Want to sit in the red chair?
Sit in that red chair
Sit in that chair
Sit on that chair
Give us your...
Someone has to step up as the...
Xiaojiang, think it over
Isn't that still director-centered?
Give it more thought
No idea which one of us draws
Mine
It's not totally director-centered
But there's bound to be someone
who plays the director role
Hate the role or not, someone does the job
Still takes someone with a title to do it
Didn't we agree on this before?
that the director exists only when needed
I need him there every single moment
Really?
Really
Why?
Because that's how the show was rehearsed
It's starting
Each of us should tell a joke about this
Tell a joke
Then let us perform first in a bit
You do the first part
Mid-scene, when the camera comes
just talk right at the camera
Go pai wu
It's all on you
Who's going?
You. Yes you. Go pai wu
You go pai wu
Right at that line, he just shows up
That's your proof
Don't sleep too deep tonight
And no stumbling over your lines
Because this is one take
Don't sleep too deep tonight
The cut I watched left me kind of wistful
I can't put it well
But it really got to me
I feel like in it
all these different characters
the ties between character and character
that kind of bond
You're tied to him
He's tied to him
All kinds of ties, just...
Kind of wistful
Kind of meaningful
But the visuals, though...
every single frame means something
Shut up. Show's over
Show's over
I love you all
So that's the whole show
OK, curtain call
OK, thanks
So?
Time for Act Two
Act Two people, get out here!
Whose mic? Hand it over
Mid-scene, say a line or two to camera
Whose mic?
Come on, start your performance
Whose mic?
Did you talk to the camera?
Whose mic?
Did you talk to the camera?
Yes, you have to talk to the camera
We did
Said what?
We're saying it right now, aren't we?
What are you doing?
I'm acting
Why did you come here?
I don't know either
Hard for me to say
Fuck
He told me to come here
Line!
Um...
Now you give him some photo or other
That could be me
I hate you
There's that sour face
Honestly
it felt pretty good to me
It didn't make me uncomfortable
Watching as audience, I felt just fine
I found it really smooth
The acting was silky smooth
It made me...
If you mean genuinely uncomfortable
Actually
If it were really like this, for real
it's that you stalled
Heads or tails?
I can never tell them apart
Even the lines won't flow that well
Then the whole exchange takes effort
That's just crude
You say I—
I'm telling you now
I need to think it over
And then I—
This is—
This is ten kinds of cheap
Do I have a problem?
My acting—
I wasn't good because I never truly felt it
I didn't put in the work, lost my craft
The problems are all on me
I deserve to be cursed out
No one even bothers to curse me out
Right, was that about your performance?
I just wanna ask why it turned out this way
Like, once he's dead
The work would finally be presentable
And we'd be famous
Wait, he hasn't even named us yet
In the script my name is Number One
I'm Number Two
Hope you treat your own life this way too
Just hurry up and die
What caused this?
I got lazy
What's behind the laziness?
I got lazy with the performance
Too much going on, I had to face front
Then why'd you even come?
Huh?
Then why come here to play him?
He asked me to come
He asks and you just come?
Yeah
I love him
You're so—
I love him
You love him because he's like you?
I'd say he's nothing like me
I just love him, no reason needed
That was Teacher Shi's performance
Talk about total realism
But acting too lifelike isn't good either
Mainly a bit above real life
Acting that's too lifelike is no good
I mean, a bit higher than life
If it's a bit more... you know
It's still stylized, poeticized acting
It's very pleasing to watch
When I was little
You wanna go to KTV, don't you?
Want me to call you a momo-chang?
Get you a momo-chang
Give it a try, how about it?
The Big One is coming
Spread the word
Why?
Because the Big One is coming
What does the Big One stand for?
What?
Go eat a fish
The Big One is coming
Ah
Just wait
What's this?
Where's a school around here?
You don't know?
Where's a school around here?
You look like a city type
Haven't seen any students
Left or right, go the left way
It's already bad enough
Have you ever eaten human flesh?
You said it
A gut cleanse, how about it?
Right is the road, right is the way
I only know two roads: left and right
The thing is
The Big One should be here by now
Have you ever eaten human flesh?
No
No, never
Where'd yesterday's confidence go?
You weren't like this yesterday
You pointed to the corner: help yourself
I'll wait until he comes, no matter what
But the smokes I want are on your counter
Sorry, sorry, I failed at my job
I'll do better next time
Some people think they control everything
Yet never even tasted human flesh
Have you eaten human flesh? Have you?
I haven't either
But do you get to mock me?
You don't get to mock me
Because I dare to tell you
I want to eat human flesh
And someday
You won't even dare to think it
You won't dare say what you think
You weren't like this when I came yesterday
Excuses
You just came to do your own thing
I can't bring myself to laugh
Pointed at the corner: go help yourself
Was my joke not funny?
Your smokes are right there on the counter
I'm sorry
This is my failure
I'll do better from now on
Is it really that funny?
You're in control of everything
Don't shoot
The money's all right there
What I said isn't funny
Everything you asked me to do
I've done it all
I put the money there for you too
So you can go now, right?
You think I'm a robber
You actually think I'm a robber
You talking to me?
I can't quite hear you
Come on
Sorry
Being understood is just so hard
Because, you know
I go so far out of my way to come here
Only ever when you're here
I've seen you before
But you don't know what smokes I buy
I...
You don't know me at all, do you?
I...
All my love is right here
And you never even knew
I know
I don't have the energy left to...
Only like this
would you take me seriously
Being taken seriously is just so hard
Funny, isn't it
My dignity is in my hand
My thoughts are in the bullet
Have you ever thought
we're actually the same kind of people
When I took the money from the register
you didn't even blink
Because you know it's not your money
Every day you go to work, get off work
Punch the clock
Show up later than the Boss
and you're on edge all day
I'm not living like that anymore
Work is your life
and your life is in the Boss's hands
We're the same species
yet some became our gods
You know what I mean?
Then that's a real shame
All I can do is take my thoughts
and shoot them into your brain
Next life
Next life, you'll understand
I want to say
if our roles were reversed
I'd beg you to shoot, no hesitation
Goodbye
And then I died
Next scene
Anything else you want to say?
Not now — there'll be a chance later
Then hurry up and go
Save it for the next act
Come on, do the bit with the Boss
Weren't we talking to the actors?
Say whatever, just say whatever
Let him untie it
I...
Are you watching me?
Do I look pretty on camera right now?
But actually
this is a completely fake face
I could take all my makeup off
and just sing along with you
It's always me who finds the time
It's not like I'm after something
You come out and it just isn't there
Get all fired up, then come back out
I've bought out all these
people trying to talk me into leaving
Mic
Iceberg, Act One
No music
Improvised performance
I know you're home
Pay up or I'm telling your neighbors
I'll go to your workplace
and let all your coworkers know
You hear me?
Unbelievable, it's just three grand
and you keep stalling
You'll never amount to anything
You're finished, fuck your mother
That's way too blinding
What's going through your head here?
Is there music playing in your head?
Which tune?
Indescribable
In this part
I feel like a puddle of water
just rotting away right here
Turned to mist
Water? That's still too clean
Go a few steps further
All see-through
A Ditto
Just to mention
I mean
It's in this
muddy kind of state
A state where you can't even die properly
Every day we can fantasize
about us and the brutal Boss
The Boss is like a
how do I put it
It's a slave-and-master relationship
Say the Boss is the master
whipping you all day
That's not the kind...
Rather, it's through certain
subtle, unnoticed things
that he reshapes your perception
He just thinks your perception is wrong
That's the state he's in
But the Male Lead feels
on one hand, the people around him
treat him decently enough
so why does he always feel, deep down,
there's something strange
something a little off?
And that wrongness
keeps itching, scratching, picking at him
Everything the Male Lead does on stage
as long as it's set in his own home
anything set in his own home
is his inner world acted outward
Meaning if you saw him there in person
he'd really just be sitting here
Just like this
It's too fucking dark
Heads or tails — I can never tell
Everyone loves to watch heads
The day the heads people slip up
the tails people start to revel
When the tails side errs, the heads side
what do they get to see?
It's like one group of people is here
one person is here
and another one over here
It's even like, you know
it simply can't find
one tone that holds from start to finish
That's the most fatal problem
Before I went on stage
I didn't even dare to perform
Honestly speaking
Two days before going on
I told playwright Shi I shouldn't go on
because I felt this thing
was the worst I've ever acted in
the shittiest, trashiest thing ever
Really?
I mean
Really
Anyway, with my own performance
I'm deeply unsatisfied
How I wish they were like you
with only one side
only able to see themselves
Scraping by in the concrete jungle
has stunted people's thinking
A person has ten units of energy a day
Work burns five
dealing with people takes three
the last two get wasted on fun
I've spared myself all that pondering
I even plan to quit this hypocritical job
Let me ask you a question
Would you get a reaction on stage?
What do you think?
Just guessing
You think getting a reaction on stage
is something that can happen?
I think it can
One look at you and it goes soft
Are you talking to me?
Being understood is just too hard
I thought you knew
I go the long way to you every day
always right when you're on shift
Yet you don't even know
what cigarettes I smoke
I...
You don't know me at all, do you?
All my love is right here
and you never even knew
Only this way would you notice me
Being noticed is just too hard
It's just too hard
He's the playwright
His head is full of water
Hey, you upstairs
Play something else, will you?
Can you do Bach?
Enough with Chopin
Romanticism is dead
Hey, do you hear me?
Sha sha yi
No — fuck
Not in sync
Three, two, one
Sha sha yi
These artists are always like this
Won't face reality, won't die either
It makes things hard for me
Romanticism won't put food on the table
If it could
we might as well die at fantasy's climax
But hey, it's artistic creation
can't really fault it
Too bad I just don't care for it
Out of smokes
Here you go
Thanks
A free pack of smokes
Got cigarettes now
But I can't smoke now
No smoking in the theatre
There's even a lighter
Now the smokes are in your hands
To smoke or not — that's up to you
I get to see him again
I really like him
Though I've never spoken to him
I just know he must be lovely
Every day when I look out the window
he's right there, busy at work
In winter
he wears a bright red scarf
Her hair tucked into her scarf
Makes her look so docile
In summer
Her sweat dampens her bangs
She's too busy to even fix them
But that's her truest, most beautiful self
I really like her
I believe this is my love
I don't like the one who used to like me
You know?
She's always grinning
Never takes what I say to heart
I said, Sally
I'm a sociologist now
I've seen the ugly side of this society
Look, isn't my dress pretty?
But we're all living in lies
Let's go shopping tomorrow
I'll buy more, even prettier dresses
Sally
Do you really know my heart?
Of course I do. So, you going or not?
Sally, you're such a fucking idiot
Look, if I slept with someone like her
Uh, I mean, spent my life with her
It'd be a tragedy for sure
Calling you a fucking idiot
Are you free tomorrow afternoon?
I hear there's a good movie out
You seen the movie? No?
No, too abrupt
Let me think
Can I ask your name?
Oh, what a lovely name
No good
Haven't we met somewhere?
You look so familiar
Too cliché
I'd better just improvise
I don't want these lines tying me down
Iceberg, Act Two
No lights, no sound
Nothing at all
All improvised
Now that's interesting
No thermal underwear
It's freezing
I'm not in the deep sea
I'm in the glacier
I feel out of place in this theatre
As if drifting through the deep sea
Funny thing
The deep sea has neon lights too
Sea creatures hunt with light
The ocean is just like this theatre
The deeper you go
The fewer people there are
This is, this is, this is—
I... I'll take a pack of cigarettes
Um, can I ask your name?
No. Why?
Just wanted to ask if you're free tomorrow
I'm not free
Then... then when are you free?
Huh? Never
You're my friend
Hey
How can you talk to a customer like that?
The customer is your God
Now God wants to know your name
You dare not tell him?
Do you dare?
I just want to know your name
Is that so hard?
What are you hiding down there for?
I'm a robber
You think I'm a robber?
You talking to me?
The lighter's gone
Kecheng
What's it to you?
You rat playwright
An eight-yuan pack of smokes
And he only gave me one yuan change
Dignity's worth one yuan
Maybe he's long known his soul's price
If I were like him
I'd go report him
But I won't
The best venue for this play is—
It shouldn't be in a theatre like this
It should be in some sewer
With rats scurrying around
Everyone sitting in a row
Just watching it
Watching this shitty play
Other than that, it's...
This, this script is way too cutesy
Written way too cutesy
Too young
Too cute
Sometimes the words that come out
Make me feel it's not a...
It's just not a grown-up script
It's just this, this cutesy thing
Like stuff I scroll past on my phone
Like Qzone
Right
Like Qzone
That kind of, that kind of stuff
So it, it makes me laugh now and then
And it can't pull me in either
I just feel it's a kind of...
The playwright's head is full of
Things that are utterly baffling
And the playwright hits people too
He never knows how to say what he means
If you think this play is bad
Then go write and direct it yourself
Instead of just trashing it nonstop
He's losing it
Get it?
He's triggered
So triggered
He's mad
You can't say Chinese soccer sucks
You should go up and play
Can't say a thing about Chinese soccer
You chickened out
He raises his left hand
I can't even say what I think
This one, and another one
There's one here
Problem is, both are recording
You're scared even on record
Which one?
Where's the other mic?
Shit, they heard it all
We're done, I just said so much
It's over, over, over, over
Ruined, ruined, ruined
It's fine, keep acting
Think the show sucks? Then build it up
What are you adding?
He's mad
I won't add. I'm done talking
Think the show sucks? Then build it up
Not just run away from it
You got my cigarette on camera
No smoking in the theatre
Blur it, blur it, blur it out
You can't even smoke a prop one
Right, a prop
Right, if you wanna smoke
Just smoke the intention
No cigarette in your heart
None in your hand either
You get it?
Come join us on January 1st
Step into a
To do what?
Shabby little cyberpunk building
And watch our show
Wishing us all a lovely…
His mic
Our pass, our pass
Honestly, this show's completion level
To me falls short of a passing grade
But polish comes from many factors
Acting, lighting, dance, transitions
Since it's a so-called collective creation
No director, no stage manager
Countless slip-ups at every step
You probably don't know—can we try again?
Quick, quick, take over
Quick, quick, quick
No—we're at Act Three now
Not mine, my co-worker's
I'm in it
Three
Right, one and two
I'm in it
Right, I'm in it
So go ahead, criticize as you see fit
No one acts or rehearses this way
This play
The actors arrived not knowing each other
Then rehearsed for 21 days
How can 21 days' work go on stage?
Sincerity alone won't cut it
In the end we
I think 21 days is long enough
We
Know what I delivered today?
Lingerie
So what?
You snuck a peek inside
Not afraid of a complaint?
Saw the label, so I opened it
Besides
Damaged-parcel stuff like this
Nobody can prove a thing
Don't be like that
You're acting like his girlfriend
I'm even closer to them
They'll get it
They'll think we've got minorities here
So what of it?
You're actually a minority
I'm no minority
What are you doing?
Just getting a laugh
Disgusting
Some want to cover our eyes
Some want to shut our mouths
Are you minorities?
But I speak out for minorities
I'll fight for it all my life
World peace
People like you make me furious
What use are you to minorities?
Why'd you feel so floaty today?
I'm telling you, I was floating
Floaty how?
My whole soul just scattered
Like my mind was miles away
That's on me
Because I was
First, when I read the script
Co-worker One—I didn't really like him
Sure, Co-worker Two I don't like either
And I never dug deep into it
And I didn't rehearse much either
And I slacked off in rehearsal
Still holding the script—I was shocked
No no, that was my design
A little design—I own the energy
It's a little design, not me—no no no
My lines aren't down yet
That was my little trick to mislead you
But Piao, I do think the acting was off
Because back when I was doing that shop bit
Please, come on down
The actor's prep just wasn't there
My feeling is you just acted badly
Saw this play on Bilibili
You love your own scenes
But this play you look down on, guys
Piao
No no no no, not at all
Hahaha
No no no no, no way
Haha, it's just... it's that thing
This—I just didn't do my homework
It's on me... is it my fault?
I didn't—I just didn't play it well
I never truly, truly felt it
I didn't—didn't put in the work
I lost the business
My fault, it's all my fault
I just deserve a cussing-out
Nobody yells at me
Grade-A, Grade-A stuff
Right—was that about your performance?
I just want to ask why it was like that
Like, what caused it?
What's behind the laziness?
When I acted, I couldn't be bothered
I had a lot going on
I had to face dead front
Then why'd you even come?
Then why come here to play him?
He asked me to come
He asks and you just come?
He tells you to come and you come?
Yeah
I love him
You're so...
I love him
You love him 'cause he's like you?
He is like me
I just love him—and pretty girls
I am an idealist
I am a romantic
Don't shout slogans
White-left lords of the seven stars
Don't shout slogans
Keep going—where were we?
Stuff like damaged parcels
I held that underwear up and sniffed it
Like it had already been worn
I try to leave my scent on it
So next time the girl wears it
She'll think of me
And when we meet, she'll fall for me
Fuck!
That is so fucking gross
Two years single now
Just cut me some slack, okay?
Besides
Just cut me some slack
Besides
What was I supposed to say?
Besides
That measly salary of yours
Besides
This measly salary of mine
Isn't enough to buy a girl a drink
'Cause you drink it all yourself
I'm not kidding you
Let me do the math for you
Taking a girl out on a date
You can't make her pay, can you?
You date, you hit it off
Then you move in together, right?
Moving in means renting bigger, right?
Hit it off
Move in
Then what?
Marriage
Right
Marriage takes a bride price, right?
Right
And after the wedding?
A house
A car
A hukou
Tuition: primary, middle, high, college
It'd wear the both of us out
A burial plot
Whoa, hold on
You're not even at the dating stage
And you jump straight to the burial plot?
I hadn't thought of that
True, though
You've been single two years
You're getting antsy
What would I be antsy about?
There's another one right here
A 27-year-old virgin, right?
He's not even antsy yet
Still single to this very day
Time for the afternoon run, right?
Just about
Yeah, true
Oh, right
From that stock of yours
Pick out a few girls for me
I'll deliver them for you
Call it setting me up
And if it works out
You're off the hook for the gift money
Don't go slipping me a ladyboy
Relax
Like I'd ever do you wrong
Xiaoshui
We're heading out
Let's go
Go, go, go
Xiaoshui
Coming!
It fell apart, fell apart
It's not you who fell apart
it's our camera crew that did
Yeah, the camera side collapsed
What's wrong? Didn't it record?
The first cameraman wasn't there
And this close it still wasn't recorded
So the next scene
that one's us, right?
But this scene didn't get filmed
Do we still shoot it?
Shoot it again?
This scene didn't get filmed
No surprise there
That whole last scene wasn't shot at all
Half of it was shot
The second half just...
Wow, what perfect timing
Just do it over
Then it just cut out
Next one
I still...
He won't use everything in the edit anyway
So you just want the footage, right?
Right
So we wait for Hefa before continuing?
Yeah
Wait a bit
Let's wait a bit
Fine, let's wait for him
I've got one speech left to cry through
Then it's on to the Boss's part
We only want the extra stuff
Not the play itself
Then what are we even acting for?
So we don't do the play?
Why wouldn't we?
No, no — didn't you want the extra parts?
You didn't think we'd release the full play, did you?
The edit mostly keeps just a bit of the play
Then just the offstage stuff in between
But you have to be in the play
Right, like I said — the parts you acted
How about this
I actually think
we can shorten it
Yeah, just pick a few segments
Don't run it start to finish
There's no time
Just pick a few segments
Every actor gets one go
Everyone's on camera once
and says a few lines
That way we get it all shot
Us two
How about it?
Shoot the inside bits you think are classic
Say you pick a few segments
Maybe some that touch the play
A bit from the play
And some offstage stuff too
What?
All of it from the play
Right?
I want it all
All of it
All of it — keep going then
Keep moving, fast — after we raced through rehearsal
One at most, right? Come on — my car, my car
Such a shame. If I lived like him, I'd...
Alrighty
The audience is about this close
The audience, this close
The audience is just this close
Right in my face
In this perfunctory way
No — what's the line?
You threw me off my lines
Sneaking around like this
to build a relationship is an insult to love
Constant run-ins
a half-hearted confession
even marrying over an accident
just so the accident could be born
He ought to be locked up
I'm telling you
But I'm not like him
A thing like snitching —
How are you any different?
only someone like him would do it
I can't stand people touching my shoulder
It's over
They're bullying me
I can't stand people touching my shoulder
Why isn't he back yet?
Here he comes
No idea
Hey, you there
You
The Boss
wants you to come by
I'm off to see the Boss
The script really has its logic problems
Including some of the lines
When I first got the script
lots of lines made no sense to me
Two, three days ago I still didn't get them
What on earth did you mean by writing that?
Then slowly you rationalize it to yourself
and create from there
Uh, I think us actors were all pretty serious
Well then actually do it!
Is he sick in the head here or what?
Like, mentally ill?
Not really
But he's got a bit of it in him
A guy like him
Say he's 100% a menace to society
that might be unfair to him
But say 90% odds he'd do wrong
that's definitely underselling it
Two mics held up to you
An interview
Say something
What a shit play
Who the fuck wrote this
I'd better not say
Come say a few words
The Boss is here
My turn
Hurry up
Come on
The Boss is here
Let me introduce
This is my Boss
I'm his employee
The exploited one
Exploited how?
I'd fucking love to know, exploited how
Go on, tell me
Right?
I pay you
Gave you a job, gave you money
How did I exploit you?
Don't you earn what you work for?
Boss
Exploited what?
Right? Exploited what?
Whining over nothing
Yeah, whining over nothing
Right? How have I ever exploited him?
You get paid, don't you?
Since you joined, how's he exploited you?
You get paid? You have a job?
How does that song go again?
What?
How does The Internationale go?
Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves
Don't dare sing that, really don't
Come on, from the top
Arise, ye who refuse to be slaves
Arise, ye hungry and cold
I'll lead, you sing along
Arise, ye slaves of cold and hunger
Arise, ye wretched of the earth
Waiting for the slaughter
I even think
I'm worse off than a pig
A pig eats, then sleeps
sleeps, then eats, thinks of nothing
But me
me, I let myself be exploited
When I didn't know I was that pig
I ate just like the pigs
Slept
Worked
Thought about nothing
Once I know my final fate
I should fight back
No grand ideals
Rebel purely for my own interests
Oh
The blood in our chests is boiling
We will fight for the truth
Hi, I want to talk to these three
Smash the old world to smithereens
Just sing, it's fine
We did sing
I love Beijing's Tiananmen...
...where the sun rises
I hear
your attitude's been a bit off lately
Is something messing with your mood?
It's fine, just say it
I hope you'll accept my help
After all, you're new here
Fitting in takes some time
Save it. Cards on the table
You make us grind this rote work daily
till we can't think for ourselves
Work this endlessly repetitive
why not just let machines do it?
Nothing I can do about that
Machines can't do everything, can they?
Boss
I've been here since graduation
Why?
Because I think you can still be saved
Money has rotted all the others
Boss, you know what?
10% of people hold 90% of the resources
By the time it reaches us, just scraps
And you still make excuses for them
People have to eat, don't they?
Look
Back then you farmed for your grain
Now you're spared all that toil
Sacrifice a little dignity, eat your fill
Why won't you just bow your head?
Know why I can't fit in?
That crowd
hooked daily on bite-size cheap thrills
Off work, they dive into short videos
Hooked, feeding capitalists their traffic
Funnier still, they can't even
tell whether they're drowning in
They can't even see they're hooked on trash
I mean, if you've never tasted good food
you don't know your own food is swill
So what do you want?
If I were in your seat
I'd run a great purge
I'd screen an obscure art film in a meeting
Whoever pees, checks phones, or dozes off
Fire them all
Then I'd have no employees left
Look me in the eyes and say it
Understood
Look me in the eyes and say it. Hear me?
Understood
My eyes. Say it. Do you hear me?
I'm talking to you. Do you hear me?
I'm talking to you! Do you hear me?
Quit messing around
I hear you, I hear you
Sorry, Boss
What's going on with you lately?
Why the sour face every day?
I didn't do anything to you, did I?
They didn't either, right?
Say something!
Fine, don't talk then
You've been here a whole week
Say something!
And you still can't fit in with them
I'll take it to HR
Boss, I didn't mean it like that
It's the same mechanical work every day
It gets a bit boring
I feel like a machine
Might as well have a machine replace me
What a fucking great idea he's got
Then why not swap you for a machine?
What do I need you for?
You know why I hired you?
Because you're cheaper than a machine
I hired you fresh out of school
Why?
Because I thought you could still be saved
Most young people are way too cocky
All ambition, zero ability
You are the foundation of this society
If you lot won't take responsibility
this society will collapse
And you want to sink to their level?
You know why you can't fit in?
Look at them
Watching short videos all day
After work
they mess around with all kinds of junk
A little chat
a little tea
You must learn to fit into the collective
But I won't drown in this cheap entertainment
You haven't even looked, and it's "cheap"?
Just how noble are you?
Have him lay his cards on the table
Is he in or out?
Say something
Speak up!
Are you in or not?
I'm in
From now on, when you talk to me
look me in the eyes
Let me know you're talking to me
Understood?
Understood
Here it comes
Here
Thanks
Looking good
Almost didn't recognize you
Don't you bully him
If he acts up, hit him
I wouldn't dare
Playing twenty-somethings
for so many years now
I've picked up some bad habits
First: sweep only my own doorstep
leave the rest alone
That's how it is in film and TV
Quick in, quick out
Actors rarely meddle in others' acting
So I mostly mind my own business
And how did you do?
I won't say much, maybe half of it
It steps out of the Male Lead's thoughts, or a hallucination, or...
It's a...
Someone brought it up — who was it? — saying
actors aren't on the same level — I don't know
But in every scene of mine, he and I are in sync
So I can accept the play having no director
That shouldn't be — no one takes charge
no one keeps the balance
I don't know why it's like this either
Also, I've done a lot of CCTV dramas
Scripts where you can't change a single word
Because historical figures said the lines
When we act, we treat them all as Shakespeare
No matter what garbage they wrote
you make sure not one word changes
So the script's logic is flawed
the characters' motives are flawed
the lines don't connect
But I don't care
because he's Shakespeare
so it must be my fault
So I do everything I can
to make all his lines
and all the logic hold together
That much I will do
And today there were real slip-ups
I adjusted those mistakes on the spot
You played him into his sixties
I was a secretary, a restaurant secretary
A soldier first, then Provincial Party Secretary
All the way up to Provincial Party Secretary
You dumped me and went abroad
Then I came back and won you back
So fucking impressive — the roles you've played
When I joined they said the company is everyone's
We're all one family
In the end, isn't it all his anyway?
They've forgotten how to walk
They have to point at the sky every day and say
Today I want Brecht
Today I want Stanislavski
Today I'm this
Today I'm that
Problem is, those people are all dead
So why won't you act it my way?
Because I'm still alive
Ask me, then
All that talk about the place you live off
It's your company
The company is whatever you are
If you think the company's bad
Then work your way up and become the boss
Lead — don't just gripe your whole life, or run
Report it or not, no one uses our courier anymore
Fewer and fewer parcels
Less and less pay
So I went and secretly opened people's parcels
And then
So he's just
Isn't this space too clean for what happens here?
I'd imagine
If this is where the Rat lives
Then the place should reek
It should be foul and filthy
And none of us should look so polished
And I remember
Yesterday, say, when people bought tickets
It asked: are you proletariat?
Wait, which act is it?
No — Act Four
Act Four
Qunhao, which act are we on?
So I went and opened people's parcels
I can't hold it together
It's over
Forgot how to play the whole act
I'm done acting
Disband. Disband
Stop filming. Disband
What kind of crew is this unprofessional?
Disband
Don't you have the script?
Right — what kind of actors are you?
Act Four already
Hurry up
Whose turn?
Has Momo-chang been done yet?
Go do it
Momo-chang
Hey
I'll go disband them
Oh
I'll go disband them
Let me take my papers off you
Let me take the papers
Number Two
Fine
Keep it on you
I can cue you in
If you forget your lines
It's fine
I'll feed you your lines
Just wing it
Sit
What do you mean
What do you mean, filler scene?
What do you mean, filler?
This is the main event
This is singing it
What? Get lost
This is the real play
You know nothing
We're the leads, okay?
The first classic piece
We're the soul of this
Curtain up
One time I went to a KTV
My friend called me a momo-chang girl
A normal one
One time I went to a KTV
Realism
One time I went to a KTV
My friend called me a momo-chang girl
I was nervous as hell
My whole body went stiff
They were playing dice
I didn't know how
So she played blackjack with me
And told her girlfriends
We're playing blackjack
And snickered behind her hand
I felt my dignity
Had been trampled by a hostess
I was furious
They were all groping freely
But my hand
I only dared rest it on her waist
I didn't dare move
So what then?
But
For a man's dignity
My hand
I started inching upward too
She gave my hand a light slap
And I chickened out
A while later I tried again
She grabbed my hand
She leaned in to my ear
And she said to me
She said to me
Be good for me, okay?
Hearing that
I nearly knelt down and called her Mom
Really
No one had ever said anything so tender to me
I disguise myself as wanting nothing
Cold-hearted by nature
Plus, with a height like mine
Not tall
Everyone thinks I'm strong
But after she said that
I felt a mother's love
Dumbass
If only she weren't a hostess girl
How nice that would be
Dumbass
It's fine
Come on, camera
Point it at me
I've got a complaint
No
No, not a complaint
Let me share what happened this morning
I went to the dentist this morning
Everyone, look at my mouth
It hurts when I talk
A rubber band links my top and bottom teeth
My mouth feels sewn shut
So life is so hard for me
Life is so hard
Whose turn is it?
The Act Four actors
Act Four actors, on stage
Not two, right? There's one more
Who's in Act Four?
Act Four has three actors
Buy, buy, buy
Act Four is Hunhun
I can sing
Here we go
Here comes the entrance scene
Goddess
In this scene I'm a different person
I'm the Pimp
Don't ask me why
I don't know either
You can't see a pimp's face
That's why I wear a mask
A rat!
Did you kill it?
Help!
Look at my greasy clothes
Thanks
Oh
My cigarette
I'm the Pimp
A smoke
Lend me a cigarette
Damn it
Bumming smokes off the Boss?
Piss off
No props, all mime
Want a light?
Not lighting it
We're in a theatre, no lighting up
Lighting it would be too pro
You can't force me to do what I hate
You can't turn down this money
How can you go back on your word?
Let me tell you
The client asked for you by name
I can't afford to cross him
If you won't go
I'll drag you into the car
It'll be ugly for both of us
How about this
This time
You're coming with me
You're hurting me
Let go
Aren't you scared at all?
You'll never dare again
What, you'll call the cops?
Cops!
This guy's peddling tarts
What are you doing?
Not peddling, she's saved for Boss Wang
Not the street, your place then?
You're nuts
Fuck you
Holy shit
Motherfucker
Fuck, he's a pimp
Get him
Fucking hell
Dog catching rats, huh?
Playing hot shit, huh?
You don't even rate as a dog
You're just a rat
What, you can't fight?
You idiot
Steal from you?
Where you going? I'll beat you
You okay?
No, I'm not
Just piss off already
Good insult!
Go, let's go
What's wrong, baby?
Move it, clients waiting
Let go
Sorry about that
How many clients have you done?
What's wrong?
You exit on your own here
I still have a scene
You haven't said your line yet
I'm out of lines
You do. 'Move it, baby' is your line
Ugh, stop it
You know what happens if you grab me, right?
Worst case, I'll do last time all over again
I still don't know what happened last time
What happened last time?
Driving
Last time you were hauling a truckload
And he didn't want to go
But you made him go
He beat the guy up
Holy fuck
Really?
Forget it then
Let me tell you
I'll go get Lisa
Don't think you're such hot shit
With wigs on I can't even tell who you are
So tacky
Daughter
Don't let me see you again
Look at the state of you
Lisa
Daddy's here
Daddy
Wait, you're Lisa?
The moment it comes off
Turns out you're still you
Props! Is there even a props team?
No props at all
Miming now? Props? What a crew, seriously
Done acting, I'm pulling a diva
There is a result — Beifeng isn't like the usual theatre
The result is... the result is
The result is this thing has to pass the bar
But clearly we haven't gotten there yet
And we need to keep creating
Or my own character itself
Even two or three days before rehearsals
We were still finding the hooker character
We were still discussing
Still searching inside the character
Searching right up until tonight's stage
But I think it's still not enough
We have to keep searching
My part alone is three roles
Right from the entrance
It's the Robber forcing his way in
And a hostage, that state
So I think
Everyone needs more time
To create together
To find our groove together
The result matters too
But the most important meaning, I think
This play existing means a lot to Beifeng
Beifeng truly exists now, it's real
So really, thank you, thank you
There's one thing I find interesting
Like three actors all said they never found
That spot
I don't know how Beifeng defines that now
Instead of searching or talking about finding it
Just go try being that person
Or rather
Just because
I mean, right now Beifeng is still
Like
It's still
So-called play-acting
I mean
That is, or rather
You can leap right into it
And I really didn't like the playwright's
Opening line just now
Saying we made a lot of mistakes
Like the lighting problems
That, uh
The transitions were bad
Well, for example
Right
One, in itself
Take film, for example
Sound comes in first too
Then the picture opens
Or some jump-cut techniques
That's all totally normal
There's no fixed standard template
And then
My way is just fine
The way I played it
Right
I played it wrong
Or you think your way of playing it is right
Then who gave you that template of legitimacy?
Me, myself
Myself
I myself think I played it wrong
He seems to have some kind of glow
Warm and pure
He was meant to be pure
He doesn't belong on this filthy street
Shouldn't be in my sight
He shouldn't be doing this kind of work
If he weren't here, he'd be a star
He should be smiling at flashbulbs on a red carpet
But now no one cherishes his smile
I wish a real rain would wash this street clean
Or one day
When they all gather
I mean
Everyone packed together out on the street
I'll drive a cement truck
And crush them all to death
Twice
Three times
Till their bones are mashed together
Till the screaming stops for good
God, I'd love to do that
I might need a piece
For when I run into them
I can do it
Sleep now, my beloved
This is where you rave too, right?
Sleep, sleep
Lao Song
laughing over here
Shh
No, I mean, we're on stage here
Once he's asleep
he even sleeps with flair
Sleep
Hurry up and sleep
I'm sleeping
Your chest can't hold a bed
Hurry up and fall asleep
You've lost track of the night
Nice
No more sorrow
No more hunger
No more empty meal tickets
You'll hit the jackpot
Hurry up and fall asleep
The ones you love will remember
Bravo, what a poem
Bravo
Li Bai wrote that, right?
Hurry up and sleep
Never mind what the heart wants
Hurry up and fall asleep
No need to wallow in self-pity
Hurry up and fall asleep
The dream within the dream
can learn the creativity of our world
can go back to before it went wrong
back into the amniotic fluid, back
to before conception
Great show, great show
Someone
Someone wants to cover our eyes
gag our mouths
pin down our hands
pretend all is normal, nothing happened
I've seen it
I know what this place was like when he fled
Now look what you've turned it into
He's down
My back's given out
Call an ambulance, I can't move
Which act are we on?
That's it?
Nope
The part where the Boss gets shot
No, no, no
My bit
Ugh, this is so annoying
Is there more?
Mine, mine
Who made the rules?
Those who profit sit closest to the rules
This must be just what they wanted
And they succeeded
They cut people like me out of society
I should head back
This is my return ticket
I mean, we all rejoin society someday
Either buy a few friends with money
or make a few enemies with brute force
I just checked my bank balance
Enough to last a lifetime if I never work
But there's one condition
I'd have to die tomorrow
Not one day more
Ring ring. The phone's ringing
The poor can't afford one of these
Hello?
Listen, I've got no money to pay you back
Worst case, come kill me
Or I'll jump off this building
Happy now?
He swore at me
So much in this world I've yet to try
I do this today, that tomorrow
In my heart, what makes me happy is right
What I loathe becomes wrong. And yet
people keep telling me my joys are wrong
I can't tell anymore, it's all displaced
Someone has to stand up
Even just not joining their filth counts
No sound effect
I just won't live penned up like a pig
waiting to be slaughtered
I'm not even as good as a pig
A pig eats, sleeps, eats
never has to think
And me? I just finished my PhD
Before I knew which pig I was
I could live like a pig
eat, sleep, work
think about nothing
But all I know is my final fate
so I have to fight back
Not for some ideal
just purely
fighting for my own interests
How do we shout it?
Is this me?
This must be who I was meant to become
They call this
the birth pangs of the times
a necessary sacrifice
the road that must be walked
Why is he stripping?
Isn't this the last act?
But my whole life...
He stripped once midway too
who would even know
Call it publicity, a selling point
That's called exhibitionism
So where were we?
Right?
Where'd the feelings get to?
Come on, next scene
Where were we?
I didn't sell it
Sealed off
The Big One is coming
No, no, the big-big one
This is Act Six already, right?
The Big One comes later, right?
Where are we?
Act Six, I think
Act Six
Yeah
Give it to me
Still mine
Honestly speaking
I still hope this time of ours
won't be the last
I've figured it out
Big dreams, weak hands—it got to me
The road you chose, you walk step by step
Why didn't you show this attitude sooner?
They all got raises this month
All except you
Because of your attitude problem
I didn't give you one
But my numbers match theirs this month
So why, at the last second,
do you dock my wages?
I'm not docking your wages
You're just not one with the collective yet
So no raise for you this month
My point is to make you see
numbers don't come first
Attitude is what matters most
Once you're sitting where I sit
you'll understand
When your company runs like a machine
the last thing you want to see
is one of the gears
turning the wrong way
You get it?
Show me your attitude next month
Let me see you change
and I'll make it up to you
Generous enough, right?
If you show me your attitude
let me see you—
Get to work
Everyone's about to head out
You get ready too
Put your cap on
Get to work
Don't just stand there
Everyone's about to head out
Come back
Come
Come here
Here, a pack of smokes for you
And here's a mug
Someone gave it to me
Haven't even had time to use it
You take it
Off you go
Sir, there's something I should report
There's something I should report
Gimme a light
I've got something to report to you
Go ahead
Take it, take it
Can't help parcels getting lost or damaged
We got complaints—parcels lost or damaged, right?
Can't be helped
I know
There really were complaints
But there's nothing to be done
I know a guy who keeps opening parcels
and harassing people too
Oh, him?
Fire him
That behavior is pretty vile
And he keeps bragging about it
It's a really rotten vibe for the company
But— I'll think it over
Think it over?
Shouldn't he just be fired?
You talked about seeing the other side
I even looked at it from your side
You stressed that yourself
He's the gear turning backwards, right?
I'll think it over
But he delivers more parcels than you
Right
Mm
Why not just fire him?
He never asked for more pay either
You talked about seeing the other side
I looked at it from your angle
He's corrupted the company's culture
Then it doesn't hold up
I think
for a man who sells his labor
what he believes in is fairness
This sort of thing is a necessity
Some things stay inside the company
Don't spread it around
Isn't that just an inside job?
If I spill it, so much for your company service
Go tell whoever you want—see who
believes who
Don't spread it around
Who'd believe who?
Got it
And if I do tell
thanks for your work for the company
I am the truth
How happy the comrades are
Go ahead, say whatever you want
See who believes whom
Think statements go by your terms?
Who's got more resources, me or you?
One last piece of advice, kid
Keep your head down and work
Skip the stretch from suing to losing
Better for the both of us
I'd hate to see the news say one day
some company's ex-employee
fabricated facts out of revenge
and has now been arrested
You're a young man
If you go out talking nonsense
your justice becomes a joke
Don't, don't, don't!
That's fake, right?
Don't!
Let's talk this out!
Put the gun down first
My good employee
I never gave him special treatment
He's kind of related to me
He's from my wife's side
He's my father-in-law's man
I admit it
I can't fire him
You compromise for family, right?
I can't fire him
You have to compromise
He's from my wife's side
He's my father-in-law's man
I'll fire him tomorrow
I had to compromise for my family
Right? I had to compromise
We still have to go on living
We still have to stay alive
I'll fire him tomorrow
Maybe
We still have to go on living
We still have to stay alive
Maybe
It's strange, really
Only then do they
respect me — my dignity's in my hand
Really?
I respect you
I do
I won't breathe a word of this
And you won't either, right?
I trust you
Just put down that thing in your hand
What don't I get?
Maybe I should pour my thoughts
straight into your brain
And you won't either, right?
My life is so boring
I trust you
Just put down that thing in your hand
What don't I get?
I'll walk away
Sing out my thoughts
No, no, don't!
You still have a life ahead
You'll be okay
I'll help you
I'll share all my resources with you
I'll teach you things
You'll—
I'll what?
You still have a life ahead
You'll get better
I'll help you
I'll teach you
I'll take everything I've got
and share it all with you
The good days are still ahead
I'll teach you things
What do you even know?
I'll take the money—
I'd become someone like you
I still wouldn't pity you
There are no poor people
How are you poor?
Life's best days are still ahead
Economy's booming — what poor people?
What poor people?
Give the money back
Share it with the poor
There are no poor people
How are you poor?
What poor people?
Economy's booming — what poor people?
What poor people?
Here it comes
How do we play this?
There's no rave in this bit
Are we supposed to rave now?
Does the rave go in the show?
No. Fine, I'm doing it
I can't move
Just dry-bounce it
Come on, count it inside, let it flow
Fine, fine, let's go
The rave is our best material
Then we put it in
We don't
This one's risky — risky
You're in the middle, the middle
I know, the middle
Go in through the middle
Our favorite new one's coming
It's already started
Not this one — wait for it
Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight
Three — two, three, four
Seven, eight, four
Ah, I'm beat
Nobody move
Seems like it
What are you looking at? What?
A sky-piercing head
On the left, a patch and a strip
Right, right, right
The left
Half a dragon
Right hand
Half of one
How does the bug part go?
No idea how it goes
Don't sleep too deep tonight
Why not?
Why?
What dragon's the right half?
The Big One is coming
What does the Big One stand for?
It's so dark
I can't really say
Fuck
All I know is we're waiting for the Big One
Ah, let me find a line
You sure you want to wait here?
He told me to wait here
When is the Big One coming?
What?
Where is this place?
An office or a school?
A school where?
Maybe one in the city
I don't see any students
This place looks like a school
What do you mean by that?
Why do you say 'looks like'?
Did we go the wrong way?
Let's not talk politics
This play is shitty enough already
All this talk of directions and roads
I only know two roads
Left or right. The thing is
The Big One should be here by now
He never said for sure he'd come
What if he doesn't come?
Then we come back tomorrow
And the day after that
He's always like this. The thing is
I will wait until he comes, no matter what
This transition scene of ours
Acting like a diva
That cigarette
Come on, next mic
Who gets the mic?
The smoke went to what's-his-name
Give what's-his-name a cigarette
Well...
I just thought of a shameless bit
That, uh...
A lighter
Lighter
Hey, I just thought of a... what was it
That, uh...
Got a lighter?
Oh
I think it's out
Quick, someone give me a smoke
Oh
OK, OK, we've got one
Just thought of that guy, what's-his-name
That Showmaker expression
Ah
We pull back backstage
The chairs
Come on, mic
The guy's champion face
Hahaha, champion face
Oh man
Dim it down, dim it down
One more. Both mics are back now
You—scoot over
I thought you might cost more
I've always thought you're
a rare kind of woman
Because the way I see it
if an agent packaged you up
you could make a lot more money
Trust me
I mean, I'd rather you not discount for me
I want you to treat me like anyone else
Really
Coming out to chat costs extra
It's not the same as the usual service
At first I worried it might be dangerous
But I figured you're not that kind of person
So I came
Normally I shouldn't tell a client this much
You're cold
I mean, girls in your trade have fawning eyes
But I have a feeling
you're above wallowing in money
You're after something else
After what?
Like a diamond sealed inside rock
Like a pearl buried in the silt
You sink low, run wild, unleash desire
maybe just to wait for someone
Someone willing to dig you out
Someone willing to tear through the filth
and carry you out of the bitter sea
No
What I do is my own freedom
Xu Hao
What?
Fire!
It's on fire!
You thirsty?
You started a fire
You went right at the curtains
You firebug, go get a taste of it
Small hiccup. Keep going
It's fine
I forgot my lines
Quit freaking out
I lost hope long ago
Before I grow old, I just want
to earn enough toast money to last my days
I think not going hungry
is what most people wish for these days
Let me cover your toast money for life
As long as I'm alive
I'll never let you go hungry
Here—I actually wrote a character bio here
I wrote him a whole character bio
Go ahead
Don't tell me
Say it to the camera
I wrote a whole character bio for this
Let me read it off my phone
Go
Wait, how did the dance go again?
While rehearsing
I found this moment
Right here
He's just a tired, penniless man
But in my eyes he's lovable
Tired and penniless
As long as I'm alive
I'll never let you go hungry
I longed so much to hear those words
Yet of all the men I've met in this world
not one ever said them to me
For the first time I felt my heart
stirring with a soft, hopeful strength
Nothing like falling asleep in the arms
of those smug, self-righteous men
Completely different
Just like that
Wait, what—
Just like that, I changed my mind
How so?
I thought it over
I wanted to go through with it
But then I had second thoughts
They say hitmen keep their first shell casing
Do you have one too?
Sure do
Huh?
Did we skip a few bits?
That...
The reckless kid bit is just gone
Let me be your toast guy for life
As long as I'm alive
I'll never let you go hungry
Just a figure of speech
You make promises to women that easily?
I don't want to wake up one day
and find the vows you made me were all lies
and we part on bad terms
By then you and I couldn't even
smoke together like this
I think I'd probably like a man
who's full of courage
not some lying,
reckless little boy
But it's fine, keep going
Keep going
I don't even have a gun here
They say hitmen keep their first shell casing
Do you have one too?
Sure do
Must've used one by now
One, two, three... nine. Who killed them?
One, two, three, four, five
The gunpowder smell after a shot
never really fades
This is a brand-new gun
I've definitely used one before
Have you ever actually shot a gun?
Where's the gun?
No gun
There's just no gun
Next is that bit with you two
Right?
Xu Hehe
Hold onto this for me
I think we'll need it later
Just now my cigarette butt
burned a hole in my own sock
Burned a hole right through
When did you burn it?
Just now, ashing my cigarette
That's exactly the feel we want
That street vibe
It really fits
Give me more
Take this off
Oh
Your turn
Want it?
Here
I do
How did you use to confess your love?
I mean
with all those exes of yours
I think
as long as you don't just talk at her
all smug
most girls won't bother exposing your lies
So?
So certain someones
love taking those bland, smug sweet nothings
and dumping them all on a girl
Like pounding a pipe
Like a horny poodle, it's fucking great
But you remember the last time, right?
That girl who smelled amazing all over
Oh
We went from strangers to close
in just two hours
I couldn't wait to get a room with her
But then I found out
I couldn't do it
That's what booze does
I wasn't drunk
I was stone-cold sober
I watched her lying there on the bed
Mine for the taking
But I just couldn't get it up
You mean
with her right in front of you
you felt the urge, right?
No
My desire was burning like fire
I was like a dog
that got its balls cut off
I stayed in the bathroom forever
But it just wouldn't get hard
So I ran
Never looked back
Some people
This play... how do I put it
I mean
if this were a proper production
Things do move fast these days
When someone called 21 days plenty
I was honestly surprised
A decade ago, when we talked theatre
it started at three months
And six months
was perfectly reasonable
So clearly it's a fast-paced era now
Which means
three days, even 21, works for everyone
Then my thinking really has fallen behind
As for the standard of this play
The standard of this play
This production still needs lots of work
If you treat this play as Shakespeare
you could do that too
It wasn't like this early on
But after we thought it through
that's why so much changed
With more time to think it over
and to unify all the actors' styles
Some people always seize the moment
But not me
It's decided at birth
Decided by what?
By where you come from
Some people are born without that luck
Chances vanish in a blink
And that's your ceiling
So
I'm getting a new job
Why keep working here anyway?
What have I been doing my whole life?
What have I been doing all my life?
I'm done working here
Congratulations
Not even treating us to KTV?
KTV? Yeah right
Singing with you is no fun
Honestly
I hate this job
I mean, I do exist, you know
yet I get bossed around all day
And you know what
it's so damn annoying
Let me tell you
the Boss here
used to work in our factory
Couldn't make it back home
so he came to the city
If my uncle hadn't gotten him this job
he'd still be on the assembly line
He'd end up marrying a factory girl
living a happy, steady life
Shame he'd never get to touch a fancy car
I know a guy
who touches them every day
He washes cars
Anyway, we'll never see each other again
Hope you won't miss me
I won't miss you
But your beef? I'll miss it to death
Honestly I've never gotten many numbers
I'm just like a dog
chasing after things
Chasing what exactly?
No idea
Why chase at all?
No idea
What the fuck was it again?
Pretend there's a pair of handcuffs
Pretend I'm wearing what?
I pretend I spot the handcuffs
And then
I pretend
to pick them up
and cuff myself
Then
Then I walk over here
And then
I wait for him to stand up
Once he's up
we lock eyes for three seconds
Then I raise my handcuffs
smiling at the Male Lead
I've won
And then I say bye-bye
Time to grab my boxed meal
I told you ages ago
He's got sticky fingers
See? He got arrested
He even said he wants to go back
Well, prison's not bad either
Rid all womankind of a menace
Not bad
Ah
I thought you two were close
Hey
I'm talking to you, man
Hey
Can't get up
Hello, Sally
I knew it was you
I never changed my number
Didn't think you'd keep yours either
Been a little disappointed lately
I didn't become who I wanted to be
And I shut myself away
You've pulled this one before
I don't have many friends, you know
No, you know I told you before
Then you simply forgot
Laugh at me if you want
You're the one closest to my heart
See, you're still laughing at me
So be it
Like anyone truly knows another's heart
There's so much I want to tell you
I used to gripe you never let me take it back
I used to gripe you'd never take it back
Now I understand
I always used to complain
You wouldn't let me take it back
Wouldn't give me the time of day
Now I understand
I regret it
If your boyfriend asks who called
You won't get it tomorrow afternoon
I'll talk to him
Won't get it tomorrow afternoon
What is this?
If your boyfriend asks who called
Hand him the phone, I'll talk to him
Beep, beep
A busy tone came from the other end
The higher-ups treat me alright
Said they'd hold my position for me
Told me to stay home and clear my head
And come back once I've figured it out
He said, the day I finally figure it out
He'll give me a call
And forget about making headlines
I don't think I'll ever make it big
My name will never appear on TV
Those interview lines and speeches are useless now
I want to be a sociologist
So my thinking can be put to use
I don't want my job to be mindless repetition
Didn't I drop ash during the scene just now?
I did so much, yet it's like nothing happened
Back to the same jobless drifting days
And what even is this feeling?
The Boss keeps on sucking up capital
That smug look on his face
Even his white shirt disgusts me
If the justice I fought to uphold
And the truth I chased all turn to nothing
Then what in this world can ever change?
Got a light?
How did you find my place?
I thought no one could find me
It's so quiet in the hallway
I don't want anyone disturbing me
I came to catch up with you
If you mind
I can leave right now
We've met twice, what's to catch up on?
Maybe once isn't enough to know each other
But by the third time, nothing's off-limits
I like letting boys know me through my body
Is that how you treat your clients too?
If this is one of your services, you can go
We never actually made a deal
You can go home now
So you're still a virgin
I don't like love made in bed
Is lust really the answer to love?
But I have done it before
If you're trying to mock me with that
Just go
Will you leave with me?
So you're leaving this place
You're right
I mean you're tired of the way you live
You're right
Maybe I've had enough of cheap love
And of being used as an outlet
Maybe you've fulfilled your ideal here
Even giving it up doesn't matter
As long as you want to leave
I hope you'll come away with me
I... I still have things to settle
A man either dies where his ideal ends
Or dies on the road to reaching it
You're a romantic
No, I hate Romanticism
They think feelings alone solve problems
I'm not like that
I pursue the absolute truth of this world
And I wish everyone were like me
Seeing how false this world is
But they should discover the truth themselves
Only then do their lives have meaning
Let them expose the lies themselves
Then fight and cry out for the truth
Instead of coldly looking on
You're right
Except you're a realist
If escaping reality
Is what you call idealism
Then where will you go?
I am a lone island
Where does the ocean flow?
What?
There's an unclaimed little house in the country
And an abandoned field
I'd live with a man who treats me as his whole world
I need to put myself back together
Will you wait for me?
Did I ever say that?
Is that you?
Sorry — broke character laughing
What are you laughing at?
This scene is too long
It's good, it's good
You did say it
Is that you?
Cut this scene
Right, this scene can't leave this room
If it leaks, the price goes up
So which part next?
Oh, my turn — the police partners
Go on
Okay
Hey, what's wrong?
Why did the mood suddenly get heavy?
Come on
What time is it?
Ten past ten
So this case is closed
Remember to get me the report
All for this gun
Sorry to drag you out here
Is that kid really possessed?
He's pretty normal
It's just that nobody else is an idealist
That's what makes him look ridiculous
He reminds me of you
Me?
I'm nothing like him
My door doesn't have that many locks
And I only have two keys
One of them is still with you
That time you finally came over
I opened the door
Walked into the bedroom
And there you were with your chick
Just standing on the bed
I wanted to gouge my own eyes out
Anyway
We shouldn't have dragged the audience into this
Even if we investigate him
It should wait until the operation is over
Your first year on the force
Your uniform was covered in snot
You were a greenhorn
Yes
The bureau was a mess back then
If the chief hadn't gone down
Who knows how it would've ended
In the end it was you who reported him
That's how you made squad leader
And waded into this muddy water of yours
That's right
If it were her
She would never have done that
She'd stand at the prosecutor's gate
Soaking the files with the sweat of her hands
And then turn around and go home
And what does that tell you?
You both want to protect something
Whether your own interests or justice
You're a doer
You act first
She thinks first
You're mocking me for being reckless
I can hear it
You grew up in a stable family
Went to the police academy
Elite of the elite
While he's like a rat
Living in the sewer
So terrified by the vast sewage system
He can't climb out
Still cursing
Which bastard dug this thing so deep
That's him
He doesn't deserve to see this world
Then does he count as human?
Put tonight on my tab
Go home and get some rest
Rest
I want your report first thing tomorrow
Not coming to my place tonight?
No
I've sensed it too
Your recent tastes
Have changed a little
It's rather sad to say
He suffers from ED
He can't get it up
To protect himself
From being hurt by reality
His brain triggers a defense mechanism
To fill in his own night of passion
His brain auto-triggers that defense
To complete his night of passion
He's truly terrifying
No
He might be an anti-revisionist
A restless creed in his heart
But he has nothing
No gift, no talent
And only a scrap of courage
In this world full of injustice
What is he supposed to do?
Did you think the play was good?
It was awful
What a piece of junk
But I kind of loved it
I like bad plays
Because I'm a bad person
What's a good play anyway?
There are none. I've never seen one
Bad people watch bad plays
Good people watch good plays
It was wonderful. I loved it
My god, I saw a world of ice
It was like seeing my mother
So warm
My favorite play of my whole life
A few questions for you
Go ahead
Would you give everything for your ideals?
Yes
Talking money is vulgar
That's not something I can reveal
Been doing any of that lately?
It's alright
Alright, huh?
If you went to a hooker, what kind would you pick?
What kind?
A good figure
And what kind of service?
Are you an idealist?
I think I am
I absolutely am
I am
Which one do I face?
Film him, film him, film him
Watching Iceberg
Film him!
Say it to both cameras
I... I think I
Yu Haoran
You tell me
I... I think
Zhang Yuming
What... what do I even say?
Chu Yixu
I am
Li Junjiang
Zhang Naizhu
I think I am
Good
And our two behind-the-scenes creators
Li Zuchang
We're a short-film collective
Press it again
Yep, it didn't record
Oh, the west
Again, again, again
Exactly right — come on
I
Are you an idealist?
I think I am
Now we move into
The backstage meeting
Everyone can share their thoughts
If you dare to be blunt, that works too
Let's just start talking
Are you going to strip now?
I'm too old. I don't want to strip
Besides, this part stays in the script
Otherwise the trailer loses its surprise
Fine
Save it for January 1st then
Fine
About whether to strip or not
I think
On January 1st
Play it by ear
You can strip or not strip
And both of you will be there together
So
Will you strip now or not?
Strip or not?
And Lao Lian will be there too
And my brother Tiandi will be there
If the mood feels right
I can consider it
If necessary
Sure, of course
There won't be any problem
No
Actually, it's not impossible
Because everyone
Has come into this space
They can see something different
Right — they have to see something different
Sure
If I feel the mood is right
And I'm really in the zone
More power to you
Sure
Show a little
And if it doesn't feel right
Just go by the moment
If it feels right, go for it
No wait — I think you had a full outfit on
It wasn't on
But by your own feeling
Not as formal as this
Can I strip myself?
Sure, no problem
Someone else strips
That's the key act
Stop recording
But don't you think it's a bit
Business versus sincerity?
Right
Are you single too? Shoes, shoes, shoes
Are you single? I usually... I
I'm just asking if you're single
Single, nothing serious going on
That sounds shaky. A bit shaky
Right? There's a backup, isn't there?
Your rival