Chapter 48 p2
The next day, Lu Duanjing’s fever hadn’t broken completely, her mind still hazy.
She had looked at Wen Sigu, her hand still clutching hers, her voice a soft, tearful whisper.
“Sigu, what can I do? What can I do to make this world a better place? I’m so small, so insignificant.”
Wen Sigu, seeing her distress, her mind still clouded by fever, tightened her grip on Lu Duanjing’s hand, her voice firm.
“Duanjing, we’re all insignificant.”
“Our country is in turmoil. Even a nation can struggle. Changing the world alone is impossible.”
But did that mean they should do nothing?
If not, then what could they do?
“But when many insignificant people work together, their combined efforts become a powerful force, a force that cannot be ignored.”
“Duanjing, don’t be afraid of being small. Just do what you can, with all your heart. That’s enough.”
In the grand scheme of things, they were all like dust motes, insignificant. But together, they could become a brilliant, inextinguishable light.
Wen Sigu’s words seemed to resonate with Lu Duanjing, who finally drifted off to sleep, her fever breaking.
Wen Sigu, relieved, hadn’t been idle.
Those government officials, firing their guns indiscriminately in the slums, their actions a blatant disregard for human life, it was outrageous!
Furious, she had ordered her men to investigate.
She hadn’t had to wait long. Before Lu Duanjing had even fully recovered, she received the report.
Sitting in her study, she looked at the document in her hand, her brow furrowing.
The sunlight, streaming through the window, illuminated the page, revealing a single character: “medicine.”
“Okay! Cut!”
“As expected of Ms. Xu, a flawless performance.”
The director’s excited voice echoed from behind the camera.
“We managed to finish the scene before the snow got too heavy.”
She clapped her hands, addressing the crew.
“That’s a wrap! Everyone, pack up and bring the equipment inside! We don’t want it to get damaged.”
“We’re suspending filming for the next few days due to the blizzard. I’ll let you know when we resume. Enjoy your time off!”
Yes, unfortunately, Xin Yao’s first day back on set coincided with a rare blizzard.
They hadn’t been filming for long when the snow started to fall, the snowflakes quickly accumulating, covering the ground in a thick blanket of white.
The upcoming scenes didn’t require snow, and concerned about the safety of the cast and crew, Director Gao had suspended filming.
The set erupted in cheers, their enthusiasm undeterred by the blizzard.
“Woohoo!”
“Wise decision, Director!”
“You’re the best, Director Gao!”
“Director Gao is so cool! Red envelopes!”
Director Gao, basking in their praise, paused at the last comment.
Shameless! They were getting a paid vacation, and they still wanted red envelopes?!
But the crew’s enthusiasm was overwhelming, and they surrounded her, chanting for red envelopes.
Xin Yao, standing beside Xu Jingyu, was also excited about the unexpected break. She wondered if she and Xu Jingyu should study the script together, or perhaps go out and explore the city.
She tugged at Xu Jingyu’s sleeve.
“Ms. Xu, do you like hot pot? I heard there’s a good hot pot restaurant nearby…”
Xu Jingyu, seeing her, her eyes softening, smiled.
They leaned closer, whispering about their plans for the next few days.
Just then, the zombie movie set next door, also affected by the blizzard, also wrapped for the day.
Their celebration, however, was slightly less civilized, a chorus of groans and moans, like a scene from a zombie apocalypse.
And the zombie set had recently moved closer to theirs, their sets now separated only by a thin wall.
Meng Wanqing, relieved to have a break from her nightmare job, ran towards Xin Yao, eager to hang out with her new friend, her face beaming with excitement.
“Yaoyao! Let’s go out tonight!”
She burst through the door separating their sets, running towards them.
Xin Yao, startled by her sudden appearance, her special effects makeup and bloodstained clothes making her look like a creature from a horror movie, gasped.
And Xu Jingyu, who loathed Meng Wanqing’s interruptions, her hard-won alone time with Xin Yao now threatened, glared at her, her eyes colder than the falling snow.
Just as Meng Wanqing reached them, a snowball, thrown with surprising force, hit her squarely in the forehead.
Meng Wanqing: “Gah!!!”
She collapsed into the snow, her scream echoing through the air.
It was Xu Jingyu, of course.
She simply couldn’t stand her.
Xin Yao, witnessing the scene, her eyes widening in surprise: What are you doing?! You can’t just hit people!
She grabbed Xu Jingyu’s hand and pulled her away, afraid of being seen.
After all, Meng Wanqing, with her cheerful and outgoing personality, had many friends on set.
And as she lay there in the snow, her fall attracting the attention of her fellow zombies, who gathered around her, their concern a strange mix of groans and moans, she clutched her forehead dramatically.
“Who… who attacked me?!”
Then, she slumped back into the snow, her voice weak and trembling.
She was a natural actress.
One of her loyal zombie followers grabbed her hand, her voice filled with concern.
“Meng Jie! Meng Jie, are you okay?! We’ll avenge you!”
The resourceful little zombie had already started making snowballs.
She raised her fist, her voice echoing through the set. “It was ‘Unseen Spring’! They attacked Meng Jie! Charge!”
A barrage of snowballs flew through the air.
The “Unseen Spring” crew, packing up for the day, turned to see what was happening.
Several snowballs landed near them, followed by a horde of grotesque creatures, lurching towards them.
Most of them had no idea what was going on.
One crew member, his eyes wide with disbelief, exclaimed, “Holy shit! They’ve actually turned into zombies! I knew it! They were all a bit strange!”
But the zombie horde, ruthless and efficient, didn’t give them time to react, their snowballs raining down on them.
One snowball, perfectly aimed, hit the assistant director, who, having slept on his neck wrong the previous night, collapsed onto the ground, “dead.”
Even without knowing what had happened, seeing their assistant director taken down, the “Unseen Spring” crew was outraged.
“How dare they attack our AD?! Let’s get them!”
“Charge! Let’s show those zombies what we’re made of!”
“Bring out the big guns! It’s war!”
Director Gao, having just finished distributing red envelopes, turned to see her crew charging towards the zombie horde.
Director Gao: ?
What was going on?!
Just then, one of the zombies, her sharp eyes spotting Director Gao, pointed at her and yelled, “There she is! The enemy leader! Capture her!”
Director Gao: !
What?!
They were at war, but why was she the target?!
She turned and ran.
And the “Unseen Spring” crew, not to be outdone, retaliated.
They’re capturing our director? Then we’ll capture theirs!
And their AD! And their screenwriter!
The two directors, like frightened rabbits, were now being chased across the snowy set.
Xin Yao, standing in the corner where it had all begun, watching the chaos unfold, the snowballs flying, the shouts and screams echoing through the air, wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, her heart pounding.
She turned to Xu Jingyu.
“You started this!”
Xu Jingyu, whose earlier sullen mood had been lifted by Xin Yao’s presence, her eyes softening as she looked at her, smiled.
But Xin Yao, not one to be easily intimidated, had secretly made a snowball and, as Xu Jingyu turned to face her, pressed it against her cheek.
Xu Jingyu’s eyelids flickered, but she didn’t react.
“Huh?” Xin Yao was surprised. “Aren’t you cold?”
Xu Jingyu shook her head. “It’s fine.”
Xin Yao was even more surprised.
This person, impervious to both heat and cold, what was she even afraid of?
Just as she was about to ask, Meng Wanqing, having somehow recovered, reappeared, sneaking up behind Xin Yao and placing her cold hand on her neck.
“Ah!” Xin Yao shrieked, turning to see the culprit. “Meng Wanqing! You’re dead!”
She scooped up a handful of snow and shoved it down Meng Wanqing’s shirt.
Meng Wanqing shrieked and tried to dodge, Xin Yao’s relentless attacks making her cry out in mock protest.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Yaoyao Jiejie!” [Older Sister]
Xin Yao threw a snowball at her butt.
“Too late!”
They chased each other through the snow, their laughter echoing through the air.
Xu Jingyu stood there, watching them, her smile fading.
Compared to the cheerful and playful Meng Wanqing, she was so dull and boring.
Even when Xin Yao teased her, she couldn’t respond in kind.
She couldn’t say anything interesting, couldn’t offer any emotional support.
It seemed Xin Yao was happier with other people.
Did that mean she preferred them to Xu Jingyu?
Xu Jingyu stood there, her gaze fixed on Xin Yao, her expression seemingly calm, but her heart aching with a sudden, sharp pain.
In the end, the zombie horde emerged victorious.
Both directors had been captured, and the “Unseen Spring” team had even lost their assistant director.
But the zombies, ruthless and efficient, had abandoned their own captured director, continuing their relentless assault.
The “Unseen Spring” crew, however, still bound by the director’s earlier generosity, had hesitated, their loyalty conflicting with their desire to win.
And they had lost.
The captured zombie director, standing in the snow, his voice filled with mock despair, cried out, “Why?! Why would you betray me like this?!”
His loyal followers replied, “We’re zombies! We don’t have human emotions! Isn’t that what you taught us, Director?!”
The defeated “Unseen Spring” team, however, had to pay the price for their loss, or rather, Director Gao had to pay the price, treating both crews to hot pot.
They gathered in a large tent on set, the two crews huddled together, the warm steam from the hot pot filling the air.
Xin Yao, Xu Jingyu, Director Gao, the zombie director, and Meng Wanqing sat together at a table.
Director Gao, in a celebratory mood, had brought some local rice wine, wanting everyone to try it.
Xin Yao, knowing her low alcohol tolerance, abstained.
But Xu Jingyu didn’t refuse.
She had been unusually quiet lately.
While Xin Yao chatted and laughed with the others, Xu Jingyu silently drank, cup after cup.
As the noisy gathering began to wind down, almost 11 pm, Xin Yao finally noticed Xu Jingyu’s unusual behavior.
Xu Jingyu’s face was always impassive, her emotions hidden behind a mask of indifference. Even when drunk, she showed no outward signs.
She had been sipping the rice wine calmly, her demeanor unchanged.
No flushed cheeks, no slurred speech. She had even responded to Xin Yao’s questions, her answers coherent and polite.
But as the zombie director, overcome by drowsiness, stood up to leave, Xin Yao politely stood up to say goodbye.
And then Xu Jingyu’s true state was revealed.
Thinking that Xin Yao was also leaving, she reached out and grabbed her wrist, her voice clear and strong, echoing through the quietening room.
“Wife, don’t go.”
The room fell silent.
The chattering guests paused, their gazes, filled with surprise and curiosity, turning towards them.
Xin Yao, startled, turned to Xu Jingyu.
“Xu… Xu Jingyu, what are you saying?”
There were people everywhere!
Xu Jingyu, her eyes reflecting the moonlight streaming through the window, looked up at Xin Yao, her voice soft.
“Don’t go. Don’t leave me.”