Chapter 449: Chapter 353: Movie Premiere
Walking the red carpet with Song Chi felt magical.
Song Chi’s hand grasped hers as they walked towards the sea of stars woven by the flashing lights. Cheers and screams continually ebbed and flowed as if they could overturn the night sky itself.
Zhou Yun and Song Chi were veterans of the red carpet, and despite their familiarity with the scene, they were still thrilled by the public’s enthusiasm.
Song Chi carefully adjusted Zhou Yun’s dress hem and said, "Let’s go."
Wen Bing and the couple Yao Yuanfeng were waiting for them up ahead to make an entrance together.
There were so few principal creators for the film; after them, only a handful of people followed.
But when they stood together, their presence was no less impressive than that of any other film crew. Zhou Yun and Wen Bing walked in the center, with Song Chi by Zhou Yun’s side, and Yao Yuanfeng and his wife by Wen Bing’s side.
Photographers madly pressed their shutters, not wanting to miss any moment.
Group photos, solo photos.
Zhou Yun was the muse and favourite of the photographers on the red carpet.
Each photographer enthusiastically called out Zhou Yun’s name.
This scene delighted Yao Yuanfeng. The idea of a female actress being so well-received by the media, and poised for more collaborations with New Shield, as New Shield’s boss, how could he not be pleased?
However, Mrs. Yao, being a woman herself, subtly concealed her jealousy.
As Yao Yuanfeng’s wife, she had seen countless young and beautiful girls briefly bloom and then vanish like fireworks every year. Every year, very few could firmly establish themselves in the entertainment industry. But Zhou Yun’s emergence was so strong; it seemed as if an unstoppable force was escorting her. None could match her momentum.
She herself had been an actress. Very few people knew this. After marrying Yao Yuanfeng, she completely quit acting and contentedly became Mrs. Yao.
There was a time when she felt justified in her decision to retire from acting, seeing actors of renown flatter her. Quitting acting seemed like the best choice.
But after a long time, for reasons unknown, one day she watched a movie starring Ning Yao at the cinema. Seeing Ning Yao’s elf-like face crying on the screen, so vulnerable that even a woman would want to embrace her, Mrs. Yao suddenly began to miss her acting days. When she first started, she too had aspired to become a distinguished actress, but those ambitious dreams were worn down by one mediocre outcome after another. She finally realized that she was never meant to have the ’meal’ bestowed by fate.
It wasn’t that she had retired from acting; she had never really opened that door in the first place.
Tonight, Zhou Yun, wearing a long dress, exuded the elegance and beauty of a moonlight goddess. She was not reserved and her manners were not exactly ladylike, yet she radiated an aura of nobility.
They reached the interview area.
The majority of the questions were directed at Zhou Yun and Song Chi.
A reporter asked, "Is this appearance together an official announcement of your relationship?"
Zhou Yun, with wide-eyed surprise asked, "Wasn’t it official before?"
Another reporter asked, "Were the two of you secretly dating before? You’ve both stepped forward several times to deny the relationship, saying you were just friends."
Song Chi smiled and said, "We didn’t lie when we denied it; at that time, we were just friends."
Fuelled by their love of gossip, the reporters asked a crucial question, "What exactly turned your relationship from friends to lovers?"
Zhou Yun, preempting Song Chi’s reply, playfully glared at the inquiring reporter and said bluntly: "Why are you being so nosy?"
The question was casually glossed over.
Everyone laughed heartily.
Zhou Yun pulled Wen Bing’s arm, bringing him in between her and Song Chi, and said, "Tonight, Song Chi isn’t the male lead; Director Wen is. Don’t be so nosy, you’re professional journalists, be more professional, guys!"
She didn’t speak harshly but rather in a coquettish manner like a little girl. Far from getting annoyed, everyone just burst into laughter.
But Zhou Yun’s words reminded them that they were indeed very interested in Wen Bing, the new director who had made a remarkable entrance.
Question after question was posed, and Wen Bing, who didn’t usually like crowded events, became easily nervous, especially in front of cameras, and his responses were slow.
Zhou Yun smiled very happily.
When Wen Bing finished answering, a reporter asked Zhou Yun why he was smiling so widely. Zhou Yun said, "Because during the shoot, he always complained that I wasn’t relaxed enough, making me do it over and over. Finally, I got to see him not being relaxed."
Wen Bing smiled helplessly.
...
The interview segment concluded amidst laughter.
The red carpet event also came to an end in this joyous atmosphere.
As they entered the inner area, the seats were already filled with people waiting for their entrance.
Following the host’s introduction, they walked in.
The entire venue erupted into cheers and applause.
Here were their friends, film and television industry professionals, movie bloggers, journalists, and also lucky audience members.
After they took their seats, the lights quickly dimmed.
The film began.
...
A vast expanse of lead-gray sky, the clouds layered like ridges upon ridges.
The camera slowly zoomed out, and within the broader view, a barefoot woman in a blue dress walked along the undulating edge of the tide.
She sat down, her face expressionless, and beneath that lack of expression seemed to hide a deep, lingering sadness.
Then, she looked towards the camera.
Her eyes locked onto the lens, and in that moment of direct gaze, it felt as though her eyes could connect directly to the depths of one’s soul.
She was speaking to you.
"He once said he would love me forever, but it turns out ’forever’ was only one year and twenty-four days; forever too has an expiration."
You thought this was just her monologue, but the next second another man’s voice came through, saying, "I’ve told you long ago, he’s no good; he doesn’t deserve you."
At that moment, you realize, oh, there’s another person’s presence here.
Then a question arises in your mind, why isn’t this person visible on camera?
You see a tear suddenly fall from her reddening eyes.
You can’t even remember, were her eyes red a second ago? When did they turn red?
Then you hear his flustered, cautious voice, "You... why are you crying? Crying over him isn’t worth it, is it? He’s just an ex-boyfriend; losing you is his loss of good fortune. Are you afraid that no other men will like you? Let me tell you, that’s impossible; if nothing else, you still have me. Aren’t I way better than that jerk? Xiaoyun, Xiaoyun, please stop crying, will you?"
Her tears stopped, and a face still not fully free of sadness began to show another emotion, confusion.
She looked blankly at the camera and asked, "Do you like me?"
Time seemed to freeze.
The tide rose and fell.
...
Still his voice: "She doesn’t know that I’ve liked her for a long time."