Chapter 360: Without the drama, nothing matters
There were many drama fans standing at the entrance of the Capital Theatre. Together with Lin Weimin and his group, they blocked the entrance completely. From a distance, it looked like something had happened.
Lin Weimin stood in the crowd. Han Zhuangzhuang was pushing a motorcycle and standing one meter in front of him. He looked ashamed and said nothing.
The scene was very quiet. Under Lin Weimin's powerful aura, no one dared to speak.
Lin Weimin looked at his watch again, and said to the fans watching, "Two of you go and tell Director Ouyang that Bater should play the B role today!"
Two young men from the crowd immediately ran into the theater. They couldn't miss such a good opportunity to go backstage.
"Hey..." Han Zhuangzhuang looked up and wanted to call them, but stopped shouting under Lin Weimin's stern gaze.
Lin Weimin said in a deep voice, "It's 7:12 now, and there are still 18 minutes before the show starts. It takes you three minutes to run backstage, three minutes to change your clothes, and ten minutes at the fastest to put on makeup. There are still two minutes before the show starts, and you can't even catch your breath. Are you going to perform in this state?"
If you hadn't held me back, it would have been twenty-one minutes.
Han Zhuangzhuang only dared to say this in his heart.
"Let me finish my performance first. It's about to start. After it's over, you can scold me however you want." Han Zhuangzhuang said anxiously.
"Are you anxious now? What were you doing before? Do you really think this play can't be performed without you?
Do you think you have become a celebrity just because you have appeared on the Spring Festival Gala and acted in TV dramas?" Lin Weimin scolded.
Han Zhuangzhuang has a strong and sturdy build, and at first glance he looks like a man of integrity. But now he is being scolded by Lin Weimin and he doesn't even dare to raise his head. The contrast is quite strong.
Many of the cast and crew of "The Female Doctor" met Lin Weimin for the first time today. He is handsome, young, and always smiles at everyone he meets. People thought he was a good guy, but they didn't expect him to be so scary when he gets angry.
Zhang Guorong looked at Wang Mingquan with a questioning look in his eyes.
This was his first time in the mainland, and he had never imagined that mainland screenwriters had such bad tempers and such terrifying power.
Just because the actor is late, he is not allowed to perform?
Liza Wang was also a little nervous. She had only met Lin Weimin a few times and had never seen Lin Weimin so irritable.
Lai Meixian, who was like a little lamb beside her, was trembling with fear. Thinking of how she had just said something without restraint, she couldn't help but feel secretly regretful and decided that she would never dare to speak nonsense again.
After a few angry words, Lin Weimin stopped cursing.
There were too many people in front of the Capital Theatre, and the occasion was not suitable.
After he finished scolding Han Zhuangzhuang, he smiled again and led everyone into the Capital Theatre.
Han Zhuangzhuang originally wanted to sneak backstage, but under Lin Weimin's gaze, he followed the team and entered the performance hall.
"The Horse Catcher" is a big play. After the more than three-hour performance, the Capital Theatre burst into applause.
A group of performers and crew members from Hong Kong were sitting in the front row. When they saw many audience members standing up and applauding, they stood up as well.
The atmosphere of watching plays in the Capital Theatre was very pious, which naturally infected them.
When the actors took their curtain calls, several young people including Leslie Cheung and Michelle Lai shouted excitedly, but were inconspicuous amid the thunderous applause.
Han Zhuangzhuang stood in the audience, watching his colleagues taking their bows on the stage, especially the B-role. He felt very upset because that was supposed to be his role.
He fully understood his uncle's intention.
Even though you are the protagonist, the play can go on without you, but without you, you are nothing!
The curtain call is over and the audience leaves.
Lin Weimin asked Han Zhuangzhuang to wait for him backstage, while he left the performance hall first to see off many of the cast and crew of "The Female Doctor".
Huang Yihe was smiling happily when he left.
Han Zhuangzhuang's episode was accidental, but it taught a good lesson to the Hong Kong cast and crew of the crew.
Nowadays, people from Hong Kong tend to look down on others unconsciously when they come to the mainland. Since we have just started working together these few days, there may not be any problems.
If you wait for a long time, conflicts will easily arise.
But after Lin Weimin's outburst today, Huang Yihe observed that many people who were originally somewhat arrogant immediately became docile.
This was definitely a pleasant surprise for the crew.
After seeing off the people from "The Legend of Female Doctor", Lin Weimin returned to the backstage.
It is now past eleven o'clock in the evening, but most of the actors backstage are waiting here.
These people are night owls by profession, and many of them suffer from insomnia when they get home at night. It just so happens that there is something exciting to watch backstage today, so they simply decide not to leave.
When Lin Weimin came in, Ouyang Shanzun was sitting on a chair, and Han Zhuangzhuang was standing beside him, looking dejected, obviously having been through a storm.
"Teacher Ouyang, I'm really sorry!" Lin Weimin said.
Ouyang Shanzun waved his hand and said, "This time it was Zhuangzhuang's mistake."
Lin Weimin looked at Han Zhuangzhuang and started cursing again.
"Look at the actors backstage, who doesn't come one or two hours in advance to change costumes, put on makeup, and wait for the performance?
Who are you to make a bunch of people wait for you? If you can't act, don't act. This play will be the same without anyone!
..."
The deafening curses echoed backstage at the Capital Theatre, frightening the actors who were watching the show.
Han Zhuangzhuang knew he was in the wrong today and didn't even dare to raise his head when he was scolded.
When Lin Weimin kept scolding, even Ouyang Shanzun couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up, pulled him to sit down, and advised him to calm down.
After scolding for a long time, Lin Weimin finally finished and said to Ouyang Shanzun: "Don't let him perform in the remaining performances of "The Horse Catcher" this year."
"This..." Ouyang Shanzun hesitated for a moment, "I don't think it's necessary. I understand the situation, and it can be considered excusable."
"I think it is necessary."
At Lin Weimin's insistence, the role of Bater was replaced by the B-role in the next scene of "The Horse Catcher".
It was already past twelve o'clock when Han Zhuangzhuang followed Lin Weimin out of the Capital Theatre.
It was at this time that Lin Weimin finally asked why he was late today.
In July, Han Zhuangzhuang and Yin Geli went back to Shanghai to host a few banquets, and then went to Austria. They did not return to China until the end of August and held another banquet in Yanjing. Only then was the marriage considered complete.
He had a childhood friend from Shanghai, but he missed the banquet he held in Shanghai before. Yesterday, he came to Yanjing on a business trip, and Han Zhuangzhuang treated him to a meal.
Han Zhuangzhuang's childhood friend was taking a train this afternoon, and thinking that there was still enough time, he sent him to the train station first, and then rushed to the Capital Theatre.
Lin Weimin frowned as he listened to Han Zhuangzhuang's story. "Is it obvious that you're driving a motorcycle? Do you have to send her off? Can't I take the bus? Can't I get a taxi?"
He knew that Han Zhuangzhuang took the initiative to send his friend off, absolutely with the intention of showing off the motorcycle.
Han Zhuangzhuang knew he was in the wrong, so he scratched his head and said with a smile, "I know I was wrong."
"You know nothing!" Lin Weimin cursed, and then said: "I thought you had improved after getting married, but tell me what you did?"
"How can you guarantee that you will be here before the performance? What if something goes wrong? Besides, you are riding a motorcycle at such a high speed, and you will lose your life if you get into an accident. Is it worth it just to send someone off?"
Han Zhuangzhuang nodded after being scolded, "I understand now."
"If you're going to be like this, don't ride a motorcycle anymore. I don't want your dad to die before you."
"Uncle, I promise there won't be a next time."
Lin Weimin glanced at him and said, "You are already a grown-up. It doesn't matter if you don't behave properly with me, but you have to keep your job. Today's incident should serve as a warning to you."
Han Zhuangzhuang nodded dejectedly.
The next day, the filming of "Legend of a Female Doctor" officially started at the Ming and Qing Style Street of Yanying Studio. The main scenes shot here were of Tan Yunxian's girlhood and youth.
The Ming and Qing Style Street is an important filming base of Yanying Studio. It was built in 1979 for the filming of the movie "Camel Xiangzi". Later, movies such as "Tea House" and "Wulin Zhi" were successively built here.
In the past two years, CCTV filmed "Dream of Red Mansions", and one of the important scenes in the TV series - Rongguo Mansion was also built here. The filming of numerous movies and TV series has made this place one of the few film and television bases in the country today.
In addition to the Ming and Qing Street at Yanying Studio, "The Female Doctor" was coordinated by CCTV and a number of filming locations were confirmed. For example, Tan Yunxian often went in and out of the palace in her middle age, and CCTV coordinated to allow filming in the Forbidden City.
Because it was the first day of filming, most of the actors came even if they didn't have any scenes to play.
Lin Weimin took a special leave to come here today. Several main actors greeted him politely when they saw him, but behind their smiles there was deep fear.
This screenwriter has a bad temper!
After yesterday's pleasant communication, the relationship between the main actors is very harmonious.
Lai Meixian pulled Tao Huimin aside and asked her, "What happened to that actor yesterday?"
Tao Huimin thought about it and said, "He will not be allowed to perform in that play."
Lai Meixian was shocked. It was horrible. Just because she was late once, she was not even qualified to act.
"Mr. Lin's temper is really terrible. Do all screenwriters in the mainland have as much power as he does?"
Tao Huimin thought for a moment, "He usually has a good temper, but yesterday it was because that person was his nephew."
"Nephew?" Lai Meixian exclaimed in surprise.
Zhang Guorong came over upon hearing the voice, "What nephew?"
Tao Huimin then told Zhang Guorong about the relationship between Han Zhuangzhuang and Lin Weimin, and Zhang Guorong was even more shocked.
"This is killing one's relatives for the sake of justice!"
Tao Huimin shook her head and said, "You can't say that."
"There is a saying in the People's Art Theatre that drama is more important than anything else. Actors have to put on makeup and wait for the performance one or two hours in advance. Some senior actors only have one or two scenes, so when they are performing a big drama, they have to wait for two or three hours.
Given Zhuangzhuang’s condition yesterday, the director wouldn’t have let him go on stage even if he went backstage.
It was only a few minutes, and he was out of breath and not in good shape. If he went on stage, not only would he be in a bad shape, but it would also affect the actors on stage."
After listening to Tao Huimin's words, Lai Meixian said with admiration: "Huimin, you really know a lot."
Tao Huimin said a little embarrassedly: "It's not that I know a lot. I learned it from Teacher Zhu Lin of the People's Art Theater, and Mr. Lin... also taught me a lot."
Lai Meixian knew the relationship between Tao Huimin and Lin Weimin, and couldn't help but make a joke when she heard her call Lin Weimin "Mr. Lin".
Zhang Guorong was very impressed by last night's "The Horse Catcher" and he liked the actors on the stage very much. After hearing what Tao Huimin said, he admired her even more. He then asked in detail about some details of Tao Huimin's study in the People's Art Theatre.
After attending the opening ceremony of "The Female Doctor", Lin Weimin returned to the Guowen Press.
As soon as I entered the editorial office, I heard everyone discussing this year's Yanbing Literature Award.
The first Yanbing Literature Award was given out in 1982. It is held every three years. This year is 1985, and it is another award year.
Everyone is guessing how many novels will be selected this year and which novels will win awards.
The first Yanbing Literature Award was awarded from 1977 to 1981, while this year's award is awarded from 1982 to 1984.
During these three years, Lin Weimin wrote several works, including "If You Are the One", "The Horse Catcher", "The Lover" and "Chasing the Murderer", which basically met the evaluation criteria of the Yanbing Literature Award.
The biggest suspense everyone is discussing is: which work of Lin Weimin will win this year's Yanbing Literature Award.
Colleagues joked that others were worried that there were no works that met the shortlist criteria, but Lin Weimin was worried that there were too many shortlisted works.
"Hey, Weimin, which work of yours do you think will win the Yanbing Literature Award this time?" Yao Shuzhi asked.
The confident tone sounded as if Lin Weimin's winning of the award was a foregone conclusion.
Lin Weimin chuckled and said, "It's impossible for any of them to win the Yanbing Literature Award for two consecutive years. It's useless for me to write more."
"Hmm? Is there such a rule for the Yanbing Literature Award?" Yao Shuzhi asked her colleagues with a puzzled look on her face.
(End of this chapter)
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