"Really? Romance on Mount Lu is going to be released?"
Sure enough, the melancholy in Gong Xue's eyes vanished, replaced by an astonishing radiance.
"Of course. I saw the announcement outside Daguanlou Cinema. I'm not sure about other theaters, but it should be around July for all of them anyway. According to Tai Chi's schedule, we should be in Henan by then. When the time comes, I'll take you to see it."
"Mm-hmm!"
Gong Xue nodded repeatedly, having completely forgotten the day's unpleasantness. Romance on Mount Lu was a film she had been eagerly anticipating for a long time.
"By the way, I stopped by the Overseas Chinese Store today. This is for you."
Seeing her mood improve, Chen Qi seized the moment to offer the gift. Without even looking at it, Gong Xue gently pushed it back with her small hand and shook her head. "I don't want it. You don't need to buy things for me."
"These are all imported skincare products, bought specially for you."
"I've saved a little money now, and I don't usually attend many functions anyway. I have no use for things this fine. Why don't you give them to your mother?" she suggested.
It was the first time Chen Qi had to talk someone into accepting a gift. "You drew the storyboard for The Miracle Fighters for me, so we're co-creators. You deserve a cut of the manuscript fee, but handing you cash felt awkward, so I bought some gifts instead. You also just helped me storyboard two screenplays. If you don't take them, that makes me an embezzler, and I won't be able to ask you for help anymore."
"This..."
Gong Xue hesitated. Seeing Chen Qi firmly shove the package into her hands, she could only say, "Well, thank you then. Imported goods sound terribly expensive. Don't buy them next time."
"Money is meant to be spent. Once it's gone, I can earn more... There's also a pair of leather shoes in there. I bought size 36. What size do you wear?"
"Shoes?"
Her face flushed, and she whispered, "Size 36 fits me too."
"That's great!"
Now that her mood had completely turned around, discussing the matter would be much calmer. Chen Qi said, "The people from the Film Bureau questioned me, and I had a talk with those two comrades. They also thought the report was utter nonsense and won't be investigating further. You don't need to worry."
"Actually, I'm used to it by now. I was called out and reprimanded like that all the time in the past. I was just feeling a bit down because it happened right after I arrived at Beijing Film Studio. I haven't offended anyone."
"Beijing Film Studio isn't an easy place to navigate; you need to be mentally prepared once you step inside. Life is like climbing a mountain. Some start early, some start late; some persevere, some give up halfway; some get lost admiring the scenery along the path and forget their original destination. As you press forward, you may encounter countless sneers and malice, but when you stand at the summit, you'll find every one of them beneath your feet. By then, you won't care about idle gossip anymore, because what you will experience is beholding all other peaks dwarfed below, touching the stars with an outstretched hand, where the sea meets the horizon and the sky becomes the shore, and when you scale the highest summit, you yourself are the peak!"
"..."
Gong Xue's eyes lingered softly on him. She smiled and praised, "Look at you—even when comforting someone, eloquence just rolls off your tongue. It's soothing to hear and admirable too. That little speech of yours could practically be written into a poem."
Hey, good idea!
I could make a domestic version of Chicken Soup for the Soul, or snatch Wang Guozhen's rice bowl.
As he quipped to himself, Gong Xue sighed again. "Still, the realm you're talking about is so lofty. I'm merely a novice actress who just stepped over the threshold into cinema. When could I ever reach the summit?"
"Set a goal first! Step one: become the most popular actress at Beijing Film Studio. Step two: become the most popular in the country. Step three: become the most popular in Asia!"
"Now you're getting completely ridiculous..."
Gong Xue shook her head and said, "It's getting late. Shall we head back?"
"I still have one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Comforting you is one thing, but when it comes to your behavior today, I have a few words of criticism."
Chen Qi cleared his throat and said solemnly, "When I came back earlier today, I ran into you. You didn't tell me what happened back then and ran off on your own. Were you hiding in your room, crying secretly?"
"I..."
"You're wonderful in every way, except for one thing: you overthink, keep everything inside, and bottle it all up, wearing yourself out mentally and physically. That's a terrible habit. In the future, if anything happens, you need to speak up."
Gong Xue was someone prone to severe internal friction and self-doubt.
Chen Qi was the exact opposite: the moment he caught the slightest hint of trouble, he would decisively raise a ruckus and make life miserable for others, never letting himself suffer in silence.
"I've always been like this. I know it isn't good... All right, I'll tell you if anything happens from now on. I'll remember everything you've said to me. Thank you for giving me so much encouragement."
"Oh? And how do you plan to thank me?"
Chen Qi looked at her, a hint of mischievous intention showing on his face.
"How do you want me to thank you?"
"How about like this?"
Gong Xue thought he was joking, but he suddenly took a step forward. The two of them were right next to each other, so close they could almost feel each other's warm breath.
Flustered, she backed away, only for her back to bump against the streetlight pole. The dim yellow light shook slightly from the gentle impact, swaying between their shadows.
"Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen—"
Seeing Chen Qi stepping closer still, she murmured in panic and had to turn her head away, her hands pressed firmly in front of her chest to block him. Chen Qi tested the waters, and seeing her reaction, he stopped teasing and halted. But he reached out and took hold of her small hand.
"Let go!"
"Someone might see us!"
She pulled hard a few times and finally broke free. Her entire face had long since flushed crimson, her heart filled with vexation, though she couldn't tell whether she felt more embarrassed or annoyed. She only felt that he had become shockingly bold today.
And most infuriating of all, that guy was still looking at her with a grin, without the slightest hint of remorse.
"I'm leaving!"
She turned and strode off, but after taking two steps, she spun back around. "You're not allowed to do that again, or I'll ignore you completely!"
Having delivered her stern warning, Gong Xue left once more, quickly breaking into a trot, leaving behind a flustered shadow in the night.
"Tsk, tsk!"
Chen Qi rubbed his nose. He had full confidence that if he had pushed just a bit harder, he could have won her over completely. Yet he still held reservations about the era. If someone actually caught them in the act, hooliganism could earn a person a bullet.
Look at that! A prime example of a backward urban youth, the scum of the educated youth—execute him today so others may learn from his example!
...
At the guesthouse.
It took Gong Xue an entire hour after returning to the guesthouse to calm her racing heart.
By now, she had already changed into the light brown calfskin shoes with low heels and soft soles. They were delicate and lightweight, looking exceptionally chic on her feet.
The color and style matched her wonderfully, and she liked them immensely. She walked a few laps around the room before taking them off. Looking down at her feet, she suddenly remembered: that guy seemed to stare at her feet whenever he had the chance... Who knew what kind of quirk that was.
Next, she browsed through the skincare products.
No matter what kind of woman she was, none could resist things like this. The foreign brands were all labeled in English, so Chen Qi had thoughtfully affixed little paper slips: This is for facial cleansing, this is face cream, this is for dark circles under the eyes, and so on...
There were also two lipsticks that she didn't quite dare to use, though she took a great liking to the lip balm. She applied some to her lips to try it out, then casually slipped it into her bag to carry with her.
After fussing about for a long time, she finally lay down, but sleep simply would not come. The moment she closed her eyes, a certain someone's face drifted into view. That cheeky younger brother was becoming increasingly capable of stirring her emotions—he had even gotten handsy just now.
After spending so much time together, she didn't evade her own feelings. Yet there was an obstacle standing firmly in front of her, making her afraid to step forward, leaving her deeply self-conscious.
"But I'm several years older than him!"
"He's so young and talented, with a boundless future, while I..."
Chapter 111