Entertainment Industry: I am a top-tier movie star

Chapter 23 Before the Performance

On the way back to school from Huairou, Wang Hao was as excited as a child, talking non-stop in the taxi.

"Nian Bei! Jin Yichuan! They're practically the main characters!"

He patted Chen Nianbei on the shoulder, "You're really something!"

Chen Nianbei found his shaking amusing: "It's just good luck."

"That's just luck!"

Wang Hao's eyes widened. "Your performance in the Jinyiwei scene... it gave me goosebumps!"

Chen Nianbei smiled, said nothing, and looked at the scenery rushing past the window.

Jin Yichuan.

He knew this role clearly.

If you act well, it will be a great starting point for a movie.

By the time the car arrived at the school gate, it was already dark.

In the late autumn evening, the wind was cool, and the streetlights lit up one by one, casting a warm yellow glow on the wet ground.

Wang Hao was in a hurry to go to the library to look up information.

He had to study the history and etiquette of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Chen Nianbei walked towards the teaching building alone.

The performance is tomorrow, and Nazar should be in classroom 201 right now.

As I approached the classroom door, I heard the sounds of rehearsing lines coming from inside.

Chen Nianbei pushed open the door and saw Nazha and Zhang Yue rehearsing the scene between Fanyi and Sifeng.

Today, Naza wore a light gray sweater, her hair loosely tied back, and she held a script in her hand with a very focused expression.

When she saw Chen Nianbei come in, her eyes lit up, but she didn't stop and continued acting with Zhang Yue.

Chen Nianbei found a corner to sit down and watched quietly.

Naza's progress is obvious. A month ago, she still had a bit of a student-like awkwardness, but now she plays Sifeng with great depth.

That kind of resilience within simplicity, and stubbornness within gentleness, is captured very well.

"Card."

Teacher Li called a halt, "Nazar, that was good. Especially when you said, 'Madam, I have no regrets,' the determination in your eyes was spot on."

Naza breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

The rehearsal continued, and after another half hour, Teacher Li announced that it was time to stop for today.

As everyone left one by one, Nazha packed up her things and walked over to Chen Nianbei.

"You're back?" she asked softly.

"Um."

Chen Nianbei stood up. "Let's go, shall we have a meal together?"

Naza nodded.

The two walked out of the teaching building and headed towards a small restaurant outside the school.

The cafeteria is already closed at this time, so you'll have to eat out.

The road was quiet, with only the sound of wind blowing through the falling leaves.

"How did the audition go?"

Naza finally couldn't help but ask.

Chen Nianbei glanced at her; her face, streaked with thorns, held both anticipation and nervousness.

"It's a deal," he said. "He'll play Jin Yichuan."

Naza stopped in her tracks.

She turned her head, staring at him with wide eyes: "Jin Yichuan? The third of the three brothers?"

"right."

"Oh My God……"

Naza gasped. "That's a major role! Director Lu cast him right away?"

"Um."

Chen Nianbei smiled and said, "I was lucky."

"What bad luck!"

Naza raised her voice slightly, then lowered it again, "You must have acted exceptionally well for Director Lu to cast you."

Chen Nianbei did not deny it.

"When will you join the crew?" Naza asked.

"Next Monday."

Chen Nianbei said, "I've been on set for two months."

"Two months..."

Naza murmured, "I..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Chen Nianbei understood.

She's going to join the production team too.

"When are you joining the crew?" Chen Nianbei asked.

"Maybe the week after next."

Naza said, "I'm going to Hong Kong."

The two walked in silence for a while.

We arrived at the small restaurant. It was a Sichuan restaurant; the place wasn't big, but the food was delicious.

There weren't many people around, so they found a seat by the window.

After ordering, while waiting for the food to arrive, Nazha suddenly spoke:

"Chen Nianbei".

"Um?"

"us……"

Naza paused for a moment, then asked, "Does this mean we're going to break up?"

She spoke softly, but Chen Nianbei could hear the reluctance in her voice.

"It's only temporary."

He said, "I came back after filming was finished."

"And what happened after you came back?"

Naza looked at him.

Chen Nianbei remained silent for a while.

He had actually thought about this question.

That's just how this industry is; we're often apart.

The classmates who are rehearsing together today may go their separate ways tomorrow, to different film crews, different cities, and to film different movies.

When we meet again, a long time may have passed, or... we may never be able to go back to the way things were.

"Nazar,"

He spoke, his voice gentle, "Some things will never change."

"For example?"

"for example……"

Chen Nianbei thought for a moment, "For example, the friendship between us."

Naza looked at him, her eyes sparkling.

The dishes arrived: boiled fish, Mapo tofu, and stir-fried vegetables.

The two focused on their meal and stopped talking about heavy topics.

Naza said she has been practicing crying scenes and is getting better and better at it.

When Chen Nianbei talked about the character Jin Yichuan, he said that he had to practice action scenes and also study the condition of tuberculosis patients.

As they chatted, the atmosphere became more relaxed.

After finishing their meal, the two slowly walked back to school.

As they passed the teaching building, Naza suddenly said, "Let's go sit in the classroom for a while."

"Now?"

"Hmm," Naza said, "It's still early anyway."

The two returned to classroom 201, turned on the lights, and found the empty classroom empty except for the two of them.

Naza walked to the window and looked at the dark night sky outside.

"Chen Nianbei," Nazha turned around and looked at him, "we've both gone to film a movie, will you miss me?"

"Yes," Chen Nianbei said decisively.

Naza laughed, a hint of slyness in his smile: "Really?"

"real."

"That……"

Naza walked over and stopped in front of him. "Can you hug me?"

Chen Nianbei was stunned for a moment.

Naza looked up at him, her eyes shining like stars, filled with a familiar kind of expectation.

He sighed and opened his arms.

Naza threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his chest.

Her body was soft and smelled of shampoo.

Chen Nianbei gently wrapped his arm around her, without using force, but without letting go either.

The two stood there, neither of them saying a word.

The classroom was quiet, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window.

After a long silence, Naza finally whispered, "Chen Nianbei, I like you."

"I know," Chen Nianbei said.

"And what about you?" Naza looked up at him.

Chen Nianbei looked at her, this twenty-year-old girl, whose eyes held expectation, unease, and the kind of reckless courage that only young people possess.

"I like you too," he said.

Naza's eyes lit up immediately.

"but,"

Chen Nianbei continued, "We're doing just fine as we are now."

Naza's smile froze for a moment, then returned: "I know. Let nature take its course, right?"

"Yes." Chen Nianbei smiled.

Naza buried his head back against his chest, his voice muffled:

"Chen Nianbei, you're a bad man."

Why?

"Because of you..."

Naza paused for a moment and said, "He clearly likes me, but he won't take a step forward."

Chen Nianbei didn't say anything, but just gently patted her back.