Chapter 333: Max-Level Master Returns to the Newbie Village? (Request Monthly Votes)

"Star Sea Young Actors. What the hell is this?"

After receiving Sister Yanzi's call, Bai Liang learned about this and was momentarily baffled.

But Wu Jing could answer this question for him.

After sipping a little wine, he said: "It's an event organized by the Movie Channel, in collaboration with the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, claiming to select and train promising young actors."

"You even know about this?"

"You just bragged that I'm a 6.6 billion box office director, and now you don't even think I'm worthy to know this?" Wu Jing clearly found this absurd—damn, he knew this kid wasn't sincerely flattering him.

"Then why don't you recommend me?"

"What use is this to you?" Wu Jing counted on his fingers, "Film resources, professional training, exposure opportunities—that's about it. Which one do you lack?"

"I lack occasions to show off." Bai Liang replied plainly.

Wu Jing:.

Whatever, he'd raise a glass.

Sometimes, because he was too normal, he truly couldn't keep up with Bai Liang's bizarre ideas.

Damn, he's really come far! Already this successful, still wants to show off in front of his peers.

A max-level master returns to the newbie village?

After downing a drink, Wu Jing said: "If you're interested, I'll recommend you—still have that much clout."

Though Wu Jing was currently targeted in some areas, his public status and prestige were absolutely top-tier.

This entire year, he didn't know how many awards he'd won, constantly attending various events and symposiums.

He'd already bagged the Hundred Flowers and Huabiao Best Actor awards.

After reaching this level of box office success, commercial films could still smash through all those so-called awards.

Art?

We play influence.

So recommending you for this thing? Easy peasy~

"Your hindsight wisdom is useless now—Director Chen Kaige already put your name forward. Look at him, look at you, tsk tsk tsk~"

"Huh? You know him?" Wu Jing asked, surprised.

Bai Liang shook his head, "Never met him before~"

"Then why did he recommend you? I heard he didn't even recommend his own son—he found someone else."

"That's exactly why."

"What do you mean, 'exactly why'?"

"Because I'm not his son, so no need to avoid suspicion." Bai Liang looked perfectly reasonable.

Huh. This damn—

By now, both had drunk quite a bit, and Wu Jing's logic was getting fuzzy; after much thought, he concluded:

"Makes sense!"

Bai Liang didn't bother overthinking why.

If you had to understand everything, life would be too exhausting~

The next morning, Wu Jing came to say goodbye—he was heading to the plateau to experience life.

Bai Liang gave him a parting gift: a bottle of wine.

Wu Jing: Drink on the plateau? You want me to not come back, don't you?

The worst part? This damn thing was leftover from last night.

After punching him, Wu Jing remembered last night's conversation: "I was thinking—I really can recommend someone for this Star Sea program. Need me to recommend anyone for you?"

His meaning was clear: Any girlfriend needs help?

Bai Liang's whole body jolted: Yes!

He quickly counted on his fingers: "Guli Nazha, Dili Reba, Mencius Yi, Li Yitong, Li Xin, Chen Yao, Jin Cheng."

"Are you listing dishes at a restaurant?" Wu Jing instantly broke down, "Only one!"

"Really only one?"

"Really! Hurry up! Or once I'm on the plateau, you won't be able to reach me."

"Mencius Yi." Bai Liang didn't hesitate—fine, one is better than none.

You little brat!

Upon hearing the name, Wu Jing was puzzled—why not Nazha?

Among Bai Liang's rumored girlfriends, he was certainly closest to Nazha.

Back in Africa, the two had shown off their affection constantly on set, and no breakup rumors had surfaced.

As for this Mencius Yi—

He couldn't help asking: "What's so special about this girl?"

"She's super obscure."

Awesome!

A powerful reason.

Indeed, someone like Nazha clearly didn't need it—better to give it to the one who needed it most.

But then Bai Liang had another bizarre idea: "Can I recommend someone?"

"Huh?!"

"I'm a hundred-billion-dollar movie star—can't I recommend someone?"

This question successfully fried Wu Jing's CPU.

Fuck, I was recommended myself, and now I'm supposed to recommend others?

Reverse the Heavenly Dipper.

But the funny thing is, with Bai Liang's status and track record, he really does have the qualifications.

"You're too inexperienced." Wu Gong couldn't answer directly, and worried Bai Liang would cause trouble, so he picked a generic excuse.

"Fine~ Get lost."

"Fuck your face~"

Just a couple days after Wu Gong left the set, Bai Liang was finally wrapping up.

But the drama wasn't fully wrapped yet—Xi Zi Ge still had scenes to shoot, probably another half-month or so.

It wasn't that Xi Zi Ge had more scenes; it was just that Bai Liang's scenes were shot in bulk.

Status, kid.

But Xi Zi Ge himself didn't mind, even though his agent complained.

Because even when Bai Liang took leave from the set, he could still hop into Bai Liang's RV to play games.

On this point, Bai Liang was generous.

Now that he was leaving, this "boys' happy house" was clearly going with him.

Whether Bai Liang left didn't matter—he just hated losing the car.

"Pity no Miss brought me flowers this time."

Almost every wrap party, female actors brought flowers; Bai Liang accepted the bouquet handed by the director, still a bit uncomfortable.

In the past, besides flowers from female actors, sometimes he even got kissed~

But now, among the remaining cast, the softest-skinned one was Xi Zi Ge.

Bai Liang glanced at him; he glanced back, then grinned like an idiot.

Sister Yanzi: "This kid's no ordinary guy~"

At the wrap party that night, Sister Yanzi came too—she was there to pick up her own Xiao Bai Ge, and brought some interesting news.

"What's so special about him?"

"Didn't 'Youth of You' keep reaching out to us? But recently, their team also contacted the producers."

Sister Yanzi glanced at Xi Zi Ge, speaking casually.

"Really? I'll ask him if he got it."

Oh.

Xi Zi Ge looked slightly embarrassed—he'd long wanted to pursue this project; his team thought the role suited him perfectly, maybe even a typecast performance.

But rumors kept circulating that the other side was negotiating schedules with Bai Liang's agent, so few young male actors dared touch the project.

Competing with Bai Liang? It wasn't about whether you could win—it was that if you won and then flopped, you'd have to "apologize."

The whole thing was: if they picked Bai Liang, investors felt: what if he'd been in it?

If they ended up not using Bai Liang—even if the film did great—they'd still wonder: would the box office have been higher if Bai Liang had played the lead?

It was a dead end!

Once that thought took root, whether they succeeded or failed, they'd always be under Bai Liang's shadow.

But Xi Zi Ge's team had better intel: Zhou Dongyu couldn't wait anymore.

Zhou Dongyu: "I don't have that much time either. If not Bai Liang, then fine—can we just shoot already?"

Hey, that's when Xi Zi Ge's team smelled the opportunity and moved in.

But sadly, the investors still wouldn't budge.

They specifically wanted Bai Liang.

After all that effort to get Sister Yanzi to soften her stance, now give up? Fuck, how much sunk cost have we already poured in?

After much negotiation, under mutual compromise, the project must be finalized no later than after the Spring Festival.

"I just went for the audition—the result isn't out yet," Xi Zi Ge honestly told Bai Liang.

Beside him, his agent had already sighed and rubbed his temples.

!

I asked you—just answer! You idiot!

Xi Zi Ge: "I can't help it—I just can't control myself. When I meet his eyes, I automatically tell the truth."

"Not bad. Before you leave, I'll give you a little gift."

"Huh?"

The gift arrived right away—after Sister Yanzi told Bai Liang about it, he sent Da Pao to the car to fetch it.

It wasn't anything special—just Bai Liang's personal character backstory for 'Youth of You,' written during his boredom.

The script had been sitting with him for a long time, and almost every revision got sent over to him.

He said he was bored, so he just did it.

As for whether he'd act in the movie, Bai Liang didn't care—let them pick whoever they wanted~

Xi Zi Ge was stunned, holding the character backstory, utterly at a loss.

This thing was practically a martial arts manual for new actors!

"I—I'm not even sure I'll get to act in it," Xi Zi Ge honestly admitted again.

"Still not decided?" Bai Liang thought this set was ridiculously slow.

Like a love-struck puppy who won't give up and just keeps trying.

Refusing to move on from one tree.

Xi Zi Ge's eyes grew mournful: Yeah, they're still waiting for you.

The timing right after Spring Festival is quite clever.

Because there's a film starring Bai Liang set to release during the Spring Festival slot.

If "The Wandering Earth" flops, then it's "everyone's happy"—Bai Liang's golden body would be broken on the spot.

Among the young male artists in the film market, he would no longer be that exceptionally special presence, and many people would breathe a sigh of relief.

But if it succeeds again, hehe~

Xi Zi Ge looked at that character biography and felt that since the guy was so open and straightforward, if he himself hoped for the guy's film to bomb, it would feel a bit... something.

But the problem is, if Bai Liang's film succeeds again, his own role would probably go down the drain.

At such a young age, Xi Zi Ge felt like he had fallen into some strange tangled, awkward situation.

The key thing is, he didn't have a single bit of ill feeling toward Bai Liang.

This big brother really is way too nice!

At this point, even Xi Zi Ge's manager was a bit speechless.

Damn! The sun!

The Bai Liang from "Shuangzi's Book" had actually freaking materialized at this moment.

No wonder that crazy one was acting like a devout believer. Truly ridiculous.

"Hey, how about I give you a different gift instead~"

Bai Liang's look at this moment, as if he wanted to take it back, made Xi Zi Ge immediately clutch that character biography tighter.

But he still couldn't help asking: "What is it?"

"Civil service exam prep materials."

The other party shook his head repeatedly, "I'll just take this one, I don't need that."

"Really don't need it?"

"Really!"

Alright, you've got guts!

Bai Liang said then I'll be off to take the exam~ kid, you better watch yourself.

"I'll slip away first in a bit, see you later."

"Not even going to finish the wrap party?"

"I have an exam tomorrow morning, I need to hurry to Yanjing soon." Bai Liang checked the time, felt it was about right, stood up to say goodbye to everyone and took off.

After he left, Xi Zi Ge looked completely puzzled: Exam? What exam?

The manager beside him said quietly: "He's taking the Peking University master's exam—I didn't expect it was for real!"

The casual remark Bai Liang had made was known to quite a few people quite early on.

But most people felt this was just nonsense.

You, busy filming every day with such a packed schedule, could actually pass the exam?

When the old Bai Liang passed the civil service exam and the judicial examination, people didn't find it too outrageous because back then he was a nobody!

When an actor is a nobody, of course they have plenty of time to do other things.

But a top-tier celebrity, busy to the point of barely touching the ground, where would they find so much time to read and study?

So many people figured Bai Liang was just saying it off the cuff.

When the exam actually came, just find some excuse not to go, right~

Excuses are too easy to find—too busy filming, too packed a schedule, no availability. Fans, so easy to fool.

"Does he read books on set?"

"Occasionally, I guess. During breaks he'd lie on the sofa and read a bit; sometimes during gaming sessions, he'd pick it up and glance at it," Xi Zi Ge recalled.

In summary, three days of fishing and two days of drying nets, right.

"Why does he care so much about the academic genius persona... At his level, it's really not necessary anymore."

The manager really couldn't understand—regardless of whether Bai Liang could pass, the meaning of doing this didn't seem that significant.

The genius halo is certainly useful, but for someone who's already reached Bai Liang's level of fame, at best it's just gilding the lily.

If he spent so much energy and time trying to pass, it would absolutely be more loss than gain.

Xi Zi Ge thought for a moment, seemed to have a clue, and found Bai Liang's Weibo.

At this moment, underneath it was full of grad exam candidates checking in!

As well as various mutual well-wishes, and also people who had previously passed grad or civil service exams coming back to "fulfill their vows."

There was one Weibo post that was very interesting, pushed up very high.

"Exams are so hard, studying is so tiring, but for ordinary people like us, this is already the fairest channel for upward mobility."

The other comments also more or less carried this same meaning.

"When I think that even the Great Immortal himself has to properly go take exams, I feel my whole body filled with motivation!"

"The Great Immortal's previous guide is already somewhat outdated, but I'm still keeping it as a lucky charm~ I'll keep working hard for next year's civil service exam!"

"The guide may be outdated, but that blessing will never be outdated! Go for it!"

"Damn it, let's go! If the Great Immortal passes and I don't, wouldn't that be super embarrassing?"

"Those taking the Peking University exam, rest assured—probably even if the Great Immortal passes, he won't go to the second-round interview, he's just setting an example for us, he won't take up a spot."

"."

Between the lines, full of—

Fairness! Fairness! Still freaking fairness! —

New month, bros, help me charge the monthly ticket rankings!

There's still one more chapter in a bit, muah!

Throwing a tantrum and rolling around begging for monthly tickets~

(End of this chapter)