Chapter 501 I didn't expect you to have done such in-depth research! (9,000-word update!)
"Producer Hu, it's been a long time."
The nights at the end of February were still as cold as if they were blowing from Siberia.
Lu Yanhe received a message from Hu Siwei, who invited him to meet for dinner, and that's how Lu Yanhe found such a place.
This is a second-floor room in a hutong (traditional alleyway). Sitting by the window, you can see this whole area. The rows of rooftops and eaves create a scene of life rarely seen in modern metropolises.
However, since night had fallen, all of this was shrouded in a hazy veil.
In a small cubicle on the second floor, there is a table set up around a stove for brewing tea.
They can take off their shoes and sit on the warm kang (heated brick bed), facing each other.
Before going up to the second floor, they had already soaked their feet on the first floor for twenty minutes.
Lu Yanhe suspected that the reason they provided foot bath services was mainly to prevent guests from feeling embarrassed when taking off their shoes on the second floor.
This was the first time Lu Yanhe had ever been to a store like this.
"This restaurant was recommended to me by Siqi. Her show 'Jump Up' has a food channel that specializes in finding restaurants like this that are not well-known but have unique features and are very well-run across the country. So I've learned about many such restaurants through her," Lu Yanhe said to Hu Siwei with a smile.
Hu Siwei: "Next time you recommend a good restaurant, please do so. I don't have any other hobbies, I just love good food."
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
The two hadn't mentioned work at all while soaking their feet, and now that they were sitting at the dinner table, neither of them brought it up. Lu Yanhe knew that Hu Siwei's sudden invitation meant she had something to say, but he didn't intend to rush her until she did.
“I met with Lao Bai a while ago.” Hu Siwei smiled. “After he left Beijing and Taiwan, he changed a lot. Putting aside other things, as his old friend, I can feel that he has released a lot of things that he used to suppress in his heart.”
“His decision to leave Beijing and Taiwan was actually the right one,” Hu Siwei added.
Lu Yanhe looked at Hu Siwei curiously and asked, "Have you considered leaving Beijing and Taiwan?"
Hu Siwei was surprised that Lu Yanhe would suddenly ask such a question.
He paused for a moment.
Hu Siwei hesitated for a moment, then spoke frankly: "I have many concerns."
Lu Yanhe was clearly not surprised by Hu Siwei's answer.
He nodded.
Hu Siwei: "Actually, the reason I asked you to come out today is because Director Xu Bin gave me a task. To be honest, I didn't want to do it, but I have to fulfill my job responsibilities in this position, so I still sent you a message. I didn't expect you to be willing to come out."
"Work is work, but putting that aside, I'm actually very grateful to you when I was working on the Friends project," Lu Yanhe said earnestly. "Moreover, the time we worked together caused me a problem."
"Huh?" Hu Siwei was taken aback, somewhat surprised. "What have I done to bother you?"
"For a long time, I thought that a senior television professional possessed your passion for television and the same competence in every aspect, with no weaknesses," Lu Yanhe said. "Later, I worked on other projects and met all sorts of people in the industry. Especially when I had to deal with them myself, I realized that the people I had met before had set a very high standard, making my understanding of this industry... not so objective. You are one of them. I haven't seen the third season of Friends yet because it's not on a video platform yet, but even though its reviews aren't very good right now, I know that without you, the show might have been even worse. Yan Liang told me that you were almost the only one among the production staff who was truly patching things up for the show."
Hu Siwei gave a helpless smile.
“But no matter how much I try to mend it, it’s no use.” Hu Siwei’s expression revealed a rare, silent sadness. “I’m not a director, nor a screenwriter, nor an actor. In a position without real power and not creative, the more I try to do, the more trouble I become in other people’s eyes. To be honest, Yan He, by the third season, I was already very tired. It’s like desperately pulling a horse that’s rushing towards the edge of a cliff. You watch the horse rush forward, about to fall off the cliff. You know you can’t hold it back, but you still pull it out of inertia, desperately pulling it back. The harder you try, the more you realize the futility and the heartache you feel.”
"Since this place already makes you so uncomfortable, why are you so hesitant to leave?"
The copper pot placed between the two of them was bubbling and gurgling over a low fire.
This is a sauerkraut fish hot pot. It's not thick, the fish soup is white, steaming hot, and very fragrant.
Within the occasionally misty field of vision, Lu Yanhe's eyes looked over with a serious, sincere, and pure intent.
Hu Siwei was stunned for a while before saying, "I joined Beijing TV right after graduation. Beijing TV wasn't like this back then, and Xu Bin wasn't like this either."
...
This is a period of time that, without needing to be elaborated upon, is obviously a story.
Perhaps everyone has had such a period. During that time, they had ambitions, ideals, and passion; they had the ambition to change the world; they had the pride to have their names written on the list of merits; and they also had a group of like-minded people.
But later, slowly, inevitably, he became all alone.
But that wasn't enough to justify his departure. The longer and farther a person walks on a path, the harder it becomes to change course and embark on another.
Others change, and so does he. He may become nostalgic and hesitant to move forward.
“But even if you’ve changed your path, you haven’t changed your track,” Lu Yanhe said. “Using your power to help Beijing and Taiwan rise again is your passion, but isn’t using your power to help Chinese-language films and television dramas reach the world stage also a passion of yours?”
-
The failure of the third season of "Friends" affected more than one person.
This naturally includes Zhang Lan, one of the main characters in the third season.
Last summer, the movie "Exploding Needle" became a box office hit, which greatly elevated Zhang Lan's status. As a result, by the end of last year, Jiang Yuqian not only returned to her original peak with great momentum, but also soared with international fame, showing a trend of rising to prominence.
In contrast, the third season of Friends was such a flop that it could be considered a classic case of tragedy at the very beginning of the year. It seems that she, as a newly added main character, was the reason for the third season's disastrous failure.
The backlash was even more severe than that suffered by Chen Ziliang in the second season.
Despite the criticism, the second season, in which Chen Ziliang starred, still had high ratings. No matter how much criticism it received, the show was still a hit.
For someone like Zhang Lan, a drama that doesn't perform well isn't enough to shake her position.
But as the saying goes, the higher you climb, the harder you fall.
A hit show like "Friends" would have a huge positive impact on her, while a flop would have had a huge negative impact.
Zhang Lan was so angry that her face turned green.
When I ran into Jiang Yuqian at the company, we met face to face, but neither of us spoke. Yet, the air was filled with the crackling sounds of sparks flying everywhere.
Since the premiere of "The Squid Game" nearly three months ago, Jiang Yuqian has not only added five new endorsements, but also secured the title of global ambassador for a high-end luxury brand. She didn't go through the so-called evaluation period and directly became a global ambassador right away.
This is an endorsement level that Zhang Lan has never achieved before.
For celebrities, the question of who has a higher status actually comes down to these minor details.
Zhang Lan made a quick decision, putting aside her ambitions for career transition and awards, and immediately took on a role in a period drama.
There's no other way; I need to recover my health extremely quickly, and the fastest way is through ancient costume dramas.
This is the territory dominated by actresses like her and Jiang Yuqian. They broke through and established themselves by starring in these kinds of dramas. It can be said that their large fan base was built up by these types of dramas.
Of course, Jiang Yuqian's situation has changed now. Her representative work has become "The Squid Game." When Jiang Yuqian's "The Golden Era" was airing, Zhang Lan wasn't really worried. She only became concerned when Jiang Yuqian received nominations for major awards, constantly praying that she wouldn't win. Because with this type of subject matter, unless something incredibly unlucky happens, it's difficult to build a fan base for the actors, no matter how popular the show is.
But "The Squid Game" is different. Zhang Lan knew that besides the show's huge success, Jiang Yuqian, with her tragic past and ruthless personality, would remain a source of regret for many viewers for a long time. This regret would then become the filter through which viewers viewed Jiang Yuqian, creating a fan base even stronger than the three seasons of "The Golden Era."
Why is it so easy for historical dramas to build a fanbase?
Because the emotions are so extreme, they are all about life and death separations, national hatred and family feuds, or even endless entanglements across three lifetimes.
Once the audience gets into the role, they empathize deeply with the character, and the actor, as the embodiment of the role, is naturally filtered and transformed into a pristine, unattainable figure.
Zhang Lan cursed Jiang Yuqian viciously and decided to reduce her public appearances for the time being.
Let's wait until the backlash against Friends Season 3 subsides.
-
Zhou Pingan placed a script called "The Flowing Light" in front of Yan Liang.
“This is an ancient costume fantasy drama that Bingyuan Video is preparing to film, an S+ level one, with the male lead.” Zhou Ping’an said to Yan Liang, “Although the third season of Friends was a flop, the market didn’t blame you for the show’s failure, thankfully.”
Yan Liang: "It was entirely expected that the third season of Friends would flop."
He picked up the script for "The Flowing Light" and asked, "This drama... the male lead isn't the typical handsome, fair-skinned, and thin type anymore? Can I play the role?"
Zhou Pingan said, "The male lead in this script is a war god, which suits you very well."
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang nodded. "Then I'll take it back and take a look at the script. When will filming begin?"
Zhou Ping'an: "The second half of the year, probably around July or August."
Yan Liang has no filming plans for this year, so he has plenty of time.
Zhou Ping'an hesitated for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Yan Liang asked, noticing that he was unusually hesitant to speak in front of him.
Zhou Pingan said, "The main characters of the first season of 'Squid Game' are basically all dead. The script for the second season hasn't been written yet. Why don't you ask Lu Yanhe if he can write a main character for you?"
Yan Liang glanced at Zhou Ping'an in surprise and said directly, "This is not appropriate."
Zhou Ping'an still refused to give up, saying, "Back when no one knew that the first season of 'Friends' would be successful, you were already in it. Do you think he wouldn't write it for you if you asked him for it?"
Yan Liang: "It has nothing to do with whether he will write it for me or not. I won't ask him for it."
"you--"
“Brother Ping’an, you don’t need to persuade me anymore.” Yan Liang looked at him. “You will never understand my relationship with Yan He, so I don’t expect you to understand why I won’t speak up. I’m just telling you that I won’t do this, and you shouldn’t do it either.”
Zhou Ping'an's expression immediately turned somewhat grim.
Yan Liang didn't say anything more. He actually knew very well what Zhou Ping'an was planning.
The first season of "The Squid Game" propelled Jiang Jun and Liu Zefan to A-list status, with Jiang Yuqian making a triumphant return, surpassing her contemporaries and enjoying unparalleled popularity. The show's international popularity and influence were so great that it was practically guaranteed that whoever starred in the second season would instantly become an internationally renowned actor—the power of a single production to elevate an actor's status was truly immense.
Yan Liang is already a top-tier actor in China, a rising star, but his international career hasn't even begun yet. Zhou Ping'an hopes that Yan Liang can use this opportunity to open up a wider market.
It should be noted that Yan Liang is currently Zhou Ping'an's only trump card in his hands, which allows him to negotiate with other partners.
Ma Zhiyuan is still reeling from the shock of becoming a father, and has started appearing on small variety shows to make money. Other celebrities, however, haven't been able to rise to fame and remain relatively unknown.
Zhou Ping'an could only make good use of Yan Liang as a card.
After the incident with Li Zhibai, Zhou Ping'an no longer dared to act as before, and at least outwardly he showed sufficient respect to Yan Liang.
However, Yan Liang's current attitude, and even his demeanor, infuriated Zhou Ping'an. Yan Liang exuded an aura that seemed to say, "You know I don't like you, and I know you don't value me that much. Let's just cooperate now and part ways amicably later." This made it impossible for Zhou Ping'an to say to Yan Liang the things he could say to Li Zhibai.
Yan Liang is more realistic and practical than Li Zhibai. Sometimes, Zhou Ping'an's words can fool Li Zhibai, but Zhou Ping'an doesn't even need to say a word to know that he can't fool Yan Liang. The person who used to be the most silent and obedient to him is now the one he can't get to the bottom of.
Zhou Ping'an was actually very annoyed. This stark contrast between his previous and current state of affairs made him not only angry but also feel powerless.
After Yan Liang left, Zhou Ping'an spent half a day alone in his office calming down before he could finally regain his composure.
After a while, Fuli, one of Zhou Ping'an's artists, arrived.
"Brother Ping An!" Fu Li knocked on the door and came in, giving Zhou Ping An a sweet smile. "I'm here."
Zhou Pingan glanced at her and nodded: "Sit down."
Furi sat down obediently.
Zhou Pingan took a script out of the drawer and placed it in front of Fuli.
Fuli picked it up with some surprise and glanced at it. The cover of the script had the words "Flowing Light" written on it.
"Brother Ping An, is this script... meant for me?"
Zhou Ping'an said, "I'm trying to get you the second female lead role. Familiarize yourself with the script and perform well in this drama, and maybe you'll become famous."
Furi couldn't hide her excitement.
"Thank you, Brother Ping An!"
Zhou Ping'an: "The male lead of this drama is Yan Liang. I asked you to get to know Yan Liang better before. How is your relationship with him now?"
Upon hearing this, Fuli immediately showed a hint of embarrassment.
"I've asked him out several times, but he hasn't come."
Zhou Ping'an frowned.
He carefully examined Furi's face.
The girl in front of me has never had plastic surgery; her facial features are perfectly proportioned enough to portray all sorts of "most beautiful women in the world."
How could Yan Liang remain unmoved by her?
Zhou Pingan asked, "He's not even willing to come out?"
“Yeah.” Fuli also felt wronged. “And he also told me not to ask him out anymore.”
"What?" Zhou Pingan looked at Fuli in surprise.
Tomori: "I don't know if I did something wrong."
Zhou Ping'an: "Show me your chat history with him."
Fuli obediently took out her phone and handed it to Zhou Pingan.
Zhou Ping'an took a look.
The first sentence in the message Fuli sent to Yan Liang was—
Brother Yanliang, Brother Ping'an asked me to communicate with you more. You have a lot of experience. If there is anything I don't understand in the future, can I ask you for advice?
Then, Yan Liang did not reply.
A week later, Fuli sent Yanliang a second message, asking him to go out. Yanliang said he had work and was busy.
Fuli made several more invitations, but Yan Liang always made various excuses to decline.
Until the very last time, Yan Liang directly told him not to ask him out again, as he wouldn't come.
After reading through these chat logs, Zhou Ping'an knew where the problem lay.
The first sentence in Tomita's story—
Brother Ping An asked me to communicate with you more.
Yan Liang wasn't unwilling to communicate with Fu Li, but he was very resistant to Zhou Ping'an, so he extended his dislike to him as well.
Zhou Pingan looked into Fu Li's pure eyes, which were also filled with worry, as if she were wondering if she had done something wrong, and sighed silently in his heart.
Zhou Ping'an didn't want to tell Fu Li not to blame herself, that Yan Liang ignoring her had nothing to do with her.
He said, "Forget it. Since he's unwilling to help you, don't force him. He's a rising star now, and I can't control him anymore."
Fuli silently watched Zhou Ping'an, maintaining a smile that seemed as if she didn't understand anything.
Zhou Ping'an: "I will try to get you this role. In addition, there is another program that I plan to arrange for you to participate in."
Fuli asked Zhou Pingan with some confusion, "What program is it?"
Zhou Pingan said, "It would be a shame if your image didn't follow a fashion route for a fashion-related program."
Furi smiled shyly and said, "May I?"
Zhou Ping'an: "Your appearance is the best I've ever seen, of course you can do it."
What Zhou Ping'an didn't say was that you might have to endure a few more years before actresses like Zhang Lan and Jiang Yuqian leave Xingyu.
-
Star Entertainment is a very peculiar company.
Despite its clear focus on idol artists, it boasts a more impressive roster of signed actors than any other talent agency.
Previously, the industry was dominated by female actors, with Jiang Yuqian, Zhang Lan, and Sui Xiaodie holding up half of the young actresses' careers, while only Zhang Zhiwen, a late bloomer, carried the torch for male actors. Who would have thought that in just a few years, Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang would rise to prominence in the film and television industry, especially the first one, who instantly elevated the male actor track to a top-tier level.
Domestic talent agencies are very different from their overseas counterparts. Generally, domestic agencies can only support one or two top-tier stars, as resources are limited, and maintaining a top star requires substantial resources. However, at Xingyu Entertainment, while big names aren't exactly ubiquitous, there are at least seven or eight. Before Ma Zhiyuan ruined himself, he was at the pinnacle of the domestic entertainment industry, not to mention the other actors.
In this situation, young artists at Star Entertainment face a very serious problem: it's too difficult for them to make a name for themselves.
If Fuli wants to make a name for herself, she either needs to pursue the path of a female idol or adopt a different image. Because in the actress category, Zhang Lan, Jiang Yuqian, and Sui Xiaodie have already monopolized Xingyu's top resources for actresses, leaving none for Fuli. Fuli can only wait until one of them doesn't renew their contract with Xingyu and leaves, only then will some of the resources become available for newcomers like Fuli to compete for.
So why did Zhou Ping'an want Yan Liang to star in the sequel to "The Squid Game"? Because resources are limited. Although Yan Liang is popular, he doesn't get a top-tier role like in the sequel. Yan Liang's biggest fanbase comes from "Friends," and now that show has flopped, it's a big question whether he can carry another show.
In particular, he has two dramas in preparation for broadcast, both of which he is the second lead in.
The market remains skeptical about Yan Liang's ability to lead the S+ mega-project.
In the drama "The Flowing Light", the male lead is also the second lead.
Zhou Ping'an hopes that Yan Liang can continue to star in another popular series to maintain his exposure and popularity.
Even today, Zhou Ping'an believes that Yan Liang's popularity is purely due to the sudden surge in popularity of the TV series "Friends".
Yan Liang himself doesn't have much star power.
If he doesn't maintain his position properly, Yan Liang will quickly become outdated.
This is Zhou Ping'an's assessment of Yan Liang.
-
"Yan Liang?" Zhang Lan frowned in surprise upon hearing the production team's choice of the male lead. "Why would you want to cast him as the male lead?"
Ma Sui, the producer of "The Flowing Light", told Zhang Lan: "There aren't many young actors on the market who have a tough-guy image. Yan Liang is the most popular one among them."
Upon hearing this explanation, Zhang Lan nodded noncommittally.
She said, "But Yan Liang is too young, only twenty-two years old, right? He's almost ten years younger than me. Although I look like he's the same age, the audience will still feel a bit uncomfortable when they see this show."
Ma Sui laughed and said, "Oh, you're worried about that? How could I? Right now, the most popular theme in the market is the relationship between an older woman and a younger man. Our script is also set up as a relationship between an older woman and a younger man. Besides, don't let his age of 22 fool you. He has a lot of male hormones. He filmed a movie called 'The Summit' before. We've seen some clips. He acted with a lot of sexual tension. It's completely different from our usual impression of him."
Zhang Lan hadn't expected Ma Sui to value Yan Liang so much. She hesitated for a moment before revealing her real concern: "But, as you know, the third season of 'Friends,' which I acted in with him, didn't do very well. If we were to work together again at this time, it might cause a lot of viewers to feel disgusted and resentful."
Ma Sui was taken aback.
She had never really thought of it that way before.
Zhang Lan said, "It's been a long time since I've acted in a period drama. I hope that this time, my return will be a surprise for the audience, not a shock."
Ma Sui hesitated for a moment, then said, "But Yan Liang was handpicked by the investors. If you really mind this, there's nothing we can do to replace him."
Zhang Lan: "..."
For a fleeting moment, Zhang Lan almost lost control of her expression and wanted to ask, "Do you mean if I don't accept this, you'll make me back out?"
In Zhang Lan's subconscious, Yan Liang was not on the same level as her at all.
Yan Liang is somewhat popular now, but not at the level of Lu Yanhe or Li Zhibai. Zhang Lan, on the other hand, has been in the industry for many years, has a solid foundation, and has produced many hit shows. Even though the third season of "Friends" flopped this time, she just had a blockbuster movie released last summer!
Zhang Lan never expected that in the eyes of the producer of "The Flowing Light", she would become someone who could be replaced.
After holding back for a long time, Zhang Lan finally swallowed her anger, pretending that she hadn't said anything, and smiled, "Yan Liang is indeed becoming popular now, and investors have personally selected him."
After saying that, he couldn't help but make another sarcastic remark.
"It's like he didn't star in the third season of Friends." The show flopped just as badly, so how come he seems unaffected?
Ma Sui smiled.
“I don’t know either,” Ma Sui said. “This drama is an S+ level production with an investment of over 100 million yuan. Our Bingyuan Video alone can’t afford it. It needs external investors to cover the costs. They specifically requested Yan Liang to play the role and even gave up the right to cast the female lead. Of course, we have to respect the investors’ opinions.”
Zhang Lan took a deep breath.
“Actually, Lanlan, I don’t think the problem you’re worried about is a problem,” Ma Sui advised. “We all know that the failure of the third season of Friends was not due to you actors. Its fans know this even better, so everyone is criticizing the director, right? In the drama 'The Flowing Light,' the female lead is the lead. It is still a female-centric ancient costume drama. Your acting skills are definitely not a problem when paired with Yan Liang.”
Zhang Lan: "I'll think about it some more."
After Zhang Lan left, Ma Sui's assistant, Yang Xue, asked, "Sister Sui, Zhang Lan isn't going to refuse to act, is she?"
In the eyes of major production companies and platforms, there are only a handful of actresses who can carry the weight of an S+ level historical romance drama and play the leading role.
Although Zhang Lan seems to be heavily criticized for the third season of "Friends", it has not affected her ability to carry a show in the eyes of the platform.
If Bingyuan Video can sign Zhang Lan and have her star in "The Flowing Light", they will definitely make a profit.
The name Zhang Lan alone could help "Liuguang Yin" recoup its costs in the first round of investment promotion.
Ma Sui said, "It's okay. In a couple of days, you can spread the word that the script for 'The Flowing Light' has been taken by Jiang Yuqian's team, and that Jiang Yuqian is also interested in the drama."
Yang Xue was taken aback.
Ma Sui smiled and said, "You entered this industry relatively late. Zhang Lan's most famous asset in the industry isn't anything else, but Jiang Yuqian's projects. She would snatch every single one of them. Back then, Jiang Yuqian always held a firm lead over her, and for many years, Zhang Lan couldn't surpass her. Now, Jiang Yuqian has returned to the peak of her career with 'The Squid Game.' What do you think Zhang Lan will do when she hears that Jiang Yuqian is also interested in this drama?"
Yang Xue seemed thoughtful, then asked, "Will Zhang Lan believe it?"
Ma Sui: "I will make her believe me."
-
What do you think of the script for "The Flowing Light"?
After Yan Liang took the script home, he read it himself and then gave it to Li Zhibai and Lu Yanhe, wanting to hear their opinions.
Lu Yanhe said, "To be honest, I think you asked the wrong person. The target audience for this drama is women. Whether the two of us think it's good or not is not important at all."
Li Zhibai nodded, "That's right. You should ask your female friends what they think of this script."
Yan Liang said, "The script is a secret, and my team is all men. Only you guys are somewhat reliable."
Lu Yanhe said, "So what do you think?"
"Hmm... I actually feel that these historical romance drama scripts are not that different, which is why I asked for your opinions. If I could see the differences between them and know which one is better or worse, I wouldn't have asked," Yan Liang said.
Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai carefully flipped through the first episode of the script for "Liuguang Yin," and more than half an hour passed while they were reading it.
After watching it, Li Zhibai said, "It's alright, better than the script for 'Bai Yu Yao' that I acted in before. However, I've only watched the first episode so far. Isn't your screen time a bit limited?"
"Yes, my scenes only gradually come out later," Yan Liang said. "After all, this is still a female-centric drama."
Lu Yanhe: "But this character is quite charming. I find it very engaging. A young war god who suddenly loses his fighting power, is looked down upon by many people, and has to start all over again... This setting makes me really want to see the moment he returns to his peak."
Yan Liang: "Zhou Ping'an said the same thing. He said that this character has a particularly good personality and can attract fans. He said that as an artist, my biggest shortcoming is that I have too few die-hard fans."
Zhou Ping'an's thinking is not from the perspective of an actor taking on a good role, but rather from the perspective of whether the role can bring fans to the actor.
However, neither Lu Yanhe nor Li Zhibai are the kind of people who are well protected and whose hearts are only devoted to art.
"Putting aside other aspects, Zhou Ping'an's eye for choosing roles for actors is quite impressive." Lu Yanhe pointed at Li Zhibai. "Look at him, although he didn't want to act in several dramas, in the end, it proved that the dramas were not only popular, but also helped Li Zhibai gain a wave of fans, which made him qualified to choose the dramas he wanted to act in. He has been recognized by the platform and investors."
Yan Liang nodded.
Li Zhibai also said, "Come on, how did it become his achievement? Wasn't it because I acted well?"
"Of course you acted well too." Lu Yanhe didn't argue with Li Zhibai; he knew Li Zhibai was just being stubborn.
“If the character is well-developed and truly resonates with many people, you might as well give it a try,” Lu Yanhe said frankly. “Your previous works, ‘The Gold Rush’ and ‘The Summit,’ were genre-specific films that didn’t quite fit the mainstream market. Why not take on a period drama? Putting aside other factors, there aren’t many period drama scripts that suit you… Currently, almost all period drama scripts on the market feature male leads like Li Zhibai. It’s rare to find one where you can show off your physique, muscles, and a more rugged, masculine aura.”
Li Zhibai glanced at Lu Yanhe and muttered "Damn it."
Yan Liang: "I believe you."
Lu Yanhe: "However, I don't know if what I said is right or wrong. In the end, you have to make the decision yourself."
“Hmm.” Yan Liang nodded. “I… actually, if I really like a script and want to act in it as soon as I see it, I will decide to take it directly. That’s how I took on ‘The Gold Rush’ and ‘The Summit’. ‘The Flowing Light’ is not the kind of subject matter that I am usually interested in, but it is indeed a very popular subject matter. Even though many people say that they are tired of this subject matter, there are still hit shows every year, which is an indisputable fact.”
“Of course. Look at Li Zhibai’s ‘The Legend of the White Jade.’ He was criticized for being melodramatic and cliché, but people still made him cry buckets.” Lu Yanhe said, “Those who criticize this kind of drama are not actually the target audience for this kind of drama. When I write scripts, I often feel that extreme emotions are not so easy to write, because the more extreme something is, the more unrealistic it becomes, and the more unrealistic something is, the harder it is for people to empathize with it. Look at those hit historical dramas, none of them are without extreme emotions that made people immerse themselves in them and believe in them.”
"Just like in 'The Legend of the White Jade,' the immortal played by Li Zhibai, in order to save the female lead, infuses his entire cultivation into a little demon's body to help her overcome her death tribulation, while he himself becomes a mortal and falls to earth. It's actually a very common plot, even arguably too cliché. But you can see similar plots in almost every fantasy drama. In 'The Legend of the White Jade,' the script and dialogue are very sincere, neither exaggerated nor pretentious. The two actors also performed very convincingly. Once the audience's trust is established and they immerse themselves in the plot, which girl wouldn't cry her eyes out? Which girl wouldn't be moved by a male lead who is willing to sacrifice himself to save her after identifying with the female lead?"
Li Zhibai looked at Lu Yanhe in surprise, "Old Lu, I didn't expect you to have such a deep understanding of 'The Ballad of the White Jade'?"
(End of this chapter)
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