Chapter 0222 Vanity Fair

Whether it was showing off with passion or playing cool with silence, it all required someone to play along. Heavenly King Liu was set on playing the part of a world-weary man, but Zhao Fusheng had no intention of playing along with him. The two of them just stood there in silence, facing each other.

After a long moment, Zhao Fusheng sighed inwardly as he glanced at the calm-faced Heavenly King Liu. Since the other had gone to such lengths, he figured he should play along a bit.

“Brother Hua, if I’m not mistaken, it’s because of that time you were shelved?” Zhao Fusheng asked.

Liu Dehua let out a long breath, thinking, If you hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up the act.

He cleared his throat and waved his hand: “That’s all in the past. Everyone makes different choices.”

Zhao Fusheng nodded: “Yeah, those with different paths cannot work together, even among friends.”

To be honest, he had heard, seen, and even experienced similar stories. In a fiercely competitive environment, people often do unexpected things. He understood that truth, though at first he couldn’t accept it.

But now, he had gotten used to it.

The saying “those with different paths cannot work together” wasn’t just to comfort Liu Dehua. Empathy rarely happens between two people, but Zhao Fusheng could understand what it felt like to be stabbed in the back—it was an unprecedented darkness.

Too bad that if it were a girl standing here now, Liu Dehua telling his story with that expression would undoubtedly make his image instantly more vivid.

Imagine, a man who cared so much for his friends yet ended up so dejected.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Zhao Fusheng smiled but said nothing more.

Both were smart people; some things didn’t need to be spelled out.

At the very least, Liu Dehua had left a good impression on Zhao Fusheng, so Zhao Fusheng was willing to accommodate him. As for what happened behind the scenes, that was in the past and had nothing to do with him.

“Brother Hua, I can write the script, but for the actors, can you work with an old friend?” Zhao Fusheng, tired of beating around the bush, asked Liu Dehua directly.

Liu Dehua was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Zhao Fusheng, who had just been playing along with his brooding act, to suddenly cut to the chase and ask so bluntly.

In truth, he didn’t really know Zhao Fusheng. Zhao Fusheng was never the type to be led by the nose; if he were, his previous life wouldn’t have been so rough.

“Old friend?”

Liu Dehua asked in surprise.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: “That’s right. I modeled the undercover cop role after Liang Chaowei. How about a showdown between the two of you? Do you dare to take it?”

“Hahaha…” Liu Dehua laughed it off and looked at Zhao Fusheng with a smile: “Planner Zhao, are you questioning my basic qualities as an actor?”

Zhao Fusheng shook his head: “Brother Hua, I didn’t mean that. Actors are a special group; they need to let their work speak. I’ve always believed that if audiences like a character an actor creates, it only means you performed well. You shouldn’t confuse the role with yourself, or think it’s all your own achievement, and then boss others around. That kind of relationship is uncomfortable.”

He paused and continued: “The entertainment industry is a vanity fair. You have to pull yourself out, calm your mind to read, absorb nutrients, and then create. Honestly, I still stick to my original idea. Even in this commercial, don’t play the undercover cop. Play the gangster who wants to be a good man.”

In fact, he had more to say. That speech wasn’t just aimed at Liu Dehua. In Zhao Fusheng’s view, many actors nowadays had flaws. When they performed roles, they often approached it with a work mentality, so forgetting lines was common, let alone emotional investment.

Liu Dehua was silent for a long time after hearing Zhao Fusheng’s words. Finally, he smiled bitterly: “I’ve heard these words from someone else before.”

“Who?”

Zhao Fusheng asked in surprise.

“My teacher at the TVB artist training class,” Liu Dehua said to Zhao Fusheng. “He advised us that after filming TV dramas, we should perform in stage plays, saying it could improve our acting skills.”

Zhao Fusheng smiled without speaking, but his eyes were fixed on Liu Dehua, clearly waiting for his answer. After all, this *Infernal Affairs* wouldn’t be a complete classic without either Heavenly King Liu or Film Emperor Liang.

“Don’t worry, as long as he has no objections, I definitely won’t have any issues,” Liu Dehua shook his head and said to Zhao Fusheng.

After all, he was a professional artist. The profession of a star meant being the focus of most people’s attention; every word and action would be magnified infinitely. That’s why many stars later became cautious in their speech and conduct—because in an increasingly connected online era, any behavior by stars would be captured by the media and the public, becoming their black marks.

“We’ll see. I can’t say for sure,” Zhao Fusheng said with a smile.

Although he knew Liang Chaowei wouldn’t refuse the script, Zhao Fusheng couldn’t be too absolute. After all, there were some things only he knew.

Just then, Wang Zhonglei walked over and said with a smile, “You two seem to be having a great chat.”

As the host of this banquet, it was normal for him to come over and greet them. No one would find it odd.

But in the eyes of those paying close attention, it wasn’t that simple.

“Looks like Young Master Wang can’t sit still,” Wang Jinghua muttered as she watched Wang Zhonglei, Zhao Fusheng, and Liu Dehua gather together.

Zhou Feifei heard her and frowned slightly, asking curiously, “Is it that exaggerated?”

She had seen the complete script of the ad campaign. In her view, it was just an ordinary cop-and-gangster story. Even if it had some highlights, it wasn’t that amazing. Why were Liu Dehua and Wang Zhonglei so eager?

Wang Jinghua shook her head gently: “You don’t understand. In recent years, the Hong Kong film market hasn’t been as good as before. Even a Heavenly King like Liu Dehua has to come to the mainland to develop. What do you think the situation is like? Besides, his Tianmu Company is about to go under. With this good opportunity, of course he won’t miss it.”

She paused, glanced at Wang Zhonglei, and chuckled: “As for this Young Master Wang, he’s a shark that smells blood.”