This humble Taoist priest is going to be a movie star!

"Actually, I'm not satisfied with any of these eight in terms of appearance."

Li Lianjie was somewhat speechless when he looked at the photo.

There were also people over 35 who came to audition.

Why would someone of her age audition for her own son?

Am I that old?

"The youngest one, his image... isn't quite right."

This handsome, refined guy should be in idol dramas, not playing an autistic patient...

Li Lianjie shook his head.

Sure enough, not many people were willing to audition for such a low-budget art film. Even though it was advertised as the lead role of a kung fu emperor, most of the people who came were second-tier actors.

The reason is simple: a production budget of 500 million means they can't afford big-name stars, or even decent publicity. So they can only get roles from second- or third-tier actors who want to work with the Kung Fu Emperor.

I'll also try my luck and see if I can win a prize.

For other actors of decent stature—from a utilitarian perspective, there's not much point in them acting in this drama.

Director Xue Lu persuaded him.

"It's already great that you're willing to act; there's no need to force other big names to do it."

The Kung Fu Emperor grew increasingly dissatisfied as he looked at the auditionees' profiles.

In the end, it seems they'll just have to choose the tallest among the short ones!

.....

Before the audition began, Li Qing and Jiang Chenggang did not study the character of Dafu in the hotel.

From life story, to habits, to people you like and love.

It was all written on a thin piece of paper.

This character is too simple.

It can be said that the character itself did not have much depth.

As for autism, just find some information to read.

At least Jiang Chenggang felt that going to great lengths to find genuine families with autistic children was really unnecessary.

Along the way, Jiang Chenggang followed Li Qingzheng to the home of the autistic patient.

"Don't you want to know how I handled things? I almost got beaten up by doctors and patients' families at the hospital." Jiang Chenggang was showing off to Li Qing at this moment: "Luckily, we have money now."

This money naturally cannot be paid by Jiang Chenggang.

The combined salary for "The First Under Heaven" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is already quite substantial.

Money power.

"We've agreed on a price. Five days for 2000 yuan, that's quite a lot... What a rip-off!"

"You have to think about it, if you can get this role, you can earn this money back anytime."

"That makes sense...sigh." Jiang Chenggang complained, "If you want to stay, go stay there yourself. I'll come back and stay there myself...You have kung fu skills, so you're not afraid of mentally unstable people, but I'm afraid someone might crack my head open."

Li Qing shrugged.

Soon they arrived at an old residential area with Jiang Chenggang.

I climbed a really tall flight of stairs to get to my accommodation.

A middle-aged woman opened the door and stared blankly at Li Qing for a moment.

"He's quite handsome."

Jiang Chenggang felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart. The last time he met her at the hospital, her expression was not like this.

It's true what they say, ugly people have no rights.

"Alright, this Li Qing is the person who will be staying at your house from now on... It's been agreed beforehand that he'll be spending a week with Zai Zai."

"I know, I know, we've only spent a week together."

The woman was very enthusiastic towards Li Qing, her patron, and was quite adept at providing hospitality, serving tea and pastries.

Chinese pastries, served with some tea, are presented with great pomp and circumstance.

"Thank you." Li Qing accepted the tea and snacks, her attention then falling on a boy who looked to be around 15 years old next to her.

His name is Zaizai, and he is an autistic patient.

His mother, Zhou Qiaohui, warmly welcomed Li Qing and Jiang Chenggang. The 15-year-old boy showed no other unusual behavior, simply immersing himself in his own world, gesturing wildly, his eyes wandering elsewhere.

"Excuse me for asking, are you university students here to conduct research? Or journalists here to interview, or something else? Or doctors doing research? Writers?" Zhou Qiaohui asked.

Zhou Qiaohui revealed these details as if they were her most treasured possessions.

Why are you so skilled at this?

"Is there any difference?" Jiang Chenggang asked, puzzled.

"Of course there's a difference...the prices are different."

Zhou Qiaohui said with a smile.

Clearly, this wasn't the first time she'd done something like this.

Jiang Chenggang had a bad feeling...

"We are actors, here to spend time with your son and learn about children with autism," Li Qing said calmly.

"An actor..."

Zhou Qiaohui pondered, it seemed this was the first time an actor had come...

"That..."

"Then what?"

"You'll have to pay more."

Jiang Chenggang: "!!!"

Damn it, I knew it!

"No way! We agreed on a price. You're not trustworthy in business!" Jiang Chenggang slammed his hand on the table angrily.

"Yes, actors come to observe my son's monkey show and then imitate his silly appearance, displaying our family's embarrassment on the big screen, ruthlessly tearing open our wounds. Isn't this behavior just trampling our family's dignity into the ground?"

Zhou Qiaohui stretched out her calloused hand, squinted her eyes, and smiled, "Can't we even ask for more money for selling our dignity like this?"

"You don't need to look for a second one. I'm an expert in this business, and I know that in this area, I'm the only mentally ill family willing to sell their dignity. Just ask them if they want to buy or not."

Jiang Chenggang was speechless after being confronted.

The words that were stuck in my throat, the rebuttal I wanted to say, I couldn't say them.

Li Qing said.

"How much?"

"500 pieces."

"become."

...

I added 500 yuan, making it 2500 yuan in total.

Jiang Chenggang left to ask people in the local film and television industry for drinks and to see if he could get some food for his artists.

Now Jiang Chenggang has a few people under his command, and a makeshift team has been set up. What he lacks now is a solid foundation.

Jiang Chenggang went out to run business, while Li Qing stayed in this dilapidated old building.

"Will my staying here disturb you?" Li Qing asked.

"I already have a mentally ill son, why would I care about this? It's you, the actor, who should care more about this."

"An ordinary little actor, he doesn't really care about this."

"Oh, whatever."

Zhou Qiaohui didn't care. Anyway, she had the money, so she didn't care what the other party did.

Li Qing goes back to the hotel to sleep at night, and comes over during the day to spend time with Zai Zai.

Zhou Qiaohui also has a job, doing some handicrafts at home, working from dawn till dusk.

At this moment, Zhou Qiaohui, who was finishing a day's handicrafts, rubbed her eyes and opened her son's bedroom door.

But then they saw Li Qing playing a game of fetch with the baby.

The son had a smile on his face and was having a great time playing with Li Qing.

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.

On the first day, Zai Zai didn't even want Li Qing to come near him. Every time Li Qing approached, he would shout and scream.

The next day, she was a little better, but she wouldn't play with him; instead, she would hide and secretly watch him.

On the third day, the little boy will play some simple games with Li Qing...

For three days, Li Qing spent time with Zai Zai and truly got to know him.

It seems that he is quite different from the previous people.

Zhou Qiaohui recalled those people from before; they either came with cameras and microphones to take pictures or to conduct all sorts of random tests.

That's why the little one is so resistant to "outsiders".

But those people don't care; what they need are cold, hard data and materials.

They wanted to understand autism.

But I never thought about getting to know my son or this family.

This person seems different from the others...