Chapter 3: Spicy Hotpot
Jiang Yin had been staying in the apartment for three days when Young Master Zhao finally showed up, as promised, to compensate him for the delayed script.
Chen Dan returned with a furrowed brow, seemingly dissatisfied.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yin casually hid the world history book he had managed to retrieve from Chen Dan’s hands, pretending not to be reading it.
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On the other hand, the least desirable genres to participate in were family dramas or period dramas set in the past. These types of dramas usually fell into two extremes. They either went unnoticed, with little hype even after production and airing, or they achieved high ratings and popularity among middle-aged and elderly viewers, who held the remote control. However, for actors who wanted to gain fame through their performances, these dramas often didn’t generate much attention, resulting in the drama being popular while the actors remained unknown.
Jiang Yin had acted in many of these types of dramas in the past, especially when he first entered the industry. He often played the role of a son or a younger brother in various family dramas.
One of them did become somewhat popular, breaking a 2% viewership rating at the time. However, the popularity was attributed to the drama itself rather than the actors, and neither the female lead nor the male lead truly gained substantial popularity, let alone the nth male lead, Jiang Yin.
But compared to these dramas, there was a type that stars dreaded the most, especially small-time celebrities like Jiang Yin who relied on their looks and popularity to climb up the ladder.
—Historical dramas.
Especially historical dramas based on real events.
Just by their names and categorization, it was clear that these dramas had a limited audience. Despite being big-budget productions, their popularity sometimes couldn’t match that of family dramas or mediocre dramas. This was especially true in recent years when IP adaptations became popular. Historical dramas struggled to make a splash, while those romance biographies that shamelessly distorted history under the guise of historical figures thrived.
Yesterday, Jiang Yin came across a TV drama about a female emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Initially interested in the character, he had planned to watch it attentively, but after two episodes, he silently searched for documentaries instead.
Ironically, these types of dramas were more popular than the serious historical dramas, and the market favored them.
Of course, there was another crucial point: historical dramas often cast experienced actors known for their acting skills within the industry. When a popular celebrity without acting prowess was compared to them, it was like a public execution. Fans couldn’t even defend their favorite stars.
And what Chen Dan brought back was indeed a historical drama.
The script had a straightforward title: “Biography of Empress Liu.”
Even without the memories of the original person, Jiang Yin knew exactly who this was referring to—Empress Liu, the wife of Emperor Gao of Han, Liu Bang. She was undeniably a character worthy of a biographical drama.
“This is an adaptation based on Professor Yi’s biography of Empress Liu. The screenwriter is Zhao Hongsheng, and the director is Liang Yan. It’s a grand production jointly launched by Baixiang Entertainment under the Lichuan Group and CCTV this year. Do you know who will be playing Empress Liu? It’s Zhang Ningli! And there are Chen You, Jiang Wei, and Mu Changwen, all veteran actors!” Chen Dan exclaimed with exaggerated excitement.
“So, they’re going to execute me publicly?” Jiang Yin opened the script.
Chen Dan’s expression immediately fell. “I never expected them to give me a historical drama. Sigh, no wonder Young Master Zhao let us off so easily. It turns out he was waiting for this. Capitalism truly lacks genuine kindness and beauty…”
The hospital room expenses were covered, and they even kindly sent the script—a big production with a renowned director. Accept it, and his acting skills would surely fall short, resulting in a public execution. Decline it, and it would be seen as disrespecting Young Master Zhao or looking down on the Lichuan Group.
Capitalism was treacherous. They had dug a pit and were waiting for them to fall into it.
They couldn’t afford not to jump since everything had already been settled with the production team.
Moreover, at the root of this whole matter was Jiang Yin himself. Whether from the memories he acquired or the various interviews and revelations,Young Master Zhao didn’t seem like someone with a narrow mind. It was unlikely he would go to such lengths for a minor character like him. It was probably the decision of those beneath him.
Thinking about it, it made sense. Jiang Yin was a D-list celebrity who had played tricks on their boss. Despite their boss’s good temperament and willingness to take responsibility, it didn’t mean that those below him didn’t have their own ideas. It was understandable for them to indirectly defend their boss and employ a straightforward strategy that couldn’t be criticized.
If it were the original person, participating in this drama would indeed lead to a public execution. Once a celebrity leaves a bad impression regarding their acting skills, it’s often challenging to reverse it.
But now, with Jiang Yin taking over, it might not necessarily be the case.
That was because he was assigned the role of an emperor.
Not Emperor Gao of Han, but rather Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, the son of Empress Liu.
If he were asked to play Liu Bang, there might be concerns. However, Liu Ying was different. They shared many similarities. Jiang Yin skimmed through the script and briefly summarized the character’s traits. He believed it shouldn’t be too difficult to portray him.
To be on the safe side, he asked Chen Dan to arrange a few acting training courses for him. All his acting experience came from the original person, whose skills were lackluster at best. Now that he had accepted the role, he had to prepare himself. After all, it would be his life from now on. And if he truly performed well, he would have a reason to do so.
Chen Dan wholeheartedly agreed. In his opinion, Jiang Yin had a certain flair for acting. If he put in effort and dedicated himself to improvement, he might just succeed. It was a pity that he had been dazzled by the entertainment industry before and only wanted to become famous quickly. Now that he had realized the importance of self-improvement, how could Chen Dan not support him?
“Uh-oh, we’re in trouble. One week is not enough time,” Chen Dan fretted after hanging up the phone. What kind of special training could they accomplish within a week?
Jiang Yin could now openly use his iPad to study history. Currently, he was watching various TV series that depicted Liu Ying. On the screen, the male actor was angrily protesting and refusing to marry his niece, despite Empress Liu’s insistence.
It was lunchtime, and Jiang Yin, who had already learned how to order takeout, chose a new discovery from yesterday—spicy hot pot.
The aroma of the red soup base, adorned with scallions and cilantro, filled the air. There were vegetarian options like bok choy, cauliflower, potato, and enoki mushrooms, as well as meaty ones like sausages, fish balls, and spicy beef. The red, white, and green ingredients floated in the steaming red soup. With a flip of the chopsticks, a few strands of noodles and ribbons emerged. And at the bottom of the bowl, there were Chinese broccoli and quail eggs entwined in silence. It was a feast for the senses—colorful, fragrant, and flavorful.
Although it was a bit spicy, the essence of this dish was precisely its numbing spiciness. The flavors intensified with each bite, leaving one craving for more.
Paired with white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds, it was an utterly delicious combination.
Jiang Yin enjoyed mouthfuls of rice and vegetables, falling deeply in love with the spicy hot pot before he even finished eating.
He took out a tissue and wiped the sweat off his nose, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll study diligently with my teacher these days. Historical dramas are just that, historical dramas. This is also an opportunity for me to observe and learn from those senior actors up close. Even if I don’t make any waves, it’s fine. I’ll consider it as accumulating experience.”
Chen Dan was extremely pleased and quickly went along with it, coaxing him, “It’s great that you think that way. Consider it a chance to broaden your horizons and see how real actors perform. Who knows, maybe you can even learn a thing or two and bring back some experience. Those young idols don’t have this kind of opportunity!”
Jiang Yin, just like the original person, raised his chin in a proud manner. “Of course.”
“Very good.” Chen Dan was very satisfied. Then he changed the topic, “But we’re about to join the production soon, so you need to control your weight. You may not match them in acting, but at least you have to maintain your looks.” He pointed at the spicy hot pot on the table, “Especially with this greasy food. Today is your last meal before joining the set. You must resist it. You’ll be showing your full face in the costume drama. What if you get acne…”
Jiang Yin: “…”
His love affair with spicy hot pot had just begun, and now it was forced to end prematurely.
Over the next week, while familiarizing himself with the era, Jiang Yin went through intense training with the acting teacher arranged by Chen Dan. He also studied the script and memorized lines, portraying the image of someone who had experienced a near-death experience and had awakened to the importance of self-improvement. He even did so in front of his sister, Jiang Ai.
Chen Dan’s gaze towards him became increasingly gratified. Every time at this moment, Jiang Yin felt that perhaps he was truly suited to be an actor.
In the blink of an eye, it was the weekend, marking Jiang Yin’s seventh day in this new era.
After finishing his acting class that day, instead of going home directly, he put on a hat and mask, stealthily sneaked into a nearby urban village, and emerged from another street corner half an hour later. He waved for a taxi and returned to his apartment.
Midnight.
Chen Dan, as usual, went home to accompany his wife in the evening, leaving Jiang Yin alone in the entire apartment. He locked the door, drew the curtains, and took out something he had bought earlier in the afternoon.
A small aluminum basin and a stack of paper money.
He propped up the iPad, displaying the ID photo of “Jiang Yin.” The young man in a white shirt smiled at the camera, with ink-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a bright and handsome aura. This photo had once gone viral on Weibo and Chen Dan and the company took the opportunity to promote the original person’s handsome image. Even now, when the internet lists male celebrity ID photos, they always include him.
Jiang Yin stared at the photo silently for a few seconds, then took out a lighter and lit the paper money, placing it in the aluminum basin.
Today marked the seventh day.
Legend has it that on the seventh day after death, the soul returns. He didn’t know if “Jiang Yin” had traveled through time and space like him and was reborn in his body, or if he was still lingering here.
“If you’re like me, and we have no debts between us, if you’re still here and want to survive, this is the last chance on the seventh day. I’m willing to return the body to you if you’re not satisfied with my identity and want to switch back…”
The flames leaped in the air, casting a red glow on the photo.
Jiang Yin burned all the paper money one by one, and the closed room fell into silence, with faint ashes floating in the air.
“Burning paper money to oneself.” If this scene were seen by others, it would surely scare them half to death.
The last piece of paper money burned to ashes, leaving an empty room without any response.
Tick-tock, time passed second by second, and the clock’s hands moved past midnight, continuing forward.
“It seems you don’t want to come back…” Jiang Yin murmured.
Although he had come to understand what science was, he still held a reverent awe for gods and Buddhas. Moreover, now there was a crossing that science couldn’t explain, and he intuitively felt that there was some connection between him and the original person.
“Although I don’t know why I became you, whether it’s due to past lives or other reasons, since you haven’t returned, I’ll take it that you’ve accepted my identity.”
“I will take care of your family and fulfill your wishes.”
“I don’t have any demands, I only hope that you can live well in the Great Zhou Dynasty. After all, I’ve gained an advantage by coming from ancient times to the present.”
Not to mention the situation of being a puppet emperor, modern life was almost always more convenient and better than ancient times, at least for him. If he were a modern person, he would never want to travel back to ancient times.
Jiang Yin sincerely said, “If time travel comes with cheat-like abilities, I don’t need them. I hope they are all given to you.”
For him, being able to come to this era was already the greatest cheat.
As if in response to his words, the ashes floating in the air seemed to be swept up by a gust of wind, swirling and gently falling into the aluminum basin.
Tragic Pregnancy In The Interstellar
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That was quite kind of him. Thank you for the translation 😊