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The crimson sunset hung low over the mountain, signaling the end of another day. The crew of the martial arts blockbuster, “Sword Breaking Through the Heavens,” had been shooting on location for nearly a month and was now back in Hengdian for the final stages of filming. Xitang arrived on time at the set on Mountain Number One. She didn’t need to do her hair, so she finished her makeup in half an hour and went out for a stroll. Seeing that the assistant director was already in place and everyone was waiting for nightfall, she knew tonight’s shoot would be a big night scene involving the attack on the Moonlight Manor.
The weather forecast had predicted rain for the next few days, so everyone wanted to finish the main shots before the storm hit.
The entire night was filled with the clang of swords and arrows under the dark sky. A long line of extras held torches, illuminating half the night sky. Everyone was on high alert, and they kept filming until nearly midnight when the director finally called cut and announced a ten-minute break. The main actors and their assistants rushed over, some wiping sweat, some applying makeup, and others fetching water.
Xitang walked out. The set was built around a man-made lake in a constructed manor. The moon was reflected on the water.
“Want a smoke?” someone nearby offered her a cigarette.
Xitang turned around and saw that it was a stuntman from the crew. She smiled and took one.
Overworking and night shoots were a common occurrence, and everyone in Hengdian was used to it. From directors and big stars to extras and script supervisors, almost everyone had the habit of smoking or drinking coffee to stay awake.
Xitang smoked silently. It was all worth it. She had a lot of scenes in this drama and had been on set for two months. The money she earned was almost enough to cover half a year’s expenses.
Ni Kailun had told her that she could start repaying Thirteen Ye’s debt in another two months.
So far, Zhao Pingjin had been supporting her for three months, and the card that Ni Kailun held had been credited with money on time every month, clearing the interest she owed.
Apparently, the script for the next project was already being discussed, and he would be investing. Xitang would be the lead actress.
In three months, she had only seen him once, and he hadn’t even touched her hand.
That night, the shoot went smoothly and was completed by two in the morning. Xitang went with a few stunt doubles and martial artists from the crew to get a massage at Old Shen’s place.
When they came out of the massage parlor, they were all groaning in pain and walked down the street, arm in arm. There was a hint of the approaching rain in the air. Even at midnight, the streets were still bustling with people. At a corner, Xitang waved goodbye to her colleagues and walked towards the small hill where her house was located.
As she walked out of the dark alley, a flash of lightning lit up the sky. As if sensing something, she looked up and her heart skipped a beat. She stopped in her tracks.
Under the dim streetlight beside the residential building, in the humid and muggy weather, moths and ants were flying around the light. A figure stood in the distance.
Tall and thin, wearing white pants and a black polo shirt.
A thunderclap roared, and large raindrops began to fall.
Xitang instinctively raised her hand to shield her head, then realized that she was bald and didn’t need to worry about getting wet. She said, “Let’s take shelter from the rain.”
Pedestrians on the street were running in all directions. Xitang stood on the side of the street, and a man dressed in ancient costume rushed towards her, almost bumping into her. Zhao Pingjin reached out to protect her, “Don’t panic.”
Xitang just ran towards the opposite building, “Why didn’t you call?”
“I did, but you didn’t answer.” Zhao Pingjin followed her, his body shielding her from the road in case someone else bumped into her.
Xitang stopped under the eaves and reached into her pocket. Her phone was always on silent on set.
“Did you drive here?”
Xitang looked down and saw the car keys in his hand.
Zhao Pingjin nodded.
Xitang took out her house key. It was a local residential building with a small shop on the first floor that was rented out to a Shanxi couple who sold breakfast. It was already closed now.
The summer rain poured down behind them.
Zhao Pingjin followed her up the stairs.
It was an old-fashioned house with concrete stairs. She was wearing a loose white robe, and there was a strange scent about her.
Xitang opened the door on the second floor, and Zhao Pingjin went in and looked around. He sat down on the sofa, relaxed his body, and took her cup to drink from.
Xitang was very calm, “Just a moment, I’ll take off my makeup.”
She still had on the heavy makeup from the night shoot, giving her an unreal appearance.
Zhao Pingjin nodded and watched her go into the bathroom.
He then took another look around the room. It was a small single room with a small kitchen. He could take it all in at a glance.
The room was dark, with a simple bed and a messy beige plaid bedspread. There was a pile of clothes on the bed, and a stack of books and some bottles and jars on the bedside table. There was also a photo frame with a picture of her and her mother. The sofa was old and didn’t match the coffee table, and it looked like it had been left by a previous tenant. There was a large ceramic jar in the corner, filled with a bunch of dried chrysanthemums. A large wooden wardrobe against the wall seemed to have been added by Huang Xitang.
The furniture was messy, and that was about it.
He didn’t know why, but he liked her room as soon as he came in. It was filled with her scent, a kind of hazy feeling like a night ship sailing towards the end of the world.
On the coffee table was a stack of thick scripts, and on the arm of the sofa was a box containing a pack of soft-shell cigarettes, half-smoked, and a green plastic lighter.
Zhao Pingjin glanced at it and casually threw the cigarette into the trash can next to it.
Xitang came out soon, her head completely bare, her face washed clean, revealing a few small freckles on her left cheek and faint dark circles.
She didn’t ask what he thought of her room because she knew he had nothing to do with it. She simply asked, “Have you had dinner?”
Zhao Pingjin shook his head.
Xitang knew why, because he was picky about airplane food.
She got up and went to the kitchen, “I cooked some porridge this afternoon.”
Zhao Pingjin slowly stood up and followed her into the kitchen. She took a bowl from the cupboard, washed it carefully under the tap, and then served him a bowl of porridge.
“What are you doing?” Xitang held the bowl and put it in front of him, but Zhao Pingjin grabbed her wrist.
He grabbed her wrist, turned it over, and looked at her elbow. Then he lifted up her sleeve and stared at it silently for a long time without saying a word.
There was nothing good to see on her arm, just bruises, purple and green, and some broken skin and red swelling.
Zhao Pingjin, who always had a bad expression when looking at her, frowned this time, his lips turning slightly white, “What happened?”
Xitang withdrew her hand awkwardly, “I was doing stunts, it’s inevitable that I’ll get bumped and bruised.”
Zhao Pingjin let go of her with a sullen face.
Xitang felt embarrassed and stood up. She opened the only window in the room, and the rain and wind blew in. She turned on the fan to dispel the stuffy heat of the night.
The raindrops pattered against the window, and the two of them sat quietly at the small coffee table in the living room, with two bowls of thick porridge, a plate of green vegetables, and a plate of pickled radishes.
Zhao Pingjin took a bite and spat it all out.
Xitang was stunned and then smiled, “If you don’t like it, don’t eat it. It’s a waste.”
Zhao Pingjin frowned secretly and endured the pain. There was still the taste of porridge in his mouth, but he could only taste it once. It was cooked by her, and it smelled so good, but unfortunately, he couldn’t eat it.
He pushed it away with a frown, “It’s disgusting.”
Xitang didn’t say anything and lowered her head to silently drink her porridge with a plate of boiled vegetables, finishing the whole bowl.
Zhao Pingjin leaned against the sofa, still frowning, “Is this all you eat at night?”
Xitang replied matter-of-factly, “Yes.”
Zhao Pingjin said angrily, “I give you 300,000 yuan a month, and you only eat a few leaves. Why are you so stingy?”
Xitang said brazenly, “We spend a lot in our industry, 300,000 yuan is not enough for me to buy a bag.”
Zhao Pingjin’s face turned pale, and he stopped talking.
Xitang cleaned up the dishes on the table and went into the kitchen. She turned on the tap. There was a small window in the kitchen, and the rain was pouring outside.
The whole room was like a ship sailing on a vast, desolate sea.
It was very quiet in the room. She would never have dreamed that she would one day have a room like this and be with him, living like ordinary people.
“I saw Lao Si tonight.”
Xitang paused and came back to her senses.
Zhao Pingjin leaned against the kitchen door frame and said without any emotion, “Lao Si is getting married.”
Xitang replied calmly, “Oh, really?”
Zhao Pingjin deliberately didn’t let her off the hook, “Lao Si is not stingy. Why didn’t you ask him for some benefits back then and put yourself in such a situation?”
Xitang said coldly, “I have nothing to do with him.”
Zhao Pingjin sneered.
He had driven over 300 kilometers from Shanghai to here. She thought he had come to Hengdian to see her.
It turned out that he had only come to humiliate her because Lu Xiaogang had returned to China to announce his marriage. He had even taken a midnight flight to find her just to vent his anger.
The man behind her said sarcastically, “Why didn’t you just go with him?”
Xitang threw the dishcloth into the sink violently, “Who I want to be with is none of your business!”
Zhao Pingjin laughed, “Good girl, you have a lot of spirit.”
The next moment, he saw her suddenly raise her head and take a deep breath, then quickly wiped her eyes.
He finally stopped speaking.
Xitang also remained silent, lowering her head as she quietly washed the dishes.