Chapter 634 A Fight to the Death (10,000-word update!)
Lu Yanhe's question surprised Luo Yuzhong.
Luo Yuzhong: "What do you want to do?"
Lu Yanhe said, "Those who are not virtuous enough for their position should not be in their current position."
“I understand your thoughts, but don’t act rashly,” Luo Yuzhong said. “The entire executive committee is dissatisfied with him, but they haven’t gotten rid of him yet. He still has people behind him. If you take forceful action, you will offend people who are not easy to offend right now.”
Lu Yanhe said, “Teacher, I have no intention of taking action, nor do I have any hands to take action. However, as long as Huang Lian is around, I will no longer allow the projects I am in charge of to be submitted for the Golden Tripod Award, nor will I submit the roles I play for the Golden Tripod Award for performance. I do not want to participate in an award judging process led by an unprofessional person.”
Luo Yuzhong had initially thought that Lu Yanhe had matured and become more tactful, especially after hearing what he just said. Luo Yuzhong almost thought that Lu Yanhe was planning to find a way to bring Huang Lian down.
Now, Luo Yuzhong suddenly realized that Lu Yanhe was still that proud and uncompromising young man.
Luo Yuzhong fully understood why Lu Yanhe possessed such unyielding pride. It would be strange if Lu Yanhe weren't so proud.
but--
“Don’t make this decision at this time,” Luo Yuzhong said. “First, the Golden Tripod Awards aren’t decided by him alone. This time, he unilaterally decided to hold a separate awards ceremony for sitcoms, which has already caused great dissatisfaction within the organization. His power will inevitably be further restricted. Second, you think you’re rebelling against Huang Lian, but what you’re actually showing is that you’ve fallen out with the Golden Tripod Awards—believe me, Yan He, this isn’t about personal feelings, it’s about whose interests you’re on. If you stand against the interests of the Golden Tripod Awards, even those who don’t have personal feelings to argue with you will start arguing with you because of your attitude.”
Luo Yuzhong's words came like a tidal wave, waking him up.
Yes, Lu Yanhe himself knew that he had acted irrationally and impulsively again.
You must suppress this temper.
Lu Yanhe took a deep breath.
"I understand, teacher."
Luo Yuzhong said, "When it's time to show your temper and attitude, don't be soft-hearted, but never lose sight of the bigger picture for the sake of small things. The status and significance of the Golden Tripod Awards in the domestic drama circle is far more complex than it currently appears. Huang Lian was forced to publicly apologize to you because many people within the Golden Tripod Awards also believe he was wrong, and many have chosen to support you. Don't push these people to the other side."
“Teacher, I understand what you mean.” Lu Yanhe nodded again.
-
That evening, Lu Yanhe posted a photo of himself standing on the Golden Tripod Award stage, accepting his Best Supporting Actor award. In the photo, he was smiling brightly and radiating sunshine.
"This is the first award I've received as an actor. It has extraordinary significance for me. I will always remember the smile it brought me—sunny, bright, and full of hope."
There was no response to Huang Lian, nor was there any appeal to the Golden Tripod Awards.
A simple sentence, a simple photo, seemingly saying nothing, yet effortlessly conveying everything.
In his comment section, a group of fans flooded the comments with the word "vision".
Thus, in the public eye, the feud between Lu Yanhe and the Golden Tripod Award seemed to have been resolved with a laugh.
-
Huang Lian then sent another message through someone else, hoping to arrange a meeting with him.
Lu Yanhe declined, as he was filming a movie.
He had no intention of letting bygones be bygones with Huang Lian.
He knew very well that all of Huang Lian's current actions were due to pressure from public opinion and internal pressure.
Huang Lian will never truly realize that he is wrong.
After Lu Yanhe posted this Weibo post, many people called and messaged him.
They wondered if Lu Yanhe would participate in the next Golden Tripod Award.
Lu Yanhe didn't give a definite answer.
If Luo Yuzhong's words had calmed him down and made him realize that he couldn't act impulsively, then his current ambiguous attitude was a different kind of attitude altogether.
Yes, he has already shown his goodwill and prevented the Golden Tripod Awards from losing face.
But to say that they've completely reconciled?
No, that won't work.
He doesn't accept this.
-
Whether the relationship between Lu Yanhe and the Golden Tripod Awards has truly eased has become a focus of attention for many in the industry.
When many people finally realized what was happening, they were shocked to discover that, without realizing it, they had subconsciously come to believe that Lu Yanhe was someone who could stand on equal footing with the Golden Tripod Award and challenge and negotiate with them.
After they realized what was happening, everyone thought, "Something's not right."
Does Lu Yanhe have such abilities now?
Does he have that kind of power?
Opinions vary.
Lu Yanhe stayed obediently in the crew of "Chinese Paladin" to film.
It just so happens that on this day, actress Deng Xiaoyuan, who plays the Spider Demon in the drama, joined the crew.
The character of the Spider Demon was also played by an actress surnamed Deng in the original work, who later became the famous Little Aunt in "iPartment".
This actress has been acting for several years, but has remained relatively unknown. This time, she was handpicked for the role by Luo Yuzhong.
As soon as she arrived on set, she greeted everyone warmly and introduced herself to them.
She is a very generous actress.
When Deng Xiaoyuan saw Lu Yanhe, she said with a smile, "Oh my, I've finally met our movie star! What an honor! I'm even more honored to be able to play a role written by our best screenwriter. My spider demon role is definitely different from other spider demon roles."
The person started by praising Lu Yanhe, but it didn't feel forced at all. Instead, it felt very natural, like a joke, but not a mockery.
Lu Yanhe smiled and called out, "Sister Xiaoyuan."
Deng Xiaoyuan said, "We're new here today. If there are no night shoots tonight, I'll treat everyone to dinner. If there are night shoots, then we can have a late-night snack, how about that?"
The cast and crew of "Chinese Paladin" often had meals together, but they were usually small-scale gatherings.
Especially those actors who don't play major roles often don't take the initiative to invite Lu Yanhe and the others to dinner; they seem a little embarrassed to bother them.
Deng Xiaoyuan seems to have no concept of the so-called main character and supporting character.
but--
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe immediately nodded with a smile. “However, we’ll treat you. It’s your first day on set, so we should welcome you.”
Deng Xiaoyuan said yes.
"Then I'll organize another meal for everyone later."
Lu Yanhe noticed that Jiang Lingyi, who played Lin Yueru, stared in surprise.
-
Jiang Lingyi asked Yan Lingyu in a low voice, "Did Lu Yanhe know this Deng Xiaoyuan before?"
"I don't know, what's wrong?" Yan Lingyu asked.
“He’s been with the crew for so long, but I haven’t seen him interact much with anyone other than you guys,” Jiang Lingyi said. “But when Deng Xiaoyuan suggested we have a meal together, he agreed.”
Yan Lingyu suddenly laughed and said, "That's normal. Yan He is someone who likes to hang out with his friends. When he was filming 'Late Spring' with us, he often treated us to meals. At that time, he was the only one with money, and he always paid the bill."
Jiang Lingyi: "But when I met him, I was still a little nervous, afraid of disturbing him. I felt that he was very busy every day, either reading scripts or typing on the computer."
Yan Lingyu: "If you take the initiative to chat with him more, you will find that he is actually a very nice person. This is a genuine kindness, not the kind of hypocritical or socially perfunctory behavior. Believe me, as long as you don't have any ulterior motives or purposes, you can get along with him very well."
“But I noticed you rarely talk to him,” Jiang Lingyi said. “Even though you two starred in a movie together.”
Yan Lingyu said, "This is a problem with my personality. I'm not good at chatting with people, even if we're already quite familiar. But he's a guy, and I'm a girl, and he has a girlfriend. Every time I talk to him, I have to be careful not to say or do anything that might cause misunderstandings. But the more careful I am, the less I can open up. Also, as I've told you before, I had some problems with my company before I came to act in this drama, and he helped me resolve them. I don't know how to repay him, and it always feels awkward."
Jiang Lingyi: "Lingyu, you're overthinking things."
Yan Lingyu: "Even though you're not a big deal, you still can't relax like usual when you see him, can you?"
Jiang Lingyi: "That's because I'm a newcomer, and he's already a big shot. I'm afraid I might accidentally offend him."
Yan Lingyu: "He's too hard to offend. You're so hesitant and shy. It's better to be more outgoing and friendly like Sister Xiaoyuan."
Jiang Lingyi: "...You're so mean. I'm clearly your friend."
"That's why I'm telling you the truth," Yan Lingyu said.
Jiang Lingyi: "Who wants to hear the truth? I want to hear nice things."
You're so beautiful!
"Oh my, you're so beautiful~" Jiang Lingyi hugged Yan Lingyu's arm, her smile and tone sweet.
"We're just beautiful sisters~"
Li Zhibai, who was passing by, suddenly heard her sweet cheer, turned around and looked at her with a "What the heck!" expression.
Jiang Lingyi glanced at Li Zhibai and was stunned.
Yan Lingyu covered her face with one hand, trying to pretend that she didn't recognize anyone.
Awkward.
-
In terms of beauty, both Jiang Lingyi and Yan Lingyu are indeed beautiful.
The latter's beauty has a classical charm. The former's beauty, on the other hand, has a dashing, free-spirited style, like that of a chivalrous heroine.
Once she steps out of the role, Jiang Lingyi is simply a girl who loves to dress up but has a carefree personality.
On this day, during the filming of a scene, Jiang Lingyi was accidentally hit on the fingernail by a sword in the hand of her co-star.
Her face turned pale instantly, and she broke out in a cold sweat.
The doctor on the team immediately came to check and found that a small piece of Jiang Lingyi's fingernail had been poked out, and tiny beads of blood had seeped out.
Her co-star looked extremely nervous, as if she had made a terrible mistake.
I feel very uneasy.
However, no one noticed him at this moment; everyone was focused on Jiang Lingyi.
"I'm sorry." Jiang Lingyi endured the pain, stood up, and said, "I didn't get the moves right just now."
Luo Yuzhong personally came over from the monitoring screen next door to check on Jiang Lingyi's condition.
"You should rest for a bit, and let the doctor apply some medicine for you."
Jiang Lingyi said, "It's okay, director, I can still film."
Li Zhibai, who was watching from the side, said, "Don't be stubborn at this time. Go and apply some medicine. We'll film my scenes first. It won't delay the schedule."
After Li Zhibai said that, Jiang Lingyi showed him a look of gratitude and went with him.
Luo Yuzhong nodded to Li Zhibai.
"You're quite chivalrous," Luo Yuzhong commented. "Judging from your usual behavior, I thought you weren't even interested in this."
Li Zhibai: "What do you mean by being chivalrous? Her face was already pale, and she was still worried about delaying the crew because of herself. I just can't stand seeing this kind of forced performance."
Luo Yuzhong scoffed, "Keep being stubborn."
-
During the meal, both Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang heard about this.
In the little world of film crews, gossip always spreads the fastest.
Lu Yanhe teased, "Brother Bai, are you tempted?"
"What do you mean 'moved'? You all believe everything you hear. I'm just being a gentleman," Li Zhi said calmly.
Yan Liang: "You really weren't even a little bit tempted? What was that all about when you told us the other day that Jiang Lingyi was praising your looks, and you seemed both disgusted and found her kind of cute?"
"I only felt disgusted by her; I didn't find her cute at all."
"Damn, why is he still so hypocritical?" Yan Liang asked Lu Yanhe. "When we asked him if he liked Sister Qiuling, he denied it to the death and then said nothing at all."
"The people who are most good at talking are often the least likely to admit their true thoughts," Lu Yanhe responded.
Li Zhibai: "..."
Damn it.
They know all my dark history.
-
What do you think of Li Zhibai?
Yan Lingyu also started gossiping with Jiang Lingyi.
Jiang Lingyi: "What do you mean, how?"
"Everyone in the crew says that Li Zhibai seems to have a thing for you," Yan Lingyu said.
"How can you be so gossipy!" Jiang Lingyi whispered. "I thought you were the least gossipy person."
“You have misunderstood me,” Yan Lingyu said bluntly.
Jiang Lingyi: "I'm still injured, don't bother me."
"No denial means admission?" Yan Lingyu's eyes lit up.
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Jiang Lingyi said.
Yan Lingyu smiled, "Then I'll go ask Li Zhibai for his opinion."
"What are you going to do?" Jiang Lingyi looked at Yan Lingyu in disbelief. "Aren't you someone who doesn't like to interact with people?"
“I’m very proactive about this kind of thing; I’m willing to interact with people,” Yan Lingyu said confidently.
"You, you—" Jiang Lingyi didn't know what to say.
Yan Lingyu: "Okay, I was just kidding. I won't go looking for Li Zhibai. But I heard that Ji Miao also likes Li Zhibai. They filmed 'Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed' together. I wonder if they've secretly gotten together. If they have, it really wouldn't be appropriate."
Jiang Lingyi: "Whether they're together or not has nothing to do with me!"
"Don't be stubborn," Yan Lingyu said. "I've already figured it out."
Jiang Lingyi remained silent.
Yan Lingyu: "Ha, I knew it."
Jiang Lingyi: "..."
She wanted to clench her fists.
-
"Ji Miao?" Lu Yanhe shook his head, decisively and confidently, yet also puzzled. "Why would you ask that?"
Yan Lingyu smiled and said, "I heard some rumors, so I wanted to come and confirm them with you."
Lu Yanhe was quite surprised.
This was the first time Yan Lingyu had spoken to him privately since joining the crew, and it turned out that she wanted to ask Li Zhibai if he was dating Ji Miao.
Lu Yanhe: "Recently, Li Zhibai's relationship status has been attracting a lot of attention."
"You're sure Li Zhibai is single right now, right?"
"Is it confirmed...?" Lu Yanhe suddenly realized that something was wrong. He wasn't sure either, and he hadn't asked Li Zhibai if he was seeing anyone in private.
In the past year or two, I've been so busy with work that I might only see him two or three times a month. Who knows what he's like in private?
He just subconsciously thought that if Li Zhibai was in a relationship, he wouldn't hide it from them.
But who knows if they were keeping it from them?
Lu Yanhe: "I need to go and confirm this."
He turned around and asked.
"What are you talking about? You're busy as a dog every day." Li Zhibai rolled his eyes at Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe breathed a sigh of relief.
"Just checking," he said with a smile.
Li Zhibai looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why do you need to confirm this?"
Lu Yanhe said, "It's okay. You won't hide it from us when you start dating, will you?"
"Why would I hide it from you?" Li Zhibai asked again.
Lu Yanhe nodded in satisfaction.
"Too."
After Lu Yanhe left, Li Zhibai quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
He typed a message on his phone and sent it—
In the last couple of days, people have inexplicably started trying to match me up with Jiang Lingyi, just because she was injured before and I covered for her in a play. If you hear any rumors, don't misunderstand.
After a while, the number replied: "Kiss."
Li Zhibai: When can we go public? There's no need to hide it from Yan He and the others.
-
On the film set.
“I won’t call cut for this part, you guys do it yourselves,” Luo Yuzhong said. “You can improvise freely, and you don’t have to stop if you make a mistake. Just do it on the spot. I want that special, pure, and romantic feeling between you young people.”
This is a play where a few people are chatting, laughing, and joking together.
Several actors stood together, with extras nearby.
This scene wasn't filmed in a studio, but rather on location at a film studio.
The rental fee was quite high, and Luo Yuzhong hoped they could finish filming in one day; otherwise, they would have to rent more locations and continue filming.
Despite the tight schedule, Luo Yuzhong did not shift the pressure onto Lu Yanhe and his team.
A mature director, if he really gets angry at the actors on set, is definitely doing so to provoke a reaction from the actors.
Almost all directors understand the importance of "protecting" the actors' emotions.
Even if the actor is really bad, we still have to protect the few bright spots in that mess.
If an actor is not in the right mood or lacks confidence, their performance will only get worse.
There were many extras on set.
Several people were walking on the street.
You tease me, I'll tease you.
It was just a passing scene, but Luo Yuzhong took it seriously.
He believes that if this scene is filmed well, the emotional atmosphere between these people will be established.
Lu Yanhe fully understood Luo Yuzhong's meaning, so as soon as he arrived at the film set, he grabbed a few people to chat with, and first got them to get acquainted with each other.
"What are your plans after filming this movie?" Lu Yanhe asked Yan Lingyu and Jiang Lingyi.
Yan Lingyu shook her head: "There are no arrangements yet."
Jiang Lingyi said, "Me too. There was a script that was being approached, but my agent said that I was already playing the second female lead in 'Chinese Paladin,' so we wouldn't consider this script for the minor female lead."
"Oh, you've ascended to heaven," Li Zhibai joked.
Jiang Lingyi: "In front of you, do you call this ascension? I'm just a little moth flapping its wings."
Yan Liang: "Once this drama airs, you'll be transformed from a caterpillar into a butterfly."
"I hope so too!" Jiang Lingyi clasped her hands together and prayed earnestly, "I hope I can become an overnight sensation. I don't want to be nobody anymore."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
"You will definitely be loved by the audience."
"Really?"
"Yes, Director Luo said your performance was very likable," Lu Yanhe said.
Li Zhi teased, "After all, they are beautiful sisters."
Jiang Lingyi: "..."
Yan Lingyu smiled so much that her eyes curved like a small crescent moon.
-
In "Chinese Paladin", Lin Yueru is a character whose fate is deeply regrettable for many.
If Jiang Lingyi can play this role well, she will definitely soar to great heights.
In comparison, Lu Yanhe believes that Jiang Lingyi's version of Lin Yueru has more of Huang Rong's quirky and spoiled nature, and less of the straightforwardness and frankness of the original version played by Ady An.
He was a little unaccustomed to it, but everyone who hadn't seen the original version thought Jiang Lingyi acted very well.
Of course, although Yan Lingyu and Jiang Lingyi are different from the original versions, they are surprisingly well-matched with Li Zhibai.
Ultimately, acting depends on whether there's any chemistry between the actors.
The fact that several of Li Zhibai's past idol dramas have become hits has fully demonstrated his versatility in romantic scenes with female leads.
It takes real skill to make female viewers identify with the female lead no matter who she's acting opposite.
However, what makes this drama different is that it doesn't allow viewers to empathize with Ling'er's perspective and experience a romantic relationship with Li Zhibai.
Li Zhibai's performance was quite enjoyable.
He said he had wanted to play a chivalrous hero or a knight-errant since he was a child.
Li Xiaoyao was the role he had always dreamed of playing.
Luo Yuzhong said that Li Zhibai's best quality is that he can portray Li Xiaoyao's fearless and reckless youthful spirit.
This is something that even the most skilled actors cannot portray.
If it exists, it exists; if it doesn't, it doesn't.
Luo Yuzhong said to Lu Yanhe, "You don't have this on you."
Lu Yanhe: "..."
But he has to admit it.
Similarly, compared to Yan Lingyu, Luo Yuzhong was actually more satisfied with Jiang Lingyi.
He said Jiang Lingyi will be able to act in the future and truly make a living as an actress. Because she has a natural ability to tell stories, she's persistent, determined, and her eyes are always bright and can see right through the camera. But Yan Lingyu, so far, needs the camera to create a sense of narrative for her, to capture fleeting moments. When she gets older and still lacks the ability to act, she will inevitably be eliminated.
Looking back at himself, Lu Yanhe realized that he had achieved success so quickly, and he had to admit that he did indeed have a face suitable for being an actor.
It is suitable for drawing various facial makeup lines on it.
A group of teenagers were chatting and laughing on the street.
After filming two takes, Luo Yuzhong called them to the monitor and said, "Take a look for yourselves."
"Ling Yu, you need to add more detail to your acting," Luo Yuzhong said. "For example, when other people are talking, occasionally glance at Li Xiaoyao unintentionally. You need to know what state you are in right now."
Yan Lingyu listened to Luo Yuzhong's instructions and nodded.
“You see, you’ve been maintaining a slight smile the whole time, which is good, but you’re not really connecting with the scene. You need to engage with it. For example, when you’re listening to Lin Yueru speak, is your attention actually focused on Li Xiaoyao? Imagine that state, and then the richer feeling will come.”
“Xiao Jiang, don’t overdo your facial expressions. You need to learn to simplify.” Luo Yuzhong said, “Lin Yueru is definitely not a particularly impulsive person. She reacts directly and outwardly, but she won’t be angry one second and then chatting away with Ling’er the next. You must always remember that Lin Yueru’s true nature is a delicate mind, not that she is really oblivious.”
Jiang Lingyi seemed to be deep in thought.
Luo Yuzhong then spoke to Li Zhibai, Yan Liang, and Lu Yanhe separately.
Throughout the filming process, Lu Yanhe was somewhat looking forward to seeing what the final cut would look like.
If the shortcomings of the original version, which was produced earlier and therefore had a rougher overall picture and did not fully showcase the intricacies of that world, could be addressed, and if this drama could be wrapped in a serious drama cloak in addition to the youthful elements of fantasy and idol drama, then the quality of this drama would definitely be elevated to a higher level.
-
In mid-September, Jiang Yuqian suddenly decided to visit the set, along with Huang Kairen.
Jiang Yuqian and Huang Kairen co-starred with Luo Yuzhong in "The Golden Era," which was Lu Yanhe's first role as an actor.
Their arrival caused quite a stir among the crew.
The two are now a newly crowned Best Actor and a popular actress with an international career. Both are among the most sought-after actors in the industry, and many people on set are their fans.
Jiang Lingyi's ears turned red when she saw Huang Kairen.
Yan Lingyu also asked her why her ears suddenly turned red.
Jiang Lingyi said that Huang Kairen is her idol.
She was a little embarrassed and shy when she wanted to take a photo with Huang Kairen.
Lu Yanhe was also quite surprised and asked, "How come you all came at the same time?"
Huang Kairen said, "We had said before that we would visit the set, and since we were both free these past two days, we decided to come together."
Jiang Yuqian: "How's filming going? I heard your crew has several hundred people; it's a big production."
“That’s true.” Lu Yanhe smiled. “It’s a fantasy genre, with action scenes and post-production special effects, plus a lot of people. Fortunately, most of the scenes are filmed in a studio, so there are relatively few scenes on location.”
Jiang Yuqian: "I really didn't expect that you would suddenly write a fantasy-themed script."
Lu Yanhe said, "If we don't write it now, the three of us won't be able to act anymore. These are the last few years we can act in young fantasy dramas."
Huang Kairen: "Are you messing with me? Does that mean I can't act anymore?"
Lu Yanhe: "I didn't, you said that yourself."
Jiang Yuqian smiled.
"Stop acting. Look at Zhang Lan. At her age, she's acting in period dramas. It's one thing for the audience to criticize her, but it also dragged Yan Liang down by having to air such a controversial drama after three hit shows."
The feud between Jiang Yuqian and Zhang Lan has a long history.
Lu Yanhe smiled but remained silent.
The same applies to Huang Kairen.
It's best for men not to get involved in the battles between women.
Only a fool would rush to take sides for their goddess. In reality, the goddess may not want to see you clearly taking sides for her.
After teasing Zhang Lan, Jiang Yuqian asked curiously, "Old Huang, when are you going to marry Zixing?"
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe looked at Huang Kairen with surprise, "You and Sister Zixing are getting married?"
Huang Kairen smiled and said, "It's on the agenda. Once the date is set, we'll talk about it again."
"Wow—" Lu Yanhe hadn't expected this news to make him so happy. Perhaps it was because both of them were his friends, and seeing them finally become a couple gave him a sense of satisfaction from participating in and achieving a milestone. "Congratulations, Brother Huang! I'll definitely have to prepare a big red envelope!"
Huang Kairen turned to look at Jiang Yuqian.
"What about you? Still not planning to look for someone? Going on to focus on your career?"
"Cough—" Jiang Yuqian glared at Huang Kairen, "Why did you suddenly drag me into this?"
"It's okay. The line of men who want to marry my sister Yuqian could stretch all the way to France."
"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?" Jiang Yuqian asked.
Lu Yanhe: "That's absolutely no exaggeration. I don't believe that just because you're going international now, no man overseas will fall for you."
“Well, my aesthetic is still based on Chinese men,” Jiang Yuqian said. “Those foreign hot guys, they may be handsome, but they’re not my type.”
"So what kind of dishes do you serve? Mine like this, Yanhe like this?" Huang Kairen asked.
Jiang Yuqian rolled her eyes speechlessly.
"Does he have to be so narcissistic?"
"Just kidding." Huang Kairen laughed. "It's because you're so protective of your privacy, we don't even know what kind of man you like."
"Anyway, I don't like you," Jiang Yuqian said.
“Oh—” Huang Kairen immediately said, “You didn’t deny Xiao Lu.”
Jiang Yuqian punched Huang Kairen in the shoulder.
“If you utter another word of nonsense, I’ll punch you in the face,” Jiang Yuqian said.
Huang Kairen raised his hands.
"I apologize."
Lu Yanhe smiled but remained silent.
For celebrities, unless you've actually gone public with your relationship, it's really difficult to ask them these kinds of questions.
This involves too many things and interests, and it's not something that can be decided publicly by the wishes of just two people.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that even if Jiang Yuqian had a boyfriend now, she probably wouldn't make it public.
Her career is booming right now, and she gets so much media exposure. If it were to be revealed that she has a boyfriend at this time, who knows what kind of impact it would have on her career.
It's hard to tell.
Huang Kairen and Jiang Yuqian came to visit the set together. The cast and crew of "The Golden Era" reunited, and Linghe certainly wouldn't miss such a good publicity opportunity.
We took a group photo and posted it on Weibo.
There was no need to buy trending topics; the popularity was directly captured by Weibo's keywords and made it onto the trending list.
#TheGoldenAgeCastReunion#
This drama was a real hit back then. The college scenes between Lu Yanhe and Jiang Yuqian, because that story was filmed so heartbreakingly, are still frequently seen on short video platforms.
Compared to long dramas where happy endings (HE) are more popular, short videos with tragic endings (BE) are more likely to go viral on short video platforms.
Lu Yanhe's storyline as a bodyguard in "Phoenix Terrace" is also a favorite subject for short video editors, especially the scene where he dies at the end. The scene has been hailed as "godlike" by many, described as the ultimate in heartbreak, the pinnacle of a beautiful, strong, tragic, and avenging hero.
For most viewers, watching movies and TV dramas is probably about the story and the characters.
But for actors, especially those known for their good looks, it's often the camera, the image, that matters. There's a term now called "life's moment," and often, whether an actor becomes a memory of an era depends on just one or two shots. For example, Zhang Min's smile as she turns back on horseback, Wang Zuxian's graceful figure in white gauze under the night breeze, or Zhu Yin's playful wink.
Especially in today's internet age, a key sign of an actor becoming a breakout star is when one of his clips suddenly goes viral across the entire internet.
In this era, even the best actors struggle to become superstars without a few iconic scenes. It's an undeniable fact that not everyone is willing to watch movies and TV series. But a single iconic scene is something almost everyone online has seen. Just like in Hollywood, actors who truly become known worldwide through their acting skills and work, like Meryl Streep, are few and far between. More often, a star's chances of entering the annals of history depend on a Marilyn Monroe-esque moment—a chance occurrence, a fleeting instant, a brief moment of legend created by countless coincidences.
The first and second dramas that Lu Yanhe starred in laid an immeasurable foundation of public support for him.
Of course, this is also thanks to having two top-notch TV drama directors, Luo Yuzhong and Chen Lingling. Therefore, even the supporting roles were filmed with the quality of leading roles, and his performance was not wasted.
Because of the topic of their reunion, Lu Yanhe's storyline in "The Golden Era" has become popular online again.
His first breakout scene, also his first appearance in "The Golden Era," saw him push open the classroom door, emerging bathed in sunlight—energetic, clear-eyed, and handsome, like a towering bamboo shoot, instantly releasing a surge of youthful hormones that filled the entire frame. This GIF of his entrance was subsequently republished by numerous film and television media outlets.
Whether an actor has potential can be seen from his very first scene. How many people were amazed by that scene back then? How many people were pessimistic about this newcomer actor who transitioned from idol to actor? Who could have imagined that in just five years, he would have reached a height that almost everyone can only dream of?
Some people say, "If I could be reborn, I would want to be reborn as Lu Yanhe so that I can experience what Lu Yanhe's life is like."
Then, this Weibo post suddenly went viral.
When the fire broke out, Lu Yanhe and his friends were having a late-night snack together.
Huang Kairen was the first to see it, so he took it out and told everyone about it.
“I also want to experience the joy of early success!” Jiang Lingyi immediately said.
"However, can Xiao Lu be considered a prodigy?" Jiang Yuqian asked with some doubt. "Although you did become famous at the age of fifteen."
"I've achieved success, so it can't be considered unsuccessful." Lu Yanhe was clear-headed and didn't want to create an overly inspirational image for himself. "If it weren't for participating in the talent show, I might be washing dishes in some restaurant right now."
“How could that be?” Li Zhibai immediately shook his head.
“Why not?” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “At least if I don’t become an artist, I definitely won’t be able to study at No. 13 Middle School. No matter how hard I try, I might not be able to get into Zhenhua High School. I might not even be able to go to high school in the town. Even if I do go to high school, it will definitely be very ordinary. It would be difficult to get into an ordinary university.”
Jiang Lingyi said, "But you work so hard and are so talented—"
There was a hint of bewilderment in her eyes, as if she wondered, "How could this happen?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head directly.
"From my own experience, sometimes, having talent and working hard is not necessarily useful. You need to have a place to use your talents for them to have value. Otherwise, it is very likely that you will end up just feeling good about yourself."
As Lu Yanhe spoke, he thought of his first script.
"The first script I wrote was 'Lost in Thailand.' This script was easy enough to film and had a low budget. I wrote it when I was in my senior year of high school. After it was released, so many people said that the script was good, the lines were good, and it was good at first glance. But what good was that? Many people rejected it. Even after Jia Long was cast as the lead actor, because it was a rural road comedy, no one thought it would be a box office success. It took several years to develop it."
A group of people looked surprised.
The box office hit "Lost in Thailand" had actually gone through such a long period of dormancy, which was something they hadn't expected.
"And then there's the song I sang, 'Remembering.' It was popular for a few days when the show aired, but it quickly faded away. Was it because the song wasn't good? It was probably alright, not a classic, but it was definitely a minor hit. But there weren't enough resources to promote it, so it couldn't maintain its popularity, and soon nobody listened to it anymore. Later, Song Linxin covered the song, and thanks to the resources her company used to promote it, the song finally came into the public eye and became a real hit."
Lu Yanhe shrugged. "So, I might really be a pessimist. I believe that people must work hard, strive, and accumulate talent, but can these things guarantee success? I'm not that optimistic."
Yan Liang nodded.
"Yan He really spent the entire senior year of high school, leaving early and returning late, sleeping only five or six hours a day, studying and working hard. At that time, no one believed that he could make a comeback, and he probably didn't expect that he would eventually get into Zhenhua High School," Yan Liang said. "He is a typical person who does his best and leaves the rest to fate. He is definitely not a pessimist. A pessimist would not work as hard as him. He just doesn't like to set any optimistic expectations for himself, so as not to be disappointed."
Li Zhibai: "But I think Yan He is right. Sometimes, personal factors are far less important than where you are or whether you are facing favorable or unfavorable circumstances. Timing and opportunities are more important than personal effort and hard work."
"Ah, does that mean that many people can't defy fate?" Jiang Lingyi pursed her lips. "I really always use Yan He to motivate myself. He was able to climb back up from the bottom to the top. I'm not afraid of the problems, setbacks, or current low points I encounter."
"Don't think like that. What we're saying is, don't take your efforts and talents too seriously, because it's not really like the 'you reap what you sow' mentality we learned as kids. Holding onto that expectation often leads to disappointment. But besides your own efforts and talents, what else can you control? Nothing. You can only rely on these two things. These are the only two things you truly hold in your hands," Yan Liang explained.
Li Zhibai nodded and said, "What's this talk about defying fate or changing destiny? If you've already defied fate, it naturally shows that this isn't a path you can reach the end by following one route. Otherwise, what's the point of defying fate?"
Lu Yanhe propped his cheek with one hand, probably a little tipsy from drinking, his eyes were somewhat glazed.
He said, "So this is all we can do. Without connections, we can only rely on our own two feet to walk slowly. Although we don't know where the road ahead will lead, we can't turn back, we won't turn back. It's a choice, either failure or success. No, that's not right. It should be said that it's either success or death. Anyway, since we've really decided to take this path of defying fate, then let's fight to the death."
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I recommend the new fantasy novel, *The Demon-Slaying Sword*.
Synopsis: The Heavenly Soul, Yang, connects to the Great Dao; the Earthly Soul, Yin, descends upon the Nine Provinces; the Life Soul, the Fetal Body, governs the true form; the Sword Soul does not worship Buddhas or gods.
(End of this chapter)
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