Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

On the monitor, the directors watched with satisfaction as Li Xiang knelt on the ground, howling and crying, looking utterly pathetic.

Chen Kaige turned to Zhang Yimou and said, "His intelligence is decent. At least he not only listened to what we were saying, but he also really figured it out."

"Your standards are too high. To achieve this level in just one night is quite remarkable in my opinion."

"Haha. Don't think I don't know what you two are up to!"

Zhang Yimou didn't respond to his comment, but instead slowly said, "You don't want to be constantly criticized for favoring Hong Kong and Taiwanese actors, do you?"

"That's because they do have a certain sophisticated air about them, nothing else." Chen Kaige snorted coldly.

"We believe you, but others may not; they're just waiting to find fault."

"That makes sense." Chen Kai nodded. "Then I'll think about it some more."

"What are you pondering?" Uncle Wang in front suddenly turned around. "My nephew's acting skills are no worse than anyone else's."

Then he looked at Chen Kai and said, "Old Chen, given our friendship, give me a straight answer!"

Zhang Yimou was amused and patted Chen Kaige's arm: "Did you hear that? Your brother's getting anxious."

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze returning to the close-up of Li Xiang on the monitor. He smiled but didn't speak, though the approval in his eyes was unmistakable.

....................................

After 26 days, under the watchful eyes of directors Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Uncle Wang, filming of "Saint Lament" has finally wrapped up.

Li Xiang stood there, his body still trembling slightly from the emotional outburst he had just experienced.

Kara Hui turned around and gave him a gentle hug, her voice warm: "Go back and relax. It's almost Chinese New Year, you'll recover after a few days of rest."

Li Xiang then came to his senses and bowed deeply to Hui Yinghong: "Sister Hong, thank you so much."

"Without your guidance, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to get this far in this production."

"You're being too polite," Kara Hui smiled, her eyes filled with sincerity.

"A good script has this kind of magic; it can inspire our potential. Only through mutual cooperation and mutual support can we bring the whole play to life."

Speaking of which, I also have to thank you; I thoroughly enjoyed playing this role.

She looked around, lowered her voice, and leaned closer, saying, "The director has submitted the film as a co-production, and the approval has been granted. It will definitely be shown in Hong Kong."

"I'll also try to smooth things over with you regarding the Hong Kong Film Awards beforehand; more opportunities are always good."

"Sister Hong, this... this is too much trouble for you, and you've gone to so much trouble for me..."

"Don't say that," Kara Hui waved her hand. "I've already won awards; now I value making new friends more. Getting to know you..."

She gestured with her chin toward a few directors chatting idly in the distance.

"Getting in touch with a few more directors is already my biggest achievement since coming to the mainland."

At my age, I need to learn to be content. If you get a good script or a good role in the future, just don't forget me; my acting skills are passable.

"Of course!" Li Xiang nodded quickly. "If I find someone suitable, you're the first person I'll think of."

"Alright, go and get ready." Kara Hui smiled and gave him a push.

"The directors are waiting for the wrap party, so don't keep everyone waiting."

"Okay, I'm coming right away!" Li Xiang replied, turning around and walking briskly towards the dressing room.

It was only at this point that Zhang Hui and Li Qing dared to truly come closer.

A while ago, whenever the two of them tried to approach Li Xiang to offer their concern, they were all silenced by a single glance from the directors.

They were afraid that their slightest movement would disrupt Li Xiang's rhythm of getting into character.

But Li Xiang is now a "golden nugget" who has connections with several top directors, who are in the agency business.

Even if it's just for show in front of the directors, the effort of showing concern and care is still essential.

Now that filming has completely wrapped up, it's finally their turn to shine.

The tour bus, which had been prepared well in advance, was parked at the entrance of the film set, and the hotel booked was the best in the area.

Moreover, as representatives sent by the investors, they wanted to make every detail perfect.

Li Xiang hadn't thought that much about it. Seeing the two of them come over, a smile appeared on his face, which had just snapped out of his role: "Brother Hui, Sister Qing, thank you for your hard work."

Zhang Hui quickly waved his hand: "What's the trouble? It's all my duty! The venue for the wrap party has been arranged, we're just waiting for the directors and Sister Hong to arrive."

As he spoke, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the several bigwigs chatting not far away, his tone filled with praise.

"I just watched the last scene, and your performance was absolutely amazing! Your sister Qing and I were watching, and our hearts were pounding."

Li Qing nodded in agreement and handed over a bottle of warm water: "Drink some water to soothe your throat. You must be hoarse after shouting for so long."

The celebration banquet that followed was quite grand, mainly to let everyone relax. If the directors have any other ideas, we'll adjust accordingly.

"That's about it. We've been here for quite a few days, seen everything we wanted to see, and after this wrap party, it'll be time for us to leave."

"Besides, we've done everything we were supposed to do, and now we're one of the top companies in the industry, with a market value exceeding nine billion, right?"

Li Qing replied, "That's long gone."

"Then I, a small shareholder, also benefited and made quite a bit of money," Li Xiang joked.

After changing clothes amidst laughter and conversation, Li Xiang followed the directors into the same van and headed towards the hotel.

Inside the private room, Uncle Wang raised his glass first and launched an attack on Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige.

Li Xiang followed closely behind, and his words were sincere and perfectly timed, making Chen Kaige beam with joy, feeling that this guy was to his liking.

It can only be said that big directors are surrounded by people who are respectful and deferential. Someone as glib as Li Xiang is someone whose body simply cannot handle.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became more lively, and Uncle Wang brought up the old matter again, looking at Chen Kaige: "Old Chen, shouldn't you give me a straight answer about what happened before?"

He had already made up his mind, but he deliberately hesitated for a moment before turning to Li Xiang and giving him a general overview of the movie.

Finally, he stared at Li Xiang and asked, "The male lead is named Yang Shoucheng. If you were to play the role, how would you interpret it? Be honest."

Hearing him ask that question, Li Xiang knew in his heart that it was probably a sure thing. After all, besides his acting skills, his most outstanding asset was his silver tongue.

Besides, his classes at the Beijing Film Academy weren't for nothing. So he cleared his throat and said methodically:

"Uncle Chen, the plot you just described not only involves cyberbullying, the cannibalism of public opinion, doxing, and media ethics, but it's quite avant-garde by today's standards."

He first praised Chen Kai, since Chen Kai was someone who fell for that.

"I think Yang Shouchang is essentially just an ordinary person."

There's no need for excessive technical skill in the performance; the key is to capture the transformation from numbness to awakening.

There will definitely be misunderstandings and guilt along the way, which will eventually lead to a determination to protect.

Moreover, the word "honest" perfectly describes his character—a pure and honest man.

"Good! Well said! No wonder you can write a book like Pietà. I ​​underestimated you before."

Zhang Yimou, standing nearby, chuckled and chimed in, "I told you this kid's got a sharp mind, but you insisted on asking a few more questions. How about it now? Do you think it's suitable?"

"His acting skills are definitely up to par," Chen Kaige said, looking at Li Xiang again.

"As long as you can grasp the core of the character, you can't go wrong. Alright, you two stop trying to persuade me, this role is yours."

Li Xiang's eyes lit up, and then he heard Chen Kaige continue, "After the New Year, come directly to my company to sign the contract."

By the way, the female lead I'm paired with is a stunning beauty. When you get on set, don't get so captivated that you forget your lines.

This remark made everyone at the table laugh.

Li Xiang quickly stood up, raised his glass to Chen Kaige, and said, "Thank you, Uncle Chen! Don't worry, I will definitely understand the role thoroughly and won't let you down!"

Uncle Wang chimed in, "Did you hear that? A real beauty, huh? But our Li Xiang is so innocent, all she cares about is acting."

"That's good," Chen Kai laughed. "For an actor, being dedicated to the role is more important than anything else."