Chapter 61

"Happy Ending" was the best way to describe today's visit. After Lamor's change of heart, she was so enthusiastic that she seemed like a completely different person. She agreed to help, agreed to make a cameo, and even stayed for an extra half hour before leaving. In fact, she had always been quite loyal; otherwise, Ye Wei might not have even met Willis.

To avoid affecting the production efficiency, Lily and Lamor left together, then they went shopping. The two, who had thought they would end their friendship, found their bond deepening instead.

It wasn't until nightfall that Lily returned home after having dinner with Lamor. She carried a few bags of new clothes and hummed a song as she walked into the castle-like mansion.

Upon entering, she saw the light on in the living room and walked over. Her mother was sitting on the sofa, reading *VOGUE*.

"Lily." Taverman smiled when she saw her daughter, putting down the magazine and asking, "How was today's visit?"

"Great, even better than I expected." Lily smiled, walking to a small round mirror with classical patterns hanging on the wall. She adjusted her hair and twisted her body in front of the mirror, then suddenly frowned and asked, "Mom, have I gained some weight recently?"

"No, dear, you're a bit too thin." Taverman said. Many things Lily had never cared about before were now on her mind...

"Lamor said I don't have any curves..." Lily swayed her body to the side, indeed, everything was quite flat.

Taverman laughed, "You're still a teenager, it's normal not to have curves."

But Lily thought of "Little Kris." Although shallow and vulgar, which boy didn't like a hot date... Her eyebrows arched, and she made a decision: "Mom, I think just participating in school sports isn't enough. I want to sign up for a women's fitness class. Help me find a good one, I'm not afraid of hard work, I want the best."

"Dear, you're already good enough."

"Just help me find one, I want to be better."

"Alright." It wasn't a big deal, Taverman smiled and agreed. This wasn't what she wanted to see, but it continued to happen. Lily was getting more and more involved...

"Mom, is it possible that a boy doesn't really like thick eyebrows but says he does just to make a girl happy? Oh, forget it, pretend I didn't ask, I don't care..."

Lily muttered, stroking her eyebrows and imagining what she would look like with thinner ones. She covered part of them with her fingers and felt strange. Somehow, she thought "bushes" looked better...

Forget it, forget it! She carried the bags of clothes and walked out of the living room, "I'm going back to my room to do homework. I'm going to have fun tomorrow."

"Mom has some free time tomorrow, where do you want to go?" Taverman stood up and asked.

"I have plans tomorrow. In the afternoon, I have to go back to school to help wrap up Wei's short film, and Lamor is coming too! Do you think I can miss it? Of course not." Lily laughed as she walked away, taking out her phone to make a call.

Soon, the sound of footsteps and laughter echoed up the stairs: "Good evening... I told you not to ask, asking again makes you sound like a sissy... Ha ha, shut up..."

Taverman shook her head. Whether it was good or bad, only time would tell.

...

For Ye Wei, this day was also wonderful. The shooting progressed as planned, and the entire schedule was down to a few exterior shots. Tomorrow, he had plenty of time to handle them: in the morning at his father's dental clinic, and in the afternoon at school, no problem.

For Anna, this day was a rollercoaster. For most of the day, her mood was very low, almost to the point of depression. But in the last half of the day, she was completely revitalized!

"Anna, start to pick yourself up, be strong, and seize this great opportunity! Show Wang Ying and those people your true strength, shock them!! Make them offer you the lead role!!"

"Yes!! *It's All Daisy's Fault*, you wait, 'Opal' is mine! Not Taylor, not Ronan, it's me!! Anna Sofia-Rob!!"

At that moment, she gritted her teeth and did a somersault, making it hard to tell if she was an angel or a devil!

The next day, December 14th, the morning shoot went very smoothly. In the afternoon, the *Angel's Dance* crew finally arrived at the place where dreams began, Harvard-Westlake Middle School.

On a Sunday afternoon, without any school activities, the campus was rarely as lively as it was today. Hundreds of students returned to school with laughter and joy, some even bringing family and friends, like a homecoming. They were all proud of this grand scene.

"Too cool, no one shooting a middle school short film can create this kind of atmosphere."

"Yes, no one, except VIY!"

"The Best Popular Award trophy for next year's film festival, the boss has already taken home. John Williams and those people didn't even give it a second look."

"Hey... look over there, they're here too!"

"That's a bad omen, we need to tell Brother Wei quickly."

At the same time, inside the Sapirstein Theater, the crew was busy setting up on stage, while the audience seats were filled with people chatting, sitting down, and moving around, all in high spirits.

Shooting in such a large, enclosed venue was a real test of the director's ability to manage the scene. Just creating a good sense of space and direction required a lot of effort.

Although there weren't many shots to be filmed, Ye Wei took this scene very seriously. It was not only the third-act climax and ending of the short film but also shared a stage setting with the climax of *Little Miss Sunshine*. This was a design he made while writing the script to better showcase himself.

So, the storyboards were meticulously detailed, and upon arriving at the scene, some adjustments and new designs were made based on the actual conditions.

The hardest part was the lighting. The theater had its own ceiling lights, which were difficult to control. There was a lot to do: measuring, adjusting, measuring again. Almost the entire crew became the lighting team...

These technical tasks were beyond Lev, Bud, and the others, but they could help with welcoming guests and recruiting available teachers and staff to fill in the audience, diluting the youthful faces. They brought in about a dozen people, plus 50 adults and 20 extras, which was enough.

"Hey, welcome!"

At the theater entrance, Lev and a few others saw Lily and a group of beautiful girls arrive, including Tris, Connie, and a tall, unfamiliar girl, the legendary Lamor Willis! Lev's eyes lit up, she had her mother Demi Moore's features, nice, nice...

Lamor glanced at them, a group of kids in strange clothes, not interested.

"Wow, it's so lively." Through the door, Lily saw the bustling scene inside and smiled happily, "Where's Wei?"

Lamor, upon seeing the scene, was even more impressed by Ye Wei's influence. She had always known about the Dream Alliance, but thought it was just a game for rich kids. She never imagined they would have such strong cohesion and enthusiasm. Ye Wei's influence at Harvard-Westlake was truly beyond her expectations.

"Brother Wei is busy on stage." Bud replied.

"I'll go check." Lily was about to walk quickly over.

At that moment, they saw Ye Wei and a team of nearly ten people, including Li Ming, approaching the entrance. He saw Lily and the others and greeted them, but his attention was clearly elsewhere.

Lily had dressed up carefully today, wearing new clothes she bought yesterday: a small jacket, a low-cut top, and a knee-length skirt, looking very youthful and sweet.

"Hehe." Lamor gave Lily a meaningful smile, he's not interested in you.

Not true. Lily rolled her eyes, raised her eyebrows, and looked confident.

"Guys, Jim Zhou texted me, saying John Williams and his gang are approaching the theater." Ye Wei smiled at them and said seriously, "Whatever they want to do, it won't work. Lamor, get ready to meet our school bully friends."

"If they want to cause trouble, we'll kick them out!" "There are many teachers here, they won't dare to do anything." "They should try? They're dead!" ... The boys were furious, and Lily also said angrily, "Why are these bullies so annoying!"

"Don't worry, we have the numbers on our side." Ye Wei looked back at the theater and said, "Even if one of them is Smith, it won't matter. I know kung fu."

"Ha ha!" "Yes, Lord." "I have a pair of sunglasses, Brother Wei, wear them, you'll look cool."

"Really? Let me see, do you have a black windbreaker?"

Lamor watched the boys joking and playing, and a few pretty girls watching from the side. No matter how she looked at it, Ye Wei's group seemed more like the school bullies...

A short while later, John Williams and his gang of six or seven people indeed arrived, with a provocative look on their faces, clearly intending to cause trouble. But as soon as they approached, they were intimidated by the crowd inside the theater. They hadn't expected so many people, and before they could even enter, they were blocked by Ye Wei and his team.

Ye Wei, wearing sunglasses, said in a concerned tone, "Hey, wild boars, long time no see. I heard you got herpes, are you okay?"

"Ha ha ha!" The boys around him laughed hard, and a few girls couldn't help but giggle. Lamor sized them up and asked, "They can get herpes? From each other?"

The laughter grew louder, and Lev almost shouted in excitement. This daughter of Willis, so spicy!!

Williams and his gang were furious. Was this still Harvard-Westlake? Where were the teachers now?

"Mulan, you better move, this theater isn't yours!"

"Principal Hertnagel approved my crew to use the theater for three hours, so yes, until 5:00 PM, you can't step in without my permission."

"Ridiculous, did you pay the tuition alone?!"

"Not just me, but over a hundred students from different grades. If you're not satisfied, talk to the principal, not here."

Ye Wei was firm, but Williams wasn't about to give up. After a standoff, because the crew needed him, he left his brothers to guard the wild boars: "Look how pitiful they are. If they really don't want to leave, let them in to see the world, but keep a close eye on them. Call me if anything happens."

As soon as Ye Wei left, Williams put on a self-proclaimed handsome smile and invited, "Lily, you look great. Want to grab a coffee tonight?"

Lily ignored him and followed, "Wei, are you free tonight?"

"Sure, I'll check with my assistant. I've been so busy, my memory is failing."

"Failed herpes self-inflictor." Lamor left with a laugh and walked away.

Williams was beyond furious. He had been humiliated from the start. Even when they finally got into the theater, they were confined to the farthest seats, like prisoners. Any movement, and the former cowards like Li Ming would pounce on them. Was the world going crazy? Was everything upside down?

"Think again, sit down!" Dingo and Pumbaa were the most aggressive, ready to fight at any moment.

"This is unreasonable!" They were frustrated. This wasn't a football field; their muscles were useless. Why? Look at how many people were sitting there, almost full. And the principal was there too! This old man was everywhere...

Looking at the stage, Ye Wei and the principal were chatting, like old friends. Williams knew the world had turned upside down. America was in its darkest hour!

Who brought honor to the school? The football team, not the women's soccer, not some stupid short film, it was them, it was him!

But now, they were a group of prisoners... And if this scene was part of Ye Wei's short film, Williams knew his "Locker Room Hunk Show" might really not measure up...

As the mood of the crowd grew complex and everyone was happy, nearly half an hour passed. Under Ye Wei's direction, all the guests were seated.

With the principal present, Ye Wei ignored the wild boars. Nearly two hundred people were seated in the front, with the first row occupied by Anna's parents, both in and out of the film, Mrs. Mary and other neighbors, his family, Lily, Lev, and other major shareholders of the Dream Alliance, the influential Lamor, and the principal and Ms. Esi, among other distinguished faculty.

The first shot to be filmed was a wide-angle shot from the stage facing the audience, so the camera was set up in the center of the stage, and the crew was doing the final checks.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the college students were not nervous, and neither was Ye Wei. Anna was also calm, actually more comfortable on stage than in front of the camera.

Only Bella had a small tantrum earlier, but after Anna's comfort, she had adapted to the stage.

"About to start, please be quiet, thank you!"

The spotlight shone on the center of the stage. Ye Wei held a microphone and looked at the crowd, who were all looking back at him.

He smiled, feeling like he was back at the public speech he gave at the beginning of the year. It was a required course for eighth graders: either give a public speech or participate in a public debate. He completed it in the spring semester, with about a hundred listeners. He almost forgot what he had said, "Why do we need longer activity time"?

But today, now, he wanted to talk about something else!

"Everyone, welcome. We're about to start filming, and I want to thank you for your help. But before that, I have something to say to you, my dear friends, teachers, family, and those little fleas, don't glare, the microphone is mine, you can't hurt anyone today."

The theater erupted in laughter, only Williams and his gang in the back row looked embarrassed. Damn Mulan...

Everyone was intrigued by Ye Wei's impromptu speech. Lily's eyes sparkled, and Lev, Bud, and others were excited. Brother Wei was about to say something cool!

On stage, the college students smiled, and Anna looked excited. On the right side of the stage, Colevin stood like a ghost, holding a DV camera...

Ye Wei took a few steps, gathered his thoughts, and began, "I want to talk about what makes us make choices? What made me choose this difficult path and walk it to this point? And what made you choose to support me and accompany me on this journey?"

"Even if the whole thing sounds very, very crazy, unreasonable, naive, foolish... all the bad words you can think of, can be used! Even if Focus Features is spreading rumors and maliciously slandering me! Even if there are still many negative voices! Why? Why do we make such choices?"

For a moment, everyone was silent, blinking, looking at Ye Wei, who smiled. That smile was full of youthful passion and mature determination.

"Maybe some of you say, 'Because of dreams,' no, dreams are choices, why do we choose such dreams; maybe others say, 'Because of love,' wow, you all love me? Thank you! But no, love is as much support as it is opposition; then, 'Because of freedom'? Close, we love freedom, we hate old rules, we love crazy ideas, crazy things! We love crazy!"

Through the PA system, Ye Wei's passionate words echoed throughout the theater, igniting the young people's blood and touching the hearts of the adults.

"Most of you are teenagers, one of the best stages of life, we easily get crazy because we have the strength.

"But there are some people, or rather, a type of person in the world! They are old, they can't get crazy because they have lost their strength, they are bound by the so-called 'real world,' their hands and feet are tied, their eyes are covered, their hearts are eroded, and they have become mediocre people.

"They love mediocrity because it is safe; they hate craziness and hate others being crazy, they wish the whole world were like them, because that makes them feel truly alive, but no! No!! They are just zombies, living day by day, and when they see a living person, they pounce and try to turn the living into zombies.

"They are numerous, they are terrifying, but that doesn't mean they are right! The most ridiculous thing is: the 'real world' they imagine, if you don't follow it, it's nothing.

"What is living? Living is when you are only 15, you dare to challenge the world, you dare to create, you dare to... live!

"Living is when zombies don't understand you, it doesn't matter, when zombies mock you, who cares, when zombies attack you, smash their heads!

"This is the true reason for our recent choices, because we want to live, we all want to breathe the air of adventure, the desire that has been there since the beginning of humanity!

"People, the reason we have come this far is not because of those zombies, but because of the living!

"Because of our beating hearts, our hearts that want to live differently! Yes, that is exactly what we want!

"Uncommon, different, this is our greatest pursuit in life! Even if it might cost our lives, we must pick that fruit from the cliff and eat it! Zombies? They only eat each other!

"Friends, family, I sincerely wish you to always keep this heart! If your heart is dead, if you have become a zombie, please come back to life! There is nothing more wonderful than being a living person, taste these fruits, smell those roses, this is the real world!

"Do not conform to mediocrity, never, even if your life has been ordinary, until we fall off the cliff and die, we should climb, strive to be extraordinary! The excitement and joy brought by each crazy moment, that is the meaning of life, that is why we dream, why we are crazy. Thank you!"

When Ye Wei finished speaking, the theater erupted in applause, almost everyone stood up, many with flushed faces