Chapter 151

Chapter 151

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."

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."