Chapter 180 Dare to Love and Hate
Charlie disagreed with Hu Xiaoxiao's role change. He was willing to exchange such a good resource, so of course he wanted to maximize the benefits. Playing Fang Jiao'er and partnering with Chang Wanming, recreating the myth of the screen couple, was the fastest way to create a popular young actor.
Hu Xiaoxiao has been dealing with Charlie for so many years and knows best how to convince him.
"Charlie, do you remember why you were willing to support me? It was because the original cast member, Yuna, withdrew, and you couldn't find anyone else, so you had to let me take the role. Do you remember how I persuaded you back then? I'm still going to do that today. Charlie, it's better to rely on yourself than to rely on others. Instead of asking others for help, it's better to have it yourself." Hu Xiaoxiao said sincerely, "Mingxu is gone, and sooner or later I will leave the TV station too. Who will you find to play your male lead role then? Are you going to ask Sister Linda again? Do you want to be humbled to Sister Linda?"
Of course Charlie didn't want to. After dealing with Linda for so many years and having been her enemy for so many years, he was the person in the company least willing to ask Linda for help. "So, I'm here to ask you for help now."
"But I have my own career plan. I've worked so hard to get to where I am today. Put yourself in my shoes. If you were in my shoes, would you be willing to lower your status by being a supporting role for a newcomer? How many resources do you have that could attract me and make me willing to play a supporting role?" Hu Xiaoxiao continued.
"You should train another talented actress by then. You signed another Miss Hong Kong this year. You have so many people under you, it's just right to choose one to partner with Chang Wanming and create a brand new screen couple, a brand new face. Chang Wanming and I are not a good match at all. When the audience sees us paired together, they will compare us. How do you think Chang Wanming compares to Mingxu? Instead of being compared and being criticized for your poor taste, it's better to form a new pair."
Seeing Charlie's expression softening, Hu Xiaoxiao suggested, "The Guan Yinghua you signed earlier is good-looking, hardworking, and has developed her acting skills. It's time to support her. Otherwise, you've wasted another good talent."
"You make it sound so easy." Charlie wasn't so easily fooled either. He said bluntly, "I'm afraid if I promote her again, she'll become another you, and when she grows stronger, she'll come back to piss me off."
Who would have thought that it was Hu Xiaoxiao who came to him to ask for roles before, but now the situation has changed and it is his turn to ask Hu Xiaoxiao to bring in newcomers.
Alas, things change over time.
Hu Xiaoxiao said confidently, "You're overthinking it. I'm different, completely different from everyone else. Not everyone can be like me. You've been in the company for so many years, have you ever seen anyone as sharp as me? So you can praise me as much as you want, but you won't be able to make anyone as famous as me."
Charlie was angry again, "If I can't make it famous, what else can I promote?"
"If you can't make someone as famous as me, you can at least make someone a little famous," said Hu Xiaoxiao.
Charlie was neither angry nor amused. He pointed at Hu Xiaoxiao and said, "I've never seen anyone as confident as you."
Hu Xiaoxiao said as a matter of course, "My confidence is based on my strength. I'm much more capable than others, so why can't I be more confident than them? And wasn't it because of my confidence that you took a fancy to me in the first place?"
"Okay, okay, I can't argue with you." Charlie looked at his watch. It was almost time to get off work, so he got back to the point. "I know about the new talent promotion and I have a plan. You don't have to worry about it. You can play Fang Jiao'er first. I'll find Guan Yinghua and Chang Wanming to play with you in the next play."
"Why wait until the next drama? Let them start with this one. Then I can help you guide Guan Yinghua and teach her some experience. Charlie, it's not that I don't want to play the female lead, but Chang Wanming and I really don't match at all, let alone tacit understanding. It's uncomfortable to act with him."
"Aren't you two getting along well? The paparazzi have caught you guys having private interactions several times. I just heard that you and Chang Wanming caused a big commotion in the program department. You're so close, isn't that enough?" Charlie obviously didn't know the specific news from the program department.
Hu Xiaoxiao said, "Believe it or not, if I ever get down on my luck, Chang Wanming will be the first one to kick me and spit on me."
Charlie was stunned. In all his time knowing Hu Xiaoxiao, he had never seen her so resistant to any artist. In the end, he and Hu Xiaoxiao argued for a long time over the role before he finally gave in, but only after asking Hu Xiaoxiao to direct two more dramas in exchange for resources.
Similarly, Hu Xiaoxiao can agree to direct a drama, but he has to choose the role himself.
In "A Laughing River and Lake," Hu Xiaoxiao plays the character named Qu Xiaoman. Qu Xiaoman is the daughter of a demonic cult elder, a woman with a bold personality that can love and hate, a person of both good and evil. In her eyes, there is no such thing as good and evil, only the good and evil of the human heart.
When Qu Xiaoman was traveling around the world hiding her identity, she met Wu Siyuan, a man from a famous and upright family, and they fell in love with each other.
After they got married, they had a son named Wu Yuzheng, who is the male protagonist of "A Smiling, Proud Wanderer", the role played by Chang Wanming.
In other words, Hu Xiaoxiao plays Chang Wanming's mother.
After Qu Xiaoman's identity as a member of the Demonic Cult is exposed, Wu Siyuan cannot accept that his wife is a member of the Demonic Cult and demands to sever all ties with her. Qu Xiaoman believes she has done nothing wrong to the honorable and upright sect and has a clear conscience. Seeing her husband's stubbornness, she is furious and returns to the Demonic Cult with the young Wu Yuzheng.
The Demon Cult was plagued by internal strife, and Qu Xiaoman was murdered in the process. Before her death, she asked her confidant to send Wu Yuzheng to be raised by Wu Siyuan, the new leader. Unexpectedly, her confidant was hunted down and tragically killed. Since then, young Wu Yuzheng has been wandering the world alone, growing up through many twists and turns, and learning martial arts from cunning men.
Hu Xiaoxiao really likes Qu Xiaoman's character of daring to love and hate. When she falls in love, she will do it regardless of everything, and when she doesn't love, she will withdraw quickly and never be fussy. Her character is also decisive and never drags her feet. It will be very enjoyable to play the role.
Of course, Qu Xiaoman's role was limited to a few episodes, so to show his sincerity and to make Charlie feel that the resources were worthwhile, Hu Xiaoxiao agreed to help Charlie train the actors, especially the female actors. She had played Mu Guiying in two successful productions, and her production experience made Charlie envious, so Charlie asked Hu Xiaoxiao to participate in the production.
Hu Xiaoxiao agreed. After all, she couldn't get all the benefits. Besides, she was just involved in the production and did some work of giving instructions. It was not as hard as "Mu Guiying Takes Command" which she had to do all by herself.
The cast of "A Smiling Face in a Jianghu" has been assembled, and filming will start immediately after the characters are selected.
Charlie followed Hu Xiaoxiao's advice and cast Guan Yinghua as the heroine Fang Jiao'er, but slightly altered the role to include some martial arts scenes.
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