Chapter Twenty-Two: A Flaw and a Virtue

"Uh...hello." Gu Zhi swallowed nervously, pretending to be calm as he nodded. But inside, his heart was in turmoil. The legendary Tang Wei was standing right before him, and Gu Zhi couldn’t help but recall all the rumors involving her and Liang Chaowei.

Ahem, he’d almost slipped into inappropriate thoughts—back to the point.

A single film, "Lust, Caution," had made Tang Wei a household name among Chinese people worldwide, earning her the Best Newcomer award at the Golden Horse Awards. Since then, Tang Wei’s career blossomed; she starred in several arthouse and romance films, with "BJ Meets Seattle" breaking box office records for Chinese-language romantic movies.

Her acting was beyond doubt, with multiple awards serving as the industry’s affirmation. In terms of beauty and aura, she was a goddess, rivaling both established and rising stars. Yet, in the end, she married a Korean celebrity, leaving countless fans heartbroken.

Gu Zhi himself had been one of those fans; her marriage had turned him from a devoted admirer to merely a casual observer, and he was quite upset. Now, seeing Tang Wei in her youth, his emotions surged—more excitement, less infatuation. Compared to her post-fame self, she was equally poised, but with a purity and charm that was even more captivating.

"You may proceed with the audition," Ning Hao said to Tang Wei in a tone neither warm nor cold.

As someone already in a loving relationship, Ning Hao was likely among the few present not swayed by Tang Wei’s beauty.

"It seems Ning Hao really is a straightforward director; I’ve never heard any scandal about him," Gu Zhi thought to himself.

In this industry, it was all too easy for directors to exploit their power. As long as they were famous and influential, even the hottest stars might willingly submit for a good role. Like the rumored Bai someone and...

In this materialistic, corrupt world, people who remain faithful and unwavering are rare and precious.

Tang Wei’s audition ended quickly, and she performed excellently and naturally. Yet Ning Hao simply nodded, giving no further indication. The outcome would not be decided immediately, but only after all auditions were complete.

Tang Wei felt she’d done well, but seeing Ning Hao’s indifferent demeanor left her with no confidence.

"Next," Liu Qi called out lazily, prompting Tang Wei to put down her script and walk off stage. Gu Zhi seized the moment, turning to flash a secret smile at Tang Wei just as her gaze landed on him. Their eyes met, Gu Zhi mouthed silently, "Don’t worry, it’s yours!"

Tang Wei was visibly stunned, her thin lips pressing together as she nodded slightly to Gu Zhi, then quickly lowered her head and retreated.

The auditions went on for another hour, and Liu Qi was already half-asleep. Even Ning Hao and Gu Zhi were barely holding on. Only when the last student finished did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"So, what do you think?" Gu Zhi asked, patting Ning Hao’s shoulder directly.

After several days together, the two had become close, both sharing a straightforward nature that made their conversations easy.

Ning Hao frowned, pressing his fingers to the nerves near his eyes to wake himself up a bit more.

"For the male lead, none of today’s candidates seem suitable," he said.

Gu Zhi nodded, waiting for more.

"As for the female lead, that Tang Wei is quite good. Her performance was natural, full of flavor, much better than the average newcomer. She’s a solid choice."

"But she has a significant flaw."

"What flaw?"

"She’s too beautiful, her aura is too strong."

"..."

"Is that really a flaw?" Gu Zhi was speechless. Did Ning Hao want everyone to look like Huang Bo to be satisfied? No wonder in the previous life, Ning Hao, Huang Bo, and Xu Zheng formed their iron triangle.

"Of course it’s a flaw. When an actress is too beautiful, audiences tend to focus on her appearance and develop extra feelings for her, often overlooking or distorting the character’s true essence and spirit."

"Tang Wei is precisely that kind of actress. Seeing her invokes immediate affection, sometimes tinged with impure thoughts. Such people, with that kind of aura, find it hard to play non-specific roles. Their malleability is low, and their range is limited."

Gu Zhi listened, mentally comparing Tang Wei’s later films, and realized Ning Hao was spot-on. Truly, he deserved to be a future top-tier director—just a brief encounter and a few simple words, and he’d dissected Tang Wei’s entire acting career.

Whether it was Ai Lian in "Crossing Hennessy," Anna the prisoner in "Late Autumn," or Xiao Hong the legendary writer in "The Golden Era," all were steeped in Tang Wei’s distinctive personal aura. These roles overlapped in subtle ways, each perfectly aligned with her temperament.

It was much like Chen Daoming: his acting was flawless, yet he possessed a unique, profound aura that left an indelible mark. No matter what role he played, it always felt as if he were playing himself. As a result, the intended character never replaced Chen Daoming’s persona; instead, his own image supplanted the character.

Of course, Tang Wei hadn’t yet reached Uncle Daoming’s “profound” level.

And this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

"Tang Wei does have this issue, but it can be seen as both a flaw and a tremendous advantage as an actress."

"Oh? How so?"

Ning Hao tilted his head, intrigued by Gu Zhi’s words.

"It’s precisely because of Tang Wei’s unique aura that audiences remember her so easily, leaving a deep impression. Like Chen Daoming—just mentioning his name conjures the image of a cultured scholar in people’s minds, so ingrained is it."

"Tang Wei can achieve the same. If she perfects her image and fully utilizes her exceptional aura, she’ll leave audiences with an indelible, profound impression, just like Chen Daoming."

"Would anyone really question Chen Daoming’s skill and performance?"

Gu Zhi had just finished speaking when he suddenly recalled that there actually was someone who’d doubted Uncle Daoming’s acting, though he had momentarily forgotten. Thankfully, "Young Justice Bao" hadn’t started filming yet, so the matter hadn’t arisen; otherwise, Gu Zhi would’ve been proven wrong on the spot.

After a deep consideration, Ning Hao and Gu Zhi continued their discussion and finally reached a consensus.

Tang Wei would be their rookie female lead!

At the same time, Han Sanping had recommended two reliable candidates for the main and supporting male roles.