Bookworm, stay away, don't get in the way..."
Zhuohua raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. This setup... was indeed convenient. Moreover, that "bookworm" being protected behind her... She raised her eyes, her gaze calmly landing on Lu Xiao beside her, whose cheeks were slightly flushed and whose eyes were sparkling as he looked at her because of the character's setting.
Lu Xiao felt a surge of warmth in his heart under Zhuo Hua's gaze, and quickly looked away, coughing to cover it up, but inside he felt like fireworks were exploding! The company is so thoughtful!
This script perfectly reflects their real-life relationship! Zhuohua is his guardian angel, his childhood sweetheart (though their relationship was rather short), and he... isn't he just that "bookworm" who needs her protection? In the end, they can even be together openly in the drama!
"Sister Wang, this...this role is amazing!" Lu Xiao said excitedly, "When...when can we audition?"
"An audition?" Wang Li smiled, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "No need for an audition! Director Chen specifically asked for both of you! The contracts are almost finalized! Take a look at the script, and if there are no problems, you can join the crew next week! It's in the film studio in the next city, very convenient!"
She then produced two more letters of intent. "Regarding the remuneration, the company negotiated a very good figure, and the profit-sharing ratio will be the same as the previous agreement. Please take a look, and if there are no problems, sign them. I will take them back this afternoon to go through the procedures."
This efficiency! This treatment! Lu Xiao felt like he had been hit on the head by a huge lucky star! He picked up the script letter of intent, looked at the generous terms on it, and then looked at the contract for "Song Qinglan" in front of Zhuo Hua. He was so excited that his hands were trembling a little.
Zhuohua picked up her own contract and casually flipped through it. Money? Numbers meant nothing to her. Role? Playing a skilled bodyguard was easier than playing those tearful, whiny characters. Her gaze swept over the line in the script, "Bookworm, stay away," and then she glanced at Lu Xiao, who was still excitedly standing beside her.
Tsk.
trouble.
But... it doesn't seem too troublesome?
She picked up the pen and casually signed her name in the designated area for the second party's signature. The handwriting was slender and strong, carrying a unique sense of detachment.
Seeing that she had signed, Lu Xiao quickly picked up a pen and solemnly signed his name on his own copy of the contract.
The moment he put pen to paper, he felt that his acting career and the powerful and mysterious girl beside him were once again closely intertwined, embarking on a new journey full of sweetness and challenges.
Wang Li put away the signed letter of intent, beaming: "That's wonderful! Congratulations on landing 'Under the Blue Sky'! You can familiarize yourselves with the script first, and I'll send you the start date and schedule to your email later. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions!"
She stood up, preparing to leave, but then remembered something and winked mischievously, "Oh, by the way, there are a few romantic scenes later in the script, especially the final one... You two could 'practice' them beforehand and get a feel for them!"
She glanced meaningfully at Lu Xiao's instantly flushed cheeks and Zhuo Hua's still calm profile, then smiled and left.
The door closed.
Only the two of them remained in the large apartment.
Lu Xiao was still immersed in immense joy and a little shyness. He picked up the thick script and eagerly flipped to the back to see what the "emotional scene at the end" that Wang Li had mentioned was.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the two of them warmly. Zhuohua picked up her own script, casually flipping through it, her gaze occasionally lingering on the action descriptions, as if assessing their difficulty.
Lu Xiao, blushing, secretly glanced at the sweet descriptions of "childhood sweethearts finally becoming a couple" in the script, his heart pounding like a little deer.
A new journey, with a sweet role tailor-made for her, has begun.
Before they could even settle into the brand-new apartment provided by Xingyao, Lu Xiao and Zhuohua, carrying only a few simple bags, got into the company-arranged van and headed to the film and television city in the next city.
The scenery outside the window rushed by, but Lu Xiao's heart felt like it had been stuffed with a warm, soft cotton candy, sweet and tender, with a touch of unreal etherealness.
He clutched the script of "Under the Blue Sky" tightly in his hand, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the names "Chen Yan" and "Song Qinglan" on the cover, as if he could draw strength and sweetness from the characters.
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