Whats scarier than the experience of watching a bad movie? Watching your own bad movie.
An expressionless Ning Ning sat in a movie theater, surrounded by roars of laughter, when a neighbouring audience mber nudged her with their elbow, When did you beco blind?
Im not blind. Ning Ning pushed up her sunglasses. She wore a pair of sunglasses not due to blindness, but because she was afraid people would recognise her as the female lead in the movie.
Hrm, Ive already gone blind. The neighbouring audience mber took off their eyeglasses and slowly cleaned its lense, My vision started declining after 5 minutes of watching the movie, and Im almost a hundred percent blind by now.
Ha, haha Ning Ning laughed awkwardly, at a loss for words. Thinking,Why hasnt this darned movie finished running.
At the mont, the movie was actually already halfway finished, and those audience mbers who cherished their eyesight had more or less left. Of those remaining, they were either scrolling through their phone, chatting, or sleeping. Only Ning Nings neighbour was watching the movie seriously. He persistently fixed his gaze onto the screen, though nearly blind, How many star ratings do you think this movie can get on IMDB?
Unable to keep her conscience from giving it a full star, Ning Ning said, 3 stars.
2.5 stars. Her neighbouring audience chortled, 2 stars for the plot and 0.5 stars for the main leads.
What? Ning Ning could not remain calm anymore, and she turned her head towards her neighbour, How can the main leads be blad for a bad movie? Even a movie empress wouldnt be able to save such a retarded plot and dumb script!
What do you think actors are for? They are there to change sothing rotten into sothing magical, to make a 2 star movie be rated 3 stars. Her neighbours gaze remained fixated on the screen. In the darkness, only a rough outline of his side face could be seen, as well as the movies reflection on his glasses lense, Theres only so many good films and only a few good acting roles the majority of actors got started with bad films. So an actor doesnt need to put in any effort just because the film is bad?
The movie ended. Accompanying the lodic flow of the ending song, the lights began to go up in the theatre, also lighting up the mans side profile. It was the Great director, Chen Guanchao.
As he turned his head and smiled, Ning Nings heart sank because she had already guessed the purpose behind his visit to watch the movie and knew his next words.
Your mum is a great actor. Chen Guanchao got up and walked past her, leaving behind words of regret, What a pity, you arent.
He left, and the other audiences left too, leaving behind a vacant movie theatre. Only Ning Ning still sat, unmoving like a statue.
A phone ringtone abruptly sounded. She fished out her phone and saw a ssage sent by her manager, which said, You dont have to go to the audition next month anymore. Director Chen just phoned the higher-ups specifying he will not use you.
Ning Nings phone weakly slipped out of her hand, as she faced the running credits with the actors nas slowly moving up the screen then disappearing
like the ebbing tide, washing away old nas one after the other and replacing them with new. Of the many nas, how many are rembered by people, how many had been forgotten. How many had people praised in admiration, and how many had been shown disdain.
has stayed at rock bottom since its opening, box office numbers are not expected to even reach 3 million.
Curse of the second generation of stars! Formally legendary movie empresss daughter is bound to not amount to much!
Shocking revelation! Ning Ning reveals in private: As long as it pays, Ill shoot any film!
In the span of a night, critics overwheld her. Standing within the midst of criticism, Ning Ning arrived at the hospital. Slowly, she pushed open the door of the ward, and saw her mother lying on her side in bed with a phone placed beside her pillow. It was currently playing the bad movie in which she was the lead actress .
Ah, Mummy. Ning Ning sighed whilst walking over and kneeling down beside the bed. Leaning her forehead against her mothers hand, she softly said,Im sorry, dont watch it anymore.
Sorry, I shouldnt have picked this bad film.
Yet if she had not done so, she would not have sufficient money for her mums hospital bills.
In the past, she had still held on to so hope that she could be like her mum
shining like the moon and oh so eye-catching despite starring in a bad movie. But the facts proved she had overestimated herself. Legends are one because they are hard to co by she had only inherited her mums face, not her talent.
Im sorry. Ning Ning could not hold back her overflowing tears, Im sorry mummy, I have no talent
Who says you have no talent? Ning Yuren laughed, You are exactly like , exactly the sa, look.
As Ning Ning lifted up her head, reddened eyes could be seen. Following Ning Yurens hand, she saw herself with wide opened eyes filled with anger on the phones screen, rushing towards the male lead and shouting like an enraged bear, Why wont you look at
when I am so pretty! Look at ! Look at !
Ning Ning shut her eyes in dismay, speaking with a shaky voice, Mummy, can we not look at this anymore? I feel like I am going to puke.
I was the sa when I acted in my first movie, worst yet, I splattered the male lead with a whole face of saliva. Ning Yuren watched in enjoynt, The male lead then refused to continue acting, saying how he wanted to open an umbrella whenever he saw .
Then what happened? Ning Ning asked.
Ning Yuren slightly rolled her shoulders to relax them. Then I got replaced.
Ning Ning looked at Ning Yuren in shock, unable to believe that the legendary movie empress had such a history. Because before Ning Yuren was given the title Legendary Movie Empress, she had another title
inborn actor. Countless great directors have nad Ning Yuren as an actor who was the most talented no matter if she was playing the role of an imperial concubine, a village girl, a cunning spy, a passionate singer, or even a male. She could be imrsed into her role, so much so that no one could tell the slightest difference from the real thing.
No, as a matter of fact, it could not even be described as there not being the slightest difference.
In the last movie she acted in before retiring, a war movie on spies directed by Chen Guanchao, he praised her during the press conference, There will never be another actor greater than Ning Yuren. If I were to play a clip of another actors scene, you would be able to tell that they were acting, even if the scene was played repeatedly. But if I played one of hers, you would only think that it was part of a docuntary no matter how many tis you saw it.
In comparison, what is this thing acted by Ning Ning?
Nevermind mummy, dont console
anymore. Ning Ning said dejectedly, Its clear as day what I am made of now that the film is out. Director Chen even went out of his way to give
a call
She paused mid-sentence, not wanting to continue on but Ning Yuren pressed on warmly, What did he say?
He advised
to leave this industry. Ning Ning said in a sour tone, that my films are not just tornting the audience but also myself, that they are only good enough at supplying the netizens with the latest gossip.
Oh. Ning Yuren scoffed, Hes a load of shit.
A bout of dizziness overca Ning Ning, Mummy, isnt it bad to speak of your fanboy that way?
Ning Yuren, He was the male lead back then thatdie diewanted
replaced.
Ning Ning,
Who knew the great director had such a history!
Actors are loneso. Ning Yurens smile vanished as she looked at Ning Ning in seriousness. Reflected in Ning Nings eyes was no longer the most beautiful eastern woman, but a bag of bones. Because of the tornt of a terminal illness, Ning Yurens hair had all fallen away as had her at, leaving behind a thin layer of skin wrapping over her bones, Audiences are like the crashing waves that gush towards you, then leave like the receding tides. What will stay with you through it all is only your acting.
But I dont have Without waiting for Ning Ning to finish speaking, Ning Yuren pulled her arm over abruptly before placing in her hand the thing that she had prepared beforehand.
A movie ticket.
Ning Ning looked down at the palm of her hand it was a movie ticket that looked decades old. A thin piece of yellowed paper that had a round stamp on the left side with the words entrance ticket written on it. On the right, there was a rectangle which said Life Movie Theater and below that, 8th row, 45.
At midnight, go to this movie theatre at 35 Rouge Street to watch a movie. Ning Yuren added, Alone.
However, she regretted it the next mont and snatched back the ticket, No, I think youd better not go.
Mummy Ning Ning looked at her puzzledly, Is sothing the matter?
Ning Yuren looked at her with mixed emotions, only speaking after a long ti, Ning Ning, do you really want to beco an actor like ?
Ning Ning, Of course I do.
Ning Yuren, How much do you want to?
How do you want
to describe it? Ning Ning furrowed her eyebrows.
In this lifeti, you will never touch any other at besides boiled chicken breast. Ning Yuren said unhurriedly.
Ning Ning who liked skewered at, could not help looking pained for a mont, before saying resolutely, I can.
Ning Yuren, Even if your wife is about to go into labour, you must still finish acting first.
Ning Ning, I am a female.
Alright fine, Ning Yuren kindly rephrased herself, Even if your husband is about to go into labour, you must put acting first.
I cant do it. Ning Ning answered awkwardly, At such a ti, I have to be by my husband and childs side.
Ning Yuren, Dont be silly, how can a man give birth.
Ning Ning,
Final question. Ning Yuren made a short pause, looking at her, Will you give up on acting?
The dias overwhelming criticism, Chen Guanchaos late night call, the cursing from Weibo, the gossiping in the agency
Scene after scene of mories flashed across Ning Nings mind, making her need to shut her eyes montarily for a short escape from reality, before she opened them again with difficulty, I will never ever give up on acting.
Ning Yurens face lit up with a smile, one that would topple countries and continents. In a split mont, the beauty that had once led countless people to fall head over heels for, had once again returned.
Go there then. She handed the movie ticket over to Ning Ning once again, and shut her heavy eyelids as she showed a look of rembrance, At that place, I once changed my fate. It, too, can change yours
Ning Yurens voice ceased.
Mummy? Mummy!
On November 11th, 2016, at 9 p.m., the Legendary Movie Empress Ms. Ning Yuren passed away due to cancer, living to the age of 52.
Uncommon terms:
Movie empress- (ying hou) a.k.a an actress who has won the best female lead award.
Happy Valentines Day! An edited version of chapter 1 is finally released! Thanks for your patient wait C: There will be chapter 2 and 3 coming right up.
Noted: ITITMB was moved from Ruisitranslations to rakitranslations
Translated by: Ruisi
Edited by: Ely
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