Chapter 107

Huo Siyan, from Jingcheng, grew up with her grandparents and later debuted after appearing in commercials.

Afterwards, at age twenty, Huo Siyan met the first benefactor of her acting career.

Shen Haofang, director of "The Happy Life of Fatty Zhang Damin"

Director Shen greatly admired Huo Siyan's pure appearance and cast her as Zhang Daxue, Zhang Damin's younger sister in the drama; considering her youth and lack of formal training, he frequently offered guidance and assistance.

With this role, Huo Siyan successfully entered the performing arts circle from the advertising world and met another benefactor: Liu Heng, the screenwriter of "The Happy Life of Fatty Zhang Damin."

Compared to Director Shen, Liu Heng, as a renowned writer and screenwriter, had extremely strong connections within the industry.

Not to mention, he contributed to the screenplays of Zhang Yimou's "Ju Dou" and "The Story of Qiu Ju," or even adapted his own novels directly.

With enthusiastic recommendations from Director Shen and Liu Heng, Huo Siyan appeared in Multiple Works.

Later, in "The Young Emperor," written and directed by Liu Heng, Huo Siyan played the pivotal role of Wuyunzhu—a character who stood out and brought her minor fame.

When the "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" project was being assembled, Wang Decai's chosen executive producer happened to know Liu Heng.

The producer thought the project promising and highly favorable for boosting careers, so Huo Siyan's materials were sent over.

Yan Li reviewed Huo's materials, found her appearance and demeanor suitable, and thought she would fit well in ancient costume—he decided to give her a try.

More importantly, Liu Heng hinted they could exchange resources.

If Yan Li used Huo Siyan in "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies," in return he could help introduce Yan Li's people to roles in other films or TV dramas.

For example, he had connections for "Iron Teeth and Copper Jaw Ji Xiaolan 3" and "The Young Kangxi."

He also knew many film directors, even had ties to Zhang Yimou.

This was an almost openly acknowledged unwritten rule in the film and television industry.

If the project you're preparing isn't suitable for your people, use mine; later, when I have a suitable role in my project, I'll use yours.

You help me, I help you.

Exchange of benefits, sharing of resources!

Whether it's the Hong Kong and Taiwan crowd, the so-called Jingquan circle, or even Japan, Korea, and Hollywood—it's all fundamentally the same.

The core leaders and factions may change, but the relationships and rules of the circle remain unchanged: seniors mentor newcomers, newcomers become seniors, then mentor new ones—generation after generation of 【Chuan Bang Dai】.

However, Yan Li wasn't particularly interested in Liu Heng's resources.

Though his network was still limited and his experience shallow, he was already a producer and executive producer of multiple works, with total project costs nearing fifty million yuan—even higher in publicly reported figures—and had produced successful works like "The Conquest."

With these credentials, many in the industry were willing to give him face.

If Yan Li truly wanted to secure resources, he didn't need to trade with Liu Heng—leading roles might be hard, but supporting roles were certainly within reach.

What he truly valued in Liu Heng was his status in the mainstream literary circle and his own creative ability.

Through his system's intelligence, Yan Li learned that Liu Heng was about to become chairman of the Jingcheng Writers Association and a Jingcheng representative, and that "Jingcheng Literature," under the Jingcheng Literary Federation, was considering appointing him as chief editor.

Don't think these have nothing to do with Yan Li.

In fact, at this stage, the film and television industry and the literary circle were extremely closely linked, as evident from Liu Heng's resume.

Before the rise of the internet, whether a film or TV drama was good or not was decided by experts and critics, most of whom were deeply rooted in the literary circle.

Many film companies and renowned directors or crews maintained ties with multiple figures in the literary circle.

Whether seeking authoritative validation, creative support, or someone to publicly champion their work.

In short, having someone from the literary circle speak up, linking the project to art and culture, saved a lot of trouble.

Take "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies," a mythological adaptation with heavy alterations.

It might be criticized by many as "all the fairies falling in love," baseless fabrication, distortion of mythology—a classic trashy, melodramatic drama.

But if the literary advisor was the chairman of the Jingcheng Writers Association and chief editor of "Jingcheng Literature,"

then "Huan Tian Xi Di Seven Fairies" became a groundbreaking innovation, boldly breaking away from solemn mythological narratives, inspiring young audiences to appreciate classical myths, and establishing cultural confidence, and so on.

The power of interpretation truly lay in their hands!

Moreover, in terms of creation, a significant portion of screenwriters in today's film and television industry—especially on the mainland—are former or part-time writers, and form the core creative force.

Some crews even center themselves around writers and screenwriters—for example, the famous Jin Yong dramas, Qiong Yao dramas, and Hai Yan dramas all followed this model.

Renowned directors like Zhang Yimou, Chen Da, and Feng Xiaogang all had a circle of writer friends providing them with scripts and material.

Many film companies' first step upon establishment wasn't to find directors or sign actors, but to contact several writers.

Although Yan Li had an intelligence system that could intercept projects, building and cultivating his own creative team was also crucial.

In this regard, Liu Heng could provide Yan Li with both ability and connections.

This was the most important reason Yan Li was willing to give Liu Heng face and consider Huo Siyan—though of course, it also had to do with the girl's own strong qualifications.

Others had previously offered Yan Li conditions and made requests, but when he saw the candidates weren't suitable, he turned them down.

For suitable candidates, exchanging favors was no problem; for unsuitable ones, Yan Li had no capital to waste on a two-million-plus project.

…

"Alright, the interview is over for now—go change into costume; we want to see how you look."

In the conference room, Wang Decai, as the interview host, told Huo Siyan to go change, then turned to Yan Li.

"Director Yan, what do you think?"

Yan Li said nothing, but looked toward director Chen Yongge and screenwriter Fei Yingli: "What do you think?"

If the boss speaks first, the tone gets set too quickly—so Yan Li always let subordinates speak first, to hear genuine opinions, then weighed them with his own thoughts.

Chen Yongge thought for a moment: "Her demeanor is good, her looks are fine, but her acting experience is lacking."

Screenwriter Fei Yingli had a different view: "I've seen her performance as Wuyunzhu in 'The Young Emperor'—she did well, and has some spark."

Wang Decai also spoke up—he had been quietly observing Yan Li's expression and already had a sense of things.

"This girl has a pure look, with delicate, charming eyes—heartbreaking, delicate, I think she's excellent."

Yan Li remained silent, flipped through the script, paused thoughtfully, then pulled out his phone and called Wang Xiu, who was in charge of costume trials.

"Have Huo Siyan try on the costumes for the Fifth and Seventh Sisters."

The Seven Immortal Maidens each have different personalities: the eldest is dignified and elegant, the second is forceful and coldly beautiful, the third is proud and blunt, the fourth is whimsical and clever, the fifth is pure and charming, the sixth is quiet and obedient, the seventh is gentle and kind.

Huo Siyan's delicate, innocent appearance and aura suit better the fifth, sixth, or seventh—sixth leans toward quietness, fifth is defined as utterly beautiful, so Yan Li leans toward the seventh.

This character has considerable screen time, implicitly serving as the primary female lead; Yan Li originally intended to reserve her for Dong Xuan.

But Dong Xuan desperately wanted to act alongside Yan Li; upon learning Yan Li might play Jin Zha, she fixated on the third role and had little interest in the seventh.

Yan Li had no immediate plans to manage artists; otherwise, it would have been hard to give the "female lead" to someone outside his circle.

Not long after, Huo Siyan returned to the conference room, fully dressed.

The costume designs for the production had not yet been finalized, but a distinct style had already emerged.

Refined and elegant, ethereal and flowing, augmented by accessories and adornments tailored to each character's traits, Huo Siyan in her purple immortal robe exuded additional gentleness and softness—not stunning, but pleasing to the eye.

After demonstrating herself front and back, Huo Siyan stood quietly in the open space, unsure whether to proceed to the next outfit or wait, awaiting instructions.

Wang Decai turned to ask Yan Li, who was scribbling on paper, then capped his pen.

"Don't test the fifth. Go take photos."

Huo Siyan, confused, spoke softly: "Director Yan, is the audition over?"

"Yes, go take photos first. We'll compare and consider. We'll notify you when the decision is made."

The casting process is still long—who knows if someone better will come along later.

So although Yan Li had a preference, he hadn't finalized anything; he'd wait until everyone had been reviewed before making a formal decision.

Huo Siyan nodded, opened her mouth as if to say something, but seeing so many people around, she obediently left.

Yan Li pulled out what he had just written and showed it to Wang Decai and the others.

Confirmed: First Immortal Maiden (Li Lin), Second Immortal Maiden (Li Bingbing), Third Immortal Maiden (Dong Xuan)

Pending: Fourth Immortal Maiden (Jiang Xin/Zhang Ting), Fifth Immortal Maiden (Yang Rui/Sui Junbo), Sixth Immortal Maiden (Yang Xue), Seventh Immortal Maiden (Huo Siyan/Dong Jie)

Yan Li thought again and deleted Zhang Ting; she was currently popular and unlikely to accept a supporting role.

Dong Jie, though currently popular from "The Golden World," had only recently risen and lacked depth; the seventh role is a lead, so the chance of inviting her is very high, but her fee and benefits wouldn't be as favorable as Huo Siyan's.

Sui Junbo was out too—his aura was too mature; he might suit the earlier maidens, but there was no slot left.

Yang Rui wasn't utterly beautiful, but she was charming and sweet—she wouldn't ruin the fifth maiden's image as a beauty.

Crucially, Yang Rui and Jiang Xin, the contender for the fourth role, both played characters in Zhang Dahu's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"—one portrayed Zhong Ling, the other Mu Wanqing.

Yan Li knew this drama would become popular, so he planned to ride its wave.

He had even considered bringing over Wang Yuyan as well, but she had rejected his project outright.

As for Yang Xue, she was genuinely suitable; the sixth maiden had low presence—anyone could fill her.

Moreover, Yan Li wanted to repay Sister Hua's favor; she had many artists under her, and inviting them for cameos would greatly benefit the production.

"Alright, that's roughly it. Check with Dong Jie. If she declines and no better candidate emerges later, use Huo Siyan. Then notify Jiang Xin and Yang Rui to audition. Send contracts directly to Li Lin and Yang Xue."

Yan Li set the tone, turning to Wang Decai: "What's the situation with Liu Xiaoqing? Can we shoot with her?"

"Should be fine. No rumors of blacklisting, and we're not the only production approaching her."

"Then negotiate with her."

Yan Li waved his hand—this was the most famous female lead in mainland China. The role suited her, she brought automatic publicity, and her price was so low—it was worth the gamble.

…

"The rest is up to you. Keep in touch."

After the roles of Wang Mu and the Seven Immortal Maidens had taken rough shape, Yan Li no longer personally handled the casting for the male roles and supporting characters, leaving only final approval.

"Rest assured, we'll give it our all."

Wang Decai puffed out his chest loudly; director Chen Yongge also rolled up his sleeves—his first time leading a major project; though lacking experience, his enthusiasm was undeniable.

Yan Li gave a few more instructions, then took his handbag and left.

Downstairs in the parking lot, Yan Li drove his BMW 530i. As he exited the garage, someone stopped him.

It was Huo Siyan, just auditioned!

Now, Huo Siyan's fair complexion was flushed from the heat, beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, her silk blouse clung to her body, faintly revealing her skin.

Yan Li slowly rolled down his window and leaned out: "What is it?"

Huo Siyan stepped forward, bending slightly to whisper: "Director Yan, I'd like to invite you to dinner, to ask your advice about the role."

Yan Li raised an eyebrow slightly, a bit surprised.

Honestly, in these days of auditions, many actresses had blocked him.

Not just him—even Wang Decai had been cornered. But because Yan Li was young, handsome, and decisive, more actresses targeted him.

The day before yesterday—or the day before that—his Beijing Film Academy junior, Zhao Ke, also a classmate of Huang Shengyi, had invited him to dinner.

Another petite model named Wang Ou bluntly said she didn't mind not getting the role—she simply admired Director Yan and wanted to sign with Yi'an Pictures to serve him loyally.

These were relatively subtle. Others had handed him outright sexy photo cards with phone numbers, even slipped him multiple room keys.

One had been jammed so tightly Yan Li didn't notice; he only found it at home when Qin Lan rummaged through his bag.

Had Yan Li not handled the situation with his silver tongue, the woman nearly stormed the company to monitor him.

For days now, Yan Li had been checking his bag and pockets before entering home, ensuring no suspicious items were inside.

But those girls were eager to advance—understandable. Huo Siyan wasn't alone; why was she blocking him?

Did she think he was young and handsome and wanted to switch patrons?

Yan Li thought the possibility was quite real—he'd only realized after comparison that he was, in fact, a premium patron in his circle.

To put it bluntly, if he pursued anyone under the unwritten rules, it wasn't clear who was really gaining the advantage.

Thinking of this, Yan Li sized up Huo Siyan: fair skin, decent figure, a pure yet seductive aura—trying her out wouldn't be bad.

But she already had a patron and wanted to drag him into her mess—no thanks. Yan Li didn't lack women; he didn't want the hassle.

"Family matters. Another time."

With that, Yan Li waved his hand and stepped on the gas, driving off.

Huo Siyan was momentarily stunned, but after calming down, she found Yan Li's behavior understandable.

Given Yan Li's own physical appearance, there would never be a shortage of women around him.

Add to that Yan Li being a young, accomplished film company boss—with money and resources—and it was no surprise a flock of beauties vied for his attention; he was hardly someone you could casually seduce.

Huo Siyan stared at the BMW 530i that had vanished from sight, her eyes flickering faintly…

(End of Chapter)