” Zhang Yue’s heart was a jumble of emotions, feeling inexplicably excited. In the next moment, Qi Shejiang parted his crimson lips and sang to him, “After drinking the cup—changing clothes for the journey!” Zhang Yue: “……………” …Wow, he sang it in the tone of a Huadan! Zhang Yue was caught off guard, nearly scared to death by his voice! Damn, damn, damn… Qi Shejiang was still laughing, hands on his hips, joyfully. Dressing as a Huadan and then singing like a Huaben, does that make any sense?? Moreover, this line was from “Stealing the Horse,” and not only did it have the wild and arrogant singing style characteristic of a Huaben, but the word “cup” was sung with a high-pitched note, which made the distance between them feel overwhelmingly powerful. Zhang Yue wiped his face; all his earlier emotions were scattered, and he dazedly wondered if that note was in G. Qi Shejiang warmed up his body, then followed Director Jiang’s instructions, performing a series of movements. The surrounding staff were mostly watching Qi Shejiang. “
There were also people taking photos of Qi Shejiang, but Xia Yiwei understood that they wouldn’t leak any information before the song’s release, so he just let it be, urging those who took good shots to share some with themselves. Director Jiang was quite pleased; he felt this casting was even better than the originally decided actors! First, Qi Shejiang perfectly matched the temperament he had in mind, which was very traditional! Second, Qi Shejiang, on top of that foundation, looked great, being Xia Yiwei’s son, which worked out perfectly. Thus, everything was settled. Director Jiang shared the shooting plan with him; coincidentally, these few days, Qi Shejiang was free and could help wrap up the MV, and the voiceover could be recorded along the way. “You have this ability; your skills are quite impressive,” Zhang Yue said while standing by as Qi Shejiang removed his makeup. As long as the appearance was good in a static pose, it was almost there, but Qi Shejiang’s dynamic was also excellent; every gesture had that flavor, which was impressive. “I…” Qi Shejiang nearly revealed that he had practiced the basics but swallowed the words back and said, “I wouldn’t say it’s particularly amazing, just adequately positioned; I practiced a little on the side.” True mastery would require muscle memory.
If he had to attempt high-difficulty moves, he definitely wouldn’t be able to manage, “Logically, the best performance of the Beijing opera piece ‘Wangqingyu’ requires stepping on a wooden block.” Stepping on a wooden block means balancing on a tiny wooden platform underfoot, mimicking the walking of ancient foot-bound women, which shows how challenging it is. That skill is considered one of the most difficult, and very few perform it now. However, back in Qi Shejiang’s day, many renowned actors performed this. Especially in “Wangqingyu,” the leading Huadan character wasn’t human, and there were scenes that required stepping on the blocks while rolling and tumbling, making it extraordinarily challenging. Such skills were beyond Qi Shejiang’s capabilities. “You’re a crosstalk performer; just consider your primary occupation,” Zhang Yue exclaimed at first but then said this. Qi Shejiang quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, yes, I’m amazing.” Zhang Yue burst out laughing. Qi Shejiang held the makeup remover oil, joking as he poured some onto his hand when suddenly he stumbled. Fortunately, Zhang Yue was timely enough to support him from behind. “What’s wrong?” Zhang Yue asked, seeing he didn’t look too healthy. “Nothing, it’s happened before; I might have just exerted myself too much…” Qi Shejiang mumbled.
He mentioned it had happened before, but the truth was, it was when he had just arrived, and he had swayed a little, as if his mind had been flooded with unfamiliar memories. This felt similar. Qi Shejiang touched his body, sensing an inexplicable feeling. Could it be that he was meant to be here?
Qi Shejiang spent three days finishing filming the material and helped them record a few lines of singing and dialogue. Director Jiang was especially satisfied, praising it repeatedly. Even the music producer felt that the finalized lines suited the character well and matched the song’s style.
A few days later, while Qi Shejiang was practicing, Li Jing called him again. “Come down, I’m downstairs!” Li Jing exclaimed like a sprightly bean, unable to conceal his excitement. Qi Shejiang tidied up and headed downstairs, opening the car door and sitting inside. Li Jing tossed over two rolled sheets of paper, “Take a look at this; it’d be best if you could memorize it. I’ll take you to an audition.” “What audition?” Qi Shejiang had just received new memories, and while he didn’t need to check the news, he understood what an audition meant; he just found it strange how sudden it was. Li Jing said excitedly, “It’s for Tang Shuangqin’s movie! It’s for the male third role; they’re casting right now. It’s really a coincidence; do you know? You’re Xia Yiwei’s son!” Qi Shejiang: “What does that have to do with Mom?
Li Jing cleared his throat, “Back then, you were abroad, so you probably didn’t know; I’ll tell you, but don’t tell Yiwei.” Here’s the situation: Tang Shuangqin is one of the top directors in the country, incredibly capable of elevating actors, racking up awards left and right. His requirements for casting actors are relatively strict, and just receiving an audition invitation is already a recognition. When Tang Shuangqin wasn’t yet that prominent, Qi Shejiang’s dad paid to have his wife cast as the second female lead to gain experience; Xia Yiwei’s acting, while quite prestigious in other crews, didn’t hold up under Tang Shuangqin’s management, leaving him sleepless worrying about the final product. Afterward, he blacklisted Xia Yiwei, vowing that even if she grew more famous or he became poorer, he would never work with her again.
From Xia Yiwei’s perspective, although the audience claims she gave her best performance in that movie, she was also severely tormented by the director, which solidified her resolve to become a pretty face.
Qi Shejiang: “…”
While unfolding the paper, Qi Shejiang asked, “So how about this time…”
Li Jing explained that it was all because of Director Jiang. The background of Tang Shuangqin’s film is set in modern times, and several main characters are either famous opera performers or socialites.
Among them, the male third role is a renowned performer of Bian opera, and most other actors have been confirmed, but this main character is still not settled.
Director Jiang, having filmed a music video, met Tang Shuangqin at a dinner gathering. Hearing that the casting was still ongoing, he took out the materials he had saved on his phone for him to look at. It’s all opera-related; just to get a feel for it, since he heard Jesse say he would learn Bian opera through the singing segment of “Wang Qing Yu” in the music video.
Tang Shuangqin reached out to Li Jing.
Li Jing himself was quite surprised. People from their company had also gone for auditions, and as far as he knew, this film had a mix of professional Bian opera actors, actors with a background in traditional opera, and those who were completely unfamiliar with it… a variety of types, all vying for roles, yet none selected, making it a highly challenging endeavor.
And precisely because of this, since Tang Shuangqin managed to connect despite the shadow, even if Director Jiang praised him, Jesse would definitely have something to move him.
Immediately, Li Jing said, “Don’t leave yet, I’ll bring someone over right now.”
“If I hadn’t said this, he would have probably backed out for sure.”
Li Jing seemed quite pleased. “Don’t be scared; just try it out first. If, by chance, you really can land it, we’ll find someone to give you a crash course. Filming isn’t that hard… Jesse, what’s wrong with you?”
