Huayu02 started by making films.

What are some good foods in Shanghai? That's a complicated question.

Braised pork with bamboo shoots, steamed dumplings, or braised pork belly?

Standing on the bustling street, Han Yi was completely bewildered. He should have just eaten at Zhang Min's place instead.

Just then, my phone rang in my pocket. I took it out and saw the caller ID: Fan Xiaopang.

Han Yi pressed the answer button: "Hey, Fatty, what's up?"

"Director Han, I heard you're in Shanghai?" Fan Xiaopang's voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of charm.

"You knew that?" Han Yi asked in surprise. "Did you install GPS on my phone?"

"What GPS? Look back!"

Han Yi turned around and saw a red Beetle slowly driving up in front of him.

The car window rolled down, and Fan Xiaopang smiled as he took off his sunglasses: "I just saw a figure at the intersection that looked a lot like you, so I tried calling it, and it really was you."

Han Yi opened the door and got into the passenger seat: "Let's find somewhere to eat first. By the way, what are you doing in Shanghai?"

Fan Xiaopang started the car: "Didn't you ask me to come back and thank my alma mater? I've come to see Teacher Xie."

Han Yi nodded: "I thought you had moved from the Beijing circle to the Shanghai circle."

"No industry is easy to navigate," Fan Xiaopang sighed softly. "Director Han, do you know what kind of scripts I received after winning the Venice Film Festival's Best Actress award?"

"She can't be a supporting female character again, can she?"

"No, they're all female leads. But when I read the scripts, the female leads had pitifully few scenes, and it wasn't satisfying to act them out at all."

Han Yi thought to himself: What's going on? You're acting now, and you're even addicted to it? This doesn't fit your image as Fan Xiaopang. Shouldn't you be going to crash the red carpet?

Han Yi patiently advised, "It doesn't matter how many scenes you have, as long as the pay is right. Actresses from the three major film festivals are still in high demand. You need to seize this window of opportunity and make the most of the resources brought by the Silver Lion Award. The more you take, the less others get. The same principle applies to endorsements."

"Director Han, what do you think? Should I participate in the Golden Rooster Awards?"

"Did you receive the notification?"

Fan Xiaopang nodded.

"Go to hell! You didn't know I was banned! I only kept one negative of 'Selaginella,' which I gave to Teacher Tian. If you go and enter that sham award, you'll be blacklisted again!"

Fan Xiaopang nodded and responded with "uh-huh," but it was unclear how much he actually took in.

Soon, the Beetle drove into the gates of the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Han Yi asked in confusion, "Why did you bring me here? You didn't graduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy."

"Professor Xie is having a meeting at the Shanghai Theatre Academy today. I just came from the teachers' college and happened to run into you on the way," Fan Xiaopang explained.

Han Yi glanced back at the back seat, where the box containing the Silver Lion Trophy was placed neatly in the middle.

He said irritably, "You're here to show off your skills at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, aren't you? Did Teacher Xie send you to mentor me?"

Before Fan Xiaopang could answer, Han Yi added, "No, Teacher Xie wouldn't do something like that. You deliberately chose this time to come back, didn't you?"

The Beetle came to a stop, and Fan Xiaopang blushed and laughed, "Oh my, you guessed it, Director Han."

"Didn't I tell you? Just call me by my name when we're off set?"

"Okay, little brother Han Yi."

Han Yi's face darkened.

The Shanghai Theatre Academy, also known as the East China Branch of the Central Academy of Drama.

Notable alumni include: Ji Gong, Chen Hong, Gai Lili, Aunt Xue, Er Kang, Xu Guangtou, Li Bingbing, Xu Damao, Qin Huairu, Yili, etc...

Despite it being the National Day holiday, there were still quite a few students coming and going on campus.

Fan Xiaopang wanted to take Han Yi to meet Xie Jin, but Xie Jin politely declined.

Han Yi wandered alone to the Shanghai Theatre Academy cafeteria, filled a large plate with rice and vegetables, found an empty seat, and began to eat.

Being in Shanghai, the cafeteria offered a much wider variety of dishes than the Beijing Film Academy. Han Yi, his mouth glistening with oil, was practically shouting, "That was amazing!"

After finishing his meal, Han Yi slumped in his chair, casually observing the students coming and going. There were a few familiar faces in the cafeteria.

Lei Datou and Lü Xiaobu were also eating nearby.

Hey, isn't that Wan Qian?

A short-haired, flat-chested, elegant actress—a favorite of art-house film directors—stood tall and walked into the cafeteria. Beside her was a young man. Han Yi took a closer look:

Wow, Brother Hu.

In Han Yi's memory, one of them was from the class of 00 and the other from the class of 01, so it's not surprising that they know each other now.

Han Yi wondered to himself, "Should I ask Li Xiaoyao from 'The Legend of Sword and Fairy' to come looking for me?"

He shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and got up to go to the Shanghai Animation Film Studio.

Unexpectedly, Lei Datou also turned around with his plate at the same time, seemingly to get more rice.

He turned around and saw Han Yi stretching.

Lei Datou held the plate in one hand and rubbed his eyes with the other, as if to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

A quarter of a second later,

"Hey you...hey you again...Director Han! Is that you, Director Han?!"

The students eating in the cafeteria all turned to look at them.

Han Yi smiled and waved: "Hello, I'm Han Yi."

"Wow! It's like looking up and seeing the North Star!"

Lei Datou put his plate on the table, jogged over, and stretched out his hands.

"Director Han, what brings you here? Are you planning to transfer schools? Let me tell you, the Shanghai Theatre Academy has everything we need, except for a great director like you..."

He spoke so quickly that Han Yi was completely bewildered, thinking to himself:

Why didn't I think of coming to the Shanghai Theatre Academy when I was reborn? From its founding until now, the Shanghai Theatre Academy has always been eager to fight against the Beijing Film Academy, just like the Shanghai Film Academy fights against the China Film Academy.

"Excuse me, I don't know your name yet?" Han Yi interrupted him.

"Oh my god, look at my memory!" Lei Datou slapped his forehead. "My surname is Lei, the Lei of thunderstorm. You can just call me Datou."

"Hello, Lei."

Lu Xiaobu, who was standing nearby, also chimed in: "My surname is Lu, you can just call me Xiaobu."

"Hello, Xiao Bu."

Han Yi reached out and shook hands with him.

The students in the cafeteria, seeing the banned director from the news appear before them, were eager to come up and say hello, hoping to become acquainted. Hu Ge and Wan Qian also moved closer.

Seeing this, Han Yi turned and left. Lei Datou followed closely behind, glancing back at the other students before exiting the cafeteria, thinking to himself:

"You have absolutely no sense of propriety. You think you can act? You're nothing."

After thinking for a moment, he jogged to catch up with Han Yi: "Director Han! Director Han, please wait!"

Han Yi turned around: "Lei, is there anything else?"

"Nothing much, I just wanted to ask if Director Han would like to take a look around the Shanghai Theatre Academy? I know this place well, I can be your tour guide."

"What's so interesting about visiting the school?"

Han Yi pursed his lips, then thought for a moment, "Do you know how far the Shanghai Animation Film Studio is from here? I want to go there and have a look."

Lei Datou's eyes lit up: "Director Han, I know that place better! I'll take you there."

"it is good."

The two walked out of the school gate. Lei Datou somehow got hold of a Jialing motorcycle and handed a helmet to Han Yi: "Director Han, please get on. It's only a five-minute ride to the factory."

Looking at the vintage motorcycle, Han Yi climbed onto the back seat and said, "Lei, drive slowly, I get carsick."

"Director Han, you can just call me Big Head! Just watch!"

Lei Datou twisted the accelerator, and the Jialing sped off like a madman.

Five minutes later, we arrived at the Shanghai Animation Film Studio.

During the National Day holiday, parts of this largest animation film studio in China were opened to the public for visitors.

It seems that the animated series "I'm Crazy for Singing," released last year, has really messed things up for this old studio, forcing them to start selling tickets to generate revenue.

"Director Han, look! This is the original artwork for 'Havoc in Heaven'! I used to sit in front of the TV every day when I was a kid and watch it!" Lei Datou and Han Yi walked to a display window and pointed at the artwork behind the glass, shouting.

Han Yi looked up and thought, "The cartoons we watched when we were kids were so much better, and we ate all sorts of fine grains."

He lamented, "Mr. Wan passed away a few years ago, and I never had the chance to meet him in person."

"Sigh." Lei Datou also sighed.

The two then walked to the next display window, which showed the original manuscript of "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King".