"Getting older, can’t keep up anymore. Us old folks have to leave early..."
Faced with Zhou Wang’s urging, Zhang Shihao just smiled and shook his head.
Zhou Wang didn’t push, nodded, and said, "Alright, we can talk at the company later. Let me see you guys off..."
"Brother Zhou, no need to see us off, we’re all like family here. Though your place is big, we still won’t get lost on the way out."
Mr. Ma from Daxia Film and Television laughed, causing a round of laughter. He warmly put his arm around Zhou Wang’s shoulder, "Little brother, don’t forget what we talked about earlier. I’m heading to Yunan Province next month, looking forward to a meal with you."
Daxia Film and Television had a high-investment costume drama set to start filming in White City, Yunan Province, next month. Mr. Ma had to attend the opening ceremony personally. When he found out Zhou Wang was from Yunan Province, he arranged with him for a local hospitality visit.
"How could I forget? Even if I’m not in Yunan Province, I’ll make sure everything’s set up properly!"
Zhou Wang laughed heartily.
"Alright then, I’ll leave with Mr. Zhang and the others..."
Mr. Ma was about to say goodbye to Zhou Wang when Chen He suddenly approached, looking pleasantly surprised.
"Mr. Ma, I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you remember me?"
"You are..."
Mr. Ma seemed momentarily stunned, looking confusedly at Chen He.
"My name is Chen He. Last week, I auditioned at your company for the second male lead of "Chu Tianyao" Season 2, which you personally oversaw. Do you remember? It was introduced to me by General Manager Tong Mingyan."
Seeing that Mr. Ma really didn’t remember, Chen He had to quietly remind him again.
"Oh, you’re one of Sister Tong’s people, hahaha, I remember now. Mr. Zhou, is he your friend?"
Initially, Mr. Ma smiled knowingly, then tentatively asked Zhou Wang.
Seeing Zhou Wang only smile ambiguously without saying anything outright, Mr. Ma immediately understood something, laughed heartily, and shook hands with Chen He:
"Hello, hello. You’ve got the talent for acting, just missing an opportunity... Well, Mr. Zhou, we’ll be off then!"
Mr. Ma chuckled, hugged Zhou Wang one more time, then turned to leave, joking with Zhang Shihao and the others as they walked away.
Chen He clearly appeared a bit anxious but couldn’t really express it, so he just smiled while following from behind, watching them leave.
Although they said not to bother seeing them off, Zhou Wang politely escorted them to the hallway door. Watching them leave under Xiao An’s guidance, he then turned back.
Seeing Chen He following him closely, Zhou Wang hadn’t spoken yet when Chen He, while scratching his head and smiling, lowered his voice to ask:
"Mr. Zhou, I heard Wuyou Media invested in the "Chu Tianyao" series. Is that true?"
"Yeah, I also found out tonight."
Zhou Wang gave Chen He a half-amused look. By now, he had understood everything, including why Chen He was there, though he didn’t say it out loud.
After all, in this murky world, who doesn’t want to advance?
As a model almost at the entertainment industry’s bottom rung, the competition in this profession was fiercely brutal, even more exaggerated than among internet influencers.
How could Chen He, with a little fame in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai circle, really have the reckless temperament Zhou Wang saw last time? It might just have been his persona in front of his girlfriend...
So, Zhou Wang wasn’t surprised by Chen He’s attitude change after discovering his true identity, though he hadn’t expected the young man’s intentions to be deeper.
What Chen He mentioned wasn’t really a secret; it had long been publicly revealed by some media. And from chatting with Mr. Zhang and Mr. Ma earlier, Zhou Wang knew more—
In this new series called "Chu Tianyao" Season 2, Wuyou Media had considerable say in casting the secondary male and female roles.
The entertainment industry rules were always like that: all parts were divided early on. Wuyou Media, being the second-largest investor, having decision-making power over several supporting roles was quite normal.
That the series would have a second season implied it was a popular IP. Even playing a supporting role was something many would fiercely compete for.
Mr. Zhang had even asked Zhou Wang if he wanted to recommend someone for a supporting female role, but Zhou Wang refused without hesitation.
Perhaps it was Zhang Shihao’s good intention. Perhaps even if Zhou Wang recommended an actress with no acting skills like Hua Suisui, he would still gladly oblige. But Zhou Wang didn’t want to pull such a stunt immediately after joining the company. After all, he was just a supervisor, often needing to keep a low profile...
"Mr. Zhou, do you think I still have a chance? I heard the male third role hasn’t been finalized yet..."
Chen He asked with a smile.
"I’m not sure about that. You should ask Daxia Film and Television directly... Let’s go back and continue drinking."
Zhou Wang shook his head and smiled, then started to head inside.
Chen He felt a bit rushed and stopped Zhou Wang, "Mr. Zhou, could you please speak to Mr. Ma for me? I’ve worked too hard to get this audition chance. I really can’t miss it..."
Zhou Wang remained silent, giving him only a calm glance.
Chen He, under the pressure of that look, instinctively pulled back the hand that was blocking Zhou Wang’s path.
Zhou Wang walked on his own, leaving Chen He standing there, his expression shifting with anxiety deepening on his face.
Though no notification for the third male role had been sent out yet, the fact that Mr. Ma didn’t even recognize him indirectly indicated he had likely been eliminated. In his visible perspective, Zhou Wang was like the last straw he could grasp...