Difficult Songs Find Few Singers1
The flight was at eight o'clock in the morning. Lu Mingxin didn't need to get up that early, but once awake, she couldn't fall back asleep. She just hugged Gu Qinglan, unwilling to let go.
Gu Qinglan felt rather helpless with her, but seeing how miserably she had cried, he let her be. As a result, Lu Mingxin snuggled against his chest and suddenly said, "Qinglan-gege... I'm going to the Western Film City for a month ah."
Gu Qinglan gently patted her shoulder and replied with a smile, "Yeah."
She said again, "The filming schedule is very tight, I guess they won't give us any holidays."
He then smiled again. "It's alright. If you want a holiday, just tell Du Li."
Lu Mingxin remembered that he was the investor of this drama, so of course, he could get Du Li to approve her leave. Still dissatisfied, she continued to snuggle against him. "But even if I get leave and rush back to Jing City, I won't be able to see you every day."
Gu Qinglan could only continue to smile. "What do you want? Just say it."
He had always been gentle with her, just not one to indulge her unreasonable requests. But today, he was unexpectedly accommodating. Lu Mingxin couldn't help but feel a little giddy and blurted out, "Anyway, school is on break, will you come with me?"
Gu Qinglan ultimately couldn't indulge her completely and just smiled faintly. Lu Mingxin immediately started to feel unsure again. "Will you be uncomfortable? After all, the food, clothing, accommodation, and transportation there aren't as convenient as in Jing City, and the climate is also dry."
Gu Qinglan smiled again. "It's fine. I'm just considering how to arrange the itinerary."
Hearing that he was really going to accompany her, Lu Mingxin's eyes lit up again. "Really?"
Gu Qinglan smiled. "It's not impossible. Not seeing each other for a month is indeed too long... But I still have some things to arrange, so I might arrive two days later than you."
Lu Mingxin nodded repeatedly. "It's okay, I said it too hastily. Otherwise, you could have arranged it earlier."
Saying this, she happily counted on her fingers. "It's very convenient for you to come. Just stay in the same room with me. Anyway, the room they gave me is a suite. It's too sunny and hot outside, so you can just rest more in the room."
Gu Qinglan watched her busily making plans with a smile and sighed softly. "You're so energetic, you won't be able to sleep before morning."
Lu Mingxin grinned and leaned over to kiss the corner of his lips. "It's okay, I can catch up on sleep on the plane. I don't need to work today either, I can still sleep in the afternoon."
As she spoke, she hugged him tighter. "Qinglan, I love you so much right now!"
Gu Qinglan just smiled and hugged her back, saying nothing more.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪𖤐
Rushing for a flight early in the morning was quite tiring. Coupled with her lack of sleep the previous night, she put on an eye mask and curled up to catch up on sleep after the plane took off.
In a daze, she actually dreamed again of that "previous life" that Gu Qinglan had denied. In the dream, she was holding Gu Qinglan, walking on a desolate ancient road.
There were guards in front of their carriage. Gu Qinglan's position on this trip to the northwestern frontier was that of "Military Governor." He seemed unwell, constantly coughing lightly, his face pale, yet with an ominous flush on his cheeks.
She felt incredibly pained, lowered her head to kiss his forehead, and complained about why he was sick yet still insisted on requesting to go to the front lines. He smiled and comforted her, but then coughed for a while, actually coughing up a mouthful of blood.
She was frightened by him. When they arrived at the next post station in the evening, she refused to go any further, insisting on staying until his health improved before continuing their journey.
So they borrowed the mayor's courtyard in that small town on the ancient Silk Road and stayed for more than ten days.
Since their marriage, he had been heavily relied upon by Her Majesty, busy with court affairs. And in the Gu Mansion, there were many miscellaneous tasks and rules. With Madam Gu having passed away early, she also had to learn quickly how to manage a large family.
Because they were both busy and there were too many other people around, they actually didn't have much time alone. Only in this small town, during those short ten-odd days, did life become so ordinary that it seemed they were just a common couple on the frontier.
She woke up early every morning to brew medicine for him, and together with the accompanying servant boy, arranged his meals for the day. Occasionally, when the mood struck her, she would even cook personally. Although the presentation of the food wasn't good, at least the taste was not bad.
As soon as it got dark, only the sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs could be heard in the small town. She would also close the courtyard gate and accompany him in the room.
He loved reading and often had a book in his hand. Even when ill, he would often drape clothes over himself, lean against the bed, and read for a while by lamplight before sleeping.
She didn't know how to do needlework or the like, so she would read with him. Occasionally, when he wanted to write some annotations in a book, she would grind ink for him.
One day, he was in a good mood and said to her with a smile, "Your ink grinding is getting more and more presentable."
At that time, seeing him under the lamplight, with his long eyebrows arched and a gentle smile, she felt as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her head in an instant. Later, she learned that this was what was called "heart fluttering" and "being moved by love."
By the end of this lifetime, her only regret was that those ordinary, common days hadn't lasted longer, long enough to span years and years.
When the plane landed, Lu Mingxin was awakened by the person next to her. Her eye mask was soaked through, and her eye makeup was a complete mess.
Liu Fenfang, sitting in the row behind her, came to the front and saw her like this, frowning and saying, "Is your eye inflamed?"
It wasn't that she was slow to realize, but in the years she had followed Lu Mingxin, she had never seen her cry outside of filming. She had always been a carefree person. To suddenly cry like this, she could only assume her eye was inflamed.
Lu Mingxin raised her hand to wipe her tears and shook her head. "No."
The sunlight in the northwest was intense. Just as she exited the terminal building, her vision blurred, and she almost fell. It was Liu Fenfang who quickly grabbed her. "Beauty Lu, what on earth is wrong?"
She shook her head and smiled at Liu Fenfang. "I didn't have time for breakfast..."
She had fallen asleep as soon as she boarded the plane, so of course, she hadn't eaten the in-flight meal. Liu Fenfang, after a false alarm, breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't help complaining, "You should take care of yourself too. It's not easy for us to earn a salary. Don't add to our burden."
Although the words were harsh, Lu Mingxin knew she was concerned about her and quickly said she would pay attention. Once in the car to the hotel, she sat in the back seat and quietly closed her eyes again, lest the tears in her eyes spill out.
She was really foolish. Hearing him say that in the morning, she actually believed it. If everything was really just her imagination due to being too engrossed in her role, then why were those images so profound? And why were the things she dreamed and thought of all content that he hadn't written in the script?
Moreover, memories couldn't lie. On the plane, she had finally remembered more. Those memories pieced together a person's entire life, and the dense details made it impossible for her to deny their existence.
Lu Mingxin had left in a hurry in the morning and hadn't noticed that Gu Qinglan hadn't left the bedroom until she was out the door.
Hearing the sounds downstairs subside into silence, knowing she had left, he then propped himself up with his hand and got up from the sofa to get the phone placed by the bed.
It was only a few short steps, yet fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. Leaning his body against the bed, he dialed a number. After it connected, he closed his eyes lightly and said, "Ren Ran... I need you to come over."
Ren Ran was his private doctor. During the period abroad when he suffered frequent headaches, this young Chinese-American doctor became his private physician through a hospital recommendation. Later, when he returned to China, he brought Ren Ran back with him.
He usually worked at a hospital under the Gu family's name in Jing City. Ren Ran arrived quickly. He walked in hastily, and upon seeing Gu Qinglan's complexion, his brows furrowed tightly. "What happened to you?"
Gu Qinglan coughed lightly, raised his head to look at him, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Nothing, just a headache."
The intense pain made his consciousness increasingly blurry, and thus, everything he had experienced in his previous life became clearer instead.
At that time, he was imprisoned in the celestial prison. He hadn't expected to be spared, but that very night, he saw someone sent by his father. That person placed a pot of poisoned wine at his feet and said only one sentence: "Minister Gu said you know what to do."
Of course, he knew. As long as he was alive, he would be interrogated by the Ministry of War and even by Her Majesty. At that time, regardless of whether the Gu family severed ties with him or tried to protect him, they would suffer criticism.
He was already disgraced. No matter what, he would tarnish the Gu family's reputation. Only a quick death could allow the Gu family to extricate themselves as soon as possible. Before the person left, he brought the wine cup to his lips.
As if moved by his decisiveness, the person sighed. "Since it is so, I will report back to Minister Gu."
He closed his eyes, no longer looking at the people and things before him. This life of his, truly as his father had said: achieved nothing, of no benefit to others or himself. To have come to this point, it was less about fate playing tricks and more about bringing it upon himself.
The poison didn't take effect quickly. At first, it was just abdominal pain, still bearable. Then, his five senses gradually faded, and only a vast emptiness remained before his eyes.
He didn't know when Her Majesty arrived. He knew the person holding him and crying incessantly was Her Majesty, and he also knew that he would never be able to see her again in this life.
She must not have wanted to see him again either. Otherwise, when he was captured and brought back, she wouldn't have refused to even see him in prison.
He knew well that that meeting would be their final farewell, yet she still didn't come. He remembered the words she had used to scold him. She said he was hypocritical and cold-hearted, not understanding what true feelings were. In her heart, a person like him was naturally not worth her seeing again.
He truly didn't understand what love was. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lived an ascetic life for so many years, not even caring about his own marriage.
She said he didn't know how to treat people with sincerity. He indeed didn't know how to make others feel, upon seeing him, that he had already offered his earnest enthusiasm.
Reaching the end, he remembered these words she had spoken and still felt she was right. He was indeed cold-hearted and unfeeling. The things he did were merely sizing up the situation. Saving her and Mo Qi was because the army could do without a military governor, but not without a great general.
Using the blue bird to send messages teaching her military strategy was because she was indeed a malleable talent. He was destined not to live long, and it was good that his legacy could be passed on.
He just felt tired, so tired that he didn't want to think about anything. He didn't regret ending up like this in this life. But if there was a next life, he only wished to forget each other in the vast waters and never meet again.
On the afternoon of her first day in the West, Lu Mingxin received a call from Jing City. The number displayed was the landline of Gu Qinglan's villa, but the person who spoke had a voice somewhat unfamiliar to her: "Miss Lu? I hope you can come back for a trip."
Lu Mingxin's heart tightened, and she subconsciously asked, "What's wrong with Qinglan?"
But the person just said, "I am Mr. Gu's private doctor, Ren Ran. His current condition is not very good. I hope you can rush back as soon as possible."
That he could make this call already proved two things: one, Gu Qinglan definitely had another health problem, and two, Gu Qinglan's condition was already so serious that he couldn't personally call her.
After hanging up the phone, Lu Mingxin was stunned for a moment before hurriedly asking for leave from the crew and having Liu Fenfang book her the earliest flight back to Jing City.
The Western Film City was not close to Jing City. Even though she used the fastest means, it was already eleven o'clock at night when she rushed back to the villa.
It had only been a day, but she felt as if a lifetime had passed. Rushing into the bedroom, she saw Ren Ran, dressed in black, standing by the bed. Gu Qinglan on the bed had his eyes closed, and the rise and fall of his chest was so faint it was almost unnoticeable.
In that instant, she could barely breathe. It was as if she saw him lying lifeless in the ice coffin again.
Although Ren Ran was of Chinese descent, his temperament was somewhat similar to Gu Qinglan's, even having a somewhat classical air. He looked up at her and said faintly, "Not long after you left, he fell unconscious."
Lu Mingxin walked straight over. She knelt halfway by the bed, took his somewhat cold hand, and lowered her head to lightly kiss his thin lips.
When Gu Qinglan woke up again, the sky was dark. The sunlight outside the window was somewhat dim yellow. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, so he couldn't tell if it was dawn or dusk.
His throat was incredibly dry, as if something was stuck there. He had just coughed lightly when the fluffy head that had been resting on his arm moved.
Lu Mingxin lifted her head with messy hair, rubbed against him, and called him in a voice clearly still laced with sleepiness, "Qinglan-gege."
He didn't manage to answer in time, and she naturally leaned over again to kiss the corner of his lips. "You scared me to death... You're finally awake."
He turned his head to look at her, frowned slightly, wanting to speak, but the sound he made was barely a whisper. "Why are you here?"
Knowing it was difficult for him to speak, Lu Mingxin simply didn't wait for him to ask and answered all at once, "I received a call saying you had fainted again, so I quickly asked for leave from the crew... I caught the last flight back yesterday. But thankfully, I came back."
As she spoke, she leaned over again and kissed his cheek, sighing with lingering fear, "Luckily, I made it back in time, otherwise I would have worried myself to death."
She spoke lightly, yet her voice was filled with a deep sense of grievance. Even though he felt weak all over, he couldn't help but comfort her softly, "It's okay... You didn't have to come back specially."
But she didn't think so, hugging him tightly and shaking her head. "Right now, I feel nothing is more important than you... Work is important too, of course, but as soon as I heard you were sick again, I couldn't do anything."
Her tone and actions were still the same as before, a little coquettish, but more so, a deep attachment to him.
He looked at her for a while, still unable to see her face more clearly, so he simply closed his eyes. "What time is it now?"
She seemed to know that his vision wasn't good at the moment, so she quickly got up and turned on the bedside lamp before answering him, "It's already seven o'clock in the evening. You slept for a whole day and night."
No wonder he felt weak all over. Not having eaten for a day and a night, it was normal to feel weak.
Lu Mingxin, however, suddenly became considerate. Seeing him turn his head and cough weakly, she said, "I've already asked the kitchen to make porridge. Ren Ran said you can eat a little. I'll go get it for you, it's still warm."
He looked up at her, hoping to see some clues on her face. "You've seen Ren Ran?"
Lu Mingxin nodded. "Yes, he was the one who called me to come back." After she finished, she thought for a moment and added, "Where did you dig up such a doctor? He's so cool, like an ancient wandering hero."
He knew her acting had always been weak. Now, looking at the expression on her face, he couldn't see any trace of pretense.
Confirming that she hadn't remembered the events of her past life yet, he felt slightly relieved and closed his eyes tiredly again. "Just picked him up."
Hearing Lu Mingxin's puzzled "Huh?", a smile touched his lips, and he rarely made a joke. "Saw him on the street once, so I picked him up and brought him home."
Lu Mingxin actually seemed to believe it, saying with sudden realization, "Really? I'm going to ask little handsome Ren!"
Hearing her retreating footsteps and the sound of the door closing, he finally relaxed completely. His head was splitting, and even the things he saw before his eyes were somewhat blurry.
However, the coldness in his heart gradually began to overwhelm all the pain: it was him who had erred again, leading things in an uncontrollable direction.
The cause of it all was simply that he was too greedy, insisting on returning to her side, insisting that she remember everything.
He thought that when she remembered those past events, he might be able to ask her for an answer. Ask her if she truly hated him that much? Ask her if she had ever had any genuine feelings for him?
In the end, these were just a bit of his unwillingness before dying in his previous life. He was still not as carefree as he had expected. His life and fortune aside, even fleeting fame could be discarded, yet only that sliver of obsession, even if his soul was annihilated, he couldn't let go.
Because of this, he painstakingly set up a scheme. When she finally woke up crying from her dream, telling him she had remembered her previous life, he was shocked to realize... he had never thought about what pain those memories would bring her.
He didn't know if she could be healthy and safe, living a peaceful life after his death. When he saw the tear stains on her face and heard her speak of the pain of losing him, he finally realized how selfish he was.
For this bit of his own unwillingness, he not only wanted her to remember her previous life, wanted her to pay with this current life... Even he himself felt he was so contemptible.
The next day, Lu Mingxin stayed home to accompany him. Gu Qinglan was half-lying in bed resting. She simply leaned over too, hugging him and letting him lean against her.
On such a hot day, if not for the ample air conditioning in the room, lying in someone else's arms like this wouldn't be as comfortable as leaning against a cushion.
However, Gu Qinglan didn't object, just smiled with a slight curve of his lips. "I think you need a large bolster."
Lu Mingxin adjusted her position, resting her chin on his shoulder, and hummed contentedly. "What bolster can compare to a living being... and it's your own lover."
Her tone was too smug. Gu Qinglan didn't want to dampen her spirits further, so he smiled and let her be. He was still lacking in energy. After watching for a short while, he leaned against her shoulder and drifted off to sleep.
Only at times like this did Lu Mingxin dare to boldly turn her head to look at his sleeping face. He had been asleep most of the time for the past two days, yet his complexion was still very poor.
Not only was his face terribly pale, but there were also faint bluish marks under his eyelashes. Lu Mingxin looked at him, yet felt that being able to see him like this, to hear his faint but steady breathing, was already a luxury.
It wasn't a lie when she said that nothing compared to having her beloved lying in her arms. In that lifetime, towards the end, all she could embrace was a cold corpse. Needless to say, body temperature, even his limbs were already somewhat stiff.
In her previous life, she had died for love. She didn't know how Her Majesty had announced it to the public, but the people in the palace should have known.
Ever since seeing his corpse in the ice cellar of the forbidden palace, she had stopped going to the Ministry of War and drank heavily all day. Her family couldn't keep her in, so she would ride her horse around the capital, looking for trouble and provoking people.
Those days were truly like living in the eighteenth layer of hell. So much pain and longing for him, she didn't know how to vent it. In the end, she finally went mad, sneaking into the forbidden palace in the middle of the night, alarming many imperial guards.
Both Her Majesty and Prince Ning were disturbed by her. Her Majesty clearly hadn't expected her to be so deranged, and was probably deeply disappointed in her, only asking her what she really wanted.
She replied that she wanted to see him, to see him one more time. Her Majesty, in a fit of fury, ordered people to open the ice cellar and let her in.
Perhaps even Her Majesty hadn't anticipated it. After she walked in that time, she never came out again. After all, the door to the ice cellar was always ajar, and there were guards outside. If she had just called out or pushed the door open, she could have walked out.
But when she found him, she lay down beside him, held him, and never left again.
To share a quilt in life, to share a grave in death. In life, she hadn't treated him well, not even being by his side when he was dying. So in death, she could at least never let him go again.
While Lu Mingxin was still in Jing City, Gu Qinglan received a call from Du Li, telling him that Cao Yeyang was preparing to formally resign from the drama.
Originally, after Cao Yeyang had caused Lu Mingxin's workload to increase, Gu Qinglan had decided to replace him. It was only due to the online video incident that it wasn't immediately announced.
After the video incident occurred, Du Li's side, in order to calm things down, adopted delaying tactics, keeping the matter of the new candidate pending.
Of course, Du Li also knew that Gu Qinglan wouldn't go back on his word. She was just clinging to the hope that she could delay as long as possible, until there was no other choice, and then present a result acceptable to all parties.
As a result, after some delay, Cao Yeyang's manager proactively proposed to withdraw today. She was naturally overjoyed and, without waiting a minute, immediately called Gu Qinglan to report the good news.
Although Gu Qinglan wasn't as visibly pleased as Du Li, his mood also improved somewhat after hearing her notification. He said he understood and hoped the new candidate would be in place soon.
He put down the phone and saw Lu Mingxin staring intently at him. He smiled and said, "It's Cao Yeyang. He proactively resigned."
In the current situation, Cao Yeyang was already considered to be in breach of contract. If Gu Qinglan were to be serious about it, he could even sue him in court. His own resignation was actually a better outcome, allowing him to save face in front of his fans and avoid legal responsibility.
Although Lu Mingxin had also anticipated this, she hadn't expected it to come so quickly. Her eyes instantly lit up, but she didn't dare to immediately propose the plan for Gu Qinglan to star in it himself.
She endured it with great difficulty all afternoon, waiting until after dinner in the evening before hesitantly saying, "Qinglan-gege, I've taken these few days off. I have to start working when I go back, and I'm a bit afraid I won't be able to get into character... Can you help me run lines?"
Gu Qinglan's spirits were slightly better today than yesterday, and he was reluctant to refuse her request, so he nodded. "Alright."
Lu Mingxin had him sit on the recliner by the window, then handed him a printed copy of the script, holding another copy herself to run lines with him.
Gu Qinglan had personally reviewed all the scripts, so he didn't actually need to look at the script for the lines. It just so happened that this scene was a dialogue between Mu Yiqing and Lu Qingping.
The scene at that time was also Mu Yiqing and Lu Qingping discussing military matters in the army camp. According to the script, Mu Yiqing should have a scroll of military strategy as a prop in his hand, so he held the script, using it as a prop.
Lu Mingxin spoke first, "Regarding this military expedition to Liao City, why was only the Left Army sent? Liao City has a force of fifty thousand, while the Left Army only has one hundred thousand. To besiege a city, the attacking force should be ten times that of the enemy. Sending the Left Army is merely sending lambs into the tiger's mouth."
Gu Qinglan's gaze was lowered, looking at the script. He didn't look up at her. Before speaking, he coughed a few times.
Hearing him cough, Lu Mingxin became extremely nervous, instantly dropping the script, and hurriedly said, "Qinglan, where are you uncomfortable again?"
Gu Qinglan looked up at her helplessly. "This is written in the script. Mu Yiqing hasn't recovered from his cold at this time and needs to cough a few times..."
Lu Mingxin said, "Uh," and suddenly felt that Gu Qinglan's personality was quite endearing: she had only asked him to run lines, and there were no cameras around. He could have just casually read the lines, there was absolutely no need to even act out the coughing, but he meticulously followed the script.
She remembered again that time she asked him to help her rehearse a scene. He had also prepared very seriously, not even objecting to having makeup put on him, wearing those cumbersome costumes, the thick wig, and so on.
She looked at his gentle, mountain-like eyebrows and eyes under the light and suddenly didn't want to act anymore. She actually couldn't remember those words spoken in her previous life so clearly.
In the army camp, she had actually argued with him several times. Although it always proved afterwards that his arrangements were correct, and most of the time, even Mo Qi would choose to listen to his plans, she still loved to question his decisions.
Looking back now, wasn't it just because she always distrusted him in her heart, and also harbored a kind of inexplicable hostility towards him?
He, in his previous life, must have also sensed this distrust and hostility. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to silently bear everything alone in the end, committing suicide by poison in prison while keeping his mouth shut.
Perhaps in the eyes of other insiders, his death in the previous life was too unworthy, just a misunderstanding. Wouldn't it have been fine if he had just spoken up? But she knew that the person who forced him to die, who made him have no attachment to the mortal world, was precisely her.
Seeing her staring intently at him, with no intention of continuing her lines, Gu Qinglan knew this scene couldn't go on. He could only look at her and sigh softly, "What, lost in thought again?"
Lu Mingxin came back to her senses. Afraid her gaze would reveal more emotions, she quickly smiled at him. "Qinglan-gege is too beautiful, I forgot my lines just looking at you."
She cleared her throat, trying to find some idle talk to ease the atmosphere, and said, "This Mu Yiqing is really too hard to find someone to play. It's easy to play a gentle and refined young master, but it's difficult to play a handsome man who is both gentle and refined, and also sickly. To be able to portray sickliness so vividly that the audience feels heartache just by looking, not only tests acting skills but also the actor's face and temperament."
She said this merely to try every means possible to tell Gu Qinglan that there were too few people who could play Mu Yiqing, and it would be best if he could play the role himself.
But after Gu Qinglan heard it, he smiled and said, "It's just a villain, it's okay if he's not too likable to the audience... Besides, didn't you say before? Men who are always sickly are annoying."
Of course, Lu Mingxin of this life wouldn't have the guts to say such a thing. Moreover, she had never thought so, so how could she say it?
The one who would say such things was definitely only Lu Mingxin of the past life, when she was deliberately taunting him. She almost subconsciously wanted to argue, to say that when she said that, she didn't really find him annoying; it was merely to find some words to humiliate him.
Fortunately, she reacted quickly, forcibly suppressing the sudden pang in her heart, and continued to pretend to be ignorant, "When did I ever say such a thing! Looking at such a beautiful Qinglan-gege, how could I bear to say such vicious words, really! I only said that a sickly Qinglan-gege is beautiful, but it makes my heart ache to see him, okay?"
Gu Qinglan chuckled lightly, unconcerned. "Then it seems I remembered wrongly."
Lu Mingxin was secretly on the verge of tears. Gu Qinglan's level was really too high. It seemed he wasn't sure if she had remembered her previous life yet.
But what were these ubiquitous verbal traps? If she wasn't careful, she would fall into his trap, right? The non-acting-school superstar Lu was silently crying herself faint in her heart again and again.
Gu Qinglan put down the script and smiled at her. "It's okay. If you're afraid of not being in the right state, don't stay at home too long. It's not too late to go back to the film city and work hard."
The implication was simply that she was dawdling in Jing City, going out to meet this person and that person every day. The crew over there was burning his money every minute. She should be sensible and go back soon.
Lu Mingxin said a weak "Oh." "Alright then, I'll leave the day after tomorrow."
He had already said so much, yet she still refused to say "I'll go back tomorrow," insisting on pushing it to the day after tomorrow, as if leaving a day later would make any difference.
Gu Qinglan was simply helpless against her procrastination and sighed, shaking his head.
The next day, Lu Mingxin was eating breakfast with a frowning and worried expression. Gu Qinglan finally sighed and asked her, "Mingxin, if you have something to say, just say it. Don't hold it in."
Finding a way out, the impatient Lu Mingxin no longer had the fortitude to hold back. She quickly stared into his eyes, "Qinglan-gege, I want to... I have an idea ah, don't scold me when I say it."
Gu Qinglan smiled slightly and chuckled. "Say it first, then we'll talk."
Seeing him still so impenetrable, Lu Mingxin decided to throw caution to the wind. "This idea of mine is a bit bold. I only had it after watching that video. It's just... just that I feel, why can't you personally play Mu Yiqing? Your appearance and temperament are such a perfect fit!"
Gu Qinglan really hadn't expected her to hold it in for a whole day just for this. He was momentarily at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "I'm not a professional actor. Besides, where have you seen a screenwriter and investor act in their own production?"
Lu Mingxin hurriedly said, "There are many dramas where the actors invest and write the scripts themselves! Some even direct personally!"
Gu Qinglan still smiled and shook his head. "Then one has to be an actor first."
Lu Mingxin was speechless and could only keep emphasizing, "But Qinglan-gege, you're so beautiful, more beautiful than many actors!"
Gu Qinglan smiled faintly. "I haven't received professional training. If it's just to be a male vase, I think I can manage."
Lu Mingxin couldn't even care that his words mentioned the "vase" label the media often used to mock her. She couldn't just directly say, "I've remembered our previous life, Mu Yiqing is you, you don't need acting skills to play yourself." She said anxiously, "Anyway, you're suitable!"
From the last time she proposed for him to accompany her to the film set and act with her, and then being secretly filmed on set, Gu Qinglan had a feeling of falling into some kind of trap. However, he believed that with Lu Mingxin's strategic abilities, she wasn't capable of planning such a trap. He could only say it was unintentional on her part.
He smiled and said, "You're asking me to act, there must be other reasons. Tell me."
Of course, Lu Mingxin couldn't say it was because "Shattered Mountains and Rivers" was originally their story from their previous life, and she didn't want anyone else to "play" him from that past life. So, she could only try her best to fabricate a story, saying she was afraid her parents would use marriage as a reason to make her retire from acting, so she wanted to pull him into acting with her.
Gu Qinglan had already witnessed her parents' attitude last time. He also knew that although Gu Sheng hadn't said it, based on his understanding of his father, after his and Lu Mingxin's wedding, his father would definitely use the reason of prioritizing family to request Lu Mingxin to retire from acting.
In her previous life, she wanted to go to the battlefield to kill enemies and defend the border, but both the Lu and Gu families were unanimously opposed. In this life, she hoped to be active in the entertainment industry, and yet both families still didn't support it. It had to be said, sometimes he truly felt that everything was fated.
Thinking this, he smiled at her again. "So you're planning to drag me into this? So that even if they blame someone, they'll blame me first?"
Seeing him about to take all the blame from her parents again, she quickly shook her head in opposition. "No, the blame is still on me. I'll say I forced you to do it!"
Gu Qinglan smiled. "And then? Since you've decided to face the pressure from your parents yourself, what's the point of having me act with you?"
His logic was too clear. In comparison, Lu Mingxin's reason was completely untenable. With no other recourse, she simply leaned over and hugged his waist, saying something that, much later, when she thought about it, she would give herself a thumbs up for: "But, such a good, such a shining Qinglan-gege, I want more people to see him. I want Qinglan-gege's most beautiful side to remain in more people's memories."
Even though Lu Mingxin said this, Gu Qinglan didn't agree with her. Instead, he just smiled and said, "Absurd."
And to prevent Lu Mingxin from continuing to idle at home, he personally instructed his secretary to book a flight to the West for Lu Mingxin the next day.
The plane ticket was already arranged. Lu Mingxin didn't have the guts to refuse him and could only cry and draw circles on the ground. Seeing her so heartbroken, Gu Qinglan could only say helplessly, "I'll go with you then."
Lu Mingxin instantly became happy again and rushed up to hug him. "Qinglan-gege is the best to me!"
Gu Qinglan smiled and looked at her. "Alright, I did say I would accompany you anyway."
His reply was slightly cool, but Lu Mingxin still hugged him happily, leaned over, and kissed his cheek. "I'll go prepare right away!"
If it were just Lu Mingxin returning to the film city by herself, her luggage would be casual. But since Gu Qinglan was also going, she very seriously brought a large suitcase, even wanting to stuff in Gu Qinglan's favorite thin blanket to pack and take along.
Since Gu Qinglan was going, and his health hadn't fully recovered, Ren Ran, as his family doctor, naturally had to go too. So, in the end, the three of them went together.
Lu Mingxin was in a good mood and didn't mind having a big third wheel along. She stuck to Gu Qinglan the whole way, unwilling to let go.
The crew was, of course, happy that Lu Mingxin could return to work. After she got off the plane, Mo Qi even specially came to her room to see her. "Xinxin, you're finally back! The army camp scenes are really exhausting. When you're not here, the director can only relentlessly torment me!"
Filming such war scenes, especially ancient battlefields, often required mounting horses, wearing thick armor, and posing with cold weapons. It was indeed very tiring.
Mo Qi, as an actor with an excellent reputation, even if tired, would naturally not cut corners where his performance needed to be on point. He couldn't complain to other actors, so he could only come to Lu Mingxin, with whom he had a good relationship, to vent his grievances.
Lu Mingxin made him a cup of tea, sat down, and comforted him with a smile, "Qi-ge, you've worked hard. Now that I'm back, someone will accompany you in being tortured!"
As they were talking, Gu Qinglan, who had changed his clothes inside, walked out and nodded slightly at Mo Qi with a smile. "Mr. Mo."
Mo Qi had only heard that Lu Mingxin was back, he didn't expect her to bring Gu Qinglan along.
He stood up, somewhat surprised. "Mr. Gu, Mingxin said you were ill. Are you feeling better?"
Gu Qinglan smiled and also sat down on the sofa. "Much better."
Lu Mingxin immediately linked her arm through his and said to Mo Qi, "Qi-ge, actually, Qinglan-gege is the new 'Mu Yiqing' I dug up to replace Cao Yeyang!"
Mo Qi, unlike others, didn't immediately find this incredible. He just paused for a moment, then rubbed his chin. "Why do I feel this is feasible?"
Gu Qinglan had already repeatedly refused Lu Mingxin's proposal. He just didn't expect her to say this to Mo Qi right away. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond and just smiled slightly.
Lu Mingxin's eyes sparkled as she continued to say to Mo Qi, "Right? Qi-ge, you think so too!"
Mo Qi rubbed his chin and said, "Actually, the day Mr. Gu helped you with the scene, I already thought so... Acting requires many skills, but deeply pondering and comprehending a role is something even someone who hasn't studied acting can do."
He paused here and added something very sentimental, "That day, watching Mr. Gu standing there saying his lines, my feeling was 'this person is Mu Yiqing.' This kind of feeling is very rare. It's not to say Mr. Gu is a natural actor, but rather that he is too close to this character. He can totally play it naturally."
Hearing this, Gu Qinglan finally couldn't help but say, "Are you two saying this after colluding beforehand?"
Mo Qi quickly raised both hands to prove his innocence. "As a trustworthy good man, I swear I have never colluded with Xinxin. These are all my heartfelt words!"
After seeing Mo Qi off, Gu Qinglan looked at Lu Mingxin in the room with some helplessness. "Mingxin, do you really hope I can play the role so badly?"
Lu Mingxin nodded desperately. "Whatever basic knowledge of acting you need, I'll tell you. It's really simple! After I studied at the film academy, I felt the theoretical knowledge was too simple, you get it at a glance!"
Gu Qinglan shook his head helplessly. "Acting is a practical discipline... Understanding is simple, but applying and comprehending it is difficult, right?"
Lu Mingxin quickly scratched her head in embarrassment. "I guess so. I always got scolded by the teacher when I went on stage." After she finished, she quickly said to Gu Qinglan, "But Qinglan-gege is much more amazing than me. You'll definitely have no problem with the practical application either!"
Gu Qinglan looked at her with utmost helplessness. "Alright, I'll consider it."
After several days of effort, finally getting him to say "consider it," Lu Mingxin was already very happy and immediately cheered.
On the second day in the film city, Lu Mingxin, having fallen behind too much, was quickly grabbed by the director to desperately catch up on filming.
Gu Qinglan, on the other hand, stayed in the room to continue resting. When Lu Mingxin, after a hard day of being drilled, dragged her body, so sore from horse riding that her legs could barely close, back to the room, she saw Gu Qinglan sitting on the sofa, holding an e-book.
Although he also had e-books, which were convenient for looking up English materials and databases, he always preferred to read physical books in his leisure time. It was rare to see him looking at a screen like this. Lu Mingxin was dead tired but still dragged her body over and sat beside him, somewhat curious. "Qinglan-gege, what are you reading?"
Gu Qinglan looked up, saw her exhausted face, and first smiled at her gently, his tone also much softer. "Nothing. You said it too hastily, I didn't have time to buy books, so I downloaded some professional books on acting to read."
Lu Mingxin loved his meticulous way of doing things and happily hugged his neck. "Qinglan-gege, are you really going to consider my suggestion?"
Gu Qinglan smiled. "Since I promised you, of course, I'm really considering it... It's just that this field is too unfamiliar to me. I don't know if I can do it well."
That he was willing to nod was already beyond Lu Mingxin's wildest dreams. She hugged him tightly. After a while, she was finally able to speak, her voice still unable to hide her excitement, "Qinglan-gege, thank you."
Gu Qinglan patted her shoulder. He still felt somewhat helpless, but he still indulged her. "It's nothing. It's just that your request is so strong, I always have to give it a try."
Feeling slightly better, Gu Qinglan went out for his usual walk after dinner. The film city was located near a small town in the west. The hotel they were staying in was considered the closest to the film city, so it was still some distance from the already small urban area.
Many cities in the west were built around oases. After they changed their clothes and shoes and walked out of the hotel, it wasn't long before they could see the endless Gobi Desert and sand dunes at the end of the road.
At this time, the sun hadn’t set for long. A line of purple afterglow could still be seen refracting at the edge of the sky. Such a vast view was certainly not visible in Jing City.
Lu Mingxin walked with Gu Qinglan and couldn't help but sigh, "This kind of scenery is still the best. Looking at it broadens one's mind a lot."
Gu Qinglan smiled faintly. "Indeed. You've never liked the feeling of being constrained."
Hearing this, Lu Mingxin knew he was talking about her from the previous life, the one who liked to rebel against her autocratic and stern father, and thus could appear rebellious and unrestrained.
She stopped, turned around, and looked at him. "Qinglan, I don't hate being constrained. In fact, although I was required to study hard when I was young, and my parents opposed me going to film school and entering the entertainment industry, and even now they still hope I give up acting... But they never forced me to do anything. So I don't feel constrained, let alone hate it."
When she stopped, Gu Qinglan also stopped and looked at her. Looking at the faint expression on his face, for a moment, she suddenly felt that he was still very distant from her.
She had only remembered her memories from her past life. It didn't mean she would become the female general from her past life who was solely focused on killing enemies and serving her country. She was still Lu Mingxin, an ordinary girl who grew up in the city.
Looking directly into his eyes, she finally said, "Qinglan, sometimes I feel that you're not looking at me, but through me, at someone else."
Neither of them spoke again after that, until after their walk, when they returned to their hotel room. Only then did Gu Qinglan speak softly, "I'm sorry, Mingxin."
Lu Mingxin shook her head and leaned over to hug his waist. "As long as you love me is enough..." She thought for a moment and added, "Love the current me."
On their third day in the film city, Cao Yeyang's manager's Weibo account released an announcement stating that due to poor physical and mental health, Cao Yeyang had decided to resign from the role of "Mu Yiqing" in the drama "Shattered Mountains and Rivers."
Not long after this news was announced, some netizens started posting on major domestic forums, saying that since Cao Yeyang had proactively resigned, why not just let the "handsome man in white" from the video last time play the role.
Online public opinion is often like this: hot topics spread quickly, but few people pay attention to subsequent news and follow-ups.
The video from last time had spread too widely. Even though a refutation and statement were released later, the majority of people who had seen the video still didn't know the true identity of the "handsome man in white."
So, once this post was published, many netizens quickly expressed their liking for the "handsome man in white's" appearance and temperament, strongly supporting this proposal.
As for which of these "netizens" were Du Li's PR team and which were genuine netizens, that was unknown.
However, the fact that the post could trigger heated discussion as soon as it was published, regardless of whether Du Li's PR team initiated the topic, was enough to prove the influence of that video and the "handsome man in white" in the hearts of most people.
Lu Mingxin, who had single-handedly orchestrated this result, was naturally very smug. She took her tablet to Gu Qinglan to claim credit. "Qinglan-gege, look, everyone says you're very suitable for the role!"
Gu Qinglan only glanced at it and then nodded faintly with a smile. "Thank you."
Regarding personally playing Mu Yiqing, he had already communicated with Du Li over the phone. He decided to be cautious and try acting for a few days first. If the effect was really good, then they would sign a formal performance contract.
Perhaps because she had seen that video, and also because she had sought Mo Qi's professional opinion, Du Li actually strongly approved of this proposal. She said on the phone, "Anyway, you and Mingxin are going to play a couple, and there are intimate scenes. Wouldn't it be hard for you to watch Mingxin act those scenes with other men?"
After Gu Qinglan hung up the phone, he frowned and recalled for a moment, only then realizing: throughout the entire drama, although Lu Qingping and Mu Yiqing were husband and wife, there wasn't a single intimate scene, not even kissing or hugging.
The reasons for this were, although it was a serious legitimate drama and there was no need to dwell too much on romantic affairs, there was also the fact that he had initially envisioned another man playing "Mu Yiqing"... To make him personally write intimate scenes for Lu Mingxin and another man, it would be better to just kill him with a knife.
After discovering his faint yet terrifying jealousy and possessiveness for the first time, Mr. Gu Qinglan, who had always considered himself rather broad-minded, felt slightly conflicted.
In the script, there were many scenes for "Mu Yiqing" in the army camp. Coupled with Cao Yeyang's prolonged absence, Mu Yiqing's scenes were already severely behind the overall filming schedule.
After Gu Qinglan decided to try out for the role, the director no longer cared that he was his own boss and desperately urged him to start working quickly.
After he joined the crew, the first thing he had to do was get his makeup and costume finalized. The stylist was very enthusiastic about his face and worked through the night to produce two relatively mature versions of the look. Then, they spent another day having him try on the makeup, and finally, two sets of promotional photos were taken.
After Lu Mingxin finished filming, she couldn't wait to rush to the styling room. She finally caught him before he removed his makeup, ran over, and threw herself into his arms. She said with pleasant surprise, "Qinglan-gege, you’re so beautiful!"
It wasn't that she was making a fuss over nothing; the person before her was simply too dazzling. She had only thought he was suitable for period costumes, but she hadn't expected that when he truly tied up his black hair and stood before her in a long robe with wide sleeves, the intense impact of his beauty would make her momentarily forget to breathe.
The stylist, who had worked hard for two days, also nodded repeatedly and said proudly, "This is my most satisfying work in recent years."
After the look was finalized, Gu Qinglan also had to enter formal filming. He had originally joined midway and had no acting experience. According to past experience, he shouldn't have been able to start filming so quickly.
But he was the screenwriter, familiar with the lines and the script, and his temperament was naturally very close to the character of "Mu Yiqing," so the director considered letting him try acting directly.
Although he had acted with Lu Mingxin once before, that was just a rehearsal, different from formally participating in the filming. Gu Qinglan didn't say anything, still maintaining that faint demeanor. Instead, it was Lu Mingxin who nervously held the script the night before, muttering incessantly.
Seeing her so worried, Gu Qinglan smiled and patted her head. "It's okay."
Gu Qinglan's first scene tomorrow was actually not with her, but with Mo Qi. This was also because the director considered that Lu Mingxin and he were a couple, and they had already acted opposite each other. It would be better to switch to someone else to better see if Gu Qinglan had entered the right state.
Mo Qi's acting skills and ability to energize the set were no joke. Many newcomers who had acted opposite him said that when acting with Film Emperor Mo, their emotions were completely carried away by him, and they would unconsciously perform much better than usual. It was incredibly easy.
Although there were the director's careful arrangements, coupled with confidence in Gu Qinglan, Lu Mingxin was still extremely nervous, more so than for her own first appearance on screen, or even when she stood in the interview examination room of the film academy.
She held Gu Qinglan's hand and bit her lower lip, "Qinglan-gege, if you feel uncomfortable acting, then we can... we can forget about it."
She had been so eager for him to participate before, and now she was saying such things. It wasn't that she was going back on her word, but rather that her concern was causing her to be flustered, and she wasn't feeling well herself.
Gu Qinglan smiled. "Don't worry, I never do things halfway."
He said it so confidently. The next day, when the lights and crew were in place, and the camera started rolling, watching his fluid performance in the lens, Lu Mingxin's heart, which had been in her throat, finally slowly settled down.
One major difference between film and television acting and theater acting is the different feel and grasp of camera positions.
This is also why some actors, who may seem somewhat unremarkable in private, suddenly become radiant once they are in front of the camera.
The last time Gu Qinglan acted with Lu Mingxin, he still had no understanding of camera positions and angles, and even needed the director to personally position him. But in today's scene with Mo Qi, every movement was already up to standard, basically requiring no instruction from the director.
The scene they were acting was Du Yi and Mu Yiqing discussing military affairs in the main tent. Du Yi, who originally had some disdain for a civil official like Mu Yiqing, was impressed after hearing a few of Mu Yiqing's opinions.
As soon as the camera started rolling, it focused on Mo Qi, who was sitting majestically in the commander's seat in the center of the main tent. He pondered for a moment and then said, "The North City has been under siege for a long time without falling. I intend to first redeploy troops to attack Jinmen Pass. I wonder what brilliant strategies you all have."
Gu Qinglan was the military governor sent by the Empress. He also had a grand chair to sit on. In fact, when Mo Qi held military affairs meetings, he didn't expect him to speak at all; he was just prepared to treat him as a figurehead.
However, he stood in the tent with his hands behind his back. After hearing this sentence, he said faintly, "Jinmen Pass is over a hundred li away from North City. If North City cannot be taken, then we turn to attack Jinmen Pass. If Jinmen Pass also cannot be taken, wouldn't we have to redeploy troops to continue attacking North City? The principle of 'strike while the iron is hot, falter on the second attempt, and be exhausted on the third,' does General Du still need this governor to remind you?"
The Great Qi Dynasty was a regime where civil officials governed the empire. Although Du Yi was a great general, Gu Qinglan's position as military governor was of the second rank, actually higher than his.
But many military governors, after arriving at the front lines, couldn't establish authority among the military officials who had licked blood from their blades for years. So they often couldn't command respect and didn't actually hold real power. Most of them just wrote military reports and waited to receive military merits.
Hearing him speak so tactlessly, reprimanding the great general in front of a group of senior generals, the expressions of the generals in the main tent immediately darkened.
Unlike the civil officials in the imperial capital who were skilled in dissimulation from daily political maneuvering, when they were angry, they were angry. Some even showed clear expressions of contempt.
Mo Qi's face also darkened, but he quickly smiled again. "Then, according to Lord Mu, what should our army do?"
Gu Qinglan glanced at him faintly and also curved his lips into a slight smile. "North City has been besieged by our army for a long time. The King of Western Xia fears losing Jinmen Pass, yet dares not dispatch too many troops to rescue it. Its capture is only a matter of time. It's just that the battle has been deadlocked for too long, and the ministers in court, not knowing the details, are worried, thinking the army's expedition is unfavorable and needs supervision. That's why Her Majesty sent this governor here. And General Du, unwilling to give up the North City that is almost within reach, and also unwilling to be impeached by this governor, deliberately said he wanted to redeploy troops to attack Jinmen Pass, am I right?"
After these words, Mo Qi was first stunned, then his eyes lit up, and he laughed out loud. "Not at all, not at all. This general was afraid Lord Mu would blame me for not doing my best and delaying military opportunities."
Gu Qinglan chuckled. "If General Du, in order to placate the imperial will, truly abandoned North City to attack Jinmen Pass, that would be truly delaying military opportunities."
At this moment, Mo Qi's gaze towards Gu Qinglan was already somewhat different. He had heard that Mu Yiqing was known for his talent, but great Confucian scholars were often aloof and pedantic. He hadn't held high hopes for Gu Qinglan and was prepared to treat him like other military governors, just putting on a show and dealing with him perfunctorily.
Yet, he hadn't expected that as soon as he arrived at the front lines, he already had a clear understanding of the current battle situation. Furthermore, he hadn't routinely urged him according to convention but had instead exposed his probing with a single sentence.
Intending to test the depth of this talented scholar of the time, Mo Qi asked again, "Then, in Lord Mu's opinion, what should be done now?"
Gu Qinglan raised the corner of his lips. "Hasn't General Du already made a plan?"
With these words, Mo Qi already knew he had seen through his strategy and laughed heartily twice. "Then Lord Mu is prepared to fully support this general?"
Gu Qinglan said calmly, "Rest assured, since this governor has already arrived in the army, if North City cannot be taken this time, there is no need for General Du's head as collateral; this governor's will suffice."
The easiest way to make these soldiers, who had faced death for many years, admire and appreciate someone was precisely this kind of courage that disregarded life and death. As soon as he said this, the spirits of the generals in the tent were lifted, and their gazes towards him were no longer the disdain and contempt from the beginning.
Mo Qi stood up and dismissed most of the generals, leaving only a few confidants. Only then did he look at Gu Qinglan and say, "To prevent information from leaking, it's better for me to explain to Lord Mu privately. North City is already within our army's grasp. I plan to take it down in one fell swoop after our army's provisions and equipment are replenished in half a month. As for attacking Jinmen Pass, it's merely releasing some news to confuse the enemy."
When speaking to Gu Qinglan, he no longer used "this general" but "I," and even specifically revealed his plans to him, which showed his trust in him.
Gu Qinglan understood his attitude, smiled slightly, and the previous aloofness and coldness in his expression also disappeared. "Since this is the case, I wish to recommend a good general to General Du."
With a cry of "Good scene!", this ensemble scene, with no mistakes from the supporting actors and extras, was actually completed by the two main actors in one take.
It had to be said that Mo Qi's ability to control the scene was indeed strong. With his every frown and smile, everyone else was drawn into that scene of raging war and urgent military intelligence. Even the rhythm of their breathing was affected.
And Gu Qinglan's long lines were, needless to say, extremely fluent. Even his aura and brilliance were not inferior to the powerhouse Mo Qi. The tension between the two of them, a battle of wits and courage, yet with mutual admiration, captured everyone's attention.
After filming ended, the director lowered his head and watched the playback on the monitor, rubbing his chin and saying, "Move camera No. 2 half a meter to the left. Let's do it again."
After he finished speaking, he looked up at Mo Qi and Gu Qinglan. "Ah, it's not that your acting wasn't on point, it's that I arranged the camera position a bit off." As he spoke, he said with great emotion, "It's my fault. I thought Mr. Gu couldn't possibly act it well, so I assigned all the close-ups to his side profile..."
As he spoke, he patted his thigh with great enthusiasm. "Come on, everyone get moving, give me the best effect!"
Just like all good actors get excited when they see a good script, a good director, once they discover a good actor, is also unable to contain their excitement: it often means that another classic work is about to be born in their hands.
Afraid that her presence would affect Gu Qinglan's performance, Lu Mingxin was specially sent away by the director to film another set of shots.
Therefore, it wasn't until she finished work in the evening that she found out Gu Qinglan had performed very well today. Everyone who had seen his performance on site praised him endlessly, saying he definitely didn't seem like a novice.
She was so excited she could barely contain herself, happier than if she had won Best Actress herself. Upon seeing Gu Qinglan, she rushed up and hugged his arm. "Qinglan-gege is indeed amazing!"
Gu Qinglan was much calmer than her. He smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just needed to bring out my usual way of speaking. There were fewer people staring at my face than during a public lecture." He paused in thought, "No, that's not right. I also had to pay attention to the camera positions."
Lu Mingxin remembered that he was originally a teacher who gave lectures to students. Weren't the students' ardent gazes of seeking knowledge even more intense than an audience's?
Moreover, he was a famous scholar in his past life. Scholarly fame was different from official fame; it didn't come from nowhere. He not only frequently participated in things like pure stream poetry gatherings but had also served as an official in court, engaging in debates with Confucian scholars and arguing points in court. What grand scenes had he not witnessed? Just being stared at by twenty or thirty crew members was simply not an issue of stage fright for him.
Lu Mingxin snickered. "This is different from your lectures. You also need expressions and emotions."
Gu Qinglan hummed in agreement. "I have to say, the feeling of satirizing Mr. Mo is still quite good."
Lu Mingxin couldn't hold back her laughter again. Coincidentally, these words were overheard by Mo Qi who was passing by. He said helplessly, "Mr. Gu, is it really okay for you to be like this? I just feel that the way you stood there looking down at me, that gaze was incredibly sharp..."
At this moment, Gu Qinglan turned his face away, as if he had never said those words just now, and smiled at him gently, as humbly as one could be. "Not at all, I was just acting."
Mo Qi suddenly felt that the awards given at film festivals were nothing. Gu Qinglan was the "true Film Emperor." This acting skill was seamlessly integrated into life; its lethality was too great.
✿——✦——✿
1. 曲高和寡 (Literally: “songs of a highbrow type will find very few people joining in the chorus”. ) ⤣
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曲高和寡 Etymology:
From an ancient piece of dialogue disputably attributed to Song Yu:
The Prince of Chu said to his prime minister, “What have you done that should cause the officers and people of this State to abuse you so clamorously?” “Abuse me indeed they do,” replied the minister; “but pardon my boldness, and I will explain. A stranger was singing in one of our villages the other day, and this was the subject of his lay: There is the music of the masses; there is the music of a narrower circle; that of a narrower circle still; and lastly, the classical music of the cultured few. This classical music is too lofty, and too difficult of comprehension, for the masses.”
