Huayu Entertainment: Starting with Exorcising Evil from a Film Queen

Chapter 86: Role Audition (4K)

"understood."

Zhang Ze spoke calmly, saying that with his current acting skills and rising online fame, it wouldn't be difficult for him to play a supporting or third male lead.

"By the way, have you finished writing that script? If you haven't, you won't have the confidence to face Chen Zhixi."

"Finished writing."

Zhang Ze looked at the rolling mountains in the distance.

"Not only have I finished writing it, but I've also drawn the storyboard."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Ze turned around and went back to the Taoist temple.

The old Taoist priest was sitting in the courtyard basking in the sun, holding a well-worn copy of the "Qingjing Jing" (Classic of Purity and Tranquility) in his hand.

The old Taoist priest didn't even lift his eyelids when he saw Zhang Ze enter.

"Finished the call?"

"Um."

Zhang Ze walked over and squatted down in front of the old Taoist priest.

"Old man, I'm leaving first thing the day after tomorrow."

The old Taoist priest paused for a moment while turning the pages, then casually turned the page again.

"Go if you want, why are you reporting to me? You have legs."

He pulled a red cloth bag from his pocket and tossed it to Zhang Ze.

"Take it."

Zhang Ze took it; it felt heavy in his hand.

Upon opening it, one finds a warm, lustrous jade plaque carved with the image of the patriarch, its lines flowing smoothly, clearly an antique.

"This was given to me by my master when I was young and traveling down the mountain. It's a token of our lineage, and it's been passed down for many years."

The old Taoist priest looked at the book, speaking in a casual tone.

"You've been in that cesspool for so long, I don't know anything about acting, but if you carry this with you, even if you encounter something really strange, it will keep your mind clear."

Holding the jade pendant, Zhang Ze felt a warm feeling in his heart.

"Thank you, Master."

Zhang Ze solemnly hung the jade pendant around his neck and carefully kept it close to his body.

Back in his room, Zhang Ze couldn't sleep, pondering the matter. Finally, he got up, laid out yellow paper, ground out the cinnabar, and then calmed himself down and began to draw.

The sixth day of the first lunar month, early morning.

The fog hadn't dissipated yet, and Zhang Ze stood at the entrance of the Taoist temple with a simple bag on his back.

The old Taoist priest did not come out to see them off; the door to the side room remained tightly closed.

Zhang Ze kowtowed three times towards the direction of the side room, then got up and strode down the mountain.

Only after Zhang Ze's figure disappeared around the corner of the mountain road was the window of the side room opened a crack.

The old Taoist priest stood behind the window, looking at the empty mountain path, sighed softly, then picked up a broom and began sweeping up fallen leaves that weren't actually there in the yard.

When cleaning Zhang Ze's room, one could immediately spot three amulets neatly arranged on the table.

The old man grinned, "That brat—"

Then he carefully folded the talisman and put it in his pocket.

After descending the mountain, Zhang Ze did not return to his residence but went directly to his studio.

Although it's still the holiday season, the studio is already bustling with activity.

Despite Zhang Ze saying the studio would resume work on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Sun Ying, as the agent, didn't get much of a holiday.

She was sitting behind her desk, typing away at her computer.

When Sun Ying saw Zhang Ze push the door open and come in, she was stunned for a moment, then glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Going all out? I thought you were going to come tomorrow."

Zhang Ze threw his backpack on the sofa, took off his down jacket, revealing a black turtleneck sweater underneath, which made him look tall and straight.

"If you're going to do it, don't drag it out."

He took out a thick stack of handwritten scripts from his bag and slapped them in front of Sun Ying.

"This is what I want to film."

Sun Ying picked up the script, the cover of which had four big characters written on it—"Like Father, Like Son".

She turned to the first page, and her initially nonchalant expression gradually turned serious.

This is not just a script; every blank space on every page is filled with notes.

The lighting setup, camera positions, the emotional range the actors were expected to reach, and even the entry points for the background music were all clearly marked.

This isn't a script; it's practically an outrageously detailed shooting manual.

Even a newcomer who doesn't know much about filming can make this movie by simply copying the script.

Sun Ying looked up at Zhang Ze, who was pouring water, with a complicated expression.

She realized that she had underestimated Zhang Ze's abilities.

"It seems I need to reassess whether Ms. Chen can handle this order."

Sun Ying closed the script, a playful smile appearing on her lips.

"But before that, you have to get the role of Myth first."

Zhang Ze, holding a water glass, leaned against the edge of his desk, his eyes filled with confidence.

"No one but me can play the role of Gao Yao."

On the tenth day of the lunar month, at a business hotel in Beijing.

The audition for the TV series "The Myth" was held in a conference room on the third floor.

The corridor was crowded with actors, men and women, who came to audition. Most of them looked anxious and were muttering their lines to themselves.

Zhang Ze led Sun Ying through the crowd, ignoring the scrutinizing glances from those around them.

He was wearing a simple casual suit, his hair was styled casually, and he looked relaxed and lazy.

"Is this Zhang Ze? The one who played Xu Changqing?"

"I heard it's for the role of Gao Yao."

"Gao Yao? Isn't that a eunuch? How can someone so handsome play a eunuch?"

Hearing the whispers, Zhang Ze ignored them.

The staff called his name.

Zhang Ze pushed open the door and entered.

There were three people sitting in the conference room.

In the middle is the chief director Jiang Jiajun, on the left is the art director Tang Jili, and on the right is the investor representative who is said to have connections with Hendrik Willem Van Loon.

Jiang Jiajun's eyes lit up when he saw Zhang Ze enter.

Its appearance is indeed impeccable, even more so than in the photos.

"Zhang Ze, right?"

Jiang Jiajun flipped through the resume in his hand.

"I've seen your scenes in 'Chinese Paladin 3,' and you looked great. Why did you audition for Gao Yao? You need to understand that although this role has a lot of screen time, it's not likable; you could even say it's ugly."

Zhang Ze stood in the center of the room, not in a hurry to answer.

He lowered his eyes slightly, and his aura suddenly changed.

His once upright posture instantly hunched over, a humble and obsequious smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, while his eyes revealed a chilling ruthlessness and greed.

He took two steps forward, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and bowed slightly to Jiang Jiajun.

"In this world, only I know what I want."

97

Her voice was high-pitched, trembling slightly, yet exceptionally firm.

This is a line spoken by Gao Yao before he completely turns evil in the drama.

Just one action, one sentence.

Jiang Jiajun's pen stopped in mid-air.

Stanley Tong, who had been leaning back in his chair, suddenly sat up straight, his eyes filled with disbelief as he stared at Zhang Ze.

That glamorous idol star has disappeared.

Standing before them was a living, breathing Zhao Gao, a man who had risen from the bottom to a position of power but was psychologically twisted.

Zhang Ze composed himself, straightened his posture, and the gloomy aura instantly dissipated, transforming him back into the sunny and handsome young man.

"Director, I don't think Gao Yao is ugly, he's pathetic."

Zhang Ze looked at the three examiners, his tone calm.

"I want to perform, and that's the sad thing."

A brief silence fell over the conference room.

A moment later, Tang Jili was the first to applaud.

"How pathetic."

He turned to look at Jiang Jiajun.

"I don't think we need to try other people."

Jiang Jiajun twirled the pen in his hand, his gaze lingering for a moment on Zhang Ze's face, which had regained its sunny and handsome appearance.

There's really no need to watch anyone else's performance.

Whether it's his physical appearance or his amazing acting performance just now, Zhang Ze perfectly embodies all of his ideas for the role of Gao Yao.

In addition, Hu Ge had mentioned Zhang Ze to him many times before, so it was a good idea to give him this favor and also gain a top-notch supporting role in return. Why not?

"Bring the contract over."

Jiang Jiajun turned his head and gave instructions to his assistant behind him.

Tang Jili sat beside him, holding a teacup in his hand, but his gaze never left Zhang Ze.

The young man's composed and confident demeanor gave him a glimpse of potential to become a superstar.

The contract was quickly presented to Zhang Ze.

The terms were clear, and the remuneration was based on the standards for a first-tier supporting actor; there was no deliberate attempt to lower the price just because Zhang Ze was a newcomer.

Zhang Ze took the pen, quickly glanced through the core terms, and then signed his name in the "Party B" column.

"I'll be joining the crew on April 19th, in Hengdian and Yi County. Is that alright?"

Jiang Jiajun put away the copy of the contract, stood up, and extended his hand.

"No problem, Director Jiang, it's a pleasure working with you."

Zhang Ze reached out and shook his hand back; his palm was dry and strong.

As soon as we stepped out of the conference room, the previously noisy crowd in the corridor fell silent.

The actors who were still memorizing their lines all looked up, their gazes filled with complex emotions as they looked at the young man who had come out less than twenty minutes after going in.

Zhang Ze ignored the probing gazes and walked straight to the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a tall figure wearing a baseball cap and a gray hoodie blocked the way.

Hugo fiddled with his car keys, his hat pulled low, obscuring half his face, but his exposed eyes held a clear smile.

"Finished testing?"

Hu Ge raised his head, revealing a set of white teeth.

Zhang Ze was not surprised and punched him on the shoulder.

What are you doing here?

"I heard from the director that you were coming, so I specially canceled my schedule to come and wait for you."

Hu Ge put his arm around Zhang Ze's shoulder, and the two walked into the elevator arm in arm.

The elevator doors slowly closed, shutting out the noise from outside.

"You're so unfair! You didn't even tell me you were coming to the audition. Don't you consider me a brother?"

Hu Ge took off his hat, casually scratched his somewhat messy hair, and said with a hint of complaint in his voice.

Zhang Ze leaned against the wall of the sedan chair, looking at the two figures reflected in the mirror.

"I'm just afraid of embarrassing you. If I tell you and you fail the audition, it will be so difficult for you on set."

"Don't give me that. Do you think I don't know your capabilities? Bai Doufu's popularity online has even overshadowed Jing Tian's."

Hu Ge rolled his eyes at him. The elevator arrived at the first floor, and the two walked out of the lobby.

The midday sun was a bit dazzling, and the streets of Beijing were bustling with traffic.

"Let's go eat and have a good get-together."

Hugo opened the car door and shoved Zhang Ze into the passenger seat.

The car kept stopping and starting on the congested Third Ring Road before finally turning into a quiet alley and stopping in front of a private restaurant.

The environment here is quiet and peaceful, without the noise of the outside world, making it a perfect place for conversation.

Inside the private room, the waiter brought out a steaming hot pot of meat.

The charcoal fire glowed red-hot, and the clear broth at the bottom of the pot bubbled and released a rich aroma.

Hugo ordered two more bottles of beer and filled them up for the two of them.

After a few drinks, Hu Ge started talking non-stop.

He picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly, as if he was organizing his thoughts.

"Zhang Ze, I must toast you with this."

Hu Ge picked up his wine glass, his expression becoming serious.

Zhang Ze raised his glass and clinked it against his; the crisp sound of the glass clashing echoed in the private room.

"Why are you suddenly being so polite?"

Hu Ge downed the wine in his glass in one gulp and let out a long breath.

"I'm not just being polite, I really mean it. If you hadn't comforted me during that time, I might not have been able to get through it."

He put down the cup, his fingers tracing the cool rim.

Although I recovered physically after the car accident, I still couldn't get over the emotional hurdle.

The death of his assistant, in particular, became a nightmare for him on countless nights.

It was Zhang Ze who helped him gradually let go of his obsession.

Whether it was because of what Zhang Ze said or because he really used some magical means, Hu Ge emerged from the gloom.

"I've figured it out now. Since I've survived, I should live a wonderful life for two."

Hugo refilled his glass, his eyes clearer than ever before.

"I recently used part of my earnings to donate two primary schools in Sichuan. I've already thought of names for them; I'll name them after her."

He said this with a relieved smile on his face.

Looking at Hu Ge in front of him, Zhang Ze could sense that most of the pent-up frustration on his body had dissipated.

Instead, there is a composure that comes with the passage of time.

"Doing good deeds and accumulating virtue is a good thing."

Zhang Ze picked up a piece of tofu and put it into the pot, watching it tumble in the boiling water.

"As long as you keep this original intention, everything will go smoothly from now on."

This was not just polite talk, but a judgment made by Zhang Ze based on his ability to observe qi and his understanding of later generations.

Hugo's fortune is showing a faint red glow, which is a sign that good fortune is coming.

This indicates that his career and life will have good development in the near future.

According to later generations, as long as Hu Ge could maintain his original aspirations, his future career would be smooth sailing.

The meal took more than two hours to finish.

The two chatted a lot, from fun stories on set to future plans.

It wasn't until 3 p.m. that Zhang Ze bid farewell to Hu Ge and returned to the hotel alone.

The room was empty except for the hum of the air conditioner.

Zhang Ze threw himself onto the soft bed and stared at the ceiling for a while.

The initial excitement of securing a film offer has faded, replaced by a faint emptiness.

He sat up, took out his phone, found Li Xiaozai's number, and dialed it.

The phone rang a few times before being answered, and Li Xiaoran's languid voice came from the other end, as if she had just woken up.

"Hey, what brings you to call me, you busy person?"

"I miss you. I'm here in Beijing now, so I'm planning to visit you on set."

Zhang Ze spoke casually, his fingers unconsciously twirling the tassels on the bed sheet.

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone, followed by the sound of fabric rubbing together.

"Unfortunately, I'm currently in Guangzhou, and filming hasn't wrapped up yet. If you could fly to Guangzhou, I'd love to welcome you with open arms."

Zhang Ze raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem to care too much.

"Then we'll have to do it next time. Take care of yourself over there."

"Okay, you should drink less alcohol too."

The two chatted for a bit more about gossip in the industry, about who broke up with whom, and which film's funding ran out.

This pointless chat lasted for more than ten minutes until the director called for help, at which point Li Xiaoran hurriedly hung up the phone.

Zhang Ze tossed his phone aside, got up, and went into the bathroom.

He needs to rest early; he has an important meeting to discuss tomorrow.