This director is so innocent.

Chapter 125 Tangtang: I want to be on top

It was almost time to leave work.

Zhao Shan came over and reported on the choices made by Wang Jinsong, Ni Dahong, Luo Jin, and Lu Fangsheng.

Initially, Lu Fangsheng chose Xiao Bei from the TV series "Dwelling Narrowness".

Luo Jin chose Xie Ruolin from "Lurking," a character who talks a lot about principles but is actually driven by business acumen.

As a result, "Dwelling Narrowness" would not have any famous actors. Zhao Shan, for the sake of ratings, intervened forcefully and made the two actors switch roles.

Does Lu Fangsheng have any objections?

Of course I have opinions, after all, "Xiao Bei" is the second male lead, and has much more screen time than "Xie Ruolin," a minor supporting character.

But it was no use; Zhao Shan simply said, "Artists need to obey the company's decisions," and that was it.

She wasn't afraid of causing trouble for Su Jin, because she believed she was doing it for the company's good, and Luo Jin and Lu Fangsheng were Su Jin's classmates, so they would definitely try to smooth things over.

Neither Wang Jinsong nor Ni Dahong chose Su Rui from "Dwelling Narrowness"; they both chose "Lurking".

The reason is that I like it, the script is good, and it's enjoyable.

Ni Dahong chose Wu Jingzhong, the station chief of the Jincheng Station of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.

Wang Jinsong chose the unassuming Luqiao Mountain.

Zhao Shan also gave Jiao Junyan a minor role, Song Tingting, in the TV series "Dwelling Narrowness".

With the other roles settled, Su Jin then thought of the three female leads from "Lurking": Cui Ping, Zuo Lan, and Wan Qiu.

The three female leads are very different in character design and each has their own unique characteristics.

Unlike Cuiping and Wanqiu, who each have their flaws, Zuo Lan is perfect.

A well-rounded young person with culture, ideals, aspirations, and faith.

In terms of personality and appearance: intellectual and elegant, generous and proper, rational and enthusiastic, tolerant and quick-witted, able to analyze the situation with Yu Zecheng on an equal footing and rationally.

With so many advantages combined, to be honest, none of his artistic friends are suitable; they're all just pretty faces.

The character Cuiping is a country woman, straightforward and swearing. He is more inclined to like Xiao Songjia and Yan.

Both are talented actors, and their images are quite suitable for each other.

In terms of character design, Wanqiu is more like a "new woman".

She embraced new ideas and dared to pursue freedom, transforming from a well-educated young woman into a revolutionary, much like Nora, the protagonist of "A Doll's House".

Lu Xun said, "Nora really only has two paths: either to fall into depravity or to return."

Jiang Wei did not allow Wanqiu to wander aimlessly after "leaving".

Instead, she and Yu Zecheng went to Taiwan to pretend to be husband and wife to continue their "undercover" mission, expressing the harmony between the sexes through their partnership.

From this perspective, none of his artistic friends seem to be suitable.

However, considering Wanqiu's background and personality, there is a suitable match.

Wanqiu comes from a prestigious family and possesses both the elegance of a noblewoman and the purity of a young girl.

In terms of personality, she's a typical woman—bourgeois, romantic, and lacking in self-identity. She appears naive in front of Yu Zecheng, but she's beautiful, cultured, and gentle.

Yang Mi and Tang Yan would both be suitable.

I took out my phone and called Yang Mi.

The call ended before we'd even finished speaking for two minutes.

The result, naturally, was rejection.

Very direct, not at all tactful, no one wants to play a third female lead.

Su Jin didn't care about being rejected.

He prefers Tangtang; she's from Shanghai, comes from a good family, and is beautiful, making her more suitable for this kind of sophisticated role than Yang Mi.

One phone call later, I heard Tangtang's sweet voice.

"Hey, Su Jin."

"What are you doing!"

"Take a picture of GG."

"Endorsing GG?"

"No, it's a print ad, 30,000 yuan per show." Tangtang didn't want to talk about it and changed the subject, "What do you want from me?"

"miss you."

"Hehe—do you miss me or my sister?"

I want both.

"Really? Then come find me."

"Okay! Where are you?"

Ok?

Tangtang frowned, puzzled. She had only said it casually and hadn't expected Su Jin to come looking for her.

Little did she know that Su Jin would actually come to find her. This was unlike the Su Jin she usually knew; she wouldn't do anything without a reason.

"Is there something you want from me?"

"No, I have good news for you."

"What good news?"

"There's a role in one of my TV dramas that would be perfect for you. Would you like to take a look?"

"Which girl is she?!"

Just like Yang Mi, she immediately asked which girl he was. Is she going to reject him again?

Su Jin sighed inwardly and said, "Third female lead."

Tangtang neither agreed nor refused, but instead asked, "Is that all? Nothing else?"

"No, if you don't answer, I'll find someone else."

"Are you in a hurry?"

"No rush, filming for this movie won't start until February or March next year."

"Let's talk about it when we meet tonight."

"OK."

The meeting that evening was not held outside.

Su Jin was in a good mood today, so she went to the market and bought four or five vegetables to cook.

He can cook. Most people who live away from home can cook, the difference is whether it tastes good or not, and he happens to be a good cook.

The menu is relatively simple: spicy clams, stir-fried beef with yellow peppers, steamed Boston lobster, braised mandarin fish, and stir-fried bok choy.

Four dishes; two more people wouldn't be able to finish them, and it would be a waste.

Looking at the delicious-looking dishes, Tangtang couldn't help but fall into deep reminiscence.

She recalled the little things she had shared with Su Jin in the past, especially the heartwarming scenes of the two of them playfully bickering in the kitchen.

Back then, they were always filled with laughter, happiness, and sweetness.

"What are you standing there for? Pick up your chopsticks!" Su Jin gently placed a glass of fragrant red wine in front of her.

"Oh." Tangtang came back to her senses, smiled sweetly, picked up her chopsticks, took a bite of beef, and chewed it.

It's oily but not greasy, and has a tender and refreshing texture.

"It's been so long since I've had your cooking, it's still so delicious." Tangtang gave a thumbs up in praise.

"If it's delicious, have some more." Su Jin broke open the lobster's claws and put them in her bowl.

"You eat too! Don't just think about me." Tangtang picked up a piece of tender fish for Su Jin, then used pliers to break it open.

"Mmm." Su Jin nodded, finished eating the fish, picked up the other pair of tongs, and started eating.

Time passed second by second.

The two ate and chatted, sometimes laughing, sometimes silent.

Before we knew it, the plates on the table had been cleared, leaving only a few scraps of food.

"It's all your fault, you cook so well, I've gained weight." Tangtang pinched her round belly, her eyes full of laughter.

Su Jin smiled, cleared away the dishes and chopsticks on the table, and then carried them to the kitchen to wash.

When I got back, I saw Tangtang sprawled out on the sofa, looking every bit the loser.

When Tangtang saw Su Jin return, she patted the sofa next to her head, and after Su Jin sat down, she put her head on his lap.

Then, she pulled Su Jin's hand to her chest and played with it, saying, "You're a director with hundreds of millions in revenue now, why are you still acting in TV dramas?"

"What's wrong with TV dramas? Movies and TV dramas are both forms of art that serve the public; there's no difference in quality between them," Su Jin said subconsciously.

"Speak like a human." Tangtang silently rolled her eyes.

"Take off your bra and I'll tell you," Su Jin said with a smile.

You're already an A cup, why are you wearing a bra?

It has no feel at all.

"Get lost." Tangtang said with disgust, but her body language betrayed her. She quickly took off her clothes and threw them at Su Jin's face.

Su Jin caught it and tossed it aside.

"Now you can tell me!" Tangtang said irritably.

"Okay." Su Jin nodded and said, "You might not believe it, but I like this show."

I genuinely like him, but there's another very important reason: Sun Honglei swept three major awards for his role as Yu Zecheng.

He directly collected all three TV King awards: the Magnolia Award, the Golden Eagle Award, and the Flying Apsaras Award.

There's no reason why he wouldn't be able to collect them all.

Then I'll have no regrets in the TV drama industry and can focus on making movies.

That's nonsense. I was just saying I didn't care about awards.

After all, having been an actor for so long, there's always a bit of an obsession with awards.

Tangtang really didn't believe what Su Jin said.

To reiterate, Su Jin is the kind of person who won't do anything without a benefit; he simply won't do anything without any personal gain.

It's absolutely impossible for someone to lower themselves to act in a TV series just because they "like" it.

But she also knew that if Su Jin didn't want to tell her, she couldn't force him to; he would have to tell her on his own initiative.

Oh well, let it be!

She's neither Su Jin's wife nor his girlfriend, so why is she meddling in his affairs?

"What kind of character was that third female lead you told me about this afternoon?"

"Are you familiar with Long Yi's novel 'Lurking'?"

"have no idea."

"Ahem—it's no use knowing this. This character isn't in the book. The third female lead is named Mu Wanqiu, a wealthy heiress, beautiful, and well-mannered."

Su Jin rattled off a long story to her, and then gave her a general overview of the plot of "Lurking".

"How's it going? Will you answer?"

"That sounds alright." Tangtang nodded thoughtfully, then changed the subject: "Could I play the role of Zuo Lan?"

She felt that Zuo Lan's character was more outstanding, better than Wan Qiu's.

"No, you can't carry Zuo Lan. You're too sweet-looking, and you don't have any presence when you speak."

Zuo Lan needs to be played by an actress with a heroic and spirited demeanor, that is, a Qingyi (a type of female role in Peking Opera).

Although what you said makes a lot of sense, I don't like it.

"Take your paws off me." Tangtang frowned, her face full of displeasure, and forcefully shook off Su Jin's hand that was rubbing her little rabbit.

Then, she sat up angrily, put her hands on her hips, and glared at Su Jin with her big, round eyes, as if she were about to breathe fire.

"See? You don't even have any presence when you're angry. You can forget about Zuo Lan. The role of Wanqiu is perfect for you. She's a gentle and delicate woman from Jiangnan."

"Say that again, and I'll bite you to death," Tangtang said fiercely.

But her big, round eyes and slightly pouting lips made her look completely harmless, and instead quite adorable.

Seeing her adorable appearance, Su Jin couldn't help but laugh out loud for a moment, then instantly realized that the other person was still angry!

"You're still laughing!!!" Tangtang pointed her little finger at Su Jin, her eyes wide open.

"No, you've mistaken me." Afraid that she would continue to pester her, Su Jin quickly changed the subject, saying, "The role of Wanqiu is really good; you can take it."

"I won't answer, I'd rather die than answer," Tangtang said, pretending to put on her shoes and go home.

Seeing this, Su Jin reached out and grabbed Tangtang's arm, pulling her into her embrace.

"If you're not going to answer, then don't. Why are you wearing shoes? Are you going home?"

"Who told you to say that about me?" Tangtang pouted, raising her chin slightly to indicate that she was angry and needed to be coaxed.

They definitely need to be coaxed.

But his way of coaxing people is a bit unusual.

Su Jin cupped Tangtang's face in her hands and lowered her head to kiss her red lips.

Tangtang struggled, trying to take the initiative, but her skills were no match for Su Jin, a seasoned player in the dating scene.

For a long time, the lips are divided.

Tangtang lay on Su Jin's chest, kicking loudly.

Su Jin laughed and said, "You need to work on your lung capacity. You haven't even kissed twice and you're already exhausted."

"Do you think everyone has a body like yours, like a beast of burden?"

Tangtang propped herself up and stood up, saying defiantly, "You lie down, and this time I'll take the initiative."

Before she could finish speaking, Tangtang cried out in surprise. Su Jin pulled her into her arms and leaned in close—

initiative?

There is no such thing as taking initiative in his case.

Half an hour later, Tangtang's forehead was covered in sweat, and she had long lost the desire to take the initiative, feeling only a general weakness.

For a fleeting moment, she felt as if her great-grandmother was beckoning to her.

The next day, Tangtang didn't wake up until noon.

She naturally agreed to take on the role of Wanqiu.

The main problem is that Su Jin is a bastard who doesn't act like a human being. She keeps coming even when we don't agree to her request. I don't know where she gets the energy from.

There's an old saying: "There are only oxen that die from exhaustion, not land that's been over-plowed." So why doesn't it work for her?

Tangtang touched the bed next to her, but the touch felt wrong. She turned around and saw that it wasn't there.

"Where did they go?"

She threw back the covers, walked naked out of the bedroom, and found that Su Jin was nowhere to be seen in the living room or the kitchen.

After that, she went to the study, but it was still not there.

When she returned to the living room, she found a piece of paper on the dining table. She picked it up and read it.

"You were sleeping so soundly, so I didn't wake you. I have some things to take care of at the office. There's breakfast I bought for you in the kitchen; if it's cold, you can just throw it away!"

I went to the kitchen and found something covered by a bowl. When I opened it, I found steamed buns and a sandwich next to them.

I touched the xiaolongbao with my hand; it felt icy cold.

"You bastard, I'm never coming back again."

What is Su Jin doing right now?

We received Yip Wai-shun and Yu-Tzu-dan, who came from Hong Kong Island.

They've been working together for a while now, collaborating on several films in recent years, including *SPL: Sha Po Lang*, *Flash Point*, and *Dragon Tiger Gate*.

Their next collaboration was supposed to be "Ip Man," but Su Jin beat them to it.

However, Su Jin has now found them again, which means she didn't get there first; it's just that the investors have changed.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Su Jin handed the script of "Ip Man" to the two of them.

After they finished reading it, they felt it was good and had potential.

Even if there's no future in it, they'll still take it on.

First, the total investment is 4000 million yuan. Although this investment is not large, it is not small either, and it belongs to the medium-sized investment category.

Secondly, the action film market is sluggish, and there are too few film and television companies that can invest in pure action films. Nobody wants to invest in this sunset genre.

After reading the script, Yip Wai-shun said, "Director Su, Wong Kar-wai is making 'Ip Man,' aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation by rushing to film this?"

Why is it this stupid question again?

Su Jin countered, "Are you scared?"

After all, he was just an investor, while Ye Weixin was the director.

"I'm not afraid," Ye Weixin said, shaking his head.

"Where's Teacher Bullet?" Su Jin asked Yu Zhoudan.

Universe Dan remained silent, only shaking his head slightly.

"Look, none of you are afraid, so why should I be afraid?"

The three exchanged a knowing smile, their understanding unspoken.

This isn't the Hong Kong entertainment scene of the 80s and 90s, where gangsters ran rampant. If you're going to be afraid of this and that, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes.

"Director Su, has Mr. Ye Zhun agreed?" Ye Weixin asked.

"I agree," Su Jin nodded.

Ip Man is not a fictional character; he was a real person.

To make a movie about him, you definitely need his family's permission.

Ip Chun is Ip Man's son.

"Director Ye, let me tell you, the theme of this film is the impermanence of life, and the constant struggle of martial artists." As long as you film around this theme, the movie will be a success.

"The world is unpredictable, but martial arts are always at stake?"

"Yes, don't treat 'Ip Man' as an action movie; make it as a biographical film."

Interspersing some interesting stories throughout the story helps to solidify the character of Ip Man as a grandmaster.

"I understand." Ye Weixin nodded thoughtfully.

Biographical films often use the passage of time and changes in the era to create turning points in a person's fate.

Seeing that he understood, Su Jin looked at the silent, golden-haired man in a leather jacket standing to the side, his physique sturdy, and frowned slightly.

"Teacher Zidan, your physique is not good. You are too muscular. You need to be smaller so that you can have the demeanor of a grandmaster when you wear a black robe."

"No problem, I'll start losing weight as soon as I get back."

"It's not just a matter of losing weight; you also need to learn Wing Chun from Master Ip Chun for at least two months."

"OK, I haven't had any filming for the past few months, so I have plenty of time."

"You don't need to be the action director anymore. Just focus on filming. I'm going to ask Hung Chin-po and Master Ip Chun to take on the roles."

"Can."

"Teacher Zidan, work on losing weight, learn Wing Chun, and ask Master Ip Chun more questions about his father. Whether 'Ip Man' can become 'Once Upon a Time in China' depends on your decision."

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhoudan frowned deeply.

He struggled for over twenty years without finding his representative work, but Su Jin believed that "Ip Man" could become his representative work.

Is this just a way to fool him, or does he really think so?

"Teacher Bullet doesn't believe me?" Su Jin said with a smile.

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that it's too hard to believe," Yu Zhoudan said with a wry smile.

"Hahaha—I wouldn't believe it either, but you have to believe it. Believe that 'Ip Man' can become your representative work, so that you can become one with Ip Man. You are Ip Man, and Ip Man is you."

Seeing that the Universe Pill was immune to his motivational speech, Su Jin said directly, "Anyway, you're already over forty and won't be able to fight for many more years. Why not take a gamble? If you lose, you won't lose anything."

What if you win the bet? Then you'll be incredibly wealthy.

"Director Su's words have awakened me from my dream. I'll offer you a toast with tea instead of wine," said Yu Zhoudan, raising a cup of tea in front of him.

"You're welcome." Su Jin picked up a cup of tea, clinked it against the Universe Pill, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing that the two had finished their conversation, Ye Weixin spoke up: "Director Su, regarding the actors—"

"I have arrangements for the female lead, Zhang Yongcheng. I'll give you an answer in half a month. Jinshan will ask you to find Wu Yue to play the role. You can decide on the other actors yourself."

Actually, when Jinshan first came up with the role, he wanted to cast Jing, the actor from "Wolf Warrior," to build a good relationship with him so that he could invest in "Wolf Warrior" later.

Unfortunately, Zhan Langjing has a baby face, which isn't quite right for him.

Ye Weixin had no objections to the female lead's arrangements.

But after thinking for a long time, he still couldn't think of anyone named Wu Yue, so he asked, "Who is Wu Yue?"

"He is a very good action actor from mainland China, a martial arts champion, and has received the title of 'Wuying Level'. He played Chen Zhen in director Liu Fengsheng's 'Fist of Fury: Chen Zhen'," Su Jin explained.

Ye Weixin was unimpressed at first, but when he heard the keywords "martial arts champion" and "Wuying level", he was relieved.

He knew the value of those two keywords, having learned it from the kung fu emperor Jet Li.

We chatted for a while longer, and then it was noon.

Su Jin treated the two of them to a meal, and then they went back to prepare.