Chapter 108
Early the next morning, Li Chu returned to the set.
She had planned to meet with Ning Manqing in a few days, but Ning Manqing had accepted a project from her family and needed to travel. Ning Manqing had her own plans and would be staying there for a while, returning around the time Li Chu finished filming.
Li Chu racked her brain, trying to dredge up any mention of that city from the book. She vaguely recalled that in the original story, the female lead went there to root out embezzlers from a branch company and implement her own plans.
Li Chu didn't know if Ning Manqing was going for the same reason, but regardless, she couldn't help much. She could only tell Ning Manqing to take care of herself and to let her know if anything happened.
Li Chu patted her face. Worrying wouldn't help. It was better to focus on acting, earning money, accumulating resources and connections, and striving to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ning Manqing!
On set, the cast and crew continued working despite the heat.
The third case in the story wasn't complicated. The key was the victims' identities. Rong Yun found traits in them that reminded her of the criminals she, or rather Xie Shu, had caught in the past. It was as if Xie Shu was using the corpses to force Rong Yun to remember the past.
Rong Yun did remember the past, but not the victims or the real culprit. She remembered Xie Shu as she used to be. The Xie Shu who was full of righteousness and dreamed of being a police officer. She was always kind, her heart brimming with compassion.
Once, as a teenager, to verify her suspicions, Xie Shu disguised herself as a beggar and lingered near a suspect's residence. She didn't just pretend to be homeless; she slept in dumpsters, rummaged through trash, and reeked of filth. But there was a light in her eyes. Her hunch proved correct, and she successfully caught the criminal red-handed.
Because of this incident, Xie Shu developed gastroenteritis and a skin disease. Rong Yun asked her if it was worth it. Xie Shu grinned and replied, "Of course it was! A breath of righteousness, a thousand miles of refreshing wind."
Rong Yun remembered that scene for a long time. Compared to Xie Shu, Rong Yun was cold and unfeeling. Xie Shu might not have been the smartest, but she had many good qualities that influenced Rong Yun. It could be said that it was because of Xie Shu's guidance that Rong Yun became a police officer.
Otherwise, with Rong Yun's personality, she might not have cared what she did. And because of her lack of empathy, she could easily have become a ruthless capitalist or a cold-blooded manipulator.
But in the end, Rong Yun was the one upholding the law, while Xie Shu became the murderer. She was no longer the girl who could laugh triumphantly about a thousand miles of refreshing wind after catching a criminal.
Xie Shu's downfall wasn't solely because of Cen Lan, nor was it just because Rong Yun overshadowed her throughout their lives. She didn't care much about those things. What truly broke her was Rong Yun's attitude.
Rong Yun was a righteous, yet imperfect protagonist, or perhaps she was so perfect that she was almost inhuman. Her lack of emotion prevented her from reacting with sadness, anger, or reproach to her friend's despair. If Rong Yun had offered a word of comfort or tried to stop Xie Shu that night, perhaps things would have turned out differently.
But Rong Yun didn't think it was her fault. She didn't even care about love or hate, so how could she feel guilty over a friend's emotional outburst? Even during their final confrontation, she still didn't understand why Xie Shu would change so drastically because of some obvious societal rules. But she didn't pursue the answer, because she knew she would find out when the final day arrived.
It wasn't a fair game, because Xie Shu had bet everything. She poured all her emotions and resentment into her actions. But the person she targeted remained clear-headed, her heart undisturbed.
Rong Yun seized every opportunity, relentlessly attacking and finally finding Xie Shu's hiding place.
This wasn't the end. Xie Shu claimed to have planted bombs in the city center, preventing Rong Yun from acting rashly. They had a confrontation, or rather, a conversation. After this scene, Xie Shu escaped again, just like she had years ago. But this time, Rong Yun didn't believe her. She pursued Xie Shu to her destination, Rong Yun's hometown.
The ending had already been filmed at the location half a month ago. Li Chu only needed to finish the preceding scenes.
Half a month. Not fast, not slow.
The day of the final confrontation scene, the weather was overcast.
Dragonflies flew low, heralding the coming rain.
The script didn't specify the weather. Director Wang had originally planned for a sunny day and considered postponing or moving the scene earlier. But then he decided that rainy weather would create a better atmosphere, so he had the crew prepare protective gear for the equipment. The clapperboard snapped, and filming began.
Xie Shu's hiding place was a boat docked at the pier. She stood at the edge of the boat, Rong Yun on the shore.
Years later, the drastically changed former friends met again. One was a promising police captain, the other a desperate murderer.
Xie Shu greeted Rong Yun, telling her it had been a long time.
"It has been a long time," Rong Yun said, looking at Xie Shu, and asked the question that had been on her mind, "Why did you kill Cen Lan?"
Xie Shu was silent for a moment, then burst into laughter, a laugh filled with anger and sorrow.
"After all this time, that's the first question you ask? Why don't you ask me why I did what I did back then? Why don't you ask me how I became this way? Why don't you condemn me for becoming the very person I hated most!"
"I didn't kill her," Xie Shu said, lifting her chin to look at Rong Yun. "But I lied to her. She saw me alive, and I told her I wanted to surprise you, to celebrate your birthday with you."
"I wanted to kill you then. I wanted her to kill you. She refused. She even secretly sent a message for help, but I caught her."
Xie Shu spoke calmly, a playful smile appearing at the last sentence.
"Time was short. I had to act quickly. Who knew she would rather die for you? Rong Yun, what makes you so worthy?"
She looked at Rong Yun, her eyes full of bitterness.
"Why do people like you exist? You have no empathy, no anger towards evil. Why, how could someone like you be a police officer? You only bring pain to others, and being friends with you is even more painful!"
"After I 'died,' did you feel guilty? When you visited my grave every year, did you reflect on your attitude? In all these days and nights, did you dream of me? Did you regret not saying a word to me that night?"
Xie Shu's questions came one after another, tears welling in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.
The actress playing Xie Shu wasn't famous, her talent hidden by her unremarkable appearance. But when she immersed herself in a role, she became incredibly compelling.
Li Chu was moved by her emotions, drawn into her rhythm, impacted by the intensity. She suddenly felt a pang of sadness, brief and not overwhelming, but enough to make her pause.
She couldn't help but say, "I'm sorry."
The line wasn't in the script. Rong Yun was supposed to remain silent, her silence serving as a response.
The director didn't yell cut, so the actress playing Xie Shu, after a moment of stunned silence, continued the scene until it ended.
"Director, do we need to reshoot that?" Li Chu asked, feeling a little embarrassed about adding the line, worried her performance wasn't up to par. But in that moment, she felt Rong Yun would genuinely apologize, for her lack of regret and longing.
Director Wang considered for a moment. "Let's do another take. I'll see which one is better."
After another take, Li Chu and the actress playing Xie Shu watched both versions with the director and screenwriter. After reviewing them several times, Director Wang decided to use the first take.
"Excellent performance, young lady. You have a bright future," Director Wang said, patting Li Chu's shoulder and handing her a red envelope. Then he shouted, "Congratulations on wrapping up!"
The entire crew cheered, "That's a wrap!"
Amidst the joyous atmosphere, even the July wind seemed to quiet down.
Li Chu had another engagement that evening, so she didn't stay for dinner with the crew. She boarded her van, ready to head to her next destination.
Tang Congnan was there to pick her up. He hadn't been idle these past few months. Although Li Chu was essentially left to her own devices by Black Gold Entertainment, her agent didn't have the same luxury. The previous month, Tang Congnan had been assigned a new artist and was constantly on the go.
"Brother Nan, you're looking well," Li Chu said with a grin, looking at her "mom-ager." She said this because, compared to their last meeting, Tang Congnan had visibly gained a little more weight.
"Who told you that? I'm clearly stressed out! I can't sleep or eat properly. This new girl I'm managing is driving me crazy. Kids these days are so difficult. I don't understand what they're thinking. The company is planning to have her participate in an idol survival show, but she hasn't broken up with her girlfriend yet. How can that work? Being an idol is different from being an actor. It's fine once you've debuted, established yourself, don't need to rely on fan economy anymore, or are older. But she hasn't even debuted yet! She'll need girlfriend fans and boyfriend fans to vote for her. She's not professional at all."
"You're so much easier to manage. You just focus on acting and don't cause any trouble."
Tang Congnan looked at his star actress with relief. Although Li Chu had her own ideas, she didn't give him much of a headache.
Li Chu just smiled sheepishly, dodging the subject. Her secret relationship was far more explosive than the situation with his other artist. It was definitely not something she could talk about yet.
Li Chu changed the subject. "Brother Nan, what's on the schedule for tonight?"
"A brand fashion show. Your dress is already prepared. You can board your flight at the airport now. It's a half-hour flight..."
Tang Congnan recited the evening's itinerary, telling Li Chu about the brand, the guests who would be attending, and things she needed to be aware of.
To Li Chu's pleasant surprise, the event was in the same city where Ning Manqing was on her business trip. Ning Manqing was still there. After messaging her, Li Chu started preparing for the event.
After walking the red carpet, posing for photos, and completing the other required activities, Li Chu sat down to watch the runway show.
Li Chu's hair was styled in an updo. Despite the summer heat, she felt a strange, inexplicable chill on the back of her neck.
She instinctively turned around and saw the person sitting behind her.
As luck would have it, it was Zhong Yue.
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