37. Long Time No See

Over the years, Yu Yue had shot many slow-motion scenes in films.

He had been continuously studying how to capture the most profound emotions in slow-motion scenes and why slow-motion was needed at certain moments. However, the results of his studies had always been unsatisfactory.

But at this moment, Yu Yue felt like he had suddenly found himself in a slow-motion scene from a movie.

Facing Xu Yuanzhe across a car, standing face to face, Yu Yue felt that the passage of time in the surrounding world became extremely slow, almost coming to a halt at this moment.

This must be the quietest slow-motion scene in the world.

There was no background music rendering, no protagonist’s heartbeat, no ticking of a clock.

Everything was so silent.

Yu Yue had made a lot of preparations and thought about what expression to use when meeting Xu Yuanzhe in the private room later, which hand to shake hands with Xu Yuanzhe. But he had never imagined that they would meet in the garage like this.

Obviously, Xu Yuanzhe also recognized Yu Yue.

Of course, he recognized Yu Yue because Yu Yue wasn’t wearing a mask or a hat. Even with Xu Yuanzhe wrapped up so tightly, Yu Yue could recognize him. How could Xu Yuanzhe not recognize him?

But now, in this moment, no one moved, and no one spoke.

They seemed to be standing here like this, as if they would continue standing here until the end of the world.

Someone had to make a move, or this situation couldn’t continue.

The voice of Steven came first in Yu Yue’s Bluetooth earphones: “It’s seven o’clock. Have you arrived? You’re not late, are you? If you’re late for the first meeting, would they think you’re playing big shots? You must explain…”

There was a moment of silence. Yu Yue touched his earphones, withdrew his gaze from Xu Yuanzhe, and said to Steven, “I’m not late.”

“Hmm?” Steven asked, “Are you there now? Then I won’t bother you.”

“Not yet,” Yu Yue put his phone in the coat pocket and explained as he walked, “But just now, the actor who was driving the Maybach and I met in the garage. He was also late, so I won’t be considered late.”

“Maybach? Was it Xu Yuanzhe, the one who blocked you just now?” Steven asked.

It still required some distance to reach the elevator from here. Passing by Xu Yuanzhe, Yu Yue maintained a relatively relaxed tone and half-teasingly told Steven, “Yes, luckily there was no collision just now. Otherwise, I would have hit the headlines tomorrow: ‘Unknown director angrily crashes into the Maybach of the famous actor due to rushing.'”

“…”

After that, Steven said something else, but Yu Yue didn’t catch it. His attention was completely drawn to the footsteps behind him. Even if he didn’t want to pay attention, everything seemed to be out of control, like a dashboard going haywire, all because of the footsteps behind.

Finally, they reached the elevator lobby. Yu Yue pressed the up button.

The footsteps stopped beside him.

While waiting for the elevator, Steven continued chatting with Yu Yue, but Yu Yue was no longer in the mood to respond. His gaze was fixed on the up button of the elevator. As for why he stared at the up button, it was because if he looked at the elevator doors in front, he would see Xu Yuanzhe standing beside him.

Although Steven kept talking, Yu Yue felt a profound silence around him, a silence he had rarely experienced in the past five years.

The elevator made a “ding” sound, and it finally arrived.

As the elevator doors opened, Yu Yue tried to step in without looking up. However, just as he took a step, his arm was grabbed and gently pulled backward.

“Be careful,” Xu Yuanzhe said.

Yu Yue suddenly looked up, only to find a hotel staff member pushing a massive cart slowly coming out of the elevator. If he hadn’t been pulled back, he would have collided with the cart.

Xu Yuanzhe had been holding onto Yu Yue’s arm.

He released it only when the cart was completely out of the elevator.

Yu Yue entered the elevator and, after Xu Yuanzhe joined him, it was only after the elevator doors closed that, as if he had finally found his vocal cords, Yu Yue politely said to Xu Yuanzhe, “Thank you.”

Xu Yuanzhe did not respond.

The elevator became completely silent.

The numbers on the display were slowly changing, and with each change, it felt like a century had passed.

The restaurant was on the sixteenth floor.

Leaning lightly against the handrail in the elevator, Yu Yue heard the vibrating sound of a phone inside.

Xu Yuanzhe’s phone rang.

He took it out, answered the call, and Zhou Ling’s voice came through on the other end, “Have you arrived? Yu Yue hasn’t arrived yet. Do you want to call him?”

Xu Yuanzhe held the phone and said, “No need. He’s here with me.”

Zhou Ling said, “Oh… alright, come up soon.”

The elevator stopped on the sixteenth floor.

Yu Yue and Xu Yuanzhe walked out of the elevator one after the other.

The restaurant’s staff came to greet them, asking for their private room number. Xu Yuanzhe mentioned a number, and the staff led them inside.

Following behind Xu Yuanzhe, Yu Yue kept looking at his back. It was unclear whether it was familiarity or strangeness, but watching Xu Yuanzhe, Yu Yue couldn’t help but imagine that, just like many years ago, he would reach out to gently pull the hair tie from Xu Yuanzhe’s hair.

However, when they reached the private room, Xu Yuanzhe took off his hat, removed his coat, and it was only then that Yu Yue noticed…

“Your hair is cut short.” Yu Yue looked at Xu Yuanzhe and suddenly said without reason.

Zhou Ling, who was about to greet Yu Yue, stopped in her tracks.

Xu Yuanzhe responded with a casual “Hmm,” seemingly without much emotion. “Most of the time, short hair is needed for filming, so I cut it off.”

Leaning against the door, Yu Yue gently narrowed his eyes. “That’s unfortunate. My film requires long hair.”

Taking off his hat and mask, handing the coat to the waiter to hang up, Xu Yuanzhe finally turned around to look at Yu Yue.

The lighting in the private room was brighter than ever, and the crystal chandelier sparkled. Previously, in the garage, Yu Yue had only briefly seen Xu Yuanzhe’s eyes illuminated by the car lights. Apart from that, he hadn’t seen Xu Yuanzhe’s face.

Now, with the removal of the mask and hat, Yu Yue could finally see Xu Yuanzhe’s face clearly.

The face had completely shed the youthful innocence, and the sharp and beautiful single eyelids drooped slightly. The eyes were still the same as before, seemingly deep and affectionate when looking at someone. However, Yu Yue believed that in the movies, Xu Yuanzhe probably used those eyes to look at many people.

Seeing that Xu Yuanzhe no longer had the semi-long hair from before, for a moment, Yu Yue felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart. It was as if he thought that, no matter how many years passed, Xu Yuanzhe should have remained the original, the initial appearance. At least during their reunion, Yu Yue could still feel a trace of the “past.”

But unfortunately, Xu Yuanzhe had changed.

Of course, Yu Yue couldn’t retrieve his old self either.

Xu Yuanzhe stood in front of Yu Yue, quiet for a moment, and then replied in a cool, deep voice, “If the script requires it, I will grow my hair long.”

Yu Yue remained silent.

After a while, he smiled, his eyes curved, and he extended his hand, handing something to Xu Yuanzhe. “Let’s eat first. We can discuss the movie and the script later.” After a slight pause, he added, “Long time no see. We should formally greet each other.”

Xu Yuanzhe looked down at Yu Yue’s hand.

He reached out, clasped Yu Yue’s hand, and also said, “Long time no see.”