Zheng Bohan said kindly, "Then you might need to memorize your lines properly. The female lead has so many scenes, it's impossible for her not to say her lines."
"That's why I came to you!" Su Ge said matter-of-factly. "My dad said you're a top-notch screenwriter in the TV drama industry. So you must be very good at revising scripts, right? Think of a way to reduce the female lead's lines, preferably to the point where she doesn't have to speak at all."
Su Ge had already made up her mind. Speaking numbers or referring to the teleprompter in front of Qin Tianye was out of the question; that would ruin her perfect image in Qin's eyes. But memorizing lines was absolutely out of the question as well.
Su Ge was well aware of her own memory—she even obtained her education by attending a mediocre high school and university abroad, and her father had to donate several buildings to get her a grade of A. Su Ge didn't think her brain was capable of handling such a difficult task as memorizing lines.
In that case, we'll just have to put up with a bit of trouble for screenwriter Zheng Bohan. We can always give him more money. Problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems.
Su Ge extended an olive branch to Zheng Bohan: "How about I add another five million?"
Zheng Bohan opened his mouth.
Zheng Bohan shut his mouth again.
He didn't want to entertain such a spoiled brat, but she... she gave him too much.
There's no such thing as a female lead who doesn't have to speak, but when the other party throws out five million, then there can be one.
Zheng Bohan gritted his teeth and said, "Let me think about it some more."
Enough of the digressions. In short, after Qin Tianye's return and the drama surrounding their performance, Su Ge finally calmed down and stopped mentioning script revisions. Zheng Bohan thus inexplicably regained control of his script.
Zheng Bohan was so unsteady on his feet that he didn't know what kind of incredible luck he had. He got the money and the screenwriting rights were also returned to his hometown!
Zheng Bohan pondered for a moment before looking up at Shang Yechu in front of him.
Shang Yechu sat awkwardly opposite Zheng Bohan and said, "Teacher Zheng."
Zheng Bohan carefully examined the other person's face and said, "She looks much better after tidying herself up. In the entertainment industry, girls still need to take care of their appearance."
Shang Yechu's beauty stat has reached 70, and she can now be described as pretty. She could be even prettier with makeup.
Zheng Bohan, having seen countless handsome men and beautiful women, didn't find Shang Yechu anything special. He just felt that compared to the day of the interview, she seemed much more refined and pleasing to the eye now.
Shang Yechu smiled, a smile that made her fair face look even softer.
No one would find such a smile offensive. But Zheng Bohan slowly frowned.
Zheng Bohan scrutinized Shang Yechu, and after a moment, shook his head and said, "Your temperament doesn't seem to match the role I envisioned."
Shang Yechu was taken aback. "Director Zheng, what kind of temperament do you want for the character?"
Zheng Bohan gestured slowly and said, "It needs to be sharper—your temperament is too gentle, you don't have that kind of aura."
Business acumen possesses a unique calm demeanor, along with a subtle scholarly air. This quality is certainly distinctive in the Chinese entertainment industry, but it's not what Zheng Bohan desires.
After a brief moment of overreaction, Zheng Bohan calmed down.
“Aura…” Shang Yechu pondered for a moment, “Is it the aura of an emperor?”
"Hmm, you're thinking big," Zheng Bohan said with a smile, shaking his head. "Let's assume that's the case for now. What, you're confident?"
“I really don’t have much experience with this kind of role,” Shang Yechu said slowly. “Teacher Zheng, how about this, you give me two days so I can figure it out.”
Zheng Bohan nodded: "Alright. You go ahead." He also needed time to organize the script and see how to write the "female lead who doesn't have to speak" that Su Ge requested.
The thought of this gave Zheng Bohan a headache again.
Shang Yechu stood up, already about to leave. Zheng Bohan gazed at her slender figure, and for some reason, suddenly blurted out, "Little Ye, do you know any way to make the protagonist of a work not have to speak?"
After asking the question, Zheng Bohan laughed at himself. He was really grasping at straws in his desperation. Shang Yechu wasn't a professional screenwriter; how could she possibly know this?
Shang Yechu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Teacher Zheng, aren't there many works like this? For example, Xue Lijian's role as the mute father in 'The Wine Pot,' and the American film 'Alien Story.'"
Zheng Bohan certainly knew about those two movies. But given the length of the films, it wouldn't make a big difference if the main characters couldn't speak for an hour or two.
If a TV series has 30 or 40 episodes, and the main character dares to just stare blankly for dozens of episodes, he can expect to be scolded mercilessly by the audience.
Besides, with Su Ge's acting skills, can she play a mute person or a silent alien?
Zheng Bohan waved his hand weakly: "Fine, I won't make things difficult for you. Go ahead and think about how to develop your aura."
-----
What exactly is an aura?
There are many similar terms in the entertainment industry, such as "star quality," "popularity," and "superstar aura." But when it comes to a real discussion, no one can really give a clear answer.
Shang Yechu had never been a superstar for a single day, so he really didn't know what charisma was.
Shang Yechu simply sat on the film set and started searching for some runway show videos. Those models were often praised by the media for having "aura," and Shang Yechu wanted to see them.
The lights flickered, and the stars glittered. After watching for only a short while, Shang Yechu had to admit that these people did indeed possess a certain aura.
But that's not right. That's not right.
Shang Ye closed the page.
An emperor—let's just say an emperor. What should an emperor's aura be like?
Shang Yechu remembered seeing a movie before. The killer in the movie described humans with the phrase, "You won't remember how many slices of bread you've eaten."
Should the emperor also do the same?
All the people under heaven are the emperor's private property. Would a miser remember how many gold coins are in his treasury?
In short, an emperor's aura could never be like that of a model on a runway. The purpose of a fashion show is to increase brand exposure, which, to put it bluntly, is to sell clothes. It uses these charismatic models to exaggerate the design of the clothing and highlight the brand's style.
What does the emperor need to sell? The whole world is his!
Shang Yechu casually wrote down his thoughts on a sticky note.
What the emperor needs most is perhaps precisely this—
"Miss Shang, could you please do me a favor?"
Shang Yechu's thoughts were suddenly interrupted. When she looked up, she saw a young woman she didn't know standing in front of her.
The other person was dressed simply, had a capable demeanor, and a smile on their face that was as perfect as if it had been measured with a protractor.
The woman extended her hand and politely said to Shang Yechu, "I am Ms. Su Ge's agent, my name is Lin Hui."
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