Chapter 31
It was another day at work. During a break from filming, Gu Mengzhu leaned against a pillar, lazily basking in the sun, while Xu Zhilu squatted beside her, rubbing her knees and idly counting the floor tiles before starting to chatter away. You wouldn't believe it until you saw her; this seemingly timid girl had become quite talkative once she got to know people.
"Sister, look, it's star grass."
She pointed to the bouquet of flowers that had been thrown aside; it was a prop that had been used and discarded not long after.
"Star Grass?"
“Yes.” Xu Zhilu nodded. “There are stars hidden in the grass, so it’s called star grass.”
Gu Mengzhu looked at the withered dried flowers with suspicion:
"Isn't it called Baby's Breath?"
"Whether it's baby's breath or star grass, they're all the same thing. I heard it's because a meteor fell from the sky and created a deep, smoking crater on the ground. After the fiery embers cleared, people finally mustered the courage to explore the crater. Guess what they found?"
"What was discovered?"
"The seeds of the star grass! Since then, this grass has reproduced and spread on our planet, and has survived forever."
The child spoke with such conviction that she was completely taken aback. Seeing that she actually believed him, Xu Zhilu grinned mischievously, revealing two fangs. She found it adorable and couldn't help but smile back.
Just then, a tall figure walked by, blocking a patch of sunlight from her head. She tilted her body slightly and asked:
"Xiao Zhi, do you know that cameraman? Wow, he's really big."
"I know him. His name is Shi Gang. He's been here for quite a while."
"Are you familiar with him? I feel like he's been hanging around this area a lot lately."
"We're not that close. I know his name, and we'll say hello when we meet. That's normal; cameramen just carry their equipment around. I used to do the same thing when I was doing odd jobs. Anyway, I find him quite annoying."
Gu Mengzhu immediately became interested, turned her head, widened her eyes, and leaned closer to ask:
"Why?"
"It's hard to say, maybe it's just my imagination, but anyway, I'm annoyed by him!"
The little girl lowered her head and glanced sideways at the burly man who had just walked past. She watched as he wrinkled his nose and brows, looking as awkward as a kitten, and almost burst out laughing. Since the man didn't want to talk about it, she didn't press him and quickly changed the subject:
"Hey, do you guys also call each other 'Old Si' when you greet each other?"
She imitated it so well that Xu Zhilu was amused by her tone:
"Yes, we're all the same, we're all called Old Si'er!"
"What are you two little girls chatting about, so happily! Don't you know it's mealtime? You've had your fill of food and aren't hungry anymore?"
The speaker was a kind-looking man with a thick beard. Seeing them looking over, he quickly waved.
"What are you still looking at? Dinner's ready!"
The two hurried over. The older man looked robust, with a round head on his strong limbs. His hair was rather long, hanging down on both sides of his face, and was somewhat curly because it had been permed. Although he had a lot of beard, his smile had a kind of honest and cute quality, making him the kind of adult that even children would like.
Although he was a stranger, he was very friendly and his every move exuded the straightforwardness of a northerner. He waved to them cheerfully, carrying a bag of sesame cakes on his forearm. Seeing that they hadn't eaten much, he called out to them to take a few to try.
Gu Mengzhu still vividly remembers how wonderful the vegetarian flatbread was after the greasy, fatty pork in the boxed lunch. The aroma of white sesame seeds permeated the crispy crust, and the wheat fragrance released with each chew reminded her of wheat swaying in the autumn sun. After only a few bites, she felt intoxicated, as if she had drunk some wine, her whole being filled with a warm, slightly tipsy feeling.
Oh, the heavy, golden, ripe wheat, every grain on every ear of wheat is fragrant, shining, and makes one feel happy.
After eating and drinking their fill, they sat on the steps chatting. As they talked, Gu Mengzhu couldn't help but glance at the next group, half her face buried in her arms, looking as guilty as a thief. It seemed they hadn't stopped working there yet; Qi Yaoguang stood tall in the middle of the group, upright like a crane. His posture was always excellent; from the side, he resembled an arrow stuck in the ground. The sunlight cast a long shadow, and the smile on his face spread to his group members, creating a harmonious, natural atmosphere, like persimmons ripened by the sun, turning red and overflowing with honey.
They had fewer and fewer opportunities to work on the same film set, mostly living apart, watching each other act, or rather, her watching him act. As she watched, she gradually realized: the gap between them was widening. And the string on the balloon in her hand was loosening. She knew that one day, the balloon would break free from her wrist, drifting away into the sky without looking back. Then, she could only gaze up at the boundless blue sky, finally lowering her head dizzily, and continue living her "down-to-earth" life.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
"Hey girl, are you sleepy?"
Two voices pulled her back to reality. Xu Zhilu's hand rested on her shoulder, its warmth radiating even through her cotton coat. She shook her head to indicate she was fine and resumed their lively conversation. The older brother seemed to know many funny things that happened on set, and he was a master at imitation, able to tell a story vividly with just a few words. The two girls listened intently, clapping excitedly at the funny parts.
Not long after, Qi Yaoguang finished his work. He immediately spotted three people gathered in a group on the steps.
Yeah, I don't know either the guy or the girl well! Especially the guy!
Who is this old man with the stubble beard? He's getting in the way. He looks quite old, but he's so unkempt that he doesn't even shave.
He walked over with a stern face. Gu Mengzhu found it strange that he had such dead fish eyes, so she glanced at him a few times as she made room for him.
Didn't you sleep well tonight?
However, she didn't ask further. After all, people who are sleep-deprived are like this; they wish everyone in the world would die. With empty eyes and still having to go to work, every step they take feels like an atomic bomb about to explode. Go ahead and explode, blow the whole world up! She understood this all too well.
Wow, she really likes bearded men that much?
Seeing that she couldn't tell he was angry at all, Qi Yaoguang angrily stroked his chin.
Damn it, who told you to shave so clean? Now look what happened, not even a stubble!
Why are you here instead of eating? Aren't you hungry?
"Mmm, I'm full."
"Eating air?"
"I'm so angry."
Gu Mengzhu squinted at him with one eye, frowned, and pursed her lips.
Why is he acting so strangely? Who has provoked him this time?
They couldn't stay long after their long rest, and soon they were back to work, leaving Qi Yaoguang standing on the steps, staring blankly. He sullenly watched the departing figures, then slowly walked back to his own film crew. He wanted to know who that person was, but awkwardly didn't ask. Only after they were quite far away did he nudge the arm of the person next to him with his elbow:
"Hey, who's that guy?"
"Him? His surname is Lu. He's been here for almost two years. He was working on film sets elsewhere before, and he's only just come back now. I guess it's not easy to find work elsewhere anymore. He looks young, but he's not young at all. I heard he used to practice Buddhism, but he couldn't handle getting up early, so he stopped. Despite his appearance, he's still well-maintained. People used to specifically ask him to play Taoist priests!"
He was in charge of managing people and knew almost everyone who was stationed at the vertical bunk. There weren't many men with long hair and beards in the crew, so he remembered the one Qi Yaoguang asked very well.
"Is that so?"
He replied indifferently, kicking the pebbles below as if they were there specifically to get in his way.
Evening arrived in a flash. Qi Yaoguang finished work and came out to find Gu Mengzhu waiting for him not far away. He couldn't hide the smile on his face, and his steps toward her were slightly lighter. The film crew next door hadn't finished shooting, and the atmosphere was tense. Plus, it was already dark, and the surroundings were pitch black; even if a figure suddenly fell from the roof, they wouldn't see it. She wore her extra's pass around her neck, openly watching the commotion nearby with her arms crossed. The spotlight illuminated the lead actor's face, making his features blend into the edges of the light, looking like a cheap special effect, as if he might disappear into the wind at any moment.
"I will only love you in this lifetime."
Hearing this, she bit her lower lip hard, trying her best to suppress the smile on her lips and prevent herself from making a sound. He approached, and all that could be heard was a faint, suppressed "goose-goose-goose-goose" humming.
"why are you laughing?"
Gu Mengzhu raised her head and wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth with her hand.
"nothing."
"Tell me, what's so funny? I want to hear it too."
"No, I just found the lines funny."
Qi Yaoguang gave a listless "Oh," then put his hands in his pockets and started rubbing his right foot against the shoe.
"You finished work so early today? I thought I'd have to wait much longer."
"I didn't have any important scenes, the director just filmed them casually and it was done. You're talking about me, didn't you start even earlier?"
"I only have one act, how can I compare to you?"
These words didn't mean anything special; they were just a little joke. But they made him feel uncomfortable, as if he wanted to push the person away, so he didn't reply.
Does love need explanation? Is there really love between us?
She had no idea where they were in the scene when Gu Mengzhu suddenly heard this part and rolled her eyes in exasperation. Love, love, love—it never ended; she was about to throw up. These past few days, she'd been running around to several film sets, and all she'd heard and seen were scenes of love and romance. It was like everyone was in heat; she almost vomited.
Seeing that she was only focused on watching the show and ignoring him, Qi Yaoguang coughed to bring her back to her senses.
"Wow, how come all these men are so ugly? The actresses are practically suffering from occupational hazards."
She turned her gaze away and looked him up and down:
"I'd rather you do it, huh?"
He raised an eyebrow at her:
"Should I go up as a man or a woman?"
"It's fine if you want to be a woman." She held up her index finger and wagged it twice, her tone exaggerated. "Oh, I know you really want to."
"Crazy." (Nervous)
He ignored her antics and dragged her away with a swift movement. The deep night crept in, dripping thick, sticky darkness that gradually swallowed the shadow untouched by the streetlights, until a lamp, bright and warm, lit up amidst the layers of buildings. Only then did it flutter along the windowsill and vanish like a demon.
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