I was just speaking from the perspective of an enthusiast, worrying that the master’s image might be damaged. Now that the cast has been chosen, I respect Director Tang’s decision, but I still maintain my opinion; to me, Xiao Yinyue is still Xiao Yinyue.” He is trying to save face while not wanting to appear too weak. However, he doesn’t dare to attack Qi Shejiang again; this time he didn’t even mention the cross-talk sect matters, thinking that Qi Shejiang is really toxic and could turn the situation around on him despite his efforts to avoid it.
On the other side, discussions about the casting are heating up, and there are numerous explosive points to explore. Just the character of Qi Shejiang as the male third lead alone has generated a lot of news. He is a complete newcomer in the film and television industry, a somewhat unclear cross-talk actor, and the son of Xia Yiwei, who left a shadow on Tang Shuangqin. As Xia Yiwei said, it’s incredibly difficult for Qi Shejiang to be chosen; how did he manage to win over Tang Shuangqin? During a media interview, Tang Shuangqin responded in a somewhat gloomy manner, stating that he felt Qi Shejiang was very suitable for the role.
Another person who was interviewed is Luo Xia, the granddaughter of Xiao Yinyue. Luo Xia praised Qi Shejiang, asserting that he did extensive research on her grandfather and his imitations were lifelike and seamless. He also has a certain foundation in traditional opera; being a cross-talk actor is no problem, and there will be focused training before filming, so she fully believes Qi Shejiang can perform well. After seeing the report, Lin Yang cursed inwardly. Damn, this Qi Shejiang is really something unusual!
Fortunately, he stopped short at the time, but even so, it’s still quite awkward. The high recognition from the descendants of the original character has sparked public discussion. Original doubts and uncertainties have turned into expectations, and given that both the director and advisors acknowledge his talent, people are very curious about what Qi Shejiang can bring to the role.
Media outlets are racing to report the story, trying to unearth behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Fans are thrilled; after all the dark moments, we can finally see our idol filming and in character costumes!
The news about “Yuan Yang Kou” is booming, and everyone is discussing it. However, filming won’t start until after the Lunar New Year, so those eager to see Qi Shejiang’s portrayal will have to wait. Just as luck would have it, Xia Yiwei is releasing a song and promoting it, and Qi Shejiang collaborated with his mother, even playing a female role in it.
For many viewers, the distinctions between these types of opera are not very significant. People are watching Xia Yiwei’s MV, considering it a sneak preview, and it has unexpectedly brought Xia Yiwei a wave of unsolicited attention.
Previously, Qi Shejiang also learned to sing various types of operas, including Lao Sheng, Hua Lian, and Dan Jiao. This is natural; in an unfamiliar industry, one instinctively feels that the most significant leaps are the most impressive. In this MV, he fully flaunted his roles and even opened his mouth a bit. Qi Jiexi was known for being a pretty face; once his segment was released, the fans could rave about him for three days and nights without discussing the theatrical appreciation.
Not only the fans, but even passersby would be stunned; this could only be described as “romantically charismatic, captivating the flowers and smoke; no wonder infatuated fools sneak into the divine.” There are also rumors that Tang Shuangqin proactively invited Qi Shejiang to audition after previewing this material.
The operatic segment in the MV is from the Jingxi “Wang Qing Yu,” and Xiao Yinyue’s representative work is also “Wang Qing Yu,” but from Bianxi. The roles are the same; Xiao Yinyue was also famous for her appearance back in the day. Qi Shejiang’s excellent performance in full costume has raised people’s expectations for “Yuan Yang Kou” by at least thirty percent.
Moreover, “Wang Qing Yu” has been adapted into various forms, including film and television works, multiple times over the years.
Ever since the MV was released, a strange trend has blown through, with netizens suggesting that another version of “Wang Qing Yu” should be filmed, casting Qi Shejiang as the female lead in a cross-dressing role.
Li Jing negotiated the payment and schedule with the “Yuan Yang Kou” crew on behalf of Qi Shejiang. In a little over half a month, he will participate in a special two-month training arranged by the crew, which almost all the main actors must undergo to strive for authenticity.
During these weeks, he will have just enough time to finish recording the remaining two episodes of “Guiyuan Tianju.” Originally, the interval wasn’t supposed to be this short, and it’s all thanks to the program team for helping contact various guests to adjust the schedules.
Returning to the “Guiyuan Tianju” program team, Qi Shejiang is still comfortable, responsible for stoking the fire and boiling water. However, compared to before, he has started to practice Bianxi in the mornings, in addition to his basic skill training for “Yuan Yang Kou.”
Qi Shejiang is considered to have a relatively easy task in the crew.
He has a foundation in traditional opera and imitates Xiao Yinyue particularly well—he doesn’t even need to brush up on historical knowledge. He basically just needs to polish certain aspects.
However, for Qi Shejiang, filming a movie is a completely unfamiliar field, and he wants to repay Li Jing and the others. If he is to play this old friend who brushes past him in the flow of time, he only hopes to achieve perfection. This old friend took good care of him in the past; without Xiao Yinyue, he wouldn’t have been able to enter the garden. He knows how morally upright Xiao Yinyue is, and he also knows Xiao Yinyue’s loyalty; eighty years ago, he had used Xiao Yinyue to get through many obstacles. Now, he hopes to present the side of Xiao Yinyue offstage, allowing everyone to understand him.
Speaking of the program, as soon as the guests saw Qi Shejiang, they immediately pulled him aside. “Jesse, do you know how worried we were that after you took Director Tang’s play, you wouldn’t come here? Then how would we listen to the third segment?”
“I can’t do that; I must see it through to the end and finish this part,” Qi Shejiang said, feeling that his integrity was pretty good. Many stories are often unfinished fragments. But he told himself that he would complete the story before sharing it with the audience, although whether the audience pays attention to everything is up to them.
Fortunately, there’s only one session left for “Cuo Shen Huan Hun,” since the first few episodes have already been broadcast.
This time, the production team didn’t organize anything special, and everyone gathered in the courtyard where Qi Shejiang and the others were staying. They shared food and drinks, along with the host’s family.
Qi Shejiang and Zhang Yue sat on an old wooden bench. After they had eaten enough, Zhang Yue noticed everyone was restless and spoke up, “This time, I’m definitely not playing any games!”
Last time he played Truth or Dare, his reputation was ruined!
Qi Shejiang chuckled.
“You’re laughing? Let me tell you, you’re the one who’s most lacking in virtue,” Zhang Yue accused.
Qi Shejiang felt innocent, “I didn’t force you to learn to sing! I’ve always wanted to know how you could sing ‘He Bi Xi Xiang’; are you secretly a fan of my mom?”
Zhang Yue: “…………”
Zhang Yue was so angry he almost fell off the bench. He began to criticize Qi Shejiang: “How can you cross-talk performers be like this? Who’s a fan of your mom? You’re just babbling!”
Zhang Yue was talking nonsense now.
