Chapter 72: I Just Want You To Take Care Of Me
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
2023 Ver.______
>>>Original Version Here<<<
It was noon, the sun was scorching the earth, and there was only some shade on the steps behind the musical fountain.
She sat down on the steps and looked at the rockery and fountain quietly and thoughtfully. After a while, the sound of the woman's high heels came over. Gu Xizhi looked back and saw Qu Xizhi with arms folded, leaning against the wooden outer wall of the music hall, watching her.
Gu Xizhi felt a little depressed and couldn't help but say: "Ms. Zhong seems to be in a bad mood. What are you doing here?"
Qu Xizhi looked at her: "What about you? How are you feeling?"
"How I feel is not your concern. Just take care of Miss Zhong."
"But I just want to take care of you," Qu Xizhi looked at her quietly. "You seem down."
Gu Xizhi suddenly felt like she had been hit hard in her heart.
She seemed to easily read her thoughts, no matter how she tried to conceal them, they couldn't escape her eyes.
"Yes, I feel down," she admitted openly, "I can't help but mind the fact that my role was changed because of him."
She was so frank, Qu Xizhi thought for a while, took a few steps forward, and sat down next to her.
"You feel wronged.”
"Yes, he doesn't even remember me."
"Then what you should do now is not to feel aggrieved." Qu Xizhi looked at Gu Xizhi and said: "But let him notice you again and make him regret it."
"Regret?" Gu Xizhi self-mocked, "Why would he regret because of me?"
Qu Xizhi smiled and asked, "Why did you come to the set?"
"To act, of course."
"So, what does Xiao Ji fear the most when acting? What does he like the most?"
"He fears actors delivering bad performances, wasting his time and energy. He likes actors with good acting skills."
"You clearly understand these principles," Qu Xizhi said. "So, what you should do now is to showcase your highest level of professionalism and use your acting skills to tell him that he was wrong back then."
"Acting skills?" Gu Xizhi felt tremendous pressure.
Not to mention that "Black and White Feathers" had a cast of incredibly talented actors, but just looking at Xiao Ji himself, his acting was exceptional, and he had worked with numerous outstanding co-stars. Trying to capture his attention with acting was like an impossible feat.
"I'm not outstanding enough to turn heads. I'm just an ordinary actress."
"When were you ever ordinary?" Qu Xizhi said. "You belong to the most elite group in this industry. In school, your major courses were outstanding. From your debut until now, almost every movie you've been in has been nominated for various awards. Gu Xizhi, you have always been the most talented actor. What you need to do is not compete with others but conquer yourself."
"What are you talking about?" Gu Xizhi was once again stimulated by her unusual remarks.
Qu Xizhi said: "Don't let your emotions ferment here. What you need to do is get back into your role and use it to regain your dignity."
She paused, "Believe in yourself, emotions will only make you lose yourself, your talent is the most precious asset.”
The fountain suddenly bloomed at this moment, the water droplets splashed wildly, and under the refraction of light, they were as hot as fiery sparks.
Gu Xizhi glanced at Qu Xizhi and suddenly felt like she was truly convinced. "Qu Xizhi, do you think I can really make Xiao Ji regret?"
Qu Xizhi said quietly: "If you stay true to yourself, he will notice you again."
Gu Xizhi was silent
"Okay."
Even if she didn't have the right to be noticed from the beginning, she would find her way back to that ticket that should have been hers from the start.
When they returned to the set, the director team was ready to shoot the scene in the Xinghai Concert Hall.
As the most important part of this scene, the scene itself is relatively grand and has many extras, so it took almost a morning just to set up the venue and personnel.
After arriving inside the Xinghai Concert Hall, the director team arranged for Gu Xizhi and Qu Xizhi to take their places on the stage. Qin Shiyu, played by Qu Xizhi, and Yun Xiaoxiao, played by Gu Xizhi, stood next to each other, both at the very end of the stage. In the center, as the judges of this violin competition, Xiao Ji and Chong Yinghua also sat in the middle of the stage, the four of them almost facing each other.
In Gu Xizhi's opinion, this scene is not only the most important scene but also the most difficult.
In this scene, Qin Shiyu had to compete with her and deliberately injured herself by cutting her finger before the competition. Initially, Yun Xiaoxiao joyfully played the violin on stage, but as time went on, she noticed flaws in Qin Shiyu's performance and guessed her intentions, which led to a long and intense inner struggle.
She had to portray a complex set of feelings - shock, amazement, impulsiveness, and calmness. She had to balance reason and emotion, ultimately returning to tranquility.
This is a scene with no lines throughout, yet Gu Xizhi had to convey complex emotions and layers of depth.
This kind of scene that mobilizes all the five senses and emotions and conveys emotions through extremely subtle expressions was not something she was particularly skilled at in the past.
Gu Xizhi didn't know if she would be satisfied with the state she would ultimately present, but she knew that she couldn't afford to make the slightest mistake.
This is her only chance to prove herself to Xiao Ji. She will never give up easily.
The majestic concert hall was packed with seats, and on the magnificent stage, Gu Xizhi and Qu Xizhi stood next to each other. They wore similar styles of dresses and looked like a pair of sisters who had a close relationship.
The extras and leading actors were all in place, and the director team was also ready. Scarlett Li confirmed the scene again and again and issued instructions to the stage and the audience respectively. The performance gradually entered its rhythm.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The soothing prelude music sounded at the scene, and the sound of piano accompaniment resounded throughout the concert hall. The audience below watched the performers on stage with rapt attention, and the performers on stage reciprocated with their most sincere acting.
On the stage, Yun Xiaoxiao, played by Gu Xizhi, and Qin Shiyu, played by Qu Xizhi, started the first section of the music together with the piano accompaniment. The elegant and bitter violin slowly sounded, expressing strong emotions. The notes resounded throughout the hall bit by bit, and the audience was immersed in the story along with the emotions of the music.
In this plot, Yun Xiaoxiao and Qin Shiyu had been in dispute over the method of competition.
In this competition that determined their future and destiny, many participants put forth their best efforts to secure a good ranking. Yun Xiaoxiao and Qin Shiyu were also rivals.
But Yun Xiaoxiao and Qin Shiyu never wanted to be hostile to each other.
The two were stubborn, and also gave their counselors a lot of headaches. After repeated discussions, the school finally decided to let them participate in the competition as a duo.
Both of them had gained some fame in violin performance, and the judges in the audience seemed to be paying particular attention to them. During Yun Xiaoxiao and Qin Shiyu's performance, Chong Yinghua, played by one of the judges, turned to Xiao Ji, who played the head judge, and said, "Duo performance, a very fresh competition format."
The chief judge played by Xiao Ji nodded in agreement without saying anything.
The camera captured this scene and returned to the main stage.
The performance on the stage continued. After completing the initial duet, there was a musical pause, and Qin Shiyu, played by Qu Xizhi, began the first solo performance.
The camera showed her a close-up, and her character Qin Shiyu was completely immersed in the performance. Beautiful notes flowed in the air, and the audience empathized with the performer. The camera then showed the expressions of the judges, who were nodding in approval.
If not for a slight rhythm flaw in a few of the middle notes, Yun Xiaoxiao, played by Gu Xizhi, would have continued to appear graceful and natural on the side.
But the slight mistake sounded keenly in Yun Xiaoxiao's ears, and her eyebrows trembled slightly.
The camera captured this detail and continued to focus on her expression
In the shot, Qin Shiyu's performance continued, and Yun Xiaoxiao, played by Gu Xizhi, was momentarily stunned when she noticed Qin Shiyu's mistake.
With subtle adjustments in her breathing rhythm, she naturally displayed a look of surprise on her face, with controlled, delicate tears in her eyes. Her mouth and gaze displayed layers of surprise and disbelief.
The music continued, and Qin Shiyu slowly drew the bow across the strings, while Yun Xiaoxiao's performance seemed to be stirred by a stone, creating endless ripples.
In a brief moment, it seemed as if she suddenly understood the true reason for Qin Shiyu's mistake. On camera, she subtly lowered her head and with this tiny motion, she naturally switched the rhythm of her performance. Her eye sockets held carefully controlled, extremely delicate tears, and the slight movement of her mouth and the depth in her gaze conveyed a progression from surprise to disbelief.
She didn't make any movements, and her expression was subtle but very rich in interpreting complex self-contradictions.
The music was very long and her emotions continued for an extended period.
After the exciting music rhythm passed, she seemed to calm down along with the music.
As the soothing melody resumed, the audience below erupted into applause for the passionate performance a moment ago. It was undoubtedly a heartwarming moment. At this point, she transitioned her performance rhythm once again, this time with a contented smile that broke the rhythm. The music gradually calmed down, and her breathing followed suit, settling in tune with the music. The tear that she had controlled within her eye socket all along remained there, and she discreetly displayed a smile with tears in her eyes.
She fully and with depth expressed this scene using her facial expressions and gaze.
In this scene, as she listened to Qin Shiyu's performance, her acting appeared to have no technique, only emotions. Wherever her emotions led, they flowed naturally, delicately, and richly.
She seems to be born to act, every detail is smart and unpretentious
After the scene ended, Scarlett Li reviewed it in front of the camera. In the judges' seats, Xiao Ji stared at Gu Xizhi on the stage, who seemed deeply immersed in her character, unable to break character for a long time. Suddenly, he turned to Chong Yinghua and asked, "Sister Hua, that girl, what's her name?"
Chong Yinghua looked at Gu Xizhi, somewhat surprised, "She's Gu Xizhi. You don't know her?"
"Gu Xizhi?" Xiao Ji's gaze narrowed as if some old memories suddenly floated into his mind.
He tilted his head, as if unable to accept something, and remained silent for a long time.
As evening arrived once again, the scenes at the Xinghai Concert Hall came to a complete end.
After a busy day, the crew specially negotiated with the two guest actor and actress to take some group photos to comfort everyone. So when the sun set, the actors and staff of the crew were scrambling to ask for permission.
Gu Xizhi was not among that group of people.
The crew had informed everyone about the opportunity to take photos, but Gu Xizhi clearly didn't care. Regardless of how the assistant tried to persuade her, she simply remained quietly aside, removing her makeup.
When bidding farewell to the two best actor and actress, Qu Xizhi was also there, and Scarlett Li warmly chatted with Chong Yinghua. Xiao Ji seemed to have something to say. He suddenly turned to Qu Xizhi when she finished her conversation with Zhong Linyu and said, "Xiao Qu."
Qu Xizhi looked at him sideways, "Brother Xiao, what's wrong?"
Xiao Ji said, "The other lead, Gu Xizhi, are you familiar with her?"
Qu Xizhi thought for a while, "Very familiar.”
Xiao Ji nodded and signaled to his assistant.
The assistant immediately brought a bag, and Xiao Ji took out a note and a pen from it. He quickly wrote a message and handed it to Qu Xizhi, saying, "Please pass this to Miss Gu Xizhi."
Qu Xizhi looked at the note, then at Xiao Ji's solemn expression, and nodded seriously.
A few minutes later, in Gu Xizhi's car, she sat in the backseat looking at the note with strong, neat words. Her expression seemed somewhat blank.
There was something written in black and white on the note that Gu Xizhi didn't expect:
Miss Gu Xizhi, when I was still young, I angered everyone for no reason because of my temper. Now that I think about it, I feel very ashamed. Sorry. You are very talented. I wish you a successful career. - Xiao Ji.
She tightly held one corner of the paper and looked at the note for a while before tilting her head slightly.
Outside the window, the evening glow filled the sky, making it the most beautiful time of the day.
***
As the actors gradually got into their roles, the filming pace of "Black and White Feather" began to pick up.
The film crew had recently changed locations, and due to limited rental time, they had to switch to a day-and-night shooting schedule.
It had been sunny for several days, but the weather suddenly turned cold and rained. Gu Xizhi was shivering with cold the whole night. Fortunately, the temperature in the indoor apartment was still mild. Apart from a few complaints about the cold, she didn't face any major issues.
But Qu Xizhi looks more miserable.
On this particular night, she had more outdoor scenes, and the recent rain made it even more challenging. Some crew members were bundled up against the cold, and Qu Xizhi's costume for her role was lighter. After shooting several scenes, it was evident that her complexion wasn't right.
Gu Xizhi had sensed something was off with Qu Xizhi even on set. When they returned to the hotel, Qu Xizhi's condition seemed even worse, causing Gu Xizhi to worry that she might not be able to hold on any longer.
The whole night was filled with the sound of Qu Xizhi’s coughing.
From the moment they finished shooting, to when they returned to their rooms and Gu Xizhi took a bath before resting in her bedroom, the constant and suppressed coughing sounds from the adjacent room made it impossible for Gu Xizhi to sleep and relax. According to Liang Ying, Ling Xian had brought some medication for Qu Xizhi, and she had already taken it. However, the situation was still a cause for concern.
In the early hours, Gu Xizhi and Liang Ying decided to use a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would go and check on Qu Xizhi. Gu Xizhi lost all three rounds and went to knock on Qu Xizhi's door while carrying her puppy.
Even though it was quite late, Gu Xizhi wasn't worried about disturbing her actions, as she had heard the commotion in the adjacent room just a few minutes ago.
She knocked on the door several times but no one opened the door. Gu Xizhi thought the person inside had already gone to rest. However, as she was about to turn away, the door lock clicked open with a snap.
The room was dark, and it was only the light from the living room that allowed Gu Xizhi to barely see the person in front of her.
Qu Xizhi was wearing a nightgown, her long hair somewhat disheveled. Probably due to the lighting, she didn't appear as lively as usual.
"What's wrong?" She leaned against the door and spoke, her voice sounding more hoarse than usual.
"I came to check on you."
She stared at her for a long time and said, "You have been coughing. Should I call a doctor? "
"It's not that serious, it's just a little cold. I've already taken the medicine."
As she spoke, the angle of the light changed, and Gu Xizhi saw that her cheeks were somewhat unusually red. Subconsciously, she reached out her hand to touch her forehead. However, when she did so, Gu Xizhi was surprised, "With such a high temperature, do you have a fever?"
Qu Xizhi flinched because of her movement and subconsciously took a step back, "What are you doing?"
Her reaction seemed somewhat exaggerated, and Gu Xizhi blinked her eyes in confusion, "I'm checking your temperature."
Qu Xizhi looked at her in silence for a moment, "Come in first”
Gu Xizhi then walked into her room. She put down the dog in her arms, looked around the room, and found the medicine. She hurriedly said, "Sit down first and I'll go get a thermometer for you."
Qu Xizhi looked at the puppy stumbling around in her room, then looked at Gu Xizhi's back, leaned on the bed, and closed her eyes.
Gu Xizhi got really nervous after taking the thermometer to measure Qu Xizhi's temperature. It was hard to imagine that she acted so calmly under a high fever of 39.5 degrees. It would be very likely that she would continue to have such a fever. Gu Xizhi couldn't afford to delay any longer. She immediately left the thermometer and was about to retrieve her phone to call a doctor.
Just as she left the bed, a pair of hands grabbed her wrist feebly. Gu Xizhi looked back and saw that Qu Xizhi was still leaning on the bed. Her eyes were slightly closed. She obviously looked weak, but her tone was very powerful, "No, don't call."
Gu Xizhi was a little confused, "Why?”
Qu Xizhi: "Don't make a big deal out of a small problem. Glancing at Gu Xizhi's worried look, she said, "Are you worried about me?"
Gu Xizhi didn't know what to say.
Whether it was more than two years ago or more than two years later, Gu Xizhi had never seen her sick and fragile. Her palms were scorching, and Gu Xizhi was genuinely worried about her.
"How could I not be worried when you look like this?" She said truthfully.
Qu Xizhi looked at her with a somewhat inquiring expression, "Would it be difficult for you to stay here tonight and take care of me?"
Gu Xizhi was stunned.
To take care of her here? Gu Xizhi didn't know why the first person who came to her mind was Zhong Linshan.
"I'll…have Liang Ying call Miss Zhong, okay?
Qu Xizhi's expression turned cold. "Why would you want to call her?"
Gu Xizhi didn't know how to answer this question.
She felt that this question should not be answered by her but by Qu Xizhi.
Qu Xizhi suddenly said, "Alright, you can leave."
Gu Xizhi asked, "What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
Qu Xizhi said, "You didn't want to stay here, right?"
"When did I say I didn't want to stay here?"
"So you want to stay here?"
Gu Xizhi: "..."
What kind of logic is this?
"Anyway." Gu Xizhi hesitated for a moment, and Qu Xizhi seemed impatient. "I just want you to take care of me. One word, yes or no."
Gu Xizhi: "..."
"Okay." In the end, it wasn't the time to be stubborn. Gu Xizhi decisively agreed, "I'll stay."
