Huayu: Starting from Fahrenheit

Chapter 389 The Astute Wang Baoqiang
After Wu Zhuo and Tangren agreed on the general terms, the company immediately took over and conducted detailed negotiations.

Within a few days, the two parties reached an agreement on the contract.

Tangren Media acted quickly, immediately transferring Liu Shishi's contract to Legendary Pictures.

Liu Shishi's first task upon arriving at Legendary Film Company was to learn.

Wu Zhuo hired a professional acting coach to train her.

Legendary Pictures is a film company, not a television production company.

Compared to television dramas, movies undoubtedly require more acting skills.

In her previous life, Liu Shishi became famous early and was busy filming TV dramas that didn't provide much opportunity to hone her acting skills, which resulted in her acting becoming terrible later on.

In this life, Wu Zhuo naturally did not want to see this situation occur.

If Liu Shishi were still like she was in her previous life, she would be of no use at Legendary Film Company.

Therefore, she had to undergo a long period of study.

Of course, Wu Zhuo would definitely arrange projects for her during her studies.

However, that will have to wait until next year at the earliest.

Because this year is about to become a thing of the past.

After settling things with Liu Shishi, Wu Zhuo began preparing for the Spring Festival Gala rehearsals.

There were very few Taiwanese pop singers at this year's Spring Festival Gala; only Wu Zhuo and Jay Chou participated.

Due to the earthquake, Wu Zhuo did not choose any songs from his album released mid-year for this year's Spring Festival Gala performance; instead, he wrote new songs.

When the program team approached Wu Zhuo, they wanted him to write a song to encourage the disaster area and thank those who helped the disaster area.

So Wu Zhuo submitted "The Lone Warrior," the song that had inspired a massive chorus of elementary school students in his previous life.

The production team approved the song immediately after reviewing it.

During rehearsals, Wu Zhuo recorded a studio version of "The Lone Warrior," intending to release it after the Spring Festival Gala.

"Hello Mr. Wu, I came here specifically to bring you something."

That day, Wu Zhuo arrived at the rehearsal site early.

Because of a minor equipment problem, he sat in the lounge and waited.

After sitting for only a few minutes, the door was pushed open from the outside, and a short man with a simple smile walked in.

Hello, Mr. Wang!

Wu Zhuo stood up and shook hands with him.

The person who came was none other than Wang Baoqiang, who has become incredibly popular in recent years.

The films "A World Without Thieves" and "Soldiers Sortie" made him a national sensation and a well-known superstar.

In fact, his popularity among the general public may even be higher than that of Wu Zhuo.

There's no way around it, his simple and honest appearance is just too deceptive.

How popular was Wang Baoqiang at that time!

To put it simply, because he was so popular, a record company approached him and produced a record for him.

Then there's this year's Spring Festival Gala, where he was the only person to have two performances: a skit with Feng Gong and others, and a rendition of "The Song of Migrant Workers".

Wang Baoqiang did not come in empty-handed.

Instead, he was carrying a bag of things.

He clearly knew Wu Zhuo was here and came specifically to deliver something to him.

"Thank you! Thank you so much."

When Wu Zhuo opened the bag, he found that the contents were not valuable; they were just some local specialties.

But to be honest, Wang Baoqiang's behavior made him like him even more.

The two had met once before at a movie premiere and exchanged a few words.

Logically speaking, they are just ordinary friends.

But Wang Baoqiang would specially send him things.

Although the items themselves are not valuable, the sentiment behind them is very meaningful.

After handing the items to Wu Zhuo, Wang Baoqiang chatted with him briefly before taking his leave.

"Baoqiang, leave your phone number!"

Seeing that he was about to leave, Wu Zhuo offered to let him leave his number. "My company has a new project in the planning stages, and there's a role I think would be perfect for you."

Wu Zhuo was referring to the movie "Lost in Thailand".

Ye Weimin has already begun preparations for this project.

And how could the Lost Journey series be complete without Wang Baoqiang?

We can do without anyone else, but without him, this series would lose its soul.

Wang Baoqiang opened his mouth, revealing a set of bright white teeth, and grinned foolishly, "I wanted your phone number just now, but I didn't dare to ask."

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm not going to eat people."

As Wu Zhuo spoke, he handed him his phone, took it, and wrote his number on it.

After exchanging phone numbers, Wang Baoqiang didn't linger and rushed off to rehearse his show.

Wu Zhuo then asked Xiao An to put the local specialties he had given him in the car so that he wouldn't forget them when he left.

"It's true that fools are lucky. Two plays made him famous all over the country, and now he can even perform two programs on the Spring Festival Gala."

Xiao An sighed from the side.

She felt that Wang Baoqiang was incredibly lucky.

First, he was chosen by Feng Xiaogang to star in "A World Without Thieves" without much thought, and then he was cast in "Soldiers Sortie" without much thought.

It suddenly became a nationwide sensation, which was largely due to luck.

"If you really think he's a fool who's lucky, then you're underestimating him."

Unlike her opinion, Wu Zhuo thought Wang Baoqiang was very shrewd.

Do you think an ordinary, honest person would bring me local specialties?

He wasn't giving a gift, but rather an impression.

I'd only met him once before at some event.

That was the only time they brought me something after they found out I was also participating in the Spring Festival Gala.

Even though I knew he was trying to curry favor, the fact that he gave me inexpensive gifts—local specialties from his hometown—made me feel more favorably toward him.

In Wu Zhuo's view, Wang Baoqiang is the kind of person who looks simple-minded but is actually very shrewd.

His honest appearance makes him deceptive, and it is precisely this honesty that makes him seem straightforward when giving gifts, without any hidden agendas.

"So, are you planning to promote him?"

Xiao An asked curiously.

“Promote him? I can’t promote him. He’s so popular in China right now. Even if I asked him to act in a movie, I’d have to see if he was willing.”

At that time, there were very few films being made in China.

But for someone like Wang Baoqiang, who is famous and has a strong national presence, he has no shortage of acting opportunities.

Even if Wu Zhuo invites him to act, it depends on whether he's willing or not.

"The lead role in the Legendary Pictures film 'Lost in Thailand' would be perfect for him."

It could even be said that it was made entirely for him.

If we can't invite him, the project might have to be put on hold.

"Oh! It's that serious? We can't film without him?" Xiao An looked surprised.

"more or less!"

Anyway, Wu Zhuo felt that if Wang Baoqiang didn't act in it, there was really no need to make this movie.

There's really no one else who could play that role as Wang Baoqiang.

"After the Spring Festival, remind me so we can contact him as soon as possible and arrange a film contract with him."

Wu Zhuo glanced at the phone number in his hand and gave instructions.

He has so much to do that he often forgets about the things he had planned beforehand.

Therefore, he needs Xiao An to make notes on many things.

"Okay, I've got it."

Xiao An noted this down, glanced at the schedule, and said:
“You said last time that you were going back to Taiwan for the Lunar New Year, but we also participated in the Spring Festival Gala, and there is another event after the Gala.”

Should we return it?

(End of this chapter)