Chapter 92: A Different Name
"Alright, that's a wrap!"
As soon as the director yelled "Cut!", the serious atmosphere on set immediately returned to a lively one, and the tense little faces beamed with joy.
With the weather freezing cold, the nearby restaurants closed early, forcing those who remained to live a self-sufficient life.
The actors who weren't filming today volunteered to do the logistical work. When Sheng Yi and the others came over after removing their makeup, they could smell the delicious aroma wafting from the room from a distance.
"Wow, it smells so good! What are we having for dinner tonight?" Someone said, rubbing their hands together and sniffing as they walked by.
Upon entering through the curtain, one sees several large round tables lined up in the room. Upon closer inspection, the dishes on each table are incredibly diverse, including dumplings, hot pot, stir-fries, and all sorts of other dishes. Sheng Yi even wondered if everyone had taken a turn to showcase their culinary skills, resulting in this scene of a grand gathering of delicacies from various regions.
Just as Zhang Meng was about to wave her over, Li Zitong grabbed her hand from behind, saying, "Yiyi, come here and sit here."
Sheng Yi sat down and listened to the director give a passionate speech, raising his glass. Over the course of their daily interactions, the director, who had initially been stern and unsmiling, had long since shed his cold and scrutinizing demeanor. However, she hadn't expected him to have such a methodological approach when it came to getting fired up.
The group, who had just been joking around, immediately straightened their expressions, then burst into laughter again. All the hardships and struggles of the icy landscape were forgotten; everyone present unconsciously resonated with the director's descriptions. It was as if, as long as they fully immersed themselves, they could make their mark on theatrical history the next day.
On television, the Spring Festival Gala hosts were delivering New Year's greetings with great emotion, and the innovative song and dance performances were used as background noise during leisure time, sparing no effort to enhance the New Year's atmosphere.
After Sheng Yi returned from toasting everyone, the conversation at the table had shifted from New Year's wishes to current program reviews. Centered on the singers themselves, their acting skills, appearance, singing abilities, and so on were all commented on, eventually extending to when they would like to see their favorite artists appear on screen. Amidst the discussion, someone suddenly said, "It would be great if Teacher Wen could come."
If only Teacher Wen could come. A small pebble creates endless echoes.
After a moment of silence, the water sizzled and popped in the oil, creating a spectacular explosion.
Since his debut, Wen Shili has never appeared on the Spring Festival Gala. If this happened to other artists, people might question whether the artist is worthy of the invitation. But in his case, everyone seems certain that he must have been invited, but for some reason, he never accepted.
There are two common explanations: one is that he definitely had something more important to do that day, such as going home to be with his parents. The other is that it might be his personality; he simply doesn't like participating in such troublesome tasks. He'd rather sleep in than go through rounds of rehearsals.
Whatever the reason, most people can't understand it. For example, at the dinner table right now, someone grinned enviously and said, "If my parents could see me on TV right now, they'd be ecstatic."
Before he could finish speaking, someone covered his mouth and spat at him a few times, saying, "Pah, pah, pah, can't you say something auspicious during the New Year? You can only go if they want you."
Another burst of laughter erupted at the table. Suddenly, a strong male voice broke in, "Maybe he's watching the Spring Festival Gala with his sister-in-law." He pronounced the words "sister-in-law" with great intonation.
Hearing the sound, everyone looked over and saw a middle-aged photographer with a full beard walking by at the next table, carrying a bowl. Seeing everyone's stunned expressions, he gave a wicked smile. His beard completely obscured his face, and all that could be seen was a dark, blob-like mass that arched upwards, creating a striking visual impact.
Sheng Yi took a sip of her drink, her face turning red as she managed to suppress a cough. Given Wen Shili's fanbase, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they ranged from ninety-nine years old to toddlers. Although no one else knew she was the one being teased, it didn't stop her from being utterly bewildered.
A picture she had seen before suddenly flashed into her mind—an elderly woman with white hair holding a support sign and waving it passionately at Wen Shili's concert. If such an old woman were to suddenly utter something like "little sister-in-law" or "granddaughter-in-law," people would probably faint from fright.
Sheng Yi was terrified by her own imagination. Seeing her blushing face, Li Zitong gently patted her back and asked softly, "Are you alright?"
Sheng Yi nodded, picked up the water beside her and took a sip, trying to block out the gossip about "younger sister-in-law" on the table. However, once the topic was started, and everyone's interest was high, those deliberately blocked words were like a gust of wind blowing into their ears, and after hearing them once, they couldn't help but stir up waves in their hearts.
Sheng Yi lowered her eyes and added another half bowl of soup to the bowl. By the end, she still couldn't taste whether it was salty or bland.
It was only then that she realized most of the people at the table were Wen Shili's supporters. Those who didn't offer much opinion, like her and Li Zitong, were rare indeed. She couldn't help but click her tongue inwardly, feeling like an ignorant prey who had inadvertently stepped into the enemy's encirclement, and who might be captured by their trap at any moment.
Sheng Yi's phone vibrated slightly in her pocket; a new group text message had arrived. She glanced at her excited colleagues on the table, turned to the side, and opened it. Further down, she saw that the messages she had sent out that afternoon had received responses.
Wen Shili: "I'll tell you later."
It was during their conversation about the evening's arrangements. Like everyone else, she hadn't received a definite answer. Everyone at the table had piercing eyes, as if they were equipped with 100,000-watt searchlights. Sheng Yi turned off her phone, not wanting to be caught red-handed.
For the rest of the meal, someone's name kept being mentioned by others. To fit in, she could only chime in occasionally, spending most of the time battling the delicious food on the table. Only when the meal ended did she realize she had unknowingly eaten quite a lot.
The song and dance performance on TV was reaching its climax, but the still energetic colleagues were egging them on to start a second round of activities. Sheng Yi, supporting her back, declined Li Zitong's invitation to come along, saying, "You go back first, I'm going to get some fresh air."
The distant valleys are all asleep, only the lights in the rooms extend the warmth of the past year into the present.
Once out of sight of the crowd, Sheng Yi took out her phone and glanced at it. Three missed calls were displayed, all from the same person. She looked back at the still-lively little house, took a few more steps away from the group's path, and was about to call back when a new message popped up on WeChat: "Finished eating?"
She forgot to wear a scarf when she came out, and now the wind seemed to have conspired to hit her neck without a word. Sheng Yi pulled her down jacket collar tighter and pressed the voice message button, "Yeah, it just cleared up."
The moment she finished speaking, someone's personal number popped up. Her phone had been on silent, so all she could see was that familiar string of numbers dancing wildly on the screen. Just before the call was about to hang up automatically, Sheng Yi swiped her finger up and pressed answer.
"Shall we go back to the dorm now?" Wen Shili's voice was as calm as ever.
"Okay, I'll be right back." Sheng Yi put her hands in her pockets, burying her neck deep in her collar. The cold world couldn't sympathize with human suffering; those in the wind and snow could only draw warmth from the last vestiges of warmth to keep going. She took a few more steps forward and asked him, "What are you doing?"
The heavy snow continued to fall, and the area was almost deserted. Sheng Yi looked back; deep and shallow footprints covered the path he had come from, only to be quickly covered by new snow.
For a moment, she seemed to feel the characters in the play clinging to her. No matter how thrilling the story, a thousand years later, it would just be a vague figure buried in the long river of history, left for future generations to judge.
So, will she be able to seize the opportunity and leave her own mark on this era?
Thinking of this, Sheng Yi unconsciously curled the corners of her lips again—she really was just being idle.
There was a long silence on the phone. She took out her phone and checked the signal; it was normal. The guesses about where he'd spent the Spring Festival were now racing through her mind. She didn't know if any of them were correct, but her voice unconsciously began to carry a subtle tone. Perhaps, mixed in were the unspoken awkwardness and resentment she felt that evening.
Suddenly, the howling wind roared through the phone. Sheng Yi listened quietly for a moment, and compared to staying home with her parents, it sounded more like she was hanging out in some alley. She let her thoughts wander, not without malice.
The soft sound of breathing mingled with the whistling wind passing by her ears. Sheng Yi tucked her hands deep into her pockets and listened to Wen Shili on the other end of the phone. Instead of answering, Wen Shili asked, "Where are you?"
Sheng Yi looked around. The snow-covered landscape was shrouded in a white film. She looked at the crooked tree in front of her and made up a story, "It's near the dormitory. There's a big rock in front of it, and two crooked trees next to it."
Two trees?
"Hmm, what's up?" Sheng Yi rubbed her fingers together, replying casually. The clamor of the wind swept between the two ends of the phone, becoming more and more familiar the more she listened.
A thought struck her, and she looked into the distance. "Aren't you home?"
"Mmm." The snow made a slight creaking sound under the weight, arriving at the same time as his soft response. At the same time, a clear, melodious voice interacted between reality and virtuality.
“Turn around,” he said.
Sheng Yi slowly turned around. The person who should have been in S City suddenly appeared deep in a frozen valley. A long down jacket covered her entire figure, making her tall and slender like a cypress tree standing at the mouth of the valley. A thin layer of snowflakes had already settled on her hat. Wen Shili walked over in a few steps, casually took off the scarf around his neck, and wrapped it around her twice.
"Why are you standing here in the wind?" He brushed aside her wind-blown hair and asked gently.
Sheng Yi blinked, her nose red from the cold. The scarf, still warm from her body, held back the evaporating warmth, and a tiny flame flickered deep within her heart, then grew brighter and brighter. Sheng Yi lowered her head, not knowing what she had mumbled in response, her toes unconsciously kicking at the snow until her hand, which was in her pocket, was taken.
His warm, large hand enveloped her, and she readily allowed him to lead her, placing her hand in his pocket. A surge of emotions welled up within her, yet she couldn't find the right words to express them.
There are countless kinds of human emotions. Sheng Yi used to try to analyze the composition of her emotions, but now she just raised her lips and said, "Your hands are so warm."
If you are destined to walk alone, you can grit your teeth and push towards the end no matter how long or far the road is. As long as you can find a little warmth along the way, that faint warmth will gradually melt the cold and hard ice, attracting you to reach out and hold on tightly.
A lively cheer pierced the air above the house, and warmth mingled in their clasped hands. Sheng Yi was too lazy to ask him why he had come, but he remained expressionless and casually said, "Your package has arrived."
Sheng Yi was stunned for a while before she understood what he was talking about. She raised her eyebrows slightly, "I just asked you to help me check the package, I don't need you to manually forward it."
"Oh." Wen Shili lowered his eyes, tightened his grip on her hand, and when he looked up again, his eyes were burning with intensity. "I'm willing," he said softly.
Sheng Yi's lips curled into a smile, and she generously spread her hands, gesturing for him to hand it over. "What is it?"
Snowflakes lingered on her fingertips, then melted into water droplets and vanished into the air. Wen Shili took her hand again, and in an instant, her soft fingertips were already chilled by the outdoor cold. He reached out to warm her hands, then led her back towards the dormitory. "I'll tell you when we get back."
The void of heaven and earth needs a clear bond of love.
"What did you have for dinner? Are you hungry?"
Did you tell your family before suddenly running away?
...
A pair of footprints meandered into the distance, their gentle melody swirling and being heard by the passing wind, before finally settling in the heart of a lover.
Wen Shili recalled how his mother had practically wanted to kick him out the door when he said he wasn't going home, and shook his head with a smile, "They're more comfortable without me."
What kind of family environment could nurture such a free, radiant, gentle, and affectionate soul? Sheng Yi clicked her tongue in admiration, then, thinking of something, didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Jingjing.
As they slowly walked back, the packed food was already laid out in the room, but no one bothered to eat it.
The rising temperature melted away the outdoor chill, and even the slightest movement brought out layers of sweat. In the small room, they continued their deep, long kiss. The background music of the Spring Festival Gala became a joyous symphony.
As the last breath of air was about to be taken from her mouth, Sheng Yi gasped for air, jumped out of his arms, and opened the food box beside him. "Eat first."
Wen Shili gave her a deep look, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curled up slightly.
The food, which had been heated once, was now starting to cool slightly. Sheng Yi dragged a stool over and sat down beside him, watching him mechanically put the food into his mouth bite by bite. She couldn't help but hand him the water glass next to her, saying, "If it's not good, don't eat it."
On this night of family reunion, she sat beside him, gazing deeply into his eyes and whispering tenderly. The reality far exceeded his original expectations. At the moment of departure, his only thought was to see her one last time.
Wen Shili chuckled softly, meeting Sheng Yi's questioning gaze, and gently said, "No." He raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "It just feels like... your pampered puppy."
Sheng Yi didn't hear the middle word clearly, or perhaps he didn't pronounce it aloud, but that didn't stop her from completing the sentence. Sheng Yi glanced at him up and down. This kind of person, with his appearance detached from the masses, certainly deserved to be pampered. However, in reality, a puppy-like gentleness and thoughtfulness were also shining qualities within him.
As a senior, he stands tall on the path countless colleagues must tread, inspiring and guiding them; as a lover, he is considerate and gentle, carefully and tenderly embracing those subtle emotions, ensuring that every expectation is answered. However, she merely clicked her tongue lightly, deliberately putting on a stern face, "I've never seen such a disobedient dog."
As the words fell, a smile flowed between their eyes. The surging waves were the ripples in the lake of their lover's heart.
The Spring Festival Gala program was nearing its end, and the announcers on the screen strung together the past and present. She thought that even many years later, she would still remember this night.
As the countdown clock struck, she nestled in his arms, quietly listening to the footsteps of the New Year, and the image of them embracing and wishing each other a Happy New Year.
Sheng Yi cheered along with everyone on and off the screen, but in the lingering echo of the cheers, she was drawn in by the special notification sound of the red envelopes arriving. She quickly leaned over to reach for her phone on the table, smiling broadly as she opened each of the incessantly popping message boxes.
All sorts of group chats, big and small, are engaged in a lucky draw competition. Blessings carrying New Year's hopes are being sent to the person on the other side of the screen. Everyone is busy and flustered, offering thanks and blessings, with occasional exclamations of surprise. They are having a great time.
With a crisp "ding," another WeChat transfer came in.
Wait, a transfer? Sheng Yi glanced at the impassive person, clicked in, and was immediately startled by a row of zeros in the chat box. She carefully checked and confirmed, her eyes sparkling as she looked up, "I received it, okay?"
The moment he nodded, she decisively accepted the message, swiped away, and headed straight for the next battleground.
The joy of grabbing red envelopes can't be offset by a windfall; she'd have to talk to him about it sometime. That's what she thought.
A round, round back of its head kept bobbing in front of his eyes. Wen Shili stared at it for a long time, his tone somewhat awkward, "Is it done yet?"
After sending the last thank-you emoji, Sheng Yi finally spared a glance and threw herself into his arms again. Her voice, rising at the end, clearly showed her good mood, "Thank you, boss."
"Hmm." Wen Shili slowly pulled her hand down, placed it in his palm, and held it. "Could you call me something else?"
"What?" Sheng Yi asked, her tone all smiles, as if everything was open to discussion.
A long, long silence followed. Wen Shili's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. In the end, he simply stroked her head and mumbled a reply, "Call me that again later."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com