It was just a love letter; I'm really no great writer!

On his way back to the hotel, Lu Ran hurriedly wrote down the outline of the four acts, and his mindset had grown a little more without him realizing it.

The story of "The Seagull" is also a reflection of the collective predicament faced by the Celestial Empire, and a dilemma faced by ourselves.

He considered it carefully.

The significance of "The Seagull" needs no further explanation.

All you need to know is that its author is Chekhov, who is the greatest master of the short story and the founder of modern drama.

Lu Ran absolutely adores Chekhov's minimalist aesthetics.

He adheres to the principle that "simplicity is the sister of genius" and regards restraint, subtlety, and blank space as literary aesthetics.

The key is……

Chekhov put forward a revolutionary view of creative writing!

That is: abandoning climaxes and dramatic events, focusing on exploring the mundane daily life and real trivialities, and turning from external conflicts to the subtle inner undercurrents of individual characters.

"The Seagull" was his first modern comedy to put change into practice.

Lu Ran felt that bringing this comedy to the public was far more important than his own personal love affairs.

He hurried back to his hotel room, feeling somewhat tightness in his chest and dizziness.

Looking at Di Lingyan, oh, she was still fast asleep—no time to pay attention to her—Lu Ran sat down at the table to charge his phone and began to write.

The original text of "The Seagull" is in Russian, written in prose style, and set in a Russian country estate.

For an average playwright, let alone revising the entire piece, even a slight change in wording would lead to drastically different results.

But Lu Ran was standing on the shoulders of giants after all.

He deeply understood Chekhov's original intention in creating the work: "People don't fight or woo people all the time; most of the time they just eat, chat, and daydream."

"Drama should recreate this complex yet simple daily life."

Write climaxes, write conflicts, write exciting battles, write romance and murder... anyone can write that, it's all about grabbing attention.

Writing about real life well is quite difficult.

Lu Ran could foresee that, compared to traditional stage plays, "The Seagull" probably wouldn't do very well at the box office...

But on Earth, future playwrights would probably be willing to exchange all their best-selling plays for a single piece of Chekhov's "The Seagull."

……

early morning.

Di Qingling had a wonderful dream.

Um... to put it simply, I dreamt about Lu Ran.

She slept soundly until dawn, and when she awoke, she suddenly found herself holding a beautifully crafted little girl in her arms. She was stunned and wondered if the previous night had all been a dream.

"Sister Ling..." Lu Huamian is a very light sleeper.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a secluded valley. Di Qingling's voluptuous figure was faintly visible through her loose nightgown, and her fair arms and slender feet, with their smooth, jade-like skin, looked beautiful and radiant in the morning light.

"Xiao Mian, what are you doing here?" Di Qingling sat up, rubbing her temples, looking lost and forlorn.

"It was Brother Ran who asked me to come over..." Lu Huamian perfectly acted out Lu Ran's request. "He had some inspiration for writing poetry and went out to gather inspiration this morning."

"Oh." Di Qingling stared blankly out the window, as if his warmth still lingered in her heart.

He came, traversing thousands of miles of mountains;

He left as if he were leaving without a second thought;

He composed poems and released white deer among the green cliffs, and when the time came, he would ride to visit famous mountains.

Such a man is like a gift from heaven to the world; I am fortunate to have him.

……

"Lu Ran!"

Di Lingyan was both embarrassed and annoyed, completely forgetting her tantrum last night about ignoring him. "Why didn't you call me? The sun's already high in the sky!"

Lu Ran ignored him and sat at the table, lost in thought.

"Didn't we agree to visit the temple this morning..." Di Lingyan's voice grew softer and softer as she walked barefoot behind him, not daring to disturb him any further.

If it affects his creative process, then that would be a huge offense.

So she sat on the corner of the bed and quietly watched him.

Every frown and every smile a man makes has a captivating, irresistible charm...

By noon, Lu Ran had finished writing the first act in one go.

He turned his head: "Are you hungry?"

"Hmm." Di Lingyan blushed. She hadn't eaten anything all morning, but she didn't feel hungry at all.

"Come on, I'll take you to eat beef hot pot," Lu Ran said.

The calm and composed demeanor he exuded was something Di Lingyan had never sensed before, yet it filled her with a sense of security.

The next moment, Lu Ran reached out his fingertips and smoothed her hair.

Di Lingyan held her breath, her lips tightened in an instant, her mind in turmoil.

"Did you cut your hair short so you wouldn't look like your sister?" Lu Ran asked.

"Not entirely. Short hair makes running easier." Di Lingyan said, head down. "Doesn't it look good...?"

"No, they're all good." Lu Ran thought for a moment. "There's a theatrical performance in Suocheng tonight. Would you like to see it?"

"Drama?" Di Lingyan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, it's your sister who, despite everyone's skepticism, resolutely gave up her university major and devoted herself to the drama she loves," Lu Ran said.

At noon, Lu Ran took Di Lingyan to eat beef hot pot.

The beef is stewed until tender and juicy, paired with a clear and fragrant soup of snow fungus, and then dipped in butter tea with crispy barley cakes that are soft on the inside.

The taste was absolutely amazing.

In the afternoon, they went to visit some tourist attractions together.

When passing by Barkhor Street, Lu Ran bought a pair of chalcedony at a very large store.

Both have natural patterns; one is a silver chain red agate bracelet, and the other is a mutton fat jade bangle.

"Don't buy it, don't buy it, it's too expensive..." Di Lingyan quickly advised, "If you're going to give someone a gift, give them something inexpensive."

Agate bracelets cost over 800 yuan, while mutton fat jade bracelets cost hundreds of thousands.

After enjoying the delicious food, Lu Ran broke free from his deep thoughts and started laughing and joking as usual.

He placed the blood-red agate bracelet on Xiao Di's wrist.

"This is for you."

Shaking the gift box containing the jade bracelet again, Lu Ran said with a grin, "This is for the pipa player."

Di Lingyan's cheeks flushed red with anger.

"You...you don't even know who she is!"

As she spoke, she touched the agate bracelet on her wrist, her expression a mixture of sweetness and bewilderment.

Why...why do I so desperately want him to find it...?

At night, Lu Ran took Di Lingyan out for glutinous rice cakes and roasted rice, and then they went to the open-air theater.

Tonight's performance is about Princess Wencheng.

This is a large-scale epic drama that tells the story of Princess Wencheng's life in five acts.

From the imperial marriage in Chang'an, to the departure, to crossing the snow-capped mountains, to the grand wedding procession, and finally to a harmonious ending.

Not only are the visual effects spectacular, but the story is also heavy and poignant.

Watching such a play under the starry sky on the plateau is particularly breathtaking.

Blizzards, fires, rivers...

Especially when thousands of actors and herds of horses and cattle pass through the audience seats—the neighing of horses, the sound of hooves, and the swirling snow create an immersive experience.

After watching it, Di Lingyan pulled Lu Ran aside and murmured, "So amazing...so amazing..."

"Impressive, right?"

Lu Ran led her to the backstage area of ​​the stage.

In the control room, a woman was calmly directing the process, holding a walkie-talkie.

She stood ramrod straight, her expression aloof, wearing a white coat, her jet-black hair neatly tied up, her profile as beautiful as ice and snow.

It was Di Qingling, the chief producer of the drama series at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the chief director of this epic drama.

"sister……"

Di Lingyan was stunned.

"This is the work your sister does."

Lu Ran led her away and said softly, "There are no perfect people in the world."

"Perhaps she was just working a little harder behind the scenes, and being a little more determined in the darkness where she couldn't see the way."

How could a sister who sets her phone password to her younger sister's birthday not love her?

Seeing Lu Ran and Di Lingyan through the glass, Di Qingling was taken aback, her powerful aura softening into tenderness in her eyes.

He gave a few instructions to the people around him, and then walked out.

"sister--!"

Di Lingyan's red eyes were filled with tears. She suddenly rushed over and pressed herself tightly against her sister's face, which looked haggard and had become thin.

"Little Di?" Di Qingling patted her younger sister's head, then looked at Lu Ran with a puzzled expression. "Lu Ran?"

Lu Ran hugged the two sisters together.

"Don't speak, just feel."