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The night in Qingdao was already a bit chilly, but the window of Director Kong's temporary office was left a crack open, letting the sea breeze, carrying the salty smell of the sea, drift in and mix with the heavy smell of smoke inside.

The ashtray on the coffee table was piled high with cigarette butts, but the three core members of the creative team showed no signs of fatigue and were engrossed in a discussion about a name.

"Old Liu, Old Wang, take a look at this photo first." Director Kong pushed a laminated photo to the center of the desk and tapped the edge of the photo lightly with his fingertips.

He specifically copied and printed the photo from Chen Tao's phone that afternoon...

In the picture, Suning stands on the Qingdao Zhanqiao Pier, with surging waves and the setting sun behind him. His 183-centimeter figure is stretched long by the afterglow, and the collar of his white T-shirt is slightly open, revealing his clear collarbone.

He wasn't looking at the camera, but rather at the distant sea. His profile was clean and sharp, and his eyes were as clear as the undisturbed seawater. He possessed both the unique heroic spirit of a Shandong lad and a subtle, unassuming simplicity.

“This is the temporary stagehand who set Mr. Guo’s bones the day before yesterday, his name is Su Ning.” Director Kong leaned back in his chair, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, the smoke rising gently. “Today, Lao Li mentioned it to me, saying that this young man has a good temperament and might be able to try out for a role in the play. I’m thinking that we should give this young man a chance.”

Assistant director Lao Wang was the first to pick up the photo, his brows furrowing into a deep frown.

As the most senior casting consultant in the production team, he has worked with at least eighty to a hundred actors. His discerning eye is almost harsh, and he will never easily give in because of "personal relationships".

He held the photo up to the light, squinted and examined it carefully, his fingers unconsciously tapping rapidly on the table. He remained silent for a full half minute before speaking, his tone full of caution: "His appearance is indeed outstanding, with well-proportioned eyebrows and eyes, and his bone structure is also photogenic. But that's also the problem... he's too outstanding."

He put down the photo, turned his gaze to Director Kong, and said in an increasingly serious tone: "We are filming a period drama. 'Parents' Love' needs to be close to real life and have a down-to-earth feel. The actors' faces need to have a sense of the era and be able to make people think of ordinary people from that time at a glance. This young man is too modern and too eye-catching. If he is placed in an ensemble scene, the audience's attention will be completely drawn to him, which will disrupt the rhythm of the main plot."

After a pause, Lao Wang added, "More importantly, he hasn't received any professional acting training. Being a good production assistant doesn't mean he can act well. If his acting is awkward and he can't even convey basic emotions, it will ruin the atmosphere of the whole scene, and we'll have to reshoot and redo the scenes, which will delay the schedule."

"What if we let him play Jiang Weimin, the youngest son of Jiang Defu and An Jie?" Director Kong didn't answer the question, but instead put forward a new suggestion.

Old Wang paused for a moment, then quickly picked up the photo and examined it repeatedly...

He had previously thought that Director Kong wanted Su Ning to audition for a young role like "Wang Haiyang," but he didn't expect it to be Jiang Weimin, who had a lighter role and a simpler personality.

At this moment, the female screenwriter Lao Liu, who had been silent all along, took the photo, pushed up her black-rimmed glasses, and gently ran her fingertips over Su Ning's eyebrows and eyes in the photo.

As the person in the crew who understands the character's inner world best, she has always been exceptionally tolerant of actors with "spirit" and has a natural affinity for good-looking people.

“I think we can give it a try.” She looked up at the two of them, her tone confident. “Look at their bone structure, clear jawline, and cheekbones that aren’t too prominent. It will look very comfortable on camera. Especially their eyes, so clean and pure, with that unadorned naturalness that perfectly matches Jiang Weimin’s honest and somewhat ‘reserved’ personality. Jiang Weimin isn’t exactly a standout character, and his ‘ordinariness’ actually needs this kind of unpretentious quality to carry it off.”

Old Liu became more and more excited as he spoke, leaning forward slightly: "Moreover, Jiang Weimin's role isn't very big, so even if his acting is a little awkward, it won't have a big impact on the main plot. Nowadays, audiences are tired of seeing the same old 'familiar faces,' and fresh faces can bring surprises. If this young man has talent, he might be able to bring Jiang Weimin to life and make him a highlight of the show."

Seeing that Lao Liu was determined, Lao Wang stopped stubbornly opposing him.

He knew that Director Kong brought this up not only because he thought Su Ning had potential, but also because he wanted to use the role to thank him.

After all, Suning deserves the most credit for controlling Guo's injury in time.

Then, Assistant Director Lao Wang sighed and tapped his finger on the photo: "Since Lao Liu thinks so highly of it, then I won't stop him. But let me make this clear from the start, I have to personally oversee the audition. If he can't even get the basic lines and emotions right, we'll have to find another way to thank him, like giving him more subsidies or helping him find work in other production crews. Acting is something you can't compromise on."

“Of course.” Director Kong nodded immediately, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. “Artistic quality is always the top priority; we can’t let personal relationships break the rules.”

He paused, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "But I always felt this young man was extraordinary. The day before yesterday, when he was setting Professor Guo's bones, his composure in the face of danger, and his precise control over the force and angle, were unlike that of an ordinary college student. Even medical students might not have his level of focus."

“I made a special inquiry this afternoon,” producer Lao Li, who was sitting next to him, finally interjected, his tone tinged with surprise. “This kid is a top student in the Computer Science Department of Jiangsu-Zhejiang University. His college entrance examination score was among the top fifty in the province. Unfortunately, he was in a car accident today and lost his memory after waking up. He can’t even remember the knowledge he learned before, so he was forced to suspend his studies and return to Qingdao to recuperate. Chen Tao said that he used to have a particularly strong learning ability and could learn anything very quickly.”

The meeting room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.

The three of them looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise.

A computer genius suffering from amnesia goes to work as a temporary stagehand on a film set and unexpectedly saves the lead actor. Now he has to audition for a role.

The plot is even more convoluted than the script they are currently filming.

After a while, Director Kong suddenly sat up straight, tapping his fingers heavily on the table as if he had made up his mind: "Here's what we'll do! Old Wang, arrange it for Su Ning to audition for a scene tomorrow. Choose the 'Peach Crisp Incident,' the scene where Jiang Weimin gets hit with chopsticks by An Jie for tattling during a family meal—that scene isn't emotionally complex, it mainly shows Jiang Weimin's grievance and idiocy. It doesn't need to be too formal, just treat it as a joke on set. Don't put too much pressure on him, lest he get nervous and underperform."

Old Wang nodded: "I understand. I'll find a relaxed occasion to talk to him, so he doesn't feel like it's an 'exam'."

No one knows that Director Kong's initial plan with producer Lao Li was to have Su Ning play the role of "adult Jiang Weimin".

The character with even less screen time and a later appearance, only appearing in the segment where "Jiang Defu and his wife return to their hometown in Shandong".

But his discussion with Lao Wang and Lao Liu just now has given him a glimmer of hope: perhaps this unpredictable young man can bring a different kind of surprise?

Director Kong himself found it funny...

Throughout his 30-year film career, he has always been known for his "rationality." His casting decisions are always based on careful consideration of various factors and repeated auditions, and he rarely makes last-minute adjustments based on "feelings."

But when facing Su Ning, he inexplicably wanted to take a gamble and see what kind of potential this clean-eyed young man could unleash.

The meeting ended close to midnight.

The three of them stepped out of the office, and the night breeze, carrying the coolness of the sea, instantly dispelled the smell of smoke from their clothes.

A few lights were still on on the set in the distance, and the sounds of crew packing up equipment could be faintly heard; the night shoot was still in progress.

Looking at the lights in the distance, Lao Liu suddenly laughed out loud: "To be honest, I'm actually quite looking forward to it. Maybe we can really find a 'hidden gem' actor this time."

Old Wang curled his lip, his tone still carrying a hint of disdain: "Hmph! Don't get your hopes up too high. There are plenty of good-looking young people, but not many who can act well. I hope he's not just a pretty but useless 'stone'."

Meanwhile, Su Ning, who was staying in the crew's temporary dormitory, was completely unaware of the power struggle taking place in the conference room late at night.

He was sitting at his desk, flipping through a book he had borrowed from the script supervisor, titled "An Introduction to Acting," by the light of the desk lamp...

During the day, when he listened to Lao Zhang talk about lighting and the sound engineer talk about microphone placement, he felt that "filming" was a very interesting thing, so he wanted to learn more about it.

Moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, falling on the pages of the book and illuminating his focused profile.

The face that was about to appear on the screen looked exceptionally gentle in the moonlight.

No one knew that a life-changing turning point was quietly waiting not far away.

……

As the morning light of the Qingdao Film and Television Base shone over the walls, Su Ning followed Chen Tao as they pushed a heavy food cart into the film set.

The food cart contained hot fried dough sticks, soy milk, and tea eggs, which were breakfasts prepared for the early shift staff.

The two had just pushed the food cart to its designated spot and were about to lift the insulated lid when they heard hurried footsteps behind them. Assistant director Lao Wang strode over, his face expressionless, but his tone was more serious than usual.

"Su Ning, come here for a moment." Old Wang beckoned to him, gesturing for him to speak behind the backdrop.

It was a relatively quiet corner of the film set, with only a few unused prop boxes piled up to the side, out of the sight of others.

Suning put down his work and followed Lao Wang over.

Before he could even ask, Old Wang pulled out a few pages of printed script from his pocket and handed them over: "Director Kong looked at your situation and thinks there's a role in the play that might suit you. He'd like you to give it a try."

He paused, then briefly explained the audition arrangements: "After breakfast, go to Studio Two to audition for a scene with Jiang Weimin. Here are the lines; familiarize yourself with them beforehand so you don't forget them when you're nervous."

As soon as he finished speaking, Old Wang turned and left in a hurry.

He also had to coordinate the movements of other actors, so he didn't have much time to chat with Su Ning.

Su Ning was left standing there, holding those few thin pages of the script, somewhat dazed.

The paper still retained the warmth of the printer, and the three characters "Jiang Weimin" were printed prominently in the title.

"What's wrong? What did Lao Wang say to you?" Chen Tao walked over carrying two cups of soy milk. Seeing Su Ning standing there motionless, he curiously approached her.

Su Ning handed him the script, her tone slightly puzzled: "The assistant director wants me to audition for the role of Jiang Weimin."

Chen Tao took the script and glanced at it. He paused for two seconds, then slapped his thigh and laughed so hard his eyes narrowed: "I knew it! When Director Kong asked me for your photo yesterday, I guessed this might be true! Great! Su Ning, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So many people would kill to get a chance to appear in Director Kong's film!"

"Cousin, did you arrange this in advance?" Su Ning frowned. He felt that this matter came too suddenly, as if someone had given him a push from behind.

"How could I possibly have that ability?" Chen Tao waved his hand with a smile, patted his shoulder, and said sincerely, "Do you really think I'm some big boss who can influence the casting of the production team? This is definitely because you saved Teacher Guo last time, and the production team wants to take this opportunity to thank you. But then again, the opportunity has been given to you; whether you can seize it is up to you."

“But I’ve never acted before, not even in school arts festivals.” Su Ning tightened her grip on the script slightly, a hint of hesitation creeping into her heart.

He doesn't even have a memory of his own past, so how could he possibly play a role with a historical background?
"What are you afraid of? It's just an audition. If you succeed, great; if you don't, there's no loss. You'll get to show your face in front of Director Kong, and you'll be more valued in the crew later." Chen Tao patted his arm, his tone full of encouragement. "Besides, you used to be a top student at Zhejiang University. You have such strong learning abilities. Acting might be a piece of cake for you. Is it harder than getting into the top 50 in the province in the college entrance examination?"

These words silenced Suning.

He looked down at the lines in the script, and his hesitation was gradually replaced by a hint of curiosity...

Perhaps he could give it a try?

After breakfast, Suning found an empty prop warehouse, gently closed the door, and shut out the noise from the film set.

The warehouse was filled with props from period dramas, including enamel mugs printed with "Serving XX", blue overalls, and an old black-and-white television set, instantly transporting people back to decades ago.

He sat on a wooden box and carefully opened the script.

The scene I auditioned for was a highly dramatic family scene from "Our Parents' Love": set in the 1970s, when resources were scarce, the family finally managed to save up a box of peach shortbread, and the siblings secretly pried open the cupboard to share it, but they didn't invite Jiang Weimin.

Jiang Weimin felt wronged and angry, and immediately told his mother An Jie about it. Unexpectedly, An Jie did not scold the other children, but instead picked up her chopsticks and hit him hard, muttering "tattooing bastard" and "spineless".

Surprisingly, as Suning read the lines word by word, the complete scene naturally appeared in his mind, like a movie playing.

He could almost see the cramped yet cozy little house, sunlight streaming through the window onto the wooden dining table, several children gathered around the cupboard, nervously breaking apart peach shortbread, quickly picking up the crumbs that fell on the floor; he could feel Jiang Weimin standing at the door, watching his siblings secretly share snacks with him, feeling the humiliation and resentment of being ostracized; and he could even understand the fleeting fear in An Jie's eyes when she heard "tattling"—a fear that wasn't anger at the children's mistake, but rather a trauma from the depths of her heart.

Su Ning put down the script and gently stroked the words on the page with her fingers.

Despite having lost all his personal memories, he seemed to be able to accurately capture the emotions of the characters and understand everyone from that era of passion.

Just like now, he can understand the vulnerability hidden behind Anjie's anger through her lines...

It wasn't that she didn't love Jiang Weimin, but rather that his "tattling" touched on her deepest wound.

He turned to the last page of the script, where there was a character analysis written by the screenwriter, specifically explaining An Jie's psychological state...

Upon reading this, Su Ning's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and a strange sense of resonance welled up within her.

He couldn't remember his past, yet he seemed to understand that feeling...

It's like someone standing in a downpour, wanting to hold an umbrella and walk forward, but being blown off balance by the strong wind.

He also understands the weight of trauma, like an invisible scar that doesn't hurt normally, but once touched, it can cause excruciating pain.

“Distinguish between minor mistakes and major mistakes…” Su Ning read aloud the annotations in the script, her voice exceptionally clear in the quiet warehouse, “Stealing peach shortbread is a child’s minor mistake, but ‘snitching’ could lead to unexpected tragedies and irreparable serious consequences…”

"Of course, it's also because Anjie isn't very good at disciplining children, since Dehua usually takes on the role of a mother."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to completely immerse himself in the role of Jiang Weimin.

He imagined himself as the least noticeable child in the family, whose older siblings disliked him for being "stupid" and were unwilling to play with him; his parents' attention was always on the more sensible child, and few people asked him if he was happy.

When he saw his siblings secretly eating peach shortbread, a wave of grievances surged up in his heart. He didn't want to "tattle," he just wanted to talk to his mother about his feelings, but he never expected that his words would provoke such a huge anger from his mother.

When Su Ning opened her eyes again, her expression had changed.

The previous hesitation and nervousness disappeared, replaced by a sense of determination and understanding...

He may not have acting experience and may not know how to pose or control his expressions, but he was able to get into Jiang Weimin's heart and feel the character's grievances, helplessness, and longing for family recognition.

Just then, the voice of Assistant Director Lao Wang came from outside the warehouse, urging impatiently: "Su Ning, are you ready? The audition is about to begin, Director Kong and the others are waiting in the studio!"

Su Ning folded the script neatly, put it in his pants pocket, stood up, and patted the dust off the corner of his clothes.

He took a deep breath, pushed open the warehouse door, and walked towards Studio Two.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the glass roof of the photography studio, casting bright beams of light onto the ground.

One of the beams of light fell right in front of Su Ning, like a spotlight on a stage, quietly waiting for this inexperienced newcomer to step onto his first "stage".

...(End of chapter)