The light from the street lamps was reflected by the snow, elongating my shadow. Without turning back, I could already sense how lonely my silhouette appeared. The cigarette in my hand only intensified this sense of solitude, making me reluctant to look at the couples walking toward me, huddled close together. Their laughter warmed the snowy night, but at the same time, just like the unburned cigarette in my hand, it fueled the loneliness consuming me… What a beautiful yet sorrowful night this truly was!
Back at my place, Board Dad was already fast asleep, his snoring rhythmically filling the small room. I tried several times to fall asleep beside him but failed. Eventually, I put on my coat once again and wandered into the late-night streets.
I watched a midnight movie by myself—it was a romantic drama. Perhaps because it was so late or maybe the genre was not mainstream, the entire theater only had me and two other couples sitting in opposite corners. They seemed uninterested in the movie itself and were simply enjoying the process of being close while watching it. Therefore, I was the only serious viewer in the theater… This made me feel even lonelier, and I felt even more sorrow for the movie’s protagonists. I went to the restroom twice to smoke cigarettes before I could calm myself down, secretly cursing the screenwriter for creating such a bizarre plot!
The plot went like this: A couple meets in their youth, but due to a war, they are separated and mistakenly believe each other dead. Originally, this could have been a good ending—after all, war is a massive meat grinder, and life and death are beyond one’s control. However, they meet again in peacetime, each now having their own families. The feeling of love still exists, but everything has changed. After a painful struggle, they decide to break free from social constraints and elope to grow old together. On the way, the female protagonist commits suicide, overwhelmed by guilt for betraying her family and feeling responsible for the man she loves being scorned by society. She believes death is the final release—freeing herself, freeing love and hate, and freeing all the pain brought by the war…
I muttered “damn” twice. This was exactly the plot of a typical Korean drama. Out of curiosity, I quickly checked on my phone who the screenwriter was and surprisingly found it was none other than Li Xiao, the famous screenwriter who had worked on “The Literary Path.” Moreover, this drama had even won an international award.
Thinking further, this drama actually criticized the cruelty of war and prompted deep reflection on peace. Its spiritual depth should be on a much higher level. Suddenly, I felt it was much more sophisticated and even forgot my earlier curses about the screenwriter’s clichéd and melodramatic style. I stubbed out my cigarette and secretly wiped away a “tear,” only to realize I hadn’t actually shed any tears over the tragedy of the story.
…
Three days later, we welcomed a significant day. That afternoon, Luku Company was about to hold its first official press conference since its establishment. The main purpose of this event was to announce that Leyao, Cao Jinfeng, and renowned screenwriter Li Xiao would be joining the production and filming of “The Literary Path” micro-film. This would also be Leyao’s first public appearance since she withdrew from the entertainment industry six months ago.
Since the public learned through the media that Leyao was actually the daughter of Xiao Rulin, the previous false news about her using a famous director to climb the ladder was no longer believed. The truth was clear: given Leyao’s prestigious background, it was more likely that a director would try to attach himself to her. As a result, netizens began calling Leyao the “National Goddess.” However, soon after, there was an outpouring of lamentation because the National Goddess was getting married, and marrying into a wealthy family. This made netizens no longer believe in the myth of beautiful love in this world, as the one who eventually married the goddess was still an equally prominent god-like figure, not an ordinary guy like themselves! Thus, the path of an underdog rising up seemed so distant and hopeless!
The above is just online jokes and humor, not meant to be taken seriously. However, it does reflect Leyao’s current high popularity. Therefore, even though this press conference was held in Suzhou, a second-tier city, it still attracted the attention of dozens of mainstream domestic entertainment media outlets, creating a grand spectacle. To accommodate the filming of the micro-film, Leyao and Cao Jinfey postponed their originally planned wedding by a month, deciding to hold it on Christmas Day, giving full respect to the “Literary Path” project.
In the temporarily arranged preparation room, the stylist was designing the looks for Leyao and several other actors. Rob was chatting with Cao Jinfey while smoking a cigarette. This micro-film would also feature Rob, the new rock icon rising in the music industry, in a guest role, including CC as well.
I wasn’t idle either, sitting alone in a corner preparing the speech I would give during the press conference. CC was sitting beside me, watching me write on the paper, occasionally saying a word or two to me. After a brief silence, she lit a cigarette and said to me, “Zhaoyang, your career is really growing bigger and bigger… I don’t know whether I should be happy for you or worried about Mi’er.”
I paused my pen and asked her, “Where did that come from?”
“Sigh… Your career is thriving while Mi’er’s is deteriorating. Perhaps one day you two will switch places. I wonder, will the successful Zhaoyang still have feelings for the down-and-out Mi’er then?”
“First of all, I’m not Chen Shimu, and secondly, a dead camel is still bigger than a horse. There will never be a day when we switch places. You’re being so absurd…” I looked at her and continued, “Are you just too bored right now? If you’re bored, ask the stylist to do your hair.”
CC looked at the mirror in front of her, smoothing her bangs, and asked, “Do you think my hairstyle is bad?”
I ignored her and continued writing my speech, although I wasn’t sure if I would actually use it. Still, it was better to be prepared than not.
A moment later, a staff member came to the preparation room to notify us: the press conference would officially begin in fifteen minutes, and we were asked to get ready as soon as possible. Instinctively, I glanced toward Leyao and just at that moment, the stylist had finished her new look. I took a look at her—fashionable yet appropriate. With her current appearance, the title of “National Goddess” was definitely not given in vain… She was truly beautiful and charming. Moreover, unlike her usual casual self in daily life, she often maintained a high and cold demeanor in front of the media, making people instinctively admire and imagine.
I stood up and clapped my hands. Once I had everyone’s attention, I expressed my gratitude on behalf of the organizer and announced that there would be a banquet after the press conference. Everyone stood up to acknowledge me, and then we were led by the hostesses toward the front stage of the press conference…
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