Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 384 "Riding the Waves" (6.3k)
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"Sister Liying, where did you hear that from?"

Gu Qing turned slightly to the side, casually resting her arm on the cool windowsill, gazing at the still gray sky of early spring outside the window, her fingertips lightly tapping on the screen.

"Everyone on Earth knows! The screenshot from your class group chat has already spread all over the internet!"

Zhao Liying retorted sarcastically, "You have a sweet tongue, don't you? I've kissed you so many times, how come I didn't taste it?"

At this moment, Sister Zhao had just finished her busy schedule last night and was lying on her side in the soft quilt, her long hair disheveled.

The hazy feeling of just waking up mixed with a hint of morning grumpiness made her typing tone carry a touch of spoiled and coquettishness.

"No, I meant to treat Sister Zhao to milk tea."

Faced with Sister Zhao's inappropriate words, Gu Qing sent a red envelope along with an emoji of her kneeling down, holding a crown, and admitting her mistake.

"Hmph, I won't accept it."

Sister Zhao gave a haughty hum, curled up in the quilt, and turned to her side like a little piglet, her lips slightly crooked and her round eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"..."

Gu Qing sent a few dots; he knew all too well what Sister Zhao was expecting.

"The first milk tea of ​​spring..."

"It's quite poetic."

Looking at the words "Ying Bao" on her phone, Zhao Liying smiled contentedly and innocently.

"Little brother, you're not actually in class right now, are you?"

Her curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but ask further.

Even now,
She also found it hard to imagine what Gu Qing looked like sitting in the classroom.

"Yes, we just finished the first English class and now we have a 20-minute break."

Gu Qing replied, casually turning on her phone's camera mode and adjusting the angle.

Looking out the window at the playground that was already turning green, the willows with their tender green branches swaying, and the students hurrying by with their books, I recorded a short video full of campus atmosphere and sent it to Zhao Liying.

"Wow, it really is a university campus. It's a pity I'm too old, otherwise I would like to go to university once."

Zhao Liying opened the video, looked at the campus scene, and couldn't help but sigh.
Then, a strange thought popped into my head.
"Hey little brother, I just remembered something. Does my current situation count as... keeping a male college student as a sugar daddy?"

After posting this, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself, her cute little face revealing a hint of lewdness.

"???"

Gu Qing replied with three huge question marks, expressing his speechlessness, "Where is the money for the sugar daddy? I haven't seen it."

"Here it is! Here it is!"

Zhao Liying quickly sent back a screenshot of the red envelope that Gu Qing had just sent.

"Only two hundred yuan? Besides, this is clearly my money, okay?!"

"Hahaha--"

Zhao Liying was laughing heartily on the other side of the screen.

After laughing, a strong urge to see Gu Qing surged into her heart, and she couldn't help but ask, "Little brother, when does your school start its holiday?"

"We're on a normal Saturday and Sunday, what's wrong with that?" Gu Qing asked, puzzled.

"I discussed it with Teacher He, and we plan to visit you when we have some free time next week!"

Zhao Liying said in a lighthearted tone, "We were recording a show together yesterday and we even talked about you! Are you free next week? You won't be disturbing our top student Gu's studies, will you?"

"Really? Teacher He and you... came all this way to see me?"

Gu Qing cooperated by sending an exaggerated "moved to tears" emoji.

"I really want to see you!"

Zhao Liying first affirmed, then habitually added, "But it wasn't 'intentional'! We all have work to do, and you... were just incidental."

She could never control the urge to "tease" him.

"Are you going to the capital with Teacher He? Is it for work?"

Gu Qing was somewhat surprised, "Could it be... that they're going to make a sequel to 'Gardenia Blossom'?"

"Oh, you! How dare you mock Teacher He for making a bad movie! I'm going to report you to him!"

Zhao Liying's mind immediately clicked with the joke, and she laughed so hard on the other end of the phone that she almost rolled off the bed.

"Don't slander me. I didn't say anything. You're just making wild guesses."

Gu Qing distanced himself from the matter; he dared not take the blame.

"Don't worry, it's not like we're filming 'Gardenia in Blossom.' Even if Teacher He were to make a sequel, he wouldn't cast us as the male and female leads."

After laughing for a while, Zhao Liying explained seriously, "However, Teacher He seemed to say he was going to the capital to see his apprentice. Hey, who is his apprentice? Do you know?"

"You've known and collaborated with Teacher He for so long and you didn't even know? How would I know?"

Gu Qing expressed her confusion and then asked, "And what about you? You didn't really come here just to 'casually' see me, did you?"

"Can't I just miss you?"

Sister Zhao tried to get away with it.

"Hehe, I almost believed it."

Gu Qing pouted.

Based on his understanding of Sister Zhao, although she sometimes seemed a bit "love-struck" in front of him...
But when it comes to her career, she's an absolute workaholic and would never put down her important job just for the sake of dating.

"Okay, okay, I do have a job."

Seeing that she couldn't hide it any longer, Zhao Liying had no choice but to admit honestly, "However! This job is related to you, and I specifically got it from the company!"

"mine?"

Gu Qing was genuinely puzzled now.

He is currently focused on his studies and has no plans to take on a new job.

"Yup!"

Zhao Liying's eyes lit up instantly.

When she first heard the news from her agent, she was overjoyed. "The company thinks my career in television dramas has reached a plateau,"
They're planning to send me to the film industry for further training, to explore new possibilities! They even sent me a film script!

Her tone was full of excitement and longing: "The film industry...this is the film industry!!"
"Little brother, do you know how high the bar is for actors like us who come from television dramas, and how difficult it is to get into this industry?!"

Gu Qing: "?"

Zhao Liying: "..."

Oh no, he's showing off his relationship.

Why brag to someone who is so young yet already the highest-grossing film in the history of Chinese cinema?

"Ahhh! I'm so envious of you handsome pretty boys!!"

Zhao Liying immediately felt a sense of shame, like someone who had "shown off their limited skills before an expert," which turned into a mixture of envy and jealousy. She typed through gritted teeth.
"I've worked my butt off and struggled in the entertainment industry for so many years, and I've finally gotten this precious opportunity!"

And you? You just easily and effortlessly got in based on your looks! And you're doing so well! It's so unfair!

"That's based on talent and work, okay?"

Gu Qing corrected her helplessly, and then reminded her, "Besides, didn't you also act in the movie 'The Palace: Lock Sinensis'?"

"Hehe, you even know that?"

Zhao Liying's attention was instantly diverted, and she asked suspiciously, "You wouldn't... have actually had a secret crush on me before, would you? You've been paying such close attention to me?"

"???"

"Did Sister Na switch your account? Bro, is that you?"

"Get away from me! I'm going to tell Sister Na that you're mimicking her!"

After the joke,

Zhao Liying got serious, "The Palace: Lock Sinensis is different. I wasn't the female lead in it, at most I was a fourth or fifth billed actress, and my role wasn't very big."

And... that movie ultimately flopped at the box office, barely making a splash.

She changed the subject, her tone becoming excited again: "But this time is different!"
The company made it clear that I am the only female lead in this movie! And the director they've chosen is Han Han!

"Little brother, do you know Han Han? He's super famous! Just like you, he was a recognized genius when he was young! A writer, a race car driver, and now a director!"
The director Guo who harassed you before... uh, back then they were idols for countless artistic youths of our time!

Back when I was in school, I secretly shipped them as a couple!

"Ahem... there's no need to add the word 'harassment'."

Gu Qing rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

Fortunately, in order to fight against him, Brother Qian was willing to "sacrifice" and signed a contract with Director Guo for "L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties".

To some extent, it diverted Director Guo's overly "enthusiastic" attention from him. Otherwise, if the director called his company every few days, earnestly persuading him to make movies, he would really be unable to resist.

I just don't know if that current contestant can still handle this "extra favor".

Gu Qing silently prayed for him for a second.

……

As for Han Han, whom Zhao Liying mentioned, Gu Qing's understanding of him was not very in-depth, mainly because they were from different eras.

Compared to which movies the other person had directed or which best-selling books they had published, the songs that Han Han had composed or sung were much clearer and more profound in his memories of his past life.

One song is "Never Say Goodbye," and the other is "The Ordinary Road."

Especially the latter, "The Ordinary Road," features Pu Shu's weathered and story-filled voice, coupled with lyrics and melody that strike straight to the heart, as if he had accompanied him through many moments of confusion in his past life.

A large part of his motivation for learning guitar was to be able to play and sing this song himself.

It is undoubtedly the song of the year in 2014, and it is extremely popular.

"Little brother, I strongly recommend you to the company!"

Zhao Liying continued excitedly to share the good news, "I said I wanted you to be the male lead in this movie, and the company has agreed!"

Furthermore, Director Han Han is also very interested in you; I heard he didn't reject your name during the casting process!

"The company wants me to go to the capital next week to discuss the script and salary with you in detail!" She felt as if she had received three great joys in her career: successfully entering the film industry she had always dreamed of,

This marks her first leading role on the big screen, and she's collaborating with a renowned and talented director.

And be able to continue working and partnering with Gu Qing,
Just thinking about it makes her eagerly anticipate the start of her work.

"Sister Liying, I might not be able to film this movie."

Looking at her phone, Gu Qing still had to pour cold water on the idea.

"what happened?"

Zhao Liying's high spirits deflated instantly, like a punctured balloon, and her tone was filled with confusion and bewilderment, "Is it a problem with the salary? Or is it a scheduling conflict?"

"neither."

Gu Qing explained, "When I enrolled, I communicated and promised the school that I would ensure attendance for the first three months, focus on attending classes, and build a solid foundation."

Missing too many classes will result in a significant deduction of credits, which may affect your subsequent studies or even your graduation.

Moreover, I genuinely want to take this opportunity to reflect and systematically learn some theoretical knowledge.

He paused, then added the most crucial practical difficulty: "If we go to another city to film a movie, it will be too far from the school, and it will be impossible for us to come back to class every day. There simply won't be enough time."

"Unless your company is willing to wait for me for three months."

"Three months...it's going to take that long..."

Zhao Liying's round face instantly fell. Her company is Huayi Brothers, after all. Unless something unexpected happens, how could they possibly be willing to wait three months for an actor?

Even with Gu Qing's high profile and popularity, it was useless.

"How about we find someone else?" Gu Qing suggested.

"Find someone else... forget it!"

Sister Zhao hesitated for a moment with her round face, then shook her head violently, "If you can't act, then... then I won't film it!"

As soon as the words left his mouth,

She then felt that she might have been too direct and "love-struck," and fearing that she might have put Gu Qing under psychological pressure, she hurriedly and hastily explained:
"Little brother, you...you mustn't misunderstand! I...I didn't make this decision solely because of you!"

She tried to make her reasons sound more "professional" and "reasonable": "I'm... I'm afraid I can't carry the box office alone!"
You know, my type of looks aren't exactly popular in the film industry. I'm a bit too... too approachable, not quite the sophisticated bone structure of a 'movie face'.

"If my first starring film flops at the box office, my career in the film industry will basically be over, and I may never have another chance."

If this opportunity had occurred before I met Gu Qing...
She'd probably grit her teeth and go for it, after all, there was a 50% chance of success, it was worth the gamble. But...

Zhao Liying hesitated for a moment before revealing her true thoughts: "But since I worked with you on 'The Journey of Flower' and 'The Mystic Nine,' both of these dramas have become phenomenal hits."

Later, the "Legend of Zu" series, which I starred in on my own, had... relatively stable ratings and reviews.

She also started to become somewhat superstitious, just like some people in the industry.

"What 'box office magic' and 'industry lucky charm'? Those are just media hype. You actually believe them?"

Gu Qing was both amused and exasperated upon hearing this. "Don't believe those nonsensical metaphysical claims."

An actor's success depends on their own talent, hard work, and a little bit of luck. Working with me won't change their luck; they all possess the potential and ability themselves.

He encouraged him, "Have you forgotten that your previous drama, 'Legend of Lu Zhen,' was also a huge hit?"

I wasn't even born then, and I was still famous, wasn't I? You have to believe in your own abilities!

Although Gu Qing hadn't paid special attention to the box office performance of director Han Han's film in her previous life,

But he clearly remembers that Sister Zhao's future development was steady and solid, and the fact that she was able to collaborate with Zhang Yimou later on shows that her debut performance on the big screen was at least above average.

It might even be quite good, otherwise it would have been rejected by the film industry long ago.

"How can it be the same?"

Zhao Liying retorted, "Legend of Lu Zhen did become a hit, but after that, I seemed to have a run of bad luck, encountering all sorts of unfortunate things."
During the toughest times, I was almost forgotten in the industry; I nearly quit and went back to farming!

"But what happened after I met you?"

She counted on her fingers, "The Journey of Flower was a hit, and The Mystic Nine was a hit too! My public image and commercial value have both skyrocketed!"

The more she talked, the more reasonable her "theory" seemed:

"Take another look at the other actresses you've worked with: Tong Liya, Gulnazar, Chen Duling..."

A certain small flower was deliberately omitted.
"Which of them didn't reach new heights in their careers? But once they left you, didn't most of the dramas they starred in afterward receive only lukewarm responses? My situation is similar!"

She lowered her voice, her tone almost like sharing a secret: "You probably don't even know it yourself, but many female celebrities in the industry are secretly talking about..."

They say you have a "lucky wife" destiny! Lots of people are lining up to work with you, hoping to share in your good fortune!

"...Prosperous wife?"

Gu Qing looked at the two words on the screen, and the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.

What is all this nonsense? It's getting weirder and weirder as it's spread. Do people actually believe this?

"Of course some people believe it!"

Zhao Liying replied confidently, "The saying 'a good wife brings good fortune to her husband' has been around for so many years and people still believe it, so why can't we believe in 'a good wife brings good fortune to her'?"

"Jingle Bell--"

at this time,

The crisp sound of the preparatory bell for class echoed throughout the teaching building.

"Sister Liying, I have to go to class now."

Gu Qing glanced at the classroom door; students were already starting to return. "Next week... will you still come?"

He confirmed.

"Come on! Of course I'll come!"

Although Zhao Liying was a little disappointed because the film collaboration was temporarily put on hold, the thought of seeing Gu Qing, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, in person next week immediately cheered her up.
"I finally managed to lie... no, I mean, I managed to get the company to give me time off! Even if it's just to see you, I'll be so happy!"

"Okay, then I'll be waiting for you and Teacher He at school next week," Gu Qing replied with a smile.

After a brief farewell,

Gu Qing put her phone on silent mode and put it back in her pocket.

He took a deep breath and took out the textbooks and materials he would need for the upcoming "Dialogue Training" class from his bag.

"Gu Qing seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation just now."

Zhang Jingyi, who was sitting next to him, kept her head down and pretended to read a book, but she still caught a glimpse of Gu Qing's slightly raised eyebrows out of the corner of her eye.

She could clearly sense that her top-tier classmate had just...
During that time, I felt more joyful and relaxed than ever before.

"Who is he chatting with? He's smiling so gently... Could it be... his girlfriend whom he hasn't publicly acknowledged yet?"

Curiosity and gossip are human nature, especially when dealing with someone like Gu Qing.

Zhang Jingyi's mind couldn't help but start to wander into wild guesses, like a kitten gently scratching at her.

But she was very tactful and knew it was someone else's privacy, so she consciously didn't ask and just kept these small questions and observations to herself.

Zhang Jingyi even had a vague premonition that her academic performance in the next few semesters would probably be difficult to maintain at the previous level.

No, perhaps it should be said that, apart from Gu Qing himself, who possesses exceptional self-control, the entire experimental class of the performing arts department...

The grades of other students will most likely decline to some extent.

It's really not fair to blame them for lacking willpower.

Who could resist stealing glances at their stunningly beautiful, charismatic, and glamorous classmate during class, whose every move seems like a photoshoot?

This is simply the ultimate test of concentration!

In the following "Dialogue Training" class, the substitute teacher was Zhou Yiwei, whom Gu Qing was familiar with.

The course content itself is quite simple and unpretentious, mainly focusing on basic training.

First, the group practiced several classic traditional tongue twisters, such as "Eat grapes without spitting out the grape skins" and "The carrying pole is long, the bench is wide," to exercise the oral muscles and improve the clarity of pronunciation.

Next, they imitate and perform classic movie clips shown on the screen (usually old movies with a theatrical feel).

Students need to take turns going on stage, not only to recite the lines from the movie word for word and in perfect pronunciation, but also to try their best to imitate and maintain the emotional state that the original characters should have at that time.

Gu Qing also observed several classmates who were called upon by Zhou Yiwei to perform on stage.

Overall... the performance was indeed quite "appalling". Some students were grinning and joking, completely out of sorts;
Some were hesitant and awkward, unable to move freely; others had extremely exaggerated facial expressions, as if they were performing a comedy.
Some actors delivered their lines with heavy local accents, or appeared visibly distracted with shifty eyes.

Known for his strictness, Zhou Yiwei naturally didn't hold back, offering scathing criticisms of everyone's questions with sharp and incisive words.

After being criticized, a few boys who were usually quite undisciplined, like Wang Jie, looked a little embarrassed and muttered a retort under their breath:
"Teacher, what era are we living in now? Which actor still uses their own voice when acting?"
Aren't they all dubbed by voice actors in post-production?
As long as our facial expressions and emotions are on point, isn't that enough?

Who would bother painstakingly analyzing lines word by word? It's too much trouble!

"Which actor wouldn't use this?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yiwei's face instantly darkened, his gaze sweeping sharply over the student who had spoken, his tone filled with suppressed anger and deep disappointment.

He took a deep breath, turned his gaze to the back of the classroom, and raised his hand to call out, "Gu Qing! Come up here!"
Give these young students a good lesson, let them see for themselves what a qualified actor should possess in terms of dialogue delivery and professional conduct!

Gu Qing, who was suddenly called out, closed the book in his hand and gave a wry smile. "Classmate, are you the villain?"

"Hahaha--"

Gu Qing's sudden teasing remark was like a joke bomb thrown into the tense air, instantly igniting a burst of laughter from the whole class.

The tense and awkward atmosphere, which had been created by Zhou Yiwei's sternness and Wang Jie's defiance, instantly dissipated.

"Hahaha, Wang Jie, you're about to get slapped in the face! You'd better find a crack in the ground to crawl into!"

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! My idol Gu is about to start his performance! All irrelevant personnel, please evacuate the scene of his swaggering!"

"I'm dying of laughter. Gu Qing is so down-to-earth, she even knows this meme."

The students laughed and cheered, instantly creating a relaxed and lively atmosphere in the classroom.

Stop being so sarcastic down there! Come up here!

Zhou Yiwei was both amused and exasperated. His previously tense face could no longer remain composed, and he could only tap the podium with his lesson plan.

Gu Qing then walked to the podium amidst the expectant and smiling gazes of her classmates.

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(End of this chapter)