Chapter 4: You're Overthinking It

The ideal female lead in Cao Yang’s mind must have charm, and also be able to make the audience empathize.

Let the audience feel the female lead’s forced smiles, sadness, loneliness, and free-spiritedness, making the audience’s emotions fluctuate along with the female lead’s.

Of course, this is the most ideal state.

Therefore, the first person Cao Yang thought of was Gong Li.

With Gong Li’s acting skills, coupled with her similar experiences, applying the immersion experience to her would absolutely make this possible.

The second person Cao Yang thought of was Xun Ge’er.

Xun Ge’er’s acting skills are very good; if she were polished a bit more and the immersion experience were applied, there would also be a high probability of success.

Moreover, Xun Ge’er has not become famous yet, so the hope of inviting her to join is very high.

The biggest shortcoming of the two of them is that they lack the charm Cao Yang wants.

Yes, that is charm.

Saying it this way might be a bit pretentious, but that feeling is hard to describe with words.

If one must use plain language, it is probably that once a man takes a look, he wants to take a second look, a third look...

Letting his imagination run wild, his heart itching uncontrollably.

Wanting to protect her, cherish her, and possess her.

The reason Cao Yang wants Gong Li to play the female lead is mainly because she is famous and has extensive connections; acting in it would increase the chances of winning awards, which is a very big plus.

If this movie were filmed ten or eight years later, Cao Yang’s first choice would definitely be Gao Yuanyuan, the kind without any hesitation.

Gao Yuanyuan at around thirty definitely possesses the charm of a mature woman, perfectly fitting the character design of the female lead.

Thinking about it this way, since Gao Yuanyuan ten years later would work, Li Xiaoran, whose acting skills are about the same as hers, might be a good choice at the current stage.

If he thinks of more ways to make Li Xiaoran empathize, get her into the role, and then superimpose an immersion experience on her, the effect Cao Yang wants might just emerge.

"Senior brother, have someone call Li Xiaoran; if she can clear a half-year schedule, the female lead role is hers."

Li Xiaoran ate with Xu Huanhuan; they met while filming *Love in the Rain*, and because they shared a common friend, Chen Kun, they also became very good friends.

Xu Huanhuan and Chen Kun are classmates, both from the 1996 acting class of the Beijing Film Academy.

Chen Kun was Li Xiaoran’s colleague when she was in the song and dance troupe, and also her best friend; Li Xiaoran was able to get the role in *Love in the Rain* because Chen Kun recommended her to Zhao Baogang.

Thus, Zhao Baogang signed Li Xiaoran to Xinbaoyuan, which is a company he co-founded with Hai Yan.

"Huanhuan, aren't you going to *Love in the Sunny Days*?"

*Love in the Sunny Days* sent an invitation; they wanted to use the cast of *Love in the Rain*, with Chen Kun as the male lead and Li Xiaoran given the female lead.

This was the first time Li Xiaoran had received a female lead role in a TV series, and her partner was an acquaintance, Chen Kun; no matter how you look at it, it was a high-quality resource.

Li Xiaoran’s heart was in turmoil; she had also passed the audition for the movie female lead she had interviewed for earlier.

The movie required a half-year schedule from her, and because of the scheduling conflict, she could only choose one of the two, unable to make up her mind for a moment.

The TV series female lead was partnered with an acquaintance, so the risk of error was smaller. But the movie was directed by a student in his twenties; no matter how you look at it, there was a huge risk.

Sister Zhang, who was in charge of agency affairs at the company, didn't even hesitate, directly ruling out the movie option and suggesting she take the TV series.

But as an actor, who doesn't have a heart that yearns for the big screen?

Xu Huanhuan chuckled, "Our schedules clash; I signed a contract for a play earlier, and it’s about to start filming."

"Your company is really good, with one acting contract after another." Li Xiaoran was a bit envious; she used to work freelance, and to get a role, she had to go from one crew to another for auditions—that was truly difficult.

"You just signed with Xinbaoyuan, are you still afraid of having no acting contracts in the future? Isn't there a TV series looking for you to play the female lead right now? It makes me so envious." Xu Huanhuan patted Li Xiaoran and teased.

Li Xiaoran smiled, feeling that she was being a bit pretentious; people are just like this—troubled when there are no contracts, and still troubled when there are.

"Huanhuan, let me ask you about someone. Do you know Cao Yang? From your 1998 directing class at the Beijing Film Academy."

"Oh, Xiaoran, you have quite a lot of charm, a talented man from the Beijing Film Academy is pursuing you? Tell me, how did you meet?" Xu Huanhuan looked like she was ready to listen to gossip.

"Where is your mind? He wants to make a movie, and I went for an audition. I was afraid of being cheated, so I came to ask you about him."

"He’s making a movie? Tsk tsk, that’s really impressive, he’s only a junior."

"What is he like as a person? Is he reliable?"

"He is the youngest in the 1998 directing class. Don't look at his young age; he was admitted with the top professional score. He was a fresh high school graduate, which attracted quite a bit of attention at the time." Xu Huanhuan praised.

"That impressive!"

!

Li Xiaoran knew a little bit; the directing department is the hardest to get into at the Beijing Film Academy. Many students review for many years or take the exam after working. Fresh high school graduates are rare, mainly because they lack the professional knowledge base, making it very hard to get into the directing department.

Being able to get in with the top professional score is quite remarkable!

"That goes without saying."

Xu Huanhuan straightened her upper body and said with reflected glory: "His sophomore practical assignment was just a public service short film he shot casually, and it ended up on CCTV's public service announcements. It’s super impressive, okay?"

"He invited me to play his female lead. Should I go?"

"Slap!"

Xu Huanhuan slapped the table, giving Li Xiaoran a start.

"Go, you must go! Anyway, I am very optimistic about him. He is handsome and talented. Even if the first movie flops, being able to get him is also excellent."

After finishing, she squinted her eyes and reached out to grab something in the air.

"Go away, you lecherous woman, I'm talking to you seriously."

Li Xiaoran smiled and patted the claw she had extended into the air, continuing: "My agent wants me to act in the TV series; she thinks it’s safer."

Xu Huanhuan nodded, "If I were your agent, I would also want you to act in the TV series; this is the safest path."

After a moment of silence, Xu Huanhuan suddenly smiled and said: "I actually hope you go act in the movie; maybe the female lead of the TV series will fall into my lap, haha..."

"Stop messing around, give me some advice quickly."

"Sister, I really can't give you advice. Although Cao Yang is a genius, he hasn't directed a feature film yet and hasn't proven himself. A feature film and a short film are two different things; the risk is very high."

After thinking about it, Xu Huanhuan simply spread her hands and continued: "If you don't take this TV series, I am very likely to be the beneficiary. They give me the lead role, and I really can't refuse."

"If I suggest you go act in the movie, and then the movie doesn't meet expectations, and I replace you as the female lead in the TV series, can we still be friends? Just do what you think is right."

"Alright Huanhuan, I know how to choose now. I will recommend you; you also tell Kun’er, let him say something too, a double insurance."

Li Xiaoran also imitated Xu Huanhuan’s previous action, squinting her eyes and reaching out to grab the air, then clenching her fist.

"Sister is now a movie female lead. Next, I will follow the director’s requirements and go to the seaside villa rented by the crew on Ludong Island to experience a luxurious and extravagant life, all at public expense. Sunshine, beach, big villa, I’ll make you die of envy, haha..."

(End of chapter)