Scene 11 Time/Day Location/Elementary School Teacher’s Office Characters/Wu Xiaorong, Huang Meihong, Lin Meiling
11▲ Huang Meihong arrives at the office, and the parent and teacher sit down in the corner reception area.
Huang Meihong: Teacher, I didn’t teach my child well; I’m really sorry to you.
Wu Xiaorong: Renjie repeatedly denied taking the class fund, but the money was found in his school bag.
Huang Meihong: I’m very upset and surprised this happened. Renjie is an honest child; he has never had a record of stealing money before.
Wu Xiaorong: I really want to believe Renjie, but the fact is right in front of us.
Huang Meihong: Teacher, let me ask Renjie directly. I believe my child wouldn’t do such a thing.
Wu Xiaorong: Alright, I’ll call Renjie over.
▲ Teacher Wu dials the internal line; the person answering is the class monitor, Lin Meiling.
Wu Xiaorong: Class monitor, ask Renjie to come to the office.
Lin Meiling: Teacher, Renjie isn’t in the classroom.
Wu Xiaorong: This is natural science class—why isn’t he in class?
Lin Meiling: When you took attendance just now, Renjie was already absent.
Wu Xiaorong: (ominous premonition) How could this be?
Huang Meihong: How could Renjie not be in class? This child…
Wu Xiaorong: Mrs. Yu, don’t worry for now. I’ll immediately have a teacher from the discipline office search the campus.
Wu Xiaorong: Meiling, go to the discipline office and ask the teacher to help find Renjie.
Lin Meiling: Okay, Teacher.
Scene 12 Time/Day Location/Elementary School Campus, Discipline Office, Homeroom Teacher’s Office, Bathroom, Infirmary Characters/Luo Shijie (Director of Discipline), Lin Jingyi (Student Affairs Chief), Huang Meihong, Wu Xiaorong, You Shufang (School Nurse), Student A
▲ Director Luo Shijie and Teacher Lin Jingyi search every corner of the campus for Yu Renjie separately, but cannot find him. They return to the discipline office.
Lin Jingyi: Director, should we make an announcement?
Luo Shijie: It’s still class time now; let’s wait until break.
Lin Jingyi: Then I’ll inform homeroom teacher Wu first.
▲ Lin Jingyi picks up the phone to dial the internal line.
Lin Jingyi: Teacher Wu, Yu Renjie hasn’t been found yet. The security guard said he didn’t see him leave the school. I will make an announcement during break.
Wu Xiaorong: Thank you, Chief.
Wu Xiaorong: The discipline office teachers said they’re still searching and will announce during break.
Huang Meihong: (anxious) Where on earth has Renjie gone?
Wu Xiaorong: Mrs. Yu, don’t worry for now.
▲ At this moment, a student is going to the bathroom and hears crying and angry shouting from one stall. The student quickly goes to the discipline office.
Student A: Reporting to the director, someone is crying in the bathroom.
Luo Shijie: That should be Yu Renjie. Take me to him.
▲ The student leads Director Luo to the bathroom.
Student A: Just now I heard someone crying inside.
Luo Shijie: Okay, I’ll handle it.
▲ Director Luo knocks on each door and tries to open them; one door is locked from the inside.
Luo Shijie: Yu Renjie, are you inside? I’m Director Luo. Open the door.
▲ No sound comes from inside.
Luo Shijie: (knocking) Renjie, open the door.
▲ Still no response.
Luo Shijie: (knocking) Renjie, if you don’t open, I’ll get angry.
▲ No response again. Director Luo climbs up to the wooden door and sees Renjie leaning against it, foaming at the mouth, eyes tightly shut, face in pain, with a bottle of hydrochloric acid nearby. Director Luo opens the door, picks up Renjie, and rushes directly to the infirmary, attracting the attention of other students along the way.
Luo Shijie: Shufang, quickly call an ambulance.
You Shufang: (alarmed) What’s wrong with this child?
▲ Director Luo lays Renjie on the medical bed.
Luo Shijie: He may have ingested toilet-cleaning hydrochloric acid. I’ll call an ambulance immediately.
You Shufang: Okay.
Luo Shijie: (dialing) 119? This is Keyuan Elementary School. A student ingested hydrochloric acid by accident. Please send an ambulance immediately.
Luo Shijie: Shufang, please start emergency treatment. I’ll report to the principal and inform homeroom teacher Wu.
You Shufang: Okay.
Scene 13 Time/Day Location/Elementary School Gate, Discipline Office Characters/Zhong Zhilong (Principal), Luo Shijie (Director of Discipline), Lin Jingyi (Student Affairs Chief), Huang Meihong, Wu Xiaorong, You Shufang (School Nurse), Yu Renjie, Zhang Jiazhen, Ambulance Staff
▲ The ambulance arrives at the school gate. Paramedics get out, and Director Luo hands Renjie to them.
▲ Huang Meihong has tears in her eyes.
Zhong Zhilong: Mrs. Yu, I’m truly sorry this happened. I will investigate the matter thoroughly and give you a proper explanation.
Huang Meihong: (grief and anxiety) Principal, please don’t say that now…
Zhong Zhilong: Shijie, I’ll accompany the child to the hospital. You check with homeroom teacher Wu to understand what happened.
Luo Shijie: Yes, Principal.
▲ Huang Meihong follows onto the ambulance. Teachers watch the ambulance depart. Principal Zhong drives behind it.
▲ In the discipline office, Director Luo talks with Teacher Wu about the incident.
Wu Xiaorong: This is what happened, Director. I didn’t falsely accuse Renjie—you can ask Zhang Jiazhen in the class.
Luo Shijie: Jiazhen, can you describe the situation at that time?
Wu Xiaorong: Reporting, Director. After today’s PE class, when we returned to the classroom, I noticed a school bag had been opened, and the class fund was missing. Later, I asked all students to take out items from their bags and desks and place them on the table. At that moment, I saw Yu Renjie take out a stack of bills from the bag, and then a classmate said Renjie stole them…
Luo Shijie: Teacher Wu, from this, it seems impossible that Renjie stole the class fund; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken it out voluntarily.
Wu Xiaorong: Director, I apologize. I overlooked this detail, but I really didn’t expect Renjie to hide in the bathroom and drink hydrochloric acid.
Luo Shijie: It seems Renjie was misunderstood by you and the entire class, which led him to act irrationally and do this foolish thing. I worry that if the child is seriously injured, the parents may not let it go easily…
Scene 14 Time/Day Location/Hospital Emergency Room Characters/Zhong Zhilong, Huang Meihong, Yu Renjie, Yu Dawei, Doctor, Nurse
▲ In the hospital emergency room, the doctor has just finished attending to Renjie. Principal Zhong Zhilong and Huang Meihong approach with concern.
Huang Meihong: (anxious) Doctor, my child’s condition…
Doctor: I just performed an endoscopy and confirmed that the hydrochloric acid was only held in the mouth. It did not harm the esophagus or stomach, but the oral cavity and vocal cords were corroded.
Huang Meihong: (anxious) Doctor, will my child be unable to speak in the future?
Doctor: With the vocal cords burned, it will be difficult to speak.
Huang Meihong: (anxious) Please save my child, doctor.
Doctor: I will do my best.
Zhong Zhilong: Mr. and Mrs. Yu, I am truly sorry. We failed to take proper care of your child, causing him this suffering.
Huang Meihong: (crying) Principal, my child’s vocal cords are burned—he’ll never be able to speak again.
Zhong Zhilong: I am truly sorry.
Yu Dawei: (angry) Is “sorry” all you can say? Principal, my son is now mute. Can you take responsibility for this?
Zhong Zhilong: I will request disciplinary action from the authorities and hold relevant school personnel accountable for negligence.
Huang Meihong: Husband, don’t make things difficult for the principal.
Yu Dawei: (angry) Our child is injured like this, and you, as his mother, still want me to remain silent?
Scene 15 – Time/Day – Elementary School Homeroom Office – Characters: Wu Xiaorong, Pan Tieren, Ye Daxiong, Lin Meiling, Ye Daxiong, Chen Fuqi, Pang Dahu
▲ Pan Tieren walks into the elementary school homeroom office and sits beside Wu Xiaorong.
Pan Tieren: I heard from Director Luo that there was an incident in your class.
Wu Xiaorong: (dejected) Yes! Yu Renjie drank hydrochloric acid and is now hospitalized. I mistakenly thought this child took the class funds, he suffered a great injustice, which led him to act impulsively…
Pan Tieren: Regarding the stolen class funds, I also think it wouldn’t have been Renjie.
Wu Xiaorong: Could it be that you know who did it?
Pan Tieren: I only have a reasonable suspicion. That day when I was taking your class for PE, Ye Daxiong told me he needed to go to the restroom, and then the classmate Jia Zhen’s backpack was tampered with. Ye Daxiong indeed had the motive. You should remember, the day before, he, along with Chen Fuqi and Pang Dahu, teamed up to bully Renjie and I punished them.
Wu Xiaorong: Thank you for giving me this clue. I’ll call Ye Daxiong here and ask clearly.
▲ Wu Xiaorong dials the internal line.
Wu Xiaorong: Class monitor, call Ye Daxiong to the office to see me.
Lin Meiling: Okay, teacher.
△ Camera shifts to the classroom
Lin Meiling: Ye Daxiong, the teacher wants you to come to the office.
Ye Daxiong: (nervous) Got it, I’m coming now.
▲ Ye Daxiong looks uneasy; Chen Fuqi and Pang Dahu accompany him out of the classroom.
Chen Fuqi: The teacher might have found out. Daxiong, I think you should admit it to the teacher.
Ye Daxiong: (flustered) I…
Pang Dahu: What did Daxiong do?
Chen Fuqi: Let Daxiong speak for himself.
Pang Dahu: Daxiong, what did you do?
Ye Daxiong: Don’t ask…
▲ The three arrive at the office door.
Pang Dahu: Daxiong, do you want us to come in with you?
Ye Daxiong: No need…
▲ Daxiong walks into the office and is momentarily startled to see Teacher Tieren present.
Wu Xiaorong: Daxiong, the teacher has something to ask you. Yesterday during PE class, Teacher Pan said you left the playground to go to the restroom. Is that true?
Ye Daxiong: Yes…
Wu Xiaorong: Did you touch Jia Zhen’s backpack? You must tell the truth!
Ye Daxiong: (looking down) I did it…
Wu Xiaorong: (sternly) Why did you frame Renjie? Renjie is now in the hospital. Do you know how serious this is?
Ye Daxiong: Teacher, I’m sorry…
Pan Tieren: Daxiong, even if you had a grudge with Renjie, you shouldn’t have framed him!
Ye Daxiong: Teacher, I didn’t know it would turn out this way. At the time, I only wanted Renjie to be taught a lesson…
Wu Xiaorong: You caused me so much trouble, Daxiong. I will call your parents to the school.
Ye Daxiong: (tears) Teacher, if my dad finds out, he’ll kill me…
Pan Tieren: Daxiong, you have to face this. The teacher will plead on your behalf.
Scene 16 – Time/Night – Hospital Ward – Characters: Yu Renjie, Huang Meihong, Yu Dawei
▲ In the hospital ward, the couple argues.
Yu Dawei: Our son got bullied at school like this. As his mother, you should have taken care of him.
Huang Meihong: You only blame me. Shouldn’t you also take responsibility for raising him?
Yu Dawei: Our son is now mute. What do you say will happen to him in the future?
Huang Meihong: Didn’t you used to complain that our son always made strange noises and disturbed people? Now that he’s like this, you have no reason to complain anymore.
Yu Dawei: What are you saying? This happened because of your negligence…
Huang Meihong: Raising children—don’t you as the father need to take responsibility too?…
▲ In the bedroom, lying in the same bed, Renjie listens to his parents argue, his eyes full of melancholy.
Scene 17 – Time/Day – Motorhome, City Streets – Characters: Yu Renjie, Huang Meihong, Yu Dawei
▲ The motorhome drives along city streets, Yu Dawei and his son inside.
Yu Dawei: Renjie, your mom asked me to take you out to celebrate your admission to the gifted class.
▲ Renjie’s hands rest on his thighs, his fingers constantly flicking, and his legs shake, bumping against the car door.
▲ The motorhome stops at a red light in traffic. Dawei can’t help but place a hand on Renjie’s thigh.
Yu Dawei: (loud) Can’t you stay still for a few minutes? I’m really fed up with you!
▲ Renjie is startled and stops moving.
Yu Dawei: Even though you can’t speak and won’t make strange noises anymore, once you enter high school, you need to control yourself and not annoy people.
▲ Renjie looks at his father, full of grievance.
Scene 18 – Time/Day – High School Gifted Class Classroom – Characters: Yu Renjie, Zhao Hailun (teacher), Zhu Yijun, Chen Junsheng, classmates
▲ On the first day of school, in the gifted class classroom, homeroom teacher Zhao Hailun walks to the podium.
Zhao Hailun: Students, I am homeroom teacher Zhao Hailun. Being admitted to this class, you are all elites from various schools. We are fortunate to study together. In the days ahead, I hope everyone treats each other with friendship and support… Next, I would like each student to come to the podium and introduce themselves.
▲ Zhu Yijun goes first.
Zhu Yijun: Teacher, classmates, my name is Zhu Yijun. I live in Jiaoxi. Many people know Jiaoxi is a hot spring town. My dad runs a guesthouse there. In my guesthouse, you can enjoy the hot springs. You’re welcome to visit Jiaoxi, Yilan, and I will entertain you well. The morning glory grown in Jiaoxi, stir-fried over high heat, is crisp and refreshing… I like to eat, but no matter how much I eat, I don’t gain weight…
▲ Zhu Yijun bows and steps down. Chen Junsheng goes up.
Chen Junsheng: My name is Chen Junsheng. I’ve been called a handsome boy since I was young. I was a child actor in TV dramas. I live in Hsinchu City. My father is a manager at a technology company in the Hsinchu Science Park…
▲ It’s Renjie’s turn. He walks to the podium and gestures in sign language.
▲ Students whisper among themselves.
▲ Renjie turns, picks up chalk, and writes on the blackboard: “I…”
▲ The classmates look at him curiously.
Zhao Hailun: Students, Renjie’s situation is special. Please take care of him.
Scene 19 – Time/Day – High School Library – Characters: Yu Renjie, Jiang Muya, Chen Junsheng, Zhu Yijun
▲ In a corner of the library, a red-haired girl sits. Renjie approaches and sits opposite her, taking a textbook from his backpack. The girl glances at him and continues reading. Chen Junsheng and Zhu Yijun walk over.
Chen Junsheng: Hey Renjie, studying here too?
▲ Renjie smiles and waves at them. Junsheng and Yijun sit beside him.
Zhu Yijun: Have you signed up for any club activities?
▲ Renjie answers in sign language, but Zhu doesn’t fully understand. Renjie writes on a note: “Youth Suite.”
Zhu Yijun: Youth Suite? Are you joining a music band?
▲ Renjie nods and smiles.
Zhu Yijun: Then you must play instruments!
▲ Renjie writes on a note: “Violin, Piano.”
▲ The red-haired girl across from them listens absentmindedly.
Chen Junsheng: The teacher talks so fast in class, my notes almost made me dizzy. Renjie, what about you?
▲ Renjie writes on a note: “I can keep up.”
Zhu Yijun: Our gifted class is certainly tougher than regular classes.
Scene 20 – Time/Day – High School Music Classroom – Characters: Yu Renjie, Chai Yuqing (teacher), Jiang Muya, Wu Yuetian, Tao Mingliang, Qiu Shuyao, classmates
▲ In the high school music classroom, music club activities are in progress. A red-haired mixed-race girl, Jiang Muya, is the focus of attention. Teacher Chai Yuqing walks to the podium.
Chai Yuqing: Our Youth Suite band has selected two new members: one with a sweet singing voice, Jiang Muya, and a piano and violin player, Yu Renjie.
▲ Jiang Muya stands and smiles at the members. Then Renjie stands and waves. Members giggle upon hearing the names.
Chai Yuqing: Going forward, these two will practice with everyone. I noticed some students were giggling. Renjie plays the piano wonderfully. I asked him to take the keyboard, but unfortunately, he can’t speak.
▲ At the podium, Jiang Muya stares at Renjie beside her.
Jiang Muya: I remember, you are the boy who sat opposite me in the library yesterday. You’re in the gifted class, right?
▲ Renjie nods with a smile.
Jiang Muya: You really can’t speak?
▲ Renjie signs, pointing to his throat.
Jiang Muya: You mean your vocal cords were injured, so you can’t speak?
▲ Renjie nods and writes on a note: “I have Tourette’s syndrome. I may have involuntary movements. If I startle you, please don’t mind.”
Jiang Muya: I see. What is Tourette’s syndrome?
Renjie: (writes) It’s the brain sending out electrical discharges, causing my body to twitch and twist uncontrollably, like sneezing.
Jiang Muya: I understand…
▲ Wu Yuetian, Qiu Shuyao, and Tao Mingliang come beside them.
Qiu Shuyao: Welcome, juniors. I’m Qiu Shuyao, saxophone player.
Tao Mingliang: I’m Tao Mingliang, drummer. Everyone calls me Naughty Dan. Junior, is your name really Jiang Muya?
Qiu Shuyao: Naughty Dan, don’t joke about her name, okay?
Tao Mingliang: I’m just curious! No harm intended. Renjie, your name is very creative. Were you born on April 1st?
Qiu Shuyao: (angry) Dan, here you go again!
Tao Mingliang: Fine! I won’t say it, I won’t.
Film Script: The Silent of Romance
