CHAPTER 146: CHAPTER 141: THE FEMALE SUPPORTING CHARACTER OF THE SPIRITUAL SPRING SPACE

"Madam, our Director really likes your inn. Can’t we talk this over?" said a middle-aged man in a loose black T-shirt to Madam Shen.

"I’m terribly sorry, but our inn is fully booked, and we really can’t accommodate your request," Madam Shen replied politely.

"How about ten thousand a day?"

"It’s not about the money."

The middle-aged man seemed very dissatisfied with Madam Shen’s attitude, thinking she was unhappy with the price offered by the crew. He tried to control his temper as he said, "Our show will be on TV next year. This is a chance for free advertising. Are you sure you want to pass that up?"

"Sorry, I’m not interested. There are many inns in town, you can look at other places."

Seeing that Madam Shen was unmoved, and thinking she was still dissatisfied with the price, he got irritated with her greed: "Fifteen thousand, that’s the final offer from our crew. I hope everyone in the inn can leave by tomorrow."

He was dismissive and said arrogantly, Madam Shen was angered by his attitude, but having been in business for many years, she had encountered all kinds of guests. She had no interest in arguing with him and responded indifferently, "Our inn is fully booked, it’s not possible to ask guests to check out. Please try other inns."

"Hey, what kind of person are you, turning away business? Your inn has only twenty-some rooms. Can you make fifteen thousand in a day? Don’t be too greedy. Besides, once our show hits the TV, you won’t believe the benefits it will bring your inn. Be grateful we’re not charging you for this opportunity," said the middle-aged man before he could continue, an assistant girl by his side couldn’t stand it and spoke harshly. The middle-aged man did not stop her, obviously agreeing with her attitude.

Ye Qiu and the others just arrived to hear such talk, a man and a woman looking down on Madam Shen with disdain and aggression.

"We are not interested in your business, please leave," Ye Fu stepped forward with a frosty gaze.

Ye Fu, tall and big, was the simple and amiable type with his family, gentle in temperament with guests, but against adversaries, his eyebrows raised, eyes slightly narrowed, especially his prominent nose bridge and pursed thin lips, he looked not to be trifounded with.

"Scary, why so fierce!" The assistant girl stepped back, still muttering her dissatisfaction.

"You must be the boss here, fifteen thousand a day, plus an additional two thousand a day for our meals. How about that?" The middle-aged man thought Ye Fu made the decisions in the household and restated his offer, thinking who in business wouldn’t want to make money? Surely, after hearing his offer, he must be pleased.

"Do you not understand what my wife said? We’re not doing business with you, please leave," Ye Fu said coldly and firmly.

The middle-aged man was an assistant director with some power, usually flattered by others. Apart from the director and producer, who had ever given him trouble? Arrogant and proud, he was furious, forgetting the director’s instructions, and said heatedly: "Who do you think you are! I favored your inn to give you business. Do not refuse a face-saving offer; I bet your business will fail sooner or later."

"Get out!" Ye Fu clenched his fist, poised to strike, which scared the chubby assistant director, who ran off without waiting for the female assistant.

"What kind of people are they?" Liu Qingqing watched the two leave with anger, frowning and scoffing, "So much for a big production crew, I reckon it’ll flop soon enough."

"Let’s go inside, no need to bother with these pointless people," Ye Qiu beckoned them in, leaving the incident behind.

Meanwhile, the assistant director and the assistant girl exaggerated the story to Director Yi: "Director Yi, it’s not that we didn’t negotiate, but that inn’s owner was just too much, asking for fifty thousand a day! Isn’t that outrageous? And their attitude was terrible. They said if we don’t like it, we can get lost. Even if we agreed to their terms, they might hike up the price later. Imagine the mess if our TV show was half-filmed by then, right?"

The assistant director was deferent to Director Yi, a stark contrast to his previous arrogance, almost kowtowing. Seeing Director Yi’s face darken, he felt nervous, thinking the director was unsatisfied with his handling, he quickly added: "You can ask Xiao Liu. She went with me. That innkeeper was truly greedy. Shall I inquire with other inns? I’m sure it’ll work out."

Director Yi, after hearing him, didn’t say it was okay or not, he waved them off and pondered the plot.

It was a modern drama with a storyline where the female protagonist, having a conflict with the male lead, escapes to a picturesque place to hide from everyone she knows. Being a perfectionist, once he saw the best, he didn’t want to settle for less. He had seen the "Qiu Ye Yuzhou" inn the day before and thought it was perfect at first sight, so he had the assistant director negotiate with them today, even offering a generous sum. Still, it didn’t work out. Could he really settle for less?

"Director Yi, there’s a girl knocking at the door," which interrupted his thoughts.

The door was not locked; before he could respond, the woman entered. Being well-educated from a young age, Director Yi was slightly displeased, but his upbringing often prevented him from making women feel uncomfortable.

"What is it?" Seeing the chosen female supporting actress enter, Director Yi’s expression relaxed a bit.

In the drama, the female protagonist encounters a beautiful, carefree young innkeeper who influences her with her free-spirited lifestyle, leading to the protagonist’s resolution to let go of her issues after returning to the big city and focus on her career instead of the male lead. Although the innkeeper’s role was small, it was likeable and played a pivotal role in the story. Initially, many popular actresses vied for the role, but he chose this new actress, Lian Lan, against much opposition, believing she was not only hardworking but also fit his ideal perfectly. Seeing her now, he nodded almost imperceptibly in acknowledgment.

"Director Yi, has the crew settled on an inn? I was thinking of getting acquainted with the setting before we start shooting, to make things smoother during filming, and avoid causing trouble for the crew," Lian Lan said humbly, striking a perfect balance in her demeanor that made her seem eager without seeming to curry favor with the director.

Director Yi mentally nodded in approval, feeling his choice was indeed right. Not only was she attractive, but her humble and hardworking nature meant that if she continued this way, she had a place in the entertainment industry.