I am a Big Player
Chapter 169 - 167. The protagonist candidate, Ren He? (Third update)_1

Chapter 169: 167. The protagonist candidate, Ren He? (Third update)_1

Zhang Ming was fond of Kunlun, and even after finishing it, he felt that all the martial arts novels he read before Kunlun just couldn’t catch his eye anymore.

Therefore, he was particularly eager to meet the author, who, in his mind, was supposed to have a literary temperament, perhaps even sporting black-rimmed glasses, refined and cultured...

But after meeting Ren He, his first reaction was that Ren He didn’t fit the so-called literary temperament at all; on the contrary, there was a special kind of vitality about him, particularly spirited!

Indeed, most people who met Ren He felt as if they could almost see his robust vitality about to radiate outward, like a burning bronze furnace affecting everyone around him.

One wouldn’t immediately think he was a good person, nor would they see him as a bad person, but he transcended such evaluations: he was very energetic, and one could sense a certain inexplicable inner charm at first glance.

This was the impact of Ren He’s strong physical qualities and charm attributes.

What astonished Zhang Ming even more was that the other party was actually a middle school student?! How could that be possible?!

But Zhou Wumeng would not lie to him, Zhang Ming knew Zhou Wumeng too well, he was someone whose words could dig a hole, which meant that the teenager sitting across from him was indeed the author of Kunlun!

"It’s amazing, really, Zhou, no wonder you kept it hidden and gave me such a big surprise," Zhang Ming walked around Ren He twice before suddenly expressing his emotions: "It’s hard to imagine that such a magnificent martial arts masterpiece as Kunlun was actually written by a youngster!"

In Zhang Ming’s eyes, Ren He suddenly became like a national treasure, causing Ren He to feel extremely uncomfortable. He chuckled and said, "You flatter me, but shall we get down to business first? When you look at me like that, I get a bit nervous."

"Hahaha, come on, let’s sit down and chat," Zhang Ming pulled Ren He back to their seats: "The reason we called you here is a joint decision by both Elder Zhou and me. I have this quirk; I have to hear the original author’s thoughts before casting for a role, and meld both sides’ views of the character together, so that the character can be fleshed out more fully. You don’t mind us taking up your time, do you?"

"Not at all," Ren He responded with a smile. He was quite keen on participating, for in his past life Kunlun was one of his favorite martial arts novels, yet he never had the opportunity to see it turned into a TV series or movie, which was a great regret. This regret was remediated in this life, which indeed was a fortunate turn of events.

In the past life, Kunlun was overshadowed by the aura of Jin Yong, so it wasn’t particularly eye-catching, but here, it was the brightest jewel of the era, about to enjoy the treatment previously given to works like Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils and The Return of the Condor Heroes!

The Classic of Mountains and Seas trilogy would inevitably become known to all Chinese people, as universally recognized as Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils in the past life!

Zhang Ming was a straightforward person, and he started discussing the character with Ren He before casting began. When it came to discussing characters, they couldn’t sidestep the protagonist Liang Xiao.

However, as Zhang Ming recalled his own impression of Liang Xiao, his eyes shined brighter when he looked at Ren He sitting there. Liang Xiao was a complex and paradoxical character—righteous and evil, carefree in dealing with friendships and grudges. His life was full of contradictions; he encountered love but failed to seize it, met relatives but did not save them, acted on impulse; yet he was a character made real by these very contradictions.

But the most important aspect was the air of vigor and vitality that Liang Xiao emanated in the book, something Zhang Ming now found lacking in many young people.

Some youngsters might look particularly handsome, but they lacked a certain quality, a quality innate to a person’s character, not something that could simply be possessed.

Yet Zhang Ming thought Ren He had it!

To be honest, Ren He was one of the few youngsters who could make an impression on him upon meeting.

"Zhou, tell me... doesn’t Ren He resemble Liang Xiao?!" Zhang Ming suddenly turned his head to ask Zhou Wumeng.

Zhou Wumeng, upon his words, took another look at Ren He and, to his surprise, found him quite suitable! Zhang Ming then asked Ren He, "Have you ever studied acting? Could you show us some improvisation?"

Zhang Ming wasn’t an impulsive person, so even though he felt Ren He was very suitable for the leading male role, he still wanted to see if Ren He had any acting skills. Whether or not someone has acting skills makes a big difference. Sometimes when people watch a bad movie, they might think the actors are handsome and deliver their lines fluently, but something feels off, there’s a sense of trying too hard that quickly pulls the audience out of the story.

It’s as if the actors aren’t really in the script, merely reciting lines.

How could a director like Zhang Ming not pay attention to this? He was shooting a high-quality martial arts TV drama, not some low-budget flop.

Did Ren He have acting abilities? No...

Although he was good at playing roles in social situations since childhood, that wasn’t the same as acting. Ren He gave a wry smile and said, "You two shouldn’t tease me, alright? I’ve never acted because I’ve never learned. Let’s continue discussing the character, shall we?"

"Don’t be shy," the old Zhang Ming got even more excited, "Just perform a bit for us. Who says those who’ve never learned can’t act? Some people have a natural presence on camera. It’s called talent!"

Upon hearing the director’s words, Ren He earnestly explained, "Director Zhang, please don’t flatter me. Plus, I’ve just finished middle school and plan to continue my studies. Acting is something I’ve never considered. It’s not that I’m afraid to, but I have more important goals to achieve. So, seriously, stop joking with me about this."

This explanation was formal: It’s not that I am ashamed and think I can’t act, it’s just that my ambitions lie elsewhere.

Since Ren He had politely made his point, Zhang Ming had no choice but to give up, yet he still felt a bit of regret because he remembered the initial impression Ren He made on him, which really did match his vision of Liang Xiao.

Mainly, it was that rare spirit and vitality.

In fact, this was also Ren He’s real thought. If you asked him to make a cameo and experience acting, sure, he had the inclination and found it quite interesting. But to seriously take on acting? No, that wasn’t for him...

After the three of them discussed the characters, it was about time to head to the audition venue. All the applicants would enter according to their numbers and perform some basic acting exercises as per the judges’ requests to evaluate their posture, appearance, and acting skills before making recruitment decisions.

When Zhou Wumeng and Zhang Ming first walked in, the staff didn’t think much of it, but when Ren He followed and neither Elder Zhou nor Director Zhang showed any sign of disapproval, everyone was taken aback. What was going on? A teenager was attending this type of event?!

However, Zhang Ming and Zhou Wumeng had never said that Ren He was the original author, and they had announced that the waiting author couldn’t come due to other commitments, which is why they started the auditions.

The smokescreen was well placed; at least no one connected Ren He with the identity of the author of Kunlun.

Still, a teenager entering the jury panel with the approval of Elder Zhou and Director Zhang seemed odd. Who was this?!

Of course, the members of Director Zhang’s team were not the gossipy kind. They focused on their own responsibilities, and asking questions when they shouldn’t would be pointless. Veterans of the entertainment industry knew this all too well.

...

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