Chapter 144: At the very least, shouldn't there be a few people who have already been

The remaining snow on the road, slightly melted, shimmered with a crystalline luster under the sunlight.

Naoki Nagayama walked along the street pulling Eitaro. The little fellow would occasionally trot around street trees, corners, and wild grass, and sometimes he would even lift a hind leg...

Truly, he's not learning anything good at such a young age.

On the way back, he happened to pass by the Aoyama shop. Master Aoyama was tinkering with something in the flower bed while the sun was out. This time, he wasn't wearing his favorite kimono, but rather a warm, padded cotton jacket.

"Master Aoyama~" Naoki Nagayama greeted him from not far away.

Aoyama Shin turned his head: "Oh? Young Master Naoki~" Then he saw the things being carried and the puppy on the leash.

"Is this the puppy Chikako said you picked up? Looks like you just came from the pet shop?"

"Yes, took advantage of the morning to get a full check-up."

"Looks like you plan to officially adopt it." Aoyama Shin squatted down to tease the little fellow.

"Yes, just happened to run into it; it's fate~"

"Hahaha, well said. 'If a dog walks, it will hit a stick' (meaning: if you go out, you might run into unexpected luck)."

Aoyama Shin seemed to suddenly think of something happy and even threw in a proverb.

"Master, is your health feeling better?"

"Ha, can't you tell by looking at me? How could such a minor ailment knock me down?" Aoyama Shin looked full of energy. "It's just that this year's winter is indeed very cold."

"It is, but the sun is already out; it will surely get warmer slowly in the future."

"Yes, yes, spring is coming, and my flower bed will be able to bloom again~"

"Is Chikako-san not here?" Naoki Nagayama looked into the shop; the young lady who usually sat at the counter was nowhere to be seen.

Aoyama Shin suddenly became tense: "Chikako has, of course, gone to school. Does Naoki-san have any business?"

"Oh, so she's at school~"

Naoki Nagayama sighed. School has already started, hasn't it? He had been away from school for a long time and had completely lost his sensitivity to this aspect~

"Nothing much~ Just wanted to say hello~"

Why does this old man always think I have ideas about his granddaughter? She's only a middle school student...

Because he was still holding things, Naoki Nagayama chatted with Master Aoyama at the entrance and didn't go in for tea.

He continued walking for about 10 minutes and returned to Shanyingyuan.

Upon entering, Eitaro ran to the carpet in the living room and didn't move, his mouth still biting on the little yellow duck.

It seemed that over half an hour of exercise was still a bit tiring for a puppy.

He hurriedly poured a bowl of warm water to quench the little fellow's thirst~

At noon, Naoki Nagayama just threw together something to eat, but Eitaro still had high-end dog food and milk powder. It really is a "humans are not as good as dogs" series...

In the morning, he went to look at 4 properties. According to Naoki Nagayama's original idea, he wanted to buy an office building, which could not only appreciate in value and be rented out, but also provide a formal workplace for everyone at Shuyou Film and the GG Agency.

However, after looking at two office buildings, he felt neither was very satisfactory. Plus, using the studio as a base for now was actually enough~

Of the remaining two, one was a shop in Shibuya, and the other was a shop in Ginza. How to choose?

Both the location and the appreciation potential seemed quite good. However, there was already a shop in Shibuya.

How about choosing the one in Ginza this time~

Naoki Nagayama silently made his decision in his heart.

But he didn't immediately call to inform Fujita Huizi.

He had just said he would consider it carefully, and if he decided in less than an hour, wouldn't he seem very frivolous?

In the afternoon, he still had to go to the studio.

After all, he had lost a script and then just washed his hands of it, leaving everything for Yin Tangxiu and Fangcun Dayou to worry about. Even someone as thick-skinned as Naoki Nagayama had to go and pretend to care.

"Eitaro, I'll trouble you to watch the house this afternoon~"

Handing the heavy responsibility of watching the house to a 2-month-old puppy, Naoki Nagayama drove to the studio~

As the weather improved, the traffic on the road clearly increased, and pedestrians could be seen walking on the streets from time to time.

After arriving at the studio, he found that basically everyone had arrived, including the three from the Wild Cat Group and Ito Junko, who were holding documents and reading and discussing them.

"Naoki-san~ You're here~" "Naoki-san~" "Naoki-san, good afternoon!"

Walking in, Naoki Nagayama fully experienced the star treatment.

"Xiu-san, Dayou-san, what's going on outside?" After arriving at the office backstage, Yin Tangxiu and Fangcun Dayou were already looking at him.

"Hahaha, Naoki-san is indeed popular!" Fangcun Dayou said, "We could even hear the greetings from inside~"

"Yes, yes~ It's like a star arriving~" Yin Tangxiu also chimed in.

Naoki Nagayama had almost been struck by social anxiety: "Stop saying that! I was startled when I came in~ What's going on today?"

"Hahaha, today is casting!" Yin Tangxiu said.

"Casting?"

"Yes, aside from a few leads, we've picked out all the supporting roles designed in the movie, letting everyone see if they are suitable for a certain role~"

"... Can it be done like this?" Naoki Nagayama was shocked. Shouldn't casting be a matter of a bunch of actors coming to perform, and then the director and producer choosing one by one based on the character and the actor's compatibility?

At the very least, shouldn't there be a few people who have already been internally selected through "hidden rules"?

Why is it like picking vegetables at a vegetable market now?

Fangcun Dayou said: "Isn't this about saving where we can? Small companies are like this~"

Yin Tangxiu explained: "They are all supporting roles; hiring our own people is about the same as hiring extras~ As for the leads, of course, they have to be selected."

"Naoki-san, I think this Mark is very suitable for you~"

"Isn't this a lead?"

"Mainly because the character is very handsome! Doesn't talk much and is cool..."

This character doesn't talk much? And is cool? Xiu-san, did you forget who wrote the script?

But seeing the two of them looking so determined, it wouldn't be right if he didn't act.

"Soga~ Then, Dayou-san and Xiu-san, are you going to act too? The gas station owner is very suitable for Dayou-san~"

Upon hearing this, Fangcun Dayou immediately said: "I will be responsible for coordinating the actors and various matters at the shooting site, it will be very busy..."

Yin Tangxiu also wanted to decline, but Naoki Nagayama immediately said: "Xiu-san, you can definitely do it. The director should always be on set; no one knows how to act better than the director~"

"Ah... this..." Yin Tangxiu stammered, "Let's see how the casting goes later~"

"Tsk, when it's your turn, you just..."

Naoki Nagayama muttered, but Yin Tangxiu acted as if nothing had happened.

"Dayou-san, how is the talk with Kadokawa Film going?"

"They are very supportive of filming the movie and are willing to fully support the subsequent distribution... However, there are no suitable actors for the time being~"

"I see~ Looks like we still have to communicate with talent agencies~"

"Yes, there's no other way~"

After all, in Japan, most artists are controlled by a few major agencies; it's impossible to avoid them.

Speaking of actors, Naoki Nagayama first thought of actors he was familiar with.

He didn't know if Kanako Higuchi, whom he had worked with before, had time.

Yuko Tanaka, whom he met before the new year, also seemed to be a very good actor. ===== CHAPTER 145 =====