novellhall Chapter 35 Exquisite Performance
Chapter 35 Exquisite Performance
The atmosphere on set was more somber than usual the next morning.
In the inn scene, the lights have been adjusted, and the dim yellow light shines through the paper windows, casting mottled shadows on the blue brick floor.
Chen Nianbei sat in his seat, closing his eyes to make final adjustments.
Jin Yichuan suffers from tuberculosis and must be feeling unwell right now.
He subtly adjusted his posture, maintaining a barely perceptible tension in his body.
That was the fatigue the patient felt from sitting for a long time.
Across from him, Zhang Zhen was performing a silent act.
He was in a very low mood today, like a fully drawn bow.
Shen Lian felt as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing on his heart as he was about to confront his two brothers.
Wang Qianyuan paced back and forth at the other end of the room, muttering to himself.
Lu Jianxing is the eldest brother, the most loyal and also the one who suffered the most. His anger needs to explode, but he can't let it out indiscriminately.
"Actors, get ready—"
The assistant director's voice came through.
Chen Nianbei opened his eyes and exchanged a glance with Zhang Zhen and Wang Qianyuan.
All three nodded, meaning: We're ready.
"Scene 43, Take 1, Action!"
The clapperboard fell.
The first scene is a monologue by Wang Qianyuan.
He sat at the table with his back to the door, tapping his fingers on the surface.
Footsteps came from outside the door.
Wang Qianyuan didn't turn around, but the fingers that were tapping the table stopped.
The door was pushed open, and Zhang Zhen walked in, his face paler than usual.
He closed the door, stood there, and watched Wang Qianyuan's retreating figure.
The air froze for a few seconds.
Wang Qianyuan slowly turned around, his eyes fixed on Zhang Zhen: "Where did you get the money?"
The voice was very low, as if squeezed out from deep in the throat.
Zhang Zhen didn't say anything.
Wang Qianyuan stood up and walked over step by step until the two were face to face.
He was slightly taller than Zhang Zhen, and looking down at him, the oppressive feeling in his eyes was almost overflowing:
"Where did the money to buy my official position come from?"
Zhang Zhen finally spoke: "Big brother..."
"Don't call me 'Big Brother'!"
Wang Qianyuan suddenly grabbed his collar, "We're sworn brothers, why would you harm me?!"
The last half of the sentence was almost shouted out.
The sound exploded in the room, making the paper windows tremble.
Zhang Zhen, held by him, didn't resist, but simply lowered his eyes: "There's something I need to say..."
"Speak!" Wang Qianyuan interrupted him, "Where did the silver come from?!"
Chen Nianbei sat in the corner, watching all of this.
According to the script, Jin Yichuan should have gone up to persuade him at this point.
But he didn't rush to do anything.
He was waiting for a more natural opportunity.
Seeing that Zhang Zhen remained silent, Wang Qianyuan's anger intensified, and he punched him!
"Bang!"
A solid punch.
Zhang Zhen staggered two steps, leaned against the wall, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Wang Qianyuan was still going to fight; his second punch had already been thrown.
At that very moment, Chen Nianbei moved.
He rushed forward, not recklessly, but with a sickly gait.
It was fast, but unstable, and it even stumbled a bit halfway through.
He hugged Wang Qianyuan from behind around the waist, his voice urgent:
"Big brother! Stop hitting him! Second brother, quickly tell big brother!"
Wang Qianyuan was in a fit of anger and didn't pay any attention, so he swung his elbow back.
The elbow struck Chen Nianbei squarely in the chest.
"Hmm!"
Chen Nianbei groaned softly; it wasn't an act, it was real pain.
Although Wang Qianyuan had held back, his strength was still considerable.
He released his grip, took three steps back, and crashed into the table, making a clattering sound as bowls and pots clattered.
Then he bent over and began to cough violently.
This cough is different from usual.
It wasn't a suppressed cough, but a heart-wrenching cough that resonated throughout the chest.
After coughing for a while, he covered his mouth with his hand, and when he took it off, his palm was dark red.
Wang Qianyuan was stunned.
He turned around and saw Jin Yichuan coughing so hard he couldn't straighten up; the anger in his eyes was instantly replaced by panic.
He rushed over and grabbed Chen Nianbei's shoulder:
"Yichuan! How are you? Are you alright?"
The voices all changed tone.
Chen Nianbei shook his head, wanting to speak, but then coughed again.
He leaned on the table, slowly straightened up, his face paler than paper.
Zhang Zhen also walked over, looking at Jin Yichuan with a look full of guilt in his eyes.
The room fell silent, save for Chen Nianbei's suppressed cough.
Zhang Zhen knelt on the ground, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes held a resolute calm:
"Wei Zhongxian is not dead."
The five words were like five hammers slamming into the ground.
Wang Qianyuan turned his head sharply: "What did you say?"
Zhang Zhen took out three bags of silver from his pocket and placed them on the table.
The movements were slow and heavy, as if the three bags of silver weighed a thousand pounds.
"One is for my eldest brother, one is for Yichuan, and the other... is for Miaotong."
Chen Nianbei stared at the three bags of silver for a long time.
Then he raised his head and looked at Zhang Zhen, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief, but deep down there was also a sense of...understanding.
That kind of "I see" understanding.
He spoke slowly, his voice soft, but every word was clear:
"So...we've been in danger many times during this period..."
He paused, as if he needed to gather his strength:
"Was it all because Wei Zhongxian wanted to kill them to silence them?"
After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.
Three people, three expressions.
Wang Qianyuan was in a state of extreme anger and blankness because he had not yet fully processed the information.
Zhang Zhen found relief in revealing the secret.
Jin Yichuan understood the sadness of everything.
"Card!"
Lu Yang's voice rang out.
But no one in the room moved.
A few seconds later, Zhang Zhen straightened up, wiped the "blood" from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Chen Nianbei: "Are you alright? That last bit..."
"It's nothing." Chen Nianbei shook his head. His chest still hurt a little, but he could bear it.
Wang Qianyuan also came over, looking guilty: "I'm so sorry, I didn't control myself just now..."
"It's really nothing."
Chen Nianbei smiled. "That makes it more real."
The three of them walked together in front of the monitor.
Lu Yang was watching the replay intently.
In the scene, from Wang Qianyuan's questioning to Zhang Zhen's confession, and then to Jin Yichuan coughing up blood and pointing out the key point, the emotions build up layer by layer, and the pacing is excellent.
Especially Chen Nianbei's last look.
The subtle shift from shock to understanding to sadness was breathtaking.
"How is it?" Zhang Zhen asked.
Lu Yang didn't answer immediately. He read the last paragraph again before looking up:
"Passed."
He looked at Chen Nianbei: "The handling of that last line of dialogue was very good."
"That's good," Chen Nianbei said.
Lu Yang nodded, a smile appearing on his face: "This line really elevates the tragedy of the entire play."
Wang Qianyuan patted Chen Nianbei on the shoulder: "Not bad, kid, you played so steadily."
Chen Nianbei just smiled.
After this scene was filmed, the morning's work was finished.
This afternoon we're filming Jin Yichuan's final scene, his last in "Brotherhood of Blades".
My phone vibrated while I was removing my makeup.
Naza sent a text message: "Finished shooting? How did it go?"
Chen Nianbei replied, "We just finished filming, it's done."
Naza replied instantly: "I knew it! Do you have any more scenes this afternoon?"
"The last one."
"Good luck! I'll call you tonight."
"it is good."
Putting down her phone, Chen Nianbei looked at herself in the mirror.
Half of the makeup had been removed; the pale undertone was still there, but the sickly look in her eyes was gone.
The scene in the afternoon was Jin Yichuan's ending.
It can be said that Jin Yichuan died in place of Ding Xiu.
That was Jin Yichuan's last bit of affection for Ding Xiu.
Chen Nianbei took a deep breath.
This is the last game.
Act well.