Shadow of Chinese Entertainment

Chapter 47 Invitation

At this time, the sunlight outside the window shines through the mottled leaves, casting a golden glow on the ground.

The breeze gently rustled the curtains, adding a sense of tranquility and peace to the house.

Professor An looked at the two of them, his eyes filled with both relief and amusement.

He was the first to break the silence, his voice calm and friendly: "Xixi, Xiaobei is very talented in literary creation. Don't you like reading? You can communicate with him more."

An Xiaoqian nodded slightly, tilting her head slightly to one side, and looked at Hu Xiaobei with a hint of curiosity and friendliness, her pair of innocent big eyes sparkling.

"I've read your book, Dialogues Past and Present. The story is very engaging and has a strong sense of cultural heritage."

As she spoke, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a row of neat and white teeth. That smile seemed to heal the soul.

"Especially your interpretation of ancient culture, it's like opening a door to the depths of history, which is deeply fascinating."

Hu Xiaobei blushed slightly, his eyes evading, and he unconsciously looked towards the sofa, and responded modestly: "You are too kind. Compared with professional writers, I still have a lot of shortcomings.

Your acting skills are also very good. You played Wang Yuyan in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" very impressively.

Especially the scene in the dry well, the eye contact and micro-expressions were so well-executed, which is quite rare." He gestured towards the sofa, his left hand drawing an elegant arc in the air.

An Xiaoqian brought a gust of fragrance and took a seat.

The faint scent of the girl that hit him made his heart beat irregularly again, and for a moment he didn't know whether he should hold his breath.

When An Xiaoqian heard the compliment, she couldn't help but smile proudly, and her eyes curved into crescents.

But when she thought about her experience during filming, her hands began to fiddle with the corners of her clothes unconsciously: "In fact, I was very nervous at the beginning, afraid that I wouldn't be able to perform well.

Fortunately, my cousin, Mr. Xiuqing, has been very patient in guiding me.

Hu Xiaobei took a deep breath, trying to calm his disordered heartbeat. His body tensed slightly and he turned his gaze to Professor An. He didn't dare look at An Xiaoqian again, but listened to every word she said.

Even so, every word she uttered sounded like heavenly music to his ears, and every note seemed to make his heart beat faster.

Hu Xiaobei tried hard to put aside his distracting thoughts and nodded slightly in response: "The role of Wang Yuyan doesn't have much room for development. Even if someone taught you, it's rare for you to be able to perform like this."

His voice was slightly strained, as if he was trying hard to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Professor An slowly sat up straight, his right hand lightly placed on the armrest, his left hand hanging naturally at his side, his eyes focused and deep.

"You are all still young and in the same industry. If you communicate more with each other, there will be unlimited possibilities in the future.

Xiaobei, you should try more different creative fields at Beijing Film Academy. Although film and television and literature have similarities, they also have many unique aspects.

By the way, I haven’t asked you yet, how is your study progress in the past two months at Beijing Film Academy?

Hu Xiaobei smiled confidently and said modestly: I have almost learned all the written knowledge, and I have been trying to use the equipment in school.

If nothing unexpected happens, after the opening speech, I will go to the crew to practice and learn."

An Xiaoqian's eyes widened as she asked with a hint of confusion, "You mean, you've already finished your freshman year courses on your own before school even starts?"

Hu Xiaobei glanced back at her politely, a ripple in his heart, and then he quickly looked away, looking at the mineral water on the coffee table.

While moving the mineral water to the two of them, he told the truth: "It's the entire university curriculum. I have already learned all the professional knowledge that I am interested in, including your acting department.

Of course, I only understand it in theory, and I am far from being able to express it in practice.”

An Xiaoqian looked at Hu Xiaobei with envy and exclaimed sincerely: "Wow! This is the strongest top scorer in the college entrance examination! So amazing!" In a flash, she remembered the academic studies she had fallen behind because of filming, and her envy became more obvious.

Hu Xiaobei felt his heart was lifted up high, and his whole body seemed to be floating.

Knowing something was wrong, he quickly looked at Professor An and abruptly changed the subject: "Professor An, does Xixi have any new filming plans?"

Professor An smiled and did not answer, but looked at his daughter.

An Xiaoqian's eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment, then a hint of expectation, and then her eyes became brighter: "Well... I missed a very good role before.

Right now, I'm considering a few scripts, but nothing's confirmed yet. My mom told me to wait and see before making any decisions."

Hu Xiaobei's heart moved, and he couldn't help but think of the last conversation between him, Lao Zhou and the principal. So he sat up straight and said seriously, "I think this is a good idea."

Then, his gaze drifted out the window.

The branches swaying in the wind come into view, like nimble dancers performing a silent drama on the stage of time, telling the story of the passage of time and the impermanence of fate.

Every swing is like a nudge or pull of fate, full of unknowns and variables.

“Just like this branch in the wind, waiting for the wind to die down, waiting for the right moment to stretch out.

Some things, when you are eager to pursue them, are often as elusive as a candle in the wind.

But when you wait with a peaceful heart, perhaps fate's favor will quietly descend upon you like the warm spring sun." Finally, he nodded meaningfully, his eyes revealing a profound wisdom.

An Xiaoqian subconsciously pouted her lips slightly, as if a delicate flower bud trembled slightly, and then she pursed her lips and returned to her original shape.

Her dark eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and a small knot appeared between her eyebrows. Her eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist, full of unconcealable curiosity and doubt. She stared at Hu Xiaobei without blinking.

Although I was still a little confused, an inexplicable sense of identification was quietly spreading in my heart. I felt that these words hit the crux of my recent decision.

The three of them sat together, and the topic flowed naturally like water, gradually getting better.

Professor An tapped the table lightly, opening a new conversation: "Xiaobei, the stories you write have a mix of ancient charm and new ideas, and your control over the text is extraordinary. What kind of classics do you usually like to read for inspiration?

Hu Xiaobei wore a modest smile on his face and said sincerely, "I don't have a particular type of book I like to read, but yesterday I was reading two classics, Zizhi Tongjian and Zuo Zhuan.

The Zizhi Tongjian chronicles the history of many dynasties, revealing the political schemes, rise and fall, and success and failure of emperors and generals.

I can gain insight into the changing dynamics of the situation, learn to write grand narratives, ponder the choices characters make in complex situations, and find inspiration for the story."

After a brief pause, Hu Xiaobei's eyes flickered, and he continued, "There's also Zuo Zhuan, which has exquisite language and writes about war and diplomacy without ambiguity, and the wisdom and strategies of the ancients are vividly displayed on paper.

I learn from it to refine my language, incorporating the ancients’ maneuvering techniques and astute diplomatic rhetoric into my works, which makes the characters’ conversations extraordinary and adds a lot of color.”

An Xiaoqian listened with her chin in her hand, interrupted whenever she could, shared interesting stories from the set, and imitated the director's exaggerated expression when he was angry, making the two of them laugh.

Hu Xiaobei was no longer so tense and joked, "The director will probably be angry for a while if he meets someone as eccentric as you."

Time passed quietly, the atmosphere in the house was relaxed and cheerful, with laughter rising one after another.

Suddenly, An Xiaoqian's cell phone rang, breaking the harmony. She did not avoid Hu Xiaobei and answered the call on the spot.

After a while, An Xiaoqian held the phone, looked up at Hu Xiaobei, her dimples appeared, her voice was soft and sweet, and she made a crisp invitation.

"Xiaobei, today is my birthday. My mom specifically told me to invite you to have dinner with me."

(End of this chapter)