AWB Chapter 608 The Tragic Story of Huang Xuan
Chapter 608 The Tragic Story of Huang Xuan
……
……
"My idol, I want to have your babies!!"
"I can't take it anymore, Gu-ge, can't you really come out of the closet? Don't limit yourself to just one gender!"
"I'm going to listen to it again! I want to record the song and play it on repeat when I get home! I'm not sleeping tonight, I'm just going to listen to it on repeat!"
As the last note of the end credits rolled, the movie's post-credits scene came to a complete end, and without exception, every student in the theater had tears in their eyes.
Especially the girls.
When they heard Gu Qing say to the camera, "This song is dedicated to my classmates in the 17 Acting Department," the rational part of their brains had completely shut down.
"For the students in the 17 Acting Department?"
"Isn't this written for me?!"
"Could it be that Gu, the male god, has been secretly keeping an eye on me?"
These girls have automatically ignored the word "们" (men).
So what if I can't win Gu Qing's heart in real life?
That doesn't stop us from being dream girls to each other.
A group of college students, the oldest of whom is only in their early twenties, have never experienced such a shock.
They felt that all the romantic scenarios they had encountered in real life or in their imaginations were utterly inadequate.
Luxury cars, mansions, designer watches, handbags...
Even the most luxurious gift,
Is it more impactful to have the most perfect idols and the most dazzling stars in the entertainment industry personally sing a song tailored for them in the end credits of the movies they film?
The allure of a poor but talented man is immense.
And this talented man
If he's handsome, rich, and romantic...
He truly is every woman's dream man.
It's the same as a man's longing for a virtuous and loving wife.
……
The students in the Class of 17 aren't stupid.
With Gu Qing's massive following, even a casual remark can have a huge impact, easily turning an ordinary person into a million-follower internet celebrity!
Xiao Zhang: "..."
Are you talking about me?
right now,
Gu Qing personally wrote a song for them. Any student from the 17 acting class will have marketing capital when they enter the entertainment industry!
In other words,
This is their male god Gu personally leading the students to take off!
Just ask,
Which celebrity in the entertainment industry, a graduate of an arts school, would go to such lengths for their fellow alumni?
"Waaaaah, I'd go through fire and water for you, Brother Gu!!"
The students of the 17th class of the Performing Arts Department, fueled by the surge of passion and emotions that seemed to burst from their chests, were rapidly turning into die-hard fans.
"Should I make a run for it now?"
Zhang Jingyi's sixth sense triggered a danger alarm in her mind.
This is a survival instinct honed through long-term interaction with girls.
If these students, still immersed in the emotions evoked by the song, were to find out...
She's going to Gu Qing's premiere tomorrow; these people are going to tear her apart!
Xiao Zhang immediately grabbed his bag, crouched down, and shrunk himself down to a tiny size. Taking advantage of the darkness, he slipped out silently.
There wasn't even time to say hello to Teacher Zhang and Teacher Zhou; saving his life was the priority for now.
After running out of the screening room,
Zhang Jingyi rushed into the bathroom stall, stood panting in front of the sink, looked up at the mirror, and was startled by her reflection.
Her already large eyes were now swollen as if someone had punched her twice in each eye socket.
Where tears flowed, the foundation was washed away, creating a noticeable color difference and a stark contrast with the surrounding skin, clearly indicating that the makeup had been smudged from crying.
"How can it be so ugly..."
Zhang Jingyi quickly took out a cushion foundation from her handbag, touching up her makeup while calming herself down.
"Could this song by Gu Qing... be written for me?"
Xiao Zhang, with her face powder on, is inexplicably developing in the direction of a dream girl.
"Although he said it was written for all the students, but—"
The corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, the curve leaking out from between her pursed lips, impossible to suppress.
Xiao Zhang has clearly fallen asleep early.
She feels
In the entire Class of 17, the person who had the best and closest relationship with Gu Qing was probably myself, right?
They really did sit at the same desk, attend classes together, and act together on set.
Although, in addition to her, senior student Zhou Ye also received an invitation to tomorrow's premiere.
But Senior Zhou Ye was in the class of 16, so she definitely wasn't in the category of "class of 17, acting department" mentioned in Gu Qing's song.
and so……
Is this song written almost exclusively for her?
Zhang Jingyi mentally went through the logic chain and found no loopholes.
So she looked in the mirror and smiled again.
This time he laughed even more foolishly, his eyes narrowed into slits, and even his puffy eyes couldn't hide his joy.
Zhang Jingyi touched up her makeup, put the cushion foundation back in her bag, and took out her phone from her pocket.
She opened Adou at lightning speed, uploaded a picture of the movie ticket, and carefully typed a line of text: "Duckweed is super good! Please support it!!"
A small heart was added at the end.
She now has quite a few fans, and if she makes a call to action, it might help Gu Qing's movie a little.
Subsequently,
Zhang Jingyi hesitated for a long time before finally taking a deep breath, finding Gu Qing's contact information, and nervously sending a message:
"Gu Qing, the movie was amazing! The songs were incredible!!"
"Wouldn't just using words seem too cold?"
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Zhang added another picture of an adorable cat with starry eyes.
She stared at the screen expectantly for a while, but received no reply, before suddenly remembering...
"Gu Qing must be busy with the premiere, right?"
……
"Clap clap clap-"
Shanghai, premiere theater.
As the final scene of the film came to a complete close, the lights in the theater slowly came on, and the invited movie fans, reporters, and film critics all stood up from their seats and applauded enthusiastically.
"A marketing genius, truly a marketing genius—who on earth came up with the idea of having Gu Qing sing the end credits song?"
"I'm already quite old, but I was forced to shed tears. The movie tells the story of us 80s generation, and the songs are even more so!"
"The film is entertaining, the songs are great, it's full of nostalgia, and the bonus scene even delivered a gentle yet powerful blow—Is Gu Qing's drama going to be another hit?"
"His last film grossed six billion, how much does he plan to reach this one?"
The applauding reporters whispered amongst themselves.
at the same time,
The lead actors, Gu Qing, Zhao Liying, Deng Chao, Han Han, and Dong Zijian, walked up from the side stage with a sigh of relief amidst cheers and applause from the audience.
"Brother Gu Qing, I'd like to ask you a question,"
The first person called out was a middle-aged female reporter; her eyes were still red when she stood up.
"Why did you choose to sing a song during the end credits? I think it's a fantastic idea! And this song is really beautiful—"
"Actually, it wasn't my idea, it was—"
Gu Qing was halfway through his answer when his gaze fell on the female reporter's hand, which was still wiping the corner of her eye.
He paused for a moment, then reached into his pocket, found the tissues that Sister Zhao hadn't finished using backstage, and handed them to the staff member standing in front of the stage.
It wasn't until the staff member enviously handed the tissue to the female reporter that she realized what had happened.
In an instant,
Her entire face was swollen to the same color as her eyes.
After she finishes today,
The female reporter felt she would be doing a disservice to the paper if she didn't hype up "Riding the Waves" to the skies.
"Why is there a paper-giving segment?"
"Little brother, I don't have any paper either, can I have one?"
"Is it too late for me to cry now? Look at my eyes—they're red, really red!"
"Me too! I'm easily moved to tears! I can cry!"
The fans, filled with envy and jealousy, started making a ruckus, waving at Gu Qing on stage and asking for papers.
Laughter and cheers filled the air, creating an incredibly lively atmosphere.
After wiping her eyes with a tissue, the female reporter suddenly regretted it, wondering why she had used the tissue so carelessly.
She couldn't bear to throw it away, so she simply tucked it into her interview notebook and used it as a bookmark.
"What? What's wrong, bro!"
Old Deng felt that his leading position in the "warm man" category, which he had held for many years, was suddenly facing a serious challenge.
He immediately stepped forward, patting his pocket with one hand and waving the other in the air, trying to regain control of the conversation.
"I have paper here too—does anyone else need paper? Come on, come on."
Old Deng pulled a crumpled tissue from his pocket.
Seeing the tissues stuck together, the men in the back row silently lowered their hands that had been raised.
The women also miraculously stopped sobbing.
In an instant, the scene went from a frantic rush for paper to complete silence.
"Okay, this is the one I used."
Old Deng sheepishly stuffed the tissue back into his pocket.
"Hahaha--"
Sister Zhao couldn't hold back anymore; her teeth were neatly showing, her eyes curved into two crescent moons, and her laughter was crisp and cheerful.
Her laughter seemed contagious, and the fans in the audience laughed along with her.
The initially somewhat reserved atmosphere at the premiere suddenly transformed into a relaxed one.
"Actually, the idea of having me sing in the end credits song came from director Han Han."
Gu Qing couldn't help but chuckle at Deng Chao's crumpled paper and gestured in Han Han's direction.
"Actually, it's not so much my idea as the inspiration that Xiao Gu's song gave me."
Han Han adjusted his glasses, straightened his expression, and began his explanation.
From the experience of asking Gu Qing to write the ending theme song, to the reflections on youth.
With his literary flair, he described the whole process in a very poetic and romantic way.
"That's why Xiao Gu wrote this song, 'The Wind Rises,' which is a memento of his generation's youth."
Han Han smiled and said, "I think it would be very meaningful to put this song at the end of the film."
"Clap clap-"
After the movie fans finished applauding, another male reporter, whose name was called upon, eagerly stood up to ask a question:
“Gu Qing, your ‘Wolf Warrior 2’ has already broken box office records, reaching an impressive 60 billion yuan. Why didn’t you choose to continue exploring this kind of patriotic theme, but instead made ‘Duckweed’?”
Especially when talking about the word 'patriotism,' the male reporter emphasized it, unconsciously revealing a hint of malice.
Obviously,
Following the success of "Wolf Warrior 2," some hidden problems are beginning to surface.
after all,
There are far too many people in the entertainment industry who idolize Western liberal thought and spirit.
Seeing "Wolf Warrior 2",
They felt extremely uncomfortable, as if they were sitting on pins and needles, as if they had a thorn in their side, as if they had a fishbone stuck in their throat, and felt completely ashamed and embarrassed.
"When I was filming 'Duckweed,' 'Wolf Warrior 2' hadn't been released yet, and I didn't know it would be so popular."
"If I had known that Wolf Warrior would break six billion, I would definitely have urged Brother Jing to continue writing Wolf Warrior 3—I would have urged him every day, even blocking his doorstep to urge him."
Gu Qing feigned distress by spreading out one hand, which amused the fans in the audience, eliciting good-natured laughter.
"Okay, just kidding."
As the laughter subsided, Gu Qing stopped teasing and looked seriously at the male reporter.
His gaze was calm, and his tone was indifferent.
"I think this reporter doesn't need to be afraid; he might as well be more direct."
Do you think that "Wolf Warrior 2" is profiting from patriotism, and that we are using moral blackmail against the audience for marketing purposes?
This viewpoint is actually quite common online; you've simply brought it to the event, which I understand.
Gu Qing paused briefly, glancing at the audience of fans and media.
"But I want to say that moviegoers who buy tickets aren't fools. From the very first preview screening, 'Wolf Warrior 2' relied on word-of-mouth, not moral blackmail. People go to the cinema because the people around them say it's good, because they want to see a good movie, and after watching it, they feel that the money was well spent, and then they recommend it to even more people when they get home."
This is the only reason why "Wolf Warrior 2" can have a box office of 6 billion yuan!
If it's true that you can make a movie and earn 6 billion yuan at the box office just by using patriotism as a pretext, then I think that from now on, there will be no more movies of any genre in the domestic film industry.
Everyone should just make patriotic films, right? They can make six billion just by lying down.”
Gu Qing smiled knowingly. "My dear reporter, do you think what I said makes sense?"
"me……"
The male reporter opened his mouth, his lips moved several times, and then he sat down awkwardly. "I didn't say that—I think 'Wolf Warrior 2' is a good movie."
……
"How did you develop such eloquence?"
Sister Zhao glanced at Gu Qing secretly, her almond-shaped eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
She's just not going to learn it anyway.
"Liying, this is your third collaboration with Gu Qing. What makes you two keep choosing to work together?"
Soon, reporters turned their microphones toward her, their tone full of gossip and curiosity.
"It's because our show was a hit, it's that simple."
Sister Zhao's straightforwardness never disappoints.
She tilted her head, looking directly at the reporter who asked the question without any hesitation, and said confidently, "My brother and I make movies that are all hits, so isn't it normal to continue collaborating?"
"If this movie becomes a hit and reaches a certain box office figure, will you continue to collaborate?"
The reporter was amused by her straightforward style and went along with it, steer the question in a deeper direction.
"Of course we'll continue to cooperate! I'm definitely willing!"
Without a second's hesitation, Zhao Liying turned her head slightly to look at Gu Qing, her round face and almond-shaped eyes shining brightly. "As for the box office... I want as much as possible."
"Of course I'd like to."
Gu Qing felt the gazes gathering from all directions. He smiled and nodded, "As for how much box office revenue we need before we can cooperate again?"
I think as long as there's a suitable script, Liying and I will continue to collaborate. We'll film it if it's suitable, and we won't if it's not. It has no direct relation to box office numbers.
"Whether you're a fan or a moviegoer, I think everyone should act within their means. If you like the movie, support it; if you don't, don't. After all..."
Gu Qing complained, "Movie tickets are pretty expensive, aren't they?"
"Hahaha--"
The fans at the scene were deeply moved and clapped even harder.
In an era where a movie ticket can easily cost thirty or forty yuan, plus a popcorn and a cola, the price can jump to sixty or seventy yuan.
For many working-class people and students, going to the cinema to watch a movie is indeed a small luxury.
If the movie I saw was of good quality, that would be fine, but I was tricked into going in by the marketing and ended up sitting there in the dark for over a hundred minutes.
Seeing a series of awkward lines and perfunctory special effects on the screen, the pain of feeling cheated out of your ticket money can make you not want to step into any movie theater for weeks.
at the same time,
"How can you say that, Teacher Gu... Thirty-odd yuan in box office revenue is not expensive at all. Why don't you look for the reasons within yourself?"
The cinema owner wiped his sweat with a wry smile.
If it were any other artist who said this, instead of Gu Qing, they would have reduced his screenings to teach him a lesson.
There's no way around it; who can turn down money?
Hearing Gu Qing's answer, the happiest person was of course Sister Zhao standing next to him.
Especially that line, "We will continue to work together even if we don't care about box office numbers," how could she not be moved?
Zhao Liying quietly moved her position from a step and a half to Gu Qing's left to his side.
"Pinky promise, pinky promise."
Then she extended her left pinky finger and held it up in front of him, a sweet smile spreading across her face, completely unconcerned about what the reporters below thought.
"..."
Faced with Sister Zhao's childish behavior, Gu Qing recalled the time at the Bazaar gala when Sister Zhao secretly hooked her finger with his.
"It must not change for a hundred years."
Gu Qing smiled and raised his hand, hooking his slender little finger around hers, gently pulling it twice before letting go.
"Click-click-click—"
The reporters below the stage frantically pressed their shutters, and the flashes exploded into a white sea of light.
The shutter button is practically sparking from being pressed so many times.
If this scene isn't released and makes fans scream with sweetness, it's a questioning of their professionalism!
"Gu—"
Among the crowd was a reporter holding a recording pen, trying to squeeze in.
"Hey, hey, hey, what about me? What about me?"
Old Deng finally found an opening to squeeze in his sense of presence.
He was about to burst: "There's still a living person here! Give me a question!"
"Ok."
The reporter who had been interrupted then turned the recording pen around.
Since Deng Chao himself wanted to be asked questions, he didn't hold back.
"Brother Chao, why do you want to play father and son with Gu Qing in the movie?"
"Do you feel awkward when you call him Dad?"
"..."
Deng Chao's mouth was still open, but he could no longer make a sound.
He looked at the reporter, and the reporter looked at him.
Old Deng's lips twitched, and his fingers, which he had just raised, fell limply back down.
Gu Qing lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Zhao Liying turned around, with her back to the audience, covered her face, and squatted down.
Han Han also squinted, unable to stop laughing.
Faced with Old Deng's self-humiliation,
The moviegoers in the audience still felt very happy.
The premiere of "Youth" next door was extremely difficult.
As the only two most anticipated Chinese-language films in the Spring Festival lineup, "Duckweed" and "Youth" were naturally placed on the same stage for comparison by many film critics and media outlets from the moment their release dates were announced.
As for Chen Long's "Bleeding Steel," which was released at the same time.
From the moment the trailer was released, it was unanimously labeled a terrible film by all film critics, and even its production company didn't really want to mention it.
After watching the film "Youth", moviegoers actually had a pretty good reaction.
In fact, judging from the quality of the film itself, it has received unanimous praise.
The film features a realistic and nuanced portrayal of the era, profound character development and exploration of human nature, including a final reflection on war and heroism.
That long take, lasting several minutes, made many viewers instinctively hold their breath while watching the film.
This film, when placed within Director Feng's entire directing career, absolutely deserves to be ranked among the top three of his representative works.
however,
As the main creators of "Youth" stepped onto the stage one by one, the applause that had been going on in the theater suddenly became sparse.
The reporters below the stage looked at the few young and unfamiliar faces on the stage and exchanged bewildered glances.
I had just finished watching a great film and was still basking in the excitement of being inspired by art. Every pore on my body was ready to write a lengthy film review.
But seeing these actors instantly extinguished their enthusiasm.
Huang Xuan, Miao Miao, Zhong Chuxi, Yang Caiyu, Li Xiaofeng, Wang Keru...
This is the full cast of "Youth".
To put it bluntly,
If you put these names on the article and publish it, netizens won't know who you're talking about.
Looking at these names, I've been trying to piece together a face that matches them for ages, but I still can't. How am I supposed to write this article?
Go interview the girl named Yang Caiyu on stage—who is she? What has she acted in? What is her representative work?
You just put these people on the stage.
The audience looked at the stage as if they were just a row of random passersby, not knowing where to focus their attention.
Originally, "Youth" did indeed have a glimmer of hope.
In the film industry, the ones who truly have box office appeal are never the actors—the directors.
No matter how famous an actor is, their box office success is limited to a specific genre; but a director's name is a brand in itself, making audiences press the confirm button without hesitation when buying tickets.
If Feng Xiaogang himself were standing on that stage right now, he certainly wouldn't be short of topics to discuss.
Not to mention the little squabbles that have been circulating between him and Gu Qing.
If these two people were to exchange a single sentence, reporters could fill eight pages with it.
But now?
The large screen on the stage lit up.
Feng Xiaogang himself is far away in a foreign country, sitting in what looks like a chair in the corner of a study, giving the camera a standard and polite smile.
"Dear journalists and moviegoers, I apologize. I am feeling slightly unwell, and my daughter is also experiencing some academic difficulties. I am unable to attend the film's premiere in person, so I can only greet you all this way..."
He lavished praise on each of the young actors on stage.
"Clap."
After the blowing was finished, the video disappeared.
The moment the screen went dark,
The young actors on stage were collectively caught in an indescribable awkward situation.
Huang Xuan stood there, unsure whether to place his hands on the microphone or let them hang at his sides, his gaze shifting several times between the reporters below the stage and the dark screen.
On stage were a group of newcomers to the film industry, the only one who could be considered a familiar face was Huang Xuan.
But he's not a talkative person, so getting him to chat endlessly with reporters about behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes from filming is difficult.
He would rather go back to the performing arts troupe for another three months of military training.
A female reporter in the audience checked the time on her phone.
The temperature and atmosphere of the entire scene were so cold that you could dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the carpet with your toes.
If it weren't for the generous media giveaways from Huayi, very few reporters would have been willing to come.
in the end,
However, some well-informed reporters spotted the only crack in the field where materials could be extracted and chose a highly leading question.
"Huang Xuan, Gu Qing was recently nominated for the Feitian Award for Outstanding Actor. As a fellow young actor of the same generation, what are your thoughts on this?"
The reporter, holding a recorder, paused deliberately for a moment, waiting for Huang Xuan's professional smile to freeze slightly, before slowly adding, "What do you think of his acting in 'Nirvana in Fire'?"
"Um... congratulations to him."
Huang Xuan's expression froze for a moment, then he forced a smile and replied, "He acted very well. He... did a great job with that role."
"Something's fishy!"
The reporters in the audience immediately perked up.
They recalled a piece of gossip they had heard long ago circulating within the industry.
"Huang Xuan, it's rumored online that you were originally slated to play the male lead in director Chen Kaige's new film 'The Legend of the Demon Cat'—but later, the role was changed to Gu Qing. Is this true?"
Reporters rushed to ask questions.
"...It's fake. There's no such thing."
Huang Xuan's heart was bleeding.
But until,
A seemingly delicate female reporter standing in the back row raised her hand and spoke in a tone that sounded like casual conversation.
"Huang Xuan, do you think 'Youth' can surpass 'Duckweed' at the box office?"
At the same time, he lightly delivered the final blow:
"Also, do you think your acting skills are as good as Gu Qing's?"
Since Feng Xiaogang isn't here, these reporters are going all out tonight.
I think—
Huang Xuan's chin was taut, but he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"I believe my acting skills are second to none!!"
After he finished speaking, he paused for a second, realizing that he might have gone too far, and wanted to say something to make amends, but it was too late.
"OK, that's a wrap, now we have another job!"
The reporters smiled contentedly, closed their notebooks, turned off their recorders, and got out of their seats in unison, leaving get off work on time.
Huang Xuan: "..."
Faced with the sympathetic and amused looks from his colleagues, he fell silent.
Is it too late to apologize to my good sister now?
……
...(End of this chapter)