38. Said So Yourself.

As for the greeting style that seemed familiar to the two who had once known each other, Xu Yuanzhe’s agent, Zhou Ling, did not show any surprise.

After Yu Yue and Xu Yuanzhe shook hands, Zhou Ling gestured for both of them to sit at the table.

Yu Yue didn’t sit next to Xu Yuanzhe. They sat on opposite sides of the round table, separated by numerous chairs and tables. Instead, Zhou Ling took the initiative to sit next to Yu Yue.

The meal was surprisingly harmonious. Yu Yue almost exclusively talked to Zhou Ling. One reason was that Zhou Ling was quite enthusiastic and took the initiative to discuss various topics related to movies and scripts. The other reason was that Xu Yuanzhe was sitting too far away, and he didn’t seem interested in participating in the conversation.

Every time Yu Yue looked up, he could always see Xu Yuanzhe with his eyes down, calmly picking up his food as if he were just someone coming to eat, not someone here to discuss a movie.

All three of them had driven here, so there were no alcoholic beverages on the table. Although alcohol seemed to be an essential item on a cooperation discussion table, today’s table had only warm water and tea.

As the meal was almost finished, the conversation finally shifted to the main topic. Zhou Ling went through everything related to the movie, including investment and the team, in great detail.

Yu Yue didn’t hide much. He shared what needed to be said. He knew he couldn’t match the qualifications of many renowned domestic directors, his team couldn’t compare to theirs, and the investment was another story altogether. He also discussed the disadvantages of his movie, such as it being an art film and having a same-sex theme – all of which were potential limitations for Xu Yuanzhe’s career.

“You’ve mentioned all these things, and we are aware of them,” Zhou Ling smiled slightly. “We wouldn’t have contacted you if we didn’t have some understanding. The main reason for coming today is to take a look at the script. If it suits us, we can set a time for the audition. After the audition, if Director Yu is satisfied, we can proceed to sign the contract.”

Yu Yue was about to say something when Zhou Ling’s phone on the table rang.

Glancing at it, she frowned slightly, indicating it was probably an important call. She picked up the phone, stood up, and said to Yu Yue, “I’m sorry, I need to take this call outside.”

After saying that, Zhou Ling answered the call while walking out of the private room.

The door to the room slowly closed, leaving only Yu Yue and Xu Yuanzhe inside.

The atmosphere momentarily became silent. The warmth from before, when Zhou Ling was still present, disappeared. The air seemed to solidify, and there was an unusually long sense of time between each breath.

After a brief silence, Yu Yue felt it was getting awkward without anyone speaking.

So, he broke the silence and spoke to Xu Yuanzhe, “Regarding the movie remuneration, we might not be able to offer a high amount because, you know, my company and team are just getting started.”

Xu Yuanzhe leaned back in his chair, his brows and eyes slightly lowered, without looking at Yu Yue. After a few seconds, he raised his eyes and said to Yu Yue, “I’ll accept any remuneration.”

Yu Yue chuckled, “Why?”

Xu Yuanzhe replied, “You said so yourself.”

Yu Yue: “?”

For a moment, he couldn’t recall saying anything like that. Xu Yuanzhe continued, “What?”

Yu Yue never remembered uttering such words.

Xu Yuanzhe leaned back, looking relaxed, but within that relaxation, there was a noticeable weariness. It wasn’t clear if it was from rushing to catch a flight or filming, but he appeared somewhat melancholic and aloof.