I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Zhang Jingchu!
Cheng Sheng was stunned when he saw the figure rushing towards him.

He really didn't expect Zhang Jing to be waiting for him at the door.

"Hello, Miss Zhang," Cheng Sheng greeted her casually.

"Director Cheng, do you know me?"

Zhang Jingchu looked surprised.

"Your portrayal of Gao Weihong in 'Peacock' was excellent," Cheng Sheng said.

"I didn't expect that Director Cheng had seen my work."

Zhang Jing was pleasantly surprised.

Cheng Sheng has seen his own work, which means he is paying attention to him.

"Peacock is such a classic film, I would be unworthy to be a director if I hadn't seen it. In addition, I have also seen your graduation project, The Crane at Dusk, Ms. Zhang."

"what!"

Upon hearing that Cheng Sheng had read her graduation project, "Evening Crane," Zhang Jing felt overwhelmed with joy.

“Yes, your film ‘Evening Crane’ was well done. If you continue to direct, Ms. Zhang, you will definitely become a well-known director,” Cheng Sheng said.

"Really!" Zhang Jing was overjoyed.

"Is Miss Zhang doubting her own abilities?" Cheng Sheng said with a half-smile.

In another world, although Zhang Jingchu never directed a film, no one doubted her talent in directing.

She was admitted to the Central Academy of Drama in 1997, which gave her the foundation to study directing.

In 2023, he entered the Directing Department of the American Academy of Film Sciences to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree. It is worth noting that this program only admits 28 students worldwide and is known for its rigor.

Her admission to this academy proves her talent in directing.

In 2025, she posted photos of her Master of Fine Arts graduation ceremony on social media, confirming that she had completed the two-year Master of Directing program.

Although she has no publicly released directorial works, Zhang Jing participated in directing, screenwriting, and editing several short films during her time at the Eagle Film Academy. Her graduation project focused on a female perspective and incorporated surrealist elements.

She even shared her daily director training routine in live streams, including staying up all night editing, writing scripts, and directing shots, claiming that her directorial debut might not be released for another three to five years.

Unfortunately, another memory only lasted until 2026, and we were unable to see her directorial work in three to five years.

Although we don't know her practical film directing skills, her graduation from the U.S. Film Academy demonstrates her ability to direct films.

This is also what Cheng Sheng admires most about her.

"Director Cheng, thank you for your high regard. You are the first person who has not discriminated against me."

Zhang Jing was deeply moved.

Although those people used to say they approved of her, she could tell that they were just being perfunctory and only wanted her body.

"Miss Zhang..."

“Just call me Zhang Jing! That’s what my family calls me,” Zhang Jing interrupted.

Cheng Sheng immediately remembered that Zhang Jingchu's original name was Zhang Jing. She changed her name to 'Zhang Jingchu' after graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in 1999. Therefore, only relatives and friends would call her Zhang Jing.

“Okay, Zhang Jing, it’s not a good place to chat with people coming and going. Let’s find a place to sit down and talk.”

Cheng Sheng had noticed that some people in the company would occasionally glance at him and Zhang Jing.

"Okay, Director Cheng..."

“You’re my senior, you can call me Cheng Sheng,” Cheng Sheng said.

“That’s a bit impolite. How about I call you Brother Sheng?” Zhang Jingchu said with a smile.

Cheng Sheng's lips twitched. 'Brother Sheng'?
Why don't you first see who's older?

With Zhang Jing's thick skin, it's no wonder she can move around so easily among those big directors. The two found a coffee shop nearby.

"Brother Sheng, can I ask you for some advice on directing?"

"When the coffee is served," Zhang Jing said.

“Okay, we’re all from the Central Academy of Drama, so let’s not talk about asking for advice. Let’s just pretend we’re having a discussion,” Cheng Sheng said.

"You flatter me too much. How could I dare to discuss directing with you, Brother Sheng?" Zhang Jing said modestly.

“Alright! Ask me anything you don’t understand,” Cheng Sheng said.

Subsequently, Zhang Jing actually consulted him on a lot of directing knowledge.

From directing techniques, shot composition, set management, and so on.

Cheng Sheng also tried his best to give a perfect answer.

"If I had met Cheng Sheng sooner, I wouldn't have become an actor; I could have been your assistant director."

Zhang Jing said with emotion that she had gained a lot from the experience.

“If you become a director, the industry will lose a good actor,” Cheng Sheng said with a smile.

"Brother Sheng, do you really think I'm a good actor?"

Zhang Jing was taken aback upon hearing this, then said excitedly.

Although she has good acting skills, there have been rumors that she got ahead by sleeping with directors, and that her acting skills are nothing special.

“Yes, you have acting skills and talent, so how can you not be a good actor?” Cheng Sheng said.

Cheng Sheng knew better than anyone that although Zhang Jing was involved in numerous scandals, she was truly an outstanding actress.

Viewers will likely remember the roles played by Zhang Jingchu.

For example, the heartbreaking character "Fang Deng" in "Aftershock" and the dual roles of "Ruan Wen" and "Xiu Qing" in "Project Gutenberg" are both representative works of hers.

Characters like "Liu Yufang" in "Seven Swords" and "Fengmei" in "The Flower Waist Bride" are all memorable.

Because of her excellent acting skills and accurate grasp of the characters, people in the industry call her "Little Zhang Ziyi," which is quite a compliment!
However, fame often brings trouble, and becoming famous too quickly is not always a good thing, as it can easily attract jealousy.

Not long after, Zhang Jing encountered the infamous "blacklisting by the wives of famous directors".

These are all baseless rumors, but they have had a significant impact on Zhang Jing.

The quality of film and television resources has visibly deteriorated; scripts for leading actresses are practically nonexistent, and actresses are relegated to supporting roles.

To make matters worse, her reputation was also ruined by these rumors, such as "male director killer," "female version of Lao Chen," and even worse, calling her a "public bus" in the industry. All sorts of smears were thrown at her, which was truly unfair.

Faced with these absurd and slanderous accusations, Zhang Jing did not choose to swallow her anger but went directly to court, clarifying all the rumors and getting justice for herself.

Besides clarifying the rumors, she also wanted to improve her acting skills.

In 2025, she went on to pursue a master's degree at the American Academy of Film and Television Arts, which was quite a bold move.

Zhang Jing is indeed different from many people in the industry. She has forged her own path and is doing so quite steadily.

Even if she really doesn't act anymore, with her love of learning, she'll definitely be able to do very well in other industries.

Therefore, Cheng Sheng admired this girl quite a bit.

If I have the chance, I might be able to help her.

"Thank you, thank you."

Upon hearing Cheng Sheng's words, Zhang Jing's eyes instantly turned red, and a tear welled up in her eye.

Zhang Jing took out a tissue and wiped away her tears before they could fall. (End of Chapter)