Apologize
When Lin Jingming walked into the set while rubbing his temples, Cheng Shubai was directing the filming on his behalf: "Let's shoot the drama first today!"
Xia Zhitang walked around the main actors' rest area with the storyboard in his arms, running very fast in his flat canvas shoes.
"Director Xia, Director Xia!" Yin Tian's agent Xie Lin caught up breathlessly.
Xia Zhitang dodged and stopped behind the rail car.
"Director Xia! There's a strange noise in my room. Please stay with me!" Xie Lin hugged Xia Zhitang's arm and shook it.
"Moving to your place?"
"Yes!" Xie Lin nodded heavily, "I have a brand new four-piece suit!"
"But I..." Xia Zhitang was about to refuse when she saw Lin Jingming looking over here. She thought to herself, "I'll go to the reception tonight!"
Xie Lin immediately put the spare room card into Xia Zhitang's pocket with a smile on her face.
At the other end of the set, Lin Jingming was about to call out to Xia Zhitang when Cheng Shubai suddenly interrupted with a megaphone, "Director Lin, please come over and look at the stand-in camera!"
Xia Zhitang took the opportunity to slip away.
In the evening, Xia Zhitang dragged his suitcase into Xie Lin's room.
Beneath the wall covered with artist promotional posters, a half-person-high stack of face mask boxes sat. Xie Lin kicked aside the fashion magazines on the floor and said, "The bed is yours, I'll sleep on the lazy couch!"
"Do you snore?"
"It's quieter than Director Lin's explosion scene!" Xie Lin took out a steam eye mask and put it on her face. "He banged on the door last night, and we all heard it clearly here."
Xia Zhitang paused as she was packing her luggage, and couldn't help but feel a little grateful to Xie Lin. She was still a little traumatized by Lin Jingming's behavior last night. This bastard seemed to give her a hard time every time he went to a family dinner. If she couldn't afford to offend him, could she just avoid him?
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. I bet Mr. Cheng's pajamas are worth five figures." Xie Lin was still gossiping on the other end. "I didn't expect he was so childish in private."
Xia Zhitang thought of Cheng Shubai's look last night and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
After the filming ended, Lin Jingming was very angry. He didn't have a serious conversation with Xia Zhitang the whole day. He suspected that Xia Zhitang did it on purpose.
After returning to the hotel, he thought about it and felt that something was wrong. He sent a message to Xia Zhitang under the pretext of work, asking him to come and verify the work with him. However, what he received was a long list of electronic report forms sent by Xia Zhitang.
Lin Jingming asked her to come over to report on her work, but Xia Zhitang refused due to poor health.
He sneered and threw the phone aside.
In the evening, the anxious Lin Jingming picked up his keys and went downstairs to buy supper. Looking at the sizzling and smoking skewers, he suddenly felt that he should occasionally care about the crew members.
After a while, Lin Jingming, holding a kebab in one hand and a bag of common medicine in the other, stood in front of Xia Zhitang's door with a stern face and rang the doorbell anxiously.
The production manager who lived next door to Xia Zhitang popped his head out and said, "Director Lin, Director Xia moved in with Xie Lin in the evening."
"Oh." Lin Jingming turned and left with a dark face.
Meanwhile, Xie Lin was lying on the sofa in her room, applying a face mask, and lamented, "Director Lin has already NGed our Tiantian eight times today, and he hasn't even given a reason." She couldn't help but sigh and whine, "When will he ever be in a good mood again?"
"Who knows?"
Xia Zhitang silently recalled the events of four years ago. As an editor, she was pushed by a group of veterans to send Lin Jingming an edited draft that needed to be reviewed urgently when he was angry. Lin Jingming scolded her so much that she even wanted to give up this job...
She checked the time, realizing it was almost time for bed, so she stood up, carrying her makeup remover and skincare products into the bathroom. After removing her makeup, she opened the makeup mirror and saw a bottle of men's cologne on the bottom shelf—the same one Lin Jingming often used.
"Whose cologne is this?" Xia Zhitang asked Xie Lin loudly.
"The actor who was dropped from last year's competition!" Xie Lin leaned over and shouted, "If you like it, just..."
Xia Zhitang slammed the cabinet door shut with a dull face.
The next day, Lin Jingming's temper was like a volcanic eruption, causing chaos in the crew.
Xia Zhitang was still upset about Lin Jingming getting drunk and causing trouble in her room in the middle of the night. While Cheng Shubai was there to keep the situation under control, Xia Zhitang continued to avoid Lin Jingming on the set.
After the show, she wanted to give the list to Cheng Shubai to pass on to Lin Jingming, but was caught off guard by Lin Jingming in the equipment room.
"Are you not feeling well?" Lin Jingming's eyes moved slowly across Xia Zhitang's face.
Xia Zhitang stepped back a few steps to create some distance, took out a mask from his pocket and put it on: "I have a cold, stay away from me, I won't infect you."
Lin Jingming snorted coldly: "Aren't you afraid of infecting Xie Lin?"
"She infected me!" Xia Zhitang silently apologized to Xie Lin in his heart - he had spread rumors about her.
"Why are you moving away?" Lin Jingming unconsciously approached Xia Zhitang.
Xia Zhitang's expression instantly fell beneath his mask. "Director Lin, I don't need to inform you where I live."
Lin Jingming's expression changed for a few moments: "Why not? It will affect work efficiency if we can't find someone to take over the work."
"I made the online handover very clear. If there was anything wrong, you could have raised it at the time."
Xia Zhitang suddenly looked behind Lin Jingming and shouted happily: "Mr. Cheng, wait a minute!"
When Lin Jingming turned around, Xia Zhitang had already slipped away from his side.
He stared at Xia Zhitang's back for a long time, and had already made up his mind.
At night, Xia Zhitang, who had just finished filming, was lying on the bed in the hotel reading the notice list. Xie Lin, who had been tormented by Lin Jingming all day, suddenly suggested holding a night talk to relieve the "work injury".
Xia Zhitang thought about it and nodded in agreement.
Just after cleaning the room, Yin Tian knocked on the door with potato chips in her arms, and then the chief producer Brother Wang followed in with beer.
Xie Lin ordered a large bag of barbecue and spread it on the coffee table. Everyone ate and drank while gradually starting to chat about gossip.
"Latest news! Director Lin's phone was searched by Su Wen in public last year!" Yin Tian said while munching on potato chips while curled up on the bean bag. "It all started because he insisted on using a certain little white flower."
"What's that? At the last family gathering, Su Wen blamed Old Lin for the sea cucumber!" Brother Wang said as he munched on grilled chicken wings. "Just because Su Wen said the third female lead had too many scenes, Director Lin talked back!"
Xia Zhitang held the wine glass and asked casually, "Isn't Su Wen from that hall background?"
"That's fake!" Xie Lin raised her beer bottle as if she were tasting red wine. "Her mother was a dancer. She changed her last name to her when she was in her thirties!"
"Is this true?" Yin Tian's eyes widened in shock. "She doesn't look like one."
"It's more real than pearls!" Xie Lin nodded confidently.
Xia Zhitang was sucking his neck while secretly writing down the information.
Everyone was chatting enthusiastically when Xia Zhitang's phone suddenly rang with Cheng Shubai's video invitation.
Xia Zhitang whispered to everyone: "Mr. Cheng!"
She hurriedly pressed the answer button: "Mr. Cheng, I'm here..."
A drunk Wang Ge suddenly appeared in the camera holding up a bottle of wine: "Old Cheng, would you like a couple of drinks?"
Cheng Shubai was stunned for a moment. "No need. Director Xia, I've sent the price quote for the fog machine for the ancestral hall scene to your email."
Yin Tian, who was drunk, leaned closer to the camera and asked: "Mr. Cheng, are you wearing SpongeBob's pajamas?"
The picture shook violently, and Cheng Shubai's voice came and went: "...shooting starts at 7 o'clock tomorrow...don't be late..."
After hanging up the phone, Xie Lin imitated Cheng Shubai, pushing up his glasses: "Why are some people just like Su Wen? They still want to discuss work after work!"
"That's right, I'm exhausted every day!" Brother Wang suddenly slapped his thigh: "Speaking of Su Wen! Last year she..."
Before he could finish his words, the fire alarm suddenly blared, scaring everyone so much that they jumped up and rushed out the door.
Xia Zhitang rushed to the door, but suddenly turned back to grab the notice, only to find that the scented candle that Yin Tian knocked over had ignited the script on the floor and triggered the sensor.
Everyone rushed to use cups to pour water to put out the fire.
In the corridor, Cheng Shubai rushed over holding a fire extinguisher: "Who is using an open flame in the room?"
"To create a gossipy atmosphere!" Xie Lin threw the remaining candle into the trash can.
Cheng Shubai pointed at everyone and shouted, "Go to sleep now!"
Yin Tian slipped away along the wall: "I'm going to memorize my lines..."
Brother Wang left with a wry smile, and those who had popped out to watch the fun in the corridor retreated back.
Cheng Shubai glared at Xia Zhitang, then turned and left with the fire extinguisher.
Xia Zhitang looked at the fire extinguisher in Cheng Shubai's hand, feeling a little regretful that the sudden fire interrupted their gossip.
On the third day of Xia Zhitang hiding from Lin Jingming, he finally couldn't hold back any longer.
Early in the morning, Lin Jingming sent Xie Lin to deal with a dispute in the costume group, while Yin Tian was dragged away by the production manager to reshoot close-up shots.
After transferring the two troublemakers away, Lin Jingming hid in the RV and called Xia Zhitang.
"The smoke density for the ancestral hall opera is wrong." He loosened his tie irritably. "Come over and adjust the parameters."
Xia Zhitang heard a noise from the intercom: "Ask the lighting technician to lower the color temperature by two levels and add a filter in post-production."
"I want to tell you face to face!" Lin Jingming narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "You are the one who owns the capital, so you are putting on airs now?"
The voice of the stage manager came from the other end of the phone: "Director Xia! The blasting team wants your signature!"
"Did you hear that?" Xia Zhitang spoke faster. "Let's switch to a video conference. Mr. Cheng is online too."
Lin Jingming suddenly opened the car window: "When I was editing "Dark Alley"..."
"Director Lin!" the producer knocked on the door of the RV, holding up a tablet. "The overseas distributor wants to see the actual ancestral hall."
Lin Jingming nodded, put away his phone and got out of the RV, just in time to see Xia Zhitang squatting in front of the monitor and directing the stand-in's movements.
He approached Xia Zhitang with a sullen face, but before he could speak, she turned her head with a sense of understanding.
Xia Zhitang was startled by Lin Jingming and immediately took a step back: "Have you signed the blasting order?"
Lin Jingming's face wasn't looking particularly good. He was about to speak when the stage manager came running over, holding a document: "Director Xia! Xie Lin is arguing with the costume crew!"
"I'll take care of it right away." Xia Zhitang turned to Lin Jingming and said, "I've had someone adjust the lighting in the ancestral hall. Please take a look at it later."
Lin Jingming stopped her: "Back then you..."
"Director Xia!" Yin Tian rushed over, holding up the hem of her costume. "My costume doesn't fit!"
Xia Zhitang ignored Lin Jingming's words and rushed over with the walkie-talkie.
As the setting sun gave the equipment box a scorching smell, Xia Zhitang picked up the phone that had been vibrating for a long time: "Speak."
"Back in the editing room..."
"I'm checking the blasting schedule." Xia Zhitang flipped through the papers, making a rustling sound. "If Director Lin wants to discuss the scene, please follow the crew's procedures."
Lin Jingming was stunned for a rare moment when he heard the busy tone on the phone.
He realized belatedly that Xia Zhitang seemed angry.
At five o'clock in the morning, Xia Zhitang was still groggy when he was awakened by the vibration of his cell phone.
She squinted her eyes and saw the caller ID of "Lin Jingming" flashing on the screen. Her thumb slid across the answer button and said, "Go ahead."
"…………sorry."
The busy tone came faster than the apology. After seeing the time, Xia Zhitang angrily threw the phone against the pillow.
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