Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

Yang Che never expected that he would hear such terrible news on his phone just after settling into his rented apartment.

Cheng Er, who was usually calm, said excitedly, "Brother Che, Qiong Yao's company called and said that Zhao Yanzi can play the role of Xingxing, and the salary is only 30 yuan."

Yang Che was momentarily stunned.

Cheng Er continued, "I know this is over budget, but it's totally worth it. Her current movie salary starts at 60. And aren't we going to talk about GG? Zhao Yanzi's influence and box office appeal are definitely stronger than Fan Bingbing's, and her acting skills are also superior."

Yang Che chuckled, "They have quite a good eye."

"After all, it started out with romance dramas."

"Didn't Fan Bingbing call you?"

"No, what's wrong?"

Send me her phone number.

Cheng Er realized something and calmed down, asking, "What do you mean?"

Yang Che smiled and said, "I've said before that this script is meant to promote people, not promote them. Now that we've come this far, Lao Cheng, I might as well be frank with you. When I was creating the character Xingxing, I wrote it based on Fan Bingbing. If I missed out on the role without even an audition, I would be extremely unwilling to accept it."

Cheng Er pondered for a long time: "Then I'll just call Qiong Yao's company back to refuse. You don't need to call Fan Bingbing. That would only make enemies, and that's not like you."

"So what if we're enemies? Fan Bingbing has dragon-like eyebrows and doe-like eyes; she's extremely ambitious and driven by desires. Who knows, if I make this call, she might start threatening to terminate her contract. That would create a media frenzy, and our show would be a hit even before filming begins."

"You're... even getting into metaphysics now."

"Hey~ face reading isn't some kind of mystery, send it over."

"Sigh! You're the boss, you make the decisions."

Yang Che was also helpless. He couldn't very well say that Xiao Yanzi would be wearing the national flag two years later, especially since he deliberately chose a time close to the anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.

Putting aside the emotional issues of being Chinese, just considering the actual profits, will the domestic and international copyrights of "My Sassy Girl" be affected? Will the videotapes still be sold? What if those brand owners take up arms and attack people?

While Yang Che was waiting for Cheng Er's text message, there was a knock on the bedroom door. It was Qin Lan who walked in expressionlessly, carrying a large basin full of clothes.

Yang Che raised an eyebrow: "When did you learn to eavesdrop?"

Qin Lan, who was heading to the balcony to hang clothes, paused, turned around, grinned, and said in an extremely sweet voice, "Brother Che can even read faces? That's amazing! Can I have my face read too?"

She's jealous, probably because she heard the phrase "written especially for Fan Bingbing".

Yang Che didn't take it seriously and leaned against the headboard, saying in a serious tone, "You have a full forehead, which means your early life will be stable; your nose is high and straight, and your cheekbones and nose are well-matched, so your middle-age fortune will also be strong, and you will be very wealthy; your round and well-defined chin means you will have a comfortable and blessed old age. It's an excellent face."

Qin Lan's hands, which were shaking out clothes, froze in mid-air, her mouth slightly open: "Really?"

Yang Che nodded: "It couldn't be more true. Go to any of the stalls near Yonghe Temple and ask. I guarantee they'll tell you the same thing."

In the old alleys around Beixinqiao and Dongzhimen in Beijing, vendors dressed in Taoist robes or hemp clothing would set up small tables year-round, displaying signs such as "Face Reading, Palmistry, and Bazi Analysis," offering on-the-spot fortune telling, character analysis, dream interpretation, and Bazi reading. That area was known as Fortune Telling Street. Later, however, it was shut down.

"So you mean I can't get plastic surgery?"

Yang Che still didn't answer. His phone rang; it was Cheng Er sending Fan Bingbing's phone number.

I glanced at the time; it was 10:30. I sat up and dialed the number.

Qin Lan shook her clothes vigorously to express her dissatisfaction, then, seeing that he had his phone to his ear, she quickly became very quiet.

The phone rang four or five times before it was answered.

"Hello, who is this?"

Yang Che was somewhat dazed. The voice was delicate and childlike, quite different from the voice he had imagined, but he was certain that it was Fan Bingbing's voice.

"My name is Yang Che, the screenwriter and producer of 'My Sassy Girl.' You must be Fan Bingbing?"

Fan Bingbing paused noticeably for a moment, then quickly said, "Hello, Mr. Yang! I am Fan Bingbing."

Yang Che's voice remained calm: "Your agency just called and said they want us to cast Zhao Yanzi as the female lead in 'My Sassy Girl.' Do you know what's going on?"

At this moment, Fan Bingbing, who was waiting on the set of "Youth Action", felt dizzy and her eyes filled with tears. She was anxious, angry and scared. Her breathing became rapid and her body began to tremble.

"How could I...do this?"

A voice trembling with tears reached Yang Che's ears.

"Don't rush, take a deep breath first..."

Perhaps Yang Che's voice was too gentle, because Fan Bingbing let out a loud cry and burst into tears.

Yang Che was both amused and exasperated. Was this really Master Fan? Was he really that fragile?

"Hey, don't cry. Zhao Yanzi doesn't fit the image of Xingxing in my mind, so I won't use her."

"Huh? Really... really? Hiccup... I'm sorry, Mr. Yang, I... Waaah, I love the character Xingxing so much, I haven't finished reading the script yet."

Yang Che belatedly asked, "Was the script taken by someone from your company?"

"No, it was the company... the agent arranged by the company saw it. Mr. Yang... I... I'm still filming, can I call you back in a bit?"

"OK."

Yang Che was speechless. He was sobbing and still thinking about filming. He was so dedicated!

Zhongguancun, the set of "Youth on the Move".

This drama was produced by Hunan TV and stars three pairs of handsome men and beautiful women. The men are Pan Yueming, Ren Quan, and Liu Dong, and the women are Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing.

Fan Bingbing and Pan Yueming are a couple, and Ren Quan and Li Bingbing are a couple.

This is the first time the two soldiers have worked together.

At this moment, Fan Bingbing, who had been scolded a few more times by director Gong Ruofei, regained her composure and even put on a smiling face.

"Director, I'm fine, we can continue filming."

"What are you filming? Her eyes are red, is that supposed to be an expression of happiness? Hey you, get her an ice pack."

Clearly, this director has high standards for the work and is not deliberately making things difficult for the actors.

Not far away, Li Bingbing took an ice pack from the stagehand, wrapped it in a towel that had been prepared beforehand, and then pulled Fan Bingbing to a shady spot.

He asked with great concern, "Xiao Fan, what's wrong?"

Fan Bingbing chuckled, then pouted and whispered, "The company is going to give one of my movie lead roles to Zhao Yanzi."

"Holy crap! What's going on?"

Li Bingbing's eyes widened in anger. She had recently heard a lot from this good younger sister about her miserable situation. The dramas within the company only involved Zhao and Lin; she, Fan Bingbing, had no chance of getting a turn.

This guy got a movie script by sheer luck, only to have it stolen the very next day?

"Sister, keep your voice down."

Li Bingbing was even angrier: "Keep your voice down! I told you long ago, get out of that lousy company right now, even if you have to pay compensation."