Chapter 63: Audition

Sewing machine?

Chen Xu asked curiously: "Is there such a band? What a weird name…"

Ting Ting!

Gu Ma furrowed her brows and interrupted her; Chen Xu immediately fell silent and lowered his eyebrows covertly.

Gu Ma then said: "Sewing Machine Band, that's your movie's name, right?"

Gu Ma, your information is so well-informed.

Gu Ma nodded, smiling without saying a word.

Chen Ci's intention was obvious; as a newcomer director, he wanted to make a film but couldn't afford big-name stars.

In terms of promotion, he was naturally lacking, so he had to think of every way to ride the hype.

Okay, Gu Ma agreed, is that the only one?

Hmm.

Chen Ci responded, looking around.

Alright, we've finished the main topic; staying longer would be pointless.

The key is that Gu Ma gave Chen Ci a strange feeling today; he didn't want to stay longer, who knows what else might happen.

He stood up to take his leave: "Gu Ma, I'll go back to prepare first."

Don't rush, Gu Ma has agreed to your terms; shouldn't you also help Gu Ma with a favor?

Whether good or bad omens work, Chen Ci felt a bad premonition and forced a laugh: "What can I help Gu Ma with?"

We're about to arrange an audition here; will you stay and help Gu Ma handle the camera?

Chen Ci asked: "The audition, is he coming?"

Gu Ma smiled and shook her head: "They're just not-so-important supporting roles; I can host it myself, he just needs to go back and watch the recording."

Then, okay.

Upon hearing that person wasn't coming, Chen Ci felt more at ease.

He even suspected that the matter of the theme song was Gu Ma's unilateral decision, without consulting him.

Chen Ci didn't know, only feeling that this family was really interesting, just as if something was missing.

Gu Ma, how's A Se lately? Still that fat?

Gu Ma frowned upon hearing that: "You seem to be very concerned about A Se..."

After a while, Chen Ci had adjusted the equipment, and also got to see how the professional crew of a big production conducts auditions.

A Ci, Ting Ting, Gu Ma plans to shift toward being a producer and work behind the scenes; otherwise, relying on family makes me feel at ease.

Gu Ma sat in the middle, one hand pulling each of them.

Chen Xu responded with a cute smile to Gu Ma; Chen Ci felt a bit embarrassed and couldn't just pull away.

He casually said: "Gu Ma, you're so young and beautiful, why do you want to switch careers?"

This is indeed Chen Ci's inner thought: the renowned "Mainland's First Beauty," still under forty, staying popular for another ten or eight years is no problem.

Yet hearing Gu Ma softly sigh: "I know our own situation; after giving birth to Yu Ang and Fei Yu, I knew this path wouldn't last long."

Heaven is unfair; women always have to sacrifice something. If you ever marry an actress in the future, you'd better watch out.

Chen Ci smiled helplessly; he shouldn't have picked up the conversation.

He said with a wry smile: "Working behind the scenes is also good; it leaves a path for the younger girls behind. If Gu Ma were stingier, they'd have no chance to stand out."

Gu Ma also laughed and shook her head: "No wonder Chen Ci is so likable to girls; even she can't dislike him: 'You and your mouth…'"

At that moment, two knocks came on the door; someone at the door said: "Professor Chen, everyone's here."

Only then did Gu Ma let go; after they took their positions, she then said: "Okay, come in."

Chen Ci stared at the camera; soon the door opened, and the first thing that came into view was a pair of long legs that looked somewhat familiar.

Cough…

After seeing who it was, Chen Ci couldn't help but retort.

At that moment, Da Mi Mi's gaze also shifted from Gu Ma to Chen Ci beside her, and she instantly went blank.

She had hesitated repeatedly yesterday, but still chose not to tell Chen Ci and rely on her own abilities for the audition; she hadn't expected…

What, did the little couple have a quarrel? They can't even speak when they meet?

Gu Ma suppressed her smile, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two, looking rather like she was ready to gossip.

Da Mi Mi reacted, hurriedly bowing to Gu Ma: "No, Professor Chen is fine…"

Gu Ma nodded: "It's a pity there's no time for you two to indulge in romance; first look at this passage."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Xu handed her an A4 sheet.

Da Mi Mi hurriedly lowered her head to examine it closely; Gu Ma asked: "You have five minutes, remember as much as you can."

Oh, okay…

Upon hearing five minutes, Da Mi Mi didn't even lift her head.

Before they knew it, time was up; Chen Xu stepped forward and collected the script.

Only then did Da Mi Mi raise her head again, wiping the fine sweat on her forehead.

However much you remember, first recite it once; A Ci, you pay attention to recording.

Oh.

Chen Ci and Da Mi Mi, in unison, said: "Oh." Actually Chen Ci had a slight doubt: what is this for, testing the actors' memory?

Da Mi Mi cleared her throat and began directly: "Once there was a monk named Mulian who saved his mother at the gates of hell. May I ask how many roads to Spirit Mountain…" m.

Chen Ci frowned hearing this; this kind of thing, can it be memorized in a few minutes?

But Da Mi Mi's speech was very fast, extremely fluent, and in a flash a large passage passed: "Little nun, Zhao clan, dharma name Se Kong. Since childhood she took vows at the Xian Tao Hermitage…"

Chen Ci seemed to have caught the flavor; this should be an opera lyric.

"A little nun, sixteen years old, in the prime of youth, had her hair shaved by her master..."

"Stop, that's enough."

Chen Ci had just recognized this as the Kunqu opera "Sifan"; the following lines were too familiar, a famous scene from the film "Farewell My Concubine".

After being called to stop by Gu Ma, Da Mi Mi was still a bit dazed, still thinking she had made a mistake somewhere.

"You've memorized it all, when?"

"When I was preparing the role earlier."

Da Mi Mi answered truthfully, not saying she had memorized it on the spot; otherwise that would be self-deception.

"Besides 'Sifan', is there anything else?"

"There's also 'Farewell My Concubine', 'The Luo Goddess'..."

Da Mi Mi clearly came prepared; these passages are all new plays Mei Lanfang created after marrying Fu Fangzhi.

Gu Ma nodded: "Hmm, your attitude is not bad; I can see you've put in a lot of effort for the role. Compared to ability, I appreciate an actor's attitude more..."

This round of praise left even the big secret feeling a bit lost.

But Chen Ci furrowed his brow at that moment; sure enough, Gu Ma's next sentence was——"But..."

"Your voice is too delicate; our film needs to use the original sound."

"I..."

As for this, Da Mi Mi had indeed thought of it; before, others had also said her vocal condition would affect her lines.

She had already paid as much attention as she could just now, but Gu Ma still singled her out.

"So, I still need to think about it a bit more..."

At this moment, Chen Ci suddenly asked: "Gu Ma, what year was Fu Fangzhi born?"

"Huh?"

Before Gu Ma could speak, Da Mi Mi blurted out: "March 1905."

When she had previously researched the role, this basic information had long been second nature to her.

"Then what year did they get married?"

"1921."

Da Mi Mi answered quickly again; she seemed to understand what Chen Ci was getting at.

"In other words, Fu Fangzhi was only sixteen when she married Mei Lanfang. A sixteen-year-old young lady would have a somewhat tender and sharp voice; that shouldn't be considered unsuitable for the role, right?"