Fire Phoenix Hotel, smoking area.
Qi Hui shared his Liqun cigarettes with his two juniors, and the three of them stood together, exhaling wisps of rich, fragrant smoke. It’s often said that if one person smokes Liqun alone, it’s just for themselves, but when a group smokes together, it’s for the benefit of the community.
"I heard the second female lead is from Hong Kong," Ling Xiaosu said, sharing what he knew.
Zhang Ruoyun immediately felt a toothache upon hearing this. "The first female lead is Korean, and the second is from Hong Kong?"
"One speaks Korean, the other speaks Cantonese... how are we supposed to act?" He had been stumbling over his lines during his audition just moments ago.
"It’s not just the language," Qi Hui added. "The script is written in three different scripts." Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. Even if you wanted to study the script or know your partner’s lines, it wouldn't be easy.
Zhang Ruoyun took a sharp breath of secondhand smoke.
"Now you know why I didn't want to take this role?" Ling Xiaosu took a deep drag of his cigarette. This would be a nightmare to film! Just thinking about it made him want to vent in his native Shaanxi dialect.
Qi Hui didn't pursue the topic further but instead asked Ling Xiaosu for his phone number. Ling Xiaosu didn't refuse; he gave it to him, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes. This junior was alright—he knew how to handle things in a way that made people comfortable. If Qi Hui had asked for the number only after landing the role, it would have felt like returning a favor. If he had asked without landing the role, it would have felt like sycophancy. Regardless of the outcome, there was always a sense of calculation involved that could feel off-putting.
Ling Xiaosu gave him his number and his QQ handle as well. Qi Hui took out his old-fashioned Nokia and carefully noted them both down.
"Junior, that phone of yours is a bit ancient," Ling Xiaosu remarked after a glance.
Qi Hui shrugged. "Just graduated. Can't be helped." His phone was indeed old—an outdated Nokia, so old it didn't even have Snake. While most mobile phones of the era were feature phones, they had long since integrated QQ; compared to those, Qi Hui’s phone felt like a relic from a previous decade.
Just then, a cameraman pushed open the glass door to the smoking area and hurried toward them. "Teacher Qi, the producer would like to see you."
"Me?" Qi Hui paused, a flicker of excitement and nervousness rising in his eyes. *Could it be?*
"Go on, Junior." Ling Xiaosu couldn't hide his joy; he knew he had likely just offloaded a hot potato.
"I'm so envious..." Zhang Ruoyun muttered. Even with his background, he couldn't land a lead role straight out of the gate. He had originally wanted the role of Zhou Weiguo in *Snow Leopard*. His father had even agreed—after all, keep the wealth within the family. But his grand plan for the lead role had been crushed by the investors. They threatened to pull funding unless Wen Zhang was cast, so he had no choice but to settle for a supporting role.
"Senior... don't leave just yet," Qi Hui called out before following the cameraman back to the room.
"Ruoyun, tell me about Qi Hui," Ling Xiaosu said, watching him walk away.
*Aren't you close with him?* Zhang Ruoyun thought to himself, though he replied, "Certainly, Senior."
***
Inside the audition room, as soon as Qi Hui entered, the producer stood up and smiled, getting straight to the point. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Teacher Qi. We’ve decided to offer you the lead role. Would you be interested?"
Qi Hui suppressed his racing heart and gave a slow nod. "Of course. It would be my honor."
"Here is the contract. Take a look." The producer handed over a document and then pulled out a suitcase. "As for living arrangements, we will provide the best hotels and services. Regarding your salary, our rate is 10,000 per episode. There are 68 episodes in total, plus potential reshoots, bringing the total to 700,000. Do you have any objections?"
"...Cough, no objections. I'll defer to your terms." Qi Hui flipped through the contract. It was comprehensive, clearly outlining the rights and obligations of both parties, including penalty clauses for breach of contract. Seeing no issues, he signed his name immediately.
The producer and the director shared a look of relief; they valued Qi Hui because he was both affordable and reliable. The producer then opened the suitcase to reveal ten thick stacks of RMB. "This is a 100,000 down payment. The rest will be paid in three installments."
Qi Hui glanced at the suitcase, stunned by the sight of the red hundred-yuan bills filling it. He estimated the total to be in the millions. The producer silently closed the case; that money had been prepared for Ling Xiaosu, intended to be paid in cash to show the production team's sincerity. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be seeing it.
"One more thing," director Lin Tianyi said. "Filming starts in three months at the Modu Film Studio. Make sure you arrive on time."
"Oh? Three months?" Qi Hui was surprised; he had assumed they were starting immediately.
"Of course, three months from now," the producer said. "The production is still in the preparation stage; many of the other actors haven't been cast yet."
***
Walking out of the room, Qi Hui carried a black plastic bag, feeling a bit like Wang Duoyu with his slab of pork.
"Ten thousand so easily..." Qi Hui marveled. *Construction work?* Screw that... though, there was nothing wrong with construction work, really. Building homes for the masses—it’s for the good of the country. But for someone like Qi Hui, the entertainment industry offered a much wider world!
Qi Hui walked with a light step back toward the smoking area, intending to thank his seniors for their help and treat them to a meal. However, when he arrived, he found them gone. Checking his phone, he saw a text from Little Zhang:
[Junior, Senior Ling and I had something to take care of, so we left. We'll drink with you next time—we'll make sure to bleed you dry, you wealthy landlord!]
Qi Hui pursed his lips and shrugged helplessly.
***
At the clothing store, Qi Hui walked in wearing a white suit. The boss was busy playing games at the counter, and the boss’s wife, wearing long stockings, was busy tidying up the racks. Their son was still watching *Fruity Robo* on the TV.
"Boss," Qi Hui called out.
"Oh? You're back?" The woman glanced at him but didn't look up from her work. "Your clothes are in the corner; change yourself. And don't leave right away after; I need to inspect my suit. That thing is precious—any damage, stains, or wrinkles will cost extra. Plus dry cleaning and ironing fees..."
"That won't be necessary," Qi Hui interrupted her chatter. "I'm keeping this suit. How much?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of crisp hundred-yuan bills and gave them a flick. He looked quite dashing, enough to make the kid watching *Fruity Robo* widen his eyes.
"Oh? You can make this much from just doing walk-on roles?" The woman looked him up and down, wondering if the boy had gotten into trouble with the law.
Qi Hui picked up his old clothes from the corner. "Sorry, I’m the lead now."
The woman stared, stunned.
"I am the great protagonist that the world looks upon! Hahaha..." On the television, Xiao Guoding sat in his Fruity Robo, laughing wildly at the shattered remains of his rivals.
Qi Hui left a few hundred-yuan notes on the counter, waved, and walked out of the store with his old clothes in hand.
"Mom, I want to be a big protagonist when I grow up too..." the little boy's voice drifted out from the store behind him.