Entertainment Industry: I am a top-tier movie star

Chapter 21 The Test of the Embroidered Spring Blade

When Chen Nianbei entered the classroom for the performance class the next morning, Nazha was already sitting in her usual spot.

When she saw Chen Nianbei come in, her eyes lit up for a moment, then she lowered her head and pretended to look at the script.

Chen Nianbei sat down next to her and asked casually, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Naza raised her eyes, glared at him, but said in a soft voice, "What do you think?"

"Looks like you slept well," Chen Nianbei smiled.

Naza wanted to say something more, but Teacher Li walked into the classroom, so he had to give up.

The lesson was about "controlling stage rhythm." Teacher Li explained it in great detail, and Chen Nianbei listened very attentively.

Naza, however, seemed somewhat absent-minded, scribbling on his notebook and occasionally stealing a glance at Chen Nianbei.

During the break, Naza finally couldn't resist and leaned over to whisper, "Are you busy this afternoon?"

Chen Nianbei was writing something in her notebook without looking up: "Um, I need to go to an audition with Wang Hao."

"An audition?" Naza's eyes lit up. "Which production?"

"Brotherhood of Blades"

Chen Nianbei said, "Zhang Lei's group said they were short of a few young actors and asked us to give it a try."

"That one directed by Lu Yang?"

Naza was somewhat surprised, "It must be quite difficult to get into a movie crew, right? It seems like Liu Shishi from our company is going to play the female lead in it."

"Give it a try."

Chen Nianbei closed her notebook. "Anyway, there's no real loss."

Looking at his calm profile, Naza suddenly realized that this person was truly special.

Other students would have been incredibly excited to have such an opportunity, but he wasn't excited at all.

"Then... good luck," Nazar said.

Just then, Wang Hao walked over from the back of the classroom, his face beaming with excitement:

"Nianbei, meet at the school gate at 2 PM. Zhang Lei is waiting for us there."

"Okay," Chen Nianbei replied.

At 1:50 p.m., Chen Nianbei and Wang Hao waited for Zhang Lei at the school gate.

The autumn sun is lovely, and it feels warm and cozy on my skin.

There were many students coming and going at the school gate; some hurried past carrying books, while others chatted in twos and threes.

Some people were carrying photography equipment out, probably to take photos for assignments.

"Why hasn't Zhang Lei arrived yet?" Wang Hao asked anxiously, standing on tiptoe to look into the distance.

"What's the rush?" Chen Nianbei leaned against the wall, squinting in the sun.

"This is my first audition!"

Wang Hao rubbed his hands together. "Lu Yang just won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut. If I could get into his team, it would be a pretty good resume."

Chen Nianbei nodded: "Indeed."

He knew that "Brotherhood of Blades" would be a dark horse in 2014, even though its box office performance wasn't top-tier.

However, it received rave reviews and its Douban rating kept rising, making it a classic martial arts film.

Getting into this group, even if it's just a small supporting role, would be a great opportunity.

"Haozi! Nianbei!"

Zhang Lei waved, "Have you been waiting long?"

"Just arrived." Chen Nianbei straightened up.

Zhang Lei looked them up and down: "Okay, have you changed your clothes? The crew requires us to be clean and neat."

Both of them were dressed in simple T-shirts and jeans, looking fresh and neat.

"Can."

Zhang Lei nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go, take a taxi there. The film crew is in Huairou, which is a bit far."

The three got into a taxi. Zhang Lei, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and said:

"Let me tell you, Director Lu is extremely serious. But he's a really nice person and very patient with newcomers."

"Lei Zi, give us a heads-up,"

Wang Hao leaned forward. "What role are you trying out for today?"

"The Imperial Guards don't have many scenes, but they have two fight scenes."

Zhang Lei said, "The crew is still in the early stages of preparation and is short-staffed, so I thought I'd ask Director Lu, and I didn't expect him to actually agree to let you guys give it a try."

Chen Nianbei's heart skipped a beat.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, action scenes.

He had acted in many period dramas in his previous life, and action scenes were a basic skill for him. Although his current body has not undergone systematic training, his action memories are still there.

"Action scenes..."

Wang Hao hesitated for a moment, "I haven't practiced martial arts much."

"It's alright, Director Lu said we can learn it on the spot."

Zhang Lei said, "The key is to have that kind of drive, that ruthlessness of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

It took more than an hour to drive to Huairou Film and Television Base.

The crew of "Brotherhood of Blades" was in Zone 5. From afar, they could see a cluster of buildings in the style of the late Ming Dynasty, with bluestone slabs, gray walls and black tiles, and signs for "inn" and "tavern" hanging on the street.

Zhang Lei led Chen Nianbei and Wang Hao through the crowd to a tent.

"You guys wait here, I'm going to find the director."

After saying that, Zhang Lei went into the tent.

Wang Hao was a little nervous, rubbing his hands together incessantly: "Nianbei, do you think we can do this?"

"Let's give it a try." Chen Nianbei was quite calm, her gaze sweeping across the entire film set.

The tent flap was lifted, and Zhang Lei poked his head out: "Come in."

The two followed Zhang Lei into the tent.

The space inside wasn't large, just a long table, a few chairs, and a script spread out on the table.

A man in his thirties sat in the main seat, wearing a black jacket, his hair somewhat disheveled, looking down at a notebook in his hand.

Chen Nianbei recognized that it was Lu Yang.

He looked much younger than I had seen at the awards ceremony in my previous life, and his brows were deeply furrowed.

"Director Lu, these are the two students I mentioned, Chen Nianbei and Wang Hao."

Zhang Lei explained.

Lu Yang raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the two of them before finally settling on Chen Nianbei's face.

His gaze was sharp, as if he could see right through a person, inside and out.

"From Beijing Film Academy?" Lu Yang asked, his voice a little hoarse.

"Yes, I'm a sophomore," Chen Nianbei replied, neither humble nor arrogant.

Have you ever acted?

"I just finished filming 'Battle of Changsha' directed by Kong Sheng," Chen Nianbei said.

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow: "Kong Sheng? What are you playing?"

"Xiaoman, Hu Xiangjiang."

Lu Yang nodded, didn't ask any more questions, and turned to Wang Hao: "And you?"

Wang Hao was a little nervous: "I... I've acted in plays at school, but I've never actually acted in a movie."

"A stage play is fine too."

Lu Yang said, picking up two scripts from the table, "Take a look at this, and perform it for me in ten minutes."

Chen Nianbei took the script; it was only one page long and consisted of an interrogation scene.

The Imperial Guards interrogated a prisoner; they didn't have many lines, but their emotions were intense.

It takes a progression from calm to rage, and then to ruthlessness.

Wang Hao's scripts are similar in content, but the characters are slightly different.

The two walked to the corner of the tent and began to prepare.

Chen Nianbei quickly skimmed through the script, rapidly forming a character in her mind.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, the lowest level of the secret service in the late Ming Dynasty, was ambitious, ruthless, but also fearful.

When facing prisoners, he uses violence to mask his inner unease.

He played a similar character in his previous life.

Ten minutes passed quickly.

Lu Yang put down his notebook: "Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go first." Wang Hao took a deep breath and walked to the center of the tent.

He acted very seriously and with full emotion, but in some parts he acted too extrovertedly and lacked the restrained ruthlessness of the Imperial Guards.

After reading it, Lu Yang nodded: "It's alright. Collect a little more. The Embroidered Uniform Guards aren't thugs."

Wang Hao breathed a sigh of relief and stepped aside.

It was Chen Nianbei's turn.

He walked to the center, but instead of starting immediately, he adjusted his position so that he was facing Lu Yang directly.

But turning to the side at a 45-degree angle is a good angle that allows you to see the director's reaction while also making it convenient for your performance.

It was a small detail, but Lu Yang noticed it.

"Let's begin," Lu Yang said.

Chen Nianbei closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her expression had completely changed.

He went from being a calm college student to a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard struggling at the bottom of the power structure.

He walked up to the "prisoner".

There was nothing there, but in his eyes, there was a trembling person kneeling there.

"Name," he asked, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

He paused for three seconds, as if waiting for an answer.

Then a faint smile appeared on his lips, not a smile, but a condescending disdain.

"Not going to tell?"

His voice remained calm, but his hand slowly moved towards the hilt of the knife at his waist.

The movements were slow and steady, as if he were playing with some object.

Then suddenly—

He suddenly drew his "knife," the tip pointing at the "prisoner's" throat!

The movement was as fast as lightning, but the tip of the knife stopped in mid-air, trembling slightly.

It wasn't fear, it was excitement.

A thrill of having control over the life and death of others.

"I'll ask again."

His voice was low, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "Name."

This time he did not wait for an answer.

Instead, he slowly withdrew the knife and gently patted the "prisoner's" cheek with the back of the blade.

The movement was very light, but extremely insulting.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me."

He laughed, a cold laugh. "Anyway... you won't live past tonight."

After saying that, he turned around and walked back to his original position.

The entire performance lasted less than two minutes, but it was rich in emotional layers and detailed.

The tent was quiet for a few seconds.

Lu Yang stared at Chen Nianbei for a long time.

Then he asked, "Why did you use the back of the knife just now?"

"Because humiliation is more terrible than death."

Chen Nianbei said, "The Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) don't necessarily want confessions during interrogations; they want obedience."

Lu Yang didn't speak, stroking his chin thoughtfully.