Musheng felt utterly baffled.
She didn't know anything yet, but the somewhat familiar-looking director in front of her was pointing at her, unable to contain his excitement. Xiao Keke's face had turned green, and Zhao Junjie was also somewhat stunned by the situation.
The second floor of the internet cafe had indeed been cleared out, with not many people present, all of whom were staff. It wasn't until the director's shout that a slightly overweight figure hurried over, sporting toad sunglasses and holding a stack of scripts. He sized up Musheng, nodded with a servile smile, and said to the director, "Director, you really have a knack for spotting talent. From her appearance, she's quite suitable for the character Qiao Muran."
"As for me…"
Xiao Keke was so anxious she almost jumped, but Zhao Junjie pulled her back, rolling his eyes, "Musheng might not even agree. And why are you so excited? Does she have a grudge against you?"
Xiao Keke glared at Zhao Junjie and huffed without saying another word.
Musheng pursed her lips, disliking the way these two looked at her as if she were a piece of meat. The director in front of her tried to suppress his excitement and regained his directorial composure as he began to speak calmly, "You are... ahem, Musheng, right? Here's the thing. My name is Li Zhou, and I am currently filming the TV series 'A Life Apart'. I've been missing an actor for one of the roles, and I think your appearance and temperament are quite fitting. I would like to ask if you would be interested in playing this character?"
He spoke neither slowly nor hurriedly, with a reassuring solemnity that made one feel quite valued, easily eliciting a favorable impression.
Musheng didn't interrupt him, but she wasn't swayed, either, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested."
Li Zhou?
No wonder she found him slightly familiar. This man was a big-time director frequently featured in the entertainment gossip columns, a rare publicly known figure in the world of television. Known for directing idol romance dramas, he specialized in adapting famous, popular IPs, staying true to the original works, and enjoying a good reputation for pleasing the fanbase of these IPs. He had also directed several movies, all with good box office returns, which had cemented Li Zhou's unshakeable status as a director in the field of idol dramas.
Of course, the familiarity Musheng experienced was from the original host's memory. The previous her would never have paid attention to these romantic dramas, let alone the directors. She didn't even recognize the actors!
While she might find him familiar, just because he was famous didn't mean she had to agree. She had absolutely no interest in the entertainment industry.
Yet her blunt refusal somehow made Li Zhou even more excited, as he suddenly slapped his thigh, "Yes, that's the spirit!"
Musheng: "..."
Li Zhou, who had been somewhat hesitant in his heart, now felt an even stronger resolve to win Musheng over after her unequivocal and straightforward refusal. Not for any other reason but because the character of Qiao Muran was indeed a thorny one, and he had been quite worried about finding a suitable actor.
Qiao Muran was the female supporting character in the famous author Sansan's breakout novel "A Life Apart", strictly speaking, an authentic second female lead.
At that time, popular romance novels mostly revolved around unrequited love, with a meddling female character thrown in to test the main couple's relationship. Yet Sansan zagged where others zigged, creating a wholly different second female lead.
Although Qiao Muran met all the standards of the supporting female—beautiful, gracious, from an astonishing background, and tragically in love with the male lead—she was also cool, aloof, and discreet to an unbelievable extent.
She loved the male lead, yet when the female lead appeared, she stepped aside very rationally without taking anything with her, as if she was saying, 'You don't love me, I am not cheap, and that's that,' straightforwardly paving the way for the main couple.
Additionally, due to some of her confrontational scenes with the female lead, her calm and swift actions, yet with an inexplicably tender touch, greatly impressed readers. Sansan once said that Qiao Muran was the character she had put the most thought into creating in her lifetime, and this character did not disappoint her.
In an era saturated with melodrama, "A Life Apart" broke through the barriers. The lofty, cold, and unapproachable Qiao Muran became a classic representation of female supporting characters. Because of her, the book was nearly elevated to a mythic status.
The virtual character of Qiao Muran, with her staggering online fan following of 3 million on fan forums, was several times that of the main characters.
When Li Zhou took on this drama, many industry insiders were certain that he was going to fail because no one could bring Qiao Muran to life.
And indeed, that was the case.
Ever since Li Zhou had bought the film and television rights to the story, he had received countless blades in the mail from fans of both the book and the character Qiao Muran, all warning him not to make the adaptation. Even Sansan herself had said she wanted to fulfill a dream to see Qiao Muran come alive; however, if Li Zhou couldn't deliver, she would take back the rights.
Even Li Zhou, who was usually welcomed for his adaptations, was not spared. So just how difficult was it to bring Qiao Muran to life? The answer was unimaginably hard.
Qiao Muran was born into nobility, with a noble quality unrivaled by anyone, particularly since most of the drama focused on her at around twenty years old, which made it doubly challenging.
The entertainment industry had plenty of young faces, and a few possessed a noble air about them. But when it came to fitting the character of Qiao Muran, many were ruled out just based on appearance.
The temperament was difficult enough, let alone the personality—nobly cold on a good day, but if the actor overdid it, they would come off as arrogant and proud, potentially ruining the character. Especially when interacting with the main leads, how could one portray that evocative feeling?
In the book's portrayal of Qiao Muran, there was also a mysterious feeling that often gave readers a chill. But as the author, Sansan admitted she couldn't quite describe it—it was based on her imagination of the character, which in turn influenced the novel.
This was yet another seemingly insurmountable challenge.
Li Zhou was nearly depressed over this role. Although there were those who wanted to play Qiao Muran, he wasn't foolish; she wasn't a disposable character that just anyone could portray.
Because the role of Qiao Muran kept getting delayed, even the bold investors were showing signs of pulling out. To appease them, Li Zhou could only start filming the scenes involving the main leads.
But... what good did that do? Without the character of Qiao Muran, everything was pointless!
He too was eager to produce the drama. He adored the book and pondered what kind of girl would be his ideal Qiao Muran?
Until the moment Musheng appeared, he knew it - God had not abandoned him. A living, breathing Qiao Muran had arrived!