Always Chasing My White Moonlight Omega - Chapter 33.1

In the following days, Xu Zhiyi noticed that Ruan Yang had become even quieter.

It wasn’t that Ruan Yang was ignoring her whenever Xu Zhiyi spoke to her, Ruan Yang would respond, and if she asked for help with something or to fetch something, Ruan Yang never refused.

But Xu Zhiyi couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off about Ruan Yang’s behavior.

She was polite and courteous, yet that courtesy carried a sense of distance.

Xu Zhiyi wanted to have a proper talk with Ruan Yang to clear things up, but with the filming nearing its end, the director of Group B was unexpectedly swamped with work. As a result, Ruan Yang and the others were temporarily assigned to assist in Group B.

For several days in a row, Xu Zhiyi barely caught a glimpse of Ruan Yang.

By the time Ruan Yang and the others finished their tasks, they were almost ready to leave the crew.

Their initial agreement had been for one month, and now that most of the work was done, the director felt it was unfair to keep the university students around, wasting their summer break on the remaining tedious and mundane tasks.

Before they knew it, the day had arrived for Ruan Yang and the other two to depart. On set, the director suddenly mentioned that the editor had just finished cutting some clips and asked if they’d like to take a look.

Wu Jun smiled and said, “We’ve been helping out here for a month, why not see the fruits of our labor?”

Jing Ziqi nodded eagerly, “Sure, sure!”

Su Xinzhi and Ruan Yang naturally didn’t object.

The director led the three of them to the editing room, which was dimly lit, with several post-production staff seated inside. The person in charge, seeing the director arrive, quickly stood up. “Director.”

The director patted the person in charge on the shoulder. “Thanks for your hard work, Xiao Chen. I brought my assistants here to take a look at what you’ve just edited.”

He gestured toward the three behind him. “These are some promising talents I’ve brought on. Let them have a look and learn a thing or two, so they know their help here was truly valuable.”

Though addressed as “Xiao Chen,” the person in charge was actually in his thirties. He glanced over the three and praised, “Wow, each one of them is more striking than the last. I heard just a few days after I arrived that you’d recruited top students from the Empire’s premier universities. I’ve always trusted your judgment.”

The director chuckled a few more times. After a brief exchange with Xiao Chen, the person in charge instructed his team to pull up the clips edited that morning.

It appeared to be a trailer, pieced together with many standout and emotionally charged scenes. Ruan Yang recognized quite a few of them she had watched the director shoot each frame, and many had involved her assistance.

There was something profoundly moving about seeing the scenes she had personally helped create come to life on screen, infused with narrative and emotion.

She watched intently.

The trailer wasn’t long about a minute and from the person in charge’s tone, it would likely be shortened further.

As soon as the clip ended, Su Xinzhi let out a soft “tsk.”

The sound was so faint that only Ruan Yang and Jing Ziqi heard it.

Ruan Yang glanced sideways, just in time to catch Su Xinzhi’s dissatisfied expression.

Already in a bad mood, Su Xinzhi grew even more irritated upon seeing Ruan Yang’s impassive face. “What are you looking at me for?” he asked bluntly.

The director noticed the exchange and frowned. “What’s going on?”

“That’s a good question,” Su Xinzhi curled his lips. Though dissatisfied, he kept his tone calm as he asked, “Director, didn’t you have us shoot a lot of footage, saying it would all be used later? But I just watched it, and the person in charge didn’t use a single shot we filmed.”

If none of it was going to be used, why make them rack their brains to shoot so much? Wasn’t that just torturing them?

“What do you mean, not used?” The person in charge was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered. “I used several of your shots in the preview those beautiful empty scenes. They were very well shot.”

“Where?” Su Xinzhi questioned skeptically.

He had watched carefully just now. There were indeed several empty shots in the preview, but he had never seen any of them before.

Those shots weren’t taken by them at all!

The person in charge was displeased by Su Xinzhi’s tone. With a stern face, he asked the staff beside him to rewind the video. They reviewed several empty shots one after another, finally pausing on a scene of the sunset over the palace walls.

“Aren’t these all from you?” The person in charge pointed at the screen. “I even specifically asked who shot these, and the cameraman told me they were all filmed by the assistant the director brought in.”

Su Xinzhi couldn’t help but let out a derisive laugh. “Impossible. I’ve seen all the shots Jing Ziqi and I took and these definitely aren’t,”

“I shot them,” Ruan Yang suddenly spoke up, cutting Su Xinzhi off.

She turned around. Ruan Yang was quite tall for her age, only slightly shorter than Su Xinzhi. But as she stared coldly at him, Su Xinzhi suddenly felt an indescribable pressure.

He looked at her in disbelief. “You shot them? When did you shoot them?”

Ruan Yang glanced at the screen, where the sun was about to disappear behind the palace walls. “That day the director sent the three of us out to shoot.”

“So it was you!” The person in charge’s eyes lit up. He took a step closer to Ruan Yang and pointed at the screen. “This one too? When I first saw these shots, I was blown away, especially this one. The red walls and green tiles bathed in golden sunlight, the steps leading upward endlessly, only to watch the sunset fade away, it perfectly captures the feeling of the deep, inescapable palace walls I wanted!”

Ruan Yang listened quietly, nodding slightly only after he finished speaking. “Thank you.”

The director smiled and patted Ruan Yang’s shoulder. “When I first saw this shot, I felt the same way. I didn’t even know how to praise it. I was already thinking about where to place it and which scenes to pair it with. A truly great shot makes you feel the story as you watch it. Xiao Ruan, this shot is truly exceptional. Many professional cameramen might not have the inspiration and vision you showed here. Keep up the good work, alright?”

Jing Ziqi let out an “Ah!” and said, “No wonder the director looked so serious after watching Ruan Yang’s footage that day. I thought it was because her shots were terrible, but it turns out they were just too good.”

As soon as he said this, Su Xinzhi quickly recalled the moment as well.

Su Xinzhi glanced up at the screen once more. As someone also studying directing, he had to admit that this shot was exceptional in every aspect it truly brimmed with narrative depth. Staring at it a moment longer even evoked an inexplicable sense of sorrow and despair.

Any shot capable of stirring the audience’s emotions and resonating with them could already be considered a success.

Yet Su Xinzhi couldn’t shake his frustration. Why did it have to be Ruan Yang who produced this?

Hearing everyone praise Ruan Yang one after another, and recalling how he had mocked Ruan Yang that day, even saying Ruan Yang “couldn’t produce anything good,” Su Xinzhi’s expression twisted with resentment.

Had Ruan Yang refused to show him the work earlier, just to humiliate him like this now?

The thought only fueled his anger further. He couldn’t bear to swallow this grievance!

The director had been observing Su Xinzhi’s shifting expressions and, noticing his bitter reluctance, shook his head helplessly. Someone so narrow-minded wasn’t suited for this industry.

The person in charge seemed to take a liking to Ruan Yang, engaging him in conversation repeatedly. Though Ruan Yang spoke little, the enthusiastic supervisor went on to teach him numerous editing techniques, reluctant to let him leave even after a long while.

Ruan Yang listened attentively, gaining a wealth of knowledge, and began forming a rough idea of how to edit his upcoming short film.

Su Xinzhi had long since stormed off in anger, while Jing Ziqi stayed behind to listen alongside Ruan Yang. After what felt like ages, the director finally interrupted the supervisor, “Alright, Xiao Chen, what you’ve taught them is enough to keep them busy for a month. Let’s wrap it up here. They’re leaving the set this afternoon and need to pack.”

“Ah?” The supervisor sounded somewhat disappointed. “Leaving today?”

Though regretful, he sighed and escorted the director, Ruan Yang, and Jing Ziqi out of the editing room.

With the film nearing completion, most of the crew could relax temporarily, but the director still had a mountain of tasks awaiting him.

“I won’t see you off, Xiao Ruan, Ziqi,” the director said. “I’d planned to treat you to a meal before you left, but there’s just too much on my plate right now. Consider it an IOU. Once you’ve truly stepped into this industry, if you ever want to grab a meal with me, just say the word, alright?”

Jing Ziqi’s eyes lit up. Anyone with a bit of sense would understand the implication of Director Wu’s words this trip had been more than worthwhile! He nodded excitedly, “Of course, thank you, Director Wu!”

Ruan Yang also offered a rare smile. “Thank you for your guidance over this past month, Director Wu.”

He had genuinely learned a great deal.

Hearing this, Wu Jun’s smile widened. “Xiao Ruan, you’re a promising talent. Keep working hard. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just message me on WeChat. I’ll be waiting for the day you catch up to me.”

He truly believed in Ruan Yang’s innate talent.

Ruan Yang pressed his lips together. “I will.”

After giving a few more reminders about their departure, the director hurried off.

Jing Ziqi watched the director’s retreating figure and, recalling the words spoken specifically to Ruan Yang, suddenly remarked with a sigh, “Out of the three of us, the director values you the most.”

Whether it was Ruan Yang’s imagination or not, he sensed something odd in Jing Ziqi’s tone.

This seemed a bit different from the usual sweet and innocent persona he usually displayed.

Ruan Yang glanced at him but said nothing, simply walking ahead.

“You really are aloof, Ruan Yang,” Jing Ziqi walked alongside her. “I remember you’re in Class One, right? Can I come find you to hang out after school starts?”

“No need,” Ruan Yang frowned slightly. “I generally don’t like going out with others. I’m very busy.”

Jing Ziqi wasn’t willing to give up: “Are you completely refusing to socialize? What about during holidays? I just want to learn from you…”

“I’m busy during holidays too,” Ruan Yang said in a low voice. “Find someone else to hang out with.”

She quickened her pace and soon left Jing Ziqi behind.

After returning to the hotel to pack her things and handing over the keys and her work to the crew, Ruan Yang headed toward the car arranged by the director to take them away.

Just as Ruan Yang got into the car, a figure appeared outside the door.

“Ruan Yang, I have something to say to you.” Xu Zhiyi’s expression was serious, her gaze fixed intently on Ruan Yang’s face.

The driver hadn’t arrived yet, and Su Xinzhi, annoyed, had driven off early, leaving only Jing Ziqi and Ruan Yang in the car.

Ruan Yang didn’t get out. Instead, she glanced through the window at the high-hanging sun and said, “Sister Zhiyi, you should go back first. It’s still very hot, and you could easily get heatstroke.”

“I have something to say to you. If you won’t get out, I’ll say it right here.” Xu Zhiyi’s stubbornness kicked in, and she stood there unmoving.

As soon as she finished speaking, Ruan Yang moved.

Just as Xu Zhiyi thought Ruan Yang was going to get out and walk with her, she saw Ruan Yang suddenly turn around, pick up her bag, and start rummaging through it.

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