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The blackout curtains in Studio Two completely blocked out the afternoon sun, but the interior was exceptionally bright thanks to the spotlights.

The makeshift "Jiang family" living room looked like it had been copied from an old photograph from the 1970s...

The mahogany cabinet in the corner has a slightly mottled finish, and two old cotton quilts with peony patterns are stacked on top of it; on the square table are several enamel cups with chipped porcelain, and the red characters "Labor is the most glorious" on the cups are faint but still clear; on the wall, a yellowed "Five-Good Family" certificate is neatly pasted in the center, and next to it hangs a landscape painting with some wear on the edges of the frame.

The air seemed to be filled with the gentle scent of old wood and fabric, a scent that belonged to that era.

By this time, Teacher Mei had already changed into An Jie's costume...

She wore a dark blue cotton-padded jacket with light gray patches sewn on the collar and cuffs. Her hair was neatly combed into a bun, and she wore light makeup. She maintained the character's dignity, but her eyes and brows revealed a hint of weariness from life's hardships. Only the determination in her eyes was clearly visible, like a faint light in the dark night.

She sat in a rattan chair next to a mahogany cabinet, holding a script in her hand, occasionally glancing up at a group of children not far away, her eyes full of gentle smiles.

Su Ning stood among the child actors, who were auditioning for the other children of the Jiang family.

A few minutes before filming began, the children were chattering around Su Ning. Some were curiously touching the zipper on his jacket, while others kept asking him to tell jokes. Su Ning patiently responded with a faint smile on his lips, truly like a warm and friendly older brother next door.

But when Director Kong's piercing shout, "All departments, prepare! Action!" rang out from outside the studio, Su Ning's aura suddenly changed...

The gentleness from just moments ago seemed to have been instantly pulled away, replaced by a silent and repressed aura belonging to the character.

The camera slowly zooms in, first focusing on Jiang Weimin, played by Su Ning.

He stood alone in the corner of the living room, his back against the cold wall, his hands hidden behind his back, his knuckles slightly curled.

Around a square table not far away, several child actors playing brothers and sisters were huddled in a circle, secretly taking out peach shortbread from an oil paper package...

The surface of the peach shortbread was glistening with oil, and it looked sweet and fragrant.

A little girl picked up a piece, carefully broke it in half, and gave it to the boy next to her; another boy brought his piece to his nose and smelled it, a smug and satisfied smile on his face, his eyes shining brighter than a spotlight.

Throughout the entire process, not a single person turned around to look at Suning.

He stood quietly in the corner, like a forgotten shadow, watching the bustling scene that belonged to others.

However, Suning is more than half a head taller than other children his age, so the photographer had to adjust the camera position to capture only his upper body as much as possible.

As if sensing the camera angle, Su Ning subtly bent his knees slightly and lowered his shoulders a little, his movements so natural that it seemed as if Jiang Weimin was meant to be in that posture, without the slightest trace of deliberate effort.

In the footage, Suning's eyes are slowly changing.

At first, his gaze fell on the peach shortbread in his siblings' hands, with a hint of childlike confusion...

We're all family, so why don't they call me when they share?

The confusion shrouded his eyes like a thin mist.

But soon, tears welled up in his eyes, and he pursed his lips slightly, lowering his head as if to hide something.

Finally, the grievances gradually subsided, turning into a mixture of jealousy and anger. His eyes darkened, and his gaze fixed on the square table held a hint of resentment and stubbornness.

His fingers unconsciously picked at the hem of his cotton-padded jacket, which was already a bit pilled, and the way he picked at it made the fuzz even more noticeable.

He bit his lower lip slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing gently, then muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Why...why won't you give it to me?"

Her voice was as soft as a breeze, yet it was filled with deep grievance, which made all the staff present feel a pang of sympathy.

Immediately afterwards, the scene shifted to Jiang Weimin complaining to his mother, An Jie.

Su Ning strode towards An Jie, played by Teacher Mei.

His steps were hesitant, pausing every two steps, as if he were engaged in a fierce internal struggle...

On one hand, there's the feeling of being isolated, and on the other hand, there's the hesitation about "snitching."

But in the end, he clenched his fists, as if he had made up his mind, and strode up to An Jie. He looked up, his voice filled with childlike indignation, yet trembling slightly: "Mom! They stole the peach shortbread! They didn't even give me any!"

His brows were furrowed, his eyes were wide open, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. He had a sense of justice in "exposing bad things," but also a hidden desire for "revenge" after being ostracized.

His emotions were clearly layered, from his tone to his expression, without the slightest hint of stiffness, as if he really was Jiang Weimin, who had been wronged and wanted his mother to support him.

And the dramatic climax of the entire audition soon arrived...

The scene where An Jie beats Jiang Weimin.

Teacher Mei's expression changed instantly.

Upon hearing that her youngest son had "tattled," the gentle expression on her face instantly turned cold, as if doused with cold water.

She suddenly stood up, hands on her hips, her eyes filled with anger and anxiety...

Without any hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped Su Ning hard on the head.

With a crisp "snap," the sound was particularly noticeable in the photography studio.

Suning's response was surprisingly quick.

He first opened his eyes wide, his pupils slightly contracted, and his eyes were filled with shock...

As if she couldn't believe her mother would hit her for this, her shock was mixed with a bit of bewilderment, like a lost child.

Immediately afterwards, the physical reaction of pain surged up, his nose twitched, his eyes instantly reddened, and large tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes like beads from a broken string, hitting his clothes.

"Waaaaah... I didn't steal the peach cakes, why are you hitting me?" he cried out.

Her voice was full of grievance and confusion, her shoulders were trembling, she instinctively covered her head with her hands, and her body was shaking slightly.

His appearance was so natural, without a trace of acting, that even the young actors next to him forgot their own roles and their eyes were filled with worry.

The scene fell silent instantly. Even the staff unconsciously held their breath, their eyes fixed on Su Ning in the camera, as if afraid of disturbing this "wronged child".

"Cut! Perfect!"

Director Kong's voice broke the silence. He stood up from in front of the monitor, his face full of barely suppressed excitement.

Teacher Mei hadn't yet detached herself from the role. Looking at the "wronged" Su Ning before her, the sternness in her eyes had long since faded, leaving only genuine regret and heartache.

She quickly stepped forward, instinctively took Su Ning's hand, and gently touched the back of his head where he had been hit. Her concern in her tone completely exceeded the scope of acting: "Does it hurt? Did I hit you too hard? It's all my fault. I got too into character and didn't control my strength."

Upon hearing Teacher Mei's words, Su Ning instantly snapped out of his role.

He rubbed his eyes, his face still wet with tears, but he already showed his usual gentle smile: "It's alright, Teacher Mei, you didn't hit me hard at all, it was just a light touch."

He was afraid that Teacher Mei would blame herself, so he shook his head to prove that he was really okay.

This ability to switch states instantly left Director Kong, screenwriter Lao Liu, and assistant director Lao Wang looking at each other in disbelief and surprise.

"So natural!" Screenwriter Lao Liu was the first to react, and couldn't help but clap his hands. "Especially those eyes, from confusion to grievance, and then to shock and sadness from being beaten, every layer of emotion was clearly conveyed. He completely brought out Jiang Weimin's spirit!"

Assistant director Lao Wang nodded, a rare occurrence, his tone full of admiration: "What's most remarkable is his reaction; it's completely unpretentious, just like a genuinely wronged child. How old is he? This talent is so rare; he doesn't seem like a novice at all!"

Director Kong didn't say anything, but quickly walked to the monitor and replayed the footage again.

Watching Su Ning's performance on screen, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. Finally, he couldn't help but slam his hand on the table: "That's him! This is the silly son Jiang Weimin I wanted! He brought to life the feeling of being isolated by his siblings and misunderstood by his mother!"

After the audition, Director Kong, Lao Liu, and Lao Wang got together, had a brief discussion, and quickly reached a consensus.

Director Kong straightened his coat, walked up to Su Ning, patted him on the shoulder, and said with obvious approval, "Su Ning, you did a great job. Get ready, the role of Jiang Weimin is yours." As soon as he finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted in the studio; the staff and child actors were all happy for Su Ning.

Su Ning stood there, his face still bearing that simple and sincere smile. He bowed slightly, his voice tinged with shyness: "Thank you, Director Kong, thank you everyone. I will definitely work hard."

He looked down at the tips of his shoes, as if he hadn't fully realized that he had just embarked on a completely new path through this audition.

Not far from the photography studio, Chen Tao, Suning's older cousin, was already gripping his phone tightly with excitement.

He strode to the corner, his fingers flying across the screen, eager to tell Su Ning's parents the good news that "Su Ning has landed the role of Jiang Weimin."

He glanced at Su Ning, who was surrounded by a crowd not far away, and couldn't help but smile...

Who would have thought that this child, who once suffered from amnesia and couldn't even remember his own name, could find his own light on set and have such a surprising and delightful opportunity?

……

The incident of Teacher Guo's injury was like a stone thrown into a lake, creating ripples in the microcosm of human relationships within the "Parents' Love" film crew.

The true nature of humanity, usually concealed by calculations of self-interest and carefully crafted personas, is laid bare in this incident...

Some people immediately inquired about the injury and whether it would affect the filming schedule, some quietly adjusted their own scenes, and some genuinely visited the hospital to see the injured person.

Su Ning, a young man who had just landed the role of Jiang Weimin and couldn't even remember his entire past, quietly became the focus of everyone's attention in this storm.

Film crews are like microcosms of the martial arts world, where the treatment of established actors and newcomers is worlds apart.

Veteran actors' lounges are always stocked with hot coffee and fresh fruit, while newcomers are forced to squeeze into the common rest area to eat boxed lunches; the script supervisor is always available to meet the needs of the lead actors, but his reminders to the younger actors are always somewhat perfunctory.

Everyone is used to wearing a mask of "persona": a gentle person may not be truly kind, an enthusiastic person may be scheming, and even a smile when greeting someone may contain a hint of caution in weighing the pros and cons.

But the emergence of Suning was like a clear spring, unexpectedly flowing into this complex environment.

He couldn't remember the rules of social interaction, nor did he understand the intricacies of the social circle...

When handing water to the stagehands, he would smile and say, "Thank you for your hard work." When helping the makeup artist tidy up her tools, he wouldn't be negligent just because she was a behind-the-scenes worker. Even when facing a movie star like Mr. Guo, his concern was simply, "Are you alright?", without any intention of flattery.

This innate simplicity and sincerity, like a beam of warm light, quietly shines into the corners of many people's hearts that have been hardened by worldly affairs.

So when the news spread that "Su Ning will play Jiang Weimin," the entire production crew reacted unexpectedly in unison.

There were no jealous whispers or sour teasing. When the crew saw him, they would smile and say, "Little Su, you'll have to think more about this when you're filming in the future." The makeup artist would take the initiative to adjust his makeup and hair. Even a few young actors who were somewhat distant before would come over and ask him what he thought of the role.

This unanimous goodwill is truly rare in the industry.

What warmed Suning's heart the most was Lao Zhang from the props team.

This veteran craftsman, who has worked on film sets for over twenty years, usually carries his prop box in silence, speaking as little as a shadow, and only nodding to everyone he meets.

But when it was time to finish work that day, Old Zhang deliberately stopped Su Ning and pulled out a small stool painted with light brown paint from behind him.

"Xiao Su! Take this, you might need it for filming." Old Zhang's hands were still covered in sawdust, but a rare smile appeared on his face. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were gathered together, revealing a touch of honesty. "I watched your audition clip. Jiang Weimin isn't very tall among his siblings, but your height is too outstanding. You always look out of place standing among the children. I calculated the height of this stool several times. It's perfect for filming upper body scenes while sitting, and it looks just right on camera without any continuity errors."

Suning took the stool, his fingertips touching the smooth wooden surface, still able to feel the residual warmth of the wood.

The stool is exquisitely made, with the edges of the seat polished smooth and rounded.

Holding the stool, he was momentarily speechless, only able to repeatedly say, "Thank you, Teacher Zhang, thank you so much, this is so thoughtful."

"No need to thank me, it's all for filming." Old Zhang waved his hand, turned around and picked up the prop box from the corner of the wall again, his figure quickly disappearing into the shadows of the film set.

But that small stool felt like a weighty token of recognition, warming Suning's heart...

He knew that this was no ordinary prop; it was a gift tailored to him by the master craftsman, who had used his more than 20 years of experience.

……

A few days later, one morning, the sound of a cane tapping the ground came from the entrance of the film crew's office.

Teacher Guo walked in with the help of his assistant, leaning on a single crutch. Although his left leg was still in a cast and his trouser leg was hanging loosely, his smile was exceptionally bright. He waved to the people on set from afar and said, "Everyone, I'm back!"

Upon hearing that Su Ning would be playing Jiang Weimin, the youngest son in the play, Teacher Guo immediately grabbed Su Ning's hand, her tone full of approval: "This arrangement is wonderful! Su Ning! Let me tell you, your stubborn yet aggrieved spirit is just right for the character of Weimin. You two are destined for each other!"

What surprised Suning even more was that after work that day, Mr. Guo arranged a small thank-you party in the crew's temporary restaurant, and even brought his wife and son along.

A round table was set up in the restaurant. Mr. Guo's wife was carrying a thermos, while the little boy was holding a gift box with a cartoon pattern, hiding timidly behind his mother.

"Xiao Su, please sit down! This is my husband, and this is my son." Teacher Guo pulled Su Ning to sit down, her tone full of gratitude. "If it weren't for your quick reaction and timely treatment of my wound, and your calling an ambulance, my foot injury might have delayed me for more than half a month, and this film might really not have been able to be shot. You are a benefactor to our family."

Teacher Guo's wife quickly grasped Su Ning's hand. Her hand was warm, her fingertips trembled slightly, and her eyes were filled with grateful tears: "Little Su, thank you so much. Old Guo's bones heal slowly at his age. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if no one had taken care of him back then. You are a good girl with a kind heart."

"Hello, Brother Su." The little boy next to him mustered up his courage and handed over the gift box he was holding, with a shy smile on his face. "This is a drawing I made. I'm giving it to you to thank you for helping my dad with his injury."

Suning took the box, opened it, and found a crayon drawing inside...

The painting depicts a little figure in a theatrical costume, with an adult standing next to him leaning on a cane. The background features a colorful sun. The painting is childlike yet meticulously crafted.

He looked at the painting, then at the sincere family in front of him, and his heart felt filled with something warm and tender.

"Big sister, Little Stone, you're too kind. I just did what I was supposed to do. Anyone would have helped."

Director Kong, screenwriter Lao Liu, assistant director Lao Wang, and Mei Ruoqing also attended the gathering.

On the round table were several dishes specially prepared by the crew's restaurant, as well as a bottle of juice brought by Teacher Guo. Everyone sat together, and the seriousness of work was gone, making it feel like a lively family gathering.

Teacher Mei, holding a juice glass, joked with a smile: "This is great. In the play, you two are father and son. In real life, Lao Guo has to be grateful to our 'little son'. From now on, you have to take good care of Xiao Su and make sure he doesn't suffer any grievances on set."

Teacher Guo immediately nodded seriously and patted Su Ning on the shoulder: "Of course! Little Su is not only my son in the play, but also my benefactor. From now on, anyone who dares to bully him on set is going against me!"

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was as warm as if wrapped in cotton.

Su Ning sat in the middle of the crowd, listening to everyone chatting about the plot of the play. Looking at the unfamiliar yet gradually becoming familiar faces in front of her, a warm feeling she had never experienced before welled up in her heart.

Since losing his memory, he has always been like a drifting duckweed, not knowing where he came from or where he is going.

But at this moment, he clearly felt that he had been accepted by a group of people, and that he was genuinely cared for by a group of people...

This feeling is more real than any memory.

As he watched the setting sun gradually sinking outside the window, he suddenly felt that fate was truly wondrous.

A car accident took away his past, leaving him lost and confused for a long time. But when he was most helpless, he was pushed into the new world of the film crew, given a role called "Jiang Weimin" and a group of friends who truly cared for him.

By the time the party ended, the moonlight had climbed to the top of the film crew's tent.

Director Kong walked beside Su Ning, gently patted his shoulder, and said with great expectation, "Su Ning, don't be too nervous. Relax and act well. You have already moved everyone in the crew with your sincerity. Now, use your acting skills to conquer the audience."

The light from inside the tent shone through the curtains, casting warm yellow spots on the ground, like stars scattered everywhere.

Looking up at the moon in the night sky, Su Ning suddenly felt a sense of confidence...

He didn't know what his past was like, but he knew that in this new world, an extraordinary journey was about to begin for him.

...(End of chapter)