Chapter 201 - Storytelling
"Much better. How about you? Weren't you injured that day too? I asked you on WeChat before, but you didn't reply." Shi Feiye was still wondering if Wan Fu was in a bad mood and didn't want to reply to her.
"Hey, it's my parents. As soon as they heard I was injured, they rushed over to see me yesterday. I didn't even have time to check my phone. I came here today to reply to you, and seeing that you were already here, I thought I would just come over and ask you directly, so it wouldn't be a bother."
Wan Fu then politely greeted Han Wenya, "Ms. Han, nice to meet you. I didn't expect Director Wang to invite you to guest star. This will definitely add another touch of color to our crew."
"Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. I don't deserve your words. With you and Miss Wu on the crew, there's no need for me to add to the fun." Han Wenya instinctively backed off in the face of Wan Fu. This woman was a tough character who had established herself in the entertainment industry entirely through her own strength. She couldn't afford to offend her.
"You know A Ye, that's really a blessing, it's just right for A Ye to explain the play to you."
Han Wenya nodded, pretending to be happy: "That's right, thanks to Ah Ye's explanation of the play just now, my understanding of the role has deepened a little."
Wan Fu wanted to talk to Han Wenya, but she also noticed that Shi Feiye was not very enthusiastic about her, so she asked, "Miss Han, is there anything else? If not, I have some questions for Ah Ye."
"It's okay, it's okay. You guys chat, I'll go figure out my role first." Even though Han Wenya was dissatisfied, she still gave in. She couldn't argue with Wan Fu yet.
Shi Feiye said politely in time: "If you have any questions, please come and tell me. Don't be polite."
"Don't worry, you guys talk first."
After Han Wenya left, Wan Fu sat down where she had just been sitting: "What's wrong? Is this person annoying you?"
"It's okay. We've known each other for a while, but we're not that close. I just feel something is a little weird, but I can't really put my finger on it. Maybe I'm overthinking it."
Of the entire crew, Shi Feiye and Wan Fu have the closest relationship. Shi Feiye also has a good impression of this person. He is a straightforward and honest person with a good character, so he can occasionally tell her a few sincere words.
"This circle is just like that. If you don't have a plan in mind, you won't make it. You don't have to worry too much about it. You'll be on guard sooner or later anyway. You have a background, so you don't have to worry about what she might think. Even if she does, she won't dare to go too far."
Wan Fu's words were casual, yet tinged with sadness. Shi Feiye had no choice but to change the subject: "Have your parents passed away? I didn't come yesterday. Is anything wrong?"
"What could be the problem? It's just that Writer Hai is a little tired. This is good. This way everyone won't be too annoying to Writer Hai and will just calm down."
"That's good. I was worried you'd be too busy." Shi Feiye and Wan Fu discussed the script again and again, and then the work got back on track.
At noon, Han Wenya came over and asked her to have sushi, but Shi Feiye quickly declined. She had a nutritious meal that Qin Bulu had helped her order, so she didn't need to eat other people's food.
Han Wenya wanted to take this opportunity to find out something, but Wan Fu came over again and sat with them, chatting and eating. Wu Chunqian also came over from behind, and the topic became completely safe. No one could say anything.
The afternoon shoot was almost over, so Director Wang asked Shi Feiye to go back and rest. He also insisted on assigning his driver to her, telling the driver to take her back no matter what. Shi Feiye had no choice but to go back and rest early.
After dinner, she started typing. In the evening, Qin Bu Ru called her:
"How was your day? Are you tired?"
She didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but Shi Feiye felt that Qin Buliu's tone seemed to be much gentler. She thought that she must be like other women who were in love, affected by her mentality. She sighed with amusement and helplessness in her heart, and answered Qin Buliu honestly:
"No, everyone is very nice to me. If there's anything, they'll come to me and try not to bother me. Director Wang even specially arranged for me to come back early. It's no different from just moving to a different place to recuperate."
Qin Buzhu thought of the information about the woman named Han Wenya that he had asked Zou Lianxun to check today, and reminded Shi Feiye:
"If Director Wang wants you to leave, don't be too polite to him. Also, I had Xiaoliu check on the woman we met today. She's not a particularly good person. Don't get too close to her."
"Are you talking about Han Wenya?" Shi Feiye was a little curious, "Why?"
"She's a bit eccentric, and has surrendered to reality in pursuit of fame. She used some trickery to get the role in that previous drama. People like her are likely to go from one extreme to the other. While they might not do anything to you, it's still best to be cautious."
Shi Feiye said she understood. Just when she didn't know what the two of them should say, Qin Buzhu suddenly said, "Do you want to hear a story?"
Hmm? Want to hear a story?
Shi Feiye thought Qin Bulu was going to tell her some love story or something like that: "Okay."
Then Qin Buzhu began to speak:
In the old days, there was a scholar named Sun Bairen. He failed the imperial examinations repeatedly in his early years and gave up the idea of becoming an official. He married and had children, living off the rent from the hundred-plus acres of land left by his ancestors. Although he had little literary talent, he enjoyed calligraphy, painting, and chess. Lately, an old Taoist priest has been setting up chess on the banks of the county moat, and Sun Bairen has been spending his days there.
As we became familiar with each other, we gradually became able to talk about anything.
One day, after playing chess, the two men settled their chess and talked for a while. It was already dusk, and Sun Bairen didn't want to go home to see his old woman. The old Taoist said, "Since you don't want to go back, why don't you come back with me to the Taoist temple in the mountains and talk across the bed at night? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Sun Bairen clapped his hands and agreed.
The old Taoist priest lived in a small Taoist temple deep in Taoshan Mountain outside the city. After leading Sun Bairen inside and offering him fragrant tea, Sun Bairen marveled at the paintings on the temple walls, which were profound and profound, seemingly not the work of ordinary people. He asked who had painted them. The old Taoist priest had no idea, only saying that the temple had a long history and that these murals had been there since he could remember.
Sun Bairen was increasingly surprised and remained silent for a long time, his hands lowered and his head gazing, admiring the world in the painting.
The old Taoist, who didn't understand any school of painting, smiled and twirled his beard when he saw this. He said, "Master left behind a painting box before his death. Inside was a long scroll. I can't tell whether it's good or bad, but Master instructed that it must not be allowed to enter the secular world. Otherwise, I would have given it to you long ago."
Upon hearing this, Sun Bairen begged the Taoist priest to show him the painting box so that he could feast his eyes on it.
The old Taoist was just about to show off, so he pulled out a large wooden box from under the bed, brushed off the dust, and opened the copper lock. Inside, he saw a scroll. He slowly opened it and showed it to Sun Bairen.
The work, signed "The Picture of a Hundred Bears," was by a Taoist named Kongkong, and its content was incredibly bizarre. Across the ten-foot-long scroll, a hundred bears of all sizes were depicted, each in a different form, yet never appearing crowded. What was even more puzzling was that all the bears were dressed in clothing and hats, resembling street vendors. Sun Bairen marveled at the artistry alone, stating that it was a rare sight in the world.
Later, the two set up a chess game. Sun Bairen, preoccupied with the "Hundred Bears Picture," made a miscalculated move and soon lost. He continued his conversation with the Taoist priest late into the night, offering subtle hints. The Taoist priest hinted that he would follow his master's instructions and not let the painting fall into the hands of the frivolous world. Sun Bairen slept soundly, his eyes agape with bears of all sizes dancing before him. Hearing the Taoist priest's snoring deepen, Sun Bairen tiptoed out of bed. In the moonlight, he spotted the "Hundred Bears Picture" still on the table. He grabbed the scroll and fled the temple.
After walking just a few dozen steps, he heard hurried footsteps behind him. The old Taoist priest came chasing him and said, "Fellow Taoist, please stay. This painting is very strange and must not be taken down the mountain."
Sun Bairen was so eager to get the painting that he refused to listen. He increased his strength and the Taoist priest chased him even closer. After all, the mountain path was rugged and Sun Bairen was eventually caught up. He became more and more impatient and pushed the Taoist priest hard, pushing him down the cliff. It was bottomless and he knew he was dead.
At that time, the night was getting deeper and quieter, and since they were in the mountains, there was no one else around. Sun Bairen let out a long sigh, took two steps at a time, and went down the mountain.
Before the dawn, he was already at the foot of the mountain, and he returned home as if nothing had happened.
When his wife and children asked him where he had been the previous night, Sun Bairen made up a lie, saying he had stayed up late with an old friend and had stayed the night at his house. His wife did not suspect anything.
Sun Bairen casually finished his meal, unfolded the scroll, and admired it carefully. The more he looked at it, the more he loved it. He hung it on the wall of his bedroom. Whether he went to bed or got up, the first and last thing he saw was the "Hundred Bears Picture".
One night, a thunderstorm erupted. Sun Bairen heard a strange noise and turned to look. Just then, lightning struck, illuminating the surroundings. The bears depicted in the "Hundred Bears Picture" seemed to come alive, and a roar of activity erupted. Before Sun Bairen could even leave his bed, the painting suddenly grew ten thousand times larger, encompassing him within.
Sun Bairen suddenly felt dizzy, like dust in the wind. It took him a long time to steady himself. He wasn't standing in a bedroom, but in a forest. Two or three bears stood beside him, their heads tilted, staring at him. Each of these bears was dressed in clothes and walked straight. Without their fur, they looked like humans.
Sun Bairen was shocked and pinched his arm, feeling pain. He knew it wasn't a dream.
Is there really such a thing as bears? Seeing more and more bears surrounding him, Sun Bairen was terrified and fled desperately. He ran for two hours, but ended up back where he started.
Among the bears, an old one seemed to sigh, waved his paw at Sun Bairen, and spoke in human language: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
Sun Bairen collapsed to the ground and passed out.
When he woke up again, he found several bears looking at him with concern. One of them brought some spring water in a ladle and said to Sun Bairen, "Drink, drink."
Sun Bairen took two sips and thought to himself, "This guy doesn't seem to have any intention of harming me. I have to find out where this place is."
So, when I tried to communicate with the human bear, the human bear couldn't express himself well, and could only say a few simple words each time.
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