Chapter 187 - 169: The Upcoming Big Move

When Xu Liangyu said he was going home to look after his grandson, he wasn’t just making excuses.

He really did go home to his grandson and had no filming plans for the entire year.

Ni Bingyan was about to pester him some more when Xu Liangyu pulled her into a corner and whispered mysteriously,

"You’re not short on roles right now. What you’re short on is a good script that can win awards. Don’t bark up the wrong tree. What’s the use of clinging to me? I just saw you having a nice chat with President Wu. Go talk to him some more. That’s where the real benefits are!"

As Xu Liangyu spoke, he gave a mischievous wink, his old face crinkling.

How sharp was Ni Bingyan! Hearing this, she immediately grabbed Xu Liangyu’s arm, refusing to let him leave.

This little old man was truly amazing. Every time she got ahold of him, all it took was a little prodding to squeeze some information out of him. He was practically her lucky star!

’She had to admit, taking that role of the White Moonlight senior martial sister with so few scenes had been the right call!’

’Just look at how much work Old Xu had sent her way!’

’He wasn’t like Chen Zhiwen, who seemed gentle and easygoing but was actually tight-lipped as a clam.’

Compared to him, Ni Bingyan much preferred Old Xu, whose lips were as loose as the waistband on an old lady’s padded trousers.

He let all sorts of secret information slip. It was just so endearing!

She could get a whole basketful of rumors from him, whether they were confirmed or not—unlike Sister Wei, who would never tell her anything that wasn’t a sure thing.

"You know how our company’s Granny Sun had her downfall, right? And we haven’t had a solid leading actress since? The higher-ups are thinking about grooming a new one."

Only a powerhouse like Xingdi Film and Television would have the confidence to do something like that.

For the past six months, Ni Bingyan had noticed her resources improving significantly. She’d thought it was because of her own abilities, but now she realized it was also due to these shake-ups at the company.

Take Zhou Dawei, for instance. If Wei Hang hadn’t fallen from grace, it was debatable whether the company could have secured him the Best Actor award this year.

’A top star has fallen, and the company hasn’t managed to poach a suitable replacement from anywhere else. They have to groom one of their own artists. Doesn’t that mean she has a chance to have the company’s resources funneled her way?’

’Counting the artists at the company, Ni Bingyan was confident that in terms of either acting skill or looks, she wouldn’t lose to anyone!’

’So why couldn’t she go for it?’

At that thought, Ni Bingyan’s heart began to race with excitement.

"Uncle! Is the company planning another big move?"

President Wu was in charge of production. If Xu Liangyu was telling her to get close to President Wu, it had to be because a new project was in the works.

’Fighting for her own company’s resources was much easier than trying to snatch a piece of someone else’s pie!’

’It’s good to have a big tree to rest under.’ That was the biggest advantage of signing with a powerful agency.

"If they want to groom a Best Actress, they’ll naturally have to shoot a hardcore, award-contending film and time it for the major festival deadlines."

Old Xu lowered his voice, gossiping with her.

"Oh, come on, how could I not know that?"

’Even a toddler could figure that out!’

Seeing his sly grin, she knew he was doing it on purpose. Ni Bingyan was exasperated.

"I’m asking if you have any inside info! What kind of movie is it? Do I have a chance at a role? Stop beating around the bush and tell me something important!"

"I don’t know yet. All I know is that it’s happening. But I know someone who definitely knows."

"Who?"

Old Xu had his faults. He was full of mischief and always spoke in riddles, as if he got some special satisfaction from watching people get anxious.

"Didn’t I tell you? You need to cozy up to President Wu!"

It clicked for Ni Bingyan. ’How could I be so stupid?’

She glanced back, but President Wu was already gone. Now, even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t be able to find him anytime soon.

At that moment, she hated her own sense of propriety.

’He’s one of my own company’s executives. No matter how annoying I was by sticking close to him, there wouldn’t have been any serious consequences. My skin just isn’t thick enough!’

As they were talking, the wedding ceremony began.

The emcee guided the bride and groom as they reminisced about their love story, bringing fond, knowing smiles to everyone’s faces.

After the wedding, Ni Bingyan first went to the jewelry store whose diamonds she endorsed and ordered two custom-made sterling silver longevity locks. Then, instead of going home, she drove straight to find Wei Shuojie.

If Old Xu knew about this, was there anyone in the company who didn’t?

To get a head start, she had to understand the situation first so she could make her move early.

Wei Shuojie was her trusted ally. It was time to go to Sister Wei for more information. There was no way Old Xu would know something that Wei Shuojie didn’t.

Just because Ni Bingyan was on vacation didn’t mean her agent was.

Sister Wei was busy at the company. Seeing Ni Bingyan rush into her office looking anxious, she was surprised. "What is it? What happened?"

Ni Bingyan didn’t waste any time and got straight to the point. "Is the company planning something big? I was at a wedding today and ran into a lot of the senior figures from our company. I heard them say there’s a plan to go for a major award this year."

A plan like that from the company wouldn’t be targeting domestic awards. They’d be aiming for something on the level of the three major European film festivals, at the very least.

’Go abroad, step onto the international stage... If she could win a Best Actress award at a Category A international film festival, her career and market value would be on a completely different level.’

Sun Lizhi’s untouchable status at the company back in the day was because she had once won a Jinhu Award.

"Oh, so that’s what this is about."

Wei Shuojie wasn’t surprised at all to see her.

If an actress heard this kind of news and didn’t react, she might as well retire so Wei Shuojie could focus on grooming new talent.

"I’ve been trying to get you in on this for the past few days, but the higher-ups shot it down. The script calls for an older protagonist. You’re too young. It’s a hard requirement, so there’s nothing anyone can do."

Anyone familiar with the industry knew the score.

Older actors can play younger roles because, after all, they were once young themselves. They know what it’s like, so their performances rarely take the audience out of the story.

But it’s not so easy for a young person to play an older character. They haven’t lived it yet. No matter how good their performance is, it’s still just imitation.

This was especially true for someone in her twenties, who lacked the life experience. Even with makeup to make her look older, she wouldn’t be able to capture that certain essence.

"What kind of script is it?"

Ni Bingyan still wasn’t ready to give up.

When you’re looking for a job, nobody is happy to be passed over because of their age or gender.

"The project hasn’t been officially greenlit, and the script is still under wraps. I don’t know the specific story, either. Something about a martial arts heroine, maybe? Anyway, I heard there’s a required period of intensive training before filming, so there must be a lot of action sequences."

’What’s the difference between that and saying nothing at all?’

"Sister An is busy filming *Great Grandmaster* this year, and Susu is having a baby. Who else at our company has the acting chops and the star power? They can’t possibly go through all this trouble just to let an outsider get the part, can they?"

Ni Bingyan counted on her fingers.

There weren’t many actresses at the company now who were more established than her.

She had been in the business for many years, so she definitely had the seniority. She had even won an award to prove her abilities. Her standing was on a whole other level now.

It was only natural for her to set her sights on this.

Wei Shuojie shook her head. "What do you think I’ve been busy with all this time? When it comes to casting, it’s not just about acting ability; they also consider if the actor’s image fits the script. This time, they need someone with more life experience. You clearly don’t fit their criteria. I’ve already tried my best, but it’s a no-go. I’m already screening other projects. The best one is the one that’s right for you. When one door closes, another opens. Right?"

Knowing that her agent was just as eager for a great opportunity as she was, Ni Bingyan could only sigh. "Well, I guess that’s that. If it’s not a good fit, it can’t be helped. Besides, I still have two TV dramas to shoot. The schedules might not have lined up anyway."

After leaving the company, Ni Bingyan went home and continued her preparations for the upcoming TV dramas, putting the movie out of her mind.

But then, not even two days later, she got a sudden call from Sister Wei, telling her to come to the company for an audition.

"What? Didn’t you say I didn’t meet the hard requirements?"

"I don’t know what happened either. During a meeting, President Wu suddenly said to add you to the list of candidates."

"From what you said, I’m pretty far from what they’re looking for in the character. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I already asked. Apparently, they changed the script."

"Changed the script?"

"The movie hasn’t been greenlit yet; it’s still in the early planning stages. Changing the script is perfectly normal."

Wei Shuojie didn’t seem to think much of it. She just reminded Ni Bingyan to be on time for the audition and then hung up.