Two months passed after Lu Ze's return to Hengdian. His little sister's life in college was quite good, and she struck an excellent relationship with her roommates. It was because her nature was quite good, and her roommates' nature was also carefree. Consequently, the four girls had formed a tight group.
Meanwhile, Lu Ze's income also kept increasing. He felt humbled when he returned to Hengdian as Liu Le informed him that the director was waiting for his return! If Lu Ze could act in that role, a few days of the wait was not worth mentioning!
Gradually, his resume became increasingly strong. The union also began paying more and more attention to this small actor who started as an extra, because his acting was strong enough. Be it a small soldier or a general, a traitor, or a Japanese aide; he completed every job splendidly. He could act out whatever was needed.
The directors of Hengdian also liked this small actor. After all, his rates were cheap, and his work was solid. Who would not want such a deal?
Of course, that was until clashes began to occur in his schedule, which was something he'd never experienced before! He started to get offers of two shoots, even three to four shoots at the same time.
Thus, Lu Ze had the power to select the scripts he'd take on. Although he usually played small side characters that had some importance in the script, his ambitions were not limited to these roles.
Lu Ze liked to act, not just for the livelihood, but from the bottom of his heart. As for when he began to like acting as? It ought to be after that show he had worked with a crew for the first time was broadcast.
He played the bodyguard who merely had seven lines, four of which were further edited in the final cut.
Seeing himself on TV acting as a bodyguard of a regiment commander, Lu Ze had a strange feeling that the person on the television was not him but a stranger. Such a conflicting feeling made him feel exceptionally rejuvenated and excited. Thereupon, he began to thirst to see himself appear on the TV, feeling better and better the more scenes he had.
Currently, he began to get all his work from the union, completely breaking free of Liu Le. In this manner, he'd ultimately left his identity as an extra behind, heading toward becoming a true actor. However, he didn't break off his relations with Liu Le. They would always go out to eat and drink together.
Although Lu Ze had only worked under Liu Le for two months, the latter had reached out to him when he needed it the most. Lu Ze always kept this favor in his mind. Unfortunately, he had no means of paying it back.
…
"Clang! Whoosh! Clang, clang, clang! Bang, bang, bang! Rat-ta-ta-ta!"
"Onto the tunnel trench, Demolition Expert! Pay attention to safety! Makeup team! Hurry, and prepare the costumes for extras! We'll start the shoot in fifteen minutes! All of you, f*cking speed up for me!"
Lu Ze climbed out of the trench, and his body was covered entirely by dust. He sat by the trench and spat out some soil before asking for a cigarette from the manager.
"Lu Ze, you too! If you want to smoke, take a hike! Do it somewhere else! If I, your father, discover one cigarette butt on the camera screen, see how I peel off your skin!"
A sudden roar startled Lu Ze, making him cough heavily. He turned around and saw the director glaring at him with eyes wide open, as if ready for murder. Lu Ze patted the dust off his head, and apologetically ran to the director. He looked like a goon sucking up to his boss as he lit a cigarette for the director.
"Kid, don't think if you sneakily take a smoke like a cat in the alleyway, I won't grab you by your collar. Next time you're caught, I'll deduct two hundred yuan, five hundred yuan the second time, and a thousand yuan the third time. Let me see how much money I can deduct from you!"
Director tapped the ash and lightly smacked Lu Ze's head as he spoke half-joking and half-chiding. In fact, excluding the top strata in this line of work, Lu Ze had a good relationship with the majority of war drama crews in Hengdian, even the directors.
"Ok. Am I not in the next trench? So, I just wanted to take care of my business right now. I surely won't throw the butt into the trench and would have picked it up. Director Liu, you still don't trust me?"
"I trust you, and I trust that you're a jinx! In the next trench, you'll be leading the extras. Don't let them scatter. There are a lot of explosives used in the next one. If someone got hit, nobody would be able to take responsibility."
"I know. Where the camera is, there I am. You can rest assured on this matter. There'll be no mistakes."
"Alright then! Talk to the extras! I also need to take a rest."
"Sure!"
Seeing the director close his eyes, Lu Ze stood up while patting his butt and headed toward the extra. It was the grand scene of the movie and was featuring a lot of extras — in the count of seventy-eighty. They would be running through artillery bombardment, making a bayonet charge at the enemy.
The little sister, who was the makeup artist, had just turned seventeen years old. Reportedly, her family found her work as a makeup artist after dropping out of high school. Her relationship with Lu Ze was quite good. After all, he also had a little sister.
"Little Pea, have the extras changed into their costumes?"
"No. Can you treat me for lunch today? I didn't have dinner and got up so early. My hunger is getting unbearable, and I'm so bored of eating bentos given here. Can you arrange something good today?"
"I've got no money, I already told you, no? If you're that hungry, my bag still has two packets of melon seeds, help yourself! Just take it as my treat, alright?"
Little Pea rolled her eyes at Lu Ze, but then took out a packet of melon seeds from Lu Ze's bag with a grin. She then began to call out extras to form lines while eating the melon seeds.
Seeing the extras neatly arranging themselves, Lu Ze clapped his hands and shouted, "Brothers, hear me out! In a moment, I'll be leading you in the trenches. Remember my face, remember this face and these clothes! Don't let the distance between us get too big! But, make sure not to have any pushing and shoving either. I don't need to tell you how to act in the fight scenes. Just follow my lead for the rest, understood?"
"Understood!"
"Good! Everybody! Act well and try to make it in a single take, so that everybody can get one more job and make more money. Just follow behind me!"
"The Tales of Sino Japanese War Heroes — scene 13! Act 6! Ready! Start!"
At the sound of the clapperboard, Lu Ze keenly waited for the lead actor's orders, "Go! Show the Japanese devils!" With that, he immediately led the extras to fix the bayonets. He already knew before the camera's arm moved. Right after the main lead finished his dialogues, he roared, "Fix your bayonets! Charge!"
Thereupon, seventy-eighty extras climbed out of the trench while holding rifles and began their death charge in the 'battlefield' filled with intense gunfire. The director was continuously monitoring the situation through the surveillance monitor. Such a scene could bring any director to the edge. Afterward, he let out a sigh of relief. Lu Ze had perfectly accomplished the task he'd entrusted on the latter.
The troops advanced in an orderly fashion without much chaos. Their speed was neither too fast nor too slow, and the distance between the soldiers was perfect. Thereupon, the conflict with the devils began.
Lu Ze 'pierced' one through his charge while sending one away with his kick. The Japanese devil before him was also a trained stunt artist. His body smoothly rose from the ground then smashed into the ground, betraying no sloppiness.
Right at this moment, two individuals entered the set and walked straight to the director. However, they did not disturb the latter from directing the shoot and began watching in silence.
"Cut! Pass! Lunch Time!"
Upon saying these words, the director turned his gaze to the two newcomers. One of them was Zheng Long, a staff officer in the Actor Union, while the other was an actor the director wanted for a small role.
"Director, I've brought one. Can you check him out?"
Zheng Long pointed to the individual beside him with a grin. The director looked at the latter from top to bottom for a moment and said to Zheng Long, "Alright, I'll have a look. You can leave first."
"Alright then, I'll take my…"
Zheng Long paused as he saw Lu Ze leisurely walking out of the trench, patting off the dust off his head and strutting out. His brain's lights suddenly turned on. Here was an actor who knew his stuff and was suitable for the role!
Swaggering out of the set, Lu Ze walked to the entrance of Film City, collected the beautiful take out parcel from the delivery boy on the bike, and then again walked inside.
"Little Pea!"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you say that you're bored of eating bentos? Your big brother Lu has some good stuff for you."
"Ah! Big brother, you're wonderful!"
"It's nothing special."
Placing the fruit salad and two hamburgers that the little girl was really fond of, Lu Ze took the bento from the manager and found a place to sit before eating.