A top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but also a Taoist priest.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhao Mingyuan immediately chimed in, "Don't worry, Daoist Master, this role isn't too demanding. It mainly involves scenes with Hua Yue and a few fight scenes, so filming will be quick."

The filming time won't be too long; we'll definitely follow your schedule and ensure it doesn't delay your plans.

Xu Huikang added, "You don't need to worry about the fees at all, Taoist priest. We will calculate it for you according to the normal actor's salary, which is absolutely reasonable."

Zhao Mingyuan held his breath, waiting for his reaction, while Chen Yao stood quietly to the side, watching the two of them sing in unison.

Zhang Ruoyun didn't have so many concerns. He lowered his arms and leaned forward.

"Master, to be honest, this role really suits you. Your features are cool and aloof, your movements are agile, and your action scenes are clean. If you really had to replace the actor at the last minute, it would be difficult to find one in a short time."

He spoke frankly, not as a mere formality. He had other films to film later, and time was very tight.

The filming schedule for "Legend of Nine Tails Fox" was already precise down to the day. If Zhuo Yun stops filming, all the roles he was working with will have to be postponed, and it will be a question whether he can finish filming on time.

Having been in the industry for several years, he has experienced too many delays caused by last-minute actor replacements, so the Taoist priest is the best choice to fill in.

Hearing Zhang Ruoyun's support, Chen Yao also looked at Chen Shouyi beside him.

However, unlike Zhang Ruoyun's anxiety about the project deadline, she felt something else entirely.

In the play, Zhuo Yun plays a young Taoist priest who goes down the mountain to capture demons and accidentally encounters Hua Yue, a fox demon he plays.

The two became friends after a fight, and although they didn't have many scenes together, several of them were real close-quarters combat scenes.

In dramatic scenes, eye contact is essential; in action scenes, close-quarters movement is crucial. Whether it's the confrontation in gestures or the tacit understanding in walking side by side, there will be an indescribable tension in front of the camera.

If someone else were to play the role of the demon-hunting Taoist priest, she could simply follow the script. But if the Taoist priest himself were to play the role—

Chen Yao couldn't help but picture Chen Shouyi, dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, walking out of the mountain mist and looking at her.

Suddenly, she felt her heart beating faster. She quickly looked away, her ears burning slightly, and dared not think any further.

Coming to her senses, she cleared her throat slightly, turned her head to look at Chen Shouyi, and whispered:

"Master, didn't you say before that you'd go with the flow? Doesn't this count as going with the flow?"

After she finished speaking, she pursed her lips, feeling that she might have said too much, so she stopped talking and just quietly looked at Chen Shouyi.

Chen Shouyi did not answer immediately. He was indeed interested in acting, which was why he signed with Huace.

But when Cai Yinong personally invited him to join the Sugar Man production team, he declined because the opportunity hadn't come. Now, he's playing a role in someone else's production team, which is a bit awkward.

To an outsider, it would seem that Master Qingquan didn't want the long-term contract with the sugar figurine maker or the male lead, but was happy to take the small, cheap role in a short-run drama.

This wouldn't sound good if word got out, and it's against the rules. Cai Yinong might not care, but he can't take it for granted.

"Benefactor Zhao, Benefactor Xu, this humble Taoist does indeed have some concerns."

Zhao Mingyuan immediately stepped forward: "Please speak, Daoist Master."

"Firstly," Chen Shouyi held up one finger, "I have no acting experience. Although my appearance is a good fit, it may not be easy for me to film. If it delays the filming schedule, that would be even worse."

Just as Zhao Mingyuan was about to speak, Chen Shouyi raised his hand to stop him.

"Secondly," he continued, "I once told Mr. Cai and Director Lin that acting is a matter of fate. If I were to take on this role in my personal capacity, it might be inconvenient for Mr. Cai and Director Lin."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mingyuan smiled instead: "Don't worry, Daoist! Director Lin has watched the recording of the previous ritual over and over again, and she can't wait for you to come!"

Ms. Cai has mentioned it privately several times, saying it's such a pity, she'd be overjoyed if you were willing to make a cameo appearance, why would she disagree?

Xu Huikang added, "Master, I'm the director of this segment, so casting is my responsibility. As long as you approve, I'll handle the rest."

Chen Shouyi pondered for a moment. Having said all that, refusing now would seem unreasonable.

Moreover, the role of Zhuo Yun is indeed suitable for him. He plays a demon-catching Taoist priest, which is a natural fit for him. The role is small, so it's a good opportunity to test the waters.

Ultimately, what he was worried about was rules and dignity. Now that Zhao Mingyuan had made Director Lin and President Cai's attitudes clear, that hurdle no longer existed.

But he can't make this decision on his own. Fang Ying is helping him with the process. Strictly speaking, he's already considered a semi-contracted artist with Juku.

Once he signed the agency contract, the decision of which roles to take on wasn't solely his responsibility; he still needed to consult with his future boss.

In addition, although this role is not a major one, it is his first real acting performance in front of the camera.

Fang Ying previously said that Cao Guang in "Love O2O" was his first role, but now Zhuo Yun has suddenly appeared. How to coordinate and report to the authorities all depends on Fang Ying's approval.

Chen Shouyi mentally reviewed Fang Ying's style of doing things and confirmed that, given her personality, she would definitely want him to practice on a small role first before he spoke up.

"Since you two have extended such a sincere invitation, I cannot be rude. However, since it concerns the arrangement of roles, some details still need to be considered. How about I give you an answer first thing tomorrow morning?"

Chen Shouyi left some room for maneuver in his words, neither making a decision on the spot nor revealing Fang Ying's true intentions.

Zhao Mingyuan and Xu Huikang exchanged a glance, and both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that they didn't directly reject me means there's a chance.

"Alright, alright, no rush!" Zhao Mingyuan nodded repeatedly. "Taoist Master, please take your time to consider it. Tomorrow is fine, one more night won't make a difference!"

Xu Huikang also breathed a sigh of relief and clasped his hands in thanks to Chen Shouyi: "Thank you very much, Daoist Master."

Chen Shouyi nodded slightly in response. Then, he glanced at Zhao Mingyuan slowly:

"Benefactor Zhao, after you have finished dealing with the follow-up matters, please come and find me. We can talk privately."

Zhao Mingyuan was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized that the Taoist priest wanted to discuss something with him privately. He nodded in agreement without asking any further questions and pulled Xu Huikang towards the hillside.

There's still a bunch of cleanup stuff to deal with on Yao Yichen's side, and the film set also needs to quickly adjust today's shooting schedule.

As the two figures walked further and further away, only three people remained on the filming location.

Zhang Ruoyun watched the two figures walk away and couldn't help but smile. He turned his head to look at Chen Shouyi, raising his eyebrows:

"Master, it seems we'll be acting together later."

Chen Shouyi smiled and said, "We'll have to see how things go tomorrow. I can't make a decision for Cai and the others."

Zhang Ruoyun waved his hand, his mind quick-witted, and continued, "Hey, Director Xu and Director Zhao will handle it. The three of us have quite a few scenes, and we'll be rehearsing a lot of scenes together later."

He said this so naturally, as if the cooperation was a done deal.

Chen Shouyi smiled and did not refute.

Chen Yao stood quietly for a moment, then suddenly turned her head to look at Chen Shouyi. She wore a floral-patterned hair bun, and the silver hairpin in her hair made her look even more charming.

"Weren't you just giving Director Zhao a perfunctory answer?" Chen Yao looked into his eyes. "You clearly already had it all planned out."