Home  >>  Conversation  >> A Trip to China - Valediction

A Trip to China

Author :  Jing-Er, in Chinese

Date :  24 August 2001

Translation :  Martial Arts Movies and TV Series - Wu Jing

Original Compilation :  Jing Wu Men

Day 7, Valediction

Once Yun-Qi and I got up, we packed our luggage and then, silently, we put pen to paper. We were rushing to finish our letters before 9 am, the proposed time to set off to the shooting base. Phew! Two hours absolutely without any respite and complete immersion. We weren't as hardworking when studying! Subsequently, I gave a ring to the room next door.

Ninnie said, "Give me some more time. I am almost done writing..."

Didn't know that they were also writing the letters in the morning! I couldn't imagine our tacit likeness in thoughts had reached such a stage.

Again, we headed off for Guangzhou Street. The leading actress had arrived today and the production crew was especially busy. In order not to distract them, we kept a low profile.

It was drizzling and production crew was bustling about. The director was observing the video camera monitor and script attentively; Mr Jin De-Mao, who always appeared to be rather carefree and idling away his time, took on a sombre front today and was busy giving his advices; The atmosphere was rather tense. The lead actress could only afford to be there for three days and they had to run against the clock. [Ed: Weren't they be going around in circles when they raced against the clock?] Wu Jing's presence was required but he was not the lead star. Little wonder he called himself the set crew.

In this scene, the female lead, Huang Yi, was spinning a large umbrella, with names written on its canopy, like a roulette to determine whom she was going to marry. Wu Jing and Chun-Yu Shan-Shan were there too. Everyone looked at the lead lady, who was blindfolded, as she rotated the umbrella. Eventually, the umbrella stopped and the person determined was the one whom the lead actress wished to marry. Everyone began cheering while Wu Jing and Chun-Yu Shan-Shan was patting and hugging each other, running around in elation.

Next was the scene where the lead actress was talking to the chosen guy. Everyone was rejoicing that the two lovers could get married at last. However, that guy kept stuttering and only succeeded in delivering his lines smoothly after a series of outtakes. When that guy eventually got his lines correct, Wu Jing was also among the applauding crowd. He was merrily patting on that guy, "You have finally managed to recite your lines properly!"

Then, Wu Jing quietly sat down and discussed something with the director. After a while, Wu Jing noticed us, who had been hiding in one corner. He approached us, "Are you leaving today?"

"Aye"

"When?"

"In the afternoon."

Looking up the sky, at someplace far, far away, in the distant galaxy, Wu Jing mulled over something, "Today, you are..."

"We are doing some sightseeing," we interrupted.

"Well, all right!" he smiled, "I am busier today."

Thus we traipsed around Guangzhou Street, going to Jinxiu Mansion, where Yang Fan was disrupting a coerced marriage ceremony and various other places where Wu Jing had been to in his shows...

On returning to the filming base, Wu Jing was still occupied with his work. One take after another... There were times when we lost sight of him, as some of the shows took place in the awning, and everyone was inside, save for the director, who was observing the video camera monitor.

Occasionally, when Wu Jing exited the awning, he would often stop by and asked, "Are you really going away soon?" insofar as I almost wanted to rejoin, "Do you wish so much that we would go away?"

However, I always felt that he feared we might sneaked away.

As the time had come for us to leave, we had to retrieve our luggage from the hotel and then take a bus to Hangzhou. At this moment, Wu Jing happened to have a free time slot and on noticing that we were fidgeting about, asininely raring to make a move, approached us. Before Wu Jing could utter a word, someone pointed a camera at us. Without delay Wu Jing stopped the fellow from taking pictures, and the latter responded that Wu Jing was especially good-looking and he wished to take a picture of him.

Wu Jing retorted solemnly, "No, I am not good-looking." and pointing to some actresses, "They are better-looking. If you wish, take pictures of them."

Then, that fellow said he wished to take a snapshot of the scenery behind us. 

Wu Jing moved a aside, and courteously said, "Please proceed... "

And this poor little fellow had no choice but to aim at the area which was devoid of anything save for the lonely archway and took a photograph.

We brought out our letters and handed over to Wu Jing telling him that he could only read them after we had left. As Wu Jing received them, he bantered casually, "What have you written? Letters severing our frandship?"

How could he be such a spoilsport! He had ruined the whole atmosphere. We also related to Wu Jing that Tina and Carry left in tears. To which we least expected, Wu Jing joshed, "Tell them, I was singing as I saw them off."

We were slightly dazed, but Wu Jing began humming a folk song expressing reluctant departure. [Ed: Auld Lang Syne?] Wu Jing's euphonious voice had us all spellbound. We told Wu Jing that we would like to bid the director and production crew, who had been so kind to us, farewell and expressed our gratitude to them. Wu Jing led us to the director.

Before we had spoken much, the director kept repeating, "Not really. I wasn't a good host. I would cry if you were to go on."

Then we said thanks to another production member. He was somewhat uneasy, "It's nothing... Wu Jing is my teacher... I am in awe of him... He has taught me a lot...I feel obliged to run errands for him."

Wu Jing? A teacher? We could hardly believe our ears!

Wu Jing stood at one side, looking at us with great interest. While this gentleman was speaking, he tried to go into hiding, and within a split second, he had already scurried to where Wu Jing was.

And we heard Wu Jing and the director poking fun at him, "Ah! Blushing already?"

And thus, we bade  the production crew farewell...

[ Main ]