Chapter 151: Acting

Early morning, outside Studio 3 of the Beijing Film Studio, a red carpet was laid out, and a high incense table was set up.

The entire crew of "Departures" stood in neat rows, with Xiang Fei at the very front, holding three sticks of incense, his expression solemn.

"The auspicious hour has arrived!" the stagehand shouted loudly.

Xiang Fei stepped forward, bowed respectfully three times before the incense table, then inserted the incense into the burner and said loudly, "Today 'Departures' begins filming; may the shoot go smoothly and the box office be a huge success!"

"Good luck on the start of filming!" everyone shouted in unison.

Leslie Cheung stood beside Xiang Fei, smiling as he patted his shoulder, "Ah Fei, are you nervous?"

Xiang Fei took a deep breath and smiled, "It would be a lie to say I'm not nervous, but mostly I'm excited."

Chen Kaige walked over, still holding the script, "Director Xiang, for the first scene later, shall we follow the storyboard?"

"Yes, let's film the scene where Daigo Kobayashi first contacts the corpse first," Xiang Fei nodded, "Brother, are you ready?"

Leslie Cheung smiled slightly, "Ready anytime."

The studio lights came on; the props team had already set the scene—a simple mortuary, with a pristine white mortuary table in the center, covered by a white cloth, the faint outline of a human figure visible beneath.

Daigo Kobayashi, played by Leslie Cheung, stood at the door, his fingers trembling slightly.

"Action!" Xiang Fei said in a deep voice from behind the monitor.

The camera pushed in; Leslie Cheung's eyes shifted from hesitation to determination, and finally he stepped toward the mortuary table. He slowly lifted the white cloth, revealing an elderly and serene face.

"Cut! Perfect!" Xiang Fei stood up excitedly, "Brother Rong, that take was amazing!"

Leslie Cheung let out a long sigh and smiled, "I was actually a bit nervous just now, afraid I'd mess it up."

Chen Kaige walked over and praised, "Those eyes are incredible; it's exactly the state Daigo Kobayashi should be in."

Xiang Fei checked the time, "Ten-minute break, prepare for the next scene."

The next scene was the one where the president, played by Chen Kaige, taught Daigo Kobayashi mortuary techniques.

Chen Kaige changed into a black suit, his hair combed meticulously, his entire aura fully unleashed.

"Action!"

Under the camera, Chen Kaige skillfully arranged the deceased's features, his movements gentle and precise. As he worked, he said to Leslie Cheung, "Death is not an end, but the beginning of another journey. Our job is to send them on their final leg."

Leslie Cheung stood aside, his eyes focused, as if truly learning a sacred craft.

"Cut!" Xiang Fei nodded with satisfaction, "Director Chen, your acting is worthy of someone who made 'Yellow Earth'."

Chen Kaige laughed heartily, "You flatter me; the script is mainly well-written."

At noon, the crew set up temporary dining tables outside the studio, and everyone sat together to eat.

Xiang Fei carried a boxed meal, walked over, and sat beside Leslie Cheung, "Brother Rong, are you tired?"

Leslie Cheung shook his head, "Not too bad, just the mortuary scenes are a bit depressing."

Xiang Fei nodded, "Indeed, this kind of subject matter requires actors to invest deep emotion."

Just as they were speaking, Chen Kaige walked over with a teacup, "Ah Fei, adjust the afternoon scenes? I want to add a scene of the president and Daigo talking in the snow."

Xiang Fei's eyes lit up, "Sure."

Leslie Cheung smiled, "Then we'd better prepare quickly."

The crew quickly set up equipment outside the studio; Leslie Cheung and Chen Kaige stood in the snow, their exhaled white breath especially clear before the lens.

"Action!"

Snowflakes fell on Leslie Cheung's shoulder; he looked up at the sky and said softly, "President, why did you choose this line of work?"

Chen Kaige smiled slightly, "Because death needs dignity, and I can give them their final dignity."

The camera slowly pulled back; the two figures gradually blurred in the snow, leaving only their dialogue echoing in the wind and snow.

"Cut!" Xiang Fei stood up excitedly, "That take has such atmosphere; it can be used directly!"

Night fell, and the first day of filming ended successfully.

Xiang Fei raised his glass and said to the entire crew, "Everyone worked hard today! 'Departures' has had a perfect start; in the days ahead, let's work together!"

"Cheers!" everyone cheered.

Leslie Cheung leaned close to Xiang Fei's ear and whispered, "Ah Fei, how are Huimin and Yangyang?"

Xiang Fei smiled, "Just spoke on the phone; they are doing well in Xiangjiang, and Yangyang can say 'daddy' now."

Leslie Cheung patted his shoulder, "When filming is done, let's go to Xiangjiang to see them together."

Xiang Fei nodded firmly, "Definitely."

In the night, Xiang Fei stood alone outside the studio, gazing at the starry sky.

His phone rang; it was a text message from Zhou Huimin, "Did it go smoothly today? Yangyang seems to miss you a bit."

Xiang Fei smiled and replied, "It went very smoothly; tell him daddy will be back to see him soon."

Putting down his phone, he took a deep breath, turned around, and walked toward the brightly lit studio.

He knew this film would be another milestone in his career.