wavenovel Chapter 77: High-octane, iconic scenes from the entire series.
Chapter 77: High-octane, iconic scenes from the entire series.
There are rules for rehearsals, and they are done sequentially according to the scene order. Actors only need to recite their lines, and the director does not correct mistakes on the spot. Instead, the director keeps the issues in mind and delivers them together after the entire scene is finished.
The first scene didn't have many lines, but the very first sentence set the tone for the character: "Please be careful, young lady, the road is slippery here."
When Zhang Linghe read it out, it sounded completely like modern colloquial speech. The two words "take care" were stuck together in a sticky, slurred way, just like saying "be careful" in everyday speech.
Peng Bing jotted down a few notes in his notebook without saying a word.
Fang Qing also made a mark on the script without saying anything.
In the last three scenes, there is a monologue. A person stands on the city wall looking out of the city, and his lines are his innermost thoughts, spoken directly in a style that is both classical and vernacular, with a considerable density of dialogue.
After Zhang Linghe finished reading, he paused twice. The second pause was in the wrong place at all, which completely messed up the rhythm of the second half.
Peng Bing put down his pen, glanced at him, and didn't say anything.
Zeng Hao sat in the corner of the long table, turned to that page of the script, and mentally reviewed it after listening to it.
A feel for language isn't something you can force in a few rehearsals; it takes time and practice. Zhang Linghe has a bit of rhythm now, but his classical Chinese style is too raw. There's a subtle difference between the two, a difference that's quite noticeable.
He knew that the gap would eventually close. It wasn't just overconfidence; he had seen what it looked like after it closed.
But right now, it's still very immature.
The seventh reading took place at the ferry crossing, and it was the same line that had been used in the previous test.
This time, Zhang Linghe's performance flowed smoothly throughout; it wasn't just a series of single lines, but a complete emotional outpouring.
"May you have a safe journey."
This statement, placed within a complete context, is entirely different from a standalone test. With prior setup and the building up of emotion, its impact is significantly heavier.
Peng Bing put down his pen and stopped writing in the notebook, leaving it there quietly.
Fang Qing looked up at Zhang Linghe, then looked down at the script.
It was almost six o'clock when the reading session ended. Peng Bing gave the assistant director a few instructions on the follow-up arrangements and told the others to leave first. Zhang Linghe packed up the script, put it in his bag, and got up to walk towards the door.
"Zhang Linghe".
Zeng Hao spoke, his voice not loud.
Zhang Linghe stopped at the door and turned around.
Zeng Hao didn't get up; he still had the script under his hand. He looked up at him.
"The problem of having a feel for classical Chinese language is not something you can practice, it's something you can immerse yourself in. Go back and read the original text of 'Ning An Ru Meng' aloud, not just reading it, but reading it aloud until it feels natural to you."
Zhang Linghe adjusted his backpack strap, thought for a moment, and nodded.
"There's one more thing," Zeng Hao said. "You said you'd go take a look first, and come back if it's not suitable."
Zhang Linghe paused for a moment, then remained silent, waiting for what was to come.
Zeng Hao lowered his head and reopened the script.
"Inappropriate situations will not occur."
Zhang Linghe stood at the door, pondering those words in his mind.
It wasn't encouragement or comfort; it was simply stating a fact that was set in stone.
He adjusted his backpack strap, nodded, and turned to leave.
Xu Wen only mentioned it when he was about to leave work.
As she tidied up the documents, she casually remarked, "Oh, by the way, there's some news I think you should know. Someone from Galaxy Capital is inquiring about our financing; it's not formal contact, just asking within the industry."
Zeng Hao closed the script reading box.
"Who asked that?"
"One of their investment managers, through a screenwriter friend whom Fang Qing knew, went through several rounds of inquiries to ask Sunshine Entertainment if they had any plans for the next round of financing."
Zeng Hao put the script on the corner of the table and didn't say anything.
Galaxy Capital.
The name lingered in his mind for two seconds. He neatly stacked the documents, got up, and grabbed his coat.
"Got it," he said. "Keep an eye on it."
Xu Wen responded with a soft "yes" and muttered something under his breath.
"Just say 'keep an eye on'? What am I going to keep an eye on, to what extent, and what results will I get before I tell you?"
She swallowed the rest of her sentence, lowered her head, and carefully bagged and sealed the last document. Suddenly remembering something, she took out her phone from her pocket, unlocked it with one hand, and handed the screen over.
"By the way, Chu Ran sent this to Tian Xiwei, and Tian Xiwei screenshotted it for me. Take a look."
Tian Xiwei: "Have you released the final exam schedule yet?"
Chu Ran: "Just came out, I'm at the fifth level."
Tian Xiwei: "Huh?? You also have five subjects?? I thought it was just our class."
Chu Ran: "Performance theory, physical training, vocal music, literary history, and an elective course, which I chose was opera appreciation."
Tian Xiwei: "Opera appreciation? Didn't you say last year that the teacher in that course was particularly soporific?"
Chu Ran: "But it's better than last time! I fell asleep during the final exam and still got 87."
Tian Xiwei: "...You could call that a talent."
Chu Ran: "Mainly because I've spent a lot of time on set, I can keep up with that rhythm."
Tian Xiwei: "How many classes are you skipping right now?"
Chu Ran: "I skipped two acting theory classes last week and will have to borrow notes from a classmate later. I need to catch up on three vocal lessons, but I didn't skip physical training. Director Peng said that with so many emotional scenes, physical training can't be neglected."
Tian Xiwei: "This is Peng Guandao?"
Chu Ran: "What did he say again? The actor's body is the first prop. I didn't take it seriously at the time, but after filming two scenes, it really made sense."
Tian Xiwei: "Has he ever said anything to me? My posture teacher said my waist isn't flexible enough."
Chu Ran: "He didn't mention you, but he said Zhang Linghe has a natural stage presence. He only said one sentence, and I remembered it."
Tian Xiwei: "...What did he say to me?"
Chu Ran: "Tell me to bring something next time you visit the set. You came empty-handed last time."
Tian Xiwei: "I brought it!! I brought tea!!"
Chu Ran: "That tea was given to the director by your mother, so it doesn't count as something you brought."
After Zeng Hao finished reading, he returned the phone to Xu Wen.
"She has five exams, how is her filming schedule arranged?"
"There are two more shows this week," Xu Wen said, taking the phone. "I checked the schedule with the production crew for her. She didn't have any shows scheduled for the two days during exam week, but she's on set the rest of the time."
Zeng Hao nodded, picked up his coat, and left.
Xu Wen took the cup to the break room and stopped him on his way back. "Those five exams for Chu Ran, do you want to...?"
"She made the arrangements herself."
"OK."
The news from Dingsheng came in the afternoon.
It wasn't Xu Wen who sent it; it was Chen, the business manager, who sent it proactively—a WeChat message with a screenshot attached.
The screenshot is a private message record from an entertainment account. The other party asked whether there were any issues with the casting of the period drama that iQiyi collaborated on. Specifically, the message mentioned that a certain company had cast a student with no acting experience as the male lead, and asked whether the platform had assessed the risks.
Chen's WeChat message contained only one sentence: "I saw this. Just know that, we're unaffected."
Zeng Hao saved the screenshot and replied with three words: "Thanks for reminding me."
Dingsheng has changed its approach this time.
The previous two rounds focused on generating public opinion and vying for external influence. This time, they've bypassed the platform and directly asked iQiyi if there were any risks. It's like planting a seed on the platform: your partner casts a college student with no prior work as the male lead; if it flops, who's responsible?
iQiyi hasn't taken over this seed yet. Chen, the business manager, sent this message to tell him that the platform's stance is stable.
But the seeds have already been planted.
There will be a second and a third storyline, with different angles and different people asking the questions. As long as "Ning An Ru Meng" hasn't aired, this storyline will keep pushing forward.
Zeng Hao put down his phone, picked up the "Ning An Ru Meng" schedule, and checked the filming period.
Filming will begin during the summer vacation, with the main body taking five months and post-production taking three months. It is expected to be launched as early as the first half of next year.
It will take about a year from now until it goes live.
Ding Sheng spent a year working at iQiyi.
He put the schedule back, leaned back a bit, and mentally reviewed the matter.
Chen's statement, "We are unaffected," was not a declaration, but merely a description of the current situation. Being unaffected now does not guarantee that it will be unaffected a year from now. The platform's confidence in cooperation will continue to be eroded, especially before the work is even released.
He didn't call Xu Wen; he looked at Chen's screenshot again himself. The screenshot was taken this morning, and Dingsheng's operation had already been going on for almost half a day.
We need to keep an eye on this line.
The key is not to retaliate now, but to know where it is going with each step.
He placed his phone face down on the table, picked up his coat, and prepared to leave. Xu Wen pushed the door open from the outside and came in, his expression a little more tense than usual.
"There's something," she said, standing at the door, her tone more crisp than usual, "It's about Galaxy Capital, not about financing."
Zeng Hao draped his coat over his arm and looked at her.
"They were asking about the equity structure of 'Ning An Ru Meng'," Xu Wen said. "Specifically, they were asking if the main investor in this project was only Sunshine Entertainment, and whether there was room for co-production. The person asking was the same investment manager as last time, but this time they didn't bypass the screenwriter and went directly to a friend of Director Peng."
Zeng Hao didn't say anything.
Inquiring about financing is not the same as inquiring about project equity.
Financing is a preliminary assessment, while equity investment is an inquiry into the possibility of investment.
Galaxy Capital is attempting to acquire a stake in "Ning An Ru Meng".
"They don't want a share of the profits."
Xu Wen took his phone back, then paused for a moment. "What do you want?"
"Control." Zeng Hao draped his coat over the back of his chair and sat down. "Co-productions aren't about sharing money; they're about seizing control. Once the project's equity structure changes, they can interfere with every aspect, from casting and scriptwriting to marketing."
Xu Wen went through this logic in his mind and slowly frowned.
"Then why did they interfere in 'Ning An Ru Meng'?"
"Because they judged this project to be profitable." Zeng Hao flipped through the progress chart on the table. "For profitable projects, sharing the profits is secondary; what they really want is to tie Sunshine Entertainment to their fold. Once the co-producers are involved, they'll have priority in negotiating all subsequent projects. That's what they want."
Xu Wen put his phone away and rubbed his hands together.
"So what do we do now?"
"Don't move," Zeng Hao said. "They're still testing the waters; it hasn't reached the point of formal contact yet. Responding during this testing phase is a mistake. We need to wait for them to make their move."
Xu Wen said "Oh," thought for a moment, and then asked, "What about Director Peng's friend...?"
"Tell Peng Bing to let his friend respond normally. There's no need for him to hide or send any messages."
"it is good."
She jotted down two lines on her phone, put it away, and walked towards the door, turning back halfway. "Oh, right, about the film crew today..."
Zeng Hao has picked up the schedule again.
"What time is it?"
"Two o'clock, the cruise scene, Director Peng said we're filming today."
"Um."
The film crew built a painted boat in the studio, and the set design team recreated the scene of a cruise ship on the water.
The cabin where Xiahou Dan and Yu Wanyin met the students taking the imperial examinations, and the side of the boat where they rescued the students who had fallen into the water, were all built according to the actual scenery. The props team prepared special effects for falling into the water, rescue ropes, and matching devices for the assassination conflict.
When Zeng Hao arrived, Peng Bing was confirming the camera position with the photographer.
This scene is a highlight of the entire series.
Yu Wanyin was meeting with students on a boat with Xiahou Dan when Prince Duan sent men to launch a surprise assassination attempt. In the chaos, the boat capsized and students fell into the water. Yu Wanyin grabbed the rescue rope and struggled to pull the students out of the water. In the critical moment, she shouted angrily, "Kill him!"
With her aura fully unleashed, she protects the students and resists assassination attempts.
Peng Bing told the photographer, "Don't cut from the moment the students board the ship. Don't stop until I tell you to, follow along to the end."
The photographer nodded and adjusted the lens.
Chu Ran stood on the sidelines, her coat still on, her backpack next to the camera wheels, zipped open, a corner of her Shanghai Theatre Academy acting theory textbook peeking out of the side pocket—no one paid it any attention. She kept her head down, her lips still, her eyes fixed inward, rehearsing her scene.
The assistant director next to her asked if she wanted to go over the process again, but she shook her head and didn't say anything.
Zeng Hao stood still next to the monitor.
He knew what the scene would end up like—a popular comment on Douban, "I've watched this scene ten times on repeat," and one of the most shared screenshots in the entire series, a highlight of Yu Wanyin's character. But now, as Chu Ran stood there, he wasn't sure if they could get it right in one take today.
This uncertainty has nothing to do with the prophet.
He knew the outcome, but he didn't know the process that happened today.
Peng Bing turned around and glanced at Chu Ran.
"Ready?"
"Um."
"Power on."
As the sound effects began, the students inside the cabin bowed in turn, and Xiahou Dan and Yu Wanyin sat upright to receive them, creating a calm and composed atmosphere.
The next second, the assassin broke through the ship's side and launched a surprise attack. In the chaos, the ship capsized, and the students fell into the water.
Chu Ran, playing Yu Wanyin, strode to the side of the boat, gripping the rescue rope tightly with both hands. Leaning forward, she desperately pulled the students from the water. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes sharp, and she completely disregarded her own safety, shouting angrily at the assassin and his bodyguards, "Kill them!"
The powerful voice and explosive energy are the character's instinctive outburst to protect others.
In front of the monitor, Zeng Hao could see clearly—she wasn't just shouting lines; it was an instinctive reaction from the character, a resolute decision to save someone in a crisis, with her emotions and actions perfectly synchronized.
This explosive power cannot be taught.
The photographer followed the entire process, capturing the rescue, the shouting of instructions, and the guards maintaining order seamlessly without interruption.
Peng Bing stood next to the monitor, his hand resting on the edge of the table, without moving.
Zeng Hao looked at the stopwatch; the entire highlight scene was smooth without any interruptions.
Peng Bingcai spoke first: "Stop."
The photographer steadied the camera and looked back at Peng Bing. Peng Bing didn't speak, but turned to look at Zeng Hao, who glanced at the monitor playback and nodded.
"This one."
Chu Ran straightened up from the side of the boat, loosened the rescue rope, her emotions still carrying the crispness of the play, her eyes slightly red.
She walked to the camera van, squatted down, unzipped her backpack, tucked the exposed textbook inside, zipped it up, stood up, and took a sip of water.
Tian Xiwei sent a message. She glanced at it, replied with two words, and put her phone in her pocket.
The assistant director came over and asked if she wanted to do another take, but she shook her head: "No need, this one is correct."
The investor representatives arrived at 3 PM.
Peng Bing was still checking the footage with the photographer when he saw the man come in. He tucked the notebook under his arm and stood there waiting.
The man in the suit held a document in his hand, thicker than the previous two, clipped with a paperclip. He walked over, nodded to Peng Bing first, and then looked at Zeng Hao.
"Mr. Zeng, regarding this cruise ship event—"
"Article eleven." Zeng Hao interrupted him before he could finish speaking.
The other party paused for a moment: "This time, we're not cutting anything; we're reassessing the proportion of this scene in the overall narrative structure—"
"Article 11 covers adjustments to the narrative structure," Zeng Hao said. "The proportion of the text is a content decision, not a technical adjustment, and requires the written consent of the main creators."
The other party handed the document forward: "Mr. Zeng, please take a look at this proposal—"
"No need to look."
Peng Bing took out the notebook he had been carrying under his arm, turned to a certain page, and pushed it over: "The original contract is here, Article 11, Section 2, 'Any adjustments involving the narrative order, scene length, or additions or deletions of plot must be confirmed in writing by the director and the production company. Disagreement by either party shall be deemed a veto.'"
"Both parties disagree," Zeng Hao repeated. "I disagree."
The other person held the document, glanced at Zeng Hao for two seconds, and then at Peng Bing for two seconds.
Peng Bing closed the notebook, put it back under his arm, and remained calm, refusing to take the document.
The person took the documents back, said nothing more, and turned to leave. He paused at the door, but didn't turn back, and continued walking.
After everyone left the studio, Peng Bing looked down and flipped through his notebook. Without looking at Zeng Hao, he casually remarked, "In all my years in this industry, this is the first time I've seen a producer block out cuts three times."
Zeng Hao picked up the progress chart and turned to the next page.
"Once a contract is written, it must be executed."
Peng Bing hummed in agreement, said nothing more, and turned to find the photographer.
On the photographer's end, the footage has been archived, with the cruise ship footage saved in a separate folder, labeled "One take, no cuts".
Zeng Hao folded up the schedule and walked out of the studio.
He bumped into Chu Ran in the hallway. She had her backpack slung across her shoulder, a water bottle in one hand, and her phone in the other. She was looking at something when she looked up and saw him, then put her phone in her pocket.
"Director Peng said we'd finish early today," she said. "I'll catch the 5:30 subway so I can make it to my evening study session on acting theory."
"Um."
"That scene," she paused, "was it over?"
"Passed."
She hummed in agreement, tightened the lid on her water bottle, and headed for the door. After taking a couple of steps, she turned back and added, "I have a final exam in acting theory, and the teacher said they'll be doing a quiz. I have to go today."
Zeng Hao did not respond.
She turned around and walked out. Her schoolbag swayed with her steps, and the corner of her textbook bulged out a square shape inside the zipper.
...
Back in the office, Xu Wen had already finished organizing the day's work sheets. When he saw him come in, she looked up.
"Did you get things sorted out with Director Peng?"
"Um."
"Where are the investors?"
"I'm gone."
Xu Wen crossed out a line on the work sheet and continued working with his head down.
After a while, she looked up again, her expression somewhat hesitant.
There's something I didn't have a chance to tell you today.
Zeng Hao put down his coat and looked at her.
"It's that rating account that helped Dingsheng publish the advertorial last time," Xu Wen said. "They published another one this afternoon. This time they're not questioning the historical drama genre anymore; they've changed their direction, saying that Sunshine Entertainment has rumors of introducing external equity, and the source is an 'industry insider'."
Zeng Hao pulled up a chair and sat down.
Dingsheng and Xinghe Capital, two groups of people, made their move on the same day.
Dingsheng planted a stake on the platform, while Xinghe Capital spread rumors in the media—saying that Sunshine Entertainment was going to introduce external equity. This was clearly to create momentum for them, making the market think that the matter was already under discussion, and forcing Sunshine Entertainment to make a statement.
Once a stance is taken, regardless of whether it is acknowledged or not, one becomes passive.
Xu Wen stared at him, waiting for him to make a decision.
Zeng Hao picked up his phone and pieced together the screenshots sent by Chen Shangwu and the rating information sent by Xu Wengang, then looked at them together.
Two directions, one rhythm—it's clear that the same group of people are manipulating things behind the scenes.
He threw his phone back on the table.
"Have Sister Liu lock up the equity documents of 'Ning An Ru Meng' again to make sure there is no possibility of them being leaked to the outside world."
"it is good."
"Also," he paused, "inform Peng Bing that the startup time remains unchanged."
Xu Wen quickly wrote them down, then looked up and asked after sending the messages, "Just these two?"
"Um."
She put her phone away, her lips twitched, but she swallowed her words and looked down to cross out the last line of the work order.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
It wasn't Xu Wen's; it was the one on Zeng Hao's desk.
He glanced down at the sender—Fang Qing.
The message is just one line:
"Someone from Galaxy Capital contacted me directly this afternoon, saying they wanted to schedule a time to discuss a collaboration on the screenwriting of 'Ning An Ru Meng'."
When Fang Qing left, she closed the conference room door very quietly, as if afraid of disturbing the people inside.
Xu Wen watched her walk away in the corridor before turning back, pushing the door open a crack, and peeking his head in.
"She's gone."
"Hmm." Zeng Hao looked down at the progress chart without even lifting his eyelids.
"Before she left, she told me," Xu Wen pushed open the door and leaned against the doorframe, "thank you, President Zeng, for shielding her from trouble. She said she didn't realize at the time that the screenwriter collaboration had ulterior motives, and now she feels a little scared thinking about it."
Zeng Hao turned to the next page of the progress chart.
"Um."
Xu Wen waited for two seconds, and seeing that he didn't say anything more, he gently closed the door and sat back down in the outer room.
Before Fang Qing arrived, Zeng Hao only told her two things.
First, Galaxy Capital didn't approach her to discuss screenwriting collaboration at all; they wanted to use her to extract the core elements of "Ning An Ru Meng"—the dual-narrative logic, character relationships, and ending design—all of which are contained within the complete script. If they actually sat down and talked for two hours, they could have extracted about 70-80% of the information the other party wanted.
Fang Qing's expression changed immediately, and she asked: "Then how should I reply?"
Zeng Hao said: Just say your schedule is full and you're not taking on any new projects for the time being. Be polite and don't leave any room for negotiation.
Fang Qing then asked: What if they keep chasing us?
Zeng Hao said: Let them go through the company's business channels and official channels.
Fang Qing understood what he meant—official channels meant public communication, but Galaxy Capital wanted private contact. If they went through the proper procedures, they wouldn't get anything.
Fang Qing nodded, picked up her bag, and left.
She thought Zeng Hao was helping her out of a predicament and felt grateful.
In fact, this whole thing is about information security.
Fang Qing holds the only complete script for "Ning An Ru Meng" to date, and the dual-narrative structure is the project's core competitive advantage. Once this is understood, Xinghe Capital can use it to control Sunshine Entertainment's pace at the negotiating table, or even sell it to Dingsheng, allowing them to develop similar projects ahead of schedule and secure release dates.
It has absolutely nothing to do with Fang Qing herself.
Zeng Hao flipped the progress chart back to the page where he checked the system before powering on, and started looking at each item one by one from the first one.
Xu Wen knocked and came in. This time he didn't lean against the door frame, but went straight to the table and put his phone on it.
The screen shows a screenshot of the new post that the rating number just published.
The title has changed from "Pending Verification" to "Changes in Sunshine Entertainment's Equity Structure? Signals of External Capital Entry Continue to Emerge." The text uses "It is reported" three times in a row, each followed by a vague and unsubstantiated message. The final paragraph even asks rhetorically: As Sunshine Entertainment's current core project, has the equity structure of "Ning An Ru Meng" already been or is about to introduce external parties?
Xu Wen said, "Within two hours of this post being published, it was forwarded over a hundred times, and two media outlets have already cited it."
Zeng Hao picked up his phone and scanned the entire article from beginning to end.
All three "it is said" statements are baseless, with not a single piece of concrete evidence. The wording is full of phrases like "signals are being released" and "whether it has already happened or is about to happen," which is equivalent to saying nothing at all, yet it creates the illusion for the reader that "this is happening."
This tactic is known in the industry as a "hype-building article".
They don't need facts, they just need to force you to give a direct response.
If you respond, it's tantamount to acknowledging that the matter is worth mentioning; if you don't respond, silence itself will be interpreted as an attitude.
Xu Wen stared at him: "Should we issue a statement?"
"Not issuing it."
"Just leave it like this?"
"What stage is the official casting announcement at?"
Xu Wen paused for a moment, then took out his phone and scrolled through it: "I already gave it to the publicity team last week. They're doing the layout and said they can get it done this week."
"Send it today."
Xu Wen went through those three words in his mind before he realized what they meant.
Once the official announcement is released, the main investors, equity structure, and core creative team of the project will all be clearly stated in black and white, which is more effective than any denial statement.
It's not about confronting them head-on, but about leaving the rumors with nowhere to stand.
She put away her phone, turned and walked out, but then remembered something at the door and turned back to ask, "Should we add more to Zhang Linghe's part in the official announcement? Right now it's just one sentence: 'A student at Jinling Normal University, making his acting debut.'"
That's enough.
"...Okay." She pushed open the door and went out.
The official announcement was released promptly at 3 PM, in a very proper format. Produced by Sunshine Entertainment, directed by Peng Bing, and starring Zhang Linghe, filming is expected to begin this summer. The equity structure and production company information are clearly stated, with no co-producers and no trace of "introducing external capital."
Within an hour of posting, the comments section of the "Changes in Equity" post already had screenshots of the official announcement, prompting the question: "Where are the signals of external capital entering the market that you mentioned?"
I didn't dare reply with the rating number.
None of the accounts under Dingsheng's control dared to make a move.
Zhang Linghe arrived in the afternoon, carrying a copy of the original novel "Ning An Ru Meng," its spine loosened and several pages folded at the corners.
Zeng Hao told him to wait in the conference room, and that he would go in five minutes later, sit down, and turn to the scene at the ferry crossing in episode eleven of the script.
"Start reading aloud from the moment Xie Ju'an enters the ferry crossing, and continue reading until he finishes saying that sentence."
Zhang Linghe put the original work aside, picked up the script, found the page, quickly glanced through it, then looked up and spoke to the person directly in front of him.
This time there were no issues with stuttering or finding the right rhythm.
The breath control is steady, and the classical Chinese style is not a forced tone, but rather hidden in the pauses and emphasis. It is not deliberate, but the flavor is very authentic.
The last sentence reads: "May you have a safe journey."
He paused for a moment between "always" and "peace," and that moment held back all the restraint he had shown before.
Zeng Hao closed the script.
That's enough.
Zhang Linghe put down the script and looked at him.
"Has the startup time been set?"
"You'll receive the summer vacation notice." Zeng Hao stood up. "Get the leave application from the school sorted out this week."
Zhang Linghe nodded, picked up the original book, stood up and walked out, but stopped at the door.
"That original text," he said softly, "I read it three times, all aloud. After the last reading, my mother came in and asked me which text I was reciting."
Zeng Hao picked up the progress chart on the table but didn't reply.
Zhang Linghe didn't wait for his response and turned to leave.
After the door closed, Xu Wen popped out from the side, peeked into the conference room, and whispered, "His mom asked him if he was reciting a text—that's so cute."
Zeng Hao walked past her and headed to his office.
"Notify Peng Bing that his language sense has been tested, and there is no need to arrange any more reading sessions before the machine starts."
Xu Wen responded from behind, took out his phone to send a message, and muttered to himself as he typed, "Would it kill him to give me a compliment? All he ever says is 'enough.' This kid can really take it."
Chu Ran called in the evening; she was calling Xu Wen.
Xu Wen answered the phone, listened for a couple of sentences, his expression subtly changed, he turned to the side and covered the microphone with his hand, glanced at Zeng Hao's office to make sure the door was closed, and then spoke normally.
"What date did you say your exam is?"
"From the 5th to the 8th, four days, five doors." Chu Ran's voice was calm, the background was messy, like in a cafeteria, "I asked you before, and you said the crew didn't have any scheduled appearances for these four days."
"Yes, that's what I said." Xu Wen switched his phone to his other hand, flipped through two pages of the work sheet, stopped, closed his eyes and then opened them again. "But... Chu Ran, Director Peng just sent a message saying that he wants to add two more scenes for Xie Yong'er's awakening storyline before filming starts in the summer, scheduled for the 6th."
There was a three-second silence on the other end.
Number Six.
Number Six.
"I have a physical fitness test on the 6th."
"I know."
"10:00 AM."
"I know."
"Xu Wen," Chu Ran said calmly, with someone calling for food in the background, "you said you knew, did you know all along, or did you just find out?"
Xu Wen picked up the work sheet, flipped through it, put it down, picked it up again, and put it down again.
"...I just found out."
"Okay," Chu Ran said. "The physical fitness test starts at 10 a.m. and ends no later than 12 p.m. What time does the filming start?"
Two points.
"We can make it."
Are you sure?
"I'm not sure, but I have to hurry." Someone called Chu Ran from the other end of the line. She responded and said into the microphone, "Xu Wen, keep an eye on things for me. If Director Peng changes the time, tell me immediately, and I'll figure something out myself."
"Okay, then you—"
"I'm going to eat first. I have to go to my physical education class tomorrow. The teacher said if I don't come to class, I won't be allowed to take the final exam. I'm memorizing my lines in the cafeteria now, and the students next to me have been staring at me for a while."
Xu Wen was taken aback: "...You were memorizing your lines in the cafeteria?"
"There's nowhere to study. The dorms are out of power tonight, and the library is full. The only option is the cafeteria, which is quiet."
"Is the cafeteria quiet?"
"I was wearing headphones, which blocked out external interference, so logically it should have been quiet."
Xu Wen thought about it for a moment, but didn't quite understand. Anyway, this was Chu Ran's logic, which was always the case for her.
"Okay, you eat first. I'll keep an eye on things on the 6th for you."
"Okay, thanks."
After hanging up the phone, Xu Wen put the work sheet back, circled line number six in red pen, and wrote two words next to it: Keep a close eye on it.
She took the work order and went into Zeng Hao's office, explaining the situation in detail.
Zeng Hao was reading the location scouting report before the start of filming for "Ning An Ru Meng" and listened without even looking up.
"What time does the physical fitness test end?"
"No later than midnight."
"Have the film crew prepare a car and wait for her at the entrance of the Shanghai Theatre Academy at noon, then take her directly to the film crew."
Xu Wen quickly wrote it down and looked up to ask, "Should we tell her?"
"Need not."
Xu Wen put away the work sheet, turned around and walked out. He paused at the door, but didn't turn back, and continued walking.
There was something she wanted to say but didn't—even if she did, Zeng Hao would just grunt in response, so she decided to skip it.
Sitting back in the outer room, she added four more words next to the red circle in row number six: Prepare the car, go to the theater.
That evening, Sister Liu sent a message forwarded to Zeng Hao. The source was a middleman in the industry who facilitates capital connections. Her exact words were:
"After asking around, Xinghe found that there were no external equity options for the Sunshine Entertainment project. So they've changed direction and started inquiring about Peng Bing's next project."
Zeng Hao read the message once and put down his phone.
From tentatively seeking financing to inquiring about equity stakes, to infiltrating the screenwriter's circle, and now targeting Peng Bing—Galaxy Capital quickly finds a new avenue to enter whenever one is blocked. This demonstrates their unwavering confidence in "Ning An Ru Meng"; they're not just testing the waters, they're determined to get involved.
The problem isn't how persistent they are.
What makes them so certain that this project will definitely make money?
Zeng Hao picked up his phone again and read the messages once more.
Galaxy Capital has been in the entertainment industry for many years, and their judgment of projects relies on data models and market experience, not precognition. Based on the information they have, "Ning An Ru Meng" is the first costume drama of a new company, directed by Peng Bing, and the male lead is still a student. There is simply not enough data for a normal investor to believe that it is a sure win at this stage.
Unless, of course, they obtained inside information from Sunshine Entertainment.
He placed his phone face down on the table.
Currently, the only people who have access to the core information, besides him and Xu Wen, are Peng Bing, Fang Qing, Sister Liu, and the assistant director who participated in the reading session.
Fang Qing had just been touched, and it was already blocked.
As for Peng Bing, he had only asked Peng Bing to have a friend reply normally, without having a detailed conversation.
But Peng Bing couldn't possibly be the one who leaked the information.
Zeng Hao mentally went through the logic twice, and the conclusion was the same.
The logic is simple: Galaxy Capital was convinced that "Ning An Ru Meng" was a sure winner. This judgment came earlier than the official announcement, earlier than the script reading, and even earlier than Zhang Linghe's audition in the meeting room. They first inquired about financing through an intermediary during the week of Ch60, less than ten days after Zhang Linghe was confirmed as the male lead. In those ten days, apart from Peng Bing and Fang Qing, no third person had touched the complete script.
Fang Qing's side has been ruled out.
Peng Bing, on the other hand, did not give him a specific explanation.
Peng Bing had been a director for twenty years and had seen all sorts of capital tricks. When Galaxy Capital asked his friend to inquire, even if Peng Bing didn't realize they were trying to extract information, he wouldn't proactively reveal project details—it was an instinct honed from years of experience.
The problem doesn't lie with Peng Bing.
The question is, what gave Galaxy Capital the confidence to be so certain so early on that this project was worth investing in?
Zeng Hao went through this logic in his mind for the third time, but still couldn't come up with a new answer.
He pulled back a crack in the curtains; it was already bright outside, and early morning buses were starting to run on the street below.
He picked up his phone and sent a message to Xu Wen: "Have Peng Bing come over today."
When Peng Bing arrived, he was carrying a thick stack of scripts, bound with rubber bands. He placed them on the conference table and sat down opposite Zeng Hao.
"Galaxy Capital," Zeng Hao said bluntly.
Peng Bing wasn't surprised. He rested his elbows on the table and looked at him.
"They contacted us through your friend to ask about 'Ning An Ru Meng,' what was your friend's response?"
"It's hard to explain. Tell them to contact the company's business department," Peng Bing said. "I told him beforehand that if anyone asks about this project, we should turn them away."
"What else did they ask?"
Peng Bing thought for a moment and then asked me if I had decided on my next project, and also asked me how many years my contract with Sunshine Entertainment was for.
Zeng Hao wrote two words next to the progress chart on the table, then crossed them out and started writing again.
Contract term.
This is the first question Galaxy Capital raised after changing its approach. They didn't ask about project details, only how long the contract would last.
They were calculating when Peng Bing would be able to extricate himself from Sunshine Entertainment.
"How much longer do you have left on your contract with me?" Zeng Hao asked.
"Two years and four months," Peng Bing answered crisply, clearly having memorized the number countless times.
Have you reviewed the renewal terms?
"I've seen it. The priority renewal right is in your hands; I can't unilaterally terminate the contract early." Peng Bing paused. "You mean, they want to poach me?"
"It's not necessarily about digging," Zeng Hao said calmly. "They just want to know when you'll be free. Before you're free, they can't touch you. Once you're free, we can sit down and talk."
Peng Bing mentally reviewed the logic, then remained silent.
"There's an old trick in the industry," Zeng Hao continued. "Investors usually start contacting directors a year before their contracts expire, ostensibly to discuss cooperation intentions in advance. In reality, it's about diverting some of your attention before the project is finished, affecting the current progress of the film, and incidentally creating anxiety for the production company."
After listening, Peng Bing tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.
"So they don't want the material for 'Ning An Ru Meng', they want you to feel that this play is risky."
"Um."
Peng Bing paused for a few seconds, then untied the rubber band binding the script and slowly retied it.
"You knew they would pull this stunt?"
Zeng Hao didn't reply, but pushed the schedule towards him.
"The startup date remains the same, is everything alright on your end?"
Peng Bing took the progress chart, glanced at it, and then pushed it back.
"No problem." He got up, picked up the script, and walked out, but turned back at the door. "By the way, for the first scene, I want to shoot the ferry crossing scene."
Zeng Hao raised his eyes.
"The emotional intensity is high," Peng Bing explained. "The actors are most tense in the first two days after filming starts, and that tension itself is part of the performance. They relax after that period. Zhang Linghe's energy has to be used during those two days."
"You decide."
Peng Bing nodded and went out the door.
As soon as the door closed, Xu Wen poked half his head in from the outside.
"Are you done talking?"
"Um."
"Is Director Peng alright?"
"fine."
Xu Wengang pulled his head back in, then poked it back in two seconds later: "What about Xinghe Capital over there—"
"wait."
This time, she completely withdrew and didn't peek out again.