Chapter 589: Unable to Act
Ye Wanxi was unaware of what had happened at Jiang Yulai's place; she was currently busy reading the script that Gao Minxin had handed her.
Previously, Director Fang, who had been so eager for Xiang Xiaoxiao's work and had come to smear her for being a bomb disposal expert based on some unfounded rumors, actually took the initiative to approach Ye Wanxi and even gave her the opportunity to join the crew without an audition.
This director, Fang, is a veteran director and artist who has made countless memorable classic films and won numerous awards.
It's fair to say that his choice to approach Ye Wanxi, a newcomer to the screen who has only acted in a few TV series and some of those series haven't even been released yet, is like a windfall.
If word gets out, not only will Xiang Xiaoxiao be envious, but most of the entertainment industry will probably be envious.
However, Ye Wanxi did not intend to take the role after reading the script.
Director Fang's film is titled "Like a Dream," and it tells a tragic story permeated with an atmosphere of oppression throughout.
The female protagonist, Xiaoyu, was originally the daughter of a wealthy family in the area. Because she was pampered since childhood, she had never seen the wickedness of people's hearts, which fostered her pure, kind, and innocent personality.
By chance, Xiaoyu meets Sui Yu, the leading man of the opera troupe who comes to her home to perform for her grandmother's birthday.
Two genuine and pure young people inevitably sparked a youthful infatuation. However, in that era, actors were considered to be of low social standing, a very low-status profession.
Even a pillar of the family like the male protagonist, who is praised by everyone, is still considered a lowly servant in the eyes of wealthy families.
Because he liked her, he valued her more and more. Sui Yu felt that he was not good enough for the pampered and naive Xiao Yu, so he never had the courage to break the ice. Instead, he was determined to make something of himself and create a future for himself and Xiao Yu so that he would be worthy of her.
But even without breaking the ice, the two, who admired each other, grew closer and closer.
Finally, Sui Yu saved up enough money to confess his feelings to Xiao Yu and asked for her opinion on asking a matchmaker to come and propose marriage.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Before he could even take action, war broke out, and the lovers were forced to separate amidst the bombardment.
Sui Yu was lucky enough to be rescued by kind people, but Xiao Yu was not so lucky. Faced with the terrible artillery fire, no amount of money or wealth could help her.
Having never suffered any hardship since childhood, she was framed by villains and fell from a wealthy young lady into prostitution, enduring countless torments. Yet, she never gave up hope and even secretly saved several poor girls who were about to follow in her footsteps in her own way.
This painful struggle continued for several years until the war ended. The male protagonist, who had never given up searching for her, finally found her in a dirty brothel.
If it were a director who typically aimed for a happy ending, the story could have ended here.
However, this is a tragic story.
Xiaoyu left the hell she had struggled to escape for years and moved into the mansion that Sui Yu had specially prepared for her.
It was only then that she realized that Sui Yu was no longer the little actor he once was; years of hard work had made him a well-known young entrepreneur.
Years ago, their positions were dramatically reversed at this moment, even though Sui Yu had said he didn't care about her past and kept repeating his unchanging love every day.
Life has worn down Xiaoyu's edges, and she is no longer innocent, yet she dares not reciprocate this feeling.
Especially after that, someone spread the word about her past as a prostitute, and everyone started pointing fingers at her.
Some women who couldn't have the male protagonist, as well as moralists, didn't hesitate to attack her with the most vicious words. Even the girls she had saved and their families, under the influence of public opinion, completely forgot their past kindness and joined the others in their hatred, as if every breath she took as a woman who had lost her innocence polluted the air that belonged to them.
Despite being trapped in such a malicious environment, the male protagonist's unreserved love still couldn't keep this beautiful girl.
On a dark night, Xiaoyu, who had endured countless torments and remained strong, finally couldn't bear it anymore and chose to end her life and leave this world.
The male protagonist, devastated by the loss of Xiaoyu, devoted his entire life to the awakening of humanity, never allowing anyone else to enter his heart. After his death, he chose to be buried with Xiaoyu, to accompany her forever.
Good stories always make people unconsciously empathize with them. After reading the whole story, Ye Wanxi's mood also plummeted, and she felt indescribably depressed and sad.
This film contains love, but it is not just about love. More importantly, through the love between the two characters, it allows the audience to see the tragedy of that era and the tragedy of women.
After the rain, the sky clears, but the broken jade is no longer whole.
The names of the two main characters already foreshadow their ending: the war is over, the storm has passed, and it should be a new beginning.
But for Xiaoyu, the sunshine never reached her after the weather cleared up.
She suffered so much, yet she always turned her heart toward the light and never succumbed to hell.
Even when she was deeply mired in difficulties, she retained her childlike innocence and tried her best to help those she could.
She was both a victim and a hero, yet at the dawn of time, she was condemned by the masses as if she were a sinner for all eternity.
The male lead ultimately chooses to stay by her side for life, never marrying. On one hand, this shows the deep affection between the two, and it's a pity that the lovers didn't have a happy ending. On the other hand, it also reflects the screenwriter's recognition of the female lead's character. It's precisely because she is such a person that it's understandable for the male lead to stay by her side for life.
After all, if you meet someone too amazing when you're young, all the wonderful things that follow will just be fleeting moments.
"I can't take this role."
"Why?" Gao Min couldn't understand. Like everyone else, she thought it was a very good resource and a great opportunity for career transition.
"This role is too heavy; I can't play it well."
Ye Wanxi was quite self-aware of her acting skills. Although she had acted in some dramas after returning from her time travel, her acting style was essentially that of an experiential actor.
Perhaps she could play this role a few years later, after she has had some time to reflect, but if she takes it now, it will undoubtedly ruin the role and the show.
"Moreover, this character has some similarities to my previous character, and I don't want to be defined by that."
After reading the script, Ye Wanxi understood that Director Fang approached her because he saw that she was being promoted by the authorities and wanted to give her a chance. He also probably saw a clip of her in "Jianghu" and thought of this role after seeing the landlady.
(End of this chapter)
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