Daily life of outdated stars

"You are an old actor."

"Son, are you here to make up the numbers?"

"Ah."

"Yes."

16-year-old Xu Jia was still a high school student. That year he went to the film and television city with his classmates, and happened to meet the crew who were recruiting extras.

"Age between 16 and 22 years old, good looking, fair skin, understand English, salary 150 yuan/four hours."

Xu Jia has no shortage of pocket money, but he loves to make money. He just celebrated his 16th birthday and has never worked part-time before. When he saw this request, he almost didn't hesitate to fill out an application form on the spot.

Perhaps the crew was too sure, Xu Jia had just filled out half of the form when the staff hurriedly called him to audition.

Xu Jia sat among a group of young boys, gnawing ice cream a little bored, and when it was his turn to interview, he read a few lines and performed a few simple expressions, and he just passed it.

At that time, Xu Jia didn't know what acting was, and he didn't even think about becoming an actor in the past, but he instinctively chased the camera, and his lines were well-spoken and cadenced. After the four-hour performance, the staff again I made an appointment with him tomorrow, day after day, after this crew ended, Xu Jia was recommended by the casting director to be a group performer in another crew.

He spent two months in the film and television city, and acted in a lot of plays in the crew. There were only a few shots in the final film, but it was this experience that made Xu Jia interested in acting, and he also began to be hazy. Suddenly came up with the idea of ​​entering the entertainment circle.

More than ten years have passed, and the "little child" back then has become an "old actor". Xu Jia nodded her head, skipped the camera seat again, estimated the approximate time, closed her eyes, and opened her eyes.

"

Act Four

The third game - pop! "

Xu Jia walked into the rain curtain and turned into Lin Yang.

--

It was raining heavily, and the originally smooth road was replaced by mud puddles. Lin Yang walked in the rain, his speed was not fast, as if he was resisting to face the truth.

When he turned a corner, four small buildings came into view. Most of the lights in the buildings were on, and the soft light pierced through the rain curtain, showing warmth and protection.

Lin Yang stopped in his tracks, raised his head, and looked like he was crying or smiling. The rain was so heavy that even if he got closer, he couldn't tell if there were tears really gushing from his eyes.

But in the next moment, he quickened his pace and ran towards the direction of the small building.

The slide rail of the camera made a "stinging" sound, and the director rushed into the rain curtain at some point, waving his hands and directing all parties.

The voice-activated light in the stairs suddenly turned from dark to bright, and Lin Yang's body was soaked. He wiped the water off his face with his wet sleeves, and staggered up the stairs. Aunt Huang.

"You child, why are you soaking wet and you didn't bring an umbrella? Hurry home and take a bath and drink some ginger soup." Aunt Huang looked at him with concern.

"No, nothing." Lin Yang's eyes wandered for a moment, and when he looked up, there was still a smile on his face as usual, "I forgot to bring my umbrella, I'll go back now."

"Hi, your Uncle Wang is here today, waiting for you in the house, go home quickly."

"it is good."

Lin Yang nodded, and passed by Aunt Huang. The voice-activated lights on the stairs went dark just at this moment. Lin Yang went up a step, and the lights turned on again, but the smile on his mouth disappeared.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Every step you walk is closer to the truth and farther away from peace.

Standing in front of his house, Lin Yang took out the key with trembling hands, poked the tip of the key a few times before inserting it into the key lock.

Pushing open the door, the aroma of the food came oncoming, the lights in the room were dim, but there was an unspeakable warmth, Lin Yang's footsteps were very light, and Uncle Wang's voice came from the kitchen.

"Are you back? Did you bring an umbrella? Take a shower and eat."

"it is good."

Lin Yang responded, and walked towards his bedroom with heavy steps. Instead of looking for clothes in the closet, he dug out an old photo album.

It was not the first time Lin Yang looked through this photo album, but this was perhaps the time he had the most complicated emotions.

First page,

The second page,

The third page,

page four...

Page eight, here we come.

Lin Yang took out this photo, rubbed it a few times, and found that the thickness was wrong—he gently cut the back of the photo with a knife, and the photo was divided into two. On the new photo, a couple is holding hands , staring at each other, they looked very happy.

Lin Yang squeezed the photo tightly. He took a few quick breaths and forced himself to calm down. At this moment, too familiar footsteps came from behind him.

"Lin Yang, what are you doing? Why are you soaked through, and you haven't changed your clothes yet."

Lin Yang's teeth were chattering, but he knew clearly that it was not because of the cold.

"Uncle Wang, what kind of person is my mother?"

"I didn't tell you, she's a nurse."

"Then why, I've never seen a picture of her?"

Officer Wang had a lot of lies to cover up, but at that moment, his intuition as a policeman made him change his answer.

"... Xiaolin, what do you want to say?"

Lin Yang raised the photo in his hand and made it face his Uncle Wang.

"She's my mother, right?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her either. She had a difficult labor when she gave birth to you, and then passed away."

"Is she really a nurse?"

"of course."

Lin Yang was very calm throughout the whole process. He calmly put down his right hand holding the photo, put the photo on the bed, and began to roll up his shirt.

He covered his face with the hem of his jacket, and said calmly, "Uncle, I'll change my clothes and go out to eat right away."

"it is good."

Officer Wang couldn't help watching the child change clothes here, so he hesitated for a few seconds and left the room.

Lin Yang took off his shirt after confirming that the other party had left.

The camera zoomed in, his eyes were red, like a cub that was cornered.

The room was eerily quiet, Lin Yang silently inserted the photo back to the original place, changed into dry clothes, and left the bedroom step by step.

"Card - pass!"

--

Xu Jia stood where he was, until his assistant wrapped him in a blanket, and then he woke up suddenly, and said softly: "The filming is over?"

"Go and rest for a while, the filming is over."

Xu Jia was still in a trance, and let the assistant half hug and half lead him to the side to rest.The assistant was very experienced, and had prepared ginger soup long ago, Xu Jia didn't hesitate, and poured half a cup, and then he recovered a bit.

"Thank you."

"Are you feeling better?"

"much better."

The assistant breathed a sigh of relief, took out Xu Jia's cell phone again, and said, "Your cell phone rang just now, but I didn't answer it."

"Let me see."

Xu Jia took the phone, and the missed call showed Assistant Zhang, so he dialed it back.

"what's up?"

"Mr. Xu, will you go back to the villa at night?"

"Yes, is there anything else?"

"Mr. Bai is very upset today, do you want to find a reason and avoid it first?"

After hearing this, Xu Jia subconsciously asked, "Is this what White Deer means?"

"No, it's my personal opinion. Mr. Bai may not be suitable to meet you."

"I promised him that I will go back today. If there is nothing else, I will hang up first."

"Wait... You should know that Mr. Bai is not normal sometimes, right?"

Xu Jia hung up the phone and didn't want to continue this topic. He rubbed the space between his brows, feeling tired. It seemed that everyone around him was not at ease.

Assistant Zhang, who has always been reliable, is no longer reliable. Did Bailu give him any hints?Or did he make a prediction in advance?

Otherwise, there is no way to explain this inexplicable call.

"Mr. Xu, have you rested yet?" The assistant director came over and asked, kindly but not flattering.

"Okay, let's move on to the next game."

Xu Jia had already memorized the lines of the movie, put on dry costumes, and started shooting daily scenes again—when a scene started, he was no longer Xu Jia, but a character in the play.