novelraw Chapter 113: Ci-ge, There's a Charm Hanging Off Your Name!
Chapter 113: Ci-ge, There's a Charm Hanging Off Your Name!
As Zhao Xueling softly uttered the two words "Black Steed,"
a sense of destiny, of story merging with reality, swept over the film set.
The bustling background noise of the market seemed to be completely stripped away.
Behind the monitor, Wei Song abruptly stood up, his hands gripping the edges of the monitor frame tightly. He did not call "CUT."
He was waiting.
Letting this rare, powerful emotion permeate and ferment across the set.
Letting everyone present immerse themselves in this encounter that spanned millennia.
Jiang Ci remained on horseback, maintaining that intense gaze, for a full several seconds.
Until Wei Song picked up his walkie-talkie.
"CUT!""Perfect!"
That one word instantly brought the set back to life.
The gentleness and youthful arrogance in Jiang Ci's eyes, enough to melt everything,
vanished completely the moment "CUT" was called, returning to his usual cool composure.
Without a shred of lingering attachment, he executed a clean, decisive flip and dismounted from the horse.
Completely severing the connection between himself and the "Young Xiang Yu."
Wei Song didn't even spare a thought for the valuable steed. He rushed directly over to Jiang Ci and Zhao Xueling.
Unrestrained ecstasy was written all over his face.
He pointed at the two of them, then at the monitor, and exclaimed excitedly,
"This is the birth of destiny! We captured it! We captured the very moment destiny was born!"
The reactions of the surrounding crew members as they looked at Jiang Ci and Zhao Xueling were also filled with awe.
During that scene just now, it was as if they had truly witnessed the first meeting of the Hegemon and his consort, Yu Ji.
Zhao Xueling offered a professional, slightly distant smile to Jiang Ci, who had returned to his normal self after dismounting, and gave a light nod.
A subtle, tacit understanding formed between the two.
Jiang Ci nodded in return, then turned and walked towards his rest area, shutting out the clamor behind him.
He sat down in a chair in the corner, picked up a bottle of water, and unscrewed the cap.
His heart was utterly calm.
He even felt a bit like mocking the whole thing.
What birth of destiny? This was clearly a perfect replication of the "Three-Stage Gaze of Fate" technique from the *Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques*.
He lowered his head and glanced at the system panel only he could see.
[Heartbreak Value: 140]
Not a single point had moved.
As expected, the system didn't acknowledge this kind of pure love scenario at all.
Right then, his phone, placed nearby, suddenly vibrated.
The screen lit up. The caller ID displayed two words.
Mom.
Jiang Ci answered the call. His mother's gentle, yet slightly cautious voice came through the receiver.
"Xiao Ci."
"Yeah, Mom."
"Well... Mom just wanted to ask, you... will you be able to come back for New Year's this year?"
His mother's voice was soft, probing.
New Year's?
The question caught Jiang Ci off guard.
He instinctively looked up towards the not-too-distant area where the crew's set workers were packing up shops adorned with banners reading "Wuzhong Market."
Since joining the production, he had been completely immersed in the clashing of arms and horses, the love and hate of the Chu-Han Contention.
By day, he was the Hegemon who burned his boats and smashed his cauldrons; by night, he was the actor tossing and turning in contemplation.
He swiped his phone screen and checked the calendar.
The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
Minor New Year.
So, it was almost Chinese New Year already.
The release date for *Palace Conspiracy* was right around the corner.
And he had almost forgotten the passage of time in the real world.
A feeling of being in a different world instantly enveloped him.
"Mom..."
His throat felt a bit dry.
"I'm... still pretty busy here lately."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, followed by his mother's voice, forcing a cheerful, gentle tone.
"Busy is good, busy is good. Young people should be busy with their careers."
"New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year... I definitely won't be able to make it back," Jiang Ci finished the difficult sentence. "Once I finish this busy period, I'll come home to see you as soon as I can."
"It's fine, it's fine. You focus on your work, don't worry about me."
On the other end, his mother's disappointment, though unspoken, was clearly transmitted, weighing heavily on his heart.
"Everything's fine at home, don't worry. Take care of yourself over there, don't overwork..."
After a few more rambling words of concern, his mother finally hung up.
Jiang Ci held his phone, motionless for a long time.
He could even imagine it: in that small town, his mother, alone, hanging up the phone, sitting in the cold, quiet living room, that picture of loneliness.
His phone screen went dark, reflecting his own pale, bloodless face.
Before he could even pull himself out of this mood,
his phone started vibrating frantically again.
This time, the caller ID read "Lin Wan (Head)."
Jiang Ci swiped to answer.
As soon as the call connected, Lin Wan's commanding voice came through.
"*Palace Conspiracy* premieres on the first day of the Lunar New Year, at Tiamu Cinema in the capital, 8 PM prime-time slot."
"I've already arranged it with the production company. As an artist of 'Spark Media,' you must attend."
A pure notification.
"Okay," Jiang Ci replied succinctly.
"That's it," Lin Wan said, hanging up directly.
Jiang Ci had just put his phone down, not even having time to catch his breath,
when a figure walked up to him.
It was Qin Feng.
He had already removed his makeup and changed back into his own clothes. Holding a thermos cup, a gentle smile was on his face.
He had finished his scenes for the morning but hadn't left, instead staying to observe on set.
"Xiao Jiang."
Qin Feng initiated the conversation.
"That scene just now, you acted very well."
"You flatter me, Teacher Qin Feng," Jiang Ci stood up, his attitude humble.
"It's not flattery, it's genuinely good," Qin Feng waved his hand dismissively. "I was actually worried that, being used to playing the domineering role of Xiang Yu, you might not handle this kind of youthful, heart-fluttering scene well. It seems I worried for nothing."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"By the way, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the premiere event for *Palace Conspiracy*, come together."
"Let the media and the audience see the style of the 'Young General' then."
Jiang Ci understood clearly. With his role as the "Young General," a supporting character in *Palace Conspiracy*, he had absolutely no qualification to attend such an important premiere event.
Behind this was undoubtedly the forceful arrangement of Lin Wan, the Head Screenwriter of *Palace Conspiracy*,
and the kind-hearted support and recommendation of Film Emperor Qin Feng.
"Thank you, Teacher Qin Feng," he did not refuse.
Qin Feng smiled and nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Jiang Ci sat back down, his mind a bit chaotic.
His mother's disappointment, Lin Wan's command, Qin Feng's kindness...
All of it was forcibly dragging him back to reality from the world of "Xiang Yu."
Just then, his assistant Sun Zhou, holding his phone, ran over like a startled rabbit, flustered and panicked.
"Ci-ge! Ci-ge! It's bad! No, it's great!"
He held up his phone, so excited his words were jumbled.
"The *Palace Conspiracy* production company! They just announced the final attendance list for the premiere!"
"Your name is on it!"
Jiang Ci leaned over to look.
It was a star-studded list.
Director, Producer, Lead Actors Qin Feng, Zhao Xueling, Su Qingying...
His name was placed at the very end of the list.
That was normal.
But Sun Zhou's finger was jabbing fiercely at the space next to Jiang Ci's name.
"Not that! It's the parentheses! Look at the note behind it!"
Jiang Ci followed his pointing finger.
Next to the two characters "Jiang Ci," four words were clearly marked.
[Special Introduction]