Chapter 11: Zhang Li Is a Treasure—If You Can’t Dig It All Up, Dig Until You Drop

“Hahaha!”

After realizing what she had just said, Tang Yan clutched her stomach and collapsed into laughter.

Zhang Li had been holding back, but seeing her like this, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Tang Tang really is talented—she’s even come to the bar, hahaha,” Yang Mi wiped away tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes.

“I think her saying ‘let’s get this straight’ is even funnier,” Liu Shishi restrained her typically hearty laughter. “A proud descendant of Nuwa, and yet her dignity just fell to pieces.”

“If she can make Ah Li break character, she must be the number one on set,” someone remarked.

Hearing this, Yang Mi asked curiously, “You mean Ah Li has never broken character before?”

“Yeah,” Liu Shishi nodded slightly. “When we were filming ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes,’ Old Hu tried to make him laugh on purpose, but he held it in.”

“That’s impressive. I wonder if there’s a secret to it,” Yang Mi’s eyes sparkled.

If Zhang Li had a method to never breaking character, she was determined to learn it. Then she could be as uninhibited as she liked on set, while others cracked up and she stayed calm!

“Everyone, reset and prepare again.”

After Tang Yan finished laughing, Li Guoli raised the megaphone.

Tang Yan took a deep breath and sat down on the bench.

Zhang Li returned outside the room, carrying Fuchen in his hand, striding in like a painter’s handsome figure brought to life.

He entered the private room and locked eyes with Tang Yan sitting there, his gaze cold and ethereal—neither sorrowful nor joyful.

“Bring me and this Daoist a cup of wine,” Tang Yan said softly with a smile, toying with her handkerchief.

“Right away,” a voice replied nearby.

Zhang Li stepped forward and refused directly, “This humble Daoist never drinks wine.”

“If you don’t drink, how can we talk about love?” Tang Yan looked up at Zhang Li, her smile carrying a hint of alluring charm.

Yang Mi watched through the monitor and whispered to Liu Shishi, “Tang Tang looks so beautiful, I feel my heart flutter.”

“Yeah,” Liu Shishi thought of her own portrayal of Zi Xuan and admitted there was a difference compared to Tang Yan’s version.

One had to admire Zhang Li’s taste—it was truly exquisite.

If she played Long Kui, she was sure to shine!

“It’s a pity she’s not Ah Li’s official partner,” Liu Shishi still felt regret.

On set, Zhang Li spoke solemnly, “I have come here to help you.”

“Help us?” Tang Yan unconsciously slipped into character, her smile growing brighter, eyes filled with playful teasing.

“This humble Daoist hopes that the young lady and the men here can cultivate themselves and uphold virtue,” Zhang Li said earnestly, “to return to the right path as soon as possible.”

“Daoist, you really know how to joke,” Tang Yan stopped her movement and met Zhang Li’s gaze. “Please understand first—this is a tavern.”

“A tavern? Do you know what kind of place that is?”

Zhang Li shook his head slightly, somewhat slow to catch on.

---

“Cut!” Li Guoli’s satisfied voice rang out.

“Passed!”

“Let’s do one more take!”

Zhang Li and Tang Yan performed that scene well.

Li Guoli wanted to secure the good part before moving on, so he called “cut” to save the previous take.

“Do one more take” meant repeating the same content, so they could choose the better version later.

If the actors didn’t perform well, they would continue shooting from the cut point in a segmented manner.

“Action!”

The clapperboard snapped.

Zhang Li and Tang Yan launched into their scene again.

This time their acting was even more polished, and they seemed to have found the right tone.

Their microexpressions and subtle gestures were handled perfectly; the lines felt natural, not like rote recitation.

This portion took over three minutes and, after several takes, they surprisingly completed it in a single continuous shot.

[You and Zhang Li have successfully performed a scene together: +1 Role Immersion / +1 Dialogue Skill]

Tang Yan stood, about to tease Zhang Li for being a top student at the Central Academy of Drama, when suddenly a voice echoed in her mind.

Immediately, she felt her understanding of the character Zi Xuan deepen.

Not only that, her previous experience training lines became clearer.

“What... what is happening?”

This supernatural phenomenon left Tang Yan momentarily stunned.

But quickly, her expression returned to normal, showing nothing.

Inside, however, she was excited, mixed with some nervousness and fear.

Having watched many films for work, she understood the usual plot devices.

Her current situation felt like that of a female protagonist gaining supernatural powers.

Such a thing absolutely must not be revealed to anyone, nor would she tell. What if she were captured for experimentation?

“But this special ability seems related to Ah Li?”

Tang Yan turned to Zhang Li, quickly pinpointing the source of this unusual event.

At 25 years old, she had never encountered anything like this in her life.

She was not new to acting and had even performed on the Olympic stage, but never this kind of phenomenon.

The only difference was that today she was acting opposite Zhang Li.

And the voice had mentioned, “You and Zhang Li must have a valid scene together.”

Clearly, performing a valid scene with Zhang Li was the prerequisite for gaining this boost.

---

“So this younger brother is my secret weapon?”

Tang Yan’s straightforward mind quickly grasped the point.

“Is it? Let’s find out.”

Her eyes brightened as she approached Zhang Li and nudged his arm.

“What’s up, Sister Tang Tang?” Zhang Li asked, puzzled.

“Strike while the iron is hot—shall we perform the scene between Xu Changqing and Zi Xuan as well?” Tang Yan got straight to the point.

The earlier line, “Daoist, please understand—this is a tavern,” was actually from the story between Zi Xuan and Lin Yeping, the previous life of Xu Changqing.

The plot of Zi Xuan’s first meeting with Xu Changqing was even longer and more challenging.

“I have no objection,” Zhang Li nodded calmly.

He had recently deepened his understanding of the role of Xu Changqing and wanted to put it into practice.

They approached Li Guoli with their idea, and after a brief hesitation, he agreed.

The shooting schedule was arranged by location rather than strict story sequence.

The Xu Changqing and Zi Xuan scenes were originally planned for the day after tomorrow, with other actors’ scenes filmed in between.

But shooting a segment earlier wasn’t a big problem and might even yield better results.

“Action!”

Snap!

Zhang Li and Tang Yan began again.

Xu Changqing and Lin Yeping were not exactly the same character.

Zhang Li portrayed the differences through changes in tone and subtle details.

Li Guoli was delighted: “Ah Li is truly born for this profession.”

Yang Mi, watching nearby, nodded in agreement: “Our school’s teachers said the same. That’s why he was allowed leave even before his freshman year.”

Liu Shishi looked on proudly, giving a knowing smile and shaking at a few actors sneaking glances at her.

Meanwhile, Tang Yan’s eyes shone brightly and she smiled radiantly, creating a breathtaking moment.

[You and Zhang Li have successfully performed an emotional scene together: +1 Role Immersion / +1 Emotional Resonance]

In Tang Yan’s eyes, Zhang Li’s image transformed into a massive gold mine.

“This is a treasure,” she thought.

“Mine it endlessly, to the very depths.”

Her fiery gaze made Zhang Li shiver slightly.

Was Tang Yan really this good an actress?

That look nearly caught him off guard.

If this was the case, how could she ever be called the shame of the Central Academy of Drama in the future?