The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 29: She smiled! The icy movie queen actually smiled at me!
What should I do?
What should we talk about?
Got it!
A flash of inspiration struck him as he remembered the golden rule from Chapter 2, Section 1 of the "Scumbag Chatting Rules" he had summarized the day before yesterday: Starting from shared experiences is the most efficient way to break the ice.
"Teacher Su," Jiang Ci spoke up proactively, his voice steady without a hint of guilt, "I still need to thank you again. If it weren't for you, I might still be searching everywhere for small theaters to perform stage plays."
His words were half-truth, half-falsehood.
They expressed gratitude while cleverly bringing up the fact that he had read 'Dust' during the script reading session.
Sure enough, when Su Qingying heard the words "stage play," ripples finally appeared in her clear, pond-like eyes.
"You like performing stage plays?" she asked.
"Yes, I do." Jiang Ci nodded, a trace of sincerity flashing in his eyes. "I think the stage play theater is the place that most tests an actor's foundation. No retakes, no close-ups, relying entirely on the actor's sustained energy to convey emotions to every audience member below the stage. That feeling is incredibly exhilarating."
He was telling the truth.
This was also his original intention when he chose to apply for the acting department.
Su Qingying listened quietly without speaking.
But Jiang Ci could sense that the icy, thousand-mile-distant aura around her seemed to have melted a little.
"How much of Elder Meng's 'Dust' did you understand?" she suddenly asked.
Jiang Ci was taken aback, not expecting her to be so direct.
He thought for a moment, avoiding boastful talk, and answered very honestly:
"I wouldn't dare say I understood it."
"I just felt that the frustrated pianist, who ultimately chose to end his life by smashing the piano in an abandoned theater... that feeling..."
He paused, as if searching for the right word.
"That method of using the destruction of one's most precious possession to memorialize a lost lover made me feel... deeply shaken."
His voice was very soft, but each word struck Su Qingying's heart.
Su Qingying's fingertips holding the teacup paused slightly.
She hadn't expected Jiang Ci's understanding of that script to align so perfectly with her own.
When she first read 'Dust,' this scene was what moved her the most.
That kind of absolute determination where love to the extreme becomes destruction.
Just then, the server began bringing out the dishes.
Coincidentally, the server started serving the food, temporarily breaking the somewhat heavy topic between them.
"Teacher Su, please try this chicken soup." Jiang Ci attentively served her a bowl of soup.
"Thank you."
Su Qingying picked up her spoon, taking small sips with an elegance that seemed ingrained in her bones.
Jiang Ci watched her, suddenly unsure what to say again.
They couldn't keep talking about tragedies, could they? Would they even be able to eat this meal?
Got it!
"Scumbag Chatting Rules" Chapter 3, Section 2: Learn to give compliments, but don't offer empty praise about appearance; praise the other person's traits and achievements.
"Teacher Su," Jiang Ci spoke up again, "I rewatched your film 'The Message' a few days ago."
'The Message' was Su Qingying's masterpiece that cemented her status, the film with which she won dual Best Actress awards in one fell swoop.
"Your performance as Gu Xiaomeng in it, I've watched many times. Especially at the end, when you embroidered the intelligence using Morse code on the qipao, your eyes..."
Jiang Ci stopped here.
Su Qingying looked up at him, seemingly waiting for him to continue.
"Your eyes were absolutely masterful." Jiang Ci's tone was filled with both the admiration of a junior and the professional analysis of a colleague.
"From the initial determination, to the pain in the middle, and finally to that smile carrying relief when the mission was completed..."
"I was thinking at the time, how deeply must an actor understand a character to deliver such layered eye acting?"
His words weren't flattery.
He had genuinely studied it and was genuinely impressed.
Sure enough, any professional actor would feel pleased to hear precise analysis and high recognition of their professional abilities.
For the first time, Su Qingying's cool face revealed an extremely faint, almost imperceptible hint of a smile.
"You observed very carefully," she said.
Jiang Ci felt a surge of joy inside.
This is working!
This meal seemed... not so difficult to endure after all.
Pressing his advantage, he began discussing various films of hers that he had watched.
Initially, Su Qingying just listened quietly.
Later, she gradually began to respond.
She would discuss with Jiang Ci what the director's requirements were for that particular scene at the time, and what her own thoughts had been.
The two of them found more and more common ground as they talked.
Before they knew it, the meal had lasted over an hour.
The atmosphere in the private room transformed from initial awkward silence to increasingly harmonious.
Jiang Ci discovered that Su Qingying wasn't actually truly aloof.
She just wasn't good at meaningless social interactions with unfamiliar people.
Once the conversation entered her truly passionate and skilled domain—acting—her words would increase.
And Jiang Ci, relying on the "top-tier communication skills" he had learned from the 'Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques,' had stumbled his way into that domain.
At the end of the meal, looking at the award-winning actress across from him whose eyes and brows were now tinged with a soft hint of smile, Jiang Ci actually felt a... small sense of accomplishment.
This feeling was somewhat intoxicating.
...
When the meal ended, Jiang Ci proactively went to settle the bill.
When he saw the number "3288" on the bill, his heart still contracted painfully.
But on the surface, he remained perfectly calm and composed.
"Teacher Su, shall I see you home?"
Walking out of the restaurant, Jiang Ci asked politely.
Night had deepened, and wind had risen in the bamboo forest, bringing a slight chill.
"No need, my car is right outside." Su Qingying shook her head as she put her mask back on. "Where do you live? I can have the driver drop you off on the way."
"Ah? No need, no need!" Jiang Ci quickly waved his hands. "I'll just take a taxi, no trouble for you."
Just kidding, having the award-winning actress send him home?
He didn't have that much audacity.
Su Qingying didn't insist, merely nodding.
The two walked to the restaurant entrance, where a black entourage van had already silently parked.
The driver opened the door, standing respectfully to the side.
"I'll be going then," Su Qingying said to Jiang Ci. "Thank you for your hospitality today."
"You're too polite, I should be thanking you."
Su Qingying turned and got into the car, and the entourage van soon merged into the night.
Jiang Ci stood in place, watching the receding taillights, and let out a long exhale.
It was finally... successfully concluded.
He took out his phone and called a ride-hailing car.
While waiting for the car, he reflected on the meal just now, still feeling somewhat unreal.
He had actually enjoyed a pleasant conversation with award-winning actress Su Qingying over a meal that lasted two hours.
Moreover, he had seen smiles several times on her typically cool face.
If he told people about this, probably no one would believe him.
He opened the WeChat dialog with Su Qingying, thought for a moment, and sent a message.
[Jiang Ci: Teacher Su, send me a message when you get home. Be safe on the road.]
Well, according to the final chapter of "Scumbag Chatting Rules": Appropriate concern after a meal is a necessary step to maintain good relationships.
He felt that he was truly a remarkably ordinary social genius.
Not long after sending the message, the other party replied.
[Su Qingying: Mm]
Still that familiar, aloof "Mm."
Jiang Ci smiled and put away his phone.
