CHAPTER 133
"Congratulations, Teacher Tang! You've successfully wrapped up!"
The whole venue erupted in cheers.
Tang Ruoyao rubbed her tired eyes, stood up from her seat, and walked out of the filming center.With two loud bangs, confetti poppers went off, and colorful ribbons adorned her head, creating a festive atmosphere.
"Thank you all for taking care of me these past few days and giving me a precious experience." Tang Ruoyao said, folding her hands together and bowing slightly, humbly expressing her gratitude to the creators and staff present.
She glanced at Xin Qian, who understood and stepped forward to distribute the wrap gifts that had been prepared in advance.
Tang Ruoyao hugged each person on set one by one, occasionally exchanging a few words in a low voice. Xin Qian held a pile of gifts from the crew for Tang Ruoyao, but she couldn't handle them all, so Qin Yinong gestured to A'xiao, and A'xiao and other assistants helped out.
When it was Han Yuping's turn, he still wore his usual stern face, not even a smile after completing the filming.
Tang Ruoyao received the wrap red envelope from him, gave it a pinch, feeling its weight, and said, "Thank you, Director Han."
Han Yuping didn't say much else, he just looked at her intently and said in a deep voice, "You are excellent. I hope we can collaborate again in the future."
Han Yuping was one of the top directors in all of China, and even on a global scale, he had a commanding presence. His words were extremely high praise.
Hearing such words, it was impossible for Tang Ruoyao not to be happy. She smiled lightly and humbly said, "Director Han is too kind."
Han Yuping didn't get into small talk with her and said, "Go and find... her. She has been waiting for you for a long time."
Tang Ruoyao turned her head and met the gaze of Qin Yinong, who was standing outside the crowd with a faint smile.
She didn't remember how she got there, but when she regained consciousness, she was already being embraced by the woman's fragrant and soft bosom. Tang Ruoyao hugged her tightly, and although she should have been happy, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.
Qin Yinong whispered gently in her ear, "Congratulations on the wrap-up."
Tang Ruoyao choked up, unable to utter a word.
Qin Yinong released her grip slightly, straightened her face, and gently wiped away the tears from Tang Ruoyao's face with her fingers, softly asking, "What's wrong?"
Tang Ruoyao cried silently, unable to utter a word, feeling embarrassed about her ugly crying face. She turned her face away, blocking it with one hand, and embarrassedly said, "Don't look at me."
Qin Yinong obediently whispered, "Okay, I won't look."
She paused for a while before stopping her sobbing, turning her red nose towards Qin Yinong and saying, "Okay, I'm out of character now." Actually, Tang Ruoyao's crying wasn't entirely because of saying goodbye to "Shen Muqing." It was also because of Qin Yinong's words, "Congratulations on wrapping up," which made her realize that her life as Han Zifei had come to a complete end.
She and Han Zifei had shared three months together, sharing joys, worries, pains, love, and passion. From now on, that bright and passionate girl could only exist forever in the story.
Qin Yinong's fingertips trembled slightly on the side, and she raised her hand again to embrace Tang Ruoyao.
In theory, she should express her blessings for Tang Ruoyao's future, but all words seemed barren in front of them. In the end, Qin Yinong just lowered her head and affectionately rubbed her temple with her chin.
"Good girl."
Tears filled Tang Ruoyao's eyes again.
Qin Yinong stroked her long hair behind her back and sighed softly in her heart.
After wrapping up the filming, Tang Ruoyao didn't leave the set. According to her contract, the wrap-up date was set on the day of the entire drama's wrap-up. With only a few days left, she became idle on the set, taking the opportunity to adjust herself, slowly detaching herself from Han Zifei's life and returning to her true self.
As she became idle, Qin Yinong became busier and busier. She still had many scenes to film. Although Qin Yinong didn't have to undergo the physical strain of acting like Tang Ruoyao, she treated each scene seriously, striving to adjust her emotions to the best state.
This film was personally produced by her, and she invested a significant portion of the funds. From the project's inception to the nearing wrap-up, she had been personally involved, step by step. The pressure was undeniably great, but she didn't show it. Everyone thought she was carefree, that the main producer was just a figurehead, including Han Yuping.
Only Guan Han's record book showed that her frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption had increased sharply. But Guan Han couldn't say anything to her. It was a special time, and special treatment was required. Qin Yinong had reassured her that once this drama wrapped up, she would strictly follow the plan and quit drinking.
Guan Han could only silently remove the increasing number of empty bottles from her room and prepare a detailed plan for her to quit drinking in advance. Fortunately, it could be arranged on the day of the wrap-up.
The last time Tang Ruoyao encountered Guan Han was not a coincidence. It was because she was paying attention to the movement across the street through the cat's eye that she coincidentally intercepted Guan Han. Now Qin Yinong hardly spoke on the set, fully immersed in the performance of the final few scenes. She had flipped the script so much that it was worn and torn, and Tang Ruoyao tactfully didn't disturb her. She only took over Guan Han's tasks when she occasionally showed signs of fatigue, timely handing her a cup of hot tea.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Unexpectedly, Qin Yinong heard a voice and looked up to see Tang Ruoyao, holding a thermos cup, smiling at her.
Tang Ruoyao sat down beside her, resting her hands on the edge of the seat, looking ahead. Without discussing the script, she casually asked, "What gift do you want?"
"A wrap-up gift?" Qin Yinong blew the steaming hot air from the cup and carefully took a sip of the hot tea.
"No, a birthday gift." The scheduled wrap-up date for the production was May 28th, and Qin Yinong's 30th birthday was four days later on June 1st. Generally, the production team would give the lead actor a birthday celebration in advance, most likely during the wrap-up banquet.
"...Anything is fine."
"I don't have gifts called 'anything.'"
"I like whatever you give me." Qin Yinong thought for a moment and cleverly changed her wording.
"What do you like then? You don't have to be specific, just the general type." Tang Ruoyao asked again.
"I like whatever you give me." Qin Yinong didn't change a single word.
Tang Ruoyao gritted her teeth and Qin Yinong saw through her intention, smiling and saying, "Want to bite me again?" Unfortunately, they were in a public place, so there was no chance.
Tang Ruoyao snorted.
She felt annoyed that Qin Yinong didn't care enough about herself, and also felt distressed that she couldn't even express what she liked. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Qin Yinong sighing almost imperceptibly.
Tang Ruoyao rubbed her forehead and stood up, saying, "You read the script, I'll think about it some more."
The thing that had been bothering her recently was choosing a birthday gift for Qin Yinong. She wanted to propose directly with a diamond ring, but she was afraid of scaring her away. So she had to suppress that thought and choose more conventional and proper gifts.
Perfume? Jewelry? Designer handbag?
They all sounded too cliché, and unbearable.
A car? A house?
She clicked into the 405 dormitory group that she hadn't visited in a long time.
Ding dong.
Tang Ruoyao: [@Everyone, sisters in the circle, I need your help! My crush's birthday is coming up, what gift should I give?]
The unbeatable beauty Wen Shuxian, residing online, was the first to respond: [Of course, give yourself! Buy a ribbon, a big gift box, and put yourself inside.]
A series of chat bubbles popped up: [You're too focused on romance. How long has it been since you last spoke in the group? You only show up to talk about something related to my rival in love. I warn you to come clean!]
Wen Shuxian: [If you don't reveal your crush's name today, I'll hang myself at your doorstep!]
Tang Ruoyao posted a sweating face emoji and said, [Let's talk about that later. Give me some ideas for now.]
Cui Jiaran: [Appeal to his interests.]
Tang Ruoyao: [Be more specific.]
Cui Jiaran: [Guys usually like sneakers. You can give him a pair of limited edition sneakers signed by a basketball star.]
Tang Ruoyao: [My crush has a more feminine personality.]
Wen Shuxian: [I knew it! Who can resist our Tang Ruoyao, the cold and domineering queen of the one 405 dorm. I didn't expect you to have this preference. Is it a girl A and boy O situation? How exciting!]
Cui Jiaran: [Stop reading those messy novels on your own. Don't corrupt our Tang Tang, okay?]
Tang Ruoyao watched them argue and fill the chat with dozens of messages, but not a single one was useful.
Tang Ruoyao: "..."
Fu Yujun, the only reliable one, arrived late: [Did the other person mention any preferences?]
Tang Ruoyao felt relieved and quickly typed: [No, they just said they like whatever I give.]
Wen Shuxian immediately shouted: [That's why I said giving yourself is the best!]
Cui Jiaran: [Stop talking nonsense!]
Wen Shuxian: [What's wrong with talking nonsense? I have a bunch of people chasing after me. It's better than hanging yourself early on a tree like you. Listen to me, prepare some red wine, cover the bed with rose petals, and have a candlelit dinner. Drive him crazy!]
Fu Yujun: [How about a necklace?]
The three of them asked together: [Why?]
Fu Yujun said, [There's no specific reason, I just suddenly thought of it. Necklaces are beautiful and convenient to wear. The most important thing on a birthday is having someone by your side, not the gift. Like you said, as long as it's from you, the recipient will like it.]
Fu Yujun said, [Instead of putting too much effort into the gift, why not prove to the other person how determined you are to walk together, through thick and thin, never leaving or abandoning each other.]
Wen Shuxian replied, [Damn, has Fu Yujun turned into a motivational speaker? Reading that makes me, a single, want to fall in love.]
Cui Jiaran said, [I want to break up with my boyfriend and start over.]
Fu Yujun replied, [[Shy] Have you never seen a pig run without eating pork? Broaden your horizons.]
Wen Shuxian replied, [Hahaha.]
Tang Ruoyao stared at the text, pondered it carefully, and felt enlightened. Tang Ruoyao knew that Qin Yinong didn't lack material things, and any gift would just be an embellishment. What she needed was a steadfast love and a tangible future.
In the end, Tang Ruoyao decided to write a long love letter to Qin Yinong, including their past, present, and future. Of course, she would also buy a necklace. The thought of Qin Yinong wearing the necklace she gave her at public events filled Tang Ruoyao's heart with joy.
With the birthday gift decided, Tang Ruoyao personally picked colorful stationery, along with a new pen and ink. Late at night, she sat at her desk and wrote the letter. Her handwriting was practiced, with strong strokes and excellent style. It was far better than a certain woman's messy handwriting.
Tang Ruoyao finished writing a piece of paper with a sense of accomplishment and couldn't help but smile at the words on it.
If there was a chance in the future, she would definitely ask Qin Yinong to write her a letter too, enough to make her happy for a lifetime.
She chuckled to herself, rubbed her stiff facial muscles, restrained herself, and continued writing.
She was busy preparing Qin Yinong's birthday gift, while the filming of "True Colors" entered a tense and intense phase. The atmosphere on set was suppressed, more so than before.
"Scene 59 of 'True Colors,' take one, action!"
Yangxi Lane, the sun rising, golden light enveloping every household, it was the picture of a peaceful world.
Xu Di pointed at the central white porcelain plate and said, "Mom, I want to eat another steamed bun."
The TV screen switched to the crash site, with airplane debris floating on the water's surface and fierce flames burning. The burning clouds dyed the entire sky red, both tragic and magnificent.
Xu Shiming frowned and said, "The fire is so intense, can anyone survive?"
He shook his head and sighed, "What a pity, so many families will be shattered, not even leaving behind their remains."
Suddenly, Shen Muqing felt a pang in her heart. Before she could make sense of it, she heard sorrowful cries coming from the neighboring house. Shen Muqing inexplicably shivered, her neck hairs standing on end. She followed the sound and rushed to the Han family next door.
Han's mother was kneeling on the ground, beating her chest and wailing, "My daughter!"
Han's father stood beside her, his eyes red.
The TV continued to broadcast the morning news.
Shen Muqing's heart skipped a beat as she cautiously asked, "What happened?"
Han's father closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face. "Xiao Fei... Xiao Fei was on that plane."
Shen Muqing's mind went blank with a thunderous shock, and everything seemed to fade away.
Han's mother cried inconsolably, and Han's father, with his upright figure, slowly bent down beside his wife, suppressing his choking voice as he comforted her, "The police said they are still recovering bodies at the scene. Maybe Xiao Fei is okay?"
Han's mother threw herself into her husband's arms, wailing loudly.
They both knew there was no possibility of survival.
Shen Muqing just stood there, dazed, as if her whole being had been emptied of its soul, without the slightest trace of expression.
.....
After several days and nights of rescue and salvage operations, all 264 people on board, including the crew, perished with no survivors. The failed crash landing caused an explosion and a massive fire. Han Zifei's remains were completely destroyed, with only a charred metal water bottle found drifting on the distant sea.
Fortunately, the farewell letter and a butterfly specimen inside the water bottle remained intact.
The inside of the cup lid of the water bottle was engraved with Han Zifei's name. It was soon delivered to Yangxi Lane by the police. Han's family set up a memorial, mourning their loved one with white clothes and sorrowful music playing day and night. In the center of the memorial hall, there was Han Zifei's black-and-white portrait, her smile radiant, forever frozen at the age of twenty-two.
The farewell letter was handed over to Shen Muqing.
Han's mother seemed to age ten years in an instant and left after handing it to her.
Shen Muqing calmly unfolded the imperfectly folded farewell letter. She calmly read each word, the handwriting crooked and twisted, requiring effort to discern each word clearly.
To Shen Muqing:
Be happy.
At the end was a smiley face, poorly and uglily drawn. The last stroke went askew, with a slanted line flying out of the corner of the mouth, making it look somewhat comical.
She neatly folded the farewell letter, meticulous and precise, aligning the corners as if she had OCD. Along with the butterfly specimen, she placed them inside a wooden box and locked it.
She never looked at it again.
She didn't want to hear or see it. By hiding it away, she could pretend that nothing had ever happened.
On the seventh day after Han Zifei's passing, Shen Muqing went alone to the Han family's house to pay her respects. She took three incense sticks, lit them, and silently gazed at the black-and-white photograph in the center of the memorial hall. Strangely, she remained calm, so calm that there were no ripples in her heart.
She even raised the corners of her lips and smiled lightly.
Was this some kind of prank? Or a long and dreadful nightmare?
It really wasn't interesting at all.
Why hasn't she woken up yet?
Suddenly, a commotion reached her isolated hearing. Shen Muqing turned her head sluggishly, and then her head jerked to the side heavily. She tasted a faint metallic flavor in her mouth.
Han's mother's voice seemed to come from the heavens, yet it remained indistinct.
Tears filled Shen Muqing's eyes, her eyeballs bloodshot, as she trembled and accused, "If it weren't for you, she wouldn't have gone to Mexico to see butterflies. How can you still laugh? Do you have a heart?!"
"Shen Muqing, I want you to pay for my daughter's life!"
Shen Muqing puzzledly thought: What is she saying? Why can't I understand?
She was pushed to the ground, and Han's mother pounced on her like a madwoman, hysterical, clasping her hands around Shen Muqing's neck.
Shen Muqing didn't resist, nor did she struggle. She just numbly looked at everything in front of her.
Several people rushed in to pull Han's mother away, chaos ensued, an unprecedented chaos, with tables and chairs collapsing everywhere.
Shen Muqing was thrown out of the memorial hall, her pristine qipao stained with dirt, her long hair disheveled. One side of her cheek was swollen high, and blood seeped from a cut at the corner of her mouth.
Han's father held his sobbing wife, his face turning pale, his fists clenched tightly, his teeth gritted as he struggled to restrain himself. He coldly said to Shen Muqing standing at the door, "You're not welcome here. Don't ever come back."
......
Han Yuping let out a heavy sigh, "Cut."
Many girls in the audience wiped away their tears.
Qin Yinong closed her eyes and slowly emerged from her lifeless state. The assistants and staff immediately used clean towels to wipe her face and re-style her hair. Qin Yinong allowed them to clean her up.
Tang Ruoyao waited until Qin Yinong looked presentable before gently holding her hand.
The warmth of their palms was familiar. Qin Yinong opened her eyes, her smile somewhat forced. "Are you okay?" She didn't suffer from a severe case of being unable to distinguish reality from fiction, but it didn't mean she could immediately recover unscathed after performing such a repressed scene.
Tang Ruoyao paused for a second and said, "What's wrong with me?"
Qin Yinong smiled and said, "I'm worried about you." Tang Ruoyao was still Han Zifei now. Han Zifei was buried deep beneath the earth. If she saw Shen Muqing being treated like this, her spirit wouldn't rest in peace.
Tang Ruoyao forced a smile and said, "I'm fine."
Qin Yinong touched the tip of her eyelashes, pretending not to notice her reddened eyes, and said softly, "Go back to the resting room, listen to me."
This time, Tang Ruoyao remained silent for a longer period of time and whispered, "Okay."
Tang Ruoyao had just finished filming and couldn't detach herself so quickly. Tang Ruoyao could handle the scene in front of her, but Han Zifei couldn't. If she continued to watch, she might end up playing a corpse on set or flooding the entire set with her tears.
Qin Yinong rubbed her head and said, "Be good."
Tang Ruoyao took a few steps back reluctantly.
In the next scene, Qin Yinong finished filming and discovered that Tang Ruoyao had silently appeared on set again, just like Qin Yinong had been before. She couldn't rest assured and had to watch her with her own eyes.
So Tang Ruoyao existed in a fragmented state. During the day, she belonged to Han Zifei, worrying and feeling heartbroken for Shen Muqing. At night, she was Tang Ruoyao, laughing uncontrollably while writing thicker and thicker love letters, dreaming sweet dreams.
She didn't think there was anything wrong with herself. Qin Yinong became increasingly silent on set, which she interpreted as being overwhelmed by stress before finishing filming. She didn't want to disturb her too much and even reduced the number of messages she sent after returning to the hotel.
Qin Yinong indeed had a lot of pressure and couldn't spare any thoughts for romantic affairs. Her entire focus was on acting.
The script supervisor clapped the board, "Scene 64 of 'True Colors,' one take, action!"
In the narrow Yangxi Lane, another piece of news that wasn't exactly newsworthy spread. Shen Muqing wanted to divorce Xu Shiming, and this time it was still her who initiated it.
The neighbors were buzzing with gossip, sitting on the roadside and chatting while cracking melon seeds.
"Weren't they reconciled before? Why is there trouble again?"
"Who knows?" someone sighed.
"The last time I passed by the Xu's house, I heard the couple arguing inside..."
.....
Han Yuping wiped her face. "Cut. It's done."
The end of filming was approaching, and every day was a countdown. On the third-to-last day, Qin Yinong had to shoot a crucial scene, which was the only proper crying scene for Shen Muqing in the script.
In the film, apart from the initial domestic violence where Han Zifei grabbed a mop handle and drove away Xu Shiming, Shen Muqing shed only two tears in Han Zifei's embrace. There were no other scenes where she cried. Even in the most heart-wrenching moment, the breakup scene by the river, her eyes were filled with tears but they never actually fell. This was a deliberate design by Han Yuping. Once, Qin Yinong couldn't control herself and let tears fall, and strict Han Yuping ordered a reshoot.
What he wanted was restraint, that feeling of being stretched to the extreme, suffocating suppression and sorrow with no outlet.
Now he wanted to release the tension that had built up throughout almost the entire film, and the impact would be the greatest.
After Han Zifei's death, Shen Muqing kept her belongings but never opened them. The accident at the funeral home seemed like an insignificant episode that had no impact on her life.
She continued to go to school, attend classes, grade students' assignments, participate in teaching seminars, go home to cook for her husband and children, be a good teacher and wife, and live a seemingly happy life as defined by society.
But was she truly indifferent? Was the vibrant and lively life brought by a young girl, along with the unique love she had, just forgotten? Did her death hold no meaning? No, it wasn't like that.
On the 63rd day after Han Zifei's departure, Shen Muqing was on the bus heading home, looking at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window, when suddenly, without any warning, she broke down and tears poured down like rain.
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