ebookslot Chapter 9 Filming Completed
Chapter 9 Filming Completed
October 22, Shanghai, Chedun Film and Television Base.
This was Chen Duling and Gao Huan's last scene together on the set of "The Left Ear".
The two-week agreement has only three days left.
But the filming is about to wrap up, and the cast and crew are about to disperse.
Chen Duling knew that once this scene was finished, the ambiguous relationship between her and Gao Huan would most likely also come to an end.
That's why she arrived especially early today.
She was already sitting in the dressing room before dawn.
When the makeup artist came in yawning, she saw that she was already sitting in front of the mirror, her expression suggesting she was gossiping about something, or perhaps not thinking about anything at all.
"Duling, you're here so early?"
"I can't sleep," Chen Duling said.
The makeup artist didn't ask any more questions and started applying makeup to her.
The makeup artist didn't ask any more questions and started applying makeup to her.
Today's makeup is lighter than usual because this scene is Xiao Erduo's last visit to Xu Yi.
It doesn't require an intense emotional outburst, but rather the restraint of "wanting to say something but being unable to say anything."
Chen Duling closed her eyes and let the makeup artist's brush sweep across her face.
She silently recited her lines for the day, but only one thought kept running through her mind.
This is the last one.
After filming this scene, all of her scenes with Gao Huan were over.
He will leave Shanghai to work on other projects.
She will go back to school and continue her studies.
The intersection between two people is like two intersecting lines; after they meet at this point, they will only drift further and further apart.
"All done," the makeup artist said.
Chen Duling opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror.
Her eye makeup was very light, and her lips were barely colored. She looked very plain, like a sheet of paper that had been washed.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she suddenly realized that it wasn't Little Ears, it was herself.
……
set.
The scene is the entrance to the convenience store where Xu Yi works.
It was a very small storefront, with one of the light bulbs on the signboard broken, making it flicker. The props team had placed a dilapidated bicycle and a few scattered cardboard boxes next to it.
Gao Huan had arrived and was standing next to the set, discussing the scene with Su Youpeng.
He was wearing a dark gray hoodie today, without a hood, his hair was a bit messy, and he had tired makeup on.
He no longer looked like the spirited Xu Yi of before; he seemed more like an ordinary person whose edges had been smoothed out by life.
What Xu Yi looked like after his downfall.
Chen Duling stood at the entrance of the film set, looked at him for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and walked over.
When Su Youpeng saw her, he waved to her and said, "Du Ling is here? Come over here, let me tell you about this scene."
Chen Duling walked over and stood next to Gao Huan.
The two people were about half a meter apart, neither too close nor too far.
Gao Huan glanced at her but didn't say anything.
"This scene is very simple," Su Youpeng said, pointing to the entrance of the convenience store.
"Little Ears found the place where Xu Yi was working, wanting to see how he was doing one last time."
Xu Yi was tidying up the shelves, his back to her.
She stood at the door for a long time but didn't go in.
Xu Yi knew she had come, but he did not turn around.
Finally, Little Ears turned and left. Xu Yi turned around, but she was already gone.
After Su Youpeng finished speaking, he looked at the two of them and said, "The key is in the eyes. There are no lines; it's all about the eyes."
Chen Duling nodded.
Gao Huan nodded as well.
"Okay, let's give it a try."
……
The clapperboard is struck.
The convenience store lights flickered on and off.
Gao Huan stood in front of the shelves, with his back to the door, and stacked the drinks from the boxes onto the shelves one by one.
His movements were slow, like someone who was used to repetitive labor, needing no thought, just mechanical actions.
Chen Duling walked over from a distance and stood at the entrance of the convenience store.
She looked at him.
The lighting was dim, so his expression was obscured; only his back was visible.
The boy who once shone brightly on the basketball court is now wearing cheap work clothes, hunched over, like a tree bent by the wind.
The camera zoomed in on Chen Duling's face.
Her eyes were complicated.
There is heartache, there is reluctance, there is a struggle of "I know I can't save you but I can't let go".
She opened her mouth, wanting to call his name.
But no sound was made.
Because she didn't know what to say after calling out to him.
"Are you alright?" No, it's obvious at a glance.
"I've come to see you"? So what if I have? He won't care.
"I miss you"? But she had no right to say those words.
Chen Duling's lips moved, but she ultimately kept them closed.
She stood there and watched him for a long time.
Gao Huan did not turn around.
He put the last bottle of drink away, then stood there, his back to her, motionless.
Neither of them moved.
The air seemed to freeze.
Then Chen Duling turned around.
She turned around very slowly, as if her feet were weighed down with lead.
With each step, his shoulders slumped down a little.
When she reached the third step, she paused, as if she wanted to turn back, but ultimately did not.
she left.
The figure receded into the distance, grew smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared into the darkness at the street corner.
Gao Huan slowly turned around.
He looked at the doorway. It was empty; there was nothing there.
His expression was calm, but there was something indescribable in his eyes: regret, pain, and a kind of nonchalant "I knew this would happen" attitude.
He looked at it for two seconds, then turned back and continued tidying the shelves.
The light flickered again.
"Card!"
Su Youpeng shouted.
There was a moment of silence on set, then Alec Su's voice rang out again: "That's a wrap."
He paused, then added, "Very good."
His tone was flat, lacking the previous excitement and praise like "perfect".
Because he knew that this play wasn't "acted out".
Chen Duling stood on the street corner, her back to the film set, her shoulders trembling slightly.
The assistant ran over and handed her a tissue.
She took it, wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned around.
Her eyes were red, but she didn't cry.
Su Youpeng walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder: "Du Ling, you acted well."
Chen Duling nodded and forced a smile.
Gao Huan walked over from the convenience store entrance and paused for a moment as he passed by her.
He didn't look at her, but simply said two words: "It's fine."
Then go.
Chen Duling watched his retreating figure, her fingers clenching the tissue tightly.
pretty good.
Two words.
She waited two months, and when filming wrapped, he said, "That was good."
How good is "pretty good"?
Does it mean "not bad"?
Does it mean "That's it" or "Let's leave it at that"?
Chen Duling didn't know.
All she knew was that in "The Left Ear," Xiao Erduo waited for Xu Yi throughout his youth, only to receive nothing in the end.
In reality, all she got in return were those two words.
Good.
……
Filming has wrapped.
Chen Duling's scenes have all ended.
Su Youpeng had someone buy flowers—a bunch of white lisianthus with a few sprigs of eucalyptus leaves, a light and refreshing style that perfectly suited Xiao Erduo's temperament.
"Duling, congratulations on wrapping up filming." Su Youpeng handed her the flowers, smiled, and patted her shoulder. "You did a great job, exceeding my expectations. Hope we can work together again in the future."
"Thank you, Director." Chen Duling accepted the flowers, her nose starting to sting again.
The staff gathered around, chattering about things like "Du Ling, you've worked hard" and "Let's keep in touch."
Chen Duling smiled and responded to everyone, but her eyes kept searching for one person.
Gao Huan stood outside the crowd, leaning against the wall, holding a mobile phone in his hand, as if looking at something.
He didn't come over.
He didn't say "Congratulations on wrapping up filming," nor "Let's keep in touch," and he didn't even glance at her.
Chen Duling's smile slowly faded.
Holding the bouquet of flowers, she walked through the crowd and stood before Gao Huan.
Gao Huan looked up and glanced at her.
"Filming is finished," Chen Duling said.
"Yes," Gao Huan said. "Congratulations."
Just those two words.
Chen Duling waited for him to say more, but he only said those two words and then continued to look down at his phone.
Chen Duling stood there, holding the flowers, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but her throat seemed to be blocked by something, and she couldn't make a sound.
Yangyang Jin, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it anymore. She walked over and said with a smile, "Duling, let's have dinner together sometime."
"Okay, Sister Yangyang," Chen Duling said, her voice a little hoarse.
Yangyang Jin glanced at Gao Huan, but Gao Huan didn't react.
Chen Duling took a deep breath, turned around and left.
She took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Gao Huan.
"Gao Huan," she called to him.
Gao Huan raised his head.
"You said you would remember me."
Gao Huan looked at her and remained silent for two seconds.
"I said that."
Chen Duling smiled, but as she smiled, tears began to fall.
She put the flowers on the ground, walked towards him, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him on the cheek.
Not lips, but cheeks.
It's very light and very short.
Then she let go, took two steps back, turned and left.
This time, she didn't look back.
Gao Huan stood there, touching the spot where he had been kissed.
It was wet; I couldn't tell if it was from tears or the warmth of her lips.
He watched Chen Duling's figure disappear at the entrance of the photography studio, then looked down at the bouquet of flowers on the ground.
White bellflowers, paired with eucalyptus leaves.
He didn't pick it up.
She turned and walked into the dressing room.
……
Yangyang Jin picked up the bouquet of flowers and placed it on Gao Huan's chair.
Gao Huan came out after changing his clothes and was stunned when he saw the bouquet of flowers.
Yangyang Jin said, "Duling put it there, aren't you going to take it?"
Gao Huan looked at the bouquet of flowers for a few seconds, then said, "Put it in the car."
Yangyang Jin sighed and followed behind him, holding the flowers.
Once in the car, Gao Huan sat in the back seat with his eyes closed.
Yangyang Jin glanced at him in the rearview mirror.
"Aren't you going to say a few more words to them?"
"What did you say?"
"You can say whatever you want. Don't you know what that girl means to you?"
Gao Huan remained silent.
Yangyang Jin sighed again and didn't ask any more questions.
The car started and drove out of the Chedun Film and Television Base.
As evening fell in Shanghai, a patch of orange-red clouds burned across the horizon.
Gao Huan opened his eyes and looked out the car window at the sycamore trees rushing past.
My phone vibrated.
He looked down and saw a WeChat message from Chen Duling.
"I'm leaving now. Thank you for taking care of me these past two months. The white lily bulb is beautiful. There are still three days left of our two-week promise, but it's okay, let things take their course."
A smiley face followed.
Gao Huan stared at the message for a few seconds, then locked the screen and put his phone in his pocket.
He didn't reply.
The car continued driving forward.
Outside the window, the neon lights of Shanghai lit up one by one.
Gao Huan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
A thought flashed through my mind.
According to the 1123 theory, is Chen Duling a "lover" or a "bed partner"? He hasn't decided yet.
But the difference doesn't seem to be significant.
Whether it's a lover or a bed partner, they will all leave.
Like that bouquet of flowers, if you leave it on the ground and don't pick it up, it will be thrown away.
He opened his eyes and looked at the city flowing by outside the car window.
There are other things to do tomorrow.