Can You Act?

[The characters may change before the story begins, but the entertainment-industry setting won't.]

Song Chaoning had been abroad for two years. When he came back, he heard his childhood friend sobbing about how she'd been dumped by a scumbag.

The man who had wronged her was Zhong Ling, a rising star among directors in the entertainment industry. Young Master Song couldn't stand to see her so dejected, so he decided to teach the scumbag a lesson.

He poured money into monopolizing the investments and got Zhong Ling to make a film, with Young Master Song himself as the lead.

On set, Zhong Ling looked at the pretty young man, who had no acting ability whatsoever, and gritted his teeth. "If you can't act, go back to your own circle."

The lead crossed his legs, leisurely blew on his hot tea, and smiled as he retorted, "People in the industry say there's no actor Director Zhong can't teach. Looks like you're not all that."

Zhong Ling sneered. "What makes you think you're an actor?"

Their conversation was a battlefield, their eyes clashing like swords.

After tormenting Zhong Ling for two months, Song Chaoning was about to make a clean getaway when his childhood friend called. "I got it wrong. That scumbag was a con man! He's Zhong Ling's twin brother! He'd been using Zhong Ling's name to swindle people!"

Song Chaoning: ...

Out of a sense of decency toward the innocent person he'd hurt, Song Chaoning told Zhong Ling to name his terms.

Zhong Ling smiled with a blade hidden behind it. "Finish making this movie."

The crew continued to suffer through a living hell. For the first two months, they watched the lead challenge the director; after that, they watched the director constantly call for retakes. They were practically tormenting each other until they were old and gray.

"There's no one Zhong Ling can't teach."

Song Chaoning tilted his head. "Bed scenes?"

Zhong Ling bravely accepted his fate. "Those too!"

And as he taught him, the director got carried away.

"What rotten wood? This is fragrant sandalwood."

"No acting skills? He's got natural talent!"

"An evil capitalist? No, no, no. He's my beautiful wife!"

Song Chaoning became a sensation after making one film, but turned down every acting offer and disappeared from the entertainment industry.

When financial news reporters asked why he'd retired at the height of his success and moved into finance, he replied, "I was never in that industry, so how could I retire from it?"

"Then why did you make that film?"

The young master answered nonchalantly, "The director was Zhong Ling."

○ A scheming, wealthy young master uke x a childish perfectionist director seme

○ The opening uses a familiar trope, so please don't say it feels like something you've seen before. Thanks.

Theme: Treat others with sincerity, and things will work out.