Huayu: Reborn in 97, transferring to the Central Academy of Drama's star-studded class

Jiang Lai read the script many times in the hotel, but still didn't like the logic of the story.

There are four characters in the story. The first one to appear is "I" from a subjective perspective, which is similar to a narrator. There is no actor, and Lou Ye said he plans to do the voice-over himself in post-production.

The second one is Meimei, a girl who performs as a mermaid in the aquarium of a bar, and she is in a relationship with "me".

One day, Meimei met a man named Mada, who was the third one.

Mada said that Meimei looked exactly like the girl he had been searching for, and told a tragic love story, which led to the introduction of the fourth character, Mudan.

This poignant love story also gave rise to a famous quote:

Two people who had never met before sat together.

and then?

Then...

Of course, it's love.

This passage is both literary and sentimental. After reading it, it feels like taking a refreshing sip of Sprite on a hot summer day—it's incredibly invigorating.

Jiang Lai felt a chill run down his spine when he first saw it.

Whether this is actually love or not is another matter, but the character portrayals certainly can't be done in an artistic way.

Jiang Lai carefully analyzed Ma Da and felt that he should be divided into three periods.

The first is the youthful exuberance of seeing a motorcycle for the first time, dreaming of conquering the world on a motorcycle.

The second period was one of confusion as a deliveryman. His youthful ambition was eventually defeated by reality. When he realized that he could only ride his beloved bike day after day, shuttling between the cramped city to deliver goods, he was filled with confusion.

The third is the numb period after being released from prison. During this time, Mada frantically searches for Mudan on his motorcycle. Jiang Lai thinks that Mada is trying to prove something, but what is he trying to prove?

Jiang Lai still hadn't figured it out.

Two days later, the crew was ready to start filming. Lou Ye said he would rest for two days and he really only rested for two days, which was very practical.

On the riverbank, Jiang Lai stood there looking at the Suzhou River, and suddenly fell silent.

Is this the hazy, ambiguous river from the script? Why is it so dark, like a stinking ditch?

He finally understood why the river water looked so viscous that night; it was filled with all sorts of garbage and emitted a pungent, fishy stench.

"Huff—"

Jiang Lai felt a little nauseous.

"Did you see that?"

Lou Ye walked over, stepped onto the riverbank, and looked around nostalgically.

"What?" Jiang Lai patted his chest, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.

"The houses, the factories, the boats on the river."

Lou Ye pointed to everything around him and sighed, "This river sustains more than 100,000 people. It's dirty and smelly, but it's vibrant and full of life."

Jiang Lai watched as a yellowish-brown lump bobbed up and down on the water's surface, and instantly felt even more disgusted.

"But this year, all of this will disappear."

"Why?" Jiang Lai asked in surprise.

Lou Ye turned his head, his expression filled with pity, "The area along the coast is about to be demolished, including the docks."

Jiang Lai didn't reply, and looked back at the dirty river.

Cargo ships churned along the river, lean men sorted their cargo, and children urinated into the water.

The riverbanks were bustling with activity. Workers carried sacks from the dock and laboriously walked into the factory. Bicycles loaded with loose goods weaved through the crowd, and a big yellow dog barked wildly at everyone who passed by.

Amidst the bustling scene of everyday life, Jiang Lai fell into deep thought.

"Alright, get ready to start filming." Lou Ye smiled, patted Jiang Lai on the shoulder, and walked away leisurely with his hands behind his back.

Jiang Lai rolled his eyes. This guy was really annoying. He seemed to be implying something, but then he just walked away.

Motor, Motor, what kind of person are you?

Jiang Lai reconsidered this character, whose name perfectly reflected his personality.

Coming from the masses and starting with the people?

Jiang Lai rubbed his face vigorously.

Soon, several actors came over. They played Mada's cronies. Jiang Lai and these guys leaned against the riverbank, waiting for the director to call "action".

Photographer Wang Yu followed closely behind the group. After gaining fame with Lou Ye, he collaborated with many directors from the Beijing Film Academy. For example, he was the cinematographer for Wu Ershan's "Fengshen". Unfortunately, Wu's second film was a bit of a flop.

At that moment, this guy shoved the camera right in their faces, and Jiang Lai was afraid that his hand might slip and hit them.

Jiang Lai even asked Lou Ye why they didn't rent a track vehicle, or even a tripod if necessary.

Lou Ye, with an air of aloofness and pretentiousness, said, "Do you know about Dogma 95?"

Jiang Lai blinked and said, "I know about 95-octane gasoline."

Lou Ye sighed, then drifted away with an air of loneliness and arrogance, truly embodying the demeanor of a reclusive master.

Jiang Lai curled his lip, "You really put on an act."

"Action!"

Jiang Lai got into character, leaning against the riverbank with a few thugs, watching the passersby. He had pent-up energy with nowhere to vent, and his face showed the restless, irritable look typical of a school dropout.

If you can't imagine this scene, just think of the energetic young men on the street these days; they're pretty much the same.

Another thug appears in the frame, riding a stolen motorcycle with a very cool retro look.

Several people gathered around, and Jiang Lai's eyes lit up; he genuinely thought the motorcycle was pretty cool.

"Harley-Davidson motorcycle! Top speed 160! Give it a little throttle and it'll fly!" the thief said smugly.

Jiang Lai stroked the car body as if touching the most precious thing in the world.

"Can I try?" he asked.

Without waiting for the other party's agreement, he eagerly straddled the accelerator and gently twisted the throttle.

From initial curiosity to the joy of starting the motorcycle, and finally to the exhilaration on his face as he raced across the track.

Mada loved the feeling of the wind whistling past his ears, and so did Jiang Lai.

The locomotive ran faster and faster.

He whimpered, the cool wind choking his throat, but he didn't care. He continued to laugh wildly, his eyes brimming with an arrogant spirit that seemed to leap off the screen.

That's the feeling! That's the feeling!

Lou Ye was incredibly excited at this moment, feeling a powerful vitality from the performance of the person in the video.

Completely different from the male lead he originally envisioned.

In his original vision, Zhou Xun could fully unleash her charm on screen and freely express her dynamism, while the originally planned male lead was reserved and would support Zhou Xun's near-perfect performance.

Now Lou Ye has changed his mind. Why not let these two people freely and fully display their talents?

Zhou Xun's Peony and Meimei are enchanting fairies, and Jiang Lai's Mada shouldn't be a dull, taciturn tool.

Both of them can deliver near-perfect performances.

It's just Xiao Xun's status...

Lou Ye turned his head and looked worriedly at Zhou Xun at the edge of the crowd, only to see an unexpected scene.

That little creature stood there quietly, its gaze fixed on the figure on the motorcycle, its eyes shining like shimmering autumn water.

Lou Ye smiled, turned around with relief, knowing he understood.

Stable.