Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 272 It was just normal at that time

In late June, the scorching sun relentlessly beat down on every inch of the asphalt road from morning till night.

Amidst this scorching summer heat, the film and television industry has also ushered in the summer season.

The promotion of "Black Peony" has been ongoing since Cannes, and with June 30th approaching, the promotion has intensified.

Outside major cinemas, posters for upcoming films are plastered everywhere, with the most eye-catching one being the release date poster for "Black Peony".

On the poster, Liu Yifei, dressed in Kunqu Opera attire, stands before a mirror, her features exquisite, yet her expression ethereal. Beside her is another mirror, and below, in gold italics, is the caption:

"Special Palme d'Or/Best Actress Award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival"

Further down: "Released nationwide on June 30th."

Pirates of the Caribbean 3 has been out for more than half a month, and Transformers will be released in mid-July. The only film in this window is Black Peony. With its awards and the director behind it, even though it is an art film, major theaters have filled their schedules with screenings.

While the filming of "Painted Skin" was in full swing, Wu Chen and his friends returned to the Beijing Film Academy.

On June 28, the graduation ceremony for the class of 2003 was held. The main road leading to the auditorium in front of the teaching building was already filled with crowds and flowers.

Outside the school gate, two large red banners fluttered in the wind—

"Warmest congratulations to all graduates of the Class of 2007 of Beijing Film Academy on their new journey!"

"May our youth never end, and our dreams just begin to take flight!"

Inside the dormitory, Wu Chen, Xiang Zhuo, Pu Songri, and Chu Tianshu changed into matching black graduation gowns, with a golden tassel on the corner of their caps swaying gently in the wind.

"By the way, Tianshu, did you get the job at CCTV?" Wu Chen asked, turning around as he buttoned his graduation gown.

"I got the job! The notification was just sent out a couple of days ago!" Chu Tianshu smiled with satisfaction. "The position is pretty good; it's a cameraman position in the arts and culture channel."

"That's good!" Wu Chen walked over and patted his shoulder hard. "Come to us if you need anything."

Dressed in robes and with his hat slightly askew, Wu Chen stood in front of the mirror after tidying himself up, looking at himself for a moment, feeling somewhat dazed.

Outside the window, the bell rang, and an announcement from the Academic Affairs Office came over the loudspeaker:

"The graduation ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the college auditorium. Please be on time."

"Let's go, let's go!" Xiang Zhuo said, pulling on his graduation cap. "Brother Chen, don't forget your speech!"

"I didn't write anything, just improvise." Wu Chen smiled.

"."

The June sun shone brightly on the old red brick path of the Beijing Film Academy, as bright as ever, yet something was different—the air was filled with the scent of farewell.

At this moment, Liu Yifei was on the phone with Zhou Yang in front of the school gate:

"Yangyang, where are you? I'm at the school gate. Um, I'll pick out some flowers first. Take your time, don't rush. Wu Chen and the others are still at their graduation ceremony."

After saying that, Liu Yifei lowered her head and carefully selected graduation bouquets from the various flower stalls. Just as she was about to pick the most beautiful one, she suddenly turned around and happened to run into Guan Yue and Dong Xuan.

"Senior Sister Guan Yue, Senior Sister Dong Xuan, are you here to buy flowers too?" Liu Yifei smiled brightly and purely.

Guan Yue was a little surprised, but quickly smiled and nodded: "You bought this for Wu Chen, right?"

Liu Yifei gave a soft "hmm," smiled at the two of them, and then lowered her head to continue picking flowers.

Watching her intently selecting flowers, Dong Xuan's eyes flashed with complex emotions, but she ultimately said nothing. Instead, she chose a bouquet and said softly:

"Junior sister, could you please deliver this bouquet for me? Something came up unexpectedly, and I might miss the later photoshoot."

Liu Yifei paused for a moment, before speaking.

Guan Yue was also stunned at this moment. She frowned slightly, then relaxed, and quickly picked out a bouquet, handing it to Liu Yifei: "Junior sister, please give this to Director Wu as well. There really isn't enough time, but as his senior, I can't just leave him without giving him something after graduation."

Liu Yifei accepted the two bouquets of flowers in a daze. After Guan Yue and Dong Xuan turned and walked away, she looked down at the flowers in her hand, then at Dong Xuan's departing figure, and muttered softly:
"He'll be a womanizer, accumulating a mountain of romantic entanglements."

At a street corner in the distance, Guan Yue glanced at Dong Xuan walking beside her and asked softly, "Are you really not planning to see us off in person? At least we'd have a photo together."

Dong Xuan gazed at the banner fluttering in the distance from the academy, her eyes gentle yet tinged with melancholy: "Aren't there still group photos from the start and end of filming?"

"As long as you're happy." Guan Yue sighed.

Just then, Zhou Yang arrived and, looking at the bouquet in Liu Yifei's hand, said, "Oh, Qianqian, you've picked them all out? Aren't there a few missing? What about Xiang Zhuo's and theirs?"

“I didn’t choose this one,” Liu Yifei said softly.

"Ah, whose is that?"

"From Senior Sister Dong Xuan and the others."

"It's okay, let's choose ours then." Zhou Yang understood immediately and stopped the topic.

At this moment, the graduation ceremony was drawing to a close in the school auditorium.

The host smiled dignifiedly, her gaze sweeping over the row of students sitting in the front: "Next, please welcome Wu Chen, an outstanding graduate of the 2003 Photography Department, to the stage to speak!"

Applause erupted, and the temperature in the auditorium instantly rose three degrees.

Wu Chen stood up from his seat, his expression calm and composed, as always. The moment the stage lights went out, he stopped in front of the podium and glanced at the audience: familiar teachers, classmates, friends, and Liu Yifei, who had just entered, smiling broadly and holding three bouquets of flowers.

Wu Chen withdrew his gaze and said, "Thank you for this honor from the school."

Actually, I didn't prepare a script because I felt that a graduation speech should be like the ending of a movie—authentic and unpretentious. Not every sentence needs to be polished, but it must come from the heart.

The photography professors in the audience couldn't help but nod and smile, clearly very satisfied with Wu Chen.

"To be honest, I only have a little experience in filmmaking. I dare not say too much about other areas, for fear of misleading you. Your teachers will then have to come after me."

The audience below chuckled upon hearing this.

"Many people ask how to make a good movie. Many people think that a good movie should construct a grand narrative or depict some great journeys."

In fact, looking back at history, the Qin Dynasty has only lasted for more than 2200 years. If we assume that a person lives to 70, it is only the life of 30 or so people. No matter how grand your narrative or how great your journey, it is nothing more than this.
Actually, it's already quite difficult to film a person's life well, so focusing on the details, focusing on smaller things, and telling small stories well is the beginning of a good movie.

Finally, I want to say thank you to the school, thank you to the teachers, thank you all for giving me the opportunity to learn storytelling here, and also to understand myself through stories.

Wu Chen paused for a moment, then looked out the window where sunlight was streaming through the glass and falling on the windowsill.

"Movies are fiction, but life isn't. We will eventually leave the screen and step into reality. Graduation is a farewell, but also a beginning."

Thanks"

Thunderous applause erupted.

Under the lights, Wu Chen bowed slightly.

Grand graduation farewells only exist in movies, while real farewells are sudden and hurried.

Just like now, many people couldn't wait to take graduation photos after the last part was over, and Wu Chen and his friends were no exception.

"Happy graduation!" Liu Yifei handed three bouquets of flowers to Wu Chen, while Zhou Yang also handed three bouquets, but he distributed them to Xiang Zhuo and the others like a grandpa dividing pork.

"Uh, why are there three bundles?" Wu Chen asked, puzzled. No matter how he calculated it, the numbers didn't add up.

"Oh, these two bouquets were given to me by Senior Sister Dong Xuan and Senior Sister Guan Yue." Liu Yifei pointed them out to Wu Chen, then winked at him.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Zhuo and the others looked at Wu Chen with pity.

"I'm so popular!" Wu Chen joked naturally after accepting the bouquet, then turned to Zhuo and the others and said, "Learn from me, give each of you a bouquet."

The group suppressed their laughter and didn't dare to make a sound.

"Hmph, all you know is how to flirt," Liu Yifei whispered in Wu Chen's ear, and couldn't help but pinch Wu Chen's waist as she spoke.

That evening, the group left the school gate together in perfect unison.

"So, what do you want to eat? Although this isn't really a farewell, Chen-ge, Song-ri, and I are all pursuing graduate studies, and Tian-shu, despite having a job, is also in Beijing, so we can get together anytime we want. But on the last night of graduation, we should at least eat something, right?"

Xiang Zhuo asked with a smile.

Liu Yifei had already gone back, leaving the others alone.

"Is the barbecue stand still there?" Wu Chen asked.

"It's still here. With us taking care of it, how could it possibly collapse?" Chu Tianshu replied immediately, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia.

Everyone laughed. They all understood that "we" here didn't just refer to the four of them, but more to each new class after another.

That familiar alley still turns that corner, and the light bulbs at the alley entrance are dim and yellow, but the ones that are lit up are not the same as they were a few years ago.

The barbecue stall is still there.

The charcoal fire in the iron grate is still burning, but the greasy folding table from back then has long been replaced.

The proprietress, wearing an apron, peeked out from the fireworks, her vision seemingly blurry. "You all look familiar. Haven't been here in a while?"

"It hasn't been too long. I came quite often last year, especially the year before and the year before that, but I haven't come this year." Xiang Zhuo scratched his head and walked to the food shelf as if he knew the way well. Just like many nights in the past, he picked out lamb skewers, cartilage and chicken wings.

The charcoal fire crackled, and the flames danced on their faces, gradually pulling them back to those winter nights when they first arrived at Beijing Film Academy.

Back then, we wore sweaters and down jackets, but now we wear short sleeves.

"That's perfect, Xiang Zhuo was right back then. Now we can really enjoy the osmanthus blossoms and wine together." Chu Tianshu clinked glasses with Wu Chen and the others while drinking beer.

Beer foam drips down the glass, like time itself—unstoppable and impossible to wipe away.

Although all four of them were very young, the end of the four years left them with a sense of loss, especially Wu Chen at this moment.

Xiang Zhuo suddenly said, "Don't you guys feel that we didn't actually do anything back then? We were just living in that moment?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Chen suddenly remembered a saying:

"At the time, I thought it was just an ordinary thing."

He gazed at the shadows of the trees at the alley entrance and suddenly felt that the charcoal fire illuminated not only the barbecue stall in front of him, but also the twinkling starlight he and a few others had shared in the past few years.

The boys are no longer young.
(End of this chapter)