2001 Media Godfather

I started to understand in Chapter 2.

Chu An suddenly leaned in, causing Xu Shu's fingertips, which were holding the script, to turn white abruptly. Like a startled mimosa, she quickly curled up, holding the script upright in front of her chest, and involuntarily took a step back, revealing a hint of displeasure.

Chu An couldn't help but chuckle when he saw her holding the script between them like a shield, thinking to himself, "This little girl takes herself way too seriously."

But she doesn't dwell on it; there are plenty of people in the entertainment industry who are even more self-righteous and pretentious than her.

He kindly explained, "These two lines of poetry conflict with the later development of Liu Xia's feelings for the male lead, Yu Nian."

He wanted to say the tea was too strong, but Xu Shu probably wouldn't understand, so he changed his words, "You're saying one thing and meaning another, can you understand that?"

Xu Shu remained tense, leaving a small gap between the script pressed against her chest, as if deep in thought.

He subconsciously nodded at Chu An's "insincere" explanation, then shook his head, and finally said only, "Thank you, but no need."

Thank you for the reminder, Chu An, but it doesn't need to be changed.

Chu An shrugged at this, seemingly unconcerned.

The reminder was an instinctive reaction from the agent.

Although actors portray characters, audiences are often blind and may project their own emotions onto the actors, potentially impacting their future careers. From an agent's perspective, it's best to avoid this if possible.

To put it bluntly, no matter how big a star or how clean-living an actor is, they can't avoid having a few blemishes on their record.

Actors aren't afraid of acting in bad movies; what they're afraid of is being utterly detestable in a bad movie. Then they'll likely bear the main responsibility for the bad movie.

If Xu Shu hadn't responded quickly, Chu An's changes wouldn't have gone smoothly, and Director Lu might have gotten angry.

It's like returning a favor.

But I've done my best, and if you don't listen, it's none of my business.

Moreover, Chu An will not say anything more if this happens again.

When filming officially began, Xu Shu indeed ignored Chu An's instructions and followed the script's lines meticulously, word for word.

As Chu An had predicted, the tea flavor was too strong. But I must say, the acting was superb.

Lu Mingze was prepared to have multiple takes, but he got it right in one take, which surprised him.

Finally, still not giving up, he said, "Just one more."

Okay, let's say this is a technique commonly used by film directors. TV series generally don't have high requirements for video footage, so there's no need to waste time and resources on it.

Lu Mingze's insistence on keeping a pure and superfluous line is unnecessary.

I filmed another one, and the result was almost the same as before.

Lu Mingze finally realized that Chu An's hesitation was not due to forgetting his lines, but rather a deliberate act.

He took a good look at Chu An and thought to himself, "This little boy is quite talented!"

At least he felt that this approach was better than the script.

Lu Mingze's brows remained furrowed; he felt something was off about the scene, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

After filming this scene, Chu An called it a day.

He has a total of five scenes, with one scene remaining where he interacts with Liu Xia on campus, as well as a basketball game and two group scenes. He won't need to be on set for a while.

However, even if Chu An doesn't have any filming, he can't leave the film crew, because filming takes place at Chu An's home, so where else can he go?
The reason I rented out my home to film crews is actually quite simple: because I was poor.

The Chu family consists of three people: Chu An, his older sister Chu Ning, and his father Chu Jianjun.

Chu An's mother died during childbirth, so Chu Jianjun has been raising both children single-handedly.

Life was going quite well before.

Chu Jianjun was the workshop director of the agricultural machinery factory. He was a minor official, but he could manage to raise two children without much trouble.

In the early 1990s, a safety accident occurred at the factory.

Originally, it had nothing to do with Chu Jianjun; it was purely a case of the newly appointed factory director overstepping his authority and giving orders. But Chu Jianjun took the blame and was dismissed from his post. The factory director who caused the trouble was also transferred away, leaving Chu Jianjun with no protection.

Life got worse day by day.

In recent years, Northeast China has completed its historical mission and come to an end. State-owned agricultural machinery factories naturally could not escape the fate of decline, ceasing operations and production, and failing to pay wages for many years.

The Chu family's situation became even more dire.

So when a film crew rented the space, Lao Chu didn't hesitate to give them his house. He then used the opportunity to go to another city to look for work.

My older sister, Chu Ning, took the college entrance exam last year and scored high enough for a second-tier university.

But for some reason, Chu Ning didn't want to attend a second-tier university and was determined to get into a top university.

In this day and age, repeating a grade is a very normal thing. Although his family was not wealthy, Chu Jianjun gritted his teeth and agreed to his daughter's stubbornness.

But unexpectedly, after only one summer vacation, Chu Ning suddenly didn't want to go to school anymore, not even to a second-tier university, and insisted on going to work.

The father and daughter argued fiercely over this, but in the end, Chu Jianjun couldn't persuade his daughter otherwise and let her have her way.

Chu Ning now works as a clerk at the Second Store in the county town, earning 350 yuan a month. After renting out her family home to the film crew, she simply moved to live in the company warehouse.

Therefore, only Chu An was left to guard the house.

In other words, he has to sleep on the "film set" at night.

Moreover, the production team had also agreed with the Chu family to provide Chu An with three meals a day.

At this moment, Chu An had some free time, and Sister Lan hurriedly came up to him, telling him that it would be best for Chu An to stay here and learn how others act.

That "family" refers, of course, to Xu Shu.

In response, Chu An apologized, "Sister Lan, I can't go this afternoon. I have to go to my sister's place to bring her some clothes."

When Sister Lan heard that there was something wrong at home, she stopped insisting and told Chu An to be careful.

Chu An wasn't making excuses to be lazy; he genuinely wanted to see his sister in this timeline.

In truth, Chu An shouldn't be considered to have possessed someone else's body. Deep within his heart, he retains the memories of Chu An from this timeline, and his deep empathy for his family and life.

It was as if Chu An from two different worlds had merged into one.

Chu An in this world is naive and gentle; he is a kind and sensitive young man.

In another world, Chu An was orphaned at a young age and climbed up from the bottom with sheer willpower.

Having endured countless hardships, his heart had hardened like iron, even becoming somewhat dark and gloomy.

He doesn't mind using the most malicious thoughts to speculate about everyone, and he doesn't mind using the most hypocritical smile to deceive the whole world.

Because he knew that this world was a jungle where the strong preyed on the weak, and life was a winner-takes-all game of hunger.

At this moment, he is more like a combination of the mature Chu An and the naive Chu An.

Even the mature Chu An felt a little grateful to the innocent and naive Chu An of this world, who suddenly gave him a little interest in life when he was already somewhat disappointed with it.

It's like a traveler who's been colorblind for half their life, seeing only grayness, suddenly regaining their sight and realizing with a start that the world is truly vibrant and colorful, and that the path they've walked is real.
It was so wonderful.

How much beauty did he miss in his life?
Of course, while being awakened by the seventeen-year-old Chu An, the forty-year-old Chu An also gave the seventeen-year-old Chu An a completely new perspective on life.

In the eyes of seventeen-year-old Chu An, his older sister Chu Ning was a stubborn mule who didn't know what was good for her, choosing to work instead of going to university.

He didn't understand this kind of rebellion, and his father, who had raised him and his sister, was utterly useless.

He can't cook, is clumsy, has no other skills, and is a bit greedy. For example, regarding renting his house from the film crew, the introverted Chu An was unwilling to let outsiders into his territory.

However, now that Chu An has the experience and insight of a forty-year-old, he understands that life may not be what he sees; life is far more cruel than he imagined!
Chu Jianjun, acting as both father and mother, raising two children is no easy task.

Chu Ning doesn't like to eat meat or eggs. Is it really because she doesn't like them? In the end, she left them all for her younger brother.

Chu Jianjun's workplace couldn't pay his salary, and he had many health problems. Chu Ning needed a large sum of money to get into university, and if Chu An went to university in two years, what would happen to their elderly father, whose back was already bent under the weight of life?
This family hides too much heartache and hardship; Chu An was simply too well protected by his sister and elderly father.

He went upstairs to get a few pieces of Chu Ning's clothes and then went out.

A river called Ma Yan'er runs through the city, dividing Ningyuan into two urban areas, north and south.

Beicheng was an old industrial area in the 1970s and 80s, with several old state-owned factories. Now that the era has ended, the only things Beicheng can boast about are Ningyuan No.1 Middle School and the Agricultural Machinery Factory Cultural Palace.

The north and south cities are connected by three bridges: a railway bridge, a highway bridge, and an old stone bridge.

It is said that the stone bridge was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty by Han Chinese craftsmen specially transferred from Ningguta to serve as tribute to the capital. It is considered the only cultural landmark in Ningyuan.

Standing on the bridge, you can see the wide and gentle Ma Yan'er River, the old elm trees stretching along the riverbank, the old industrial area on the left that no longer emits smoke, and the residential buildings on the right that are full of vitality, as if they are two different worlds.

Chu Ning works at Ningyuan Second Store, which is located on Heyan Street next to the stone bridge.

When Chu An found Chu Ning at the grocery counter, her older sister was taking a nap on the counter.

There was no other way. In the early 21st century, the economy of Northeast China was depressed. The store was a collective enterprise with a rigid system and poor management. They could hardly see any customers in a day. What else could they do if they didn't slack off?
These days, bosses don't care if you're slacking off; sometimes they even have to join in for the fun!

"Hey!" Chu An leaned close to Chu Ning's ear and suddenly shouted.

As a result, Chu Ning was not frightened at all. She slowly sat up, rubbed her eyes, saw that it was Chu An, and glared at him fiercely, "You're so unruly."

You know, this workplace really trains people up; their willpower is top-notch.

"What are you here for?"

Chu An chuckled. It was the first time he had met this older sister, and at forty years old, he felt a genuine sense of closeness to her.

This can be considered as fulfilling one of his dreams!
In my past life, I didn't have anyone to confide in, let alone my own sister.

Moreover, it must be said that the Chu family's genes are undeniably excellent. Chu An is sunny and handsome, and Chu Ning is also tall with regular features, a typical beautiful girl from Northeast China.

He went around behind the counter and handed the clothes to Chu Ning, saying, "Can you give my sister something?"

Chu Ning took it, glanced at it, and put it aside. Then, looking around and seeing no leader in charge, she grabbed two White Rabbit candies from the counter, peeled them open, and stuffed them into Chu An's mouth.

"Eat it, it's so sweet."

Chu An didn't stand on ceremony and started chewing the candy.

Chu Ning was happy to see her younger brother eating candy, but she couldn't help but nag, "Keep an eye on the house, don't let that film crew ruin it."

Chu An: "I know."

He then pulled out ten yuan and handed it to Chu An, saying, "Are you out of money again? You always ask me for money! Why don't you ask Dad? See if he scolds you!"

Chu An took it and stuffed it into his pocket without any hesitation.

Chu Ning hadn't finished speaking when she said, "After filming the TV series, have them cancel the phone number. It costs a lot in monthly fees; we don't need it."

Chu An did not respond.

In the storyline, Liu Xia's family had a telephone, so the production team paid for its installation.

As for using it and then leaving...
Chu An wouldn't stand for that. He's someone who came back from the information age. He could tolerate not having internet or a cell phone, but how could he live without a telephone?

"We'll see when the time comes!" Afraid that her older sister would continue nagging, she quickly changed the subject, "The production team gave me a role, and the pay is a thousand yuan."

"Huh!?" Chu Ning was taken aback. "You can act in TV dramas too?"

Chu An: "What's impossible? It's very simple. We've already filmed one scene today, and it was done in one take. The director even praised you for your acting talent."

Chu An spoke fluently and naturally, as if it were the truth.

Chu Ning was both surprised and delighted. "So, my brother became an actor?"

Chu An feigned modesty, "So-so, maybe third in the country."

"Oh, right." After the laughter subsided, Chu An revealed his true intentions: "Sis, how much money do you have?"

Chu Ning immediately became alert. "What are you going to do? Didn't I just give you ten yuan?"

Chu An: "It's not that I want to spend money, it's that you do."

After scanning the entire deserted Second Store, he said, "Are you just going to stay in this lousy place forever?"

These words stunned Chu Ning again. "Isn't this job pretty good?"

The current wage level in Ningyuan is only three or four hundred yuan a month. And even then, you might not be able to earn that much!
One possibility comes to mind: could it be that Chu Jianguo couldn't persuade her himself, so he sent his underlings to persuade her to go back to school?

Chu Jianguo was always troubled by Chu Ning's failure to attend university, so it was highly likely that he would use a roundabout tactic to have Chu An persuade him.

Her face immediately hardened. "Mind your own business! This job is great, not tiring, and pays well. Isn't it much better than going to school?"

Upon hearing this, Chu An revealed a disdainful expression. "You're kidding me! With your monthly salary of 350, after deducting expenses, how could you possibly save enough for my university tuition and living expenses?"

Chu Ning froze.

Her younger brother seemed carefree and didn't care about anything at home, but little did she know that he knew everything.

Chu An's next words not only proved that he knew everything, but also seemed to have thought even further ahead than Chu Jianjun.

He didn't come to persuade Chu Ning to go back to school.

"Sister!" She peeled open the wrapper of another White Rabbit candy and put it in Chu Ning's mouth.

"That's just how our family is. Dad really can't afford to support both of us. As for me, I've taken advantage of my young age, but I'm not in a position to suggest that you go back to repeat a year of high school. That's unrealistic."

Chu Ning's mind was a little foggy; all she could feel was the White Rabbit candy melting in her mouth, releasing a rich, sweet milky flavor, and her nose felt sore and tingly.

Chu An continued, "Sister, I didn't understand before, but now I do."

Chu Ning tried her best to suppress her emotions and not embarrass herself in front of her younger brother, but she couldn't help but ruffle Chu An's short hair. "You brat! Who taught you to be so sentimental?"

Unexpectedly, Chu An abruptly changed the subject, taking a sharp turn for the worse.

"But then again, you only make 350 a month, and you're trying to support your family and pay for my college education? Aren't you overestimating yourself?"

"Gah!" Chu Ning almost strained his back.

Chu An hadn't finished speaking when he said, "I don't know how Dad is doing working away from home. You know his health; if something happens to him, our family is finished."

"Sigh!" Hearing this, Chu Ning sighed deeply. "Then what do you suggest we do? Your sister and Dad only have so much ability; we can only take it one step at a time." Her tone was filled with deep helplessness.

This is the reality for most ordinary families trapped by life's hardships; they struggle to make ends meet, desperately need change, yet feel powerless to do so.

"So!" Chu An had laid the groundwork enough, "We can't go on like this, we have to do something."

This was Chu An's real purpose in coming to find Chu Ning; it wasn't to give her some clothes to deepen the siblings' relationship, but rather that this family needed to change.

And Chu An at this moment happens to have this ability.

"So, sis, how much money have you actually saved?"

.

(End of this chapter)