Global Film Emperor

Chapter 349 Even with a cold, Lu Ze still managed to amaze everyone with his effortless skill (Part 2)

A glass of milk, a fried egg, and a typical sandwich in the morning. The claim that Britain is a culinary hell is certainly an exaggeration, but the monotony of the menu and the simplicity of the preparation do fit the rumors. At least in the few days Lu Ze has been in Britain, his breakfast has basically never changed. In addition, his sense of taste has been almost completely gone, and he has no appetite. He has barely touched this breakfast, which is quite colorful.

Elena thought that her cooking was bad and had made Lu Ze angry. Somewhat nervously, she tore off a small piece of Lu Ze's leftover food and put it in her mouth. The taste was not strange. She sat down in her seat, feeling a little depressed, and wondered if she had done something to upset Lu Ze during their time together yesterday.

She didn't think that Lu Ze had caught a cold, after all, wasn't Mickey sitting at the table eating and drinking heartily? Mickey felt Elena's gaze, seemed to realize what she was thinking, chuckled, and shook his head.

"He's just spoiled by Chinese food. He can't stand it if his breakfast isn't changed for several days. But it's not hard to understand. In a small shop in China, there are seven or eight kinds of dumpling fillings. They have so many things to eat. I guess I won't be able to stand it after I stay in China for a while."

"What should we do? He has a cold, how can he not eat?"

"Just let him go hungry for two days and see if he'll eat. In Chinese terms, it's just being picky. He can eat whatever he wants, so don't worry about him."

Elena's concern for Lu Ze stemmed solely from respect for her teacher, and she harbored no other intentions. Mickey himself was well aware of who she was interested in, so he didn't tease her about her concern and focused on attacking the food on the table. In this situation where the two were alone, a successful scumbag would naturally know that it was best to say less.

He's a womanizer, but he really wouldn't dare to sleep with Irina Shayk. It would be fine if they were in a serious relationship, but if it was just a one-night stand, Depp would know he'd twist his head off and then launch a long ball from Manchester United's home ground, passing the ball to De Gea or Pogba.

……

Good morning, Mr. Lu.

The villagers of Ilkurburg are very simple and honest. When they see Lu Ze out for a stroll, they always greet him warmly. Along the way, they keep exchanging greetings. Many villagers also give Lu Ze eggs and vegetables. Of course, it is obvious who they want to give them to.

After walking quite a distance, Lu Ze glanced at his phone and saw that he had already walked over 10,000 steps. He decided to turn back the way he came, but then he heard an SUV honking its horn and stopping in front of him.

"Hey friend, where does Mrs. Winston live?"

A man wearing sunglasses rolled down the car window and chewed gum while speaking to Lu Ze, which seemed somewhat impolite. But that wasn't the point. Lu Ze glanced inside and saw a middle-aged woman sitting in the passenger seat, which gave him an idea of ​​what was going on.

"Actors from the 'Effect' production team?"

"Did you hear that too?"

"Of course, I'm the male lead."

The man thought Lu Ze was a villager or resident here. After all, he was recommended by Saul and only had the script. He didn't know the other members of the crew very well. Who would normally think that a European director would choose an Asian face as the male lead? The man was a little embarrassed for a moment. He said "Oh~", took off his glasses, and held out his palm.

“Excuse me, Chris Lester, this is Ms. Pem. It’s nice to meet you. Would you like a ride?”

"Lu Ze, you don't need to distinguish between your surname and given name, just call me that. If you want a ride... thank you."

On the way back, Chris complained a bit about how rushed the filming schedule was. Even if the scenes were few and technically simple, it was still a waste to start filming only three days after receiving the script.

Lu Ze could only smile at his complaints and then pretend he hadn't heard them. He also felt that the filming was a bit rushed. Even he, the male lead, had only been in contact with the script for less than a week. If it weren't for the enhancements he received in the system, he really wouldn't have been able to handle this difficult role within a week.

But Mickey had his reasons for doing this. First, he didn't have enough funding and couldn't afford to delay. Second, apart from Lu Ze and a little girl, the other roles were really simple. They were so simple that anyone with some acting skills could play them. After all, as long as you got the mindset right, you could get it right no matter how you filmed it.

Of all the roles in the script, the male lead is the most difficult to play. It's fair to say that the entire script is a one-man show by the male lead, which requires him to have extremely strong acting skills. This is why Mickey approached Lu Ze; he couldn't find any other actor who could handle the role.

Back at the house, Mickey shook hands with the two actors, exchanged a brief introduction, and discussed their salaries. There wasn't much else to say. After the two actors nodded in agreement and signed the contract, Mickey went about his own business.

The two actors behaved rather obediently, found a seat, took out their scripts and read them slowly. They didn't seem to care about Mickey's disdain. After all, they were just small-time actors who made music videos and did stunt work. Even if Mickey was down on his luck, he was still bigger than a horse. They were simply not in the same league. They were already very content to be able to act in Mickey's movies. They would be excited even if there was only a sliver of hope for success.

Soon after, Clive's prop delivery team arrived, accompanied by two of Clive's photographers. Mickey, suppressing his heartache, paid the prop rental fee. A Mercedes-Benz S-Class followed the prop truck into the yard, and a cute little girl in a pink dress jumped out of the car.

Hey Mickey! Are you okay?

"Hello, little angel! I'm doing well, have you missed me?"

Mickey held the child affectionately. Lu Ze was drinking coffee inside, somewhat puzzled by Mickey's behavior. His face seemed to have a kind of fatherly kindness.

"Oh my god, it's Fanny!"

The two obscure students who were quietly reading the script couldn't help but exclaim in surprise when they saw the little girl who had arrived. This puzzled Lu Ze, who asked, "Is this child very famous?"

"Of course, Fanny already has quite a reputation in England, and most importantly, she is Mr. Taylor's daughter."

"Pfft! Daughter?"

Lu Ze never expected that Mickey, who usually kept a low profile, was more than a step ahead of Lu Ze in terms of life pace. Looking at this cute little girl, Lu Ze suddenly felt a sense of being deceived, like he had promised to grow old together, but she had secretly gotten a hair treatment. He was even a little... jealous.

According to Chris, Lu Ze learned that the little girl was born to Mickey and his girlfriend during their university years. In Europe, it is very normal to have children before getting married, but love is bound to have its ups and downs, and there are many parents who break up after having children. Mickey and his girlfriend are one of them.

As for whether Mickey's girlfriend is married or not, and whether the child has a stepfather, Chris didn't dare to say much, but judging from his expression, he probably is.

Perhaps inheriting her father's talent for film, little Fanny showed amazing acting talent from a young age. She later played the second female lead in Mickey's debut film. With her cute appearance and top-notch acting skills among child stars, she gained a certain degree of fame in the UK and even Europe.

"Come on, baby, I'll take you to meet my friend, a traditional Chinese man. Remember to call him uncle."

Mickey picked up the girl, his affection for her was indescribable. Lu Ze almost crushed his coffee cup watching him. He actually really wanted a child, but he hadn't been able to fulfill his dream all these years and could only admire other people's children. Old Song's big, chubby boy was one of them, but what could a chubby and mischievous little boy do compared to a cute little girl? At this moment, Comrade Lu was indeed biased.

The little girl was adorable, with black eyes and black hair, but her features were clearly more like those of a Caucasian. She also had a very nice personality, calling Lu Ze "uncle" repeatedly, which made him unable to stop smiling.

At the same time, Lu Ze was also very good at coaxing children, and soon the two were playing together. The other woman in sunglasses who got out of the Mercedes, who was the child's mother, made Mickey very embarrassed. In Europe, couples who break up due to personality clashes can still be friends, and Mickey and the child's mother were no exception. However, the child's mother seemed dissatisfied with this situation, which is why she didn't give Mickey a friendly look, and that was the reason for Mickey's embarrassment.

The crew who delivered the props quickly moved them in, and the crew could officially start filming. However, the first scene was not in this room, but at an elementary school seventeen miles away.

Because it's the weekend and school is closed, and Mickey graduated from that elementary school himself, the principal agreed to lend the classroom to Mickey for filming over the weekend for free, on the condition that the classroom be restored to its original state after filming.

"OK, everyone's here, let's go. Lu Ze, get out! Why are you in a Mercedes? Get in your Raptor and follow me!"

Mickey grabbed Lu Ze by the collar and threw him behind him, then picked up Fanny and got into the car with a grin. The two brothers' relationship collapsed as a result. Seeing how well Fanny and Lu Ze were getting along, this father who hadn't seen his daughter in a long time was naturally jealous. If Lu Ze hadn't had the child with him, he would have already confronted him, but now... he could only helplessly get into the car with Elena.

Three cars equipped with filming gear headed towards the school. About half an hour later, they arrived at the school gate, where many cars were parked. A group of children were playing together, and parents were chatting.

These people were none other than the villagers of Ilklóu Fort, who had previously promised Mickey that they would lend their children to the film crew as extras.

"Hey Mickey! Remember to give my son a lot of screen time!"

"And my daughter!"

Mickey was busy thanking his childhood playmates, who were now parents, and his eyes reddened. Adding flowers to brocade is not as good as providing charcoal in the snow. These people were willing to help him without accepting a penny when he was down on his luck, and they even brought their children to help him. This moved Mickey, who had a full understanding of the wickedness of people's hearts, to the core.

This made Mickey determined that even if it took a little longer, he would grant these parents' wish and give the children three to five more seconds of screen time.

Among these parents, probably none of them want their children to become actors. Their request is simply that they want to see their children's faces clearly in the movie and have a fun memory. This request is not unreasonable, and Mickey will definitely try his best to fulfill it.

After distributing candy to the children, everyone entered the school gate together. The school security guards routinely conducted a security check on everyone before letting them in.

Two photographers set up cameras in a classroom provided by the school. Mickey became the leader of the children, distributing candy to them and then explaining the play to them, repeatedly emphasizing that they should not look at the cameras.

"Lu Ze, these are your clothes. Do you need any help?"

"I think... it shouldn't be necessary. Thank you, Elena. I'll go change my clothes now."

After receiving the clothes and some simple cosmetics from Elena, Lu Ze entered the classroom next door. The moment he closed the door, the classroom fell silent.

He pulled out a student's bench, sat down, took off his clothes, and changed into a white shirt and leather shoes. The shoes were of poor quality and didn't feel very comfortable on his feet. He tiptoed and gently kicked the toes of the shoes before they felt comfortable.

I quickly combed my hair, slowly buttoned my shirt, secured the cuffs with a wrist pin, removed my jewelry and gently placed it away, looked at the small mirror on my makeup box, pinched my tie between my thumb and forefinger and moved it from side to side until it was finally tied straight…

"Wow..."

After putting on the vest, the gray suit jacket billowed back, the arms slipped through the sleeves, the size was just right, he straightened his collar, his face was serious and composed, and his temperament had changed, like a rusty sword being re-sharpened... a sharp edge seemed to emerge in his mind.

Perhaps a man patting powder on his face might have a somewhat effeminate air, but Lu Ze at this moment showed absolutely no feminine qualities. He simply treated it as a job, neither liking nor disliking it, diligently covering up the blemishes on his face one by one, not for appearance, but only to better complete his work.

Gradually... his gaze became vacant, his emotions faded, and every movement became mechanical, just like his former nickname, turning him into a true acting machine, until he finished his work, put away his makeup, picked up the script, turned to the scene to be filmed, and then...

Infuse it with soul.

A soul named Kyle who only exists in a script.

……

"OK kids! Go to your seats, and remember, don't look at the camera. If you behave well, everyone will get a McDonald's Super Kids Meal! Super! You know what I mean, right? The kind with a plush toy! Get ready, kids. Fanny, you get one too... Hey Lu Ze, you look... a little different than before." "Because I value it."

Lu Ze walked out of the next classroom. Adults could easily see that Lu Ze's temperament had changed significantly. His speech had become more concise, unlike his usual talkative self. He looked very handsome in his suit. He hadn't become cold; rather, he had become unusually focused.

Under everyone's gaze, he strode into the classroom and onto the podium, then stepped back and stood at the door again. He then slowly walked onto the podium, then stepped back to the door again, and finally returned to the podium with steady steps.

On the lectern was a glass filled about seven-tenths full with water. Lu Ze picked it up, took a small sip to moisten his lips, then sipped about two centimeters less with the second sip, only drinking about half a mouthful. He then downed half the glass in one gulp with the third sip. He then pointed to the mineral water bottle in Elena's hand, took it, refilled it, and tossed the bottle back.

He raised his hand, then lowered it; tapped the table, then lowered it again; tapped the blackboard with the second knuckle of his index finger, then lowered it again; supported himself on the table with both hands, then raised them again; supported himself on the table with both elbows, then raised them again; snapped his fingers; shook his head; and finally adjusted his tie.

The corners of his mouth turned up, then the smile faded, then he smiled again, then the smile faded again, but each time the smile was bigger than the last. He walked back and forth on the stage several times, and finally closed his eyes, his lips slightly opening and closing.

"What is he doing? He looks... like a freak..."

"Don't talk nonsense, he's not a freak, he's a monster..."

Mickey's ex-girlfriend studied dance and is now a successful ballet artist who also works part-time as Fanny's agent. However, she knows nothing about acting and would normally not casually use the word "freak" to describe someone. But when she's around Mickey, she easily lets loose and looks at Lu Ze with a puzzled expression.

The two inconspicuous actors had no idea what Lu Ze was doing, but they felt a sense of awe and wonder. Before, it was fine, but from this moment on, they felt... this Asian actor seemed to have something special.

Among those present, only Mickey seemed to be able to discern something about Lu Ze, but even this simple guess left him utterly astonished.

This scene is very important. It was originally planned to be filmed next week, but his father kicked him out of the house early, and it happened to be the weekend, so we decided to film it right away.

He didn't actually have high expectations for Lu Ze's acting, after all, he had been out of the film industry for a year. It was really hard to maintain his form after a year without filming. As long as Lu Ze's acting didn't decline drastically, Mickey would be grateful. But now... he seemed to have misjudged him.
Previously, because he had begged Lu Ze to act in the film, he had suppressed his curiosity and not asked Lu Ze how he was doing. After all, he figured Lu Ze could regain his form. He could give Lu Ze some time; such an excellent actor could quickly find his footing once he was on set. He was willing to wait that long.

But what was the result? Lu Ze didn't follow the normal path at all! What the hell do you mean by getting more powerful the more you rest? Real combat is the only way to improve strength, that's absolutely true. Even if you stayed at home watching TV all day, someone at Lu Ze's level wouldn't improve at all. That's why Mickey couldn't understand it at all.

As a source of excellent actors for Hollywood, Europe has countless acting masters. Mickey has seen many top actors over the years, but he has never seen an actor who can decide on micro-expressions and small movements on the spot. You know, for a major scene, which actor doesn't have to think about it over and over again and act out the micro-expressions and small movements he has decided on hundreds of times in front of the mirror?
It's questionable whether one can understand a character in a week; at most, one can only memorize a few lines. Mickey didn't intend to finish filming this scene today; he just wanted Lu Ze to come here to get a feel for it. If it turns out well, that would be a blessing. If not, they can come back next weekend.

But what about Lu Ze? He not only gives you a quick demonstration of small gestures and micro-expressions, but also adds more dramatic actions to the original character traits in the script to deepen the audience's impression. That's just unbelievable.

If this quick decision-making action doesn't work, that's one thing, but if it does... he really wanted to ask Lu Ze, "Are you even human? If you're so amazing, why don't you participate in The Brain?"

But he never imagined that there was such a bastard as the system who had subjected Lu Ze to inhumane oppression for more than three months before Lu Ze received this role.

He was given a week to read the script, which was considered good. How many days did the system give him? Two days! Forty-eight hours! Then he had to go straight to filming. Within forty-eight hours, he not only had to read the script but also memorize the lines. What was even more terrifying was that he also had to have a thorough understanding of the character he was playing and a general grasp of the other characters. And what about micro-expressions? They all had to be decided quickly before filming started, and then he could go straight on stage.

Then I had to film with a robot as steady as a rock, like a giant glass ball. If I made a mistake, I would get a small beating, and if I failed the scene, I would get a big beating. It was a lot of bitter tears... I won't mention it again!
The seven days Mickey gave him were enough for Lu Ze to finish reading the script, cycle over a thousand kilometers from Lü Hua to the capital, take a bath, get a thorough scrub, and then find a masseuse for an extended full-service massage.

Don't blame Lu Ze for using cheats; the system is just too terrifying. Lu Ze doesn't want to act like a monster, but his strength simply won't allow it! He also wants to question the system: Look what you've done to me!
In just three minutes, Lu Ze opened his eyes, walked to the door, took the water bottle from Elena's hand, took a sip, pressed his index and middle fingers against his throat, coughed lightly twice, and gave Mickey an OK sign.

"Okay?"

"let's start."

“Lu Ze…”

"Ok?"

"This time... you'll amaze me, won't you?"

Seeing Mickey ask such a serious question for the first time, Lu Ze lowered his head, straightened his shirt collar, and answered without hesitation.

"meeting."

"Chris hits the backboard!"

"The Effect, Act I, Scene I! Begin!"

……

The camera pans upwards, revealing clean tiles... Black leather shoes stride briskly, a gray suit worn and shabby. Kyle, with a gentle smile, walks to the classroom door, knocks lightly and quickly three times, then slows his pace, stands on the podium like a soldier, stomps his heel on the floor with his last step, turns around, and claps lightly twice to attract the attention of the noisy students below.

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning, Kyle!

The students below were quite cooperative, greeting Kyle before quieting down. Kyle was pleased with this effect, his smile widening. He took off his suit jacket, shook it with a soft "plop," casually draped it over the back of the chair, unbuttoned his shirt cuffs, rolled them up three times, wiped his hands, which seemed sweaty, on the trouser seams, and coughed lightly, making a fist to his lips.

"Okay, students, I don't know if you've forgotten yesterday's questions. So, I'll give you a few questions to test your knowledge. Please take out your notebooks and write down the correct answers."

10-7=?

3=4=?

8-6=?

Adults would naturally know the answers to these questions, but for these children who have just entered elementary school, these questions are enough to stump them. They count on their fingers, frown, and look like they have a deep grievance. Only a few children can write fluently in the book. As for whether the answers are correct or not... it's hard to say.

Every time a question was given, Kyle would habitually glance back before writing another one, until his gaze fell on a girl in the fourth row. She never looked up at the blackboard, and she didn't take out her notebook or pencil; she just kept picking at her fingers.

After Kyle finished giving all the questions, she still kept her attention on her fingers, so she was clearly not the kind of smart child who waited for the teacher to finish giving all the questions before writing them all down. However, Kyle didn't call on her. He put the cap back on his marker, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and instead of swallowing it directly, he used his tongue to push the water out of the gap between his teeth, letting the water stay between his lips and teeth for a while before finally swallowing it.

He walked among the students, looking at their answers. Instead of explaining each one individually, he went around the entire group and then called on a student who had answered correctly, asking them to explain their calculations, until the very last question…

"Hey Judy, what's the answer to this question?"

The little girl looked up at the blackboard, seemed a little lost, and then lowered her head again. To everyone's delight, she picked up the pencil and gently bit the metal band connecting the pencil to the eraser.

"Judy, could you please answer this: what is 4-2?"

She thought for a moment, smacked her lips to moisten them, and finally answered in an uncertain tone.

"6...?"

"Pfft."

Her answer made the children who knew the answer laugh. The girls were alright; they covered their mouths and didn't make a sound, but their eyes narrowed into crescent moons. The more mischievous boys were even more unrestrained, and their laughter was completely undisguised.

"Hey guys, show Judy some respect, okay? So, how did you arrive at your conclusion?"

She hesitated for a while before finally answering, "I don't know."

"You don't have to know, but I hope you can respect your teacher. Next time, I hope you can write down the answer just like everyone else, even if it's wrong, OK?"

"But I feel it's meaningless..."

Kyle was about to erase the numbers on the blackboard when he heard a reply that was barely audible. Suddenly, his expression turned serious. He put down the eraser, turned around to look at the girl who was still biting her pencil, and finally sighed and waved his hand.

“Okay, Judy just asked a question that only an adult would ask. We should all learn from her and learn to think more. So, I'll answer Judy's question: what is the point of learning?”

“From the age of three, you will go to kindergarten for some basic education, then to primary school to learn some very simple knowledge, then to middle school, where the knowledge you learn will become more complex and give you a headache, and finally to university. It can be said that 95% of the messy knowledge you learn will not be used in life, but does that mean knowledge is not important? That’s wrong.”

"Knowledge will not make your body stronger or make you more attractive, but it can make your soul no longer mute, your brain more flexible, and you can think of solutions when in pain. It allows you to see through all the illusions of emotion and senses, and thus recognize the most essential face of this world."

"Therefore, you will have dignity and your own beliefs. You are different from pigs, dogs, cows, sheep, and any other life in the world. You are you, an independent individual... Your thoughts are worthy of praise. You can use knowledge to defend your rights and even fight against death."

Kyle raised his right hand, curling his ring and little fingers, and pinching his thumb, index, and ring fingers together. Whenever he spoke a sentence, he would always shake his right hand, making his words very powerful and convincing.

"When you possess knowledge, you may not be able to use it to gain money, fame, or power. You may not become a great person, and you may not be remembered by the world, but you will have the freedom of your soul."

"Really? You can get all of this just by having knowledge?"

Judy seemed intrigued and asked another question, her gaze fixed on Kyle, looking into his eyes, hoping for a definite answer.

But Kyle didn't expect her to continue asking questions. He had just picked up his water glass and taken a sip when his body stiffened and his face suddenly turned gloomy. He suddenly felt that he couldn't give Judy a firm answer... He put down the water glass, pressed his palm against the rim, and let out a long sigh.

"I don't know... but I believe it will."

"..."

(End of this chapter)