I, the number one master of metaphysics, have achieved legendary status in the entertainment industr

Seeing that Lu Fan was serious, Xu Haotian quickly nodded: "I understand, I won't tell anyone."

"Aren't you going to ask why?" Lu Fan sized up Xu Haotian.

Xu Haotian shook his head: "I want to know, but I know I shouldn't ask what I shouldn't ask. Don't worry, I won't tell you."

Lu Fan nodded, gave him a few brief instructions, told him to keep a close eye on things, and then got up and walked toward Ding Xingyou's tent.

"Director Ding." Lu Fan lifted the curtain and went in.

Ding Xingyou was still sitting there. When he saw him come in, his expression darkened. "What is it?"

Lu Fan sat down opposite her and carefully began, "Director Ding, let's talk about what happened this morning."

"There's nothing to talk about." Ding Xingyou turned his face away. "You act according to the script, and I'll film according to my requirements. It's that simple."

"It's not about the script." Lu Fan leaned forward and lowered his voice, "Director Ding, lately... have you felt like you're losing control of your emotions particularly easily? You find fault with everything, especially me?"

Ding Xingyou abruptly turned to glare at him: "What do you mean? Are you saying I'm being unreasonable?"

"That's not what I meant," Lu Fan said, trying to keep his tone calm. "I meant that something might be affecting you. Xu Haotian had a similar experience; he had something unclean on him, and I gave him a talisman to help him. I suspect... there might be a problem on your end too."

"Lu Fan!" Ding Xingyou jumped up, her chair clattering as she pulled on it. "Are you saying I'm crazy? Or do you think all my actions against you can be explained away as 'being possessed'? When did you become so good at making excuses?!"

"I'm not making excuses!" Lu Fan stood up as well. "I genuinely feel something's wrong! Think back to your past. Would you have thrown a tantrum over a reasonable suggestion from an actor? Would you have belittled an actor's professionalism in front of the entire crew?"

"I don't need you to remind me what I used to be like!" Ding Xingyou's voice was shrill. "All I know is that you've changed! Now that you're famous and have fans, you've started to disregard the director! You're always trying to show off your abilities! I say east, and you insist on going west! I say one, and you think two is better! Who's in charge of this production crew anyway?!"

[Remember the fastest online novel website: 20 ...

"I told you, I'm not trying to argue with you about who has the right to speak!" Lu Fan couldn't hold back his anger any longer. "I'm discussing the play with you! Discussing how to portray the character better! If you can't even do that, what's the difference between an actor and a puppet?!"

"Fine! So that's how you view my directing work!" Ding Xingyou's chest heaved with anger. "You think I'm a puppet? Lu Fan, put your hand on your heart and tell me, from the start of filming until now, how much room for you to improvise? How much advice have I listened to? And now? Has all my respect and trust made you think you can now direct me on how to make films?!"

"Ding Xingyou!" Lu Fan was completely enraged. "You're utterly unreasonable! I was kindly reminding you, and you insisted on interpreting it as me provoking you! Fine, I'll take it as meddling! Just keep going like this! Let's see how this movie turns out!"

"How my film turns out is none of your business!" Ding Xingyou pointed to the tent door. "If you don't like my directing style, you can leave now! The crew doesn't need another actor like you!"

"Fine, I'm leaving!" Lu Fan turned and walked away, but turned back at the door and said, "No wonder people say women are petty and don't care about anything when they're emotional! How can you produce anything good like this!"

These words pierced Ding Xingyou's heart like a knife. Her face turned deathly pale, and she grabbed the thermos on the table and smashed it over the shoulder: "Get out! Get out of here!!"

The thermos slammed against the door frame with a bang, spilling water all over the floor.

Everyone outside the tent heard the argument inside and fell silent.

Lu Fan strode out with a gloomy face.

Xu Haotian hurriedly stepped forward to stop her: "Lu Fan, calm down, Director Ding has been..."

"Stop talking!" Lu Fan was furious. "I can't film this movie!"

He walked straight to his rest area and said to his assistant, "Pack your things, let's go."

The assistant didn't dare ask any more questions and quickly started tidying up.

Xu Haotian watched Lu Fan's resolute back and then saw the suppressed sobbing coming from inside the tent. He stamped his feet in frustration.

He steeled himself and crawled back into the tent: "Director Ding, please calm down. Teacher Lu probably just said it in the heat of the moment..."

"Get out! You get out too!" Ding Xingyou grabbed the script beside him and threw it at them, tears streaming down his face. "You're all the same! You all think I'm no good! You all think I'm throwing tantrums! Fine, all of you leave! I'm not filming this!"

Xu Haotian retreated in a disheveled state, watching Lu Fan and his assistant leave the set without looking back, and let out a long sigh.

It’s over.

This has really blown up!

……

The news spread like wildfire. In less than half a day, the news that Lu Fan and Ding Xingyou had a big fight on set and that Lu Fan had stormed off the set had spread throughout the small circle.

Ding Jianguo called his daughter that evening.

"Xingyou, what happened? I heard you and Lu Fan had a falling out? And he even left the group?"

When Ding Xingyou received the call from his father, a surge of grievance and anger welled up within him: "Dad! You have no idea how outrageous he is! He's completely unruly now. He argues with everything I say, and even calls me petty, saying women can't make good films! I can't take it anymore!"

Ding Jianguo was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone: "Did he really say that?"

"It's absolutely true! The whole crew heard it!" Ding Xingyou wiped away his tears. "Dad, I don't want to use him in this role anymore. Let's replace him! I'll pay the breach of contract penalty!"

Ding Jianguo pondered for a moment and said, "Lu Fan seemed quite composed before, not the type to say such things... Is there some misunderstanding between you two?"

"What misunderstanding could there be! He's just changed!" Ding Xingyou's voice rose again. "Dad, are you going to help me or not?"

"Okay, okay, Dad understands." Ding Jianguo's grip on the phone tightened, his face darkening. He took a deep breath, his voice still relatively calm: "Okay, Dad understands. Lu Fan... he really said that?"

"Absolutely true! Everyone heard it!" Ding Xingyou sniffed. "He just thinks he's famous now, that he's something special, and he doesn't respect me, the director, at all!"

"You bastard!" Ding Jianguo slammed his fist on the table, his anger flaring up instantly. "Who does Lu Fan think he is?! He just knows a little about feng shui and metaphysics, and he helped you a few times by sheer luck, but does he really think he's some kind of god?! How dare he speak to my daughter like that?!"

He stood up and paced around the study, growing angrier with each passing thought: "If it weren't for the fact that he saved you and has some real skills, do you think I would have agreed to let him join the production? Or agreed to invest in him and make connections? And what did he do? He gave you the cold shoulder and said those awful things?!"

"Dad, I don't want to film this anymore..." Ding Xingyou's voice was tired and defiant.

"Of course the show will be filmed! My Ding family invested money!" Ding Jianguo interrupted her, his tone resolute. "It's just a second male lead, right? Replace him! We can afford the penalty for breach of contract! Without Lu Fan, can't this show even be filmed?"

He paused, suppressing some of his anger, but the coldness in his voice remained: "Xingyou, listen to your father, film the other scenes first, don't delay the schedule. As for Lu Fan... you don't need to worry about him. I want to see how long his still-developing studio can struggle in this murky water without the Ding family's support!"

"Dad..." Ding Xingyou seemed not to have expected his father to react so strongly.

"Don't worry about this," Ding Jianguo said, his tone softening slightly but still firm. "Since Lu Fan is so ungrateful, let him know that knowing a little bit of mystical arts isn't enough in this circle. If it weren't for me being here and still having some influence, given how arrogant he was towards Wang Zhentao, he would have been torn to pieces by that woman Zhou Ying long ago! He doesn't know his place!"

After hanging up the phone, Ding Jianguo was still furious. He picked up the teacup on the table, intending to drink from it, but then slammed it down again.

He recalled his previous appreciation and investment in Lu Fan, and now he only felt disgusted.

"You're asking for it." He sneered, picked up another phone, and dialed a number. "Old Zhang, this is Ding Jianguo. Um, something's up... Didn't I ask you to help connect a young man named Lu Fan with those two drama directors?"

Yes, that's it... we don't need it anymore. Yes, we've stopped everything. The reason? Just say... the schedule doesn't fit, or we have other considerations. Yes, thank you for your hard work.

After hanging up the phone, Ding Jianguo's eyes were icy cold.

Lu Fan, you'd better pray that your little bit of metaphysical ability can really defy fate.

Otherwise, if you offend the wrong people or cut off the wrong path in this circle, you'll suffer the consequences.

……