A seam split in the lead-gray clouds, and pale sunlight diagonally cut across the school emblem relief on the top of the Performance Department building.
The north wind carried the scent of car exhaust from the Jimen Bridge direction.
Wu Chen and the others, bundled up like zongzi, shuffled along Xueyuan Road.
At the same time, Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang entered the administrative building of the academy.
As they stepped onto the fifth-floor staircase, scolding could be heard.
"Hmm?"
Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang exchanged glances, tacitly quickening their pace.
"It really is coming from Lao Zhang’s office, but how is it so clear? Did Lao Zhang not close the door?" Mu Deyuan muttered with a frown, puzzled.
"Hard to say, but don't you think the voice sounds a bit familiar?"
Tian Zhuangzhuang asked uncertainly, "Do you think it sounds like..."
"Teacher Zhou Chuanji!" Mu Deyuan's eyes widened, recognizing the owner of the voice, his eyes full of confusion. "Why is Teacher Zhou back from Yunnan?"
"Did you forget? Tomorrow is Elder Xie Tian's memorial service!" Tian Zhuangzhuang replied softly.
"So, Teacher Zhou is here, should we still go in?"
"Go, why not go? He's our teacher too, what's there to be afraid of." Mu Deyuan chuckled, "But let's not go in yet; it's more important to listen to our teacher's teachings from the doorway!"
"...Lao Mu, I didn't expect it, you truly are devious!" Tian Zhuangzhuang exclaimed with emotion, but his legs didn't slow down half a beat behind Mu Deyuan.
"Zhang Huijun, Zhang Huijun, what did you promise me back then? Have you fulfilled it? Beijing Film Academy doesn't have an Editing Department, you once exchanged opinions with me.
Vice President Wang told me that he was provoked at a meeting in Paris, where more than fifty presidents of major film academies worldwide were present, and they burst into laughter upon hearing that such a large film academy had no Editing Department, but did have a Performance Department.
Think about which film and television school abroad doesn't first have an Editing Department, and they are all key departments. You should know that editing is a course in film that involves audio-visual thinking training, language training, structural training, ontological training..."
"Teacher, this matter is not as simple as you think!" Zhang Huijun also had a massive headache; he regretted making promises so casually back then.
Only after taking the seat of president did he realize the numerous factions within, the constant scrutiny from above, and that the establishment of a department involved countless entangled interests.
He had only recently taken office and was as busy as a spinning top; he couldn't possibly attend to such matters.
"I'm telling you, even if it's not approved, I'll still teach; even if it's not recognized by higher authorities, even if this course is not allowed, I'll still teach. Nothing can stop me. How can I listen to laymen and let laymen ruin this group of young people.
I dare to challenge: on the issue of editing, I'll take any first-year student from the Film and Television Department of a small art academy in that frontier town and pit them against a fourth-year graduate from your esteemed school. Perhaps I'm just acting my age in this matter;
You can send a few young teachers to my short-term training class; as long as you have Zhang Huijun's business card, I'll waive the tuition. Please, don't look for laymen again. If a new department doesn't lay a good foundation from the start, then Beijing Film Academy will never see the light of day..."
Zhou Chuanji's voice was like a booming bell, almost pointing at Zhang Huijun's nose as he ranted.
Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang were also secretly chuckling outside, whispering non-stop.
"You two outside, if you have something, come in! I want to see who it is!" Zhou Chuanji's ears were sharp; he suddenly pulled open the door and saw Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang, who were already standing upright.
"Teacher Zhou!" Both of them quietly called out in unison.
"Heh heh, it's you two. You're not good birds either; you haven't accomplished anything remarkable these past years. Come in."
Zhou Chuanji's attitude was as sharp-tongued as ever; both of them were long accustomed to it, having been scolded frequently during their classes back then.
Zhang Huijun glared fiercely at the two of them; these two rascals were outside laughing at his expense.
"If you have something, hurry up and say it. I suppose you won't listen to what this old man has to say anyway. Forget it, I'll just go back to teaching in my frontier town."
Zhou Chuanji waved his hand, dispirited, and was about to leave when his peripheral vision caught sight of the script in Mu Deyuan's hand. He adjusted his reading glasses, his eyes narrowing: "Oh, Deyuan, are you planning to shoot a new film? 'the dark side,' that name sounds quite interesting!"
"Uh, Teacher, it's not mine. I came to see Zhang Xiao for this matter too!" Mu Deyuan quickly explained.
"Not yours? A Photography Department student's?" Zhou Chuanji instinctively blurted out, after all, Mu Deyuan was the head of the Photography Department, and his special visit to Zhang Huijun was most likely for a student from his department.
If it were a Director student, then Tian Zhuangzhuang should be the one holding the script.
"A student from the department? Just follow the procedure, the academy isn't without funding for this!" Zhang Huijun said lightly, then suddenly thought of something and added, "Underground film? The academy cannot fund underground films, that's a rule!"
"Neither!" Mu Deyuan shook his head and smiled, "The main thing is that the student with this script is only a first-year!"
"What?"
Zhang Huijun and Zhou Chuanji were both stunned, speaking in unison.
"It's a good thing I came with Lao Mu; I got to hear gossip, and now I can let Lao Zhang experience what I felt at noon!"
Tian Zhuangzhuang stood contentedly to the side, always feeling like something was missing. His hand instinctively reached for his cigarette pack, but then he remembered Zhou Chuanji and the others were still present and sheepishly pulled it back.
"Deyuan, you're not joking, are you? Have you read this script?" Zhou Chuanji was the first to ask, then turned to glare at Zhang Huijun, "Are you too casual with your attitude towards education?"
"How about Teacher and Zhang Xiao take a look at the script and storyboard first?" Mu Deyuan handed over both the script and the storyboard. "I feel that... cough, in my teaching career, Wu Chen as a student is still passable!"
"Heh, this Mu Deyuan is showing off again!" Tian Zhuangzhuang watched Mu Deyuan's demeanor; if Zhou Chuanji and Zhang Huijun weren't there, he would have turned and left long ago.
"You're the president, you look first." Zhou Chuanji calmly pushed it to Zhang Huijun.
"Teacher, you look first. I'll just sit beside you and look together." Zhang Huijun sat down with a chuckle, moving the script and storyboard in front of Zhou Chuanji.
Mu Deyuan and Tian Zhuangzhuang found a place to sit, waiting quietly, as the atmosphere suddenly became silent.
"Scene 1 - Interior · Villa - Night — thunderstorm (Shallow focus shot); The precision of the rainy night was like a brass spoon soaked in black coffee..."
Zhang Huijun and Zhou Chuanji both read silently, both of them very quiet.
After a long while, Zhou Chuanji looked up and asked, "Deyuan, these circled areas are marked by you, right?"
"Teacher, yes, they are!" Mu Deyuan explained, "Although his visuals are meant to be more artistic, it's quite difficult for us to get approval for them here. I circled them to remind him to be careful not to overdo it."
"Hmm, it seems you've still accomplished something these past years. You haven't fallen behind on your studies, and you've taught your students very well."
Zhou Chuanji nodded, and with that praise, Mu Deyuan almost looked down on Tian Zhuangzhuang.
"You're the president, what do you think we should do?" Zhou Chuanji directly threw the problem to Zhang Huijun, without offering any suggestions.
"Lao Mu, with such a talent, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Zhang Huijun sighed, his eyes full of reproach.
...
