Chapter 424: Convincing Su Xiaowei
Translator: Azza
Editor: Conspiracing
The two arrived at a newly-established film and television base[1] in the countryside. They ate their food directly in the car. The crew had bought out a "village". However, the two had arrived a bit early and the crew was still filming.
It seemed to be a period drama. Su Xiaowei, who still looked young and beautiful in the morning, was now playing a rustic peasant woman. She was filming a scene with another male actor. Lin Dongxue recognized the actor as one who was mildly famous. There were quite a few people at the scene, so nobody noticed the two of them sneaking in.
The actor said passionately and vehemently, "12345678!"
Su Xiaowei tugged his sleeve and said, "Xinmin, do you have to throw away your life? The Japanese have already reached Beiping. What difference does it make for you to go and fight the Japanese soldiers?"
The actor responded, "12345678! 87654321!"
Lin Dongxue giggled. "What are they filming?"
Chen Shi explained, "They’re probably going to do post-production dubbing!"
At the peak of their argument, the actor pushed Su Xiaowei. She fell to the ground and then the actor helped her up in concern.
The director said aloud, "Cut! The fall was too fake. Let's do another one! Let's start from the tugging of the sleeve."
Once again, the director said “Cut!” followed with, “Do you know how to fall? You have to fall backwards with your butt landing on the ground! Your whole body has to lose it’s balance and you have to land with your butt on the ground to make it realistic.”
A few people beside them were laughing. Su Xiaowei apologized with a blushing face.
Then they filmed the scene again. Su Xiaowei fell very hard this time. After the shoot, the director said, "Very good. The expression was very good. Change to another angle and do another one."
The staff immediately busied themselves with work. A group of people surrounded the actor to give him water and re-do his make-up. Su Xiaowei sat on the ground while still maintaining a painful expression on her face. It seemed that she was in real pain from falling.
But no one in the busy group noticed her.
"It's really tough to film shows!" Lin Dongxue sighed sympathetically.
Finally, they waited until noon when it was time for lunch. The actor's assistant bought him lunch separately. He went back to his production van and ate there. Su Xiaowei took a takeaway box meal that was provided, thanked the crew, and found a secluded corner to sit and eat.
Upon seeing this opportunity, Chen Shi signaled with his head and walked over with Lin Dongxue. When she saw that they had come to find her again, Su Xiaowei was visibly a little unhappy. She wiped the rice on her mouth away and said, "How did you find this place?"
"What can be hidden from the police?" Chen Shi handed her a bottle of water.
Su Xiaowei said “Thank you” in a small voice. Chen Shi said, "No need to rush, you can eat first!"
Lin Dongxue asked, "Don’t you have a manager and assistant?"
"They didn't come today." Su Xiaowei lied,lowered her head and continued to eat.
Chen Shi said, "It’s too sunny here. You should go and eat in my car!"
"N... No need."
After the meal, Su Xiaowei said, "You came here in vain. I’ve already said everything that I needed to. Unless you intend to ask me to make a false statement and commit perjury.”
Lin Dongxue said, "We’ve checked your communication records. You and Luo Zuyu have no personal relationship with each other at all. You two haven’t cooperated in any films or variety shows before. Although you belong to the same company, the two of you are like parallel railroad tracks and there’ve been no intersections... I can’t help but be suspicious of your date on the 14th.”
"We..."
Lin Dongxue interrupted her. "Actually, you know full well how important your lie is. It’s Luo Zuyu’s alibi. The bigger your lie, the bigger your burden! Let me show you a photo. This girl is six years younger than you. She was killed by Luo Zuyu on the evening of the 14th. The police know that the murderer was him, but there’s no evidence, so we could only watch him leave the interrogation room! Of course, don’t think that a few lies can block the police investigation. We have found out that he has more than one murder on his hands. Even if there’s no witness, we will find physical evidence. The heaven’s net has wide meshes but nothing escapes it.[2]. He will have to pay the price one day... But you? You’ll have to pay a painful price for perjury. What awaits you is the calamity of prison. However, you are not famous and would have to silently swallow the bitter wine that you have brewed yourself.[3] I know that you have an ordinary family background. In order to study at the arts academy, your mother even sold the house. You are different from people like Luo Zuyu. You can’t climb up again after falling down. You won’t go to prison more than a few years if you commit perjury. However, in your case, even if you just spent half a year in prison, would anyone be willing to let you take part in their shows?”
Su Xiaowei lowered her head in order to cover up her tears.
Lin Dongxue's offensive tactic worked and Chen Shi secretly gave her a thumbs up. She continued, "Elder Sister, I don't know what Ji Xingyao promised to give you, but whatever it is, it’s not worth exchanging it in return for your conscience and future. In fact, you’re still young. There are countless successful stars in their thirties. You definitely have a chance, but the one in front of you is by no means the chance of your dreams. Those people are harming you. They are just using you for their own sake. The promise that they gave you is just a mirror-image of the moon in the water[4]. Once you swallow this bait, they will continue to use you in the future. Or they’ll think that you know too much and try to get rid of you! I can tell you quite frankly that there is no key evidence held by the police. Your words are key evidence. The words that you say are very important to us. If you tell us now, you will help us a great deal and you won’t be convicted. If you don’t tell us, you won’t have the chance to choose when we’ve found tangible evidence.”
Su Xiaowei cried. "I haven't had a chance to star as the lead after being an performing artist for the last ten years. The agency has given me a few chances. But I was stupid and didn’t take advantage of the opportunities. They gradually stopped taking me seriously. They invested their resources in those newly-debuted artists. I know that my aptitude for this is mediocre and my looks are average. I also know that I neither have the talent nor the background. This is the only time that the heavens opened a door for me. They said that they would use this opportunity to promote me, spreading gossip saying that I’m Luo Zuyu’s girlfriend. I’ll become famous in this way and lots of film contracts and announcements will come to my door! If I don’t take advantage of this, I might not have another chance for the rest of my life! I’m currently playing a village girl whose name nobody will remember. Ten years later, I would play an aunt whose name nobody will remember. Twenty years later, I would play an old lady whose name nobody will remember. I can’t accept this! Everyone’s human. Why can I only be obscure and unknown my whole life?!"
Lin Dongxue grabbed her by the shoulder. "You believe that kind of lie? Luo Zuyu can barely save himself. When you pretend to be his girlfriend, the reputation that awaits you will only be an infamous one!”
"Even if it's being infamous, having a name which people will curse at, it’s still being famous... I want to be famous!" Su Xiaowei cried.
Chen Shi said, "Once Luo Zuyu’s murder is exposed, it would definitely be a nuclear bomb. You will also become known by many people if you help the police. Do you not want such a positive chance to become famous?"
Su Xiaowei hesitated. "But... But if I betray Sister Ji, would she spare me?"
"Did your contract say that you had to commit perjury for a murderer? When that time comes, Ji Xingyao and Luo Zuyu will both go to court. Their strength is only an illusion. The law is actually the most powerful!"
Su Xiaowei widened her teary eyes and stated slowly, "On July 14th, I didn’t see Luo Zuyu. Actually, he and I have never met in private!"
1. They have “streets” set up for filming different films.
2. Idiom from Chinese philosopher Lao Zi meaning that you can’t run from the long arm of the law.
3. Suffer the consequences of her own actions.
4. Not necessarily real.
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