Entertainment: I just want to be the boss behind the scenes

Chapter 24: Respect your teachers

North Beijing, East Mianhua Hutong.

This is probably a well-known alley in northern Beijing. One reason is that it is close to Nanluoguxiang, which attracts many tourists. Another reason is that the famous Chinese Opera is located in this alley.

Meng Bai was holding two full bottles of mineral water and walking slowly on the campus. The surrounding scene was still so familiar. He couldn't help but sigh: "It's been more than two years since graduation, and the school still hasn't renovated or built a new building. It's really exciting."

As a film and television school, the Central Academy of Drama itself is not short of various dramatic stories. For example, the most classic plot is that because he didn't know the way, he asked someone for directions and happened to meet a future big star.

Of course, this kind of scene would never happen to Meng Bai.

He has been in this small campus for four years. Not only the campus, but even the snack bars around it can be recited from east to west like reading out the menu.

Meng Bai walked into the administrative building with ease and stopped in front of an office. He straightened his clothes and then knocked on the door gently.

"Please come in."

A vicissitudes but powerful voice was heard.

Slowly pushing open the door, I saw an old man with gray hair but vigorous spirit, writing something on a piece of paper with his head down.

Meng Bai did not make any noise to disrupt them. He turned around and closed the door quietly, then walked forward and stood quietly beside the table.

The old man seemed to know that the visitor knew his habits, so he did not rush to greet him, but instead quickened his writing speed. Only after he finished writing a paragraph did he look up at the visitor.

Meng Bai took a step forward and said respectfully, "Teacher Zou."

"Ah, Xiao Meng." The old man smiled when he saw Meng Bai, stood up and walked out of the table, saying, "Come, sit down."

The old gentleman's name is Zou Yufu. He is a professor in the Department of Drama and Literature of the Central Academy of Drama and also Meng Bai's mentor when he was in school.

At that time, Meng Bai had excellent academic performance and great talent, and was highly valued by Professor Zou, who introduced him to many opportunities.

For example, he recommended Meng Bai's script as a stage play for his graduation drama, and introduced him to some big names in the industry. He even planned to let him take his own postgraduate exam in the year he graduated, and then recommended him to Beijing People's Art Theater.

You know, Beijing North People's Theatre is the leading institution on the domestic drama stage.

Unfortunately, Meng Bai was young and energetic at the time. He always felt that he was blessed with natural inspiration and there was no need for him to follow the old path of "within the system". Instead, he wanted to make a name for himself.

What happened next was just as everyone expected. After being "re-educated" by the university of society, Meng Bai was badly beaten and became a small-time screenwriter struggling to make a living.

At the same time, due to various reasons such as face and personality, although he continued to contact Professor Zou, he never offered to help.

The sun and the moon are passing by, how can we stop the youthful spirit? Young people are always like this, and this is also the vitality and hope of this society.

"Why did you suddenly think of coming here today?" Professor Zou asked with a smile.

"It's Teacher's Day now, so I thought I'd come and see the teacher."

"Oh, that's thoughtful." Professor Zou looked at Meng Bai with a smile: "But why did I think that Teacher's Day was over last week?"

"Ah..." Meng Bai was stunned by what he said, and then he quickly put on a smile and said, "It's because I was too busy some time ago and didn't come here, so I came here specially to apologize to the teacher."

As he spoke, Meng Bai placed the two bottles of "mineral water" in his hands in front of Professor Zou.

Professor Zou pulled down his glasses, glanced at the "mineral water" in front of him, and nodded: "Okay, you are quite creative. I have lived for so many years, and this is the first time I have seen someone give mineral water as a gift. If I am not mistaken, what you are doing is called 'sending water from a thousand miles away, the gift is small but the sentiment is great', right?"

Meng Bai chuckled and said mysteriously, "Open it and try it."

Professor Zou looked at Meng Bai suspiciously, then raised his hand and unscrewed the bottle cap. As soon as the cap was opened, a refreshing aroma of wine came out. Professor Zou's eyes suddenly lit up, picked up the bottle and took a sip, then half-closed his eyes and said aftertaste: "Not bad, at least ten years of cellaring of the original wine."

"You really know how to drink. You can tell it's a good thing just by tasting it." Meng Bai flattered him with an admiring expression.

In fact, he asked Liu Zhi to buy this wine at a similar price. He himself didn't drink alcohol normally and had no idea what was so good about this wine.

Professor Zou obviously knew that his student was not a "friend of the wine country" and said unhappily, "You put such good wine in mineral water bottles. Isn't that a waste of things?"

"There's nothing we can do, teacher. It's hidden in bulk." Meng Bai lowered his voice and said carefully, "I heard that the last time my teacher's wife came to the office, she took out your collection of wine and confiscated it."

When Professor Zou heard this, his disgusted expression suddenly subsided. He subconsciously glanced at the door and complained to Meng Bai, "Your mistress is really something. I only drink less than a small cup of wine a day, but she has to control me."

"This...is also for your health, right?"

"Don't give me that. I have a physical checkup every year and there is nothing wrong with my health. Young people like you stay up late and eat midnight snacks every day. It's possible that your health is not as good as that of an old man like me."

Professor Zou must have been holding it in for too long, and he kept talking to Meng Bai for a long time before he finally calmed down.

Touching the two bottles of wine, Professor Zou regained his smiling expression and asked, "You kid, you never come to the temple for no reason. Well, today I am also taking advantage of someone's weakness. Tell me, what's the matter?"

Meng Bai clapped his hands and said, "I knew you were straightforward. I really need your help with something."

As he spoke, Meng Bai introduced the web drama he was planning to shoot recently.

"Online dramas..." After listening to Meng Bai's narration, Professor Zou was silent for a while, then said with emotion: "It is also a good channel. Each generation has its own creative medium."

After sighing, he looked at Meng Bai and said, "I don't know much about these things on the Internet. Is there anything you need my help with?"

"Indeed." Meng Bai said: "Our drama is a unit drama, and we need some stage actors with guaranteed acting skills. But our budget is limited, so..."

"I see." Professor Zou said with a smile, "You must have taken a fancy to your junior brothers and sisters in the acting department."

"Not just junior brothers and sisters, some senior brothers and sisters are also OK." Meng Bai said: "I am not familiar with the teachers in the performance department, so I want to ask you for help, teacher, to see if you can ask someone to make a connection."

"That's all? What else do I think?" Professor Zou said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, the current director of the acting department is a student of my friend. I'll talk to him, and you can go find him directly after that."

"Tsk, teacher, if we talk about your popularity, it has to be this!" Meng Bai gave a thumbs up.

"Come on, come on, I don't know you, kid. Don't bother with me." Professor Zou scolded with a smile, "If you need any help, tell me now. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Meng Bai chuckled: "Teacher really understands me. I heard that our new campus in Changping will be opened next year, right?"

"Your information is quite accurate." Professor Zou nodded. "That is true. The school is still studying which majors will be moved there next year."

"Then it's still empty now, right?" Meng Bai said, "I have two episodes in my drama that require the use of campus scenes. I was thinking if the new campus hasn't been used yet, could I borrow it?"

In the first season of "Soul Ferry", there is a chapter called "The Senior in Red", which is the only unit in this season that takes up two episodes and involves school scenes.

After all, as a supernatural horror story, it always feels a little incomplete without schools, abandoned buildings and mental hospitals.

"I don't know much about borrowing the venue. I'll have to ask someone." Professor Zou frowned and said, "Wait for my news. I'll ask if I can borrow it for two days. It stands to reason that it's only natural for the school to provide some help to its students when they're filming a show."

"Thank you very much, teacher."

(End of this chapter)