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

Chapter 401, The End of the Medicine God's Story: The Teacher's Daze, From the Year He Entered School to Now, It Feels Like a Lifetime

This single shot is filled with a divine imagery.

Divinity and solemnity are intertwined within it.

In the hazy, gray lens.

The birth of God.

Without any dialogue, the language of the camera and the expressions completely convey a feeling.

The birth of God.

At this very moment, in this very second.

Cheng Yong "came back to life" in front of the statue of Shiva.

But the other characters in the story are still stuck in the pit.

The next scene is the interrogation room.

The person being tried is Zhang Changlin.

The students from Beijing Film Academy who came to visit the set hadn't left yet, and they were just in time to witness this highlight of the show.
Wang Jinsong, Chen Bing, and the others have gone from initial shock to somewhat getting used to it. This production team has given them too many stimuli. Chen Kun's reckless acting style and Li Xuan's ability to become one with the divine have refreshed their views on acting.

Today, they are going to meet the third "madman".

Fan Wei.

The actor who always played the kind-hearted guy in comedies and made people laugh instantly, officially transformed in "The Long Season," breaking away from the Northeast circle and filming many dramas with Li Xuan. Now he can be considered a backbone of Li Xuan's team.

In this drama, he plays Zhang Changlin, a fake medicine dealer.

Before filming even started, the atmosphere on set was a bit strange.

Fan Wei huddled alone in a corner, dressed in prison clothes with prop handcuffs on his wrists. He didn't look at the script or talk to anyone, just kept his head down, muttering to himself, and occasionally chuckled, a laugh that sent chills down your spine.

"Teacher Fan... what's this?" Zhang Yishan asked Liu Yifei in a low voice.

“He’s really into character.” Liu Yifei glanced at Zhang Yishan quietly. “He’s been like this ever since he got the notice yesterday.”

Zhang Yishan and his classmates looked at each other.

They had read the script; Zhang Changlin was a conman who had been selling starch for over ten years, squeezing countless patients dry of their life-saving money—a complete villain.

This time he was arrested.

They'll definitely implicate Cheng Yong.

The protagonist's title of "Medicine God" probably won't last much longer.

"All departments, prepare!"

Li Xuan's voice came through the walkie-talkie. He wasn't filming today; he was dressed casually and sitting behind the monitor, his expression as calm as ever.

It seems like this actor who's almost out of control isn't a big deal.

The interrogation room was simply furnished with a table, two chairs, and a chillingly white light overhead.

The veteran actor playing the bureau chief was already seated, looking very serious.

Fan Wei was "escorted" in by the staff. He walked in a strange way, dragging his feet, and exuding an air of nonchalant arrogance.

He sat down, slammed the handcuffs on the table with a loud clang.

"Action!"

The interrogation begins.

The bureau chief's lines were righteous and awe-inspiring.

"Tell me quickly, who is still selling fake medicine?"

Fan Wei, who plays Zhang Changlin, raises his head with an unserious smile on his face. He looks at the bureau chief opposite him as if he were looking at an ignorant little kid.

"Of course I know who it is."

"Who?"

"me!"

He shouted with full confidence, carrying a sense of pride that he was the best in the world.

"In the entire city of Shanghai, who doesn't know that I, Professor Zhang of Nano-Grenin, have dominated this city for over a decade! If I'm second to none, no one dares to claim first place! Hahahaha!"

He burst into laughter.

Laughter echoed through the empty interrogation room, sounding both jarring and absurd.

This villain is absolutely insane.

Behind the monitor, Li Xuan remained motionless, not even touching the pause button.

He knew this was just an appetizer.

On the screen, Zhang Changlin's laughter gradually subsided.

His expression changed.

A flicker of confusion and pain suddenly crossed that smug face.

He recalled his ten years selling counterfeit medicine. He used starch pills to give terminally ill patients "hope," then drained them dry. He even had a reason for it: since they couldn't afford the real medicine anyway, taking my placebo would mean an early death and a better life, leaving some money for their families.

I am doing a good deed.

Ten years have passed, and nobody's done anything about it. When the industry and commerce bureau comes, they just fine him a little and leave, then he goes back to being "Academician Zhang."

He even believed it himself.

But when he started selling "real medicine"—medicine that could cure diseases and save lives—he became the most wanted criminal.

Why?
"Hahahaha... Hahahahahaha!"

Fan Wei smiled again.

But this time, the smile was completely different from the one before.

He smiled, but tears rolled down his cheeks.

He was both crying and laughing; he was completely devastated.

The entire film set was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was frozen in place by this scene.

"I've been selling fake medicine for ten years, and I'm Professor Zhang, who's famous throughout Shanghai."

Fan Wei's lines sounded like they were being forced out of his throat, dripping with blood.

His voice was hoarse and distorted.

“When I started selling real medicine, I became a criminal who was to be brought to justice.”

After he finished speaking, he burst into another burst of laughter that seemed to lift the roof off.

Shocked.

Everyone present felt a buzzing in their ears.

These lines weren't in the script at all!

This was added by Fan Wei himself!

He wasn't playing Zhang Changlin.

He is Zhang Changlin!

He asked the question that the swindler, that criminal, could never understand in his entire life.

Sudden.

Fan Wei slammed his hand on the table, leaping up from his chair, the handcuffs rattling as he struggled to break free.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the actor opposite him, looking as if he wanted to devour him.

"What the hell kind of logic is this?!"

He roared.

"What the hell kind of logic is this?!"

He paced back and forth in the interrogation room like a wild beast locked in a cage, repeating the same sentence over and over again.

The entire film crew was in an uproar.

Even the veteran actor playing the bureau chief was so startled by his sudden movement that he shrank back.

This is... an act gone mad.

"Card!"

Li Xuan's voice finally rang out.

The whole world froze in that instant.

But in the interrogation room, Fan Wei was still trembling.

He slumped in the chair, panting heavily, muttering incoherently.

"What kind of logic is this... What the hell is this... What kind of logic is this..."

Selling starch balls can make you a 'Professor Zhang'.

He became a 'wanted criminal' when he started selling genuine medicine.

Fan Wei couldn't understand this principle, and neither could Zhang Changlin. But this is the reality.

A damn painful truth based on reality.
But in the end, this notorious Professor Zhang still did not implicate Cheng Yong—the idiot in his eyes.

Does someone who squanders their entire fortune to "save" those destined to die call themselves a "god"?
Hahaha.
Those vicious sarcasm—in the end, transformed into Zhang Changlin's reply.

"This was something I did all by myself, no one else did it."

"Don't tell me about leniency for confessing and severity for resisting. Now that I've confessed, can I get leniency? Hahahaha."

"Auntie, tell me, who gave you the medicine?"

Cao Bing softened her tone, attempting to appeal to emotions.

"If you tell us, we can help you. You don't want to see everyone without medicine, right?"

The old lady raised her head.

It was a face covered in wrinkles and devoid of color.

Her eyes were cloudy and empty, as if she could no longer see anything.

She just shook her head.

Cao Bing then emphasized her words.

"Do you know you're protecting a criminal? You're risking your own lives for a criminal?" The old woman's body began to tremble.

It's not because of the cold.

It's a tremor that surges from the depths of the soul.

Her lips trembled; she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

Sudden.

The old lady grabbed Cao Bing's arm.

That withered hand suddenly burst forth with astonishing strength.

"I……"

Her voice was hoarse, like a broken bellows.

"I just want to live..."

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.

All eyes were on the old woman.

Tears streamed down her face, and every wrinkle was filled with pain and confusion.

"What did i do wrong?"

This line is not from a script.

It is a heartfelt questioning of fate.

"I just want to live, what did I do wrong?"

She screamed, repeating herself.

Then, with a "plop," she knelt down.

He knelt heavily on the cold floor.

"A bottle of Gleevec costs 5 yuan. It's ruined my house and my family. I'm begging you..."

She clung to Cao Bing's legs and burst into tears.

That crying wasn't staged.

That was the grievances accumulated over half a lifetime, the most helpless cry of an ordinary person driven to the brink by life.

"boom!"

The detention period is 24 hours.

We need to pry them open.

Now, who is making this new Gleevec after Zhang Changlin's downfall?
And these patients in the ward.

Not a single one was willing to speak up.

Not one of them was willing to reveal the medicine god in their hearts.

Cao Bing then asked himself the question.

Was it done correctly?

As a police officer, am I really going to become a knife used to stab the people?

At this moment, the police chief pondered for a moment.

"The law is above sentiment. How can you, as a police officer, not understand this? Our existence is to uphold the dignity of the law, social order, and justice. If the law loses its deterrent effect, then society will descend into chaos."

"He dares to smuggle Indian medicine today, but once his greed swells, I can't even imagine what he'll dare to smuggle next!"

"This door must absolutely not be opened."

"But."

"No buts. This time, the people from Tianfu Pharmaceutical said that they must capture the person. You can't act impulsively. Don't think that what you did was wrong. Fake medicine, fake medicine. If those who make real medicine can't make money, will they still invest money in researching new drugs? I believe you understand this principle."

The director's words.

It was like a bucket of cold water being poured over me in the script.

Yes.

If companies that develop original drugs no longer have a profit, will they still bother to research new drugs?

Without new drugs, people who can't afford them won't even have a thought about it.
The director's words
This shocked Xu Xiaodan and Chen Bing, who were present.

At first, I was immersed in Cheng Yong and the patients' emotions.

Especially the old lady, who was clearly just an extra, but because of the emotional outburst in the script, she displayed the powerful acting skills that only professional actors possess.

Yes, it's 'professional'.

That's the power of a script.
The script is amazing; even non-professionals can empathize, immerse themselves, and perform exceptionally well.
And finally, the film came to an end.

As filming came to an end—the 'Medicine God' was caught; it was essentially a film about smuggling and crime, and he would ultimately face 'punishment'.

Justice will prevail; this is the fundamental principle for a film to pass censorship.

But look at the scene of the ten-mile-long cart carrying the God of Medicine.

It's really hard to compare the 'justice' in the script with real justice.
Filming wrapped up here. Newer actors like Zhang Yishan and Yang Zi went back to their hometowns. They wouldn't be able to gain much insight from watching the movie any longer. Instead, they would be emotionally moved by the performances of Fan Wei, Li Xuan, Chen Kun, and Zhou Xun.

Li Xuan, in particular, is simply too extraordinary for them, both in terms of his acting skills and the script.

This made these "new generation" people feel an indescribable sense of technological gap.

That's the level of monstrous difference.

A broken heart is a crime.

Jing Tian gained a lot of insights, both about acting and the script itself; she incorporated her own understanding and reflections into it.
You cried.

Chen Bing and Xu Xiaodan then noticed that Wang Jinsong was crying.
I cried.
Because of the plot?

"Seeing him grow up to this point, I feel at ease."

He is Li Xuan.

Li Xuan, class of 2002.

My student.

After filming wrapped, "Dying to Survive" also came to an end, leaving only a few scattered shots.
Li Xuan has transformed from 'Cheng Yong' and 'The God of Medicine' back to Li Xuan, the director.

At this moment, Li Xuan's gaze changed back, returning to that familiar yet unfamiliar image that the teachers found strange.

That Li Xuan.

Compared to when I first enrolled in 2002.
He has matured a lot and become much more handsome.
But deep down, the look in his eyes hasn't changed at all.

His 'pursuit' has never changed.

He is Li Xuan. Some things in his bones haven't changed.

"Teacher, I apologize for the poor hospitality during this period."

"Your hospitality is already quite good, hahaha. Those young actors were completely stunned by your performance." Wang Jinsong looked at Li Xuan with admiration and laughed, "You have done enough. More than enough. In the teacher's eyes, you are the best. From 'Awakening Age' to 'Dying to Survive'."

"I believe that when they are released, they will definitely cause a stir. I guarantee that in a year and a half, they will see what a truly excellent and powerful work looks like."

"Teacher, I will absolutely not let you down, I absolutely will not."

At this point, Li Xuan made that promise.
Whether it's "The Age of Awakening" or "Dying to Survive".
Watching Li Xuan and Wang Jinsong interact, Chen Bing and Xu Xiaodan hesitated to speak.
It seems that the closeness or distance of a relationship can be seen here.

My relationship with them is more like that of 'teacher and student'.

She became closer to Wang Jinsong.
Actually, Li Xuan had invited them to the film crew, but they were indeed too busy to go—but was it really that they couldn't find the time? Not really.
Compared to Wang Jinsong, these two teachers hadn't seen Li Xuan for even longer.

After all, Wang Jinsong's identity is even more special.

He was not only Li Xuan's teacher, but also Li Xuan's homeroom teacher.

They have a deeper bond.

And more care.

of course.

He also gained more trust and care from Li Xuan.
Nothing wrong with that.

Even when Li Xuan was at his lowest point, Wang Jinsong frantically tried to find a way out using his own resources, but ultimately he was just a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy.
now
At this moment, Chen Bing and Xu Xiaodan watched Li Xuan grow up, and it would be a lie to say they weren't disappointed, and it would be a lie to say they weren't envious of Wang Jinsong.
There was such a student.

A lifetime of honor.

Filming for "Dying to Survive" has wrapped.

[Reward: Temporary +15% to Health and +10% to Body. These attributes will become permanent once the movie is released and the bet is completed.]

[Critical Illness Resistance: Your probability of contracting a critical illness is reduced by 15%, and this attribute will be treated as a health attribute, which can be shared with relatives in the future.]

Filming for "Dying to Survive" has wrapped.
Li Xuan was still processing everything from the drama, everything about Cheng Yong—

Every time I finish filming and get into character, I can feel the impact of the role.

Even for Li Xuan, it was something that was bound to exist.
Immersion and contemplation, beyond fame and fortune—or rather, these external influences—are also significant factors affecting the system's rewards.
What the system cares about most is 'influence'.

The greater the impact your work has on the world and the society of this country, the better the rewards. This time, the film *Dying to Survive* already rewarded these awesome attributes just for wrapping up filming.
Although it was something I wanted to film, the reward was good, and I was very happy.

"The next time we meet will be when the film is released. I have high hopes for the artistic achievements of this film; it's one of the most profound films I've ever made."

Zhou Xun looked at Li Xuan and smiled sincerely, "I'm very happy that you've grown to this point."

At this moment, Li Xuan looked at Zhou Xun in front of him and said.

"Sister Zhou, without your help back then, I wouldn't be who I am today."

"Haha, you're being modest. From the very beginning when we were filming 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes,' I knew that you would either be a madman or a very powerful person."

Zhou Xun paused for a moment before speaking.

"It seems you've become a very capable person."

Li Xuan today is no longer the naive young man he once was.
If you really have to put it that way, Li Xuan must have some mixed feelings.

From back then to now, my own 'evolution'.

It still feels a bit like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
Looking back.
Did I stray from my path and goals? Ask yourself honestly, was I pursuing fame, fortune, and health?

Today, I pursue 'long-term health' and 'the highest level of fame and fortune'.

Has the pursuit of the essential things, such as the works and the characters, changed?
Looking back, some things are now a distant memory, lost to time.
But some things remain unchanged.
From heavily modified versions of "Source Code" to "The Age of Awakening".

From "Dying to Survive" to now.
Even from the very very beginning, when I started to understand the character of Murong Fu myself.
really
I haven't changed.
"If you have time, you can go to a bar for a while."

"Well, definitely."

(End of this chapter)