"It's just a role, is it worth all this effort?"
A pleasant male voice suddenly rang out. Jiang Ling looked up and saw Jian Zhou gazing at her intently.
Jian Zhou raised his eyebrows and gestured to the empty seat opposite her. "Can I sit down and have a chat?"
Jiang Ling nodded. "Please do!"
She then waved her hand, signaling the waiter to bring another cup.
After a moment of silence, Jian Zhou broke it, saying, "I heard you have high hopes for the drama 'Twin Saints of the Great Tang.' Is it true that you signed the contract after only a few words with Hua Ruyi?"
Jiang Ling nodded. "Yes, good dramas don't wait. The script is written very well, and I have no reason not to take it. What about you, what are your thoughts on this role?"
Jian Zhou gave a wry smile. "When I first took this drama, it was because the scenes here were very compelling, forcing me to sign. Who knew that old rascal Hua Ruyi would trick me? The script he sent me later deleted all the scenes I was looking forward to!"
At this point, Jian Zhou gnashed his teeth.
"The scenes were deleted?" Jiang Ling was taken aback. "When did Hua Ruyi change the scenes, and why didn't he mention it? What scenes did he delete?"
"Some indescribable scenes were deleted."
Jian Zhou smiled playfully, his gaze drifting over Jiang Ling. "What, do you want to rehearse with me?"
Jiang Ling: "..."
"If all those scenes are deleted, this drama loses its appeal. I'm starting to regret taking this role."
Jiang Ling said faintly, "If you regret it, just give it up. Anyway, your family is wealthy, Jian Er Shao, you don't care about that breach of contract fee."
"That won't do. Since I've accepted it, there's no reason to give up. If it were you, would you be willing to give up so easily?"
This remark had a double meaning. On the surface, he was talking about the role, but inwardly, he was asking if she was willing to give up easily between him and her.
After a brief silence, Jiang Ling said, "It's fortunate I ran into you today, saving me the trouble of looking for you."
"What did you want to see me about?"
"What else could it be? Of course, it's about filming. You're the male lead, and I'm the female lead. If we don't rehearse beforehand, how can we achieve the desired effect?"
Jian Zhou picked up a fork and speared a piece of black forest cake with strawberry cherries, eating it slowly.
Jiang Ling took out a small notebook from her bag and pushed it towards him. "Li Zhi is a character with a huge contrast between his outward appearance and inner self. This is a character analysis I've done for you, along with some important scenes. I've detailed how to portray the character's inner thoughts and how his expressions should change. Take it back and study it carefully; it should help you a lot."
Then, Jiang Ling patiently explained the complexity of the character Li Zhi and the points to note.
"Understood!"
Jian Zhou nodded, but continued to eat his black forest cake as if nothing else mattered.
Jiang Ling gritted her teeth. If you understand, then quickly put this notebook away.
This was something I painstakingly analyzed for three days, using my acting experience from two lifetimes, bit by bit.
Despite mentally scolding Jian Zhou over and over, Jiang Ling showed no outward sign and said softly, "A good drama is achieved by all the actors. The male and female leads are of utmost importance. I truly don't want to see the hard work of all the staff ruined by the mistake of a single character, so I hope you will take this role seriously."
Jian Zhou countered, "How do you know I'm not serious about the role of Li Zhi? In your heart, am I such an unreliable person?"