Fang Shaoyi had never considered doing the behind-the-scenes roles in filming before, as he wanted to keep his acting pure. Those who had resources from filming many movies often grew a desire to direct their own films. However, Fang Shaoyi had never thought about this.
For him, acting was just acting, and carrying other identities on his back would inevitably distract him. Fang Shaoyi's method of filming was immersive. Every time, he would immerse himself completely in a film, and filming a movie was like dismantling and reassembling himself.
In an industry that has its ups and downs, with periods of popularity followed by periods of decline, Fang Shaoyi has remained steadfast for over twenty years. Filmmaking is his profession, and movies have always been his passion. Some people are born with a calling, and for him, it was always this. Fang Shaoyi was meant to be in this industry from the day he was born, and he has dedicated his entire life to it.
Everyone goes through a period of confusion and struggle, and Fang Shaoyi is no exception. There were times when he felt lost and unsure of his path, but he persevered.
Many people speculated that Fang Shaoyi would never make another film after his recent serious injury. Some gossip sites even went so far as to make predictions.
Director Wei once said that filmmakers must die in their films. It may sound exaggerated, but it's not entirely wrong. Every person who dedicates their life to making movies will experience a few near-death experiences, with very few exceptions.
Beneath the surface glamour of the film industry lies inevitable hardships and disasters. If Fang Shaoyi's film career were to end, it wouldn't be due to something like an injury, unless he was truly unable to move.
He has always been the pride of Yuan Ye, and that has never changed.
Fang Shaoyi has never faced a more challenging film than the one he's working on now. There are many difficulties, and many actions that used to be easy for him are now impossible. But thankfully, he managed to complete it in the end.
On the day of the wrap, the director gave him a thick red envelope. Fang Shaoyi held it in his hand and raised his eyebrows with a smile, "It's quite thick, isn't it?"
The director didn't say anything, but hugged him with one hand and gently patted his back, "You've worked hard."
Holding a bouquet of flowers, Fang Shaoyi bowed to everyone, "Everyone has worked hard. Because of me, every scene was not easy. Thank you for your hard work."
"Don't say that, Shaoyi-laoshi," someone next to him said, and others followed, "You've worked hard."
That day, Fang Shaoyi shook hands and exchanged words with every member of the crew. Although a wrap party was customary, Fang's health didn't allow him to indulge in food or drink, and the air at the table was thick with smoke and alcohol, so they decided to skip it. The director said, "Come to my house after you go back, and I'll make whatever you want to eat."
Fang Shaoyi nodded and replied, "Give me a call when you get back."
The director said, "Take good care of yourself. We have a long time ahead of us. I'll remember what you've done for me, and I'll repay it in the future."
Fang Shaoyi shook his head and furrowed his brow, "Director, you're being too distant."
The director laughed and patted Fang Shaoyi's uninjured shoulder. Then he looked out at Yuan Ye and said, "Little Yuan has also worked hard."
Yuan Ye shook his head with a grin, still wearing his carefree expression. "It's not that hard for me, I'm tough."
This film was a difficult one to make, with obstacles at every turn. But with Fang Shaoyi's utmost effort, it was completed and its integrity preserved. He had taken on the role in the first place as a way to help during a time of crisis.
After the accident occurred on set, Fang Shaoyi didn't ask for a single penny in compensation. He set such an example, and the two young actors couldn't ask for more. Even though he hadn't fully recovered from his injuries, he left the hospital and went straight back to the set to finish the film. His bond with Director Wei was evident, and Fang Shaoyi's actions were a testament to that bond.
There may not be a lot of genuine emotions in the entertainment industry, but there are still some places where warmth and kindness exist. Not everyone is indifferent, and there are still pockets of genuine care and concern.
When Fang Shaoyi went back, both of them felt a bit dazed when they landed at the airport. The last time Fang Shaoyi was here, it was when Yuan Ye had sprained his ankle, and none of this had happened yet. The company car came to pick them up, and Ji Xiaotao said to the driver, "Come on, little brother, you get off and I'll drive."
"Don't do that, Brother Xiaotao, you must be tired from the flight," the driver trembled, "I can drive, and I drive pretty steadily, you can trust me."
"No," Ji Xiaotao laughed, "I asked you to get off, so just get off."
The driver unfastened his seatbelt and got off the car. Ji Xiaotao patted his shoulder and said, "It's nothing, don't panic."
Ji Xiaotao dropped off the driver at the company first, and the two of them in the back seat fell asleep. Ji Xiaotao said to the driver, "Go back."
The driver hesitated, unsure of what to do. His original task was to send each of the three passengers home, but now he hadn't even sent one back, and instead was the one sent here.
Ji Xiaotao shook his head and smiled, then closed the car window and left.
The other two passengers were already asleep, exhausted from the journey. Before the car stopped again, Fang Shaoyi opened his eyes, clear and alert. Ji Xiaotao took advantage of the red light to turn around and quietly say, "We're almost there, bro."
Fang Shaoyi nodded and put on a mask.
When the car finally stopped, Ji Xiaotao turned off the engine, took off his seatbelt, and pulled out his phone to take a picture of the back seat.
Fang Shaoyi woke up Yuan Ye, saying, "Brother Ye, it's time to wake up."
The call of "Brother Ye" came so unexpectedly that Yuan Ye felt like he might still be asleep even after opening his eyes. When had Fang Shaoyi ever called him that before? Yuan Ye was confused and still groggy from just waking up, so he asked in a hoarse voice, "What's going on...why are you calling me like that?"
"We're here, don't sleep anymore," Fang Shaoyi said.
Yuan Ye sat up and rubbed his eyes, asking him, "Did you just call me Brother Ye? Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine," Fang Shaoyi handed him a bottle of water. Yuan Ye took a sip and looked up to see Ji Xiaotao. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why are you pointing your phone at us and taking pictures?"
Ji Xiaotao didn't answer, but instead said, "Brother Ye, give me a smile and a 'V' sign."
"Like hell, what 'V'!" Yuan Ye suddenly became fully awake and felt that something was off. He looked out the car window and exclaimed, "Where are we? Are you two trying to sell me?"
Fang Shaoyi placed his hand on Yuan Ye's head and shook it gently, then got out of the car. After bending down and reaching out to pull him out, he said, "Come on, get out."
"I'm not getting out, I feel like there's a conspiracy going on here," Yuan Ye thought these two were acting strange.
Fang Shaoyi wore a mask on his face, making it impossible to see his expression. He pulled Yuan Ye's arm and said, "Get out of the car, what are you doing sitting here?"
"What am I getting off for!" Yuan Ye didn't dare to struggle too hard, he was afraid of making any sudden movements and accidentally tugging on Fang Shaoyi.
He laughed and said to Fang Shaoyi, "Your attitudes are making me too scared to get out of the car. If you want to sell me, just say it. I can even help you check the money. Why are you filming me non-stop?"
After speaking, Yuan Ye pushed Ji Xiaotao's phone away and said, "You little brat, you're just following your brother to mess with me. I can't deal with your brother now, but do you think I can't deal with you either?"
Ji Xiaotao still held up his phone like a persistent reporter and said, "Brother Ye, I can't help it!"
Yuan Ye leaned his head out to take a few glances and figured out what was going on. The monkey was too clever for his own good. Now that he understood, he refused to get out of the car. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, sat firmly in his seat, and leaned his head back against the backrest, looking as steady as a Buddha.
Fang Shaoyi pulled down his mask and said lowly, "Are you coming down?"
Yuan Ye shook his head with his eyes closed.
Fang Shaoyi looked at him, he had been bending over for a while. He let go of Yuan Ye and covered his chest, saying, "I'm in pain."
"Don't mess around," Yuan Ye glanced at him, "Don't pretend."
Fang Shaoyi stood up straight, took a deep breath, and frowned slightly. His eyes also looked a little uncomfortable. "You just pulled me," he said.
What the hell did I pull? Yuan Ye didn't even dare to use any force and didn't push him at all.
But when Fang Shaoyi said he was in pain, Yuan Ye couldn't resist him. He accepted his fate and got off the car. Then he reached out and rubbed Fang Shaoyi's rib, sighing, "...Fine, I've come down now. Don't be in pain, Fang Jiaojiao*."
*T/N: Jiao means someone pampered and frail.
Fang Shaoyi grabbed his hand and led him away.
As they walked, Ji Xiaotao kept taking pictures by their side. Yuan Ye said, "Are you planning to make a documentary? That's enough."
Ji Xiaotao didn't dare to speak and held his phone carefully.
Yuan Ye had been to this place twice before, this time would be his third visit.
The first time he came with Fang Shaoyi to get a certificate, and the second time the certificate was a different one. It was unnecessary to say what they were here for this time. As they walked, Yuan Ye couldn't help but laugh at how much they were fussing around.
But as soon as they entered the hall, before even taking a step, Yuan Ye's laughter froze on his face and he couldn't help but exclaim, "...My god."
In the hall, a dozen or so cameras were all pointed at them, flashing incessantly. Yuan Ye rubbed his head and shielded his face with his arm, whispering to Fang Shaoyi, "My dear ancestor...What's going on here?"
Fang Shaoyi let go of him, took off his mask, and greeted everyone.
"Thank you all for coming, I've troubled you," he nodded towards the crowd in front of him, still holding onto Yuan Ye's hand.
"Our relationship has been quite active these past two years. Today, I want to say a few words with the help of everyone's cameras and also have everyone bear witness," Fang Shaoyi's handsome face and steady voice showed no signs of illness, despite having lost weight.
"We've never publicly talked about the two of us. It's always been everyone guessing back and forth, but there's really nothing to talk about," Fang Shaoyi said, squeezing Yuan Ye's hand and facing the camera. "We fell in love when we were young, and everyone knows we got married. And after that we got divorced, you all know that too."
"After the divorce, we went on a love travel show, which was really not appropriate. The show was something I wanted to do, and many people said I did it for the money, but it wasn't true, I donated all the money. I intentionally wanted to go on the show, I never wanted to really divorce him, so I went on it to see what he was thinking," Fang Shaoyi continued.
When Fang Shaoyi mentioned this, he glanced at Yuan Ye with a hint of a smile in his eyes. He continued, "I was the one who asked for the divorce, and the one who forced him to sign the papers. We had many differences in our personalities, and the divorce was for us to better understand ourselves. I used the wrong method and paid the price for it."
"Yuan Ye is a very stubborn person. It may seem like I had a harder time, but in reality, he was the one to accommodate me more over the years." Fang Shaoyi spoke too much and coughed twice. Someone next to him handed him water, but he waved it away.
"In fact, at that time, we were both not thinking straight. Many things don't need to be divided so clearly, and even the most difficult problems have better solutions than divorce. There may still be many conflicts and problems between us in the future, but I believe in him and he believes in me."
Fang Shaoyi's hand was always dry and warm, and felt comfortable and powerful when held.
"In the past, we always felt that there was no rush. Time was still abundant, and we could slowly love each other and grow old together. Marriage seemed like a formality to us. Having each other by our side side was more important than getting married."
"I got a little injured while filming this time, it was just a small accident," Fang Shaoyi turned the ring on Yuan Ye's finger. He coughed a few times and his voice became slightly hoarse, "When the accident happened, actually I didn't know if there would be a tomorrow for me. Those days, I felt regret in my heart. If my life were to end like this, Yuan Ye would not be my legal lover."
Fang Shaoyi spoke so much, without any flowery words. Every word came from his heart, and every word was sincere. Yuan Ye had been looking at him with his head tilted the whole time. The man before him was not wearing the white suit he wore on their wedding day.
He was now thirty-eight years old, already thirteen years older than that day. Yuan Ye had been smiling faintly the whole time, but as he continued to smile, his eyes gradually turned red.
As Fang Shaoyi looked into his eyes, he slowly half-knelt down, calmly and firmly asking, "Can you marry me again?"
Immediately, Yuan Ye also bent down, also into a half-kneel, his tight jeans outlining a sexy and beautiful line. Yuan Ye's mouth curled into a smile as he said in a hoarse voice, "You're making such a big fuss, if I say no, the fans will tear me apart."
Fang Shaoyi raised an eyebrow and asked, "So?"
Yuan Ye spread his hands helplessly and said, "I can marry you again, but at least you need to be prepared. Did you bring our household registration? Did you bring the community certificate? Did you bring your divorce certificate? With all these cameras around... let's see how we end up today. Aren't you embarrassed?"
The people present couldn't help but laugh. Yuan Ye said, "Sorry, after getting injured, Fang-laoshi can be a bit wilful nowadays."
Fang Shaoyi remained silent, and Yuan Ye was already thinking about how to fix the situation.
Ji Xiaotao slowly made his way over from the side, handing his phone to someone else to hold so the live stream wouldn't be interrupted. He flipped through his backpack and handed each item to Yuan Ye one by one: "Divorce certificate... household registration... community certificate..."
Yuan Ye held the pile of documents, speechless. He still had a smile on his face, but his lips didn't move. He gritted his teeth and asked Fang Shaoyi in a voice only they could hear, "Did you steal my things again?"
Fang Shaoyi tilted his chin and pointed at Ji Xiaotao, saying, "He's the thief."
As Yuan Ye stood up, he pulled up Fang Shaoyi and they headed to the registration office with their pile of documents. Despite being low-key individuals, their marriages were always events with such fanfare. While Yuan Ye filled out the application form, he whispered to Fang Shaoyi, "Where's your ring? Do you want me to put it on for you?"
Fang Shaoyi took it out of his pocket and put it on himself.
Someone laughed and asked him, "Fang-laoshi, why didn't you let Yuan-laoshi put it on for you?"
Fang Shaoyi shook his head and smiled, "I should stop here for now. I don't even know how long I'll have to sell my pitiful act when we get home."
"Does selling pity work?" someone else asked.
"It does," Fang Shaoyi nodded, reaching out his right hand to grab Yuan Ye's hand holding the pen. He helped him write down "Yuan Ye" and said, "It works. Yuan-laoshi has a soft heart."
Yuan Ye had already gone alone with him, as long as Fang-laoshi was happy, it's all good.
Fang Shaoyi had planned this for a while. After all, there would be a long period of recuperation and rehabilitation in the future. Now, there's no harm in being a little flamboyant, anyway things will settle down eventually.
Facing the camera, Yuan Ye said, "Don't be fooled by him. He talks big, but it's all just a scam. An out-of-date movie emperor chasing after a popular writer, my fans, don't fall for it. Did you see me wink at you? This is a kidnapping."
Fang Shaoyi turned his head to look at him and asked, "Stepping on me? No matter how cold this movie emperor's popularity gets, it's not your turn to step on me, is it?"
Yuan Ye sneered, "The movie emperor's lung hurts, he needs to recover, and won't have any new works for a long time."
......
Just a moment ago, they were gazing at each other with deep affection, but in the blink of an eye, it became a scolding.
They exchanged words back and forth, teasing each other, but when their eyes met, it was clear that they were still the same young lovers who had loved each other for half a lifetime.
The author has something to say:
The main story has come to an end, so let's leave it at that.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
A little frog who likes reading. Hope you liked this chapter, and thank you for your support! Coffee fuels my midnight translation binges.
Give me feedback at moc.ebircssutol@tibbir.