電影劇本：【Dream-Chasing Knights】2
Total of 99 Scenes

Scene 1 Time/Day Setting / Taoyuan International Airport Arrival Hall
Characters / Michael, Chen Mengru, Wu Benyun, Tang Huaimin, Liu Tianlin, Wen Aihua, Passengers

△ Inside the airport arrival hall, passengers file out from customs one after another. Wu Benyun and Tang Huaimin each hold up a sign in their hands. On Benyun’s sign it reads: “Taipei National University of the Arts Department of Fine Arts Welcomes Exchange Students.” On Huaimin’s sign it reads: “Wen Aihua, Liu Tianlin, Xu Manfei, Michael Garibaldi, please follow me.” Chen Mengru holds a flower garland in her hands. The three of them crane their necks, looking toward the exit.
△ A young man and woman pull their suitcases and walk toward the three, waving. The man has handsome facial features and fair skin, a tall and slender build, and wears a pair of black-framed round vintage glasses on his face. His upper body is dressed in a Tang suit, and his lower body in Western trousers, exuding a scholarly air. The girl has long hair tied into a ponytail, delicate and pretty features, and wears a pink knee-length dress suit trimmed with lace.

Wu Benyun: Welcome, the two of you, to Taiwan.

△ Chen Mengru steps forward and places the flower garlands respectively around the necks of the two exchange students. Wu Benyun and Tang Huaimin shake hands with them respectively, while Mengru embraces the female student.

Liu Tianlin: Thank you.

Wen Aihua: For the coming year, we will trouble you.

Wu Benyun: I am Wu Benyun, the class representative. This is our department’s unanimously recognized beauty, the elegant Chen Mengru.

Chen Mengru: (smiling shyly) It’s all the boys in the department making a fuss.

Liu Tianlin: I am Liu Tianlin, from Peking University in Beijing.

Wen Aihua: I am Wen Aihua, from Shanghai, Shanghai University.

Wu Benyun: This is the class recreation officer, a Tsou warrior from Alishan, with first-rate singing skills and excellent guitar playing.

Tang Huaimin: (scratching his head and smiling foolishly) Once the other student arrives, you can set off first.

△ At this moment, a blond foreign young man walks toward the group.

Michael: Nice to meet you!

Wu Benyun: You are Michael? We have been waiting for you.

△ Michael scratches his forehead and smiles foolishly. Chen Mengru steps forward and places a flower garland around Michael’s neck.

Wu Benyun: The female student who is arriving late will be left to you, Mengru, and Huaimin.

Chen Mengru: Okay.

△ Wu Benyun hands the sign to Tang Huaimin.

Wu Benyun: Let’s set off!

△ Wu Benyun leads the three toward the exit of the arrival hall. Mengru and Huaimin wave at them.

Michael: (turning back and waving) See you later!

△ Chen Mengru waves, returning Michael with a sweet smile, watching the group walk out of the hall.

Scene 2 Time/Day Setting / Entrance of Taoyuan International Airport Arrival Hall, Airport Road
Characters / Chen Mengru, Tang Huaimin, Xu Manfei, Passengers

△ Xu Manfei hands her suitcase to Tang Huaimin.
△ Chen Mengru opens the car door; Manfei and she get into the back seat in sequence.
△ Huaimin opens the trunk, puts the luggage inside, walks back, opens the front door, and sits in the driver’s seat.

Tang Huaimin: Ladies, we are about to set off. Please fasten your seat belts.

△ The two women in the back seat each fasten their seat belts.
△ The sedan drives away from the entrance and glides onto the highway out of the airport.

Xu Manfei: This place has changed a lot!

Chen Mengru: How long have you been away from Taiwan?

Xu Manfei: Since the year I graduated from elementary school! My whole family emigrated to California.

Chen Mengru: You’ve been away for so long, yet your Chinese is still so fluent.

Xu Manfei: My family usually speaks Chinese, and we live in a Chinese community.

Chen Mengru: I see.

Xu Manfei: Taiwan feels a bit hot and humid, but it’s still OK.

Chen Mengru: You will get used to it very soon.

△ The camera follows the sedan, gradually pulling back, and fades out.

Scene 3 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Girls’ Dormitory
Characters / Chen Mengru, Wen Aihua, Xu Mengfei

△ Inside the dormitory room, Wen Aihua hangs clothes on hangers, while Xu Manfei is arranging the bed.

Chen Mengru: The self-service laundry room is at the corner of the first floor. You can take the clothes you change out of to wash there.

Wen Aihua: Okay.

Chen Mengru: If you need to iron clothes, I have an electric iron.

Xu Mengfei: Thanks! Roommate.

Scene 4 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Student Cafeteria
Characters / Chen Mengru, Wen Aihua, Xu Mengfei, Gu Meiyun, Michael, Wu Benyun, Tang Huaimin, Liu Tianlin, Students

△ Inside the student cafeteria, Fine Arts students sit around a long dining table eating. The boys and girls sit on separate sides. In front of each student on the table, besides a meal tray, there are also drinks and fruit.

Wu Benyun: Welcome, classmates who have come from afar. I have specially prepared drinks and fruit.

Gu Meiyun: Thanks to everyone, class representative. Then I won’t stand on ceremony.

Wu Benyun: New classmates, if you need assistance in studies or daily life, please feel free to come to me anytime. I am very willing to serve you all.

Tang Huaimin: Michael, later I’ll accompany you to buy toiletries.

Michael: (puzzled) Toiletries?

Tang Huaimin: Toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, washbasin.

Michael: (nodding) I see.

Xu Mengfei: Classmate, your outfit looks like someone from ancient times!

Liu Tianlin: (wry smile) Yes! My friends all say that.

Wen Aihua: He’s wearing a Tang suit.

Scene 5 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Campus, Fine Arts Classroom
Characters / Michael, Chen Mengru, Wu Benyun, Wen Aihua, Xu Mengfei, Gu Meiyun, Tang Huaimin, Classmates

△ Inside the Fine Arts classroom, Chen Mengru, Gu Meiyun, Wen Aihua, and Xu Mengfei sit in the same row. In the front seats sit Michael, Tang Huaimin, and Liu Tianlin.
△ Several girls from the department sit around Wu Benyun, but he frequently turns his face to look toward Chen Mengru.

Gu Meiyun: (whispering) Mengru, has that pretty boy confessed to you?

Chen Mengru: Yes! But I don’t dare to accept.

Gu Meiyun: That makes sense! If it were me, I would fail him outright as well, not bring trouble upon myself. The Michael sitting in front of you is actually quite honest and simple. Foreigners are mostly cheerful and talkative, talking nonstop, but Michael is the king of few words.

Chen Mengru: Yes, Michael doesn’t like to show off.

Gu Meiyun: It should be said that he is as quiet as you, right? You are the queen of few words.

▲ Camera cuts

△ On the podium, the teacher is giving a lecture, mixed with Mandarin and Taiwanese.

Teacher: For next Wednesday’s life drawing class, the department has invited one male and one female model. All you handsome men and beautiful women must maintain proper demeanor at that time. Don’t make a fuss. Even if you have to pretend a bit, you may only observe from afar and not play with them disrespectfully. Everyone, remember this!

Michael: (in a low voice) Huaimin, what does “ké-sian” mean?

Tang Huaimin: Ha! It means “pretend.” This word is Taiwanese dialect.

Michael: I understand. “Ké-sian” is Taiwanese.

Scene 6 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Department of Fine Arts Sketching Classroom
Characters / Michael, Chen Mengru, Wu Benyun, Wen Aihua, Xu Mengfei, Gu Meiyun, Tang Huaimin, Liu Tianlin, Classmates, Teacher, Life Models

△ On the platform inside the sketching classroom, the life models hold fixed poses, while the students each choose an angle to draw. The teacher walks back and forth, guiding the students in their drawing.
△ The teacher walks to Wen Aihua’s side.

Teacher: Student, the muscle lines of the male model can be made more distinct and three-dimensional, to display strength and beauty.

Wen Aihua: (nodding with a smile) Thank you, teacher.

△ The teacher walks behind Liu Tianlin, observing Tianlin’s drawing, a satisfied smile piling up on his face.

Teacher: Student, your foundation in sketching is very good. The lines and muscles are all captured very precisely.

Liu Tianlin: Thank you for the teacher’s praise.

Scene 7 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Boys’ Dormitory
Characters / Wu Benyun, Liu Tianlin

△ Inside the boys’ dormitory room, Liu Tianlin plays the huqin, enjoying himself. Having just finished showering and wrapped in a towel, Wu Benyun walks in. Tianlin continues playing the huqin as if no one else is present. Benyun sits at the edge of the bed listening, until the piece ends.

Wu Benyun: (raising his thumb) Sounds pretty good!

Liu Tianlin: Thank you.

Wu Benyun: The school will soon hold a talent performance. It most needs talents like you. Huaimin has also signed up! The guitar is his strong point.

Liu Tianlin: I will seriously consider it.

Scene 8 Time/Day Setting / Performance Hall
Characters / Michael, Chen Mengru, Wu Benyun, Wen Aihua, Xu Mengfei, Gu Meiyun, Tang Huaimin, Classmates, Teacher

△ On the stage of the performance hall, Tang Huaimin plays the guitar and sings by himself, performing “Standing on the High Ridge.”
△ The teachers and students below clap to the rhythm and hum along.

△ The performance ends, and the applause from below is enthusiastic; cries for encore rise one after another.

Tang Huaimin: Teachers and classmates, in return for your enthusiastic applause, I will add one more piece.

△ At the request of the students, Tang Huaimin adds another song, “Fisherman’s Chant.” After the singing ends, the applause below is enthusiastic.

△ Wen Aihua and Chen Mengru converse in low voices.

Wen Aihua: Classmate Tang Huaimin’s singing voice is very good, very pleasant to hear!

Chen Mengru: Huaimin is a Tsou indigenous person from Alishan. His singing voice is really excellent.

Wen Aihua: Alishan? Huaimin is from Alishan? Alishan and Sun Moon Lake are famous far and wide. These texts were in my elementary school textbooks. I have always wanted to go!

Chen Mengru: What problem is that! During winter vacation, we can invite several classmates and go up to Alishan together to find Huaimin. Then come to my home. My home is right by Sun Moon Lake!

Wen Aihua: (happily) That is wonderful.

△ Liu Tianlin then goes on stage.

Liu Tianlin: Teachers and classmates, I will perform for you “A Man Should Strengthen Himself,” the theme song of the movie “Once Upon a Time in China.”

△ Liu Tianlin begins to play the huqin. The teachers and students below listen as if intoxicated and entranced.

Xu Manfei: Very pleasant to hear, right? Unexpectedly, classmate Liu Tianlin is also a master of traditional Chinese music!

Gu Meiyun: Indeed, it sounds quite good.

△ The piece ends, and the cries for encore resound throughout the entire performance hall.

△ Liu Tianlin takes out a suona and plays “A Man Should Strengthen Himself.”

Xu Manfei: I wonder whether classmate Tianlin has a girlfriend?

Gu Meiyun: You can ask him directly!

Xu Manfei: But I am not very familiar with Tianlin…

Gu Meiyun: In that case, you can ask Wu Benyun or Tang Huaimin. They might know.

Scene 9 Time/Day Setting / Outside the campus convenience store, on a bench
Characters / Michael, Chen Mengru

△ Michael walks out from the convenience store, holding a bag of toast and a bottle of mineral water in his hand. He comes to the bench, peeling the toast and eating it with water.

△ Chen Mengru passes by, sees Michael, and walks toward him.

Chen Mengru: Michael, is this all you are eating for lunch?

△ Michael smiles foolishly in embarrassment and quickly hides the bag of toast behind his back.

Chen Mengru: Wait for me a moment, Michael.

△ Mengru turns around and walks into the convenience store. After a while, she comes out holding a paper bag of food.

Chen Mengru: (handing it over) Michael, this is for you.

△ Michael hesitates for a moment before taking it.

Michael: Thank you.

△ Michael takes out a submarine sandwich from the paper bag.

Chen Mengru: Are you short of living expenses?

Michael: My family has not yet wired money to me, this month.

Chen Mengru: (surprised) Is that so? No wonder you are only eating toast.

Michael: I want to go to work.

Chen Mengru: (thinking for a moment) Tomorrow after class at noon, I will accompany you to Beitou Park to set up a painting stall. There are many tourists there. How about it?

Michael: (excited) Ya! Thank you.

Chen Mengru: You can call my English name, “Vivian.”

△ Michael scratches his head with a foolish smile. Chen Mengru looks at Michael, feeling that he is as simple as an elementary school student.

Scene 10 Time/Day Setting / University campus art classroom, corridor
Characters / Chen Mengru, Wu Benyun, Gu Meiyun, Classmates

△ The class bell rings. Wu Benyun is talking with several girls beside him.
△ Chen Mengru and Gu Meiyun pack up their books and stationery, and the two walk out of the classroom.
△ Wu Benyun chases after them from behind.

Wu Benyun: Chen Mengru, Mengru.

△ Hearing the call, Chen Mengru turns around and stops. Gu Meiyun also turns and stops.

Wu Benyun: Mengru, I have two movie tickets. I would like to invite you to have lunch together and watch a movie.

Chen Mengru: Sorry, I already have an appointment with a friend.

Wu Benyun: (disappointed) What a pity. Next time I will ask you earlier.

Gu Meiyun: No need! Keep the movie tickets to entertain your fans, Prince.

△ Wu Benyun looks at the backs of the two girls leaving, his expression annoyed.

△ Camera cuts. In the classroom corridor, Mengru and Meiyun walk side by side.

Gu Meiyun: Who invited you, Mengru?

Chen Mengru: Michael. I invited him.

Gu Meiyun: (surprised) You invited Michael? No way?

△ Chen Mengru smiles mysteriously, without answering.