Chapter 6: Running in the alley

Chen Nuo chose a Chinese restaurant that looked a bit high-end. Zhang Yiyi looked up at the curtain, didn't say anything, and followed in.

After entering, Chen Nuo asked the waiter for a private room, and sat down at the large round table inside with Zhang Yiyi.

After the waiter finished pouring tea, Chen Nuo raised his teacup and said: "Zhang Laoshi, using tea instead of wine, once again apologizing to you."

Zhang Yiyi nodded, picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip, "Alright, it's over."

Chen Nuo smiled and said: "Thank you, Zhang Laoshi, please order."

Zhang Yiyi looked at the menu while asking: "Are you preparing to take the Film Academy exam? Acting department?"

"Um... should be."

"What do you mean should be? Playing, or for real?"

"For real, but... anyway, just want to attend college."

Zhang Yiyi looked at him carefully again, deliberated, and said: "Your appearance, learning anything else is a waste, learning acting is right."

Next, the two called the waiter to take away the menu. Zhang Yiyi fiddled with the teacup in front of him, looking thoughtful, and Chen Nuo didn't disturb him.

After a while, the dishes were served, and the two started eating.

Both were men, no need to care about image. Chen Nuo didn't eat breakfast and was hungry long ago. The two of them almost finished one dish as soon as it was served with Zhang Yiyi. In a while, they ate seven or eight out of the four dishes and one soup.

"Zhang Laoshi, should we order two more dishes?"

Zhang Yiyi shook his head, touched his stomach, and said: "Forget it, full."

Chen Nuo said: "Then should I go pay the bill now?"

"Wait, sit for a while." Zhang Yiyi pressed down with his hand, and said with some hesitation: "Talk about business. Now, I do have a movie in preparation, the script was written by myself, the funds are there, the rest of the crew has been found, just missing a male lead, and haven't found a suitable one. How about it, are you interested?"

Chen Nuo didn't expect this matter to not be over yet, hesitated for a moment.

Actually, he really wanted to try it in his heart, because he was also very curious, what his self-feeling good talent was like in front of professionals, but he still deliberately stammered: "... uh, I don't know how, by the way, Zhang Laoshi, why don't you act yourself?"

Zhang Yiyi smiled: "My image, act a hair. Besides, I'm from the directing department, what am I acting."

"Ah?" Chen Nuo was really surprised, "You're a director? But... aren't you teaching us acting class?"

"Does teaching acting class mean you have to know how to act yourself? Can't a director teach?" Zhang Yiyi sneered, "Your broken school, one class hour is specially 300 yuan, what's up, can still invite some big shots from the acting academy to give you lectures? Only we poor ghosts from the directing department look up to this little money... forget it, don't say these, are you interested or not."

Chen Nuo understood, this school matter, Chen Bi was indeed slaughtered.

"Zhang Laoshi, originally you could look up to me, that's my honor. But, I'm afraid that when the time comes, I won't know anything and delay you all."

"I know. Actually, I'm also afraid." Zhang Yiyi nodded, "How about this, do you have anything to do after school this afternoon?"

"……No."

"That's fine, when the time comes, you follow me, let's go try acting."

In the afternoon, it was a line class. Before class, Ma Yanran said mysteriously beside Chen Nuo: "Did you go eat with Zhang Laoshi at noon?"

Chen Nuo played dumb: "What Zhang Laoshi Teacher Li? " "Just pretend, it's Zhang Laoshi who teaches us acting. I saw you two, you still don't admit it."

"Wow, you followed me?"

"Pah, you stop being narcissistic, I'm not that bored. When I went to eat at noon, I saw you and Zhang Laoshi standing at the door talking... eh, what were you two saying?" Ma Yanran stared straight at Chen Nuo.

"Oh, nothing much, Zhang Laoshi said he has a movie to shoot, and asked me to act as the male lead."

"Heh, I'm saying for real. You two knew each other before, right?"

"Yes, knew each other. Then he asked me to act as the male lead and I didn't want to, he was persuading me there at noon."

"Heh, forget it if you don't say." Ma Yanran's face turned cold, rolled her eyes at him, and stood up and left directly. She didn't come to find him for the whole afternoon.

After school in the afternoon, Chen Nuo followed Zhang Yiyi to a nearby alley, called Dongmianhua Alley.

A young man who looked about the same age as Zhang Yiyi, with a mohawk, was waiting there. "My goodness, it's really him!" As soon as he saw the two, he exclaimed, giving Zhang Yiyi a thumbs up, "Juqi (loyal/righteous). Just let it go like this? And still find him to act?"

After saying that, he frowned and looked Chen Nuo up and down: "How did this person catch your eye? Why can't I see anything special."

Zhang Yiyi waved his hand and said: "Hey, stop talking. Chen Nuo, this is Li Xiaotian, the producer of my movie. Now I'll tell you about the play, you just act it for us to see here."

Zhang Yaba, a poor child who grew up in a Beijing alleyway, his father died when he was young, his mother went crazy, and he grew up eating food from a hundred families. He had a childhood sweetheart named Xiaozhu. As the two grew older, feelings grew, and they started dating privately. However, Xiaozhu's father was determined to have Xiaozhu marry a rich man, so they could move out of Mianhua Alley and live in a tall, bright building.

This day, Xiaozhu couldn't resist her father's request and broke up with Zhang Yaba to his face.

"Come, you are Zhang Yaba now. Xiaozhu just broke up with you, you just came out of her house, walking out from this alley. Understand?"

Chen Nuo looked at Zhang Yiyi, then looked at Li Xiaotian who was watching coldly, clearly preparing to see him make a fool of himself, nodded and said: "Basically understand. Then I'll try. If I act badly, Zhang Laoshi, don't mind."

Zhang Yiyi said: "I don't mind, but you have to be serious. Okay?"

"Okay."

Having shot so many short videos in his previous life, he knew what shooting things was about.

However, short videos and movies must be different, and it must be different from what Zhang Yiyi wanted to see him act now.

If he tried and Zhang Yiyi said he couldn't, then he could recognize himself earlier, what camera presence, that was all an illusion. Change his career quickly, anyway, that guaranteed learning and passing must be fake. If his acting didn't work, he would go learn singing, if singing didn't work, he would go learn dancing and painting, anyway, hurry up and change to another path, it was still in time.

Then how should he act? Chen Nuo thought while walking into Mianhua Alley.

First, definitely couldn't be as exaggerated as before.

Second, need concentration. Just like what Zhang Yiyi taught today.

Empty thoughts, full focus.

Again...

Again what?

Thought for a long time, fortunately, the scene Zhang Yiyi described to him could be considered very familiar to him. From childhood to adulthood, he had seen it many times.

Then, again, follow the appearance in his memory, should be okay, right?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 7 =====