Chapter One: Unfulfilled Ambition

  "I've always been puzzled as to why it has to be done this way?" Li Hao asked in confusion.

  Lin Xiao laughed and said, "I'm not telling you again, the entertainment circle and fashion circle are inseparable. Even if they wear underwear, it's all endorsed. This set of clothes, if it's evaluated as outstanding that night, then the next day's fashion magazine will immediately promote it, which brand made it, that brand will become the hottest brand in front of you."

  He paused and continued, "Like LV, Burberry, Hermès, they care more about their reputation. Once they cause a sensation in a certain region, sales will naturally surge. These clothes, if you can't get them for tens or hundreds of millions, others selling a few sets is equivalent to selling dozens of ordinary luxury goods."

  Sally Yeh and Andy Lau almost walked the red carpet in an atmosphere of welcoming a champion scholar returning home in ancient times.

  However, the screaming did not stop and was even louder than before, startling the three people who were talking.

  This time the screams were heard clearly, countless people had a crying tone, and even those not far from them, several cried out directly. The police cordon loosened once again.

  The three of them exchanged a glance, who was it? Could anyone surpass Andy Lau and Cherie Chung?!

  However, with just one glance at the red carpet, they immediately got their answer.

  Out of the car came a brother like a prince, Leslie Cheung, and a Zhang Manyu as bright as the stars.

  When Zhang Guorong waved his hand to the fans, that hand seemed to have magic power, and all the fans in the venue followed his hand with a burst of screams. And when Zhang Manyu walked out of the car door and smiled slightly, the cheers from male fans were overwhelming.

  If Lin Xiao remembers correctly, the winner of this year's Best Actress award is Zhang Man Yu.

  "What a grand sight." Next to him, a newcomer gazed intently at the 100-meter-long red carpet, where a pair of celebrities were the center of attention, and every move they made could cause a sensation, their eyes filled with envy that was not disguised in the slightest.

  "Yes, this is the ultimate dream of an artist." "If I can walk on the red carpet one day, it's worth working hard for a long time."

  No one hides the passion in their heart, everyone who comes here is a newcomer for the first time.

  Another black sedan stopped in front of the red carpet, and the red carpet on both sides was once again stormed, countless glow sticks were shaking, and every new person who walked onto the red carpet would kill countless rolls of film for reporters.

  Just then, Lin Xiao's phone vibrated.

  He quietly picked it up and took a look, it was a text message from CAMI, with only one sentence.

  "Private room 201, right away."

  It has finally arrived, he had been waiting in his heart all along. Kangxi is about to be completed, Huaxia takes its first step, but Yongle is already extremely impatient. How to spend this period of "final ultimatum", Chu Yiming is also making his own efforts.

  "Double insurance tactics." He thought for a moment and came up with an idea: "Use the best artists to take over the next big production, making Yongle unwilling to pay the penalty to shut down Huaxia. If Kangxi's broadcast effect is good, then this step won't be needed, but there are still two months of filming, one month of public relations and promotion, Chu is always doing double insurance."

  Thinking in his heart, his footsteps didn't stop, and soon he arrived in front of Room 201.

  Having a private room at the Golden Horse Awards is absolutely extraordinary! He took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, knocked on the door, and heard a low voice inside saying "Come in."

  As he walked in, his eyes narrowed involuntarily. CAMI, the woman who had once been an Oscar-winning actress's agent, was standing and talking for the first time, behind a table laden with wine and snacks, sat a man of less than average height, with half-white hair, a ruddy complexion, and a warm smile, in his late forties.

  It was just a daze, and he immediately understood who CAMI had brought him to see! No wonder she stood up to talk!

  Man Jun! He and Liu Wei Qiang are top-notch directors of the same level! If we're talking about Hong Kong's top ten, he must be one of them!

  Now, the other side's "Young and Dangerous" series has brought up a wave of "bad" fashion trends. In 2002, his supervised film "My Brothers and Sisters" earned 150 million at the box office, ranking second in domestic films nationwide. Subsequent films such as "The Village Inn" and "Lost on Journey" were also quite good.

  However, he immediately became suspicious. At this point in time, the best partner company formed by Liu Wei, Wen Jun, and Wang Jing had not yet disbanded, and none of them had gone solo. How could he possibly get their approval for a meeting?

  The golden director of Eastern Hollywood personally meets newcomers? What's the difference between this and the President meeting a janitor?

  "Lin Xiao, this is MANFRED WONG, director Wen Jun. Director of Hong Kong's Best Partner Company." CAMI bowed slightly to Lin Xiao and introduced him seriously.

  "Director Wen is great." Lin Xiao also bowed to Wen Yu.

  Wen Jun simply nodded and casually pointed to the sofa "Sit down."

  After they sat down, CAMI spoke up "Director Wen, this is our company's most outstanding newcomer."

  Wen Jun took a sip of tea and said expressionlessly, "Let's make one thing clear, since I've seen the person, whether they're qualified or not, everyone will understand what happens next."

  "Don't worry about this, Wen Dao." CAMI nodded.

  "That's good." Wen Jun turned his head and suddenly said to Lin Xiao "Five minutes, cry it out."

  Lin Xiao was taken aback for a moment, and then saw CAMI nod slightly.

  Five minutes, but it wasn't difficult. He just fell silent for a moment and closed his eyes.

  He looked at him lightly, he knew that crying scenes were the most difficult part of an actor's "expression skills", and among the newcomers in Hong Kong, only one in ten could do it, he didn't think highly of this actor, just letting him know to retreat.

  The house fell silent, and Wen Jun leisurely glanced at his watch, with only three minutes left. Once this last bit of time passed, the transaction with Hua Xia would be almost complete.

  Three and a half minutes, still nothing. CAMI's expression remained unchanged, but she was also getting anxious in her heart. How could she not know that crying scenes were the biggest challenge for newcomers? But at this opportunity, she had no other choice.

  Four minutes in, Lin Xiao's expression remained unchanged, but she couldn't help but think to herself that it was still too forced after all.

  At this moment, Wen Jun suddenly let out a "huh" and looked at Lin Xiao with an expression of disbelief.

  Cami's gaze hastily followed, only to see Lin Xiao's eyelids trembling, and then, two lines of hot tears actually flowed out from under his eyelids!

  Wen Jun's eyes widened in shock "Two years... I haven't seen a newcomer on set for two years, and they cried within five minutes..."

  Cami suddenly came to her senses and hastily asked "Then Wen Dao, what about that matter?"

  Wen Jun waved his hand to signal her not to continue, and then he himself fell into deep thought.

  His gaze wandered around, but ultimately still fixed on Lin Xiao.

  "Good seedling." He silently praised in his heart. "Although he's from the mainland, the market is different from Hong Kong. But this requirement of crying within five minutes is almost impossible for a newcomer to complete. His first film hasn't even finished shooting yet, and he's already achieved it."

  "Use him? There are many with greater acting skills and reputation than his. Not using him, how can we explain to the Chu family?"

  He frowned in distress and snapped his fingers "Alright."

  Lin Xiao opened his eyes, and they were still red.

  The three of them didn't say a word, CAMI and he were both staring at Wen Jun, although he didn't know the reason behind it all, but in this situation, he couldn't guess that the director was holding auditions, or else he wouldn't have had to struggle for so long in his past life.

  Two pairs of piercing eyes, Wen Jun seemed oblivious, his fingers lightly tapping on the table, lost in thought.

  The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

  "It seems okay now." After a while, Wen Jun finally sighed and said, at least this fact, he couldn't make blind guesses.

  But he immediately added, "But anyway, he's a newcomer. My role requires all-around consideration and can't just come in because of tears. Besides, there's still some time before the start. Isn't his first work going to be finished soon? Let's talk about it then."

  Cami fell silent for a moment, then said "Director Wen, let's talk about it later? Is it after the assessment of the script is out?"

  Wen Jun nodded hesitantly after a brief pause.

  "So it's settled then, thank you Director Wen." CAMI hastily added. She immediately gave Lin Xiao a signal with her eyes.

  "Thank you, Director Wen, for this opportunity." Lin Xiao received the signal and also expressed his gratitude.

  "You guys..." Wen Jun smiled wryly, the other party's move was too familiar. He sighed and said "If there's nothing else, then leave first, I still have something to look at."

  Cami and Lin Xiao also didn't want to stay any longer, so they thanked him and turned around to leave.

  As soon as she stepped out of the door, CAMI made a gesture of snapping her fingers, and the cautious expression in the room just now suddenly became lively.

  "Sister Cami, is the person you're taking me to see Wen Dao?"

  "Not bad!" CAMI said with a smile "He has a play to shoot next year and is currently selecting actors."

  "Is that all?" Lin Xiao laughed profoundly "Is it just like this for a director of Wen Duo's level to meet a newcomer? And the assessment is crying, I know there really isn't any selection. Crying can be completed with the help of medicine, and the assessment is actually more about testing emotional ups and downs."

  He shot her a glance "Nothing much to tell you, but I hate how you think of everything so meticulously."

  "Hmm, she hummed twice before saying 'You know, Wen Jun and their BOB, Best Partner Company has been established for a long time, right?'"

  Lin Xiao nodded.

  "But starting from '95, Hong Kong films plummeted, and '96 was the lowest point in history. Everyone thought that was rock bottom, but it turned out to be just the beginning of a steep decline." CAMI sighed, reminiscing "The Eastern Hollywood... started its descent into the grave..."

  Lin Xiao also has some feelings, the glory of Hong Kong films, later on, only TV dramas were left, a few years later, the rise of mainland TV dramas, proudly looking at the heroes, the situation of Hong Kong films became even more embarrassing.

  "BOB is no exception, they haven't produced any good films in recent years. I reckon they'll break up by next year at the latest!"

  It was actually at the end of 2001. Lin Xiao added in his heart. "How did you know?"

  Cami smiled mysteriously "Because... Wen Jun has already started 'going north', looking for cooperation with emerging film and television production companies in Beijing... He wants to develop towards the mainland!"