Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, the Diary of a 95 Flower

Chapter 131 Take Control of Your Life, Be Your Own Adult
Seeing that Jiang Yang had parked his car and returned, and led her back to her hotel room, Zhao Jinmai felt somewhat relieved.

Jiang Yang entered the room, grabbed a piece of instant noodles that Zhao Jinmai had prepared on the coffee table, and stuffed it into his mouth.

This suite is on a high floor and has a wide view.

Looking out through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

The LED billboards at Wanda Plaza in Songjiang District are displaying a scrolling message: "Happy New Year."

The New Year's Eve light show at Mediterranean Square has already begun, and colorful laser beams can be seen in the distance.

There aren't many commercial office buildings in Songjiang District. Looking into the distance, you can see a few scattered squares with lights on, indicating people working overtime, near Feihang Plaza and Sanxiang Building.

Shanghai-plated taxis streamed along the streets, their red taillights forming a continuous line.

Groups of university students headed to Kaiyuan Mediterranean to participate in New Year's Eve activities.

White smoke rose from the Wenhui Road snack street, and a drunk man could be seen vomiting while leaning against a telephone pole.

Jiang Yang stretched out his legs and lay on the sofa scrolling through his phone.

I used to take New Year's Eve quite seriously when I was a student.

Because I feel like I'm a year older.

I feel more mature and more attractive than before.

Now I inexplicably avoid holidays, as if that's how I can avoid the fact that I'm getting older.

Even if you are reborn with the body of an 18-year-old, this ingrained way of thinking is still hard to change.

I can understand why Zhao Jinmai values ​​New Year's Eve.

In the past, the biggest significance of such holidays to me was that they gave me an excuse to ask girls out, to practice in cheap, soundproof hotels from one year to the next.

Back then, I was tougher than steel bars.

correct.

Jiang Yang suddenly realized that he was in a hotel room right now.

It wasn't one of those cheap motels from my student days, but a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai.

If I were a student, with those resources, I could have slept with a girl seven times in one night.

Although I'm no longer interested in the festive atmosphere, I remain steadfast in my convictions.

Then.

Where is the girl?
The sound of running water in the bathroom stopped.

The girl has arrived.

Jiang Yang looked up and saw Zhao Jinmai, who had washed her face, was barefoot and not even wearing slippers, walking towards him with a bright smile.

He sat down next to him casually and said, "Brother Yang, your phone isn't locked, is it...?"

He reached out in a flash.

So fast, it's unclear how many times they'd planned this in private, but they snatched Jiang Yang's phone in an instant: "Can I borrow your phone for a bit?"

The girl does indeed have one.

But she turned out to be a minor girl.

They know nothing, all they do is play on their phones, eat snacks, and watch cartoons.

Adults' sense of guilt is fully exposed in the face of childlike innocence.

The water droplets on her eyelashes were clearer than any of the orgasms I had ever experienced.

Jiang Yang couldn't entertain even the slightest wicked thought. He muttered, "What a waste of such a good atmosphere. If this scene appeared in a movie, I would call it a terrible film."

"What are you muttering about over there?" Zhao Jinmai heard a curse word in Jiang Yang's mutterings: "Are you cursing me in your heart?"

"I'm criticizing your schedule on your desk. It's too packed with time, it's giving me a headache just looking at it."

Feeling bored, Jiang Yang went to Zhao Jinmai's desk and looked at the tight schedule on it.

I get up at 6:30 in the morning and go to bed at 10:30 at night. Apart from meals and lunch breaks, I have almost no rest time.

Once the topic of this schedule came up, Zhao Jinmai started talking non-stop.

She tossed her phone onto the sofa and jogged over: "Yang-ge, you've noticed too, haven't you? My mom made this ridiculous schedule for me, it's like I'm rushing to catch a train."

Jiang Yang nodded in agreement:

"That's right. She gets up at 6:30 in the morning and goes to bed at 10:30 at night. Apart from meals and a midday nap, she has almost no rest time. It makes my scalp tingle. It can easily lead to stress load and make it impossible to enter a state of flow... I'm not saying your mother is bad, but your mother's planning for your time is not just meticulous, it's extremely meticulous."

Zhao Jinmai listened very attentively.

I don't understand what stress load is, nor do I understand what flow state is.

The only thing I understood was that someone had finally stood by my side.

Jiang Yang was speaking up for himself.

When adults praised her for being sensible, for her good grades, for her acting skills, and for being well-behaved, Zhao Jinmai was numb to it all and could only offer a fake smile in response.

Jiang Yang did not boast about himself.

He made no attempt to hide his criticism of his mother for not making good arrangements for him.

She practically voiced her feelings of being misunderstood.

He eats snacks with me and curses at his mother.

What a wonderful day.

“MaiMai, if I curse your mom, don’t let her know.”

Jiang Yang was too lazy to correct him. He tore off a piece of draft paper, grabbed a pen, and wrote a new schedule for Zhao Jinmai.

"I understand."

Zhao Jinmai tilted her neck back slightly, raised her chin, and laughed heartily: "You're really not on the same page as those adults."

"How so? Describe it."

"You're like Guan Yu when you're being righteous, but when you're being wicked, you're even more slippery than Qin Hui."

Jiang Yang paused for a moment while holding the pen.

What an elegant description! For a moment, I couldn't tell whether Zhao Jinmai was praising me or scolding me.

Did Yue Fei agree to put Guan Yu and Qin Hui together?

"Oh my god, my mom isn't home. I'll go put on her lipstick."

Zhao Jinmai went to the restroom.

She came out shortly after, a few centimeters taller, wearing Hu Lin's oversized high heels, and walked unsteadily.

Her lips were a bright red.

It's obvious she's wearing Hu Lin's lipstick.

Lipstick was applied to the front teeth, so when they smiled, red teeth were visible.

Two red marks were rubbed off her cheeks.

With a towel draped over her shoulders as a shawl, she said, "Brother Yang, do I look like an adult dressed like this?"

Jiang Yang looked up and said, "It's like it's come to life."

Zhao Jinmai laughed out loud: "I knew you'd talk so much."

She casually kicked off her high heels, sat back down next to Jiang Yang, revealing her snow-white feet: "High heels, walking in them is like walking on stilts, why do adults like them so much?"

"What other things do you not understand about adults?"

"very many."

In front of Hu Lin, Zhao Jinmai became increasingly quiet.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yang asked the question and then spoke in fluent and clear Mandarin:
"Why can adults stay up all night playing on their phones, but I'm required to go to bed early?"

"Why do adults always reminisce about their childhood but deny my troubles?"

"Why do adults always link grades with love..."

Zhao Jinmai sat on the armchair next to Jiang Yang, confiding her worries to him while images of things she had suppressed and dared not speak of flashed through her mind.

Her mother said she would love her no matter how she did on the test, but the only reward was for high scores.

I told her how wonderful adolescence is, but she was clearly in pain.

I've seen my mother slam doors because of work-related troubles, and I've also asked her to stay emotionally stable.

Her mother would tell her privately that she was under a lot of work pressure, but if she cried, she would just be dramatic.

My mom has a whole cabinet full of face masks that she doesn't use, so buying cartoon stickers is a waste.

Her father spent tens of thousands on fishing gear, but she gets scolded for buying comic books.

I keep saying, "I'm doing this for your own good."

Don't be like me back then, over and over again.

They never give themselves a choice.

Every time an adult says, "You'll understand later," Zhao Jinmai feels that the adults themselves can't really explain it.

She didn't dare to refute.

Jiang Yang casually wrote a new schedule for Zhao Jinmai, listening to her complaints as a form of entertainment.

Listen, listen.

She noticed that Zhao Jinmai was no longer joking and laughing with her.

He suppressed his smile.

His gaze was earnest.

At some point, Zhao Jinmai linked one arm with his.

I dare not use too much force, for fear of being seen as childish; I dare not use too little force, for fear of being ignored.

Seeing that Jiang Yang did not resist, she dared to continue.

Adults' desires are called needs, and children's needs are called desires.

Those frustrations that are denied are like thorns in the soul; they hurt when touched, but adults never see them.

I always hear my parents say that they are under a lot of pressure, and they keep mentioning the word "pressure" to express their distress. But every time I say that I am also under pressure, my parents say that I am being dramatic.

Jiang Yang didn't interrupt Zhao Jinmai's rambling and listened patiently.

Sentence by sentence, he saw what Zhao Jinmai's closed-off inner world was like.

Did you have these worries when you were a child?
some.

There must be.

Jiang Yang was very certain.

The problem is, he tried very hard to remember how he felt at the time, but he couldn't recall it at all.

The wound has healed, I don't remember the pain, and I've even forgotten how I got the injury.

As we grow older, the worries we had as children become increasingly insignificant, and new worries and new goals arise as we grow up.

I will no longer ask myself why.

In the adult world, there is no why.

Jiang Yang knew he couldn't answer Zhao Jinmai's questions.

He could pretend to be childish and play with Zhao Jinmai, but deep down he was a thirty-something-year-old soul, gradually growing old—a fact that could not be changed.

Having spent some years in the world of fame and fortune, one might mistake vulgarity and sophistication for maturity.

They lost their youthful spirit.

Jiang Yang couldn't even remember what he was like as a naive and innocent child, so what right did he have to expect Zhao Jinmai to understand adults?

Maybe when you were a child, you hated who you are now.

I suddenly felt a little envious of Zhao Jinmai; she could still angrily question the unfairness.

In my past life, after growing up, I was worn down by the world and lived a muddled life, like a dog, with a pig's brain, doing the work of an ox or a horse. I had long forgotten the unfair feelings I had when I was a child.

Even now, I can't recall those feelings from my childhood; I've become a pathetic adult.

After Zhao Jinmai finished her rambling, she glanced at the time: 11:50.

There are still 10 minutes left to ring in the new year.

Yang Chaoyue is waiting for me to go back.

Jiang Yang stopped writing: "How's this plan?"

"Let me take a look." After finishing their serious business, Zhao Jinmai reverted to her Northeastern accent.

Zhao Jinmai took the plan written by Jiang Yang and glanced at it.

What comes into view is Jiang Yang's handwriting.

Horizontal strokes are stable, vertical strokes are upright, and left-falling and right-falling strokes are extended.

The writing is fluent, with each stroke having a distinct brush tip, making it a pleasure to look at.

The handwriting is even more beautiful than my mom's.

Such beautiful handwriting, it would be a waste not to write it on more Chinese language exam papers.

Jiang Yang's handwriting was beautiful, but Zhao Jinmai frowned immediately after glancing at the content:
“What kind of nonsense is this? It’s written one line after another, even denser than my mom’s. It’s all about extracurricular reading, calligraphy practice, and exercise. Are you trying to fool me? If my mom saw this, she’d be laughing so hard she’d slap her thigh.”

"Take a closer look, why not donate your eyes if you don't need them anymore?"

Jiang Yang cursed without hesitation and then slapped Zhao Jinmai on the head.

Zhao Jinmai was startled.

Yang Ge's insults were quite insightful.

When I go back to school, I can insult my classmates like this.

She glanced at him, then looked closer, her eyes darting left and right, her pupils slightly dilating, and uttered a down-to-earth swear word: "Holy shit!"

It is clearly written above:

[6:30-7:00, get up, wash up, go to the toilet]
[7:30-7:50, have breakfast]
[7:50-7:51, Morning Reading]
[7:51-7:52, Doing homework]
[7:52-7:53, calligraphy practice]
[7:53-7:54, instill eye drops and perform eye exercises]
[7:54-7:55, Extracurricular Reading]
[7:55-7:56, memorize vocabulary]
[7:56-7:57, Physical exercise]
[7:57-7:58, Preview]
[7:58 AM - 24:00 AM, check your phone for a while]
[24:00-7:00, sleep]
After reading it carefully, Zhao Jinmai was greatly shocked: "Brother Yang, with your brains, you would definitely be a top-tier strategist in ancient times, you can fool people with all sorts of tricks!"

Jiang Yang knew that Zhao Jinmai was praising him.

It sounds weird, like I've been scolded.

Time is a truly amazing thing.

Not only can you see changes in people, but you can even see changes in vocabulary.

The phrase "Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix" is still a positive term today, but its meaning has changed in later generations.

Chat for a while.

When asked about Jiang Yang's education, it was discovered that although Jiang Yang was indeed an adult, he was still a high school student.

I'm a senior in high school. I had a fight with my family, we had a falling out, and I ran away from home. I have to go back next month to take my final exams.

Daring to argue with family members.

Daring to run away from home.

This is something I've wanted to do many times, but never dared to.

No wonder Jiang Yang is often unserious in private; he's just as rebellious as she is at heart.

Zhao Jinmai suddenly asked curiously, "Yang-ge, after you ran away, do your parents still care about you?"

"Yes, they do manage me. I'm from Chongqing, and my family is very strict. Even though I'm not with my mom, she still sends me links to WeChat public accounts from time to time to keep an eye on me."

"So what did you do?" Zhao Jinmai was very curious.

It was obvious that Jiang Yang lived a more authentic and freer life than I did.

I envy Jiang Yang's life.

"Of course, I responded with great filial piety."

"Really? Don't try to fool me."

"Really, my whole family knows I'm a filial child."

Jiang Yang spoke very frankly.

Zhao Jinmai didn't believe a single word of it.

He ran to the sofa, grabbed Jiang Yang's phone, and wanted to see the chat history between Jiang Yang and his family.

But I also felt that doing so would be impolite.

Only after obtaining Jiang Yang's approval did she click to view: "Brother Yang, which one is your father?"

"That's the one with the nickname 'Old Deng' in the notes."

What does "老登" mean?
Zhao Jinmai didn't understand. Could it be that Jiang Yang's father's surname was Deng, but why was Jiang Yang's surname Jiang?

Such complicated family relationships.

Too lazy to think too much.

Open the chat dialog box, and the history is full of voice and video call records.

The content is not visible.

No valid information.

Yang Ge told me he has a younger sister: "Yang Ge, which contact is labeled 'your sister'?"

Jiang Yang ate the leftover main dishes that Zhao Jinmai had prepared earlier. When he mentioned his younger sister, his tone was irritated: "The one whose contact name is Little Fairy is her."

Little fairy?
It's clearly a very sweet nickname.

Jiang Yang must have a very good relationship with his sister.

I wish I had a brother like Jiang Yang.

In the chat dialog box, click on the last voice message that Jiang Yang's sister sent to Jiang Yang.

From the phone's speaker, a loud, exaggerated Chongqing dialect blared: "He's just a rascal!"

Zhao Jinmai couldn't understand the Chongqing dialect and didn't understand what it meant.

You can feel the enthusiasm of Jiang Yang's sister when she chats with Jiang Yang.

The relationship between the siblings must be not only loving but also warm.

"Yang-ge, which contact is labeled 'your mom'?"

"Mom's hungry."

Open Jiang Yang's WeChat and look at his chat with his mother.

Zhao Jinmai's eyes lit up immediately.

There are no voice or call chat logs, and very few text messages; they are mostly strings of forwarded videos or links to public accounts.

After scrolling up a few times, Zhao Jinmai started to look at it seriously.

On November 18th, Jiang Yang's mother forwarded a video of an expert's speech with the title: "[Children who don't know gratitude are nothing but ingrates]".
Jiang Yang forwarded another expert's speech video in response, with the title: [Why do many children not know gratitude and complain about their parents?]
12 month 1 day.

Jiang Yang's mother forwarded a link from a public WeChat account: [Filial children are more likely to be successful]
Jiang Yang forwarded a link from a public WeChat account and replied: [A child being too filial isn't necessarily a good thing]
Zhao Jinmai's eyes widened as she watched.

The words that Jiang Yang's mother forwarded were exactly what his own mother often said to him.

I would never dare to reply like that.

How dare Jiang Yang do that?

Putting the facts aside, Zhao Jinmai felt so comfortable that even her toes stretched out.

I fantasize that I am Jiang Yang now, and that I would dare to reply in the same way every time my mother says the same thing to me.

She held Jiang Yang's phone and continued reading the rest of the content.

On December 13th, Jiangyang's mother forwarded a video with the title: "[Children without talent have these 4 characteristics]".
Jiang Yang forwarded a video with the title: [The less capable parents are, the more they like to argue with their children about these 3 things]
12 month 22 day.

Jiang Yang's mother sent me a link with the title: [The consequences of a child disrespecting their mother are very serious]
Jiang Yang forwarded another link with the title: "[A family should educate not the children, but the mother]"
The last time we chatted was three days ago.

Jiang Yang's mother shared a video with the title: [Why doesn't your child care about you?]
Jiang Yang responded to another video with the title: "[Your child doesn't care about you because you don't know how to talk to them]"
Jiang Yang's mother followed with a text message: ["Every time I chat with you, your dad and I get angry."]
Jiang Yang forwarded the link and replied, with the title: [Irritable parents will raise children with personality defects]
It was so enjoyable to watch.

Zhao Jinmai's pupils were bright, and her breathing was relaxed.

Every article with over 10 views is like a weapon for parents to choose from.

Jiang Yang repelled it indiscriminately.

He proved he was a good kid in the family in the most rebellious way.

Each confrontational reply was a line from his own imagination, spoken aloud by Jiang Yang.

This is what a free adult should be like.

Take control of your own life.

"MaiMai, stop looking. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public."

"Brother Yang, I'm keeping my mouth shut. I'll only whisper to one person at most." Zhao Jinmai smiled, revealing her teeth and raising her eyebrows.

boom!
A firework exploded.

Zhao Jinmai turned her head to look out the window, and walked barefoot to the window.
In the direction of Sheshan, scattered red fireworks bloomed in the sky.

Because of the distance, it took Zhao Jinmai several seconds after each bloom to hear the sound of it exploding.

There is a policy prohibiting the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers within the outer ring road of Shanghai.

At this time, Songjiang District was located outside the outer ring road, a regulatory gray area.

Working adults dare not set off fireworks.

The children and students don't care about any of that.

As fireworks, much like those at Sheshan, lit up the sky, students gathered around the university town to set off sparklers and spinning tops.

In a dimly lit, old-fashioned residential area, firecrackers suddenly exploded like flashbangs.

In front of the food stalls on Wenhui Road, scattered fireworks, resembling a dazzling display of light, shot three or four meters high, attracting considerable attention.

The green rays of the New Year's Eve laser show at Mediterranean Plaza swayed erratically.

Looking into the distance, the blue light clusters that bloomed in Qingpu District briefly streaked across the sky.

The pungent smell of sulfur dioxide soon filled the air near the window.

After watching for a while, Zhao Jinmai finally came to her senses: "What beautiful fireworks!"

A smile played on her lips as she stood on tiptoe, peering out the window. Her breath quickened with delight, her eyes shone brightly, and she spoke in a clear, articulate voice, "Brother Yang, the new year is here! I'm a year older now. I really want to grow up quickly... Brother Yang, Jiang Yang... Brother Yang? Huh..."

There was no response from Jiang Yang.

Zhao Jinmai suddenly realized something and turned around to look.

The newly written schedule is spread out on the desk.

The prepared main dishes and snacks were only half-eaten. The beautifully decorated suite was empty, the sound of fireworks exploding outside echoing in the background.

Jiang Yang was nowhere to be seen.

I glanced at the time; it was already 0:10.

Jiang Yang left sometime later, I don't know.

In the spacious suite, he was all alone.

"Brother Yang is gone... He left without a word, how inconsiderate of him."

It's possible that they did say hello, but the fireworks outside were too loud for them to hear.

Those despicable adults, they really do keep their word! They said they'd leave at midnight, and they left at midnight, not staying a minute longer.

Zhao Jinmai's upturned lips froze, and her shoulders suddenly slumped.

I sat back down at my desk.

He moved the five test papers off his desk and looked at the schedule Jiang Yang had written for him.

She recalled how Jiang Yang took her to square dancing, watched players play table tennis in the gymnasium, and sang until her voice was hoarse in the karaoke room.

These are all things I wanted to do, but my mom wouldn't let me do.

I am actually satisfied.

I've had my fill of indulgence tonight.

My rebellious phase should come to an end.

My mom will be back tomorrow, and I should start to be more sensible.

She turned on the computer tower.

With Mom not here, there's no need to cover the mouse with a sock, no need to turn down the monitor brightness, and no need to constantly monitor the lighting in the master bedroom.

With Jiang Yang's help, he quickly completed the test paper assigned by his mother.

Now you can play on the computer however you want, nobody can tell you what to do.

It was supposed to be a very happy time.

But Zhao Jinmai was not happy at all.

Very uncomfortable.

She logged onto QQ, awkwardly typed with two fingers on the keyboard, and sent a message to Jiang Yang: ["Brother Yang, be careful on your way back."]
Then came the second message: ["Thank you for spending New Year's Eve with me tonight, it was a great night."]
Then, edit the third message: "I'm so lucky to have met you."

I didn't send the message; I deleted it.

I can't bring myself to say it. Adding a few Martian symbols would make it sound like something Jiang Yang would say during his "Shamate" era—it's too embarrassing.

I rewrote the text and sent it. The text no longer had a Northeastern accent; it was clearly standard Mandarin: [“Take me out to play again sometime, I’m super well-behaved.”]
No reply has been received from Jiang Yang.

He must be driving.

Zhao Jinmai pulled out a math test paper, turned on the desk lamp, held the pen, looked at the questions, carefully examined them, and her gaze became vacant.

I don't want to be sensible at all.

Being a child is so tiring; I long to grow up quickly.

The throat repeatedly swallows air.

I looked at the first question several times, but I still couldn't understand it at all.

Her eyes quickly reddened, and her eyelashes, glistening with tears, fell heavily.

I don't know why, but I'm really reluctant to see Jiang Yang leave.

Suddenly, the sound of the toilet flushing came from the bathroom.

Then came Jiang Yang's muttering: "The suites in high-end hotels in Shanghai are indeed of a different level. They even have smart toilets. I want Yang Chaoyue to experience the feeling of warm air blowing on his butt and hot water washing his butt. I can't be the only one embarrassed."

Zhao Jinmai realized something, put down the pen she was holding, and looked up towards the direction of the bathroom.

As the sound of running water from the sink stopped, Jiang Yang shook the water droplets off his hands and walked out, glancing at Zhao Jinmai, who was sitting upright at her desk, working on a math test.
"The New Year's Eve fireworks are still going off outside. Are you just going to give up watching them? What if Songjiang District of Shanghai implements a policy to ban fireworks? You won't be able to watch them anymore."

"Oh my god, Yang-ge, you didn't leave?"

Zhao Jinmai's dim eyes suddenly brightened.

"I haven't left. I would have said goodbye if I had left, otherwise it would be impolite."

Jiang Yang stepped over and came to the desk.

He glanced at the math test Zhao Jinmai was working on and said, "Do you want to take the test? Then I won't bother you anymore."

"I'm not writing it. Do whatever you want, bother me all you want!"

Zhao Jinmai casually covered the test paper, slapped the pen she was holding onto it, wiped her eyes, and gave a bright smile: "Let's watch the fireworks for a while before we leave, what's the rush!"

"Row."

The two moved chairs to the French windows and watched the fireworks outside.

Small talk.

To tease.

Zhao Jinmai told Jiang Yang about interesting things that happened at school.

Jiang Yang ate the hearty dishes prepared by Zhao Jinmai, making mumbled "uh-huh" sounds as he ate.

Don't be surprised, but these junk foods like Little Chef instant noodles, Doritos, egg tarts, and cream puffs can be quite addictive if you eat too much of them.

Fireworks were set off in bursts outside, from different places and angles.

In the flashing, exploding light, the shadows of two people, one tall and one short, one large and one small, appeared by the window, sometimes far away, sometimes very close.

Before leaving, Jiang Yang made sure to pack up the leftover main dishes to take with him, which delighted Zhao Jinmai.

Jiang Yang genuinely approves of the junk food he enjoys.

Unlike other adults, they don't just blame themselves.

A short while later, Zhao Jinmai came downstairs and saw Jiang Yang off from the hotel.

Watching Jiang Yang get into the silver Corolla, she watched the car drive away.

As the Corolla's taillights disappeared around the corner, the light in my heart shone brightly.

Zhao Jinmai returned to the hotel, took out her room card, and opened the door.

The suite was empty and quiet.

She no longer felt the loneliness she had previously felt when she mistakenly thought Jiang Yang had left, because she knew that there was an adult who would always stand by her side.

You can always trust me... Recalling Jiang Yang's words, Zhao Jinmai felt an unprecedented warmth and relief in her heart.

I sat back down at my desk, my shoulder blades drooping naturally, my posture relaxed.

When she picked up the schedule her mother had made for her again and glanced at the dense arrangements, she felt as if an invisible burden was pressing down on her back.

They stared in silence.

His back hunched over without him even realizing it.

She repeatedly rubbed the edge of the paper with her fingers.

Frown, relax, then tense up again.

Standing on tiptoe.

He bit his lower lip, leaving teeth marks.

This state lasted for quite a while before a decision was finally made.

He landed heavily on his tiptoes, and muttered to himself in a breathy voice, enunciating clearly: "I don't want to live a life that's been arranged for me anymore. I want to live the life I choose for myself."

"I don't want to grow up passively anymore."

Zhao Jinmai's spine is straight.

With a pen clenched tightly, I slowly drew a big X on the schedule my mom had made for me.

Tear into pieces.

The fragments are piled up on the desk; Mom will see them when she gets home.

You don't need all adults to understand you.

Having one adult who understands you is enough.

If I ask those adult questions, they'll just think I'm being pretentious, and I'll never ask them again.

The answer lies in the torn pieces of paper.

On this night spent with Yang Ge, I realized I've grown a year older.

We took that most fearful step.

Before you become an adult in the eyes of the world, be an adult in your own eyes.

You can be excellent even without your parents' supervision, instead of being forced to be excellent.

Zhao Jinmai pulled out the Huanggang math test paper again, spread it out in front of her, and started working on the problems carefully.

After finishing the multiple-choice questions, I suddenly remembered something and sent Jiang Yang a message on QQ: [“Brother Yang, send me a message when you get home, don’t make me worry.”]
I'll also change Jiang Yang's nickname while I'm at it.

Yang Ge is the friend who knows the most of my secrets and is my closest friend. So, the nickname for him must be catchy, domineering, and not beneath me.

"In the chat history between Yang Ge and his mother, Yang Ge used the same lecturing style as his mother to fight back. This move was brilliant, showing both courage and strategy."

How did I evaluate Yang Ge back then?

I remembered.

Like the legendary Zhuge Liang and Feng Chu of ancient times.

"Sleeping Dragon" describes Zhuge Liang, and "Young Phoenix" describes Pang Tong. It's a powerful and catchy phrase that one could gain control of the world.

Zhao Jinmai pressed the keyboard and changed Jiang Yang's nickname to "Brother Wolong".

I also changed Yang Chaoyue's nickname to "Sister Fengchu" in my contacts.

Just looking at these two notes gives me the feeling of having a top-notch think tank and a bright future.

Jiang Yang replied: [“Arrived home, over.”]
Jiang Yang stepped out of the elevator in the Fuli residential complex, arrived at his rented apartment, took out his key, but hadn't even had time to insert it into the lock.

Yang Chaoyue opened the door from the inside.

Yang Chaoyue's eyes were still a little sleepy, but when he saw that it was indeed Jiang Yang outside, his eyes immediately cleared and he smiled brightly: "Brother Yang, I knew it was you who came back."

"Still awake? Watching the New Year's Eve fireworks?"

"I've long lost interest in New Year's Eve. I'm practicing audition demos for the roles that the production team has submitted for their files. Yang-ge, can you help me see if I can pass the audition?"

As they were talking, Yang Chaoyue took Jiang Yang's briefcase and placed it on the sofa.

Turning around, she took a bottle of beverage from the refrigerator and unscrewed the cap for Jiang Yang, saying, "Are you tired? Have a drink to quench your thirst."

How thoughtful.

Not only are they waiting for me to come home, but they also want me to exploit their attributes.

He even screws the caps on his drinks.

The living room was spotless.

The floor was so shiny from being mopped.

Jiang Yang smiled as he watched Yang Chaoyue return to his room.

The upscale hotel suite at Zhao Jinmai's place was indeed nicely decorated and much larger than her own shabby rented room, but she still felt more comfortable with Yang Chaoyue by her side.

Taking a sip of Sprite, with its faint soda flavor, Jiang Yang suddenly realized something was wrong.

Take a closer look at the trademark.

really.

It's Lei Bi again!

Yang Chaoyue bought counterfeit goods, and he couldn't get used to it at all.

After Jiang Yang finished washing up, Yang Chaoyue performed a short audition video of the role he had written for Jiang Yang.

It has character backgrounds, personalities, and emotional developments; that's enough.

In Jiangyang, this was a perfect pass.

Yang Chaoyue still felt he hadn't done well enough, so he practiced until late at night.

So much so that when I arrived at the film and television base the next day and performed for Wang Jun, I was still unsure of myself.

But just as Jiang Yang had said, it passed.

Wang Jun barely watched her performance; he spent the entire time in WeChat groups chatting with the location manager and production director about the main filming locations for "A Little Reunion."

Once her video is recorded, it will be sent directly to the coordinator and recorded in the actor's file.

It wasn't until a week later, early in the morning, that Jiang Yang brought Yang Chao to the Beiping Chaoyang District Film and Television Base to attend the opening ceremony of "A Little Reunion".

Looking at the temporary red stage set up in front of me.

The backdrop features the drama's title logo, handwritten by Huang Lei, along with the logos of Lemon Pictures and Shaanxi Cultural Investment Group, the two co-producers.

Yang Chaoyue was completely certain.

I really could play the role of Rose.

No one would suddenly appear before me through connections and make me watch helplessly as I stole Li Nuo's role.

I will no longer be a backup option.

It will not be replaced.

"It seems we arrived a bit too early; not a single reporter has shown up yet."

Jiang Yang looked around and finally sat down in the seats prepared for the media reporters, in front of him the stage that the stage crew was setting up:

"The cameras aren't set up yet, Director Wang isn't here, Huang Lei probably just woke up, the stage has just been set up, and the roast suckling pig hasn't even been served as an offering yet."

The surrounding area was full of busy staff.

The film crew is adjusting the parameters of the crane camera, turning on the power, testing its functionality, and adjusting it to the appropriate range.

Jiang Yang and Chao Yue received a notification from the film crew yesterday that they had come to Beiping.

I didn't drive, so the film crew reimbursed me for the flight.

A business vehicle will pick you up and drop you off upon arrival.

I'm staying at a hotel in Chaoyang District to attend today's opening ceremony.

The time is set for 9:30.

Jiang Yang asked Yang Chaoyue to wake him up at 6:30.

Arrive early.

Because there will be reporters from TV stations and online media present today, the actors who arrive first will be interviewed first.

Every shot is about exposure.

I ate a few steamed buns and rushed over, and I haven't even finished my soy milk yet.

After chatting for a while, Jiang Yang noticed that Yang Chaoyue was staring blankly at the stage that had already been set up. He asked, "Chaoyue, what are you daydreaming about? What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing, I just feel like this week has gone by so fast."

For the past week, I've been studying high school courses every day.

We are also waiting for news from the production team.

When I actually arrived at the filming location, I felt that time had flown by.

"To overcome time, you can try using a plank exercise or taking a dump without your phone. I've personally tested it and it works."

"Brother Yang...look over there."

Unlike usual, Yang Chaoyue didn't joke with Jiang Yang; his tone was somewhat timid: "Are those two reporters here for the opening ceremony?"

Jiang Yang looked in the direction Yang Chaoyue pointed.

There was a young man in the direction of the North Square wearing a Heilan Home plaid shirt and a Seven Wolves thin down jacket.

He was carrying a Sony PMW-EX280 on his shoulder.

The woman accompanying me was wearing a wool coat and leggings that looked like they were see-through, and she was shivering from the cold. She looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.

He was holding a Sennheiser microphone in his hand.

Seeing Jiang Yang and Yang Chaoyue looking this way, the woman took out her phone, checked the stills, compared them a few times, and then said a few words to the photographer next to her.

Then he quickly strode over.

The cameraman turned on the Sony camera he was carrying, focused it, and locked onto Jiang Yang and Yang Chaoyue.

Jiang Yang immediately understood what was going on. He stopped joking with Yang Chaoyue and said seriously, "It's a reporter. I'm not sure if it's from a TV station or an online media outlet."

"Are they coming to interview us, Yang?"

"Yes, if Director Wang, the producer, or Huang Lei were here, they would definitely interview them. We arrived early enough, and there was no one else here, so they could only interview us first."

Yang Chaoyue swallowed hard, his throat bobbing a few times.

The lips trembled slightly as the breath was exhaled.

For this visit, Yang Chaoyue made a point of wearing the Versace fur-trimmed coat he had previously bought at Wanda Mall.

Every time I put on that coat, my confidence immediately rises.

but.

now.

Yang Chaoyue couldn't help feeling a little nervous when attending the opening ceremony of a TV series for the first time.

He glanced sideways in the direction of the reporters and noticed that the female reporter was staring intently at him, walking towards him with a smile on her face.

Yang Chaoyue's heart beat faster and faster.

The earlobes became congested and red.

"It's okay, it's a leap."

Jiang Yang noticed the veins on the back of Yang Chaoyue's hand were faintly visible, and knew that Yang Chaoyue's state of mind was definitely not calm at the moment.

Very normal.

From playing minor roles in variety shows to becoming a supporting character in a prime-time TV drama, that's quite a leap.

Anyone would be nervous attending a launch ceremony for the first time and being interviewed by reporters.

You get used to it the more you are exposed to it.

He raised his hand and gently grasped the back of Yang Chaoyue's hand, feeling its coolness.

Jiang Yang said softly, "Are you nervous?"

"Yes."

Yang Chaoyue nodded, feeling his palms gradually warming up from Jiang Yang's palms: "I can adapt quickly."

Pause for one second.

She grinned, revealing a smile.

Her smile wasn't as genuine as usual, but it was still beautiful.

She only showed her upper teeth, not her gums, and the curve of her lips was just right, making her look sweet and well-behaved.

Suddenly I understood why Zhao Jinmai's smile in front of the camera was different from her smile in private.

Because every moment an actor is in front of the camera is amplified by public opinion.

Even an unattractive smile can become a source of negative publicity.

Therefore, one must disguise oneself.

One cannot show their true, private side.

It can only show what the audience thinks an actor should be like.

It feels like putting on a new social mask, and I'm not used to it.

When you're still a newcomer, a smile without gums is the safest bet, just like a stone without sharp edges won't be swept away by a rapid current.

To portray the image that the audience wants to see.

In this way, people will feel that their future is promising.

Even though I know that's not the real me, I have to do it, because I chose this path myself.

It was very difficult to get used to at first, but once you get over this hurdle, you'll get used to it more and more.

calm.

Stay calm.

Don't show your weakness.

"Chaoyue, take a break. I'll go talk to them and stall them for a while. Once you're done, give me a signal."

Jiang Yang gently patted Yang Chaoyue's back, smiled, and stood up to greet the reporters.

He had just gotten up.

Yang Chaoyue followed closely behind, his limbs no longer stiff, his fingers naturally relaxed, and his shoulders and neck at ease: "Brother Yang, I'm all better now."

"You're recovering much faster than before. Back in Xiangshan Film City, it would have taken you at least half an hour to adjust," Jiang Yang said with a smile.

Yang Chaoyue didn't say anything, but simply shook Jiang Yang's hand gently in tacit understanding.

She was no longer the female beggar at Xiangshan Film and Television City who would get so nervous that she couldn't speak for half an hour whenever she saw a camera.

The female beggar had already waved goodbye to him when the decorations were being dismantled.

It becomes a backdrop on one's resume.

The moment the social mask was put on, something quietly slipped out of my pupils.

We must adapt as soon as possible.

If you continue to be timid, the opportunity will be snatched away by others.

The opening ceremony, where Huang Lei, Director Wang, the producer, and other main actors were absent, was the real stage for a supporting actor like myself.

The reason Yang brought me here early was to give me this opportunity.

I must demonstrate sufficient value in front of Brother Yang.

Let Brother Yang know that I am worthy of being trained by Brother Yang.

Otherwise, someone will inevitably appear in the future and, just like I stole Li Nuo's role, take away all the opportunities Jiang Yang gave me.

To replace oneself.

and so.

I must seize the opportunity that Brother Yang helped me obtain.
-
ps: Ask for monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)