The birth of an actor

Chapter 61 Shooting starts

Around 3 p.m., Cao Lihai called a meeting for the actors.

An Xin then saw Fan Bing again; she was carrying a plastic bag containing almonds.

"You bought it?"

"Yes, it's cheap! You should try it, it's delicious!"

As she spoke, she grabbed a handful of food and gave it to Anxin.

I must say, the almonds from Chengde are really delicious, especially this five-spice flavor. It was my first time trying them, and the first bite felt a bit strange, but after that it was just like eating sunflower seeds.

So the two supporting actors scurried around like little squirrels, and when they saw the others, Fan Bingbing did the same to each of them.

The entire conference room was like a meeting of squirrels.

Cao Lihai chaired the meeting again, but Sun Shupei was not present.

The meeting's content was simple: starting tomorrow, the crew would be setting up sets at the Summer Palace, and the actors would be free to do as they pleased. All three meals would be taken at the hotel, and then filming would begin once the sets were complete.

At the same time, actors are required to not stay out all night.

Then they started distributing scripts to everyone.

In Chengde, the main scenes filmed were those inside and outside Emperor Qianlong's study, "Shufangzhai," and they were quite scattered.

Anxin has twenty or thirty paragraphs in his own script.

They are all just a sentence or two, or a short scene.

The crew will first film in Chengde, then on horseback on the grasslands, and finally complete all the filming in Yanjing.

After the meeting, Fan Bing called An Xin over:

"Hey, who are you sharing a room with?"

"Myself."

"...?"

Fan Bing was taken aback, somewhat confused as to why she had to share a room with Zhang Heng, while An Xin was able to enjoy a private room.

"Director He arranged this especially for you? You're getting such good treatment!"

"Tall ass."

Anxin rolled her eyes, speechless.

His room was pitifully small.

It's only the size of a bed and a small table; compared to their double rooms, it's practically a storage room.

But it's true that it's more convenient to be alone, so he said directly:
"Come to my room for soup tonight."

"Okay, where are you going now?"

"Go back and read the script."

After saying that, he left without looking back.

Fan Bing, holding the plastic bag with only a few almonds left, paused, stunned... She had been thinking of taking a stroll around the neighborhood with An Xin. But after hearing his words, it was as if she had seen a good role model, and she lost all interest in going out.

And so, it was already evening.

The two finished their boxed meals at the restaurant... Yes, you read that right.

It's just a boxed lunch.

It's not self-service yet.

I don't know if the production team was short of funds or what, but I thought it would at least be a buffet, but when I went in, I saw all kinds of white lunch boxes.

Each person gets a boxed lunch and one side dish. The side dish consists of a chicken leg, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and two other vegetarian dishes.

Eating takeout at a hotel is quite outrageous.

I don't know if other people have the same eating habits.

But at least An Xin and Fan Bing didn't choose either.

I ate with Zhang Heng, who plays Saiya. Unlike the main cast, the three newcomers huddled together for warmth.

However... Zhang Heng looked at An Xin and Fan Bing's interaction with a strange expression while eating.

Especially when I saw Fan Bingbing secretly taking the scrambled eggs with tomatoes from Anxin's lunchbox...

You can say you "steal" vegetables, but couldn't you at least take the tomatoes with you?
No way.

They took all the eggs, but left all the tomatoes there for the other person to enjoy.

You two...

But that's not the worst part.

What's even more outrageous is that after dinner, Fan Bing didn't return with the script until after 8 p.m.

But as soon as she entered the room, Zhang Heng noticed that the little girl was not in a good mood.

Her face was very red.

He also seemed to be sweating.

She's clearly quite young, but that blush... combined with the sweat and that slightly dreamy look in her eyes, actually creates a... uniquely alluring beauty.

She subconsciously asked, "Where did you go?" and received the reply, "I went to Anxin's room." Her expression became even stranger.

Is it...

She dared not think any further.

Fan Bing didn't think much of it, but just looked at the night view outside the window with a slightly dazed look, savoring the intoxicating taste of the chicken soup she hadn't had for more than half a month.

She wasn't stupid; she already knew that it wasn't an ordinary free-roaming chicken.

At first, her mind wasn't on it, but after a two-week hiatus, she hadn't drunk any. Now, she suddenly tasted that slightly wild and delicious flavor again…

Yes, that was truly intoxicating.

Tsk tsk.

No wonder people say dragon meat is from heaven...

No wonder the country doesn't allow the consumption of wild animals.

A soup made with ginseng... I wouldn't trade it for anything, not even a god.

Hmm, why give it to a deity? Wouldn't it be better to drink it yourself...?

Her thoughts gradually went astray.

……

Fan Bing suddenly realized that An Xin was quite withdrawn.

During the two days that the film crew was setting up the set, Anxin basically didn't leave the house except to eat.

He spends all his time in his room reading scripts and original works.

Even though she went to get soup every night, he would just sit quietly to the side, holding a novel in his hands, without saying a word.

Even his eyes seemed a little vacant.

It was clearly what the teacher meant by "getting into character." Unfortunately, she had no way of knowing exactly what this state of being "in character" meant.

But it's definitely not advisable to disturb him at this time.

Besides... Anxin is watching, and she is watching too.

We can't let ourselves be outdone.

Time just flies by.

9 month 20 number.

The sky is clear, and there is no rain.

Inside the Summer Palace.

An offering table, sacrificial offerings, a camera covered with a red cloth...

For these newbies, the so-called opening ceremony was a completely new experience.

What god do we worship?

Zhang Heng asked Fan Bing in a low voice.

Fan Bing shook her head slightly:

"I don't know either... This is the first time I've experienced this."

"?"

Zhang Heng was taken aback:
"Haven't you already filmed two movies?"

"Uh... I joined the crew midway through filming and didn't experience the opening ceremony."

As soon as she finished speaking, He Xiuqiong suddenly walked over, and the two of them immediately fell silent.

But He Xiuqiong didn't look for them; instead, she walked up to An Xin, who was looking down at her script.

"Don't worry, the ceremony preparations are almost complete... Take a look?"

"?"

Anxin, her eyes somewhat vacant, subconsciously looked up, and after a couple of seconds of delayed reaction, belatedly nodded:

"Okay. Has the concubine been invited?"

"Yes, as you said, we went to the City God Temple to get it."

As they talked, the two walked to the offering table.

At this moment, the others who were making preparations also saw this scene.

Apart from a few people who had gone to Chifeng with He Xiuqiong, no one else knew what he was going to do.

Then... everyone saw An Xin pick up the yellow paper, which was supposedly from a temple, from the table and untie the red string on it.

"...?"

You can't just touch this thing randomly, can you?
Why didn't Director He stop it?
Amidst the surprised and somewhat doubtful gazes of the crowd, Anxin looked at the yellow paper inscription dedicated to the local city god, and after confirming that there were no problems, looked up at the sky.

Then, in full view of everyone, just like a fortune teller in a movie, he tapped his thumb on a few fingers twice, as if he were calculating something...

???

no……

Dude...

you……

The actors, in particular, were beyond words in their astonishment.

Ironically, others who had witnessed An Xin, who claimed to be "allergic to alcohol," downing three bottles of baijiu in one go found it perfectly normal.

After all... they've seen all sorts of outrageous things.

Then, everyone saw An Xin say something to He Xiuqiong, and He Xiuqiong then called out:

"We'll begin in eighteen minutes. Everyone, get ready!"

Why eighteen minutes...?

Nobody knows.

But when people saw He Xiuqiong, Sun Shuping, and An Xin step forward eighteen minutes later... that absurd feeling resurfaced in their hearts.

A new actor... can he really be the first to offer incense?

???

"Bingbing, don't worry... what's your relationship with Director He?"

Zhang Heng couldn't help but ask.

"It's not that he has any relationship with Director He. It's just that Director He feels at ease when he's there."

"..."

Zhang Heng was puzzled by Fan Bing's words.

Actually, no one else understands either.

But that's not important. What's important is that the ceremony went smoothly, and when the red cloth covering the camera was lifted, the three incense sticks in the incense burner were burning very well.

After looking at the incense sticks, Anxin smiled slightly at He Xiuqiong and Sun Shupei:
"Director, Sister He. Everything is going smoothly and steadily; it's a good omen."

Upon hearing this, He Xiuqiong and Sun Shuping looked at the three incense sticks that were not lit together, yet whose tips were now almost at the same height, and for some reason, a feeling of "reassurance" welled up in their hearts.

Then, He Xiuqiong smiled and said:
"Congratulations on the start of filming for 'My Fair Princess'!"

Sun Shupei responded:
"Power-on successful."

After he finished speaking, everyone looked at An Xin without prior arrangement.

He stared at the burning incense stick for a few seconds, then nodded slightly.

"Yes, it will become very popular."

"Haha, fire the fireworks, let's get to work!"

With three loud bangs, the crew of "Princess Pearl" officially started work.

Act One: [Little Swallow and Saiya are fighting when Ertai steps in, snatches the whip, and steals Saiya's heart.]

Looking at the script, he felt a sense of calm knowing that the scenes were supposed to be from the finale but were being filmed at this moment.

He returned to his seat and closed his eyes.

Not long after, Ah May finished touching up her makeup.

"Actors, get ready! Stunt doubles, take your positions! We're about to begin!"