WIIAD? ### Chapter 43: Variety Show Airs

"President Han, who did they choose to play Jing Tian? And who is the director? I think I can persuade him!" Wang Xiaohua exclaimed.

"Look at the description of Jing Tian in this script. He looks exactly like our Qi Lin!"

Han Wanli shook his head. "Forget it. They won't agree. To be honest, it's a small company's investment. They are making this series to promote their own new actor. How could they give up the lead role?"

"They came to me for investment because, first, I have some connections with them, and second, to share the risk. If I tell them I'm investing ten million but want Qi Lin as the lead, what will they think? We might not even get the role of Xu Changqing then."

Wang Xiaohua nodded in understanding and then asked, "Who is the director? How is the production team? It can't be an amateur setup, right?"

"Don't worry about that."

Han Wanli finished speaking, tore off a piece of paper, wrote down an address, and handed it to Wang Xiaohua.

"You can take Qi Lin to check it out. You should know the director, the big-name director from Hong Kong, Mr. Li Guo!"

Wang Xiaohua gasped, "Director Li Guo? Didn't you say it was a small company? How can a small company hire Director Li Guo?"

Han Wanli smiled and nodded. "The company is small, but it has some clout in Hong Kong. The boss has known Director Li Guo for many years."

Wang Xiaohua understood. It was likely that some big shot from outside the industry was thinking about transitioning into the entertainment business. They invested in a small company and planned to test the waters by filming a couple of series. They sought Han Wanli's investment probably just to add a layer of security to their venture.

Wang Xiaohua handed the note back. "If it's Director Li Guo's team, there's no need to check. It will definitely be good. President Han, we accept this role. We can sign the contract anytime."

Han Wanli smiled, "Alright, I'll give them a call later to finalize it."

He then pulled out another script from his desk and handed it to Wang Xiaohua. "This is a web series our company specifically prepared for Qi Lin. You two take a look. If there's nothing else before the end of the year, you can stay in Yanjing and film this web series."

Wang Xiaohua took the script, and Qi Lin, curious, looked at the cover. It read, "Soul Ferry"!

...

In the apartment.

"Sister Hua, is the role of Xia Dongqing the main character? I feel like Zhao Li is more of the main character," Qi Lin said, holding the script. He had just finished reading it and felt that Zhao Li had more charisma and seemed more like the main character.

Wang Xiaohua smiled and took out a box of orange juice from the fridge.

"Don't doubt it. Xia Dongqing is definitely the main character. This web series is primarily to promote you. But if I'm not mistaken, they will probably cast a well-known actor as Zhao Li to boost the viewership."

Qi Lin nodded, somewhat understanding, and put the script aside. "This is my first time being the lead. I'm a bit nervous. President Han is in such a hurry; we start shooting in ten days. It's too rushed!"

"What? No confidence?"

"A little. Mainly because I've never been the lead before. I don't know what it's like."

Wang Xiaohua laughed and sat across from Qi Lin, pouring them each a glass of orange juice. "There's nothing different, just more scenes to shoot. And this is just the beginning. Once you become famous, you'll have plenty of chances to play lead roles."

She then took out the "Chinese Paladin" script again. "You should also study this script. Even though you're not the male lead, the role is still significant. Plus, it's directed by Li Guo, so the quality will be top-notch!"

Qi Lin took a sip of juice and asked, "Sister Hua, who is Director Li Guo? Is he very good?"

Wang Xiaohua nodded firmly. "Of course, he's amazing! You've definitely seen his work. He directed 'The Legendary Twins,' 'The Mermaid,' 'Lotus Lantern,' and 'Xuan-Yuan Sword,' among others. In terms of TV series, he's a true master!"

Qilin felt a surge of excitement upon hearing this news. He had indeed seen all those works! However, at the time, he had been so focused on the plot that he hadn't paid attention to who the director was. Now that he had the opportunity to collaborate with such a renowned director, he definitely had to seize it! With this thought, Qilin tightly grasped the script in his hand!

...

On November 11th, coinciding with Singles' Day, "Soul Ferry" officially began filming! There was no grand opening ceremony or promotional event. Even on Tangshi Media's official website, the mention of this drama was brief, without even listing the cast. The filming location was rather casual, set behind an office building where they rented a convenience store as the shooting venue. The only somewhat professional aspect was the crew itself.

Contrary to Wang Xiaohua's expectations, the drama did not feature any major stars. Zhao Li wasn't brought in to boost Qilin's box office appeal; he was just an ordinary artist from Tangshi Media. This left Wang Xiaohua feeling somewhat displeased, but she didn't express it and merely kept it to herself.

Meanwhile, two variety shows premiered one after another. First was Mango TV's "Born to Act"! Although the director cut many of Qilin's scenes, his performance still stood out, especially when Liu Tianwang's invitation surprised the audience! Qilin's line about needing to check with his agent also amused many viewers, gradually turning them into casual fans.

However, the real buzz was generated by the subsequent premiere of "This is Fate"! This variety show consistently had high ratings and was considered one of the top outdoor reality shows alongside "Run, Brother"! Qilin's performance in this show truly astonished the audience! First, his martial arts skills—despite the director considering cutting the wake-up scene, he instead used multiple shots to showcase Qilin's actions at that moment. Whether it was the impressive kip-up or the subsequent splits, the audience was wide-eyed, thinking how cool this guy was! Not only was he handsome, but he also knew kung fu!

Fans who had seen "Falling City" were even more excited, imagining the combination of a cultured and martial arts-savvy CEO, which made them feel like they were about to take off with excitement. This aloof male idol was irresistible!

But soon after, they realized that their idol might not be the brightest...

"If a contestant gives up..."

While the stall owner was explaining the rules, Qilin had already taken action! Yes, they saw Qilin chop a durian with his bare hands! When the owner mentioned that they could actually choose another fruit, the audience almost burst out laughing! At this moment, they discovered that their idol was actually a bit of a goofball!

Next, various scenes of Qilin and Lao Bai being tricked left these fans laughing hysterically. Online, a trending topic inexplicably emerged: #SympathizeWithLaoBaiAndHisNephew#.


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