Chapter 130: Which One to Choose?

In her past life, Chu Luoxi had also played the role of a female soldier; the trend had been sparked by "Blood Phoenix."

However, a female soldier is one thing, but Chu Luoxi had never played a special forces operative, and the two were vastly different. Moreover, the feel of a combat soldier compared to a cultural troupe performer or a logistics soldier was distinct; they could not be spoken of in the same breath.

When she first saw that "Blood Phoenix" was a modern drama, Chu Luoxi hadn't immediately connected it to that legendary television series about female special forces. It was only upon flipping through the contents that she realized it was the very classic and progenitor that had been most highly acclaimed by audiences in her memory.

It was such a surprise. She never expected this script to be delivered to her, let alone with an invitation to play the lead role.

Rumor had it that the original "Blood Phoenix" never found a suitable actress, eventually forcing them to use a reasonably attractive performer from a military cultural troupe. Although it became an instant hit, the circle of the military's cultural troupe was worlds apart from the entertainment industry. That performer couldn't simply resign to enter show business, wasting what was an incredibly rare opportunity—a fact that had made countless actresses envious and resentful.

Furthermore, that performer had been far too mechanical, and her acting lacked depth. To call it a "natural performance" would be a stretch, so she certainly wouldn't have succeeded in the entertainment industry.

"Blood Phoenix" was celebrated primarily for its plot; as for the lead’s performance, one could only say it was passable.

Therefore, Chu Luoxi had never imagined she would receive such a formidable script; she had assumed it was merely a coincidence of names.

Suppressing her excitement, Chu Luoxi gently set down the "Blood Phoenix" script. Classic scenes from the show flickered involuntarily through her mind, as if branded onto her heart, leaving a deep sense of agitation.

After a moment of stillness, Chu Luoxi picked up the final script, intending to examine it carefully; she couldn't waste Lan Daji's thoughtful efforts.

However, when her eyes fell upon the cover, Chu Luoxi was stunned. She thought she had misread it at first—it seemed there was no record of this show in her memory. Had it never been produced?

One had to realize that with modern internet channels, as long as a show was filmed, it would almost certainly appear on paid platforms like China Film and Television Network, where most could recover some of their costs.

For this reason, Chu Luoxi finally felt a spark of novelty, and she became curious: why had this script caught Lan Daji’s eye?

Filled with anticipation, Chu Luoxi opened the first page and immediately thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

The screenwriter column contained two names that made her feel faint: Xiao Jingxuan and Bai Yun. Damn, had the world turned into a fantasy novel?

The future superstar of the entertainment industry and the future diamond-tier screenwriter—why were these two crossing paths now? And why were they appearing together as co-writers on the same script? What kind of situation was this?

Chu Luoxi stared blankly at the two names, her heart drumming against her ribs. She rubbed her eyes, then rubbed them again, but nothing changed.

Shocked beyond measure, Chu Luoxi remained dazed for a long time, muttering to herself: "My eyes are playing tricks on me; they must be. How could I see the names of Master Xiao and Master Bai Yun? Why would Master Bai Yun be writing scripts at this time? Yes, that's it, my eyes must be failing me..."

"What's wrong with you?" Lan Lun walked in from the balcony while on the phone. He had just finished handling some remote arrangements and wanted to ask for Chu Luoxi’s opinion on the scripts, only to find her lost in thought.

"Ah? Oh!" Chu Luoxi’s soul had clearly not returned to her body, and she had no idea what she had answered.

Lan Lun frowned, feeling that the artist he had signed was just as difficult to handle as a certain "master." She always made him lose his composure, struggling to keep his face from twitching.

His gaze fell on the script in Chu Luoxi's hand. Lan Lun provided a professional introduction: "This script is expanded from the music video story for Xiao Jingxuan’s previous album, 'Full Moon and Crescent.' We shot it last time, didn't we? Do you see any issues with it?"

"What? 'Full Moon and Crescent'?" Chu Luoxi finally snapped back to reality. She looked down and quickly scanned the script, then realization dawned on her.

It really was the story from the "Full Moon and Crescent" music video. No wonder she hadn't seen it in her previous life; Master Xiao hadn't developed it into a standalone project back then. Could it be that he had listened to her casual remarks? Master Xiao was truly a man of action! After more than a year, he had actually pulled it off. Most importantly, he had actually managed to find Master Bai Yun to polish the script?

Orz. This collaboration was absolutely epic. Even as Chu Luoxi marveled at this, she finally understood why Bai Yun had come to the Imperial Capital; he had mentioned accepting a script commission, and it turned out to be Master Xiao's.

"Xiao Jingxuan said you promised to be the lead actress if this story script ever came to fruition, so he wanted me to show it to you." Lan Lun commented on the matter, finding Chu Luoxi’s expression extremely strange—what was with that look of horror and shock? He had read it; while the script was indeed well-written and broke away from many set patterns, it shouldn't warrant such surprise!

"Uh..." Chu Luoxi tried hard to recall. Had she promised? Was she sure? Why couldn't she remember?

She picked up the "Blood Phoenix" script and stroked it, feeling a deep reluctance. It wasn't that she liked it more than "The Plum Blossoms Wilted," but she couldn't bear to give up either one. She suddenly felt a bit greedy.

In terms of the script, "The Plum Blossoms Wilted," with the addition of Master Bai Yun, was even better than "Blood Phoenix," and it hadn't existed in her previous life. But the classic status of "Blood Phoenix" was unquestionable. Chu Luoxi had never expected to encounter it, and the prospect of having to give it up made her feel quite depressed.

"Alright then, I'll go with this one!" Chu Luoxi picked up the "The Plum Blossoms Wilted" script, ultimately choosing it.

For her, a brand-new television series held more significance than one she had seen in a past life. Having been reborn for over twenty years, the sense of novelty in her life was pitifully scarce; she couldn't bring herself to stifle this rare, newfound curiosity.

Lan Lun glanced at it, then turned his gaze back to the coffee table: "You don't like that 'Blood Phoenix'? I took a look; the subject matter is very current, and by riding the wave of the 'red-themed' drama trend, it should turn out quite well..."

"Eh?" Chu Luoxi blinked, pleasantly surprised: "I can choose both?"

"Did I say you could only choose one?" Lan Lun looked puzzled, having no memory of ever saying such a thing. "For 'The Plum Blossoms Wilted,' you are the lead, and Xiao Jingxuan is the designated male lead; he has to shoot a movie soon, so he has no availability in the short term. As for 'Blood Phoenix,' everything else is ready, they are just missing a lead actress and will begin filming soon. There is no conflict between the two schedules at all."

Chu Luoxi immediately felt a dark cloud hang over her head. It was the first time she realized Lan Daji was actually a completely black-hearted schemer. If that were the case, why hadn't he said so sooner? He had made her agonize over this for so long...

"However..." Lan Lun added, making Chu Luoxi's heart skip a beat. She had the strong urge to smash the script in her hand against his expressionless face.