Chapter 479
The morning sun slanted across the blinds inside the house. Zhou Xiao, standing at the doorway, tapped lightly with two fingers pressed together. At the director's "Come in," he stepped inside with a cheerful gait.
The room's layout remained unchanged, complete with a long table and a few chairs. This silently announced to everyone who entered the room that the film casting was still ongoing and would take some time to conclude.
The green plants placed in the corner of the long table were still a little wilted. A closer look revealed fingernail marks of varying depths on some of the yellowed leaves. Zhou Xiao thought for a moment. The older man who had previously sat in this position seemed to have thinning hair. Perhaps he was under a lot of pressure?
Zhou Xiao didn't rush to speak after entering. Instead, she quietly waited for Director Fang to finish reading the text she was currently reading. Even though Director Fang had probably read that text countless times, she still read it very attentively.
Feeling a shadow falling on the paper directly in front of him, Fang Xi slowly raised his head, his gaze shifting from the fragment of dialogue on the paper to the person in front of him. The next moment, a voice echoed from inside the room, indicating Fang Xi's extremely good mood. "Xiao Zhou, why didn't you make a sound when you came in? I thought someone was looking for me so early in the morning."
The recent casting has really made her brain like a paste. Fang Xi feels that compared to casting, she really prefers reading everyone's review of the script.
Leaning back in her chair, Fang Xi glanced down at the time and saw that they still had about ten minutes until their casting appointment. So, while she spoke, she extended her hand and beckoned Zhou Xiao to sit next to her.
After hearing Zhou Xiao ask for two days off because of Ji Shao, Fang Xi pondered for a moment before speaking, "Xiao Zhou, this is a critical period for us..."
"It's not that I don't agree. How about this," Fang Xi put down the black pen in his hand, raised his hand and patted Zhou Xiao's shoulder. "When you shoot, I'll help you. Let's go together!"
"Ah?" Zhou Xiao, who initially thought that Director Fang was unwilling to approve the leave, looked at the other party in surprise after hearing the second half of the sentence.
Help?
"Hey, you also think it's a bit unfair for me to be an assistant, don't you?" Fang Xi teased Zhou Xiao, and every wrinkle on his face seemed to be full of smiles. "I'll introduce you to Xincheng when the time comes, okay, our little Director Zhou?"
Zhou Xiao knew that using new actors in films and TV series was normal. While newcomers might have shortcomings in experience, acting skills, familiarity, and resilience, their advantages were also obvious. And for Director Fang, using newcomers was already a skill he'd mastered long ago.
But in a project with such a large investment, choosing a newcomer like Zhou Xiao as the director of Group B would certainly have drawn a lot of criticism, even though Zhou Xiao had already gained considerable fame as a photographer and director.
Fang Xi didn't really want to go with Zhou Xiao to the shoot, but rather wanted New Town to proactively signal its approval of Zhou Xiao. New Town was a long-established entertainment company, and with its support, Zhou Xiao would be less likely to face pressure from public opinion.
Even though Fang Xi felt that Xincheng should have no reason to exclude Zhou Xiao, getting a response in advance would be good for everyone and would make them feel more at ease.
Zhou Xiao almost immediately understood what Director Fang meant. She looked into his eyes, which were filled with smiles, and felt the warm and firm strength on his shoulders. Instinctively, she stood up slightly, and subconsciously reached out and gently embraced Fang Xi.
A faint woody aroma lingered at the tip of his nose, evoking a sense of the lush green fields of spring and the warm autumn sun beneath the clear, cloudless sky. Surrounded by this warmth, brimming with the scent of grass and trees, Zhou Xiao whispered a thank you, earning Fang Xi the brightest and most joyful laugh she had heard in days.
…
Yunnan Province.
After receiving Zhou Xiao's confirmation, Chen Shenju, who was staying in her B&B room, called Feng Ruogu directly and said, "Teacher Zhou has agreed to the filming. Could you please follow up with me about the filming location when the time comes?"
Chen Shenju was very happy. This fan meeting was of special significance because it was not only Ji Shao's first fan meeting, but also the first offline event preparation after Ji Shao returned to New Town.
"No problem, I'll ask the legal department to draft the contract." Feng Ruogu couldn't suppress a smile on his face when he heard the news that Chen Shenju's filming invitation was successful.
This was a beautiful move, and technically, she completely trusted Zhou Xiao. She even experienced Zhang Hongyu's situation after the CCTV Mid-Autumn Festival Gala a while ago. If they were more familiar with each other, they might even become close friends, sharing their experiences and sharing their negative experiences.
Not only did Feng Ruogu have previous collaborations with some artists, but even the production crews of some variety shows that had stages had approached her. And these were all external people. Besides a few artists from her own company who had previously worked with Zhou Xiao, many had their agents and assistants approach her.
Feng Ruogu felt a headache. Teacher Zhou already had his own studio, so why would he come to her? Even if there was a relationship with Ji Shao, that was all it was. As for whether or not to use up this favor for someone else, Feng Ruogu wasn't that stupid. With her, that was absolutely impossible.
"Ding Dong" Just as I finished sighing, the computer in front of me made a message notification sound.
Opening the chat page and reading the brand's response, Feng Ruogu couldn't help but smile. Even with the free tickets already in place, this was Ji Shao's first fan meeting, and not only had the top management specifically allocated funds to support it, but even the brands that had partnered with Ji Shao were willing to contribute.
The hand cream from the skincare brand that was about to be officially announced, the T-shirts sponsored by WP, the season pass for Blueberry Music & Video, the sports bracelet under Particle... Feng Ruogu couldn't help swallowing his saliva when he was thinking about these sponsorships.
How much would this be worth if converted to market price? No, I still have to ask the higher-ups to send two people from other departments to check the quantity! If this can still be embezzled, her name, Feng Ruogu, will be written backwards!
Elsewhere, after Chen Shenju relayed his reply, he was led by Song Xiao to squat on the roadside, watching Ji Shao and his group set up a stall to attract customers. As for Zhou Xiao's mention of bringing his assistant, he felt that Teacher Zhou was being too polite.
Of course, back to the set. It must be said that this CCTV program truly focuses on authenticity. * When Chen Shenju first came along, he and Song Xiao had planned to secretly help Ji Shao clean the guesthouse to relieve his stress. However, as soon as they managed to steal the broom, they were caught.
Then, at a production team meeting that afternoon, they were publicly criticized. Of course, they weren't the only ones being criticized. Besides the two hosts, even the regulars were accompanied by managers and assistants. As the number of people being criticized grew, everyone became more familiar with each other.
Although some people at the beginning obviously thought that they could not please Ji Shao and came to please their two "assistants", but with Chen Shenju and Song Xiao pretending to be stupid, they quickly gave up this idea.
So this variety show was actually more like a paid vacation for the two of them. The scenery in Yunnan Province was truly beautiful, and even squeezing into a large bunk bed with the production crew was a rare and happy experience.
The sky is just too blue and the sun is too bright.
As Chen Shenju squatted at the edge of the grass, squinting his eyes and feeling the intense sun, he heard someone next to him start calling him softly. First, "Chen Shenju," then "Brother Chen," and finally "Old Chen." As the voices grew increasingly rude, Chen Shenju knew who was calling him.
"Lao Chen, Lao Chen!" Cheese, who was wearing a big wide hat and applying sunscreen frantically before going out, moved over quietly, with a little follower following behind her.
The tenants of "Business Simulator" are all selected through appointment. In addition to some fans who come specifically to try their luck, there are also many locals and tourists who want to be variety show stars.
This was a good thing for the production team. Their biggest concern at the beginning was that only fans would participate in the reservation. One or two would be fine, but too many would naturally affect the filming.
The production team provided QR codes three days in advance for everyone to register and then go through a screening process. After this screening, at least Chen Shenju didn't encounter any familiar faces during the recording period.
Today, Ji Shao and his team are recruiting people to prepare for the next filming, and this batch is also the last episode of the homestay filming. At the end of the last day, there will be a grand bonfire party to celebrate the end of the program recording, and local villagers will be invited to participate.
"Are you two going?" Chen Shenju was incredibly familiar with his line manager. After a moment's deliberation, and looking at the tightly wrapped figure beside her, he hesitantly asked, "Are you... Qi... Miao?"
"Yes!" "Oh, Lao Chen, you have such sharp eyes!"
"Go if you want to. This is the last recruitment," Chen Shenju said in a very serious tone.
He knew it. During the previous production team's screening of submitted tenant applications, Chen Shenju, sensing something was amiss, shamelessly followed along. After reviewing the dazzling array of applications, he fell silent.
Among all the requests, there wasn't a single face from a familiar offline fan. It was a chance to be so close to Ji Shao, yet no one had applied. It was obvious who it was for.
But after hearing what Lao Chen said, Cheese and Qimiao shook their heads almost at the same time.
"Oh, this isn't the same as a regular variety show after all," Cheese said. "We've all made an appointment so as not to cause trouble for Xiao Shao! If it were to be something else, we'd definitely rush to do it!"
Seeing the expressions on Chen Shenju and Song Xiao's faces, Cheese and Qimiao looked at each other, both with smiles in their eyes and ecstasy in their hearts.
Feels OK!
"Brother Chen, Brother Song," Qimiao, who had been silent all this time, spoke up. "For the bonfire party in a few days... can we..."
The production team has been setting up the venue for the past two days. It can be said that everyone nearby knows that there will be a bonfire party in a few days, so Qimiao also secretly hinted to Chen Shenju.
"I'll take care of this for you," Chen Shenju said proudly, waving his hand. "Thank you for all the hard work you've put in Yun Province."
At this time, Song Xiao, who was squatting next to Chen Shenju, suddenly spoke up, looked at Cheese and asked directly, "How many fans do we have here?"
Cheese, who wasn't very familiar with Song Xiao, answered honestly, "There are four left now, and the other two are at the B&B."
"Brother Ji asked me to give you some tickets for the fan meeting," Song Xiao scratched his head. "When the time comes, use the fan club account to send a private message to Xincheng's account with a delivery address. I'll have the company send you ten tickets."
The two people who originally just wanted to join in the bonfire party looked at each other in confusion. When they regained consciousness, they both covered their mouths, fearing that their screams would disturb a group of people who were filming not far away.
"Brother! You're my real brother! No, both of you are my real brothers!" Cheese was so happy that she almost jumped up. She quickly took out her phone and skillfully opened a certain blog. "No need to wait, I'll post it now!"
The speed was so fast that Chen Shenju and Song Xiao, who were present, were both stunned. After exchanging glances, they both sighed as they looked at the two people in front of them, their heads touching as they quickly typed. Holding a fan meeting for these fans was, as Brother Ji had said, a little too late!
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