Chapter Twelve: Becoming More and More Serious

Over forty minutes later, Chen Qi followed the mother and son to a rental apartment. This place was far from the city center. Chen Qi wasn’t particularly surprised; he had already guessed that they weren’t from a wealthy family. However, he didn’t know much about their specific circumstances. Though they exchanged a few words on the way, it wasn’t appropriate for him to pry into their background; he only needed to confirm that this was indeed the ordinary household he was looking for.

“We’re home, Mom,” the young mother called out after opening the door, then politely invited Chen Qi inside. Without fuss, Chen Qi stepped in. The apartment was rather simple; the walls had been given a basic coat of paint, and there was no sign of any real renovation. The furniture and appliances were noticeably old, but the home was kept very clean and tidy, exuding a comfortable warmth.

“Please, have some water,” the young mother said, pouring a glass for Chen Qi. Nervously, she called the boy’s grandmother over. The elderly woman, likely in her seventies, was gentle and amiable, matching the image from the advertisement. Chen Qi, however, noticed her slow movements and saw a wheelchair tucked in a corner.

“Is her mobility not so good?” he asked casually.

“Oh, not really,” the young mother replied, flustered and eager to explain, “but she can manage short distances. The wheelchair is just for when we go out.”

Chen Qi paused, then smiled. “That’s fine. Grandma fits the role perfectly; let her play the last character.”

He could clearly sense the young mother’s anxiety and knew how much she hoped to earn the modest performance fee. For them, such “high pay” was a rare opportunity, perhaps only encountered once in several years. He understood, and empathized.

“Ah?” Surprised by Chen Qi’s sudden agreement, the young mother’s face lit up with joy. “Thank you, thank you so much!”

Chen Qi shook his head with a smile and suddenly asked, “May I take a look around the apartment?”

“Ah?” She was startled again, but quickly nodded. “Of course.”

Although she didn’t know what Chen Qi was up to, she certainly didn’t mind such a small request. Chen Qi walked thoughtfully through the rooms, weighing his options carefully, then proposed to the young mother that he’d like to use the apartment as the shooting location—a thousand yuan a day.

When Chen Qi, in a negotiating tone, asked for her consent, the young mother fell silent. Sensitive and observant, she sensed there was more to this. “Thank you,” she said gratefully, looking at Chen Qi.

“No, no, I should be thanking you,” Chen Qi replied, waving his hand. “Compared to renting a professional location, this price is much more reasonable.”

The young mother gave a faint smile, saying nothing further.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll bring the crew over the morning after tomorrow to shoot. Please try to keep the apartment as it is; don’t tidy up on purpose. I need this lived-in atmosphere,” Chen Qi confirmed the filming schedule and, after a few more instructions, left the harmonious household.

Back in his rental, he opened the advertisement again and studied it.

…

Friday, the next day.

Chen Qi didn’t go to the office. After heading out, he called Manager Zhao, requesting an additional piece of equipment. The previous night, he’d studied the advertisement from every angle and realized that one device wouldn’t suffice; at least one more fixed-angle camera was needed. Without it, his lack of experience would make completing the advertisement in two days nearly impossible.

After listening to Chen Qi’s request, Manager Zhao was silent for a while. This guy… was starting to look like he knew what he was doing. But, on account of the general manager, he had no reason to refuse. The general manager had told him to let Chen Qi do as he pleased—what was there to worry about?

“All right!” he agreed readily. For some reason, his curiosity was piqued; he suddenly wanted to see what Chen Qi was up to.

“Thank you, Manager.” After hanging up, Chen Qi called the young photographer assisting him, apologizing for asking him to work overtime that weekend to finish the advertisement. Whether acting on orders from above or simply being agreeable, the photographer, who was about Chen Qi’s age, readily agreed.

After confirming the shooting location, Chen Qi hurried out. He needed to prepare a few props for the advertisement and buy some toys and snacks for the little boy.

The toys weren’t needed as props for the shoot; Chen Qi was mainly worried that the child would be uncooperative during filming, as kids rarely have patience. If the boy didn’t cooperate, Chen Qi could use the toys to coax him. Children are easy to please; as long as there’s something to eat and play with, everything else can be worked out.

After spending most of the day procuring everything, Chen Qi continued his preparations. Having studied the advertisement carefully, he listed all the necessary shots, sketched them out, and arranged them in order. He also analyzed each shot’s angle and composition to minimize mistakes during filming. By the time he finished, it was late at night.

After a quick wash, the exhausted Chen Qi drifted into a deep sleep.

…

Saturday.

At nine in the morning, Chen Qi met up with the photographer, carrying a large bag of items, and headed straight to the shooting location. Whether the family didn’t feel comfortable leaving Chen Qi and the stranger alone or it was simply his day off, the boy’s father was at home and welcomed them warmly.

After carefully setting up the filming area, Chen Qi called the young mother over and asked, “Have you ever washed grandma’s feet?”

He was concerned about making her uncomfortable. But the young mother misunderstood, thinking he doubted her ability. She hurriedly replied, “Yes, because her legs aren’t good, she can’t wash them herself. I often do it for her, don’t worry.”

“Has he seen it?” Chen Qi pointed to the little boy.

The young mother paused, thought for a moment, and shook her head hesitantly. “I don’t really remember, but he probably has.”

“In that case, to keep it fresh for him, let’s have him wait in another room when we film the foot-washing scene, all right?”

The young parents naturally had no objections. For them, whatever Chen Qi said, they would do their best to cooperate.

Following Chen Qi’s suggestion, the boy’s father took him to play in another room while they filmed the foot-washing scene outside.

“The content is roughly like this. We’ll start by filming a shot of carrying water…” Chen Qi explained the shooting plan to the young mother in detail.