Crossover Actors - Chapter 5

When the read-through ended, everyone let out a sigh of relief. Ren Shu concluded, “Today’s read-through focused on some details that can easily be overlooked during filming. It’s very trivial work. Thanks for your hard work, everyone.”

 

The actors all echoed, “Thank you, Director.” Lu Wen pretended to move his lips without making a sound. As the one with the most lines, even taking a breath made his throat hurt.

 

Ren Shu said, “I’m the director, and I also need to continually digest the script. Besides the writer himself, no one dares say they’ve completely understood it.”

 

Since he mentioned the writer, Ren Shu smiled, “I have an official announcement: our head writer, Qu Yanting, has joined the crew. He’s here in Chongqing right now.”

 

Lu Wen was somewhat surprised, and others exclaimed, “Really?!”

 

“I only share real news,” Ren Shu said. “Qu will be attending the kick-off banquet tonight.”

 

The previously exhausted group suddenly revived at the news of Qu Yanting joining the crew.

 

Lu Wen didn’t know much about the industry until he got involved with this project and learned about Qu Yanting.

 

As the cliché goes: “You don’t know until you ask, and when you ask, you’re shocked.”

 

Qu Yanting is the head writer for “The First Night” and a well-known screenwriter in the industry. He studied directing in college and his debut film in his senior year topped the box office that year.

 

Many in this industry start strong and then fade, but Qu Yanting kept rising. He pursued a master’s in screenwriting while working and studying, winning various awards over the years, including the Pioneer Award and Best Screenwriter Award. He’s been recognized by mainstream media as an outstanding young screenwriter.

 

Qu Yanting’s ability is unquestionable, but the entertainment industry values connections even more than talent.

 

Screenwriting is a pyramid-shaped profession, with the top occupied by resource-rich veterans. Among them is the so-called “golden writer of the industry,” Wang Mingyu, whose works often feature on CCTV. She’s also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, making her a prominent figure in both the arts and philanthropy.

 

Wang Mingyu is Qu Yanting’s mentor.

 

Wang Mingyu’s husband is the renowned director, Zeng Zhen, a household name in the industry. Even the janitor at Lu Wen’s company knows about him.

 

Every actor trained by Zeng Zhen has become a top star, many earning best actor or actress titles. For a newcomer, starring in a Zeng Zhen film is a shortcut to fame.

 

Moreover, Zeng Zhen is an honorary professor at the Film Academy and was Qu Yanting’s university professor.

 

With Zeng Zhen and Wang Mingyu backing him, Qu Yanting’s network is impressive. Directors, their spouses, and screenwriters in mainland China all owe him respect.

 

While he’s well-known, most in the industry have only seen Qu Yanting’s work and heard his name without ever meeting him.

 

Despite nearly ten years in the business, Qu Yanting has rarely participated in public events, and even less so in recent years. He almost never appears on TV, and if he must receive an award or discuss a project, his assistant usually stands in for him.

 

Rumor has it Qu Yanting seldom joins crews, and when he does, he only discusses the script and avoids interacting with actors, even refusing to take photos with them.

 

Some say he’s low-key; others say he’s pretentious. The more it’s discussed, the more mysterious he seems.

 

Over time, many people don’t even know what he looks like.

 

So, the news of Qu Yanting’s arrival naturally excited the actors. They wanted to see him in person and make a good impression. If they could win his favor, it would be a major boost in their careers.

 

At this moment, Qu Yanting had just finished his shower. His wet black hair glistened, his skin looked like smooth white porcelain, and only the tips of his ears showed a red flush from the hot water.

 

He stood in front of his wardrobe, choosing clothes. He picked a traditional pointed-collar black shirt, paired with a sharp-lined black suit. There was no bright tie or decorative pocket square, and he didn’t even bother with cologne.

 

To him, attending the banquet felt no different from attending a funeral.

 

Had he known it would be this coincidental, he would have come two days later to miss the kick-off banquet.

 

To avoid being too dull, Qu Yanting put on a silver watch, dragged out the time until the last moment, and then left.

 

The banquet was held in the hotel’s ballroom. With half an hour to go, Lu Wen was preparing in a temporarily rented room. He changed clothes and was chewing mints like sunflower seeds.

 

Sun Xiaojian, who was as excited about Qu Yanting joining the crew as he had been when he passed his grad school exams, snatched the bottle from Lu Wen. “Stop eating these. What if the smell bothers Mr. Qu?”

 

Lu Wen replied, “How could it bother him? It’s not like I’m kissing him.”

 

Sun Xiaojian paused, “Why would you think about kissing a man? That’s something I’d never think of in my life.”

 

Lu Wen was stumped and regretted his words. Unable to answer, he changed the topic, crossed his legs, and pretended to be calm, “Will I really meet Qu Yanting?”

 

“Of course,” Sun Xiaojian beamed. “The essence of a banquet is to greet, network, and schmooze. Qu attending is a rare opportunity for actors. Everyone will be fighting to have the chance to toast him.”

 

Lu Wen wasn’t confident, “Will he even want to see me?”

 

Sun Xiaojian said, “Of course, you’re the lead actor, the soul of the whole play. With Mr. Qu writing the script and investing in it, his coming all the way here is like a leadership inspection. It wouldn’t make sense for him to not meet you.”

 

Lu Wen felt a surge of excitement. In the past, when he played minor roles, he was often ignored. Even after filming, directors couldn’t remember his name. Now, he was about to meet the renowned screenwriter Qu Yanting!

 

“You have to seize this opportunity,” Sun Xiaojian encouraged. “You need to make Mr. Qu feel he made the right choice. If you win his favor, you won’t have to worry about your career.”

 

Lu Wen asked eagerly, “Like what?”

 

Sun Xiaojian replied, “For example, you might get cast in Zeng Zhen’s next film directly.”

 

Lu Wen couldn’t imagine it, “You mean I might win Best Actor while I’m still young?”

 

“Who could stop you then?” Sun Xiaojian pushed up his glasses. “Once you win Best Actor, everyone will be at your feet.”

 

At around 7:30 p.m., the kick-off banquet was about to start. Waitstaff were busily setting out appetizers and drinks, and actors and crew members began to arrive.

 

Lu Wen had just finished his makeup and hair and was heading to the banquet hall. As he walked, he reviewed the personal profiles of the other actors.

 

At the banquet, interactions between actors mostly involved chatting. To avoid awkwardness or dead air, Sun Xiaojian had prepared a dossier for Lu Wen. The dossier included details such as age, notable works, awards, marital status, and interests.

 

Lu Wen read with a frown, “Wow, they even list whether they like broccoli. Should I bring her some?”

 

Sun Xiaojian said, “The point of this is to know what to offer them.”

 

Lu Wen snorted, “Do they not have their own hands? I’m not a waiter. And why list that someone has been divorced twice?”

 

Sun Xiaojian whispered, “That person is known for being a heartthrob and a playboy. He’s been divorced twice due to frequent affairs. Be careful—if he hints at hanging out or having private gatherings, you should find a way to decline.”

 

Lu Wen kept scrolling through the profiles, remembering only half of them. Annoyed, he said, “Why are there so many? It’s longer than my family tree.”

 

Sun Xiaojian consoled him, “When you were a minor role, did you have to greet everyone? After filming, you rarely had the chance to approach the leads. Now that you’re the lead, a potential star, it’s natural to seize the opportunity to get to know them.”

 

“As for why there are so many people,” Sun Xiaojian paused, “It’s because you’re at the bottom of the ladder. The ones from the first to seventeenth lines are ahead of you. It’s normal for there to be so many.”

 

After noting the actors, there was a list of directors, producers, and investors. These people were even more important. When meeting them, one had to smile, bow, and flatter them appropriately—serious flattery for authoritative types, literary flattery for creative types, and lowly flattery for unscrupulous types.

 

Lu Wen lamented, “Why does it feel like I’m still a nobody even as the lead?”

 

Sun Xiaojian offered a piece of wisdom, “When you’re not famous, everyone around you is a big shot. When you are famous, they’ll all be beneath you.”

 

The earlier excitement had cooled slightly. Lu Wen glanced into the banquet hall, which was brightly lit and vibrant. To him, it felt more like an exam for a failing student; the closer he got, the more he dreaded it.

 

Sun Xiaojian urged, “Let’s go, greet Teacher Tao first.”

 

Lu Wen hesitated at the door, “I’ll… go to the bathroom first.”

 

In the hotel’s brightly lit front courtyard, a Porsche slowed to a stop at the entrance. Director Liu, who had been waiting for a long time, personally opened the car door.

 

Qu Yanting got out of the car, the fire-like lights reflecting off his black suit, resembling a starry night sky.

 

He was relieved it wasn’t his first meeting; otherwise, his overly sweaty palms would have been noticeable during a handshake.

 

He hoped for a serious traffic jam or a series of red lights on the way, but the journey was smooth. Each time the driver said, “We’re almost there,” his anxiety grew.

 

Entering the elevator, Director Liu said, “Mr. Qu, we’ve been waiting for you.”

 

Qu Yanting responded, “I left later than planned.”

 

“It’s okay; the banquet has just started,” Director Liu said. “The actors are in the banquet hall, but we’re in a private room.”

 

Qu Yanting asked, “Who’s here?”

 

Director Liu answered, “The director and production teams are all here. There are five representatives from the co-producers, including the head of Haoyang Culture, Mr. Zhou, who flew in specifically after hearing you’d attend.”

 

Qu Yanting nodded. As the elevator doors opened, he followed Director Liu to the private room.

 

The corridor was empty, and the private room’s door was tightly closed, with two waitstaff standing outside. Director Liu stepped aside and said, “Mr. Qu, we’ve arrived.”

 

Qu Yanting stopped and, with a composed demeanor, let his hand rest by his side, his thumb pressing on the tip of his index finger. Just as the waitstaff opened the door, he swallowed hard.

 

“Sorry, I need to use the bathroom.”

 

Qu Yanting still maintained his graceful demeanor and walked with measured steps, but he knew he was avoiding the situation. He disliked social interactions and felt uneasy, even anxious, in such settings.

 

The bathroom was at the end of the corridor, like a hidden refuge.

 

Qu Yanting pushed the door open and entered. The makeup room outside was empty, with dark marble walls illuminated by a ring of wall lights. The cold light was as bright as daylight, and geometric mirrors hung above the vanity.

 

He walked to the sink and leaned slightly to wash the sweat off his palms.

 

Soon, footsteps were heard from inside.

 

Qu Yanting quickly looked up and through the mirror saw Lu Wen emerge from the inner room.

 

Unlike his casual attire yesterday, Lu Wen was now wearing a walnut-colored shirt that made his complexion look fair. The shirt had two buttons undone, revealing a triangle of his neck and chest. On his wrist was a walnut wood bracelet from the Voyager series. Over it, he wore a hunting-style jacket with embroidered trim, which accentuated his waist and made his legs appear longer. His shoes matched his dress pants.

 

Qu Yanting rarely paid attention to others’ attire but couldn’t help but scrutinize Lu Wen. If Qu Yanting were attending a funeral, Lu Wen would be dressed for a wedding, looking dazzling enough to overshadow the groom.

 

Lu Wen scuffed his shoes on the floor, walked over, and stood next to Qu Yanting.

 

After being rebuffed the previous night, he had no intention of engaging with this aloof figure. However, Qu Yanting’s gaze was fixed directly on him.

 

Lu Wen looked back through the mirror and said nonchalantly, “It seems like we have quite a connection.”