Huayu: Reborn in 97, transferring to the Central Academy of Drama's star-studded class

Early 1997, Beijing.

It was right after the New Year, the weather was cold, the snowdrifts under the trees were dotted with the red embers of firecrackers, and the streets were still filled with the lingering festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Jiang Lai turned up the car's interior temperature a little and drove aimlessly on the road.

The car in front stopped, and he braked as well, craning his neck to look ahead.

Oh well, another traffic jam.

I never imagined that Beijing would experience traffic jams in this day and age.

Jiang Lai pursed his lips, propped his head up with his hand, and glanced around, secretly observing the former Beijing.

Everywhere was shrouded in a gray haze, not smog, but coal smoke from burning coal for heating.

In this environment, pedestrians, whether walking or cycling, seem to float around aimlessly, adding an eerie touch to the city.

He still can't understand why he was reborn.

In his previous life, he was a spoiled brat, but he didn't cause trouble or break the law. He only thought about cockfighting, dog walking, eating, drinking, and having fun every day.

Although his parents were angry at his lack of ambition, they saw that he didn't cause any trouble for the family, so they simply let him be.

Jiang Lai was happy with this, thinking that his life would just end like this, but when he woke up, he was back in 1997, when he was twenty years old.

After overcoming the initial shock and unease, Jiang Lai's mindset calmed down.

Although he was given a second chance at life, he was not happy.

With his parents protecting him, he was not short of money and felt no excitement about making a name for himself because of his rebirth.

But he's lost interest in continuing to eat, drink, and have fun, just like once you've completed a game, you lose interest.

Besides, what's so fun about this era?

A bicycle wobbled past Jiang Lai. The rider looked at the long queue, then turned to look at Jiang Lai's luxury car. The two stared at each other, and the other person gave a smug, mocking look.

"Hey! That bastard!"

Jiang Lai laughed and cursed.

He wasn't really angry. If he were to argue about everything, he would have wasted his life.

Moreover, in this era, people generally still had a fire in their hearts, unlike in later generations when they laughed at poverty but not prostitution; cynicism was the norm.

After witnessing this, Jiang Lai was too lazy to dawdle any longer. Seeing that the right turn ahead was not blocked, he turned and made the turn. The drivers behind him stopped in time to let Jiang Lai change lanes.

After driving a short distance, the car pulled over to the side of the road.

Jiang Lai opened the car window, and a gust of cold wind rushed in. He shrank his neck and rolled the window up a little more.

Jiang Lai took out a cigarette from the armrest box next to him, opened the cigarette pack, and flicked the bottom of the pack with his finger, causing a cigarette to pop out.

He considered this way of taking out cigarettes to be very pretentious, and he had even put in a lot of effort to master it.

He held it in his mouth and took out a lighter.

"Snap!"

Jiang Lai frowned when he couldn't light it and shook the lighter.

"Snap!"

They missed again.

Jiang Lai sat up straight, his eyes fixed intently on the lighter, his fingers slowly flicking the flint.

"Snap!"

Fuck you!

Jiang Lai threw the lighter back into the armrest box, feeling sullen.

Often, people don't get upset about other people's holidays, but they get upset about these little things themselves.

Jiang looked at the cigarette box in his hand and felt that the little panda happily eating bamboo seemed to be mocking him.

"I have to beat you up today!"

He opened the door and got out of the car, intending to ask a passerby for a light.

Not far away, two young men were squatting and smoking by the base of a wall, with a pile of cigarette butts scattered on the ground.

Jiang Lai walked over. One of the men had droopy eyebrows and looked like he had a deep grudge, while the other wore glasses and looked particularly sleazy.

"Hey buddy! Can I borrow a light?" Jiang Lai waved the cigarette in his hand.

The two looked at the swaying panda, then at the Mercedes-Benz in the distance, and exchanged a guilty glance.

"This is all we have."

The bespectacled man pulled out a box of matches.

"It's fine, it works!"

Jiang Lai took the matches, took one out, and struck it on the tinderbox.

"puff!"

A gust of wind blew by, and the fire went out.

Seeing this, the bespectacled man stood up with remarkable awareness and lifted his clothes to shield himself from the wind.

Jiang Lai was taken aback, but didn't say anything, and continued to take out one.

"Sizzle!"

A flame was lit, igniting the cigarette.

Thanks.

Jiang Lai smiled, patted the other person on the shoulder, and casually handed him the matchbox.

The bespectacled man chuckled and squatted back down.

Jiang Lai felt a slight liking for the two of them, and since he had nowhere else to go, he simply squatted down in front of them as well.

"My name is Jiang Lai, Jiang as in the Yangtze River, and Lai as in coming and going. How shall I address you both?"

"My name is Wang Hongwei," the bespectacled man immediately chimed in, tugging at his companion. "His name is Jia Kezhang. We're both students at the Beijing Film Academy."

Wang Hongwei pointed to the side, and Jiang Lai looked over. Not far away was an imposing archway with the words "Beijing Film Academy" written on it.

I never expected to wander into this place.

In his previous life, Jiang Lai had only watched some popular TV dramas and movies, and didn't pay much attention to the entertainment industry.

These two unfamiliar faces are definitely not big stars.

"Want one?"

Jiang Lai extended his cigarette, knowing full well that male friendships begin with sharing a cigarette.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry."

As Wang Hongwei spoke, he generously pulled out a cigarette.

In contrast, the young man known as Jia Kezhang smiled shyly and pulled out a red box of cigarettes.

"I'm used to smoking this."

"Hey, a local brand, not bad, give me one."

Jiang Lai threw the little panda in his hand to the ground and stomped it out, then took a stick from the red box in Jia Kezhang's hand.

This scene made Jia Kezhang's eyes flicker slightly, because this was not a good cigarette.

The three of them squatted on the side of the street, smoking and remaining silent for a moment. Jiang Lai took the initiative to start a conversation.

"I've noticed you two have been sitting here smoking quietly. What happened?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Kezhang looked even more distressed.

"We want to make a movie, but we're short on funds. My friends back home offered to help, but that fell through. I'm thinking of selling my house to make the movie if necessary."

Jiang Lai scratched his head, a cigarette between his fingers, somewhat puzzled. In his view, there was nothing that couldn't be done; if something truly couldn't be done, then so be it.

"Then let's not film it. It's not worth selling the house."

Jia Kezhang fell silent, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and slowly exhaled after a long while.

"I had to film it! You don't understand. No one has ever really paid attention to the lives of ordinary people. No one has recorded that era that is about to be forgotten. Those memories may not be important to some people, but they are very important to me! I miss these things, I miss these people who had ideals when they were young, but who ultimately died in a corner."

His words were deep and heartfelt, which filled Jiang Lai with awe.

He couldn't understand it at all, but that didn't stop him from thinking it was awesome!

"So this is your dream?"

Jia Kezhang was stunned and didn't speak. Wang Hongwei couldn't help but turn his head to look at him. At this moment, no one knew what he was thinking.

"It's an ideal, an ideal that must be realized!"

Jia Kezhang spoke these words with a devout expression. For him, film is great. Although he is not sure if he can dedicate his life to it, he wants to keep getting closer to it.

Even if it's just a tiny bit closer.

"I'm investing in this project!"

"what?"

Still lost in their artsy obsession, Jia Kezhang and Wang Hongwei looked up in bewilderment.

"Wait a minute."

Jiang Lai flicked the cigarette butt into the snowdrift, stood up, ran to the car, took out his wallet, and ran back.

"Where is this... uh..."

He opened his wallet, which contained only a few banknotes, and then took out a business card.

"Call this person, and I'll make the arrangements. I've invested in your movie."

Jia Kezhang took the business card, which only had a name and a phone number on it, and he was still a little taken aback.

"You...you've already submitted it? Without even looking at the script or the budget?"

Jiang Lai waved his hand, exuding an imposing and domineering aura.

"No need, I'm not short of money. I'll invest whatever amount you need!"

Jia Kezhang's eyes welled up with tears. Even years later, he would never forget the stranger who saved him like a god descending to earth.

"Um, I have a question, about your movie..."

"Can I act?"

Excitement gleamed in Jiang Lai's eyes.