Zhang Haolin spoke, and the staff immediately got busy, moving all the idle items on the table to the Zhang family's kitchen, finding a large cardboard box to hold them.
The table was still in its original place, with the decorations rearranged slightly, adding a dish of peanuts and a small purple clay teapot. The dish holding the peanuts was made of old ceramics, and these two small items together immediately gave a sense of charm.
Unfortunately, the little bird never flew back.
During dinner that evening, through occasional small talk at the table, Song Jixing learned about some of Zhang Haolin's past.
Zhang Haolin had been obsessed with photography in college, often going out to the wilderness to photograph birds, and had won quite a few awards.
But nothing in the world is perfect.
Because Zhang Haolin was often away shooting birds, standing still under a tree for hours at a time, his college girlfriend, unable to ever find him, ended up dumping him.
Although it pained Zhang Haolin to talk about this, his love of birds was something no one could change.
Zhang Haolin said, "Sometimes I'd stand there for hours, or even ten days or half a month, only able to look at the clouds and sky until I felt sick, unable to drink or eat, exhausted half to death, but when you capture the image you wanted, you feel it's the most beautiful in the world! All that waiting was worth it!"
Then Zhang Haolin suddenly changed the subject, "But I still don't recommend you young people become as obsessed with photography as me! Photographing birds doesn't make money, and even taking pictures of people doesn't make much..."
Older Mr. Zhang, who was sitting beside, had not made a sound all this time until he put down his chopsticks and offered his opinion: "You kids, don't listen to his nonsense! Do whatever you want to do, not necessarily for money! He's only saying this because he got tired of it, couldn't have said anything this philosophical years ago."
Embarrassed at being so bluntly called out by Older Mr. Zhang, Zhang Haolin picked up his teacup and took a big gulp of tea.
As everyone was returning to their rooms after the meal, Song Jixing heard Zhang Haolin distantly whistle a couple notes and hummed a tune from Chinese opera, "...Peonies blooming red, glorious sunny spring, birds chirping everywhere~"
Unexpected that Associate Director Zhang was so talented.
-
The next few days of filming went smoothly. Zhang Bo was no longer as reactive to the camera as before, and could even coordinate well with Older Mr. Zhang's requirements.
As the interviewer, Song Jixing's shots were relatively simple. Dressed in plain clothes, he stood casually and confidently in front of the camera interviewing Zhang Bo, and introducing Zhang Bo's daily life.
Although this didn't require acting skills, it did need considerable verbal competence. Song Jixing from a few years ago wasn't extremely famous, but his basic skills were exceptionally solid.
In addition to Zhang Bo himself, the content being filmed included some scenes of life between relatives. Everyone put cameras on their backs and went to the fields to film.
This time, Zhang Haolin saw the little bird he had been thinking of day and night.
Two yellow warblers were very conspicuous on the branch. After all, it was so cold out that basically no other birds could be seen except these two.
But this time, the camera was filming Zhang Bo's family, not the birds.
Song Jixing heard the chirping of the birds in the tree, then they consciously flew over to the spot in front of the camera and landed on the carrying basket on Zhang Bo's back.
Zhang Haolin was watching the image on the camera and naturally saw the two little birds as well.
Why did they come into the shot on their own!
In his excitement, Zhang Haolin gently moved the camera to leave some space for the two birds.
After Zhang Bo walked a stretch, when he was about to reach into his carrying basket for something, the birds flew away.
Even though it was a very short shot, Zhang Haolin was still very satisfied. The smile on his face was the best proof.
After finishing filming a segment, Zhang Haolin even exclaimed, "These birds come so often, it's like they're actors we hired!"
Everyone laughed when they heard this, finding it very amusing.
Indeed like extras, but taking the initiative to crash the shoot.
The two birds flew to a distant tree branch, stood on the bare branches and chatted urgently, "Was that filmed? Was that filmed?"
"I think it was filmed!"
"Great, I'm going to be on TV again!"
-
After finishing filming the rural scenes, everyone went to the Zhang Hong family to film scenes of their daily life.
This part would serve as a supplement to the story. Whether any of these shots make it into the final documentary depends on Older Mr. Zhang's ideas. Possibly not a single frame might remain, but still the Zhang Hong family was very excited and extremely cooperative with the director's arrangements.
With this, filming of the documentary was mostly complete. If any issues come up afterward, Older Mr. Zhang would come back again to film supplemental footage.
Upon hearing this news, the two little birds were very reluctant for the team to leave. Perched on a tree branch, one said "Leaving already? When's the next time I can be on TV?!"
"When you see yourself again on TV."
It wasn't just the two birds who were reluctant, but also Zhang Haolin, though his reluctance was toward the birds.
After interacting with them these past days, he had gotten to know these two birds quite well, aware that they were extremely social, enjoying staying in crowded places.
So he took the initiative to go up to bid them farewell, "Leaving now, who knows when we'll meet again. Come by next time and I'll film a segment of you two."
"Chirp chirp...really?" One bird couldn't help but respond.
Although the birds could talk, they always avoided crowds when doing so, never being so chatty in front of people before.
Hearing a voice suddenly appear out of nowhere, Zhang Haolin looked around in confusion, "Did any of you just hear some kind of sound?"
The other crew members were either busy packing equipment or moving things, all standing at a distance from Zhang Haolin. And the birds' voices were on the softer side, so no one heard what was said.
"Nope, Director Zhang."
"Really? Could I be hearing things?" Zhang Haolin looked up for a long time, even going outside the courtyard wall to check for village children.
Maybe that sentence just now was some naughty kid making mischief.
Unfortunately there was no one outside, very peaceful all around.
Zhang Haolin still had doubts, could it really have been his imagination?
The next morning at dawn, when everyone got up to eat breakfast and prepare to return to the city, they heard a man's falsetto from far away.
And the source of that high note was getting closer and closer.
Just as the crew members holding their breakfast bowls were about to go outside to take a look, they saw Zhang Haolin sprinting over in a furry sleep set and slippers, yelling as he ran, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Since Zhang Haolin often practiced his opera singing voice around the crew, no one took particular notice of this vocal exercise, instead asking caringly, "Director Zhang, isn't it too cold out here dressed like that, won't you catch a cold?!"
Zhang Haolin ran to the courtyard entrance, eyes wide and panting heavily. He gestured and said, "There's...there's a ghost in my room!"
