Entertainment Industry: I am a top-tier movie star

Chapter 97 Premiere

The premiere of "Better Days" was held at the Megabox Cinema in Sanlitun Taikoo Li.

By 2 p.m., the area outside the cinema was already packed with people.

Fans held up light boards, banners, and support signs, stamping their feet in the sub-zero wind, but no one was willing to leave.

The light boards flashed with the words "Chen Nianbei", "Xiao Bei", "Zhou Dongyu" and "Better Days", creating a warm ocean of images.

Security personnel set up three cordons, but they still couldn't stop the surging crowds.

Some fansite admins arrived three days in advance to reserve their spots, and are now holding up telephoto lenses, staring intently at the entrance to the red carpet.

Inside the cinema, the premiere theater, which can accommodate 500 people, was already packed.

Aside from the media and film critics, the most attention-grabbing were the industry insiders—each face that appeared elicited a low gasp and whispers.

The red carpet event officially began at 3 p.m.

The first person to step onto the red carpet was director Zhang Lei.

He was wearing a dark blue suit, so nervous he almost stepped on his trouser leg, and gave an unnatural smile to the media area.

A reporter called out, "Director Zhang, is this your first time walking the red carpet?"

He scratched his head and answered honestly, "Yes, my legs are a little weak."

The audience laughed good-naturedly.

Next up was Wang Hao.

He was wearing a sharp black overcoat and trying to appear composed, but when he saw fans holding up light boards with his name on them, his eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he bowed deeply in that direction.

Liu Haochun appeared in a simple white dress, radiating youthful energy.

The sound of camera shutters in the media area intensified. Someone called her name, and she waved shyly, but her eyes already showed the composure of an actress.

Then there's Zhou Dongyu.

She wore a black off-the-shoulder dress, her short hair was neat, and she exuded a powerful aura.

As a Golden Horse Award-winning actress, she is already very familiar with the red carpet, but today her smile has a more solemn feel to it—this is a role she has been waiting for for a long time.

The final act was, of course, Chen Nianbei.

When he got out of the van, the screams at the scene almost lifted the sky above Sanlitun.

He wore a tailor-made dark gray suit with a minimalist cut and no unnecessary embellishments, which accentuated his upright shoulders and calm demeanor.

His hair is longer than it was during the "Like a Flowing River" period, and it's neatly styled. But unlike the heroic spirit of "Prince Jing" and the refinement of "Mingtai", he has a strange blend of qualities today.

Beneath the suit and tie, there seems to be a boy with a buzz cut, taciturn, and sharp eyes.

He walked towards the media area, bowed slightly, and gave a polite smile. The sound of camera shutters exploded like a storm, and the flashes created a blinding white blur.

"Nianbei, look here!"

"Xiao Bei! Xiao Bei!"

"Chen Nianbei, I love you," he said, cooperating with the media's requests, changing angles and pausing for a sufficient amount of time.

But observant people will notice that his gaze occasionally drifts towards the fan section, where he sees familiar light sticks and his longtime fans who have been supporting him since 2013.

Halfway through the red carpet event, the real "surprises" began to unfold.

The first black van stopped, the door opened, and Kong Sheng stepped out.

The room fell silent for a second, then erupted in even more enthusiastic applause.

Director Kong Sheng wore a simple black jacket, which was out of place with the suits and ties on the red carpet, but his appearance completely changed the "weight" of the entire premiere.

A reporter excitedly exclaimed, "Director Kong! What brings you here?" Kong waved his hand, a rare smile appearing on his face, and said, "How could I not come to Nianbei's play?"

Immediately after, Yang Mi arrived. She wore a bright red dress, looking radiant, and was arm in arm with Dilraba.

Dilraba wore a champagne-colored dress and smiled brightly, but her eyes kept searching for something at the end of the red carpet. The media area was in an uproar; the appearance of these two "sister flowers" together was big news in itself.

Then there's Hugo.

He was dressed modestly in a dark trench coat and wore glasses, exuding a gentle and refined air.

Some fans screamed "Mei Changsu".

Next, more and more faces appeared on the red carpet, including Sun Honglei and his brothers from the variety show "Go Fighting!"

Huang Bo, Huang Lei, Wang Xun, and Luo Zhixiang lined up in a row, as if they had brought a variety show scene to the red carpet.

Sun Honglei shouted into the media area cameras, "It's my brother's movie, I have to support it!" Huang Bo added calmly, "It's a good movie, worth watching."

Wang Kai, Jin Dong, Liu Mintao, and Liu Yijun – the entire "Ming family" from "The Disguiser" made a collective appearance. Liu Mintao was arm in arm with Jin Dong, while Wang Kai and Liu Yijun followed behind, as if the cast and crew were having a team-building event.

When asked by a reporter about her impression of Chen Nianbei, Liu Mintao said gently, "Nianbei is our Ming family's younger brother, always will be."

Monday also arrived.

He was dressed casually and looked somewhat out of place on the red carpet, but his eyes were sincere: "Jin Yichuan is my junior brother, and Xiao Bei is my brother."

Director Lu Yang also brought along several of his old colleagues from the original film crew.

Also included were several senior executives from Enlight Media, the production team from Daylight Entertainment, and several lead actors from "Like a Flowing River".

The red carpet walk lasted almost an hour, and every familiar face that appeared sparked cheers and camera shutters.

Finally, the grand finale featured two heavyweight figures: Han Sanping.

The titans of the Chinese film industry rarely appear at such events.

When he got out of the car, the entire room fell silent, then erupted in the loudest applause.

He was wearing ordinary clothes, but his aura made everyone automatically make way for him.

Behind him followed screenwriter Han Jianu.

She wore an elegant cheongsam tonight, with a gentle smile, and walked down the red carpet side by side with her father.

A reporter mustered up the courage to ask, "Mr. Han, are you here today to support your daughter?"

Han Sanping smiled, a rare occurrence for him: "I support my daughter, and I also support good movies."

Han's daughter added with a smile, "My dad watched the finished film and volunteered to come." The audience applauded again.

After the red carpet event, everyone entered the theater.

Chen Nianbei stood at the entrance, personally welcoming each guest.

He hugged Kong Sheng, shook hands with Yang Mi, high-fived Hu Ge, bumped shoulders with his brothers from Extreme Challenge, and smiled at the "older brothers and sisters" of the Ming family.

When Han Sanping and Han Jianu approached, he bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Teacher Han." He looked at Han Jianu and said solemnly.

Han Jianu gently patted his arm: "What are you thanking me for? It's because you acted well."

Han Sanping looked at him, his gaze both scrutinizing and admiring: "I heard from Jia Nu that you completely transformed yourself for this role. It's not easy for a young man to have such determination."

Chen Nianbei bowed again.

Inside the theater, the lights gradually dimmed.

The main creative team sat in the front row.

Chen Nianbei sat next to Zhou Dongyu, and Zhang Lei sat on the other side.

The back row was packed with friends from the industry, followed by media and film critics, and finally, lucky fan representatives.

Zhang Lei's hands trembled slightly. Chen Nianbei gently patted his knee in the darkness.

"It's alright," he said softly.

Zhang Lei took a deep breath and nodded.

The screen lit up.

"Better Days" has begun.

There was almost no background noise in the theater during the screening.

No one was eating sunflower seeds, no one was whispering to each other, and no one was even drinking water.

Only the images and dialogue on the screen, and the occasional suppressed sobs.

When Xiao Bei first appeared in the rainy alley, the car headlights pierced the darkness, and a close-up of his indifferent yet slightly fluctuating eyes caused someone in the back seat to gasp softly.

When Chen Nian was bullied, Xiao Bei silently followed behind. As that clumsy act of protection began to sprout, some people started to sob softly.

As the old coat on the roof fell onto Chen Nian's trembling back, and the scarlet cigarette butt flickered in the rain, sobs began to spread.

When Xiao Bei uttered the words "You protect the world, I protect you" in the interrogation room, separated by a glass partition, the entire theater was enveloped in a profound silence.

That wasn't silence; it was everyone holding their breath, struck by that ultimate protection and sacrifice.

At the end of the film, many years later, Chen Nian becomes a teacher and escorts a girl home.

The girl's figure disappeared at the alley entrance. Chen Nian stopped and turned around.

The camera zooms out, across the street, to a hooded figure silently watching her.

The screen goes black. The end credits begin to roll.

There was still no sound in the theater.

Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds.

Then, applause broke out.

At first it was sporadic, but it quickly spread and eventually merged into thunderous, long-lasting applause.

Some people stood up, and more people stood up. When the lights came on, Chen Nianbei saw countless red-rimmed eyes.

There were Zhou Dongyu's, Liu Haocun's, Zhang Lei's, the usually serious film critics in the back row, and Kong Sheng's.

Kong Sheng looked at him, said nothing, and just nodded vigorously.

That nod contained approval, relief, and the full meaning of "I didn't misjudge you."

Han Sanping stood up and walked to the front row.

The entire audience fell silent, eager to hear what this titan of the film industry had to say.

He stood in front of Chen Nianbei and extended his right hand.

"Chen Nianbei," his voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for the entire theater to hear, "Chinese cinema needs young people like you."

Chen Nianbei grasped that hand, his Adam's apple bobbing, unable to speak for a moment.

Han's daughter stood behind her father, her eyes slightly red, and smiled as she looked at him.

The post-screening Q&A session was hosted by a senior alumna of the Beijing Film Academy and a well-known film critic.

She tried to calm herself down, her voice still a little hoarse when she spoke: "I don't know how everyone here felt during those 98 minutes, but I—I cried through half a pack of tissues."

The audience laughed kindly, their laughter tinged with sobs.

"Let's hear what Director Zhang Lei has to say first," she said, looking at Zhang Lei.

Zhang Lei stood up, took the microphone, and remained silent for several seconds. Then he said, "I don't know what to say. My mind is blank." He smiled again, but there were tears in his eyes.

He turned to Chen Nianbei: "Brother Bei, you say it."

Chen Nianbei stood up. He didn't speak immediately, but instead looked around the entire theater, his gaze sweeping over the familiar faces: Kong Sheng, Yang Mi, Hu Ge, the brothers from "Go Fighting!", the brothers and sisters from the Ming family, Zhou Yiwei, Lu Yang, Han Sanping, Han Jianu—and the fans in the back row holding up light boards and crying their eyes out.

"Thank you," he said. Those two words carried immense weight.

He paused, then said, "Thank you to everyone who came to see this movie. Thank you to my team, thank you Zhang Lei, thank you Sister Dongyu, thank you Haochun, thank you Haozi, thank you to all the main creators."

Thank you, Ms. Han Jia. Without you, this notebook wouldn't be able to stand up.

Thank you, Uncle Kong. From "Battle of Changsha" to now, you've watched me come this far step by step.

Thank you to all the seniors, teachers, friends, and colleagues who came today.

Screams erupted from the fan area, and some people's hands were shaking as they held up light sticks.

During the Q&A session, the first question was given to Kong Sheng.

Kong Sheng took the microphone and, unusually, spoke a bit more: "When I met Nian Bei, he was a sophomore in college. That year, when 'Battle of Changsha' started filming, his father asked me to look after the boy, saying that he could just do odd jobs."

As a result, he went to every department to learn, learning lighting, sound recording, and stage management. Later, when he played Xiaoman, he got it right in one take.

I knew it; this child was different.

He looked at Chen Nianbei with the loving gaze of an elder: "After watching 'Better Days' today, I can say this—Nianbei, you are now a true actor."

There was thunderous applause.

Sun Honglei grabbed the microphone and deliberately shouted in a loud Northeastern voice, "Nianbei! I don't care what others say, in my heart you are the best actor! Xiaobei's acting is fucking amazing!" Huang Bo, standing next to him, laughed and pulled him back, "Alright, alright, mind your manners." The whole audience burst into laughter.

When Hu Ge took the microphone, his tone was gentle: "Nian Bei and I collaborated once."

Watching Xiao Bei today, I feel he has surpassed the scope of my evaluation. All I can say is that, as a viewer, I was deeply moved.

Yang Mi took the microphone, glanced at Dilraba beside her with red eyes, and laughed, "I brought Dilraba here today hoping she could learn what good acting is. But she cried her eyes out, so she probably didn't learn anything."

Dilraba quietly defended herself, saying, "I've learned something, I've learned something—" The whole audience laughed again.

The last question was given to the Han family's daughter.

She stood up, holding the microphone, and looked at Chen Nianbei: "Nianbei, I only have one question—have you let go of Xiaobei now?"

The theater fell silent.

Chen Nianbei was silent for a few seconds. Then he said, "I haven't completely let go. It might take some more time. But—"

He paused, then smiled slightly, "With so many people liking and recognizing him, he can stay in the movies with peace of mind."

The woman from the Han family nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

As the premiere ended, the crowd gradually dispersed. But many people remained, discussing the film in small groups, sharing tissues, and exchanging their thoughts.

Chen Nianbei did not leave immediately.

He stood at the entrance of the theater, seeing off each guest—hugging Kong Sheng to say goodbye, waving goodbye to Yang Mi and Dilraba, making plans to have dinner with his brothers from Extreme Challenge, and taking photos with the "older brothers and sisters" of the Ming family.

Finally, he walked towards the fan area.

The security guard tried to stop him, but he waved his hand and walked to the cordon himself.

"Are you cold?" he asked the girls who had been standing in the cold wind all day.

"It's not cold!" came the unanimous reply, though some voices were trembling.

He smiled, took a bag of hand warmers from his assistant—which he had prepared in advance—and handed them to a few girls in the front row: "Put these on, so you don't get cold."

The screams were almost out of control.

He stepped back and bowed deeply to all his fans.

"Thank you. It's been five years, thank you."

On the way back, Chen Nianbei leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed.

Zhou Dongyu sat beside him, saying nothing. Both of them were still immersed in the emotions of those ninety-eight minutes.

After a long silence, Zhou Dongyu spoke: "Nian Bei."

"Um."

Do you think Xiao Bei will be remembered?

Chen Nianbei opened her eyes and looked out the window at the streetlights rushing past.

"Yes, it will," he said.

His voice was soft, but firm.

Because tonight, in the five hundred pairs of eyes at the premiere, in the thunderous applause, in Han Sanping's words, "Chinese cinema needs young people like you"—he had already seen the answer.

Xiao Bei will be remembered.

Chen Nianbei will continue to move forward with Xiao Bei.