Chapter 00048: Limitations
# Limitations
Chapter 48
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 48: Limitations
He Chengwei soon came by again.
He brought the latest issue of Story Collection and a large bundle of letters, and in return, he took away the second half of The Cotton Cassock.
The crew members were surprisingly calm about it, as they had long known he was a master storyteller, and they took pride in it.
Thus, Chen Qi found a new source of joy in the otherwise monotonous life on set: opening letters.
Most of the letters were similar and didn’t contain much substance, so he rarely bothered to reply.
However, he did respond to one from the Chengdu Jinniu District Cultural Center.
The letter was quite interesting, suggesting that he write a novel set in Sichuan.
Sichuan, the land of abundance, has always been rich in culture and legends.
From the legendary Shushan Swordsman by Huanzhu Louzhu to the famous Emei and Qingcheng sects in Jin Yong’s works, the region has a deep well of inspiration.
There’s even a legendary sect anchored in Sichuan: the Tang Clan of Shu! Whether in martial arts novels, fantasy stories, or even games, whenever this sect appears, everyone knows it’s all about hidden weapons.
Even the renowned monk Haideng, known as the "Grandmaster," hailed from Sichuan.
Overall, setting a story in Sichuan wasn’t a bad idea.
However, having just finished The Cotton Cassock, Chen Qi didn’t want to push himself like a laborer.
He’d wait until inspiration struck again.
………………
"Who are you?"
"I’m Geng Hua’s sister. You must be Zhou Yun, right?"
"Yes, Geng Hua mentioned you. Nice to meet you, sister!"
"Hmph! Don’t call me sister. I can’t bear that title…"
Outside a villa, Gong Xue and Zhang Jinling were rehearsing a scene.
The female lead was an overseas Chinese from America, while the male lead came from a privileged background—his father was a high-ranking official, and his mother was ill, which was why they came to Lushan for recuperation.
The lows of ordinary people and the lows of high-ranking officials were two entirely different things.
You might think they’ve fallen from grace, but in reality, they’re still living in villas.
So, the essence of Romance on Lushan Mountain could be better described as The Love Story of the Young Master and the Heiress.
Zhang Jinling’s face darkened as she spoke sharply, "Geng Hua isn’t here! Two people just came to take him away for questioning. You two are always sneaking around, meeting in secluded places, with secret codes and rendezvous points. Do you even realize what that means?"
"Please, don’t come looking for him anymore!"
"Geng Hua is still young and has a bright future ahead. You can’t be so selfish—think about him for once!"
Zhang Jinling’s character was akin to Huang Rong from The Legend of the Condor Heroes, the one who always tried to break up the couple.
Her imposing figure and aggressive demeanor made Gong Xue look like a helpless lamb, trembling with fear.
"Cut!"
Wang Haowei clapped her hands and smiled, "You two are getting more and more in sync, really capturing the essence of your characters. At this rate, we’ll be able to wrap up and return to Beijing after National Day!"
"Let’s take a break now. Time to eat!"
Today’s meal wasn’t just radishes and cabbage—it was cabbage and potatoes.
Chen Qi lined up with his lunchbox, sat on a rock, and didn’t tell any stories.
National Day was approaching, and the crew was taking two days off, even planning a small celebration.
Back then, the national holidays only totaled seven days: one for New Year’s, three for Spring Festival, one for Labor Day, and two for National Day.
It wasn’t until 1999 that the concept of "Golden Week" was introduced, combining holidays with adjusted workdays to create a seven-day break.
And don’t think those holidays were for resting—no, they were for boosting consumption!
Chen Qi was genuinely surprised that the crew was taking two days off.
In later years, who ever heard of film crews getting national holidays? Some crews even worked through Spring Festival to meet deadlines.
"This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of our nation, so it’s a significant occasion. Everyone’s organizing events, and we on Lushan Mountain can’t fall behind. We’ve got a week left, so let’s take some time to prepare a small performance. The conditions are simple, but it’s the thought that counts."
After Wang Haowei finished speaking, Tang Guoqiang paused and suddenly added, "I also have an announcement to make."
"After National Day, I’ll be getting married. The date was set a long time ago. I’m letting everyone know now, but since the crew is so large and my venue can’t accommodate everyone, I won’t be inviting you all. But don’t worry—there’ll be wedding candies for everyone!"
"Congratulations!"
"Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and many children!"
The atmosphere suddenly became lively, with everyone offering their well-wishes.
Chen Qi chimed in, "If we can’t go, at least show us a photo, right?"
"Yes, photos!"
"Ah, this is so embarrassing!"
Tang Guoqiang’s face turned red as he rummaged through his bag and pulled out a notebook.
Inside was a photo of his fiancée—a woman with delicate features, fair skin, and a pleasant appearance.
She was a doctor at the August First Film Studio and came from a well-connected family.
His marriage had been the subject of much gossip, with people calling him a modern-day "Chen Shimei" and accusing him of driving his wife to despair.
But the truth was far from the rumors.
After all, an actor who could portray national leaders, especially figures like Chairman Mao, had to undergo rigorous political vetting…
After lunch, filming resumed.
Wang Haowei called Gong Xue over and said, "After hearing Geng Ying’s words, you decide to leave on your own. In this scene, you need to run, crying and heartbroken. You’ll run down this path, tears streaming, in utter despair. Understand?"
"I understand!"
Gong Xue nodded.
"Good, let’s do a test run!"
For this scene, she swapped her high heels for flat leather shoes, wearing a purple fitted dress and thick stockings thicker than long johns.
"Ready!"
"3, 2, 1, action!"
As soon as the countdown ended, Gong Xue began running, her face contorted in pain.
Wang Haowei was pleased, but Chen Qi couldn’t bear to watch.
Actors of that era tended to be overly theatrical, with exaggerated gestures and a lack of naturalism.
But it wasn’t entirely their fault—the film industry at the time was limited, with few opportunities for more grounded, lifelike performances.
It wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s, when films began focusing on ordinary people, that acting styles started to change.
Wang Haowei was a good director, but even she couldn’t escape the limitations of the era.
Her filming techniques were often exaggerated, like this scene.
Chen Qi could already imagine how it would turn out: intense music playing as a woman ran through the forest, followed by sudden close-ups and wide shots, almost like a parody…
"Cut!"
"That’s the feeling I want. If you can keep it up, we’ll shoot it for real!"
"I can do it, Director!"
Gong Xue’s confidence was growing.
So they filmed the scene again, and she ran like mad once more.
"Xiao Gong, you’ve got real talent!"
"We made the right choice casting you!"
When she finished, she was showered with praise.
She responded with a modest smile, though inwardly, she couldn’t help feeling a little proud.
"Not bad, not bad!"
Chen Qi clapped and gave her a thumbs-up, smiling, "You ran beautifully. Keep it up!"
"Thank you!"
Gong Xue smiled back, but as she turned away, she bit her lip lightly.
Why did his praise feel so insincere? Even though he was complimenting her, it felt oddly dismissive, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
He had taught her how to act, so his attitude mattered to her.
(That’s it…
By the way, iron-skinned persimmons are quite tasty.
Highly recommend them.)
(End of Chapter)