When Zhang Yang heard he could play a supporting role and act alongside the leads, he was suddenly all for it.
The Four Great Constables was undeniably a terrible movie, but the bad press only affected the leads, director, and screenwriters.
In most cases, the main cast benefited the most when a production succeeded and shouldered most of the blame when it failed. As for supporting actors, whether they benefited—and how much—depended more on their own performance.
If the supporting actors did well and the leads did too, they got to feast while you made do with the scraps.
If the supporting actors did well but the leads were no good, you had a chance to win praise by outshining them.
Take The Four Great Constables, for example. Deng Chao, Liu Yifei, and the other leads were all criticized for starring in a terrible movie, but Uncle Wu, who had a cameo as the villain, received heaps of praise.
And appearing in a big-budget film could also bolster a supporting actor's résumé.
For Zhang Yang, it could also help him build connections and earn Character Points.
There were plenty of benefits!
"Now you're talking!"
Lin Feng wasn't surprised that Zhang Yang had changed his mind.
To make progress in the entertainment industry, you had to seize every opportunity.
After spending some time with Zhang Yang, Lin Feng considered him a clever man.
"Filming starts tomorrow afternoon. Director Chen will bring people to watch, so don't feel pressured. Just perform at your usual level, and I guarantee you'll get the role." Lin Feng spoke calmly, though his words were full of confidence.
"Don't worry, Brother Lin. I won't let you down." Zhang Yang's voice was earnest.
If he was going to make a move, he had no intention of failing.
His gaze flickered. "Brother Lin, do you know what happened to Chao Ge's original stunt double?"
Lin Feng didn't disappoint him. "I do. It's Mu Panlong. He played the leader of the Japanese assassination squad, Rikishi Takeshi, in Cosmic Dan's Legend of the Fist. Have you heard of him?"
Mu Panlong?
Zhang Yang knew who he was.
He'd appeared in Little Steel Cannon's 1942 and the major production Red Sorghum.
"I've heard of him. He's a Japanese professional boxer. He played the Japanese officer Iida in Lu Chuan's City of Life and Death." A glint of sharpness flashed in Zhang Yang's eyes.
The role had originally gone to a Japanese actor, so Zhang Yang had even less reason to hold back.
Besides, Mu Panlong played Six Doors constable Cen Chong in The Four Great Constables, a supporting role with plenty of screen time. A standout performance could attract plenty of attention.
"That's right, the Japanese guy Mu Panlong. He's a little more famous than you for now, and he's a trained fighter too. Take the role from him, and I'll treat you to dinner."
Lin Feng had offered him a chance to audition for a supporting role, and if Zhang Yang landed it, he'd even treat him to dinner. It was clear Lin Feng was a patriotic young man. No wonder he'd later make The Battle at Lake Changjin.
"Just watch, Brother Lin."
Zhang Yang chatted with Lin Feng for quite a while. He only ended the call when he reached Nazha's door.
"Click!"
Before Zhang Yang could knock, Nazha opened the door. She had clearly been keeping an eye on what was happening outside.
Her face was bare of makeup, and her hair was tied up in a bun. Her stunning beauty was touched with a hint of cuteness, making people want to look at her again and again. She was the kind of beauty who captivated both men and women.
"Let's go." Zhang Yang looked perfectly composed.
Nazha really was beautiful, but after spending so much time around her, he'd built up some resistance.
Besides, he'd recently been hit by Liu Yifei's beauty, which was more in line with the tastes of an Eastern man like him.
Nazha, however, looked at Zhang Yang with undisguised delight.
For a hopeless romantic like her, hiding her feelings would have felt like a desecration.
Zhang Yang pretended not to notice and chatted with her all the way to Hengdian's Lan X Cinema.
"Two tickets for Shaolin, fifth row, middle seats. Do you have any?" Zhang Yang handed the money to the cashier.
"Yes." The cashier was a young woman. Her eyes kept darting between Zhang Yang and Nazha, admiration in her gaze. "Would you like a couple's seat? It's more spacious, and comes with popcorn and two cups of Coke."
Nazha looked at Zhang Yang, leaving the decision to him.
"No." Zhang Yang shook his head. "She's nearsighted. She wouldn't be able to see clearly from the back."
At the first half of his answer, Nazha felt a little disappointed, thinking Zhang Yang was trying to keep his distance.
But the second half brought her right back to life.
So he wasn't keeping his distance. He knew she was nearsighted, which meant he'd been quietly paying attention to her.
It was the little things that touched her most!
The ticket seller handed Zhang Yang two paper tickets.
They could go in now. Zhang Yang bought a movie snack combo, then headed straight to the ticket gate with Nazha to line up.
Nazha took a cup of Coke. Seeing that Zhang Yang seemed distracted, she pressed her lips together. "Brother Yang, you zoned out a few times in the car just now too. What were you thinking about?"
After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Yang replied, "When do you think we'll get to act in a movie?"
So he'd been thinking about his career. Nazha relaxed, a smile appearing on her face. "With your talent and looks, Brother Yang, you'll definitely be making movies soon."
Zhang Yang's eyes shifted slightly. "Tangren's movie resources are terrible. You can look it up when you have time. Even Old Hu and Sister Shishi haven't had a single movie worth mentioning."
"Huh?" Nazha was surprised. "Tangren's that bad?"
"It really is." Zhang Yang nodded.
It was common knowledge in the industry!
"But I've already signed with them." Nazha looked troubled.
Seeing her like that, Zhang Yang couldn't help laughing. "You're a newcomer no one in the entertainment industry even knows exists. Focus on becoming famous first, and now you're criticizing Tangren?"
Nazha: ?
"Wasn't I just criticizing them along with you?" Nazha's cheeks flushed.
What she'd said really had been a bit presumptuous.
"How can you compare yourself to me?" Zhang Yang laughed. "You said it yourself: I've got the talent and looks. I'll be making movies soon."
Nazha: ?
So what was wrong with what I said at the start?
This was bad. She felt like she wasn't smart enough to keep up.
Zhang Yang led the dazed Nazha through the ticket gate.
What he didn't notice was that, near the exit, a woman in a long dress and a face mask had been watching him and Nazha.
"Liying, what are you looking at?"
A woman in casual clothes and a face mask sat down in the empty seat beside the woman in white.
"Nothing, Sheng." Zhao Liying smiled softly. "I just spotted the person who helped me the other day."
"Then why don't you go say hello?" Li Sheng looked toward the ticket gate.
"Never mind." Zhao Liying took Li Sheng's hand. "He's here with his girlfriend to see a movie. If I go over and thank him now, I'd just be disturbing them."
Hearing that, Li Sheng said no more. "Then let's head back."
Zhao Liying nodded and stood up, glancing once more at Zhang Yang's back. "Looks like he has high standards—and he's a good person too."
Nearly two hours later.
Nazha walked out of the cinema with Zhang Yang, looking a little listless. "I didn't expect Xie Tingfeng to play the villain. And he was so awful."
Zhang Yang smiled calmly. "People who are too handsome don't want to be called pretty boys, so they prove their acting ability by playing villains. That's one kind of limitation too."
Nazha nodded thoughtfully.
The two returned to the hotel and went to their rooms to rest.
The next day at noon, Zhang Yang and Nazha came to the set after lunch.
This scene was already in the original script, but after Lin Feng discussed it with Lin Ziwei, he made it much bigger.
Lin Ziwei hadn't agreed at first, but as soon as she heard Zhang Yang might get the chance to play an important supporting role in The Four Great Constables, she changed her mind.
"Director Chen, Sister Ziwei, Brother Hua, Senior, Chao Ge, Sister Yifei."
With Lin Feng leading him, Zhang Yang greeted the big names on set one by one. When he reached Liu Yifei, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
Does Fairy Sister like coming to watch things too?
Liu Yifei was just as surprised. She hadn't expected that, on a whim, she'd come to watch and run into Zhang Yang, whom she'd met briefly the night before. He was also the fighter with acting chops whom Director Lin Feng had strongly recommended!
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Liu Yifei's mouth. "Hello. We've run into each other again so soon."
Zhang Yang's mouth twitched. "."
Everyone: There's something going on!
Nazha: This is bad!
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