Han Zhou returned to work.
This time, I can work slowly and leisurely.
There is too much fragmented time this year, so it's a good time to take more rest.
I also have some time to write something.
Han Zhou was preparing to go to Shanghai, because the filming of "My Sassy Girl" starring Lu Jin and Shan Koukou was about to begin there.
The director is Tan Aileen and the assistant director is Chen Xiaoyong.
This movie, in some ways, is the best movie in South Korea.
South Korean movies are at the top of the box office charts, and the number of mainstream movies is greater than that of both China and the United States. However, most of the time, these mainstream movies do not respect historical facts and certainly cannot be called good movies.
As for the so-called large-scale themes that they dare to shoot, there are actually many of them if we look at the world as a whole. It is only in the environment of South Korea that they seem to dare to shoot them.
Nothing special.
The only redeeming thing is that before the era of melodrama, romance films were still very desirable.
Han Zhou's script has been thrown out anyway. With this framework and Tan Ailein's personality, he should be able to handle the details of the story very well.
I estimate the quality and adaptability will be higher than if Han Zhou took the photos himself.
However, when the filming started, Han Zhou planned to go and take a look, even if it was to visit Feng Chu on the set.
The Hanzhou tickets were booked and I received a message while at the airport.
What Han Sisheng sent was an address.
The address of a hospital.
Han Zhou was about to dial the number when the call came in, so he answered it immediately: "Hello, Fourth Uncle."
Han Sisheng: "Come here."
"I sent you the address."
Han Zhou: "Uncle, what happened to you? Why are you in the hospital?"
Han Sisheng said in a deep voice: "It's not me, it's Xie Fu, come quickly."
Xie Fu...
Han Zhou hung up the phone and left the airport directly, while calling Tan Ailein to tell her that he couldn't go.
After hearing what happened, Tan Ailin said, "I'm afraid I have to go back to Yanjing too."
The last time we met, Xie Fu was in good health.
Although that was during the Spring Festival.
As the only two surviving directors of the third generation, if Han Sisheng and Xie Fu are gone, the remaining one will be the last one.
Xie Fu is older than Han Sisheng, but he is not old enough to be sick, right?
Aren’t they going to shoot the third part of the Founding of the Nation trilogy?
When he came to his senses, Han Zhou realized that something had gone wrong.
If Xie Fu is gone, the rights to shoot main-theme movies will basically fall into the hands of the Beijing circle.
This... is going to be bad.
Or, at this time, should he force himself to form a crew and start filming Wolf Warrior 2?
However, the dividends of the times that Wolf Warrior 2 benefited from were too great. If Wolf Warrior 2 was simply released at any time, the box office would probably be just over 2 billion at most.
The problem is that this movie cost at least 400 million to shoot.
Adding the publicity and promotion costs, it will be impossible to make money by filming Wolf Warrior 2 now.
Did they say that they would shoot Wolf Warrior 2 first, and then wait for the opportunity to release it when a country in the world goes to war and evacuates its citizens?
But how can I get the military resources needed to film Wolf Warrior 2?
This definitely won't work.
Han Zhou was in a heavy mood.
On the one hand, Xie Fu was very kind and caring towards me.
At the beginning, Xie Fu was listed as the assistant director of Kung Fu and taught Han Zhou a lot of things.
He also wanted to take Xie Fu to participate in the filming of a mainstream movie and get him an important role.
On the other hand, if something happened to Xie Fu, the main theme would fall into the hands of the enemy.
The taxi driver had been glancing at Han Zhou since he picked him up.
Han Zhou's face looked heavy, so he didn't talk as freely as usual.
But he was indeed curious and asked, "Are you that star!?"
Han Zhou nodded: "Yes."
Taxi driver: "So if you want to rush to the hospital from the airport, you must..."
Han Zhou: "Elder, I'm sick."
The taxi driver said: "Oh, this life is really like that. Judging from your appearance, the guy in the hospital must be a senior in your entertainment industry."
"If you make so much money and get sick, you'll get sick just like any other person."
"Relax, our Yanjing hospital is of high quality, nothing will happen."
Han Zhou: "My elder is old and suddenly went to the hospital. I haven't figured out what disease he has. Alas."
Taxi driver: "People can't avoid all kinds of disasters and diseases. In the past, we..."
The taxi driver chatted with Han Zhou all the way, and Han Zhou felt a little better.
When he arrived at the hospital, Han Zhou immediately went there according to the text message.
In the aisle, there are many people I don’t know, and also many people I know.
Han Sisheng, wearing cloth shoes, leaned his elbows against the wall, lowered his head, and used his right hand to rub his sweaty short flat hair.
Several middle-aged women nearby seemed at a loss.
There were also a few middle-aged men, walking back and forth anxiously.
Someone who knew Han Zhou whispered, "Teacher Han..."
Han Zhou raised his hand to interrupt, indicating that no greetings should be made at this time.
Han Zhou walked up to Han Sisheng and said, "Uncle Si, what's going on?"
Han Sisheng turned back, sweat dripping down his forehead: "Mr. Xie has trouble walking lately, and he accidentally fell yesterday."
"But when the doctor examined me, he found..."
"Advanced pancreatic cancer."
Pancreatic cancer? ! !
Han Zhou: "How could it be...late stage? How could it be late stage pancreatic cancer?"
Han Sisheng leaned against the wall: "How should I know? The doctor said that when he got sick, the symptoms were very obvious. He lost a lot of weight in a short period of time."
"But it is speculated that he happened to be on the Kung Fu set when he fell ill."
"So even his family thought he was too tired and became thin."
Han Zhou remained silent.
Han Sisheng looked at Han Zhou and sighed: "It's not your fault. The doctor said that pancreatic cancer is usually not discovered until the late stage."
"In the early stages, the disease was basically discovered through physical examinations and CT scans."
Han Zhou: "If it's in the late stage... has it metastasized?"
Han Sisheng didn't say anything. What else was there to say?
Pancreatic cancer metastasizes to only one direction, and that is the liver.
Han Zhou looked towards the operating room, not knowing what to say.
According to what Han Zhou had read in his mind, in the late stage of pancreatic cancer, the remaining days would be counted in months or even days.
Chemotherapy may cause exacerbations.
Traditional Chinese medicine, which is very effective in treating pancreatic cancer in the early stages, has almost no effect in the late stages.
I just don’t know how late this late stage is.
We just met during the Spring Festival and attended the premiere of "Kung Fu" together. How come he is gone in the blink of an eye?
He is not even eighty or ninety years old, how could he suddenly become like this?
Han Zhou started to have a headache.
Han Zhou remembered watching a movie before, which was about an athlete who suddenly found out that he had cancer.
With the encouragement of many people, the malignant tumor was removed, but it was discovered to have metastasized shortly afterwards.
Then I had surgery, incision, and chemotherapy.
But, it shifted again.
Finally it spread to almost all the internal organs.
But after all, not everyone is an athlete, not everyone can survive until the cancer spreads to all internal organs, and not everyone can survive three major operations before saying goodbye to this world.
Director Xie, I’m afraid…
After a while, the doctor came out.
A group of people stood up and gathered around.
Han Sisheng pushed everyone away and walked to the front.
Xie Fu's son was extremely anxious, but he also had to support Han Sisheng and looked at the doctor: "What's wrong?"
The doctor was silent for a second, then spoke: "Generally speaking, pancreatic cancer in the late stage is almost impossible to treat, let alone when it has spread to the lymph nodes throughout the body, and the patient is now..."
"My suggestion is to give up treatment and not to perform surgery on fractures, as this will only cause more pain to the patient."
Xie Fu's daughter-in-law: "But are you going to let my dad continue to be in pain like this? If the fracture is not treated, won't he be in pain for a long time?"
The doctor's expression was not very good.
Han Sisheng: "Xiao Gu, just speak frankly."
Doctor: "Although the patient is not suitable for CT scans now, because hospital records show that he has done it twice in the past four months, but based on the old films and our judgment of his clinical symptoms..."
"The patient has become dizzy and lightheaded, his speech is unclear and slurred, and he is coughing up blood and having difficulty breathing."
"Now it has spread to the lungs and head."
"so……"
Everyone stared at him.
The doctor had no choice but to say, "I checked and found that the patient had already had a checkup a month ago. However, the doctor recommended a full-body CT scan, but he did not agree. So I'm afraid the patient already knew about his physical condition."
"you……"
There are too many people here, and this is happening in front of Han Sisheng, the doctor's elder, so he doesn't know what to say.
"I've put him on an anesthesia machine. You have to pay attention. Once the medicine takes effect and the pain is not so severe, the patient may wake up once in three to twelve hours."
"But it is also possible that..."
"Call those who should be called."
Xie Fu's eldest son grabbed his hand and said, "Just tell me, how long will it take?"
Doctor: "Maybe three days, maybe two days, but no more than five days."
"Looking at the patient's condition, and with our best life-sustaining equipment, he should be able to hold out for more than a day."
The doctor said there was nothing he could do and patted the back of Han Sisheng's hand: "Uncle Han, take care of yourself."
Take care of yourself! Han Sisheng’s whole body went limp.
If Han Zhou hadn't been standing behind him and quickly grabbed him, Han Sisheng would have fallen straight down.
"Hey! Fourth uncle! Fourth uncle!"
The doctor hurriedly checked the symptoms: "Everyone, move aside and give Uncle Han some space to breathe!"
"Transfer to an emergency department bed."
Han Zhou hurriedly called Han Jiaxin.
Then guard Han Sisheng.
After about an hour, Han Sisheng woke up.
Han Jiaxin also arrived with Aunt Zheng.
Han Sisheng was very depressed. In the end, he had no choice but to sigh: "Go see Lao Xie. I'm fine."
Han Jiaxin also learned about Xie Fu's situation through Han Zhou, and now she remains silent.
Han Zhou had only received favors from Xie Fu.
Han Jiaxin was raised by Xie Fu since she was a child.
Seeing that Han Sisheng was stable, Aunt Zheng stayed here to watch over him, while Han Zhou and Han Jiaxin went to find Xie Fu.
He has now been transferred to the intensive care unit.
No one is allowed in the intensive care unit.
But where can a group of people disperse?
They are all in the outer corridor.
Life is really like this, things are unpredictable.
Here, a group of people who had been holding back their thoughts finally started talking.
Han Zhou came over and saw Zhao Qigang at a glance.
Zhao Qigang stood up and looked at Han Zhou. He wanted to say something, but then he closed his mouth and sat down.
Jiang Peng next to him took out a cigarette out of habit.
The nurse came over in a hurry: "Smoking is prohibited in the hospital."
Jiang Peng glared at the nurse fiercely.
No one else dared to speak. Han Zhou looked coldly and said, "Let's do some good for Director Xie."
"With such a big thing, reporters must have known about it and will flock here soon."
"When we see you smoking here and you get into trouble with the hospital, we'll blame it on Director Xie."
As for the nurse, Jiang Peng felt that it didn't matter to treat such a small person and didn't give her a good face. However, as for Han Zhou, although he was an enemy, he was a person of the same level. Instead, Jiang Peng smiled lightly and put the cigarette back.
Han Zhou didn't treat Jiang Peng well, but he was friendly to the nurse: "We are sorry to disturb you and cause you trouble by coming here."
The nurse shook her head and said, "It's okay, I'm used to it. It's understandable that the patient's family and friends are in a bad mood."
Han Zhou didn't know what he could do here.
Han Jiaxin went over to talk to them.
Han Zhou didn't recognize any of Xie Fu's sons or daughters, and he couldn't go over to talk to them.
Come to think of it, I didn't even visit Director Xie's house during the Chinese New Year. It's really...
I'll go visit my elders every New Year, otherwise who knows what will happen next time...
Han Zhou glanced at the stairs, walked over, and took out a cigarette as he walked.
Don’t smoke in the corridor, smoke secretly at the stairs.
Han Zhou has little experience in the entertainment industry and does not know many of the senior seniors yet.
I only know a few of them. Today, Director Xie’s life has come to an end.
I have many feelings.
At the stairs, Han Zhou lit a cigarette, sat on the ground, and was in a daze.
“Crack.”
At the corner of the stairs, there were the sounds of camera shutters and even flash lights.
Han Zhou narrowed his eyes and looked over.
Before he could react, two men in suits came up from the lower level, snatched the camera away, took out the memory card, and threw the camera back: "Get lost."
The reporter was furious: "Which law doesn't allow taking photos?!"
One of them, wearing a black suit, asked: "Master Han, do you know?"
The reporter shuddered.
The man in the black suit: "Reporters are not allowed to enter this hospital today. You can go now."
The tabloid reporter turned around and walked away.
Two men in black suits came up and saw Han Zhou here. They didn't say anything, but stood at the entrance of the corridor.
They should be the security team of Huaying Group, specially called by Han Sisheng to prevent reporters from taking secret photos.
Han Sisheng wanted to give his old friend the last bit of dignity and prevent his painful appearance lying on the hospital bed from being photographed and spread.
Han Zhou was smoking a cigarette when he heard a loud noise in the corridor. He dropped his cigarette, stood up hurriedly, patted his pants, and walked towards the corridor.
As soon as I entered the corridor, I saw everyone standing up and blocking the door to the ICU.
Normally, visitors are not allowed in the ICU.
But now all the patients are dying, and this is the last chance to meet, but the nurse only lets three people in.
If more people go in, one has to come out to replace them.
Xie Fu's daughter, youngest son, and an old lady went in.
Han Zhou had never seen the old lady, but he knew that she should be Xie Fu's wife, Teacher Cheng Hua, a veteran screenwriter who was born in an art troupe.
Han Zhou also walked into the crowd and found Han Jiaxin: "Awake?"
Han Jiaxin nodded.
After a long time, waves of people went in and out.
Chen Cai, the sixth-generation director, stood at the door: "Have all the elders met?"
"Is it time for us brothers to go see the teacher?"
Xie Fu's daughter was just coming out. She looked at the crowd with red and swollen eyes and said, "Han Zhou, Qiao Anshan, my dad wants to talk to you."
Chen Cai turned and looked at Han Zhou.
Han Zhou didn't know him, but he did know Han Zhou.
Han Zhou didn't even know the other person.
When the other person came out, Han Zhou looked at him.
The man looked to be less than 30 years old, thin, a bit literary, and had long hair that reached over his ears.
After Han Zhou and Qiao Anshan went in, Chen Cai sighed, "Teacher, don't you want to see us?"
There is resentment in the words he speaks.
Another person chimed in: "Yes, how have we done him wrong?"
Xie Fu's eldest son was already in a bad mood. After listening to their chatter, he turned around and said, "My dad has said before that you ungrateful bastards, eating China's food, accepting donations from foreign countries, and smearing China, he doesn't want to see you again."
Chen Cai: "Brother, I respectfully call you Brother. If you are dissatisfied with me, you can talk about other things, but don't talk about this."
Xie Fu's eldest son turned his head and said, "It is because we are in a peaceful era now, and the country tolerates you."
"Otherwise I will drag you into the barracks and shoot you in ten minutes."
"Fuck you."
Chen Cai was also a person who cared about the situation. With so many colleagues present, he just smiled when he was scolded like that. "I don't know who is the gossiper who spread the rumor. Don't let me know who it is."
"You deserve to be punished for trying to sow discord among our brothers."
…
Han Zhou entered the ward and saw Director Xie's current appearance. He couldn't help but take a deep breath.
We haven't seen each other since the Spring Festival, and it seems like Director Xie has aged by a dozen years in these few months.
Director Xie was about to retire, and his children all had their own jobs, so no one else noticed that his health had suddenly deteriorated so much.
But when Director Xie woke up and looked in the mirror every day, he probably knew a month or two in advance that he couldn't hold on any longer.
Xie Fu raised his old, loose-skinned hand.
Qiao Anshan knelt directly at the head of the bed, holding Xie Fu's hands in both of his hands.
Xie Fu had a tube inserted in his nose and spoke in a weak voice: "Qiao...Qiao, cough, ah, still."
Qiao Anshan burst into tears: "I'm fine, I'm fine, please lie down."
"When you get better, I'll play chess with you."
Xie Fu made a strange sound in his throat, and then he spoke intermittently: "It's…it's not getting better…anymore, you, don't stay in…that…that…that…broken theater anymore, go…go make…make a movie, ah."
Qiao Anshan lowered his head and rested his forehead on the edge of the bed, his tears soaking the already wet sheets.
Xie Fu: “You… are just… too casual… in character… cough cough cough, cough cough cough…”
"I……"
Qiao Anshan became anxious and pressed the button quickly.
The nurse was right behind him and stepped forward: "It's okay, it's okay, go ahead."
Qiao Anshan felt relieved when he saw the nurse was there and continued listening.
Xie Fu moved his eyes and looked at Han Zhou.
Han Zhou could probably tell that Director Xie probably couldn't see where he was now, because he seemed to be looking in this direction but not staring at his face.
He stepped forward quickly: "Xie Director, I'm here."
Xie Fu breathed a sigh of relief: "This... this, you..."
Han Zhou: "Let me help him make a movie?"
Xie Fu nodded his chin slightly.
Han Zhou nodded solemnly: "Okay."
Han Zhou squatted down and forced a smile: "I was originally planning to invite you to play Zhang Sanfeng in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, but now I may have to wait a little longer for you to recover."
Xie Fu coughed a few times: "I, look at you...ah..."
As he spoke, he began to exhale deeply, as if he was short of breath.
Xie Fu squeezed his eyebrows and eyes, looking very painful, before continuing: "Go find the boss, he has something for... you."
Han Zhou squatted at the head of the bed: "You should have a good rest. We still have the third part of the founding trilogy to shoot."
Xie Fu smiled and said, "Let... let Han Si... ah Si... take the photos... take the photos by himself."
"I have to go."
“You, you…”
Han Zhou nodded: "I understand, make a mainstream movie."
Xie Fu was satisfied: "Just...look...at you."
Xie Fu's daughter started crying again behind the two men, but she had no more tears left.
Xie Fu looked at Han Zhou: "You...you...you two...give it to me, give it to me..."
Qiao Anshan had cried himself silly: "What do you want?"
Han Zhou was unsure and asked, "Carrying the coffin?"
Xie Fu nodded his chin in satisfaction and said, “Yeah.”
It seems that Director Xie regards himself and Qiao Yuanshan as his successors.
Xie Fu looked at his daughter in confusion: "Han Si... Si..."
Han Zhou: "Fourth uncle just fainted, but now he's awake and is being examined in the emergency room...he hasn't come yet."
Xie Fu coughed and said, "Well... forget it... then."
"Ah, Shanshan... Shanshan... and Ernazi... cough."
Han Zhou stood up and took a deep breath: "Director Xie, goodbye."
Qiao Anshan burst into tears.
Then I saw Xie Fu's fingers pulling out, motioning for the two of them to go, do their own things, go their own way, go.
This ICU, which is not open to the public, has people coming and going.
Han Zhou walked out of the ICU, raised his right hand, and slapped his forehead three times.
Then pinch both temples with your thumb and little finger and rub your hair with your palms.
Walking out, Han Zhou sighed.
This is the last time I see Director Xie.
I just waited outside, and at ten o'clock, the nurse started to chase people away for the third time.
Han Zhou and others had no choice but to leave.
Xie Fu's eldest son took everyone to eat.
No one refused.
During the meal, Qiao Yuanshan drank a lot and got drunk.
Han Zhou remained silent and drank some.
Xie Fu's eldest son found Han Zhou and said, "Han Zhou, my sister said that the old man asked you to carry his coffin?"
Han Zhou nodded.
Xie Fu's eldest son: "Leave a phone number so we can get in touch."
"The old man has something left for you. I'll get it for you tomorrow when I'm free."
At eight o'clock the next morning, Han Zhou received the news that Director Xie had passed away.
According to the specifications, Director Xie was an active soldier twenty years ago, and forty years ago he had participated in the front-line condolences to the Banana Country War as a member of the art troupe and had been injured. He has won three national medals and has great social influence, so he should be arranged to be buried in Babaoshan.
Han Zhou wanted to join the funeral team, so he drove to Babaoshan where the mourning hall was being set up.
Here, Han Zhou received the things that Director Xie left for him.
A set of diaries.
A photographic diary to be exact.
Since Director Xie first started working in the film industry decades ago, he will write down what he learned, what new lenses he used, what techniques he employed, and what he thought of each movie he watched.
It has been forty-five years since I started writing.
Forty-five years, that’s a lot.