Huayu Entertainment: Starting with Exorcising Evil from a Film Queen

Chapter 93 First Encounter with Bai Bing (3K)

Don't give me that.

Hu Ge unscrewed the bottle cap and took a sip of water. "You know Director Jiang, even though he's a Hong Kong director, his standards for acting are incredibly meticulous. Your role as Gao Yao is a crucial one, so this won't be easy."

"Give it a try." Zhang Ze pressed the up key.

"Don't run away after work tonight, I have some good tea."

Hu Ge pointed upstairs, "By the way, Bai Bing is here too. This girl has a powerful background; she was handpicked by Brother Fang Long. Be careful when you're acting with her."

Zhang Ze raised an eyebrow.

Thanks.

As the elevator doors closed, Zhang Ze looked at the reflection cast on the metal doors.

The character Gao Yao's life takes a dramatic turn, from a humble cook in the early stages to the powerful Zhao Gao in the later stages.

It's a challenge for the actors.

But for Zhang Ze, it was nothing, only a moderate matter.

Who told him to cheat?

He went back to his room, tidied up quickly, changed into some comfortable clothes, and headed straight to the film set.

Inside the main hall of the Qin Palace in Zhuozhou Film and Television City, a lighting technician is adjusting a huge softbox.

Director Jiang Jiajun sat behind the monitor, script tucked in his hand, talking to the assistant director.

Zhang Ze walked over alone without his assistant.

"Director Jiang."

Jiang Jiajun looked up. He had neat short hair and a serious expression.

Upon seeing Zhang Ze, he put down the script in his hand and stood up.

"You're here." Jiang Jiajun's Mandarin had a distinct Hong Kong accent. "I was very satisfied with your performance during the audition, but once you're on set, it's all real work, so you need to be mentally prepared."

He waved to the stagehand to bring over a chair.

"sit."

Zhang Ze sat down, his back straight.

"Have you looked at the storyboard?" Jiang Jiajun asked.

"I've seen it."

Zhang Ze answered.

Jiang Jiajun stared into Zhang Ze's eyes.

"Now that you've seen it, how do you plan to act out the scene after Zhao Gao is tortured?"

This is indeed a difficult problem. The transformation of a man into a eunuch involves both physiological and psychological changes. If the performance is overdone, it becomes artificial; if it is underdone, it lacks tension.

Zhang Ze stood up.

His once straight back was now slightly hunched, and his shoulders were pulled inward.

His neck unconsciously stretched forward, and his steps became small and cautious.

Zhang Ze turned around and looked at Jiang Jiajun.

The clarity that once filled those eyes had vanished, replaced by a wary yet ingratiating expression, while a sinister malice lurked deep within.

He lowered his head slightly, his hands clasped in front of his lower abdomen, his fingers unconsciously curling into a delicate, orchid-like gesture, but he quickly pressed them back down.

This sense of contradiction—wanting to conceal physical defects yet being exposed due to physiological habits—was instantly established.

Jiang Jiajun's pupils contracted slightly.

"Great." Jiang Jiajun slapped his thigh hard. "A great reputation is well-deserved. No wonder you're an actor who's become a sensation online. You captured that inferiority complex that you couldn't hide perfectly."

Several staff members who were setting up the scene around them stopped what they were doing and looked at the young man who had just been so upright in surprise.

Zhang Ze straightened his back and opened his shoulders, and that gloomy aura instantly dissipated.

"I've made a fool of myself."

"Alright, hurry up and get your makeup done. You have a scene with Princess Yu Shu in a little while."

Jiang Jiajun was in a great mood and waved to signal the makeup artist to lead the group.

In the dressing room, Zhang Ze met Bai Bing.

She was wearing a plain white ancient costume dress and was sitting in front of the mirror while the makeup artist adjusted her hair.

Hearing the noise behind her, she turned around.

Zhang Ze was moved when he saw Bai Bing's appearance.

This face is truly stunning, with delicate and elegant features that exude a classical beauty, and there is indeed a hint of Kim Hee-sun in it.

"Hello teacher, I am Bai Bing." She stood up and extended her hand somewhat awkwardly.

As a newcomer, she seemed somewhat insecure when facing a veteran actor like Zhang Ze.

"Don't call me teacher. I'm about the same age as you. Just call me Zhang Ze."

Zhang Ze reached out his hand, only lightly grasped her fingertips before letting go, his judgment was impeccable.

"Don't be nervous, let's talk about the script."

"Okay, okay."

"I've read the script. This scene is about your first time entering the palace, and I'm in charge of teaching you the rules."

Zhang Ze pulled up a chair and sat next to her. The makeup artist began applying dark foundation to his face to create a rough, weathered look.

"Yes."

Bai Bing gripped the script tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white. "I—I'm a little nervous, afraid I won't act well."

"Being nervous is a good thing."

Zhang Ze closed his eyes, letting the makeup brush sweep across his face. "Yu Shu has just arrived in Da Qin, and it's natural for her to be nervous in an unfamiliar environment. You don't need to act; just let your current emotions flow."

Bai Bing paused for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.

After finishing their makeup, the two arrived at the main hall.

This scene is Gao Yao teaching Yu Shu how to survive in this cannibalistic palace.

The clapperboard snapped open.

Zhang Ze instantly got into character.

He bowed, his face plastered with a fake smile, and held a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand as he circled around Bai Bing.

"Princess, the harem of the Great Qin is not as secure as your Tuanan."

Zhang Ze's voice was high-pitched and slightly hoarse, "To survive here, you have to learn to close your eyes and plug your ears."

He suddenly moved closer to Bai Bing, so close it was almost offensive.

Bai Bing instinctively shrank back, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes.

"Don't move," Zhang Ze hissed, his eyes fixed on her. "If His Majesty sees this, it's a capital offense."

Bai Bing was intimidated by his imposing manner, her body stiffened, and her helplessness and fear were a completely genuine reaction.

"Cut!" Jiang Jiajun shouted. "That was a pass! Bai Bing's reaction was good, very realistic!"

Bai Bing breathed a sigh of relief and, feeling a little weak in the knees, leaned against the pillar next to her.

She looked at Zhang Ze, and for a moment, she really thought she was facing a psychopathic eunuch.

Zhang Ze regained his composure and walked over to hand her a bottle of water.

"I apologize for the offense."

Bai Bing took the water, shook her head somewhat embarrassedly, "No, it's because you brought it. My mind went blank just now, I was completely scared by you."

For the next two weeks, the filming progressed surprisingly smoothly.

Zhang Ze's professionalism surprised the entire crew.

Whether it's positioning, dialogue, or camera work, he rarely makes mistakes.

In many instances, he can even draw his co-stars into the scene.

His scenes with Hu Ge were particularly electrifying.

Yi Xiaochuan's carefree and unrestrained nature contrasts sharply with Gao Yao's dark and twisted character, and every confrontation between the two in front of the camera is a thrill for Jiang Jiajun.

Bai Bing and Zhang Ze's relationship also grew closer during filming.

Sometimes during breaks, the two would joke around.

Even when they finished work early, Zhang Ze and Hu Ge would take Bai Bing with them when they went out to eat together.

In early May, the weather in Hebei started to get hot.

That afternoon, Zhang Ze had just finished filming a scene where he was being bullied in the imperial kitchen.

He was covered in flour and swill props and was resting on a small stool by the side of the field.

His assistant held a small fan and blew it towards him, while handing him a phone with her other hand.

"Boss, Sister Zhixi just called. I told her you're filming, and she said you absolutely have to call her back."

Zhang Ze wiped the sweat from his face and took the phone.

He glanced at the date.

May 13th.

The nomination list for the Cannes Film Festival should be announced in the next couple of days.

Zhang Ze took his phone and walked to a slightly quieter corner.

My finger slid across the screen and dialed that familiar number.

The phone was answered after only one ring.

"Feed?"

Chen Zhixi's voice came through the receiver.

Even across thousands of kilometers of signal, Zhang Ze could hear the tremor in her voice and her barely suppressed excitement.

"it's me."

Zhang Ze took the cigarette down, holding it between his fingers. "The results are in?"

There was a scream on the other end of the phone. The sound was so loud that Zhang Ze had to hold the phone half an inch away from his ear.

"We made it! Zhang Ze! We made it!"

Chen Zhixi's voice changed, filled with both sobs and ecstasy, "The Cannes organizing committee just sent us a formal invitation!"

"Like Father, Like Son" has been selected for the main competition!

Zhang Ze held the phone half an inch away from his ear, letting Chen Zhixi vent her emotions on the other end.

He didn't put the phone back to his ear until the screaming in the receiver turned into rapid breathing.

"Is this confirmed as part of the main competition? Or is it just a form of attention?"

While the Un Certain Regard section is also a selection section for outstanding films at the Cannes Film Festival, it differs quite a bit from the main competition section.

For the same film, the rights to the main competition section can sell for an extra $200,000, while the rights to the first competition section can only sell for an extra $50,000 to $100,000.

Zhang Ze's voice was steady, but his fingers unconsciously rubbed the rough cuffs of his costume.

"It's true! I've already sent you a scanned copy of the invitation."

Chen Zhixi's voice was still trembling, a physiological reaction to the surge of adrenaline.

"The organizing committee informed us that the opening ceremony red carpet is on May 13th, and our premiere is scheduled for the 15th. Zhang Ze, we're going to walk the red carpet in Cannes!"

After confirming that he had indeed made it into the main competition, Zhang Ze breathed a sigh of relief, his tense back leaning against the cold blue brick wall behind him.

Stable.

The five million was saved.

Even if a team doesn't win anything in the end, just the fact that it makes it into the main competition is enough to sell its overseas rights for a sky-high price.

If managed properly, the European copyright plus the Southeast Asian television broadcasting rights would more than cover the costs, and might even generate a small profit. He made the right move by taking this risky gamble.

"Now that we've been shortlisted, our marketing strategy needs to change. How much of the original 800,000+ yuan is left?"

"There are about 150,000 to 160,000 left."

Chen Zhixi quickly got into work mode, saying, "We spent a lot of money buying press releases and hiring film critics in France, but the results were excellent. Now that the news of our nomination has come out, our film has built its own buzz, so we've saved a lot of money."

"Don't keep the rest of the money either."

"Use all of it to book plane tickets, hotels, and the daily expenses of all the main creators in Shana."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Ze put down his phone and walked toward the director's monitor.

Jiang Jiajun was looking down at the playback from earlier, while the assistant director was taking notes.