Translator: Exodus Tales
Editor: Exodus Tales
Begonia had always been Li Chengfeng’s confidante. He had taken care of her until An Ning appeared. Li Chengfeng fell in love with An Ning and because of this, Begonia was constantly against her.
Later during the turmoil of the revolution, An Ning persuaded Li Chengfeng to assist the Communist Party for national justice. The Communist Party won, but he had sacrificed himself when assisting An Ning in her mission. Begonia committed suicide at the news of his death, the heroine, An Ning left disappointed and proceeded with her next mission.
After Su Xiangwan stepped onto the stage, the eyes of seven to eight people, including the director and screenwriter, fell on her.
The director and screenwriter looked at each other subconsciously, amazement flashed across their eyes.
This Su Xiangwan was really in line with the picture of the role of Begonia. She was gorgeous but not vulgar, flattering but not pampered. Just by simply standing there, it was as if they had returned to the ballroom during the old Shanghai period.
The screenwriter nodded with satisfaction as he spoke first, “We’ll just try out the important drama part immediately. You can start with the section where you commit suicide after hearing about Li Chengfeng’s death.
Su Xiangwan wasn’t surprised at all.
This was because this scene really tested one’s acting skills and didn’t require any supporting actors, it was perfect for auditions.
She lowered her eyes and remained silent for over ten seconds, preparing herself of what would come soon.
“Begonia… Begonia… Mr. Li… Mr. Li is dead!” A staff member nearby tossed out the beginning of the scene.
Dead… dead.
A cheer rose outside the door, it was the sound of people celebrating the victory of the revolution. However, in contrast to this, the inside of Yong Le Gate’s lights were dim, everything was silent.
Begonia sat in front of a retro square table, half of her body was shrouded in darkness, it made one unable to see her expression.
She didn’t cry nor shed any tears. Her hand, which was dyed with red nail polish trembled as she took out a slender lady’s cigarette from the case, after pausing slightly, she held it in her mouth.
She took out a matchstick and slowly struck it a few times, her hands were terribly trembling uncontrollably as she tried to light it over and over again.
The world was left with the sound of the matchstick scraping across, everyone’s attention was on her hand.
After several sparks in the darkness, the matchstick finally lit up.
Her hand habitually covered the cigarette, she was blocking the breeze that headed over, and, as if in a hurry, quickly took a deep breath. After doing so, her trembling hand slowly steadied.
She leaned lightly on the back of her chair, the gramophone’s record began to play the melody of ‘Farewell My Concubine’. She held the cigarette between her fingertips and hummed along, it was as if she could see the image of him embracing her in the middle of the dance floor.
‘Begonia, with me here, no other man on the beach of Shanghai can force you.’
‘What about women?’
‘I can’t do anything about that, you know I don’t hit women.’
She lowered her eyes as the smoke lingered in front of her.
Chengfeng… that day you said you were going to save her, your eyes were so bright. I then knew that I couldn’t stop you. It’s just… you promised me that you would definitely come back… but… but… you still broke that promise.
There was a faint smell of iron in the air.
‘Drip… drop…’ Drop after drop of blood fell on the old wooden floor.
She still hummed along with the melody of the gramophone, the rocking chair occasionally creaked. She didn’t shed a single tear from the beginning to end, yet it still made people feel an inexplicable heartache and pain.
Chengfeng… you always said that I was beautiful, but you forget that my heart’s broken.
After a long time, the entire practice hall remained silent, leaving only the final tune of the gramophone.
Su Xiangwan looked behind the screen a few times, shouldn’t the staff members have come up by now to discover that she was already dead? This was when the scene should’ve ended.
Where were they?
She waited for over two minutes, even after the music was gone, no one still came. Su Xiangwan had no choice but to stand up.
Only then after seeing this did the director come back to his senses, he was the first to applaud. “Excellent!”