Chapter 9

I have been an adult for a long time

He immediately turned around, his face showing confusion

Although minimalist home decor has become popular in recent years, it carries a certain coldness. Since I live alone, I do not wish for a desolate atmosphere, so I cannot keep up with this trend

He returned with a book and sat down, "Is it something funny?"

This is the first time I called out to him, "Zhou Jiashu—"

I still remember that Director Chen once told me privately that to be a good actor, one must first set aside one's sense of shame and moral compass. During the process of embodying a character, the emotions that arise naturally should not only be embraced but fully accepted, until you step out of the role and then decide its direction.

A few days later, I will start filming with the crew in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province. Although my role is not substantial, the schedule is quite relaxed, and the shooting will last for two months.

The smell of fast food in the living room had not yet dissipated, and I found myself in a daze. I lowered my head and opened his WeChat profile. His avatar was a toy Donald Duck, held up in front of the castle at Disneyland, with a backdrop of a clear blue sky.

I nodded, "This film is a collaboration between the mainland and Hong Kong."

Not counting the "new" one, in the third installment of the Nine Helpers and Eight Trades, it was my husband's turn to appear; he is the main character, and I am a special feature. In fact, my role is to connect several films together. I thought to myself, "If this film performs well at the box office, they should learn from Hollywood's superhero blockbusters and bring all the main characters together to create some excitement"

After tidying up the coffee table, I sat cross-legged on the carpet and took out my phone, "What do you want to eat, Domino's?" He followed and got down from the sofa, also sitting on the carpet. I asked again, "McDonald's or KFC?"

He came out of the bathroom, with his sleeves still rolled up from washing his hands. He picked up the most conspicuous book on the living room cabinet and read the title aloud, "Wife and Lover?"

I burst into laughter.

He smiled and then asked, "Who will play your husband?"

I usually do not have a fixed time for meals. If I am not with colleagues, I prefer to think about things or just empty my mind. He would come over and ask me, "Do you have any recommendations?"

I will immediately indicate the direction for him

I said, "WeChat"

He Jinbo

Finally, at my suggestion, we ordered a KFC family bucket. He remained smiling throughout, showing not a hint of concession. Later, as we became more familiar with each other, I learned that he holds himself to high standards and avoids high-calorie fried foods altogether

How boring it is

He smiled in agreement

Upon clicking into his Moments again, I see that this month he has only posted one update—a simple two-character phrase, "Keep it up," accompanied by two photos. One photo is of a play's script, while the other shows an empty stage under the lights

In my family's living room, there is a brown leather sofa, an American-style coffee table, and a wool carpet underneath. Above is a medieval-style crystal chandelier, resembling a hollow multi-layered cake, with luxurious teardrop-shaped crystals hanging below. I do not find it to be gaudy; when the wind blows in from the balcony, it sways gently.

There is! Just wait for him to ask, I happily got up, "Wait a moment, I will get the notebook."

I put down my phone and said, "In a couple of days, I will be joining the group."

The nearest KFC to my home is only about 800 meters away, and it takes less than twenty minutes for delivery. Whenever guests come over, I usually place all the food on the coffee table. Zhou Jiashu took the initiative to twist open the cap of the cola bottle and poured it into a paper cup filled with ice cubes. I untied the knot on the plastic bag of the family bucket and asked him, "What do you usually watch while eating?"

Perhaps it is because his legs are too long, or perhaps the space between the coffee table and the sofa is too narrow. He seems uncomfortable sitting cross-legged, so he folds his legs upright and rests his arms on his knees, "So you like to eat these?"

I took out my notebook, opened the British drama I had just found yesterday, and watched it while eating with him. By the end of the first episode, there were remnants left on the coffee table. My eyes were glued to the screen as I gradually cleaned up the trash, mostly with his help. After finishing the cleanup, he said, "I need to use the restroom."

No need to worry, I am not a three-year-old child, rest assured, I remember the way

I leaned against the door frame, watching him as he carried the KFC plastic bag filled with trash, walking towards the elevator, pressing the down button

As they continued to scroll down, they came across a dynamic image extracted from a magazine's behind-the-scenes shots. A charming and beautiful young girl rested her elbow on Zhou Jiashu's shoulder. He turned his head, and the two exchanged a glance before the scene began to loop again

I did not regard him as a child; otherwise, I would not have absurdly wondered before he entered whether something would happen tonight. It turns out that I was overthinking it.

"Hmm, but I rarely eat it, and I feel guilty." As I spoke, I moved the coffee table outward to make space for him. He immediately understood my intention and got up to help me adjust the position of the coffee table

When Yu Gaoxing came to my house for the first time, he was unwilling to sit under the light, fearing that a crystal the size of a walnut might fall and hit him on the forehead. I can understand him; sometimes when the wind blows a bit stronger, I feel a little afraid too

I did not encounter any familiar figures, only a box of Dandong strawberries displayed before me. I picked up a box and smelled it, yet I could still not detect any fragrance, but I placed it in my shopping cart nonetheless and took the subway home.

In the second episode of the television series, as it comes to a close, he stretches, raises his arms and pulls them back a bit, glances at the time, and says, "It's getting late, I should be going."

On the subway train, I opened the WeChat conversation with Zhou Jiashu, abruptly stopping at the message he sent shortly after leaving my home: I have arrived home, you should rest early

Since it is a character that has already been shaped, there is no difficulty for me. My collaborator, Brother Jingbo, is very gentlemanly, except for occasionally insisting on taking me hiking for exercise

Hong Kong actor

More than a year, right

He laughed heartily and said, "Not bad either"

After attending the wrap-up banquet, the day I flew back to Shanghai happened to be a Sunday. I yawned and said to Tong Tong, who was preparing to go home, "Good night, good night, I need to catch up on my sleep." However, after she left, I went out and headed to the supermarket

Is there a new film

Zhou Jiashu helped me carry the milk into the kitchen, and then sat down in the opulent living room. I poured him a glass of cool boiled water with lemon slices. Perhaps related to his upbringing and demeanor, his gaze as he surveyed the surroundings was very polite. After taking a sip of water, he indeed asked, "Is the furniture all the landlord's?"

It must be the reason that I had a cup of coffee on the plane, as I currently feel wide awake. I had no choice but to lift the blanket and get out of bed, go to the kitchen to wash the strawberries, and then return to sit at my desk, pulling back some curtains, waiting for the sunrise on the horizon

I believe it is precisely for this reason that there are so many 'couples in the film crew'

I was tidying up the plastic wrap from the juice straws, the paper tray from the cookies, and the half-eaten bag of toast on the coffee table... I couldn't help but chuckle and said, "These are all things I bought myself"

I locked my phone screen, and my vision fell into darkness. After a while, the outline of the bedroom ceiling began to appear.

What are you not watching, the news broadcast

I was momentarily taken aback, recalling the hidden and winding entrance at the bottom of the apartment building. The first time a delivery person came, they had to call me for assistance, saying, "I will take you downstairs..."

I searched for his name on Weibo and found his latest magazine cover, which features not only him but also three other youthful and attractive artists, representing the most promising and talked-about young generation at present

No, I just feel that you are very out of place with your wife and lover, like the son of your wife and the brother of your lover. Especially his expression, as if he were a particularly confused outsider who does not want to bother figuring out what their relationship is all about