348: Chapter 348 The Ordinary Road

Li Xiaohai and Zhang Chi are both racing, that's true, but Director Chu Dong captured two completely different feelings.

If the former was sharp and exposed, an unparalleled genius, the spirited vigor of youth, the rising morning sun.

Then the latter was old, weak, sick, and disabled; it was the end of the road for a hero, the all-out effort of a middle-aged man, the final glory.

But it is precisely for this reason that Zhang Chi's part appears even more moving.

After all, most of the audience are likely not geniuses like Li Xiaohai, but ordinary people like Zhang Chi who need to struggle and fight just to see a chance.

In Zhang Chi's part, Director Chu Dong used three different angles to film.

First, it was the battle against people. The Lithography Era racing team, seeing that Zhang Chi might win the championship, started playing dirty—they found a car to intentionally drive in front of Zhang Chi, and the dust kicked up completely blocked Zhang Chi's view.

Then, the battle against the elements. After finally shaking off the Lithography Era car, the heavens started turning up the intensity—snowstorms and hail relentlessly battered the race car that Zhang Chi had worked so hard to build.

So Zhang Chi deliberately smashed the intercooler and radiator, causing the car to overheat, which canceled out the heat loss caused by the harsh weather.

Finally, the battle against himself. Electrical system failure? Unstable voltage? Engine failure? Left foot not working so he can't hit the brakes? Right hand shaking so he can't pull the handbrake? It doesn't matter, he is Zhang Chi. He has walked this road too many times before.

He charged out of the snowstorm and saw his self from five years ago. He moved along the route he had taken five years ago and finally surpassed his past self—even if only by one second.

One second is enough.

Countless audience members were deeply moved. The moment Zhang Chi's car crossed the finish line, many even wanted to stand up and applaud for Zhang Chi!

As an ordinary person, being able to surpass yourself is already awesome enough.

Finally, the movie ended, and the ending song "the ordinary road" began to play.

This was the song Director Chu Dong had decided on early on, even before the movie script was fully formed; the one he immediately identified the moment he heard the song and saw the lyrics, now finally ringing throughout theaters across the country.

"Wandering, on the road, are you going to leave, via via."

"Fragile, proud, that was once how I looked."

"Boiling, restless, where are you going, via via."

"Mysterious, silent, are you really listening to the story."

"I once crossed mountains and seas, and passed through crowds of people. Everything I once possessed, in the blink of an eye, drifted away like smoke."

"I was once lost and disappointed, having lost all direction. Until I saw that being ordinary is the only answer."

"I once destroyed everything I had, just wanting to leave forever. I once fell into boundless darkness, wanting to struggle but unable to extricate myself."

"I was once like you, like him, like those weeds and wildflowers, despairing, yet longing, crying and laughing, being ordinary."

"I once crossed mountains and seas, and passed through crowds of people. I once asked the whole world, but never got an answer."

"I am just like you, like him, like those weeds and wildflowers, in the darkness, this is the only road I must walk."

"Time is silent, just like this. Tomorrow is already here, Hia Hia."

"The wind has blown, the road is still long. Where has your story reached?"

This song was truly too perfect for Zhang Chi's life.

He was once a champion, enjoying countless honors.

He fell to the bottom of the valley and was ruthlessly trampled underfoot.

He struggled continuously and chose to fight with all his might.

He stood up again and won the final race.

"the ordinary road" is not ordinary, and "pegasus" is currently soaring!

The first screening ended, and the online reviews soon came out.

Brother Mosquito came out of the cinema, never expecting that "the ordinary road" would touch him even more than "drifting".

He certainly remembered this song; it was one from Lin Chuyan's blue album.

Although he liked it when he listened to it before, he didn't think too much of it. Now, combined with the movie, he actually had many more realizations.

Especially the few lines of lyrics, which Lin Chuyan almost recited:

"Keep moving forward, just walk like this, even if you have been given something."

"Keep moving forward, just walk like this, even if something has been taken from you."

"Keep moving forward, just walk like this, even if you might miss something."

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, to be honest, as an adult, he was no longer excited about the Spring Festival.

After a brief celebration, what followed was anxiety, restlessness, and the helplessness of feeling that he had spent the whole year accomplishing nothing while growing a year older.

But, just a moment ago, a realization suddenly dawned on Brother Mosquito: perhaps, we are all walking on the ordinary road, and the difference lies in whether we keep moving forward?

Perhaps he still hadn't figured out what to do in the future, but at least at this moment, he didn't seem so lost about the future.

Thanks to "pegasus 2", thanks to "the ordinary road".

Thanks to Director Chu Dong, thanks to Lin Chuyan.

And other viewers who finished watching the movie were already heaping praise on it online.

"Brothers, 'pegasus 2' is worth a watch. It's very good! Director Chu Dong, hurry up and release 'pegasus 3'!"

"How else can they film 'pegasus 3'? If Zhang Chi does it again, it'll be a bit much..."

"Are you stupid? Dong Peng's story has concluded, can't they continue by telling Lin Chuyan's story?"

"Holy crap, that actually makes a lot of sense."

"Guys, Lin Chuyan is so cool when driving, especially when the BGM 'drifting' plays. Damn, is this Ruan Xingyu's daily life?"

"Yes, he has taken his sister-in-law onto the racetrack! She said it herself! At the premiere of 'a moment of romance'!"

"I can testify, my brother is truly handsome, and his driving is truly fast. Too fast, he drives even faster than Yanzi's taxi."

"And this movie has a lot of funny moments; during the New Year, I just love watching some comedies!"

Lin Chuyan was eating at his girlfriend's parents' house.

Although the first wave of reviews for the movie had come out, he hadn't looked at them; generally speaking, Xia Zhi would take the initiative to send them to him.

But this time, Director Chu Dong was faster.

"Xiao Yan, your Erlang Shen, hahahahaha, what a great assist."

Lin Chuyan put down his chopsticks and replied casually: "I was wondering, Director Chu has time to message me... so how is 'Creation of the Gods' doing?"

"I've been keeping an eye on it. Currently, there are many people criticizing them and many praising them. Some say their special effects are bad, some say the story is adapted too wildly, some say the King Zhou has an American accent, hahahahaha... But these criticisms aren't many; the one being scolded the harshest is actually the character Erlang Shen."

"It feels a bit like an undeserved disaster..."

"They are also scolding Director Yu Jin; he can't escape it."

"It seems... there is great hope?"

Director Chu Dong certainly knew what Lin Chuyan was referring to: "I'll take your good words."

Lin Chuyan didn't reply anymore.

He felt like he had some good luck on him... the movies he participated in all had good luck. It seems he could ask for more for future movies, or perhaps stick to revenue sharing? No rush, he'd discuss it with Brother Yue.

He wouldn't feel guilty taking this money.

If anyone is going to earn it, he might as well take it and do some charity, right?

Just as he was thinking about this, Xia Zhi indeed sent him a message.

"Brother, come and appreciate how netizens are scolding 'Creation of the Gods'."

What Xia Zhi sent were all screenshots, and they were all messages related to him.

"At first, I thought it was 'pegasus 2' versus 'Creation of the Gods', but now I realize it's actually Lin Chuyan versus 'Creation of the Gods', and it's 2-on-1... Lin Chuyan, holding 'pegasus 2', is teaming up with 'black myth: wukong' to beat up 'Creation of the Gods'."

"No, why is the gap so big? This version of Erlang Shen looks like a total idiot."

"So, can anyone tell me, was Director Yu Jin's brain kicked by a donkey back then? That's why he didn't choose Lin Chuyan."

"Whether it was kicked or not, I don't know, but 'Creation of the Gods' can be quickly carried away; the casting is a huge failure. It's not just Erlang Shen; I also didn't understand Primeval Lord of Heaven and Jiang Ziya. However, Old Man Li Mujian's Ji Chang was still pretty good."

"Exactly, there is no harm without comparison. If it weren't for 'black myth: wukong', I would have had to hold my nose and accept this Erlang Shen."

"This event can be listed as one of the top ten unsolved mysteries of the Chinese Entertainment Industry: Why on earth did Director Yu Jin not use Lin Chuyan?"

No one knew the answer to this question, after all, the parties involved hadn't come out to say anything. However, not long after, a rumor quickly spread.

"Why not use Lin Chuyan? Nonsense! Of course, it's because the role was internally decided..."

No one knew who said it first, but regarding the "internally decided" rumor, the screenshots that leaked had different IDs for every post.

To be fair, this really counts as bad luck for Director Yu Jin. In fact, if it was internally decided, it was decided, but the problem is that the situation today is very different from when Lin Chuyan went to audition back then...

First, Lin Chuyan's popularity is too high now; second, he played Erlang Shen once in 'black myth: wukong', and his portrayal was affirmed by almost everyone.

With both factors combined, plus the "internally decided" rumor, this is really going to be the death of 'Creation of the Gods'...