"There are breathing holes everywhere in this glass-case, so you don't need to worry," Director Sun reassured Hui Yin as they helped her position herself inside.
Hui Yin was already in character even before they began shooting. Her beautiful eyes stared at them lifelessly, her face pale. As she stood there, completely motionless, even the filming crew began to think that she was just a beautiful life-sized doll.
Director Sun's eyes gleamed. As he expected, the choice he made was correct. Only this D-list actress could make <Captive> come to life.
The shoot immediately began, and it was already six in the evening when they decided to end it for the day. There were no bad takes, and only praises came from the mouth of Director Sun as he directed the two main leads. Hui Yin's acting was flawless, while Liu Jun, who made the song, understood <Captive> perfectly well.
The only delay was that they needed to capture on camera several photographs of the two main leads at different angles, because these photos were very important for the promotion of the song.
When Hui Yin finally returned to her room after dinner devoid of make-up and that heavy dress, she was exhausted but very happy.
As the evening sky turned darker, Hui Yin got out of her room to take a stroll. Despite her tired body, she couldn't fall asleep. As she passed by the living room, she heard the faint sound of music coming from one of the rooms in the manor.
"Hm?" Curious, Hui Yin followed the music until she came in front of a door that stood ajar. Pushing it lightly with one hand, she came inside a music room.
Moonlight filtered through arched casement windows as a man with silver hair elegantly played the piano. His eyes were open, but he seemed to be lost in his own world.
His nimble fingers danced across the keys, and music that slowed down, then went fast, and slowed down again filled the whole room. It seemed to be telling a story that was neither sad nor happy, but simplistic.
Hui Yin felt her worries fly away as she immersed herself in it, feeling peaceful.
"You like it?"
Hui Yin started; she didn't realize that he had already stopped playing. He was glancing in her direction, looking inquisitive.
"Yes," she nodded. "What's its name?"
"'Remove the complexities.'"
After he finished speaking, he had started playing another song. This time, Hui Yin couldn't help but walk towards him, enthralled. She sat next to him in front of the piano as she closed her eyes and lost herself in the music. She almost fell asleep before the last note drifted in the air and dissipated.
"What's that called?"
Her voice was soft, almost unintelligible. Hui Yin yawned, and forcibly opened her eyes.
"Claire de lune' by Debussy."
Liu Jun's body was close enough for her to touch, but Hui Yin didn't feel anything. She only thought that he was a comfortable person to be with, and had none of awkwardness that was usually present when she was in close proximity with a man. Hui Yin felt very tranquil.
She mused to herself that maybe it was because Liu Jun's eyes were very clear, and she could see that his emotions were plain as day. Like Liu Jun's earlier piano music, his personality was very simple. He liked playing the piano, and enjoyed sharing it with others. Right now, Hui Yin was that 'others.'
"You play very elegantly."
Hui Yin smiled.
Liu Jun returned her smile. "Thank you."
They stayed a while longer in serene companionship, but Hui Yin yawned again.
Her eyelids were getting heavy, so she bid goodbye to Liu Jun and went back to her room. She had left her phone on her bed, and she realized that the screen had lit up with a message alert.
Hui Yin swiped it open, and her mouth opened in shock.
It was a message from Lu Shen, and it contained only a single sentence.
'A red apricot blossom peeks over the yard fence.'[1]
As she read the text, Hui Yin's tranquil expression became black like the bottom of a pot.
[1] From the poet Ye Shaoweng of the Song dynasty in 'On Visiting a Garden, When Its Master Is Absent.'
"[The] whole garden can no longer confine the lively energy of spring; a spray of red apricot blossom [already] peeks over the fence."
This symbolizes a woman's infidelity to her husband, where the 'red apricot blossom' symbolizes a young and attractive woman, while 'peeking over the fence' shows her sneaking out behind her husband's back.