Jiang Tingyuan was always accompanied by two bodyguards. One named Kong Jun1“Kong” (孔) primarily means “hole” or is used as a classifier for cave dwellings, who lived up to his name, appeared burly and dark-skinned. He was an unremarkable presence, rarely speaking unless summoned by Jiang Tingyuan. He followed Mr. Jiang like a shadow.
The other one was named Wen Zhuo. He was about in his early thirties. He had fair skin and looked very gentle. A constant smile graced his face, and he spoke gently and amiably, exuding an approachable demeanor.
As it turned out, Wen Zhuo proved quite agreeable. During the incident with wires on the set of ‘A Farce,’ when Zou Rong’s involvement came to light, Jiang Tingyuan assigned Wen Zhuo to protect Ye Zhou. The two got along harmoniously and even became friends.
Ye Zhou found it difficult to adjust when Wen Zhuo left. He even contemplated asking Boss Jiang to reassign him, but he ultimately lacked the courage to make the request.
When Mr. Jiang summoned him, Wen Zhuo nodded without hesitation, assuring, “Don’t worry. Please leave it to me.”
Ye Zhou gaped at Boss Jiang’s unexpected appearance. If he wasn’t mistaken, he had business dealings scheduled that evening. How did he end up here?
As it happened, Jiang Tingyuan was coincidentally conducting business at the same restaurant that night. As he was leaving, he passed by the private room and heard Ye Zhou’s voice.
After Boss Jiang’s arrival, events took a surreal turn.
Ye Zhou watched in disbelief as Wen Zhuo pulled up a chair beside Boss Sun2Last chapter, it says Mr. Feng. Now, it’s Mr. Sun. I’m not sure which one is correct so I’ll follow the raw. and, without saying a word, reached for the wine bottle.
“No, no, no, don’t go to such lengths over him. Let him withdraw his investment if he must, it’s not that big a deal,” Ye Zhou hurried to intervene, unwilling to let Wen Zhuo drink on account of that brainless individual. He wasn’t worth jeopardizing one’s health.
However, Wen Zhuo deftly evaded Ye Zhou’s attempt to stop him, giving him a wink as if to say it was nothing. He poured a full glass of wine, topping off Boss Sun’s half-finished glass as well.
Clinking glasses with Boss Sun, Wen Zhuo downed the entire glass like water without changing his expression.
Somewhat intoxicated, Boss Sun instinctively followed suit, gulping down his drink. However, he lacked Wen Zhuo’s composure, coughing halfway through.
Jiang Tingyuan instructed the other bodyguard, Kong Jun, “Help him.”
Following orders, Kong Jun entered the room and assisted Boss Sun in finishing the remaining half-glass.
Boss Sun, unaccustomed to such treatment, turned beet red, coughing and wheezing uncontrollably.
Though unfamiliar with Jiang Tingyuan, Boss Sun sensed his formidable presence and, seeing the situation escalate, attempted to flee with the boy named Xiao Xia.
But there was no escaping, not with the towering bodyguard blocking the exit like an iron tower.
At the table, Wen Zhuo began refilling their glasses, emptying the bottle after pouring less than half.
Fortunately, Boss Sun had come prepared to inebriate Ye Zhou, bringing an entire case of Maotai3Maotai (茅台) is a style of jiangxiang baijiu produced in the town of Maotai, located in Guizhou Province, China. along with red wine and beer. Little did he expect that the alcohol would ultimately go down his own throat.
As Wen Zhuo opened the case to replenish their drinks, Ye Zhou’s head spun, perspiring profusely. He stopped and yelled at him: “You don’t want your life. Are you planning to drink to death? You can’t do this. It doesn’t matter what he is like. Your body is much more valuable than his, okay?”
“Don’t worry, little boss. This amount of alcohol is no different than water to me,” Wen Zhuo replied calmly, but his hand movements were not slow at all. He opened the seal in three clicks and filled the glasses for the two of them.
Seeing that he couldn’t persuade him, Ye Zhou immediately turned to Boss Jiang at the door, “Jiang-ge, please talk some sense into him. Who drinks like this?! Someone could die!”
Jiang Tingyuan’s gaze was cold until he motioned Ye Zhou over. Leaning in, he sniffed Ye Zhou’s lips to ensure there was no trace of alcohol before the chill in his eyes softened.
As Wen Zhuo drained his second glass, Ye Zhou was nearly frantic, “Jiang-ge, make him stop drinking!”
Jiang Tingyuan stroked Ye Zhou’s head and whispered, “Wen Zhuo has a special constitution. Alcohol affects him no differently than water. No matter how much he drinks, he’ll just need a few extra bathroom trips. It won’t harm his health.”
Ye Zhou gaped in disbelief, “You’re…kidding, right?”
If what Boss Jiang said was true, then Wen Zhuo was the legendary drinker who could down a thousand cups without getting drunk?! Such a fictional trope was too absurd to be real.
Initially skeptical, Ye Zhou had even secretly called for an ambulance, ready to rush them to the hospital if they succumbed.
But as Wen Zhuo drank glass after glass, depleting Boss Sun’s supply until half the table was covered in empty bottles of baijiu, beer, and wine, his demeanor remained unchanged. Aside from a bathroom break, he showed no signs of intoxication – not even a hint of flush on his smiling face.
In contrast, Boss Sun, who had been clamoring for Ye Zhou to drink to make amends, was reduced to a puddle, barely able to remain seated without the bodyguard’s ‘assistance.’
Only when Boss Sun was wheezing more than breathing did Boss Jiang call a halt.
Boss Sun ultimately had to be carried out on a stretcher, hospitalized for alcohol poisoning in intensive care for a week before being discharged half a month later.
The first thing Boss Sun did after he was discharged from the hospital was to find Ye Zhou, apologize to him in tears, and say that he had decided to divest. Strictly speaking, it could not be considered a divestment because Boss Sun did not even intend to ask for the money.
However, Ye Zhou declined to keep Boss Sun’s funds, returning his initial investment.
After this harrowing ordeal, Ye Zhou abandoned the idea of seeking outside investors and contacted the relevant personnel at Jingzhe Pictures to renegotiate the investment amount.
Due to Boss Sun’s antics, the original audition schedule had to be pushed back a week.
Unlike the difficulties casting ‘A Farce,’ the auditions for ‘Chasing the Light’ drew numerous applicants despite Ye Zhou publicly disclosing the film’s genre.
Among them were no longer unknown amateurs, most of them were third- and fourth-tier actors, and the worst ones were the kind of actors that the audience would feel familiar with even though they could not name them.
There were also a few second-tier actors and recently famous traffic stars mixed in among them.
Notably, prior to the auditions, Ye Zhou received several dinner invitations from talent agencies, all of which he declined.
With so many participants, the auditions had to be split over two days. Fortunately, the actors’ skills improved considerably from the previous round.
However, to Ye Zhou’s dismay, even after narrowing down the candidates, he was not very satisfied with these actors.
The child actor role was swiftly decided by vote, but Ye Zhou struggled with casting the role of the gangster.
This role was very complex and required very high acting skills from actors. It required very solid acting skills to be able to control this role and truly express the charm of the character.
It could be said that he was the core character in this dual-lead movie. Although his role was similar to that of a little boy, the difficulty level was higher than that of a little boy.
Once this role was ruined, no matter how good Ye Zhou was, most of the movie would be ruined.
Ye Zhou looked over the three candidate profiles repeatedly but ultimately sighed, unable to make up his mind.
Laying the files on the table, he looked to the others, “Let’s discuss this together. Share your thoughts.”
“I think Jiang Shan is a solid choice. He has a good reputation in the industry, strong acting skills, and a commendable work ethic. He is one of those rare young actors willing to commit wholeheartedly.” The producer pushed up his glasses, advocating his preferred candidate.
The assistant director took a sip of tea before weighing in, “I agree with Producer Cui. Jiang Shan is an excellent option. I have worked with him before. He’s humble. Although his acting skills are not exceptional, he is hardworking and consistently delivers solid performances.”
With their endorsements, others chimed in with differing opinions, but Jiang Shan ultimately emerged as the frontrunner of the three.
Ye Zhou studied Jiang Shan’s resume, chin resting on one hand while the other tapped the table lightly as he envisioned Jiang Shan in the gangster role of ‘Chasing the Light.’
After a while, Ye Zhou exhaled heavily and shook his head, “It still doesn’t feel quite right.”
His words were met with silence. As the director of the film, Ye Zhou had the most say in the entire team. Everyone’s opinions could only be regarded as reference. He still needed to make the final decision.
Even if Ye Zhou was not very satisfied with Jiang Shan, based on the current auditions, there seemed no better fit. If they could not find another suitable actor, he would have to settle.
The producer understood what he meant and opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it, and sighed resignedly.
Ye Zhou turned to the screenwriter Song Qifan, who had rarely voiced his opinion. “Writer Song, what do you think?”
Song Qifan, who was suddenly called by name, was stunned for a moment and said hesitantly: “Me? You’re asking me?”
“Yes.” Ye Zhou nodded firmly. “‘Chasing the Light’ is your work. You created these characters, so you likely understand them better than any of us. Please, share your perspective.”
Anxiously adjusting his glasses, Song Qifan remained silent for a long while before finally responding.
“I think Jiang Shan is an excellent actor, but he’s…not quite how I envisioned Cheng Ye.” Song Qifan’s palms sweat as he spoke those words.
As Ye Zhou stated, ‘Chasing the Light’ was his brainchild. He meticulously crafted each character, so there is no one who understood these characters better than him.
He shared Ye Zhou’s sentiments. Song Qifan was present during the entire audition. He witnessed performers of varying styles, some highly skilled. Yet none truly embodied his vision of Cheng Ye.
Song Qifan had long resigned himself to accept any outcome. If Ye Zhou hadn’t asked the question, he would never have expressed his opinion.
Leaning forward with interlocked fingers, Ye Zhou contemplated before posing another query, “If we look beyond just the auditionees to the entire entertainment industry, do you have any recommendations?”
Song Qifan did indeed have someone in mind. When he envisioned that face, it felt like the character had been tailored specifically for that person. It couldn’t be more suitable.
However, considering that person’s character and reputation in the industry, Song Qifan lacked the courage to even mention the name.
Although he didn’t speak, Ye Zhou already got the answer from his expression.
“Who is it?” Ye Zhou asked directly.
Hesitating under Ye Zhou’s gaze, Song Qifan finally gritted his teeth and voiced the name “Geng Bochuan.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire conference room fell into dead silence.
Even Ye Zhou was taken aback by the suggestion. Their reactions were understandable, given Geng Bochuan’s…indescribable nature.
Geng Bochuan rose to fame over the past two years through idol dramas. His unique roguish charm and striking looks incited a frenzy in the entertainment world. It was not an exaggeration to say that he became famous overnight and caused a stir in the industry.
With his exceptional physical attributes, despite moderate acting skills, his face and distinctive aura alone allowed him to thrive.
But there was a caveat.
Geng Bochuan was far from the obedient type adhering to his agency’s arrangements. Quite the opposite. He had a very lively and willful personality and did not want to be shackled by others. After becoming famous, his controversies matched his stardom, a relentless stream of shocking incidents.
Fist fights were trivial. He’d directly confronted anti-fans until dawn, fought with media at press conferences, and even brawled with staff on set.
Industry insiders dubbed him the “Petty Prince of Quarrels.”
Geng Bochuan made enemies at every level – directors, producers, cameramen, his own staff, media, anti-fans, rival celebrities – none were off-limits to his confrontations.
Many directors blacklisted him post-collaboration, some publicly vowing never to work with him again.
Yet Geng Bochuan remained undeterred. On the contrary, the more he criticized people, the more excited he became. Even fans jokingly crowned him the “King of Feuds.”
For an ordinary celebrity, such behavior would have ruined their career long ago. But Geng Bochuan was different – not only did he avoid being “cancelled,” he thrived on the negative attention, his unrestrained aggro persona only bolstering his popularity.
It was no exaggeration to call Geng Bochuan an unprecedented phenomenon in the entertainment world.
Essentially a ticking time bomb, casting him meant bracing for inevitable explosions.
Yet, objectively speaking, Geng Bochuan’s appearance was incredibly well-suited for the role of Cheng Ye. Although his acting skills were slightly inferior, if he were to act, it would basically be the same as his true character, and it would be impossible for him not to shine.
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