DP Chapter 41
by VolareAmidst the crowd, Tang Shuqin’s assistant, Tang Yu, with a fierce expression, pointed at someone across from him and cursed, “I told you to hold it properly, and now you’ve lost it, delaying the shoot. Can you take responsibility for that?”
Tao Mujia lowered his head, “I didn’t take it. Brother Yu, I don’t even know what the jade pendant looks like…”
Tang Yu became even more aggressive, “You’re talking nonsense! I remember it was with you! Do you think it’s expensive and want to secretly take it out and sell it?”
“I didn’t, I really didn’t…” Tao Mujia’s voice grew softer, looking around in a panic.
Someone nearby advised, “Let’s look for it again. We’re about to start filming. It’s no use talking to him now.”
Tang Shuqin stood beside, her face also looking unpleasant.
Xiang Yiye observed for a while and roughly understood the situation.
An important prop was missing. Previously, the director had specially used his connections to borrow an antique-level jade pendant to serve as a token of love between the male and female leads, but now it couldn’t be found.
Xiang Yiye walked to Tao Mujia’s side, “It shouldn’t be Tao Mujia who lost it. I haven’t seen him with any props these past few days, and he doesn’t need it for long shots.”
“I didn’t see him take it either,” Xiao Zhou said. “Let’s all look for it together.”
Tao Mujia remained silent, helping to search.
Xiang Yiye then asked everyone when they had last seen the jade pendant and roughly where it was located, concentrating the search in the most likely places.
After searching for more than ten minutes, there was still no sign of the missing item. Tang Shuqin was already asking the director how much the jade pendant was worth, saying that she would compensate for it entirely.
“Compensation can be discussed later. That jade is a one-of-a-kind item. If the back doesn’t match the front, all the previous shots will be wasted,” the director said, his head aching.
“What about making an exact replica?” Tang Shuqin said.
“Replicas take time to make too, sister. Are you not going to film today’s scenes?” The director looked at the time, his face gloomy. “If we can’t find it in another ten minutes, we’ll just shoot empty-handed and add special effects in post-production.”
Xiang Yiye looked around and saw the camera responsible for recording behind-the-scenes footage. He pointed to it and asked a staff member next to him, “Was that camera on all day yesterday?”
“Yes, it was on. What’s wrong, Teacher Xiang… Oh right, this angle, maybe it captured something. Quick, check the footage.”
After connecting to the monitor, they indeed found the last frame of the jade pendant.
In the footage, Tang Yu had a large pile of things in his arms: cups, scripts, sunscreen spray, parasol, etc. With no extra space in his hands, he temporarily placed the jade pendant on a raised footlocker next to him.
After a while, he probably forgot. He left the jade pendant behind and walked away. Before leaving, he accidentally kicked the footlocker, causing it to shake, and everything on top of it fell to the ground. The jade was also buried in the black trash bag next to it.
Xiao Zhou exclaimed, “Good heavens!” and intentionally said loudly, “Brother Yu, that was an antique jade! Your sweeping leg was too careless. You almost wrongly accused someone.”
“Exactly, Brother Tang Yu, you were a bit hurtful just now. Tao Mujia usually works very hard,” someone said.
“Whether someone was wrongly accused can only be determined when the item is found, right?” Tang Yu said.
“Where are we going to find it? It’s probably already been taken away by the garbage truck.”
Tao Mujia watched the second half of the video and said, “I’ll go look for it. Maybe it’s still there.” After speaking, he ran towards the crew’s garbage disposal area.
Xiang Yiye and Xiao Zhou followed behind.
In the summer heat, anything would spoil after a few hours, let alone garbage. You could smell the sourness from afar, and there were many flies buzzing around.
Tao Mujia overturned several trash cans, opened the garbage bags one by one, and searched inside.
“Don’t do it yourself. You still have scenes to film later. Don’t get your clothes dirty.” Xiao Zhou stopped Xiang Yiye for a moment, gritted her teeth, and rushed into the garbage pile while holding her breath. “Xiao Tao, I’ll search with you…”
Subsequently, several extras volunteered to join in. Xiang Yiye searched in the bags with his eyes from the side.
A few minutes later, an extra shouted, “Found it!” and raised the item in his hand, handing it to Tao Mujia.
Tao Mujia took it and held it in his palm to show Xiang Yiye, “Brother Xiang, is this it?”
“That’s it.” Xiang Yiye reached out to take it.
Tao Mujia took a few steps back, “Brother, don’t come over, it’s dirty. I’ll give it to you after it’s washed clean.”
Xiang Yiye felt a pang of sympathy. He took a few steps and still took it, “It’s good that it’s found. Thanks to you. Go wash your hands quickly.”
Now that the item was found, various departments prepared to start filming. Some people were whispering privately, pointing at Tang Yu.
Seeing this, Tang Yu said, “Who knows? He looked so eager to find it. Maybe he had been carrying it all along and secretly threw it out when no one was looking.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but the malice it contained was significant. Xiang Yiye saw Tao Mujia’s eyes turn red for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal.
Xiang Yiye said, “I was next to him when he was searching. I saw with my own eyes that it was found in the trash bag. Brother Tang Yu, we’re all colleagues and will be working together in the future. Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”
He phrased his words very politely. Tang Shuqin said, “That’s enough, Tang Yu. Apologize to Xiao Tao.”
“I’m sorry,” Tang Yu glanced at Tao Mujia. “Is ‘I’m sorry’ enough?”
Xiao Zhou said to Tao Mujia behind people’s backs, “Don’t be sad, Xiao Tao. Tang Yu sees that you’re more capable than him, can act, and can also work as an assistant. He’s just jealous of you. I really don’t understand how there can be such petty people. Isn’t it said that he and Tang Shuqin are relatives? With connections like that, is he still afraid of others taking his position?”
“I’m fine, Sister Xiao Zhou, keep your voice down,” Tao Mujia said.
In the evening, Tao Muya came over. As soon as she walked to Tao Mujia’s side, she frowned, “What’s that smell? Tao Mujia, did you fall into the trash can?”
“I stood next to the trash can for a while today. I might have accidentally gotten it on me,” Tao Mujia said.
In the days that followed, Tao Mujia was always unhappy, saying that he had a conflict with his sister.
After Tao Muya returned, she felt something was wrong. She asked Xiao Zhou on WeChat, and after learning the details, she wanted to come and confront Tang Yu the next day, but Tao Mujia desperately stopped her.
For several days in a row, Xiang Yiye didn’t see Tao Muya coming to pick him up. When she finally came, they started arguing after a few words.
Tao Muya: “Are you coming back with me or not? Are you just going to let yourself be bullied here?”
Tao Mujia: “Isn’t this how it is when you come out to work? I’m not really suffering that much.”
“Not suffering that much? Is there a need to be so humiliated?” Tao Muya said, “Where’s that Tang person? I’ll go find him and tell him you’re not coming tomorrow.”
“Don’t make a scene, Xiao Ya. I’m not that delicate,” Tao Mujia said.
“Who’s making a scene? Tao Mujia, can you have some backbone?” Tao Muya said, “For those few bucks, look at how you dress every day. Have you forgotten what your classmates used to say about you when you were little, saying you looked like a sissy!”
Tao Mujia’s expression showed a hint of pain. He also wanted to be a brother that Tao Muya could be proud of, even if it was just in appearance. But his frame was smaller than the average boy, something he couldn’t change naturally.
“Xiao Ya, ‘sissy’ isn’t necessarily a derogatory term. Having feminine qualities is an advantage for men,” Xiang Yiye advised.
When Xiang Yiye didn’t grow taller in junior high school, his classmates also said he looked like a girl. When he was a little troubled, Qiao Sha said, “Is looking like a girl bad? Mom is also a girl, don’t you like Mom?”
“I know, Brother Xiang Yiye, I understand all the big principles. But understanding doesn’t help, it doesn’t change other people’s views,” Tao Muya said.
She pulled on Tao Mujia’s arm, her voice a little aggrieved, “I just can’t stand other people saying things about you, Brother. I won’t raise cats anymore, and I won’t study for a graduate degree. After I graduate, I’ll find a job. I don’t want you to be under so much pressure, I just want you to be happy every day, is that not okay?”
Tao Mujia patted her head, remained silent for a moment, and compromised, “Okay, I promise you, I won’t come here after this drama is finished, okay? We need to finish what we started.”
Tao Muya also took a step back. The siblings, one with a worried face and the other on the verge of tears, finally reconciled.
That night, after returning home, Xiang Yiye said that after this drama wrapped up, he wanted to ask Tao Mujia if he would be willing to be his assistant.
“Tao Mujia… is that the boy who had heatstroke that day?” Xu Chuo asked.
“Yes, he’s very attentive and has had a tough time,” Xiang Yiye said.
Xu Chuo “Oh”ed once and said, “What about Xiao Zhou?”
“She’ll probably leave with Sister Xiao then,” Xiang Yiye said. “After all, they’ve worked together for so many years.”
Xu Chuo “Oh”ed again and said, “Wouldn’t Tang Shuqin think you’re snatching someone from her?”
Xiang Yiye: “If Tao Mujia is willing, it shouldn’t be a big problem. Tang Yu is also a bit intolerant of him.”
Xu Chuo: “Has he worked as an assistant before?”
Xiang Yiye: “No, but I think he should be able to handle it.”
After these few questions, Xiang Yiye noticed something and said, “Brother Chuo, do you not agree with him being my assistant?”
He remembered that ever since he first learned about Tao Mujia, Xu Chuo’s attitude had always been lukewarm. This didn’t match Xu Chuo’s usual state. He had a natural enthusiasm for strangers, regardless of their height, weight, gender, or age.
“I just think that if the assistant is experienced, it will be more helpful to you,” Xu Chuo said.
“You’re not jealous, are you? Because his voice sounds like yours,” Xiang Yiye said.
“Yes, brother,” Xu Chuo said, “Qixi Festival is in a few days, what kind of gift does brother want? How about a car? Didn’t brother say before that you have a driver’s license?”
“I don’t need it, the company has a car,” Xiang Yiye said, “…Don’t call me that.”
Xu Chuo: “If I’m already in front of you, I’ll call you more than just ‘brother’.” Xu Chuo said, “If you don’t like the car, I’ll change to something else.”
Xiang Yiye remained silent for a long time, several words swirling in his mind, but it was still difficult to say them. He simply said, “Save it for when I’m in front of you.”
“If I’m already in front of you, what I’ll call you won’t just be ‘brother’,” Xu Chuo said. “If you don’t like the car, I’ll get something else.”
On the day of Qixi Festival, Xiang Yiye arrived at the set in the morning and was waiting when a staff member outside called out, “Teacher Xiang, you have a delivery!”
A box was delivered, about the size of two shoe boxes stacked together, and a bit heavy. The sender was listed as the Xiang Yiye Global Fan Support Club.
Xiang Yiye: “?” His fan base hadn’t reached that level yet, had it? Had he already broken out of Asia and gone global?
He knew it must be Xu Chuo’s doing. He carefully opened it and found a set of models covered with square glass tanks inside.
The Lego-assembled mechanical flowers were uniquely beautiful, with white lilies of the valley and blue baby’s breath as embellishments, surrounding the white main flower in the center.
After counting them, there were eleven white main flowers. Xiang Yiye knew they were camellias.
He took a picture and sent it to Xu Chuo, “Thank you, you made me the only male actor in the entire crew to receive flowers on Qixi Festival.” It was also very eye-catching. The crew members all gathered around to watch.
Xu Chuo: “You’re welcome, boys also have the right to receive flowers.”
Xiang Yiye: “How many pieces are there, it must have taken a long time to assemble?”
Xu Chuo: “I forgot, a few thousand pieces, I think.”
Assembling wasn’t the most difficult part. The main thing was that unlike Lego, which had ready-made material packages that you could buy directly, you needed to design and customize the parts yourself. The final product was one of a kind.
Xu Chuo: “The important thing is that the surface of each part is covered with my fingerprints.”
The meaning was nothing more than saying that the model was assembled by him piece by piece with his own hands. When he said it, changing the wording slightly, it inexplicably became very ambiguous.
Xiang Yiye looked at the mechanical bouquet again and could feel the fingerprint lines on it turning into countless small hooks, spreading out and hooking towards him.
The words “typing…” flashed and disappeared, and there was no reply from the other side for a long time. Xu Chuo knew that he had achieved the effect he wanted.
Xu Chuo: “I like your gift too.”