However, working with different storylines is a bit tricky. We played siblings last time, and this time we're playing lovers. Although Shen Kai is just making a cameo appearance and is only on screen for a few minutes.
The scene we're shooting today is part of Zhao Yu's dream sequence, basically an inserted snippet in the main storyline of the movie, recounting Zhao Yu's past.
Zhao Yu is from a small, inconspicuous country among the Nine Provinces, whose borders have always been unstable with neighboring countries constantly encroaching their territory. Therefore, they have to rely on more powerful nations for protection, either as a tributary state or sending hostages.
But protecting the country cannot solely depend on others' patronage. Aside from building an army, the Prince would also secretly train an elite force, dubbed the Prince's Guards externally but often dispatched on various missions.
Shen Kai plays one of them.
Before leaving for another mission, he specifically comes to bid farewell to his childhood sweetheart, promising to be back before winter.
The two bid a fond yet reluctant goodbye.
Autumn fades into winter, but the childhood sweetheart does not return. All the prince's manor receives is a hair ribbon stained with blood.
With no hope of seeing her lost lover again, Zhao Yu sits in the corridors watching the swirling snow, cuts off her long hair, using the ribbon to tie it simply, then leaves her hometown.
The feeble state recruits all able men as soldiers, though males make up the majority of the Prince's Guards, there have been a few females, but rare.
Zhao Yu's admission causes quite a stir.
The rowdy male guards get severely punished by the drill instructor, but their resentment lingers. After three months of grueling training, Zhao Yu not only stays on but ranks first, silencing all dissent.
Just then, Zhao Yu gets gravely injured on a mission, her arm crippled and many comrades killed.
She falls into depression for a time.
Later, through a twist of fate, supernatural power heals her wounds. And being the only female fit for the task, she is assigned to rescue Gong Lan.
So the Prince lets her handpick teammates, thus forms the later delegation...
These snippets will be edited logically into the main storyline, presented mostly in flashbacks or dreams. Triggering events will evoke those memories, as Director Yuan's way of fleshing out richer, multi-dimensional characters.
Other characters also have their own storylines woven in, some more, some less.
While reading the script, Qin Wei asks the extra Song Huan next to her:
"Why do you always hang around the set? Did your workplace start shunning you already, leaving you homeless?”
Song Huan tilts her head:
“Hey now, watch your words! Strictly speaking, my company is your sugar daddy. Be more polite!”
Qin Wei shrugs it off, pointing to certain parts of the script:
“This Zhao Yu is you right, right? I'm the real Jianghu Qin Wei, just an ordinary actress on the surface, but actually a genius detective too."
Song Huan doesn't deny it. Little Qin has seen the scar on her wrist before, about four inches long, clearly from some mission injury.
"When Director Yuan and the writers were working on the script, they did reference some of my experiences, but it would be inaccurate to say Zhao Yu is based entirely on me."
With still some break time left, Qin Wei closes the script, ready to listen to stories attentively, money willing to burn a hole in her pocket.
"A thousand bucks, I'll tell you stuff."
Song Huan holds out her palm. Right away her phone chimes with an alert of a bank transfer from poor little Qin.
"Wow you really don't mind getting fleeced. I was about to clam up, now I feel bad..."
Song Huan checks her phone to see if it's really a thousand yuan.
"I'm paying for creative material. This way if you bullshit me, at least I can cuss you out justifiably. Spill!"
Qin Wei hurries her along and pats the small stool next to her, signaling her to sit.
Song Huan leisurely takes a seat.
"It was many years ago... Oh right, you can't fish can you? Giving me money then run back to your boss snitching I took bribes, saying I..."
"Tell me nooow!!!"
Qin Wei fiercely pounds her shoulder again.
"Ow..."
Song Huan rubs her shoulder.
"Fine, I'll tell you bits that I can. I didn't actually have a childhood sweetheart or anything. But the year I stayed at campus after graduation to teach, my senior got into an accident on a mission and passed away.
It left a deep impression on me at the time, so on a whim I signed up to give it a try.
I didn't think too highly of it back then. Just wanted to give myself another option. I could always fall back to teaching. Didn't expect to actually get in and stick with it for so many years now. Nothing too dramatic...
But that senior was Director Yuan's battle buddy. Director Yuan got injured on that mission, recovered, then retired into showbiz afterwards since she was still young.
So clearly when modifying the script Director Yuan got lazy, cobbled together someone out of various people's pasts. Everyone got a bit."
Song Huan looks at Qin Wei. Qin Wei looks back.
Song Huan blinks her eyes. "I'm done with my story time."
"What about this then?"
Qin Wei points to her arm, though currently covered by sleeves, they're both aware of the scar on her wrist.
Qin Wei had asked before and Song Huan simply said it was an accident.
Now that poor little Qin has paid for story time, of course she shamelessly demands full ROI.
"That's classified intel?"
Qin Wei leans in and whispers.
Song Huan shakes her head. "When I first joined, there was a hostage rescue mission. My team got deployed to the border city to save Chinese citizens taken captive. Things went smoothly until we were on our way out, realized a child was left behind. My squad doubled back to save the kid, ended up ambushed. Comrades died, I was injured but luckily the child made it out..."
After listening, Qin Wei's heart aches as she asks:
"Was it worth it?"
The question seems to catch Song Huan off guard.
"Of course. It's our duty to safeguard the people and their belongings. I must live up to the responsibility behind each star on my shoulder."
Upon hearing this, Qin Wei bawls her eyes out hugging Song Huan.
Rejected in distaste.
"That's why I keep telling you the Jianghu world is dangerous with bloodshed everywhere. You must develop a strong psyche and emotional control. Each time we deploy could be our last time back. Breaking down at critical moments like you would only jeopardize the operation."
Qin Wei wipes her tears, still sobbing as she asks:
"Does it still hurt now? Do you think of them?"
Not stupid questions at all.
"Sometimes."
Song Huan instinctively touches her wrist.
"The pain reminds me I'm still alive, still able to do more... Oh right, the healing has nothing to do with supernatural powers or anything mystical like that. Thank modern medicine combined with my tremendous rehab efforts. I'm just that awesome to make squad return possible after being declared unfit for duty. If it were a crybaby like you, retirement started ages ago."
Song Huan deliberately changes topic, refusing the brooding mood to settle.
But Qin Wei's emotions remain unchanged as she asks:
"Do you still feel sad? Do you think of them?"
Song Huan pats little Qin on the head, rare tolerance of the gesture from her.
"In my heart, they're all still alive."
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