The Best Director

With several clicks, boxes of various brands of pregnancy tests were placed on the sink counter. The elongated boxes were opened, aluminum foil wrappings torn apart, and a delicate hand pulled out the white pregnancy sticks, removing the purple caps that covered the absorbent tips.

In the spacious and bright bathroom, silence was permeated with tension. Jessica held a pregnancy test, conducting the assessment, while Wang Yang stood with his arms crossed against the sink, his face a picture of concentration as he watched her. Since the pregnancy fiasco of 1999, he’d been waiting for this moment for far too long! He watched her, and she watched him—their eyes met, yet there was a prolonged stillness…

“Oh, my God!” Jessica suddenly giggled, lifting her left hand and pointing to the bathroom door. “Get out! Standing there watching me like that is so awkward.”

“What?” Wang Yang blinked, then tilted his head back, spreading his arms and bursting into laughter. “Heavens! Aren’t we married now? Come on, hurry up! What haven’t I seen? Every day, every night!” He clapped his hands, cheering her on, “Quick, quick, quick!”

But Jessica fiddled with the test for a while and still couldn’t complete her task. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “I’m serious, Yang, not this time! Give me a minute.” Wang Yang helplessly raised his brows—women’s modesty! Yet he still didn’t want to leave. “I understand, but Sweetheart, I really want to witness this historic moment…”

“PLEASE!” Ignoring Jessica’s unmoved response, Wang Yang immediately came up with another idea, “How about this? I’ll give you some help, shh—shh—” Jessica’s eyes bulged, and she shouted loudly, “GET OUT!!”

Wang Yang raised his hands in a surrender gesture, heading out. Women are truly unfathomable creatures—they’d tried even more thrilling things, so what was there to be shy about? As he was closing the door, he peeked back in, puckered his lips, and whispered, “I’ll be right outside, shh!” On the toilet seat, Jessica rolled her eyes again, trying to suppress her laughter and scolded, “Go to hell! Idiot!” With a bang, the wooden door of the bathroom closed.

“BABY, BABY…” Pacing the hallway floor nervously, Wang Yang ruffled his hair, took deep breaths, and muttered about the baby, silently praying that it must be a hit!

They had done so much over that weekend for several days, both pulling out all the stops—surely one life couldn’t be so elusive? It had to work!

The waiting time seemed especially long. While lost in thought, Wang Yang glanced at the door again. Was it still not ready? He couldn’t help but call out, “Jessie! Can I come in now?” A soft voice from inside faintly responded, “Yang, come in.” Wang Yang felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Could it be that there was no pregnancy? He hurriedly opened the door and strode in, holding his breath, and asked anxiously, “How is it? How is it?”

“I don’t know.” Standing by the sink, Jessica looked fraught with nerves, barely able to speak, her voice both soft and trembling. She clutched the pregnancy test in her hands, lamenting, “I’m too scared to look, what should I do…” Wang Yang feigned nonchalance and shook his head, “That’s what I said, women!” Jessica handed over the pregnancy test stick—which was more precious than the Olympic flame, the Oscar statuette, and The Lord of the Rings combined—little did she know that her own magic Yang was also silently relieved.

Wang Yang cleared his throat, not looking at the result immediately, but took her hand and comforted her, “Whatever the result is, it doesn’t matter… I don’t mean the baby isn’t important. What I’m trying to say is, this isn’t like scratching a winning card at the mall, where one bar means no prize and two bars mean you’ve won… Formally, it does bear a resemblance, but we make these scratch cards ourselves, and we can scratch as many times as we want…” Listening to his awkward words, which bore no hint of the poise of an Oscar’s Best Guest, Jessica nodded earnestly and made a gesture, “Even if not this time, we still have countless chances!” Wang Yang nodded and smiled, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to say! Uh, let’s take a look at the result of this scratch card now…”

The two held hands tightly, looking together at the slowly lifted pregnancy test observation window, heads pressed together, each squinting with one eye closed. And the result was! They saw two purple-red thick lines standing there, which meant…

“YEAH!!! YEAH—YEAH!!! YEAH—”

All of a sudden, the bathroom erupted with the joyous shouts and cheers of both a man and a woman. They were pregnant! They hugged each other frantically, jumping and spinning around madly, shouting, “I’m going to be a dad, wow!!!” and “I’m going to be a mom! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh…” Wang Yang suddenly stopped firmly, touching her still-flat belly, “Oh my! Gently! Don’t move! We didn’t hurt the baby just now, did we?” The stunned Jessica shook her head with a radiant smile, “No, it’s all good! Have you lost your mind?”

“YEAH!!! YEAH—YEAH!!! YEAH—”

After a moment of silence, the bathroom was once again filled with jubilation. Wang Yang couldn’t stop smiling, for he had already thrown his head back, overwhelmed with joy. How wonderful it was! The baby would be born in December; he was going to be a father. To hell with Blu-ray sound quality, all he knew was that he was on cloud nine right now! What could be more exhilarating than this?! He was so elated, even more so than if he’d won Best Director at the Oscars. Treasuring the pregnancy test like a precious prize, he roared in bliss, “I’m going to be a dad!!!”

Watching his uncontrollable emotions, feeling his joy, Jessica kept laughing clearly, her eyes quickly welling up with tears. He was so overjoyed for her, so proud! More ecstatic than ever! Wasn’t this exactly what she had always longed for, what she had dreamed of since she was little? It was all coming true—she was indeed the happiest person in the world.

“I love you!” Jessica’s tender and affectionate words snapped Wang Yang back to his senses somewhat, and he kissed her wildly, “I love you too!”

After quite a while of delirious joy, they gradually calmed down. Wang Yang then called his parents and friends to share the good news; Jessica did the same. However, still jittery from their last pregnancy false alarm, she unpacked several other brands of pregnancy tests to double-check. This time Wang Yang didn’t need to step away. Each pregnancy test showed the delightful two bars—99% pregnant! Wang Yang and Jessica excitedly went to the living room and picked up the phone to tell their families.

“What!? Jessica is pregnant?!” Wang’s mother exclaimed through the receiver. Wang Yang laughed from the sofa, “Yeah! Haha, congratulations, Grandma!” Sitting sideways on his lap, Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled in his embrace. She kissed him and also laughed, “We’re so happy.” Wang’s mother was deeply moved and wished them well with a long ‘wow,’ “Congratulations, Yang, Jessica! You make everyone so proud.” Wang’s father, who had rushed over after hearing the news, also said with a relieved smile, “You’ll soon understand our greatness!” …

“Jessica is pregnant.” Holding the phone, Kathy happily announced, while Mark Alba gradually changed from expressionless to smiling widely, “That little rascal! That little rascal…” He paced back and forth in the living room, always remembering the joy of when Jessica was born, of her baby cries. His precious jewel, his pumpkin pie, he left the military and worked tirelessly to provide her with the best—a top private school education, a home in the best community, and the prettiest clothes…

And so his darling daughter fell in love, became someone else’s wife, someone else’s mother! He laughed and cursed Wang Yang non-stop, “That little rascal, that guy, I…I… Kathy, tell them… I’m so proud of them.” Kathy chuckled and shook the receiver, “Some things need to be said in person.”

“I am proud of you, Yang, GOOD JOB!” Mark Alba’s voice was indeed filled with pride and satisfaction. Wang Yang, listening, could not stop laughing joyfully. There was a tacit understanding between men, a bond between son-in-law and father-in-law. He hugged Jessica even tighter and kissed her quickly and silently several times, then laughed, “Haha, Mark, thanks! Kathy, thanks! I appreciate you raising such an amazing daughter!” He gave a military salute, “You are an honor to me!” Jessica playfully punched him and made a goofy face with her tongue out, teasing, “Dad, you should see him right now. So annoying. I swear you’d take back your words!” …

“What—You guys!” Hearing this familiar voice wailing like a ghost, Danny, who had been joyfully wagging his tail by the sofa, pricked up his ears again, and Joshua screamed nonstop, “Oh my God! Jesus! Wow—The baby is finally here! Oh yeah! I can finally pinch those adorable baby cheeks!!!”

There was little doubt about it this time; the pregnancy tests had shown strong positive results for several days in a row. By late March, Jessica’s old friend had been conspicuously late, and showed no signs of visiting. Although it wasn’t yet 100% certain, the private doctor had already said “Congratulations.” The estimated due date was set between December and January, and an Asian-Latino mixed-heritage baby, with ancestry composed of 4 parts Chinese, 2 parts Mexican, 1 part Danish, and 1 part French, was growing stronger every day.

Whether the baby was a boy or a girl was still unknown, and of course they would be overjoyed either way. Wang Yang and Jessica had not discussed this topic extensively; they wanted to be fully prepared, otherwise it would be unfair to the baby. But they both understood each other’s hopes—they wished their firstborn would be an older sister, followed by a little brother or sister.

Apart from telling their families, the couple had not yet announced the news to their friends or the public; they wanted to wait until they could be 100% sure. However, there had been rumors that people had seen the couple buying a large number of pregnancy tests at a convenience store, so these days, their garbage bags had been eagerly torn open by paparazzi. And just as they could never find any condoms, no one managed to find any traces of pregnancy tests or their packaging boxes. But this did not stop rumors from circulating: “Jessica is Pregnant.” And even if she wasn’t pregnant yet, they were clearly on track with their baby plans.

So soon! At the prime age of an actress, not even 24, instead of fighting for her career, advancing toward superstar status or an Oscar, she was heading off to have a baby after just one year of marriage?! Fans and movie enthusiasts were abuzz with this rumor. What about Best Director? At 25, stepping into fatherhood, would he still produce high-quality work at the same breakneck pace, juggling the small and big screens every year as he does now?!

“I knew it all along! They both love children so much, blessings to them!” KatyCC said in the comments section of Yahoo Entertainment. Gavinwin said, “The only thing I care about is Best Director’s movies. What changes will this bring? I mean, he might have a baby soon, and I don’t want to be watching some silly children’s comedies, like those terrible movies ‘Baby Geniuses’,’Superbabies’, or ‘Spy Kids’. Seriously, he’s not going to lose his spark, is he?” RubyCheng also shared this concern: “Oh, isn’t this good news? But normally, Best Director would be announcing his new projects around this time, but now there’s nothing! Could it be that he’s going to stay home and welcome the baby? That’s terrifying.” …

Many fans and movie enthusiasts also expressed their sighs for Jessica. Brianna-M said, “It’s such a pity, Jessica shouldn’t have done this! Look at Natalie Portman, after hearing her speech at the Oscars, didn’t this girl feel threatened at all? She’s wasting her youth, and eventually, her Best Director will be stolen like Jennifer Aniston.” Kristina-K said, “You just can’t expect much from someone who won’t even do a kissing scene; she’s doomed to be without glory, and going home to have kids might just be her biggest wish.” Jillbirch16 said, “I just think it’s a bit early, but it’s their business, good luck to them!” …

Happiness, blessings, doubt, concern, regret, anger, indifference… the news was not confirmed yet, and neither of their agents had issued any denial. The fan reaction was mixed, but all were deeply moved. That once young and innocent couple was quickly transforming into cool parents. Time can change everything.

“MUMA—” In the garden lawn in front of the house, Wang Yang, with a black briefcase in one hand and his arm around the still slim-waisted Jessica, kissed her and then bent down to kiss her belly, making a “MUMA” sound. This had become a daily parting ritual ever since she got pregnant. Although it had only been about half a month and there was no visible change in her stomach yet, as he gently caressed and kissed her, Wang Yang felt like he could sense the little life inside. Turning to the baby, he waved and laughed, “Baby, bye-bye! See you tonight, Daddy’s off to work!”

“Bye-bye…” Jessica, with a maternal smile that was captivating, gently placed her hand over his, echoing a baby-like goodbye. Wang Yang took a few steps away, then turned back, “I haven’t said bye to the baby’s mommy yet.” Jessica laughed and wrapped her arms around him, and the two found it hard to part once more, their love igniting anew with the prospect of nurturing a child together.

After a long while, full of energy, Wang Yang strode towards the garage. Once he drove off, Jessica, smiling softly, walked back into the house. They say pregnancy can make one’s temper peculiar in the early stages, but she was in a fantastic mood every day! Jessica couldn’t help but hum and bounce a little, then quickly steadied her step.

The theater version of “Firefly” had been edited to completion, but the post-production wasn’t entirely finished yet, with music work expected to take about two more weeks. Hans Jimo, Jan Kaczmarek, and their performance recording team worked hard every day, as the 155-minute footage provided them with explosive creative inspiration and passion.

The future “Firefly” original soundtrack CD seems destined to be an unmatched celestial disc. Amid the intense collision of space cowboys and Eastern motifs, the two maestro-level composers also clashed in music composition. Upon receiving the final cut of the last few scenes with special effects, they first conducted a complete viewing of the film. After watching it, Jan Kaczmarek exclaimed, “I never imagined there could be visuals so shockingly beautiful and tranquil!”

He was referring specifically to the visual imagery of the ending scene, an area he knew and excelled in. To him, the oppressive atmosphere of the “Firefly” finale was no less intense than that of “District 9.” On the contrary, it was even more desolate and poignant. After listening to the magical directorial intentions explained by Wang Yang, he understood even more, and the result was an eagerness to compose music for the ending.

“No, you have to finish the earlier parts first!” Wang Yang disagreed, ordering Jan Kaczmarek to first complete the battle scenes, “Without experiencing 100% of the Battle of New Shanxi, I don’t think you’ll feel 100% of the ending’s ambiance. So let’s stick to the order! But for now, jot down your inspiration.” Of course, such filmic inspiration is serendipitous. Although Jan Kaczmarek made a rough draft, he still felt frustrated because Hans Jimo was more skilled in battle scenes and was leading that effort.

“Shouldn’t this part be more spirited? You know, the appearance of the independent rebels surprised both the Star Alliance and the marauders. The same rhythm used for the surprising appearance of the marauders won’t do, I want it to be livelier, more effervescent, to stoke that heroic spirit of facing death unflinchingly and propel the audience’s adrenaline…”

In the screen, the sky was full of densely packed Firefly spacecraft, TOP/Tornado, Rhino/Rhinoceros, Power/Strength, Straw/Straw… This gang of interstellar cowboys, desperadoes, and roughnecks, some boasting of soaring to the highest like a twister, some boasting of love for money (Rhino slang for cash), some boasting of having power and strength, some self-deprecating as being as worthless as straw… They should by all rights be the type too scared to die, but for the justice and beliefs in their hearts, they plunged into the fire like moths, like fireflies in the night, just to emit their own light, to reclaim that Serenity Valley they lost in their hearts 15 years ago.

Wang Yang’s speech enlightened Hans Jimo, making him feel the fervor of heated blood. His inspiration soared. Indeed, the multi-layered battle, with its vast scale and profound significance, ignited his passion. This was truly a delight; it had been a long time since Hans Jimo felt such majestic and stirring emotions since “Gladiator.” Years of experience in music composition told him that “Firefly” could very likely earn them an Oscar nomination for Best Original Music Score.

“Ha ha! Don’t you guys ever read pregnancy magazines? How could my belly get big in only half a month? I’m not a microwave.”

While Wang Yang guided Jan and others in the music composition studio, Jessica had invited several of her free-spirited girlfriends over to her place. In the living room filled with laughter, she lifted her blouse to show off her flat and toned belly to Eileen and the others, sharing her wealth of knowledge on pregnancy non-stop: “Right now, the baby is still behaving. If things go fast, pregnancy symptoms could start appearing around week four. Everyone’s reaction is different, with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, picky eating, drowsiness, and mood swings, each with many different psychological causes, such as irritation, worry, dependency, depression…”

Watching her enthusiastically list every possible pregnancy symptom, as if looking forward to experiencing them all, Eileen and the others couldn’t help but be a bit speechless. Was she really hoping to try out all these experiences that pregnant women go through?

“Pregnancy symptoms sound terrifying, huh?” Jessica talked at length before scanning the room, then raising her right index finger, and continued with a laugh, “But! Are we supposed to throw tantrums? Do we want to make ourselves and our husbands miserable? No! There are many solutions, just listen to me explain slowly!”

As time passed day by day, April had quietly arrived. Other than occasional nausea and tightness in her chest, Jessica hadn’t experienced, or had yet to experience, other pregnancy symptoms, or throw tantrums smashing things around. Wang Yang, naturally, was living a very happy and comfortable life. By day he worked, by night he was with his wife. He never stopped laughing, sometimes unable to hold back his laughter in the music composition studio, sometimes grinning absent-mindedly in the office, laughing even more when he got home, seemingly relaxing his facial muscles a lot…

However, they were about to embark on a terrifying journey, hopefully scaring everyone into crying out loud! Not only was April 1st, Friday, April Fool’s Day, it was also the release date for new movies like “Paranormal Activity 3” and “Sin City.”