Becoming a Movie Star, System Only Finished Loading After Ten Years
Chapter 117 - 116: Sorry, I Am Guilty! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Sorry, I Am Guilty! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

"Camera 2, reshoot."

This set of shots was filmed from multiple angles, with Camera 2 focused on Tang Yan.

She saw someone down a huge jug of milk and was so shocked she went a bit overboard.

Actually, this shot didn’t require such wide-eyed acting.

When Wang Baoqiang is drinking, just swallowing would be enough to convey the shock.

It’s like when someone trims donkey hooves or pops a pimple, and you swallow—not because you’re craving, of course.

Qi Hao gave Tang Yan a quick explanation of micro-expression acting.

In fact, in life, as long as you observe more—even from the behavior of young children—you can learn master-level acting techniques.

Life is the best teacher.

"OK, that’s a wrap!" Ye Weimin approved of the filmed result.

Qi Hao being willing to direct actors is also a good thing for him, as it saves him a lot of trouble.

Moreover, when Qi Hao directs Tang Yan, it also becomes material for future promotions once the film is released.

With a total budget of only five million, it’s indeed humble, unable to afford extensive publicity.

But as long as you have selling points, you can achieve great things without spending much money.

The promotion a few days ago didn’t even cost money; they profited by selling the material to the media.

This is also why films and TV dramas prefer to cast popular stars. You spend more on actor fees, but you save on marketing costs and get better results.

Tang Yan’s role is that simple.

However, the necessary hospitality should still be there; Qi Hao must treat her to a meal.

Actually, Qi Hao never thought of inviting her to cameo. He couldn’t really turn this movie into an exhibit of his past rumored girlfriends.

Inviting people to cameo incurs personal favors.

Qi Hao isn’t narcissistic enough to think that female stars all want to ride his coattails.

Plus, having too many cameo stars can steal the show.

There are plenty of films in cinema history jam-packed with stars that bombed in both box office and reviews.

The quality of a film still depends on the main actors and the storyline.

"The food here is not bad, a friend brought me here."

Qi Hao handed the menu to the server, waiting until the server left before smilingly explaining.

"An Feng?" Tang Yan grinned.

"Ah, you even know that." Qi Hao feigned ignorance suitably, as it gives girls a sense of accomplishment.

"An Feng is from around here, and she’s also acting in your film. Her taking you out to eat is normal."

"What you said does make sense."

Once the food arrived, Qi Hao and Tang Yan mainly talked about the promotion of "Chinese Paladin 3."

The promotion for "Chinese Paladin 3" has never stopped.

Even during shooting, they kept releasing all sorts of sensational tidbits and even held a press conference with the entire cast.

Although they’ve sold the first-round broadcasting rights, to ensure high ratings for the first round and sell the second round for a better price, promotion not only mustn’t stop but has to be intensified.

Lately, Qi Hao has been busy filming and hasn’t participated in small-scale promotions—not every promotional event is required by the contract, which only limits the minimum number of appearances.

He’s a big star, and Sugarman can’t say much about it.

You need to use quality steel where it counts and invite Qi Hao to participate in programs at crucial times.

For example, Zhejiang Satellite TV has a specially recorded first-broadcast program coming up.

No matter what, Qi Hao has to participate.

"I really don’t know how the TV series will turn out. I have so many expectations for ’Chinese Paladin 3’ now." Tang Yan was quite troubled.

Unlike Qi Hao, for whom "Chinese Paladin 3" is just a task, for her and others like Hu Ge, Yang Mi, and Liu Shishi, it’s seen as a stepping stone to success.

"You’re still young. The road ahead is long. Pick some good scripts and buckle down; you’ll gradually make it."

Qi Hao didn’t really know how to comfort her, so he could only offer some of his own experiences.

To thrive in showbiz, you must withstand loneliness and resist temptation.

Haste makes waste.

"Any other specifics?" Tang Yan asked like a school kid.

Qi Hao really wanted to tease her.

Had you worked harder during your college years, you wouldn’t need to cram now.

However, he still sincerely gave Tang Yan a lot of advice.

After their meal, they both returned to their respective hotel rooms.

"Sister Jing, ah, Qi Hao is so warm-hearted. I really wanna chase after him!" Tang Yan whined to her manager when it was just the two of them.

"Do you think he likes you?"

Ji Rujing didn’t discourage her but instead asked a very piercing question.

"It seems... not really."

Tang Yan seriously pondered for a moment, trying to find a glimmer of hope, but realized even if she was deceiving herself, Qi Hao had never done anything to make her misunderstand.

"If he had any feelings for you, or was seriously considering marriage, and asked you to give up your career to be with him, could you accept that?"

Having been in the entertainment industry and getting older, Ji Rujing knew just how to make Tang Yan reconsider.

"That... that would be too big a sacrifice, wouldn’t it?"

When Tang Yan placed Qi Hao and her career on the same scale, she realized that Qi Hao still weighed less than her ambition.

"Tangtang, as much of a lovestruck fool as you are, if you can’t resolve to leave showbiz for him, can you really say you like him?"

Ji Rujing suspected this was just another symptom of her lovesickness.

"Ah, then I..."

Tang Yan introspected hard.

"You’re just craving his body!"

Ji Rujing mercilessly uncovered this woman’s true thoughts.

"Sorry, I’m guilty!" Tang Yan wrapped herself up in the blanket.

"In this life, you’ll meet someone who loves you in the best way. It’s best to find someone you love mutually, but if you can’t, then find someone who loves you. Never choose someone you love but who doesn’t love you back, that’s your nemesis."

Ji Rujing also knew lecturing a lovesick fool was pointless.

She just hoped Tang Yan wouldn’t be so overly lovesick next time.

As the saying goes, old ones go so new ones can come. After filming Tang Yan’s milk drinking and Zhou Xun’s CD selling scenes, Fan Xuexue made her grand entrance.

Fan Xuexue has a very important role.

Sensual housewife!

Even in a floral cotton-padded jacket and pants, she can still manage to be sexy.

"Do I look weird in this outfit?"

After changing, Fan Xuexue spun around in front of Qi Hao.

"How could it be weird? You could walk the runway in Milan, then maybe Berlin or Cannes next time. This pattern suits you perfectly."

Qi Hao complimented her without too much insincerity.

Though Fan Xuexue is a bit utilitarian, her looks and demeanor are truly top-notch.

Inviting Fan Xuexue for a cameo wasn’t too much trouble. They first asked how many days of filming, then directly sent over a schedule to see if it worked.

People coming for a cameo and adjusting their schedule is surely no problem.

The problem comes in repaying favors later, which is a bit tricky.

For a lousy movie, so many favors were owed.

Qi Hao just hoped the method of repaying favors was also in cameos, and not about things like eating or sleeping together.

"Be a bit more sassy and lively later."

Ye Weimin couldn’t help but marvel; Qi Hao really had great connections in the entertainment circle.

With this kind of former rumored girlfriend relationship, even if it’s not as sensitive as ex-girlfriends, Qi Hao could still maintain friendships.

Moreover, none of the former rumored girlfriends he invited for a cameo turned him down.

If only considering awards, Fan Xuexue is no less than Qi Hao. Her Hundred Flowers Best Actress is slightly less prestigious than Qi Hao’s Golden Rooster Best Actor, but she also has a Golden Horse Best Supporting Actress.

Besides, just talking about artist income alone, Qi Hao can’t compare to Fan Xuexue.

Qi Hao is relatively strict in selecting endorsements.

"Don’t worry, I know what to do," Fan Xuexue hadn’t acted with Qi Hao in a long time.

She felt her acting skills had improved significantly.

Among Qi Hao’s so-called former rumored girlfriends, she was probably the most qualified to collaborate and act with him.

"Alright, let’s start then!"

According to the plot, Qi Hao finds the noise from the room next door at the hotel too loud, so he goes over to warn them.

As a result, a few martial artists wielding Cyan Dragon Crescent Blades come out.

He immediately gets intimidated.

As he retreats, checking if they’re chasing him, he accidentally enters the room of the sensual housewife and even ends up lying on her bed.

This scene is purely for comedic effect, so logic isn’t necessary.

The writers’ explanation is that you and Wang Baoqiang stayed in a single bed room less than 1.5 meters wide, while the sensual housewife stayed in a 1.8-meter king-size bed room, so when you lay over, she didn’t notice.

Fan Xuexue, completely oblivious that there’s an additional man in her bed, was there making a phone call.

"Sis, stop trying to persuade me. That guy is so annoying!"

Qi Hao’s eyes suddenly widened.

A woman?

Why is there a woman on the bed, where is my Baoqiang?

"Everything I eat, drink, and wear, I have to report to him. I’m exhausted living like this.

Sigh, isn’t he supposed to catch adultery? I’ll summon him to catch it... It’s not my fault I look like Fan Xuexue, why does he keep calling me a homewrecker..."

Actually, according to the script, it’s best to use a local dialect for the lines here for the best comedic effect.

However, since they got Fan Xuexue, the dialect isn’t as important.

During her phone call, Qi Hao sneakily slipped out of the bed, picked up his shoes, and tried to quietly open the door to leave.

If he were caught by her husband, the ensuing drama is predictable.

Of course, the writers wouldn’t let him escape smoothly.

Routines have always resonated with audiences.

Some plots seem cliché because they are classic and meet audience expectations, which is why writers use them over and over, making them more cliché.

Qi Hao was blocked in the room by the adulterer, unable to get out, and could only find a place to hide.

Ever since starring in "Heavenly Dog," Qi Hao no longer cared about his idol burden, acting just like a man caught by a woman’s husband, desperately looking for a place to hide.

At this moment trapped in the room, with muddy water on his trousers, he thought — even if it’s not shit, it sure seems like it, could her husband actually sniff to check?

Next, Fan Xuexue and the actor playing her husband searched the room thoroughly.

Qi Hao surely wouldn’t be shivering in a thin outfit, hiding in the corner.

He was wearing a military coat standing aside watching Fan Xuexue act, observing how the director handled the details.

Occasionally, he’d offer his own suggestions.

Once the couple finished their chaos, it was time for his awkward appearance.

Awaiting this "adulterer" was surely a severe beating.

After Fan Xuexue, there weren’t any more appearances from rumored girlfriends.

However, there were those wanting to appear despite not being rumored girlfriends.

Jing Tian, who previously paid big bucks to have Qi Hao star in her MV, seeing the buzz in the news about Qi Hao and his rumored girlfriends, finally extended her villainous hands towards Qi Hao.

Jing Tian’s team also expressed interest in a cameo.

Not only did they waive the fees, but they brought in a sponsorship for the film: just placing a bottle of the drink on the table without any close-up or focus, and they’d give the production two million.

Two million!

He’d never seen such a large sponsorship fee.

This time, with low cost and immense grassroots appeal, aside from Little Flying Stick spicy strips offering a twenty-thousand sponsorship, "Lost on Journey" had only secured a hundred thousand from Wuling Hongguang.

A total of thirty thousand in sponsorship was barely anything worth mentioning.

Never did they expect a windfall out of the blue.

With these two million, not only could costs be covered, but it could also be used for promotional expenses.

Ye Weimin strongly urged Qi Hao to compromise.

It’s true we sell our art, not our body, but the money they’re offering is too much to resist.

What else could Qi Hao say?

Even without Ye Weimin’s persuasion, he couldn’t possibly turn away these two million.

They’re just here for a cameo, not trying to sleep with him.