1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

Yenching, the dormitory building of the General Political Department's Cultural Troupe.

It was late at night, and the occasional sound of a bicycle bell outside the window only made the room feel quieter.

Gong Xue had just finished showering and was wearing simple cotton pajamas. She sat at her desk, drying her wet hair in the dim light of the desk lamp.

The script for "Mom, Love Me Again" lay open on the table, covered with notes and annotations in red and blue pencils. The play had already been filmed, but she habitually pondered it over and over again.

But now that I have so much free time, I can't seem to settle down.

Now, Gong Xue's mind is filled with the conversation Xue Min had with her before he left for Hong Kong. His words still ring in her ears: "Once things are settled there, and the script for 'Redemption' is officially in the planning stages and filming begins, I'll come find you."

But as time went by, she was so focused on filming "Mom, Love Me Again" that she had no time for anything else.

Now she suddenly realized that she hadn't received a single word from Xuemin for almost a month.

She was not without anxiety.

Could it be that he... has already forgotten his casual remark back then?
Will they just put Zhu Lin in that new movie right there on the set of "Shaolin Temple"?
After all, everyone at Yan Film Studio was saying that Sister Zhu Lin was now Cheng Xuemin's go-to leading lady.

Zhu Lin followed Xue Min to Hong Kong and stayed by his side.

Would Xuemin also think of sending a telegram to himself, summoning him to come and film a new movie, instead of going to the nearest place?
This thought, like a tiny worm, gnawed at her heart from time to time.

She forced herself to focus back on the script, her fingers unconsciously rubbing a corner of the page, leaving a shallow crease.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the dormitory door, followed by knocking and the hushed, excited voice of the communications officer, Xiao Li:
"Professor Gong Xue! Are you asleep? There's an urgent telegram for you! It's from Hong Kong!"

The words "Hong Kong" struck Gong Xue like a bolt of lightning.

She jumped to her feet, her heart pounding, almost knocking over the chair behind her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to remain calm and walked over to open the door.

He replied towards the door, "Still awake! A telegram from Hong Kong? So late?!"

Seeing her open the door, the communications officer, Xiao Li, with a mysterious smile on his face, handed her a thin telegram and said:

"Just arrived, urgent! I wanted to get it to you as soon as possible! Teacher Gong, it must be good news!"

Gong Xue took the telegram, his fingertips trembling slightly as they touched the paper.

She thanked him softly, closed the door, leaned against it, and eagerly unfolded the telegram.

His gaze quickly swept over the simple line of text on the telegram.

Each word was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples in her heart.

The production team for "Redemption" is ready... The American lead actor has arrived in Hong Kong... The role of prison doctor Lin is reserved for you... Please complete the necessary procedures immediately upon receiving the telegram, head south to Hong Kong, and report to the production team...

She read those few lines of text three times.

A tremendous, indescribable joy and excitement instantly washed away the unease and anxiety of the past few days.

His lips curled up uncontrollably, and his eyes were slightly moist with excitement.

Gong Xue clutched the telegram tightly, as if she were holding a ticket to a whole new world, a huge opportunity.

Xuemin has not forgotten!

He not only hadn't forgotten her, but he had even reserved a role for her!

Prison doctor Lin... Just hearing this name and her role, she knew that this was definitely not a decorative role, but one with room for development and the ability to touch people's hearts!

After the initial excitement, practical problems began to emerge.

How do I go to Hong Kong from the south? What are the procedures? Will the tour group let me go?

Although Xue Min is now very famous, it still involves going abroad, especially to a sensitive place like Hong Kong to film. Will the head of the troupe...

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Gong Xue carefully tidied himself up early the next morning and changed into a proper military uniform.

He carefully folded the telegram and put it in his jacket pocket, took a deep breath, and walked toward the office of the head of the cultural troupe.

The troupe leader was still Commander Wang, a veteran of the revolutionary cultural troupe. He was usually serious, but in private he took good care of the actors under his command.

When Gong Xue knocked on the door and went in, Commander Wang was wearing reading glasses and looking at documents.

"Good morning, Commander." Gong Xue stood at attention and saluted, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Commander Wang looked up at her over his glasses and said, "It's Xiao Gong! You've come at the perfect time!"

Commander Wang nodded and said, "As agreed with Comrade Xuemin, we had you participate in the new movie that their Yan Film Studio was preparing to shoot. Now you've finished filming and returned!"

"Plus, May Day is just around the corner, and the troupe has arranged a lot of cultural performances, which we need your participation in!"

Upon hearing this, Gong Xue's face turned pale instantly. The troupe was going to arrange a performance for her, which would definitely ruin her plans to go to Hong Kong to film a movie for Xue Min. The troupe leader would definitely not let her go!
Thinking of this, Gong Xue instantly became uneasy.

"What's wrong? Is there some trouble?" Commander Wang noticed that her face had been tense and expectant when she first came in, but now it had completely fallen apart. He couldn't help but ask, "Is it that movie from your Yan Film Studio that hasn't been finished yet?"

"Commander, the movie 'Mom, Love Me Again' has already been filmed, not this one." Gong Xue hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and stepped forward, taking out the telegram she had been holding warm in her hands from her pocket, handing it over with both hands, and continued:

"It's...a telegram from Comrade Xuemin in Hong Kong. He invited me...to go to Hong Kong to participate in the filming of his new movie, 'Redemption'."

After she finished speaking, her heart was in her throat as she carefully observed the commander's expression.

Commander Wang took the telegram, adjusted his glasses, and began to read it carefully.

The office was quiet, with only the chirping of cicadas in the trees outside the window. Gong Xue could hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

A few minutes later, Commander Wang put down the telegram, his face expressionless. He simply tapped the table with his finger and asked:
"Comrade Xuemin's new play? What's the subject matter? How long will you be gone?"

Gong Xue quickly recounted, as clearly and accurately as possible, Cheng Xuemin's earlier explanation of the concept behind "Redemption"—a film set against the backdrop of World War II, focusing on the redemption of humanity, and aimed at impacting the international market—and added:
"Comrade Xuemin also said in the telegram that the crew is ready and the actors hired from the United States have all arrived. The filming period is about... two to three months."

After listening, Commander Wang remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed, his wrinkles smoothing out, and waved his hand:
"What do you mean, 'What's going on!' It turns out it's Comrade Xuemin who's summoning me! Great news! Absolutely great news!"

This reaction was completely unexpected by Gong Xue, and she was stunned.

Commander Wang stood up, walked to the window, then returned, his voice tinged with rare excitement and emotion, and said:
"Xiao Gong, do you know how satisfied the higher-ups were with Comrade Xuemin's rendition of 'The Sun and the Moon Shine Together' for our regiment last time?"
Not only did the higher-ups commend us, but the masses below also responded enthusiastically! This has brought so much honor to our cultural troupe! It has greatly boosted the morale of our military's cultural workers!

He picked up the telegram, looked at it again, and said decisively, "Comrade Xuemin needs people now, which means he thinks highly of our cultural troupe!"
Even if it's a three-month secondment, or even a three-year secondment, we'll fully support you! Don't worry about the paperwork; I'll personally coordinate with the foreign affairs department to expedite it!

Hurry up and get ready, and set off as soon as possible!

Gong Xue was a little dazed by this sudden and tremendous support. He was so excited that his face turned red, and he bowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you, Commander! Thank you for your support, Commander!"

"Why thank me?" Commander Wang waved his hand, his tone becoming serious. "When you get to Hong Kong, perform well! Learn as much as you can from Comrade Xuemin!"

But remember, when you go out, you represent not only yourself, but also our General Political Department Art Troupe and the image of mainland artists!

You must be strict with yourself, abide by discipline, and give your best!

"Yes, Commander! I will definitely keep your instructions in mind and will never let down the organization's trust and Comrade Xuemin's expectations!" Gong Xue straightened his back and made a clear promise.

As Gong Xue left the regimental commander's office, he felt as if his steps were unsteady.

The sun was shining brightly, and even the cicadas' chirping sounded melodious.

She practically ran back to her dorm and began frantically packing her luggage.

I was mentally planning which clothes, books, and everyday items to bring... Joy and anticipation bubbled up from the bottom of my heart like bubbles.

In the following days, under the personal supervision of Commander Wang, all procedures were completed at an astonishing speed.

When Gong Xue's colleagues in the performing arts troupe heard that he was going to Hong Kong to film Cheng Xuemin's movie again, they all looked at him with envy and blessings.

Several of her friends held her hands, reminding her not to forget to bring back some "foreign goods" for everyone. A few days later, Gong Xue, carrying a simple suitcase, boarded a flight to Shanghai, and then transferred to an international flight to Hong Kong.

When passing through Shanghai, Gong Xue took the opportunity of her layover to make a special trip back to her own home.

Her parents had very mixed feelings when they learned that their daughter was going to Hong Kong again to film a movie about Cheng Xuemin, a pioneer in foreign exchange earnings.

Out of concern for her daughter's career development, she certainly hopes that her daughter can go out and broaden her horizons.

The only drawback is that...

That pioneer in foreign exchange earnings has already married and had children, but his own daughter... Poor parents, how could Gong Xue's parents not see their daughter's thoughts?
Even Xu Sangchu, the former director of their Shanghai Film Studio, personally went to their General Political Department's Cultural Troupe to try and recruit his daughter to Shanghai!

Based on her past thoughts, her daughter would definitely be more than willing to come back to her parents' side as soon as possible.

My daughter worked so hard and performed so well in the performing arts troupe, and I always hoped that there would be an opportunity to transfer back to Shanghai to work.

But now?

Even the former director of the Shanghai Film Studio personally intervened, but couldn't persuade her to come back! He promised that if she came to the Shanghai Film Studio, the studio would immediately provide her with an apartment.

Despite such good offers, my daughter ultimately declined!

I really don't know what's so appealing about Yanjing!
What's there to miss?
It was only through severe interrogation by her parents that they learned their daughter had gone astray and had fallen in love with a married man!

Before leaving, Gong Xue must have been reluctant to part, but he gave Gong Ying, that little traitor, a fierce glare.

I was thinking of bringing her nice things back from Hong Kong myself?
You're so beautiful!

Amidst the reluctance of her family members and their repeated reminders, especially the subtle hints that she should maintain a certain distance between herself and that Comrade Xuemin!
And so, Gong Xue left home, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed, and boarded an international flight to Hong Kong.

She was also feeling resentful. If she had known that little girl Gong Ying had betrayed her, she shouldn't have come home for this transit!

After the plane landed safely, Fu Qi and Zhu Lin were there to pick me up at the airport!
Upon seeing Zhu Lin, Gong Xue felt as if she had seen family, and greeted her with great joy: "Sister Zhu Lin, thank you for coming to pick me up!"

"It's good that Gong Xue is here. Xuemin has been waiting for you!" Zhu Lin greeted him directly.

"Comrade Gong Xue! You must have had a long journey!" Fu Qi greeted her warmly and took her luggage. "Was the journey smooth? Teacher Cheng is on set reading the script with the American actors and specially asked Comrade Zhu Lin and me to pick you up."

"Manager Fu, thank you for your trouble. I'm fine, not tired." Gong Xue had been to Hong Kong once before, when she was taking "Romance on Lushan Mountain" to the Berlin Film Festival for competition and exhibition. She met Fu Qi from Hong Kong Great Wall when she passed through Hong Kong.

Fu Qi drove them back to the Great Wall Hotel. Along the way, Zhu Lin told Gong Xue about the things that had happened in Hong Kong during their stay there.

Especially when talking about how Scholar Min debated the entire Hong Kong film industry in newspapers and on television, don't get too excited.

Gong Xue, who had just arrived in Hong Kong, was truly astonished.

After entering the hotel, Fu Qi did not book a separate room for Gong Xue, but instead let her sleep in a room with Zhu Lin and Liu Xiaoli. The room was a large suite, which was spacious enough.

"Comrade Gong Xue, please rest first. Here's your room key and a restaurant voucher. Teacher Cheng will probably be back around 7 p.m., then I'll come and call you to have dinner together." Fu Qi gave her a spare key and explained.

"Okay, thank you, Manager Fu." Gong Xue quickly expressed her gratitude.

"Sister Gong Xue, you're here too?!" Liu Xiaoli, who was watching TV inside, greeted Gong Xue with great surprise as she entered.

"Hello Xiaoli, it's been a long time!" Gong Xue was new to the area, and although everyone there was familiar, she was still a little flustered.

"Yes, yes, it's been a long time!" Liu Xiaoli said excitedly. "Sister Gong Xue, do you know how envious Zhu Lin and I are of you!"

"Envious of me? What do you envy about me?" Gong Xue had no idea what she had to envy.
She even envied Sister Zhu Lin and Liu Xiaoli, who had come to Hong Kong with Xuemin early on.

"How can I not be envious? Because of Teacher Cheng's new movie, the one with all foreign actors, there's a Chinese character in it, and that's you, Sister Gong Xue!"

"Zhu Lin and I don't even have a small role that gets any screen time!"

"Do you think we should envy you?"

This...

Upon hearing Liu Xiaoli's words, Gong Xue was overjoyed.

And so, time slowly passed as the three sisters reunited and chatted happily.

Around 6:30 in the evening, there was a knock on the door. Gong Xue's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly went to open the door.

Standing outside the door was Cheng Xuemin.

He was wearing a simple white shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows. His face showed a hint of fatigue from being busy, but his eyes were still sharp and bright.

Upon seeing Gong Xue, he gave her a gentle smile: "You've arrived? Was the journey smooth?"

"Xuemin... Comrade Xuemin!" Gong Xue was a little nervous and almost called him by the wrong name. He quickly corrected himself, "Smoothly! Everything went smoothly! Commander Wang was very supportive, and the procedures were completed very quickly."

Cheng Xuemin nodded, walked into the room, and saw Liu Xiaoli and Zhu Lin watching TV. He greeted them and asked, "Watching TV? Oh, is that Xu Wenqiang and Feng Chengcheng from Shanghai Bund?"

Cheng Xuemin's gaze swept across the room, and he saw that the TV was showing this version of Shanghai Bund starring Chow Yun-fat and Angie Chiu. He smiled and greeted them.

"Teacher Cheng!" Liu Xiaoli quickly stood up and greeted her.

"Xuemin, Gong Xue arrived this afternoon and has been waiting for you all afternoon!" Zhu Lin greeted him with a smile.

"Yes, I know, Manager Fu already told me!" Cheng Xuemin nodded and said, "Don't worry about me, keep watching your TV! Watch more and learn more!"

"I'd like to discuss the script with Comrade Gong Xue!"

Cheng Xuemin sat down on the sofa, gestured for Gong Xue to sit as well, and said to her, "Perfect timing, let's talk about the play. You've read part of the script for the character Lin, what are your thoughts?"

When the topic turned to her profession, Gong Xue's nervousness subsided considerably. She sat up straight and said earnestly:
“I’ve read the outline. I think Dr. Lin… she was one of the few people in that dark environment who still maintained a doctor’s benevolence and humanitarian spirit.”

She treated prisoners not just as patients, but as human beings. This warmth is especially precious in prison.

But her role isn't large, so how she manages to portray that sense of depth within those limited scenes is, I think, key.

Cheng Xuemin nodded approvingly: "You've got it right. Lin doesn't have many scenes, but every appearance he makes is significant."

She was a glimmer of light shining into Shawshank, not too bright, glaring; nor too dim, useless.

You need to carefully consider this balance.

Moreover, your co-stars this time are mainly American actors, with different acting systems and working methods, so you need to adapt as soon as possible.

"I understand! I will try my best!" Gong Xue nodded vigorously, her eyes resolute.

"And another thing!" Cheng Xuemin paused, his tone becoming more meaningful, "This time, when we're making 'Redemption,' our target isn't just Hong Kong, or just the mainland; it's the European and American markets, and international film festivals."

This is an extremely rare opportunity for you to broaden your horizons. Seize it.

Gong Xue's heart pounded. From Cheng Xuemin's words, she sensed immense expectations and a heavy responsibility.

He quickly replied, "I understand, Comrade Xuemin. I will cherish this opportunity and will never let you down!"

Just then, Fu Qi came and knocked on the door, saying that dinner had been arranged.

Cheng Xuemin stood up: "Let's go eat first. I'll also introduce you to some of our American colleagues who have already arrived."

Starting tomorrow, you will officially join the crew and participate in script readings and rehearsals.

……

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