Some time ago, Xu Xingchen deposited all his money into a bank card and handed it to Xu Dahai: "The password is still your birthday."
Xu Dahai thought that he had accepted his proposal. Without speaking, he took the bank card and said, "When you arrive in Beijing, work well. Don't worry about me and live a good life with Xiao Sun."
He felt regretful that he could not meet Sun Mingzhi. He wanted to see him yet also didn't.
Xu Xingchen said: "We have broken up."
Xu Dahai was taken aback for a moment, then fell silent. He eventually asked: "Was it because of me?"
"No, it's our own problem."
Xu Dahai sighed. What he wanted to say was at the tip of his tongue but he swallowed those words back. For two men that are together but can't get married or have children, when they break up it's just that. He felt that their bonds were too unreliable. But it was useless to say such a thing. He only had endless worries and he didn't know what to say.
"I don't plan to go back to Beijing. I want to stay at home for a while," Xu Xingchen said.
"You're not working anymore?"
Xu Xingchen said: "I can always find another job since I have ample experience, but I only have one father. How can I possibly leave you alone and go back to Beijing? How would I feel relief? What are the conditions in the nursing home? Would it be better than our place now? You don't know anyone there so how can you count on them? You aren't their father so do you still expect them to take good care of you?"
Xu Dahai had become a bit temperamental. After hearing this, a hint of panic rose, and he touched his knees.
"We severed our relationship so are you afraid that I'll bother you? You're right. Originally you were not a good father, and I wasn't a filial son, but there's no one else to turn to so let just make do with what we have. No matter how much you think your son dislikes you, it'll still be better than outsiders."
Xu Dahai hung his head, rubbed his knees with both hands, and said: "You may have to help feed me in the future..."
Xu Xingchen said: "This is not for you either. I may return to live here in the future. What would they say about a bigshot son who went to live in a city and when his father fell ill, he threw him into a nursing home? No matter how you spin it, how can I raise my head in my hometown. Stop thinking about it. When you die, it'll be in front of me."
After he finished speaking, he opened the door and went out. After a while, Xu Dahai chased after him. He handed over the bank card, shredding the last of his dignity as a father. His eyes were like a child who look up to an adult for permission: "Then... you should take this. My mind... One day I won't be able to remember where I put it."
"Cut." Qiu Hong stood up and said: "Ok, it's over."
Shen Jintai and Cai Jun came over to watch the replay, only to find that Shen Ruhai and the others were here. He was still immersed in the play and called to Shen Ruhai "Dad".
Probably also touched by the content of the shooting just now, Shen Ruhai said: "Hey, I came to visit you... I told you in advance."
"I know." As Shen Jintai said it, he hugged Shen Xiaomei: "Let's talk in the car."
He then asked Shen Xiaomei: "Are you cold?"
Shen Xiaomei said: "Brother, why are you crying?"
Shen Jintai's eyes flushed slightly, and he said: "Brother cried while filming just now. It's not really crying."
Liu Qi had picked out some snacks that was given to them by the Yan Family over Chinese New Year's and brought them with her.
Touched by the filming just now, Shen Jintai cherished them. He always felt pity for Shen Ruhai. In the past, he had a bad relationship with his son. Now that he's old, they've reconciled, but he didn't know that his son was no longer in this world. If he hadn't transmigrated through, Shen Jintai would have jumped to his death a long time ago.
Where was the original Shen Jintai? Perhaps like him, he inexplicably transmigrated to another world and started a new life.
Seeing him looking like this, Shen Ruhai smiled and said: "You act very well. I finally could witness it firsthand."
They began chatting in the RV. After a while, Xiao Tang talked about the hardships he had suffered when they were filming <Pilot>: "The shooting conditions are much better now that we're shooting a film produced by President Yan's company."
Liu Qi had heard that Shem Jintai was injured when he filmed a scene where he had to jump into a river: "It seems that you have it tough."
"Don't act too hard. Safety still has to come first." Shen Ruhai said: "When I was young, I acted too brashly and now have multiple problems. My stomach is bad and now that I want to maintain it, I found it's too late."
Indeed, there are no job that's easy. Shen Ruhai had worked hard all his life. At his current middle-age, he suddenly went bankrupt. All the hair on his head had greyed and he had to move into the home of his estranged son. The feelings he has are probably not much different from that of Xu Dahai.
As Xu Xingchen, he was still considerate to Xu Dahai, and as Shen Jintai, he should give the same consideration to Shen Ruhai. Perhaps they'll never be harmonious and happy as a filial family, but the least he could do is try his best, like Xu Xingchen.
Before Xu Dahai mental health completely deteriorated, Xu Xingchen took him to visit Beijing. They visited the and watched the raising of the national flag. Later, on a whim, he even took him to where Sun Mingzhi worked, and they watched him from a distance.
Xu Dahai shook his head and said: "He's not as good as that kid Yu Chenglin."
Xu Xingchen laughed.
Even the doctors in Beijing couldn't do anything about his Alzheimer's. After they returned from Beijing, Xu Dahai's conditioned worsened. Gradually, he needed to be reminded constantly.
"Who am I?"
"You are my son."
"What's my name?"
"Xu Xingchen."
"What's your name?"
Xu Dahai smiled and said: "Xu Dahai, a sea of stars*. The name your mother name you after."
*Xingchen (星辰) and Dahai (大海) combined = a sea of stars. He's saying his mother gave him the name Xingchen to compliment Dahai.
"Then what's my mother's name?"
"Her name is... her name is... I can't remember."
"Her name is Lu Mingfen."
Xu Dahai smiled and said: "Yes, yes, Mingfen."
Another winter came. Xu Xingchen was worried about leaving Xu Dahai home alone so he took him to the farmer's market to buy vegetables. When they passed by Yu Chenglin's stall, Xu Dahai commented he wanted to eat fish.
"Do you remember him?" Xu Xingchen asked.
Xu Dahai shook his head and asked: "Do I know him?"
"Uncle, this is Yu Chenglin." Yu Chenglin smiled embarrassingly.
Xu Dahai shook his head again, stared at the fishpond and said: "I want a fish. Crucian carp."
He didn't even remember Yu Chenglin's name. Xu Xingchen had been living in his hometown for a year now. He had become more familiar with Yu Chenglin again so he chatted with him as he picked out a fish. Yu Chenglin still refused to accept money from him.
"Alright. I'll buy you a drink another day." Xu Xingchen said.
Coming out of the farmer's market, Xu Dahai said: "That young man isn't bad."
Xu Xingchen smiled, as his eyes became moist.
It was over a decade ago that he called Yu Chenglin out and severely beat him. He had scolded him and told his family that he was a disgusting pervert and his actions were incomprehensible. Now, ten years later, not even knowing who Yu Chenglin was, and whether he was straight or bent, he jokingly wanted to pair them up.
The past was truly forgotten, but it's okay to forget as long as Xu Dahai can still remember his name and that Xu Xingchen is his son. He was old and sick now and it was natural to rely on his son.
The two drank fish soup that evening and since then, Yu Chenglin would come to their house to deliver fish every few days.
One day Xu Dahai was sitting in the yard watching Xu Xingchen standing on a ladder picking persimmons and asked: "Do you like Yu Chenglin? I think he's pretty good."
He had even sneaked off one day to the farmer's market and asked Yu Chenglin if he liked his son.
"My son is not a pervert. He didn't know that I came here today, so please don't scold him. I want to ask do you like him? My son is a college graduate that works in Beijing. He's very promising."
Yu Chenglin smiled and was surprised and touched by this: "I do."
Xu Dahai raised his eyebrows and widened his eye as if in awe: "Then think about it. He likes you quite a lot and he's single."
After that, Yu Chenglin had called Xu Xingchen who quickly came over to pick up his father. On the way back, Xu Dahai murmured: "When I die, what are you going to do? There's no one around to take care of you when you get old. You have no child and you must have someone near you."
Xu Xingchen was tired of hearing these words and didn't respond as they carried the fish home.
After winter passed, spring came.
Xu Xingchen put down a basin of hot water and asked him to wash his feet as he sat next to him and watched TV. Xu Dahai soaked his feet for a while in a daze. When Xu Xingchen turned off the TV, he asked: "Are you finished?"
"Yes."
Xu Xingchen went to dump out the water, then wiped his feet, then he asked: "Who are you?"
"I am..." Xu Dahai was stunned for a while then smiled as if he was embarrassed: "Who am I?"
Xu Xingchen stopped the movement of his hands and squatted on the ground, looking up at him: "Think about it hard. Who are you?"
Xu Dahai thought hard for a while before awkwardly laughing: "My brain is confused right now, hehehe."
"Xu Dahai, you are Xu Dahai."
"I am Xu Dahai."
"Then who am I?"
"Who are you?"
"Don't you know who I am?"
Xu Dahai smiled embarrassedly and rubbed his knees with both hands.
Xu Xingchen said: "I am your son."
Xu Dahai didn't respond, he just said: "My son is Xu Xingchen."
Xu Xingchen smiled and said: "Yes, I am Xu Xingchen, your son."
Xu Dahai gave him an awkward smile.
Xu Xingchen put his hands on Xu Dahai's knees, raised his head and asked, "Don't you know who I am?"
Xu Dahai saw that his expression had changed and became panicked: "I'm sorry. You... you are... who are you?"
Xu Dahai remembered that his son's name was Xu Xingchen, but he could not recognize the person that was right in front of him.
The day has finally arrived.
Xu Xingchen buried his head on Xu Dahai's lap and said: "I am your son. My name is Xu Xingchen. Xingchen Dahai was the name given to me by Lu Mingfen. Lu Mingfen is my mother.... And your...."
Before he could finish, he burst into tears. Xu Dahai touched his hair warmly, at a completely loss. His expression began to dull as sadness took over and he started crying as well.
Xu Xingchen still had a father, but no longer has one. At the moment of loss, love will reach its peak. Their familial bond had become much closer within this year. Their feelings of estrangement was now only unconditional love.
Shen Jintai could no longer suppress himself. His cried heavily as snot flowed down but the camera didn't give him any close-ups. It only captured the vision of a father and son, crying sadly, and this elicit the feelings of the crew who's eyes were all moist.
When this scene was done, they went out to film the rain outside. The sound of pattering was to indicate that the first spring rain had arrived in the year. There weren't many elements of a "rainy day in the spring night" in the movie.
When Qiu Hong introduced the background, he said that Xu Dahai was a scholar and his favorite poem was <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night>. In the first year of their father-son reunion, it had rained that Spring. Xu Dahai had recited the poem under the sound of the pattering rain in the yard.
On the wall of Xu Dahia's room, he hung a calligraphy of <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night>. This was one of the few props that Qiu Hong had introduced. It's said that when Xu Xinghcen was fourteen, on the second day of highschool, he participated in a calligraphy competition held by the county and won a prize for it. After returning home, he also wrote this poem for Xu Dahai which was now framed and hung in his room.
While the movie did not delve deeply into exploring their characters, every time the camera moves around the room, it brought hints of the underlying feelings that couldn't be expressed in words. Shen Jintai felt that this poem had a special meaning for Qiu Hong and was the reason why he used it, as it seemingly has nothing to do with the theme of the movie.
Perhaps the feelings of father and son is like the spring rain. It dampens but is silent and traceless, just like how they are in this movie, coming slowly and restrained. When you watch it from beginning to end, you find that it had moisten your entire heart filling it with both warmth and sadness.
The final shot of the movie was after the night of spring rain. Xu Xingchen was walking through the fields holding Xu Dahai's hand. The flowers and plants were all wet from the rain, and the dampness made their colors stood out.
At this time, Xu Dahai no longer knew who Xu Xingchen was, but was still dependent on him, like a young child who didn't know the meaning of parents but still relied on them to take care of him.
At the end of the movie, there was still much to be said, but there was no need to say it.
After the scene was filmed, Qiu Hong, who has always been calm and restrained, covered his face and cried bitterly. When he collected himself, he folded his hands together, bow to everyone, and said: "Thank you. Thank you."
[The good rain knows its seasons,
When spring arrives, it brings life.
It follows the wind secretly into the night,
And moistens all things softly, without sound.]
When Shen Jintai got into the car, he looked outside the window at the coming Spring. The weather was getting warmer in February and there were new buds that were flowering in Nancheng after the rain last night.
[On the country road, the clouds are all black,
On a riverboat, a single fire bright.]
He closed his eyes and said: "At dawn one sees this place now red and wet, the flowers are heavy in the brocade city."
The author has something to say：
The remaining parts of this novel will be sweet!
Kinky Thoughts: A very bittersweet chapter.