Reborn in the Hong Kong entertainment industry in the 1980s

Zhu Wanwen received the script that same day and was overjoyed to find that she had so many scenes. She cherished this opportunity even more and worked even harder.

Holding the script, she not only memorized all the lines, but also constantly pondered the character of Yang Paifeng and his behavioral logic, striving to make her performance of the character outstanding.

She also went to find the entire script of the drama, studied the relationship between Yang Paifeng and other characters, and paid attention to the scenes of other characters. She planned to observe other people's performances more when filming, study their performance of the characters, and learn from them what she could use.

After Yang Paifeng's role was finalized, it seemed like a good omen. Not long after, Charlie personally approached Hu Xiaoxiao and handed her a list: "Tell me if you need someone, and I'll have my people support you."

Hu Xiaoxiao was studying a long spear when she heard Charlie's words. She said in surprise, "You're not on President Qiu's side anymore?"

"What do you mean I'm on his side? We're on the same side. I used to give him some face because he was my boss, but he's made things difficult for me time and time again by interfering too much in the production department's affairs. How am I supposed to work in the production department if he keeps doing this?"

Under appropriate circumstances, out of respect for the general manager, one can turn a blind eye, but each department has its own way of operating, and Charlie is now very dissatisfied with Qiu Lihua's excessive interference in the production department.

If the production department were to fall into chaos, Qiu Lihua could simply walk away, but Charlie was the deputy director of production. If the department were to descend into disarray, he would bear a heavy responsibility and would have no way to explain himself to the company. Even if the board of directors ultimately held Qiu Lihua accountable, he, as the deputy director, would still be held responsible for failing to manage the department effectively, and his abilities would be questioned.

With the support of Vice President Lu behind him, this time, he not only directly stood on Hu Xiaoxiao's side, but also made a rare temporary reconciliation with Linda.

The production department only needs him and Linda to fight it out; neither of them wants a third person to disrupt the production department.

Therefore, Charlie handed the list of actors he had to Hu Xiaoxiao, saying, "Take a look and see if there are any usable ones."

Hu Xiaoxiao was unaware of the specific power struggles between the higher-ups, but Charlie's attitude gave her a glimpse into the situation, indicating that Qiu Lihua had not gained the upper hand in this conflict.

If the enemy is in a disadvantageous position, it means we will win a great victory.

Hu Xiaoxiao's mood instantly brightened, and she began to find Charlie a little more agreeable. She took the list and said, "Charlie, although you can't share hardships, you're quite good at sharing wealth."

Charlie nearly choked on Hu Xiaoxiao's words. "Can't you speak properly? How can I not share your hardships? Now that you're in trouble, isn't this me here to help you?"

"Where were you during my most difficult time?"

"Your most difficult time was also my most difficult time."

"So you sold me out without hesitation?"

“I did try to stand up for you. Let’s not talk about it anymore.” Charlie knew he was in the wrong, and simply said, “The struggles in the workplace are more brutal than you can imagine.”

Hu Xiaoxiao stopped talking about this pointless topic and instead looked at the list in her hand.

Charlie has many actresses under his wing, but few of them have made a name for themselves. Surprisingly, the number one actress is Hong Qiuyan. Hu Xiaoxiao asked, "Hong Qiuyan and I don't get along, so why is she willing to play a supporting role for me?"

Charlie explained, "Helen hasn't had any projects lately, so I added her in. She's just a bit of a blabbermouth, but she's a decent person. Most of the dramas you're making are women-centric, and I only have a handful of actresses I can be proud of. If you exclude Helen, there aren't many worth watching."

Charlie added, "If I had a lot of actresses I could be proud of, why would I have to constantly put up with Linda's attitude?"

Hu Xiaoxiao showed him no sympathy whatsoever. "You deserve it. You signed so many promising actresses, treating them like mere ornaments, without putting any effort into nurturing them. Without nurturing them, how could they possibly succeed?"

“Everyone has their strengths. I’m not an omnipotent god who can train both male and female actors. Besides, wouldn’t a female actor end up fighting to the death with that woman Linda? It’s better to keep things separate.” Charlie knew he wasn’t good at making dramas about women, so he simply focused on dramas about men to avoid pleasing neither.

Hu Xiaoxiao accepted the list first, but didn't say who she wanted to cast. "I'll decide on the casting after I discuss it with Director Ge."

"Then take your time choosing. I'm leaving now. If you need anything, you can come find me. This time, I'm definitely on your side."

Charlie had just left when Director Ge returned, looking much more relaxed with a smile on her face. Upon seeing Hu Xiaoxiao, she happily said, "The casting situation has taken a turn for the better."

"What do you mean?" Hu Xiaoxiao asked quickly.

The production team couldn't find suitable actors, and Director Ge was extremely anxious these days. When she had no other choice, she went to her boss, Linda, for help.

Director Ge sat down, took a sip of water, and said, "I went to ask Linda to borrow someone, but Linda said she didn't care about these things and told me to handle it myself."

These words sound heartless and cold, but you can't just take what they say at face value.

Hu Xiaoxiao understood the meaning behind Linda's words. Linda's attitude indicated that she would not help, but she would not stop him either. Director Ge would have to persuade her himself.

Linda and Charlie were on opposing sides, and her not interfering was already the biggest concession she could make, and it also implied that she was secretly supporting them.

That said, to which faction does the TV series "Mu Guiying" belong to? The lead actor is from Charlie's faction, but the director and production team are from Linda's faction. It seems that it's hard to tell which faction it belongs to.

This complicated relationship is actually a good thing for Hu Xiaoxiao right now. In this way, both factions get a share, and she can use people from both factions to create a drama by bringing together the best talents from both sides.

Director Ge noticed the list of Charlie's staff lying to the side and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you planning to choose artists from Linda's side or Charlie's side?"

Hu Xiaoxiao first asked Director Ge, "Which side do you think is better?"

Director Ge has treated this drama as his career, and he prioritizes the drama above all else. "I think it would be good to use Linda's actors for the female roles, as I have more experience working with them. But for the male roles, I suggest using Charlie's actors, especially since this drama has a strong martial arts theme, and there aren't many male actors from Linda's side who can portray martial arts roles well."

“Director Ge’s words make a lot of sense, but I have a different opinion,” Hu Xiaoxiao said.

Director Ge asked, "What are your plans?"

"Why should we be the ones to choose? Why should we have to worry about this? These are such great resources, but the people who need the roles are not us, but them. So let them compete for the roles they want."

"But we have to consider one thing: because of Mr. Qiu's matter, there aren't many artists willing to come. Those who dare to come are all artists that Charlie and Linda are willing to support, and they're not afraid of Mr. Qiu making things difficult for them. With so few artists to choose from, we don't have the option to be selective."

"Then let's wait a bit," Hu Xiaoxiao said.