svetikya Page 218
Page 218
"Card!"
Director Tsui Hark called a halt with satisfaction.
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Manyu, your performance just now was an Oscar-worthy, extraordinary performance! The eyes, the emotions, it was amazing!" Xu Ke praised Zhang Manyu's performance highly.
Zhang Manyu seemed to have all her strength drained away; she swayed and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Wang Xian'er caught her in time.
"Sister Manyu, are you alright?" Wang Xian'er's eyes held a complex concern. As a woman herself (Wang Qianhao), and as an actress herself, how could she not see the sincere yet desperate emotions contained in Zhang Manyu's performance just now?
Zhang Manyu pushed Wang Xian'er's hand away and forced a smile: "It's nothing. I was just too immersed in the role."
After saying that, she turned and left silently by herself.
Watching her desolate and lonely figure, Wang Xian'er suddenly felt a pang of pity, a feeling shared by all women. She turned her head and glanced at Long Yan, who was still sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, as if nothing had happened, and sighed softly in her heart.
"Foolish monk... is your 'Buddha's light' actually helping people, or... abducting them?"
Chapter 188 Confessing to Wang Xian'er! Neither betraying Buddha nor betraying you.
Zhang Manyu's scene, which could be described as a "soul-searching interrogation," was like an invisible thorn that quietly pierced Long Yan's heart.
That night, he meditated all night, but he couldn't truly enter a meditative state. Zhang Manyu's sorrowful and desperate eyes, and Wang Xian'er's unwavering trust, appeared alternately in his mind, pulling and tugging at it repeatedly.
For the first time, he began to doubt his rock-solid "Buddha-like heart." Buddhism taught him to save all sentient beings and to be free from the "image of self, image of others, image of sentient beings, and image of life span." But when he faced these living, breathing "sentient beings" who rejoiced and grieved for him, he found that he was simply unable to be absolutely indifferent to them all.
His heart would be warmed by Wang Xian'er's smile; and he would feel a strange sense of guilt because of Zhang Manyu's tear.
Is this breaking a precept? Or is this the true practice?
At dawn, he walked out of the room and saw Wang Xian sitting on the steps by the door, hugging her knees, still wearing the monk's robe he had covered her with the day before.
She waited for him there all night.
Seeing him come out, Wang Xian'er immediately stood up, a relieved smile spreading across her sleepy face: "You're out? I... I was afraid you'd overthink things because of what Sister Manyu said yesterday, so..."
Before he could finish speaking, Long Yan suddenly reached out and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Xian'er," he buried his head in the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath of the faint fragrance of her hair, his voice carrying an unprecedented weariness and confusion, "tell me, if one day I am no longer that 'holy monk' without desires, if I also have selfishness, favoritism, and emotions... will you still stay by my side like this?"
This was the first time he had revealed his inner vulnerability to others.
Wang Xian'er's heart trembled at his sudden hug and words.
She could sense the confusion and unease in the heart of this man, who was as powerful as a god in her eyes.
She didn't ask any further questions, but simply stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly, answering in an incredibly gentle yet incredibly firm tone:
“Fool. I never loved that lofty ‘holy monk’.”
"The one I love is the one who would risk her life to save me."
"It's you, the one who would blush quietly because of something I said."
"It's you who would clumsily brush my hair aside in the sunset."
"So, no matter what you become. Whether you are a Buddha, a demon, or... a mortal."
"As long as you are you, I will always be here."
These words were like the warmest ray of sunshine, instantly dispelling all the gloom and confusion in Long Yan's heart.
His heart felt at peace like never before.
He slowly released her, looked down into her clear, watery eyes, and a relieved, gentle smile appeared on his lips.
"I understand."
He thought he had finally found the answer to his question.
(ahcc)
Perhaps the true Dharma is never in the distant Western Paradise, nor in the vast scriptures, but rather in the most real and authentic aspects of human life, in every breath, every smile, and every frown.
……
Unfortunately, this scene was witnessed by another person.
Zhang Manyu got up very early.
She wanted to find Long Yan to apologize for her "outburst" on set yesterday.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I stepped outside, I saw this heartwarming scene of couples embracing each other, a truly "dog-abusing" sight.
She looked at the genuine relief and gentle smile on Long Yan's face, a smile he had never shown her before, and then at the sweet expression on Wang Xian'er's face, which was overflowing with happiness.
Her heart felt as if it had been slashed by the sharpest knife, the pain almost unbearable.
She knew she had no chance at all and had lost miserably.
She didn't go up to disturb them, but silently turned around and walked back to her room step by step.
That day, Zhang Manyu asked the director for leave, citing physical discomfort.
The next day, she returned to the film crew.
He seemed like a completely different person.
She was no longer dejected and depressed, but regained the proud, bright, and radiant star quality she had when she first arrived on set.
Her attitude towards Long Yan has returned to the playful banter between friends, tinged with a hint of teasing.
It was as if none of the previous events had ever happened, as if she had completely let go.
Only Wang Xian'er, when she accidentally walked into Zhang Manyu's lounge, saw her drinking a whole bottle of strong vodka by herself.
Her eyes were red, but she had a smile that was brighter than anyone else's.
Seeing Wang Xian'er come in, she smiled and raised the wine bottle to her, saying, "Oh, Xian'er, you've come at the right time. Have a drink with your older sister?"
Looking at her feigned strength, Wang Xian'er suddenly felt a surge of indescribable sorrow.
She suddenly realized that the woman in front of her, so alluring and arrogant on screen, was actually just a pitiful person who had fallen in love with the wrong person and could only hide in a corner and silently lick her wounds.
Chapter 189 [Green Snake] Filming Ends, Assassination at the Banquet
Amidst a complex atmosphere interwoven with sweetness, bitterness, and feigned nonchalance, the filming of "Green Snake" has finally come to an end.
In the final scene, Fahai imprisons the White Snake under Leifeng Pagoda.
After filming wrapped, director Tsui Hark excitedly announced that the entire film had officially wrapped! The entire crew erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
To celebrate the successful completion of the film and to thank everyone for their hard work during this period, director Tsui Hark personally funded a huge banquet hall at the most luxurious hotel near the film studio to host the wrap party.
The atmosphere at the banquet was lively.
Everyone let go of the stress from work, drank heartily, and toasted each other.
Director Xu Ke, his face flushed from drinking, excitedly grabbed Long Yan's hand and said:
"Master Longyan! I, Xu Ke, have never felt so exhilarated in all my years of filmmaking! I guarantee that our film 'Green Snake' will become an unsurpassable monument in the history of Chinese cinema! And your portrayal of Fahai will become a classic role that is unprecedented and will never be repeated! Come on! I'll toast you! I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"
After saying that, he downed a full glass of Moutai in one gulp.
Out of politeness, Long Yan could only return the gesture with tea instead of wine.
Wang Xian'er is like a happy butterfly.
She weaved through the crowd. For the first time, she shed the burden of being the "Jade Girl Leader," warmly toasting each staff member to thank them for their care during this time.
Her face was always beaming with a genuine, radiant smile.
Zhang Manyu, on the other hand, has returned to her true colors as a "social queen".
Dressed in a black, high-slit evening gown, holding a glass of red wine, she gracefully moved among the various investors and producers, chatting and laughing with charm and elegance, as if the previous love and hate entanglements were just a play that had already ended.
Everything seemed so harmonious and perfect.
however……
Halfway through the banquet, the hotel manager suddenly pushed a food cart into the banquet hall.
On the food cart was a bottle of what appeared to be an extremely valuable 1982 vintage Romanée-Conti red wine.
The manager, beaming, said to Director Xu Ke, "Director Xu, you are truly blessed. Just now, a mysterious gentleman who wishes to remain anonymous specially brought this bottle of top-quality Romanée-Conti as a congratulatory gift for you and your crew. He said he greatly admires your film and also greatly appreciates Master Long Yan's performance, and hopes to make friends with you all."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ke was immediately flattered.
The 1982 Romanée-Conti is a legendary wine that money can't always buy!
"Oh! Who's being so polite?"
Xu Ke looked around, trying to find the "mysterious tycoon".
The manager simply smiled and said, "That gentleman was very low-key and has already left. He instructed me to personally pour a glass for each of the main creators present." As he spoke, he picked up the bottle of red wine and began pouring wine for Xu Ke, Long Yan, Wang Xian'er, Zhang Manyu, and the others sitting at the main table.
No one noticed anything unusual.
Only Long Yan's brow furrowed slightly when the hotel manager came within three meters of him; the furrow was so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
Because he could smell a faint but familiar scent of blood, as well as a cold, well-trained killing intent, emanating from this seemingly amiable manager.
0 ······Requesting flowers·· ··
He had only ever sensed this kind of aura from top-tier professional assassins.
His gaze seemingly casually fell on the bottle of red wine.
Under his discerning eye, the seemingly exquisite and tempting top-grade red wine actually contained a colorless and odorless, yet extremely vicious, neurotoxin!
That toxin was a high-tech product that Long Yan had never seen before.
.... 0 0
Once it enters the human body, it does not cause immediate symptoms, but instead lies dormant in the central nervous system and slowly combines with the body's DNA.
Then, catalyzed by a specific sound wave frequency, it detonates instantly!
At that time, the poisoned person will suffer brain death within one ten-thousandth of a second, and even a miracle will not save them!
What a vicious method! Long Yan's killing intent surged instantly!
He understood that this was a meticulously planned assassination attempt targeting him, or rather, the entire creative team behind the "Green Snake" film!
The purpose was to prevent this movie, which had already caused a huge sensation even before its release, from being released!