Chapter 21
Ji Zhiqi knows better than anyone the time bomb buried in his body.
Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, this difficult and cruel name of the disease, is like an invisible shackle, constantly reminding him of the countdown of his life.
Every slight sluggishness in breathing and every unusually heavy heartbeat silently tells of the progression of the disease.
Coughing up blood is a wake-up call.
He suddenly felt that he had more important things to do in his last moments.
He wanted to use the limited time he had, which might already be running out, to compose more songs for Song Shiyu and sing them to him, incorporating the deep affection and attachment that he had no time to express into the melody and lyrics, as proof of his existence, as his last gift to Song Shiyu.
When he learned that Song Shiyu had also secretly liked him for three years, joy and sharp heartache intertwined together, turning into an invisible needle that pierced his heart densely, causing a long and dull pain.
Song Shiyu should have had a complete, long-lasting, sunny love, instead of being like this now, just after touching the long-awaited warmth, he might have to face... He didn't dare to think about it too much.
The result of the competition was no surprise. Ji Zhiqi successfully won the first place with that touching song.
As soon as the results came out, Song Shiyu's first congratulations video came.
On the other side of the screen, his eyes were shining, full of pride and honor.
"You sang beautifully, so touching!" Song Shiyu praised generously, then frowned slightly and smiled with a hint of doubt, "It's just... I don't know why, but I feel particularly empathetic."
Ji Zhiqi stared at him through the screen, emotions surging in his eyes, but in the end it just turned into a gentle and complex smile, and he didn't respond.
Seeing that he was just smiling, Song Shiyu raised her chin proudly and boasted in a coquettish tone: "However, Ji Daxing's creative ability is amazing. This song only expresses one-third of my love for you!"
Ji Zhiqi was amused by his appearance and chuckled. His voice came through the receiver, with a magnetic hoarseness and very pleasant to hear: "Okay, the remaining two-thirds... I will supply it to you personally." There was a double promise hidden in his words. It was not only a love talk, but also the most real and heavy decision in his heart.
The two chatted for a few more sentences before reluctantly hanging up the video.
Song Shiyu held his cell phone, recalling Ji Zhiqi's words and smile, and fell asleep with a heart full of sweetness and peace of mind. His dreams were sweet.
---
In the next few days, Song Shiyu was unprecedentedly busy.
Not only does he have to take over all the company affairs left by his mother, Ms. Ruan, and ensure the smooth operation of all businesses, he will also focus on improving the film and television investment sector.
Recently, a large IP project with huge investment and high market expectations is about to start filming. However, the market feedback and returns of previous similar projects have not been as good as expected.
He must follow the team in person and go to the front line.
He reviewed all the project information and checked each one from the casting.
He had carefully reviewed the list of main actors and actresses, and the background check was clean, so there didn't seem to be any obvious problems.
The script is adapted from a market-proven IP, and the core team also has a good reputation in the industry.
Why do we invest huge amounts of money but always get little results, or even encounter negative consequences?
On the first day of the project's official launch, Song Shiyu appeared on the set in a low-key manner.
He didn't alert anyone except the director who was informed in advance.
Everything on the scene went on according to plan.
Song Shiyu found an inconspicuous corner and observed quietly.
The leading actors are very dedicated, and their lines and movements can be seen from their preparation.
However, he soon noticed a discordant factor - an actress who played the role of "stepmother", the antagonist of the heroine in the play, seemed to have very low cooperation and had a bad temper.
In a simple rivalry scene, she had seven or eight NGs by herself, either because her expressions were not right or her lines were wrong, which seriously slowed down the filming progress.
What is even more surprising is that she was arrogant towards the on-site staff and looked displeased at the slightest inconvenience.
And no one present, including the director, seemed to dare to offer harsh criticism or correction to her.
Song Shiyu frowned slightly, took out the tablet he carried with him, called up the actor's information sheet, and quickly found the corresponding information: Wang Wan, 27 years old, graduated from an ordinary art school, and did not have a particularly strong background based on her resume.
He raised his eyes and exchanged a knowing look with the director who was also frowning not far away, then quietly left the set early.
After returning to the company, Song Shiyu immediately checked Wang Wan's more detailed files and her past performance records.
He discovered that Wang Wan had not appeared in many dramas, but coincidentally, several of the works she participated in were invested or led by the company's film and television companies.
The next day, Song Shiyu came to the set again.
What we are going to shoot today is one of the highlights - the fierce conflict between the "stepmother" played by Wang Wan and the heroine Li Rou.
The plot is that the heroine accidentally discovered evidence that her "stepmother" was having an affair with someone, and was discovered by her "stepmother", and the two confronted each other face to face.
"Action!" the director ordered.
Li Rou's performance is delicate and layered. From the initial shock and disbelief to the later anger and contempt, the emotional transition is very natural.
Wang Wan, on the other hand, although her acting is a bit exaggerated, it barely fits the role setting.
However, just after the confrontation lines were finished, according to the script, the "stepmother" should have been trying to snatch the evidence in frustration or using verbal threats.
But Wang Wan suddenly took a step forward, and before anyone could react, she raised her hand.
“Bang!”
A loud and crisp slap suddenly sounded on the set.
The scene fell into dead silence in an instant.
Everyone was stunned, including the heroine Li Rou who was beaten.
She covered her cheeks and looked at Wang Wan in disbelief. There was no such thing as a slap in the script!
Li Rou's assistant was the first to react and immediately rushed forward to check on Li Rou's condition. He saw that clear red marks as big as five fingers had appeared on her fair cheek and it was swelling up rapidly.
The assistant was shocked and furious. She turned to Wang Wan and said, suppressing her anger, "Sister Wan! This scene isn't in the script, right? How could you really hit her? Please apologize to Sister Rou immediately!"
Wang Wan just sneered and waved her hands nonchalantly, as if she had just brushed off a little dust.
She turned to the director, her tone filled with a bit of self-righteous "professionalism": "Director, I think it is very reasonable to add this slap! Think about it, if anyone did such a shameful thing and was exposed on the spot, wouldn't the first reaction be to get angry and embarrassed? A slap can really reflect the character's frustrated mentality at that time! Right?" She spoke confidently, as if she was the one who understood the play best.
The director's expression was already extremely grim. He said in a deep voice, "Wang Wan, this part is indeed not in the script. Performance requires tension, but there's no need to achieve it by hurting the opposing actor in this way."
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