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

Zhang Ruoyun's eyes darted back and forth between Chen Shouyi and Chen Yao, then he grinned slyly. He closed the script and stood up.

"You two continue chatting, I'll head back to the studio now. Director Xu is waiting for me to finish a close-up shot." He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Chen Shouyi, "Master, I'll be waiting for your confirmation."

After walking a few steps, he turned back and winked at Chen Yao, his expression clearly saying, "Wasn't I a good friend?"

Chen Yao glared at him irritably, and Zhang Ruoyun walked away with a smile.

Only two people remained on the outdoor filming location. The artificial trees on the hillside rustled in the wind, and the stream at the bottom of the slope was artificially circulated, so the sound of the water was not loud, but it was just enough to fill the silence.

Chen Yao sat on the prop box, her hands supporting her at her sides, her legs swinging gently. Hua Yue's costume skirt hung down, fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Zhang is quite an interesting benefactor," Chen Shouyi broke the silence first.

"He just loves to watch the drama unfold." Chen Yao turned her head slightly to look at Chen Shouyi, clearly not really angry.

Chen Shouyi glanced at her, then looked at the hillside not far away. The staff had gradually left, leaving only a few stagehands tidying up the scattered equipment.

"Have you finished filming your scenes for today?"

"Hmm." Chen Yao nodded. "I filmed two scenes this morning, and this afternoon I was supposed to have a scene with Yao Yichen, but now... well, I don't have anything else to do."

She paused, then turned to look at Chen Shouyi: "Were those concerns you mentioned genuine, or were they just polite formalities?"

Chen Shouyi's eyebrows twitched slightly; this girl was much more direct than usual today.

"Half and half."

"And what about the other half?"

"The other half is that I've never actually acted before," Chen Shouyi said unhurriedly. "Although Zhuo Yun is a minor character, he's still the demon-catching Taoist priest in 'Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.' He has action scenes, dramatic scenes, and scenes with Hua Yue."

Chen Shouyi's gaze lingered on Chen Yao's face for a moment before he continued, "I'm just a novice. If the final product doesn't turn out well, I'll be letting down Director Xu's trust and the actors who acted opposite me."

Chen Yao's eyelashes trembled. She lowered her eyes, then looked up again after a moment, and said seriously, "I don't think so."

"Um?"

"I said, it won't look out of place." Chen Yao looked at him quietly and said seriously, "I've seen you perform rituals. The way you stood there, you didn't need to act to be right."

Chen Shouyi was silent for a moment, then smiled: "Are you trying to comfort me?"

"So, when you spoke just now," he looked away, "it wasn't just about the production schedule?"

Chen Yao's fingers involuntarily twitched. This question made her slightly uneasy, but she found that she was not as panicked as she had imagined.

"It's also... for my own sake."

She looked directly at Chen Shouyi, and the light in her eyes gradually brightened, like the sunset, slowly and layer by layer becoming brighter.

"Because if I were to play a different Taoist priest who catches demons, it would definitely take me a long time to get used to acting with him. The Taoist priest is different."

Chen Yao paused for a moment.

"Master, you are different."

After saying this, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed, so she stood up from the prop box and straightened the hem of her costume.

Chen Shouyi stood up as well as she did. He was about to say something when he heard Old Zhou, the stage manager, voice from afar:

"Teacher Chen, do you have anything else here? We need to collect it!"

Chen Yao turned around and called out in Lao Zhou's direction, "That's all, that's all, thank you for your hard work!"

Old Zhou waved from afar and continued leading the stagehands to gather the remaining equipment.

The sun had already sunk behind the eaves of the antique-style building, leaving only a thin layer of orange-red on the horizon, which was gradually fading into a bluish-gray.

"It's getting late, we should head back." Chen Shouyi looked up at the sky.

Chen Yao nodded, and the two walked side by side out of the shed area.

When I got back to my room, it was already completely dark. Shouzhuo hadn't returned yet; he'd probably been called away for dinner by Guo Hu and the others.

Chen Shouyi took out his phone and found Fang Ying's number.

The phone was answered after only a few rings.

"Taoist Master?" Fang Ying's voice came through the receiver.

"Master Fang, there's something I need to discuss with you."

"Please speak, Daoist Master." Fang Ying immediately became more serious.

Chen Shouyi briefly recounted what happened this afternoon: Yao Yichen was injured, and Xu Huikang and Zhao Mingyuan asked him to replace Zhuo Yun in the role. His own judgment was that the role was not important, it was a natural fit for him, and it was suitable for testing the waters.

Fang Ying listened quietly to him without interrupting.

"I would like to hear your opinion," Chen Shouyi said, and then waited quietly.

Fang Ying chuckled, sounding relaxed: "Daoist Master, although your current identity hasn't been officially signed yet, based on what we discussed before, I will definitely fully support you in taking on the role."

Zhuo Yun is a supporting character with limited screen time, so it's a good opportunity for him to practice. Your judgment is correct.

She paused, then changed the subject: "However—"

"But what?"

"This is your first time dealing with a film and television crew, so there's something you might not have considered." Fang Ying quickly demonstrated the professionalism of a veteran in the film and television industry.

"You're a newcomer now, without an agent by your side. Although Director Zhao and Director Xu have a good relationship with you on set..."

However, when it comes to things like pay, filming schedule, and production schedule, it's not convenient for you to negotiate with them directly—that's the rule.

There needs to be an agent to help you negotiate reasonable terms, and only after everything is agreed upon should a contract be drawn up. This is the normal procedure.

Chen Shouyi understood.

"I really hadn't thought about that. I already discussed my conditions with Mr. Fang last time. The pay should be the standard for a normal actor, the filming time shouldn't be too long, and it shouldn't interfere with important matters."

"Rest assured, Daoist Master, I'll negotiate the terms." Fang Ying accepted the offer readily.

"The production company of 'Legend of Nine Tails Fox' is Sugarman. I am very familiar with Sugarman. I have also had a lot of dealings with Director Lin and President Cai, so communication is not a big problem."

I'll arrange for someone to come over as soon as possible to specifically handle matters between you and the production crew.

Chen Shouzhi uttered only one word: "Good."

"It's settled then. I'll call the sugar company first. Wait for my news, I'll give you confirmation tonight."

"Thank you for your help, benefactor Fang." Chen Shouyi said.

"Of course," Fang Ying chuckled.

"By the way, the proposal is also going through the process, and it should be approved in a few days. Once the contract is signed together, you will officially be signed."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shouyi looked at his phone for a moment.

Dealing with Fang Ying is indeed worry-free. There's no need for much explanation or repeated back and forth. She's thought of everything he cares about, and even things he hasn't considered.

Chen Shouyi was about to put his phone aside to wash up when the screen suddenly lit up.

Chen Yao's WeChat messages lay quietly in the notification bar.

"Master, are you in your room?"

"Could you please open the door?"

What does it mean?

Chen Shouyi was a little confused about what she meant.