Zhou Lan and Liu Pinran immediately began discussing the contract details on the spot.
Lu Yuan seemed impatient to listen to these discussions and said to Zhou Yun, "I’m going out for a smoke."
He then got up and left.
Zhou Yun thought for a while, and after Lu Yuan had left, she also said, "I’m going to the restroom."
She left Zhou Lan and Liu Pinran to continue their back-and-forth negotiation.
However, Zhou Yun did not go to the restroom but went to find Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan was standing on an open balcony, already smoking a cigarette.
Zhou Yun walked over and stood beside Lu Yuan.
"Why did you come out too?" Lu Yuan turned and asked.
Zhou Yun smiled and said, "For the same reason you did."
"You came out to smoke too? I didn’t notice before, do you usually smoke?" Lu Yuan made a gesture to offer Zhou Yun a cigarette.
Zhou Yun hurriedly waved her hand.
"I don’t smoke, I just feel... it’s a bit awkward staying inside."
Despite the fact that the discussion was all about her, she couldn’t speak up; everything was handled by Zhou Lan.
She could only pretend to be a vase, smiling.
"Do you find it awkward standing here with me too?" Lu Yuan asked in return.
Zhou Yun choked up a bit.
"You’re the director, we have to see each other every day; it’s better to get used to it and feel less awkward early on," Zhou Yun explained herself.
"No need to come out and explain specially to me."
"You not wanting to act in ’Eighth Heartbeat’ is actually normal. Besides newcomers who have no other roles to play, not many actors want to act in my films," Lu Yuan suddenly said.
Zhou Yun was stunned, not knowing how to respond.
Lu Yuan looked outside, his eyes somewhat vacant, "At first, I had the ambition to be a good director like you, but I later realized, I don’t have that talent."
Zhou Yun replied, "You can’t say that; you are still so young."
Lu Yuan was indeed young, especially for a director, only being just over thirty.
Lu Yuan continued, "So, you also think I don’t have the talent to be a director, right?"
"I haven’t seen your previous films, so even if I had, I wouldn’t know," Zhou Yun said, "To be honest, sometimes whether I like a film or not doesn’t really correlate with its rating. Some films I really like might only have a score of five or six, and some I find average that I can’t watch could have a score of seven or eight."
"No need to comfort me; I don’t care about those."
"I thought you would mind."
Lu Yuan turned to look at Zhou Yun.
Zhou Yun started to laugh, saying, "Director Lu, why don’t we give it a try this time."
"Try to see if we can boost the ratings by a few points," Zhou Yun said.
"Don’t laugh, at least I have one advantage."
"I’m definitely prettier than all of your previous female leads," Zhou Yun said.
Lu Yuan: "...you really are quite confident."
"Confident women are the most beautiful," Zhou Yun continued.
Lu Yuan softly chuckled.
"You are quite funny, I thought you had the aura of a goddess."
"Funny yet goddess-like," Zhou Yun struck a pose with hands on hips, "I can pull off any style."
Lu Yuan turned his head away, laughing.
"Director Lu, not to mention anything else, if you find another male lead who is handsome and has good facial features, the attractiveness alone of the film could draw in a large number of fans based on looks," Zhou Yun said, "Moreover, I think you can definitely do it."
"You haven’t seen my previous films, how would you know I can?" Lu Yuan asked.
"Because when you see me, you can’t help but smile," Zhou Yun said, "This means you have eyes that can discover and appreciate beauty."
She raised her chin, confident and proud, her smile bright and sunny.
The two chatted and laughed on the balcony, and several tens of minutes passed.
Zhou Lan came over, knocked on the glass door, and said, "Xiao Yun, my discussion with Director Liu is nearly done, and you have an interview and shoot waiting, we should go."
Zhou Yun nodded, and said to Lu Yuan, "Director Lu, I’m leaving, see you next time."
After Zhou Yun and Zhou Lan left, Liu Pinran walked onto the balcony, looking displeased.
"What a greedy woman."
Lu Yuan continued watching downstairs, reminiscing Zhou Yun’s smile, not speaking.
Liu Pinran said, "Old Lu, are you really set on Zhou Yun playing the female lead?"
"Sigh, well, I was planning to have Qian Qian play the second female lead in this film, but with their meddling, that role isn’t even worth Qian Qian’s involvement now," Lu Yuan said, "Old Lu, I’m telling you, don’t be swayed by Zhou Yun’s beauty. She was actually planning to act in Liang Zhongjie’s ’Heart Inquiry.’ If I hadn’t insisted strongly, she would have turned down ’Eighth Heartbeat.’"
Lu Yuan patted Liu Pinran on the shoulder and said, "Director Liu, next time if someone doesn’t want to act in my film, there’s no need to force them."
Liu Pinran replied, "Letting them act, is that even putting them out?"
Lu Yuan said, "I’m going back first."
"No need, you’re busy, I won’t hold you up, I’ll head back on my own."
Only when Lu Yuan was completely out of sight did Liu Pinran’s friendly smile slowly disappear; he sneered and said, "Not forcing them, who would be willing to act in your films? If Zhou Yun doesn’t act in it and the film flops, who will take the blame? You have a good brother, but I don’t."
Thinking of Zhou Yun, and the negotiating results with Zhou Lan, Liu Pinran felt even more irked.
"A small-time celebrity, clinging to Song Chi and getting arrogant, let’s see how long you can keep it up!"
"What were you and Lu Yuan talking about just now?" Zhou Lan asked Zhou Yun.
"Just chatting casually, getting familiar," Zhou Yun replied, "How did your discussion with Liu Pinran go?"
"We’ve settled a few key aspects, he probably has already blacklisted me, I can bet that he definitely planned to give the second female lead more scenes."
"Using me to attract investments, to boost the rating of the film, and then using it to promote others? Quite the clever approach."
Zhou Lan said, "Be careful when dealing with Liu Pinran in the future; he’s not a simple character."
"It’s okay, as long as you are here," Zhou Yun said unconsciously.
"Xiao Yun, I’m preparing to leave," Zhou Lan said.
Zhou Yun was startled.
She had forgotten that Zhou Lan had already submitted her resignation request.
"I forgot." Zhou Yun laughed self-deprecatingly, "After this, you won’t be my agent anymore, so what will you do? Will you manage new talents or something else?"
"I’m planning to leave Wanqian Entertainment," Zhou Lan dropped a bombshell.
This was something Zhou Yun had not expected.