Brother Dao Took the Entertainment Industry by Storm, Fans Beg Me Not to Kill Anymore

Chapter 689: "Imperial Enterprise" Opens Auspiciously!

And just as Xiao He and Shu Han were discussing Yun Ziqi and An Laijia, those two over there were talking about them.

“There’s no doubt, I’m not the only backup candidate in this production. At this point, it’s impossible to have someone removed from the crew,” Yun Ziqi said calmly, but a closer look at his expression revealed restrained displeasure, even a shadow of gloom at the corners of his brow.

Clearly, failing the audition for Imperial Enterprise dealt him a heavy blow. The price he paid did not match the current return, and this young man who had once been full of confidence grew a little impatient.

But now that he was part of the production, he couldn’t show any other emotions even if he wanted to.

By contrast, An Laijia—though her looks give off a second-big-villain vibe besides Xiao He’s, the sort who might fly into a fight at the slightest provocation—actually behaved even more composed than Yun Ziqi, cool to the point of coldness. “There’s no need to keep weighing impossible outcomes. Besides, Old Master never asked you to play the male lead. That was just your wishful thinking.”

As long as the project was in their hands, nothing was a big problem.

“Either way, your reputation is damaged. Better to behave yourself, stay put until the production finishes the normal process, and don’t stir up any more issues.”

Yun Ziqi didn’t respond; he only fell silent and slowly turned his gaze elsewhere.

At this moment the crew was still in the early stages of operation. Staff members were bustling back and forth, finishing final connections and confirmations, while the principal cast who had already arrived waited nearby, each finding a place to sit and casually bonding.

This guy truly knew how to leverage wardrobe to his advantage. Even though his demeanor and looks carried a slightly somber air, his warm-toned clothing neutralized that aloofness, making him come off like a fresh-faced college student—nonthreatening, someone anyone could chat up.

Because of that, the slightly younger actors liked to talk to him; their words sounded a bit fawning and clique-like.

The more veteran actors looked at him with kindness and spoke gently, treating him like a junior.

Those who bore him ill will kept silent, convinced he was adept at pleasing everyone and not to be trusted, quietly shelving their darker schemes.

Yun Ziqi: …

When it comes to acting, who can beat Xiao He?

From the moment he joined the cast, everyone—young and old, high and low—loved him. Why does that face bewitch people so?!

You haven’t seen this kid play a villain?

They say face reveals the heart, so why aren’t any of you stunned?

Anyone who’d seen Xiao He in those villain roles wouldn’t be smiling like this!

But Yun Ziqi’s internal outcry didn’t sway anyone. Because he had endured public opinion storms before joining the crew, many people on site were afraid to interact with him; even Jingyou Entertainment’s own staff did their best to avoid his gaze.

Clearly, someone hadn’t been invited to this friendship-gathering—

Well, it certainly wasn’t Xiao He.

“Why does he keep staring at us? Could he actually be brewing some bad idea?” Xiao He scratched the back of his neck, feeling an itch across his back as if a tangible stare were tickling him.

He couldn’t help glancing back, and sure enough he met Yun Ziqi’s eyes.

Yun Ziqi offered a stiff smile, then averted his gaze entirely and, with his agent, walked off in another direction.

Shu Han glanced over too, then said helplessly, “Forget it. Don’t bother with him. His role in this drama isn’t that big; he should be gone soon.”

Although Imperial Enterprise is nominally centered on Emperor Chen, the imperial path isn’t walked by one person alone. Building that great enterprise requires many people, so it’s basically an ensemble drama.

Besides the male lead played by Xiao He, other important characters appear frequently, but because the timeline spans a long period, many historical figures are eventually replaced. Thus the cast is large, with many making only brief appearances—flash-in, flash-out—so actor turnover on this production is high.

Even the role Shu Han had picked up likely only had around ten episodes and didn’t accompany Xiao He to the end.

As for Yun Ziqi’s role, it’d probably be only five or six episodes, and whether post-production would trim his screen time—no one could say.

Xiao He could only nod indifferently.

…

Over the next few days, the crew quickly completed the table reads, opening ceremony, and a string of other formalities.

On opening day quite a few people showed up, and Xiao He saw Elder Qian from the Calligraphy Association again.

Elder Qian’s status is special; he was there this time specifically to inscribe an inscription.

This is part of the crew’s opening ceremony tradition—mainly to ask for good luck and auspiciousness. Because Elder Qian’s position in the calligraphy world is not ordinary, a crew with his inscription was seen as doubly fortunate. When Qiu Zhenlong saw Elder Qian come onstage, he couldn’t stop smiling for real.

On stage, the old gentleman was accustomed to such lively media scenes. After laying out the red paper personally, he dipped his brush in ink and wrote four bold characters with elegant, decisive strokes: “Opening Auspicious.”

Old Master’s handwriting wasn’t the imperial grandeur of Emperor Chen, but it carried a sharpness—vigorous, powerful, and stylish. One could tell his skill was extraordinary. Qiu Zhenlong stepped forward, and together they each took a corner of the red paper, inviting everyone to gather for a group photo.

Xiao He was naturally jostled into the center C spot; no one tried to steal it from him. Even Yun Ziqi purposely stood in a corner, so this “luck upon luck” opening ceremony froze into a lively snapshot—

No marketing needed. Almost as soon as the photo formed, news about Imperial Enterprise once again detonated across netizens’ feeds…

-

After the opening ceremony the media gradually dispersed.

Xiao He was going to change wardrobe, but he seized the chance to chat casually with Elder Qian.

Perhaps money Wenhao’s request for calligraphy during the Lantern Festival had left a strong impression, because Xiao He couldn’t help asking Elder Qian about Qian Wenhao’s situation.

“Him? Him…”

Unexpectedly, as soon as Elder Qian heard Qian Wenhao’s name he furrowed his brow.

Xiao He’s heart jumped. “What’s wrong with him? Did something happen?”

“No, not really.” Elder Qian shook his head, then looked at Xiao He with some puzzlement. “Did you have any contact with him afterward? From the way you speak, you seem quite concerned about him?”