Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 519 Touched the Edge of Greatness

Shi Ningwei, a former film critic, could tell from the very first shot that this was an award-winning film tailor-made for Chen Nuo.

But those outsiders who just snuck in to join the fun didn't have that kind of insight.

This time, Chen Duling and Pan Shouyi finally got to walk the red carpet as they had hoped. Although it wasn't the opening ceremony, the scale of the event Venice put up for the Dorp premiere was actually not far off.

The two little girls enjoyed themselves on the red carpet. After entering the venue, they sat with Gulnazar in the middle to back rows, which was one of the best seats in the entire venue.

To her left was Pan Shouyi, and to her right was a heavily made-up, dark-haired foreign woman, not young, whose nationality was unknown, but who seemed to be somewhat famous. Many people in the rows in front and behind recognized her, and they shook hands and greeted her one by one before she sat down.

But Chen Duling felt a bit unlucky to have such a seatmate.

First, the woman was wearing a strong, pungent perfume, making her uncomfortable, yet she was too embarrassed to cover her nose. Second, during the film, the old woman kept making all sorts of strange noises, which was very annoying.

At the very beginning of the film, when the dirty, stowaway played by Chen Nuo appeared in the container, she heard the old woman let out a soft laugh.

—What's so funny?

Chen Duling didn't understand at all.

If one had to say something, his filthy face and miserable appearance only made one feel sorry for him.

However, for Chen Duling, the degree of pitifulness was only slightly.

After all, her mind was still filled with images from the red carpet earlier—

He stood between the slender director and Charlize Theron, who was dressed in a black suit and bow tie, and wore a gold Dior haute couture gown and had a tall, mermaid-like figure. He smiled and waved to the guests and reporters, appearing completely at ease.

Once inside the theater, wherever you go, you become the center of attention.

George Clooney went up to chat with him, Leonardo DiCaprio went too, along with Monica Bellucci and Charlize Theron. Chen Duling saw that everyone in the theater, regardless of their skin color (yellow, black, or white), was looking over there, wanting to go over and say a few words, say hello, or shake hands.

So, after watching just a few minutes of the movie, she came to believe that this glamorous superstar was actually a desperate, homeless wretch.

is it possible?
Moreover, it was an English-language film, which made her somewhat uneasy. She worried about not understanding it; what if she watched it and then went out, completely clueless, which would be truly embarrassing.

The chair she was sitting on was also a bit too soft for her, and it wasn't comfortable to lean against it at all, so she couldn't find a suitable position to watch the movie.

Amidst these internal and external troubles,
Five minutes into the movie, Cassian, played by Chen Nuo, had already found a job in New Orleans, but Chen Duling still hadn't gotten into character.

until--

A stowaway from China was taken in by a kind-hearted Chinese restaurant owner and lived in the restaurant's basement. Thus began his life, shuttling between the basement and the kitchen, where he worked tirelessly day and night.

In the kitchen, there were Mexicans who liked to joke with him, a chatty and quick-handed Vietnamese lad, and a gossipy American auntie. He gradually integrated into the group, and his vegetable-cutting skills gradually improved from clumsy to skillful and efficient, revealing the demeanor of a seasoned chef.

During this process, the old woman next to Chen Duling continued to make various strange noises.

For example, this shot

On the movie screen, the young stowaway, helping to chop vegetables in the kitchen for the first time, clearly seemed a little nervous.

"Haha, look at him."

The other kitchen helpers laughed at his posture.

But Cassian seemed not to hear, his shoulders slightly shrugged, carefully holding the carrot with his fingers. Chen Duling occasionally saw his father cooking at home, and he always did it in the same way, as if the kitchen knife in his hand was some kind of poisonous snake or scorpion.

With each slicing of the cleaver, the carrot was cut into slices of varying thickness.

The scene shifts, and having worked in the restaurant kitchen for a while, his movements have become more skilled. He can chop vegetables while looking up at other places and chatting.

At that moment, he was like her family's nanny. Even when talking to her, he could cut various things in his hands into the shapes she wanted.

Chen Duling didn't think it was a big deal.

If someone works in a restaurant for more than a month, isn't it normal for them to become like this?
But the woman next to her hissed, as if in surprise.

Chen Duling couldn't take it anymore and leaned close to Pan Shouyi's ear, whispering, "The woman next to me is so annoying."

Pan Shouyi looked around, then leaned closer and whispered, "Would you like to change seats?"

Chen Duling shook his head and said, "Never mind."

Pan Shouyi said, "She seems to be a movie star from Germany. I heard it from Nazha."

Oh.

Chen Duling still had some respect for movie stars, so she nodded and stopped complaining.

Then, after a while, she had no time to care about the annoying woman, the uncomfortable seat under her butt, or anything about translating from English to Chinese.

Because what was happening before her eyes was something she had never expected to see.

Her gaze was fixed on the big screen, her eyes wide open, her small lips parted as if they could fit a peach inside.

In the dark and cramped basement, dim light filled the air, like a burning ember. That familiar face, now wearing only a tattered white vest that revealed his strong, muscular arms, was looking at a poster of a blonde nude woman spread out on his lap.

The camera pans from the side, across his thighs and upper body, to the front, landing on his face.

What kind of face was that?

Chen Duling stared blankly at the screen, suddenly forgetting the radiant superstar.

The boy on screen was so memorable that it made one forget everything else.

His eyes were narrowed to slits, and his tongue occasionally licked his lips. Under the dim light, his face and body looked as if they were coated with a layer of honey-colored oil.

He was breathing heavily through his nose, his chest heaving. Although he was very thin, there seemed to be muscles pulsating beneath his skin. Fine beads of sweat hung on his forehead, sliding down his face and into his sharply defined collarbone as he moved his arms.

grunt.

Chen Duling unconsciously swallowed, and his buttocks shifted restlessly.

The camera shifted, moving down from his body to behind him.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his shorts pulled down to his knees.

The long vest covered her lower back perfectly.

Looking from the side and rear, not a single bit of her buttocks was visible.

Chen Duling was somewhat disappointed.

but,

In the shot, the movement of that elbow immediately caught her attention.

It was shaking up and down.

As the bed creaked, the poster trembled slightly with his movements, making the blonde woman on it appear to be writhing.

grunt.

Chen Duling swallowed again.

From here on, she felt a little short of breath, as if there were sparks in the air, and her legs unconsciously came together.

The old woman beside her seemed to make some noise again, but she no longer cared, or rather, ignored it.

Then, the camera switched back to the front, giving the boy a close-up.

This close-up is special; it was taken from the side, at exactly 45 degrees.

What Chen Duling didn't know was that when her friend, XJ, saw this scene on set, she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. She even secretly wondered what other girls would think when they saw the boss at a 45-degree angle with a beauty filter when the film was released in theaters.

Otherwise, she should be more careful about her expressions.

Because a dark figure next to Pan Shouyi bent down slightly, glanced to the left and right, and then straightened up again.

Chen Duling didn't care because even though he was wearing a tattered vest, his hair was messy, and his face was dirty, the more he looked like that, the stronger his masculine hormones seemed to flow out of the screen.

19-year-old Chen Duling is mature in every way. At this moment, she has a feeling that if her boyfriend were like this, she would be willing to live in a garbage dump, let alone a basement!

Soon, after the man on the screen moved his arms, he entered a new phase.

"Ugh..."

All that could be heard was a suppressed groan from the man's throat.

The low shout lasted for a few seconds, and the groans coming from all directions filled Chen Duling's ears.

It felt like I was very, very close to her, and I even had the illusion that I was blowing air into her ear.

She covered her mouth, her legs went weak.

Immediately afterwards, the man on the screen seemed to have accomplished something great, or as if a nerve had been pulled out of his body, and he lay back without a care.

Another close-up.

His eyes were closed, and his face showed a satisfied and relaxed expression with a hint of happiness.

But two seconds later, he opened his eyes again.

The camera slowly zoomed in, and his eyes stared blankly at the lens, as if they were saying something, yet also as if they were saying nothing at all. Happiness was gone, and what reappeared in his eyes was a desire to devour everything.

On the screen, those bright, shining eyes slowly grew larger and larger until they covered the entire screen.

The screen then went completely black.

Then it lit up, marking the first day after dawn.

When he saw the boy wake up from the dirty mattress,
Chen Duling finally came to her senses.

She touched her once smooth and soft arm and found that it was covered with fine, uneven bumps.

Omg.

Unbeknownst to her, she had developed goosebumps all over her body.

……

……

"Can you imagine?"

His wife leaned in from behind and asked in a very low voice.

Although her words were disjointed, given the current state of the film, how could Li Ruijun not understand what she was saying?

He didn't turn around, but simply shook his head slightly.

His wife didn't say anything more.

Their seats were in the very corner of the last two rows of the theater.

From Li Ruijun's current perspective, it's actually quite uncomfortable—the image is tilted at about thirty degrees in his eyes. No matter how skilled the photographer or how beautiful the shot, it will be somewhat distorted from this angle. He has to concentrate all his attention to see every movement and expression of the actors clearly before reconstructing the positive effect in his mind.

Even so, Li Ruijun was already very satisfied.

Even though they couldn't find two seats side by side, he and his wife had to sit one in front of the other. But that's how it is with the movie "DORP". Apart from the quota reserved for media reporters, there were only 200 tickets available to the public.

When applications first opened, the film sold out in less than a second, becoming the fastest-selling film at this year's Venice Film Festival. The phrase "tickets were hard to come by" is no exaggeration here.

He might want to try his luck outside the theater for "The Master" to see if there are any refunds available.

But he never really dared to dream of the movie "DORP".

Being able to sit in a movie theater today is entirely thanks to that big star; what more could I ask for?

Actually, I've known him for a few days now.

Of course, before this, Li Ruijun had already heard of and seen this person countless times in numerous film reviews, cinemas, Weibo, and all sorts of film industry dinners.

But after getting to know and chat with him in real life, he discovered that the Chen Nuo he had imagined was actually far less complex than he thought.

This person can chat and laugh with an unknown director like him, and then turn around and sign a tip of 50 euros without even blinking.

The maturity of middle age and the spirit of youth coexist harmoniously in him.

This is what Li Ruijun finds most incredible.

Including this movie.

Who could have imagined it would turn out like this?

As soon as the boy entered the restaurant, plot bombs started exploding one after another.

It wasn't a grenade, or even a missile, but the kind of bomb that had once appeared over Japan, which, in the ensuing plot, fell into the hearts of every viewer.

Li Ruijun would bet that no one in the audience could have imagined that the unknown director would make the film like this.

Twenty minutes into the film, without warning, the initial warm and sentimental facade was torn away, turning what seemed like an ordinary, unremarkable arthouse drama into a jaw-dropping turn of events.

First, I tried to comfort myself.

Okay, it's alright. This is Venice after all, and there aren't many normal directors here anyway. Showing off male attractiveness is their specialty.

Besides, it's perfectly understandable that an innocent and naive young boy would have sexual desires; it's not a big deal. But what happens later when Cassian meets Jenny, the boss's daughter, whom he's meeting for the first time, and seduces her into bed?

In Li Ruijun's line of sight, he could see several film critics holding pens, using the light from the screen to scribble and draw in their notebooks.

Yes, today, 90% of the audience members who are fortunate enough to be here in person are professionals with media tickets. The combined number of movies each of them has seen could probably fill a book of several hundred pages.

If you still don't realize the problems with this movie and what kind of future Chen Nuo's character is heading, then you've really wasted your time.

Li Ruijun was certainly aware of this as well.

Looking at Chen Nuo on the screen and hearing him say in a deep, almost sandpaper-like voice, "...I won't stop you, but are you sure you want to drink?", he completely understood why the movie was called "The Fall." "The Fall" might be a double entendre, or even a triple entendre, but its most direct reference shouldn't be to anyone else, but rather to the seemingly unremarkable and conventional male lead at the beginning.

An idea involuntarily began to surface in Li Ruijun's mind:
Could it be that the absurd rumor I heard before is true?
Was Chen Nuo really forced to film this movie with a gun to his head by that rich second-generation director?

……

One hour later,
Li Ruijun's idea evolved into: if it's not a pistol on his head, it should at least be the Venice Film Festival Best Actor award trophy.

Otherwise, to deliver such a passionate and groundbreaking performance while playing the first truly detestable villain in his career would be considered insane.

……

But two hours later, Li Ruijun stopped thinking about these inexplicable questions and started to think about the original question again—what kind of person was Chen Nuo?

Is he a billionaire?
A film company owner?

Or is he a Chinese superstar who has made a name for himself in Hollywood?

He has many titles, and he is a very complex person.

but--

On the big screen, the young man who had traveled thousands of miles to America to pursue his dream of success was shot down, and like a bird with broken wings, he crashed heavily onto the dock with a clean and decisive thud.

From the director's perspective, Li Ruijun was well aware that there were no stunt doubles or pads, at least not in this shot; there was absolutely no protection.

That's how Chen Nuo ended up, crashing headfirst onto the concrete floor.

Then, in the last shot,
The camera lens lingered on the dead man's face, a single pale red tear sliding down his young and innocent cheek. His eyes, once brimming with desire, were now empty and lifeless.

Li Ruijun, born in 83 and who calls himself "the last tough nut to crack in Chinese cinema," suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

Although from his 30-degree angle, he could probably only appreciate about 70% of the shot.

But at that moment, he really wanted to stand up and, loudly and sincerely, tell the whole world—

Those dazzling halos surrounding him, which everyone desires, and which radiate golden light,

But at this very moment,
In front of these 1408 audience members, these titles must inevitably give way to another one:

He is an extremely good actor.

we can even say,
It has already touched the edge of greatness.

……

Chen Nuo stared at Cassian's death on the movie screen.

He let out a deep breath.

Seeing this scene on the big screen in the movie theater definitely gave him a deeper feeling than watching it on a monitor.

As someone who frequently plays the male lead, he has actually only acted out "death" scenes on camera a few times, only twice in total.

One time was when he made a cameo appearance in Bullet Fly, and died a heart-wrenching death.

The other time is now.

Jiang Wen's films possess a unique, detached quality from reality.

Relatively speaking, he preferred this death.

The death was incredibly sudden, unwilling, mundane, and utterly agonizing. Only someone who has faced death once could portray it so convincingly.

He is satisfied.

As Chen Nuo watched him die on the silver screen, he knew that no matter what he ultimately gained in Venice, Cassian was the fifth truly vibrant character he had created.

For him, that was already enough.

Coming to his senses, he turned to James Pritzker beside him and said, “Congratulations, director. This is a wonderful film, I really enjoyed it.”

James Pritzker didn't seem particularly happy. He stood there stunned for a long time before finally managing a somewhat stiff smile and asking, "Really?"

Chen Nuo was a little surprised, but didn't think much of it and nodded, "Really."

"Thank you." James paused, then asked, "But...why wasn't there any applause?"

Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment before realizing—

Indeed, there was no applause.

Three days earlier, the Venice Film Palace had erupted in five minutes of applause at this time, with the entire audience standing up and cheering wildly.

But tonight, three days later, the cinema palace seems to have sunk into a silent, dead sea.

but……

He immediately said, "Don't worry, there will be. Get ready, director. Not only will there be applause, but after we go on stage, there will be endless questions waiting for you."

"Really?"

"real."

As if to prove his words, the words had barely left his lips when...
"Snapped".

Someone clapped their hands softly in the darkness, like the first drop of rain falling suddenly from the sky.

After that, a violent storm swept through the entire screening room.

……

When Chen Nuo, James, Charlize Theron, and Huang Rongliang, who played the Chinese restaurant owner, thanked the audience three times on stage, their legs were getting numb from standing, and the applause finally began to gradually subside.

At this moment, Chen Nuo noticed that James Pritzker's lips were trembling, and if he wasn't mistaken, there were tears in his eyes.

Charlize Theron was no less impressive; the once elegant woman now had her chest heaving violently, like a fighting rooster preparing for its duel.

Needless to say, Huang Rongliang, this Chinese actor in Hollywood, had already turned back to wipe away tears three times when Chen Nuo saw him.

Even he himself was struggling to control himself at this moment.

Although, after watching the film, based on his experience as a judge and audience member, he was absolutely certain that the film was a success. He liked this film more than *Blueberry*, *The Mute*, or *Mother*, and it was arguably his favorite performance besides *The Dark Knight*.

Cassian was the most complex role he had ever played. James, for some reason, with his genius editing, genuinely loved everything Cassian portrayed in the film. He felt he perfectly embodied a person moving from one place to another. Thus, an orange grown south of the Huai River is an orange, but grown north of it becomes a bitter orange.

This even includes those sex scenes that he originally thought would embarrass him.

Yes, it was very passionate, even erotic.

But that was Cassian's desire. It was logical, natural, and every step was perfectly timed. Besides, James went easy on him, sparing his backside; what more could he want?

With this mindset, he began to hug each person on stage, and upon seeing this, the applause suddenly grew even louder.

“I did it, didn’t I?” James asked as he hugged him.

"Yes, director, I told you, you did it. Just imagine, now that you have tens or hundreds of billions of dollars and have inherited your father's position, will you still make movies?"

“God, I was so excited watching it down there,” Theron whispered to him as they kissed cheek to cheek. “We did a fantastic job.”

"Calm down, I don't even know where the toilet is here."

"WTF, the toilet? You..."

Finally, it was Huang Rongliang's turn. The man said incoherently, "Thank you, thank you for letting me participate in this movie. This is the most unforgettable experience of my life."

Chen Nuo patted the other person on the back and said, "This is what we all deserve."

After he and the other main creators finished congratulating each other on stage, the applause finally subsided.

The event was hosted by a highly respected and renowned film critic from Italy.

Although Chen Nuo was not familiar with him personally, Monica Bellucci had previously mentioned that this film critic was known for his sharp and direct questions and merciless comments, and was called "the razor" by many Italian film media. The organizing committee's decision to invite him to be the host of this event was likely not for good reasons.

However, at this moment, Blade seemed to transform into a master of humor, speaking English quite well with only a slight accent, and his first words made Chen Nuo burst into laughter.

"I hereby announce that the winner of Best Actor at the 69th Venice Film Festival is Chernobog! The winner of Best Director is James Pritzker, and the winner of Best Actress is Charlize Theron."

The entire audience burst into laughter.

Blade, however, did not smile. His expression was very serious: "This should not be just my opinion. Twelve minutes, ladies and gentlemen, I am very honored to tell you that just now, you set a record for the longest applause in the history of the Venice Film Festival."

What makes you do this?
Isn't it because we see the director's genius imagination and the actors' selfless performances in the movie?

Three days ago, I sat in the audience, marveling at the acting of the two male leads. But today, after watching the movie just now, I feel that this is what I've been waiting for.

It broke all conventions; it made cinema wonderful and the viewing experience incredibly enjoyable. I can't wait to put a label before its name at the end of the year: "The best film of 2012."

Do you agree with what I said?

Another round of applause erupted. This time, though brief, it was extremely enthusiastic. Moreover, the audience rose to their feet once again.

Chen Nuo heard James muttering something again beside him and felt that he was going crazy.

He couldn't help but shake his head.

If the roles were reversed, and Chen Nuo learned that his father, who was worth billions, had always loved him the most, and if it weren't for the movie, he would undoubtedly inherit most of the estate and the board position, Chen Nuo felt he would also be just as neurotic.

Blade continued, "Now, I'm going to ask a question. After I finish, it will be your turn. I believe that after enjoying such a wonderful movie, you should have many questions to ask them."

"But my first question is for Mr. Chernobyl. After watching the movie, I really want to know, why did you decide to take on this role? Your daring performance in it had everyone on the edge of their seats, especially your scenes with Charlize Theron, which made every blink a thrilling experience."

"As I watched, I kept thinking, if I were a judge, even if I still had 10 movies to watch, my choice for Best Actor would already be a foregone conclusion. This is not flattery, it is the truth. So, Chernobog, tell me, how did all this happen, what made it happen?"

Chen Nuo took a microphone from a staff member and said, "First of all, my surname is Chen, not Che."

The entire room erupted in laughter.

Blade paused for a moment, then laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Sorry, Chen, OK, Chen. I've remembered how to pronounce it. I'm very sorry, I'm Italian."

Chen Nuo smiled and said, "It's okay, I like Italy, so I forgive you."

Applause and cheers surged up again like a tide.

After a while, when things calmed down, Chen Nuo continued, "Actually, the prerequisite for doing all this is having a script and money."

The audience laughed again.

When the third uproar subsided, Chen Nuo put away his smile and said, "This is no joke. Our director is indeed not only good at writing scripts, but also rich."

"If there is anything in this film that moves you, anything that makes you feel the meaning of film, it is all thanks to the man next to me, our director, Mr. James Pritzker. He may have given up more than anyone else in the world for film, and he may have gained less than anyone else in the world for film. Ladies and gentlemen, please give him a round of applause."

As soon as he finished speaking, applause erupted for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"I've discovered how kind your brother is. Look at the director, he's almost crying," Chen Duling said to Pan Shouyi from below the stage, clapping her hands.

Her once snow-white palms were now red and swollen from the long round of applause, so she clapped very softly now.

Pan Shouyi, however, showed a dismissive expression and said, "He's kind? You know what? When I was a kid, he was the one who caused all the trouble, but I was always the one who got beaten up."

"...Ah, I really envy you."

"What do you envy about me? Do you envy that I have an older brother who can make people feel so happy, or do you envy that I get beaten up?"

"...Haha, I'm so envious."

As the two girls were talking, suddenly, a somewhat aged female voice came from beside Chen Duling.

"Are you Chinese? Chen's friends?"

Chen Duling turned her head and saw the old woman sitting next to her who had made all sorts of noises at the beginning.

Chen Duling nodded and said, "Yes, what's wrong?"

The older woman said, "I was thinking of chatting with him after the movie, but it seems he won't have time for me now. Please pass on my congratulations. Among actors his age, he's the best on the planet. I think after this movie, no one will question that. Even my ex-boyfriends, at this age, would only be fit to shine his shoes."

After saying that, the old woman winked at her playfully.

Chen Duling didn't fully understand, but the old woman's exaggerated tone and expression were just like her own over-the-top reactions while watching the movie. But now, Chen Duling suddenly found the other woman somewhat endearing.

After all, during the latter half of the movie, she seemed to speak just as often as the other person. And if she hadn't covered her mouth during certain scenes, she might have made some rather unpleasant noises.

She nodded and said, "Okay, thank you for your praise. I will."

The older woman said, "I can't wait to see tomorrow's film review. Oh, and remember to tell him my name is Isabelle Adjani, and I'm French."

(End of this chapter)