Chapter 500: I didn't expect you to have researched it so deeply (9,000-character update!)

"Producer Hu, long time no see."

On a night in late February, the air was still as cold as if it were blowing from Siberia.

Lu Yan He received a message from Hu Siwei, asking to meet for a meal, and Lu Yan He found such a place.

This place was in an alley, on the second floor, sitting by the window, you could see the appearance of this area. The row upon row of roofs and eaves formed a life scene that is hard to see in a modern metropolis.

However, because night had already fallen, everything was covered with a hazy veil.

In the small compartment on the second floor, there was a table for boiling tea by the stove.

They could take off their shoes, sit on the hot kang, and sit face to face.

Before going up to the second floor, they had already soaked their feet on the first floor for twenty minutes.

Lu Yan He suspected that the reason they provided foot soaking service was mainly to avoid embarrassment when guests took off their shoes to go to the second floor.

This was Lu Yan He's first time coming to this kind of shop.

"This shop was recommended to me by Siqi. Her *Jump Up* has a food account that specializes in searching for shops like this that are not very famous but have characteristics and are done very well all over the country, so I also got to know many such shops," Lu Yan He said to Hu Siwei with a smile.

Hu Siwei: "Next time you have a delicious shop, push it to me, too. I don't have any other hobbies, I just like a bite to eat."

"Sure," Lu Yan He nodded.

The two of them hadn't mentioned anything about work while soaking their feet just now, and now that they were sitting at the dinner table, neither of them took the initiative to bring up work. Lu Yan He knew that Hu Siwei suddenly asked him out at this time, there must be something to say, but before Hu Siwei said it, he didn't intend to urge Hu Siwei.

"Some time ago, I met with Old Bai," Hu Siwei smiled. "After he left Jingtai, great changes have taken place in him. Not to mention anything else, as his old friend, I can actually feel that many things he suppressed in his heart before have been released."

"Leaving Jingtai was actually right," Hu Siwei added.

Lu Yan He looked at Hu Siwei curiously and asked: "Then have you considered leaving Jingtai?"

Hu Siwei didn't expect Lu Yan He to ask so suddenly.

He was stunned for a moment.

Hu Siwei hesitated for a moment and said truthfully: "There are many concerns."

For this answer from Hu Siwei, Lu Yan He obviously didn't feel surprised either.

He nodded.

Hu Siwei: "Actually, I asked you out today because Station Head Xu Bin gave me a task. I'll be honest, I don't want to do this, but I'm in this position, I must fulfill my work responsibilities, so I still sent you a message. I didn't expect you to be willing to come out."

"Work is work. Putting those aside, when I was doing the *Friends* project, I was actually very grateful to you," Lu Yan He said seriously. "And, the time I cooperated with you caused me a trouble."

"Hmm?" Hu Siwei was stunned, a bit surprised, "What did I do to trouble you?"

"It made me think for a long time that a senior TV practitioner has your love for TV, as well as qualities that are capable in all aspects and have no shortcomings," Lu Yan He said. "Later, I did other projects and saw all kinds of practitioners, especially when I had to deal with them myself, I realized that the people I met before set a particularly high benchmark, making my understanding of this industry... actually not so objective. You are one of them. I haven't seen the third season of *Friends* yet because it hasn't been on video platforms yet, so I can't see it. However, although its evaluation is not very good now, I also know that if it weren't for you, maybe this show would be even worse. Yan Liang told me that you were almost the only one among the production staff who was really patching up this show."

Hu Siwei revealed a helpless smile.

"But no matter how I patch it up, it's useless," Hu Siwei revealed a rare, silent discomfort in his expression, "I'm not a director, nor a screenwriter, let alone an actor. In a position without real power and not creative, the more things I try to do, the more of a trouble I am in others' eyes. To be honest, Yan He, doing it to the third season, I already feel very tired, just like desperately pulling a horse rushing to the edge of a cliff. You watch the horse rush forward, about to fall off the cliff, you clearly know you can't pull it, but you still pull it out of inertia, desperately pulling backward, really the harder you try, the more you realize it's futile, and your own sadness."

"Since such a place has made you stay so uncomfortable, why are you so... concerned about leaving?"

The copper pot between the two of them was bubbling on the low fire.

This is sauerkraut fish hot pot, not thick, the fish soup is white, steaming, very fragrant.

In the range of vision that is sometimes misty, Lu Yan He's eyes looked over with a kind of serious, sincere, and flawless purity.

Hu Siwei was stunned for a long time before saying: "I entered Jingtai as soon as I graduated. At that time, Jingtai was not like this, and at that time, Xu Bin was not like this."

This is a period of time that you know what kind of story it will be without detailed expansion.

Perhaps everyone has had such a period of time. During that time, they had aspirations, ideals, and enthusiasm, had the ambition to change the world, had the pride of writing their names on the merit list, and likewise, had a group of like-minded people.

It's just that later, slowly, inevitably, it became him alone.

But that is not enough to be the reason for him to leave. The longer and further a person walks on a road, the harder it is to change the road under his feet and step onto another road.

Others will change, and he will change. He will become nostalgic, become timid.

"However, even if you change a road, you haven't changed the track," Lu Yan He said. "Using your strength to help Jingtai rise again is your sentiment, but can't using your strength to help Chinese film and television dramas go to the world be your sentiment?"

The failure of the third season of *Friends* does not affect one person.

This, of course, includes one of the protagonists of the third season, Zhang Lan.

Last summer, the box office of *Explosive Flower Needle* exploded, raising Zhang Lan's status quite a bit. As a result, at the end of last year, Jiang Yuqian not only returned to her original peak with momentum like a broken bamboo, but also relied on her international popularity to soar, faintly having a trend of flying up.

Looking at her, the third season of *Friends* flopped to the extent that it could be written into this year's tragic classic case at the beginning of the year, bringing along her, the newly joined protagonist, as if she were the reason for the third season's bloody flop.

Even more serious than the backlash suffered by Chen Ziliang in the second season.

At least the second season Chen Ziliang participated in still had high ratings, no matter how fierce the cursing was, the show was really popular.

At Zhang Lan's position, a show airing not very well is actually not enough to shake her position.

But as the saying goes, the higher you climb, the heavier you fall.

How much the big show of *Friends*' level added to her when it was popular, the negative impact it caused her when it flopped was just as much.

Zhang Lan was so angry that her face was green.

Meeting Jiang Yuqian at the company, the two met, neither spoke, but the air was full of crackling sparks.

Since the airing of *Squid Game*, in nearly three months, not only has Jiang Yuqian added five endorsements, but she has also won the status of global spokesperson for a high-end luxury brand, without going through the so-called inspection period, directly becoming a global spokesperson from the start.

This is the level of endorsement that Zhang Lan has not yet obtained.

For stars, who has a higher status actually lies in these trivial comparisons.

Zhang Lan also made a decisive decision: transformation, awards, put them aside first, she immediately took on an ancient idol drama for herself.

No way, need to recover blood at high speed, the fastest way is ancient idol.

This is the ruling area of female actors like her and Jiang Yuqian. They relied on this type of drama to break out and stand firm. It can be said that their fan base was all accumulated by this type of drama.

Of course, Jiang Yuqian's situation has changed now. Her representative work has become *Squid Game*. When Jiang Yuqian's *Golden Age* was popular before, Zhang Lan didn't actually worry much, only worried a little when she was nominated for mainstream awards, and kept praying for her not to win. Because this type of subject matter, unless it's really evil and hits it, no matter how popular it is, it's hard to accumulate a fan base for actors.

But *Squid Game* is different. Zhang Lan knows that while this show is popular, Jiang Yuqian will rely on that character who has had a painful life and is ruthless in character to become an unfulfilled wish for many viewers for a long time. And unfulfilled wish makes this character a filter for viewers to look at Jiang Yuqian, and the fan base is more solid than three *Golden Age*s.

Why is ancient idol so easy to accumulate fan base?

Because the emotions are extreme enough, all are life and death, national hatred and family enmity, or even entangled three lives and three worlds.

Once the audience enters, it's called empathy. As the carrier of the character, the actor is naturally transitioned into white moonlight by the filter.

Zhang Lan cursed Jiang Yuqian fiercely and decided to reduce the number of times she appeared in public during this time.

Wait for the cursing of the third season of *Friends* to pass.

Zhou Ping'an put a script called *Flowing Light Guide* in front of Yan Liang.

"This is an ancient idol fairy hero drama that Icefield Video is preparing to film, S-level, the male lead," Zhou Ping'an said to Yan Liang. "Although the third season of *Friends* flopped, the market didn't blame you for the failure of this show, fortunately."

Yan Liang: "The flop of the third season of *Friends* was completely expected."

He picked up the script of *Flowing Light Guide* and asked: "The male lead of this show... is not the kind of clear, handsome, white, and thin character setting? Can I act?"

Zhou Ping'an said: "The male lead of this script is a war god setting, very suitable for you."

Yan Liang nodded upon hearing this, "Then I'll take the script back to read first. When will this show start filming?"

Zhou Ping'an: "Second half of the year, probably around July or August."

Yan Liang has no filming plans this year, so the time is quite ample.

Zhou Ping'an hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Yan Liang asked, seeing him rarely stop talking in front of him.

Zhou Ping'an said: "The protagonist group of the first season of *Squid Game* is basically dead. The script for the second season hasn't been written yet. Why don't you ask Lu Yan He if he can write a main character for you."

Yan Liang looked at Zhou Ping'an in surprise and said directly: "This is not appropriate."

Zhou Ping'an still wouldn't give up and said again: "Back then, when he was in the first season of *Friends*, no one knew it could succeed, and you acted in it. If you open this mouth to him, wouldn't he write it for you?"

Yan Liang: "This has nothing to do with whether he will write it for me or not. I won't open this mouth to him."

"You—"

"Brother Ping'an, you don't need to persuade me," Yan Liang looked at him, "You will never understand the relationship between Yan He and me, so I don't expect you to understand why I won't open this mouth. I'll just tell you, I won't do this, and you shouldn't do this either."

Zhou Ping'an's expression suddenly became a bit ugly.

Yan Liang didn't say anything else. He actually knew very well what Zhou Ping'an was calculating.

The first season of *Squid Game* watched as Jiang Jun and Liu Zefan were pushed directly to the first-tier position, and Jiang Yuqian returned to her position, sweeping away female stars of the same age, with unparalleled momentum. The popularity and influence of this show internationally can almost be said directly: whoever stars in the second season can directly step into the ranks of internationally renowned actors—the additive effect of a work on an actor is just that great.

Yan Liang is now firmly in the first tier in China and is a popular young student, but the international road hasn't started yet. Zhou Ping'an hopes that Yan Liang can use this to open up a bigger situation.

You know, the only trump card Zhou Ping'an has in his hands that can bargain and negotiate with other partners is Yan Liang.

Ma Zhiyuan is still depressed because of the "happy to be a father" incident and has started to appear in some small variety shows to make money. Other artists can't get up and are always transparent people who are unknown.

Zhou Ping'an can only operate Yan Liang's card well.

After the Li Zhibai incident, Zhou Ping'an didn't dare to do it like before, at least he was respectful enough to Yan Liang on the surface.

It's just that many of Yan Liang's attitudes, and even postures, make Zhou Ping'an very angry. Yan Liang has a temperament of "you know I don't like you, and I know you don't value me that much, let's cooperate well now, and we'll break up peacefully later," which makes Zhou Ping'an unable to say to Yan Liang what he could even say to Li Zhibai.

Yan Liang is more realistic and practical than Li Zhibai. Sometimes, Zhou Ping'an's words can fool Li Zhibai, but Zhou Ping'an doesn't even need to open his mouth to know that he can't fool Yan Liang. The one who was the most silent and listened to his arrangements the most in the past is now the one he is the most helpless about.

Zhou Ping'an is actually very angry. This gap before and after makes him angry while also feeling powerless.

After Yan Liang left, Zhou Ping'an calmed his mood in the office for a long time before his mind calmed down.

After a while, Fu Li, an artist under Zhou Ping'an, came.

"Brother Ping'an!" Fu Li knocked on the door and came in, smiling sweetly at Zhou Ping'an, "I'm here."

Zhou Ping'an looked at her and nodded: "Sit."

Fu Li sat down obediently.

Zhou Ping'an took a script from the drawer and put it in front of Fu Li.

Fu Li picked it up with some surprise and took a look. The script cover had the words "Flowing Light Guide" written on it.

"Brother Ping'an, is this script... for me?"

Zhou Ping'an said: "Female lead number two, I am fighting for it for you. Familiarize yourself with the script well and act this show well. Maybe you will be popular."

Fu Li couldn't hide her excitement.

"Thank you, Brother Ping'an!"

Zhou Ping'an: "The male lead of this show is Yan Liang. I asked you to get familiar with Yan Liang more before. How is your relationship with him now?"

Fu Li revealed a bit of embarrassment upon hearing this.

"I asked him out several times, but he didn't come out."

Zhou Ping'an frowned.

He carefully examined Fu Li's face.

This girl in front of him has not had plastic surgery, a face with facial proportions that can completely play various "number one beauties in the world."

How could Yan Liang be indifferent to her?

Zhou Ping'an asked: "He doesn't even want to come out?"

"Mm," Fu Li was also very aggrieved, "And he also said, let me not ask him out anymore."

"What?" Zhou Ping'an looked at Fu Li in surprise.

Fu Li: "I don't know if I did something wrong."

Zhou Ping'an: "Show me your chat history with him."

Fu Li obediently took out her phone and handed it to Zhou Ping'an.

Zhou Ping'an took a look.

The first sentence Fu Li sent to Yan Liang was—

Brother Yan Liang, Brother Ping'an asked me to communicate with you more. Your experience is very rich. If there is anything I don't understand in the future, can I ask you for advice?

Then, Yan Liang never replied.

Fu Li sent a second message to Yan Liang a week later, asking him out. Yan Liang said he had work and was not free.

Later, Fu Li asked him out several more times, and Yan Liang found various reasons to push it off.

Until the last time, Yan Liang said directly not to ask him out again, he wouldn't come out.

After reading these chat records, Zhou Ping'an knew where the problem was.

It was in Fu Li's first sentence—

Brother Ping'an asked me to communicate with you more.

Yan Liang is not unwilling to communicate with Fu Li, but he is very repulsive to Zhou Ping'an, so he hates the house and its crow.

Zhou Ping'an looked at Fu Li's pair of pure eyes, still a bit worried, as if wondering if she had done something wrong, and sighed silently in his heart.

Zhou Ping'an couldn't tell Fu Li, don't blame yourself, Yan Liang ignoring you has nothing to do with you.

He said: "Forget it. Since he doesn't want to bring you along, don't force it. Nowadays, he is a popular young student in full swing, and I can't control him anymore."

Fu Li looked at Zhou Ping'an silently, maintaining a smile as if she didn't understand anything.

Zhou Ping'an: "I will help you fight for this show. Besides that, there is also a program that I am preparing to arrange for you to participate in."

Fu Li asked Zhou Ping'an with some doubts: "What program?"

Zhou Ping'an said: "A fashion program. It's a pity that your image doesn't take the fashion route."

Fu Li revealed a shy smile and said: "Can I?"

Zhou Ping'an: "Your image conditions are the top ones I have ever seen. Of course you can."

What Zhou Ping'an didn't say was that before Zhang Lan and Jiang Yuqian and the others left Star Entertainment, you might have to endure for a few more years.

Star Entertainment is a very strange company.

Its positioning is clearly to specialize in idol artists, but it has a signed actor lineup that is more gorgeous than any brokerage company specializing in actors.

It used to be yin-heavy and yang-weak. Jiang Yuqian, Zhang Lan, and Sui Xiaodie, the three leading sisters, carried half the sky of the younger generation of small flowers, and only one late-blooming Zhang Zhiwen carried the banner of male actors. Who knew that in just a few years, Lu Yan He, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang had risen abruptly in the film and television circle, especially the first one, who broke the track of male actors to a top-tier level in the industry.

Domestic brokerage companies are very different from foreign ones. Basically, domestic brokerage companies can generally only afford one or two popular big stars. After all, resources are limited, and maintaining the position of a popular big star requires a lot of resources to support. However, at Star Entertainment, big names can't be said to be seen everywhere, but there are seven or eight of them. Before Ma Zhiyuan messed himself up, he was the pyramid of the domestic top-tier circle, not to mention these people who took the actor track.

Under these circumstances, young artists at Star Entertainment actually face a very severe problem: it is too difficult to get ahead.

Fu Li wants to get ahead, either take the route of female idols or change to other labels. Because in the track of female actors, Zhang Lan, Jiang Yuqian, and Sui Xiaodie have already divided up the top resources of Star Entertainment regarding female actors, and it is impossible to flow into Fu Li's hands. Fu Li can only wait, wait for which of them doesn't renew their contract with Star Entertainment and leaves, and then there will be some cakes divided, allowing newcomers like Fu Li to grab them.

So, why did Zhou Ping'an want Yan Liang to act in the *Squid Game* sequel? Because resources are just so many. Although Yan Liang is popular, Yan Liang doesn't have a share of top-tier big cakes like the *Squid Game* sequel. Yan Liang's biggest fan base comes from *Friends*. Now *Friends* has also collapsed, and whether he can carry other shows is a big question.

Especially, his two upcoming shows are both second leads.

The market is still skeptical about Yan Liang carrying the lead in big S-level projects.

*Flowing Light Guide*, the male lead is also a second lead.

? ￠o

Zhou Ping'an hopes that Yan Liang can continue to star in another big hit series to maintain his exposure and popularity.

To this day, Zhou Ping'an also believes that the reason Yan Liang can be popular is purely because of the addition of *Friends*, a show that suddenly became popular.

Yan Liang himself doesn't have much star charm.

If not maintained well, Yan Liang will soon be outdated.

This is Zhou Ping'an's judgment on Yan Liang.

"Yan Liang?" Zhang Lan frowned with some surprise when she heard the producer's choice for the male lead, "Why would you want to use him as the male lead?"

*Flowing Light Guide*'s producer Ma Sui said to Zhang Lan: "There are not many choices for young students with a relatively tough image on the market, and Yan Liang is the most popular among them."

Zhang Lan nodded noncommittally upon hearing this explanation.

She said: "However, Yan Liang's age is also too young, only twenty-two, right? Almost ten years younger than me. Although my appearance still looks like a peer to him, the audience will still feel a bit of a grudge when they see this show."

Ma Sui smiled and said: "Oh, you're worried about this? How could it be? Now the most popular theme on the market is the sister-brother love theme. The setting in our script itself is also sister-brother love. And, don't look at him being only twenty-two, he has a lot of male hormones. He filmed a show before, *The Summit*. We have seen some clips, he acted with special sexual tension, completely different from our impression of him."

Zhang Lan didn't expect Ma Sui to value Yan Liang so much. She hesitated for a moment and said the point she really minded: "However, the third season of *Friends* I acted in with him, you also know, the airing effect is really not very good. If the two of us cooperate again at this time, it might cause a lot of audience resentment and disgust."

Ma Sui was stunned.

She hadn't thought in this direction before.

Zhang Lan said: "I haven't returned to act in ancient idols for a long time, and I still hope that this return can give the audience a surprise, not a shock."

Ma Sui pondered, and after a while, she said: "However, Yan Liang is designated by the investor. If you really mind this matter, we have no way to replace him."

Zhang Lan: "..."

For a moment, Zhang Lan almost couldn't control the expression on her face, wanting to ask: "Do you mean if I don't accept it, you'll let me quit?"

In Zhang Lan's subconscious, Yan Liang is not at the same level as her at all.

Yan Liang is a bit popular now, but he is not the kind of popular at Lu Yan He and Li Zhibai's level. She, Zhang Lan, has been popular in this line for so many years, with a deep foundation and many hits. Even if the third season of *Friends* flopped this time, she had a movie with an explosive box office just last summer!

Zhang Lan didn't expect that in the eyes of the producer of *Flowing Light Guide*, she had become the one who could be replaced.

After enduring for a long time, Zhang Lan swallowed this breath, pretended she hadn't said anything just now, and smiled, "Yan Liang is indeed popular now, even the investors have designated him."

After speaking, she still couldn't help but stab again.

"It seems like he didn't star in the third season of *Friends*." Same flop, how come he seems unaffected?

Ma Sui smiled.

"I don't know about this either," Ma Sui said. "This show is an S-level big show, with an investment of over 100 million. Icefield Video can't eat it alone, so it needs external investors to bear it. People designated Yan Liang to act, and also voluntarily gave up the selection right for the first female lead. Of course, we must respect the investors' opinions."

Zhang Lan took a deep breath.

"Actually, Lanlan, I don't think the problem you are worried about is a problem," Ma Sui persuaded, "We all know that the failure of the third season of *Friends* is not on you actors. Its fans know this even better, so everyone is cursing the director, right? *Flowing Light Guide* is an ancient idol drama where the female lead is the first lead. Your acting skills paired with Yan Liang will definitely be no problem."

Zhang Lan: "I'll consider it again."

After Zhang Lan left, Ma Sui's assistant Yang Xue asked: "Sister Sui, Zhang Lan won't refuse to act, right?"

Such an S-level ancient idol drama, those who can carry the first female lead, in the eyes of major producers and platforms, can be counted on two hands.

Although Zhang Lan currently looks like she is being mocked very badly because of the third season of *Friends*, this has not affected her ability to carry shows in the eyes of the platform.

If *Flowing Light Guide* can sign Zhang Lan and invite her to star, Icefield Video is definitely making money.

The name Zhang Lan can help *Flowing Light Guide* earn back the cost in the first round of investment attraction.

Ma Sui said: "It's okay, in two days, you release a message saying that the script of *Flowing Light Guide* has been taken away by Jiang Yuqian's team, and Jiang Yuqian is also interested in this show."

Yang Xue was stunned.

Ma Sui smiled, "You entered this line relatively late. Zhang Lan is not famous for anything else in the industry, but for Jiang Yuqian's projects, she will grab every one of them. Back then, Jiang Yuqian was firmly pressing her, and for many years, Zhang Lan couldn't cross her. Now, Jiang Yuqian has returned to her peak career relying on *Squid Game*. You say, when Zhang Lan hears that Jiang Yuqian is also interested in this show, what will she do?"

Yang Xue thought thoughtfully and asked: "Will Zhang Lan believe it?"

Ma Sui: "I will make her believe it."

"What do you think of the script for *Flowing Light Guide*?"

After Yan Liang brought the script home, he gave it to Li Zhibai and Lu Yan He after reading it himself, wanting to hear their opinions.

Lu Yan He said: "To be honest, I think you asked the wrong person. The target audience for this show is women. Whether the two of us think it's good-looking or not is not important at all."

Li Zhibai nodded, "Exactly, you should ask the female friends around you about this script and listen to how they see it."

Yan Liang said: "The script is confidential, and the team around me are all men. Only you two are still reliable."

Lu Yan He said: "Then what do you think yourself?"

"Hmm... I actually don't feel much difference about these ancient idol scripts, so I asked for your opinions. If I could see the difference between them, who is good and who is bad, I wouldn't ask," Yan Liang said.

Lu Yan He and Li Zhibai both seriously flipped through the first episode of the *Flowing Light Guide* script. After this look, more than half an hour passed.

After reading, Li Zhibai said: "It feels okay. It's better than the script for *Bai Yu Ballad* I acted in before. However, I only read the first episode now. Is your screen time a bit small?"

"Mm, my screen time only comes out slowly later," Yan Liang said. "This is still a big female lead drama after all."

Lu Yan He: "But this character is quite charming. I find it very engaging to watch—a young war god who suddenly lost his combat power, was looked down upon by many people, and must start from scratch. This setting... makes me want to see the moment he returns to the peak."

Yan Liang: "Zhou Ping'an also said so. He said this character setting is particularly good and can attract fans. He said that as an artist, my biggest shortcoming now is that I have too few die-hard fans."

Zhou Ping'an's thinking is not from the perspective of an actor wanting to take a good role, but from the perspective of whether this role can bring fans to the actor.

However, neither Lu Yan He nor Li Zhibai are those who are well-protected and only have art in their hearts.

"Zhou Ping'an, apart from other aspects, his eye for picking plays for actors is still very awesome," Lu Yan He pointed to Li Zhibai, "Look at him. Although he didn't want to act in several plays, the facts proved that the plays were indeed popular, not to mention helping Li Zhibai attract a wave of fans, making him qualified to pick the plays he wants to act in now, and recognized by platforms and investors."

Yan Liang nodded.

Li Zhibai also said: "Forget it, how did it become his credit again? Isn't it because I acted well?"

"You acted well, of course, that's also true." Lu Yan He didn't argue with Li Zhibai; he knew Li Zhibai was just being stubborn.

"If this character setting is good, it is indeed the kind of character that can move many people. Why not give it a try?" Lu Yan He said directly, "The *Gold Rush* and *The Summit* you acted in before are both genre films, not very in line with the market mainstream. It's better to take an ancient idol. Not to mention anything else, there are not many ancient idol scripts suitable for you... Now the ancient idol scripts on the market are basically all male leads with Li Zhibai's image. It's rare to have one that can show off muscles and has a tougher temperament."

Li Zhibai slanted a look at Lu Yan He and muttered a "fuck."

Yan Liang: "I believe you two."

Lu Yan He: "However, I don't know if what I said is right either. In the end, you have to make the decision yourself."

"Mm," Yan Liang nodded, "I... actually, if it's a script I like very much and want to act in as soon as I see it, I will decide to take it directly. *Gold Rush* and *The Summit* were both taken like this. *Flowing Light Guide* is really not the type of subject I am usually interested in, but it is indeed a very popular subject. Even if many people say they are tired of this subject, it is an indisputable fact that there are indeed hits every year."

"That's for sure. Look at Li Zhibai's *Bai Yu Ballad*. While being scolded as dog-blood and cliché, it still made people cry," Lu Yan He said. "Those who scold this kind of drama are not the target audience for this kind of drama in the first place. When I write scripts, I often feel that extreme emotions are not so easy to write, because the more extreme things are, the more distorted they are, and things that are distorted are hard to make people substitute. Look at those popular ancient idols, none of them are not extreme in emotions, and make people look into them and believe them."

"Just like in *Bai Yu Ballad*, the immortal played by Li Zhibai injected his cultivation into the little demon's body to save the female lead, helping her pass the death tribulation, and he himself became a mortal, falling into the world. It is actually a very common plot, and it can even be said to be too cliché. However, such a cliché plot can be seen in almost every fairy hero drama. In *Bai Yu Ballad*, the script lines are written very sincerely, not exaggerated, and not pretentious. The two actors also acted very devotedly. Once this audience's sense of trust is established and substituted into this plot, which girl wouldn't cry? Which girl wouldn't be moved by such a male lead who is willing to sacrifice himself to save her after substituting into the female lead?"

Li Zhibai looked at Lu Yan He in surprise, "Old Lu, I didn't expect you to have researched *Bai Yu Ballad* so deeply?" ===== CHAPTER 501 =====