A widower's entertainment

Xinghua Hutong, Beijing.

Now that both Lin Youcheng's and Lin Youcai's families are here, it has to be said that it was this male classmate brought back by Lin Zhaoxi—what was his name again?

"Zhou Chuanbai, is your home in the southern part of the city?"

Zhou Chuanbai was also under some pressure. Although he knew that Lin Zhaoxi had many brothers and sisters, he did not expect there to be so many. He felt that everyone in the room was staring at him. He nodded and said, "My family is in Nancheng."

Lin Zhaoxi seemed to notice Zhou Chuanbai's nervousness and said, "Dad, don't treat this like you're interrogating a criminal."

Hearing Lin Zhaoxi's words, Lin Youcheng didn't know what to say. He felt that his daughter was already siding with outsiders before she was even married.

Of course, he also knew that with both of his families present and so many eyes watching, Zhou Chuanbai would indeed feel immense pressure.

The fact that Lin Zhaoxi brought someone home explains everything, especially since Zhou Chuanbai was the same boy who had previously taken Lin Zhaoxi home.

At that time, Lin Zhaoqing also mentioned this incident, saying that when he saw the boy returning with Lin Zhaoxi, he was taking a long detour since Lin Zhaoxi lived in Nancheng and was not going the same way as the boy at all.

At that time, Lin Zhaoxi also mentioned that this boy had written her love letters before, but she rejected them.

Furthermore, some say that with such a heavy academic workload, where would they find the time to date?

Back then, Lin Zhaoxi was a junior in college. Little did he know that now, after starting his master's degree, Zhou Chuanbai would be the one to take him home.

Lin Youcheng didn't say anything, but his sister-in-law Fang Mei was particularly enthusiastic, holding Zhou Chuanbai's hand and starting to chat, asking Zhou Chuanbai about some things in his family.

Okay, although Lin Youcheng seemed indifferent, he was actually listening intently the whole time.

My father is alive, and my mother is a teacher.

Someone in the family studied medicine; it was Zhou Chuanbai's grandfather, but he practiced traditional Chinese medicine.

Zhou Chuanbo and Lin Zhaoxi were classmates, but Lin Zhaoxi later switched to obstetrics and gynecology, while Zhou Chuanbo switched to surgery.

He is an only child in his family.

Okay, this is the complete opposite of Lin Zhaoxi.

Lin Youcheng listened to Fang Mei and Xie Shuhua chatting with Zhou Chuanbai, then turned his gaze to Lin Zhaoxi and asked, "Didn't you say you rejected him before?"

These words made Lin Zhaoxi a little embarrassed as he said, "After being rejected, he didn't give up. Although he didn't say it, he..."

Okay, this person also follows the path of perseverance.

Lin Youcheng's feelings were somewhat complicated. Looking at Lin Zhaoxi, who was already a grown woman, he said, "If you want to be with him, Dad won't object."

Lin Youcheng didn't worry too much about Lin Zhaoxi's affairs because Lin Zhaoxi himself was very clear about the situation.

He had been worried that if Lin Zhaoxi went on to pursue a master's degree and then a doctorate, he might not be able to continue dating. Now it seems that his previous worries were unfounded.

Lin Youcheng also observed Zhou Chuanbai. He was a tall young man with a decent appearance. Although he seemed nervous, his speech and manners were fine.

Hearing Lin Youcheng's words, Lin Zhaoxi already knew that his father wouldn't object. He turned to look at Zhou Chuanbai and said, "He's fine."

Hearing Lin Zhaoxi's words, Lin Youcheng understood Lin Zhaoxi's intentions and said with a smile, "Then let's have a good talk. Do you plan to pursue a master's degree and then a doctorate together, or do you want to start working?"

Lin Zhaoxi shook his head and said, "After graduating with a master's degree, I started working, and I'm already working at a hospital now."

Lin Youcheng understood that studying medicine and pursuing a master's degree meant working in hospitals, so he asked, "So when do you plan to—?"

"There's no rush. I just wanted to bring it home so you, Dad, could take a look."

Hearing Lin Zhaoxi's words, Lin Youcheng felt a warmth in his heart. He knew this was the first time Lin Zhaoxi had brought a male classmate home, and he understood what Lin Zhaoxi meant. He smiled and said, "No matter when, Dad will prepare a generous dowry for you."

Meanwhile, Lin Zhaomei, who had been eavesdropping, couldn't help but interject, asking, "Dad, what about me? You'll have to prepare a dowry for me too, right?"

Lin Youcheng raised an eyebrow, looked at Lin Zhaomei, and asked, "So you've also talked to her?"

"I don't."

Lin Zhaomei shook her head and said, "I have no interest in that. I'm too busy making movies to have any ideas about that."

Upon hearing Lin Zhaomei's words, Lin Zhaoxi couldn't help but think that he had said something similar before. He then turned his gaze to Zhou Chuanbai and couldn't help but smile.

……

Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing in the family have both started dating, and everyone in the courtyard knows about it, but this is normal because the children have long since grown up.

The year 1997 ended quietly amidst these two events, and 1998 followed.

Whether it was the end of 19897 or the beginning of 1998, the snow in Beijing was still falling. Lin Youcheng wrapped the scarf around his neck and helped his parents-in-law carry their luggage into the yard. He was going to Tianjin again to bring his parents-in-law to Beijing to celebrate the New Year together.

Although Xie Zelin had previously said that he didn't need Lin Youcheng to pick them up and that they could just take the train, Lin Youcheng still went to Tianjin to pick them up to go to Beijing for the New Year. Moreover, Lin Youcheng specially took a plane to pick them up, and also had his father-in-law and mother-in-law take the plane.

Otherwise, these two probably wouldn't be willing to spend that money.

In this courtyard, the children, big and small, call Xie Zelin "Grandpa," and their eyes also tend to look at Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing, because they have heard that Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing have brought classmates home, so they will naturally ask a question or two.

These two siblings, Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing, are both experiencing joyous occasions. Although they are only dating, their grandparents, Xie Zelin and Zhang Aiqin, feel that marriage is just around the corner.

After all, dating without the intention of marriage is just playing around.

If there is indeed good news behind this, then it will naturally be a joyous and celebratory occasion.

However, this is not a joyous occasion for Lin Zhaoxi and Lin Zhaoqing yet. It is Lunar New Year's Eve, a time for family reunion. The whole family is helping to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner, making it a very lively occasion.

As usual, Lin Youcai and Lin Youcheng's family spent the Spring Festival together in Beijing. Lin Youcheng had invited Zhao Gensheng, but Zhao Gensheng's family went back to Yunnan Province for the Spring Festival. He was thinking of bringing his parents to Beijing next year, but he didn't know if they would agree.

In short, life is getting better and better these days, needless to say. After a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner, the younger children naturally start happily setting off fireworks and firecrackers in the yard, while the older ones watch the Spring Festival Gala, still enjoying a happy family reunion and staying up all night to celebrate the New Year.

After the New Year's Eve dinner and the celebration of the reunion, more joyous news reached the courtyards of Xinghua Hutong.

The film "Human Wonders," directed by Li An, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

But that's not all!
This film was also nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Picture, as well as Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Makeup—nine other nominations in total.

This is truly unprecedented and has made history.

Of course, the most surprising thing is that Leslie Cheung was nominated for Best Actor.

Without a doubt, this is the most amazing thing.

The Hong Kong entertainment industry is buzzing with excitement over this nomination. The reason? Leslie Cheung has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. This is the first time a Hong Kong actor, and indeed a Chinese actor, has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor.

It's worth noting that even John Lone, who starred in the Oscar-sweeping film "The Last Emperor," wasn't nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor; he only received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

Leslie Cheung has truly made history.

Of course, director Li An also made history.

When Lin Youcheng heard the news, he was also surprised. However, upon closer reflection, he realized that Columbia Company's public relations efforts must have played a significant role, otherwise things wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

You should know that there have always been barriers at the Oscars.

Of course, there are definitely barriers, especially for Asian actors, making it very difficult to get nominated.

However, this is also because Leslie Cheung won the Cannes Best Actor award, which is a very prestigious award. If someone wins the Best Actor award at one of the three major European film festivals but doesn't even get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, then it's not Leslie Cheung who will be questioned, but the Oscars.

Clearly, this is also the most important reason why Leslie Cheung was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Lin Youcheng was well aware of this.

Of course, the nomination list was already quite astonishing and made history, just like Li An's later film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

The company we should thank the most is Columbia.

This company has really invested heavily in its operations; otherwise, an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and two technical awards would be the maximum they could achieve.

Of course, besides that, there's also the fact that "Human Wonders" came out too early, long before "Titanic," and its global box office performance was quite astonishing.

It can be said that it was not only quite amazing in China, but also quite popular overseas, which is why the Oscars could not completely ignore the film "Human Wonders".

The sensation caused by "Human Wonders" was global!

This film has already generated tremendous discussion and box office success worldwide.

Of course, regardless of the circumstances, such a nomination is quite impressive and deserves widespread coverage within the domestic film industry!
Leslie Cheung undoubtedly received the most attention.

He was already made famous by winning the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival, and now he's made history by being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He's a true superstar. It's hard to win this award, firstly because of Leslie Cheung's status, and secondly because it's extremely rare to win acting awards at all three major film festivals and at the Academy Awards for the same role.

Leslie Cheung immediately called Lam Yau-shing to inform him of the news and to express his gratitude.

Because he knew very well that this was all because of Lin Youcheng.

It was Lin Youcheng who recommended him for the role of Lin Qi in the TV series "Strange Tales of the Human World". It can be said that without the recommendation of Lin Youcheng, the original author and screenwriter, director Li An might not have chosen him for the role.

Moreover, setting aside the fact that he wasn't nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor, his Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival alone, along with the immense attention and international influence this film has brought him, is truly immeasurable.

Leslie Cheung remembers this from the bottom of his heart. When Lam Yau-shing asked him to make a cameo appearance in "Our Millionaire," it was nothing at all. You have to know that this was the historic Oscar for Best Actor.

Lin Zhaomei naturally knew about this good news and said, "Being nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor is really amazing."

Upon hearing Lin Zhaomei's words, Lin Youcheng shook his head and said, "He is impressive, but the most impressive one is not him, but Columbia Company."

"Without Columbia Pictures' public relations efforts, it would have been impossible for an Asian actor, who is not even an American citizen, to be nominated for an acting award."

Lin Youcheng was well aware of this.

Of course, there were Asian actors nominated, but that was more than a decade ago. The lead actor in "Gandhi" was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, and he was nominated again later. However, that actor was of British nationality and Indian descent. Then there was another Cambodian actor of Chinese descent who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for "Killing Fields." Even earlier, there were other Asian actors nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Lin Youcheng thought for a moment and then said, "Of course, the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival also increased his chances of being nominated."

Lin Zhaomei nodded as she listened to her father, Lin Youcheng. She had also heard that winning an Oscar in the United States required public relations efforts.

The fact that Leslie Cheung was nominated is a historic achievement, and it is enough to prove just how difficult it is. Without the title of Cannes Best Actor, the Oscars would probably have rejected him without hesitation.

We will absolutely not allow a domestic actor to cause trouble on their turf.

As for Lin Youcheng, the screenwriter from the East, it's different because screenwriters are all behind-the-scenes workers. Before Lin Youcheng, there were other people who had won awards, and they were from a long time ago.

Lin Youcheng shook his head, feeling that everything was interconnected, like the butterfly effect. If Columbia Pictures hadn't operated, the globally popular film "Human Wonders" would have had a hard time getting nominated. And if Leslie Cheung had missed out on the Cannes Best Actor award, he wouldn't have received a Best Actor nomination.

The butterfly effect also originated from him.

Lin Youcheng smiled. Although he knew Leslie Cheung wouldn't win the award, he was still quite happy.

While the Oscars are truly more about star power, Leslie Cheung's Best Actor award at Cannes is enough to prove his outstanding performance.

Lin Youcheng didn't think much of it; he wasn't particularly concerned about it anyway, it was all just public relations.

Of course, regardless of the circumstances, many people see this as truly good news, incredibly good news. (End of Chapter)