novellhall Chapter 31 Unspoken Rules
Chapter 31 Unspoken Rules
"Friend, that's Dilraba, an actress in the film crew!"
Xu Lang spoke casually, opening the car door to let Dilraba get in first, before he followed.
The two sat in the back seat, with Bai Lu driving.
Bai Lu would occasionally glance at Reba through the rearview mirror, filled with curiosity about this shy, somewhat timid, yet stunningly beautiful girl.
"Dilraba? Your name... are you from Xinjiang province?"
Reba nodded slightly.
Xu Lang interrupted, saying, "Drive carefully, don't look back, and be safe!"
"Hmph, what's it to you if I chat with Reba? Is she your girlfriend? Why should you care?" Bai Lu retorted without backing down.
"Dilraba, how is Xu Lang doing on set? Has he bullied you?"
Although it was Dilraba's first time meeting her, she responded to every word from the other party's enthusiasm.
The two of them actually started chatting across their seats.
Xu Lang, sitting to the side, helplessly closed his eyes and decided to rest.
We finally arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant, and as soon as we opened the door, a waiter brought us tea.
Xu Lang was responsible for communicating with Yu Zheng; he was halfway there and would arrive shortly.
"Alright, you two stop talking!" Xu Lang forcefully interrupted their conversation, looking at Bai Lu with a serious expression:
"Yu Zheng will be here soon. Remember the moves I taught you? If he asks you to demonstrate, then use them."
"Teacher Yu is actually very easy to get along with. Just smile more and answer whatever he asks. Don't be nervous and you won't be able to say anything."
Along the way, Bai Lu learned a lot about Xu Lang's experiences on the set of "Swords of Legends" from Dilraba. She was happy for him when she learned that Xu Lang had excellent acting skills, was recognized by the director, and got along well with the other actors.
She had always wanted to enter the entertainment industry. The modeling world was at the bottom of the film and television industry's hierarchy of contempt. If Xu Lang could really make a name for himself, she would cling to his coattails. Even if she couldn't reach the top tier, just being able to gain a foothold in the second or third tier would be much better than what she was doing now.
Therefore, she listened very carefully to Xu Lang's instructions.
After a while.
There was a knock on the door of the private room.
Xu Lang went to open the door and saw Yu Zheng standing at the door with his signature glasses and a smile on his face.
He turned to the side and gestured for them to proceed.
"Teacher Yu, you've finally arrived! Please come in!"
Yu Zheng walked in with a smile, but his gaze was drawn to Dilraba. The girl's exotic charm was so unique and her features so easily recognizable.
The entertainment industry is not lacking in beautiful women, but it lacks faces with extremely high recognizability. The woman in front of us is undoubtedly a naturally gifted beauty.
"Who is this...?"
His eyes lit up, as if he had discovered a treasure.
Xu Lang guessed what he was thinking and said:
"Teacher Yu, she is Dilraba, an artist from Huanrui. She has heard of your great name and admires you very much. When she learned that I was coming to see you, she insisted on coming along."
"Reba, say hello to Teacher Yu."
Dilraba smiled and nodded gently:
"Hello, Teacher Yu!"
A fleeting look of disappointment crossed Yu Zheng's eyes. He greeted her and then turned his gaze to Bai Mengyan, who looked rather nervous to the side.
Xu Lang introduced her at the opportune moment: "Teacher Yu, her name is Bai Mengyan!"
Bai Mengyan was so nervous that she became somewhat incoherent. She extended her delicate hand and smiled apologetically.
"Hello, Teacher Yu, my name is Bai Mengyan."
Yu Zheng gently shook her hand and then let go, but his gaze lingered on her as if he were appraising a work of art.
He even stepped back two steps to examine her head-to-body ratio, bone structure, and overall demeanor.
Bai Mengyan felt a little uneasy under their gaze, but dared not move—she knew that this was a common "screen presence screening" used by casting directors or producers in the industry when evaluating newcomers.
Fortunately, after examining it closely, he nodded, indicating that he was fairly satisfied.
He looked at Xu Lang and said, "I want to talk to her alone!"
"Sure!" Xu Lang said generously, winked at Bai Mengyan, and then pulled Reba out the door.
The two chatted in the corridor, and Dilraba asked Xu Lang and Bai Mengyan about their relationship.
Thirty-seven minutes later.
Xu Lang sent a message calling Xu Lang to come back.
As soon as she pushed open the door, Bai Mengyan looked at her for help, clearly indicating that their conversation had involved her.
"How did the talks go?"
Xu Lang quickly asked.
Bai Mengyan poured tea for Xu Lang, her eyes still pleading, with a hint of coquetry in them.
Yu Zheng took a sip of tea and said, "Xu Lang, I won't beat around the bush. Meng Yan has good looks and a decent sense of camera presence, but her understanding of acting is still superficial. I can sign her, but I want to give her a chance to get better opportunities—that requires your assistance."
Xu Lang was a little surprised and asked:
"How can I help?"
Yu Zheng pondered for a moment: "I want to see her potential and sexual appeal. You can shoot a short film or music video with her. If it goes well, I'll give her a B-level contract or even higher; if it's just average, then it'll be a standard newcomer contract."
He was very satisfied with Bai Lu's appearance; she had excellent body proportions and a currently popular oval face.
Whether she has the potential to be a leading lady and whether she deserves to be heavily promoted with resources remains to be seen.
Short films and music videos are a quick and effective way to make money.
Xu Lang turned his gaze to Bai Mengyan, whose pleading eyes were at their peak, with tears welling up in her eyes, making her look pitiful.
They practically had "help me" written all over their faces.
Yu Zheng paused for a moment and said, "Don't rush to answer me. You can go back and think about it."
"No need!" Xu Lang withdrew his gaze, decisive and straightforward.
"I'll shoot a music video; it's short-lived and spreads quickly."
"Okay!" Yu Zheng nodded immediately, a smile appearing on his lips, and said:
"I'll find a singer to write a love song just for the two of you, and then I'll find a director."
"Okay, let's eat first!" Xu Lang hurriedly called the waiter to serve the dishes.
Bai Mengyan acted as a waitress, frequently pouring drinks for Yu Zheng and Xu Lang, and smiling throughout.
Dilraba is basically invisible; she just focuses on eating.
At the dinner table, Yu Zheng told Xu Lang a lot about the rules of the industry, and also mentioned that Yang Mi wanted to use the drama to bind Xu Lang first, and would definitely talk to Xu Lang about the agency contract later.
At the same time, he reminded Xu Lang not to forget what he had said before.
Xu Lang reiterated that he would always be the first choice.
The topic then shifted to Bai Mengyan. Yu Zheng made no secret of the fact that his studio urgently needed fresh faces who could carry a drama series, and that as long as they proved their potential, resource allocation would not be a problem—he said this not only to Bai Mengyan but also to Xu Lang.
After the dinner.
Yu Zheng left alone.
Xu Lang and Bai Mengyan were also a little drunk, but Reba didn't drink and was very sober.
Xu Lang called a designated driver to first take Dilraba back to the film crew's hotel, and then take Bai Mengyan back to her hotel.
As he carried her to the hotel room and took off her coat, Bai Mengyan grabbed his neck with both hands, her eyes glazed over with affection as she drunkenly stared at him.
"Xu Lang, you helped me tonight, how can I ever repay you?"
With a forceful pull, he slammed Xu Lang's head down, then lifted his own head and kissed him.
They separated quickly, their foreheads touching:
"Xu Lang, stay with me tonight!"
After saying that, he kissed her again, this time more deeply and urgently than before.
She flipped over, pinning Xu Lang to the soft bed, her long, flowing hair cascading down, her smile carrying a desperate, alluring glint in her eyes.
"Isn't the entertainment industry all about unspoken rules? Tonight, I'll just pretend you took advantage of me..."
Xu Lang gazed at the beautiful woman above him, her eyes sparkling, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his voice low and husky:
"Between us... who's sleeping with whom?"
Bai Mengyan leaned down and breathed sweetly on his lips:
"Hmph...Does that even matter?"