mijobooks Chapter 77 Qi Yue, the One Being Targeted
Chapter 77 Qi Yue, the One Being Targeted
After finishing a steaming hot pot meal, Guo Fan escorted Li Qing downstairs before humming a little tune as he turned and came back upstairs.
Pushing open the door, I found Qi Yue standing at the window, lost in thought.
"Qi Yue, what are you daydreaming about?"
Guo Fan walked over, plopped down on the sofa opposite him, and let out a burp.
"That dinner tonight was really enjoyable! Qi Yue, you seemed a bit quiet tonight, mostly just listening to Qing'er and me chatting. What's up? Worried about 'Nirvana in Fire'? Or pondering your movie script?"
Qi Yue turned his head and uttered two words:
"observe."
"Observe? Observe what? Observe how Qing'er and I make empty promises to each other?"
"Observe Li Qing to see if he is suitable to be a murderer."
"puff--!"
Guo Fan almost choked on his own saliva, his eyes widening in surprise.
"What the hell? A murderer?! Qi Yue, are you out of your mind from eating hotpot? Qing'er? With her innocent, naive look, she's better suited to playing a pushover, a murderer? You..."
"Wait, you mean you want Li Qing to play Wu Zhizhen in 'Black Coal, Thin Ice'?"
Guo Fan had certainly read the script for Qi Yue's new film, and the two had also exchanged ideas.
But he couldn't connect the cheerful, clean-looking girl from just moments ago with Wu Zhizhen, who embodied "sex and violence."
However, he had to admit that Qi Yue was indeed a bit better than him in discovering actors' potential.
Qi Yue didn't offer much explanation, but simply turned his gaze back to the window.
The street under the streetlights was a pale white, as if covered with a layer of snow. He seemed to see Wu Zhizhen in "Black Coal, Thin Ice," struggling in the icy snow and cold fate.
Li Qing possesses a quality that blends clarity and resilience, a kind of beauty about "fragmentation" that is hard for others to discover.
However, to achieve that feeling of blending extreme crime with heartbreaking vulnerability, she still needs a significant improvement in both her outward appearance and her acting skills.
This may be an adventure, but if successful, it will be a leap forward in her acting career.
"It's just... an idea," Qi Yue finally said calmly, ending the conversation.
"Pack your things and get some rest. We have to catch a flight tomorrow."
......
While Guo Fan led his film crew to Yiwu, another group of people were also preparing for the flight.
"Are you serious? You really want to go to Hengdian and act in that...Nirvana in Fire? A historical drama?"
Agent Wang Xiaoxiao sat opposite Jing Tian, her brows furrowing deeply.
She held the phone she had just hung up, having just ended her conversation with Tangren.
"My dear lady, are you kidding me? Our path has always been to produce high-budget films! 'My Beautiful Boss,' 'The Warring States,' and 'Special Identity'—weren't they all big-budget productions with star-studded casts? Even if things have been a bit bumpy lately… well, that's no reason for us to lower ourselves to TV dramas!"
Wang Xiaoxiao walked up to Jing Tian, trying to bring her to her senses.
"If this gets out, what will people in the industry think of you? What will those media outlets, waiting to see you fail, write? 'Jing Tian's film career falters, forcing her to switch to television'? Once that label is on you, it'll be hard to get rid of it!"
Upon hearing this, Jing Tian finally looked up from her phone screen. Her refined face didn't show the impulsiveness or grievance Wang Xiaoxiao had expected; instead, it carried a peculiar certainty and impatience.
"Ugh, Sister Xiaoxiao, aren't you annoying?"
She tossed her handbag aside, sat up straight, and pouted slightly.
"What's the use of a movie just because it has a good title? I was so frustrated making 'Special Identity'! The crew was a mess, the director was mediocre, and we had no idea what the final product would be like! I don't want to be the target of 'Queen of Bad Movies' again!"
She fiddled with her newly done manicure, her tone spoiled yet carrying a hint of her own calculations:
"What's wrong with TV dramas? Look at what's popular now, aren't they all TV dramas? Take Qi Yue, for example, he started out making web dramas, and now he's doing really well, isn't he? He even won the Magnolia Award!"
At the mention of Qi Yue, her eyes lit up, a hint of curiosity surfacing beneath her spoiled young lady demeanor.
"I just want to see what kind of skills Qi Yue has! I've seen 'Day and Night,' and it's really different from other movies. It's no worse than those so-called movies."
"He was able to pull Pan Yueming out of that situation, write a song like 'The Nameless Man,' and even get a web series to win a major award... I really want to see for myself what kind of person he is!"
Wang Xiaoxiao felt a headache coming on as she listened to her strange reason:
"Tian Tian, he's just a small-time director. There are plenty of ways to get in touch with him. Why do you have to go and act in a TV series yourself? Especially a period drama! It's so tiring! Hengdian is unbearably hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. The conditions are nothing like those on a movie set..."
"I don't care!" Jing Tian interrupted her, her stubbornness rising.
"I'm going! I'm not happy filming the movie, can't I just change things up and have some fun? Besides, why is acting in TV dramas beneath me? Whatever I, Jing Tian, act in, I'm the center of attention! Maybe if I go, I can even bring some buzz to 'Nirvana in Fire'! They'd love to have that!"
She stood up, walked to the window, looked at the clear sky outside, and softened her tone slightly.
"Sister Xiaoxiao, don't worry. I just want to see for myself if Qi Yue is really as amazing as the legends say! If he's just all talk, I'll give up; but if he really has the ability..."
She turned around, her eyes gleaming with a sense of challenge and curiosity.
"Building a good relationship with him might be more useful than filming ten 'Special Identity' movies! At least next time a reliable script comes along, we'll have the advantage of being in close proximity, right?"
Looking at her "I've made up my mind, don't nag" attitude, Wang Xiaoxiao knew that further persuasion would be useless.
Although Jing Tian can be a bit willful and capricious when she gets angry, she is definitely not brainless.
Instead of wallowing in the mire, it's better to proactively break out of the old circle and reach out to emerging, powerful forces.
This could be a way to break the deadlock, although risks also exist.
"Alright, my little darling." Wang Xiaoxiao finally sighed in resignation.
"If you want to 'investigate' Director Qi, I'll pave the way for you. But we have an agreement: once you're on set, you can't be treated unfairly. After all, we're the big spenders on this show. You have to be treated like the female lead; we can't lower ourselves for nothing."
"Okay, okay!" Jing Tian immediately beamed, ran back, hugged Wang Xiaoxiao's arm, and shook it.
"Sister Xiaoxiao is the best! Don't worry, I know what I'm doing! Just think of it as a 'secret visit' to Hengdian!"
Seeing Jing Tian's face regain its liveliness and even a hint of joy, Wang Xiaoxiao shook her head and smiled helplessly.
This young lady is quick-witted and incredibly proactive.
It remains to be seen how the person who has been inexplicably "targeted" will react.