My College Teacher is My Children's Mom-Chapter 619 Investing in This Movie

The next day, just after ten in the morning, the call came in, seemingly timed to the minute.

As her guardian, Lin Feng arranged to meet with them to discuss the details. The two met at a cafe.

"Hello, I’m Liu Qing, the owner of Feiyang Film and Television Company," the man said, offering a business card. "And these are some materials about my company."

Initially, they had chosen Little Bao simply because she was cute, without much further thought. It was only after hearing his colleagues talk and doing some online research that Liu Qing realized her family had quite the background.

He had actually given up hope but decided to make one last effort, just in case they agreed. When he learned they had actively scheduled the meeting, he was ecstatic. There was a chance this could work out after all.

Lin Feng had also researched the company the night before.

With a registered capital of two hundred thousand yuan and a staff of just over ten, it was a small company. A very, very small company, indeed.

Last year, they had produced a low-budget film that had a mediocre reception and earned a million or two. Now, they were planning a new script that had reportedly been in development for two years. Overall, the film company was tiny and weak. Securing investment was difficult, let alone offering a decent salary.

And Liu Qing was an honest man. He stated plainly that the most they could offer in compensation was twenty thousand yuan. They truly didn’t have any more.

Seeing his sincere attitude and that the company was in a bind, Lin Feng decided to let his daughter audition.

"That’s fine," Lin Feng said. "If she doesn’t like it, she can leave."

"However, she can’t quit midway through filming. We are happy to let her come to the set and experience it for a day or two first."

Lin Feng understood and nodded. "Okay."

The company was based in Jingcheng, and filming was expected to take one to two months, which perfectly covered the summer vacation. Liu Qing’s team had already started shooting, but progress was slow because they hadn’t found a suitable child actor.

「Back at the hotel.」

Lin Feng told Zhang Yuxi about the arrangement. "We’re going to the set tomorrow for Little Bao’s audition. We’ll let her try it out for a day or two and see if she can adapt."

"Sounds good," Zhang Yuxi agreed.

When the other four siblings learned Little Bao was going to be in a movie, they clamored to join in on the excitement. None of them had ever been to a film set before, so it was a great opportunity to see something new.

「At ten o’clock.」

They drove to the designated location, arriving at a shabby-looking film set. It was obvious from a single glance that the production was extremely poor.

As both the owner and director, Liu Qing was incredibly busy. A staff member ran up to him. "Director, there’s a group of stunningly good-looking people outside! Did you hire them as extras?"

An older crew member laughed. "What are you dreaming of? Our production is so poor—how could we possibly afford actors that good-looking?" Because they couldn’t afford attractive lead actors, the script had been written for a grandfather and grandmother. To save money, the roles were played by Liu Qing’s own parents. A company this impoverished was a rare sight indeed.

Liu Qing immediately realized who it must be and hurried out to greet them.

Seeing such a large group of handsome men and beautiful women, his eyes widened. It would be amazing if they could star in his movie!

Lin Feng went over to greet him. "Sorry for bringing so many people today."

Liu Qing managed a slight smile. "It’s no problem at all. It’s just that our place is a bit basic, so please bear with us. Come on in."

Due to the lack of proper facilities, the building was stiflingly hot. Combined with the smell of the props, the air was quite unpleasant. Everyone instinctively furrowed their brows.

No loving parent would want their child to work under such conditions.

Liu Qing explained, "This is a makeshift studio we put together. We haven’t been able to secure much investment, so this is the best we can do."

Lin Feng noted that he was, at least, a very honest man.

Little Bao stood in the doorway, her head tilting left and right with curiosity. Lin Feng watched his daughter’s reaction before pulling her aside.

"Little Bao, this is what acting is like," he said gently. "Are you still willing to go through with it?"

Little Bao hesitated. Having been pampered from a young age, she had never experienced any real hardship.

Lin Feng pursed his lips and thought for a moment before continuing, "How about this? You give it a try today, and if you like it, we’ll stick with it. Okay?"

"After all, nothing worthwhile is easy. Look at your big brother, Dabao. He stays up for several nights just for one experiment. And your second sister, Erbao, works late on her designs and livestream sales, doesn’t she? Your third sister, Sanbao, has to practice the piano for many hours over many days, right? And your fourth brother, Sibao, swims all afternoon when he practices. He’s very persistent and hardworking, isn’t he?"

"Even Mom works overtime until late at night. They all work extremely hard for the things they want to do because those are the things they love. I hope you can be like them. No matter what happens, Mom, Dad, and your brothers and sisters will be right here with you."

Kids nowadays are so pampered. He thought back to his childhood in the village, where five-year-old siblings would already be looking after their younger brothers and sisters. From a young age, they were already sharing household chores. Although their family wasn’t short of money, and Little Bao could live comfortably for her entire life, Lin Feng still hoped she would develop good character.

He held Little Bao’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Little Bao mustered her courage. "Okay, I’ll give it a try."

Lin Feng gave her a thumbs-up. "That’s my girl! Little Bao is amazing. Dad gives you a thumbs-up!"

A small smile appeared on her face. "I can do it."

Lin Feng nodded emphatically. "Of course, you can. In our family, Little Bao is the best."

The others listened, and although they didn’t want to see her endure such difficult work, they knew she had to try. How can a child succeed without pushing themselves? One has to be brave enough to try new things.

Liu Qing was worried. Given the state of their set, it would be perfectly understandable if they chose to leave. They certainly didn’t need the twenty thousand yuan. For instance, the handbag the woman was carrying was worth over a hundred thousand. The little crown on Little Bao’s head cost more than four thousand—he’d seen them buy it with his own eyes. With that thought, Liu Qing sighed, steeling himself for their departure.

"Director..." Lin Feng began.

"I know, you want to leave. It’s completely understandable!"

"No, that’s not it. My daughter wants to give it a try."

"Ah?" Liu Qing’s face lit up with joy. "That’s great! Young lady, please come this way."

Lin Feng then added, "Additionally, I would like to invest in this movie."

Liu Qing gasped, his joy turning into ecstasy. "Please, this way! My office is over here. Let’s talk inside."

Lin Feng followed Liu Qing to discuss the investment, while Little Bao was led onto the set for her audition.

The assistant director, a partner of Liu Qing’s and a fellow film academy graduate, was there. The two had started collaborating after graduation, first making short videos. After earning some money, they moved on to making movies. It was the kind of situation where they were never starving, but never rich either.

Little Bao was highly adaptable. The assistant director explained the scene to her, and she understood quickly.

When he asked her to laugh, she laughed.

When he asked her to cry, she cried.

She memorized her lines well. While she didn’t stick to the script perfectly, she delivered them with her own understanding, making her performance feel more authentic.

The assistant director was over the moon, showering Little Bao with effusive praise.

Little Bao chuckled, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "It’s so hot in here. I want some ice cream."

"Uncle will go buy it for you right away!" the assistant director said hurriedly.

With people wiping her sweat and others fanning her, Little Bao was receiving treatment fit for a princess.