Chapter 44

Some people had not heard the news.

Cai Jinbai had Yuan Guangjin personally send them text messages and deliver the scripts.

Du Ru was already in his forties, an actor from the older generation. He had played leading roles when he was young, but as he grew older, he could only play supporting roles in television dramas. He loved acting and did not film for money. His family was not short of money either; he simply wanted to indulge his passion for acting.

However, his family thought filming was too exhausting. Once filming began, he would have to stay away from home for a long time, and sometimes his body could not hold up. He was no longer young, and with age came all kinds of ailments. Just like the last time he filmed, after spending time in crowded places, he came back with the flu.

Du Ru did not care what his family thought. He had a phone, knew how to use the internet, and could even seek out production crews himself. There would always be opportunities to act.

This time, news of auditions for "Imperial Authority" had been sent to his phone, and the script had even been mailed to him.

Du Ru wanted to secretly grab the script first, but the moment he entered the house, his daughter snatched it away.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Du Ru panicked.

His daughter glanced at him and said, "A script? You're not thinking of acting again, are you?"

"What's wrong with acting? Can't a person have a hobby?" Unable to get the script back, Du Ru snorted and sat down on the sofa.

"What's wrong with acting? You tell me what's wrong. The family doesn't need you to earn money. You insist on finding something to do. It's not that I won't let you do anything—you could raise fish, grow flowers or grass. Anything would be easier than acting. What if you get the flu again like last time and have to stay in the hospital for half a month..." Du He muttered as she pulled out the script and began flipping through it. This time, she had made up her mind not to let her father go filming.

She had to read the script first, focus on criticizing its logic and plot holes, and make her father feel it was not worth acting in, then...

However, as she read on, Du He became absorbed before she knew it, completely engrossed.

Du Ru: "...?"

"Let me take a look?"

He tried to reach for it, but Du He slapped his hand away. "Wait. Let me finish first."

"..." Du Ru was angry but did not dare vent it. He got to his feet, clasped his hands behind his back, and wandered around the yard outside once, twice, three times. His daughter still had not finished reading.

Fortunately, before he could finish a fourth lap, his daughter waved at him through the glass.

Du Ru hurried inside and said, "Let me tell you, I'm not giving up acting. I have to..."

Du He said, "Fine, you can act this time. First, you have to pass the audition. Pack your things—we'll go to S City together. If you pass, I'll stay with the crew and take care of you, so you don't neglect your health."

It would truly be a shame not to act in such a good script.

She had a feeling that if this drama was made well, it would become a massive hit. Missing it would be a real regret.

Du Ru: "...Huh?"

There was no shortage of veteran actors in the entertainment industry, but they had far fewer acting opportunities than young people. Usually, opportunities to join quality productions were even rarer.

This time, Jinbai Entertainment's major production, "Imperial Authority," had indeed attracted quite a few veteran actors and performers from the older generation to audition. Most had learned about it through text messages Jinbai Entertainment had specifically sent out, and they had also received scripts.

Some younger actors were interested in this drama too. Unfortunately, because of certain online comments, after much deliberation, they ultimately chose to go to Star Universe Entertainment for its two S+ major productions. One was an immortal fantasy drama, while the other was also an ancient political intrigue drama. However, that political intrigue drama was the kind young people liked to watch. Ratings still depended on the youth market. By comparison, Jinbai Entertainment's television drama was not nearly as popular.

Hao Sumei was known as Sister Hao in the entertainment industry. She had struggled in the industry for half her life, always playing supporting roles. When she was young, her looks had not been enough for leading lady roles, but after getting older, she had gained a certain refined charm.

But once a woman got older, surviving in the entertainment industry became even harder.

Still, Hao Sumei did not care much about that. She loved acting. As long as she could get a role, she did not care whether it was a leading role or a supporting one.

To her, as long as she gave it her all and performed it well, even a supporting role was the protagonist of her life.

So no matter what role it was, she gave it everything she had. She could get up early in winter to memorize lines and read scripts at night. Sometimes she would fall asleep while reading, her energy failing her, but that did not stop her from persevering.

Besides memorizing lines during the day, she also studied acting.

Hao Sumei's acting skills were among the best in the entertainment industry.

However, she was very low-key, so she was not particularly well-known online.

Some time ago, Hao Sumei had been filming with a production crew, playing a supporting role opposite a popular young idol. When she saw him perform poorly and get harshly scolded by the director, she kindly went over to teach him.

Yet behind her back, he called her a know-it-all busybody. She was just a supporting actress, and she had the nerve to lecture him.

After Hao Sumei learned about it, she was so angry that she fell ill.

How was she a know-it-all? She had only kindly offered him a word or two of advice, and she had not even spoken to him for more than five minutes.

The young idol had agreed with a broad smile on the surface, only to show a completely different face behind her back. He was nothing like the humble, respectful senior-junior relationship he portrayed online.

Even if she had played supporting roles her entire life, she was still a senior, wasn't she? Did she not deserve even a little respect?

Hao Sumei fell ill from anger, but she did not tell her family about it. She only said she was tired.

After all, she knew full well that no one had it easy in the entertainment industry. At her age, why bother arguing with an immature young man?

Her son and daughter were filial and knew she loved acting, so they had not done much to stop her from continuing her career in the entertainment industry.

It was only after this illness that her son and daughter urged her to consider retiring from the industry and peacefully enjoying her old age at home.

Hao Sumei hesitated for several days and began to consider it as well.

Then Jinbai Entertainment's script arrived. It was not asking her to audition, but directly saying that one role in the script could only be played by her, and hoping she would take it.

After Hao Sumei opened the script, she became immersed in it almost immediately.

Then she promptly decided to take the role.

Her son and daughter still tried to persuade her. "Mom, didn't you want to retire from the industry too? Why are you taking another role now?"

"Yeah, Mom, you're already at this age. Acting is so exhausting. How about..."

Hao Sumei said, "No. This script is too good. They said the Empress Dowager role could only be played by me. Look at it yourselves. It would be such a pity if I didn't act in it."

She handed the script to her son and daughter.

The two took it, read it through, and fell silent.

Her son said, "Mom, your role has a lot of weight."

"Indeed. If this is acted well..." Her daughter looked at Hao Sumei and asked, "Mom, do you think you could win an award?"

"Yes." Hao Sumei answered decisively, looking excited. It was rare to encounter such a good script, and missing it would be a pity. She said, "Even if I don't win an award, I still want to take this role for the sake of this script."

Her son said, "All right, we won't stop you this time. But you have so many scenes, and you'll have to stay with the crew for ten days or half a month... My sister and I will take turns looking after you."

Her daughter nodded.

Hao Sumei waved a hand. "No need. The place lacks nothing. You don't need to take care of me."

She felt full of energy now, as though she had the strength to do anything.

Her daughter smiled. "How could that be? You just focus on acting well. Leave everything else to us."

While rumors continued to spread online about Jinbai and Star Universe Entertainment, the television drama "Family Matters" finally premiered.

Perhaps it wanted revenge for being crushed by the idol drama last time, but Star Universe Entertainment had unexpectedly released another drama with the same theme this time.

[No way, they're competing again? First it was idol dramas, now period dramas. It seems there'll even be a third time with the political intrigue dramas that are about to start filming. Oh, no, Jinbai only has one political intrigue drama for the third round, but Star Universe has bet on two—a fantasy cultivation drama and an ancient political intrigue romance drama. Hahaha, let's see who wins these two rounds. I'm curious.]

[Star Universe: We lost once, so we have to win back our pride!]

[I'm not interested in either of these period dramas, but my parents might watch them. I'll watch with them when the time comes.]

[This time, I'm betting Jinbai Entertainment will win again. Supporting President Cai!]

[Not necessarily. It seems neither Jinbai Entertainment nor Star Universe has made period dramas before. Jinbai Entertainment is newly established, so of course it hasn't. But Star Universe has always focused on dramas adapted from novels—popular fantasy cultivation dramas and historical romance dramas. It hasn't made period dramas either. Anyway, I'm not optimistic about either.]

[The screenwriter of "Family Matters" was the one involved in that plagiarism scandal before. I've decided to support it.]

When the drama began airing, Cai Jinbai and Xuan Yu were at home, having turned on the television to wait.

Cai Jinbai was also holding a tablet, with messages constantly pouring into the company group chat.

Oddly enough, Xuan Yu was holding a tablet too. Strange—wasn't he usually uninterested in this kind of thing?

Cai Jinbai thought Xuan Yu was watching the data too, so he leaned closer and said, "Xuan, are you..."

Before he could finish, Xuan Yu turned around, his broad shoulders blocking Cai Jinbai's view of the tablet. He looked back with what seemed to be a slightly stiff expression. "What?"

He had startled him. Why had Jinbai suddenly come over?

Cai Jinbai had taken off his glasses by then. Seeing Xuan Yu like this, he could not help narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing? Are you hiding something from me?"

Otherwise, why did he look so guilty? What was he looking at on that tablet?