This director lacks vision.

Chapter 424 Liu Jicun's Determination
Liu Jicun was unaware of the agent's professional operations.

When she learned about the "Hello Dong Lili" project, she didn't think about anything else and was determined to win the role of Dong Lili.

In Liu Yicun's view, making ten of Zhang Yimou's films is not as good as making one film with the boss.

At the company, Liu Jicun was just about to send a message to Shu Chang when he saw Tian Qianwei and Wang Churen.

Wang Churan said with a smile, "What a pity, Haocun, you were just a little short~"

Liu Jicun hates being called Haocun because it sounds stupid.

But Liu Yicun didn't take Wang Churan's provocation to heart. Instead, he pressed her for an answer: "What do you mean? What do you mean by 'almost'?"

Wang Churan didn't speak, but Tian Qianwei said with a smile, "I just went to the scriptwriting department to inquire. Hello, Dong Lili's script is almost finished, and the audition is probably in a few days."

You're still under quarantine, so of course you can't make it to this audition!
Oh, what a pity! You have such good acting skills, a genius Cannes Best Actress, and you missed out on the role of Dong Lili because of being banned! Hahaha!

As Tian Qianwei continued speaking, she herself burst out laughing, and Wang Churan laughed along with her.

Xiaotian naturally had a bit of a bad girl vibe, and Wang Churan was also a cold-faced, disdainful person.

The two women laughed at Cha Cun, much like two female gang leaders bullying a good student at school.

Upon hearing Tian Qianwei's words, Liu Qicun's heart sank.

Her worst fears came true; the audition was scheduled before she was released from quarantine.

Liu Jicun was actually mentally prepared for this situation.

After all, "Hello Dong Lili" is a movie that Jiang Yifeng is going to make, so the screenwriting team naturally has to prioritize completing the script, and Jiang Yifeng has already written the script outline.

The screenwriting department should be able to complete the entire script in a short time.

Seeing Liu Jicun's distressed expression, Wang Churan felt extremely pleased.

She added, "We just came in and saw the crew of The Left Ear."

They're supposedly looking for your agent. You're not going to be acting in The Left Ear, are you?

Wow, you have amazing resources! I'm so envious!

Tian Qianwei chimed in, "That's not the case. Hao Cun is, after all, a talented actress whom Director Zhang Yi covets. Director Zhang is waiting for her every second!"

Hao Cun is amazing, he never lacks acting opportunities~ I just wonder if he'll get criticized even for acting for a second. Li Binbin got a lot of flak for his role in "The Great Wall"~

The two of them, speaking in unison and with a sarcastic tone, launched into a tirade against Liu Jicun, making him so angry that his face turned red.

Seeing this, both sides' assistants stepped forward, ready to fight, fearing that another brawl might break out.

Liu Jicun took a deep breath, snorted coldly, and retorted, "So what if I can't play Dong Lili? Can you play her?"
Boat Girl, you should just keep wiggling your hip on stage!
"Oda, all you do is show off and act big; you don't understand acting at all!"

After saying this, Liu Qicun didn't wait for Xiaotian and the boat girl to retaliate before he strode away with his long legs.

She's at a disadvantage now; if she stays, she'll definitely be mocked. Her only option is to launch a sneak attack and then make a quick getaway.

Running away means losing, so Liu Jicun felt quite bad.

Because of being punished for fighting, she missed the classic Spring Festival Gala directed by Jiang Yifeng, and now she's going to miss Dong Lili too. It's like a river of sorrow flowing backwards.

After thinking it over, Liu Jicun still refused to give up, so she called Shu Chang.

Fifteen minutes later, the two met in a coffee shop inside the park.

At this time, Shu Chang had already started to gain weight. A week later, she had gained 5 pounds. Her chubby little face made her even more adorable, and Liu Yicun wanted to pinch her cheeks.

After listening to Liu Jicun's story, Shu Chang said, "According to Lao Jiang's idea, the script of 'Hello Dong Lili' will be set in the 1980s, and the character of Dong Lili should have the temperament of people from that era."

The character I play, Shu Xiaoxiao, embodies the style of contemporary young people.

There should be obvious differences and distinctions between the two generations, which will lead to a series of conflicts and humorous moments.

I gained weight for this reason. In the 80s, people were relatively poor and did a lot of physical labor, so the aesthetic standard was to be a little plump.

My chubby little guy would be ridiculed now, but he would have been very popular back then.

"If you're going to play Dong Lili, you need to capture the essence of someone from that era, and I think you have some advantages in that regard."

Hearing Shu Chang's analysis, Liu Jicun was greatly encouraged, but she still said, "But I can't make it to the audition."

Shu Chang shook her head and said, "An audition doesn't necessarily mean the actor will be chosen on the spot; it depends on your own determination."

I can write a short biography of Dong Lili for you; you can study it carefully yourself.

On the other hand, even if you manage to get an audition, your chances of landing the role are slim.

There are risks involved in whatever you do.

Although Shu Chang is cunning, she is still very sentimental, which makes her the most qualified eldest sister.

Whether it was securing resources for Song Zuer or analyzing the situation for Liu Jicun, Shu Chang did her best.

In this respect, she is much more reliable than Liu Yifei and Nazha.

That's why Liu Jicun sought out Shu Chang to confide in him as soon as he encountered difficulties.

After talking with Shu Chang, Liu Jicun made up his mind.

She explained the situation directly to her agent—she would not accept any roles until the role of Dong Lili was confirmed.

Thus, the Left Ear production team returned empty-handed.

But they did gain something from it.

That same evening, a Weibo marketing account revealed that the production team of the TV series "Left Ear" was in contact with Liu Jicun, hoping to cast him as the female lead, Xiao Erduo.

The post also included various photos of Su Youpeng chatting with Liu Jicun's agent, making it seem very credible.

This revelation immediately became a trending topic on Weibo.

Following the failure of "The Great Wall," Zhang Yimou has repeatedly stated publicly that he will temporarily leave commercial films and that his next film will be the art film "One Second."

Filming for "One Second" is scheduled to begin around October, just to wait for Liu Jicun.

Liu Jicun is about to be "unsealed," but the crew of the film "Left Ear" has suddenly interfered.

Netizens will certainly enjoy watching the show.

Many people went to Zhang Yimou's Weibo account to ask him what his opinion was.

Zhang Yi actually replied.

“It’s quite normal for production teams to invite Liu Haocun to be the lead actor.”

I'm happy about this, it means there are people who have the same good taste as me.

But I am also very confident. I believe that one second is more attractive than the left ear, and I believe that Liu Jicun can feel my sincerity and make the right choice.

The crew of the film "Left Ear" responded immediately after this Weibo post was published.

Good actors are a rare commodity, especially outstanding young actors like Liu Jicun.

From its inception to the present, The Left Ear has been carefully selecting actors who best fit the original character.

Liu Jicun is one of our most ideal choices for the role of Xiao Erduo. The character of Xiao Erduo possesses a vibrant life force, and we believe Liu Jicun will make the right choice.

In the entertainment industry, hype is mutual.

While Zuo Er and Liu Yicun's agent are creating hype, Zhang Yimou may also have had the idea of ​​promoting it for even a second.

The Great Wall was a box office flop, grossing only $2.12 million worldwide, $5000 million less than the $2.63 million of its predecessor.

The film cost $1.5 million to produce and $1 million to market.

Even including revenue from copyrights and DVDs, the cumulative losses still exceed $1 million.

Because of the box office failure of The Great Wall, LeEco's stock price has fallen back somewhat.

Zhang Yimou's position at LeEco was also suppressed by figures like John Woo from the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

Although he dislikes infighting, the factional struggles within the company are not something one can easily avoid.

Unless Zhang Yimou leaves LeEco, you'll have to fight him.

Moreover, Zhang Yi had previously invested in LeEco stock, and later invested another 8000 million yuan in LeSports.

He has invested all the savings he has accumulated over half his life into LeEco, and he cannot abandon the ship halfway through.

Therefore, Zhang Yimou also needs to promote his new movie appropriately.

The topic of Liu Jicun had already attracted a lot of onlookers, and with the joint hype from the three parties, it quickly sparked heated discussions across the internet.

This was originally a win-win-win situation, and if the hype continues, it can maintain its popularity for a long time.

Unexpectedly, Liu Jicun posted a Weibo message using his alternate account.

"My boss is going to shoot a new movie called 'Hello Dong Lili,' and I'm now fully focused on preparing for the audition for this movie."

I will not accept any roles until Dong Lili's role is confirmed.

When the "Zhang Wangcun" meme first appeared, Liu Yicun's alternate account posted about it, and at the time, quite a few people followed this account.

Therefore, this time, the Weibo post from the alternate account immediately received a lot of attention.

One netizen questioned in the comments section: "Your punishment period isn't over yet, so can you participate in the audition?"

Liu Yicun replied, "I can't participate in the audition for the time being, but I will still prepare wholeheartedly for the role of Dong Lili."

What if the boss auditions but can't find a suitable actor, and then discovers I'm pretty good?

I'm always ready whenever the boss needs me for a role!

This reply is absolutely brilliant.

In less than half an hour, it received millions of likes from netizens.

"Holy crap, is Liu Jicun really that humble? He doesn't even have a chance to audition, and he has to focus all his energy on preparing for the role."

"So what? Director Jiang helped Liu Jicun win the Best Actress award at Cannes, so of course she'll try to get on his good side. I think Liu Jicun is quite clever."

"Is the entertainment industry really that hierarchical? Zhang Yimou fawns over Liu Yicun, and Liu Yicun fawns over Jiang Yifeng!"

"This isn't a strict hierarchy, it's a food chain. President Jiang is indeed the man at the very top of the food chain."

"Zhang Yimou: I've made a mistake in the end! The leading actress here has been waiting for you, but you didn't want her. You didn't even get an audition with Jiang Yifeng, yet you still have to be ready at any time!"

Netizens have started teasing the "bitter woman's scheme" again, and the internet is filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The phrase "always be prepared" has gradually become popular and has become a new meme.

Liu Yicun's statement was both an attempt to avoid any publicity stunts involving her competing with the Left Ear production team and an opportunity to let Jiang Yifeng know that she was preparing for a role.

It has to be said that her little trick was quite clever.

But things never always go as planned.

Shortly after Liu Jicun posted on Weibo, a minor female celebrity, who was not well-known in the entertainment industry, broke down in tears.

On the evening of September 6, Qiu Shuanglu posted on Weibo, accusing the production team of "The Left Ear" of being completely unfair in casting!

Claims about screening characters across the entire internet are all lies!

You have to give them a red envelope before the audition, otherwise they'll give you a really ugly makeup look!
After the preliminary audition, someone asked me to sleep with him. He was a disgusting, greasy, fat man, but I endured it for the sake of the role!
The second interview required another red envelope, and I also had to accompany another person!

I cooperated with everything, but in the end they told me I didn't meet the role requirements!

I admit I was a complete idiot. I didn't debut in the 101 girl group back then, and signed with another company for a little money!
If I had Liu Jicun's determination back then, I would be a top star now!
I regret it so much!!!
I'm quitting this ugly entertainment industry!

Qiu Shuanglu was one of the people who got the chance to debut in the first season of Produce Camp 101.

She gave up forming a group and joined another entertainment company for a million-dollar signing fee.

However, her career has been declining in recent years. She has not only spent all her money but also lost money herself. The fans she gained from participating in the talent show have also mostly left.

She's even less popular than Jin Chen and Liu Meihan.

What Liu Jicun disliked about Zuo Er was, to Qiu Shuanglu at this time, a pie in the sky that she longed for but could not have.

She didn't even dare to dream of becoming the lead actress; she only auditioned for the third female lead. In the end, she was manipulated and played by some people in the production team, losing money and money without getting the role.

Seeing two major production teams vying for Liu Jicun, Liu Jicun even posted a blog post refusing the offer and firmly stating that he would follow his boss.

This reminded Qiu Shuanglu of her past wrong decision and the blows and humiliations she suffered during the audition for the left ear, causing her to completely break down.

Her Weibo posts not only included text but also screenshots of chat logs, making them quite credible.

Qiu Shuanglu's self-disclosure has completely ignited related topics and put the Left Ear production team in the spotlight.

While attacking the Left Ear production team, netizens also did not spare Qiu Shuanglu.

"Seeing you in this state makes me want to laugh. Compared to the original idols like Nezha, you're worlds apart!"

"Although Jiang Yifeng has some flaws, he is relatively fair in promoting people; he will promote even ordinary people without social connections."

"That's right. In the entertainment industry, only Fengxing Media has a basic level of fairness in talent shows or actor auditions. The rest are all about connections and all sorts of disgusting things!"

"Back then, there were a few members of the first generation of idol groups who didn't debut. Are they all in a bad situation now? I remember Liu Meihan was photographed attending a wedding event in a small county town not long ago, which caused a lot of ridicule."

"Those who didn't debut as a group back then are all obscure now, so Liu Yicun is quite smart. He doesn't even glance at Zhang Yimou or Zuo Er. He just needs to cling to Jiang Yifeng's coattails."

Jiang Yifeng was aware of the heated online discussion, but he did not participate.

Because the chubby duo has added a new member – Shu Chang.

Shu Chang has gained a little weight, adding to her chubby physique.

She now particularly enjoys provoking Jiang Yifeng, deliberately playing the role of a rebellious person to arouse Jiang Yifeng's desire to conquer.

Liu Yifei followed suit and played the game of a runaway slave.

In addition, Chen Duling, who is obsessed with teachers, also became a rebellious student.

Jiang Yifeng had to establish his authority properly and let them know how knowledgeable the professors were.

(End of this chapter)