Chapter 25 Part 2

'Damn, damn, damn!'

'What kind of metaphysics is this? How could his luck be so good?'

Even an atheist like Ji Shuangyu had to temporarily bow his head. "You're amazing, I'll give you that!"

The boss rarely saw anyone draw a great smooth run and congratulated him, "Drawing this stick means you'll have a smooth year, all your wishes will come true, your business will prosper, and wealth will flow in!"

Although he didn't recognize Zhou Siyin, he could tell from his attire that he was a wealthy young master, so he offered such blessings.

Zhou Siyin shot another smug glance at Ji Shuangyu. "Thank you."

'I advise you to stop while you're ahead. Are you planning to gloat about winning three portions of dumplings until next year?' Ji Shuangyu thought sourly as he picked up his own portion and watched the boss packing Zhou Siyin's.

Zhou Siyin said to the boss, "I can't eat that much at night. Just pack one portion for me. You can keep the other two here, and give them to him next time he comes."

"Alright!" the boss responded loudly. "Then I'll save up your good luck for you and pass it on to Mr. Ji next time."

Ji Shuangyu immediately felt less sour. He said cheerfully to Zhou Siyin, "Thank you, Baoduo."

Who said burning incense was useless? Today, for just ten cents, he had earned such respect from Ji Shuangyu. Zhou Siyin got into the car with his dumplings, feeling extremely pleased.

The car drove to Small Drum Alley.

Driver Hu turned around and asked earnestly, "Boss, should I still drive Mr. Ji in, and then have Mr. Ji see you out again this time?"

Zhou Siyin: "..."

Ji Shuangyu: "..."

Was it his imagination, or did Driver Hu's words make the two of them sound so strange?

Seeing that Zhou Siyin was also speechless, Ji Shuangyu secretly smiled and opened the car door. "No need, no need, don't see me off." He got out, then leaned back in and put down a piece of paper. "This is for you. Thanks for today, for letting me gather materials at your house."

He stepped into Small Drum Alley, heading towards the section illuminated by an electric lamp.

Zhou Siyin picked up the paper and found that it was a sketch Ji Shuangyu had drawn at some point. The ink lines of the fountain pen roughly outlined a profile—it was him, just now at the market, holding the lottery tube and praying with his eyes closed. There were only lines and no shading, but the spirit was already captured.

In the bottom right corner was a small inscription: "Lingdang'er's Prayer" by Ji Henian.

......

Jingming Private School.

"Xunfang, did the Spring Thunder Drama Club really hire Ji Shuangyu as their director?" a girl asked her classmate while stretching her knees.

Lin Xunfang was a member of the Spring Thunder Drama Club and one of its few female actors. This time, she was taking on the role of the female lead without hesitation. After hearing the question, she asked, "How did you find out?"

Her classmate laughed. "Your drama club has so many members. Never mind me, I'm afraid even my brother at another school knows about it. Hey, have you seen Ji Shuangyu in person? Is he really as handsome as in the photos, with a head of white hair and a lover who died young?"

Lin Xunfang smiled, pressing her lips together. "He is indeed a very handsome man, young and learned. He wears a hat, so you can't see his hair, but he's very skilled at taking care of his younger siblings. He's so gentle."

The classmate said "Wow," and mulled it over for a while. "He's handsome, sure, but I really can't imagine you guys hiring him as a director. Doesn't Teacher Yu particularly dislike those reformed new plays from the outside, saying they call themselves new dramas but have none of the style of a new drama?"

"No, we hired Director Ji to do realistic-style." Lin Xunfang said, blinking.

The classmate snorted with laughter. "You must have misremembered. If he knew how to do realistic-style... why didn't he show it at the Changle Theater?"

The set was still under construction, so Lin Xunfang hadn't seen it yet and wasn't entirely confident. She said awkwardly, "Anyway, anyway, Director Ji's theatrical theories are very impressive. We all trust him!"

The classmate joked, "Then I'll just wait to see you flicking water sleeves on stage."

The news that Ji Shuangyu was directing a vernacular drama for the Spring Thunder Drama Club couldn't be kept secret for long. Not to mention the students were numerous and gossipy, and although they were still in rehearsal, the Spring Thunder Drama Club had rented a venue, and his several apprentices had also been painting in a realistic style recently. The Oriole Song Stage across the street was keeping a close eye on them...

After a period of rehearsal, the news naturally spread.

Like everyone who had heard the news before, their reaction was: Impossible, right?

The Xieyi Style had just become popular, and Ji Shuangyu had just taken on a group of apprentices. He hadn't stopped adapting other plays recently either. It didn't seem like he was planning to switch to realism.

Besides, the realistic style was completely dominated by the Hushang-school set designers. In everyone's minds, they had already taken this to the extreme!

Inside the Oriole Song Stage.

Jiang Sihai, in the exact same pose as Xu Xinyue, clung to the window and peeked out at the Changle Theater across the street. He saw a group of Spring Thunder Drama Club students coming out—all wearing school uniforms with school badges, very easy to recognize.

He jumped off his special peeping stool, a complex expression of triumph mixed with a hint of melancholy on his face. He sighed, "Ji Shuangyu, oh Ji Shuangyu. You were once a beauty, why stoop to realism!"

'If he rehearses a new drama, then he's abandoning his advantage and walking right into my hands!'

He had endured hardships, all to stage a new play that could defeat the box office of the theater across the street, just so he could return to Hushang with his head held high. Now, although Ji Shuangyu had cut off his own arm, so to speak, and was showing his weakness, he felt that victory would be dishonorable. Oh well, let the young man learn from experience!

......

The news of Ji Shuangyu directing a new drama spread wider and wider, and was finally confirmed when the promotional posters were put up in advance.

Xu Xinyue was loyal. He had their play's title written large and eye-catching on the door poster and comforted Ji Shuangyu, "I believe in you, but before it premieres, some people will inevitably doubt you and say nasty things. After all, we've offended people before. If you see it, please don't be sad."

Previously, when it was rumored that Ji Shuangyu was directing a new play for students, some people didn't believe it, or hadn't heard the news at all.

Now that the posters were out, they had to believe it. Ji Shuangyu's name was printed on it, and he was even the most famous person in the entire play; the others were all unknown students...

This pioneer of the Xieyi Style was not only dabbling in realism, but was also boldly advertising on the posters: "An Earth-shattering Realistic Vernacular Drama," "Authentic in Every Detail, Peerless in Every Scene," "A True Restoration of a Wealthy Family's Secrets," "Unprecedented Grudges and Romances."

This confused both old and new theater fans. Even those who had previously only watched new dramas and didn't particularly like traditional opera were very puzzled.

—It came back to the same point: given the previous popularity of realistic scenery, those who didn't know better would think that if Ji Shuangyu had been proficient in realism all along, he wouldn't have held back and only become famous by messing with the Xieyi style at the Changle Theater.

[Hehe, did the Changle Theater get so popular that in order to squeeze money out of its spare time, it was rented out to a drama club, with Ji Shuangyu's name attached for some gimmick? I think Xu Xinyue is capable of such a thing.]

[Right, just lending his name. They can just buy some stock scenery and set it up, no need to do anything themselves. At most, they'll let Ji Shuangyu fiddle with the lighting, and the money will roll in. That Xu Xinyue is capable of such a thing.]

"Stock scenery" refers to generic backdrops not painted according to a specific script. Anyone can buy them, but they very easily clash with the script, creating errors and omissions.

[Poor Director Shuangyu! My Director Shuangyu is devoted to the Xieyi style, but Xu Xinyue wants to earn money from both sides, forcing him to design a new play. I think Xu Yugou is capable of such a thing!]

[Alas, even Director Shuangyu has to bow to his boss! I hope Xu Xinyue's scheme fails soon, so Director Shuangyu can be left in peace to adapt operas! Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. He directs operas, so just let him do his Xieyi style. Xu Xinyue, be a decent human being! You're really capable of such a thing!]

[...]

As Xu Xinyue had said, they had already offended some peers over business interests. This time, those peers wanted to make a move but were wary of Ji Shuangyu's backer. And Ji Shuangyu himself, because of the Xieyi style... and his face, had gained many supporters, therefore...

Xu Xinyue: "???"

Xu Xinyue: "What does this have to do with me?? Why am I the one getting cursed in the end?? Is this even possible??"

Damn it, the whole bellyful of comforting words he had for Ji Shuangyu got stuck in his throat, choking him so much that his eyes rolled back.

Heaven have mercy, he didn't even make any money renting out the theater. It all went to subsidizing Ji Shuangyu's soaring salary... It was all that pervert Yu Jianqing's fault!

Just thinking about it made Xu Xinyue want to curse.

Ji Shuangyu patted his boss's shoulder. "I believe in you, but before it premieres, some people will inevitably doubt you and say nasty things. After all, we've offended people before. If you see it, please don't be sad."

Xu Xinyue: ".........."

Author has something to say:

Xu Xinyue: The clown is me!