Mr. Zhou Doesn’t Want to Work Hard Anymore!

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The two of them chatted for a while before Zhou Chenxi finally got to the point.

“What did you say? The reason the ‘Dream Destiny’s’ team replaced me was because of an internal recommendation from the Lu family?!”

“I’m sorry,” Lu Ji said, “I only found out about this news yesterday. My secretary checked for me. I truly didn’t know about it earlier. I also take responsibility for this. If you’re willing, I’ll immediately have them change their decision.”

“No need!” Zhou Chenxi waved his hand. “This has nothing to do with you.”

He knew that Lu Ji had no involvement in this matter.

In the world of film and television, it was always the game company and the production company that interacted with Zhou Chenxi. Lu Ji, as an investor, had almost never appeared in such matters.

As a major film and television investment company, Lu Ji understood market rules well. For a significant IP like “Dream Destiny,” they should let the capable team handle it. Excessive interference from capital could easily backfire. After all, this mobile game already had a solid audience base and a large number of fans for its characters. If they deviated from audience expectations, it wouldn’t just lead to criticism; the audience wasn’t foolish.

Lu Ji said, “Since that’s the case, ‘Dream Destiny’ film and television project will be entirely withdrawn, and there won’t be any contract renewals for the cosmetics collaboration after it expires. Your endorsement deal for ‘Lifelike Essence’ in ‘Carp’ will still be honored by the Lu family. You don’t need to worry about conflicting with them over advertisement shoots.”

“I’m not holding grudges!” Zhou Chenxi explained. “I’m just curious about who helped Luo Xinghe this time?”

After all, Luo Xinghe’s resurgence wouldn’t benefit anyone involved.

Lu Ji fell silent.

Zhou Chenxi thought for a moment too.

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Internal recommendation from the Lu family meant that the person who helped Luo Xinghe had to be someone from the Lu family. Who else could it be?

Lu Ji said, “My family’s affairs are quite complicated. I’ll handle this matter. Rest assured, I won’t let Luo Xinghe harm you.”

“No, no…” Zhou Chenxi hurriedly waved his hand. “We’re all in the same situation. Who wants bad things to happen again?”

Both of them found the desserts they were eating to be less than satisfying. Lu Ji had come in his car today and drove around a bit with Zhou Chenxi, just to extend their conversation.

“Since you’re not willing to tell me, then I won’t ask. I believe you can handle this matter no matter what,” Zhou Chenxi said, putting his mind at ease. “Anyway, I believe in you.”

“Hmm,” Lu Ji thought, I’ll protect you.

He wasn’t sure if it would make a difference, but Zhou Chenxi then mentioned a few versions he had seen of “Koi Conquers the Entertainment Circle”: “In the book, Luo Xinghe has another ambiguous partner named Cui Yuan. He’s an emerging director. Have you heard of him?”

“Cui Yuan?” Lu Ji pondered for a moment.

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He had recently attended a seminar on market development and heard his subordinates mention this name. The director had recently made an art film and won an international award, gaining recognition within the industry.

Although Lu Ji wasn’t particularly interested in prying into Luo Xinghe’s private life, he still had some knowledge of his social circle.

“I’ve heard of him,” Lu Ji said. “This person is very talented, and it’s said that his temperament is quite peculiar.”

“Yes, he’s quite peculiar,” Zhou Chenxi nodded. “The book says he’s very demanding of other actors in the industry but treats Luo Xinghe differently. After seeing Luo Xinghe’s performances, he has admired him and even worked as a scriptwriter, with many of the male leads in his scripts based on Luo Xinghe. He has invited Luo Xinghe several times, hoping he would appear in his art films. Unfortunately, art films don’t make much money and don’t gather a large fan base, so in the entire book, Luo Xinghe only acted in one of his films.”

Zhou Chenxi continued, “People like Director Cui usually have a kind of purity of mind, which is common among artists. With the current stain on Luo Xinghe’s reputation in the industry, even if he wants to make a comeback, Director Cui probably wouldn’t favor him as before. Moreover, Director Cui just recently won an award this year and hasn’t firmly established his position in the industry, so he might not have the chance to help Luo Xinghe.”

But it’s better to be prepared, so he should share what he knows with Lu Ji.

“I’ll keep an eye on it,” Lu Ji said. “Next time, I’ll try not to let you encounter such a situation again.”

“You’re making me feel a bit guilty,” Zhou Chenxi said sheepishly. “Actually, there’s not much to regret. It’s just that he took a role from me. I’m used to it. I’ve been lucky enough in this lifetime to meet you and resolve misunderstandings with my family. I’m already content. If there comes a day when I can’t make it in the entertainment industry…”

“It won’t happen,” Lu Ji interrupted. “Don’t say such things.”

Alright.

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Every time Zhou Chenxi, this salty fish, thought about lying down quietly, he would be lifted up by the diligent Lu Ji, who encouraged him to stand up and strive.

Midway, Lu Ji received a call from work, so Zhou Chenxi suggested he not bother to send him and volunteered to take a taxi home.

Lu Ji initially disagreed, but Zhou Chenxi insisted. So, Lu Ji reluctantly dropped him off at a convenient spot for getting a taxi, watched him get into the car, and advised him to be careful on the way.

After bidding farewell to Lu Ji and returning home, before he could even rest, Zhi Qi called to inform him that Director Luo Ji tian had been contacted and agreed to let Zhou Chenxi participate in his internal audition. The audition was scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Zhou Chenxi was thrilled and spent the night preparing audition materials.

He was quite nervous.

However, Zhou Chenxi was already a fan of Director Luo Ji tian’s work, having watched many of his dramas multiple times. After summarizing Luo Ji tian’s style and preferences a bit, Zhou Chenxi washed up and went to sleep.

He needed to participate in Luo’s audition with a positive attitude.

The next day, Zhou Chenxi met up with Zhi Qi at the company, and Zhi Qi personally drove him to the audition.

On the way, Zhi Qi reminded him, “I asked for you. Do you know why Director Luo agreed to let you audition?”

“Why?” Zhou Chenxi asked curiously.

“There’s an investor’s father who approached Director Luo. He said he wants to invest money in his film. You know how big productions burn money. I thought Director Luo would at least hesitate a bit, but he directly said he’s open to this kind of financier and agreed right away.”

Zhou Chenxi: “??”

“But that’s not all. Director Luo even asked the financier why they didn’t just let you bring in the funding directly.”

Zhou Chenxi: “…” What, is the entertainment industry this powerful and flexible now?

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“Even more astonishing, the financier was hemming and hawing, saying there’s no need to be so direct, just let Director Luo give you a chance symbolically.”

Zhou Chenxi: “…………”

“So many twists and turns…” Zhi Qi said incredulously, “I can’t fathom the thinking of Director Luo and this financier. Let’s leave Director Luo aside, but if this financier is willing to recommend you, why doesn’t he just go all the way, especially when Director Luo has agreed for you to bring in the funding?”

“…” Zhou Chenxi guessed that this financier might be assertive and was afraid of causing trouble if Zhou Chenxi found out and got upset.

“However, in this circle, everyone is an old hand at this. From a normal perspective, with all this back and forth, Director Luo is likely to view you with a biased perspective.”

Zhou Chenxi: “…”

“But don’t worry, since you have the backing of a major financier, you don’t need to think too much about it.”

No, the weight of the financier’s support is too heavy. Zhou Chenxi doesn’t really want this biased perspective.

It wasn’t until they arrived at the audition location that Zhou Chenxi realized he and Zhi Qi had been overthinking.

Director Luo was like a king when it came to pulling in investors.

At the audition site, he saw the lead actress Xie Xueyu, the lead actor Hua Chao, Ren Qian, and several other big shots with strong reputations in the industry.

Others didn’t recognize him, so they looked at Zhou Chenxi curiously when he entered, trying to guess who he was. Only Ren Qian greeted him warmly, “Chenxi, why are you here?”

“Senior Ren,” Zhou Chenxi bowed.

“Oh, no need for formalities,” Ren Qian beckoned him over, “Come sit here with me!”

Zhou Chenxi walked over and sat down. Ren Qian had been chatting with the person next to him earlier and introduced them, “This is a kid who was on a show with me before. He’s quite interesting.”

Zhou Chenxi stood up again, politely greeted the person next to him, his expression calm and composed, while his heart was screaming wildly: It’s Dai Jia, the leading actor of “Legend of Luo Shen”! I really like him!

Guess who I saw!

Beside him is the acclaimed actor Zuo Hexu!

Is he also stepping onto the big screen?

Idol, go for it!

Why do all the auditions he participates in have such intense competition among male actors, while there are so few female actors?

Even though that’s the case, every one of them is a goddess-like figure. Zhou Chenxi really wants to go over and ask Xie Xueyu for an autograph directly!

Zhou Chenxi’s heart surged, and he almost forgot his own identity. He was on the verge of becoming a devoted fanboy.

After Ren Qian finished chatting, he turned and asked him, “Why are you here? Are you also planning to bring in funding?”

Zhou Chenxi: “??”

Ren Qian explained, “In Luo’s production team, everyone is expected to bring in funding on their own. If the ‘funds’ you bring in aren’t enough, Luo might disqualify you from the audition. He always claims to be broke, so we all have to spend our own money to get a chance to audition.”

Zhou Chenxi: “…”

“Yeah,” Dai Jia chimed in from the side, “Do you know why those of us who audition for him are all seasoned actors? Because newcomers don’t earn enough money! Those of us who have been in the industry for a while have some savings, otherwise where would Luo get his benefits from?”

Zhou Chenxi: “…” My worldview is shattering.

“But don’t worry,” Ren Qian patted him on the back, “Since we’re not lacking that bit of money, in the end, it’s about who has the talent.”

Zhou Chenxi felt like crying without tears.

No, I am short on money!

He was screaming inside his head.

I really need money! Why is it so difficult to make it in the entertainment industry through my own abilities!

Soon, Luo arrived.

He brought along his long-time partner, screenwriter and producer Cong Wen.

As soon as Luo arrived, the atmosphere turned serious and formal.

Everyone’s playful mood from earlier vanished, and they began to quietly await the auditions.

Indeed, the atmosphere of the audition remained professional and tense. Despite the earlier jokes, everyone approached the audition with a very serious attitude.

Several senior actors went in and came out before it was Zhou Chenxi’s turn. Nervous, he found his hands sweaty, and despite not having drunk much water that morning, he desperately wanted to go to the restroom.

After waiting for several hours, it was finally Zhou Chenxi’s turn.

Luo’s assistant came out and called, “Zhou Chenxi, come in.”

Zhou Chenxi entered.

Luo’s audition process was different from his previous experiences in auditions like “Journey of the Immortals.” The equipment was very professional, with a setup including backdrops and cameras, as if it were an actual film set. Luo himself stood right in front of the camera, evaluating the actors’ on-screen presence.

The assistant handed Zhou Chenxi a script, a section just like in other auditions. Zhou Chenxi was quick at memorizing lines, so after quickly going through it, he began to find his character’s state of mind.

This play was inspired by a short story from the ancient mythology “The Inquiry into the Supernatural.” The story was simple: during the waning years of the Geng Dynasty, famine plagued the land. Zhu Ming, the second prince of the Geng Dynasty, found a cat demon by the roadside. The cat demon told Zhu Ming that he had the aura of a golden dragon, and if he gave it a bite to eat, it would help him become a dragon.

Zhu Ming then cut a piece of flesh from his own hand and fed it to the cat demon.

The cat demon, having consumed Zhu Ming’s flesh, ascended to become an immortal.

Later, Zhu Ming succeeded in a power struggle and became Emperor Xuanzong. However, in his later years, Xuanzong was deceived by false accusations, claiming that the cat demon had lied to him and that he was actually a true dragon. This led to the famous phrase “help him become a dragon.” The cat demon was believed to have wanted a piece of dragon flesh for itself to ascend to immortality.

Xuanzong believed these claims and ordered the capture and killing of all cats, labeling them as “evil creatures.”

In the end, Xuanzong’s reign was marked by disasters, coupled with his indulgent lifestyle in his later years, leading to a rebellion that overthrew him and marked the fall of the Geng Dynasty.

This short story had theatrical elements but also reflected the unpopularity of Xuanzong’s rule.

In Luo’s hands, this story had been adapted significantly, as modern societal values and perspectives had changed. Cong Wen was a talented screenwriter under Luo’s direction, and just from a brief scene, Zhou Chenxi could imagine how captivating this story would be when adapted into a film.

Zhou Chenxi missed the release of the film “Tales of the Cat Demon” in his past life due to his personal circumstances. Luo Xinghe had not participated in this film either, as it wasn’t mentioned in the novel.

Unlike his previous experience with “Journey of the Immortals,” Zhou Chenxi didn’t have any reference points this time. He was purely relying on his instincts to act. Whether he could win Luo’s favor would depend on fate.

After fifteen minutes, Luo stared at the monitor and said to Zhou Chenxi, “Good, come over and take a look.”

Usually, when a director called an actor over like this, it meant they were somewhat dissatisfied with the performance. Qin Chuan, a director Zhou Chenxi had worked with before, was like this. Whenever Zhou Chenxi’s performance fell short or wasn’t up to par, Qin Chuan would have him come over to review his acting, so that he could make targeted improvements.

Zhou Chenxi walked over with a worried expression, not expecting Luo to say, “You did well, your portrayal of the cat demon is very accurate. Your ‘gold owner’ mentioned that you played a cat before, and it’s true. What’s the name of the work? Has it been released? Can you show it to me?”

“It’s… a commercial for Lu Cosmetics,” Zhou Chenxi quickly searched for the ad online and showed it to Luo.

“Not bad, not bad,” Director Luo carefully watched it once and said, “It’s the feeling I’m looking for. And your sponsor is generous too. He asked me how much money I wanted, casually gave a price, and he’s willing to double it based on that. It’s been a long time since I encountered such a generous dummy, hahaha!”

Zhou Chenxi: “…”

Realizing he let out the truth, Director Luo quickly cleared his throat and explained, “Our approach to filmmaking is still rigorous, and money should be spent where it matters. I know you’re a rising star, and asking for a sky-high salary isn’t feasible. We’ll pay you according to a normal actor’s compensation. So, let’s make it clear: even if someone is sponsoring you, the money will be spent where it’s necessary. Can you accept that?”

Zhou Chenxi nodded and said, “Sure, as long as we can make the film well, I’m fine with anything.”

Director Luo patted his shoulder approvingly and said, “To be honest, I know about Zhou Mingxuan. He’s the CEO of Zhou Xin Group, right? I heard he has a precious younger brother. When I saw your surname was Zhou and Zhou Mingxuan seemed so concerned about you, I could guess your identity.”

“Unbelievable,” Director Luo said with a smile. “Zhou Mingxuan must be delighted to have such an outstanding younger brother like you.”

Zhou Chenxi was taken aback.

Coming out from the audition site, Zhou Chenxi ran into Cong Wen again. Cong Wen smiled and said, “Director Luo used to be financially strapped, he couldn’t secure sponsorships for his films, so he’s always particularly attentive to that aspect now. But don’t worry, since he’s willing to cast you, it means he believes in your abilities. I saw your performance just now, and it really fits the image of the cat demon in my mind. Keep up the good work, and fight on!”

Receiving affirmation from the screenwriter made Zhou Chenxi feel somewhat elated. He thanked Cong Wen and left the audition building.

Previously, his older brother had informed him about the audition opportunity with Director Luo, relayed to him by a business partner. This business partner must have also known Director Luo and must have told him something, which explained why Director Luo could guess his identity so quickly.

Though in the end, it was his brother who had helped him tremendously, Zhou Chenxi sighed.

Zhi Qi was waiting for him outside. Zhou Chenxi walked over, opened the car door, and sat in the passenger seat.

“How did it go?” Zhi Qi looked at his expression and became nervous. “Didn’t pass the audition?”

“No, not at all,” Zhou Chenxi said seriously. “I passed.”

Zhi Qi: “?? Then why the gloomy face?”

“While I seriously doubt that Director Luo chose me solely for my acting, I think it’s because the role of the cat demon needs a slightly younger actor. Senior actors like Ren Qian and Hua Chao who also auditioned are not quite suitable in terms of age.”

Zhou Chenxi sighed again and continued, “Otherwise, I really can’t figure out why Director Lou would be willing to pick me.”

“Have some confidence,” Zhi Qi hesitated and said, “Don’t you have the financial backing of your wealthy father?”

Zhou Chenxi: “…”

—–

Author’s Note: Brother: I finally won against Lu Ji!

Thanks for the nourishment from “Qing Li,” “Mysterious Bystander,” and “Imitation Lamp”!