Chapter Sixty-Two: Thank You for Your Understanding! (Please add to your favorites and vote for recommendations!)

Watching Li Shixin’s departing figure, both Wang Hai and Jiao Chendong wore complicated expressions.

Especially Wang Hai; his heart was in turmoil, as if a bottle of myriad flavors had been kicked over, leaving him deeply unsettled. Ever since the auditions that morning, he had done nothing else but rack his brains over how to prevent the old man from leveraging his dual roles and part-time position as props master to demand a higher salary, using his seniority as leverage.

Yet, to his surprise, when it came down to it, the old man hadn’t haggled over money at all!

Shame. Regret. Utter embarrassment!

Faced with Li Shixin’s openness and composure, Wang Hai couldn’t help but pat his chest.

“Old Jiao...” It wasn’t until Li Shixin had left the room that Wang Hai snapped back to himself and looked at Jiao Chendong beside him.

“President Wang, is something the matter?” Hearing Wang Hai call his name, Jiao Chendong forced himself to suppress his excitement and replied.

“Go catch up with the old man and take him to the hospital for a check-up. If his health is passable, our company will sign him as our actor!”

Bang!

Wang Hai slammed the table and stood up abruptly.

Jiao Chendong was genuinely surprised by Wang Hai’s decision. He knew Wang Hai too well. They had both graduated from the directing department together and come to Rongdian to make their way in the industry, albeit along very different paths—one clinging to the dream of directing, the other moving behind the scenes to become an investor.

But the history of Tianmeng Entertainment’s development was no mystery to Jiao Chendong. Wang Hai had built Tianmeng from scratch, taking risks on small-budget films to get ahead. The company’s journey had been far from easy; due to its size, it had always needed to partner with other companies on projects. They had no premium resources, and certainly couldn’t afford to support resource-hungry artists.

So, to this day, the company only had a handful of barely third-tier actors, all extras who had managed to break out in Rongdian, and even those were fairly promising, with commercial potential.

But Li Shixin—an actor far too old to be squeezed for much profit—if Wang Hai was slamming the table to sign him today...

Clearly, the old man had truly earned his respect!

...

As he stepped out of Wang Hai’s office, Li Shixin let out a cold snort.

So you really look down on me?

Did I vie for your role for money?

It’s to keep myself alive, for heaven’s sake!

Scheming and calculating—do you think I’m the kind of person who’s short of a few lousy bucks?

Bah! How vulgar!

Thinking of the salary standards on those three contracts, Li Shixin couldn’t help but scorn this materialistic world; damn it, why are the payments so much higher than in my previous life?

When he first arrived in Rongdian, Li Shixin already noticed that extras here earned slightly more than he remembered from Hengdian. Even though he’d debuted as an idol trainee, he still knew the income situation in showbiz.

Take extras, for instance.

Back in Hengdian, a day’s wage was only about eighty to a hundred yuan. But here, it was common for someone to earn a hundred and fifty to two hundred a day.

And for small-budget art films, in his previous life the actors’ total salary rarely exceeded five hundred thousand—and that included the extras’ pay.

Yet now, he was getting over two hundred thousand for just two roles...

Thinking of how, in this booming entertainment industry, he was making more from this single film than he did when he’d just debuted as a trainee, what reason could he possibly have to complain?

He’d already landed two roles in “Riding the Wind,” was serving as props master, and Zhang Ying’s studio was handling all the small props.

That was enough.

When you harvest, you need to leave roots behind, so the next crop can keep growing, right?

Tsk, tsk, tsk—

Just look at this perspective.

“Hold on, old sir!”

Just as Li Shixin was quietly reveling in his own integrity, Jiao Chendong’s voice came from behind.

Putting on his elder’s demeanor, Li Shixin turned around.

“Director Jiao, is there something else?”

“In such a hurry to leave?” Jiao Chendong, breathless from running, paid no mind to the passing company staff, grabbed Li Shixin’s arm, and gave him a thumbs up.

“Old sir, you’re truly something! You really made me proud today!”

Seeing the admiration on Jiao Chendong’s face, Li Shixin chuckled. “Really?”

“Can’t you tell? If it weren’t for you, with the way President Wang was acting this morning, the casting rights for this film would have slipped right out of my hands!”

Oh?

Hearing the gratitude in Jiao Chendong’s voice, Li Shixin was moved. He thought of how, just this afternoon, he’d acquired yet another godson, and of the long face Zhang Shuo had pulled, nearly dragging on the floor.

Youngster, you say you don’t care, but now that I have a new favorite, you’re all sour inside.

What to do?

Best to console him.

With this in mind, Li Shixin gave Jiao Chendong a faint smile. “That’s good then. At least all the effort this old man put in these past days wasn’t wasted.”

“Old sir, I’ll remember this favor. One day…”

“Director, let me take this call.” Before Jiao Chendong could finish, Li Shixin cheerfully pulled out his old cellphone, which hadn’t rung at all. “Hello? Godson? What? You’re out of work lately? Want me to ask Director Jiao if you can come on as an extra leader? How could I? For such a big matter, how could I possibly trouble Director Jiao for the sake of my own face?”

Without waiting for Li Shixin to actually speak, seeing him raise his voice eight notches and wear an expression that screamed “you know what to do,” Jiao Chendong immediately gaped.

Sir, you really don’t bother with any foreplay, do you?!

“Ahem.” But thinking that it didn’t matter who led the extras, and that he could make the call himself, Jiao Chendong waved his hand. “Alright, old sir, tomorrow, let your godson come see me. I’ll arrange a spot for him in the crew.”

Now that’s being tactful!

Li Shixin chuckled, returning his still-locked phone to his pocket.

“Well, I’ll thank you on my godson’s behalf, Director.”

Jiao Chendong had become well acquainted with Li Shixin’s temperament. After an embarrassed cough, he forced a smile and returned to their previous topic. “You have no idea, sir. Your generosity just now really stunned President Wang! He especially sent me out to find you, take you for a health check, and if your condition’s acceptable, he wants to sign you as a contracted actor for Tianmeng!”

As he spoke, Jiao Chendong glanced around. Finding no one nearby, he lowered his voice. “You know, with President Wang’s cautious nature, making such a decision is like the sun rising in the west!”

Oh?

Li Shixin raised a white eyebrow. “President Wang really wants to sign me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Health check?”

“Routine, company policy. Every artist over forty needs a health check before signing. Hmm… though the company’s never actually signed anyone over forty before. You’ll be the first.”

Hearing this, Li Shixin pursed his lips and nodded slightly. “We’ll talk about the health check later. Director Jiao, when I was immersing myself in the role, I picked up quite a few old items at the dump. I’ve got people watching over them so they don’t get taken. These folks…”

Damn! The crew isn’t even assembled yet!

The lead, the third lead, props master, props studio, and now even the extra leader… all taken by your direct line, sir!

Director, why don’t you just let him take your job?

My word!

How could Jiao Chendong not catch Li Shixin’s drift?

“Done! All arranged!” Rubbing his forehead, Jiao Chendong replied helplessly.

Thinking that the group at the dump had now found work, Li Shixin grinned. “Well, I’ll thank you for them too, Director. One more thing—”

“Stop!” Jiao Chendong quickly raised his hand. “Please, sir, I beg you, there really aren’t any more positions in this crew! If you keep stuffing people in, there’ll be nothing left for me as director!”

Seeing the look of panic on his face, Li Shixin laughed and lightly smacked Director Jiao’s arm.

“Tsk, child! I just wanted to ask you for the script, so I can get familiar with the story and roles. Look at how you’re spooked! At my age, would I really put you on the spot?”

“…”

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness!

Jiao Chendong pursed his lips and pressed the elevator button.

As the elevator finally dinged on their floor, Li Shixin straightened his posture and clasped his hands behind his back.

A health check, huh?

He narrowed his eyes.

How exciting.