Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 510, Section 508: "Spy Playing House" Released

January 21, 2004, Lunar New Year's Eve of the Year of the Goat.

The chill of winter was dispelled by the festive red and the warmth of reunion, and the land of China was immersed in a peaceful atmosphere of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.

Qin Island, Fan family.

The occasional sound of firecrackers drifted in from outside the window—although large and medium-sized cities have long banned them, in some corners of this coastal city, people still can't help but use this method to express their commitment to the festive spirit of the New Year.

Fan Xiaopang, wrapped in a thick pajamas and without makeup, sat cross-legged on the sofa in his warm living room. The coffee table in front of him was filled with freshly cut fruit and various dried fruits and snacks that his mother had just prepared.

Having been filming abroad for several months, this was a rare moment of complete relaxation for her.

"Eat more. Look how thin you've gotten in the photos you took outside." Fan's mother kept stuffing peeled oranges into her daughter's hands, her eyes full of heartache.

"Mom, I only did it for the camera, I'm perfectly healthy." Fan Xiaopang smiled as he accepted the gift, but a hint of sadness lingered in his heart.

As she watched the background of the Spring Festival Gala broadcast on TV, which was already warming up and filled with festive music, she couldn't help but think of Beijing, her office in the Jingxin Building, and the man who was now somewhere, spending New Year's Eve with whomever she didn't know.

She shook her head, suppressing the subtle emotions, and focused on watching TV and chatting with her parents. At least in front of her family, she was a beloved and successful daughter, their pride.

……

Here.

Beijing.

Li Xiaoran, wearing an apron, was busy in the kitchen with her mother.

She has turned down all performance invitations for New Year's Eve, determined to spend a peaceful reunion dinner with her parents.

The pot is simmering with fragrant braised pork, and the cutting board is covered with chopped dumpling filling.

"Mom, let me mix this." Li Xiaoran took the chopsticks from her mother and skillfully stirred the meat filling.

Her mother looked at her, her eyes filled with relief and a hint of barely perceptible worry.

"Ranran, you've grown another year older after the New Year..." the mother couldn't help but say.

"Mom~" Li Xiaoran interrupted her playfully, a bright smile on her face, "It's the New Year, let's not talk about that. Watch me show you my skills, I'll make your favorite three-delicacy dumplings!"

She lightly brushed the topic aside, but her heart was not entirely unmoved.

She just saw things more clearly than Fan Xiaopang earlier and learned to properly manage certain emotions.

……

The backstage area of ​​CCTV's Studio One was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

Cecilia Cheung sat in a private dressing room, letting the makeup artist touch up her makeup, while her manager, Li Xiuxiu, held the process sheet and did a final check.

It's Spring Festival Gala again.

As the leading artist of the new generation in Hong Kong, Cecilia Cheung is no longer the slightly naive "Super Girl champion" she was when she first appeared on the mainland stage.

With years of exposure on the Spring Festival Gala, a series of phenomenal works, and the relentless resource allocation and image shaping by Sheng Ying Media, she has become a banner – a banner for Hong Kong artists to actively integrate into the mainland and promote cultural exchange.

Tonight, she will sing a solo song called "Love Across Mountains and Rivers," which blends pop and folk elements. Her costume is custom-made, modern yet subtly incorporating elements of a modified traditional cheongsam.

"Relax, you're in great shape." After checking her over, Li Xiuxiu patted her shoulder, her tone filled with the tacit understanding and trust that came from years of working together. "We'll call it a day after you finish singing."

Cecilia Cheung nodded and gave herself a signature smile in the mirror, a smile that was both sweet and elegant.

She knew that she was carrying a symbolic responsibility, not just a performance.

Under the spotlight, she must be perfect.

……

In Beijing, the villa that Li Bingbing bought is now filled with the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year.

She brought her parents from her hometown to Beijing early on, determined to spend a lively New Year with them in the capital.

Red lanterns were hung in the courtyard, and the character "福" (fortune) and Spring Festival couplets were pasted on the door.

Li Bingbing, dressed in comfortable home clothes, was adjusting the TV with her father, preparing to watch the Spring Festival Gala on time.

Meanwhile, the mother was in the kitchen preparing dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner, and the aroma filled the air.

"Xiuxiu said she would rush back after Bozhi's performance, and should be able to make it in time for dumplings."

Li Bingbing said to his father with a gentle smile on his face.

This sense of security from family reunion is a warmth she cherishes all the more after years of struggling in this glamorous industry.

As for that man who lives in the clouds, and is currently having a family reunion somewhere...

She learned not to overthink things and to focus on what she could control.

……

Qiongzhou, Yalong Bay. In stark contrast to the frigid north, the evening breeze here is moist and warm, rustling the palm leaves and carrying the gentle whispers of the waves.

The brightly lit villa offers excellent privacy.

Wang Sheng, dressed in a short-sleeved T-shirt and beach shorts, leaned leisurely on the sofa.

Beside her, Zhang Xiulan, the mother, was holding her babbling grandson, Wang Xian, and teasing his chubby little hands.

The father, Wang Baoguo, awkwardly held his granddaughter, Wang Ruoruo, with an undisguised loving smile on his face.

Gao Yuanyuan sat on a single sofa a little further away, wearing a loose silk dress. Her complexion was rosy, and she looked more gentle and plump than before she gave birth.

She looked at the children with gentle eyes, but occasionally when her gaze met Wang Sheng's, a subtle, complex emotion would flicker across her face.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of New Year's Eve dishes, mainly seafood, but also featuring flavors from both the north and south.

"Come here, Xianxian, Ruoruo, look, Grandpa has prepared big red envelopes for you!" Wang Baoguo happily took out two thick red envelopes and stuffed them next to the children's swaddling clothes.

"How could someone so small hold that?" Zhang Xiulan said reproachfully, but her face lit up with a smile.

……

Even in Shanghai, thousands of miles away, the city is ablaze with lights.

Zhang Heng stood nervously at the door of his girlfriend Lin Xiaoyue's house, carrying large bags of New Year's goods.

He's a native of Beijing, but this year he resolutely decided to accompany his girlfriend back to Shanghai for the Chinese New Year.

This decision required considerable determination from him, signifying that he took the relationship seriously and hoped to gain the approval of the other person's family.

Lin Xiaoyue opened the door, saw him, and immediately a surprised smile appeared on her face. She stepped aside to let him in.

"Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year!" Zhang Heng changed into slippers and respectfully greeted Mr. and Mrs. Lin in the living room.

Lin's father was an ordinary worker in Shanghai, with a gentle demeanor; Lin's mother, on the other hand, appeared more shrewd and capable, her gaze towards Zhang Heng filled with caution, yet she maintained a polite smile on her face.

"Little Zhang is here! Come in, make yourself at home," Lin's father said, getting up to greet him.

"Yes, don't be so polite. You must have had a long journey from the capital," Lin's mother said, her tone revealing little emotion.

"It's no trouble at all, Auntie." Zhang Heng put down the New Year's goods and tried to appear natural.

Lin Xiaoyue winked at him, signaling him to relax.

For Zhang Heng, this New Year's Eve dinner was perhaps more mentally taxing than facing the most difficult code.

But he knew this was an inevitable step.

……

After the hustle and bustle and reunion of New Year's Eve, the sun shines brightly on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

For the Chinese film market, a new round of competition has arrived as expected.

Directed by Wang Sheng and starring Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale, the Hollywood action comedy "Spy Kids" has officially hit the Chinese New Year film season in mainland China!
Although blurry cam copies of the film had already been circulating on the market through online downloads and pirated DVDs, going to the cinema remained the first choice for many movie fans who sought a better viewing experience, especially those eager to experience Wang Sheng's Hollywood debut on the big screen.

In Shanghai, there is a "China Film Grand Cinema".

Zhang Heng and Lin Xiaoyue were in the line to collect their tickets.

Having successfully passed the initial test of "meeting the parents" yesterday, Lin Xiaoyue was in a great mood. She specially dragged Zhang Heng to see an early morning movie, both to relax and to support the new work of director Wang Sheng, whom she has always admired.

"There are quite a lot of people here," Zhang Heng remarked, looking at the bustling crowd around him.

In the cinema lobby, the poster for "Spy Kids" occupied the most eye-catching position, with Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale's image of holding guns and exchanging glances being extremely attractive.

"Of course! This is the first time a Hollywood film directed by Wang Sheng has been released in China!" Lin Xiaoyue said with pride, as if she were very honored. "Although there are pirated versions online, can the picture and sound quality be watched? It has to be IMAX!"

Collect your ticket and enter.

The giant screen lights up, and after the familiar dragon logo and Shengying Media's opening sequence, the logo of New Line Cinema appears.

As the thrilling and hilarious spy story unfolds, and as Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale, the "spy couple," scramble between gunfire and domestic chores, bursts of laughter frequently erupt in the theater.

Zhang Heng was also drawn in and whispered, "The rhythm, the action choreography, and that American humor... Wang Sheng handled it really well; you can't tell it's his first time directing a Hollywood A-list production."

Lin Xiaoyue proudly raised her chin: "Of course, with Brother Sheng on the job, one is worth two!"

At the end of the film, the crisis is over, and the couple enjoys a heartwarming vacation on the beach with their child.

As the lights came on, the audience, still savoring the experience, discussed their departure.

"Great! The action scenes were awesome, and the part where the couple was arguing was hilarious!"

"Wang Sheng is quite something. He manages to make Hollywood's industrial assembly line productions both professional and quirky."

"It feels smoother than many similar films made by pure Hollywood directors!"

(End of this chapter)