Chapter 519: Hurry up and pick me up! (10,000-character update!)

What kind of movie did Lu Yan He go abroad to act in?

Why was it covered so tightly?

As Lu Yan He's first foreign film, those who paid attention to Lu Yan He were almost all curious about this film.

You know, almost any actor in any country is like this. After becoming famous in their own country, being recognized overseas, and knowing more and more excellent directors and producers, they are slowly noticed by others and start to receive opportunities to participate in foreign films.

Some actors always insist on filming movies in their own country and almost never go out to film, but some actors have embarked on a path of globalization, not just going to Hollywood, and not just the globalization of commercial films, but collaborating with famous directors from all over the world, which has become a common feature of theirs.

And an actor, if they want to win a reputation and stand firm in the world film scene, almost all have to take the latter path. Especially actors who are deeply involved in the field of art films.

Everyone subconsciously felt that Lu Yan He went to take a foreign art film.

Because everyone knew that with Lu Yan He's current situation, it was almost impossible to get a commercial blockbuster above A-level.

Such commercial blockbusters, except for specific types, don't have situations where Asians play the lead.

Everyone also didn't think Lu Yan He would take an ordinary role.

This kind of speculation made Lu Yan He's fans very excited.

Because they felt that Lu Yan He might be winning an award! Art film! Lu Yan He is filming an art film again!

Everyone was looking forward to this film as if it were a festival.

At this time, Lu Yan He's film hadn't been dug out about what the situation was. Jiang Yuqian, who became famous overseas by virtue of *Squid Game*, was exposed to participate in a Hollywood action movie *Mysterious Ghost Shadow*.

A name that sounds like a horror film. According to information provided by the American magazine *Variety*, this is a proper action film, telling the story of a group of mercenaries attacked by an unknown force, everyone in danger, wanting to find the force that attacked them, but suffering heavy casualties in the process of confrontation, and finally discovering that this attack is related to one of their actions three years ago.

Besides this movie, *Variety* also broke a piece of news that Chinese actress Jiang Yuqian is negotiating the series *Perfect Truth* collaborated by French film director Donovan Motovani and Maxine.

Once these two pieces of news were exposed, Jiang Yuqian, who had been popular again for half a year by virtue of *Squid Game*, finally had a new move for her new show. Her fans were also excited.

Is their favorite idol Jiang Yuqian really going to become an international superstar?

As Jiang Yuqian's agent, He Heng had been busy for the past half year because he caught up with Jiang Yuqian's career resurgence period, busy like a top, spinning like a top.

The movie *Mysterious Ghost Shadow* is starred by American first-line male actor Mam Valentine, and is still inviting several famous actors to join. It is a proper A-level production facing global release.

They came to find Jiang Yuqian, bluntly speaking, it was because they saw her popularity from *Squid Game*, and it was also because they saw the Chinese market behind her.

For such a big action blockbuster, don't talk about art and the actor's charm.

Those are all words on the table, and He Heng and Jiang Yuqian know it clearly in their hearts.

However, they have demands for Jiang Yuqian, and Jiang Yuqian also needs to rely on this film to complete the first step of her career planning next.

He Heng had an in-depth discussion with Jiang Yuqian and made a plan for Jiang Yuqian's route after *Squid Game*.

First, recognize the current situation. She cannot be like after the show *Golden Age* again, in order to transform and rush for awards, taking on two shows that smashed the bottom of the pot.

Second, grasp the core competitiveness she has competing with actresses at the same level, which is international fame. *Squid Game* made her a hit, blooming both domestically and internationally. Then, as an actress, if she can use two to three years to solidify the label of "international fame and influence" in the eyes of domestic media, it will be a layer of gold for her career.

"However, there is one more point, Yuqian. No matter what, we have to film a Chinese-language show every year, whether it's a TV series or a movie. We can't lose the domestic film and television market." He Heng said. "Going international is just a means. The final way is to stand firm as an actor. There is no shortage of Asian actresses in Hollywood. There are many people drilling into Hollywood. On the contrary, European and American art films are a relatively small field. Now that streaming media is so developed, they always hit some art film directors to film for them."

"Our core concept is only one point: how can we brush a layer of gold for your kind of gold body, we will take the show. Action films, suspense films, theatrical movies, streaming media, these don't matter. The next two to three years we are walking is not the boutique route, but brushing faces. We want to let your name appear frequently in major global media reports, just like this time the American magazine *Variety*'s report on you. This is more attractive than us releasing news ourselves."

Jiang Yuqian nodded.

"Then like the show *Perfect Truth*, Donovan came to me, actually just asking me to act in a role with only six scenes. Maybe the lens adds up to no more than twenty minutes. Now it's making such a big noise. When everyone watches it later, they are very disappointed. What should I do?" She was still a bit worried.

He Heng: "Don't worry. We won't do any false propaganda, saying we starred in this show. Everyone has expectations, of course. But you also have to know, this is Donovan Motovani, a director who has won the Best Director award at the Xitu'er Film Festival. Do you know how many stars were attracted to act in this show *Perfect Truth* he collaborated with Maxine? There are twelve famous actors who have already made a name for themselves, and most of them are not the leads. That you can appear in such a cast lineup, for us, for the public, is a symbol in itself—you are a Chinese actress who appeared in Donovan's new film with these people."

Jiang Yuqian understood He Heng's meaning.

It wasn't that she alone acted in such a small role; there were many famous actors who were in the same situation as her.

"The only reason we took this show is that we want to collaborate with Director Donovan. Remember this caliber." He Heng said. "Don't talk about only two scenes, even if there is only one scene, you are willing to act. Facing the media, we have to show this attitude. If *Mysterious Ghost Shadow* is because it's a big film and can be released globally, then *Perfect Truth* is because it's a new film directed by a director you like very much. As an actor, you can't give up an opportunity to collaborate with a director you like."

Jiang Yuqian nodded suddenly.

"You remember to watch a few more of Director Donovan's past films during this time. You must be clear about his creative resume. Later, there will definitely be many occasions that need to be involved. If this collaboration can leave a good impression on Director Donovan, then many projects can be collaborated in the future."

Actually, if Lu Yan He were here, he would feel that He Heng's thinking was really very correct and right.

In the things Lu Yan He knew, there were actually two actors who were in this situation.

One was the Irish male actor Cillian Murphy who just won the Oscar Best Actor, and one was the Korean actress Bae Doona.

The former actually started acting as the male lead very early, but for more than ten years, he had always acted as a supporting role in Nolan's films, and even many times as a small supporting role. People didn't stop acting in Nolan's films because of this, and still had a call to come, and had a show to act.

Thus, in *Oppenheimer*, Cillian Murphy finally ushered in his male lead and relied on this film to win the Oscar Best Actor, reaching the top in one fell swoop.

The latter was a very famous female actress in Korea. After collaborating with the directors of *The Matrix* on that famous, star-studded big rotten film *Cloud Atlas*, she hooked up with this pair of brothers (sisters) directors, participated in many of their shows, and therefore caught up with the spring breeze of streaming media for the first time, becoming the first female actress in Korea since the new millennium to truly stick the label of "internationally famous female actress."

This made her walk a path completely different from most Korean actresses. She still acted in Korean film and television dramas, but didn't beg these chaebol capitals domestically. She could appear in Hollywood movies and was a regular at international top film festivals. She could collaborate with film director Hirokazu Kore-eda, and could rely on Netflix to star in a series of big hits like *Sense8*, *Stranger*, and *Kingdom*.

In Lu Yan He's eyes, Jiang Yuqian was indeed suitable to walk this path, because she had a starting point that other actresses didn't have—*Squid Game*. This meant she wasn't starting from scratch; she had a very good foundation.

A path that others wanted to walk but had no way to walk. If she could walk it out, it meant she could still stand firm for more than ten years and wouldn't be squeezed out by others.

By comparison, the male lead of *Squid Game*, Jiang Jun, was a bit of a pity.

There were also foreign production parties interested in him and threw olive branches to him.

However, on one hand, Jiang Jun's English wasn't very good, and there were great obstacles in communication, only relying on translation. On the other hand, Jiang Jun himself had two series *Seventeen Layers* and *My Own Swordsman* to film, and the schedule was very tight.

But Jiang Jun himself didn't feel it was a pity.

He belonged to the actor who wanted to film in an environment he was familiar with.

Jiang Jun felt that in the past two years, he had been lucky enough. From an actor no one knew, he suddenly broke into the first line and became a candidate for the male lead of big shows for major production parties. Moreover, because of his age and image, his market in the TV series block was even bigger than young actors like Lu Yan He and Yan Liang. Whether it was life dramas or spy war drama themes, there were more than a dozen scripts looking for him every month, which was very exaggerated.

Even if he couldn't break into the international market in one fell swoop, he was very satisfied.

Of course, in the eyes of many people, Jiang Jun belonged to wasting a very important opportunity.

"Jiang Jun's situation is different from Jiang Yuqian's. Jiang Jun doesn't need to take risks to go abroad to break through now. He just became popular domestically not long ago, and he hasn't stood firm domestically yet."

Analyzing Jiang Jun's situation, Chen Ziyan already had ideas.

"If he goes to take foreign shows now, first of all, it's definitely very difficult for foreign countries to give him any good projects. A *Squid Game* is not enough to let him receive a big male lead show in a foreign A-level big production. But this will occupy his most golden time. Domestically, he still has three series *Seventeen Layers*, *My Own Swordsman*, and *Squid Game* to film. This means he basically has no time to film other domestic shows. Then at the best time, originally all domestic production parties started wanting to collaborate with him, but they couldn't collaborate, which means he missed a very critical time. He can't film these three shows for a lifetime."

Lu Qingzhen said: "However, for an actor, whether he has participated in international productions is still very different for his resume."

"You are using celebrity thinking to look at Jiang Jun. Do you think Jiang Jun can walk the celebrity route?" Chen Ziyan shook her head with a smile. "For Jiang Jun, even if there is no experience of participating in international productions, it doesn't affect his development domestically now. For actors with acting skills like him, as long as they come out, their development won't be bad in the future."

Lu Qingzhen pondered for a moment and said: "However, if you say so, Jiang Jun is actually just successfully ranked in the first line, right?"

"Ranked in the first line only?" Chen Ziyan looked at Lu Qingzhen somewhat surprised.

Lu Qingzhen: "Don't misunderstand my meaning. I'm not so arrogant as to think that ranking in the first line is not enough. I just feel that *Squid Game* is our first show to achieve such great influence globally, and Jiang Jun is the absolute lead. If he only ranks in our domestic first line, is it a waste of various opportunities brought to him by this show? Jiang Yuqian doesn't need to say, Liu Zefan, he also started to be handed scripts by Maxine."

"I know what you mean, but I don't agree with your point of view." Chen Ziyan said. "It's not that every actor, when getting the opportunity to film abroad, must grasp it immediately. Jiang Yuqian and Liu Zefan can, because they have a fan base domestically and have been popular for several years. Furthermore, they are very young. For foreign shows, they can act as supporting roles. But for Jiang Jun, you let him act as a supporting role in a foreign project? In *Squid Game*, he is the unquestionable number one lead, and also the eye of the whole show. After starring in such a globally popular show, if he goes to act as a supporting role in a non-big director, non-big production project, how do others look at it? This is called lowering oneself. They have different situations, and the range of choices they can make is also different. Jiang Jun now belongs to overnight popularity, unstable internally, not strong externally. In this situation, he must stabilize internally first."

Lu Qingzhen heard this and thought deeply.

She gradually accepted Chen Ziyan's idea.

"According to what you said, I slowly understand it."

"Because you must first understand a very critical truth: overseas is ultimately overseas. Their mainstream will always be actors with that appearance, not Asian actors. Even if one day an Asian actor wins the Oscar Best Actor or Actress, that is only one person. It can never change the reality that European and American white people are the mainstream in Hollywood."

Chen Ziyan said to Lu Qingzhen: "The internationalization route is a means for actors to obtain better career development, or to put it vulgarly, a means to raise their status and force. But if you really intend to achieve the goal of global popularity through the internationalization route, I tell the truth, there is almost no possibility, because the mainstream roles they truly face globally that can create superstars will not be given to you, and it is impossible to give them to you. For Europe and America, Asians will always be supporting roles, embellishments. This is a fact that cannot be changed. When can Chinese actors truly walk the internationalization path on a large scale? Only when China itself has established distribution channels globally and reached the ruling power of Hollywood in the film industry, as well as the influence of the international four major film festivals in reputation and honor, can Chinese actors walk the internationalization path on a large scale. Otherwise, there will always be only individual actors standing at that wind outlet who can walk."

Lu Qingzhen: "Then what about Yan He? He starred in *The Mist* the first time he went abroad. To tell the truth, I have a premonition that even in Europe and America, Yan He can achieve great success."

"If it weren't for Yan He, but another male actor who achieved the same achievement as Yan He now, I would be skeptical." Chen Ziyan expressed her disapproval directly. "I believe that our Chinese actors do have the opportunity to star in one or two European and American movies, even genre films directed by famous directors like *The Mist*. However, how many projects can there be in Europe and America that use Asian characters as the lead every year? In the past, it wasn't that we didn't have Chinese actors breaking into Hollywood, but why did only one or two people leave traces in the end? It's still that sentence: those projects there are not built with Asians as the lead. Only when you truly reach a certain height can you let the film companies there tailor a role for you. Otherwise, no matter how popular you are, no matter how good the box office of the previous movie is, no matter how much the audience appreciates your performance, there is no role you can act in later, you can only pick your feet at home."

Chen Ziyan shrugged her shoulders. "You say Yan He can, I recognize it, but that's because Yan He has the ability to create scripts himself, and he has two streaming media, HP and Maxine, behind him watching every project of his. His starting point is a height that many Asian actors can't reach in their lifetime. *The Mist* is filmed. If Yan He still wants to continue filming English films, French films, or even Spanish films, he can, because he has creative ability, he can tailor it for himself. But besides him, is there a second actor with this ability? I'm not talking about creative ability; I'm talking about the ability of creative ability to be chased and paid for by overseas capital."

Lu Qingzhen was silent.

Chen Ziyan said nothing wrong.

Lu Yan He's films written and starred by him, if nothing else, the international four major film festivals are paying attention to them. Like *Love Letter*, it has almost been shortlisted for next year's Hexi Film Festival in advance.

And as long as it's not a show like *My Own Swordsman* where the Chinese cultural background is too obvious and makes foreigners absolutely unable to understand, HP and Maxine will snatch them.

Awards and business are grasped with both hands, and neither influence nor money is lacking.

This is the core confidence that Lu Yan He can walk the internationalization path.

Without Chen Ziyan saying it, Lu Qingzhen also knew that if the international projects Jiang Yuqian and Liu Zefan participated in failed one or two times, they would basically be abandoned by foreign production parties and wouldn't be given opportunities again. They would be determined as "leaving *Squid Game*, they are not liked by overseas audiences."

They don't have a thicker foundation to continue their attempts.

Jiang Jun is even more so.

And Jiang Yuqian and Liu Zefan still have domestic positions at that time, but Jiang Jun has extremely likely lost his domestic position because of this—

Because he didn't defend it from the beginning.

On the filming scene of *The Mist*, Lu Yan He was finally going to film his first scene.

Just special effects makeup took almost two hours.

According to Director Mukan's idea, every time Lu Yan He appeared, he would be surrounded by thick fog, and his image would no longer be his usual appearance. He needed special effects makeup, and on his face, on the left side of his cheek, there was a trace of burning, and then on this trace, a layer of cement-textured paint was applied—

Through the storyboard drawn by Mukan himself, Lu Yan He could basically understand what kind of effect Mukan wanted. Actually, it was very similar to the effect of Voldemort's appearance, the atmosphere was very strong, and his image itself was also a part of this atmosphere with hatred and gloom.

What was very magical was that Lu Yan He originally thought that after such special effects makeup, he shouldn't be able to recognize his current appearance, but the result of the makeup wasn't like this, and it could still be seen at a glance that it was him.

And Lu Yan He's image in the film would constantly change with the progress of his revenge, gradually restoring to his appearance before death, until the last person died, he would completely restore to the appearance before death, which was the appearance of a handsome, delicate boy.

So, Lu Yan He was originally looking forward to having an image that even he couldn't recognize after special effects makeup.

Lu Yan He's first scene appeared in Albert Bogut's house.

The power in Albert Bogut's house suddenly went out, and Lu Yan He appeared at this time, starting the first step of his revenge.

In this scene, he had one shot, a shot that flashed past Albert Bogut's eyes.

But because this shot was Lu Yan He's first appearance in the film, it was very important.

He came to the scene.

Today is studio filming.

Albert Bogut's home in the film was built temporarily.

Almost all indoor scenes where Lu Yan He appeared were studio filming. This was to facilitate Lu Yan He to hang on a wire, maintaining the horror of a ghost suddenly appearing in mid-air.

Like today's scene, Lu Yan He suddenly flew out from behind the curtain of Albert Bogut's house, attacking him like a cloud of black gas.

If it were in a normal house, there wouldn't be enough space to arrange a wire.

After Albert Bogut came out of his lounge, seeing Lu Yan He, he showed a surprised expression.

This was the first time he saw Lu Yan He's image in the film.

"Wow! You look so cool!" Arne Bogut, such a blonde-haired, blue-eyed big handsome guy, looked at Lu Yan He with envy in his eyes.

Lu Yan He smiled. "Don't talk to me now, I'll scare you later."

Arne Bogut was still looking at Lu Yan He, exclaiming while looking.

He crossed his arms and said: "I was still a bit doubtful. You look quite handsome, how can you act as a vengeful ghost? I see you like this now, I'm indeed a bit surprised."

Arne Bogut was a very proud and confident person. Lu Yan He had already felt this in the process of dealing with him in the past few days.

At first, Lu Yan He thought Arne Bogut looked down on him very much, because Lu Yan He could clearly feel that although Arne Bogut didn't say it, he always had doubts about him, and he even occasionally could perceive Arne Bogut looking at him with suspicious eyes from time to time.

Later, it was Mukan Zorge who told him that Arne felt he was too handsome and was worried that he would act as this Asian ghost and wouldn't be able to achieve the effect of scaring the audience at all.

Today, Arne Bogut finally said it in front of him for the first time.

Lu Yan He smiled slightly and didn't say anything.

Acting, saying so much is useless, it still has to be a real performance, which is more useful than anything.

Arne Bogut was indeed very good at acting.

The praise from those critics wasn't blowing.

When he walked carefully in the dark room with his mobile phone flashlight, it could be seen through the monitor that his eyes were full of tension, caution, and uneasiness.

He was an actor who acted with his eyes.

The scene was very quiet, also creating a horror atmosphere for Arne Bogut.

Suddenly, the sound of something falling to the ground sounded.

That was a "clatter" arranged by Mukan. Arne Bogut didn't know there would be such a sound on the scene, and was really startled, looking at the source of the sound. At that moment, the tension of clenching his teeth leaked out from the lens.

Mukan Zorge's horror films have always been known for atmosphere and rhythm.

Lu Yan He had watched the two movies he directed before, and it was easy to understand why the two movies could achieve such good box office results.

Mukan filmed movies, not using mysterious methods to film horror films—this point has always been the place that horror film lovers hate and dislike the most.

Just like this film, this segment, Mukan's script used a three-turn structure.

Albert was alone at home when the power suddenly went out. He carefully went to look for the circuit breaker, wanting to check what was going on, when suddenly some inexplicable noises appeared in the house, bringing out a sense of unease and crisis bit by bit through these "clanging" falling sounds and the "click" of mechanisms being toggled.

Then, Arne looked for the direction of the sound and found that the reason for such a sound was because the window wasn't closed, and an alarm clock on the windowsill was blown down to the ground by the wind blowing up the curtain, which made a "clatter" sound, and the subsequent click-clack sounds.

Arne relaxed at this time, and the atmosphere of the film also relaxed a little at this time.

But suddenly at this time, a white lightning appeared, and he suddenly saw a blurred figure behind him in the reflection of the window glass.

Arne's scalp went numb instantly, turned around to look, and shone his phone light, only to find that it wasn't any human figure, but a piece of clothing he hung behind the door.

He let out a long sigh of relief. In this stormy weather, he went to close the window again and pulled the curtain.

The ghost that had been hiding behind the curtain was exposed to the lens.

This shot was carefully designed by Mukan.

Thanks to the design of power outage and no light, this scene of Arne pulling the curtain, in the very dim lens, with the movement of the curtain, a pair of very old canvas shoes actually appeared under the curtain.

But Arne didn't notice it at all.

Only because his mobile phone was hanging by his leg, the light happened to shine on those canvas shoes.

Those canvas shoes were clearly floating in mid-air, belonging to someone.

This was a proper first shot that would scare people.

Mukan's treatment was—no horror music, no protagonist's horror expression, but appeared in front of the audience suddenly at a moment that no one in the film noticed.

Therefore, from this shot onwards, the tension and fear of the audience were one step ahead of the protagonists in the film.

Fear changed from uneasiness about the unknown to when the protagonist would finally discover the existence of this ghost, and when this ghost would attack the protagonist unexpectedly.

This kind of tense and uneasy fear is like seeing someone standing under a crumbling light sign, and that person doesn't know that he might be smashed by the light sign above his head in the next second, and you saw it. At this time, you substituted him, feeling nervous, uneasy, and even wanting to shout to remind him.

And in the cinema, you have no way to remind him, you can only nervously, uneasily watch, not knowing how the next step of the plot will develop.

In ordinary horror movies, the scare point of this bridge will definitely be set at the moment the ghost suddenly rushes out from behind the curtain, scaring everyone.

But in this film, it's not the kind of sudden scare, but like a grim reaper with a sickle descending from the sky, slowly appearing in front of you. You turn around and run away, and that grim reaper is slowly chasing you behind you. You run faster and faster, but he is always behind you. Your fear accumulates slowly in this process, becoming a huge, whole-body, and finally stiffening fear.

Therefore, when Arne Bogut didn't discover the ghost hiding in the curtain at all, turned around and prepared to continue to the basement to check the power gate, and the ghost played by Lu Yan He gently lifted the curtain, as if a cloud of mist drifted behind Arne Bogut, Arne Bogut finally realized that something seemed wrong, his hand gripped the doorknob, wanting to open this door, but didn't dare to move.

Lu Yan He landed lightly behind Arne Bogut, as if it were an intangible object, whispering in his ear, as if with some regret, and with a few mournful sobs, sighed lightly: "Did you discover me?"

Arne Bogut let out a shrill roar at this moment, turned around and punched, but didn't hit anything, passing directly through Lu Yan He's body—this scene required post-effects.

Arne Bogut's face turned pale.

The scene had turned on the lights again.

The staff members were busy with their own things.

Arne Bogut turned to Lu Yan He and said: "Sorry."

Just now, his punch almost really hit Lu Yan He's body.

Lu Yan He reacted relatively quickly and dodged it immediately.

He smiled slightly. "It's okay, I understand."

He was standing behind Arne Bogut just now, and the distance between the two was less than a fingernail.

He could clearly feel that the hair on Arne Bogut's body was standing up.

He was really scared, and the punch he swung out in response forgot the measure. Lu Yan He himself was an actor and understood this state very well.

On one hand, Mukan created a very immersive, can be said to be a one-to-one restored performance environment for their actors. In the process of filming just now, the scene was almost without light, all cold light, and all the staff members were hiding in the darkness outside this room.

Including the wire Lu Yan He used to drift from the window, it was all controlled by technicians outside the room, which meant that in this room, there were really only him and Arne Bogut.

On the other hand, Arne Bogut was an experiential actor. He completely substituted into the situation just now. Even if he was acting, he forgot that he was acting at that moment.

Lu Yan He didn't see Arne Bogut's performance from the front. Just from his back, and the feeling at that moment behind him, he knew that Arne Bogut's emotions were definitely very in place.

He just wanted to praise Arne

Turning his head, he discovered that the look in Arne Bogut's eyes as he looked at him had completely changed.

Arne's gaze was as if he were looking at an incredible monster.

Lu Yan He: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Arne said: "Just now, when you said that sentence in my ear, I felt like my heart stopped beating."

Lu Yan He revealed an expression of surprise.

"Lu, you scared me."

"You're saying Lu Yan He went abroad to act in a horror movie?"

Chen Ziliang looked at Ma Zhiyuan with some disbelief, shocked by the news he had brought.

Ma Zhiyuan said: "Yes, I heard it by chance from people in the company; it's absolutely true."

Chen Ziliang curled his lips. "I thought he went abroad to film a movie, and it was some good movie; I didn't expect it to actually be a horror film."

"Horror films have low costs, after all. If it were really a high-budget film, they wouldn't look for Lu Yan He to act in it anyway. He's only relatively popular domestically; do you think he's really as god-like internationally as they brag? If he were really that god-like, why would he still be staying in the country? Wouldn't it be better to go to Hollywood and earn US dollars?"

Chen Ziliang smiled, then suddenly reacted, looking at Ma Zhiyuan.

"However, why did you suddenly come to tell me this? Do you want me to expose this news?"

"I don't have that intention; I'm just sharing it with you. I think you'd definitely be willing to hear this news." Ma Zhiyuan shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, I'm already unable to compete with him now; it's nothing more than eating a melon and gossiping."

Chen Ziliang looked at him suspiciously.

Chen Ziliang said: "What are you in such a rush for? Give it a couple of years; with your previous popularity base, isn't it easy to make a comeback? But, have you been indulging yourself more and more lately? I see you look like you've gained quite a bit of weight."

Ma Zhiyuan: "I don't have any stage work now, so why keep in shape? If I'm a bit fat, then I'm a bit fat."

"How disappointed your fans must be to see you like this," Chen Ziliang said. "So many fans online are calling for you to come out and work more."

"As soon as I come out to work, Xu Qinyin's fans come to the scene to cause trouble like they're crazy, so now no event organizers are willing to hire me. My work is basically at a standstill." Ma Zhiyuan sighed.

"You and Xu Qinyin still haven't reconciled?"

"Reconcile my ass. If it weren't for her, would I have fallen to the state I'm in today?" A look of hatred and disgust appeared on Ma Zhiyuan's face.

Seeing this, Chen Ziliang silently sighed to himself, "If I had known it would come to this, why did I do it in the first place?"

"Does Zhou Ping'an not have any plans for you?"

"His heart is all set on Yan Liang; how could he possibly still remember me?" Ma Zhiyuan sneered.

Chen Ziliang: "You... you don't really have absolutely no work, do you?"

"Forget it." Ma Zhiyuan still had that devil-may-care attitude. "Making me grovel to participate in those low-class, embarrassing jobs, I might as well just retire from the circle like this."

Chen Ziliang originally wanted to say something, but seeing Ma Zhiyuan's state, he gave up.

Come to think of it, it's true. Ma Zhiyuan was a top-tier star for so many years; he must have earned quite a lot. Even if he had issues back then and broke many contracts, paying a lot in liquidated damages, what remained was enough for him to be a wealthy idler for the rest of his life.

If he really doesn't have the ambition to make a comeback, Ma Zhiyuan truly has no need to start over from scratch.

Someone who is used to being surrounded by everyone wherever they go, how could they accept their own plummeting circumstances?

Chen Ziliang looked at the current Ma Zhiyuan and thought of himself.

Although his popularity is not what it used to be, at least relying on the connections, fans, and works he accumulated in the past, he can still make a living in this industry. Besides, he just doesn't compare to Lu Yan He, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang; in the entertainment industry, he is not as good as the best, but he is still better than the worst.

"I wonder if I'll ever see Lu Yan He fall from his pedestal one day," Ma Zhiyuan suddenly said again.

Chen Ziliang smiled nonchalantly and said: "Who wouldn't want to see that?"

Ma Zhiyuan: "If Lu Yan He really fell from his pedestal, he should have a lot of resources to distribute, right?"

He looked at Chen Ziliang pointedly and smiled.

"Ziliang, haven't you ever thought about taking Lu Yan He's place?"

Chen Ziliang: "..."

He really didn't expect that one day he would have such a feeling—

Has Ma Zhiyuan been hit so hard that he's lost his mind?

Take Lu Yan He's place?

He even dares to say such things!

Who could take it, who could replace him?

Chen Ziliang thought to himself that he should draw a clear line between himself and Ma Zhiyuan in the future. It's not scary for a person to be past their prime or not popular; what's scary is for this person to have an unclear mind, and the things they say are like being fried in a wok of oil—crispy with every fry, and shattering into pieces at the slightest bite.

While smiling, Chen Ziliang secretly took out his phone and sent a message to his agent, Yan Wei: Hurry up and come pick me up!

Continuing to recommend my old book "I Became the Scandal Protagonist Overnight," which went from a few initial subscriptions to over a thousand average subscriptions.