I'm not a drama freak, I can really see through the script

Chapter 215, Who goes fishing without a helmet?
Actually, in the production crew, the matter of Li Xuan and his group of young new actors wasn't really a big deal. The director focused most of his attention on the two main actors.

In the absolute sense—the protagonist.

Liang Jiahui, and Ren Huada.

In particular, Leung Ka-fai is second only to Sing Siu-lung and Stephen Chow in terms of star power, and his acting range is wider than these two. His only shortcoming is his commercial value.

Simon Yam is a specialist in genre films, and he is considered a near-top-tier actor in police and gangster films. Although his acting range is not very wide, he is focused on one type of film, and his strength and status are by no means ordinary. At least in the gangster film series, he can be compared with Leung Ka-fai.

One is a first-tier city, and the other is a near-first-tier city.

One has a wide range of roles and is a versatile actor; the other specializes in one particular area.

"You look terrible."

"I filmed in India for a while."

“He went to India.” Ren Huada looked at Liang Jiahui, who was pale-faced beside him. “He probably didn’t drink Ganges water.”

Liang Jiahui's face turned even paler.

"They probably didn't eat any local food."

"."

"I won't do it again next time."

Big D sincerely repented.

I won't do it again next time.

At this point, Ren Huada just smiled and didn't say anything more.

He was really looking forward to it.

Acting opposite this versatile actor.

Although I am almost a top-tier player and cannot compare to his status, this does not mean that there is a significant gap in their abilities.

Especially in police and gangster themes.

He was completely in his comfort zone when he was playing well.

That's how filming is.

People who reach their level no longer care about things as vague as money and fame.

Or perhaps this is no longer a decisive factor.

There's also a refreshing feeling.

There's also the desire to explore and the feeling of battling against masters.

Win against him.

What you get is not important.

The process of winning against him is very important.

"But this Indian man also helped me out."

At this moment, Liang Jiahui clenched his fist.

Big D is inherently a person who is all bark and no bite, and the just-right sense of weakness adds to the character's flavor, so it's not bad.

"Watching masters compete will be helpful for our future."

At that moment, Fei Xue was smoking next to Lin Jiadong.

Both on and off screen, he had a good relationship with this person who shared his plight. They both came from humble backgrounds and struggled step by step through hardships to gain a glimmer of hope.

But it's not as good as someone who gets in through connections. Life is such a strange and ridiculous thing.

"In the future, the future will be about sucking up to the big shots, about being all things to all people." Lin Jiadong felt a slight resentment at this moment; he was genuinely unhappy and jealous.

I'm jealous that Li Xuan got the role he worked so hard for so easily, and I'm also jealous that he gained recognition so easily.

Why.

Why is it that even though I've been following Andy Lau for so long, he always says I still need to practice?

However, he is recognized for his abilities.

"That Li Xuan isn't just a charlatan either. His performance in 'Kung Fu Hustle' was absolutely fantastic," Fei Xue said. He had seen "Kung Fu Hustle" and thought the character of Fire Cloud Evil God was really good; his acting and kung fu were both top-notch.

"Brigitte Lin's Dongfang Bubai is amazing enough, why don't you let her play Lin Daiyu?"

Lin Jiadong clicked his tongue in amazement.

It's really the same principle.

Lin Jiadong didn't think Li Xuan could handle both types of roles.

You have your image and your comfort zone.

Do you think you're some kind of good-natured actor, capable of handling any type of role?

Lin Jiadong's idea was very simple.

I do not believe.

I really don't believe it.

There aren't that many exceptionally gifted people in this world. And what are the odds that it's possible to happen to have such a gifted person right next to you?
Yes, Lin Jiadong admitted that he was jealous, that there was a bit of jealousy in him.

But no one actually told him the answer to that question.

Why do some people get everything without having to work hard?
"Look, now we can't even find anyone to act with. Do you really think he wants to take this project seriously?"

At this moment.

While another person with connections, Zhang Jiahui, was diligently studying the script, Li Xuan was nowhere to be found.

At this moment, Li Xuan was standing on the street corner of Bolan Street.

These young ladies are overwhelmed with requests.

They were all making flamboyant noises.

come.

Come on, let's have some fun!

Hey bro, you're so handsome, I'll give you a discount.

No need for discounts, I'd even accept it for free.

How much does the young man cost?

Various sounds surrounded Li Xuan, making him feel somewhat helpless and unable to fully immerse himself in the music.

All I want to do is act!
Occasionally, Li Xuan would also think about it.

If I chose the path of a hoodlum, what would it be like to hang out with those shrewd guys and experience the glory of the moment?

It seems like a pretty tempting thing for me back in my student days.

That's really impressive!

A fleeting moment of glory.

That's enough to corrupt a young person.

An illusion created by the interweaving of time.

This old street has been recreated.

The gangsters are shouting about brotherhood, yet they're hacking and slashing people here.

Fighting and dying for the benefit of the boss.

My younger brother lost an arm.

The boss was drinking a toast in the restaurant, letting bygones be bygones, and nothing happened. Except for his underling who lost an arm and gained the title of adopted son leader in the gang, nothing else happened.

At this moment, Li Xuan squatted on the curb, holding a cigarette in his hand. Well, Li Xuan doesn't smoke, he's just holding it.

Try to simulate that feeling.

It's actually quite exciting.

"The underworld."

"It's a lie that people in the martial world have no choice in their own lives. There's no other reason to become a plunderer or an oppressor."

This is the background color that Li Xuan chose.

"Why can't you go to school? Why do you have to plunder others?"

"What's the point of studying? We don't even have public housing. The only school we can go to is the worst one. You want me to study? You want me to go to school? Brother, are you kidding me?"

At this moment, someone sitting behind Li Xuan spoke.

He lit a cigarette but put it in his mouth and smoked it; it was the cheapest kind.

"Just finished killing someone?"

"Mao, I'm not responsible for killing people. I'm a coward. I'll just collect protection money from the warehouse."

"So why don't you study? Salaries are so high in Hong Kong. You can become a lawyer, a doctor, or a teacher through education."

"If you want to go to a good school, you need a good house. Even a shabby house costs 100,000 per square foot. Will you pay for that?"

At this moment, the person behind Li Xuan shoved a cigarette into his mouth and sneered, "If I can't be a lawyer, teacher, or doctor, I won't be able to afford a house that costs 10 per square foot. But if I want to be a teacher, doctor, or lawyer, I first need a house that costs 10 per square foot so that I'm qualified to go to school."

"Besides, university tuition isn't cheap. Will you support me through my studies?"

This is an endless loop.

If I don't join a gang or join the people who collect protection money, I'll only be the one being collected protection money, and I won't even be able to sell fish balls in peace.

When even survival becomes a problem.

Teach me!

I don't want to study!

You let me read it.

At this moment.

Li Xuan sensed the man's hysterical helplessness.

I think I understand now.

Li Xuan at this moment.

He put down the cigarette in his mouth.

That was an unlit, cheap cigarette.

[Jimmy: Mental Resistance 3, Intelligence 2, Acting Gauge 5]
You have no other choice.
Filming for "Dragon City Years" has officially begun.

Du Qifeng then summoned all the actors and distributed their scripts to them.

"Damn, all I know is how to recite the rules."

Fei Xue watched her character, who was either memorizing the gang rules or on her way to memorizing them.

"A ruthless person."

Zhang Jiahui was looking at his character, the airplane.

He doesn't need to appear in any situation that requires even a little bit of brainpower.

He's literally brain-dead.

Lin Jiadong also looked at his own role and had some ideas in mind.

The problem is not big.

"Since there are no problems, let's prepare to turn it on. By the way, where's our Jimmy?"

“He said he went to Portland Street,” Zhang Jiahui said.

"Damn it, find a brothel owner before turning on the machine." Lin Jiadong was speechless at this point: "Do you really want to experience local specialties so soon?"

Du Qifeng was at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.

He didn't say much.

It's perfectly normal for people from other places to want to try Hong Kong's local specialties.

"Alright, you guys go ahead and take pictures. I'll wait for him to come back."

Lin Jiadong was extremely jealous.

Even the director favors him so much; if it were anyone else, Du Qifeng would be lucky to escape a good scolding.

What kind of magic does he possess?!
Liang Jiahui, standing nearby, looked somewhat surprised: "Li Xuan?"

Simon Yam didn't really care much about the new generation group, since the only person present who could make him "appetized" was Liang Jiahui.

Li Xuan.

I think I filmed a mobile unit with him before, but I don't remember much about it.

It seems to be someone personally selected by General Manager Xiang through connections.

"Do you know this young man?"

“How come I didn’t know? He also participated in 'The Myth,' but I have nothing to do with that show, so I’ve never had any dealings with him.” Liang Jiahui paused and said, “I heard he acted quite well.”

"Oh."

No matter how good they are, they're still just minor actors.

Even if it were to be considered a delicacy, it would still be too young.

However, let's remember this for now.

at this time.

When Du Qifeng and the others were about to light cigarettes, they saw a refined young man wearing glasses approaching from the side.

And when I first arrived on set.

Completely different people.

"weak"

Weak.

That's the feeling Li Xuan gave Du Qifeng at that moment.

He exudes an aura of weakness. Such a weakling shouldn't be a gangster; he should be an accountant, a lawyer, or a doctor. Yet, he appears in Dragon City Years as a weakling.

Is this ridiculous?

However, at this moment, Du Qifeng suddenly felt...

this person.

His aura resonated with a surprising harmony.

The weak, and gangsters.

"Boss, I've already paid my pledge of allegiance to the gang. This is the protection fee for Portland Street."

Maybe.

Mr. Xiang.

He was absolutely right?

There are many types of gangster movies.

Basically, the script has already clearly defined the divisions.

Fei Xue is brainless and unambitious, and believes that loyalty is the most important thing in life.

Ambitious but not very bright, impulsive, reckless, ruthless, and vicious Dongguan guy.

Ambitious, but not much; a plane with absolutely no brains.

And
Jimmy, the "weakest".

Her hands were fair and slender.

Dressed in suits and ties, and wearing glasses that symbolize a weak and uneducated person, he stood out as a complete outsider in this group.

This actually surprised Lin Jiadong somewhat.

"This person is strange."

Fei Xue whispered from the side.

He could only use the word "strange".

In his mind, his understanding of Li Xuan was still at the stage of "Fire Cloud Evil God".

But the one in front of me is frail.

The image of a weak and frail scholar.

It completely overturned the original.

This represents an absolute reversal of his previous image.

"I can't believe it's possible to do that."

Lin Jiadong was somewhat surprised at this moment.

I was genuinely surprised.

This change in temperament.

Let's not talk about whether this way of acting is right or wrong.

at least.

He is capable of making this kind of change in temperament.

He's got some nerve. "Wearing glasses, he's a scholar; taking them off, he's a scoundrel. Damn, that's Zheng Yijian."

Liang Jiahui smiled with narrowed eyes.

The contrast is quite striking.

of course.

It was somewhat unexpected.

But that's the real heart of the story.

It's still Simon Yam and Leung Ka-fai.

Although Li Xuan's change in temperament is somewhat surprising, the real highlight is the match between Da D and A Le.

The characters in the play are vying for the dragon head staff.

But off-screen, they are...

Isn't it all for the sake of winning the Hong Kong Film Award?
Where is the Best Actor?

Therefore, they are destined to have a lot of scenes together.

Who wins and who loses.

Which is better or worse?

It was also a showdown between the best.

The first scene.

This is a scene depicting a game of mahjong.

and Lian Sheng.

In mahjong, the only result is a tie.

A draw is a win.

It hints at how the underworld operated in the late 1980s: if you didn't have cards or chips, you couldn't get on the table; you couldn't force your way in.

Once you're on the table, you can't just leave whenever you want.

Having a good starting hand doesn't guarantee a win.

There are consequences to losing a game.

Once you lose a hand, you can't just leave whenever you want.

It's not something you can just renege on whenever you want.

A mahjong table reveals all the rules.

at this time.

The camera then cuts to another scene.

The elders of four gangs.

Voting for the next leader.

Ah Le.

Big D.

One was wealthy and powerful, with the most influence in the gang; the other was gentle and well-liked.

Generally speaking.

His wealth and power laid the foundation for his victory.

But the elders in the gang all supported Ah Lok.

They want Ah Le to take over.

What they want is not for someone to be the person in charge every four years, but to achieve a balance.

Big D is incredibly powerful. If he becomes the leader, he can basically control everything.

No one could stop him.

Therefore, he cannot be the one in charge.

Judging from the attitude of the elders played by Wang Tianlin, it wasn't that they particularly liked Ah Le; rather, they simply didn't want to see one party dominate.

They followed the old rules of the community.

Ah Le readily accepted the suggestion.

rest assured.

I will only work for 4 years.

4 years later.

I recommend you to be the person in charge.

But he said this to almost everyone who helped him.

Say it to the airplane, say it to the Dongguan boy, say it to Ah Le.

As for Fei Xue... well, he really didn't say anything about Fei Xue.

Even to Big D.

This is a refined middle-aged man with a smile on his face.

He is a tiger.

One, a smiling tiger.

A smiling tiger and a violent brute.

They put on a show at the negotiating table and in front of the camera together.

This also made the Lin family understand.

Why? Andy Lau said that watching them act greatly helped his career.

That’s true.

Seeing these two award-winning actors compete up close, in the same frame, is a treat and awe-inspiring for onlookers.

"Their acting skills are amazing."

"One is a versatile actor, and the other is a professional in police and gangster films. They are both veteran actors, the most senior and powerful kind. Watching them perform up close is a real treat."

Fei Xue and Simon Yam have collaborated quite a few times.

But I've never seen his acting skills so impressive before.

Suddenly, I seemed to understand something.

One person's acting skills.

The only places where this can be showcased are either solo performances or acting alongside actors of the same caliber.

There are only these two ways.

It can showcase acting skills.

Especially when racing against each other, the contrast makes the feeling very intense.

However, the director's skill is also very important.

Du Qifeng is a genius of cinematic language.

Rather than a showdown between Liang Jiahui and Ren Huada, it would be better to add Du Qifeng as well, creating a three-person solo stage with the top three performers.

The stage that was created.

"It's really hard to have ideas that can surpass it."

At this moment, Fei Xue watched the performances of the two movie stars and the direction of artist Du Qifeng, while Dongguan Boy next to her felt a little inferior.

Only Li Xuan.

Watch.

There is one.
It can be replaced.

All three are the same.

I think.

The feeling of being replaced.

Du Qifeng was exceptionally capable.

Besides being a grand funeral of the old era, this film also offers an artistic deconstruction of the concept of power.

It can be said that although the film's budget was not high, it definitely carried his enormous ambition.

His unique positioning and shot composition.

At this moment, Li Xuan...

Then he becomes a sober "Jimmy".

There was nothing particularly outstanding about it.

Or rather.

This performance alone was already somewhat unexpected for Du Qifeng and his group.

Silky smooth, natural.

Jimmy, who was unwilling to get involved in the dragon head stick dispute.

He had no choice but to adapt.

However, to outsiders, Li Xuan's acting style and character portrayal were actually quite satisfactory.

At least it doesn't feel too out of place.

It's a feeling of being neither close nor distant.

It lies in the balance between black and white.

The portrayal of this character is truly of a certain standard and has a certain feel to it.

“He’s really got something. I thought he wouldn’t be able to handle the role.”

At this moment, Du Qifeng whispered.

The results were surprisingly good.

His refined and gentle demeanor.

That perfectly captures Jimmy's feeling here.

Even Lin Jiadong was speechless, only smoking heavily.

Fei Xue smiled at this moment.

"What do you want to say?"

"What can I say? I can only say that this person with connections is quite capable."

Apart from Li Xuan, who is a relative.

Another person with connections.

The airplane that bites the spoon is also a tough guy. Although the scene of biting the spoon was made of sugar slices, very hard candies were used to show the chewing effect.

It made a crunching sound when it was bitten.

These two are people with connections.

They all proved their innocence with their actions.

at this time.

Lin Jiadong's face turned pale with anger. He felt furious watching Li Xuan's smooth and particularly immersive portrayal of the character.

But his anger was not directed at Li Xuan.

That easygoing and engaging demeanor.

That heroic bearing.

His anger wasn't really directed at Li Xuan, but at the gap and chasm between their talents—how could the difference between people be so vast?

I spent so much time studying the Young and Dangerous series before I could truly empathize with it, but he only came from mainland China, glanced at the script, and even took some time to visit Portland Street, yet he was able to express the script so vividly and portray his character so well.

This difference in talent is disappointing.

I've worked so hard for so long.

Is it merely standing on the threshold of being able to meet a genius?

That's what makes him most angry.

A plane that doesn't use its brain.

As a gangster.

All he could do was fight and kill, which is why he was judged.

A gangster who doesn't use his brain will remain a gangster for life.

Then the camera cuts to the airplane.

It's just a matter of making it explicit.

Young and Dangerous people don't use their brains, they are just like airplanes all their lives.

Li Xuan, also known as Jimmy, strongly agrees with this point: if a gangster doesn't use his brain, he'll be a gangster forever.

Jimmy, on the other hand, always used his brain.

He wore a suit and tie, and glasses, and always appeared polite and refined, projecting an image of weakness to the outside world.

Only when she stands in the same frame as Simon Yam.

Only then will it subtly reveal its sharpness.

Give me the dragon head cane.

As the final battle for the dragon head cane, Jimmy wanted a reward.

His composure.

And Ah Le is still relentlessly making empty promises.

"Don't mess with me. I just want to do business peacefully. As for Uncle Longgen and my boss..."

"I will cover all their medical expenses and care, so don't worry."

This is the last stop.

Ah Lok, who was initially pushed into the position by his uncles, became the new head of Wo Luen Shing.

At first, no one had high hopes for him.

Despite lacking money and power, they ultimately succeeded by relying on a group of young people and by appeasing and co-opting the Communist Party.

"Four years from now, I'll put you in charge."

Ah Le still had that same smiling and easygoing demeanor.

Big D believed it.

They reconciled and drank the nuptial wine together.

Smile away grudges.

We should value harmony above all else.

At this point, Du Qifeng arranged for each actor to stand in their positions so that they could take a group photo.

Only Li Xuan found his own place.

In a dark corner, a man with a cigarette dangling from his lips, caught in a half-lit, half-shadowed shot, glances at the two men with a strange, seemingly sarcastic expression.

"Fight to the death."

fling in teeth.

For this dragon-headed staff, how many underlings died, how many were injured, how many were crippled? Yet these two culprits, with so many grievances, laughed it off and became brothers from then on.

This is.

Years in Longcheng.

A group of guys were playing mahjong.

The younger brothers are like cards on a card table.

After fifteen days, filming for "Dragon City Years" has wrapped.

With the two people in charge fishing.

Big D, without a helmet, ultimately fell slightly short.

Ah Le became the big winner.

"With fifteen days left, we can finish filming 'Harmony is Paramount' and then wrap up filming."

The filming speed was extremely fast.

At this time, Ren Huada...

His eyes, however, were not fixed on his food.

Instead, he was staring at another person present.

Li Xuan.

(End of this chapter)