[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme":3,"chapter-starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-chapter-6":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from Hong Shixian: A Chinese Entertainment Rise",{"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},2351285,4599,"Chapter 6: Nothing Wrong with Working in Construction","starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-chapter-6",6,"\u003Cp>Phoenix Hotel, smoking area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard the actress playing the second female lead is from Hong Kong,\" Ling Xiaosu shared the news he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ruoyun felt a toothache the moment he heard this: \"The first female lead is Korean, and the second is from Hong Kong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One speaks Korean, the other speaks Cantonese... can this even be filmed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been stumbling through his own audition just moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not just the language,\" Qi Hui said. \"The script is in three different scripts, too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if you wanted to read the script or know the other person’s lines, it wasn’t that easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruoyun took a deep breath of secondhand smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now you know why I didn't want to take the role?\" Ling Xiaosu took a deep drag of his cigarette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Acting in this would be a nightmare!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it made him so anxious he wanted to speak in Shaanxi dialect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui did not continue the topic, but instead asked Ling Xiaosu for his phone number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Xiaosu did not refuse; he gave his number to Qi Hui, a hint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This junior brother is not bad; he knows how to handle things in a way that makes people comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Qi Hui asked for the number after getting the role, it would carry a sense of repaying a favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Qi Hui asked for the number without getting the role, it would carry a sense of sycophancy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of the outcome, there was a touch of snobbery involved, which made people feel a bit uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Xiaosu recited his phone number and, while he was at it, gave out his QQ number as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui took out his old-fashioned Nokia and wrote down both numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Junior brother, your phone is a bit old,\" Ling Xiaosu said after taking a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui shrugged: \"Just graduated, can't help it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His phone was indeed very old, an outdated Nokia model, so old that it didn't even have Snake on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And while current phones were still feature phones, they had long since gained access to QQ.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to other phones, Qi Hui’s phone looked like a product from a past era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the photographer pushed open the glass door of the smoking area and ran over in a bit of a hurry:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher Qi, the producer would like to see you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Me?\" Qi Hui was stunned for a moment, then a sense of excitement and nervousness welled up in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that he got it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go on, junior brother.\" Ling Xiaosu couldn't hide the joy in his expression; he knew he had likely escaped this hot potato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It really makes one envious...\" Zhang Ruoyun muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Landing a lead role right out of the gate—even he, with all his resources, couldn't manage that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the drama *Snow Leopard*, he had originally wanted the role of Zhou Weiguo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His old man had agreed, too; after all, charity begins at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, his beautiful dream of being the male lead was ruthlessly crushed by the investors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior brother... don't leave just yet,\" Qi Hui called out, then followed the photographer toward the room from earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ruoyun, tell me about Qi Hui,\" Ling Xiaosu said, watching his retreating back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aren't you quite familiar with him... Zhang Ruoyun couldn't help but grumble to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very well, senior brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Audition room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have decided to invite you to play the male lead. Would you be willing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Qi Hui suppressed his rapidly beating heart and nodded slowly: \"No problem, it is my honor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here is the contract, take a look first.\" The producer took out a document and casually pulled out a suitcase, saying:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Regarding food and lodging, we will provide the best hotels and services.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for the pay, our production’s rate is 10,000 per episode.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are 68 episodes in total, plus potential reshoots later; the total pay is 700,000. Do you have any other opinions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui couldn't find any issues, so he signed his name immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the contract completed, the producer and the director both smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What they valued was that Qi Hui was cost-effective and easy to work with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The producer immediately opened the suitcase beside him and took out 10 thick stacks of RMB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the initial payment of 100,000; the remaining funds will be paid in three installments.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui glanced at the suitcase and couldn't help but gasp; it was filled with red hundred-yuan bills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whole thing must have been several million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pity, he wouldn't get to see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eh? Three months?\" Qi Hui was stunned; he had thought they were starting now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course it's in three months,\" the producer said: \"The production is still in preparation; many actors haven't been cast yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui carried the black plastic bag, feeling quite a bit like Wang Duoyu carrying his pork belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Got 100,000 just like that...\" Qi Hui sighed with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Working in construction?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To hell with that... ahem, well, working in construction isn't all that bad either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Providing millions of homes for the masses, building the nation, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s just that for me, Qi, the entertainment industry offers a much broader horizon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui walked with a light step toward the smoking area; it was time to thank his senior and junior brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to treat them to a good meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after Qi Hui reached the smoking area, he found that both of them were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checking his phone, he saw a text message from Xiao Zhang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[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.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui pursed his lips and shrugged helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clothing store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui walked in wearing a white suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their son was still watching the cartoon *Fruity Robo*.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Landlady,\" Qi Hui called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yo? You're back?\" The landlady glanced at him, then continued to bury her head in her work, saying without looking up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your clothes are in the corner, go change yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need,\" Qi Hui interrupted her chatter:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m taking this suit. How much?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he took out a stack of brand-new hundred-yuan bills and gave them a \"flick.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked quite cool, and even the little brat watching *Fruity Robo* couldn't help but widen his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui picked up his old clothes from the corner: \"Sorry, I'm the lead now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, the landlady was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Hui left a few hundred-yuan bills, waved his hand, and left the clothing store carrying his old clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"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.\u003C\u002Fp>",1475,"2026-06-21T03:10:06.472Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","d62f05432565467097b8723ebb52cac5a4ffa22e921b9a83400e5c7a419ff254","starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-chapter-7","starting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-chapter-5",202,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-hong-shixian-a-chinese-entertainme-cover.jpg"]