Chapter 159: Explosive! A Role Even Hotter Than Gao Qiqiang
Zhao Tai’s role isn’t crazy enough yet; it “doesn’t match” Chi Ye’s acting!
Everyone: “…”
The several screenwriter teachers and acting teachers who stayed with the crew, their moods during this time were like riding a roller coaster, from initial curiosity and surprise to later dumbfoundedness, and by today, everyone was numb.
The old actor surnamed Zhang turned his head to look at Jin Sui, moved his lips, and still said: “President Jin, no need to teach anymore. It’s clear Chi Ye is a ‘talent-type’ contestant.”
Teacher Wu nodded along: “No wonder he could write Big Shot. I feel like he wrote it based on his own mold.”
Wu Zhenyu shook his head: “What the heck? Being with him makes me look like a good guy?”
Jin Sui listened to the surrounding teachers’ speeches, some teasing, some praising, and she too fell into silence.
Yes, she originally only planned to stay with the Big Shot crew for two days, and after seeing Chi Ye “accept” the teachers’ guidance and confirming no issues, she would leave.
Who knew, ever since watching Chi Ye’s scenes on the first day, she had stayed until now.
Of course, work couldn’t be pushed off, but the other company projects and big teams she needed to visit were also in Hengdian, so she came over almost every day at set times to watch Chi Ye film, like she was “possessed.”
Um… how to put it.
She was a bit “afraid.”
Buddy, I told you to act as Zhao Tai, not to “play yourself”!
Tone it down a bit, or I’m afraid when it releases, someone might really investigate you.
Jin Sui thought this way, and seeing Chi Ye just finish a scene over there but not walk this way to maintain his state and emotion, she fell into contemplation again.
Something’s off, a bit off.
Zhao Tai’s role… why did she feel… maybe, probably, perhaps… it could explode?
Unlike her brother Jin Ming, Aunt Jin Sui had always been very self-aware of her own “business acumen,” but this time, from the perspective of an “ordinary audience,” she felt that Zhao Tai this character might really be acted into a “classic.”
Because this character wasn’t just bad; he… he was too handsome!!
Cough cough… it should be that besides being bad, he was crazier, more evil.
At the same time, his strengths were also very obvious, even his experiences were quite “pitiful.”
In the Big Shot main plot, throughout the main storyline, the showdown between “Officer Xu” and “Zhao Tai” started because a certain forcibly evicted resident Chen Yongqiang was killed by Zhao Tai, triggering a series of conflict capture incidents.
But whether in several different original versions or this world’s Big Shot, the “responsibility” wasn’t entirely on Zhao Tai.
In Big Shot, Zhao Tai, due to overseas studies and privileged education from childhood, mastered fluent English + French. At the same time, his personal business ability was extremely strong, far surpassing his big brother, and with no qualms about his methods, over the years he negotiated N major deals for Zhao’s Group.
When facing partners, he was courteous and attentive, even to the point of picking up and dropping off their kids from school.
When facing the girl he pursued, he could set aside his face, going downstairs every day to pick her up from work, fooling around like ordinary couples.
In any presentable venue, his various postures and etiquette were perfect to the point of being impeccable.
Such a person, upon encountering Chen Yongqiang who, for just three thousand yuan in compensation, hung a banner “seeking death” downstairs from his own group building, his first reaction was very considerate and responsible: lead him inside, not wanting to bring any negative impact to the company, preparing to pay to settle the matter peacefully.
At this moment, the movie’s biggest conflict and misunderstanding appeared—Chen Yongqiang made such a big scene, yet it was just for three thousand yuan, not the “thirty million” from some project botched by his trash big brother as Zhao Tai imagined.
Three thousand yuan a month, what are you fighting your life for?
Even more speechless was that this incident was caused by a subordinate’s subordinate who embezzled that money.
What does it have to do with him personally?
But because of this, he missed an important foreign business cooperation meeting, resolving this tiny “three thousand yuan” misunderstanding.
So, he was very angry, even furious.
He pulled out ten times three thousand—thirty thousand, to compensate Chen Yongqiang, and let the debt-collecting Chen Yongqiang beat up his subordinate’s subordinate.
Yes, even now, he hadn’t gone after Chen Yongqiang; he just hated his subordinates for incompetence, anger at their uselessness, and hated his own bad luck—for such a sesame-seed-sized trivial matter, missing an important negotiation meeting.
But in this situation… Chen Yongqiang refused the money, saying he couldn’t hit people in front of his child.
From this, the conflict fully erupted, brewing this tragedy.
Next was the second act: Officer Xu had already targeted Zhao Tai, and during one of Zhao Tai’s most important cooperation meetings, he personally brought people to take him away, completely sabotaging this important foreign business cooperation.
The next day, his always trash big brother, through the “girl” Zhao Tai had been pursuing’s home base, secured this cooperation that was originally his achievement.
—Because of identity issues, the girl’s family didn’t like him and ultimately chose Zhao’s Group’s more “glamorous” trash big brother.
Zhao Tai faced the scene he least wanted to: he seemed to have lost everything in that meeting.
Including dignity.
……
The air in the meeting room seemed to freeze.
Zhao Tai could feel the gazes of twenty-three group executives like spotlights on him, and his father, Zhao’s Group Chairman—that was the one controlling the switch.
“Is this the project you’re responsible for?”
His father’s finger lightly tapped the proposal, each tap like on Zhao Tai’s temple.
“Half a year, gave you so many chances, and you didn’t close it? Your big brother casually did?”
Zhao Tai’s throat bobbed, his carefully styled hair tips already damp, explaining: “Chairman Zhao… there was an accident midway, I’ve already—”
“Shut up.”
The voice wasn’t loud, but it cut off his defense like a knife.
Zhao Tai saw his father slowly stand, instinctively straightening his back like when facing his father’s scoldings as a child.
The slap came unexpectedly.
“Pa!”
Zhao Tai’s face was slapped to the side, left ear buzzing.
Gasps rose and fell in the meeting room, but soon returned to dead silence.
His tongue tip tasted blood, maybe bitten lip, more painful was his right fingernail digging deep into his palm, bringing sharp stinging.
But this pain just kept him clear-headed, not losing composure in front of everyone.
“Trash.”
His father’s voice came from afar: “Can’t even handle basic risks, what makes you deserve to be Zhao’s heir?”
Zhao Tai slowly turned his head back, a smile actually on his lips.
This was his long-practiced skill— no matter how stormy inside, his face always maintained a devil-may-care mask.
But seeing the undisguised disappointment in his father’s eyes, the mask cracked slightly.
“I’ll handle it well.”
He heard himself say, voice unusually calm: “Please give me one more chance.”
“…”
“Oh my god… too strong!”
Outside the camera, gasps came from around; Jin Sui frowned: “The slap was a bit hard.”
“…Whether hard doesn’t matter, what’s important is… Chi Ye’s eyes here… his smile… expressionless, but instantly shows that emotion…”
“How old is he this year? He wants to win Movie Emperor in the future?!”
Director Chen clenched his fist, already feeling this movie getting more and more addictive—this scene, he faintly pitied Zhao Tai, angry at those who sabotaged him…
This resonance was scary, not good.
But as a commercial director, he knew what this emotion meant once it appeared.
—Character resonance, established.
The role… is going to explode.
“Teacher Liu is indeed a veteran actor; his opponent scene with Chi Ye is really great.”
Teacher Wu’s gaze flickered, staring at the center of the set.
At this moment.
His father sneered, throwing the proposal into the shredder.
Amid the machine’s buzzing operation, like some mockery, he waved: “Meeting adjourned, Zhao Tai stay.”
Executives filed out, no one daring to glance at Zhao Tai.
When the last person left and gently closed the door, Zhao Tai’s shoulders imperceptibly slumped a fraction.
“Do you know what I hate most about you?”
His father walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, back to him: “It’s your attitude that never learns to admit fault, just like your useless mom.”
Zhao Tai’s breathing stalled for an instant, looking straight up at his father’s back.
Mother—that woman who swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills when he was ten, was his eternal untouchable wound.
“Dad, I—”
“Get out.”
His father interrupted, pointing at his pretty face so like that woman’s: “Don’t let me see this face again.”
Zhao Tai was stunned.
After a long time, he woodenly nodded, nearly tripping over the carpet as he turned.
He kept even pace, walked out of the meeting room, through the long corridor, into the private elevator, pressed the top floor button.
Until back in his room, he said nothing, maintaining the most decent appearance, even smiling and greeting the passing cleaning auntie.
“…!!”
Everyone around held their breath, not daring to speak, as if afraid to disturb Chi Ye now “immersed” in the role.
Next was the most explosive scene in Big Shot, also considered impossible for young actors.
—Zhao Tai completely lost it.
The top-floor corridor was empty, the housekeeper long gone discreetly.
Zhao Tai, always smiling like wearing a fake mask, not lightly closed the room door, carefully checked, confirmed no one outside, then strode straight to the liquor cabinet, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, opened it, and chugged from the bottle.
Hard chug, ninety degrees straight down his throat!
“Trash… heir… little mom…”
He muttered, the smile always on his face instantly torn off like a mask, turning into a neurotic laugh.
The laughter was loud, growing louder; liquor, tears, saliva, blood… all mixed, becoming extremely shrill.
But no matter, the room was well soundproofed, no one outside.
Yes, he didn’t even dare cry in front of others, because that would lose “impression points,” make everyone look down on him, mock him.
But now he was relieved; no one could see his current state, no one to blame or scold him.
Alcohol burned his throat; he yanked off his tie, directly pulled a small silver box from the safe.
Inside were several pre-filled syringes.
He skillfully tied his arm, stabbed the needle into the vein.
“Ah~!!!”
Zhao Tai jerked his head up, pupils visibly contracting, then let out a hysterical sound, euphoric yet agonizing.
His world began to soften and blur.
He collapsed.
“Bang.”
Glass shattered by him who-knows-how-manyth time; some tiny shards cut his cheek.
But Zhao Tai felt no pain, or rather, this physical pain was negligible compared to his inner torment.
He knelt up, picked a sharp shard, skillfully cut a bloody line on his left forearm.
“This one’s for the project failure…”
He said softly, blood dripping from his wrist onto the white carpet.
Another line.
“This is for you calling me trash…”
Third line.
“This is for mother…”
“…”
When the twelfth wound started bleeding, Zhao Tai finally slumped to the floor.
The mix of drugs and alcohol made the ceiling spin.
He curled up amid glass shards and blood pool, whimpering like an abandoned child.
“Why… won’t you just look at me…” His nails dug into the carpet, voice fragmented: “I… tried so hard…”
In the darkness, liquor mixed with blood gradually spread on the carpet.
In a daze, he seemed to vaguely see a gentle beautiful woman, stroking his tearful face with heartache.
“…”
The first month of Big Shot filming, the set was pin-drop silent.
Director Chen’s eyes gleamed at the monitor; Jin Sui’s eyes were a bit red and swollen; around the crew, scalps tingled.
Teacher Wu propped his chin, brows furrowed in the classic Mercedes logo, saying: “Why do I feel like my righteous character is more detestable than the villain…”
Everyone: “…”
“Can it pass review?”
Director Chen’s gaze suddenly turned to Jin Sui, eyes pleading: if this could release, he felt his career might take off?
Jin Sui frowned; everyone held their breath.
“President Jin, if it’s difficult…”
“How can he act so well?!”
Jin Sui finally spoke, face full of heartache: “Did Chi Ye draw from Yue Na executives? He… what about his mom? Yue Na is really damnable! How could they make him so miserable… a child no one pities… sigh…”
Everyone: “???”
“Ah? Review… isn’t this just normal plot? No problem… but publicity and distribution could add a bit more, or he’d have acted in vain, too hard work.”
Jin Sui kept shaking her head.
Everyone fell silent.
……
Meanwhile.
While Chi Ye was immersed in Big Shot filming, the outside entertainment industry, or recent internal entertainment circle, had fallen into the Singer frenzy.
That’s right.
Singer 2025’s explosive popularity far exceeded everyone’s imagination, including Mango TV itself.
As the Chinese music scene’s hall-of-fame stage rebooted after five years, Singer 2025 this time used an unprecedented “internationalized” format.
Not only inviting top big shot singers from around the world and various countries, but also partnering with platforms from over a dozen countries like Singapore and Malaysia for joint live broadcasts.
Internationalized, internationalized—Mango TV is serious this time!
And under this wave, Chinese music scene singers rose to the challenge; just the initial singers numbered seven, plus challenge singers, attack singers, replacement singers, rush-list singers, and N other groups.
World-class music industry big shots gathered; from premiere a month ago to now just four episodes, it topped CVB, CSM national net, Kuyun, and multiple authoritative ratings platforms—at a disparity first place!
Weibo accumulated hot search terms over 1000+, full net popularity NO1 top spot 200, explosive hot searches 15; two unpopular stars directly became popular again…
In short, this heat even made the always “high and mighty” film and TV circle envious.
Thus, they took action.
For example, top streamers like Sheng Ning, Shang Youshu, Chu Han Zhou, etc., were rumored to be invited to Singer as “hosts” or “links.”
Because this Singer edition is internationalized, it has multiple platforms’ multiple links, with plenty of spots.
As for Sister Qianzi, Peng Chen, Hua Yichen, and others…
What a joke, we’re singers to begin with—what host or link roles?
Directly go as challenge singers!
Start singing!
All the popularity is ours!
Of course, Chi Ye had a different view on this.
……
A day later, Chi Ye hadn’t recovered from “Zhao Tai”‘s state—he realized he’d unintentionally gone a bit method acting route, though… he was originally self-taught anyway.
But method acting was really tough, badly affected emotions.
And that day, Keke came on set, bringing several messages.
1, Xing Ni theme song and various OSTs to arrange.
2, Theme songs for several movies requested by Jin Sui’s side to arrange.
3, Teacher Shi’s “battle situation” on Singer, and the third invitation announcement from the Singer program team for him as challenge singer—this was an announcement Chi Ye selected before joining based on schedule.
But Mango TV really likes Chi Ye, so sent several times.
“Challenge singer, huh.”
Chi Ye looked down at the tablet, but looking up, found Keke keeping far away, avoiding him.
“Hm?”
He was surprised: “Why are you so far from me?”
“Bro, I’m a bit scared of you now; when you… turn back into Chi Ge, I’ll come over.”
Keke said this.
Chi Ye: “…”
“No, I don’t get it; others, even Sheng Ning rubbing off me I understand.”
Chi Ye then wondered: “But what is Chu Han Zhou doing there?”
“An internationalized stage—don’t link people need some foreign language?”
“Sending someone who hasn’t even mastered Chinese properly— isn’t that embarrassing in front of international friends?”
