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

Chapter 274, Derek Yee: It seems better to invite Li Xuan!
At this moment.

Li Xuan looked so skilled.

Did you really work with Double Lion Earth brand products?

Er Dongsheng looked very suspicious.
Because this person doesn't look like a normal, respectable young man at all; he really looks like someone who plays Double Lion Globe cards, and that feeling is very strong.

It was so intense it was almost unbelievable.

This kind of temperament perfectly matches the aura.

"US dollars and Hong Kong dollars, I didn't know there was such a difference."

"High-purity drugs can kill people if consumed. What we need to do is dilute them. Two US dollars can make sixteen boxes of Earth brand drugs. Then we distribute these diluted Hong Kong dollars, and they will be further diluted. Usually, glucose is added, or other things are mixed in, such as cigarettes. Some unscrupulous people even mix wall plaster into them. For us who are building brands, the most important thing is that the goods must be pure and cannot be faked."

While cooking in the "kitchen".

It really has that feel of a craftsman.

An unparalleled spirit of craftsmanship is evident in him.

But it feels particularly strange to see it in him; the craftsmanship spirit is being used in the wrong place. Your craftsmanship spirit is meant to be used in this kind of situation!

It can't be done.

At this moment, Li Xuan skillfully tossed the diluted Hong Kong dollars to the 'head chef,' as if he had just completed a very insignificant task.

gone.

seem.

Even Wu Yanzu didn't realize that the influence Li Xuan had on him seemed to be subtle and gradual.
Wu Yanzu then realized that he seemed to have fallen into this 'emotion'.

Because my older brother is really good to me. He seems to share all the knowledge I have with me without holding anything back. There's really no sense of him hiding anything from me.

Like a perfect senior.

That kind of thing.

A feeling of 'peace of mind'.

Actually, when filming "New Police Story", Joe was very immersed in the role, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to give such a high level of performance as that kind of broken child.

But now, he hasn't really lost that feeling. Perhaps it's because his childhood wasn't so fortunate. He had an extremely traditional family relationship, a father who didn't support his career, and a sick mother. All of these things were part of his life.

The rigid family dynamics made him feel unloved.

But Lin Kun's care for him was genuine.

The kind of brotherly relationship that is beyond words.

No, he's acting. I'm acting, I'm acting.
However, the warmth and care shown in the performance did not seem fake.

He was shaken.

"Damn, what's so great about cigarettes? That stuff stinks, it's so annoying."

Lin Kun, an ordinary person, also has ordinary troubles.

For example, his daughter's smoking made him so angry that he complained to his brother.
He seemed to be having a lot of trouble with his daughter's education and hobbies.

He's smoking at his age and hanging out with thugs.

At this moment, Ali, who was standing next to me, suddenly spoke up.

"What about the white powder?"

Lin Kun stared at Ali.

How could someone who sells these products ask such a question?
After a moment of hesitation, Wu Yanzu continued.

"Why do you think people become drug addicts?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." This time, Lin Kun avoided the camera and Wu Yanzu's gaze: "Business is about supply and demand; if someone wants to buy, someone else will sell."

"Hey, smoking causes cancer, but people still smoke, right? Did I advertise that? I didn't!"

The more he spoke, the more excited he became.

"It wasn't me who forced them! It wasn't me! I didn't do it! What does it have to do with me? Blame them for their own actions!"

The louder he spoke, the more guilty he became.

Ali's words made Lin Kun break down and talk for a long time.

"Let me tell you, those drug addicts are the best at playing the victim. When the craving hits, they'll say and do anything. You absolutely must not get involved with these people, you know? Otherwise, you'll think you've done something wrong, like you're the one who harmed them, but it's all their fault, all their fault! If they didn't do drugs, what could we do? We couldn't do anything!"

One sentence was enough to break Lin Kun's defenses.

One line, one shot, and the whole thing was filmed.

The photography team, familiar with Er Dongsheng, didn't stop, constantly snapping photos of Li Xuan's face.

One shot throughout.

When it comes to acting skills, there are concepts like "controlling the scene" and "setting the pace."

Generally speaking, it's difficult to steal the spotlight from Wu Yanzu because of his handsome appearance and great temperament. He can overshadow others simply by his looks; it's innate.

Before judging your acting skills, people will definitely look at your appearance first.

Unless someone has such good acting skills that they can completely overshadow them.

His emotional expression was even more intense than his physical appearance.

The scene before me seemed to be exactly like that. His eyes conveyed a sense of love, like an elder, for his life after leaving Hong Kong, a life of fishing and retirement.

These aspirations resemble the scene of a retiring craftsman training a successor to his craft.

It was so 'ordinary' that you could forget what he had just done in the 'kitchen'.

Especially his eyes.

It was only then that Er Dongsheng realized that the look in his eyes was absolutely right.

All emotions, crystal clear, convey 100% of the emotion.

At this moment, Er Dongsheng suddenly asked himself a question.

Can Andy Lau do it?
Can't do it.

Absolutely fucking.

It's impossible.
Whether it was her scene with Ah Zu or Li Xuan's solo performance just now, both were stunning highlights.

at this time.

Derek Yee felt like he was being slapped in the face. At first, he thought Li Xuan was Liu Dehua's second choice, but now, he realized that was absolutely not the case.

His acting skills and micro-expressions.

His eyes, in particular, gave him a feeling of utter terror.

What is your relationship with Tony Leung?
This is something Andy Lau could never do.

In Hong Kong's entertainment circle, only Tony Leung can do that. His unparalleled ability to project emotion through his eyes.

They're exactly the same! Even the look in their eyes.
He was the second person, at least the second person Er Dongsheng saw, to have that kind of look in his eyes.

That's really impressive.

Filming is nearing its end.

It's time to push the conflicts during filming to their climax.

The final scene is when Lin Kun is arrested.

This is called opening a skylight.

Ali is wavering and confused.

His confusion stemmed from the fact that Lin Kun was genuinely good to him, even treating him like his own son, and had even helped him get together with his sister-in-law. The trust between them had reached its peak—Ali became a disciple.

That is, to inherit everything that belongs to him, including the people of this empire.

As a disciple
The struggle and balance of human nature, the choice.

The choice was between arresting the drug lord who considered him family and fulfilling his duty—a decision he only realized when he saw Zhang Jingchu, who had died in her home with her body exposed.

This thing is terrifying.

Rats were all crawling on her corpse, gnawing, rotting, and stinking.
It's not about supply and demand, it's not a legitimate business where you can sell whatever you need.

The operation has been completed.

Lin Kun's 'Double Lion Earth Brand' Empire
"You have to leave! What will happen to me, my daughter, and the baby in my belly if you don't leave?"

At this moment, Lin Kun revealed a complicated expression, and finally said with a wry smile, "Actually, I would have done it even if you hadn't said anything. I would have done it anyway."

Lin Kun's final scene is him questioning Ali.

Why.
Why our feelings?
Isn't it true?
Was all of this just a lie?
Ali's suffering.

The confusion and emptiness did not end with Lin Kun's death; on the contrary, the emptiness and pain only intensified.

So this is emptiness.

There was no sense of accomplishment, no joy whatsoever.

Watching his superiors divide up the credit, he felt numb, pained, and no one cared about him.
Now I finally understand why people become drug addicts.

"This is the right spot for a sunroof."

Meanwhile, Li Xuan, who was off-site, was still instructing Gu Tianle on some basic knowledge and techniques regarding opening a sunroof.

Gu Tianle: Actually, it doesn't need to be that detailed.
Even Gu Tianle was a little confused. Was Li Xuan acting, or was it simply due to experience?

I can't tell, I can't tell at all.

Gu Tianle understood that feeling a little better. It was that feeling of being led by the script.

Li Xuan's talent was evident in his ability, when he played Lin Kun, to guide the character Ali, played by Wu Yanzu, in his performance.

Being completely controlled by the rhythm is a feeling that can be quite shocking and awe-inspiring.
I didn't get that feeling during auditions or when watching movies. It was only when I was acting opposite Li Xuan that I could truly feel what his unparalleled, rhythmic presence was like.

It's a kind of 'absolute' control, a mastery of the character, and a sense of immersion.

Is this his "upper limit"?

But how come you always manage to reach the absolute limit of your performance and acting skills every time you film a movie?

It can also draw others into the role.

He had never experienced anything like this before, and even as the protagonist, he couldn't have done it.

at this time.

Gu Tianle's resentment towards Li Xuan disappeared, replaced by a feeling of powerlessness. To be honest, Gu Tianle's dissatisfaction with Li Xuan was not only because of the gangster film, but also because of "A Step into the Past" and "The Myth".

The Terracotta Army time travel theme was once very popular across the country, but now when people mention the Terracotta Army or the "time travel" of the Qin Dynasty, they only mention Li Xuan, not him.

How much am I lacking?
Is the difference really that big?
At this moment, Gu Tianle realized that there was indeed a gap between himself and this younger generation in terms of acting talent.

This guy named Li Xuan, his true abilities are indeed unfathomable.
At this point, filming had reached its final stages. Most of the major scenes had already been completed, and the remaining scattered scenes were simply a matter of having accomplished all the objectives, leaving only an empty Ali.

He completed his mission, betrayed his brother who was kind to him, and even avenged Zhang Jingchu in the end.

at last.
Just as he was about to insert the needle, Zhang Jingchu's daughter came over and threw away the entire set of equipment.

The daughter represents 'hope,' giving Ali something to break through the emptiness, and the filming ends here—the wrap party.

After filming wrapped, Wu Yanzu felt a slight sense of bewilderment.

My mind is filled with the scene before Lin Kun's final suicide.

The scene where he was questioning her with his eyes: Why?
"Hey."

At this moment, someone patted Wu Yanzu on the shoulder.

"Who? It's you."

Looking at the handsome young man in front of him, Wu Yanzu noticed that after removing his makeup, he no longer had that old-fashioned air, but instead possessed a wonderfully vibrant spirit.

He is not 'Lin Kun'.

He is 'Li Xuan'.

That man who occasionally takes on the responsibility of getting everyone into character during filming.

This includes Ali, and also includes Wu Yanzu himself.

To be honest, he has never been that comfortable acting.

Even in the past, acting was a serious matter.

It was simply because the character's personality resonated with my own feelings.

But this time, it was a feeling truly guided and injected by external forces.

A brother, a caring elder.

"There's no need to miss him. Evil is evil, and good is good. Your stance is completely opposite to his. From the beginning, you were there to fight evil. See Zhang Jingchu? That's what drug addicts are like. There are many ways to deal with emptiness, but the supplier of heroin gave her the worst possible solution."

"You did the right thing..."

At this moment, Li Xuan's eyes became clear.

It was as if he had never been Lin Kun.

Unlike him, who is still immersed in his role.

Li Xuan is very clear about the concept of 'I am who I am'. He can even say it while looking at Lin Kun.

You did the right thing; betraying me was the right thing to do.

At this moment, Wu Yanzu was even a little dumbfounded, and even felt that he might have some mental problems. He was too immersed in the role, which made it difficult for him to distinguish some things.

This feeling gave him an unparalleled ability to immerse himself in the role, but it also gave him an indescribable emptiness.

At this moment, he didn't want to think about who was the lead or the strongest and most outstanding in "Protégé." Right now, he felt only an indescribable emptiness and confusion.
Can't tell.

I really can't tell the difference.
But one thing is certain.

Li Xuan's understanding of the script and his acting skills.

Really awesome.

Er Dongsheng was also not going to think about it too much. He no longer wanted to ponder such trivial matters as whether Li Xuan or Wu Yanzu was the lead actor. But as things stand now, it seems...

Li Xuan is not a replacement for Liu Dehua; besides popularity, he has other advantages that make him even stronger.

Especially the part about being the 'director'.

This was something Er Dongsheng really didn't expect.

Having not acted for a long time, Derek Yee has almost forgotten the impact of immersion and role-playing on actors. At least now, as a director, he can no longer achieve the same level of immersion and role-playing as actors. He can only resort to clever tricks. For example, in the scene about making drugs, the detailed explanation of what is done in the 'kitchen' is actually a small trick to increase immersion.

But this is ultimately just a minor approach, while Li Xuan completely used the 'major' approach to fully interpret the plot.

That's incredible, that's amazing.

Li Xuan not only acted as an actor and Lin Kun in "Protégé," but also took on a part as a director. Whether we admit it or not, a considerable amount of credit goes to Li Xuan for the immersive performance of the actors on set.

"That's amazing, inviting you was absolutely the right thing to do."

At this moment, Er Dongsheng looked at Li Xuan with a slightly complicated expression.
At the wrap party for "Protégé".
Actually, there were quite a few smokers on set; the cinematographer, Derek Yee, and Daniel Wu all smoked.

But now, there's not a trace of smoke in the restaurant where the wrap party was held. After filming "Protégé", everyone seems to have tacitly quit smoking.

Well, at least I've quit smoking for now.

At this moment, all the actors had strange expressions. Zhang Jingchu stared at Wu Yanzu—she was too immersed in the role and had developed real feelings.

This is a common occurrence in plays.
However, He Meitian was looking in the opposite direction. Zhang Jingchu was indeed staring at Wu Yanzu, but Wu Yanzu was staring at Li Xuan.

"Ahhh, I really want to see them film 'Beautiful Boy'."

"Are you out of your mind?" Yuan Yongyi said, looking at He Meitian's behavior. "You're not doing your job properly."

Ho Mei-tin had a really enjoyable time acting in "Protégé". Aside from swimming in the pool, there was also a kissing scene with Daniel Wu. It was really comfortable. She got to show her face and film a movie she liked. This feeling must be the happiest thing she has ever experienced in her acting career.

However, Yuan Yongyi also looked at Li Xuan and sighed slightly. She admired him a little.

As a supporting character, she doesn't need acting skills; she only needs to observe calmly.

It can be said that watching them act from the perspective of an 'audience' within the film crew is like watching their performance from a first-person perspective.

In her words, Li Xuan's pure acting skills are absolutely no less than Andy Lau's.

Even if Andy Lau himself came, it might not have the same effect.

Even after Er Dongsheng finished drinking, he kept asking Li Xuan one question—did you really know this?

Li Xuan smiled and said, "How could that be? I haven't done anything illegal or disorderly." Although he said that, the life of 'Lin Kun' was dormant deep in his memory. When filming that scene, his DNA was activated, and he instinctively knew how to dilute US dollars into Hong Kong dollars.

Suddenly I've mastered a skill that seems utterly useless.

In a sense, 'I' really was a drug lord in the simulated life.

However, the Lin Kun in the depths of his being was not the person one would imagine; he did not feel guilty from the very beginning. If he were truly guilty from the start, like in the movies, he would have gone mad long ago.

Because of his illness, which was already in a very late stage at this point, his physical abilities were impaired due to pain and disease. Because of his own 'pain', he was able to empathize and understand the 'pain' of others.

Feel the pain of those whose families were destroyed and whose wives and children were torn apart because of heroin.

I want to let go, I want to turn back.

However, just like Jacky Cheung sang.

"It's too difficult to turn back."

(End of this chapter)