As the New Year countdown approached, the hospital room became lively with the television on. A nurse observed a man lying in the hospital bed, holding his phone. He seemed to be making a call to his beloved, his gaze tender, his fingers slightly trembling with nervous anticipation.
After the call went through, the other end picked up quickly. He parted his dry lips and gently spoke a line: “Elisa, Happy New Year.” The phone pressed close to his ear, he listened carefully, afraid of missing anything, not even wanting to miss the sound of Elisa’s breath. He could hear the chimes from the phone coinciding with the countdown on TV.
After a while, amidst the fireworks bursting in the phone, Louis’s voice accompanied him. “I wish you good health, happiness, fulfillment, and success in the new year.” His chest ached terribly. Hamish should have covered his aching heart, but his hand inexplicably reached to cover his ear instead.
It was futile because the call had already ended, and he hadn’t even heard Elisa’s voice. “Sir?” After some time had passed, seeing Hamish holding the phone without any reaction, the nurse tentatively called out to him.
Hamish snapped out of his daze, but his body remained stiff, like a puppet, as he looked up at the nurse standing by the bed. “Um… have you finished your call?”
“I have,” Hamish released his hand and returned the phone to her. “Thank you.”
“No problem. If you want to make another call in the future, just let me know.”
Hamish simply shook his head without speaking. He wouldn’t use her phone to call again because he knew that if Elisa received this call, she would blacklist him. He didn’t expect to hear anything from Elisa today. He just wanted to wish her a Happy New Year again at that early hour, and that was all. They had been together for so long, but they had never spent a New Year’s together. Initially, it was because he didn’t return, leaving her alone at home. Then, Elisa became a vegetable in the hospital. Later, during the subsequent New Year holiday, he got engaged to Lila, leaving Elisa alone at home, turning it into her memorial day.
Seeing that the IV bag was almost empty, the nurse replaced it, marked it off on a list, and then took out some medicine to give to Hamish. “Take the medicine.”
It was inconvenient for Hamish to take medicine while on the IV. The nurse was about to get some water, but he had already thrown the pills into his mouth and swallowed them directly. The crushed pills were bitter. They say that after bitterness comes sweetness, but this kind of bitterness would never end, just like how Elisa would never come back.
The nurse always felt that the man in front of her was filled with an unrelenting sorrow, a presence more painful than nearing death. It was like the stars in the night sky disappearing one by one. Some people died but lived on in the hearts of others, while some people, although alive, seemed dead, attempting to disappear without a trace, truly receiving no attention.
The nurse extended a cup of water to Hamish. “Thank you.” Hamish took it, drank until the cup was empty, but couldn’t wash away the bitter taste in his mouth.
“Rest well. If you need anything, just press the button.”
“Mm.” The nurse deeply looked at him, then pushed the medicine cart out of the room. The large room was now left with only Hamish, and the entire corridor was quiet. At this time, everyone was celebrating the New Year, and even the patients in the hospital were no exception. Only Hamish was alone in the ward, with no one to accompany him.
There’s a saying: if you decide to open up, be prepared to be torn apart. Do you know what will never let you down? Disappointment.
In recent years, New Year’s concerts have become increasingly disappointing. Hamish closed his eyes, wanting to sleep but unable to. He wanted to throw away all the jumbled thoughts in his mind, but the more he tried to restrain himself from thinking, the clearer his thoughts became. He even remembered those things buried deep in his memories that he most wanted to forget.
…
Seeing him so despondent, the nurse wanted to comfort him. “Mr. Burns, lighten up a bit. When a person is sad, being happy for just one day is still a day. So why not spend the rest of your life happily? Acting like this… will only make your condition worse.”
Hamish also wanted to be happy, but even the word “happiness” seemed increasingly foreign to him. “Today is New Year.”
With the first day, there is tomorrow. He did not look forward to his tomorrow, he only looked forward to seeing Elisa tomorrow.
The window in the hospital room was tightly closed. Hamish looked at the sky outside, counting the days. It was his twenty-fourth day in the hospital, having been admitted after coming out of “Vaquita Bay” that night.
This year, there was no snow in Bankshire. The wintersweet outside was blooming, appearing fragrant, but he couldn’t smell it.
Elisa and Louis didn’t stay in Quokka for long before returning to Bankshire. Elisa’s performance in “Revenge and Love” and the progress of “The Ghost” film crew were both rapid, especially with “The Ghost,” where most of the budget was allocated to post-production. The promotional video surprised many online, as it had an unexpectedly good effect, with exquisite visuals, excellent sound effects, and a highly captivating story. What captivated the audience the most, however, was the acting of Elisa and Louis, which immediately immersed viewers in the storyline due to their film experience.
Nevertheless, there were still doubters. These days, many well-produced promotional videos deceive people into going to the cinema, only to leave feeling like they’ve seen a terrible film. Ultimately, the impact will be small, and it will depend on the feedback from the first group of experimental viewers. However, it couldn’t be denied that the combined fan base of Louis and Elisa alone could easily ensure a box office success of over a hundred million, which would prevent the film from running at a loss, although it might significantly diminish its reputation.
The film had thoroughly whetted everyone’s appetite, and eventually, “The Ghost” was scheduled to be released in the prime summer holiday slot. Meanwhile, the fantasy martial arts film “When Cloud Rises” was also scheduled for the same day. “When Cloud Rises” was a big-budget production, costing three hundred million, with a longer production period than “The Ghost,” and featured many A-list actors. The lead actress in “When Cloud Rises” was Ariadne, the same person who had played the third female lead in “Revenge and Love,” and she had a lot of financial backing from her management company.
Her acting was also commendable. Elisa had no grudge with Ariadne until the day they both auditioned for the role of the female lead in a movie. Ariadne successfully secured the role of the female lead, while Elisa unexpectedly grabbed the role of the second female lead, despite Elisa having fewer scenes.
Ariadne was displeased with this unfair casting, but she didn’t express it openly. Seeing the outcomes for Lorelei and Filippa, she knew not to mess with Elisa. Moreover, with so many people in the cast and crew favoring Elisa, Ariadne saw no point in risking her reputation over a few discontented words.
Unable to confront the situation openly, Ariadne had to contend with it covertly. Finally, the company managed to secure her role in “When Cloud Rises,” a major production martial arts drama. She was determined to overshadow Elisa, ensuring that Elisa would never surpass her since the time she took on “The Ghost,” a poorly received film. Ariadne acknowledged that she couldn’t compete with Elisa in terms of acting skills and looks, but she believed that box office success was the ultimate measure in the film industry.
How good could a film be when everyone is cursing it? Those who would watch it are probably just Louis’ fans. Many promotional accounts compared “When Cloud Rises” and “The Ghost.” Firstly, in terms of showtimes, “When Cloud Rises” was already ahead. In the domestic market, horror films didn’t receive a good response, as they couldn’t compete with foreign horror movies, and not everyone had the courage to watch them. However, fantasy martial arts films were different. Nowadays, only young people went to the movies, and the box office was determined by these people.
Furthermore, “When Cloud Rises” was a big-budget adaptation of a popular male-oriented novel in China, representing the youth for many. Many people would watch it for the nostalgia, so the box office wouldn’t be too poor. Even before the movie was released, some people had already started to buy ads to discredit “The Ghost.” The gap in the number of screenings in cinemas had reached an astonishing level, with “When Cloud Rises” having a screening rate as high as forty-five percent, while “The Ghost” was only at fifteen percent.
On the first day, “When Cloud Rises” scored 5 points, failing to even reach a passing grade. “I simply cannot understand what the director is trying to convey. Can’t they adapt faithfully? Letting you adapt doesn’t mean you can just make up things.”
“I have never seen such terrible special effects. The acting is average, with many veteran actors supporting the scene, but it highlights Ariadne’s poor acting.”
“The worst martial arts drama in history. I initially watched it for nostalgia, but I didn’t expect the adaptation to be unrecognizable.”
“The so-called excellence of ‘When Cloud Rises’ is only in the trailers. Yes, the trailers are the most exciting parts of the whole movie.”
“This is the first time I’ve felt so comfortable sleeping in a movie theater. Not bad at all. I plan to record the movie and listen to it as a lullaby every night.”
“Thanks to the heavens, thanks to the earth, and thanks to Louis for not accepting this film. Thanks to them for sparing Louis.”
“When Cloud Rises” had a high screening rate on the first day, and the film production spent a lot of money on promotion. When people entered the cinema, all they saw on the big screen was the promotion of “When Cloud Rises.”
As a result, many people, not knowing what else to watch, voluntarily bought tickets for “When Cloud Rises.”
With such publicity and the continuous overshadowing of “The Ghost,” the box office broke a billion on the second day. The film production team was not even able to rejoice, as the film received only one-star negative reviews on the same day, and even the overnight invitation of film critics and promotional accounts was of no use. In contrast, “The Ghost” had initially had a low screening rate, with only fans coming to watch, and some people only came because they couldn’t get tickets for “When Cloud Rises.”
Originally meant to be watched for sleeping, it unexpectedly caught everyone’s attention from the beginning. Louis’s acting was universally acclaimed, winning various awards and securing the top spot at the box office, making him the youngest ever Best Actor. However, what surprised everyone was Elisa, who demonstrated her acting abilities while participating in a variety show. Nevertheless, that represented only a small part of her talent.
“Revenge and Love” had not yet been broadcast, and what came out first was a movie she had spent over a month filming. Not many people had high expectations. Even her fans were unsure, buying tickets with an uneasy heart. Many people went in with the intention of sleeping through it, but they found themselves shedding tears without realizing it. The two-hourmovie was captivating from start to finish, leaving the audience with a sense of lingering emotion.
This was a remarkable film. It had moments of humor, terror, and most importantly, unexpected emotional twists. Even twenty years from now, this film would still stand the test of time; it deserved to be considered a classic. The entire theater resonated with sobs as the film ended, leaving everyone in tears, unable to stop the emotional rollercoaster.
Aside from the excellent storyline, the cinematography, lighting, background music, and special effects were all top-notch. It was hard to believe that this film, which outshone “When Cloud Rises,” was made with a budget of only eighty million. Watching “When Cloud Rises” before “The Ghost” felt like having a spiritual cleansing.
In addition to these highlights, there was another aspect of interest: Louis appeared shirtless in the film. Although it was only his upper body, such a revealing scene was unprecedented.
The dim lighting in the scenes highlighted his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and impressive abdominal muscles, creating a mesmerizing effect. His muscles were not exaggerated but perfectly toned, and the subtle movements of his body left the audience feeling dizzy, tears unconsciously streaming down their faces. Louis was indeed a favored figure, and both directors did an excellent job of showcasing his charm, creating a visual feast of male allure.