Chapter 13: The King of Golden Lines and the Little Prince of Golden Lines

The BMW sped along, and before long it had brought Qi Hui and the others to the main gate of the "Lurk" (Qianfu) production set.

The car couldn't drive inside, so Ling Xiaosu got out and led Qi Hui and the other two in.

The moment they stepped out, the security guards waved them right through without even asking a single question.

"Oh my! Teacher Ling." Just then, a shout came from behind them.

The three of them turned and saw two people — a lean middle-aged man, and a somewhat pale, plump man.

"Oh, Assistant Director Li." Ling Xiaosu laughed and greeted him: "Out scouting for actors?"

"That's right." The lean Assistant Director Li said with a smile, introducing: "My friend, Zhang Guofeng."

"Worked his way up from extras — extras, walk-ons, special appearances, he's done it all. He's helped me out a few times, and this time he snagged a small supporting role."

Ling Xiaosu pointed at the two behind him and introduced: "Qi Hui, my junior brother, Beijing Film Academy class of 2005."

"Zhang Ruoyun, also my junior brother, Beijing Film Academy class of 2007."

Zhang Ruoyun gave a nod, taking it as an introduction.

"Hello, hello." Qi Hui, on the other hand, greeted them with a warm smile, enthusiastically shaking hands with Assistant Director Li and Zhang Guofeng:

"Comrade Zhang, hello. I've done special appearances and walk-on parts myself before. Let's grab a drink together sometime."

Zhang Guofeng was overwhelmed — this was a favored son of the Performance Academy, and yet he was so down to earth?

"Ah, ah, ah... Teacher Qi, you're too kind. The honor is mine, the honor is mine." Zhang Guofeng said repeatedly, in a heavy southern accent.

Qi Hui chuckled, unable to resist sizing him up: "What role are you playing this time?"

"Section chief of the Archives Section, Sheng Xiang." Zhang Guofeng answered.

Qi Hui said with some regret: "Senior brother recommended me to play Xie Ruolin from the Party Communications Bureau. Too bad we don't have any scenes together."

"I'll find you for a drink sometime."

"Goodbye, Teacher Qi." Zhang Guofeng waved, still looking overwhelmed.

Assistant Director Li waved and led Zhang Guofeng toward the set.

"Old Zhang, you're pretty lucky." Assistant Director Li laughed: "A top student from the Performance Academy thinks so highly of you — and from the class of 2005 BFA acting program, no less."

"You don't know yet, do you? Their class produced a big star — Yang Mi, the Tang Xuejian from Chinese Paladin 3..."

"Ah... heh, heh..." Zhang Guofeng laughed a little awkwardly. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about the way that person had looked at him.

But the other's behavior was perfectly normal — Assistant Director Li's introduction, plus the shared experience of grinding their way up, so wanting to make a friend was reasonable.

Still, he felt something was off.

No reason — just gut instinct.

Zhang Guofeng shook his head, hoping he was overthinking it.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Ling Xiaosu asked curiously: "Junior brother, why are you so friendly to a small supporting actor?"

"Being kind to people — I've always been like this." Qi Hui said with a smile.

Hearing that, Ling Xiaosu nodded: "That's true enough."

The first time he met Qi Hui, it was that young man's warmth that had won him over.

But what Ling Xiaosu didn't notice was a brief flicker in Qi Hui's eyes.

That Zhang Guofeng was a fugitive who had been on the run for nearly ten years!

The very undercover operative hiding within the "Lurk" (Qianfu) production crew.

Don't feel sorry for him just because he ran for ten years — this guy teamed up with others to hold up an officer's family member at knifepoint, seized the officer's sidearm, and even attacked the officer.

Causing one officer a spinal injury, nearly paralyzed.

How could a criminal like that be let off the hook?

Qi Hui had originally wanted to get his phone number, but on second thought, being too eager might make the other party suspicious, so he gave up.

Qi Hui no longer remembered what the man looked like, but he still remembered the role he played — Section Chief Sheng Xiang of the Archives Section.

That fat guy who got the heavy-handed treatment from Li Ya, played by Zu Feng, and was ultimately taken out with a single shot by Li Ya — the poor bastard.

Of course, no rush — leave Zhang Guofeng for now.

He already knew who the man was. All it took was one phone call, and law enforcement had plenty of ways to bring this guy to justice.

"Let's go, I'll take you guys... no, take you to meet the director, to audition." Ling Xiaosu said.

Zhang Ruoyun wasn't playing Xie Ruolin — he didn't have the time.

So he didn't even need to audition.

Little Zhang paid no attention to Ling Xiaosu's words, instead curiously taking in the surroundings. Though the timing was about the same, the "Snow Leopard" crew and the "Lurk" (Qianfu) crew still had plenty of differences.

As they walked toward the set, Ling Xiaosu kept briefing Qi Hui, introducing "Lurk" (Qianfu) and Xie Ruolin.

The show tells the story of a Military Statistics Bureau spy, Yu Zecheng, whose faith transforms, turning him into a fighter for our Party, who then battles on the secret front for our Party.

Ling Xiaosu assumed Qi Hui didn't know, but Qi Hui had actually rewatched this show several times before.

No choice — there were too many iconic scenes: the Stiepanok cultivation, the Jade Seat Golden Buddha performance, the basic principles of recording.

And Wu Jingzhong, Station Chief Wu's one-liner after another — truly memorable.

Like: 【Time is like a wild donkey — once it starts running, it never stops.】

【You've already got wrinkles, just like my prostate constantly rebelling.】

【Emei Peak, and damn it, shining alone — quite the romantic flair...】

Xie Ruolin's quips weren't few either.

Like: 【All is doctrine on the lips, all is business in the heart.】

【Now there are two gold bars in front of you — tell me, which one is noble, and which one is sordid?】

【If you don't kill me with one shot, and I come back to life, the two of us will just keep doing business, as long as the price is fair.】

These two are practically the King of Golden Lines and the Little Prince of Golden Lines.

It's not just Xie Ruolin and Station Chief Wu — every character in this drama is brilliant.

For example, the bumbling action team leader Ma Kui, Ma Kui's wife Mrs. Ma, and Secretary Hong, Mrs. Ma's true love.

There's also Li Ya, who took a big slap across the face, and Secretary Dakang... ahem, the intelligence section chief Lu Qiaoshan played by Teacher Wu Gang.

And we can't forget the sleeper agent Sheng Xiang.

As Ling Xiaosu spoke, Qi Hui and Zhang Ruoyun listened, and the three of them walked toward the director.

In the time it took to talk, the three had already reached the outskirts of the set being filmed.

The director, Jiang Wei, was also the screenwriter of this drama; he studied history for his bachelor's and directing for his master's.

The span was a bit large, but precisely because of this, the scripts he wrote fit all kinds of historical facts, producing a rare sense of authenticity.

It makes one feel as if his dramas really happened.

When Qi Hui and the others arrived, director Jiang Wei was directing the shoot.

But the content of this scene... Qi Hui took a couple of looks and couldn't help his expression turning a bit strange.

The scene being filmed wasn't a male role, but a woman's part.

Mm, a catching-the-cheaters scene.

The station chief's wife and Cuiping, played by Yao Chen, were chasing Mrs. Ma, Ma Kui's wife, beating her.

The reason was that Ma Kui had already been sacrificed, and the station chief took advantage of no one being around to kick at the widow's door — of course, just for work.

But what a coincidence, they were spotted by the station chief's wife and Cuiping, who had just arrived.

Then came a catfight among the three women — poor Mrs. Ma had just lost her husband and now had to suffer another miserable beating.

The result... the result was Cuiping discovered that Mrs. Ma really had been stepping out.

But not with the station chief — with the station chief's secretary, Secretary Hong.

And Secretary Hong, hiding in the wardrobe of Ma Kui's bedroom, was caught red-handed.

The already-gone Ma Kui became Green-Capped Kui.

Qi Hui watched, unable to hold back his laughter, and couldn't help cackling: "A world-famous painting — Comrade Ma Kui is in Poland."

"Oh? What do you mean, Comrade Ma Kui is in Poland, young comrade?" At that moment, an inquiring voice came from not far away.

Qi Hui turned his head and saw a kindly middle-aged to elderly man sitting in a chair, smiling at him.

The actor Feng Enhe.

This time he was playing the spymaster Wu Jingzhong, Station Chief Wu.

Besides this role, he had also shaped many classic characters; he had even appeared in "The Great Decisive Battle: The Liaoshen Campaign."

The army commander who, during the attack on Jinzhou, lost his position and didn't report upward — that was him.

Number 101 even said, "Large-scale formation operations demand strict discipline," and nearly had him shot.

Fortunately, Marshal Luo stepped in to handle it; before the handling, he retook the position — otherwise it really would have been over.

So... a genuine, bona-fide Number One leader of the North.

Beside him was Li Dakang... ahem, Wu Gang, who was reading the script.

"A world-famous painting?" Director Jiang Wei and Wu Gang nearby were equally puzzled.

Ling Xiaosu and Zhang Ruoyun were equally baffled — they both knew Ma Kui was a major character in the drama.

The Tianjin station action team leader, who had caused the male lead Yu Zecheng no small trouble.

But what did that have to do with Poland?