Chapter 26: They truly need such an opportunity, and I, as it happens, simply need them.

Two days later.

"Cheng Cheng, I hear you've finished casting. Care to share any details?"

"Of course!" Cheng Cheng smiled at the reporter. "After two days of nationwide auditions, I have finally selected some excellent actors. I believe that every one of them will add depth and highlights to this film." (Thumbs up)

The reporter went for the jugular: "Before you started casting, you sent out invitations to Chu Qing, Chen Long, Zhu Haisheng, Qi Li, and others. What were you thinking back then? Did they come to the auditions? Can we expect to see them in the film?"

Cheng Cheng shook his head with feigned regret: "During the casting process, I did indeed send invitations to Best Actor Chu Qing, Brother Chen Long, and others. However, I prioritize an actor's performance and their ability to immerse themselves in the role. After careful consideration by myself and Director Dao—that is, the assistant director—we decided to give the opportunities to actors who need them more." (Thumbs up again)

Reporter: "What expectations do you have for this film?"

Cheng Cheng: "They say the size of your ambition determines the size of your stage. A director who doesn't want to be a box office champion isn't a good director, and one who doesn't want to win awards isn't a good director either. But since I'm a newcomer, it's best to set a small, achievable goal. For instance, a box office of one billion!"

—

The interview was released.

"Low EQ: They ignored me.
High EQ: We decided to give the opportunities to actors who need them more."

"Fun fact: The so-called 'nationwide audition' actually only had a total of 300 actors."

"99% of directors couldn't reach Cheng Cheng's 'small goal'."

"The 'Small Goal' (a play on words)."

"Hilarious!"

"Hahaha, I'm dying. Cheng Cheng is really going all out as a clown, hitching rides on popularity for his movie. One billion at the box office? This guy really dares to say anything. It's a good thing bluffing isn't a crime, or he'd be serving a life sentence."

"I'll lend him two movie tickets, and I still don't believe he'll make a billion!"

"If he hits a billion, I'll eat my router!"

"Don't you guys think we've already turned 'Cheng Cheng's Downfall' into entertainment? Every time he acts out, you all say his mental state is 'beautiful,' that he has no bottlenecks, or that he's a content-creation genius. He uses this to shamelessly climb the trending topics over and over again. I think we should be wary of this behavior. Cheating is cheating! Boycott the comeback of disgraced artists in any form!"

—

Later that day, Cheng Cheng unlocked his phone and posted on Weibo:

"#NoMoreBets #Casting After a long and rigorous casting process, the key roles for my new film have finally been finalized!
@Li Yang and @Wen Lian will play the leads, @Yan Gou'er and @Meng Cai will play important supporting roles, and @Qi Hao will play the key antagonist.
Every one of these actors is my top choice, and I look forward to the surprises and emotions they will bring to the film!"

As soon as the post went live, Li Yang, Wen Lian, and the others felt their worlds go black!

Wait, we wanted to join your film to work hard in secret and then shock everyone at the end. Why did you expose us now?

We don't want to be the center of attention!

Oh no! It's over!

Just as they expected, as soon as the list was made public, the netizens laughed their heads off.

In the words of the netizens, if you didn't know better, you'd think this was an official list of disgraced artists!

"One whose reputation is in tatters, a former child star who has been irrelevant for years, a web-movie actor, a perennial extra, and someone I've never even heard of—a complete amateur. Add in a director whose own reputation has collapsed, and what is this? A meeting of the washed-up?"

"This list is truly one of a kind!"

"I've seen people cling to the famous, but I've never seen a group of bottom-tier actors huddling together for warmth. Hahahaha, I'm dying!"

"Is there a possibility that Cheng Cheng really couldn't find any other actors?"

"Exactly. Who in their right mind would want to film with Cheng Cheng?"

"Sigh, Li Yang was so popular once. I never expected him to end up in a Cheng Cheng movie."

"Same with Wen Lian, isn't it? One wrong step after another. She's twenty-five or twenty-six now, and apart from *Double Time Ballad*, she doesn't have a single representative work."

"This film is doomed. Whether it's Wen Lian or Li Yang, they're at least passable since they still have acting skills. But Qi Hao? He's even bringing in web-movie actors. You can imagine the quality of this film."

Vance Group, top floor, Chairman's office.

Jiang Wang frowned as he scrolled with his mouse. He looked up and asked, "Is it too late to destroy the contract?"

His secretary replied weakly, "Probably not, right?"

Jiang Wang burst out:

"What is he doing? What kind of actors are these? Li Yang, Wen Lian, and that what's-his-name Qi Hao—is there a single normal person among them? And then he goes and posts the list publicly, saying, 'Every one of these actors is my top choice.' Aside from lowering the public's expectations for the film, what is the point of this? Is he trying to challenge the nerves of the netizens? If you told me he wasn't mentally ill, I wouldn't believe you!"

The secretary was too terrified to make a sound.

It had been a long time since Jiang Wang was this angry. He had always been good at keeping his composure; he just suffered from 'idiot-phobia.'

A very intense case of it!

He couldn't understand why, when some people clearly had better options, they chose the most foolish one.

In other words: There are 99 roads to success in front of you, but you chose the only one that leads into a sewer. Should I call you smart or stupid?

Cheng Cheng's actions, in particular, were simply subverting Jiang Wang's worldview and challenging his perceptions!

If you can't find actors, you can ask me for help!

Don't you think that because I helped you once, I wouldn't help you a second time?

Sigh, forget it!

Jiang Wang adjusted his mindset:

After all, not everyone is the chairman of a hundred-billion-dollar enterprise, right?

It's unrealistic to expect everyone to be as smart as I am. Only if everyone else is stupider than me can I be who I am, and only then can I make money off them!

Besides, didn't I already have expectations? It would be good enough if Cheng Cheng's film reached a C-grade. Now, I've just lowered my expectations even further. And I'm not losing anything; if his film doesn't meet the standards, I just won't approve the budget, right?

Having cleared this up, Jiang Wang stopped being angry.

The secretary asked softly, "Chairman, should I still destroy the contract?"

Jiang Wang waved his hand: "No need, let him be."

—

Jiang Nan: "Cheng Cheng, are you really okay with hiring Li Yang and Wen Lian? If I had known, I would have just asked to act in your movie instead!"

Cheng Cheng replied: "If you joined, the controversy would only be greater. It might even spark some tawdry gossip. Are you willing to deal with that?"

Jiang Nan: "Who would dare? I'd have my dad ban their accounts!"

Cheng Cheng wiped the sweat from his brow—having a dad like that was truly something else. He typed:

"Don't worry, Jiang Jiang. I believe in them, just as they believe in me. They are all very qualified actors. Although Li Yang's reputation has collapsed, he has been acting in stage plays for years. Wen Lian started as a child star, and her talent is still there; she's more than capable of handling a sexy role. And Qi Hao, even though he comes from web movies, his ability is definitely underestimated."

Seeing that he couldn't stop once he started typing, Cheng Cheng was afraid Jiang Nan would get impatient, so he sent that part first and continued:

"I chose them for no other reason. Not to chase traffic, not to create a gimmick, and not because I'm losing my mind. It's just that they happen to need this opportunity, and I happen to need them. The controversy surrounding them has nothing to do with me."

Jiang Nan said: "Alright then, it's your decision, and I support you! Good luck!"

Cheng Cheng: "When the movie comes out, I'll treat you to a screening!"

Jiang Nan: "It's a deal! I'll be waiting!"