novellhall Chapter 9 Even corpses have their own way of being portrayed!
Chapter 9 Even corpses have their own way of being portrayed!
Not long after, Lee So-yeon's room door opened.
She had changed into comfortable loungewear and was carrying an eco-friendly bag with a logo of a Korean girl group.
He said to Chen Xun with great interest:
"Oppa! To celebrate my move-in, let me treat you to dinner! I know a really good Korean fried chicken place nearby!"
Chen Xun wanted to refuse, but his stomach betrayed him with a growl.
After eating pasta and discounted vegetables from the supermarket for several days in a row, fried chicken sounds like heaven.
"Alright!"
He stood up: "Consider this a welcome-back dinner for you."
The so-called "great Korean fried chicken restaurant" is actually just a small eatery two blocks away.
The kind that's open 24 hours a day.
The shop was small and greasy, but the aroma was undeniably enticing.
The store was bustling at this time, filled with conversations in Korean, English, and Spanish.
The TV was showing a Korean variety show that I couldn't understand, with Spanish subtitles.
It has to be said that Lee So-yeon is quite knowledgeable about fried chicken. She skillfully ordered a double-portion fried chicken, plus a serving of cheese balls and two cans of cola.
While waiting, she looked at Chen Xun with bright, sparkling eyes:
"Oppa, are you an actor in Hollywood? Are you good at it?"
Chen Xun took a sip of the complimentary iced barley tea and chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"If I were so capable, I wouldn't be living in that run-down apartment. I just finished filming a movie, playing an assistant to a paranormal researcher. I have three lines."
Wow! Three sentences!
Lee So-yeon, however, was very supportive, clasping her hands in front of her chest: "That's amazing! Is it a horror movie?"
"Insidious, directed by James Wan."
Chen Xun tried his best to keep his tone calm, but he was still a little smug inside.
To be able to land a role with lines in James Wan's films is something to brag about in the lower echelons of society.
"Mo? Director James Wan!"
Lee So-yeon's eyes widened, and her voice rose eight octaves, attracting the attention of a middle-aged Korean man at the next table.
"He's amazing! The Saw series is really famous! Oppa, you actually work on his set!"
Chen Xun was a little embarrassed by her enthusiasm and quickly changed the subject:
"And you? How do you plan to realize your dream of becoming a director?"
When this was mentioned, Lee So-yeon became even more excited, gesturing wildly as she began to explain her "five-year plan":
Start with a student film crew at USC, build up a portfolio, then go to film festivals, win awards, get noticed by big studios, and eventually direct a film that can win an Oscar...
As Chen Xun listened, he silently ate the steaming hot fried chicken that had just been served.
Crispy skin, tender and juicy chicken, and the perfect balance of sweet and spicy kick...
It must be said that fried chicken is definitely better than Budweiser in terms of healing fatigue and providing cheap happiness.
Looking at Li Suyan, who was speaking eloquently with a gleam in her eyes, he seemed to see another version of Shen Man.
Or rather, it's a microcosm of everyone who came here with dreams.
It's just unknown how long it will take for the reality of Los Angeles to extinguish the fire in her eyes.
"Oppa, next time you go to an audition, can I go with you to learn? I can help you carry your things and be your temporary assistant!"
Lee So-yeon mumbled something indistinctly while biting into a cheese ball.
"We'll see!"
Chen Xun poured cold water on the idea, saying, "Most of the time I play background characters or corpses."
"Even corpses have their own way of being portrayed!"
Lee So-yeon, with a serious expression, quoted a line from some unknown film textbook: "Every shot is important!"
Chen Xun laughed.
He used to believe that too.
Until he discovered that most directors only care whether the back of your head is round enough.
After finishing my fried chicken, I walked back to my apartment. The night breeze brushed against my face, carrying the lingering aroma of the fried chicken.
The chattering new roommate brought a lively and noisy energy back to the home, which had become somewhat deserted after Shen Man left.
Having a roommate might not be bad.
Chen Xun took out his key and opened the still difficult-to-open door, pondering which gathering point he should try his luck at tomorrow.
Union card!
He absolutely must get it!
The next morning, before it was fully light.
Chen Xun was awakened by the rustling sounds outside the door.
With his hair all messy and eyes still sleepy, he opened the door.
We saw that Lee So-yeon was already dressed and carrying a small backpack, her face saying "ready to go".
They look just like elementary school students going on a field trip.
"Oppa! Good morning! Can we go now?"
Her English was full of youthful energy, almost like kimchi.
Chen Xun rubbed his eyes, a little confused: "Depart? Where to?"
"Let's go to the film set!"
Lee So-yeon looked completely at ease:
"Didn't I say I'd be your assistant? To get you water, scripts, and talk to the foreman..."
"I've already checked the travel guides!"
Chen Xun sighed, feeling a hangover-like headache coming on early.
"Listen, Soyeon!"
He tried to make his tone sound like a decent person, not someone who had just been woken up and was grumpy.
"First, I didn't get a good job like Rob's today. I'm going to Santa Monica to wait for casual work on the street."
"Secondly, I don't need to take any scripts because I'll most likely be playing a passerby Z or a diner C in the background of a restaurant."
"Third, and most importantly!"
He paused, then pointed to her expensive-looking trendy hoodie and limited-edition sneakers:
"Going to a place like that doesn't look like a proper assistant; it looks like a K-pop idol who wandered onto the wrong set. It's too conspicuous!"
"The foreman will think you can't handle hardship; you'll melt in five minutes under the Los Angeles sun!"
Lee So-yeon looked down at her equipment, hesitated for a moment, but her eyes remained stubborn:
"I can change clothes! I'm not afraid of the sun! Oppa, please take me to see it. I promise I'll be good, not say a word, and just treat it as experiencing life and gathering creative material!"
Chen Xun looked into her pleading eyes and remembered the really good fried chicken he had last night.
I softened!
never mind!
So be it, we'll bring a burden along!
Let her see the true nature of the Hollywood dream; maybe she'll wake up sooner.
"Alright!"
He compromised: "Go change into the most ordinary, inconspicuous clothes, jeans, a plain T-shirt, the more you look like a local homeless youth, the better."
"Take off your makeup. It reflects too much sunlight and will easily dazzle the foreman's picky eyes."
Half an hour later.
The two boarded a dilapidated bus bound for Santa Monica.
Lee So-yeon indeed changed into a plain gray T-shirt and faded jeans.
She had a plain face and her hair was tied in a ponytail.
At least he doesn't look so much like an outcast anymore.
She was clutching the backpack tightly in her arms.
It contained water, sunscreen, energy bars, and a thick notebook, which was said to be for recording "human observations".
Listen up!
Taking advantage of the bus's swaying, Chen Xun began to give her a crash course on "Santa Monica Labor Market Survival Guide".
"Once you get there, remember a few key words: keep a low profile, be quick-witted, and don't block the way."
"When the foreman or casting assistant arrives, the crowd will swarm like zombies seeing living people. Don't push and shove; you're likely to get hurt and irritate them. Find a spot on the edge, but make sure they can see your face."
"If, and I mean if, there are jobs that need Asian faces, I'll raise my hand. Please don't shout out or try to sell me jobs; that would make me look unprofessional."
"The most important thing is to keep an eye on your bag and phone. That place is full of all sorts of people, and if they get stolen, you won't even have time to cry."
"Put away your K-drama-style 'Oppa' and 'Fighting' talk. Here, we'll just call you 'Hey, man' or 'Bro'."
Chen Xun, thinking that he shouldn't eat fried chicken for free and that someone would also share the rent, shared all the basic knowledge he knew.
It's no secret; you'll understand once you spend a week here!