Huayu: I rely on hit-movie tactics to interweave...

Chapter 75 The Dust Settles

After three rounds of auditions, Liu Yu's office desk was piled high with the files of four people, spread out for the entire afternoon.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, making the photos on the pages slightly warm, their edges curling up like four cards waiting to be turned over.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the four faces for a long time, the pen in his hand twirling between his fingers again and again.

Wang Zhi's information is the thinnest yet the most substantial.

Her resume reads "National Wushu Champion," followed by a long list of competition rankings.

Liu Yu watched her audition video five times. Her legwork was clean and neat. When she did somersaults, she looked like a spinning windmill. When she landed, her toes firmly planted on the ground.

Shu Chang's materials are the thickest, containing several stills and performance clips.

Liu Yu watched her audition video four times. The layers of her performance were very obvious. Her eyes could switch from innocent to sharp in a second without leaving a trace, like a knife hidden in its sheath. It looked harmless, but when it was drawn, it caught people off guard.

Her small frame is an advantage on camera, but not necessarily when it comes to action scenes.

Liu Yu imagined her wearing that action gear, like someone who couldn't fill out the coat. She looked good, but something was missing.

Tong Liya's profile is the most unique; her facial features in the photos are so three-dimensional that they look as if they were sculpted with a carving knife, with every line perfectly proportioned.

Liu Yu watched her audition video three times. She was so recognizable that her face had already set the stage before the character even started acting.

Liu Yifei's information was the most organized, with photos, resume, and a list of works, each section filled out completely.

Liu Yu watched her audition video six times, more than the previous three; she didn't need to deliberately act aloof, she was aloof just by standing there.

It's not that she acts well, it's that she has eyes that look like she's looking into the distance.

He turned off the recording, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling.

When Zhong Lifang knocked and came in, he was still staring at the ceiling.

She brought an iced Americano, and water droplets on the glass slid down her fingers, spreading a small ring of water on the table.

"Is it decided yet? Everyone outside is waiting for news. The media has been urging us several times, saying that if it's not announced soon, they'll make it up themselves. I bet they're sitting in front of their computers right now, racking their brains, wondering how to turn 'casting undecided' into a 20,000-word in-depth report." She placed her coffee cup on the table, pushed it towards him, and paused at the edge of the table.

Liu Yu sat up straight, picked up the iced Americano, took a sip, and found the temperature to be just right.

He glanced at the four spread-out documents on the table and reached out to pull out the one on the far right.

"It's settled. Liu Yifei."

Zhong Lifang nodded, as if she had known she would hear this name.

"Then I've had the PR team release a press release. What about the other three? They all auditioned seriously, and if the news of their rejection gets out, there needs to be an explanation. Some people are sensitive about their image; if you don't give them a way out, it'll be awkward when you see them again."

Liu Yu thought for a moment, "Let's make a call to each of them. Just say the roles have been cast. It's not that they're not good, it's just that the roles require a cool temperament, and they'd be more suitable in other areas. Especially Shu Chang, she's still young, she'll have plenty of opportunities in the future. Wang Zhi has a very good martial arts background, we'll give her priority consideration for action scenes next time. Tong Liya's appearance is suitable for the big screen, tell her not to rush, there will be suitable projects. This might sound too official, just get the gist of it."

Zhong Lifang made a few notes in her notebook and then closed it.

"Okay. I'll go arrange it right away."

In the afternoon, the headline of the entertainment section of the portal website was changed three times within ten minutes.

Liu Yifei has been confirmed to play the female lead in "Lucy".

In less than three minutes, the headline changed to, "Liu Yifei beats out numerous actresses to win the lead role in a Hollywood blockbuster."

Five minutes later, the editor seemed to think it wasn't exciting enough, so he changed it to "Liu Yu personally selects Liu Yifei, the fairy sister is going international."

Each iteration felt more like generating traffic than the last, yet each iteration also got closer to the core of the truth.

Liu Yu's phone started ringing very quickly.

Yu Dong's voice carried a hint of understanding, "Director Liu, you've decided on Liu Yifei? I guessed it was her. Her looks are undeniable, and she's popular with audiences, so it's not surprising that you chose her."

There was no surprise in his tone; it was as if he were stating something perfectly natural.

"She had the best audition performance."

Yu Dong paused for a moment on the other end of the phone, then said, "Director Liu, you don't need to explain to me. I'm not from the media. Just do what you think is appropriate."

The media's reaction was slower but longer-lasting than that of the management company.

The next morning, when Liu Yu turned on his computer, the entertainment sections of major portal websites were already filled with reports about "Lucy".

A newspaper published a commentary titled "Liu Yu's Logic for Casting: Safety First, Surprise Second".

The article states that Liu Yifei's image and temperament do indeed meet the requirements for the female lead in "Lucy".

On the same night, a new thread appeared on the entertainment section of Tianya Forum, titled: "Liu Yifei landed 'Lucy,' are you convinced?"

The main post contained a screenshot of the official press release, and the comments below were as noisy as a flock of sparrows struggling to find a foothold on a rooftop.

"Yes, she's definitely suitable; there's that sense of detachment in her eyes."

"I disagree. Her acting skills are not as good as Shu Chang's. Shu Chang's improvisational performances are obviously more nuanced."

"Wang Zhi's martial arts skills are far superior to hers. Liu Yu isn't selecting actors, he's selecting stars."

"Did Liu Yu choose her because of their previous relationship?"

The most heated reply was, "She was already decided before the audition; everyone else was just there for show."

This post received over 300 likes, but some people commented, "My friend was there and said Liu Yifei's performance was definitely the best. Stop being sour."

The two groups couldn't stand each other and argued for a whole day, with the post reaching over 800 replies.

On May Day, Liu Yifei flew back to Beijing from Japan.

I saw Liu Yu later on the news. She was wearing a hat and mask, a black coat, and walked quickly through the arrival hall with her head down, without giving any interviews.

The reporter followed her a few steps and asked, "Liu Yifei, what are your expectations for 'Lucy'?"

She didn't turn around, but quickened her pace.

The day after she returned, Liu Yu received a message.

It wasn't a phone call, it was a text message.

"Director Liu, are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you for a late-night snack. I also invited Shu Chang; she's in Beijing too." Liu Yu looked at the message and thought that she probably wanted to smooth things over in a less formal way before training started.

Without much thought, he replied with a single word: "Okay."

The late-night snack spot was in an alley near the Beijing Film Academy; it was a barbecue stall that had been open for many years.

When Liu Yu arrived, it was almost ten o'clock. The streetlights in the alley were not very bright, but the lightbox of the barbecue stall was very conspicuous, standing out alone in the dim light.

Liu Yifei had arrived, wearing a gray hoodie and a baseball cap, sitting at a small table in the corner, looking down at her phone.

Shu Chang sat opposite her, wearing a white T-shirt, her hair tied in a bun, holding a skewer of freshly grilled chicken wings, carefully blowing on them to keep warm and avoid burning her lips.

On the table were several freshly served dishes: a plate of boiled edamame, several skewers of mutton, and a rack of enoki mushrooms grilled in tin foil, emitting wisps of white smoke.

Liu Yu walked over and pulled up a plastic stool to sit down.

The plastic stool was a bit low, and when he sat down, his knees bent quite far, as if he were squatting in a horse stance.

"How did you two end up meeting up?" He picked up the grilled lamb skewers on the table, looked at the fortune slips, and then put them back.

"She called me this afternoon and said it had been a long time since we'd seen each other and she wanted to get together." Shu Chang flipped the chicken wing over, then flipped it back over. "I happened to be in Beijing, so I came over."

As she spoke, she glanced at Liu Yifei, a very brief glance, as if she hadn't even had a chance to finish a sentence before she looked away.

Liu Yifei put her phone on the table and looked up at Liu Yu.

The light from the streetlamp shone from the side, dividing her face into light and shadow.

"Director Liu, I'm starting physical training tomorrow."

"Yes, Mr. Hong is all prepared. Be mentally prepared, he's very strict during training, and he won't go easy on you just because you're the female lead. He used to scold Jackie Chan just the same way."

"I know." She picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and after finishing, she didn't put it down immediately. She held it in her hand for a moment, then put it back on the table.

"I'm a little nervous."

Shu Chang laughed beside her, "Qianqian, you're nervous? You've acted in so many movies since you were a child."

"It's different." Liu Yifei put down her cup. "When filming, I know what the script is like, which scene we'll be filming today, which scene we'll be filming tomorrow, I'm confident. Training is different, I don't know if I can do it. I've never filmed so many action scenes before."

Liu Yu leaned back in the plastic chair, twirling the bamboo skewer in his hand halfway around. "The moves you did during your audition, were they something you practiced on the spot, or did you already know them?"

She paused, as if she had been asked a question she had considered but hadn't expected to be asked in this setting.

"I had practiced a little before, and after I found out I had to audition, I practiced for about two more weeks."

Liu Yun could tell from her words that she had indeed spent a lot of time.

"Then there's nothing to fear. Your body will remember what you've practiced. What Teacher Hong teaches is also for your body to remember, not your brain."

She looked at him, as if confirming that what he said was true. "Will you come to watch my training tomorrow?"

Her tone was very soft, as if she were asking about something uncertain.

"Go when you have time. If you don't have time, Teacher Hong will send me videos. He'll know whether you're practicing well or not before I do."

Shu Chang chimed in, "Teacher Hong supposedly has a habit: if anyone cries during practice, he stops and doesn't say anything until they've finished crying before continuing. Do you think he's showing concern or torturing them?"

Liu Yu thought for a moment, "He cares about you. He just doesn't want you to feel ashamed of crying. He knows you won't be able to hold back, and he knows you won't be able to stop."

That night's late-night snack took almost two hours to finish.

Liu Yu ordered another plate of roasted potato slices and a bunch of chives, Shu Chang ordered a bottle of Beibingyang soda, and Liu Yifei ordered a cup of hot tea.

The grilled skewers smelled delicious; the aroma of cumin and chili powder wafted in the night breeze, filling the alley with a lively, bustling atmosphere.

Liu Yifei didn't eat much, but she kept pouring water and handing out tissues to everyone, her actions as natural as if she were entertaining guests at home.

Shu Chang was more talkative, recounting some amusing incidents she encountered while filming in Hengdian. For example, she once felt dizzy from the tight headgear while filming an ancient costume scene, and when the director yelled "cut," she immediately knelt down, startling everyone.

Liu Yifei listened, smiled briefly, and then quickly looked away.

Liu Yu spoke the least, but he listened the whole time. He would occasionally pick up a potato slice and chew it slowly, as if he was using the act of chewing to speak.

It was almost midnight when the show ended.

The wind in the alley was a bit cooler than when I came, carrying the tranquility unique to the late night.

Shu Chang got into a taxi first. Before the car drove away, she rolled down the window and waved to Liu Yifei, "Qianqian, let's meet up again next time."

Liu Yifei nodded, watching the taxi's taillights disappear into the alleyway.

Shu Chang's wave took away the last bit of relaxed atmosphere, leaving behind a night that suddenly became empty.

She turned to look at Liu Yu, the streetlight shining from the side, outlining her silhouette as a soft golden line.

"Director Liu, do you think I can really play this role well?" she asked with a smile.

Liu Yu looked at her and said, "You acted very well during your audition. On stage, you weren't just doing actions; you were portraying someone caught up in a certain situation. That day, you stood on the stage of the small auditorium, the lights shining on your face, your expression was subtle, but everyone knew you were ready. Your body remembers what you practiced, and it also remembers what you didn't practice. I won't delete the audition video from that day. You can watch it after you finish filming, and you'll find that you weren't acting that day; you were becoming."

She paused for a moment, as if she was pondering those words.

The light from the streetlamp reflected in her eyes, making them look like two clean glass beads.

"Thank you." Her voice was a little lower than before. "Then I'll go back. You should get some rest too."

Liu Yu nodded, turned around and took a few steps, then turned back.

"Coach Liu, will you come to watch my training tomorrow?" she asked again, as if confirming a question she already knew the answer to but still wanted to hear it again.

Liu Yu thought for a moment, then said, "Yes."

She smiled, but it wasn't a big smile. Then she turned around, walked quickly to a black sedan parked by the roadside, opened the door, and got in.

The headlights flashed briefly before merging into the nighttime traffic. The taillights gradually shrank in the darkness until they disappeared around the next intersection.

Liu Yu stood there, watching the direction she left in for a while, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

He walked a short distance, passing a tree that had just begun to sprout, a convenience store that had already closed, and a street lamp that flickered occasionally due to a malfunction.

He thought that starting tomorrow, she would be walking a new path she had never walked before, and he would be watching from the sidelines, neither approaching nor leaving, to make sure that the path was under her feet and that she was on the road.