【Dream-Chasing Knights】4

Scene 21 Time/Day Setting / School Exhibition Hall
Characters / Wen Aihua, Tang Huai-min, Wu Ben-yun, Chen Meng-ru, Gu Mei-yun, Michael, classmates

△ Wen Aihua and Tang Huai-min enter the exhibition venue.
Wen Aihua: Just now I saw Liu Tian-lin, alone on the arcade balcony looking at a picture catalog.
Gu Mei-yun: (angrily) That guy really is something! Every time it’s like this.
Wen Aihua: I tried to talk to him, but he acted like it had nothing to do with him. I couldn’t help getting angry.
Tang Huai-min: (shaking his head with a bitter smile) I can only say, Tian-lin really does have a personality.

Scene 22 Time/Day Setting / Fine Arts Department Classroom
Characters / Wen Aihua, Tang Huai-min, Wu Ben-yun, Chen Meng-ru, Gu Mei-yun, Michael, Liu Tian-lin, Xu Man-fei, teacher, classmates

△ In the classroom, each student has an exhibition catalogue on their desk.
△ The teacher walks up to the podium and looks over the students below.

Teacher: This exhibition was quite successful. Your carefully made works have all been highly recognized by the department’s teachers. Next, I will invite a few students to come up and comment on the classmates’ artworks. Tang Huai-min, please start.

△ Tang Huai-min walks to the podium with a catalogue in hand, scratching his forehead, speaking somewhat hesitantly.

Tang Huai-min: Uh… uh… I don’t really know what to say. Every classmate’s work has its own characteristics, everyone put in a lot of effort, so… everyone is very good.

△ Students below the podium snicker. Tang Huai-min bows and steps down.

Teacher: Tang Huai-min is very “bèi-sī” (Taiwanese: shy/embarrassed to comment), so he doesn’t dare to comment. Next, I invite Liu Tian-lin.

△ Liu Tian-lin walks to the podium with a catalogue, his sharp eyes scanning the classroom, looking very confident.

Liu Tian-lin: This exhibition shows everyone put in a lot of effort, but still, the flaws do not hide the merits. Some works still have shortcomings.

△ As soon as he speaks, the classroom becomes completely silent.

Teacher: What shortcomings are there? Please point them out openly.

Liu Tian-lin: In terms of the works, some students’ compositions are not rigorous enough. Not only do the images feel messy and crowded, but the lighting and shadow are unclear, and the perspective lacks precision.

△ Students below begin whispering.

Teacher: Very good, you’ve touched the key points. Please continue.

Liu Tian-lin: Next, regarding individual styles. Chen Meng-ru’s painting style resembles Xiaolongnü from the Ancient Tomb Sect—untainted by the world, very pure but too aestheticized; Tang Huai-min’s style is like Fauvism, quite rough, somewhat chaotic and hasty; Wen Aihua’s style is delicate and soft, but unfortunately the emotion does not seem fully released, it feels somewhat unnatural; Michael’s style is filled with Southern European atmosphere—European painting indeed has value and can be referenced; Wu Ben-yun’s style is too smooth, it feels like the court style…

△ Below the podium, the named students all look somewhat embarrassed.

Gu Mei-yun: (low voice) This Liu Tian-lin really doesn’t know how to speak politely…
Chen Meng-ru: Although what he said sounds a bit harsh, thinking carefully, it does make some sense.

Liu Tian-lin: …In short, I think everyone in the class still has considerable room for improvement. If everyone can put more effort into refining their painting skills, I believe you will all be able to stand on your own in the future.

Gu Mei-yun: (raising hand) Tian-lin, can you tell us how you view your own work?

Liu Tian-lin: Sorry, I never comment on my own work.

△ After giving this brief answer, Liu Tian-lin bows and steps down.

Teacher: Tian-lin is willing to share his views, and not just say superficial polite words—this is quite rare. Next, I invite Michael to the stage to comment…

Scene 23 Time/Day Setting / Fine Arts Department Classroom, Campus Walkway
Characters / Gu Mei-yun, Liu Tian-lin, Xu Man-fei, Wen Aihua, Tang Huai-min, Chen Meng-ru

△ The class bell rings. Students pack up books and stationery and leave one after another. Gu Mei-yun pulls Wen Aihua and Chen Meng-ru and stops Liu Tian-lin.

Gu Mei-yun: Tian-lin, your earlier commentary was really something. Every classmate was criticized by you so harshly—do we really need to treat classmates like this?

Liu Tian-lin: I was just telling the truth. Many classmates are indeed not skilled enough in art.

Gu Mei-yun: (angrily) Even so, you didn’t have to say it so harshly, right?

Liu Tian-lin: Sorry, I, Liu, have never liked speaking politely.

△ Tang Huai-min, hearing their argument, comes over to mediate.

Tang Huai-min: Mei-yun, please calm down. Tian-lin speaks more directly, but I actually found it quite useful.

Gu Mei-yun: Brother Tang, they’ve already looked down on you, and you can still keep your composure?

△ Tang Huai-min gives an awkward bitter smile.

Wen Aihua: (OS) This Liu Tian-lin is really too arrogant!

Xu Man-fei: Mei-yun, please don’t argue with Tian-lin. That’s just his personality.

Chen Meng-ru: Mei-yun, forget it.

△ Xu Man-fei quickly pulls Liu Tian-lin away from the classroom.

△ Camera shifts to the campus walkway; Xu Man-fei and Liu Tian-lin walk side by side.

Xu Man-fei: I was really worried for you just now.

Liu Tian-lin: What is there to worry about? I may speak more bluntly, but classmates aren’t that fragile—they can’t be so weak as to not withstand criticism, right?

Xu Man-fei: I can accept your thoughts and your temperament, but you can’t expect everyone to be like me.

Scene 25 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Girls’ Dormitory Reception Room
Characters / Tang Huai-min, Wen Aihua

△ In the girls’ dormitory reception room, Tang Huai-min takes a women’s handbag out of a paper bag and hands it to Wen Aihua.

Tang Huai-min: Made over two nights. For you.

Wen Aihua: (touching it, admiring) I didn’t expect your craftsmanship to be this refined.

Tang Huai-min: (scratching his head with a silly smile) We Tsou people are good at making leather goods.

Wen Aihua: One should not accept gifts without merit. I’ll treat you to afternoon tea. I know there’s a Hong Kong-style restaurant near the school; their dim sum is quite good. Let’s go.

△ The two leave the reception room together.

Scene 26 Time/Day Setting / Campus Walkway
Characters / Liu Tian-lin, Wen Aihua, Tang Huai-min

△ Wen Aihua and Tang Huai-min walk side by side on the campus walkway. Liu Tian-lin rides a bicycle past them and sees this scene.

Liu Tian-lin: (OS) How could Wen Aihua be together with that brute?

Scene 27 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Girls’ Dormitory Room
Characters / Chen Meng-ru, Wen Aihua, Gu Mei-yun

△ In the girls’ dormitory room, Gu Mei-yun’s emotions still seem unsettled.

Gu Mei-yun: Liu Tian-lin that guy really thinks too highly of himself. He speaks as if the words come out from his nostrils. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone so self-satisfied.

Wen Aihua: At first I had a pretty good impression of Tian-lin, but after these few rounds of observing him, I admit I misjudged him at the beginning.

Chen Meng-ru: That “Brother Tang” seems to treat you very well! He even personally made a cowhide handbag for you.

Wen Aihua: He invited us to go to Alishan together during winter break.

Chen Meng-ru: Brother Tang is a warm-hearted good person. You should cherish him.

Wen Aihua: Brother Tang is just good friends with everyone. You’re thinking too much.

Gu Mei-yun: During winter break I’m going abroad to travel, so I won’t be joining you.

Scene 28 Time/Day Setting / Fine Arts Department Library
Characters / Liu Tian-lin, Wen Aihua, Xu Man-fei

△ In the fine arts department library, Liu Tian-lin picks up several art books and looks for a seat. He walks over to Wen Aihua’s side.

Liu Tian-lin: May I sit here?

△ Wen Aihua nods.

Liu Tian-lin: Thank you. I saw you and Tang Huai-min walking together yesterday afternoon.

Wen Aihua: Oh? Brother Tang gave me a handmade cowhide bag, so I treated him to an afternoon tea meal in return.

Liu Tian-lin: Tang Huai-min seems to care about you quite a lot.

Wen Aihua: We’re classmates, you’re overthinking it.

Liu Tian-lin: But didn’t you just say he gave you a leather bag?

Wen Aihua: Exactly because I received it without merit, I treated him in return.

Liu Tian-lin: Don’t you think Tang Huai-min and we are not on the same cultural level?

Wen Aihua: (displeased) You seem to have prejudice against Brother Tang! He didn’t provoke you at all…

Liu Tian-lin: That’s because I have always admired you, your personality and your gentle, graceful painting style.

Wen Aihua: Thank you, but I know Xu Man-fei is together with you.

Liu Tian-lin: To be honest, you are the type I like.

Wen Aihua: Then I’ll also be honest with you. At first I had a good impression of you, but after observing you during this period, I have completely changed my view. You are an arrogant person, living inside your own ivory tower.

△ Liu Tian-lin is about to explain, but at this moment he hears Xu Man-fei calling him from behind, so he swallows back the words at the tip of his tongue.

Xu Man-fei: Brother Tang said you might be here. Didn’t we agree to go to the museum to see the contemporary art exhibition together?

Liu Tian-lin: Sorry, Aihua, I already had plans with Man-fei first. Let’s talk another day.

△ Liu Tian-lin picks up his art books and stands up to leave. Wen Aihua watches his back, a faint bitter smile flashing across her face.

Scene 29 Time/Day Setting / Taipei National University of the Arts Girls’ Dormitory Room
Characters / Chen Meng-ru, Wen Aihua, Gu Mei-yun, Xu Man-fei

△ The school is about to enter winter break. In the girls’ dormitory, students are busy packing up their rooms and preparing luggage.

Xu Man-fei: Meng-ru, Mei-yun, thank you both for taking care of me this semester. Aihua, thank you for letting Tian-lin go to me. Tian-lin will first go back to California with me to meet my parents.

Wen Aihua: You don’t need to thank me. Tian-lin is not my type.

Xu Man-fei: In any case, thank you for letting Tian-lin go.

Wen Aihua: If there is mutual affection between a man and a woman, I wish you happiness.

Chen Meng-ru: My situation and Brother Tang’s is quite similar. Wu Ben-yun has always been pursuing me, but I know he is a flirtatious “butterfly.” I don’t have a good impression of him, and I would rather accept the honest and simple Michael.

Gu Mei-yun: So both of you are suffering from the same situation. You don’t go for handsome talented men, but instead prefer simple old-fashioned types.

Wen Aihua: (confused) “Simple old-fashioned types”? What does that mean?

Chen Meng-ru: It’s Taiwanese dialect. It describes a man who looks honest, sincere, and down-to-earth.

Scene 30 Time/Day Setting / Alishan Highway
Characters / Wen Aihua, Tang Huai-min, Chen Meng-ru, Michael

△ A car is driving along the Alishan highway. The boys sit in the front seat, the girls in the back seat.

Wen Aihua: The scenery here is really beautiful! The cherry blossoms and maple leaves along the way are so colorful!

Chen Meng-ru: Yes! There are beautiful mountains and water everywhere here. When we arrive at Alishan Forest Park later, you will see the little train and an entire cherry blossom forest. Then when we go to Brother Tang’s Dabang tribe settlement, you’ll also see coffee plantations and tea fields stretching across the mountains.

Wen Aihua: I’m really looking forward to it!

Chen Meng-ru: Also, Brother Tang and his sister Mei-lan will cook together and treat us with traditional Tsou cuisine.

Michael: Bingo! We Italians love all kinds of food.

Chen Meng-ru: (laughing) Mention food and you react immediately.

Wen Aihua: Brother Tang can cook?

Chen Meng-ru: That’s right, I’ve already experienced his cooking skills.

Tang Huai-min: This trip will fill everyone’s luggage with gains and memories.