Chapter 54

After getting everyone to sit down, Xia Hou Zhongying couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the three newcomers. There are gains and losses; to get Li Xiaoli, he had to sacrifice a few people. He wondered if they would faint when they found out they might be kicked out of the production team, and his headache worsened.

"Now, I have a few things to announce." Xia Hou Zhongying took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

The members of ZX immediately sat up straight, excited and ready to listen attentively.

"The first thing is something you already know: Sister Xiaoli will join the Green Apple Paradise production team, playing the role of a teacher," Xia Hou Zhongying said.

"The second thing is that the E-Land Group has agreed to sponsor our film. The lady next to me is Miss Park Min-young, the daughter of the E-Land Group's chairman," Xia Hou Zhongying continued, introducing Park Min-young to everyone.

Everyone cheered, hugging each other and jumping with joy.

Seeing the three newcomers hugging and laughing, Xia Hou Zhongying felt even more distressed, unsure of how to break the next piece of news.

"The next thing I have to say is bad news. You should be mentally prepared," Xia Hou Zhongying said slowly, looking at everyone.

Everyone looked at Xia Hou Zhongying's serious face and exchanged glances.

"First, I have stepped down from the position of chief director and will serve as the assistant director. The chief director will be replaced by a director from DSP Entertainment," Xia Hou Zhongying said.

Everyone was stunned. For them, Xia Hou Zhongying stepping down from the chief director position was a good thing, as it meant a professional director would improve the quality of the film. However, they sensed that there was more to come, and they were all nervous, their hearts pounding.

"Second, DSP Entertainment has requested a change in the cast," Xia Hou Zhongying said, looking at everyone. "I didn't agree, but you all need to go to DSP Entertainment for auditions tomorrow. We'll see the results after that."

Upon hearing this, the three newcomers turned pale. They were just beginners who had only been learning acting for a little over a month. How could they possibly pass the auditions?

"You three still have a chance, but it depends on how well you've learned over this period," Xia Hou Zhongying said, trying to soften his tone to give them a glimmer of hope. Agreeing to let the three go was a difficult decision for him. They were originally just extras he had brought in, but with Li Xiaoli joining, the project couldn't be treated as a casual affair anymore. However, he didn't want to directly tell them they were being let go, so he gave them a chance to audition, which would at least give them some closure.

"Okay," the three responded softly, their heads hanging low.

Seeing their dejected expressions, Xia Hou Zhongying felt incredibly frustrated and shouted, "If you keep this up, you won't even have a chance to pass the auditions tomorrow."

"Brother, no matter how hard we try, we won't pass the auditions," Song Jinhwan said, his face full of despair.

"How do you know if you don't try?" Xia Hou Zhongying continued to scold them. "Do you think you can't do anything without others? If you admit you're useless, I won't help you anymore. You don't even need to go to the auditions; just go home."

"Admit it, admit it quickly, and save me the trouble," Xia Hou Zhongying, still angry from the negotiations with DSP Entertainment, roared at the three, his anger boiling over.

Xia Hou Zhongying's furious roar stunned everyone in the room, who just stared at him in shock.

"Are you not willing to admit it?" Xia Hou Zhongying glared at the three and shouted, "If you don't admit it, stand up and be a man. Go back and prepare. Even if you don't get this opportunity, you'll have others. We're not just making one film."

"Brother," the three newcomers, after being scolded by Xia Hou Zhongying, finally regained some color in their faces, deeply moved by his concern. They couldn't say anything more, and tears streamed down their faces. Brother was right; what was there to be afraid of? They could always try again.

"Dry your tears, don't act like girls. Remember, you are men," Xia Hou Zhongying scolded harshly.

"Yes," the three wiped their tears with their sleeves, lifted their heads, and regained their confidence.

When Xia Hou Zhongying was scolding the three newcomers, everyone in the room, including Li Xiaoli and Park Min-young, was silent, watching him in shock.

Zheng Xiuyan was also frightened. She had never seen this side of Xia Hou Zhongying before; he was truly imposing. When he returned to his seat and his gaze swept over her, she felt a shiver, as if she were facing Lee Soo-man, trembling like a bird.

"You eight also need to perform well tomorrow," Xia Hou Zhongying, after venting his anger, sat back down and, after a moment of silence, continued, "I asked DSP Entertainment to include all eight of you in the cast, but they didn't agree. We haven't reached a final agreement, but they agreed to let you audition first and see the results."

The eight girls' hearts raced with Xia Hou Zhongying's words, almost jumping out of their chests.

"Hopefully, all eleven of you can pass the auditions tomorrow," Xia Hou Zhongying said. "That way, DSP Entertainment won't have any complaints, and I can continue to negotiate with them."

Li Xiaoli and Park Min-young were both amused and impressed by Xia Hou Zhongying's boldness. He was willing to stand up to DSP Entertainment to protect the eight girls, regardless of their management company.

Everyone was moved by his words, even the three newcomers, who knew their chances were slim, resolved to perform well tomorrow, even if they didn't get selected, they wouldn't let their brother down.

"That's all I have to say today. Go back and prepare for the auditions tomorrow," Xia Hou Zhongying stood up and said. "I won't say more. Meet at the entrance of DSP Entertainment at 9 AM tomorrow, and I'll go in with you."

"Yes," everyone stood up and agreed.

"Rest well tonight, don't be burdened, and try your best to pass the auditions," Xia Hou Zhongying comforted them.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

After leaving the studio, Li Xiaoli curiously stared at Xia Hou Zhongying and said, "Little guy, you're quite imposing. When you get angry, everyone holds their breath."

"Sister, don't tease me. By the way, I didn't expect you to be so famous. My people are now turning against me," Xia Hou Zhongying said with a bitter smile.

"Now you know how famous I am," Li Xiaoli said proudly. "With me in your film, it will get a lot of attention."

"Sister, I'm starting to regret having you in my film. You haven't even started shooting, and you've already eliminated several of my people," Xia Hou Zhongying said with a grin, unwilling to show his gratitude.

Li Xiaoli was speechless.

Park Min-young, however, laughed.

"There's a coffee shop over there. Let's go in and sit down," Li Xiaoli said, pointing to a coffee shop across from the studio.

Xia Hou Zhongying knew Li Xiaoli wanted to talk to him and nodded in agreement. Park Min-young didn't mind.

"By the way, sister, what do you think of those eight girls? Do they have a good chance of passing the auditions?" After entering the coffee shop and getting a private room, they each ordered a coffee, and Xia Hou Zhongying asked.

"They all look good. If it's just about appearance, there's no problem," Li Xiaoli said seriously, putting aside her playful mood. "As for their acting, I haven't seen it, so I don't know."

"However," Li Xia Li hesitated for a moment and continued, "I don't think our company will agree to let all eight of them stay. We have our own trainees and artists, and we won't miss this opportunity to promote our new talent. You need to be prepared."

Xia Hou Zhongying fell silent after hearing Li Xiaoli's words. He knew DSP Entertainment would never accept his demands. They would want some positions and wouldn't do this for free, helping S.M. Entertainment. His insistence with DSP was to secure more spots, but keeping all eight girls was unrealistic.

"What are your company's terms?" Li Xiaoli's words made Xia Hou Zhongying realize that DSP was using her to relay their message. Both sides were unwilling to back down, so a mediator was needed. Li Xiaoli was the perfect person, being both a DSP artist and a good friend of Xia Hou Zhongying.

"Six of the eight female roles, plus the lead," Li Xiaoli said.

"Sister, don't you think your company's terms are unreasonable? I've already given up on the three male roles. If you take six out of the eight female roles, there's no point in continuing the negotiations," Xia Hou Zhongying said, dissatisfied.

"Okay, okay, these are the terms my company wants me to tell you, not my own. What's the point of being angry at me?" Li Xiaoli said with a smile.

At this moment, the waiter brought their coffee, and they stopped talking until the waiter left. Then Li Xiaoli asked, "What do you think?"

"Of course, I want to keep all eight girls," Xia Hou Zhongying said.

"You know that's impossible," Li Xiaoli said.

"Sister, what's your company's bottom line?" Xia Hou Zhongying asked.

"Ha ha," Li Xiaoli couldn't help but laugh. "Little guy, you're really clever, trying to find out our bottom line before making an offer."

Xia Hou Zhongying chuckled. He wanted to know DSP's bottom line to negotiate better.

"Fine, since it's because of me that you're in this trouble, I'll reveal our bottom line: five female roles plus the lead," Li Xiaoli said with a smile.

Xia Hou Zhongying shook his head lightly, took a sip of his coffee, and thought about how much he needed to offer to get DSP to agree.

Li Xiaoli and Park Min-young quietly drank their coffee, waiting for Xia Hou Zhongying's decision.

"Sister, I'll also reveal my bottom line: four female roles, one male role, plus the lead," Xia Hou Zhongying said after a few minutes of thought. "That's my bottom line."