Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 353 Christmas and New Year's Collaboration (6k)
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"Come on, brothers, let's eat."

The private room was bustling with activity, and the round table was laden with sumptuous dishes, the steam and aromas rising in a harmonious blend.

Those sitting together were mainly the stuntmen from Jackie Chan's stunt team and a few core assistants. The atmosphere was lively and full of the bold spirit of the martial arts world.

Everyone chatted and laughed loudly in their local dialects, and the clinking of glasses filled the air.

Gu Qing was also caught up in the atmosphere. He looked up and saw a familiar face. Holding a glass of juice, he smiled and walked towards a muscular, well-built man at the table.

"Brother Zhou, it's been a long time." Gu Qing extended his hand.

Zhou Wei, the action choreographer known as Brother Zhou, was visibly stunned for a moment, then stood up in surprise and grasped Gu Qing's hand with his slightly rough hand: "Gu...Gu Qing, you still recognize me?"

His face was filled with disbelief.

"Of course I remember you, Brother Zhou!"

Gu Qing smiled sincerely and shook hands firmly in return. "Last time we filmed 'Detective Chinatown,' the chase scene in the streets of Bangkok, the action sequences you designed for us were both beautiful and perfectly suited to the characters."
After watching the monitor playback, Brother Sicheng immediately decided he was extremely satisfied and praised you for your exceptional courage!

"Haha, hahaha! As long as you like it! It's all part of my job!"

Zhou Wei felt a little embarrassed when Gu Qing remembered the details so clearly and praised him in public. He subconsciously raised his hand to scratch his very short buzz cut and grinned with a simple and honest smile.

He was genuinely surprised and excited. More than half a year had passed since filming of "Detective Chinatown" ended, and crew members had come and gone.

He never expected that Gu Qing, a top star who was extremely busy, could recognize him as the behind-the-scenes action director at a glance and be able to describe the work details in such detail.

He could clearly feel the envious glances from the other stuntmen around him. The feeling of being respected and remembered made this tough guy secretly happy, and he unconsciously straightened his back a bit.

"Gu Qing, stop standing and chatting, come and sit down, the food is getting cold."

Brother Chen Long, sitting in the main seat, took in the whole scene and saw how respectful and genuine Gu Qing was towards his behind-the-scenes brothers.

His smile grew increasingly pleased and warm as he repeatedly beckoned Gu Qing to sit down in the empty seat next to him.

"Uncle Long."

Gu Qing responded and walked over, sitting down as instructed. She turned her head and asked, "You said you had something to ask me?"

“Yes,” Brother Chen Long put down his chopsticks, leaned slightly towards Gu Qing, and his face showed undisguised curiosity and inquiry.

"I just want to ask you, when you went to that 'Chinese Poetry Competition' last time, did you really recite that many poems on the spot? Did the production team really not provide you with a teleprompter or a script?"

"Really not, Uncle Long."

Gu Qing chuckled and shook her head. "It was all impromptu. There were so many experts and scholars watching in the audience. If I had used a teleprompter, they would have seen through it immediately."

Wow! That's powerful!

Upon hearing this, Brother Chen Long's eyes widened immediately, as if he had heard something unbelievable, and he couldn't help but exclaim in Cantonese in surprise.

He then switched back to Mandarin, his tone full of admiration: "How did you do that? How is your brain structured? You're so smart! A genius, you're a true genius!"

As a veteran filmmaker who has worked his way up since the last century, Brother Chen Long has a deep respect and admiration for those who possess a special skill.

Especially those who are "cultured" and "educated".

This may also stem from the fact that he was unable to receive a systematic education in his early years due to poverty and the hardships of learning opera, which instilled in him a deep-seated awe of knowledge and even a slight, barely perceptible sense of inferiority.

therefore,

Gu Qing's image on the show—a learned scholar with a vast knowledge and eloquent speech—especially his ability to recite over two hundred poems containing key words in a row during a competition, was captivating.

In his eyes, it was simply divine skill, which made him admire it immensely and feel extremely envious.

"Uncle Long, please don't say that."

Gu Qing was a little embarrassed by the praise, and replied with a mix of humility and sincerity, "You can learn so many foreign languages ​​and communicate with people all over the world."

You can fight, act, and even direct your own movies, as well as serve as an action choreographer. You're a true genius; I'm far from being your match.

His words were not entirely polite.
Brother Chen Long's seemingly indestructible body, tireless energy, and tremendous achievements in the international film industry are a ceiling that countless people can hardly reach.

"Hahaha, no, no,"

Brother Chen Long, flattered in return, laughed heartily and waved his hand, "My foreign language skills are only so-so, good enough to fool people, but..."
To be honest, I can only manage two or three sentences of everyday language, which is nothing compared to your vast knowledge.

After he finished laughing, he seemed to remember something and asked with great interest, "By the way, Gu Qing, seeing how well you can recite poetry, and how your lyrics and music are full of ancient charm and flavor, do you often read ancient books?"

"Yes, I've roughly read some of the Four Books and Five Classics." Gu Qing nodded.

"Haha, my master Yu forced me to memorize the Four Books when I was a child!"

Brother Chen Long seemed to have found a common topic, and his enthusiasm for the conversation grew even stronger, even with a hint of pride. "I can still recite it now, listen to this: Confucius said..."

He actually gave an impromptu recitation, and although his pronunciation had a distinct Hong Kong accent, his enunciation was clear and his rhythm was excellent, showing that he had put in a lot of hard work.

"Uncle Long, is this the version you're reciting from Zhu Xi's 'Collected Annotations on the Four Books'?"

After listening, Gu Qing pointed it out with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

This tongue twister was frequently used by school teachers during the Republic of China era.

And Chen Long's master was indeed from that period.

"Wow! Yes, yes, yes! It's Zhu Xi's... that commentary!"

Brother Chen Long's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had met a kindred spirit. He excitedly slammed his hand on the table, gave Gu Qing a thumbs up, and kept exclaiming "Wow!"
His eyes were practically overflowing with affection and admiration. "Gu Qing, you really understand!"

Last time I was on that show with Ma Ye and Dou Wentao, I recited this passage, and they couldn't even tell which version it was! Amazing! Absolutely amazing!

At this moment, Brother Chen Long looked at Gu Qing with eyes full of affection, wishing he were his own son.

Gu Qing possessed an air of knowledge, reason, and gentleness, yet without a trace of pedantry.
At the same time, his handsome features and radiant demeanor perfectly matched all his imaginations of a "cultured person" and an "outstanding junior".

He was so envious he almost drooled, secretly thinking: If only he weren't so old and Gu Qing so young, and if only their generations and eras weren't so different...
If he were in the Hong Kong entertainment industry when he was young, he would have really wanted to adopt this "godson" on the spot.

In those days, it was very common for people in the industry to adopt godparents as relatives, a practice used to solidify relationships and provide mutual support.
Brother Chen Long himself has recognized several industry bigwigs who have helped him and made them his godfathers.

"By the way, Uncle Long, about the script you mentioned you wanted to discuss with me..."

Gu Qing felt a little overwhelmed by Chen Long's increasingly ardent gaze, as if he were looking at his "dream lover," and quickly coughed lightly.
To steer the conversation back to the main topic and defuse the awkward situation.

"Oh right, right! Look at me, I almost forgot the important thing in my excitement."

After being reminded, Brother Chen Long slapped his forehead and suddenly realized what was going on. He then turned to a middle-aged man at the table who looked scholarly and wore glasses, and said, "Yang Zi, bring over the script we've written and let Gu Qing take a look at it."

The screenwriter, referred to as "Yang Zi," quickly took out a printed script from his bag and handed it to Gu Qing with both hands, his face bearing a gentle, even somewhat reserved, smile: "Hello, Teacher Gu Qing."

This is a preliminary script outline and some details that I've written based on the ideas you provided, as well as some thoughts we discussed earlier. Please... please take a look.

His gaze was a complex mix of anticipation, nervousness, and a hint of indescribable emotion.

The anticipation and nervousness stemmed from the fact that if the project was ultimately adopted by his elder brother, and if his brother was willing to personally act in it or even fight for the director's position for him, it would undoubtedly be a huge leap forward in his career.

That complexity stems from the painstaking effort he put into writing this work, word by word.

Now, the judgment is to be made by such a young person, whose face still shows signs of immaturity. This feeling is quite subtle and mixed.

"Brother Yang, you're too kind. Just call me Gu Qing. I wouldn't dare to say I 'looked through' anything; I'm just learning something and taking a casual look."

Gu Qing quickly stood up, took the script with both hands, smiled at Yang Zi, and then lowered her head to carefully read through it.

however,
As he turned to the first page and saw the main character settings and story outline, his brows furrowed slightly involuntarily.

Yang Zi, who had been secretly observing his expression, suddenly felt a pang of unease and inwardly groaned: 'No way? Is there a problem so quickly?'

"How about it, not bad, right?"

Chen Long, who was standing to the side, was an impatient man and didn't notice Gu Qing's micro-expression. He was chewing his food and couldn't wait to share his feelings, "I think Yang Zi's story is really well written, and the emotions are particularly sincere!"
When I finished reading the first draft, my heart ached terribly, and tears welled up in my eyes. It truly touched the hearts of us stuntmen!

"Yes...it's good."

Gu Qing quickly flipped through the pages, replying with a slightly strained expression.

It wasn't that he was being perfunctory; rather, the script in his hand differed greatly from the movie "The Spirit of the Dragon Horse" in his memories of his past life in terms of core characters and story structure.

In his memory, the main storyline of "The Spirit of the Dragon Horse" revolves around stuntman Lao Luo and his beloved horse "Red Hare," who rely on each other for survival. They fall into hardship due to debt disputes, and in order to protect their family (daughter and son-in-law) and continue their filmmaking dreams...
Together they embark on a hilarious yet heartwarming "Operation Protect the Horse" and a journey of self-redemption.

There are three main characters: Lao Luo, his daughter Xiao Bao, and his son-in-law Nai Hua.

The story reflects the end of the era of martial arts films in Hong Kong cinema, and its style is a standard family comedy.

But at this moment, the script in his hand showed no sign of his daughter or son-in-law.

The story has changed to: Lao Luo, a once-glorious veteran stuntman, has become obsessed with his work and neglects his family, resulting in a cold relationship with his son (a rising director), and he is only accompanied by his beloved horse "Red Hare".

Also due to debt problems, "Red Hare" faced the crisis of being taken away. Lao Luo was forced to bow his head and turn to his estranged son for help, earning money to pay off the debt by desperately performing dangerous stunts on his son's new film set.
Thus, through humorous and joyful cooperation, the father and son gradually resolve their differences.

“Gu Qing…uh…Teacher,” Yang Zi saw Gu Qing remain silent, her expression focused but revealing no emotion, and felt increasingly uncertain. He couldn't help but speak up, trying to remedy any potential shortcomings in the script.
"Actually, there are many details that I haven't fully filled in yet... For example, you see, the reason why my son Xiao Luo chose to become a director is actually because he was greatly influenced by his father deep down."

Xiao Luo has always admired his father since he was a child, watching him fly and disappear into the sky, seemingly omnipotent. But when he saw his father fall and hit his head, lying unconscious in the hospital bed, he felt very sorry for him.

This solidified Luo's determination to become a director when he grew up, his aim being to prevent his father from suffering further injuries—this is the core of the story.

"When Xiao Luo was on set: he outwardly showed disdain and a cold face, and constantly mocked and belittled his father, saying that stuntmen were outdated and that it was all about special effects now."
But in the final twist of the story, she actually felt sorry for her father and didn't want him to risk his life anymore.

"And Lao Luo was the same. He was unwilling to admit defeat, but he felt very guilty towards his son. He risked his life to do the action scenes for his son's new movie, but in the end, he still broke his leg and went to the hospital."
The father and son had a heart-to-heart talk and reconciled at the hospital. Finally, their new film was released to great success, bringing the story to a perfect close.

"The story is very simple, but if it is made into a film, it will definitely be loved by many viewers."

"Brother Yang, your story sounds... a bit familiar."

Gu Qing closed the script, her expression a little strange.

His gaze shifted,
Unusually, Brother Chen Long didn't interrupt. Instead, he lowered his head slightly and focused intently on the vegetables in his bowl, as if those few greens held an irresistible allure.

Gu Qing immediately understood. The script depicted Lao Luo's guilt towards his son and the estrangement caused by his neglect of him.

It is clearly a mixture of Uncle Lung's profound reflections on the difficulty of balancing his career and family in the past, as well as his deep-seated apology and self-blame towards his children.

This is almost the prototype of an "autobiographical" work with strong personal emotional projection.

"Hey, isn't this how most stuntmen in our line of work spend their whole lives?"

Yang Zi blinked, his tone meaningful, almost tantamount to revealing the source of inspiration for the script.

"clear."

Gu Qing nodded knowingly. He hesitated for a moment, but couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked, "Brother Yang, I have a question. Why...didn't you make it a daughter?"

In terms of dramatic conflict and emotional tension, isn't the affection between father and daughter sometimes easier to develop and more likely to resonate with the audience than the 'silent confrontation' between father and son?

"Uh...why write about the daughter?"

This time, it was Yang Zi's turn to be stunned. He seemed even more confused than Gu Qing, and subconsciously asked, "Gu Qing, doesn't my brother mean... that he wants to act with you? You can play the son, Xiao Luo!"

"what?"

Gu Qing was completely dumbfounded. Pointing at herself, her voice unconsciously rose a fraction of an octave, "I'm acting?!"

This was completely unexpected!
He originally thought that Uncle Jackie Chan only wanted him to help review the script and offer suggestions in the capacity of "consultant" or "planner".
To my utter surprise, the script had reserved the important role of "son" for him from the very beginning!

"What, you're unwilling?"

Brother Chen Long finally raised his head, deliberately putting on a stern face to tease him, "Are you being wronged acting alongside an old guy like me?"

"Uh... absolutely not! Uncle Long, please don't misunderstand!"

Gu Qing quickly waved his hand to explain, then couldn't help scratching his head, "Being able to cooperate with you is an opportunity that many people would love to have. I'm just... it's too sudden, I wasn't prepared at all."

His words were not entirely polite.

Collaborating with Brother Chen Long is significant far beyond the box office success or failure of a single film. More importantly, it elevates one's "international status" and expands global recognition.

Brother Chen Long is the only remaining superstar with a huge global influence, recognized internationally since MJ's death.

His face and name are themselves a globally recognized "golden brand".

It's just that because he was active for such a long period of time, and in recent years his works have mostly focused on mentoring younger generations, people sometimes overlook his lofty status as a "living legend".

Since his recent work "Chinese Zodiac", all the actors he has partnered with have been top-tier male or female stars promoted by major entertainment companies.

Don't these companies know that Chen Long's solo box office appeal is not as strong as it used to be?

What they value is the enormous added value and international exposure that comes with collaborating with him.

Starring in his films means gaining a highly valuable "international resume," whether it's boosting one's prestige domestically or walking the red carpet overseas.

In an interview, a simple statement like "I have worked with Jackie Chan" is enough to elicit countless "Wow!" exclamations and an instant surge in attention.

These are intangible, yet extremely valuable assets.

"Uncle Long, my...my schedule..."

Gu Qing spoke hesitantly, looking troubled.

He had a clear plan for development over the next two years, and the sudden collaboration caught him off guard.

"Don't worry!"

Brother Chen Long noticed his concerns, laughed heartily, and patted him hard on the back. "Even if this script really comes to fruition, it will probably be two or three years before filming actually begins."

No rush. I still have several film contracts on hand, all of which I promised to help promote newcomers, and I can't turn them down.

Even if I wanted to take a picture with you right away, I couldn't find the time!

He reassured Gu Qing in a relaxed tone, and then enthusiastically began to plan: "However, the script can be polished slowly!"

"Let's find some time to talk it over properly after the Spring Festival Gala ends, and try to polish this script to be even more perfect!"

"Uncle Long, I'm afraid it won't work after the Spring Festival Gala ends."

Gu Qing gave a wry smile and explained, "I was recommended by the station, and I have to participate in the recording of the opera gala on the evening of December 30th. I'm currently worried about what program to sing."

I'm going back to seclusion to compose or adapt a suitable piece of music.

I initially thought it was just a polite excuse to refuse.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing the words "Opera Spring Festival Gala," Brother Chen Long's eyes lit up instantly.
As if discovering a new continent, all the thoughts I had while discussing the script were instantly forgotten.

A traditional opera Spring Festival Gala?!

His voice rose an octave, and his face lit up with great interest and excitement. "Gu Qing, don't rush to shut yourself away and create something. Create a piece for me too!"
How about... we go on stage together and sing a song? What do you think?

He's the most famous 'song fanatic' in the Chinese music scene.

Including not long ago,
Zhou Huajian and Li Zhongsheng, whom Gu Qing met during the New Year's period, were both good friends of Brother Chen Long.

Even many of his own albums were produced by these two.

Yes, you heard right, your own album.

While Chen Long was already renowned worldwide as an actor, his songs had already become popular throughout Asia.

1980s,

Chen Long's single album sold 43 copies in Japan, which is the highest record for a Chinese male singer to date.

Their first Mandarin album, "The First Time," released later, sold a staggering 200 million copies, making it the top-selling album of the year.

His songs such as "I Understand My Heart," "Salvation," "Myth," and "True Hero" are classics with extremely high popularity.

Some singers are lucky if they only have one representative work in their entire career.

Brother Chen Long is a household name in China, with four or five songs that are widely known.

"Uncle Long, are you really coming?"

Gu Qing asked in surprise.

"Of course, my singing is exceptional."

Brother Chen Long looked serious, but then habitually revealed his "weakness," "It's just... my old problem, I'm still not very good at counting beats."
You'll have to keep time for me then, otherwise I might not be able to get into the rhythm, or I might sing too fast…”

“Okay! Uncle Long, I’ll go back and think about it carefully.” Gu Qing nodded solemnly, then asked, “Is there any particular style or specific genre of opera you’d like to try?”

"Style? I don't have a specific style!"

With a wave of his hand, Brother Chen Long appeared very carefree. "I just want to sing Peking Opera properly and find the feeling I had when I was learning opera. It's been a long time since I sang on stage, and I really miss it."

A deep sense of nostalgia welled up in his eyes, and before he had even finished speaking, he involuntarily narrowed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath.
He tapped the table lightly with his hand, making slightly inaccurate rhythms, and hummed a classic Peking Opera tune in a low voice.

Although his voice was no longer as clear as it used to be, and his rhythm was a bit casual, his charm and demeanor were still full of charm, instantly bringing everyone in the private room into a strong atmosphere of traditional Chinese culture.

Upon hearing what Brother Chen Long sang,

Gu Qing, who was still struggling with how to create the artwork, suddenly brightened up.

"Yes!!"

In his memory, this song was definitely a once-popular and genuine opera song.

The adaptation is a traditional Peking Opera piece, retaining the original lyrics and singing style, while the musical accompaniment is entirely based on popular music.

A true example of derivative work!

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(End of this chapter)