Huayu: This director is so eager to improve.

Chapter 87 Sett?

Zheng Peng finished his day's work and, looking slightly tired, headed towards his rented room.

In Hengdian at night, prosperity and desolation are intertwined.

In the distance, the lights of the Ming and Qing palaces spread out in a halo of light through the rain, a dazzling display of light from another world.

The road he walked on was dimly lit, with potholes and puddles. The cheap rental buildings along the roadside were like silent behemoths, swallowing up and spitting out countless "Hengdian drifters" with dreams in their hearts.

His "home" was in the basement of one of the buildings.

Behind a rusty iron gate is a narrow, steep staircase. As you descend, a damp, musty smell hits you, mixed with the stench wafting from the public toilet next door.

The room was small, barely big enough to fit a creaky single bed, a peeling wardrobe, and a wobbly table.

The ground was rough cement, and even with a cheap plastic mat, it always felt dampness creeping up from under your feet.

But there's no other way; a monthly rent of 300 yuan is already the lowest price in Hengdian.

Even so, it was only because his fellow villager and boss put in a good word for him.

I sat on the hard bed, and the bed groaned as if it couldn't bear the weight.

These days seem endless, and the dream of acting feels like it's behind a thick layer of frosted glass—you can see the outline, but you can't touch it.

Just as his spirits were sinking to rock bottom, his cell phone rang in his pocket.

It's his hometown number.

Almost reflexively, Zheng Peng took a deep breath and quickly adjusted his facial expression. His voice immediately returned to its original loud, cheerful, and energetic self.

"Hey! Mom! Why are you calling at this hour? I was just about to call you!"

My mother's concerned nagging came from the other end of the phone:

"Peng, have you eaten yet? Is it raining in Hengdian too? Are you cold? Wear more clothes..."

"I've eaten, I've eaten so well! The crew's lunches are even better than home-cooked meals! It's raining, but we're all indoors, so it's not cold! Mom, don't worry, your son is strong and healthy!"

"That's good, that's good... Your dad, he's just stubborn, but he's really worried about you. Yesterday he secretly told me to send you some money, worried you'd be suffering out there..."

Zheng Peng's nose tingled, but his voice rose even higher and sounded more "relaxed."

"Why send money? Mom, tell Dad I'm doing great here! I've landed several roles already! Although they're all small parts now, the directors all say I have potential! When my shows air soon, you, Dad, Uncle, and the others can all sit in front of the TV and watch! I guarantee you'll all be proud!"

He talked on and on about "fun stories from the film crew," "the director's encouragement," and "future prospects." His mother on the other end of the phone listened with satisfaction and kept saying "good."

Finally, Zheng Peng hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mom... is Dad still angry with me?"

The mother sighed, "You know how stubborn your dad is. But yesterday he watched a recording of you performing a skit at home. He didn't say anything after watching it, just smoked. He cares about you as his son, but he just can't bring himself to do it. When you really succeed, he'll be happier than anyone else."

"Yes, I know." Zheng Peng's voice softened.

"Mom, you and Dad, take care of yourselves. Wait for me here. Once I get my salary, I'll send money back to you so you can buy some nice things."

After giving a few more words of advice, Zheng Peng hung up the phone amidst his mother's repeated reminders to "be careful while you're away alone."

The phone screen went dark, and the room fell silent again, with only the patter of rain outside the window and the faint sound of the television coming from next door.

The cheerfulness and hope I forced myself to maintain during the call just now deflated quickly, like a punctured balloon.

He looked at the empty, musty room, and a feeling of anxiety and disappointment weighed heavily on his heart.

This can't go on!

He sat up abruptly in bed, bent down, and dragged a worn-out suitcase from under the bed. Inside the compartment was a crumpled little notebook.

Inside were all the contact information of the group leaders that he had obtained from various channels after arriving in Hengdian.

He picked up the old cell phone and dialed a number.

The phone rang several times before being answered, and a somewhat impatient male voice came from the other end:

"Feed? Who is it? So late at night!"

"Brother Li, it's me, Xiao Zheng, Zheng Peng! I worked with you on the set of 'The Qin Empire' before, playing the dead body!" Zheng Peng quickly introduced himself, his tone cautiously ingratiating.

"Zheng Peng? Oh, I vaguely remember him. What's up? I'll let you know in the group if there's any work, just wait." Li Quntou clearly wasn't interested in small talk.

"Brother Li, I'm sorry to bother you. I wanted to ask you about something," Zheng Peng said, gripping his phone tightly, his voice dry with nervousness.

"I heard that the production team of the very popular drama 'Nirvana in Fire' is also recruiting extras, right?"

......

Here's a little industry tidbit: when film crews come to Hengdian World Studios for shooting, the venue usage fee is actually "free".

However, this "free" service comes with the condition that the film crew must stay at a hotel officially designated by Hengdian World Studios or one of its partner hotels. So, ultimately, the cost is borne by the film crew.

"Nirvana in Fire" is produced by Tangren Media, and this time they booked two entire floors of a five-star hotel near Hengdian World Studios.

In addition to its pleasant environment, the hotel also has a completely free, private gym.

If filming ends early, Qi Yue usually stays here for about one or two hours.

That day, Qi Yue went to the gym as usual.

There weren't many people inside; only a few crew members were jogging on the treadmills.

He habitually walked to the strength zone and began to do some basic training.

Just as he was focused on pushing the barbell, a muffled groan of some strain came from beside him.

Qi Yue caught a glimpse of a rather robust young man wearing a tight vest, struggling to bench press a slightly overloaded weight.

His face turned bright red, his arms trembled slightly, and the barbell stopped at its highest point, seemingly unable to be pushed any further.

Qi Yue put down his equipment, walked over, and reached out to support the middle of the barbell bar.

The young man felt the weight lighten and the pressure decrease sharply. With Qi Yue's help, he controlled the barbell to be placed back on the stand, and then sat up, panting heavily.

"Thanks, buddy! I almost couldn't hold on!" He wiped his sweat, looked at Qi Yue, and flashed a set of white teeth.

"You're welcome. Safety first." Qi Yue nodded, preparing to return to his training.

"Hey buddy, you're in great shape! That weight you were pushing earlier wasn't light. How long have you been training like this?"

Qi Yue stopped in his tracks. "It hasn't been long; we've only just begun practicing."

"I've had it for two years!" the young man exclaimed, perking up as he flexed his arm to show off his well-developed biceps.

"How about it, handsome, right?"

Qi Yue: "..."

No wonder some people say that people who come to the gym for a year want to attract the opposite sex, and after two years they want to attract the same sex.

"Thanks, buddy. I can give you an autographed photo after practice!"

Autographed photo? Qi Yue was taken aback.

"What? Don't you recognize me?"

The young man seemed a little surprised by Qi Yue's reaction, raising his eyebrows as if it was strange that Qi Yue didn't recognize him.

Qi Yue thought to himself: Who are you? Do I have to know you?

But then I looked at the person more closely. Wait, does that person look...somewhat familiar?

"You are... Sett?"