An Muyu was always the first among them to rise. After a few days of adjustnt, everyone had found their position during the dayti. As the group's chef, responsible for three als a day for multiple people, she took on this role without hesitation. When she had nothing to do, she could also take a stroll in the village outskirts, breathing in the fresh air.
Bo Yu, with his long legs propped up on a stool, lazily yawned and asked, "Hasn't Chef An gotten up today?" When he woke up, he had already made a round to the kitchen, his growling stomach urging him towards the place that might conceal the aroma of food. Reality, of course, disappointed him, mixed with a bit of bewildernt. Seeing no response, he muttered to himself, "Maybe she went to catch the early market."
"I'm thinking about what Director Zhao said," Jiang Zhaozhi furrowed his brow, gesturing with his hands. Almost all the guests present were actors, or at least had so connection to the industry. Apart from their usual banter and jokes, they could easily find common ground when discussing acting. "Ti Traveler's Inn" wasn't just a lifestyle variety show; the evening situational play rehearsals were the essence for them. They needed to make the audience see the humor, while they themselves had to grasp the essence of performance. Working with Director Zhao Beiting was sothing many people sought but couldn't obtain, a great learning opportunity.
Yesterday, they fild a scene about Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin. This story was familiar to everyone, which had the disadvantage of being conventional, showing no variation or novelty. King Zheng of Qin, Qin Wuyang, Jing Ke, Crown Prince Dan of Yan... the cast was simple, with the easiest part to elaborate being Jing Ke and the others' deanor and words during the farewell at Yi River.
"If we break the scene into many small units, just this scene alone would have countless parts. For example, Crown Prince Dan's lancholy is one, his desire to invite Jing Ke is another, visiting him is yet another," Jiang Zhaozhi's expression was quite troubled. Before Zhao Beiting ntioned breaking down the scenes, he hadn't thought of it, but now it seed like each mont was frozen in place.
"Why don't you summarize them into one large unit of the sa type?" Ji Yaoguang looked up, responding lazily. "Inviting Jing Ke, Jing Ke persuading Fan Wuqi, the Crown Prince weeping over the corpse, seeking the dagger for a thousand gold—" Jiang Zhaozhi understood, and Ji Yaoguang's words suddenly halted. Through this fra-by-fra breakdown, she suddenly realized a scene that might be the reason why Zhao Beiting put this Jing Ke assassination attempt in the box. This topic didn't tell everyone how to change it, unlike previous "what if" hypotheticals. Was he not testing everyone's thinking? But those imrsed in it hadn't reacted. Suddenly clapping her hands, she exclaid, "I've got it!"
Bo Yu was startled by her shout. Lowering his propped-up legs, he blinked and said, "What does Teacher Ji know? Do you know where Chef An went?"
"No," Ji Yaoguang glanced at him sideways, then turned to Chang Yu and said, "In the given introduction, there were phrases like 'Jing Ke had sothing to wait for' and 'As ti passed without departing, the Crown Prince grew impatient.' Who was Jing Ke waiting for? Is this what Director Zhao wants us to improvise?" Last night's box had no one drawing the judge's lot, but there were blank lots. Zhao Beiting gave no instructions, leaving them standing there at a loss. Seeing Chang Yu nod, Ji Yaoguang clapped her hands and sighed with regret, "We overlooked this point."
"Reading a book thoroughly and then reading it lightly, everyone should understand this principle," Chang Yu spoke calmly. "Director Zhao explained the play last night, giving you ti to understand the characters. He said to break it into small units to help you experience the characters more minutely, but certainly not to keep you in this fragnted state forever. When you start creating in front of the cara, you need to turn them into larger units, reducing the number. Only this way can you grasp the script and characters. Dissect the script, but don't lose grip on the whole."
"Chang Yu makes a very good point," Suh Shaogong, who had been sitting quietly to the side, nodded thoughtfully. Facing the entrance, he caught sight of a pale-faced An Muyu walking in along the corridor. A soft cough broke the enthusiastic atmosphere of script discussion in the room. As she entered, she looked like a fragile flower about to wither in the wind. She first approached Chang Yu and said, "Teacher Chang, I've stacked the wood materials to one side, but unfortunately, I was too late, and they've gotten a bit damp."
"Hm?" Chang Yu raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what An Muyu was saying. An Muyu just smiled slightly, covered her mouth and coughed lightly, then bowed to the group in the hall, saying, "I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling well and got up late. Please wait a mont, I'll go to the kitchen to make breakfast now."
"Chef An, if you're not feeling well, you should go back to your room and rest," Suh Shaogong's voice rang out. His calm gaze lingered on An Muyu, his eyes carrying a deep pain. In his youth, he had been very down and out, but his wife had stood by him, taking care of everything at ho so he had no worries. He too had been busy, wanting to achieve success to give his wife a better life, not knowing he wouldn't make it to that day. His wife passed away from illness, leaving him with a constant sense of self-bla. Seeing An Muyu laboring while ill, that feeling of nostalgia inevitably resurfaced in his heart.
"Brother Suh, are you concerned about Chef An?" Bo Yu teased. Turning his head to see Suh Shaogong's expression was off, he quickly changed his tune, "Chef An, I think Brother Suh is absolutely right. Don't trouble yourself, we won't starve if we miss one al. Besides, we have Teacher Ji, right? You should go back and rest." With both of them saying so, the rest naturally chid in agreent.
An Muyu's face showed so hesitation. She looked towards Ji Yaoguang and asked, "Teacher Ji, do you know how to control the heat?" An Muyu assud Ji Yaoguang's familiarity with dishes ca from books, after all, she was a young lady from a wealthy background, living a life where she "never dipped her fingers in springwater." She lowered her stance, putting on a weak expression, but in Ji Yaoguang's eyes, it was a kind of implicit and explicit provocation.
"Our little Yao'er is carrying a 'huge sum,' it wouldn't be too much to treat everyone to breakfast, would it? You don't need to worry about that, Chef An," Bian Yuting spoke leisurely. "As for our Teacher Ji cooking, I don't think any of us have had that honor. I've only eaten her cooking a few tis; I'm afraid only Teacher Chang gets to enjoy that blessing." These words prevented Ji Yaoguang from clashing with An Muyu, while also causing An Muyu's face to flush red and pale.
"Teacher Ji is amazing," Jiang Yusheng, a hardcore fan of Ji Yaoguang, cupped her face, her eyes sparkling like stars. Whenever it ca to matters related to Ji Yaoguang, she easily blushed, and blushing always led to teasing, but she never tired of it, wanting to proclaim her idol's greatness to the whole world.
"I raise both hands— no, I need to raise both legs in agreent," Bo Yu's smile made him look like a child who never grew up. He rubbed his ssy, bird's nest-like hair and continued along with Bian Yuting's words, "Teacher Ji, look at us going out fishing and hunting rabbits, putting in so much effort for such little gain. You just set up a stall at the door and rake in big bucks. Don't you feel a bit guilty not treating us to a al?"
Ji Yaoguang really didn't feel guilty. Hadn't Bo Yu saved up quite a bit of pocket money? She had heard from Suh Shaogong and others that Bo Yu had shalessly bought his own autographed photos at high prices, and fans actually fell for it. After all, his face was quite effective for deception. Although ng Village was in the countryside, compared to truly remote mountains, it was much better off. Its proximity to big cities brought industrialization and comrcialization, eliminating the kind of destitution where families had bare walls. Fortunately, it still maintained the simplicity of thousands of years, with a strong sense of history deposited in the silent country paths that had remained year after year.
"Alright," Chang Yu spoke calmly. She was the one truly in charge of finances.
With just a raised eyebrow, her calm face carried an aura of authority without anger. Bo Yu, whose face had been beaming with a smile, suddenly shrank back, his face wilting, ears drooping like a student being reprimanded. In Chang Yu, he saw a sharp and majestic aura like that of a disciplinary teacher, breeding a fear from the depths of his soul. Only when everyone was joking together was there no such sense of oppression. But now, looking around, he saw nothing but amused looks from the others, as if watching a show. Puffing out his chest, Bo Yu squeezed out a smile on his face. Because of Chang Yu, he felt a tingling scalp even looking at Ji Yaoguang. Just as he was about to make a joke, he unexpectedly heard Chang Yu's voice again, filled with a gentle smile: "The task of buying breakfast will be yours."
The sense of oppression suddenly vanished. Chang Yu transford from a terrifying disciplinary teacher back to a goddess-like figure. Bo Yu's gaze lingered on her face for a mont, marveling at the change in his own mood. He stood up straight, gave a not-quite-standard military salute, and shouted loudly, "Yes, ma'am!"
Bian Yuting, disliking his show-off behavior, kicked the stool and glanced sideways at Bo Yu, lazily saying, "Little Brother Bo, you'd better hurry up and go. Don't let it be lunchti by the ti you get back."
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