1979: My fiancée is a goddess

Chapter 149 Liu Xiaoqing's Curiosity and the Successful Rehearsal

The next morning, it was cloudy and rainy.

After witnessing the rehearsal strength of the Peking University actors last night, Cheng Kaiyan went home and wrote until two or three in the morning, and finally finished the script of "Love Letter".

When I woke up in the morning, I felt a little tired as expected.

Cheng Kaiyan looked at the face in the mirror, a faint blue circle appeared around her eyes, and dark circles appeared.

"Let them get familiar with each other during these two days of rehearsal, and then I should have a good rest."

He rubbed his tired face, cheered himself up, took his umbrella and went out.

……

After taking the bus for forty minutes, I finally arrived at the club activity room.

As soon as I reached the door of the activity room, seven or eight students surrounded me, chattering.

"Teacher Cheng, you are finally here. How is the script going?"

"Teacher Xiao Cheng, did you watch the Peking University drama performance yesterday? The performance was so good."

"After watching this, I feel really disappointed. Let's hurry up and rehearse."

Among them, Ji Qinglan and her friends went to see a performance at Peking University last night, and they are now very worried.

"I have finished writing the script. How is everyone's preparation going?"

Cheng Kaiyan said calmly as she took out a small stack of papers from her bag and waved it in front of everyone.

"I've finished writing it! Great, let me see it."

"I'll take a look too."

The members were pleasantly surprised.

"If you calculate the time, it seems that it took Teacher Xiao Cheng less than three days to finish writing this book. He is indeed a talented person."

Yang Mengshan put her hands on her hips and gave a thumbs up.

"Okay, everyone, go get familiar with the script first. Let's go prepare the costumes and props. Hey, isn't your mother from the Beijing Film Studio? Let's go borrow some things."

Cheng Kaiyan thought about it and decided to take advantage of this time to complete other preparations.

"Me! It's me. I've already made arrangements with them. Clothes, shoes, projectors, and cameras can all be borrowed, but they have to be returned when the time comes." A boy raised his hand and said.

The boy's surname is Wang. According to his own introduction, his mother works in logistics at the Beijing Film Studio.

So a group of people stayed in the club office to familiarize themselves with the script. Cheng Kaiyan, classmate Wang, Liu Zhiyi and Zhao Ruixue left the school and went to the Beijing Film Studio.

Beijing Film Studio is very close to Beijing Normal University, and it can be said that it is closely adjacent to it, right on Xinjiekou North Street.

The straight-line distance shall not exceed 800 meters.

Before my feet even got warm, I went to see the three iconic sculptures representing workers, peasants and soldiers erected in front of the Beijing Film Studio. This symbol has remained unchanged since its establishment and later when it was transferred to CITIC Group.

Thanks to the children of the Beijing Film Studio leading the way, the guards did not stop them and everyone came in smoothly.

After walking around the Beijing Film Studio for a few minutes, we finally arrived at the Logistics Department, a four-story building made of red bricks.

There was a table at the door where a middle-aged woman was sitting waiting.

Wang saw it from a distance and shouted, "Mom!"

Everyone stepped forward and shouted in unison: "Hello, Auntie."

Well... although Cheng Kaiyan is an assistant teacher, he is still a young man of twenty years old.

There's nothing wrong with calling her auntie.

"Yeah, hello everyone."

The middle-aged woman enthusiastically pulled everyone into the house.

An extremely large warehouse gradually came into view, with cabinets placed everywhere. Costumes, photography props, cameras, lenses, films and other things were neatly placed in cabinets or boxes.

"If you need anything, go find it yourself. Auntie will go boil a pot of water for you. It doesn't matter if you take your time to search. Anyway, no one has been here for more than ten days. It's completely fine for you to stay here overnight."

Mother Wang was joking with a serious face and her words seemed very humorous.

This joke quickly brought everyone closer together, and with Mother Wang's words, Cheng Kaiyan and the other three went to look for the props they needed.

This drama performance does not require many props, mostly clothes.

Black, grey coats, Japanese school uniforms, etc.

Coats are relatively easy to find. During this era, the Beijing Film Studio shot many films from the Republic of China period, and coats were considered a common piece of clothing.

In just a few minutes, Cheng Kaiyan found where the coats were stored and took five according to the number of main characters in the love letter.

The next choice was the Japanese school uniform, but Cheng Kaiyan couldn't find it, so she gave up.

An hour later, everyone met at the warehouse door.

Cheng Kaiyan asked: "Have you found everything?"

"Well, we've found the camera, movie projector, and film. We can shoot the library scene of the love letter today."

Student Wang was holding an old movie projector in his hands. The leather-covered machine was covered with dust, which stuck to his clothes.

It’s just that student Wang was very excited. In their expectation, this memory in the library would be filmed like a movie.

"I have also found a background wall here. I can ask students from the art department to help draw a stationery wall." Zhao Ruixue said.

"I didn't find a Japanese school uniform, but we can use suits and pleated skirts as a substitute. If that doesn't work, can we use our school's uniform?" President Liu reported.

"Alright."

Everyone found the props, signed the note, drank tea and rested for a while, and said goodbye to Mother Wang: "Goodbye Auntie, we will return it to you next month."

"It doesn't matter when you return it. I borrowed a lot of things from Peking University."

Everyone pushed the cart back, and Mother Wang muttered to herself as she watched them leave.

At this time, a woman came over from the woods not far away.

She walked with a brisk pace and looked in high spirits. Her medium-length hair was casually tied up at the back of her head, bouncing back and forth.

"Sister Wang, where do these people come from?"

The girl's shrewd and capable eyes fell on the backs of the crowd. She turned her eyes and joked in a very penetrating voice.

"Xiao Qing? You didn't go to the set. My son and his classmates are holding a drama performance at school, so they came here to borrow some props and costumes."

Mother Wang looked carefully and found that it was Liu Xiaoqing, the golden flower in the factory.

After the release of the movie "Little Flower", this golden flower has become popular all over the country.

To some extent, Liu Xiaoqing is much more famous than Cheng Kaiyan.

The kind that everyone knows!
Although Liu Xiaoqing was not in charge of logistics at the Beijing Film Studio, she was very famous in the studio. In addition, she had a strong and generous personality, so many people were willing to make friends with her.

"Drama performance? There seemed to be a performance at Peking University yesterday. What did your little Wang perform?"

"Love Letter, this is a play adapted from a novel by the great talent Cheng Kaiyan from Beijing Normal University. Many young people like to watch it."

"Love letters? Love stories? No wonder young people like them so much."

Liu Xiaoqing raised her eyebrows.

love letter?

It seems to be a novel about love!
After the reform and opening up, most of the movies in the past few years were adapted from novels.

Although Liu Xiaoqing has not received much education, as a movie actress, under such circumstances, a woman as smart, capable, and even unscrupulous as Liu Xiaoqing, how could she not pay attention to novels in order to better get roles.

She also recently discovered that she often saw young people in the factory holding a copy of "People's Literature". Upon asking, she found out that they were reading a novel called "Love Letter".

It seems...the author of this novel is a teacher from Beijing Normal University.

He is good at both literature and martial arts, handsome, and still very young...

"Sister, when will your son and his friends perform? I'll go and show my support then."

Liu Xiaoqing's big, dark and bright eyes rolled around as she talked and laughed.

"That's fine! Let's go together at the end of the month."

Hearing that the golden flower in the factory had suddenly become friendly, Mother Wang narrowed her eyes and smiled, with some vague guesses in her mind.

People who do not do anything without profit must have other intentions.

"Okay! Sister, let's go out together then. I'll go out to buy some books first, so we won't talk much." Liu Xiaoqing walked in with full of expectations and came to the Xinhua Bookstore in Xinjiekou and bought this month's People's Literature.

As expected, the first novel was "Love Letter".

She didn't care and just found a secluded spot in the bookstore and sat down.

Turning the pages of the book, Liu Xiaoqing gradually immersed herself in it. She was infected by the poetic and beautiful words in the love letter, and was moved by the sincere and pure emotions in the article.

"Wow...what a beautiful love! The visuals are so vivid, it's like a film reel is playing in front of my eyes."

“It’s perfect for a movie adaptation!”

Liu Xiaoqing's eyes were red, and she gently patted her thighs with a pair of hands with marigold-painted nails. Her emotions fluctuated like a boat rolling on the sea.

Although love movies are not common nowadays, I heard that Shanghai Film Studio is shooting a bold love movie called Love in Lushan Mountain.

To people in the industry, this is no secret. It is said that Liu Xiaoqing even wore a swimsuit as the leading actress.

If they can shoot such a "large-scale" movie, then a subtle and beautiful movie like "Love Letter" is even more possible!

This is a great opportunity!

Liu Xiaoqing had a hunch that if this novel were made into a movie, it would definitely be a big hit!

……

Cheng Kaiyan doesn't know yet that a woman with a name very similar to his boyfriend's has set her eyes on him. He is now looking at the members who are rehearsing the first act on the small stage in the activity room.

There are quite a lot of characters involved in the first act, including the protagonist's parents, relatives, and members of the mountaineering team, all played by members of the drama club.

The members put on coats borrowed from the Beijing Film Studio and put on makeup, transforming themselves from college students into middle-aged people in their forties or fifties, but these images did not look out of place.

Because the average age of college students these days is over 25 years old, and there are even quite a few college students in Cheng Kaiyan's class who are almost 30 years old.

Being admitted to university at the age of 20 only means that you are indeed a good student.

In addition to their old age, these college students have another characteristic, which is that they look old.

Many college students come from rural families and have been working in the wind and sun since childhood, so they naturally age better.

It wouldn't be out of place to play someone in his forties or fifties.

In addition to Cheng Kaiyan watching, many Beijing Normal University students also came to the window of the activity room.

"It really is a love letter. I saw Teacher Cheng. This trip was not in vain."

"Look at their clothes, all of them are wearing coats and scarves, and there is also a memorial tablet. This is like moving the cemetery scene to their hometown. The makeup and costumes must have been painstakingly crafted."

"Hold your voice! It's about to begin."

With Cheng Kaiyan's command in the activity room, the first rehearsal of "Love Letter" officially began.

Zhao Ruixue, who plays the heroine Hiroko, and Liu Zhiyi, who plays Mrs. Andai, appear on stage and pay tribute in front of the spirit tablet.

In the dim old house, with "snowflakes" flying all over the sky, a woman put her hands together and sighed to the sky, a faint sadness arose spontaneously.

Then the incense was extinguished, and amidst the commotion, my father and relatives went on stage and unexpectedly discovered the members of the mountaineering team who had come secretly to pay their respects.

They clashed, pushed and shoved, and got drunk.

"You beasts who killed Ashu, you still have the nerve to come and pay homage!!"

Mr. Wang, who plays the protagonist's father, has an old face that is flushed by makeup. He pushes a member of the mountaineering team hard, and his voice is hoarse and cold.

"Uncle, please don't do this..."

The members of the climbing team were pale and put their hands in front of them to block the attack.

"Come on, drink some spicy wine, he's drunk."

The relatives advised like this.

Then, with a click, the lights in the conflicting area dimmed, and the lights that followed covered Hiroko's body, and an inner monologue came out...

……

The sudden conflict instantly changed the atmosphere in the entire activity room.

"Hiss... As expected, the drama version is different. It explores more themes of life and death in the original work."

"Yes, I was thinking this when I read the original novel. Many of the descriptions about the father, mother, and relatives in the first chapter are actually the heroine's own feelings, not the truth."

“I felt like I was watching a famous play…”

“I’m already looking forward to the performance.”

The students outside the window looked at the drama in front of them in amazement, reluctant to blink.

If you tell them this is a performance by the China National People's Art Theatre, they will believe it.

Not only the lines and scripts, but also the character makeup and scene arrangements are all above standard.

The first act of "Love Letter" was rehearsed for a full forty minutes. Conflicts such as life and death, first love, and whether or not to throw oneself into the arms of another person were triggered, and the characters also stood firm in the contradictions.

The first act ends,
"What a great performance!"

The students cheered continuously, and the members of the drama theater stood outside the activity room with their heads held high and their backs straight amid the thunderous applause.

……

The rehearsal ended and the students who had been peeking out the window gradually dispersed.

In the activity room, everyone was removing their makeup while recalling and reviewing the performance that had just taken place.

"I said to ask Teacher Cheng for help, there must be nothing wrong with that."

Ji Qinglan said with a smile.

"Of course, our teacher is a great talent."

The members laughed and shouted happily, then a few boys exchanged glances, and then trotted towards Cheng Kaiyan, waving their hands.

"What! What are you doing!"

Before Cheng Kaiyan could react, he flew into the air, was caught by the boys and girls, and thrown up again.

They expressed their gratitude to Cheng Kaiyan by celebrating in this way.

After the rehearsal, the sun came out outside the window.

Everyone took advantage of the good weather and went to the library to take pictures.

Yang Mengshan, who came from a wealthy family, knew how to use a camera, so naturally she became a photographer.

in the camera viewfinder.

The golden sunlight brushed the white curtains. A handsome boy in school uniform was leaning against the window with a book in his hand. He was reading quietly, and occasionally looked up at the girl at the desk.

When their eyes met, just the right amount of blushing appeared on their faces.

"That's it! Three, two, one!"

"Crack, click, click!"

Yang Mengshan was extremely excited. She kept pressing the shutter button and scrolling through the camera film, afraid of missing any frame.

The picture freezes at this moment, or to be precise... these three seconds.

The boy was reading a book and looked up at the girl. When the two looked at each other, smiles and shyness appeared on his handsome face.

Three seconds in total.

Yang Mengshan used three rolls of film, a total of 72 photos.

When everyone held the film and admired the sunlight outside the window, they all exclaimed in amazement.

“When I see these films, I feel as if this story is happening around me.”

The quiet girl Zhang Chun held her chest with both hands and sighed.

"Yes, these are artistic photos. Every one of them is a work of art. Yang Mengshan, your photography skills are amazing."

"It's OK. The three elements of a portrait are always people, and people have to look good!"

Yang Mengshan waved her hand and said carelessly.

Not far away, the girl sitting at the desk writing stared blankly at the boy who was sleeping beside her with his eyes closed tiredly, and did not move for a long time.

The story... has come to an end.

(End of this chapter)