It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 275 A Woman's Vengeful Heart! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"Let's take a set of promotional photos first. Each of you should strike a pose that best suits the image of 'Cheon Song-yi,' the female celebrity. I need to see firsthand how well you fit the role..."

In the audition room, Lin Yufen held the script and was giving instructions to several actresses.

Everyone nodded and began to pose in front of the prepared backdrop and lighting.

Lu Rui sat on a chair to the side, his gaze slowly sweeping over the group.

Fan Bingbing confidently raised her chin, and the way she raised her hand to adjust her skirt exuded a dazzling aura, clearly demonstrating her mastery of the top female star persona.

Li Xiaolu put on a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling, trying her best to appear girlish and charming.

Huo Siyan stood ramrod straight, her gentle demeanor exuding elegance, possessing a touch of goddess-like charm.

Finally, Lü Rui's gaze settled on Bai Baihe and Wang Luodan.

After carefully comparing them back and forth, he couldn't hide his surprise.

These two people look like twins!
Especially the contours of the eyebrows, eyes, and nose, they seem to have been made from the same mold.

The only difference is in the mouth area.

Wang Luodan's lips are softer and have more rounded lines.

Bai Baihe's lip lines are more defined, with a touch of strength.

Even though Wang Luodan has short hair and Bai Baihe has long hair, their similar features and temperament still make people wonder if they are sisters.
After the photoshoot was finished, Lin Yufen looked at the photos in the camera and subconsciously asked, "Are you two sisters? You look so alike."

“No, Director.” Wang Luodan was the first to shake her head and deny it. “I’m from Jinzhou, Liaoning, but I was born in Inner Mongolia. This is the first time I’ve met Teacher Bai.”

She recently became a sensation with her role as "Mi Lai" in the TV series "Struggle," propelling her into the ranks of A-list actresses and enjoying a surge in popularity.

That's precisely why she has enough confidence to compete for the lead role of Cheon Song-yi.

As for Bai Baihe beside her, she had never met her before and really didn't expect to find someone so similar to herself.

Bai Baihe added, "Director, I'm from Qingdao, Shandong, and I really don't know Ms. Wang Luodan."

Compared to Wang Luodan's high spirits, she, who has been married to Chen Yufan for a year, exudes a subtle sense of being a wife, with a slightly more mature temperament and less of her youthful naiveté.

"Oh, I know."

Lin Yufen didn't ask any more questions. She looked away, picked up the script, and said, "Alright, now that the costume photos are done, let's start the auditions, beginning with Bingbing..."

"Okay, Director Lin."

Fan Bingbing nodded in response and began to prepare her emotions.

Wang Luodan, standing to the side, lowered her head and quickly flipped through the script in her hands, her eyes focused, clearly pondering the character's emotions.

However, Bai Baihe, standing next to her, was not so quick to get into the zone; her mind was racing with thoughts.

As a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, Bai Baihe has full confidence in her acting skills.

She firmly believed that her performance would be no less than that of anyone else present!

But she also knew that when filming TV dramas, especially big-budget idol dramas like this, an actor's fame is often more important than their acting skills.

The female lead in "My Love from the Star" is a top-tier female celebrity, requiring the actress to have built-in popularity and buzz.

Her current fame is far less than that of Wang Luodan, who became a sensation with "Struggle," and even less than that of established artists like Fan Bingbing and Li Xiaolu.

"I'll most likely be a runner-up in this audition."

A sense of disappointment swept through Bai Baihe's heart. She had originally been full of expectations for this role, but the gap between reality and expectations forced her to face reality.

However, she had already made a plan: if she failed the audition, she would temporarily put down her work and go home to have a baby.

After all, they've been married for a year, and her family has been urging her to have a child.

However, when her gaze inadvertently fell on Wang Luodan beside her, a strange excitement suddenly welled up inside her.

After she gives birth, she will definitely have to return to work. She can't just stay at home as a full-time housewife, can she?

That's not the life she wants.

What she really wanted was that feeling of glitz and glamour, of navigating the world of fame and fortune.

A comeback requires popularity and attention.

Well then, I've just met an actress who looks like me and is currently incredibly popular.

So when you make your official comeback, could you ride on her fame and popularity?
The more Bai Baihe thought about it, the more feasible this idea seemed.

Putting everything else aside, the fact that they look alike is undoubtedly the best publicity gimmick.

Just as she was secretly pondering her marketing strategy for her future comeback, the on-site auditions had officially begun.

Fan Bingbing, wearing high heels, walked gracefully to the center of the audition stage.

She didn't deliberately quicken her pace, but each step had just the right rhythm.

Despite the limited space in the audition room, the way she walked over made it seem like she was walking a runway in front of a huge audience.

She seemed to be enveloped in starlight, her innate nobility and flamboyance instantly giving her a top-tier aura!

Arriving at the center of the audition room, she raised her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze slowly shifting from initial languidness to a sharp look of displeasure.

A haughty smile played on her lips, her tone slightly arrogant yet not unpleasant: "Do you know who I am? How dare you talk to me like that? Believe me, I'll make sure you can't stay in this industry anymore?"

Even with just a few simple lines, she delivered a nuanced performance, conveying both the superiority of a top star and the charm of a young woman, while even revealing a hint of vulnerability that was not easily detected. This perfectly captured the character traits of the female lead, who was outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

Lu Rui sat to the side and nodded slightly.

This woman seems born to be a top-tier female star, especially her posture, which is absolutely stunning!
And paired with those red-soled high heels... tsk tsk.

If an average little boy saw this, he'd probably lie on the ground on the spot and yell, "Sister, step on me!"

Next up was Huo Siyan.

She took a deep breath and tried her best to imitate Fan Bingbing's posture.

But as soon as he opened his mouth, his aura weakened.

Her tone was too soft. Even when she delivered strong lines, she lacked domineering presence and sounded more like a wronged and coquettish green tea. The difference in their temperaments was obvious.

Lin Yufen frowned and made a light mark on the rating sheet, clearly dissatisfied.

Li Xiaolu then appeared.

She was wearing a leather outfit, clearly aiming for a sexy look.

Compared to Fan Bingbing's elegance, she suddenly appeared somewhat rustic.

Putting aside the dialogue for now, just looking at her aura, she not only overshadows Fan Bingbing, but even Huo Siyan can't outshine her.

Lu Rui was quite puzzled.

If he remembers correctly, this should be a Golden Horse Award winner, right? How come she's so disappointing?

By the time it was Bai Baihe's turn to perform, the audience's attention had already waned considerably.

She wasn't very famous to begin with, and being sandwiched between Fan Bingbing, Wang Luodan, and others, she was easily overlooked.

In fact, her acting skills are quite solid, her lines are fluent, and her emotions are on point, but she lacks the star quality that a leading lady must have. She is more like an ordinary working woman than a top-tier celebrity who is in the spotlight. Her audition was mediocre and didn't have many highlights.

Wang Luodan, who came on stage last, was a pleasant surprise.

Instead of imitating Fan Bingbing's flamboyance, she took a different approach, transforming the heroine's arrogance into a free and easy spirit.

He speaks crisply and decisively, with a firm gaze and a touch of "Mi Lai's" stubbornness.

Although this presentation style deviates slightly from the original character setting, it has formed a unique personal style, making him the only person in the audition who can compete with Fan Bingbing.

Even though her performance was quite impressive, she was still outmatched by Fan Bingbing.

Whether it's her sexy and charming demeanor, her exquisite and attractive appearance, or her naturally noble bearing, Fan Bingbing can easily overshadow everyone present.

Even the lighting during the audition seemed to favor her, amplifying her strengths!
After the audition, Lin Yufen did not announce the results immediately, but the people present had already made up their minds.

Because Fan Bingbing's performance was so outstanding, she is most likely the only one who will get the role of the female lead in "My Love from the Star".

Huo Siyan frowned. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to shake off the nickname "lustful woman" for the time being.

Devastated, Li Xiaolu has decided to make trouble for Jia Nailiang...

She was upset and had to vent her anger, and Jia Nailiang happened to be an even more dedicated punching bag than Li Chen.

Bai Baihe didn't have any particular thoughts. Right now, all she wanted to do was spend more time with Wang Luodan and see if she could try some marketing.

As for Wang Luodan, she was still pondering her performance just now, biting her lip somewhat unwillingly, completely unaware that she had been targeted!

"Xiao Yu, come here." Lin Yufen then waved to Yu Menglong, who was waiting on the side, "Take a group photo with each of them, and I'll see whose siblings you are more compatible with."

"Okay, Director Lin."

Yu Menglong immediately stepped forward, her face showing a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, and tried her best to cooperate as required.

Lu Rui leaned back in his chair, watching the scene before him, his expression gradually becoming complicated.

He unconsciously recalled that in his previous life, when he was working on the project "The Way of the Swordsman," Yu Menglong had made a cameo appearance in the crew, playing a small role.

At that time, he was very enthusiastic when he first joined the crew, and he was cheerful and humble.

Knowing that the crew members were working hard, he specially bought dozens of cups of milk tea to share with everyone, and also brought over several boxes of fruit.

But who could have imagined that just a few months later, news would break that he had fallen to his death.

It's truly a pity that his career ended so abruptly at such a young age.

With the last group photo taken, the female lead's audition officially came to an end.

Lin Yufen instructed the casting director: "Once the results are confirmed, contact the actors as soon as possible, don't keep them waiting too long."

"Okay, Director Lin."

The casting director quickly nodded in agreement.

Afterwards, everyone began to tidy up the documents and equipment on the table.

"Director Lin, are you busy tonight?" Before leaving the audition room, Lü Rui took the initiative to speak. "If you're not busy, I'd like to treat everyone to a simple meal as a way of thanking you for your hard work these past few days."

Since Lin Yufen had come from afar, he, as the host, naturally had to do his best to be a good host.

Moreover, Ruishijie will definitely have more TV series projects in the future, and its cooperation with Lin Yufen will most likely not be limited to this one time. Taking advantage of the meal to chat and deepen the relationship is just a natural thing to do.

"Of course," Lin Yufen agreed without hesitation, a smile on her face. "I also wanted to ask Director Lü for more advice on creative ideas."

As for Gu Man and the other members of the casting team, they had no objections whatsoever.

So, after everyone finished organizing the information, Lü Rui led them straight to a nearby hotel.

During the meal, Lü Rui asked out of curiosity about Hu Ge's current situation.
People are still discussing the car accident; he's quite curious about it.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yufen put down her chopsticks, a look of regret on her face: "The recovery isn't very good. I'm disfigured. There's a deep scar next to my right eye that the doctor said will never go away."

"Huh?" Gu Man exclaimed instinctively, "Isn't plastic surgery technology quite advanced now? Can't you get it done in South Korea?"

She had always admired Hu Ge's looks, so hearing this news inevitably made her a little disappointed.

“You can’t get plastic surgery.” Lin Yufen shook her head and turned to look at Lü Rui. “Director Lü is a big-screen director, so he should know the ins and outs better than us. Once an actor has plastic surgery, it’s basically impossible for him to appear on the big screen again.”

Lu Rui picked up the conversation and explained, "That's true. Movie cameras have extremely high resolution, especially close-ups, which can capture the finest lines and muscle lines on the face clearly."

After plastic surgery, actors' facial muscles become stiff, making it easy for them to make unnatural expressions, such as a crooked mouth when smiling or a lack of liveliness in their eyes. These issues are magnified on the big screen and seriously affect the portrayal of the character.

Furthermore, movies emphasize 'realism,' and viewers are easily pulled out of the story when they see a face that has undergone plastic surgery. Therefore, it's an industry norm that actors with a history of plastic surgery find it difficult to land high-quality film roles, especially lead roles.

"I see." Gu Man suddenly realized, then sighed, "Then Hu Ge can only take the acting route from now on? The looks route is definitely out of the question." Lü Rui smiled, "Actually, taking the acting route is quite good. There are too many troubles with the looks route. It's okay if you encounter normal fans, but once you encounter crazy fans, then the trouble will be huge."

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table was taken aback, instantly guessing who he was referring to.

Gu Man looked at Lin Yufen with even more curiosity: "Is Andy Lau's matter... very troublesome? Director Lin, you are a Hong Kong director, you should know more details, right?"

Lu Rui also turned to look at her, waiting to see what would happen next.

A fangirl who drove her father to suicide because of her obsession with celebrities—what kind of ultimate fairy is this?

If this happened in later generations, they would probably dominate Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

Moreover, the father was also an idiot. In his suicide note, he actually wanted Andy Lau to meet his daughter one last time. It can only be said that this whole family is not quite right in the head.

Lin Yufen took a sip of water and slowly said, "I heard from friends in the Hong Kong entertainment circle that the other party's family demanded HK$50 in compensation from Lau Tak-wah, saying that the tragedy was caused by his refusal to meet."

Lu Rui was speechless for a moment.

Case closed. This is the ultimate fairy, and the kind who, after posting a few things on Xiaohongshu, claims she wants shares in the platform.

Liu Dehua is really unlucky. He got into this trouble for no reason, and his reputation has been affected.

...

Two days later, the main cast of "My Love from the Star" was officially finalized.

Lu Rui received the final list immediately.

Fan Bingbing, Yan Yikuan, Tang Yan, Zhong Hanliang, Qiao Zhenyu, Huo Jianhua, Yu Menglong...

Each name perfectly matches the character, especially the gathering of the "Four Beauties of the World," a lineup that boasts both good looks and acting talent.

After confirming that there were no problems with the casting, he flipped to the second half of the project proposal.

Lin Yufen's meticulousness made him nod in approval.

From the shooting schedule planning to the set construction list, from the costume styling to the publicity and distribution schedule, every item is clearly marked, and there is almost no omission.

Lu Rui immediately signed his name in the approval column, affixed the company seal, tidied the document, put it in a document bag, and handed it to his secretary, Liang Lulu.
"Lulu, take this to your archives and also inform the production crew to proceed with the pre-production preparations as planned."

"Okay, Director Lü."

Liang Lulu took the document and quickly walked out of the office.

The following morning, the official account of Ruishijie released three announcements regarding the confirmed angles, instantly igniting a frenzy online:

The fantasy romance drama "My Love from the Star," independently produced by Ruishijie, has officially announced its main cast and crew.

Starring Fan Bingbing and Yan Yikuan, with Zhong Hanliang, Qiao Zhenyu, Huo Jianhua, and Tang Yan in supporting roles, this film boasts both good looks and acting talent, weaving a love story that transcends time!

[It is reported that Ruishijie invested 3000 million yuan in preparation for "My Love from the Star," striving for film-level standards in everything from set construction and costume design to cinematic language and post-production, all in an effort to present the most delicate emotions and the most stunning visual effects.]

A profound act of protection spanning four centuries! The story is about to begin...

The moment the announcement was released, Fan Bingbing's studio responded immediately and launched a large-scale marketing campaign.

The release of her official photos, in particular, sparked a wave of positive comments online praising her for her "high looks" and "good aura," keeping her in the spotlight for a long time.

On the other side, Huo Siyan, who failed her audition, looked at the screen full of praise and felt frustrated but had nowhere to vent her anger.

Li Xiaolu vented all her frustrations on Jia Nailiang, tormenting him to the point of ecstasy, yet he didn't dare utter a single complaint.

Compared to Li Chen, his licking skills are even more exaggerated!

Meanwhile, on Huayi's side, Zhou Xun frowned upon receiving the news.

Previously, she joined forces with Rong Xinda to suppress Liu Yifei, but was instead countered by the latter in conjunction with Ruishijie, leaving her in a sorry state.

Now, Fan Bingbing, who has been at odds with her for a long time, has not only secured the art film "The Equation of Love and Death," which should have been hers and allowed her to showcase her acting skills, after leaving Huayi Brothers, but has also taken on the lead role in a top idol drama like "My Love from the Star." Her resources have visibly improved.

Taking all this into account, she couldn't help but suspect that her recent bad luck might be related to Ruishijie.
However, she did not come away empty-handed.

Perhaps it was true that there's always a way out, and after so much bad luck, she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Some time ago, after receiving the Best Supporting Actress award at the Hong Kong Film Awards, she made a special trip to visit Chen Kexin.

The other party still owes her a promise of two Best Actress awards.

Chen Kexin couldn't avoid it any longer, so she took her to see director Chen Jiashang.

After some discussion, she successfully obtained the script for "Painted Skin" and got the opportunity to play the role of "Xiao Wei, the Nine-Tailed Fox".

But at this moment, looking in the mirror, Zhou Xun couldn't help but fall into self-doubt.

With her somewhat ethereal face, can she really convince the audience to play a seductive fox spirit?
At this moment, Li Xue and Li Bingbing, as well as Wang Zhonglei, also had mixed feelings.

Back when Fan Bingbing left Huayi Brothers, almost no one in the company was optimistic about her going solo, thinking that without Huayi's resources and support, she would soon be eliminated by the market.

But now, instead of fading into obscurity, they've actually secured better resources than they did at Huayi Times.

With one art film vying for awards and another idol drama to attract fans, she has steadily pursued both paths, perfectly proving the saying: Even if no one believes in me, I will still be the most determined!

"Just wait and see, this show of hers won't make it..."

Wang Zhonglei sat in his office and spoke to Li Xue, trying to appear calm, but the lack of confidence in his voice was impossible to hide.

He knew in his heart that with Ruishijie's production standards, "My Love from the Star" would most likely be a hit.

Fan Bingbing's rise to fame is undoubtedly equivalent to slapping him hard across the face!
However, most of the resentment in his heart at this moment was directed at Lü Rui.

Because he always believed that Fan Bingbing's ability to turn the tables and slap him in the face was all thanks to Lü Rui's support behind the scenes.

But he didn't have the guts to openly attack Ruishijie.

So, feeling resentful, he immediately set his sights on Fan Bingbing.

Having cooperated for so many years, he has a lot of dirt on the other party.

While none of them would be fatal, they would definitely leave her in a sorry state!
"Let's do something about it; we can't let her have it too easy."

The order was quickly relayed.

……

After a night's rest, Lu Rui woke up and went to the company. As soon as he turned on his computer, he suddenly saw a lot of negative information about Fan Bingbing online.

Not only her, but even her mother was dragged into it, with accusations of mother and daughter being used against each other...

Spreading false rumors is an extremely damaging tactic for actresses!
After thinking for a moment, he picked up his phone and dialed Fan Bingbing's number.

"Those messages online..."

Before Lü Rui could finish speaking, Fan Bingbing's laughter rang out: "Thank you for your concern, Director Lü. It's not a big problem; I can handle it myself."

Do you know who's targeting you?

"Besides Huayi, who else could it be? The others aren't that free." Fan Bingbing said, her tone suddenly turning cold. "Wang Zhonglei is a complete idiot compared to his brother. He can't even clean up his own mess, yet he wants to smear my ass? Ha, since they started this, they can't blame me for doing the same..."

Lu Rui could hear the resolute determination in her words.

It makes sense, considering she's been in the industry for so many years and is no longer someone to be trifled with.

Moreover, the principle of "a good start prevents a hundred more" applies everywhere.

It's evening soon.

Lu Rui arrived at the post-production department to check on the progress of "Li Mi's Conjecture" and "Crazy Racer".

But as soon as he entered, he heard Ning Hao clicking his tongue in amazement at the computer screen: "Using female celebrities for public relations? Huayi's actions are utterly shameless."

Curious, Lü Rui walked over to him, looked closely at the computer screen, and couldn't help but click her tongue twice.

The latest revelations indicate that Huayi Brothers specially trained a group of female artists to handle various public relations crises, and they were even involved in illicit transactions.

Even more explosive is the fact that the whistleblower directly points to the manager in charge of this public relations business as Huo Siyan, who has recently been embroiled in the nickname "sexy woman"!

In addition, there were even revelations about Wang Zhonglei, saying that he was keeping a son...

"Sure enough, women are very vengeful," Lu Rui muttered subconsciously.

Ning Hao subconsciously turned his head and looked at him with a puzzled expression: "Director Lü, what are you talking about? What do you mean by revenge?"

"It's nothing." Lü Rui shook his head and didn't continue on the topic.

He knew in his heart that this was definitely Fan Bingbing's counterattack.

Huo Siyan had previously taken a lot of her resources, and now she has suddenly been involved in Huayi's public relations scandal, which is obviously a setup.

Moreover, after so many years of cooperation, Huayi may have some real or fake dirt on Fan Bingbing, but isn't she also involved?

After all, she had been with Huayi for so long, and she knew far more about the company's internal operations and underhanded dealings than outsiders.

Now that I've found an opportunity, I'm naturally going to retaliate fiercely.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this wave of public opinion warfare is unlikely to subside anytime soon.

"Let's take a look at the footage." Lu Rui patted Ning Hao on the shoulder, steer the conversation back to post-production, "How's the editing of 'Crazy Racer' going? Is there anything that needs adjusting?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Hao immediately put away his gossipy thoughts and clicked on the edited clip: "It's almost done, but the pacing of a few jokes still needs some polishing. Take a look at this part..."

Before we knew it, it was past 9 p.m.

The sky outside the window was already completely dark.

Lu Rui stretched, picked up his phone to check the time, stood up and said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Let's go, it's time to go home. We can continue our conversation tomorrow if there are any problems."

However, Ning Hao remained seated, his eyes darting around, and he stammered, "I...I'm not going back. There are beds in the post-production room, so I can sleep here."

Lu Rui didn't think much of it at first, assuming that he wanted to catch up on the schedule, so he nodded: "That's fine, but don't stay up too late, and make sure you get some rest."

After saying that, he turned around and prepared to leave.

But as soon as the office door opened a crack, a familiar figure appeared in the doorway—it was Xing Aina.

"Director Lü," Xing Aina greeted him, her tone relatively calm.

"Huh? Why are you here so late?"

Lu Rui was a little surprised. He subconsciously looked at her hands, thinking that she had come to deliver food, but he didn't see that she was carrying a lunchbox.

Moreover, the cafeteria at Ruishijie provides dinner, specifically for employees who work overtime.

"I've come to say a few words to Ning Hao."

Xing Aina's gaze passed over Lü Rui and landed on Ning Hao in the office, her eyes carrying a hint of barely perceptible murderous intent.

"Oh, okay." Lü Rui didn't think much of it and stepped aside to make room. "You guys chat, I'll be going now."

After saying that, he went out the door and headed towards the elevator.

But before he could take more than a few steps, Xing Aina roared from behind, barely containing her anger: "Ning Hao! What do you want? You've been avoiding me for three days now. Not only are you not coming home, but you're not even answering your phone!"

Lu Rui paused, unable to resist slowing down.

What's wrong with this couple?
in argument?
At that moment, Ning Hao's weak voice came from behind the door: "I...I've been busy editing videos, I really didn't have time to go back."

"Busy? Don't give me that crap!" Xing Aina's voice suddenly rose a few decibels. "I don't care if you're busy or not, you're not going to slack off on your 'duties'! You have to come home with me today..."

No further information was released, presumably because Ning Hao saw that Xing Aina was serious and obediently backed down.

At the elevator, Lü Rui was originally planning to go home, but then he suddenly thought that there was nothing to do at home, so he might as well go to the gym and work out some more.

It's always better to be prepared...

(End of this chapter)