Ouyang Yuyuan had personally been received by Director Mo in the past. Others might not have known his identity, but Director Mo knew it all too well.
This young man’s mother had been the little princess of the Yu Family back in the day. Although the husband she married had a somewhat lower status—just a university professor—she had still brought shares worth over ten billion in market value into the marriage.
Director Mo had thought that only Ouyang Yuyuan was coming, but he never expected that Mu Dashao, the little young master of Hengxin Electronics, would be tagging along as well. And both of these two were extremely attentive to the handsome young man accompanying them, chatting and laughing all the way…
Director Mo lightly sucked in a breath of air. Trouble.
He had been a director for so many years and had grown accustomed to all sorts of investors forcing people into roles. So when Ouyang Yuyuan had asked, he hadn’t even thought twice before agreeing, assuming he just needed to give a small cameo role with a bit of screen time.
He hadn’t anticipated that both of these young masters would be so courteous to this unfamiliar handsome young man… Director Mo didn’t come from a high background himself, but he had been immersed in the industry for no short time and understood all too well how exclusive the upper-class elites could be.
These young masters from wealthy families might look refined and gentlemanly on the surface, but in reality, they had eyes on top of their heads. It was impossible for ordinary people to blend into their circles, let alone have them fawning over someone like this?
No matter what this handsome young man’s background was, those minor roles he had in mind definitely wouldn’t cut it. But if he gave an important role and the acting couldn’t hold up, the reputation of his drama would plummet… That was why Director Mo said it was trouble.
“Director Mo?” Xiao Liu, the assistant, saw Director Mo lost in thought and gave him a reminder.
Director Mo snapped back to reality. Regardless, he had to receive these young masters properly first.
On the other hand, the on-site producer who had come along looked puzzled. He had thought some big shot was arriving, but it turned out to be just the assistant who had come with President Yu the other day.
Like Director Mo, he also failed to connect the dramatically changed Chu Yi with the ordinary extra who had fainted not long ago.
When the two sides met, Ouyang Yuyuan handled the introductions. Seeing that Director Mo didn’t recognize Chu Yi, he naturally didn’t point it out in a tactless manner.
It was better if he didn’t recognize him—it would prevent Director Mo from underestimating him and accidentally offending someone.
“So you’re Young Master Chu. Has Young Master Chu ever studied acting? How are your skills?” Director Mo asked with a beaming smile, doing his best to speak gently and avoid any sense of pressure.
But Chu Yi had witnessed him bellowing at the crew until people cried. This contrast could only be described as different strokes for different folks!
“No, I’ve only done extra work,” Chu Yi answered straightforwardly.
Director Mo gave a dry laugh. “Heh heh, Young Master Chu must be joking. But even if not, it’s no big deal. We can take it slow—you can watch how others perform first.”
He assumed the young masters were just amusing themselves by hiding their identities and doing extra work in some crew—it surely wasn’t serious.
Ouyang Yuyuan quickly tried to save face for him. “Yeah, A’Jun and I have done extra work for fun too. Watching others act is pretty interesting.”
Mu Jiajun didn’t know the full story but still chimed in with agreement.
Once inside, Director Mo handed Chu Yi a page of script to try performing a segment. The result was predictably disastrous. Chu Yi had no foundation in line delivery, didn’t know how to hit marks, and couldn’t even tell where the camera was.
Before Director Mo could say anything, the on-site producer was already rolling his eyes. He bluntly said, “At this level, he’s not even as good as the newcomers from the Film Academy! Director Mo, you can’t pull favors and shove just anyone into the plot—this drama is everyone’s blood, sweat, and tears!”
After speaking, he shot a glance at Ouyang Yuyuan, thinking to himself: An assistant acting all official and meddling in crew affairs? Director Mo might be a pushover, but I’m not. Worst case, I’ll make a fuss back at the company and see who loses face!
Ouyang Yuyuan had felt a bit embarrassed at first, but that disdainful look ignited his temper in a flash. “Fine, you look down on people, huh? I’ll call President Yu right now and ask for a role… uh, how about the son of the Canal Transport Governor? I think that role’s perfect—elegant when it needs to be, full of contrast, just right for Yi Ge!”
Ouyang Yuyuan had studied the script thoroughly to be a good assistant, and of course, he had read Director Mo’s Da Qing Feng Yun.
The role that left the deepest impression on him was the son of the Jiangnan Grand Canal Transport Governor—an important supporting character in the early stages. He appeared as a refined gentleman of jade-like demeanor. Later, his true colors emerged: he was the Canal Transport Governor’s biggest accomplice in secretly embezzling and perverting justice, insidious and cunning, with hands stained by countless murders.
As soon as Ouyang Yuyuan said this, the on-site producer hadn’t even reacted yet when Director Mo broke into a cold sweat first. “No, no, Young Master Ouyang, let’s discuss it. There are other roles that could work too…”
As he spoke, he shot a fierce glare at the on-site producer, then continued, “President Yu is busy with a million things. You don’t want to bother him over something this minor, right?”
Director Mo was genuinely panicked. If Ouyang Yuyuan was dead set on this, President Yu might actually agree just to give face to his cousin.
He had overheard President Yu scolding his cousin in private once—the tone was stern, but the concern in it was real. At least, President Yu would never speak to outsiders like that.
Compared to a minor villain role, his cousin was clearly more important—after all, big families were always protective of their own.
Moreover, that role required good looks, a gentle and jade-like temperament, martial arts foundation, and agile movements. They still hadn’t found anyone suitable. Under these circumstances, Ouyang Yuyuan’s request would be a done deal.
The on-site producer flinched under Director Mo’s glare. He had a hot temper, but he wasn’t blind—he could read the room. If Director Mo was this nervous, did this assistant Ouyang have some other identity?
Uncertain now, the producer shrank back to the side, his ears turning red.
Xiao Liu gave him a look that said you’re on your own.
What relieved Director Mo was Mu Jiajun also urging Ouyang Yuyuan not to act impulsively. “You should ask Yi Ge first.”
He felt it wasn’t great to force a role like this. Once they left, Chu Yi would be left alone facing an unhappy Director Mo and the others—maybe even get sabotaged. Even if Chu Yi could read fortunes, if the whole crew ignored him, he wouldn’t get a chance to turn things around, right?
Chu Yi had already noticed the argument and set down the script to walk over. “What’s going on?”
Ouyang Yuyuan had spoken in the heat of the moment and felt a bit guilty thinking of his stern-faced cousin. But the words were out—if he didn’t check with Chu Yi, wouldn’t it look like he was all talk and couldn’t even deliver on this bit of face?
So he hurriedly explained to Chu Yi. If Chu Yi thought it was fine, he would grab that role no matter what.
While Ouyang Yuyuan was explaining, a crew staff member rushed in breathlessly and shouted to Director Mo and the producer, “Bad news, Director! The female lead’s jewelry and some new props have gone missing again!”
“What? Missing again?” Director Mo was already annoyed, and now this—his chubby face scrunched up.
He hastily apologized to Ouyang Yuyuan and rushed off to check the scene. As he ran outside, his booming voice echoed from the doorway: “What the hell is props doing? Didn’t I tell them to lock up the props? How much is missing this time…”
The assistant Xiao Liu, left to entertain the guests: “…”
She awkwardly explained, “Those props and jewelry are fake, but the pieces worn by the leads can’t look cheap—they’re all custom-made. After one or two incidents, it’s still a chunk of budget. And sometimes if a shot isn’t finished and the jewelry changes, they have to reshoot. No wonder Director Mo’s so mad…”
Ouyang Yuyuan and Mu Jiajun exchanged a glance, then both looked at Chu Yi. “Yi Ge, shall we go check it out too?”
