After life got back on track, Ye Zhou was immediately dragged by Ren Zi’an to host the casting process for ‘Thriller Circus’.
In just two years, relying on two well-received and successful films, Ye Zhou was no longer an obscure newcomer in the film industry.
Especially Geng Bochuan, who successfully won the Golden Lemon Best Actor award for his performance in ‘Chasing the Light’. His acting skills were finally recognized in ‘Chasing the Light’, and his progress was evident compared to his previous idol dramas. He shed the ‘little fresh meat’ label and took a significant step from a traffic star to a true actor.
Although some believed he was playing his true self in ‘Chasing the Light’, his improvement was undeniable regardless.
While Geng Bochuan’s efforts were crucial, Ye Zhou, the director, also played an indispensable role in shaping him into his current form. Additionally, his two consecutive works achieved both box office success and critical acclaim, leading to an overwhelming response when the casting for ‘Thriller Circus’ was announced, unlike the previous desolate state.
Among the applicants were even a few popular young idols, seemingly hoping to ride the wave of Geng Bochuan’s successful transition to win a Best Actor award.
Ye Zhou found the situation perplexing. Gazing at the beaming faces of the young idols’ managers, he coughed lightly and gently reminded them, “If Xiao Xu is aiming for an award, ‘Thriller Circus’ might not be the most suitable choice.”
It was clear that ‘Thriller Circus’ was a typical commercial film. It lacked the qualities to be considered an award-worthy ensemble piece. Furthermore, regardless of the actors’ individual performances, it would be challenging to outshine the thrill of the fast-paced plot.
So, hoping to hone acting skills and win awards with “Thrilling Circus” is nothing but a daydream!
However, no matter how Ye Zhou explained, the other party remained all smiles, showing no signs of wavering and swiftly steering the conversation in another direction.
Ye Zhou had yet to judge Xiao Xu’s acting abilities, but his manager was undoubtedly formidable. To secure this role for his client, he went above and beyond, even humbling himself.
Had the manager adopted a confrontational or arrogant attitude, Ye Zhou might have called security to escort him out immediately. However, he maintained a cordial demeanor during every encounter, even sincerely apologizing when Ye Zhou grew frustrated and uttered harsh words.
Ye Zhou had always preferred a gentle approach over aggression. After prolonged persistence, the manager eventually softened Ye Zhou’s stance, and he agreed that if no better candidate emerged during the auditions, Xiao Xu would be cast.
Initially, Ye Zhou’s words were meant to be dismissive, as he expected to find suitable candidates among the numerous auditionees. However, his statement turned prophetic. After five consecutive days of auditions, while other roles were filled, the lead male role remained vacant.
Unlike his previous two films, Ye Zhou no longer dared consider financial failure. His sole focus was making money. After all, he still owed Boss Jiang a lot of money. That was not a small amount of money. His ability to shed the “debt-ridden” status depended entirely on this film’s box office performance.
Among the shortlisted candidates, each had their strengths and weaknesses, but overall, none outshone Xu Tian. A few years ago, Xu Tian rose to fame through a variety show, earning him the mocking title “variety star” within the industry.
He had attempted a few films, but the results were underwhelming. Particularly after his last film ‘Jianghu’ bombed at the box office and received scathing reviews, he endured widespread ridicule online. Not only did he fail to shed the “variety star” label, but it became more firmly entrenched, severely damaging his reputation.
Xu Tian desperately needed a successful project to prove himself. However, competing for roles in major directors’ films was too intense, with acclaimed actors and veterans vying for the parts. Small-scale films, on the other hand, could not guarantee quality.
If Xu Tian failed to break free from the aftermath of ‘Jianghu’ and his next work flopped, he risked being permanently typecast as a “variety star,” effectively ending his future development – a scenario his team dreaded.
Coincidentally, Ye Zhou, the director who had recently launched an award-winning actor, announced auditions. Xu Tian’s manager naturally hoped his artist could seize this opportunity to ride the wave of success, slap back at the negative press, and soar to new heights.
For this film, Ye Zhou prioritized Xu Tian’s fame and existing fan base over acting prowess.
After failing to find a suitable candidate during auditions and consulting with the crew, Ye Zhou contacted Xu Tian’s manager.
With cast, locations, and funding secured, ‘Thriller Circus’ officially commenced filming in late May.
During this period, Ye Zhou and Boss Jiang had no contact, as if their sincere exchange in the South African forest had never occurred.
This supposed fresh start seemed to truly reset their past, reverting their relationship to the stage before they had met. For nearly a month, neither reached out to the other.
Ye Zhou contemplated contacting Boss Jiang but was quickly overwhelmed by the production’s demands, leaving no time for other matters.
Boss Jiang? What Boss Jiang? His career was the priority now! He was drowning in debt!
As for Boss Jiang…
Jiang Tingyuan spent that month studying – yes, studying.
As an older bachelor, Mr. Jiang’s romantic life paled in comparison to his illustrious career. One could say that before meeting Ye Zhou, romance had never been part of Mr. Jiang’s life plan.
He preferred solitude over companionship, or so he had thought previously.
But who could defy the law of true fragrance1真香定律 (Zhēn xiāng dìnglǜ) – Law of True Fragrance, also known as “Jingze’s Law.” It describes the behavior of someone who contradicts their previous stance or opinion, essentially “going back on their word.” The term is often used humorously to point out when someone does the opposite of what they had initially claimed they would do. The phrase became a “law” because many people frequently break the promises they make, known as “setting up a flag” only to later contradict themselves? The answer, of course, is no one – not even Mr. Jiang himself, who never anticipated its swift and sudden arrival.
Ye Zhou was willing to give them a fresh start, and although his emotions rarely showed outwardly, Mr. Jiang truly cherished this chance.
This appreciation manifested in an unexpected way…
His secretary noticed the boss’s peculiar recent behavior. Once, upon entering his office to deliver documents, he was stunned to find several colorful books on his desk.
Taking a closer look, their jaw nearly dropped.
To their disbelief, the renowned businessman Mr. Jiang was secretly reading ‘Dating Basics, Simplified’, ‘How to Make Your Love Interest Fall for You’, ‘The Art of Courtship’, ‘Master These 100 Techniques to Win Over Your Crush’…
What kind of nonsense was this? He couldn’t have imagined that such messy and frivolous things would appear on the desk of their president, which was always used only for processing work documents!
‘Thud’ – the documents slipped from his grip, hitting the floor with a soft noise.
Engrossed in his reading, Jiang Tingyuan looked up at the sound, frowning at his secretary’s horrified expression. “Is something wrong?”
“N-No!” The secretary stammered, cold sweat visible as Mr. Jiang’s gaze bore into him. Apologizing profusely, he bent down to swiftly gather the scattered papers, wishing he could bury his head underground.
Placing the documents before Mr. Jiang, he wiped his brow and announced, “Mr. Jiang, here are the finance department’s reports for this month. Please review them.”
“Leave them here.” Jiang Tingyuan nodded, returning his attention to the book. After a while, noticing the secretary still standing there, he raised an eyebrow slightly, “Anything else?”
“N-No, sir. I’ll be going now. Please call me outside if you need anything.” The secretary scurried out, practically fleeing the office.
Just as the secretary was about to leave, Jiang Tingyuan seemed to suddenly remember something and called out, “Wait a moment.”
The secretary immediately turned around. “Yes, Mr. Jiang? Do you have any other instructions?”
Jiang Tingyuan studied him for a few seconds, his voice hesitant. “Have you ever been in love?”
Secretary: ???
Jiang Tingyuan regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Massaging his throbbing temples, he shook his head. “Never mind, you can go.”
The secretary exited in a daze, practically floating out of the office.
Once alone, the office fell silent again. Jiang Tingyuan put down the book and searched for a few videos online, occasionally jotting down notes with a serious expression.
However, whether books or online videos, most were too general and offered little substantial help to Jiang Tingyuan’s predicament.
Closing his eyes, Jiang Tingyuan’s long fingers rhythmically tapped the desk. After a while, he opened his eyes and dialed his old friend’s number.
When he received the call from Jiang Tingyuan, Sun Hanbai was on the set. The surrounding environment was a bit noisy. He asked in a surprised tone, “Wow, this is rare, you’re actually calling me.”
“Mm.” Jiang acknowledged, “I need to consult you about something. Do you have time?”
This was indeed rare. Sun Hanbai immediately excused himself from the director and jogged out of the set, slightly out of breath. “I’m free now. What’s up? Tell me.”
Jiang Tingyuan brought the notebook with his notes closer. “I remember you have a girlfriend, right?”
Sun Hanbai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Ge, how little do you pay attention to me? I’ve been single for over a year now!”
Mr. Jiang was briefly taken aback but moved on without addressing it. “Right, so…”
“How did you pursue your ex-girlfriend back then?” Mr. Jiang asked.
Having to think back that far, Sun replied slowly, “Well…actually, she was the one who pursued me initially.”
Jiang Tingyuan: “…”
Realizing he wouldn’t get any useful information from Sun Hanbai, Jiang Tingyuan said goodbye without hesitation and immediately hung up.
Staring at the abruptly disconnected call, Sun Hanbai felt both amused and exasperated by his old friend’s blunt manners. After a moment, assuming he wouldn’t call back, he shook his head resignedly, pocketed his phone, and returned to the set, immersing himself in work once again.
Unable to obtain the answers he sought, the frustrated Mr. Jiang could only continue reading the book he hadn’t finished, hoping to find some useful clues within its pages.
As Jiang Tingyuan read and took notes, his phone suddenly vibrated twice with a call.
Glancing at the number on the screen, he raised an eyebrow. He initially intended to reject the call outright but paused midway, remembering something. Those few seconds of hesitation allowed the caller, Jiang Yu, to launch into his excited spiel.
Jiang Yu was riding high on his recent success. After persistent efforts, he finally convinced Yu Qiuze to invest in ‘Battle City 2’. To bring Yu Qiuze on board, Jiang Yu even allocated a portion of the profits to him, using every trick in the book to finally get him to agree to the investment.
Initially, Yu Qiuze showed no interest in Jiang Yu’s project. However, after visiting the filming location together, Yu Qiuze had a change of heart.
It wasn’t a matter of trusting Jiang Yu, but rather his confidence in the team assembled from ‘Battle City 1’. Yu Qiuze had read the script for ‘Battle City 2’. Although it was not as brilliant as the first, the predecessor’s success would undoubtedly boost its box office performance.
Moreover, the crew remained unchanged, from the director to the cast, providing a seamless familiarity from their previous collaboration. Even if it didn’t become a massive hit, a modest success seemed assured.
Regardless, profits were profits – the only question was the amount. Yu Qiuze was willing to take the gamble, so he agreed.
Jiang Yu’s purpose in calling Jiang Tingyuan was simple – to show off!
“Big brother, Yu Qiuze has been staying with me since returning to the country, so don’t worry. Oh, and the money you gave Yu Qiuze? He only kept five million and invested the rest into our company for ‘Battle City 2’.”
“At first, when he returned to the country, he only notified me. Now, while you have so many upcoming films at Jingzhe, he resolutely chose to invest in my inconspicuous little company instead. Qiuze is really…”
“Sigh, it’s quite funny, big brother. I know you like him too. You two grew up together as childhood friends, inseparable, and your feelings for each other must be extraordinary. However, for Qiuze, the person he trusts more than you is me, isn’t it?”
Jiang Tingyuan disliked Jiang Yu calling him “big brother.” Jiang Yu knew this well and deliberately addressed him that way to annoy him, as usual, making his provocative intent quite apparent.
“I heard your lover Ye Zhou’s movie is about to start filming. What a coincidence! Our Battle City 2 is also set to start filming in May. I hope we don’t clash schedules; otherwise, don’t blame me.”
Though Jiang Yu didn’t explicitly state it, his overly confident words hinted at his underlying intent to diminish Ye Zhou while elevating himself.
However, boasting is best done after achieving results. With not even a stroke of progress, Jiang Yu rushed in eagerly, seeming a tad impatient. Jiang Yu implied his relationship with Yu Qiuze, expecting Jiang Tingyuan to be upset, but to his surprise, Jiang Tingyuan didn’t care about his ties with Yu Qiuze.
Jiang Tingyuan didn’t interrupt Jiang Yu’s enthusiastic monologue and waited until he finished before asking, “Are you done?”
Jiang Yu, who was prepared to be hung up on, looked at the still-active call in surprise, “Huh?”
“There’s something I want to ask you,” Jiang Tingyuan said slowly.
Doubt and wariness grew in Jiang Yu’s mind as he tensely replied, “What is it?”
“Have you ever dated anyone?”
Jiang Yu: “Huh?”
Jiang Tingyuan: “Tell me about your romantic history.”
“What?” Jiang Yu’s face was full of questions.
“How did you pursue the person you liked?”
After realizing what Jiang Tingyuan was asking, Jiang Yu blurted out instinctively, “Are you insane?”
Without waiting for Jiang Tingyuan’s response, Jiang Yu hung up the call, cursing profusely, leaving Mr. Jiang alone, staring at the disconnected phone, and falling into contemplation once more.
So, the question remains: can anyone tell him the proper way to pursue someone? Waiting online, it’s urgent2在线等，挺急的 (zài xiàn děng, tǐng jí de) – Waiting online, quite urgent. This is a common expression used in Chinese online forums and chat rooms. It’s typically used when someone is seeking immediate help or a quick response to their query. .
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