Global Film Emperor

Chapter 482 is a treasure, and also a devil.
“My dearest Romeo, I’ll say three more words before we truly part ways. If your love is indeed aboveboard and your aim is… marriage, then tomorrow I will send someone to your place. Please have him deliver a letter to me, telling me where and when you wish to hold your wedding. Then I will entrust my entire destiny to you, take you as my master, and follow you to the ends of the earth.”

"Miss?"

“Come on… Romeo, but if you’re not sincere, then I beg you…”

"Miss!"

"Wait, I'm here... Stop your courtship and let me grieve alone."

On stage, a woman in a gorgeous gown gripped the armrests tightly, leaning half her body out. Her tone was slightly hurried, yet increasingly sincere, and a soft light flickered in her eyes as she gazed at the tall man below. The maids behind her urged her on, making her even more anxious. Finally, she released the armrests, crossed her arms and clenched her fists in front of her chest, glanced at the man a few more times with lingering affection, and then turned and hurried away.

"A person in love goes to meet his lover like a child returning from school, but when he parts from his lover, he is filled with regret, as if he were going to school..."

The tall man leaped lightly up several steps, his voice brimming with emotion, as if he wanted to express his feelings in a tangible way. In the dimly lit audience, a middle-aged man sitting in the front row rubbed the stubble on his chin and nodded in satisfaction.

A stage play must be accompanied by a cup of coffee. The sweet aftertaste that follows the bitterness is a perfect match for the drama. Unfortunately, when he picked up the paper cup, he found that it was already empty. He was a little annoyed and wanted to crush the paper cup, but he was worried that it would disturb the actors on stage.

He could only press his fingers against the side of his forehead in frustration, cross his legs, and sit down at an angle. After all, he was getting old, and his skin was a bit loose. With just a light touch, he could easily make out a few wrinkles.

"Romeo!"

My love!

"When should I send someone to see you tomorrow?"

"It'll be around nine o'clock."

“I will definitely not break my promise. By then, it will probably be a long time, about twenty years… I can’t remember why I called you back.”

"Then I'll stand here and wait until you remember before telling me."

The emotional expression in a stage play is more intense and direct. The man watched, suppressing the urge to applaud, and could only clench his fists to express his excitement. This boy was only a sophomore and this girl was only a freshman, yet they were able to perform this classic play to such an extent. Their talent was undoubtedly top-notch. These were his students, enough to make him, their mentor, proud.

Just after noon, he glanced at his watch, stood up, clapped his hands, and announced to the two that the morning rehearsal was over.

"Joey, Linda, take a break. You two did a fantastic job, perfect! No flaws whatsoever. Go change your clothes. How about some fried fish today?"

"Okay, Professor."

Soon, a man and a woman dressed in casual clothes emerged from behind the scenes. Their fashionable attire created a disorienting sense of time travel, a feeling that made the professor even more gratified.

He didn't point out their shortcomings, after all, they were both young and it was already quite remarkable that they had done so well. It would be a bit excessive to nitpick. However, above all, it was still necessary to encourage them and give them some inspiration and suggestions.

The three chatted as they left the rehearsal hall and headed to a nearby restaurant. They ordered some simple dishes, and before they knew it, Linda had brought up another topic.

"Professor, have you heard of Lu Ze?"

"Of course, he's an exceptionally talented actor. Among Asian actors, he's the only one from this generation who has left a lasting impression on me. What's wrong with that?"

“He published a book, and I even bought a copy.”

The professor wasn't surprised. He calmly took a bite of the fried fish. It wasn't unusual for an actor of Lu Ze's caliber to publish a book; it was a very common thing. The professor even decided that he would go to the bookstore to buy a copy later.

"Is it an autobiography or...?" "It's about acting techniques. I originally planned to read it all in one go, but after reading a dozen pages... I'm a little hesitant to continue. I want the professor to help me decide whether I should read this book or not."

Linda's words piqued their interest. Writing instructional books at just over thirty was indeed a bit early, but Lu Ze's talent and status were undeniable. If you could win two Best Actor awards at international film festivals at the age of eight, publishing a book at eight years old wouldn't be a problem.

But what does it mean to be afraid to look?
Before the professor could speak, Joey asked with interest, "What do you mean? The ghost stories he wrote?"

"No, I already said it's an educational book on performance techniques, but... his performance style seems a bit different from ours."

Linda's explanation was still somewhat vague, leaving the two of them confused. Although the performance styles were slightly different, they all led to the same goal. In fact, the three major performance styles were not completely separated. In real life, few people would identify themselves as actors of a certain school. Even if the performance styles were different, they could learn from each other and supplement their own knowledge. I have never heard of any performance books that people were afraid to read after reading a dozen pages.

"Joey, did you understand?"

"No, Professor."

"Oh dear... I can't really explain it either. I've only read a dozen pages and haven't made any conclusions. You'll understand once you read it."

"Then let's not talk about it anymore. Let's eat. After we finish eating, let's go back and rest. I'll go buy a book to read later. Linda, I'll answer your question after I finish reading it."

The question was skipped, but the professor kept it in mind. After the meal, everyone went their separate ways. The professor drove to his usual bookstore. There was no long queue at the door. As usual, a few scattered people were reading books that interested them in the corners, and they didn't even notice that new customers had entered the store.

"Hello, Professor."

"Hello Raul, I'm looking for a new book on acting, written by Lu Ze."

“I understand. I only ordered ten copies in total, and they’ve sold quite well. I’ve already sold nine today. I guessed you would come to buy one, so I specially saved one for you. It’s fifty-nine yuan.”

"Thank you."

The bookstore owner and he had known each other for over a decade. Knowing his reading habits, the owner had indeed left him a copy. After paying and taking the book, the two said goodbye. The professor returned to his car, opened the cover, and was greatly impressed by the knitted fabric cover, which was much better than any fancy patterns.

"Acting, My Life? What an unoriginal title."

He was even more pleased that there was no book jacket. He particularly disliked anything that would affect the reading experience, and if there was one, he would throw it away immediately, even if it was his favorite book.

He didn't read it immediately, since he was in the car right now. He carefully placed the book in the safest spot and set off back to school. But he didn't even realize that he was driving faster than usual today.

He greeted his colleagues at the same school and learned that he had no classes that afternoon, so he could read the book to his heart's content. This made him even happier. He took his coffee to his office, placed the book in the center of his desk, exhaled as if on a pilgrimage, wiped his hands clean, and opened the first page.

Book recommendations.

The recommender surprised him somewhat. Kamiya Kidman Schugula, a German film queen, is a superstar actress who is obsessed with painting but has been a judge at the Berlin Film Festival for many years. It seems that this is the first time he has seen her name in a book recommendation. However, considering that she has worked with Lu Ze on "Rebirth", the professor was not surprised.

"I was suddenly told that my friend Lu Ze's book was ready to be published, so I immediately asked for a copy to read before it was released. After reading it three times, I dared to write a recommendation for him. As a friend, or rather a student, I did learn a lot from Lu Ze on the set of 'Rebirth'. While I was deeply impressed by Lu Ze's outstanding abilities, I was also shocked by his abilities. The emotions and acting style he displayed belonged to the immersive performance style of the film method, but the speed and stability of his emotional withdrawal were unprecedented in my life, which made me doubt whether he was even human for a long time."

"With the release of this book, his abilities have gradually been revealed to me through several readings, which has shocked me even more. This has led to a mixture of understanding and incomprehension, which still lingers in my heart. I believe that readers will have the same thoughts as me when reading this book. This will be a book that shakes the industry's standards and rules, but it will also become a cult classic for performers, just like my good friend Lu Ze, who is a gem in the performing arts industry, but will also become a great devil in the hearts of all actors."

"..."

(End of this chapter)