Uneasy daily life

The good news is that chapters 59 and 81 have finally been re-released. It's been a long and tiring month of work, not much has happened, but it's incredibly frustrating. My blood pressure has been fluctuating wildly. I need to shift my focus from the romance back to the main plot and further develop the character of Bai Ying—it's a real headache…

I'll just slack off all day long. I want to slack off, ...!

Goodnight everyone, time for bed.

Chapter Ninety-Four: Azusagawa Kaede's Expectations

"Oh my, a director of a terrible movie still needs to do some promotion? Does he not have much confidence in his work?"

"Oh, it's just a formality! Besides, our fans are really looking forward to news about the movie, so having him on the show will put their minds at ease..."

"Really? Let me see. I'm going to the streaming platform, filtering for positive reviews, and sorting them by likes... The first five-star review is as follows: 'Completely outstanding, unprecedented, utterly perfect, nothing more to ask for! Such excellent quality, such a reasonable price—my praise seems inadequate, almost like nitpicking! Director Nian is a true genius; others can only look up to her. Beautiful inside and out, she can crush the market with her technology, bringing such a perfect work to everyone. Of course, just as Director Nian has repeatedly defied convention, I believe my own definition of perfection cannot possibly encompass her talent! Here, I want to express my sincere gratitude and admiration to Director Nian for allowing me the privilege of encountering such a work! Everyone, say it with me: Nian Men!…'"

"Hoohoho~"

"The Great Yan Dragon No. 1 mobile phone! It's absolutely amazing!"

"Of course, that's a product that we and our team have been working on for months... Wait a minute! What about our movie?"

"The second five-star review is much shorter. This user should think carefully about why you can't beat the first one—buying the ticket is the biggest support. Not seeing the movie is because I still want to live. The five-star review is just personal, not about the movie. If you disagree, then you're absolutely right."

"Tch, what a bunch of people who lose sight of the big picture and chase after trivial matters. All they think about is new computers, new phones, and new materials. Don't they know they can only find love at the movie theater?!"

"What a coincidence! The third five-star review is dedicated to love—thank you, Director Nian. I was complaining about your movie with the girl next to me in the theater, and now we're engaged."

"It's just a bunch of people with no taste. Come on! Put the tripe in the pot!"

A plate of tripe was poured into a slightly spicy red broth. Two diners chatted and ate hotpot, while the three people next to them watched silently.

Mai Sakurajima and Kazuka Toyohama maintained their professional smiles, and then the director precisely included them in the shot, creating a stark contrast with the two people next to them who were eating heartily, adding a subtle meaning to their professional smiles.

Okita was looking for help from the sidelines with his eyes, so the staff outside held up a sign that read "Let's Talk About the Movie!"

Of course I know the show is about movies, and while promoting this foreign director, it also allows me to capitalize on this hot topic and promote my own film. But why are they eating hot pot on the show? That wasn't in the script!

"Hey, what are you three standing there for?" Nian opened her fan to fan herself, showing her hospitality. "Come and eat with us, let's chat while we eat."

Bai Ying, while scalding duck intestines, shook her head and said, "A bad movie director, others should pay attention to their image."

Nian casually remarked, "Don't you need to care about your image?"

"Me? It seems the director of this lousy movie has some misunderstanding about my image." Bai Ying took the slightly curled duck intestines out of the pot and called out, "Director! Director! Call the camera!"

The camera suddenly zoomed in on the white figure's face.

Through the lens, the handsome young man's good looks are still on point. His lips are smeared with dark red oil, which is slightly tempting. A bead of sweat falls from his forehead, runs through the corner of his eye, and climbs down his cheek into his collar. He is panting heavily to relieve the spiciness. The way he picks up food with chopsticks adds a touch of everyday life to the scene.

"The hardships of life and the glances of others are the best makeup."

That's well said... Hmm?

Viewers who were not familiar with the show wondered if they had entered the wrong program.

"Alright, alright, I'll praise them for you!" Bai Ying corrected. "Director, focus the camera on the chopsticks!"

The director obediently changed the camera angle, showing a slightly curled duck intestine on chopsticks, its thick white, pale red, and yellowish hue from cooking. The chopsticks placed it into a dipping sauce, smoothly flicking and tossing it to coat the intestine with an enticing sheen, before it was placed into the diner's mouth. The crisp sounds of chewing seemed to testify to how delicious the duck intestine was. The diner's face remained expressionless, and they didn't speak, simply focusing on eating, fully savoring the flavor of the food before reluctantly swallowing it.

"At this hour, everyone's probably working overtime, right? After you finish, you can buy takeout or instant noodles on your way back to your apartment. You might encounter annoying little problems like no chopsticks in the takeout, no seasoning packet in the instant noodles, the seasoning packet being impossible to tear open along the notch, the takeout being too cold, or the noodles being overcooked. But it's okay—"

Bai Ying, holding chopsticks, gave a thumbs-up to the camera and grinned, saying, "I'm also working overtime to finish my meal. Let's all keep going!"

"Let's encourage each other, my foot! You've already started eating!"

Although the audience cannot experience the emotions firsthand, those present can feel them.

"Are you asking for a beating?" Nian asked with a smile, waving his fan.

"That's my image," Bai Ying said dismissively. "Those who haven't clashed with me are fake fans, and those who have know that my image is universally reviled."

"Ahem!" Mai Sakurajima coughed twice. "Hate fan, are you saying we're putting on an act?"

Bai Ying's eyes flashed: "Why are you wearing makeup?"

Of course! How can you go on a TV show without makeup?

Feng Bin and Hua rolled their eyes almost imperceptibly, maintaining their professional attitude: "Of course, it's to present the best side to the audience."

"So you think you're ugly."

"#!"

"Let's leave the makeup and image discussion here for now," Mai Sakurajima tried to steer the interview back on track. "Black Fan-kun has worked on both director Natsume's and director Okita's films, both of which are scheduled for release this summer. As a participant, Black Fan-kun, whose film do you think is better?"

Nian put down his chopsticks and looked at the white figure with great interest.

Okita Masashi perked up, and slowed his breathing to avoid being lured by the damned fragrance.

Bai Ying asked hesitantly, "Can I not choose?"

Feng Binhua's eyes flashed, and she said with a smile, "No way... anyway... you already look like this, you don't need to wear makeup, so why wouldn't you dare to comment on whose work is better?"

“Exactly!” Okita crossed his arms. “Brother, you are both the screenwriter and the lead actor of ‘Lights.’ Compared to that director Nian’s ‘Twelve Heroes,’ you have obviously invested more in our film! Your investment of so much must mean that our film is better!”

Nian's spirits lifted, and he chuckled, "You can't say that. Our film brings together well-known figures in the entertainment industry, boasts rich filming experience, and features the most advanced filming equipment and environment..."

Okita sneered, "Bad students have a lot of stationery."

Nian squinted slightly, then perked up: "Is it possible that the price of our stationery is more than your scholarship?"

"#!" Okita roared. "Aesthetic sense can't be bought with money! The same goes for great movies—bro, you agree, right?!"

"Sigh, it's a tough choice."

Bai Ying sighed deeply: "You two should stop arguing, or you'll make a fool of yourselves in front of the audience."

"What's so hard about choosing? You've always been a straightforward guy, why are you being so hesitant today?" Nian slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming, "One word! Choose me or us?"

“That’s right!” Okita nodded. “Choose her or… what the hell?!”

"What I mean is, there's no such thing as better, only worse."

Bai Ying said frankly, "You two stop arguing, let's have some hot pot together, and then cry our eyes out when the box office results come out."

"Hey! I don't agree with that!" Nian said confidently. "Our movies have always been the best!"

"Compared to movies..." Bai Ying changed the subject and commented with interest, "Director Nian, when are you going to build a spaceship? If you can't even build a spaceship, I don't really approve of your skills."

Nian gave a perfunctory laugh and poured the bean sprouts into the soup pot: "Almost done, almost done."

“Look, when I say you can’t forge iron, you just laugh it off; when I say you can only make bad movies, you confidently emphasize it.” Bai Ying spread his hands. “What does that prove? It proves that I don’t know how to forge iron, and you don’t know how to make movies.”

Year:"#!"

Seeing that Nian was getting anxious, Bai Ying immediately shifted her focus, looking at Okita Tadashi: "Director Mo Dao..."

Okita Masashi became wary and said earnestly, "Brother, you are both the lead actor and the screenwriter. If the movie we make together is a bad film, wouldn't that be a disgrace to your professional skills?"

Bai Ying shook his head and said, "Only things that are being born have the potential to be perfect. Anything that has already been born is not perfect."

"Hmm? Not bad, not bad!" Okita's eyes lit up. "That statement is quite philosophical..."

Bai Ying: "So your movie is a bad movie."

Okita Tadashi: "#!"

"Brave Plus, I have answered your question."

Bai Ying poured a plate of lamb skewers into the soup pot: "You guys haven't had dinner yet, really don't you want to come and have hot pot together? Trust me, this is genuinely mild spicy!"

"Hey hater, please have some professionalism. We're still making a show."

Mai Sakurajima sighed and looked up at the director on the sidelines.

“Aren’t we having a very professional discussion?” Bai Ying gave an example with confidence. “Eating and chatting at the same time is a refined thing—in ancient times, Cao Cao and Liu Bei discussed heroes over green plums, and we’re discussing movies over a mildly spicy hot pot, doesn’t that have some of the essence?”

"Oh?" Nian asked with interest. "Then tell me, young man, what kind of movie is a good movie?"

Bai Ying said seriously, "I don't make movies, I just write things."

Okita's eyes flashed, and he immediately slapped back with his "Dou Zhuan Xing Yi" (a martial arts technique): "I heard you're writing a light novel? I'm afraid it's all toilet paper."

"Of course!"

Okita was completely stumped.

"All that is accomplished is imperfect, and all that is unfinished is still without omission! A true hero is one who, having achieved greatness, does not retire, and whose fame is still worth pursuing. A thousand-foot peak is lowered by a single basket of earth, and a vast ocean is narrowed by a single depression. Although life is finite, what is not yet finished is infinite. Observe the finite past, and you will find an infinite future! The eternal moon lingers in vain, and heroes of a thousand autumns are full of splendor. The finite and the infinite become one, and scholars discuss success and failure in a convoluted way."

Bai Ying's voice was bold and magnanimous as he solemnly declared, "A bad film director doesn't do what he's good at, but pursues what he loves, doing his best and following his heart. So what if it's a bad film? You're still starting, and you've never stopped! Director Mo Dao, even if the rewards and efforts are always roughly equal, and the films you make are always niche, you still lock yourself in your little dark room to try your best to create without any excuses. So what if you never succeed? You still haven't looked for a reason to give up, and you still passionately love this thing!"

"Why argue about good movies and bad movies? Let the audience and critics handle that! Gentlemen, the best movie is yet to come!"

"it is good!"

Okita Shoichi clapped his hands and excitedly ran over to join the hot pot party: "Brother, you really are a screenwriter, you have such a nice way of speaking, count me in!"

Nian stretched out his chopsticks and pointed: "Come on! Let's continue with the dishes—it's a pity that the young man is too young to have a good drink with us."

The three of them happily ate hotpot, discussing current events and engaging in lively conversation.

On the other end, Toyohama Kazuka and Sakurajima Mai were both struggling to maintain their professional smiles.

Is this... is this the legendary CPU? This bastard first belittled the works of the two directors, then changed his tune and said that bad movies aren't necessarily bad, and the next one will be even better. He went on and on, making the criticism that both directors made bad movies suddenly seem like a compliment.

Feng Bin and Hua felt their brains were overloaded. It seemed they really weren't suited for shows that required quick thinking… No, no, no! It was clearly a bunch of idiots messing things up! And then there was Director Nian, who brought his own hotpot to the opening! What kind of normal show is like this!

What's next?

Toyohama Kazuka quickly gave Sakurajima Mai a meaningful look.

Shouldn't we be glad they remembered this was an interview program? At least they spoke one sentence at a time, instead of all speaking at once and making the scene even more chaotic.

Mai Sakurajima glanced towards the sidelines. At a time like this, the director needs to step in...

The staff member is holding up a sign that reads: "If you can't win the argument, join in! Let's go eat hot pot!"

The director chose to forgo treatment.

In any case, the ratings and results are very good, which means there are no problems!

……

……

"Bye-bye! Xiaofeng, let's go out and play after you finish your tutoring!"

"See you."

"Senior! Feng! We're leaving now!"

"Wow...it's so late, let's find a deserted place to fly back..."

The guests said their goodbyes in a jumbled mess and left, and after they left, the Azusagawa house suddenly became unusually quiet.

As Sakuta Azusagawa was clearing away the dishes, he noticed his younger sister still sitting on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the screen.

"The interview program has ended."

Sakuta Azusagawa said, "If you want to watch it again, you can use the rewind function."

"Hmm..." Azusagawa Kaede came to her senses and asked, "Brother, are all the bad guy movies shown during summer vacation?"

"……Um."

Sakuta Azusagawa composed himself and replied in a normal tone, "Strictly speaking, it's not Shiro's movie, but a movie he helped produce. Since students are on summer vacation, movies released at that time tend to do better... Didn't Shiro say he'd give you tickets? I'll go see it with you then."

"Uh-huh!"

Kaede Azusagawa nodded vigorously; some of the content in the program touched her deeply.

Recognizing that one's past is limited and imperfect, and pursuing a more perfect future that has yet to reach its end... in this way, whether one succeeds or fails, it is merely something others talk about, and such a person is a hero.

I'll probably disappear, but I haven't disappeared yet... So, should I try harder to do the things I still want to do?

Kaede Azusagawa was a little confused; this seemed to be different from what the villains had said when they were making movies.

However, it doesn't seem to be contradictory? Death gives meaning to life, but without death, life would be endless.

Then let's try our best to do more. If we become heroes, our brother will be more at ease and won't be sad because of Feng's disappearance.

As Azusagawa Kaede pondered these thoughts, she couldn't help but look forward to summer vacation, when she could finally watch movies featuring villains.

"You still need to work hard to catch up on your studies. If you put in a little effort, you should be able to go out and play during the summer vacation."

Sakuta Azusagawa casually tossed out a sentence.

Azusagawa Kaede hugged the panda plush pillow, puffing out her cheeks: "Oh—"