Hi everybody!
Here a new oneshot! A little Christmas story, even if it's a little too late!
I'm talking about my other fic, "Honor to us all", but you don't have to read it to understand this one ^^
It's a prompt, "wonder", of the prompt series written by JVH624 Dr-Cokebottles Meggyhashope Daphnecs8 rainingmeteors
Enjoy!
The Christmas TV Movie: What makes it so easy to guess the ending?
It had been several months since the Mingde Theatre Club had produced its musical "Mulan," featuring Dong Shancai playing Mulan and Daoming Si playing Shang. Since then, the club didn't stop to welcome new members and requests for new shows. Qinghe was very proud, and, now, he behaved like a true professional.
So many things had happened and, now, his best friend was called Daoming Shancai for already a month. It had been difficult for Qinghe to see his childhood love marrying AhSi, but he eventually accepted it. The Maple Hotel chain's heir seemed to be sincerely in love with Shancai, and she also seemed smitten. Then, on top of that, he and Lizhen became closer.
By the way, Qinghe had a date with Lizhen when he received an unexpected phone call. He almost fainted when he recognized his favorite series director on the other end of the line. He had to pinch himself when the same man offered to help him shoot a Christmas TV movie.
He had heard a lot about his portrayal of Mulan and even saw a video of it. So, he was interested in the way he trained his actors and had been seduced by their talents, especially those of Daoming Si and Shancai. So, he wanted to engage them for his Christmas TV movie and hoped that Qinghe would help him to decide them.
Proud and flattered, Qinghe quickly accepted. Once he hung up, he shouted with joy, jumping up and down in his parents' living room – before he stopped suddenly. He just realized he had to convince the Daomings again to play – and it was far from easy!!
***
Shancai sighed, pulling her hair back with a weary gesture. "Okay, okay, Qinghe! I'll see what I can do!" She said, becoming even more uncomfortable, before hanging up.
AhSi, who was sitting with his computer on the couch, looked up, raising an eyebrow questioningly. His wife closed her eyes, gathering all her courage before explaining her best friend's new plan.
Her husband tilted his head back, growling in despair. He knew in advance that Shancai didn't want to do it but was ready to give in to her friend, moved by his dismay. So, she would do her best to convince him to do it too. It was utterly futile to resist.
He couldn't say "no" to his wife. "Do you know the scenario, at least?" He asked, tiredly.
Shancai shrugged. "Qinghe must send it to me in the evening." She replied.
Daoming Si massaged his temples, sighing for the umpteenth time. "I guess we'll have to dive into the "Christmas spirit" and relive the magic of this celebration through a sappy scenario?" He said in a jaded tone. He turned to his wife and was surprised to find she looked utterly lost. "What's going on?" He asked puzzled.
Shancai fidgeted slightly, uneasy. "I've never really celebrated Christmas." She finally confessed. "I don't have any idea what the magic of Christmas is, nor its spirit, nor anything like that." She looked down, ashamed. AhSi hastily got up and hugged her tenderly.
"Don't worry." He said reassuringly. "I've celebrated Christmas with my family before, but there was never magic in it either. If my father tried to do something when my sister and I were children, it all turned cold when we were alone with our mother." He stroked her back then pulled away slightly, to look straight into her eyes. "You know what?" He said. "I've got an idea!"
A few minutes later, they were sitting with drinks and snacks on the sofa, the television on and with a list of selected Christmas movies and TV films. "Come on, let's have a little Christmas spirit marathon, my Shancai!" "Daoming Si exclaimed cheerfully, and his wife burst out laughing, amused.
They watched the first movie, then a second and a third. As they started the fourth movie, Daoming Si suddenly paused. The couple looked at each other straight in the eyes. "Is it me, or I already guessed what is going to happen next?" The young man asked.
Shancai raised an eyebrow. "Hmm – let me guess. She's crazy about her job, doesn't like Christmas, and yearns of finding a new opportunity to reach her dream job. I suppose she'll have to go back to the small town of her childhood for some unknown reason, and she's going to meet her childhood love again there."
Daoming Si nodded. "At first, she'll can't bear to see him again." He continued. "But, being with her family and seeing this man again will help her to find the Christmas spirit again. She'll also remember her old dreams and will regret giving them up."
"Let's not forget that she experienced a trauma that took her away from her family and her former love." Shancai continued. "Either it was because of her ex or one of her parents died. In the end, she's going to give up everything, go back to her old dreams, and will end up with her childhood love."
"Of course," AhSi concluded, "The movie will end up with a kiss, preferably under the snow." They stared at each other silently before both of them burst into laughter. Daoming Si restarted the film.
"Ah!" Shancai exclaimed after a few seconds. "She had to enter a contest in that one."
Daoming Si nodded. "Oh! She had to go back to her parents' home to find her mother's recipe book!" He sneered a few minutes later.
"Alas, her mother was dead three years ago, and she lost Christmas spirit." Shancai sighed dramatically.
"And her cooking teacher is none other than her old high school boyfriend!" AhSi exclaimed, feigning surprise.
Then, at the end of the movie, husband and wife exclaimed in chorus, "And, of course, the famous kiss under the snow!!!"
Naturally, not all the movies were the same. There were also the countless adaptations of Dickens' "Christmas Carol," more or less modern, more or less faithful. Not to mention an encounter with princes, trips to Africa, red and white remakes of "Groundhog Day" and meetings with Santa family itself!
At the end of their marathon, Shancai and Daoming Si weren't sure they understood the Christmas spirit, but they knew at least everything about a Christmas TV movie script. By the way, when they discovered the screenplay sent by Qinghe, they didn't really have any great surprise and were even for another laugh.
***
The shooting of the TV movie "A Lovely Christmas'" ended in early November, so that it would be broadcast on television during December. More than once, the Daoming couple had to repress crazy laughter as they performed the stereotypes observed in the various movies they viewed, the return to their childhood village after years, the reunion with the former lover, and, of course, the kiss under the snow.
Shancai wasn't sure if they had recreated their much-awaited Christmas magic, but the directors seemed satisfied. As in Mulan's performance, the simple appearance of the Daoming couple was still very magical because of their spellbinding chemistry. Qinghe was overjoyed and, after the director promised him that they would work together again, the young man thanked his best friend and her husband with teary eyes.
If at first, Shancai was simply intrigued, she was now frustrated that her questions had not been answered. She continued to wonder what the Christmas spirit was all about, still very lost. AhSi kept telling her that it didn't matter, that the damn shoot was finally over, but she didn't like the persistent mystery.
She became pensive and thoughtful, surprising Daoming si even more. One evening, as he was overseeing his wife, wondering what was going on in her mind while she was gazing into space, the young woman's phone rang. She jumped up and down and answered immediately. "Mommy?" She exclaimed. "What's going on?"
Her husband immediately got up to sit down next to her, alarmed by her worried look. Dong Lizi had taken a bad fall and broke her wrist. As a result, she was unable to cook for at least two or three weeks.
Unfortunately, since Dong's restaurant was brand new, they could not yet afford extras. In addition, help was scarce during the month of December because many restaurants were asking for it. Even if Dong Danian helped his wife a lot, he couldn't cook for her – after tasting his dishes, Shancai could confirm that his cooking skills weren't excellent.
Being still at the university, Shancai was embarrassed to miss so many classes, but Daoming Si promised her he would talk to her teachers and that her friends could pass her the lessons. After all, didn't Qinghe owe them a great deal? So, his wife finally promised his mother that she would return to the fishing village until she recovered.
She spent the day after packing her bags, switching from SMS to calls she received all day long. Daoming Si helped her as best as he could, amused to see her so busy. "It would almost look like a Christmas TV movie." He laughed. "Except you didn't become a busy businesswoman who neglects her family and old friends, and you grew up in Shanghai, not in this fishing village."
Shancai stopped and stared at him, biting her lip. "I have to admit that I feel like I've been neglecting my family and friends quite a bit lately." She confessed sheepishly. "Between my studies and my marriage to you, I feel like I don't get to spend much time with them."
Daoming Si creased his forehead worriedly. "Oh!" He said, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. But you'll get a chance to make it up to them, won't you?" Shancai nodded, but she still looked disturbed by something. Her husband raised an eyebrow questioningly at her. "Is there anything else?" He asked puzzled.
After hesitating, Shancai finally said, "I haven't always lived in Shanghai. I spent the first years of my life in that fishing village and went to elementary school there."
There were a few seconds of silence. Daoming Si swallowed hard while his wife looked down, awkward. He scratched his neck, uneasy, while his wife received new messaged on her phone. "Is it from your parents?" He eventually asked, giving in to his curiosity – and also to a touch of jealousy.
Shancai shook her head, unaware of the smile stretching her lips. "No, these are my childhood friends!" She sang. "They heard I was coming, and all seem excited to see me again!"
Daoming Si gave a tight smile at her. "Oh! As long as your old childhood love isn't writing to you, it's all right!"
Shancai blushed and scratched her ear, embarrassed. "Well, there is Wu Bosong, who was in love with me, but nothing ever happened between us." She stammered. "And, still, we were barely ten years old!"
Daoming Si swallowed again, paling dangerously. Noticing it, Shancai laughed and hugged her husband. "You know quite well that I love only you!" She whispered before kissing him tenderly and lovingly. "You'll see, these three weeks will pass quickly!"
But Daoming Si didn't manage to calm down. He had a lump in his throat when he saw his wife leaving the next morning, and that lump remained the days after. A week later, he was still as anxious, always wondering what his wife might be doing.
Even though she called him regularly, mostly on a video call, he continued to be afraid. She seemed happy, blossomed. It was too much like a Christmas TV movie for him! He wondered if she did not realize that her happiness was elsewhere, with her loved ones, her family. He imagined her discovering the magic of Christmas with a blissful smile on her lips as a stupid fisherman's son hugged her lovingly.
Daoming Si stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair. A maid working next to him startled and ran away in the corridor. Looking proud and determined, the young man put his foot on the coffee table, exclaiming, "No! I'm the only one who can make Shancai happy! I'm not going to be frightened by a stupid son of a fisherman! I'm going to give her some Chrismas magic!!!"
With these words, he called Meizuo, Lei, and Ximen to tell them that he was taking a two-week vacation to join his wife in his fishing village. Jaded, his friends didn't even try to stop him, knowing full well that it was useless.
***
When Shancai found him on the doorstep, a radiant smile lit up her face, and she hugged him happily, laughing her head off. Daoming Si called himself an idiot, thinking that he was obviously wrong to wonder so much. His wife loved him, and he was the only one to bring her happiness; it was undeniable!
Dong Lizi and Dong Danian welcomed him with their usual enthusiasm, treating him like a prince honoring them with his majestic visit. They prepared the best for him for dinner and made up a large bed in Shancai's room. After all, they were husband and wife now, and there was no way that Daoming Si slept with Dong Danian!
Dazed by his reunion with his beloved wife, Daoming Si didn't realize that something had changed with his wife until Dong Lizi pointed it out. "Idiot, you've put colors all over your face!" she grumbled as she tried to wipe her daughter's face.
Blushing with shame, Shancai rushed to the bathroom, and Daoming Si, intrigued, followed her. His wife had the colors of the rainbow on her face indeed as if four years old children played putting some makeup on her with pencils and pastels. "What did you do to end up with Elmer the Elephant's head?" AhSi asked, laughing.
Shancai's smile widened. She didn't answer immediately, cleaning her face. Then, she took his hand and whispered, "Wait, I'm going to show you."
She dragged him to her room, then took out some drawing pads and drawing books. Inside, Daoming Si discovered a plethora of sketches, drawings worthy of comic books and children's albums, and even a few paintings. "Woah!" He exclaimed, admiring. "Did you draw all that?"
Shancai nodded proudly, her eyes shining. They were old drawings, some from elementary school, some from middle school, and even high school. She explained to him each portrait, each landscape, all of them coming from her childhood.
Gradually, in spite of him, Daoming Si felt his heart tightening. A touch of jealousy appeared when she showed him several sketches of the famous Wu Bosong, but also a lot of anxiety. Shancai told him that it was an old dream to become a cartoonist. An idea she had given up to help her mother develop her catering business and study nutrition in Mingde.
AhSi closed his eyes for a few seconds. It was typical of a Christmas TV movie again. In the corner of the room, he saw a canvas hidden under a sheet. Shancai forbade him to look. "That's what I'm drawing. I don't want you to look until I'm finished! "Shancai told him with a mysterious look.
Daoming Si glanced suspiciously at her hidden work. What did it portray? Wu Bosong again? Her future? The one he was thinking about or the one she was dreaming about? Was it the same one? His heart raced. Questions came back in his head, making him feel dizzy. Shancai was rediscovering her old passion, who's to say she wasn't going to find out she'd gone down the wrong path? That she was going to give it all up?
Daoming Si, who had always been so confident, felt panic rising in him and doubt settling in. His infinite love for Shancai made him discover fear. He was afraid of not being up to the task, to not be able to make her happy, and to lose her forever.
As she was able to read in his thoughts, Shancai stroked his cheek tenderly, looking right into his eyes. She kissed his forehead for a long time, making his heart flutter. Then, she took his hand and pulled him toward the living room. "Come," she whispered, "let's eat."
The Dong couple seemed even more fidgety than usual, and when they entered the room, they could hardly contain their excitement. "Okay, okay, tell me what you two are hiding! "Shancai said, laughing.
Dong Danian pulled out a rather bulky box. Some neighbors wanted to part with it, and he had managed to repurchase it for a small fee. When they opened it, Shancai let out an admiring exclamation. It was Christmas decorations, full lots of it. It was a first for the Dong; they had never decorated their house like this before.
After the copious meal, Daoming Si found himself helping the Dong family decorate the little house. He laughed with them, became enthusiastic, and also teased his wife by wrapping garlands around her. He especially admired his Shancai, whose eyes grew even brighter while the house lit up. She looked like a child seeing fireworks for the first time.
Yet, even when she gave herself to him during the night, Daoming Si continued to be afraid, worried, and kept on wondering desperately.
The following days, Shancai introduced him to her group of childhood friends; Lu Yang, Lin JingXiao – who were married to each other – Li Wei – who was at her family's home for the holidays before coming back to United States with her husband and children – and the famous Wu Bosong – who, much to Daoming Si's dismay, was still single and was casting long enamored glances to Shancai.
Daoming Si did his best to repress his jealousy, to refrain from throwing himself at Wu Bosong when he called his wife "Boss" while putting his arm around her shoulders. He tried to remember that Shancai was his wife, that she had chosen him, to the point of starving herself to death, standing in the rain. But he could see her growing even happier, even more blossoming, amid all the faces of her childhood.
Christmas Eve was getting closer. Daoming Si did his best to help his wife and father-in-law at the restaurant. In the evenings, Shancai isolated herself for hours to continue her drawing she then hid under the sheet again.
It was decided they would celebrate the 24th in the evening with friends and Shancai's family. It was a first for the Dong and, in a sense, for Daoming Si as well. The party was in full swing as the young leader of the Daoming group watched his wife dance with her friends, her eyes shining with joy like never before.
He felt his heart broke slowly. He was beginning to wonder if the life he wanted to offer Shancai was really the right one for her if he could bring her the happiness she was experiencing right now. He felt alone as if he didn't belong in Shancai's world anymore.
Keeping his head down, he left to isolate himself for a moment on the terrace, losing himself in the contemplation of the moonlit sea. On his way, Dong Lizi asked him if everything was alright, and he pretended to have a slight headache, and he needed some air. He got lost in his thoughts as even the sound of the waves could not soothe him.
He didn't even realize that someone had approached him and jumped when two hands hugged his waist. "AhSi?" His wife said with her clear voice, making his heart leap. "What's going on? Is there a problem? Are you bored?"
He turned slowly toward her, meeting her big doe eyes. "Shancai," he whispered, "are you happy with me? I mean, really happy?" The young woman's eyes widened with surprise, and he decided to continue, explaining himself. "I've been watching you a lot these last few days, and I've never seen you so happy and radiant. I feel that being in the village of your childhood surrounded by your family and friends brings you much more happiness than I can bring you in a lifetime." A bitter laugh escaped from his lips as tears came to his eyes without warning. "Damn, Shancai!" He exclaimed. "I feel like I'm in one of those damn Christmas movies we watched the other day! I'm playing the role of the man who took you away from everything you love, from your old dreams, and I have the feeling I'm going to lose you at any moment."
He tried to hold it back, but tears began to fall. He immediately hid his face, refusing to let Shancai see him in this state. There was a moment of silence. Perhaps it lasted only a few seconds, but for the young Daoming, it seemed to last an eternity. A hand finally came to slip into his. "AhSi," his wife whispered softly, "I think it's time I showed you something."
She led him to her room, skillfully avoiding the festivities that always took place in the living room. There she headed straight for what she had hidden under a sheet. Before removing it, she turned to Daoming Si. "If you want to know the cause of my present happiness, the answer is here, hidden underneath." She said in a trembling voice, her eyes moist with tears. "Are you ready to know it, AhSi?"
With a lump in his throat, he nodded.
Shancai took off the sheet.
He was breathless.
Like in a kaleidoscope of photographies, Shancai had drawn a multitude of scenes. On one of it, a young girl was kicking a young, arrogant man's face who surely disrespected her. On another one, the same young man, with spikes in his hair like a pineapple, put his hand on the girl's forehead, concerned about her health.
On this one, he admired her while she wore a pretty white dress, and she made a face at him. Here, he encouraged her during a cooking contest, there he saved her from a snowstorm and then there, then here, and again there, he kissed her.
The most important drawing was portraying them both getting married. "My god, Shancai!" Daoming Si stuttered. "It's so beautiful!"
Once again, Shancai took his hand, turning him toward her. Her eyes were shining brighter than ever. "Do you understand, AhSi?" She asked, with her eyes filled with love. "This happiness you see in me, you created it! You surprised me by coming to spend these two weeks with me, by accepting the modest life of my family, by decorating our little house for Christmas, by getting to know my childhood friends, and you even took an interest in drawing, one of my oldest passions! These last few weeks have been magical thanks to you and only you, AhSi!" She hugged him and buried her head into his neck. Moved, Daoming Si hugged her back, couldn't believe how lucky he was. "AhSi," Shancai murmured, "laugh at me if you want, but, thanks to you, I now know what the magic of Christmas is!"
He smiled, melting, and was about to answer when Shancai interrupted him, "Just promise me that we can do this again sometime! "she said. "Promise me that we can retake a break, come back here for a while with my family." AhSi immediately nodded. "And that I could continue drawing," Shancai added.
AhSi smiled. "Whatever you want, my Shancai!" He said tenderly.
He was about to lean to kiss her when Shancai startled, her eyes wide, staring at the window. "Oh my god, AhSi!" She exclaimed. "It's snowing!"
He turned and noticed that big snowflakes were indeed falling from the sky. Immediately, his wife lured him outside so they could enjoy the view. Shancai's eyes had never been brighter, and Daoming Si felt more in love than ever.
He stroked his wife's cheek, pulled her to him so that she couldn't catch a cold, and he kissed her lovingly as the snowflakes swirled around them.