Chapter 50 Playing Yang Guo

Chapter 50: Playing Yang Guo

Without any doubt, the performance delivered by Chen Ping and Yuan Bingyan won the unanimous approval of all the directors present on the stage.

Simultaneously, Chen Ping and Yuan Bingyan joined Director Derek Yee’s team.

Unlike previous recording sessions where a half-day break was granted after each episode, either because the production schedule was stretched too thin or out of fear of unexpected accidents, the third episode commenced the very next day after the second wrapped up.

However, for the recording of the third episode, the production team introduced a special guest, Luo Man.

The moment Luo Man arrived at the scene, the entire studio instantly erupted into excitement.

Luo Man, a legendary Best Actress of her generation, was the idol of countless actors and actresses.

Even the four prominent directors could not help feeling a thrill of excitement upon seeing her arrival.

Especially Chen Kaige and Derek Yee, both of whom had long yearned for a chance to collaborate with Luo Man.

It was just a pity.

Renowned as the two master directors were, Luo Man was not someone they could easily persuade or retain at a moment's notice.

They never expected that Penguin Pictures possessed such formidable resources to actually invite Luo Man onto the show.

"Actually, just like all the actors present here, I am also an actress. It's just that I've filmed quite a few television and film works, which gives me more exposure in front of the public. My role as a special guest carries no heavy weight; I'm merely here to make a guest appearance and offer some observations, so please don't feel any pressure. If the four directors happen to be too harsh with their criticisms, I wouldn't mind putting in a good word for you all..."

Though she was a legendary Best Actress, Luo Man remained exceptionally modest.

This opening remark immediately won her the favor and affection of all the actors on set.

On the premises, the four directors held absolute authority.

Whether they criticized or scolded, none of the actors dared to talk back or offer much of a rebuttal.

Luo Man, however, was different.

In terms of status within the industry, Luo Man was by no means inferior to the four directors; indeed, in terms of influence, she even surpassed them.

With her presence, she would undoubtedly provide immense assistance to the ensemble of actors.

"Thank you everyone..."

With those words, Luo Man cast a glance in Chen Ping's direction.

This caught Yuan Bingyan, who was seated next to Chen Ping, off guard: "Chen Ping, could Luo Man possibly be here for you?"

"For me?"

Chen Ping shook his head repeatedly: "How could that be possible? Could my utterly ordinary appearance really be that attractive?"

Rubbing his chin, Chen Ping muttered to himself: "This is truly bizarre. How on earth has human aesthetic judgment come to this?"

This remark earned Chen Ping a sideways glance from Yuan Bingyan: "Such a narcissist."

The subsequent segment proceeded just like the previous ones: the actors who advanced to the top twenty-four would each select a script suited to themselves.

Thanks to his stellar performance in *I Am Nobody*, Chen Ping was the first to head to the script selection room to choose his piece.

"Which script will Chen Ping choose?"

Everyone kept their eyes fixed on Chen Ping, filled with intense curiosity about his decision.

After all, Chen Ping's initial market rating had only been Grade B.

Yet his actual prowess had forced every actor present to look at him in a new light.

In just two rounds, Chen Ping not only secured an S-card but also deeply moved all four directors.

In fact, while performing *I Am Nobody*, several directors had shed tears.

By this point, many actors regarded Chen Ping as a formidable rival.

"Which script should I pick?"

There were twenty-four scripts available in the room, and logically speaking, Chen Ping had the advantage of choosing first.

However, upon entering the script room, Chen Ping appeared somewhat hesitant.

Although the twenty-four scripts covered a wide variety of genres, Chen Ping felt that none of them were particularly well-suited for him.

Or rather, Chen Ping did not feel any strong desire to perform them.

Take *Romance in the Rain*, for instance—a drama watched in youth that once felt like a classic, but now held little emotional resonance for him.

Then there was *Empresses in the Palace*, a female-centric grand drama, which Chen Ping also wasn't particularly fond of.

As for Director Liu Ming's romance script about young lovers, Chen Ping disliked it even more.

While Chen Ping held no animosity toward Liu Ming, modern romance between young sweethearts simply wasn't his cup of tea.

Of course, it wasn't as if there were no scripts he liked.

For instance, the script for *The Return of the Condor Heroes* was one Chen Ping quite fancied.

This particular segment focused on the plot of "Three Golden Needles," specifically the moment when Yang Guo removes his mask in front of Guo Xiang.

One could say this was an iconic scene etched deep into the hearts of countless individuals.

However, precisely because it was an iconic scene, generations of viewers held unimaginably high expectations for this single shot.

A subpar performance would spell utter disaster.

In truth, quite a few actors had previously crashed and burned over this legendary scene.

The first version was Loi Lok-lam's portrayal; the moment Yang Guo removed his mask in that version had everyone rolling on the floor with laughter.

The unmasked Yang Guo looked entirely like an old man, complete with a timid and cringing demeanor.

The second version was Andy Lau's portrayal.

Although Andy Lau was handsome and dashing, he truly felt out of place with the persona of Yang Guo.

The third version was Richie Jen's portrayal; well, Richie Jen's version essentially ruined Yang Guo beyond recognition.

The fourth version was Huang Xiaoming's portrayal; Huang's interpretation leaned too heavily into an eerie, demonic vibe, which also left much to be desired.

The most classic version, universally praised by audiences, was Louis Koo's portrayal.

That version not only perfectly captured Yang Guo's dashing handsome appearance, but the Guo Xiang in that version also remained unsurpassable.

Given Chen Ping's physical appearance and traits, if he wasn't careful, he might end up delivering a Richie Jen-style version.

Or perhaps, one even worse than Richie Jen's.

However, upon checking his system and realizing he still had several unallocated attribute points, Chen Ping stopped hesitating so much.

"It is time to reveal my true strength."

Chen Ping wanted to see what kind of reactions people would have once he poured his attribute points directly into the appearance category.

...

"Director Yee, which script do you think Chen Ping will pick?"

"I reckon... Chen Ping won't have any interest in those cheesy idol drama scripts."

Derek Yee said with a chuckle.

Although he had only known Chen Ping for a few days, Derek Yee grew fonder of him with each passing moment.

What he secretly hoped Chen Ping would choose was his own film script, *Protégé*.

It was just a pity that Chen Ping didn't seem to have selected that particular piece.

Of course, most people on set shared similar thoughts with Derek Yee.

Chen Ping clearly struck everyone as a powerhouse actor driven by pure skill.

He would undoubtedly choose scripts that allowed him to flex his acting chops, rather than caring for idol dramas.

Naturally, that did not mean idol dramas required no acting skills, but compared to heavy dramas, they were certainly far more relaxed.

Yet, just as everyone was casting their various guesses, Chen Ping placed his name tag squarely onto the script for *The Return of the Condor Heroes*.

"*The Return of the Condor Heroes*."

"Chen Ping is going to play Yang Guo?"

"Oh my god."

This choice left everyone dumbfounded.

In their wildest dreams, they never imagined that Chen Ping would actually choose to play Yang Guo.

Moreover, he was taking on such a classic, iconic scene.

"Chen Ping is playing Yang Guo. Sister Luo, what are your thoughts on this?"

The host, Da Peng, looked utterly astonished.

Among the twenty-four scripts available, Da Peng considered this to be the absolute least suitable choice for Chen Ping.

Yet Chen Ping had gone ahead and picked the one option least suited to him.

While Da Peng recognized Chen Ping's formidable acting skills, acting wasn't a universal panacea.

Once the mask came off, a poor fit could completely shatter everyone's preconceived image of Yang Guo.

To Da Peng's inquiry, however, Luo Man replied with a smile: "I actually think it's quite good. Chen Ping's physical features may seem ordinary at first glance, but he has the kind of face that grows on you the longer you look at him."