Gu Yueyue lowered her eyelids, her black eyelashes casting a shadow beneath her eyes, which trembled slightly as Ma Youcai spoke.
Ma Youcai: "Why don't you come to our company? Our company has good benefits and is very friendly to artists."
"I know." Gu Yueyue gave a wry smile. "I've looked into your company and your Vice President Liu. He thinks highly of me."
"You..." Ma Youcai was speechless. Everyone in the industry knew that Liu Jing of Hualan Entertainment had a stable wife at home and mistresses on the side. Being favored by him... that was really not a good thing.
“Last March, at the wrap party for Director Zheng’s ‘Mobei,’ I slapped him. Director Zhao from Qixi’s agency was there too, and I cursed him as well.” Gu Yueyue said, laughing and crying at the same time, and shrugged slightly. “Leaving Hongsheng for another company might not necessarily be better.”
Ma Youcai threw his cigarette butt on the ground, ground it with his toe, and then spat it out on the ground. "A bunch of trash. Damn it!"
Ma Youcai: "So what are your plans for the future?"
"I don't want to go to any other company. Although Hongsheng is using my influence to promote newcomers, it's a bit cleaner than other places."
The head of Hongsheng is a woman. Although she is short-sighted and only focused on making money, she is somewhat friendly towards female artists and doesn't force her artists to go out and do "business." At least Gu Yueyue has been with Hongsheng for ten years, and the company has never connected her with any big-name investors.
Gu Yueyue: "I'll say it again, I'll endure until the contract ends, then I'll open my own studio."
"That's no simple matter," Ma Youcai sighed. "Opening your own studio isn't something you can just do with a few words. But if there's anything I, Old Ma, can help you with, just let me know!"
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Director Ma." Gu Yueyue pursed her lips and smiled, then suddenly remembered the newcomer, "There is indeed something I'd like to ask Director Ma for a favor."
"Hmm? I was just being polite, but you're not being polite at all, hahaha. So, what's up?"
"Director Ma, could you please give that newcomer named Xu Yi a little special treatment?"
Under the blazing sun, Director Ma's glasses gleamed in the sunlight. He smiled wryly, "What? You've got your eye on her?"
"I do have that plan," Gu Yueyue said seriously, but seeing Ma Youcai's ambiguous and lewd smile, she added seriously, "What I mean is, I want to sign her."
"I was saying you wanted to sign her, right? What? You've got other ideas?"
Gu Yueyue's ears turned slightly red. "Stop teasing me."
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 12:17:07 on December 4, 2021 and 18:14:26 on December 6, 2021!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 5 bottles from the mouse in the movie theater;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter Eight
Xu Yi was resting in the air-conditioned room when a middle-aged man came over with a prop sword.
The man handed the sword to Xu Yi as soon as he entered, saying urgently, "I heard you're pretty good at it? Show me a move."
He didn't come this morning and didn't know about Xu Yi's audition performance. So when he arrived, many people told him that a young girl with martial arts skills had come, but he didn't believe it at all. The director asked him to instruct a newcomer, but to be honest, he wasn't willing. The newcomer had no experience and was a delicate girl, so teaching her would be too troublesome.
Now that he has seen Xu Yi, he is even more disdainful. How could such a pretty girl endure hardship? He'll probably make her cry if he says a few more words to her.
Xu Yi put down her lunchbox and took the sword. The moment she did, she realized that this sword was not made of plastic like before. This sword was quite heavy and felt no different from a real sword in her hand.
The instructor brought the sword on purpose, wanting to give the young girl a rude awakening and let her know that the acting profession is not as simple as she thought.
Xu Yi's face lit up with joy. She hadn't touched a sword in many years, and even holding a replica sword was enough to make her happy.
As a sword cultivator, nothing saddened her more than not being able to use a sword.
"What? Is the sword too heavy to wield?" The instructor stood by the air conditioner vent, arms crossed, looking at her with disdain.
Xu Yi suppressed her faint joy, straightened her expression, and performed a body-refining sword technique for outer disciples that was hidden deep in her memory.
This is a sword technique she created for the outer disciples of the Cangyun Sect. Those people may spend their entire lives without ever touching the threshold of true swordsmanship. Xu Yi couldn't bear to see them love swords but not understand the essence of swordsmanship, so she created this technique. As long as they study it diligently, they will have the opportunity to comprehend the essence of swordsmanship.
As soon as Xu Yi made his first move, the martial arts instructor stared in disbelief. This move didn't look like a mere showpiece.
The swordsmanship is graceful yet decisive, with every move brimming with killing intent. The swordsman's movements are elegant and fluid, the sword in his hand like a swimming dragon.
Xu Yi dared not dance to her heart's content, but could only practice a little. Otherwise, with her swordsmanship, even with little spiritual power in her body now, she would have been more than capable of splitting this room in two.
She sheathed her sword, letting out a small breath, feeling a little satisfied.
Xu Yi stared blankly at the sword in her hand, missing her natal sword. It was the first sword she forged after embarking on the path of immortality, and it took her three hundred years to collect enough materials.
"You really are a trained fighter!"
"I'll return the sword to you." Xu Yi didn't care about the change in his attitude before and after. Perhaps she simply couldn't sense the emotional changes in others. She had comprehended the ruthless way of the sword, and unless she deliberately tried to sense it, it was difficult to detect the abnormality of human emotions.
"What else do I need to instruct you on?" The martial arts instructor looked at the sword the little girl handed him, his hands trembling slightly. He was hesitant to accept it. This sword didn't seem to be the one he had just brought; it looked as if it had already been sharpened and seen blood.
"Teacher?" Xu called out curiously when he saw that the teacher didn't move, which made the teacher tremble and take the sword back.
"It's alright. You can continue eating."
Xu Yi watched him stride away with his sword, just as he had rushed over earlier, and sighed inwardly. "These sword cultivators here have no patience at all. When will they ever be able to comprehend the essence of swordsmanship?"
The instructor, unaware of her thoughts, came out with a sword and found the director, who was still drinking flower tea under the shade of a tree.
When Ma Youcai saw him arrive, he smiled and invited him to sit down. "How about it? Isn't he a good prospect? Would you like to consider taking him on as an apprentice?"
"..." The instructor is quite famous in the industry and has worked with many big directors. If he catches Xu Yi's eye, Xu Yi will definitely have more help than others if he wants to pursue a career as a martial arts actor.
The instructor put the sword on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and sat down next to Ma Youcai with a wry smile.
"What do you mean by that? I think that kid is pretty good. What? You don't like him?"
The instructor tasted the tea like strong liquor, downing it in one gulp. "It's not that I look down on her; this young girl's swordsmanship is far superior to mine. If it weren't for my pride, I would have wanted to become her apprentice right here and now."
"So amazing?" As a layman, Ma Youcai only thought Xu Yi's sword dance was beautiful and powerful, but he didn't expect it to be even more powerful than this ancient martial arts master. "There are very few people who can make you, Old Liu, say such things."
Liu Bai narrowed his eyes, his tone somewhat serious, and said, "Too young. It's quite remarkable to have such swordsmanship. There wasn't a single sound from before. Could it be that some genius from a certain family has come out of seclusion for training?"
"You martial arts practitioners really have such rules?" Ma Youcai had always thought that this was something that only happened in TV dramas.
“It might not have happened before, but who knows what will happen in the future. I received some news, I heard…” Liu Bai was being very careful, and he gestured for Ma Youcai to come closer to listen. Ma Youcai chuckled and leaned in, and then he heard Liu Bai say, “I heard that spiritual energy has been revived now, and soon martial arts practitioners may really be able to develop internal strength. Flying over rooftops and walking on snow without leaving a trace may no longer be just something out of a novel.”
"..." Ma Youcai, who had suffered a heart attack, laughed and scolded, "Brother, is it really funny for you to joke like this with me?"
"Believe it or not, all I can say is... if that era really comes, your fantasy drama is too conservative. Tsk tsk tsk, too narrow-minded."
Ma Youcai stopped arguing with him and, seeing that it was almost time, quickly called everyone over to start filming.
Gu Yueyue changed out of her costume and came over with Xiao Ye to ask Ma Youcai for leave.
The company notified her to return to film a promotional video for Star Idol, and she had to rush back immediately.
"I originally wanted to stay and learn from you, but now I have to leave." Gu Yueyue said reluctantly.
Ma Youcai: "What's there to be reluctant about? Go quickly. There will be plenty of opportunities to cooperate in the future."
After Gu Yueyue left, Ma Youcai, under the scorching sun, called on the entire crew to start work. Xu Yi, who had finished touching up her makeup, arrived late.
Just before filming was about to begin, Ma Youcai remembered something and called over the instructor, "Did you tell her how to find the camera when she's doing the sword dance?"
The instructor rolled his eyes at him, "Why are you still looking for the camera? Go tell the camera crew to focus on her."
Ma Youcai thought about it and agreed with him. Good actors can ignore the camera, and good photographers can find their own subjects. Rather than making Xu Yi learn how to cooperate with the camera and end up with a lifeless dance, it's better to let her perform to her heart's content and let the photographer capture the beauty under the lens.
This time, a prop sword was used. Xu Yi felt it was light and airy in his hand, and his brows furrowed slightly, revealing a sense of loneliness that was hard to fathom.
This was exactly the feeling Ma Youcai wanted. Overjoyed, he gave Xu Yi the instruction to start dancing immediately.
The swordplay was even more stunning than the one she practiced during the audition that morning. After filming these few scenes, Xu Yi understood the difference between her swordplay and the swordplay the director wanted on camera. So she added some useless tricks that could deceive the world.
As expected, she captivated quite a few people, and gasps of amazement echoed throughout the film crew.
"That's amazing!"
"I heard that her mentors all admire her."
"This is what an actor should be like. She's beautiful and truly talented, much better than some people who can't act, can't cry, and can't even pronounce their lines correctly. If you ask me, the entertainment industry is missing actors like Xiaoyi."
"How ridiculous! So what if they cover their faces? With just this sword dance, it's only a matter of time before Xiao Yi becomes famous, right? Some people are really good at nothing but sex, making both seniors and newcomers cover their faces while acting. Don't they know what kind of people they are? Do they really think that by covering others' faces, they can become famous?"
Chu Man'er was also watching Xu Yi filming. Her brows were furrowed so tightly they could trap a fly, and her face darkened. Everyone around her was praising Xu Yi, but accompanying the praise were sneers at her. Her gaze towards Xu Yi held a hint of malice and resentment.
The scene was filmed in one take, and Ma Youcai couldn't stop smiling as he watched the monitor.
"Xiao Yi, have you memorized all your lines for the last scene? If you have, that's good. Let's hurry up and film the rest of the scenes." Ma Youcai thought that maybe they could finish work early today.
The assistant director whispered a reminder from the side, "Director Ma, Teacher Gu isn't here, so we can't film this scene."
"..." Ma Youcai then remembered that Xu Yi's last scene was with Gu Yueyue, and Gu Yueyue had just left.
Ma Youcai had no choice but to explain to Xu Yi that he couldn't let her finish filming today and that he would have to ask her to come back in a week.
"Okay, I'll come back in a week." Xu Yi received a sum of money, but it was still not enough to pay her tuition.
Seeing her staring blankly at her Alipay balance on her phone, Ma Youcai asked, "What's wrong? Still short a lot?"
Xu Yi nodded slightly. Not only was the tuition fee insufficient, but she also wanted to buy a batch of jade stones to set up an array. She had failed to find Miss Gu twice, and she suspected that the spiritual power contained in the stones was too little, so the search was not accurate enough.
Ma Youcai thought about introducing her to some other roles, but Xu Yi's current state was actually not suitable for acting. She couldn't express emotions, and her face was always stiff. Unless she could play a decorative role in a web series, but usually, decorative roles are for the second or third female lead. These important roles have already been decided in advance, so how could a young girl get a chance? Even if she were lucky enough to get a role, she wouldn't be able to finish filming in a summer vacation.
"Hey, I've got it!" Ma Youcai suddenly had a brilliant idea. "There's a variety show you could participate in. If you get selected, there's a prize of ten thousand yuan. Why don't you give it a try?"
Xu Yi's eyes lit up. "What program?"
"Star Idol, go back and keep an eye on the official website. They might be holding open auditions tomorrow or the day after. Go give it a try then." Ma Youcai remembered that Gu Yueyue had asked him to look after this girl, and that's when he remembered the main reason Gu Yueyue left earlier.
"Just give it a try. They choose people based on their looks anyway. Each episode lasts exactly two months, which is just the right time for you to start school."
Ma Youcai had already calculated everything for her. Gu Yueyue was also there, so she sent Xiaoyi over and asked her to take care of her personally.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 18:14:26 on December 6, 2021 and 19:57:57 on December 7, 2021!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Q&W 6 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter Nine
After leaving the film crew, Xu Yi bought several pieces of jade at a souvenir shop near the film studio.
She spent all the money she received that day on seven pieces of jade. The shop owner smiled broadly and personally saw her out.