The touch on the top of his head was as light as a feather brushing over it. However, Xue Xiao shrank back his neck.
Darkness could magnify all perceptions, such as his hot ears. It knew that no one could see it, so it burned recklessly until the back of his neck was sweating.
Another example was his heartbeat, which was as heavy as a drum. The sound was deafening.
The night was like water. Xue Xiao felt like he was floating in the water, dizzy. He didn't know why…
This was until a beam of light hit.
Shen Tingyan had already walked three to five meters away. He realized that Xue Xiao hadn't followed and turned on the flashlight function of his phone to show the way. Then he tilted his head and asked, "What are you doing there? Aren't you going?"
Xue Xiao muttered, "…I'm coming."
He ran two steps and walked beside Shen Tingyan.
"…Where is the light switch for this corridor?" It had been dark when Xue Xiao went up the stairs just now. He didn't think much of it at the time, but now he felt that the whole building was too dark.
"On the other end."
"Were the lights turned off by the security guards?"
"Yes, I wanted to stay longer to change the script, but didn't want to trouble them to wait here for me." Shen Tingyan's voice sounded a bit tired.
According to the rules at work, the lights in the corridor were kept on all the time. This meant the security guards had to stay here constantly, and they couldn't go on patrol.
Shen Tingyan didn't like to bother others. Of course, he also didn't like to trouble himself. This was why he turned on his phone's flashlight.
The two of them walked toward the elevator room.
There was still a dim light working silently in the elevator room. Shen Tingyan put away his phone and pressed the down button. The elevator that stopped on the top floor started to operate slowly and move down.
The elevator in Building 3 was slow. This was why Xue Xiao didn't use the elevator just now and directly ran upstairs.
He carefully looked at Shen Tingyan's face while waiting for the elevator.
He had said such a sentence when meeting each other just now, but after thinking about it, he felt that Shen Tingyan wasn't the type of person to care whether a certain fan of his chose his father.
At this moment, the expression on the man's face was relaxed and casual.
Xue Xiao was secretly relieved. Sure enough, he thought too much…
Shen Tingyan was feeling sluggish from the heat in Building 3 when he noticed Xue Xiao's small glance. A playful look flashed in his eyes.
He suddenly raised an eyebrow and said, "Come on, let's talk about it. Why did you end up choosing 'Spring Garden?'"
"Huh?" Xue Xiao was taken aback by the sudden questioning.
Shen Tingyan asked, "Didn't you say that I am your idol? As long as there are my plays and a suitable role, you will choose it first?"
Xue Xiao muttered, "Ah…"
Shen Tingyan said coolly, "It turns out that you like me, so you want to act out my father's movie?"
Xue Xiao: "..."
He explained while feeling at a loss, "No no, I originally wanted to choose Teacher Shen's movie, but, um, the movie 'Spring Garden' really…"
"Do you like it so much?"
"…Uh."
"So do you regard me as an idol or my father as an idol, huh? Could it be that I am my father's substitute? If my father comes to the show, will you choose me or him?" Shen Tingyan brought the nonsense to the extreme. He was very handy in acting.
Seeing Xue Xiao's sweat dripping down and his face looking stunned in a silly manner, Shen Tingyan's smile became deeper and deeper.
Xue Xiao knew that this man was acting!
He actually made a show at the drop of a hat!
Then Xue Xiao was deceived like this!
The elevator reached the third floor, and the doors opened. Shen Tingyan walked in with a low smile and turned around.
Xue Xiao stood outside the elevator and glared at him with a resentful expression.
Shen Tingyan stretched out his long legs, blocking the side of the elevator door. He squinted and smiled. "You aren't even willing to ride the elevator with me, little fan?"
The two of them looked at each other for a moment. Shen Tingyan smiled and waited patiently.
Xue Xiao blushed and silently walked into the elevator.
Shen Tingyan retracted his legs, closed the elevator door, and continued to go down.
Xue Xiao whispered, "Teacher Shen, you like to tease people too much."
The man's chuckle came from beside him. "Are you disillusioned with me?"
"Before coming to this show, you should've heard about my personality." When he said this, Shen Tingyan's voice finally became as lazy as before, and his tone became a bit light again.
Xu e Xiao put his hands behind his back and lowered his head. "…Of course not. I don't like you because of…"
It wasn't because of unrealistic fantasies.
He first liked Shen Tingyan due to his acting and his attitude toward acting. This man seemed to be careless, but Xue Xiao thought that looking at the entire entertainment industry, there weren't many people who were more focused on acting than Shen Tingyan.
Before they knew each other, it was based on the psychology of liking and admiring from afar.
After getting acquainted, Shen Tingyan's poisonous mouth brought him a much greater sense of realism. He really got in touch with this man and could hear this man speak in front of him. He could hear the reality of what Shen Tingyan said to him.
It was the feeling of being alive.
Xue Xiao had to shamefully admit that Shen Tingyan teasing him like this would make him confused, but it would also make him happy.
Hey, was he really going to become a brainless fan?
Shen Tingyan didn't hear the following part of the sentence, and couldn't help glancing at the side and smiling again.
It was the first time he had seen a fan confessing, only to get immersed halfway in his own world and look distressed. He really didn't know what this guy was thinking.
According to common sense, he had heard too many similar words and didn't mind hearing one less sentence.
But watching the elevator go down one floor and continue down while there was still no sound next to him, he couldn't hold back and asked, "It isn't because of what?"
Xue Xiao smiled back and said, "…It isn't because I imagine you to be such a perfect person."
Shen Tingyan paused slightly.
Xue Xiao felt embarrassed about analyzing his fan mentality in front of Shen Tingyan, but he still said honestly, "Teacher Shen, you are very good like this."
The young man's voice was soft.
It was just like him, as soft as dough.
He obviously complained about the prank before, but now he passed over it without a single wrinkle.
Shen Tingyan saw him like this and secretly rubbed the fingers against his trouser pocket, wanting to move a bit.
He didn't know what he wanted to do, but before he could act, Xue Xiao suddenly raised his face and said solemnly, "But don't tease me like this in the future."
Shen Tingyan said deliberately, "Oh, then I won't tease you. I'll tease others."
"..." Xue Xiao exclaimed, "Can you not tease others?!"
"No, I'm bored every day."
Xue Xiao: "..."
Too shameless!
Shen Tingyan smiled again before asking, "So why did you choose 'Spring Garden'? Do you really like this movie so much?"
This time, he asked much more normally. He was genuinely curious about this question.
'Spring Garden' might be his father's classic, but the theme was really niche, and the box office wasn't high that year. When many people talked about Shen Jingyang, the first thing they would mention would be other blockbusters. Then they would mention 'Spring Garden' in passing.
Initially, when the show allocated the shows, they asked for his opinion and asked him if he wanted to direct this group. But Shen Tingyan refused without hesitation. It was because the movie itself wasn't his favorite style.
If he was allowed to come, he would definitely make some changes. Then the family member at home would definitely rebuke him for not understanding art.
Shen Tingyan was too lazy to take on this trouble himself.
The elevator arrived on the first floor, and the two of them walked out.
The camp outside, just like Building 3, was pitch black. There were only the street lamps struggling to maintain a weak light.
Xue Xiao followed Shen Tingyan's footsteps. The two of them walked outside, the hot night wind blowing toward them.
Xue Xiao's bangs were blown up. At this moment, he recalled the summer when 'Spring Garden' was released.
He walked into the cold movie theater from the hot sun, and held a glass of iced Coke in his hand. However, he only took two sips before the movie officially played. Then he didn't take a single sip for a full 120 minutes.
The Coke was no longer cold, and the theater was no longer cool. Xue Xiao's mind and eyes were swollen.
Shen Tingyan suddenly recalled the more frequent comments that were received for his father's movie.
He looked at Xue Xiao, paused, and raised an eyebrow as he asked, "…Did you cry while watching?"
Xue Xiao nodded, kicked a stone with his toes, and said in an embarrassed manner, "I cried when I saw it. Then when I went home later…"
This was a movie about death.
But it was called 'Spring Garden'.
That year, Xue Xiao returned home from watching the movie and couldn't sleep for several nights. He turned over and over.
Young people seldom thought about death. Xue Xiao was 21 years old, but he realized the ruthlessness of the wave of life early on. He cherished his relatives and friends more, as well as the things he had since coming to this world.
Xue Xiao lowered his head. Shen Tingyan couldn't see his expression. He only heard Xue Xiao's obedient voice. "This movie left me with a deep memory. Now that I think about it, in fact, it actually had a bit of an impact on my decision to become an actor later."
They passed a street lamp. The light fell, and Shen Tingyan finally saw Xue Xiao's low-hanging side profile.
The young man had a faint smile on his lips, and his eyes were soft. There was a slight light in his eyes that were looking at the ground. Even that light was gentle, mixed with a trace of complex emotion. He looked particularly striking.
This expression made Shen Tingyan's footsteps stop.
Then he narrowed his eyes slightly and laughed.
How many years ago did his father make this movie?
He still showed such an expression when looking back on it now?
Shen Tingyan originally didn't really care that Xue Xiao chose the movie 'Spring Garden.' Old Gao had relayed the whole selection process to him through WeChat, like a microphone, all day. He also felt like these people were bored because of idleness and liked to make a fuss.
But at this moment, he was inexplicably a bit upset.
He asked in a seemingly nonchalant manner, "Haven't you ever cried while watching my movie?"
Xue Xiao was stunned. He raised his head and replied with a smile, "How is that possible?"
He was a very emotional person. He would be affected by the plot of a movie or drama at every turn.
Shen Tingyan had acted in so many movies. How could none of them make him shed tears?
Shen Tingyan heard this answer but still wasn't comfortable.
He didn't know why he was competing with his father, but he still pretended to be calm as he asked, "But it didn't make you cry as badly as this movie, right?"
Xue Xiao glanced at Shen Tingyan in a bewildered manner. After a moment, he seemed to understand Shen Tingyan's awkwardness.
He was a bit surprised, a bit subtle, and a bit… novel.
Shen Tingyan knew that Xue Xiao had found out and immediately tightened the corners of his lips.
Xue Xiao also leaned over to look at him.
Shen Tingyan stopped, his tone dangerous. "Xue Xiao."
Xue Xiao couldn't help laughing. "Teacher Shen, you aren't the only one allowed to tease others, right?"
Shen Tingyan: "..."
He laughed angrily. Xue Xiao immediately jumped three to five meters away.
Shen Tingyan cried out, "Come here!"
Xue Xiao stepped back, his shoulders trembling slightly with laughter.
Shen Tingyan said coldly, "Tell me the truth, do you like me or your father?"
"Of course, I like you, Teacher Shen." Xue Xiao opened his mouth after seeing Shen Tingyan's unhappy appearance. Finally, he sighed a bit. "Hey, Teacher Shen, you don't understand."
You are the one who made me watch this long and straight road and regard it as my goal.
You are the more unique existence, and no one can surpass you in my heart.
You might not know this.
You had a movie that made me very sad.
—
[Pre-Interview]
"…So let's talk about the movie 'Spring Garden' first. What type of impact did it have on your path as an outsider?"
The young man under the light thought for a while. Then he unhurriedly expressed his thoughts at that time. "The audience who has seen this movie should cherish their families more, right? At that time, the idea of wanting to act in my heart was always hazy. Occasionally, it would pop up. Then after watching this movie and thinking about my parents, I completely suppressed this thought."
"It is probably because I knew that once I brought it to the surface, there would definitely be a fight at home. I instinctively avoided the past."
"So this movie actually slowed down your path?"
The young man laughed. "It sounds like it, but this actually isn't the case."
"It did take me a long time to make a decision, but it was precisely because this movie gave me enough thoughts and time to think that once I really made a decision, I could be sure that my desire to act couldn't be suppressed for a lifetime. This step would eventually be taken."
"…Understood. What about Teacher Shen? At present, listening to this, I feel that 'Spring Garden' has a very deep influence on you. So what role did Teacher Shen play in your acting career?"
"The impact of 'Spring Garden' on me is like spring thunder and a continuous drizzle. The thunder shakes my world, and the drizzle turns the land to mud, but in fact, it is due to the moisture that the grass can grow smoothly. Teacher Shen—"
The young man described his feelings in very literary terms. Then he stopped, looking for a more appropriate term for the man.
Once he thought about it, he pursed his lips and smiled, eyes flashing with a fine light. "Teacher Shen is the blue sky and the sun. It seems far away, but I desperately want to get out of the mud to see him and get close to him."