[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk-":3,"chapter-reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--chapter-55":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Reborn in Huayu: They're Forcing Me to Be a Jerk Again?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347798,4588,"Chapter 55: Zhang Jizhong","reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--chapter-55",55,"\u003Cp>Zhang Ji has been very troubled these past few months, feeling as if everything is going against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Return of the Condor Heroes\" is a major IP among fans of Jin Yong's novels, and it is the most influential and well-known work among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this TV series is difficult to film because the 1995 version starring Louis Koo and Carman Lee is also a classic; if the production quality is even slightly lacking, it will inevitably be subjected to harsh criticism, just like his \"The Legend of the Condor Heroes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing \"The Legend of the Condor Heroes,\" he spent a long time preparing before he dared to raise the funds to start filming this popular martial arts work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, this production, with an investment of tens of millions and touted as the largest-budget period drama in domestic history, encountered a disastrous situation right from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cast was already selected last year; the lead actress, needless to say, has the surname Liu, is a junior at the Beijing Film Academy, and has quite a history with him, having previously acted in his \"Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead actor had also been decided through competition; he was a star who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy. He was quite handsome and had contributed a significant amount of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, just last July, as the crew was about to head to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan for the official start of filming, that confirmed lead actor suddenly got into a car accident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the person involved later, he had only had a little bit to drink, but for some reason, his heart rate suddenly accelerated, he felt dizzy, and the Lotus sports car he had just bought slammed into the guardrail at a speed of 97 km\u002Fh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, there were no pedestrians at the time, and the car doors could still be opened. He was just seriously injured, especially with a very severe concussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He has been recuperating for over half a year and has only just been able to get out of bed; when he will be able to join the crew remains an unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Zhang Ji's patience was exhausted; even if it meant refunding the money, he had to recast the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This incident was a scandal of sorts, neither big nor small. Under the mediation of the original lead actor's agent, the crew did not make a big fuss and only screened a few male actors within a small circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Ji is no ordinary person; he is a producer who values both money and art equally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he originally chose that fair-skinned young actor to play Yang Guo, he actually felt indifferent about it. Louis Koo had performed the spirit of Yang Guo, and to surpass that, one had to find another way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, that young actor was overly greasy; he was barely acceptable playing the middle-aged Yang Guo, but to play the 16-year-old youth, it was hard for people to accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a thorn in Zhang Ji's side, but he didn't tell anyone because he had seen all the suitable male actors on the market, and all things considered, this person was indeed the best candidate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this time, with the original lead actor unable to perform, the other male actors in his eyes were even more unsatisfactory—nothing about them seemed right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't a matter of money; it was truly that the people weren't right. Like that Nie fellow, he thought he was okay before, but now he also felt he lacked a certain flavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji was about to go crazy; could it be that he would still have to find Li Yapeng to play Yang Guo?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Playing Linghu Chong then Guo Jing, and after Guo Jing, playing Yang Guo? By then, the public would surely ask, is there no other male actor in China?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key is that the look isn't right either. Is there a square-faced Yang Guo? Jin Yong wrote it clearly in the novel: he is a handsome young man with a sharp face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Zhang Ji could only keep dragging it out, pinning his hopes on when the original lead actor's illness might improve, a thunderclap came from Berlin, Europe: an unknown kid had actually won the Best Actor award.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the public level, this didn't mean a thing, but in the entertainment industry, this was indeed a big deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his busy schedule, Zhang Ji also devoted some attention to it. Originally, Berlin or Cannes had nothing to do with the Jin Yong martial arts drama he was going to film, but as luck would have it, he happened to see the exclusive interview with Chen Nuo broadcast on Channel 6 a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Zhang Ji was enjoying a rare day off, having lunch at home with his family. His home TV was also permanently set to the movie channel, and he caught sight of Chen Nuo just as he appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at Chen Nuo's face for five minutes, Zhang Ji stopped eating and started making phone calls. From producers to stylists, he notified everyone and told them to watch the TV. That afternoon, everyone gathered for a meeting. However, casting for such a large crew must be handled with caution; one cannot make a big scene without knowing anything, as it would be difficult to back down if things turned into a public spectacle. Therefore, choosing someone based solely on image definitely wouldn't work; they still had to look at his work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the movies this person acted in hadn't been released domestically, nor were there any videotapes or DVDs circulating, so what could they do? Fortunately, a big crew is a big crew; someone had an acquaintance in that certain bureau who was specifically responsible for reviews, and they happened to encounter Zhang Yi submitting a film for review these past two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching the director's cut submitted by Zhang Yi, that acquaintance first tore the film to shreds in front of Zhang Yi, telling him to change this and cut that, and then later made a call to the person on Zhang Ji's crew, saying one sentence: \"The acting is incredible, it can definitely be used.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was reported up, but the group of people was still a bit uneasy, so they used their channels to find Chen Nuo's audition clips at the Beijing Film Academy and studied them repeatedly for an entire morning. Finally, after 11:00 AM, Zhang Ji made the final decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's him. You go contact him and have him come over for the makeup test.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh, what if his schedule doesn't match?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji stroked his white beard and chuckled: \"Is that possible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was indeed impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A big investment and a big director—look at Li Yapeng, he became so famous, could there be any actor who wouldn't want it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they didn't have the schedule, they would likely be willing to pay the breach-of-contract fee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The casting director who asked the question also laughed. Fine, then let them hurry over and sign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The casting director took the contact information he had inquired about and went out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room full of people had just finished the meeting, their tense emotions slightly relaxed, and they were chatting, eating fruit, and drinking tea, waiting for things to be finalized so everyone could go about their business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, the casting director hadn't been out for even two minutes before he returned, holding the phone with a stunned expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Director Zhang, they said it's the college entrance exam today, and he doesn't have time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji's first reaction was that he had lived long enough to see everything; someone actually dared to act like a big shot with him. His face turned cold instantly: \"How did you talk to them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The casting director said very carefully: \"I just said I was from the 'Condor Heroes' crew and wanted to ask if Chen Nuo was interested in the role of Yang Guo?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji said: \"And then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then his agent asked about the schedule, and I said we had to start filming soon, and he said Chen Nuo has to take the college entrance exam and can't come... The person was actually quite polite.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji chuckled twice, stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said: \"Give me the phone, I'll call him myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The call was dialed, and after only two rings, it was picked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft, pleasant male voice: \"Hello, hello, this is Qi Yuntian.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ji knew this was Chen Nuo's agent, so he said: \"Hello, I am Zhang Ji.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice on the other end suddenly became enthusiastic: \"Director Zhang, hello, hello! I've long admired your name, long admired your name. I've loved watching the... 'Legend of the Condor Heroes' and 'Water Margin'—no, wait, 'Hero's Legend'—that you directed since I was a kid. Haha, hahahaha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1495,"2026-06-21T01:34:38.888Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","96b85b77f4fafcbbda80a70b97afcf311ba6570f30373474472234723259c0ca","reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--chapter-56","reborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--chapter-54",491,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Freborn-in-huayu-they-re-forcing-me-to-be-a-jerk--cover.jpg"]