Chapter 91: I Have Refused

Cao Yang was a bit dazed. You aren't sleeping in the middle of the night, and you ran to my room...

Alright, I know what you mean, but aren't you in the same room as Wang Luodan? You ran to the director's room in the middle of the night; aren't you afraid Wang Luodan will spread it around and cause a bad impression?

"Dong Xuan, what is it?"

Cao Yang closed the door as he went, mainly for fear of being seen. He didn't care about himself, but he was afraid of affecting Dong Xuan's reputation.

After coming in, Dong Xuan was actually a bit bashful. She kept her head down; although she had given herself enough mental preparation before coming, now that it had come to this, she still couldn't let go.

"Director Cao, I, I want you to guide my acting."

Once these words were out, Dong Xuan felt a sense of relief. She raised her head and looked at Cao Yang's sunny, handsome face, feeling slightly infatuated.

Such a young and handsome big director who can also promote actors—which actress wouldn't be dazed?

Hmph, they don't have the chance.

Right, the chance; I must seize the chance.

Dong Xuan cheered herself on in her heart once more.

Cao Yang always had the feeling that his own lines had been stolen.

Shouldn't it be the director saying to the actress: Come to my room tonight, and I'll give you some acting guidance...

"Dong Xuan, it's too late today. Be careful that Luodan doesn't leave the door locked for you later."

Cao Yang smiled and reminded her. You aren't living alone; if Wang Luodan has a big mouth, everyone will know about your business tomorrow.

When you go back to school, there will definitely be people spreading rumors too.

If it were an ordinary film crew, it would be fine; it's perfectly normal for a director to give an actress acting guidance in the middle of the night, and everyone is used to it.

The key is that Cao Yang's crew is a bit different. It's nominally a practical film under the school's name, and with so many students interning on the crew, it would have a very bad impact if it got out, and the school would also be put in a very passive position.

"Director Cao, don't be angry when I say this. Luodan and the others felt that since filming wrapped today, they wanted to relax, so a few of them snuck off to an internet cafe to stay up all night."

After Dong Xuan finished speaking, she lowered her head involuntarily, but then immediately raised it, looking into Cao Yang's eyes and meeting his gaze.

Fine, noted. I'll have to lecture those few tomorrow. If something happens, it'll be a huge mess.

Before Cao Yang could say anything else, Dong Xuan gathered her courage, stepped forward, and hugged him directly. "Director Cao, I want to improve so much. I really want you to guide my acting."

"Dong Xuan, I understand what you mean. Listen to me."

Cao Yang stopped Dong Xuan, who was about to speak. "I don't want to lie to you. I might be going to Hollywood next, and I won't be filming Chinese-language movies for the time being, so I have no way to promote you."

Then, Dong Xuan's eyes widened.

Director Cao, you misunderstood. I wasn't thinking of reaching the sky in a single bound. I'm only a sophomore now. My greatest hope is just for you to keep me in mind and arrange a supporting role for me in your movies from time to time.

Now you're actually saying you're going to Hollywood... That's Hollywood! When the time comes, if you're happy and just casually arrange a small supporting role for me, I'll be an international star!

What else is there to say? Hurry up and finalize this.

Dong Xuan stood on her tiptoes and kissed him directly...

Everything that needed to be said has been made clear. If you still insist on this, I'm no saint.

Before dawn the next day, Dong Xuan snuck back, fearing she would be discovered by Wang Luodan returning from her all-nighter. Cao Yang couldn't help but feel guilty again; he had failed Teacher Situ. He shouldn't have been drinking yesterday... Oh, he hadn't been drinking. The feng shui of the Directing Department is trash; Old Situ was right, they should have moved the school long ago.

Then he thought, I only had a relationship with a supporting actress; I didn't get involved with the lead actress this time. That's a big improvement.

Unlike those people from the Directing and Cinematography departments who are always getting involved with the lead actresses. Ugh, disgusting.

After daybreak, having eaten breakfast, Cao Yang called Cheng Jianye over and told him that some students had gone out to stay up all night. These students needed to be criticized and educated; if something happened, both the crew and the school would have to bear the responsibility.

If it weren't for these people, Cao Yang felt he definitely wouldn't have made a mistake. They should at least bear some of the responsibility.

It must be said that having local government support makes things convenient. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and buying tickets now would definitely be very difficult in some places.

After Cheng Jianye coordinated with the local government, the local departments specifically dispatched a bus straight to Jingcheng. For the staff and actors who weren't going to Jingcheng and chose to go straight home, they also managed to buy tickets.

Cao Yang had to return to Jingcheng first to seal the filmed reels before heading back to his hometown for the New Year.

He and Gu Changwei didn't take the bus but bought plane tickets directly to Jingcheng.

After a lot of tossing and turning, by the time Cao Yang returned to his hometown, it was already the afternoon of New Year's Eve. He had thought he could spend a quiet and peaceful Spring Festival at home, but that turned out to be wishful thinking.

Once it was known that Cao Yang was back, first came the relatives and friends, then the distant relatives and near neighbors—they all came.

!

If it were just normal, casual social interaction, it would be fine. It's just that some people who have no sense of propriety start off by saying:

Cao Yang, you're doing well now and have become a famous director. After the New Year, let my so-and-so go with you to be an assistant director and learn something...

Listen to that—the moment they open their mouths, it's "assistant director."

Or they say: My so-and-so has wanted to be a star since they were a child. You're a director now, can you film a movie for my so-and-so...

These words and these things seem very childish. If written in a novel, the author might be scolded by readers for being unrealistic.

But the reality is that such things really happen, and there are quite a few such people.

If they just wanted to learn something, Cao Yang wouldn't mind arranging for them to be an apprentice at the Qingying Studio.

But if you say you'll arrange for them to be an apprentice, the other party will likely immediately think you've made it big and are looking down on them—you're such a famous director, and you're actually arranging for the child of so-and-so to be the lowest-level apprentice?

Are you looking down on us?

Whenever he encounters this, Cao Yang always explains with a smile: Oh, you're joking. I'm still a student; I'm only a senior this year. If I had that kind of ability, why would I still be in school...

Once Cao Yang says this, those who asked might actually be happy in their hearts: I knew it—no matter how impressive a student is, how impressive can he really be? It must be rumors being spread outside...

This wave of people finished, but the matter wasn't over; there was another wave of people to follow.

Leaders from his parents' workplace, leaders from the local government, and even leaders at the municipal level... they all came to the house under the guise of paying a visit.

These people generally knew of Cao Yang's influence, and every one of them was very polite when they saw him.

Once these people came, those relatives, friends, and neighbors who had already come once were very likely to come again. They might not be very clear about Cao Yang's power, but they understood the government and knew what it meant for leaders to come in person.

Those who hadn't thought of asking Cao Yang for help before would also develop new ideas.

He stayed at home for five days in total. When a relative who was barely within the five degrees of mourning opened his mouth to ask if Cao Yang could help arrange for his son to work in the local government, Cao Yang knew it was time to return to Jingcheng.

During these few days of the New Year, Cao Yang felt more tired than when he was filming. It would be more satisfying to roll into the editing room as soon as possible and edit the film reels in peace and quiet.

(End of chapter)