Global Film Emperor

Chapter 530 Their Growth

As a node on the Silk Road, Dunhuang, once known as a desert fortress, has been restored to greenery thanks to the government's efforts. The vegetation coverage has reached 70%. Without knowing the destination, it is hard to imagine that this place was once covered in yellow sand, refusing easy access to travelers.

However, there are still a few ancient ruins in the desert that have not been restored, preserving their ancient historical features, such as the Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang where Chen Dongsheng lived at this time.

This is a deserted village in the desert, quite far from tourist attractions. Most of the villagers have moved away, leaving only a few elderly people who are reluctant to leave their homeland and are willing to accompany this village, which is being gradually eroded by the fine sand, to its demise.

At seven o'clock in the morning, a wind rose in the desert, and fine sand gently pattered against the decaying door panel, waking Chen Dongsheng, who was still fast asleep. He tried to sit up, dragging his tired body, but after struggling a few times and feeling his strength rapidly draining away, he finally gave up the idea of ​​getting up and lay on the bed, panting heavily.

Of the four trainees, his living conditions were the most difficult. If it were just poverty, it would be fine, but what tormented him most was the long-term low-grade fever and diarrhea caused by the change in environment. He had been suffering from this for almost a month since the second day he arrived here.

No matter what medicine he takes or what IV drip he gets, as long as he drinks even a sip of water from here, he will get diarrhea. Even after receiving IV drips and seeing little improvement in his condition, the same thing will happen.

At this moment, his face was sallow, his lips were cracked, and his eyes had lost all their energy. He stared blankly at the ceiling, and his hair was already matted, with a few lice possibly stuck in it.

His stomach started rumbling again. He forced himself to get out of bed, tore off some rough toilet paper, carefully picked out the straw from the paper, and staggered toward the outhouse. It took him a long time to come out of the outhouse. His legs were spread wide apart, and he walked back to his room with a pigeon-toed gait. Anyone could see from this appearance that his anus was suffering.

Not long after, the middle-aged female PD who had followed Chen Dongsheng to Dunhuang pushed open the door and walked in. The room smelled bad, and the dust was very noticeable in the sunlight. She frowned slightly, walked towards Chen Dongsheng who was motionless as if he were dead, and placed her warm palm on his forehead to feel it carefully.

"Your fever has subsided today, but do you still have an upset stomach?"

"Kind of."

"Take some medicine. I brought some bottled water. Did you eat breakfast?"

"We're out of food at home."

She helped Chen Dongsheng sit up and leaned him against the wall by the head of the bed. She leaned against the window and looked through the instructions for the medicine in the sunlight. With her back to Chen Dongsheng, she asked him about his daily life. She squeezed out three pills and placed them in his palm. The PD went to the food bin, opened it and looked inside. Sure enough, the food was almost gone. This was only because Chen Dongsheng was frugal and couldn't eat due to a fever. Otherwise, the food prepared by the crew should have been eaten up a week ago.

"I'll take you to the county to buy some grain, and also to eat something nutritious to help you recover. I talked to Teacher Lu about it yesterday, and he approved my request."

Seeing Chen Dongsheng looking listless and sipping mineral water, she felt a pang of pity. Chen Dongsheng was already somewhat thin, and now he was practically skin and bones from all the stress. She had considered having him give up filming, to avoid any health problems that would lead to the production team taking responsibility. She also genuinely didn't want to ruin the health of this talented young man on the show.

She had originally agreed with Lu Ze that if he continued to have a fever in the next few days and the local hospital couldn't resolve the issue, he should come back. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if he developed some chronic illnesses, and Lu Ze didn't want that to happen.

But the boy was still a bit stubborn, insisting on staying there no matter what anyone said. He kept emphasizing that he could overcome all the problems and complete the assignment Lu Ze had given him. His unyielding attitude really gave the production team a headache, but it also made the middle-aged crew admire the young man's perseverance.

Upon hearing that the PD was going to take him to the county, Chen Dongsheng hesitated and didn't really want to go. He could clearly feel how heavy his body was, and forcing himself to move was very difficult for him right now. However, it was something he had to do himself while experiencing life here. In the end, he gritted his teeth, stood up while holding onto the headboard, and felt a little dizzy. He didn't dare to shake his head to clear his mind, so he could only close his eyes and wait for the dizziness to pass.

While Chen Dongsheng got up and put on his coat, the PD was also helping him tidy up the items on the table. The neat regular script covered the manuscript paper. Her eyes swept over it and there was not a single typo or correction. This was already the fourth biography he had written here. Thinking of him writing diligently under the camera despite his illness, she couldn't help but admire his perseverance and hard work once again.

Not long after, the two went out, driven by the PD, and headed to the county. The bumpy ride made Chen Dongsheng's face grow paler and paler, and he began to sweat profusely and swallow his saliva constantly. The PD, who was focused on driving, did not notice his abnormality at first and thought he was just resting with his eyes closed. She even turned off the radio to let him rest more quietly. But gradually, the PD noticed that his breathing was getting heavier and heavier, which made her worried.

"Feeling unwell? Do you feel like throwing up?"

Chen Dongsheng dared not open his eyes, his hands clenched tightly, and he squeezed out the words through his teeth: "It's nothing."

"Don't be upset. Tell me if you feel like throwing up."

"Yes... a little."

The moment the car stopped, Chen Dongsheng opened the door and rushed out, leaning against a roadside tree and vomiting repeatedly. The PD handed him a bottle of water and waited patiently until he had thoroughly emptied his empty stomach and was completely devoid of food. Only then did the nausea slowly subside, leaving Chen Dongsheng even weaker and breathless. The PD helped him back into the car.

The vehicle continued its journey and finally arrived in the county town, but the drive was intermittent, with occasional problems. The PD knew he couldn't delay any longer, so while taking Chen Dongsheng out for breakfast, he secretly called Lu Ze to inform him of Chen Dongsheng's current situation. Lu Ze had no objections, but since he had failed to persuade Chen Dongsheng to give up last time, the PD had no choice but to contact his parents again, hoping that he would listen to them.

……

"Dong Sheng, answer the phone, it's your mother calling."

He was drinking soup when he heard the PD's words. His hand holding the spoon trembled. He turned his head and stared into the PD's eyes for a few seconds before slowly placing the spoon on the edge of the bowl. He didn't respond but simply took the phone and put it to his ear.

"Hey."

"Son, where do you feel unwell?"

"I don't feel uncomfortable anywhere."

“I heard from the program crew that you’ve been sick for a long time. If you really can’t take it, come back. Your health is the most important thing. Listen to your mother. I’ve been missing you.”

"I am fine."

"Listen to me, hurry home. The production team told me that going back now won't eliminate you. You can still audition after you recover. Listen to me, go back now, pack your things, and head back..."

"beep……"

Before his mother could say anything more, he hung up the phone and handed it back to the PD. The PD didn't take it, so Chen Dongsheng put the phone on the table and continued drinking his soup without looking up, but he drank it much faster.

"What did your mother say? After you finish drinking, come back with me to pack your things."

"I'm fine. I'll get used to it in a couple of days. The five-week trial period is almost over, and I don't want to leave now."

"You said the date is approaching, so let's move it forward a few days."

"Need not."

The phone rang again, playing soft instrumental piano music. Neither of them immediately picked up the phone. They exchanged a glance, looked at the familiar number, and Chen Dongsheng finally made a move. He didn't answer and hung up the phone directly.

Less than thirty seconds later, the phone rang again. He hung up, then it rang again, and he hung up again. In the following minutes, Chen Dongsheng hung up several calls. Even though the PD tried to dissuade him, he became more and more determined to hang up.

The phone rang again, and he wanted to hang up again, but the PD stopped him, snatched the phone, and answered it without saying anything. He just held it in his hand and held it up in front of Chen Dongsheng. But what she heard was not the comforting words from her mother that she had expected, but a furious rebuke that could be clearly heard even without speakerphone.

"I told you to come back! Come back right now! You're not allowed to participate in the show anymore! Chen Dongsheng, did you hear me?! I'm talking to you! If you keep this up, you can forget about going to university! You're just studying garbage! Who taught you to hang up on me? Go home! Do you hear me? Go home!!"

The last shout of "Go home!" was hoarse and desperate, as if anger was burning from her heart to her throat. The uncontrollable rage clearly caused Chen's mother to lose control, and she unleashed all the foul language she used to use when she was angry, without any regard for the fact that her child was being filmed.

"You're the one who made me sign the contract, and now you're the one telling me to go home. Why should I?"

"Isn't it enough that I'm your mother? Go home!!"

Chen Dongsheng didn't say anything, but just glanced around. There were already quite a few people in the restaurant watching him being filmed with curiosity. Now that the argument had broken out, even more people couldn't help but slow down and look around curiously. The next second, the PD got up and went outside, turning his back to Chen Dongsheng to start talking to Chen's mother.

After a long while, the PD returned to her seat, but her expression wasn't very good. She glanced at Chen Dongsheng's bowl, which was empty of soup. She forced a smile and asked Chen Dongsheng, "Are you full? Would you like another bowl?"

"She also lost her temper with you, right?"

Chen Dongsheng kept his head down, not answering the PD's question, but instead asking his own, though he already knew the answer. "It's okay, let me order you something else."

“She has always been like this. She never controls her emotions. Once she gets angry, she will yell at anyone she sees, even strangers.”

"Your mother is just a bit impatient, but she's doing it for your own good. Your health is really bad. Just listen to your mother this time. Go back and pack your things, and I'll take you home."

"She always does things that put me in awkward situations. Is that for my own good? I don't care if she insults me, I'm used to it. But she even insults my friends. Eventually, everyone distanced themselves from me. Does that make me feel better?"

He seems to have a lot on his mind. Many embarrassing or even unresolved issues he has experienced since childhood were caused by his mother. However, many elders, including the current PD, say that his mother spoils him. This confuses him, and he still doesn't understand how his mother spoiled him.

He had a domineering, short-tempered, and reckless mother, which led to a coexistence of cowardice and rebelliousness in him. The two constantly intertwined, but in the end, cowardice would prevail with the help of filial piety, overcoming his instinctive rebellious spirit.

Each time he experienced this kind of helpless suffering, his spirit and self-esteem were tormented. Like his father, who always emphasized that men should have backbone but was always silently scolded, he was overshadowed by this woman who always used foul language.

In the end, he chose to accept it, and his spirit began to break down again. He even wanted to get away from the PD as soon as possible because his mother had also lashed out at this aunt who had always taken good care of him when she was angry. This feeling of being ashamed to face others was not the first time he had felt it, but no matter how many times he experienced it, he would feel ashamed and lose face, and it would become stronger and stronger.

He didn't eat another bite of food, but sat on the bus back home with a dejected expression. He didn't say a word the whole way. Perhaps the tonic soup had worked, or perhaps the medicine he had just taken was particularly effective. He didn't vomit on the way back, until he returned to his room alone and gathered all his few belongings.

He held the four biographical sketches in his hands, the pages flowing, the neat and beautiful text displayed. He stared at the manuscript for a while in silence, and finally, he packed all the efforts of these days into a woven bag.

When he went out again, the youthful spirit that had awakened under Lu Ze's command in the capital seemed to have been killed by sunlight, like bacteria.

……

"Boarding for flight XX123 to Tianfu is about to begin. Passengers taking flight XX123, please proceed to gate 6."

The crew left in a hurry and had to deal with the situation on set, so they only sent one cameraman to go back with him. Chen Dongsheng was not in good health, so the cameraman carried his bag for him. The confiscated phone was returned to him. Chen Dongsheng put on his headphones, sat by the window, and looked out at the busy ground staff.

With fifteen minutes until takeoff, enough time for a few songs, Chen Dongsheng, compared to the other hurried passengers, wished time would slow down, or even stop here forever.

Suddenly, the music stopped, the screen lit up, he glanced at the caller ID, and answered the call.

"Teacher Lu."

"Have you boarded yet?"

"Ah."

"No delays, that's great. How are you?"

"I?"

"Yes, I heard about what happened this morning from PD Gao. I called to tell you not to be down. You just missed a few days of life experience, it's not a big deal. People's time is limited. You can't take on a script and then go find a suitable place to find inspiration and live there for a year or two. The most important thing is what you can experience in the limited time. The so-called life experience is about quality, not time. You are a sensitive person, and I believe your feelings will be stronger than the other three trainees. I heard from PD Gao that you have written four short biographies and will send them to me by express when you get home. As for you, you should rest well when you get home and take care of your mental health. What's the point of auditioning if you're physically exhausted?"

"I understand, teacher."

"Furthermore, I want to talk to you about your mother. I'm not trying to defend her; she was wrong today. But you also need to understand that human thinking has limitations. All extreme personality traits stem from stress responses to trauma. If you understand your mother's life, you'll realize that the volatile mother you see is also a victim of life. While her stress responses may have caused you trauma, you must believe that she didn't do it intentionally. Just like the person who caused her trauma may not realize the harm they've inflicted on others. Moreover, her controlling nature must stem from her absolute love for you. I'm not saying this to defend your mother." "What? I just hope you can understand. When you understand the reasons behind someone's emotional shifts, you can prevent those shifts beforehand. Your mother is old; she probably can't change on her own, but you can help her. You are her son; she needs you to save her. Only you can heal her inner wounds; no one else can. And why is she so impatient? It's simply because she's suffered too many grievances in life, hurting her self-esteem. Just like when she hurt you, you also felt that powerless anger and wanted to vent it on someone else. I hope you understand what I'm saying. You must succeed! You and your mother are both holding back this anger. Keep going; I'm waiting for you in Beijing."

Lu Ze hung up the phone, leaving Chen Dongsheng still in a daze. His thoughts gradually returned to normal, and his vision returned. The ground crew had left sometime earlier and were nowhere to be seen. The flight attendants reminded him to turn on flight mode.

Perhaps big data eavesdropped on his conversation with Lu Ze, or perhaps it was just a coincidence. Just before he was about to turn on airplane mode, the song in his headphones came to an end, and the next song that loaded was a song about mothers.

The plane began to accelerate and fly into the sky. He watched as the vast desert, which he had thought was boundless, shrank to the size of a fingernail. For some reason, a tear suddenly rolled down his cheek.

……

Whether you see me or not, I am there, neither sad nor happy.

"Whether you love me or not, love is there, neither increasing nor decreasing."

"Come into my arms, or let me live in your heart."

"Silently, we love each other."

"Silence, joy."

After hanging up the phone, Lu Ze walked out of the building and looked at the playground. Wu Chun stood on the stage and softly recited the poem "The Silence of Guru Padmasambhava" that appeared in the movie "If You Are the One 2".

As Li Xiangshan was about to pass away, the appearance of this poem, paired with this slightly melancholic light music, brought tears to the eyes of the children in the audience with its unvarnished sorrow. It was another movie, another school. Wu Chun and several other TV hosts stood on the stage, accepted the children's heartfelt applause, and then slowly stepped off the stage, took the children's hands, and led them back to the classroom.

"Hiss...hoo."

Just before the event ended, Lu Ze didn't let the cameraman follow him. He walked to his car, leaned against the door, put his left heel on the pedal, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, looked up at the blue sky, and slowly exhaled the smoke. He heard footsteps around him.

"Teacher, although you are very handsome, what you are doing seems like you are showing off."

"Enough talk, get in the car. You did alright today."

"Really? Thank you, teacher!"

Wu Chun grinned, then skipped and hopped into the passenger seat with her little backpack on. Lu Ze extinguished his cigarette, started the car, and drove towards the hotel where Wu Chun was.

The little girl was clearly very happy to be praised today. Sitting in the passenger seat, she leaned against the window, fiddling with her phone, occasionally letting out a laugh. It was unclear what she was looking at. Lu Ze glanced at her and asked.

"You have a boyfriend?"

"Please, teacher, you already asked me last time, and I already said no~~ I did finalize the script with Brother Chen and the others. They said next time I'll read a role with more lines."

"Not nervous anymore? You're ready to take on big jobs now."

"I'm nervous, so I need to make the most of every minute to rehearse. As for finding a boyfriend, I think I should put it off for now. There's no rush, and you can't rush it anyway."

"Didn't you say you were really looking for a boyfriend before? Why aren't you in a rush now?"

"Because I've been thinking about what you told me last time, I feel that I can help more people now. I feel that... making these children happy and moved by me is definitely more fulfilling than having a boyfriend to take care of me. I want to do more meaningful things like this when I have the opportunity. As for a boyfriend, let's put him aside for now."

Her vocabulary summary was somewhat vague, but it was understandable. Seeing her speak so earnestly, Lu Ze was somewhat impressed with her. A smile appeared on his lips, and behind his sunglasses, his eyes were filled with satisfaction. After passing the ramp, he increased his speed.

"..."

(End of this chapter)