The young man in front had an arrogant expression, his features strikingly beautiful, exuding a sense of pampering and indulgence from his very bones. He stood out like a sore thumb amidst the bustling kitchen of De Wei Lou.
This was Ji Yunsheng, making his first appearance in the script.
The way a character presents themselves upon their first entrance can significantly influence the audience’s perception of them. An actor must provide enough information to fully establish the character, which is not an easy task.
In written text, details can be described from clothing to mannerisms, expressions to tone of voice. However, in a visual medium, the audience sees only the sudden appearance of a person, without the possibility of rewinding to catch missed details. Thus, much information must be conveyed in that brief moment.
Especially since this role is a supporting character in a drama with many ensemble scenes, aside from the protagonist played by Qi Ming, the other significant supporting roles have similar screen time and distinct personalities. If the character’s image is not established from the beginning, it can easily be overshadowed once integrated into the storyline.
However, Ji Yunsheng has an advantage. By the end, he becomes the key to turning the story, igniting hope. He is the one who walks with the protagonist to the end, which elevates his status among all the supporting characters.
But this doesn’t mean Chi Feiran can take it for granted. Making this character stand out beyond the original setting is his goal.
The Ji Yunsheng in his mind should have the temperament of a young master, a bit of a temper, and some pampering, but all in moderation.
Like a cat, clearly equipped with sharp claws and teeth, yet when it walks past you with its head held high, you can’t help but want to pet it because of its cuteness.
Unlike the previous three distinct performances, Chi Feiran’s Ji Yunsheng, at first glance, gives the impression of beauty and pampering, seemingly only expressing through appearance.
But upon closer inspection, it’s evident that details are everywhere. His tone of voice, the way he looks at people, the slightly raised chin, the subtle disdain in his expression mixed with curiosity — all these nuances come together to create a unique Ji Yunsheng.
With a slightly soft voice, the young man continued, “De Wei Lou, it’s just so-so.”
Perhaps feeling that his words lacked impact, he raised his chin a bit more, trying to project even more of a young master’s demeanor: “Nothing special.”
No matter that De Wei Lou had imperial chefs, his Ji family restaurant was also a prestigious establishment with a golden reputation!
He couldn’t understand why his father insisted he come to De Wei Lou to learn; it was so humiliating!
Thinking of this, Ji Yunsheng’s face scrunched up slightly, showing a somewhat childish displeasure. Then, under the watchful eyes of the kitchen staff, he muttered softly, “I didn’t come here on my own.”
He looked a bit aggrieved after speaking, losing much of his young master’s posture, appearing somewhat deflated.
Annoying? Maybe a little. The people at De Wei Lou wouldn’t appreciate someone speaking ill of their place. But to truly dislike him? Not really.
After all, he was still a child, pampered and naturally a bit temperamental.
Because of this, the senior brothers at De Wei Lou enjoyed teasing him, often wanting to hear him call them “senior brother.” It wasn’t for any particular reason; watching his little face scrunch up when he did was just amusing!
After delivering his last line, Chi Feiran exhaled slowly, bowed to the production team, signaling the end of his audition performance.
The abrupt end was strikingly powerful, leaving a momentary silence.
Everyone agreed it was an exceptionally outstanding audition performance. Although it wasn’t an overpowering dominance, the other three had their own unique qualities. However…
This Ji Yunsheng somehow managed to draw more attention, a subtle yet undeniable advantage.
Many were trying to figure out why, and after some thought, they concluded it might be because of his good looks, which made sense.
But Zheng Lin knew exactly why. This attention-grabbing quality was because Chi Feiran wasn’t purely acting.
His Ji Yunsheng seemed to radiate an aura of authenticity.
Zheng Lin didn’t know if this was due to Chi Feiran’s privileged background naturally bestowing him with that young master’s air. Perhaps this very aspect made his entire performance flow with a sense of realism.
This realization left Zheng Lin unsure whether to laugh or feel something else. The obstacle in Chi Feiran’s path had turned into a stepping stone!
Zheng Lin’s feelings were quite mixed as she tried to refocus when the second round of auditions began.
The second round was no longer about freely choosing scenes but performing scenes assigned by the production, with Qi Ming acting alongside them.
Qi Ming was already confirmed as the male lead. Whether the role could be secured depended on the screen compatibility during the performance. If the overall effect was too mismatched, there would be no choice but to reject it, as a supporting role could not overshadow the lead.
Zheng Lin watched the scenes of the first three actors with utmost seriousness. As the director, she couldn’t afford not to give her full attention when the actors were giving their best performances.
Three very talented actors; none of them were mere amateurs to have made it this far. But Zheng Lin knew her internal scale had already started to tip. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be feeling this level of anticipation.
No matter how much she didn’t want to admit it, she was indeed looking forward to seeing Chi Feiran’s Ji Yunsheng.
Zheng Lin casually flipped through the script in front of her and suddenly spoke, “Change the scene to the one where Ji Yunsheng finds the destitute Ying Duyuan.”
There were no objections. Here, Zheng Lin was the queen who commanded the scene. The props team quickly brought a chair for Qi Ming to sit on.
By this time, the master had passed away, De Wei Lou was gone, and the senior brothers had scattered, losing contact. Ji Yunsheng was no longer the pampered young master of the Ji family restaurant.
The brilliance that surrounded him seemed to have dimmed, everything returning to ordinary.
Upon hearing news of his senior brother Ying Duyuan, Ji Yunsheng didn’t hesitate to sell his ancestral property and spent all his family wealth, bringing back only this person before him, who seemed to have lost his life due to a hand injury.
Ying Duyuan remained silent like a clay statue, while Ji Yunsheng efficiently tended to his appearance, neatly trimming his hair and beard. Once everything was in order, Ji Yunsheng finally touched Ying Duyuan’s scarred hand.
Squatting in front of Ying Duyuan, Ji Yunsheng gently massaged his injured hand, carefully loosening the stiff joints. His voice was soft but every word was clear and powerful: “Senior brother, we still have our skills. It doesn’t matter if your hand is injured, my hand is fine. I will be your hand.”
It didn’t matter if his hand was injured; Ji Yunsheng was there. They were both skilled craftsmen, capable of finding a way to make a living.
As long as they were alive, there was hope.
The world wouldn’t remain chaotic forever. In ten, twenty years, De Wei Lou would be rebuilt, and so would his family’s restaurant.
Just like the gradually loosening joints, Ying Duyuan’s heart, which had seemed dead along with his hand, started to revive. He let out a painful yet relieved sob.
Ji Yunsheng was moved by this sound, his nose tingling with emotion. He wanted to comfort Ying Duyuan but couldn’t help crying along with him.
In these troubled times, they were such small, insignificant people.
All the past pains and sorrows surged into their hearts at that moment. They held on to hope, but behind that hope, how much had they lost?
Neither wanted to dwell on the answer. Once they wiped away their tears, life had to go on.
The audition ended, and there were no immediate results. Chi Feiran had to go back and wait for the notification.
And then, he gained a sulky boyfriend.
This was genuine jealousy.
Chi Feiran felt that the jar of aged vinegar Master Yang had given him couldn’t compare to Rong Jin’s current level of sourness, not even by a tenth, maybe even less.
Rong Jin silently squeezed his hand, playing with each joint, muttering, “Is it good to squeeze?”
Chi Feiran replied, “…You tell me.”
Rong Jin looked at him with a grievance so complex that Chi Feiran felt he could write a thesis analyzing it. It was so deep, but in summary, it was just… jealousy.
Producer Rong’s mind was like a projector, replaying the scene of Chi Feiran and Qi Ming crying together. He felt he might lose control and want to kick the male lead out to take the role himself.
Chi Feiran pulled his hand away and, like coaxing a child, cupped Rong Jin’s face, saying, “Come on, don’t be jealous. You’re my favorite.”
Rong Jin sighed, “Just now… you touched his face too…”
Chi Feiran: “…”
Did I?
Chi Feiran thought back and realized he did. While mimicking the performance, he pretended to shave Qi Ming. He could be jealous of that too?
Rong Jin’s expression became especially complicated for a moment. “If I’d known earlier… I shouldn’t have encouraged you to become an actor. Being a singer would have been better…”
Just singing songs, even if you had to shoot an MV, you could make it however you wanted…
Chi Feiran was amused, “Calm down.”
Rong Jin wanted to calm down, but reason and emotion often conflicted. Just knowing something doesn’t mean you can control your feelings.
Like how Rong Jin couldn’t control his jealousy.
Chi Feiran suggested, “How about if I get the role, you don’t come to the set?”
Rong Jin immediately said, “There’s no ‘if’, only ‘when’. If she doesn’t choose you, then this movie isn’t worth making.”
This wasn’t a spiteful comment; Rong Jin never spoke carelessly about professional matters.
Of course, everyone might have their own vision of Hamlet, but Rong Jin wasn’t meeting Zheng Lin for the first time. He knew her well enough. She could observe people, and so could he.
In Rong Jin’s view, the only reason Zheng Lin wouldn’t choose Chi Feiran now was if she feared the movie’s quality couldn’t match the hype.
But if she lacked that confidence, the film wouldn’t be worth making anyway.
Seeing Rong Jin’s suddenly serious expression, Chi Feiran couldn’t help but smile. He wrapped his arms around Rong Jin’s neck and kissed him.
After a lingering kiss, Chi Feiran pressed him down on the sofa, looking down and declaring, “I think I’ll see what you’re wearing underneath.”
Author’s Note:
Rong Rong: Feel free to look!!!
