Entertainment from Divorce

On a May weekend, the chill of spring faded in Beijing, and the morning sunlight pierced through the clouds like a soft golden veil, gently covering every corner of the city.

Tan Yue's balcony has been carefully transformed into a small leisure area. Two rattan chairs are placed side by side next to a rattan round table. The chair cushions are made of light gray linen, which Chen Ziyu chose. They are soft and breathable to sit on.

Several potted green plants were placed on the corner of the table. The mint leaves were emerald green and tender, and you could smell their refreshing fragrance if you got close; the vines of the pothos hung down along the white flower stand, and the leaves were still covered with dewdrops from the morning watering, which reflected the sunlight in a dappled light.

Tan Yue sat in a rattan chair, holding a simple celadon teacup in his hands, filled with warm Pu'er tea.

The tea soup was amber in color, and a rich aroma lingered around his nose. He took a small sip, and the warm liquid slid down his throat, leaving a faint sweet aftertaste that instantly relieved his fatigue from the past few days.

Looking towards the distant horizon, you can see groves of green trees swaying in the breeze, with a few birds occasionally flitting across the sky, leaving behind their clear chirping.

Such a weekend undisturbed by work is especially precious to him.

For the past month or so, he has devoted almost all his energy to company affairs.

From organizing science fiction film industry discussions to sorting out development issues department by department; from following up on details of overseas cooperation to reviewing the talent development plans of the artist management department, his non-stop work schedule left him with very little time to even have a proper cup of tea.

As Tan Yue gently stroked the rim of the cup with his fingertips, his thoughts drifted back to the high-level meeting a while ago.

Currently, all departments are steadily advancing their work according to plan.

Zheng Tong from the film department has already led his team to prepare for the filming of a space documentary.

The program "New Generation Singers" has just completed the nationwide recruitment of contestants. Xu Nuo is busy coordinating the mentors' schedules. Next week, the mentors and contestants will meet for the first time. It is said that two talented singers have already confirmed their participation.

The collaboration with the music department has entered a substantial phase, and Wei Yu is leading three newcomers selected by the artist management department through a month-long closed training program.

The script polishing for the Republican-era suspense drama "Hutong Detective" and the period drama "Cultural Relics Restorer" in the TV drama department has also begun. The screenwriting team has started to consult relevant historical materials in an effort to make the stories more historically significant.

The entire company is like a sophisticated machine, with every component operating in an orderly manner. Thinking of this, a gratified smile unconsciously appeared on Tan Yue's lips.

"The company is stable for now," Tan Yue murmured to himself, his fingers tapping lightly on the rattan table, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

With no urgent matters to attend to, his thoughts drifted back to his creative work.

More than four months have passed since the release of "Interstellar". The film has not only grossed more than 5 billion dollars worldwide, but has also received nominations for many film awards, becoming a benchmark for Chinese science fiction films.

According to his usual pace, he should be fully engaged in planning his next film right now, but he hasn't done so yet.

The crux of the problem always boils down to the word "time".

One night some time ago, after he and Chen Ziyu washed up, they lay in bed with the lights off, and the only light in the room was the faint moonlight coming in from outside the window.

As they chatted about their future plans, Chen Ziyu suddenly gently took his hand, her voice tender and expectant: "We're both over thirty-five now, how about we start planning for a baby this year? I really want to have a child with just the two of us."

He felt both warm and flustered at that moment.

What warms his heart is that Chen Ziyu's vision for the future includes him, while what worries him is that he knows that filmmaking requires complete dedication.

If a new film project were to be launched now, from script polishing, casting and location scouting to post-production, if Chen Ziyu were to become pregnant during filming, he would have to be on set every day to ensure the quality of every shot, while also taking care of his wife's daily life and worrying about her health. He would inevitably be overwhelmed.

As a director, he is used to putting all his energy into the creative process and cannot tolerate the slightest distraction.

But as a husband, he didn't want to miss any of the important moments of his wife's pregnancy, and he didn't want her to bear the hardships and anxieties of pregnancy alone.

"What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed." A gentle voice came from behind, interrupting Tan Yue's thoughts.

Chen Ziyu walked over carrying a white ceramic fruit plate, on which were neatly arranged cut fruit.

She was wearing a loose beige loungewear set, with the sleeves casually rolled up to her forearms. Her long hair was not styled and was casually draped over her shoulders, with the ends still slightly damp from being washed. She lacked the capable and efficient demeanor she displayed in the workplace and instead exuded a more relaxed and gentle charm at home.

She gently placed the fruit plate on the wicker table, sat down in the wicker chair opposite Tan Yue, picked up a toothpick, forked a piece of strawberry and put it in her mouth. With a little red juice on the corner of her mouth, she subconsciously wiped it with her fingertip and asked with a smile, "It's a rare weekend off, and you're still thinking about work? I saw you sitting here for a while, and you didn't even move your eyes."

Tan Yue snapped out of his daze and looked at his wife's bright smile; the turmoil in his heart gradually dissipated.

He put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and said with a hint of candor, "I'm not really thinking about work. I'm thinking about my next movie, and also about our plans to have children that we talked about before."

Chen Ziyu was taken aback for a moment, then understood his concerns, and a hint of understanding flashed in her eyes.

She put down the toothpick in her hand, leaned slightly closer, and gently took Tan Yue's hand in hers. Her fingertips, still slightly cool from the freshly washed fruit, gently caressed his palm: "You're worried that filmmaking and trying to conceive will conflict, and you're afraid you won't be able to manage both, right?"

"Yes." Tan Yue nodded emphatically, pouring out all her concerns, "If we start the project now, the filming period will be too long, what if you get pregnant?"

After hearing this, Chen Ziyu couldn't help but laugh, and gently tapped the back of his hand with her fingertip: "Aren't you silly? We can make flexible arrangements, it's not like we have to choose one or the other."

“If you want to film, first get the story outline sorted out and polish the script slowly. There’s no need to rush to start filming. Once you have a positive result for your pregnancy, we can adjust the filming schedule according to my physical condition. If you get pregnant smoothly, we can postpone the start of filming until after the baby is born. If there’s no news for now, you can focus on filming. I can keep an eye on things at the company for you from home.”

She paused, then added, "I'm not a pampered person. I can take good care of myself even during pregnancy, and if things get really bad, my mom can come and help. The company's team is also very mature now. Zheng Tong and Xu Nuo can both handle things on their own. Even if I get distracted occasionally, there won't be any problems. You don't need to carry all the pressure on your shoulders. We're husband and wife, and we should share the burden together."

Looking at the certainty and trust in his wife's eyes, Tan Yue's inner turmoil gradually dissipated, like ice melting in warm water.

He gripped Chen Ziyu's hand tightly in return, feeling the warmth of her palm through his fingertips, which made him feel exceptionally at ease. Tan Yue smiled with relief: "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll organize the rough draft of the story I have first, and slowly polish the script. There's no rush to move forward with filming; we'll also prepare for pregnancy at the same time. I'll go to the hospital for a check-up, adjust my schedule, and let nature take its course."

"That's more like it." Chen Ziyu smiled, picked up a piece of mango, forked it with a toothpick, and held it to his mouth. "Don't think about these worries. It's a rare weekend, let's enjoy ourselves. How about we go shopping this afternoon? There's a new cultural and creative store that just opened. I passed by yesterday and saw that it had a lot of interesting little trinkets. Or how about we watch a movie at home? I saved up a few old movies recently, all of which are dramas that you like."

"I'll listen to you. Do whatever you want." Tan Yue opened his mouth and took the mango. The sweet flesh melted in his mouth, and his heart was filled with warmth.

The two stopped talking about work and the pressure of trying to conceive, and just chatted casually.

Meanwhile, at a film and television base in the suburbs of Beijing, the movie "Time Ticks" directed by Lin Qingye is being filmed.

The entire set was meticulously transformed into a hutong scene reminiscent of old Beijing in the 1990s.

Lin Qingye was wearing a black director's uniform, with the cuffs casually rolled up, revealing the strong muscles on his forearms.

He held a black walkie-talkie in his hand, stood in front of the monitor, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes focused intently on the screen, even his blinks were extremely cautious.

The scene being filmed on screen is of old watchmaker Zhao discovering his father's old toolbox. Zhou Ming, the actor playing Zhao, is squatting on the attic floor, holding a mahogany toolbox in his hand.

"One more take!" Lin Qingye said into the walkie-talkie, his voice stern yet patient. "Teacher Zhou, your expression when you opened the toolbox wasn't natural enough. Relax a little more and bring out that complex emotion. Also, lighting crew, adjust the angle again. Make sure the 'Zhao Family' inscription on the tool handle stands out so the audience can see it at a glance. This detail is very important; it's key to embodying 'inheritance'."

Zhou Ming nodded quickly, stood up from the ground, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes to compose himself.

The makeup artist stepped forward with a powder compact and gently touched up his forehead makeup to prevent shine from appearing on camera.

Lin Qingye said "Action" into the walkie-talkie, and the clapperboard clicked, signaling the start of filming.

Lin Qingye stared intently at the monitor, his fingers tapping lightly on the table beside him, silently pondering every detail.

"Stop! That's a good take!" Zhou Ming's natural expression was seen on the monitor.

When surprised, his pupils dilate slightly; when nostalgic, the corners of his mouth droop gently; when feeling guilty, his fingers unconsciously tighten around the edge of the toolbox.

Lin Qingye finally smiled and said into the walkie-talkie, "Everyone, take a ten-minute break, drink some water, and replenish your energy."

The staff breathed a sigh of relief, put down their tools, and headed to the rest area.

The rest area has several folding tables with bottled water, drinks and snacks on them.

The young female script supervisor handed Lin Qingye a bottle of chilled cola and said with a smile, "Director Lin, you should take a break. You've been standing all morning; your legs must be sore."

"It's okay, I'll take another look at the footage." Lin Qingye took the Coke but didn't open it. He simply placed it on the table next to him and continued watching the monitor replay the footage, afraid of missing any detail.

Wang Hao, who plays the young Lin Xiaoyu, is a newcomer who has just entered junior high school. It's his first time making a movie, so he's inevitably a little nervous.

He walked up to Lin Qingye, put his hands behind his back, tapped the ground lightly with his toes, and asked in a low voice, "Director Lin, how was my performance just now? Was there anything I did wrong that needs improvement?"

Lin Qingye turned his head and saw Wang Hao's nervous expression. He quickly softened his tone, squatted down, and looked Wang Hao in the eye: "You acted very well just now, especially the curiosity and admiration in your eyes when you saw Master Zhao take out the toolbox. It was very real. However, there's one small detail that could be improved."

Wang Hao listened attentively, nodded vigorously, took out a small notebook from his pocket, and quickly wrote down what Lin Qingye said: "I remember, Director Lin. I will definitely perform well in the next scene, not be nervous, and just like you said, express my feelings for my grandfather."

Lin Qingye patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't be too nervous. Just treat this place like your own home, and treat Teacher Zhou like your grandfather. Just be natural. You are very talented. As long as you relax, you will definitely be able to perform well."

The break ended quickly, and filming resumed.

Lin Qingye stood back in front of the monitor, his gaze becoming focused again.

He recalled what Tan Yue had said to him before filming began: "Qingye, making a film is like polishing a work of art. You can't rush it. You have to be patient and do every detail to the extreme. The audience may not remember every shot, but they can feel your dedication to the creation."

At the time, he didn't quite understand the deeper meaning of those words, but now that he has experienced it firsthand, he finally understands.

Shooting a single scene dozens of times, meticulously refining a single line of dialogue—it may seem tedious, but in the final product, it makes the story more moving and the emotions more genuine. This sense of satisfaction is irreplaceable.

As evening approached, the sky gradually turned orange-red with the sunset, and the lights on set lit up one by one.

The day's filming finally came to an end, and Lin Qingye saw off the actors and staff.

He stayed alone on set, watching the alleyway scene under the setting sun. The red lanterns looked especially warm in the twilight, and his heart was filled with emotion.

He took out his phone, opened Tan Yue's WeChat chat, and hesitated on the screen. He wanted to share today's filming progress with Tan Yue, to tell him that Zhou Ming's performance was becoming more and more natural, and that Wang Hao was gradually getting into the zone. But he was also worried that Tan Yue was resting at this time and didn't want to disturb his precious weekend.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally put away his phone and decided to give Tan Yue a detailed report on Monday when he went to work.

Lin Qingye walked to the entrance of "Zhao's Watch Shop" and gently stroked the words on the wooden curtain. He secretly made up his mind: he must make a good film of "Time Tick-Tock" and live up to Tan Yue's trust and his own love for film.

As the sun sets, the sky over Beijing is dyed a warm orange-red, gradually losing the heat of the day and becoming cooler.

Tan Yue and Chen Ziyu watched an old movie at home. (End of Chapter)