Chapter 34

They didn’t know whether Ms. Tu had heard about Cheng Ping’s scandal with the big director.

But she sent a document to Li Boxi the next day.

Li Baixi glanced at it hastily, and the file name was in English: “Script? Did you find it for Cheng Ping?”

Tu Jian: “No, I’m looking for it for you. The director knows your uncle. He is of Japanese descent. He used to make commercial films and is very capable. Recently, he made an independent film book and is trying to recruit a team. He said that he still lacks Design, we recommended you to him.”

Li Baixi accidentally opened the document, all in English.

Tu Jian: “Don’t get me wrong, you still have to use the design draft to compete with other candidates.”

The position of an independent film is extremely random, and largely depends on the director’s will, and it is indisputable to get one’s fate.

Li Boxi said slowly, “I’m not sure.”

Tu Jian persuaded: “It’s an opportunity to practice. You can learn a lot with this director once, and if you’re lucky, you can win an award.”

Li Boxi knew all of her analysis. He had originally intended to make movies, and he knew that this was a godsend opportunity.

However…

“I took a second look. This story has a European background? I’m not the best candidate, am I?”

Ms. Tu said impatiently: “You don’t even try, how do you know? Do you think that people in Europe and the United States must know better than you what the French wore in the 19th century? Anyway, there is a team responsible for checking the information.”

Li Boxi was still hesitating. It’s not that he has stage fright, but he’s worried that if he accidentally wins the election, he won’t be able to continue binding Cheng Ping.

Ms. Tu said meaningfully: “Think about it. This script is interesting, and you will know it after reading it.”

Li Boxi finished reading the script overnight, and indeed understood the unfinished meaning of Ms. Tu’s words.

The story really suited him right now.

The play is called “Crane Umbrella”, the story takes place in Paris in the second half of the nineteenth century, and the protagonist is a young painter who has no ambitions. He left his hometown to travel to Paris, but was overwhelmed by the endless schools and new stars after the birth of Impressionism, and he remained unknown. It wasn’t until he met a down-and-out boy and was captured by his extraordinary beauty that he finally got the inspiration like the favor of a god.

He regarded the young man as his muse, and used the other party as a model to draw a pinnacle work, which successfully became famous, but he didn’t know that this encounter opened another tragedy.

The boy’s name is Hiroshi, the illegitimate son of a Japanese businessman who came from overseas. He comes from a humble family background and his mother is dying. Therefore, he not only acted as a model for the painter, but also acquiesced to the other party’s further demands.

When the painter was in despair, he regarded him as a **** of beauty and vowed to save him together. And when the painter became a celebrity, he took him to make a facelift, but he began to feel strange again, and he didn’t know when he lost that fascinating light.

The most cunning thing about this story is that the narrator is always the painter. The audience can only examine the cause and effect from the eyes of the painter, watching Hiroshi come in the rain with a crane umbrella, give him bliss, give him sorrow and joy, accompany him through hardships and joys, and disappear obediently when necessary, sinking in Le Havre In the waves of the harbor.

From the beginning to the end, we can see the painter’s lingering love for a shadow with a blurred face. There seems to have been a deep affection between them, and it seems that it is just an addition to a painting.

The next day, Tu Jian called: “Have you finished watching?”

Li Boxi: “Yes.”

Tu Jian: “How do you feel?”

When chatting outside the restaurant last time, she was a little worried about the psychological state revealed by her son in a few words. It was inconvenient to ask in depth at that time, so she wanted to take the opportunity to chat now.

Tu Jian: “What do you think of this artist?”

Li Boxi was silent.

Tu Jian asked again, “Where’s Hong?”

Li Boxi: “I can do it.”

Tu Jian: “?”

Li Boxi: “The painter doesn’t have any ideas at the moment, but I have a picture of this Hong’s shape. In fact, I just drew one two days ago, and it’s quite suitable.”

Tu Jian: “…”

This is the rhythm of refusing to wander from the source.

Li Boxi dug out the stack of drafts of the dress-up show that he showed to Cheng Ping, took out one from the bottom, took a photo and sent it to Tu Jian.

In the 19th century, Ukiyo-e was introduced to Paris along with merchant ships, and the unprecedented oriental style set off a moderate kimono craze in the painting circle. Many painters have dressed their models in kimonos. In this story, Hiroshi pretends to be a woman and wears sleeves for painting.

Li Boxi: “Look at this picture, does it have something inside?”

Tu Jian: “…This is Cheng Ping?”

Li Boxi: “The face is not important, the main thing is to look at the shape.”

He said “the face is not important”, but in the official design draft sent a few days later, Cheng Ping’s face was kept in Hong’s daily appearance, model appearance, and later dress appearance.

But the artist’s face is really blurred.

Tu Jian looked up and raised her eyebrows: “Why, you heard that the director has not yet decided on Hong’s casting, and you want to take the opportunity to fight?”

Li Boxi: “I haven’t heard of it. I’ve heard of it now.”

Tu Jian: “…”

The director originally wanted to find an actor of Asian-European mixed race, but after picking and choosing, either the schedule was not available, or the style was not suitable. Just when I was thinking of making the next best thing and looking for some Asian actors with more three-dimensional facial features, I saw Li Boxi’s painting.

Li Boxi’s design draft is not just a mechanical clothing display. The person in the painting is wearing a slightly old furisode, his eyes are downcast, his heavy wig is tilted to one side, and a few strands of hair hang down to his cheeks in a mess, which coincides with the character’s down-and-out situation. Only the smear of vermilion on the lips is almost dazzling, like bloodstains, but it is so gorgeous that it seems to have its own will, breaking away from the shackles of this picture, and flying into the land of fantasy and dreams.

Originally, Li Boxi had only hoped for one out of ten thousandth, as if he was waiting for a miracle.

Unexpectedly, Tu Jian really brought back the words: “The director praised you for being familiar with oriental aesthetics, and Hong’s design draft is especially excellent. The needs of the painter can be discussed again, but he already believes that you will have a pleasant cooperation.”

She paused: “Also, he asked you who the model in the painting is, and if you are interested in participating in the audition.”

Li Boxi was caught off guard, and said in disbelief, “I’m really looking for him? Isn’t he Japanese-French mixed blood?”

“Anyway, the whole film is in English, and there are auditions from China, Japan and Korea. As for the mixed race, the director is looking for three-dimensional facial features, and it’s almost enough to put on makeup.”

Li Boxi didn’t tell Cheng Ping about this at first, because he didn’t have any hope, and he didn’t want to give the other party unnecessary hopes. At this moment, the incident happened suddenly, so I had to say: “Don’t reply to the director, I’ll go and ask Cheng Ping’s opinion.”

Because of this matter, he postponed his work in New York for a few days, and now it’s finally over, he flew back to China, and he can have dinner with Cheng Ping.

So Cheng Ping stood in front of the house, watching a luxury car stop silently, Li Boxi walked out from the driver’s seat, walked around and opened the car door for him in a personable manner: “Please.”

Cheng Ping: “…Why is this?”

“After all, I am seriously pursuing you.” Li Boxi said with a smile.

To guard against the paparazzi, they found a private restaurant under Cheng Ping’s suggestion, which claimed to be the most confidential in the city.

This is a place frequented by celebrities from all walks of life. There is no lobby, but only separate boxes. The waiter waits in the underground garage, bows directly to guide the guests into the elevator, and swipes the card to go straight to the box floor.

The two of them stepped out of the luxury car each wearing a pair of sunglasses. They were tall and leggy, with an imposing manner. In fact, their eyes were wandering under the cover of the sunglasses.

The waiter took them into the box and brought them tea and menus.

Li Boxi had never dated a public figure before, and he himself was not at the point where he needed to guard against paparazzi, so this was the first time he came to this kind of place. He didn’t want to show timidity, so he looked around quietly, while quietly observing Cheng Ping’s reaction.

After Cheng Ping entered the industry, he came here for dinner. But he was busy looking for reflective surfaces all the way here, to check whether his reflection was handsome or not.

Not a big problem.

quite handsome.

The waiter wrote down the order, and before leaving the box, he couldn’t help reminding him kindly: “You two, you can take off your sunglasses.”

Li Boxi: “…”

Cheng Ping: “…”

Li Boxi had just talked about the script, and Cheng Ping said, “I’ll go.”

Li Boxi paused.

Cheng Ping: “?”

Li Boxi seemed to want to show a brisk smile, and it was done smoothly, but he changed his mind halfway, restrained his expression and said: “Think about it again. Let me analyze it for you. For this film, first of all, I have to improve my English. Otherwise, you may not even pass the audition.”

After all, Cheng Ping is a person who has taken the college entrance examination, and his English was passable at one time, but it has been useless for so many years, and he has almost forgotten it.

What’s more, acting is not just memorizing lines, but also needs to find a sense of language and integrate emotions between words, which is absolutely impossible at his current level.

Cheng Ping: “I will tutor.”

Li Boxi: “I know you will. But it will take a lot of time and energy. You will lose other opportunities because of this. Is it worth it? Also, this theme is impossible to release in China, and it is a literary film, which will help your career Limited. It’s a different matter if you win the prize, but it depends on fate…”

Cheng Ping interrupted: “I want to act.”

This is getting more and more rebellious. Li Boxi knew his temper, so he simply said clearly: “If it’s for joining the group with me—”

Cheng Ping frowned: “You underestimate me, don’t you? Actor Lu said that I am very talented, but I lack experience and training. The more difficult the role, the more challenging it is. You can’t shrink back just because it is difficult.”

Before Li Boxi opened his mouth, he still had a little psychological burden on the matter of abducting actors into the group. But when Cheng Ping categorically denied it, he couldn’t tell what was wrong.

Cheng Ping raised a barely visible smile at this moment: “The second is for you.”

Li Boxi: “?”

This kid learns badly very quickly, doesn’t he?

Cheng Ping’s audition is scheduled for a week later.

His preparations consisted of two parts: practicing English and starving.

Cheng Ping has a well-proportioned young man’s body, but the character is a delicate boy, and it takes a long time to get that lonely figure.

So the people around him saw him getting on the treadmill hungry every day, sweating profusely with a grumpy face, and talking to the foreign teacher at the same time. The whole person was gloomy like a dried pepper.

After the agent asked what was going on, his first reaction was to object.

The reasons she listed were almost the same as Li Boxi’s, except for one more: “Can we talk about Li Boxi now?”

The assistant at the side knew that Cheng Ping had become a ticking time bomb, and kept winking at her, implying that now was not a good time.

The broker didn’t budge. She knew it was too late to choose another time.

Agent: “To be honest, after I learned about his background, I changed my attitude for a while, thinking that he can help you a lot. But then I found those photos…”

Cheng Ping: “I don’t think there is anything wrong with those photos. How old is he, how many exes are not normal?”

Agent: “Have you ever thought about why all his exes were women?”

Cheng Ping didn’t want to think about his ex at all, and said impatiently, “Double chant.”

The agent emphasized: “I haven’t talked to a man before, can he still be called a double?”

Cheng Ping held back his anger and asked, “What do you want to say?”

The agent threw out an explosive speech: “I doubt that Li Boxi has always been a straight man.”

Cheng Ping stiffened for a moment. In the process of getting along with each other, some violating memories surfaced, but he forcibly suppressed them back.

Cheng Ping sneered: “Are you serious?”

Agent: “Based on the current information, this is a very reasonable speculation. It’s just because of his outfit, no one has thought about it before.”

Cheng Ping: “I’ve heard of **** guys in the closet, but I haven’t heard of straight guys in the closet.”

Agent: “That’s because you don’t understand the ecology of the beauty industry. In that circle, being a **** is better than being a straight man. His artist parents have always used unconventional names, and he himself has become famous through women’s clothing. But He suddenly changed back to men’s clothes some time ago, have you asked why?”

A voice echoed in Cheng Ping’s ear: “… an apple suddenly wants to know how much it can sell for without applying this layer of fruit wax…”

He suppressed these memories even harder, and reluctantly said: “So you want to say that he doesn’t like me and has been lying to me all this time?”

With his murderous gaze, the agent put the last knife in his face: “There is a possibility. I just haven’t figured out for the time being, with his background, what kind of plans he can have for you…”

Cheng Ping finally exploded: “Get lost!”

Cheng Ping got really angry, refused to see the agent, and didn’t even bring his own team to the audition.

He booked an international flight without saying a word, and drove to the airport alone. It wasn’t until he saw Li Boxi who was waiting in the VIP lounge, that his mood eased a little.

Li Boxi frowned: “You’ve lost weight so quickly, your face has lost all color. Why did you get into trouble with the team?”

Cheng Ping took a deep look at him, then looked back: “It’s a small matter.”

Li Boxi could see that he was suppressing something, but he didn’t want to affect his state before the audition, so he changed the subject easily: “It’s okay, the makeup artist is here anyway, and my assistant will take care of the rest.”

Cheng Ping subconsciously said: “Your assistant is quite quiet today…”

He looked beside Li Boxi and was stunned.

Assistant Yang looked at him innocently.

Cheng Ping: “Why did you only bring you this time?”

Assistant Yang: “Ma Koukou is going to participate in the show.”

It turned out that there was a talent show for makeup artists recently, and Ma Koukou happened to want to be a solo teacher, so he planned to go to the show to get acquainted first.

Li Boxi was not the kind of person who would trap his apprentice, as soon as Ma Kou Kou mentioned it, he let him go.

Li Boxi: “The market for makeup is huge, and the disciples of the church can’t starve to death, Master. If you work hard, I will also look good.”

Assistant Yang praised him: “Your Majesty is the best in the world.”

Li Boxi patted her head lovingly: “It is necessary, just follow me.”

Cheng Ping’s eyelids twitched, and he looked at their interaction inquiringly.

Sensing his gaze, Li Boxi took advantage of the situation to squeeze his head: “Do you want to feel maternal love too?”

Cheng Ping: “…No need.”

However, Li Boxi was not easy to dismiss, and that evil hand touched his ear again and pinched it. Cheng Ping’s ears burned red all of a sudden, and he knocked off his hand.

Li Boxi smiled lowly.

So this time it was the turn of Assistant Yang’s eyelids to twitch.

When we arrived at the hotel at night, the three of us slept in a room each.

Li Boxi took a shower, picked a bottle from the wine cabinet, wrapped himself in a nightgown and sat by the window, drinking while the night breeze was blowing.

He knew that this kind of opportunity without the team’s interruption would be gone if he missed it, so he took a moment to knock on the door to harass Cheng Ping. In the end, I was still thinking about the audition tomorrow morning and forcibly held back.

He held back his head, but there was a knock on his door.

Li Boxi went to open the door, thinking: Don’t think about it, it’s not Cheng Ping.

Cheng Ping stood outside hesitantly, clutching the script in his hand.

Li Boxi: “.”

Cheng Ping: “I’m a little nervous, I would like to ask you to watch the audition footage and give some advice.”

Li Boxi let people in: “My honor.”

Cheng Ping’s nervousness was not modesty, and he read his lines slightly stumbled to him.

This line is Hiroshi’s monologue, which happened when the painter took him to drink to relieve his sorrow after his mother died of illness. The lines themselves are obscure and secretive, like a heavy confession, but also like a hopeless confession.

Li Boxi stood by the window and watched, looking down at the script from time to time to check the original text.

Cheng Ping: “How is it?”

Li Boxi said in a matter-of-fact way: “You still need to continue to practice your pronunciation. But you’ve only practiced for a week, so it’s already very good.”

Cheng Ping sighed: “The coach also said so.”

Li Boxi slowly corrected his pronunciation, and said softly, “Do it again?”

Cheng Ping went to stand, and re-read the long line to him.

“…But I’ve already come to learn that love is an illusion, and truth thisalie…”

Li Boxi raised his glass again.

His long hair was disheveled, his nightgown was loosely tied, his gesture of serving the wine was leisurely and almost careless, but his gaze was complicated and incomprehensible.

Cheng Ping didn’t know what he was thinking.

Did you just knock on this door just for rehearsal?

Was he expecting something to happen?

It wasn’t until he saw Li Boxi’s eyes clearly that he suddenly understood: neither, he just needed to catch this again from the other party’s eyes.

The obsession and tenderness of this moment.

Cheng Ping gave a “bah” to his manager in his heart: If this look is straight, I’ll pick out the eyeballs for you.