At this moment, Meier said, "Alright, brother, now you can wear me on your hand..."
Zhao Qiongyu nodded and obediently placed the ring on his hand. Immediately, the ring disappeared.
"Huh?" Zhao Qiongyu was shocked, "Where's the ring?"
Meier giggled and said, "It's already merged into your body. Brother, if you want to find Meier in the future, you just need to silently recite my name three times in your heart. Also, from now on, only you can see Meier! Lastly, I need to recharge once every month at this time, and I'll need your help then!"
"Uh, got it!" Zhao Qiongyu nodded.
Meier continued, "Brother, right now, the 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' crew is casting in Changsha. Are you interested?"
"What?!" Zhao Qiongyu was astonished, "You mean... 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge'?!" As someone from the future, how could Zhao Qiongyu not know the legendary status of 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge'? It was a phenomenal production that could overshadow any future TV series. How wonderful it would be if he could act in it!
"Yes, currently, roles like Xiao Yanzi, Ziwei, and Jinsuo are still being cast, but brother, you don't stand a chance. For the male leads, originally, the Little Tigers were supposed to play Erkang, Yongqi, and Ertai, but Wu Qilong is about to enlist in the military soon, so... brother, you could try for Erkang!"
"Erkang?" Zhao Qiongyu paused, remembering that in his previous life, this role was played by Zhou Jie, and in the new version, it was played by that 'Zhang Wei', Li Jiahang. Could he really try out for it?
"But, I might not be selected..." Zhao Qiongyu hesitated.
"You don't need to worry about that..." Meier laughed, "After you fall asleep tonight, I'll inject some acting experience into your brain, so subconsciously, you'll have plenty of acting experience, making you the best actor... Also, Meier can provide you with a considerable amount of money. Just invest in the 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' crew, and they'll definitely let you act..."
"Money? Where would I get money?" Zhao Qiongyu was surprised.
"Brother, you can buy lottery tickets!" Meier laughed, "Nowadays, China already has sports lottery tickets for sale. Recently, there have been several unexpected outcomes in matches, and I know the results. You can easily make five or six million, then invest it in the 'Huan Zhu Ge Ge' crew. Not only could you easily get the role of Erkang, but you could also receive substantial dividends afterward. Why not take the opportunity?"
"Hahaha... what a great idea..." Zhao Qiongyu was overjoyed, chuckled, and said, "You really are a useful computer!"
……
A week later.
Changsha, Hunan TV, the casting office for the "My Fair Princess" crew.
This drama is a major production recently officially launched by Hunan TV, so no effort was spared. Director Sun Shupei personally took charge to ensure the best roles were selected.
Originally, the three male leads—Er Kang, Yong Qi, and Er Tai—were cast with Nick Wu, Alec Su, and Julian Chen from the Little Tigers. However, Nick Wu had to leave due to military service, so the role of Er Kang needed to be recast.
Additionally, actresses for Zi Wei, Jin Suo, and Xiao Yanzi were also needed. Xiao Yanzi, being the female lead, was initially pre-selected, but the chosen actress unexpectedly dropped out to star in a film with Dicky Cheung, forcing the crew to hastily find a replacement.
"Number 21, come in!" A staff member called out, and a freckled girl in her twenties walked in.
"Hello... Dir... Dir... Director... I'm here... here... to... to audition for... for Xiao... Xiao Yanzi..." The girl was extremely nervous, stammering her words.
"Forget it, you can leave. We're not looking for a stuttering Xiao Yanzi. With you on stage, the audience would probably lose interest..." Sun Shupei directly dismissed her.
Then, another person entered, none other than Zhou Jie, who played Er Kang in a previous life.
Although Zhou Jie was already 27 years old, he was still a complete newcomer in the entertainment industry. He entered humbly and said, "Hello, Director Sun, I'm Zhou Jie! I'm here to audition for the role of Er Kang..."
"Hmm... the young man's appearance is acceptable..." Sun Shupei nodded, "How old are you?"
"27!"
"Hmm, not exactly young anymore..." Sun Shupei remarked, "Where did you graduate from?"
"Shanghai Theatre Academy!" Zhou Jie replied modestly.
"Hmm, have you read the original novel of 'My Fair Princess'?" Sun Shupei asked.
"Yes, I've read it many times!"
"Hmm, seems like you've come prepared!" Sun Shupei said, "Your appearance is good, and you have a mature vibe... You might be quite suitable for the role of Er Kang... Alright then... Lao Wang..." He turned to the chubby staff member beside him, "Do a scene with him!"
"Okay!" Lao Wang nodded, stood up, and walked over to Zhou Jie. Sun Shupei instructed, "Now, treat him as Zi Wei and deliver a line..."
"Good!" Zhou Jie nodded obediently, then looked at Lao Wang with deep affection in his eyes, "Ziwei, only when the mountains crumble and the heavens and earth merge, would I dare to part with you. I love you! Like the surging sea, I want you in my arms for all eternity, our love is unyielding until death!"
His words and the look in his eyes left Sun Shupei thoroughly satisfied, while Lao Wang blushed, a grown man actually feeling shy from Zhou Jie's declaration.
Sun Shupei chuckled and said, "Not bad, kid. It seems you're quite suited for the role of Er Kang... Stand over here!"
"Thank you, director!" Zhou Jie was overjoyed, thinking to himself that it seemed he had a chance.
"That concludes today's audition. Since Er Kang has already been chosen, the rest can either stay as extras or leave," Sun Shupei nodded and stood up to announce.
With Er Kang already selected, there was naturally no need to continue the audition.
The actors in line looked utterly disappointed, several on the verge of tears with eyes brimming. Even grown men found it hard to bear such a blow.
"Wait, I have something to say..." Suddenly, a confident voice was heard.
Everyone was taken aback as a young man around twenty years old walked in, smiling, "I'm here to audition for the role of Er Kang. Director, I believe I'm more suited for this role than Zhou Jie!" This person was Zhao Qiongyu.
"Hmm?" Sun Shupei suddenly became interested, "Young man, why do you say that? What's your name?" Clearly, he was surprised by Zhao Qiongyu's confidence.
"My name is Zhao Qiongyu. As for why I say so... Director, could we speak in private?" Zhao Qiongyu smiled.
"Hmm?" Sun Shupei was momentarily stunned, then walked over to Zhao Qiongyu, who pulled him aside and took out a check from his pocket, handing it to Sun Shupei.
Sun Shupei took a look and his eyes widened in shock, "One... one million..." Sun Shupei was stunned.
"Yes, director. If you give me the role of Er Kang... I'll invest another four million after filming starts. How does that sound?" Zhao Qiongyu grinned, his expression shameless.
Five million! At this time, the 'My Fair Princess' crew wasn't receiving much attention, and even Qiong Yao herself didn't have high hopes for the series, so the investment they could attract was very limited, at most around ten million. Zhao Qiongyu's offer of five million at once made Sun Shupei's heart race, wondering if this guy was the rich second generation of some major corporation.
In fact, the five million was won by Zhao Qiongyu through betting on soccer games. After winning six million and paying taxes, he was left with five hundred and twenty thousand. He kept twenty thousand for himself and brought the rest.
"This... do you think it's acceptable?" Zhao Qiongyu asked with a smile.
Sun Shupei swallowed hard. A five million investment... Zhao Qiongyu was also quite handsome... Zhou Jie wouldn't possibly offer any money... It seemed there was nothing to think about, all interests come first!
So, he nodded and said, "Deal! You're Er Kang!"
Zhao Qiongyu smiled. Money can make the devil turn the millstone, and this saying is absolutely correct...