Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 71 Unconventional Marginal Figures

[PS: A fellow reader pointed out that I had mixed up Guan Hu's graduating school, but the preceding plot follows the Central Academy of Drama, so there's no way to change it. Fortunately, the impact is limited, so please bear with me.]

That night.

While Zhang Yan was half asleep, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He groped around with his eyes closed and found that Chen Hong was no longer there.

He climbed out of the double bed made up of two single beds and saw a desk lamp on. Chen Hong was wearing his coat and looking through the script of "Hair Messed Up".

Chen Hong placed her heels on the edge of the chair, her feet unconsciously sticking up high, each toe gleaming under the light.

Two snow-white thighs were curled up on the chair, part of them hidden suggestively in the coat, while the other part, in the contrast of light and dark tones, highlighted their perfect contours.

It seems that it's not only fair-skinned people from Europe and America who can pull off such strong color contrasts.

Zhang Yan suddenly wanted to buy a camera; if he could capture this scene, he could definitely treasure it for a lifetime.

At this moment, Chen Hong noticed his gaze, put down the script in her hand, turned her head apologetically and asked, "Did I wake you up?"

Zhang Yan sat up straight, yawning, and said, "Didn't I say that the script is only so-so, and Guan Hu is a novice? Anyway, I don't think he can produce anything good."

"But it is primarily told from a female perspective."

Chen Hong picked up the script again and said, "In the movies I've made before, the female lead's role was less than the supporting role's—and don't you think this female lead is special?"

"special?"

Zhang Yan got up and turned on the main light, then beckoned Chen Hong back to bed. He first pulled her into his arms, then wrapped her tightly in the blanket, leaving only their heads sticking out, before asking, "What's so special about it?"

"It's, it's..."

Chen Hong hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing her words before saying, "It's just that in the past, there were very few female leads like this in our domestic films. They were either positive characters or villains, but this one, this one..."

Seeing that she hesitated again, Zhang Yan summarized for her: "A non-mainstream, marginalized figure?"

Chen Hong pondered the word several times, then changed her posture from sitting to that of a koala, hugged Zhang Yan tightly, gave him a sweet kiss, and praised, "Darling, this word is really vivid. How did you come up with it?"

"Dream about it."

Zhang Yan spoke the truth, but Chen Hong didn't believe him at all. She rested her forehead on Zhang Yan's chin and whispered, "This kind of unprecedented film usually attracts more attention and reaction, and maybe it has a chance to win an award."

"Uh~"

Zhang Yan frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't think there's much of a chance. Domestic awards are quite averse to this kind of thing now, and as for foreign awards... he's not marginal or non-mainstream enough. If that escaped convict were the lead actor, maybe there would be some chance."

This section describes a script adapted to Western tastes, which received positive feedback in the reviews. Everyone thought the adaptation was quite good, but Guan Hu definitely wouldn't dare to film it.

However, QD felt it couldn't be written, not even for satire, so it had to be deleted. Please interpret that as your own understanding.

Zhang Yan hummed the last few lines, and although his strange tone wasn't pleasant to listen to, it did have a rock and roll vibe—after all, he had been influenced by Dou Wei for over a year.

Chen Hong's eyes lit up when she heard this. She hugged Zhang Yan and kissed him a few times, exclaiming excitedly, "Darling, you're so talented!"

Although it was only a few words, Zhang Yan's revised plot undoubtedly seemed more dramatic and conflict-driven, and better suited the requirements of being 'dark, intense, and brutal'. She put her arms around Zhang Yan's neck and suggested, "Why don't you just write this script out..."

"forget it."

Zhang Yan, however, was uninterested: "I can't do something as disloyal as smearing my own country and sucking up to foreigners. Besides, with my abilities, I can forge a smooth road on the right path. Why would I want to fight for food in the gutter?"

Seeing his resolute attitude, Chen Hong didn't dare to persuade him any further, but she felt very regretful—after all, who wouldn't want to gain recognition from foreigners these days, to have their fame spread abroad but be appreciated at home?

…………

at the same time.

Guan Hu also didn't sleep all night. After Zhang Yan pointed out the flaws, he also felt that there were some problems with the script.

But when I wanted to make the changes, I felt that every word was my own flesh and blood. The pen tip hovered in mid-air, like a butcher's knife, and I hesitated to bring it down.

Finally, he threw the pen on the table and slumped onto the bed in despair.

It seems that if we want to make changes to this script, we still need to ask Teacher Zhang for help. Of course, he knows other screenwriters, but those people have no contact with the rock and roll circle and certainly don't understand our thoughts as well as Teacher Zhang.

The problem is, given that I helped Teacher Zhang a little before, it's one thing to shamelessly let him nitpick my work, but to expect him to revise the script for free is a bit much.

As for paying...

They're a bestselling author; giving them too little would be inappropriate, but what about giving them too much?
The movie is supposed to be all about cameos, and everyone was supposed to be helping out for free. But what if someone suddenly shows up and charges a fee, even at market price...?

What will people think then?
Guan Hu racked his brains for half the night and finally managed to come up with an idea.

So the next morning, he quickly washed up and went back to the apartment from the previous day.

After knocking a few times, the door opened a crack. Chen Hong peeked through the crack and, seeing Guan Hu outside, opened the door a little wider. She asked, puzzled, "Why are you here? Didn't he tell you to wait for news?"

"Uh~"

Guan Hu scratched his head sheepishly and said, "My head is full of thoughts about the script. I didn't sleep a wink last night. I just couldn't resist... Teacher Zhang hasn't woken up yet."

"He went out with his friends early this morning."

Hearing that Zhang Yan was not there, Guan Hu was greatly disappointed. He said "Sorry to bother you" to Chen Hong and then prepared to leave.

Seeing him about to leave, Chen Hong subconsciously wanted to say something, but swallowed the words back.

Although she felt it was a real shame not to film the script that Zhang Yan had revised, she was still clear about what she could and couldn't do.

When Guan Hu heard the door close behind him, he subconsciously turned around and glanced back, thinking that if Xu Fan lived here, this matter would be much simpler.

Have the two broken up, or is Teacher Zhang cheating on his wife with two women?
If it's the latter...

Guan Hu hesitated for a moment, then decided to go and ask Xu Fan—not to ask if the two had broken up, but to ask if Xu Fan could whisper in Zhang's ear and get her to agree to the bad idea he had come up with.

(End of this chapter)