Chapter 6: Nothing Wrong with Working in Construction

Phoenix Hotel, smoking area.

Qi Hui’s Liqun cigarettes were shared between his senior and junior brothers; the three of them puffed on the mellow, fragrant white smoke together.

As for the cigarette brand Liqun, when one person smokes it, it’s just "benefiting oneself," but when a group smokes it, it’s truly "benefiting the group."

"I heard the actress playing the second female lead is from Hong Kong," Ling Xiaosu shared the news he knew.

Zhang Ruoyun felt a toothache the moment he heard this: "The first female lead is Korean, and the second is from Hong Kong?"

"One speaks Korean, the other speaks Cantonese... can this even be filmed?"

He had been stumbling through his own audition just moments ago.

"It’s not just the language," Qi Hui said. "The script is in three different scripts, too."

Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.

Even if you wanted to read the script or know the other person’s lines, it wasn’t that easy.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruoyun took a deep breath of secondhand smoke.

"Now you know why I didn't want to take the role?" Ling Xiaosu took a deep drag of his cigarette.

Acting in this would be a nightmare!

Just thinking about it made him so anxious he wanted to speak in Shaanxi dialect.

Qi Hui did not continue the topic, but instead asked Ling Xiaosu for his phone number.

Ling Xiaosu did not refuse; he gave his number to Qi Hui, a hint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.

This junior brother is not bad; he knows how to handle things in a way that makes people comfortable.

If Qi Hui asked for the number after getting the role, it would carry a sense of repaying a favor.

If Qi Hui asked for the number without getting the role, it would carry a sense of sycophancy.

Regardless of the outcome, there was a touch of snobbery involved, which made people feel a bit uncomfortable.

Ling Xiaosu recited his phone number and, while he was at it, gave out his QQ number as well.

Qi Hui took out his old-fashioned Nokia and wrote down both numbers.

"Junior brother, your phone is a bit old," Ling Xiaosu said after taking a glance.

Qi Hui shrugged: "Just graduated, can't help it."

His phone was indeed very old, an outdated Nokia model, so old that it didn't even have Snake on it.

And while current phones were still feature phones, they had long since gained access to QQ.

Compared to other phones, Qi Hui’s phone looked like a product from a past era.

At this moment, the photographer pushed open the glass door of the smoking area and ran over in a bit of a hurry:

"Teacher Qi, the producer would like to see you."

"Me?" Qi Hui was stunned for a moment, then a sense of excitement and nervousness welled up in his eyes.

Could it be that he got it?

"Go on, junior brother." Ling Xiaosu couldn't hide the joy in his expression; he knew he had likely escaped this hot potato.

"It really makes one envious..." Zhang Ruoyun muttered.

Landing a lead role right out of the gate—even he, with all his resources, couldn't manage that.

For the drama *Snow Leopard*, he had originally wanted the role of Zhou Weiguo.

His old man had agreed, too; after all, charity begins at home.

However, his beautiful dream of being the male lead was ruthlessly crushed by the investors.

They claimed that if the lead wasn't Wenzhang, they would withdraw their funding; there was nothing he could do but obediently go play a supporting role.

"Senior brother... don't leave just yet," Qi Hui called out, then followed the photographer toward the room from earlier.

"Ruoyun, tell me about Qi Hui," Ling Xiaosu said, watching his retreating back.

Aren't you quite familiar with him... Zhang Ruoyun couldn't help but grumble to himself.

"Very well, senior brother."

Audition room.

As soon as Qi Hui entered, the producer stood up and said with a smile, getting straight to the point: "Sorry to keep you waiting, Teacher Qi."

"We have decided to invite you to play the male lead. Would you be willing?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Hui suppressed his rapidly beating heart and nodded slowly: "No problem, it is my honor."

"Here is the contract, take a look first." The producer took out a document and casually pulled out a suitcase, saying:

"Regarding food and lodging, we will provide the best hotels and services."

"As for the pay, our production’s rate is 10,000 per episode."

"There are 68 episodes in total, plus potential reshoots later; the total pay is 700,000. Do you have any other opinions?"

"...Ahem, no objections, I’ll leave it to you." Qi Hui flipped through the contract; it was very comprehensive, with the rights and obligations of both parties clearly defined, as well as conditions like breach-of-contract penalties.

Qi Hui couldn't find any issues, so he signed his name immediately.

Seeing the contract completed, the producer and the director both smiled.

What they valued was that Qi Hui was cost-effective and easy to work with.

The producer immediately opened the suitcase beside him and took out 10 thick stacks of RMB.

"This is the initial payment of 100,000; the remaining funds will be paid in three installments."

Qi Hui glanced at the suitcase and couldn't help but gasp; it was filled with red hundred-yuan bills.

The whole thing must have been several million.

The producer silently closed the suitcase; this money had been prepared for Ling Xiaosu, intended to pay his salary in cash all at once to fully demonstrate the production team's sincerity.

Pity, he wouldn't get to see it.

"There is one more thing," Director Lin Tianyi said: "The production starts in three months at the Shanghai Film Park; be sure to arrive on time."

"Eh? Three months?" Qi Hui was stunned; he had thought they were starting now.

"Of course it's in three months," the producer said: "The production is still in preparation; many actors haven't been cast yet."

Leaving the room.

Qi Hui carried the black plastic bag, feeling quite a bit like Wang Duoyu carrying his pork belly.

"Got 100,000 just like that..." Qi Hui sighed with emotion.

Working in construction?

To hell with that... ahem, well, working in construction isn't all that bad either.

Providing millions of homes for the masses, building the nation, after all.

It’s just that for me, Qi, the entertainment industry offers a much broader horizon!

Qi Hui walked with a light step toward the smoking area; it was time to thank his senior and junior brothers.

He had to treat them to a good meal.

However, after Qi Hui reached the smoking area, he found that both of them were gone.

Checking his phone, he saw a text message from Xiao Zhang:

[Senior brother, Ling and I had something to take care of, so we left. We'll find you for a drink next time and really bleed you dry, you big landlord.]

Qi Hui pursed his lips and shrugged helplessly.

Clothing store.

Qi Hui walked in wearing a white suit.

The boss was still playing games at the front desk, and the landlady was busy in the shop, organizing clothes with her long, silk-clad legs.

Their son was still watching the cartoon *Fruity Robo*.

"Landlady," Qi Hui called out.

"Yo? You're back?" The landlady glanced at him, then continued to bury her head in her work, saying without looking up:

"Your clothes are in the corner, go change yourself."

"Don't leave after you change; I need to inspect my white suit. That thing is very expensive; any damage, stains, or wrinkles will cost extra, and there's also the dry cleaning fee, and the ironing fee you'll need to..."

"No need," Qi Hui interrupted her chatter:

"I’m taking this suit. How much?"

As he spoke, he took out a stack of brand-new hundred-yuan bills and gave them a "flick."

He looked quite cool, and even the little brat watching *Fruity Robo* couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"Yo? Can you make that much just by being an extra?" The landlady looked Qi Hui up and down; this kid didn't break the law, did he?

Qi Hui picked up his old clothes from the corner: "Sorry, I'm the lead now."

Upon hearing this, the landlady was stunned.

"I am the great lead that the whole world is watching, hahaha..." On the TV, Xiao Guoding sat inside the Fruit Emperor, looking at the *Fruity Robo* team shattered on the ground, laughing wildly at the sky.

Qi Hui left a few hundred-yuan bills, waved his hand, and left the clothing store carrying his old clothes.

"Mom, I want to be a great lead when I grow up too..." The little boy’s voice faintly echoed from the clothing store behind him.