Chapter 9: Two Pieces of Trivia

"Eh? There are two directors?" Beside Qi Hui Hui asked, puzzled.

From afar, he had already spotted another person holding a director's megaphone; not a bald man, but a middle-aged man wearing a jacket.

Zhang Ruoyun glanced over and explained, "That is Director Chen."

"Our production crew has two lead directors: Director Chen and Du Dao."

"Du Dao is in charge of action scenes and fight choreography filming, while Director Chen is in charge of war scenes and explosion scenes filming."

Hearing this, Beside Qi Hui Hui had an epiphany, but his eyes rolled as he recalled some news he had seen in his past life.

The "Snow Leopard" production crew apparently had an explosion accident, nearly blowing up Wen Zhang.

After Wen Zhang's wife, Ma Yili, learned of this, she rushed over and directly scolded and berated the director and props department... or so it went.

Beside Qi Hui Hui scratched his head; he seemed to have seen it while scrolling through videos in his past life, but couldn't remember clearly.

When surfing the internet, doesn't knowledge just pass through the brain without entering?

Who would remember that clearly?

Just as Beside Qi Hui Hui was pondering, Zhang Ruoyun's voice suddenly rang out:

"Du Dao, are all the actors in position?"

Beside Qi Hui Hui looked up and realized he and Zhang Ruoyun had arrived before the bald Du Yuming.

Zhang Ruoyun continued, "This is my senior from the Class of '05. He has good acting skills and excellent appearance. Is there a suitable role?"

Beside Qi Hui Hui glared at Zhang Ruoyun; why was this kid so stubborn?

Zhang Ruoyun pretended not to see; was a man like him the type to screw people over?

Du Yuming shook his bald head, watching the two with great interest.

In fact, before Zhang Ruoyun brought Beside Qi Hui Hui, he had already known about Beside Qi Hui Hui.

Old Zhang had just sent him a text message, but it wasn't to ask for a role; it was to wash his hands of the matter.

If Little Zhang doesn't reach out, nothing happens, and everyone is happy.

If Little Zhang does reach out, then you guys deal with it.

It has nothing to do with me, Old Zhang; whether you give it or not is your business.

Don't ask me beforehand, and don't look for me afterwards.

"Hello, Teacher Du, I've long heard of your fame," Beside Qi Hui Hui greeted first, smiling broadly and saying:

"I grew up watching your work; today is the first time I've seen the real person."

With matters at this point, Beside Qi Hui Hui knew he couldn't refuse Little Zhang anymore.

So he would just go along with his wish and get a role.

Beside Qi Hui Hui didn't want a supporting role; just playing an extra or a bit part to get by would suffice.

"Oh? The young man knows how to talk," Du Yuming said with a broad smile; although he looked fierce and menacing, he was very amiable.

Changing the subject, he asked, "Then tell me, which role of mine do you like the most?"

Ding~

【Host has contacted director and actor Du Yuming; one lottery draw opportunity obtained. Do you wish to draw now?】

Beside Qi Hui Hui's heart stirred slightly, and he immediately decided to draw.

【Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the skill: Martial Arts Coordinator.】

This thing seems pretty useless...

"Du Yuetsheng," Beside Qi Hui Hui suppressed his speechlessness and answered without hesitation:

"Back then you were still very young, but you acted so well."

Actually, the simple reason was that when playing that role, Du Yuming still had hair, so Beside Qi Hui Hui remembered him.

The rest... he basically didn't remember.

Hearing this, Du Yuming was overjoyed and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, you kid have good taste; that was the first play I ever acted in."

Every bald man has an abnormal obsession with hair follicles; Du Yuming was no exception.

He too missed the time when he still had hair.

Taking advantage of his good mood, Beside Qi Hui Hui handed him a cigarette and lit it for him with a casual motion, saying, "Teacher Du, does this scene still need people?"

"Just give me an extra or a bit part; I've never played a character before, and I can't handle too many lines."

What they were preparing to film next was the war scene at the beginning of the first episode of "Snow Leopard."

Specifically, the scene where Wen Zhang and the female lead, as students, braved a hail of bullets to deliver comfort supplies to the 19th Route Army during the January 28th War of Resistance.

Looking around, the extras were all in blue-gray military uniforms plus green flat-bottomed British helmets.

The costumes, makeup, and props were done very well, identical to the historical 19th Route Army.

This scene also featured many familiar actors: Kropotkin from "My Chief and My Regiment," Yu Zhen, the professional anti-Japanese war film actor, and so on.

Du Yuming looked at Beside Qi Hui Hui with surprise; were graduates from Beijing Film Academy this low in their requirements?

This wasn't 2024, where junior college grads were worth less than dogs and undergraduates were everywhere.

College students in the early 2000s still had some value; for example, civil engineering majors were still very popular then, without the later disdain where even dogs wouldn't do it.

So Du Yuming was somewhat surprised by Beside Qi Hui Hui's request.

He had thought the kid wouldn't act unless it was a main character role.

Thinking of this, Du Yuming took a drag of his cigarette and nodded in satisfaction.

This kid knows how to be a person; he is much better than the arrogant Wen Zhang.

"Teacher Du, the costumes and props in the production crew are done very well," Beside Qi Hui Hui praised.

"Not bad," Du Yuming laughed heartily, "Costumes, makeup, and props are the foundation; of course, we must be serious."

"Is there a piece of trivia Teacher Du knows?" Beside Qi Hui Hui smiled, "The 19th Route Army was the Guangdong Army, people from Guangdong Province."

Du Yuming laughed heartily: "Of course I know that."

It's explained in the actor's lines.

He filmed this drama not only as work, but also to give his all in recreating that tragic history, so later generations would remember it.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such painstaking lengths to prepare such detailed costumes, props, and sets.

"Is there another bit of trivia you know, Teacher Du?" Beside Qi Hui Hui continued: "The white-headed spring couplets of Guangdong."

Du Yuming was surprised: "Oh? Is there some story behind them?"

He had struggled in Hong Kong in his early years, so of course he had also seen Guangdong's white-headed spring couplets.

He had always assumed it was just a different local custom, but now that it was brought up, it seemed to be connected to the Nineteenth Route Army?

Beside Qi Hui Hui explained: "When the January 28th Incident began, there were only ten days until the Spring Festival. The Nineteenth Route Army, the vanguard of the resistance against Japan, held out for thirty-five days and was nearly annihilated."

"That Spring Festival, the elders of Guangdong spent it together with funerals—nearly every household hung white mourning strips. To commemorate the Nineteenth Route Army, the white-headed spring couplets came into being."

Hearing this, Du Yuming was filled with solemn respect: "So that's how it is!"

Xiao Zhang was equally stunned—there's even such a thing. Truly an eye-opener.

"What are your thoughts?" Du Yuming asked.

"How about changing all the lines and dialogue of the Nineteenth Route Army into Cantonese-influenced Mandarin or Cantonese?" Beside Qi Hui Hui suggested. Historically, General Cai Tingkai also rallied soldiers and civilians to resist Japan and save the country in Cantonese.

Now that the pre-production preparations were already in place, they were just waiting to start filming.

To change the script, the cost would be far too great, and it would also contradict the screenplay—it was impossible.

They could only use this method to make the Guangdong army easier for people to remember.

Beside Qi Hui Hui still remembered to this day Ma Dazhi, the character speaking Cantonese-influenced Mandarin in *My Chief and My Regiment*.

Squeezing a few lines into the original *Snow Leopard* would make it hard for people to connect the Nineteenth Army with Guangdong—people would hear it once and let it pass.

After all, knowledge passes through the brain three times without staying.

"Mm… let me go discuss it with Old Chen." Du Yuming thought for a moment and said:

"Come along too. In a bit I'll put in a word for a role for you."

"Many thanks." Beside Qi Hui Hui smiled. He wasn't exactly asking for a role for nothing now.

……

Meanwhile, Director Chen Haowei was inspecting the explosion points.

He was in charge of filming the war scenes; there would be a string of explosions coming up.

This kind of scene had to be handled carefully—safety came first.

"Director Chen, when are we starting to film?" Tao Feifei came over and asked.

"Oh… Feifei." Director Chen glanced up, set down the detonator wire in his hand: "Pretty much ready."

His inspection work was basically finished.

Tao Feifei's eyes darted, and she pointed into the distance with a puzzled look: "Hey, Director Chen, who's that person over there with Du Dao?"

Director Chen glanced over and answered: "That's Zhang Ruoyun's college senior, Beijing Film Academy class of '05, a graduate."

"He's very close with Xiao Zhang. He's here to visit the set now."

He had also just received a text message from Producer Zhang and knew Beside Qi Hui Hui's background.

Of course, the possible request for a role he didn't mention—after all, it hadn't happened yet.

It might have happened too, but that was on Old Du's side and had nothing to do with him.

He didn't much care for people who got in through the back door—it left a bad taste.

"Got it." Tao Feifei chuckled and turned to leave.

At first she had been quite interested in Beside Qi Hui Hui—handsome, tall, and clearly strong, exactly her type.

She wasn't young anymore; it was time to think about settling down, so getting to know him wouldn't hurt.

But once she heard he was a penniless fresh graduate, her interest faded considerably.

The gap in age and status was just too big.

"Oh… I see, thank you, Teacher Tao." After hearing the news Tao Feifei had gathered, Emblem nodded and said.

Just as he had figured—that pretty boy was someone preparing to get in through the back door.

But… judging from Director Chen's expression, it seemed Director Chen wasn't much interested in that pretty boy?

Emblem stroked his chin, watching from afar, yet feeling puzzled in his heart.

Could it be that Director Chen, like him, couldn't stand people who got in through the back door either?

If that were the case, then things would be much easier… Emblem's brow lifted slightly.