Chapter 45: All Kinds of Toys
White headlights illuminated the winding mountain road, with ancient trees planted along the guardrails on both sides, stretching upwards into the distance.
Liang Kongxiang lowered the car window slightly, and a rush of crisp, cool air rushed in. Outside the window, a patch of green forest, damp with the night air, appeared a deep, dark green in the darkness.
The "pleasure" that Jiang Jiaoming mentioned was most likely sightseeing, but it was the middle of the night and the weather was freezing cold, so what was he supposed to be appreciating?
"Don't frown," he said, turning the steering wheel with one hand and making a wide turn, while smoothing Liang Kongxiang's brow with his other hand. "You'll see when we get there."
The car suddenly accelerated, roaring as it drove up the mountain. In the distance, there were faint yellow and white lights, which gradually turned into a huge, bright light that spread out before her eyes.
It is a manor castle.
"Why did you bring me here?" she frowned.
"you guess."
The huge automatic door slowly opened, and Jiang Jiaoming drove along the path inside, stopped at the door, got out of the car, and went around to the passenger side to open the door for Liang Kongxiang: "Let's go."
Soon, a young man wearing white gloves stepped forward, bowed slightly, and took the keys from Jiang Jiaoming to park the car.
As Liang Kongxiang was being led by him, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her. Jiang Jiaoming's warm palm covered her eyes, keeping her in suspense: "A surprise."
Jiang Jiaoming's palm was pressed tightly against her face, plunging her into complete darkness. She subconsciously moved closer to Jiang Jiaoming for a sense of security, when she suddenly heard him chuckle softly.
"What are you laughing at?" Liang Kongxiang asked, bewildered.
Jiang Jiaoming lowered his head and kissed her cheek: "I'm laughing at how cute you are."
"...I'm not cute."
“Look,” Jiang Jiaoming said with a “I told you so” look, “usually only cute people would argue that they are not cute.”
Liang Kongxiang could never win an argument with him, so she shook her head helplessly and simply shut her mouth.
She felt as if she had stepped into a passage, her footsteps echoing softly in the small space. Then, it seemed she had stepped into another space, where two different fragrances wafted through the mezzanine, separating the inner and outer spaces. Suddenly, Jiang Jiaoming brought her to a stop.
"We're here," he said, slowly removing his hand from Liang Kongxiang's eyes.
In an instant, light rushed in from all directions, slightly stinging her eyes. Liang Kongxiang subconsciously frowned and squinted before she could see the scene before her clearly. She was stunned.
When the light shines on it, the golden light refracted from the strokes flows around it, making it magnificent and resplendent.
"The calligraphy was written by Mr. Lin." Jiang Jiaoming leaned against the door, tilted his head slightly, and raised his hand: "Miss Liang, welcome to your private screening room."
A faint light shone from inside. Liang Kongxiang placed her right hand on his forearm, slid it down to take his hand, and walked inside.
This is a holographic projection, playing a film she made during her university years. Back then, she had cast two child actors in a short film called "Summer Is Gone." Finding the actors alone took a long time. Jiang Jiaoming accompanied her through the streets and alleys searching for filming locations. Both of them were drenched in sweat; her forehead was covered in sweat, and her damp hair clung to her face. He wasn't much better off, and he gave her tissues to wipe her sweat. They bought two popsicles at a roadside shop and bumped into a pair of twin elementary school students leaving school. Liang Kongxiang had a sudden inspiration and decided on the roles. Jiang Jiaoming acted as her mouthpiece, going to talk to her parents on her behalf.
That was Liang Kongxiang's first time directing a film. After securing the actors, she stayed up several nights drawing storyboards. Jiang Jiaoming stayed by her side every night, occasionally massaging her legs and shoulders, and feeding her some fruit.
One afternoon, Liang Kongxiang was still drawing storyboards in her study when Jiang Jiaoming bent down to look at her work and teased her, "Try forgetting your husband when you become famous, Director Liang?"
“…What do you mean by ‘husband who has shared hardship’?” Liang Kongxiang’s ears turned red as she listened. She helplessly covered his mouth with the hand holding the pen and sighed, “Don’t speak so confidently.”
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Jiaoming grabbed her chin and lifted it up, then covered her mouth with his hand.
The window was half-open, and the summer breeze, carrying the scent of grass and trees, swept through the layers of green waves into the room. On the rectangular table, a hand with distinct knuckles pressed down on another slender hand, resting on a sheet of paper with storyboards drawn on it, the pages rustling and fluttering in the wind.
Black and white images unfold sequentially on the storyboard: street corners, alleyways, soda shops, children chasing and playing around a wobbly wooden chair under an old tree...
These black and white images gradually became clearer and more colorful, with crisscrossing lines connecting to form a vibrant, audible painting, presented through a 360-degree holographic screen. The images were interspersed with the noisy chirping of cicadas, and birds flapping their wings as they soared through the sky, their "whoosh" vibrations also being captured. Liang Kongxiang's heart leaped with them.
These sounds and images, separated by a long and distant time and space, brought her a comforting feeling like that of an old friend. Standing in the middle of her own work, she subconsciously raised her hand as if to touch the summer that had already gone.
If a person truly has only one indelible memory of midsummer in their life, then without a doubt, Liang Kongxiang would choose to approach it.
My dream is within reach, and my loved one is by my side.
"Kong Xiang, don't be easily disappointed in the industry you love." Jiang Jiaoming walked over and gently stroked her hair. "As long as the creator's passion remains, the industry she loves will surely prosper and thrive forever."
This industry is full of shameless people like Tian Lei. Jiang Jiaoming knew that Liang Kongxiang's disappointment tonight wasn't entirely due to meeting Tian Lei, but rather because she couldn't accept that the industry she had always longed for and dreamed of was actually just a pile of rotten mud. The more people like Tian Lei she encountered, the more resistant she became to the title of director. In recent years, she claimed to be observing and learning, but in reality, she couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart.
Jiang Jiaoming patted her head: "Do whatever you want. If anything happens, your husband will back you up."
Short films were still playing all around, the area was shaded by green trees, and the heat was intense.
Liang Kongxiang took a step forward, her forehead bumping against Jiang Jiaoming's firm chest, and she softly hummed in response.
Jiang Jiaoming laughed, put his hands on her shoulders and turned his head to look at her face, deliberately asking, "Let me see, did you cry?"
“Jiang Jiaoming…”
“OK, OK.” Jiang Jiaoming surrendered and pulled her into his arms. “It’s pointless to argue with scum like Tian Lei. He’s wrong. Art films have a low box office ceiling, but if we take a long-term and word-of-mouth approach, we can easily turn the tide and beat his films.”
“The situation is not so optimistic.” Liang Kongxiang analyzed objectively: “Their subject matter has a wider audience, and with a large number of popular stars, they are not lacking in topics. Although Tian Lei is despicable, it must be admitted that his level is still much higher than most directors. However, the story of ‘Brilliant Past’ is more magical realism, and some plots have symbolic meanings that need to be carefully considered. It does not suit the market’s taste. I am sure that this is a successful work, but it is not necessarily a successful commercial film.”
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Jiaoming sighed and pinched her cheek, “Leave the distribution to me.” Art films have their own distribution methods. Besides, Cao Lengyu actually left commercial space for this film and didn’t completely block the way. With Liang Kongxiang’s appeal and performance, and another round of European and American tours, plus the support of awards, this film will definitely be a star-studded affair.
"Thank you," Liang Kongxiang said earnestly, looking at him.
"Then how about giving me a reward?" Jiang Jiaoming suddenly said.
When Liang Kongxiang heard him use a probing tone, she instinctively felt that things might not be so simple. Given Jiang Jiaoming's personality, he would only ask for her opinion in such a probing and guilty tone when things were particularly outrageous.
She didn't agree immediately, "What reward?"
Jiang Jiaoming coughed, not looking at her, and said, "A small reward."
He mumbled something, then led Liang Kongxiang out, and only then did she realize which direction she had come in from.
Before you is a high and wide corridor, with works by famous contemporary painters hanging on both walls. Walking through it, you feel as if you are actually there.
Liang Kongxiang belatedly asked, "Is this your home?"
Jiang Jiaoming corrected, "Our home," and then touched his nose and added, "We sleep here tonight."
The nanny took Liang Kongxiang to the bathroom. After she finished washing up, she realized that only a bathrobe had been prepared for her, but Jiang Jiaoming had taken her phone and she didn't know what he was doing with it. She had no choice but to put the only bathrobe on her empty body, tie it tightly, and walk out the door.
The nanny was waiting at the door and immediately said, "Miss Liang, Mr. Jiang is waiting for you in the room."
"Okay, thank you." She followed.
After bypassing the central hall of the building, she was led to the elevator entrance. She thought it was going up, but to her surprise, the elevator button for the third basement level lit up.
She frowned. Generally speaking, the third basement level isn't for living. What did Jiang Jiaoming want her to do down there after taking a shower?
Before I could figure it out, the elevator doors opened.
It wasn't dark, but it wasn't as spacious and bright as the upstairs rooms. There weren't many rooms, and they were mostly closed off.
Liang Kongxiang took a few steps, then suddenly stopped: "Why is that room locked?"
The rooms she passed were all closed, except for one that was chained.
"I don't know, Miss Liang."
Liang Kongxiang nodded and was about to lift her foot when the person beside her stopped moving. She turned her head slightly, puzzled: "What's wrong?"
“Mr. Jiang is waiting for you in the room at the end. He told me to just take you here and not to come any closer.” After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and did not go any further.
At the end of the empty corridor, light seemed to shine obliquely through a half-open door, illuminating the bluish-gray floor. Jiang Jiaoming should be there.
Liang Kongxiang didn't think much of it and nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."
She walked toward the light.
As they drew closer, Liang Kongxiang slowly realized something was amiss. Given Jiang Jiaoming's personality, he wouldn't wait for her to come downstairs to find him; instead, he would wait outside the bathroom door, then lead her down, casually touching her along the way. This arrangement seemed somewhat abnormal. She recalled Jiang Jiaoming's guilty yet eager mention of a "reward," and her intuition told her she couldn't go any further. But her steps didn't falter; after a moment's hesitation, she was already standing at the room's doorway.
She was completely stunned.
Jiang Jiaoming stood in a room with mirrors on all four sides, including the ceiling and floor. For a moment, Liang Kongxiang was so dazzled that she thought there were six Jiang Jiaomings sitting in the room.
In the corner, a row of transparent glass cabinets displayed all sorts of toys. Jiang Jiaoming sat on the edge of the bed with his legs spread apart, playing with a small silver ball with two fingers. He raised his eyebrows slightly after seeing Liang Kongxiang's astonished expression.
He smiled and said, "Welcome to Jiang Jiaoming's private room."
-----------------------
Author's note: No doubt about it, this young couple will definitely have a lot of fun in the future (o^^o)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
