Even Xiao Wu couldn't stand it anymore and shook his head.
"Mr. Song, we've arrived at the company."
Reminded by Xiao Wu, Song Yi'an then realized it was time for him to get off. He flexed his facial muscles, which were a bit sore from smiling too much, and transformed back into the cold and taciturn Mr. Song.
Song Yi'an opened the door and got out of the car gracefully. Xiao Wu shook his head watching him.
Men really turn into fools when they're in love.
Li Qiyu was a bit late for work today. Wang Shu received a notice from Song Yi'an in the morning saying that Li Xiyu's family had gone to her place, so he thought Li Xiyu wouldn't come.
Seeing Li Qiyu appear at the office door, he asked in confusion, "Didn't you ask for leave?"
Li Qiyu made an apologetic gesture and then walked in with the folder in her arms. After all, she knew nothing, so she tried not to stand out and shrank into a corner.
Several colleagues glanced at Li Qiyu out of the corner of their eyes. They were resentful that Wang Shu always gave Li Qiyu special treatment. Although Li Qiyu had already completed her part of the job and didn't need to work overtime now, they had been staying up late every day to keep this project going. They couldn't even leave work on time without applying to Wang Shu, let alone ask for leave. Naturally, they were jealous and angry seeing Li Qiyu so free and undisciplined.
Li Qiyu knew she wasn't popular. Since ancient times, her relationship with other women seemed to have always been poor.
Back in the capital in the past, she was said by the ladies of high society to have no elegance. A woman who fought outside every day and mingled with men was not like a gentle and virtuous young lady.
Now in modern times, the situation still hadn't improved, although she didn't lead troops into battle anymore.
At this moment, Wang Shu was confirming the list of lead actors with the team members.
"For now, we've decided to let Ming Yuezhu play the female lead. You two planners should prepare the materials for the publicity department of the head - office. It's best to prepare them according to the star's personal temperament."
"Okay." The two male planners quickly nodded and jotted it down in their notebooks.
"The male lead has also been decided." When saying this, Wang Shu glanced at Li Qiyu and then cleared his throat. "It's Lu Xingqi."
Hearing that Lu Xingqi would be the male lead, everyone present was greatly surprised.
A lot of skeptical voices erupted in the crowd.
"He's just a popular star with mediocre acting skills. Is it really okay to have him play the male lead?"
"Yeah, he has a lot of crazy fans. What if his fans launch personal attacks on our actresses? The actress who collaborated with him last time didn't have a good experience."
"Yes, his reputation isn't very good. Using him involves a great risk."
Everyone was talking one after another. In fact, Wang Shu also didn't quite understand in his heart. He didn't know what Song Yi'an was thinking. It was obvious to everyone that Lu Xingqi had feelings for Li Xiyu, and it was Li Xiyu who recommended Lu Xingqi for this male - lead audition.
According to Wang Shu's intention, he didn't even want to give Lu Xingqi a chance to audition. He could just find an excuse to decline. But Song Yi'an acted unusually and said that Lu Xingqi should be given a fair chance to compete, without any special treatment or unfairness.
Presumably, Song Yi'an thought that with Lu Xingqi's ability, he definitely wouldn't catch the eye of the chief director of *The Spring and Yu Collection*, who was known as a strict director.
But the world is so full of surprises. Director Diao, who had never liked popular stars, actually changed his mind and hired Lu Xingqi. He said that Lu Xingqi was very hard - working, motivated, and had a deep understanding of the character, different from those popular stars in the market who didn't even want to memorize their lines.
So, surprisingly, Lu Xingqi was hired.
Wang Shu sighed while saying this. The only one present who was happy about this was Li Qiyu.
Lu Xingqi had just received the news and immediately sent a message to Li Qiyu.
"Thank you for your help. I've been successfully hired."
"This is your own credit." A smile curved Li Qiyu's lips. However, she didn't forget to add, "But it wasn't me who gave you the audition opportunity. It was Song Yi'an."
When typing Song Yi'an's name, Li Qiyu thought for a while and added, "My husband, Song Yi'an."
Lu Xingqi on the other end seemed to be thinking about something. After a few seconds, he replied, "I know. I'll thank Mr. Song in person."
At this time, Wang Shu interrupted everyone's discussion and said, "This is the director's choice. We can't change it for now. Stop discussing."
Then, Wang Shu announced several other important cast members. The actor who would play the female lead's husband, the emperor, was an experienced actor who specialized in playing villains. He wasn't handsome. On the contrary, his face looked a bit mean, which was why the villains he played were so deeply rooted in people's minds.
Li Qiyu also saw the photo.
She thought that if Song Jiaye in ancient times looked like this, she would never have fallen for him.
In fact, when Song Jiaye in ancient times wasn't speaking or smiling, he looked very upright, as if he were a mountain or the earth that people could rely on.
But once he smiled, especially when he was scheming, his smile would instantly make people feel as if the mountains were collapsing and the earth was cracking, and they would feel creepy.
However, when Song Jiaye was pursuing Li Qiyu, he never showed such an expression. He was always sincere, and he also made a lot of efforts to pursue her.
At that time, her father didn't want his daughter to get involved in the palace. Every time Song Jiaye came to visit, he was turned away. But Song Jiaye wasn't angry. He came to the Li family every day as usual. He even followed the example of waiting in the snow outside the door in the cold weather and never backed down.
After insisting like this for more than half a year, her father finally relented and let him in to discuss.
Thinking of the past, Li Qiyu still felt a dull pain in her heart. She didn't know if it was a wrong choice for her and her father back then, if Song Jiaye was such a person from the beginning, or if Song Jiaye was really sincere at first but became cruel and cold - hearted after ascending to the throne.
Li Qiyu flipped through the photos of the actors. She didn't want to see any more information about the emperor, even if it was just an actor.
On the next page was the third - female lead, Zhong Yuxiu.
Since this was a last - minute notice from Song Yi'an, Wang Shu only had time to put a photo of Li Xichi cropped from a previous event.
During this period, everyone had been getting along day and night, and they had developed a deep friendship. In front of their comrades, they had no scruples.
At this time, someone in the meeting couldn't help but complain.
"The boss has inserted a bit too much personal preference in this movie."