Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

……

……

evening,

The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly into a spacious, antique-style study.

The walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookshelves, neatly filled with various classics and ancient documents, interspersed with a few ancient calligraphy and ink paintings with profound artistic conception.

The entire space is permeated with a calm and profound literary atmosphere; it is less like a director's studio and more like the study of an old-fashioned scholar.

Director Chen sat alone behind his large desk, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose, intently flipping through a thick stack of first drafts of the script under the soft light of the desk lamp.

He watched with extreme concentration, sometimes shaking his head and sometimes frowning, forming a deep "川" character;

If he saw something that really displeased him, he might even mutter a curse under his breath, using words with the harshness of a scholar: "Utterly vulgar! Utterly stinking!"

"The original work was written in a vulgar and tasteless manner, full of vulgar and sensationalist elements! Huiling's revisions are also unoriginal and superficial!"

He slammed a page of the script on the table with a "bang," his tone filled with disappointment and frustration, "Do you even know what Chang'an is?!"

Do you understand what the magnificent Tang Dynasty, with its grandeur and the influx of tribute from all nations, truly meant?!

It can't be achieved by simply piling up a few fancy words or designing a few lavish banquets!

When Director Chen scolds someone, he does so in a refined and literary way, with a kind of scholarly aloofness and stubbornness.

He picked up a red pen and began scribbling and marking on the script without any restraint, leaving behind large, shocking red annotations.
He planned to send it back afterward and have the scriptwriting team revise it according to his wishes, showing a determination not to give up until he achieved his goal.

Director Chen even secretly pondered: if the revised script still didn't satisfy him, then he felt it was time for him to personally return to the screen and take up the pen himself.
We need to properly teach these young screenwriters how to conceive and write a truly perfect script that embodies the "aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty"!

"Snapped--"

Upon seeing another illogical and weakly motivated scene, Director Chen slammed the script shut again, as if even glancing at it would offend his eyes.

He leaned back in his chair, pinching his brow tightly, trying to ease the anxiety caused by his unfulfilled artistic pursuits.

For a long time,

Director Chen managed to calm himself down and reached for the warm, jade-like celadon teacup beside his desk.

With meticulous care, he pinched the lid of the bowl with three fingers and slowly and deliberately stirred the floating leaves on the surface of the tea.
Then he brought it to his lips, making two "slurp, slurp" sounds, and took small sips of the slightly hot tea.

His demeanor and mannerisms were exactly like those of an old scholar immersed in ancient books; an outsider might mistake him for a Kong Yiji from some other era.

"The script is bad, the scenic area is under construction slowly, and now even the original cast arrangements have been disrupted by this sudden influx of people with connections..."

Director Chen put down his teacup, muttering to himself, becoming increasingly agitated the more he thought about it.

"We also need to explain things properly to Xuan'er, after all, he has..."

Speaking of actors,

Director Chen seemed to suddenly remember something. With a sullen face and a hint of reluctance, he picked up his phone, unlocked it, and opened the chat app that he didn't usually use very often.

As soon as I clicked on it, a new friend request appeared in my contacts.

He clicked on it and saw that the note was written in a rather elegant style: "Director Chen, pondering deeply, Gu Qing".

"To prostrate oneself in thought?"

Director Chen, who had just put on a serious face, couldn't help but pause, and his eyes behind his reading glasses blinked unconsciously.

next moment,
Those eyes suddenly lit up, and an undisguised, extremely pleased smile spread from the depths of their eyes, causing the corners of their mouths to unconsciously curve upwards into a slight arc.

In short,

The precise scratching of the itchy spot made him feel refreshed and comfortable all over.

For an old-fashioned cultural figure like Director Chen, whose "artsy" tendencies run deep, what kind of flattery would please him the most?

It's definitely not about blatant and vulgar money or power, nor is it even about blindly praising his directing skills.

Rather, it is this cultural recognition and admiration, this subtle yet lingering literary flattery.

If you don't know anything about this, and you rashly come here to flatter and fawn over them...
They were shouting things like "You're my god!" and "Director Chen is awesome!"

Such exaggerated online terms,
He can tell you to get as far away as possible on the spot, and he will despise your shallowness and ignorance from the bottom of his heart.

When you flatter someone, you have to do it elegantly and gracefully, using allusions appropriately. The flattery shouldn't be too over the top; it should be like savoring tea, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Only then can Director Chen gladly accept your offer and think you are a promising talent.

exactly,

With her photographic memory and extensive knowledge of ancient books, Gu Qing knew exactly how to "cater to someone's preferences."

The phrase "俯伏思量" (fǔ fú sī liàng) was a common honorific in ancient letters.
It expresses the writer's respect for the recipient, yet it is also full of the etiquette of a scholarly family.

The only minor problem,

I was worried that Director Chen wouldn't understand what it meant.

Judging from the current reaction,
Director Chen clearly understands, and understands very well.

Despite his pedantic and intellectual tendencies, he is undoubtedly a cultural worker with genuine talent and knowledge.

In terms of knowledge reserves and classical Chinese proficiency, in an environment where the general education level in the entertainment industry is only primary or junior high school, they are quite capable.

His lead is absolutely dominant, truly "standing out from the crowd".

"Gu Qing, this little kid... is quite interesting."

Director Chen smiled and tapped his finger to accept Gu Qing's friend request.

He put down his phone, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the expensive pear wood desk, the rhythm slow and gentle, clearly indicating he was in a good mood.

They were even secretly anticipating how Gu Qing would initiate the conversation—whether he would continue with his usual polite and literary manner, or say something more interesting.

While waiting,
Director Chen's mind naturally conjured up various pieces of information and impressions about Gu Qing.

Honestly,
When that highly respected senior leader from the Beijing Film Academy personally called him, expressing his hopes for his film, which he had painstakingly prepared for several years and on which he had placed high hopes,

When asked to "mentor" and promote a student currently studying at the Beijing Film Academy, Director Chen almost blurted out, "Damn it!"

Are you kidding me? !

He is Director Chen,
As a renowned international director, a man who holds the Palme d'Or trophy

Is she a pushover, someone who can be manipulated and given favors at will?
Just because you tell me to promote someone, does that mean I have to?!

Given his classic "soft-hearted but not hard-hearted" personality, he was prepared to firmly refuse at the time, even at the cost of offending his old leader.

Can be biased,
The other party then added that the person they wanted to promote was "Gu Qing".

The flame that had just risen in Director Chen's chest, imbued with the pride of an artist, was extinguished halfway with a hiss, as if doused with a bucket of warm water.

"Gu Qing?"

He was indeed stunned for a moment.

It wasn't that he was like some commercial directors, envious of Gu Qing's terrifying popularity and box office appeal.

For Director Chen

He's not like Zhang Yimou, that country bumpkin who needs to pile up stars in his movies to guarantee box office success.

Men have pride!

What he pursued was art, and works that would be passed down through generations!
The reason why Director Chen's anger subsided by half was actually just because of Gu Qing himself.

He had actually known the name Gu Qing vaguely for two years.

It originated from the variety show "Up Idol".

At that time, legendary actress Brigitte Lin's comeback on variety shows caused quite a stir in the Chinese entertainment industry.

For these veteran filmmakers who experienced the golden age of Hong Kong and Taiwan superstars, this is also a kind of memory and sentiment of that era.

This is especially true for Director Chen.

He has collaborated with Asian superstar Leslie Cheung multiple times.

Back then, I really wanted to collaborate with Brigitte Lin, who was hailed as "Asia's No. 1 Beauty" and possessed both heroic spirit and gentle beauty.

The other person's androgynous and stunning face, capable of portraying all sorts of extreme roles, just like his brother's, struck a chord with his core aesthetic.

Unfortunately,
Due to unforeseen circumstances, their collaboration was never realized, and Lin Qingxia retired for love.

When Brigitte Lin once again trended on social media due to a variety show, the nostalgic director Chen also took the time to watch a few clips from the program.

At that moment, Brigitte Lin was looking at a young boy across from the camera with a kind and loving expression, her eyes filled with the affection of an elder.

"Beauty fades with age, youthful beauty is fleeting... Though her charm may not diminish, things are ultimately different."

After just one glance, Director Chen lost interest, sighed, and didn't want to watch any longer, fearing it would evoke too many feelings of things having changed.

Can be biased,
Just as he was about to turn off the video, he heard Brigitte Lin comment on the young man.

He said his temperament was as unique as his older brother's back then, with a kind of detached and aloof feeling, and said with a smile, "He is the older brother, and you are the younger brother."

This was the first time Director Chen had truly "seen" Gu Qing.

My feelings at the time were, of course, disdain and contempt.
He even turned off his phone, thinking to himself that Brigitte Lin was a foolish woman with "long hair and short brains".

What kind of greenhorn dares to compare himself to the peerless Leslie Cheung?

But after that,
Gu Qing became an overnight sensation in the Chinese entertainment industry at an astonishing speed, as if she had been propelled to stardom.

The TV series enjoyed soaring ratings, the movie box office soared, and the variety shows and songs he appeared on received continuous praise.

the most important is,

He appeared on CCTV's "Chinese Poetry Competition," where he staged the legendary moment of reciting over two hundred poems in a row during a poetry recitation contest.
Then, during the promotional period for "Detective Chinatown," his amazing talent of "photographic memory" was indirectly confirmed...

This series of actions swept across the entire internet, and even Director Chen, who was "in the cloud" at the time, was greatly shocked.

With a touch of curiosity and scrutiny, he rediscovered the relevant program clips and began to truly and carefully learn about this young man named Gu Qing.

One look at him, and wow, it broke down the guard of the proud and aloof Director Chen.

Gu Qing stole his life!
Gu Qing on the show was exceptionally handsome, with exquisite features and an air of aloof elegance. His speech was eloquent and fluent, making him a perfect gentleman who seemed to have stepped out of an ancient painting. He was adored and loved by countless viewers.

This...this is exactly what he was like when he was young, spending countless nights in front of the mirror, holding books of poetry.

The most perfect image of myself that I repeatedly sketch and imagine in my mind!!
And from then on,

Director Chen began to truly notice that such a handsome and exceptional young actor had emerged in the Chinese entertainment industry:

He loves traditional Chinese clothing, has a fondness for ancient styles, studies ancient books, and knows etiquette... almost every aspect of her perfectly matches his aesthetic preferences and values, naturally generating a strong liking for her.

But what follows is...
It's another kind of "disappointment that they are not living up to their potential" feeling.

Gu Qing filmed a series of campus idol dramas and commercial comedy films, and then plunged into the field of television dramas, constantly appearing on trending topics and news...

In Director Chen's eyes, it was as if he could emulate Feng Xiaogang's recent criticism of Sun Honglei, and shout out in anguish:
"Such a fine piece of jade! Such a face that was born to appear on the big screen and be sculpted by light and shadow!"
Why waste his talent on variety shows and lowbrow dramas? It's a complete waste of his abilities!

He felt a deep sense of heartache, as if witnessing a beautiful jade being covered in dust and a bright pearl being cast into darkness.

This is precisely why Director Chen hesitated when Gu Qing was recommended by the leaders of the Beijing Film Academy, and did not immediately and decisively refuse.

He felt a long-lost, strong appreciation for this "pearl" that had been nurtured by the "red aura" for more than two years and was becoming increasingly dazzling.
And an impulse to "maybe I can sculpt him myself".

But when Director Chen shared this news with the investors, his intellectual temperament got the better of him.

The anticipated obstacles and doubts did not materialize at all.

Every investor's eyes lit up at the prospect of Gu Qing joining the company; their smiles practically stretched to the side, and they were practically ready to jump for joy.
Many expressed confidence in the box office performance, saying, "With Gu Qing around, we're pretty sure about the box office results!"

"Director Chen, you have excellent taste!"

If they weren't afraid of appearing too abrupt or opportunistic, they would have even wanted to fly over to meet Gu Qing in person to discuss the specifics of the contract.

Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, the focus of the conversation instantly shifted from him and his "Epic of the Tang Dynasty" to Gu Qing's commercial value.

They've neglected him, the director, and Director Chen's intellectual ego and arrogance suddenly kicked in again.

What do you mean?
So everyone thinks that without Gu Qing, his painstaking work wouldn't have made a profit?

Can't make movies without viewership ratings?
This triggered Director Chen's rebellious streak, and he even considered rejecting Gu Qing outright, determined to prove his own strength and influence!

Fortunately,

The rational producers and other partners around him patiently persuaded him to stay, analyzing the pros and cons and emphasizing that Gu Qing's joining would bring more than just box office guarantees.

It also generates tremendous attention and discussion, which is entirely beneficial for the film's pre-release promotion.

But Director Chen still harbored some resentment, so he instructed his assistant to give him a small warning by having Gu Qing contact him first.
I want to see how "flexible" this young man is, whether he's arrogant or knows how to assess the situation.

The result, naturally, was excellent "elasticity," even exceeding his expectations.

Gu Qing's words "bow down and think carefully" made him smile so hard he could hardly close his mouth, and the little bit of awkwardness in his heart was instantly soothed.

"How long has it been? We've added each other as friends, and you haven't even sent me a message to say hello?" Director Chen pulled himself out of his memories, his gaze returning to the silent phone screen, his brows furrowing as usual.

He had his phone but wouldn't look at it. Instead, he deliberately looked up at the old-fashioned clock hanging on the wall, even adjusting his reading glasses and carefully examining the position of the hands.

Only then did I pick up my phone again and realize that more than ten minutes had passed since I accepted the friend request.
The chat interface still only showed the system's default notifications; Gu Qing's side remained silent, with no new messages.

The slight annoyance that had just subsided in Director Chen's heart resurfaced, but he still comforted himself: "Hmm... I guess they just finished filming and are busy with the handover of work, or they're socializing."
He's already taken the initiative to add me, and his attitude is so humble. He'll definitely explain the situation to me as soon as he has time.

Director Chen calmed down and decided not to wait any longer. He started rereading the script that he had been cursing endlessly, trying to make time pass faster by grumbling.

However, two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

He "tortured" the script from beginning to end again, and casually flipped through the thick "Old Book of Tang" next to him several times.

The night outside the window grew even deeper.

Director Chen finally lost his temper.

Given his proud and aloof personality, it's unlikely he'd take the initiative to message a young man asking, "Are you there?"
That is absolutely impossible!

Even the King of Heaven doesn't have such a big face!

But Director Chen is Director Chen after all; he has his own roundabout yet tasteful methods.

He picked up his phone again, opened the chat window with Gu Qing, and pressed the voice-to-text input button.

Then, clearing his throat, he consciously used a slightly melancholic and poetic tone to recite a famous line from the ages:
"The Han emperor, captivated by beauty, longed for a woman who could topple a kingdom, but for many years he could not find one."

Director Chen's move was also intended to test Gu Qing's literary skills and reaction speed.

Let's see if he's as knowledgeable and quick-witted as the legends say, and whether he can keep up with my thought process.

After casting aside this poetic "bait," he got up to stretch his stiff back, preparing to leave the study and return to his bedroom to rest.

Director Chen made a decision in his heart.

If I wake up tomorrow morning and don't receive a reply from Gu Qing, or if Gu Qing's first reply is completely nonsensical and I have no idea what he's talking about or can't follow up with the next sentence...

So, I'm sorry, but I will still insist on casting Huang Xuan, who was originally my choice, as the male lead in this drama.

No matter how many people oppose it, it's useless.

Its main selling point is being capricious!
But just as Director Chen, filled with resentment, was about to turn off the lights and leave the study...

"Di-"

My phone rang crisply, indicating that a new message had arrived.

"So fast?"

Director Chen stopped abruptly, his face darkening even more than before, instead of showing joy.

Is that little bastard waiting for me to send him a message?

He tapped the screen in annoyance and took a closer look.

"The Yang family has a daughter who has just come of age, but she is kept in seclusion and unknown to the world."

Gu Qing not only guessed that he was reciting "The Song of Everlasting Regret", but also instantly matched the next line.

Director Chen suppressed his surging displeasure, and, unwilling to admit defeat, recited the next line with a hint of challenge, this time deliberately skipping a few lines:
"Spring breezes bring peach and plum blossoms, autumn rains bring falling leaves of the paulownia tree."

Less than five seconds after sending the text message, almost instantly, he received Gu Qing's reply:

"Autumn grasses grow thick in the western palace and southern courtyard, fallen leaves cover the steps, red and unswept."

It's still a line from "The Song of Everlasting Regret".

"Hey...that's interesting, you can jump around and still connect instantly?"

The anger on Director Chen's face began to melt away, replaced by a hint of interest, as if he had been aroused by a worthy opponent.
Thinking of Gu Qing's legendary achievement of "sweeping through the enemy lines" in the "Chinese Poetry Competition", Director Chen's competitive spirit and literary taste were completely aroused.

He wanted to try again, to test Gu Qing's true worth.

then,

Director Chen paced back and forth a few times in his spacious study, hands behind his back, then stopped by the window, gazing at the moonlight outside. He changed the subject.
He read it in his distinctive, deep, magnetic voice:
"Flower: A pot of wine among the flowers, I drink alone without a companion."

He felt that Gu Qing understood what he meant.

"Suddenly like a spring breeze overnight, thousands of pear trees bloom."

"It's a perfect match!"

Director Chen smiled excitedly, touched his chin, and his voice rose a few notches as he recited, “The sound of wind and rain last night, how many flowers have fallen?”

"The bright moon is shining brightly, and the pear blossoms are soaked."

"Whose... poem is this?"

Director Chen suddenly froze, feeling a strong sense of familiarity, yet unable to recall it.

Let's get it right first: "It can make the leaves fall in autumn and the flowers bloom in February."

"The flowers have faded, spring's beauty gone too soon..."

"Li Yu's poems... are quite good, they have style."

Director Chen frowned, but this was the poem he had come up with later!

Director Chen racked his brains and exerted all his strength, finally managing to come up with a dozen or so lines. After that, he couldn't help but open a book of poems.

broken,

By comparing them, I figured out their quality.

"No one is here all day, flowers fly like snow!"

After racking his brains for almost ten minutes, Director Chen, covered in sweat, finally came up with a solution.

But the next second,
"Free-flying blossoms are as light as a dream, and endless drizzle is as fine as sorrow."

Gu Qingkuai's quick thinking even made Director Chen suspect that this little rascal had written everything in advance, just waiting for him to come up with it so he could release it.

"good."

Director Chen decided to call it a day. He cleared his throat, sent a voice message, and said in a deep voice, "Gu Qing, hmm... not a bad name. A dust-free bed, a clear view all around, the evening breeze cool as after a rain."

Your parents must be highly educated to have raised such a talented person as you.

"My former boss at the Beijing Film Academy has probably already told you that I do have a film here, but I don't need a male lead."

"However, I'm willing to do you a favor, and I'm also very satisfied with your writing skills; they're outstanding among young actors."

"But don't get too excited yet. It's not that easy to act well in my plays."

Director Chen paused for a moment, then spoke in a fatherly tone that said, "Gu Qing, I'm assigning you a task. For the entire year..."

I hope you will carefully read through all of Bai Juyi's poems and his life experiences to understand the life of this great poet.

"Come to my house at the end of the year."
I need to test you in person. If you meet my requirements, you can join the production team early next year.

"It's late at night, young people should also pay attention to their rest. That's all for now."

After all,

Director Chen felt that his words were a perfect blend of the care of an elder, the authority of a great director, and the refinement of a cultured person.

He casually turned off his phone screen, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead caused by the intense "Flying Flower Order" game. He intended to leave the study and go back to his room to rest.

You can walk to the door,
Director Chen paused, then hurriedly turned back, grabbing the thick volumes of "Complete Tang Poems" and "A Dictionary of Appreciation of Tang and Song Lyrics" from the desk under his arm, muttering to himself:

"Reviewing the old helps us understand the new...Reviewing the old helps us understand the new..."

He made up his mind to catch up on his studies.
I can't let Gu Qing beat me to a pulp again next time I want to show off, can I?

Then there'll be nowhere to put that old face!
……

"Aww~ It's finally over."

Gu Qing yawned as she listened to Director Chen's nearly one-minute-long, fatherly, and didactic voice message, which startled her so much that even her lingering drowsiness vanished.

"Go to your house...to test me face-to-face?"

"They won't even let me sit down, will they?"

Just imagining that scene made Gu Qing feel like ants were crawling all over her body, and she was so embarrassed that she could dig her toes out of a three-bedroom apartment.

It's as if he's the one who got the better deal.

Well... it seems to outsiders that I did get the better deal.

If we step outside his personal feelings from a God-like perspective...

The male lead in a film that could get the Beijing Film Academy to take the lead and be personally directed by Director Chen.

No matter how you look at it, it's clear that Gu Qing got a huge advantage, an opportunity that countless actors would kill for.

If she were in the same league as the "Four Dan and Two Bing" (referring to top actresses in Peking Opera and the "Four Dan and Two Bing"), they would probably all be vying to perform in her role.

However, the director didn't think much of it.

But in Gu Qing's heart, she wasn't really "envious".

When Director Chen recited the first line of poetry to him, Gu Qing, relying on his memories from his past life and his keen intuition, already guessed what kind of movie it would be.

The Legend of the Demon Cat!
This is Director Chen's best film since "The Promise".

Although it was heavily criticized by many film critics and audiences when it was first released due to issues such as narrative structure and character motivations,
However, as time went on, its extremely gorgeous visual language and bold imagination and restoration of the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty gradually warmed its reputation and gained a lot of loyal fans.

unfortunately,

However, the film's box office performance was not particularly ideal; I recall that the final box office was only around 5.3 million.

However, its production cost reached a staggering 16 billion!
It stands to reason,
This is absolutely a losing proposition, a business that will wipe out your entire investment.

In reality, the capital operation behind this film was very shrewd, and it could even be said that it made a fortune.

Of this investment of up to 16 billion, more than 90% was not spent on actors' salaries or post-production special effects.
Instead, it was used for set construction, creating a magnificent "Tang Dynasty City" film and television base!
This is also what makes Director Chen so special.

While other directors were still figuring out how to squeeze more money out of investors for their salaries or how to get more product placements,
Director Chen has broadened his horizons, and his main business has, to some extent, become "entering the cultural industry and real estate".

When filming a movie, they can conveniently build a permanent tourist attraction, cooperate deeply with the local government, develop the tourism industry, and achieve long-term profitability.

This business acumen and operating model truly place them at the top of the film and television industry chain, leaving actors who simply act in the dust.

"The Legend of the Demon Cat... I remember that Bai Juyi's role and image in the movie were quite normal."

Gu Qing thought to herself, "It's the second half of the movie. Director Chen is just doing his usual thing. In order to pursue the so-called truth of 'illusion' and philosophical expression, he makes it a bit mysterious and leaves the audience confused. The logic doesn't stand up to scrutiny, so it's a bad ending."

If the filming is scheduled for next year, given his current schedule, he should be able to find the time.

Moreover, objectively speaking...
"The Legend of the Demon Cat" is definitely not a bad movie. It will not have any negative impact on Gu Qing's resume and reputation. In fact, it may even be an improvement.

However, Gu Qing has always had a tendency towards "mental fastidiousness" and "perfectionism" when it comes to filming.

He likes to see things through to the end and hopes to participate in creating a work that is as perfect as possible in terms of story, performance, and core message.

Knowing that the script had obvious flaws and regrets in the second half, he always had a strong urge to revise and improve it.

"One sentence was all it took to get Director Chen to revise my script?"

A strange thought popped into Gu Qing's mind.

Never mind, he's still afraid of dying.

I'm afraid not.
As soon as he suggested revising the script, Director Chen told him to get as far away as possible.

Although Gu Qing really wanted to do that.

"Go to sleep first, relax for a while before thinking about these worries."

Since she couldn't refuse the school's kindness, Gu Qing stopped dwelling on it and prepared to go to bed to wash up and sleep.

But at this very moment,
Da Tian Tian called him on video.

Gu Qing fell silent. After hesitating for a long time, he clicked to hang up the video call, but instead took the initiative to start a voice call.

Quitting abstinence isn't something you can do all at once.

Da Tian Tian was upset, and so was he.

After a long phone conversation, and then gradually narrating in writing, I believe it won't be long before both of them are able to break free from the illusion.

At least, that's what Gu Qing thinks.

……

...(End of chapter)