Chapter 212: The Biggest Crisis Since Starting Out!

Guo Fan happened to come at an awkward time.

Because the *Super Space-Time Cohabitation* crew had an important scene to shoot today.

So Bai Liang only exchanged a quick greeting with him, apologized, and asked Sister Yanzi to entertain him with some conversation for the time being.

"Who's looking for you?"

At this moment Miss Jing Tian seemed to have forgotten to be on guard against Bai Liang again—she'd tied a casual bun, and some fine wisps of hair, soft as fuzz, were catching the light in the sun.

She looked adorably fluffy and dopey.

She even went up on tiptoe to peer in Guo Fan's direction, but after getting a clear look her face went puzzled—she didn't recognize him~

That little expression was genuinely rich!

Bai Liang, of course, told her the truth: "A film director, probably here to talk about a project with me."

"Oh~"

Miss Jing Tian nodded, gave a little sound of acknowledgment, and didn't say anything more.

But after spending these days together, Bai Liang knew her pretty well by now. "How about I take you along later?"

"That wouldn't be proper~"

"Just a chat, his film isn't exactly a state secret."

"Okay!"

A little back and forth, a little give and take, and Miss Jing Tian was satisfied.

But she always felt she was about due for her "on guard" period, so she cleverly retreated two steps.

Bai Liang couldn't be bothered with her—this young lady always loved amusing herself like that.

"I'm going to go change first~"

They'd just finished filming a scene with Lu Ming, so now Bai Liang had to go "transform."

Though this also revealed another odd move by the rookie director—normally when you have one person playing two completely different roles, you don't schedule the shoots this close together.

If the actor doesn't perform well, it's easy to bleed one role into the other.

After following so many crews, Bai Liang knew this drill.

It's not just about dual roles—even when the same character has intense emotional scenes to film, they usually won't schedule anything tonally opposite right next to them.

For example, one scene you're laughing like an idiot, the next you need to cry as if your parents just died.

Of course, it's not that you absolutely can't do it.

It just seriously tests the actor's skill, that's all.

Bai Liang could only assume Director Su Lun trusted him too much, and so arranged the shooting schedule this way.

The character Lu Shiyi is the "Lu Ming" from a scrambled timeline—the future Lu Ming who chose the "wrong" path and changed his name to Lu Shiyi.

A businessman who, in his youth, took the hush money from a company scheme to conceal and frame the general manager, and rode it all the way to the pinnacle of success.

At first Bai Liang only thought the name was a homophone, but later he wondered—doesn't it kind of seem like it's modeled on some real-life businessman with the same name?

A bit like the character Xiao Ma in *Duckweed*.

Though Xiao Ma mainly played on contrast and comedy, that character wasn't made all that negative.

But Lu Shiyi's character really didn't start out clean~

If someone wants to sue later, Bai Liang figured he could at least enjoy the show.

Anyway, it had nothing to do with him—the character was created by Xu Zheng and Su Lun, and he played him so handsomely... surely that wasn't smearing anyone, right?

Limited skin—the refined-villain domineering-CEO returns.

It looked just like Bai Liang's outfit at that Bulgari dinner.

He wondered if the crew's costume designer had just copied it outright...

When Bai Liang came out after finishing his costume change, even Miss Jing Tian stared blankly for several seconds.

It wasn't that she was overwhelmed by his looks—only a tiny bit of that. Mainly, the sense of unfamiliarity was so strong that even Bai Liang smiling at her felt like something Miss Jing Tian had never seen before.

But thinking about it carefully, it didn't seem all that different from before.

"How did you do that?"

Ask when you don't understand—but this time Miss Jing Tian cranked her "on guard" status up to full the moment she opened her mouth.

She deliberately stood several paces away to ask, with absolutely no intention of getting closer.

"It's kind of hard to describe—the rhythm of walking and the way you look at people, I also slightly controlled the rhythm of my speech."

She could tell!

Bai Liang hadn't deliberately lowered his voice or broken into any of that domineering-CEO breathy tone.

The same voice somehow carried a few extra layers of story and distance.

The feel of a mature man hit her head-on.

At first glance, restrained and courteous, the picture of a proper gentleman—but looking closer, you always felt like he was suppressing something.

At this moment, acting suddenly took on a concrete, tangible form for Miss Jing Tian.

So obvious! Really visible to the naked eye.

Then she took another step back, muttering something about "I still prefer..."

She didn't quite catch it, because the other one had run off again.

But this time she didn't get far—she was quickly "dragged back" by a crew member to run lines.

The moment she came back, she saw Bai Liang take off his glasses, his face all doe-eyed and silly.

"Ah! This is so much better." Miss Jing Tian said, satisfied.

Then she cleverly asked, "Which one is your real performance?"

Bai Liang lazily rolled his eyes at her, which instead made Miss Jing Tian drag her chair a little closer.

Capybaras are cute even when rolling their eyes!

And that bottomless domineering CEO, even with a smile on his face, gives off an unapproachable vibe.

Luckily it's just acting~

It should just be acting, right?

Jing Tian thought to herself.

Bai Liang: Hmm, not entirely.

Both forms carry a touch of authentic performance.

But the latter state hasn't appeared on him in a long time. I don't eat beef~

When filming, he actually prefers to stay in the zone a bit longer before the cameras roll, but given Miss Jing Tian's personal preferences, Bai Liang decided to accommodate her.

The two people on the other side were also "accommodating" each other.

Once Sister Yanzi learned that Guo Fan was a film director, her guard instantly shot up to maximum!

Alert! Alert!

Where did this director pop out from?

Because the "The Wandering Earth" project was just a phone call from Sun Qiang to Bai Liang, Sister Yanzi didn't even know about it.

She had assumed that when her own Brother Xiao Bai told her to save a slot in his schedule later, he wanted to rest or use it for variety shows and commercial gigs.

After all, Bai Liang already had quite a few productions to join this year; packing his schedule so full all the time would just be too exhausting.

But now look—another shady character has popped up!

She knows the true colors of these film industry directors all too well now—every single one of them loves to talk about art on the surface, but their real goal is damn well to snatch something for nothing.

Oh wait, snatch Bai Liang for nothing.

Of the few film directors her own Brother Xiao Bai has come into contact with, only Han Han is somewhat reliable.

Although Sister Yanzi did use a few small tricks, at least that guy actually pays up!

The others are even more outrageous—Wu Jing uses "heavy drinking sessions" as a way to "seal the deal" with her own Brother Xiao Bai.

Can promises made at the dinner table really be trusted?

Xu Zheng doesn't even bother pretending—wearing the look of a polished, self-serving businessman, with a silver tongue to match.

Fortunately, Sister Yanzi truly excels at dealing with people like him, launching a wave of precision strikes that made him bleed hard.

As for the one in front of her—

Guo Fan somehow fished out a pair of glasses and put them on at some point, seemingly wanting to get a clearer look at how Bai Liang was acting.

Of course, "How I Fell in Love with a Time-Traveling Girl" and the film he wants to make are completely different matters, so there isn't much reference value.

But at the very least, he could take a look at Bai Liang's skills~

Honestly, Guo Fan didn't want him to be too amazing—on the contrary, he hoped he'd be a bit mediocre. The reason is something anyone in the know would understand.

And Sister Yanzi was increasingly feeling that although this guy didn't look all that mercenary on the surface, he seemed far trickier to deal with than Xu Zheng.

After exchanging names and greetings, she quickly got the rundown on Guo Fan.

The director of "You Are the One"—wait, "To Our Pure Little Beauty."

Hmm. Now that does feel a bit more reliable.

Although the film's reviews aren't exactly stellar and it's nowhere near a classic, it is indeed a very successful commercial film with a high return rate.

At the very least, it proves Guo Fan isn't the type who likes to spout artsy nonsense.

"Guo Dao, what film are you here to discuss with our Bai Liang this time? Your new project?"

"Yes, it's a sci-fi film, adapted from a work by Liu Cixin, called 'The Wandering Earth.'"

Sister Yanzi:???

His reliable image instantly shattered, all because of those three words "sci-fi film."

Tell a joke—Chinese sci-fi films.

If they weren't on set right now and the guy hadn't come specifically to visit the shoot, Sister Yanzi would really want to get up and leave.

If the other party had contacted her first, she could have rejected him on the spot, lumping him in with the "trash projects" in her eyes.

Guo Fan noticed the change in Sister Yanzi's eyes, but he wasn't surprised.

Totally normal~

Many people have this same initial reaction when they hear him say it.

However, Guo Fan also temporarily pulled his attention back from Bai Liang's side, preparing to have a proper chat with Sister Yanzi first.

After all, she is Bai Liang's agent—in his understanding, persuading an artist's agent is sometimes just as important as persuading the artist themselves.

After all, he has no idea who actually calls the shots between Bai Liang and Sister Yanzi.

Come, Miss, look at this sincere face of mine—let's have a chat about dreams!

Sister Yanzi faced the biggest crisis of her career! The other party didn't talk about loyalty, didn't bring up Sun Qiang's friendship with Bai Liang, didn't talk about benefits, didn't say what would happen if the film succeeded, didn't even talk about success or failure—

He bluntly told Sister Yanzi that although he was confident, he still didn't know how the market would actually respond.

But the light of idealism is so blinding!

Guo Fan spoke with ringing force yet in a measured tone, telling Sister Yanzi that all of this was a brand-new attempt.

What we're going to do is engrave our names in the history of Chinese cinema.

In the interwoven coordinate system and the veins of historical development, leave our own mark.

Even if we fail, it will be a glorious stroke, letting those who come after stand on our shoulders and keep moving forward.

To be honest... Sister Yanzi felt this guy wasn't trying to make a film—he was trying to start a revolution.

Guo Fan: Yes, this is of course a revolution for the film industry!

Unrelated to the fame-and-fortune game of the entertainment industry, each and every one of us is a vital screw in this industrial evolution.

So, Miss, would you like to travel together hand in hand?

Yanzi couldn't speak, and she didn't dare to speak.

She was afraid that, in a fit of impulse, she would really agree.

Damn it, this was the worst she'd ever lost; she hadn't even dared to ask how much the other party was willing to pay.

It was as if asking such a question would defile something.

Every chapter, every first release, every inner content is here for you to read!

At this very moment, she finally somewhat understood what kind of experience those girls faced when dealing with their own Little White Bro.

Unable to refuse, unable to escape, unable to resist.

"How did your chat go?"

A gentle voice, like a drowning person being pulled out of the water by a single strong arm, able to breathe in big gulps of fresh air.

Originally, Yanzi felt that she was a shield blocking the way in front of her own Little White Bro.

But now it seemed she was still too green.

Yield the stage; let the charm demon deal with the charm demon.

Guo Fan and Bai Liang exchanged a glance.

The two revealed smiles at the same time, as if cut from the same cloth.

"Hello, let me formally introduce myself. I'm the director, Guo Fan, representing the crew of 'The Wandering Earth' to extend an invitation to you, hoping you can play the male lead."

Guo Fan's appearance was somewhat casual, but at this moment he carried a few more notes of solemnity.

Yanzi had already been "taken care of" by him; next up was the real deal!

It's just that, looking at Bai Liang, the many words he had originally prepared in his head suddenly didn't know where to begin.

Logically speaking, a young man of Bai Liang's age should be quite easy to "sweet-talk."

Especially since the other party has already "made it," at least achieving very good results in the field of top-tier stardom.

Guo Fan believed his understanding of people still had some skill to it.

In his view, those who have achieved certain accomplishments are actually much easier to "persuade" than those muddling along doing nothing in particular, or those just starting out.

Because human desires are endless.

Like Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, after achieving certain life values, people often pursue new ones.

Actors who aren't doing well might still be struggling for food and shelter; instilling too lofty a value system in them would just go in one ear and out the other—better to offer a hundred thousand yuan directly.

But with someone like Bai Liang, Guo Fan actually couldn't pin down at first which approach would work on him.

Because he's young, he might be hot-blooded, but also because he's young, there are still many other things in the entertainment circle worth chasing.

Such as awards, more solid achievements, and glory, and so on.

But certain behaviors of the other party, such as the loyalty of Wu Jing always helping to promote, made Guo Fan feel it should be the former.

A hot-blooded and easily sweet-talked, loyal young man.

That was his previous definition of Bai Liang.

At this moment, completely overturned!

Something's off. Very damn twelve-point percent off!

From the other party's eyes, Guo Fan only sensed that calmness and a hint of curiosity.

He took a deep breath, decided not to use any tricks to sweet-talk, and just lay his heart bare!

As for the curious Miss Jing Tian beside him, sorry—Guo Fan's attention was too focused; he didn't even notice her.

But she didn't mind~

Obediently sitting to the side, hugging the script, her big eyes darting back and forth, sizing up the two of them.

Jing Tian felt the atmosphere was a bit strange now, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

And her instinct drove her to stay firmly planted here, as if about to witness something.

The opening was similar to the routine used to "sweet-talk" Yanzi, but Guo Fan cut some of the embellishments, leaning more toward speaking from the heart.

Unfortunately, Bai Liang's expression kept a slight smile, but without much emotion.

Instead, it was Jing Tian beside him who got so fired up listening!

Wow! He's really doing something amazing!

Unable to hold back, Jing Tian even asked whether the film still needed a female lead.

Guo Fan: Thanks, I appreciate the thought, but our female lead is a minor~

And even if there were a suitable role, he wouldn't dare use Jing Tian; the debuff of "The Wandering Earth" is already quite something.

He's an idealist, but not the kind who only shouts slogans; ultimately, it still has to land in reality.

This Sister Tian Tian, who possesses a "terrible fearsome reputation" in the film circle, Guo Fan wouldn't dare touch.

Otherwise, when the film is actually made and hasn't even been released, it'll be beaten into a bad film by a bunch of people.

Of course, the prerequisite for achieving this is—making the film in the first place.

Guo Fan felt that as long as he secured Bai Liang, the safety margin would be much greater.

Jing Tian: emmmmm okay~

"We're not shouting slogans, and we're not using the banner of sci-fi to fool people."

After the spiritual "attack," Guo Fan brought out various down-to-earth materials for the film.

To prove: they're serious about making a sci-fi film!

Bai Liang didn't brush it off either, and seriously looked through the various materials the other party had brought.

There wasn't even the most basic script inside; it was all sorts of blueprints and data.

Hmm. Well, no problem—this was never a conventional film invitation to begin with.

What Guo Fan had prepared was indeed thorough enough—he'd put the sci-fi vision in his head down on paper.

After Bai Liang finished reading those materials, Guo Fan's throat itched, as if he still wanted to say something.

But suddenly he felt he couldn't say anything at all.

Looking at Bai Liang, who remained perfectly calm, the same thought Sister Yanzi had earlier popped into his head: What the hell.

Young man, give me something here—show a little reaction, will you!

If the audience at a bar where a failed art student is giving a speech all looked like you, he'd have to slink back and repeat a year in shame.

"Sure," Bai Liang said, seemingly very casually.

"I've still got more here? What are you saying?"

"I said sure, but the schedule I can leave for the crew isn't all that much."

Guo Fan's brain short-circuited a little.

That's it—he agreed? Why did he have this strange feeling that even if he hadn't said so much, the other man would have agreed anyway?

"Schedule isn't a problem! I've done the math, there's definitely enough!" Guo Fan hurriedly snapped back to attention and said.

Then he immediately put on an awkward, broke-student expression. "Um, our film's production budget is still pretty tight."

No matter how the earlier conversation went, in the end it still had to come down to practical matters.

Pay!

And at this point Bai Liang looked toward Sister Yanzi—the agent was present, and he still respected Sister Yanzi's work.

Sister Yanzi sighed, but unlike before she didn't pile on the pressure for Guo Fan. After all, before Bai Liang even arrived she had already given in.

"Our Xiao Bai will take a share of the box office, but a little above market rate. Consider it supporting Chinese sci-fi films—you've got to shoot it well, Guo Dao."

"No problem!"

Guo Fan, whose face had already broken into a grin, looked at Bai Liang again and found the other man studying him with great interest.

"Uh, are there still conditions?"

Bai Liang smiled and shook his head. "I'm just a little curious."

"Curious about what?"

"After you finish shooting this film and appear before everyone again, will you be out of place in the current film industry? They'll probably see you as a wolf at the door."

That one sentence nearly sent all the blood rushing to Guo Fan's head.

Bro, you really trust me that much?!

After calming down a bit, Guo Fan looked at Bai Liang differently again, and laughed. "Then let them do what they want~"

How could people mired in their own little bubbles understand the figure of someone embracing ideals, full of vigor, charging toward the future?

Only, Guo Fan wasn't sure which type Bai Liang was either.

He seemed to be thriving in the fame-and-fortune game too~

And yet with a single sentence he could hit Guo Fan's sweet spot. By comparison, this kid was even stranger, wasn't he?

This strange sense of contradiction gave Guo Fan an illusion.

This success—rather than saying Bai Liang embraced a new "world," it was more like the new world was actively embracing him.

He was just standing there, not moving at all.

(End of chapter)