Chapter 99: Yue Bo's acting skills come first! Good luck in the finale!
The night was as dark as ink, and a panicked figure was running wildly in the narrow alley. The man's leather shoes slipped on the wet bluestone slabs, and his heavy breathing was particularly clear in the quiet alley.
“Ha…Ahaha…”
He staggered to the alley entrance and looked back tremblingly. The empty alley made him breathe a sigh of relief, and his tense shoulders finally relaxed.
"Finally got rid of it..."
Just when he was relieved, the sound of a branch breaking set off alarm bells. The man turned his head sharply, his pupils shrinking suddenly - a figure wearing a black mask had stood in front of him without him noticing. His heart suddenly felt like it had fallen into an ice cave, and he fell to the ground.
"You, aren't you behind me?!" The man crawled backwards using his hands and feet.
A sneer of contempt came from under the mask, and the exposed eyes were full of amusement as if looking at prey.
“Da…da…”
The sound of approaching footsteps came from deep in the alley.
The man suddenly realized what was going on. He pointed at the man in the mask and said tremblingly, "You...you are twins. No wonder...no wonder."
There was a flash of cold light.
"It's our first meeting," the masked man showed a dagger from his back, the tip of the knife glowing coldly in the moonlight, "but also our last farewell."
“No! No! …Ah!!”
Just as the man was about to run away, his ankle was crushed by a kick. The dagger pierced his chest accurately, and the sound of clothes tearing was accompanied by blood gushing out.
The man twitched and fell in a pool of blood. The last thing that came into view was a pair of cold eyes.
The masked man wiped the knife elegantly, then threw it next to the man and disappeared into the night.
“Tick, tick, tick…”
Chen Xing turned sideways, walked out of the camera's shooting area, and hid under the crane camera to watch the shooting scene.
Director Yu used the intercom to instruct the cameraman to shoot the extras on the ground for a few more seconds before he gestured, "OK, cut!"
The extras who fell to the ground waited for the machine to leave, then slowly got up from the ground.
Chen Xing hurried over and pulled up the big brother of the extras: "Brother Liu, you have worked hard. I didn't step hard enough just now, did I? Does it hurt?"
Brother Liu shook his head: "It doesn't hurt, the force is just right."
The series of seemingly inhumane actions just now actually relied on the performances of the extras and Chen Xing. The eldest extra has three years of acting experience and is particularly good at performing various deaths.
They had a brief conversation before filming, and Chen Xing learned that the big brother of the extras was named Liu, and the reason for him to become an extra was surprisingly similar to Chen Xing's - to make a living when other businesses were unprofitable.
Unexpectedly, his level is getting better and better, and he likes the filming content of the crew more and more. He has participated in many group performance projects and has been doing it for three years. This is his first time to become a special group actor, and he is very excited.
"Before I came here, I heard them say that you have great potential. Today, I see that it is true," Brother Liu smiled and patted Chen Xing's shoulder, "You acted very well."
"Thank you." Chen Xing had just finished thanking when the staff handed him a bouquet of flowers. He looked at the bouquet in astonishment: "What is this?"
The staff member didn't say anything, handed over the bouquet and turned away.
Brother Liu saw through everything and said with a smile: "Congratulations."
"Congratulations to our leading actor on finishing the filming. This is a tradition of our crew." Director Yu stepped out from behind the monitor. "Congratulations, Chen Xing. It's a perfect finish."
Chen Xing then remembered that today was his last day of filming.
Five days had passed since the party, and Chen Xing had been busy filming every day, and he almost forgot that today was the last show.
Chen Xing held the bouquet of carnations and champagne-colored tulips, feeling the fragrance emanating from them, and his heart was filled with emotion.
It's really over.
At this moment, Director Yu picked up the loudspeaker of the script supervisor and said to all the staff present: "Now I announce! The seventh episode of "Acting First" and "Fang Bu Jian Zhen" has officially come to an end!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd burst into applause, and all the staff cheered and applauded from the bottom of their hearts.
"Congratulations to Chen Xing on finishing the filming!"
"Congratulations on wrapping up! Congratulations on finishing!"
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Chen Xing looked up.
Chen Xing looked around and saw that most of the staff on the scene were Director Yu's regular staff, with only a few sent by the program team.
After spending several months together, everyone has become as familiar as a family. After work, someone would shout, "Let's go for a midnight snack!" and then a group of people would rush to the street stalls.
In addition, these young staff members were about the same age as Chen Xing, so they often invited Chen Xing to join them. After a few barbecues, it became an open secret who had a sick family member, who was worried about the mortgage, and even who had a crush on the girl in the script supervisor group.
Isn’t it that interactions between people are accumulated bit by bit?
In this flashy entertainment industry, it is so rare to make close friends. Just like the message at the beginning of the show: "May you harvest dreams, friendships, and the responsibility of sharing weal and woe here."
The players gained friendships, and at the same time, the staff behind the scenes also gained the same friendships.
Chen Xing could only say, no wonder the program crew asked the agent and assistant to leave in the beginning, it turned out they were planning such a big game.
Everyone packed up their equipment and Chen Xing went to the dressing room to remove her makeup.
While waiting for the makeup remover to take effect, Chen Xing expressed his condolences to the team members who were waiting for him at home.
【Chen Xing】: It's finished. I should be back in half an hour. (=uO)
【Zhao Xingyu】：Ai Xin, etc.
【Wang Baiyue】: Ai Xin, etc.
【Xue Si Nian】：Love letter, etc.
[Zheng Peiya]: I used my points to exchange for a lot of snacks from the program team, waiting for you to come back and share them
[Xia Huanming]: You must like it
[Zheng Qi]: There is your favorite bottle of Baileys.
【Chen Xing】：!!!
When Chen Xing saw the wine, he became even more excited. He locked his phone and started humming a song.
Xiaoling sighed as she removed her makeup: "When I first met you, you were in this state, and you are in this state now."
"What's the status?" Chen Xing asked.
"Like always being in a good mood and always being positive towards everyone." Xiaoling thought for a moment and said, "Anyway, how you started is how you are now."
After hearing this, Chen Xing was stunned at first, then he looked at himself in the mirror.
Compared to the first time he put on makeup, his face hasn't changed much, or maybe it's because he just played a tough role, and now that he's back to his usual self, he looks more like a college student, clear and "stupid", as if it was his first day in the entertainment industry, ignorant and naive.
But it was precisely this state that was the first time Xiaoling saw Chen Xing, which made her feel particularly close and reluctant to leave.
You know how hard it is to meet an artist who shares the same vibe with you. Nine out of ten artists are big shot, and the other one is just a big shot.
"Oh, I will definitely miss you in the future." Xiaoling sighed and wiped the makeup remover off Chen Xing's face with a cotton pad.
Chen Xing was amused and said with a smile: "I'm not dead yet, why are you saying I miss you? Hahaha."
Xiaoling slapped her mouth and said, "Oh, yes, I was wrong. I will think of you. Uh, that's not right either. Anyway, I will think of you."
Chen Xing and Xiaoling laughed together, and the atmosphere in the dressing room remained cheerful.
After removing her makeup, Chen Xing changed into her own clothes and walked out of the dressing room holding a bouquet of flowers. The staff were moving equipment and the venue had been almost cleaned up.
Because Director Yu said he had something else to say, Chen Xing sat on the lounge chair next to him and waited for them for a while.
This is a good time to check your phone.
Chen Xing first opened Weibo and saw quite a few netizens checking in at #Acting Is Supreme#. Some of them had already calculated that they were about to wrap up filming and even attached pictures of the fireworks that were set off at the party that day.
[@羊驼糯米船]: I saw fireworks being set off in the Science and Technology Park from my house. I blindly guessed that the production crew was holding a party and that they were about to wrap up the filming.
[@树树不是树]: I’m so reluctant to let it go, please support the second season.
[@Does not want to reveal name]: Although it is impossible for the contestants to return, the show can really have a second season. Acting First has always been number one in the variety show trend. It will be on the hot search list every time it is broadcast. Advertisers are so happy to see it. #Acting First has a total of over 10 billion hits#
[@某拼拼]: What does #五众一# mean? All the contestants have been promoted. My friend is a brand executive. According to the inside information she has learned, the company of the top-ranked Gou Huan has received more than a dozen scripts and personal advertisements for male-led dramas. The second-top-ranked Fox has received 7 adaptations of both modern and ancient Chinese novels looking for him. Not to mention Shui Jie's group, they have already been cast in dramas with female protagonists and high-end luxury shows, as well as variety shows.
[@每天吃小猪包] replied to [@某拼拼]: Teacher, what about our [pig]?
[@某拼拼] replied to [@每天吃小猪包]: Don't worry, he has the fastest increase in fans, and because he has a good image and is not a professional actor, he has no problem appearing on screen, so he has the most advertisers. I think his appearance and concept match the requirements of several luxury brands, and he will probably take on M and L brands. The music director of film and television dramas has also contacted his agent, and there are many invitations to variety shows. There will be many scripts for male lead roles in the future, so he has a bright future.
[@橘子happy] replied to [@某拼拼]: Thank you teacher, our little pig has finally come to this happy ending after all the hardships, it’s great to be on this variety show!
…
Many people were replying to this Pinpin. Chen Xing clicked on her homepage and found that she followed several brand CEOs she had worked with before. She was indeed an insider in the industry and what she said was indeed credible.
In fact, Lu Qing had mentioned the advertising before. It was his first time to accept an advertisement and he was not clear about it, so he asked Lu Qing to take a look first. Lu Qing said he would find a few that were suitable for him and negotiate after he came back.
Chen Xing returned to the WeChat interface, slid his fingertips lightly across the screen, and scrolled through his circle of friends. Then, Zhang Jinan’s new post came into view.
In the picture, Zhang Jinan is sitting at a conference table, opposite the program director and several mentors, with the caption: "The program is about to end, Teacher Zhang is offline, and Actor Zhang is online. Speaking of online, is it like playing disco?"
Zhang Jinan has the status and achievements that all actors dream of, but to Chen Xing, who is not in the entertainment industry, Zhang Jinan is like an easy-going tutor who has outstanding abilities but has his own life. He will not look down on others because of his achievements and will tell everyone without reservation if there is a problem.
If he is really a teacher, he must be a good teacher who is loved by students.
Chen Xing couldn't help but click into Zhang Jinan's circle of friends.
The last post on Zhang Jinan’s Moments was a photo with Jiang Siyang. The warm yellow light reflected tiny spots of light on the glass. Zhang Jinan leaned intimately on Jiang Siyang’s shoulder, with a half-eaten meal in front of him.
The caption of this dynamic is: "I didn't expect to meet my sweetheart at work. Someone asked me where my partner was. Here she is~"
Teacher Gu Yirou commented below: "? Who asked that?"
Zhang Jinan replied: "I asked it myself."
Zhang Jinan has repeatedly avoided suspicion in the program, but he is high-profile in showing his affection in the circle of friends. Nine out of ten sentences contain "my dear". He also promotes Jiang Siyang's new drama. Gu Yirou often comments below, and other contestants will also say congratulations below.
"..." Chen Xing pondered for a moment and returned to his circle of friends.
As his relationship with Xia Huanming has not been made public, his Moments are still limited to group photos from the show. There is no content that says "Xia Huanming is my boyfriend" and no intimate photos.
When will he be able to show affection like his elder brother?
As Chen Xing was thinking, Director Yu called out through the loudspeaker: "Family members, come over here. Let's gather for a while. I have something to say."
Just as the venue was almost cleared, Director Yu stood on an apple box. Everyone surrounded Director Yu in three layers, with Chen Xing standing in the middle layer.
Director Yu cleared his throat and said, "It's nothing important. I just want to say something from the bottom of my heart. When I first came to this program, I didn't think much about it. I didn't expect that as we got along with each other day by day, I found that our team is remarkable. Everyone is very proactive and responsible. I can see the hardworking and responsible hearts of young people today. There are many people in our team who have been with me for a long time, and there are also new friends, but no matter what, thank you all for your company and support over the past few months."
Director Yu bowed slightly. At this time, the sound engineer played the "Yellow River Piano Concerto" on his mobile phone for a good show effect, which made the speech inexplicably exciting.
Director Yu glanced at him, the sound engineer quietly turned down the volume, and everyone laughed.
Director Yu continued: "We have worked together to create one good work after another. I am usually a little strict and my words may be harsh, but I think everyone in our team is very outstanding. No matter where you go in the future, you will definitely shine!"
When the people below heard this, they replied, "Director Yu, don't say that! We are following you!"
"If you chase us away now, we won't leave," said a little girl. "We haven't scheduled the barbecue yet, so don't go back on your promise to have a team building!"
Others echoed: "That's right!"
These people are all from Director Yu’s team. They are used to joking around and often interact with Director Yu like this. Director Yu treats them like his own sons and daughters.
Director Yu was very friendly at this time: "Okay, okay, let's set a time. Hey, I'll treat you."
“Yeah!”
Everyone cheered, and although Chen Xing did not participate, he also smiled happily.
"See you in a month." Director Yu said again.
The fifteenth day is the day when the seventh episode is finished, and it is also the day when the production team invites them to come back to watch the seventh episode selection. By then, everyone, including the staff, will be back.
It’s like taking a month’s break and finally having a meal together.
After Director Yu finished speaking, he got down from the apple box and everyone dispersed to continue doing their own things.
Chen Xing stayed and chatted with Director Yu for a few more words. They all talked about acting. On the one hand, he praised Chen Xing's learning ability, and on the other hand, he praised the feeling of getting along with him for the past few months.
After chatting for a while, Yu Daoyu patted Chen Xing's shoulder earnestly and said, "The future is promising. I hope to see you on a bigger stage in the future and that you can fulfill your dream."
"Thank you Director Yu for your help over the past few months. I am very grateful to you. I wish you good health and all the best." Chen Xing bowed solemnly.
"Go ahead." Director Yu waved his hand.
Chen woke up and went to the parking lot, getting into the van that had been waiting for him for a long time.
The car started up with a roar. Chen Xing lowered the window and looked at the filming base moving further and further away.
The same bright moon was still hanging high in the sky, and moths were still dancing under the streetlights. They filmed here for two days, but Chen Xing knew that after leaving this time, they would never come back.
The car window slowly rose, and Chen Xing leaned into the seat. The faint fragrance of flowers in the car intertwined with the summer night symphony outside the window, the cicadas' chirping tore through the night, and the frogs' croaking rose and fell in the lotus pond.
He fell into a light sleep listening to such sounds.
Half an hour later, Chen Xing arrived at the villa and got out of the car holding a bouquet of flowers. From a distance, the lights in the living room were still on, and the light shone on the lawn, forming silhouettes.
Everyone should be waiting there for him to come back.
Chen Xing walked into the villa. Just as he thought, everyone was sitting on the sofa waiting for him. Among them, Xue Si Nian and Wang Baiyue were sitting on the lazy sofa on the floor.
The coffee table was piled with snacks that had been exchanged, as well as a half-bent flying chess set. Xue Si Nian was rolling the dice to move the red chess piece.
The entire living room has been cleaned up.
Chen Xing's drum set and keyboard had been shipped away the day before yesterday, and now only the original furniture was left. Several suitcases were neatly stacked in the corner, like soldiers ready to set off at any time.
"You're back! Congratulations on wrapping up the filming!" Zhao Xingyu stood up to welcome him.
"They gave you flowers, they are so beautiful." Xia Huanming walked over first and pulled Chen Xing back to the sofa to sit.
"Hey, you guys must have been waiting for a long time," Chen Xing sat next to Xia Huanming, staring at the flying chess and said, "How far have you played?"
"One of Xia Huanming's blue planes has already taken off, and the rest of us are still anxious," Zheng Qi said.
Seeing this, Wang Baiyue quickly said, "Quick, Brother Qi, tell that joke to Xiaozhu!"
Chen Xing asked in confusion: "What joke? I want to hear it!"
Zheng Peiya silently handed over the pillow: "It's cold, get ready."
Chen Xing immediately wrapped his arms around Xia Huanming like a koala, revealing only a pair of curious eyes: "I'm ready."
Others looked up or rubbed their arms.
Zheng Qi spoke mysteriously: "What is this big green thing that fell from the tree and can kill people?"
Chen Xing tilted his head: "Coconut?"
Zheng Qi: "No, the pool table."
Chen Xing: “……?”
Xue Si Nian and Wang Bai Yue laughed when they saw Chen Xing's stunned expression.
Wang Baiyue asked excitedly: "Is it very cold?"
It's really cold.
Chen Xing was so cold that he silently buried his face in Xia Huanming's shoulder, and the latter took the opportunity to rub the top of his head.
Zhao Xingyu next to him surrendered: "Oh, I don't want to sit next to a couple, it's too showy!"
"Then sit next to me," Wang Baiyue patted the empty space beside him.
Zhao Xingyu shook his head decisively: "You are even more outrageous!"
"Ha ha ha ha--"
"Hahaha!"
The laughter spread throughout the living room, as if it would never stop.
But the long night will eventually turn into dawn, and when the first ray of morning light shines through the window, they still have to say goodbye.
At nine o'clock in the morning, two buses stopped quietly in front of the villa, and the wheels of the suitcases made dull sounds on the cobblestone road.
The girls got on the front car, and the boys got on the back car. Everyone got on the car one by one, and Chen Xing still sat with Xia Huanming.
Just like the scene when they first arrived, the contestants met on the bus again, but this time the destination was no longer a villa, but a stadium.
The atmosphere in the car was surprisingly relaxed.
Everyone was playing familiar games, and the laughter was more hearty and natural than when they first met. There was less awkwardness and strangeness, and more affectionate names.
"Oh my Fox, you're so cunning!"
"He's become a fox!"
"Kang Dadu, please let me go!"
"Little pig, why did you suddenly raise your hand? You scared me!"
…
There was laughter and joking in the carriage as it moved slowly forward.
When we arrived at the gathering point at the venue, everyone picked up their luggage and lined up in five rows.
The host, director and mentors who had guided them stood on both sides, like witnesses of a graduation ceremony.
The host said: "Thank you all for your company for so long, see you in a month."
The director said: "It is rare for us to meet people who can live and eat together for such a long time. Please cherish this friendship, or love."
The first sentence is normal, but the second one is...
There was a rustling sound among the crowd.
"Wait, love?"
“Who talked?”
"I don't know?"
…
As the discussions grew louder, Chen Xing and Qi Yinrui in front of him looked at each other, and Qi Yinrui curled his eyes.
Chen Xing nodded.
The director was talking about him and Xia Huanming, because they had approached the director before and asked him to wait until after the show was aired before making the matter public, and some of the hand-holding actions during that period were deleted.
The director immediately understood their meaning and nodded in agreement.
Qi Yinrui turned his head with satisfaction, and the person next to him asked him: "Brother Fox, do you know?"
Qi Yinrui replied with a smile: "I know, but I won't tell you."
"Everyone, stop speculating. They told me this so that I can keep it a secret for the next few episodes," the director waved his hand, and the audience fell silent. "Once the show is over, someone will reveal it naturally."
When the contestants heard that it would be made public, they stopped discussing it.
Then it was the mentors’ turn to speak.
Screenwriter Jinhua, who uses a silk scarf as sunscreen, said: "I hope everyone will not forget what they have learned here, and the people they have met are precious."
Tang Shang, who was wearing a hat to cover his bald head, said: "I saw a lot of plasticity of actors from this show, as well as the story logic of the screenwriters, whether they were immature or sophisticated. There is a promising future for our film and television industry."
After they finished talking, Gu Yirou, wearing a beautiful blue dress, took a step forward.
"There are always contestants who ask, 'Teacher Gu, am I not good enough? I am already this old and I don't even have a representative work. I am still so obscure.'" Gu Yirou slightly changed the tone, imitated the crooked voice, and finally cleared her throat and turned serious again, "Please don't be afraid, don't hesitate, no matter what you do now, as long as you do it, it is not too late. We are still young and still living up to our youth."
Finally it was Zhang Jin'an's turn. Zhang Jin'an shrugged and said, "I don't have much to say. If I have to say anything, you should have heard each other say it countless times before you parted. I just hope that when you meet each other in other places, you can say hello and say hello. See you in a month." Zhang Jin'an clasped his fist.
"Okay!" everyone answered in unison.
The sky was clear and blue, with a few streaks of clouds slowly spreading across the sky.
Chen Xing looked up at the clear blue sky and gently touched Xia Huanming's shoulder: "That's great. We can still get together like this in a month."
"Yeah." Xia Huanming leaned to one side, "Where are you going after this?"
"Of course, I'm going home," Chen Xing quietly hooked Xia Huanming's little finger and winked at him, "Do you want to go home with me?"
"Yeah." Xia Huanming nodded.
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the camera and no one noticed their intertwined fingers.
The photographer was adjusting the angle of the camera. After the adjustment was completed, he said to the contestants in front of him: "Everyone, listen to my command. I said acting is paramount, and you said good luck in the finale! Everyone, get ready!"
Chen Xing turned to the camera and straightened his back quietly.
"Three two one! Acting comes first!"
"Good luck in the end!"
Amid the cheers, shutter clicks rang out one after another.
Except for the first serious group photo, everything else turned into a completely joyful impromptu performance.
There are photos of them hugging each other and jumping; there are photos of them imitating the "aunt and old girlfriend posing with flowers" style on the Internet; there are also photos of them pretending to know qigong and the other party taking two steps back. Even the staff of the program team joined in the carnival.
In every photo, the smiles on everyone’s faces are brighter than the sun.
Even though they said "goodbye" countless times today, they knew clearly that
This end does not mean we will never see each other again, it just means the beginning of another journey.
"Acting Is Superior" has ended, but their future lives are promising, still continuing, and will never end.
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