Chapter 434: Chapter 434: 255: Spring Festival Eve, Pei Muchan Suddenly Appears in Chang'an, A Harbinger of a Tragic Battleground_2

Xu Qingyan glanced at him, said nothing, and getting involved in scriptwriting—a venture that was barely off the ground—wasn’t something he could really talk about.

“Quiet achievement is key,” although he knew Gan Wenchang wouldn’t speak of it, there was still no need to go out of his way to mention it.

The two of them chatted hurriedly for a moment before the third round of full-cast rehearsals began.

The people on set rehearsed all the way until the early morning, everyone was exhausted. At first, everyone still managed to chat and laugh; by the end, hardly a few were still talking, each crouching on the ground to rest with some sitting on the floor embracing their legs, staring into space.

The production team moved through the crowd, announcing that midnight snacks were available with a work pass, and the pickup location was at… reminding everyone not to litter.

In the early morning, Xu Qingyan and Gan Wenchang watched the rap segment from below the stage, pretending to be experts on rap when in reality, both were eyeing an exit.

“Good!” Gan Wenchang clapped.

“What’s good about it?” Xu Qingyan asked.

“The lyrics are elegant, the melody is thrilling, the spirit it conveys cuts deep,” Gan Wenchang stroked his chin, “It reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom beat me so hard I ended up on the roof, feeling utterly clear-headed.”

Xu Qingyan: “…”

“After this full-cast rehearsal, we’ll probably have at most two more before Chinese New Year’s Eve. What are your plans after the Spring Festival Gala?”

“Me?” Gan Wenchang was startled, then said, “Take a break first, then go back to work, what about you?”

“I…” Xu Qingyan hesitated, “I’m not sure yet, I’ll just go back to wherever I’m supposed to go.”@@novelbin@@

“Aren’t you going back to songwriting, buddy?” Gan Wenchang’s mouth fell open in disbelief, “You could just go straight to the headquarters and have a cushy job under Director He, enjoying the high life.”

Swish, a slender figure glided by, catching the end of their conversation and joining in.

“Ridiculous, there actually exists a fool who doesn’t want to get into the headquarters.”

“Director Xiao?” Gan Wenchang recognized the person and immediately edged away, but he saw that Xiao Shujun was addressing Xu Qingyan.

“I couldn’t help but come over after hearing your conversation,” she said, “It’s clear that following Director He could lead to a bright future, yet some fool chooses not to take the shortcut.”

“Indeed.”

Xu Qingyan felt numb, “Getting into headquarters isn’t so easy. It’s as if you think I could get in just because I want to.”

Xiao Shujun gave him a sidelong glance, “There are official appointments and contractual positions at headquarters; both are pretty comfortable. The former is mostly occupied by people in their forties and fifties, so you barely stand a chance. Contractual positions are stricter, but not impossible. Company positions are indeed not great, hard work with no promotion channels.”

“But with Director He willing to take you under his wing, you would certainly secure a position within a few years.”

At the end of the day, Xiao Shujun wasn’t optimistic about Xu Qingyan starting a film company. Out of a hundred film companies, ninety-nine fail.

Hearing this, Gan Wenchang didn’t continue to persuade, “Is the paperwork for your film company all set?”

“Nearly finished; we’ll start after the New Year,” Xu Qingyan replied nonchalantly, relaxed, “Now there’s not many days left till New Year anyway.”

After Gan Wenchang left, Xiao Shujun found Xu Qingyan alone and spoke about the director selection.

“I’m giving you a heads-up now, I had originally secured a veteran director for you, someone with quite a good relationship. But the moment they heard you wanted to do a martial arts romantic comedy, they found an excuse a few days later to back out.”

“Don’t worry, after the Spring Festival Gala, I’ll find you a reliable director,” she assured him.

“All right, that would be great, thanks, Director Xiao,” Xu Qingyan readily agreed, perhaps feeling the request was too ambitious, he added.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a big-name director, an experienced young director could do, preferably one who’s willing to take advice.”

Willing to take advice means listening to the scriptwriter rather than making drastic changes to the plot based on personal aesthetic preferences, or acting stubbornly.

For instance, the renowned director Chen Kaige, under the guidance of a master, made the film “Farewell My Concubine,” with top scriptwriters, top cinematographers, an all-star team.

The producer was Xu Feng, the behind-the-scenes boss of Tang City First Grade, holding the script and money, approached Kaige, one question, shoot or not?

The other party was not only impressed by Gege’s abilities but also by the power that came with her father’s name.

In the field of Peking Opera and the arts, the old master was undoubtedly a mogul, having directed works like “The Women Generals of the Yang Family” and “The Boar Forest.” He participated in artistic direction for films, with his influence seen in nearly every aspect, and he finally took credit as the art director.

The second year after the completion of “Farewell My Concubine,” the old master passed away. The film made Gege a star, but it also became the peak she could never surpass; it was a mountain she could never climb over.

Afterward, Gege trusted her abilities too much and forced a script rewrite, resulting in a film called “The Promise.”

A director with too many ideas is hard to control, and even if they shoot a film reluctantly, they won’t put their heart into it. Rather than that, it’s better to choose an obedient director from the start. Skill is not the most important thing; what matters most is a willingness to follow the script and shoot with dedication.

“No problem, leave it to me, but…” Xiao Shujun hesitated, “Are you really going to shoot this martial arts romance comedy?”

“Mhm, I must shoot it,” Xu Qingyan nodded, his expression calm.

Time flew by, and the fourth round of joint rehearsals began with the New Year approaching.

In the Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square, Gan Wenchang and Xu Qingyan were lining up to receive New Year benefits, which were actually products given by the sponsors. Most were not for sale; they were low-cost and all the items together made up a big gift box.

Everyone in the director’s group received one, but the three big shots were too proud to come and collect theirs. Xiao Shujun did show up, standing among the crowd in a red sweater and a black long coat, her presence unique like a crane standing among chickens.

From a distance, Gan Wenchang looked at her and marveled, “Director Xiao doesn’t look like she’s in her thirties at all, just like a young lady in her late twenties.”

“Really?” Xu Qingyan gave him a look, “You act like a quail every time you see Director Xiao. Why don’t you try saying that to her face?”

“Forget it, Director Xiao is not your ordinary scary, put her in a game and she’d be a female devil,” Gan Wenchang shook his head, “Who doesn’t feel intimidated by a leader? You’re the only one who doesn’t, always hanging out with Team Leaders Xiao and He.”

Xu Qingyan said nothing. He had intended to forge good relationships with He Guojin and Xiao Shujun from the start since it’s difficult to stand alone in this business.

Having a good leader in this career was crucial, even if he wasn’t part of the system, he still needed their connections. This wasn’t about flattering, as it benefited both parties. Naturally, a good relationship had formed.

Days flew by, and suddenly it was New Year’s Eve, the day of the official performance.

After five rounds of joint rehearsals, the parts involving the extras had been recorded, and the live broadcast was combined with the recordings on-site. Each performance was meticulously executed to align with the central broadcaster’s schedule.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, Xu Qingyan was backstage, having just replied to Lin Wanzhou’s message; she had already landed in Chang’an.

He had asked someone to pick her up and arranged for her temporary stay at a luxury hotel near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

She would be able to watch the Spring Festival Gala on-site, but the segment directly linked to the central station’s live broadcast could only be seen from a distance. The subsequent performances could be watched directly on-site.

Xu Qingyan had just let out a sigh of relief when he suddenly received a call from Pei Muchan. He was slightly startled; Pei Muchan had told him a few days ago that she was heading back to Shanxi.

“What’s up?”

Pei Muchan had actually rarely called recently, usually preferring video calls. It was unusual for her to make a voice call today, which made Xu Qingyan somewhat uneasy.

“Where are you?”

“Backstage at the performance, and you? Still at home?” Xu Qingyan’s eyelid twitched, suddenly getting a bad feeling.

On the other end of the line, there was only the steady breathing of Pei Muchan. After a long pause, she suddenly giggled and said.

“Guess?”

“Definitely not in Xinghai, nor in Shanxi, right?” Xu Qingyan’s eyelid was pounding, a bad omen flashing overhead.

“Yeah, I was in Shanxi. It was boring staying at home, so I went out to take a break,” she said.

“Chang’an?”

“Mhm.”

Xu Qingyan’s heart sank; it was done for, she had sent herself here.

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