novellhall Chapter 50 Don't forget to lend your buddies a hand!
Chapter 50 Don't forget to lend your buddies a hand!
ignition!
The engine emitted a deep, powerful roar, not as sharp as a modern sports car, but full of confidence.
"This car is really nice!"
Chen Xun raised an eyebrow, instantly developing a liking for the old horse.
He plans to go to USC today to finish filming the short film he promised to that student.
It was inconvenient before because I didn't have a car, but now that I have a car, I can drive there.
Driving his stylish Mustang towards Koreatown, Chen Xun noticed he was getting more stares from passersby.
He began to understand why Hollywood stars loved luxury cars; they certainly exuded an aura of prestige.
He went back to the apartment he shared with Lee So-yeon first.
I haven't been back for quite a few days, I need to check on things, and while I'm at it, I'll call this girl over.
I had promised to take her to the film set to broaden her horizons, and although the situation has changed, it's still necessary to say hello.
Use the key to open the door.
A strong smell of kimchi mixed with air freshener wafted over.
The living room was much tidier than when he was here, and there were a few more cute cushions on the sofa.
Lee So-yeon was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, typing away on her laptop, with several thick books on film theory scattered around her.
Hearing the door open, she turned around abruptly and saw Chen Xun; her eyes widened instantly.
"Oppa!!!"
She exclaimed in surprise, almost jumping up: "What are you doing here?"
"No, I mean... you're back!"
She was incoherent, her face beaming with undisguised surprise, as she jogged over.
Suddenly remembering something, she stopped a few steps away, her eyes scanning him with a mixture of gossip and curiosity:
"Wow...you're really on fire now! Are you and Christine really together?"
"OMG! I can't believe it!"
Chen Xun looked at the favorability rating above her head, which had already risen to 70.
It seems recent news has played a significant role!
He smiled and said, "Absolutely genuine!"
Chen Xun changed his shoes and walked in:
"I'm back to pick up some things. I need to go to USC to film some additional footage. Want to come? Just think of it as experiencing life!"
"Yes! Of course I'll go!"
Lee So-yeon nodded vigorously, quickly closing her laptop: "Wait five minutes, I'll change my clothes!"
After saying that, he rushed into his room.
Chen Xun shook his head and quickly packed a few changes of clothes and some frequently used items in his room.
When he came out, Lee So-yeon had already changed into a neat set of work pants and a T-shirt, and was carrying a canvas bag, looking quite like a scene assistant.
"Let's go, Oppa!" she said enthusiastically.
The two went downstairs, and when Lee So-yeon saw the Ford Mustang, she exclaimed softly, "Wow! This car! Is it yours?"
She walked around the car, her expression exaggerated:
"That's awesome! It's way more stylish than those generic supercars!"
"Christine's, can I borrow it?"
Chen Xun opened the car door.
Lee So-yeon sat in the passenger seat, touching this and looking there, her excitement undiminished:
"As expected of a Hollywood star, your taste is truly unique! Oppa, you're completely different now!"
Her tone was tinged with a mix of emotion and envy.
Chen Xun started the car, and the roar of the engine made Li Suyan excited again.
He skillfully reversed the car onto the street and casually asked, "How's it going lately? Is the scriptwriting going smoothly?"
"Don't even mention it!"
Lee So-yeon's face immediately fell, and she began to pour out her grievances:
"The professor was incredibly strict, revising a single shot over and over again. I felt like I was going to lose all my hair! And the acting in the crew was just... well..."
"Sigh, I even want to go up there and act it myself!"
She chattered on about the fun and troubles at school, with a slightly exaggerated tone and gestures typical of Koreans.
As Chen Xun drove, he occasionally responded with a few words, feeling as if he had returned to the days when he shared an apartment with his girlfriend. However, the girl next to him now looked at him with a new kind of admiration that he hadn't shown before.
As the car entered the USC campus, the familiar scene made Chen Xun feel somewhat dazed.
Not long ago, he was a dropout with an uncertain future and an extra who went from one film crew to another.
After parking the car, I followed the instructions in the text message to find the filming location.
A small open space behind a teaching building.
The student film crew has set up their equipment and is making preparations.
Director Mark saw Chen Xun approaching and immediately went to greet him.
"Chen! You're here! Thank you so much!"
Mark shook his hand warmly, his attitude even more respectful than before.
The success of "Lurking" and his recent romance have made Chen Xun much more important in the eyes of these students.
"It's what I promised!"
Chen Xun smiled, his gaze sweeping across the scene, and unexpectedly spotted a familiar face.
Li Zhe.
I met him once before when I was an extra!
Li Zhe also saw him, and a complex expression flashed across his face, a mixture of surprise and slight unease.
He was wearing a costume, so it seems he also has a role in this short film.
Moreover, it seems that he has more screen time than the character "A-Jie" played by Chen Xun!
Chen Xun nodded to him as a greeting.
Li Zhe forced a smile in response.
"Chen, these are the revised lines. Take a look; they're very simple."
Mark handed a piece of paper to Chen Xun: "It's mainly to add a few close-ups and your reactions to the confrontation between you and Li Zhe."
Chen Xun took it and looked at it. It was indeed just two or three sentences, but more of what he said was his eyes and expressions.
He nodded: "No problem!"
The makeup artist came over to give him a quick touch-up.
Lee So-yeon followed Mark curiously, watching the monitor and asking questions in a low voice, looking like a studious child.
Ready to go, let's film!
This scene depicts Chen Xun's character, A-Jie, an informant, being suspected by Li Zhe's character, a minor leader, leading to a brief standoff between the two at the alley entrance.
Chen Xun needed to portray the complex state of a low-level informant—warning and panicked, yet trying to appear calm.
"Action!"
Following the script, Li Zhe stepped forward, grabbed Chen Xun by the collar, and delivered his lines menacingly:
"Hey Jie, you've been acting really high and mighty lately. Did you say something to the cops?"
His performance was very forceful, his expression was ferocious, and his voice was loud!
But it gives people the feeling that I'm acting, and it's superficial.
The moment Chen Xun was grabbed by the collar, his body instinctively recoiled slightly, not out of fear, but out of instinctive defense.
He looked up at Li Zhe, his eyes showing no obvious fear, but rather the calculating cunning of a lowly person cornered. A slight, ambiguous smile twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"Brother Zhe, I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just trying to make a living."
His tone was flat, even a little ingratiating, but the content in his eyes was far richer than the lines he spoke.
Mark, behind the monitor, couldn't help but whisper:
"Great! That's the feeling!"
Standing next to Mark, Lee So-yeon was also watching intently, and whispered to Mark:
"Oppa's eyes are completely different now, it's like he's really become that person."
Li Zhe was clearly taken aback by Chen Xun's sudden performance. He paused for a second before continuing with his lines, his momentum unconsciously weakening.
"Cut! Great!"
Mark shouted, "Chen, your reaction just now was amazing! Let's reserve one, do it again!"
I took two more shots, from different angles, and both went smoothly.
Chen Xun's performance remained consistently strong and nuanced.
In contrast, Li Zhe's performance appears thinner and more contrived compared to Chen Xun's.
During the break, Li Zhe came over and handed Chen Xun a bottle of water, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of sourness:
"Great, Chen Xun, things are really different now. You're acting in big productions, talking to big stars, and your acting skills are improving rapidly."
Chen Xun unscrewed the water bottle, took a sip, and said in a normal tone:
"I was lucky; I stumbled upon an opportunity!"
"Your success isn't just due to luck!"
Li Zhe shook his head and sighed, "During the scene rehearsal just now, I felt like an idiot who couldn't act at all. How did you practice?"
"Maybe it's just that we took too many photos!"
Chen Xun couldn't explain the attribute ball, so he could only gloss over it.
Li Zhe didn't press further, but simply patted him on the shoulder, his tone becoming more sincere:
"Anyway, congratulations! You've finally made it through. If you ever get a small role that suits me, don't forget to give your buddy a hand!"
"must!"
Chen Xun nodded.
Hollywood is a small world; having more connections opens up more opportunities—he understands that principle.
The reshoot was successfully completed, and Mark and the rest of the crew expressed their deepest gratitude to Chen Xun.
Before leaving, Mark made a point of exchanging personal contact information with Chen Xun, saying that they could collaborate on future projects.
On the way back, Lee So-yeon was even more excited than when she arrived, chattering away in the car as she recounted the filming.
"Oppa! You were so incredibly handsome just now! That look in your eyes, wow... it was totally movie-quality! Lee Cheol looks like an amateur compared to you!"
She speaks bluntly and without reservation.
Chen Xun focused on driving and simply smiled.
He saw that Lee So-yeon's favorability rating had quietly increased by 2 points, reaching [72].
"What do you want to eat tonight? It's on me!"
Chen Xun glanced at the time.
This is to celebrate the successful reshoot and also to thank Lee So-yeon for helping to find a house beforehand.
"Really? Wow! That's amazing!"
Li Suyan's eyes lit up:
"I want to eat Korean beef! I know a new place opened nearby, and they say the meat is amazing!"