HIM Chapter 19: "Quite Boring"
The university, A University, boasts a century-long history, and is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Of course, Bo Qin did not graduate from here.
Bo Qin never even graduated from high school. When he was 16, he was pulled back to the Bo family and enrolled in an international high school. After studying there for six months, Bo Qin dropped out and signed with He Dong Entertainment as a trainee.
At that time, the idol industry system in China was just being established. No successful singing and dancing idol groups had emerged yet, and He Dong Entertainment was one of the first companies to introduce a complete idol production system. They debuted the idol group NIC, and Bo Qin stood out from 500 trainees, debuting at 18.
At 16, Bo Qin's life was split in two, marking the beginning of a life that would no longer be pure or carefree.
At 20, Bo Qin paid a high termination fee to break his contract with He Dong, the group disbanded, and the same year, the elderly man who had raised him for 16 years passed away.
At 20, Bo Qin, hearing the news of his grandfather’s death while in a dance studio, despaired, wondering why humans had to endure such pain. Now, at 25, he can answer that question: there is no reason; pain is a constant in life; you just get used to it.
Bo Qin was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, with a blue denim jacket over it. He wasn’t wearing any makeup or styling, and his hair was back to its natural black, casually falling around his face. He had removed his earrings, rings, and even wore a simple electronic watch instead of a fancy one.
Bo Qin had miscalculated the time. It was the last class of the morning, and when he turned the corner down a tree-lined path, he encountered a group of students just getting out of class. For a brief moment, he felt a sense of panic and discomfort in the large crowd. He stood still for a few seconds and realized that the students were only staring at him because of his overly strict outfit. Bo Qin paused, touched his ear, and noticed his mask and hat were still on.
He felt a bit tense. To be honest, it had been a long time since he had been around such a large crowd, and he followed the path to a residential complex. A few girls behind him were whispering and taking pictures with their phones, but Bo Qin didn’t look back. He quickly lowered his hat and walked into building C.
The building was old and had no elevator or fancy locks. Bo Qin climbed six floors in one breath. When he reached the door, he hesitated. He glanced at the couplets posted on the door, confirming they were written by Old Hu.
He knocked. The first time, no one responded. He waited a few seconds and knocked again, this time harder. He then heard a strong voice call, "Coming!"
"Who are you trying to hurry?" the voice continued.
Bo Qin smiled.
When the door opened, the security chain made a screeching sound. Old Hu, wearing reading glasses, appeared with a kind face.
Bo Qin bowed and said, "Hello, Old Hu."
"Finally, you're here! Yunhui has been reading all morning," Old Hu said, opening the security door and accepting the gift box from Bo Qin. He sniffed it. "Nice."
Bo Qin took off his hat and mask, bent down to change his shoes. The apartment was small—three rooms and one living room. The furniture and decor were old, but the place was very clean and warm.
Old Hu’s wife came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. As soon as she saw Bo Qin, she said, "You've lost weight!"
Bo Qin, feeling awkward, stood there for a moment. It had been almost a year since he had last visited. Part of the reason was that he feared the old memories would resurface, and another reason was simply that he had been too busy. The longer he delayed, the harder it became to face the warm affection of the elderly couple.
Old Hu led Bo Qin straight to the study and said, "I knew you'd come, so I cleaned up the tea set yesterday. I've been waiting for you."
Old Hu’s wife shouted from the kitchen, "Don’t trouble the boy so much."
Old Hu had been a master of Kunqu Opera for nearly fifty years. He was a renowned expert in the field and had taught at the only 211 university on the island. Bo Qin had learned a bit of Kunqu from him when he was younger, but his interest wasn’t in it, and he never truly studied it in-depth.
After the old man passed away, Old Hu moved to A City, where he taught Kunqu at A University. The Hu couple never had children, so they treated Bo Qin like their own. They were, in a sense, the only family Bo Qin had left.
After playing a couple of rounds of chess with Old Hu, Bo Qin lost terribly. Old Hu sipped his tea and said, "You've forgotten everything. You can’t even play chess anymore."
Bo Qin's face turned red, and he scratched his head awkwardly, unable to say anything.
Old Hu leaned back in his rocking chair and said, "Can you still sing? Sing a bit for me."
Bo Qin laughed. "Please, don’t tease me."
Looking at Old Hu’s cheerful expression, Bo Qin’s heart softened. He swallowed his rejection and said, "Alright, I’ll sing a little bit for you."
Bo Qin sang a few lines of "Fusheng Liushi Ji" (Floating Life), but he knew from the first note that it wasn’t going well. He had not practiced in a long time, and when he sang, he became self-conscious, especially with Old Hu, a master, sitting there.
Old Hu took a sip of tea and said, "It’s unbearable."
Bo Qin scratched his nose, embarrassed.
Old Hu sighed and said, "Go to the cabinet and get the one at the top of the bookshelf."
Old Hu had spent nearly fifty years learning Kunqu Opera and was highly respected in the field. Ten years ago, he had taught at the island’s only 211 university, where he met Bo Qin’s grandfather. Bo Qin, under the old man's influence, had learned a little Kunqu.
After the old man’s death, Old Hu moved to A City and began teaching Kunqu at A University.
Bo Qin went to get the South Instrument Sanxian (a traditional Chinese musical instrument), which had been custom-made by Old Hu many years ago in the southern Fujian region. It was the first time Bo Qin had heard Old Hu play the Sanxian while traveling in a van. The music and the nostalgic summer sound of cicadas and sea breezes flooded Bo Qin’s mind. He now understood that the feeling he had back then was homesickness.
After receiving the instrument, Bo Qin returned to the studio and quickly caught the next flight to S City for an evening shoot.
Bo Qin didn’t act like a star. He often collaborated with director Wang’s team, and when he arrived on set, everyone complimented his new song, though they said the title wasn’t great.
He politely thanked them and invited everyone to a late-night meal, saying, "I’ve ordered, come join me."
At the director’s resting room, director Wang was smoking, and the air was filled with smoke. Bo Qin walked in and noticed actor Cheng Ziye sitting on a small sofa.
Bo Qin opened the window and joked, "You don’t want your lungs anymore?"
He then greeted Cheng Ziye, "Hello, Teacher Cheng."
Cheng Ziye nodded and started a conversation, "You’ve ordered late-night snacks?"
Bo Qin replied, "Yes, they should be here in about two hours. After you finish, you can have something to eat."
Cheng Ziye smiled and said, "Your new song is really nice. I’ve listened to it several times, and now I can sing along."
Bo Qin raised an eyebrow and politely thanked him. Director Wang finished his cigarette and said, "You two have been filming together for so long, and you’re still being polite?"
Bo Qin sat down and chatted with the two. Cheng Ziye was a professional actor with years of experience. Many of his insights were new to Bo Qin, though acting couldn’t just rely on experience. When Bo Qin started acting, his state wasn’t great.
Director Wang called for a take again and said, "Bo Qin, stop holding back. This role isn’t perfect. You can’t make everyone like it."
Bo Qin sighed and said, "I’ll slow down."
Director Wang waved his hand, signaling him to take a break.
Sitting on a small stool, Bo Qin slowly drank some water, while Xiao Zhu fanned him. When the wind stopped, Bo Qin looked up and saw Xiao Zhu standing up and calling, "Teacher Cheng."
Cheng Ziye, wearing a light blue long robe, looked like a refined scholar. He sat down next to Bo Qin and said, "Do you know where your problem lies?"
Bo Qin honestly replied, "I don’t know."
"I’ve noticed that many idol stars have this problem while acting," Cheng Ziye said bluntly. "You’re too used to your glamorous image. When you get into the role, you need to forget everything about who you are. As Bo Qin, you can’t carry your star identity into the character."
Bo Qin smiled, his tone calm as he said, "Thank you, Teacher Cheng, but I don’t think my problem lies there."
Cheng Ziye paused and noticed the slight shift in Bo Qin’s eyes. Bo Qin had a pair of eyes that spoke volumes. When he lowered his head, it seemed as though he carried endless sorrow. Cheng Ziye felt some sympathy, realizing he might have been too harsh. He was about to comfort Bo Qin, but before he could, Bo Qin lifted his eyes, and they were devoid of emotion, like a layer of mist had descended over them. His voice grew colder as he said, "But still, thank you for your guidance."
Bo Qin added, "But listening to it or not is still up to me."
Cheng Ziye had initially looked down on Bo Qin’s celebrity status, but after working with him, he realized that Bo Qin was humble and serious about his work. However, now he was starting to feel the arrogance that comes with being a top star.
Bo Qin stood up, politely saying, "Teacher Cheng, my scene is up next. I’ll go now." He took a few steps and then turned around, adding, "Teacher Cheng, actually, I’ve noticed that you have a habit too. You like defining people, but definitions..." Bo Qin smiled and said, "They’re quite boring."
Bo Qin’s role reached its peak. He had spent nearly two weeks on set, and his state was poor. When there were no night shoots, he would skip practicing dance and focus on the acting lessons arranged by director Wang.
One night after class, as the weather grew cooler, Bo Qin only wore a black tank top. He had just wiped off the sweat with the towel around his neck when his phone rang.
It was a video call from Mama He, and Bo Qin nearly dropped the phone. He looked at his tank top and shouted to Xiao Zhu to bring him a jacket.
Mama He was at the Fengjiang villa. Bo Qin laughed and said, "Auntie, what are you doing at Fengjiang?"
Mama He said, "Xiao Zhou is moving books over."
She showed Bo Qin the full view, where He Xizhou was placing books on the bookshelf. When He Xizhou saw the camera, he raised a book in greeting.
Bo Qin wondered why He Xizhou was moving his books over. He thought He Xizhou usually only came back on weekends, but now he had moved everything.
Mama He asked, "When will you return to A City?"
Bo Qin replied, "Maybe in a month. I’ve taken too many days off recently, so I need to catch up."
Mama He paused and asked, "Can I visit your set tomorrow?"
Bo Qin hesitated, but He Xizhou's voice interrupted. "Mom, Bo Qin is a celebrity. If you visit, it might cause a scene."
Mama He looked disappointed. "Can't I be careful?"
Bo Qin couldn’t stand seeing her like this, so he quickly said, "It’s fine, Auntie. You can come tomorrow. I’ll have my assistant arrange everything." He smiled and added, "There’s nothing exciting about filming. It’s quite boring."
"I just want to see you," Mama He replied. "I haven’t seen you in a while. I’ve been thinking about you, and Xiao Zhou’s dad is back today. He brought you some gifts."
Bo Qin just smiled and didn’t respond. He saw He Xizhou, wearing glasses, looking down at a book. When he heard Mama He, he looked up at the screen, and Bo Qin couldn’t shake the feeling that He Xizhou’s gaze lingered on his collarbone for a moment. He looked down and saw nothing unusual, except for the sweat.
He Xizhou said, "It’s Saturday tomorrow. I’ll drive you."
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