Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

Yang Che was very pleased, but he smiled and said, "Not bad, you were able to tell that it was a love knot."

Jia Jingwen was stunned: "You're amazing! I believe in you, you'll definitely succeed this time."

Imagine a Taiwanese girl with a face like this looking at you with admiration, praising you in a sweet, soft voice...

I really can't take it anymore.

Yang Che was alright, but that didn't stop him from enjoying the moment.

"Even though I'm just a gofer, you're right, haha."

For a moment, the atmosphere at the table became strange.

Wu Shixian quickly pulled his girlfriend Gong Beibi's hand under the table, then shook his head slightly.

Gong Beibi rolled her eyes, sighed inwardly for Yuanyuan, and then picked up her bowl to drink the soup.

Perhaps considering his girlfriend's feelings and disregarding the occasion, Wu Shixian changed the subject, saying, "Brother Che, how about letting Liu Chang focus on the production aspect? He can't get involved in 'The Grand Mansion Gate'."

Yang Che looked at Liu Chang.

Liu Chang nodded: "Indeed."

Yang Che then looked at Zhou Liren.

Zhou Liren paused for a moment and then said, "Currently, I'm handling the production for both sides' productions."

Yang Che paused for a moment: "Liu Chang, you'll be in charge of movies from now on. Zhou Liren, I'll keep the TV series for you. We'll talk again after 'The Grand Mansion Gate' is over."

The two nodded in agreement.

The conversation then returned to "Waiting Alone".

On the way back to the Sun Palace Hotel, Wu Yifeng casually brought up the current state and future prospects of the mainland film and television industry.

Yang Che knew what she meant; she was subtly trying to find out about his background.

That's quite interesting.

However, Yang Che also said some real things, which were basically the same things he had said to Fan Xiaotian before.

Wu Yifeng, in the passenger seat, listened with great interest, while Jia Jingwen, in the back seat, was not very interested. However, she was very interested in Yang Che, who was talking animatedly beside her, and her interest grew stronger and stronger. The admiration in her eyes was no longer concealed.

Li Xiangdong, who was driving, thought to himself: "Brother Che would usually be sleepy at this time... but he's very energetic right now."

Yang Che was indeed not sleepy, but he did not intend to take any action, not only because Wang Fei was coming back today, but also because work was the priority.

Even if he's driven by lust, or rather, if he's still eager to confirm whether it will increase his height, he's not in a hurry.

Yang Che maintained his warm yet distant demeanor, and the way he occasionally glanced at Jia Jingwen was the same, without responding to her.

Back at the Sun Palace Hotel, there were very few people around at this time.

Wu Yifeng and Jia Jingwen went back to a private suite to rest, as did Yang Che.

3 pm.

In the conference room on the 4th floor of the Sun Palace Hotel, a distinguished group of people gathered.

Besides the main cast of Xia Yu, Gong Beibi, and Jia Jingwen, there are three supporting actors: Xia Donghai, Tu Yansong, and Wu Chao. They're also missing a rock singer; he only has a few lines, and he's currently accompanying his model girlfriend on a fashion show in Northeast China and doesn't have time to come...

The entire crew was present, including not only photographers, lighting technicians, and art directors, but also sound engineer Ma Niu and makeup artist Jin Xiaoman.

The reading session was hosted by Wu Shixian.

Yang Che mainly listened in and found fault.

Speaking of which, Xia Donghai's smile is quite lewd now, but not greasy; it's actually quite funny.

It's quite a coincidence that he was "picked up" by Wu Shixian in the lobby of the Sun Palace Hotel. At that time, he had just met with Zhou Xiaowen, the director of "The Legend of Lü Buwei," the same crew that Lin Jing went to audition for today.

This guy was invited by Wang Anqing, the screenwriter of "The Legend of Lü Buwei," to audition for the role of Lao Ai. Zhou Xiaowen made her decision as soon as she saw him because he looked sleazy... Coincidentally, Wu Shixian also chose him because he thought he looked sleazy.

Although Xia Donghai once tied up Lü Bu in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", he didn't really enter the industry. For the past few years, he had been working as an extra in the Air Force Political Department Drama Troupe. Feeling that there was no future in it, he went to take the exam for directing at the PLA Academy of Arts. Then he messed up even more. He has been drifting around for more than two years and can barely afford to eat.

Before the performance began, people overheard Yang Che and Xia Donghai chatting idly about playing Lao Ai, and they all laughed in a lewd manner.

Xia Donghai blushed with embarrassment as he looked at Jia Jingwen from afar. He was still unnatural in front of such a beautiful woman. No wonder he could be so easily bewitched by an internet celebrity in the future.

Yang Che laughed and scolded, "Lin Mu, what are you laughing at? I told you to read more books, but you wouldn't listen. The Wheel-Turning Technique is a formal court art from the pre-Qin period—the Wheel-Turning Hundred Plays. It's a high-difficulty acrobatic act performed only at aristocratic banquets and national ceremonies, not some kind of erotic act."

Lin Mu's expression stiffened, and he chuckled awkwardly, "It's just a fictional story. That's how they'll film their 'Legend of Lü Buwei'."

Xia Donghai, on the other hand, asked Yang Che what was going on with a serious expression, saying he was asking for advice and doing his homework, and his attitude was extremely humble.

While secretly admiring the man's cunning, Yang Che smiled and said, "Knowing my version is not good for your character portrayal."

"I've never heard of such a thing before... I'm even more anxious if you don't tell me, so please tell me."

Yang Che laughed and said, "Yan Shigu's research on the ancient version of the Records of the Grand Historian recorded that this person's original name was 摎毐, the one with the hand radical. That was the surname of the Qin royal family. It was the First Emperor who changed his surname, just like Wu Zetian changed Empress Wang's surname to 'Mang'. Both were extremely hateful actions."

Furthermore, Lao Ai was enfeoffed as Marquis of Changxin, the highest-ranking marquis, with a fief spanning present-day Shanyang, Longcheng, and Jiaozuo. This was the Qin state, a country with the strictest laws, not to mention the rule that no one could be enfeoffed as a marquis without military merit. It would be absolutely impossible for him to have achieved this solely through the favor of the harem; he must have had military achievements.

Therefore, Lao Ai was not a lowly hoodlum, nor was he simply a male concubine. He was a capable member of the Qin Dynasty's royal family with military achievements. Knowing this, you can see many different things when you look at that period of history.

Xia Donghai was completely bewildered; what did this have to do with anything? But he still looked like he had learned something.

After Yang Che finished his (showing off) explanation, Wu Shixian clapped his hands.

"Alright, everyone, please take your seats. This is the first time the entire cast and crew have gathered together for a script reading. The purpose is to get to know each other better and reduce friction during the actual filming, so please take it seriously. Okay, let's start with introductions."

Xia Yu, who was on the left, stood up: "Hello everyone..."

Thus, the script reading for "Waiting Alone" officially began.

There are many differences from the original film. For example, Liu Rong's character has been changed to a Taiwanese child actor and model. So, Alyssa Chia's lines have to be in a cutesy, high-pitched voice, which is not difficult for Wu Shih-hsien, who was born in Taiwan and whose father speaks Taiwanese Hokkien.

Moreover, Alyssa Chia will also offer some suggestions for revision.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"You're so weird!"

"I just have a crush on you, that's all. I'm not your girlfriend, get that straight!"

"..."

"Tsk tsk," Yang Che thought to himself, "I must hear the Taiwanese accent."

However, he definitely couldn't make it these next few days; he left around 6 PM.

Once Jia Jingwen was in work mode, her eyes lost their brooding quality, and she simply waved goodbye like everyone else. She naturally knew he was going to pick up Wang Fei, and as if triggered passively, a fighting spirit inexplicably ignited within her.