Feng Wei stood with his hands on his hips while watching everyone band together to move the tables. One of his hands wandered to his hair, combing through it as he waited. He ran his fingers through his bangs before turning around and walking back towards the stage.
Xia Ruyun, on the other hand, stood off to the side beside Gao Qian, Ye Shuhua, and Li Feiling. The four of them had been shooed away as Chu Changfeng worked with Ma Xiaotian to drag the table away. With her bag slung over her shoulder, she reached to its side, pulled out her cream-colored water bottle, and took a few sips before slipping it back into its holder.
It's nice that they volunteered to do it at least...
“Thanks for helping to move the table,” Li Feiling voiced everyone’s thoughts as they bumped back into Chu Changfeng and Ma Xiaotian while walking back towards the now-open semi-circle area.
Her extra curt tone of voice drew a chuckle from Chu Changfeng crossed his arms. “It’s what a man should do.”
Xia Ruyun, overhearing the comment, rolled her eyes and made eye contact with Li Feiling who had a similarly unamused look. Together, they relocated a few steps leftward, putting a healthy arm-length distance between them and the other two characters central to the main cast. Their managers stepped into the gap, creating the seamless wall of people now looking at Feng Wei.
The shuffling of their footsteps and the quiet murmuring conversation between a few of the groups permeated the air. Light flooding in from the tall windows on the sides and ceiling of the auditorium filled the room with natural sun. Jingling from bags being set off to the side punctuated the peaceful atmosphere as Feng Wei, who had picked up his microphone from the stage, strode towards the center of the semi-circle.
“So, to start, I want to make some announcements,” Feng Wei swept his arm out towards everyone while crouching down. “Let me just talk pragmatically for a second. I want us all to be clear on one thing: what we’re here for. We’re here to make the greatest product we can, with the money we have, with the personnel we have. My job is to maximize this all to create a show that seizes the attention of the people.”
He stood back up and cleared his throat as a slight twinkle entered his eyes. Slipping one hand in his pocket, he began walking around in a slow circle while looking at each actor. “Some of you might be here to further your own careers, others to hone your craft, and others to bring home a fat check. I respect it all, truly, no matter your reasoning. BUT. But the means to achieve any of these goals is the same: hard work. Got it? I know some people here have conflicts between each other, morally, personally, commercially, but I ask that you all leave that behind so we can have a smooth journey over these next few months. If you all agree, can I get a yes?”
Feng Wei motioned to the group, asking them to shout out their affirmation while pointing his microphone towards the group. After a second of hesitation, people began shouting it out one by one, only to get a disappointed shake of the head. “All at once. Three, two, one...”
“““YES.”””
“That’s better,” Feng Wei spun on his heel and walked back towards the stage to grab his agenda. As he walked, he ignored the few murmurs coming from the crowd.
“That was kind of... weird.”
“What are we, grade schoolers?”
“Everyone understands professionalism, anyway.”
“Seems like I have an unruly cast,” Feng Wei shook his head and whispered to himself. The faint sound of tapping soothed his ear as he traced his fingers across the agenda. “Why is making money so hard?”
---
As a cast, they started with a reading of the general plot and skeletal script. Feng Wei, in an effort to spice things up, had the managers split off. They stood and sat by the side while the actors each got handed a script. He organized people into groups based on which faction they were affiliated with in the show.
Jiang Jinlong, the character played by Chu Changfeng, and his company in the show made up one group. Zeng Xiaojing, Li Feiling’s character, headed the rival company that made up another group. Both these groups included the executives, secretaries, and other high-ranking workers who showed up within their scenes. Those who showed up as part of a company, but as normal office workers in the background then became separate groups. News reporters became one group while the last group was a miscellaneous collection of everyone else, including any unaffiliated cast member who played the role of a normal person or otherwise.
“There’s only one rule to my unique script read through style.” Feng Wei explained before pausing and cracking a lopsided smile. “Well, technically two, actually. First, anyone speaking has to be on the stage! Then, while you read your lines, move. Try to act out something and just feel the script out. It doesn’t have to be good, but you should try to embody the character not only with your voice, but with your body.”
With his two rules projected onto a screen hanging at the back of the stage, it all began. Li Feiling started off by SLAMMING an invisible desk. “We MUST capitalize on these opportunities. Our competitors are FRAIL, WEAK, and SHATTERED. We’ve scorched them under an unending offensive!”
She gesticulated as if the invisible phoenix behind her in the show could manifest in real life. Her heated gaze swept over the cast below the stage as she took sweeping steps from one end to another. Pushing her chest forward and keeping her shoulders wide, set one foot on a box clenched her fist.
Feng Wei, watching from the side, couldn’t help but chuckle.
Mesmerizing. That’s why she’s the best choice for this role.
Around him, some felt their faces warm as Li Feiling ended off her speech with a brilliant smile.
“Wow, Li Feiling really makes me want to follow her... if I was really in this universe, I’d switch from Jiang Jinlong’s company to work for hers even if I had to take a pay cut.”
“For sure... who doesn’t like having a beautiful boss?”
“She’s breathtaking...”
Chu Changfeng, standing off to the side and prepping to go on stage, scowled as the comments floated into his ears. Unaware of the hypocrisy, a single thought floated through his mind.
A bunch of losers. How do you have time to be lusting over other people in the same cast as you? Focus on your own work. A woman like her isn’t even yours to touch anyway.
To accompany the cast reading, snacks came wheeling out for all those not on stage. Crackers and cheese, pastries, sweets, and more. Light foods paired with fruit-based punches kept everyone fresh and the atmosphere free-flowing. Some people, without scenes coming, went back to the farther tables to take a seat.
Chu Changfeng came onto the stage next with two sheets of paper in his hand. In line with his character at the beginning of the show, his shoulders hunched as he threw the first spare agenda sheet to the side. It fluttered to the floor with the gentle flapping of paper while he stumbled across the stage with his gaze scraping across the floor. In a low voice, he fell to his knees. “Why... Why did it turn out like this?”
His fist clenched, crumpling the other sheet of paper. “... How... did it turn out like... like this?”
His eyes gaze sharpened as he looked upward. He swept his eyes across the crowd as everyone felt an invisible icy mountain crash down upon their shoulders. Transported to an icy tundra, his muscular frame shook as he began a solemn oath.
“... to conquer the top of the world... It’s mine. I’ll be back... hah... hahaHAHAHA. Mark my words you egocentric, belligerent pig... this isn’t the end of me.”
Satisfied with the performance of his two star actors for the climax of this introductory scene, Feng Wei took notes, keeping in mind what had called out to him.
So, it's these actions that come instinctually to these two. Chu Changfeng has a much more vindictive interpretation of the character. I wouldn’t think to use those insults, and he utilizes his frame a lot better than I expected.
Li Feiling flipped the personality of Zeng Xiaojing to make it match, or even stronger than the personality of Jiang Jinlong. I do like the interpretation though, having these two fiery characters will draw in more of an audience than the one we were originally planning.
Though Chu Changfeng will be a tad mad from how it draws away from his spotlight, it'd be foolish to not adjust the show to fit these strengths.
The sound of tapping filled the air around him as he stared off into space.
Don’t be one of those old-school numbskulls, Feng Wei. Adapt. Stay adaptable. Stay flexible. There should be no ego hampering the art.