005 Borrowing a Fair Wind

In the photo, Qian Lang is surrounded by people. Everyone around him wears an angelic smile. The luxurious dining table is laden with exquisite dishes whose names they cannot even identify; just looking at them is a feast for the eyes. What is even more teeth-grinding is that the beautiful woman beside Qian Lang is outrageously stunning.

It’s infuriating! Absolutely infuriating!

"Damn! Did this hack director just stumble into a stroke of luck?"
"Stay calm, brother! The word on the street is that Galaxy Film is on the verge of bankruptcy! A loser director like him can't possibly make a comeback!"
"But still! At the very least, he managed to scam a free meal, didn't he?"
"You're thinking too small! Who cares about the food? The point is he has a peerless beauty keeping him company!"
"How is this fair? How can a guy like that get to have it all?"
...

The internet is in an uproar, filled with one-sided abuse and disdain. Wang Xingxing feels particularly vindicated. *Heh, a washed-up loser who got fired dares to put on airs online? How’s that for a reality check? The eyes of the netizens are sharp. They’ll tear you apart! Hahaha!*

Wang Xingxing laughs with immense satisfaction, his mood exceptionally good. With the eyesore Qian Lang gone, Vice President Cheng has promised that the company's resources will be heavily tilted in his favor. Just as he is basking in his self-satisfaction, Qian Lang’s Weibo drops another bombshell: as both director and screenwriter, he will soon begin filming a new movie!

Once the topic goes live, public opinion erupts again. The dynamic video Qian Lang posted shows the faces of numerous Galaxy Film employees.

"Family! Who understands this?! We at Galaxy Film have found a hidden gem!"
"Oh my god! Director Qian is so talented! This script of his is the best one we’ve ever seen!"

As soon as the video hits, Weibo explodes again.

"Good grief, how thick are their rose-tinted glasses?!"
"Haha, a 'hidden gem,' I’m dying of laughter!"
"Start filming already! See how badly you lose when your trash movie flops!"
"Heh, wait until it premieres, then you’ll be humbled!"
"Don't say that, but with all this promotion, why am I actually starting to look forward to it?"
"Oh, me too! I’m getting so anxious! What should I do?"
"Anxious, anxious, anxious, I'm the King of Anxiety!"
"Hey, buddy, is it really that easy to be a king?"

It’s hard to tell if the netizens' comments are ironic. Regardless, Wang Xingxing is speechless. *He’s clearly a hack, so why does he keep jumping around? Everything he makes is trash! Is he really that blatant about scamming people?*

The next day, at Xingyao Company, the atmosphere in the office area is slightly gloomy. With Qian Lang gone, the female colleagues no longer have a target for their vitriol. They are all clacking away at their keyboards.

In the Vice President’s office:
"Little Wang, the company has invited Director Zhang Mou to film a blockbuster fantasy epic. Who do you think is a suitable candidate for assistant director?"
Cheng Jie leans back in his sofa, casually trimming his fingernails without even lifting his eyelids.

"Boss, as they say, don't shy away from your own people. Looking at the whole company, besides me, who else could be suitable?" Wang Xingxing bows slightly, wearing a fawning smile. *Heh, Zhang Mou is the premier director in the country. If I can bask in his glory, a promotion will be even more inevitable. Maybe I could even direct big-budget films in the future instead of being limited to small, low-budget ones.*

"Is that so?" Cheng Jie looks up with an unreadable expression. "You’re that confident?"
"Yes! Boss, I am so eager to improve! Besides, isn't this all just a matter of a word from you?" Wang Xingxing fawns. At this point, even if Cheng Jie told him to act like a dog, he would gladly bark twice. After all, if that loser Qian Lang is filming a new movie, there’s no reason for him to be sitting idle!

"Heh!" Cheng Jie lets out a scoff, then lowers his head to focus on trimming his nails with a *click-click* sound.

Seeing this, Wang Xingxing curses inwardly. *This old guy is getting harder to please.* But that doesn't matter! He knows how to bend and stretch. As long as he directs a few more films and makes a name for himself in the industry, he doesn't believe that if a loser like Qian Lang can find work, he won't be snatched up by others!

"Alright, don't just stand there, come sit down." After a long while, Cheng Jie finally puts down the nail clippers and pats the empty spot on the sofa.

Wang Xingxing immediately trots over, perching only on the edge of the seat.
"Little Wang, as a leader, I certainly support a young man who wants to get ahead! But this film has a massive budget, and Wu Ping from the directing department has his eye on it too. Moreover, the big boss is paying close attention. If I say you can be the assistant director, how will you convince the others?"

Wang Xingxing speaks brazenly: "Boss, the bigger the investment, the more you have to use your own people!" People like Wu Ping have their noses in the air. Would they be willing to grovel and lick boots like him? He doesn't believe it! He cannot let such a good opportunity slip by! Otherwise, what is the point of being Cheng Jie’s dog?

"Fine! Then it's yours." Cheng Jie seems to have made up his mind.
"Thank you, Boss!" Wang Xingxing beams, jumping up from the sofa in excitement. *Haha, I’ve finally secured the opportunity! Even though the directing commission will have to be kicked up to Cheng Jie, you can't catch the wolf without sacrificing the cub.*

"Boss, then I’ll get to work!" Wang Xingxing hurries out of the office, eager to post on Weibo. *Heh, that loser Qian Lang is going to be green with envy! We’re both making movies, but the scale and class are simply not in the same league!*

"Make sure you keep a close watch on the open auditions in three days!" Cheng Jie calls out from behind.
"Don't worry!" Wang Xingxing waves his hand without slowing down.

...

Meanwhile, in the Galaxy Film conference room:
"Family! Director Qian has just joined our big family and is already working tirelessly to start a new film. I am very gratified by this! As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. As long as we keep churning out these... *ahem*, as long as we keep making these films, I believe that in the near future, Galaxy Film will definitely rise to the top of the industry, and all of you here will be our founding figures..." Pei Duoduo’s voice is resonant and full of passion.

"Great!"
"Bravo!"
The employees applaud one after another, and Qian Lang is infected by the atmosphere, ignoring the dilapidated office environment. Of course, as a director, he’s mostly in the field anyway, so he doesn't really have requirements for the office space.

"Director Qian, now that the new project is approved, we will handle all the logistics. Money is a minor issue, but do you have any thoughts on the actors?" Pei Duoduo smiles kindly.

Qian Lang feels a warmth in his heart. In the past, he never had a say in such matters. He didn't expect to have this autonomy in his new company.
"President Pei, I do have a humble opinion regarding the casting."
"Go ahead!" Pei Duoduo’s eyes are full of encouragement.
"Xingyao is also making a new movie, so we can ride their coattails." Qian Lang holds up his phone. Both the official Xingyao account and Wang Xingxing’s personal account have posted on Weibo: Xingyao is investing one billion to invite Director Zhang Mou to film a fantasy epic, with open auditions for actors in three days. This news is causing a stir on Weibo, drawing attention from all corners of the entertainment industry.

"Director Qian, how exactly do we ride their coattails?" Chen Yuanyuan asks curiously. Hao Han and the other employees prick up their ears as well. *Could Director Qian have brought some resources from Xingyao?*

Qian Lang curls the corner of his mouth. Instead of answering her directly, he looks at Pei Duoduo with a smile. "President Pei, the investment for this film is not low, but I think money should be spent where it counts."
"Hmm?" Pei Duoduo blinks, signaling for him to continue. The other employees also stare at Qian Lang, waiting for his shocking strategy.

"Therefore, we absolutely must not waste money where it shouldn't be spent!" Qian Lang surveys the room. The dilapidated environment clearly shows the precarious state of Galaxy Film. However, if they endure the hardships and grit their teeth, standing together as one, these days will soon be in the past. Once his movie is released, it will surely turn the company’s situation around.

"Ahem, Director Qian, please don't feel like you have to save money where it needs to be spent," Pei Duoduo clears her throat and reminds him. "Galaxy Film is different from companies that only care about making money. Our primary concern is the quality of the film. If ten million isn't enough, we can always add more." She looks at Qian Lang with expectant eyes. Forget ten million—she could actually pull out a hundred million. But since Qian Lang said yesterday that ten million was enough, and the system wouldn't allow reckless spending, she had agreed to ten million. *What? After one night, does the great Director Qian have new ideas? That would be just perfect! If I invest a hundred million, the double return would be two hundred million!*

"President Pei, ten million is enough." Qian Lang's reply makes Pei Duoduo freeze. She feels inexplicably disappointed. *Why are you trying to save money for no reason? Are we the type of people who can't afford to spend?*

"President Pei, family, the movie Xingyao is filming is on a massive scale, and with Director Zhang Mou at the helm, it will inevitably attract the vast majority of attention in the industry! If we also hold open auditions for actors, I'm afraid the results will be meager."

As soon as Qian Lang says this, the employees can't sit still.
"That Xingyao is so annoying!"
"Exactly! Why couldn't they film earlier or later? They just have to join in the fun the moment we announce our new film!"
"Heh, and the assistant director is that bird-brained Wang Xingxing again!"
"What a small world!"

The conference room erupts in chatter, with Chen Yuanyuan and Hao Han being the most vocal. However, Pei Duoduo’s expression remains calm. No one knows that she is overjoyed inside. *What good people! Xingyao is truly a blessing! First, they sent me this hack director Qian Lang, and then they invested a massive sum into a blockbuster. Aren’t they just the perfect little helpers? Market competition is treacherous. With such a disparity in power, isn't Qian Lang's movie guaranteed to flop? One is investing one billion, the other only ten million. One is a famous director like Zhang Mou, the other is a loser who has flopped three times in a row! You tell me, is there any suspense about who wins or loses? Haha, that ten million will lightly transform into twenty million!*

"Family, stay calm!" Pei Duoduo makes a 'T' shape with her hands, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

"Yes, family, we must find opportunity in danger. Xingyao's new film isn't entirely a bad thing for us!" Qian Lang also pacifies them. "Since they are spending money to hold auditions, we can just join in the fun. When there are any 'leaked fish' they don't want, we can just scoop them up without spending a dime!"

Upon hearing this, the employees are immediately thrilled. *Right! Let others spend the money, and we’ll pick up the leftovers! We can get things done without any effort. Most importantly, it doesn't cost a penny! It’s completely free! Hahaha. That's a clever move!*

"Great!" The employees applaud. Pei Duoduo’s eyes are sparkling. *As expected of the Sleeping Dragon I found. Picking up 'leaked fish'? Haha, what kind of good stuff could the ones others don't want be? But that doesn't matter. If the actors aren't good, how good can the movie be? Isn't the goal to make a trash movie? Oh my, family, it's so great that you can see eye to eye with Director Qian.*

Pei Duoduo looks at everyone with loving eyes. "Family, Director Qian truly lives up to his reputation from a big company. You must cooperate with him more in the future!"
"Absolutely!" The employees respond in unison.