I am a Big Player
Chapter 526: I Love You, Acting like whatever you want (Second update)_1

Chapter 526: I Love You, Acting like whatever you want (Second update)_1

Chen Da’s eyes held a trace of astonishment, as Ren He had just declined his offer to familiarize himself with the script, saying he had already memorized his lines.

This was somewhat puzzling in itself, given that he had been initially assigned the leading role. One wouldn’t be surprised if he remembered the lead’s lines, but to memorize the other characters’ as well was truly astonishing.

However, Chen Da didn’t say anything. If you forget your lines during the performance, that’s your own fault. He didn’t even expect Ren He to play the role of the beggar well right now, as this character was the only positive role in the entire play, pivotal like the finishing touch on a dragon painting.

The protagonist is a vain young man, and the female lead is a materialistic girl attracted by the protagonist’s cheques. The rest of the characters revolve around a single cheque, while this beggar must portray a love of money that is ultimately forsaken for the sake of love – no easy feat.

Although the role is not very large, it’s not insignificant either. Tonight, Chen Da wanted to see how Ren He would make a fool of himself. After all, Ren He had always seemed a bit too comfortable while performing in his classes.

He wanted this student to know that acting wasn’t as simple as he imagined.

If this student was properly mentored, perhaps he could bring some unexpected surprises.

Yet, Chen Da was already surprised. As the young man walked onto the stage, he casually sprawled in a corner of the stage and looked just like a real beggar!

His hands trembled slightly, his gaze empty, as if his eyes saw no hope for tomorrow, no future.

And the way he sprawled was also deliberate. Chen Da was a master in this aspect. Ren He’s position was slightly awkward, but Chen Da knew that a person with a disability couldn’t sprawl without looking awkward. He had once specifically observed how real disabled beggars lay on the ground asking for alms. Wasn’t that just the way Ren He looked?

Acting to resemble the real thing – that was the path of acting that Chen Da pursued. Even in his heart, Chen Da hesitated because he was unsure if he could perform as well as Ren He if he took on the role himself.

Honestly, Chen Da had felt that Ren He’s acting was good during classes, but he had never expected the young man to reach the level where he could embody anything he played.

The most dazzling aspect was his gaze – absolutely incredible!

Portraying a handsome idol in a drama is easy, but playing a beggar with depth is difficult – this is Chen Da’s perspective.

There was also something Chen Da had just realized: although Ren He’s performance was outstanding, he seemed to blend in with the background without overshadowing it.

Any true connoisseur could see this point. Chen Da thought that letting Ren He play the beggar might bring something different to his play.

Chen Da was puzzled: where did Ren He’s talent come from? Was it really the legendary innate gift, blessed by the ancestors?

Strange, strange!

He looked at the other students and noticed that none seemed to find anything unusual about Ren He’s performance, only the actor who had switched roles with Ren He felt a ripple inside, for he knew the role best. He was also aware of his own shortcomings and what areas he needed to improve on.

Now, Ren He had made up for all his deficiencies.

That was somewhat astounding. Could this student, who was chosen by a mentor to join the team in his freshman year, really possess some extraordinary quality?

The play went on, with Ren He listlessly playing the beggar. He never missed his lines, and his emotional expression was even better than the previous actor’s.

Chen Da kept watching Ren He, wanting to see just how solid his line delivery was.

A play is, in fact, all about the dialogue; the entire conflict and contradiction in the plot is supported by the lines. Sometimes the rhythm, pitch, and tone of the dialogue, as delivered by actors, can introduce certain flaws into a play.

But Ren He wouldn’t, before his scene, he was just a beggar.

For some reason, when other actors were on stage performing, Ren He quietly begging at the side somehow made them feel like digging out change from their pockets for him!

It was too pitiful, way too damn pitiful—like a beggar who hadn’t eaten for days, damn it.

The feeling was too strange, there were many reasons for breaking character on stage, but to feel like giving money because a teammate’s performance was too pitiable, that was truly a first!

And they all knew that Ren He was just an actor, after all!

Chen Da suppressed the admiration in his eyes; he really hadn’t expected Ren He to bring the character to life...

In fact, the character of the beggar was what he had been most looking forward to in this play. The foundation of the main character was certainly important, but as the only positive character, the beggar carried the heavy responsibility of lifting the plot to a higher plane.

Therefore, the original actor for the beggar already had a good foundation within the team; otherwise, when they applied for the main role, Chen Da had immediately agreed: their skill level and image were definitely up to the task!

However, this person didn’t perform the role of the beggar well, at least not to the extent of elevating the plot as Chen Da had envisioned.

Now it was more interesting, finally here was a young man who could carry the role.

The more pitiful the beggar’s performance, the more fierce the conflict would be when he was faced with the choice between money and love at the end.

The beggar was in love with the female lead; all the while, his eyes were blank, lifeless—whenever the female lead appeared, the beggar would look at her from afar with a touch of affection.

In that look, there was a hint of adoration, a hint of humility, a hint of desire, a hint of fear to approach, and a hint of concealment.

Chen Da found it hard to believe that a freshman could pull off such an exquisite inner performance...

Incredible! Chen Da was extremely excited.

As the plot came to a climax, a wealthy merchant, intent on avenging the deception by the main character, decided to give the beggar some money to burn down the protagonist’s house. However, since the female lead was also inside, the beggar was torn.

The merchant threw the money on the ground, and Ren He hesitated, crawling a few difficult steps to clutch the money to his chest. In his eyes lay a mix of struggle, longing, attachment, and decisiveness—like he wanted to feel what it was like to have money before tearing the money up.

The struggle was because his life had been too hard; he wanted the money.

The decisiveness came because the world was already so cold; the only thing that kept him going was that unspeakable love.

Tragic grandeur, Chen Da felt that Ren He was able to imbue the beggar with a touch of tragic grandeur! The act of clutching the money was not initially designed; it was entirely Ren He’s improvisation!

At that moment, all the actors were watching Ren He, those on stage and those off. Suddenly, a girl in the audience felt an inexplicable throbbing in her heart, as if she had fallen in love with the character, not with any person, not with the character nor with Ren He, but with that steadfast emotion.

The play ended there; Chen Da led the applause, and everyone knew who the applause was for.