Chapter 00033: Audition
# Audition
Chapter 33
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 33: Audition
The work on "Romance on Lushan Mountain" and the tea stall was progressing smoothly.
Chen Qi shuttled between the Beijing Film Studio, Qianmen, and Menkuang Hutong.
Though he appeared lazy, he actually enjoyed the fulfilling feeling of working hard for his career.
By June, summer had finally arrived.
The temperature seemed to rise overnight, making long sleeves unbearable.
Grey and white short-sleeved shirts filled the city.
The women dressed similarly, with some shirts adorned with small floral prints.
If they carried a parasol and wore heeled sandals, they were considered the most fashionable girls of the time.
In those days, one's clothing was closely tied to their character.
Simple and modest attire was seen as a sign of a good girl.
Those who dressed too flamboyantly had no chance of being awarded titles like "Three-Good Student" or "Outstanding Employee."
At the Qianmen Arrow Tower, the atmosphere was starkly different on either side.
The west side was gloomy, while the east side was filled with joy.
Huang Zhanying had bought 50 large bowls, several water storage jars, a few pots, and several large tables, which, when laid out, stretched for dozens of meters.
She openly displayed her sandals, stocked up on popsicles and raincoats, and even bought mung beans to make mung bean soup.
The popsicles were stored in boxes painted white to look clean, with thick cotton quilts inside to keep them cold.
The fruit popsicles cost three cents and came in flavors like bayberry, orange, and plum.
The five-cent popsicles were red bean, cream, and hawthorn-flavored.
The most expensive were the double-stick ice creams, costing fifteen cents each.
These cream popsicles were the real deal, made with 200 kilograms of fresh milk for every ten thousand popsicles.
In the future, you'd have to check the ingredient list to see if it was fresh milk, vegetable cream, or cocoa butter substitute...
"Tomorrow, I won't be coming anymore!"
"Are you heading back to the cultural front???"
"Yes, mainly because things here are settled. Just do as I said, and hopefully, when I come back, I'll see our own shop."
Chen Qi slurped on a red bean popsicle, showing no sadness.
Huang Zhanying, however, felt a bit melancholic, sensing the growing distance between them, a far cry from their revolutionary camaraderie of the past.
Perhaps years later, he would call her "Runtu," and she would only be able to call him "Master"...
But this also gave Huang Zhanying the determination to strive harder.
She was already working through the book "English 900 Sentences."
"Alright, I'm off!"
After finishing his red bean popsicle, Chen Qi rummaged through the box and pulled out a double-stick ice cream.
"Hey, that's expensive! Take a cheaper one!"
"You're paying for it!"
"See you!"
Chen Qi waved and rode off on his bike.
His friends were used to this, making comments like "Teacher Chen is off again," "The actress is corrupting him," and "He'll eventually turn to the bourgeoisie," which made everyone feel a bit sad.
They knew that Teacher Chen was from a different world.
…………
At the Beijing Film Studio, in a small meeting room, the production team for "Romance on Lushan Mountain" had been assembled.
Director Wang Haowei and her husband, cinematographer Li Chensheng, were leading the project, reminiscent of the famous director-cinematographer couple from "Journey to the West."
The production manager, assistant director, art director, and lighting crew were all set.
Chen Qi sat in a corner, not drawing much attention.
Wang Haowei had invited him to show respect, but he knew to keep a low profile.
Wang Haowei sat at the head of the table, holding a stack of documents.
"First, let me announce something. Director Wang has approved a budget of 700,000 yuan for 'Romance on Lushan Mountain'!"
"700,000! You all know what this means—this film is being treated as a major project by the studio."
The room buzzed with excitement.
Chen Qi remained silent, thinking to himself, 700,000 yuan? That's not even enough to cover the losses from my short films...
"The reason for such a large budget is twofold. First, we'll be shooting on location at Lushan Mountain. Second, the female lead is an overseas Chinese from America, and we want to emphasize her Western flair by dressing her in some beautiful clothes."
"Where will we get the clothes? Shanghai? Guangzhou?"
"Those places aren't Western enough. I'm thinking of buying them from Hong Kong, with the help of comrades Fu Qi and Shi Hui."
"..."
Chen Qi blinked and whispered, "Who are they?"
"Comrades from the Great Wall Movie Company in Hong Kong!"
The person next to him paused, then added, "They're top-tier figures!"
His expression was full of admiration, and the others also showed respect when mentioning these two names.
"Once we finalize our female lead, we'll contact them... Alright, everyone has a copy of the document in front of you. It lists some potential actors we've found recently, from theater troupes, the Beijing Film Academy, and the Central Academy of Drama..."
Chen Qi glanced at the list and saw familiar names.
Central Academy of Drama, Class of 1976: Xu Yajun.
Beijing Film Academy, Class of 1978: Zhou Lijing, Wang Yue, Zhang Tielin, Fang Shu, Shen Danping, Liu Dong.
China Children's Art Theater: Chen Baoguo.
Shanghai International Studies University: Chen Chong.
August First Film Studio: Tang Guoqiang.
"..."
Looking at the list, Chen Qi first crossed out Chen Chong.
Then he crossed out Chen Baoguo, whose sharp facial features and cold demeanor didn't fit the role.
After some consideration, he also crossed out Wang Yue, who played the first version of Tang Sanzang in "Journey to the West."
With his dark skin, thick eyebrows, and honest appearance, he wasn't suitable either.
This was Chen Qi's personal opinion, unknown to others.
The rest of the group also reviewed the list, and someone raised a question: "Director, aren't there too few female candidates? They're all male actors."
"We've tried our best, but there aren't many who meet the basic criteria. I've asked my friends to help look for more candidates. We'll see in a while."
Wang Haowei tapped the table and said, "Starting tomorrow, they'll come to the studio for auditions. We're not afraid of the trouble; we're afraid of making the wrong choice. If you think multiple people are suitable, that's fine too. We can train several groups and see which one performs best."
"Let's adjourn for now. We'll see the real deal tomorrow!"
…………
The Beijing Film Academy and the Beijing Film Studio were located close to each other.
In 1978, after the resumption of admissions, a group of young and vibrant students were admitted to the acting class.
They went on to contribute a series of excellent works in the 80s and 90s, before aging and retiring.
However, the achievements of the acting class were rarely mentioned, as the directing and cinematography classes of 1978 were even more illustrious, forming a cultural term known as the "Fifth Generation."
After breakfast, the acting class students stayed in the cafeteria, knowing that some of them would be auditioning today, but unsure of who was on the list.
Zhang Fengyi, Xie Yuan, and Zhang Tielin, who were close friends, sat together whispering: "Do you know what kind of film it is?"
"Seems like a romance."
"Oh no, then we're doomed!"
Xie Yuan looked dejected.
"Zhang Fengyi and I don't look like we belong in a romance film. We'd be better suited for a murder mystery."
"Ha, I'm different. I think I can make it!"
Zhang Tielin, who would later become known as the "Emperor," was quite proud.
He hadn't yet developed his later stern demeanor and was quite handsome in his youth.
He suddenly whispered, "Who do you think the girls are?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Xie Yuan was incredulous.
"I don't know about the others, but Fang Shu is definitely one of them!"
"Right, Fang Shu is definitely in!"
"Zhou Lijing is surely in too!"
They glanced at a girl and a boy sitting alone at the front.
These two seemed a bit aloof but had a unique presence, standing out like cranes among chickens.
The girl was Fang Shu, and the boy was Zhou Lijing.
(End of Chapter)