Chapter 1379 "Lurking"

"What's up, can't wait to be a father?"

Ye Jing laughed, saying to Zhao Fusheng.

He had a daughter himself, so he could understand Zhao Fusheng's feelings. If it were someone else, maybe not.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: "It's not as soon as you think. Fan Baobao and I discussed it—she'll try not to take TV drama scripts from now on, unless the script quality is exceptionally good. Otherwise, she'll only do movies. What do you think?"

Ye Jing was a bit surprised at first, then understood. After all, Fan Baobao's status was different now; she used to be an actress, but now she was primarily Zhao Fusheng's wife.

Thinking this, Ye Jing nodded and said to Zhao Fusheng, "Don't worry, I'll give the orders."

He paused, then asked, "But about Director Long Yi, if you're planning to shoot this drama, what about the actors?"

"Hold auditions."

Zhao Fusheng pondered for a moment, then said to Ye Jing, "The female lead is definitely our Fan Baobao. As for the other actors, you decide. If there are suitable ones in the company, you can recommend them. For the male lead, announce it publicly—we'll hold open auditions."

After all, this drama was based on a novel Zhao Fusheng had bought long ago. At the time, Ye Jing had wondered why Zhao Fusheng bought it, but now he realized it was all prepared for his wife.

But that was normal. Rich people promoting their own family wasn't new in the entertainment industry. Besides, Zhao Fusheng was promoting his wife, not some mistress, which was far better than those bosses who promoted their mistresses.

"But seriously, you seem to favor spy and anti-Japanese war dramas," Ye Jing said to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng didn't hide it; he nodded, "Of course. Don't you think our country needs such mainstream works now?"

Blinking, Ye Jing's intuition told him Zhao Fusheng wasn't telling the whole truth. But the problem was, not only was this guy the boss, but under the current circumstances, he really couldn't ask too many questions.

...

...

"Lurking?"

Fan Baobao looked at Zhao Fusheng in surprise, bewildered: "What's that?"

"A novel," Zhao Fusheng explained with a smile. "I think it's a very interesting book. You can read it."

"The one whose rights you bought?"

Fan Baobao wasn't stupid. Zhao Fusheng suddenly asking her to read a book must have a reason. Coupled with their conversation a couple of days ago, she quickly guessed that this book was related to the TV drama Zhao Fusheng wanted her to star in.

"Yes."

Seeing that Fan Baobao had guessed, Zhao Fusheng didn't beat around the bush. He nodded, "I bought the adaptation rights for the TV drama earlier. I've already asked Ye Jing to find someone to write the script. Later, familiarize yourself with the plot—you'll be playing the female lead."

Frowning slightly, Fan Baobao hesitated, then said to Zhao Fusheng, "Do you think I can act well in a spy drama like this?"

Clearly, she lacked confidence in her acting skills.

Zhao Fusheng laughed: "Acting sometimes depends on who you're acting opposite and whether the script suits you. So don't worry too much."

Fan Baobao nodded. Since Zhao Fusheng said so, she had nothing more to say.

But a couple of days later, Fan Baobao came to Zhao Fusheng.

"Hey, who do you want me to play?" Fan Baobao held the novel "Lurking" and looked at Zhao Fusheng helplessly.

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback and said casually, "The female lead."

"Are you kidding?" Fan Baobao's face showed an expression of utter absurdity: "You want me to play Cuiping?"

"Is that not okay?"

Zhao Fusheng retorted, "Do you think your temperament doesn't match the character? Or did your teachers never teach you how to play such a role?"

Fan Baobao was stumped, unable to say a word.

She had to admit that Zhao Fusheng was absolutely right. As a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, she really shouldn't think that way.

But the problem was, Fan Baobao had never encountered such a role before. She had originally thought she would play a modern urban woman, but instead, it turned out to be an underground worker!

The story of "Lurking" is simple: In 1945, as the War of Resistance Against Japan nears its end, the tripartite struggle among the Nationalists, Communists, and Japanese intensifies, with undercurrents flowing beneath the calm surface. Due to the defection of military spy Li Haifeng to Wang Jingwei's puppet regime in Nanjing, Yu Zecheng, a member of the military intelligence department, is ordered to go to Nanjing to assassinate the traitor, but unexpectedly takes a different path. After being won over by the Communist Party, Yu Zecheng returns to the military intelligence as an underground Communist, becoming a rivet driven into the heart of the Nationalist Party. To assist Yu's work, the Party sends a hot-tempered, outspoken girl named Cuiping to act as Yu's fake wife. As time goes on, the struggle between the Nationalists and Communists intensifies, and the couple faces major tests in their lives.

The character Cuiping, to cooperate with Yu Zecheng's undercover work, enters into a nominal marriage with him. She is sent by the Party to fill in for her sister, who had an accident. Yu Zecheng doesn't know her, so he is nervous when picking her up. Unexpectedly, her first appearance is refreshing: a woman who has never left the Loess Plateau, never seen the world, loud, uneducated, uncultured, lazy, and utterly rustic suddenly appears before everyone. She often clashes with Yu Zecheng at first, but gradually they develop tacit understanding, and her behavior matures. She secretly helps Yu Zecheng complete tasks several times, and they spark romantic feelings, becoming true husband and wife, and she gives birth to a daughter for him.

To be honest, Fan Baobao liked this character, but the problem was she didn't think she could play it well.

Thinking this, Fan Baobao sighed and looked seriously at Zhao Fusheng: "Honey, are you serious? Do you know that producing this drama would cost at least ten million? If I mess it up, then..."

Zhao Fusheng laughed and waved his hand: "It's okay, just act earnestly. This drama mainly focuses on the male lead. To be honest, the female role isn't the main one."

Ah?

Fan Baobao was startled: "Really?"

"Of course it's true," Zhao Fusheng shrugged. "In the novel, the main plot revolves around the male lead. In the early part, even you, the female lead, haven't appeared yet. So what's there to worry about?"

Right now, Fan Baobao was extremely lacking in confidence. What he needed to do was give her confidence and make her not take her role too seriously.

Sure enough, Fan Baobao, who had been a bit nervous, looked much more relaxed after Zhao Fusheng finished speaking. It was clear she believed him.

...

...

Having appeased his wife, Zhao Fusheng turned around and urged Ye Jing to speed up the scriptwriting.

His idea was simple: get the drama shot quickly so that Fan Baobao could show her face to the audience before giving birth. When she focused on raising the child, "Lurking" would air, providing an alternative form of publicity exposure.

Hai Qing had done this before. She got married and had a child around the time "The Heart" aired. As a result, the drama's broadcast had no impact on her; she still won awards and stayed in the spotlight, and some people didn't even know she had married and had a child.

Zhao Fusheng planned to have Fan Baobao temporarily leave the entertainment industry in the same way.

He knew that Fan Baobao loved acting but didn't want her career to affect him.

But in Zhao Fusheng's eyes, his career wouldn't be affected by Fan Baobao. She could do whatever she liked; why worry so much?

It's common for two people in love to think of each other, but losing oneself for the sake of a loved one is not a good thing.

Fan Baobao didn't understand this, but Zhao Fusheng did.

Although Ye Jing didn't understand why Zhao Fusheng was in such a hurry to shoot "Lurking," he trusted Zhao Fusheng's judgment on film and television works, so he didn't say much.

In later times, many people would condemn capital for destroying the purity of the entertainment industry. This statement actually needs to be viewed from two angles.

From a professional perspective, while capital certainly makes the entertainment industry more chaotic, from another angle, it is precisely the influx of capital that has brought new changes. Previously, a drama with an investment of tens of millions was considered a big production, and special effects were hardly possible. With the influx of capital, these have improved.

Moreover, actors' salaries have increased precisely because of the entry of capital.

Under such circumstances, still claiming that capital is ruining the entertainment industry is like picking up chopsticks to eat meat and then putting them down to curse the cook.

But this is consistent with the characteristics of people in the entertainment industry.

Nevertheless, under Zhao Fusheng's urging, the script for "Lurking" was finally completed around National Day in 2005.

Looking at the script in his hands, Zhao Fusheng smiled. "Bright Sword" had his investment, "My Chief and My Regiment" was his investment, and now this "Lurking." One might think Future Film and Television was now specializing in mainstream military historical themes.

But Zhao Fusheng also knew that each of these dramas was destined to explode on the small screen.

In other words, the small screen in the coming year or two would undoubtedly belong to Future Film and Television.

Thinking of this, Zhao Fusheng felt a bit excited—a joy of witnessing and even creating history that ordinary people couldn't understand.

For the first time since his rebirth, Zhao Fusheng wished time would pass a little faster.