Chapter 30
The melting snow made even the treetops feel sticky and chilly, like spiderwebs. Gu Mengzhu walked carefully on the slippery road in her newly bought snow boots. Qi Yaoguang had been at work for a long time; she heard he was going to two film sets today, and she wondered if they would run into each other on set.
I heard he's playing a henchman of a petty thug this time. A henchman who's also a petty thug? It's not enough for the small fry to cause trouble on his own; he needs several more henchmen to keep things going. It almost made her laugh to death.
Thinking of this, she chuckled again, her hands in her pockets. The branches beside her were covered with a thin layer of snow, which fell softly with the slightest breeze, as if shaking with laughter just like her.
I heard that for the scene where he plays the sidekick this morning, he'll have his hair styled in a spiky, upright way. He doesn't dye his hair blonde; after all, his salary isn't enough to cover the cost of dyeing it. Besides, he has other scenes to film.
Her phone vibrated, and she looked down to take it out of her pocket.
They even sent her photos of her makeup test; how arrogant!
She tapped twice to zoom in and immediately spotted the familiar young girl.
Did she do it? That's amazing! I'm so happy for her.
Gu Mengzhu hid behind the windshield of a nearby shop, flipping through the photos several times. The man in the photos was wearing makeup, and the large, bright light bulb on the makeup mirror made him look dashing. He wasn't wearing much, suggesting the dressing room was warm. Although he had a hoodlum hairstyle, even the individual strands of his hair had a certain flair, giving him a powerful presence. His clothes were simple, but the clean lines accentuated the sharpness of his character.
He was born with starlight; that's exactly the kind of person he is.
She turned off her phone, put it in her pocket, and sighed, looking at the glass. The sky was a mix of light and dark, thick clouds shrouding the area, even the wind seemed tinged with gray. The hazy glass reflected her face indistinctly, but the man's face in her mind became increasingly clear. She tried to ignore this contrast; regardless of anything else, even with complete strangers, encountering such a discrepancy, even with a heart as vast as the sea, it would be difficult to conceal the overwhelming sense of loss amidst the melting snow.
Right now, she is enveloped by this sense of loss.
The work location this time was a nearby overpass. By the time she arrived, the film crew had already cleared out any unauthorized personnel. Fortunately, it was during working hours, and the cold weather meant no one was passing by; otherwise, passersby would have been in for a ruckus.
"You guys will just be background figures walking around. Just walk normally, no need to run or chase. Remember, don't add any unnecessary scenes or waste everyone's time."
This modern-day breakup drama had been filmed several times. The director, an expert in this genre, should have been able to film it with ease, but no matter how he tried, things didn't go smoothly. Due to the weather, the lighting was poor, and even with proper lighting, the footage didn't look good. He kept calling for lighting adjustments on the walkie-talkie, making the set feel like a chaotic marketplace.
With the equipment being tested and the extras mostly free, the lead actor retreated to the RV to touch up his makeup. Seeing several familiar faces resting at the top of the stairs on the right, she rubbed her shoes a couple of times, glanced at the director, and stealthily approached. The group was chatting amiably, their voices low; she could only catch a few words as she got closer.
"The acting of IKEA's young people these days is truly appalling."
"Yeah, I have no idea what they're acting out!"
"Especially that female lead! Her mouth is open all day long, her lips can't close no matter what, is she sick? Does she think she's cute?"
"Oh my god, what are they filming? A children's play? These people are almost thirty, and they're still acting like three-year-olds. How can they act like that? They're shameless! Don't they know how ugly they are?"
They chatted animatedly, one after another, and when she heard something funny, she couldn't help but chime in, not wanting to get into trouble.
"Little sister, what are you looking at? And you're still laughing?! Last time I saw you act, wow, your acting was so bad! Aren't you afraid of starving to death here trying to make a living?"
The person next to him, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, nudged the speaker with his elbow and interjected:
She doesn't understand what we're saying.
"If you can understand it, you're doomed."
Shut up, you old rascal. I can understand you, I'm too lazy to bother with you!
Gu Mengzhu turned her head away and curled up like a turtle, feeling utterly frustrated, even the crickets seemed to be chirping silently in her heart. The voices continued to drift over, and she stamped her feet, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
I can't stand it anymore, if I stay any longer I might get scolded myself.
She looked around carefully, and since she was waiting anyway, she decided to slip under the overpass to take shelter from the wind. Coincidentally, Xu Zhilu was also hiding there, and the two bumped into each other. According to Xu Zhilu, after moving the clothes, if she didn't have to supervise the makeup of the extras, her role as a lowly assistant would be quite idle. Gu Mengzhu nodded in agreement and joined her in chatting in the sheltered spot on the stairs.
"You have no idea how beautiful the fireworks and flower display were yesterday!"
"Yeah?"
"The fireworks were as big as atomic bombs, exploding with a loud bang, spreading out like umbrellas, and then making a crackling sound. There were so many colors, and there was a red carpet and flowers laid out underneath. Sister, do you know what? They even brought in sunflowers this season!"
"Really! That's a huge sum, how much did it cost?"
"I heard it cost tens of thousands."
"Tens of thousands?!"
She was so surprised that her eyes popped out of their sockets, and she didn't even care about the cold wind blowing by. Her mouth was half open, and she was almost stunned.
"It's actually quite normal on set. You'll understand once you've worked on a few more sets. You'll become desensitized to these things. Besides, the scenes that are filmed are actually quite romantic. You just get what you pay for."
Gu Mengzhu chuckled twice, still unable to recover for a moment. The traffic rushed past her, as if trying to take her away from reality.
She couldn't enjoy such luxurious romance; she could only calculate in her mind how many days' rent she could pay, how many decent meals she could afford, and how much she still needed for a down payment on a house. She might never get used to a life where money flowed without a second thought. She could only feel the helplessness of life.
However, no matter how wronged we feel, we still have to live; that's the reality.
So, was he used to this kind of romance?
She was lost in thought when, not long after, someone next to her patted her clothes.
"Sis, they're calling for extras upstairs, hurry up!"
She snapped out of her daze and quickly ran towards the stairs.
They ultimately did not meet that day.
The second day's filming went much better; the weather was nice and sunny, and it was indoors, so there was no need to brave the cold wind. Qi Yaoguang went out early again, making her look like a lazy bum. Knowing that she was to bring her own costume, Xu Zhilu excitedly picked out two outfits from her own wardrobe and coaxed her to wear them. They had similar figures, so she wouldn't look out of place no matter what she wore.
"It's beautiful! Really!"
She gave the young stylist a thumbs up.
The filming location is a stylish coffee shop. The signboard features a □□-shaped coffee cup, with coffee cascading out like a waterfall, smooth as chocolate slowly melting on the tongue. The overall color scheme of the shop leans towards brown and white, supposedly mimicking coffee and milk. Many lily-of-the-valley-shaped lamps hang in the lobby, emitting a soft orange-yellow glow. On a chilly winter day, the interior appears even warmer from the glass walls outside. Brown chairs sit beside white round tables, the tabletops decorated with scattered coffee bean crumbs and green plants using coffee beans as a base. Looking up at the ceiling, you can see various unique latte art designs.
Gu Mengzhu sat in a corner of the coffee shop, wearing a camel coat. Underneath, she wore a beige turtleneck sweater, her freshly washed hair drooping loosely, seemingly pulled down by gravity. She was never comfortable with anything around her neck, and the sweater made her neck itch; she couldn't help but pull the collar down a little. A steaming cup of coffee sat on the table, the aroma of roasted beans filling her nostrils. She squinted, captivated by the smell, and took a small sip.
Since the production crew is paying for it anyway, why not drink it?
At the director's command, filming began. She put the coffee back in its place and openly started playing on her phone in front of the camera. The female lead and the second male lead sat facing each other, with an Americano and a cappuccino on the table between them. Unlike hers, the coffee wasn't steaming. The atmosphere between the two actors was tense, unclear whether it was flirting or arguing. The voices grew louder, and she picked up her coffee and furtively glanced in their direction, perfectly portraying the gossipy nature of a passerby.
What do you want?
"So what? What can I do? What can I do when facing a bunch of ruthless capitalists like you? I can only keep my tail between my legs and try to please you!"
"Stop messing around, okay? There are so many people watching!"
"Making a fuss? All you can see is the unreasonable fuss of the poor."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
The second male lead crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking impatient.
"I hate you. I hate that you don't treat me like a human being, that you use me as a bargaining chip, that you were born into such an easy life, and that you can manipulate others so easily. I don't have the guts to kill you, but I'm not someone to be trifled with either. Every single second you live is something that disgusts me. Every time I see you, I call you a dog. You beast, you may be rich, but the filth in your heart and the stench of your thoughts determine everything! You're more disgusting than maggots! You, you don't deserve to know me! You don't deserve anyone's love!"
The female lead jumped up and threw her coffee at him. Gu Mengzhu suddenly realized:
Oh, no wonder the coffee wasn't hot.
It seemed there was a problem with the sound recording; the scene wasn't completed. The actress was called away to touch up her makeup, while the actor was surrounded by a group of staff cleaning coffee stains from his clothes. She and the others stepped aside, pulled up a chair, and found a spot outside the shop to sit and bask in the sun. Two workers who had been painting tree trunks white also got tired and sat on some idle chairs in front of the coffee shop for a while.
"What kind of acting was it? But the lines were quite interesting."
Gu Mengzhu nodded in strong agreement.
"It really feels great."
"It just sounds too literary, not very everyday, and doesn't sound like how we usually talk."
"That's how cultured people talk. I'm not very cultured. Hey little sister, is that how you talk?"
Suddenly called out by name, she widened her eyes and shook her head in horror. She had no idea; after all, she wasn't educated.
The two middle-aged men smiled at each other, took a sip of water from their thermos cups, and continued chatting.
"I didn't expect people to talk so loudly while filming. We could hear each other clearly even through a glass partition."
"Well, they're actors. If they don't speak loudly, how will the audience hear them?"
"Yes, yes."
They got up to work after chatting for only a short while, and she clicked her tongue in regret. The two men were funny to talk to, and their accents were interesting too; it was a pity she hadn't been able to listen to them for longer.
The only good thing about this place is that you can meet people from all over the world.
Gu Mengzhu stared at the sliver of sunlight reflected off the glass curtain wall, and soon her eyes began to sting. She rubbed her eyelids, closed her eyes, rolled her eyes around, and got up to go back into the shop.
It was getting late after work, and by the time they got on the bus to go back, the streets were completely dark. The sky was so dark it looked like coal piled up in a boiler room; even a breath of air could stain your eyebrows and nose black. After saying goodbye to Xu Zhilu, she put her hands in her pockets and prepared to go back. As she turned around, she saw someone looking at her with smiling eyes.
I didn't see him when he started work, but I bumped into him when he left work.
She mimicked his gesture, a smile curving her lips. He walked towards her step by step, but she remained rooted to the spot, watching him move with remarkable ease. As Qi Yaoguang drew closer, Gu Mengzhu couldn't help but bend over and burst into laughter.
"What are you laughing at?"
She straightened up and pointed.
"I've never seen such an old student."
He glanced at his costume. Oh. Today he was playing a minor character, getting into a fight off-campus. After the female lead discovered it and reported him, he and the ringleader were expelled from school. She laughed so hard her shoulders shook. He chuckled and leaned down to poke her waist as revenge.
Gu Mengzhu was busy dodging and didn't have time to laugh. Qi Yaoguang only then noticed her unusual behavior, and a smile of interest curled at the corners of his lips:
"Hey, you look great in that outfit. What are you doing, following the trend?"
"How dare you say that to me! You've been stirring up trouble with villains lately, haven't you? Why are you always playing petty thugs?"
She tugged at his haphazardly tied tie, frowning as she stared at his bruised and swollen face. He spread his arms wide and shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm too handsome!"
"Demon!" (Interjection)
"What are you doing?"
"I feel like throwing up."
"Go ahead and throw up if you feel like it, no one's stopping you."
He reached out to grab her, but saw her stomp her right foot and open her mouth in surprise:
"Die!" (Oh no!)
"Kill? Execute him on sight?" (Oh no? How bad? (Referring to the movie "The God of Cookery")
"I forgot to return the sweater!"
With that, Gu Mengzhu hurriedly turned around. Qi Yaoguang watched her run out quickly to find someone, her figure gradually disappearing into the thick night. For some reason, a sense of loss crept into his heart, weighing him down.
Today there is wind and moon, but the night feels even more lonely than yesterday.
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