Return to tranquility

Amidst the boiling clamor, scorching gazes, searing touches... and boundless envelopment, the Toronto International Film Festival resembled tossing a heap of glass marbles into a bag. The bustling, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd was almost suffocating, as the surging waves of people left little room to breathe. The sensation of suffocation was like drowning, encompassing everything.

In truth, Renly didn't shy away from crowds. On the contrary, he relished the festive atmosphere of the film festival. Film enthusiasts gathered, engaging in fervent discussions day and night, passionately sharing their perspectives. Ordinary moviegoers sat overnight outside theaters, just to secure tickets for their favorite films. Every corner of the city was infused with the essence of "film", and this mad frenzy engulfed people.

This was exactly what Renly had yearned for. In his previous life, he never forgot his desire to participate in such grand events, and now his wish had finally come true. It left him exhilarated.

However, as he became the center of attention, things took a turn. Reporters surrounded him from all directions, rendering watching movies quietly a luxury. Even eating in peace became an extravagance. His every move was scrutinized under the spotlight, and every detail was tainted with commercialism, every action laden with promotional meaning. Tranquility seemed unattainable.

Every night when he went to sleep, a buzzing cacophony seemed to echo in his ears.

Compared to the spotlight that followed him, Renly enjoyed participating as an audience member more. He truly reveled in the pure joy of cinema. Unbeknownst to him, he began to experience the troubles of "living under the spotlight".

After the conclusion of the Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival followed shortly. However, before heading to Telluride, Renly had a brief three-day break, a precious time to catch his breath before returning to the glare of the spotlight. As such, he directly flew back to New York from Toronto.

Upon arriving at the airport, Renly adjusted his baseball cap and blended into the crowd, attracting no attention. He hailed a taxi, discreetly returning to Manhattan. Yet, upon arriving at his apartment, Renly realized that he had instinctively returned to his original home. He had completed his move before the Toronto International Film Festival, but in his daze, he had completely forgotten about it.

He chuckled helplessly and shook his head, then hailed another taxi to return to his new apartment.

The new apartment wasn't far, still situated in Greenwich Village, but closer to the area around Little Italy. The surrounding buildings exuded a strong European flavor, with quaint brick walls, vintage fireplaces, lush ivy, towering maple trees, ornate railings... Walking on the streets felt like journeying through a tunnel of historical times.

The apartment Andy had rented for Renly was situated in a building with a three-century history, a bachelor pad on the third floor. While it was labeled a bachelor pad, in reality, the entire floor belonged to Renly, encompassing roughly 2,000 square feet. On precious Manhattan Island, even in the relatively more affordable Lower East Side, the monthly rent here amounted to $5,600.

For the wealthy elite, this was hardly a concern, but for Renly, it was indeed a heavy burden. After "Buried", he hadn't found his next job yet.

Pushing open the reddish-brown carved iron gate, what met the eye was a typical postmodern retro-style decoration, resembling an old garage. Deep gray leather sofas, a smoky short-pile carpet, and a jet-black glass coffee table were arranged to the right of the entrance. Overhead, exposed aluminum pipes laid bare the structural design of the house. To the left of the entrance were the kitchen and dining area, featuring a style dominated by black and navy blue, with exposed metal pipes incorporated into the design. There was also a sleek high dining table, simple and elegant.

Directly ahead stood a wooden screen wall, with a sliding wardrobe concealed within it. Moving past the screen, to the front right was a completely open bedroom. Two steps led up to a large double bed, divided by a frosted glass partition. To the left was a semi-open bathroom.

The intentional release of space in the entire room made it feel somewhat cozy yet not cramped, allowing each corner to be used freely.

However, the space was currently occupied by two suitcases and a pile of cardboard boxes. These were Renly's belongings from his move. After completing his move, he hadn't had the chance to organize anything before flying to Toronto.

Looking at this heap of belongings, Renly couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He knew that sooner or later he would have to sort through them. Even if not today, it would have to be done tomorrow. Otherwise, he would return from TIFF and find everything still in disarray, forcing him to start from scratch.

Rubbing his slightly throbbing temple, Renly decided to postpone the task of organizing. Right now, what he needed was to relax. So, after spending less than five minutes in the apartment and dropping off his luggage, he turned and left once again.

He arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital a little past eleven o'clock. The place was still tranquil, as if the outside world had no influence within its walls. The myriad changes of the world were firmly blocked by the red brick walls. The familiar yet somewhat repelling atmosphere provided a brief respite from Renly's agitation and fatigue.

From a distance, Renly spotted Annie Seliman squatting by the entrance of the hospital room. Her hands supported her cheeks, resembling a blooming sunflower. Her chubby cheeks were once again puffed up, her small mouth could almost hang an oil bottle. She seemed to be sulking, her adorable appearance causing anyone to chuckle involuntarily.

Renly squatted down about three steps away from Annie. "So, no bowel movement today?"

"Um." Annie wrinkled her nose and nodded in frustration. However, after answering, she felt something was off. She raised her head and glanced, her eyebrows furrowing tightly, a look of disdain on her face. "Who are you?"

It was then that Renly realized he was still incognito. He removed his baseball cap, casually flipped his hair, and flashed a bright smile at Annie. "What's wrong? Haven't seen me for a few weeks and already don't recognize me?"

"Oh! Renly!" Annie's smiling face immediately bloomed like a flower, as if petals were unfolding. Her whole countenance brightened up, and the world seemed clearer. Even the corners of Renly's mouth followed suit, curling upward. But then, Annie put away her smile, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and pouted. "Hmph! I had smooth bowel movements last week, but you didn't come to praise me." Then, the young girl turned her face away, her expression saying, "I'm annoyed with you." She raised her chin in a huff.

Watching Annie's expression, Renly couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. A subdued laughter resonated in his chest. He enjoyed these moments, and he was still Renly, an ordinary volunteer nurse. Nothing special about him, no halo, just as it was before and as it is now.

"You're doing well, you've always done well, haven't you?" Renly's voice softened as he gently spoke, "So, I believe you'll do well today too." After saying that, it was evident that Annie's lips were loosening slightly, but she still didn't turn her head. This made Renly chuckle softly. "You know, I've never lied to you, have I?"

Annie finally couldn't keep up the stern expression, and a smile gently bloomed. Soon, her smile widened into a bright one. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes curved into two crescent moons. "Really? Will everything go well for me today too?"

Renly didn't reply directly. Instead, he clenched his fist, gave it a gentle wave, and Annie imitated his action excitedly. She pumped her fist, cheering herself on. "I'll go try now!"

After saying that, Annie put on a resolute expression like a hero heading to battle, stood up, her chubby fist oozing a cute vibe. Renly didn't laugh; instead, he followed Annie's lead and nodded vigorously. "Yeah!" He closed his fist after a firm squeeze and then watched as Annie walked resolutely toward the restroom.

From facing the media's pursuit and confrontation at the Toronto International Film Festival yesterday to experiencing unprecedented tranquility at Mount Sinai Hospital today, it seemed like two parallel spaces within the same world. While people elsewhere were excited about the latest gossip, the people here were struggling on the brink of life and death.

There's no intention of criticism. Pain and happiness, disaster and joy, and other contradictions coexist; this is the essence of the world. However, this stark contrast made Renly sense a genuine feeling of groundedness, of realness.

Exchanging greetings with familiar and unfamiliar faces along the way, his tired body seemed to recover some energy unconsciously. When he arrived at Hazel Cross' room again, he found it empty. In its place was a new companion in the adjacent bed. Gazing at Hazel's neatly made bed, looking just like a freshly checked-in hotel room, did Renly's heart skip a beat?

"Hey, Renly!" Kelly Patton's voice came from behind, startling Renly. He quickly turned his head, the sudden movement even catching Kelly off guard. She took a step back, slightly flustered, and greeted, "Long time no see!"

"Where's Hazel?" Renly wasn't in the mood for pleasantries; he anxiously inquired.

Kelly pointed to the other end of the corridor. "In the recreation room." She could clearly sense that Renly breathed a sigh of relief, and she spoke thoughtfully, "Hazel's been doing quite well lately. There's been progress in her rehabilitation. I don't know the details, but I've heard her condition hasn't deteriorated further."

Renly closed his eyes tightly, the corners of his mouth curling upward in a sense of relief. "That's good news, isn't it?" Kelly nodded somewhat confused, unable to catch up. Renly laughed heartily, "The recreation room? I'll go say hi." Giving Kelly a nod in acknowledgment, Renly then quickened his pace and headed toward the recreation room.

From a distance, he could hear the familiar guitar melody flowing out of the recreation room. His footsteps involuntarily slowed down. Walking through the glass wall of the recreation room, he saw Hazel holding a guitar, playing with her head bowed. His steps came to a halt right there.