SEC Chapter 641 Li Xin's Expectations
Chapter 641 Li Xin's Expectations
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"Teacher Wang, I'd like to add a scene."
Director Chen put down his teacup.
"Director Chen! You..."
Wang Huiling's face flushed red and then turned pale, and she suddenly jumped up from the stool.
She was moved by the phrase "not a single word changed" just yesterday.
I haven't even had a chance to sit down properly, and this person is already brazenly trying to add to the drama?
Wang Huiling has been working in the screenwriting industry for twenty years and has never seen anything like this before.
"Yes, yes, I am a gentleman. Teacher Wang, please don't rush, let me finish."
Director Chen anticipated her reaction, and leisurely raised his right hand, gently pressing down reassuringly.
"I don't want to change the script; I just want to add something new to the existing scenes."
"Add something new?"
Wang Huiling's expression didn't improve; instead, it became even uglier.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips as she sneered, "Director Chen, I only knew you were knowledgeable about poetry and literature. What, now you've got insights into crime-solving and deduction too?"
He's a renowned and highly regarded screenwriter in the industry, after all.
Wang Huiling also has a temper.
Even the biggest directors aren't immune to criticism from her.
Leave professional tasks to professionals. You're a director who only shoots the visuals, so don't try to do our screenwriting work!
But Director Chen's reaction was completely unexpected.
"Teacher Wang, you've always had a good eye."
Director Chen was pleased rather than angry, his eyebrows relaxed. "I just have a deep understanding of poetry and songs, so I wanted to add a little—no, to fill in some new details."
"If even you acknowledge my literary talent, then there's definitely no problem."
Wang Huiling: "?"
How come she never noticed before that Director Chen also had a talent for shamelessness?
Wang Huiling's chest heaved violently twice. She felt like her blood pressure was about to burst through the top of her head.
With a cold expression, she braced herself on her knees, her bottom already off the stool, intending to leave immediately.
"Teacher Wang, the scene I want to add is the banquet at Hua'e Xianghui Tower, to give Le Tian more depth in his character."
Director Chen's voice came over slowly and deliberately.
"Le Tian? Gu Qing?"
Wang Huiling's angry expression froze, her eyebrows furrowed, and her bottom, which had just lifted off the stool, hovered for a moment before slowly landing back on it.
"Director Chen, what do you mean by 'depth of the character'?"
Wang Huiling's expression was still unpleasant, but her tone softened slightly.
The banquet scene at Hua'e Xianghui Tower is not considered a core plot point in her entire script for "The Legend of the Demon Cat".
The main function of this play is to use visual elements such as the Hu Xuan dance and the Rainbow Feather Dress to present the elegance, inclusiveness, and peaceful state of the Tang Dynasty.
in other words,
This scene was originally reserved for Director Chen.
Wang Huiling could tolerate it as long as he was allowed to plant some flowers and plants inside, as long as he didn't tear down the house and rebuild it.
How about adding a little bit of Peking Opera?
Director Chen leaned forward slightly, his tone resolute: "Teacher Wang is a cultured man, he knows without me saying more that Emperor Xuanzong was the founder of Peking Opera."
"When the ruler has a certain preference, those below will follow suit to an extreme." In the Tang Dynasty, opera performances were likely a mainstream activity at banquets for courtesans.
"Liyuan Opera?"
Wang Huiling fell into deep thought.
Liyuan Opera...that's a proper thing.
It's not some mysterious "artistic conception" that Director Chen came up with on a whim, but rather a well-documented symbol of the prosperous Tang Dynasty culture.
Put it in.
Both in terms of historical research and the overall atmosphere, they are both valid.
"Teacher Wang, what about Letian? He is the authentic successor of Huizhou opera."
Seeing that her expression softened, Director Chen pressed his advantage without making a sound, his tone carrying a hint of genuine pride, "And I happen to have some experience in filming Peking Opera."
He smiled faintly, picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said something that left Wang Huiling speechless.
"There is no director in the country, or even the world, who is better at directing Peking Opera than me."
"The best thing is right in front of us, so why should we give up our strengths to make up for our weaknesses?"
"..."
Wang Huiling remained silent.
She really had to accept Director Chen's act of arrogance this time, even if she had to hold her nose.
When it comes to his experience in directing Peking Opera, there is indeed no director in the world more outstanding than him.
"Farewell My Concubine" remains an insurmountable peak in the history of Chinese-language cinema, regardless of how many years have passed or who watches it.
Wang Huiling chose to collaborate with Director Chen.
Ultimately, it's all because of "Farewell My Concubine".
Wang Huiling hoped that her writings could one day be adapted into a film of the same quality as "Farewell My Concubine" by Director Chen, at which point she could die without regrets.
There was a long silence.
"Director Chen, I can write a scene about the Pear Garden in the Hua'e Xianghui Tower scene."
Wang Huiling slowly began, "But I feel... we can't let Gu Qing sing."
Director Chen paused for a moment, his hand holding the teacup still twitching: "Oh?"
"This is something a courtesan would do."
Wang Huiling looked him straight in the eye and said seriously, "Perhaps the literati of yesteryear would also sing such vulgar and frivolous songs at banquets, but it's not suitable for the big screen."
"Where is there a handsome young man on the road who is as dissolute as a courtesan, making all sorts of noises?"
I don't agree with letting Gu Qing sing; even the Hermit of Xiangshan wouldn't do such a thing.
Wang Huiling is a woman, especially a literary creator who has spent most of her life immersed in words.
We naturally have a filter and yearning for beautiful things.
In these six years,
In order to write the script for "The Legend of the Demon Cat", she read through all of Bai Juyi's surviving poems and essays.
For six years, more than two thousand days and nights, she spent her days immersed in poetry and books, conversing with a soul from more than a thousand years ago.
Subtly,
She has almost become Bai Juyi's "dream girl".
not to mention,
Wang Huiling is also a literary auntie.
Upon seeing Gu Qing, dressed in white robes and bathed in the setting sun atop the mountain yesterday, the old lady was completely mesmerized, as if she were seeing Bai Juyi in his youth right before her eyes.
When she really gets into a fit, she's no less capable than Director Chen.
"Teacher Wang, what does 'ee-ee-ya-ya' mean?"
Director Chen frowned and waved his hand impatiently.
“In ancient times, it was perfectly normal for scholars to be romantic and indulge in pleasure and debauchery. If they didn’t use these things to show their romanticism, what else would they use to do so?”
You're just a woman, don't worry about these things.
The air froze instantly upon hearing this.
"What do you mean by 'a virtuous woman'?!"
Wang Huiling exploded, slamming her hands on the table with a loud thud.
The teacup on the table wobbled, and a few drops of tea spilled out, spreading into dark patterns on the wood-grained surface.
"Director Chen, are you a feudal patriarch?!"
Wang Huiling retorted angrily, "Please get this straight, you're making a movie, you need to consider the audience!"
"Gu Qing is an idol! Do you know how many female fans he has? Why do you have to portray him as a playboy?"
"Moreover, I know more about the integrity of the Hermit of Xiangshan than you do!"
If he truly regarded courtesans and dancers as mere playthings, how could he have written the timeless masterpiece "The Song of the Pipa"?
Wang Huiling became more and more agitated as she spoke, "How do you want to degrade a gentleman with such high moral character and perfect conduct?"
"You, you let go..."
Director Chen's face turned red from the barrage of questions.
His finger trembled as he pointed at Wang Huiling, his lips quivering as he struggled to utter a single sentence:
"How dare you!!"
"You even started talking to me about Bai Juyi?"
"Bai Juyi didn't go to brothels, but he did visit official prostitutes!!"
"The practice of patronizing prostitutes was rampant in the Tang Dynasty. From prime ministers and military governors to their staff and local officials, almost everyone engaged in it. This is recorded in history. What are you arguing with me about?!"
Director Chen retorted angrily, "You only know 'The Song of the Pipa'? You stupid, foolish woman, why don't you mention that he also wrote the line: 'Three times he disliked the old man's ugliness and exchanged his eyebrows for a beautiful woman's?!'"
"Bai Juyi was a lecherous monster!"
"You're talking nonsense!!"
Wang Huiling was completely enraged.
Director Chen maintained a refined demeanor, but she didn't.
"A staunch feudal patriarch vs. a modern, free woman."
The staff members who were eavesdropping outside the door collectively gasped.
It looks like this is going to be a fierce battle!
"If the Hermit of Xiangshan were truly a lecher, why did he only marry at the age of thirty-seven? And why did he grow old with his wife?"
Wang Huiling practically spat in Director Chen's face, "He had affairs in his later years involving selling horses and prostitution, why don't you mention that? You call someone like that a lecherous monster?"
quickly,
She delivered the winning blow:
"You yourself have been married three times, how dare you judge Mr. Bai as not being a gentleman?"
"You, you...!!"
Director Chen felt a mouthful of blood stuck in his throat, and veins bulged from his forehead all the way up to his neck.
His finger trembled like a leaf as he pointed at Wang Huiling. His lips moved for a long time before finally uttering only an angry shout: "You wicked woman!!"
Two people, whose combined age exceeds one hundred, were engaged in a heated argument inside the house, their voices booming like thunder.
Assistant director Sun Ming poked half his head in, a cautious, apologetic smile on his face: "Director Chen, Teacher Wang, um..."
"Get out!!"
The two of them turned their heads at the same time.
Sun Ming recoiled as if he'd been burned, and quickly closed the door.
"What do we do? What do we do? Will a fight break out?!"
"We have to try and persuade them! Director Chen and Teacher Wang are both getting on in years. What if something happens to them? What will happen to the crew? Will we still be able to make the film?"
"I just got kicked out!"
Sun Ming lowered his voice and cursed, "How many lives do you have to try and persuade them?"
The group looked at each other, none of them daring to take that step.
at this time,
A loud crash came from the office; it was the sound of porcelain shattering on the floor.
Then came another muffled thud, as if something had been smashed against the wall.
Everyone's shoulders twitched.
"You wicked woman, get out of here!!"
"You think you can get angry just because you can't win an argument? I'm not leaving! You think you're the only one who can throw things?!"
"Bang bang bang-"
The commotion inside grew louder, with the sounds of teacups shattering, books falling, and chairs being kicked over.
The person outside was terrified, but dared not go in, and was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
Sun Ming slapped his forehead, shakily pulled out his phone, found a number, and dialed it.
The phone rang several times before it was answered.
"Hey?"
A languid female voice came from the other end.
"Teacher Chen! Something terrible has happened! You need to come to the set and save the day!"
Sun Ming's voice cracked, "Director Kaige and Teacher Huiling, I don't know why they got into a fight, a really fierce argument, they almost came to blows!!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
Is there a risk that a war might not break out?
Chen Hong's voice was eerily calm.
Sun Ming was completely stunned.
"Huh? What?"
He suspected that he had heard wrongly.
"I mean, who's fighting?"
Chen Hong's voice was intermittent: "My signal is bad here, I can't hear you very clearly."
"Teacher Chen, it's Director Kaige, and Teacher Wang Huiling, they—"
"Hello? Hello? I can't hear you, the signal is so bad. And my phone is almost out of battery. Wait until I charge it and then I'll call you back."
"Teacher Chen! Teacher Chen! Hello—"
"Beep-beep-beep-"
The phone hangs up.
Sun Ming, holding his phone, was dumbfounded.
Are you two really a couple?
What does "call back after charging" mean?
By the time you fully charge your phone, the murder might have already happened.
Throughout the entire production crew, from top to bottom, there were very few people who could persuade Director Chen to back down.
Few even dared to speak up. Chen couldn't coax them.
Sun Ming desperately put his phone back in his pocket.
"...Bai Letian? Gu Qing! Do you understand him, or do I understand him?!"
"Who do you think I am? Do you need to tell me?!"
"I don't understand? You've only known him for a few days!"
The arguing inside the room grew even louder.
"Teacher Gu Qing!"
A spark of hope ignited in Sun Ming's eyes. "Yes, yes, go ask Teacher Gu Qing for help!!"
Those nearby hadn't even reacted yet: "Teacher Gu? Can Teacher Gu persuade her?"
"Only he can persuade them!"
Sun Ming was already walking quickly outside while talking, and he took out his phone to start looking up Zhao Ya's number.
……
And at this moment,
In a high-end hotel away from the film set.
Sunlight streamed into the living room through the half-drawn sheer curtains, casting warm dappled patterns on the carpet.
On the coffee table in the living room, a tablet computer is propped up on a small stand, and a video call is being made on the screen.
And a beautiful sound flowed through the room:
The gentle and melodious Shuimo tune, with its unique softness and lingering quality characteristic of Jiangnan, is performing the classic lyrics of Du Liniang from "The Peony Pavilion: A Dream Interrupted".
"A gentle breeze wafts through the quiet courtyard, swaying the spring like threads. I pause to adjust my hair ornaments, stealing a glimpse of myself through the mirror, the colorful clouds teasing me..."
The sound was as delicate as silk threads, like willow catkins in spring being carried by a gentle breeze, carrying the unique moisture and softness of a water town.
On the tablet screen was a woman with clear, gentle eyes and brows, yet a natural hint of sadness between her brows.
She was born with delicate and elegant features. Individually, none of her features were particularly striking, but together they created a unique and comforting beauty.
Especially her long, narrow, bright eyes, which exude the charm of a classical beauty.
Li Xin sat at her desk at home, with a tablet in front of her, watching Gu Qing's performance intently.
She was wearing a plain-colored loungewear set, her hair hastily styled into a low bun, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears, which softened her overall appearance.
Looking at the handsome young man on the screen,
Li Xin placed her hands on her knees, her slender, white palms slightly clenched, and fine beads of sweat had seeped from her palms.
How could she not be nervous?
In the past, guidance and classes were mostly conducted via voice calls and text messages.
She sent over a demonstration recording, which Gu Qing listened to and practiced on her own. If she encountered any problems, she would send them to her in writing.
But today is different.
This was the first time she had a face-to-face video call with Gu Qing.
Li Xin specifically asked for ten minutes to prepare.
She tore down the Gu Qing posters plastered on the surrounding walls, then quickly changed out of her pajamas, touched up her light makeup, and tied up her hair that hadn't been washed for days...
In a very short time, I finished all of this, and even took the opportunity to calm my breathing and practice smiling in front of the mirror.
After Li Xin made sure there were no mistakes, she started a video call with Gu Qing.
She didn't think she liked Gu Qing.
Li Xin's perception of Gu Qing was one of admiration, envy, and a combination of following a few dramas and watching a few variety shows.
It's simply a matter of admiration and affection for a beautiful person of the opposite sex.
I feel that it is both polite and appropriate to maintain a girl's image.
She doesn't consider herself a shallow woman at all.
But when Li Xin's slender white fingertip clicked to connect,
"Good morning, Teacher Li. Thank you for your help."
Gu Qing appeared on the screen at close range.
"Good morning..."
Li Xinmei opened her eyes slightly and spoke softly and gently.
Gu Qing...how come she's different?
She watched all of Gu Qing's TV dramas and movies, including the variety shows from his Running Man days.
During this time,
Li Xin was studying the script at home when she became mentally and physically exhausted by the tragic fate of the characters.
I would watch movies starring Gu Qing to pass the time and relax.
and so……
Facing Gu Qing, Li Xin felt that she would be very familiar with him and at least wouldn't lose her composure.
But when the video call connected, she realized she had been making assumptions.
……
"Teacher Li, I've finished singing."
Gu Qing's voice pulled her back from her daze.
"Ah...oh, very, very good."
Li Xin snapped out of her daze and quickly sat up straight. "You sang really well! I never expected you to learn so quickly!"
"If my master had seen you back then, she wouldn't have accepted me as her disciple."
Looking at the upright figure on the screen, Li Xin suddenly felt a strange and indescribable feeling.
Is she really giving Gu Qing a lesson?
If this gets out, who will believe it?
Li Xin felt that
It's like two people sharing a little secret, which creates a unique feeling.
……
"Teacher Li, you are a teacher, not a kindergarten teacher."
Faced with Li Xin's relentless praise, Gu Qing chuckled and shook his head.
Upon hearing this,
Li Xin's nose was slightly upturned, and the corners of her mouth curved into a playful arc, revealing her clean and even teeth.
She tilted her head slightly and said in a light tone, "Little Gu, your teacher also works part-time as a kindergarten teacher."
The way she tilted her head, paired with her slender, clear eyes, made her look less bitter and more charming like a young girl.
Having been a trusted friend of Gu Qing for so long,
Then, Gu Qing interacted with her naturally and without any airs, and Li Xin gradually let go of her nervousness.
Every class,
Gu Qing would listen attentively to her without ever giving her a strange look because of her status, and her attitude towards learning was very proper.
Therefore,
Li Xin was truly sharing all his knowledge with everyone he knew.
She taught Gu Qing all the secrets she had learned from her master back then, without reservation.
In the traditional opera industry, the weight of this wholehearted sharing of knowledge is no exaggeration to describe as a "master-disciple bond."
And master and disciple,
They were the closest of friends in the opera troupe.
How intimate were they?
There's an old saying, "A teacher for a day is a father for life." The relationship between a teacher and his student is one of bowing, kowtowing, and having it written in the genealogy.
of course,
The modern theater world isn't that bad; this situation mainly occurs in the world of crosstalk.
"Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher... Thinking about it this way..."
Li Xin's thoughts drifted for a moment, and suddenly a strange thought occurred to her, "I think I really am a kindergarten teacher, right?"
In Kunqu Opera, there is a category called "Guimen Dan," which refers to young girls who are still unmarried.
She taught Gu Qing to sing Du Liniang and The Peony Pavilion, which was exactly what "young women" were teaching.
in other words--
She was Gu Qing's "teacher," and a teacher is an elder. An elder is like a father...or a mother?
A scene suddenly flashed into Li Xin's mind: Gu Qing sitting across from her, head bowed, offering tea with a respectful gesture, and calling out—
"mom."
Li Xin's face flushed red. She shook her head, trying to erase the horrible image from her mind.
Gu Qing was clearly unaware that Li Xin on the other side of the screen had already imagined a grand drama of "super generational advancement".
He was about to ask a question about a certain breath transition in the singing he had just heard—
The phone on the coffee table suddenly vibrated.
Gu Qing glanced down and saw that it was a message from Zhao Ya.
He picked up his phone, swiped the screen, and his expression changed slightly the instant his eyes swept over the message content.
"Did Director Chen and Teacher Wang get into a fight?"
Gu Qing put down her phone and said apologetically, "Teacher Li, I'm sorry, something came up with my film crew and I need to go and handle it right away."
Li Xin quickly cleared her mind of all the random thoughts and said with concern, "Work is important. Classes can be held anytime, there's no rush."
"Sorry, I'll do it another day—"
"It's alright, it's alright, go ahead and be careful on the road."
The video call ended.
The moment the screen went dark, the lively, vibrant atmosphere with voices in the bedroom suddenly vanished.
Li Xin sat in the chair, staring at the now-off tablet screen for several seconds.
The room was very quiet.
She bought this apartment a few years ago; it has two bedrooms and a living room, and she lives there alone.
It doesn't usually feel empty.
But at this moment,
Li Xin suddenly felt awkward and uncomfortable.
The empty bedroom suddenly became quiet.
The feeling of isolation and loneliness made her somewhat uncomfortable.
Li Xin's fingers flew across the tablet as she tapped on it, finding her apprentice's "The Mystic Nine" in the video history and starting to play it.
"Girl, I want to eat your plain noodles."
Gu Qing's gentle voice dispelled the chill and loneliness in the room, and Li Xin finally breathed a sigh of relief and returned to bed.
She picked up the script from the bedside table, and then couldn't help but glance at the tablet, at the sweet daily life of Gu Qing and Zhao Liying, showing how they supported each other through thick and thin.
The script in her hand had its edges slightly creased from being turned so many times, and the cover bore three bold characters—
The Legend of Chu Qiao.
Will my apprentice visit the set of "Princess Agents"?
"Even if someone comes to visit the set...it will probably be Liying who comes to see her."
Li Xinxiu shook her hair slightly, covered her pretty face, and couldn't concentrate on the script.
She felt like something was off about her today.
Why bother thinking about all this nonsense?
As for Zhao Liying...
Li Xin's feelings towards Zhao Liying are actually quite complicated.
The two of them had worked together on the 2008 version of "Dream of the Red Chamber".
At that time, Li Xin played Xue Baochai, who was one of the core characters in the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, second only to Lin Daiyu.
And what about Zhao Liying at that time?
She plays Xing Xiuyan, a minor character who barely appears in the original novel, with only a handful of appearances and probably only a few dozen lines.
In the TV series "Dream of the Red Chamber", Zhao Liying played a supporting role to Li Xin.
In terms of screen time, billing order, and treatment, nothing can compare to Li Xin.
But time flies, and ten years have passed.
right now,
She held the script for the second female lead in "Princess Agents." She was going to play a supporting role to Zhao Liying in the drama.
"Ugh……"
Li Xinmei's eyes were filled with complex emotions, and she sighed softly.
It would be a lie to say I'm not upset.
They're all actors, and they all have self-respect.
Watching those who were once supporting characters in my life gradually rise to the top, it would be a lie to say I'm not a little jealous.
However, more than jealousy, I felt envy.
otherwise,
Li Xin wouldn't try to get the role of the second female lead in "Princess Agents".
It can be unique.
What Li Xin regrets is that
She thought the male lead in "Princess Agents" would be Gu Qing.
Only after signing the contract did they learn from the production team that the male lead was someone else.
"Didn't Liying say in the interview that she wanted to make an agreement with her apprentice to continue working together four or five times a year?"
Li Xin felt she had been scammed.
She had been looking forward to meeting her apprentice in person and enjoying the thrill of being carried by him again.
However, Gu Qing did not come.
"If only Gu Qing could play the male lead in 'Princess Agents'..."
Li Xin was very disappointed and muttered to herself:
"Liying, if you try your best, you could even persuade my apprentice to join us..."
……
...(End of this chapter)