Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

After Li Xiang got back into the car with the bags of gifts, they soon arrived at a luxury apartment building near the Workers' Stadium.

Looking at the building in front of him, Li Xiang chuckled to himself.

People online often joke that Director Zhang is "poor," but this location and decor are clearly extremely high-end in Beijing, where land is incredibly valuable, and it's even a one-apartment-per-floor design.

The elevator went straight to the floor, and the door was slowly pushed open from the inside, where Zhang Yimou was already standing waiting.

This display of force startled Li Xiang for a moment, but he reacted quickly, instantly breaking into a smile.

First, he bowed respectfully, then stepped forward and hugged Zhang Yimou: "Uncle Zhang, Happy New Year!"

Zhang Yimou was taken aback by his enthusiasm, then smiled and patted him on the back: "You silly boy, you're still so clingy during the New Year. Come on in."

"I just missed you." Li Xiang smiled and let go of his hand.

The two then picked up their bags from the elevator and went inside. Li Xiang also took the opportunity to look around Zhang Yimou's house.

The decor exudes a warm, homey atmosphere, with no fancy decorations, clearly indicating that it's a place that's been lived in for a long time and carefully managed.

At this moment, a rather young-looking woman, as if hearing the noise, came out of a room, still wearing an apron, clearly having just been busy with housework.

Their eyes met, and Li Xiang roughly knew who this was—this must be his Uncle Zhang, the little wife who had surpassed Gong Li.

Although he had made some preparations before coming, when he actually stood in front of the other person, who was so young, he was unsure how to address him properly.

Zhang Yimou clearly noticed his hesitation, turned his head and saw the woman standing there, then smiled and introduced her to him: "This is He Ting, just call her Auntie."

He paused, then added specifically, "Not many people outside know about this, so you'd better keep your mouth shut and don't go around telling everyone."

"Oh my, this is really..." Li Xiang immediately pretended to be surprised, laughed out loud, and then put his arm around Zhang Yimou's arm.

"When I first walked in, I was thinking, this house is so cozy, someone must have taken good care of it, but I never expected..."

After saying that, he turned to He Ting and bowed deeply: "Happy New Year, Auntie. I'm Li Xiang, sorry to have troubled you."

He Ting clearly hadn't expected Zhang Yimou to introduce himself so directly.

She was right beside Li Xiang when he made the phone call. When she heard Zhang Yimou say that a close junior was coming to pay New Year's respects, she felt a sense of anticipation.

In the past, Zhang Yimou might have made excuses to let her avoid him, but this time he openly acknowledged her identity.

It can be said that Li Xiang's arrival seemed to give them an invisible push, prompting Zhang Yimou to make more changes.

Looking at Li Xiang again, although there was surprise in his eyes, there was no disdain. His calm and composed demeanor after the surprise was particularly endearing.

He Ting was even happier and immediately said with a smile, "Please sit down. I'll brew a pot of fresh tea and some fresh fruit that someone gave me. You two can have some."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the kitchen.

In the living room, Zhang Yimou also noticed her joy and secretly made a decision.

After the three of them sat down, Li Xiang didn't stand on ceremony and treated the place as his own home, picking up the fruit that He Ting had prepared and eating it.

Although he hasn't evolved to the point of being a "recluse," he knows how to respond to the affection of his elders—and accepting it calmly is the best response.

So, while eating the various fruits that He Ting had washed and drinking the tea that was supposedly a gift from a high-ranking leader, he didn't stand on ceremony at all, and even commented on the room's decor from time to time.

She even suggested to He Ting: "Auntie, it would be even better if we put a screen in the foyer. It is said that it can block evil spirits, so that you can see the whole house as soon as you open the door."

"Really? I've heard that saying too, but I just can't quite remember it. There's really something to it..."

"And this pomelo peel..."

After a long chat about all sorts of things, He Ting was all smiles, and he was growing increasingly fond of this younger man.

"Did you go visit your Uncle Wang?" Zhang Yimou took a sip of tea and asked casually after the two had temporarily stopped talking.

"Not yet," Li Xiang shook his head. "I finally got through on the phone, but they wouldn't let me disturb them, saying they're in seclusion editing."

"No wonder," Zhang Yimou smiled. "At this time of year, he would have already been organizing a drinking party."

But I can understand that. When I was filming my first movie, I also couldn't sleep for nights on end; my mind was filled with the scenes.

"That's because you had so much energy," Li Xiang joked. "Don't even mention back then, you still only need a few hours of sleep each day, don't you?"

He Ting, who was standing to the side, chimed in with a smile, "Your Uncle Zhang's energy is something that most people can't match."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized that they sounded somewhat ambiguous, so he quickly stopped talking.

But Li Xiang could tell right away, and immediately burst into laughter.

Zhang Yimou then realized what was happening and laughed along, even slapping him on the shoulder: "You little rascal, your head is always full of crooked thoughts."

He Ting felt a little embarrassed by their laughter, but eventually she smiled back.

After chatting for a few more minutes, he steered the conversation back to the main point: "Uncle, do you think our film has the potential to win a major award? One of those big ones."

Zhang Yimou put down his teacup and pondered, "Although it's not finished editing yet, judging from the parts you shot, especially the highlight scenes in the second half, the chances are quite high."

"I just found out a few days ago that the president of the jury for this year's Venice Film Festival has been decided, and it will be Darren Aronofsky, the director of 'Black Swan'."

The film *Black Swan* greatly boosted his reputation, and given his particular fondness for this type of subject matter, it's likely he'll strongly promote it if it gets nominated.

"Is it for Best Picture?" Li Xiang asked.

"Yes, if he pushes it hard, it can only be the highest award, the Golden Lion," Zhang Yimou said, then looked at him.

"You've been beating around the bush for so long, but you actually wanted to ask about the Volpi cup, right?"

He Ting, standing to the side, chimed in with a smile, "It's good that Xiao Xiang has ideas. What's wrong with asking around? Just say what you want to say."

Seeing that his wife had clearly sided with the young man after only a short conversation, Zhang Yimou felt somewhat helpless, but still replied:

"Actually, when it comes to selection, it would be safest to ask Elder Xie. However, regarding the Wan Jian incident, even if there were reasons for it, there were still some oversights."

Moreover, Elder Xie is currently giving Wang Jing his full support. His play might very well make an appearance at Venice next year. It's all about connections and favoritism here...

"So this time, Kai and I were the ones who pushed it out. The three major groups are actually a circle, and we run into each other all the time. We still have some influence and can talk to each other."

As for the Best Actor award that Li Xiang most wanted to ask, he also gave reassurance: "It's still uncertain about the Volpi Cup."

But as long as you make it into the main competition, we'll help you get in.

In the past, it might have been a bit more difficult for Kai Ge, but things are different after you took on "Caught in the Web"...

After all, with his personality, the Venice Film Festival Best Actor would be more invested in his films than anyone else.

Upon hearing this, everyone present smiled knowingly.

They knew better than anyone else about Director Kai's competitive and prideful nature.

To be honest, Zhang Yimou's strategy was indeed ingenious, with each move linked to the next.

Having Li Xiang take on "Caught in the Web" not only solidified his rapport with Chen Kaige, but also paved the way for future award deals.

With the help of their connections in the European film industry, Li Xiang won the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival, and his mentor also gained recognition.

With Gong Li in the past, Zhang Ziyi in the middle, and Li Xiang in the future, actors produced by Zhang Yimou's company are all internationally renowned, and his brand will only become more prestigious and brilliant.

When you really think about it, nobody loses out in this whole thing.

Li Xiang listened, his heart filled with excitement. He raised his teacup to Zhang Yimou and said, "Thank you, Uncle. Everything is understood without words."

"You forged your own path; we merely lent a hand. Even if you succeed, it's all thanks to your own hard work. Without the foundation of Saint Martyrdom, everything else is in vain."