Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 337, Section 335: "Neighbors" (Part 1)
As the sun rose higher and it approached noon, Fan Xiaopang finally woke up to the soft rustling sounds of Wang Sheng flipping through documents on the living room sofa.

The curtains in the bedroom remained tightly closed, with only a sliver of light filtering through the crack in the door, suggesting that it was already bright outside.

She stretched lazily in the soft bedding, her aching body trembling. Remembering the suffocation she felt last night, two blushes rose on her face, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up in a smile.

She shuffled out of the bedroom in her slippers and saw Wang Sheng intently focused on his laptop screen, his fingers occasionally tapping the keyboard.

Sunlight streamed through the half-drawn curtains, casting clear shadows on his profile.

"You're awake?" Wang Sheng didn't even look up. He knew it was her as soon as he heard the noise. "Wash up and let's go out for dinner."

His voice was calm and normal, as if the events of the previous night were just another ordinary day.

"Mmm," Fan Xiaopang responded, his voice still hoarse from just waking up.

She walked behind him, naturally wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her chin on his shoulder, and looked at the screen. "What are you looking at?"

“The outline of the ‘Lost in Thailand’ project.” Wang Sheng answered casually, feeling her warm breath on his ear. He paused, then added, “Go on, I’m hungry.”

Fan Xiaopang then straightened up, satisfied, and walked into the bathroom humming an unknown tune.

More than half an hour later, the two appeared at a stylish private restaurant near the apartment.

During the Spring Festival, many shops closed, but this one was one of the few that was still open and whose quality was guaranteed.

The store was not crowded and the environment was quiet, which suited Wang Sheng's taste perfectly.

We ordered a few simple dishes and ate them quietly.

While paying the bill, Fan Xiaopang looked out at the bustling street and suddenly suggested, "Brother, 'Neighbors' is showing today, shall we go see a movie? We've got nothing to do this afternoon anyway."

"Row."

"great!"

Fan Xiaopang immediately beamed with joy, put on sunglasses and a mask, and fully armed himself.

The two got into the car, and the driver drove straight to "China Film Grand Cinema - Guomao Store", located in the core business district of the East Third Ring Road.

It was only a ten-minute drive. When they arrived at their destination, even though Wang Sheng had anticipated it, he was still slightly taken aback by the crowd in front of him.

The shopping mall where the cinema is located is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, exuding a strong Spring Festival atmosphere.

There were long queues at the elevators and escalators leading directly to the cinema floors.

Most of the people there were families or couples, and everyone's face was filled with the ease and anticipation of the holiday.

"So many people..." Fan Xiaopang lowered his voice, took Wang Sheng's arm, and subconsciously shrank his face into his scarf, both afraid of being recognized and shocked by the crowd.

Wang Sheng, on the other hand, remained calm.

This shows that watching movies is once again becoming a mainstream and popular form of leisure.

Instead of using the staff entrance, he led Fan Xiaopang to queue and take the escalator upstairs, just like any other audience member.

The floor where the cinema was located was bustling with activity. Long queues stretched in front of the ticket machines, and the ticket windows were packed with people making last-minute decisions about which movies to see.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of popcorn and the cacophony of voices.

On the huge electronic movie schedule, information about several popular films keeps scrolling.

"The Accidental Spy" and "Vertical Limit" still dominate the screening schedule, with prime-time screenings followed by a long list of "sold out" or "limited tickets remaining" notices.

As a newly released film, "Neighbors" has a screening rate of about 25%, and the afternoon screenings seem to be doing well.

Wang Sheng's gaze swept over the merchandise sales area. There was a large crowd gathered there as well.

Besides the compilation album "Sheng Ying Liu Sheng: 1997-2000 Film and Television Music Selection" (jokingly referred to as "Wang Zong's First Album"), which he had only vaguely heard about before and which was placed in a prominent position, the most eye-catching items were the merchandise for "Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit 3000 Questions". Since its broadcast last year, this educational animation has quickly captured a large number of young viewers with its vivid characters, interesting plots, and educational content.

At that moment, several children were tugging at their parents' clothes in front of the counter, pointing at the adorable plush toys and shouting:
"Mommy, I want Blue Rabbit! That blue rabbit!"

"Dad, buy me Rainbow Cat! Look how cool it is!"

"I want that talking smart blue rabbit! All my classmates have one!"

Staff dressed as mascots were interacting with the children on site. A "blue rabbit" that was almost as tall as a person was especially popular, and the children surrounded it to take photos with it, keeping them very busy.

The parents cursed helplessly as they took out their money to buy the products.

The sales clerk quickly collected money and packed bags, clearly indicating that business was booming.

Wang Sheng paused for a moment, then whispered to Fan Xiaopang, who was also observing, "The merchandise from adult movies really doesn't sell as well as the merchandise that kids like."

Fan Xiaopang simply said, "There are too many pirated copies."

The two did not linger and headed to the theater for the 1 p.m. showing of "Neighbors" that they had purchased tickets for.

Ticket checking has begun at the theater entrance, and the queue is moving forward in an orderly manner.

Upon entering the theater, which can accommodate nearly two hundred people, it was about 70% full, mainly with middle-aged and elderly viewers and families, as well as many young people who appeared to be art enthusiasts.

This is quite good for a heartwarming, slice-of-life film in the afternoon screenings during the Spring Festival season.

After finding a seat, the lights quickly dimmed.

After the public screening license was issued, the logos of Shengying Media and Beijing Film Studio appeared on the screen, and the film officially began.

Full plot of "Neighbors":
On the screen, the first thing to appear is a series of empty shots full of nostalgia and everyday life:

The scene in Beijing's hutongs in the late 1990s, a scene unique to winter mornings, features gray walls and black tiles, icicles hanging from the eaves, and wisps of smoke rising from chimneys.

The sounds of bicycle bells, the morning news from the radio, and the distant shouts of scissors and knives sharpeners combine to create a vivid picture of urban life at the bottom of society.

The camera zooms in, focusing on a slightly dilapidated but warm and welcoming courtyard.

Seven or eight families live here, sharing the water tap and communal kitchen in the courtyard. Clothes of various colors hang on the clothesline, and children chase and play in the narrow passageway.

The main character, Master Shen (played by Teng Rujun), makes his appearance.

He was a retired mechanical engineer, his hair was neatly combed, he wore a faded but still tidy Zhongshan suit, his expression was serious, and his eyes held a stubbornness and...deathly stillness that was out of place with his surroundings.

A year ago, Mr. Shen's wife of several decades passed away from cancer, and his spiritual world seemed to collapse as well.

He couldn't adapt to life without his spouse and felt that everything had lost its meaning.

He became withdrawn and bitter, refusing to live with his children (his son worked in the south, and his daughter married and moved to the other side of the city), and guarded the old house full of memories all by himself.

He devised a detailed "death plan list"—not how to die, but how to leave this world quietly and with dignity without disturbing the neighbors or causing trouble for his children.

The list included things like: organizing all the technical drawings and notes, disposing of the deceased's belongings, settling all utility bills, and even writing a letter of explanation to the neighborhood committee and the police station.

The film uses a slightly dark humor and poignant approach to depict Master Shen's process of carrying out this list.

He tried to put a plastic bag over his head, but gave up because he was worried about the environmental pollution caused by the degradation of plastic.
He planned to turn on the gas, but worried that it would endanger his neighbor who lived just a wall away.

He thought about hanging himself, but after looking at the roof beams, he worried that the old house couldn't bear the weight and that if it collapsed, it would endanger others.
He even ran to the railway tracks, but hesitated when he saw a train carrying important supplies, feeling that he couldn't die there and cause trouble for the country...

Behind each absurd attempt to die in vain lies the deep-seated sense of responsibility and kindness of this old-fashioned intellectual, as well as the immense loneliness and sorrow that he could not dispel.

(End of this chapter)