Chapter 11: Actually Had My Scene Stolen

Wen Zhang gave a sheepish smile and scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Tao Feifei looked Qi Hui up and down, shocked by his performance just now.

Aren't you a fresh acting graduate? How do you even know about explosives?

"Quick, all extras, bring over all the hand grenades you have!" Director Chen’s urgent voice rang out.

Director Du also shouted repeatedly: "Props team, safety officers, all of you come over here, check them immediately!"

"Everyone else stay where you are, don't crowd around."

This instruction was redundant; no one would crowd around explosives.

The extras holding the hand grenades were trembling, feeling anxious, yet they carefully carried the grenades over to the two directors.

These weren't real bombs or explosives; they were props made for filming.

There was no guarantee of safety for these things, and no one knew under what conditions they might detonate.

Hand grenades used for acting should all be effect rounds, which usually just emit smoke without exploding.

The explosions come from pre-buried charges, which are very safe.

But now... the extras were trembling, terrified that these things might explode on them.

Even Yu Zhen, a veteran of anti-Japanese war dramas, carefully retreated to the rear.

Seeing this, Qi Hui also put down the wooden-handled hand grenade in his hand and slowly retreated behind the crowd.

"Qi Hui, come help us check them." Director Chen called out to Qi Hui.

After all, he was the first to discover the problem, which showed he was quite capable; working together could resolve this quickly without affecting the shooting schedule.

Qi Hui shrugged and stepped forward to help with the inspection.

"He even understands this?" Zhang Jian said in shock, looking at Zhang Ruoyun with some confusion.

Zhang Ruoyun scratched his head: "I'm not sure either, he never showed it before..."

Zhang Jian silently took a puff of his cigarette; this wasn't what he had expected—that kid wasn't a useless good-for-nothing.

Boom, boom, boom!

In the distance, several hand grenades were thrown by Qi Hui and Director Chen, and the sounds of explosions rang out.

Fortunately, the power was low, only kicking up some black smoke and gunpowder residue.

The group threw a few more at random and found they no longer exploded, instead emitting white smoke just like normal prop grenades.

"Alright, that's it." Director Chen breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully: "Thank you, Qi Hui."

Everyone else was just doing their job, but Qi Hui was someone he had pulled in just to save time.

"Safety is no small matter, it's the least I could do." Qi Hui said with a chuckle.

Chen Haowei and Du Yuming exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat surprised.

Calm and composed—this didn't look like a young man fresh out of school.

When he himself had just graduated, he didn't know how arrogant he had been; thinking about it now, he wanted to slap his past self.

"Not bad, not bad..." Chen Haowei nodded; he was a talent.

"Let's get to work first." Du Yuming said: "We can talk about other things later."

"Agreed." Chen Haowei nodded, picked up the microphone, and shouted: "Everyone to your positions, prepare to shoot."

At the command, the extras and actors began to take their places.

Du Yuming stepped back; he didn't know how to direct war scenes, this was Chen Haowei's home turf.

"Producer Zhang." Du Yuming walked over to Zhang Jian and asked with a smile:

"That kid Qi Hui is pretty good, how about giving him a supporting role?"

Qi Hui had done the crew a huge favor, so it was only right to return it.

If it weren't for him, the crew might have suffered an accident because of those grenades.

Zhang Ruoyun’s eyes lit up: "Dad, I think Director Du is right."

Zhang Jian glared at Zhang Ruoyun, then pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Let's finish this scene first and see his acting."

"Dad, don't worry." Zhang Ruoyun patted his chest: "My senior brother's acting is great."

Du Yuming tapped his cigarette case, took out a cigarette, and lit it calmly.

In the world of adults, those who know, know.

If there is no clear agreement, that is a refusal.

Besides, how could someone who played a bit part play a supporting role?

Furthermore, what kind of acting could you see from a bit part with only a few shots?

On the other side, the assistant director nodded at Chen Haowei.

"Very good." Chen Haowei picked up the microphone: "Snow Leopard, Scene 37, Take 2, action!"

The clapperboard snapped, and filming officially began.

The cameraman held the camera, the shaky footage adding to the tension and grimness of the battlefield.

Yu Zhen crouched among the extras and bit players, delivering his lines, boosting morale, and preparing to fight to the death against the "devils" opposite them.

Soon, Krupp rushed onto the battlefield with Wen Zhang and the student played by Tao Feifei, bringing comfort supplies.

The battle resumed, Krupp "died tragically" on the spot, scaring Zhou Wen and Chen Yi into trembling.

The soldiers of the 19th Route Army were gradually unable to hold them back; bullets were exhausted, hand grenades were distributed, and Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun, played by Yu Zhen, issued the final order to swear to live and die with the position.

Finally, the soldiers fixed bayonets, preparing for hand-to-hand combat, ready to fight to the last man.

Just then, the rumble of artillery sounded, and countless shells flew in from the rear, blowing the little devils to pieces.

"Artillery, it's our artillery." Chen Zhenglun’s shock was mixed with the relief of surviving a disaster, and a hint of regret.

From the rear, the Central Army in grass-yellow uniforms filed in.

Well-equipped and high-spirited, the Central Army quickly filled the positions of the 19th Route Army.

Qi Hui stood tall in his uniform, his face covered in soot, his white gloves also dirty.

"Tang De, Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion, 521st Regiment, 261st Brigade, 87th Division of the Army, here on orders to reinforce." Qi Hui gave a military salute and said firmly.

At this moment, Tang De, who had arrived to save the day like a god descending from heaven, was the center of attention; all the soldiers silently saluted him.

Gratitude, appreciation, relief—their bloody battle had not been in vain.

Their efforts had not been wasted; they hadn't let the enemy advance a single step.

The camera swept across the exhausted but unyielding 19th Route Army after the great battle.

It also swept across Zhou Wen and Chen Yi, who were huddled together in a corner, trembling, unnoticed by anyone.

Damn, I really got my scene stolen... Wen Zhang felt depressed.

Qi Hui looked solemn and said in a heavy tone: "Comrades, you've worked hard, we arrived late..."

"Not late, you arrived just in time." Chen Zhenglun felt a sense of relief.

Afterwards, the two reported their respective units and completed the handover of defense duties.

Chen Zhenglun insisted on staying to fight the Japanese, because most of his battalion's brothers lay buried here.

"Good, Battalion Commander Chen, let us fight side by side and kill more little Japanese!" Tang De agreed to his request and gave a solemn military salute.

"Thank you, Battalion Commander!" Chen Zhenglun saluted, formally accepting Tang De's command for this battle.

"Cut! Very good, perfect." Chen Haowei shouted, the clapperboard snapped, and this scene was officially finished.

Yu Zhen pursed his lips and couldn't help but look at Qi Hui; he looked so young, how could he handle all of his lines?

This kid has some skills!

He graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, debuted in films in '99, and spent the following years in a theater troupe.

He wouldn't say his acting was top-tier, but it wasn't bad either, and yet...

Yu Zhen looked at Qi Hui; were graduates these days all this good?

On the other side, Du Yuming and Chen Haowei came to Zhang Jian.

Watching the two approach together, Zhang Jian knew exactly what they were there for.

It was all caused by that kid Qi Hui.

Zhang Ruoyun smiled: "Dad, my senior brother acted well, right?"

"Indeed, very good." Chen Haowei said with a smile: "Producer, what about this role..."

"The roles are already set, there's no way to change them." Zhang Jian said.

He admitted Qi Hui had some skills, but he just didn't like him.

As for the reason... there was no reason; he just didn't like him.

"Old Zhang, this isn't quite right, is it?" Chen Haowei frowned.

"Dad, that's not what you said just now?" Zhang Ruoyun couldn't help but say angrily.

Du Yuming held him back: "Listen to what your father has to say; your father isn't that kind of person, how could he be ungrateful?"

Zhang Jian’s face twitched; he had the urge to curse.

This old Du was putting him on the spot.

At this moment, Qi Hui changed back into his own clothes and walked over slowly.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Zhang Jian—what would he say?

"Hehe, Qi Hui, you acted well." Zhang Jian said with a smile.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang." Qi Hui smiled and nodded.

Zhang Jian also smiled and said: "I have a friend who is currently filming; how about I recommend you to their crew?"

"They happen to be missing a lead actor over there..."

As for his own production crew, forget it; it was too small to accommodate a big shot like Qi Hui.

Ring, ring~

Before the words had even faded, Qi Hui's phone rang.

He picked it up and saw that it was a call from Ling Xiaosu.