Literary Master: Starting with Refusing to Be a Child Star

Chapter 101 New Play Preparation

With the popularity of "The Long Season" still lingering, "The Silent Truth" has already entered a period of intensive preparation.

Luo Jinnian received a call from Director Qin one weekend morning.

"Brother, I've read the script three times, and it's even more brilliant than before." Director Qin's voice carried an unusual seriousness. "I absolutely have to make this film. When are you free? Come to Beijing to discuss casting."

Luo Jinnian glanced at the calendar. There were midterm exams next week, but the exams weren't his concern—the answers were already in his head. What he needed to worry about was something else: who would play Jiang Yang.

Jiang Yang is the soul of "The Silent Truth." A young and promising prosecutor, in order to investigate a wrongful conviction, goes from being full of vigor to being destitute, from being righteous and awe-inspiring to using his own life to orchestrate a scheme. The magnitude of this character's arc is rare in Chinese dramas. In the previous life, actor Bai Yu portrayed this role so convincingly that it left a deep sense of regret in many viewers; when Luo Jinnian was writing the script, Bai Yu's face was constantly in his mind. But in this life, Bai Yu is still just a relatively new actor, and it's uncertain whether he'll even get the role.

"I have someone in mind for Jiang Yang," Luo Jinnian said.

"Who?"

Bai Yu.

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone. Director Qin seemed to be searching his memory for the name, "The one who acted in 'Love O2O'? Played Cao Guang?"

Luo Jinnian almost choked on his own saliva. Cao Guang and Jiang Yang from his past life were played by the same person, but their paths were completely different. He hadn't expected Director Qin's impression of Bai Yu to still be stuck in that era. "Let him audition, we'll see after he reads the script."

Director Qin said yes.

On the afternoon of the day his last midterm exam ended, Luo Jinnian flew to Beijing. His backpack contained the completed exam papers, and his mind was filled with the complete script of "The Silent Truth." It was already dark when the plane landed, and he hailed a taxi straight to the office of Early Spring Culture.

The lights were still on in the conference room.

A stack of documents was laid out in front of Director Qin, each with a photo of an actor attached. When Luo Jinnian entered, Director Qin looked up and pushed one of the documents towards him.

"Bai Yu's agent said that he decided to take the role after reading three pages of the script. The salary and schedule were not discussed; he only asked when filming would begin."

Luo Jinnian picked up the document and looked at the face in the photo.

"Let him talk to us," Luo Jinnian said.

Bai Yu arrived at the company on the weekend.

He was thinner than Luo Jinnian had imagined, and didn't talk much. After sitting down, he didn't exchange pleasantries and went straight to the point: "What was the purpose of advancing the plot to this point in Jiang Yang's final courtroom scene?"

Luo Jinnian was taken aback. He hadn't expected to be asked about the plot so directly.

"I'm thinking," Luo Jinnian carefully considered his words, "that a person would have to go to such lengths to exchange their life for the truth. It's not because they want to die, but because they realize that there's no other way but to die."

Bai Yu was silent for a few seconds, then said with an appreciative tone, "I finished reading the script on the plane. The flight attendant called my name several times during landing, but I didn't react." He looked at Luo Jinnian, his gaze holding something indescribable, "How old are you?"

"twelve."

"To write something so excellent at such a young age." Bai Yu shook his head and sighed, "What was I doing when I was twenty-four?"

"Play Cao Guang," Director Qin added from the side.

Bai Yu was momentarily speechless, then laughed. Luo Jinnian said solemnly, "I believe you can play the role of Jiang Yang well, because you have the talent to portray such nuanced characters."

Bai Yu's lips curled up in a smile.

Luo Jinnian pushed the script on the table towards him. "Take it back and read it three more times. After you've read it, think carefully about one thing: are you willing to lose weight for this role and endure some unbearable pre-production preparations? If you are, we'll sign the contract. If not, you can still back out now."

Bai Yu picked up the script. "No need to read it. Sign it."

After Jiang Yang was chosen, the casting of the other roles proceeded smoothly.

Director Qin cast Lao Yan as Zhu Wei—Jiang Yang's comrade-in-arms, a veteran detective who had been dismissed from the police force. After reading the script, Lao Yan made a long phone call to Luo Jinnian. In the first half, he clicked his tongue and said, "How come your writing gets more and more heart-wrenching with each book?" In the second half, he returned to discussing the plot, "In the scene where Zhu Wei toasts Jiang Yang at his grave, can I add a line? Something like: 'Brother, now that you're gone, I'll keep an eye on the case for you.'"

Luo Jinnian thought about it and agreed that this might indeed improve the plot. "Add it. But this line should be placed off-screen, so the camera isn't pointing at your face. It's enough for the audience to hear the voice; seeing your face would be too much."

Old Yan thought for a moment, then said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

The role of Li Jing was ultimately played by Tan Zhuo. After receiving the script, Tan Zhuo only asked one question: "Is there any affection between Jiang Yang and Li Jing?" Director Qin glanced at Luo Jinnian, who thought for a moment and said, "Yes. But it's not love. They both know the other is a good person, they both know what the other is doing, they both know this path is doomed, but neither of them has the kind of feeling that would persuade the other to turn back." Tan Zhuo nodded after listening, "I understand."

Wang Jingchun plays the forensic pathologist Chen Mingzhang. This is Wang Jingchun's second collaboration with Early Spring Culture after "The Hidden Corner". His role is small, but every scene is significant—he is the one who helps Jiang Yang with his last task after his death.

The role of Zhang Chao was to be played by Liu Yijun. When Luo Jinnian was writing the script for Zhang Chao, Liu Yijun's face was already in his mind—that ambiguous, enigmatic aura is rare among middle-aged male actors in China. After reading the script, Liu Yijun sent Director Qin a message with only one sentence: "I want the scene where Zhang Chao is arrested at the subway station to be done in one take."

Director Qin replied with a single word: "Okay."

The casting process took almost a month.

Luo Jinnian went to Beijing every weekend, sometimes going on Saturday and returning on Sunday. He did his homework on the plane and ate boxed lunches in the conference room. Chu Qingning helped him write three leave slips, each with a different reason—"Something came up at home," "I'm not feeling well," "I'm attending a competition training session." Once, his homeroom teacher asked him what kind of competition he was participating in, and he said "a writing competition." The homeroom teacher didn't ask any further questions.

In mid-May, the script reading for "The Silent Truth" was held in Beijing for a whole day.

All the main actors were present. Bai Yu, Tan Zhuo, Lao Yan, Wang Jingchun, and Liu Yijun filled the long table in the conference room. Director Qin sat in the main seat, with Luo Jinnian sitting next to him, a printed script spread out in front of them, the cover of which read "Third Draft".

The atmosphere at the reading session was more somber than he had anticipated.