Huayu: This director specializes in promoting young actresses.

After Chapter 32, switch to watermelon-flavored lip balm.

At lunchtime, looking at the food on my desk, I didn't feel much of an appetite. I ate a couple of bites of rice; it wasn't that it tasted bad, but compared to what I made myself, it just felt a bit lacking in warmth and flavor.

People from Sichuan and Chongqing have a deep-rooted appreciation for food; even a simple dipping sauce must be homemade to be truly delicious.

The phone pinged, and a video request from Tian Xiwei popped up on the screen. She'd just set the phone up when she said, "Brother Feng! Have you had lunch yet? We're about to eat! Look at the food at my house today, it's super delicious!"

The camera suddenly pans to the dining table, which is laden with pork rib and lotus root soup, pickled pepper shredded pork, tofu and sausage, and a plate of bright green stir-fried vegetables.

"Wow, Auntie's cooking is still so good, it makes me hungry just looking at it."

"That's right!" Tian Xi raised her chin smugly, and was about to say something more when she heard her father's voice behind her: "Weiwei, who are you talking to on the phone? Dinner's ready."

"Follow Brother Feng!" Tian Xiwei held up her phone, and her father's gentle face appeared in the camera lens.

"Xiaofeng," Father Tian greeted with a smile, "Have you eaten yet?"

"I ate the takeout that Uncle just ordered."

"No takeout can compare to home-cooked food," Tian's father put a piece of pork rib into his bowl. "Have Weiwei's mom send you some sausages and cured meat. Steam them yourself; it'll be much better than takeout."

"Thank you, Uncle. No need to trouble yourself. I have more from home."

"Don't be so polite with me." Father Tian waved his hand. "Let Weiwei talk to you. I'm going to eat first."

The camera shifts back to Tian Xiwei, who is holding a bowl of rice with her mouth stuffed full: "Brother Feng, what did you eat for lunch? It certainly wasn't as good as what I had at home."

Pointing the camera at his takeout: "Here you go, Kung Pao Chicken."

"Hahaha, poor Feng-ge!" Tian Xi smiled, her eyes narrowing into slits. "When I go to Beijing during my vacation, I'll show you my skills. My scrambled eggs with tomatoes are super delicious!"

"Okay, I'll wait. Let's eat quickly before it gets cold."

After hanging up the phone and finishing the last bite of my meal, my phone vibrated again. It was a message from Liu Haochun.

[Brother Feng, have you had lunch yet?]

She replied with a cautious tone, as if afraid of disturbing him, "I ate."

The reply came instantly: 【Oh!】

A few seconds later, another message came: "Is Brother Feng also in Beijing right now?"

【Um. 】

Then there was no more activity. Looking at the chat box, imagining the little girl holding her phone, typing and deleting, deleting and typing again, I couldn't help but laugh.

He didn't ask any further questions, only replying, "You can contact me if you need anything," before putting away his phone and heading to the post-production company.

In the post-production studio, Zhou Ming was staring at the screen editing when he saw him come in. He raised his chin and said, "You've come at the right time. Take a look at this part."

The scene on the screen is the train station scene, where Shi Miao cries out, "You left me behind." The close-up of Shi Fen's tears hitting the ground in the moment he is stunned is slowed down, accompanied by the gradually rising background music, creating a strong emotional tension.

"Well done, slow down the pace by half a second, and linger on that stunned look in Shi Fen's eyes a little longer."

"That's what I think too." Zhou Ming adjusted the progress bar. "Your script is well-written, so it'll be easier to edit, and you basically won't need to make any major changes."

"Thank you for your hard work, senior brother."

"Don't be so polite with me." Zhou Ming patted him on the shoulder. "By the way, are you really planning to cast Li Xue as the female lead in your new web series, 'The Beginning'?"

"Yes, she has a tenacity that suits Li Shiqing."

Zhou Ming raised an eyebrow: "You're a really good boss, even giving your employees special treatment."

A week later, teacher Jiang Wei sent over the revised script of "The Beginning". The revisions were marked in red pen, making the cyclical logic more rigorous and the motivations of the supporting characters more solid.

The handling of sensitive issues was also more moderate, preserving the original tension while avoiding the risk of censorship.

"Kid, I've turned a few hairs white from revising this script." Jiang Wei tossed the script to him. "Passing the censors shouldn't be a problem. The rest is up to you how you film it."

"Thank you, teacher." Flipping through the script, I saw that Teacher Jiang's annotations not only included suggestions for revision but also analyses of the characters' psychology, which were more helpful than simply revising the script.

For the next month, I spent my days overseeing the film's post-production, my nights watching casting videos for "The Beginning," and my weekends listening to Li Xue's reports and observing her training progress.

The company gradually got back on track. Lao Yang recruited an experienced artist manager, and Li Yi's publicity department expanded to three people.

Tian Xiwei's videos have become a regular part of her weekend routine. Sometimes she's doing her homework at her desk, complaining that the math problems are too difficult. Other times she'll call three or four times a day, rambling on about trivial things.

Liu Haochun doesn't post much, occasionally sharing a photo of herself practicing dance or a favorite song.

A month later, the cast for "The Beginning" was finally finalized.

That morning, I called Li Xue to my office.

"How's your training going this past month?" he asked, leaning back in his chair.

Li Xue took a deep breath: "Teacher Zhang said... I'm much more natural than at the beginning." She took out her phone and opened a test video, which was a clip of Li Shiqing squatting on the ground and crying after successfully preventing the explosion.

There were no exaggerated screams, only a slight trembling of the shoulders, tears falling silently, but the eyes held a sense of relief at surviving a disaster—a significant improvement from a month ago.

Watching the video, he nodded: "Not bad, not a waste of time." He took a contract out of the drawer and pushed it in front of her, "Take a look."

Li Xue picked up the contract, her finger tracing the words "Artist Management Contract," and her eyes lit up instantly. The company had established an artist management department, and she was the first artist to be signed.

"Boss... this is..."

"You've signed. You're now Fengrui Film & Television's first artist. Li Shiqing, the female lead in 'The Beginning,' is officially yours."

Li Xue's hand trembled slightly, and the pen tip hovered over the signature area, not falling for a long time.

This feels so unreal. Just a month ago, she was a tea-serving assistant, and now she's going to be the leading lady...

"Sign it quickly, are you having second thoughts?"

"No regrets!" Li Xue immediately signed his name. "Thank you, boss!"

She looked up and said, "Boss, can I get two salaries? One for the assistant and one for the actress, hehe."

"Two salaries? If you don't perform well, we'll fire you and make you pay the penalty for breach of contract."

"No way!" Li Xue patted her chest and assured them, "I'll definitely act well!" She suddenly smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed, "Playing the female lead... I'm so happy, I've been dreaming about this, and it's finally come true."

"Oh? Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Li Xue was stunned for a moment, then understood. She bit her lip and whispered, "Then... Boss, close your eyes."

He closed his eyes as instructed, feeling a slightly cool breath approaching, and the next second, soft lips pressed against his.

He couldn't resist, reaching out to embrace her waist and deepening the kiss. Li Xue's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, awkwardly responding.

A minute later, the two separated. Li Xue, panting, her cheeks flushed red, scolded playfully, "Boss, you ate all my lipstick!"

"It's okay," he said, wiping the corner of her mouth. "You can put it back on later. By the way, I like watermelon flavor, so try watermelon-flavored lip balm next time."