A heartbeat, a lifetime

Chapter 20 Drawing Hearts (1)
After being re-bandaged in the hospital, Mai Zhendong accompanied me on the plane back to Feihai that night.

Perhaps it was due to the high air pressure, the wound seemed to swell and burst, I could only hold back, hugged the pillow, curled up on the seat, and remained motionless.

Someone next to me poked my finger.

I don't want to raise my eyelids and pretend to be asleep.

The poking turned into a push, and I heard a dissatisfied voice, "I flew with you back and forth, and you don't seem to have thanked me yet."

I weakly pointed to my forehead, indicating that I was a patient.

"Bai Xi, I know you can't sleep. Let's talk." Mai Zhendong suddenly said in a serious voice, "About Shen Qinjun."

I froze and wanted to turn over and pretend I didn't hear it.

"He's engaged. Do you have any other thoughts about him?" Mai Zhendong cut to the point, not giving me a chance to evade.

"It was a little bit before. But it's gone long ago." I said helplessly, "Master, the current situation is that I avoid him, but I can bump into him everywhere. It's his problem, not mine."

Lao Mai's expression was a little shocked, "You really thought about him? Bai Xi! You—"

I avoided his eyes in embarrassment, "Anyway, Shen Qinjun is pretty good-looking, and he is decent and dedicated. I have a normal sexual orientation, so it's nothing to like him a little?"

Mai Zhendong looked at me with a half-smile, "I've known you for so long, why don't you think about me?"

"Ahem, did you hear the keyword "decent and dedicated?" I reminded in a low voice.

Mai Zhendong narrowed his eyes dangerously, "How decent do you think he is?"

My face froze, but fortunately, Lao Mai didn't intend to force me to death anymore, so he changed the subject directly, "I've seen the photos."

As soon as I mentioned the photos, my mood mode changed immediately, as if I was a student waiting for the announcement of the college entrance examination, and I was a little apprehensive.

"It's good, I didn't lose face." He glanced at my gauze calmly, "It's worth it to fall like this."

Until now, I believed that my colleagues did not lie to me again, because this was the first time Master praised me positively.The wound seemed to be less painful, and I stared at him brightly, "I'm finally relieved."

He rubbed my hair, "I'll keep an eye on it later, so you can take care of your injuries."

I nodded, but he ignored me, leaned back on his seat, and opened a newspaper to read.

Because it was an evening flight, the light in the cabin was dim and dim, with only a faint reading light on the newspaper that smelled of ink.I tilted my head and quietly looked at this hard-lined man, with short hair standing upright, and a square and rigid jaw.

I thought with some pride, this is my master!

I often feel that he is like an informal knight in ancient times. Everyone, including Shen Qinjun, doesn't take my injury seriously, thinking that my hard work is really not worth it. Only he can touch my hair and say "it's worth it".

In this circle, he helped me so much probably because he liked my hard work.

In the warm cabin, I finally couldn't restrain my drowsiness. Before falling asleep, I murmured, "Thank you, Old Mai."

After returning to Feihai, the company arranged for me to go to the hospital for an examination again.

The doctor took my CT and read it carefully, and then asked about my situation, and said calmly, "It's nothing to do, just come and change the medicine regularly."

I seized the opportunity to ask the doctor, "Doctor, do you think I will lose my memory?"

The doctor was writing hard on the medical record, but he put down his pen when he heard this, "What's your name? How old are you this year?"

"Bai Xi, 25."

"I see you have a pretty good memory." The doctor laughed, "What did you forget?"

"I'm not joking." I hurriedly defended, "Since I was knocked unconscious, I keep seeing some pictures. I don't know the people in it, but they all treat me very well."

"Miss Bai, could it be that you have read too many TV novels?" The doctor explained to me patiently, "Sometimes people subconsciously bring themselves into a certain protagonist, we call it Mary Sue Syndrome."

"..." I stared at the joking doctor, and after a moment of silence, I was dejected, "Is there really nothing unusual in my film?"

He was very sure, "If you still insist, I can only suggest you to see a psychiatrist."

Lao Mai was waiting for me in the parking lot of the hospital.He said he hated the stale smell in the hospital the most, and he didn't want to accompany me in, smoking a cigarette by the car door.

"Master."

He stubbed out the cigarette butt, saw that the gauze on my forehead had been removed, and took a closer look, "There is still a scar."

There was nothing I could do about it. I carefully stretched out my hand, touched the slightly raised, soft and fresh scar on my forehead, and muttered, "This scar doesn't look like you."

He froze for a moment before he realized that I was referring to the scar on his right arm, which was more than ten centimeters long.

To say how it was scratched is almost a myth in our circle.

That time he took still photos for the magazine's "Beauty and the Beast" feature series, the film crew really borrowed tigers and leopards from the circus.When work was about to end, one of the lions suddenly went berserk, stretched out its thick forelimbs through the cage, and ruthlessly clawed at the fashion editor who was lowering his head to help tidy up his clothes.Thanks to Mai Zhendong's sharp eyesight and quick hands, he pushed the little girl away.

Although the sharpest claws of the lion in the circus have been cut off, the grasping force is still astonishing. Mai Zhendong had more than 20 stitches on his arm, leaving a terrifying scar that looks like a giant centipede.

I have been familiar with this story for a long time, and I always use it to remind myself that no one will succeed easily.

"What a mess." Lao Mai started the car and laughed, "Shall we go eat?"

I said "oh", pulled out my seat belt and fastened it, and suddenly said, "Do you believe I lost my memory?"

Mai Zhen chuckled, "I heard that foreigners wake up after concussion, and suddenly they can only speak Chinese."

"I don't believe it." To be honest, I don't have any confidence, after all, I can't come up with evidence.

"You just fell ill from idleness." Lao Mai said with certainty, "When will Su Wen give you a vacation?"

"There will be a topic selection meeting at work the day after tomorrow."

Lao Mai simply turned around, "Okay, then you will follow me today and tomorrow."

The car was running on the national highway, I was eating a hamburger, and then I looked at the full set of equipment on the back seat, "Master, why are we going?"

He held the steering wheel with one hand, thoughtfully: "Do something very meaningful."

What is the "meaningful" thing in Lao Mai's eyes?

Do you change your girlfriend every three months?Or have the ability to "cry every crew member on the set"?

I was silent for a moment, and said very bravely: "How far? Can I go by train?"

"You're the only one with a lot of problems." Old Mai gave me a sideways look, but he didn't seem to refuse.

By the time the answer to the mystery was revealed, it was already three hours later.

I was standing outside a small village that was completely unfamiliar to me. The warmth of the city’s small heat island could not infiltrate the place at all. The ground was frozen hard. Two children ran past me and looked back at us with curious faces.

"What are you doing in a daze?" he said, "Work."

"What job?" I was a little at a loss.

But he knew the way, he dragged me into a room, and greeted the elderly and children inside.

It turned out that this was a left-behind old and young village.Most of the young people in the village have gone out to work, leaving elderly parents and young children to depend on each other.This home is really too simple, almost built with red bricks, with cobwebs hanging on the corners.The old man had lost all his teeth, was wearing a big wet padded jacket, and was talking in an indistinct voice.Her granddaughter is still in school, and the walls are plastered with awards.

Looking at such a scene, my heart is very sad.

Mai Zhendong sat very close to the old man, holding her hand and talking in a low voice.

In my memory, I have seen Lao Mai who is fierce and domineering on the set, and I have also seen Lao Mai who is surrounded by female models and flirtatious at the party after the awards ceremony, but I have never seen him like this.

Gentleness, patience, and above all respect, respect for the vulnerable.

With the consent of the old man, he took the camera and began to capture the details of the hut - glass bottles dumped by the stove, blackened quilts, and cloth shoes with worn-out soles.

He took the filming extremely seriously, no less than filming award-winning specials for the best actor and actress of the Academy Award in a luxurious studio.

But I still feel puzzled, I have never seen any social news pictures signed by "Mai Zhendong".

Cold and hungry at night, the seven-year-old granddaughter stir-fried a pot of vegetables on her tiptoes, and ate with her grandma with cold steamed buns.There is also a box of instant noodles in Lao Mai's car.He moved out, asked for some hot water, and made a bowl for each of them. Unexpectedly, the little girl was so happy that she took a mouthful carefully, swallowed it for a long time and said, "Uncle, I only ate it on my birthday the year before last." Once!"

Under the dim light, I looked at the little girl's bright eyes and felt sad for a while.

Until this time, I really felt that life and death, food and clothing are the biggest problems a person faces.Compared with these, the so-called "unrequited love" that has tormented me for a long time is really flimsy and hypocritical.

Mai Zhendong repaired the light bulb that was always on and off, and the light was uncertain, and then left with me.

Walking to the entrance of the village, I couldn't help asking: "Where are these photos used?"

He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, smoked one and lit it.I stretched out my hand silently, he looked at me with curled lips, put the cigarette case back into his pocket, ignored me, just smiled, "Bai Xi, sometimes what Shen Qinjun said is right, you are too wild to follow me." gone."

"Ah?" Why didn't I know that they had communicated about me behind their backs?
After the cigarette was finished, Mai Zhendong handed me the iPad on the back seat. I clicked on the photo album, and the photos slid over one by one, all in black and white. The protagonists had neither makeup nor fancy clothes. ordinary people.Or in the cold morning, small vendors set up breakfast stalls on the side of the road; or after the snow, the sanitation workers clenched their brooms tightly with their rough, cracked hands.

Each one is an ordinary person, commonplace, but full of strength.

It can be seen that the photographer's strength of character is so solemn that it is admirable.

"Looking so fast?" Lao Mai was a little surprised, "Why, do you think the filming is not good?"

In fact, I have seen all these photos. It was on a photography topic on a certain portal website, and the topic was called "Alive".The author is called X-Ray.I saw it when I was wandering on the Internet, and I was shocked at the time, so I subscribed and collected it. I even asked my friends in the circle who this anonymous photographer is. After a discussion, we can only say: Master In folk.

Unexpectedly, this master turned out to be the master who was always regarded as sensual by me.

"X-Ray?" I couldn't help complaining, "This name is too earthy."

"Have you seen it?" He laughed, with a smug look on his face.

In the night, I looked at him carefully. Is it the man who is going back and forth in the wine and jewelry Vanity Fair, or the man who is stepping on the unstable little bench to change the light bulb? Which one is the real him?
"The hotels here are pretty much the same, so let's just settle for a while." Mai Zhendong stopped the car, wrapped his windbreaker in his hand, and motioned for me to get out of the taxi.

I sat still, fiddled with my seat belt absently, and asked, "Don't you feel very divided?"

"Huh?" He looked back at me with deep blackness in his eyes.

"Fashion and documentary, two modes, how do you switch?"

He was silent for a while, the smile on the corner of his lips seemed to disappear, "I said, I just do something meaningful occasionally."

"So your work in the fashion industry is meaningless? If so, how can you continue if you believe that it is meaningless in your heart?" I pressed on step by step.

Xu Shi noticed that my tone was a bit weird, he turned on the roof lights, and rubbed my head, "Fool. The job of the fashion circle is to pursue beauty, but the news and documentary photography let me know that there is something wrong in this world." How imperfect."

He said seriously: "They are not contradictory."

His body was cold, without any smell, but it was alarming.

This person, when I was desperate, brought me a job; when I was at a loss, let me learn to look at other things. There are many things, as long as you are alive, they are more important than romance.

"Master, can I give you a hug?" I looked at him sincerely.

"……why?"

"Thank you."

He looked at me fixedly, the smile on his lips gradually disappeared, "It's best not to."

"what?"

"Because I never refuse a woman who takes the initiative to throw herself into my arms."

"……roll."

The next morning, Mai Zhendong woke me up.

Because the sound insulation facilities of the express hotel are not good, I was tormented by the buzzing sound of the public hair dryer outside the door for most of the night, and I didn't sleep well.Opening the door with dark circles under his eyes, Mai Zhendong threw a hot pancake into my arms, "Hurry up, I have to go to the orphanage in the morning."

I brushed my teeth and washed my face as quickly as possible, took a bite of the pancake fruit that had become a little soft and said, "Let's go."

He looked at me with his hands behind his back, the corners of his mouth curled into a shallow arc, and he stretched out his hand suddenly, picked up a soft long strand of hair from my mouth, shook his head and sighed, "I was wondering if I knew you?" Among the girls, she has the roughest life."

I smiled mischievously, quickly tied up my long hair, and said mockingly, "It's easy to feed."

He squinted his eyes, the corners of his eyes seemed to be embedded with stars, and his smile was faint and bright.

I am no stranger to the orphanage, I lived there before I went to university.

But it is precisely because of this that when I step in, I feel a little close to home.

Mai Zhendong knew the person in charge very well, so he walked in front and didn't know what to talk about, while I wandered around by myself, and followed a group of volunteers to the office by the way.Someone was sorting out the files. I joined in the fun and watched for a while. On the table next to me was a stack of admission certificates.

I don't know who sent me to the children's welfare home?

I was thinking absent-mindedly, and asked the kind-looking, fat aunt: "Auntie, who sent these children here?"

The aunt answered patiently, "...the hospital, the Public Security Bureau."

"These lists are..."

The aunt took a look, "It's all a list of social donors."

My heart warmed, thinking that I had always been sponsored by someone, so I successfully graduated from high school and was admitted to university...Suddenly something slipped through my mind, and I was stunned. My intuition told me that this matter was very, very important.It's a pity that the only ray of light got into the deep, dense and countless nerve cells in a blink of an eye, and could never be found again.

Perhaps it was because of this that I was mentally exhausted all day. In fact, according to Mai Zhendong's usual work standards, I should have been scolded long ago.But he didn't. Occasionally meeting eyes, I felt that his expression was a little strange.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" On the train back, I finally couldn't help asking.

"I'm sorry." He turned his face slightly, looked straight ahead, and his voice was very low.

"Ok?"

"Today...does it remind you of unpleasant memories?" He rubbed his nose unnaturally.

"You mean the orphanage?" I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on my seat, "No."

I have lived in an orphanage for more than ten years.

The first reaction of everyone who knows about my experience is always to look at me with sympathy, as if I have been greatly wronged.When they knew that I had passed the XX university, the look in their eyes would change again, and they probably thought that I was really a model of "poor children" working hard.

But in fact, those days were not so bad for me.

Perhaps it was luck, the orphanage where I worked did not encounter any problems such as financial stress, let alone the legendary "child abuse" staff.Everyone is very kind to me. I have a room that faces south and is full of sunshine. Although the three meals are monotonous, they are also clean.The school stipulates that school uniforms are worn, and there are three styles in spring, summer and winter, and six sets are issued.I wear the same clothes as my companions, the only difference is that they go home after school, and I go back to the orphanage.

More importantly, since I was sensible, I know that kind-hearted uncles and aunts have been supporting me.Although I haven't seen them once, every month, I will insist on writing letters and reporting my situation.

(End of this chapter)