“Xiao Tong.”
“Xiao Yu.”
“Director Zhang has asked to see you.”
Fu Lulu led the two to Zhang Yimou’s office.
Before Yu Wenliang left, he turned back to look at Zhou Ye and instructed her:
“Wait for me here. Don’t wander off. I’ll be back very soon.”
“Mm…”
Zhou Ye nodded slightly, her expressionless face revealing no emotion. Tian Xiwei hooked her arm around Zhou Ye’s shoulder and joked, “Don’t be mad! Yu Wenliang’s eyes are full of you. He even said that in front of Guan Xiaotong…”
Zhou Ye’s ears burned, and she shyly covered Tian Xiwei’s mouth, “Don’t say it!”
Even Wang Anyu, who was excellent in Chinese, couldn’t help but tease, “Is that Zhu Ziqing’s ‘Profound Back View’? Zhou Ye, is Yu Wenliang taking advantage of you?”
Zhou Ye pursed her lips, staring at his back, watching him leave:
“When he comes back, I’ll settle the score with him…”
“Achoo…”
Yu Wenliang, who had entered the Director’s office, felt a chill run down his spine and sneezed, covering his mouth and nose.
Who is secretly in love with me???
“You’re here?”
Zhang Yimou sat in his office chair, a kind smile on his face, without the airs of a great director one might imagine. If one were to disregard his status as the National Director, Yu Wenliang felt he was more like an old man playing chess in the park, very approachable.
“Hello, Director.”
Guan Xiaotong and Yu Wenliang simultaneously bowed to him. Fu Lulu stood by, observing with a smile.
Zhang Yimou didn’t rush them into an audition. Instead, he chatted casually, asking a few questions:
“Today, if I recall correctly, was the Beijing Film Academy’s second round of Art Examination. How did you both do?”
Guan Xiaotong, who was usually quite confident about the Art Examination, looked at Yu Wenliang beside her and couldn’t bring herself to say she did very well. She said somewhat hesitantly, “It was, it was alright.”
“Oh?” Zhang Yimou couldn’t help but smile, “Xiao Tong, you’re usually not this modest?”
Guan Xiaotong had the nickname Jing Quan Gege. Since childhood, her grandfather had taken her to meet the big figures in Jing Quan.
This pampered girl, who grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth, was actually too shy to speak up?
Zhang Yimou was a bit surprised…
Guan Xiaotong glanced at Yu Wenliang again.
“I originally thought my performance was quite good, but this guy stole the show and overshadowed me.”
“No, no, Guan Xiaotong’s Acting was better than mine…”
Yu Wenliang humbly demurred.
Fu Lulu wanted to add a few words and show Director Zhang the video of the Art Examination’s second round.
However, Zhang Yimou chuckled, and after a brief chat, he quickly got straight to the point:
“Since Xiao Tong, you performed better in the second round, then you go first for today’s audition.”
“Ah… Mm.”
Guan Xiaotong thought to herself that she had been studying the script for over a month and had audition experience, so it was perfectly reasonable for her to go first. So, after the stylist helped her with a simple makeup and styling, they began the audition in the company’s Acting studio.
Here, there were mirrors and professional Acting teachers responsible for assessing and training Director Zhang’s new actors.
Ni Ni learned English here, Zhou Dongyu also took classes here, and Liu Haochun had also been here.
Yu Wenliang and Guan Xiaotong stood in the center, while the staff and Zhou Ye’s group watched from the side.
“Begin.”
Zhang Yimou sat in the director’s chair, crossing his legs, and began to evaluate the auditions of the two new actors.
Guan Xiaotong was to audition for a dramatic scene: Princess Qingping learns from her brother, Pei Wang, that she is being used as a bargaining chip, sent to Yan for a political marriage, and forced to become the concubine of the young general Yang Ping, all just to exchange for Jing Province and achieve a temporary and false peace between the two nations.
“Illusions and realities, truths and falsehoods, just like playing chess…”
The Acting teacher beside her recited Pei Wang’s lines, assisting with the scene.
Guan Xiaotong, dressed as a princess, quickly adjusted her state. She stiffly turned her head to look at Pei Wang, her face etched with stubbornness and unwillingness. Her lips trembled slightly, and tears shimmered in her eyes:
“So letting me be a concubine,”
“Is also one of your chess moves?”
Yu Wenliang’s eyes lit up. Wow, as expected of Guan Xiaotong, a child star.
She got into character instantly.
Her Acting skills, though not top-tier, were certainly those of a very talented young actress!
But Zhang Yimou and Fu Lulu, the director and associate director, showed no expression on their faces.
“It’s just a temporary measure…”
“This chess move of yours is false.”
‘Pei Wang’ tried his best to comfort his sister, persuading her to marry for peace and become Yang Ping’s concubine.
When Guan Xiaotong heard her own brother, Pei Wang, say these words, her tears flowed like a broken dam.
Especially when she heard the last sentence.
Guan Xiaotong reacted promptly, just as written in the script.
She instantly became furious, her beautiful eyes glaring at Pei Wang. Even as tears streamed down her cheeks, she still shouted angrily in response:
“Then what is real?”
“Tell me what is real!”
Her lines were clear, her emotions precise, and the woman’s angry roar echoed throughout the Acting studio.
It gave everyone goosebumps. Tian Xiwei and the other two were stunned, it was so captivating.
Even Yu Wenliang was inwardly startled. Without the system, could he have achieved this level?
It would be very difficult…
This was something she deserved from Acting since childhood!
“Good, that’s enough…”
When Zhang Yimou said “good,” he meant for Guan Xiaotong’s audition to end, not that he was praising her. On the contrary, the kind and amiable old man from before pulled his baseball cap down a bit, his expression exceptionally serious and earnest as he instructed:
“Xiao Tong, crying doesn’t mean anything. Constantly using crying scenes to portray a character,”
“That’s a cliché.”
“It’s taking a shortcut.”
Guan Xiaotong lowered her pretty face, feeling guilty.
“When Pei Wang tells you this news, your first reaction shouldn’t be tears. It should be anger, confusion, and the unwillingness of a princess forced to become an enemy general’s concubine.” Zhang Yimou shook his head as he instructed.
“I brought up this issue during the last audition, didn’t I?”
“Why haven’t you changed it this time?”
Guan Xiaotong didn’t look up. Tears dripped onto the floor, and she said weakly, with a choked voice:
“I’ve been preparing for the second round of the Art Examination recently. I tried my best to change it, but I still couldn’t…”
Zhang Yimou nodded, indicating understanding:
“In that case, you should focus your energy on the Art Examination first. This role might not be so suitable for you.”
Guan Xiaotong thought of all her efforts over such a long time, her eyes red, and she suddenly looked up, puzzled:
“Director, I’ve clearly tried so hard, why…”
Confusion.
Disappointment.
Even anger erupted in her heart.
At this moment, the stern-faced Zhang Yimou instantly changed his expression, teaching with a smile:
“Yes, just like that. Let’s do it again.”
“Remember your current emotions, physical reactions, and inner thoughts.”
“You understand this character now, right? In the future, don’t just act the character; truly grasp the script and become the character. You are her…”
Guan Xiaotong had a sudden realization. She auditioned again, performing better and more naturally than before.
Applause erupted in the Acting studio.
Lao Mouzi merely nodded, waved her off to rest, then looked at Yu Wenliang:
“It’s your turn.”
“Okay…”
Yu Wenliang swallowed hard, a bit nervous for his first audition, even more so than during simulations.
In his eyes, Guan Xiaotong, the Jing Quan Gege who started as a child star, performed so well yet was still lectured by Lao Mouzi.
So, for him, an untrained amateur doing his first audition, wouldn’t he be completely torn apart?
Yu Wenliang finished his styling in the props room, put on the dozens of kilograms of armor, kicked up the long saber from the ground, performed a saber-sheathing move with one hand, and then walked in front of Zhang Yimou with the saber behind his back, “Director, I’m ready.”
Zhang Yimou craned his neck, frowning, a little surprised.
How could he fit Yang Ping’s character image so well?
That first moment of him picking up the saber made Zhang Yimou hallucinate!
“Don’t speak yet…”