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

Chapter 248, "The Plot"

Li Xuan at this moment.

He was holding a novel by Mai Jia, the father of spy fiction.

This novel, titled "The Plot," is hailed as the progenitor of the spy genre.
The character I'm going to play is named An Zaitian. As the protagonist of a traditional novel, he has all the characteristics that a traditional protagonist should have.

Strong, calm, restrained, and extremely ambitious.
His cause was a revolutionary cause.

At this moment, Li Xuan looked at the novel in front of him, searching for that feeling.

[Ahn Jae-cheon: Two acting skills are needed]

[Ahn Jae-cheon (True): Requires 6 acting skills and revolutionary awareness]

This time, the required acting skills are higher than ever before, and it also requires a feeling of revolutionary consciousness.

consciousness.

To experience the feeling of enlightenment as someone living in a peaceful era.

And this is something I don't actually have.

Or rather, people living in peacetime find it difficult to experience those things in this era.

In other words, the character An Zaitian.
There is a performed version.

There is also a version with the real An Zaitian.

What surprised Li Xuan was that this time the system gave him a choice: the scripted An Zaitian, or the real An Zaitian.

They are different.
One has two acting slots, the other has six, which demands more.
Come to the set.

Mai Jia was already waiting here. He valued this project quite a bit. He was not just a literary consultant who followed the project from beginning to end, but someone who truly followed it from start to finish!

As a novelist, I don't have that much of a lavish lifestyle.

Unlike Jin Yong and Yu Hua, he is indeed an extraordinary figure as the leader of the niche field of espionage, but the field of espionage itself is relatively niche.

At least in this era.

It's a relatively niche genre, so there wasn't much of a fuss, unlike Jin Yong and Yu Hua, whose appearances on set were always met with a throng of crew members asking for autographs.

It seems like it could cause a riot.

Mai Jia is more like an ordinary crew member, the kind who sits there and doesn't attract attention.

He was holding his book "The Plot" in his hands, looking very calm and low-key.

Next to him is Liu Guanglong, a male actor who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 93. He does indeed look quite handsome.

"Hi, junior."

Hello, senior.

"As expected, heroes emerge from among the young; he's even younger than I imagined." At this moment, Liu Guanglong looked at Li Xuan, slightly surprised by his youth.

Young, with a sparkle in their eyes, and a unique ambition that belongs only to young people.

This ambition is quite impressive, especially considering he also has a copy of "The Plot" in his hand, a novel that is also well-worn and worn.

"You've been watching the whole way?"

"Yes, I've watched it several times."

Liu Guanglong smiled.

"I believe my judgment is correct, and I also believe that you can play the role of An Zaitian well. Keep it up, junior."

Liu Guanglong emphasized that Li Xuan's image is very suitable for the role of An Zaitian, and with a little bit of acting skill, he can play the role well.
Handsome, dignified, with eyes that convey complex information.

His image is perfect for the pretentious character of An Zaitian. It can be said that as long as Li Xuan can bring out and portray the pretentiousness, the role will be complete.

At least, this character is the kind that can be explained.

The role was selected entirely based on Li Xuan's image, so there was absolutely no difficulty involved.

He can play the role of An Zaitian well.

However, he remembered what the literary advisor had once said—you are good at playing An Zaitian, but not a battle-hardened intelligence agent.
It really won't work.
At first, Liu Guanglong didn't realize this, but he quickly saw it in Mai Jia's eyes.

He then suddenly realized something.

Mai Jia is known as a novelist, and he also worked in the intelligence system for eight years.

He was a real underground worker, he really did this secret and noble profession, and he witnessed the secret and noble sacrifices involved. Unlike the light side, he truly experienced that period of time.

Whether it's Jin Yong or Gu Long.

None of them had experienced the past dynasties, nor had they truly experienced the chaotic and complex world of martial arts.

In their writing, a novel is a novel, and creation is creation.

The two are not the same.

But for Mai Jia, novels are a microcosm of his life experiences, embellished with art. That's why Mai Jia's spy novels are so brilliant and so deeply moving—because they truly experienced that era and actually served in that position.

I have truly witnessed the brutal struggles hidden in the shadows.

They also knew what kind of people those spies would become under such brutal struggle.

Mai Jia knows this, and he certainly understands it.

So we can understand what a normal intelligence agent is like in that kind of brutal environment.

That's "abnormal".

A feeling that "normal people" cannot express.

So from the beginning, his expectation was that Liu Guanglong could play the role of this radiant male god well, but that was about it.

He never had any other expectations from the beginning.

So it's the same with Li Xuan. He can play the role of An Zaitian, a tough and perfect man, and he can play the role of Qian Zhijiang well. It's enough for him to portray their outward appearances.

If we delve deeper into the inner thoughts of these two characters...

The weight is probably only three ounces.

It's possible that even a thousand pounds can't hold it back.

"These are all veteran actors. You will often encounter and interact with them when you are acting. Their resumes are not simple."

At this moment, Liu Guanglong, the director and producer, watched as the main actors of the first part gradually arrived. Dean Tie and Director Hua were both veteran actors who had won Best Actor and Best Actress awards at the Hundred Flowers Awards and Huabiao Awards in the 90s.
Even considering the unique era, they were still veteran Grand Slam champions with extraordinary skill and influence.
They are simply people who have taken the path of acting to its extreme.

However, it is precisely because they only hone their acting skills without commercial appeal that they end up playing supporting roles in projects despite their impressive resumes.

Even for an actor, it's very difficult to walk long distances with only one leg...
Seeing Li Xuan's silence, Liu Guanglong assumed that his junior was worried about being suppressed.

"Don't worry about filming. You're the lead actor, so they'll go along with you."

There's no need to worry about feeling overwhelmed when acting alongside them. At this level, they're already in complete control and know exactly what to do to perform better.

Actually, what Li Xuan wanted to say was that this wasn't what he was worried about, but it didn't matter anyway, as there were indeed some problems that hadn't been resolved yet.

For example, this An Zaitian.

His feelings and awareness.

Just as Li Xuan was pondering how to express himself, a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Big brother, big brother, it's me!"

Li Xuan saw a kind and honest face.

He shouted excitedly, afraid that he might have missed seeing him.

It's you, Wang Baoqiang.

Even in this lifetime, the two had met before; they were not strangers. They had met once in Hengdian. That day, Wang Baoqiang, a migrant worker, came to Hengdian with dreams of becoming an extra.

Li Xuan remembered that Wang Baoqiang asked him about the location of the martial arts association that day. Li Xuan happened to be at the martial arts association on business that day, so they met briefly.

Now when we meet again, the locations are different.

Both of them were clueless drifters that day, coming to this dazzling industry with dreams in their hearts, rushing in, fighting their way out, wanting and seeking a glory and a place to make a name for themselves.

The fame and fortune that belong to oneself.

Being a drifter in Hengdian is a very cruel identity.

For the circle and for capital, this identity is basically equivalent to being worthless.

In other industries, there are ways to climb up from the bottom, but it's different for extras. As an extra, you'll never be able to get ahead in your entire life.

This is a widely acknowledged fact even within the industry, and it's something that is accepted by everyone from students to teachers at the Beiping Film Academy.
Graduates from formal acting schools are the true bottom rungs, the real beginning of their careers in the entertainment industry. Extras, those who drift from place to place in Beijing and Hengdian, aren't even at the bottom; they're just crew members.
There is a harsh truth here, a fact known to those in the industry, but most of the people who drift to Beijing or Hengdian are unaware of it. Including myself in my past life, everyone thinks this is a starting point, but in reality, those in the industry know that this is the end.

There are countless extras in Hengdian and Beijing, but only one person seems to have made a name for himself: Wang Baoqiang, the honest-looking young man in front of us, the "Wind Listener" in the film "The Conspiracy." He was a boy who was thrown over by Huayi Brothers as part of a project that wasn't highly regarded.

A person who will shine brightly in the future, but now seems to be just a discarded pawn.

This extra in Hengdian World Studios isn't without his works released. Before this, he acted in a work called Fantasy Yin Shang. If you don't know Bao Qiang very well, you probably wouldn't know that he also played Nezha.

Wang Baoqiang's Nezha isn't that kind of character, is it?
Instead, it was a very special kind of casting. I don't know who decided on the roles on a whim; the person in charge of casting was truly a genius.

However, it's also possible that the utter failure of the fantasy of the Shang Dynasty led them to abandon Wang Baoqiang. In that case, the failure of this work can be attributed to a variety of factors, with Wang Baoqiang being just one of them, or even just one used to cover up the mess.

If nothing unexpected happens, this assassination attempt should be the best and last project he can get. If the outcome of this assassination attempt is not good, then Brother Baoqiang will be forgotten.

The two started catching up, though it felt like a lifetime had passed. Back then, they were both struggling actors, strangers who met by chance. Now, regardless of their achievements, at least their names sound respectable.

Perhaps because of their similar backgrounds, Li Xuan and Wang Baoqiang found they had a very congenial conversation.

As they were talking, Wang Baoqiang said...

"This should be the last movie I act in, so I have to do a good job."

"Um"

Wang Baoqiang may seem simple and honest, but he's not exactly naive. He's just simple-minded, not stupid. He knows his place in Huayi Brothers.

It might be more like a dream presented to extras to dream about.

Some people on the internet jokingly call it that.

"Dalat Foreman"

Of course, for Wang Baoqiang, his time in the entertainment industry is over. Having reached this point, he can return to his hometown with dignity.

Although I was somewhat unwilling.

That's it.

However, at this moment, Li Xuan patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile.

"Your path will not stop."

"Are you trying to comfort me? Brother, you don't need to. I know what kind of person I am."

Wang Baoqiang wanted to continue saying this, but then he saw Li Xuan's determined look.

A look of certainty and conviction in their eyes.

Incredible.

This reminded Wang Baoqiang of the time when there were no thieves in the world. Everyone from the lead actor to the director liked him, but that liking was more like a condescending pity. Of course, Wang Baoqiang was also sincerely grateful to them, because for him, being able to gain the pity of these big shots was already enough.

They also helped them a lot in their careers in the entertainment industry.

Li Xuan was the only one who was special.

Very special.

Li Xuan's eyes held no pity whatsoever; instead, they held a hint of admiration.

There are many people who pity themselves.

But it seems that only one person appreciates me: an older brother I met by chance.

Suddenly, he felt like crying.

Is it acting skills?
The relationship between An Zaitian and the Wind Listener in the script seems to be just like that.

But it doesn't matter.

This recognition is indeed valid.

It fills my heart with strength.
"Speaking of which, is someone like this capable of making it in the entertainment industry?" Mai Jia, standing next to him, looked at Liu Guanglong with slight curiosity, asking calmly without any belittling.

And a hint of curiosity.

"He's rather special, I guess. He's got some talent and flair. If he didn't look like that, he would have a really bright future. It's just a pity."

"There's no need to say more. Some people are talented warriors, some are talented doctors, and some are talented at searching for hidden voices in places unseen and unheard by others."

Mai Jia smiled at this point, finding it quite amusing. In fact, judging from his appearance, Wang Baoqiang was quite suitable to play A Bing.

Blind Abing, a frail and weak man in the secular world, but in the world of 701, he is a listener of the wind.

Perhaps this is the real-life Ah Bing.

Do they share the same... resonance?

The first part of the story.

From the spring of 50 to the autumn of 52, this was the most difficult season militarily, and the country faced the greatest uncertainty. In the north, the Stars and Stripes were in sight, while in the depths of the mountains in the south, many remnants of the Kuomintang army were gathered.

It was a season of internal and external troubles. On the front lines, we needed both ears and eyes. At that time, Bureau 701, the counter-espionage department, was tasked with accurately finding the eyes and ears of these enemies, making them blind and deaf.

Any modern person who has received an education knows the importance of intelligence.

It was also a war without gunpowder in that era.

At this moment, Li Xuan quietly looked at the script.

Reading a novel.

At the same time, he asked the crew for leave to relax, find his footing, and see if he could find some inspiration. The crew granted his request, since they knew that Li Xuan wouldn't be able to perform as well as Mai Jia and Liu Guanglong.
As long as you can portray that kind of handsomeness and that kind of world-weariness that you show to the audience, you meet the standard.

Meanwhile, Liu Guanglong, who had been studying the script during this time, also discovered something despairing.

It seems I really have explored every alleyway. No matter how An Zaitian acts, it's always the same. There's nothing else to say, just like Mai Jia said.

Only Huang Yiyi and A Bing, two atypical spies who "joined halfway through," have a place to be written about and a place to get involved.

As a producer and director, I found the limitations. As Mai Jia has always said, if you and Li Xuan were to act, the difference wouldn't be that big. At most, there would be some differences in acting skills and expression. Li Xuan is in a lower position, but not by much.

Since none of you can truly understand the feeling of a warrior in the darkness, it's better to choose someone who can portray the outward appearance well and present a cool side to the audience. It doesn't really matter.

After all, an actor's duty is to perform. Since it's performance, then it's fine to use artistic processing to refine it.

This is something that Liu Guanglong admitted he couldn't control, whether as the lead actor or the director.

"It's okay. It's already amazing to be able to perform well. There's no need to pursue anything else." Mai Jia patted the somewhat dejected Liu Guanglong on the shoulder, his expression suggesting something.

Three minutes is already very impressive; it makes one a dragon among men, an outstanding individual.

"Indeed, truly empathizing and feeling someone else's pain is not an easy thing. Even if I were in that situation, I might be able to act better and with more intensity, but I would never be able to portray the soul of a spy, because I simply don't understand it."

"So, whether it's you or whoever it is, it's all the same, there won't be much difference." Mai Jia paused for a moment, then teased, "But our lead actor is quite carefree, thinking about going for a walk at a time like this. Maybe he looks down on our spy drama, after all, it's just a small IP, a small director~"

Mai Jia was a little upset, but this father of spy novels was quite composed. Even when he was upset, he used a very polite and casual tone, always hiding or suppressing something, just like his writing structure, his novels, and the characters he created. Suppression seemed to be constantly suppressing his own humanity.
It was as if it had become his instinct.
Liu Guanglong was hesitant to respond at this point, but deep down he felt that Li Xuan's actions were not very ethical; the film crew hadn't even started filming yet, and he was already out relaxing.

Mai Jia might think that Li Xuan's attitude was indeed a little problematic. If he had to say something, he initially thought that Li Xuan's attitude was a little problematic as well. But he wasn't stupid; he was someone who knew how to read people's expressions. When he saw Li Xuan's eyes, he knew that the other party was not someone who spoke without reason.

(End of this chapter)