Reunion
Xia Zhitang stood in front of a brand new tombstone and called Cheng Shubai: "I accepted your offer."
She touched the bright red inscription on the tombstone. The bright red bracelet around her wrist was like a blood-soaked cage, locking her life firmly to a month ago.
Three years later
In the busy office of a film and television company, the sounds of keyboards, printers, and phone calls in the cubicles are intertwined.
Xia Zhitang moved quickly across the sketchbook with her paintbrush, and the seventh revised conference room layout was spread out under her pen.
"Sister Xia is drawing storyboards again?" Intern Xiao Lin came over with a cup of Starbucks.
Without even looking up, Xia Zhitang said, "I'm helping the production department check the scene drawings."
Xiao Lin suddenly lowered his voice: "Boss Cheng was just cursing someone in the group, saying that the new executive director couldn't even fill out the camera table properly."
As soon as he finished speaking, a message from Cheng Shubai popped up on Xia Zhitang's phone on the table.
"Come to my office to check the scene map."
Xia Zhitang knocked on Cheng Shubai's office door with a sketchbook.
Cheng Shubai looked up from a pile of storyboards, stood up and took out a cowhide file bag with the Chenxing Group logo printed on it from the cabinet.
"The project book for 'Blue Luan Tribulation'," he handed the bag to Xia Zhitang, "Boss Lin wants to change the executive director."
"The Tribulation of Blue Luan" is a new drama directed by Xia Zhitang's former boss Lin Jingming, and Cheng Shubai is one of the investors with more say in Lin Jingming's company.
Xia Zhitang took the file bag, pulled out the thick documents inside and started reading through them.
Inside the project book for "The Tribulation of the Blue Luan", the diagrams of the explosion scenes at the top were the ones she submitted last week.
Cheng Shubai took the sketchbook with the scene drawings on it from her desk and started flipping through it. Only the two of them were left in the room, and the sound of paper shredding as they flipped through the pages was heard.
After closing the project book, Cheng Shubai was still looking at the scene map. Xia Zhitang began to lose focus, her eyes unconsciously looking at the faded red string on her wrist, which she had obtained at the Lama Temple after her husband's death.
"The position of executive director of "Blue Luan Jie" is vacant." Cheng Shubai put down the scene map, sat on the swivel chair with his legs crossed and stared at Xia Zhitang's reaction.
After waiting for a long while without Xia Zhitang responding, he spoke with a bit of boredom: "I hope you will take over."
Although Xia Zhitang had anticipated this outcome—after all, this was an opportunity she had spent three years and countless preparations to secure—she felt no particular emotion at the moment. Nothing was more important than doing the task at hand.
"I need to see the full budget."
Cheng Shubai nodded and pulled out the project documents that had been sent to him over the past few days from his cabinet. Pile upon pile of planning materials formed a thick mountain on his desk.
For the next half hour, Xia Zhitang quickly flipped through the documents, asking question after question. He scribbled down page after page of information on yellowed sketch paper.
She carefully went through the new information before saying goodbye to Cheng Shubai.
"Wait a moment." Cheng Shubai suddenly stood up, walked around half of the desk, and pushed the steaming white porcelain cup in front of her.
The aroma of Pu'er tea mixed with the aftertaste of cigars in Cheng Shubai's office was somewhat similar to the aroma in Lin Jingming's office.
"Three years ago during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Mr. Lin was drunk at Qiangui." He leaned against the edge of the table and said nonchalantly, "He held the microphone and sang 'Hiroshima Mon Amour'. He said his office key fell into the ice bucket."
Xia Zhitang's eyelashes trembled. That day, she submitted her resignation application. Lin Jingming was surprised and asked her why she was unhappy. How could she be happy?
That night, she had also gone to retrieve the key, and the pain of the broken ice shards piercing her fingers was still vivid. A drunk Lin Jingming placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Thank you for your hard work." The wedding ring on his ring finger pricked her collarbone.
Xia Zhitang smiled indifferently and said nothing.
She didn't know how much Cheng Shubai knew about her past with Lin Jingming, but he was still an ally they could work with, as long as that didn't change.
Cheng Shubai looked at Xia Zhitang's reaction and felt that he couldn't ask anything now.
"The crew will start filming next Wednesday." He circled the next Wednesday in red on the calendar with the tip of his pen. "A copy of the actor's contract will be sent to your email tonight."
Xia Zhitang looked at Cheng Shubai and suddenly said, "I will strive to gain the right to speak on the execution."
Cheng Shubai smiled. He turned and pulled a leather file bag from the bottom shelf of the bookcase, dropping it onto the table. Several photos slid onto the walnut tabletop, all close-ups of Lin Jingming in various settings—charity dinners, golf courses, and the basement garage.
Cheng Shubai picked up the top one and said, "I heard that Mrs. Lin has been going to auctions a lot recently."
There is a blurry reflection on the edge of the photo, which is Su Wen’s Xiangyunsha cheongsam.
Xia Zhitang recalled that several years ago, when she was still working under Lin Jingming, the boss lady had used the tip of her diamond-studded nail to scratch her while she revised seven versions of the storyboard: "Little girl, if outsiders touch anything that belongs to the Su family, they will have to pay the price."
"Director Lin once said that if everyone works just to make a living, no good work can be produced," she heard herself say.
"What about you now?" Cheng Shubai's pen glowed silver between his fingers.
Xia Zhitang smiled and mouthed two words. Cheng Shubai responded with a meaningful smile and nodded in understanding.
Some kind of secret agreement was quietly reached. Xia Zhitang did it for revenge, and as for Cheng Shubai? Perhaps it was for more stable investment returns, but that was not important.
There was a knock on the door, and Cheng Shubai's assistant brought in the contract for the executive director of "The Tribulation of Blue Luan".
After checking it, Cheng Shubai pushed the contract to Xia Zhitang.
As Xia Zhitang flipped through the contract, she recalled the moment three years ago when she was standing at the elevator entrance holding a cardboard box and the hand wearing the wedding ring pressed the door-opening button: "Zhitang, I believe in your ability."
If she had a choice, Xia Zhitang didn't want to see Lin Jingming again. But she finally did it, didn't she?
Xia Zhitang grabbed the pen and signed his name neatly in the signature section for Party B.
Her handwriting is not beautiful, but it has a tenacity, like flying wings.
When I walked out of Cheng Shubai's office, the rainstorm had just stopped and dusk was swallowing up the last ray of light in the sky.
The sensor lights in the corridor lit up one after another with the sound of Xia Zhitang's footsteps.
She walked between light and shadow and finally stopped at the corner of the fire escape.
Xia Zhitang looked up at the sky outside the window which was gradually getting darker. The wind from the twenty-eighth floor blew in, carrying with it the smell of earth after the rain.
The dark clouds have not yet dispersed, but the darkness is slowly swallowing everything.
She suddenly remembered the day she left Lin Jingming's company, on a rainy evening like this. He had chased her to the underground garage, saying that the new project needed someone like her, that the company was preparing for an IPO, that choice was more important than hard work, and that hard work was the most useless thing in the world.
What did she say at that time? It seemed that she held up her father's CT scan on her phone and said goodbye to Lin Jingming with a smile despite his gloomy expression.
The fire door was suddenly pushed open, and the scent of Cheng Shubai's cologne mixed with the smell of fresh cigarettes wafted in.
He leaned against the wall and lit a cigar. Xia Zhitang was not in the mood to chat with him at the moment, and the two fell into silence.
Cheng Shubai finished blowing out the last smoke ring and suddenly said, "Do you know why I chose you?"
“Because I can draw scenes?”
"Because Mr. Lin said that in Xia Zhitang's storyboard, the blue phoenix bird was always pecking at its own wings."
"Does he know I drew it?"
"Can you go in without his nod?"
When Cheng Shubai pushed open the glass door of the conference room, the purple clay tea set at the end of the long table was still the old one from three years ago. It was so familiar that Xia Zhitang felt a little dazed.
Three years had passed, and time seemed to have left no trace on Lin Jingming. He still liked to slick his hair back when he was in a good mood, still loved wearing a shirt and tie, and still sported a diamond-encrusted designer watch. The talent of a brilliant director and the arrogance of capitalism collided violently in him.
Lin Jingming casually played with his teacup and waved casually to Cheng Shubai as he entered. Then, his gaze fell on Xia Zhitang, who was following behind Cheng Shubai. Lin Jingming paused slightly and nodded slightly to Xia Zhitang as a greeting.
Xia Zhitang knew that her decisive resignation had upset him, so she didn't try to please him now. She just gave him a polite smile.
Lin Jingming turned his eyes away as if he didn't see it and continued to play with the teacup in his hand.
Xia Zhitang didn't care. Three years were enough time for her to learn to block out Lin Jingming's bad temper. She turned around and silently put the thermos on the windowsill. She glanced at the dark sky and felt a myriad of emotions in her heart.
If it weren't for the accident three years ago, she might be collecting folk songs with her late husband in some beautiful place, instead of moving to a higher position in order to gain more initiative.
This is what they call fate.
The meeting hadn't officially started yet, and everyone was exchanging information in low voices and secretly looking at Xia Zhitang.
Xia Zhitang nonchalantly arranged his sketchbook, notebook, pencil, and computer one by one, and sat upright waiting for the meeting.
Cheng Shubai looked at his watch, stood up first, and glanced around the conference room.
Everyone immediately quieted down.
"Everyone, this is Xia Zhitang, the executive director assigned by the investors." Cheng Shubai tapped the whiteboard. "Today we'll mainly discuss the filming plan for 'Blue Luan Tribulation'."
"Welcome Director Xia, it's a pleasure to work with you again." Lin Jingming leaned back in his chair and said perfunctorily.
Polite compliments were heard sporadically. Lighting Director Lao Zhang glanced at Lin Jingming and suddenly cleared his throat. "Xiao Xia? We met at the film festival last year, right? You said Director Lin's martial arts film was too brightly lit."
Everyone's attention was instantly focused on Xia Zhitang.
Xia Zhitang smiled slightly. She was not at the film festival last year, but she agreed with Director Lin's statement that the lighting in his martial arts films was too bright.
"Director Lin's use of natural light for the night scenes was truly bold," she said, flipping through the budget sheet. "However, 70% of this was shot in studios, and the lighting costs went over by 120,000 yuan."
"The real-world quality the investors want is going to cost a fortune." Lin Jingming took off his glasses and exhaled. "Just like when Mr. Cheng insisted on silk costumes, the laundry room was on strike."
Cheng Shubai laughed out loud: "Director Lin, yesterday the props team replaced the antique vase with a resin one. The money they saved was enough to hire three laundry workers."
The head of the production, Lao Zhang, interrupted, "Director Xia, look at this location..." He pushed over an iPad map with a red circle on it. "The rent in the East District of the Film and Television City has increased by 3,000 yuan a day."
"Let's go to the old teahouse in the West District." Xia Zhitang clicked on the photo album on his phone. "I went there last week. The carved windows on the second floor can produce the same lighting effect."
The mottled wood grain in the photo reflects the sunset, and there is a white porcelain teacup in the corner, which just fits the atmosphere required by the film.
Lin Jingming tapped the table with his fingertips. "The circuits in the West District are aging, so we need to bring our own generators for big night shows."
"It's better than the road construction in the East District." Xia Zhitang pulled up his chat history. The top message was a noise complaint from the lighting team leader. "Last week, the Universal guys were filming a rain scene, and the crane noise completely ruined the dialogue."
Cheng Shubai interrupted, "Lao Lin, last time you mentioned that martial arts instructor..."
"I'm going to use Ah Cheng from Hong Kong," Lin Jingming circled on the notice. "He was Tsui Hark's stunt double."
"His daily salary is enough to hire three local martial artists." Xia Zhitang folded the quotation sheet into a paper airplane, "and he's going to Hengdian next week to film."
The paper plane flew over Lin Jingming's head and landed in Cheng Shubai's potted plant.
"Use a local team." Cheng Shubai smiled and picked up the quotation sheet from the potted plant. "Use the money saved to replace the heroine's jade necklace with a real one. The prop team said the imitation one is too reflective."
Lin Jingming loosened his tie and said, "Then delete the aerial footage of the chase in the bamboo forest."
"No," Xia Zhitang retorted, "This scene is a selling point for overseas distributors."
"Take the middle path and switch from aerial photography to ground-based orbital photography." Cheng Shubai flicked his finger on the budget sheet. "The money saved will be enough to rent two more real horses."
The rain outside the window suddenly got heavier, and the raindrops hitting the glass looked like pearls scattered on a plate.
The girl from the grounds ran in: "Director Lin, the East District called and said they won't be renewing the lease."
"It's a good time to change to the West District." Xia Zhitang quickly wrote the quotation sheet on the whiteboard. "The owner of the teahouse is my college classmate."
Lin Jingming slammed his pen on the table: "Does the management insist on sending someone like me to manage the money?"
He looked at Xia Zhitang steadily and suddenly laughed: "Okay, I'll take you to meet the martial arts team tomorrow."
Xia Zhitang raised an eyebrow, took a photo of the whiteboard, and sent it to the work group: "Tomorrow at nine o'clock, I want to see the new schedule."
Lin Jingming suddenly stood up and said, "It's been three years since we last met. It's a pleasure to work with you again."
Lin Jingming walked up to Xia Zhitang, stretched out his hand to her condescendingly, and looked at her deeply.
Xia Zhitang immediately stood up and responded respectfully.
The moment their hands clasped together, Lin Jingming's fingertips gently scratched Xia Zhitang's palm. Without waiting for Xia Zhitang's reaction, he released it, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion to Xia Zhitang...
Xia Zhitang sneered in his heart. After not seeing him for three years, he still had the same hunting habits - testing the waters step by step, and only attacking when he felt it was safe.
Following Lin Jingming's statement, the crew members immediately changed their attitude towards Xia Zhitang and came forward to chat with him in a familiar manner.
Three years ago, as a capable employee under Lin Jingming, Xia Zhitang also enjoyed this treatment.
Now she believes regaining trust won't be too difficult.
The next day, when Lin Jingming pushed open the door of the rehearsal room, Xia Zhitang was bending over to adjust the wire rope buckle.
Lin Jingming leaned against the wall and looked at her quietly.
Xia Zhitang now has a neat short hair, and the sweat on the hairline at the back of his neck sparkles like crystals.
Lin Jingming held a cigarette in his mouth and couldn't help but think of the time a few years ago when she was working late in the editing room. She had her hair tied in a high ponytail, and the loose hair on the back of her neck was stuck into small curls by sweat. Her soft neck at that time was also full of vigorous vitality just like it is now.
The little white rabbit from that year came back in this way.
Xia Zhitang looked up inadvertently and met Lin Jingming's playful smile.
She pretended to be unaware and waved to Lin Jingming.
Lin Jingming put out his cigarette and walked over slowly.
"Ah Cheng, we'll be using the third set of moves for the audition later." Lin Jingming rolled up the script and tapped it on his palm. "Have the double do a few flips in the air first."
The Hong Kong martial arts director chewed gum and gestured: "Director Lin, the third set will cost extra." The young martial artists behind him laughed, and a boy with dyed blond hair threw the prop sword high in the air.
Xia Zhitang pulled out a waist protector from her canvas bag. "Then let the martial artists try this first." She shook out the black protective gear. "The latest model of gel pads, 30% off at the studio supermarket."
The blond martial artist came over to touch the material and said, "It's softer than what we use!"
"There are still twenty left in the supermarket." Xia Zhitang glanced at his phone. "There's a sale before lunch break ends."
Seven or eight martial artists rushed out, and Ah Cheng was so anxious that he shouted in Cantonese: "Fan Li is auditioning!"
Lin Jingming said to Xia Zhitang with a smile: "You used to be most annoyed by these trivial matters."
"I used to be an editor." Xia Zhitang shoved a waist brace at a passing crew member. "Now I have to take care of 2,000 yuan a day in lost wages."
The hem of Xia Zhitang's dress brushed against the back of Lin Jingming's hand, carrying the unique smell of rust from the rehearsal room. Lin Jingming narrowed his eyes and slowly scanned Xia Zhitang - she now seemed familiar yet fresh.
Xia Zhitang pretended not to notice Lin Jingming's aggressive gaze, just as he had deliberately played dumb three years ago.
"Old Lin, the costume department wants to see you." Cheng Shubai suddenly pushed the door open and waved his phone at Lin Jingming. "Three of my silk costumes have been torn."
Lin Jingming nodded. As he walked out, he heard Xia Zhitang say, "For the third round, if we use the second set of moves with a waist protector, the moves will look better and won't be so easy to get injured."
Ah Cheng muttered as he began to change the action design. Lin Jingming only felt that the sound of the prop sword cutting through the air became lighter.
He was dealing with an annoying phone call outside the corridor. He turned around and saw Xia Zhitang's figure reflected in the mirror of the rehearsal room through the glass door. She was standing on tiptoe to adjust the height of the wire machine, and her sneakers were stained with magnesium powder from the rehearsal room.
Lin Jingming suddenly remembered that year when he walked into the editing room, he saw Xia Zhitang waving at him eagerly.
Her eyes were as bright as the moon in the sky: "Director Lin, I edited a dual-story version for the seventh episode!"
Little rabbit, you are finally back.
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