My cousin asked me to go to Wuha, and Hanikezi stuck to me.

A string of emojis immediately appeared under Chen Chichi's comment.

Deng Chao gave it a thumbs up, and Lu Han replied, "Looking forward to the final product."

Old Wang's reply came last, leaving only four words: "Focus on filming."

After reading the comments, Chen Yi put his phone back in his pocket, and the stage manager raised his hand.

"First match, get set."

The days flew by after the computer was turned on.

The film crew booked three alleys in the old street by the water.

At first, the townspeople stood around the iron fence to watch the spectacle, but after about ten days they got used to it and continued to hang their clothes out to dry and walk their dogs along the river as usual.

The interior of the repair shop was set up in an old shophouse overlooking the river.

The props team traveled to five provinces and collected more than 300 pieces of old clockwork, which filled an entire wall with various sizes.

After finishing work each day, Chen Yi would spend an extra half hour in front of the monitor, reviewing all the footage from the day in detail.

Sometimes Xiao Fang would wait by his side, but more often he would sit alone in a folding chair, headphones connected to the playback audio track, checking the lighting and tone of the scene frame by frame and the nuances of the performance.

Filming has entered its fifth week, three days ahead of schedule.

That day, after finishing work and taking a shower, Chen Yi returned to his residence when his phone screen lit up with a white light.

Xiao Fang's name was displayed on the screen.

Chen Yi swiped to answer the call.

"Brother, I have something important to discuss with you."

"speak."

"This afternoon I received an email from director Zheng Yiming's production team."

Chen Yi paused for a moment as he wiped water from his neck.

Zheng Yiming.

The significance of this name in the Chinese film industry needs no further explanation.

Thirty years ago, he won the Palme d'Or with his debut film, and every film he has produced since has been included in the international film industry's must-see list of the year.

He rarely appears in public or gives interviews, never participates in variety shows, and is known in the industry for his strict standards when it comes to choosing actors.

There's a saying in the industry: when Zheng Yiming is casting, inviting someone to an audition is just a formality; the roles he truly wants are always given to him by name.

"What did the letter mention?"

"The wording is quite formal. Director Zheng has a new film in the pre-production stage, and the male lead has not yet been decided. He has reviewed the two films you previously directed and also watched the cover performance clips from your early days on the 'Singer' stage. He wants to meet with you to discuss the details."

Chen Yi draped a towel over the back of the chair and sat on the edge of the bed.

"He flipped through my files?"

"The email listed the specific scenes, saying that he was very impressed with the staging of the interrogation scene in the 47th minute of 'The Seventh Floor,' and also mentioned the song you sang in the Singer finals. He said that he used that song to confirm that you had the quality he was looking for."

Chen Yi remained silent for a long time.

The sounds of summer insects from the ancient town outside the window drifted into the room through the gauze curtains, subtle yet chaotic.

"Have the notebooks been distributed yet?"

"The letter included a synopsis and the first three scenes. I read through it first; the setting is in the near future. The protagonist is an old craftsman who still makes handmade violins. AI-synthesized music has swallowed up the entire market, and his violin shop is deserted. The whole story is about how he finds hope to continue making his instruments in a world where he is no longer needed."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi straightened his back.

"Forward the notebook to my mailbox."

"It's all in the past."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Yi opened his laptop and pulled up the email attachment.

The script cover is clean and simple, and the title is just two characters: "Qin Gu" (琴骨).

He started reading from the first line.

When he turned to page twelve, he got up and poured himself a glass of cold water.

Turning to page 30, the water in my cup had long since cooled down, and I hadn't even had a chance to drink it.

After reading to page fifty-eight, more than halfway through the manuscript, he closed the computer screen, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes for a while.

This character is like a mirror.

Veteran craftsmen stick to their craft, refusing to conform to the crowd, and never complaining or clamoring.

He simply gets up early every day, pushes open the door, cleans his tools, and waits for guests who may come again at any time.

Each instrument he made was the result of painstaking effort, yet they all ended up gathering dust deep in the warehouse.

Chen Yi knew all too well the taste of such perseverance.

Back then, when they were trying to get their first feature film approved, they were rejected nine times when seeking investment.

That feeling is no different from that of an old craftsman guarding an empty shop.

You've convinced yourself you have something valuable, but the entire market is using cold, hard data to refute you, deeming you useless.

The next morning, he dialed Xiao Fang's number.

"I replied to Director Zheng's team that I've read the script. Once this film wraps up, I'll fly over to discuss it in person."

Xiao Fang paused for a moment on the other end of the phone.

"Have you made up your mind to accept?"

"We need to talk first. After meeting, we need to confirm whether his ideas about the role align with mine. If we're compatible, I'll accept the role."

"You previously mentioned that you were so used to directing that you didn't want to go back to acting."

"What I said at the time was 'whatever happens, happens'."

"And now?"

Chen Yi peered through the glass at the morning mist rising from the mountains outside, and a layer of light floated on the river.

"Our destiny has brought us together."

Xiao Fang responded on the other end.

"Okay, I've arranged the schedule."

Chen Yi didn't bring up this matter until he had a video call with Hanikezi that night.

The signal was intermittent at the outdoor location, the picture would freeze from time to time, and her voice would fall intermittently into the receiver.

"Zheng Yiming? The director who never uses recommendations from acquaintances?"

"It's him."

"Did the team send the letter proactively?"

"The work email from the production team can be considered a formal invitation."

Hanikezi remained silent on the other end.

The image refocused and stabilized. Chen Yi saw that the person on the screen had bright eyes and lips pressed tightly into a straight line, clearly wanting to laugh but holding it in.

What are you thinking?

"We'll meet with the crew after filming wraps up, and then decide what to do once we've reached an agreement."

"How's the notebook coming along?"

"it is good."

Chen Yi paused for two seconds.

"It was so good that I sat there stunned for ten minutes after reading the whole thing."

Hanikezi couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Chen Yi, do you realize how rare it is for you to make that comment?"

"How so?"

"You never praise other people's scripts. Last time Lin Yu handed you the manuscript, your exact words were, 'It's passable, but there are three major flaws that need to be changed.' For you to say 'stunned' means you really can't find any fault with it."

Chen Yi pressed the bridge of his nose.

"This character is like a drawing based on my own bones. While everyone else is rushing forward desperately, he insists on staying where he is. I've played quite a few roles, but I can't find any character that resonates with my inner spirit more than this one."

Hanikezi suppressed her smile and carefully examined the face on the screen.

"Then don't hesitate. You might not come across a notebook that you'd give this kind of feedback for even once in three years."

"Xiao Fang also mentioned something similar."

"What did he say?"

"I've said before that I'll go with the flow, and now that the time has come, it's time for our destiny to unfold."

Hanikezi tilted her head and pondered for a moment.

"Xiao Fang's summary makes sense. You said to go with the flow, and this is what happens when fate comes knocking."

Chen Yi switched hands to support his phone, his brows and eyes relaxing.

"After waiting for three years, I finally got a tough role that I had to play."