The birth of an actor

Chapter 42 A stranger is like jade

In the half month since she received Fu Ertai's script, An Xin has read the book "Princess Pearl" three or four times.

I wouldn't say I know the plot by heart, but I'm more or less familiar with it.

Well...

Although it might be because I'm "too old" to watch such idol drama content, from an actor's perspective, the role of Fu Ertai is actually quite easy to play.

He is a supporting character, Er Kang's younger brother.

In the story, Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei's love-hate relationship with Yongqi and Erkang is basically unrelated to him, except for the early stage when he has some affection for Xiao Yanzi.

In the end, he falls in love with a foreign princess. Apart from that, his interactions with the so-called "protagonist group" mostly serve as a driving force or an observer.

Even when watching some of his scenes, I couldn't help but wonder if Qiong Yao intentionally set him up as an "audience member," giving him a sense of participation, but not much. Instead, I felt he was more of a "wise bystander" type, guiding others and, when necessary, taking on important roles to advance the plot.

The character "Fu Ertai" is positioned as such in the script.

Anxin even estimated that if the script hadn't forced "everyone to be happy" at the end, he wouldn't even need to like the foreign princess; he could simply watch the main characters gallop towards happiness.

Therefore, it is not difficult for Voltaire.

At least in his view, as long as he follows what Teacher Liu said, understands the character, figures out his state of mind, and grasps his own role, he can deliver a performance that is at least up to standard.

Of course, his conjectures are based solely on his own thinking; whether they are right or wrong can only be known after practice.

As a newbie, he never imagined that his acting skills would be the best in the world, or that he could boss around directors... That's nonsense.

At best, I'm like Zhao Kuo, a strategist who only knows how to talk about war on paper.

However... in the end, he understood why Chen Zhipeng was able to act in his previous life.

Recalling that man with bizarre fashion sense who became more flamboyant with age, he couldn't help but shudder.

He hadn't seen Fan Bing these past few days, and she hadn't even continued working as a model for Liang Zi.

Because her mother came.

At first, Liang Zi thought the girl was complaining about the low salary, so she quickly asked An Xin for details. After all, ever since the two kids were born... the shop's business had been booming, like they'd found two gods of wealth. As soon as the two of them put on their clothes and stood at the shop entrance, the attraction was like a black hole, drawing people in like a whirlwind. Every day, they were shipping out huge bags of goods.

Furthermore, while others in the market also found models, to be honest... even if you didn't ask Liang Zi herself, but instead asked the merchants in the market whose models were the most beautiful, without a doubt, everyone would say that the two kids from "Fashion Dress" were the best looking.

With this attraction, Liang Zi was like a CPU when Fan Bing didn't come, and she hurriedly went to ask An Xin, even saying that she wanted to give An Xin a raise.

As for whether prices would rise or not, Anxin didn't delve into it, but simply told Sister Zi:
"Fan Bing's mother is in Yanjing, Sister Zi. Our line of work is quite tough, and she doesn't want her mother to worry. So she probably won't be able to come for a week, and she specifically asked me to ask you for leave. Just one week, she'll be back after the 22nd."

Does Liang Zi believe this?

Doubtful.

However, Anxin still received her salary of 120 yuan after finishing work that day.

Logically speaking, twenty yuan is for drinking water and food, and fifty yuan is for daily settlement.

And the other fifty...

"Don't worry, Bingbing can go ahead and do what she needs to do. It's okay. Just tell her that I'll continue to pay her salary. Let her take her mother around Yanjing. She can come back when she's done with her work."

These are Liang Zi's original words.

The second sentence is:
"So, are you coming tomorrow?"

After more than half a month, it became clear that the couple were honest and kind people. He calmly held onto the money, smiling and nodding.
"Come on. I'm fine with nothing else to do, rain or shine."

Only after receiving his affirmative reply did Liang Zi feel relieved.

So, the next day when he got off work, he received another 120 yuan.

The sales of the women's version of the store have clearly declined, but fortunately... Anxin is enough to keep things going.

Under the care of those older women who loved to touch the fabric of clothes, the sales of men's clothing in the store increased several times over compared to the first few days when the two of them started the business.

Anyway.

Anxin did not see the girl again during this week.

She didn't even attend acting classes.

However, every day at noon when he went home, he would follow Grandpa Ye to learn the official steps, how to speak and make sounds using his diaphragm, how to raise his eyes, and how to use Peking Opera techniques to express various emotions such as "searching, doubt, and anger" through his eyes. At that time, he learned that Fan Bing had just left not long ago.

The two of them were at different times.

Grandpa Ye had already met the girl's mother.

She came with her mother.

Aunt Zhang also gave Old Ye two bags of dried sea cucumbers. The girl quietly told Old Ye that one bag was for Anxin.

There's a kind of concern that's trying to cover up the truth but only makes things worse.

But Anxin can understand it to some extent. If a mother of a fifteen-year-old girl knew that her daughter was getting close to a boy every day, and even "slept" in the boy's bed... she would go crazy if she put herself in his shoes.

And so, in the midst of the somewhat dull days without Fan Bingbing, time flew by, and July was already drawing to a close.

On the 21st, Anxin asked Liangzi for leave in advance.

After returning home, I started preparing for tomorrow's audition.

On the table was a printed list of actor resumes.

However, when filling out his resume, he didn't follow the girl's example and wrote a long list of things. He simply wrote down the words "[Xie Dong, male lead in the MV of 'Smiling Face']".

It's pitifully little.

But he didn't care.

As Teacher Liu once said, actors should not be judged by their resumes. If a person's acting skills are judged based on their resume, then casting directors should be swept into the dustbin of history.

Casting directors look at how well the actor fits the role.

Physical resemblance and spiritual resemblance are the initial impressions; achieving the acting standards the director hopes to see and overlapping as much as possible with the script and the character image in the director's mind are the final impressions.

Doing these two things is enough.

The casting director only considers whether the actor fits the role; as for acting skills, that's the actor's own business.

He thought it made sense, though not entirely correct. But right now, all he could offer was his own interpretation of "Ertai," based on the original work, the script, and his hazy memories of Chen Zhipeng from his past life.

Starting in the afternoon, he quickly reviewed the passages about Fu Ertai that he had marked in the original text, then began to work out the script, pondering Fu Ertai's physical and mental appearance and temperament. He didn't say a word, and even for dinner, he only had some soup with Old Ye.

Old Ye also knew about the audition tomorrow. Before Anxin left, he gave her a piece of advice: "When faced with important matters, one must remain calm."

An Xin wholeheartedly agreed. After returning home, she read the script for a while and then stared blankly at the newly bought half-length mirror. But she hadn't been lost in thought for long when her pager vibrated. It was Fan Bing: "Call back immediately, Fan."

Anxin was a little puzzled, but she still walked to the storefront and called:
"Hey?"

"Oh dear, why are you so slow? I'll get to the point quickly, my mom is coming out. I'm going to audition now, a solo audition. We'll talk about the rest when we meet tomorrow."

"Uh……"

"My mom's here, I'm hanging up."

Doodle.

An Xin didn't say anything and hung up the phone immediately.

He was somewhat speechless, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he went back into the room, looked at himself in the mirror, and continued to recall everything about the character "Fortaire" in his mind.

Gradually, his eyes began to glaze over.

In the emptiness of his eyes, his short-haired, buzz-cut image gradually transformed into that of a handsome young man with a braided hairstyle.

Fu Lun's second son, and Er Kang's younger brother.

He has a gentle and modest personality and values relationships.

She is the mediator of the main characters' conflicts and the strongest support for everyone.

Low-key, kind, balanced...

His eyes grew increasingly empty.

Gradually, his eyebrows and eyes began to soften, and his lips pursed slightly, curving upwards in a just-right way.

now.

The sixteen-year-old boy in reality merged completely with the gentle figure in the mirror.

We will never be apart again.

"Hello, my name is An Xin. I am the actress who plays you."

"Oh, it is my honor to have your favor and to have formed a bond with you. May our friendship last forever, and I hope you will continue to support me in the future."

"Please give me your guidance as well."

……

7 month 22 number.

It's 4 o'clock in the morning.

Anxin opened her eyes, and after a moment of surprise, realized that she had woken up about ten minutes later than usual.

His first thought was to hurry up and pick up Fan Bing so as not to be late.

But as soon as he got out of bed, he realized something and froze.

He then slowed down, and a humble smile returned to his lips.

And believe it or not, in the pitch black of the sky, thankfully there was no one around, otherwise I would have been scared out of my wits.

Get up, I need to go to the toilet.

When he came out of the public restroom, he could already hear the sounds of "Ah~ Ah~~".

Grandpa Ye started practicing his singing.

He didn't go over; instead, he went back into the yard to wash his face and brush his teeth. After he finished, he suddenly heard a noise from the other side of the wall:
"Don't worry, you're up?"

"Hey, Uncle Ye, good morning."

"Hmm, you've come here to practice your skills?"

"No, I have to prepare for my audition, it starts at 9 o'clock."

"Alright, skip breakfast. Remember, sing when you're full and sing when you're hungry. A little hunger will keep your energy focused. Otherwise, you'll easily become lax after a big meal."

Hearing this, Anxin responded with a soft "Yes."
"Ok."

"Ah."

A moment later, the sound from the other side of the wall rose again.

Anxin went back to her room and began checking her belongings.

After stuffing his resume, artistic photos, ID documents, script, and original work into his bag, he sat in front of the mirror and stared blankly into space again.

In the mirror, Voltaire's image reappeared.

She smiled slightly at him:
Good morning, brother.

Time passed second by second, and at 8:30, looking at Fu Ertai in the mirror, calmly coming back to his senses as he portrayed his life.

It's about time to go.

When this thought arose, Voltaire in the mirror paused.

"clatter."

The gently swaying paper fan fits in.

A figure as graceful as jade on the road bows with hands clasped in greeting:
"Brother, may you achieve your goal soon."

In front of the mirror.

The sixteen-year-old boy also stood up, his smile and demeanor exactly the same as "him's".

It was as if a distinguished person met another distinguished person, or a close friend parted ways with another close friend.

He also bowed in return:
"Thank you, that's appropriate."