novellhall Chapter 186 You and Chen Xun are classmates? [6000]
Chapter 186 You and Chen Xun are classmates? [6000]
Chapter 186 You and Chen Xun are classmates? [6000] (Seeking monthly votes)
Recording is more than halfway complete.
Teacher He glanced at the cue cards and announced with a smile, "Next up is our most popular segment, 'Guess What We Guess,' a game that tests the understanding and teamwork among team members!"
The rules of the game are very simple.
The five guests and five hosts were divided into two teams. Each team took turns sending one person to write the answer on the blackboard based on the question displayed on the big screen. Then, the corresponding member of the other team guessed what the answer was.
If you guess correctly, you get one point; if you guess incorrectly or the time runs out, the opponent gets a point.
"Today we're playing the Hollywood special edition!"
Sheena added, "The questions were all related to movies and actors!"
In the first round, the Hollywood team sent Chen Xun, while the Happy Family team sent Teacher He.
The large screen displayed the question: "Of all the actresses Chen Xun has worked with in Hollywood, who has the best alcohol tolerance?"
A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.
This question was clearly a trap deliberately set by the production team.
Chen Xun took a whiteboard marker, wrote two words on the small black whiteboard, and then quickly flipped it over and placed it face down on the table.
This is to prevent the other side from peeking.
Teacher He stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Actresses I've worked with—Kristen Stewart? Dakota Fanning?"
Kat Dennings? Or Jennifer Lawrence from The Hunger Games?
Every time he said a name, the audience would erupt in cheers.
There are always some gossip and rumors behind these names.
Chen Xun remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was thinking: This production team must have seen the news about him being filmed drunk that time.
"I think it's Jennifer Lawrence; she looks like she can drink a lot."
After a moment's hesitation, Teacher He wrote his answer on the board.
Chen Xun shook his head.
"Then—Kate?"
Teacher He erased and rewrote it.
Chen Xun shook his head again.
Ten seconds remain.
Teacher He gritted his teeth: "Christine?"
Chen Xun smiled and turned the whiteboard over.
It says "Me" on it.
The audience was stunned for a second, then burst into laughter.
"What? You?" Li Weijia laughed so hard he slapped his thigh. "The question was about actresses!"
"yes!"
Chen Xun looked innocent: "The question asked about the actresses Chen Xun had worked with in Hollywood, but it didn't say the answer was actresses. My alcohol tolerance is indeed better than theirs, that's objective."
Chen Xun was actually feeling incredibly guilty as he spoke.
His alcohol tolerance is notoriously low!
However, he was mostly seen drunk abroad.
This is truly embarrassing!
"You're taking advantage of a loophole!" Sheena said, pointing at him.
"That's called making reasonable use of the rules," Chen Xun shrugged.
Teacher He conceded defeat: "Fine, you win this round."
The audience applauded.
Chen Xun's fans were especially excited.
They just love seeing Chen Xun being both smart and a little cheeky.
This contrast between their on-screen and off-screen personas struck them as novel.
Moreover, Chen Xun is a warm-hearted person, giving away phones to fans, buying milk tea for fans, and even taking fans home.
It's hard not to love an idol like that!
After several rounds, the score remained close.
The show has entered the most crucial "two-person tacit understanding challenge" segment.
Rule upgrade: Each team sends out a pair of partners, who write down the answers simultaneously, and then reveal whether they match.
The questions will be displayed to both people simultaneously.
On the Hollywood team's side, Van and Paul volunteered to go first.
The question is: "Who loved to sing on set the most during the filming of Fast & Furious 5?"
Fan wrote: "Paul".
Paul wrote: "I".
The answers are the same!
Score!
The Happy Family team sent Xie Na and Li Weijia to answer the question: "What is the phrase that Teacher He says most often?"
Both of them wrote at the same time: "Be careful!"
And they're alike again!
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
It was Chen Xun's turn.
According to the original plan, he was supposed to partner with Gail.
Teacher He suddenly suggested, "Chen Xun, how about this? Let's increase the difficulty. You can partner with Director Shen from our station. She'll be in charge of your location shooting, so she should know your crew a bit."
Wow~
A murmur arose from the audience.
They weren't very interested in foreign celebrities; they preferred to see Chen Xun paired with their own people.
Chen Xun glanced at Shen Man in the background; she was clearly taken aback by this turn of events and seemed a little flustered.
"How about it, Director Shen? Want to come up and have a round?"
Teacher He waved to her.
Shen Man hesitated and looked at the director on set, who gestured for her to go up.
Although it was an impromptu addition, judging from the current situation, it should be quite effective!
She took a deep breath and walked onto the stage.
When the spotlight shone down, she became even more nervous than she had been backstage.
"Don't be nervous," Chen Xun said in a low voice in Chinese, "It's just like when we do group projects at school."
Shen Man nodded and took the small whiteboard handed to her by the staff.
The large screen displayed the question: "Which restaurant does Chen Xun like to eat at most in Los Angeles?"
This question is a bit tricky.
This will test both Shen Man's understanding of Chen Xun and the tacit understanding between the two old classmates.
Chen Xun picked up his pen and began writing almost without thinking.
Shen Man paused for a few seconds. She didn't know what Chen Xun liked to eat now, only that three years ago he often went to the Jin Sichuan restaurant near the school.
Countdown begins: 10, 9, 8 —
Both of them stopped writing at the same time and put the whiteboard face down on the table.
"Okay, let's reveal the answer!"
Teacher He pointed at Shen Man: "Let's start with Director Shen. Shen Man, what did you write?"
Shen Man flipped over the whiteboard: "Golden Sichuan".
Where is Chen Xun?
Chen Xun flipped over the whiteboard, which also had three words on it: "Golden Sichuan".
The entire audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted in gasps.
"Wow! Exactly the same!" Wu Xin exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Even the characters are almost identical!"
Du Haitao leaned closer to look: "It really is, the character '金' is written like this, with a bit of cursive."
Teacher He astutely grasped the key point: "Wait, Director Shen, how did you know Chen Xun likes to go to this restaurant? Isn't it one he frequents in Los Angeles?"
Shen Man opened her mouth, but before she could think of an explanation, Chen Xun took over: "Because this shop is right next to our school."
He said naturally, "I used to go there often when I was in school. It was cheap and the portions were huge. The owner was from Sichuan, and his boiled fish was especially authentic. Shen Man was my classmate at USC, so of course she knows about it."
The audience erupted in uproar.
"Are you classmates?"
Shena grasped the key words.
"Yes, she's in the directing department." Chen Xun nodded. "But she's better than me. She's a proper directing major, while I switched to acting later in life."
Even though Teacher He knew it was a TV show recording, he still took a moment to quietly turn to Shen Man and ask, "So you two really are classmates? Why didn't you mention it before?"
Shen Man had no choice but to admit: "We were classmates, but Chen Xun went to Hollywood and I returned to China to develop my career. We haven't been in touch for a long time. I was quite surprised to run into him backstage this time."
"What a coincidence!" Li Weijia concluded, "So Director Shen is a hidden 'connected' individual!"
The audience below the stage laughed so hard they were doubled over.
Chen Xun's fans were even more excited.
A famous idol returned to China and bumped into his old classmate—it's so sweet!
The game continues.
The second question: "What sport is Chen Xun best at?"
Both of them wrote: "Basketball".
Once again, they are in agreement.
The third question: "What was Chen Xun's first officially starring film?"
Shen Man hesitated for a moment.
She wasn't actually sure.
Chen Xun's breakthrough role in Hollywood was Fandral in Thor, but that shouldn't be his first film, right?
As the countdown was about to end, she wrote down the news about Chen Xun that she had read when she first returned to China: "Lurking".
Chen Xun also wrote "Lurking".
When the role was revealed, Chen Xun explained, "Actually, I had played minor roles before, but 'Lurking' is the first character I have a name."
"You got it right again!"
Du Haitao exclaimed, "This level of teamwork is incredible!"
The fifth and final question: "Who is Chen Xun's idol?"
This is a somewhat personal question.
Shen Man remembered that Chen Xun once said that the actor he admired was Robert De Niro.
Because he can play any role, and every role seems to have truly lived.
She wrote: "Robert De Niro".
Chen Xun has also finished writing.
"Reveal!" He Jiong raised his voice.
Both of them flipped the board at the same time.
Shen Man's board reads: "Robert De Niro".
Chen Xun's sign reads: "Jackie Chan".
There was a moment of silence, then Chen Xun laughed first: "Ah, we might have misremembered this."
Shen Man's eyes darkened, but then she smiled as she thought about how many questions she had answered correctly: "I remember you saying that back in college."
"He was definitely De Niro in college."
Chen Xun explained, "But after I entered this industry, especially after I started filming action movies, Jackie Chan's movies had a great influence on me. I admire his way of combining comedy and action, as well as his dedication to doing his own stunts, even more now."
Teacher He concluded: "So the answer is both are correct! One is a past idol, and the other is a present idol!"
They answered three out of four questions correctly, demonstrating an astonishing level of teamwork.
The audience applauded, and Chen Xun's fans clapped until their hands were red.
They not only witnessed their idol's talent for variety shows, but also unexpectedly learned about his campus life and his private side.
I feel like my idol is one step closer to me.
Before Shen Man stepped off the stage, Teacher He specifically asked, "Director Shen, as Chen Xun's old classmate, do you think he has changed a lot?"
Shen Man thought for a moment and answered seriously: "His acting skills have improved tremendously. I can see his growth in every work, but in terms of personality, he is still the same person who is very clever but also very sincere to his friends."
Chen Xun chimed in from the side, "That's a very fair assessment."
The whole crowd laughed.
The game segment ended, and the recording is nearing its end.
Teacher He summarized the event, thanking the Fast & Furious 5 crew and all the viewers.
As the recording officially ended and the audience began to leave, a man in a shirt and trousers stared thoughtfully at the screen in the backstage monitoring room.
He is the deputy director of Hunan TV, and he came here today specifically to see the recording results of this key episode.
"Is that female director named Shen Man?" he asked the program director next to him.
"Yes, Shen Man, a graduate of the Directing Department of USC, has been at the station for three months and is now working as a director in the Variety Department. She speaks good English, is serious about her work, and her on-the-spot reactions today were also good."
"Are she and Chen Xun really classmates?"
"It seems so. I inquired backstage just now, and it is indeed USC. Chen Xun is also studying at USC. He even went back to school with Spielberg to attend the ceremony a while ago."
The deputy director nodded: "We need to maintain this relationship. Chen Xun is now a popular Chinese actor in Hollywood, and he will definitely return to China to collaborate in the future. With Shen Man's connection, it will be much easier for our station to deal with him."
He paused for a moment: "Give her more responsibility and let her participate more in the later recordings."
"clear!"
Backstage, Shen Man was tidying up the equipment.
She was unaware of the conversation between the station leaders, but she could sense that the way her colleagues looked at her had changed.
There was curiosity, and also a friendliness I had never experienced before.
Chen Xun walked over and handed her a bottle of water: "You did well today. Your reaction time was quick."
"You brought it well." Shen Man unscrewed the bottle cap: "I was really afraid you wrote something else based on Jin Sichuan's answer."
"No, that store has special meaning for me."
Chen Xun leaned against the wall: "The day I first received a role with lines, the two of us went there and had a meal of boiled fish. I still remember it to this day."
Shen Man nodded without saying anything.
"Oh, right!" Chen Xun remembered something: "You mentioned wanting to make your own variety show, do you have any ideas yet?"
"It's starting to take shape, but it's not mature yet."
"If you need any help, feel free to contact me anytime. I've recorded quite a few variety shows before and have seen the entire recording process backstage. I'll have Rob send it to you!"
Chen Xun checked the time: "I have to catch a flight later. Next stop is promotional work. I don't know when I'll be back in China."
'
"Okay, have a safe trip."
Chen Xun turned to leave, then turned back: "Shen Man."
"Um?"
"Thank you for praising me on stage today!"
Shen Man smiled: "What I said was the truth."
Chen Xun smiled, waved, and left the backstage area with the rest of the crew.
Shen Man watched his figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, then lowered her head to continue packing her things.
Her phone vibrated; it was a message from Sister Wang: "Xiao Shen, come to my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning to talk about that variety show proposal you mentioned before."
As Shen Man looked at the message, she recalled the way the station leader had nodded and smiled at her as he passed by earlier.
She suddenly realized that today's recording might not be just an ordinary follow-up in her career.
Outside the window, night fell in Changsha, and the lights of the Broadcasting Building shone brightly in the darkness.
Shen Man packed her things and walked out of the building. The early summer evening breeze carried the unique, moist scent of the Xiang River.
She took out her phone and sent Chen Xun a WeChat message: "Thank you for today, keep it up!"
A few minutes later, Chen Xun replied: "You too! Once your show is done, I'll be the first one on!"
It was followed by a fist emoji.
Shen Man smiled when she saw that sentence.
Then she put away her phone and walked towards the bus stop.
Flights from Changsha to Seoul.
-
Chen Xun sat by the window, his eyes closed as if he were resting.
Actually, he was looking at the control panel.
During this month-long global roadshow, he flew to various places, and he seemed to be drawn to any attribute-related ball he came across.
Absorbing attribute balls has now become second nature to him.
Regardless of who the attribute orb falls from, it is basically absorbed into his stats as soon as it lands.
Chen Xun felt that in a while, he would be able to develop the ability to absorb attribute balls regardless of when they landed.
It peeks out and disappears instantly!
Upon opening the panel, Chen Xun was startled:
【Acting realm】
Level: Capable of handling tasks independently Progress: 83%
[Skills Bar]
The essence of practical combat action performance (gold): 72%
Street vehicle attack and defense instincts (purple) 68%
"83% already!"
It rose much faster than he had imagined!
But upon closer reflection, it's not surprising.
During this global promotional trip, he was in high-intensity exposure almost every day.
Give interviews, participate in events, interact with fans, and record TV programs.
Every performance is a show.
Attribute orbs will drop in almost every instance!
Especially in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as during the impromptu interactions with the Happy Family while filming in Changsha, many high-quality attribute orbs, even purple or gold, dropped.
It seems like there's a chance for an upgrade after this roadshow!
A smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Xun's face.
The control panel hasn't been upgraded in ages!
"Chen, what are you thinking about that makes you so happy?"
Paul, sitting next to me, turned around and said, "You kept your eyes closed; I thought you were asleep."
Chen Xun opened his eyes and smiled: "I'm wondering what the next stop will be like in South Korea. I heard the fans there are pretty crazy."
How crazy can it be?
Sitting on the other side of the aisle, Tyrese interjected, "Could it be bigger than China's 8,000-strong force?"
"no the same!"
Recalling his past life's understanding of South Korean fan culture: "Chinese fans are enthusiastic but organized, while South Korean fans are more like a large organization!"
Four hours later, at Incheon International Airport.
Before the plane even landed, the crew informed passengers: "Dear passengers, the airport has informed us that there is a large number of fans gathering at the arrival gate. We suggest that VIP passengers be prepared."
Looking down through the porthole, Chen Xun could see a dense crowd of people near the tarmac, holding various light boards and banners.
"Wow~" Vin Diesel also came over to take a look: "This is indeed quite a large scale."
As soon as the cabin door opened, the South Korean ground staff came up, their expressions serious: "Dear teachers, security is in place, but there are over five thousand people present. Please stay close to us, do not linger, do not accept gifts, and do not sign autographs."
"Five thousand?" Gail exclaimed in surprise. "Our movie hasn't even been released in South Korea yet."
"They are mainly fans of Mr. Chen Xun."
The local guide explained, "He's very popular in South Korea. 'Green Lantern' and '2 Broke Girls' have both aired, and 'The Hunger Games' was especially well-received!"
Chen Xun: "————"
As the group walked out of the passage, they were instantly engulfed by the sound.
"Chen Xun! Chen Xun!"
"I love you!"
The screams were more frequent than when we were in China.
Fans wore T-shirts in the same support color, held up carefully made banners and light boards, and chanted slogans in unison.
-
Fans in the front row held DSLR cameras, pointed the lenses at Chen Xun, and the sound of shutters clicking filled the air.
Security personnel formed a human wall by holding hands, but the crowd still kept pushing forward.
Several fans tried to break through the cordon to deliver gifts, but were stopped by security and burst into tears on the spot.
"this----"
Paul stared in disbelief: "Why are they crying?"
"They probably felt regretful for not giving the gift."
Chen Xun explained in a low voice, "That's how Korean fan culture is. They take their support very seriously and are extremely emotionally invested."
Tyrese muttered to himself, "I feel like the way they look at you is like they want to stuff you into their bags and take you home."
"Stop talking, let's go."
Escorted by security personnel, the group struggled through the arrival hall.
Fans followed along, taking photos, screaming, and crying, creating a chaotic yet enthusiastic scene.
Some fans shouted "Chen Xun Oppa" in broken Chinese, some held up signs that read "Please look at me", and some even knelt down to take photos.
This was a gesture that Korean fans expressed their extreme appreciation for, but Chen Xun felt it was a bit excessive.
Once I got in the car and closed the door, the world finally became a little quieter.
"Oh My God!"
Paul wiped his sweat: "When I was filming 'Fast & Furious 1' and went to Japan to promote it, I thought that was already pretty extreme. Today, it really refreshes my understanding."
Fan remained calm: "That means the movie will be a hit!"
The Seoul premiere was held at Lotte Cinema in Myeongdong.
At 7 p.m., the red carpet area outside the cinema was packed with people. This time, it wasn't just fans, but also a large number of media.
South Korean entertainment reporters are faster than anyone else, with their cameras and microphones aimed at the red carpet, asking increasingly sharp questions.
"Mr. Chen Xun, how is your experience in South Korea?"
Is there a difference between Chinese fans and Korean fans?
95
Do you have any plans to collaborate with Korean actors in your next project?
1
Chen Xun answered in English, and the translator relayed his answers in real time.
His answers were all very official.
I'm very happy to be in Korea. The fans are very enthusiastic. Collaboration will depend on the opportunity.
But the reporters were clearly not satisfied and wanted to dig up more dirt.
During the group interview after the red carpet event, the questions were even more direct: "I heard that you and Kristen are in a relationship of convenience, is that true?"
"South Korean media outlets have reported that you have a close relationship with a female screenwriter in China. Could you please respond to this?"
Do you think the situation for Asian actors in Hollywood has improved?
Chen Xun maintained his smile, but inwardly he was thinking: This country's ability to dig up information is no less than that of the United States' TMZ.
After the premiere, on his way back to the hotel, Chen Xun glanced at the system panel and saw that the progress had increased from 83% to 84%.
He discovered that as his fame grew, the frequency and quality of the attribute balls falling increased dramatically.
Previously, most of them were blue and purple, but now they are mostly purple attribute balls, with gold attribute balls appearing occasionally.
It should be noted that the highest-level attribute orb Chen Xun is currently absorbing is golden.
He had never met anyone at a higher level.
Over the next three days, the crew attended four events and appeared on two variety shows in South Korea.
The style of Korean variety shows is completely different from that of "Happy Camp".
The variety show effect is even more exaggerated.
The hosts also have a stronger desire to perform, sometimes even to the point of being overly enthusiastic.
During the recording of a program called "Running Man", Chen Xun was asked to play a "name tag ripping" game.
He originally thought it was just a casual game, but he didn't expect the hosts to be so dedicated, surrounding him and coordinating their tactics quite well.
Chen Xun originally intended to go easy on him, but seeing how serious the other party was, he became interested as well.
With his upgraded physical attributes and practical combat skills, he skillfully dodged in a limited space and eventually managed to take on three hosts, tearing off their name tags.
This also includes Kim Jong-kook, who is known as a superhuman!
The director on set was stunned!
His skills are more like those of a special forces soldier than an actor.
After the recording ended, several hosts surrounded him and asked, "Mr. Chen Xun, are you really an actor?"
"I've trained a lot through filming action scenes."
Chen Xun explained with a smile.
This segment sparked another wave of heated discussion in South Korea after it aired.
Their strongest fighter, Kim Jong-kook, was actually defeated!
A netizen created a video edit titled "Hollywood Actors Crushe 'Running Man'", which garnered over a million views.
When we left South Korea, the panel was already 85% complete.
The saying that every South Korean is an actor is no joke!
Next up are Tokyo, Singapore, and finally back to Los Angeles.
When Chen Xun landed, the progress of the panel had increased to 87%!