005|Heart & home (2)

At six forty in the morning, the plane landed at the airport near Ping Cheng. 

A black SUV travelled on the highway towards Pingcheng.

The final scene last night took a long time to shoot in Lu Cheng. After the fourth "cut" in Lu Cheng, the filming did not continue. 

Actually, Lu Cheng was a bit worried before shooting this scene, because he knew Zhong Shao. 

Zhong Shao stared at a point on the table, while Lu Cheng frowned slightly but remained calm.

"Shao," Lu Cheng spoke, but Zhong Shao interjected, "I know." 

Seeing this, Lu Cheng said, "Take three days off and go sightseeing in Ping Cheng."

Ping Cheng, a medium-sized prefecture-level city, is also where Yu Cheng grew up.

Zhong Shao sat in the passenger seat, removed his sunglasses, lowered his mask, and looked out at the scenery. The scenery along the way was like a flowing scroll painting, from green mountains to rivers reflecting the blue sky, with no repetition.

"Yu Cheng," Zhong Shao asked without turning, "How did you grow up?" 

Zhong Shao couldn't quite explain why he asked this question, but as he looked at the scenery along the way, he suddenly wanted to know.

It seemed unnecessary for Yu Cheng to give a clear answer. When Lu Cheng mentioned "go sightseeing in Ping Cheng," he could imagine how Yu Cheng grew up. He must have grown up in the midst of hustle and bustle.

Yu Cheng turned his head, revealing a distinct jawline and prominent side profile. He reminisced, "I was born into an ordinary family. Although both my parents were civil servants, they were very open-minded, respecting my opinions and choices, and paying meticulous attention to details in life." 

Yu Cheng's voice is neither light nor heavy, gentle and relaxed. Zhong Shao's gaze shifted to see him with a faint smile on his lips. He observed the smile growing, and in the tranquil space, he heard Yu Cheng say, "I'm not sure if Ping Cheng can give you peace of mind, but it's a good place to start our experiment there."

Experience how an actor can get closer to life.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shao chuckled, "Are you treating me like a little kid?" 

It might be an illusion, but next to Yu Cheng, he sometimes felt like a child.

Yu Cheng calmly stated a profound saying, "A man remains a youth until death."

Zhong Shao: "..." Seemingly having nothing to retort.

Knowing without exposing, the gentleness in the adult world is just that.

After the banter, Zhong Shao casually spoke, "I was born into a family that's hard to describe. They had me at the peak of their love, opting for an open marriage when I was born. I watched people come and go around them, not understanding but respecting them. At thirteen, my aunt took care of me; at fifteen, Director Li Qing spotted me and I started acting; at seventeen, I moved out from my aunt's house, living alone till now." Zhong Shao sighed and continued, "After acting for over a decade, I increasingly feel a lack of passion in my performances. I started treating acting as just a regular job, not that I don't love performing anymore, but I haven't found that exhilarating feeling yet. Unexpectedly, stuck on a line."

In a few sentences summarising Zhong Shao's past thirty-two years, Yu Cheng glimpsed the hidden struggles and bitterness of this tolerant yet sharp man's growth. This was the side of Zhong Shao that Yu Cheng wanted to understand, and he thought he might have figured out why Lu Cheng sent Zhong Shao to Ping Cheng.

This wasn't the first time Zhong Shao mentioned lacking passion in his acting. It's a basic requirement for a good actor to embody their roles, but life has its ups and downs, sometimes lines may seem flawless, but speaking them goes beyond understanding the character, even surpassing insight into the people around in real life.

Lu Cheng understood the story behind it, so he took three days off to immerse Zhong Shao in the hustle and bustle of the world, to feel and understand.

"Zhong Shao," Yu Cheng called out for the first time using both his first and last name, his words sounding particularly earnest, "Even if it's just a temporary job, you're doing great."

Even if you treat it as just a job, you give it your all, otherwise, you wouldn't have left such profound roles for the audience, brimming with honours.

Feeling somewhat comforted, Zhong Shao pressed his tongue against his upper palate, "Finally learning to call me by name." Pausing for a moment, he added, "Yu Cheng, from now on, just call me by my name."

None sounded as pleasant as when he called him "Shao."

"OK."

Upon entering the city area, it didn't take long before the car drove into a small neighbourhood that looked neither new nor old. 

"This is..." Zhong Shao guessed with an answer. 

"My home." The car was parked in the underground garage, the two got out of the car, and Yu Cheng took the luggage out of the trunk, "How can one come to Ping Cheng without showing some hospitality?" 

Zhong Shao stopped in his tracks, not moving forward. "What's wrong?" 

"You need to at least tell me, it's not nice to go to your house empty-handed." 

Yu Cheng teased Zhong Shao's slight embarrassment. 

"When you come to my house, it's a grand affair, bringing gifts would be unnecessary." 

"Oh right," Yu Cheng remembered something and said in the elevator, "My mom is a fan of yours, she might..." 

"Aunt laugh?" 

"You're quite perceptive," Yu Cheng teased. 

Zhong Shao was confident, "I do have some mom fans." 

Yu Cheng couldn't help but cough, "She is retired and has nothing to do." 

"Don't I get a name?" Zhong Shao raised an eyebrow, smiling. 

Yu Cheng smiled and respectfully said, "Shao, don't be intimidated by the enthusiasm of the auntie fans." 

"I definitely won't be."