63: Excellent script for The Promise

"Hahaha."

The classroom was silent at first, then erupted into laughter.

Cui Xin was also amused by Li Xiuwu's lines.

"Not bad, you adapted well. Go back to your seat." Their performance was decent, with good personal expression and delivery, but they hadn't fully immersed themselves in the roles.

The two of them returned to their seats.

Zhu Yawen, sitting next to him, gave Li Xiuwu a thumbs up.

"You could even think of lines like that."

Li Xiuwu smiled as well; he had blurted it out subconsciously.

"Alright, everyone, let's give Li Xiuwu a round of applause for his quick thinking," Cui Xin said.

"Sometimes, great ideas appear just like that, quite unexpectedly. However, during formal filming, I hope you can listen to the director."

"Let's watch the original clip together." Cui Xin played the original clip and analyzed the performances of the two actors on screen.

Then, he divided the class into groups to perform the scene for each other.

"What did the teacher want with you in the office?" After school, on the way home, Liu Yifei couldn't help but ask him.

"The teacher prepared a movie role for me," Li Xiuwu didn't hide it.

"That's so unfair." Liu Yifei felt even more dissatisfied. Why was she only getting lectured while Li Xiuwu received resources arranged by the teacher?

Li Xiuwu ignored her; he was worrying about how to turn it down.

Over the weekend, Shu Chang returned from Peking University.

"Xixi, I missed you so much." The two hugged each other.

"Chang Chang, why are you living on campus?" Liu Yifei pulled Shu Chang along.

"I need to catch up on my coursework, so I'm living on campus. The environment at Peking University is great, and the dorm conditions are good—even better than when I was at home," Shu Chang said.

The Peking University dorms, while not as comfortable as the Courtyard House, were still better than the living conditions of many families.

"The 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils' press conference is on Monday; are you going?"

"I'm not going." Shu Chang shook her head. The contract she signed at the time didn't have that requirement; the Elder was only a supporting role.

Liu Yifei felt a bit regretful; she had wanted to attend with her friend.

"We're together every day; do we really need to attend events together?"

"Are you not going to act anymore?" Liu Yifei asked Shu Chang with some concern. She felt that her friend seemed to prefer studying hard.

"I am! My manager got me a CCTV show called 'lotus lantern.' I'm going to play a little fox demon."

Li Xiuwu, who was reading a script, looked up. 'lotus lantern' was filmed in 2004, right? Calculating the time, it was indeed time for casting.

He lowered his head and continued reading the script. This was the script Wang Jinsong had asked for.

Surprisingly, the script for 'The Promise' was quite engrossing; the story was very good.

Compared to the movie, the script actually allowed one to understand what the story was about, and it had a clear main thread with a sense of fatalism.

Was this thing the same as the finished product?

He recalled that movie recorded in Chinese film history. Chen Dakai claimed it would take ten years to understand. Before his rebirth, he hadn't been able to understand what kind of mess it was.

But looking at the script now, it was actually quite good, truly having the feel of a grand, epic blockbuster.

Thinking about it, it made sense. If the script were too bad, who would invest 300 million?

In this era, investors were professionals, unlike the amateur investors of later generations.

In his previous life, he heard that during the filming of 'Farewell My Concubine,' an influential figure from Hong Kong personally oversaw the production to ensure Leslie Cheung's storyline wasn't altered.

The script for 'The Promise' was excellent, but this put Li Xiuwu in a difficult position; he couldn't feel happy at all.

With the script being so good, how could he refuse his teacher?

Right now, no one could see the final product. What everyone saw was the world-famous director Chen Dakai, with 300 million in investment, a cast of big stars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, and a very excellent script.

What was this? Top-tier resources in the mainland. Anyone who appeared would have a god-tier start, becoming a legend in one film and entering the history books.

Now, the script for the second male lead was placed before Li Xiuwu. He didn't want to act in it and wanted to refuse.

But if he refused and people in the industry found out, wouldn't they call him a complete idiot?

Li Xiuwu looked full of sorrow.

"Sigh!" He let out a sigh, put away the script, and feeling agitated, went back to his room, brought out the scorched tail zither, and went to the attic above the front courtyard rooms.

The winter wind blew in from the West Sea. His fingers brushed the strings, the sound of the zither drifting ethereally.

Lin Qian, in his room, heard the music. He came out from the front courtyard and stood at the Chuihua Gate. Seeing Li Xiuwu in the attic, he didn't go up to disturb him.

The music was slow and lingering, permeated with sorrow.

Knock, knock.

Just then, the sound of knocking interrupted the music.

Li Xiuwu pressed his hand on the strings and looked down from the attic but saw no one.

Lin Qian walked out from the Chuihua Gate and looked toward Li Xiuwu.

Li Xiuwu nodded to him, and Lin Qian went to open the door.

He opened the door and saw a silver-haired old man. "Hello, sir. Is there something I can help you with?"

Gong Yi looked Lin Qian over and said with a smile, "I was taking a stroll when I suddenly heard the sorrowful music. I wanted to meet the master who was playing, someone who can entrust such feelings to a zither."

Lin Qian looked him over, feeling he had an air of elegance and was likely someone from the music world.

"Please wait a moment, sir."

Lin Qian quickly went to inform Li Xiuwu.

Gong Yi—Li Xiuwu had heard of him. He was an Elder in the world of the Guqin with extraordinary skills. Li Xiuwu came down from the attic.

"Hello, Elder Gong. I am Li Xiuwu. Please, come in." He personally invited Gong Yi inside.

Gong Yi looked Li Xiuwu over. Seeing his excellent appearance, he took him for a younger member of the host's family.

Li Xiuwu led him to the living room in the front courtyard, but Gong Yi saw no one else and frowned.

The old man, over seventy and not one to overstep bounds, asked directly, "Which master was playing the zither just now? May I meet them?"

Li Xiuwu looked up at the old man. "Elder Gong, I wouldn't dare call myself a master. If you're looking for the person who was just playing, that was me."

Lin Qian came over with teacups and gave one to both Li Xiuwu and Gong Yi.

"You?" Gong Yi doubted his ears, his brow furrowing. The music just now was filled with emotion; it was definitely a master-level performance.

How old was this youth before him? Was he even twenty?

Master-level performers were all in their dozens; to infuse music with such emotion also required some understanding of life.

"Young man, don't joke." He was about to leave in a huff, but the music just now was too beautiful; he wanted to see that person.

Li Xiuwu felt a bit helpless. Being young indeed meant not being trusted, and explaining likely wouldn't help.

He stood up directly. "Sir, please follow me."

The two of them, one after the other, went to the attic.

Gong Yi was just about to praise the surroundings when he was drawn to the Guqin on the table. He walked over quickly, leaned down to observe the instrument, his expression turning from shock and disbelief to careful scrutiny.

Seeing the scorched marks at the tail of the zither, he felt an unspeakable tremor in his heart.

"The scorched tail zither!" he blurted out, then immediately shook his head.

"Impossible, impossible. It's impossible for the scorched tail zither to have survived, and in such a complete state."

After saying that, he dismissed the crazy thought himself.

If this really were the historical scorched tail zither, how could it be left here so casually? Not to mention playing it—even touching it would be a crime.

Li Xiuwu nodded. "This is a replica of the legendary zither I had someone make."

Hearing Li Xiuwu's words, Gong Yi let out a breath. Only that would be reasonable.

"Even if it's a replica, this is a treasure of the world. I wonder if I might try its sound?" Gong Yi looked up at Li Xiuwu.