Chapter 74: Returning with a Bountiful Harvest

Early August.

Su Mu finally wrapped up filming for "Celebration of the Remaining Years." By his count, he’d been living in Hengdian for close to ten months. Each day had fallen into a rhythm: acting to hone his skills, honing his skills through acting—a perfect line drawn between two points. Compared to the colorful lives of other actors, his had been the most monotonous. Some people, perhaps, found unexpected adventures and chance encounters in Hengdian. But for Su Mu, apart from making money, there was only the pursuit of mastery.

On the eve of his departure, Zhang Huaimou invited the entire cast to dinner. He booked a large restaurant; everyone had a few drinks and mingled freely. Su Mu was pulled aside by Zhuang Yan, Wang Ouyi, and the others, who insisted he stay. Whether they were truly drunk or only feigning, they poured out their hearts with amusing sincerity.

Zhuang Yan said, “Su Mu, trust me—while you’re still young, if you have the time, take the civil service exam. With your ability, it shouldn’t be hard. Then you can transfer to our Film Academy as a counselor. It’s a good life—think about it.”

Wang Ouyi added, “Su Mu, the Beijing Repertory Theatre is a sacred ground for actors. If you’re interested, I can recommend you. Let me tell you, acting for the camera isn’t the same—it’s too cold. Real skill is shown on stage, not in front of a lens!”

Su Mu listened intently, then raised his glass without hesitation. The first toast was to future glory, the second to growing ever stronger. After the meal, he remembered little of the old actors’ advice, but he had certainly sharpened his public speaking skills—a fruitful evening, indeed.

…

The next day.

Fan Xiaojv and Driver Zhu loaded all of Su Mu’s things from his hotel apartment into the RV. Once everything was packed, they prepared to leave Hengdian for Galaxy City.

Su Mu sat in the car, gazing absently at the scenery outside the window. Everyone said, “One day in Hengdian is like a year outside”—and it was true. Most of the buildings in Hengdian World Studios were ancient-style structures built for filming, and people walked around in period costumes as if time itself had turned back.

Living there long enough, one truly felt transported to ancient times. But once outside Hengdian, faced with tangled overpasses and rows of modern vehicles, Su Mu was struck by a sense of dislocation, as though he’d crossed centuries.

Qian Jida noticed his expression and asked, “Su Mu, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Su Mu replied. “Maybe I’m just tired from filming. After so long in Hengdian, it’s a bit hard to adjust.”

Qian Jida nodded in understanding. Two years ago, he would never have believed Su Mu could stay in Hengdian for ten months straight, not even returning for the New Year. But in those ten months, Su Mu had finished four productions—he’d truly endured. Sometimes, Qian Jida felt as if he didn’t know the man before him at all. If not for Su Mu’s unchanging drive to earn money, Qian Jida might have suspected he’d been replaced by someone else.

“Su Mu, once we’re back in Galaxy City, we’ll file the termination request. When Zhou Wanming signs off and Finance approves the settlement, the contract will be officially ended. That said, any unfinished work must still be completed until the contract expires—right now, the biggest one is Liu Qiangxi’s endorsement. So, you’ll still have to record that street dance variety show. It’ll take at least a month or more, since there are over ten episodes.”

Many variety shows are recorded back-to-back; auditions in the morning, eliminations in the afternoon. Later, the footage is edited into several episodes to keep viewers waiting for weekly updates. For cost-effective, simple shows, several episodes can be completed in just a few days. For dance shows, as long as guests and contestants cooperate and nothing disrupts the schedule, it rarely takes more than a month or two.

Su Mu asked, “Has the call sheet arrived? I’d like to review the process.”

“Not yet,” Qian Jida replied, “but I’ve checked with the production team. They’ll invite four mentors for the auditions, then contestants compete, form teams, and battle it out. The winning team is crowned champion. As a mentor, you’ll have performance segments too—that’s why you need to learn. Otherwise, it’ll be awkward if you don’t know what to do on stage. This is a professional show, and a lot of the audience are dance aficionados. Many contestants are trained dancers. No matter how well you act, this is a different field—critics will still be critics.”

Su Mu saw no issue with that. Some things simply couldn’t be mixed. Great acting didn’t mean the street dance fanbase would automatically accept you.

Qian Jida continued, “If it weren’t for the endorsement, you might not even care. But you’re going as the brand ambassador, so you need to do well enough not to hurt the brand’s image. Besides, Liu Qiangxi wants you to show something different this time, to let people see you have talents beyond acting.”

Su Mu raised an eyebrow. “Something different, huh?”

Qian Jida nodded. “Yes.”

Su Mu replied, “Alright, tell him he’ll need to pay more.”

Qian Jida was speechless.

…

They arrived in Galaxy City late in the evening. Everyone was exhausted from the journey, so they each went home to rest rather than gather for dinner.

The next morning, Su Mu and Qian Jida went straight to the company. Important matters were best handled early. The process for terminating a contract ahead of schedule was complex, but with Qian Jida’s thorough preparations, Su Mu had nothing to worry about.

Perhaps word had spread that Su Mu was back, for the entire company was present—even Li Hui and Li Xinjie. When they saw Su Mu, they forced smiles. Clearly, Zhou Wanming had instructed them. Li Hui, putting on an air of enthusiasm, greeted him, “Back already, Su Mu? You’ve worked hard, filming so many shows.”

Seeing Li Hui’s strained smile, Su Mu couldn’t help but remark, “President Li, to be honest, you really shouldn’t be a manager.”

Li Hui was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Su Mu smiled. “You should be an actor—you’d definitely outshine Li Xinjie. This two-faced performance of yours is masterful. Seeing mountains that are no longer just mountains—impressive.”

Li Hui was speechless.

Li Xinjie was speechless.

…

Inside the office, Zhou Wanming’s eyes were a bit red as he tried to appeal to Su Mu’s emotions. “Mu! You know you’re the one I value most in the company. Any contract terms can be renegotiated. After all these years, can you really bear to leave us?”

It had to be said, his performance was even more convincing than Li Hui’s.

But in a contest of acting, Su Mu never backed down. In the next moment, tears welled up and fell.

“President Zhou, I admit I’m reluctant, but… our time together has run its course.”

Zhou Wanming was left speechless.