Jian Wei held her chin and pondered for a moment before saying to me, “First read through the story outline, and then let’s discuss whether her image fits the spiritual essence conveyed by ‘The Artistic Path.'”
I nodded and started flipping through the story outline for “The Artistic Path.” Only halfway through, Leyao’s cheerful yet sorrowful face appeared in my mind and refused to leave. This feeling convinced me that this role was meant for Leyao and no one else. Others might be able to play the role, but none would be as vivid as her. She had a kind of magic; even without speaking, just looking at her was like watching a story unfold.
I closed the file and Jian Wei, who had been watching me the whole time, asked, “After reading the story outline, what are your thoughts now?”
“I think if we really decide to film this story into a short film, this role must go to Leyao unless we change the expression style completely.”
Jian Wei nodded and said, “I agree with you. On the surface, Leyao’s marriage doesn’t quite fit the expression of ‘The Artistic Path.’ However, the core plot of this story revolves around a woman with dreams who meets a violinist on her artistic journey. After going through various separations and reunions, they eventually understand and fall in love, creating a beautiful romance… So if we set the outcome of this love story as marriage, wouldn’t that also be a realistic expression and adaptation?”
After finishing her words, Jian Wei looked at me with an expression that encouraged me to think for myself. After a while, I understood her meaning and asked, “You mean… inviting her fiancé, Cao Jinfie, to join the filming of this short film and play the violinist?”
“Don’t you think this would be a seamless expression? I think, regardless of their identities, this approach would bring hope of love to many people. After all, they really are getting married. From a commercial perspective, there’s no more eye-catching combination than this. It’s foreseeable that Leyao and Cao Jinfie’s upcoming wedding will dominate the entertainment sections of major media outlets and become a hot topic in society. If ‘The Artistic Path’ can ride on this wave, we will achieve twice the result with half the effort!”
I pondered for a while before replying, “I agree with everything you said, but we can’t guarantee that Cao Jinfie will join the filming of this short film. From what I know, he hasn’t even made a public appearance in the media to this day.”
“Just go and talk to him first. Maybe he will be interested in this short film?”
I struggled internally. Actually, I had been deliberately keeping my distance from Leyao, which is why I lost my commercial instinct and completely failed to think of the brilliant idea of inviting Cao Jinfie to join the filming.
Finally, I said to Jian Wei, “Then I will arrange a meeting with them, but absolutely no pressure… I hope you can also quickly prepare an alternative plan on your end. Once they refuse, we will activate Plan B and try to execute both the music caravan tour and the short film shooting before the New Year.”
Jian Wei nodded and replied, “Don’t worry, I will ask the screenwriter to prepare two sets of scripts for the short film. If things really don’t work out, we will use other top domestic movie stars. Although the effect might be slightly inferior, there will still be some sensational impact… By the way, music is also a very important part of the short film. Who are you planning to assign the music production to this time?”
“Of course, Luoben.”
…
After finishing my conversation with Jian Wei, it was already near noon, but I didn’t stay at their company for lunch. Instead, I directly brought the script outline of the short film to the “Empty City” music restaurant, hoping to quickly finalize the preparations before filming started. Therefore, I had arranged to meet Luoben to discuss the details of the music production.
Shortly after, Luoben arrived at the restaurant. Without hesitation, I handed him the story outline I had brought from Jian Wei and expressed my hope that he would personally handle the music production.
Luoben flipped through the story outline and after a long while, he closed the folder and said to me, “No wonder it’s written by a top screenwriter. He really understands your positioning of ‘The Artistic Path.’ The entire story reveals the truth of life amidst its ordinariness… Just reading the story outline, I already have many ideas for the music production!”
I nodded and asked him, “From your understanding of this story, who do you think is the most suitable actress for the female lead?”
Without hesitation, Luoben replied, “I’ve only read half of it, but Leyao’s expression full of confusion and expectation has already appeared in my mind. She is the only choice for the female lead. However… she’s already getting married. Would she still have the energy to deal with your troublesome affairs, Zhaoyang?”
I lit a cigarette, not knowing what to say. But Leyao had indeed promised me that whether before or after her marriage, she would participate in the filming of this short film. Yet, I felt a sense of guilt that I couldn’t dispel. Although this guilt seemed unreasonable now, it was enough to control my behavior, making me reluctant to approach Leyao easily to talk about this matter, especially after learning about her background. I realized that Leyao, who didn’t lack money, was joining the filming purely to help me!
But reality was so frustrating. Coincidentally, Leyao was the most suitable actress for “The Artistic Path,” and we were destined not to be able to cut off our connection with each other in a short time… I became increasingly conflicted. Maybe I really couldn’t become the kind of person that Fangyuan hoped for, someone who could rationally utilize the resources around him, which is why I felt so troubled. In my confusion, I finally lit the first cigarette of the day.
…
Busy as I was, I once again found myself exhausted, welcoming a cold yet profound night. Even by this time, I still hadn’t contacted Leyao to express my hope that Cao Jinfie would also participate in the filming of the short film. I felt this idea was too presumptuous.
Since I couldn’t accomplish this task for now, I felt aimless in this deep night and, under the influence of my subconscious, once again came to that somewhat dilapidated old city.
Standing at the center of this old city, the night and the city seemed even deeper. I didn’t know whether it was the old city that made the night deeper or the night that made the old city deeper…
Regardless of who complemented whom, in this irresistible depth, I regained a gesture I had lost long ago. I once again peeled off the transparent film from the cigarette pack, held it in front of my eyes, and looked up at the sky under the cold moonlight.
Vaguely, I saw the outline of the city, but the fierce wind seemed to tear the entire sky apart, causing the city to sway as well. Not wanting it to be torn into pieces before my eyes, I quickly put down the film and looked at the real world, a world full of decay and injustice.
As if driven by my subconscious, I once again came to Xiao Yun’s flower shop. It seemed that every time I saw her, I would forget the sense of defeat I felt in the old city. I was willing to share some of my innermost thoughts with her because in this world, I had never met a more patient listener than her.
Inside the small flower shop, there was now a small counter. I knew this was what Xiao Yun had bought to sell cigarettes in the future. Although the counter was still quite empty, she herself was still busily working among the flowers as always.
I softly said to her, “Xiao Yun, give me a pack of cigarettes.”
Xiao Yun just noticed my arrival. She turned around, her face showing a welcoming expression, and then picked out the best pack of cigarettes from her handbag and handed it to me, refusing to take my money. Perhaps in her eyes, I was also someone who was short on money, otherwise, why would I always wander around this old city!
I took the cigarettes from her hand and, when she wasn’t looking, took out 20 yuan from my wallet and put it into her already unzipped handbag. Then I found a small stool to sit down, maybe she would need a while before closing the shop.
At this time, Xiao Yun took out two international express delivery receipts from the drawer and showed them to me. It turned out she had already sent the flowers to Mi Cai in the United States two days ago. I took them from her hand and thanked her. She smiled at me with the simplest of smiles and then went back to her work. Looking at her back, I felt a sense of indescribable envy because in her busy and fulfilling figure I saw a complete city… Although her body was flawed, the city in her heart was the most perfect!
But my already broken city was still in the difficult process of repair. I didn’t even know whether, by the end of this story, the city under construction in my heart would crystallize into a shimmering existence in the sky I imagined!
While waiting for Xiao Yun, I finally took out my mobile phone and sent a WeChat message to Leyao, asking if she had already gone to bed, yet I didn’t know if I could overcome the sense of guilt in my heart to talk to her about the idea of hoping Cao Jinfie would also participate in the filming of the short film after her reply.
Time passed minute by minute, but Leyao did not reply to my message. I could understand this, after all, she now had a fiancé, and she would be accompanied tonight, so she wouldn’t, as before, always try to find satisfaction to fill the emptiness from WeChat chats. So I put my phone back into my pocket, and my thoughts habitually scattered in the smoke exhaled from my mouth…
I thought of Fangyuan, and the challenges he would soon face. I imagined myself as him, thinking about how to make Zuomo’s sales on Christmas Day reach twice that of Baoli Department Store…
I almost used all the experience I had accumulated in the planning industry, but still couldn’t come up with any ideas, which made me feel anxious for Fangyuan. He shouldn’t have set such a difficult hurdle for himself, nor should he have placed his career future on an extremely risky venture… From a realistic perspective, he almost certainly couldn’t achieve this goal, because according to past data, the highest sales of卓美 on Christmas Day were only 1.5 times that of宝丽百货. The missing amount was simply astronomical… When the time comes, will he really have to resign from卓美?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage