Chapter 48: I Got the Better Deal

After the premiere of "Dragon Roars Across the World," it became a blazing sensation. The second and third rounds of broadcast followed quickly, and with the paid online channels, talk of the show was everywhere. Then came Master Xiao’s album, "Sorrows and Joys," whose first month was a critical period requiring extensive promotion. As the lead, Xiao Jingxuan could hardly be idle.

Sympathy aside, Chu Luoxi felt perfectly justified in simply watching the drama unfold. It wasn't until she was nearly full, noticing that the two sitting across from her hadn't spoken, that she couldn't help but ask, "Senior Xiao, shouldn't you tell me now? Why did you invite me here? Surely it can't just be for a meal!"

The famed culture of dining tables in Huaxia, renowned through the ages and known the world over, made such odd invitations suspect. She didn’t believe for a moment that there was no ulterior motive.

"Heh, I was just wondering when you’d finally ask. Didn’t expect you to be so patient." Leng Lu exhaled, suddenly energized.

Seeing this, Chu Luoxi was both amused and exasperated. So all along, they’d been waiting for her to speak up—why not say so sooner? At least they wouldn’t have had to wait so long. "Looks like there really is something. Don’t tell me you want my help again. Is Senior Xiao filming something new?"

Hey now, this sort of thing shouldn’t happen again and again. Although helping Xiao Jingxuan promised plenty of benefits in the future—a wise early investment—she disliked being thrown into things without warning. Better to clarify from the start.

"This has nothing to do with him," Leng Lu interjected, unable to hold back, so Xiao Jingxuan let him speak. "This is a great opportunity for you!"

Chu Luoxi arched her brows, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "So what exactly is it?" Was there really a need for all this suspense? Besides, she felt a need to discount Leng Lu’s exaggeration; what he called a great opportunity still needed to be heard first.

"There’s a historical palace drama about to start filming, 'Schemes of Beauty and Power.' Have you heard of it?" Leng Lu spoke with mysterious assurance, as if certain Chu Luoxi knew nothing of it.

But being reborn was the greatest cheat code. Even if Chu Luoxi hadn’t originally known, now she was well aware.

"'Schemes of Beauty and Power'?" Chu Luoxi narrowed her eyes, her heart stirring restlessly.

She knew very well that Leng Lu wouldn’t mention this drama without reason, especially to invite her out for it. And indeed, this was an excellent opportunity. Years ago, the series "Golden Phoenix’s Desire" had taken the country by storm, revitalizing palace intrigue dramas across the mainland and Hong Kong. Since then, countless imitative tales of women’s infighting had appeared, but none reached such heights, and their reputations were lackluster.

Many screenwriters failed to grasp the heart of it, but viewers weren’t fools. The success of "Golden" lay in its perfect, authentic depiction of palace intrigue. The women each had their own personalities, and it was hard to say who was good or bad. In that era, under those circumstances, morality was irrelevant.

Contrast that with the copycat dramas, which all spotlighted the heroine’s "truth, goodness, and beauty." In the harem, the lead was always a delicate saint, which felt unnatural and drew plenty of side-eyes and scorn.

Thus, in the long years dominated by such mediocre efforts, "Schemes of Beauty and Power" emerged as a wildly successful palace intrigue drama. In terms of reputation, ratings, and viewer affection, it even surpassed its predecessor.

Whether the director and screenwriter finally saw the obvious flaws, or truly had a breakthrough, "Schemes" became a phenomenon. It launched not only its leads, but also many supporting actors—an entire generation made.

"I’ve vaguely heard of it. What about it?" Chu Luoxi’s eyebrow quirked, her mind racing.

Any hit drama had its reasons. "Schemes" boasted not only a compelling plot, but also a cast whose director mined every ounce of talent. Even actors dismissed as mere decoration delivered stellar, nuanced performances. Otherwise, how could it surpass "Golden"?

A joke once circulated that even a background extra with a one-second shot in "Schemes" was a master of the craft. There was truth to it. What truly excited Chu Luoxi was the chance to witness such a contest of acting firsthand. She yearned to see a set where even extras were seasoned performers, and the atmosphere crackled with artistry.

"It’s fine if you haven’t heard… wait, you really have?" Leng Lu’s surprise was genuine. The crew had been preparing for ages and only just started shooting, yet Chu Luoxi already knew? Her connections were clearly extraordinary.

"Is it so surprising?" Chu Luoxi smiled, her eyes bright. "But, what does this have to do with you and me? Are they short on cast? Would they let me join?"

She remembered the "Schemes" crew was flush with funds, hiring well-known actors, especially those in major roles—award-winning talents, whose collaboration sparked brilliance.

Only by combining so many factors could a classic be created; it wasn’t enough to excel in just one area.

Some didn’t understand, or even if they did, couldn’t manage it for various reasons. That’s why imitators never succeeded; their efforts were pale imitations, and the audience was right to reject them.

"That makes it much easier. Yes, indeed, Scenic Entertainment invested in this drama. A role originally cast has become vacant. It’s quite important, with substantial screen time, so they’re auditioning anew. Junior Chu, would you like to try out?" Leng Lu, finally learning his lesson, cut straight to the point. It was just a single sentence, yet he’d managed to drag it out so long.

"Huh?" Chu Luoxi glanced at Xiao Jingxuan in confusion. What was her senior’s intention? "Why not offer it to your company’s artists? Why give me such an opportunity—wouldn’t that be a windfall for me?"

Since Scenic Entertainment had invested heavily, they certainly had slots to recommend actors. Even though few realized yet how big "Schemes" would become, it was a rare chance. There was no reason for it to land in her lap.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, especially in show business. As fellow alumni, Xiao Jingxuan had already given her a role and made her the lead in a music video; he’d gone above and beyond, showing special consideration. With so many juniors at Imperial Film, what made him so eager to offer her these chances?

Chu Luoxi’s suspicion was instinctive. The first two opportunities she could explain as coincidence, but this time, she simply couldn’t convince herself.