Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 22 Big Head

In the evening, Zhang Yan arrived at Peking University Third Hospital again.

However, he didn't rush inside. Instead, he used a public phone outside to contact his family—he needed to explain Boss Hu's situation to his parents.

Zhang Xingguo had always thought the whole thing was unreliable, so after hearing what happened, he wasn't surprised at all. He complained a few times that Zhang Yan shouldn't have gone to the capital alone to take the risk, and then asked if there was any news about Zhou Nan.

"I went to the Beijing Film Studio this afternoon, but none of the people doing business nearby said they'd seen her." Zhang Yan didn't really want to talk about this, so he changed the subject and asked, "It's Sunday today, right? Where's Fangfang? Is there anything she wants this time?"

"Stop spending money recklessly!"

Zhang Xingguo offered a word of advice, then added, "If you insist on buying her something, then buy her a few workbooks and reference books—she's already in her final year of high school, and she's still going to the movies with her classmates, just like you were back then, so carefree!"

"I don't like hearing you say that."

Zhang Yan feigned displeasure and said, "If I had known, I wouldn't have asked Mr. Shi Tiesheng for your autograph."

"What?! You saw Shi Tiesheng?!"

Zhang Xingguo became excited upon hearing this.

Immediately afterwards, someone on the other end asked, "Brother-in-law, what's wrong? Who called?"

"It's nothing, just looking for Zhang Yan again."

Zhang Xingguo quickly replied with a reply, then lowered his voice and said, "Your second aunt is back, so we have to talk now—make sure you keep Teacher Shi's autograph safe, or mail it back to me if necessary."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Yan couldn't help but sigh deeply. He was in his own home, but his second aunt was making him feel like a thief.

There's no way around it. As long as you still care about family ties and reputation, this kind of thing is hard to handle. If things get out of hand, those people who are jealous of others' success won't care if you have any grievances. They'll just spread rumors that the Zhang family is now rich and arrogant and looks down on poor relatives.

Zhang Yan himself didn't care, but his parents definitely wouldn't accept it.

Moreover, it's very difficult to avoid such close relatives by moving...

Unless they move out of Ganges.

But what about our parents' jobs? And my younger sister is a senior in high school!

It seems we have to think of another way to intimidate my second aunt who's instigating this, otherwise this kind of thing will only get worse and worse in the future.

While pondering how to break the deadlock, Zhang Yan carried his things upstairs to the ward.

Dou Wei still looked half-dead.

According to Jiang Xin, Guo Chuanlin spent most of the day at the hospital trying to persuade Dou's version of "Dream Back to Tang Dynasty" to be renamed and used as the first original hit song for the Black Panther band.

Dou Wei initially disagreed firmly, and although he was forced to compromise later, he still gritted his teeth and refused to change the song title "Dreaming Back to the Tang Dynasty".

In the end, Guo Chuanlin had no choice but to let him have his way.

At this moment, Dou Wei sneered, "Didn't you all say that my version was also very good? Then why change the name?!"

This guy seems a bit self-destructive.

Zhang Yan took out his house key and handed it over, saying, "Since you're alright, I'll be heading back to Tianjin tomorrow afternoon. Consider this a pre-holiday farewell."

"Need not."

Dou Wei pushed the key back, saying in an unquestionable tone, "When you leave, just put the key under the flowerpot by the door."

He paused, then squeezed out two more words: "Thanks."

Zhang Yan asked with a smile, "Are you thanking me for helping you think of lyrics, or for coming all the way to visit you in the hospital?"

"I have everything, is that alright?"

Dou Wei gave a haughty snort: "If you're still not satisfied, this song can also be considered as your independently written lyrics!"

…………

After staying at Dou Wei's house for another night, Zhang Yan first went to the square to watch the flag-raising ceremony the next day, and then bought tomatoes, carrots, and four catties of beef at the vegetable market.

When he arrived at Shi Tiesheng's house with his things, the couple were chatting and sunbathing at the door.

"Little Zhang is here."

Shi Tiesheng smiled and waved, but when he saw Zhang Yan carrying something, he couldn't help but frown: "You came, but why did you bring something?" Zhang Yan held up the plastic bag and said: "Didn't you say the other day that you should improve your meals after receiving your royalties? So I came here to have a treat."

Seeing this, Chen Ximi was about to take the beef and vegetables from him.

Zhang Yan pulled his hand back: "Sister Chen, don't worry about it. I'll show you my skills today—just prepare a big clay pot for me."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Chen Ximi hurriedly led Zhang Yan to the kitchen.

Shi Tiesheng followed in his wheelchair, laughing, "Looks like I'm in for a treat today—by the way, I've already read your novel. The story is very interesting, and the writing style is also very interesting. If you ask me, it doesn't resemble Wang Shuo at all, but rather Wang Xiaobo."

"Wang Xiaobo?"

"Wang Xiaobo is a teacher at Peking University. Last year, he published a collection of short stories called 'Tang Dynasty Secret Stories,' which is also humorous and full of witty remarks. However, he is doing avant-garde literature and uses a lot of flashbacks and digressions, so it has a certain threshold to read."

When it comes to literature, Shi Tiesheng has endless things to say, from Zhang Yan's writing style to Wang Xiaobo, and from time travel to the exploration of avant-garde literature...

When it comes to discussing pure literature, Zhang Yan is somewhat lacking, but he can make up for it to some extent in terms of 'imagination'.

Chen Ximi assisted from the side, occasionally offering her own insights and opinions.

The three were chatting about all sorts of random things when they suddenly heard a voice from outside the door: "Is Teacher Tiesheng home?"

Shi Tiesheng quickly stopped talking and went out to greet them. Soon he brought in three people. The one in the lead was a middle-aged man with a big head, followed by a young, handsome man and a beautiful woman.

Seeing Chen Ximi busy in the kitchen, the man with the big head stopped to greet her, then looked at Zhang Yan with some curiosity: "And who is this?"

"This is Zhang Yan."

Shi Tiesheng explained, "Xiao Zhang has written a rather interesting novel, which is currently being serialized in a magazine. Some of the stories are very vivid, and I think it could be adapted into a screenplay."

script?

Zhang Yan's heart skipped a beat. He had long wanted to get involved in the film and television industry. Could it be that this opportunity had come knocking on his door?

Upon hearing this, Big Head glanced at Zhang Yan again and asked, "In which magazine was your novel serialized?"

"Uh~"

Zhang Yan said somewhat uncertainly, "It's the Tianjin Popular Fiction Newspaper."

Although Popular Fiction Newspaper has been selling quite well recently, it can only be considered second-rate among popular magazines, let alone compared with those high-class literary magazines.

"Oh, popular fiction."

Big Head immediately looked uninterested: "Teacher Tiesheng, let's talk about the movie casting first."

Shi Tiesheng wanted to say a few more words to help Zhang Yan, but Da Nao had already pushed his wheelchair into the study.

Chen Ximi quickly comforted him, "Xiao Zhang, don't take it to heart..."

"Sister Chen, I'm fine."

Zhang Yan cursed Big Head inwardly for not knowing what he was talking about. Many of the cases in his novel were adapted from future film and television classics. If he 'adapted' them back into the script, wouldn't that just be a screenplay?

When Chen Ximi heard him say that, she first brewed a pot of tea and sent it to the study. Then she explained in a low voice: "Last year, Wang Shuo took the lead and set up some kind of Seahorse Film Studio. Tie Sheng was also pulled in and prepared to adapt his works into film and television dramas. Later, this Director Chen took a liking to 'Life on a String'."

"The novel 'Life on a String' is going to be made into a movie?" Zhang Yan exclaimed excitedly. "My dad will be overjoyed!"

However, he hesitated for a moment: "Could those two just now be Little Blind Stone and Lanxiu? They don't seem to fit the characters in the book, do they?"

The story of "Life on a String" is set in the countryside, and the two young people in the house are a typical pretty boy and a beautiful and fashionable woman.

"Perhaps Director Chen has his own considerations."

Chen Ximi shook her head slightly: "When it comes to movies, we are, after all, laymen. This Director Chen is quite famous in the industry, and he is also the son of Director Chen Huaikai, so he can be said to have a family background in filmmaking."

Tsk~
So he's a director's son, no wonder he's so arrogant.

Zhang Yan had originally planned to have more conversations with Shi Tiesheng before leaving Beijing, but now Da Nao has ruined it all.

(End of this chapter)