Eunuch, do you really know these martial arts?

The reception following the signing ceremony was brightly lit and filled with the clinking of glasses.

Holding a glass of champagne, Jiang Nian stood in a rather quiet corner, seemingly out of place amidst the lively greetings and social interactions around him.

Wu Ming, beaming with pride, moved among producers, investors, and media luminaries, clearly feeling incredibly proud of having facilitated this collaboration.

"Teacher Jiang, why are you here all alone?"

A gentle voice sounded beside me.

Jiang Nian turned her head and saw Director Zhang Yi walking over with a wine glass in his hand, a sincere smile on his face.

"Director Zhang," Jiang Nian nodded slightly in greeting, "I'm not used to overly lively scenes."

"I understand. Artists always need space to be alone to reflect."

Zhang Yi stood beside him, looking at the bustling crowd, and said, "Honestly, Jiang Nian, I'm very grateful that you took on this project."

"The character of Lu Chenxi has a very complex inner world, which places extremely high demands on the actor. I spent a long time searching, until I saw your eyes in 'The Dark Knight,' and I knew then that you were the one."

Jiang Nian recalled briefly that it was a police and gangster film he had acted in in his early years, but his role was minor, just a supporting one.

“Yes, it’s about watching your comrades sacrifice themselves on the rooftop.” Director Zhang Yi’s eyes lit up. “That kind of expression can’t be achieved just through technique. You need to have ‘roots,’ a deep understanding of life and emotions.”

Jiang Nian paused for a moment; his memory of that filming experience was somewhat hazy.

But he had indeed just gone through some things at that time, and his state of mind was complicated.

He hadn't expected Zhang Yi to notice such a subtle performance.

"Director Zhang, you flatter me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

"It's not expectation, it's belief."

Zhang Yi patted him on the shoulder, his tone serious.

“I’ve read your profile and know that you’ve been through a lot over the years. All that experience will become nourishment for you in shaping your characters. Lu Chenxi also carries a heavy burden. I believe you can understand him.”

At this moment, the producer led over a sophisticated and capable young woman with outstanding temperament.

"Director Zhang, Teacher Jiang, come here, let me introduce you."

The producer smiled broadly, "This is Ms. Lin Wan, the female lead of our drama, who plays the cardiac surgeon Su Mian."

Lin Wan extended her hand gracefully, her smile gentle: "Hello Director Zhang, hello Teacher Jiang. I have long admired Teacher Jiang's name, and it is a great honor to work with you."

Jiang Nian shook her hand gently: "Ms. Lin, you're too kind. I look forward to cooperating with you."

Lin Wan looked at Jiang Nian with undisguised curiosity and admiration in her eyes: "I have read all of Teacher Jiang's works, and each one is impressive."

"Being able to act opposite you is both a learning experience and a challenge for me."

Her attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and her words were sincere, which made people feel good about her.

Director Zhang laughed and said, "Alright, now you two main characters have met."

“No problem, Director Zhang.” Lin Wan replied with a smile, and then said to Jiang Nian, “Teacher Jiang, I have compiled some basic medical knowledge and operating room procedure information. I can send it to you if you need it.”

"That's great, thank you, Miss Lin." Jiang Nian nodded; this was indeed what he needed at the moment.

Although his learning ability far exceeds that of ordinary people, having someone to guide him can save a lot of time.

"Just call me Lin Wan." She smiled brightly.

The group chatted for a few more minutes about their understanding of the script and the characters, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Jiang Nian could sense that Lin Wan was a professional and dedicated actress, which was good news for their future collaboration.

On the way back to the villa after the party.

Wu Ming was still incredibly excited: "Brother Jiang, did you see that? So many big shots came over to say hello to you today!"

"The CEO of Universe Entertainment, the producer of Star Shine Entertainment... This first step of our comeback is simply a perfect start! Once the official announcement is made, it will definitely go viral!"

Jiang Nian leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and remained noncommittal about Wu Ming's excitement.

The bodyguard sitting in the passenger seat glanced at Jiang Nian through the rearview mirror, his gaze calm and unwavering.

Another female agent, disguised as a personal assistant, sat quietly to the side, sorting through the business cards and information she had just received.

“By the way, Brother Jiang,” Wu Ming suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice, “there’s something I need to tell you. The second male lead for this drama has been cast as Zhou Yuxuan from Xingyao Culture.”

Jiang Nian opened her eyes: "What's the problem?"

Wu Ming scratched his head: "Zhou Yuxuan, he's a traffic magnet, and his fans are extremely powerful."

"Just do your own thing." Jiang Nian said calmly. "Acting relies on ability."

“That’s true, but it’s the entertainment industry.” Wu Ming sighed. “Never mind, I’ll keep an eye on things and try my best not to let them affect you.”

Back at the suburban villa, Jiang Nian dismissed Wu Ming, leaving only A-Jie and Xiao-Min.

"Checked, safe," A-Jie reported succinctly. Every time they returned from accompanying Jiang Nian on a trip, they would immediately conduct a safety check on their residence.

Xiaomin then handed a tablet computer to Jiang Nian.

"Teacher Jiang, this is a preliminary summary of the medical information sent by Miss Lin Wan, as well as the complete preparation progress and cast list for the film crew. In addition, Mr. Bai sent word that everything is fine, so you can focus on your work."

Jiang Nian took the tablet and quickly browsed through it.

Lin Wan's compiled information was indeed detailed, ranging from explanations of medical terms to identification of surgical instruments, and then to the daily work and behavioral norms of doctors and nurses. It was presented in a clear and concise manner with illustrations.

"Okay, reply to Lin Wan, the information has been received, thank you very much." Jiang Nian instructed, then looked at A-Jie, "For the next period of time, the focus will be on the film crew. Your task is to ensure the surrounding environment is clean, I don't want any unnecessary interference."

"Understood." A-Jie nodded.

Xiaomin replied, "I will handle your schedule and external communications to ensure your privacy and work are not affected."

In the days that followed, Jiang Nian entered a tense pre-filming preparation phase.

He rarely left his house, devoting himself entirely to studying the script and medical knowledge.

Soon, the day arrived for the script reading of "Lifeline".

The reading session was held in a large conference room at Huanyu Film and Television. Jiang Nian arrived on time, escorted by A-Jie in his car. Upon entering the conference room, he found it already quite full. Director Zhang Yi, seated at the head of the table, smiled and waved for Jiang Nian to sit to his left.

Lin Wan had already arrived and was sitting to Zhang Yi's right. When she saw Jiang Nian, she smiled and nodded in greeting.

Jiang Nian's gaze swept across the conference room, and he saw several familiar faces, all of whom were well-known and powerful actors in the industry. It seemed that Director Zhang had indeed put a lot of effort into casting.

By the window sat a stylishly dressed, handsome young man, engrossed in his phone, surrounded by two people who appeared to be his assistants. This must be Zhou Yuxuan, the second male lead.

Sensing Jiang Nian's gaze, Zhou Yuxuan looked up, and their eyes briefly met in the air. A barely perceptible scrutiny flashed in Zhou Yuxuan's eyes, followed by a slightly formulaic smile and a nod.

Jiang Nian simply nodded in response.

Director Zhang Yi tapped the table: "Alright, everyone's here. Welcome to the 'Lifeline' crew. Some of you are old friends who have worked together for many years, while others are working together for the first time. I hope that in the coming months, we can work together to create an excellent work."

He paused, then continued, "Today is our first script reading, mainly to let everyone get to know each other and find the feeling of the characters. Don't feel pressured, just chat freely. Let's start with our male lead, Jiang Nian, Dr. Lu Chenxi."

All eyes were on Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian unfolded the script. His script was clean and tidy, but next to certain paragraphs, it was filled with annotations and analyses written in fine handwriting.

He took a deep breath, and when he looked up again, his eyes had changed.

He was reciting his lines, not just reciting them, but more like he was actually reporting a case. His tone was steady, but his fingers were unconsciously tapping lightly on the table, revealing his inner sense of urgency.

When he read the passage about communicating with the family, his tone became extremely calm, even somewhat cold, as he tried to convey the worst possible outcome in the most direct language. However, his slightly pursed lips betrayed that he was not entirely indifferent.

After a line was read, the meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Director Zhang Yi's eyes were full of admiration, and he led the applause: "Great! That's the feeling! Lu Chenxi's 'coldness' is not indifference, but extreme rationality under the requirements of his profession, but the fire in his heart has not been extinguished! Jiang Nian, you captured it perfectly!"

Lin Wan also sincerely praised, "Professor Jiang, what you just said made me feel like I was really consulting with a senior surgeon."

The other veteran actors also nodded in agreement.

When it was Zhou Yuxuan's turn, he played a brilliant doctor who had returned from overseas. He was flamboyant and often clashed with Lu Chenxi's ideals. Zhou Yuxuan's delivery of lines wasn't bad, but it was obvious that he was acting, lacking the genuine conviction that Jiang Nian exuded.

When reading a scene of intense argument with Jiang Nian, Zhou Yuxuan tried to express the character's excitement by raising his voice and speeding up his speech, but Jiang Nian's response remained restrained and calm, yet the power of his lines completely overwhelmed him.

"Pause."

Director Zhang interrupted them, "Yu Xuan, Chen Yang's character is proud, but not impetuous. His argument with Lu Chenxi is a clash of ideologies, a collision of doctors' different understandings of life, not just a simple argument. You need to convey the emotions well, but the core must be stable."

“Look at Jiang Nian. His voice isn’t loud, but every word he says hits the mark.”

A hint of displeasure flashed across Zhou Yuxuan's face, but he still nodded: "Okay, director, I'll adjust it."

The reading session lasted all day. Jiang Nian remained highly focused throughout, not only perfectly portraying his character, but also listening attentively when others were rehearsing, occasionally offering suggestions based on his understanding of the character. These suggestions were often insightful and earned frequent nods of approval from Director Zhang.

During a break, Lin Wan took a water glass and walked over to Jiang Nian, saying sincerely, "Teacher Jiang, it's so comfortable acting with you. It inspires a lot of ideas. I feel that it's easier to find the character Su Mian's mindset of both admiration and a desire to challenge Dr. Lu."

"Let's learn from each other." Jiang Nian smiled. "The medical information you provided was a great help."

At this moment, Zhou Yuxuan also walked over with a smile on his face: "Teacher Jiang, you are indeed a senior. Your acting skills are truly superb. Please give me more guidance in the future."

He spoke politely, but his eyes lacked sincerity.

Jiang Nian simply responded, "Let's make progress together."

Zhou Yuxuan exchanged a few more pleasantries, then made an excuse to leave.

Lin Wan watched his retreating figure and whispered to Jiang Nian, "Zhou Yuxuan's team... is quite good at marketing. You probably don't pay much attention to these things, so you might not know, but they release quite a lot of press releases."

Jiang Nian understood; this was probably the trouble Wu Ming had been worried about.
They didn't care; in the face of absolute power, these tactics were nothing but clown acts.

"Thank you for reminding me, I will pay attention."

After the script reading, the production team officially entered the final preparation stage before filming began. A series of activities followed, including taking costume photos and arranging media visits.

Jiang Nian cooperated fully with all the work, demonstrating a professional attitude while maintaining a just-right distance. She refused private interviews and did not participate in irrelevant social activities, leaving the media outlets that wanted to dig up more news helpless.

His low profile and mystery only fueled the curiosity of outsiders.

Discussions about his comeback as the male lead in "Lifeline" continue to rise.

The night before filming began, Jiang Nian was alone on the rooftop of the villa, gazing at the city lights in the distance.

My phone vibrated. It was an encrypted message from Bai Yongxu, containing only four simple words: "Everything is normal."

Jiang Nian replied, "Understood."

He put away his phone and took a deep breath of the cool air.

The raging waves of the deep-sea base seemed to have receded, but he knew that was just an illusion.

The shadow of the organization has not disappeared; it has only temporarily lurked.

Now, he has stepped onto another battlefield.

This battlefield has no gunpowder smoke, yet it still tests one's mind and ability.

The following day, the press conference and opening ceremony for the film "Lifeline" were held at the film and television base.

On the huge backdrop, the three large characters "Lifeline" stood out prominently. The audience was packed with media reporters from all over the country, their cameras and microphones aimed at the podium.

Director Zhang Yi led a group of key members of the production team to the event, which drew a flurry of camera shutters.

When Jiang Nian, dressed in a well-tailored dark blue suit, calmly walked onto the stage, the atmosphere reached a small climax. He was tall and upright, with a composed demeanor. His meticulously styled look made him appear younger and sharper than his actual age, yet he also exuded a mature charm that came with experience.

"Jiang Nian! Look here!"

"Jiang Nian, over here!"

The reporters shouted his name.

Jiang Nian stood in front of her seat, calmly scanning the audience below, bowed slightly, and then sat down. Her movements were fluid and effortless, yet she naturally became the focus of the entire room.

The host enlivened the atmosphere and guided the main creators to speak.

Director Zhang Yi reiterated his confidence in the work and his gratitude to the team. (End of Chapter)