Chapter 1541: 1541
On this night .
At Zhang Ye's house .
The main door of the villa was open . Zhang Ye was busy washing vegetables and cooking the dishes in the open kitchen all by himself . It was going to be the first meeting for the main cast of the drama In the Name of the People . Zhang Ye had chosen not to hold the gathering at a restaurant this time . Instead, he held it at his house because it meant a lot to him .
Outside .
The door was being knocked on .
Ning Lan was the first to arrive . "Zhang'er, may I come in?"
Zhang Ye said, holding a kitchen knife in his hands, "Come in, the door's open . "
Ning Lan looked around . "Where's Minister Wu?"
Zhang Ye said, "Oh, her? She's working overtime today . "
Ning Lan broke into a smile . She didn't even change out of her shoes and stepped in with her high heels still on . "You could have said so earlier . I wouldn't have knocked otherwise . "
Zhang Ye laughed and said, "Big Sis, can't you be a little more courteous?"
Ning Lan chuckled and said, "What's the need to be polite with you?"
Zhang Ye ordered her, "By the way, help me take care of my daughter . She's upstairs . "
Soon after, Ning Lan went upstairs to bring Sisi down .
From outside, Yao Jiancai entered the villa . "Yo, kid, you're personally whipping up the courses?"
Zhang Ye grinned . "But of course . I gotta show you guys what I'm capable of, after all . "
Yao Jiancai asked, "Is your wife around?"
"No, she's working overtime today," Zhang Ye replied .
Yao Jiancai also came in casually and started rummaging through the cabinets for tea leaves without any courtesy . "Where's the Da Hong Pao? Hurry up and hand them over!"
Sisi, who had just been brought downstairs, asked, "Daddy, who are they?"
Zhang Ye patted his daughter on her head . "They're your uncles and aunties . Have you greeted them yet?"
Sisi shook her head as she became rather shy .
Yao Jiancai got rather excited . "This is your daughter? Do you know me, little girl?"
Sisi tugged at her father's shirt . "Daddy, can you play with me?"
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Daddy is preparing some good food . Go find Auntie Ning and play with her . "
Ning Lan clapped her hands and said, "Come here, Sisi, Auntie will play with you . Let your daddy cook dinner for us . "
Outside the doorway, Zhang Xia also slowly walked in . "Is everyone busy with something? Hur hur . "
Yao Jiancai greeted Zhang Xia .
Ning Lan smiled and said, "Grandma Zhang, this kid even managed to convince you to make a return?"
Zhang Xia smiled back . "Yes, I couldn't refuse him at all . " Then she asked Zhang Ye, "Is your wife around?"
Before Zhang Ye could answer her .
Jiang Hanwei had also arrived .
The moment Jiang Hanwei came into the house, he said, "Minister Wu isn't at home?"
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes . "She's not around . She's working overtime today and probably won't be back before 9 PM . Hai, but this is really interesting . Why are all of you asking whether my wife is around or not the moment you step in?"
Ning Lan laughed and said, "Your wife is now an important minister at the Central Publicity Department . If she were around, do you think we would dare to speak so casually? We'd have to behave ourselves . "
Zhang Ye said, "Don't worry about her . She is her, and I am me . "
Dong Shanshan arrived shortly after as well . "Zhang'er, is your wife—"
Before she could finish asking, Zhang Ye was already answering, "My wife is not around . Make yourself at home . "
All of the guests arrived .
Sun Qishuo: a big name in the theater scene .
Shu Han: a former A-lister .
Jiang Bin: a veteran actor who had debuted 30 years ago .
Over a dozen people had gathered here, but none of them needed any introduction to one another . Everyone knew each other, although some were more familiar with others, while some were just acquaintances .
Half an hour later .
The dishes were served and the drinks were waiting .
Zhang Ye said confidently, "Come, have a taste of my cooking!"
Dong Shanshan smiled and took a bite of the food . "It's pretty alright . "
Ning Lan smacked her lips . "It's edible . "
Only Shu Han was patronizing . After all, she wasn't all that close to Zhang Ye in the past . "It's quite delicious . I really couldn't have expected Director Zhang to be so good at cooking . "
Zhang Ye said, "When my wife broke her leg years ago, I had the opportunity to learn and practice . "
Ning Lan raised her glass . "May I suggest that we have a toast first? It's not easy for the group of us to gather here today . Especially for Old Jiang . I really couldn't have expected that you managed to convince him to join . "
Jiang Bin wondered, "Yeah, didn't you two have some disagreements back then?"
Jiang Hanwei said indifferently, "Work is work, and private matters remain private . "
Ning Lan asked, "Why has Shanshan come as well? You aren't lacking opportunities, right?"
Dong Shanshan said with a smile, "He came to my studio, crying and begging me to join the cast . My heart softened at the sight, so I said yes to him . "
Zhang Ye was floored . "Did I?"
Everyone laughed .
With the first toast, it got lively on the dinner table .
Zhang Ye stood up and said, "Allow me to say a few words . I gathered everyone here today for the first meeting, but it's actually just a party for old friends . All of us here should know each other, right? Some of us have deeper friendship with others, while some of us might even have a grudge against someone . But with that toast earlier, and with this dinner party, let's all agree to turn over a new leaf . Let's gather all of our strength and focus it onto the project and act well for the drama . It's time that us old-timers produce some results for the world to see, so don't screw it up . "
Yao Jiancai said, "I'm just afraid that you'll be the one screwing up . "
Ning Lan agreed, "Yeah, all of us here should be best actors and best actresses, right?"
Zhang Ye blinked . "Is that so?"
Shu Han smiled . "Of course . I don't think there's a need to mention more about Old Ning's achievements . The number of best actress awards that she's won are uncountable, and I myself have gotten it twice before . "
Jiang Hanwei said stiffly, "I've won it four times . "
Yao Jiancai laughed and said, "I've gotten it once, and another four for best supporting actor . "
Jiang Bin smiled . "I've not counted it before, but I've probably won two or three domestic awards too?"
Sun Qishuo said, "Do theater awards count? If it does, then I've won eight or nine awards . "
Dong Shanshan looked at Zhang Ye . "I've won it once as well . "
Zhang Ye said in surprise, "You have one too?"
Dong Shanshan smiled and said, "I got it last year, but it was just a best actress award for a short film . "
Ning Lan said in amusement, "The best actress for a short film is a best actress award nonetheless . "
Zhang Ye wiped away his sweat . "So I'm the only one who isn't a former winner?"
Dong Shanshan said, "It's not only that . You haven't even acted in any dramas before . "
Zhang Xia was also laughing from all of this . She said with a sigh, "For someone who hasn't even acted in a TV drama before, he actually dares to gather everyone to act in a drama? Zhang'er, just how bold do you have to be to do something like that? In the entire entertainment industry, when it comes to courage, I really can't think of anyone else who is braver than you . "
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Then why did all of you dare to take part?"
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