Win-win
Xia Zhitang read several topic selection reports and felt a headache like being pricked by needles.
She put the report down and sighed. Before Lin Jingming was around, she hadn't found the review process so cumbersome. She excelled at providing suggestions on implementation direction and making inspired adjustments after deep involvement in a project, while Lin Jingming excelled at understanding the fundamental purpose of a project.
Now that Lin Jingming has gone to make a movie, Xia Zhitang is the only one left to control the overall situation. He feels that the difficulty of his work has increased a lot.
She picked up her phone and involuntarily swiped to Lin Jingming's profile picture. The last message she replied to was around six in the morning.
Xia Zhitang was still hesitating whether to send a message to Lin Jingming to complain about today's torturous review. Lin Jingming's tile cat avatar with an open mouth already had several red dots on it.
Chun He Jing Ming: Oh my god, these people are so stupid, it’s another day that makes the director angry!
Chun He Jing Ming: I have given the instructions a hundred or eighty times, but why do I always find a little problem?
Chunhe Jingming: I don’t even expect them to shoot anything beyond my expectations. Is it that difficult to shoot according to my requirements?
Chunhe Jingming: Everything was fine when you followed me, alas [sigh].
It seems that things are not going very well for Lin Jingming either. Xia Zhitang opened the keyboard and started to make an appointment with Lin Jingming to visit the set.
Lin Jingming looked at the message on his phone and jumped up excitedly: "Coordination, where is the coordination! Bring up the one-shot scene the day after tomorrow!"
"Come on, come on, help keep an eye on it."
As soon as Lin Jingming saw Xia Zhitang, he stuffed the information he had prepared long ago into her arms.
"They keep looking through the mirrors, and the mood lighting is always wrong." Xia Zhitang was genuinely happy to be able to visit Lin Jingming on the set. "Let them see your ability, and I'll treat you to dinner after we wrap."
Before Xia Zhitang could say anything, Lin Jingming pushed her in front of the monitor and thoughtfully gave her a walkie-talkie and a loudspeaker.
"Is this why you messaged me in the middle of the night?" As soon as she turned on her phone in the morning, she was bombarded with messages from Lin Jingming.
"This scene is very important, don't embarrass me." Lin Jingming shamelessly encouraged Xia Zhitang, "For the sake of our friendship, do your best!"
"Lin Jingming, you did it on purpose." Xia Zhitang used an affirmative sentence.
Lin Jingming smiled at her and raised his loudspeaker: "Attention all units, follow Director Xia's command today. She is my deputy."
Under the undisguised searchlight-like gazes of the entire crew, Xia Zhitang smiled politely.
Lin Jingming patted Xia Zhitang on the shoulder, raised the loudspeaker and began to call out people: "Those whose names are called now, please raise your hands and answer."
While Xia Zhitang was recognizing the person, he secretly stepped on Lin Jingming.
Lin Jingming frowned slightly, leaned over and whispered in her ear, "It's a one-shot group portrait scene. Your presence really helped me a lot."
As soon as Cheng Shubai entered the set, he saw Lin Jingming and Xia Zhitang standing next to the eunuch, exchanging glances.
He snorted barely perceptibly but said nothing.
He knew that Lin Jingming was a restless guy, but the overall strength of the team was indeed a bit lacking. With Xia Zhitang in this one-shot scene, the performance would be much more stable.
After coordinating the entire scene, Xia Zhitang felt sleepy and tired.
But when she and Lin Jingming saw the one-shot "good take" on the monitor, the smile on her lips conveyed her joy faster than the feedback from her brain.
People really need the sense of accomplishment that comes from being recognized in their professional fields. On the set, Xia Zhitang felt that he was the shining one.
Lin Jingming looked at his watch happily and found that he had finished work half an hour earlier than expected.
"Let's go and have dinner first. Today we have your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs and braised shrimps." Lin Jingming wanted to hug the soft Xia Zhitang and kiss him a few times.
"Director Lin, it's great. The food is delicious." Xia Zhitang felt even happier when he heard that there were some of his favorite dishes.
"I prepared this especially for you today." Lin Jingming leaned over and whispered in Xia Zhitang's ear, "Usually I'd still be hungry at this time."
Xia Zhitang and Lin Jingming laughed. "Alright, show me the topic report after dinner."
"Okay, I'll give you all the time today." Lin Jingming's last words were like the fluffy brush of a dandelion, gently sweeping past Xia Zhitang's ears.
However, the person's mind had already shifted to the annoying topic report, and Lin Jingming was left alone.
"Lin Jingming, why do they always miss the point?" Xia Zhitang recalled the messy and disorganized report. "Is it really that difficult to write? I find it so unappealing!"
"Don't be angry, let's eat first." Lin Jingming closed the door of the RV, creating a quiet space in the room. "You understand how I feel, right? They always fail to fully understand such simple shooting instructions."
He sighed and opened the lunch box lid in a hurry. "Not only has your arrival improved the picture quality, but it also saved me half an hour's electricity bill. I can sleep well tonight without worrying."
Xia Zhitang finally empathized with Lin Jingming's persistence in letting her control the situation and execution. It was really painful for high-level teammates to be used to working together and being backward compatible.
"Hey, do you think we can provide some training?" Xia Zhitang broke open the chopsticks and handed them to Lin Jingming. "Maybe they haven't sensed the method yet?"
"Why do you think I brought you here from my editing position?" Lin Jingming put a piece of pork ribs into the bowl in front of Xia Zhitang. "A good seedling will always stand out even if it's unfamiliar. The first step is screening."
"Good seedlings don't come around often. Most are just average people." Xia Zhitang sighed as he gnawed on some pork ribs. "You're not saying they can't pull it off, but those who know the business can see the difference in inspiration."
"So you have to learn how to give orders and put different people in the right places to maximize their strengths." Lin Jingming looked at Xia Zhitang seriously, and his mind flashed back to the image of her youthful appearance chasing him around on the set asking questions. "Just like you dispatched other people on the crew, except now you have a group of documentary directors added to your responsibilities."
But at that time, you were with me, so Xia Zhitang swallowed the words in his mind along with the sweet and sour pork ribs.
Now she needs to learn to independently control the projects under her charge. Lin Jingming can analyze many problems for her incisively and clearly. It is human nature and not a matter of course.
Lin Jingming found Xia Zhitang's rare worried look endearing. "Don't worry, you can do it. After dinner, I'll teach you how to analyze each of their characteristics from their topic proposals. As for the specific implementation, you're better than me."
"Thanks."
Lin Jingming wanted to reach out and rub Xia Zhitang's head. He could see a hint of pity in Xia Zhitang's smile. How could he still be so defenseless and adorable after all these years?
"It's strange to say thank you." Lin Jingming patted Xia Zhitang on the shoulder. "What's our relationship? We've worked together on several films, from the filming of Spotlight to the Tibetan highlands and then to the mountains of Yunnan Province."
"I quite miss the days of making documentaries." Xia Zhitang stroked the cool aluminum can with his fingertips. "Although it was very tiring and hard, the sense of satisfaction was truly rare."
"Because back then, it was really easy for us to get close to the real characters' inner thoughts." Lin Jingming raised his aluminum can and clinked glasses with Xia Zhitang. "Art, after all, is the expression of human emotions. Good art can illuminate philosophical dilemmas."
"Lin Jingming, what do you think philosophy is?" Although Xia Zhitang hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol today, he felt a little tipsy.
"Don't think too much about these nonsense." Lin Jingming couldn't help but stretched out his hand to pinch Xia Zhitang's face and successfully withdrew before she fought back.
“这话可是你提的！”夏知棠没揍到林景明有些生气，顺手把辣椒、蒜瓣夹林景明饭盒里。
"It's not time for you to learn yet." Lin Jingming smiled and took the pepper away. "One needs to be rich and free to think about these things."
"What about you?" Xia Zhitang felt that Lin Jingming's words were somewhat contradictory. He was not necessarily leisurely, and was busy like a top every day.
"Me? I have my own life lessons, so my spiritual world can hold up."
Lin Jingming looked at Xia Zhitang with eyes shining with a deep light like stars. Xia Zhitang subconsciously lowered her eyes to look at Lin Jingming's ring finger where he once wore the wedding ring.
"Is it because of marriage?" Xia Zhitang had seen Lin Jingming break down in front of Su Wen.
Lin Jingming looked at the shining wedding ring on Xia Zhitang's ring finger and smiled helplessly: "Yes and no."
He once advised himself to let go of Xia Zhitang, but he simply couldn't do it.
He had been confused and collapsed, but in the end he chose to listen to the voice of his heart. Since he couldn't stop loving and couldn't let go, he decided to become a better person.
"Little girl, stop asking about me and eat quickly." Lin Jingming took the initiative to end the conversation. Now was not the time to continue the discussion.
"Girl?" Xia Zhitang's attention shifted to this new nickname.
"Yes, you are so much younger than me." Lin Jingming felt that Xia Zhitang was the cute person in front of her.
"Oh, you sound so mature." Xia Zhitang couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"If I go out and stand on the stage, there will be a lot of fans!" Lin Jingming regained his smug look.
Xia Zhitang snorted coldly: "That's because they didn't see you cursing and throwing cups."
"Xia Zhitang, do you still want me to help you look at the topic report?" Lin Jingming felt that she was really bold now.
"Come on, eat more vegetables, it's healthy." Xia Zhitang put the cabbage hearts into Lin Jingming's bowl.
Lin Jingming looked at her perfunctory look and couldn't help but snort.
Xia Zhitang pointedly picked up another braised shrimp and put it into his bowl.
Lin Jingming feigned dissatisfaction as he squinted at Xia Zhitang. It wasn't until she brought him another plate of sweet and sour pork ribs that he muttered reservedly, "These are your favorites."
"I gave you all my favorite food. It's so good for you!" Xia Zhitang answered righteously.
"You're the only one who can say that." His tone of disdain concealed infinite doting.
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