Rebirth of Chinese Entertainment, the Diary of a 95 Flower

Gulnazar did not reply to Jiang Yang's message immediately.

She searched on Weibo: "A Little Reunion, Jiang Yang".

I noticed a new hashtag that climbed into the top 100 on Weibo yesterday: #ZhangXiaoyu, an ideal in life#
Three million reads.

The discussion reached 250,000.

Among the selected popular Weibo posts is Yan Min's: "Jiang Yang brought Zhang Xiaoyu to life, capturing the impulsiveness and sensitivity of a teenage boy even more vividly than in the original novel."
The number of fans has increased to 150,000.

Open Jiang Yang's latest Weibo post.

It was released four days ago, on the day "A Little Reunion" aired.

The accompanying image is a nine-grid photo.

The first five photos are stills taken with the various actors from "A Little Reunion".

The sixth photo is a candid shot of her, Yang Chaoyue, and Zhao Jinmai.

Huang Lei secretly took these photos of the three people on the film set in Beiping.

The three of them squeezed onto folding chairs on the set of "A Little Reunion" to eat boxed lunches. Yang Chaoyue was putting a chicken leg on Zhao Jinmai's plate.

Jiang Yang held up a half-eaten bun in his left hand and made a peace sign with his right hand to block Zhao Jinmai from sneaking a sip of his cola.

The last three photos are group photos taken with the crew.

Not long after the shoot started, Jiang Yang was squatting down, offering a cigarette to the lighting technician, who accepted it with a smile.

One photo shows Jiang Yang being tossed into the air by the entire crew at the end of filming, and a mint candy flies out of his suit pocket—the kind he brings to the crew who stay up all night every day.

The last picture shows Jiang Yang asleep in front of the monitor, covered with Yang Chaoyue's pilling cardigan.

The caption is:
[Zhang Xiaoyu is a child loved by many people. Thank you Mai Mai for letting me eat here, Chao Yue for helping me hide the bad shots, and the production assistant who cooked noodles for me at 3 a.m.]
The number of comments below has already reached 1,100.

A highly-rated comment reads: "[Zhang Xiaoyu's portrayal of heartbreak is absolutely amazing! The scene where he's slapped by his father, with his eyes red but not shedding a tear, reminded me of my first love.]"
Then came: [Seeing you slightly bow as you handed a cigarette to the lighting technician reminded me of my younger brother who always brings breakfast to the security guard. Gentleness can't be faked.]
Another highly-rated comment is: [When you were tossed into the air after filming wrapped, you instinctively protected the production assistant's neck, just like Zhang Xiaoyu protected Mai Mai in "A Little Reunion"].
—This is followed by an animated GIF showing Jiang Yang's hand resting lightly on the back of the stagehand's neck.

After scrolling through the screen for a while, I finally saw the negative comments:
The first point is: [What kind of brotherhood are you selling? Yang Chaoyue's costume is pilling and they won't even replace it, but your suit is brand new.]
Then there's this: [You let Zhao Jinmai drink Coke because she's a minor? Before trying to portray yourself as a warm, caring man, learn some law.]
Then came: [The lighting technician's burn scars are so obvious, and you just offer him a cigarette? Hypocritical!]
With positive reviews come negative reviews.

Gulnazar understands this principle very well.

However, on her Weibo, negative comments were the most praised, while on Jiang Yang's Weibo, it was the opposite.

refresh.

I discovered that Jiang Yang's Weibo followers have increased to 16.

I opened Jiang Yang's Weibo post again and read it for a while.

It was known for a long time that Jiang Yang and Yang Chaoyue had a good relationship, after all, Yang Chaoyue was the first employee Jiang Yang signed.

Gulina knew that Yang Chaoyue had a good relationship with Zhao Jinmai on set, because Yang Chaoyue had told her about it.

Suddenly realized something.

Jiang Yang actually posted photos of himself and the crew's grassroots staff in the very first Weibo post after the premiere of "A Little Reunion"?
There isn't a single photo of him interacting with the crew members in his phone's photo album.

In fact, there is basically no contact with the crew members.

The assistant does all the work.

Gulinazha clicked on the photo of Jiang Yang handing a cigarette to the lighting technician. It was probably taken by Yang Chaoyue secretly, because the corner of Yang Chaoyue's pilling knitwear was visible in the photo.

Her gaze was fixed on Jiang Yang's gesture of offering her a cigarette.

It was discovered that Jiang Yang was holding the cigarette backwards when offering it to the lighting technician, with the cigarette holder pointing towards him.

Good manners are revealed in the details.

Gulnazar stared blankly for a moment, then understood something and murmured to herself, her voice as soft as a sigh: "Maybe this is the secret to being liked by the audience."

She suddenly placed her phone face down on her lap and looked up at the spotlights on the hotel ceiling:

“I started out at a higher level than many people. It’s been almost five years now. I’ve filmed fifteen movies and played the lead role five times, but I’ve never remembered the name of any of the production assistants.”

She turned her head and looked down at the row of bottled water prepared by her assistant on the bedside table.

Each bottle is labeled "Gulnazar's Exclusive".

In five years, he went from a newcomer squatting to eat boxed lunches to a celebrity who even puts labels on bottled water.

Jiang Yang suddenly realized that he would remember many people he had never paid attention to.

The cleaning lady who was always overlooked after each scene was filmed on set.

The deliveryman whose name is always forgotten.

Those who make up their own lives but are never seen as background figures.

I'm always chasing the spotlight, forgetting those who illuminate my path.

Gulnazar changed her Weibo username to: Jiang Yang, film crew.

Click search again.

I saw a Weibo account with the ID 'Old Li's Daily Life as a Stagehand'.

He was a middle-aged man who was balding and had previously worked as a production assistant on the set of "A Little Reunion".

It only has 283 followers.

I posted a Weibo post two months ago.

The accompanying picture shows Jiang Yang squatting next to a prop box, helping to tie a steel cable, with bloody scratches on the back of his hand.

The caption is:
[Teacher Xiao Jiang secretly bought anti-abrasion gloves for the whole crew, saying she felt sorry for Uncle Li when she saw his hands were cracked last time, hahaha, this is the first time a lead actor has cared about me, a cog in the machine of the crew. My hands don't hurt anymore, and my heart is warmed.]
There are only two comments below:
The first one is:

[The celebrities' showboating has ended.]
He replied: "[Teacher Xiao Jiang is not a celebrity yet.]"
The second comment is:

[Only those who are not popular need to curry favor with the staff]
—His reply was: [Teacher Xiao Jiang is definitely going to become famous!]
Scroll down.

I saw another Weibo account.

The ID name is "Lighting Assistant Xiao Wang".

It only has 501 followers.

I posted a Weibo post three months ago.

There are two pictures.

The first picture shows Jiang Yang cooking instant noodles for the all-night crew in front of the monitor at 3 a.m. Each instant noodle container has a sticky note with the name of a member of the drama crew, written by Jiang Yang.

One of the instant noodle buckets had the words "Chaoyue Eat Less" written on it.

The second picture shows a box of tea bags that Jiang Yang brought him.

The caption is:
[Jiang Yang said the lighting crew's eyes get the most strain, and they always bring goji berry tea to help with night scenes—they really don't want to drink it!]
The Weibo post, published three months ago, has only been read 132 times.

Now it's submerged in the trending topics of #Jiangyang, Zhang Xiaoyu#, and almost no one can see it.

Gulnazar then scrolled down.

I saw a Weibo post from the cleaning lady's daughter on the set of "A Little Reunion".

He has only 37 followers on Weibo.

The accompanying picture shows Jiang Yang helping his mother push a garbage cart, which is piled high with leftover food scraps from the film crew's meals.

The caption reads: [My mom called and said that the kid who played Zhang Xiaoyu always says "Auntie, you work so hard" whenever he sees me. Today is my birthday, and if my mom is happy, I'm happy.]
This Weibo post was published on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Zero likes, zero shares.

Those unnoticed Weibo posts hold the most precious warmth in this industry. No one sees them.

Gulnazar gave it a thumbs up, and her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of her past self.

During my first time filming, I also squatted in a corner eating a cold boxed lunch.

Now, even getting water from the stagehands requires an assistant to transfer the task.

I remember when I was filming "The Breakup Guru", there was a script supervisor who would secretly help me fix my costume. It wasn't until she left the job that I found out her daughter was my fan, and I hadn't even asked her name.

I used to be happy all day with a compliment from an extra, but now I feel that even a director's praise is just empty words.

Suddenly realized.

The reason why the audience loves Jiang Yang is precisely because he was criticized for being arrogant back then.

In this era where traffic and popularity are paramount, sincerity has become the rarest and most sought-after quality.

Putting aside the overwhelming online abuse against me, materially speaking, I have already become the kind of person I looked up to when I first started out.

But I can never find myself again, the one who would bring hot milk tea to the stagehands.

What audiences fall in love with first may not be the acting skills, but the warmth in their eyes when they look at the world.

It's true.

It is the light in one's own eyes.

It's not the makeup on my face.

Since her debut, she has practiced how to smile beautifully in front of the mirror for five years, but she has forgotten how to thank the lady who delivers her lunchbox.

Ultimately, she wants to be a high-and-mighty star.

I'd rather be a down-to-earth actor.

Jiang Yang's appearance made it feel like there were two paths in front of me, and I had to choose.

I know in my heart which path to take.

So-called growth is nothing more than the process of picking up the pieces of yourself that you've lost.

The exquisite dolls in the shop window might make viewers look up in awe.

Only flesh and blood that can feel pain and cry will be cherished by the audience.

Gulnazar placed her locked phone face down on her lap and gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window at the bustling metropolis of Beiping.

She chuckled softly, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
"Being a big star is too tiring. I'd better learn to be a decent human being first."

She picked up her phone and texted her assistant: "Starting tomorrow, please stop putting personalized labels on my bottled water."
Immediately following, another message was added: "[Thank you for your hard work.]"
Then send another message: ["Everyone has worked hard."]
I long to return to my former, pure self, and not be corrupted by the world of fame and fortune.

Like Chao Yue, like Zhou Ye.

Just like Chao Yue had told himself about Tian Xiwei, Liu Haochun, and Zhao Jinmai, whom he had never met.

Before the Lunar New Year, Chaoyue showed himself the chat history of [Pretty Girl Battle 4].

I laughed so hard watching it.

I really wanted to join this group, but I managed to restrain myself.

I was afraid that my intrusion would make this otherwise innocent group feel awkward and uncomfortable.

and so.

I really hope these little girls can grow up quickly.

Jiang Yang, that poor bastard, has only filmed one TV series and released one new song so far. How popular can he be? Hurry up and make these girls popular!
Gulnazar opened Jiang Yang's chat window and sent him a message:
[“Zhou Ye has his art exam today, and Chao Yue is only eighteen this year. I was originally going to reply to Zhou Ye in the group chat, but I was afraid that my negative emotions would affect Zhou Ye and Chao Yue. I felt so bad that I sent it to you.”]
[“Sister Nazha, I also have my art exam today! I’m only eighteen this year! This is double standards!”] Jiang Yang replied.

Gulnazar sent five red envelopes in a row, each with a note: "[Two hundred yuan, sorry Jiang Yang.]"
That adds up to one thousand yuan.

Jiang Yang was in a great mood when he saw Gulnazar's red envelope, and happily typed:
[“We’re all friends, why apologize? I like being treated with double standards. It has nothing to do with money. If you have anything on your mind that you can’t tell others, feel free to send it to me.”]
He posted another message: "I've screenshotted and saved the whole long message you sent me. I'm going to show it on the big screen at the awards ceremony ten years from now when you win Best Actress."
This was followed by an emoji of a puppy carrying a rose.

Gulnazar buried her face in the cushion.

I gripped my phone a little tighter.

A smile played on her lips as she typed: "[If you dare leak this beforehand, I'll sell the behind-the-scenes photos of you wearing SpongeBob SquarePants underwear to the paparazzi.]"
Jiang Yang replied: ["Why do you have a photo like this of me?"]
Gulnazar typed: ["I didn't, but Chaoyue did. She told me that he lived with you for a while."]
[“Chaoyue won’t send it to you.”] Jiang Yang sent a message.

Gulina typed: [“Chaoyue is greedy and only cares about money. I'm much richer than you, you poor bastard.”]
Jiang Yang's lips twitched.

Take a look at the five red envelopes that Gulnazar sent in a row.

I inexplicably earned 1,000 yuan early this morning.

Naza is really good at collecting gold coins.

I was too lazy to open the group message for "[Scumbags all go to the fourth place]", as I had to take Tian Xiwei to school after breakfast.

Then we went to the high-speed rail station to meet Zhou Ye and head to Beiping together.

On the way, we chatted on our phones about the details of promoting "A Little Reunion" in Beiping.

Although the show has aired, promotional efforts still need to continue while it's still popular.

It was initially agreed that he would act for free, but Huang Lei probably felt bad about it, so on the last day of filming, he gave a red envelope of 1,000 yuan on behalf of the crew.

Now I'm working myself to the bone on promotional campaigns, but Huang Lei is often absent, while I have to be there every time. I always feel like Huang Lei is determined to spend that thousand yuan on me.

Send Yang Chaoyue a private message: ["Chaoyue, chat with Nazha more in the group. Nazha just tipped me 1,000 yuan. What do you want to buy? I'll buy it for you."]
Yang Chaoyue replied: [“Received!”]
Then another message appeared: ["From now on, Nazha is my half-sister!"]
Then I sent a private link to a Pinduoduo payment service.

This anti-exposure device costs only 9.9 yuan with free shipping. Wear it on the neckline of your costume during filming to prevent being secretly photographed.

Jiang Yang made the payment.

Yang Chaoyue sent another link.

This time it's a 12.8 yuan steam eye mask, a must-have for film crews staying up all night, in a pack of 10.

Jiang Yang paid: ["Why are all these things so cheap? Can't you be a little more confident and get something more expensive?"]
Yang Chaoyue replied: [“There’s one for 49.9.”]
Yang Chaoyue continued to send links.

Jiang Yang clicked on it, and it said that the film crew's thermos cup was available for 0.1 yuan with a price reduction assistance, and the original price was 49.9 yuan.

Jiang Yang stared in disbelief.

I helped cut it open.

Just as Gulnazar said, this girl can squeeze the effect of 100,000 yuan out of a thousand yuan's worth of benefits.

Just buying these little trinkets, when will I ever finish spending the 1,000 yuan that Gulnazar tipped me?

Let's give out red envelopes first.

I opened the first red envelope sent by Gulnazar.

Payment received: 0.01 yuan.

Jiang Yang was taken aback.

Suddenly realizing something, I opened all four remaining red envelopes sent by Gulnazar and found that they were all 0.01 yuan.

Jiang Yang's temple throbbed.

Yang Chaoyue sent another payment link.

This time it's a 6.6 yuan hairpiece fixing tool.

Jiang Yang didn't pay, and sent Yang Chaoyue a message: ["Stop sending messages, I've spent all the money Nazha tipped me."]
Yang Chaoyue messaged me: [“Didn’t Nazha tip you 1000? This is nothing.”]
[“Nazha treated me like a dog; she only gave me five cents.”] (End of Chapter)