Chapter 140: Fan Fan Bingbing

The background of *Nine-Tailed Fox* was set in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. As early as the Tang Dynasty, there were similar legendary stories in the writings of Tang people.

In order to restore the costumes and props of that time, Cao Yang hired several historians specializing in the Sui and Tang Dynasties as consultants.

These people were the leaders in researching Sui and Tang history. Of course, they were more inclined towards the social life, clothing, and etiquette aspects that Cao Yang wanted.

Wu Director Li Yu, researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, doctoral supervisor. Her early research mainly focused on Tang Dynasty fiscal history and salt industry history, and in recent years, she turned to the study of Dunhuang book rituals and Tang and Five Dynasties ritual culture history.

Huang Zhengjian, researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, doctoral supervisor. He mainly researched the history of social life in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, focusing on the study of Tang Dynasty clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

Wu Yugui, researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, doctoral supervisor. He researched Tang Dynasty culture, customs, clothing, and the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions.

Xin Dexiong, researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, doctoral supervisor. He researched the transportation and geographical literature of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, as well as border geography.

These few, together with Tim Yip, tried their best to restore the costumes, props, and common sense issues.

Cao Yang had just finished discussing with them when he received a phone call.

Looking at the name in the remarks, it was a bit unexpected.

"Hello, Teacher Cui."

"Hello, Cao Dao. It's very presumptuous to call you."

"It's fine, Teacher Cui. Is there anything?"

Cui Xiqin was also a member of the 78th class

She also brought out the famous Class of '96 star class from the Beijing Film Academy.

"It's like this, Cao Dao. I once taught a student named Huang Huang Xiaoming. He said he received an audition invitation for your new film, but it's been a while now and he hasn't received any notification. He values this opportunity very much and has been thinking about it constantly these days, so he entrusted me to ask about the result."

Cao Yang smiled slightly, "I'm sorry, Teacher Cui. I interviewed quite a few actors at the time. Huang Xiaoming's acting skills are actually quite good, and he has a lot of potential, but he is a bit too young and doesn't quite fit the character's profile."

"Alright, Cao Dao, I understand. Thank you. That..."

"Teacher Cui, if you have something to say, just say it directly. We are all our own people."

"Cao Dao, Huang Xiaoming has always admired you. Are there any small roles in your crew with only a few lines? Even a walk-on part would be fine. He can audition for it; it would fulfill one of his wishes."

Cui Cui Xinqin said, thickening her skin.

"Teacher Cui, you're saying this too late. You should know that a while ago, during the audition at the school, I reserved a few roles for the current students. I don't have any roles with any weight left in my hands now."

"I see. Thank you, Cao Dao. I'm really sorry."

"You're too polite, Teacher Cui."

Cao Yang thought for a moment, smiled, and casually reminded her, "Han Zong of China Film Group has a supporting role with a decent amount of screen time. I don't know if he has found a suitable candidate yet."

Who knows which actor China Film Group will pick? It's better to do Cui Cui Xinqin a personal favor and let her figure it out herself. When Huang Huang Xiaoming isn't playing a domineering CEO, people say he is strong when facing the strong, so his acting skills are actually quite good.

Han Zong of China Film Group, strictly speaking, is also a Beijing Film Academy person; he once studied in the director's advanced training class there.

Cui Cui Xinqin hurriedly said, "Thank you, Cao Dao. We are our own people, so I won't say anything too polite. Teacher Situ mentioned you to me a while ago, and his tone was full of pride."

"Ha, I've been too busy lately and haven't seen the teacher for some days. As long as I don't let the teacher down, that's good."

"Alright then, you're busy, Cao Dao. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

The Class of '78 didn't have many students back then, nor many teachers. Everyone sometimes shared classrooms for lessons, so it could be said that every teacher had taught them.

After hanging up the phone, Cao Yang shook his head. He had received quite a few calls like this recently. Of course, no one dared to ask Cao Yang directly for a lead role; they were all tentatively asking if they could audition for a small part.

What's interesting is that they all asked if they could "audition" for a small role.

Hearing the doorbell, Yu Yu Feihong, wearing pajamas and slippers, opened the door. "Sister, look what this is? Helena. I brought it over specially for you to try."

"Oh my, Fan Bingbing, you are so good to me." Yu Yu Feihong hugged her and said very affectionately.

Pang Bing was all smiles, "As long as you like it, sister."

Yu Yu Feihong pulled Pang Bing to sit down, and the two chatted happily, looking just like a pair of best friends.

Pang Bing had once played Yu Yu Feihong's maid in "Xiao Li Fei Dao". At that time, their relationship was okay, but it was far from being best friends.

But after "Empty Room" helped Yu Yu Feihong win the Venice Best Actress award, Pang Bing's thinking changed.

She found it difficult to get close to Cao Yang, and following her own wild speculations, she felt that Yu Yu Feihong must have something going on with Cao Yang.

So, she changed her approach.

While attending an event, she "ran into" Venice Best Actress Yu Yu Feihong and took the initiative to recall the scenes from when they were filming "Xiao Li Fei Dao".

She joked that she didn't expect that in just two years, her former "mistress" had transformed into a Venice International Best Actress. Pang Bing congratulated her very sincerely and even showed a certain amount of envy, revealing her true feelings.

!

Through casual flattery, it took less than half a month for the two to become good friends.

And in less than half a year, they became best friends who talked about everything.

So sometimes, as long as you can put down your pride and face, lower your posture, and most importantly, be thick-skinned, there is nothing you can't accomplish, especially when it comes to making friends.

"Sister, didn't Cao Dao start a new film? You have a schedule now, why don't you go play the female lead?"

As best friends who talked about everything, Pang Bing knew about the affair between Yu Yu Feihong and Cao Yang.

"Sigh, I get annoyed just mentioning this."

Yu Yu Feihong sighed and said, "He did ask me, intending for me to play the female lead, the role of the male lead's wife. It was supposed to be a happy thing..."

"Isn't that great?"

Pang Bing blinked her big eyes, full of curiosity, burying her envy in her heart without showing it.

"Great, my foot."

Yu Yu Feihong snorted, "The other female lead is Gao Gao Yuanyuan."

"A scene between a Venice Best Actress and a Cannes Best Actress—what a huge gimmick."

Pang Bing held back her laughter, took Yu Yu Feihong's arm, and feigned ignorance, saying, "Sister, you don't seem happy?"

"It would be strange if I were happy."

Yu Yu Feihong tapped Pang Bing's forehead with her finger, "If you want to laugh, just laugh. Don't hold it in and hurt yourself."

"Haha, sister, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh." Pang Bing immediately started laughing.

"Humph, that jerk Cao Yang, he thinks I don't know? With that messy business between him and Gao Gao Yuanyuan, he really thinks he can hide it from me?"

Yu Yu Feihong snorted again, "He even wants me to play opposite her. You don't know the content of the script. Phew, that jerk, whoever wants to act can act, but I'm not going to look at it."

Afterwards, she spat and said, "I won't play the female lead. I can't afford to lose that face. That jerk thinks I don't know. If it weren't for the school secretly suppressing it, his scandal with Gao Gao Yuanyuan would have been all over the place long ago."

Pang Bing secretly glanced at Yu Yu Feihong, thinking to herself, which big director isn't like this? You think he thinks you don't know, but maybe this is exactly what he wants you to know.

As such a young big director, how could he be a fool? He plays the game of human relationships and worldly wisdom very well.

"Sister, why don't you arrange for me to join the crew? I'll just play a small role. I'll keep an eye on Cao Dao for you and report back to you if anything happens, okay?"

(End of chapter)