Chapter 304 Such Actors
On the day Lu Yanhe arrived in South Korea, he went out for a meal and some shopping with everyone that evening. In the following days, his promotional schedule was not tight, and Wei Fang and Zeng Qiao were the main participants in various activities. He was just an extra and was happy to take it easy.
Indeed, he was not well-known in South Korea.
Due to its subject matter and background, the film "The Golden Era" was not exported overseas.
In the Asian drama market, Chinese-language dramas, especially period dramas and romantic dramas, are more popular.
The South Korean media were unaware that he was one of China's most popular young actors, treating him only as a newcomer.
After all the promotional activities were over, Lu Yanhe said to Zeng Qiao, "It's been a long time since I've worked so easily. Back in China, even if I didn't have work, I would be thinking about other things. It was rare to have a time like this where I could completely stop."
Zeng Qiao sighed, "You're just pushing yourself too hard."
Lu Yanhe scratched his forehead in distress and said, "But actually I didn't push myself too hard. I'm not the kind of person who forces myself to work hard—except for my senior year of high school, when I did push myself a bit for the college entrance exam. But the things I did after that were basically things I wanted to do myself."
"The more you do this, the easier it is to fall into this situation. You don't feel mentally tired because you enjoy doing these things, and you even get more and more excited as you do them. But you're not a robot, and you'll definitely get tired after being excited for a long time. You often push yourself too hard without even realizing it."
Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought: "Is that so?"
Zeng Qiao: "I could tell from how fast you write scripts, especially the 'Friends' project. You were filming and broadcasting at the same time, and you were also responsible for writing. If someone else were in your position, they would probably be exhausted by now, but you still look energetic. This shows that you are working on this with full enthusiasm, which I find incredible."
Lu Yanhe pondered for a moment, then remained silent.
“To put it simply, you’ve been overusing your brain,” Zeng Qiao said decisively.
-
"Friends' ratings have broken 2," Wei Fang's assistant whispered to her.
The message was from several days ago, and the assistant only just saw it.
Wei Fang only found out from her assistant.
"So high?" Wei Fang was somewhat surprised, frowning in confusion. "Is this show really that good? How could it have such high ratings?"
"It's not that great, but it's not bad either, especially since many young people like it," the assistant said. "It seems that a lot of students are on winter break, and then the ratings suddenly skyrocketed."
Wei Fang: "Then they made the right move. It's only broadcast on TV, and each episode is only twenty minutes long. Beijing and TV stations must be overjoyed."
The assistant nodded. "Lu Yanhe is quite capable, that young man."
Wei Fang: "I read his script, and it was actually just average. In the old days, it was just a soap opera."
The assistant remained silent.
She knew that Wei Fang usually had very high standards for scripts.
Given her current status, she rarely takes on acting roles anymore. In the current television drama market, there are almost no actresses with a higher status than her. Even Chen Bige can't compare; Chen Bige's achievements are mainly due to her film work. Wei Fang, on the other hand, has truly made her way in the television drama field.
Wei Fang curled her lips, "Even if a show like 'Friends' has high ratings, it's impossible for it to be nominated for mainstream awards."
And national recognition? Popularity?
Wei Fang already had it; she didn't need it at all.
“He should really focus on acting; he has a good talent for it. There’s no need for him to write such superficial scripts,” she said.
At that moment, the car stopped.
-
"Sister Fang!"
As soon as Wei Fang entered, Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao stood up together to greet her.
"You're here so early!" Wei Fang waved to them with a smile. "Where are the director and the others? Haven't they arrived yet?"
"Not yet." Zeng Qiao shook his head.
This restaurant was booked by Huang Cheng, and it was their last meal before leaving South Korea.
After finishing this meal, we went back to the hotel to pack our things and headed to the airport.
Wei Fang took off her scarf and sunglasses, sat down, handed them to her assistant, and said to Zeng Qiao and Lu Yanhe, "It's been a long time since I've been to Korea, and nothing has changed."
Zeng Qiao said with a smile, "I only realized how many fans you have in South Korea after coming here with you this time."
"Oh dear, that's all because of a few dramas I acted in before, which did quite well in South Korea, and some viewers remembered me." Wei Fang smiled and waved her hand, as if it were all insignificant. "I'm old now."
“No, he’s still very young,” Zeng Qiao said.
Wei Fang: "I'm not young anymore. Look, Xiao Lu is only in his early twenties and he's already so popular. The younger generation surpasses the older one."
"What do you mean by 'the younger generation surpasses the older generation'?" Chen Lingling and Huang Cheng came in.
"Haha, I was saying I'm getting old. Young actors like Xiao Lu keep appearing one after another. Time really flies." Wei Fang said to Chen Lingling, holding Chen Lingling's hand. "Director, if you have a suitable role in your next film, you should also look for me. I only feel excited when I'm acting in your films."
In front of Chen Lingling, Wei Fang revealed a coquettish manner, like a little girl.
Chen Lingling said, "I wouldn't want to work with you. If it weren't for the fact that you absolutely had to play this role, I wouldn't want to work with you."
Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao were taken aback.
As a result, Wei Fang showed no displeasure whatsoever and remained smiling.
"Oh, director, even though I have a lot of problems, I still acted well."
Chen Lingling: "I don't want you to keep bothering me with script-related issues late at night, making it hard for me to sleep."
Wei Fang ignored everything Chen Lingling said and kept pestering her.
Lu Yanhe quickly came to terms with it; perhaps this was just how the two of them got along.
-
To be honest, Korean food isn't that good.
Kimchi soup with some white rice is alright, but other dishes don't quite suit Lu Yanhe's taste.
That evening, he ordered a very ordinary tuna rice bowl, which actually tasted alright.
Wei Fang had been inquiring about Chen Lingling's next project, hoping to get involved.
Chen Lingling and Huang Cheng, however, remained tight-lipped and refused to reveal anything.
After lunch, Wei Fang went to the restroom to touch up her makeup.
Huang Cheng suddenly asked Lu Yanhe, "Yanhe, do you have time in the second half of this year?"
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
Huang Cheng smiled and said, "In the second half of the year, Director Chen and Zeng Qiao may start filming another project, a web series project in cooperation with an international streaming media, with two male leads."
Huang Cheng didn't say it directly, but the meaning behind his words was already very clear.
They probably wanted to cast Lu Yanhe in this project.
Lu Yanhe looked surprised and asked, "Were you looking for me?"
Huang Cheng: "I'm looking for you."
Lu Yanhe said, "I have time. What kind of play is it?"
Huang Cheng said, "It's a suspense drama. They specifically approached Director Chen, wanting to make a Chinese-language drama that could be broadcast across Asia, targeting the international market."
"Um... can overseas streaming media now be uploaded to China?" Lu Yanhe asked with some surprise.
“No overseas streaming media outlets have entered the domestic market yet. However, this project will be a collaboration with Aurora Borealis, which has already secured the exclusive domestic broadcasting rights for this project,” Huang Cheng said.
Lu Yanhe nodded, "If you want me to act, of course I'm willing."
Director Chen Lingling has the strongest control over a film among all the directors Lu Yanhe knows.
She and director Luo Yuzhong are directors whom Lu Yanhe would agree to act in without even reading the script.
Because directors who take on a project have already given it a lot of consideration and research. They only decide to make a film if there's something worth filming about it.
At this moment, Wei Fang returned, and Huang Cheng stopped the conversation, not continuing the topic.
-
When she left South Korea, many of Wei Fang's fans came to the airport to see her off.
The scene was exceptionally lively, even more so than when they arrived.
Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao were both moved as they watched Wei Fang surrounded by dozens of fans expressing their affection for her in broken Chinese.
"To be a truly accomplished actress, one must reach the level of Sister Fang," Zeng Qiao said. "She also has a group of fans abroad who know and love her."
Lu Yanhe and Zeng Qiao shared the same feeling.
"I don't know if we'll be able to become actors like that in the future."
Zeng Qiao: "We can only try our best to move forward and see if it's possible in twenty years."
He smiled at Lu Yanhe.
"You are more decisive than I am."
"Um?"
"Huang Cheng asked you if you wanted to take a role in a film, and you agreed without hesitation," Zeng Qiao said. "At that time, didn't you even think about reading the script or checking the pay?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yanhe pondered for a moment and said, "No, Brother Qiao, I felt at the time that since it was directed by Chen Lingling, it must be very good. I must seize this opportunity."
Zeng Qiao looked at him in surprise and asked, "With your current popularity, you must have a lot of people asking you to act, right? Haven't you changed your mindset yet? Is there still an opportunity that you absolutely must seize and not miss?"
Lu Yanhe nodded, "There are only a few directors like Director Chen. Great directors are always far fewer than great actors."
When Zeng Qiao heard Lu Yanhe say this, he nodded and looked at him with a sense of emotion, saying, "Now I know what you're thinking."
Lu Yanhe smiled brightly.
“But this time we can make up for the regret of not having many scenes together in Phoenix Terrace,” Zeng Qiao said. “When I was filming Phoenix Terrace, I really wanted to have more scenes with you.”
Zeng Qiao patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder.
"I never expected that this wish would come true so quickly."
Lu Yanhe quickly said, "I'm also looking forward to acting opposite you, Brother Qiao."
Zeng Qiao gave Lu Yanhe the impression of being quite upright.
His path to success differed from Huang Kairen's. Huang Kairen was once a star who relied on fan support, and his terrible acting skills were notorious.
But he was very hardworking and dedicated, and was once known as an actor who could "make up for his lack of talent through hard work".
He is not the kind of actor who is exceptionally talented or has a natural flair, but rather one who hones his acting skills by working on one film after another. You can clearly see the improvement in his acting skills in his works.
After becoming famous, Zeng Qiao often gave people a steady and composed feeling in front of the camera. Some media said that he had the "temperament of an honest husband".
However, Lu Yanhe's initial impression of him was not good because he liked to criticize and satirize others, and he always said that hard work and acting skills were more important than popularity.
However, during the promotional period, because Zeng Qiao helped Lu Yanhe resolve Lang Xia's attacks on Lu Yanhe several times, Lu Yanhe became much more forgiving of Zeng Qiao.
Upon getting to know Zeng Qiao again, he discovered that Zeng Qiao's true personality was actually quite good.
His previously disliked side seemed to stem from some strange psychology; he couldn't soothe his inferiority complex, stemming from his past poor acting skills that led to ridicule, without resorting to such sarcastic and critical behavior. Moreover, this side of him only appeared with unfamiliar or disliked people.
After Lu Yanhe became familiar with him, he never said such things to Lu Yanhe again.
-
After returning from South Korea, Lu Yanhe immediately went to attend the Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony.
There were no surprises or miracles; the nomination itself was an affirmation—he did not win the Best Supporting Actor award.
However, Lu Yanhe is also the only actor in the "Golden Era" cast to be nominated for all three major awards.
At the Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony, high-ranking officials from Beijing and Taiwan approached Lu Yanhe and exchanged pleasantries with him.
Lu Yanhe, of course, greeted everyone with a smile and pleasantries.
However, the show "Friends" firmly disagreed with continuing to participate.
This annoyed them, but they had to hold back and not fall out with Lu Yanhe.
Having attended several award ceremonies, Lu Yanhe had come to a profound realization about one thing.
Luck played a large part in his being nominated for all three major awards.
A wildly popular serious drama; the drama protects the actor.
The character was well-developed and received a lot of praise from the audience.
Director Luo Yuzhong's reputation as a renowned director automatically brought this drama into the spotlight of mainstream awards.
In the Best Supporting Actor category, this year is relatively quiet, with the competition mainly focused on the Leading Actor category.
Having talent doesn't guarantee you'll win an award. And winning an award doesn't mean you're the best among the nominees.
After experiencing the nomination and the award himself, Lu Yanhe realized more deeply that winning an award sometimes really depends on the right timing, location, and people.
When the competition is fierce and the contestants are locked in a fierce battle, the judges will decide which nominee is the most deserving and deserving of an award in this year's competition.
After attending the Blue Ribbon Awards ceremony, Lu Yanhe went on vacation, resting while preparing to film "Late Spring" in March.
Friends is still airing.
Thanks to the fact that students were at home during the winter break and could watch TV, the ratings remained above 2% from the fourth episode onwards. Although there was no significant increase, it still achieved the best result for Beijing and Taiwan TV in the past five years.
Major media outlets are discussing the show "Friends," as if it has transcended the realm of television and acquired a certain cultural significance.
As the show's ratings became increasingly impressive, the attitude of Beijing and Taiwan towards Lu Yanhe became even warmer.
In Chen Ziyan's words, "The enormous profits finally made them lower their noble heads."
Lu Yanhe's attitude remained consistent, leaving them feeling humiliated.
To Lu Yanhe's surprise, they eventually managed to get director Luo Yuzhong to act as a persuader.
Director Luo Yuzhong really didn't want to agree to this, but after working in the television industry for so long, he was kept at arm's length by Beijing TV and had no choice but to agree.
Lu Yanhe asked, "Director, do you have any new projects in the pipeline?"
Luo Yuzhong said, "There are three or four scripts in preparation, but it's hard to say which one will start filming first. None of the scripts have been polished to the level I want."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Director, if there are any suitable roles for me in the future, please save one for me. If it's a long drama like 'The Golden Era' with more than 30 episodes, I may not have time to play the lead role, but I can still play a supporting role."
Luo Yuzhong asked with a smile, "Are you still willing to play a supporting role?"
“Why wouldn’t I want to? Look how well I played a supporting role in ‘The Golden Era,’ and I even won an award,” Lu Yanhe said.
Luo Yuzhong asked, "Aren't you afraid people will say that you've been acting for so long and then you've gone back to your old ways? Everyone else is aiming for the lead role."
Lu Yanhe: "I have no shortage of leading roles, but I want to act in your plays."
Luo Yuzhong smiled.
Lu Yanhe: "So please don't try to persuade me anymore. I know I might be too stubborn about this, but while I can still be stubborn, I'll be stubborn for a while."
Luo Yuzhong sighed softly when he heard Lu Yanhe say that.
Lu Yanhe also knew why Luo Yuzhong sighed.
He pursed his lips and gave Luo Yuzhong a deliberately ingratiating smile, the kind that a junior would give to an elder.
(End of this chapter)
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