Entertainment News: I'm Not a Scumbag After Rebirth!

The question was asked casually, but Li Jun sensed a subtle underlying meaning.

He remembered the business card Fan Bingbing had handed him on the plane; that card was still lying in a hidden compartment of his suitcase.

But at this moment, he simply said:

"Every day I see seasoned veterans on set, speaking fluent Cantonese, and talking about budgets and working hours. They're not exactly interesting, but they're definitely useful."

"oh."

Zhang Liangying responded with a sound that betrayed no emotion. After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly asked:

"Xiao Jun, who was the first person you called today?"

The problem came unexpectedly.

Li Jun held his phone. The rain outside seemed to have intensified, pattering against the glass.

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Liangying's breathing was very light, as if she was waiting, or as if she wasn't really expecting an answer.

This is a trick question.

No matter how you answer, you might step on a landmine.

But Li Jun didn't hesitate for long.

He chose to tell the truth, but only half of it:

"Just finished a meeting with the crew, heading back to the hotel. First thing..."

He paused for a moment, as if recalling something, "I called my parents; I haven't seen them in a long time."

Li Jun began his sob story, crying and sniffling, which made Zhang Liangying regret asking the question that touched a nerve with Li Jun.

"I'm here..."

Zhang Liangying finally spoke again, her voice returning to normal, even carrying a hint of deliberate energy:

"I'm going to Beijing next week to record a theme song, I might stay for a week. By the time you come back from Hong Kong, I should be in Beijing too."

Li Jun:

See you then.

"Okay, see you then."

Zhang Liangying paused, her voice lowering, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue:

"I'm going to remove my makeup now, I'm exhausted."

"Go."

The phone hangs up.

Li Jun put down his phone and walked to the window. Victoria Harbour was still dimly lit despite the rain.

Tang Yan's concern is like a soft blanket, while Zhang Liangying's questioning is like a rose with thorns.

Does he need them?

need.

Did he love them? Li Jun didn't answer this question to himself.

Having been reborn, he wanted to hold onto many things tightly, but emotions became the most complex variable.

Perhaps some answers don't need to be sought in a hurry; time will provide its judgment.

But now, he has more important things to do.

......

The rain stopped the next day. Hong Kong revealed its bright side, with blazing sunshine and the air filled with the briny smell of the sea mixed with the aroma of tea restaurants.

Li Jun arranged to meet Chen Yongren at a long-established ice cream parlor in Tsim Sha Tsui.

A plastic checkered tablecloth, vintage mosaic wall tiles, and a ceiling fan slowly turning overhead.

Chen Yongren was wearing a floral shirt, with a pineapple bun and iced milk tea in front of him, and he was flipping through a movie magazine.

"Mr. Li, take a look!"

Seeing Li Jun sit down, Chen Yongren pushed the magazine over and pointed to a report on the inside page.

It's the mainland entertainment section, with an eye-catching headline:

"The TV premiere created a miracle, and the phenomenal popularity of 'Love is Not Blind' swept the whole country."

The accompanying images are close-ups of Tang Yan from the movie, and a moment of Zhang Liangying singing "Underwater" on the Super Girl stage.

The article devotes considerable space to "director Li Jun's subversive strategy" and calls him a "new force in the mainland film industry".

"That's awesome!"

Chen Yongren gave a thumbs up:

"When Mr. Yuan told me about you, I was skeptical, but now I realize that Mr. Li is really amazing."

Li Jun glanced at the report, his expression calm:

"Good luck."

In this world, luck is a skill.

Chen Yongren took a sip of milk tea and lowered his voice:

"Let's get down to business. You mentioned last time that you wanted to meet some promising newcomers, so I'll keep an eye out for you. But Mr. Li, what do you need these newcomers for?"

"We don't need to use them now."

Li Jun tore open the sugar packet on the table and slowly poured in his coffee:

"It's about investing in their future."

Chen Yongren narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful glint in his shrewd little eyes.

Li Jun took out a handwritten list from his folder and pushed it in front of Chen Yongren.

The list is short, with only seven or eight names, followed by a brief note on their current possible location or occupation.

Chen Yongren picked up the list and squinted at it:

"Nicholas Tse? He's not a newcomer. He started as a child star and has been singing and acting for many years, although he's been quite active in recent years..."

"He's not a newcomer, but he still needs a work that can truly transform him."

Li Jun said. He remembered that after 2006, Nicholas Tse would completely shed his idol label and become a representative of tough-guy leading men with films such as "The Informant" and "Bodyguards and Assassins".

Now, in 2005, is a period of dormancy in which he seeks a breakthrough.

"Hu Ge...a student at the Shanghai Theatre Academy? A mainland Chinese guy. And Liu Shishi, from the Beijing Dance Academy? They're both students."

Chen Yongren continued reading:

"Deng Chao...National Theatre of China? And Sun Li, they're both mainland actresses. Mr. Li, are you planning to assemble a mainland cast?"

"Not just that." Li Jun pointed to the last two names on the list:

"These two are from Hong Kong."

"Wang Zulan...I know her, she does stage plays and voice acting."

Chen Yongren frowned:

"That Lin Jiadong, he came from TVB's acting training class and has acted in many TV series, but he's always been a supporting actor."

"They all have one thing."

Li Jun interrupted him, his gaze falling on the bustling street outside the window:

"It's not fully shining yet, but it will shine sooner or later."

Chen Yongren stared at Li Jun for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled:

"Mr. Li, you're not looking for actors, you're looking for fortune tellers."

"Just consider me a fortune teller."

Li Jun smiled, took out a brown paper envelope from his pocket, and pushed it in front of Chen Yongren:

"Here is HKD 100,000. Mr. Chen, could you please do a few things for me?"

Chen Yongren didn't touch the envelope, waiting for further instructions.

"First, help me contact Nicholas Tse's agent and schedule a time. I want to talk to him, not necessarily about a film role, just to have a chat. He can choose the location."

"Secondly, could you please use your connections in mainland China to find out about the current situation and contract status of these students and actors on the list? Most importantly, what do they need most right now—opportunities, money, or something else?"

"third,"

Li Jun leaned forward slightly, "I would like to ask Mr. Chen to help me find a place. It doesn't need to be too big, but it needs to be easily accessible and can be rented in Hong Kong for a short period of time to be transformed into a temporary actors' workshop."

I might need to stay here and polish some things in advance.

Chen Yongren tapped the envelope with his fingertips, and finally accepted it:

"Mr. Li is thinking very far ahead. Is that workshop in preparation for 'Bodyguards and Assassins'?"

"Prepare for many things."

Li Jun did not give a direct answer.

Stepping out of the ice room, the sunlight was blinding.

Li Jun walked slowly along Nathan Road, passing a record store with a poster of Nicholas Tse's "Yellow Race" on the door, his young face showing a rebellious spirit.

Passing by a newsstand, the entertainment headline read "Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing compete for attention, Huayi Brothers' new film enjoys box office success," but the font size was noticeably less flamboyant than it had been a few days ago.