Chapter 20: Which is Better, Tsinghua or Peking?

Chapter 20: Which is Better, Tsinghua or Peking?

The script assigned to Tang Fei was set before the surge of psychic abilities, in a tranquil countryside where all creatures eagerly competed. Li Xiuyun and Su Yang were by a small stream at the edge of the village. Su Yang was skillfully fishing with a sharpened stick, demonstrating exceptional eyesight, judgment, and bodily coordination, his movements as smooth as flowing water.

Su Yang, clad in a short shirt with his pants rolled up to his knees and sleeves tied with hemp rope, revealed his tanned skin and slightly toned muscles.

By the grassy bank of the stream, Li Xiuyun sat on a half-broken straw hat, weaving a fish basket while watching Su Yang's actions with affectionate eyes.

Seventeen years old, Su Yang was considered an adult in the village. However, others still perceived him as a child who loved to play, which didn't earn him a good reputation. Yet, Li Xiuyun always found something admirable in Su Yang. She believed that he wasn't merely playing around, nor was he a child splashing in the water.

His earnest and focused demeanor held a particular allure for Li Xiuyun.

Li Xiuyun had already auditioned over twenty candidates, leaving the casting team exhausted. Unless someone delivered an exceptional performance, those who came later would likely receive lower scores than those before them.

Seven performers had preceded Tang Fei, all with decent acting skills. However, the author and scriptwriter were unsatisfied with their interpretations of the character. They portrayed Li Xiuyun's affection as a mother's tolerance of a child's mischief or a blindly infatuated love, akin to seeing beauty in everything their beloved did.

Some even resorted to a naive and simplistic approach, dumbing themselves down to justify Su Yang's actions, turning Li Xiuyun into a devoted fangirl.

This was the route Guan Yun had taken. The original author, San Liujiu, and the scriptwriter, Mo Wen, had consistently opposed casting Guan Yun as the lead female due to her flawed understanding of the character. If she played Li Xiuyun, significant adjustments to the character's portrayal would be necessary.

In the eyes of the author and scriptwriter, Li Xiuyun is portrayed as a wise and courageous traditional progressive woman. She doesn't conform to the village's mainstream values and shares a deep soul connection with Su Yang. His seemingly childish actions, in her view, are his efforts to escape the mountains and broaden her horizons, as well as his thoughtfulness in catching fish for her because she loves it.

Li Xiuyun, inherently similar in mindset to the male lead, possesses capability and ambition in an era of spiritual abilities. Her decisive bravery and agility displayed when rescuing him make her missed opportunity to harness her own spiritual abilities all the more regrettable for Su Yang.

The loss she feels at not being able to fight alongside Su Yang, coupled with her selflessness in accepting her fate without resentment, would make her character much more profound if portrayed solely as a naive admirer.

After reading this segment, Tang Fei composed herself and infused her understanding into her performance. Adorning the "Pure Lotus" makeup card, she shed her personal traits and assumed Li Xiuyun's demeanor and posture. Gently stroking her down jacket as if it were a skirt, she elegantly crossed her legs on the ground, exuding grace.

Her face, enhanced by the makeup, appeared even more ethereally beautiful.

Those who were initially drowsy sat up straight, captivated by Tang Fei's performance.

Zhou Weichuan's mind was occupied with the video clips he had searched for. The contrast between Tang Fei's previous eye-straining acting and her current portrayal was astounding. If he hadn't witnessed her live performance, he wouldn't have believed in her acting skills.

Having learned from past pain, after five years of silence, this raw gem had polished itself and was shining brightly.

No wonder Kong Xian urged him to act swiftly; the more people who see her, the more competitors there will be for her signature. Now, while Tang Fei is at her lowest point, is the perfect time to secure her.

Zhou Weichuan sent a message to Zheng Haisheng, instructing him to raise the offer as high as possible, even offering a B+ level contract, and to finalize the deal within two days.

Tang Fei's fingers began to mimic the gestures of knitting virtually. In her previous life, as a second-year history major, she had joined an interest group in her club that focused on vintage knitting. Now, this skill came in handy. Her virtual gestures were smooth and rhythmic, clearly not random.

Author San Liujiu and screenwriter Mo Wen exchanged glances, both seeing the spark of surprise in each other's eyes. Tang Fei seemed to have emerged from nowhere, bringing a ray of hope to their casting dilemma that had reached a deadlock.

Their scorecards almost mirrored each other:

Personality Fit √10

Body Language √9

Character Understanding √9

...

This was the female lead they had envisioned, the Li Xiuyun they desired.

As Mo Wen adapted the novel, he barely managed to suppress the urge to exclaim at Tang Fei's performance – it was nothing short of brilliant!

Their delay in starting the production was all because they hadn't found the perfect leading lady. They insisted on not letting Guan Yun join the cast to maintain artistic integrity and avoid altering the characters' personas, all for the sake of capturing the essence of the original story.

And Tang Fei was the one they had been waiting for.

Tang Fei's eyes shimmered with tenderness as she gazed into the void where Su Yang stood, inadvertently locking eyes with Zhou Weichuan. The gentle, loving gaze made Zhou Weichuan uneasy.

This was acting.

She wasn't looking at you.

She was looking at the male lead in the script.

Zhou Weichuan repeatedly reminded himself, eventually lowering his head to glance at the rating sheet. In the face of such an affectionate gaze, his heartbeat began to race irregularly.

No wonder Su Yang had gone to great lengths, even after becoming the world's top Spiritual Master, to tirelessly advocate for Li Xiuyun's health until the very end, despite her prolonged coma.

If it were Tang Fei's performance, he could understand. How could you forget someone who looked at you with such eyes?

Tang Fei looked into the distant void, envisioning a stream before her. In that stream, there was a man, her childhood friend who had grown up alongside her, filled with whimsical ideas that he would share with her, revealing the grand aspirations in his mind. He was misunderstood by others, but found solace in conversations with her alone.

She trusted that Su Yang was not the irresponsible child the villagers portrayed him to be; she believed he was remarkable. She cherished their little secrets and the warmth he brought into her life.

Tang Fei's smile grew warmer as she watched him energetically spearfish, splashing water everywhere. He raised his fish spear, basking in the golden sunlight, and shouted to her, "Xiuyun, I'll make you grilled fish!"

With joyous nods, her heart brimming with affection and contentment, Li Xiuyun's character was entirely conveyed through gestures and expressions, leading the audience into the narrative. Tang Fei's performance surpassed her previous role at the Happiness Hotel, demonstrating a more natural portrayal and deeper immersion into her character. When she detached herself from the scene, she realized how deeply she had gotten into character.

Rising from the ground, Tang Fei bowed to the teachers. Someone took her aside for her contact information, specifically reminding her not to turn off her phone, as she might be called to join the production team within two days if there were any updates, asking her to be prepared.

After Tang Fei finished her act, the author Sanliujiu and Zhou Weichuan walked together towards the back door. Sanliujiu felt no need for others to continue watching since he had already settled on Tang Fei. Zhou Weichuan had come solely for her, and they met at the back door.

"Are you certain Li Xiuyun is the one?" Sanliujiu asked Zhou Weichuan, who had emerged alongside him, catching him off guard.

Zhou Weichuan turned around. He wasn't particularly acquainted with Sanliujiu, having had no involvement in the company's specific projects. Their relationship was merely one of casual acquaintanceship.

"I believe Li Xiuyun can only be portrayed by Tang Fei," Zhou Weichuan glanced at Sanliujiu. "I haven't read the original novel, but her performance drew me in. It demonstrates that her acting can resonate with the original story's fans and broaden its appeal beyond just those who have read the book."

"She has a history of negative press, and the book fans are unhappy. The competitors all have influential backgrounds. If I were to set my sights on her, Mr. Zhou, what do you think are the chances?" 369 held significant sway, but he didn't have the final say. He wished for Tang Fei to take the role and was seeking Zhou Weichuan's support.

"100% chance," Zhou Weichuan reassured 369 immediately. Fastening his loosened suit jacket, he adjusted his shirt collar and left the audition room. "Regarding the book fans, I believe an author would know how to handle them. The background of the competitors is irrelevant. Nine Points values quality over connections."

"Mr. Zhou, I'm a straightforward person. I'll take your words as a promise," 369 called out as Zhou Weichuan walked away.

"You can consider it a promise. Nine Points holds great respect for both the original author and the pursuit of quality in adaptations. Though business is business, Nine Points aims to earn through strength and merit," Zhou Weichuan replied, turning back to acknowledge him.

After Tang Fei's audition, she hurried back to the capital with Shu Xiaoan and He Zhou. After sending Shu Xiaoan back to school, He Zhou accompanied Tang Fei to Yao Hui's dormitory. There, he noticed a fist-sized iron lock securing the door shut.

He reached out to touch it, feeling the rough edges of the accompanying lock mechanism.

"Big Sis, what's going on? Who did this? Are they trying to kick us out? How can they lock the door when our stuff is still inside?"

He Zhou was ready to roll up his sleeves and confront the property management hired by Yao Hui.

Tang Fei pulled He Zhou aside, retrieving a key from her pocket. She unlocked the door, explaining, "I had this installed to prevent any unwanted visitors from entering. We'll remove it before we move out."

He Zhou stared at the lock, puzzled. "Sis, who would come in?"

"That sneaky rat who operates in the shadows!" Tang Fei thought of the two drunk men who had shown up that day, feeling anything but secure. She opened the windows and changed the subject. "A Zhou, I have a little happy dilemma. Do you want to hear it?"

"Hear it! Sis, go ahead."

"If I get chosen for both Happiness Hotel and Psychic Frenzy, what should I choose?" Tang Fei counted on her fingers like a schoolchild pondering how to choose between Tsinghua and Peking University's admissions.

"Go with whoever pays more!" He Zhou took it for granted that Tang Fei would be selected. His sister was capable now; there would be no problem.

After some lighthearted banter, He Zhou and Tang Fei suddenly discussed who she should thank if she became an award-winning actress.

"At that time, I'll say, 'Firstly, I want to thank Yao Hui for letting me out of my contract.'"

"Sis, shouldn't you thank your cousin, me? I'm the one who deserves the most credit for you becoming an award-winning actress! I should come first, Yao Hui can't rank higher than me!"

Tang Fei laughed heartily. In the midst of her laughter, He Zhou's phone rang. Seeing an unknown number, he assumed it was news about the auditions. A hint of joy appeared on his face as he shushed Tang Fei for silence, then put the call on speaker.

"Hello, Mr. He. This is Assistant Zheng from Time Culture, under Nine O'Clock Entertainment. The general manager, Mr. Zhou Weichuan, would like to meet you tonight to discuss Ms. Tang Fei's agency contract. Are you available?"