Translator:- Max
Editor:- Dobhsh
At the end of the film, the crown prince ascended the throne, and the kingdom of Jing emerged victorious over the kingdom of Qing. Amidst nationwide celebrations, all the subjects cheered for the new sovereign and Chen Yaozhong while deeply despising Chen Mu’ai, who had betrayed their homeland. Bathed in sunlight, Chen Yaozhong lay on a lounge chair and fell asleep. In his dream, he saw a young Chen Mu’ai, and he heard himself saying to him, “This is your weapon. In the future, you will become a general and use it to defend your country.”
Chen Mu’ai looked at the long spear in his hand, his eyes full of doubt. Chen Yaozhong stroked his head with gentle eyes.
At this time, the conversation between the late monarch and Chen Mu’ai echoes in the movie.
“This journey is extremely dangerous, and perhaps you will die in the enemy’s land. Do you have anything you want me to convey to your father?”
The young man was silent for a long time and finally said calmly and gently, “Tell him, I never hated him, and I am proud of him.”
The screen went black.
At that moment, many viewers were in tears, and some emotionally sensitive audience members even began to sob quietly. The film’s ending song played as the cast list appeared, and the lights in the cinema gradually brightened. However, the audience in their seats didn’t leave. There was even a girl who, dissatisfied, asked her boyfriend, “Did he really die? Wasn’t he powerful? Could it be that he didn’t actually die?”
The boyfriend sighed.
The girl, with a tearful voice, said, “Even if he died, at least let him clear his name. This is unacceptable. How can someone be burdened with a bad reputation even after death?”
Chu Cheng turned to look at Ji Qingzhou, who had already cried to the point that his eyes were red. He himself felt a deep sense of sorrow as well. It was always devastating when a hero met a tragic end, especially a young hero who devoted himself to the country yet had to bear a tarnished reputation throughout his life, unable to clear his name even in death.
Chu Cheng sat with Ji Qingzhou for a while until everyone had left, and then he accompanied him out of the cinema.
“Director Kang is truly amazing.” Ji Qingzhou sighed. “The story was clear, and the cinematography was impressive. There were several moments where I was captivated by the visuals on the screen, and I couldn’t even believe how deeply I was immersed in my own performance at that time.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Chu Cheng said with emotion, “You are very dedicated to acting. Otherwise, there would not be so many directors who liked you. But Director Kang is truly remarkable as well.”
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“I know.” Chu Cheng said, “People like him are destined to have such a fate.”
Ji Qingzhou was still a little uncomfortable. Chu Cheng hugged and coaxed him for a long time before he finally made him laugh, so as not to let him be immersed in the sadness of the movie.
Ji Qingzhou and Chu Cheng went to have a meal together, and during their meal, he finally had time to read the online reviews of “Light and Darkness.” Kang Yicheng was a renowned director, so everyone had high expectations for the film even before watching it. While Kang Yicheng’s script and cinematography were indeed impressive, what truly stunned and left a lasting impression on the audience was Ji Qingzhou’s performance as the character Chen Mu’ai.
“Ying ying ying ying, I’m crying to death; my eyeliner is all ruined by crying. Chen Mu’ai’s story is really heart-wrenching; I really like him.”
“Ai, after watching it, my heart feels so heavy. This father-son duo is truly tragic. Both of them were loyal subjects; both were heroes, but they ended up with a fate of eternal separation.”
“I wholeheartedly praise Ji Qingzhou. If anyone dares to say that Ji Qingzhou relies on looks alone, I’ll beat them to death. He portrayed the character so well, seriously! I completely understand why Director Kang chose him. He’s truly amazing, from his appearance to his acting skills. It’s a perfect match. I can’t think of anyone else who could play Chen Mu’ai as brilliantly.”
“Chen Mu’ai is Ji Qingzhou, and Ji Qingzhou is Chen Mu’ai. Youthful, pure, with the spirit of a young man, handsome in appearance, yet with a calm demeanour. Finally, dying on horseback is a classic case of a beautiful and tragic character. If someone with an inadequate appearance played the role, I might not have cried so loudly. It’s because he excels in every aspect, and you can see a bright future ahead for him, that his death becomes even more unbearable.”
“I completely understand why Director Kang chose Ji Qingzhou. His eyes are truly pure and filled with emotion. Director Kang specifically included several close-ups of his eyes, each portraying different emotions. Every time I watched, the emotions he conveyed deeply affected me. He’s incredibly captivating.”
Not only fans but even professional film critics expressed their admiration, stating that Ji Qingzhou, with his exceptional appearance, outstanding acting skills, and highly emotive performances, immersed viewers in the world of the film. He allowed them to experience the loyalty and filial piety of the young general and conveyed the ideals of family, country, and the world. In the midst of darkness, he radiated brightness. In essence, Ji Qingzhou is the soul of “Light and Darkness.” If the film is considered excellent, then Ji Qingzhou is undoubtedly the most outstanding beam of light in it.
As Ji Qingzhou looked at the overwhelming positive reviews online, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. His fans were ecstatic, purchasing additional movie tickets for second and third viewings. Some nouveau rich fans even organised private screenings and held raffles to give away movie tickets, hoping that more people could witness his outstanding performance.
“Light and Darkness” popularity had exploded, and Ji Qingzhou’s acting skills received unprecedented affirmation. Many directors who hadn’t paid attention to him before finally discovered that in the past two years in the entertainment industry, such an actor with aura had appeared. After watching the movie, they also affirmed Ji Qingzhou. Some directors who were interested in him even contacted Zhou Chengfeng directly and sent him the script, hoping that Ji Qingzhou could audition for their own movie.
Zhou Chengfeng suppressed the joy in his heart, complimented the other party politely, and then after some selection, he sent the script he thought was best suitable to Ji Qingzhou’s mailbox.
The high acclaim surrounding “Light and Darkness” made everyone believe that the film would undoubtedly be nominated for this year’s Golden Laurel Awards, and Ji Qingzhou was expected to receive a nomination, with a strong possibility of winning. Therefore, when the nominations for Best Actor were announced in January, and Ji Qingzhou’s name appeared for his role as Chen Mu’ai in “Light and Shadow,” everyone felt it was well-deserved. However, what shocked them was that Ji Qingzhou’s nomination for Best Actor in the Golden Laurel Awards included not only his portrayal of Chen Mu’ai in “Light and Darkness” but also his role as Yang Min in “In the World.”
At his age, receiving dual nominations for Best Actor truly left people amazed. However, it was precisely because of his outstanding performance as Chen Mu’ai that everyone held a positive attitude towards his acting skills. Therefore, there was nothing to be said except to reflect on the fact that his popularity had been continuously rising over time. The excessive focus on his popularity had overshadowed his acting abilities until the double nomination for Best Actor at the Golden Laurel Awards made people realise that his acting prowess was even more remarkable than his popularity.
Ji Qingzhou was feeling nervous, and his fans were also anxious. The higher the expectations for the double nomination, the greater the disappointment. Chu Cheng listened as Ji Qingzhou constantly evaluated the two roles, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of Yang Min and interpreting the strengths and weaknesses of Chen Mu’ai. Finally, he murmured, “It’s probably more likely to be Chen Mu’ai. This character has more intensity and a better performance overall. It should be Chen Mu’ai.” Chu Cheng sighed somewhat helplessly, as he had never seen Ji Qingzhou so nervous before.
“Relax. This is your first time being nominated, and being double-nominated is already great. I read online that you have a high chance of winning the award, so don’t be so nervous.”
“I don’t want to be so nervous either, but I can’t control it.” Ji Qingzhou said, looking at him, “You don’t understand. I have high expectations for ‘Light and Darkness’. This script is one of my favourites in the past two years, second only to ‘Partridge Sky.’ And with Director Kang as the director, if I can’t win an award for this role, I’ll start doubting if I’ll ever be able to win one in the future.”
“No, you’ve only been acting for a few years. If you look at the list of previous award winners, how many people won the award in their 30s or 40s?”
“However, there are also those actors who win awards immediately after their debut but gradually struggle to win them later on and even fail to be nominated again.”
Chu Cheng sighed and kissed him, “Baby, believe me, you are not that kind of actor; you are just too nervous.”
“How can I not be so nervous?” Ji Qingzhou asked sincerely.
“How about we watch a movie and relax?”
“Okay.” Ji Qingzhou agreed.
Chu Cheng turned on the projector and randomly selected a movie to watch together with Ji Qingzhou, both sitting comfortably on the bed. However, just five minutes into the movie, Ji Qingzhou started to comment, “His expression in this scene is off, too obvious. It should be more nuanced, it feels a bit superficial. Didn’t the director ask for a retake? Or maybe the director intentionally wanted this effect, but it doesn’t seem right. Who is the director? Let’s rewind and take a closer look.”
Chu Cheng silently rewound the movie to the beginning as Ji Qingzhou took a quick glance and immediately expressed his disdain. “This director is not good. I knew that particular action wouldn’t pass. He’s just making mediocre films for money now. He even approached me before, but I turned him down. Let’s choose a different movie to watch.”
Chu Cheng followed his good advice and changed the movie.
After a while, Ji Qingzhou began to comment again, “Did you see the change in his eyes just now? It’s amazing, fierce, and yet filled with sadness. No wonder he won awards before. A good actor can truly speak through every gesture, making you unable to resist savouring it. Ai, I wonder if my film can allow the judges to savour it deeply and grant me an award. It’s really difficult.”
Chu Cheng: ……
Chu Cheng silently turned off the projector.
“Why did you turn it off?” Ji Qingzhou asked puzzledly.
“I don’t think you are suitable for watching movies now.” Chu Cheng looked at him. “You have gone crazy. When you watch movies now, what you are looking at is not the story but whether you can win an award.”
Ji Qingzhou also felt that he had lost his mind for a while. “Then what are we going to do now?”
Chu Cheng thought for a while, and suddenly thought of something. “I know there is one thing that will definitely make you ignore the matter of winning the award.”
Ji Qingzhou asked curiously, “What is it?”
“Of course it’s something that couples love to do.” Chu Cheng said with a smile.
Ji Qingzhou looked at the window. “It’s still daytime.”
“It doesn’t matter, maybe it will get dark when we finish.”
Ji Qingzhou: ……
Ji Qingzhou silently pointed to the window. “Go and draw the curtains.”
When Chu Cheng heard this, he excitedly kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll follow your orders.”
The author has something to say:
Chu Cheng: Happy hehehe
If there is no accident tomorrow, there should be high energy~
Nitpicking other movies…Such ingenious idea, Chu Cheng. If both body and mind are preoccupied there’s no room for other things.😏
Thanks for your update.