Global Film Emperor

Chapter 528 You are like this, and so am I.

"Xiao Ju, there's a client at 2 PM. Come with me to meet them."

In an office building located in the heart of Beijing, more than 30 people are sitting in an office area of ​​over 200 square meters. Although the room is still bright, the large number of desks put together still take up a considerable amount of space and looks somewhat crowded.

At the desk to the left, Director Meng interrupted Ju Yulin, who was typing on the keyboard, and whispered a word of advice. Ju Yulin responded that he understood, but he didn't leave. Instead, he smiled and held onto the privacy partition of the desk as he spoke.

"Today is your first payday. The finance department will make the payment around 10 a.m., so don't forget to check it."

Hearing this, Ju Yulin looked up happily, clapped her hands, and put them to her mouth. She was so excited that she couldn't control her expression. She knew that she would get paid today, or rather, she had been looking forward to today for a long time. Ever since last week, she had been counting down the days, glancing at the calendar every morning and counting down in her mind.

I just didn't have the nerve to ask what time the payment would be made. Even though I knew I was desperately poor and had been sending messages to the bank every twenty minutes since I got up in the morning to check my balance, I still had to pretend that I could wait, that I was very patient, and that I wasn't in a hurry to use the money. This is a common problem for many young people who are just starting out in society, which is why many unscrupulous bosses can find a reason to make these young people passively accept the unreasonable demand of delayed wage payments.

"You've been paid out, are you happy? You've worked hard these past few days. Go home early tonight, I've approved it. Go home and have something good to eat, and keep up the good work tomorrow."

"Thank you, Director."

She was sincerely grateful. Although the unassuming middle-aged man in front of her was entrusted by Lu Ze, he was indeed a very kind and considerate leader. She had thought about giving up many times these days, especially when taking the last bus back to her cheap rented room at night and when she was tired on her way to work in the morning. If it weren't for Director Meng's care, which allowed her to find a space to relax when she was on edge, she probably would have given up long ago.

This wasn't about her being special, but rather about treating all her employees equally. Even though this was Ju Yulin's first job, she knew that such a leader was very rare. He was capable and had good performance, and the boss would pour him tea and say thank you for his hard work. He was also generous and considerate to his employees. No wonder his employees were so devoted to him and only recognized the director, not the general manager.

President Meng didn't say anything, just waved his hand and left. Ju Yulin also lost interest in work. He quietly sent a text message to the bank, stared intently at the numbers on his phone, and smiled from the bottom of his heart. He kept smiling foolishly for a long time before he finally calmed down and got back to the company's most basic work.

……

"One cup of matcha Dirty Delight, plus... a milk foam topping and Oreos, please."

With the money, the first thing I did was pay off the debts I incurred last month, all of which I borrowed from classmates. Otherwise, I really couldn't survive. I didn't dare borrow too much, since my only source of income right now is my salary, which is only for twenty days. After deducting full attendance bonuses and social insurance and housing fund contributions, I only have a little over six thousand yuan left. In addition, I have to pay three thousand five hundred yuan in rent, so I really don't have much disposable income.

But after all, I made money, and it was the first time I had ever made money. After paying off my 300 yuan debt, I became more confident and felt like a millionaire. Listening to the theme song of "You Love Me, I Love You," I finally indulged in a little luxury. I even dared to add extra toppings to my milk tea. Carrying my milk tea, I skipped and hopped through the streets.

Although she often drinks milk tea at work, and it's usually from relatively expensive brands, it's always the director who treats her. It's impossible to cater to everyone's tastes. Everyone drinks the same thing, and only she knows whether it suits her taste. Being able to drink the flavor she likes and add her favorite toppings is happiness for her right now.

After a satisfying meal, she sprawled out on a bench downstairs in the office building, using a parasol from someone else's supermarket. She didn't care about her appearance, didn't use her phone, and just stared blankly at the passing people and vehicles, occasionally taking a sip of milk tea. Suddenly, she felt a sense of understanding and gained some insight into the character's emotional journey.

But this part actually goes far beyond the script's setting, and is far more profound than many actors' performances, because this part is a part of the life of a person who does not exist, yet is about to exist.

After all, no actor can fully portray the entire life of a character.

Except for Lu Ze.

"Is this you...?"

Looking at the street scene, Ju Yulin's eyes were lifeless. Her consciousness was detached from her senses, completely detached from a pure fantasy world. That character was such a cheerful and sunny girl, with an ordinary family like everyone else, just as vain, just as prone to watching tear-jerking dramas in bed, eating snacks and crying her eyes out. But she was so tenaciously happy, a kind of happiness that could not be defeated. As long as she still had a source of happiness, that fire of joy would not be extinguished.

This joy may come from a stranger's greeting, or from a flower bud blooming in early spring. As long as things that bring happiness exist in the world, her happiness will exist. She is as strong as a blade of grass, striving to reach for the sun even after the wind and rain.

In my mind, under the setting sun, right here in this real office building, a tiny figure emerges, tirelessly bouncing and leaping towards the sunset, walking into the distance, greeting acquaintances with warm greetings, calling them "brother" and "sister" with enthusiasm, making everyone feel warmed by her calls. She walks to the bus stop, opens her cutely designed, inexpensive little bag, takes out her 20-yuan coin purse, politely offers it to others, and finally manages to squeeze onto the bus, mustering all her strength to put in the coin, and stands on the steps of the bus door, looking out. The face is somewhat blurry, but gradually overlaps with my own.

"Bah..."

The bus stopped, and the sound of the air being released from the gas tank pulled her back to reality. She glanced towards the door, but it was empty; there was no one standing there.

This feeling was strange, a feeling that Ju Yulin had never experienced before. No other famous teacher had given her this ability to fantasize. Only Lu Ze had led her gradually toward the door to this fantasy world, and today, she had accidentally pushed it open herself.

What young person hasn't had fantasies? But this time it was completely different, so real, like seeing it for real. It was so real that seeing that back view made her want to cry. Ju Yulin gently touched the corner of her eye with her fingertips and could indeed feel a little wetness. When she saw that back view, she suddenly wanted to hug that back view and be friends with her. She firmly believed that that back view could become her best friend because she understood that girl who squeezed onto the bus so well.

After shedding tears, she was suddenly infected by the happiness of that figure's back, and she became happy without realizing it. It was as if she had encountered two good things today: one was getting paid, and the other was meeting her. Slowly, a happy smile crept onto Ju Yulin's cheeks. She looked around warmly, and then was surprised to find that it was almost time to go to work, and she had finished all her milk tea.

She deftly slurped up the tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup. If her classmates saw her like this, they would definitely be surprised and it would become the hot topic of the day. After all, this was a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger and never licked the lid of her yogurt.

"Oh no, we've fallen for Teacher Lu's trick..."

Still reeling from this fantastical fantasy, she was startled, feeling as if Teacher Lu had taught her an incredible technique. She let out a silent lament and, without daring to delay, grabbed the cheap bag provided by the production crew, threw her milk tea cup into the trash can, and rushed somewhat recklessly into the office building, where she encountered a colleague who was also returning home late.

"Brother Zhang, run! It's almost time! Excuse me! Sister Li! Please press the elevator button for me! Please!"

The camera crew nearby watched her run inside and began dismantling their equipment to pack up and prepare for the afternoon's filming. However, one of the cameramen seemed a little puzzled. After all, he had been following Ju Yulin for so long and had gotten to know her quite well. He turned to his colleague with some confusion and asked, "Is Ju Yulin usually this sweet-talking?"

"It doesn't seem like it... Maybe you're just happy with your paycheck today. You're not happy because it's your first time getting paid?"

"My first job... I only worked there for three months, and my terrible boss still owes me three months' salary. If you were in my shoes, would you be happy?"

"This……"

……

Actually, Ju Yulin was quite puzzled today. She didn't understand why Director Meng wanted to take her to meet clients. After all, she was really there to experience life. Her work and studies were completely unrelated to her major. Right now, she could only do the most basic work, or help people serve tea and water. Let alone meeting clients, she couldn't even write proposals. The feeling of happiness she had just experienced occupied all her mental activities today, leaving her no time to think. Besides, this was a TV program, and some minor bugs couldn't be eliminated at all.

If she really wanted to be stubborn, how could a basic clerical job, like typing a few documents, earn eight thousand a month? So she simply believed that this meeting with a client might not be a real client, but most likely an actor, just someone to let her experience the atmosphere of meeting a client so that she wouldn't give herself away during filming. All she had to do was to have the right attitude and treat it as a formal employee, and everything would fall into place naturally.

So she took her notebook and pen, and even brought a laptop just in case. After tidying her clothes in the bathroom, she obediently followed behind Director Meng toward the reception room.

"You're so happy about the expenses?"

Director Meng was somewhat puzzled because he knew that Ju Yulin was definitely not from an ordinary family. Her parents' income was probably much higher than his. Although she had earned her first salary, he thought that this money would only make her happy for a while. He wondered if this money would only be enough to buy a pair of shoes for her daily life.

"You've made money! You're a tycoon now!"

Her response to his words was still full of joy. She patted her chest, straightened her neck, and gave a thumbs up, as if she had really become a tycoon. This attitude did not make Director Meng look down on her. Of course, it was also possible that Ju Yulin's superior appearance made people unable to feel disgusted. They would only think that this young man in his early twenties was quite cute. Director Meng laughed out loud but did not say anything. He stepped to the door of the reception room and gently knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

Ju Yulin recognized the voice—not just a little, but unmistakably. Sure enough, the moment she pushed open the door, she was stunned, standing there dumbfounded. To put it more bluntly, she would have been completely bewildered.

"Dad? Mom?"

These weren't the parents Lu Ze had arranged for her; they were her biological parents. Dressed elegantly and exuding an air of nobility, they sat on the sofa, smiling at Ju Yulin. However, instead of responding to her with their usual doting affection, they ignored her and instead stood up to shake hands with Director Meng.

"Mr. Meng, please take a seat."

When it comes to spoiling children, among the parents of Lu Ze's four students, Ju Yulin's parents are the most indulgent. They are the kind of parents who will talk about their precious child constantly if they don't see him for a few days. Fortunately, although the parents are doting, they are not blind to right and wrong. In addition, the girl from the capital city has a straightforward personality, so Ju Yulin has not picked up any bad habits or developed any bad habits.

However, it had been almost a month since they had seen their daughter. Ju Yulin had never been separated from her parents for such a long time in her life. Thinking about this, the two of them couldn't even eat. They missed their child terribly. However, the contract they signed with the production team clearly stated that the parents were not allowed to have private contact with their children without the production team's permission. This was to prevent the parents from seeing their children suffer and then having conflicts with the production team because they couldn't bear to see their children suffer. This was not uncommon.

Of course, students should inform their parents of their activities during a certain period of time to avoid causing them too much worry. The program team strives to ensure that parents do not disturb the courses arranged by the teachers for the students. Parents should also know what their children are doing and whether they are safe. It would be best if both parties do not disturb each other or have conflicts during the cooperation.

Ju Yulin's parents couldn't stand it anymore. He had lost several pounds in a month and couldn't eat or sleep. They begged the production team to let them see their child. The production team initially disagreed, firstly because they didn't want to set a precedent, and secondly because the trainees were currently in a period of getting into the swing of things. Given Lu Ze's teaching methods, it was really inconvenient to interrupt Ju Yulin's ongoing learning. After all, Lu Ze's teaching style was a bit...unconventional, and if he was interrupted, it wouldn't be easy for him to get back into the swing of things.

However, the couple knew where their daughter was and what she was doing, so they would sometimes secretly wait for her at the company gate at night. Although they planned not to acknowledge her and avoid causing her any trouble, just to catch a glimpse of her from afar to ease their minds, they were caught by the program crew and persuaded to go back. The two accepted the criticism, kept nodding and apologizing, and since they still had some status, they couldn't do anything like throwing a tantrum, so they could only leave in a sorry state.

That's why they've become so wealthy. The couple is truly cunning. If you won't let me see my daughter, then I'll collaborate with her company and have them create a promotional plan for me, okay? You arranged for Ju Yulin to get a job at the company, so you can't just cut off the company's business, can you? I'm not going to acknowledge my daughter, I just want to see her once, just a fleeting glance!
This was reported to the production team beforehand. To be honest, the production team was speechless; they'd never seen parents so doting on their daughter. They could understand, but were helpless and could only contact Lu Ze to make the decision. What could Lu Ze do? Really prevent the parents from seeing their daughter? Was that even possible? It wasn't some forced immigration program from the US. Parents seeing their child was only natural. Besides, if you have money and are willing to spend it like this, could he stop you? It would not only increase business for the company but also broaden Ju Yulin's horizons—that was a good thing. After the other party promised not to talk to the child much, the matter was settled. No talk of family, just business!

Seeing that his parents ignored their child, Director Meng remained silent. He knew exactly what his boss had told him, and after so many years in the business, he was a shrewd person. So he proceeded with the formal attitude of discussing cooperation and met with Ju Yulin's parents.

Ju Yulin's parents weren't some foolish nouveau riche who would throw money around recklessly. They were business people too. They were simply using the advertising budget they already had to spend to find a new company to cooperate with. Although it was real money, what they wanted wasn't just to see their daughter; they really wanted something.

When it comes to business, the other party is an advertising company. As the client, how could they possibly let Director Meng have it easy? This couple really taught Ju Yulin a lesson, making her realize that she had to be meticulous and that her parents' money didn't grow on trees.

She was the mole, so naturally she didn't dare to say a word. Her parents were critical, and Director Meng told her to take notes, so she obediently took notes, writing in her little notebook, which surprised the couple.

This kid is good for nothing but stabbing his parents in the back and betraying his own family. He's always siding with outsiders. Now that he works for someone else's company, he accepts their slightly unreasonable and excessive demands as if it were perfectly normal. Isn't that surprising enough?
They thought Ju Yulin would say things like "That's enough" or "Don't go too far" to contradict her parents, but now she seems like a real working professional, facing not her parents, but a real client. She obeys all the client's demands, remembers the key points, and never argues. As a result, her parents have nothing to say, but they occasionally glance at Ju Yulin and can't help but sigh that their daughter seems to have grown up.

This was a fairly smooth business negotiation. Although no conclusion was reached and the business plan will be improved next time, and the couple will not see their daughter again, they were determined to establish a long-term cooperation with Director Meng when they left. This is because everyone who has met their daughter and kindly helped her grow is a benefactor that parents should be grateful to.

After a few hours of conversation, the parents satisfied their craving to see their daughter. The four parted ways without ever recognizing each other, like strangers who had just met. The feelings they had were something they had to figure out for themselves, because the three of them had seen another side of each other, and it was time to consider whether to change their way of communicating.

And what about Ju Yulin? Her parents, whom she never acknowledged, ultimately affected the stability of the characters she created to some extent. Or rather, it created a gap when she was merging with the characters, causing her to separate from them before she fully understood them, just like railway tracks that, after intersecting, diverge again.

The two will inevitably overlap again at some point in the future, but for now, she can examine the role from an outsider's perspective, which may not be a bad thing.

……

The afternoon was relatively quiet, giving her some free time to do odd jobs during work hours, such as writing a character biography. Although being assigned tasks from time to time would interrupt her train of thought, it was already a great achievement to be able to jot down the ideas she had already thought of as quickly as possible and avoid forgetting them.

Many people don't understand what a short story is. It's actually about creating a character's story that happens before the main plot. It's like helping someone make a boast that you can believe yourself. For example, if you want the protagonist to kill a dragon, you have to refer to the fact that the character has killed a dragon before when acting to develop the character's personality. It's not that difficult, but it's not that simple either.

She was so engrossed in writing that she was dizzy by the time she was supposed to leave work. Tonight, Director Meng approved her leave, so she clocked out early. She walked along the route she had envisioned at noon, greeting everyone she met. She took out the coin purse she had bought with twenty yuan, politely offered it to others, and finally managed to squeeze onto the bus. She mustered all her strength to put in the coin and stood on the steps of the bus door, looking out.

She took a bus, then the subway, then another line, and by the time she got home, the sun had already set. Standing in front of the barbecue restaurant, she gritted her teeth and stomped her feet, but didn't go in. Then she went to the entrance of a large restaurant, circled around twice, but still didn't go in. In the end, she couldn't bear to spend the money. Finally, she ordered a small bowl of pulled noodles, adding extra chili and vinegar, making it saltier than she usually liked, and forced herself to finish the noodles. She even felt like she had earned some money from the owner for the chili and vinegar. Afterward, she bought a roasted pig's trotter from a roadside vendor and ate it as she walked.

When she's hungry, she always craves something good to eat, almost like an obsession, as if she absolutely has to eat. But when she fills her stomach with simple food, she feels that's fine, instead of worrying that she didn't get to eat anything good. Even delicacies are just average. So this kind of happiness returns. She sings a song, her steps are light, and in a secluded place, she'll carry half a pig's trotter and wander around until she reaches the old building complex where she lives. Then, she sees the "mother" whose clothes are not very neat sitting on a bench in the complex.

The smile stopped.

"Xiao Lin, come and sit down."

In the darkness, under the dim streetlights, the mother and daughter sat at opposite ends of a bench. The photographer seemed to be absent, not moving within their sight. The mother's clothes were worn and tattered, while the daughter's clothes were cheap but neat.

This isn't the tired, overused trope of a poor mother begging her daughter for money in TV dramas. Even if it exists in reality, you can't deny that it's become a formulaic and clichéd plot point in such dramas, which is why Lu Ze wouldn't choose such a script.

"This... five hundred yuan. You're having a tough time, so take it."

If this were a TV series, Jiang Fang, who plays Ju Yulin's mother, would definitely be a superstar. Autumn, night, under the streetlights, by the bench, tattered clothes, and a full buff—under this atmosphere, the impoverished mother appears exceptionally pitiful. If Ju Yulin had accepted the 500 yuan, he would probably have been cursed by the audience to the point of having his ancestral graves boiled open and his ancestors' bones broken. But clearly, the character Ju Yulin plays is not that kind of person.

"I... well, I've spent money today."

Before they knew it, they were already acting. Even Ju Yulin didn't realize it. He unconsciously put his hands together between his legs, squeezed out a shy smile, and looked down at the ground.

Her acting was so intense that she couldn't stop for a moment. No one can compete with someone so immersed in the role, because you are acting, while she is real. In the eyes of the photographer, the pitiful Ju Yulin even seemed to be overshadowing the veteran actors. Even Jiang Fang noticed something was wrong and could only give it her all to compete with Ju Yulin. After all, this was the scene she was acting in. Ju Yulin could stop, but she couldn't.

The two were now like shrimp hunters on Mount Akina, flooring the gas pedal and going all out. Whoever slowed down first would be the loser. They were in a difficult situation, so Jiang Fang moved even closer, held up the cash, and extended it in front of Ju Yulin.

"Take it. This is all I can do to help you. Eat something good. You work so hard, you need to take care of yourself."

"Clap."

A teardrop fell onto the banknote, but instead of being immediately absorbed by the paper, it slowly rolled down to Jiang Fang's fingertip, leaving her feeling a lingering warmth and moisture. Then came a second tear, and a third. The tears gathered on the curved banknote, and under the streetlights, they looked as if they were coated with a layer of moist, glossy film.

"Holy crap! She's already crying!"

This was a shared cry from the cameraman and Jiang Fang. Putting aside the cameraman for now, Jiang Fang was also a little stunned for a moment. However, as a veteran actress, she certainly had the skills. After a few seconds of reaction, she continued to cooperate with Ju Yulin's emotional state.

"Listen to me, can you listen to your mother? Why are you crying?"

“I just feel... I feel like I’ve let you and my dad down. I’ve been working for so long, but I haven’t saved any money. I can’t even afford my dad’s medicine.”

One speaks with an accent from another province, while the other speaks with a pure Beijing accent. Their conversation seems a bit disjointed and jarring, but once you see their performance, you'll definitely be drawn in, and you might even shed a few tears along with Ju Yulin.

This is a short biography that Ju Yulin just wrote this afternoon. It says that she has a father with poor health. Now she really believes the boast, and she cried so sadly and self-reproachfully. Jiang Fang looked at the camera speechlessly. Seeing that her older brother was also dumbfounded and helpless, she could only lean over and gently comfort Ju Yulin. But in reality, she was comforting herself. In this battle of acting skills, she was the first to back down. This girl is only twenty years old! Is this what genius is?

"Xiaolin, don't cry. Mom can still earn money. Be good. Your dad is fine. He just misses you a little. It's okay now. Go home and see your dad. Do you hear me? Be good and don't cry."

"Mom, I've spent the money. I'll transfer it to you tomorrow. Can you buy some beef for Dad? Please don't be stingy. I'm begging you, I'm begging you."

Ju Yulin's crying was so heartbreaking that it brought tears to the eyes of everyone who heard it. Many older men who had just finished washing their feet and were about to go to bed heard the commotion and were looking down from their balconies with cigarettes in their mouths. They didn't see any cameras, after all, who would look at a camera when a girl is crying? An annoying guy took out his camera and started taking pictures, while some righteous people tried to persuade him to stop.

"Little sister, there's no hurdle you can't overcome. Listen to your brother, go home and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning, your brother will treat you to something nice. What do you want to eat? Your brother will buy it! Don't cry, it's so upsetting. I live in unit 2, room 601. If you need anything, come find me. We have to move on, right?"

"you do not say."

There was a response to every comment, and suddenly half the neighborhood was in an uproar. Jiang Fang and the cameraman looked at each other, both completely bewildered, communicating only with their eyes.

"What to do?"

"I can't reach it..."

"Should we retreat?"

"Let's get out of here quickly."

The communication was incredibly accurate, at least Jiang Fang thought it was very accurate. After comforting Ju Yulin for a long time, she slowly withdrew, then took off running as if she were about to fly. In the blink of an eye, she drove away and disappeared, leaving Ju Yulin sitting on the bench, sobbing softly. After a long while, she got up and, under the watchful eyes of others, entered the apartment building.

……

"Teacher Lu, a short video platform has posted a video about this. Do you think we should try to reduce its popularity?"

The news quickly reached Lu Ze's ears. At first, Lu Ze was a little confused, but he quickly came to his senses and negotiated with the PD on the other end of the phone with a smile. Could this incident generate buzz? Of course it could, it was another adult's breakdown scene, but was it okay to use this kind of effect to generate buzz for the show?

Actually, there's no way to stir-fry it.

"No need. You should discuss it with President Zhang and Director Liu. Don't release our perspective. Just clarify that it's a variety show shoot. Don't let the public think it's real, and don't cause any negative impact. Keep Ju Yulin's identity a secret for now, and don't release the show's name either. Don't use this kind of thing to grab attention like we do. If President Zhang and Director Liu think my decision is acceptable, then do it. Remember, don't cause any negative impact."

After the other party responded with a few words and hung up the phone, Lu Ze couldn't stop smiling. He clenched his right fist, placed it near his mouth, pressed his index finger knuckle against the corner of his lips, gently shook his head, and let out a long breath.
"I didn't expect that Xiao Ju would be the first to find her rhythm. Not bad, not bad."

"..."

(End of this chapter)