Cheng Che Studio occupies half a floor in an office building in the eastern part of Capital City. It's not big, but it's enough.
Cheng Che, wearing True Heart Glasses, sat behind the conference table.
Qin Lie sat next to him, a stack of resumes in front of him. Across the table sat three people who had come for interviews: two women and one man.
The first interviewer was a man in his thirties with an impressive resume. He had worked for two entertainment companies and was very experienced.
Cheng Che glanced at him, wearing glasses.
True Heart Value: 28.
It's within a friendly range, okay, but not to the point of "caring".
He asked a few questions, and the other person answered them very professionally, showing that they were indeed capable.
But his attitude towards this job was more like a "career choice" than "being interested in Cheng Che as a person".
The second one was a young woman who had just graduated; she seemed a bit nervous.
True Heart Value: 35.
It's a little taller than the first one, but still not enough.
The third one was a girl in her mid-twenties named Chen Wei.
He had an ordinary appearance, wore round-framed glasses, a simple white shirt, and black trousers, and looked quite neat.
She spoke with neither servility nor arrogance, and answered questions clearly and logically.
Cheng Che asked her why she applied for the position, and she said she wanted to find a place where she could learn something and grow with a project that was on the rise.
Cheng Che glanced at her True Heart Value.
40.
Pay attention to the lower limit of the range.
Not particularly high, but higher than the previous two.
Moreover, her feelings for him were "caring," not "attachment" or "obsession."
This value means that she has basic respect and approval for him, but her liking for him will not affect her work judgment.
This is exactly what he needs.
"Let's choose her," Cheng Che said.
Qin Lie put the resume away and nodded.
Then he showed Cheng Che around the studio.
The entire space is about 200 square meters and is divided into several areas.
Near the door is the reception area, with a small sofa and a potted green plant.
Further inside is the common office area, with six workstations where people from the publicity and business teams are sitting.
Further inside were two separate offices, one for Cheng Che and one for Qin Lie.
At the very back there is a small conference room with a long table, six chairs, and a whiteboard on the wall.
"There are ten people in total," Qin Lie said. "Three in the publicity team, two in the business team, one in legal, one in finance, plus Chen Wei as our assistant, and then you and I, that makes ten."
Cheng Che nodded.
It's not big, but it's enough.
In the afternoon, Qin Lie, along with his lawyer, two staff members, Chen Wei, and Cheng Che, went to a private restaurant on the east side.
There were already people waiting in the private room.
The director of " The Youth Here " is surnamed Zhou, is in his forties, and has directed several well-received youth dramas.
The producer, surnamed Fang, was in his early fifties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a dark gray jacket.
The two men sat in a private room, tea in front of them, discussing something in hushed tones.
" Director Zhou, do you think Cheng Che?" Producer Fang asked.
Director Zhou put down his teacup and thought for a moment.
"I've seen his videos, and his appearance is fine. But he plays tennis and has never acted before. Although ' The Youth Here ' is an ensemble drama, his character is a sports prodigy with a significant amount of screen time. I'm worried he might not be able to handle it."
Producer Fang nodded.
"I'm worried about that too. But he's so popular right now. If we don't use him, the other companies will probably snatch him up. Besides, his face is just naturally suited for this kind of work."
Director Zhou sighed.
"Let's see. If his acting really isn't good enough, we'll adjust the script and make his scenes more action-oriented and dynamic."
The words had barely left his mouth when the door to the private room was pushed open.
Cheng Che walked in.
He was wearing a dark gray casual suit with a white T-shirt underneath, his hair was neatly styled, and he looked clean and energetic.
The moment he stepped into the private room, Director Zhou and Producer Fang both looked up.
The moment Director Zhou saw him, he froze.
Under the lights of the private room, his face looked as clean as if it had been washed with water, and every detail of his features was just right.
His posture was upright but not stiff, with a faint smile on his lips, and he exuded a natural sense of being in front of the camera.
Director Zhou has been making films for over a decade and has seen all sorts of actors.
He knows what it means to have a "photogenic face" and to have "audience appeal."
The boy in front of me has both.
The " Heartthrob of Ten Thousand " effect is triggered the moment the two make eye contact.
" Director Zhou, Producer Fang," Qin Lie introduced them from the front. "This is Cheng Che."
Cheng Che nodded to them.
"Hello Director Zhou, hello Producer Fang."
Director Zhou snapped out of his daze and realized he had been stunned for several seconds.
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, tried to hide his embarrassment, and then said with a smile, "This face alone is well worth it."
Producer Fang burst out laughing.
He glanced at Cheng Che, then turned to Director Zhou and said, "What did I tell you?"
Cheng Che sat down opposite him.
Chen Wei stood behind him, holding a folder in her hand.
The lawyer sat next to him, with the contract laid out in front of him.
The ensuing conversation went smoothly.
Director Zhou asked Cheng Che a few questions about his understanding of the character. Cheng Che answered concisely, but each answer hit the nail on the head.
Although he had never acted before, he had a natural understanding of the role of a "sports prodigy".
He was an athlete himself, so he knew how someone who practices sports walked, how they talked, and how they couldn't sit still in the classroom.
Director Zhou became increasingly satisfied as they talked.
His initial concerns gradually dissipated after Cheng Che spoke.
This boy has something special about him: he's not nervous.
He sat there, as if he were talking about something he knew very well.
Producer Fang pushed the contract towards them.
Cheng Che flipped through it, while the lawyer beside him quietly explained a few key clauses.
The actor received a salary of 20 million yuan, the filming period was four months, filming started in December, and the main filming locations were in Capital City and surrounding cities.
Cheng Che nodded, picked up the pen, and signed his name.
Producer Fang carefully put the contract away, stood up, and extended his hand.
"It's a pleasure doing business with you."
"It's a pleasure doing business with you."
It was already dark when I came out of the restaurant.
Qin Lie was driving, Cheng Che was in the passenger seat, and Chen Wei was in the back.
"I've found you a new house," Qin Lie said. "You can't stay in that old courtyard anymore."
Cheng Che turned his head to look at him. "Why?"
"Some people in the supertopic are saying you don't live on campus," Qin Lie said. "Some people are waiting for you at the school gate, some are loitering around Peking University, and some have even found the entrance to the alleyway where the courtyard is. Although no one has found your exact location yet, it's only a matter of time. You're a public figure now, and it's not safe for you to live in a shack in an alley."
Cheng Che thought for a moment and nodded.
Where is the new house?
"It's in a high-end residential area on the East Fourth Ring Road. Security is good, with access control and underground parking. I rented it under the name of a studio."
After driving for more than half an hour, the car turned into the underground parking garage of a residential complex.
The elevator reached the fifteenth floor, and Qin Lie swiped his card to open a door.
Cheng Che walked in and paused for a moment.
The living room is large, with floor-to-ceiling windows that extend from the ceiling to the floor, offering a view of the nightscape of the East Fourth Ring Road.
Open-plan kitchen with Dali countertops, built-in oven and refrigerator.
There are two bedrooms, with the master bedroom having an ensuite bathroom and a bathtub by the window offering a view of the city skyline.
There is also a study, with a large desk and a bookshelf on one wall.
Cheng Che walked around the living room and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window looking out.
The night view of Capital City unfolds beneath my feet, with thousands of lights scattered like broken gold across the ground.
"This house..." he said, "How much did it cost?"
Qin Lie stood beside him and thought for a moment, "This apartment in this complex, with this layout, would probably cost at least twenty million."
Cheng Che paused for a moment.
Twenty million.
His TV drama salary was exactly 20 million, but that was before tax, and it had to be paid in installments.
His current savings are barely enough for a down payment.
We have to wait until all the payments for variety shows and TV dramas arrive before we can receive them.
"Let's rent it for now," he said. "We'll talk about it later."
Qin Lie nodded.
"Come on, let me show you the study. You'll write songs and read scripts here from now on."
Cheng Che followed him into the study and stood in front of the large bookshelf.
The lights outside the window reflected on the glass and fell on his shoulder.
Everything is moving forward.