In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the year.
In winter, the north was not like the south, where the sun shone brightly everywhere, making it seem especially warm.
Joyno had been working on the online drama "Burning Heart in Flames", a 40 - episode series in the genres of urban life, business warfare, mystery, and tragic romance, for a full four months. It all revolved around the snuff bottle bought by Luo Yize, going through the processes of creation, review, and revision.
This drama was completely different from Joyno's previous works. The whole story revolved around the search for the blue - and - white snuff bottle passed down by the family for three hundred years, but it was interspersed with either memories or the past. In the final part, it involved a life - and - death struggle between the protagonist and the antique smugglers, and the villains were finally punished by law.
When it was time to officially discuss the script, Joyno met with General Manager Zhao.
In the company's reception room, General Manager Zhao, Hou Lei, and several other investors were discussing the script. General Manager Zhao took puffs from his cigar from time to time, and the room gradually filled with smoke. They frowned at times and broke into smiles at others. The atmosphere seemed lively but also very tense. Joyno listened to their chattering and carefully took notes. Half a day passed quickly after the meeting.
"I hope you'll pay attention to these issues," General Manager Zhao said as he finally put out what seemed to be his umpteenth cigarette in the ashtray.
Joyno nodded frequently. She picked up the mineral water bottle and took a sip.
"General Manager Zhao, there's a very important character in this drama. I think Luo Yize is suitable for it," Hou Lei said.
"Go ahead," General Manager Zhao nodded.
"There's a character named Wu Tianchen in the story. Although he's an unassuming character, his presence drives the whole plot forward, and he's bound to be a highlight of the drama. His father was the owner of an antique shop. Unfortunately, his father sold the fake snuff bottle to someone else, which led to the closure of the antique shop, and his father died of depression. So he decided to take revenge. He also killed many people who knew the secret of the snuff bottle, including the heroine's father, and exposed the heroine's true identity."
"Are you saying that we should let Luo Yize play this villain?"
"Exactly. His character is set as a man with a handsome and delicate face and a tall and imposing figure, but actually blinded by hatred, becoming a ruthless killer. In the end, he regretted that he couldn't avenge his father and then jumped off a building to commit suicide."
After General Manager Zhao heard Hou Lei's request, he only left one sentence: "He has a very busy schedule recently. We've also arranged other dramas for him. Let's discuss this later."
After leaving the company, Joyno couldn't stand it anymore and quickened her pace.
Hou Lei followed her and caught up with her beside the car.
"This is so unfair!" Joyno said angrily.
"But have you ever thought that neither you nor I have the final say," Hou Lei said while chasing after her.
"I called his assistant before I left. Aze's schedule has been free recently. They're obviously making excuses!" Joyno suddenly stopped.
"Cooperation is something that you can't force. We can find different actors for this role. As long as their image matches the character's setting, anyone can play this role."
Joyno turned around and got into the passenger seat of the car.
Hou Lei got into the car and started the engine. "So, you don't need to be so angry."
Joyno unscrewed the cap of the mineral water bottle and started drinking greedily.
"Come on. General Manager Zhao has spoken highly of your work. Your most important task now is to revise your script according to what General Manager Zhao said."