Chapter 287 Can't Act It Out (11,000 words!)
After making up his mind, Lu Yanhe went to see Hu Siwei.
"Producer Hu, I'm willing to film this sitcom." He said to Hu Siwei, "I'll also talk to Sister Ziyan about it. However, I'd like to know, have you decided on the other actors for this show?"
Hu Siwei shook his head, "Not yet. Do you have any ideas?"
“Because this is a drama about friendship, I want to find actors who can work well with me to play the roles,” Lu Yanhe said earnestly. “Because, maybe I’m wrong, but after reading the whole project introduction, I realized that this drama doesn’t actually have very high requirements for acting skills, right? As long as we can be more natural and live our lives in front of the camera, the key is whether we actors can have that kind of feeling together.”
Hu Siwei nodded, "You're right, but Yan He, our budget for this drama is limited, and we can only afford to hire you as the only well-known actor."
“I understand.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “I just don’t want the actors you find to be too incompatible with me and only be able to make do.”
Lu Yanhe didn't spell it out. What he really meant was that he was worried about Beijing TV bringing in a bunch of people with connections or completely subpar acting skills to fill the cast, leaving him to carry the show. The budget was limited, so they could only hire Lu Yanhe, a top-tier actor. That wasn't a problem, as long as each role was cast well and the actors were suitable, even a complete newcomer was fine. The real issue was that they wouldn't be satisfied with anyone but would still force their way in. If the show flopped, it would damage Lu Yanhe's reputation.
It's obvious that Lu Yanhe is the one carrying the ratings for this show.
Having been in the industry for so many years, Hu Siwei was well aware of Lu Yanhe's unspoken meaning.
He said, "Don't worry, since you're willing to act, we will definitely respect your opinion."
"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. "When will the script be finished?"
Hu Siwei smiled and said, "I'm still writing, don't rush me."
Lu Yanhe grinned and said, "I want to learn how to write a sitcom script."
Hu Siwei was somewhat surprised and taken aback: "Yan He, do you want to learn how to be a screenwriter?"
“Hmm.” Lu Yanhe nodded. He hadn’t kept this from Hu Siwei. If his idea could be implemented later, he would need Hu Siwei’s help. “I actually have an idea, but I need to learn it first.”
After all, before he traveled through time, there was a period sitcom that was incredibly popular and became a part of a generation's memories.
This is also why Lu Yanhe wanted to take on Hu Siwei's sitcom.
He learned, and then his magic touch could continue to work.
-
After finding the right approach and angle to portray the character Lian Cai, Lu Yanhe basically encountered no further difficulties.
When playing the role of Lian Cai, Lu Yanhe hardly needed to calm down and get into character. He could start acting directly by imitating some gestures and expressions.
Lian Bei is not a director who is very particular about the actors' acting skills.
Unlike Luo Yuzhong's hands-on teaching and Chen Lingling's sharp and discerning style, Lian Bei's requirements for actors' acting skills are basically just to be qualified.
In fact, a drama with a subject like "The Seventeenth Floor" doesn't require high acting skills from its actors.
There is almost no complexity; it is all a performance of situations and states.
In this drama, every emotional outburst is essentially an explosion of human nature under extreme circumstances. Because of the high pressure, the actors only need to be completely immersed in the situation; any performance is acceptable without needing to do anything more complex or profound. Take, for example, the scene in "The Golden Era" where Lu Yanhe and Jiang Yuqian confirm their feelings for each other. Walking down the road under the night sky, every strand of their hair is imbued with the details of their characters: the budding and hesitant look in their eyes, the hesitation and changing rhythm of their steps, the subtle fluctuations in their tone of voice. All of this is absent in "The Seventeenth Floor."
But this doesn't mean that everyone's acting skills were the same in "The Seventeenth Floor," or that good acting skills had no place to be used.
Chen Bige's acting skills left Lu Yanhe in awe.
Chen Bige delivers a more refined performance in every scene.
For example, the scene where Chen Bige cries after screaming. Her hysteria when screaming and her vulnerability when crying have a captivating performance tension. At that moment, Lu Yanhe himself was drawn to Chen Bige and forgot that he was performing. The other actors were not much better.
As expected, Jiang Jun's acting skills are excellent and his experience is rich. At this moment, he gave the appropriate response. A faint pity and tolerance appeared in his eyes, like an elder's consideration for a junior, understanding Chen Bige's breakdown at this moment.
As soon as the scene was filmed, Lian Bei jokingly teased them, "When Chen Bige unleashed his power, everyone except Teacher Jiang Jun was dumbfounded. Only the shots of Chen Bige and Jiang Jun were usable, and the shots of the rest of you had to be reshot."
Li Yuefeng's face immediately turned red.
Shen Yue shook her head and sighed, "Director, we really can't blame ourselves. Sister Bige's performance in that scene was so amazing that I was completely drawn in. I was pulled out of character for a moment and couldn't get back into character."
Chen Bige was wiping her eyes with a tissue.
She took the water bottle from her assistant, took a sip, and asked, "Do I need to reshoot that scene?"
Lian Bei gave her a thumbs up and said, "You can rest now. That was amazing. This shot was incredible. It'll be legendary when it airs."
“Sister Bige is already a goddess.” Lu Yanhe said with a smile, “I saw a compilation of scenes yesterday about Sister Bige’s god-like acting skills, and I didn’t expect to see it on the spot today.”
Chen Bige: "Everyone's just saying it for fun. There's no god involved. I was so nervous about today's scene last night that I couldn't sleep."
"Oh my god, really?" Shen Yue's eyes widened in surprise. "Sister Bige, you can even lose sleep over acting?"
“Of course,” Chen Bige said. “For an actor, no role is ever repeated. So, every time is a challenge without any reference. Before you actually stand in front of the camera to perform, you are not sure how to act.”
"Is this the difference between me and a Best Actress winner? I think about how I'm going to act in every scene before I dare to stand in front of the camera," Shen Yue said.
Chen Bige smiled and glanced at her, saying, "Everyone has their own preferred way of doing things."
-
For an actor who wants to act seriously, the happiest time would be if all they had to think about was filming.
However, just like those in any industry who want to do their job peacefully, it seems that there are always some people or things that can't stand you doing your job honestly and insist on causing you trouble and making things difficult for you.
Lu Yanhe originally thought that the matter of asking him to cooperate more with Beijing and Taiwan was over, but unexpectedly, Jiang Lan came to see him personally about this matter.
However, Jiang Lan's methods were far more sophisticated than Hu Siwei's. In other words, Hu Siwei never intended to get Lu Yanhe to agree in the first place—he was really just a mouthpiece.
Jiang Lan, however, was different.
"Yan He, isn't Beijing TV worth your long-term cooperation?" She dropped a bombshell right off the bat. "Beijing TV is one of the top local TV stations, producing so many movies and TV shows every year. You're studying at Yuming and will be working there in the future. If you don't get close to Beijing TV, are you going to get close to other local stations?"
Once he opened his mouth, Lu Yanhe found himself speechless.
"Of course not."
“I knew it! Why wouldn’t you want to cooperate with Beijing and Taiwan in the long term?” Jiang Lan said with a smile.
That's terrifying.
Lu Yanhe silently sighed to himself, then said, "Of course."
Jiang Lan asked, "Then why are you unwilling to sign that long-term cooperation agreement?"
“Director Jiang, because I know that signing that agreement... would be a loss for me.” Lu Yanhe decided to be direct. Since Jiang Lan was trying to persuade him in this way, he would refuse her in the same way.
"Suffer a loss?" Jiang Lan raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes changing. Clearly, this was not the answer she had expected.
Before she came to find Lu Yanhe, she must have anticipated many possible responses from him, but this was probably not one of them.
Why do you think you'll be at a disadvantage?
“A year ago at this time, I had just joined the cast of ‘The Golden Era.’ Back then, it was impossible for me to play the lead role in a TV series like ‘The Seventeen Floors.’ But now, I’ve won the Golden Tripod Award, and I receive numerous offers for lead roles every month.” Lu Yanhe spoke candidly and made no secret of his emphasis on financial gain—although his refusal of this offer wasn’t due to financial reasons. “My salary is rising, and my market value is also increasing. So, I’ve set a principle for myself: I won’t sign tomorrow’s contracts today, because I can get better contract terms tomorrow.”
Jiang Lan suddenly felt a sense of unease.
How could Lu Yanhe, a nineteen-year-old, be so pragmatic and act solely based on self-interest?
This was completely beyond Jiang Lan's expectations.
Jiang Lan smiled and said, "I believe that compared to immediate benefits, a long-term and stable cooperative relationship will be of greater help to your career in the long run. The resources and opportunities that Beijing and Taiwan can provide you are far more valuable than any small immediate gain."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "Yes, Director Jiang, you are absolutely right."
"Only with a long-term cooperation agreement will we be willing to give you more opportunities," Jiang Lan said.
"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. But his expression clearly showed that he was not truly convinced.
Jiang Lan: "You should know that every year, works from Beijing and Taiwan enter the three major awards."
“Of course.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “Beijing and Taiwan can produce many excellent TV dramas every year.”
Jiang Lan: "Don't you want to be nominated for Best Actor?"
Lu Yanhe: "Who wouldn't want to? But the agreement doesn't say anything about helping me get nominated for Best Actor."
He looked at Jiang Lan with a pure and innocent smile, and winked at her.
"How can something like this be written into a contract? It's all tacitly understood," Jiang Lan thought to herself. "She's such a child."
Lu Yanhe pondered for a moment and said, "Then long-term cooperation can be left unspoken."
Jiang Lan: "Hmm?"
“I’ve only just finished my freshman year, so my understanding of many things may not be fully developed yet. However, if an agreement, judging solely from its terms, only benefits one party, that shouldn’t be normal, right?” Lu Yanhe said. “I also took a basic law course at school that covered the relationship between law and life, and it gave me a lot of inspiration.”
He smiled and said, “When I was studying at Zhenhua University, I was often encouraged and guided by many teachers and alumni. If I did not understand well, please forgive me, Master Jiang.”
Jiang Lan stared at Lu Yanhe expressionlessly for a few seconds, then smiled brightly.
"I really do need to read more books. You see, what you said has been very helpful to me."
Lu Yanhe: "I'm sorry to have made you laugh. I usually don't dare to show off my limited skills in front of adults, but Sister Ziyan told me that she is good friends with you, so I feel more relaxed in front of you and say whatever comes to mind."
He smiled as he saw Jiang Lan off.
-
As soon as Lu Yanhe saw Jiang Lan off, he immediately called Chen Ziyan and told her what had just happened.
Chen Ziyan swore in front of Lu Yanhe, which was rare for her.
"Is she out of her mind?!"
Lu Yanhe did not respond.
Chen Ziyan said, "You did a great job, Yan He. That's right, you're absolutely right."
Lu Yanhe asked in confusion, "Sister Ziyan, why is she so stubborn about this? You rejected her, and she asked Hu Siwei to talk to me. I also rejected Hu Siwei, but she still came to see me again. Why is that?"
Chen Ziyan: "Jiang Lan has always had this style. She's always been like this. She'll do whatever she says she wants to do, no matter how many setbacks she encounters. So, sometimes it's an advantage, and sometimes it's a big disadvantage. Her style of treating artists can easily annoy people or even offend them."
"Why does she insist on making us sign these long-term cooperation agreements? Beijing and Taiwan aren't hers."
"As for her performance record, 'The Seventeenth Floor' was a project she spearheaded. This drama was designed to be a huge hit. Once it becomes a hit, the value of every main actor in it will rise accordingly. Now, let's sign some long-term cooperation agreements with each of you. When she brings it up later, won't that be a glittering achievement?"
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
So, they were still planning this all along?
He found it unbelievable.
Chen Ziyan: "Anyway, the overall atmosphere within the Beijing-Taiwan region is not quite right. They are all relying on the old savings they have accumulated to get by. Jiang Lan is one of the few pragmatic people in that group, but some places have also been influenced by that environment and have become arrogant."
-
But perhaps because Lu Yanhe had rejected her so decisively this time, not with a simple "I don't accept it, I don't agree," but by fundamentally denying that it was an unfair deception of "pie in the sky," Jiang Lan never came to see Lu Yanhe again.
August arrived in the blink of an eye, and filming for "The Seventeenth Floor" was more than halfway complete.
Perhaps because she spent so much energy on filming every day, Lian Bei's condition visibly deteriorated.
Her dark circles were so big that I don't know what time she went to sleep every night.
Of course, he was full of energy on set, and his eyes were always shining.
Shen Yue said to Hu Siwei, "Producer Hu, shouldn't our director get some extra weight? He was already thin, but now he's even thinner, thinner than us actors. It's outrageous."
Lu Yanhe was overjoyed to hear Shen Yue's words.
Chen Bige had her nutritionist start preparing nutritious meals for Lian Bei, taking over Lian Bei's three meals a day.
They wouldn't even prepare the necessary supplies, saying it was too much trouble.
Chen Bige said, "I don't want the director to go straight to the hospital before the filming is finished, otherwise all our previous efforts will be wasted."
Lian Bei: "..."
Without further ado, Chen Bige began to prepare nourishment for Lian Bei.
Then, at that moment, Peng Zhixing arrived.
Previously, after winning the Golden Tripod Award, Lu Yanhe had promised to conduct another exclusive interview with Peng Zhixing.
However, since they had just done it last year, Lu Yanhe and Peng Zhixing felt that there wasn't much new to it. So, after communicating with everyone at "The Seventeen Floors", Lu Yanhe decided to turn this interview into a set visit to "The Seventeen Floors".
"Brother Zhixing!" Lu Yanhe happily went to greet him.
Peng Zhixing also brought a carload of fruit and drinks for the entire crew during his visit to the set.
"Wow, this is too extravagant!" Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "You're doing this interview at a loss."
Peng Zhixing: "That's right. This is my first time visiting you on set, so I have to make sure you feel respected."
Lu Yanhe: "That's enough face."
He took Peng Zhixing to greet everyone and introduce them.
We had all given prior notice.
Peng Zhixing is a rising star among the new generation of hosts. At a young age, he already has his own interview program and frequently appears on various programs and galas. In fact, he knows many people, such as Li Yuefeng and Shen Yue, whom he has met many times.
These two people have also appeared on Peng Zhixing's program "Zhixing".
On the contrary, Peng Zhixing had never had the opportunity to get close to Chen Bige before. So, he was very excited to have the chance to meet her now.
"Are you a fan of Sister Bige?"
“I’m an absolute fan,” Peng Zhixing said. “I’ve seen every single one of her movies.”
Wow, that's amazing.
Peng Zhixing turned around and looked around, then asked, "She's not here today, is she?"
"Yes, she...she should have gone to the dressing room, she'll be here soon," Lu Yanhe explained. "You didn't come all this way just to see her, did you?"
"I can juggle work and idol worship at the same time," Peng Zhixing said with a smile.
Among the young people Lu Yanhe knew, Peng Zhixing was relatively calm and mature.
But the side of Peng Zhixing that he showed today is like that of a high school student who is full of enthusiasm.
Lu Yanhe said, "Since you like Sister Bige so much, why don't you arrange an exclusive interview with her and invite her to appear on your show?"
Peng Zhixing said, "I would like to too, but she rarely appears on shows except during promotional periods."
Lu Yanhe said, "She will be on the show to promote it when 'The Seventeenth Floor' airs."
“Isn’t your show going to be broadcast exclusively on Beijing and Taiwan first, without going online?” Peng Zhixing sighed. “I don’t think our program’s producer will agree to do an exclusive interview with her.”
Lu Yanhe realized what was going on; that made sense.
"The Journey" is exclusively broadcast on Aurora Video, and most of the programs are special interviews and promotional materials for the films, TV series and variety shows that are available on Aurora Video.
Although Peng Zhixing is the host of the program, he obviously cannot completely decide who appears on the show.
If Chen Bige is willing to appear on shows normally, Aurora Video would definitely welcome her 100%. However, if Chen Bige is promoting a TV series that is not broadcast on Aurora Video during her promotional period, it is basically impossible for her to appear on "The Journey".
Just then, Chen Bige came over.
Peng Zhixing's eyes lit up instantly, as if a light had suddenly been turned on, without exaggeration.
The scene is actually quite funny.
When Peng Zhixing introduced himself to Chen Bige, the host's voice was trembling slightly, indicating that he was genuinely excited and nervous.
Lu Yanhe was both amused and exasperated.
Chen Bige's personality meant that she would not be perfunctory or casually deal with Peng Zhixing.
“I’ve seen the show you and Xiao Lu recorded,” Chen Bige said immediately. “Luckily you were on that show, otherwise they would look like a swarm of flies buzzing around, with no head in sight.”
Peng Zhixing blushed slightly and said, "You flatter me."
Lu Yanhe said to Chen Bige, "Sister Bige, he is your biggest fan, the kind of die-hard fan who has seen all your works. Meeting you today has finally fulfilled his wish."
Chen Bige looked at Peng Zhixing with some surprise, "Really?"
“Really.” Peng Zhixing nodded immediately.
Chen Bige immediately said, "Then Xiao Lu, can you take a group photo for us?"
-
After some initial acquaintance and pleasantries, Peng Zhixing and his team began preparing for the interview.
This interview is a behind-the-scenes interview for "The Seventeenth Floor".
Once in work mode, Peng Zhixing remained very professional.
He spent almost the entire day on set chatting with everyone, gathering materials, and gathering information, before conducting individual interviews with each person.
It wasn't until evening, after everyone had finished work, that they sat together in two rows, one in front and one behind, for a formal interview.
Including equipment.
"The director must be very tired, right?" This was the first question Peng Zhixing asked after the cameras were turned on and the recording officially started.
Lian Bei smiled and waved his hand.
Peng Zhixing said, "I wandered around the film set for a long time today. I found that although everyone is very busy and has their own things to do, the only one who really has no time to rest is the director. It seems like he has endless worries and has to keep an eye on the work of every department."
"There's nothing we can do about it. That's what directors do. Once filming starts, directors don't have time to rest," Lian Bei said with a wry smile.
Peng Zhixing asked, "Could you please describe each of your actors using one word?"
Lian Bei nodded with pleasure; naturally, everyone had given excellent descriptions. He described Lu Yanhe as studious.
Peng Zhixing continued, "I was chatting with Yan He before, and he mentioned that you have a particular fondness for this kind of battle royale genre. Is there any work that made you fall in love with this type of subject matter?"
Lian Bei nodded and recounted a journey through movies, TV series, comics, and novels from his childhood.
"Has the director already watched all the artistic works of this genre?" Peng Zhixing asked in surprise.
Lian Bei said, "I wouldn't say all of them, but I've probably seen about 80% of them."
Peng Zhixing looked surprised.
Chen Bige shook his head and said, "When this show airs, you'll find that the director has paid homage to many classic works in it. If you like this kind of genre, you definitely shouldn't miss it. Our own private definition of this show is that it's a carnival for viewers who like the escape genre."
Lian Bei quickly shook his head and said, "It's not that exaggerated, but I have indeed put all my thoughts on this subject matter over the years into this play."
Peng Zhixing looked at Chen Bige and asked, "Does Sister Bige usually like watching movies and TV dramas of this genre?"
“Yes, I’ve seen a lot of them. I like thrillers,” Chen Bige said.
"Thriller? Wow, I bet a lot of people didn't expect that, that the goddess loves watching thrillers." Peng Zhixing said with a smile.
Chen Bige: "I'm not a goddess in private."
Her eyes sparkled, and every gesture she made exuded charm.
Peng Zhixing smiled broadly and nodded foolishly.
"You can say whatever you want."
Even Lu Yanhe, as Peng Zhixing's friend, couldn't stand Peng Zhixing's behavior anymore.
He certainly didn't lose his professionalism because of this, maintaining the pace of the interview with excellent control. However, he couldn't hide his affection for Chen Bige at all, which was just too cheesy.
-
After the interview, Chen Bige arranged for everyone to have dinner together.
“It’s perfect timing that Peng Zhixing is here. Let’s have some fun together. Xiao Lu, you can’t leave after dinner tonight. Don’t run away halfway through. We can’t lose any of us tonight!” Chen Bige said.
Lu Yanhe nodded, both amused and exasperated.
Peng Zhixing asked excitedly, "Is Sister Bige really that enthusiastic? She even arranged for everyone to have dinner together just for me!"
Lu Yanhe said quietly, "You've misunderstood."
"Huh? Isn't that right?"
“Sister Bige organizes things every few days; she’s a lively person, and your arrival gives her a reason to do so,” Lu Yanhe said.
Peng Zhixing was not disappointed at all; on the contrary, he was even happier.
"Sister Bige likes excitement? That's great! I'm going to infiltrate her circle of friends and attend every gathering she organizes!"
Lu Yanhe: "..."
Real dog.
-
However, Lu Yanhe did enjoy participating in the gatherings organized by Chen Bige.
Because the gatherings she organized were purely for fun and enjoyment, without any ulterior motives.
Moreover, Chen Bige is someone who loves to invite friends over. Even though she's on a film set, because the place is a filming base with many film crews shooting nearby, she often invites her friends to come and have fun.
Lu Yanhe got to know many people through the group she organized.
Aside from Lu Yanhe, almost everyone attended every single one. For them, this gathering allowed them to meet many people and gain access to opportunities they wouldn't normally have the chance to access. After all, those who could enter Chen Bige's circle of friends were generally not unknown. Just like the actors in their drama "The Seventeenth Floor," none of them were unknown; apart from Jiang Jun, Yan Zhimeng, and Lin Chan being less famous, the others were all capable of playing leading roles on their own.
Peng Zhixing was extremely happy that night, drinking one cup after another, not even knowing how much he drank.
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but record a video and post it in the "Young Days" group chat: Today, our Zhixing brother was like a madman, having a blast.
After dinner, Chen Bige dragged everyone to dance, and then they drank.
Lu Yanhe quietly found a corner to stay in.
Chen Bige had sharp eyes and caught him slacking off immediately.
"You're trying to hide again!"
Lu Yanhe looked troubled: "Sister Bige, I can't dance."
Chen Bige said, "Not knowing how is not an excuse. How can you not immerse yourself in this atmosphere? You're going to play a role that involves dancing in the future, and you haven't truly experienced different lives!"
Chen Bige's words left Lu Yanhe speechless. Helpless, he was handpicked by Chen Bige and jumped up with the others.
The atmosphere at the event was fantastic, with a band and professional dancers.
Lu Yanhe was astonished. Chen Bige had specially found a party hall, brought in a professional team and equipment, and had a group of people dancing. She even acted like a host, occasionally leading everyone into the rhythm, and Lu Yanhe was even pulled into singing a song by Chen Bige.
This noisy, frenzied, and cinematic scene was something Lu Yanhe rarely experienced in his daily life.
Gradually, Lu Yanhe himself was also infected by this atmosphere, and his heart seemed to be injected with some exciting factors and began to beat.
Later on, he completely immersed himself in the atmosphere, sometimes singing along with the singers, sometimes twisting his body and waving his hands, chatting and talking with everyone.
-
"In this atmosphere, people's defensiveness and restraint are reduced to the lowest point."
The next morning, Lu Yanhe called Chen Siqi. He put his phone on the waterproof platform, picked up his toothbrush and toothpaste, looked at his disheveled appearance in the mirror, sighed, and said, "I don't think I can go crazy like I did last night."
Chen Siqi laughed and said, "I can't imagine what you would look like dancing."
Lu Yanhe said, "Next time I'll introduce you to Sister Bige. I think you two will get along very well."
"Yeah?"
"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.
In a sense, both Chen Siqi and Chen Bige are people who live very authentically and passionately.
Lu Yanhe always felt a little envious of people like that.
He kept this envy to himself and wouldn't tell anyone.
Because he knew he couldn't do it.
Chen Siqi said, "By the way, I have some good news for you."
"Um?"
"The summer special edition of 'Jump Up' has sold over 200,000 copies in just one month, including both the physical and e-book versions!"
"Wow!" Lu Yanhe's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "So amazing!"
"Yes, because the content has increased by almost two times, we also doubled our prices. We originally thought sales might decline, but we didn't expect them to increase so much."
"Is it because of the all-star author lineup?" Lu Yanhe asked.
"Based on our analysis, that's correct," Chen Siqi said. "Many readers think that this issue has a rich selection of authors and content, and there's a lot of content they'd like to read. In addition, when we were promoting it, we announced several new serials by well-known authors, which also attracted their readers to buy it."
Lu Yanhe: "Wow, Editor-in-Chief Chen, 'Jump Up' is getting better and better under your guidance."
Chen Siqi said with a smile, "Don't forget, you're also the editor-in-chief."
"At most, I'm just a nominal editor-in-chief now."
"Come on, you're the one who reviews every single article," Chen Siqi said. "Jump Up is about to celebrate its first anniversary. What do you think, should we hold a celebration?"
"Um?"
Chen Siqi said, "However, I am worried that holding a celebration on our first anniversary is a bit too high-profile. There are already quite a few voices saying that we are too high-profile."
Lu Yanhe said, "Holding a celebration must cost a lot of money, right?"
"It depends on how you do it. If you want to make it colorful and vibrant, then it will definitely cost several hundred thousand."
“Although ‘Jump Up’ made a lot of money this year, we’re not so rich that we don’t care about these hundreds of thousands. With this spare money, we might as well use it to give benefits to the editorial team and authors,” Lu Yanhe said. “I would prefer to use it to give everyone bonuses, or simply organize a trip and invite the editors and long-term collaborating authors to travel together.”
Chen Siqi: "Your idea is also good. Let's use a trip instead of the celebration."
Lu Yanhe said, "Well, instead of holding a celebration that only generates buzz, it's better to let everyone get some real benefits."
"Hmm, so where do you think we should go?"
"Take a look at the budget first," Lu Yanhe said.
Chen Siqi: "For our first trip, why don't we find a place in China where everyone can have a vacation?"
"That's fine too."
"Okay, I'll go do my homework. Do you want to join me?"
"I... I'll see how it goes; I might not be able to attend the whole thing."
"Well, if you can't participate in the whole thing, you should at least show your face. Although this vacation is for everyone to relax, it was actually planned because of our one-year anniversary. You are our editor-in-chief, so you can't just not show your face at all."
"I understand," Lu Yanhe said with a smile.
-
Lu Yanhe went downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast and unexpectedly ran into Teacher Feng Qiyue, who was eating noodles alone.
"Teacher July, are you alone?" Lu Yanhe walked over with his fried eggs and milk. "May I sit here?"
Feng Qiyue nodded. "Please sit down."
He looked exhausted and listless, as if his soul had flown out of his body and was wandering in a dream.
"Teacher July, what's wrong with you..." Lu Yanhe looked at him with some surprise and hesitated.
"I didn't sleep all night. I went upstairs to catch up on sleep right after I finished eating," Feng Qiyue said.
He spoke in a barely audible voice.
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
Are you writing a script?
"Hmm." Feng Qiyue nodded. "I promised someone a script to be delivered by September, and I'm rushing to finish it. Sigh."
He sighed heavily as he spoke.
"Is it not going too well?" Lu Yanhe asked doubtfully.
Feng Qiyue's heavy sigh didn't sound like it was uttered casually.
Feng Qiyue shook her head and said, "I can't write it, my head hurts."
Lu Yanhe looked at him in surprise.
Feng Qiyue is known for being prolific and a great writer. How could such a screenwriter say that she "can't write anything and has a headache"?
Lu Yanhe was at a loss for how to react.
"Really?" Lu Yanhe said, "Teacher Qiyue, are you not getting enough rest? Are you under a lot of pressure? Is that why you can't write?"
Feng Qiyue: "It's an old habit. Whenever I'm rushing to finish a task, my mind goes blank and I can't write anything."
Lu Yanhe was surprised that it was actually true; he had only mentioned it casually.
Feng Qiyue waved her hand, "It's nothing, it's an old problem, we'll get through it eventually."
After finishing his noodles, he put down his chopsticks and said, "You can eat slowly, I'm going upstairs to sleep."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
He looked at Feng Qiyue's back and noticed that although he was in the prime of his life, he looked somewhat hunched over.
Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought.
When he arrived at the film set, he hesitated for a moment before going to find Chen Bige.
"Sister Bige".
Chen Bige was getting her hair and makeup done in her lounge.
As the story progresses, everyone develops injuries to varying degrees, requiring special effects makeup before each shoot.
"You came to see me so early in the morning, is there something you need?" she asked.
Lu Yanhe smiled and asked, "Sister Bige, has your nutritionist been preparing nutritious meals for the director these days?"
Chen Bige nodded and said, "I think if the director doesn't take better care of himself, his health will collapse. All these artists are the same; once they get into it, they can forget everything else."
Lu Yanhe said, "Can I make an appointment with your nutritionist?"
"Huh? You need it yourself?" Chen Bige looked at him in surprise. "You're so young, and you don't need to gain or lose weight in a short period of time, yet you need a nutritionist to design meals for you?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "No, it's not that I need it myself. I just ran into Teacher Feng Qiyue at the hotel restaurant. He's been under a lot of pressure lately. He didn't sleep at all last night because he was rushing to finish the script. It seems like he can't write when he's under a lot of pressure, and then he can't sleep, so he's caught in a vicious cycle. I wanted to ask you, the nutritionist, if you have any menus that can help relieve stress."
Chen Bige: "Then you shouldn't find a nutritionist, you should find a hypnotist to hypnotize him and let him have a good sleep."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
“Feng Qiyue’s problem is old, why are you still bothering with him?” Chen Bige said. “He’s the kind of person who likes to push himself. Don’t interfere with him, or he’ll get angry with you. He likes to push himself to the brink when he writes scripts.”
"ah?"
"Why do you think he's so prolific? It's all because of this kind of pressure," Chen Bige said. "Haven't you heard his story? He had a drama where, just before filming started, the male lead died and the female lead was in a car accident and hospitalized. The production team was stunned and tried to find actors at the last minute, but they couldn't. Do you know what he did in the end? He changed the second male and female leads into the main characters within a week, completely overhauling the script, but without adding a single character or adding a single scene." Chen Bige said, "It's said that for that week, except for sleeping, he locked himself in his hotel room revising the script."
Lu Yanhe stared wide-eyed in surprise.
"That's amazing."
Chen Bige: "Here's a piece of advice for you: when you encounter creators in any production, don't easily interfere with their creative methods, even if you think their methods are unhealthy or even harmful to them. Otherwise, your actions, which you think are for their own good, might ruin their creative process, and then you'll become the sinner."
Lu Yanhe nodded incredulously.
Chen Bige's words seemed to open a door to a new world for Lu Yanhe—he couldn't help but wonder, is this really how the world is?
It took Lu Yanhe quite a while to understand what Chen Bige meant to him.
Is it that Feng Qiyue only writes scripts by enjoying the process of pushing himself to the brink?
Lu Yanhe didn't know if his understanding was right or wrong, but no matter how hard he racked his brains, this was the only thing he could come up with.
Then, on set, director Lian Bei, who was as thin as a skeleton, didn't collapse, but Jiang Jun suddenly collapsed.
Everyone in the room was startled and stunned.
He was rushed to the hospital.
Jiang Jun's sudden fainting surprised everyone.
"What's wrong with Teacher Jiang?" Shen Yue asked worriedly.
No one could give him an answer.
Jiang Jun didn't bring an assistant to the film set; he came alone.
He was taken to the hospital, accompanied by Hu Siwei.
They, on the other hand, had to stay on set to film their scenes for the day.
However, Jiang Jun's sudden departure means that the shots filmed afterward will need to be adjusted.
"Let's postpone filming Teacher Jiang's individual shots," Lian Bei said. "Let Teacher Qiyue come over right away."
When Feng Qiyue arrived at the scene and understood what had happened, she didn't say a word and immediately started typing on her laptop.
In less than twenty minutes, he adjusted the lines of the scene, and Jiang Jun's lines and scenes were all given to other actors.
This was the first time Lu Yanhe had witnessed Feng Qiyue's prowess.
Lian Bei hugged Feng Qiyue and said, "Thanks to you."
Feng Qiyue: "I'm with the crew precisely because I'm afraid of unexpected situations like this. You guys keep filming, I'll go find a place to take a nap. Call me if anything happens."
After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, turned around and found someone to take him to a secluded place to sleep.
Fortunately, this is a photography studio, so there are plenty of rest areas.
The crew made temporary adjustments to the filming schedule and familiarized themselves with the new script.
After finishing work, Lu Yanhe wondered if he should go to the hospital to see Jiang Jun.
He didn't have an assistant with him; it's likely that the production crew arranged for someone to accompany him.
So he asked Hu Siwei about the hospital where Jiang Jun was and what was going on with Jiang Jun.
Hu Siwei did not reply to him.
Lu Yanhe had no choice but to return to the hotel first, and then sent Jiang Jun another message: Teacher Jiang, how are you? Are you awake?
Jiang Jun did not reply.
The silence that no one replied to him gave Lu Yanhe a bad feeling.
Could something have happened?
The next day, Lu Yanhe received the notice and found that Jiang Jun was still not on it.
This point has also been noticed by others.
"Hasn't Teacher Jiang returned yet?" As soon as Lu Yanhe met Shen Yue, Shen Yue asked.
"It seems not yet. I sent messages, but no one replied," Lu Yanhe said.
Shen Yue clenched one hand into a fist and placed it in front of her chest, her lips pursed.
"I wonder how he is doing."
After they finished their special effects makeup and headed to the filming location, they saw Chen Bige standing in front of Lian Bei, both of them looking rather serious.
Lu Yanhe's heart skipped a beat.
He walked over and asked, "Director, has there been any news about Teacher Jiang?"
Lian Bei looked at them, sighed softly, and said, "It seems that a shadow resembling a tumor has been found in his body. We are still investigating to confirm it."
Shen Yue couldn't help but cry out in surprise, feeling bewildered and helpless.
Lu Yanhe's mind went blank for a moment, and he didn't know how to react.
Lian Bei said, "We contacted his wife last night. She was on a flight this morning and should be on the plane right now."
"I hope it turns out to be fake news in the end." Chen Bige sighed, one hand on her hip and the other smoothing her hair. She was clearly shocked by the news, her expression showing disbelief and unease.
Because of this news, the usual laughter and chatter were absent from the filming set throughout the day.
Everyone was feeling a bit down.
After lunch, Lu Yanhe called Chen Ziyan and told her the news.
Chen Ziyan and Jiang Jun had known each other for a long time, and she had even asked Jiang Jun to take care of her on set. Lu Yanhe thought that Chen Ziyan would probably want to know this news as soon as possible.
After hearing this, Chen Ziyan remained silent for a while. It was as if the other end had fallen into a no-signal zone, with no sound at all. After several seconds, Chen Ziyan said that she would come over as soon as possible.
-
Lu Yanhe didn't know how to describe his feelings.
To say that he was particularly close to Jiang Jun wouldn't be accurate, but during this period of time they spent together day and night, Jiang Jun truly cared for Lu Yanhe like an elder.
For Lu Yanhe, if it weren't for Jiang Jun, he might not have found a way to portray his character so quickly.
Jiang Jun truly remembered Chen Ziyan's instructions and was taking good care of him.
-
Then, on the third day, before everyone had recovered from the shock of the news, Jiang Jun suddenly appeared on set.
Everyone was stunned and stared at him in astonishment.
He was the one smiling the brightest, saying, "Alright, stop looking at me like that. I haven't been diagnosed yet, so there's no point in staying in the hospital. Let's film the movie first; we haven't finished filming yet."
Looking at Jiang Jun's bright, seemingly carefree smile, Lu Yanhe felt a sudden weight sink into his heart, as if something was pressing down on him, heavy and unbearable.
Shen Yue's eyes instantly reddened, and she rushed over to hug Jiang Jun.
"Teacher Jiang, you'll be alright!"
"Oh dear, why are you getting jealous? It's just a small matter," Jiang Jun said. "You guys are really going too far. It's not like it's a life-or-death situation."
"Pah! Pah! Pah!" Chen Bige glared at Jiang Jun. "What nonsense are you spouting! He's clearly our elder, yet you speak so rudely. Didn't the doctor tell you to rest properly? And you still come here to film!"
Jiang Jun said, "It's no fun for me to stay in the hospital alone. I might as well come and film. It's not like I can't move. Am I just going to stay here like this?"
He said decisively, "Okay, I said we can film, so let's film what we can before the results are out."
There was a resolute look in his eyes that touched Lu Yanhe's heart.
At this moment, Lu Yanhe could hardly describe his feelings, a bittersweet and indescribable complexity that felt as if everything was twisted together.
He had experienced life-and-death situations and separations in his past filming, and he felt deeply pained while acting, thinking he was really immersed in the role. It wasn't until this moment that he realized what real worry and fear in the face of life and death separations was like.
That feeling can't be acted out unless you've experienced it yourself.
(End of this chapter)
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