Chapter 90 Only now do I realize, it's too late…
She turned down the script after reading it once, and as for the movie, she read the script so many times that the edges were worn out, so she had to regretfully decline it in the end.
Well, the story is undeniably captivating, but it's also unrelated to her. The explicit intimate scenes in the drama made her scalp tingle just imagining them; they were far beyond her current tolerance, and there were two such scenes.
Although the set will be cleared during filming, just thinking about having her do all that with a colleague she's not that familiar with is quite a test of her mental fortitude... *cough*
She knew that these kinds of art-house films basically followed the path of overseas film festivals, and some even went so far as to be embellished abroad before being shown domestically, entirely aiming for artistic merit and awards. If she wasn't interested in such scripts, there were naturally others vying for them.
She even asked herself from a different perspective whether she could accept the film's success in awards or box office revenue in the future.
In less than a minute, she gave her answer.
However, she understood the situation, but the director was reluctant to let go of such a big fish as her. Many art-house films are critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful; no one wants to relinquish a project when box office success is within reach. Having a popular actress would boost the film's profile from the start of filming, saving enough marketing money to fund another movie. And most importantly, he could capture certain qualities in Sheng Yi that the role required.
To make things easier for her, the production team even scheduled her movie audition for the same day as another of her dramas.
Having said that, it would seem unreasonable for Sheng Yi to refuse again, so she finally relented and agreed to go for the audition, though she had already made up her mind. After the audition, the crew didn't contact her again, and if everything went smoothly, they had probably already found a suitable female lead.
Sheng Yi had no time to pay attention to what happened after that. After meeting with Zhang Meng and the others, her next drama was officially confirmed. The production team was eager to start filming, and all procedures, including business contracts, were being expedited. All preparations were being shifted towards the next drama.
For actors, each new role is the foundation upon which they establish themselves.
This is a historical drama set in a fictional world. Although it is fictional, the drama still references the political system and cultural etiquette of specific dynasties. While familiarizing herself with the script, Sheng Yi was also packed into the production team's intensive training program.
Of the three students in the class, Sheng Yi was the last to arrive, so her daily workload seemed particularly heavy. The teacher taught at a uniform pace, so any lessons she missed had to be made up on her own in her spare time.
Surprisingly, Li Zitong, who had shared a dormitory with her in the "Fireworks in the Human World" crew, was also in this class. After chatting, they discovered that Li Zitong had also been recommended by Zhang Meng to audition.
Sheng Yi thus began her life of working during the day and attending classes at night. The work she had assigned was being completed in full swing, and the homework assigned by the teacher was updated every day with very precise submission deadlines. For a moment, she even had the illusion of returning to exam week in her student days.
On New Year's Eve, as every household lit up to celebrate the new year, Sheng Yi filmed three commercials that day and returned home under the last few hours of moonlight. Wen Shili had no work scheduled for the day and had dinner at a restaurant that Sheng Yi frequented.
After finishing their meal together, Sheng Yi immediately began working late into the night. Amidst the lively background music celebrating the changing of the year, in the study, Wen Shili was holding up his phone to help her film the video assignment given by her teacher. After a flurry of activity, they finally managed to send the assignment to the teacher's email right on time.
They were chased by deadlines into the new year, and as soon as they opened their eyes, a new day's tasks awaited them.
To others, her past year may seem like a dramatic dream, but in reality, looking back, all the ups and downs have subsided, and what remains is a quiet and peaceful warmth.
The assignment submitted at night received a reply the next morning. Sheng Yi complained to Li Zitong in private that the crew must pay them very high wages, otherwise, while everyone else was on holiday, the teacher would still diligently supervise their assignments to ensure timely submission. No one could be more dedicated than that.
There was a little mishap on the last day of class.
The shared experience of being in the same boat for nearly half a month has rapidly strengthened the bond between the three students in the class. When they heard the teacher announce that they didn't need to come in tomorrow, the excitement they felt was indescribable unless they were there themselves.
Since they had plenty of time after class, the group decided to go celebrate.
Because of Sheng Yi's presence, crowded occasions were ruled out. In the end, when the group sat down in the movie theater, they looked at each other and could only manage a wry smile.
The movie on the big screen is a period drama that's currently showing. The teacher had just enthusiastically recommended it before get out of class ended, saying, "You can all go see it when you have time. Consider it my last homework assignment for you."
Having finally escaped this sea of suffering only to throw herself back into it, Li Zitong shook her head, utterly speechless: "Do you think we might be the most obedient class our teacher has ever taught?"
Sheng Yi: I don't want this honor.
Another classmate lived nearby, and Li Zitong left in Sheng Yi's car after the event. Li Zitong had signed with a small agency that year, and the agency's cars were all reserved for top artists, leaving people like her basically to fend for themselves. Usually, if it was on her way, Sheng Yi would give her a ride home.
Sometimes life is like this: a roommate who was just sharing a room not long ago can suddenly be ahead in the first half of life's competition, leaving those who come later with nothing to do but envy and focus on their own path.
Li Zitong looked at the woman washing her hands in front of the mirror. Her face, which used to be bare-faced, was now completely covered by a mask, but her eyes, which were still clear and gentle, remained visible.
Suddenly, her phone, which was on the sink, rang. The caller ID showed the driver's number. Sheng Yi's hands were still wet. She turned off the tap and gestured for Li Zitong to answer it for her.
Li Zitong picked up her phone, pressed the answer button, but only held the phone to Sheng Yi's ear. Sheng Yi smiled, dried her hands, took the phone, and said to the other end, "Wait a moment, we're still in the restroom, we'll be right there."
"Okay, no rush." The driver's raised voice came a beat later.
Sheng Yi and Li Zitong parted ways at the entrance of her residential complex. The girl waved, her smile sincere and bright, "Bye-bye, Yi Yi, see you on set!"
"See you on set." Sheng Yi nodded, watching the car door close and the center console slowly slide down, revealing her lazy and aloof expression. That sense of distance, neither too close nor too distant, quickly crumbled and dissipated in their eye contact.
Much later, Li Zitong asked her, "Yiyi, do you believe in some kind of telepathy between people?"
His very existence is powerful evidence, requiring neither action nor words.
At this moment, Sheng Yi had no idea that someone was pondering such mysterious things in the dead of night. All she knew was that her work for the year was now completely finished, and she just needed to pack up and wait to join the new production team.
The belated satisfaction came surging and urgent; behind the tightly closed windows, the fire of passion burned.
When Wu Simin's short essay hadn't received a response by the third screen, she simply picked up her phone and cut to the chase: "Is the person still alive?"
Two hours later, Sheng Yi finally pulled her phone out from the messy bed and saw the barrage of messages from her girlfriends. Wrapped in the blanket, she slowly typed, "Thanks to you, I'm half dead."
Wu Simin doesn't have any work scheduled for the end of this year. Of course, if she heard this, she would definitely grab the person speaking by the neck and yell, "Is it that I don't want to?" In any case, she has already flown back to her hometown to be with her parents and will only rejoin the crew after the New Year.
With nothing to do at home, it was the perfect time to chat with my girlfriends, and Sheng Yi, who rarely gets a day off, was conscripted into it. Seeing the response, Wu Simin didn't have time to complain about being ignored for so long, and immediately sent a video call.
Sheng Yi was still in a daze when she was suddenly startled by the video call invitation. She quickly turned off her phone screen and peeked at the blacked-out camera. The large screen immediately displayed a woman with messy hair and a blank stare, the kind of woman you couldn't bear to look at for long. She turned off the camera, took a breath, and finally mustered the courage to answer the call.
When Wen Shili came in with a glass of water, Sheng Yi was already chatting with Wu Simin, lying on the bed with her legs up, her little feet swinging back and forth, making one's heart burn with desire. Wen Shili looked away and lightly knocked on the door.
Upon hearing this, Sheng Yi unconsciously lowered her voice and waved her phone screen at him, indicating that she was busy. Wen Shili came straight over, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently patted her waist. Sheng Yi's throat was parched, so she let him embrace her and sit up, taking several large gulps of water from the glass he offered to her lips.
The glass of water was quickly emptied, and she wanted to drink more, but the man withdrew his hand from the glass at the opportune moment, saying, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
Sheng Yi glared angrily, but what she saw was a face that made her unable to get angry. Further down, she was met with a strong, firm chest. The man was shirtless, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, sitting half-sitting on the edge of the bed. Without a word, his oppressive, scorching breath enveloped her.
Sheng Yi clicked her tongue lightly, glanced away, and felt a sudden heat rise to her ears. This person looked slender, but in reality, it was the result of day after day of rigorous training, all of which was used in this crucial moment.
"Yiyi, let me tell you, my home..." Wu Simin was still on the other end of the phone, eagerly sharing with her best friend what she had seen and experienced at home. Finally, she asked Shengyi about her plans for the New Year. Shengyi snapped out of her thoughts and waved her hand at the person next to her with an annoyance.
The man withdrew his hand, got up, and opened the door. Several new red marks appeared on his muscular back, like plum blossoms unfurling in winter, blooming freely on branches, crisscrossing and spreading. Sheng Yi glanced down at her newly grown nails for the new drama, her innocent face wrinkling slightly.
The phone call lasted for more than an hour before it ended, and the wasted time was doubled back that evening.
Wen Shili's movements were light, yet swift, leaving no room for refusal. "To be precise, it was one hour and forty-seven minutes."
Sheng Yi gritted her teeth, her clear eyes gradually becoming misty, and through the fog, she recalled a fan's comment about his memory. She suppressed the words that were about to come out, "Has anyone ever said... you're petty?"
The man raised an eyebrow at her words and slightly parted her lips. "No, you're the first."
His voice is clear and pleasant, his eyes are relaxed, and his casual responses reveal confidence and certainty. No matter how many interpretations the outside world may offer, they cannot destroy his self-construction.
Sheng Yi's voice was listless, a mix of teasing and embarrassment, "Oh, it seems it's my honor."
Wen Shili stopped what he was doing and stared at her for a long time. Sheng Yi craned her neck and vaguely heard him give a soft "hmm".
He cupped her chin, his fingertips lightly brushing her lips. "It's too late to realize this now."
Even if someone is petty, they're still yours.
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