Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

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With the official gathering of the three core leading actors, Gu Qing, Deng Chao, and Zhao Liying.

The crew of "Riding the Waves" was like a shot of adrenaline, completely shaking off the stagnation and gloom caused by the withdrawal of investment, and officially reopened, entering a period of intense preparation.

Han Han had planned meticulously, setting the official start of filming for a week later.

During this precious week of preparation, the entire crew operated like a tightly wound, precise machine, running at high speed and in an orderly manner.

Practice makes perfect, and the efficiency of setting up the scene is extremely high.

This actually saved Gu Qing some money.

Praise Huang Xiaoming.

As the main actors, Gu Qing and the other two were naturally not idle either.

At their level, actors can no longer rely on improvisation or direct instruction from the director to get into character.

Studying a character in seclusion is an essential part of preparing for filming.

This time, Old Deng was determined to "wash away" the shadow left by "Fangmu".

He locked himself in his hotel room and rarely left the room except for necessary crew meetings.

Gu Qing, on the other hand, encountered a different form of "seclusion".

He was "confined" to his room by Zhao Liying, who called him "Xiao Zhao's sister," under the pretext of "cultivating marital harmony and finding the feeling of newlyweds."

For several days in a row, the three lead actors kept a low profile and were rarely seen.

Han Han was initially quite pleased, thinking that the actors were self-disciplined and dedicated.

But as time goes by,
His desire for control and a strong sense of presence as a director began to subtly take hold.

"This can't work!"

Han Han paced back and forth in the director's lounge, complaining to the assistant director, "It's good for the actors to figure things out on their own, but I still have to keep track of the general direction, right?"
If they misunderstand, it will be difficult to make adjustments on-site later.

Moreover... as the director, I feel like I have no sense of participation or guidance whatsoever, which is quite embarrassing!

then,

On the morning of the last day before the opening ceremony, Han Han made a decisive move, making one phone call after another, and managed to "drag" the three lead actors, who were "in seclusion," out of their respective rooms.

"Come on, come on, the weather's nice today, let's go somewhere and get a feel for it!" Han Han announced enthusiastically.

"Director, where are you going? I'm catching up on my sleep."

Deng Chao, with his unkempt hair and sleepy eyes, yawned and looked reluctant as he was dragged out.

"I'll help you with the script and find the authentic atmosphere of the 90s!"

Han Han pushed up his glasses and said seriously, "Just burying your head in the script isn't enough; you have to feel the 'spirit' of that era."

"Director, you're only a year older than me. The three of us, except for the younger brother, are all from the same generation."

Deng Chao rubbed his temples, trying to bargain, "Who doesn't have memories of those old streets and those things? There's no need to make a special trip to visit them, is there?"

"Brother Chao, who's the same age as you?!"

Zhao Liying, who was still half asleep and habitually clinging to Gu Qing's arm with her head resting on his shoulder to catch up on sleep, instantly opened her round eyes upon hearing this and retorted with a clear mind.
"I was born in '87! You're all five or six years older than me, okay!"

“Liying, you can’t say that. My younger brother was born in '96. You are older than him…” Deng Chao subconsciously retorted, but his words were only halfway through.

"Xu Tailang! I'm your mother!!"

Enraged, Zhao Liying released her grip on Gu Qing and pinched Old Deng until he screamed in pain.

"You're too reckless. You need to be more careful."

Gu Qing crossed his arms and smiled kindly.

"Stop laughing! We haven't even started filming yet!"

Upon seeing that kind smile, Deng Chao's face turned purple.

After a chaotic scuffle,

Zhao Liying returned to Gu Qing's side and took his hand.

"Strange……"

Han Han, who had been observing from the sidelines, stroked his chin, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Gu Qing and Zhao Liying, a strange and inquisitive look on his face.
"Liying, little brother, have you two really just been studying the script diligently in your room these past few days?"

It's no wonder Han Han overthinks things.

Gu Qing and Zhao Liying in front of me are in almost too good a state.

Gu Qing, needless to say, was already at the peak of her beauty, but at this moment, her eyes seemed to have a more relaxed look, and her skin appeared clean and translucent in the morning light.

Zhao Liying's already bright, round face was even more rosy and fair, with moist eyes. She looked like a carefully watered flower, delicate and beautiful, radiating a glow from within.

The two of them standing together are not only pleasing to the eye, but also exude an indescribable harmony and intimacy, as if an invisible aura gently envelops them.

Han Han even secretly suspected that the two of them had secretly gone for top-notch treatments. Their radiant appearance didn't seem like the state one would expect from someone who had been buried in the script for several days straight.

“Read it! Director, I read the script very carefully every day!”

Zhao Liying immediately straightened her back, put on a serious expression, and said in a resolute tone, "The moon has risen, and I haven't stopped yet."

"Brother Han, when do we leave?"

Gu Qing, standing to the side, twitched her eyelids almost imperceptibly, and gently pressed her fingers against Sister Zhao's head to prevent her from rambling on.

Judging from what we've seen so far, Sister Zhao seems to be quite good at surfing.

They never forget their old rival, Yin Yang.

"Right now!"

Han Han's attention was indeed drawn back. He glanced at his watch and explained, "I specifically contacted a car fleet. From now on, we'll arrange all the daily transportation and location changes for the crew with them."

The price is agreed upon: 300 yuan per car per day, including a driver. It's a great deal.

He also made sure to report this "frugal" arrangement to Gu Qing, the investor.

"Only three hundred?"

Gu Qing was genuinely surprised this time, raising her eyebrows slightly. "This is Shanghai, after all."

He's not clueless about life. In a major metropolis like this, renting a decent minivan and hiring a full-time driver would cost far more than that per day.

This price is unusually low, it's practically dirt cheap.

"Yes, I was stunned when I first heard the price, and I checked it several times."

Han Han smiled and nodded, his tone tinged with the relief of getting a bargain. "When I was filming before, I always asked friends at car dealerships for help. Not to mention the favors I owed, the prices weren't as transparent and favorable as they are now."

"If I had known there were such reputable companies that specialize in serving film crews, I would have used one sooner."

As they were talking,
Three brand-new white Buick GL8 minivans drove up smoothly.

They stopped one by one at the entrance of the film crew's temporary office area.

The first person to get out of the first car was a middle-aged driver who looked to be in his forties, with a stocky build and a kind face; he seemed to be the head of the convoy.

He spotted Gu Qing, Deng Chao, and the others standing at the door at a glance, and his face instantly lit up with undisguised surprise, his eyes brightening.

But instead of rushing forward excitedly like ordinary fans, he quickly composed himself and put on a professional smile.

He nodded respectfully in the direction of Gu Qing and the others, as a way of greeting them.

immediately,

He then turned around and deftly opened the trunk of the vehicle.

The drivers of the two cars that followed did the same, their actions almost synchronized. After showing appropriate respect to Gu Qing and his group, they focused on their work.

"Brother Han, what... are they doing?"

Gu Qing looked at the drivers taking out some hoses and empty oil cans from the trunk, somewhat bewildered.

"I...I don't know either."

Han Han pushed up his glasses with his left hand, looking equally bewildered.

When he was negotiating the price for the car rental, the other party didn't mention this whole process.

"Director, aren't you a professional race car driver? You should know a lot about cars," Deng Chao joked from the side.

"I'm a race car driver, I drive a race car! How would I know anything about the rental company's operating procedures?"

Han Han retorted irritably, but his brows furrowed as he sensed something was amiss. He was about to wave to a production assistant to inquire about the situation.

at this time,

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the foreman skillfully insert a flexible hose into the GL8's fuel tank opening, while the other end was placed into a fuel container connected to a portable fuel pump.

"Huh?! What's going on?!"

Han Han saw it clearly now and couldn't help but raise his voice in surprise, taking a step forward.

His exclamation startled the three drivers who were "working," causing them to pause in their actions.

But soon,
The driver leader gave Han Han a knowing smile, waved his hand to signal him not to get excited, and then continued what he was doing.

The oil pump emitted a low hum, and clear gasoline gushed out from the hose.

"Director Han, Director Han, please calm down."

Fortunately, an experienced production assistant rushed over and stood in front of Han Han.

"Old Zhao, what's going on here?!"

Han Han pointed at the three drivers who were openly siphoning oil from the film crew's car, his face grim and his tone filled with suppressed anger.

Old Zhao rubbed his hands together, a sheepish smile plastered on his face, looking quite embarrassed.

He glanced cautiously at Gu Qing standing behind Han Han, stammering for a long time, his lips moving but unable to utter a word.

"Speak up! Is there anything we can't hear?!"

Han Han's patience was running out, and the anger in his voice deepened.

"Director Han, come here, come over here, I have something to tell you..."

Old Zhao braced himself, sweat beading on his forehead, but still dared not explain loudly on the spot.

He half-dragged, half-pulled Han Han, who was still furious, to the side, turned his back to Gu Qing and the others, leaned close to Han Han's ear, lowered his voice, and whispered something rapidly.

The anger on Han Han's face was gradually replaced by a look of astonishment, disbelief, and then embarrassment and helplessness.

After listening to Lao Zhao's explanation, he took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and then turned around and walked back.

When he faced Gu Qing again, his eyes darted around, and he dared not meet her gaze. His face was filled with guilt and embarrassment.

"What's wrong, Brother Han?"

Gu Qing asked, puzzled.

"Little brother, please don't be angry when I tell you what happened."

Han Han spoke with difficulty, gesturing with his chin to the drivers who were still busy pumping oil, "Old Zhao just told me that this... this is an unwritten 'rule' in the film crew industry, and it's said to have been going on for decades, and almost every film crew does it this way."

He paused, his voice lower, tinged with a hint of embarrassment: "They... make some extra money this way."

Although Han Han has directed two films and has established himself in the field of directing, he is still a relative newcomer when it comes to the most basic and shady "unspoken rules" of film crew operations.

This blatant oil theft was something he had never witnessed before, and it was also the first time his subordinates had so bluntly "explained" it to him.

Stealing oil... to make extra money?

Gu Qing repeated it, her brain momentarily blanking out.

He could understand this kind of "profiteering" behavior in the gray area; every industry has its own underlying operating logic.

but,

To not even bother with basic pretense in front of the director, investors, and the entire crew like this...

Such a righteous and brazen operation still exceeded his expectations.

"Director Han, shouldn't we do something about this?"

Zhao Liying was also surprised.

She hadn't forgotten that Gu Qing had invested in this drama.

Seeing these drivers stealing oil made Sister Zhao even angrier than if they had stolen her own money.

"It's been a rule for decades, and we can't break it."

Gu Qing was very clear-headed. She grabbed Sister Zhao and didn't say much, just silently watched the driver extracting oil.

Meanwhile, Old Zhao was already directing several crew members to move several barrels of gasoline that had been prepared in advance from the film crew's warehouse.
After the drivers finished pumping out the fuel, they quickly refilled the three GL8s with the crew's fuel.

Since the driver dared to be so open and aboveboard, it means that this was already a tacitly accepted part of the film crew's operations.

Can those wealthy and powerful capital giants, who claim to be using internet thinking to transform everything, tolerate this?

Gu Qing felt that they definitely wouldn't accept it at first.

However, judging from the current results, these "rules" still stubbornly exist.

This shows that those internet giants have all been taught a lesson.

As a novice investor, there's no need for me to court disaster.

Soon, the three vehicles were "replenished".

Security personnel got into one car, and the assistant team got into another.

Han Han then personally drove the third car, carrying Gu Qing, Deng Chao, and Zhao Liying, heading into the depths of his childhood memories to find that unique texture belonging to the 90s.

Vehicles shuttle through the old town on the edge of Shanghai, which has not yet been completely swallowed up by the wave of urbanization.

The dilapidated and cramped tenement building's exterior walls are covered with ivy, and the rust on the mottled iron gate tells a story of bygone years; the corner store's sign is faded, and the glass counter still displays some snacks that are rarely seen these days...

Han Han drove very slowly, not at all like a race car driver, stopping and starting frequently, parking at every memorable corner.
Pointing to a window, an open space, or even a crooked tree, he recounts with nostalgia and sadness the funny, embarrassing, and exciting things that happened here with his friends during his childhood.

This is extremely damaging to a man like Deng Chao, who also experienced that era and is now middle-aged.

He quickly became engrossed in the conversation and began to echo his own similar experiences from his youth. The two of them would occasionally burst into laughter or sighs of emotion.

Zhao Liying, on the other hand, resisted the urge to "reminisce." She's not old, so why should she be nostalgic?

Gu Qing was the one among the four who felt the least "nostalgia".

The good times haven't lasted long, so why reminisce about the bad times?
He focused more on observing the expressions, movements, and details of his neighbors, studying how to integrate these observed, life-like elements into characters that fit the era.

The appearance of their group
Especially with highly recognizable celebrities like Gu Qing and Deng Chao, it inevitably caused a small commotion.

Residents peeked out of their windows or walked to the street to watch with curiosity and excitement, as if they were looking at giant pandas, and the sound of mobile phones taking pictures could be heard all the time.

The bolder aunties and uncles went straight up and greeted them in fluent Shanghai dialect:

"Are you Gu Qing? Auntie loves your 'Nirvana in Fire' so much, could you sign your autograph for me?" This is a true auntie fan.

"Ahhh! It's Deng Chao and Gu Qing! Running Man! Are they filming Running Man?!" This was the excited voice of children and young people.

"Little brother! I love you!!"

This is a more straightforward young girl.

As more and more people gathered, the scene began to get out of control, and pushing and shoving started.

"Don't push! Don't you guys have any manners?!"

"Stop pushing and shoving! Have some manners!"

The three drivers who had been accompanying the car earlier now came into play. They quickly blocked the crowd and maintained order, appearing more experienced and imposing than the usual temporary security personnel.

Considering safety factors and that it was approaching noon, Han Han regretfully decided to end this "nostalgic trip" and called everyone to get on the bus and return home.

As soon as I got on the bus,

Han Han received a message from the production team: some of the confirmed supporting actors had arrived at the production team in advance, including Dong Zijian, who had the strongest connections.

Han Han had originally planned to take everyone to a local Shanghainese restaurant for lunch, but after hearing this news, he changed his mind and decided to return directly to the film set.

He thought that as the director, he should go back and make arrangements so that Gu Qing and the other two could eat outside first.

However, neither Gu Qing, Deng Chao, nor Zhao Liying are artists who like to put on airs or seek special treatment.

The cast and crew members have all arrived. As the lead actors, how could the three of them go out and have private lessons while leaving the others standing around?
"Brother Han, let's go back to the film set together and eat with everyone."

Gu Qing was the first to speak, her tone natural, "We're not hungry. We can eat with everyone later, and it'll be a good opportunity to meet the teachers."

Deng Chao and Zhao Liying both expressed their agreement.

Han Han was touched and immediately nodded: "Okay! Let's hurry back then, I'll drive faster."

He stepped on the gas, ready to accelerate.

However, they realized something was wrong after driving less than two blocks.

"Hey! Where are you going?!"

Looking in his rearview mirror, Han Han saw that the two GL8s following behind suddenly turned on their turn signals and turned into a side road.

He immediately picked up the car radio and asked.

As a result, the first thing that came through the walkie-talkie was the somewhat helpless and embarrassed voice of a crew member: "Director... the two drivers said that the car needs to go to the gas station to fill up some gas first, and they want us to go with them..."

"Didn't we just fill up with gas?!"

Han Han's voice suddenly rose, and his blood pressure seemed to spike instantly, "Didn't we just fill up the gas tank before we left?! How far have we even driven?!"

But he couldn't just abandon the car carrying his security guards and assistants, so Han Han had no choice but to suppress his anger, turn on his turn signal, and follow the car in front into the nearest gas station.

The cost of refueling was naturally paid by the production crew, no question about it.

But what happened next almost made Han Han lose his temper on the spot.

After parking their vehicles, the drivers skillfully took out hoses and oil drums, opened the fuel tank caps, and began pumping oil!
Yes, at the gas station, in full view of everyone, they first emptied some of the remaining fuel from the car before calling over a gas station employee to fill it up.

After filling up,

They actually took another round of pumps, and then signaled to the gas station attendant to add a second batch!

"I XXXX!!!"

Han Han, who always prided himself on his refined manners and relatively mild temper, could no longer contain himself at this increasingly audacious and outrageous behavior.
He flung open the car door and jumped out, cursing, "What are you guys doing?! Don't you know we're in a rush?!"

"If we really need that little bit of money, can't I just give you some extra compensation personally afterward? Why do we have to do it this way?!"

Even when the director yelled at him, the foreman wasn't angry. Instead, he continued to pump gas from Han Han's car while wearing a forced smile.

He explained, "Director Han, Director Han, please calm down."

We can't accept this money; doing so would be breaking the rules, and the company will investigate.

We had no choice; time was tight and the task was heavy. If we didn't hurry up and 'extract as much oil' as possible, we'd really lose money on today's job.

Han Han: "..."

He opened his mouth, but for a moment he was speechless.

This tone, which made him speak of "taking advantage of others" so confidently and even with a hint of grievance, completely overturned his understanding.

"Holy crap... awesome."

Deng Chao, who was in the car, witnessed the whole thing and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, feeling that it was an eye-opener.

Zhao Liying's pretty face was tense, and she didn't say a word. She was obviously very angry, but didn't know how to vent her anger.

Although they have been in the industry for many years and have acted in countless dramas, as artists at the top of the pyramid, who would pay attention to or understand these gray operations at the bottom level that involve specific material management?

Many directors themselves may not be fully aware of these intricacies and leave them to the production manager or production manager.

Gu Qing stood aside, and the initial displeasure in her heart gradually subsided, replaced by extreme relief and lingering fear.

"Thank goodness... thank goodness I didn't act rashly and just grab a good script and rush in to direct and act it myself."

He thought to himself.

This seemingly self-righteous "oil theft" drama has given him a glimpse into the vast and complex temporary organization that is the film crew.

Behind the glamorous creative process lie intricate, conventional, and even somewhat absurd operating logics.

This is just the most superficial "trick" about vehicle fuel.

If you truly know nothing and foolishly take a proven success formula from your past life, assemble a makeshift team, and try to start working, then you might end up hiring all sorts of seemingly professional teams...

At that time, there will probably be countless similar, or even more hidden and complex, "pitfalls" waiting for him.

My investment of 1.5 million yuan will probably not even make a decent splash, and will be completely swallowed up by these "rules" and "operations".

Gu Qing shook his head, walked to a shady spot, and watched as the drivers began a new round of "stockpiling" work.

"Teacher Gu... please forgive me, please forgive me."

The driver who was pumping oil saw Gu Qing walk over and smile at him, and he became embarrassed, a sheepish smile appearing on his face, and his movements slowed down a bit.
"These are company rules. We're just running errands. I don't want to do this and take up your time."

"It's alright, Master. It's just industry practice, I understand."

Gu Qing waved his hand casually, his tone calm and even somewhat understanding, "Three hundred yuan a day, in a place like Shanghai, with a driver included, is indeed not expensive."

It's only natural for you to try to earn more money through hard work.

"Oh! Teacher Gu! You are so... so considerate of us!"

Upon hearing this, the driver was overjoyed, as if he had met a kindred spirit. In his excitement, he instinctively pulled out a cigarette case and lighter from his pocket, took out a cigarette, and tried to offer it to Gu Qing, saying, "Please have a cigarette! Please have a cigarette!"

"Master! No!"

Gu Qing was so frightened that her face turned pale. She retreated repeatedly, grabbing Zhao Liying with one hand and Deng Chao, who had come over to watch the commotion, with the other. In one step, she retreated several meters away.

"This is a gas station!!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot, I forgot."

The gas station attendant's face turned pale, and he was almost kicked out by the staff. He quickly put away his cigarette pack and lighter.

at last,

After a long wait and a frustrating cycle of refueling, pumping fuel, and refueling again, the three cars were once again "fully loaded" and set off for the film crew.

in the car,

"Brother Han, can I borrow your walkie-talkie for a moment?"

Gu Qing suddenly spoke up; he intended to chat with the driver about the inside story of the film crew.
"I can't lend it to you, I'm heartbroken."

Han Han drove with a melancholy expression.

Gu Qing: "..."

"Haha, come on, little brother, catch it."

Seeing this, Deng Chao, sitting in the passenger seat, laughed and picked up the walkie-talkie on the center console, then tossed it to Gu Qing in the back seat.

She even raised an eyebrow at Han Han smugly, "Director Han, take it easy, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Liying and I are definitely a little bit higher in my brother's heart than you are."

"Yeah, yeah."

Sister Zhao nodded repeatedly, acting like a broken record, and even added insult to injury, "But Director Han, why did your crew members run away faster than you?"

Han Han: "..."

"Brother Han, don't be sad." Gu Qing suppressed a laugh, picked up the walkie-talkie, and sincerely comforted him, "Next time there's a 'dangerous' situation like this, I'll definitely carry you and make sure I don't leave you behind."

finished,

He turned on the walkie-talkie and tuned it to the driver of the car behind him.

This master craftsman's surname is Wang.

When he learned that Gu Qing was talking to him, he seemed very flattered. When he picked up the walkie-talkie, he was so nervous that he stammered.

"Master, don't be nervous. I just have a few questions I'm curious about. If they involve very private matters, you don't have to tell me."

Gu Qing asked a few questions that she was curious about.

For example: Why not raise car rental prices? Wouldn't it be better to use money instead of stealing gas?

Master Wang's answer was simple: "The industry is too big, it's not easy to raise prices."

"Is it more profitable to extract oil?"

Gu Qing was puzzled.

"Uh...no."

Master Wang spoke vaguely and dared not say more.

Especially since a group of film crew members were following behind him.

"No…"

Gu Qing understood immediately and changed the subject.

If he's not mistaken, it's probably a problem with the 'quotation'.

This is the offer price for investors.

Oil loss is not included in the price quote.

To put it bluntly, it's like receiving a salary without working.

In a film crew, interests are intertwined, and each crew has its own way of making money.

Wear and tear on photography equipment, reimbursement of cosmetics from the makeup team, lighting and art direction expenses…

in contrast,

The pricing of boxed meals is actually the most transparent.

A meal for an extra costs 20 or 30 yuan, while a set meal for an artist can easily start at 200 or 300 yuan. Their main selling point is to openly and blatantly ask for more.

We chatted for a while, just to pass the time.

He quickly returned to the film crew.
Upon learning that the director and three big-name extras had returned,
Not only the staff, but also the extras who came to report to the film crew stood at the door.

But standing in the middle of these people was a middle-aged woman with an elegant demeanor and a very approachable appearance.

Behind them were a young man with a large head and a girl with striking features.

As soon as Han Han got out of the car, his facial features contorted in shock.

"Sister Hua?!"

……

...(End of chapter)