I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

In the "dark accounts" of capital, your body and bottom line are all bargaining chips. The unspoken rule of the "red sofa" in Hollywood continues to exist in the Chinese entertainment industry in a different form, only more subtle and cruel.

Cheng Sheng chatted with Li Xiaoran and Zhao Yazhi in the hotel lobby for a long time. Seeing that it was getting late, Cheng Sheng invited the two of them, saying, "There are private rooms in the hotel. Order whatever you want to eat. It's on me tonight."

"Thank you, Ah Sheng."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Li Xiaoran and Zhao Yazhi spoke at the same time.

Cheng Sheng booked a private room at the hotel and casually ordered a few dishes recommended by the hotel.

"Sister Zhi, Sister Xiaoran, I'm driving back later, so I won't be drinking. Would you like to have a drink?" Cheng Sheng asked.

"Let's have a bottle of red wine! I want to relax. We've already booked a room at the hotel, so if we get drunk, we can just rest here," Li Xiaoran said.

Zhao Yazhi was about to refuse, but since Li Xiaoran had already spoken, she couldn't say anything more.

Soon, the hotel's dishes and red wine were served.

Without saying a word, Li Xiaoran opened the bottle, filled a glass, then poured a glass for Zhao Yazhi, and then downed it in one gulp.

"That felt great, so great!"

Li Xiaoran said in a hearty manner.

This display of power left Cheng Sheng dumbfounded.

This was the first time he had seen Li Xiaoran like this after several encounters.

No wonder people have always said that Li Xiaoran is straightforward and outspoken.

As expected of a Kyoto girl.

Just for her forthright personality, Cheng Sheng secretly gave her a thumbs-up.

Other female celebrities wouldn't dare to do what Li Xiaoran did.

Zhao Yazhi was more refined; he picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and then put the glass aside.

"Xiao Ran, how long do you plan to stay in Kyoto this time?" Cheng Sheng asked, taking a bite of his food.

Li Xiaoran said with a smile, "I plan to stay in Kyoto for a while, and then go to Hengdian to film after 'Nirvana in Fire' starts shooting."

Li Xiaoran is from Kyoto. Although she lives in Shanghai most of the year, she also owns a house in Kyoto.

The production team for "Nirvana in Fire" has been assembled for some time now. The male and female leads, as well as several major supporting actors, have been cast. Except for some minor supporting roles that require open auditions, the entire production team is basically ready.

The startup date is set for March.

There's still more than a month until March.

Li Xiaoran staying in Kyoto while waiting for the start of filming for "Nirvana in Fire" won't arouse suspicion.

However, Cheng Sheng knew why Li Xiaoran wanted to stay in Kyoto.

Because he had told Li Xiaoran that Zeng Li would be staying with the film crew for a while because she was filming "Blue Archives" and wouldn't be in Kyoto.

"That's great! If you have time, come over to my place for tea and a chat," Cheng Sheng said happily.

"Ah Sheng, you and Xiao Ran seem to have a good relationship!" Zhao Yazhi squinted at the two of them.

As someone with experience and a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, Zhao Yazhi also discovered the secret between the two.

Although the two of them had always behaved properly, Zhao Yazhi still noticed something in Li Xiaoran's eyes.

Zhao Yazhi understood the principle of seeing through things but not saying it.

The entertainment industry is a big melting pot, especially in terms of how messy the relationships between men and women are, something Zhao Yazhi is well aware of.

She'd seen this kind of thing all the time in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

It's often said that Hong Kong actresses are kept by sugar daddies, but Zhao Yazhi knows more than one thing: it's not just actresses, male stars are also kept by sugar daddies, and there are even male sugar daddies. This is because Zhao Yazhi has personally experienced some of these things.

For example, a big investor invited her to his home to play a script, but when he opened the door, he was only wearing a pair of shorts.

“Yes, Sister Ya, Cheng Sheng and I get along very well. You could say we’re siblings,” Li Xiaoran said with a smile.

"I really envy you guys, Xiaoran. With a big shot like Asheng around, you'll never have to worry about not having any roles to play in the future," Zhao Yazhi said with a smile.

Li Xiaoran smiled and did not refute, because Cheng Sheng had promised her that he would prepare a movie for her and help her win the Best Actress award at one of the three major European awards.

"Sister Zhi, there's a role in Chen Kaige's new movie that's perfect for you. Would you like to give it a try?"

Upon hearing Zhao Yazhi's words, Cheng Sheng's heart stirred.

"Oh, is that the script you wrote?"

Zhao Yazhi, who hasn't taken on a role in a long time, would have definitely refused in the past, but the thought of the movie co-directed by two great directors, Cheng Sheng and Chen Kaige, made her a little tempted.

Good directors, good scripts, and good actors mean high box office returns and awards.

"Mm." Cheng Sheng nodded.

"Could you give a brief overview of the movie? And the role I played?"

Zhao Yazhi did not agree immediately, but wanted to hear the general plot before making a decision.

Cheng Sheng gave a brief overview of the plot of "Blue Is the Warmest Color".

Zhao Yazhi fell silent upon hearing this.

It features a LGBTQ+ theme and includes explicit scenes.

Although this has nothing to do with her, actors who appear in these kinds of movies are always quite controversial.

But it is precisely because of this subject matter that it is very easy to win awards.

Zhao Yazhi was right; this film truly won numerous awards in another time and space.

With this film, the movie won the Palme d'Or at the 66th Cannes Film Festival, making the actress the youngest Palme d'Or winner in history. She also won several other awards, including the César Award for Best New Actress. This work also propelled the actress into the ranks of internationally renowned actresses.

“Sister Zhi, you’re playing the fourth female lead, the mother of the female lead. This role doesn’t have many scenes, and there aren’t any explicit scenes, but if you play it well, you can become a big star,” Cheng Sheng said.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yazhi, who was deep in thought, felt somewhat tempted.

It didn't involve any explicit content, and her role wasn't large, yet it still made her famous—it perfectly fits her current situation.

"Ah Sheng, didn't you say that Director Chen Kaige would make all the decisions regarding the new movie's filming? Can you make the decisions about the roles in the new movie?" Zhao Yazhi asked.

"It's just a role, I can still make the decisions."

If there were two female leads, Cheng Sheng wouldn't be able to interfere, but if he asked Chen Kaige for a fourth female lead, Chen Kaige would definitely not refuse him.

“Okay, then I agree.” Zhao Yazhi said with a smile.

"Cheng Sheng, what about me? I also want to act in the new movie," Li Xiaoran said to Cheng Sheng quietly.

"Xiaoran, aren't you going to film 'Nirvana in Fire'? It might clash with your schedule," Cheng Sheng said awkwardly.

"Qin Banruo doesn't have many scenes at all, and the intensive filming only lasts for half a month. I don't care, you still have to star in Chen Kaige's new movie." Li Xiaoran said in a coquettish tone.

Cheng Sheng felt a bit of a headache. Apart from the two female leads, there were only three female characters with some screen time in "Blue Is the Warmest Color".

If Li Xiaoran really wants to act, giving her the fifth female lead wouldn't be a problem.

But that role really wasn't much, so it would be a waste of Li Xiaoran's talent to play it.

As for why the award was given to Zhao Yazhi, it's because she treats acting as a way of life, not just a job. (End of Chapter)