The stars of "To the Moon," and Alina, who would never make a mistake!

Muelsyse also chose to back down very quickly. She had already offended Saria by cooperating with the Grand Master to deceive Saria once. If she offended Kristen as well, she would probably not be able to stay in Rhine Lab.

Seeing that Muelsyse had backed down, Kristen turned his gaze back to the silent Saria and said with a smile:

"So, Saria, what do you think? Would you be willing to give me a movie's worth of time?"

"... Wait a moment, Kristen, I'd like to speak with Director Chen Qi." Upon hearing this, Saria neither immediately agreed nor refused. However, her somewhat abrupt request surprised Chen Qi.

However, Saria's serious gaze gave Chen Qi a vague idea of what she wanted to talk about... If nothing unexpected happened, it should be related to the movie and Kristen.

"Director Chen Qi, I have a favor to ask; I hope you can revise the script."

Once in another private room, Saria poured Chen Qi a cup of tea and made her request. However, her request was so demanding that it would be a stroke of genius for any screenwriter.

Chen Qi knew that Saria wasn't the type to make trouble unnecessarily, so after accepting the tea Saria offered, he immediately asked:

"Why are you suddenly suggesting rewriting the script, Miss Saria? You haven't even read the script for 'To the To the Moon' yet!"

"Yes, but I don't want this film to be just a way for Kristen to show me her ideals; I also have things I want to convey to her."

Saria sat down in front of Chen Qi and finally spoke her mind. Clearly, Kristen wanted to use this film to help Saria understand her ideals and inspired Saria.

She felt that perhaps she could also use this film to try to awaken some of the qualities that Kristen had sealed away... or perhaps discarded, that Saria had valued back then.

"I don't want Kristen to just want to see a science fiction film, where she sees the starry sky and the moon that she's always wanted to see... I want her to see the perseverance, effort, and emotions in this film."

"Such a request might be a bit unreasonable, especially since you've already written the script, and judging from your expression, Director Chen Qi, you're very confident in it."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Saria's face, but she quickly suppressed it and solemnly said to Chen Qi:

"Therefore, I request that you revise the script... at least, make the journey to the To the Moon longer and more moving... ideally, so that the ending, where the characters go to the To the Moon, is so moving that it brings tears to people's eyes."

"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at describing these things... but you should understand what I mean. What I want Kristen to understand is that To the Moon was never the most important thing; what mattered most was everything we did along the way."

Saria also didn't know what to do. Just as Kristen hoped that Saria could understand her ideals, Saria also hoped to take this opportunity to let Kristen understand her feelings again—those emotions, those processes, which could not be abandoned.

Just like Rhine Lab today, if Rhine Lab's development is achieved through inhumane human experimentation, through countless cold data and tests, then what's the point of the final result? Is Rhine Lab still the Rhine Lab that Saria Protection?

After Saria finished speaking, Chen Qi smiled, slowly put down his teacup, and confidently said:

"--If that's the case, then Miss Saria, I think you can agree to participate."

"Huh?" Saria was a little taken aback, but after a light chuckle, Chen Qi replied seriously:

"The movie 'To the To the Moon'... I'll tentatively call it a science fiction film, since some of the plot points are indeed quite sci-fi for most people. But I've never said that it's just a science fiction film."

"If I really had to describe it, then it would probably be like what Miss Muelsyse said: a film that wears the cloak of science fiction but is actually a different genre... Of course, it's not a romantic drama, I can guarantee that."

As he spoke, Chen Qi handed the completed script of " To the To the Moon," which he had been carrying with him, to Saria, and casually reminded her with a smile:

"This is the script for 'To the To the Moon,' which even Chief Kristen hasn't read yet. She's probably not very interested in it, since her ultimate goal is you."

"Miss Saria, you can take a look at the script before deciding whether you want to participate... Would you like me to prepare some tissues beforehand?"

"--No need." Saria took the script with great curiosity. When Chen Qi said that this was originally a movie with science fiction as its skin but was actually about emotions, an extremely happy smile appeared on her face.

She hadn't expected Chen Qi to have planned it this way from the beginning. Saria certainly trusted Chen Qi's script and talent, but when Chen Qi asked if she needed tissues, Saria still refused.

"To be honest, my father taught me from a young age not to cry, and I haven't cried for at least a decade now. I've taken on any task, no matter how painful, difficult, or challenging, and I've never shed a single tear."

As she spoke, Saria began flipping through the script, replying with an unusually relaxed tone:

"Although I have great faith in Director Chen Qi's writing skills and hope that your script will truly move me, it's probably unlikely that it will make me cry."

"... It's good that you're so confident in yourself, but I'd like to offer a friendly reminder: stacking armor is useless against true damage."

Saria: "What?"

"It's nothing, please continue reading. I'll wait here until you're finished."

However, Chen Qi only smiled knowingly at this, but that didn't stop him from taking out tissues and getting ready.

Chen Qi certainly believed in the resilience of Saria's heart. This woman, "harder than a diamond," possessed an extremely resilient spirit and body. Chen Qi also believed that Saria had witnessed many tragedies and made many painful choices, and had long since developed a resistance to many things.

But... Chen Qi wants to say that some endings, even if they are foreseeable from the beginning, when the inevitable tragedy still unfolds, can still inflict a deep and real wound on a person's heart... This is something that no amount of strong shield can help with.

Moreover, the story of " To the To the Moon" is not so clichéd; it has a happy ending... a happy ending, but one that is more heartbreaking than a tragedy.

Gradually, in front of Chen Qi, Saria's expression changed from relaxed at first, to puzzled later, and then, after patiently continuing to read, she finally showed an expression of sudden enlightenment.

Soon, Chen Qi noticed a hint of emotion on Saria's resolute face... After that, Saria's intervals between flipping through the script became longer and longer, and she would sometimes linger on a single page for a very long time.

Sometimes, she would suddenly flip to previous scripts, constantly comparing them with later plot developments... However, the more she compared them, the softer her expression became, and the more difficult it was for her to control herself...

Finally, as she turned to the last page of the script for " To the To the Moon," Saria's eyes glazed over for a long time... She remained lost in thought for a long time.

"... tick-tock."

Finally, the long silence was broken by the sound of a tear falling onto the script. Saria slowly closed the script, but silently lowered her head, unable to let go for a long time.

Clearly, just as Chen Qi had predicted, the armor Saria had built for herself ultimately proved ineffective; she was still deeply wounded by the raw reality of the situation, her heart breaking into its softest spot...

Chapter 182: The stars of " To the To the Moon," Alina, who never makes a mistake!

Saria finally agreed. To the unsuspecting onlookers, Chen Qi and Saria spent less than an hour in a private room before Saria emerged to express her willingness to star in the film " To the To the Moon." However, everyone noticed Saria slightly reddish eyes, which appeared different from when she entered...

However, before Kristen and the others could raise any questions, Chen Qi immediately arranged the filming schedule for " To the To the Moon".

"Now that Miss Saria has agreed to star in our film, the other casting questions are no longer a big problem."

"So, Miss Kristen, you will be playing one of the main characters in 'To the To the Moon,' and one of the two main characters in this film, Doctor Eva Rosalene female employee. And Miss Saria will be playing the other employee, Doctor Neil Watts. Is that alright?"

"Two Doctor? That does suit our identities." Seeing that Saria had relented, Kristen, though curious about what Saria had experienced in the room, never considered the possibility that Saria had cried.

She had never seen Saria shed a tear. She preferred to believe that Saria and Chen Qi had a heated argument in the room, and that it was Chen Qi who persuaded Saria to participate in " To the To the Moon".

"And we need two more characters, let's look at two other important characters in the story of 'To the To the Moon,' John and River." Seeing that Kristen and Saria had no objections, Chen Qi then raised his own additional request, saying:

"If the two Doctor, from the audience's perspective, helped everyone who watched the film to understand its ins and outs, then these two characters are the true essence of the film."

"Therefore, the casting for these two roles needs to be more rigorous. My original plan was to use actors from our own production team. These two roles require a high level of acting skills, especially the role of the River. To perfectly portray this role, we need a professional actor."

"Oh? Director Chen Qi, do you have any suitable candidates?"

Upon hearing that Chen Qi had unusually arranged for his own cast to participate, everyone, from Rhine Lab to the Art Troupe, instinctively turned their attention to Chen Qi.

Upon hearing the name River, and immediately realizing that it was a female character, the few women in the Art Troupe, led by FrostNova and Alina, all had their eyes light up.

However, most people only thought about it, because they all knew very well that only the woman Chen Qi trusted most could be suitable for this role.

"It's basically Talulah, right?"

"Yes, only an assistant director can handle it."

"It must be Sis Talulah, right?"

Amidst whispers and speculation, everyone in the Art Troupe believed that Talulah was the right choice. Even Talulah herself felt that the role was perfect for her, and confidently took a step closer to Chen Qi.

However, Chen Qi also noticed Talulah's subtle actions, and immediately felt a toothache. Since he actually had someone else in mind, he pretended not to hear everyone's words and answered to himself:

"River is a crucial character in the background of 'To the To the Moon.' Her behavior initially gives the audience the impression of being eccentric; she is a person suffering from mental illness."

"Mental illness?" Kristen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, seemingly sensing something was amiss, while Chen Qi nodded in response.

"Autism is a condition in which individuals are unable to express their thoughts, feelings, or words effectively, and also have great difficulty understanding what others are saying."

"High-functioning autism?" X2

However, after Chen Qi described the disease, Kristen and Muelsyse, both experts in multiple fields and with considerable knowledge of medicine, almost simultaneously named the illness.

Clearly, such autism can be found even in the Terra. Although this land is full of suffering, and Oripathy threatens the lives of many, it does not prevent the emergence of any mental illness.

"I knew people like that before. It's a very strange mental illness, and there aren't any good treatments available from major medical institutions these days. Rhine Lab has produced some medications to suppress mental illness, but they can only alleviate the symptoms; they can't cure it."

Muelsyse also shared her own experience. As one of the few Originium Arts personnel at Rhine Lab with a certain level of combat capability, Muelsyse and Saria have teamed up for missions many times, so she has seen a lot and has naturally encountered cases like River's.

Muelsyse was deeply impressed by this challenging case of autism, remarking, "These children are quite pitiful, especially since most mental illnesses are caused by acquired trauma, but this one is congenital."

"If you're born into a prominent family, it's not so bad. This illness only affects social skills, not intelligence. In fact, most people with this condition have remarkably strong visual and memory abilities. As long as they have someone who understands them by their side, it's not an insurmountable obstacle..."

"Many scientists even want to artificially acquire this disease; many of them envy this ability. I once met a Doctor who had this disease, and talking to him was really difficult..."

Muelsyse couldn't help but complain a few times, but once she started talking again, she couldn't help but ask Chen Qi:

"But Director Chen Qi, shouldn't this kind of role be given to the character played by the Commander or Saria? You've given this role to the second female lead? And what's with the claim that the Commander and Saria's roles are meant to guide the audience through the plot?"

"Well, that's related to the background of our story. In the script for 'To the To the Moon,' the two main characters play employees of a company that provides end-of-life services. This company can help dying people fulfill their wishes and pass away without regrets through a device that artificially modifies memories."

Chen Qi then explained the background of " To the To the Moon," and Kristen and Muelsyse, who originally thought it would be an inspirational science fiction film, blinked blankly, because the background had nothing to do with the theme of "To the Moon."

Even the characters played by Kristen and Saria aren't actually in the industry; they're just executors of end-of-life projects?

"This doesn't seem to have anything to do with To the Moon?" Muelsyse directly voiced her doubts, also speaking for Kristen's thoughts.

"Don't rush, this brings us to our two key characters, John and River." Chen Qi patiently explained the plot to the group, continuing:

"John and River were a couple. After the River passed away, John approached the two main characters and expressed his desire to To the Moon. This dream was to be realized through the tireless efforts of the two main characters, by understanding John's memories and influencing the life he lived in John memories."

"So, the process of To the Moon actually takes place in a dream..." Kristen suddenly realized, and the slight frown that had been on his face because he felt that the movie was different from what he had expected immediately relaxed.

After all, Kristen's ultimate goal was to let Saria experience the charm of the starry sky. As long as she could see the moon in the end, Kristen didn't care about the process.

"So, since there's a mission to guide John towards the moon, there must be many scenes depicting his longing for the starry sky and the moon, right?"

"Don't worry about that, Miss Kristen, there won't be any shortage." Chen Qi smiled at this and then moved on to the casting process:

"Because the character of the River is interwoven into almost every aspect of John's life, the casting had to meet the requirements. She had to be someone who was gentle, focused, and ethereal to a rare degree, so that she could portray River's beautiful charm despite her inability to express her thoughts due to illness."

Chen Qi's implication was clear: this role was not suitable for Talulah because Talulah was too assertive. She couldn't even pretend to be gentle, let alone "ethereal."

However, after exchanging FrostNova, the members of the Art Troupe silently chose to step back. She knew that she probably couldn't handle the role... Although she was ethereal, she was also somewhat assertive and hard to associate with gentleness.

Basically, only one person could still take on the role: the only woman in the Integrated Cultural Troupe known for her gentleness, and before Chen Qi joined, the best person in the Reunion Movement to stabilize morale...

"Everyone, I've brought some tea with me. Shall we chat?"

Just then, Alina, having finished arranging everyone's accommodations with the Rhine Lab employees, walked over carrying a tray of hot tea, only to find that everyone's eyes were immediately drawn to her.

However, this time, Alina keenly noticed that everyone's gazes were different from before, especially Talulah and FrostNova's. Their envious yet subtly intense stares made Alina unusually flustered, and she couldn't help but ask:

"Um... did I arrive at the wrong time? Everyone's talking about something very important?"

"Yes, it's a very important decision, Alina." Seeing that Alina had arrived at the perfect time, Chen Qi went to Alina side. Facing this seemingly bewildered but diligently supportive leader, Chen Qi sincerely explained his arrangements:

"Alina, this role is perfect for you. You are one of the most crucial characters in the film 'To the To the Moon,' and only you have the right spirit."

"Me, me?"

Alina was taken aback by this somewhat abrupt request. In fact, despite Chen Qi having directed so many films, Alina had never acted in any of them, because Alina didn't care much about fame.

Therefore, whether it was the early "Young and Dangerous" series or her later works, Alina never thought she would appear on screen. But now, Chen Qi suddenly asked her to star in the movie " To the To the Moon," and in a key role at that, which made Alina feel nervous for the first time in a long time.

Before Alina could refuse or say she couldn't do it, Chen Qi patted Alina on the shoulder and immediately said:

"Don't worry, Alina, you'll understand once I explain the role to you. You can definitely handle it. Just don't treat it like you're filming a movie; just be yourself."

"But, but I've never acted with anyone before, I'm afraid I won't remember my lines..." Alina blushed slightly with nervousness, and even her words were a little hesitant.

"And I remember reading part of the script... In that script, River and John are a couple, right?"

"I... I'm not very good at these kinds of scenes, especially some of the lines that make me shy. I can't do it with strangers..."

Alina is essentially a very innocent girl. When she was asked to play a wife in her first acting role, Alina couldn't help but think of the kissing scenes between couples in some movies... as well as some scenes that made her blush just looking at them. Just thinking about it made her blush.

She might not even be able to do this to people she knew, let alone strangers. However, just as Alina had this thought, Chen Qi noticed Alina hesitation and smiled, saying:

"Don't worry, Alina, the romance in 'To the To the Moon' is very innocent, so you don't need to be nervous. I'll arrange for someone you know to play John."

As he said this, Chen Qi deliberately put on a troubled look, and under everyone's gaze, he slowly said:

"The character of John requires a great deal of patience. He needs to maintain a genuine love for a River that is difficult to understand, even though he doesn't fully understand his wife in the end. However, he makes a constant effort to understand her thoughts and feelings."

"Considering that you'll be nervous about Alina, this role needs to be played by someone you know well, someone who combines patience, persistence, and the ability to compromise with his wife when necessary..."

However, as Chen Qi spoke, his words became increasingly suggestive. After Chen Qi uttered these keywords one by one, Talulah, FrostNova, Alina, and the others couldn't help but turn their gazes to the speaker, Chen Qi himself.

"... Are you saying you'll act it yourself?" Talulah blurted out unexpectedly, and Chen Qi, feigning surprise, replied with a teasing tone:

"Me? I've never thought of it that way, but if only Alina can handle the role of the River, then it seems that I'm the only one in the Art Troupe with whom Alina can get used to acting..."

"So, Alina, what do you think? Of course, you can refuse if you have someone else in mind."

"With Chen Qi...?"

However, before Talulah could get jealous, Chen Qi promptly passed the buck to Alina. Alina herself pondered for a moment, her gaze lingering on Chen Qi for a long time before she finally smiled and nodded.