Chapter 08: The Play Within the Play

"Setting up a makeshift bed is also acceptable." Bao Xiaosan has taken a step back

Oh, here comes the question. Guan Qianjiao asked in disbelief, "How can one still be unemployed and end up like this?"

Hao Laiyun shouted, "The Japanese army is coming"

Do not underestimate this place; strong liquor, cigarettes, and large pieces of meat have been a part of life since childhood. When I ask about things, even the children know to offer me cigarettes, " said Qiu Di.

Yay! A few people were taken aback, but Qiu Di denied it, saying: "That is not the case."

"Indeed, we are here to have fun," Guan Qianjiao said softly, her angelic face making it impossible for anyone to feel angry with her

The soldiers marched in formation, rifles slung over their shoulders, humming a tune that oddly resembled the enemy's military song. After humming a few lines, one of them raised a command knife towards the front, shouting: "Press forward! Eight explosions!"

Wow, celebrity, what number?" Geng Baolei asked

Guan Qianjiao shot him a glance, and he quickly covered his mouth. Right, the term "spy" is now a taboo word; the narrative has been unified to say they are here for leisure. Guan Qianjiao led the two of them, walking while saying: "Stop arguing, quickly think of a way to resolve the accommodation issue. The temperature difference here is so significant, and the crew still doesn't know how many days it will take to free up a room. We can't possibly sleep in the wilderness."

This troublesome matter is likely something Qianjiao does not wish to be involved in, as she waved her hand in refusal. No matter how eloquently Hao Laiyun spoke, a few people stood there like wooden figures, staring at him blankly. As they prepared to leave, it seemed that they caught a glimpse of anger in the eyes of the two men. When Hao Laiyun turned around, he saw the tall man from the Sichuan-style hot pot restaurant, and he instantly understood, saying: "Hey, don't confuse good and bad people. Are you going to eat at Jinling Thirteen Hairpins and get slaughtered?"

He did not come, just like seeing a ghost. Qiu Di said he could not find the room, but the three of them refused to believe it. Thus, they parted ways. Qiu Di rested in the area of West Street, and the three of them came to look for him. After once again proving that Qiu Di's judgment was accurate, Bao Xiaosan, filled with indignation, shifted the blame onto Qiu Di, commenting: "Damn it, it's all Qiu Di's fault for being such a jinx."

Ah, alright. The meatball pinched the cigarette, not on the ear

By the way, where is Qiu Di

Pfft, everyone in and out of the car was laughing uncontrollably, while Qiu Di looked frustrated, as he understood what was going on

"How much does it cost?" Qiu Di asked

Ah, making money is one thing, but one must not forget their humanity. It requires both literary and martial skills, being articulate and daring to take action. Moreover, these are all private agencies; once you earn to a certain extent, it becomes difficult to say, as they will always find ways to cut corners on you. He has tried several times to secure a regional express delivery agency, but has not succeeded. One company almost reached an agreement, but they asked him for a deposit of 500,000, which he cannot afford. Haha, so he can only mix with us poor folks... But do not underestimate him; I estimate that this guy has saved up some money.

"Upon arriving here for the first time, those who lack insight will inevitably be taken advantage of by this naive one." Hao Laiyun laughed heartily, his shoulders shaking. Everyone present was aware of this situation, and at that moment, looking at Qiu Di and his companions felt akin to observing two pairs of naive individuals.

Ah? Indeed, this fellow seems to have quite a bit of experience, "Geng Baolei realized.

"Is there a fee for registration?" Bao Xiaosan asked cautiously

Hao Laiyun smiled triumphantly and immediately changed his tone: "The National Army has arrived"

"Optical espionage precautions, who can know if basic life issues arise?" Geng Baolei said self-deprecatingly

As Hao Laiyun spoke, he inadvertently turned around, and the four strangers had already taken to their heels.

The malevolent appearance resembling a ghost, and yet it speaks Japanese, startled everyone

Fortunately, I have finally taken the first step in this thousand-mile journey of espionage

Turning back onto West Street, the streetlights illuminated, the number of cars increased, and the flow of people became more bustling, with conversations from all corners of the world. A few individuals did not seem out of place as they reached the street corner, at the entrance of a small convenience store. There, Qiu Di was already squatting, resting, and chatting with a little kid about something. It seemed the child was responding well, having received... a cigarette from Qiu Di. To everyone's surprise, the child actually lit it up and began to smoke.

In an instant, the meat mound changed again, with a look of lewdness and fear on its front and back. It waved its hand backward and shouted: "Brothers, take this hill! As we agreed, each person gets a piece of the big ocean! Go! Go! Whoever doesn't come up, I'll kill them!"

"It seems that this person has no sense of teamwork at all," Guan Qianjiao said, playfully complaining.

The crowd burst into laughter, and someone shouted, "Is it just like the donkey at Erguai's house?"

Once again, trouble has arisen. Bao Xiaosan turned around with a frown, only to see a dilapidated van parked nearby. A stout man with a crooked mustache and disheveled hair got out, his eyebrows slanted and mouth askew, approaching with an air of confrontation. Bao Xiaosan was not intimidated by the situation; with a surge of confidence, he bluntly asked, "What do you want?"

Just past the intersection, a sharp screech of brakes sounded, and a raspy voice shouted: "Hey, stop... I'm talking to you four, stop!"

At that moment, when Hao Laiyun turned around, those few people both laughed and were taken aback.

Hao Laiyun, however, was in high spirits, lighting a cigarette for the meat dumpling and saying, "Let's create a few shapes; a film crew is coming tomorrow, and I'll find you a role."

"Get lost, if you can act like a donkey, then that role is yours," Hao Laiyun shouted

Two hours later, the sky gradually darkened. In the vast region with significant temperature differences between day and night, a few individuals dressed in summer attire began to feel a chill. Guan Qianjiao emerged from the seventh small inn listed in the town, shaking her head at Bao Xiaosan and Geng Baolei, as all places yielded the same result: fully booked

"Do you understand?" Hao Laiyun asked

"The River Demon of Baota Town." Hao Laiyun gathered his strength, changed hands, and raised it again

"This dish name was created by me, and the script was designed by me as well... When you come to this place, you need to be sharp; being stubborn won't do. Do you want to see a live performance? I guarantee it will overturn your first impression of the local area." With this, Hao Laiyun managed to persuade the four to stop. He turned around and shouted to the person pushing the cart to dump the trash, 'Meat Dun, come here. I'll give you a cigarette.'

"Is that really the case? The passenger rate is so high?" Geng Baolei was taken aback

"Then I say it's free, can you believe it?" Hao Laiyun said disapprovingly, "There are no good things that come for free."

Amidst the laughter, he got into the car and left. Whatever happens here is merely a small interlude in a serious play, likely to be forgotten in an instant. Different crews and cast members gathered at the hotel and the West Street Restaurant, making the night in this small town even more lively.

"Isn't that too much? Who would do that to a child? They're so young, sigh..." As Geng Baolei shouted, the child ran off with a cigarette. The three approached, and Qiu Dile laughed heartily, while Guan Qianjiao, caught between laughter and tears, asked, "How can you be even more ruthless than San'er? The child is so young."

Everything is difficult at the beginning; if one does not know how to start, it may become even more challenging

"Hollywood... is just me." Hao Laiyun touched his chest and said sincerely, very much like a book.

Still not understanding, Hao Laiyun took out a cigarette and shouted: "Only when the cut is right can we smoke. I will go first, the Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger"

He is definitely well-known; everyone delivering packages in the Zhongguancun area recognizes him. Every year, when peak season arrives, he comes to seize business, and no one can compete with him. When the off-season comes, he makes money and then disappears to travel. He goes to many places, as he enjoys traveling. All his money is spent on this.

He stood up, and a few companions followed him, allowing a heart that had been hanging in suspense to finally relax. However, Guan Qianjiao felt displeased; she had paid for the meal, and now she felt as if she had done something wrong.

"Are you new here? You look unfamiliar." The person shouted, while there were still a few people in the car. Qiu Di pulled on Bao Xiaosan, urging him to remain calm.

After a busy day, the four of them arrived at their rented accommodation, a two-story brick building that was somewhat old. The restroom was a shared facility located in the courtyard. Forget about taking a shower; it was impossible to provide that. The fees for the public bath were even higher than those of saunas in the mainland. A few of them, exhausted, could not pay attention to the conditions here and each fell asleep as soon as they lay down.

"Don't talk about anything else, what are we going to do tonight?" Bao Xiaosan said anxiously

"Ah, here he comes." The burly man threw down the vehicle and hurriedly ran up. The people in the car leaned out their heads, as if they were already accustomed to it, but Qiu Di and the others noticed that something was amiss.

Hearing this, Geng Baole stared wide-eyed at Qiu Di, instantly elevating his opinion of him. No wonder he always felt that Qiu Di seemed to have an extra eye compared to others; it turned out to be a result of years of hardship and experience. He glanced at Guan Qianjiao and cautiously suggested: "I think he must be confident and prepared. Just now, when we were stubbornly saying we would definitely find it, wasn't he sneering beside us?"

Of course, it is profitable. Every industry has its top performers. In this field, delivery is inexpensive, but receiving goods is costly. There is a commission for each item received. If you can manage a university or a wholesale market, earning over 10,000 per month is possible

You only just figured it out, where have you been all this time? If I had known, I wouldn't have bought a tent?" said the mistress, scolding him.

I have made the reservation. We will turn into this alley, where there are two rooms in a residential house. One room costs 120 per day. The three of us will stay there, and an extra bed has been added.

"That should be quite profitable, right?" Guan Qianjiao said

While running, the figure at https://www.hetushu.com suddenly halted, striking a powerful pose with a clenched fist and shouting: "Chicken Stew with Mushrooms"

"What the hell, is he really that clueless?" Qiu Di was at a loss for words, never expecting to be taken for a ride like this, losing several hundred in vain.

He distributed business cards, and once he finished, the key points emerged: "You can come to my company for photo registration, and there is no charge for extras; whatever you earn is yours. For supporting roles with lines and screen time, I only charge a 20% commission. I don't know the directors who come here, but all the assistant directors know me, and they even gave me a very loud trumpet. You can ask anyone in town, and they will know."

The standard image of the national army. Hao Laiyun smiled, quickly changed his tone, and said: "Our army has arrived"

"Two hundred per person, and don't complain about the price. I can quickly arrange roles for you. If you really become familiar in this industry, it won't just be about dedicating yourself to art; who knows, perhaps a female artist might even dedicate herself to you." Hao Laiyun spoke with spittle flying, while the people in the car behind him chuckled.

Geng Baolei chuckled to himself; women are truly incomprehensible. Qiu Di had already advised several times, but it was Qian Jiao who insisted on her way. Now, she turns around and blames Qiu Di instead. He is beginning to doubt how much longer this combination can collaborate.

It really is that high, summer and autumn are peak seasons for outdoor filming at the film studio, and almost all the accommodations have been booked by production crews. Guan Qianjiao said, despite all the persuasion and even offering to pay a higher price, there were no rooms available

Ah, very well. The meatball gave a salute, trotted along with small steps, happily pocketing a handful of cigarettes, and continued pushing the garbage cart.

The meatball assumes a horse stance, transitions into an archer's stance, and roars with imposing authority: "Don't forget to add chili."

As dusk fell with the hurried footsteps of the three individuals, the peculiar military town began to reveal its extraordinary nature. From a distance, vehicles continuously approached from the direction of the film studio; some stopped outside the town, while others drove into the streets. The hotel became lively, with nearly hundreds of people simultaneously eating boxed meals, creating an increasingly spectacular scene. Wherever the three passed, they encountered weary travelers returning from the film city, likely actors involved in shooting a period drama. Strangely, they were all dressed in tattered clothing, yet each held a mobile phone, which was quite discomforting to behold, leading one to suspect a time travel had occurred.

Oh, is it really that easy to solve? The three of them exchanged glances, feeling a bit embarrassed. Qiu Di said: "You don’t go out much, but the more scarce something is, the easier it is to find. With so many residences, the common people are bound to get involved and earn a little money. I just asked and got the answer... I’m starting to regret those few hundred yuan; maybe if we negotiate a bit more, the restaurant won’t dare to charge us excessively. This place is quite peculiar; everywhere you turn, they are asking for money. Come on, let me show you around; we can make do with a place to stay and save a bit where we can."

Damn it, I'll go find him tomorrow. Bao Xiaosan said, but his tone was clearly not firm; after all, one cannot admit to being intimidated by a fool, right? What would that make us look like.

How can you expect me to sleep on the floor? There isn't even a floor mat left. Guan Qianjiao felt like crying without tears, never having imagined that she would be trapped by such a simple question.

"It's good to have newcomers. You may not be familiar with this place, so let me introduce myself. I am Hao Laiyun, the manager of the performance intermediary company in Tunbing Town. Don't think that coming here is just for fun; I know that people like you come here with a dream of dedicating yourselves to the arts"

There are so many people watching the jokes, and he raised his arm and shouted: "Who hasn't signed up yet? Come and sign up! The Zhenbeitou Performing Arts Agency is about to start filming 'Northwest Hero'! No matter what you look like, don't feel inferior, don't give up. The screen needs inspirational figures like you."

Hahaha ... ... Laughter erupted both inside and outside the vehicle. As more people gathered, several offered cigarettes to the meatball. Hao Laiyun waved them off, saying: "Go ahead, the rehearsal was good, always ready to respond to the organization's call."

Well, as long as you understand, it's just that the supporting roles in various plays are all minor characters. If even a fool can become an actor, then you have no problem at all... My phone number is on the business card, feel free to contact me anytime. We have historical dramas, war films, fantasy genres, and even rural melodramas here. Not to mention people, even a few donkeys from Erguai's family in town have successfully made it to the screen... Hey, why is everyone running away

The stout figure stands tall and proud, striking a pose as if blowing a bugle, playing a tune of "di di da da". With a bang, the mouth acts as a gun, and in a stance of a lone warrior holding the fort, he shouts: "Comrades! The time has come for us to be tested by the Party and the people! For the new China, charge forward!"

I understand now, the time here is reversed, the film and television industry is the main industry, if several production teams come at the same time, won't it hollow out the town