novellhall Chapter 16 Is this the China Boy I know?
Chapter 16 Is this the China Boy I know?
Zhou Caiqin didn't immediately respond; she simply watched him quietly through the non-existent screen.
Her eyes were complicated.
There is concern, subtle worry, and a profound depth that seems to penetrate the surface and reach the heart.
She didn't use any exaggerated acting skills; just by looking at her, an invisible pressure spread out.
Chen Xun's heart skipped a beat.
As expected of a veteran actor, he could almost feel the weight of that gaze.
Just then!
He noticed a soft green orb quietly appearing at Zhou Caiqin's feet: [Eye Attribute - Penetration +2].
Rare attribute!
Chen Xun's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately focused his mind to absorb the information.
A refreshing sensation entered my eyes.
He instantly gained a deeper understanding of how to convey complex and compelling information through his eyes.
He dared not be distracted and continued performing.
The moment the video call ended.
The smile on his face went out abruptly, like a neon light suddenly losing power.
It was as if all the energy and spirit of the person had been drained in an instant, and their shoulders slumped slightly.
He didn't erupt immediately; there was a few seconds of deathly silence.
He lowered his head, staring blankly at the ground, his breathing becoming light and slow, as if even breathing had become a burden.
Then, slowly, very slowly, he slid off the chair and onto the cold floor.
He buried his face in his knees, ran his hands through his hair, and his knuckles turned slightly white from the effort.
There were no lines, only his shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.
It started lightly, then the movements became larger and larger, involving the entire upper body.
A suppressed whimper escaped from deep within his throat.
Unlike the audition, this performance was more layered.
This makes the collapse feel incredibly real and heartbreaking.
The scene was completely silent.
All that could be heard was the low hum of a refrigeration unit in a corner.
Robert, who had been leaning against the monitor with a coffee cup in his hand, had somehow stood up straight, his mouth slightly open, having forgotten to drink his coffee.
The surprise in his eyes was even greater than during the audition, and he even looked somewhat bewildered.
Is this the China Boy I know?
Director Sarah leaned forward, her fingers unconsciously tapping her chin, her eyes bright, as if she had discovered some treasure.
And Zhou Caiqin, the teacher who had put so much pressure on him, nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes.
"Cut!"
The executive director's voice broke the silence.
His voice was filled with barely concealed excitement:
"Holy, Chen, excellent! Emotional depth, body control—perfect! This is exactly the Li we wanted!"
Chen Xun raised his head from the ground, blinked quickly, and suppressed the remaining emotions in his heart.
He stood up, brushed the dust off his pants, and felt his heart still pounding powerfully in his chest.
He noticed the change in the expressions of those around him.
With recognition and praise for him!
Rob strode over, gave him a firm hug on the shoulder, and his voice was tinged with a rough excitement:
"Fuck me, kid! That last thing you did gave me goosebumps! Did you go to some magic academy for the past month? Your progress is faster than a rocket!"
Chen Xun twitched the corner of his mouth.
He humbly replied, "It's all thanks to Teacher Zhou's excellent guidance; her gaze immediately drew me into the role!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Caiqin smiled at him:
"You caught it yourself, young man. You're very talented and hardworking."
She paused, then added, "It's not easy being an Asian actor in Hollywood; it's about maintaining that sensitivity and authenticity."
Rehearsals continued, and Chen Xun was in top form.
In a later scene where Lee couldn't fit into the group at the party, he simply conveyed the atmosphere of "being surrounded by people yet feeling incredibly lonely" by leaning against a corner with a blank stare.
The actor who plays his American classmate Alex, while demonstrating an excellent sense of rhythm during an improvisation, dropped a gray [Rhythm-related attribute - Improvisational Reaction +1] at his feet.
absorb!
Even a mosquito's leg is still meat; little by little, it adds up.
The day's rehearsals are over.
Chen Xun felt even more tired than when he had been squatting on a street corner in Santa Monica for three consecutive days, but he was unusually excited.
As he was packing his things, Robert wandered over again, this time with a mysterious expression on his face.
"Chen, your performance today has surprised more than just us."
He lowered his voice:
"A casting director friend of mine happened to visit Sarah on set today and saw you rehearsing! He has a project and is looking for a young male actor who can fight, has some acting skills, and preferably has an Asian face. It's a significant role, and I think you could give it a try."
Rob handed him a note with a name and contact information written on it:
"This is his independent audition, not a public one. I told him you're one of my people, so get ready. I'll send you the time and location later."
Chen Xun took the light note, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Another opportunity!
He looked at Robert.
The assistant director, who had previously only seen him as a competent background figure, now had eyes full of anticipation.
This shows they recognized Chen Xun's potential and wanted to invest in him early.
Although this is a normal thing in Hollywood, Chen Xun was still very grateful to him.
Stepping off the film set, the sunset over Los Angeles was magnificent.
Chen Xun glanced back at the still-busy film studio and felt as if the road beneath his feet had widened a bit.
He took out his phone and saw a message from Li Suyan asking him what he wanted to eat that night.
She tried to recreate his stir-fried pork with chili peppers, although it might be an "oven-baked version".
A Korean girl fell in love with Chinese food after trying stir-fried pork with chili peppers once!
……
A skilled fighter, with an Asian appearance, and a significant role...
Chen Xun took these keywords seriously when they were combined.
Action scenes were a field he had never explored before.
His meager physical attributes, gleaned from playing street thugs and corpses, are at best good enough for him to play a minor role where he gets knocked down by the protagonist with a single punch.
He's still ten Jackie Chans away from being "capable of fighting".
Fortunately, the audition was a week later, giving him a valuable buffer period.
"I need to find a place to practice more!"
Chen Xun pondered.
Should I enroll in a proper combat training course?
never mind!
With so little money!
After paying tuition, I'll have to live on Los Angeles winds with Lee So-yeon next month.
The most economical way is to go to Chinese film crews with fight scenes and learn from their experience.
Even if you're just a stagehand carrying equipment, as long as you can observe and absorb attributes up close, it's a huge win.
These days, Chinese film crews "making a living" on American soil face a somewhat delicate situation.
With the bits and pieces of information he had gathered from his previous experiences at the bottom of society, plus some connections with USC alumni, Chen Xun managed to find a warehouse district in eastern Los Angeles.
The rent is cheap here.
Many small to medium-budget Chinese-language film and television projects are often filmed here.
Today, a TV drama crew from China is stationed here, filming a spy drama set in the Republican era. It is said that there are quite a few scenes of hand-to-hand combat and gunfights.
With his silver tongue and promise of free labor, Chen Xun actually managed to get a production assistant, who was overwhelmed by the equipment, to put him in the job as a "temporary on-site assistant," but in reality, he was just a piece of brick that was moved around wherever needed.