People often describe how quickly time passes with phrases like "time flies like an arrow" or "in the blink of an eye." But for Ni Bingyan, it felt like her vacation disappeared in the time it took her dad to stir-fry a plate of Crispy Double Delights.
The restaurant industry is incredibly competitive these days, and it's hard to get by on traditional dishes alone. Not only her dad, but all his apprentices had their own unique, innovative dishes, which they'd even change with the seasons.
She hadn't been back in two years, and there were so many new dishes that she spent several days eating without trying them all.
She spent a few days at home, feasting all day long. At night, while her dad was live-streaming, she'd burn the midnight oil working out.
On the day she was leaving, she took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and stepped on the scale. To her relief, she'd only gained a couple of pounds, which probably wouldn't be noticeable on camera.
This time, her dad was especially reluctant to see her go. He transferred a large sum of money to her, telling her not to skimp on herself and to buy whatever she liked—and to call him if she couldn't afford it. He even followed her dusty Volkswagen in his car, escorting her all the way to the highway entrance.
If Ni Bingyan hadn't repeatedly persuaded him otherwise, he probably would have followed her all the way to the mountain ravine where she was filming.
Seeing him so anxious, Ni Bingyan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
It all started the previous night when her dad offered to buy her a better car. She explained that she was going to a very poor area for this shoot, and driving a fancy car would be inconvenient. His imagination then ran wild with all sorts of scenarios straight out of the criminal code.
"Dad, don't worry. They have internet there. I'll call you and send you videos when I have time. The crew has dozens of people! And we'll have the local government looking out for us, so nothing will happen."
After reassuring her worried father, Ni Bingyan got on the road.
The road signs receded one after another, and the dusty road seemed to stretch on endlessly.
The radio started playing "Where Did the Time Go?" She barely managed to hold back her tears. If her willpower hadn't been so strong, she might have taken the next exit and headed straight back home.
She drove in silence, leaving Sichuan and entering Shanxi, then turned north. By evening, she had arrived in Panxi City, Ning Province.
Panxi City was situated on a plain between two mountain ranges. A clear little river meandered through the city center, creating an exceptionally beautiful landscape. She guessed the city was named Panxi because the river hadn't always been so full.
The film crew was scheduled to gather here. The main group would arrive tomorrow before they all headed into the mountains. The primary filming location for the movie was Lao Gua Village, in Wutong County, part of Panxi City.
The annual per capita income there was less than 300 yuan. It was one of the poorest villages in a nationally recognized poverty-stricken county.
The body's original owner, for the sake of Jiang Sheng, hadn't wanted to spend long periods of time on set, so she hadn't taken a major role in a long time. The main reason Ni Bingyan was able to land this female lead role was because the location was too remote. Actresses with more prestige or better acting skills than her weren't willing to come here and suffer.
Of course, the fact that the director wasn't particularly famous was also a factor.
If it were one of those award-winning directors, people would be fighting tooth and nail for a role, even if it meant filming in a desert, let alone a scenic mountain backwater.
The crew's budget wasn't generous, so the hotel they booked could only be described as passably clean. Ni Bingyan had experienced much harsher conditions back when she was an extra, so she didn't have the slightest complaint.
The hotel was just a small three-story building, and cars were parked in the courtyard out front.
She found an empty spot and turned off the engine. Since they were heading into the mountains tomorrow, she didn't bother dragging her suitcase out. She just packed a change of clothes into a canvas shoulder bag and walked toward the hotel lobby.
"Bingbing! You're finally here! Come on, come on, dinner isn't on the table yet! We were just waiting for you!"
Just as she entered, a tall, slender woman stood up from a nearby sofa, happily waving her phone and calling out to her from a distance. Taking a closer look, Ni Bingyan saw it was the crew's cinematographer, Peng Huan.
She was wearing a baseball cap and a black tank top. On her fair-skinned left arm was a tattoo of a cute husky. Despite her cool look, her smile was as warm as a friendly big sister's from next door.
She was indeed a very easygoing person. Otherwise, she wouldn't have recommended Ni Bingyan for the female lead audition just from having worked with the body's original owner a few times.
"Sister Huanhuan, why are you just waiting here? I was going to call you when I got here; it wouldn't have been too late for you to come down then."
She had already announced in the group chat that she'd be arriving tonight. She'd expected an assistant at most to be there to greet her, so she was surprised to see Peng Huan.
Ni Bingyan had a very good impression of her. Seeing her bare arm, she couldn't help but take a closer look.
She remembered the first time the body's original owner worked with her. Peng Huan had pointed her camera at her and started snapping away the moment she joined the set. The original owner saw the tattoo on her arm and thought it was a wolf. Fearing Peng Huan had a bad temper, she was too intimidated to say anything. But Peng Huan had just burst out laughing and explained it was a tattoo of her old husky, which had died of old age. She'd gotten it as a memento because she couldn't bear to part with it.
Once they got to know each other, she discovered Peng Huan was a carefree person and a total sucker for a pretty face. Her temper was exceptionally good around attractive people, and she wasn't fierce at all. That's how the two of them became close.
When Ni Bingyan was looking for work this time, Peng Huan was the first to reply.
"That's a hassle. Besides, it's not like it's that quick to come down."
Peng Huan smiled and came over to take her arm. Seeing that she was only carrying a canvas bag, she asked, "Where's your luggage? Are there any valuables in the car? It's best not to leave valuables in the car."
The local security wasn't the best, and with people coming and going in the lobby, she couldn't be too explicit for fear of offending someone.
It turned out she had been here last year as a cinematographer for a documentary. She had left her brand-new camera in the car, and when she woke up, it was gone.
She ended up staying here an extra two days trying to get it back. But because the filming schedule was tight, she couldn't wait around forever. The police said they'd filed a case and would contact her if they found it, but to this day, the case remains unsolved.
A new camera worth nearly 100,000 yuan. The thought of it still made her wince.
Ni Bingyan wasn't some sheltered princess who didn't understand the ways of the world. She got it in a second. "It's just too heavy! I was thinking of finding someone to help, hehe. And look, you were waiting right here to get press-ganged!"
With that, she led Peng Huan to her car.
"My god, your car is packed to the brim!"
She had assumed the suitcase would be in the trunk, but when the trunk opened, Peng Huan was stunned!
"The crew provides meals! I can maybe understand bringing a pot and some instant noodles, but a bag of rice and a bundle of dried noodles? What were you thinking? And a tent, a folding chair, this army coat…"
Ni Bingyan chuckled. "Hey, it's better to be safe than sorry! Look, those jars—that's beef sauce, mixed meat sauce, and all sorts of side dishes my dad made himself. When I get tired of the crew's food, I can just boil some noodles and eat them with this. It's not too hot here, so they'll last for a month after opening without spoiling."
'It's a three-month shoot, with two of those months spent in this mountain valley. Of course I had to come fully prepared.'
As for the crew's boxed meals... anyone who's had them knows.
"Come on, let's go. Even a thief wouldn't bother stealing this stuff. It's not even worth the effort to pry the door open!"
Ni Bingyan chuckled, pulled an inconspicuous little box out from under the army coat, and casually put it in her bag. Then she grabbed a 24-inch, pearlescent pink suitcase from the back seat, locked the car, and called to Peng Huan, "Let's go, Sister Huanhuan."
After a few steps, she asked, "Who all has arrived so far?"
"I came with the director's team. The location and art departments have already gone to Lao Gua Village to set up the scene. The props and wardrobe teams are arriving tonight. As for you actors, everyone has a different schedule, so I'm not sure."
Since scenes are shot out of order, it's impossible for all the actors to join the crew early and just wait around. The ones here now would be those with major parts. Ni Bingyan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Peng Huan helped her lift the suitcase and bounded up the steps in two strides. Ni Bingyan couldn't stop her, so she just let her be. Once it was up the steps, she could roll it anyway.
"That works. We can still look around the city and pick up a few more things, so we don't have to worry about the inconvenience of coming back out once we're in the mountains."
"Oh, it won't be that bad. With a crew of dozens, the daily food and drink consumption is huge. The production manager will definitely be sending people to the city to buy supplies regularly. If you want anything, you can just have them bring it back for you. It's very convenient."
They might not do it for others, but the crew would definitely show the female lead some courtesy.
They weren't hoping she'd give them a leg up after she became a huge star; they just prayed she wouldn't rack up a bunch of NGs when the cameras were rolling.
For the on-set crew, getting off work on time every day is the greatest happiness. Constantly working 12-hour-plus days, or even 24-hour marathon shifts, is something nobody can stand.
"By the way, Teacher Deng is the director. Who's the assistant director?"
For a film crew to run smoothly, the actors are just one small part; the majority of the people are the behind-the-scenes staff.
Because the story was simple, the director hadn't organized a script reading beforehand. Before she came, she wasn't even sure who the other main actors were, let alone the crew members.
On a film set, it's not enough for the director to be good; the cinematographer and the assistant director also have to work together seamlessly for the production to be efficient.
"It's Liu Zhicheng, Brother Liu. He's a really straightforward and loyal guy, but there's one thing: whatever he tells you to do, you have to do it right. Otherwise, he'll flip out and curse you out. He's even yelled at me."
The assistant director and the cinematographer often work together on set, and the two of them had collaborated more than once. Peng Huan knew his personality well, so for her to say this was a genuine warning. Ni Bingyan, of course, wouldn't go spreading it around and just nodded in acknowledgment.