Chapter 0823: The Movie

The Christmas holiday, when it was introduced from abroad, should have been before the founding of the nation. But at that time, it only circulated among some intellectuals and students exposed to foreign literature, without reaching the general public.

Nowadays, people seem to have gotten used to treating Christmas as a holiday, especially young people, who particularly enjoy this romantic atmosphere.

If you don't give your girlfriend a gift or something at Christmas, it's as if you don't care about her.

Although Zhao Fusheng didn't think much of it, and Fan Baobao didn't care either, he still decided to give her a gift.

Some things, just because someone doesn't ask for them, doesn't mean you can withhold them.

But as it turned out, plans never keep up with changes. Life really is like the chocolate in *Forrest Gump*—you never know what's coming next.

Even Zhao Fusheng himself didn't expect that, less than a week later, as Christmas approached, Fan Baobao would actually receive an invitation to act in a movie.

"I'm telling you, this is an opportunity the company fought hard to get for me. You're not allowed to mess things up, got it?" Fan Baobao said seriously, looking at her boyfriend while packing her luggage and warning Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng's mouth twitched, and he said helplessly, "But you have to at least tell me the name of the movie."

He was truly speechless. One day, Fan Baobao came home excitedly and out of the blue told him that a director had seen her commercial, liked her, and specifically contacted the company to invite her to act in a movie.

And then, there was just nothing else.

The movie's name, script, director, even the main cast—Fan Baobao wouldn't say a thing. Zhao Fusheng was completely in the dark.

"Why should I tell you? So you can go pull strings again, right?" Fan Baobao looked up and glared at Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng blinked. He wouldn't admit that he had just been thinking exactly that.

"I know you mean well. But I don't want you to owe anyone favors." Fan Baobao put down what she was holding, walked over to Zhao Fusheng, and said earnestly, word by word, "My man is no ordinary big shot. Making my man owe a favor isn't that easy."

Even though he knew she was buttering him up, for some reason, when Fan Baobao said that, Zhao Fusheng felt his heartbeat quicken.

No one dislikes being valued by the one they love, and Zhao Fusheng was no exception.

"I promise I won't pull any strings or interfere with your filming. But you have to let me know where you're going. Otherwise, I'd rather not let you go out to shoot." Zhao Fusheng looked at Fan Baobao and said softly, "I have to be responsible for you. Otherwise, how can I face Mom, Dad, and Auntie when I go home?"

Fan Baobao was stunned for a moment, then nodded. She knew Zhao Fusheng was right; after all, he had to be accountable to the elders at home.

With that in mind, she looked at Zhao Fusheng: "Then promise me you really won't interfere?"

Zhao Fusheng breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Don't worry, I promise I won't do anything."

Fan Baobao turned around, took a script from her suitcase, and handed it to him: "Here, take a look. This is the script."

Taking the document folder Fan Baobao handed him, Zhao Fusheng sat on the bed and began to read.

The moment he saw the movie's title, his expression turned strange. After finishing the entire script, his face was quite peculiar as he looked up at Fan Baobao: "Uh, you're the lead?"

"Yeah, kind of the female lead," Fan Baobao nodded. "But the director said the main focus is on the two boys. I actually don't have many scenes."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and pointed to another name: "Then who's playing the little maid?"

"Ah, Zhou Xun. You know her, right? *Suzhou River* was invested by your company. I remember you even went along for over a month." Fan Baobao answered matter-of-factly.

Zhao Fusheng nodded. He finally confirmed that this was the movie *Beijing Bicycle* that he remembered.

The movie's plot is simple: The young man Gui comes from the countryside to work in Beijing. He finds a job at a courier company, delivering packages by bicycle, charging ten yuan per delivery. Once he saves up six hundred yuan, he can buy the silver mountain bike the company lent him, which he really likes. Gui endures frequent complaints from customers and works hard.

Just as he's about to save enough money, his bicycle is stolen. He searches all over Beijing for it, and then on the street, he sees a student riding it. The new owner, Jian, says he bought the bike at a flea market, but Gui must get it back, so the two have to find a way to share the bicycle.

The director is Wang Xiaoshuai, one of the members of the Sixth Generation of directors.

That's right, Zhao Fusheng naturally knew the guy and had even eaten with him. But that guy probably didn't know that Fan Baobao was Zhao Fusheng's girlfriend, otherwise he wouldn't have gone through the Central Academy of Drama or Huayi Brothers to invite Fan Baobao to play the high school girl Xiaoxiao in the movie; he would have called Zhao Fusheng directly.

"You know him?" Fan Baobao looked at Zhao Fusheng suspiciously. His reaction made her have to wonder.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "I've had dinner with Director Xiaoshuai. Old Jiang is closer to him."

"Oh, you didn't ask him to find me, did you?" Fan Baobao instantly fell into a state of self-doubt.

There was no help for it. Her boyfriend had a wide circle of acquaintances and was too capable, always making her feel like an idiot. And the more that happened, the more she wanted to prove herself through her own abilities.

Zhao Fusheng gently shook his head: "You're overthinking it. He and I aren't that close, at most nodding acquaintances. Besides, he doesn't know you're my girlfriend. Otherwise, do you think I'd only find out now that he's the director?"

Fan Baobao thought about it and realized he was right. Given Zhao Fusheng's temperament, he really wouldn't do something so boring.

"So what do you think of this movie?"

Fan Baobao thought for a moment and asked Zhao Fusheng.

Although she didn't want Zhao Fusheng to interfere, she had to admit that when it came to judging scripts, Zhao Fusheng's level was higher than most people's, including her own.

This was evident from the several scripts Zhao Fusheng had written before.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and nodded: "Good script. Even if it might not be released domestically, once it's made, it will definitely be very good."

He meant it. Telling stories about growing up has almost become a creative motif. Different historical periods and different directors use their unique perspectives to interpret stories of growth. In *Beijing Bicycle*, Wang Xiaoshuai uses his unique vision to give a new interpretation to this creative motif, depicting a cruel youth suppressed by power.

In the film, Wang Xiaoshuai, through the words of the manager of Feida Courier Company, expresses that the mountain bike is no longer just a convenient means of transportation but a form of capital and power. It is the capital for the peasant Gui to integrate into city life and earn good reputation for the company, and it is also the power for Jian to show off and showboat in front of his classmates.

Gui, as a migrant worker, seems destined to be out of place in the city and to have a cruel youth. The director adds a protagonist with an urban household registration, Jian, and also tells the story of Jian's cruel youth, which clearly points out the theme: no matter where you are or what your identity is, your youth is cruel.

In the film, he also delves deeply into the reasons for this cruel youth. But this reason is no longer the tragedy of different cultures as shown in *Shanghai Dreams*, but an inevitable result under the suppression of power. In Gui's world, the company, work, the mountain bike, and urbanites all become metaphors for power or institutions. They suppress everything about Gui, and any slight mistake can deal a heavy blow to his life.

One plot point emphasized in the script surprised Zhao Fusheng quite a bit: When Gui is looking for Mr. Zhang, the waiter confusedly gives him a bath. After the bath, he cries out hoarsely, 'I have no money.' This can be entirely described as black humor. The director uses a helpless, sarcastic attitude to express the migrant worker's incompatibility with the city and to convey Gui's cruel youth.

In Jian's world, the mountain bike is an enviable form of capital. With it, he can integrate into his classmates' lives and win the girlfriend he likes. His father, a figure representing integrity, repeatedly changes his promises, stirring up Jian's inner rebellion. He begins to doubt the whole world. He takes five hundred yuan from his father to buy the mountain bike at a second-hand market, wanting to fulfill his promise through his own actions, little knowing that he is challenging the system that governs society. In the face of the system, both Gui and Jian have tried and struggled, but what it brings them is severe punishment from power.

Although this movie is clearly destined not to pass censorship, in Zhao Fusheng's view, it will definitely win awards internationally. To put it bluntly, it's a surefire tool for building reputation.

If Fan Baobao could participate, it would help boost her fame in the industry.

With that in mind, Zhao Fusheng looked at Fan Baobao: "You should act well this time. Maybe this movie will become a highlight on your résumé in the future."

This was the truth. Although actors in art films may not have as many fans in the short term, they can win acclaim within the industry. Simply put, such actors will never lack film roles. As long as they are willing, countless directors and investors will want to work with them.

The most obvious example is Ms. Zhou. She started with art films, acted in TV dramas, then moved to the big screen, eventually building a huge reputation and never filming TV dramas again.

Zhao Fusheng sincerely hoped that Fan Baobao could achieve the same.