Main Story Ch. 2-15 - The Time in Between (时间针脚) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋
After a week of working with Warson, I have basically gotten used to the pace here. Zheng Lin too have arranged my first individual assignment.
Zheng Lin: There's a mentoring system in this design center. All new assistant and junior designers will have a mentor. Of course, not selected by you guys, but the selection is done by the mentors. Every senior designer, including Director Qi will be participating in mentoring.
You: Even Director Qi?
Zheng Lin: That's right. The first individual work's results will be the criteria that determines the mentor's selection. Although it's individual work, but if you happen to find something you do not understand, feel free to ask me anytime. Considering that you are still new and unfamiliar with the environment, I will arrange Mao Ge to assist you. Of course, the content of assistance does not include designing itself. In short, please do well for this assignment because this will decide your future mentor, do you understand?
I understood what sis Zheng Lin meant, as the path of growth will be greatly affected by your mentor. If you are able to be mentored by someone experienced and having a matching sense of beauty, you will learn even more. Although this feels far from my goal, but I wanted to be the best choice for Sariel.
The assignment this round is to make a dress for a newly popular young actress -- Lin Yao to attend an award ceremony. She debuted as a child star, and her popularity went off the scales through a youth idol drama half year ago. Because of her cold-looking appearance, the media labeled her as the "Nation's Fairy". This time, she starred the lead role in a Republic of China-themed* crime film, winning both popularity through word-of-mouth and extraordinary box office performance, that allowed her to be nominated for various grand award such as the most popular film, the best actress and many others.
This movie tells the story of a girl with outstanding talent in dancing who has been conspiring for many years to kill her abusive adoptive mother, but was killed by her second personality that was cultivated by her adoptive mother instead. At the end of the film, she stood in the white snow, dancing gracefully to the corpse of her adoptive mother that she have imagined, and showed the very first smile that she has ever had in her life.
You: The acting is so great, it's hard to see any traces that she's acting.
After watching her award-winning work and some interviews, I have some basic understanding towards Lin Yao. A girl with few words, obedient, and there are no negative news about her at all. She is always smiling in front of the camera. Serious at work and responsible, her path until this day has been smooth, as if she's living the life that everyone are jealous of.
You: It's too conservative to go with a fairy dress, although it suits Lin Yao's aura, but it has been repetitive, so it is difficult for her to stand out in the red carpets. I kept feeling that her inner self is not as calm as her exterior looks, perhaps a little more vigorous or maybe sensitive...
I am unsure of how I can accurately articulate this contradictory feeling. Perhaps it's the pair of vengeful eyes that are full of anger just like the knives, or perhaps it's the little moments of tiredness from her interviews, that have made me undecisive on the style of her dress.
You: I still wanted to dig out the charming side of her that is hidden.
A genius girl from the Republic of China*, the short yet agitating era, the self-salvation and self-destruction, sure enough, it's indeed for the story to be fatalistic only when it is combined with the background of the times.
*T/N: China (from 1912 to 1949), officially the Republic of China (ROC), was a sovereign state based in mainland China prior to the relocation of its government to Taiwan as a result of the Chinese Civil War. It's the era when industrialization starts, but suffered from setbacks due to political reasons. As economy and politics weren't stable during this era, there are a lot of classical films that revolves around this theme, showing beautiful attires that is a good mixture of traditional elements with some elements of industrialization.
You: What if I add these elements into the dress?
I closed my eyes and started imagining in my mind. A black feather dress that has the elements of Republic of China era gradually appears.
You: I've got it!
Mao Ge: Oh goodness, you scared me!
I just realized that I was so excited that I slammed the table as I stood up, so I smiled in embarrassment.
You: Mao Ge, I'll go out for some field works, to look for some inspiration!
To look for elements of the Republic of China era, of course the museum would be the best place. When grandma and mom didn't have time to look after me when I was a child, they will leave me with mom's ex work partner. He is in charge of managing a museum, so this is like a second home to me.
You: But why does it feel a different from memory...
I have not been here for years, and every part in this museum has been renovated, so every location of the exhibition halls have went into major changes.
I followed the signs to walk towards the Republic of China exhibition, but a familiar back view has attracted me. The person is wearing fully in black, with his hands placed behind him, standing soundly in front of the display counter, completely focused on the exhibited items. The straight posture of his made him look like a tall and quiet sculpture from afar.
Under the spotlight, a silver-white halo floated around him subtly, that you could even see the tiny dust moving around in the light. This makes his whole person look cold yet agile. I can't help yself but to pick up my camera and pressed onto the shutter.
"Kacha--"
Alerted, he man turned over.
You: .... Osborn?!
I was so surprised that I took a step backwards, my hand suddenly felt empty, and the camera is taken away by Osborn.
Osborn: What are you hiding from?
He tilted his head, looking into the camera, and the corner of his lips curved upwards.
Osborn: Secretly taking a photo of me? Let me see how it looks.
You (flustered): Give it back first!
Osborn, however, purposely placed the camera even higher, that I can't even reach it at all.
Osborn: Why are you panicking so much, I didn't even mind at all.
You: I still have something on, quickly return it to me already.
Osborn: What are you doing here?
You: Collecting folk songs. I need to look for inspiration.
Osborn nodded, turned around and started walking away with the camera.
Osborn: Didn't you want to collect folk songs? Let's go.
He is coming along with me?
I quickly followed him, and gave him the guidebook. Who knows he actually waved his hand, gesturing for me to only follow behind him. He walked me through the museum easily. For every single exhibition item that I mentioned, he could find it immediately. This sense of direction, is he a human GPS?
You: Osborn, have you always been here?
Osborn: This is my first visit.
You: ......
Osborn chuckled in a low tone, tilting his head, trying to measure me up.
Osborn: How many times have you been here?
You: A few times in the past, I think, I'm not too familiar with this place, haha...
??: Y/N! It's really you, you've came back to the country?
The museum curator that I have not seen for ages suddenly walked over from a corner, looking surprised when he saw me.
Uncle Curator: You've grown up so much after not seeing you for a few years. It's good that you're now back, when you are free sometime, come to uncle's place to have a meal. Right, do you need me to find a guide for you? I remembered that you have been lost here in the past.
You: ... No need no need! This friend of mine has a super strong sense of direction!
My face flustered, quickly pointing towards Osborn. Uncle curator did not say anything else anymore, only smiling and nodding towards Osborn, then quickly left.
Great. I originally didn't want to let Osborn know I had a bad sense of direction, he's going to laugh at me again.
You (flustered): That... I'm still pretty good at reading maps.
Osborn really can't hold back from laughing that even his shoulders started trembling. He tugged my arm, and stride forward.
Osborn: Let's go already, directionally challenged dummy. Now, I'll give you the directions.
I suddenly feel my heart softly beating.
You: I want to go to the Republic of China exhibition hall...
The Republic of China exhibition hall is renovated into a style of the early past century The new exhibited treasures are all attires and accessories, I really did come to the right place.
Osborn: What items do you need photos of?
You: Uh, the etched-out brown clip cheongsam. The blue-gray woven satin lined jacket! Also the short-sleeved qipao made of etched-out georgette velvet, the one with pink flower on it!
After taking photos of almost every single clothing item available, the cone shape in my mind seemed to be a little clearer.
You: That's all, no more.
Osborn kept the camera, and looked at the time.
Osborn: Then let's go.
By the time we walked out of the museum, the colors of sunset has tinted the city. The atmosphere of the sunset surrounded us, with the scent of hyacinth lingering around the air. Osborn walked towards a black motorbike, reflexively leaned towards the seat.
You: Thank you very much for today, you've been taking pictures for me, did I interrupt what you were supposed to do?
Osborn: Yeah.
You: ... Ah, then what should we do?
Osborn: Then you can repay me a bit. The bracelet that I was looking at, have you seen it before?
An image of a white jade vessel appeared in my mind.
You: That isn't a bracelet. It's called Yu Cong*, something that is used by the ancient wizards or used in religious rituals. The one just now is just something from the Liangzhu culture, some predict that it's used to communicate with spirits or to allow souls to live in them.
*T/N: Yu Cong (玉琮) is a form of ancient Chinese jade artifact.
Osborn: You know quite a lot.
You: I used to be here quite often when I was a kid, so if I have nothing to do I'll follow behind a guide, so I remember a lot.
Osborn: Yo, didn't expect you to be an industrial expert right there.
You: No, nothing like that at all, just that I have a slightly better memory, and maybe also learning a little faster.
Osborn: Let me think, wasn't there an expert that doesn't even know how to differentiate between North and South, East and West?
You: I'm born with a bad sense of direction, that's why I said I'm pretty good at reading maps.
Osborn: Alright, don't glare at me, I was just kidding with you.
Osborn: I have a good sense of direction, so from now on, just follow me.
You: ...... Right, the de vessel earlier is a little weird.
Osborn: That's a pretty bad shift of topic.
You (pouting): Do you still want to listen?
Osborn: Go on.
You: I have not seen any jade vessel of the Liangzhu culture that carves a picture of double-headed snake before. In the Sumer culture, however, there is an important double-headed snake image that represents the God of Fine Woods, Ningiszida, that even in their lores, the God uses clay to create humans, and started the very first civilization. Just like our ancient lores' Nüwa. Also a coincidence is that, the image of double-headed snake from Sumer is very similar to Fuxi Nüwa's image.
Osborn's brows subconsciously turned into a frown, it appears that he was mumbling something, but very quickly turned back into his cynical look.
Osborn: Alright, I understand now.
You: Why are you interested in this?
You: I remembered that the bracelet you've shown me on the rooftop had this image too.
Osborn: Have you heard of something?
Osborn raised a pinky, asking me to get closer to him.
Osborn: The more secrets you know, the more you will--
He made a "neck-cutting" gesture, looking at me with a smirk.
You: I don't even want to know.
Osborn: It relates to someone I wanted to find, I'll tell you when I have the chance next time.
You: Oh...
Osborn: But don't tell anyone about whatever happened today.
You: Alright, give my camera back already.
Osborn: I've helped you out, aren't you even gonna thank me for even a bit?
Osborn leaned a little backwards, avoided my hand that attempted to grab the camera, looking a bit rascal.
You: Thank you!
Osborn: Give me your arm.
A small lemon candy is placed together in my palm along with my camera.
Osborn: Where are you going? I'll send you there.
He got on the bike, and glanced at the jammed road.
You: That's very kind of you...
I habitually waved my hand, but I was thinking about how I can jump up this very tall bike.
And as I was ready to step up to the bike, the engine sounded, and the bike drove
The only thing that lingers in the air was his voice saying "I'm heading off".
You: Hey, I was only being polite, how about actually asking me again?!
