It’s hard to find restaurants that are open during the Chinese New Year in London, but in Chinatown, there are restaurants open no matter what time of day.
A Chinese restaurant named "Cai Ji" is overcrowded. In fact, it will be more lively during the Spring Festival. Various traditional dragon and lion dance activities will be held, making the scene very lively. However, in the eyes of foreigners, it is always the Chinese New Year. Whether it is January 1st or the Chinese New Year, which changes the date every year, there are always activities to eat and have fun here.
In the private room on the third floor of the restaurant, Bai Wenyu held up his chin, looked at the crowded street downstairs, and joked:
"Actually, the atmosphere of celebrating the New Year in Chinatown is better than that in China. It may be due to homesickness. Things that are commonplace in China have become more valued overseas due to distance."
Cao Aiqing, who was sitting opposite, asked:
"Sister Bai, when you go back this time, will your focus be on the country from now on?"
Bai Wenyu's career has been cultivated in Europe for many years, and the market environment for art trading in China is far less huge than in Europe. Two or three years is not a short time, so this decision seems a bit sudden to the girl who is familiar with Bai Wenyu.
"Half and half. A while ago, Tianran's father called me and said that Tianran's business in the film and television industry was getting bigger and bigger. He asked me if I was interested in going back to help my son. I thought about it for a long time and finally agreed. thing."
"What exactly are you doing?"
Cao Aiqing did not doubt Bai Wenyu's personal abilities at all, but the industry she was originally engaged in was very different from what He Tianran was doing now, so the girl was inevitably a little curious.
The waiter outside knocked on the door, and a table of delicious dishes was served one after another, steaming hot.
Bai Wenyu handed a pair of chopsticks to Cao Aiqing and asked:
"Ai Qing, do you know why the British contemporary art and market are so prosperous?"
The girl thought for a while, "Because...the British government vigorously promoted and sponsored art movements in the eighteenth century?"
Bai Wenyu nodded, but still added:
"This is just one part of it. It is the environment, not the market. What made the art market prosperous was the birth of modern auction industries such as Sotheby's and Christie's during the same period. Today's artworks are so high up there that they cannot lack the accumulation of real gold and silver below. Not everyone can distinguish between the good and bad of art, so its value needs to be defined, packaged and endorsed by people like me.
In other words, people are the same. What is a person's potential and how much is he or she worth? In a sense, it is similar to a work of art. The only difference is that "auction house" is replaced by a more humane word. Naturally, it is not Acquired a brokerage firm? His dad showed me the financial statements. There were still very few artists under their banner that could actually generate income. I thought I could be of some help to him. "
Although the girl knew that what the other party said was a very realistic truth, Bai Wenyu's metaphor still made Cao Aiqing feel... awkward.
She lowered her head and picked up a piece of pineapple from the meat, put it into her mouth and chewed it carefully, hiding her expression.
The woman opposite did not move her chopsticks, but stared at the girl, seeing what the other girl was thinking, and said slowly:
"It's really weird to put a price tag on a person, right? In this era, even advertisements are telling you to pursue independence and freedom, how unique you are, and don't objectify yourself. But material things determine survival, and everyone is While flaunting his uniqueness, he secretly works hard to improve his own value. What worker doesn't want to get a high salary? What artist wants to die before becoming famous?
Those things that are packaged as 'freedom' and 'style' are all filled with the smell of money, because this is a meritorious society where everyone is pushing and oppressing themselves every day. Behind this behavior, we are very It is difficult to obtain satisfaction and security from emotional relationships, so under the guise of declaring that they are eager to find a sustenance in an independent spirit, in essence, they are realizing a position in which they are more likely to be recognized in terms of money and status. The self that is liked, noticed, and admired.
Therefore, under such a general environment, it is often difficult to accept when what we have been pursuing is exposed.
This is a shortcoming caused by urban modernization, and it is also a theme that we have to face in the current society. You and I, living in the torrent of the times, are just a drop in the ocean being carried forward.
My child, you are not the kind of person who would rather live in ignorance. Understanding some things earlier may not necessarily be a bad thing. "
The two women looked at each other speechlessly. After hearing this, Cao Aiqing thought about the impact of this argument on her own values. After a moment, she suddenly said:
"Sister Bai... I have always respected your way of doing things and your attitude towards life. Since I met you, I have always regarded you as my role model. But after listening to what you just said, I have a few doubts that I want to ask for advice. "
"You ask."
"Do you think for us women, love or career is more important?"
"None of it matters."
Bai Wenyu's answer to this question was not sloppy at all, but in order to teach the younger generations, she still added:
"Of course, this is just my answer at my age. In fact, most of our choices vary with time. When I was young, I felt that love was bigger than the sky. Later, after my divorce, I felt that my own success is the key to grasping life. But now you Ask me this and all I can say is that it doesn’t matter.
But Ai Qing, when you asked this question, did you already start to weigh the pros and cons in your heart? After all, choosing one thing often means giving up another. "
The person opposite seemed stunned by this rhetorical question, and Bai Wenyu smiled:
"Son, you don't have to worry about this. I won't emphasize the importance of love to you just because I am Tian Tian's mother. You know a little about the ending between Tian Tian's father and I, so as a person who has experienced it, I want you to believe it. I can’t say words like love.”
Cao Aiqing avoided talking about whether he was weighing the pros and cons, but asked:
"What about family ties, Sister Bai? In other words, what do you think of nature?"
"..."
There was a rare unspeakable hesitation on Bai Wenyu's face.
In fact, the answer is not difficult to guess...
Combining Bai Wenyu's views on human nature and society just now, Cao Aiqing boldly made a metaphor:
"Can I... compare nature to the painting you gave me?"
"……How to say?"
Bai Wenyu raised his eyebrows. Other than that, there were no strong emotions on his face. He looked directly at the transparent girl opposite, and only heard the other party continue:
"Of course he has extraordinary meaning to you, and is the kind of precious thing that can be placed in the most conspicuous position, but this is only temporary, because in that position, there are more things that are more suitable than him, such as Your love with Uncle He, such as your freedom, must have been more important at that time than... He Tianran's 'work', so after weighing the pros and cons... Sister Bai, you made your original choice, and chose to fulfill it. Give up He Tianran yourself."
"..."
There was silence in the elegant seats.
Firecrackers were set off in Chinatown downstairs, and the New Year's Day parade had begun. The loud gongs and drums and the roar of people reached this private room, floating in the air and lingering for a long time.
"Naturally...it's still more important than the painting I gave you."
The noncommittal moment was like a disguised admission. The older woman took out a cigarette from her bag again and lit it, but this time, her movements were less elegant and more helpless.
She turned her head again, looked at the crowd outside the window, and said calmly:
"Ai Qing, Ranran's father's generation and I were born in an era of rapid development. Our parents gave us material wealth. The era encouraged us to be brave and create our own value. This was very important to us who were still young at the time. Say, it is undoubtedly a golden rule...
By the way, Ai Qing, when you were in school, did your teacher ever say something like, 'You were born in the best of times'? "
Cao Aiqing nodded lightly, and Bai Wenyu sighed:
“Our teacher also said it back then, and I have always believed it to be true.
There is no war or famine, and people live in a peaceful society with prosperity and stability. When the spirit of suffering and dedication becomes a language, people no longer look outside and start looking inward. Their views on the world and the problems they face are bound to change.
When my mother gave birth to me in her twenties, she was already a woman who could hold up half the sky; but when I gave birth to a natural child in my twenties, I still naively thought that I was just a child..."
Speaking of this, Bai Wenyu smiled as if he was laughing at himself.
"In my mother's time, she would sacrifice a lot for her family. In my opinion, this kind of sacrifice is completely fantasy. How could a woman who is smart and capable and has a promising future be constrained by a child and would rather be trapped in a family? How can you persist for more than twenty years in a 'family' environment that may collapse at any time?
I can't define whether such a 'sacrifice' is stupid or merciful, but without this 'sacrifice', I wouldn't be the Bai Wenyu I am now.
Selfless dedication, profound love, and warm companionship, in the impression, only such people can be called 'parents', but when such an identity comes to our generation...
Call it selfish or cruel, at least for me, I will not repeat the mistakes of the previous generation. The times have made us pay more attention to ourselves, and at the same time, I have lost this awareness and cannot do anything. This sacrifice is my choice. "
Now, twenty years have passed since what Bai Wenyu called their "generation". Their material life has become richer and they face more choices. However, people's mental state can really match today's social environment. ?
The increasingly "meritful" society has led to a sense of "burnout" in many people's lives. As for relationships, although young girls have not yet encountered the same situation as their counterparts, they have indeed reached the same intersection.
Every choice at the moment, depending on the environment and the personality of the person involved, creates a different fork in the fate of each person. For young Cao Aiqing, love and career, the two ends of the scale, which side is more important? What about some?
After thinking carefully, the young girl said with great seriousness:
"Sister Bai, I've never been a mother, so I can't comment on your choices at that time. I asked these questions because I really want to know your thoughts, but that doesn't mean I don't have the answers in my heart...
I think it's not about trade-offs.
Pursuing a career you love and realizing the value of life is a very passionate thing; having a love that may be dull or ups and downs, and forming a new happy family is also a thing that makes people feel extremely happy.
Neither of these two things will run through our lives. I am glad that fate is not a single thread, it is an intertwined network. It does not say that if you choose this one, you must let go of the other. They are all common pursuits. We should cherish them even more. Why are we comparing them together now?
I think this may be caused by what you said before, in this era, we pay too much attention to our own interests and feel that we are the most important, thus ignoring the feelings of others.
But friends, colleagues, and employees in your career; your partners, lovers, and children in your relationships are all important parts of weaving the web of destiny. Give them up and the web of your life can really be woven. Okay?
It is true that in every different era, people have different definitions of success and different goals to pursue, but the concept of "happiness" from ancient times to the present does not only mean that one person can enjoy it, it must always be in love, It is a kind of spiritual nourishment that can only be obtained from friendships, careers, and even from other people such as parents. This is something that cannot be accomplished by an individual alone.
Therefore, I will not weigh career and love against each other to achieve a successful life, because what I pursue has always been a happy life. "
The New Year's parade under the restaurant was still going on. After saying these words, Cao Aiqing also looked out the window and focused his attention on the lively crowd.
Different from Bai Wenyu's self-deprecating but still sober and distanced smile, the young girl's smile is more like seeing people's liveliness and laughter, without any impurities, and joy.
Simple, pure, and beautiful.
Doesn’t she understand some realistic principles?
No, she understood, very clearly.
Cao Aiqing, Cao Aiqing, still pity the green grass and trees.
Bai Wenyu, who had a lot of emotions today, thought silently that this girl's parents must have some good meaning when they gave her such a name...
"Ai Qing, do you believe that nature...will bring you the happiness you want?"
Bai Wenyu, who probably didn't know much about his son than the little girl opposite him, asked this question.
"I believe he has the ability to bring happiness to people."
Cao Aiqing didn't hesitate.
"It's a bit evasive. I don't care whether my son can bring happiness to others. I only care about whether he can let the little girl in front of me continue to be so carefree and get the happy ending she deserves. After all, only in this way can I be worthy of the words you just said."
Bai Wenyu said softly.
"Sister Bai..."
Cao Aiqing was a little surprised and didn't know what to say.
Both women are smart people, and this is also Bai Wenyu's first statement on the long-running relationship between Cao Aiqing and He Tianran.
"Ai Qing, you know that I very much support your approach of not impulsively confirming the relationship after the separation. This is very wise. You have left enough escape routes and dignity for the relationship between you. I fully believe that after the separation, In these few years, when you return to China, your love will be extremely strong and unbreakable.
But why? You believe in nature so much, yet you set up such a test between you that lasts for several years. "
Cao Aiqing thought for a while, shook his head, and said a little unnaturally: "It's not a test... In fact, it can be said to be a... punishment."
"punish?"
"Yes, when we...we were in college, it was true that he betrayed me, and it was true that he loved me. I was quite popular, and I ignored him for more than half a year before I began to forgive him, but when he confessed his love, he finally I said something... let time prove everything, this is a promise, I thought to myself, then if you say that, I will punish you... wait for me a little longer."
Talking about the past, the girl's unique resentment and shyness crawled onto her face.
This kind of irrational and slightly angry mentality that only arises in love gave Cao Aiqing, who was originally a bit detached, a bit more realistic for his age. Bai Wenyu laughed when he learned that this was the reason.
"I don't know whether you want to punish Ziran or yourself. In the end, you still don't believe that Ziran can be consistent and are afraid that he will make the same mistakes again. But you cherish your relationship very much, so you leave each other a way out. I can think so. ?"
Cao Aiqing shook his head again, "Because I trust him, I don't want him to have any burden, but I will not forget the promise he gave me."
"Let time tell everything?"
"Yes……"
"You believe this?"
"Um……"
"Didn't he have a criminal record?"
"But he's never lied to me about anything like this, not once in all the years we've known each other."
"..."
Bai Wenyu was at a loss for a moment. She was silent for a long time, just because when she said these words, Cao Aiqing lowered her eyes, with what she called the "happiness" tranquility on her face.
After a long while, Bai Wenyu, who had been thinking for a long time, finally said this:
"Of course time will tell everything, but you can't stop others from breaking into his life."
Cao Aiqing raised her eyes and couldn't tell for a moment whether this sentence was meant for her, or whether Bai Wenyu said it to herself.
"Ai Qing... let me give you a suggestion."
"What?"
Bai Wenyu said seriously:
"Silly boy, when it comes to love, you need to be more selfish. To judge others by yourself may be derogatory to others, but for you, it means tolerance for others. This kind of tolerance should not appear in love. of."
…
…
Does she, who is far away, know at this moment?
This relationship will always be in my heart...
Thousands of miles away on the Hengdian set, He Tianran was leaning on the director's chair with his eyes closed and taking a nap between scenes.
In the song "She's Far Away", Eason Chan's singing voice gradually changes from low to high, which is very similar to the weeping and complaining of a client.
Just as He Tianran's thoughts were drifting away, one of his headphones was suddenly taken off...
"Director He, what are you listening to?"
A playful voice sounded in his ears, He Tianran opened his eyes, and in front of him was a bright and charming face.
"Don't make trouble, I'm looking for inspiration. The music teacher told me a few days ago that I can start producing some OSTs for our film now."
He Tianran reluctantly stretched out his hand to take back the earphones from Wen Liang's hand. Unexpectedly, the other party shrank his little hand, dodged the man's claws, and put the earphones into his ears.
"Then let's look for it together. I can give you some advice, right~"
Wen Liang smiled and squatted next to He Tianran, like a rabbit guarding his carrot pit.
Because this time the girl would be responsible for singing the interlude and the ending, He Tianran did not refuse, and both of them focused on the music in their ears.
Thousands of miles away, is my voice biased?
It is for this love to test the truth and falsehood...
…
"Hey, I thought it would be ancient style music, but I didn't expect it to be this style."
"...This is a random recommendation from today's music software."
"Would this kind of bitter love song not be suitable for me?"
The warm and straight little nose wrinkled, with a thoughtful look on his face.
He Tianran glared at her, took off her headphones, waved his hand, and said impatiently:
"Go, go, you have a lot to do, let me have a good rest."
"Humph, I know you are lazy, why are you looking for inspiration? Then take a good look at it, I'll call you when it starts."
Wen Liang made a face. Everyone on the crew was tired from filming. Seeing that the other party was really tired, she stopped pestering her. She stood up and found a seat not far from He Tianran. She took the script and thought about the next step. play.
After the girl left, He Tianran lay on the chair and took out his mobile phone. He looked at the highlighted lines of lyrics on the screen, his eyes blurred, and he didn't know what he was thinking...
Finally, he clicked the button to cycle the single, closed his eyes, turned off the screen of his phone, and placed his palm on his heart, letting the singing in his ears fill his mind.
Far away, she seems to be talking to me through the sound of the wind
If the passion has not changed, why not care about the vicissitudes of life...
(End of chapter)
