The literary era since 1979

Chapter 326: Great Grace and Virtue (Two in One)

"Deng Jie!"

"Sister Deng Jie!"

Looking at Qiu Peining and others who were coming towards her, Deng Jie responded with a smile, walking lightly as if she was in the clouds.

But when she returned to the room, she bumped into the naturally beautiful Le Yun, and immediately fell from the clouds, feeling uneasy.

She was dark and thin, only 1 meters tall, the shortest in the entire training class, and was not worthy of the image of Wang Xifeng at all.

Because of her height disadvantage, she suffered a lot in the Chengdu Theater Troupe. When performing in costume dramas, she could only play the role of little maids who would never grow up, and she couldn't even play a third- or fourth-rate lady.

She finally got the chance to act in a modern play, but the troupe leader disliked her for being too short and replaced her with someone taller than her but whose performance was not as good as hers.

Thinking of this, his eyes gradually dimmed. He sat on the bed, leaning against the wall, hugging his knees with his hands, and curled up into a ball.

Whenever I thought of Teacher Fang’s encouragement, a warm feeling slowly welled up in my heart.

After a while, the sound of trivial footsteps and the chattering of girls were heard in the corridor outside the house.

"Sister Pei Ning, how was your performance?"

"I messed up my performance. I think I will disappoint Teacher Fang."

"No way, Sister Pei Ning, you obviously acted very well, Director Wang and the others all praised you! Unlike me, I really messed up my acting!"

"Xiao Xu, don't worry. Maybe it's not as bad as you think." Zhang Li comforted Chen Xiaoxu and the other two. "Even if one role is bad, don't we have other roles?"

Gong Ying asked: "Xiao Xu, how many roles have you played?"

"Three."

Chen Xiaoxu stretched out three slender fingers, "Zhang Li, you also played three roles."

Zhang Li hummed, "Jia Yingchun, Zijuan, and 'Xue Baochai' suggested by Teacher Fang."

Gong Ying suddenly had an idea, "How about we use playing cards to calculate?"

Qiu Peining and the other two looked at each other.

"Can playing cards tell fortunes?"

"Of course!" Gong Ying rubbed his hands excitedly, "This is what my brother-in-law taught me. It's very accurate."

Chen Xiaoxu blinked, "Teacher Fang also knows fortune-telling?"

As soon as they heard "Teacher Fang", Qiu Peining and others were eager to try and followed her into the room.

When Gong Ying was picking up the playing cards, he noticed Deng Jie in a daze and took the initiative to extend an olive branch:

"Sister Deng Jie, do you want to have your fortune told, too?"

"How does this count?"

Deng Jie came back to her senses and raised her head.

"This red peach is used to predict love and marriage, and this plum blossom is for friendship and popularity."

Gong Ying skillfully took out four kinds of playing cards and explained: "This square represents wealth and career..."

Deng Jie was extremely conflicted.

Even if a fortune teller can predict that you will have a lot of money, be healthy and well, and even that you will have a good husband in the future, it can't predict that you will grow 10 centimeters taller overnight, right?
So she politely refused and just sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching Gong Ying tell fortunes for Chen Xiaoxu and the other two.

"From the perspective of the cards, Sister Zhang Li will have a successful career in the future. She will have a bright future ahead of her. I estimate that she will have an 80% chance of playing the role of 'Xue Baochai'."

"Is it so mysterious?"

Seeing that Zhang Li chose her career, Qiu Peining asked Gong Ying to help her test her love and marriage.

Gong Ying took out J, Q, K and 10 from the deck and arranged the cards into two horizontal rows, five cards in each row, and then arranged three cards under the two rows, with all the cards face up.

"Sister Pei Ning, if you can collect 10 points from 10 cards, it means you will definitely find a good match."

"If the remaining cards in your hand are even numbers, it means your Mr. Right has appeared."

"What if it's an odd number?"

Compared with Qiu Peining, Zhang Li and Chen Xiaoxu are obviously more interested in her love and marriage.

"That means there will be a man who likes you recently..."

Watching Gong Ying turning over the playing cards one by one, Qiu Peining felt nervous but also a little expectant.

When the 7th card was turned over, the points on the poker cards had reached 10, and the number of cards left in the hand was an even number.

My Mr. Right has appeared? !
Xia Minghui's voice came from outside the house, asking the girls to gather quickly in the open space downstairs.

"Let's not think about it for now. Let's go down quickly. Director Wang and the others are about to announce the cast list."

Deng Jie reminded Chen Xiaoxu and the others and hurried away.

On the open space on the first floor, Wang Fulin and Fang Yan stood in the middle, with Xia Minghui, Wang Gui'e, and Li Zhixin, who played Jia Zhen, standing on the left and right. These people were all casting directors, and most of the actors in the training class were selected by them.

"Everyone, be quiet, be quiet!"

Wang Fulin cleared his throat and held a piece of paper with the results of the first round of role auditions densely written on it.

"The actors who will play Lin Daiyu are tentatively Zhang Lei, Zhang Jinglin, Chen Xiaoxu, and Wang Xiaojie..."

Deng Jie felt no wavering as she listened to the announcement of the candidate for the role of Lin Daiyu.

After all, I am old, no longer the innocent, poetic girl, nor do I have the sentimental, delicate temperament.

Next, Xia Minghui announced the list of names for the role of "Xue Baochai", "Yuan Mei, Guo Xiaozhen, Cheng Mei, and Zhang Li."

"Wow!"

There was an immediate burst of exclamations from the crowd, and pairs of eyes were fixed on the girls whose names had just been called.

Gong Ying clapped and laughed, "Sister Zhang Li, look, look, am I really accurate?"

"Don't be ridiculous. It's obviously Zhang Li who has better conditions and performs well." Qiu Peining pursed her lips and said, "And Teacher Fang has good taste too."

Zhang Li was surrounded by her friends, with bursts of applause lingering in her ears. For a moment she was at a loss and felt it was incredible.

He looked through the crowd and stared at Fangyan meaningfully.

"Whoo~"

Deng Jie took a deep breath, without any jealousy or grievance in her heart. She knew herself well. She was not gentle and elegant, nor could she have a "face like a silver plate, eyes like water apricots".

"Next, it's the candidate for Wang Xifeng."

As soon as these words were spoken, the tall Zhou Yue and Le Yun raised their chins and looked at each other like two white swans facing each other.

Deng Jie's eyes dimmed when she saw this, especially when she heard the names of Zhou Yue and Le Yun, her mood had fallen to the bottom.

"This is the third one."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "It's Deng Jie!"

"what?!"

All of a sudden, the whole audience was in an uproar and screamed.

Not only the actress who was not selected for the role of "Wang Xifeng", but even Zhou Yue and Le Yun who were selected looked incredulous.

He is dark, thin and short. Even his eyes are far inferior to Le Yun's naturally beautiful almond-shaped eyes!

Deng Jieru was struck by lightning, her head was buzzing and everything went blank. How could this be possible!
"Sister Deng Jie, congratulations!"

Gong Ying was the first to take the lead in congratulating.

Soon, Qiu Peining, Chen Xiaoxu and others also sent their blessings, and their laughter was like silver bells, ringing in the spring breeze.

Deng Jie was so excited that she could hardly speak. She searched frantically in the crowd and finally found Fangyan.

A feeling of emotion suddenly welled up in my heart, and tears and mist intertwined together.

…………After reading out all the names, Wang Fulin looked around and said solemnly:

"This is not the final list of actors. Who will be chosen in the end will depend on how you perform in your roles."

"There are also some vacant roles, such as Jia Baoyu. We will continue to search all over the country. In a few days, Teacher Fang, Teacher Wang, Teacher Xia and I will go to Chengdu again, so the time is very tight."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Fangyan, motioning for him to speak.

"I have discussed with Director Wang and will give you your first acting class this afternoon."

Fangyan raised a finger and said, "The content is about how the actors immerse themselves in the play and how they withdraw from the role."

"Teacher Fang, isn't it good to immerse yourself in the play?"

Chen Xiaoxu mustered up the courage to raise his hand.

"That's a good question."

"When filming, it is naturally a good thing for the actors to immerse themselves in the role. Otherwise, the character will lack tension and appear dry."

"But if I can't leave the role, it might affect my daily life outside the role. After all, the role and myself are two different things..."

Fangyan stared at her. It was obvious that this person was too immersed in the role and treated Lin Daiyu's life as his own.

Seeing everyone talking and whispering, Deng Jie was suddenly called out by Li Yaozong and Wang Fulin.

"Xiao Jie."

Wang Fulin said directly that the reason why she became one of the candidates for the role of Wang Xifeng was mainly because Teacher Fang argued for it.

"You may know that your height is the biggest obstacle for you to play Sister Feng." Li Yaozong said, "But Teacher Fang successfully convinced us."

Deng Jie was surprised and happy, it was indeed Teacher Fang!

"But Deng Jie, I still want to advise you."

Li Yaozong said: "Although your skit performance this time has received good reviews, and Teacher Fang also suggested using the camera and props to make up for your shortcomings, you should know that your other conditions are still inferior to Yue Yun."

Then he paused, "Don't mind me, I don't mean to belittle you, but we have to be responsible for Dream of the Red Chamber!"

Deng Jie's heart skipped a beat, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over her, and she felt completely chilled.

"Next we have to rehearse five skits by Feng Jie, all of which are very difficult and will take our lives."

Wang Fulin said truthfully, "Even if you perform these five skits perfectly, you may not be hired, so I secretly added another skit for you, 'Qiao Ping'er saves Jia Lian with soft words'. If you perform all these well, you won't end up empty-handed in the end."

"Thank you Director Wang, thank you Teacher Li."

Although the truth was unpleasant to hear, Deng Jie could feel the deep care and concern, which made her not want to get any role.

Wang Fulin smiled and said, "Okay, let's go thank Teacher Fang."

Deng Jie nodded and walked in front of Fang Yan.

Chen Xiaoxu, Zhang Li, Gong Ying and others were surrounding him, chatting and laughing enthusiastically.

Fang Yan noticed Deng Jie out of the corner of his eye.

Deng Jie thought about what to say all the way, and suddenly she was stuck.

"Fang... Teacher Fang, thank you."

"You're welcome. This is what you deserve. Your performance as Wang Xifeng was great." Fangyan said as they walked.

"Really!"

"Don't you think so?"

"Except for you, no one in the crew thinks I can play Wang Xifeng." Deng Jie secretly twirled the corner of her clothes, "I am the kind of person who can't be found in a crowd of people."

Fangyan said: "But has anyone ever told you that you are photogenic?"

Deng Jie was overjoyed and asked, "On camera?"

"Some actresses are beautiful off camera, but on screen, they are just mediocre."

Fang Yan said: "But you are different. You have a photogenic face. Even Le Yun can't compare with you in this aspect."

Deng Jie's eyes lit up, then dimmed again in an instant, "But her height advantage is something I can't compare to."

"Wrong! Big mistake!"

Fang Yan said, "Don't forget, you are an actor. The lack of height can not only be compensated by the camera and props, but also by acting skills and aura. There is a saying that goes, 'A height of 1.5 meters has an aura of 2.8 meters.' Napoleon was so short, but he could still command thousands of troops!"

"what!"

Deng Jie was so enlightened by him that she almost overflowed.

"Your biggest problem is not your height, but your understanding."

Fang Yan said: "You just incorporated the fierceness of the Sichuan girl into Wang Xifeng, but you didn't show her strong and shrewd side as a strong woman."

Deng Jie frowned, still unsure whether to understand or not.

"Wang Xifeng, Wang Xifeng, I sigh that you are lucky and you are unlucky. You are said to be talented, but you don't know that talent is easy to be disliked. You work hard for yourself and your family all your life, but you are resented. You are smart and play tricks on others, but you don't expect that each trick will cost your life. Your heart is not really vicious, but your means are really cruel. You are delicate, but you act quickly..."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "Wang Xifeng is a real living woman, a real living woman, do you understand?"

"Teacher Fang, I think I understand a little bit now. I just need to live like a real woman, right?"

Deng Jie seemed to have grasped the pulse of "Wang Xifeng" and suddenly felt as if her soul had entered her body.

"Yes, you have to be like Wang Xifeng, strong and persistent and never give up." Fang Yan said, "Don't worry, just think about it slowly."

"Thank you, Teacher Fang!"

Deng Jie choked up, her eyes slightly red, and she couldn't help but grab his hand and shook it hard.

From the first day I joined the crew until now, I have been questioned all the time. Just when I was about to accept my fate, I met Teacher Fang!

"Try your best. I hope you can perform better when I come again."

Fangyan smiled and let go of his hand.

Deng Jie made a solemn promise, her eyes falling on the ring on his hand, her expression flickering and complicated.

…………

Three days after the lecture, Fang Yan, Wang Fulin and his party took a bumpy green train to Chengdu.

Before departure, Fang Yan had already informed the editorial department of Science Fiction Literature and Art in advance. Originally, Yang Xiao, Yao Haijun and others planned to go to the train station to greet them in person to show their sincerity, but CCTV had already taken the lead and contacted Emei Film Studio early on.

When I came out of the train station, the exit was full of people.

Then I saw a sign held high with "Emei Film Studio" clearly written on it.

"Director Wang!"

"Director Teng, why are you here in person?"

Wang Fulin was quite surprised and immediately introduced Fang Yan and Teng Jinxian to each other.

Teng Jinxian held Fang Yan's hand tightly and said, "Teacher Fang, I have heard a lot about you. Today I finally get to meet you in person!"

"Director Teng, you're too polite."

The two shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"This is the deputy director of our Emei Factory, Han Sanping."

Teng Jinxian was full of enthusiasm and introduced the accompanying personnel to Fang Yan and his friends one by one.

Fangyan greeted everyone one by one, and suddenly at the end of the crowd, he saw a very familiar face, Zhu Lin!

She wore a red and blue plaid shirt and a grey skirt. She had a tall figure, slender legs, and her every frown and smile exuded tenderness.

Their eyes met, and Zhu Lin smiled slightly, "Teacher Fang, long time no see..."

(End of this chapter)