CSGM - Chapter 128
Chapter 128: No Technique
Just as everyone around them was rendered speechless by Chu Xi's nonchalant yet authoritative tone, the Director, unable to contain his curiosity, had already taken the finished paper-cut from Ren Zhi's hands.
He muttered, "Let me see what it looks like..."
He wanted to see right away if Chu Xi was truly as skilled as she claimed to be.
The gap between her and the sound effects technician who had professionally studied paper-cutting?
She was going to open the sound effects technician's eyes?
The production team had all seen that she had just learned!
And it was the kind of learning that involved a quick glance on Baidu. Strictly speaking, she hadn't even genuinely studied it.
The sound effects technician was also staring intently at the paper-cut that was about to be unfolded.
He had never heard anyone speak with such confidence. A moment ago, Chu Xi's words had truly left him speechless!
Now, his curiosity about Chu Xi's work was piqued!
He wanted to see if someone who spoke with such "unrivaled" confidence could really produce a craft she had never learned before, hmph.
The sound effects technician felt a little defiant.
Yan Kun was also watching with full concentration as the Director prepared to unfold the paper-cut.
He had secretly committed everything Chu Xi had just said to memory.
The three senior actors, Zhao Yuanyuan, Wen Huixiang, and Brother Chen, who had come over to check on the situation, were also watching from nearby with great curiosity.
Additionally, some nearby members of the production and film crews who had overheard the conversation between Chu Xi and the sound effects technician couldn't help but turn their heads to look.
Wasn't Teacher Lei, the sound effects technician, the crew's paper-cutting artisan? How did it suddenly sound like Chu Xi had taken his place?
As many eyes were fixed on the Director's hands, he gently unfolded the cone-shaped paper-cut a few times, finally revealing its fully opened form!
In that instant, as countless gazes fell upon the lifelike carved dragon and phoenix, nearly everyone's pupils dilated instinctively!
The paper-cut's patterns were delicate, its lines seemingly dense yet perfectly orderly. The cut-out sections and the background complemented each other beautifully. The auspicious design of a dragon and phoenix with intertwined necks was presented with unparalleled exquisiteness, appearing utterly lifelike!
Even without Chu Xi explaining what she had cut, everyone could clearly recognize the soaring dragon and phoenix just by looking at the design.
Even the sound effects technician was witnessing for the first time someone creating such a vivid and complex paper-cut right before his eyes.
All the detailed features of the dragon's head were perfectly preserved within the intricate yet seamlessly arranged lines. Its whiskers flowed ethereally, its eyes were so finely detailed that the sockets and eyeballs were distinct, and its horns resembled two symmetrical pieces of beautiful coral. As for its coiling body, the interplay of solid and empty space in the paper-cut even revealed its scales!
One had to understand that during the paper-cutting process, it was absolutely impossible to create all these lines with a single fold!
Just as Chu Xi had said, the three hundred and sixty-eight lines were dazzling to behold.
But even without close inspection, a mere glance was enough to see the images of the dragon and phoenix from ancient paintings leap to life on the paper!
Upon closer look, every feather in the magnificent phoenix's tail was a fine, perfectly proportioned line. It was precisely because countless such details created the phoenix's splendor that the entire image appeared so vivid.
The Director's grip changed instantly.
From holding the paper-cut with one hand to show everyone, he reacted and immediately began cradling Chu Xi's work carefully with both hands.
This... this thing couldn't be accidentally torn by him!
It wasn't easy to get such a perfect, antique-style paper-cut. It was a rare and precious backdrop that would make the scene impeccable on camera!
The sound effects technician stood frozen on the spot, his eyes fixed on the paper-cut.
So this was the gap! The kind that could crush a person's confidence in an instant!
He looked at the Director, his eyes filled with bewilderment-
Didn't you say she had just learned?
You're telling me this level of skill is called "just learned"?!
Indeed, Chu Xi had truly opened his eyes this time.
It was his first time seeing a talent who could create a dragon and phoenix paper-cut composed of three hundred and sixty-eight lines without even drawing a guide, right after learning!
Recalling his earlier skepticism toward Chu Xi, the sound effects technician swallowed and blamed himself internally.
He was truly short-sighted, failing to recognize a master right in front of him...
The Director held the dragon and phoenix paper-cut and admired it for a while, waves of shock continuously flashing in his eyes.
After a long moment, he turned his head, his expression toward Chu Xi now gentle and smiling.
"Well then, Chu Xi, could I trouble you to cut a few more like this?"
Although the Director was a layman, he wasn't blind. He could tell how complex the pattern of this paper-cut was with a single glance.
Moreover, compared to the ones the sound effects technician had made earlier, the difference was like the sun to a candle flame, or the bright moon to a tiny star! The vast disparity was visible to the naked eye!
Chu Xi's hands were already in motion, and again, there wasn't a single line on her paper. She glanced at the Director and said, "Already on it."
The Director nodded repeatedly. "Good, good. Teacher Lei, thank you for your help this time as well. You've helped us a lot."
The sound effects technician could only shake his head in shame. "No, no, I only helped with minor things. Without Chu Xi, I definitely couldn't have made a paper-cut like this!"
Wen Huixiang, who had been watching for a while, remarked from the side, "Well, I'll be. We have such a talent in our crew."
Hearing the commotion, Zhuang Yuge put down her paper-cut, came over to see what was happening, and couldn't help but murmur, "So people with high aptitude are talented at everything they do..."
Some staff members were excitedly whispering to their colleagues, "Quick, look at what Chu Xi is cutting! It looks like she didn't even draw any lines, she's just cutting it directly!"
Then everyone looked down at the paper-cuts they were making by following the templates and fell into self-doubt. "Holy shit, are we even doing the same thing? Why does mine look like a rough draft compared to hers..."
Wearing his sunglasses, Yan Kun was silently thinking, "Holy shit."
If only he had half of Chu Xi's ability, or was even an expert in just one thing! If that were the case, would netizens still mock him en masse?
Yan Kun observed the crew's reactions and, extrapolating from this small scene, felt that they wouldn't.
Who on the crew today didn't think Chu Xi was incredible? Even the professionally trained sound effects technician was no match for her!
Looking at everyone's astonished gazes, Yan Kun was incredibly envious!
The Director had someone paste the first precious dragon and phoenix paper-cut onto a beam in the indoor set, making it the centerpiece for the shot. When they filmed this scene, the camera's background would be aimed directly at that beam.
He wanted to show the very best to the audience!
Finally, he went over to Chu Xi with a grin and asked, "Chu Xi, how did you learn so quickly and so well? Are there any techniques? Could you share them with everyone so more people on the crew can be like you? We could finish cutting faster."
After seeing her amazing work, the Director had gotten greedy. If possible, he wished that every single paper-cut the camera panned across was a masterpiece!
He wanted to show off the crew's impressive cultural depth through these details!
Chu Xi's hands paused, and she looked up, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Teach you?"
"You can't learn it. Don't even think about it."
After saying that, she went back to her work with an air of finality.
The sound effects technician leaned in and asked sincerely, "Chu Xi, could you just explain it briefly? What if you enlighten us?"
The sound effects technician didn't know about the others, but he believed he had some foundational knowledge. Perhaps Chu Xi had some new technique or approach that he could grasp if she explained it.
Chu Xi let out a derisive laugh.
Because she didn't have any technique. She relied purely on her graphic memory and spatial reasoning to do the paper-cutting.
In other words, her method was-don't know the method, just brute force it.
To use an analogy, it was like a true strongman who never used flashy techniques. When facing an enemy, they often just used a single, simple punch to send them flying.
But now, someone was asking this naturally gifted strongman: Can you teach me Taekwondo/Karate/Muay Thai?
The strongman could only reply: What are those? I've never learned them.
It would have been impolite for her to just smile without saying anything, which would have made the Director and the sound effects technician feel a bit awkward.
Ren Zhi pressed her brow and spoke softly to ease the tension, "Chu Xi, can you be a little more modest? Just exchange some ideas with Teacher Lei."
Chu Xi's smile faded. "Oh."
Alright, since Baby said so, I'll listen to Baby.
So, she picked up a paper-cut, summoned some patience, and began to explain to the inquiring Director and sound effects technician.
"I don't use any techniques. I just memorize the lines in my head first. Look at this picture, the figure is a pipa player, and behind her is a balustrade, right? It has a total of three hundred and twenty-six lines. Take one minute to memorize them."
"Wait, wait a minute!"
The sound effects technician suddenly raised a hand, almost thinking he was hard of hearing and had misheard her.
He confirmed, "How long to memorize them?"
Chu Xi smiled. "One minute."
How much longer would you need?
Just as she'd said from the start, they couldn't learn what she was teaching.
The sound effects technician stared at her blankly, circling his finger in the air above the paper-cut.
"Do you mean just memorizing a rough outline, or..."
"Of course, I mean memorizing every single line," Chu Xi said with a slight frown.
The sound effects technician suddenly fell silent. After a moment of silence, he nodded.
"Then, you classify the different symmetrical properties of each section of the pattern. For central symmetry, there are single folds and double folds... If you're not confident in the lines you've mentally marked, you can do a perspective check on each line beforehand..."
"........."
After hearing the first half, the Director quietly walked away.
My mistake for asking. Besides Chu Xi herself, who else on the crew could possibly do that?
Anyone who could do that wouldn't be working on a film crew; they'd be at Peking or Tsinghua University!
The sound effects technician coughed twice, interrupting Chu Xi's lesson.
Chu Xi looked at him, not particularly surprised. Because of what Ren Zhi had said, she had a bit more patience for the sound effects technician now.
She asked, "Where are you having trouble? Go ahead and ask."
He was in luck; she could answer his questions for free.
The sound effects technician was silent. He couldn't even manage the first step, so he really couldn't think of any questions to ask!
The problem was that he couldn't even formulate a question. He couldn't imitate Chu Xi's method in the slightest.
It was true what his old teacher used to say-the most unadorned paper-cutting technique is often the most superb spatial reasoning.
He looked up, gave Chu Xi a look of utmost admiration, then left a single sentence behind and turned to walk away.
"Teacher Chu, I'll have to trouble you with these door decorations!"
As the sound effects technician walked away, he pressed his temples.
If he had known, he should have backed down after Chu Xi's first refusal instead of insisting on embarrassing himself!
Chu Xi looked at Ren Zhi expectantly, saying innocently, "I really did try to teach him seriously."
Ren Zhi nodded, feeling both helpless and amused.
"I know. We'll still have to trouble you to do them."
"Oh, okay."
Chu Xi sat down and seriously continued her paper-cutting.
A moment later, Yan Kun sidled over mysteriously.
"Sister Xi, are you thirsty? Do you want some milk tea?"
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