When Qi Bailu woke up the next morning, Ruan Qiuji had already left Shanghai. He sat up, clutching the quilt, and saw a message from Ruan Qiuji on his phone. Ruan said he had reserved a table at the Executive Lounge restaurant; if Qi Bailu was hungry, he could go up and eat just by giving his name.
At the mention of it, Qi Bailu did feel hungry. Besides Ruan Qiuji's message, there was one from his assistant sent half an hour ago. She said she had knocked on his door to wake him for breakfast but received no response, so Qi Bailu asked if she wanted to go eat together now.
At the dining table, the assistant was still immersed in the excitement of last night’s awards ceremony. She showed him the trending topics on Weibo. Qi Bailu saw the video of Ruan Qiuji presenting him with the award at the very top; he swallowed a small soup dumpling from his spoon without a word. As he scrolled down, he saw a news item at the bottom about Netclouds acquiring two cinema chains. He had never cared about Ruan Qiuji’s career, but seeing how far his reach extended still gave him a momentary pause.
The business world was something he didn't understand, so the pause was only brief before he continued eating his soup dumplings. Netclouds was a streaming platform launched after Yuntian Media’s restructuring. After acquiring Jinhe Film, it gained the strength to challenge the three major video platforms. It could be said that the acquisition of Jinhe Film was the turning point for Netclouds’ monopoly in the industry. As for how Ruan Qiuji had accomplished it back then, Qi Bailu was the one who knew best.
In all these days, they hadn't talked about the past even once. Ruan Qiuji had tried to bring it up, but Qi Bailu had cut him off.
Looking out from the high-floor glass window, the jagged skyscrapers outside seemed capable of blocking the clouds drifting in the sky, like stacked building blocks—mere toys in a child's hands. Qi Bailu ate a little and then set down his chopsticks. Seeing his lack of enthusiasm, the assistant wondered why someone would be unhappy after winning an award and eating in such an expensive place. She asked if she had said something wrong; Qi Bailu shook his head and moved the vinegar closer to her, offering no answer.
He went to Xiamen alone. Lin Yuewei came to pick him up at the airport. The two of them couldn't talk much in the taxi, so they went out for late-night snacks after dropping their luggage at the hotel. Lin Yuewei looked like she had been holding back for a long time. As soon as the waiter at the seafood stall walked away with the menu, she said, "I watched the livestream."
Qi Bailu knew she was referring to the Shanghai International Film Festival's closing red carpet and awards gala, so he replied, "Such a boring livestream."
Lin Yuewei tapped the table with her finger, signaling for him to be serious. Qi Bailu knew what she wanted to ask and said helplessly, "Did it scare you?"
"When I saw Ruan Qiuji, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. You, on the other hand, looked like nothing was wrong. Did you know beforehand that he was in Shanghai?"
*That was because the director didn't cut to the shot of me almost tripping on the steps,* Qi Bailu thought. Not only did he know beforehand, but they had also been sleeping together for a few days.
Seeing that his expression and state were off, Lin Yuewei hesitated. "You and him... you didn't...?"
Qi Bailu picked up a can of beer and pulled the tab. Lin Yuewei leaned back against her chair, studying him. "Since when?"
"Last month..."
Lin Yuewei’s eyebrows shot up. Qi Bailu added, "We met once last month, but we only got in touch in Shanghai."
"So you slept with him?"
Now it was Qi Bailu’s turn to lose his composure. "Is it that obvious?"
Lin Yuewei almost wanted to grit her teeth and sigh. The most important thing for a director was to have sharp eyes. Just now, she had half-guessed and half-observed it, but she hadn't expected Qi Bailu to confess so readily.
"What is this between you two? Are you together?"
Qi Bailu took a small sip of beer, his eyes fixed on her as he gently shook his head.
Lin Yuewei nodded and also pulled the tab on a beer can. Qi Bailu said, "I thought you would scold me."
"Why would I scold you? Haven't you always liked him? I could tell back in Tahiti—the three of you—" Lin Yuewei changed the subject. "Let's not talk about that. I just don't quite understand. What are you trying to do?"
Qi Bailu lowered his eyelids and lit a cigarette. Lin Yuewei said, "Bailu, you aren't the type of person who would jump into the same pit twice."
"At least I won't commit murder or arson."
"You've already committed the arson," Lin Yuewei pointed out ruthlessly.
Qi Bailu bit his cigarette and looked at her, resting his chin on his hand.
They sat by the noisy roadside, the humid wind brushing against their faces in thin wisps. It was the season for phoenix flowers to bloom in Xiamen again. The streetlights beneath the phoenix trees looked like glasses of red wine lined up one after another. Qi Bailu turned his face slightly to the side. "The things of the past—"
He dragged out his tone before saying, "He has to pay a price eventually."
Lin Yuewei couldn't control him and couldn't get anything else out of him. She could only urge him not to do anything foolish. But looking at Qi Bailu’s calm yet stubborn expression, she feared that even if he decided to blow up a fortress right now, no one could stop him.
The location scouting was in a seaside county in Xiamen. The place was a bit hard to find. A friend of Lin Yuewei’s picked them up in a small Changan truck. The truck had double-row seating, and Hokkien songs were playing on the radio. Qi Bailu asked her how she had so many friends, and Lin Yuewei said she met them while filming documentaries in the south.
Qi Bailu had seen all the documentaries Lin Yuewei filmed in her early years, but he didn't remember this person being in any of them. Lin Yuewei said this was Xiao Tang. Xiao Tang, who was driving, looked in the rearview mirror and smiled at Qi Bailu. The road was bumpy, and the long rhinestone earrings on Xiao Tang’s ears swayed incessantly. Only then did Qi Bailu recognize her as the "Xiao Tang" who was the prototype for Lin Yuewei’s new script. No wonder he hadn't recognized her at first; after a few years, Xiao Tang had become much prettier and had gained some weight, likely because she had never stopped using hormones.
Qi Bailu was not a man of many words, and Xiao Tang was somewhat shy by nature. Fortunately, Lin Yuewei chatted about everything under the sun along the way, and by the time they reached their destination, the three of them had become acquainted. Lin Yuewei had been staying at Xiao Tang’s house for the past few days, on the second floor of the wholesale supermarket Xiao Tang ran. The house was near the road, and the sound of traffic could be heard all day. When Qi Bailu entered, he saw wine bottles lying haphazardly in the bedroom. Lin Yuewei claimed righteously that she couldn't concentrate on writing scripts without drinking. Qi Bailu asked if she was out of money for a hotel, and Lin Yuewei spread her hands. "I am."
Being out of money was the truth. Her second-to-last film had drained her savings, and the last one had cost her the house her parents bought for her in Beijing for her marriage. The remaining money was all being used to prepare for the new film. Lin Yuewei had wanted to use other actors, but many were scared off when they heard the salary was only a hundred thousand yuan. Those who had the courage to challenge the role didn't meet the requirements.
Xiao Tang lived alone, so she was very happy to have them stay for a few days. Before going to bed, Qi Bailu saw that Ruan Qiuji had sent him a message. Just as he was about to open it, his phone automatically shut down because it was out of power. He searched through his suitcase and found that he hadn't brought his charger; he didn't know if he had lost it or left it at the hotel. Neither Lin Yuewei’s nor Xiao Tang’s phone models were compatible with his, so he could only wait until he went out tomorrow to buy one.
They went out with the cinematographer early the next morning. Qi Bailu had long forgotten about Ruan Qiuji. So when Lin Yuewei took a call and handed him the phone after just a few words, he was busy fiddling with his camera and asked without looking up, "Who is it?" Lin Yuewei stuffed the phone into his hand. "Who do you think?"
The streets were teeming with traffic, and the sun was so bright it was hard to keep one's eyes open. Qi Bailu belatedly pressed the phone to his ear, but the noise of passing cars was too loud. Ruan Qiuji said something, but all he could say on his end was, "Wait, I can't hear you—"
He walked to the shade of a nearby tree before he could hear Ruan Qiuji’s voice: "How about now?"
Diagonally across from where Qi Bailu stood was a milk tea shop. From time to time, a customer or two would walk out carrying iced fruit tea. After giving him the phone, Lin Yuewei had gone to wait in line for milk tea. Ruan Qiuji’s voice came through clearly, and he seemed to settle down a bit as well. He asked, "What did you just say?"
"You didn't reply to my message, and your phone has been off."
"The battery died."
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"Yesterday morning, I accidentally took your charger."
...
"Do you want me to send it over to you?"
"No need, I'll buy a new one."
Just as Qi Bailu said the second half of the sentence, a car sped past. He didn't know if Ruan Qiuji heard him clearly. Ruan Qiuji seemed to be standing in a very quiet place; his voice sounded crisp and clear as he asked, "How many days will you be there?"
"About a week."
"I can get away in a couple of days."
Qi Bailu was momentarily speechless. Lin Yuewei had brought him a cold drink and happened to walk up and see his expression. Thinking he had already hung up, she said, "What's wrong? Is he going to eat you or something?"
Ruan Qiuji heard Lin Yuewei’s words on the other end and gave a soft laugh. Qi Bailu said, "I still have work to do, hanging up now."
Qi Bailu handed the phone back to Lin Yuewei and tried to poke the straw through the plastic seal of the milk tea. He struggled with it for a long time without success. Lin Yuewei held her milk tea, sipping while watching him. Even through their sunglasses, Qi Bailu could feel her piercing gaze. He said, "He might come over in a few days."
"Doesn't he have things to deal with at home?"
"What things?"
"Maybe he's being pressured to marry."
"He said he won't get married."
"He tells you quite a lot." Lin Yuewei bit the straw twice, then suddenly added, "Then has he ever mentioned his parents to you?"
Qi Bailu shook his head. Lin Yuewei said, "He wouldn't even spare his own biological father. Do you remember that high-ranking official who was placed under investigation back then?"
"I remember."
"He was one of his father's subordinates."
Qi Bailu said, "It sounds like he won't love anyone."
Lin Yuewei was silent for a moment. "He seems somewhat serious about you."
Qi Bailu glanced at her. Lin Yuewei said, "I'm just afraid that one day he'll be too serious. Bailu, aren't you afraid he's a second Zheng Kunyu?"
Melted ice water ran down the side of the cup. Qi Bailu wiped the droplet away with his thumb, but a second one followed immediately. Lin Yuewei realized she had misspoken and opened her mouth to apologize, but Qi Bailu said, "There is only one Zheng Kunyu."
It was the first time Lin Yuewei had heard that name from his mouth again. For a moment, she didn't know if it was a good or bad sign. Qi Bailu’s face remained motionless; it was impossible to tell which side that sentence favored. After saying that, Qi Bailu fell silent. The two of them stood on the street and finished their milk tea. Qi Bailu crushed the plastic cup and threw it into the trash. Lin Yuewei thought to herself that, in some ways, Qi Bailu had truly learned to be a complete bastard from those two men.
On the way back that evening, Qi Bailu bought a new charger. After plugging it in, he went to take a shower. Lin Yuewei and Xiao Tang had set up a folding table on the balcony and were eating ice jelly bought from the night market. Seeing him come out, they called him over. He dried his hair while turning on his phone and saw the WeChat message Ruan Qiuji had sent earlier. Ruan Qiuji had asked if he had lost his charger. After their phone call during the day, Ruan Qiuji had sent another one: *See you in a few days.*
Qi Bailu’s finger paused over the keyboard. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not reply. He sat down to eat his portion. Lin Yuewei put down her small plastic spoon and handed him her phone. "Take a look at this first."
What Lin Yuewei showed him was a call from an unknown number. She had been at the night market at the time and hadn't heard it, so she didn't pick up. Not long after, the stranger sent her a text message, which she only saw after returning. The message read: *Hello, Teacher Lin. Could you please tell Bailu to call me back?*
"Who do you think this is?"
There weren't many people who would address Qi Bailu so directly. At first, Lin Yuewei thought it was a fanatical fan, but after thinking about it, the tone didn't seem like it.
Qi Bailu opened the call log. When he saw the location of the caller ID, his brow suddenly furrowed. Lin Yuewei saw his expression change and glanced at the place name again. It suddenly clicked. "Is this a number from your hometown?"
He hadn't returned to that place since leaving home at eighteen. He recognized this number, which hadn't changed in decades; it was etched into his memory. It was his uncle Zhou Xiaozhi’s mobile number.
Xiao Tang, sensing the tense atmosphere, stopped eating her ice jelly. Qi Bailu handed the phone back to Lin Yuewei and stood up. "I'm going to make a call."
He went to the guest bedroom and closed the door before dialing the string of numbers. After he had followed Zheng Kunyu back then, Zhou Xiaozhi seemed to know he had no face to see him and had only contacted him once, only to be blocked. While waiting for the call to connect, memories of his youth flashed before his eyes, yet he couldn't grasp a single frame. Zhou Xiaozhi picked up quickly, his voice sounding a bit unfamiliar, carrying a hint of cautious flattery. "Hello...? Is that Bailu?"
"It's me."
Zhou Xiaozhi stammered with a couple of dry laughs and asked how he was doing. Qi Bailu said, "If there's something, just say it."
Qi Bailu thought he wanted money, but to his surprise, Zhou Xiaozhi said, "Your father has been released from prison."
Zhou Xiaozhi waited for a moment. Seeing that Qi Bailu seemed to have nothing to say, he added, "Bailu, your father has changed for the better now. He's not like before. No matter what, he is your father after all..." Zhou Xiaozhi rambled on, talking until his throat was dry, but Qi Bailu gave no reaction. Zhou Xiaozhi ended with his final sentence: "He wants to see you. Come home and visit."
Qi Bailu thought for a moment and finally concluded: *He wants to reconcile with my money.*
Receiving no response, Zhou Xiaozhi began to lose his composure. "We’re family; we should sit down and have a good talk. You suffered some hurt in the past, and you must have had a hard time these past two years, especially since that boss of yours ran into trouble..."
Qi Bailu said, "How much money do you want?"
"Lulu, this isn't a matter of money." Zhou Xiaozhi was dissatisfied with his tone.
A cold sneer slowly formed on Qi Bailu’s face. He stood by the window, caught sight of his own expression, and gritted his teeth to swallow the laugh.
Zhou Xiaozhi also knew that Qi Bailu didn't care for talk of filial piety and hierarchy, so he began to use soft words. Qi Bailu had no patience to listen and interrupted, "I'll be back in two days." Zhou Xiaozhi was overjoyed and asked if he should pick him up at the airport. Qi Bailu didn't finish listening and hung up directly. The sound in the room ceased abruptly, leaving only the restless chirping of cicadas outside and the sound of speeding cars. The sound of the cars passing was sharp and piercing, as if even the streaks of light flashing by carried a sense of warning.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
小汤 | Xiao Tang | A friend of Lin Yuewei and the prototype for her new script.
周效之 | Zhou Xiaozhi | Qi Bailu's uncle.
双规 | Placed under investigation | Refers to "Shuanggui," a form of intra-party discipline and investigation in China.
闽南语 | Hokkien | A group of Min Chinese languages spoken in Southern Fujian, Taiwan, and by overseas Chinese.
冰粉 | Ice jelly | A Chinese dessert made from the seeds of the Nicandra physalodes plant.
长安 | Changan | A Chinese automobile manufacturer.
金河影视 | Jinhe Film | A film company acquired by Ruan Qiuji's Netclouds.
Netclouds | Netclouds | Ruan Qiuji's streaming platform.
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