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

Speaking of trophies!

Before he finished speaking, a series of light but slightly hurried footsteps came from outside the office door.

Accompanied by a clear female voice, filled with barely suppressed excitement and a hint of caution:
"Old factory director, old factory director! I've brought the trophy over, it's a gold medal, a grand gold medal from France!"

The voice of Liu Xiaoli, the "Fairy Mom"!
She had clearly carried the trophy all the way up from downstairs; her cheeks were slightly flushed, and fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead.

She was holding a long, rectangular box wrapped in deep red velvet tightly in her arms. The box didn't look big, but she held it with unusual solemnity, as if she were holding some fragile, rare treasure.

Her eyes sparkled, filled with undisguised admiration when she looked at Cheng Xuemin, and with boundless pride when she turned to the old factory director!
"A prize, a trophy?! Come in, come in quickly, Xiao Liu!!"

"Slow down, slow down! Be careful not to fall!"

At this moment, the old factory director, seeing the box in Liu Xiaoli's hand, greeted her without being too nervous.

His face was beaming with endless smiles!
The somewhat exasperated mood that Liang Xiaosheng had just stirred up was now largely dispelled by this real trophy, a symbol of supreme honor!

Liu Xiaoli responded and carefully carried the box inside.

She first gave Cheng Xuemin a quick, respectful smile before turning her gaze to the old factory director.

Finally, the attention fell on Liang Xiaosheng, who was scratching his head and craning his neck to look into her arms. He paused for a moment, then nodded politely.

"Old factory director, look, this is the Palme d'Or trophy."

Liu Xiaoli walked to the old factory director's desk and gently placed the deep red velvet box on the table, her movements as gentle as if she were placing a newborn baby.

She took a deep breath, reached out, her fingertips trembling slightly, and unfastened the small gold clasp on the front of the box.

A soft click sounded particularly clear in the suddenly quiet office.

Liang Xiaosheng held his breath, stretching his neck even further.

Cheng Xuemin watched quietly as well!

The old factory director stood up from his chair, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently at the box.

Liu Xiaoli opened the box!
In that instant, it was as if a ray of frozen sunlight flowed out from the deep red velvet background!
The afternoon sunlight streaming through the office window fell perfectly on that golden expanse, reflecting a soft yet radiant glow that wasn't glaring.

Yet it possesses a weighty, undeniable quality.

It was an elegantly designed and unique trophy!

The main body consists of nineteen hollowed-out, curved golden palm leaves, which are inlaid on a crystal base with exquisite craftsmanship.

The palm leaves have smooth lines and different postures, layer upon layer, stretching upwards, as if swaying gently in the breeze, or as if they are embracing some kind of invisible glory.

The base is a regular rectangular crystal, neatly cut, crystal clear, and you can faintly see the fine texture inside!

The trophy itself isn't particularly huge, but the sense of solemnity, elegance, and preciousness conveyed by the combination of gold and crystal is overwhelming!

"This is... the Palme d'Or?"

Liang Xiaosheng murmured unconsciously, his voice very soft, as if afraid of disturbing this tranquil splendor.

He instinctively took two steps forward, his eyes almost touching the trophy.

As a writer, he had seen too many descriptions of honor, but to see it with his own eyes and be so close to the physical statue that symbolizes the highest hall of glory in the world of cinema was something else entirely!
That kind of impact is something that no words can describe.

It is so real, so concrete, lying there quietly, yet it seems to be silently telling the story of the applause and flashing lights on the Cannes beach.

And the arrival of a historic moment for Chinese cinema, for Cheng Xuemin's cinema!

The old factory director did not speak immediately.

He reached out, as if to touch it, but his fingers stopped a few centimeters away from the trophy!

The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by a complex expression that mixed excitement, emotion, relief, and even a hint of barely perceptible seriousness!
He squinted slightly, carefully examining every detail of the trophy, inch by inch!
The palm leaves shimmering with a warm glow, the crystal base that was crystal clear, and the tiny inscription on the base that, at this moment, seemed incredibly heavy to him.

"Golden Palm..." The old factory director's lips moved silently as he murmured to himself.

His fingers finally fell gently, not to take the trophy, but to lightly brush the edge of the cool, smooth crystal base.

The touch was hard and cold, yet it seemed to carry a warmth that had traveled across the ocean.

"Okay, okay..."

The old factory director exclaimed in amazement, "This trophy has come to the Beijing Film Studio, to China. It represents far more than just an honor!"
It is also a brand new beginning, full of challenges.

"Old factory director, please...please pick it up and take a look."

Liu Xiaoli whispered a reminder from the side, her eyes also shining.

She was the first person to receive the trophy from Cheng Xuemin and escorted him all the way here!
That feeling of immense pride made her incredibly excited at that moment.

The old factory director seemed to come to his senses at this moment. He rubbed his hands together as if trying to remove non-existent dust.

Then he reached out with both hands and carefully lifted the Palme d'Or trophy from the velvet cushion.

The movements were slow and steady, with an almost reverent solemnity.

The trophy was slightly heavier than he had imagined!
The density of gold and the texture of crystal are clearly conveyed through the palm of your hand.

The old factory director held the trophy in both hands, raising it slightly to allow the sunlight from the window to shine on it more brightly.

Nineteen golden palm leaves shimmer with a restrained yet luxurious luster under the light, and the veins of each leaf are clearly visible, making them lifelike!

"it's beautiful……"

The old factory director murmured a sigh, it was unclear whether he was referring to the craftsmanship of the trophy or to the honor itself.

As he gently rotated the trophy, admiring it from different angles, a smile slowly returned to his face.

The smile grew wider and wider, until it became an undisguised, hearty laugh.

"Haha, excellent! What a magnificent Palme d'Or! It carries great weight, and its significance is even greater! Scholar, ah!"

He then looked up at Cheng Xuemin, his eyes filled with admiration and pride, and exclaimed, "You lad, you've really brought back a golden goose for us and for the country!"

Liang Xiaosheng, who was watching from the side, had been itching to see the trophy, his eyes practically glued to it.

Seeing the old factory director holding it in his hands and examining it closely, he became even more anxious, scratching his head and cheeks. He couldn't help but take two steps closer, rubbing his hands together, and asking expectantly:
"Old factory manager, I...can I touch it? Just once! Just one touch!"

The old factory director glanced at him sideways, and seeing Liang Xiaosheng's impatient and eager expression, his initial annoyance at being interrupted vanished, replaced by amusement. He then snorted irritably, "Touch? Is this something you can just touch? It's precious!"

Even so, she still carefully lowered the trophy slightly and handed it to Liang Xiaosheng, saying, "Be careful, just look at it, don't be clumsy!"

"Yes! Yes! Be careful! Be careful!" Liang Xiaosheng agreed repeatedly, as if he had received a great blessing.

He quickly wiped his hands vigorously on his pants, as if there was something dirty on them.

Then, holding his breath, he extended a finger and, tremblingly and very gently, touched the tip of a palm leaf on the trophy.

A cold, hard sensation came through!
Liang Xiaosheng seemed to have been burned, his finger suddenly retracted and paused in mid-air.

Then he reached out again, this time with his fingertips, and gently stroked the curved edge of the palm leaf.

His expression was peculiar, a mixture of awe, excitement, disbelief, and a hint of dazedness.

For a creator, especially a writer in the film industry, the Cannes Palme d'Or is almost a legendary achievement, an unattainable star.

Now, this star is presented to him in such a concrete and real way.

Moreover, it was personally brought back by the young factory director in front of him, whom he regarded as a source of inspiration and a mentor!
"It really is...it's a real Palme d'Or..."

Liang Xiaosheng murmured, reluctantly removing his fingers from the trophy, and looked up at Cheng Xuemin, his eyes overflowing with admiration and respect.

"Xuemin... no, Director Cheng, I... I'm truly convinced! I'm completely convinced!"

“I used to think that it was already amazing that you could write good articles and scripts and make good movies.”

"I never expected... I never expected you to bring this back! This... this is simply..."

He pondered for a long time but couldn't find a suitable adjective. Finally, he stomped his foot and managed to squeeze out a sentence:
"That's incredible! Absolutely amazing!"

Cheng Xuemin just smiled and said the same thing: "It's all thanks to everyone, to our entire crew, to our entire Yan Film Studio!"

"It's your achievement, so what's there to be modest about!"

The old factory director interrupted Cheng Xuemin and carefully put the trophy back into the velvet box.

But his hand didn't leave; it remained gently resting on the lid, as if guarding something.

"Without you, Cheng Xuemin, there would be no creativity and perseverance in 'Redemption,' and there would be no chance to make it to Cannes!"

"No one can deny this! The ministry and the higher-ups see it clearly!"

He patted the trophy box, looked at Cheng Xuemin with deep eyes: "Xuemin, this trophy is an honor, an affirmation, but it is also pressure, a whip."

"It's placed here at our Beijing Film Studio to constantly remind us, and everyone else, that we Chinese filmmakers can do it!"

"We can not only make movies that our countrymen love, but also movies that the world recognizes and that attract global attention!"

"But going forward, how to safeguard this honor and how to create more works worthy of it—the road ahead is long and the burden is heavy!"

Cheng Xuemin nodded solemnly: "I understand, old factory director!"

The old factory director finally gave a satisfied "hmm," his expression softening as he sat back down in his chair.

He said to Liu Xiaoli, "Xiao Liu, I'll keep this trophy for you for a couple of days."

"The ministry and China Film Group may need to arrange a unified promotional event, which will require a presentation."

"Once the arrangements are finalized, we'll discuss whether to put it in the factory history exhibition hall or on the east side."

"Go ahead and get busy. Notify the broadcasting station that the meeting at 10 o'clock will start on time!"

"Yes, old factory director!" Liu Xiaoli responded loudly, then couldn't help but glance at the golden palm tree lying quietly in the box, her eyes filled with reluctance.

But she still turned around and left deftly, carefully closing the door behind her.

Liang Xiaosheng was still immersed in the shock and excitement of touching the Palme d'Or when he watched the trophy being put away, and a look of regret appeared on his face.

However, the creative fire ignited by the new story idea quickly surged up again, mixed with the excitement of seeing the Palme d'Or in person, making him feel hot all over and restless.

Two voices are shouting in his head right now, one yelling for the Palme d'Or! Chinese cinema has risen up!

The other is in the world of screaming heroes! Extraordinary people! Treasure hunting! Conspiracy! Write it down quickly! Write it down!

These two extreme emotions collided and surged in his chest, leaving him in a state of high excitement and some confusion.

He glanced at Cheng Xuemin, who was deep in thought, and then at the old factory director, who was stroking the trophy box as if he were planning something. He felt that it was somewhat inappropriate for him to stay here any longer.

Moreover, the sparks of inspiration in his mind were crackling, urging him to immediately return to his pen and paper.

"Um... Old Factory Director, Xuemin, you two keep chatting, business is more important! I... I'll head back now!"

Liang Xiaosheng finally couldn't contain himself any longer. He pointed to the door, forced a hurried yet somewhat apologetic smile, and then explained:
"I need to quickly jot down those thoughts and strike while the iron is hot! The Palme d'Or is so inspiring! I'll come back later to offer my congratulations!"

"Xuemin, you have to tell me all about Cannes later!"

After saying that, he didn't wait for their response, turned around and walked towards the door, this time making sure to close it gently behind him.

But the moment the door closed, the sound of his hurried footsteps, almost running, receding into the distance could be heard outside.

As the footsteps quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor, the old factory director shook his head and chuckled, "That kid... I think he's really gone mad!"

"One minute he's so anxious about an idea he's about to hang himself, the next he's ecstatic about winning the Palme d'Or, and now he's running off like his pants are on fire, all for that little bit of inspiration."

"My mind is never at peace!"

Cheng Xuemin nodded in agreement, smiled, and said, "Sometimes, creative people need this kind of crazy drive."

"He's been stimulated by the new ideas, and the Palme d'Or has added fuel to the fire. Now his thoughts are flowing like a spring, and there's no stopping him!"

"I hope he can actually write something different." The old factory director picked up his now-cold tea, took a sip, smacked his lips, put down the teacup, tapped his fingers on the table, and then brought the topic back to reality, saying, "Let's get down to business! Do you have a clear idea of ​​what's going on your trip to Hong Kong this time?"

"That four hundred million US dollars is no small sum. The negotiation table is a battleground, no less intense than making a movie."

……

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