In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

May 5, 1996, early morning.

When Yang Guangming opened his eyes, it was already bright outside the window.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling very calm.

Today, he is leaving for Cannes.

"Amour" has been selected for the main competition at the 49th Cannes Film Festival. As the director, of course he had to go. But this time was different from last year—last year he went to compete with "A Separation," this year he went with his new film "Amour" to aim for higher goals.

Winner of the Palme d'Or for the second consecutive year.

The word swirled in his mind, but he didn't dwell on it. Thinking too much was pointless; he'd done what he needed to do, and left the rest to the judging panel.

He got up, washed up, changed into casual clothes, and left the room.

Chen Hong was already waiting in the courtyard. She was wearing a light-colored dress, her hair was down, and she had light makeup on, making her look very gentle.

"Guangming, you're awake?" She greeted him. "Breakfast is ready. Have some before you set off?"

Yang Guangming nodded and walked into the restaurant with her.

Zuo Xiaoqing was also there. She sat at the dining table with porridge and steamed buns in front of her, but she didn't touch them much, only stirring the porridge in her bowl with a spoon.

This year's Cannes Film Festival selections include Yang Guangming's *Love* and Chen Kaige's *Temptress Moon*. Additionally, Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien's *See You Again* is also in the main competition.

Recently, the media has been comparing Yang Guangming with director Chen Kaige, and there are all sorts of opinions.

The media initially favored Sunny, a world-renowned genius, but the difficulty of winning the Palme d'Or twice was too great, and most media believed that even if Amour won an award, it would not be the Palme d'Or.

If both Yang Guangming and Chen Kaige are aiming for the Palme d'Or, most media outlets believe Chen Kaige has a better chance.

Zuo Xiaoqing was afraid that Yang Guangming would leave disappointed, and she was very uneasy.

Seeing the sunlight streaming in, Zuo Xiaoqing looked up.

"Brother Guangming."

Yang Guangming walked over, sat down next to her, and gently patted her hand: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Zuo Xiaoqing shook her head and forced a smile. "It's just... I'm reluctant to see you go for so long."

Yang Guangming is about to leave for Cannes, and she doesn't want her worries to add to his burden.

Yang Guangming smiled: "It'll only be ten days or half a month, it'll be quick."

"I know, but I still can't bear to part with you." Zuo Xiaoqing lowered her head and said softly, "You'll definitely win another award this time, and you'll be even busier when you come back."

Chen Hong listened silently, but served Yang Guangming a bowl of porridge.

Yang Guangming shook Zuo Xiaoqing's hand: "Whether I win an award or not, I'm still me. I won't keep myself too busy. When I come back, we'll have dinner together, chat together, just like before."

Sensing that Yang Guangming seemed relaxed, Zuo Xiaoqing smiled, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat.

The three of them sat together, eating a simple breakfast. Yang Guangming picked up a small dish with his chopsticks and put it in Zuo Xiaoqing's bowl: "Eat more, don't go hungry."

Zuo Xiaoqing nodded and lowered her head to eat.

Chen Hong looked at the two of them, smiled, and continued drinking her porridge.

After the meal, Duan Yunfeng's car was already waiting at the door.

Yang Guangming changed into a dark blue suit and a new tie, which Chen Hong had just bought for him a couple of days ago.

Chen Hong gently and carefully straightened his collar. Zuo Xiaoqing stood beside him and handed him a suitcase.

"Call me when you arrive," Chen Hong instructed. "Take care and rest well, don't overwork yourself."

"it is good."

Zuo Xiaoqing tugged at his sleeve, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

Yang Guangming looked down at her and asked softly, "Is there anything else you want to say?"

Zuo Xiaoqing shook her head, then nodded, and finally said with reluctance, "Brother Guangming, take care."

Yang Guangming smiled and gently kissed her forehead: "You too."

Then he looked at Chen Hong, who smiled slightly, stepped forward, and hugged him.

"Go ahead, and come back soon."

Yang Guangming nodded, turned around, and got into the car.

The car drove out of the courtyard, turned into the alley, and disappeared into the morning light.

Chen Hong and Zuo Xiaoqing stood at the door, watching the car drive away, neither of them saying a word.

After a long silence, Zuo Xiaoqing said softly, "Sister Chen Hong, I've been feeling really anxious, afraid that Brother Guangming will be disappointed. Do you think Brother Guangming will win the grand prize this time?"

Chen Hong thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes."

Are you so sure?

“Hmm.” Chen Hong looked at the end of the alley, in the direction where Yang Guangming disappeared. “Because he is Yang Guangming.”

Beijing Capital International Airport, International Departure Hall.

When Yang Guangming and his group arrived, there were already quite a few people waiting.

Han Sanping stood at the front, wearing a dark gray jacket and looking very energetic. Seeing Yang Guangming get off the bus, he quickly went to greet him.

"Light! It's here!"

Yang Guangming shook hands with him: "Director Han, you've arrived so early."

"Arriving a little early makes me feel more at ease," Han Sanping said with a smile, and then greeted Duan Yunfeng.

"I've already arranged for someone to pick up Teacher Lan and Teacher Qin; they should have arrived by now," Yang Guangming continued.

Han Sanping nodded: "Then let's go in too."

The group entered the departure hall. As soon as they entered, they saw Lan Tianye and Qin Yi already there, sitting on the sofa in the rest area, with Xi Meijuan and Gu Changwei next to them.

He walked briskly through the sunshine, greeting each person in turn.

"Teacher Lan, Teacher Qin, Teacher Xi, Teacher Gu, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Lan Tianye waved his hand: "What do you mean 'keep us waiting'? We just arrived too. You young people are quick, but we old folks have to leave earlier."

Yang Guangming sat down next to Qin Yi and inquired about her health. Qin Yi was over seventy years old, but she was in good spirits, dressed appropriately, and had elegant manners, looking much younger than her actual age.

Lan Tianye was even more energetic, pulling Yang Guangming aside to chat about the comparison between Peking Opera and the piano. The old man's love for art deeply moved Yang Guangming.

Xi Meijuan and Gu Changwei also joined in the chat.

Duan Yunfeng returned after checking in, holding a stack of boarding passes: "Dear teachers, the check-in is complete. First class, the journey is long, so you can all get some rest."

Lan Tianye took the boarding pass, looked at it, and smiled: "First class? Guangming, you've really gone all out."

Yang Guangming smiled and said, "Of course. It's such a long way to Cannes, and the teachers are getting old, so they need to be comfortable." Qin Yi looked at Yang Guangming with admiration in her eyes: "Guangming is such a thoughtful young man, despite his young age."

Han Sanping chimed in from the side, "Teacher Qin is right. We trust Guangming to do things."

Everyone chatted and laughed, and time flew by.

The announcement came over the loudspeaker: boarding has begun.

Yang Guangming stood up and greeted everyone: "Teachers, let's board the plane."

The group stood up and walked toward the boarding gate.

The plane passed through the clouds and flew smoothly at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

The first-class cabin was quiet, with only the slight hum of the air conditioner and the occasional sound of newspapers being turned.

Yang Guangming sat by the window, gazing at the sea of ​​clouds outside. Lan Tianye sat beside him, reading a book on acting theory, occasionally making annotations with a pencil.

Qin Yi sat in the front row, her eyes closed as she rested. Xi Meijuan flipped through a fashion magazine beside her, occasionally exchanging a few words with Qin Yi in hushed tones. Gu Changwei and Han Sanping sat in another row, discussing photography equipment.

Yang Guangming turned his gaze away and continued looking at the clouds outside the window.

Charles called yesterday to say everything was arranged. The hotel, vehicles, translators, and PR team were all ready. Charles also focused on getting Coppola's opinion.

Coppola is the president of the jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and although Charles believes his public relations efforts have been effective, Coppola's evaluation of the film "Amour" remains a key factor.

Coppola spoke highly of Amity.

Charles sounded excited on the phone: "Yang, Coppola told me personally that this film reminded him of his father. He said you captured the dignity of aging and the essence of love. He thinks it's the best film in the main competition this year, and if nothing unexpected happens, the Palme d'Or should be no problem."

Yang Guangming didn't say anything at the time, only saying "Thank you, Chuck".

But he knew in his heart that with Coppola's support and Charles's public relations efforts over the past few months, his chances of winning the award were indeed very high.

But he also knew that things weren't absolute at film festivals. The jury of nine members each had their own aesthetic sense and preferences. While Coppola was highly respected, he couldn't completely sway the opinions of the others.

So he didn't think much of it and didn't put too much pressure on Charles.

Winning an award would be great, but if you don't, there's nothing you can do.

He turned to look at Lan Tianye: "Teacher Lan, is this your first time in Cannes?"

Lan Tianye looked up and nodded: "Yes, it's my first time. I've been acting my whole life, and I've never been this far before."

"Will you be nervous?"

"What's there to be nervous about?" Lan Tianye laughed. "I'm already this old, what haven't I seen? But to be honest, I'm going to Cannes this time with a learning mindset. I want to see what a world-class film festival is like and learn how my foreign counterparts make films."

Yang Guangming nodded: "You have a good attitude."

“What’s a good mindset? It’s about understanding life.” Lan Tianye closed his book and looked at Yang Guangming. “Guangming, you know what? When I was young, I also dreamed of going to an international film festival one day and winning an international award. But back then it was unrealistic; I thought it was a pipe dream. Now? Sitting in first class on my way to Cannes, maybe it’s because I’m older, but I can look at this issue very calmly.”

He paused, then continued, "It's all because of you. You wrote this script, you invited me to act in it, and you took us to Cannes. Having the opportunity to see Cannes in person, this old man has no regrets in this life."

Yang Guangming shook his head: "Teacher Lan, don't say that. It was your performance that made this movie what it is. Without you, even the best script wouldn't have mattered."

Lan Tianye smiled and patted his hand: "Humility is a good thing, but you don't need to be too humble. You are talented, responsible, and have a pure heart. Keep up the good work, you have a long way to go."

The plane continued flying eastward, passing through layer after layer of clouds.

Around 3 PM, the flight attendants began serving lunch. The first-class meal was exquisite, featuring salad, steak, dessert, and red wine and champagne.

Lan Tianye drank some red wine, Qin Yi only drank juice, and Xi Meijuan tasted the champagne and said it tasted good. Yang Guangming also drank some red wine, but not much.

After dinner, everyone continued to rest. Some read books, some watched movies, and some closed their eyes and took a nap.

Yang Guangming didn't sleep; he was organizing his work schedule for the upcoming day.

The post-production of the four music videos will continue after he returns to China. Currently, filming is complete, but post-production has not yet begun.

Both "Wild Geese" and "Night in Ulaanbaatar" will have music videos filmed. These two songs can fully showcase the charm of his voice, and he attaches great importance to promoting these two songs, so the filming of the music videos will be more rigorous.

Just then, Lan Tianye, who was standing next to him, suddenly spoke up.

"Guangming, I have a question for you."

Yang Guangming turned his head: "Please speak."

Have you seen Chen Kaige's movie?

Yang Guangming paused for a moment, then shook his head: "I haven't seen it yet, but we'll be able to enjoy it when it's screened at Cannes."

Lan Tianye nodded: "I heard it's also about love, but the style is different from yours. It stars Gong Li and Leslie Cheung. Both of these actors are top-notch, so this movie should be pretty good."

Yang Guangming smiled: "Teacher Lan, you seem to pay a lot of attention to domestic films."

“Of course I’m paying attention,” Lan Tianye said earnestly. “Although I’m getting old, I still care about things in the film industry. Chen Kaige directed ‘Farewell My Concubine,’ which is a true masterpiece. His new film being nominated this time will definitely be very competitive.”

Yang Guangming nodded: "Indeed. Director Chen is a top director in China, and his works are definitely of high quality."

"So who do you think will win the award this year?"

Yang Guangming thought for a moment and said, "It's hard to say. The jury's taste, the competition, and luck all have an impact. But Director Chen's work is definitely worth looking forward to."

Lan Tianye looked at him and said, "Aren't you worried? With your two films competing against each other, the media will definitely compare you two."

Yang Guangming laughed: "There's no use worrying. The film is finished, and the rest is up to the jury. Director Chen is my senior, and I respect his achievements. As for comparisons, let the media do whatever they want; I personally don't care."

Lan Tianye looked at him, and after a few seconds, he smiled: "You have a really good attitude, kid. It's not easy to be so composed at such a young age."

Yang Guangming didn't say anything, he just smiled.

The plane continued flying eastward, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened.

Around 8 p.m. Beijing time, the plane landed at Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport in France.

Stepping out of the plane, a gentle sea breeze greeted him. Yang Guangming took a deep breath and gazed at the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. The setting sun painted the sea golden, and several yachts moved slowly across its surface.

"So beautiful, I didn't expect you to be back in France so soon," Xi Meijuan exclaimed from the side.

Qin Yi nodded: "No wonder so many artists like this place; it truly has a spiritual atmosphere."

The group walked out of the airport, where Charles was already waiting at the exit.

Upon seeing Yang Guangming, he quickly walked over and gave Yang Guangming a big hug.

"Yang! We've finally arrived!"

Yang Guangming patted him on the back: "Chuck, you've had a long wait. Have you been waiting for a while?"

“Not long ago, I just arrived a little while ago.” Charles released him, then shook hands with Han Sanping. “Director Han, welcome to Cannes!”

Han Sanping smiled and said, "Mr. Charles, we meet again."

Charles then shook hands with Lan Tianye, Qin Yi, Xi Meijuan, and Gu Changwei one by one, saying "Hello" and "Welcome" in broken Chinese, which made everyone laugh.

After exchanging pleasantries, Charles led the group to the parking lot. Several black vans were already waiting there, their drivers in uniforms politely opening the doors. (End of Chapter)