Huayu Entertainment: Starting with Exorcising Evil from a Film Queen

She took out her phone.

"Could we exchange contact information? If... if it really works in the future, I'd like to ask you something."

Yang Mi's idea is very simple.

If we find out later that Zhang Ze is a swindler, we'll make him pay back the money.

If what Zhang Ze said is true, then we should ask for his opinion again.

Zhang Ze naturally wouldn't refuse, and took out his old Nokia to exchange numbers with her.

He knew in his heart that these people would become more than just customers in the future.

It is also the network of connections that enabled him to establish himself in this industry.

After writing down the phone number, Yang Mi was about to say something when she suddenly received a call.

"Honey, where are you? I can't find you anywhere on set. Come back quickly! The director said we need to finish filming Act 4 today, and that includes your scenes!"

"Oh, Jiajia! I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, Yang Mi apologized to Zhang Ze and the other person, saying they would talk later, and then hurriedly ran away.

Zhang Ze stared in astonishment at the arc of the car's body bouncing up and down as it ran.

The capital is still quite substantial.

"Everyone's gone! Why are you still watching!" Zhao Liying said from the side.

Zhao Liying had a gossipy smile on her face.

"I think you're completely bewitched by her. Interested in her? Do you like this type?"

Zhang Ze countered, "Who doesn't like a beautiful woman with a good figure?"

Zhao Liying chuckled upon hearing this, "Once I become famous, I'll find you one! No, two!"

"Sister Liying is so generous!"

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, it became completely dark.

The extras who were originally on set had all finished work, and the barbecue stall quickly became lively.

Zhang Ze and Zhao Liying then got up and left.

Although there have been crackdowns these days due to the Olympics, Hengdian is still a mixed bag, and it can be a bit dangerous at night.

Back on Dazhi Street, the doors of the shops that had been closed on both sides of the road were now open.

The shop's interior lighting was mostly pale red or dark red, and there were scantily clad women soliciting customers at the entrance.

Every now and then, extras who have finished a hard day's work will enter the room surrounded by their companions and get a haircut.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Liying blushed slightly and teased Zhang Ze, "Why don't you go in and try?"

Zhang Ze turned his head and glanced at Zhao Liying. "Let's forget about it. I want to be a star in the future, and I don't want to be known as a womanizer."

"Besides, I don't even look at these tacky girls. If they were half as pretty as you, I might consider it."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Liying blushed and spat, "Dream on!"

But when she looked at the tall and handsome Zhang Ze beside her, a ripple of emotion stirred in her heart.

It's not impossible...

On the way back to the rented room, Zhao Liying asked him if he had found work for tomorrow.

Zhang Ze shook his head.

He hasn't been in Hengdian for long and hasn't yet integrated into any established group of group leaders.

Being alone, I was like a rootless duckweed, and I could only go to the entrance of the actors' guild before dawn every day, or try my luck at various filming locations, hoping to snag a temporary extra role.

The work is very unstable; it's common to work only sporadically.

Zhao Liying spent more time in Hengdian than Zhang Ze. She was known as a workaholic, always either filming on set or on her way to a film set, working almost year-round.

What's better for her than for Zhang Ze is that Zhao Liying came from a talent show and was already signed with an agency. Even though she didn't have many connections and could only work as an extra in Hengdian like Zhang Ze, their starting points were different.

Therefore, she knows exactly which mountain in Hengdian, which film crew is shooting what movie, and she knows it like the back of her hand.

After hearing about Zhang Ze's situation, Zhao Liying immediately began to offer him advice.

"The Mummy 3 crew is currently filming at the Qin Palace. The scene is huge, with tons of people. They must be short a lot of extras. You could try your luck there."

She spoke of this with a hint of envy in her voice.

"That's a big-budget Sino-US co-production! It's full of stars, including Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh! If you get noticed by a big star or director, you might just become an overnight sensation!"

In recent years, because of Wang Baoqiang's grassroots success story, countless extras in Hengdian have the same dream as him, hoping to be discovered, selected, and become famous overnight.

Zhang Ze nodded and kept this in mind.

However, he didn't have high hopes for this. He had seen "The Mummy 3" in his previous life. The scene where the Dragon Emperor summoned thousands of troops was indeed shocking, but it was hard to say how many of them were actually played by real people.

"Thanks, I'll go check it out tomorrow."

The two walked down to the building where the apartment was located. Zhao Liying took out her key, turned the creaking iron door of her dormitory, and turned back before going in.

"If...if you can't find any work tomorrow, come find me, and I'll ask around in our group to see if we can get you a small extra role!"

Without waiting for Zhang Ze's reply, she slammed the door shut with a bang, her movements so fast they seemed almost unnatural.

Zhang Ze stood there, stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

Zhang Ze knew, of course, that the girl had feelings for him.

Who knows, something might actually develop in the future.

To be honest, Zhao Liying is very beautiful. She doesn't have an aggressive, bright beauty, but rather an unadorned purity. Especially her big, round eyes, which always evoke a strong desire to protect her.

Moreover, the youthful innocence in her eyes hadn't faded yet; she was clearly a good girl who hadn't messed around in the entertainment circle, a virgin.

Most importantly, Zhao Liying is destined to be a top-tier actress, a ratings queen, and a superstar.

Buying now would be a sure thing, a stock with great potential.

only……

Zhang Ze chuckled to himself with a self-deprecating smile.

He himself is not a particularly faithful and good man.

Having already stepped into the glamorous world of entertainment, wouldn't it be a waste to not stroll among the beauties?

This is the fundamental reason why he would rather endure hardship in Hengdian than return to the mountains to become a Taoist priest.

Being a Taoist priest is nowhere near as carefree and enjoyable as being a celebrity.

However, Zhang Ze was not the kind of hungry wolf who would eat anything.

In the month or so he's been in Hengdian, although he often talks nonsense, he sticks to his principles in his actions, preferring quality over quantity.

He believes in mutual consent, and if something were to happen between him and Zhao Liying in the future, he wouldn't deliberately avoid it.

In the Hengdian entertainment circle, someone as persistent as him has become an anomaly.

Many extras, even without a steady boyfriend or girlfriend, will still go to the barbershop on Dazhi Street after receiving their meager salary to relieve the fatigue of the day and the uncertainty about the future with a wash, cut and blow-dry.

After all, being an extra is too tough.

Of course, the reason Zhang Ze is an anomaly is because he has a trump card that others don't. If Zhang Ze had nothing, he would either be like those extras or obediently return to the mountain to inherit the Taoist temple.

Lying in bed, Zhang Ze glanced at his reputation on the panel.

[Reputation: 10]

Reading Yang Mi's fortune added two more points to her reputation.

But simply reading people's faces and fortunes is far too slow for one's reputation to grow.

A Best Actress only gains 8 reputation points, while a moderately famous actress only gains 2.

When will I ever be able to max out my skills and cultivation?

If you want to have a lot of fame, you still have to become a star.