It was hard to imagine that Shen Jun, who seemed so detached from worldly concerns, would volunteer to act because there was a red envelope in it for him.
Listening to Shen Yu's puzzled remarks, then glancing at Shen Jun, whom the director had dragged off to get his makeup done, Shen Xingshuo propped up his chin in equal confusion. "That can't be right. Aren't I at the bottom of our family's food chain?"
The two baffled brothers exchanged looks, then turned identical questioning gazes on Shen Jun. The man in question, however, had closed his eyes to rest, calmly waiting for his makeup to be applied.
Already a gentle young man, he looked even more refined and gracious in period costume. His speech and gestures carried a steadiness and composure; the contrasting qualities did not clash, but instead deepened his complex air.
"Sure enough, you need a teenager to play a teenager." The director circled Shen Jun in satisfaction, muttering nonstop, "Now this fits reality. It feels authentic to the audience."
Shen Xingshuo, who had been enjoying the show, stopped swinging his legs cheerfully when he heard the director's criticism. Exasperation clouded his face. "I'm not that old, am I?"
Shen Xingshuo had only graduated two years ago. Apart from former child actors, he counted as young. Limited by acting ability and popularity, most actors played characters younger than themselves; twenty-year age gaps were commonplace.
A male actor fresh out of university like Shen Xingshuo was more than capable of playing a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old. The director was simply exacting, and with a better option available, he naturally sought perfection.
"That's what it means to fit a role. The innocence and brilliance of youth aren't things acting can replace." The director glanced at Shen Xingshuo and dealt another blow.