Chapter 105: Darkly Infatuated

Outside the south gate of Chaoyang Park, in an upscale residential complex, Jiang Heng stood by the window of the spacious living room over three hundred square meters, gazing at the outside scenery.

On the kitchen dining table, a hotel-delivered feast had already been set; thinking of the dumplings Tang Yan mentioned, Jiang Heng waited a while and even went downstairs specially to buy a bottle of vinegar.

"Mr. Jiang, there's a Miss Tang outside the community gate saying she has an appointment with you?"

"Hmm, let her come in!"

After hanging up the property's phone, several minutes later Tang Yan entered.

"Director Jiang, happy New Year! My mom heard you're alone here, so she asked me to bring over some dumplings!" Having said that, she raised the food container in her hand.

"You've gone to too much trouble, making a trip during the New Year rush—come in and warm up for a while!"

"No, no, I'm heading back now!"

Jiang Heng gave a wry smile, "I was actually thinking, could you stay and have a couple bites with me?"

"Ah!" Tang Yan froze, hearing this she didn't know whether to leave or stay.

After hesitating a few seconds, she asked, "You, do you always spend New Year's alone?"

"Exactly!"

"What's that like!" she said as she had already stepped inside.

Jiang Heng smiled, "Sometimes I feel a bit lonely, but after a long time I got used to it!"

"Wow, living alone in such a big house, anyone would feel lonely!"

After all, she was a young woman; at first she felt it wasn't good to come in, but once inside she couldn't help being drawn by the interior layout and decoration, and curiously took a look around.

Upon reaching the kitchen and seeing a table full of sumptuous dishes, she asked curiously, "Who helped you make these?"

"I ordered it from the hotel; want to eat together?"

"Ah, isn't that not okay?"

"It's fine, anyway I could never finish it all!"

"That's too wasteful!" Tang Yan hesitated a few seconds, then still took off her coat and sat down.

"Since you'll be driving later, I won't give you alcohol—help yourself to drinks!"

"Ah!" Tang Yan finally couldn't resist the temptation of the food, picked up her chopsticks and ate heartily.

"Do you always spend New Year's like this every year?"

"Pretty much!"

"That's just too lonely!"

"Can't help it—everyone has their own fate!"

"What about your mom—doesn't she miss you? Don't you miss her?"

Jiang Heng gave a wry smile; in his previous life he amounted to nothing, and after his mother remarried she stopped caring about him, to the point he couldn't even be bothered to answer her calls.

In this life he has achieved fame and success, while his mother became much more enthusiastic, but Jiang Heng couldn't be bothered to stay in touch—he only sends her some money during the New Year to fulfill a token filial duty, and they don't talk about feelings.

Jiang Heng said a few simple, vague sentences; Tang Yan could grasp the general idea, and then said, "Suddenly I feel so happy, to have such loving parents!"

Jiang Heng thought to himself, Your happiness is common knowledge.

As an only daughter from the Jiang-Zhe-Shang region, she's been overly pampered!

While the two were eating, fireworks were already being set off outside.

However, it is said that Jingcheng had already issued a ban on fireworks as early as 1993.

But Four Nine City has too many capable people, so how could the ban be completely enforced?

Especially the owners of upscale residential complexes, who simply don't care about that rule and set off fireworks to create a lively scene.

Tang Yan put down her chopsticks, went to the floor-to-ceiling window to watch the fireworks display outside, and couldn't help exclaiming, "How beautiful!"

Jiang Heng also came over, asking, "Want to go set some off?"

"Is that allowed?"

"Go downstairs!"

The two put on their clothes, went to the underground parking garage, drove out of the community and soon saw a fireworks vendor; Jiang Heng bought the largest firework, set it on an open spot, and let Tang Yan light it.

"Ah, I don't dare!"

"Then I'll do it!"

Having said that, he lit it with a match, and the beautiful firework shot straight into the sky, bursting into a gorgeous, multicolored pattern!

"How beautiful!" Tang Yan tilted her head back in awe.

However, when the fireworks faded and the cold wind blew, the little girl finally returned to reality, saying, "I should head back—my parents have been waiting so long they must be anxious!"

"I'll see you off—leave your car here for now, and come pick it up tomorrow!"

Tang Yan nodded, got into Jiang Heng's BMW 728; probably because of the cold wind, after getting in she felt a blast of warm air that made her whole body feel flushed.

Listless and drooping, she leaned against the passenger seat, gazing at the night scenery outside the window.

Jiang Heng turned on the car's CD player, playing Andy Lau's song "Darkly Infatuated."

"Can't you not be like this, lingering in my gaze—I would realize I'm utterly lonely and tormented… Actually, every time I see you I'm also captivated, but helplessly we each have our own roles; even if in a lonely dream we go beyond friendship…"

"Is this, Hua Zi's song?"

"Yeah!"

"Sounds really good!"

Jiang Heng smiled, continued driving calmly, and soon dropped Tang Yan off at the entrance of her apartment building.

"Today, thanks for the dumplings!"

"I also want to thank you for treating me to a big meal and the fireworks!"

"Yeah, go upstairs!"

"Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

Tang Yan had wanted to ask if we could still eat together in the future, but he lacked the courage and hurried upstairs.

After entering, Tang's father asked, "Why did you take so long?"

You don't realize—don't be fooled by his wealth; his life is actually quite miserable!

"How miserable is he?" Tang's mother came over, curious.

Tang Yan, while taking off his clothes and shoes, said, "His place is two or three hundred square meters, and he lives there alone; even the New Year's Eve meal was ordered from a hotel!"

"Oh dear, with all the lights and families reuniting, just thinking about it makes me feel so lonely!"

"Exactly, compared to him, I feel so happy—I have loving parents!"

Tang Yan said that and then affectionately hugged his father and mother.

Tang's father laughed and said, "So sometimes you don't need to envy others for having less money; being together as a family is the best!"

Tang Yan smiled and said, "If a family can be together and also have a lot of money, that would be even better!"

"You little money-grubber!"

……

Two days after the holiday, the crew of "Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother" continued filming, and after the Lantern Festival all scenes were wrapped.

As for the film's post-production, Jiang Heng was already very familiar with it.

As before, about one-tenth of the special effects shots in the film were handed over to Wei Ta Digital Company for completion.

He also handed a small number of special effects shots to his own Beautiful Times Special Effects Company, as well as two small companies in the US and Australia.

The special effects companies that had previously cooperated with Japan and Korea also received a share.

The special effects shots outsourced altogether accounted for about thirty percent of the total number of special effects shots.

The rest was naturally completed by his "Super Microcomputer".

This time, he could save about 25 million US dollars in special effects costs, roughly 200 million RMB.

After post-production arrangements were settled, Jiang Heng urgently began preparing for "The Matrix 2", planning to start shooting in mid-March and release it in the year-end holiday slot.

Xianggang—Wu Yanzu, who had just received the call, felt excited and quickly said, "Director Jiang, rest assured, I've kept the schedule open; I'll definitely join the crew when the time comes!"

His current situation is a bit awkward to talk about.

In terms of fame and box office, he is undoubtedly a first-rate star, but only in Jiang Heng's films.

Appearing in other Hong Kong films makes it hard to guarantee box office returns.

After all, the combined film and television resources of Xianggang still can't compare to Jiang Heng's projects.

Wanting to go to Hollywood but lacking resources, he can only muddle along for now.

(End of chapter)