Chapter 21
The little girl's name was Yang Mengmeng. Chen Hui was going to talk to her parents, so Luo Zhengzheng didn't need to go with her. Instead, she stayed in the audition room to watch the actors audition.
Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, Han Yue was naturally adept at reading people. Seeing the expressions on Director Lu and Chen Hui's faces, she knew her niece's chances of getting the role were slim.
She hadn't expected that even with her current status, Director Lu wouldn't give her any face. Still unwilling to accept this, she looked at her phone with her lips pressed tightly together, and couldn't help but send Chen Ze a text message: "Lulu passed the audition, but judging from Director Lu's expression, it seems she has no chance. Sigh, it's so hard for actors to make it big these days."
Chen Ze saw Han Yue's text message but didn't reply, casually tossing his phone on his desk.
Han Yue waited for a long time without receiving a reply from Chen Ze. Looking at Director Lu, she said, "Director Lu, I'll take Lulu now. Just let us know if there's any news."
Director Lu waved, looking at the camera without even looking up.
Han Yue glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, who sat there motionless and intently watching the auditions, gave a self-deprecating laugh, and pulled her niece away. The next day, Yang Mengmeng's parents arrived at the company. Luo Zhengzheng saw that they were an honest-looking couple.
Chen Hui told Luo Zhengzheng, "Mengmeng's dad is a construction worker, and her mother works on a factory assembly line."
Father Yang with his dark complexion, glanced at the spacious and bright office building. He nervously scratched his trousers and stammered, "We're just ordinary people. We don't understand those complicated things. None of us are actors. We don't know anything. We just want our child to study hard, get into university, and find a good job in the future, so she doesn't have to work as hard as her mother and me..."
Hearing this, Luo Zhengzheng felt a pang of emotion. These parents were like most parents in the world, hoping their child would study hard and find an easy job, unlike their own parents who had endured such hardship. Weren't her parents the same?
She couldn't help but say, "She can learn while filming. The crew will arrange tutors for her. Don't worry about that."
Father Yang and Mother Yang's faces lit up with joy.
Hearing her words, Director Lu looked up, opening his mouth as if to tell her that the crew's funds were for filming, not for hiring tutors for the actors. But seeing Luo Zhengzheng's serious expression, he gritted his teeth and decided against it. Hiring tutors for actors wouldn't cost much. He could easily scrape together the money.
He looked at Yang Mengmeng: "Then you must film well and not let us down."
His words clearly indicated that he intended for her to play the younger version of the female lead. Yang Mengmeng nodded excitedly, her wheat-colored face full of excitement.
Yang Mengmeng looked at Luo Zhengzheng: "Thank you, beautiful sister."
She knew that the crew was able to arrange tutors for her thanks to this beautiful elder sister.
Father and Mother Yang expressed their gratitude. Luo Zhengzheng said, "No need to thank me. Just take good care of Mengmeng, let her focus on filming and her studies."
Father and Mother Yang nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The actress playing the younger version of the female lead in the movie "I Am a Robot" was confirmed. Han Yue immediately learned of this and sent Chen Ze a text message yesterday, but he hadn't replied. It seemed he wasn't planning to get involved.
Work was quite efficient today. Director Lu was busy with auditions, and it was soon past noon. He hadn't mentioned lunch. Luo Zhengzheng and Chen Hui, whether they weren't hungry or hadn't thought about eating, didn't realize it was lunchtime until Chen Ze came downstairs.
Work was important, but they couldn't work on an empty stomach. The group went to the cafeteria.
As usual, Chen Ze and Director Lu went to get the food, while Luo Zhengzheng and Chen Hui waited on the dining chairs.
Hearing that Chen Ze and the others had gone to the cafeteria, Han Yue couldn't resist following them. After getting her food, she glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, picked up her tray, and walked over to Chen Hui, saying, "Producer Chen, may I sit here?"
Han Yue was, after all, a top star in the company, so Chen Hui would give her that much face, smiling and saying, "Please sit."
Chen Ze and Director Lu brought over their trays. Seeing Han Yue sitting there, Director Lu didn't react, while Chen Ze frowned and placed the food in front of Luo Zhengzheng.
Han Yue noticed Chen Ze's action and subtly glanced at Luo Zhengzheng. Hungry, Luo Zhengzheng picked up her chopsticks and started eating, unaware of Han Yue's subtle scrutiny.
However, Chen Ze noticed and knew this woman had misunderstood. He internally grumbled how women were always so nosy. He certainly couldn't let others misunderstand his relationship with Luo Zhengzheng. If Gu Shi found out, would he let him off the hook? He quickly said, "Elder Sister-in-law, tell me what you want to eat, and I'll get you more."
With her sharp ears, Han Yue heard Chen Ze address Luo Zhengzheng as "Elder Sister-in-law." Since she was Chen Ze's elder sister-in-law, she felt slightly relieved, but then thought, even if she was Elder Sister-in-law, there was no need for such attentiveness.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "No need, this is enough."
After the meal, Han Yue quietly went to Chen Ze's office: "Why didn't you reply to my messages?"
Chen Ze's brows furrowed slightly with impatience: "Since I didn't reply to your messages, don't you know what I mean?"
Han Yue sat in her chair, looking at him: "Lulu acted well, but Director Lu didn't give any face, insisting on signing on a little girl who knows nothing and want to teach her acting?"
Chen Ze looked at her: "This is Director Lu's film. I don't interfere with the casting. Director Lu only values talent. If your niece is truly capable, Director Lu wouldn't leave her unused."
Han Yue knew Director Lu's temper, which was why she pleaded with Chen Ze. She hadn't expected him to be so indifferent. She said, "Could you please do me a favor..."
Chen Ze replied without hesitation, "No. The investor for this film is that person I called 'elder sister-in-law' this afternoon. She's been here the whole time and there can't be any sloppiness."
Chen Ze had already put it this way and if she said anything more, she would seem tactless. Little did she know, Chen Ze already thought she was being tactless.
Han Yue recalled that beautiful woman. Even as a woman, she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart. How much more would it be for a man? She tentatively asked, "Who exactly is she?"
Chen Ze glanced at her: "That's not your question. Just be respectful."
Seeing his secretive manner, Han Yue became even more curious about Luo Zhengzheng. But since Chen Ze wouldn't tell her, there was nothing she could do. Although she was Chen Ze's girlfriend now, she knew she held little importance in his heart.
For several days in a row, Luo Zhengzheng was studying at Wanhua Entertainment. Their casting had finished, and they were currently doing script readings. With nothing else to do, Luo Zhengzheng didn't go, staying home with her son. In the evenings, the family went to her in-laws' house for dinner.
Liu Hanyue asked her, "Why didn't you go to work today?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at her and joked, "I just went to see how the TV series is being filmed. Besides, Gu Shi invested in their company's movie, so I went to supervise."
She didn't hide it from them. They would find out sooner or later anyway.
Gu Boyuan and Ye Li were unaware of this and they turned to Gu Shi.
Gu Shi explained, "It's a private investment. It didn't go through the company's accounts."
Gu Boyuan looked at his son and asked, "Why did you decide to invest in a movie?"
Of course, Gu Shi wouldn't tell Father the truth: "Chen Ze came to me asking me to invest in his movie. I had someone analyze it and thought it was worth investing, so I put in two hundred million."
Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling clicked their tongues in disbelief. Even though they came from wealthy families, two hundred million was a considerable sum for them. Moreover, their family had no involvement in the entertainment industry and knew nothing about it. Weren't they afraid of wasting one or two hundred million?
While they were suspicious, they couldn't help but feel envious. Gu Shi could casually take out two hundred million to invest in a movie, and even more casually spend hundreds of millions on jewelry for his wife. They, on the other hand, couldn't even come up with tens of millions. Father was in charge and wouldn't give them much cash. Whatever they wanted to do, they could only go through Father. People were truly different.
Gu Boyuan looked at Ye Li, noticing her calm expression. It seemed Gu Shi's words had no effect on her. He figured his wife was indifferent to their son's film investment. It appeared the Ye Family had made a considerable fortune in recent years, and a hundred or two hundred million was nothing to them. He sighed, "I'm getting old. I don't have the drive of you young people anymore. I'm unwilling to venture into unfamiliar industries."
To some extent, Gu Shi agreed with his father. He said, "It's already good that the Gu Group has managed to maintain its current businesses."
His older brothers weren't particularly capable. Although Gu Ling was somewhat capable, father wouldn't let him manage things, and even if he were involved in too many businesses, he wouldn't be able to handle it all.
Gu Boyuan looked at Gu Shi and said, "You'll have to worry about the Gu Family a lot from now on."
Gu Ming and Gu Xian looked sharply at their father. What did he mean?
What could Gu Boyuan mean? The Ye Family was thriving, while the Gu Family was stagnating. His sons were vying for power, but none of them were particularly capable. He could only turn to Gu Shi for help.
Ye Li gave him a cold look: "Gu Shi was busy. He doesn't have that much time to worry about your Gu Group."
This man was after Gu Shi again.
She believed in her son's abilities. Instead of wasting time fighting with the Gu brothers for that little bit of inheritance, he should focus on his work. Maybe he could build a Gu Corporation on his own.
Gu Boyuan was very troubled. Only Ye Li and Gu Shi could understand his troubles, but neither of them wanted anything to do with the Gu Group.
The Gu brothers visibly relaxed after hearing their stepmother's words.
Back home, Gu Shi didn't go to the office to work. After washing up, he lay in bed reading.
After washing up, Luo Zhengzheng looked at him and asked, "Does Dad really intend for you to manage the Gu Group?"
At dinner, Father-in-law's meaning was very clear. The expressions of Eldest brother and Elder Sister-in-law, as well as Second brother and Second Sister-in-law, changed immediately.
She didn't want Gu Shi to get involved in the Gu Group. There was no need and Mother-in-law certainly didn't want Gu Shi to concern himself with its affairs either.
Gu Shi looked up from his book: "If Eldest and Second brothers can't take over the Gu Family business, perhaps it'll be possible in a few years when Dad gets older."
Luo Zhengzheng asked him, "And what are your thoughts?"
Gu Shi stroked her hair: "That's the Gu Group, their property. As a son of the Gu Family, I won't watch it decline."
Luo Zhengzheng understood Gu Shi's meaning. She glanced at the man. He was calmly reading, his features cool and handsome, yet his inside was gentle and strong. She couldn't help but think that this man was a good husband and dad to his wife and children and a responsible son to his parents. Anyone he considered his own would receive his protection and care.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled. She and mother-in-law only considered things from their own perspective, without considering Gu Shi's perspective.
Gu Shi was her husband, mother-in-law 's son, and also a son of the Gu Family, so he naturally felt a sense of responsibility towards them.