The literary era since 1979

Lin Qingxia's personal film exhibition came to an end. The news traveled across the ocean and returned to Hong Kong, immediately making headlines in the entertainment sections of newspapers such as "Oriental Daily News" and "Ming Pao Weekly". In a short time, the title of "Hong Kong and Taiwan's No. 1 Female Star" spread in the entertainment circle.

Wang Zuxian held a gossip magazine in her hand and flipped through it while muttering:

"I'm so envious of Sister Qingxia. I wonder when I can hold my own film exhibition in Hollywood?"

"There will be a chance."

Zhang Guorong smiled and comforted.

"Opportunities are for those who are prepared." Gong Xing encouraged: "Xiao Xian, your top priority now is to make more good movies. Otherwise, even if you hold a personal film exhibition, how can you do it without enough works to exhibit?"

Wang Zuxian said with a playful smile: "Hey, Sister Gong Wei, how long will it take for this drama to be completed?"

"If we continue shooting at the current pace, it will be finished in a few days."

Gong Xing said that the filming of "Ghost" has entered its final stages, but the film's post-production and editing will have to be put on hold for a while because the Golden Globe Awards will be held at the end of January. As the director of "Farewell My Concubine", he will attend the award ceremony with the main creative team.

Wang Zuxian turned her head and asked, "Will my brother go too?"

"Yes, it's also thanks to Fang Sheng and Xiao Xiang."

Zhang Guorong smiled with satisfaction, "I never thought that I would be able to win a Golden Globe Award or an Oscar one day."

As he spoke, he keenly noticed the expectation in Wang Zuxian's eyes, "How about it, Xiaoxian, do you want to go with us?"

"Okay, okay!"

Wang Zuxian's eyes sparkled with excitement. "After finishing filming Ghost, I just want to take a break!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Gong Xing and Zhang Guorong burst into laughter.

"Then you have to beg Xiaoxiang nicely." Zhang Guorong restrained his smile and winked.

Wang Zuxian realized that her little thoughts were exposed, so she no longer hid them. She hugged Gong Xing's arm and begged in a coquettish and spoiled manner.

"Okay, okay, I'll promise you."

Gong Xing shook his head and laughed, "One more won't make much difference anyway, two more won't make any difference either."

Wang Zuxian blinked in surprise, "Two? Who else wants to go?"

"Of course it's Zhu Lin." Gong Xing answered simply.

"Sister Zhu Lin is going too!" Wang Zuxian was surprised and happy.

"of course."

Gong Xing said that Zhu Lin will be co-producing a dialect movie with Zhang Guorong next, and before filming begins, they will naturally have to find him to hold a script reading session.

"Is it the new play that my brother took on?"

Wang Zuxian looked at her to the left and then at Zhang Guorong to the right.

"In the Mood for Love."

Zhang Guorong nodded in acknowledgment.

"What's the story?"

Wang Zuxian asked curiously.

Seeing that Gong Xing didn't give him any eye signal to keep it a secret, Zhang Guorong spoke openly about the general idea.

"This story is so... so weird."

Wang Zuxian frowned. "Two people who were hurt by their partners' cheating actually came together to try to figure out why their partners cheated. As a result, while researching, they also started an extramarital affair?"

"There is no 'extramarital affair'. The relationship between Su Lizhen and Zhou Muyun is based on love but ends with courtesy. At the moment when they feel they are about to cross the line, they urgently step on the brakes and cut off the spur." Zhang Guorong laughed, "This is the most exciting and fascinating part of In the Mood for Love. Their relationship is doomed to not last long. They can either take a step back and return to being strangers, or take a step forward and become cheaters like their partners."

"But the beginning of the story already tells their ending."

Gong Xing said: "Neither Su Lizhen nor Zhou Muyun want to be the one who cheats."

"It was precisely because the two of them did not go further that it did not become a clichéd extramarital affair story."

Zhang Guorong smiled and said, "After reading Fang Sheng's script, I realized that a high-level extramarital affair is not about men and women entangled but about wanting to talk but not being able to talk."

Gong Xing joked: "Sure enough, Yanzi is right, you are really suitable to play 'Zhou Muyun'."

"You're too kind. Actually, I think there are many people who are more suitable for this role than me, such as Ah Fa."

Zhang Guorong mentioned "Zhou Runfa" without thinking.

"It's not like he hasn't considered it."

Gong Xing said that whether in "New Shanghai Bund" or "A Better Tomorrow", Zhou Runfa always has the image and temperament of a "romantic wanderer".

The character of Chow Mo-wan is more depressed, lonely, confused and melancholy, and it is obvious that Cheung Kwok-wing can handle it better!

As the two of them got deeper into their conversation, more and more confusion appeared on Wang Zuxian's face.

Why can the dialect make a clichéd story of an extramarital affair so moving and touching?
Why is he so skilled? Could it be...

………………

Four days passed unknowingly and the filming of "Ghost" was successfully completed, a week ahead of schedule.

Gong Xing took some time out to go to the airport and personally welcome Gong Li, Jiang Wen, Zhang Yimou and others who came from Yanjing.

Because Zhu Lin didn't want to stay in the villa all day, he volunteered to accompany Gong Xing and visit an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

"Zhu Lu!"

"Jiang Wen!"

"I didn't expect you to be in Hong Kong?"

Jiang Wen co-starred with Zhu Lin in the drama "Shang Yang", and the two formed a friendship.

As for Zhang Yimou, when he was at the Beijing Film Academy, he often invited her, who was in the amateur acting class, to star in school films and even in her graduation project.

Gong Xing told Gong Li about the relationship between the few people. Gong Li felt relieved. After all the fuss, it turned out that he and Zhang Yimou were schoolmates!
"I haven't seen you for a long time. How are you doing in Hong Kong?"

Jiang Wen said carelessly.

"It's fine. Xiaoxiang, Yanzi and the others are taking good care of me."

Zhu Lin said with full energy: "It's just that Hong Kong speaks Cantonese and uses traditional Chinese characters. I was a little uncomfortable at first..."

"Haha, that's right. Yimou and I just accepted a film contract in Hong Kong a while ago, and the script is all in traditional Chinese characters."

Gong Li took the initiative to strike up a conversation, "We should ask someone to translate it into simplified Chinese so that we can fully understand it."

Gong Xing was quite surprised. "Looking for you two to act in a play? What script is it?"

There was a hint of shrewdness in Zhang Yimou's honest smile, and he said it was Cheng Xiaodong's "The Terracotta Warriors".

"This is it!"

Gong Xing suddenly realized, "I know this, it's adapted from Bi Hua's Terracotta Warriors." Then he looked around at Gong Li and Zhang Yimou, "To be honest, the casting is quite successful. You are indeed very suitable to play 'Han Dong'er' and 'Meng Tianfang'." "Oh, our Director Zhang has always looked down on commercial films and felt that they are too far from art."

Jiang Wen suddenly asked, "Why are you suddenly interested in taking on this kind of film?"

"Hehe, this is what I think. He is already very familiar with the mainland film industry, but I am very curious about Hong Kong." Zhang Yimou said: "How can such a small place produce so many good movies? What is the force that drives them? I want to take this opportunity to go to Hong Kong and experience it. Of course, this is also Mr. Fang's suggestion to me, to let me come to Hong Kong to study and observe and see how commercial films operate."

Jiang Wen teased, "I think the real purpose of the drunkard is not the wine, but the beauty."

Seeing Gong Li's shy look, Zhu Lin and Gong Xing looked at each other, vaguely guessing that there must be something hidden, and it was related to Zhang Yimou!

But Zhang Yimou and Gong Li were very secretive about it, and Jiang Wen was unwilling to say anything, so he could only swallow his doubts.

………………

The next day, Gong Xing, Wang Zuxian, Zhu Lin and others took a flight to Los Angeles.

The hotel arranged by Fangyan specially sent a bus to pick them up from the airport without any obstruction.

"This is the room you'll be staying in. It's very close to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the Golden Globe Awards are being held."

“Thank you Mr. Fang (Teacher Fang).”

Jiang Wen, Zhang Guorong and others went straight to their rooms, took a short rest and adjusted to the jet lag.

Zhang Yimou, however, did not move. He looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. He hesitated for a long time before finally speaking:
"Teacher Fang, there is something I want to talk to you about alone."

"Row!"

Fang Yan gave Lin Qingxia a look.

After so many days of soul communication, Lin Qingxia immediately understood what he meant and clapped her hands:

"Yanzi knows that we are going to attend the Golden Globe Awards and walk the red carpet soon, so he specially asked Louis Vuitton to send us a lot of high-end dresses. After everyone puts their luggage in the room, why don't you all go try on the clothes?"

"Okay!"

Gong Xing couldn't help but understand, so he called Gong Li, and took along Wang Zuxian and Zhu Lin, who were still confused about the situation, and went straight to Lin Qingxia's bedroom.

Fang Yan walked into Zhang Yimou's room, closed the door, then sat opposite him, staring at him without saying a word.

Facing his gaze, Zhang Yimou felt uneasy and wanted to open his mouth several times, but didn't know how to start.

"Do you want to talk about you and Gong Li?"

Dialects actively break the silence.

"You know everything?!"

Zhang Yimou was shocked.

"I don't know, but judging from your expression, I can guess a little bit."

Fang Yan said: "According to your temperament, you might be willing to be a director of a commercial film, but you will definitely not play the leading role in "The Terracotta Warriors" just for the money. The only possible reason is probably for Gong Li. Then the relationship between you two is self-evident."

"You are absolutely right. I did not act in "The Battle of Qin Terracotta Warriors" for the money at all."

Zhang Yimou said that the pay Cheng Xiaodong gave them was not high and was not even comparable to what he got for directing a movie.

Fangyan said nothing and just listened quietly until Zhang Yimou said that he got divorced last year. Some nosy media followed the clues and dug up his affair with Gong Li, and then reported and publicized it extensively. As a result, his affairs are now being discussed a lot everywhere in the mainland.

"In many people's eyes, I am Chen Shimei. I have no place to hide."

Zhang Yimou said in a depressed mood: "So I wanted to find a place to hide away from the limelight and have some space to get along with Gong Li. I didn't know how to face the world and everyone's eyes. Cheng Xiaodong happened to invite me and Gong Li to act in a play. My first reaction was to accept it. This way, the two of us can stay together and avoid the outside world."

"Hey Zhang Yimou, these are all your true feelings, right?"

Fangyan raised his eyebrows.

"That's right! I can't hide it from you. I don't like this play, but I can be with Gong Li, so I accepted it."

Zhang Yimou admitted it openly.

"After finishing filming "Ancient and Modern Battle of Qin Terracotta Warriors", what are your plans next?"

Fangyan looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze.

Zhang Yimou had already seriously considered Gong Li's future acting career and felt that Gong Li should stay in Hong Kong. After all, the commercial film model in the mainland is still immature. Working more with Hong Kong directors would be of great benefit to her in broadening her horizons and acting range, and would also make her star path more brilliant.

"You're very thoughtful."

The dialect teased.

"Teacher Fang, could you, could you..."

Zhang Yimou struggled for a long time but couldn't open his mouth.

Fangyan saw through it but didn't say anything, just waiting for him to speak.

Zhang Yimou finally spoke out and begged Fang Yan and others to take better care of Gong Li during her development in Hong Kong.

"Well, for the sake of the relationship between you, me, Gong Li and Xiao Xing, I will sign Gong Li to our company and give her the same treatment as Zhu Lin." Fang Yan pondered for a moment, "I will first arrange for someone to teach her Cantonese and traditional Chinese characters, and then arrange for her to film."

"Thank you, Teacher Fang. Thank you, Teacher Fang."

Zhang Yimou said sincerely: "Gong Li and I will never forget your kindness in this life!"

Fang Yan shook his head and laughed, and sighed: "It seems that you have calculated that I will definitely help you!"

Zhang Yimou showed an awkward but grateful smile. He had indeed calculated that Fangyan and Gong Xing would definitely support him and Gong Li.

It's not just because they are kind, but also because they see that Zhu Lin, who was also slandered by "rumors", is being taken care of so well.

While they were chatting, Gong Li did not continue to hide it and directly confessed her relationship with Zhang Yimou.

"You...you..."

Zhu Lin, Wang Zuxian and others were stunned.

"It will spread from the mainland to Hong Kong sooner or later anyway. I don't want to, and there's no need to, hide anything from you."

Gong Li seemed to have untied the knot in his heart and heaved a long sigh of relief, "This is more sincere, and a heavy stone in my heart can be lifted off my shoulders."

"Do you like him?" Zhu Lin pursed her lips.

"Who would be willing to do that if they didn't really like it?"

Gong Li said that the two were a perfect match, they made each other successful and they fell deeply in love with each other. Their love was like a movie, full of passion and romance. Maybe if she did this, she might regret it in the future, but if she didn't do it now, she would definitely regret it!

"I can't judge you for doing this, but I admire your courage in doing this!"

When Lin Qingxia saw her, she felt as if she saw the brave self she had been that night. It was because she had bravely taken that step that she was able to achieve her goal in the end!
"Yes, women should live truthfully, love passionately, dare to love and hate, and live a life of excitement."

Wang Zuxian stared at Gong Li closely. The thought that she had been suppressing in her heart quickly took root and her eyes gradually became firm.

Zhu Lin was in a trance at this moment, thinking back to his failed and miserable marriage, his eyes filled with envy.

This woman lives a carefree and unrestrained life!
When can I be so vigorous? (End of this chapter)