For several days, a small bottle of menthol oil had been tucked away in Yuan Ye's pocket. Fang Shaoyi had also suffered for a few days. 

Although he didn't have many scenes, they were all difficult and every scene was a struggle. The tailor was played by the Taiwanese actor He Han, who was two years younger than Fang Shaoyi. He had been lukewarm in his popularity before, but suddenly gained some momentum this year. 

However, his lines were flawed and his Taiwanese accent was too heavy. Director Jiang didn't allow for dubbing in post-production, so every scene had to be redone.

Fang Shaoyi had a terrible headache and during breaks in filming, he hardly spoke. The director even came over to ask if there were any difficulties, but Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said he was fine. 

During filming, Yuan Ye sat on a chair and read the script while doodling with a pen. Later, he went to discuss the script with the director, hoping to reduce the scenes between Fang Shaoyi and the tailor and give some of the scenes to other actors. The director didn't directly refuse after discussing it with him for a while. 

Yuan Ye did have some selfish motives for changing the script, but the revised version was still reasonable and even made other characters more prominent. After resting that night, the director called Yuan Ye over and they spent the whole night discussing and almost finalized another plan. 

But in the end, it didn't work out.

He Han came to ask Fang Shaoyi humbly if his acting was not good enough. 

Fang Shaoyi waved his hand and smiled, "Of course not." 

"I can rest assured now, Brother Shaoyi," said He Han. "I was worried that my acting was too bad and you didn't want to act with me."

At that moment, Yuan Ye glanced at him and lit a cigarette.

After He Han left, Yuan Ye said, "His scenes were added but he doesn't want it, what is he thinking."

Fang Shaoyi closed his eyes and said, "Even though he had scenes added, the scenes with the protagonist were still reduced. Of course he isn't willing."

The script was not changed because He Han was not happy with it. The director privately told Yuan Ye, "Forget it, there are only a few days left to film. Let's just stick to the original script."

Yuan Ye asked, "Didn't we agree to change it? Director, the revised version would be even more beautiful." 

This was not a lie. By reducing the male lead's scenes, the blacksmith and tailor were given more depth, making their characters more well-rounded. The director agreed with this, but in the end, he said, "Forget it." 

Before, He Han was just a small actor without much fame. Being able to act in Jiang Linchuan's film was a huge opportunity for him. But now, things are different. He has a wealthy backer behind him. This film has a large investment for a small production, and even Jiang Linchuan, who is known for being domineering, cannot ignore the opinions of the investors. 

He Han's capital is the largest investor behind the scenes. In the end, the changes were not significant nor particularly important. They were not essential to the main storyline and it was not worth arguing over such a small alteration. 

To be honest, Yuan Ye couldn't quite understand the thought process of He Han's side. From his perspective as a screenwriter, the altered tailor was now more alive than ever before, even though some scenes with the protagonist were cut. But the replacement scenes were definitely not a loss. 

In the days that followed, Fang Shaoyi had to take headache medicine to endure the strong scent. He was too sensitive to it, and even Yuan Ye had trouble staying in the room at times, let alone Fang Shaoyi. 

He Han's scenes were impossible to shoot, and the actors were afraid of the constant re-takes. Emotions couldn't be summoned at will, and each take only served to stiffen the previously summoned emotions. 

Yuan Ye watched as He Han spoke yet again with his Taiwanese accent, and he knew it was over. 

Sure enough, the director called for a stop.

He Han said, "Sorry, sorry, I forgot again. Director, sorry, Brother Shaoyi, sorry."

Fang Shaoyi shook his head and said, "It's okay, these things happen."

Yuan Ye felt annoyed and muttered under his breath, "What a nuisance."

Ji Xiaotao heard it and came over, gritting his teeth and muttering, "What kind of brain does he have? How can he still make movies with that brain? He can't even remember a line after saying it eight hundred times. Is he doing it on purpose..."

Yuan Ye frowned and said nothing.

In the next scene, the director stopped halfway through filming and said over the intercom, "The emotion didn't come out."

Fang Shaoyi made a gesture and said, "Sorry, let's do it again." 

"There's still some emotional baggage left..." whispered Ji Xiaotao as he crouched down, "His acting isn't even as good as little Yang, and little Yang also didn't have as many cuts as him."

After a full day of filming, Fang Shaoyi removed his makeup to reveal a white face with red eyes. If they had just let the room air out for a few days, the smell wouldn't have been so strong. But they didn't have time, the other actor was in a rush, and as soon as the filming stopped, they had to fly to the next set, as they had already signed a contract.

When Ji Xiaotao told Yuan Ye that they had to fly to the next set, he laughed and said, "Which set is so amazing that they're starting production before the Chinese New Year?" 

After finishing this shoot, it was basically right before the Spring Festival. The crew usually had to take a break, and no crew would let actors join at this time, it would be giving them a free holiday if they did. 

So, although this statement sounded unrealistic, there was nothing to say. When someone said something, you had to listen. By the time the shooting was finished, everyone would have breathed in all the fumes, and by then Fang Shaoyi probably would have been poisoned by paint.

Fang Shaoyi took his medicine and went to bed early. He slept so heavily that his breathing was loud. After he fell asleep, Yuan Ye also returned to his own room. Recently, he had not been in a good mood, and he didn't know where to direct his anger. 

Could he blame the art director? Why didn't he adjust the paint color earlier if it was off? But it's not really their fault. It's normal for the props team to adjust the props during filming, and they wouldn't have time to find eco-friendly paint then. These things are not a big deal. 

Or should he blame He Han? He didn't agree to change the script, and the filming is dragging on without progress, and he's also unwilling to adjust his schedule. Ultimately he also wasn't obliged to do so, it wasn't unreasonable.

It's ultimately Fang Shaoyi's own personal matter. 

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, Fang Shaoyi treated the crew to a feast, ordering dozens of servings of the traditional holiday meal and reserving the entire restaurant for the staff. Fang Shaoyi always celebrates holidays with whichever crew he's working with, without fail. However, he only took a few bites himself and stopped, in the past few days he had lost weight.

In the evening, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi walked back together. With their heads full of formaldehyde, the wind blowing at them made them feel refreshed. Yuan Ye asked Fang Shaoyi, "Feeling okay? If you're tired, let Xiaotao come and take us back." 

"No, it's fine," Fang Shaoyi replied with a hoarse voice. After clearing his throat, he smiled faintly and said, "I'm just getting old." 

"That kid who pushes the trolley is only twenty-four. I don't think he can even get up," Yuan Ye said. "He's worse off than you. You can still act, but the director gave that kid a break and he won't be back until after the new year." 

Fang Shaoyi didn't say anything and walked slowly with Yuan Ye. Yuan Ye continued, "If you don't feel like filming, you can just wait until you're in the mood again." 

Fang Shaoyi just smiled and said, "No need."

On the other hand, time was pressing for He Han. The contract with him was only signed until the end of the year. If he said he wouldn't film, it would make things difficult for the director. 

Actually Yang Siran's contract was also signed until the end of the year, but he would probably have to rush to finish He Han's scenes before the year ended. So, Yang Siran didn't mention anything about time. After all, he had no fame and didn't have any urgent work arrangements. 

The director had mentioned to Fang Shaoyi that Yang Siran's time might be tight, but Fang Shaoyi assured the director that he could film without worry. Fang Shaoyi was only mildly poisoned, and he managed to finish the last few days of filming. 

Finally, everyone on the crew could breathe a sigh of relief. If they had dragged on for a few more days, he wouldn't have been able to continue filming. 

The crew was given a five-day break for the Chinese New Year, and they could finally take a break after finishing the last scene. Yuan Ye had no plans to leave, and he gave Ji Xiaotao a ten-day break so he wouldn't have to rush back after the New Year, anyway there wasn't much to do in the crew. 

Their relationship was no longer just an employer-employee relationship, and Fang Shaoyi always took care of him. Every year before Ji Xiaotao went home, Fang Shaoyi would give him a bonus, which was considered his year-end bonus. 

It had been almost a year since Ji Xiaotao had been home, and his parents missed him dearly. He had already booked his plane ticket in advance, so there was no reason not to go back. 

Half of the crew suddenly left, and the other half didn't want to bother with the rush of the Spring Festival travel season. Those who left were mostly small workers and assistants, while those in the main positions stayed. Occasionally, Yuan Ye would cook something for Fang Shaoyi in the restaurant's kitchen, and Fang Shaoyi loved whatever he cooked, no matter what it was.

Life seemed to have hit the pause button all of a sudden. The fast-paced work was gone, and the noisy surroundings had turned into a gentle flow of people. They hadn't lived like this for a long time, but they didn't feel uncomfortable with it either. 

On New Year's Eve, Yuan Ye and Fang Shaoyi both called home, but their relationship was a bit awkward, so they didn't say much to each other's parents and just sent New Year's greetings on WeChat. The rest of the crew celebrated together, and later the producers went to the director's room for a drink. 

Jiang Linchuan could really hold his liquor, but Fang Shaoyi was definitely not in a state to drink much now, and Yuan Ye couldn't handle more than two glasses of white wine. He didn't want to drink too much today. 

The couple who drink less combined than the director were teased by him, "With such a low alcohol tolerance, luckily you guys don't need to go out and raise funds or get sponsors. Otherwise, how would you earn your keep?" 

Yuan Ye laughed and begged for mercy, "Please give us a break, we still have to go out and set off firecrackers later. If I drink any more, I won't even be able to light them." 

At the dinner table, colorful jokes were always in abundance, especially now that the atmosphere had loosened up. The assistant director quipped, "I don't think you want to go out and light firecrackers. The two of you have been flirting with each other like old maids, who knows what you'll do when you go back to your room all pent up?" 

Everyone laughed, not taking the suggestive comment seriously. Yuan Ye shrugged off the remark and decided to stay quiet. He didn't need to make a big deal out of it. He turned to Fang Shaoyi and asked in a low voice, "Are you okay? Does your head still hurt?" 

Fang Shaoyi shook his head, his eyes not entirely clear. The combination of dizziness and alcohol made everything seem a bit hazy. He looked at Yuan Ye and said, "It doesn't hurt." 

Yuan Ye then asked him, "Then are you feeling dizzy?" 

Fang Shaoyi blinked and slowly said, "A little bit."

Yuan Ye laughed and said, "If you feel dizzy, then that's that. Shall we go?"

Without waiting for Fang Shaoyi's response, he stood up and said to the rest, "Hey, you guys drink up. We're going out for a walk."

Just as the assistant director had teased them, Yuan Ye announced their departure, and everyone laughed. Yuan Ye didn't explain much and just went along with the joke. He downed his drink in one gulp and pulled Fang Shaoyi along, saying, "Happy New Year to all the leaders! May you be healthy, safe, and prosperous!"

After he finished speaking, he dragged Fang Shaoyi and ran off. 

Fang Shaoyi draped his coat over his arm and followed Yuan Ye, not asking any questions. 

As soon as he felt the cold wind outside, the slight drunkenness from the alcohol in his system dissipated halfway. Fang Shaoyi put on his coat and followed Yuan Ye as they walked through Yuan Ye. Eventually, he grabbed Yuan Ye's hand and Yuan Ye looked over and smiled at him.

Yuan Ye pulled him along and they ran to the outskirts where he had parked his car. Yuan Ye told Fang Shaoyi, "Wait here for me." 

He took something out of the car and laid it out in front of them. Fang Shaoyi chuckled as he watched Yuan Ye fiddle with the fireworks, and walked over to help him move them around. Fang Shaoyi asked him, "How old are you?"

Yuan Ye replied, "I'm already 33. But who says you can't set off fireworks when you're 33?" 

Fang Shaoyi said, "It's not environmentally friendly." 

Yuan Ye blinked and said, "I purposely came to this open field in the suburbs to release them. And I've been environmentally conscious every year. This year, I'm chasing after my ex-husband, hopefully the nation can forgive me this once." 

Fang Shaoyi smiled and watched as Yuan Ye lit a firecracker. Yuan Ye told him, "Stand back." 

Fang Shaoyi stepped back to lean against the car as instructed, while Yuan Ye lit up his firecrackers one by one and ran over to stand beside him. Bright clusters of light popped and crackled overhead, and as Fang Shaoyi looked up, the images in his mind slowly overlapped with those of Yuan Ye in his twenties, when he used to go all out during the Lunar New Year, filling up a whole cart with firecrackers and fireworks. 

But at some point, he stopped doing that, and not just that, he shed all of his childishness bit by bit. Looking back now, Fang Shaoyi couldn't pinpoint exactly when Yuan Ye had transformed from a mischievous kid into a mature man. The transformation was right in front of him, yet left no trace. 

"Brother Yi," Yuan Ye called out to him by his ear. 

Fang Shaoyi turned his head to look at him, and before him was Yuan Ye's face that flickered in the light, but his eyes were always bright. Fang Shaoyi responded, "I'm here." 

Yuan Ye smiled at him, but after calling out, he didn't say anything else, just looked at Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi raised his hand and lightly tapped Yuan Ye's eyelid with his finger. 

That was the spot where the scar was. 

Yuan Ye reached out and touched it, his thumb scraping the spot where Fang Shaoyi had just touched. Then he stared at Fang Shaoyi, a crooked smile on his lips as he put his finger to his mouth and kissed the thumb that had just touched the scar. 

Fang Shaoyi burst out laughing. Yuan Ye couldn't always be serious, and he took any opportunity to be playful. Between two adults, this action was teasing, but also provocative. Yuan Ye raised an eyebrow at him. Fang Shaoyi shook his head and suddenly grabbed Yuan Ye's collar, pulling him close and biting his lips.

After letting go, Fang Shaoyi asked, "Is this what you wanted? To be bitten?"

Yuan Ye licked his lips, shook his head, and still looked like he wanted more. He said, "...I want to be screwed."

He already said it so clearly, Fang Shaoyi couldn't ignore this request. When they got back to the room, he pushed Yuan Ye against the bathroom door. The distance between them suddenly shrank to half an inch. Fang Shaoyi looked into Yuan Ye's eyes and asked in a hoarse voice, "Do you still want it?" 

Yuan Ye stared straight at him, not avoiding his gaze at all. "Come on."

Yuan Ye's hairstyle had no weaknesses, making it impossible to grab his hair at times. Fang Shaoyi could only hold onto the back of his head, with no other way to deal with him. 

Fang Shaoyi reached into his pocket and pulled out a red envelope, stuffing it into Yuan Ye's hand. 

Yuan Ye lifted it up and looked at it, asking, "What's this?" 

Fang Shaoyi looked into his eyes and said, "It's a New Year's gift." 

Yuan Ye asked, "What about the New Year's blessing?" 

Fang Shaoyi lightly kissed the tip of his nose and whispered, "May the little monkey be healthy and safe, carefree and happy, and free as can be."