Chapter Four: Ma Shengli's Brothers

Liu Qingshan did his best to suppress the wild joy in his heart.

At present, he could at least claim a skill to his name. Although he wasn’t fully proficient in the Thirty-six Techniques of Flowery Fist, each move and gesture looked convincing enough. For a production like "Detective Judge Dee," even though he didn’t know the details of the script, he was well aware that the legendary Di Renjie of history was always accompanied by highly skilled guards. Perhaps they weren’t as renowned as Zhan Zhao, Wang Chao, or Ma Han from Judge Bao’s side, but this drama was sure to be filled with scenes of intense combat.

“It doesn’t matter where it is,” he said, “What I care about is that since Brother Qi managed to secure me the credentials of a guest actor, I ought to at least get a chance to show my face and bring some honor to Brother Qi!”

“Haha! With your earnestness, if you get noticed by the production team and make it to Dunhuang, not only could you get some screen time, but you might even land a minor speaking role!”

“May I ask, through what means did Brother Qi recommend me? It’s not that I don’t understand the rules, but after the commotion yesterday, my only asset now is this stubborn willingness to put in the hard work!”

“Hahaha!” Li Qi’s laughter grew even more boisterous. “Believe it or not, that’s exactly the reason I used to recommend you!”

“That’s great! I’ll head over right away. Brother Qi, send the details to my phone!”

“Shengli is going too. He knows some of the stuntmen in that crew. No need for more info, just find Shengli and he’ll take you into the group.”

When Liu Qingshan arrived at Ma Shengli’s rented room, the man was already seated at the table having breakfast, his girlfriend Li Juan beside him, also one of the wandering extras in Hengdian.

Relationships here were mostly temporary, especially among female extras—many of whom were as beautiful as campus belles. Women with such looks were unlikely to settle for a fellow extra; their ambitions soared much higher. Such relationships served as mere consolation and were not to be taken seriously, but Li Juan was an exception.

Ma Shengli had served two years in prison, and this woman had stayed by his side throughout. When he was released and came to Hengdian to seek his fortune, she remained with him. So, seasoned extras like Liu Qingshan, who were familiar with Ma Shengli, all knew about Li Juan and addressed her as “sister-in-law.”

“Sister-in-law, if both Shengli and I get picked, will you come with us or stay here and wait for new gigs?” Liu Qingshan asked after a brief exchange of pleasantries.

Li Juan handed him a fried dough stick. “I’ll go with you. Shengli’s brothers in that crew aren’t the most well-behaved—I’m afraid they’ll lead him astray again. It took a lot for our Shengli to settle down!”

Ma Shengli shook his head with a wry smile. “That was a long time ago! Wu San is now a leader among the stunt crew—just under the three managers. He’s a big shot, runs legitimate business now!”

“You believe everything they say?” Li Juan retorted. “At least if I’m there, I’ll see for myself. Only if they’re truly on the straight and narrow will I consider them as our own brothers!”

Liu Qingshan quickly came to Ma Shengli’s defense. “If such a major production recognizes them, at least their professional skills are solid. Being a stuntman in our circle isn’t easy—lots of hardship and injury. The ones who stick around are the honest, reliable types.”

Ma Shengli nodded, chuckling. “That’s what I like to hear! Especially for those who used to be out on the streets—if they’re willing to take on a steady job, it means they’ve truly turned over a new leaf!”

“I hope so! But I have to go with you this time. Our families are waiting for us to get married. We’re already getting on in years—time for a child,” Li Juan said.

She and Ma Shengli were high school classmates, both twenty-eight this year. For a woman, that was considered rather late, so it was no wonder her family was urging her.

“Don’t worry, sister-in-law. If I’m chosen, we’ll keep an eye on them together!” Liu Qingshan assured her.

Li Juan was quite satisfied. “Shanzi, I know your situation, but hard work alone isn’t enough. You should learn from Shengli—know what to say to whom. I’m sharp myself, yet I’ve still been fooled by that!”

Her mood lightened, and she joked cheerfully, though Ma Shengli was not so quick to agree.

Feigning outrage, he cried, “Juanzi, let’s be honest—wasn’t it you who first fell for me back then?”

Liu Qingshan understood well the playful banter between them. “Shengli, not to put you on the spot, but sister-in-law isn’t wrong. If you hadn’t stepped up to help her back then, taking on trouble that later brought you to court, would her family ever have noticed you? I heard she was the belle of the school!”

With such familiarity, he knew exactly what the couple liked to hear.

Ma Shengli could never resist praise about his loyalty or Li Juan’s past beauty. Instantly, he put on a broad grin and began to massage Li Juan’s shoulders in mock affection.

“No matter what happens, I’m determined to marry your sister-in-law—no one can stand in my way!”

Li Juan was most delighted by such words, closing her eyes and basking in the moment.

Half an hour later, Liu Qingshan followed Ma Shengli to a studio in Hengdian, where he met several of Shengli’s old friends.

Wu San, a broad-shouldered giant nearly two meters tall, was the first to extend his hand. “Not only Shengli, but I know Li Qi too. Any friend of those two is a friend of mine. I heard what happened yesterday, and that you’ve got your guest actor credentials sorted. So, what do you say? Want to join our stunt crew? That way, you’ll be first in line for other gigs around the set.”

“I’ll do as you say, Brother San. I know you have my best interests in mind.”

Wu San smiled and introduced the other three men in the room. They were Qiu Xingguang, Zhang Chengzhi, and Liao Xin—like Ma Shengli, all from the same county, just a short distance from Hengdian.

All four, like Ma Shengli, had labels like C2 and C3 floating above their heads, which Liu Qingshan understood to refer to their acting abilities. He had already encountered these odd hints back at Shengli’s place, so he wasn’t surprised.

After greetings were exchanged, Wu San asked again, “Brother Sanzi, you look like you’ve got the physique. Do you know any martial arts? You know, if you’ve got some skills, I’ll have more confidence recommending you to the production team.”

Liu Qingshan knew this was his test. “I learned a set of boxing as a child—now I can only say I’m proficient, but not particularly skilled.”

“When did you pick up martial arts?” Ma Shengli asked in surprise. “You’ve been hiding it well!”

“I used to just fool around. Real fundamentals take years of practice. I was afraid of making a fool of myself, so I never dared to show off.”

“And now you’re ready to admit it? Gotten a little better, have you?” Ma Shengli teased, a playful note in his voice.

He and the other four all knew a few tricks, and assumed Liu Qingshan was just trying to prove he belonged in the stunt crew by showing off a bit of skill.