Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 257 Am I going to be an aunt?
"I'm sorry, but if I were playing the role of Zhao Erhu, I think I should act like this."

On set, during a break.

Andy Lau chased after the director, feeling that the scene they had just filmed wasn't quite right.

Liu Jing muttered to himself, "What do you mean you're playing Zhao Erhu? You're just acting as Zhao Erhu."

They were very polite in their words, but their attitude was anything but polite.

"It doesn't matter." The director said, holding the script without turning his head.

“How can you say it doesn’t matter? You may not care, but I definitely do. I’ve been discussing this with the screenwriter for two months. Zhao Erhu is a man of honor; he treats Jiang Wuyang and Pang Qingyun differently.” Liu Dehua said seriously, standing in front of Chen Kexin and blocking his way.

“Brother Hua, the script is the script, and acting is acting. During filming, the scenes and emotions are different. As the director, I definitely have to adjust accordingly,” Peter Chan patiently explained.

You can't be impatient; they're all more impressive than the director.

Not to mention the three main actors, two of them have worked in Hollywood, and the other is a superstar.

The female lead, Gao Yuanyuan, is the top female star of Spring and Autumn Entertainment. After acquiring Golden Harvest, Spring and Autumn Entertainment became the undisputed No. 1 in the Chinese entertainment industry.

The restructuring of Golden Harvest tied many Hong Kong and Taiwanese figures to its cause.

I won't go into Wang Pangzi, Li Lianjie, and Cheng Long.

Zhang Min's circle of Miss Hong Kong contestants is full of people with powerful backgrounds, which is what makes them so intimidating.

Moreover, Gao Yuanyuan herself is also very capable, having just won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress and entered the ranks of top-tier actresses.

Besides these individuals, the martial arts director Cheng Xiaodong, the art director Xi Zhongwen, and the art designer Huang Bingyao are all big names.

So even before filming started, Peter Chan modestly stated, "This is my first time making this kind of film, so please give me your opinions."

Then... there were many opinions.

“You can’t adjust it like that; it makes Zhao Erhu look stupid.” Liu Dehua was not convinced.

"Hmm! How about this, we'll adjust Pang Qingyun's scenes tomorrow..."

"Why do you want to adjust my scenes? I think it's fine as it is." Li Lianjie walked over.

“Mr. Li, there are some issues with your scene today. When you fight the soldiers, you must show bravery. Blood, swords, and cruelty—those need to be conveyed. Your moves need to be crisp, clean, and ruthless. I'll have cameras following you, capturing your movements.” Peter Chan demonstrated a few movements, “You need to do it like this, then like this…”

"No, that won't do. This is war, not a fight. We need to have a global perspective; the camera should capture the entire battlefield. Constantly focusing on Pang Qingyun in close-ups, keeping the focus on a small area, makes it seem too petty. Heroism is unacceptable on a battlefield with thousands of people." Action director Cheng Xiaodong, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, immediately stepped in to argue when he heard it concerned the fight scenes.

“We invited Li Lianjie here because of his kung fu; many viewers love watching that,” Peter Chan explained.

“It’s one thing if the audience likes it, then we can give them a few close-up shots. But to keep the camera following them is going too far. War scenes are different from the romance scenes you’ve made before, where you kiss me and I touch you, and those shots are fixed on you. You stab me with a sword and I slash you with a knife, there are thousands of people on the battlefield, are we going to give them all close-ups? The protagonist is just an ordinary person on the battlefield.” Cheng Xiaodong argued logically.

“But how can you capture everyone’s expressions if you position the camera so far away? I need to use the expressions of a few soldiers to show the cruelty of this war.” Chen Kexin, who was speaking slowly and deliberately, raised his voice several octaves.

“War doesn’t need to be shown on camera; it’s inherently brutal. The camera is positioned so far away to showcase the grandeur of the battlefield. This is a war film, a life-or-death struggle, a fight to the death, not a love story. I’m the action choreographer; I’ve directed countless scenes like this. You can’t go wrong by listening to me.” Cheng Xiaodong said impatiently.

"Xiao Dong, how about this? We have six cameras, three of which are for you, and the other three will stay with us..." Li Lianjie suggested.

"Six cameras aren't enough. If we give you half, the effect will be greatly diminished," Cheng Xiaodong said, unwilling to accept the offer.

“I’m the director. You have the camera, what am I supposed to do? Just stand by and watch?” Peter Chan was annoyed.

"War scenes are my forte. You can do whatever you want with other scenes, but I have to do this one," Cheng Xiaodong insisted.

"Since that's how it is, I'm quitting. You can film it however you want." Peter Chan stormed off.

"Director, director, Xiao Dong was just saying, do you think this is okay..." Li Lianjie hurriedly chased after him.

“Director, Xiao Dong has a rather straightforward temper, please calm down…” Andy Lau followed, and Cheng Xiaodong hesitated for a moment before also following.

Gao Yuanyuan nudged Liu Jing with her shoulder, "Aren't you going to follow?"

"What would I do if I went along? There's nothing wrong with the scenes I'm filming today. We'll just film whatever the director tells us to. We're not the type to make a fuss." Liu Jing didn't bother with it. It wasn't that he didn't want to go, but there was no need for him to.

Filming for "The Warlords" has been underway for half a month, and the first scene, the Battle of Shucheng, is still not over.

The director and lead actor argue, the lead actor and action choreographer discuss, the action choreographer and director quarrel, and the directors themselves hold differing opinions...

Liu Jing had gotten used to it; he spent half of his time arguing every day.

"Was it like this when you filmed with them before?" Gao Yuanyuan had an expression of knowing what she was talking about. In the past, when she filmed, she would just do whatever the director told her to do.

This is great, the three main actors and the action choreographer seem to be even more powerful than the director, each of them can command the director.

"It's normal for customers to bully shops, and for shops to bully customers. Haven't you seen how directors have to fawn over Jackie Chan on set?" Liu Jing said, unsurprised.

“How come I haven’t seen that? When we were filming ‘Rob-B-Hood,’ he would say that if we could get this take right, then we could get that take right.” Gao Yuanyuan said enviously, “When will I be able to do that? When will the director have to listen to me?”

She glanced at Liu Jing, thinking that if he became a director someday, she could take a roundabout approach and whisper in his ear; maybe he would listen to her.

“Peter Chan is good at shooting romance films, but he’s a newbie when it comes to this kind of film and can’t handle the pressure. Look at Big Beard and Fatty Wang, they’re the undisputed leaders on set. Even when they’re not on set, the whole crew has to revolve around them,” Liu Jing explained.

"They've both been fawning over you lately," Gao Yuanyuan said with a smile, her expression full of pride. This is the kind of man I want. He can not only subdue women, but also intimidate men.

"The more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to deceive you," Liu Jing remarked.

Two renowned directors competed for half a month, thanks to Zhang Min's few words.

In the end, Big Beard filmed a TV series, and Fatty Wang filmed a movie; both of them were very happy.

Liu Jing was also very happy, as that was his original plan. Little did he know that Zhang Min's actions would lead them to not only voluntarily lower their fees but also sign even more terms with Chunqiu.

The most basic requirement is that the actors in the two dramas should be in close succession.

Fatty Wang is currently preparing for "The Sharpshooter and the Wise Man," and "The Yin-Yang Sacred Flame Order" is expected to begin preparations in April and start filming in July.

The script still has many problems, so Chunqiu has arranged for several screenwriters to assist Fatty Wang in improving the script.

As for why filming started in July, it's because Liu Jing is on summer vacation; he is both the director and lead actor in this production.

"The Deer and the Cauldron" has not yet finished filming. According to Big Beard's traditional habits, preparations for "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" will only begin after this movie is released.

As for when it will be turned on, it will definitely be in 2008.

With talent shows being so popular lately, Big Beard is planning something big, starting a nationwide casting call at the end of 2007.

With the plan finalized, the two renowned directors stopped arguing and instead discussed how to collaborate.

Given Wang Pangzi's efficiency, even if "The Yin-Yang Sacred Flame Order" is released, "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" might not even start filming.

Therefore, the various ideas behind the joint promotion of the two dramas left Liu Jing in awe.

Arguments are everywhere. Liu Jing felt comfortable listening to the quarrels of the people in the room; he found it pleasant to listen to.

It's none of my business, so I'll just ignore it; all that's missing is a handful of sunflower seeds.

"I've never lied to you," Gao Yuanyuan quickly declared.

"Because you're not pretty enough."

"Pah! You've got the desire but not the guts." Gao Yuanyuan rolled her eyes at Liu Jing. She had expressed her feelings several times, but the man in front of her had rejected her.

The man was worried that she wouldn't be able to handle it, and she naturally understood.

"How's your filming going?" Joking aside, Liu Jing still wanted to get down to business. He was hoping that Gao Yuanyuan would win a Best Actress award for this blockbuster.

"I've never been this well-prepared in all my filming experience," Gao Yuanyuan said confidently. She had been preparing before filming began, but hadn't had any scenes to film afterward. She didn't just hang out every night; she always made time to rehearse her lines.

“The character of Lian Sheng is quite complex. Her interactions with Pang Qingyun and Zhao Erhu are different, so we need to pay close attention to her micro-expressions and eye acting. But don’t be too deliberate, or you’ll fall short.” Liu Jing was still worried.

He was also aiming for an award, since Liu Jing had previously looked down on the acting skills of the other two leads.

After the camera started rolling, Liu Jing watched the two actors' performance and suddenly fell silent.

These two actors gave it their all for this film; it feels like they've poured their entire life's worth of acting experience into this one role.

Spurred on by these two, Liu Jing also gave it his all.

The three male leads got into a heated argument, putting pressure on the director and action choreographer.

Everyone wants perfection, and the number of arguments is increasing.

"Help me go over the lines again. Tonight, you're Pang Qingyun." Gao Yuanyuan's eyes sparkled, and she smiled secretly.

Lian Sheng's scenes are all between the three brothers, and for the past two weeks, the two of them have been role-playing every night.

Lian Sheng will always be Lian Sheng, but Liu Jing will no longer be Liu Jing. He will switch back and forth between Pang Qingyun, Zhao Erhu, and Jiang Wuyang.

"Ahem, well, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. If I can't answer them, we'll go find the director." Liu Jing's face flushed slightly; he couldn't be as at ease as Gao Yuanyuan in public.

"I recently looked into the history of the late Qing Dynasty, and the four great unsolved cases. The officials in the play, Lord Jiang, Lord Di, and Lord Chen, didn't exist in history. The important officials of that period included Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, Hu Linyi, and so on. Who do these three officials correspond to?" Gao Yuanyuan really had a question, unrelated to her role in the play, purely out of curiosity.

“You’re overthinking it. Perhaps they resemble those adults, but there’s no need to draw parallels. The Assassination of Ma was filmed more than 30 years ago. Some suggested using that script directly and inviting the original cast. Director Chen didn’t agree, and instead rewrote the script and reassembled the team. The three main actors in that original Assassination of Ma were David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Chen Kuan-tai. Choosing these three surnames was to pay tribute to them,” Liu Jing explained.

All three male leads participated in the scriptwriting, so they are very familiar with this aspect.

The script was written in Yandu, and Liu Jing often went there during that period.

"Then all my research was for nothing," Gao Yuanyuan said, somewhat dejected.

"Huh! I think I heard them talking about Jiang Wuyang." Liu Jing's expression shifted, and he lost interest in comforting his sister-in-law.

You can argue all you want, but don't change my character. The script for "The Warlords" was only finalized before filming began, and it looked completely different from what it had been two months earlier.

Half a month after filming began, the script has changed quite a bit compared to before filming started.

When filming, the production crew will usually give you the script for tomorrow or the day after in advance.

But this play is different. Maybe I'll give it to you, maybe I'll give it to you that morning, or maybe there won't be a script at all.

"Go listen to it, and you'll know," Gao Yuanyuan suggested.

"Forget it. I'm easygoing. We're actors, we have to follow the director's instructions. We'll film however the director tells us to." Liu Jing shrugged. He preferred to avoid trouble and was too lazy to argue or fight.

Sometimes, participating in discussions is simply a way to better write reflections.

After all, the teacher assigned homework, 10,000 words.

"Liu Jing, come here for a moment, let's discuss how to revise this scene." Another director, Ye Weimin, came out of the room and called to Liu Jing.

"How do you plan to change it?" Liu Jing asked.

"The director said that in the scene where you snatch Pang Qingyun's military boots, you have to lose to Pang Qingyun," Ye Weimin explained.

"That's not how it's written in the script." Liu Jing took two quick steps and rushed into the house.

Revisions are acceptable, but they must be made in a way that benefits me. Anything detrimental to me is better left unrevised.

So, Gao Yuanyuan stood at the door, feeling utterly bored.

Just now it was four grown men arguing, now it's five grown men arguing.

The halftime break, which was supposed to be ten minutes, was stretched to twenty minutes, and the room was still noisy.

"A big production worth hundreds of millions, how come it's treated like child's play?" Gao Yuanyuan muttered.

Ten minutes later, Ye Weimin came out of the room again, holding a megaphone and shouting, "That's all for today. The stagehands, hurry up and arrange the meal."

"This is unusually hasty," Gao Yuanyuan muttered to herself. The first scene has been filmed for so long; when will it ever end?

The second scene features Lian Sheng, who is quite happy to be on screen, as her role is scheduled quite early in the story.

Now I realize I was too happy too soon. The first scene is never-ending, and the second scene is nowhere in sight.

"Gao Yuanyuan, come here for a moment. The director has an idea about your scene." Ye Weimin beckoned to Gao Yuanyuan.

"Director, are you not going to give me another new script? I already have more than a dozen different scripts in my hand," Gao Yuanyuan complained.

"Ahem, this shows we take filming seriously." Ye Weimin said somewhat awkwardly.

Gao Yuanyuan is not a minor actress; she has connections and cannot be treated like an ordinary actress.

If other actors dared to say that, they would have been criticized long ago.

"Yuanyuan, the filming of the Battle of Shucheng will be completed in the next couple of days. What is your understanding of the character Liansheng?"

Chen Kexin's attitude has softened considerably, suggesting the problem has been resolved, which is Gao Yuanyuan's guess.

She pondered for a moment, "I think Liansheng represents a type of person. They come from humble backgrounds but have seen a certain amount of the world. They crave security, yet also yearn for a richer world. They are not bad people; they are kind-hearted. On one hand, they are dissatisfied with their current situation, but on the other hand, they are bound by moral constraints. They are conflicted and constantly struggling. They are timid and fearful, yet they yearn for a life of wealth and luxury. They want their freedom, but they lack the ability to obtain it. They run away and come back, then want to run away again—that's the kind of agonizing dilemma they face. Such women are not only a microcosm of that era, but there are many of them today as well."

The men exchanged bewildered glances. They had only asked the man to talk about understanding, not to elevate the discussion to this level.

“I think the character of Lian Sheng is still too one-dimensional. I’d like to add some passionate scenes between her and Pang Qingyun. What do you think?” Peter Chan suggested.

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone except the director turned their attention to Liu Jing.

It's not uncommon for couples to be on set; it's a common phenomenon in most film crews.

Actors are human beings too, and they also have physiological needs.

They would film together for several months, either playing lovers or spending a lot of time together.

In the first two days after the machine was turned on, Gao Yuanyuan did not show any abnormalities, except that she often went to Liu Jing's room.

In the past few days, she has been openly staying in Liu Jing's room and rarely returns to her own room.

Doing laundry and serving meals were both part of the job.

If you still don't understand what's going on, you might as well just bang your head against a wall.

"Director, I won't film these scenes. That's what we agreed on back then." Before Gao Yuanyuan could respond, Li Lianjie spoke first.

"Director, Lian Sheng's scenes have already been added enough." Gao Yuanyuan said tactfully, without saying it directly. My man is right in front of me, how could I dare to film any intimate scenes?

Two months ago, when she had just landed the role, the production team gave her a very thin script.

She also complained that Lian Sheng had very few scenes, and was not as good as a decorative vase.

At least the vase can be shown multiple times in the play, attracting the audience's attention.

The scripts that followed grew thicker and thicker. Lian Sheng, who originally only had a few scenes, became the true female lead. Her role was prominent throughout the entire series, no less than that of the three male leads.

Liu Jing did not request additional scenes; it was entirely due to the director and screenwriter's creative process that they couldn't stop themselves.

"It's just for show. If it's too revealing, it'll be difficult to pass the censorship. Besides, we've arranged for a body double, so you don't need to worry about that. Arranging two scenes like this will make the character of Lian Sheng more well-rounded," Peter Chan explained.

"The director's thinking is very thoughtful, I have no objections." Gao Yuanyuan said with a smile.

Many kissing and passionate scenes are achieved through technical means, not through actual sex.

However, some actors, in order to achieve a realistic effect, did not make things difficult for the photographer and actually did the work themselves.

"Phew! That's good." Chen Kexin breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't have dared to force Gao Yuanyuan if she didn't agree.

"Director, it seems I haven't agreed yet," Li Lianjie said, displeased.

"Liu Jing, your suggestion for the scene where Jiang Wuyang snatches the military boots was excellent. When we film that scene, let's try filming it the way you suggested first." Peter Chan ignored Li Lianjie.

"Okay!" Liu Jing nodded.

"By the way, I heard you have excellent calligraphy skills. I'd like to ask you to write down some lines from the script and paste them on this."

"no problem."

Liu Jing didn't want to stay and continue discussing the plot, so he winked at Gao Yuanyuan and they went out one after the other.

The set was noisy, with people lined up in several rows, many of them holding hot milk tea.

"Which idiot came to visit the set? There are so many people in the crew. If each person gets a cup of milk tea, it must cost tens of thousands." Liu Jing chuckled.

The Battle of Shucheng involved a considerable number of extras, numbering over a thousand. Adding the staff, the total was one or two thousand.

Choosing to visit the set at this time is definitely not a good idea.

"I guess she's a fan of Andy Lau," Gao Yuanyuan guessed.

"Probably, only his fans have that much fanbase." Liu Jing said sourly, "Every time Qianqian is filming, many fans visit the set."

When he's filming, very few fans request to visit the set.

Even if there were, it would only be out of consideration for Sisi.

"Not necessarily," Gao Yuanyuan chuckled.

Liu Jing doesn't cultivate a fan base and never communicates with fans, so it's normal that they don't come to visit the set.

"Maybe he's one of your fans." Liu Jing glanced at Gao Yuanyuan. She had quite a few fans, especially male fans.

“I would definitely know in advance,” Gao Yuanyuan shook her head.

Visiting the set isn't something anyone can just do; it requires the production crew's approval.

If her fans want to visit the set, the production team will definitely ask for her opinion first.

The production team welcomes many set visits, as they are often a form of indirect promotion for the filming.

"This is insane..." Liu Jing muttered to himself, then suddenly couldn't continue.

"I think I know who the idiot is," Gao Yuanyuan murmured.

Sisi, holding a cup of milk tea in one hand and wearing a maroon down jacket, walked towards this side with her braids swinging back and forth.

"Wood, do you want a drink?"

"Why are you here?" Liu Jing frowned, secretly blaming the production crew for not even giving him a heads-up.

When he saw Xixi, his first thought was that Gao Yuanyuan's clothes and luggage were in his room.

The house was in a mess, and some evidence of the crime had not yet been collected.

"Aren't you welcome?" Sisi looked at Liu Jing quietly. What was this guy feeling guilty about?
"Of course you're welcome. Is this cup for me?" Gao Yuanyuan also felt guilty, as she was thinking the same question as Liu Jing.

"Sister Yuanyuan, you look so simple in your outfit." Qianqian smiled and handed her a cup of milk tea.

"I wore this outfit in the play to get a feel for it beforehand, so I didn't change," Gao Yuanyuan explained.

“This is good, it makes it easier to get into character.” Suddenly, Xixi’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Gao Yuanyuan’s abdomen. “Am I going to be an aunt?”

(End of this chapter)