Chapter 38: Living Buddha Ji Gong (Seeking Collections and Recommendations)

Faced with Qi Hui's question, Lei Jiayin pressed his lips together.

He didn't know why — even though he was clearly a few centimeters taller than Qi Hui, he instinctively looked up at him, and an inexplicable urge to turn around and leave rose in his heart.

He didn't know whether this was fear or a guilty conscience.

In short, he was unbearably awkward right now.

He wanted to apologize, but couldn't bring himself to.

He wanted to leave, but felt that would be fleeing in panic — even more embarrassing.

However, Qi Hui wasn't about to indulge him. His gaze darkened slightly, his expression cooled, and he walked toward Lei Jiayin step by step.

"Hey, are you two rehearsing a kissing scene?" At that moment, Director Lin's voice came through the loudspeaker.

In an instant, the sword-drawn, bow-strung tension shattered.

"Director, what are you saying!" Lei Jiayin shouted urgently, striding quickly toward the director.

He still ended up fleeing in panic.

Taking advantage of the opportunity.

Watching his panicked retreating figure, Qi Hui took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled a long plume of white smoke.

It wasn't any big deal, but his mood was indeed somewhat foul.

"Qi Hui, come over here, get ready to shoot the next scene." The assistant director called out to Qi Hui.

"Coming." Qi Hui tossed down the cigarette butt, stamped it out, and walked over.

On the other side.

"Director, were those two about to fight just now?" The assistant director glanced at Qi Hui, then at Lei Jiayin, and couldn't help saying.

"Pretty much," Director Lin said. If not for his shout just now, those two might really have gotten into a fight.

He wasn't worried about Qi Hui — that kid had taken down a fugitive in a couple of moves, verifiable record, ferociously badass.

Lei Jiayin, though a big Northeast guy, if it really came to a fight, how could he possibly be a match for Qi Hui.

Besides, he's so weak right now.

What he was worried about was Lei Jiayin — that big-headed guy was the male second lead of the crew. Although his part was a notch smaller than Qi Hui's, the female second lead Li Caihua and the male third lead Chi Shuai hadn't even joined the crew yet. If something happened, half the shooting schedule would grind to a halt.

Besides, that kid was getting married in a few months — saving him once counts as earning some merit.

"Sigh, almost married and still so hot-headed..." Director Lin shook his head and said, speechless.

Qi Hui is still better!

Cheap, easy to use, and gets famous on his own.

Helpless, he flipped through the documents in his hand, then frowned: "The next scene is a fight scene?"

"Yeah... huh?" The assistant director nodded.

But the moment he finished nodding, he immediately sensed something was off.

Qi Hui and Lei Jiayin's current situation didn't seem suitable for a fight scene.

"Um... should we postpone this scene?" The assistant director thought for a moment and suggested.

"Postpone, my ass." Director Lin glared at him. A whole bunch of extras — around twenty or so — were already in position.

The people are here, the costumes are changed, and then you say we're not shooting.

So do we pay them or not?

And even if we postpone, what scene do we shoot now?

Are the actors for that scene on set right now?

What if they're not?

"Keep shooting," Director Lin thought for a moment and said. "Go talk to Qi Hui — in this scene he's the one getting beaten. Make sure he doesn't get worked up and beat up someone else instead."

That kid hits without any sense of restraint — watching the video of him beating that fugitive, even Lin Tianyi got a bit jittery, afraid Qi Hui might injure Lei Jiayin.

Don't be fooled by Qi Hui looking less burly than Lei Jiayin — in reality he's ferociously strong.

"Also, when you talk to him, appeal to his emotions and reason. By the way, mention the thing about Lei Jiayin getting married, get him to show some consideration... forget it, I'll go say it myself."

Lin Tianyi said helplessly, casually stuffing the documents into the assistant director's arms, and walked toward Qi Hui.

The assistant director took the documents, thought for a moment, and walked toward Lei Jiayin.

That side needed some work too — couldn't let Qi Hui take all the losses alone.

……

"Huh? Getting married?" Qi Hui said in surprise.

"Yeah, in a few more months." Director Lin sighed with feeling: "Lei Jiayin that kid is dirt poor, counting on his pay to fund the wedding — and it's just a supporting-role paycheck."

"... Alright then." Qi Hui shrugged. "I won't bother with him."

"Good kid." Director Lin's gaze at Qi Hui grew increasingly appreciative — handsome, capable, puts the big picture first.

In this restless entertainment circle, someone so down-to-earth was already rare.

Far better than those youngsters from Hong Kong and Taiwan.

What's especially precious is that he's still a young man fresh out of school.

Even if he didn't go into entertainment, making a career in some other field probably wouldn't be impossible.

"I'll save you a role in my next production — how about playing a supporting character?" Director Lin issued the invitation.

"Huh?" Qi Hui was a bit surprised, then his eyeballs immediately rolled, and he laughed wryly: "Supporting character? Not the lead? I'm playing the lead right now."

"You kid..." Lin Tianyi pointed at Qi Hui, half amused, half helpless: "Don't even think about the lead — that TV series is invested by Hong Kong's side, they require using their people."

"At most I can bring along a few supporting characters."

Of course he could tell Qi Hui was testing him.

"Oh?" Qi Hui raised an eyebrow: "What kind of show?"

"The story of Ji Gong, but the script was heavily altered by the Hong Kong side." Lin Tianyi thought for a moment and said, "The male lead is Chen Haonan... oh, Chen Haomin."

"Chen Haonan..." Qi Hui's face darkened — I'm also Mountain Chicken, aren't I!

But now that Director Lin mentioned it, he too was starting to recall what drama it was.

*The Living Buddha Ji Gong*

A fantasy TV series that blended Ji Gong's story with *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* plotlines.

The first two seasons were pretty good, but the later ones got more and more absurd.

Their "Hong family" appeared in this show quite a bit — for instance, Hong Shixian's sister Hong Shixin played the rabbit spirit Bai Xue in it.

And the eldest sister Baolian played the fox spirit Hua Niang.

The fox spirit Jiang Yuyan... oh wait, Bai Ling.

The fox spirit Hua Niang was Bai Ling's aunt, and she and Bai Ling even shared the same painted-skin face.

Besides the two Hong sisters, there were also the Gao siblings — Gao Yuan Shanshan and Gao Wenyan were in it too.

Tu Liman, who played Gao Yuan Shanshan, also had a role in it — what a coincidence, the character was also surnamed Hong, called Hong Xiuying, a charming young widow dressed all in white.

The kind that makes anyone who sees her feel pity!

And Chi Shuai, who played Gao Wenyan, also appeared in it as a scholar whose heart was dug out by a fox spirit.

Hmm... that's not important.

At this rate, Director Lin had practically moved the entire *Temptation to Go Home* cast over.

"Alright, I'll go make a cameo then." Qi Hui agreed on the spot.

Director Lin patted Qi Hui's shoulder: "I'll get you a decent supporting role."

"The focus of this show is really on the supporting cast. Chen Haonan... min's lead character is more of a deus ex machina type who resolves conflicts."

Qi Hui nodded at those words — that was true enough.

He still remembered right now those supporting characters: Bai Ling, Bai Xue, Hua Niang, Ming Zhu, and the Ling Zhu guy played by Yan Kuan.

As for the lead Chen Haonan... ahem, the Ji Gong played by Chen Haomin — aside from the fact that he was great at fighting and knew a move called "Arhat Overturning Heaven Seal," he basically left no impression.

"Let's go, keep filming." Director Lin said, leading Qi Hui onto the set.

Lei Jiayin was already waiting on set. His expression was unnatural, a little awkward, but his neck was stiff — looking like someone who knew he was in the wrong yet didn't want to apologize.

Qi Hui glanced at him and, out of respect for Director Lin's face, ignored him.

But Director Lin and the executive director, watching the two of them, couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache coming on — this was going to be a tough one to film.

"Both of you, come here. Let me walk you through the scene. The next bit is a fight scene — Qi Hui takes the beating, Lei Jiayin, you're the one throwing the punches."

"First, pay attention to safety. Put power into it, put emotion into it, but don't actually hit the person. Got it..."