Chapter 53: Overacting

Chapter 53: Overacting

Chen Yibai nodded in sudden realization, saying, "So that's how it is."

With a wave of his hand, he continued, "I definitely won't do that."

He was more confident than anyone else in this regard, having already decided to remain single for life, leaving him with nothing to fear.

His agent agreed. This person categorized the crew into only two groups: friends and colleagues, with no room for a third category.

Strictly speaking, Xu Sinian was the only one who transcended these two identities, having become an even closer friend.

Despite his good looks and determination to stay single, Chen Moubai's two assistants couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret as they glanced at his white hair, thinking about what could have been.

Chen Moubai himself didn't share their sentiment. During the break, he had taken the opportunity to learn a little about the lead actor, realizing that his own experience was indeed limited.

The break was short-lived, and soon it was time to meet up with the rest of the crew. The two assistants, along with the agent, helped Chen Moubai tidy up his unruly hair.

With soft and abundant locks, his hair was impossible to tame, easily disheveled by the wind or a simple touch. After the three of them worked together to smooth it out, the agent withdrew her tired hands, saying, "Once this movie wraps up, your stylist will be on their way."

It was a necessity, as she had grown weary of dealing with hair that inevitably became messy within minutes.

As they approached the time to head to the lobby, a staff member knocked on the door. Chen Yibai, now sporting the fruits of their labor, stepped out.

The crew had already begun setting up at the hotel for tomorrow's opening ceremony, with a large poster featuring the bold calligraphy of the film's title, "Chronicles of Blossoms," taking center stage.

Having spent considerable time in the industry, the agent knew many people and took this opportunity to introduce Chen Moubai around.

Given the budgetary constraints and other considerations, the film did not feature too many high-profile actors. "Chronicles of Blossoms" was no exception, with only the leads and the second male lead being relatively well-known outside the industry. The rest of the cast consisted mostly of seasoned veterans, not widely recognized but with extensive acting credits and solid performances.

There were also a couple of newcomers, taking on roles of moderate importance, clearly new to the industry.

Chen Moubai might not recognize even those known outside the industry, let alone actors famous only within it. The agent stood by, attempting to subtly guide him in identifying people.

Surprisingly, Chen Yibai proved to be quite capable, needing no introductions. Except for the two newcomers, he had already matched the actors' names to their faces.

The agent looked at him in surprise, whispering, "When did you memorize all this?"

The list of actors had been released while they were on the plane, during which time he had slept soundly and barely touched his phone upon waking. It was hard to imagine when he would have found the time to familiarize himself with everyone.

Chen Yibai tapped his phone, which was in his pocket, saying, "I memorized it quickly while waiting for the elevator."

Now that he was part of the production, he felt it was necessary to get to know his colleagues. With some spare time on his hands, he had taken a look.

That 'spare time' referred to the few minutes spent waiting for the elevator.

Their side of the hotel had two elevators, one under maintenance and the other coming from the lowest level, stopping at every floor, which took some time.

Under normal circumstances, that amount of time would only allow one to remember a name and glance at a photo.

"..."

Unable to resist, the agent turned to look at the person beside her, expressing genuine concern, "How have you not fried your brain after all those late nights?"

Chen Yibai modestly replied, "Good genes from my parents."

Today was the day before the opening ceremony, primarily for the crew to get acquainted and conduct a brief rehearsal.

Having participated in two previous opening ceremonies, he was already familiar with the process. With the assistants standing by, the agent confidently went off to socialize.

The rehearsal did not start at the scheduled time because the leading man, Chu Mingyuan, was held up downstairs, taking some time to extricate himself. Once he arrived, the rehearsal officially began.

This was Chen Yibai's first encounter with the man rumored to be lacking in romantic skills.

Upon entering, he was followed by a large entourage.

A group of seven or eight assistants, stylists, agents, and various other personnel accompanied him, creating a visually striking impression.

At the center of the crowd, the man wore a black top and smiled as he spoke to the director, his eyes slightly downturned, exuding a casual air without making others feel disrespected.

His demeanor was somewhat reminiscent of someone named Zhang, but more serious.

Chen Bai glanced at him twice, realizing that there was indeed a reason why this man could maintain relationships with so many actresses.

Unaffected by these matters, Chen Yibai didn't dwell on it much but could still sense that the man had a rather attractive face.

Once the last of the main cast arrived, the scene came to life, and they swiftly went through the motions of the rehearsal.

During the group photo session, Chen Yibai casually switched places with the actor portraying the fourth male role, moving slightly to the side.

The positions were originally arranged based on the characters' roles, with the fourth male role played by a middle-aged actor in his forties or fifties. Out of basic courtesy and respect, Chen Yibai proactively offered to switch places.

They swapped positions quietly, without disturbing anyone around them.

After the rehearsal ended, Chen Yibai, who inexplicably appealed to older generations, exchanged contact information with the actor playing the fourth male role, adding another WeChat friend to their respective lists.

By the time the agent returned from her social engagements, Chen Yibai, a natural social genius, had just finished his own networking. His phone now contained several new WeChat contacts, demonstrating a higher social efficiency and reach than hers.

The agent was momentarily speechless, managing only to say, "No wonder you're you."

She then glanced at the string of new contacts on his phone and asked, "Didn't add Chu Mingyuan?"

This person had added everyone in the vicinity, even accepting friend requests from the newcomers, except for Chu Mingyuan.

In this industry, connections were crucial, and development often meant moving upward. Opportunities to connect with influential figures were rare, and one usually seized them when they arose.

Chen Yibai scrolled through his list, saying, "These are enough."

He already had one "Zhang" in his contacts, and if unnecessary, there was no need for a "Zhang 2.0."

The agent didn't quite understand but nodded anyway.

The rehearsal night was for script reading, and the next day was the launch ceremony. A few major investors attended the launch ceremony, and Chen Yibai glanced around, realizing that none of them were familiar. He couldn't figure out which party had recommended him, so he retracted his gaze.

The agent was also observing and inquired, but didn't uncover anything substantial. Eventually, he concluded that it must have been someone from the company's side.

Time on set was precious, with every minute costing real money. After spending two days at the hotel, the production team officially departed for the filming location on the morning following the launch ceremony.

In retrospect, this luxurious two-day stay at the city hotel served as a small comfort before the storm.

Holding the launch ceremony in the city hotel was purely for show and did not mean they would be staying there.

Waking up at six in the morning, light rain was falling outside. The production vehicles formed a long line, departing from the city one after another.

From the city to the county and then to the town, the tall buildings gradually disappeared behind the curtain of rain, eventually transforming into shorter structures lining the streets.

As expected, there were no hotels in the town, only guesthouses. With the large number of crew members, a single guesthouse couldn't accommodate everyone, so they were scattered across several establishments.

Without mentioning other aspects for now, at least the local guesthouse owners were delighted. The proprietors, along with their staff, came to assist with moving the belongings.

The leading male actors and some of the main creative team stayed at one guesthouse.

As the vehicle stopped, the agent turned to look at the person sitting by the window, engrossed in the script in his hands, and said, "We've arrived."

Raindrops slanted against the car window. Hearing the voice from the side, Chen Bai raised his head and glanced outside, quickly putting away his script.

He had nowhere to store the script on him, so the assistant in front turned around and took the script to keep it safe.

The car door opened. It was raining outside, not heavily, and the distance was short enough that using an umbrella would have been more trouble than it was worth. Including the actors, those who got out of the car didn't bother with umbrellas, stepping directly into the rain and walking a few steps to enter the guesthouse entrance.

The drivers and assistants handled the moving of items, already having a plan in place. At this point, helping would only get in the way, so Chen Bai stood to the side of the guesthouse, out of the way, supporting his luggage trolley while slightly lifting his cap brim to look at the town scenery.

The town still vaguely retained the appearance of the last century, with cobblestone alleys, gray walls, and green tiles, but poorly preserved. Newer buildings were interspersed, giving it an overall style reminiscent of the outskirts of a city.

Apart from weddings, the locals in the town hadn't seen such a spectacle of vehicles lining the street. Even the rain couldn't deter their curiosity, as they held umbrellas and stood across the street to watch.

Chen Yibai lowered his cap brim again.

With few items to move, the process was quick. The assistant and driver soon arrived and entered the guesthouse. Following them were Chu Mingyuan's team. As soon as they entered, the small lobby instantly felt crowded, prompting the landlady to lead them upstairs.

The guesthouse didn't have an elevator, with a total of three floors. The rooms upstairs were larger, and Chen Bai was assigned to the top floor, residing in a spacious twin room. In the twin room, he was alone, using one bed for sleeping and the other for storing his belongings.

The agent and assistant entered the room first, while he stood at the doorway looking inside.

Not spotting anything resembling a desk, he confirmed that not bringing his computer was indeed the right decision.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway as the agent, who had already checked the room, waved him in. He pushed his luggage trolley inside and closed the door behind him.

Chu Mingyuan, who had just arrived on the third floor, caught a glimpse of white hair before the door closed.

His agent noticed as well, saying while opening the door to their room, "Turns out Chen Bai is staying next door."

They didn't need to see the person; just seeing the distinctive white hair was enough to identify who it was.

Chu Mingyuan entered the room and acknowledged with a sound.

The agent commented, "Although he was introduced by the investors, I heard from the director that he has decent acting skills and natural talent. There shouldn't be any problems."

The director and producer had their own considerations. If the person truly wasn't suitable, even if recommended by the investors, they might not have been selected.

Chu Mingyuan removed his mask and responded, "Perhaps."

His attitude was lukewarm, and the agent could guess the reason.

Having been in the industry for so many years, they had encountered numerous actors who joined projects with financial backing or influential connections. Due to other considerations, the director accepted them but needed a legitimate reason to do so, often attributing it to their talent.

Talent was subjective and conveniently vague, making it the perfect banner to wave. The actual situation could vary.

Not dwelling on uncertain matters, the agent looked at the person who had taken off his hat and casually ran his hand through his hair, saying, "Take it easy this time. Don't stir up unnecessary drama, and don't go chasing after someone only to break it off later."

Knowing each other for nearly a decade, he spoke candidly, saying whatever was on his mind.

Chu Mingyuan responded with a noncommittal "Mm," his attitude extremely perfunctory.

The agent felt a pang in his heart and patted his chest.

Despite the rain, it didn't hinder work. Arriving at the guesthouse close to noon, after a brief rest, the production team started operating. Filming began that afternoon.

The crew members wore raincoats and drove to scout the filming location, while the makeup room in the guesthouse was made available, albeit somewhat rudimentary but functional.

Due to limited resources, Chen Yibai shared the makeup room with the second male lead.

Neither of them could drink alcohol, and they had bonded over drinking juice together at the launch ceremony. From yesterday to today, their relationship had rapidly progressed from colleagues to friends.

The second male lead was named Qian Jin, who had been in the industry for a few years but still fell short of the role requirements for this film. Fortunately, his family provided financial support.

In simple terms, he was very wealthy, joining the project with his own funds. His father was one of the major investors in the movie.

A young master with dreams of becoming an actor pursued his aspirations in the entertainment industry. Chen Yibai expressed encouragement and support for this, silently swallowing the lump in his throat.

Some people spent money to act, while others acted to earn money. Now, the two sat side by side, allowing the stylists to work on them.

Unlike television dramas, which aimed for mainstream beauty, movies emphasized realism. The makeup and styling required significant time to achieve a believable look, even when the camera was up close.

Jianzi Changyang, originally the proud son of a prominent family, experienced the downfall of his household during his most spirited times. Unable to protect his home, he embarked on a journey of exile and was saved by the daughter of an innkeeper. To avoid detection, the innkeeper's daughter married him. Later, she was abducted and killed, leaving him unable to protect his wife in name and his benefactor in reality.

Overnight, his hair turned white, his heart empty and desolate. Alone and without a place to belong, he ultimately exiled himself, becoming a living wraith wandering the world.

At the beginning of the movie, he was already in a state of exile, disheveled and dressed in rags.

Ragged was truly ragged, literally tattered and worn. Sitting on a chair, Chen Yibai looked at his reflection in the mirror, feeling that he could seamlessly transition into a beggar's profession by simply lying down on the street outside the hotel.

His white hair had been extended too, transformed into an unruly elongated version, a messy clump that could only be described as having a characteristically chaotic charm.

After a quick glance, the stylist whispered, "Professor Chen, please close your eyes."

Chen Yibai closed his eyes, his eyelashes casting irregular arcs of shadow under the light.

The stylist behind him placed a strip of linen cloth over his eyes, wrapping it around twice before securing it loosely at the back of his head.

"Done."

The stylist's voice reached his ears, and when Chen Bai opened his eyes again, darkness greeted him.

A literal darkness before his eyes. The linen fabric, specially made with large gaps between the threads, allowed for a faint perception of light and vague outlines of objects from the outside, but nothing more detailed.

Being able to perceive shapes was enough for filming purposes; any clearer vision would not be convincing for a blind character.

The level of light transmission was adequate, and the stylist removed the linen strip once again, restoring his sight. He informed Chen Yibai that he would put it back on during the actual shooting.

Qian Jin's transformation wasn't as complex in a certain sense, having already completed his preparations. He watched the linen strip in the stylist's hands with a hint of relief, saying, "Thank goodness I'm not Chang Yang."

Initially, the role he wanted was that of Chang Yang, but the director firmly rejected him, stating that he wouldn't suit the character well. Instead, he was given the part of the second male lead.

Although he had more screen time, it wasn't the role he initially desired. However, he now felt differently.

Performing while wearing that contraption, he doubted he could even walk steadily, let alone act well.

Chen Yibai smiled slightly.

As their preparations concluded, the construction of the shooting location nearby was also nearing completion, ready for them to leave the hotel and head straight to the set.

Several locations were chosen for filming in this area, and today they were heading to the closest one, situated on the outskirts of a town.

On the edge of the small town stood an abandoned building that no one had bothered to repair. The local government had intended to beautify it, but due to budget constraints, the project never took off, leaving it directly in the hands of the film crew.

Workers had started repairing the old building months before filming began, finishing all the work just in time for the production start. After passing inspections, the set was ready for use upon the crew's arrival.

When they arrived, the area around the old building was enclosed by corrugated iron sheets. Vehicles entered through designated entrances and parked in temporary spots.

Assistants held umbrellas as they got out of the car, guiding them into the building through the rain.

The old building had been transformed into an inn, with meticulous attention to detail guided by a dedicated artistic director.

Not all the actors had arrived yet, and the equipment was still being set up. The first scene of the day, scheduled to begin in half an hour, was a confrontation between the leading man and the second male lead. On the first day of filming, the production coordinator didn't opt for anything too intense; most of the scenes were dialogue-heavy, with no fight sequences planned.

However, this arrangement posed a significant challenge for Qian Jin, who happened to be the second male lead.

In his first scene, he would be facing off against Chu Mingyuan. Although he had been in the industry for a few years, he had never worked alongside an award-winning actor. The cheerful chatter in the dressing room faded as he grabbed a stool and retreated to a corner to memorize his lines more diligently.

In movies, the original voices of the actors were recorded throughout, making the delivery of lines crucial alongside expressions, movements, and positioning. A single mistake meant starting over from the beginning.

While Qian Jin was engrossed in memorizing his lines, Chen Yibai didn't disturb him. He found a chair and sat down at a distance, asking his agent, "Why is he so nervous?"

Despite obtaining the role through financial means, the other party had graduated from a reputable acting school and had been working in the industry for several years. There seemed to be no reason for such anxiety.

Liu Ge, the assistant, had insight into the matter. "Chu Mingyuan doesn't particularly like those who buy their way onto a set. If they can't keep up with the shooting pace, he'll give them the cold shoulder."

An artist Liu Ge had previously worked with had secured a role through their agent's connections and had the opportunity to act alongside Chu Mingyuan. When they failed to match the rhythm of the shoot, a single glare from Chu Mingyuan left them unable to eat for the rest of the day.

Chen Yibai glanced at the schedule.

How convenient. Following the second male lead, his own scene with Chu Mingyuan was next.

Half an hour passed neither too quickly nor too slowly, just enough time to set up the scene. The actors barely had time to run through their lines a few times before the first scene officially commenced.

Complete silence enveloped the surroundings as Chen Bai put down his script and lifted his gaze.

Chu Mingyuan portrayed a mercenary swordsman who took jobs for money, while Qian Jin played an information broker who relied on intelligence for his livelihood. Their relationship was ambiguous, with the swordsman depending on the broker's information to take on assignments and the broker collecting a commission. It was more of a business partnership.

This scene depicted the information broker and the swordsman meeting at an inn to discuss a new job: capturing a fugitive son of a disgraced official for the government.

It sounded like a simple scene, but executing it proved challenging.

Chen Bai had heard about the concept of overpowering another actor's performance, but in his previous three productions, he hadn't witnessed or experienced it firsthand.

Now, however, he saw it happening right before his eyes.

Some individuals might appear unserious in their everyday lives, but once they entered character, they transformed completely. From the moment Chu Mingyuan's swordsman slammed his sword on the table, the atmosphere on set shifted.

He embodied the swordsman, a vagabond who lived by the blade, exuding an overwhelming presence. The information broker, who should have been on equal footing, was instead swept up by the atmosphere, his aura diminished significantly.

Realizing the need to change course, Qian Jin's voice wavered slightly as he delivered his lines.

They had to redo the entire take.

"..."

The atmosphere was vastly different from what he had experienced in television dramas.

This was what it meant to be an award-winning actor.

There were two types of overpowering performances: one intentionally done by the actor, and the other stemming from the actor's inherent commanding presence. Chen Yibai raised his eyes, momentarily unsure which category Chu Mingyuan fell into.

Being thoroughly overshadowed by an award-winning actor on his first try, Qian Jin demonstrated better mental resilience than Liu Ge's former employer. After taking a couple of sips of water, he was ready to attempt the scene again.

This time, the director had a word with Chu Mingyuan beforehand. When they resumed filming, it was evident that Chu Mingyuan had toned down his intensity.

As the first scene of the production, it wouldn't be appropriate to have multiple NGs right from the start. Chu Mingyuan eased up, and Qian Jin did his best to match the performance. Miraculously, the second take of the first scene passed without further incident.

Chen Yibai watched his new acquaintance with the surname Qian retreat back to his corner, as if pondering the meaning of life.

Then it was his turn.

The set was rearranged, and the stylist approached, holding a strip of linen, calling out in a symbolic gesture, "Professor Chen."

The person who remained seated at the same spot from the previous scene, now surrounded by assistants and makeup artists, slightly turned his gaze toward this side, his eyes cool and distant.

Professor Chen didn't notice, obediently closing his eyes.

The linen strip wound through his white hair, then sank into the disheveled strands.

This was Qian Jin's first time acting opposite an award-winning actor, just as it was for him.

His agent watched from the side, a rare look of concern in his eyes, patting his shoulder and consoling, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

The man sitting quietly, allowing the stylist to work their magic, smiled, offering reassurance instead, gesturing with his hand to indicate a short distance. "I'm actually quite good under pressure."

Compared to four hundred million, this amount of pressure was manageable.

There are people in this world who, the greater the pressure, the stronger their resilience, the more they can keep their composure.

Thanks to his parents for raising him well, he happened to be one of these people.