"I understand. I'm on my way to the company now."
Zhang Yang hung up and saved the file on his computer, then sent it to his secondary email account.
After that, he put the computer in his bag and began digesting the two pieces of news Hu Ge had given him.
First, Hu Ge wanted him to make a guest appearance in A Forest of Experts. Second, he had recommended Zhang Yang for the supporting role of Zhao Kuangyin in The Legend of Dugu.
A Forest of Experts, also known as Flawless: A Forest of Experts, had started filming in January and was now nearing completion. Hu Ge played the male lead, Tang Yan the female lead, Qiu Ze the second male lead, and Qi Wei the third female lead.
The series Summer's Desire, starring Tang Yan, Qiu Ze, and Qi Wei, had only recently finished airing, and they were all enjoying a surge in popularity. A Forest of Experts had a strong cast.
When filming had started, Summer's Desire had only just begun airing. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to gather such a cast, and the production would have cost considerably more.
Hu Ge had invited him to make a guest appearance to help him ride the show's wave of popularity. Even if Zhang Yang thought it might not make much difference, he couldn't refuse the goodwill.
Besides, the show featured many actors who would become big stars. Meeting them early and expanding his network couldn't hurt.
The Legend of Dugu was jointly produced by Ziwei Gege and Mango TV. Like Strategy of the Pure Romance, it was a costume melodrama in which every man fell for the female lead.
If the series had come out a few years later, it would have flopped badly, and its ratings on review sites would have been poor. But when it aired this year, it did extremely well. It ranked first among dramas in its time slot and topped the drama category on the Qiandu Search Trends chart.
Zhao Kuangyin was an important supporting role. A strong performance could make him stand out and attract plenty of attention.
Most importantly, the role could earn him Character Points!
I'm still at the stage where I need to build up my foundation. I can't let myself get carried away just because I was reborn with a cheat.
Though the role is small, it gives me room to perform. Once the show airs, it could attract some attention. I can also get back into the rhythm of acting before returning to the set. That way, I'll need less time to get used to things when Xuanyuan Sword starts filming.
And The Legend of Dugu has plenty of actors. I can use the opportunity to expand my connections in the industry.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Yang grew even more determined to land the role of Zhao Kuangyin.
Ten minutes later, he returned to his company's break room, put down his bag, and headed to Hu Ge's.
"Huh? A'Yang, you got here fast!"
Hu Ge was surprised to see Zhang Yang come in after knocking and opening the door.
"I happened to be at a café nearby," Zhang Yang said with a smile.
"Perfect. I can give you the scenes you'll be in, and still make it home in time for dinner." Hu Ge sat up from where he had been lying down, picked up the briefcase on the coffee table, and pulled out a sheet of paper to hand to Zhang Yang.
A guest appearance was really just a small role as a featured extra: the actor showed up in a set situation, played someone with a specific identity, and delivered a few lines.
One page was enough!
[Identity: Zhang Dahai, former colleague of Tang Qiqi (female lead)]
[Event One: He runs into Tang Qiqi talking to Xu Ran (male lead) on the street. Knowing she has been fired, he mocks her. Xu Ran stands up for Tang Qiqi. After learning that Zhang Dahai works for Feng Lufei (second female lead), he calls the company and gets Zhang Dahai fired.]
[Event Two: Zhang Yang lies in wait outside Xu Ran's company, planning to get revenge. But he accidentally hits Ye Rou (third female lead), and Wei Xiao happens to witness it. Wei Xiao arrests him and takes him in for a lecture.]
[Lines:]
Zhang Yang skimmed the whole page, then looked at Hu Ge with admiration. "Where did you find this genius? He actually came up with a plot that gets a tiny bit-part involved with five of the leads. I'm impressed."
He mocks the female lead, prompting the male lead to stand up for her and call the second female lead to get him fired. Then he tries to take revenge on the male lead but accidentally hurts the third female lead, so the second male lead deals with him.
This bit-part was something else!
"Aw, shucks. I wrote it myself," Hu Ge said with a smug smile.
"Impressive, impressive. I didn't know you had that kind of imagination, Old Hu. You must spend a lot of time online reading wish-fulfillment stories." Zhang Yang teased him.
The villainous supporting character taunts the male lead, who teaches him a lesson over the phone. The bit-part lies low and plots revenge, only to get shut down without even touching the main character's clothes. It was classic wish-fulfillment storytelling.
"Just tell me whether you want to play it," Hu Ge said, crossing his arms as he looked at Zhang Yang.
"I do. Absolutely." Zhang Yang agreed without hesitation.
He was already taking an interest in the bit-part. If he played it well, he might be able to use it for publicity later—or even turn it into a running gag.
Running gags could really make people famous, right, "little chicken claws"?
"Sorry for the trouble." Zhang Yang put the sheet in his pocket and looked at Hu Ge. "What's the story with Zhao Kuangyin in The Legend of Dugu? Haven't they already filmed most of it?"
On his way over, he had looked up the information online and confirmed what he remembered.
The Legend of Dugu had started filming in January and was expected to wrap in late April or early May.
A production usually spent several months preparing before filming began. Big-budget productions could take years, and casting was part of that preparation. Roles were usually decided before the cameras rolled.
Actors did get replaced at the last minute, but whether because of investors' backroom dealings or actresses fighting over roles, it was rare for that to happen long after a drama had begun filming.
Unless...
"I don't know much. I only know that the actor originally cast in the role had a serious falling-out with Lin Ziwei," Hu Ge said frankly. "Lin Ziwei's popularity has rebounded, and she tends to act superior around actors from the mainland. I figure the previous actor was pretty blunt and somehow offended her."
"You'll have to ask Sister K about the details. She got you the role. I just happened to need you for the guest appearance, so I took on the job of notifying you."
Zhang Yang nodded thoughtfully.
It was nothing new for actors from Hong Kong and Taiwan to act superior toward mainland actors, even treating themselves as a cut above.
Even though the center of the entertainment industry had already begun shifting to the mainland, many Hong Kong and Taiwan actors were still living in the past.
Lin Ziwei, one of the early stars heavily promoted by Taiwanese investors, was a well-known example.
"Got it. I'll go ask Sister K. I won't keep you from dinner." Zhang Yang had barely sat down before getting back to his feet.
Hu Ge stood too. "If you'd asked me before yesterday, I might have tried to talk you out of the role. But now, I think you should give it a shot."
Zhang Yang knew what Hu Ge meant. Before yesterday, he had also been pretty "blunt" and could easily offend people.
If you were famous, you could do whatever you wanted as long as you didn't break the law.
But now, he still had to be willing to bend when the situation called for it.
After talking with Hu Ge a little longer, Zhang Yang went to Cai Yinong's office.
But Cai Yinong wasn't there. Instead, he found his pretty neighbor, Nazha.
She was wearing a simple, pale yellow floral dress that made her look fresh and elegant.
As Zhang Yang looked her over, she noticed him too and smiled. "Senior brother, we meet again."
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