The performance of the two only lasted about three minutes, but it was already quite wonderful.
Mei Director and the screenwriter whispered to each other and smiled as they asked, “You are both veteran actors, and you performed very well. The script is only one page long, so you must have read through it already. Tell me your understanding of the characters.”
With a smile, Jian Jing said in a frank manner, “I think the most prominent trait of the female protagonist is bravery. She decides to avenge her parents, so she keeps working towards that goal. She almost dies but does not give up, and has a kind of vigorous vitality about her at all times - this is key to attracting the assassin.”
She glanced at Jiang BaiYan and continued, “The assassin's life seems thrilling and bloody, but is actually very dull. As a tool for killing, he has never lived for himself. The girl becomes the light in his life, illuminating his world.”
Mei Director nodded, and turned to ask Jiang BaiYan.
He replied, "I feel the girl is not so bright. Revenge makes her fall from the world of light, while the assassin struggles free of the darkness and turns towards the light. In the end the assassin does not wash his hands of the business, but he has already found redemption. It's not that the girl saves him, but that he saves himself, and saves the girl as well."
The screenwriter couldn't help but look towards Jian Jing.
The ideas of the two actors actually represented the differences during the script adaptation process between the creative team: Jian Jing's theory of redemption was more classic and easier to film, but Jiang BaiYan's interpretation adhered closer to the original work and was more subtle and complex.
In the end the script was brought before the boss Kang MouCheng to decide.
Kang MouCheng said, "However Jian Jing thinks we should film it, that's how we'll do it. It's not me who will make the book sell well, it's her."
"What are your thoughts, Teacher Jian?" Mei Director asked very respectfully.
Jian Jing stroked her chin thoughtfully and asked, "Could you perform a monologue? The scene before she goes looking for someone to hire."
He was startled for a moment, then nodded, "Of course."
"No script, just improvise as you like." Jian Jing said.
He closed his eyes to get into character for a moment, then gave his second performance.
As she walked along the road, her hands gripped her backpack tightly. Her expression was somewhat apprehensive, but soon she seemed to think of something and her look gradually became resolute, her steps changing from gentle to urgent.
The performance was very short, around thirty seconds, but Mei Director's expression became even harder to discern.
Jian Jing covertly glanced at the arrogant man, then cut straight to the chase, "You may not be suitable for this role."
He was greatly shocked, completely unexpected to be rejected outright like this. Although he tried his best to restrain himself, his face still revealed some embarrassment.
"May I ask why?" she inquired.
Jian Jing replied, "Your performance was very good, but I know you're acting. The female protagonist is around your age, and you're also beautiful and smart, so it makes sense to draw from your own self for the role. But that's not the most important thing - the story originates from hatred, and your life has been too smooth sailing. Becoming famous at a young age, from a wealthy family, you can portray the character as smart and brave, but you have no way to express the desperation of staking everything on hatred."
Love is the morning dew, hatred is the black night.
Before encountering the dewdrop, the long night breeds hatred.
Her performance was too bright, with none of the bloody hatred or pain.
"Love and revenge are eternal themes," Jian Jing said slowly. "But without the foil of hatred, love cannot become precious."
She bit her lip.
At this time, the arrogant man spoke up, "Sorry for the interruption." He stared at Jian Jing and asked, "Whether an actor can play a role depends on if they can perform it, not if they have the real-life experience, right? Does someone have to commit murder to play a murderer?"
Jian Jing straightened her back, her eyes like knives, her voice like a cold, clear spring: "Are you teaching me how to do things?"
"I'm just questioning reasonably," the arrogant man was no longer arrogant at this point, his thinking was clear. "Does Teacher Jian not allow others to raise different opinions?"
"What qualifications do you have to raise opinions when you're not even part of the crew?" she responded. "Not everyone has to listen to your suggestions, know your place."
The arrogant man gave a cold laugh. "Is this blatantly sabotaging someone?"
Jian Jing ignored him and looked to her instead, "What do you think?"
She was stunned for a moment, then understood - favors and sabotage were nothing rare or strange here. There was no such thing as fairness in this circle, she had sabotaged others before, and would be sabotaged by others as well.
By comparison, Jian Jing's rationale was already quite reasonable, and may not have been that far from her true thoughts.
It was very normal for an audition to fail, but offending people would be extremely unwise. However... her boyfriend was standing up for her, yet she was the first to admit fault - wouldn't that make him feel bad?
She could only force an apologetic smile, yet said nothing.
Jian Jing pressed her lips into a line.
Amidst the tense silence, the producer smoothed things over, "Teacher Jian was just expressing her opinion. Let's end it here for today. We'll notify you if anything comes up."
"Thank you, Teacher." She barely managed a smile to maintain her composure.
The arrogant man was no longer polite, glancing between Jian Jing and Jiang BaiYan, letting out a cold laugh.
Jiang BaiYan lowered his head, keeping his eyes on his nose and nose on his heart, looking every bit the good little boy.
Mei Director casually asked him a couple questions, also telling him to go back and await notice.
With no outsiders left, the screenwriter finally spoke, "Who was that, her boyfriend? What's his background?"
Despite the producer having chatted quite amiably with him earlier, now his words were very casual, "The youngest son of Jiang Water Group, spending daddy's money and fooling around, you know how it is."
"We can't afford to offend someone like that," Mei Director said straight. "If everyone comes to give us their input, how will we get any work done?"
Jian Jing smiled.
She wasn't worried at all about the crew having issues with how she handled things. Investors interfering was annoying enough already since they were providing the money after all. The arrogant man was neither the boss nor internal staff, so who was he to provide suggestions?
He was done for as soon as he opened his mouth.
"I was too direct," Jian Jing insincerely apologized.
The others immediately reassured her, "You were right. Her performance was too deliberate, and her understanding of the character was also inadequate, too cliché. She wouldn't seem out of place in other roles."
They discussed for a while, sorrowfully discovering that while there were plenty of young, pretty girls in the industry, those with acting skill and inspiration were few and far between.
Mei Director pondered, "Looks like if we can't find someone suitable, we'll have to check the drama schools."
While everyone was chatting enthusiastically, Jian Jing took out her phone and sent a message.
[Let's meet somewhere safe. Dinner's on me tonight.]
[Ok]
Jiang BaiYan hid in a bathroom stall making a phone call, "Sis Qiu, I ran into Jiang Ou today. He seems to be with her now and scolded me for a long time."
His agent Qiu Lin asked, "Did you record it?"
"I recorded it," Jiang BaiYan obediently replied, "What should I do now?"
Qiu Lin said, "Let it go! You have Jiang blood, if they don't mess with you, you can only endure it. Making a big fuss won't look good."
Jiang BaiYan answered, "Oh."
The other end of the phone was silent for a moment, then gentle, "You didn't do anything wrong. Don't take their words to heart. The money you earn is all from your own efforts, you didn't rely on them one bit."
"Mm," Jiang BaiYan softly acknowledged, "I know."
"You said it was for right?" Qiu Lin gave a cold laugh. "Fine, if we don't show them some color they'll think we're easy pickings."
Jiang BaiYan agreed, "That's right, that's right. And because I won the award for Best Newcomer before, Teacher Jian is still upset with me."
"If she's upset then hurry up and apologize properly. You're best at that, aren't you?" Qiu Lin said. "I'm telling you, use whatever method you need to get this role in the movie. As long as we get one more award, we won't have to put up with this crap anymore, got it?"
"Got it!" He answered swiftly.
Beep, the call ended.
Jiang BaiYan sighed and sat on the toilet seat lid spacing out.
The bathroom stalls were tiny, he couldn't even fully extend his arms. The doors were thin and didn't block any sound. He sat cross-legged on the toilet lid, hands and feet very cramped.
Only his expression was much more relaxed than outside.
Very few people knew that when the big star got tired, he didn't like drinking, sleeping, or racing cars and massages. What he did most often was hide in a tiny bathroom spacing out.
Only then did he not have to smile at anyone.
It had been a very long time since he last saw Jiang Ou. This third eldest brother was just like before, and especially liked trampling his self-esteem, tirelessly emphasizing his original sin.
Now that he thought about it, his few elder brothers and sisters were all quite similar.
Jian Jing liked to say, "Given your background, you should never have been able to enter our family. You should be grateful."
Jiang Ou ignored him. No matter what Jiang BaiYan did, he could never get a smile from him. It was as if there was no such person in the family. Whenever anything was prepared, the servants were always told to prepare for three people. The servants did not dare disobey, so they did as they were told.
Not only were there no gifts on holidays, and no new clothes at New Year, but the most humiliating thing was sitting down at the dinner table only to find there was no food to eat, and having to slip away in embarrassment.
Even when he was ill, there was no driver to take him to the hospital. He had to go by himself, carrying his schoolbag and taking the bus.
As for the third brother... he was just like that.
"You're a bastard!"
"Your mother was a whore!"
"Get out of our family!"
"Don't call me third brother. You're not worthy!"
Jiang BaiYan really disliked them.
But when his mother was alive, she never tired of telling him, "You have to please your brothers and sisters. Don't make them angry. You have to be good, or else your father will dislike you."
And if he didn't do well, it would go like this:
"Why did big sister get angry at you? Reflect on what you did wrong."
"Apologize to your brother! Apologize quickly!"
"It was just two hits. He bullies you because he sees you as a little brother. What are you crying for?"
"Xiao Xun, you have to get the Jiang family to acknowledge you, understand?"
He would say, "Yes, Mother."
To big sister he would say, "I will repay my brothers and sisters. Without you I would be nothing."
To second brother he would say, "It's alright, I can go to the hospital by myself."
To third brother he would say, "Yes, I'm a bastard. I'm not worthy."
He thought that by doing this he could win their affection. Even if they didn't treat him as a brother, surely they would be a little nicer?
But no.
At that time, Jiang BaiYan thought he must be the most hateful child in the world, otherwise why would no one like him?
His mobile phone vibrated in his pocket. There was a new message.
Jiang BaiYan glanced down, and a smile blossomed at the corners of his lips.
Jian Jing had declined the crew's dinner invitation, and made plans with Jiang BaiYan to have dinner at a very private restaurant.
Naturally, this was because of the drama he had mentioned, Pudding and Gems.
Jiang BaiYan arrived first and had already been waiting in the private room for a long time.
"Sorry I'm late. Traffic jam." She sounded apologetic.
"No problem. I've had plenty of free time recently." Jiang BaiYan rested his chin in his hand, looking cute. "But I'm really surprised that Teacher Jing Jing asked me to dinner."
Jian Jing said, "I have something to ask you, but let's eat first. I'm starving."
This restaurant was known for its creative cuisine. She didn't know if it would be good, but it certainly looked elaborate. She ordered several dishes all at once, filling up the table. "Can you eat that much?"
He happily replied, "No problem. I've been trying to gain weight recently. I got too thin before."
"That's good. It would be pitiful to make you watch me eat." She laughed.
Jiang BaiYan also laughed. "Not at all. Just watching Teacher Jing Jing makes me very happy."
Jian Jing said, "Even if you flatter me for being pretty, I won't give you any favors."
"Oh no, you saw right through me." He pouted pitifully and asked, "Was my acting no good?"
She said, "On the contrary, your acting was very good. Have you been taking elixirs?"
"I'm not so skinny I only weigh 100 jin." He heaved a sigh, clearly still traumatized by the previous filming experience, but not saying a word about it. "Let's not talk about that. Since you asked me to dinner, I guess you want to ask about me and Jiang Ou?"
Without waiting for Jian Jing to reply, he happily sold himself out: "There's not much to it. I'm the illegitimate son of the Jiang Water Group chairman. He's my older brother."
