Chapter 26: I Hate Nepotism

"What did you say? I'm playing the female lead?"

Outside the dormitory building of the Central Academy of Drama, Cheng Hao, squatting on the edge of a flower bed, tightened her grip on her Nokia phone. Several traces of astonishment instantly appeared in her bright, spirited eyes.

"Yeah, among the people I know, you're the only female star. Who else would I ask?"

Through the receiver, Zhou Yi's extremely distinctive voice came through: "How about it? I'm being generous, aren't I? I thought of you first when a money-making project came up."

"Filming an MV won't disturb your preparation for the People's Art Theatre, and it'll let you earn some extra cash."

"Of course, the remuneration can't compare to the two you can't refuse, 'Li Wei Dang Guan' and 'Desire Interception'."

The current Cheng Hao was not a star with any status; she had merely guest-starred in the film 'That Mountain, That Man, That Dog'. Even if her performance was full of spirit, the production company wouldn't waste too much of the salary budget on her.

If filming TV dramas was like this, filming an MV was even less of a question. Even if Zhou Yi wanted to offer her a high salary, Warner wouldn't pass it.

After all, at present, the highest-paid Hong Kong star in the mainland TV drama field was Cheung Wai Kin at 150,000 per episode. That was the salary he could get only after struggling in the mainland for many years, filming a huge pile of well-reputed dramas, and then stacking the Hong Kong star buff.

For mainland-born stars like Chen Daoming, the salary for TV dramas fluctuated around this amount, while female stars' prices were generally lower than male stars'.

This basically counted as the top salary in the TV drama field at the beginning of the millennium.

For Cheng Hao, a student who hadn't even graduated, it was already good that Warner could pay according to market price.

"... Female star? You really think highly of me."

Cheng Hao, who was very self-aware, curved her eyebrows. The moment she squatted down, her idle left hand picked at the weeds on the lawn beneath her feet, one time then another, as she smiled and said, "Someone like Xiao Yanzi is a female star. Someone like me, in your words, is just cannon fodder in the film and television circle."

"Just say whether you'll act or not."

"I'll act. How could I not act? If I don't take money that's just handed to me, wouldn't I be a fool?" As if fearing Zhou Yi might change his mind, Cheng Hao's left hand, which was pulling weeds, paused, and she hurriedly replied.

"Alright then. I'll probably go back around the time of the final exams. After the exams, I'll come find you. Oh, by the way, ask your teacher if she knows any connections in the Peking Opera field."

"Peking Opera?"

"Yes. The inspiration for this new song where you play the female lead comes from the Peking Opera 'Hua Tian Cuo', so the MV wants to showcase the charm of Peking Opera. It needs some professional actors and venues."

Zhou Yi affirmed, "So that's why I have to rely on you, big star. Money isn't an issue. Warner is rich and generous; don't save money for them."

Under the streetlight, Cheng Hao nodded: "That's no problem. I'll ask my teacher tomorrow. She should be willing to help."

As an art academy, the Central Academy of Drama wouldn't be lacking in connections in this regard, let alone that she was herself the teacher's favorite confidante.

"However, if it's related to Peking Opera, I haven't studied it. Why don't you just change the female lead?" Upon hearing it was related to the national essence culture, Cheng Hao, who had barely had any contact with it before, immediately lost her courage.

Whether she got the money or not didn't matter; if she ruined Zhou Yi's MV, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

"You don't need to study. You're so pretty; just standing there makes you the most beautiful scenery."

"Are you saying I'm a vase?"

"How could that be? You're much prettier than a vase."

"Thanks a lot."

Cheng Hao, whose legs had gone a bit numb from squatting, puffed her cheeks slightly. Her shadow, cast by the streetlight, stretched long along the quiet, deserted path.

Before she could complain, another female voice suddenly came from beside this dog man—

"Zhou Yi, I've changed. Come quickly."

The tone was pleasant, but there was a noticeable lack of fluency when speaking Mandarin; it felt like a foreign friend.

It's late at night, what's the rush for???

"OK, coming right up."

Before Cheng Hao could even open her mouth, Zhou Yi on the other end of the phone chose to say goodbye first: "My senior sister is calling me. I'll talk later. Hanging up now."

"..."

Cheng Hao watched helplessly as the screen suddenly lit up after the call ended. The characters "Big Radish" displayed at the top of the call log looked somewhat glaring to her eyes.

Senior sister?

How did she hook up with a senior sister already?

It's only been about a week or so, hasn't it?

Cheng Hao slowly stood up from the ground, her face covered in black lines. After spitting inwardly, she shuffled her numb feet limpingly towards the dormitory building.

Why does it feel like this guy is even more in his element after entering the entertainment industry? Just arrived at a new place and already so flirtatious...

At the same time, in Taiwan, inside the Warner building, in the practice room.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yi pushed the door open. Sun Yanzi, dressed neatly, was sitting on the empty floor. Beside her feet, which were clad in gray short socks, lay book after book of heavy volumes.

Seeing the man enter, Sun Yanzi, who was still flipping through a book, looked up and immediately wore a teasing smile: "What, a girlfriend from the mainland? Didn't you say you didn't have one last time?"

"Don't smear me, thanks."

Zhou Yi, humming and hawing, bent down, casually picked up a book, and flipped through a few pages: "Although her figure is indeed much better than yours."

"Go to hell, Zhou Yi."

Sun Yanzi, whose defenses were directly breached, laughed and scolded, then threw the book in her hand at him: "Please show some respect to your teacher, thanks."

After easily catching this sudden projectile with a raised hand, Zhou Yi, sitting on the ground, also raised the corner of his mouth into a mocking arc: "Okay, Teacher Sun Yanzi."

Sun Yanzi, who had no argument against her figure that was only a tiny bit better than an airport, could only pretend to glare at him fiercely.

Her leg proportions were actually quite good; they were considered long, okay?

"Start practicing immediately. Hurry up and change your vocalization method. Consider systematic learning after this period passes."

At eight o'clock in the evening, the Warner practice room was brightly lit.

Acting as a temporary tutor, Sun Yanzi was combining the content of the books, exhausting all her knowledge to help Zhou Yi correct his habitual mistakes when singing;

Far away in the Imperial Capital, Cheng Hao tossed and turned, unable to sleep, constantly filtering through the information about Warner female singers she could find in her mind.

Xiao Yaxuan, having been scolded all day, was physically and mentally exhausted, soaking in a bathtub and drinking red wine to relieve fatigue;

Zhang Shaohan, full of beautiful expectations for tomorrow, pulled the quilt over herself and fell asleep peacefully. In her dream, a face with a sunny smile suddenly appeared, reaching out a hand to pull her from hell up to heaven.

The next day was another brand new beginning.

As the variety show big brother of Taiwan, Wu Zongxian fulfilled his promise and sent Zhou Yi an invitation letter.

A top-rated variety show in Taiwan scheduled for October, which has ranked as the number one variety show on the island for five consecutive years: "Food Crossroads".

A phenomenon-level variety show that all four Heavenly Kings except Zhang Xueyou have participated in recording.

A top-tier variety show attended by numerous music giants, including the Asian Little Whirlwind Lin Zhiying, the King of Sad Love Songs Zhang Yu, the Prince of Love Songs Zhang Xinzhe, and the last Heavenly King of the end of the century, Ren Xianqi.

The rule of this show is that only currently popular stars are allowed to appear.

Of course, Wu Zongxian also gave a requirement—that Warner must release at least one single for Zhou Yi before October 10.

Regardless of whether it becomes a hit, as long as a single is released and a work exists, one can directly use his back door to appear on this show.

"Let me state this in advance."

In the recording studio, facing Sun Yanzi and Zhang Shaohan who cast envious glances at him, Zhou Yi, who had gained an advantage yet pretended to be virtuous, shook his leg with an air of righteousness: "I personally have a deep hatred for nepotism."

Sun Yanzi: "..."

Zhang Shaohan: "..."