Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 241, Page 239: A Letter from an Artistic Girl

The hustle and bustle of the wrap party receded like the tide.

Sitting in the company's newly purchased 97 imported Audi A6 (C5), Wang Sheng's fingertips unconsciously traced the edge of the envelope, where the creases left by the girl in her hasty escape still seemed to remain.

Da Jun drove silently straight to Wang Sheng's current residence—the Beijing Hilton Hotel next to the Jingxin Building.

The street scene outside the car window rushed past, neon lights flashing, outlining the restlessness and prosperity of Beijing on a summer night in 1999.

……

Meanwhile, another Audi arranged by the company was taking Fan Xiaopang and Gao Yuanyuan back to their hotel.

The atmosphere inside the car was somewhat awkward.

Fan Xiaopang was clearly still immersed in the excitement of the rising popularity of "Flying Colors" and his own soaring popularity. He kept talking non-stop, from which dish was the best tonight to the latest audience feedback on "The Legendary Twins", and then looking forward to his future acting career. His cheeks were rosy, like a plump and juicy peach.

Gao Yuanyuan leaned quietly against the car window, gazing at the dazzling street scene outside, but her eyes were unfocused.

Her heart was still pounding uncontrollably, and the sensation of handing over the letter still lingered in her palm—a mixture of cold and burning sensation.

The courage I mustered at the banquet had long since been exhausted, leaving only boundless lingering fear, shyness, and a faint...hope.

Did he see it?

What will he think?
Will he think I'm ridiculous?

Various thoughts churned in her mind like boiling bubbles.

"Yuanyuan?" Fan Xiaopang finally noticed the unusual silence around her. She leaned closer and carefully examined Gao Yuanyuan's profile in the light streaming through the window. "What's wrong? You've been distracted ever since we came out. Are you feeling unwell?"

"Huh? No...no." Gao Yuanyuan snapped back to reality, instinctively sitting up straight, her eyes darting nervously away from Fan Xiaopang's probing gaze: "I'm just...a little tired."

Fan Xiaopang blinked her big eyes suspiciously, clearly not believing this explanation.

She suddenly smiled slyly, like a little fox who had discovered a secret, and abruptly pressed her ear against Gao Yuanyuan's left chest.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Gao Yuanyuan was startled by her actions, and her body instantly stiffened.

Fan Xiaopang raised his head, a confident smile on his face, pointed at Gao Yuanyuan, and said in a low voice, but couldn't hide his mockery: "Liar! Yuanyuan, your heart is beating so fast! Thump thump thump, like a drum!"
"Tell me! Have you done something wrong? Or... have you secretly fallen for someone?"

Gao Yuanyuan's face flushed bright red instantly, all the way to her ears. Fortunately, the dim lighting inside the car concealed her embarrassment.

She pushed Fan Xiaopang away forcefully, tried to remain calm, and smoothed her hair. Her voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly: "You...you're talking nonsense! I'm just...I'm just excited because my first real starring role in a movie has wrapped up filming, is that wrong?"

This reason seems plausible.

Fan Xiaopang recalled that when he finished filming his first major role, he was so excited that he couldn't sleep well for several days.

She nodded understandingly, her joking expression fading. She patted Gao Yuanyuan on the shoulder and comforted her in a knowing tone, "I understand! I felt the same way when I finished filming my first leading role! Don't worry, you'll be even more excited when our movie 'First Love' is released! Seeing yourself on screen then, the feeling... wow..."

Gao Yuanyuan gave a vague reply, secretly relieved that she had managed to fool them for the time being.

She turned her gaze back to the window; the night was hazy, just like her chaotic thoughts.

……

A black Audi A6 smoothly stopped in front of the Hilton Hotel next to the Jingxin Building.

The doorman respectfully opened the car door. Wang Sheng nodded slightly and walked straight into the hotel lobby.

Bright, dazzling lights, gleaming marble floors, well-trained staff... everything showcases the standardized service and luxurious atmosphere of an international chain hotel.

This is a suite that Wang Sheng rented for a long time after the company moved to Jingxin Building. It is more of a fully-equipped temporary station than a "home".

Swipe your card and enter.

The motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on automatically.

Wang Sheng took off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the sofa in the living room. He loosened his tie, walked to the mini bar, and poured himself a glass of ice water.

The condensation on the glass brought a touch of coolness, and he tilted his head back and drank most of the glass before his parched throat was relieved.

Then he walked to the desk and sat down.

The desk lamp cast a warm glow, enveloping the light blue letter.

The letter was pulled out; it was a light blue stationery with the same delicate texture. As it was unfolded, a faint, sweet fragrance belonging to a young girl wafted out.

Her handwriting is neat and elegant, with a touch of the graceful and deliberately refined style characteristic of an artistic girl.

Line after line, covering the entire sheet of paper.

[Director Wang, or, may I secretly call you Wang Sheng?]
The story begins with a cautious probe.

[When you see this letter, I guess you might be a little surprised, or maybe... not at all. You're always like that, as if you see through everything and have everything under control.]
Filming for "A Little Thing Called First Love" has wrapped. This past month felt like a long, yet incredibly real, dream. In the dream, I was Xiaoshui, that ordinary, clumsy girl who poured all her heart into loving someone. I experienced all her insecurities, admiration, sweetness, and heartache.
Many times, I can't tell whether that feeling of 'unrequited love' belongs to Xiao Shui or to me, Gao Yuanyuan.

My eyes always seem to want to find you, and when they do, they capture you behind the monitor, and the heartbeat and panic that belong to Xiaoshui become incredibly real.

I know this was wrong, unprofessional, and caused you and Director Zhang a lot of trouble… I'm sorry. But I couldn't control myself. The feeling was like in the script—my heart skipped a beat and then started pounding wildly.
You reminded me that it's okay to seek feelings, but don't seek them out on the wrong person. I remembered that, and later I tried very hard to focus those feelings only on Senior A-Liang.

I learned to act using my body language and subtle details. I succeeded, didn't I? You praised me for doing a great job. That day, I was so happy I almost cried.
[But filming is finished, and 'Xiao Shui' should wake up. But I've realized that some things seem to have stayed in my heart, and I can't take them away.]
I remember the first time I saw you, you were standing there, so young, yet you had a reassuring power.

I remember you telling me that what actors ultimately rely on is culture and understanding, which forced us to study and take the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy.

I remember the day I received my acceptance letter, you texted me saying "Congratulations!" That made all the sleepless nights and tears feel worthwhile. I also remember during the filming of "First Love," every time I acted well, you would nod slightly in approval…
[These little things, like seeds, have taken root and sprouted in my heart without me even realizing it. Wang Sheng, I... I like you. Not like Xiao Shui's feelings for Senior A Liang, but like Gao Yuanyuan's feelings for Wang Sheng.]
[I know this might be presumptuous and foolish. You have someone as beautiful and outstanding as Xiaoran around you, and so many excellent girls in the company… I might be as ordinary and insignificant as Xiaoshui was at the beginning. But I still want to tell you, just like Xiaoshui finally mustered up the courage to approach Senior Aliang.]
[I don't expect any response, I just don't want this feeling to be buried along with the end of filming. Saying it out loud is enough.]
[No matter what you think, I will continue to work hard to be a good actor, and live up to your expectations and the opportunities given to me by Shengying Media.]
Thank you, Wang Sheng. Thank you for appearing in my life and making my seventeenth to twenty years so different.
At the end of the signature, there was only a simple "[媛]", and the handwriting seemed to be slightly crooked due to the tension when writing.

The letter was long, filled with the delicate touch and abundant emotions unique to a literary young woman, depicting a sincere and moving journey from admiration to infatuation.

After reading the letter.

Wang Sheng took out his phone and called Gao Yuanyuan directly.

Here.

Gao Yuanyuan, who had just returned to her hotel room, heard her phone ring and quickly took it out. When she saw that it was Wang Sheng calling, her heart skipped a beat. She cautiously answered the phone, "Hello... hello, Mr. Wang?"

"what?"

"Oh my god! Wait a minute..."

……

(End of this chapter)