The Common Man's Return in Chinese Entertainment

After taking a shower, Ji Qingxu looked at Kou Zhanwen, who was lying on the bed writing and drawing in a notebook, and said while drying his hair, "Senior brother, what do you think about me taking the college entrance exam?"

Kou Zhanwen, who was writing something, sat up abruptly, looking surprised. "Little Chicken, you said you're going to take the college entrance exam?"

Ji Qingxu replied with a smile, "Yes."

Seeing Kou Zhanwen extend his hand, Ji Qingxu stepped back slightly. "Senior brother, I don't have a fever."

Kou Zhanwen stared wide-eyed. "You don't have a fever? Little chick, back when you came to me, I told you to go to school, but no matter how much I pleaded, you wouldn't go. You insisted on becoming a kung fu star. Two years have passed in the blink of an eye, and now you're telling me you want to go to school?"

Ji Qingxu said with a serious expression, "Senior brother, I'm really not joking."

Kou Zhanwen stared at Ji Qingxu for a while, then laughed loudly, "Alright, it's not too late. You're not even 18 yet, it's the perfect time for you to go to school. Okay, I'll call your teacher right now..."

Seeing Kou Zhanwen take out his phone while speaking, Ji Qingxu quickly reached out to stop him, "Wait, senior brother, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhan stopped what he was doing and asked curiously, "Tell me."

Ji Qingxu smiled and said, "Senior brother, what do you think about me applying to an art school? Like the Beijing Film Academy, the Central Academy of Drama..."

Hearing this, Kou Zhanwen was stunned for a moment, then carefully examined his junior brother. He had to admit that his junior brother's appearance was among the best of all his fellow disciples, no less than that of Li Lianjie and Wu Jing in their youth.

"You mean you haven't given up on becoming a kung fu star?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Qingxu smiled and countered, "Senior brother, what industry do you think I should pursue to make a lot of money, given my qualifications?"

"Um... Little Chicken, there are many industries in this world where you can make a lot of money. Whether you can make money or not depends on the individual. You know how it is in the acting industry. Except for a very few people, most of us just make ends meet."

"Senior brother, you know my personal situation. If it weren't for Grandpa Wu and you, I don't know where I would be living now."

Thinking about Ji Qingxu's personal situation, Kou Zhanwen scratched his head.

"You really want to be an actor?"

"Senior, at least being an actor doesn't require so much hardship. If you gain some fame, it's better than working a regular job."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhanwen nodded subconsciously. That made sense. Although actors' salaries weren't high, they were still much better than those of ordinary laborers who toiled in the fields.

"Are you really sure?"

Seeing Kou Zhanwen looking at him solemnly, Ji Qingxu nodded seriously, "I've thought it through."

Kou Zhanwen clapped his hands. "Okay, but let's make this clear first: even if you want to apply to art schools like the Beijing Film Academy or the Central Academy of Drama, you still need to finish high school and take the college entrance exam. As for the art exams, it's February now... wait, let me make a call and ask when the art exams are next year?"

"Okay, thank you for your help, senior brother."

Kou Zhanwen waved his hand and picked up his phone to dial a number. "Hello, Teacher Huang, this is Lao Kou. I have something to ask you. When is the application period for the Beijing Film Academy entrance exam next year... January? Okay, I understand, thank you, Teacher Huang. Also, I wanted to ask, generally speaking, we... I might need to trouble you again later... Yes, okay, I won't disturb your rest any longer, bye."

After hanging up the phone, Kou Zhanwen said with a smile, "The art exam registration is in January next year, but Little Chicken, you haven't been to school for more than two years, are you sure you can handle the college entrance exam?"

Hearing this, Ji Qingxu blinked. It should work, right? The art exam doesn't require high scores in academic subjects, maybe two or three hundred points is enough. Although Ji Qingxu wasn't a top student in her previous life, she still scored over five hundred points in the college entrance exam and got into a second-tier university.

"Senior, these art schools don't have high requirements for academic scores, right?"

"Compared to other universities, it's not high, but you still need to score at least around 300 points."

"Then I'm fine with it."

"Are you sure there's no problem?"

"If all else fails, I'll hire a tutor to help me catch up on my studies."

"That's right, your school registration is still in your hometown, right?"

"right."

Kou Zhanwen stroked his chin and thought for a moment, "Okay, then there's no problem. As long as your college entrance exam score meets the requirements, we can hire a professional teacher for intensive training. With your looks, getting into the Beijing Film Academy or the Central Academy of Drama shouldn't be a big problem."

"Senior, do you think I can apply to the directing program?"

"What?"

Seeing Kou Zhanwen staring at him with surprise, Ji Qingxu felt a pang of doubt. "Can I apply to the directing department?"

"No, chick, are you sure you're not joking? Directing major? Have you ever even touched a camera?"

I've done more than just touch it; in my past life, I was a content creator with millions of followers, and my account was called "Xiao Xu, a simple and unpretentious landlord."

"Senior brother, I can learn it."

Kou Zhanwen said speechlessly, "Give me a break. You've barely managed to learn acting in such a short time, let alone directing? You have excellent talent in martial arts, but to say you can learn directing in six months, junior brother, we can only brag about that among ourselves. Besides, even if you did learn it, it wouldn't be of any use."

Upon hearing this, Ji Qingxu asked curiously, "Senior brother, what do you mean by that?"

Kou Zhanwen glanced subconsciously at the door, leaned forward slightly, and whispered, "The directing department isn't for people like us. The spots are allocated in advance every year, unless you're exceptionally talented, you know what I mean?"

Upon hearing this news, a hint of surprise flashed in Ji Qingxu's eyes. "It's all assigned? No exceptions?"

Kou Zhanwen shook his head. "There are exceptions, but they are rare, maybe one a year."

Ji Qingxu quickly thought in his mind: which of China's famous directors graduated from directing programs?

Zhang Yimou, no, he graduated from the photography department.

Feng Xiaogang, no, he's an unorthodox individual.

No, Guo Fan. He studied law for his undergraduate degree and then went to the School of Management at Beijing Film Academy for his graduate studies.

No, it's not Chen Sicheng. He graduated from the Performance Department of the Central Academy of Drama.

Wu Jing, it's not...

After thinking for a while, Ji Qingxu gave up. As for the entertainment industry, Ji Qingxu was no different from ordinary netizens. He only had a superficial understanding of it and all the information he knew came from news and gossip forums.

Thinking that his senior brother had become the male lead in his first movie after entering the industry in 88, Ji Qingxu figured that since he had said so, it must be true, so he gave up his previous idea.

"Okay, then I'll apply to the acting department."

"Yes, Luo, let's get in first. If you're really interested in directing, you can audit classes at the school."

"I'll listen to my senior brother."

"Okay, after this movie is finished filming, we'll go back to Beijing to find a teacher. We'll sort out your student registration issue first, and then we'll help you find a teacher..."

Hearing Kou Zhanwen's arrangements, Ji Qingxu said gratefully, "Thank you, Senior Brother. If it weren't for you, I..."

Before Ji Qingxu could finish speaking, Kou Zhanwen interrupted him with a smile, "Little Chicken, since the teacher entrusted you to me, I naturally have to fulfill my responsibilities as your senior brother. Besides, if you make something of yourself in the future, I can also benefit from it. I'm already 35 years old this year, and this is probably how my life will be. Not only are you better than me in martial arts, but your looks and figure are also far superior to mine. I have high hopes for you."

Ji Qingxu grinned and said, "Thank you for your kind words, senior brother. If I really make it big, I'll treat you to the best of everything every day."

"Haha, alright, I'll remember that, senior brother. It's getting late, let's get some rest."

"it is good."

......

After turning off the light, Kou Zhanwen glanced at Ji Qingxu, who was sleeping in the next bed.

Kou Zhanwen was genuinely surprised when Ji Qingxu said today that he wanted to take the college entrance exam.

Kou Zhanwen still remembers that it was during the Spring Festival of 1999 when he went to his teacher Wu Bin's house to pay New Year's greetings. He met Ji Qingxu at his teacher's house. His teacher said that Ji Qingxu did not want to go to school and wanted to be a "kung fu star".

Kou Zhanwen was no stranger to Ji Qingxu, after all, Ji Qingxu's grandfather, Old Master Ji, was also a martial arts master. Although he was not as famous as his teacher, his teacher said that his martial arts skills were much better than his. Moreover, he and his teacher were sworn brothers and had once saved his teacher's life. Kou Zhanwen had visited Old Master Ji in Singapore several times with his teacher and had also received guidance from Old Master Ji.

Kou Zhanwen still remembers the first time he met Ji Qingxu. At that time, Ji Qingxu was only a seven or eight-year-old child, standing in a horse stance, looking quite professional.

What surprised Kou Zhanwen the most was that Ji Qingxu was just starting to lay the foundation at that time. He would hold a horse stance for at least an hour, and he would not budge even if there were guests at home.

The teacher said at the time that Ji Qingxu was a promising talent for martial arts, a peerless genius in martial arts according to the descriptions in martial arts novels.

Later, he visited Master Ji several more times. Master Ji would also occasionally bring Ji Qingxu to visit his teacher's home in the capital. As Ji Qingxu grew older, Kou Zhanwen also practiced his skills with Ji Qingxu a few times.

Although they weren't really fighting, Kou Zhanwen could clearly sense that even the most dazzling martial arts champions in the past were no match for Ji Qingxu at the same age.

So when the teacher entrusted Ji Qingxu to him, Kou Zhanwen did not refuse.

It's not only because his teacher helped him achieve what he has today, but also because of Master Ji's guidance. Of course, Kou Zhanwen is also optimistic about Ji Qingxu's future.

Having only been with Ji Qingxu for two years, Kou Zhanwen felt both gratified and regretful.

Ji Qingxu was excellent in both martial arts and appearance. More than one person had their eye on him and wanted to poach him, but Ji Qingxu remained unmoved and stayed with them.

Kou Zhanwen knew his own situation. Although he was doing well, even if he couldn't compare to the most famous martial arts team members in the entertainment industry, he still had some influence in the industry. But even so, he could only play a few special roles or insignificant supporting roles with Ji Qingxu, and that was it.

Of course, this is also due to Ji Qingxu's young age. Ji Qingxu was born in April 1984 and is only 17 years old this year.

But Kou Zhanwen knew that even if Ji Qingxu were a few years older, it would be the same. At most, he would have the opportunity to play some minor supporting roles. As for playing the lead role? It wasn't entirely hopeless, but it was extremely rare.

Every circle has its own rules, so for the past two years, Kou Zhanwen has been taking Ji Qingxu to various film crews while also advising Ji Qingxu from time to time that even if he wants to be an actor, he should go to a professional school and learn some acting knowledge.

Once Ji Qingxu becomes a professionally trained actor, with the connections of his family's martial arts team and his formal training, even if he can't become a kung fu superstar, he still has a good chance of playing the lead role in a film or television drama. But this kid is different. He says that he has no problem learning martial arts, but he is not cut out for learning academic subjects.

Who would have thought that Ji Qingxu would suddenly say he wanted to take the college entrance exam today? This made Kou Zhanwen happy but also a little puzzled. How did this kid suddenly become so bright? Could it be that his appetite increased and his brain also opened up after the accidental fall at the circus?

Thinking of this, Kou Zhanwen smiled. Never mind, it's a good thing after all. He'll tell his teacher the news tomorrow, and his teacher will definitely be very happy.

......

Glancing at Kou Zhanwen on the bed next to him, Ji Qingxu recalled their conversation before going to sleep.

Going to take the college entrance exam was not a sudden whim of Ji Qingxu, but the result of careful consideration over the past two weeks.

Traveling from 2025 to 2001, from a rich kid to a poor boy, to be honest, there's a noticeable difference.

When Ji Qingxu was in elementary school in his previous life, his family experienced their first demolition. They were demolished four times in a row, during elementary school, middle school, high school, and university. Their houses, shops, and factories were all demolished. With his parents' constant buying and buying, Ji Qingxu's family achieved financial freedom after graduating from university.

After Ji Qingxu graduated from university, his parents wanted him to take over the family business—collecting rent—as they planned to travel around the world.

Ji Qingxu did not agree. At that time, he had just graduated from university and was quite ambitious. He wanted to start his own business. He asked his father for 200 million yuan and opened a hot pot restaurant. After a year and a half, the hot pot restaurant went bankrupt and he lost all 200 million yuan.

After resting at home for half a year, Ji Qingxu's father gave him another 3 million yuan to try again. So Ji Qingxu called on a few friends, and together they invested more than 10 million yuan to open a bar. A year later, the bar went bankrupt.

Having lost 500 million yuan in two and a half years, Ji Qingxu obediently took over his parents' job and became a landlord.

Ji Qingxu controlled all the rent from the house, and his parents used the interest from the bank deposits to travel all over the world.

With rent of several hundred thousand yuan a year, Ji Qingxu lived a carefree life. Until the day he time-traveled on his 30th birthday, Ji Qingxu never lacked money.

After transmigrating, Ji Qingxu was completely stunned, except for a mobile phone and 1000 yuan in cash.

1000 yuan wouldn't even be enough for a single drink in my past life.

As the old saying goes, "The poor are scholars, the rich are martial artists." Ji Qingxu's grandfather was a martial arts master. Logically speaking, a family that practices martial arts should have some wealth. However, after inheriting the original owner's memories, Ji Qingxu also understood why they were so poor.

Grandma and Grandpa both passed away due to illness, and all the family's money was used for medical treatment. The original owner's parents died unexpectedly when he was very young, and his grandparents were obviously not earning much money at their age. In the face of illness, the original owner's family's meager savings were clearly insufficient.

Since he was already there, Ji Qingxu could only accept it calmly. Although he didn't have much money, he was only confused for a short while before he quickly adapted.

Perhaps because he never suffered much hardship in his past life, Ji Qingxu has a very carefree and optimistic personality.

As a second-generation beneficiary of land expropriation, Ji Qingxu knows that without money, one cannot live a good life.

Ji Qingxu is good at spending money, but as for making money... he has never actually made any. Of course, not having made any money doesn't mean he doesn't know some simple ways to make money.

Buying a house, buying Tencent stock, buying Maotai stock, buying gold... but all of these require start-up capital, even though the production crew compensated him 2 yuan after he was discharged from the hospital.

But this amount of money can only temporarily relieve Ji Qingxu from worrying about life. Ji Qingxu knows that he cannot rely on others for a lifetime. Apart from his parents, no one can guarantee his future.

As for why one should take the college entrance exam?

Having entered a new life, Ji Qingxu wanted to try something new. The entertainment industry was a novelty for him, and he wanted to see what it was like.

Of course, Ji Qingxu would have to trouble his grandfather's good friend, Old Master Wu Bin, and his senior brother, Kou Zhanwen, with the matter of taking the college entrance exam. In any case, the two of them had been taking care of the original owner for the past two years, so "there's no need to worry about debts." Ji Qingxu decided to shamelessly freeload for now and repay them when he had money in the future.

Would Ji Qingxu feel embarrassed? Absolutely not!

As a second-generation beneficiary of land expropriation, Ji Qingxu had seen too many examples of people bowing down for money in his previous life. What face do you have if you don't have money?

Lost in thought about all sorts of things, Ji Qingxu gradually drifted off to sleep.