Chapter 175
As one of the top directors in China, Director Gu's dramas have always been the most coveted pie for actors in the circle, especially the new generation of popular young actors and actresses. While they have super high popularity and fans, they need works and awards to prove themselves. Anyone with a little bit of ambition will not be satisfied with being an idol star for a lifetime. It’s okay to act in idol dramas when you are young, but it is a bit embarrassing to continue acting in idol dramas when you are in your forties or fifties. After all, youth has a shelf life.
However, unlike several other great directors, Director Gu has always been known for his willfulness. As soon as someone else's play is approved, the news spreads throughout the circle. Everyone is looking forward to a big deal, and even something completely unfounded can be made into a big mess, with curses flying everywhere. Director Gu's plays are like state secrets, they are kept secret well, and unless he wants to, no news will leak out.
This time is no exception. Whether it is the marketing accounts on Weibo or the major forums where true and false chats are flying around, there is no news at all. Everyone is busy fighting and setting the tone. The reason why Jing Ling knew this was not because he was well-informed, but because Director Gu came to him in person.
When Jing Ling hung up the phone, he found that Shen Ze was indeed squatting beside him, staring at him, and his expression looked like he was studying some rare species. He picked up an apple from the fruit bowl, picked up a fruit knife with his other hand, and peeled the apple while saying, "Ask anything you want to ask."
Shen Ze had a lot to say, and when he heard him say that, he immediately opened his mouth to ask, but he was stunned before he could say anything.
A fruit knife with a sharp blade was holding a peeled apple, and a slender and beautiful hand held the handle of the knife and handed the object to him.
He raised his eyes slightly and saw the boy's beautiful eyes that seemed to be filled with bright stars, and there seemed to be a faint smile in his eyes.
From the time he picked up the apple to now, it was no more than two or three seconds. In such a short period of time, he peeled the apple and the peel on the table formed a circle, and even looked almost the same thickness. What kind of speed is this? Is it really something that ordinary people can do?
Shen Ze was a little absent-minded for a moment, with all kinds of reliable and unreliable guesses running through his mind. It wasn't until Jing Ling's voice rang in his ears that he came back to his senses.
"What's wrong, Aze?"
"Ah... Oh, it's okay." He shook his head, reached out to take the apple, brought it to his mouth and took a bite. His teeth bit into the flesh, there was a crisp sound, and then a sweet taste spread in his mouth. He could smell the sweet fragrance of the apple itself at the tip of his nose. He subconsciously took a few bites before he remembered the main business. He turned his eyes and stared at Jing Ling, "I just heard you say the word 'Director Gu', right?!"
Jing Ling took another apple, but this time he didn't simply peel it, but carved something with a fruit knife. He nodded and said casually, "Yeah, yeah, why?"
His movements were extremely fast, the blade flashed silver light, and almost became a shadow. The fruit knife seemed not to be an external object but a part of his hand, and it was unexpectedly flexible.
Shen Ze was unconsciously attracted by this scene. He was stunned for two seconds before he came back to his senses. He sorted out his thoughts a little and asked, "Why did Director Gu contact you suddenly? What did he say? Was it... a new movie?" His tone was a little uncertain about the last three words.
In fact, this answer is very likely, but because the person on the other end of the phone is Director Gu, it makes it hard to accept. That's Director Gu, one of the top directors in China. How many people want to act in his movies, especially this new movie. Although the subject matter and other information are not known yet, according to Director Gu's usual practice of making two commercial films and one art film, this time it should be an art film.
Why do actors act in art films? Of course I want to win the award! Of course, we don’t rule out the possibility that you really like this. The art films made by big directors are all aimed at winning awards. Although they have failed several times in the past two years, with both box office and reputation failures, and ultimately did not win any awards, the possibility of winning awards by acting in the films of big directors is still much higher than that of ordinary directors, especially Director Gu, whose level has been very stable, with a very high upper limit and a very low lower limit.
Director Gu’s new drama has just been confirmed and no news has leaked out in the circle. He is now contacting actors, most likely for the leading role. Although Shen Ze was very optimistic about his own artists, and felt that Jing Ling had good looks, height, and acting skills, and even had worked with him once before, his experience was too shallow after all. It's possible to play a supporting role, but the leading role is a bit far-fetched.
"He said that I meet the requirements for the male lead in the new play and asked me to give it a try." Jing Ling's tone was still nonchalant.
Chen Ze nodded, "That's what I said, how could it be the main character... Wait, you said the male lead, not the supporting actor?!" His voice suddenly rose several degrees, and he jumped up from the sofa in excitement.
Jing Ling stopped what he was doing, looked up at him, and nodded, "Yes, he's not the supporting actor, he's the leading actor."
"How! Is! It! Possible!" Shen Ze was extremely surprised.
"What's impossible?" Jing Ling asked back, "Besides, he said that I meet the requirements and I can give it a try. It's not like it's decided directly. Who knows how many people meet the requirements? I might be eliminated in the end."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ze glared at him, "Shut up! No matter how many people audition, you must succeed in the end! This is Director Gu's film! The male lead! If this is really an art film, there is a great chance that you will win an award! Even if you don't win the award, a nomination is amazing! You are only eighteen years old! There is still a long way to go in the entertainment industry! What if, I mean what if, you really win the award, the entire entertainment industry will be excited about the actor who is less than twenty years old!"
Whenever he thought about things that might become a reality in the future, Shen Ze's eyes turned red with excitement. If he could produce the youngest film emperor in history, he could brag about it for the rest of his life!
"Did Director Gu tell you the time over the phone? When was it? From now on, don't do anything else and prepare well for the audition!" Chen Ze urged.
Jing Ling rolled her eyes at him, "There's nothing, what's the use of preparing? I'm sure I'll get some of the script when I get to the scene, and then I can only see how it goes on stage. What's the point of preparing now?" As he spoke, the movements of his hands gradually slowed down. From Shen Ze's direction, the apple was still the same as before, but the other side had completely changed.
"For you." After finishing, Jing Ling threw the fruit knife in his hand back into the fruit plate, and then handed the apple to Shen Ze.
He had just taken a few bites of the peeled apple and was still holding it in his hand, when another one came, so Shen Ze had to use his other hand to take it. He was somewhat curious about what Jing Ling had carved on the apple. After getting it, he moved his fingers to turn the apple and took a look.
When he saw this, his eyes widened instantly.
The skin of this apple is a dull red, which doesn't seem to be a big deal at first, at most it's just not pretty enough, but Jing Ling cleverly combines this color with the color of the flesh and carves out a terrifying picture with the apple, which reminds people of the mutated species in those doomsday works.
Chen Ze threw the apple away in one go, "Why did you do this? It's scary! If you give this to a girl, you'll be single for the rest of your life!"
Jing Ling caught the apple that flew towards him. His slender and beautiful fingers and fair skin formed a sharp contrast with the slightly dark apple. After taking a casual look, he raised his hand and threw the thing towards the trash can in the corner. The apple drew an arc in the air and fell steadily into the trash can, making a slight sound.
He turned his head and looked at Shen Ze with a malicious expression on his face, "I'm sorry, I already have a girlfriend, and we are in a good relationship at the moment, and it's only a matter of time before we get married. But you... Shen·Single Dog·Ze, who gave you the courage to say this, huh?"
Shen·Single Dog·Ze: “…roll, roll, roll, roll!”
Shen Ze was so angry that he didn’t talk to Jing Ling for two days.
Until Qin Feng couldn't hold it in any longer and called again to ask Jing Ling if he had made up his mind. Whether it was money or resources, as long as Jing Ling asked, he would do his best to make it happen. Then he briefly mentioned the resources. "Shengshi Tianguang is going to shoot a youth movie. The heroine will be He Miaomiao, a young online star. The director is Xu Dong. It's much better than the previous "Ten Thousand Stars". If you are interested, I can go for it. I guarantee it will be on par with the previous big movies. Or there will be some foreign movies. Of course, I can't be the lead, I can only play a supporting role, just to brush up my presence in advance. What do you think, Master Jing?"
When Jing Ling answered the phone, he turned on the speakerphone, and Shen Ze was right next to him, so as long as he was not deaf, he would be able to hear it.
"Wait for me." As soon as Jing Ling finished speaking, he heard Qin Feng's breathing on the other side suddenly become disordered. He was probably thinking of the last time. Jing Ling said the same thing at that time, and then hung up the phone, leaving him in the cold for several days.
But this time Jing Ling didn't hang up the phone. His eyes fell on Shen Ze beside him. He didn't say anything, just looked at him quietly.
At the beginning, Shen Ze could still pretend to be calm and not look away. But gradually, he couldn't hold it back anymore and began to waver. Two minutes later, he finally gave in. He glared at Jing Ling and pointed at his phone, signaling him to hang up first.
So Qin Feng on the other end of the phone heard the words he least wanted to hear, "I'll tell you when I think about it." Then the phone was hung up. Although we can't see it, we can imagine how furious Qin Feng was.
To deal with someone, you don't have to do it yourself, you can do it like this. As long as Jing Ling hasn't made a decision, Qin Feng will have to suffer for another day. And if the matter is not resolved, Qin Liangjun will not be able to let go of his worry and will definitely be unhappy. Therefore, Qin Feng, who caused this incident, will inevitably be punished by him.
Chen Ze didn't know the twists and turns here, but when he saw Jing Ling's smile, he felt scared. He subconsciously moved away from him and then said, "I still say that you don't lack money for the time being, so it's better to focus on resources. Shengshi Tianguang was originally a good choice, but now with Director Gu's play, his family has become trash. If Director Gu hadn't been undecided, no one would care about the resources he mentioned! Let him wait, and wait until your audition with Director Gu has a result, then give him a reply!"
Jing Ling smiled and nodded, "Got it."
Two days later, Director Gu called again, but this time it was not Director Gu himself, but a staff member, informing the audition time and location. The time was set for three days later, and the location was at Tongcheng Landscape Villa at the junction of the East Administrative District and the South Administrative District. The reason why it was not set at a hotel was that they did not want the media to know.
Director Gu has always been so willful. When he doesn't want to say something, no one wants to know.
After Jing Ling said thank you, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Who are the people who participated in the audition?"
"Sorry, Director Gu won't let me tell you. You'll know when the time comes."
"I see. Thank you. Goodbye."
After hanging up the phone, he turned around and said to Shen Ze, "The time is set. Three days later, Tongcheng Shanshui Villa."
Chen Ze nodded when he heard this, "Well, I'll book a flight ticket later." After a pause, he continued, "As expected of Director Gu, he can even borrow a private place like Shanshui Villa. However, his hometown is Tongcheng, and it is said in the circle that his family background is extraordinary, so it's not surprising."
"What do you mean?" Jing Ling suddenly became interested.
So Chen Ze took the opportunity to tell him some gossip about Director Gu, his family background and other rumors, and finally expanded on it and mentioned several other big directors. However, the stories about other people are basically true, except for the news about Director Gu, which is all hearsay.
Three days later, at the border between the East Administrative District and the South Administrative District.
Tongcheng, a mountain and water villa.
This is a typical Chinese-style antique building. The white-walled and green-tiled courtyard wall encloses a vast space. Tall trees extend several branches from the wall, and on the branches are tender green leaves newly grown in early spring, adding a bit of color to the gray and white main color of the courtyard wall. Inside and outside the walls are antique-style buildings, pavilions, waterside terraces and corridors. In the clear water, beautifully colored koi fish swim around, swinging their tails. The entire space is filled with the atmosphere of a distant era, and when people are in it, they will have an illusion of being dislocated in time and space.
As soon as Jing Ling and Chen Ze got off the plane, someone met them. When they arrived at the entrance of Shanshui Villa, they got out of the car. A young girl with jade hairpins and cheongsam led the way for them. They walked along the bluestone road, passed through several archways, and came to a courtyard full of peach trees. It was the season when peach blossoms were in bloom, and the deep and light red filled the view. It seemed to have rained last night, and tiny water droplets could occasionally be seen on the flowers blooming on the branches. The rain knocked the petals off the ground, and the air was filled with the faint scent of flowers.
There is a two-story building amidst the flourishing peach blossoms.
The girl who led the way told them that Director Gu was on the second floor.
Jing Ling nodded and said thank you before walking in with Shen Ze, entering the door and going up the stairs to the second floor. This is a semi-open space, probably used for viewing. An ink-wash screen blocks the view. Looking past, I see two people sitting not far away. One is Director Gu, and the other is a young girl in her twenties with waist-length hair, beautiful features, and wearing a modified ancient costume. She lifts her sleeve with one hand and pinches a black chess piece with the other hand, which falls on the black and white chessboard with a crisp sound.
Director Gu stared at the chessboard for a long time, then sighed and said, "I give up." He paused and then smiled, "Xiaoyu is getting stronger and stronger!"
Upon hearing this, the girl named Xiaoyu smiled and replied, "It's obviously you, Uncle Gu, who were not serious, otherwise how could you lose so quickly." As she spoke, she seemed to notice someone and suddenly turned her head to look over here. Seeing Jing Ling, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes, and then he nodded, "Uncle Gu, the person you are waiting for is here."
Not knowing the other person's name, Jing Ling didn't want to greet him either. He nodded as well, and then greeted Director Gu, "Director Gu!"
Director Gu stood up and waved to Jing Ling, "Come on, I've been waiting for you for a long time, come over here!"
Jing Ling and Shen Ze walked over as instructed and sat down beside them.
Not long after the two of them sat down, the girl who had led the way came over, brought a pot of tea, poured a cup for each of the people sitting there, and then left.
Director Gu introduced both parties, and Jing Ling knew that the girl who had just played chess with him was called Li Yu. She was the only investor of this movie, and she also provided the blueprint for the story. The Gu family and the Li family are old friends, and the story provided by Li Yu was indeed good, so Director Gu agreed.
After introducing Jing Ling to Li Yu, Director Gu asked, "How about it? I said he would definitely meet your requirements!"
While Director Gu was introducing him, Li Yu had been sizing up Jing Ling. He nodded and said, "In terms of appearance, he is even better than I imagined. I just don't know how his acting is."
Director Gu waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about his acting skills, there will be no problem! Jing Ling is one of the most talented actors I have ever seen. He was born to do this!"
While the two were talking, Jing Ling had been drinking tea quietly beside them. After they finished talking, he spoke up, "Excuse me, Director Gu, am I the only one auditioning this time?"
"Yes, only you." Director Gu nodded, "If you can do it, then I will continue to consider the rest. If not, this movie will not be made."
Jing Ling was slightly surprised and his eyes fell on Li Yu. The other party seemed to know what he meant and nodded, "It's my request."
Not everyone makes movies for the purpose of making money. Li Yu can live in a place like Shanshui Villa, so he is obviously not short of money. Perhaps it was obsession, or some other reason, that made her want to make such a movie and pursue the greatest possible perfection, otherwise she would rather give up.
"Can I see the script?" he asked.
Director Gu handed the notebook beside him to Jing Ling and said, "I'm still revising it. You can take a look first."
Jing Ling reached out and took it.
It really was a notebook, the kind commonly seen in stationery stores, with a brown leather cover, a ribbon at the bottom, and a small metal disc hanging from it as a bookmark. He opened the notebook and saw a few words written on the first page. It should be the name of the story.
Stockholm Lovers.
The handwriting is neat and beautiful, and you can tell it's from a girl.
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