This was the first time Shen Jinglan had heard Jiang Buyi mention his master, and she couldn't help but show concern in her eyes. "... What's wrong?"
"He was just too hasty." Jiang Buyi's voice suddenly became very soft, unlike his usual talkative self. "He would rush forward as soon as he found a clue, and no one could stop him. When he finally died, he was no longer a human being."
He looked down at the puddles on the ground. "I don't want to see you become like that."
Shen Jinglan turned to look at him.
Jiang Buyi didn't look up, his voice becoming even softer. "Because I don't want to see it, I will definitely go with you. But if that happens, we'll both die. And after we're dead, no one will really investigate this matter."
A gust of wind blew in, causing the faint flame in the dilapidated temple to flicker.
Shen Jinglan remained silent for a long time.
Jiang Buyi so stunned that he thought he was standing next to a statue, while the real Shen Jinglan had already slipped away.
"You want me to leave?" Shen Jinglan asked.
"I'm not telling you to leave." Jiang Buyi looked up at him. "I'm telling you to wait."
How long will it take?
"I don't know. Maybe one year, maybe three years, maybe ten years."
"Ten years later, that person might be dead."
"It's good that he's dead. Who says that outliving someone doesn't count as a successful revenge?"
Shen Jinglan: "..."
He knew that Jiang Buyi didn't really think that way; he was just forced into a corner.
Jiang Buyi closer to him, shoulder to shoulder, and also looked at the sky outside.
"I know you don't want to wait. I also know that waiting doesn't guarantee you'll get it, but—" he paused, "But only by living can there be a future; once you're dead, you really have nothing left."
The rain began to fall in a light drizzle.
Shen Jinglan stood there, watching the raindrops hit the ground and splash up tiny water droplets.
"Are you afraid of dying?" he asked Jiang Buyi.
Jiang Buyi paused for a moment, then laughed. "Afraid? Who isn't?"
"I'm not afraid."
"I can tell."
Shen Jinglan turned her head and looked into Jiang Buyi's eyes. "But I'm afraid you'll die."
Jiang Buyi's smile faltered for a moment.
Shen Jinglan had already looked away and was now looking at the rain.
"I'll see you off," he said. "I'll continue after I've made sure you're safe."
I can't let you continue alone.
"Even if I die, I'll still have you."
A hint of anger flashed across Jiang Buyi's face. "So what if you die? What does it have to do with me! Even if you're eaten by wild dogs, I won't care!"
Shen Jinglan remained indifferent. "That can be considered a good deed."
"Aaaaaah!" Jiang Buyi so angry that he spun around in circles several times, finally grabbing the person and dragging them to the fire. "... Come in and warm yourself by the fire! What's the point of revenge if you'll freeze to death tonight?"
Shen Jinglan sat down with him.
The firelight flickered in their eyes.
--
"Click—" An Yihe gripped the walkie-talkie of his phone tightly and said in a deep voice, "This one's through."
The set fell silent for a second.
The staff chatted in hushed tones while busy with their tasks.
"Oh my god? Did I hear that right? The first scene of the day, we got it in one take?"
"I'm sure this isn't a hallucination!"
"My God, I'm starting to believe the online claims that ' Chi Li is born with fire in his destiny, which brings good fortune to all the projects he's involved in'..."
"Does that mean we can finish work earlier today?"
"..."
An Yihe sat behind the monitor, leaning forward with his hands on his knees, his eyes still fixed on the frame that had just been captured on the screen.
The two sat by the fire, the firelight illuminating their profiles.
The assistant director leaned over and whispered, "Director? Another take as a safety net?"
An Yihe did not answer.
He slowly leaned back in his chair, took off his headphones, held them in his hand for a moment, then stood up, walked around the monitor, and headed into the film set.
The people on set slowed down.
Chi Li and An Che were surrounded by makeup artists and assistants, touching up their makeup while drinking water through straws.
An Yihe walked up to the two of them, first glancing at An Che, then looking at Chi Li.
" Xiao Chi," he said solemnly, "I have to thank you for this."
This scene wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. It was enough for him to see that An Che hadn't suddenly become a madman and had a good performance; rather, he had genuinely found the right way to act.
Chi Li deserves this thank you.
Upon hearing this, An Che quickly spat out the straw from his mouth. "Can't you at least praise my acting first?"
He spent a long time studying Shen Yu's micro-expressions last night.
"Oh, I forgot." An Yihe smiled kindly and gently patted Chi Li's shoulder. "I forgot to praise your excellent acting as well."
An Che: "..."
That old geezer. He's so old, and he still hasn't learned how to praise children in front of them.
Chi Li replied politely, "It's all I should do."
"Hahaha, okay." An Yihe laughed heartily. "Let's continue, let's secure one first."
Thanks to the two lead actors' "enlightenment," the filming process of " Old Friends of Mountains and Rivers " went more smoothly than anyone had imagined.
Without An Yihe, who could throw tantrums at any moment, the atmosphere on set was quite relaxed.
The day Shen Xunye, it happened to be during the filming of an action scene.
He stood behind An Yihe, looking at the person he longed for day and night through the monitor.
Chi Li was tilting his head, a nonchalant smile on his lips, seemingly not taking the group of people opposite him seriously at all.
The first person to rush forward slashed at his left shoulder with a knife.
When the knife was still three inches from his shoulder, his body suddenly slid half a foot to the right.
It felt like stepping on ice and being pushed by the wind.
The knife grazed past the outside of his shoulder, without even touching the hem of his robe.
The second man thrust his sword forward, aiming straight for his throat.
He leaned back, bending his body into a bow, the sword tip grazing an inch above his nose.
As he looked down, his eyes were still on that person, and his smile became even more pronounced.
It's as if it's saying, "You don't seem to be able to do it either?"
Then, using the force of leaning back, he pushed off with his feet and flipped backward.
Like a fallen leaf blown by the wind, it floated lightly and effortlessly into the air.
The wind billowed the robe, making it flutter loudly.
As he landed, he knelt on one knee and braced himself with one hand in front of him.
The camera zooms in, focusing on his face.
He raised his eyes and looked at the camera—no, at the group of people opposite him.
Like a cat watching a group of mice.
It's like a hunter watching a trapped beast.
The assistant director muttered behind the monitor, "This guy is really... like he has springs under his feet."
An Yihe called out "Cut!" before continuing, "He's got plenty of energy, this is nothing."
"Why do I detect a hint of pride in your tone? Am I seeing things? Is this Chi Li, not An Che?"
An Yihe replayed the fight scene he had just witnessed, clicked his tongue twice, and exclaimed, "A feast for the eyes!"