novelraw Chapter 896 - 878: Can Your Girlfriend Play the Campus Belle? (Part 2)
Chapter 896 - 878: Can Your Girlfriend Play the Campus Belle? (Part 2)
Chapter 896: Chapter 878: Can Your Girlfriend Play the Campus Belle? (Part 2)
Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi were both held back, waiting together for more than an hour outside the audition room door, waiting until the last actor was called in...
Only then did Pu Sangzhi softly ask Huo Feng, "Why did you tell me just now that it’s settled?"
Huo Feng, who was playing on his phone with his head down, smirked at this and said, "Because I directly told Director Lu inside that if he thinks I’m okay for the role, I have some additional conditions. Didn’t he stop me the moment I came out? Isn’t that a done deal?"
Only then did Pu Sangzhi understand what Huo Feng meant by ’settled’.
So, he had already discussed the collaboration to this extent...
Pu Sangzhi was still a bit puzzled, "What additional conditions do you have? You aren’t really negotiating money with them, are you? That’s not good..."
Huo Feng clapped and rubbed her head, saying directly, "What are you thinking? It’s about scheduling. I just want to discuss the schedule because if it doesn’t match up, then there’s nothing to talk about. I can’t let our Tsinghua studies fall behind just to act in a web series."
"Oh..."
Pu Sangzhi nodded, feeling that what he said made a lot of sense.
After a while, the last actor auditioning came out of the room, and just like everyone else, went back to wait for the news.
Then, the staff came out again, called Huo Feng back into the room, and called Pu Sangzhi in as well.
In the audition room, there was a large open space in front, presumably the performance area for the actors.
The director, producer, and screenwriter were sitting behind a desk; when Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi entered the room, the producer and screenwriter were already packing up to leave, only Director Lu Xun was still sitting there, looking down at the documents.
This was a low-budget web series, everything was simplified.
The audition scene wasn’t as glamorous as Pu Sangzhi imagined, there wasn’t even a set, the whole room had a shabby feeling about it...
Pu Sangzhi silently observed the classroom-like environment and thought inwardly.
"So, Huo Feng, you said you have conditions to discuss?"
Lu Xun waved Huo Feng over, "Come sit here, do you want to discuss remuneration?"
There were quite a few chairs by the side, and Huo Feng led Pu Sangzhi over, pulled two chairs together and sat shoulder to shoulder opposite Lu Xun.
Huo Feng shook his head and said, "Director Lu, I haven’t been through these procedures before, nor do I have much experience, I’m certainly not here to discuss payment. I only have one condition..."
Lu Xun nodded, "Hmm, go ahead."
"It’s about the schedule..."
Huo Feng said a bit shyly, "For someone like me, who’s still a student, it’s quite hard to find the time. My studies at school are important too; I’m only free during winter and summer vacations. I’d like to ask what your schedule looks like? If the timing doesn’t match, I wouldn’t want to waste your time in looking for someone else."
"Oh, it’s a scheduling issue..."
Lu Xun was taken aback, he hadn’t considered this problem. "Regarding the schedule, our initial plan is next summer. We’re shooting a campus drama, so wherever we go to find a location, basically only the winter and summer breaks are available for booking. However, it might take a bit over three months, around 4 months. If it’s convenient for you, at the end of the previous semester or at the start of the next semester, you might have to take more than a month off. Do you think you can fit it in?"
In fact, Huo Feng thought he couldn’t...
A one-month leave, not being sick or anything, how could the school possibly allow that?
But, Huo Feng couldn’t outright reject Lu Xun either, so he could only nod for now to buy some time, "I need to go back and ask our advisor, see if it’s possible to take a leave."
"Hmm, then you should go and ask first."
Lu Xun nodded, "If things work out on your end, I’ll set you as the actor. You’re my top choice for ’Zhou Cheng’, and if we can collaborate, that would be ideal."
Huo Feng nodded, "Thank you, Director Lu, for your appreciation."
Lu Xun then asked Huo Feng, "Is your girlfriend also from Tsinghua like you?"
Pu Sangzhi, suddenly being addressed, couldn’t help but sit up straight, her gaze fixed on Lu Xun.
Huo Feng answered on her behalf, "Yes, Director Lu."
Lu Xun immediately smiled, "Does your girlfriend have any interest in acting? Ah, introduce us."
Lu Xun’s tone was relaxed and casual as he said the latter part, and the atmosphere changed along with his tone.
Suddenly, Huo Feng relaxed a lot, "My girlfriend, Pu Sangzhi. The Pu of the word ’unyielding,’ and Sang of ’the mulberry branches know the wind.’ Isn’t she pretty, a real campus belle!"
Huo Feng not only introduced Pu Sangzhi properly but also unabashedly praised her.
Pu Sangzhi, sitting beside him, felt rather embarrassed listening to all this, pinched Huo Feng’s thigh, and nodded to Lu Xun, "Director Lu, don’t listen to his nonsense, I’m sorry..."
"He surely isn’t talking nonsense, is he?"
Lu Xun stroked his chin, his mouth curling into a high smile, saying, "You indeed are beautiful, giving me a sense of delightful surprise."
Pu Sangzhi was taken aback, "Ah?"
"I’ve never really come across students from Tsinghua before, so I don’t know if Tsinghua is filled with handsome guys and pretty ladies like Huo Feng and you."
Lu Xun joked with them, "Just a little small talk, Miss Pu Sangzhi, I’m wondering if you’ve read the script? Are you interested in acting? You want to try the role of the campus belle?"
Lu Xun, being a young director, spoke with a sense of humor, like chatting with peers.
Neither Huo Feng nor Pu Sangzhi felt much pressure, only that Lu Xun was easygoing and a good talker.
Upon hearing Lu Xun praising Pu Sangzhi’s beauty, Huo Feng felt proud and delighted inside, he directly said, "Director Lu, your eye for beauty is really acute! Remarkable! My girlfriend has been a campus belle since high school, her looks are truly captivating. I won’t be shy to say, I fell in love at first sight in high school and chased her for three years to win her heart."
"Haha, so you two have such a story."
Lu Xun laughed, suddenly intrigued by the story of Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi as a couple.
"Hey, don’t say such things in front of the director." Pu Sangzhi felt embarrassed, pinching Huo Feng’s thigh again with her little hand underneath.
But it seemed to have no effect.
She thought she was pinching quite hard, but Huo Feng didn’t show any change in expression, not even a frown.
Perhaps because he was all muscle, Pu Sangzhi couldn’t actually pinch any flesh...
"Hey, the director has his eye on you."
Huo Feng nudged Pu Sangzhi with his elbow, "Quickly get up and perform a segment for the director, show him your skills."
"I..."
Pu Sangzhi paused, nodding at Lu Xun rather embarrassedly, "I’m sorry, Director Lu, I can’t act... I’m camera-shy."
Pu Sangzhi could reluctantly approach this industry to accompany Huo Feng, but if she had to take the stage herself, she still felt a considerable sense of fear.
After all, acting is a profession that shy people really can’t handle...
"Why not give it a try, there’s always a first time in life." Lu Xun, however, didn’t want to let go of her, and encouraged her.
Huo Feng beside her also gave absolute support and encouragement, eagerly saying, "Yeah, didn’t you act quite well with me yesterday? Let’s get up and perform a scene for Director Lu to see."
"So you were acting with Huo Feng, you understand the campus belle role then."
Lu Xun clapped along, "Come on, welcome the beauty to the stage."
"Come on, get up and give it a try."
Huo Feng directly pulled Pu Sangzhi’s hand.
One encouraged, the other insisted, leaving Pu Sangzhi at a point where she could neither advance nor retreat...
She could only brace herself to join Huo Feng on the open floor, head down, her face filled with awkwardness...
Standing opposite her, Huo Feng was all smiles, having completely found the state of ’Zhou Cheng’ already!
"I’ll count down... do the part from the script..."
Lu Xun raised his hands, clapping them down with a loud snap, and he uttered, "Action!"
Immediately, Pu Sangzhi felt very embarrassed, but quickly turned, swiftly slipping into her acting role.
Huo Feng did as well!
Behind her, Huo Feng put his hands in his pockets, smoothly reciting his line, "Hey, which class are you in?"
The part from the script, they had rehearsed dozens of times...
With familiarity, Pu Sangzhi smoothly cooperated with Huo Feng to finish this scene...
The lines remained the same, the acting was clean and simple, without redundancy, yet perfectly highlighting the characters’ personalities.
After one take, Lu Xun nodded with satisfaction and even joked with the two of them, "A couple acting as a couple is indeed different, even random shots look sweet."
Lu Xun was very young, reportedly having graduated from undergraduate studies only two years prior.
During his internship, with support from a wealthy family background, he directed his first magic drama... which was a huge flop!
This youth-campus drama was the second work he directed in his life. Not relying on family, just a pure opportunity given by the company...
He was amiable and humorous, quickly bonding with Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi.
Life is long, and making friends with nothing in hand often results in lifelong friends.
Lu Xun was one such friend.
Even though later on, he did not collaborate with Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi, the three of them still maintained a pretty good friendship.