binnovel Chapter 18 Easy to Digest
Chapter 18 Easy to Digest
When Zhang Yu opened his eyes again, his aura changed abruptly in an instant.
Zhang Yu's eyes became deep and solemn, as if bearing the fate of thousands of troops.
As he removed the bandages from his body, Zhang Yu's face showed compassion.
His brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes revealed his heartache for the soldiers and his helplessness in the face of war.
This time, the army fought hard for many days and managed to hold the position, but the losses were extremely heavy, and even he was injured.
The general lowered his head slightly, looking at the wounds on his body, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes.
The imperial supplies were delayed. We managed to hold out this time, but what about next time?
The general pursed his lips tightly, his eyes burning with anger and resentment.
His fists were clenched tightly, as if he was suppressing his inner rage.
As the voiceover played: "General! The army's food supplies are running out. You must make a decision."
The general raised his head, a momentary hesitation flashing across his face, but it was quickly replaced by determination. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp as a hawk's.
He seemed to have made a very difficult decision, his voice hoarse: "Bring out all the warhorses."
The performance ended, and no one spoke.
Bai Li sat up straight and leaned forward to look, her eyes filled with surprise and admiration.
Some people who performed removing bandages before simply removed bandages, but Zhang Yu was different. You could feel the undercurrent of emotion beneath his movements, and the fullness of that emotion shocked everyone.
Bai Li slightly opened her mouth, secretly admiring, "Amazing!"
If anyone thought Zhang Yu was just there for fun because he was a cosplayer and didn't have high expectations for his performance, then now, Zhang Yu has proven with this performance that he is serious.
At this moment, Director Chen's face turned red. Zhang Yu's outstanding performance felt like a slap in the face. His face was flushed, and his eyes were filled with embarrassment and anger.
Bai Li also noticed Director Chen's liver-colored face and asked with amusement, "Luckily we didn't book Chen Hao just now, otherwise we would have missed out, right, Director Chen?"
Bai Li's lips curled up slightly, her eyes carrying a hint of teasing.
Director Chen didn't reply, he just gave a soft hum.
Jiang Mingfei then smiled and chimed in, "I didn't expect that Teacher Zhang Yu is not only excellent at cosplay, but also quite talented in acting. He's better than some of the self-proclaimed professional actors today. I'd vote for Zhang Yu as the male lead."
"I'll vote too." Bai Li asked Hu Xiaohui, "What does our original author think?"
Hu Xiaohui smiled shyly and nodded gently: "I think it's great."
Bai Li clapped her hands happily: "It's rare that everyone is in agreement. Director Chen, what do you think?"
Director Chen is now extremely uncomfortable, feeling like he's sitting on pins and needles.
He said with a displeased expression, "It's just a coincidence. How can an amateur with no acting experience know how the film will turn out? I think it's better to leave it to someone with experience."
Jiang Mingfei waved her hand: "Then why don't we call Chen Hao in and have the two of them act out another scene?"
The stage manager called Chen Hao in. The contrast wasn't so obvious when they performed separately, but now that they were standing together, the contrast was stark. Standing next to Zhang Yu, Chen Hao looked like a little chick.
The result is already quite obvious. With such a masterpiece preceding it, ordinary things are hard to compare with.
The two then rehearsed several other scenes from the play on the spot, relying entirely on improvisation. Zhang Yu stood out even more, as he grasped the emotions and lines more accurately than Chen Hao, who claimed to be a professional.
Bai Li was genuinely curious now, tilting her head slightly: "Did Teacher Zhang Yu have any acting experience before? He performed even better than professional actors."
After finishing her performance, Zhang Yu returned to her usual expression. At this moment, Zhang Yu said seriously, "No, today is my first time performing. But I have always loved acting. Because of my work, it is inconvenient for me to show my face online. Before, I satisfied my personal hobby through cosplay."
Jiang Mingfei suddenly remembered something and asked with concern, "By the way, you still have work. Won't acting interfere with your regular job?"
Zhang Yu: "I've thought about this. Actually, I paid off my mortgage not long ago, and I'm thinking of changing jobs recently. If I pass this audition, I'll consider it fulfilling a dream. If I don't pass, it won't affect my life."
Honestly, if Zhang Yu himself didn't say it, who would know that he was already 29 years old and a wage slave?
How many young and beautiful men and women, after only a few years of working, are worn down by their jobs and end up looking like they've been through a lot?
But Zhang Yu has managed to maintain such a good figure, and even paid off her mortgage at the age of 29.
What an excellent, self-disciplined, and reliable adult male!
Bai Li's eyes were filled with admiration, and she secretly praised her.
Jiang Mingfei was very satisfied with Zhang Yu's answer.
Director Chen watched as Zhang Yu gained more and more recognition, and gave his good-for-nothing nephew a disgruntled look.
Chen Hao was indeed feeling very aggrieved.
I didn't really want to act in this little web series, but how could I possibly get the male lead role in a serious TV drama?
Although a recent drama he starred in has become popular, he was only a supporting actor in it.
Someone approached him, also offering him a supporting role.
If you want to play the male lead, you can only join the production teams of web dramas like this.
And coincidentally, my uncle is the director of this production team. He was a shoo-in for the lead role today, but who would have thought that such a dark horse would emerge out of nowhere.
Director Chen cleared his throat, preparing to make one last attempt, and deliberately raised his voice, saying, "Although Zhang Yu's performance has some highlights, don't forget that he has no professional acting experience, and various uncontrollable problems may arise during actual filming. Chen Hao, on the other hand, has received professional training and can better guarantee the quality of the work."
Bai Li immediately sensed Director Chen's intention and secretly gave Jiang Mingfei a wink.
Jiang Mingfei nodded slightly and replied, "Director Chen, we cannot judge whether an actor is suitable based solely on experience. Zhang Yu's performance in the audition was evident to all, and his talent and potential should not be underestimated."
Director Chen scoffed, "Talent can't put food on the table. What's needed during filming is stability and professionalism. I still think Chen Hao is more suitable for this role."
Director Chen's eyes were filled with stubbornness, and he crossed his arms over his chest.
At this moment, Bai Li narrowed her eyes slightly and asked softly, "Director Chen, is there some special reason why you insist on casting Chen Hao as the lead actor?"
Director Chen's eyes flickered for a moment, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "I'm only speaking from the perspective of the work itself, there's no other reason."
"Oh, really?" Bai Li said casually, "Actually, Chen Hao left a deep impression on us when we bumped into him at the coffee shop before."
Upon hearing this, Chen Hao's heart tightened, and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.
Jiang Mingfei continued Bai Li's words, saying, "Yes, when Chen Hao said he had been internally selected, I thought he was joking. I didn't expect that during today's interview, Director Chen would pay special attention to him, which makes it hard for me not to overthink it."
Director Chen's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He turned sharply to look at his nephew, Chen Hao, who looked tense, as if telling Director Chen: Something bad has happened.
Director Chen cursed inwardly: This idiot! It turns out it was discovered long ago; kinship ties can't withstand scrutiny at all.
Jiang Mingfei said sternly to Director Chen, "Director Chen, your behavior has seriously violated the principles of fairness and impartiality. I can no longer let you continue to direct this film."
Director Chen angrily flung his sleeve and said, "Fine, I'll terminate the contract! Let your company's legal department discuss the termination fee with me. You've wasted so much of my time. I've never seen such an unprofessional interview and selection process. I'd like to see what kind of mess you'll produce in the end."
After finishing his speech, Director Chen angrily left the interview room.
Chen Hao was too ashamed to stay any longer, so he followed them out.
The atmosphere in the room froze for a moment.
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Holy crap, what a terrible director!
Jiang Mingfei quieted everyone down: "Zhang Yu, from now on, is the male lead of this drama. Does anyone have any objections?"
Silence reigned.
Jiang Mingfei said, looking slightly tired, "Alright, that concludes today's audition. Everyone, go back and wait for the notification to start filming."
As she spoke, she rubbed her forehead in exasperation, her heart filled with helplessness and worry.
What kind of mess is this? Such an accident happened before filming even started, the director was dismissed, the originally planned filming schedule was disrupted, and all preparations will come to a standstill.
What troubled Jiang Mingfei even more was the contract termination issue with Director Chen. The thought of facing a hefty termination fee if not handled properly weighed heavily on her mind. If a significant funding gap appeared, the filming date would become even more indefinitely postponed.
The company had invested heavily in this new field; was it really going to fail before it even got off the ground? Jiang Mingfei felt a deep sense of defeat.
Standing to the side, Zhang Yu observed Jiang Mingfei's expression and roughly deduced what had happened. Feeling somewhat apologetic, he said, "President Jiang, have I caused anyone trouble?"
Jiang Mingfei waved her hand: "It has nothing to do with you. Go back and prepare your script. I'll have someone notify you when filming starts."
Just then, Bai Li gently patted her on the shoulder, her eyes firm and bright, like the most dazzling star in the night sky, illuminating the dimly lit interview room: "Don't worry, this movie will definitely be made."
Bai Li raised her chin slightly and said confidently, "I have high hopes for the actors, especially Zhang Yu. I think he can become famous. I'm investing 100 million yuan in him as a reward for the successful completion of today's audition, and also to support your new drama."
Hearing Bai Li's words, Jiang Mingfei felt a warm current surge in her heart.
In that instant, she seemed to see a ray of light in the darkness.
Good heavens, where did this kind-hearted young lady come from?
This 100 million is undoubtedly a lifeline for the current film crew. Jiang Mingfei was moved to tears, and without hesitation, she opened her arms and hugged Bai Li tightly: "My dear, thank you, sob sob sob."
Jiang Mingfei's eyes were filled with gratitude, and they trembled slightly.
When Bai Li asked Xiao Hao, he learned that the daily quota could be used to invest in a target of the opposite sex.
Having received Xiao Hao's approval, Bai Li decided to help Jiang Mingfei.
She was having a headache about where to use her daily quota of 100 million. It would be perfect to use it up with Zhang Yu. Filming is so expensive, it should be easy to manage.
When Zhang Yu heard that Bai Li had decided to invest 100 million in him, his eyes widened slightly.
Actually, he didn't have high expectations for the interview today.
I'm no longer young, so I probably won't be selected.
His family has always been quite traditional. When he was young, he tried to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. His family tried many methods against him, using both soft and hard tactics. They even made him beg and plead, cut off his financial support, and locked him up for a period of time, but he never gave up.
But it was his grandmother's last words on her deathbed that held him firmly in place.
Because filming was done in a secluded area in the mountains, we missed seeing Grandma one last time. All we got was a short recording. The old lady's voice was very weak, but she still managed to say her last words clearly.
I hope he can have a stable job, spend more time with his family, and not miss out on this again.
Love, sometimes, is truly the most twisted curse in the world.
Many years have passed now, and the past is the past.
He is financially independent, owns a house and a car, and has even saved enough to retire early.
So, I've come back again, acting capriciously.
Before turning 30, give yourself one last chance to pursue your dreams.
Unexpectedly, he was selected in the end, and someone was even willing to invest in him.
Zhang Yu took a deep breath: "Thank you, I won't let you down."
Zhang Yu's voice was firm and powerful, echoing in the interview room like a solemn promise.
[Zhang Yu's favorability +10]
[Zhang Yu's Favorability: 20]
Teacher Zhang Yu is really generous, adding favorability points in increments of 10. Bai Li sighed inwardly when she received Zhang Yu's favorability points.
Teacher Octopus is a talented person who is not recognized. He has both good acting skills and good looks. What he may lack is a benefactor and resources. Bai Li thought about becoming that benefactor and decided to invest some money in Teacher Octopus again.
If only all the targets' favorability ratings were as easy to obtain as Teacher Zhang Yu's.