Hey, Little Guy

Hey, little guy.

You look like you’re alone.

Do you want to come home with me?

Enough drinking water pipes.

I met this little guy while filming at Shenzhen North Railway Station. I named him Xiaobei, which is the same name as Lu Xiaobei, who I played in “CrossFire”.

Shenzhen was still a bit stuff in mid-October. This was my fifth month of shooting in Shenzhen. As usual. I cooperated with the entire crew and filmed in a tacit understanding. When looking at the shots taken with the green screen of the North Station Square as the background, we found a group of white things wriggling in the grass in the background. Until I finished filming the whole scene, the white ball was still there. During the break between the photographer’s changing positions. I couldn’t help but be curious. and looked at the grass twice, like a puppy! Because I was afraid to scare it the staff and I moved lightly away from it. A little close, it turned out not to be scared at all. It doesn’t pay attention to us onlookers and sticks out its tongue intently.

Based on my experience, I guess it must be thirsty, so I took out the thermos cup from the bag, poured water into the lid of the cup, and tentatively stretched it through. A second later, that little white hairy head occupies the lid of my vacuum flask. After the water in the lid was drunk. I was worried that it hadn’t drunk enough, so I poured half a glass of water and stretched it out This time it stopped after only two sips and looked up at me. I shook the lid of the cup in my hand towards it. “Do you want some more?” It didn’t respond either. just looking at me, its two sullen eyes like two small black holes. I looked around, and there was no one else. It was also dirty. It should be a stray dog. I looked at it for a while, and its small body was staring at me. “You look like you’re alone, do you want to go home with me? Enough drinking water pipes.” I stretched out my palm to signal it to come over, it really stretched its head and rubbed my palm, so I took it easily. It caught it and took it away. Since then it has followed me, and the name “Xiao Bei” has been added.

The encounter with Xiaobei is a kind of distinction, but getting along with Xiaobei is more than that. When I arrived on the set I placed it in my dressing room and took it to the pet hospital to clean it up after work. Xiaobei who was clean after the shower, looked like a snow-white hairball, showing her true face like a pretty Chinese rural dog. Our Xiaobei is really very good-looking. I promise it.

The next step is to get the vaccine, buy clothes and a place to sleep. buy food which is not easy at all. Fortunately. I can feel all the “pleasantness” of it and I am special among a group of people. When I go out every day. I put it in a canvas bag and carry it to the studio. When I am filming, it stays in its nest at the door of the dressing room.

Xiaobei seemed to be born as a dog in the crew. When the sound director called “Mute the whole show”, it drooped its tail and remained motionless: when the director called “cut”, it ran over and circled my feet twice. You stretched out your hand on its back and snore a few times, then it stopped and leaned against your leg: as soon as the filming started, it quietly returned to its nest.

Xiaobei is also a dog with a special sense of honour. When I was filming “CrossFire”. I often had big night scenes to be filmed, and it stayed with me on the set all the time. People come and go on the set and people who pass by will tease it when it is cute. It can’t sleep well, so it can only stay up late with it. I asked the staff to hide it in the dressing room so that it could rest for a while, but after some time, it came out on its own again. While watching me filming. the look of “difficult business” is funny and cute.

Every morning. Xiaobei woke me up by “walking” around the house, like an old father, worrying about its eating and drinking. When the canvas bag was laid out after getting off work, it consciously wagged its tail and got into the bag, and then I brought it back to the hotel. It has clearly become a part of my life. I am taking care of it and even more so, it is accompanying me. Every time I look at it running around in the house. I will also clearly feel that such a small life has become a responsibility on my shoulders.

Translation credit to  @wuleiarchive