So what if I work with celebrities?

"Zan-ge, have a taste. I've been simmering this all afternoon." Lin Qingxia had beads of sweat on her forehead. She scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and fed it to Xu Zan.

"I saw in the recipe that this soup is very nourishing, so I decided to give it a try."

"Mmm, it tastes authentic." Xu Zan pulled out a tissue and wiped Lin Qingxia's nose. "Have a seat, you're sweating from all the work."

After sitting down, Brigitte Lin continued feeding Xu Zan one dish at a time, using her right hand to pick up food and her left hand to serve him, while carefully observing his expression.

In a daze, she realized that Xu Zan had changed. When she first met him on the set of "Water Clouds", he seemed very humble and had a bright smile.

Her eyes now looked sharp, less tender, and she tenderly wiped Xu Zan's mouth with a tissue.

He must have been exhausted this year. Did he only compete in "The Eight Hundred Heroes" because he saw how hard I trained to swim?

In a place like Taiwan where personal connections can be overwhelming, it must have taken a lot of effort for Chan-ge to secure the director's rights for this film.

Lin Qingxia could imagine countless drinking parties, endless smiles, and countless gifts, all while racking her brains to impress her superiors.

As soon as Xu Zan put down the roast goose leg from Shenjing, Lin Qingxia rushed over and hugged him tightly without saying a word. Her perfume had a wonderful milky scent.

She has a small frame and is very thin; it feels like you could pick her up in one arm.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Xu Zan asked curiously.

"Waaah," Lin Qingxia began to sob before she could finish speaking, "Brother Zan, it's all my fault for not listening to you. You were right back then."

She cried a lot, rambling on about how she spent hours every day in the swimming pool to film "The Eight Hundred Heroes," but in the end, she got nothing.

Strangely, she didn't mention Qin Han at all this time, as if she was deliberately hiding this person from her.

"My film is an ensemble piece about men, so it doesn't matter whether you participate or not!" Xu Zan said.

"No, I want to act in it, and I also want to be trained by you like Teresa Teng did."

These words were very ambiguous. Lin Qingxia, who was in his arms, did not look up, but held tightly to the back of Xu Zan's clothes.

"The boss is in Hong Kong..." The secretary, standing at the door, quickly shut up. She was shocked to see the boss embracing the famous actress Brigitte Lin on the sofa.

Oh no, oh no, I'll have to go look for a job soon.

"What's going on in Hong Kong?"

"The Shao family wants to confirm when the boss will arrive. They estimate that the set construction and prop production can be completed within fifteen days!"

"Then go back. I'll go in twelve days!"

After dismissing the secretary, Xu Zan put his arm around Lin Qingxia's waist, took out a few tissues, and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her original makeup was ruined, making her look very pitiful.

"There are only a few important female characters, including Yang Huimin and the casino owner..."

"Can I play Yang Huimin?" Brigitte Lin looked at him pitifully.

"You need to understand that this role isn't something I can decide on my own; it requires a casting process. I'll try to help you get it, but you absolutely have to be there that day!" Xu Zan said.

Lin Qingxia nodded emphatically and started feeding him more food. "Brother Zan, do you smoke? I'll light one for you!"

……

On the day of casting, it was really just a formality. In the conference room of China Film Group, there was only a long table. Xu Zan sat in the middle, with Ming Ji and Gu Zhenfu on either side.

Koo Chen-fu's background is quite complex and beyond Xu Zan's ability to assess. He possessed an extraordinary business acumen and was also involved in politics.

Well-informed celebrities came in one by one, performing for the three of them, either reciting a line or singing a song.

Actresses even danced in front of them, performing traditional folk dances. The most alluring was Cui Taiqing, arguably the most famous and sexy goddess in Taiwan today.

Xu Zan selected her, wanting to add a storyline about a courtesan to the play, implying that the courtesan was oblivious to the sorrow of a fallen nation.

They auditioned hundreds of actors over three days, and finally the three of them discussed and finalized the list.

"Could Sylvia Chang play Yang Huimin?" Gu Zhenfu asked.

"I think it'll work!" Mingji said with a smile.

Clearly, their words implied that someone was behind them, but since Xu Zan had already agreed, he didn't care about their opinions.

"Sylvia Chang's acting skills are excellent; she can play Sister Rong. It would be a breakthrough for her image, a chance to hone her acting skills, and beneficial for her future development," Xu Zan said.

Upon hearing the director's words, the two fell into deep thought, and finally nodded, since the casting director had absolute power.

Mei Changling had given prior instructions that everything should be based on Xu Zan's opinion.

After all, personal relationships are personal relationships, and if the play is ruined, that's not the outcome Chairman Mei wants to see.

"Manager Ming, the list will be announced next month, no need to rush. I'm going to Hong Kong soon, see you in June!" Xu Zan stood up, shook hands with the two, and left with a smile.

Upon returning to Shaw Brothers Studio, Xu Zan suddenly felt that the air smelled different. Perhaps Hong Kong, with its free trade, was more relaxed than Taiwan?

That evening, Xu Zan met with the martial arts director, main actors, prop masters, cinematographer, and lighting staff of "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin"...

Liu Jialiang pulled Xu Zan aside and had Liu Jiahui demonstrate a few sets of boxing techniques, while he stood to the side explaining, starting with the story of Monk Sande and recounting the old stories of Huang Feihong's lineage like a storyteller.

From the monk San De to Hong Xiguan and Lu Acai, Liu Jialiang recounted the lineage of Hung Kuen in detail, leading up to Huang Feihong and Lin Shirong.

For people in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Southeast Asia, Wong Fei-hung movies represent their childhood memories and are the easiest genre to generate box office revenue.

"Brother Liu comes from a prestigious school. If we collaborate, this film is sure to be a box office hit!" Xu Zan said with a smile.

"Director Xu, I still want to thank you. You've mentored my brother; you can contact me for any martial arts instruction in the future!"

This means that he has become acquainted with Liu Jialiang, who also represents the Liu family troupe.

In the world of martial arts, this would be considered as befriending a faction. That's how it is in the Hong Kong film industry; lineage and social standing are highly valued.

Every great director has a group of brothers working under him. The director is like the head of a troupe in a Peking Opera troupe, responsible for the income of his brothers.

The falling out between Jiang Dawei and Dillon was also related to Dillon switching jobs to work for other directors. Misunderstandings accumulated little by little, and in the end, they never spoke to each other again.

To put it another way, if Xu Zan weren't so young, Liu Jiahui would be kneeling down and calling him godfather, essentially becoming his disciple.

However, Taiwan, being a gathering place for elites from all over the country, has a diverse culture and doesn't behave like Hong Kong, which doesn't pay attention to such things.

After the preliminary work was completed, filming of "The 36 Chambers of Shaolin" officially began.

On that day, an offering table was set up on the film set, a pig was slaughtered, and ten thousand firecrackers were set off. Under the filming of reporters, Xu Zan offered incense and led the worship.

However, when filming officially started, the stuntmen cleaned up the set, and all unrelated personnel came to the outermost edge of the film crew.

Aside from the roar of the generator, the extras sat there waiting for their scenes, and outsiders couldn't see what was actually being filmed inside.

Xiang Huaqiang shaved his head and wore a long braid. He played a Qing Dynasty general in the drama, and will eventually duel with Liu Jiahui.

The twenty-odd bald men standing in the sunlight were almost reflective.

"Makeup artist, hurry up and touch up their makeup. The first scene is coming up: Yin Tianzhong and He Guanghan plotting in the restaurant! Props, check the restaurant's setup!"

Xu Zan picked up a megaphone and began to direct everyone to get moving. His voice was deep and his eyes were sharp, quite different from his usual demeanor.

Last night, I managed to get the heads of all departments to cooperate, so they have no choice but to work hard today.