"...That's what happened, and then Director Yan and I went out for a meal, which is why I'm only getting back now."
Xiao He stood before Liu Rulan like a misbehaving elementary school student, earnestly explaining the situation.
Liu Rulan: "..."
Liu Rulan rubbed her brow somewhat helplessly: "Forget it, as long as you're fine."
Other people have late-night "script discussions," but these two greedy guys have late-night "evil spirit possessions."
Liu Rulan comforted herself, thinking at least it was just being unable to control their mouths—if they want to eat, let them eat.
"Recently some actors in the crew have been rather restless, you should be careful to protect yourself." Liu Rulan reminded him.
"What do you mean by 'rather restless'?"
Xiao He cautiously inquired.
"Have you heard of 'crew couples'?"
Xiao He: "...I've heard a little about it."
It's just that Xiao He hadn't encountered it before.
"This crew is a mixed bag with unstable people, just focus on your own work. All we can do is not participate, not engage, and not get involved in trouble." Liu Rulan said with her arms crossed, "Stay away from those people. This crew has poor atmosphere and management isn't great either. Just endure it a while longer."
"Ah?"
"The assistant director will be returning from outside in a while. By then, the others in the crew should behave much better."
"Eh? Our crew has an assistant director?"
Xiao He was somewhat surprised.
He hadn't seen anyone before and thought the "Corner Also" crew only had Yan Shaohan ruling everything alone. He didn't expect there to be an assistant director.
"The assistant director is responsible for filming the backstory of Corner Also, so he's been shooting at that film base we visited last time." Liu Rulan explained.
Xiao He understood.
That film base they visited last time was used to film the opening scenes of Corner Also—the ancient storyline where a group of alchemists search for the elixir of immortality and capture people to use as test subjects for experiments.
The actors in that part were basically a different group, since the main characters were mostly children back then. Having these actors play older roles was fine, but making them play children would be pushing it.
So to shorten the shooting schedule and save time, the assistant director started filming simultaneously with another group.
Once they finish filming all the scenes over there, they'll return and join the current main storyline filming.
"What's the situation with that assistant director? Can he suppress all these bizarre characters?" Xiao He felt a glimmer of expectation.
Please, someone come and manage these people properly. It's not physically exhausting, but mentally draining.
"I'm afraid that would be quite difficult too." Liu Rulan answered honestly.
Xiao He: "..."
Then what's the point of saying that!
"However, that assistant director used to work in Director Zhuang's crew and is considered half of Director Zhuang's trusted subordinate. Although his ability isn't enough to suppress others, compared to Yan Shaohan, he has one good quality—he loves to tattle."
Xiao He: "...Huh?"
Xiao He almost thought he misheard.
What kind of advantage is that?
He thought Liu Rulan would at least mention some useful skills like "high emotional intelligence," "good at talking," or "skilled at management"...
And you tell me his advantage is loving to tattle?!
Xiao He was speechless, but after thinking about it, he realized this "advantage" could indeed be considered an "advantage."
After all, as the director, you can't go crying to Zhuang Hongyi about everything. So if there's an assistant director who's closer to Zhuang Hongyi to do the "crying," that situation would be better.
"Don't worry, at least it won't be worse than now."
Liu Rulan comforted Xiao He like this.
Xiao He: "...That's true too."
After finishing this matter, Xiao He fell into brief silence.
Should he take the initiative to ask Sister Liu about Tong Junhui?
"Is there anything else?" Liu Rulan noticed Xiao He's unusual behavior first, "If not, I'm going back."
"Uh, it's nothing much." Xiao He hesitated for a moment, then decided to ask directly, "It's just, Sister Liu, did you know that guy Tian Heng used to have dealings with Tong Junhui?"
Liu Rulan's tone instantly turned colder: "Did someone say something in front of you?"
"No, no..." Xiao He thought about it, then shamelessly shifted the blame to Tian Heng, "It's just that Tian Heng seems to have lost his agent job, so he tried to mouth off to me a few times. Nothing else really."
"Hmph, that guy. I let him off last time, but he still can't control his mouth." Liu Rulan snorted lightly, "Looks like I need to deal with him properly."
"So Sister Liu knew Tian Heng had dealings with Tong Junhui back then?"
"Of course."
Liu Rulan sat on the sofa, looking expressionlessly out the floor-to-ceiling window, letting out a sarcastic cold laugh.
"As Tong Junhui's agent, how could I not know..."
...
"You're really crazy!"
Liu Rulan shook off the man's hand, looking coldly at the person before her, "I didn't know you had the guts to touch this stuff!"
"Sis, sis, I was really wrong."
Tong Junhui knelt before her, hugging one of her legs, his face full of pain.
"I just wanted to know what that guy Tian Heng was really trying to do! I never expected he actually wanted to harm me!"
"I already warned you not to play with those people." Liu Rulan directly pulled her leg out and walked to sit nearby, then sarcastically curled her lips, "What? You saw their traffic taking off while you're steadily working as an actor, and you feel unbalanced?"
"Sister Liu, I really don't."
Tong Junhui desperately tried to defend himself, but Liu Rulan just watched him expressionlessly, completely unmoved.
"Sister Liu, only you can save me now! I can't stand going a single day without it now, please help me find a source! I'm begging you! You've been in the industry so many years, you must have connections, right?" Tong Junhui crawled to Liu Rulan, his face pleading, "Sister Liu, it's not like it's drugs, just some medication, it won't be a problem! I know many people overseas treat this stuff like candy now, doctors can easily prescribe it if you have connections. You must have a way, I'm begging you—"
"Tong Junhui, shut the hell up!"
Liu Rulan was so angry she started cursing. If she wasn't considering his upcoming schedules, she really wanted to slap him across the face to sober him up properly.
"What's the difference between this and drugs? Once you have it, you want it again, and after the second time, there will be countless times." Liu Rulan wanted to throw the criminal code in his face, "And is this something I can just help you find a source to buy? I'm here to be an agent, not a drug dealer. You want to court death, but I don't want to eat prison food!"
"But, but I'm already like this!"
Tong Junhui covered his face, sitting weakly on the floor.
"Sister Liu, I'm in so much pain, I feel like there are ants crawling all over my body—how about I go abroad instead? Sister Liu, don't you have ways to go overseas? You sent Shu Han abroad back then, send me out too, okay? Let's develop overseas! We can go to neighboring countries—no, anywhere is fine, I can definitely make a comeback, as long as I—"
Liu Rulan stared at him coldly, cruelly and ruthlessly interrupting him: "Leave the industry."
Tong Junhui's words all got stuck in his throat.
He looked at Liu Rulan with disbelief: "Sister Liu, are you really this heartless, making me leave the industry directly?"
"I'm informing you."
"Now, immediately, right now, get up and stand straight. In a few days it's your award ceremony—look at yourself, where's the bearing of an Award-Winning Actor anymore." Liu Rulan said each word seriously yet coldly, "You're leaving this industry whether you want to or not. If you still consider me your sister, obediently leave the industry and go get clean."
"Of course, you could also go to Tian Heng and them, beg them to give you a source, willingly be their dog for life."
Tong Junhui's lips trembled as he painfully lowered his head.
"Tong Junhui, where's your dignity? Don't make me look down on you." Liu Rulan said calmly, "Think about it carefully yourself."