WIIAD? Chapter Forty-Six: The Release of "New Liang Zhu"!

Fang Qiong looked at him in surprise, not understanding why he would say that.

Zheng Rui sighed, "An actor I had previously chosen made a mistake and got blacklisted!"

Fang Qiong was stunned but quickly realized who he was talking about.

"Can't find a replacement?"

Fang Qiong refilled their tea cups and asked, while Zheng Rui shook his head with a wry smile.

"The role requires three things: the actor must be skilled in martial arts, have a cold demeanor, and be handsome! He was perfect for the role. After he was blacklisted, I looked for replacements, but those who fit the role weren't available, and those who were available weren't suitable! It frustrates me just thinking about it."

Hearing this, Fang Qiong cleared his throat to draw Zheng Rui's attention before speaking.

"I have someone in mind who meets all three criteria! But he's a newcomer. Would you consider him?"

Zheng Rui responded with a bitter smile, "A newcomer? Even if I agree, the investors won't. This film has a substantial investment, and the investors want big stars to draw in the box office!"

Fang Qiong chuckled, "That would be your loss. Just wait, after my 'Fang Shiyu' is released, that kid will become popular! By then, if you want to hire him, his rate won't be negotiable."

Zheng Rui, intrigued by Fang Qiong's confidence, sipped his tea and asked, "What kind of junior do you hold in such high regard?"

Fang Qiong thought of Qilin and sighed, "Let me tell you, in all my years as a director, I've only encountered one talent like this!"

Zheng Rui laughed, "Is it really that impressive?"

Fang Qiong didn't say more but went into his bedroom and returned shortly with a tablet.

"Here, let me show you something."

Fang Qiong began to operate the tablet.

"I have some footage from my shoot. You'll see what I mean."

He quickly found a four to five-minute video clip and pressed play.

The footage showed Qilin and Jia Dan in the execution ground scene, saving their father in a fight. This wasn't the final edited version but from the director's perspective, which didn't matter to Zheng Rui.

On screen, Qilin wore a Qing Dynasty official uniform, looking elegant, with fight moves that were spectacular!

Zheng Rui's eyes lit up, "Indeed, very impressive. From his style, is he from the Yuan family troupe?"

Fang Qiong nodded with a smile, "Yes, we hired Hong Tai as the martial arts director. You can call Hong Tai and ask for his opinion on Qilin. Trust me, this person won't disappoint you!"

Zheng Rui's eyes flickered as he imagined Qilin in his script's role, finding him increasingly suitable.

"The kid looks great, but why is he always looking sideways? Is there something wrong with him?"

Fang Qiong laughed, "Hahaha, you've misunderstood. I told him to do that. You don't know, this kid looks too righteous! Without that sideways look, he lacks the necessary edginess."

Zheng Rui also laughed heartily, but he remembered Qilin's name.

...

After the press conference, Qilin returned to the set to continue filming.

Filming a web drama was completely different from filming a movie; the difficulty levels were worlds apart.

In movie filming, you're surrounded by people watching you closely—directors, martial arts directors—and any mistake means an immediate retake.

But filming a web drama was much freer. Most of the shots were approved by the director in one take.

Because of this, the filming speed of the web drama was surprisingly fast!

Time flew by, and it was soon New Year's Day, the release date of the "New Liang Zhu" movie!

After the day's filming, Qilin, Li Yue, and others eagerly went to the cinema, bringing lots of snacks, ready to watch Qilin's first period film debut!

Since it was a night screening, the audience wasn't very large, filling only about 70% of the seats, which made Qilin worry about the movie's box office performance.

The movie soon began, and after the familiar dragon logo and Tang Lion logo flashed, Han Xue appeared on the big screen, looking youthful and radiant.

The narrator also revealed her identity: Zhu Yingtai, the eldest daughter of the Zhu family.

Being spoiled from a young age, she behaved like a tomboy, ignorant of traditional feminine arts but full of innocent charm, which made her well-liked.

Seeing that her daughter was getting older, Mrs. Zhu planned to marry her off.

Ma Wencai, who had grown up with Zhu Yingtai, was a childhood friend and an excellent match. His father was the local governor, making him an ideal candidate.

Unfortunately, Ma Wencai's mother didn't approve of Zhu Yingtai, seeing her as a wild girl who would disgrace the family and bring ridicule.

Seeing this, Mrs. Zhu came up with an idea: she decided to have Zhu Yingtai dress as a man and attend school to learn and become well-educated.

Ma Wencai originally wanted to go with her, but his mother stopped him. She had never wanted her son to marry Zhu Yingtai and now seized the opportunity to arrange blind dates for him. However, Ma Wencai refused, preferring to lock himself in his room rather than go on a date.

When the movie reached this point, many young girls in the cinema expressed their envy.

"Wow, Ma Wencai is so sweet!"

"Yes, this is what childhood sweethearts should be like."

"Uh, am I the only one who finds this strange? I remember Ma Wencai was supposed to be the villain in Liang Zhu, right?"

"Yeah, I remember in the TV version, Ma Wencai was also the villain."

The girls quieted down after a brief discussion, mindful that they were in a cinema.

The story continued with Zhu Yingtai accidentally meeting a poor young man named Liang Shanbo at the academy. Despite his poverty, he was highly motivated and talented, learning things very quickly.

Over time, Zhu Yingtai found herself attracted to him.

Liang Shanbo, meanwhile, developed a secret affection for Zhu Yingtai but did not know she was a woman, even questioning his own orientation at one point. This scene made the audience laugh and swoon.

Later, Ma Wencai visited the academy to see Zhu Yingtai, only to find her and Liang Shanbo playing and chatting by the water.

At that moment, Ma Wencai felt a pang of discomfort, and the audience began to realize the dilemma: if Zhu Yingtai liked Liang Shanbo, what would happen to Ma Wencai?

Female viewers became conflicted, unsure of whom to root for.

Suddenly, someone in the audience quietly remarked, "Actually, it's easy to solve. Zhu Yingtai can have Liang Shanbo, and Ma Wencai can be mine."

Although spoken softly, the comment was heard in the quiet theater, prompting laughter from those around.

The movie continued with Ma Wencai noticing something unusual between Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo but choosing to trust Zhu Yingtai and not saying much.

After visiting Zhu Yingtai, Ma Wencai descended the mountain.

On the mountain, however, Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo grew closer, and before Liang Shanbo left to take the imperial examination, they confessed their feelings to each other...


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