“Entering this industry was indeed an accident at first,” Jiang Yue said.
“The crew's computer broke down, so I went to fix it. I was supposed to take the money and leave after fixing it, but an actor bailed at the last minute. The director thought I was a good fit, so he had me fill in, and I made some quick cash.”
Second Grandaunt patted the back of his hand, a warm smile on her face. “Quick cash is never that easy to make.”
Jiang Yue smiled and held the elderly woman's withered hand in return.
“But later on, I found it quite interesting.”
He thought for a moment, trying to explain it in a way the elders could easily understand.
“In computer science, writing code is all about clear-cut results. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.”
Jiang Yue paused, his experiences over this past period flashing through his mind.
The traits had indeed given him a boost, but every time he stood in front of the camera, he had to experience those emotions firsthand.
“But acting is different.”
Jiang Yue looked into Second Grandaunt's eyes, his expression serious. “There is no absolute standard of right or wrong in acting. Once you put on the costume and stand before the camera, you get to experience another person's life, feeling their joys, anger, sorrows, and happiness.”
“I find that process incredibly satisfying.”
Jiang Yue's gaze was resolute.
“I want to keep doing it.”
The main hall fell quiet.
Only the clay pot on the eight-deity table let out an occasional soft bubble from the residual heat, making a faint gurgling sound.
Eldest Aunt and Second Uncle exchanged a glance, a trace of relief flashing in their eyes.
Eldest Uncle also watched Jiang Yue in silence, then nodded.
Second Grandaunt patted the back of Jiang Yue's hand again.
The elderly woman first let out a helpless sigh, then a kind smile slowly spread across her wrinkled face.
“Sigh, and here I thought it was some big deal.”
The old lady scolded gently with a smile, reaching out to straighten Jiang Yue's collar.
“If you like it, then go do it! Our Jiang family isn't looking for you to make a mountain of gold. As long as you're happy and don't do anything illegal or underhanded, even if you go to the village entrance to perform in an opera, Grandma will bring a folding stool and sit in the front row to cheer you on!”
With these words, the atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed.
Eldest Aunt slapped her thigh, her voice booming.
“Exactly! I watched the show, and you acted so well!”
She looked full of pride. “Even Auntie Wang from the neighborhood committee ran into me yesterday and said your eyes made her shiver. Now that's what you call real acting!”
“Tomorrow, for the birthday banquet, I'll find a projector and play your web drama on the big screen at the hotel! Let all our relatives and friends see that our family has produced a big star!”
Hearing this, Jiang Yue's temple throbbed.
Projecting Shen Xu's psychotic villain smile from 《Manhunt》 at an elderly woman's joyful seventieth birthday banquet?
That vibe would be a bit too morbid.
But before he could open his mouth to stop her, the younger cousins who had been clinging to the doorframe eavesdropping grew excited.
The youngest, Zhou Qiqi, couldn't hold back any longer and rushed into the main hall.
“Yue-ge! Don't listen to Eldest Aunt!”
Zhou Qiqi said hurriedly, “Have you filmed anything else besides 《Manhunt》? Don't just play bad guys; it ruins your glorious and heroic image!”
Jiang Yue picked up his bowl, took another sip of chicken soup, and nodded.
“Yeah, besides 《Manhunt》, I did film a few other things. I've been busy with those for the past six months.”
The fourth oldest, Jiang Kaiwen, his eyes lighting up, immediately leaned in. “More than one? Bro, you've been quietly doing big things! Quick, tell us, how many did you shoot in the past six months?”
Jiang Yue unhurriedly held up three fingers and waved them slightly without saying a word.
“Three?!”
The younger cousins cried out in unison, their voices filled with disbelief.
Even the eldest, Jiang Tao, who was sitting to the side peeling a tangerine, stopped what he was doing in shock.
“So you basically moved into the film studio?”
Jiang Tao's eyes widened.
Cousin Zhou Siqian pushed up her glasses. She was more concerned about the roles.
“What kind of roles are they? Are you still playing bad guys?”
“Not all of them,” Jiang Yue replied.
He thought about it and gave a concise summary.
“One historical drama, one spy thriller.”
“And a modern anti-gang drama.”
Zhou Qiqi immediately caught the key point, her eyes shining.
“A spy thriller?! Wasn't my idol, Han Song, filming a major spy production recently? Is he in it? Is he, is he?”
Jiang Yue looked at his cousin's starstruck expression and nodded helplessly.
“Yes, I filmed it with Han Song and Chen Jiaming.”
Zhou Qiqi shrieked, raising her voice to shout.
“My idol! Bro, you actually worked with my idol!”
Compared to his younger sister's fanatical idol-worship, the eldest, Jiang Tao, was stunned by another piece of information.
Jiang Tao didn't follow celebrities, but he had watched plenty of dramas with his wife. Hearing this, his expression changed instantly, and he interrupted Zhou Qiqi.
“Wait a minute! Han Song and Chen Jiaming? Just how big of a deal is the director who could get those two into the same crew?”
Jiang Yue shoveled a mouthful of rice from his bowl and replied casually.
“The director is Xu Pingqiu.”
A collective gasp echoed through the room.
This time, it wasn't just the youngsters who froze; even Eldest Aunt, who was wiping her grandson's mouth, stopped what she was doing.
The name Xu Pingqiu was incredibly famous even among their generation, practically serving as a hallmark for "national-tier" and "high-quality dramas."
Eldest Uncle, who usually loved historical dramas the most, froze with his wine glass mid-air. His eyes widened, and his voice unconsciously grew louder.
“A drama directed by Xu Pingqiu? The director who made 《The Han Dynasty's Glory》 back then? You actually got into his crew, kid?”
The entire main hall fell into a long silence.
Everyone stared at Jiang Yue as if he were an alien.
Jiang Yue had clearly never formally studied acting for a single day, yet he had quietly filmed three dramas and dived straight into the top tier of the domestic television industry.
Who would believe it if they told anyone?
“Third Brother...”
Jiang Kaiwen swallowed hard, his voice trembling as if he were seeing Jiang Yue for the first time. “Third Brother, this isn't just entering the entertainment industry. With Xu Pingqiu, Han Song, and Chen Jiaming all gathered together, you went straight to the top of the food chain!”
After a brief silence, cheers erupted in the main hall.
“That's so awesome!”
Zhou Qiqi jumped up and down in excitement. “When this drama airs, how famous are you going to get?! Yue-ge, autographed photos! You have to get me some!”
Although Eldest Aunt didn't understand the complexities of the entertainment industry,
seeing the shocked reactions of the younger generation and Eldest Uncle's stunned expression, she knew Jiang Yue had achieved something truly extraordinary.
The pride on Eldest Aunt's face was impossible to suppress. She waved her hand grandly with an imposing air.
“We're adding extra dishes tonight! Husband, go pull out those bottles of Moutai you've got hidden under the bed! Tonight, we must have a good drink and celebrate!”
On the night before New Year's Eve, the air in Nancheng was thick with festive cheer, and the Jiang family's courtyard was bustling with warmth.
Jiang Yue let down all his guard, drinking with Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle like an ordinary junior family member.
After several rounds of drinks, Jiang Yue's face barely changed color. Seeing this, Eldest Uncle became even more convinced that the kid had secretly trained in some real martial arts while away.
Sated with food and wine, the younger cousins gathered around a charcoal brazier in the courtyard to roast tangerines.
Jiang Kaiwen poked at the charcoal with a pair of fire tongs, looking up at Jiang Yue. “Third Brother, when are those dramas expected to air? I can't wait to see what it looks like when you trade blows with a Best Actor.”
Jiang Yue peeled a Shatang mandarin orange and handed him half.
“《The Grand Game》 was filmed the earliest, so we'll probably hear news about that one first. The others will depend on the broadcasting schedule.”
Rate on N.U.
