[00:00]
Chenzhang Taikang
Erm… Hi everyone…
Qiao Su
What’s he embarrassed about?!
Chenzhang Taikang
Hold on, what’s my character called again?
[00:09]
System
Chapter One: Mu Sheng and Ling Miaomiao
Chenzhang Taikang
Hi everyone. I’m Chenzhang Taikang, a voice actor from Bian Jiang Studio. In the Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus Audio Drama, I voice Mu Sheng.
Qiao Su
Hi everyone, I’m Qiao Su. n the Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus Audio Drama, I voice Ling Miaomiao.
Chenzhang Taikang
“Please give a brief introduction to your character.” My character is, well, pretty much like the name of this audio drama – he’s a black lotus. How he treats people depends on who they are. If it’s the person he likes, I don’t think he’s much of a black lotus. He’s very soft. But when it comes to people he doesn’t like, he brings out the haraguro in him. I really like that about him. That’s pretty much the main things about him. I can’t say more or else I’d be spoiling the audio drama, so make sure you all give it a shot and make your decision about him.
Qiao Su
Haha. Alright, let me introduce mine. Erm… I think Ling Miaomiao is an extremely smart and also whacky girl. Her purpose in this audio drama is probably be there to save Mu Sheng. She’s-
Chenzhang Taikang
You sure her purpose isn’t to anger me?
Qiao Su
No, no, no. I’m there to save you. My one and only mission is to save you, capture your heart. Okay?
Chenzhang Taikang
Sure.
Qiao Su
Next she’s um good at… good at…
Chenzhang Taikang
Eating.
System
Why did you have to say it so loud? Let’s change the subject and talk about what your characters aren’t good at.
Qiao Su
She’s probably not good at exploding sparks.
Chenzhang Taikang
How come I’m getting the feeling she’s the black lotus here?
Qiao Su
I mean, she got taught the exploding sparks so many times and still didn’t master it, right?
Chenzhang Taikang
So everyone might not quite understand what this ‘exploding spark’ is right now. It’s a…
Qiao Su
A supreme technique of the Mu Clan!
Chenzhang Taikang
…famous line. You’ll know when you hear it in the audio drama. Yeah.
[01:56]
Chenzhang Taikang
Okay! “What is your first impression of the other person’s character?”
Qiao Su
First impression? A delicate, young man. Miaomiao’s first impression of Mu Sheng is probably that. And then the second impression is that he’s his older sister’s sweet-talker. Oh, am I allowed to say that? Like, at the start he’s just too good to her, to the point he bullies Miaomiao every day. Bully me for making you angry. And then later on you’ll find out that Mu Sheng actually had a pretty awful upbringing. He’s a… You get the feeling he’s someone who had a bad life. Oh, sorry! Mu Sheng really does really have a bad life, though! Don’t you think? That’s why I’m here to save him! Right?
Chenzhang Taikang
Actually, I agree with you.
Qiao Su
Yeah.
Chenzhang Taikang
The ‘older sister’s sweet-talker’ thing that Qiao Su just said, yeah? I kinda parsed it through my mind and I reckon it’s has a positive connotation to it. Because the feelings he has for his sister… You’ll understand the moment you hear it! It’s a very positive phrase. Full of optimism, yeah. And um… My character’s first impression of hers is just, well… she’s jittery. Annoying. And of course later on she’s even more annoying.
Qiao Su
Huh? What?
Chenzhang Taikang
Anyway, yeah his first impression of her is that.
[03:11]
Qiao Su
“Question Four: What about the interactions between Mu Sheng and Ling Miaomiao appeals to you the most?”
Chenzhang Taikang
I think what Mu Sheng finds most appealing about Ling Miaomiao is her appetite.
Qiao Su
Let me defend myself!
Chenzhang Taikang
Actually, I think that in many cases the clashes between them quietly creates sparks from the friction. These sparks might accidental-
Qiao Su
Explode!
Chenzhang Taikang
No! Not the exploding sparks! It’s the sparks in a relationship. Yeah, and it’ll slowly find its way into each others’ hearts. I think this slow and gradual build-up interests me quite a bit.
Qiao Su
I agree strongly with his point about the sparks, because I really love the enemies to lovers relationships. Miaomiao and Mu Sheng just happen to fall into this trope. They bicker with each other at the start, then towards the end they’re attracted to each other. Then they go through hardship together, then end up together. This really catches my attention. Including a lot of those… Like the bamboo dragonfly and peeling apple scenes. I find them super sweet.
Chenzhang Taikang
I find them super sweet too.
Qiao Su
You can really ship it.
[04:23]
Chenzhang Taikang
Next question. “What were your thoughts when you first read the story of Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus?”
Qiao Su
Erm… I think the main female character of this book isn’t really like those of other ones I’ve read before. She’s not a sweet ingénue. She’s very smart and has a brain. And her educational background is maths, so she’s very logical. Her ability to adapt is high. Every time the system g-
Chenzhang Taikang
Hey, are you talking about the female lead of our audio drama? I don’t really agree.
Qiao Su
Huh, really? You don’t think so? I think she’s really smart!
Chenzhang Taikang
Nope.
Qiao Su
Aren’t I smart?! No? Ouch that hurts.
Chenzhang Taikang
Don’t worry, we’ll have bloopers and it’ll all be from Qiao Su.
Qiao Su
N-No you don’t need to do that!
Chenzhang Taikang
So everyone listen to it.
Qiao Su
Yeah, everyone go listen to the actual episodes. Miaomiao there is super smart. Yup.
Chenzhang Taikang
Yup. Actually I do think Miaomiao is probably a smart person, but as she grows through the plot she’s quite lost as well. That’s the feeling I get. The first time I read the novel, it felt like a fight between kids. But later I realised like “oh it’s not”. It’s very amusing. Mainly the bickering between the two leads is, let’s say…quite heart-warming. So I kinda gradually…yeah.
Qiao Su
You sound really guilty.
Chenzhang Taikang
I’m not, I’m just shy.
Qiao Su
Oohh, is that so? Okay.
Chenzhang Taikang
Yup.
Qiao Su
Alright.
[05:47]
Qiao Su
Now for Question Six. “In the story, Ling Miaomiao transmigrated into the body of Ling Yu, the third female lead of the novel Monster Hunt. If you were to transmigrate into this world, who would you like to be?”
Chenzhang Taikang
The water demon.
Qiao Su
What? Not even a lead character?
Chenzhang Taikang
Be a demon to create chaos for demons. Nah, I was just thinking of which character I wanted to be. Either way I just don’t want to be Liu Fuyi. I just think…
Qiao Su
You don’t find big brother Liu good?
Chenzhang Taikang
He’s too good. I mean, he’s just too good.
Qiao Su
Too good.
Chenzhang Taikang
Too good. Yeah.
Qiao Su
You still want to be a bad guy.
Chenzhang Taikang
Yeah, that. I probably… How do I say this… I think Ling Miaomiao would probably be pretty amusing.
Qiao Su
She is.
Chenzhang Taikang
Right?
Qiao Su
You can experience the fun I have.
Chenzhang Taikang
Yeah, she seems pretty fun. You?
Qiao Su
Me? I wanna… I wanna transmigrate into Mu Ziqi’s mother. I just think Mu Rong’er as a character is really good. Because I love angsty romance novels, and I like BEs. So Mu Sheng’s parent’s love story just…
Chenzhang Taikang
Moved you?
Qiao Su
Struck me. Ticked the boxes.
Chenzhang Taikang
I like angsty stories like that too! Really.
Qiao Su
Really?
Chenzhang Taikang
Yeah, and stories like that just affects me so much.
Qiao Su
Exactly! Angst in it impacts you.
Chenzhang Taikang
An emotional scar, and you’ll keep remembering it.
Qiao Su
Yes! It’ll leave a deep impression. It’s really good ship!
[07:06]
System
Chapter Two: Liu Fuyi and Mu Yao
Fumeng Ruowei
Hello everyone, I’m Fumeng Ruowei, a voice actor. In the audio drama Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus, I voice Mu Yao.
Shi Zekun
Hello everyone, I’m Shi Zekun, a voice actor. In the audio drama Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus, I voice Liu Fuyi.
[07:22]
Fumeng Ruowei
The first question is, “please give a brief introduction of your characters”. You go first.
Shi Zekun
Oh. My character is someone who has a very gentle personality.
Fumeng Ruowei
Mhm.
Shi Zekun
Then I guess he gives everyone an older-brother-next-door feel. So overall he’s comparatively steady…dream guy character.
Fumeng Ruowei
Are you allowed to call yourself a dream guy?
Shi Zekun
Well in the original work of the novel, he’s the…
Fumeng Ruowei
The absolute male lead.
Shi Zekun
Yes.
Fumeng Ruowei
Oh. Then my character would probably count as a dream girl? Err… If we go along with how Big Kun introduced his character then we should probably call these two evenly matched. That’s to say they’re a strong individually and as a pair. Mu Yao as a character is someone who possesses strong magic power and is a beautiful goddess.
[08:09]
Fumeng Ruowei
Next question.
Shi Zekun
“What is your first impression of the other person’s character?”
Fumeng Ruowei
What’s my first impression of his character…? Haha. A sweet ingénue! Honestly the first time Liu Fuyi appears I thought he was a bit of a ladies’ man. Can I tell them?
Shi Zekun
Yes.
Fumeng Ruowei
Because the first time he appears he’s off marrying someone else. Where am I in your heart? What about you?
Shi Zekun
My first impression of her would be that she’s an assertive and opinionated female character.
Fumeng Ruowei
Pfft.
Shi Zekun
I’m right, aren’t I? She’s a woman who’s the current head of a clan.
Fumeng Ruowei
True. She’s the head of the Mu Clan.
[08:47]
Fumeng Ruowei
Question Four: “What were your thoughts when you first read the story of Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus?”
Shi Zekun
My thoughts were…
Fumeng Ruowei
He’s currently trying to think of something at haste. Big Kun is thinking, “why isn’t there an answer?! we don’t get a hint at all?!”
Shi Zekun
Well, this work has ups and downs.
Fumeng Ruowei
Oh?
Shi Zekun
The plot draws you in.
Fumeng Ruowei
Ohhh.
Shi Zekun
And also each character is well-developed.
Fumeng Ruowei
Yeah?
Shi Zekun
Rich in content. It is well-written. The audio drama produced is of superb quality. And…each of the voice actors sound great.
Fumeng Ruowei
Brilliant. I reckon he’s covered everything perfectly. I don’t need to answer anymore, right?
[09:30]
Shi Zekun
Okay, the next question. “As the witnesses to Mu Sheng and Ling Miaomiao’s relationship, do you have anything you want to say?”
Fumeng Ruowei
Witnesses to their relationship… I reckon as Mu Yao, she probably was feeling quite…peevish. I don’t actually think Liu Fuyi is completely a witness to it all. He’s just…stirring things up. He’s got a foot in everything. But if we talk about their relationship, I think… When I listened to it, it’s quite sweet. It’s just that, y’know, if Liu Fuyi had just even a bit of Mu Sheng’s…er…impulse. A bit of that…youth? He and Mu Yao’s relationship would’ve long gone past their current stage.
Shi Zekun
If he wasn’t so ingenuous and frank.
Fumeng Ruowei
Exactly. They’re already in such a good relationship when the story starts and all they do is hold hands once in a while. What are they doing?!
Shi Zekun
He’s more of a pure person.
[10:20]
Fumeng Ruowei
Last question. “Promote Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus Audio Drama with one phrase.”
Shi Zekun
Everyone please, you must definitely need to have to got to support this audio drama for Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus because it truly, positively is produced so well. Everyone’s worked too hard on it. It’s such a good listen! I’m out of words, haha.
Fumeng Ruowei
Keep an eye on MissEvan. Don’t leave. We’ll be back soon.
System
Return to before.
[10:45]
Chenzhang Taikang
“One phrase! To promote Handbook to Capturing the Black Lotus Audio Drama.”
Qiao Su
It’s good to watch. Good to listen.
Chenzhang Taikang
Good to eat.
Qiao Su
Yeah, we have a lot of food. We’ve prepared a lot of props too.
Chenzhang Taikang
Then I’ll say one phrase too. A short one. “Very sweet.”
Qiao Su
Wow, Taikang you’re really know how to promote. Alright, let’s retrieve it?
Chenzhang Taikang & Qiao Su
Return!
Moonlight Osmanthus 