Chapter 15: Strong Influence, Can Keep Things Under Control

In the scene, Ling Xiaosu was slightly stunned.

Qi Hui's slickness and greasiness left him momentarily unable to react.

He looked as handsome as Li Ming, yet acted like a greasy, middle-aged businessman full of worldly cunning, making it hard for people to adapt.

But soon, Ling Xiaosu came to his senses, realizing he had been unable to keep up with the act.

He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth; fortunately, the director called cut, or he would have made a fool of himself.

Old Ling didn't know that Qi Hui was performing beyond his usual capacity this time, essentially playing himself.

Otherwise, he couldn't have acted so well.

"Xiao Qi, how about signing the contract now?" Director Jiang Wei said with a smile: "If you wish, I'll let you play the role of Xie Ruolin."

"Thank you, Director." Qi Hui immediately nodded and agreed.

Seeing this, the casting director immediately took documents out of his bag.

There were many supporting actors in the crew, so of course, multiple copies of the contracts were printed to facilitate signing at any time.

"Your scenes total thirty, five thousand per scene, how does that sound?" Jiang Wei said.

He was fair, offering a market price.

Xie Ruolin was just a minor supporting character; his scenes didn't even rank in the top ten of the entire drama.

Before Qi Hui could speak, Ling Xiaosu said, "It's too little, Director."

"My junior brother only has two months; after two months, he will go to play the male lead."

Qi Hui looked gratefully at Ling Xiaosu; this senior brother was truly great, someone worth getting along with!

"Oh?" Director Jiang Wei and the casting director both looked at Qi Hui with some surprise; wasn't he supposed to be a newcomer?

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Wei said, "Alright, then eight thousand per scene, totaling 240,000... hmm, four sounds bad, let's make it 250,000."

"No problem." Upon hearing this, Qi Hui immediately agreed.

Immediately, the casting director drafted the contract, and Qi Hui signed his name and bank account number on it.

The first 80,000 in remuneration would arrive within five working days, with the remainder transferred in two installments.

Qi Hui had once again secured an income of several tens of thousands.

He couldn't help but sigh; truly, the entertainment industry was a place where hot money was everywhere, much faster than mixing concrete.

Mixing concrete was not only bitter, but the client also dragged their feet on paying the project funds every day.

Not only did they drag their feet, but they also made the construction party advance the workers' wages and material costs.

Just thinking about it made one's teeth itch with anger!

However, since Senior Brother Ling and the Director were so supportive, Qi Hui couldn't just take the benefits without giving something back.

We can't be lacking in character!

After thinking for a moment, Qi Hui said, "Director, there is something I want to tell you."

"What?"

The sudden remark made everyone in the room pause in surprise.

Qi Hui said slowly, "There is an A-level wanted fugitive in our crew who has been on the run for over ten years."

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was greatly shocked.

On the set, filming continued.

"Idiots, two idiots fit for a museum!" Wu Jingzhong, played by Feng Enhe, angrily scolded his wife and Cuiping:

"I went there to work, not to mess around!"

The executive director nodded; indeed, an old actor, this performance was rock solid.

"Teacher Sun, get ready, get ready to enter." The executive director shouted.

Waiting "outside the door," Sun Honglei waited for the signal; as Feng Enhe finished his last line, he pushed the door open and entered naturally:

"Station Master, I'm here."

"Ah... good." 【Wu Jingzhong】 nodded, the anger on his face subsiding slightly.

【Yu Zecheng】, seeing his wife, asked in surprise, "Why are you here too?"

"Cut!"

But at this moment, the executive director suddenly called a stop.

Sun Honglei was slightly stunned; he hadn't made a mistake.

"Teacher Yao, your emotion is a bit off," the executive director shouted.

Sun Honglei understood; it was Yao Chen who had the problem.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault." Yao Chen raised her hand and said, "How about we take a break?"

Saying this, without waiting for the executive director's reply, she walked out of the set and sat down on her own.

She gave Director Jiang Wei a little face, but as for the executive director... he wasn't qualified enough.

On the scene, only the executive director and the three actors were left staring at each other.

"I'll go talk to her." Seeing this, Sun Honglei could only say to those present.

Producer Ju Chunlei once revealed that Yao Chen had cheated four times, twice before marriage and twice during marriage.

The two during marriage were once with Sun Honglei during the filming of "The潜伏" (In the Shadows), but this matter was never clearly confirmed, belonging to mere hearsay.

The other was with the cinematographer Cao Yu, who later became her husband.

Although it was mere hearsay, the relationship between Yao Chen and Sun Honglei was indeed quite good at the moment.

Outside the set, Sun Honglei sat down beside Yao Chen: "Why such a big mistake? Is your state not good?"

"I'm in a bad mood," Yao Chen said, reaching out to pat Sun Honglei's shirt, fishing a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, taking one out, and lighting it for himself.

"Hoo~" He exhaled a long breath, white smoke drifting slowly out; Yao Chen let out a long sigh as well.

Sun Honglei thought for a moment and asked, "The two junior brothers of yours who came today?"

He was from the Central Academy of Drama, while Yao Chen was from the Beijing Film Academy.

"Xiao Zhang doesn't count," Yao Chen replied. "The other one."

Sun Honglei lit a cigarette too, somewhat puzzled: "What did he do to you?"

That young man was handsome, sunny and cheerful, humorous, spoke well, and had nothing uncomfortable about him at all?

Yao Chen skillfully flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "My Old Ling gave him two roles, one after the other."

Sun Honglei fell silent; your Old Ling gave you even more roles.

"Pull yourself together, we still have work to continue," Sun Honglei said, then crushed the cigarette still more than half full in his hand, stood up, and left.

The other party was a married woman; he could communicate out of work necessity, but still needed to be careful about the impression it made.

In the room, the four of them—Ling Xiaosu, Jiang Wei, and the others—had their faces change drastically.

"A wanted criminal?"

"What's going on?"

"Damn? That's so outrageous?"

"Brother, speak up quickly!"

Facing the four's anxiety, Qi Hui pressed his lips together, took out a pack of Liqun, and distributed them to the four.

Liqun is strong; it can suppress trouble.

The four silently lit their cigarettes, took a deep drag, and their emotions stabilized slightly.

Seeing them calm down, Qi Hui tapped the ash from his cigarette and told them about the fugitive Ji Shiguang, who had escaped under the alias Zhang Guofeng.

Hearing this, the casting director sucked in a breath of... secondhand smoke, his face filled with shock.

Before signing with Qi Hui, he had just signed a contract with Zhang Guofeng.

The other party had few lines, just a few shots in one scene, but he had been personally recommended by Deputy Director Li.

He had even chatted a bit with that kind-hearted Fatty, never expecting him to be a vicious wanted criminal who had hijacked, robbed, and injured people.

Although he was merely an accomplice, he was still very dangerous!

"Xiao Qi, what do you plan to do?" Director Jiang Wei asked in a deep voice, puffing on the Liqun cigarette by cigarette.

He realized this was a great opportunity to promote "The潜伏" (In the Shadows).

"Director, this is your turf, of course we'll listen to you," Qi Hui chuckled and said.

Ling Xiaosu and Zhang Ruoyun exchanged a glance, feeling somewhat surprised at Qi Hui; this was a prime opportunity to become famous.

Just giving it to someone else like that?

"You kid, you're definitely going to be famous in the future," Jiang Wei, feeling delighted, chuckled and said.

With such skill at handling matters, it would be hard not to become famous.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Wei said, "I am the director; my reputation relies on the work. This chance to be in the spotlight, I'll leave to you actors."

"You handle it; if you need any help, just tell me."

Actually, wanting to eat alone wasn't realistic; Ling Xiaosu wouldn't agree.

Rather than starting a conflict, it was better to go with the flow and hand it over to Qi, Ling, and Zhang.

Anyway, no matter how it was handled, the reputation of "The潜伏" (In the Shadows) would be spread, and he wouldn't lose either way.

"The director is generous!" Ling Xiaosu grinned and gave a thumbs up.

Qi Hui glanced at Xiao Zhang and Old Ling and said, "Senior brother, junior brother, this time we're going to team up to catch a wanted criminal!"

"Hehe... I came back for the right reason!" Zhang Ruoyun rubbed his hands together; far from being afraid, he was eager to try.