Huayu: This producer has no bottom line.

Chapter 124 Keep the kidney

This is the first scene in "Li Xianji", and also the iconic shot of the lapse of time difference syndrome.

There are no lines; it relies entirely on facial expressions and body language.

"Passed."

As soon as Ren Pingsheng finished speaking, Xia Yu snapped out of her dazed state and refocused her gaze.

He took a sip of water before turning to Ren Pingsheng and asking, "Did you think that performance was okay?"

Ren Pingsheng stared at the playback. "Very well done."

"The voice still sounds a bit unnatural," Xia Yu said, screwing the bottle cap back on. "Will you redo it in post-production? I just tried to squeeze it out with my throat, but it just didn't feel quite right."

"It's alright, we'll handle it later."

Xia Yu truly deserves his title as a movie star.

Once he got into character, his grasp of Li Xianji's morbid obsession was so perfect that even Ren Pingsheng couldn't find fault with it.

All of the solo scenes were filmed in just five days.

After repeatedly confirming several of the facial close-ups and green screen movements that needed to be integrated with the later animation, Ren Pingsheng immediately sent them to Li Yang.

With these real-life materials as a foundation, Li Yang's animation progress can be accelerated considerably.

Ren Pingsheng turned off his computer, glanced at his schedule, and realized that today he was going to film cameos by Xiao S and Cai Kangyong.

The scene was recreated as the recording studio of Kangxi, with two high chairs, a small sofa, and the words "Kangxi is Here" spelled out in flamboyant neon lights on the backdrop.

Of course, they were skirting the rules, changing their name to "Kang Yong is Here".

"Director Ren, we're ready." Little S raised her hand to signal.

Ren Pingsheng nodded, signaling to turn on the machine.

The clapperboard is struck.

In the shot, Xia Yu sits wearily on a small sofa, opposite Cai Kangyong and Xiao S who is yawning.

"So, you have a very rare disease?" Cai Kangyong pushed up his glasses.

"Time lag syndrome".

"What is time lag syndrome?" Little S's eyelids were already drooping.

"It's like... time seems to go by all the time," Xia Yu gestured, "For example, when I'm with someone I like, an afternoon feels like a second, but after I lose her, a second feels like an eternity."

"Isn't this just lovesickness?" Little S yawned. "Men, what they can't have is always more alluring..."

'

Her voice grew softer and softer, her head bobbed up and down, and finally she fell asleep against the back of the chair.

Cai Kangyong glanced at her, smiled helplessly, and turned to Xia Yu, "So what are you planning to do?"

"I will find her," Xia Yu's eyes hardened, "no matter the cost."

"A price to pay?" Cai Kangyong raised an eyebrow. "For example?"

"Sell a kidney, buy cheat codes, and beat the game."

Cai Kangyong paused for a moment, then shouted sharply, "Do you know what you're saying? For a game?"

"It's not a game," Xia Yu shook her head, "it's the only way to find her again."

Behind the monitor, Ren Pingsheng looked at the screen.

This dialogue largely retains the design of the original animation, but has been adjusted to suit Kangxi's style. Cai Kangyong's follow-up questions are more direct, and Li Xianji's answers are more concise, making it easier for the audience to understand.

"Will I really be able to find her after clearing the game?"

"I don't know, but if we don't try, there's no possibility at all."

Cai Kangyong was silent for a few seconds, "But Mr. Li, even if you really went back to the way things were, do you think that girl would fall in love with you again? I mean, since you broke up, there must be a reason, right?"

Xia Yu was stunned.

His lips moved, as if he had never thought about this question before.

Just then, Little S, who had been looking down, suddenly moved.

"Brother Kangyong, what's the point of saying all this?"

Cai Kangyong and Li Xianji were both stunned.

Little S sat up straight. "Do you think he's doing all this to find that girl?"

Before anyone could answer, she continued, "He's looking for his past self, when she was still by his side, when time was still normal."

The set fell silent for a moment.

"Everyone is like that," Little S's voice softened, "feeling that what they've lost is the best, and always wanting to go back to the past."

She patted Li Xianji on the shoulder: "Keep the kidney, life goes on."

After saying that, she yawned again and closed her eyes once more.

Cai Kangyong shrugged at the camera.

"Card!"

Ren Pingsheng shouted and led the applause.

He added this scene specifically for this purpose.

In the original version, Little S was just a background character sleeping, but Ren Pingsheng felt that instead of letting her sleep all the time, it would be better to let her shatter Li Xianji's illusion with a single sentence while she was half asleep.

He needs a point of conclusion, a point that can provoke thought in the audience and echo the ending.

After finishing work, Ren Pingsheng prepared afternoon tea outside the shed and chatted with Xiao S and Cai Kangyong for a while.

Little S regained her usual lively and enthusiastic demeanor, saying, "Speaking of which, this isn't our first time working together, Director Ren."

Ren Pingsheng was taken aback by these words. "What do you mean?"

Little S winked and said, "My sister and I were at the big performance in Hung Hom a few days ago."

Ren Pingsheng suddenly realized.

A charity performance for Yushu was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum a few days ago.

Ren Pingsheng not only donated money in the name of Shengpingshi, but also had Dapeng Baike participate in the charity performance.

This is not only out of social responsibility, but also to make the punk brothers more recognizable to mainstream media and peers across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Clearly, Da Peng's outgoing personality meant he spent a lot of time getting close to these seniors.

"They were just doing their part and broadening their horizons. They didn't cause any trouble for everyone, did they?" Ren Pingsheng said modestly.

"How could that be! Da Peng is very good at talking, and Bai Ke is also very cute," Xiao S put down her coffee cup, her eyes becoming somewhat sly.

"Actually, besides making a guest appearance today, I also wanted to personally invite Dapeng and Bai Ke to participate in our concert."

"A concert?"

"Yes, the Kangxi Grand Ceremony Concert," Cai Kangyong explained, "May 22nd, Shenyang stop."

Ren Pingsheng understood immediately.

The so-called Kangxi Grand Ceremony was actually a variety show concert held in mainland China by the popular talk show "Kangxi Lai Le".

They combine stand-up comedy with singer performances, and at each stop, they invite influential local celebrities as guests.

This model is very profitable now, with ticket revenue from a single event being extremely substantial.

Why did they invite Dapeng and Baike to Shenyang Station?

The reason is too simple.

First, "Old Boys" is currently a huge hit online, and these two are definitely the main drivers of viewership.

Secondly, Da Peng has just become Zhao Bensan's apprentice. With Da Peng's support in Shenyang, it's as if he has established a connection with Zhao Bensan.

This is the best protection and box office guarantee for Hong Kong and Taiwan teams that want to test the waters in the northern market.

Ren Pingsheng was naturally not going to refuse an opportunity for exposure that was offered to him, and he could also go along with it to save face.

After seeing off Little S and Kevin Tsai, Ren Pingsheng returned to the film set.

The actual filming of "Li Xianji" is nearing its end.

Only the last scene remains, which is also the most difficult scene to tackle in the entire film.

In the heavy rain, the aged Li Xianji stood on the street, watching the young Li Xianji brush past him and walk towards Wang Qian.

This was their first encounter, and the origin of everything.

There wasn't a single line of dialogue, or even any strong physical movements.

It all comes down to the eyes and the atmosphere that convey the obsession and relief that has spanned decades.