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hapter 521: The Dance
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
He opened his thin lips and raised an eyebrow, his winks and smiles making him look like an ancient lady from a Chinese painting.
Silence prevailed. Even the waiter paused, for fear of disturbing his performance.
It was a clean, even tune. Qin Guan retreated with a faint smile on his face, looking slightly drunk. The keyboard player nearly moved to support him, but he stopped when he saw Qin Guan's next move.
He moved his sleeves and smiled at the audience. Then he turned around and covered his face with the fan.
Even drunk, he still looked as glorious as ever.
"The moon has just left the sea..." This was not the hoarse voice of a man. It was the power of Mei School.
"It's gradually rising to the middle of the sky.
Heaven and Earth are visible under the moonlight.
Chang'e has left the Moon Palace..."
It was the classic Peking Opera "Drunk Concubine".
To American people, even the shouts of African tribes sounded like wild songs. Everyone was shocked by Qin Guan's performance. The handsome man was such a beauty! He looked like a foreign myth come alive.
As the audience lost its mind, Qin Guan folded the fan and changed his tune again.
Pingtan, Kunqu Opera and Suzhou Opera were the three most famous operas in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Kunqu was the most popular one all over China.
Most people from North China liked it even better than Peking Opera, as its melody was more elegant and smoother than that of Peking Opera. It warmed their hearts when they heard it.
The royal concubine Qin Guan had played was a noble beauty. Suddenly, he turned into a boudoir maiden showing off with her orchid-like fingers.
Such a gentle girl could only have grown up in an ancient water town south of Yangtze River.
"No longer busy, I live at leisure,Thinking where I can find pleasure.Writing heartbreaking verses by day,What of love can a lover say?Sitting in my room day and night,The fair scene beautifies my verses,Even in candlelight.For better or worse,if you are worthy of her love,you'll be gifted a new life from above.
Qin Guan was totally absorbed in the opera as the alcohol in his blood rushed to his brain. Excited, he was not satisfied with those familiar songs. He wanted to give a crazy performance on that stage, before such an amazing audience.
So that's what he did.
"The river flows East.
The stars worship the Big Dipper..."[1]
Cong Nianwei wanted to hide in a corner, but Qu started moving towards the stage.
"I want to live another 500 years..."[2]
Dr. Luke had originally been angry with Paris Hilton for pulling him from his studio and making him come to the party just to introduce an Asian star to him. Suddenly, he was interested in Qin Guan's strange melodies and different kinds of songs though.
He was not interested in his musical ability, but he liked his diverse style. As a professional musician, he could distinguish between natural sound and ordinary people's voices.
Qin Guan could probably release a CD. Many stars much worse than him had published their own albums. Dr. Luke would soon find out that he was completely wrong though. Qu got on the stage too late. Qin Guan had already gone too far.
"Come on, everybody! The dance is very simple! It's so easy and funny! Come on! All together now!"
Qin Guan stuffed the fan into his collar and began to dance. He was planning on ending the concert with a South Korean song.
"Oppan... GANGNAM STYLE..."
He made the sign of victory like a villain. Then he stood with his legs wide apart, squatting a little. His hands seemed to be holding imaginary reins as he began his horse-riding dance. It was PSY's popular song "GANGNAM STYLE", which would become wildly popular many years later. Thanks to his copycat mania, he could remember it even while drunk.
He didn't forget to shout at the audience, "Come on, follow me! GANGNAM STYLE!"
The rebellious American boys were the first to be deluded. Following Qin Guan, they turned their crotches towards Nick. They thought it had to be a method one used to provoke their enemy.
He deserves the most beautiful ladies!
The girls in the short skirts joined the delighted group, completing the grand scene.
Nick was surrounded, everyone making strange gestures at him. If one made an ass out of themselves, they couldn't complain if people rode them.
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hapter 522: Getting Away
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
The members of Nick's band were itching to move, but were too afraid of hurting his feelings. Suddenly, Qin Guan switched to another dance.
He opened his arms and started twisting along to the rhythm. His students followed him at once. His flirting gesture also attracted the older members of the audience, who started dancing in Nick's direction.
By then, Qu had finally reached Qin Guan. Before her hand could touch his shirt, the Best Actor winner shouted and jumped off the stage.
He went up to Cong Nianwei and hugged her around the shoulders.
"Dance with me!"
Cong Nianwei would rather die. She struggled, but it was in vain.
"Twist around, twist around..."
She felt like she was riding a tiger she couldn't dismount. She had to move with Qin Guan. The onlookers cheered the lovers on. When others began to copy them, Qin Guan turned on a blower. Colorful scraps of paper and balloons were blown away by the strong wind.
Qin Guan opened his arms and embraced it.
People always wished to be immortal. If he ignored the dirt in his hair, Qin Guan felt like he still mattered. I'll go home by riding the wind...
The festive atmosphere reached its peak. Qin Guan's funny steps were easy to copy. Suddenly, Qin Guan rushed up to Nick, whose hair had gotten messy from the wind. He lifted his middle finger at him and shouted loudly, "Gangnam Style!"
Before Nick could fight back, Qin Guan had jumped up on the stage again.
He felt as if the lamps on the ceiling were as many as the stars in the sky as they swirled above his head. His steps were as weak as if he was walking on cotton. He stomped violently on the floor to confirm that it was still there.
The audience thought that this was a new dancing move. Everyone shouted together, "Come on! Once more! You are so cool!"
Qin Guan stomped again, clapping his hands. He looked like an old woman square dancing. "You are my little, little apple..."
Cong Nianwei was laughing so loudly that she could barely stand up. Just as Qin Guan was about to show them a new physical exercise, Qu Xuemei grabbed him.
"What are you doing? Get down!"
As she pulled him away from the stage, Cong Nianwei and the others gathered around him to check on him. Nobody knew that he was acting crazy because he was drunk.
Hilton was admiring Qin Guan. It seemed that Cong Nianwei's plan would fail before it was even put into practice. Qu and Cong Nianwei turned down her invitation to spend the night there and pulled the tall man out of the villa together.
Their convertible roared to life, leaving the bustling party with the legendary Asian dancer and singer. It was said that he was the master of all musical arts and skills not related to Euramerican pop music. Besides, he was extremely funny. He was exactly the kind of guy who livened up a party.
Qin Guan was not aware of this. Cong Nianwei struggled to get him into their room as he laughed like a fool.
The next day, the bright sunshine of South California sneaked in through the curtains as Qin Guan was brushing his teeth in the bathroom, trying to recall what had happened at the party the previous night.
He had only some vague memories of the crazy party, but Cong Nianwei, who was carefully spreading sunscreen on her face, was refusing to tell him anything. Before Qin Guan could figure things out, Cong Nianwei pulled him out of the hotel. She was eager to walk around the city.
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hapter 523: The Walk of Fame
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
When they decided to enjoy a rare day off and take a break from work, they discovered the real tragedy of Los Angeles.
Anyone who wanted to visit South California had to forget those postcard pictures of the blue sky and the green ocean designed to appeal to tourists living at high altitudes.
A person residing there or a traveller who would like to visit the Walk of Fame had to put up with two things.
One was the terrible traffic jam, and the other was the haze.
In 2003, when the sky above Beijing had still been clean and blue, Los Angeles had already been foggy. As a result, Qin Guan had to abandon public transportation and rent a bike.
In Los Angeles, the bicycle was the fastest and most convenient transportation vehicle. The temperature that day was a surprising 33 degrees, which was a miracle for July.
Qin Guan was happily riding a double bike with Cong Nianwei along the jammed road. As they passed the cars one by one, he saw the people in them looking at him with the same sympathetic expression in their eyes.
In five minutes, they realized why.
The air humidity was so high, that they felt like they were sitting in a sauna. Their clothing was soaked with sweat and water, making them feel really uncomfortable.
As the trip advocate, Qin Guan could only pedal with all his energy. Finally, they stopped at the crowded Walk of Fame.
"Excuse me? Where can I park my bike?" he asked the staff with a smile.
The young man burst into laughter and pointed to the parking lot.
Qin Guan turned to Cong Nianwei proudly. "I must be getting more and more attractive these days. Everyone is enchanted by my smile."
Cong Nianwei burst into laughter. "Stop showing off! Wait..." She took a mirror out of her backpack and handed it to him.
His face was half-pale and half-tanned, because he had been wearing a helmet and a pair of sunglasses. It was so funny!
"Yes, you are really attractive… Now clean your face with a tissue!"
Qin Guan wiped his face sloppily and winked at Cong Nianwei. "It doesn't matter. We'll get washed later!" What do you mean?
Before Cong Nianwei could figure it out, Qin Guan pulled her towards the Walk of Fame.
That tourist attraction was a must for visitors. There were more than 2,500 refined waterstone and brass stars on the 18-block street, standing in memory of great figures of the entertainment circle, including actors, musicians, directors, producers, bands, drama groups, fictional characters, and so on.
Qin Guan had chosen the Walk of Fame as their first stop.
They searched carefully among the stars for the only three Chinese names: Anna May Wong, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
The two men were very famous, but as a romantic woman, Cong Nianwei was more interested in the Chinese actress. Even Qin Guan had to admit that she was the epitome of mysterious oriental beauty.
In the 1900s, the Chinese had been considered third-class citizens in America, inferior even to black people. However, the ordinary girl had earned her own spot in the film circle of Los Angeles through hard effort. No words could describe her life properly. In an era when communications had been underdeveloped, she had had fans and admirers in all European countries, which had been no small feat.
She had been the first Chinese person to get a star on the Walk of Fame.
Qin Guan caressed the pink star gently with his fingers as he looked at Cong Nianwei proudly.
"One day, I will have a star here. My name will be on this very road."
Coming back to her senses, Cong Nianwei told Qin Guan, "I have faith in you, but I've heard that the owner has to pay a maintenance fee to the Hollywood Historical Fund. It's about 15,000 dollars..."
Qin Guan stood up immediately. "This is not urgent. It can wait till later!"
The two of them left, laughing happily.
"I'm not lying… I'm rich..." said the boy.
The tourists thought that the couple looked familiar.
"Was that the boy from the newspaper?"
"It seems so. What about the girl? She seems successful..."
Successful? She was Ms. Right herself!
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hapter 524: Shakespeare Outdoors
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
They were planning on finding a place out of the sun to avoid getting a sunstroke. In Los Angeles, In-N-Out Burger was the best choice. It was just like McDonald's in China.
Thanks to its simple food, the Southern California hamburger chain met the strange needs of the natives. There, one saw people eating hamburgers everywhere around them. It was hard not to be influenced by them.
As a foodie, Qin Guan was deeply influenced by a strong young man at the cash register. The fat man weighed a full 100 kilos, but felt no shame in blocking the view of everyone behind him. He was living proof of what a real foodie could become through hard effort.
There were three kinds of hamburgers on the menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers and two-plus-two burgers (which included two meat patties and two slices of cheese). No matter how big one's stomach was, one two-plus-two burger would be enough for them, as one could also add anything they liked to their burger.
The extra patties cost about 1.09 dollars each, which was a reasonable price.
"30 patties and 30 slices of cheese, extra mayonnaise and vegetables..."
The waiter did not look surprised by the order as he typed on the keyboard quickly.
The hungry lovers waited about 10 minutes for the fat man to finish. When they took a seat with their own tray, they forgot to eat. The sight of the giant hamburger that guy had ordered was astonishing.
They were curious about how he would eat it. The burger was almost half-a-meter tall.
The guy took out a patty and a slice of cheese from the burger and swallowed them along with some lettuce. He ate it all piece after piece!
Why did you even order one burger?
To save money! This way, the guy didn't have to pay for two burgers!
That was what was amazing about that place. However, after someone had ordered a hamburger with 100 patties, the store had updated the rules and regulations, putting a limit of four meat patties and four cheese slices per burger. Unfortunately, that regulation wouldn't be put into practice until 2004.
Cong Nianwei and Qin Guan finished their ordinary, yet delicious food as fast as they could.
In the afternoon, the city felt like a seaside resort. Tourists could spend the whole afternoon on the beach, sleeping and relaxing.
At sunset, the couple found a place among the crowd on the beach. There would be a free Shakespeare play presented by a local theater company.
It was an outdoor play, so the night breeze was blowing gently as they watched. The stage was on the soft beach, and the lights were basically some large lamps originally used by the staff of the beach administrative bureau.
It was a simple play, but the actors were very dedicated. They were wearing wigs and dramatic makeup.
The partings and reunions of the characters shocked Qin Guan, who knew very little about Shakespeare.
During the break, the director approached the audience to invite one of the tourists to guest star on the play. It would be a very interesting experience.
"Is there anybody who wants to act with us?"
There were some heated responses.
"What's next?"
"We want to know what the role would be. Is it too difficult?"
Although everyone was curious, they were also afraid of making a fool of themselves before an audience.
One had to know oneself and their enemies.
The bearded director was smiling cunningly.
"Alas! It's a very famous play and a favorite of romantic girls all over the world. Which play do you think it is?"
"Romeo and Juliet!" a loud yell echoed all around.
"Bingo! It's a very popular play. Most people have played it in middle school. Are there any volunteers?"
However, the passionate audience was just as cunning. Someone in the crowd asked a question.
"There are so many characters in that play. Which scene are we talking about?"
What a smart guy! The director tried to tempt them. "The one after Juliet dies. Who had a dispute with Romeo at the graveyard?"
"Paris!" the audience shouted excitedly.
"Exactly! Is there a confident young man who thinks he can fight Romeo?"
Most of the audience liked the role, as it had few lines and required only simple skills. Besides, the actor would interact with the heroine!
"Me! Me!" everyone started shouting.
Cong Nianwei nudged Qin Guan. "Wouldn't you like to try a different performing method? Give it a try!"
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Chapter 525: Oh, Juliet
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Before Qin Guan could say something, the director said, "Did you get a postcard from our staff when you arrived at the beach? You could write down your comments there and leave it to us or take it home as a souvenir."
Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei looked down at their Audrey Hepburn postcards, the most common postcards sold in stores all along the Walk of Fame for one dollar. They were very good quality.
"There is a handwritten number at the bottom right corner of the card. I'll draw a number to pick the lucky guy."
Everyone laughed, waiting to be summoned.
"It is said that God spent seven days creating the world. Seven is a lucky number. Please come here if you have number seven!"
Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei looked at their cards. Cong Nianwei's was number seven, and Qin Guan's was number eight. Cong Nianwei calmly exchanged cards with Qin Guan.
Qin Guan glanced at her helplessly and stood up slowly, lifting the card up under the brilliant night sky.
"Here!"
Everyone cheered for him as he walked over to the director.
"Welcome, my boy! Go to the makeup room. I wish you a pleasant night!"
The director couldn't see him clearly in the dark, so he thought that the young man was a tourist. Maybe he can't even speak English.
Qin Guan entered the simple makeup room, which was crowded by actors. During the break, everyone remained silent to protect their voices.
They all cast a hurried look at Qin Guan and then lost any interest in him. He seemed like an ordinary Asian boy with a dirty face.
The prop master handed him an old European style suit. The whole makeup process was skipped. In their eyes, Qin Guan was only a volunteer.
Qin Guan did not feel dissatisfied about the arrangement. He took the suit and asked an assistant for a script. He was a professional actor after all. He started reading the script while the leading actors got ready.
"Come on, lucky audience member. It's your turn!"
"I'm coming..." Qin Guan put down the script and put on the loose suit.
Before leaving the tent, he cleaned his face with some wet tissues. The dust and sweat on his face were wiped away, revealing his natural beauty.
"Hey! Don't you think he looks familiar?" an old black actor asked one of his colleagues.
The younger actor didn't take him seriously. He looked at Qin Guan's back and said, "No idea. He is only a tourist picked at random by the director. Rising stars are too busy searching for job opportunities. They would never come to a place like this."
"That makes sense. But I still feel a little strange. I'll go take a look."
The black man, who trusted his intuition, went out of the tent and walked to the stage.
There was a long table there. It was Juliet's coffin.
Qin Guan was in the middle of the stage in his funny suit. A strong light was shining down on his head, making him sweat in combination with the summer heat.
Qin Guan was calm as he looked at the crowded audience. This was just a play. Just another scene in a film.
The narrator stopped talking. When a crisp knock was heard, Qin Guan moved.
Holding a bouquet of plastic flowers, he walked to the graveyard of the Capulet family to offer them to his beloved Juliet.
The director was acting as the narrator.
"The younger generation of the two families suffered many mishaps in their lives. Their miserable ending buried the conflicts of their parents..."
Qin Guan walked to the coffin slowly, pausing half a meter away from it. Squatting down with shaking shoulders, he lay the bouquet down by the coffin and fell into deep thought.
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hapter 526: Vigor
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
"Wow! He seems good."
"Hush! Stop talking! He is far from good. He is wonderful!"
The audience talked in whispers. Qin Guan felt neither constrainted nor hurried, as they had originally imagined.
By then, he was in character. He was Paris, the man who had fallen in love with Juliet. If it hadn't been for Romeo's interference, he would have made her happy. His own heart had been buried along with Juliet.
Suddenly, Qin Guan knelt before her grave, shedding tears of sorrow as he delivered his lines loudly.
Everyone was shocked by his performance. There was no more whispering, only astonishment at his perfect performance.
The beach was as silent as a grave. Everyone was absorbed into the play. Qin Guan buried his head into his loose costume, his grieving, desperate voice bursting out of his throat like an injured beast.
"I came to visit you, dear Juliet." The words were full of admiration and fear, for he didn't want to disturb her in her eternal sleep.
Suddenly, Qin Guan couldn't go on anymore. Choking on a sob, he said, "Oh Juliet! Why were you so obsessed with that bastard? Did he poison you? If you had known how much I loved you, you would never have left this beautiful world..." Qin Guan looked up, his eyes filled with love.
The women in the audience couldn't control themselves. They felt sympathy for Paris, even though they were moved by the romance of Romeo and Juliet.
Why did you abandon such an outstanding young man? This nobleman was handsome, rich and blessed by his family. Can only forbidden love be true love? Could love at first sight be worthy of your life and your parents' happiness?
As they began to weep, Qin Guan moved closer to the grave.
"Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew,——O woe!Thy canopy is dust and stones…"
He spread flowers around the grave, his tears sparkling on the petals.
His performance attracted some locals, who stopped on the beach, even though it was a tourist resort. In Los Angeles, even a taxi driver could have an opinion on a film, just like their peers in Beijing [1].
"It's difficult for an Asian guy to interpret Shakespeare."
"Doesn't he look familiar?"
"Is this a good play? I think entry is free."
"That volunteer looks familiar! He is wonderful!"
Qin Guan's face was covered in tears and snot. It was a pity that this was a play. If it had been a T show, he would have been recognized immediately.
Before he could run out of tears, Romeo rushed to the scene. Thanks to his elegant costume, he looked much more handsome than Qin Guan.
When he saw his love rival kneeling before the grave, he asked impolitely, "What are you doing here?"
Infuriated, Paris stood up from the sand. The audience suddenly realized that Paris was much taller than Romeo...
Romeo's vigor instantly diminished. Taking advantage of this, Paris stepped forward angrily. Romeo felt the impulse to escape. The man across from him was about to kill him.
However, the play had to go on and he had to stay there.
Suddenly, Paris shouted loudly, "I should be asking you that! You are that banish'd haughty Montague, who murder'd my love's cousin. It is that grief that killed this fair creature!"
He pointed to the grave fiercely. "Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued farther than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee: Obey, and go with me; for thou must die."
His resonant voice echoed all over the beach. If the play had taken place at a formal airtight stage, the audience would have experienced a shocking performance.
[1] In Beijing, Taxi drivers like to talk about politics.
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hapter 527: Performing
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Some tourists began to take pictures. That splendid moment was definitely worth recording. A South Korean girl recognized Qin Guan from the photos.
Her roar was like thunder on the silent beach. "He is Qin Guan Obar [1]! Qin Guan, look at me!"
The girl was too excited to control herself. South Koreans were fond of beautiful things, but they went too far. Their obsession over gorgeous designs and their perfection-oriented makeup skills had become a kind of disease.
As a result, a naturally handsome guy was like a tower of light in the dark for Korean girls. The girl was one of Qin Guan's loyal fans, who had purchased his album. That was why she was able to recognize him in that strange costume.
Few people in the audience spoke Korean, but everyone recognized his name.
"Qin Guan? Is that his name?"
"Qin Guan? That sounds familiar."
"I remember! He was the Best Actor Award winner at Cannes! And remember the fake news scandal in New York?"
"Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Madonna are fans of his..."
"He's a f*cking celebrity!"
"What is he doing here?"
"Just read the posts on OMG. Do you know what he does for a living?"
The screams had ignited a bomb. Some audience members began to move towards the stage. Qin Guan realized the situation was out of control. If he tried to escape, there would be a riot on the beach. The play would be destroyed.
He was aware that escaping was not the best solution. For the sake of the other actors, as well as his career, he couldn't leave before the play was finished.
The best solution was to tame the audience with an even better performance. Then they would realize that he was not Qin Guan, but Paris himself.
Suddenly, Qin Guan shouted at the stunned Romeo angrily, "Stop thy unhallow'd toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued farther than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee: Obey, and go with me; for thou must die!"
His thunderous voice brought everyone back to reality.
Romeo came back to his senses as well. He was familiar with the lines. He had repeated the same lines and actions every day, the passion and dreams of his youth gradually fading away. Suddenly, he found his feelings again.
The young man was always serious about his performance. As an experienced actor, he felt stimulated by Qin Guan's sparkling eyes.
He finally felt better. As he recalled his best memories, he no longer felt suppressed by Qin Guan and was able to express his own enthusiasm.
"I must indeed; and therefore came I hither. Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man. Fly hence, and leave me; think upon these gone. Let them affright thee, I beseech thee, youth! Put not another sin upon my head by urging me to fury!" he shouted back.
The shocked audience teared up, and so did the director.
It didn't matter that theater had a small audience. A shocking performance could always tug at people's heartstrings.
Romeo looked a little hysterical. "I beseech thee, youth! Put not another sin upon my head by urging me to fury. O, be gone! By heaven, I love thee better than myself; for I come hither arm'd against myself. Stay not, be gone; live! And hereafter say, a madman's mercy bade thee run away!"
The prop master handed two swords to them. They each held one as they stood face to face.
Qin Guan saluted Romeo in a formal manner as they looked at each other.
Romeo attacked and Qin Guan fought back.
Violent sparkles flew. There were cruel flames in their eyes as they attacked each other ruthlessly.
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hapter 528: Girls
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
"After my trip, I will get back to work and my everyday life. In Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to cooperate with three beautiful celebrities."
The locals were enlightened. Cooperate with three celebrities? This explains all the rumors. He sure is handsome enough to be liked by three celebrities.
"Will you release a music album? Are you good at singing?"
Qin Guan smiled like a gentle breeze in the restless summer. His smile comforted the audience.
"That's not my goal. I like my job, but no one is perfect!"
His fans felt sad, but they cheered up again soon. Our idol is too busy anyway.
"In the following days, I will be attending another film audition. Today, I had a rare day off, so I came here with my girlfriend to have fun on the beach and watch the outdoor Shakespeare play."
"Did you like the play?"
"Of course!" everyone echoed. That was the power of a free play.
"It was my honor to participate in this play today. Only personal engagement can make people realize an actor's hard work. Look at my T-shirt. It's soaked in sweat. These great, unknown actors play here every day, trying to show you the greatest plays in the world."
"Tell me, were you moved? Shall we give them our best regards?"
"Of course!"
"Of course!"
"I hope the whole audience, my fans included, will ignore my presence. Please show your appreciation to these lovely people and their splendid performance!"
"As for me, I'll go look for some food with my beloved."
There was laughter and sighs all around. Before returning the microphone to the director, Qin Guan suddenly recalled something.
"By the way, in order to thank my fans, anyone who watched this play will get a poster with my signature from my fan club's website by showing their postcard. The offer will be valid for one month."
The depressed girls cheered up again.
"Ha ha! I got three postcards! Keep your cards, dad and mum!"
"It's unfair. I'm not a tourist!"
"Silly girl! There are some geeks on that website. We can flirt with them!"
"Good idea!"
The director took the microphone and embraced Qin Guan warmly. He got a postcard with the number eight and a 100-dollar bill pinned at the back.
Best wishes to artists all over the world...
...
The trip back to their hotel was uneventful. Qin Guan was driving as fast as he could. Thanks to him, the drama group had received their biggest donation that year.
Besides, those plain postcards had suddenly started increasing in value. Local fans tried their best to get some extra cards from the tourists.
After dining and wining to satiety, Qin Guan fell asleep. Actually, he would be happy performing anywhere.
He woke up the next morning with a satisfied smile.
Cong Nianwei would pack and return to New York alone, while Qin Guan would attend the audition in Los Angeles. This was his most important job before returning to New York.
If fortune favored him, he would get some good roles in Los Angeles and start his journey in commercial films. Gold and silver were not afraid of fire, but they needed to melt on the stove first.
"Mean Girls" was a teen comedy with a small budget. No special effects or famous stars were involved in the film. The actors had been selected from inexperienced candidates. The female leads had already been decided.
The director had failed to find the hero from the actor resumes though. This was because the film had been adapted from a nonfiction book called "Queen Bees and Wannabes". The writer, Rosalind Wiseman, the scriptwriter, Tina Fey, and the director, Mark Waters, were all looking for a handsome actor.
As soon as Qin Guan arrived for the audition, he got a reality check.
The audition had been deliberately decided to be held at the school where the film would be shot. There were children playing sports on the grounds.
The female actresses were getting acquainted with the environment as Qin Guan and Qu approached Mark.
"Hello, director. This is Qin Guan. He is here to audition for the role of Aaron."
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Chapter 529: Competing for a Role
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Mark was in a good mood. The school president had allowed him to shoot on campus during summer vacation, provided that the crew would not interfere with the summer activities.
When he heard Qu's voice, he turned around. At the sight of Qin Guan, he grew excited.
"Ask the prop master for a polo shirt. Then walk to that position on the playground. Right there. Yes... Stand there and look back at me!"
"No problem."
Qin Guan felt strange about the director's casting method. A few minutes later, he walked out of the fitting room in a summer football jersey. The loose shorts and shirt couldn't cover his charm though. He still looked like a celebrity on campus. Even the students training on the school grounds were distracted by him.
The players served as a background as he stood there.
Mark was 20 meters away from him, making a frame with his fingers and zooming in on Qin Guan. As he walked farther and farther away, the man in the frame looked more and more dazzling.
No matter how far he went, he always spotted Qin Guan among the crowd.
Mark slowly returned from the other side of the school grounds.
"Is it okay for you if we start today?"
This was a surprising but most welcome question for Qu and Qin Guan.
"No problem!"
With this problem solved, the producer could save some money.
The director asked Qin Guan to go to the fitting room again. Then he and the heroine walked to the shooting site. It was an ordinary classroom, where the assistant director was negotiating with a group of people.
"Sorry, but we have decided on the protagonist… Yes, five minutes ago. Tough luck..."
"What are you saying? Are you kidding me?"
"We have already started filming. Sorry!"
The assistant director asked the group to leave politely.
Everyone went out of the school. The manager of the group, a domineering white lady, vented all her anger on the others.
"I want to know who seized this chance from us. Five minutes ago? Mark and the producer didn't even give us a chance! You are the Best Actor of Palm Beach! You are the right age and have the right looks… They must be blind!"
Before her voice could fade away, the arrogant woman got out of the car and returned to the school.
Jonathan Bennett smiled secretly in the car. He was also curious about the guy who had gotten the part. He wanted his agent to spy on the lucky dog. Jonathan was confident about his resume. No one else in that category could have been better than him.
His agent, whose name was Alice, sneaked into the set with a group of extras.
Mark was currently sitting behind the camera as the hero and heroine talked about something in the classroom.
This was a teen film, so most of the extras had been selected from the school's students. They would just play themselves in the film. High school students were familiar with fashion, so most of them knew Qin Guan, and a few of them knew the female actresses.
They all gathered around the door, making it easier for Alice to peep inside.
"The first scene is the first meeting. Three, two, camera!"
There were two cameras in the classroom. One was up front, and the other was in the back. Mark was sitting behind the camera that focused on the heroine. The assistant director was operating the camera that focused on Qin Guan.
Katie, the heroine, was listening to the tutor happily. Qin Guan rummaged in his bag for a while before he looked up and turned around naturally.
He was wearing a ruby T-shirt, which made a sharp contrast with his curly black hair and dark eyes. He looked like a cup of old wine.
Putting on his warmest smile, he asked the strange girl sitting behind him, "Hey, may I borrow your pencil?"
The other boys were as dirty as monkeys, but there was not even a speck of dust on his shirt.
He looked like the morning sun, like a secret kept between young girls.
As expected, the heroine was moved. Suddenly, the director shouted angrily, surprising both Qin Guan and the assistant director.
He is perfect! Why did you stop his performance?
Qin Guan was relieved soon.
"Lindsay! This is the awakening of a first love, not a fan admiring her idol! What are you doing? Clean yourself up! You are drooling!"
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Chapter 530: Smiling
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Qin Guan realized that the girl with the red hair and the blue eyes was drooling. Everyone burst into laughter.
Alice retreated silently, leaving the school without looking back. Jonathan Bennett was surprised to see his agent lost in thought. She didn't complain about the director's favoritism or raise her voice to get the attention of the media.
She just sat there quietly for a minute and then sighed. "Let's go to the next audition..."
"What happened, Alice? Who got the part?" Jonathan asked curiously.
"Qin Guan..."
"That explains it..."
Silence prevailed again as the car roared to life.
Meanwhile, Qin Guan repeated the simple scene. He had no idea why he had gotten the part so easily. He was definitely right for the role, but according to the producer, his biggest advantage was his commercial value.
He might never have starred in a commercial film before, but he was loved by three celebrities. All their fans would pay to watch a film with him.
It was difficult for a distracted actor to reach the summit of their career. Only those who concentrated could reach the other shore. That was why the director kept complaining about Lindsay's absent-mindedness.
It took them three takes to finish the scene. None of the figurants objected. They had gotten to enjoy Qin Guan's smile three times! That was definitely worth all that work!
The only one who was disappointed was Mark. After the scene, he shouted at everyone to get changed.
Qin Guan massaged his sore cheeks and was about to change clothes, when suddenly Lindsay grabbed his sleeve.
"Qin… Qin Guan..."
"Yes?"
"Hello. I… I'm Lindsay… I like you..."
What a direct confession!
"I… I have seen your poster and… advertisement. I… I'm also a model..."
Lindsay was getting more and more nervous by the minute. Qin Guan nodded. "I know. POPO chips, right?"
"Yes, that was me. I… I like you so much..."
Qin Guan found the stammering girl both funny and annoying. You were a child star. Don't turn into a lovesick fool for me!
Qin Guan didn't know that actors had their own idols. He changed clothes and sat in a convertible with some other female actors.
As they drove to the playground. Qin Guan shouted at the heroine, "Hi!"
The sun was shining behind him, the green grass serving as his background. The boy was smiling softly, saying hello with his beautiful voice and trying to get acquainted with a stranger as he went through campus.
The heroine didn't take advantage of this chance though. The beautiful girl used to be his girlfriend.
The girl with the red hair left with her new friend without looking back. She didn't know how sad the boy felt.
The fat school janitor watched the filming for a long time. When the heroine left without hesitation, the righteous woman cursed, "That f*cking b*tch!"
The heroine really made her blood boil.
Fortunately, there was only one scene like that in the film. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been called "Mean Girls", but "How the Fans Killed the Heroine".
The scene was finished without trouble and Qin Guan returned to the fitting room.
The production stylist had worked as an assistant for the shows of some famous brands. It was his honor to meet a top model like Qin Guan. It took him a long time to decide about Qin Guan's outfit. The next scene was the first long interaction between Qin Guan and Katie, so he had to be dressed perfectly.
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