novelraw Chapter 145: A Side Hustle for the Working Man
Chapter 145: A Side Hustle for the Working Man
As Wei Song's earth-shattering "Cut!" rang out, the applause that had been suppressed for so long erupted thunderously from behind the monitor, from the staff inside the tent.
Chen Chun, who played Fan Kuai, threw away the prop sword in his hand and strode over to Jiang Ci.
The reckless, death-defying ferocity on his face had faded, replaced by undisguised admiration.
"Jiang Ci, I'm convinced!"
Chen Chun's voice was still booming as he slapped his own chest.
"Really! That 'sit' of yours just now choked back the whole pile of lines I had prepared!"
"So damn awesome! I really thought I was about to be dragged out and beheaded by you at that moment!"
Jiang Ci had just detached himself from the state of Xiang Yu. The passive skill [Emotional Isolation] was slowly smoothing the ripples in his heart. He hadn't even had time to speak.
Qin Feng, already draped in the coat handed to him by his assistant, walked over.
He first glanced at the straightforward Chen Chun, then shifted his gaze to Jiang Ci. A rare smile appeared on his face, which always carried a hint of weariness."You two just now, one really dared to charge in, the other really dared to sit, you stirred up the acting itch in us old-timers."
This Film Emperor's words were always so concise, yet they hit the nail on the head.
Liu Hanyu also walked over, stroking the fake beard stuck to his chin as he looked at Jiang Ci.
"In that scene just now, your silence carried more weight than Fan Kuai's ten thousand lines."
The veteran actor's evaluation always came from a unique angle.
Wei Song, holding the walkie-talkie, strode quickly into the large tent. The excitement on his face was impossible to hide, and he walked with a spring in his step.
"This afternoon! Prepare for Liu Bang's escape from the feast!"
He scanned the circle, his gaze sweeping over Qin Feng, Liu Hanyu, and Chen Chun.
"Qin Feng, I want you to act out that wretchedness, that fear of crawling back from the gates of hell! And a tiny sliver of relief at having survived a disaster!"
"Hanyu, you stay behind to cover the retreat, you need to be steady, you are Liu Bang's last shred of dignity!"
"Chen Chun! You protect him as he runs, act out that anxiousness of a loyal servant protecting his master!"
The director rattled off the afternoon's shooting plan at an extremely fast pace.
"Rest on location for two hours! Makeup team! Touch-ups! Props team! Prepare the afternoon's set!"
Once again, the entire crew began operating with high efficiency.
The afternoon's filming went surprisingly smoothly.
Perhaps that peak duel in the morning had completely roused the veteran actors' states to their utmost limits.
Qin Feng portrayed Liu Bang's wretchedness, fear during the escape, and that sliver of relief at having survived a disaster, with vivid perfection.
On the Gobi Desert, he really took a hard fall in the mud, his hair crown askew, covered in filth, scrambling and crawling as he was hauled onto the horse's back by Fan Kuai.
That wretched, fleeing figure was perfectly captured by Wei Song's lens.
And the final scene shot returned to that oppressive large tent.
Liu Bang had already escaped.
Inside the tent, Zhang Liang, played by Liu Hanyu, stood alone, facing the Hegemon on the main seat whose joy and anger were not shown on his face.
"Great King, the Duke of Pei cannot hold his liquor well and has taken his leave first. He ordered your servant to present a pair of white jade discs as a gift to you, Great King. And a pair of jade wine vessels to be presented to the Honored Father."
Liu Hanyu's performance was as calm as still water.
Holding the lacquered box containing the treasures, he slowly stepped forward, his posture humble, yet neither subservient nor arrogant.
A Chu general took the lacquered box and presented it before Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci opened the box.
He first picked up the pair of white jade discs, casually toyed with them in his hand for a moment, then discarded them like worthless objects, throwing them onto the low table.
Then his fingers touched the pair of crystal-clear jade wine vessels.
Behind the monitor, Wei Song and screenwriter Li Jun didn't blink.
According to the script, Xiang Yu should fly into a rage at this moment, smashing the jade vessels fiercely onto the ground to vent his anger at "actually letting him escape."
However, Jiang Ci did not.
He merely took the pair of jade vessels in his hand, his fingertips slowly rubbing against the warm, smooth jade for a moment.
He seemed to be contemplating something.
Inside the tent, only the crackling sound of the burning torches could be heard.
Finally.
He raised his head and glanced at the gray, overcast sky outside the tent.
A trace of irritation, bordering on boredom, emanated from his entire being.
Then, he let go of his hand.
It couldn't even be called "smashing."
He casually "thumped" the pair of priceless jade vessels onto the ground.
Like discarding two troublesome pebbles.
"Crack!"
Two crisp shattering sounds.
The jade vessels shattered into pieces on the hard ground.
This action held no towering rage.
Only an arrogance that ran bone-deep, and a complete, utter disdain for Liu Bang, this "fish that slipped through the net."
This understated, almost casual handling felt more heart-palpitating than hysterical fury.
Behind the monitor, Wei Song felt the hairs on his back stand on end.
And Liu Hanyu, standing in the tent portraying Zhang Liang, looking at the shards of jade vessels on the ground, couldn't help but give a slight, uncontrollable tremble.
It was a complex reaction—triumph at a successful scheme, yet also a deep regret for the opponent.
He knew that from this moment on, Xiang Yu had already lost half of his empire.
"Hongmen Feast, wrapped!"
Finally, Wei Song's voice, filled with satisfaction and fatigue, broadcast through the loudspeaker, reached every corner of the film set.
The parts for the core actors of Group A were, at this moment, temporarily drawn to a perfect close.
The atmosphere of the entire crew instantly relaxed.
"Whoa!! It's a wrap!"
The cheers that had been suppressed for so long finally erupted.
Assistant Sun Zhou was the first to rush up, holding a thick coat and a thermos cup.
"Brother Ci! Quick! Put this on! Have some hot water!"
Jiang Ci sat on that tiger-skin-covered grand chair, unmoving.
The passive skill [Emotional Isolation LV1] quietly triggered once again.
That complex mix of arrogance, irritation, and boredom belonging to Xiang Yu was being rapidly stripped away by a cool, refreshing force.
He took the hot water Sun Zhou handed him and drank it down in big gulps.
The warm liquid slid into his stomach, dispelling the last of the chill from his body.
He had just put the cup down when the phone in his pocket buzzed with vibration.
Jiang Ci took out his phone and glanced at it.
Caller ID: Lin Wan.
He walked to a relatively quiet corner of the film set and answered the call.
"Hello, Sister Wan."
From the other end of the line came Lin Wan's barely concealed excitement.
"Jiang Ci! There's news from Director Hou about the script for 'The Lurker'!"
Director Hou?
Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment before he remembered.
Sun Zhou had mentioned to him that the other party was also a big-shot director.
"He's very interested! He's arranged to meet us for detailed discussions in the middle of next month!"
This was absolutely good news.
The chance to collaborate with Director Hou was something countless actors dreamed of.
Before Jiang Ci could even digest this good news, Lin Wan's tone suddenly shifted.
"Also, I got you a job."
"A second-tier menswear brand called 'Lang Feng' wants you to shoot their next season's spring-summer endorsement."
"The timing is also set for next month, right before meeting Director Hou. Consider it a warm-up."
Jiang Ci acknowledged, "Okay."
Shooting an ad was also a novel experience for him.
Sun Zhou had mentioned it to him several times before.
On the other end of the line, Lin Wan, having finished briefing the work, seemed ready to hang up.
But it was as if she remembered something and added,
"Oh, right."
"This time, 'Lang Feng's' shooting theme is called 'Embrace the Sunshine'."
A trace of peculiar amusement entered Lin Wan's voice.
"The main focus is a healing-style smile."
Jiang Ci: "..."
On the other end of the line, Lin Wan's amusement grew stronger. She asked in a teasing, yet genuinely inquiring tone,
"You... do you still remember how to smile, right?"