"I certainly know she's outstanding, otherwise why would I dare to recommend her to you!" Situ Chen said, his face full of pride.
Just then, Xiao Wenqiang finished her scene and walked over. "What are you two chatting about so happily?"
"Talking about how well you acted!" Director Wang Lei replied, then wisely went to the side to smoke.
"Mhmm, yes, your performance in this scene was particularly good!" Situ Chen took out the coffee he brought for Xiao Wenqiang, put in a straw, and handed it to her.
"Then which part of my performance wasn't good?" Xiao Wenqiang took a sip of the delicious coffee and joked.
"Haha, I misspoke. I meant every part was particularly good! But this was the first scene I saw of your new play on set, so it left a deep impression!" Situ Chen quickly corrected himself.
As they spoke, a silence fell. They looked into each other's eyes simultaneously and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Suddenly, a chorus of thanks erupted around her. Xiao Wenqiang looked around and realized that Situ Chen hadn't just come to visit; he had also thoughtfully brought drinks and fruit for all the film crew staff in her name.
"Brother Chen, thank you so much!" Xiao Wenqiang was deeply touched. With Qiao Jia on vacation and her focus on acting, she had neglected the social dynamics of the film crew.
"Silly Ling'er, we don't need to say thank you between us," Situ Chen said, a hint of helplessness in his tone.
"Why?" Xiao Wenqiang looked at him with her big, earnest eyes.
"Because I like you! I'm willing to do anything for you!" Situ Chen finally confessed his love, secretly feeling a sense of relief.
Xiao Wenqiang pursed her lips and smiled, her cheeks secretly blushing. She softly replied, "Mm, I do!"
"Then Ling'er, do you like me? Will you be my girlfriend?" Situ Chen pressed on, seizing the moment.
A blush crept up Xiao Wenqiang's cheeks. She looked into Situ Chen's eyes, then shyly looked away, finally answering very softly, "Mm, I will!"
Situ Chen beamed, his smile reaching his eyes, and was about to say more when he was suddenly interrupted by Wang Lei.
"Oh, if I remember correctly, didn't you two film a kissing scene in your last production? How come you're not together yet? I mean, you're both experienced actors, why is confessing your feelings like you've never been in love before?" Wang Lei had actually returned from smoking a while ago and was almost driven mad by their slow progress.
Situ Chen regained his usual calm demeanor in front of outsiders, looking at Wang Lei with a hint of a threat. "Director Wang, isn't it bad manners to eavesdrop on a couple chatting?"
"Who told you to chat on my set? I'm listening openly!" Wang Lei retorted righteously.
"Alright, we'll talk about it later. When does your shoot wrap up today?" Situ Chen shrugged helplessly and continued to ask.
Wang Lei glanced at the day's shooting schedule and waved his hand. "Su Ling's part is almost done. You two can head back first!"
"Director, don't I still have a scene where Liu Lirong is working?" Xiao Wenqiang reminded him.
"Ah, I said you're done, you're done. Why are you being so earnest, child? Don't you want to spend more time with your boyfriend on his first visit to the set?" Wang Lei's words were harsh but his heart was kind. "Besides, I trust your acting. We can film it tomorrow! It's not easy for someone to travel such a long distance for a visit with only one day of rest."
Situ Chen's face lit up with a smile, and he thanked Wang Lei. "Haha, thank you, Director Wang. I'll take my girlfriend to get her makeup removed first." With that, he took Xiao Wenqiang's hand and left.
The assistant director beside them leaned over and whispered to Wang Lei, "Director Wang, so actor Situ and Su Ling are really together!"
Wang Lei cleared his throat and instructed, "Tell everyone in the crew to keep quiet. We shouldn't say anything until they make an official announcement."
"Okay, Director Wang, don't worry. Everyone knows what to do."
However, while the crew of "Mother's Love" was still reminding staff and other actors to maintain discretion, Situ Chen and Su Ling made their official announcements on "Weibo" that very evening.
Situ Chen: Let me introduce everyone, this is my girlfriend! He also tagged Su Ling's Weibo with a picture of them close-up, face-to-face.
Su Ling: Let me introduce everyone, this is my boyfriend! She also tagged Situ Chen's Weibo with another close-up picture of them, face-to-face, from a different angle.
This immediately sent the entire entertainment industry, netizens, and fans into a frenzy!
Later, this couple defended their love with unwavering support for each other. However, it took about a year for the fans' initial skepticism, "Is the movie star blind?" to gradually transform into acceptance and blessings.
And during that year, Xiao Wenqiang's film "Mother's Love" was completed.
Six months later, after post-production and review, it was finally released in theaters.
Most people who saw the movie that day enthusiastically recommended it to their friends and family, urging them to see it when they had the chance. However, the usually sharp film critics remained silent at first.
It wasn't until the next morning that a renowned film critic, after careful consideration, published a lengthy review.
At the end of his article, he wrote: "The film 'Mother's Love' made me ponder whether words on the internet possess the same power as spoken language. While the mother's actions in the film were undoubtedly wrong, as she chose the most extreme method of revenge."
"But what about the so-called victims? Are they not simultaneously perpetrators? Perhaps when they expressed their opinions, they were merely speaking their minds frankly, but they also did things that were implicitly harmful."
"The internet is virtual, and many people hide behind it to vent their emotions. Perhaps you're having a bad time with your studies, a breakup, work frustrations, or family chaos, but none of these can be excuses for us to arbitrarily hurt others."
"From now on, I will be more cautious with my words. Text also holds great power, so I want to urge everyone behind the screen to think carefully about every word they type. Of course, this is solely my personal opinion!"
"Finally, I recommend everyone to watch the film 'Mother's Love' if they have the chance. Perhaps different people will gain different strengths from different perspectives."
Unsurprisingly, Su Ling swept the Golden Dragon Award for "Best Actress" that year, her votes far ahead of others. Her portrayal of the middle-aged mother in "Mother's Love" deeply touched everyone.
As Xiao Wenqiang stepped onto the awards stage this time, tears welled up.
"I am very happy that the role of Liu Lirong, a mother, has been accepted by everyone, and I am very grateful for your votes. This film is called 'Mother's Love,' but those who have seen it should know that the incident primarily stems from cyberbullying. In fact, while filming this, I was also contemplating why cyberbullying has such a significant impact on people's psyche. If Liu Lirong hadn't chosen extreme revenge, would she have had any other legal avenues to ensure her daughter's peace? Also, if someone has already experienced cyberbullying, what institutions and individuals can they turn to for help? Can we even prevent cyberbullying at its source?"
Xiao Wenqiang paused to compose herself and continued, "Of course, I know these are not issues that a small actor like myself can solve, nor is it something one film can change. But I hope that starting from this film, more enlightened individuals will pay attention to this issue, and more professional institutions and people can brainstorm solutions."
"Finally, thank you again for your recognition of my acting. Thank you!" Xiao Wenqiang bowed deeply to the audience, holding her award.
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Situ Chen stepped forward and took her hand. This time, they sat together in the center of the front row, a pair everyone praised as a match made in heaven.