WAM CH37

“…”

Gu Yanzhou’s current appearance—his collar completely torn open by Shao Si, the neckline still askew.

The tips of their noses were almost touching.

Whether it was their breath, their panting, or even the scent of the other person, everything was far too close.

Shao Si’s gaze landed on the rigid and indifferent lines around the corner of the man’s mouth, and then the line of dialogue stuck in his throat.

At first, Director Ou thought the two wanted to ad-lib. Sometimes during filming, after actors deeply immersed themselves in their characters, they would make appropriate improvisations based on the flow.

The assistant director was about to call out to them but was stopped by Director Ou.

Director Ou solemnly stood up from his seat and waved his hand, analyzing: “Carefully savor this moment. Their current silence… I find it very nuanced.”

The assistant director couldn’t make heads or tails of it, but whatever the director said was law. So he scratched the back of his head, stood beside Director Ou, and observed for a while: “What is the intention behind this?”

Director Ou: “…I haven’t figured it out either, but don’t rush to conclusions. Let’s keep watching.”

However, what followed was Shao Si looking at them apologetically and saying, “Sorry Director, I forgot my lines.”

Director Ou lost all face in front of the assistant director. He threw the script, which he had rolled into a tube, onto the table, furious: “I’ve already taken my pants off and you give me this…!”

“Director Ou, no dirty jokes,” Gu Yanzhou stood up from Shao Si to smooth things over. He walked over, picked up a bottle of water from the table with a few fingers, and unscrewed the cap while saying, “He’s still a child.”

Director Ou: “…”

Shao Si’s expression didn’t change as he followed Gu Yanzhou in changing the subject: “I’m still young, I can’t listen to dirty jokes.”

Hey! You little married couple! How infuriating!

Director Ou conceded defeat, blowing his beard and glaring: “…Fine, I can’t out-talk you two. Rest for a bit, we’ll continue in five minutes.” The moment these words left his mouth, Director Ou turned around and yelled at the extras behind him: “The formation was a bit messy just now. You, standing opposite Camera 3, why were you so reluctant to part with the world when you died? Are you trying to steal the scene?”

After Director Ou left, Shao Si was still sitting on the ground, reflecting on whether he was too tired recently.

Otherwise, why would he act like he was possessed?

Actually, the moment he looked at Gu Yanzhou just now, his mind had wandered to a single thought: This guy doesn’t seem that ugly after all.

If Li Guangzong had heard this, he would probably have thanked the heavens, been moved to tears, and kowtowed, thinking his artist’s blindness was finally cured.

While he was reflecting, a sudden chill pressed against his cheek out of nowhere.

Looking up, Gu Yanzhou was half-bent over, pressing another bottle of water against his face: “Looking at me earlier, you couldn’t even speak your lines?”

…

Shao Si took the water: “Thanks, but I think you’re overthinking it.”

“Am I?”

Gu Yanzhou didn’t say anything else, but physically reenacted the NG scene from earlier. Pressing Shao Si’s shoulder down, he leaned over, his arm bracing right beside Shao Si’s ear.

Shao Si failed to keep a steady grip on the water, and the bottle rolled away across the floor several times.

He blinked and recited the line he had forgotten earlier: “I just can’t stand you, always acting so high and mighty… Seeing a bug like you, who leeches off your father’s medals of merit, squirming in front of me makes me feel nothing but nauseous.”

Gu Yanzhou looked at him for a moment before letting go: “Forgetting lines is a major taboo. It shows you haven’t done your homework and leaves a very bad impression. Fortunately, Director Ou didn’t pursue it.”

Shao Si lowered his head: “Yeah, I know. I’m really sorry.”

“Sorry? What’s the use of being sorry? Does a single ‘sorry’ settle things?” Director Ou started yelling from a distance. As he got closer, he extended a finger, trembling it in the air as he said, “How many times have I told you to stay with us in the nearby hotel? Insisting on going home—how could you not be exhausted? Every day filming ends in the middle of the night, and then you spend another two hours on the road… What’s the point of wasting all this energy?”

The production crew provided accommodations right near the filming location. Logically, Shao Si should have stayed with them at the nearby ‘Hilton’.

However, during this recent period, they were primarily filming near the city, which was relatively close to his home. Plus, Shao Si wasn’t used to living outside, so he went home whenever he could… They would deal with it later when they had to change locations and there was no other choice.

Li Guangzong had fought tooth and nail with Director Ou for a long time to secure this arrangement, forcefully shaping Shao Si into the image of a solitary orphan who, despite having no family, was still extremely homesick.

Director Ou was already dissatisfied with this arrangement. With this NG, he finally caught an opportunity.

“Pack up tomorrow and move over. No, have someone pack right now.” Director Ou patted Shao Si’s shoulder. “Come find me for a room card when you arrive. A person always has to grow up.”

Shao Si: “…”

Director Ou finalized the decision with a single hammer strike: “Then it’s settled.”

Gu Yanzhou watched the show from the sidelines. Only after Director Ou left did he reach out and rub the top of Shao Si’s head: “Don’t like staying in hotels?”

Shao Si: “…I really can’t bring myself to like it.”

Every time he went to a new place, he needed a long time to adapt. His adaptability in this regard could be described as abysmally poor. If it wasn’t his own home, he always felt uncomfortable, especially for the first two nights when he essentially couldn’t sleep well at all.

Taking advantage of a short half-day off in the afternoon, Li Guangzong rushed back to Shao Si’s house at top speed to pack his clothes and some items Shao Si had specifically requested.

Before he left, Shao Si stuffed a list into his hand, detailing a long string of items.

The handwriting was incredibly messy, as if any stroke that could be omitted or connected was ruthlessly abbreviated. Li Guangzong hastily punched in the code for the security door, not even taking the time to take off his shoes as he made a beeline for the bedroom, clutching the list and cross-referencing: “What is all this? Toothpaste, toothbrush, towels, bath towel, body wash, shampoo… Doesn’t the hotel have all these? And what’s this…”

Li Guangzong brought the paper closer, carefully deciphering it to make sure he hadn’t misread: “Does this say… son?”

“What the hell son.” Li Guangzong muttered as he grabbed a few sets of clothes from the wardrobe haphazardly, simultaneously observing Shao Si’s bedroom to ensure there were no suspicious lifeforms around.

Shao Si had a bit of OCD; everything was arranged very neatly, and even his clothes were hung in matching sets, making it very easy to find things.

Before leaving, Li Guangzong still couldn’t find this so-called ‘son’, and he didn’t dare call Shao Si for fear he was busy, so he just sent a text. He waited for half a day but received no reply.

Finally, he circled the bedroom once more, and for some unknown reason, lifted the quilt. Sure enough, lying inside was a small plush toy, though it was hard to tell exactly what the hell it was supposed to be.

“…He actually likes this kind of stuff?”

“…Is this a pig or a dog?”

Li Guangzong had been with Shao Si for almost five years and never knew Shao Si liked hugging dolls to sleep.

“This is an alpaca.” After wrapping up work for the night, Shao Si got the room card from Director Ou and said while pulling items out of his suitcase one by one: “…Is it really ugly? If you want to laugh, just laugh, I also think it’s ugly.”

“When I was very young, on one of my birthdays, I clamored to go to the zoo.” Shao Si tossed the alpaca beside his pillow and continued organizing his other things. “But my health was poor then, and I couldn’t just go out casually. As a result, Butler Wang bought this for me.”

Shao Si rarely mentioned his family matters. Li Guangzong had found it strange before—he had never seen him call his parents, nor heard him mention his family… Now, right off the bat, he was actually talking about a “butler”.

“Dad, your family has a butler?” Li Guangzong chewed over these two words carefully, feeling that no matter how he thought about it, it exuded a wealthy nouveau riche vibe.

Shao Si’s movements paused: “Mhm, but he has already passed away.”

Such a sorrowful topic naturally shouldn’t be continued. Even though Li Guangzong was incredibly curious, he could only say: “My condolences.”

Director Ou was a very sociable person. He quickly brought a group of people over to drop by, spouting a bunch of stuff about how he should treat the hotel as his own home and praising how good the service was here. He sounded exactly like a lobby manager: “…Let me tell you, this place is really not bad. Just across the street, there are a few fried skewer stalls. Come on, let’s go grab a few skewers.”

“Director Ou, I think I’ll pass.” With an arm slung around his shoulders, Shao Si wanted to break free but couldn’t use force. He slowed his steps and dragged his feet, saying, “I still have scenes to shoot tomorrow.”

“Young people, how can you not have a rich nightlife!”

“…” Seeing his energetic and irresistible demeanor, Shao Si had no choice but to follow along.

Fortunately, as they neared the hotel entrance, they ran into Gu Yanzhou and Chen Yang halfway. Shao Si immediately stopped in his tracks and shot Gu Yanzhou a couple of looks.

Gu Yanzhou understood instantly. He walked over, pulled Shao Si toward him, and said, feigning casualness, “Where are you going? Didn’t we agree you’d come to my room to rehearse lines?” Thus allowing him to escape Director Ou’s demonic clutches.

“Is Director Ou like this every day?” Shao Si walked beside Chen Yang as they took the elevator back upstairs together. “So full of energy.”

Gu Yanzhou pressed the floor button and said unhurriedly: “It’s probably loneliness. He’s getting older and doesn’t have a companion by his side. It’s fine when he’s busy, but when he has free time, it’s inevitable he feels lonely and desolate.”

Shao Si leaned against the side and casually replied: “Oh, I see.”

Night had already fallen, the sky turning dark. Director Ou and the others stumbled drunkenly back toward the hotel.

The assistant director watched as Director Ou stopped mid-walk, leaned against the railing, and dry-heaved. He walked over and patted his back: “Are you okay? I’ll help you over.”

Director Ou waved his hand. His voice didn’t sound drunk at all; instead, it was rather calm as he said, “You guys go ahead first. I want to be alone for a bit.”

Only when everyone had dispersed did Director Ou bend over, cover his face, and after a long time, choke out an out-of-tune opera lyric: “…The grievances in this scene are hard to speak of. Now the heavens have opened their eyes; blood for blood, wrong for wrong, I return to the hall with a face full of spring breeze.”

…

I return to the hall with a face full of spring breeze.

Ye Xuan sat on her bed, an old, dilapidated notebook spread open on her lap. Her fingertips slowly traced over those fourteen characters, ultimately pausing on the word ‘breeze’ for a long time.

That notebook looked like it had been around for many years. The paper was yellowed and somewhat wrinkled, appearing incredibly fragile, as if a careless poke could pierce right through it.

The handwriting on the paper was exquisite and delicate, tall and slender in form. Vaguely, through these words, one could almost see the person who had held the pen to write them many years ago.

Ye Xuan gently turned the page, her gaze landing on the final page, upon those few lines of increasingly hasty and messy words.

April 14, 1998.

Perhaps only when acting, following the script, facing the lights, can I forget myself.

But I still don’t understand, why am I this kind of person?

Outside the window, the weather began to turn heavy and stifling. Director Ou dazedly opened his eyes as the back of his hand suddenly felt cold, dotted with a few fine droplets of water.

He looked up at the sky.

It turned out it was raining.