Reborn in the Chinese Entertainment Industry: My Childhood Sweetheart is Boss Yang

The Shuxiangqing restaurant outside the south gate of the school was bustling with activity at this moment.

As the second canteen for students at Beijing Film Academy, the air here is perpetually filled with the smells of cheap cigarettes, hot pot, and excess hormones.

When Gu Heng led the three "kings" of dormitory 306 through the door, four girls were already sitting at a large round table in the corner.

Facing the door, Yang Mi took off her enormous baseball cap and casually tossed it onto the corner of the table. Her long, smooth, black hair was loosely draped over her shoulders.

She was tilting her head and talking to the short-haired girl next to her, while fiddling with a glass in her hand.

Upon seeing Gu Heng, his fox-like eyes curved into a smile.

"You're here?"

Gu Heng didn't stand on ceremony. He walked straight over, plopped down in the empty seat next to her, and casually picked up the teapot in front of her to pour himself a cup: "Have you ordered?"

"We ordered, all the main dishes."

Yang Mi pouted and looked at the three boys opposite her who were clearly at a loss.

"Hey, what are you standing for? Sit down. These are my roommates: Yuan Shanshan, Zhang Xiaofei, and Jiao Junyan."

The three warriors then seemed to wake from a dream and awkwardly took their seats.

Gu Heng glanced at the person opposite him.

Wow, what a lineup.

The future queen of abs, Yuan Shanshan; Zhang Xiaofei before she became the nation's "Fei Ma"; and Jiao Junyan with her neat and refreshing short hair.

Although they still have the naivety of freshmen and no sophisticated makeup, the abundance of collagen and vitality on the table is enough to overwhelm these young men who have just been released from high school.

The food was served shortly after the group sat down.

Seeing the awkward silence, Gu Heng tapped on the table.

"Let's skip those fancy self-introductions."

"Shall one of us go first? Let's meet here so we can fight our way through thousands of people."

Let's have a drink!

Young people can become acquainted in just a few drinks.

After a few bottles of large green bottles, the atmosphere visibly warmed up.

Wang Renjun was now completely unleashed, launching into a long, enthusiastic rant about his glorious deeds in his hometown. He dredged up old grievances like being the kindergarten bully and the elementary school heartthrob, making the girls across from him laugh uproariously.

The only thing out of place was the lively atmosphere around Gu Heng and Yang Mi's table.

A plate of braised prawns was served.

Yang Mi didn't use chopsticks; she used her hands directly, skillfully pinching off the head and tail with two fingers, peeling off the shrimp shell, and revealing the shrimp meat inside.

Without even looking at it, she threw it into Gu Heng's bowl.

Gu Heng was chatting with Jing Chao when he felt something in his bowl. He picked it up and put it in his mouth without even saying thank you.

Zhang Xiaofei, who was about to pick up food from across the table, had her chopsticks hovering in mid-air, her eyes wide open: "Honey...you're pretty skilled at this, aren't you? You must have practiced a lot at home, right?"

Yuan Shanshan chimed in, "Yeah, how come our big star has this trick up his sleeve? Gu Dazhuangyuan, your family status must be pretty high, right?"

Gu Heng, who was chewing shrimp, paused, swallowed, and then shrugged confidently.

"You just don't understand. When she was little, she wanted to eat candied hawthorns but didn't have any money, so I always paid for it. What's wrong with peeling a few shrimp now?"

"Gu Heng! If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"

Yang Mi blushed, and instead of putting the shrimp she had just peeled into the bowl, she shoved it directly into Gu Heng's mouth, trying to physically shut him down. "Just eat yours, you talk too much!"

Despite her fierce words, her hands didn't stop moving; she grabbed another large shrimp.

Seeing this scene, Wang Renjun took a bite of the steamed bun in his hand with grief and indignation.

"Hey guys..."

His voice trembled as he pointed to the pot of perfectly cooked boiled fish in front of him, which looked and smelled delicious. "Why does this fish suddenly... not smell good anymore?"

Gu Heng said in a smug tone, "You'll get used to it. You'll have four more years of this."

"cut."

Everyone at the table collectively raised their middle fingers.

……

After a hearty meal, the group walked out with rosy cheeks.

Gu Heng walked to the counter to pay.

The shop owner was a middle-aged man in his forties, leaning against the counter watching TV.

"Boss, table number 3, please calculate." Gu Heng took out his wallet.

The boss raised his eyelids and glanced around, his gaze lingering on Gu Heng and Yang Mi standing behind him.

He squinted, scrutinizing him up and down for several seconds like a radar.

"Hey, I was wondering why you looked so familiar." The owner suddenly slapped his thigh, his Beijing accent sounding particularly warm and friendly. "When the food was being served just now, I heard that girl say that you played Guo Xiang and... whoever it was in 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'?"

"Yelü Qi," Gu Heng replied calmly.

"Yes, yes, yes! Yelü Qi!" The boss slapped his thigh. "I knew this girl looked familiar; I felt like I'd seen her in some magazine. And you, young man, are even more amazing! Your looks are just as good as the actor who played Yang Guo!"

Gu Heng smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Boss, you have a good eye. Just because of what you said, your shop is bound to be a hit in the future."

"Absolutely! This year's freshmen at Beijing Film Academy are full of hidden talents. They've already set the stage before the semester even started."

The boss liked it more and more as he looked at it.

"Today's meal is 20% off! But I have a favor to ask."

The shop owner pulled a digital camera from under the counter, pointed to the wall behind him covered in photos, and said, "See these? These are all your senior classmates. Let's take one today too. When you become famous all over the country, this will be the signboard for my little shop!"

Yang Mi was amused and nudged Gu Heng's arm: "Scholar Gu, would you do me the honor?"

"Take the bid!" Gu Heng readily agreed. "I have to take the bid for the 20% discount; it'll save me tens of dollars."

The shutter clicked, and Gu Heng put his arm around Yang Mi's shoulder. Yang Mi made a silly peace sign, and their two youthful, enviable smiling faces were captured in this small, lively restaurant.

……

As we left the restaurant, the evening breeze dissipated much of the smell of alcohol.

Standing on the small street outside the South Gate, the three "kings" of dormitory 306 and the three "golden flowers" of the girls' dormitory exchanged glances and reached some kind of mysterious understanding.

"Ahem, um..."

Wang Renjun broke the silence first, dramatically slapping his forehead, "Brother Gu, I suddenly remembered I haven't bought a washbasin yet, I need to go to the supermarket."

Jing Chao reacted extremely quickly and immediately took over.

"Yes, yes, yes."

"I want to go buy... a toothbrush too!"

Zhang Xiaofei pulled her roommate back, saying, "Honey, we still need to go back and put on a face mask, so let's head out first."

"Um, Brother Gu, Sister-in-law... cough, Yang Mi, you guys take your time, we're heading out now!"

The six people exchanged a knowing glance, then walked so fast it was as if someone was chasing them for money, disappearing around the corner in the blink of an eye.

"These people..."

Gu Heng watched their disappearing figures, smiled and shook his head, "They're quite perceptive, I can get along with them."

Yang Mi put her hands behind her back and shuffled her toes on the ground: "What? You think I'm in your way?"

"No, not at all." Gu Heng put his hands in his pockets and turned to look at her.

"I just feel like I've finally got some peace and quiet."

Yang Mi subconsciously took a half step back, her heart skipped a beat for no reason, and said stubbornly, "What's with all the quiet? Hurry up and go back to school. We have to get up early tomorrow to pick up our military training uniforms."

"Shall we take a walk?"

"...It's only a ten-minute walk."