On the evening of December 29, Dai Ying finally received the script for the second unit of Young Bao Qingtian from Li Xun. After dinner, she sat down at her computer and began reading it carefully.
To be honest, she wasn't too worried about the script's quality.
Huang Zhou had originally been torn between Director Zhao Guocheng's new drama and Young Bao Qingtian. When Li Xun learned that Huang Zhou was hesitant because he wasn't sure the later scripts for Young Bao Qingtian would be good enough, he immediately talked him through the plots of the second and third units. That was enough to dispel Huang Zhou's doubts. He decisively turned down Director Zhao's new drama and joined the cast of Young Bao Qingtian.
So although Dai Ying hadn't seen the second unit's script yet, she knew the details and felt confident about its quality.
The script had finally arrived in Dai Ying's inbox that evening. After dinner, she sat down at her computer, but for some reason, she felt a little nervous.
The script was bound to be good. The problem was that expectations for Young Bao Qingtian had been pushed far too high. Li Xun's script would certainly earn excellent reviews, but excellent was no longer enough to satisfy the public's expectations for Young Bao Qingtian.
A Dou Miao Score of 9.2 was a ringing endorsement of the first unit of Young Bao Qingtian. It also placed a heavy burden on the second unit and every unit that followed.
Weibo, forums, Zhan Yin, D-Station—everywhere was full of praise for Young Bao Qingtian. Even CCTV and the State Administration had publicly singled it out for commendation.
Over the past two days, Dai Ying and the Penguin Video drama production center she led had been basking in the spotlight. It was clear that when next year's budgets for the in-house production center and the acquisitions department were up for debate, Dai Ying would have a significant advantage.
That was why Dai Ying hadn't been too nervous before that evening. But now, as she looked at the new email from Li Xun, she felt inexplicably tense.
Each unit of an anthology series was a fresh start. The moment she opened the new script, the first unit's success became a thing of the past. Now, a whole new journey lay before her.
Exterior, Tianhong Academy, daytime.
Gongsun Ce believed his talent and learning were no less than Bao Zheng's. Yet Bao Zheng had won fame through the case of the Goryeo Envoy, and Gongsun Ce resented it. So he devised a challenge to pit himself against Bao Zheng.
Five copper coins, each corresponding to one of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Gongsun Ce left clues, and Bao Zheng had to find all five coins before one stick of incense burned down.
Bao Zheng handed the fourth coin to Academician Ying Ming.
Academy Student 1: Bao Zheng has found the coins for wood, water, fire, and earth. Only "metal" is left.
Academy Student 2: So where's the last one?
Zhan Jun: I bet it's in the weapons room!
Grand Scholar Yang Qishan: Bao Zheng, this incense is about to burn out. Here's what we'll do: I'll count to five, and that will be your final chance. One, two, three...
Bao Zheng stepped into the room and headed straight for Gongsun Ce.
Gongsun Ce: I knew the first few coins wouldn't stump you, but you might as well give up on finding the last one!
Bao Zheng: I'm not here to give up. I'm here to find the fifth coin.
Gongsun Ce: The fifth coin? I don't see anything in this room that has to do with "metal."
Bao Zheng: It has nothing to do with metal. You deliberately used metal, wood, water, fire, and earth to throw me off. The coin I found in the music room was beneath the strings, not beneath the instrument, so it can't represent wood. It must belong to metal. The coin for wood must be on you, Gongsun Ce. The character ce in your name contains the character for wood, so the coin is right here!
Bao Zheng took Gongsun Ce's purse and tipped out a copper coin.
As the story unfolded, Dai Ying gradually let go of all distractions and became completely absorbed in it.
At 1:25 a.m., she finally finished reading the entire story of the second unit, Blood Altar.
Afterward, she sat in her desk chair, feeling strangely bereft.
At first, Dai Ying's eyes had grown brighter and brighter as she read. The story of Blood Altar was every bit as good as Famous Throughout the World.
As the plot went on, the atmosphere grew more and more terrifying. Her apartment was huge, a full 150 square meters, and felt rather empty with her living there alone. By the time she reached the later chapters, she had turned on all the lights in the apartment before continuing.
But when she reached the end, when Bao Zheng finally exposed the real culprit, she couldn't feel happy at all. When she learned the motive behind the murders, and read about the Kuayi Tribe's tragedy and the so-called Kuayi treasure, it felt as if a huge stone had settled on her heart.
When she reached the end and saw that both siblings had died, Dai Ying was overwhelmed with sadness. For the first time, she found herself wishing Bao Zheng had been a little more foolish.
But she also knew that the second unit of Young Bao Qingtian was a sure hit!
The next day, a major piece of news took the entertainment industry by storm.
Casting had begun for the second unit of Young Bao Qingtian!
One of the female characters was gentle, sweet, and considerate. Most importantly, she had a secret crush on Bao Zheng, and the two shared a romantic storyline.
Actresses of the right age began calling in favors and using every means at their disposal to find out the details of the role.
Young Bao Qingtian was simply too popular. Everyone wanted a share of Bao Heitan's fame.
Especially since the first unit had ended with the heroine, Ling Chuchu, leaving after writing Bao Zheng a letter. Now there was another character with a romantic storyline with him. Could she be promoted to the heroine?
The actresses who thought they were the right age were thrilled.
"I don't care what you have to do. I have to get this role!"
Many actresses said the same to their agents.
On the second day of the new year, Li Xun saw the actress who had more or less been chosen for the role of Chang Yu on Dai Ying's desk.
"Xia Qing?!"
Li Xun murmured the name.
"I never thought it would be her!"
His gaze sharpened.
What a coincidence. She had auditioned for Chang Yu, and she had even managed to land the role.
"No. She can't play this character!"
Li Xun wouldn't say he hated this woman, but he certainly didn't like her. He was even less willing to work with her.
There was another stack of actresses' profiles on the desk. They belonged to those who had auditioned for the role but hadn't made the cut.
Without letting on, Li Xun picked up the stack of rejected candidates' profiles and began leafing through them in Dai Ying's office.
After discussing business with Li Xun, Dai Ying noticed that he hadn't left. Instead, he was looking through the profiles of actresses who had already been rejected. Finding it strange, she asked, "Is there something else?"
Li Xun said, "I don't think the actress they've chosen for Chang Yu is right for the role."
He pressed his lips together and shook his head before continuing, "She's nothing like the character I had in mind!"
"Really?"
Dai Ying picked up Xia Qing's profile, unconvinced, and studied it closely. She couldn't see anything wrong with it.
Director Kong had personally auditioned the candidates for this role. He had praised Xia Qing, saying that though she was a singer, her acting was unexpectedly superb. He had even said that Xia Qing would probably achieve more in film and television than she had in music. She seemed born to be an actress; she had simply found fame as a singer first by chance.
Dai Ying studied the profile for a long while but still couldn't spot any problem. "I've read the script for Blood Altar at least three times, and I thought I understood Chang Yu's character very well. What's wrong with Xia Qing?"
Li Xun replied seriously, "I know the character I created better than anyone. In short, she's nothing like the Chang Yu I imagined."
Dai Ying remained unconvinced, but she still called Director Kong. After a brief discussion, she told Li Xun, "Director Kong says that if you have someone else in mind who's a better fit, you can recommend her. Maybe he hasn't quite grasped Chang Yu's character."
Li Xun pulled a profile from the stack of rejected actresses and smiled. "I think she fits the Chang Yu I have in mind perfectly."
Dai Ying took the profile and read the name aloud. "Cao Shiyu?"
Li Xun nodded and smiled. "That's right. She's perfect for the role. She's practically the spitting image of the Chang Yu in my mind."
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