New Vanity Fair – Huang Zitao, Wu Gang, Sun Yi

At the awards ceremony, Song Yang, who won the Best Actor award of the year, was invited on stage, but the veteran actor Chen Jiangge, who was supposed to present the award to him, was nowhere to be found. Faced with this awkward situation, the host had no choice but to let Song Yang improvise.

Song Yang is an actor from the Beijing-Han Drama Troupe, and as the head of the troupe, Luo Xia is very proud of his achievements.

Ding Kemang and Jiang Ye are a married couple and veteran actors of the Beijing-Han Drama Troupe. Ding Momo is the daughter of Ding Kemang and his ex-wife, and she has always had a good relationship with her stepmother Jiang Ye.

As an experienced actor, Jiang Ye won many awards for her acting skills when she was young. However, as time passed, many new popular actresses emerged, and her status gradually declined. She also had to adjust her schedule to accommodate their shooting schedules.

One day, while filming, Jiang Ye was waiting for the young actress Su Xiaotang, but her assistant revealed that Su Xiaotang couldn't remember her lines and had to use numbers and nursery rhymes instead. Everyone laughed it off as a joke.

Jiang Ye criticized Su Xiaotang for delaying the shoot because of changing her necklace, which angered Su Xiaotang, and she immediately quit the shoot.

The Beijing-Han Drama Troupe is rehearsing a new play called "Father and Son." During the rehearsal, Ding Kemang learned that the play was postponed due to a lack of funding caused by a sponsor's withdrawal. Ding Kemang has always been fond of the script of "Father and Son," and he was disappointed. Luo Xia suggested that he find his disciple Song Yang to gain more attention and popularity. Ding Kemang was worried that Song Yang's basic skills had deteriorated since he left the troupe.

In the car, Ding Momo saw Jiang Ye, who was angry and frustrated, and learned about her conflict with Su Xiaotang on the set. When Jiang Ye returned home, she complained to Ding Kemang that her looks were better than her acting skills and her lines. Ding Kemang comforted her.

At the celebration banquet, Su Xiaotang deliberately approached Song Yang to gain more attention, and her assistant secretly filmed their seemingly ambiguous actions. Song Yang knew her intentions but ignored her.

Although Song Yang is now famous, he knows that he must have enough skills to establish himself in the entertainment industry. However, his basic skills cannot keep up with his fame. Just as he was worried about being surpassed by other rising stars, Luo Xia invited him to participate in the play "Father and Son." This would not only help him improve his basic skills but also resolve his conflict with his master Ding Kemang, which made Song Yang very excited.

However, Song Yang's excitement was not shared by his agent Kuang Nanshan, who was always looking for opportunities to create hype. Song Yang contacted Luo Xia personally and expressed his desire to participate in "Father and Son," but he was worried about Ding Kemang's dissatisfaction with him. After Luo Xia assured him, Song Yang felt relieved.

Song Yang and Luo Xia decided to explain the situation to Ding Kemang at his birthday banquet. However, Song Yang suffered a sudden injury to his arm while filming a fight scene.

Due to his injury, Song Yang was forbidden to leave the house by Kuang Nanshan. Song Yang pretended to be asleep and tricked his assistant Xiao Li, who was left to monitor him, and then secretly slipped away.

At this time, Ding Kemang and others had been waiting at the birthday banquet hotel for over an hour. Jiang Ye, who was already annoyed because the producer asked her to apologize to Su Xiaotang, became even more frustrated and made sarcastic remarks to Luo Xia before preparing to go to the bathroom. Jiang Ye was worried about being recognized, so she put on sunglasses. However, when she went to the supermarket with Ding Momo earlier, no one recognized her. Instead, fans who asked Su Xiaotang for help with gifts surrounded her. Jiang Ye knew then that no one was paying attention to her.

Because Jiang Ye refused to compromise, the producer forced the screenwriter to kill off her character and end filming. After Ding Kemang received a call from the producer and learned of the situation, he was worried that Jiang Ye would not be able to accept it and did not plan to tell her. However, when Jiang Ye returned, she immediately noticed that something was wrong with Ding Kemang and Ding Momo. She checked Ding Kemang's phone and found out about the conversation with the producer. Jiang Ye knew that Ding Kemang and Ding Momo meant well, so she didn't get angry but instead laughed. Ding Kemang and Ding Momo also knew that this was the calm before the storm. At the dinner table, Jiang Ye criticized the actors and director and was glad to be able to leave early.

Ding Momo celebrated with alcohol as instructed by Jiang Ye, but she ran into Song Yang in the hallway and informed him of Jiang Ye's situation. However, Jiang Ye thought that she would be fine with Ding Kemang around.

When Jiang Ye saw Song Yang, she looked back on the past and made sarcastic remarks about Su Xiaotang, Song Yang's so-called girlfriend. Song Yang had nothing to say and listened quietly. He poured wine for Jiang Ye, but she refused and mocked him. Song Yang complimented Jiang Ye on her fame when she was young, but accidentally touched on her age. Ding Momo and Luo Xia immediately tried to make up for it. Jiang Ye began to speak out alone, cursing Su Xiaotang and advising Song Yang to seize his youth. She then mentioned classmates who relied on men to get on camera. Ding Kemang heard that Jiang Ye was unhappy with his failure to help her with her work and left in anger. The whole scene was captured on video by a waiter, and Ding Kemang's birthday banquet ended in a mess.

When Ding Momo returned to pack her things, she discovered that the waiter had taken a video and paid him off.

On the way back, Jiang Ye mocked Ding Kemang by reciting "The Sun Chant" by Wen Yiduo. Ding Kemang was angry but did not explode. When he returned home, he put Jiang Ye to sleep and casually dismissed Luo Xia, who came to ask about "Father and Son."

The next day, Kuang Nanshan learned from Song Yang that he wanted to act in a play. No matter how she advised him, Song Yang insisted on his own ideas.

In order to continue riding on Song Yang's popularity, Su Xiaotang prepared soup for him during their filming break. After Song Yang refused, Su Xiaotang persisted and Song Yang became angry and overturned the soup. When Kuang Nanshan asked him about it, Song Yang was angry and refused to be paired with Su Xiaotang.

While doing hydrotherapy with Ding Momo, Jiang Ye learned that Ding Momo had lost her job. Knowing that Ding Momo intended to work at An Lun's company, Jiang Ye suggested that Ding Momo directly contact An Lun because of their relationship as schoolmates.

Song Yang took off his mask and greeted the fans waiting outside, which caused dissatisfaction from his manager Kuang Nanshan. Song Yang didn't care about Kuang Nanshan's concern about the impact of the photos on his image. Song Yang still didn't give up his desire to act in a play, but Kuang Nanshan advised him to give up due to his exposure.

Upon learning that Song Yang wanted to act in a play to repay Ding Kemang's kindness and improve his acting skills, Kuang Nanshan immediately asked about her position in Song Yang's eyes. Knowing that Song Yang also regarded her as a benefactor, Kuang Nanshan hoped that Song Yang would repay her in return.

Kuang Nanshan fought for Song Yang to play the male third role in a new movie by the internationally renowned director Andy, although it was only a supporting role. Despite the star-studded cast, Kuang Nanshan believed that participating in this film would not only allow Song Yang to learn acting skills from the leading actors and actresses but also improve his English proficiency. Seeing that Song Yang was not interested, Kuang Nanshan was disappointed and tied her interests to Song Yang's, then decided to help him decline the invitation from the play troupe. Song Yang saw that Kuang Nanshan was emotionally charged and decided to wait for her to calm down before discussing it again.

After reading the script for "Father and Son" at night, Song Yang was moved by the story and didn't want to miss the opportunity to improve his acting skills with a good script, so he decided to act in it.

Ding Momo was very happy to receive a reply from An Lun asking her to join the company. She believed that she could get this opportunity largely because Jiang Ye gave her advice and learned some skills needed for white-collar workers from her.

In order to be able to act in "Father and Son", Song Yang took the initiative to invite Kuang Nanshan and spoke his heart out about his age and lack of representative works, as well as his definition of play actors and popular stars in his mind. With some cute and stubborn behavior, he finally convinced Kuang Nanshan to agree.

Upon learning that Song Yang had convinced Kuang Nanshan, Luo Xia immediately informed Ding Kemang. Ding Kemang was worried that Song Yang was impulsive and also worried about his acting skills.

Returning to the play troupe, Song Yang looked at the familiar venue and recalled his past. Luo Xia persuaded Song Yang to memorize his lines and prepared to create a chance encounter between him and Ding Kemang.

Song Yang has a fear of heights, so he jumped off a high platform blindfolded to show Ding Kemang his determination to act in the play. With Luo Xia's arrangement, Ding Kemang also saw this scene.

Ding Kemang helped Song Yang up and educated him with a few words. Then the master and apprentice talked, and Song Yang expressed his determination to return to the play troupe and act in the play, and apologized for his previous impatience and leaving the play troupe without listening to Ding Kemang's advice. Ding Kemang learned that Song Yang regretted it and talked to him about the past, and finally agreed to act in "Father and Son" with him.

On the first day of work at the new company, Ding Momo was considered a scheming woman who deliberately approached An Lun by Tan Xiaoxin.

As Luo Xia had something urgent come up, Kuang Nanshan met with Ding Kemang instead. After talking, Kuang Nanshan found that the play had a longer rehearsal time than the ten-day deadline she had prepared for Song Yang, and the two clashed over it.

There is a heated argument between Kuang Nanshan and Ding Kemang. Kuang Nanshan compares Ding Kemang, an old artist who is ignored, to Song Yang, who has many fans but no acting skills. However, Ding Kemang is angered when he hears Kuang Nanshan say that he is using Song Yang as a cash cow. He storms off.

Just then, Luo Xia calls Ding Kemang and asks him to get Kuang Nanshan's phone number. Ding Kemang reluctantly invites Kuang Nanshan back to his place under the pretext of giving her a blanket.

After Kuang Nanshan returns, Ding Kemang scolds her for agreeing to let Song Yang play the lead in "Father and Son" just to boost her own reputation. He is so angry that he decides to quit the play. Luo Xia tries to persuade him to stay, but Kuang Nanshan is also upset with him for insulting her. Eventually, Luo Xia apologizes to Kuang Nanshan.

Kuang Nanshan thinks that Ding Kemang is a hypocrite. Luo Xia tries to mediate between them, but Ding Kemang is still angry and slaps Luo Xia. Later, Ding Kemang finds out that Su Xiaotang has been spreading rumors about Jiang Ye online. Jiang Ye is upset and they argue. They watch a video of their argument from their birthday party and Jiang Ye is hurt by the media's comments about her.

Song Yang meets with Kuang Nanshan and she tells him that all her skills are just to please investors. She hints that the theater company invited him to play the lead just for the box office. She wants to maximize Song Yang's interests and decides to make him the male lead in "Father and Son." However, this means changing the script, which Song Yang disagrees with.

Song Yang wants to be the male lead and talks to Ding Momo about it. She sees through his intentions and thinks he is hypocritical and disrespectful to his teacher. Ding Kemang and Luo Xia discuss casting for "Father and Son" and He Shui volunteers for the role of Tao Tao. However, Luo Xia knows that she is not suitable for the role. He is afraid to offend someone and asks Ding Kemang for help. Later, he praises Kong Liang for his acting skills and suggests he play the role of Song Yang's B-side.

When Luo Xia is about to hold a meeting to discuss the script for "Father and Son," he receives a message from Kuang Nanshan asking him to make Song Yang the male lead and increase his screen time. Ding Kemang is furious because this means changing the script.

Jiang Ye and Kuang Nanshan had a conflict over the script changes, and neither of them would back down. Kuang Nanshan claimed that she grew up watching Jiang Ye's movies, which was a way of saying that Jiang Ye was old. This made Jiang Ye very angry. While they were still confronting each other, Luo Xia received a call informing him that Teacher Qin had fallen ill. This ended their argument.

Song Yang and Ding Momo took Teacher Qin to the hospital. Thanks to Song Yang's CPR skills, Teacher Qin's condition stabilized after being rescued. Momo was angry with Song Yang for wanting to change the script and didn't pay much attention to him. Ding Kemang called Song Yang and said he wanted to go to his house. Song Yang hurried back, and Ding Kemang asked about the house's situation. In fact, he came to confirm whether the decision to cast the male lead was the company's idea or Song Yang's. Song Yang said it was the company's decision, and he had to follow it. Ding Kemang comforted him, saying that the audience's full attendance at his award ceremony was a recognition of his talent.

Song Yang talked about his situation and said that hype was a skill. He felt that everything he had was fleeting, and when the company's profits were lower than the cost, they would make changes. He couldn't sing, but he had to lip-sync to package himself. If he made a mistake, the consequences would be unimaginable. He had thought about how long he could keep going, but the company might think the same way and kick him out when they no longer needed him. Song Yang begged Ding Kemang for two months to work together to make this play a success. Ding Kemang told him that he was worried that Song Yang couldn't even handle the role of the second male lead. Song Yang said that he needed "Father and Son," and "Father and Son" needed him. They should work together to achieve a win-win situation. Ding Kemang told him that determination and wishes alone couldn't achieve everything. Luo Xia invited him to direct the play because he was worried that the play would lose money. If he came and messed it up, what was the point? Song Yang was disappointed and thought that Ding Kemang cared about the play, but Ding Kemang said that he cared about all plays, but he cared more about this one.

Ding Momo came back and saw Jiang Ye angry. Jiang Ye complained that Song Yang wasn't even qualified to be an extra when he was young. Ding Kemang told Song Yang that he couldn't play the male lead, and Jiang Ye suggested that she could try to get investment and even finance the film herself. On the other hand, Kuang Nanshan sent a message to Luo Xia asking for changes to the script, which made Luo Xia very difficult. The next morning, Luo Xia called Ding Kemang to discuss the script changes and the problems that would arise if Song Yang played the male lead. Because Momo was responsible for the script adaptation and dialogue, Luo Xia wanted Ding Kemang to talk to her. Only when Ding Kemang spoke to her could Momo agree to make changes. He Shui came to find Luo Xia and insisted on playing Tao Tao, saying that it was her turn. Ding Kemang found an excuse to leave, and Luo Xia patiently explained that it was not up to him alone to decide, and the Art Committee had to make the decision.

Ding Momo was approached by Luo Xia, who immediately began to persuade her. Momo realized that he needed something from her, probably related to the script. Luo Xia claimed that she had written most of the lines for the son's role in the script, and that she needed her help with the changes. Momo asked if Song Yang would play the male lead, to which Luo Xia replied that he had to, even though he knew it wasn't ideal. He believed that Song Yang's presence was necessary and that it might lead to a new path. Luo Xia was surprised that Ding Kemang had agreed to Song Yang's unreasonable demands. Momo didn't want Luo Xia to waste his efforts, so she told him that Song Yang wouldn't be coming because Ding Kemang had talked to him about it the day before. Luo Xia was angry and went to the theater to confront Ding Kemang.

Luo Xia blamed Jiang Ye and Momo for the situation. Ding Kemang explained that he had approached Song Yang himself, and that Jiang Ye and Momo had no idea. Luo Xia was still upset, feeling that Ding Kemang had betrayed him. Ding Kemang explained that he was afraid of ruining the play, and that if the script was changed carelessly, the audience would be disappointed. Luo Xia complained, and Ding Kemang knew he needed to vent, so he didn't argue.

Song Yang came to the troupe to talk to Ding Kemang about the play. Luo Xia changed his attitude when he saw him, thinking that there might be a chance. After they rehearsed together, Ding Kemang said that Song Yang had improved, but he could only sense his resentment. He then gave him specific guidance. Song Yang said he really wanted to play the male lead and asked Ding Kemang to give him a chance. Ding Kemang hesitated, but agreed to try it out. Luo Xia was finally happy.

Jiang Ye met Kuang Nanshan, who said that the play Song Yang was in was not "Father and Son," but "Son and Father." They argued, and Luo Xia and Ding Kemang rushed over to check. Kuang Nanshan gave Luo Xia the printed contract, but Jiang Ye snatched it away when she saw that Song Yang's role would take up more than 80% of the play. She tore up the contract, and Kuang Nanshan wasn't angry, saying that they could just print another one. Jiang Ye was angry and accused Song Yang of taking Ding Kemang's role. When she suggested that she could find sponsors, Kuang Nanshan exposed her as a washed-up star who couldn't even get investors to listen to her.

Momo asked An Lun to invest in "Father and Son" and suggested that they acquire Kuang Nanshan's company. Jiang Ye scolded Ding Kemang for agreeing to let Song Yang play the male lead. Ding Kemang said he saw Song Yang's sincerity in wanting to learn. Jiang Ye accused him of ruining the play and asked why he would let an unqualified person play the male lead. Ding Kemang said he would talk to her when she calmed down. Jiang Ye said she wouldn't calm down unless Song Yang didn't play the male lead.

Luo Xia blamed Jiang Ye for almost ruining the troupe. She had angered Kuang Nanshan, and Song Yang wouldn't come now. Meanwhile, Momo went to see Kuang Nanshan to discuss financing and acquisition. Kuang Nanshan thought the project was promising and agreed to cooperate.

Jiang Ye went to the troupe to confront Luo Xia, saying that she would stick with "Father and Son." Luo Xia apologized for his earlier attitude and said that they didn't need her to act in the play. He then told Ding Kemang about Jiang Ye's visit, and complained. At that moment, Kuang Nanshan sent a message to Luo Xia, saying that she and Song Yang were on their way. Song Yang also sent a message to Ding Kemang, asking him to bring Jiang Ye along.

Jiang Ye was prepared for a fight when she saw Kuang Nanshan, but unexpectedly, Kuang Nanshan apologized to her with a gift, which made her feel a little embarrassed. Jiang Ye's mood only improved when she saw Song Yang's sincerity.

The original crew wanted Jiang Ye to come back and continue filming, but now Jiang Ye's heart was only set on "Father and Son," so she refused directly.

The assistant asked Kuang Nanshan why she wanted to apologize to Jiang Ye and wanted to help her seek justice. Kuang Nanshan had her own thoughts and did not mention how Jiang Ye and Song Yang would retaliate against her. She only mentioned that Jiang Ye's daughter's identity as an investor was worth apologizing for. Smart people should be able to recognize the situation in any situation and be able to withstand pressure that others cannot.

Luo Xia wanted to determine the candidate for Tao Tao in the Art Committee and preferred to use He Shui. He originally wanted Ding Kemang to object, but Ding Kemang unexpectedly suggested that He Shui try the role. Luo Xia asked for opinions from Vice Captain Song, who said that there were two actors who were relatively suitable in age, but He Shui's acting was poor and Zhao Xiaopu's image was poor and had a large age difference with the character. He proposed to use actors of appropriate age and choose from the students. However, this did not reflect Luo Xia's thoughts. He proposed that there was no precedent for using students and decided after weighing the pros and cons. Group A used He Shui and Group B used Zhao Xiaopu.

Tong Hua thanked Vice Captain Song for speaking up for her. However, Vice Captain Song spoke ill of He Shui behind her back, but she heard it. Vice Captain Song immediately changed his tone and said things that made He Shui want to argue with him, so she had to turn her attention to Tong Hua and asked what their relationship was. Vice Captain Song found an excuse to leave, and He Shui asked Tong Hua again. Tong Hua told her that they just happened to meet each other. He Shui told Tong Hua that she had already secured the role of Tao Tao.

Ding Kemang reminded Song Yang that he could not be late for rehearsals and that actors must have a sense of time. They discussed the issue of script modification, and Ding Kemang said that part of it had already been changed to reassure Song Yang. After Song Yang left, Luo Xia urged Ding Kemang to complete the modifications as soon as possible and not to make any more mistakes.

Zhao Xiaopu also came to ask for an explanation, saying that she cherished this opportunity and had never snatched a role before. However, this time it was Luo Xia who forced her to do so. There were rumors outside that Luo Xia and He Shui had a good relationship, which was why she was chosen to play the role. Although she believed in Luo Xia, He Shui's acting was just not good. Ding Kemang suggested that she go out and shoot a film. Zhao Xiaopu agreed. The dispute over the role was settled, and Luo Xia decided to let He Shui go first and arrange Tong Hua for Group B.

An Lun asked Mo Mo to follow up on the play "Father and Son". Mo Mo thanked An Lun, and Tan Xiaoxin saw the two of them being intimate and felt jealous. At the mobilization meeting for "Father and Son", Song Yang arrived a few minutes late, and Luo Xia said he was a special case and could even not come. Luo Xia then gave a passionate speech, saying that "Father and Son" would be the first big-selling play. However, the applause was sparse. He Shui sent Tao Tao's character profile and thanked Luo Xia and Ding Kemang for their recognition. Mo Mo represented the company and came to talk to Luo Xia about cooperation. She heard that Luo Xia was the director of Rongding Company and was stunned.

Jiang Ye did not have high hopes for the first day of rehearsal. She thought that He Shui, who was not good at acting, and Song Yang, who was not capable, would inevitably have problems. As expected, Song Yang was arranged by Kuang Nanshan to do other activities, and although he was angry, he could only participate in what had already been arranged. Before Song Yang arrived, Luo Xia asked Kong Liang and He Shui to go on stage first. He Shui's performance was a bit exaggerated, and Luo Xia stopped her in time, asking her to be more confident and not to add unnecessary physical movements.

He Shui did not fully understand the character and was somewhat detached from the role during the performance. Jiang Ye couldn't bear to watch and went up to guide her. However, He Shui refused to admit that she had a problem and argued with Jiang Ye. Jiang Ye also explained with resentment that Tao Tao was born in a scholarly family, and her physical movements could not be like He Shui's. Mo Mo stepped forward to stop the argument, and He Shui asked Luo Xia to be fair to her. Luo Xia took He Shui outside to talk to her, and Mo Mo gave Jiang Ye a thumbs up, silently praising her for doing a good job. Ding Kemang announced that today's rehearsal was over. 

After Vice Captain Song met Luo Xia, he mentioned that someone was talking about He Shui being dishonest and suggested that Luo Xia replace her with Tong Hua. He claimed that he was acting in the best interest of the team, but with a little personal bias. If He Shui were to go to the coffee shop to show her skills, he would pay the team 600,000 yuan annually. Vice Captain Song also mentioned that Ding Kemang said He Shui was not capable. Luo Xia immediately became suspicious and asked when he had met Ding Kemang.

Jiang Ye suggested replacing He Shui. If Ding Kemang couldn't say it, she would be the bad guy. She claimed that He Shui and Luo Xia must have a relationship, but Ding Kemang said that He Shui had someone above her and didn't have a special relationship with Luo Xia. Luo Xia was also worried about this matter and came to discuss it with Ding Kemang. As soon as he entered the room, Jiang Ye brought up the idea of replacing He Shui. Luo Xia called Ding Kemang out and insisted that He Shui must help and be guided step by step. Jiang Ye asked who was related to He Shui and wanted to report that person. Ding Kemang didn't say anything but insisted on using He Shui.

On the second day of rehearsal, Song Yang arrived early and apologized for participating in a public welfare activity yesterday. He and Ding Kemang rehearsed together, but Song Yang's emotions were not right. Ding Kemang stopped and explained the scene to him. Luo Xia urged them to finish the scene quickly, but Ding Kemang insisted on focusing on the details. Ding Kemang and Song Yang were discussing the scene, while Jiang Ye and Luo Xia were discussing the replacement of He Shui below.

Ding Kemang's words were a bit heavy, making Song Yang unable to face everyone. He was a bit angry and began to argue with Ding Kemang in front of everyone, claiming that Ding Kemang was venting his anger on him because he had taken his role. This genuine anger was exactly what Ding Kemang needed. He immediately approached Song Yang and asked him to say his lines. Song Yang was a bit confused at first but quickly understood and entered the role, combining his anger with his lines. Ding Kemang was excited. He let Song Yang touch his heart. When a person is angry, their heart beats rapidly, their face turns pale, and their voice becomes erratic. This is a normal reaction, and they may even stomp their feet. Song Yang finally understood Ding Kemang's intention. True emotions don't need to be acted out. He was very moved, and Ding Kemang was a true artist.

Luo Xia accused Ding Kemang of only filming one scene today and not taking care of the entire rehearsal time. It turned out that Luo Xia had a relationship with He Shui, and Ding Kemang agreed to use He Shui only for Luo Xia's sake. If he couldn't play this role, He Shui threatened to sue him.

Jiang Ye and Ding Kemang acted together, and her emotions were expressed very well, deeply immersed in the role. Luo Xia and the students were very moved. The scene between He Shui and Kong Liang has been rehearsed many times but still hasn't passed. Jiang Ye was very angry and proposed to replace He Shui. Luo Xia asked for Ding Kemang's opinion. Ding Kemang knew that Luo Xia was trying to make him step down, so he suggested that the Art Committee decide. However, Jiang Ye publicly revealed that Ding Kemang had said that Tong Hua was much better than He Shui. Jiang Ye's words embarrassed Luo Xia, who had no choice but to let Momo pull Jiang Ye away.

Back home, Momo mentioned to Jiang Ye that there may be something suspicious about He Shui's situation, and she decided to investigate. Ding Kemang asked Luo Xia if anyone else knew about his and He Shui's situation, but Luo Xia didn't know what to do. He said that he trembled at the sight of He Shui's legs. Ding Kemang laughed and suggested that he persuade Jiang Ye not to mention replacing He Shui again. He Shui's role was not important, but she could ruin herself. Momo found the two of them, and her accurate analysis surprised Luo Xia and Ding Kemang. Luo Xia had to reveal his and He Shui's situation. Ding Kemang began to do Momo's work and asked her to consider the overall situation. Momo didn't understand and thought she should take responsibility for her own actions.

Ding Kemang talked to Momo about his relationship. After getting married, he and Jiang Ye were always out of sync, like two incompatible gears that never fit together. Now it's time to separate. In the past, he did it for her, but now his patience has run out. He wants to wait until "Father and Son" is successful before talking to Jiang Ye. Momo couldn't persuade him and could only respect her father's opinion.

Jiang Ye knocked on the door and asked Luo Xia to replace He Shui. Coincidentally, He Shui was at Luo Xia's house. He Shui accused Jiang Ye of always having a problem with her. Jiang Ye said that she really was just doing it for the sake of the play. Ding Kemang and Momo came back just in time and Jiang Ye brought up their past. Ding Kemang's emotions almost collapsed, and Momo was afraid that Jiang Ye would say something unpleasant, so she quickly pulled her back home.

Jiang Ye told Momo that Ding Kemang had something going on with He Shui. She said she understood that men have certain needs and He Shui is beautiful, and since Ding Kemang is often away filming, it's normal for something like this to happen. Momo insisted that not all men are like that. Jiang Ye wanted Momo to explain Ding Kemang's behavior and guessed that Momo knew the truth. She thought it was reasonable for Momo to hide it for the sake of their good father-daughter relationship. Momo didn't want to reveal the truth, but she assured Jiang Ye that Ding Kemang and He Shui had nothing going on.

Jiang Ye was overthinking, but Momo persuaded her to relax and assured her that their father was fine. Jiang Ye insisted that He Shui should not be involved, but Momo said she would handle the situation. However, Jiang Ye felt that the situation was becoming more complicated. Ding Kemang blamed Luo Xia for bringing He Shui home and thought about replacing her. Luo Xia said He Shui had already threatened to reveal everything if she was replaced. Ding Kemang received a message from Momo and didn't want to take the blame. He was also in a difficult position. Luo Xia begged Ding Kemang for help and thanked him for understanding her.

Song Yang went to the theater early for morning exercises. He had finished shooting an advertisement late last night. Xiao Li said he was a big star but still did morning exercises with them. Song Yang told her it was part of the theater's routine. Song Yang apologized to Ding Kemang for being late and was punished to do push-ups. They then started their meat-eating exercise. Xiao Li tried to stop them, fearing that someone might post Song Yang's bad image online. Song Yang quickly stopped her. After everyone finished, Ding Kemang asked Song Yang to stay for extra practice and even monitored what he drank. Xiao Li was unhappy and wanted to tell Kuang Nanshan about it, but Song Yang told her not to interfere.

An Lun arranged for Momo to meet Zhan Zuodi at the badminton court to try to win his cooperation. Momo reluctantly agreed to the arrangement. She quickly blended in, but Zhan Zuodi, an old hand, saw through her unique self-introduction and didn't give her a chance to continue. Momo didn't want to give up and chased after him for ten minutes, mentioning the merger of the industry chain and the feasibility plan the company had already made. She also mentioned that several companies were among the top brokerage companies in the country. Zhan Zuodi brought up the play "Father and Son" and asked Momo to send the script to his company. He would have experts take a look at it.

Jiang Ye criticized Ding Kemang for trying to show off in front of Song Yang. At this point, she was being cunning and Ding Kemang was used to her sarcasm. Song Yang and Tao Tao acted together, but He Shui's performance was still poor. Luo Xia was also helpless. Ding Kemang suggested that Group B should perform. Kong Liang and Tong Hua were familiar with the plot, and the people below discussed and said that the two were demonstrating for Group A. Their performance was very good, and Luo Xia led the applause. Afterward, Jiang Ye called Tong Hua over and gave her some guidance on her lines. Luo Xia then went to talk to Song Yang and He Shui, especially reminding He Shui to be confident. During the next rehearsal, He Shui deliberately imitated Tong Hua, and Song Yang was not completely focused. He was struggling with when the new script would come out because time was limited. Only when the new script came out could he practice with peace of mind. Now, Ding Kemang was nitpicking, and his heart couldn't calm down.

Jiang Ye accused Ding Kemang of playing the lute to a cow. He Shui asked Jiang Ye to leave, otherwise it would affect her rehearsal. The two quarreled, and Luo Xia tried to persuade Jiang Ye and pulled her out. Kong Liang invited Song Yang to relax outside. Song Yang's hobby was boxing, and Kong Liang became his punching bag. In fact, he also had his own plan and had a request for Song Yang. Song Yang said he had already given his resume to Kuang Nanshan. After the cooperation meeting, Zhan Zuodi met Ding Momo by chance and said that the script for "Father and Son" had been reviewed by experts and was very good. They couldn't make too many changes, and swapping the roles of the first and second male leads would ruin the play.

Jiang Ye said that she and He Shui were not just fighting because of the play. Ding Kemang knew she was guessing about what was going on between her and He Shui, and he immediately denied it. However, Jiang Ye continued to talk about her judgment and thoughts. Ding Kemang insisted that he and He Shui were fine, but under Jiang Ye's pressure, he had to admit that Luo Xia and He Shui had something going on. However, Jiang Ye thought he was joking.

Momo apologized to An Lun because Zhan Zuodi helped her inquire about personal matters. An Lun had already explained to the company's higher-ups and emphasized the good relationship between superiors and subordinates. He said that if a subordinate is particularly outstanding and worthy, the superior can cover up and handle the mistake. Momo was moved by his words, but Tan Xiaoxin had a different reaction.

Jiang Ye learned about Luo Xia and He Shui's situation from Ding Kemang and changed her attitude towards He Shui during rehearsals. She even gave her guidance and acting tips. However, she couldn't help but blurt out that youth and men are unreliable. He Shui realized that Jiang Ye might know about her and Luo Xia's relationship and forgot her lines during the next scene. Luo Xia had to ask Tong Hua to replace He Shui for a while. He Shui told Luo Xia about the situation, and he was shocked. He asked Ding Kemang about it, but he didn't reveal the truth.

Song Yang came to find Kuang Nanshan to recommend Kong Liang. Kuang Nanshan thought that Kong Liang had no development prospects and agreed on the surface. However, after Song Yang left, she threw Kong Liang's personal information into the trash can. Tan Xiaoxin suspected that there was an unclear relationship between Momo and An Lun, which threatened her and An Lun's relationship. She even made him choose between her and Momo. Tan Xiaoxin's father was the boss of Pingda Fund, and her connections were what An Lun relied on. Momo's talent was something he admired and valued. He had to appease them one by one, but Momo didn't care and saw herself as Tan Xiaoxin's imaginary enemy.

On the weekend, Ding Kemang took Song Yang out to train and find inspiration. They used Qu Yuan's "Lei Dian Song," which Song Yang had filmed before, as a script. However, Song Yang couldn't find the feeling of anger and roar. Ding Kemang made him repeat the lines and do somersaults, using body language and emotional changes to strengthen Song Yang's inner feelings. It started raining, and Song Yang kept doing the same actions and saying the same lines in the rain. Gradually, the feeling of anger became more and more real, and he entered the character's inner world, experiencing the feeling of being torn apart.

Ding Kemang thought that Song Yang had made great progress and took him to his house. He even gave him the clothes that Momo had bought for him to wear. Song Yang said that he always felt pressure and nervousness when he was with Ding Kemang. Acting was like a practice of asceticism and a dead end. The reason for his pressure and nervousness might be that he was not skilled enough and had too many distractions. He needed to empty himself, like being in a transparent glass vessel. Song Yang asked if he could reach Ding Kemang's level, and Ding Kemang encouraged him to work hard and he could achieve it.

During a new rehearsal, Song Yang made great progress and received recognition from Luo Xia and Jiang Ye, but Ding Kemang was still not completely satisfied. He wanted Song Yang to improve even more and change his performance style to increase interaction with the audience. Song Yang was confused, so Ding Kemang stopped and talked to him about the play. Luo Xia suggested continuing the rehearsal, but Ding Kemang said it was better to do it seriously once than to do it carelessly ten times. Luo Xia couldn't stand it anymore and called Ding Kemang out, accusing him of being too controlling and expressing dissatisfaction with Song Yang's behavior. After giving Ding Kemang a cold look, he returned to the rehearsal room and continued to teach Song Yang about the play.

Luo Xia couldn't bear to watch anymore and felt that Ding Kemang was going too far. He suggested moving on to the next scene. Ding Kemang immediately knelt down to the audience and demonstrated the scene to Song Yang. This scene almost moved everyone present, and Jiang Ye even shed tears. Song Yang was also deeply moved and realized the huge gap between himself and the others. He suddenly decided to stop acting. Luo Xia thought he was rebelling against Ding Kemang, so he suggested that Song Yang could act according to his own ideas and then went to do Ding Kemang's job. Ding Kemang reiterated that what he cared about was not the difference between the first and second roles, but the effect of the play. At this point, Song Yang expressed his thoughts. He felt that he couldn't play the male lead, even if the script was changed. He needed to learn, but the time was not enough. There was a qualitative difference between him and Ding Kemang, and he had tried his best, but this gap could not be bridged in a short time. He felt sorry for everyone. This sincere expression also moved everyone present. Jiang Ye told him that his artistic path would definitely get better and Ding Kemang also encouraged him. Finally, Luo Xia announced that "Father and Son" was officially starting filming.

Everything seemed to be developing in a good direction. Song Yang seemed to know about Luo Xia and He Shui's relationship, so he decided to play the villain and publicly requested to switch to He Shui. He Shui argued that his acting was not as good as Kong Liang's and he should be the one to switch, but Song Yang's performance was the support for the box office and could not be replaced. He Shui placed his hope on Luo Xia, but at this point, Luo Xia could only express his respect for Song Yang's decision. He Shui left angrily.