Chapter 024
There was another room in the B&B with the light on.
Through the thin curtains, the light flickers slightly, and light and shadows interweave.
Kang Boye poked his head out from under the quilt and rubbed his sleepy eyes. In front of him, Qin Li was sitting on the bed, holding a tablet, still reading a script.
Kang Boye glanced at the mobile phone charging on the bedside table. It was already one o'clock in the morning.
"Cousin? Are you still awake?"
Qin Li flipped through the script and found that he only had one episode left to finish.
"You go to sleep first, I'll watch for a while."
Kang Boye buried his head in the quilt and said, "Then you should go to bed early."
Qin Li spent another half an hour reading one episode. The moment he finished, he felt unsatisfied and was eager to know the subsequent plot.
Jiang Tao only gave him three episodes of the script, which was very rich in content. Qin Li watched it for nearly two hours. He didn't know whether this drama would be a big hit after it was broadcast, but he felt that it would definitely be a drama with good reputation.
Qin Li is 27 years old this year. He has played both the leading male role and the supporting male role. Most of the leading male roles he can get are small-budget web dramas, while the supporting male roles are big-budget ones, but the highlights are all on the leading male role, not him.
Qin Li knew that it would be difficult for him to make further progress in the idol drama field. He was not good-looking enough, but had a very handsome appearance. When he was in school, his teacher said that he was suitable for serious dramas.
As for serious dramas, they become popular slowly, but the benefits will last for a long time, and you may have enough food to eat until you retire.
Therefore, it is time for Qin Li to transform himself. He cannot get into big-budget dramas yet, and a small-scale production like "Bottom Line" is a good opportunity.
Early the next morning, Qin Li came to find Jiang Tao. The door of the room was ajar. Xiao Yu was washing up in the bathroom. Jiang Tao opened the door with foam in his mouth and brushing his teeth.
"Director Jiang, I really like Teacher Xiao's script," Qin Li praised generously, "If I have the opportunity, I would also like to act in this play!"
"Oh!" Jiang Tao went to the bathroom to spit out some foam, rinsed his mouth, and came back to pat Qin Li's shoulder vigorously, "Young man! You have good taste! The script written by my wife is of course good! You have only watched the third episode now, I tell you, the plot later is even more exciting!"
The three-episode script is enough to reflect the screenwriter's creative skills. Moreover, Xiao Yu has a successful precedent. If it weren't for the capital chaos, her subsequent works would not have failed.
"I am very interested in the role of 'Xiang Fei'," Qin Li said straight to the point, "If I am allowed to interpret this role, I will definitely be able to play it well!"
Jiang Tao's expression froze.
Xiang Fei, the male protagonist of "Bottom Line".
He had already decided on this role. Currently, Shen Xinghe is a perfect match for Xiang Fei in terms of character image and acting skills, so Jiang Tao is unwilling to change.
Jiang Tao: "Xiao Qin, we already have a candidate for the male lead, how about you change him? I think the second male lead is not bad either, and the special guest is not bad either..."
Qin Li paused, "Which teacher plays Xiang Fei?"
Jiang Tao scratched his messy hair, "A little actor, not famous..."
Qin Li breathed a sigh of relief. He was not famous and seemed to have no competitiveness.
"Director Jiang, Bottom Line hasn't gotten any investment yet. If I can play the male lead, the platform will give Bottom Line a higher rating, and it will be easier for you to get investment. Don't worry, I don't want any salary. I can use my salary as a share, which will save you a lot of money, and I can also help you get investment. What do you think?"
Qin Li's offer was so tempting that Jiang Tao would have been tempted if he hadn't met Shen Xinghe.
But there is a certain gap between Qin Li's image and Xiang Fei's. Although serious dramas like good-looking actors, Xiang Fei is a ruffian character. Before he became a criminal policeman, he had a period of decadence and worked as a gangster. Later, he became a policeman, but lost his memory and became a criminal.
It was Xiang Fei's experience as a gangster that allowed him to become a criminal with ease after losing his memory.
Therefore, Xiang Fei’s appearance cannot be too regular.
Shen Xinghe is a perfect fit for Xiang Fei. He has a kind of ruffian-like handsomeness, and a down-and-out, unruly feeling.
In terms of character image, Qin Li is not the best choice.
Jiang Tao finally rejected Qin Li. He refused the influence of capital, and naturally refused anyone to interfere with the male and female protagonists. If he couldn't use the most suitable actors in his mind, wouldn't he repeat the same mistakes?
The door of the room was closed, and Qin Li stood in the corridor, unconsciously clenching his fists.
Suddenly, there were sparse sounds behind me.
Qin Li turned around and saw Ye Luoyi behind him.
Ye Luoyi was wearing an elegant green dress with her hair tied into a low bun. She was bathed in the sunlight from the slanted window, looking gentle and beautiful.
She looked at Qin Li, apologetically, "Sorry, Brother Qin, I was just passing by and didn't mean to listen to what you were saying."
Ye Luoyi's voice was very pleasant, clear and pleasing to the ear. Qin Li felt his heart tremble and his Adam's apple rolled up and down.
"Nothing."
For a non-first-tier actor like him, being rejected for acting is the norm. Unless they are first-tier and top-tier, or actors with their own capital like Zhou Qingyu, other actors have experienced rejection to some extent.
However, Qin Li felt a little embarrassed that the person he liked saw his failure.
Ye Luoyi comforted Qin Li, "Brother Qin, Director Jiang just felt that the role was not suitable for me. It doesn't mean anything. I have watched your plays and I really like the roles you played!"
Qin Li felt the lost little man in his heart raise his head, and the whole person became excited, "Have you seen my play?"
"Of course!"
Ye Luoyi walked to Qin Li's side calmly, and the two of them walked towards the living room downstairs together. "I'm a fan of the original novel. I've watched all the IPs you've acted in. When I watched you act, I felt like the characters came alive!"
The stairs going downstairs were very narrow. Ye Luoyi was wearing a sleeveless long skirt and Qin Li was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. They walked side by side.
Ye Luoyi's arm would always touch Qin Li inadvertently, and Qin Li could feel the warmth of her skin, like delicate silk brushing gently, with a hint of tenderness that was hard to resist.
Qin Li's heart couldn't help but beat faster. Every time the arm touched him, it was like a weak electric current passing through his whole body.
He secretly turned his head and his eyes fell on Ye Luoyi's beautiful profile. The delicate features looked even more charming in the early morning light.
Qin Li has liked Ye Luoyi for many years.
When he was in school, Qin Li was obese and was bullied by his classmates. On his way home from school, he was blocked in an alley by several thugs and was asked for protection money.
Qin Li was 17 years old at that time. Although he was tall and fat, it was all fat. He was frightened by the gangsters and didn't know what to do. He took out all his money to compensate them.
14-year-old Ye Luoyi happened to pass by and called the police.
After the gangsters left, Ye Luoyi trotted over to Qin Li and said, "Brother, it's okay. The police are here and have chased those bad guys away!"
That was the first time Qin Li saw light in 17 years, and he felt an angel falling beside him.
Later, Qin Li couldn't help but pay attention to Ye Luoyi. For Ye Luoyi, he lost weight from a fat man of more than 300 pounds to a handsome man of 140 pounds.
But he still didn't dare to approach Ye Luoyi.
Ye Luoyi is kind and beautiful. She is also the only daughter of the wealthy Ye family and is liked by many people.
But Qin Li was just an ordinary person, and he felt that he was not worthy. Even after becoming an actor and working in the entertainment industry with Ye Luoyi, Qin Li still felt that Ye Luoyi was out of his reach.
Perhaps only a young master from a wealthy family like Pei Yubai is worthy of Ye Luoyi.
"Brother Qin? Brother Qin?"
Ye Luoyi called Qin Li softly.
Qin Li woke up from a dream, "Sorry, I was distracted just now."
"It's okay. I also sometimes daydream for unknown reasons~" Ye Luoyi smiled sympathetically. Her smile was as gentle as ever, like a spring breeze blowing into Qin Li's heart.
The cell phone suddenly rang, and the caller ID showed "Momo".
Qin Li glanced at him, his expression froze, and he immediately hung up the phone.
Ye Luoyi covered her mouth and laughed teasingly, "Could it be my sister-in-law? It's late at night in China now, my sister-in-law must be missing you!"
Qin Li's eyes flashed with an unnatural look, "No way, I'm single, it's just a harassing phone call."
Ye Luoyi: "Oh, you are single too..."
Qin Li was startled, "Also?"
Ye Luoyi shrugged, "I'm single too!"
Qin Li quickly asked: "But aren't you with Mr. Pei?"
Ye Luoyi widened his eyes in surprise.
It was early in the morning, and the live broadcast had not started yet. Although the camera was set up in the room, it was not turned on. Ye Luoyi felt a little embarrassed and confused, "Teacher Qin, you misunderstood. Mr. Pei and I are just friends. Those things on the Internet are all marketing."
Yesterday, in front of the camera, Ye Luoyi also said that she and Pei Yubai were friends. Qin Li initially thought that the two did not want to make an official announcement, but it was one thing in front of the camera and another thing in private. Now that there is no camera, Ye Luoyi still said so...
Qin Li's eyes gradually brightened, and the corners of his mouth showed uncontrollable joy.
Ye Luoyi looked up at the time. There was an old-fashioned bronze clock hanging in the middle of the B&B's living room. It was almost eight o'clock and staff had entered the B&B to prepare for the live broadcast.
Ye Luoyi sighed, "It's almost time for the live broadcast again. I heard that Qingyu ordered a French breakfast at the Royal Hotel. I think Qingyu's live broadcast room will be the most popular one again today."
Qin Li was so happy that he didn't care about others. "Zhou Qingyu just spends money to show off her wealth. The audience just goes to watch the show. Your live broadcast room is better, and your travel guide is more thoughtful."
Ye Luoyi felt the same way, but still lowered her head in grievance, "Alas, what's the point of trying hard? I still can't compare to others."
Qin Li felt his heart was moved. Seeing Ye Luoyi lost, he also felt distressed.
At eight o'clock in the morning, the live broadcast began. The two stopped chatting and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
Ye Luoyi wanted to maintain her figure, so she made a light salad. She finished it quickly and went to the living room with the light meal.
After a while, Kang Boye also came downstairs. When passing by the living room, he greeted Ye Luoyi.
Kang Boye walked into the kitchen and put his arm around Qin Li's shoulder.
——There was only one camera in the kitchen, and Kang Boye’s angle just happened to avoid the camera.
"Cousin, do you think Ye Luoyi and your cousin's wife look alike? Especially those eyes, they look like they were carved from the same mold!"
Kang Boye lowered his voice and turned off the little bee, so this sentence was not recorded in the live broadcast.
Qin Li frowned, impatiently shook off Kang Boye's hand, and lowered his voice, "Momo and I are just friends, don't spread it around."
——
After eight o'clock, the guests got up one after another. After breakfast, everyone checked in at various places according to their travel guides.
Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi were in the room. Even though the camera in the room was turned on, it did not prevent them from continuing to lie on the bed.
[The live broadcast has already started but I still can’t get up! 】
[But lying in bed is really comfortable. I am lying in bed now~]
[Didn't Zhou Qingyu say that they didn't have any travel plans? Of course they can get up whenever they want. Traveling is just living in a different place. If you force yourself to get up on time, then what's the difference between that and going to work?]
[This kind of unfettered travel is really great! 】
[My best friend and I are like that! But if I'm with my parents, they'll wake me up early in the morning. I'll go back to sleep for a while...]
At around nine o'clock, Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi got up lazily.
After washing and putting on makeup, the two went to the Royal Hotel for a French breakfast, and then checked in at two tourist attractions in Licheng under Louis' arrangement.
Louis is not only an excellent travel consultant, but also a very good photographer. He took many atmospheric photos of Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi.
The extended Lincoln slowly passed through the quaint streets. On one side of the street was the majestic Seine River, where tourists were bustling and bustling. There were many sailboats of various shapes docked on the Seine River, swaying slightly in the breeze.
Yan Xi was lying on the window sill of the stretched Lincoln. A passerby saw her and greeted her enthusiastically.
"Licheng seems to be particularly lively today."
Louis: "Today is the Licheng Sailing Festival. There will be many sailing-related activities, including these sailboats on the Seine River. Tourists can also go up and visit. In the evening, there will be a simple sailing competition on the river, as well as street performances and fireworks."
Zhou Qingyu approached Yan Xi and saw sailboats dotted all over the river, some small and exquisite, some tall and majestic, in various shapes. Many tourists wanted to visit the sailboats, but there were too many tourists, and many large sailboats had queues outside.
The extended Lincoln drove past a large sailboat. Yan Xi saw that the program crew was also there. Although there was a long line outside the sailboat, Ye Luoyi did not have to queue and followed a young and handsome man from country F onto the deck.
On the deck, the two were talking and laughing. Ye Luoyi introduced the sailing festival to the camera and her fans, while the man looked at her affectionately.
"She is worthy of being the heroine that everyone loves!" Yan Xi complained to the system in her mind.
The system agrees: [All men love her, this is called being a fan of everyone. It is also normal that the foreign boy I met during the trip has a crush on Ye Luoyi~]
Yan Xi: "Won't CP fans have any objections?"
【Ye Luoyi said, "We are just friends."】
[The secret of 1vN lies here, we are all "friends" until the very end. 】
"Xixi, do you want to go and have a look?"
Zhou Qingyu asked Yan Xi, "Although this sailboat is not as good as a yacht and looks shabby and small, if you want to go and see it, I can accompany you."
Yan Xi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The eldest lady looked down on all activities of the common people equally, and in her eyes, they were all shabby. Just like her wardrobe was filled with luxury items worth tens of thousands of dollars, she couldn't understand that there was an app called Pindaodao in the world that could sell clothes for ten dollars.
Respect, but not understanding.
I know, but I don't want to try.
As for the sailboat... I can accept it with some difficulty.
Yan Xi pointed at several beautiful large sailboats on the Seine River and said, "Those are very beautiful. Let's go and take a look!"
Louis glanced at it and said, "Then I guess we'll have to queue up."
Zhou Qingyu asked, "Ye Luoyi doesn't have to queue, why do we have to queue?"
Louis explained, "The guy accompanying Miss Ye should own a sailboat and be a member of the sailing club. With this status, he doesn't have to queue up to board the sailboats of other club members."
Zhou Qingyu waved her hand and said, "It's not that difficult. We can buy one too~"
[Classic remarks by the eldest lady: Want to squeeze into a private jet with others? Buy! Are you not allowed to renovate the dilapidated B&B? Buy! Do you have to queue up to visit a sailboat? Buy! ]
[It’s so fun to follow the young lady, all shopping! 】
[A sailboat should be very expensive, right? Can you just buy one? Last time Zhou Qingyu said she wanted to buy a private jet but she didn’t buy it.]
[I checked the price of sailboats. A small sailboat can be purchased for less than one million dollars. A large sailboat would cost tens of millions.]
[Zhou Qingyu probably just bought a small sailboat! ]
The next second, Zhou Qingyu pointed at the largest sailboat on the Seine with great interest, "Xixi, that one is the biggest and most beautiful! Buy one that big!"
Louis quickly estimated the price, "A sailboat of this size would cost at least 20 million."
Zhou Qingyu touched her chin happily, "Well, it's quite cheap!"
【? ? ?】
【Zhou Qingyu redefines "cheap"】
[Are they talking about the Zimbabwean dollar? ]
[Don’t even mention Zimbabwean dollars. I would hesitate when I saw this number when playing Monopoly! ]
[Did Zhou Qingyu forget Director Jiang? If he knew that Zhou Qingyu would rather buy a big sailboat than invest in him, he would cry, right?]
Yan Xi also thought of Jiang Tao. So far, Jiang Tao has not given up on Zhou Qingyu and thinks that Zhou Qingyu may be his potential investor.
Yan Xi whispered, "Director Jiang will cry if you do this."
"Director Jiang? He doesn't deserve it!"
Zhou Qingyu raised her chin in contempt. "There are too many projects in this world that need investment. Where can I invest? Besides, he has no reason for me to invest."
Zhou Qingyu would only invest unless Pei Yubai needed the resources, but Pei Yubai didn't need it, and neither did she. Xingyao didn't have this idea either, so Jiang Tao was naturally not among those Zhou Qingyu wanted to invest in.
The sailboats that come to participate in the sailing festival are all owned by someone else. There are very few brand new sailboats for sale here, especially large sailboats.
But nothing can stump the omnipotent Louis. Through his connections at American Express, he quickly found a large sailboat for sale that was parked on the Seine.
——
Raymond was a sailboat salesman and he felt very unlucky.
Two years ago, a friend asked him to customize a sailboat. The friend was very rich, and Raymond was in urgent need of expanding sales, so he signed the contract with the other party without a complete contract. After signing the contract, the friend said that he was short of funds, so he only paid a small part of the deposit, and Raymond paid all the money for the boat.
Raymond thought that his friend was a big boss with businesses worth hundreds of millions, so he would not owe him such a small amount of money.
But after the sailboat was built, my friend's company went bankrupt and he ran away with the money, not caring about the sailboat anymore.
Raymond wanted to die.
The friend had only paid a deposit of 100,000 Euros, and he paid the rest of the money himself. Raymond had no idea how much he had already spent to make this deal happen.
Now, all the money has been lost.
He is now penniless and heavily in debt, and cannot even pay for his daughter's tuition for the next semester.
Large sailboats are different from ordinary items. They are expensive and most of them are owned by wealthy people, so they are usually customized and few wealthy people will buy them ready-made.
This time, Raymond drove a sailboat to the Licheng Sailing Festival to try his luck.
But who would be willing to buy a large sailboat? Even if someone is interested in sailboats, they would just buy a small one for fun. From beginning to end, no one inquired about the price of the sailboat, only some tourists wanted to go on board for a visit.
When he received the call, Raymond was sitting listlessly on a pier by the Seine. Various sailboats came and went, and he thought his was the most beautiful, but unfortunately no one appreciated it.
"Hello, is this Mr. Raymond?" Louis asked in French.
"Yes," Raymond said, not thinking the call was unusual. "This is Raymond. May I ask who you are?"
"Hello, my name is Louis, and my client wants to buy a sailboat. Are you still in Licheng? We would like to visit your sailboat."
Buy a boat?
It's a guest!!!
Raymond was so excited that he was full of energy. His voice became louder and louder. "You are in Licheng? I am also in Licheng! I am near the Ile de Cité. Do you want to come over? Yes, I can come over! I am always free!"
Louis looked around and said, "We are also near the Ile de la Cité. Which sailboat is yours? Take a picture and we will drive over."
Raymond happily took a photo and sent it to Louis.
He waited anxiously there, rubbing his hands together vigorously.
The other party said that he was also near the Ile de la Cité, which meant that the distance was not far and it would take about ten minutes to get there. Raymond was forty years old. He had lived for forty years, and for the first time he felt that ten minutes seemed so long. He was so anxious that his palms were sweating.
Ten minutes later, a stretched Lincoln stopped beside Raymond.
Raymond was even happier. The extended Lincoln had smooth lines, and its black paint shone brightly in the sun. The iconic Lincoln grille on the front of the car was like a majestic face, showing nobility and authority.
Raymond knew that the stretched Lincoln was very expensive and only rich people could afford it.
A rich man can certainly afford his sailboat!
Louis was the first to get out of the stretched Lincoln. He was wearing a neat three-piece suit. He hunched his body slightly and opened the door of the stretched Lincoln. Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi got out of the car slowly.
"Ms. Zhou, Ms. Yan, this is Mr. Raymond."
Louis introduced them to Raymond in French, "Raymond, these two are my clients, and they want to buy a sailboat."
Raymond stared at Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi. He couldn't tell the Asian faces apart. He just thought that the two girls were very beautiful and looked very young.
Are you an adult?
Raymond felt that these two people were not even older than his daughter.
This is a terrible problem. There is no doubt that the little girl is from a wealthy family, but how much financial ability does such a young girl have? Buying a small sailboat is fine, but will her parents allow her to buy a large sailboat worth nearly 3 million euros?
Raymond seemed to be splashed with cold water, and his excited heart gradually cooled down.
Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi admired the sailboat in front of them.
This sailboat has not yet been sold and has no name. It is quietly anchored in the Seine, with the sparkling water reflecting the majestic figure of the sailboat.
The hull has smooth and elegant lines, and the white sails are clean and new. The deck is wide and solid, with all kinds of facilities. The metal parts shine in the sun, showing the exquisite craftsmanship.
As a sailboat salesman, even though Raymond knew that the two people would not buy his sailboat, his excellent professional qualities still allowed him to introduce the sailboat to the two people politely and professionally.
Every introduction and tour is a display of Raymond's hard work. He is very attentive to this ship.
The sailboat is made of high-strength aluminum alloy, which makes the hull light and strong. In addition to the basic living space, the sailboat also has KTV rooms, billiard rooms, cinemas, teahouses, etc.
There is an open-air barbecue on the top of the sailboat, from which you can see the distant view.
As a large recreational sailboat, it has quite a lot of functions.
Zhou Qingyu didn't feel anything about this. Sailboats, private jets, and yachts for entertainment all have similar functions. She owns a yacht that also has these functions.
But the main thing is that Yanxi wants to play, and what matters is that Yanxi likes it.
"Do you like it? If you do, I'll give it to you."
Yan Xi:!!!
Wait, didn't she just buy the sailboat so she wouldn't have to wait in line to tour it? And she just gave it to her like that?
Yan Xi whispered, "It's too expensive. I can't thank you for giving me such an expensive gift."
Zhou Qingyu paused, and angrily put her hands on her waist, "It's a sailboat. I gave it to you and you took it. You're even returning the favor. Do you look down on me?"