Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 179, Section 177: A Conversation with Xiao Cui

In March 1998, as spring was gradually arriving across China, an entertainment whirlwind originating from Hong Kong, sparked by an 18-year-old girl from the southern city of Star City, swept across the country with a fervor far exceeding the changing seasons.

Cecilia Cheung, whose name is associated with the title of "Super Girl" champion and her dramatic "Hong Kong Rose in Adversity" image, made an astonishing leap from show champion to national cultural phenomenon in the days following the finale.

Its influence has already exceeded the scope of simple entertainment news.

Starting the day after the finals, almost all major media outlets across the country, especially those keen-nosed metropolitan newspapers and evening newspapers, placed the news of Cecilia Cheung's victory on the front page of their culture and entertainment sections.

Hong Kong girl realizes her dream in mainland China; Cecilia Cheung sheds tears on the night of her "Super Girl" victory!

"I want to bring my mom and brother to the mainland!" — The simple wish of newly crowned champion Cecilia Cheung

From being rescued from a nightclub to being crowned champion, Cecilia Cheung's legendary comeback...

Similar headlines filled the newspapers, detailing her victory, recounting her troubled background of "gambling father, being chased by debts, and seeking security," and her core desire to "earn enough money to bring her mother and younger brother to live in the mainland."

However, what truly propelled this enthusiasm to its peak and imbued it with special significance in this era was the endorsement from official media.

On Monday, March 9th, the China Youth Daily, a nationally distributed newspaper supervised by a certain authoritative institution, published a commentary entitled "Super Girl and Emotional Resonance Across the Strait" in a prominent position on its second page.

The article does not stop at discussing the entertainment value of the program, but cleverly combines Cecilia Cheung's personal choices with the flow of public opinion after Hong Kong's return to China and the attraction brought by the reform and opening up of the mainland.

The article states: "A young girl who grew up in the complex environment of Hong Kong Island and faced real difficulties realized her personal dream through the cultural platform of the mainland and expressed her strong desire for her family to move north and share peace and development."

This is not merely a turning point in an individual's life, but also a vivid microcosm of the increasingly close ties between the two regions and the growing cohesion within the mainland during a specific historical period… "Super Girl" has built not only a musical stage, but also a bridge connecting hearts, allowing more people to see the inclusiveness, vitality, and opportunities of mainland society.

Following this, CCTV-1's "News 30 Minutes" program, while reporting on cultural phenomena, also briefly mentioned the "Super Girl" finals and Cecilia Cheung's victory in a news brief, with a shot of Cecilia Cheung holding the trophy and crying with emotion.

Although it only lasts for a short ten seconds, its symbolic meaning is enormous!

The official media's pronouncements and exposure are like stamping Cecilia Cheung's story with an "official certification."

This emboldened local media to be bolder and more in-depth in their reporting, and also elevated Cecilia Cheung's image beyond that of an ordinary entertainment star, giving her the aura of a "typical figure of the times."

Public opinion reacted extremely enthusiastically to this.

With less than a year having passed since Hong Kong's return to China, Cecilia Cheung, a "success story" of "escaping" the old environment of Hong Kong and yearning for a new life on the mainland, greatly satisfied the sense of pride and curiosity of the mainland people.

Her mixed-race beauty, resilient personality, and tragic background constitute a near-perfect "feel-good" narrative, sparking widespread discussion and sympathy from students on campus to ordinary people on the streets.

"This girl has had such a tough life, and she's so filial!"

"It seems that everything is not good on Hong Kong Island. It's still more stable on the mainland."

"I hope she can bring her mother over soon!"

Similar remarks are commonplace.

Cecilia Cheung's popularity is astonishing.

The same silver sequined mini-skirt she wore when she won the championship became the most sought-after replica in the clothing wholesale markets of southern coastal cities almost overnight.

Although pirated tapes of her Cantonese version of "Love You Ten Thousand Years" with poor sound quality were already ubiquitous, the legitimate record company quickly contacted Enlight Media, hoping to obtain authorization to release a single EP.

Faced with this sudden and terrifying surge in attention and the enormous business opportunities that followed, Enlight Media was both pleased and worried.

The good news is that the show was a huge success and created a bright new star; the bad news is that the company's newly established artist management system was almost overwhelmed by the tsunami of demand.

Countless advertising endorsement invitations, commercial performance quotes, media interview requests, script deliveries... came flying in like snowflakes, and the phone on my desk rang non-stop from morning till night.

Some other outstanding players who were recently signed have almost fallen silent in the face of this "Cecilia Cheung whirlwind".

Realizing that Cecilia Cheung had become the company's and even the entire alliance's most commercially valuable and promotional "trump card" at this stage, Tsai Yinong made a decision that seemed somewhat "condescending" to others.

She personally took over as Cecilia Cheung's agent!

As the company's co-founder and vice president, she was directly responsible for all of Cecilia Cheung's agency affairs, including selecting partners, negotiating prices, arranging schedules, and dealing with the media.

“Porcelain is now our most important asset, and a key test of whether our star-making model can continue.” Cai Yinong explained to Wang Changtian and Wang Sheng (by phone) with a serious expression during an internal meeting: “The most experienced person must be in charge to avoid any possible decision-making errors and waste of resources. I will directly mentor her until she is stable and we have cultivated a sufficiently professional executive management team.”

Wang Sheng simply replied on the other end of the phone, "It's up to you. Remember to attend events with plenty of bodyguards and warn her not to act alone."

So, in the days that followed, people often saw the capable and sophisticated Cai Yinong personally accompanying the slightly green but already showing star quality Zhang Bozhi to various occasions, shielding her from the media, negotiating contracts for her, and handling everything personally, big or small.

The subsequent value of the "Super Girl" program itself was also amplified infinitely with Cecilia Cheung's sudden rise to fame.

Immediately after the finals concluded, the six regional television stations involved in the collaboration (Hunan Province, Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu Province, and Sichuan Province) exercised their right of first refusal in accordance with the original agreement, securing the broadcasting rights for the national finals of "Super Girl" and some of the recorded episodes at a considerable price.

The so-called "recorded tapes" are the main medium used by television stations for broadcasting. In the late 1990s, before digital broadcasting systems became widespread, these physical magnetic tapes were the standard carriers for program distribution.

But that's far from enough! Other local TV stations that were unable to participate in the collaboration, seeing the unprecedented popularity of the program, also came knocking on the door with checks, hoping to purchase the rebroadcast rights.

"Old Wang, we're old friends. You absolutely have to give our station a copy of the 'Super Girl' tapes this time. We can discuss the price!"

"Our viewers are so vocal in their demands that if we can't broadcast it live, a rebroadcast would be great!"

Wang Changtian's office phone was ringing off the hook.

Faced with this sudden buying frenzy, Enlight Media and Hunan TV quickly negotiated and formulated a tiered pricing system for rebroadcast rights.

Despite the high prices, orders continued to pour in.

Starting in mid-March, whether on the first-round cooperating TV stations or on local satellite and regional TV stations that subsequently purchased rebroadcast rights, as long as the competition recordings of "Super Girl" were broadcast during prime time in the evening or on weekend afternoons, especially the episodes related to Cecilia Cheung, the ratings soared without exception.

Many viewers who missed the live broadcast or wanted to relive the game tuned in to their televisions on time.

The viewing experience of "known outcome" did not diminish their enthusiasm; on the contrary, it brought a sense of participation, like "witnessing the birth of a legend."

Cecilia Cheung's thrilling advancement in the revival round and her rock performance in the finals, every time they are replayed, sparks a new wave of small-scale discussions in social circles.

This "replay craze" continues to spread, and it has even been broadcast in the closed-circuit television systems of factories and enterprises in some economically developed areas as content to enrich the cultural life of employees, and its influence has truly penetrated into the grassroots.

However, what truly propelled Cecilia Cheung to another peak of public attention and left an indelible mark on her in March 1998 was her invitation to participate in a top-rated talk show on CCTV, "Tell It Like It Is."

At this moment, the host was Xiao Cui, who was deeply loved by the audience for his unique "awkward" humor and sharp yet gentle questioning style.

On the day of the recording, Cecilia Cheung entered the studio accompanied by Tsai Yi-nong.

She wore a simple blue dress and light makeup, looking completely different from her radiant stage presence; she seemed more like a girl next door.

Facing Cui Yongyuan and the audience, she was initially a little nervous, gripping the microphone tightly with both hands.

As always, Xiao Cui's opening remarks were approachable. Instead of directly touching on her background, he started by talking about his feelings about participating in the competition, gradually guiding her to relax.

When the conversation naturally turned to her family and future plans, Cecilia Cheung's eyes became firm.

“I participated in the competition because I wanted to earn more money.” She did not shy away from the question and spoke candidly in accented Mandarin about her goal, which seemed somewhat “direct” or even “utilitarian” in the current context: “I want to take my mother and younger brother away from the environment on Hong Kong Island. There are some people and some things there that make me feel very unsafe.”

The scene fell silent; the audience was moved by her directness and the weight behind it.

Xiao Cui astutely grasped the key point and gently pressed further: "So, your first destination is the mainland, is that right?"

Cecilia Cheung nodded emphatically without the slightest hesitation: "Yes!"

She paused, as if organizing her thoughts, then looked up at Cui Yongyuan and the camera with clear eyes, and continued, "Actually, before Mr. Wang discovered me and brought me to the mainland, I thought about taking my family to live in Australia or England. I felt that those places might be... farther away and safer."

She changed the subject, her tone becoming sincere and warm: "But after coming to the mainland, I found that... this place is completely different from what I imagined."

Her voice rose slightly, filled with the surprise of discovery and genuine admiration: "This place is so big and vibrant. Buildings and roads are being built all around, it seems to be changing every day. There are so many people working hard here for a better life. Most importantly, I feel very safe and secure."

“When walking at night, you don’t have to worry about running into gangsters; no one will come to collect debts or threaten your family; the people around you seem…seem quite friendly and helpful.” She tried to describe her feelings with her limited vocabulary: “Although the pace of life may not be as fast as in Hong Kong Island, this sense of security and hope is what my mother and I need most.”

“I’m participating in a competition here. The people at the company treat me very well. They arranged accommodation for me, taught me to speak Mandarin, and helped me deal with reporters. I feel that this is the place where I can start over and give my family a truly stable life.”

She didn't use fancy words, only simple observations and genuine feelings, but it was this unadorned authenticity that moved countless viewers at the scene and in front of their televisions.

Xiao Cui was also touched by her candor and concluded: "So, it's not that the moon is rounder abroad, but rather that the development, stability, and human warmth here truly attract you and make you feel that this is where you belong."

"Yes! That's exactly what I mean!" Cecilia Cheung nodded vigorously, a bright and relieved smile on her face.

This episode of "Tell It Like It Is" aired on a weekend evening in late March and once again sparked a huge social response.

Cecilia Cheung's statement, "This is where I can start over," and her description of the mainland as "safe, secure, and hopeful," were disseminated to countless households through official media platforms.

The official media keenly grasped the positive significance of this signal, and in some subsequent reports, they quoted her remarks on the program more prominently, portraying her as a representative of Hong Kong youth who "voted with their feet" and recognized the development of the mainland.

In the public eye, her image is also more complete and down-to-earth.

People admire her filial piety and resilience, and also like her straightforwardness and honesty.

"This girl is genuine and doesn't pretend!"

"That's right, things are getting better here every day!"

"I hope she has a successful career in mainland China and can bring her family here to reunite with her soon."

Cecilia Cheung, this 18-year-old girl from Hong Kong Island, took off with a talent show. With the help of official media, she finally made a name for herself in March 1998 through a sincere television interview, leaving a distinct and unique mark on the hearts of countless Chinese people.

(End of this chapter)