Entertainment: 1990

Chapter 50 Exploring the Path

At noon that day.

As usual, Xu Fan picked up yesterday's newspaper from the reception room and walked towards the female students' dormitory while flipping through it.

The internship at Beijing People's Art Theatre was more rigorous than I had imagined. The trainees were not even allowed to go out freely and could only learn about the outside world through these old newspapers.

Suddenly, Xu Fan stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on a current affairs report: Zhang Yan, the famous author who sold 200,000 copies in two months and created and led the time-travel novel craze, is about to arrive in Beijing to hold a book signing event.

No matter how well a magazine sells, there's still a barrier between it and the market.

However, Xu Fan could still roughly judge the value of a single volume selling 200,000 copies in two months, after all, compared to other books, Wang Shuo's books only sold 300,000 copies.

Thinking about the "Tianjin Wei" series that he had given up, Xu Fan felt even more regret.

When we returned to the female students' dormitory.

Xu Fan placed Zhang Yan's advertisement in the most prominent position, then pushed open the door and called out, "Jiang Shan, what... what are you doing?"

But Jiang Shan was hanging upside down on the upper bunk, her light blue vest rolled up to her armpits, revealing her snow-white belly and half of her bra.

"So tired, so bored."

Jiang Shan swayed her body as if in a trance and said, "I'm almost withered and desperately need the nourishment of love."

Xu Fan glanced at the newspaper in his hand and asked, "What about Zhang Yan? I haven't seen you contact him recently."

"Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst."

Jiang Shan sighed, "Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye, and I've almost forgotten what he looks like—it's true that you have to find a man by your side, someone who cares about you, someone who's warm in winter and cool in summer..."

"Since you've already given up."

Xu Fan waved the newspaper in his hand: "You don't want to read the report about Zhang Yan coming to Beijing for a book signing anymore, do you?"

"what?"

Jiang Shan flipped over and sat back on the top bunk, grabbed the newspaper, glanced at it, and then excitedly said, "Great! I'll call him right now and see when he can get to Beijing!"

I saw her climb down from the top bunk and run outside in her slippers.

Xu Fan quickly reminded him, "What's the use of your anxiety? We can't get out of here."

"Then let him come."

Jiang Shan replied without hesitation, "If they won't let us out, can they stop our family from visiting? Just say it's your brother."

Why don't you just say it's your brother?

"Nonsense, wouldn't that be incest?!"

Xu Fan was speechless, choked by her outrageous words, and could only watch her run downstairs.

…………

In preparation for his evening appointment with Wang Shuo, Zhang Yan went to get a bath beforehand and then went to a hair salon to get a buzz cut—not the common kind these days, but a future improved version.

Zhang Yan even drew a sketch specifically for this purpose.

After I finished, I looked in the mirror and felt much refreshed.

After paying the bill, Zhang Yan was walking towards the hotel when his pager suddenly vibrated. He took it out and saw that it was a landline number starting with 010.

He had a feeling that it was probably Jiang Shan calling, so he found a public phone and called back. Sure enough, it was the Beijing People's Art Theatre's reception office.

Then Jiang Shan's cheerful voice came through the phone: "Writer, where are you now?"

Hey ~
Buying a pager isn't all good; at least it's not so easy to disappear now.

Fortunately, Zhang Yan could lie easily: "I'll be in Beijing tomorrow—didn't we already make an appointment? I'll come to the Beijing People's Art Theatre to see you then."

"real?!"

Jiang Shan was overjoyed, and immediately covered the microphone and whispered, "Then when you come, just say that you are Xu Fan's brother, Xu Yan—yes, the Beijing People's Art Theatre is very strict, you can't get in if you don't say it like that."

hang up the phone.

Zhang Yan couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Although he had guessed that their old feelings might rekindle, he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly and so proactively.

Never mind, I'll go take a look anyway.

As the saying goes, having more 'friends' means having more paths to take. Since I don't intend to lock myself in with Chen Hong, I might as well consider this a preliminary exploration.

So he bought some fruit, drinks, and pastries nearby, divided them into two bags, one large and one small, and then hailed a taxi to go straight to the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

to the place.

The first thing that catches the eye is the towering Capital Theatre—like many landmark buildings in Beijing, it is also in the Soviet style.

Following Jiang Shan's directions, Zhang Yan went around to the side entrance and introduced himself as Xu Fan's brother to the gatekeeper.

"Didn't you say you'd come tomorrow?"

"Hehe, I just wanted to give her a surprise."

Zhang Yan smiled broadly and even handed two apples through the window. The old man, without even looking up, simply said, "Show me your ID to register."

Zhang Yan was stunned and even began to wonder if Jiang Shan was deliberately setting him up.

"Humph~"

The old gatekeeper stood up and said disdainfully, "Your methods are all things that others have already done."

As he spoke, he unlatched the small door and called out, "Come in. The interns should all be rehearsing at the theater. Just go through that door."

Zhang Yan was somewhat stunned. He knew it was a lie, so why did they let him in?

"What are you looking at? Aren't you Xu Fan's boyfriend? What era are we living in, still calling each other 'brother' and 'sister'?"

Although the older folks criticized me for being old-fashioned, I managed to pass the test smoothly.

Following the directions, Zhang Yan entered the theater and saw a dozen young people gathered in a circle on the stage, with a male and female actor demonstrating and explaining in the center.

I didn't recognize the man, but I was very familiar with the woman—wasn't that Song Dandan, who starred in "The Overpopulation Guerrilla Team"? It turns out she's also an actress from the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Seeing that a lecture was being given on stage, Zhang Yan did not dare to disturb it. Instead, he found a corner to sit down and waited quietly for the lecture to come to an end.

This wait lasted for half an hour.

However, instead of Jiang Shan, Xu Fan arrived.

"Just wait a little longer."

Xu Fan sat down in the seat in front of Zhang Yan and turned around to say, "Jiang Shan was caught daydreaming by Sister Dan Dan and is getting a scolding now."

"I saw it."

As Zhang Yan spoke, he picked up a plastic bag and asked, "Fruit, snacks, or drinks, which do you prefer?"

"no need."

Xu Fan waved his hand and asked curiously, "Is it true that your book sold 200,000 copies, as the newspaper said?"

"Half truth, half lie."

Zhang Yan put the plastic bag back down and shrugged, saying, "The original print run is 200,000 copies and they're still not all sold. The pirated copies are probably no less than a million."

Xu Fan fell silent for no apparent reason, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

"Xu Fan~"

Just then, a young man with small eyes and a bulbous nose came over, leaned against the back of the folding chair, and asked with a sly grin, "Who's this? Can you introduce me?"

"He Bing, what's it to you?"

Xu Fan rolled his eyes at him, about to shoo him away, when he saw Zhang Yan pick up the bag of snacks again, stuff it directly into He Bing's arms, and ask with a smile, "Do you think this description is substantial enough?"

He Bing glanced down, quickly pulled his vest into his arms, and said with a big smile, "That's enough, that's enough. This is the first time I've ever seen such a generous and proper introduction—you guys chat, you guys chat."

As he spoke, he hunched over, clutched his stomach, and crawled backstage.

After taking two steps, he sneakily turned back and winked at Zhang Yan: "Hey, the grass in the northwest corner of the yard is growing really thick, it's completely blocking out the open space behind it."

Just then, Jiang Shan walked over and asked in surprise, "He Bing, what are you doing?"

"It's nothing, my stomach..."

He Bing tried to cover up, but Jiang Shan lifted his vest and saw the big bag of snacks. She immediately looked at Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan picked up the small but exquisite bag and showed it to Jiang Shan. Jiang Shan's eyes narrowed with laughter, and then she turned around and shouted, "Squad leader, He Bing is going to hog all the tribute!"

Non-defect image:

"dare!"

A burly man immediately surrounded He Bing with seven or eight other people and carried him away along with the bag of snacks.

Seeing this, Xu Fan also prepared to get up and leave.

Jiang Shan quickly stopped her and asked Zhang Yan with a smile, "What are our plans for tonight, author who has sold 200,000 copies?"

Xu Fan frowned: "Are you able to get out tonight?"

"Oh dear, isn't your brother here?"

So that's what she was planning when she stopped Xu Fan.

Zhang Yan shrugged and said, "I'm afraid it can't be arranged. Someone is trying to get a meeting with me tonight through connections."

"Who is it?"

Jiang Shan said unhappily, "Do you think you have more face than us two beautiful ladies?"

"Wang Shuo hosted the dinner, and Professor Shi Tiesheng acted as the middleman."

(End of this chapter)