Abstract Art Award Winner

After a brief conversation with Ning Hao on the phone, Zhou Le received positive feedback from Ning Hao, indicating that the idea could be implemented. So after hanging up, Zhou Le brainstormed some ideas and planned to come up with a rough story framework so that he wouldn't be without a general direction when it came to actually making it.

Another issue that Ning Hao just mentioned, such as the scale and censorship, does need to be considered. After all, with such realistic themes, if the scale is not handled well, it may be labeled as creating panic or exaggerating. Moreover, even if it is filmed, whether it can pass the censorship is another matter. Therefore, we need to find someone who can make the final decision within the rules.

However, these are all things to be discussed later. Zhou Le currently has other projects to work on and can't find the time to do this. Moreover, he will probably have to take leave from the crew again in a few days, so his work schedule is very busy these days.

"Like a Flowing River" has been filming for some time now. Although Zhou Le often leaves the set, his personal filming progress has not been affected. On the contrary, he has been praised by Kong Sheng more than once for his outstanding professional skills. Having witnessed Zhou Le's growth firsthand, Kong Sheng is very glad that he signed Zhou Le in the early stages. Otherwise, it would not be cheap to invite Zhou Le back to act with his current status.

Of course, in addition to his professional skills, Zhou Le's interpersonal skills are also evident. He has never refused to help even minor characters in the show.

During a break between scenes, Zhou Le was squatting behind the director, watching the actors rehearsing on the monitor. However, the girl just couldn't get into character. When Director Kong called "cut" for the third time, he told the whole crew to take a break and then called over the girl named Zhang Jianing separately. Zhou Le took a few steps away before she came over, after all, the girl was shy.

Ten minutes later, the girl walked out from under the director's tent with her head down. As she passed Zhou Le, Zhou Le called out to her.

"What's wrong, Sister Jia Ning?"

Zhang Jianing looked up at Zhou Le: "Ah, I got scolded. My performance today was a bit of a drag on the team."

"Haha, is it that serious? I saw you were doing fine next to the director just now. Is something bothering you? Come on, tell me, and I'll make sure you overcome your hunger and become yourself again." He tossed a Snickers bar to Zhang Jianing and shouted, "Here you go."

Zhang Jianing, who was still immersed in her depression, was startled by Zhou Le's shout and instinctively caught what Zhou Le threw at her. When she picked it up, she saw that it was a Snickers bar.

After seeing what was in her hand, Zhang Jianing's lips twitched, but she still politely thanked him and sat down next to Zhou Le. "Actually, it's nothing much. I just had a few words with my uncle yesterday, and I felt a little regretful and angry when I woke up this morning. I brought my emotions into my work, so I'm not in the right state of mind."

"Oh, that's not a big problem, Dr. Zhou can handle it." Zhou Le said, secretly taking something out of the cardboard box next to him and handing it over.

Seeing Zhou Le's furtive behavior, Zhang Jianing felt much less gloomy. Then, after seeing the 1L bottle of Gatorade that Zhou Le handed her, she realized that what netizens said was indeed true. He truly deserves to be called the most abstract person in the Chinese entertainment industry; he can use any kind of lame joke.

And is this some kind of energy replenishment station? How come it has all sorts of things?

"Get your pulse back anytime, anywhere!"

"This is perfect for when you're not in the zone." As he spoke, Zhou Le gestured with his chin, indicating that she should catch it quickly.

Just as she was getting ready to act, she heard someone calling out "Teacher Zhou Le" from afar. Zhou Le quickly shoved the bottle of Gatorade into her hand and said, "Drink it quickly, we'll start filming soon."

After saying that, Zhou Le walked towards the staff in the distance, leaving Zhang Jianing standing there, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

However, after Zhou Le's interruption, Zhang Jianing's mood did improve considerably, and her condition was much better after filming resumed. She also easily completed the scenes she had previously filmed.

After the performance, Zhang Jianing looked at the bottle of Gatorade on the table and thought of Zhou Le's nonsensical manner. A slight smile appeared on her lips. It seemed that Dr. Zhou was indeed quite capable. She should treat him to a meal next time to express her gratitude.

Meanwhile, Zhou Le sneezed at just the right moment, and thought to himself, "Who's talking about me again?"

After finishing his scenes for the day, Zhou Le went home. After all, Sister Meng was still around, and who could be as fun as her?

Aside from making a brief appearance at Zhou Le's film set during her first two days there, Meng Ziyi has been free to roam around these past two days, occasionally buying local trinkets and snacks to feed Zhou Le, who is quite happy to oblige.

After all, their relationship wasn't that of a traditional boss and employee. Zhou Le wasn't the kind of exploitative boss who didn't give his employees any free time. Of course, we won't go into the other kind of exploitation for now. It's just that the boss was good at it, and the employees couldn't be happier.

When Zhou Le arrived at the hotel, Meng Ziyi was not in the room. Zhou Le assumed she had gone back to her own room and didn't pay any attention to her, figuring she would come back on her own anyway. He quickly changed his clothes, took a shower, and then lay on the sofa, leisurely scrolling through his phone.

After browsing Weibo for a bit, Zhou Le noticed that there wasn't any sensational gossip on the trending topics. Just as he was about to exit, he saw an update in his friends' circle, so he clicked on it and refreshed it. Then he saw that Zhang Jianing had posted a Weibo post with a picture of a Snickers bar and a bottle of Gatorade, and the caption was "Energy replenishment station [Little Sun]".

Zhou Le looked at the two familiar items, gave them a thumbs up, and then commented, "You have to treat me to a meal!"

Netizens expressed their disdain after seeing Zhou Le's reply, leaving numerous comments below:
"Zhou Le, come back quickly, stop freeloading outside!" said the man who was eating melon.

Abstract Saint Seiya: "Why are you going up again...?"

The vinegar has to be the sour kind from Shanxi: "Wait, when did you two meet?"

Lemon Candy: "Stay away from Ningning, I don't approve of this marriage."

Zhou Le left Weibo after watching the increasingly outrageous comments, thinking to himself, "I'm not the kind of person who gets lustful at first sight; I just like to freeload meals."

Just as Zhou Le was wondering what to do, there was a knock on the door. Zhou Le thought it was Meng Ziyi returning, so he got up in his bathrobe to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, Zhou Le exchanged a glance with the person outside, then immediately turned around, changed into some casual clothes, and then went back to open the door.

"..." Zhang Jianing, standing outside the door, fell silent for a moment, suddenly unsure of what to say.

"What's wrong, Sister Jia Ning?" Zhou Le asked, opening the door and looking at the person outside.

"I didn't expect you to be resting so early. I came over to invite you for a late-night snack," Zhang Jianing said, slightly embarrassed.

"Sure, I was just thinking of going out to get something to eat. What a coincidence!" Zhou Le said nonchalantly.

He hadn't eaten when he came back from the film set. He had originally planned to come back with Meng Ziyi, but Meng Ziyi was nowhere to be found, so going out to eat with Zhang Jianing was a good option, since he didn't have to pay for it himself.

"But you just weren't..."

"I just took a shower and didn't have time to change my clothes. My lifestyle isn't that healthy yet."

"Okay, let's go."

Zhou Le returned to his room, grabbed his phone, and went out to eat with Zhang Jianing. He didn't notice that Sister Meng, hiding in a dark corner, was practically spitting fire as she looked at the local snacks she was carrying. Actually, when Zhang Jianing knocked on the door, Meng Ziyi had just exited the elevator and was about to turn the corner when she bumped into Zhou Le, who was chatting with someone with a grin. Sister Meng's little volcano almost erupted when she heard Zhou Le was going out for a late-night snack, but thankfully, her rare acting composure held her back. However, she was determined to get her revenge tonight.

Zhou Le hadn't walked far when he felt a chill down his back. Was he wearing too little clothing?

It was the same barbecue restaurant as last time. The owner and the crew were already quite familiar with each other, so they weren't surprised to see the two of them arrive. Instead, the owner skillfully took out the menu and marked it up.

They didn't order much, mainly because actresses need to manage their figures, and Zhou Le still had some idol image to maintain in front of people he didn't know well.

The two chatted about things on set, and Zhang Jianing thanked Zhou Le for the Snickers and Pulse. They then exchanged ideas about the self-cultivation of actors, and the conversation became more and more engaging. Zhang Jianing absorbed Zhou Le's experience like a sponge, and then expressed her admiration for Zhou Le. Finally, they clinked glasses with water instead of wine, and the late-night snack ended.

Naturally, Zhang Jianing treated Zhou Le to the meal, and Zhou Le successfully got a free meal once again.

On the way back, Zhou Le and Zhang Jianing chatted casually: "Sister Jianing, I can tell you really love acting."

"Well, I guess I'm just a slow bird that has to start early, because not everyone is as talented as you, little brother," Zhang Jianing said with a hint of self-deprecation.

“But I can sense your passion for each role. It’s not the kind of perfunctory approach; it’s genuine enjoyment that comes from being fully immersed in the character,” Zhou Le said earnestly.

"Haha, that's because it wasn't easy for me to get into this industry, so I cherish it all the more."

But speaking of which, Zhou Le, you're really amazing! To have achieved so much and developed such acting skills in just a few years is truly a gift from God.

"It's alright, I wouldn't say I was going through a crazy internal competition behind the scenes."

"Isn't that even more impressive? So talented and yet so stubborn," Zhang Jianing joked.

……

The two walked back to the hotel, and as Zhang Jianing stood at the door of the room, she said to Zhou Le again, "Thank you, Zhou Le. You are really a very insightful person."

"Jia Ning, don't be so polite. Remember to call me if you want to get back into shape. Goodnight." With that, she waved and walked towards her room.

"Goodnight, Zhou Le," Zhang Jianing whispered from behind.

At this moment, Zhou Le had no idea what he was about to face, and he opened the door while humming a little tune.

He shivered as soon as he entered the room. Was the air conditioning set too low? But when he went in, he saw Meng Ziyi frowning on the sofa and a pile of snacks in front of her.

"Hi, isn't this Sister Meng? You're back, Sister Meng."

"Kneel down!" Sister Meng is truly the most outspoken person in the Chinese entertainment industry. Not to mention the boss, she even has to say a few words to herself when she gets angry.

Zhou Le was stunned by the scene and wondered what was wrong with this old lady.

"So you do know to come back? How was your late-night snack with the others?" Meng Ziyi spoke again, her tone still somewhat stiff.

Zhou Le finally understood why Sister Meng was so angry.

He fawned over Meng Ziyi and rubbed her shoulders: "Look at what our Sister Meng is saying. How could I dare to eat my fill? I've saved room for you. I just got a little drowsy waiting for you, so I went out to wake myself up."

When Meng Ziyi heard Zhou Le say that, she stopped being so serious. Instead, she crossed her arms and said arrogantly, "Don't expect me to forgive you until you've had ten massages."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Le immediately facepalmed, thinking, "That's all my sister Meng is good for."

"Okay, okay, can we eat now? These things look really good, they probably won't taste good if we leave them any longer."

"Fine, but remember, the massage parlor thing doesn't count tonight," Meng Ziyi said angrily.

"Okay, that doesn't count, eat up." Zhou Le found Meng Ziyi's expression quite amusing and reached out to pinch her cheek.

"You hate it!"

Meng Ziyi brought back some snacks and some main dishes. The two of them picked out a few things they wanted to eat, heated them up, and sat on the sofa to eat.

After finishing his meal, Zhou Le tidied up the coffee table, put the rest of the food in the refrigerator, and then sprawled back on the sofa.

Zhou Le casually asked Meng Ziyi where she had been that day and if she had encountered anything interesting. As soon as she started talking about these things, Meng Ziyi became excited and forgot about her jealousy. She then vividly shared her experiences of the day with Zhou Le.

To be honest, Zhou Le felt that they were more vibrant when they weren't under the spotlight, like Meng Ziyi dancing around now, seemingly radiating light, but this light wasn't due to her status as a female celebrity.

Looking at Meng Ziyi like this, Zhou Le couldn't help himself. He tilted his head back and leaned towards Meng Ziyi's incessantly chattering mouth.

"I haven't showered yet." Meng Ziyi was suddenly kissed and felt a little shy. She got up and walked towards the bathroom.

"Let's shower together." Zhou Le followed him into the bathroom.

……

The next morning, Zhou Le went to the Shanghai Theatre Academy again. Meng Ziyi's vacation was also over, and she had to go to work. So the two said goodbye the night before. Zhou Le didn't worry about Meng Ziyi, but was thinking about the work arrangements to come.

The Golden Rooster Awards are coming up in November, so he needs to ask for leave in advance. He should talk to Director Kong in the next few days to catch up on his own work so that he doesn't slow down the entire crew's schedule. He really can't afford to do that.

Although, given his current status, no one would say much even if he made a mistake, actors still need to uphold their professional ethics; otherwise, how could he maintain such a good reputation in the industry? (End of Chapter)